Biography
In April of 2019, Dr. John Michael Gonzalez joined the faculty at the University of Georgia with a 20% teaching and 80% research appointment. Dr. Gonzalez grew up in the vast urban setting of San Antonio, TX. He was first introduced to agriculture during his high school years when he visited numerous classmates’ ranches located throughout the state of Texas. This led Dr. Gonzalez to pursue and earn his Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Economics and Poultry Science from Texas A&M University. He then obtained his Master of Science degree in Animal Science from Sul Ross State University. In 2008, Dr. Gonzalez was awarded his Ph.D. in Animal Sciences from the University of Florida. After earning his degree, Dr. Gonzalez spent a 9-month tenure serving as the Technical Services Manager of XL Four Star Beef, Inc. of Omaha, Nebraska. Following a brief stay at the University of Florida as a Postdoctoral Associate, Dr. Gonzalez joined the faculty at Kansas State University from June 2011 to March 2019, where he had a 30% teaching and 70% research appointment.
Over the course of his career, his research program has focused on 3 distinct areas. First, his program has complemented other meat scientists and animal scientists by examining the cellular influencers of muscle growth and their relation to meat quality. Specifically, he has focused on the roles muscle fiber size/type and collagen crosslinks elicit on fresh meat color and tenderness. His second research area focuses exploring novel technologies (feed additives, management strategies, breeding strategies) that manipulate gestational, in ovo, or postnatal muscle growth and development. His last area of research focuses on exploring the cellular and biochemical mechanisms responsible for muscle fatigue during transportation of cattle and swine and the development of nutritional countermeasures.
Dr. Gonzalez resides in Watkinsville, Georgia with his wife, Sara, his daughter Penelope, son Harrison, and two dogs, Bexar and Astro. In his free time, Dr. Gonzalez spends a good portion of his time following the United States space program, learning the drums, and working on his golf game.
Selected Recent Publications
1. Feldpausch, J. A., J. Jourquin, J. R. Bergstrom, J. L. Bargen, C. D. Bokenkroger1, D. L. Davis, J. M. Gonzalez, J. L. Nelssen, C. L. Puls, W. E. Trout, and M. J. Ritter. 2019. Birth weight threshold for identifying piglets at-risk for pre-weaning mortality. Translational Animal Science. Accepted April 8, 2019.
2. Thayer, M. T., J. L. Nelssen, A. Langemeier, J. Morton, J. M. Gonzalez, S. R. Kruger, Z. Ou, A. J. Makowski, and J. R. Bergstrom. 2019. The effects of maternal dietary supplementation of cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) and 25(OH)D3 on sow and progeny performance. Translational Animal Science. In Press. doi: 10.1093/tas/txz029
3. Drey, L. N., L. L. Prill, B. A. Olson, E. A. Rice, J. M. Gonzalez, J. L. Vipham, T. A. Houser, E. A. E. Boyle, and T. G. O’Quinn. 2018. Evaluation of marbling and enhancement’s abilities to compensate for reduced beef palatability at elevated degrees of doneness. J. Anim. Sci. 97:669-686. doi:10.1093/jas/sky435
