** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THIS PROJECT SUPPORTS THE MISSION OF THE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION BY ADDRESSING THE HATCH ACT AREA(S) OF: PLANT AND ANIMAL PRODUCTION, PROTECTION, AND HEALTH; SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS RESEARCH LIES IN ITS POTENTIAL TO REVOLUTIONIZE HOW WE BREED AND MANAGE LIVESTOCK USING GENOMIC DATA. TRADITIONALLY, BREEDING PROGRAMS HAVE RELIED HEAVILY ON OBSERVED TRAITS AND GENOTYPE DATA SPECIFIC TO WELL-STUDIED BREEDS. THIS PROJECT INTRODUCES A NEW METHOD TO ENHANCE THE ACCURACY OF GENOMIC PREDICTIONS ACROSS BREEDS, ESPECIALLY THOSE LESS REPRESENTED IN THE INDUSTRY. BY DOING SO, IT PROMISES TO MAKE ANIMAL BREEDING MORE EFFICIENT AND INCLUSIVE OF GENETIC DIVERSITY, LEADING TO HEALTHIER AND MORE PRODUCTIVE ANIMALS.FROM AN ANIMAL PRODUCTION PERSPECTIVE, BETTER GENOMIC PREDICTIONS, PARTICULARLY IN LESS REPRESENTED BREEDS, MEAN THAT BREEDERS CAN SELECT ANIMALS THAT ARE NOT ONLY HIGH-YIELDING BUT ALSO NATURALLY RESISTANT TO DISEASES. THIS REDUCES RELIANCE ON ANTIBIOTICS AND OTHER TREATMENTS, ALIGNING WITH THE GOALS OF ANIMAL PROTECTION AND HEALTH. BY IMPROVING GENOMIC PREDICTIONS ACROSS BREEDS, THIS PROJECT SUPPORTS SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE BY PROMOTING GENETIC DIVERSITY AND ADAPTABILITY IN LIVESTOCK POPULATIONS. DIVERSE GENETIC POOLS ARE CRUCIAL FOR ADAPTING TO CHANGING ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS, COMBATING DISEASES, AND SUSTAINING PRODUCTIVITY, ALL OF WHICH ARE ESSENTIAL FOR THE LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY OF AGRICULTURE. ADDITIONALLY, THE DEVELOPMENT OF METHODS THAT CAN UTILIZE AVAILABLE INFORMATION FROM WELL-REPRESENTED BREEDS TO MAKE ACCURATE PREDICTIONS IN LESS-STUDIED BREEDS ENHANCES THE ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY OF FOOD SYSTEMS AND LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION.