Designed with the Producer in Mind
Updates on current Angus research initiatives and priorities.
January 14, 2026
Having access to cutting-edge genetic tools has helped Angus breeders reach new levels of success. But it takes time asking questions and finding answers to build the toolbox.
In 2007, genomics were gaining traction amongst cattlemen. Angus Genetics Inc. (AGI) was, in part, created as a subsidiary of the Association in response.
“We knew that [genomics] was going to be a transformative shift in how we analyzed cattle through an objective genetic evaluation,” explained AGI President Kelli Retallick-Riley during the Research Advantage general session hosted at the Angus Convention in November. “Our mission is really to lead genetic change for the Angus industry and the beef industry as a whole.”
For breeders, AGI is a vital piece of the profitability puzzle, keeping access to tools and data in the American Angus Association — an advantage for members.
“They don’t have to go outside to find a private entity to create tools, create access; and those tools are accessible for every member, whether they have two head or 2,000,” said Jonathan Perry, former president of the American Angus Association’s.
Today, Retallick-Riley said there’s three categories of research projects that happen at AGI:
1. Novel trait development: exploring new items to potentially be added to the breeder’s genetic evaluation toolkit
2. Genetic Evaluation Maintenance: helping optimize that toolkit; includes weekly expected progeny difference (EPD) updates
3. Progress of commercial tools: creation and development of programs like GeneMax®
As far as research priorities, the AGI team is always asking questions. But as scientists and researchers, Retallick-Riley says the input of those out in the pasture is crucial. That’s where the Association’s breed improvement committee comes in.
Smitty Lamb, chairman of the breed improvement committee, said Board members serve as the conduit between the Association and AGI.
Perry confirmed the research Retallick-Riley’s team does for the Association is reactionary. AGI finds answers when Lamb and the breed improvement committee approaches them with a question or identifies a hole in the industry.
“But for a breeder like myself, I want [AGI] out in the space,” Perry said. “I’m busy breeding cows, calving cows, selling cows, trying to make a living, trying to stay in business … I want [the AGI staff] identifying things that are coming at me that I’m not smart enough or aware enough of to know that I may need to be headed in that direction in three or four years.”
When research kicks off, it usually comes in two forms: individual universities approach AGI with a partnership opportunity, or AGI puts out requests for research proposals.
For research to be a viable option for a new tool, Retallick-Riley said it has to be heritable, scalable and compatible. Without heritability, there’s no control in genetics. Scalability refers to the cost, measurability and accessibility. Compatibility is to better understand how selecting for a new trait will affect the outcome of another.
Research also has to fit the needs of Angus producers; cattlemen want to be able to easily select for the trait and see an effect in profitability.
I think one of the strengths of this breed for some time has been science-based research and data behind decision tools and behind decisions that are made around business and this breed.” —Mark McCully
“I think one of the strengths of this breed for some time has been science-based research and data behind decision tools and behind decisions that are made around business and this breed,” said Mark McCully, Association CEO.
Though membership surveys show that research is one of the top priorities for breeders within the Association, a recent grant to fund methane and feed-efficiency research sparked a lot of questions.
“What we found in a lot of those discussions, candidly, was a lot of members maybe even weren’t aware of research projects we were currently a part of or had been a part of in the past that led to tools that we had today,” McCully said.
Research update
Currently, AGI is involved in numerous research projects both internally and through external collaborations (see Figure 1).
Fig. 1: Ongoing AGI Research Projects |
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University of Georgia (UGA) |
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Purdue University |
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Kansas State University (KSU) |
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UGA + UW Madison + Purdue + UT + MSU + Inrae |
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Colorado State University (CSU) |
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Oklahoma State University (OSU) |
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AGBU + UT + BLN + ICBF + SRUC |
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North Carolina State University + University of Florence |
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University of Illinois |
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A few highlighted by the panel include work with the University of Illinois, where AGI is focused on index validation through multi-year selection via a mating project with the university’s 600 commercial cow herd.
“We get this question a lot — are we validating these tools we’re using?” Lamb explained. “That’s something we do all the time … The last person you want to fool is yourself. So if there’s something wrong with these dollar value indexes ($values), we want to know.”
The project also puts the indexes in perspective in the commercial space, Retallick-Riley added.
Kansas State University and AGI are partnering on three fertility projects. Retallick-Riley said they’re using breeding soundness exams on bulls and other data to see if more information on fertility can be answered from both the bull and female side.
In many cases with AGI’s research, the team is trying to build tools to allow breeders to find animals that can lead to higher levels of efficiency or profitability.
Essentially, “Are there cows that can do more with less?”
Research around the globe has shown that capturing gas flux measurements could be used to determine if there were genetic differences in maintenance energy requirements among the cow herd.
Cattle can take a low-quality forage and upgrade it to a high-quality protein for consumption. That process all happens in the rumen as microbes break down forage into cellulose. The cellulose is broken down into volatile fatty acids, which are the main form of energy for cows.
Enteric methane is a natural byproduct of this process and is released through eructation or burps.
Retallick-Riley said, “It is a very natural process of how our animals digest food. But the reason we wanted to look at it is because there’s lots of studies out there that show that methane production [is heritable and is interpreted as] energetic loss.”
Studies have shown methane production in cattle has a heritability of about 0.2, which is similar to weaning weight, so Retallick-Riley said she’s hopeful to learn more. The question still remains whether methane production can be used as an element to predict which cows are more efficient on grass or the way they partition their energy resources.
Past research has used dairy cattle or been conducted in confinement settings. But the Methane Efficiency Research, headed by the Animal Genetics and Breeding Unit at the University of New England in Australia, presented the chance to collect thousands of phenotypes in a grazing setting.
“Really what this research is about is to understand the influence genetics has on methane production, whether it can be reduced through genetic solution, [and how that reduction plays into the efficiency conversation],” Retallick-Riley said.
While there’s optimism for what might be revealed, there’s no set path for the future either, as the research is in its beginning stage.
“This Board of Directors will determine whether or not any selection tools are ... added to our suite of selection tools that are currently available to our membership,” said Smitty Lamb, chairman of the breed improvement committee.
When the diversity of the breed is paired with technology and research opportunities, there’s potential for Angus cattle to continue to lead the industry. One thing has been made clear: communication between members and the Board makes all the difference.
“Input is key and vital going forward,” Perry said. “We cannot know what you want, what you think and what you need if we don’t hear it on a regular, engaged basis.”
Want to learn more about AGI research? Visit www.angus.org/agi/research.
Topics: Events , Member Center Featured News , Association News , Genetics
Publication: Angus Journal
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