https://aurora.auburn.edu/handle/11200/44215 Fri, 10 Apr 2026 23:43:20 GMT 2026-04-10T23:43:20Z https://aurora.auburn.edu/handle/11200/50771 Alabama Livestock Research Report 2025 Welcome The livestock industry remains a foundation of Alabama’s agricultural economy, supporting rural communities, creating jobs, and providing high-quality animal protein for a growing population. Cattle are produced in every county in the state and represent an industry valued at more than $2.5 billion annually. Alongside beef production, Alabama’s broader animal agriculture sector, including poultry, pork, dairy, goats, and hay production, plays a vital role in sustaining the state’s agricultural landscape. Recent assessments estimate that Alabama’s food, fiber, forestry, and green industries contribute $77.3 billion to the state’s economy and support more than 273,000 jobs, accounting for nearly 10% of Alabama’s workforce. As global demand for animal protein continues to increase, livestock producers face evolving challenges related to efficiency, sustainability, environmental stewardship, and animal health. Addressing these challenges requires innovative research, strong partnerships, and a commitment to translating science into practical solutions for producers. The Department of Animal Sciences at Auburn University remains dedicated to advancing this mission through collaborative research and extension programs that support the livestock industry across Alabama. The projects featured in this year’s report highlight the diversity and impact of our research programs. From studies evaluating nutritional strategies to investigations of grazing systems that incorporate warm-season forbs, our researchers are working to improve animal performance while enhancing the sustainability of pasture-based production systems. Other efforts focus on reproductive biology and developmental programming, exploring how maternal nutrition and reproductive technologies influence early embryonic development and long-term animal performance. In addition, extension-focused research included in this report examines how educational programs can better reach and serve Alabama’s livestock and equine communities. We are pleased to present the fourth edition of the Alabama Livestock Research Report, which showcases research conducted by faculty, staff, and students in the Auburn University Department of Animal Sciences and our affiliated research and extension centers. Within these pages, you will find examples of how science, innovation, and collaboration are helping address real-world challenges faced by livestock producers throughout the state. We are grateful to the many producers, industry partners, commodity groups, and funding agencies who make this work possible. Most importantly, we thank the faculty, staff, and students whose dedication and curiosity drive the research and outreach efforts highlighted in this report. Thank you for your continued support of Auburn University’s Department of Animal Sciences and our shared commitment to strengthening Alabama’s livestock industry. We invite you to engage with this work, ask questions, share ideas, and join us as we continue to serve Alabama’s livestock industry through research, education, and innovation. This is our work. Sincerely, Kim Mullenix, Ph.D. Professor and Head Department of Animal Sciences 210 Upchurch Hall, Auburn Univ, AL 36849 https://aurora.auburn.edu/handle/11200/50771 https://aurora.auburn.edu/handle/11200/50686 Alabama Livestock Research Report 2024 The livestock industry continues to be a foundation of the state’s agricultural economy, supporting communities, driving innovation, and providing high-quality animal protein for a growing population. Cattle are produced in every county and cattle production represents a $2.5 billion industry in Alabama. With significant contributions from hay, poultry, pork, dairy, and goat production, our animal agriculture sector remains strong, dynamic, and essential. In a recent impact assessment for Alabama agriculture and forestry, the economic contribution of Alabama’s food, fiber, forestry, and green industries was $77.3 billion and 273,271 jobs, which accounts for 10% of Alabama’s workforce. As global demand for high-quality animal protein continues to rise, so do the challenges facing our producers. Innovative, targeted research is needed to ensure the long-term efficiency and resilience of food animal production systems. The Department of Animal Sciences at Auburn University remains committed to meeting these challenges. Our faculty, staff, and students continue to develop collaborative, multidisciplinary research and extension programs that support producers and consumers. They are engaged in cutting-edge work that spans nutrition, genetics, reproduction, meat science, animal health, and beyond. We are committed to developing tools and knowledge that not only improve production efficiency but also strengthen the long-term sustainability of Alabama’s livestock systems. It is with great excitement that