Karl Kerns, assistant professor of animal science at Iowa State University, is part of an interdisciplinary team recognized this week with agInnovation's national 2026 Excellence in Multistate Research Award for collaborative work to improve reproductive performance in cattle and sheep.
The multistate project W4112: Reproductive Performance in Domestic Ruminants, supported by U.S. Department of Agriculture Hatch funding, brings together scientists from land-grant research institutions across the country to address reproductive inefficiencies, considered to be the greatest constraint on the profitability of U.S. livestock systems.
Thriving beef, dairy and sheep industries are vital for a healthy economy, generating about $243 billion in total production value each year and supporting 2.3 million jobs. Early pregnancy loss alone costs U.S. livestock producers up to $3.7 billion each year. Even a 1% improvement in calf or lamb production due to the project’s innovations is estimated to represent over $1 billion annually to U.S. producers and results in steady meat supplies and lower prices for consumers.
Kerns has participated in the multistate project since 2021, soon after he began work at Iowa State. His research primarily focuses on the male side of reproduction in cattle and swine.
“This Hatch multistate project brings together people from multiple land-grants studying in the same field, but with many areas of expertise. It has been very beneficial to collaborate and learn from others, enabling us to get outside of our separate silos,” he said. “The focus is on ruminants, but much of what we discuss and learn applies to the reproductive process in swine and other animals, and even, in some cases, to humans.”
Over its 56-year legacy, Hatch Multistate project W4112 has supported discoveries and data-driven solutions that have reshaped industry practices, delivering measurable gains in productivity and resilience. Cohesive teams, proven methodologies and a track record of productivity have enabled the project to leverage competitive grants and become a trusted partner for federal agencies and international organizations, according to the award announcement.
“Though this project focuses on livestock reproduction, many discoveries have broader biomedical relevance,” the announcement states. “The National Institutes of Health have also provided significant funding to support the bridge between animal science and human health impacts that have revealed links to human endometrial cancer suppression and led to improved perinatal medicine.”
Working together can also help make more efficient use of limited resources and funding, Kerns said, such as providing opportunities to share samples that expand research opportunities.
“The federal Hatch Multistate capacity funding has been important for my research,” Kerns said. “Collaborations through the multistate project have led to new projects, including work studying cattle reproduction with research partners at the University of Wisconsin.”
“At our annual meetings, we often also meet with producers and other stakeholders who provide valuable input on their challenges and questions,” he said.
Sharing teaching ideas has also been part of the multistate project, he said. For example, there is interest in scaling up an AI Tutor Kerns has been co-developing for classes at other land-grants. He is currently working to adapt 3D-printed learning resources on the reproductive tract developed at Kansas State University for students at Iowa State.
“Congratulations to Dr. Kerns and the multistate team for this award that celebrates their collaborative work and legacy of innovation and impact over decades,” said Asheesh Singh, associate director of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station for Iowa State University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. “USDA Hatch support for this kind of work benefits our producers and consumers and is critical to further scientific progress at land-grant institutions like Iowa State.”
The award, which includes $15,000 to support the committee’s ongoing objectives, was presented Sept. 24, at the agInnovation 2026 annual meeting in Grand Junction, Colorado.