The last twentyyears have been characterized by some remarkable technological advances in thefield of genomics which were essential to unveil the genome of varies species.Furthermore, these genomic advances contributed to pinpoint particularitiesin genome sequences which might be associated with phenotypic variations, therefore,it became possible to study functions associated with specific sequences ina more holistic context within biological systems. More importantly, the blossomingin genomics contributed to a better understanding on the mechanisms that controlthe interactions between genotype and environmental factors which are responsiblefor phenotypic variability. Genomic advances also promoted innovative and multi-dimensionalscientific perspectives in research fields of biology, such as in animal science.Having in mind the remarkable impacts of genomics on the understanding of biologicalphenomena, it becomes clear that an assessment of the potential applicationsof functional genomics in the field ruminant nutrition should be performed.For this reason, this paper reviews several important genomic tools, and discussesthe feasibility of using these tools towards an enhancement of animal production.
