My research program involves dietary modifications that effect microbial populations in the digestive tract of ruminants and nonruminants. My laboratory conducts research with animals that range from food-producing domesticated species to cooperative research with the St. Louis Zoo on captive exotic species. Research is conducted through an active graduate student program. My laboratory has strong collaborative ties with Missouri’s commodity group organizations. Research projects are centered in animal nutrition and have outcomes in improving nutritive value of feed ingredients, efficiency of animal growth, carcass and meat value, and waste nutrient and odor reduction. My laboratory has strong involvement in beef research programs and the Center for Agroforestry.

A major research thrust of my laboratory encompasses understanding nutritional and metabolic influences on gain efficiency of cattle. Gain efficiency is the most important factor effecting beef production profitability. Gain efficiency is affected by digestible nutrient ratios in the diet, mitochondrial respiration efficiency, and efficiency of tissue accretion. My laboratory is conducting research to determine optimum amino acid to energy ratios that maximize gain efficiency. This research involves modeling bacterial flow from the rumen and developing empirical equations that optimize diet formulation to animal performance. This research encompasses developing rumen-stable amino acid oligomers and diet interventions that prevent pathogen shedding by the feedlot animal. My laboratory is also conducting research determining the relationship between mitochondrial metabolism and gain efficiency. Specific research thrusts consist of collaborative efforts to measure mitochondrial protein expression, and identify mitochondrial proteins that differ between efficient and inefficient contemporaries. In addition to understanding the biological reason for energetic differences among animals, we are also seeking for a physiological and/or functional genomics marker for metabolic efficiency. Finally, we are using our discoveries in diet formulation and selection for efficiency to reduce waste volume by over one-half compared to conventional feeding strategies.

Lehmkuhler, J.W. and M.S. Kerley. 2007. Blood meal and fish meal as supplements to increase the amino acid to energy ratio in steer receiving diets. The Professional Animal Scientist 23:253-259

Garrett, H.E., M.S. Kerley, K.P. Ladyman, W.D. Walter, L.D. Godsey, J.W. Van Sambeek, and D.K. Bauer. 2006. Hardwood silvopasture management in the central hardwood region USA. Agroforstry Systems (In Press).

Fu, C. J.,Carter, J. N., Porter, J. H., and Kerley, M. S. 2006. Comparison of agar plate and real-time PCR on enumeration of Lactobacillus, Clostridium perfringens and total anaerobic bacteria in dog faeces Letters in Applied Microbiology. 42(5). 490-494.

Kolath, W. H., Kerley, M. S., Golden, J. W., and Keisler, D. H. 2006. The relationship between mitochondrial function and residual feed intake in Angus steers. J. Anim. Sci. 84(4):861-865.

Kolath, W. H., Kerley, M. S., Golden, J. W., Shahid, S. A., and Johnson, G. S. 2006 The relationships among mitochondrial uncoupling protein 2 and 3 expression, mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid single nucleotide polymorphisms, and residual feed intake in Angus steers. J. Anim. Sci. 84(7):1761-1766.

Kallenbach, R.L., M.S. Kerley, and G.J. Bishop-Hurley. 2006. Cumulative forage production, forage quality and livestock performance from an annual ryegrass and cereal rye mixture in a pine-walnut silvopasture. Agroforestry Systems 66:43-53.