Mindy King

My research program focuses on understanding the biological mechanisms that regulate feed intake and nutrient utilization efficiency in beef cattle. Specifically, my work integrates ruminant nutritional physiology with molecular approaches to identify signaling pathways and metabolic processes that influence feed efficiency and animal performance. By examining how nutrients are sensed and utilized at the tissue and cellular level, my research aims to explain variation in growth and efficiency among animals. A central component of my program is investigating how post-absorptive nutrient availability and circulating metabolites influence endocrine and metabolic signaling related to intake regulation and tissue accretion. This includes work on cellular signaling pathways, as well as proteomic approaches to characterize changes in protein activity linked to nutrient status. Together, these efforts provide a mechanistic framework for understanding how cattle partition nutrients toward maintenance and growth. The long-term goal of this research is to improve feed efficiency and nutrient utilization in beef production systems by identifying biological drivers of variation in performance. This work has direct relevance to producers by contributing knowledge that can support more efficient use of feed resources and improved animal productivity.