Analysis of Mammary Tissue for Diagnostic Modeling (2015-056)

This fine needle biopsy method is used to evaluate mammary tissue collected repetitively over time from the same animal during development, allowing researchers to predict productivity, the animal’s quality, health, and chance of disease. The U.S. meat and livestock market is a growing market, forecast to have a value of $203.5 billion by 2019. Currently, the market lacks a model to provide predictive values and better understand animal disease. This poses problems when it comes to understanding cell signaling events in mammals, assessing beef quality, and making genetic decisions regarding animal productivity. Clemson University researchers have developed a non-invasive biopsy procedure that allows for mammary tissue to be analyzed from the same animal over time, therefore, decreasing variation and providing a way to better predict the animal’s comprehensive health. This approach is safe, cost effective, time sensitive and could generate a predictive value for animal productivity and well-being before the animal reaches maturity.