AnSci Connection
The newsletter of the Department of Animal Science

March 2007

Animal Science Department Without Animals

Every few months I am asked about animals moving off campus. I am not sure who or how this gets initiated, but the answer is always the same. No, we are not moving animals off campus. As long as there are teaching and research needs for animals, we will maintain animals on campus. 

Because of this question, about two years ago we started keeping a log of all animal usage requests. Requests range from a parent who wants to bring their child over to see farm animals to the use of animals in teaching and research. In the 2006 calendar year, the dairy, swine and beef animals were collectively used in some activity 178 days or 49% of days throughout the year. 

Research accounted for the majority of days at 111. The definition of research here is where there was a special procedure or data collection done beyond dairy studies where milk production and feed intake information was collected. If we add in the days where milk and feed intake data was the only data collected on dairy studies, we would be well over 500 days out of 365 days for animal usage. In other words, many days we have multiple teaching, research and/or tours going on in the animal facilities.

The 111 days of research data collection includes items like rumen fluid collections. This is an excellent example of the multiple requests for animal usage we get. Rumen fluid is regularly requested for research projects or teaching labs by the Department of Animal Science, Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics, ARS,  the College of Veterinary Medicine, and a local company for their research studies. In addition, rumen fluid requests are received from local high school microbiology or chemistry classes. 

The animal units provide a resource for research and teaching to more than just Animal Science. This past year in the dairy barn for example, the Department of Animal Science was conducting two studies, Entomology conducted a mosquito study, and the College of Veterinary Medicine was conducting a reproduction study. Similarly, in the poultry and swine units, others outside Animal Science have access to, and are utilizing, the animal resources in their teaching and research.

Teaching is the next largest use of animals with 53 days devoted to animal labs or class in the animal facilities. Animal Science classes are the major users with several days devoted to labs and animal handling or management teaching. As with research, there is a very wide range of requests for use of the animal facilities for individual classes outside of Animal Science. Public Health, Bioproducts and Biosystems, Biology, and the College of Veterinary Medicine all have classes that use the animal facilities. In addition, there are another 12 days throughout the year for Ag Awareness and the judging and/or showmanship contests associated with Minnesota Royal, FFA, and 4-H. And finally, there were 16 days last year where public tours came through the barns. Because tours require a lot of either employee or faculty time to conduct, I have turned the public tour requests over to the Animal Science Graduate club. They will arrange and conduct a tour for a very modest fee. They do an excellent job of talking all about animals during the tour and answer the many questions people have about how animals are raised and the animal products we consume. The small fee they charge provides some income to help keep them in pizza money for their late night “studying” parties.  

Shurson Testifies before Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry

Dr. Jerry Shurson appeared before the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry of the Committee on Agriculture. The Subcommittee held a public hearing on March 8, 2007, in Washington, D.C. to review the impact of feed costs on the livestock industry. An invitation was extended to Dr. Shurson to testify because of his work with pork producers and feed industry professionals on nutrition and management-related issues, and for his expertise in the feeding value of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) for livestock. Shurson is recognized nationally and internationally for his research on DDGS.

In a summary of his testimony, Shurson explained, "Corn dried distillers grains with solubles is an excellent energy, protein and phosphorus feed ingredient that can be used successfully to support optimal animal performance, and often times, reduce overall diet cost. It has nutritional, handling, and feed manufacturing limitations that can be overcome by conducting research to learn how to manage these limitations. It is also a unique feed ingredient because it is produced from a microbial fermentation process, and may contain unidentified compounds that contribute to improved animal health and performance. As the U.S. ethanol industry continues to grow, a greater quantity of DDGS will be available for feeds in the domestic and export market, and a wider diversity of distillers by-products with different nutritional characteristics will become available for specific animal feeding applications."

More about DDGS can be found on-line at: http://www.ddgs.umn.edu.
  

Preparing for the Network Services Migration
Source: Faraz Shaukat

What does this mean?
In an effort to leverage central resources and prevent the collegiate duplication of core services (web/ email/ file/ TEL), CFANS-OIT is starting the process of migrating from the collegiate Novell file services to centrally managed Microsoft Active Directory (AD) file services. The goal is to have all of our Novell customers migrated to the central fileserver by June 30, 2007. You will have many of the same features you have come to expect, with a few additions and a little different look and feel when you initially login.

Remaining the same:

• Home directory (H drive) and shared directory (G drive) space on a server that is backed up regularly
• Network printing
• Automatic patching of workstations
  

Changes:

• FTP access is no longer available; Virtual Private Networking (VPN) with mapped network drives will replaces this
• Backup retention is shorter (90 days vs. 180 days)
  

Additions:

• 5 Gigs of personal home directory space, up from 500m – 1 Gig (not yet available to students)
• Ability to restore files without the assistance of an IT Professional (ITP)
• Easier access to data from home with centrally provided VPN software

Please take a look at the ADCS online orientation at: http://breeze5.umn.edu/adorient/. This is a 10-minute presentation that will explain many of the features and benefits.

