Within the past year National Program 101, Animal Genomes, Germplasm, Reproduction, and Development presented a summary of the Animal Germplasm and Genomics Program to the National Committee on Animal Germplasm and participated in the Conference on Transgenic Animals at the University of Minnesota. Budget increases in FY 1998 included $450,000 to Brooksville, Florida, for research to develop breeds/lines of cattle consistent with life cycle production systems that optimize resources in the Gulf Coast; and to develop decision aids for beef cattle producers and researchers to determine the impact of grazing systems on water quality in Florida. In-depth laboratory reviews were conducted for the Biosystematics and National Parasite Collection Unit, the Immunology and Disease Resistance Laboratory, and the Parasite Biology and Epidemiology Laboratory in Beltsville, Maryland.

Significant achievements for FY 1998 include a manuscript published in 'Nature Biotechnology' regarding the production and secretion of growth hormone in the urine of transgenic mice. Scientists within the program have received numerous awards, some of which include: (1) the Animal Improvement Programs Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland, received a Governmental Technology Leadership Award from the Government Executive Magazine for enhancing genetic improvement for milk yield by reducing generation interval; (2) John Dobrinsky of the Germplasm and Gamete Physiology Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland, received the Presidential Science and Technology Award and the Herbert L. Rothbart Early Career Scientist Award from ARS for his discovery of methods to successfully preserve swine embryos; (3) Katherine O'Rourke and Don Knowles of the Animal Diseases Research Laboratory, Pullman, Washington, received the Secretary's Award for Research and Professional Excellence; (4) Chad Chase of the Beef Cattle Research Laboratory, Brooksville, Florida, received the Outstanding Young Research Scientist Award from the American Society of Animal Science, Southern Section; (5) Gary Rohrer of the Animal Breeding and Genetics Unit, Meat Animal Research Center, Clay Center, Nebraska, received the ARS Early Career Scientist Award for the Northern Plains Area. Plans for FY 2000 include a joint national program workshop for the Animal Genomes, Germplasm, Reproduction, and Development Program and the Animal Production Systems Program to be held at the University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, February 1-3, 2000. The goals of the workshop will be to develop long-term national priorities for these programs. The results from this workshop will be published and available on the ARS website. In-depth laboratory reviews will be conducted for the Gene Evaluation and Mapping Laboratory, the Meat Science Research Laboratory, the Growth Biology Laboratory, the Germplasm and Gamete Physiology Laboratory, all in Beltsville, Maryland. Dr. Roger Gerrits retired after 26 years as national program leader and 35 years of service in ARS. Dr. Steve Kappes became the national program leader for animal genomes, germplasm, reproduction and development on July 1, 1999.

Improved efficiency in sexed sperm technology. The ability to preselect sex in mammals utilizing differences in the DNA content of sperm is considered a major advance in reproductive biology. Scientists within the Germplasm and Gamete Physiology Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland, who originally developed this technology made tremendous improvements in the methodology this year. By using a newly developed and unique orienting nozzle in conjunction with the high-speed laser equipment to differentiate between female (X chromosome) and male (Y chromosome) sperm, scientists have increased the output of sexed sperm from 0.5 million/hour to 5-6 million/hr, a 10-fold increase in efficiency. This finding enhances the usefulness of sexing technology as a commercial tool.

Resistance to Marek's disease. Marek's disease is a high concern to the poultry industry. Although the development of Marek's disease can be controlled by vaccination, the virus remains present and infectious. The constant presence of the pathogen, periodic outbreaks in vaccinated flocks, and emergence of new virulent strains point to the need for alternative controls of Marek's disease. Scientists at the Avian Disease and Oncology Research Laboratory, East Lansing, Michigan, identified 14 genomic regions that confer resistance to Marek's disease and have identified 75 (or more) unique genes that were different between Marek's-disease-resistant and susceptible lines of chickens. These gene markers offer the potential to breed chickens with enhanced natural resistance to Marek's disease.

Genes for lean meat production in cattle. Double muscling is an inheritable trait, which results in animals producing greater quantities of lean meat. Scientists at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, Clay Center, Nebraska, have developed a direct DNA-based test to detect the genes leading to double muscling in Piedmontese and Belgian Blue cattle. The ability to detect and track the heritability of these genes with genetic markers will permit efficient selective breeding for improved lean meat production.

Labeling meat for tenderness. Inconsistency in beef palatability frequently results in consumer dissatisfaction and has contributed to the decline in U.S. beef consumption. Scientists at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, Clay Center, Nebraska, have clearly demonstrated that consumers are willing to pay a premium for beef products that excel in both leanness and tenderness. When steaks certified as 'Tender Select' were offered for retail sale, the gross value of beef sales increased by 34 percent and the gross tonnage of beef sales increased by 27 percent.

Identifying low libido in rams. Reproductive inefficiency in sheep results in reduced dissemination of superior genetic material and lower producer profitability. Low-libido rams, which constitute 15 percent of a population based on ARS studies, have a negative impact on flock productivity and profitability by causing longer lambing seasons and creating the need for excess rams. Scientists at the U. S. Sheep Experiment Station, Dubois, Idaho, have determined that injection of the compound naloxone produces a hormonal response that can be used to diagnose rams with low libido. This may serve as the basis for a standardized test to determine sexual performance that can be used by sheep producers to cull low-libido rams.

Safflower seeds improve calf production. Agricultural production from semi-arid Northern Great Plains range areas is largely dependent on converting forage to beef cattle products that can be consumed or utilized. Poor efficiency of range beef cattle reproduction severely limits the efficiency of this process. Scientists at the Range and Livestock Research Center, Miles City, Montana, discovered that adding safflower seed to the beef cows' diet during pregnancy can increase calf production by a significant 5.4 percent. Very importantly, the safflower seeds do not increase birth weight. High birth weight is a cause of dystocia (difficult calf delivery), which is an important problem facing the U.S. beef cattle industry.

Increased litter size in swine through selection for ovulation rate and uterine capacity. The cost of producing pork can be reduced by increasing litter size, thereby spreading fixed costs associated with the breeding herd over more offspring marketed. The terminal phase of a long-term selection experiment (10-11 generations) was initiated at Clay Center, Nebraska. Results to date revealed that selection for the heritable traits of ovulation rate and uterine capacity can increase litter size by an average of 1.7 and 0.75 piglets/litter, respectively.

Technology transfer of a sire selection test for turkeys. Artificial insemination is used almost exclusively to produce turkeys in the United States. Few semen evaluation tests are available for sire selection in turkeys which are predictive of fertility. Scientists in the Germplasm and Gamete Physiology Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland, modified a sperm motility test, which is highly predictive of fertility, and simplified this test so that it is easily adaptable to on-farm use. Field tests utilizing this sperm test were performed on commercial farms.