we introduce the third edition of the Alabama Livestock Research Report. This publication continues our goal of sharing impactful research and outreach conducted by our department, on campus and through our affiliated experiment stations. Inside these pages, you will find highlights from ongoing projects, updates from the field, and insights into the ways we are working alongside producers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders to shape the future of animal agriculture in Alabama. We are proud to share this report with you and grateful for the support of our funding partners and stakeholders who make this work possible. Most of all, we thank the faculty, staff, and students whose efforts and curiosity drive the progress you will read about here. We invite you to engage with this work, ask questions, share ideas, and join us as we continue to serve Alabama’s livestock industry through research, education, and innovation. This is our work. Sincerely, Kim Mullenix, Ph.D. Professor and Head Department of Animal Sciences 210 Upchurch Hall, Auburn Univ, AL 36849 mullemk@auburn.edu https://aurora.auburn.edu/handle/11200/50686 https://aurora.auburn.edu/handle/11200/50632 Alabama Livestock Research Report 2023 Almost $450 million worth of cattle and calves were sold in Alabama last year, generating a $2.5 billion impact. Hay and haylage production resulted in a value of $235 million to producers supporting the cattle and horse industries. Over $8 million worth of pork was marketed and $7 million of dairy products was generated in the state. With 47,000 meat goats, the state ranks 8th in goat production. Animal agriculture is alive and well in Alabama. At a time when the world population continues to grow, there is a greater demand for high‐quality animal protein. However, with population growth resulting in more urban sprawl, fewer land resources are available to meet the food and animal production needs. This increases the need for basic and targeted food animal research programs to provide technology that increases the efficiency of food animal production systems. The Department of Animal Science faculty and staff are answering this call by working synergistically in the development of research and extension programming across the state. Multidisciplinary programs are being developed, implemented, and delivered to meet the needs of stakeholders (both food animal producers and food animal consumers) across the state, region, nation, and world. Thus, it is with great pleasure that we present to you the second edition of the Alabama Livestock Research Report. Building upon the success of our first publication, this edition continues to serve as a comprehensive overview of the research and outreach initiatives developed in the Department of Animal Sciences at Auburn University. This publication combines reports from faculty, staff, and graduate students on campus and Experiment Stations. We provide in-depth information on our research programs, which incorporate growth biology, reproductive physiology, nutrition, genetics, meat science, animal health, management, and production practices into a comprehensive program. Additionally, we showcase our outreach activities and partnerships with industry stakeholders. We are proud to say that this report and research are made possible thanks to the financial support of funding agencies, organizations, and stakeholders who believe in the value of our work. Thank you to the faculty, students, and staff that contributed to this publication. Together, we can continue our mission of improving the lives of livestock producers and enhancing the sustainability of the livestock industry in Alabama and beyond. We invite you to explore our findings, learn about our progress, and engage with us as we work together to build a brighter future for our state’s agriculture. Should you have any questions about the research reported in this publication, do not hesitate to contact us or any of the authors of the individual reports. Sincerely, L. Wayne Greene Professor and Head Department of Animal Sciences 210 Upchurch Hall, Auburn Univ, AL 36849 greenlw@auburn.edu https://aurora.auburn.edu/handle/11200/50632 https://aurora.auburn.edu/handle/11200/50503 Alabama Livestock Research Report 2022 It is with great pleasure that we welcome you to the first edition of the Alabama Livestock Research Report. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive overview for producers and stakeholders across the state highlighting the research and outreach activities developed in the Department of Animal Sciences at Auburn University. This publication combines reports from scientists and graduate students on campus and Experiment Stations. Herein we provide in-depth information on our research programs, ranging from animal nutrition and genetics to management and production practices. Additionally, we showcase our outreach activities, such as extension programs and partnerships with industry stakeholders. https://aurora.auburn.edu/handle/11200/50503