What can I do to prepare?

• Activate your Active Directory account (this might have already been done for you):
  • Go to http://www.umn.edu/dirtools
  • Log in with your X.500 username and password
  • Click on “Active Directory Account Options”
  • Read the information and click on the box next to “I have read and understand the information about privacy and viewing privileges”
  • Click on the box next to “Choose to activate your University of Minnesota Active Directory account”
  • Click the Submit button
  • Close Window/Log Out
    
• If you don’t have an option to activate your directory account options, contact Faraz Shaukat or cfans.help@umn.edu (please include department name when emailing CFANS Help)
  
• Clean out your home directory (H: drive) of any items you no longer need
  
• Clean out shared data directories (G: drive) and delete any items you no longer need
  
• If you are a PDA user, please make sure to let your IT person know when they contact you about migrating

When will this happen?
We are working on a finalized schedule that will be posted to our web site; the Student Services office has already been moved, and the Dean's office was scheduled to be moved in February. All departments need to be off of the Novell file servers by June 30, 2007. Please start to think about a date when you will be ready to move, then contact Faraz Shaukat with that date... it will take about 45 minutes to 1 hour, and the user needs to be in attendance.

Questions?
Please contact Faraz Shaukat or send email to cfans.help@umn.edu and an ITP will get in touch to answer your questions.
  

Daylight Saving Time: Is Your Computer Displaying the Correct Time?

Beginning in 2007, daylight saving time (DST) begins three weeks earlier (March 11) and ends one week later (November 4) than in previous years. These changes are a result of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 passed by the U.S. Congress in July of 2005 as an attempt to save energy.

Because of the change in DST start and end dates, many electronic devices may not automatically set their internal clocks to reflect the new time changes. Your computer may have already been patched for this, but have you tested it? It has been discovered that some systems that have the patch are not updating the time properly.

The following web site will detect your DST settings and display a large green, yellow or red dot to indicate that your PC, server, web phone, etc., is or is not ready for the changes: http://www.dst.cdes.umn.edu.

If you have questions regarding DST settings on your computer, please contact Faraz Shaukat (phone: 612-624-3435).  
  

Vincent DeGrado to Speak at MnFRAC Annual Meeting

The Annual Meeting of the Minnesota Foundation for Responsible Animal Care (MnFRAC) is Tuesday, March 20, 2007 at Libby Conference Center, Minnesota State Fairgrounds (Snelling Avenue East Entrance), St. Paul, MN.

Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. with the program starting at 10:00. Dr. Tom Hagerty, MnFRAC Chair, will open the program.

Vincent DeGrado, Corporate Vice President of Technical Services, American Foods Group, will present “The 'New Natural': Implications for Processing, Safety, Government Regulatory Standards and Marketing”. DeGrado has over 41 years experience in the Food Industry, from prep cooking in family restaurants to live cattle inspection to food safety/quality assurance for one of the top manufacturers in the country. He has authored over 40 programs, and has five product and processing patents. DeGrado has been employed with the American Foods Group for ten years. He holds a BS and MBA in Food Science. He received his education at Oklahoma State University and University of California at San Luis Obispo (CalPoly) and the California School of Culinary Arts in Pasadena, CA.

Lunch will be provided by Dakota Premium Foods. Dessert and beverages furnished by JRB Associates, Inc. The MnFRAC Annual Business Meeting follows.

For additional information, contact Juanita Reed-Boniface via email at agrifolks@gmail.com.
  

Seeding Our Future: The 2007 Farm Bill

Mark your calendars and plan to attend the upcoming 2007 Farm Bill Forum on Saturday, March 31, 2007, from 9 a.m. to noon, at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Farmington. This is a chance for urban, suburban and rural people of various religious affiliations to learn more about the Farm Bill.

Learn how to take action on a bill that comes up every 5 years and deals with food stamps and nutrition programs, farm producer and commodity issues, conservation policy, and international food production and trade. 

Sponsored by the Archdiocesan Rural Life Office, Catholic Charities Office for Social Justice, the National Catholic Rural Life Conference, Bread for the World, Church World Service, and the Minnesota Council of Churches.

For more information, see the Farm Bill flyer or contact the Rural Life Office at 651-645-8590.
  

2nd Annual B&B Club Swine Sale is April 15

The Block & Bridle Club is holding its annual Swine Sale at the Livestock Arena on the U of M St. Paul Campus on April 15th at 2:00 p.m. The Club expects to include in the sale 40 to 50 pigs from top producers in the state out of the top genetics in the nation.

