AnSci Connection
The newsletter of the Department of Animal Science

October 2006

The last month and a half has been a very busy time for Animal Science with students, classes, symposiums and a Dean search. We welcome back our returning students and say hello to over 100 new freshmen enrolled in Animal Science. This makes Animal Science the single largest major in CFANS. The high enrollment is a reflection of an excellent curriculum, dedicated faculty who are excellent teachers and advisors, and a good job market for Animal Science graduates. Some people are worried about the youth of tomorrow, but they wouldn't be if they knew the young people in Animal Science and CFANS. These are smart, hard working, enthusiastic young people who will serve us well in many different roles tomorrow. One of these students, Luke Olson, recently won the national collegiate dairy judging contest. Congratulations to Luke and all of the students on an excellent judging year.

In mid September, we held our Animal Science Research Day. The halls of Haecker were filled with posters describing research studies presented this past year at various scientific meetings. A portion of the program was dedicated to highlighting and thanking the poultry industry for all their support over the years. With a good working relationship like the one we have with the poultry industry, it is a win-win endeavor. Their support is a very important part of our research program, which in turn addresses critical issues and needs of the industry. We are working together for the future success of poultry production and poultry products. 

At the end of September, our graduate students sponsored the Women in Science program. We had three outstanding scholars in to spend a day with our graduate students and faculty. Drs. Karen Plaut, Linda Saif and Kate VandenBosch discussed their research careers and provided excellent advice for graduate students who look to begin their careers. Four important salient points I heard from their seminars were: 1) take advantage of opportunities; 2) recognition of applied research comes from publishing; 3) science is global and bridges differences; and 4) science is a team effort. We thank these three outstanding scientists for sharing a day with us and allowing us to get to know them better. 

Also, at the end of September, candidates for the Dean of CFANS were interviewing on campus. Three candidates were interviewed. To all who participated and provided input into the candidate evaluations, thank you. This is a very important position not only for CFANS, but for Animal Science as well. The new Dean will be leading and setting the course as to how CFANS meets the University's goal of being a top 3 research institution.  Animal Science has a very important role in achieving both the research and education components of being a top 3 institution. Hopefully, the new Dean will be named by the end of October. 

And, at the beginning of October, we recognized the retirement of Dave Plath. A special thank you goes to Dave after 35 years of serving Animal Science and all of the University in supervising and operating the Meat Lab. Dave has seen many students and faculty come and go over the years and has been an integral part of the teaching and research missions of the Department and College. Let’s also not forget the great culinary prowess Dave provided to many functions in the Department and College. We truly wish Dave and his family the best. 
  

Women in Science Symposium
- Academic Journeys Illuminated -

Women in Science: Journeys in Academia, hosted by the Department of Animal Science and the Animal Sciences graduate students, was met with great interest and enthusiasm. The symposium was held September 27th in Haecker Hall and featured three women with internationally-renowned careers in science: Dr. Karen Plaut, Professor and Chair in the Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University; Dr. Linda Saif, Distinguished University Professor, Food Animal Health Research Program, Ohio Agricultural & Research Development Center, The Ohio State University; and Dr. Kathryn VandenBosch, Interim Dean, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences, and Professor, Department of Plant Biology, University of Minnesota.

Before their presentations, each of our guest scientists met with Animal Sciences graduate students in small groups. This gave the students an opportunity to meet with these successful role models in a more intimate setting that allowed for questions, answers, and conversation about establishing a career in science. The symposium itself was well attended by students and faculty both within and outside the program.

The speakers discussed their journeys through academia, the implications of gender for a career in science, and their current research. Dr. Plaut presented Mammary gland biology: From cows to women, Dr. Saif presented International journeys: The nanocosmos of viruses, and Dr. VandenBosch presented Goals vs. serendipity in planning a career in science: Chance favors the prepared mind.

Research Day Huge Success

Research Day, held on Monday, September 18th, was a huge success. The Department of Animal Science hosted an open house to recognize sponsors of our research and to display research posters from the 2005-06 professional meetings. Over 30 posters were on display in Haecker Hall with the responsible authors on hand for explanation and discussion. Graduate students, faculty and industry representatives who attended this event had the opportunity to discover what current research topics are being addressed in our Department.

