1. Professor Rainer Roehe
INSTITUTE
Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC)
QUALIFICATIONS
BSc Hons; MSc; PhD
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
2016 – present Professor of Animal Genetics and Microbiome at the SRUC,
Edinburgh, UK.
2004 – 2016 Professor of Animal Breeding and Genomics at the SRUC,
Edinburgh, UK.
1999 – 2004 Privat-Dozent, Animal Breeding and Genetics, Institute of
Animal Breeding and Husbandry, University of Kiel, Germany
1994 – 1999 Hochschulassistent, Animal Breeding and Genetics, Institute of
Animal Breeding and Husbandry, University of Kiel, Germany
1991 – 1993 Research Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of
Animal and Poultry Science, Prof B.W. Kennedy, University of
Guelph, Ontario, Canada
1987 – 1990 Postgraduate Research Associate, Animal Breeding and
Genetics, Institute of Animal Breeding and Husbandry,
University of Kiel, Germany
EDUCATION
1990 Dissertation, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Germany
Doctoral thesis: “Development of optimal selection strategies
when using an animal model in the nucleus of swine breeding
programs”
1986 MSc, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Germany
MSc dissertation: “Effects of inbreeding on milk production and
reproduction traits in Angler and Holsteins of Schleswig-
Holstein”
1983 BSc, Agricultural College, Gesamthochschule Kassel, Germany
BSc dissertation: “Genetic effects associated with the
development of bovine mastitis and their usefulness for
breeding”

2. ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
• Leading the Host Genetics and Microbiome Research
• Leading Beef and Pig Genetic Research from production traits such (e.g. feed
efficiency), environmental traits (e.g. Greenhouse gas emissions of animals) to
animal welfare and behaviours traits (e.g. stress and aggressiveness)
• Use of cutting-edge bioinformatics procedures
• Project management, Grant applications, Publications
• PhD student supervision
• Knowledge Transfer and Exchange
• Course Leader for the MSc Animal Genetic Improvement course at the University
of Edinburgh and for the BSc Animal Breeding and Genetics course at SRUC
SYNOPSIS OF CURRENT RESEARCH INTERESTS
• Understanding the genetics of the rumen microbiome and microbial enzyme
genes.
• Analysis of quantitative genetic and genomic associations between host (animal)
and rumen microbial population to be exploited for mitigation of methane
emissions from ruminants (beef) and improvement of feed efficiency, meat quality
and other production traits.
• Impact of nutrition on reduction in methane emissions and their effects on the
composition of the rumen microbial population and on meat quality characteristics
in beef.
• Development of prediction equation for online measurement techniques to assess
carcass, meat eating and nutritional quality in beef and sheep using imaging
techniques.
• Genetic improvement of meat quality traits in beef with particular interest in
genetic improvement of fatty acids such as omega-3 fatty acids, reported to
reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
• Genetic and genomic background of energy and nitrogen efficiency in pigs to
develop strategies for improvement of energy and nitrogen efficiency during
growth.
• Understanding the genetic background and genomic architecture of animal
welfare traits such as piglet survival, aggression in pigs and related traits such as
feed intake behaviour.
• Research on the most appropriate statistical methodology to predict the genomic
background of complex traits, e.g. the predictability of Bayesian mixture models to
estimate the entire genomic background and to identify QTLs of complex traits.
MEASURES OF ESTEEM
• Personal Professor of Animal Genetics and Microbiome awarded by Scotland’s
Rural College, Edinburgh, United Kingdom (2016)
• Honorary Professor of Animal Breeding and Genomics awarded by the Christian-
Albrechts University of Kiel, Germany (2004)
• Habilitation at the Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Germany (1999)

3. • Venia Legendi at Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Germany (1999)
• Member of the Scientific Advisory Board FUGATO (Functional Genome Analysis
in Animal Organisms) of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research
(BMBF) (2007-2011)
• Member of the external evaluation panel of the Animal Breeding and Genetics
Program (ABGP) of the Agrifood Research and Technology Institute (IRTA),
Barcelona, Spain (2010)
• Assessment of grant applications
o Dairy Cattle Genetics Research and Development Council
(DAIRYGEN) of Canadian Dairy Network, Canada
o German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF),
Germany
o German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft),
Germany
o Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC),
United Kingdom
o The Research Council of Norway, Norway
o French National Research Agency (ANR), France
o Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency Ltd. (ALMA), Canada
o CRB-Anim Network of Research Institutes in France, Bilogical
Resource Centers for Domestic Animals, France
• External examiner at University of Helsinki, Finland; Universidad Politecnica de
Valencia, Spain; Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden;
Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
• Reviewing manuscripts for:
o Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics
o Livestock Science
o Genetical Research
o Genetics Selection Evolution
o Journal of Animal Science
o Animal, Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section A - Animal Sciences
o Animal Genetics
o Animal Production Science
o Meat Science
o Veterinary Research Communications
o British Journal of Nutrition
o Genetics
o BMC Bioinformatics
o Microbiome
o Agronomy for Sustainable Development
o International Journal of Molecular Sciences
o PLOS one
o Veterinary Record
• Refereed paper: 115, >1700 cites and conference papers: >200

