** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** RUMINANT ANIMALS HAVE THE UNIQUE CAPABILITY TO CONVERT SUNLIGHT, WATER, AND CARBON DIOXIDE INTO BEEF BY CONSUMING AND DIGESTING PLANT MATERIAL (FORAGES). HOWEVER, MOST OF THE PROGRESS IN REDUCING COST AND REDUCING THE CARBON FOOTPRINT OF BEEF PRODUCTION HAS BEEN TARGETED TO BENEFIT THE FINISHING PHASE OF BEEF PRODUCTION. THE FINISHING PHASE IS THE LAST 120 TO 200 DAYS IN THE PRODUCTION CYCLE WHEN CATTLE ARE CONFINED AND FED DIETS HIGH IN CONCENTRATE FEEDS (SUCH AS CORN AND ETHANOL BYPRODUCTS). HOWEVER, 74% OF FEED ENERGY USED TO PRODUCE BEEF IS USED BY THE COW HERD GRAZING FORAGES. ADDITIONALLY, ABOUT 81% OF THE METHANE PRODUCED IN THE BEEF CYCLE IS GENERATED BY THE GRAZING COW HERD. CLEARLY, A FOCUS ON FINDING AND BREEDING CATTLE THAT ARE EFFICIENT FORAGE UTILIZERS REPRESENTS LOW-HANGING FRUIT IN TERMS OF HUMAN FOOD SECURITY AND SUSTAINABILITY. THEREFORE, THIS PROJECT IS FOCUSED ON FINDING COWS THAT ARE EFFICIENT AT UTILIZING FORAGE, AND THUS, REDUCING THE COST AND CARBON FOOTPRINT OF BEEF PRODUCTION.WE WILL DETERMINE THE MOST EFFECTIVE STAGE OF PRODUCTION TO IDENTIFY ANIMALS THAT ARE EFFICIENT FORAGE UTILIZERS. STAGES OF PRODUCTION TO BE TESTED INCLUDE THE REPLACEMENT HEIFER PERIOD (AFTER WEANING), DURING PREGNANCY WHEN THE COWS ARE FOUR YEARS OLD, AND AFTER THEY CALVE AS FIVE-YEAR-OLDS (WHILE THEY ARE NURSING THEIR THIRD CALF). IN EACH ONE OF THESE PERIODS, WE WILL DETERMINE HOW MUCH HAY (FORAGE) THE ANIMALS CONSUME, HOW MUCH WEIGHT THEY GAIN (OR LOSE), AND HOW MUCH METHANE AND CARBON DIOXIDE THEY PRODUCE. ANIMALS THAT REQUIRE LESS FORAGE TO GAIN BODY WEIGHT AND PRODUCE MILK WILL BE DECLARED EFFICIENT. CATTLE THAT CONSUME A LOT OF HAY AND AT THE SAME TIME, GAIN LITTLE WEIGHT AND PRODUCE LITTLE MILK WILL BE DETERMINED INEFFICIENT.FINALLY, USING THE DATA COLLECTED THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT, WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO USE THE DATA COLLECTED TO DEVELOP A PREDICTION MODEL THAT CAN BE USED TO RANK COWS (MOST EFFICIENT TO LEAST EFFICIENT) WITHOUT HAVING TO DO A FEED INTAKE TEST. THIS MODEL COULD BE USED TO RAPIDLY EXPAND THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS RANKED FOR FORAGE UTILIZATION EFFICIENCY, AND EVENTUALLY LEAD TO A DRAMATIC ACCELERATION OF THE RATE OF IMPROVEMENT IN EFFICIENT FORAGE USE THROUGHOUT THE INDUSTRY. OUR INITIAL DATA SUGGESTS THAT THE MOST EFFICIENT 1/3 OF ANIMALS WITHIN EACH CONTEMPORARY GROUP CONSUME ABOUT 22% LESS FORAGE AND PRODUCE ABOUT 11% LESS METHANE THAN THE INEFFICIENT 1/3 OF ANIMALS IN THAT SAME GROUP. THAT IS A DIFFERENCE OF ABOUT $121 PER YEAR IN PRODUCTION COST OR ABOUT $3.75 BILLION DOLLARS PER YEAR IN SAVINGS IN FEED COST PER WEANED CALF.