For contributing to the success of the event, we thank our program speakers: Rahn Annis, Jennie-O Turkey Store, Inc.; Rick Huisinga, Willmar Poultry; Beth Nelson, Midwest Poultry Consortium, and Steve Olson, Minnesota Turkey Growers Association. Our thanks also go out to the program planners and those who displayed their research posters.
  

Reneau Recognized by UMDIA

Dr. Jeff Reneau was recognized by the Upper Midwest Dairy Industry Association (UMDIA) at their September 19th meeting for his exceptional service to the association—specifically for all the efforts Jeff puts into improving the quality of milk, such as the Quality Counts Program and his SCC statistical work.

Nicolas Di Lorenzo Lecturing at River Falls

Animal Science graduate student Nicolas Di Lorenzo has been hired to work this semester as a lecturer in the Department of Animal and Food Science at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. He will be substituting for Dr. Dennis Cooper who is in Europe for a semester abroad and will be returning in December.

Nicolas will be in charge of teaching Applied Feeds and Feeding (AnSc 232), which is a sophomore level class with a total of 48 students. He will be in charge of two 55-minute lectures and two 2-hour laboratory sections per week. The course covers the physical and chemical characteristics of feeds, effects of storage and processing methods, quality control, feed additives, feeding standards and ration formulation for farm animals. Feed mathematics (dry matter conversions, nutrient concentrations, etc.) as well as unit conversions are the primary focus of the laboratories, along with feedstuff identification and ration balancing. Even though the majority of the students are interested in farm animal ration formulation and the practical aspects of animal feeding, there are a growing proportion of students taking AnSc 232 with interest in horse feeding and ration formulation for show animals.

Nicolas will be traveling to River Falls on Tuesdays and Thursdays during the semester. The remaining of the days of the week, he will be working in the laboratory in Haecker Hall making progress towards his PhD research projects.

Nicolas said "I am really enjoying this teaching experience as it has allowed me to explore one of the many possibilities that our career offers for the future. Towards the latter years of my PhD, I had discovered that teaching can be a truthfully rewarding experience, even though early in my graduate student years, I had never considered that as an option. I am really happy about this experience and I believe it will be of great help in my future professional development."
  

Brad Heins' Sweden Experience

Animal Science graduate student Brad Heins had the opportunity to speak at the first Svensk Avel distributors meeting in Skara, Sweden, in early September. Svensk Avel is the breeding company in Sweden, which is owned by Swedish dairy farmers, and houses Swedish Red and Holstein bulls for semen collection. There were over 30 people who represented 15 countries at the distributors meeting. "Needless to say," Brad said "I learned many new experiences just talking to all of these people."

On the first day of the conference, participants learned about Svensk Avel and the Swedish breeding program. From there, they were given a tour of the young sire barns as well as the main bull barn or the “Hilton” as they refer to it in Skara.

The next day, Brad presented his research “Results from mating Holstein cows to sires from the Normande, Montbeliarde, and Scandinavian Red breeds.” Then many of the Svensk Avel distributors presented their experiences and results of using Swedish Red in their countries. Later they were off to tour Svensk Avel’s nucleus herd at Viken. The group  toured some dairies on the third day, and in the evening, had a farewell banquet at Läckö Castle.

Brad also took part in a post-conference tour conducted by Svensk Avel. They toured the Volvo Factory in Göteborg and visited a famous Swedish Crystal factory in Björkängen. At Björkängen, Brad had the chance to try his hand at glass blowing. Delaval's experimental farm, located about 15 miles from Stockholm, was also on the tour schedule.

The next morning, participants went on a guided tour of Stockholm and later were given the opportunity to see Stockholm on their own. Brad and friends from Britain and Australia toured the Vasa Museum, which he said was "very interesting". They also took a boat tour out to the King’s palace in Drottningholm.

Brad commented, "If anyone is ever looking for a wonderful European vacation, I would certainly suggest Sweden. I met many wonderful people on my travels and brought home many experiences and memories. I will present a more detailed experience of my trip and the Swedish dairy industry at my graduate seminar on October 30th."

Right: Brad Heins (left) and Felipe Calderón of Colombia with daughters of the Orraryd and Peterslund (two popular Swedish Red sires).

Below: Group photo of distributors and staff outside of bull barn at Svensk Avel.

