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Inside CAFNR
Spring 2025
Features
University of Missouri breaks ground on The Michael L. Parson Meat Science Education and Training Laboratory, announces additional gift for project (click to read)
University of Missouri breaks ground on The Michael L. Parson Meat Science Education and Training Laboratory, announces additional gift for project »

The facility will offer education and workforce development opportunities to contribute to one of Missouri’s largest industries.

Mizzou alumna Dakota Grellner returns to her alma mater as the new Mizzou Livestock Judging Coach (click to read)
Mizzou alumna Dakota Grellner returns to her alma mater as the new Mizzou Livestock Judging Coach »

Grellner, B.S. ’18 Animal Sciences, was a member of the 2018 judging team and is eager to restart the program.

Send us your Livestock Judging Team photos!

In 1997, Gretchen Bruffet-Rozeboom, a member of the 1995 Mizzou Livestock Judging Team, assisted George Jesse, professor emeritus of Animal Sciences, in compiling photos of previous Mizzou Livestock Judging Teams. You can see the current collection by visiting University of Missouri Livestock Judging Team 1928-2024 | Flickr.

The Division of Animal Sciences is eager to complete this collection. If you have photos of teams that are not represented in the online album, please send them to Dakota Grellner at soudersd@missouri.edu.

Research Achievements
Discovering a clue to what causes reproductive complications (click to read)
Discovering a clue to what causes reproductive complications »

By studying how female eggs repair — or sometimes fail to repair — DNA damage, CAFNR researchers hope to improve reproductive health.

MU animal sciences faculty members help transform agriculture and endangered species conservation with ruminant genome research (click to read)
MU animal sciences faculty members help transform agriculture and endangered species conservation with ruminant genome research »

Stephanie McKay is a leader in a worldwide effort to map genomes of animals that chew cud.

Cattle in the cloud: Wearable tech revolutionizes ranching (click to read)
Cattle in the cloud: Wearable tech revolutionizes ranching »

Mizzou animal sciences researchers use smart ear tags to detect heat in cows and boost breeding precision.

Alumni Corner
Celebrating our distinguished alumni: CAFNR Column Awards 2024 (click to read)
Celebrating our distinguished alumni: CAFNR Column Awards 2024 »

Joel D. Spencer (B.S. ’86, M.S. ’98, Ph.D. ’01) was the 2024 Division of Animal Sciences recipient of the prestigious alumni honor.

San Diego Zoo Reproductive Sciences Lab attracts generations of Mizzou Animal Sciences graduates and students (click to read)
San Diego Zoo Reproductive Sciences Lab attracts generations of Mizzou Animal Sciences graduates and students »

Rachel Felton (M.S. ’14), Lindsey Fallon (B.S. ‘20, M.S. ’22) and Taylor VanDeVoorde followed their love of research from Columbia to San Diego.

Supporting the State
Final fall 2024 Show-Me-Select sale sets record (click to read)
Final fall 2024 Show-Me-Select sale sets record »

Palmyra’s Show-Me-Select Heifer sale set a local record with $1.16 million in sales, highlighting MU Extension's impactful heifer replacement program.

Student Features
From study participant to co-author, animal sciences student Asia Smith has explored multiple disciplines on the road to her future (click to read)
From study participant to co-author, animal sciences student Asia Smith has explored multiple disciplines on the road to her future »

A chance encounter with research has led Smith to paper authorship and cross-disciplinary lessons as she pursues veterinary school.

Students see success at Midwest American Society of Animal Science Meeting (click to read)
Students see success at Midwest American Society of Animal Science Meeting »

Academic Quadrathlon Team takes first, students earn research presentation honors.

Riley M. Sullivan has received the 2025 CAFNR William R. Lamberson Distinguished Thesis Award as part of Celebration of Excellence (click to read)
Riley M. Sullivan has received the 2025 CAFNR William R. Lamberson Distinguished Thesis Award as part of Celebration of Excellence »

Sullivan received her M.S. in Reproductive Physiology in 2024.

Faculty/Staff Spotlight
Amy Petry receives 2025 Outstanding Early Career Teacher Award (click to read)
Amy Petry receives 2025 Outstanding Early Career Teacher Award »