It’s been a busy summer for our undergraduate and graduate students in the department of animal science. Many students have traveled across the world presenting research at various industry conferences. Their work is preparing them for a future in teaching, research, Extension, livestock and dairy production, and in industries involving food technology, livestock products and livestock management.

Summer Research Presentations graphic

75th Reciprocal Meat Conference
June 12-15, 2022; Des Moines, Iowa

  • Trent Schwartz (PhD Animal Science, Emphasis in Meat Science)
    Does more inherently tender beef need to be aged as long as in the past?
  • Lauren Lee (PhD Animal Science, Meat Science and Food Safety)
    Sensory characteristics of beef top sirloin steaks prepared using sous vide and/or flat-top grilling methods
  • Shelley Curry (Master of Science)
    Beef steaks from subprimals subjected to various frozen/refrigerated storage conditions
  • Abby Tack (Bachelor of Science)
    Metabolomics differ by temperament in Brahman steers and may be related to product quality

American Society of Animal Science
June 26-30, 2022; Oklahoma City, OK

  • Brooke McAnnally (Master of Science) Tied for first place in the MS Competition
    Analysis of Boar Semen Microbiome and Sperm Quality Parameters
  • Molly Smith (Master of Science)
    Reproductive Microbiome and Cytokines of Postpartum Beef Cows in Relation to Fertility
  • Kyle Hickman-Brown (Master of Science)
    Correlation between plasma, uterine, and vaginal cytokine concentrations in postpartum beef cows prior to artificial insemination
  • Pier Semanchik (Master of Science)
    Oral Presentation: Live animal mitochondrial markers during the feedlot phase are related to meat quality in Angus but not Brahman steers
    Poster: Longissimus thoracis mitochondrial capacities and temperament of stocker calves are related to meat quality at harvest in Brahman but not in Angus cattle
  • Jaclyn Ketchum (PhD in Reproductive Physiology)
    Evaluation of two beef cow fixed-time artificial insemination protocols that utilize pre-synchronization
  • Lacey Quail (PhD in Physiology of Reproduction)
    Synchronization and seasonality effects on follicular development, estrus expression, and pregnancy in Brahman females
  • Viviana Garza (PhD in Physiology of Reproduction)
    Impact of pre-and postnatal nutritional extremes on responsiveness of ovariectomized, sexually mature heifers to a neurokinin B agonist during progesterone dominance
  • Kaitlin Epperson (PhD in Physiology of Reproduction)
    Bovine Luteal Cell Apoptosis Following Administration of a Commercial Inactivated or Modified-live Virus Vaccine at Time of AI
  • Sara Gurule (Master of Science)
    Effects of prenatal testosterone excess on puberty attainment of first-generation ewe lambs
  • Rafael Martinez (PhD)
    Evaluation of Dietary Arginine Supplementation to Increase Placental Nutrient Transporters of Aged Mares
  • Gabi Dalmaso de Melo (PhD)
    Pregnancy-Associated Glycoproteins Effects on Placenta Function, Uterine Remodeling, and Attachment of Bovine Conceptuses

International Conference on Equine Exercise Physiology
June 26-July 1, 2022; Uppsala, Sweden

  • Jessica Simons (Master of Science)
    Impacts of exercise and DHA/EPA/GLA supplementation on plasma cytokines in Thoroughbreds
  • Lauren Wesolowski (Master of Science)
    Nano-Q10 supplementation improves skeletal muscle mitochondrial capacities in equine athletes

55th Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Reproduction
July 26-29, 2022; Spokane Washington

  • Dr. Claire Stenhouse (Assistant Research Scientist)
    Regulatory Roles of Polyamines on Mineral Transport in the Ovine Endometrium During the Peri-Implantation Period of Pregnancy
    Received Biology of Reproduction Trainee Reviewer of the Year Award
  • Nirvay Sah (Postdoctoral research associate)
    Poster and Flash Talk: Ovine Endometrium and Placentomes Express Components of The Creatine-Creatine Kinase-Phosphocreatine System During Pregnancy
    SSR Trainee Travel Award
  • Makenzie Newton (Master of Science)
    Pre-Doctoral Platform Competition: Regulation of expression of enzymes for synthesis of polyamines by the uterus during the estrous cycle of sheep
    USDA-NIFA-AFRI Merit Award
  • Robyn Moses (PhD in Physiology of Reproduction)
    Poster and Flash Talk: Characterizing enzymes and transporters involved in fructose and lactate metabolism ovine conceptuses during the peri-implantation period of pregnancy
    USDA–NIFA–AFRI Merit Award
  • Brooke McAnally (Master of Science)
    Analysis of Extended Boar Semen Microbiome by Progressive Motility
  • Kyle Hickman-Brown (Master of Science)
    The microbiomes of vaginal, cervical, and uterine tissues in pregnant gilts
  • Viviana Garza (PhD in Physiology of Reproduction)
    Impact of pre-and postnatal nutritional extremes on responsiveness of ovariectomized, sexually mature heifers to a neurokinin B agonist during estrogen dominance
  • Sara Gurule (Master of Science)
    Effects of prenatal testosterone excess on corpus luteum function of first-generation ewe lambs
  • Sarah West (PhD)
    Effects of prenatal and postnatal nutrition on Neuropeptide Y gene expression in the arcuate nucleus of beef heifers
  • Sarah Singleton (Master of Science)
    Investing Gene Expression Differences Observed Between Biparental and Uniparental Bovine Pregnancies
  • Odile Polanco (PhD)
    Transcriptomic Comparison Between Bovine Sires with Differing Field Fertility

Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course
August 1-3, 2022; College Station, Texas

  • Shea Mackey (PhD)
    Performance, health, and physiological responses of feedlot cattle supplemented with pre- and probiotic ingredients
  • Gabi Melo (PhD)
    Characterizing the molecular mechanisms behind pregnancies of beef heifers with high vs. low pregnancy associated glycoprotein concentrations
  • Sarah Singleton (Master of Science)
    The use of bovine parthenogenetic embryos as a tool to study sire contribution to pregnancy
  • MacKenzie Chapman (Master of Science)
    Relationships among immune responses in F1 reciprocal cross Brahman-Angus cattle