Grand Challenge in Livestock Genomics: For Food, for Medicine, for the Environment, for Knowledge

Frontiers in Livestock Genomics (FLG) provides a venue for investigators to publish basic, applied, and methodological research toward a better understanding of the genetic mechanisms underlying the expression of complex phenotypes in livestock, the effects of domestication and evolutionary processes on genome variability, as well as innovative strategies for the genetic improvement of economically and socially important traits in livestock. The terms “livestock” and “genomics” are used here with broad, inclusive definitions. By livestock we refer to animal species raised in agricultural settings to produce commodities such as food, fiber, and labor. In this context, livestock species span from mammals (e.g., cattle, sheep, goat, horses, and pigs) to birds (e.g., poultry), fish, and crustaceans (e.g., farmed fish and shrimp), and even to some species of insects (e.g., honeybees and silkworm), mollusks (e.g., escargot snail), and amphibians (e.g., frogs). By “genomics” we refer to a broad field of genetics and molecular biology concerning the study of genomes, such as DNA sequence and fine-scale genetic mapping efforts, and also functional genomics efforts to try to elucidate gene functions and interactions, and how they relate to phenotypic expression. In addition, the term “ genomics” in the title of this Specialty Section of Frontiers in Genetics encompasses investigation aiming efficient use of the knowledge generated by genetics and genomics studies for the improvement of yield and quality of animal products, health and well-being of livestock, as well as the sustainability of animal production systems.