4. S. R. Montgomery, L. K. Mamedova, M. Zachut, G. Kra, S. Häussler, H. Sauerwein, M. Vaughn, J. Gonzalez, and B. J. Bradford. 2019. Sodium salicylate may decrease glucose turnover rate in periparturient dairy cows through enhanced liver insulin sensitivity. J. Dairy Sci. 102:1617-1629. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2018-15312
5. Coble, K., J. DeRouchey, J. M. Gonzalez, F. Wu, S. Dritz, J. Woodworth, M. Tokach, and R. Goodband. 2018. Effect of diet type and added copper on growth performance, carcass characteristics, energy digestibility, gut morphology, and mucosal mRNA expression of finishing pigs. J. Anim. Sci. 96:3288-3301. doi:10.1093/jas/sky196
6. Gonzalez, J. M. and K. J. Phelps. 2018. Beef quality in the United States as chronicled by the National Beef Quality Audits, Beef Consumer Satisfaction Projects, and National Beef Tenderness Surveys. Asian-Australas J. Anim. Sci. doi: 10.5713/ajas.18.0199
7. Vierck, K. R., J. M. Gonzalez, T. A. Houser, E. A. E. Boyle, and T. G. O’Quinn. 2018. Marbling texture’s effects on beef palatability. Meat Mus. Bio. 2:142-153. doi:10.22175/mmb2017.10.0052
8. Vierck, K. R., T. G. O’Quinn, J. A. Noel, T. A. Houser, E. A. E. Boyle, and J. M. Gonzalez†. 2018. Effects of marbling texture on muscle fiber and collagen characteristics. Meat Mus. Bio. 2:75-82. doi:10.22175/mmb2017.10.0054
9. Ebarb, S. M., K. J. Phelps, J. S. Drouillard, K. R. Maddock-Carlin, M. A. Vaughn, D. D. Burnett, C. L. Van Bibber- Krueger, C. B. Paulk, D. M. Grieger, and J. M. Gonzalez. 2017. Effect of anabolic implants and ractopamine-HCl on Longissimus lumborum muscle fiber morphometrics, collagen solubility, and cooked meat tenderness. J. Anim. Sci. 1219-1231. doi:10.2527/jas.2016.1263
10. Lu,Y., J. S. Bradley, S. R. McCoski, J. M. Gonzalez, A. D. Ealy, and S. E. Johnson. 2017. Reduced skeletal muscle fiber size following caloric restriction is associated with calpain-mediated proteolysis and attenuation of IGF-1 signaling. Am. J. Physiol. Regul. Integr. Comp. Physiol. 312:R806-R815. doi:10.1152/ajpregu.00400.2016
11. Phelps, K. J., D. D. Johnson, M. A. Elzo, C. B. Paulk, and J. M. Gonzalez. 2017. Effect of Brahman genetics on myofibrillar protein degradation, collagen crosslinking, and tenderness of the longissimus lumborum. J. Anim. Sci. 95:5397-5406. doi:10.2527/jas2017.2022
12. McKillip, K. V., A. K. Wilfong. J. M. Gonzalez, T. A. Houser, J. A. Unruh, E. A. E. Boyle, and T. G. O'Quinn. 2017. Sensory evaluation of enhanced beef strip loin steaks cooked to three degrees of doneness. Meat Sci. Muscle Bio. 1:227-241. doi:10.22175/mmb2017.06.0033
13. McKillip, K. V., A. K. Wilfong. J. M. Gonzalez, T. A. Houser, J. A. Unruh, E. A. E. Boyle, and T. G. O'Quinn. 2017. Repeatability and accuracy of the Pressed Juice Percentage method at sorting steaks into juiciness categories. Meat Sci. Muscle Bio. 1:242-252. doi:10.22175/mmb2017.07.0034
14. Van Bibber-Krueger, C. L., R. Amachawadi, H. M. Scott, J. M. Gonzalez, and J. S. Drouillard. 2017. Interactive effects of supplemental Zn sulfate and ractopamine hydrochloride on growth performance, carcass traits, and plasma urea nitrogen in feedlot heifers. J. Anim. Sci. 95:4638-4645. doi:10.2527/jas2017.1764
15. Van Bibber-Krueger, C. L., R. Amachawadi, H. M. Scott, J. M. Gonzalez, and J. S. Drouillard. 2017. Interaction between supplemental zinc oxide and zilpaterol hydrochloride on growth performance, carcass traits, and blood metabolites in feedlot steers. J. Anim. Sci 95:5573-5583. doi:10.2527/jas2017.1761
