Since the end of the Second World War, the United States has pursued a national policy of an abundant and inexpensive food supply. Increased animal productivity has improved efficiencies of animal production and reduced the carbon footprint for production of meat, milk, and eggs. Some components of the technologies employed by animal producers to improve efficiency of animal production include improved nutrition and reproduction; advances in genetics; and health and management practices; as well as feed additives, hormonal treatments, and growth enhancing technologies (GETs).

PART 1 OF A 9-PART SERIES, “ANIMAL AGRICULTURE’S FUTURE THROUGH BIOTECHNOLOGY.”Written by a task force of nine scientists, this issue paper summarizes existing and emerging technologies and assesses their current and potential impacts. The authors suggest that research on biotechnology in animal production is leading to breakthroughs on many fronts.