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Animal Science and Veterinary
South Africa
2026

D-Index & Metrics

Animal Science and Veterinary

D-Index
50
Citations
9506
World Ranking
606
National Ranking
4

Research.com Recognitions

  • 2026 - Research.com Animal Science and Veterinary in South Africa Leader Award
  • 2025 - Research.com Animal Science and Veterinary in South Africa Leader Award
  • 2017 - ASAS Fellow: Research Category, American Society of Animal Science
  • 2011 - Rockefeller Prentice Award in Animal Breeding and Genetics, American Society of Animal Science

Overview

Michael D. MacNeil is affiliated with the University of the Free State in South Africa. Their research spans multiple areas within agricultural and biological sciences, with a particular focus on genetics and molecular biology.

Their publication record includes topics across genetics, animal science, agronomy, and plant sciences. Main fields of study for Michael D. MacNeil comprise:

  • Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
  • Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Within these fields, subfields addressed include:

  • Genetics
  • Animal Science and Zoology
  • Agronomy and Crop Science
  • Plant Science
  • Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law

Their research focusses on several main topics, such as:

  • Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestock
  • Genetic Mapping and Diversity in Plants and Animals
  • Meat and Animal Product Quality
  • Ruminant Nutrition and Digestive Physiology
  • Effects of Environmental Stressors on Livestock
  • Genetics and Plant Breeding
  • Rangeland Management and Livestock Ecology

Frequent venues where Michael D. MacNeil has published include:

  • Translational Animal Science
  • Livestock Science
  • Frontiers in Genetics
  • Journal of Animal Science
  • South African Journal of Animal Science

Some recent papers authored or co-authored by Michael D. MacNeil are:

  • Evaluation of partial body weight for predicting body weight and average daily gain in growing beef cattle, 2021, Translational Animal Science
  • Selection indices for Nellore production systems in the Brazilian Cerrado, 2020, Livestock Science
  • Breed direct, maternal and heterosis effects due to Angus, Caracu, Hereford and Nelore on carcass and meat quality traits of cull cows, 2020, Livestock Science
  • Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Effects on Lamb Fecal Egg Count Estimated Breeding Values in Progeny-Tested Katahdin Sires, 2022, Frontiers in Genetics
  • Variance component estimates, phenotypic characterization, and genetic evaluation of bovine congestive heart failure in commercial feeder cattle, 2023, Frontiers in Genetics

Frequent co-authors in their work include:

  • M. M. Scholtz
  • F.W.C. Neser
  • Michael Gonda
  • Justin W. Buchanan
  • Randall C. Raymond

Michael D. MacNeil has received recognition for contributions to animal science, including the ASAS Fellow: Research Category by the American Society of Animal Science awarded in 2017, and the Rockefeller Prentice Award in Animal Breeding and Genetics by the American Society of Animal Science in 2011.

Best Publications

  • The Genome Sequence of Taurine Cattle: A Window to Ruminant Biology and Evolution

    Christine G. Elsik;Christine G. Elsik;Christine G. Elsik;Ross L. Tellam;Kim C. Worley;Kim C. Worley;Richard A. Gibbs

  • Relationship between follicle size at insemination and pregnancy success.

    George A. Perry;Michael F. Smith;Matthew C. Lucy;Jonathan A. Green

  • Relationship between size of the ovulatory follicle and pregnancy success in beef heifers.

    G. A. Perry;M. F. Smith;A. J. Roberts;M. D. MacNeil

  • Next Generation Sequencing to Define Prokaryotic and Fungal Diversity in the Bovine Rumen

    Derrick E. Fouts;Sebastian Szpakowski;Janaki Purushe;Manolito Torralba

  • Leptin as a predictor of carcass composition in beef cattle

    T. W. Geary;E. L. McFadin;M. D. MacNeil;E. E. Grings

  • Influence of sire growth potential, time on feed, and growing-finishing strategy on cholesterol and fatty acids of the ground carcass and longissimus muscle of beef steers.

    D C Rule;M D MacNeil;R E Short

  • Calf removal improves conception rates to the Ovsynch and CO-Synch protocols.

    T W Geary;J C Whittier;D M Hallford;M D MacNeil

  • Preovulatory estradiol and the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy in suckled beef cows.

    E. M. Jinks;M. F. Smith;J. A. Atkins;K. G. Pohler

  • Effect of age and pattern of gain on induction of puberty with a progestin in beef heifers

    J B Hall;R B Staigmiller;R E Short;R A Bellows

  • Genome-wide scans for QTL affecting carcass traits in Hereford x composite double backcross populations.

    M. D. MacNeil;M. D. Grosz

  • Genetic diversity and population structure among six cattle breeds in South Africa using a whole genome SNP panel

    Sithembile O. Makina;Farai C. Muchadeyi;Este van Marle-Köster;Michael D. MacNeil;Michael D. MacNeil

  • Pleiotropic effects in Hereford, Limousin, and Piedmontese F2 crossbred calves of genes controlling muscularity including the Piedmontese myostatin allele.

