AnSci Connection
The newsletter of the Department of Animal Science

November 2007

Notes from the Department Head  |  News & Announcements  |  Graduate Student Profile  |  Congratulations
Recent Grants  |  Calendar of Events  |  Animal Science Seminars  |  External Employment Opportunities

The Department is beginning a very exciting and opportune several months. There will be positions to fill, and planning for future animal agriculture programs and livestock facilities.

This month, we will initiate searches for two faculty positions, one in animal products and one in dairy nutrition. The Animal Products position is an extension/research position focusing on value added and safety of meat products. The importance and responsibilities of this position was described in last month’s newsletter. The Dairy Nutrition position will be a teaching and research position. The individual in this position will fulfill some of the responsibilities I had before becoming Department Head. Responsibilities will include teaching in our undergraduate and graduate program and conducting applied dairy nutrition research. Dairy is a major part of our undergraduate program and this position provides a great opportunity to work with the dairy leaders of tomorrow. On the research side, this position offers a great opportunity to work with the nutrition industry and producers to enhance the understanding of feeds and their nutrient contributions to the nutrition of dairy cattle. Please watch for these position announcements and help us recruit the best people for these positions.

In other exciting news, the Board of Regents has given approval to begin an Agricultural Strategic Study focusing first on animal agriculture followed by plant agriculture. This will be a very comprehensive study focusing on how the University can help in optimizing resources and capabilities to enhance the competitive advantage and profitability of Minnesota’s animal agriculture industry. Informa Economics, Inc. has been hired to help conduct the study and will be requesting meetings and interviews with producer organizations, commodity group leaders, and representatives and leaders in the industry sectors that support animal agriculture in the state. Results from this study will serve as the guide for how the University positions itself to serve the multi billion dollar livestock industry in Minnesota. This is your and our chance to tell the story of animal agriculture in Minnesota and set the stage for the U of M to become a world class leader in research, teaching and extension efforts focusing on the priority issues and future concerns facing the livestock sector. Watch for announcements on meetings with Informa representatives and ways of providing input into the study.

In other happenings, we are initiating planning on replacement and enhancement of the turkey production units at UMore Park. These facilities are essential to our turkey nutrition and physiology research. Future facilities need to be planned for as the plans for UMore Park appear to be moving away from agriculture. This planning will move forward with acknowledgements from President Bruininks on the importance of turkeys and all poultry industry to the state and the University. Minnesota leads the nation in turkey production. New facilities and additional program resources will assist in helping Minnesota remain number one and a world leader in turkey and poultry research and education.

Happy Thanksgiving!
 

Turkey Media Day to Make Thanksgiving Donation

The centerpiece of Turkey Media Day is the flock of 2,400 hens that are being raised at the Turkey Research Unit for two purposes: 1) to determine emissions from turkey barns as part of a cooperative project with Dr. Larry Jacobson of the Department of Biosystems and Bioproducts Engineering; and 2) with industry donations of poults, feed, etc., a portion of the flock will be marketed and product donated to food shelves for Thanksgiving.

This year, the event will emphasize current environment research being conducted by the U of M as it relates to turkey production systems. A short program will be held at 1:00 p.m. followed by tours of the barn and a chance to visit with U of M researchers and industry representatives.

Turkey Media Day will be held November 14 at UMore Park in Rosemount. The annual event is organized by the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association and the U of M.

For more information, please contact Dr. Sally Noll at 612-624-4928 or via email at nollx001@umn.edu.
  

It's a Holiday Extravaganza!

Goldy Gopher is proud as a peacock and happy as a holiday. It's a U of M holiday extravaganza! In the next few weeks over the holidays, the Animal Science Meat Lab will be offering holiday gift packages featuring the following products:

• Meats and sausages from the U of M Department of Animal Science - Meat Lab
• Cheddar cheese from the U of M Department of Food Science and Nutrition
• 100% pure maple syrup and jumbo sized Fireside apples from the U of M Department of Horticulture
• 100% pure honey from the U of M Department of Entomology

Always in good taste—gifts of mouth-watering goodness. All are vacuum packaged. All come in attractive gift boxes with an attractive gold "Gift For You" card.

Check the Animal Science Meat Lab website for details about upcoming holiday specials and gift packages. The Meat Lab will be extending their sales hours for the holidays as follows:

• November 19 and 21 - 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
• November 20 - Noon-4:30 p.m.
• December 13, 14 and 17 through 21 - 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

Plan ahead! Order ahead! Contact Pete or Mike at 624-9260 or nels5618@umn.edu.
  

The General Livestock Team is Back!