Dairy Cattle Judging Team Places 2nd in Nation, 1st in Holsteins, with Olson as High Individual

Our Dairy Cattle Judging Team has competed in three national contests recently: Accelerated Genetics Intercollegiate Dairy Cattle Judging Contest at Viroqua, WI (September 17th); All-American Dairy Show Intercollegiate Dairy Cattle Judging Contest at Harrisburg, PA (September 18th); National Intercollegiate Dairy Cattle Judging Contest at World Dairy Expo, Madison, WI (October 2nd).

View the results of these contests here.
  

Stevens County 4-H Team Wins Invitational Contest

The Stevens County 4-H Quiz Bowl Team won the Invitational Livestock Quiz Bowl competition at the AkSarBen Livestock Expo on September 30 and October 1 in Omaha, Nebraska. This contest included seven teams from Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska, and Minnesota. Stevens County team members included: Justin Johnston, Carter Smith, Tyler Evink, Wade Backman, and Jeff Knobloch. The team was coached by Lee Johnston and Jon Moser.

The Stevens County team qualified for the AkSarBen contest by placing third in the senior division of the Minnesota State 4-H Livestock Quiz Bowl held in April of this year. Livestock Quiz Bowl is a competition that tests 4-Her’s knowledge of animal production, meat products, marketing and current events in the beef, sheep and swine industries. Team members are asked questions individually or as a team and are required to answer correctly within 10 seconds. The Stevens County team handily won matches against the Nebraska #2 and Minnesota #2 teams in this double elimination contest. The Nebraska #1 team provided fierce competition.  The Stevens County team won the first match by 5 points, lost the second match by 15 points (one question) and won the third match by 40 points to clinch the Championship. Clearly, the hard work and commitment of Stevens County team members paid off. 

Financial support for the trip was provided by the Minnesota Livestock Breeders’ Association and the Stevens County 4-H Leaders Council. AgCountry Farm Credit Services supported the team and all other 4-Hers involved in the Quiz Bowl program throughout the season with donation of team shirts. The Stevens County 4-H Livestock Quiz Bowl program involves twenty 4-Hers and 6 adult volunteers. The program is open to any 4-Her interested in beef, sheep or swine production. 
  

Dave Plath Retires After 35 Years

The Department of Animal Science hosted a retirement reception (photos below) in honor of Dave Plath, Meat Lab Supervisor, who has been with the University for 35 years—two years as a student employee and 33 in a full-time position.

Interim Department Head, Dr. Jim Linn, started off the October 4th event with a congratulatory speech noting the importance of Dave's work in the Meat Lab and thanking him for his dedicated service to the Department. Dave then reminisced about his time here as a student as well as a full-time employee, and fondly remembered the many people he collaborated with over the years. Others in attendance who had worked with him at one time or another stepped forward to share a few of their favorite anecdotes about their relationship with Dave.

We will surely miss Dave; however, we will see him on occasion when he returns to help out with special projects. He will also be running the Meat Lab on a part-time basis until a decision has been made about the future of the Meat Lab.

Dave expressed his appreciation to the Department and everyone he's worked with over the years for acknowledging this milestone in his life. He extends his sincere thanks for the many gifts he received, and he truly appreciates all those who were able to share in the celebration and wish him well in his retirement. And he said "Rest assured that as I leave full-time status, I feel the leadership and staff will continue to provide the University and the state of Minnesota with outstanding teaching, research and outreach programs. Hopefully by continuing on part-time, I will be able to lend support to a revitalized meat program—something personally I feel very passionate about."
  

New Animal Science Academic Advisor Will Be Here in January

Gretchen Rozeboom has been hired to fill the position of Academic Advisor in the Department of Animal Science. She will begin on January 8, 2007; her office will be located in Room 317B Haecker Hall.

Gretchen earned an MS in Educational Administration and Supervision, a post-baccalaureate in Agriculture Education, and a BS in Agriculture—all from the University of Tennessee. She has been teaching Agriculture Education at the high school level since July 2000 and prior to that, served as an Assistant Extension Agent and Animal Facilities Supervisor.

