Source: UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS submitted to NRP
IMPROVING CATTLE HEALTH AND PATHOGEN RESISTANCE THROUGH TARGETED GENOMIC BALANCING SELECTION
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
ACTIVE
Funding Source
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1033875
Grant No.
2025-67015-44928
Cumulative Award Amt.
$650,000.00
Proposal No.
2024-08766
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Sep 1, 2025
Project End Date
Aug 31, 2029
Grant Year
2025
Program Code
[A1221]- Animal Health and Production and Animal Products: Animal Health and Disease
Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
2001 S. Lincoln Ave.
URBANA,IL 61801
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Infectious diseases cause serious problems for cattle herds, limiting growth and performance. Diseases lower productivity and increase costs for producers. We will identify genomic variants in cattle that lead to better health and use that information to guide breeding decisions. The result will be cattle that stay healthier and grow more efficiently. This will lead to stronger herds and better returns for producers.
Animal Health Component
25%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
75%
Applied
25%
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
3033399108040%
3043399108040%
3113399108020%
Goals / Objectives
The goal of this project is to support American cattle producers by improving herd health and performance through targeted use of genetic variability. We will identify regions of the genome that improve animal robustness and develop methods to support practical breeding decisions that strengthen the long-term productivity and resilience of U.S. cattle herds.The objectives include:-Identify specific regions of the genome where genetic variability has long-term value for improving performance of cattle.-Evaluate U.S.-based cattle genotype and health datasets to establish the practical relevance of variable genomic regions for herd-level outcomes.-Enhance current prediction tools by incorporating these genomic regions to support stronger, more productive herds, enhancing existing selection systems.
Project Methods
We will analyze cattle genomes to identify regions where genetic varibility contributes to consistent, high-level animal performance. Existing U.S. datasets will be used to confirm which of these regions are most relevant to herd health and productivity. Predictive methods will follow straightforward, practical approaches, and results will be shared through publications and targeted outreach to cattle producers.