Cellular responses are often mediated at the level of reversible, kinase-mediated protein phosphorylation. Understanding these dynamic patterns of phosphorylation has proven a useful approach to understand complex biology, identify biomarkers and detect therapeutic targets. Unfortunately, until recently, the tools required for global analysis of cellular kinase (kinome) activity have not been available for livestock species. Through the development of software platforms that enable the generation and analysis of species-specific peptide arrays our group has developed and applied kinome analysis to biological questions of a number of livestock species including cattle, pigs, horses, chickens and honeybees1. Priority application of the species-specific arrays has been in defining host responses to infectious challenge. For example, through the development of a bovine-specific peptide array our group is investigating host responses associated with Johne’s disease. Through characterization of signaling responses induced in isolated bovine monocytes by infection with Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) we have identified the mechanisms employed by the pathogen to subvert two critical host defensive signaling pathways (Toll-like receptors2 and interferon gamma3) as well as identifying a potential therapeutic target. More recent application of the arrays to intestinal tissues from a MAP infection model4 further highlights the strategies employed by MAP to influence host immune responses at the site of infection in order to establish chronic infection5,6.