The U of M Swine Barn will also be selling pigs. All pigs sold are eligible for Minnesota and Wisconsin state fairs.

For additional information, see the Swine Sale flyer or contact one of the sale committee members:

• Colby Lind, 507-450-8303
• Kyle Compart, 507-327-1373
• Katie Church, 651-271-6463
• Ben Storm, 507-273-5562
• Evan Dee, 651-210-4812
      
  

Gopher Dairy Camp to be Held June 7-9

The Gopher Dairy Club and the Minnesota 4-H Dairy Committee are sponsoring the third annual Gopher Dairy Camp, which will be held June 7-9, 2007 at the U of M St. Paul Campus. This annual event is for young people who want to increase their dairy cattle expertise. Participants are required to have completed sixth grade but have not yet started twelfth grade. Registration will be limited to the first 100 who apply. Campers from all states are welcome.  

"Gopher Dairy Camp will provide youth a chance to learn grooming and fitting from the pros," said Gopher Dairy Club president Missy Mussman of Owatonna, MN. "We're planning a fun event that will also help junior and senior high school students develop their dairy project skills," she said.

Highlights of the dairy camp include:

• Show ring preparation of cattle (feeding, grooming, showmanship)
• Hands-on fitting demonstrations
• Workshops
• Gopher Gold auction
• Friday evening baseball game at the Metrodome (Minnesota Twins vs. Washington Nationals)
• Dairy cattle judging clinic

Lodging for two evenings will be provided in Bailey Hall, the dormitory on the St. Paul Campus. All costs (dorm, meals, and materials) are included in the $80 registration fee. Donations cover about one half of the cost of the dairy camp. Registration materials are available on the web site: http://www.ansci.umn.edu/gopherdairycamp/index.html. To have registration materials mailed, contact Brad Heins at 612-625-9294.        

The Gopher Dairy Club, a co-sponsor of the event, is the largest student organization at the U of M and is involved in many activities to promote the dairy industry—including the Dairy Bar at the Minnesota State Fair.  
  

Anyone May Attend Women's Ag Leadership Conference

The ninth annual Women’s Agricultural Leadership Conference “Agriculture 2007: Deciphering Our Future” will be held at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum on April 10, 2007. This conference focuses on the integral roles women play in agriculture and is unique in that you need not be a member of any one organization to attend. It cuts across all types of agricultural interests and careers to bring agricultural leaders together to discuss important topics.

The Women's Agricultural Leadership Conference is for anyone with an interest in agriculture, but it is specifically aimed at women who are actively involved in all forms of agriculture as a career or those who are students with the intent of entering an agriculturally related career.

Last year’s event drew both women and men from diverse backgrounds: production agriculture, cooperatives, education, students, farm and commodity organizations, agricultural product companies, consultants, government, media, and many others.

Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. The early registration deadline is April 2. Fees are listed below; they include meals and breaks.

Please visit the web site (http://www.a2kconference.org) for additional information. Questions may be directed to Doris Mold.

Women's Agricultural Leadership Conference Registration Fees:

• $45 Regular by April 2
• $15 Student by April 2
• $55 Regular after April 2
• $20 Student after April 2

Gopher Dairy Club Elects Officers

The Gopher Dairy Club elected officers for 2007-08 at its monthly meeting on March 8th. Leading the student organization for the next year will be:

President - Lana Olson, Hutchinson
Vice President - Zach Gunnink, Gaylord
Treasurer - Jamie Seitzer, St. Peter
Secretary - Alise Jennissen, Brooten
Reporter - Missy Dohr, Lake City
Student Board Representative - Evan Van Beusekom, Delano
  

Goober Pyles Named Animal Science Cookie of the Year

The first annual Animal Science March Cookie Monster Madness bake-off event was held in Haecker Hall on Friday, March 2, 2007. Despite two feet of snow on the ground, there was a great turnout and lots of sugar and butter to consume. Professor Marshall Stern and doctoral student Dan Carlson served as emcees and everyone in attendance served as judges. 

Among the contest winners were undergraduate student employees Hope Kassube and Crystal Lehnertz, graduate student employee Robyn Gangl, and staff members Jackie Lee, Dana Souther, and Jennifer Welsh. The Animal Science Cookie of the Year Award went to Jennifer Welsh (photo at right) for her Goober Pyles peanut and marshmallow bars (the recipe is below). 

The Department plans to hold similar contests on an annual basis. 

Goober Pyles

6 oz chocolate chips
6 oz butterscotch chips
3/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup butter
8 oz miniature marshmallows
1 cup salted peanuts

Melt the chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, peanut butter, and butter together in a medium saucepan over low to medium heat. Remove from heat. Stir in peanuts and marshmallows. Pour into 9x13" pan. Refrigerate immediately. When cooled, cut into bars and serve. 
  

