My program of teaching and research focuses on improving the efficiency of feed utilization and reducing the environmental impact of beef cattle production systems, better defining nutrient metabolism of gut tissues and the whole animal, determining if expression of biologically important proteins can be altered through dietary manipulation or animal selection and if altered expression influences production efficiency, examining the influences of diet and management systems on feeding behavior, and assessing alternative feeding programs to reduce feed costs in feedlot cattle, backgrounding cattle, or wintering beef cow feeding programs. My aim has been to develop a broad and integrated research program to examine both basic and applied research questions with the goal of improving the efficiency of beef cattle production.