This man should have died, but unusual infusions saved his life

Bacteriophages or phages, are viruses that infect bacteria. These organisms are abundant in the environment and are a major predator of bacteria in natural systems.  Because phages naturally infect and kill bacteria, there is considerable interest in using them as antimicrobials to control bacterial populations, particularly pathogenic bacteria. Here at Texas A&M University, we have the Center for Phage Technology. Dr. Jason Gill, assistant professor in the Department of Animal Science, is the associate director of the CPT. For more information, visit the CPT website: https://cpt.tamu.edu/. Writer: Marlene Cimons Tom… Read More →

Gainesville, Clarksville Beef Quality Assurance Training programs scheduled in July

By: Adam Russell, 903-834-6191, adam.russell@ag.tamu.edu Contact: Dr. Jason Banta, 903-834-6191, jpbanta@ag.tamu.edu OVERTON – Two Beef Quality Assurance Training events will be in North and Northeast Texas during July. The training events are a collaborative effort among the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Texas Beef Council and the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association. There is no cost to attend, but organizers request RSVPs to ensure accurate meal counts. Steak lunches will be served at the sessions. The trainings will be: – July 20, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Landmark… Read More →

Former Student Profile: Tianti Carter

Tianti Carter was crowned as the 2017 Miss Rodeo Texas on Thursday, June 15th at the Miss Rodeo Texas Pageant coronation in San Antonio, Texas. Carter is a 21 year old native of Fort Worh, Texas, and represented as Miss Rodeo Austin during the pageant, also winning the prestigious category of horsemanship. In addition to earning an incredible prize package, Carter will receive a scholarship sponsored by the San Antonio Livestock Show and Rodeo and Miss Rodeo Texas Association, Inc. Carter earned her Bachelors of Science in animal… Read More →

We’re social!

For those of you who follow the Department of Animal Science Facebook page, this will be old news. But for those who do not, you are missing out! Starting in mid-May of 2017, the department kicked off an effort to revitalize our Facebook presence. So many students, future students, former students, stakeholders, and more are on Facebook, that it is important that the department is too. “While we’ve had a social media presence for quite some time, with the guidance of Dr. Lamb, we’ve really started to put… Read More →

Brush control, chute-side, fencing demonstrations planned for Beef Cattle Short Course

Writer: Blair Fannin, 979-845-2259, b-fannin@tamu.edu Contact: Dr. Jason Cleere, 979-845-6931, jjcleere@tamu.edu COLLEGE STATION – Live cattle working, fence building, tractor equipment and Brush Busters demonstrations are among several activities planned for the 63rd Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course scheduled Aug. 7-9 at Texas A&M University in College Station. All demonstrations will be Aug. 9 at various locations. They will begin at 8:30 a.m. and conclude at noon. “The demonstrations offered at the Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course provide participants with live demonstration opportunities in a variety… Read More →

Summer Horsemanship Schools lend a hand at Still Creek Ranch

The Texas A&M AgriLife Summer Horsemanship School program sent their instructors to teach horsemanship classes at Still Creek Ranch in Bryan, Texas, for a week in May. According to the Still Creek Ranch website, their mission is “to rescue at-risk children and raise them to be anchored in hope, restored through Christ, and equipped for life.” The curriculum at Still Creek uses horses and horsemanship classes to help achieve their mission of making a difference in the lives of at-risk children. The SHS instructors taught on the importance… Read More →

Bradbery receives American Quarter Horse Association award

COLLEGE STATION – Amanda Bradbery, an animal science graduate student at Texas A&M University, is a recipient of the 2017-2018 American Quarter Horse Association – Young Investigator Award from the American Quarter Horse Foundation and the American Quarter Horse Association. The $19,850 grant is awarded to students to use towards project funding. Bradbery will be using the award to fund a portion of a larger study investigating the effects of maternal overnutrition on programming foal metabolism. Specifically, it will allow her to analyze the effects of maternal overnutrition… Read More →

Barbecue Summer Camp teaches finer aspects of smoking meat

Writer: Blair Fannin, 979-845-2259, b-fannin@tamu.edu Contact: Dr. Davey Griffin, 979-845-3935, dgriff@tamu.edu COLLEGE STATION – Who says summer camp is just for youth? At Texas A&M University, adults flocked to summer barbecue camp in College Station by the hundreds to find out how to cook great beef brisket, pork ribs, chicken and other cuts of meat suited best for the pit. Barbecue Summer Camp is so popular that a lottery system has been put in place to handle registration, according to organizers. The camp, sponsored by Foodways Texas and… Read More →

5 tips to keep your cattle safe in the summer heat

As sizzling summer temperatures settle in, do these five things to ward off heat stress in your herd. Writer: Amanda Radke, BEEF Daily In my neck of the woods, the wind, heat and lack of rain are creating the perfect storm for a drought. Folks further west of our ranch are already selling pairs as they run short of pasture and feed. Summer is in full swing, and as the temperatures reach scorching heights, it’s time to start thinking about ways to keep the cowherd safe and comfortable…. Read More →

Texas Sheep and Goat Expo adds youth program

Writer: Steve Byrns, 325-653-4576, s-byrns@tamu.edu Contacts: Chad Coburn, 325-378-3181, c-coburn@tamu.edu Marvin Ensor, 325-653-4576, m-ensor@tamu.edu SAN ANGELO – The Texas Sheep and Goat Expo slated for Aug. 18-19 at San Angelo’s First Community Spur Arena has added a youth component. Billed as the largest, most comprehensive educational event of its kind, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service-conducted expo addresses wool sheep, hair sheep, meat goats, club lambs and Angora goats. Now for the first time in its three-year history, a program specifically for young people has been added. Chad… Read More →