The U of M again has a General Livestock Judging Team—the first team fielded since 2004. The team, coached by Kyle Rozeboom, began practice this fall in preparation for their first contest in January when they will travel to Denver, CO. The team has been busy working out on campus using the livestock located here and have been traveling to leading livestock farms.

The team has worked out at Wulf’s Limousin Farms, Gramm’s Simmentals, and Triple C Farms. They have also competed in practice contests at SDSU and NDSU. The team will compete at additional contests this spring, including the Iowa Beef Expo, Sioux Empire Stock Show, Houston Livestock Stock Show, and the All-Eastern Livestock Evaluation Contest. They look forward to representing the Golden Gophers and carrying on its great livestock judging tradition.

Members of the 2007-2008 General Livestock Judging Team are:       

• John Boyum, Senior, Ag Marketing, Chatfield, MN
• Katie Church, Sophomore, Pre-Vet, Hastings, MN
• Kyle Compart, Senior, Animal Science, Nicollet, MN
• Scott Franke, Sophomore, Animal Science, Dover, MN
• Colby Lind, Senior, Ag Education, Rushford, MN
• Jackie Popowski, Junior, Animal Science, Ivanhoe, MN
• Valerie Ujazdowski, Sophomore, Pre-Vet, Winneconne, WI

U of M Students Help Lead MN 4-H Dairy Team to Victory

The Minnesota 4-H Dairy Judging Team traveled to Madison, WI in October for the World Dairy Expo and their toughest competition of the year—the National 4-H Dairy Cattle Judging Contest. When all was said and done, they came home victorious.

The team placed first overall, first in team reasons, first in Ayrshires, fourth in Jerseys, and fifth in Brown Swiss. Of the four team members, three received All-American Judge Honors by placing in the top 25 individuals, including U of M students Jessica Achen, who was the high individual at the contest, and Abby Udermann who placed 24th overall. Achen is a sophomore from Sauk Centre majoring in Animal Science and Udermann is a freshman from Sartell.

Members of the Minnesota 4-H Dairy Judging Team are: Jessica Achen, Emily Achen and Emily Lahr of Sauk Center, and Abby Udermann of Sartell. The team is coached by Eric Sonnek, U of M alumni and currently an Extension Educator in Stearns County.
  

New Avian Pneumovirus (APV) Test at U of M

A new test for APV (APV-N) is available at the U of M Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. Developed by scientists within the University, the new test boasts several advances:

1. Saves time: More tests can be performed in less time with the new test. The RT-PCR cycling time has been reduced by more than 50%.
2. Reduced basic sample cost: Large scale testing is more economical. The basic cost of the RT-PCR step has been reduced by 40%.
3. Increased sensitivity: Compared to the previous test, the new APV-N test is 10 times more sensitive for virus isolates and turbinate homogenates, and 10-1000 times more sensitive for tissues and tissue swabs.
4. Clinical validation: The test has been validated with hundreds of samples. These include clinical and research cases and a variety of different organ homogenates and swabs. More tests were positive (“true positives”) with the new APV-N PCR assay than the previous technology.
5. Specificity testing: The test is specific for subtype C viruses. Other potential viral and bacterial respiratory pathogens did not interfere with the test.
6. Uses existing resources: Can be run with existing Real-time PCR equipment.

New and improved diagnostic laboratory tests will ensure that APV will be quickly and reliably detected. Such rapid and reliable detection is a critical part of an integrated disease control and eradication program.

For more information about the new APV-N test or for questions about sample submission, please contact the U of M Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at 612-625-8787 or vdl@umn.edu.
 

Join Us for WinterFest on December 14

Bring a dish to share at the annual winter get-together for Department of Animal Science faculty, staff, students, alumni and retirees. The Animal Science Meat Lab will be providing meats and the Department will provide the beverages.

WinterFest will be held in 365 Haecker Hall on December 14th beginning at 11:30 a.m. Hope to see you there!

If you have any questions, please contact Jennifer Welsh (612-624-3491).
  

Department of Animal Science Research Day is December 18

The Department of Animal Science Research Day is scheduled for Tuesday, December 18 in Haecker Hall. The  event will feature the Minnesota Pork Board.

Schedule of the day's events:

• Open House Poster Display - 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
• Authors in Attendance to Answer Questions - 10:30-11:00 a.m. and 2:00-2:30 p.m.
• Seminar Featuring the Minnesota Pork Board - 11:00-Noon (Room 365 Haecker Hall)

While this year's featured commodity group is represented by the Minnesota Pork Board, everyone is invited, regardless of research focus, to present posters from professional meetings attended during the past year. Posters will be displayed on the second and third floors of Haecker Hall. If you have a poster or two, please participate!