16. Vaughn, M . A., K. J. Phelps, and J. M. Gonzalez. 2017. In vitro supplementation with the porcine plasma product, betaGRO®, stimulates activity of porcine fetal myoblasts and satellite cells in a divergent manner. animal. doi:10.1017/S1751731117003329
17. Burnett, D. D., C. B. Paulk, M. D. Tokach, J. L. Nelssen, M. A. Vaughn, K. J. Phelps, S. S. Dritz, J. M. DeRouchey, R.D. Goodband, K. D. Haydon and J. M. Gonzalez. 2016. Effects of Added Zinc on Skeletal Muscle Morphometrics and Gene Expression of Finishing Pigs Fed Ractopamine-HCl. Anim. Bio. 27:17-29. doi:10.1080/10495398.2015.1069301
18. Ebarb, S. M., J. S. Drouillard, K. R. Maddock-Carlin, K. J. Phelps, M. A. Vaughn, D. D. Burnett, C. B. Paulk, D. M. Grieger and J. M. Gonzalez. 2016. Effect of growth-promoting technologies on Longissimus lumborum muscle fiber morphometrics, collagen solubility, and cooked meat tenderness. Journal of Animal Science. J. Anim. 94:869-881. doi:10.2527/jas.2015-9888
19. *Noel, J. A., R. M. Broxterman, G. M. McCoy, J. C. Craig, K. J. Phelps, D. D. Burnett, M. A. Vaughn, T. J. Barstow, T. G. O’Quinn, J. C. Woodworth, J. M. DeRouchey, T. G. Rozell, and J. M. Gonzalez. 2016. Use of electromyography to detect muscle exhaustion in finishing barrows fed ractopamine-HCl. J. Anim. Sci. 94:2344-2356. doi:10.2527/jas2016-0398
20. Phelps, K. J., J. S. Drouillard, T. G. O’Quinn, D. D. Burnett, T. L. Blackmon, J. Axtman, C. L. Van Bibber-Krueger, and J. M. Gonzalez. 2016. Feeding microalgae meal (All-G Rich™, Schizochytrium limacinum CCAP 4087/2) to beef heifers I: effects on fresh meat quality. J. Anim. Sci. 94:4016-4029. doi:10.2527/jas2016-0487
21. Phelps, K. J., J. S. Drouillard, T. G. O’Quinn, D. D. Burnett, T. L. Blackmon, J. Axtman, C. L. Van Bibber-Krueger, and J. M. Gonzalez. 2016. Feeding microalgae meal (All-G Rich™, Schizochytrium limacinum CCAP 4087/2) to beef heifers II: effects on ground beef palatability and color. J. Anim. Sci. 94:4030-4039. doi:10.2527/jas2016-0488
22. *Phelps, K. J., J. S. Drouillard, M. B. Silva, L. D. F. Miranda, S. M. Ebarb, C. L. Van Bibber-Krueger, T. G. O’Quinn, and J. M. Gonzalez†. 2016. Effect of extended postmortem aging and steak location on myofibrillar protein degradation and Warner-Bratzler shear force of beef M. semitendinosus steaks. J. Anim. Sci. 94:412-423. doi:10.2527/jas2015-9862
23. Stephenson, E.W., M. A. Vaughn, D. D. Burnett, C. B. Paulk, M. D. Tokach, S. S. Dritz, J. M. DeRouchey, R.D. Goodband, J.C. Woodworth and J.M. Gonzalez. 2016. Influence of dietary fat source and feeding duration on finishing pig growth performance, carcass composition, and fat quality. J. Anim. Sci. 94:2851-2866. doi:10.2527/jas2015-9521
24. Van Bibber-Krueger, C. L., J. E. Axman, J. M. Gonzalez, C. I. Vahl, and J. S. Drouillard. 2016. Effects of yeast combined with chromium propionate on growth performance and carcass quality of finishing steers. J. Anim. Sci. 94:3003-3011. doi:10.2527/jas.2016-0454
25. Vaughn, M. A., C. Serrano, D. D. Burnett, D. Davis, J. Woodworth, and J. M. Gonzalez. 2016. Influence of porcine plasma supplementation on gestating sow serum IGF-1 concentration and litter weights. Prof. Ag. Workers J. 4:6.