Gretchen and husband Kyle currently live in Dresden, TN. Kyle will be our new Youth Leadership/Livestock Specialist—also starting in January. He will be teaching undergraduate courses in livestock judging, livestock and carcass evaluation, and food animal products. Kyle will also serve as coach of the collegiate livestock judging team.

Welcome to Animal Science!
  

67th Minnesota Nutrition Conference Held
- New Session on U of M Research in Livestock Nutrition -

The 67th Annual Minnesota Nutrition Conference was held September 19-20 for professionals associated with the feed industry of the upper Midwest region. About 170 people attended this conference. Attendees traveled from as far away as Texas and Georgia to hear conference speakers. Speakers traveled from Australia, Canada, and throughout the U.S. to share their thoughts on cutting edge nutrition of livestock. A new session this year focused on U of M research in livestock nutrition and management. Over 100 people listened to faculty and graduate students present updates on their on-going research activities.

The Tuesday afternoon session focused on Organic Production of Meat, Milk, and Eggs. Speakers outlined the rules for organic production, how organic certification works, economics of organic production and the consumers’ views of organic foods. Bea James, Director of Natural and Organic Foods for Lunds Markets, kept the audience engaged in lively discussion of this growing sector of the food industry. Several attendees admitted that they questioned if this session would be valuable but were very glad they attended.

On Wednesday, the audience was split into those with interest in ruminant nutrition and others interested in non-ruminant nutrition. Comments from several attendees indicated that the program was useful and informative. This year’s conference was made possible by the generous financial support of 25 industry sponsors and the Department of Animal Science.
  

Grad Students Serve Breakfast

Animal Science graduate students served up a hearty breakfast of pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage, fresh fruit, donuts and juice for faculty and staff as a "thank you" to those who keep the Department running smoothly.

It was a great treat for the more than 30 people who attended the event, which was held in the comfortable setting of the Haecker Hall Library on September 13th.

Many commented that any time the graduate students want to cook up another meal, we'll be there!
    

FASS Congressional Science Fellowship Available
Source: Christina Tomlinson, FASS

The Federation of Animal Science Societies (FASS) invites applications for the 2007-2008 Congressional Science Fellowship. The application deadline is January 15th. The purpose of the Fellowship is to make practical contributions to the more effective use of scientific and technical knowledge in government, to demonstrate the value of science-government interaction and to provide a unique learning experience for the recipient.

Applicants must have a PhD degree in an area of animal sciences and be legally authorized to work in the U.S. (proof of applicant's legal right to work in the U.S. may be requested prior to being hired). Candidates must demonstrate exceptional competence in communication skills in animal science and have knowledge of animal sciences beyond his/her particular discipline, be cognizant of a broad range of issues relating to the animal industries, and possess sensitivity toward political and social issues.

Who would be a likely candidate? This experience is valuable to a junior member of ADSA, ASAS or PSA with relevant career objectives and interests. Perhaps an established faculty member would want to combine this program with a sabbatical leave to gain experience in public policy issues and governmental processes. An administrator in the Land-Grant system or an industry organization might find this sort of opportunity rewarding and useful.

The person selected for the Fellowship will spend one year working as a special legislative assistant on the staff of a member of Congress or of a Congressional committee, advising on a wide range of scientific issues as they pertain to public policy. The program includes an orientation on congressional and executive branch operations and a year-long seminar program on issues involving science and public policy.

The position will begin September 1, 2007 and will continue through August 31, 2008. FASS will require attendance at the AAAS orientation session in September. For further information and application materials, visit the FASS Congressional Science Fellowship web page at http://www.fass.org/positions.asp or send an email to fassosl@AssocHQ.org.
  

Growth Opportunity for CS/BU Women

The CS/BU Women's Program Planning Committee, the Office for University Women, and the Center for Human Resource Development are co-sponsoring a pilot program designed to help civil service (CS) and bargaining unit (BU) women assess their professional interests, develop leadership skills, and engage in networking opportunities with other CS/BU women at the U.

The year-long program "Leading from where you are: Developing leadership skills for CS/BU women" is being launched this month. Kickoff workshops are being held Tuesday, October 17, 12:00 to 1:30 p.m., in 274 McNeal Hall (for St. Paul participants); and on Monday, October 23, 12:00 to 1:30 pm., in 402 Walter Library (for Minneapolis participants).

