Rate My Professor Dr. Holly Neibergs

Dr. Holly Neibergs serves as Professor of Animal Sciences and Assistant Director of the College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences (CAHNRS) Office of Research at Washington State University. She earned her B.S. and M.S. degrees in Animal Science from Washington State University. Her research program focuses on animal genomics, population genetics, and breeding, with particular emphasis on identifying genomic regions associated with reproductive and health traits in cattle. Utilizing genome-wide association analyses and genotyping, her studies investigate factors contributing to fetal loss, embryonic loss, spontaneous abortion, conception rates, and respiratory diseases in Holstein heifers, primiparous cows, and calves. This work supports genomic selection strategies to improve fertility, reduce pregnancy losses, and enhance disease resistance in dairy and beef production, addressing key economic challenges for livestock producers.

Dr. Neibergs has authored or co-authored nearly 190 peer-reviewed publications, advancing understanding of genetic diversity, molecular markers, and gene expression in livestock. Key recent contributions include 'Identifying the Genetic Basis of Fetal Loss in Cows and Heifers Through a Genome-Wide Association Analysis' (2026), 'Genomic regions associated with bovine respiratory disease in Pacific Northwest Holstein cattle' (2025), 'Genomic Regions Associated with Respiratory Disease in Holstein Calves in the Southern United States' (2025), 'Loci associated with spontaneous abortion in primiparous Holstein cattle' (2025), 'Genomic regions associated with Holstein heifer times bred to artificial insemination and embryo transfer services' (2024), and 'Genomic Regions Associated with Spontaneous Abortion in Holstein Heifers' (2024). She mentors graduate students exploring traits like cryptorchidism in Wagyu cattle and respiratory genomics. As a member of the Ruminant Telomere-to-Telomere (RT2T) Consortium, she contributes to complete ruminant genome assemblies. Dr. Neibergs also serves on Washington State University's Intellectual Property Committee and has held the LIFT Faculty Fellowship, underscoring her leadership in agricultural research and innovation.