26. Wilfong, A. K., K. V. McKillip, J. M. Gonzalez, T. A. Houser, J. A. Unruh, E. A. E. Boyle, and T. G. O’Quinn. 2016. Determination of the effect of brand and product identification on consumer palatability ratings of ground beef patties. J. Anim. Sci. 94:4943-4958. doi: 10.2527/jas.2016-0894
27. Wilfong, A. K., K. V. McKillip, J. M. Gonzalez, T. A. Houser, J. A. Unruh, E. A. E. Boyle, and T. G. O’Quinn. 2016. Determination of the effect of branding on consumer palatability ratings of beef strip loin steaks. J. Anim. Sci. 94:4930-4942. doi: 10.2527/jas.2016-0893
28. Paulk, C. B., J. R. Bergstrom, M. D. Tokach, S. S. Dritz, D. D. Burnett, E. W. Stephenson, M. A. Vaughn, J. M. DeRouchey, R. D. Goodband, J. L. Nelssen and J. M. Gonzalez. 2015. Equations generated to predict iodine value of pork carcass back, belly, and jowl fat. J. Anim. 93:1666-1678. Sci. doi:10.2527/jas2014-8400
29. Paulk, C. B., D. D. Burnett, M. D. Tokach, J. L. Nelssen, S. S. Dritz, J. M. DeRouchey, R.D. Goodband, G.M. Hill, K. D. Haydon, and J. M. Gonzalez. 2015. Effect of added zinc in diets with Ractopamine-HCl on growth performance, carcass characteristics, and ileal mucosal inflammation mRNA expression of finishing pigs. J. Anim. Sci. 93:185-196. doi:10.2527/jas2014-8286
30. Phelps, K. J., J. S. Drouillard, J. S Jennings, B.E. Depenbusch, C. L. Van Bibber-Krueger, K.A. Miller, M. A. Vaughn, D. D. Burnett, and J. M. Gonzalez. 2015. Effects of the PN Beef Program diet for feedlot cattle on feedlot performance and carcass characteristics. J. Anim. Sci. 93:1298-1308. doi:10.2527/jas.2014-8661
31. Phelps, K. J., J. S. Drouillard, J. S. Jennings, C. L. Van Bibber-Krueger, K.A. Miller, M. A. Vaughn, D. D. Burnett, S. M. Ebarb, J. A. Noel, G. Deitz, J. D. Heischmit, and J. M. Gonzalez. 2015. Effect of the Programmed Nutrition Beef Program on moisture retention
of cooked ground beef patties and enhanced strip loins. Meat Sci. 100:189-194. doi: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2014.10.021
32. Gonzalez, J. M., D. D. Johnson, M. A. Elzo, M. C. White, A. M. Stelzleni and S. E. Johnson 2014. Effect of Brahman genetic influence on collagen enzymatic crosslinking gene expression and meat tenderness. Anim. Biotech. 25:165-178. doi: 10.1080/10495398.2013.846862
33. Paulk, C. B., M. D. Tokach, J. L. Nelssen, D. D. Burnett, M. A. Vaughn, K. J. Phelps, S. S. Dritz, J. M. DeRouchey, R.D. Goodband, T. A. Houser, K. D. Haydon, and J. M. Gonzalez. 2014. Effect of dietary zinc level and Ractopamine-HCl on pork chop tenderness and shelf-life characteristics. J. Anim. Sci. 92:2325-2335. doi:10.2527/jas.2013-7318
34. Phelps, K. J., J. S. Drouillard, J. S. Jennings, C. L. Van Bibber-Krueger, K.A. Miller, M. A. Vaughn, D. D. Burnett, S. M. Ebarb, T.A. Houser, S. E. Johnson, and J. M. Gonzalez. 2014. Effects of the Programmed Nutrition Beef Program on meat quality characteristic. J. Anim. Sci. 92:1781-1792. doi: 10.2527/jas.2013-7231
35. Yuan, K., C. F. Vargas, L. K. Mamedova, M. B. Muckey, M. A. Vaughn, D. D. Burnett, J. M. Gonzalez, E. C. Titgemeyer, and B. J. Bradford. 2014. Effects of supplemental amino acids and chromium propionate on nutrient metabolism, neutrophil activation, and adipocyte size in lactating dairy cows. J. Dairy Sci. 97:3822-3831. doi: 10.3168/jds.2013-7770
Book Chapter (1 Total)
1. Gonzalez, J. M., S. M. Ebarb, K. J. Phelps, and M. E. Dikeman. 2017. Effects of metabolic modifiers on beef carcass composition and meat quality. In: M. E. Dikeman, editor, Ensuring safety and quality in the production of beef. Vol. 2:Quality. Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing Ltd., Cambridge, United Kingdom. p. 101-126.
United States Patents (1 Total)
1. Gonzalez, J. M., S. R. Kruger, C. B. Paulk, and H. K. Wrecker. 2018. Nicotinamide Riboside Treatments of Domesticated Meat Animals. Serial No. 62/611,087 filed on Dec. 28, 2017.