AnSci Connection
The newsletter of the Department of Animal Science

January 2006

Notes from the Department Head
News & Announcements

Congratulations
Recent Grants

Animal Science Seminars
Calendar of Events

By F. Abel Ponce de León

This is my last column for the Department of Animal Science newsletter, AnSci Connection, in my capacity as Department Head. A few weeks ago, I announced I had decided to step down by the end of fiscal year 2006. I also indicated that I was applying for the Associate Dean for Research position in the New Expanded College. As a result of this latter process, Deans Charles Muscoplat and Susan Stafford extended to me their invitation to be part of the transition leadership of the New Expanded College. My responsibilities as Associate Dean for Research started January 17, 2006. Until a new interim department head is appointed, I will continue to provide leadership for the Department. Deans Charles Muscoplat and Susan Stafford will meet with the Department Faculty Consultative Committee to gather their input about possible candidates for the interim position. The new interim head and I will work together to make this transition as seamless as possible so that it should not affect ongoing work and programs significantly.

I have outlined, in recent newsletter columns, several metrics to highlight our Department’s achievements. Within the perspective of the last 15 years, we are going through the best of times in each of our mission’s three pillars – teaching, research and extension. For instance, at this point in time, we have over 250 New High School Student applications for the Animal Science major. Over 100 of them have been accepted and invited to join our program. Of these, about 30 students have committed to start their programs of study next September. With ongoing recruiting efforts and the help of faculty and staff, this trend should continue in the years to come.

I leave my post with mixed emotions. The labor of the last 8.5 years has been intense and dedicated to developing strategies and a course that would help us position our Department competitively for at least the first 20 years of the 21st century. Having said this, I also have to recognize that agricultural industries in general, and animal agriculture in particular, have gone through dramatic changes in the past 25 years and these changes will be more dramatic in the next 25 years. The current pace of change demands that we examine and reexamine everything we do at a faster pace than the pace of change. Globalization and global digital connectivity, coupled with an accelerated pace of discovery of new knowledge, are the major factors influencing change. When I joined the Department in July 1997, we were in the midst of identifying that adult cells could be reprogrammed and generate animal clones. This led to developments in stem cell technologies as a possibility for human cell therapies. It also created controversies, but the field keeps progressing as judged by the number of scientific publications in recent years. During the same time (July 1997), genome research in food animals was developing gene maps that, although incipient when compared to the human genome map, were still providing interesting knowledge about gene control of important production traits. Today, 8.5 years later, genome sequences for the chicken and cattle are done and the financial support to initiate the swine genome sequence will be announced next week at the Plant and Animal Genome XIV meeting. Genome sequence information for these species, coupled with animal cloning technology, will change the landscape of animal agriculture in the next 20 years. These are only two examples of change; there are many more. Hence biological discovery, added to economics and social changes, will have an impact on what we do demanding that we examine and reexamine our strategic advantages to proactively adapt and remain competitive. Clearly, this is not a small task but one that we should constantly undertake.

Before closing, I would like to thank the very many who helped me during my tenure as Department Head. To name each and every one of you would take several pages thus making this column too long. However, I would like to name and recognize the few that were by my side day-in and day-out. I would like to express my gratitude to Dana Souther and Jackie Lee for their camaraderie and long hours of work to help make our Department what it is today. My appreciation is also extended to Susan Kubitschek, Bonnie Rae, Kim Reno, Mary Hartman and Beth Magee-Beyer. I would also like to recognize the chairs of the Faculty Consultative Committee, without whom I could not have had the opportunity to bounce ideas (many times off the wall) and concerns important for our Department to advance and find its course, they are: Bill Dayton, Marshall Stern, Jeff Reneau, Brian Crooker, Mike White, Jim Linn, Les Hansen, Alfredo DiCostanzo and Jerry Shurson. My gratitude is also extended to the leadership of our undergraduate and graduate students, too many to mention, for their help and guidance. To all thank you!
  

In Honor of Dr. Ponce de León

Please join us for a reception to honor Abel's eight years of leadership in the Department of Animal Science and to celebrate his new role as Associate Dean of Research in the new College. (NOTE DATE CHANGE)

• Thursday, February 9
  3:00-5:00 p.m.
  365 Haecker Hall

New Researcher to Focus on Animal Behavior and Welfare

Dr. Yuzhi Li joined the West Central Research and Outreach Center (WCROC) research faculty in early November to work on alternative swine production systems with emphasis on animal behavior and welfare.

Dr. Li's research will focus on evaluating and optimizing production systems based on productivity, behavior, physiology and health of animals. Improving piglet welfare in loose farrowing systems is the focus of her pilot project at the WCROC. Her work will contribute to the goal of providing area producers with improved methods for raising healthier and more profitable livestock.