Pork Packs for Sale

As a fund-raiser, the Block & Bridle Club is selling 'Pork Packs', which contain about 30 lbs of pork of various cuts. The cuts include:

• Spareribs or Country-style ribs
• 1 lb Ground pork
• 1 lb Italian sausage
• 1 lb Cutlets
• 2.5 lbs Breakfast sausage
• 10 Pork chops (1-1.5 inches thick)
• Sirloin roast
• 2 Blade steaks
• 2 lbs of meatloaf

The price will be $2.25/lb, or about $67.50 for all the cuts listed above.

For more information, contact Evan Dee.
  

Alex Drescher

First year graduate student Alex Drescher is studying to earn a Masters Degree in Swine Nutrition under Dr. Jerry Shurson. Advancing the understanding of DDGS used in the formulation swine diets is the basis of his study. Before enrolling in graduate school, Alex received his Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science from the University of Minnesota.

Alex grew up on a diversified livestock and row crop farm near Alden, MN. His parents are Clair and Rita, and he has two brothers Ben and Zak. During his spare time, Alex enjoys spending time with family and friends as well as helping out around the farm.
  

Glen Frericks and wife Sadie (Smith) celebrated the birth of their first child, Dan Henry, born December 22, 2006. Glen received his BS in Animal Science here in 2001, and Sadie, a BS in Ag Industries and Marketing in 2003. The couple currently operates a dairy farm in Sauk Centre, MN.

Katherine Jonas is our new student office assistant. She replaces Brent Rolf and will be working out of the Accounting Office.

Peter Nelson is the new Meat Lab supervisor. He has been hired on a temporary basis for 6 months.

Brent Rolf, student office assistant, was hired by Morries Imports as a new car sales person. Brent was with the Department for almost 3 years before he left us on March 2nd.
  

no new grants to report this month

- March 2007 -

2- March Cookie Monster Madness, Department of Animal Science, 365 Haecker Hall, U of M St. Paul Campus. Contact: Jennifer Welsh, 612-624-3491.

6-9- 2007 Western Canadian Dairy Seminar, Capri Centre, Red Deer, Alberta, Canada. For more information, contact Joanne Morrison at 780-492-3236 or wcds@ualberta.ca.

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

12-16- Spring Break

13-15- Midwest Poultry Federation Convention, St. Paul RiverCentre, St. Paul, MN.

16- Floating Holiday - The U of M-Twin Cities is closed.

20-22- Central Plains Dairy Expo, Convention Center, Arena and Sheraton Hotel, Sioux Falls, SD. Contact: Kathy Tonneson, 218-236-8420.

20-23- 2007 PDHGA Dairy Calf and Heifer National Conference, Sheraton Burlington Hotel and Conference Center, Burlington, VT. Contact: Hugh Chester-Jones. 507-837-5618.

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

24- Horse Owner Short Course: Preventing Problems, Knights of Columbus Hall, New Prague, MN. Contact: Betsy Gilkerson, 612-596-1175 or Laura Kieser, 952-466-5306 or 952-492-5386.

27-28- 2007 Minnesota-Wisconsin Dairy Policy Conference and Dairy Directors Leadership Conference, Radisson Hotel, Rochester, MN. Contact: Margot Rudstrom, 320-589-0480.

28 - CFANS State of the College Address, presented by Dean Allen Levine. 3:00-4:00 p.m. 105 Cargill Bldg, St. Paul Campus.

31- Horse Owner Short Course: Preventing Problems, City Hall, Independence, MN. Contact: Betsy Gilkerson, 612-596-1175 or Laura Kieser, 952-466-5306 or 952-492-5386.

- April 2007 -

2 - 4th Biennial W. E. Petersen Symposium "Crossbreeding of Dairy Cattle: The Science and the Impact", Continuing Education & Conference Center, U of M St. Paul Campus. Contact: Dana Souther, 612-624-4753.

15 - Block and Bridle Club Swine Sale, Livestock Arena, U of M St. Paul Campus.

19-20 - Farrowing Management Workshop, Southern ROC, Waseca. Contact: Mark Whitney, 507-389-5541.

- 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.

- June 2007 -

7-9- Gopher Dairy Camp, U of M St. Paul Campus. Contact: Brad Heins, 612-625-9294.

13-14- 4-State Dairy Nutrition and Management Conference, Grand River Center, Dubuque, IA. Registration information: Wisconsin Agri-Service Association, 608-223-1111.

- July 2007 -

26-27 - Swine Breeding and Gestation Management Workshop, Southern ROC, Waseca. Contact: Mark Whitney, 507-389-5541.

- December 2007 -

4-5 - 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.

6-7 - Artificial Insemination in Swine Training Course, Southern ROC, Waseca. Contact: Mark Whitney, 507-389-5541.