4. SELECTED SEVEN RECENTLY REFEREED PUBLICATIONS (CURRENTLY 115
REFEREED PAPERS PUBLISHED OR ACCEPTED FOR PUBLICATION)
1. Roehe, R., Dewhurst, R., Duthie, C.-A., Rooke, J.A., McKain, N., Ross, D.W.,
Hyslop, J.J., Waterhouse, A., Watson, M., Wallace, R.J. 2016. Bovine host
genetic variation influences rumen microbial methane production with best
selection criterion for low methane emitting and efficiently feed converting hosts
based on metagenomic gene abundance. PLOS Genetics 12:e1005846.
2. Wallace, R.J., Rooke, J.A, McKain, N., Duthie, C.-A., Hyslop, J.J., Ross, D.W.,
Waterhouse, A., Watson, M., Roehe, R. 2015. The rumen microbial metagenome
associated with high methane production in cattle. BMC Genomics 16:839.
3. Troy, S.M., Duthie, C-A., Hyslop, J.J., Roehe, R., Ross, D.W., Wallace, R.J.,
Waterhouse, A., Rooke, J.A. 2015. Effectiveness of nitrate addition and increased
oil content as methane mitigation strategies for beef cattle fed two contrasting
basal diets. Journal of Animal Science 93, 1-9.
4. Rooke, J.A., Wallace, R.J., Duthie, C-A., McKain, N., Motta de Souza, S., Hyslop,
J.J., Ross, D.W., Waterhouse, T., Roehe, R. 2014. Hydrogen and methane
emissions from beef cattle and their rumen microbial community vary with diet,
time after feeding and genotype. British Journal of Nutrition, 112, 398-407.
5. Shirali, M., Duthie, C-A., Doeschl-Wilson, A., Knap, P.W., Kanis, E., van
Arendonk, J.A.M., Roehe, R. 2013. Novel insight into the genomic architecture of
feed and nitrogen efficiency measured by residual energy intake and nitrogen
excretion in growing pigs. BMC Genetics 14, 121, 1-12.
6. Kapell, D.N.R.G., Sorensen, D., Su, G., Janss, L.LG., Ashworth, C.J., Roehe, R.
2012. Efficiency of genomic selection using Bayesian multimarker models for traits
selected to reflect a wide range of heritabilities and frequencies of detected
quantitative traits loci in mice. BMC Genetics 13(1), 42.
7. Prieto, N., Ross, D.W., Navajas, E.A., Richardson, R.I., Hyslop, J.J., Simm, G.,
Roehe, R. 2011. Online prediction of fatty acid profiles in crossbred Limousin and
Aberdeen Angus beef cattle using near infrared reflectance spectroscopy. Animal
5, 155-165.
TEACHING:
• Teaching Bachelor of Science Courses
o Course Leader and Lecturer for the BSc Animal Breeding and
Genetics, Scotland’s Rural College, Edinburgh, UK
• Teaching Master of Science Courses
o Course Leader and Lecturer for the MSc Animal Genetic Improvement
Module, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
o Teaching MSc Applied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare,
University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
• Other activities concerning teaching
o Member of the working group to improve international teaching of
animal breeding within a workpackage of the European project called
AFANet (Socrates Thematic Network for Agriculture, Forestry,
Aquaculture and the Environment).

