Livestock Genetics and Phenotypic Trait Research
The Livestock Genetics and Phenotypic Trait Research laboratory utilizes the best molecular tools towards a better understanding of the genetically mediated regulation of economically important traits in livestock species including; beef cattle, dairy cattle and sheep. The traits examined include efficiency, immune function, disease resistance, beef quality, muscle growth, fertility, fecundity, longevity and recombination in male and female gametogenesis.
Research
- Characterizing the relationship between genetic variation in mammals with biological traits that are valued and important to society
- Exploit molecular and genetic tools available to further improve our understanding of how chromosome structure and genetic variations affect biological processes of both undesirable and desirable phenotypic traits
- Association of genetic mutations, genotypes, alleles, haplotypes and chromosomal regions with the incidence of disease and a number of valued complex traits
Current projects
- Advanced carcass maturity: developing an understanding, screening method and possible solution
- Functional importance of microbiota on sensory attributes of whole-muscle dry aged beef
- Implementation of genetic selection technologies on Texas sheep ranches
- The functional annotation of the bovine animal genome
- Ovine FAANG project
- Understanding parasite resistance in organic livestock and using a systems approach for control
- Optimizing and characterizing sustainable beef cattle production in forage base systems on western rangelands
- Reproductive performance in domestic ruminants
- Cantrell B, Lachance H, Murdoch B, Sjoquist J, Funston R, Weaber T McKay S. Global DNA methylation in the limbic system of cattle. Epigenomes (2019) 3(2).
- Davenport K, McKay S, Fahey A, Gill C, Murdoch B. Meiotic recombination differences in rams from three breeds of sheep in the U.S. Cytogenet Genome Res (2018) Oct. 9.
- Peer N, Law S, Murdoch B, Goulding E, Eddy E, Kim K. Germ cell-specific retinoic acid receptor alpha functions in germ cell organization, meiosis, and spermatogonia. Endocrinology (2018) Aug. 6.
- Davenport KM, Duan M, Hunter SS, New DD, Fagnan MW, Highland MA, Murdoch BM. Complete mitochondrial genome sequence of bighorn sheep. Genome Announcements (2018) June 7;6(23).
- Kalbfleisch TS, Murdoch BM, Smith TPL, Murdoch JD, Heaton MP and McKay SD. A SNP resource for studying North American moose. F1000 Research (2018) 13501.
- Murdoch BM, Murdoch GK, Greenwood S, McKay S. Nutritional influence on epigenetic marks and effects on livestock production. Frontiers in Genetics, (2016) Oct. 24;7: 182.
Share URL: uidaho.edu/cals/livestock-genetics
For more information, please contact:
Research scientists
- Kimberly Davenport, Ph.D. candidate
- Jacob Thorne, Ph.D. candidate
- Gabrielle Becker, graduate student
- Morgan Stegemiller, graduate student
Recent alumni
Dillan Henslee received his master’s in 2019 and returned to the family ranch in southern Idaho.
Anna Rodriguez received her master's from U of I in 2018 and currently a doctoral candidate at the University of Idaho.
Kimberly (Kim) Davenport received her doctorate from U of I in 2021 and is currently a post-doctoral at the University of Missouri under the mentorship of Tom Spencer, Ph.D. During her time at U of I, published 12 manuscripts and proceedings, 33 abstracts; a recipient of the Alumni Award for Excellence and numerous institutional, national and international awards.
Morgan Stegemiller received her master's at U of I in 2021 and currently a doctoral candidate at the University of Idaho.
