Synopsis

Research on animal systems will emphasize integrated and sustainable animal production systems, animal genetic diversity and biological performance, quality and safety of animal food products, and health and well-being of animals.

For example, animal systems research will have increased emphasis on food safety, quality, and convenience. It will focus on optimizing the impact of animal production on the environment and use of natural resources. Research must develop new knowledge and technology on the component parts as well as linking the parts to the integrated system. There will be increased research on biological diversity to prevent loss of animal germplasm. Mapping the animal genome will be accelerated. Currently genome mapping is underway on sheep, hogs, cattle, and poultry. These results will expedite genetic development of animals with desirable quality and efficiency traits. Animal health research, from the cellular level to herd health, will contribute to improved quality and safety of food from animal origin. Production efficiency and animal well-being will be enhanced through integrated systems research.

Southern Synopsis The Southern Region farm gate value of animal commodities accounts for approximately one-sixth of the U.S. agricultural gross national product. This farm gate value will increase because the Southern Region has geographic factors that favor diverse animal production systems, including aquaculture and other new exotic animal enterprises. Because of its relative complexity, animal agriculture in the Southern region has a special need for systems research involving broader coalitions of disciplinary research encompassing a holistic approach to problem solving. This includes research related to animal production systems that embrace animal health, nutrition, genetics, feed and forage production, waste management, food safety, and human nutrition. Special emphasis is placed on environmental, economic, and social issues.

Base Program Dynamics

DEVELOP INTEGRATED AND SUSTAINABLE ANIMAL PRODUCTION SYSTEMS

• Sustainable Ecosystems
• Synergy at the Agriculture-Urban Interface
• Biodiversity
• Waste Management
• Risk Management
• Next Generation of Foods
• Food Safety
• Integrated Pest Management
• Global Competitiveness

Impact
Industry will be served by developing methods to link existing knowledge of individual components of production, marketing, and processing of animals and utilization of animal products. Research will identify those interrelationships in quantitative models, that can be translated into management models to increase efficiency, sustainability, and profitability. Economic and environmental considerations will be part of the system. New knowledge will provide the framework for more site-specific management techniques for farm, range, and forestry operations on public and private lands. The result will be animal systems that are sustainable, profitable and compatible with the environment.

Southern Relevance Much of the natural resource base of the South is prone to degradation by erosion and or contamination. The dynamic nature of animal production systems -- particularly as they are impacted by the economies of scale, marketing opportunities, and society's changing environmental expectations -- creates the need for research to guide informed decision-making on these complex issues. This includes both the structure and practices employed in animal agricultural production systems. The natural resources of the South lend themselves to development of a diverse animal agriculture, including aquaculture and the utilization of many non-traditional species. The climatic conditions in the South favor forage production, often on a year-round basis, and creates extraordinary opportunities for sustainable animal agriculture in the region.

Objectives

• Integrated production and marketing systems. Continue to improve the understanding of the interrelationship among input costs/benefits, animal health, nutrition, genetics, reproduction, resource utilization, and marketing to provide fully integrated production systems.

• Grazing strategies. Develop improved grazing systems that allow the optimum balance between economic and environmental sustainability in the use of land, water, and other natural resources. Provide appropriate strategies for a comprehensive production management system.

• Health management. Develop and integrate animal health practices into production systems to minimize economic losses from stress, disease, or death.

• Reproduction management. Develop reproductive management, including quantitative definitions of nutritional factors that improve gonadal function, reproductive behavior, and embryo survival. These will be integrated into a comprehensive management system.

• Nutrient recycling. Develop improved production system methods to use and recycle nutrients and animal wastes for useful purposes in an environmentally sound way.

ENHANCE ANIMAL GENETIC DIVERSITY AND BIOLOGICAL PERFORMANCE

• Biodiversity
• Risk Management
• Next Generation of Foods
• Food Safety
• Global Competitiveness
• Integrated Pest Management

Impact
The industry will benefit from the use of molecular genetics, understanding of animal physiological and metabolic functions, and the combination of molecular and quantitative genetics to improve animal production systems. We will improve the nutritional quality of animal products, reduce the use of antibiotics and other chemicals (and their residues), enhance the sustainable use of natural resources, and improve the efficiency and profitability of production systems. The genetic diversity in the world's animal populations will be better understood, used, and preserved.

Southern Relevance The South is the nation's leader of revolutionary restructuring of food animal industries, especially in vertical integration of poultry and swine, and in the growth of aquaculture and exotic animal production systems To further enhance animal productivity and profitability, research is needed to understand the genetic composition (gene maps) of the region s animal germplasm to enhance animal health and performance and the quality of animal products. This research also must take into account the region's unique climate conditions.