5. HONOURS AND AWARDS:
• Hacker prize for the best Diploma student finishing that year (1983)
• Graduate Fellowship of the German Research Foundation (1986)
• Postdoctoral Fellowship of the German Research Foundation (1991)
• Venia Legendi (1999)
• Habilitation (1999)
• Honorary Professor of the Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Germany (2004)
• Personal Professor of Animal Genetics and Microbiome, Edinburgh, UK (2016)
MAJOR INVITED PAPERS:
Roehe, R. (2003). Protein deposition as a new trait in swine breeding. Schriftenreihe
der Agrar- und Ernährungswissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Christian-Albrechts-
Universität zu Kiel, No 98, 135-143. (invited speaker)
Roehe, R. (2003). Improvement of piglet survival by optimisation of piglet individual
birth weight and reduction of its variation. 54th
Annual Meeting EAAP, Rome,
paper P2.1, 1-8. (invited speaker)
Roehe, R. (2006). Molecular and quantitative genetic determination of protein and
lipid deposition during growth of pigs. Proceedings of the 8th
World Congress on
Genetics Applied to Livestock Production, Brazil. Communication 13-06.
(invited speaker)
Roehe, R. (2012). Genetic improvement of greenhouse gas emissions in cattle. 6th
Cattle Workshop. Uelzen, Germany, DGfZ-Schriftenreihe 60, 147-152. (invited
speaker)
Roehe, R. (2013). Breeding against aggression in pigs. 9th
Swine Workshop, Uelzen,
Germany, DGfZ-Schriftenreihe 62, 63-70. (invited speaker)
Roehe, R. (2013). Analytical comparison of online techniques to measure meat
quality. Book of Abstracts of the 64th
Annual Meeting of the European
Federation of Animal Science, Nantes, France. (invited speaker)
Roehe, R. (2014). Quantitative genetic and molecular genetic effects on feed
efficiency in farm animals. VDLUFA Conference, VDLUFA-Schriftenreihe 70,
Hohenheim, Germany. (invited speaker)
Roehe, R. (2015). Metagenomics and methane production. Conference on Exploring
and Exploiting the Microbiome, Edinburgh, UK. (invited speaker)
Roehe, R. (2015). A Scottish system for integrated measurement of meat eating
quality. Conference on Sustainable Beef Quality for Europe. Milan, Italy. (invited
speaker)
Roehe, R. (2016). Overview of Microbiome Research –Agriculture and Food–.
Microbiome Research Stakeholder Workshop. Microbiology Society, Edinburgh,
UK. (invited speaker)
Roehe, R. (2016). Gene-centric analysis of the Microbiome. Rumen Stability
Workshop. The Joint Programming Initiative on Agriculture, Food Security and
Climate Change (FACCE-JPI), Dublin, Ireland. (invited speaker)
.

6. SUPERVISED POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS:
1. Schmutz, M. (Ph.D. 1996): Multivariate estimation of population parameters of
traits measured on station and field of the Bavarian Herdbook Association
considering pure- and crossbreeding.
2. Grotheer, V. (Ph.D. 1996): Development of a model for estimation of breeding
values in beef cattle.
3. von Felde, A. (Ph.D. 1996): Genetic analysis of feed intake of young boars
tested in groups using electronic feeders.
4. Arkenau, E. F. (Ph.D. 1996): Factors influencing blood parameters in sows kept
in pens with straw litter.
5. Ketels, O. (Ph.D. 1997): Dissection of carcasses of young bulls and economic
evaluation of by-products of young bulls and pigs.
6. Doedt, H. (Ph.D. 1998): Qualitative and economic aspects of pork production
with respect to market value and health status.
7. Savas, T. (Ph.D. 1998): Enhancement of the genetic evaluation of egg
production in laying hens.
8. Hassenstein, C. (Ph.D. 1998): Genetic and statistical analysis of newly
developed traits obtained from sport competition of riding horses.
9. Bodenkamp, K. (Ph.D. 1998): Comparative studies of growth performances,
carcass and meat quality of pigs kept on wood shaving bed system or
conventional fully slatted slurry system.
10. Willms, F. (Ph.D. 1998): Genetic analysis of individual characteristics of sport
horses with emphasis on skeletal diseases.
11. Bösch, M. (Ph.D. 1999): Selection for litter size in pigs with particular
consideration of the genetic association between purebred and crossbred
performances.
12. Schulze, V. (Ph.D. 2001): Genetic analysis to optimize individual feed intake and
daily gain during the growing-finishing period of pigs.
13. Friemel G. (Ph.D. 2001): Comparative studies to optimize the duration of the
performance test of stallion on station. Genetic analysis and breeding designs.
14. Lorenzo Bermejo, J.: (Ph.D. 2002): Development of nonlinear genetic methods
for genetic estimation of feed intake curves in swine.
15. Landgraf, S.: (Ph.D. 2004): Determination of change in physical and chemical
body composition of growing pigs with use of deuterium dilution technique.
16. Bugislaus, A. E.: (PhD. 2004): Development of genetic evaluation systems for
German trotters and thoroughbreds.
17. Lührs-Behnke, H.: (PhD. 2005): Genetic statistical analyses of performances
traits in German riding horses.
18. Mohrmann, M.: (PhD. 2005): Development of protein and fat deposition in
relation to energy intake during growth of swine and their determination by
quantitative trait loci.
19. Otto, G.: (PhD. 2005) Investigations on meat quality in pigs with special
emphasis on drip loss.
20. Duthie, C.-A.: (PhD. 2009): Individual and epistatic genetic effects of quantitative
trait loci affecting growth, feed intake, body composition and meat quality in pigs.
21. Rius Vilarrasa, E.: (PhD. 2009): Evaluation of a Video Image Analysis system for
the prediction of carcass and meat quality in genetic improvement programmes.
22. Kapell, D.: (PhD. 2010): Integration of quantitative and molecular genetic
approaches to improve characteristics associated with pig welfare.