    R. E. Short;M. D. MacNeil;M. D. Grosz;D. E. Gerrard

  • Characterization of DNA polymorphisms in three populations of hereford cattle and their associations with growth and maternal EPD in line 1 herefords.

    D. E. Moody;Daniel Pomp;S. Newman;M. D. MacNeil

  • Induced and synchronized estrus in cattle: dose titration of estradiol benzoate in peripubertal heifers and postpartum cows after treatment with an intravaginal progesterone-releasing insert and prostaglandin F2alpha.

    M A Lammoglia;R E Short;S E Bellows;R A Bellows

  • Genetic parameter estimates for scrotal circumference and semen characteristics of Line 1 Hereford bulls.

    C. G. Kealey;M. D. MacNeil;M. W. Tess;T. W. Geary

  • Significant associations of stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD1) gene with fat deposition and composition in skeletal muscle.

    Zhihua Jiang;Jennifer J. Michal;David J. Tobey;Tyler F. Daniels

  • Reproductive performance of heifers offered ad libitum or restricted access to feed for a one hundred forty-day period after weaning.

    A. J. Roberts;T. W. Geary;E. E. Grings;R. C. Waterman

  • Genetics Correlations among Sex-Limited Traits in Beef Cattle

    M. D. MacNeil;M. D. MacNeil;M. D. MacNeil;L. V. Cundiff;L. V. Cundiff;L. V. Cundiff;C. A. Dinkel;C. A. Dinkel;C. A. Dinkel;R. M. Koch;R. M. Koch;R. M. Koch

  • Circulating bovine pregnancy associated glycoproteins are associated with late embryonic/fetal survival but not ovulatory follicle size in suckled beef cows

    K. G. Pohler;T. W. Geary;C. L. Johnson;J. A. Atkins

  • Relative economic values for Canadian beef production using specialized sire and dam lines

    M. D. MacNeil;S. Newman;R. M. Enns;J. Stewart-Smith

  • Genetic evaluation of Angus cattle for carcass marbling using ultrasound and genomic indicators.

    M. D. MacNeil;J. D. Nkrumah;B. W. Woodward;S. L. Northcutt

  • Between- and within-breed genetic analysis of calving traits and survival to weaning in beef cattle.

    L. V. Cundiff;L. V. Cundiff;M. D. MacNeil;M. D. MacNeil;K. E. Gregory;K. E. Gregory;R. M. Koch;R. M. Koch

  • Effects of preovulatory estradiol on embryo survival and pregnancy establishment in beef cows

    Crystal A. Madsen;Crystal A. Madsen;George A. Perry;Christina L. Mogck;Russell F. Daly

  • VARIATION IN MITOCHONDRIAL DNA AND MICROSATELLITE DNA IN CARIBOU (RANGIFER TARANDUS) IN NORTH AMERICA

    Matthew A. Cronin;Michael D. MacNeil;John C. Patton

  • Pregnancy establishment and maintenance in cattle

    J. A. Atkins;M. F. Smith;M. D. MacNeil;E. M. Jinks

  • Choice of a Prediction Equation and the Use of the Selected Equation in Subsequent Experimentation

    M. D. MacNeil;M. D. MacNeil

  • Effects of feeding beef females supplemental fat during gestation on cold tolerance in newborn calves.

    M. A. Lammoglia;R. A. Bellows;E. E. Grings;J. W. Bergman

  • Towards a genomics approach to tick (Acari: Ixodidae) control in cattle: A review

    Ntanganedzeni O. Mapholi;Munyaradzi C. Marufu;Azwihangwisi Maiwashe;Cuthbert B. Banga

  • Compensatory Growth in Finishing Pigs after Feed Restriction

    H. J. Mersmann;M. D. MacNeil;S. C. Seideman;W. G. Pond

  • Evaluation of candidate gene effects for beef backfat via Bayesian model selection.

    Xiao-Lin Wu;Michael D. MacNeil;Sachinadan De;Sachinadan De;Qian-Jun Xiao

  • Influence of seasonal forage quality on glucose kinetics of young beef cows.

    R. C. Waterman;E. E. Grings;T. W. Geary;A. J. Roberts

  • Influence of Breed, Sex, Age and Electrical Stimulation on Carcass and Palatability Traits of Three Bovine Muscles

    H. R. Cross;J. D. Crouse;M. D. MacNeil

Frequent Co-Authors

Thomas W. Geary
Thomas W. Geary Agricultural Research Service
Larry V. Cundiff
Larry V. Cundiff Agricultural Research Service
Robert M. Koch
Robert M. Koch United States Department of Agriculture
Daniel C. Rule
Daniel C. Rule University of Wyoming
Robert D. Schnabel
Robert D. Schnabel University of Missouri
Ky G. Pohler
Ky G. Pohler Texas A&M University
Charles T. Gaskins
Charles T. Gaskins Washington State University
Keith E. Gregory
Keith E. Gregory United States Department of Agriculture
Juha Kantanen
Juha Kantanen Natural Resources Institute Finland
George A. Perry
George A. Perry Texas A&M University

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