Objectives

• Develop genetic markers. Expand and confirm animal genetic maps to identify quantitative trait loci and linkage groups for DNA marker-assisted selection, in order to improve animal growth, enhance nutritional quality of animal products, delineate the basis of disease resistance, and identify rate-limiting genes controlling performance in a sustainable system. This can only be accomplished by the maintenance of genetic diversity.

• Understand genetic regulation. Identify and use genetic regulation of key behavioral, physiological, and regulatory processes that control functional relationships to optimize animal production.

• Use genetic modification methods. Accelerate the use of molecular genetics to modify performance and improve composition of animals and animal products. Determine the interrelationships between animal genetics and the environment to improve production.

INCREASE THE QUALITY OF ANIMAL FOOD PRODUCTS

• Sustainable Ecosystems
• Synergy at the Agriculture-Urban Interface
• Biodiversity
• Risk Management
• Next Generation of Foods
• Food Safety
• Integrated Pest Management
• Global Competitiveness

Impact
Consumers will benefit from research in this area by having desirable, high quality animal food products. Quality will be determined by nutritive value, relative composition of fat and lean, and freedom from microbial and chemical contamination. These efforts will provide additional knowledge of nutrient value of animal food products, provide a better understanding of quality improvement, and provide methods to preserve and enhance these products during production, processing, and storage.

Southern Relevance Animal parasitism is a major cause of reduced quality of animal products. Because of relatively mild climates and overwintering of many external and internal parasites, there is a special need for research to develop better (non-chemical) methods of control. Some parasites affecting animals are also transmissible to man. The quality of aquatic food products such as shellfish must be improved through enhanced production and management methods. Goals include reducing or eliminating microbial contamination and off-flavors. Seasonal variation in nutrient availability and utilization affects composition of animal products. Research is needed on the interaction between feed availability and genetic characteristics which affect body composition with the goal of improving quality of animal products.

Objectives

• Identify relative nutrient values and quality. Establish the biochemical and cellular relationship between animal products and human nutrition and health. Understanding this relationship will enhance the nutritive value and quality of animal products.

• Define mechanisms controlling composition. Determine the genetic, cellular, and physiological basis for controlling the nutrient composition of food animals and products.

• Improve animal product safety. Develop improved methods to protect animals and animal products from contamination and damage during production, processing, and preparation.

ENHANCE THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF ANIMALS

• Sustainable Ecosystems
• Biodiversity
• Risk Management
• Next Generation of Foods
• Food Safety
• Global Competitiveness
• Integrated Pest Management

Impact
By enhancing the health and well-being of animals, production costs will be reduced. Industry will use new tools of modern biology to detect, prevent and cure animal diseases. Animal production systems will include health management strategies. Methods to objectively measure animal well-being will be developed and implemented.

Southern Relevance Geographic factors in the Southern Region place particular importance on animal stress and on internal, external, and blood-borne parasitic diseases warm humid climates lead to a long growing season and animal stress, which leads to continued reproduction of internal and external parasites. A number of minor species at the national level are important species in the South, including poultry, warm water aquaculture species, sheep and goats. Special emphasis is needed to provide the animal health knowledge to support these animal enterprises. Research is needed to improve integrated animal production systems, including animal health considerations. Both regulatory standards and new methods of detection, containment, and treatment of exotic disease are needed in the South due to the implementation of NAFTA, which increases the threat of concomitant importation of animal disease.

Objectives

• Develop disease detection methods. Develop efficient, cost effective, and rapid methods for detection of diseases, toxins, and other gene products vital to disease resistance. Identify and develop control mechanisms for animal diseases.

• Determine the molecular basis for disease prevention. Identify the molecular basis for genetic resistance to diseases. Determine the molecular basis for prevention and treatment strategies for diseases. Assess the impact of these new technologies on animal well-being.

• Understand the epidemiology of animal disease. Develop the regional, national, and international data bases needed to understand the epidemiology of economically important animal diseases. Use these data bases to develop predictive models that will minimize effects and manage crisis from new and exotic disease outbreaks.

• Enhance animal well-being. Optimize animal well-being in the production environment by developing and using objective measures. These measures include assessment of animal performances, influence of groups size and composition, and genetic and environmental influences on behavioral, immunological, and physiological responses to management regimes. The information will be used to develop modified or alternative practices to enhance animal well-being.