Animal Sciences
April 24, 2023
CAFNR Faculty & Staff Receive Honorary State FFA Degrees
The Missouri FFA Association named a number of CAFNR faculty and staff members Honorary State FFA Degree recipients at the 95th Missouri FFA Convention held April 20-21 in Columbia. This recognition was given for years of support, including service as state superintendents for agriculture, food and natural resources Career Development Events. Those honored include: Matt Arri, Agricultural Sales CDE Andrew Biggs, Agronomy CDE Addison Byrne, Livestock Evaluation CDE Andrew Clarke, Food Science & Technology CDE Lesleighan Cravens, Floriculture CDE Chris Daubert, Support of CDEs and the Convention Tawnie DeJong, Livestock Evaluation CDE Deborah Finke, Entomology CDE Laura Friedrich, Agricultural Sales…
April 19, 2023
Colby Redifer Received 2023 MWASAS Young Scholar Award
Colby Redifer, PhD candidate in ruminant animal physiology, was honored with the Young Scholar Award at the 2023 Midwest American Society of Animal Science (MWASAS) meeting. His research focuses on developmental programming, specifically the impacts of late gestational nutrient restriction on prenatal and postnatal offspring nutrient utilization in beef cattle, under the guidance of his advisor, Allison Meyer, associate professor in the Division of Animal Sciences. The Young Scholars Program recognizes and features research accomplishments of recent PhD recipients or current PhD students in the advanced stages of their program at the annual ASAS Midwest Section meeting. Promising scholars within…
April 12, 2023
Yahan Li Received William R. Lamberson Distinguished Dissertation Award as Part of 2023 Celebration of Excellence
Yahan Li, who recently earned his PhD in Animal Sciences, received the William R. Lamberson Distinguished Dissertation Award at CAFNR’s 2023 Celebration of Excellence awards ceremony, held April 11. His advisor is Rocio Rivera, professor of animal sciences; she was also recognized as part of the ceremony. Li first came to CAFNR in 2016 as a master’s student and quickly impressed both his advisor and other faculty he collaborated with. He was offered a spot as a PhD candidate in 2018 and made many valuable contributions to the Developmental…
April 10, 2023
Livestock Team Named Reserve Team Overall at Blue Dragon Classic
The Mizzou Livestock Judging Team was named Reserve Team Overall at the Blue Dragon Classic in Hutchison, Kansas, held in early April. The team placed third in Reasons, Cattle and Sheep & Goats, and fourth in Swine. Team members who placed include: Allison Eitel, senior in agriculture, 11th Overall; Sam Wheeler, junior in agriculture, 12th Overall; and Addie Thessen, junior in plant sciences, 14th Overall. The team is coached by Tawnie DeJong, instructor of animal sciences. Team members pictured left to right are Brady Schnelten, junior in animal sciences; Shane Vehige, junior in animal sciences; Eitel; Jenna Blessing, senior in agriculture; Thessen;…
April 5, 2023
Advisors Recognized as Drivers of Distinction
CAFNR Vice Chancellor and Dean Christopher Daubert recognized 10 individuals as Drivers to Distinction. The awards were given in honor of their exceptional work advising students. The recipients were: Amy Marek, senior academic advisor, Division of Food, Nutrition & Exercise Sciences Kelsey Marek, academic advisor, Animal Sciences Robyn Eschenbrenner, senior academic advisor, Division of Applied Social Sciences Libby Johnson, academic advisor, School of Natural Resources Laura Hertel, senior student service coordinator, School of Natural Resources Jenna Fusinatto, academic advisor, School of Natural Resources Mackenzie Ewing, senior academic advisor, Plant Science & Technology Katie Ogan, coordinator of student services, CAFNR Office…
April 4, 2023
Putting the AI in AI
Peter Sutovsky, professor of animal sciences, and one of his postdoctoral researchers, Lauren Hamilton, were recently awarded a $1.3 million grant by USDA-National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) to support their work in creating artificial intelligence they hope will not only help farmers and the agriculture industry, but couples battling infertility, too. “We want to translate this into any area of science where it can be beneficial,” Sutovsky said. “That could be livestock, humans or even endangered species.” The project itself involves examining tens of thousands of images of sperm samples from 85 genome-sequenced bulls for morphological irregularities and…
March 27, 2023
Mizzou Academic Quadrathlon Team Takes Top Honors
The University of Missouri Academic Quadrathlon team took home first place during the 2023 American Society of Animal Science (ASAS) Midwest Academic Quadrathlon competition. The event took place during the Midwest Section annual meeting, which was held in mid-March in Madison, Wis. The Quadrathlon competition consists of a laboratory practicum, written exam, oral presentation and quiz bowl. The team will now represent MU at the National American Society of Animal Science in July. The team includes: Catriona Chew, senior, animal sciences Caleigh Grote, senior, animal sciences Alexia Sweiger, senior, animal sciences Aliyah Luntsford, senior, animal sciences…
March 25, 2023
2023 AFA Institute Selections Include Several CAFNR Students
Several CAFNR students were recently chosen as 2023 Agriculture Future of America (AFA) Animal Institute and Food Institute selections. AFA experiences connect students to a diverse community of peers and professionals who are passionate about food and agriculture. The goal of the experiences is to challenge the way students think about themselves, their potential career and the agriculture industry. 2023 AFA Animal Institute Selections: Addison Anna Brisbane, sophomore, agriculture Caitlyn Kleffner, junior, animal sciences Emily Popa, sophomore, animal sciences Aleece Thornhill, junior animal sciences Tanner Tipton, junior, animal sciences 2023 AFA Food Institute Selections: Halley Blades, senior, food science and…
March 10, 2023
CAFNR Celebrates Women’s History Month: Q&A with Stacey Follis
Stacey Follis shared the moment with her family as she received the 2022 CAFNR Column Award for Animal Sciences last fall. Stacey L. (Wood) Follis (BS Agriculture – Minor in Animal Sciences ’98; MS Animal Sciences – Reproductive Physiology ’00) has been employed in the animal health industry for more than 22 years. Her focus is in clinical development with a wide spectrum of experience, from bovine to feline to canine to swine, contributing to more than 30 product indications. Follis started her career with Pharmacia & Upjohn in Kalamazoo, Michigan. She has not technically changed employers since, although…
Feb. 24, 2023
Mizzou Livestock Judging Team Finishes Third at Dixie National
The Mizzou Livestock Judging Team recently finished third at the Dixie National Collegiate Beef Judging contest, held in Jackson, Miss. Along with the third-place overall finish, the team finished third in Reasons, Market Steers and Continental Cattle. The group earned fifth-place markings in Brahman Cattle and English Cattle as well. Jenna Blessing, a senior agriculture major, finished sixth in Market Steers. Pictured, left to right: assistant coach Clint Bailey, senior, agriculture; Shane Vehige, junior, animal sciences; Sam Wheeler, junior, agriculture; Grant Stafford, junior, agriculture; Brady Schnelten, junior, animal sciences; Addie Thessen, junior, plant sciences; Blessing; Allison Eitel, senior, agriculture; and…