Application of Reproductive and Genomic Biotechnologies for Livestock Breeding and Selection

Dear Colleagues,

The worldwide demand for animal-derived products will increase dramatically in the next 30 years due to global population growth. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of animal breeding through reproduction performance and genomic selection will be of the utmost importance to satisfy the growing food demand. In view of this, combining assisted reproductive techniques (ARTs) and genetic/genomic molecular tools (GMTs) for animal selection will play a key role in improving and maximizing animal production systems' efficiency. This Topic aims to present original research and/or reviews related to ARTs and GMTs. All studies on factors affecting livestock performance with a particular focus on reproduction management, health control, longevity improvement, and welfare practices based on ART- and GMT-derived results are welcome. Furthermore, we encourage studies that contribute significantly to further advancing these fields and those based on ARTs, such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), in vitro/in vivo embryo production (IVP), embryo transfer (ET), controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (superovulation), gamete sex determination, artificial insemination (AI), gamete cryopreservation, nuclear transfer/cloning, stem cells technologies (SCTs), etc. Moreover, contributions focused on complementary techniques for ARTs, including DNA isolation and analysis (DIA), polymerase chain reaction (PCR/rtPCR), DNA sequencing, recombinant plasmids, gene cloning, transgenesis, Southern blotting, single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs), genome-wide association studies (GWASs), etc., are welcome as well.

 Potential subtopics of interest include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Research surrounding the reproductive basis of important fertility traits;
• Application of ARTs to genetic resources for increasing reproductive/productive performance traits;
• Studies on reproduction–nutrition interaction and efficient reproductive and production traits;
• Research on genes implicated in reproductive and production traits;
• Sequencing research surrounding breeding and genetics;
• Studies on reproduction–health control interaction and efficient production traits;
• Research on biodiversity protection programs, germplasm banking, and ex situ preservation;
• Studies on reproduction–welfare practices and efficient production traits;
• Interactions between reproduction–environment (climate) and impact on reproductive and production traits;
• Research on reproduction–longevity interactions for increasing fertility and productivity traits.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Manuel García-Herreros
Prof. Dr. Pedro M. Aponte
Topic Editors