The 2006-07 series will be based on the book Getting Things Done When You Are Not in Charge by Geoffrey Bellman. Topics include: clarifying values, interests and goals to get more of what you want in your work life; understanding one’s role and responsibilities in the current organizational setting; gaining support of decision makers for initiating change; enlisting key people in your cause; dealing with organizational politics and power.

The pilot program can only accommodate 100 CS/BU women. If you are interested in participating and to register, please see the program rationale and overview, and requirements and registration. Questions may be directed to women@umn.edu.
 

Email Etiquette 101

Email has long been used as an informal and casual means of communication; however, it has become one of the most efficient and effective methods of professional communication. Email is faster and more economical than the written letter, less intrusive than a telephone call, more convenient than sending a fax, and the recipient can respond at their convenience at any time of day or night. There are those, however, who by habit communicate informally even when circumstances call for a more professional approach.

Following are a few guidelines for email etiquette in professional communication:

• Use a relevant subject line. The subject line should be brief yet very clear and informative, and directly relate to the contents of your message. Students: When communicating with an instructor about a class, be sure to include the course designator.
  
  
• Identify yourself clearly. If the recipient does not know you, tell them who you are in the first few lines of the message. Students: When communicating with an instructor, be sure to include your first and last name.
  
  
• Be concise. Keep your message brief and to the point. The body of the message should contain the most relevant information in the fewest words possible. Many people are busy and their mail boxes are often flooded with email. Short messages that get right to the point are more likely to be read.
  
  
• Use proper grammar and punctuation. Improper grammar and punctuation creates a bad impression. Email without the proper punctuation is often difficult to read and in some circumstances can change the meaning of the message.
  
  
• Use the proper case. Always capitalize proper nouns (specific people, places or things) as well as the personal pronoun "I". Avoid excessive use of ALL CAPS and never type an entire message in all capital letters. All caps can be difficult to read.
  
  
• Spell check and proofread. Misspelled words can be confusing to your reader. Most email systems have a spell check feature. It's a good idea to make use of it. Remember that spell checkers won't catch every mistake so take an extra minute to proofread your message as well.
  
  
• Limit the use of emoticons, uncommon abbreviations and informal language. Emoticons are those cutesy little images or a sequence of ordinary characters that represent a human facial expression and convey an emotion such as a smile  : )  or a wink  ; )   — in professional communication, emoticons and the use of unusual abbreviations such as LOL (laugh out loud) or CULa8r (see you later) are inappropriate and sometimes annoying. Keep in mind the situation and your reader, and write accordingly. Don't use informal language when the situation calls for a more formal approach.
  
  
• Use uncomplicated formatting. Make your paragraphs short and leave blank lines between each paragraph. To emphasize points, use numbering or asterisks and double-space your points for easy reading. Avoid excessive bolding, underlining and colorizing your text. If you send email in rich text or html format, include a text version. Some users may not be able to view your formatting as you had intended.
  
  
• Use the "High Priority" option sparingly. Send high priority or urgent messages only when absolutely necessary. Overuse of these options will lose their significance. Save them for when you really need to grab your reader's attention.
  
  
• Answer promptly. Be courteous by responding promptly even if it is just a quick reply to say "I'm sorry; I've been very busy; I will get back to you as soon as possible." The recipient will know that you received the message and won't wonder why they haven't received a reply.
  
  
• Include the message thread when appropriate. It may be important to include in your reply the original message so that your reader will not have to search for previously sent messages to determine the context of your reply. In some cases, the message thread may not be needed. Use your own judgment as to whether to include the entire message thread, only a portion of it (providing enough information so that your reader will understand the context), or to eliminate it altogether.

Daniela Blini

Daniela Blini was born and raised in Brazil. She completed her undergraduate degree in Animal Science at Universidade de Maringa Parana State. While at college, Daniela worked with beef cattle nutrition and developed a theses based on animal livestock evaluation for the Cebu breed (bovines indic) based on phenotypic and genotypic. She also studied livestock judging at the school of Association of Cebu from Uberaba Minas Gerais State BR.

For a year, Daniela worked at the Mato Grosso Nelore Cattle Association supporting nutritional programs, and evaluating and selecting Cebu cattle.

