Dr. Freetly received a M.S in Animal Science and a Ph.D. in Nutrition from the University of California–Davis and, joined the USDA, ARS, U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, Clay Center, NE, in 1990.  He became Research Leader of the Nutrition Research Unit in 2009, and subsequently Research Leader of Nutrition, Growth, and Physiology Research Unit.  He served on the ASAS Board of Directors.  He received the ASAS American Feed Industry Association Award in Ruminant Nutrition Research and is an ASAS Fellow.  His research focus has been defining nutrient utilization by female ruminants and development of replacement females.  His research has included 1) energetics and intermediary metabolism of pregnancy, lactation, and growth, 2) nutrition-reproduction interactions 3) alimentary track microbiology, and 4) genetics and genomics of feed efficiency.