Editorial: Vetinformatics: An Insight for Decoding Livestock Systems Through In Silico Biology Volume II

Jun-Mo Kim^1*Rajesh Kumar Pathak²

• ¹Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
• ²Pere Virgili Institute for Health Research (IISPV), Tarragona, Spain

The catalyst for vetinformatics is the deluge of data from next-generation sequencing and functional genomics (3,5). Genome assemblies for cattle, pigs, poultry, and other livestock provide blueprints for identifying disease resistance genes, markers, and metabolic pathways. For example, transcriptomics reveals how genes regulate reproductive efficiency, whereas metagenomics reveals how rumen microbiomes influence feed efficiency in livestock (2). However, the raw data alone are inert. Vetinformatics transforms them into actionable knowledge through tools, such as SPAdes, for genome assembly, edgeR for RNA-Seq data analysis, and GATK for variant detection, enabling species-specific insights (2).Additionally, predictive modeling, such as molecular dynamics simulations, assesses how mutations affect protein stability, whereas systems biology integrates genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics to model host-pathogen interactions. Furthermore, molecular docking and virtual screening of compound libraries against target receptors have accelerated veterinary medicine research (3). These implications extend beyond productivity alone. Vetinformatics underpins vaccine design and offers alternatives to antibiotics (2). Machine learning algorithms classify livestock behavior from video data (6), thereby enabling early disease detection. However, challenges remain, such as nonintegrated data, scarce species-specific databases, and training gaps between veterinarians and computational biologists (3). As we stand at these crossroads, vetinformatics is not merely an adjunct to veterinary science; it is its evolving backbone.Bridging genotype to phenotype equips us to foster resilient livestock systems, mitigate zoonotic risks, and ethically meet global food needs. The future will demand nothing less than a computationally empowered revolution in animal health (7). To address the increasing need for computational resources in veterinary science, this Research Topic highlights the advances and potential of vetinformatics. It explores how these approaches can help unravel complex livestock biology and offer practical ways to enhance animal health and welfare.