Here at the U of M, Daniela is working toward a Master's degree with Dr. Alfredo DiCostanzo as her advisor. Under Dr. DiCostanzo's direction, Daniela would like to develop a research project in beef cattle nutrition.

In her spare time, Daniela likes to drink Dr. Marshall Stern's home brewed wine "GoofBall".
  

Pedro Urriola successfully defended his Master's thesis on October 3rd. His project is entitled: Distillers dried grains with solubles digestibility: In vivo estimation and in vitro prediction.
  

Jeffrey Reneau (PI) received $150,000 from NCR-SARE/ USDA-CSREES. Title: Alternative bedding and management of composting bedded pack dairy barns. Period: 07/01/06-06/30/08.
  

Department of Animal Science seminars are held September through May on Mondays at 3:00 p.m. in Room 365 Haecker Hall. Everyone is welcome. Please join us.

October 2006

3-7 - World Dairy Expo, Alliant Energy Center, Madison, WI.

19 - Student Shadow Day

19-22- Minnesota Beef Expo, Minnesota State Fairgrounds, St. Paul. For more information, call 651-643-6476 or email info@mnbeefexpo.com.

23-25- National Poultry Waste Management Symposium, Holiday Inn, Springdale, AR. For more information, see program agenda.

25-28- National FFA Convention, Indianapolis, IN.

30- Homecoming Week begins (through November 4), Twin Cities Campus.

November 2006

1- Terrorism, Pandemics & Natural Disasters: Food Supply Chain Preparedness, Response & Recovery, A.I. Johnson Great Room, McNamara Alumni Center. 7:45 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

1- Student Appreciation Night, St. Paul Student Center. 7:00-10:30 p.m.

16-17- Swine Nursery Management Workshop, West Central ROC, Morris. Contact: Mark Whitney, 507-389-5541.

23-24- Thanksgiving Holiday - the U is closed.

December 2006

5-6- Midwest Dairy Expo, St. Cloud Civic Center. Contact: Eir Garcia-Silva, MMPA, 320-203- 8336, or Jim Salfer, U of M Extension Service, 320-203-6093.

6 - Minnesota Dairy Leaders Roundtable Steering Committee Meeting, 12:30-3:30 p.m., Civic Center, St. Cloud, MN (in conjunction with the Midwest Dairy Expo). Contact: Ed Frederick, 507-835-3422. - Open to the Public -

14-15- Artificial Insemination in Swine Training Course, Southern ROC, Waseca. Contact: Mark Whitney, 507-389-5541.

14-16 & 18-20- Final Exams

25-26- Christman Holiday - the U is closed.

January 2007

1- New Year's Holiday - the U is closed.

15- Martin Luther King Holiday - the U is closed.

16- Spring Semester classes begin.

21-24- 46th Annual National Mastitis Council Meeting, San Antonio Marriott Riverwalk, San Antonio, TX. Contact: Anne Saeman, 608-848-4615.

31- I-29 Dairy Conference, Watertown, SD. No details available at this time.

February 2007

1- I-29 Dairy Conference, Sheldon, IA. No details available at this time.

8-9- Swine Wean to Finish Management Workshop, West Central ROC, Waseca. Contact: Mark Whitney, 507-389-5541.

10- Horse Owner Education Day, College of Vet Med, U of M St. Paul Campus. Contact: Kristi Martini Starzynski, 888-241-0719.

15-16- Swine Wean to Finish Management Workshop, Southern ROC, Waseca. Contact: Mark Whitney, 507-389-5541.

17- Carver County Dairy Expo, Norwood-Young America, MN. Contact: Laura Kieser, 952-466-5300.

17- Horse Owner Education Day, U of M Crookston Horse Facility, Crookston, MN. Contact: Kristi Martini Starzynski, 888-241-0719.

March 2007

10- Horse Owner Education Day, Foley Intermediate School, Foley, MN. Contact: Kristi Martini Starzynski, 888-241-0719.

12-16- Spring Break

16- Floating Holiday - the U is closed.

24- Horse Owner Education Day, Cloquet Forestry Center, Cloquet, MN. Contact: Kristi Martini Starzynski, 888-241-0719.

May 2007

15-17- Minnesota Dairy Health Conference, U of M St. Paul Campus. Contact: Veterinary Continuing Education, 1-800-380-8636 or 612-624-3434.