Livestock judging team wins State Fair of Texas Intercollegiate contest

The Texas A&M Livestock Judging Team did not let the current pandemic stand in the way of success at the 2020 State Fair of Texas. While practicing social distancing and abiding by safety standards, the team brought home top honors, in more ways than one. In addition to being the high team overall, Texas A&M also finished first in the reasons, cattle and sheep and goat divisions, as well as second in the swine division. Austin Graves of Crane, Texas, was the high point individual, beating the runner… Read More →

Texas A&M AgriLife organizes veterinarian network, mentoring program

Leading change in veterinary response to large animal production A group of Texas A&M AgriLife faculty are establishing a rural veterinarian network to provide education and assistance with a goal of making rural veterinary practices sustainable. Many rural large animal practices are operated by older vets, and younger veterinary professionals are going to pet care because it’s more lucrative, said Tom Hairgrove, DVM and Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service cattle veterinary specialist in the Texas A&M University Department of Animal Science. That could result in the reduction of rural large animal practices…. Read More →

Can we produce more animal protein without damaging the environment?

In an effort to make sure the animal protein supply is sustainable, a Texas A&M AgriLife researcher is using mathematical modeling to connect the dots between increasing production efficiency in livestock operations and minimizing environmental impacts. Luis Tedeschi, an AgriLife Research ruminant nutritionist, and his team in the Texas A&M University Department of Animal Science recently published a paper on sustainable livestock intensification, “Modelling a Sustainable Future for Livestock Production,” in Scientia. The team concluded that an integrated smart-farming approach employing innovative pasture systems and modeling-based decision support tools could help create more sustainable… Read More →

Stopping SARS-CoV-2 along the farm-to-plate supply chain

Texas A&M AgriLife-led study tracking down cause, transmission of coronavirus in food processing From live cattle entering a packing plant to the consumer’s kitchen table, a Texas A&M AgriLife-led research project aims to develop an accurate way to predict potential contamination with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, throughout the food supply chain. Sapna Chitlapilly Dass, Ph.D., a meat science research assistant professor in the Texas A&M College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Department of Animal Science, will lead the two-year, $1 million U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture… Read More →

Meat Perspectives: Ground beef basics

By Jeff Savell and Kerri Gehring Ground beef remains one of the most popular forms of beef consumed in the United States. Some estimates report that up to 65% of all beef consumed is in the form of ground beef. It is one of our go-to foods, and we are reminded of this during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as other times where economic or other situations have us staying at home and wanting something easy to prepare and comforting to eat. Continuing cyclical interests in various iterations… Read More →

AgriLife Research expert uses math to predict environmental impacts of livestock production

‘Smart-farming’ approach models sustainable, intensive protein production In an effort to make sure our animal protein supply is sustainable, a Texas A&M AgriLife researcher is using mathematical modeling to connect the dots between increasing production efficiency in livestock operations and minimizing environmental impacts. Luis Tedeschi, Ph.D., an AgriLife Research ruminant nutritionist, and his team in the Texas A&M University Department of Animal Science recently published a paper on sustainable livestock intensification, Modelling a Sustainable Future for Livestock Production, in Scientia. The team concluded that an integrated smart-farming approach… Read More →

Peak performance important to cow-calf operations amid pandemic-induced price fluctuations

AgriLife Extension program offers financial, production analysis and benchmarking to identify opportunities, weaknesses With the COVID-19 pandemic, cattle prices have been on a roller coaster. Now is a good time to analyze performance to make sure your operation is as efficient as possible, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service specialist. Pancho Abello, AgriLife Extension economist, Vernon, said the agency’s long-running Beef Cattle Standard Performance Analysis, SPA, program is a good way for cattle producers to look at their bottom line and make adjustments to their operations. “Opportunities for change… Read More →

From the Ground Up: Cattle Are Good for the Environment

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) -There is a storyline companies offering plant-based meat substitutes are pushing that suggests beef production is harming our environment. There is science that refutes that storyline. Ron Gill is a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension professor and livestock specialist. “We’ve got to make sure that we pitch beef production in the light that it really should be. It’s a tool to manage our environment, improve our soil health, and improve the environmental health of the nation. It’s a great tool to do that with. Gill stresses… Read More →

The 2020 Department of Animal Science Outstanding Support Staff Award Recipients Announced

By Kaitlyn Arnold The 2020 Department of Animal Science Outstanding Support Staff Award Recipients are Carissa Beamon and Steve Cannon. Texas A&M University is built on six core values: excellence, integrity, leadership, loyalty, respect and selfless service. Each year, the Department of Animal Science recognizes two outstanding staff members in the Department of Animal Science who have exceeded the expectations of their position with their meaningful contributions to the mission of the department and its core values. Carissa Beamon is an Academic Advisor III in the Department of… Read More →

Beef cattle physiologist joins AgriLife Research

Research to focus on reproduction physiology George Perry, Ph.D., was recently hired as a Texas A&M AgriLife Research cattle physiologist and associate professor in the Texas A&M Department of Animal Science. Perry said he was excited to join AgriLife Research at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Overton. He said he looks forward to producing research that will directly impact the beef cattle industry in Texas and the southern U.S. Decades of cattle physiology research data at the Overton center will speed his transition and help him begin work… Read More →