Dr. Li is originally from China. She completed her undergraduate and M.S. in northeast China, and earned her Ph.D. from Hiroshima University in Japan. Over the last 6 years, Dr. Li was a member of the Applied Ethology group at the Prairie Swine Centre, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, where she worked on swine behavior and how to apply ethological knowledge to improve swine productivity and welfare.

Research projects in which Dr. Li has been involved include gestation housing, water wastage from nipple drinkers, belly nosing behavior in early weaned piglets, nursing behavior, group size and space requirements for growing and finishing pigs, and how to control aggressive behavior at mixing.
  

Update on the SROC Calf and Heifer Research Facility

It is over 3 years since the concept of forming a research partnership with Ridley Inc. (including Hubbard Feeds and Feedrite, Canada) was finalized and 2-½ years since the first of 1,680 heifer calves from three commercial dairy operations arrived in Waseca to begin a new venture of contract raising calves from 2 up to 200 days of-age.

The initial partnership contract is for 5 years and allows for up to 450 of the 800 heifers raised annually to be available for studies designed by a research partnership team led by Drs. Hugh Chester-Jones and Jim Linn from the U of M, and professionals from Ridley Inc. and Milk Products. Other collaborators can utilize the remaining calves and/or open groups not used by the partners.

Calves have been raised under various nutrition and management regimens designed to contribute to the applied science database and to provide program options for producers for raising calves. Almost 1,300 calves have been transferred from the SROC facilities to the next stage growers, and many now are already back at their respective dairy farms well into their first lactation. Our goal is to follow these heifers through their first lactation and evaluate relationships between heifer nutrition, management and health up to 6 months of-age to their productivity in the milking herd.

One of the first management goals is to receive healthy calves that have optimal immunity profiles from colostrum feeding. Total serum proteins are checked upon arrival in all calves, and researchers work very closely with the dairy managers to reduce the variation of these levels to be closer to the optimal passive immunity transfer. Calves are then assigned to studies blocked by weight and farm source. Calves are mostly Holstein with about 10% cross-breds. Studies vary from 56-day individual feeding, 16-week group-pen, or complete 25-week trials.

In April 2004, the first calves in the new facilities were assigned to a study and to-date 14 studies have been completed with 1,094 calves. Nine 56-day nursery trials have included milk replacer feeding levels, fat or energy sources; natural alternatives to antibiotics in milk replacers; protein and molasses levels in calf starters and complete pellet vs. texturized feed. Five grower studies have looked at level and composition of concentrate mixes with or without access to long hay. Another study evaluated the effect of hay quality fed with similar concentrate mixes. All studies are designed in a format to allow for presentation at regional and national meetings and publication in a peer reviewed journals.

The new facility design has been a source of interest for producer visits across the Midwest as well as being a setting for a number of technical workshops and student classes. The calf project contributes to the statewide youngstock research program, one of the three priorities for the Department over the next 5 to 10 years. For more information, contact Hugh Chester-Jones (507-837-5618) or Jim Linn (612-624-6789).
  

Avian Influenza Topic of Turkey Grower Area Meetings

Turkey Grower Area Meetings will provide updates on avian influenza and progress of the Avian Pneumovirus Eradication Project (USDA/Board of Animal Health). The meetings will take place on January 30 in Owatonna and January 31 in Morton, MN (see details below). Dr. Sally Noll will serve as program moderator.

The program is being held in cooperation with the University of Minnesota, Minnesota Board of Animal Health, and the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association with the support of the USDA APV Cooperative Agreement. Lunch will be provided at noon prior to the meeting.

If you plan to attend, please RSVP as soon as possible or by one week in advance of the meeting by e-mail to poultry@bah.state.mn.us; or by telephone: 320 231-5170; or by fax: 320-231-6071.

Questions? Contact Sally Noll at 612-624-4928 or via email at nollx001@umn.edu.

Program agenda:

Dates and locations:

• January 30, 2006
  Grand Hotel (507-455-0606)
  1212 West Frontage Road
  Owatonna, MN
• January 31, 2006
  JackPot Junction Casino Hotel (800-946-2274)
  39375 County Hwy 24
  Morton, MN

Ranelius Scholarship Application Deadline is February 1
Source: MTGA, Buffalo, MN

The 2006 Ranelius Scholarship Competition, offered by the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association (MTGA), will result in one worthy student receiving a $500 scholarship to further his or her education.

This scholarship competition is open to any Minnesota citizen who is enrolled in a post-secondary educational institute or any high school student planning to attend a post-secondary educational institute in order to prepare for a career in some phase of the poultry industry. Preference will be given to applicants who have not previously received an MTGA scholarship, and who are either members of the MTGA, or who are family members or employees of members of the MTGA. However, all interested students are encouraged to apply.