7. 23. Craigie, C.: (PhD. 2012): An investigation into the use of video image analysis
(VIA) and visible-near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy for carcase evaluation.
24. Shirali, M.: (PhD. 2014): Improvement of Energy and Nitrogen Utilisation in Pork
production –Genetics and Growth Models-.
25. Desire S.: (PhD. 2016): Genetic and environmental dissection of short- and long-
term social aggression in pigs.
Graduate student currently advising
26. Foister, S.: Balancing short and long term aggression to maximise welfare and
productivity on animal behaviour in pigs.
27. Soley, M.: The effects of stress on the ruminal microbial environment and its
relationship to feed efficiency and methane emissions.
28. Zaragoza, A.: The use of networks of rumen microbial genes associated with
performance traits for precision breeding and nutrition in beef cattle.
SUPERVISED UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS:
1. Bösch, M. (Diploma thesis 1995): Optimization of selection for reproduction traits
using pure- and crossbred information in swine breeding.
2. Hagendorf, A. (Diploma thesis 1995): Analysis of reproduction traits in a pig farm
which used biotechnical methods and different genotypes.
3. Schulze, V. (Diploma thesis 1996): Strategies of genetic enhancement of
confirmation traits using linear scoring system.
4. Wendt, S. (Diploma thesis 1996): New developments of the performance test of
stallion on station.
5. Karsten, S. (Diploma thesis 1999): Phenotypic and genetic influence of feed
intake on reproduction performances in swine.
6. Landgraf, S. (Diploma thesis 1999): Analysis of associations among feed intake,
growth and carcass traits of different lines in swine.
7. Schwarz, S. (Diploma thesis 1999): Procedures, results and particular issues for
the use of Simmental in South Africa.
8. Bugislaus, A. E. (Diploma thesis 2000): Origin and development of trotter
breeding in Germany as well as comparison of different international systems for
estimation of breeding values.
9. Nissen, S. O. (Diploma thesis 2000): Present performance tests and evaluation
systems of breeding values in sheep.
10. Stoltenberg, I. (Diploma thesis 2000): The use of new techniques to analyse
locomotion of horses.
11. Hartwig, D. (Bachelor thesis 2002): Genetic and environmental associations
between weight of sows and their reproduction performances.
12. Schmidt, M. (Bachelor thesis 2002): Present performance tests and estimation of
breeding values in thoroughbred horses.
13. Butenschön, N. (Bachelor thesis 2003): Crossbreeding in dairy cattle.
14. Hartwig, D. (Master thesis 2003): Phenotypic and genetic relationships between
weight loss of sows during lactation and their reproduction performances.
15. Nguyen, T. (Master dissertation 2015): Improving piglet survival in the Tai Zumu
swine line using threshold model analysis.

8. INTERNATIONAL POST-GRADUATE THESES EXAMINED:
1. Serenius, T. (PhD thesis, University of Helsinki, 2004): Genetics of sow
efficiency in the Finnish Landrace and Large White Populations. University of
Helsinki, Finland, August 13th
2004.
2. Ibanez Escriche, N. (PhD thesis, Universidad Politecnica de Valencia, 2006):
Models for residual variance in quantitative genetics. Universidad Politecnica de
Valencia, Spain, October 6th
2006.
3. Thorén Hellsten, E. (PhD thesis, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences,
2008): International sport horse data for genetic evaluation. Swedish University
of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden, May 29th
2008.
4. Viklund, Ǻ. (PhD thesis, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 2010):
Genetic Evaluation of Swedish Warmblood Horses. Swedish University of
Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden, September 23rd
2010.
5. Bergsma, R. (PhD thesis, Wageningen University, 2011): Genetic aspects of
feed intake in lactating sows. Wageningen University, Wageningen, The
Netherlands, June 15th
2011.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
since 2015 Member of the European Association for Animal
Production (EAAP).
since 2005 British Society of Animal Science
since 1999 Gesellschaft für Tierzuchtwissenschaften – German
Society for Animal Science-
since 1993 American Society of Animal Science
since 1991 Deutsche Gesellschaft für Züchtungskunde - German
Society for Animal Production