Current Applications and Future Prospects of High-Throughput Omics Technologies in Animal Reproductive Biology

Recent developments and applications of high-throughput omics technologies have modernised animal biotechnology, offering extraordinary comprehension of animal reproduction. The current review discusses the applications and advancement of high-throughput omics technologies in animal reproductive biology. The data for this review were sourced from old and recently published work in different journals. The internet databases used to access the manuscripts were ResearchGate, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, PubMed, and the Directory of Open Access Journals. The results showed that omics technologies have been previously used in human biology, and with time, have come to be introduced in animal reproductive biology. Studies using these technologies showed that genomics analysis identified at least 180 CNVs and 49 candidate genes enriched in vital fertility pathways, including retinol metabolism, steroid hormone biosynthesis, and Hippo signalling, while transcriptomics analysis screened the molecular dynamics of reproductive indicators at both the cellular and molecular levels. Pig oocytes matured in vitro or in vivo were subjected to transcriptome analysis. These analyses generate large amounts of ‘Big Data’. As a result, omics can handle large amounts of data generated through the analyses, but it needs bioinformatics experts and advanced computers, making it less affordable at the farm level. However, widely utilised technologies, including assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs), have hit their limit after years of use. To break this plateau of traditional ARTs, future research must give integrative ARTs and high-throughput omics technologies top priority, as they have clearly been shown to improve farm animals’ reproductive success. The synergy of increased reproductive efficiency and a smaller ecological footprint is crucial for improving the accuracy and sustainability of livestock systems, ultimately promoting global food security.