The selection of the scholarship recipient will be made by an MTGA committee of members and based upon the applications received. An applicant's scholastic record is a major factor. Experience, activities and honors received also will be considered. The applicant's demonstrated interest in the poultry industry, as reflected by past activities and a statement of career plans, is also an important consideration.

The required application form is available online at http://www.minnesotaturkey.com, or contact Lara Durben, Minnesota Turkey Growers Association, 108 Marty Drive, Buffalo, MN 55313; phone 763/682-2171; fax 763/682-5546; email, lara@minnesotaturkey.com.

The deadline for applications is February 1, 2006.
  

MLBA Awards Banquet Moves to Waseca

For several years the Minnesota Livestock Breeders Association (MLBA) Annual Meeting and Awards Banquet has been held on the U of M St. Paul Campus, home of the MLBA Hall of Fame. This year, the MLBA board has chosen a location near Waseca, MN. The event will be held at Farmamerica on March 9th.

The deadline for registration is March 15. For additional information or to register, please contact Steve Pooch at 651-288-4400.
  

New Poultry Publication Free from MDA

Producers who are considering starting or modifying poultry operations have a new resource available from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) and Minnesota Institute of Sustainable Agriculture (MISA). Poultry Your Way is a free, 124-page book that profiles a variety of poultry systems suitable for the Upper Midwest.

Producers and poultry experts from Minnesota (including Dr. Jacquie Jacob), Wisconsin, and Michigan contributed to the book, and each chapter profiles a different kind of poultry operation. Poultry Your Way provides an overview of poultry production systems for meat and eggs, including breed selection, marketing and processing alternatives. It also describes the many management alternatives available to today's poultry producers: industrial, traditional and semi-confinement, day-range pasture, pasture using "daily move" pens, and organic. The book is meant for farmers interested in contract production as well as those who want to be independent producers.

Print copies are available free of charge from the MDA by calling 651-201-6012. An electronic version is available on the MDA web site at http://www.mda.state.mn.us/mgo/publication/poultry-your-way.pdf. Additional farm diversification resources are available at http://www.mda.state.mn.us/mgo.

Another title in the series, Hogs Your Way, is available from the University of Minnesota Extension Distribution Center by calling (800) 876-8636 or visiting http://www.extension.umn.edu (type "Hogs Your Way" into the search box). An additional title, Dairy Your Way, will be published this spring.
  

Ag Awareness Set for May 16-18

Ag Awareness 2006 will take place May 16-18 at the Livestock Arena on the U of M St. Paul Campus. This annual event is organized by graduate students in the Departments of Animal Science and Applied Plant Sciences as a means of providing urban school children with a learning experience that exposes them to the many aspects of agriculture. A complete description of the program is posted on the web at http://www.ansci.umn.edu/ag-awareness/index.htm.

Such an event would not be possible without the generous support of our event sponsors. The following organizations sponsored last year's Ag Awareness: AgriBank, Beta of Clovia, Block & Bridle, Cargill, CHI, Davisco Food International, GAPSA, Gold’n Plump, Hormel, Hugo Feed Mill, Minnesota Ag in the Classroom, Minnesota Cattlewomen’s Association, Minnesota Farm Bureau Foundation, Minnesota Turkey Growers Association, and Roseville Bakery.

Those interested in sponsoring the 2006 Ag Awareness program may contact Beka Gill at 612-624-3073. Elementary school teachers who would like to bring their classes to Ag Awareness may also contact Beka.
  

Dates Set for 2006 Summer Youth Camp

The dates for the 2006 Animal Science summer youth camp, Adventures with Food and Fiber, have been set:

• July 10-14 (for campers 11+ years of age)
• July 24-28 or July 31-August 4 (for campers 9-10 years of age)
• August 7-11 (for campers 7-8 years of age).

Adventures with Food and Fiber is a week-long day camp that introduces farm animals, farm animal fun facts, as well as food and fiber production and processing, in a fun, safe, friendly and controlled atmosphere. Planned activities are age-dependent and include: tour of the dairy unit; visits with beef calves, lambs, pigs and chickens; hatching chicks; and other hands-on activities. The hands-on activities feature general animal health and care, processing food and fiber products, where wholesome and nutritious food comes from, and fun facts about what we eat.

Because of the great success of last summer's day camp, this year's camp has been expanded to four weeks. Each week-long camp has age-appropriate activities that introduce city kids to farm basics and the simple connections between the land, animals and people.

Sponsors of the 2005 summer camp series were Gold'n Plump, Hy-Line International, Minnesota Holstein Friesian Breeders Association Inc., Minnesota Livestock Breeders' Association, and Willmar Poultry Company. We are in the process of locating sponsors for the 2006 camp. These sponsors allow students who would not financially be able to attend, to do so. If you are interested in being a sponsor, contact Dr. Jacquie Jacob (email: jacob150@umn.edu or phone: 612-624-2766). Such sponsorships are an investment in the future of animal agriculture.

