Andrew Foote

Andrew Foote is an Associate Professor in the Department of Animal & Food Sciences at Oklahoma State University, where he was promoted from Assistant Professor in July 2024. Previously, he served as a Research Physiologist at the USDA Agricultural Research Service's US Meat Animal Research Center from 2012-2018. He oversees the ruminant nutrition laboratories and teaches graduate courses in ruminant nutrition and research methods.

Dr. Foote earned his PhD in Animal Sciences from the University of Kentucky in 2013, following B.S. and M.S. degrees from Tarleton State University where he studied phosphorus absorption in dairy cows. His research program focuses on nutritional physiology and feed efficiency of growing and finishing beef and dairy cattle.

His research interests span ruminant nutrition, gut physiology, metabolism, and nutritional physiology, with particular emphasis on improving feed efficiency in cattle production systems. His work addresses important agricultural sustainability issues related to resource utilization, including Sustainable Development Goals related to Zero Hunger, Good Health and Well-Being, Affordable and Clean Energy, and Responsible Consumption and Production.

Dr. Foote's recent publications (2023-2025) demonstrate a strong focus on feed efficiency mechanisms, rumen physiology, and nutrient metabolism in beef and dairy cattle. His research spans molecular approaches (gene expression, transcriptomics), physiological measurements (glucose metabolism, hormone profiles), and practical feeding studies (distillers grains, reduced-lignin alfalfa, forage supplementation). A significant portion of his work investigates the relationship between metabolic processes and feed efficiency.

• Associate Editor for Domestic Animal Endocrinology
• Editorial Board Member for Journal of Animal Science
• Board of Directors for ASAS (American Society of Animal Science)

Dr. Foote actively advises graduate students through Master's Research and Thesis and Doctoral Research and Dissertation courses. His research program addresses practical challenges in beef and dairy production while contributing to fundamental understanding of ruminant nutrition and physiology. He has secured research funding to support his laboratory work on nutritional physiology and feed efficiency.

His laboratory work focuses on ruminant nutrition, with particular attention to the physiological mechanisms underlying feed efficiency differences in cattle. His research integrates molecular, physiological, and production approaches to address challenges in sustainable livestock production.