The bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in beef cattle, causing considerable economic losses. This project explores the role of host genetics in shaping the composition of the microbiome, which is crucial in determining health and disease in ruminants. Here the team will characterize the genomic and metabolic markers, and respiratory microbial populations associated with susceptibility or resistance of cattle to BRD. This new knowledge will support future development of 1) tools that can help breed animals that are less susceptible to BRD, and 2) optimize management approaches that can reduce BRD incidence in feedlots to improve profitability and reduce antibiotic use.