Registration information as well as photos from previous camps are available online at: http://www.ansci.umn.edu/adventures/index.html.
  

Julie Densmore, student personnel coordinator, has accepted an Associate Administrator position with the Minnesota Medical Foundation (Ophthalmology Department). Her last day will be January 27th.

Beka Gill successfully defended her MS thesis "Use of alternative grain sources in cattle diets: Effects on beef color and quality attributes" on December 22nd.

Brad and Joni Heins were blessed on December 24th with the birth of a beautiful 8 lb, 12 oz baby boy — Kaleb Conrad.

Byung-Whi Kong successfully defended his PhD thesis on December 20th. His seminar was titled "Establishment of an immortal turkey turbinate cell line for propagation of avian metapneumovirus".
  

No new grants.
  

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.

January 2006

2 - The U is closed (New Year's Day observed)

6 - U of M Dairy Days-2006, VFW, Hutchinson, MN. For additional details, please visit the Dairy Extension website at http://www.extension.umn.edu/dairy/dairydays06/index.htm.

10 - U of M Dairy Days-2006, McIntosh Community Center, McIntosh, MN. For additional details, please visit the Dairy Extension website at http://www.extension.umn.edu/dairy/dairydays06/index.htm.

11 - U of M Dairy Days-2006, Ottertail Community Center, Ottertail, MN. For additional details, please visit the Dairy Extension website at http://www.extension.umn.edu/dairy/dairydays06/index.htm.

12 - U of M Dairy Days-2006, Gerard's, Sauk Centre, MN. For additional details, please visit the Dairy Extension website at http://www.extension.umn.edu/dairy/dairydays06/index.htm.

13 - U of M Dairy Days-2006, American Legion, Royalton, MN. For additional details, please visit the Dairy Extension website at http://www.extension.umn.edu/dairy/dairydays06/index.htm.

17 - U of M Dairy Days-2006, Pizza Ranch, Edgerton, MN. For additional details, please visit the Dairy Extension website at http://www.extension.umn.edu/dairy/dairydays06/index.htm.

18 - U of M Dairy Days-2006, Holiday Inn, New Ulm, MN. For additional details, please visit the Dairy Extension website at http://www.extension.umn.edu/dairy/dairydays06/index.htm.

19 - U of M Dairy Days-2006, American Legion, Eyota, MN. For additional details, please visit the Dairy Extension website at http://www.extension.umn.edu/dairy/dairydays06/index.htm.

20 - U of M Dairy Days-2006, Grandpa's Garage, Cannon Falls, MN. For additional details, please visit the Dairy Extension website at http://www.extension.umn.edu/dairy/dairydays06/index.htm.

20-21 - 2006 Minnesota Organic and Grazing Conference and Trade Show, St. Cloud Civic Center, St. Cloud, MN. For more information, contact Mary Hanks at 651-201-6277 or mary.hanks@state.mn.us.

26-27 - Midwest Dairy Challenge, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD.

31 - 1st Annual I-29 Dairy Conference, Ramkota Hotel and Conference Center, Sioux Falls, SD. For more information, call SDSU at 605-688-4116.

February 2006

6-8 - Turkey School I: Health of Turkeys, U of M St. Paul Campus. For more information, see http://www.cvm.umn.edu/outreach.

8, 15 & 22 - Successful Dairy Systems, Traveler's Inn, Alexandria, MN.

9, 16 & 23 - Successful Dairy Systems, Shooting Star Casino, Mahnomen, MN.

22, March 1 & March 8 - Successful Dairy Systems, Joseph's Restaurant, Avon, MN (St. Cloud area).

23, March 2 & March 9 - Successful Dairy Systems, Eagle Ridge at Valley View Golf Course, Belle Plaine, MN.

March 2006

7-10 - 24th Western Canadian Dairy Seminar, Capri Centre, Red Deer, Alberta, Canada. Telephone: 780-492-3236; email wcds@afhe.ualberta.ca.

9 - Minnesota Livestock Breeders Association Annual Meeting and Awards Banquet, Farmamerica, Waseca, MN. For more information, contact: Steve Pooch at 651-288-4400.

8, 15 & 29 - Successful Dairy Systems, Ramada Hotel, Rochester, MN.

9, 16 & 30 - Successful Dairy Systems, Travelodge, Worthington, MN.

13-17 - Spring Break

17 - U of M (Twin Cities Campus) Floating Holiday.

21-23 - 2006 Midwest Poultry Federation Convention, RiverCentre, St. Paul, MN. For more information, visit http://www.midwestpoultry.com.  

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