Hansen

Feed efficiency in beef cattle-Quantitative and molecular analysis of the genes that affect feed efficiency.
Use integrated beef cattle systems to reduce variation in feeder and stocker cattle.
- Whole herd reporting, integrated resource management (IRM), and standardized production analysis (SPA).
- Compare cattle produced through AI coupled with estrus synchronizations to cattle produced in conventional methods.
- Compare cattle of known genetic background to cattle of unknown genetic background from the start to finish of the production chain.
- Develop methods of predicting feedlot performance using different systems of production.
- Investigate different systems of cross breeding to determine optimum levels of performance in cattle of various crosses and identify markets for each class of crossbred cattle.
- Work to determine the value of cattle when the total system of production is considered. Economic analysis to determine optimum production from conception to consumer.
Develop optimum harvest endpoints for different biological types of cattle under different production scenarios and marketing alternatives.
Work with all segments of the beef industry to integrate data collection and analysis enabling beef producers to monitor cattle through the production system from point of origin to endpoint use identifying where beef quality defects occur and implement corrective measure to ensure food safety.
Investigate phenotypic and genetic correlations between tenderness as predicted by the Hunterlab BeefCAM, Warner-Bratzler shear force, taste sensory panels and overall tenderness panels. Determine heritability estimates for tenderness using the Hunter Beef Cam scores and scan the genome to determine if QTL's are present.