Please submit your poster titles, an abstract, and a list of authors by December 4, 2007 to Jennifer Welsh in 305 Haecker. Any questions may be directed to Jennifer Welsh (612-624-3491).
  

Turkey Health School to be Held in February

Plans are being made for the next Turkey Health School scheduled for February 5 and 6, 2008 on the U of M St. Paul Campus. The school will cover topics in the areas of common diseases of turkeys, anatomy, diagnostics, and biosecurity. Information presented is applicable to turkey producers, their employees, and allied industry representatives.

Please visit http://www.cvm.umn.edu/outreach/home.html for program updates or, for further information, contact Dr. Sally Noll at 612-624-4928 or via email at nollx001@umn.edu.
  

NCROC Holds 4th Annual Beef Production Sale

The 4th Annual U of M North Central Research and Outreach Center (NCROC) Beef Production Sale was held at the South Farm facility in Grand Rapids on October 27th. Buyers from throughout Minnesota bid on registered Angus cows consigned by the U of M in Grand Rapids, MN; Blue Ribbon Stock Farm, Duluth, MN; Blueberry Hill Farm, Warba, MN; and Byron Ross Jr. from Deer River, MN.

Forty-one sale lots were offered with the following averages: pregnant spring cows averaged $1,323.08; bred heifers averaged $1,230.56; spring calves averaged $787.50; and fall pairs averaged $1,400.

The NCROC appreciates the participation of the Itasca County 4-H club for providing food and refreshments, and U of M staff and students for their assistance prior to and during sale day.
  

Meat Lab Donates to Fund Raiser

When the Animal Science Meat Lab was contacted by Greg Williams of Facilities Management Health Services Zone 3, they were happy to provide product suggestions for their October 25th pancake breakfast—a fund raiser for the U of M 2007 Community Fund Drive. The lab offered their Homemade Sunday Morning Brown n' Serve Sausages and Gopher Gold Smoked Bacon.

The awesome aromas of sizzling bacon and sausages drifted through the air as invited customers, vendors, Facilities Management employees, and the public enjoyed a fabulous breakfast. They served 35 pounds of sausage and 25 pounds of bacon while raising $1,043.00 for the Community Fund Drive plus an additional $161.00 for the Children's Hospital Halloween Party.

Meat Lab Supervisor Pete Nelson said, "This was a great opportunity for more people on the Minneapolis Campus to learn about the Meat Lab and what we offer." Participants received a copy of the Meat Lab product line flyer while 'taste testing' the merchandise.

Nelson and Meat Lab Manager Michael Aggen as well as their 7 student workers were glad to donate the sausage and bacon to such a wonderfully successful cause.

For more information on the Community Fund Drive or to donate, please visit: http://www1.umn.edu/cfd/index.html.
  

MN Beef Expo Great Success
Source: Minnesota Beef Expo

The 2007 Minnesota Beef Expo, held at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds October 18 through October 21, 2007, was a great success. Breeders and youth from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, South Dakota and North Dakota attended the four-day event, which included a judging contest, a showmanship competition, cattle sales, and a junior show with approximately 550 head of livestock competing for over $10,000 in prize money. In a relaxed friendly atmosphere, livestock enthusiasts from all breeds worked together and achieved the results of a very successful Minnesota Beef Expo!

The Minnesota Youth Beef Experience Program (MYBEP) awarded heifer calves to six FFA and 4-H youth from Minnesota and Wisconsin. Each winner is responsible for raising, breeding and maintaining complete records on care of the animal while providing monthly progress reports to the original owner and the Minnesota Beef Expo. Over 60 entries were received for the fourth year of the Minnesota Youth Beef Experience Program. This overwhelming response is a tribute to the excellent youth in the beef industry today. There were many deserving individuals but only eight heifers were available to be awarded. The 2007 recipients were:

Emily Scholtz from Comfrey, MN receives the Angus heifer donated by Lonesome Dove Angus, Tom Carlisle of Wyoming, MN on behalf of the Minnesota Angus Association.		Hannah Wilts from Kerkhoven, MN receives the Charolais heifer donated by Schaap and Sons Charolais, Mark and Dawn Schaap of Woodstock, MN on behalf of the MN/WI Charolais Association.
Justin Blumer  from Fountain, MN receives the Commercial heifer donated by the Berry Ranch, Eli Berry of Mora, MN and Central Livestock Association of South St. Paul, MN.		Brett Gallagher from Starbuck, MN receives the Hereford heifer donated by Michael and Mary Ann Jay of Harris, MN on behalf of the Minnesota Hereford Breeders.
Cody Hinman from Atwater, MN receives the Limousin heifer donated by Green Acres Limousin, Don and Bill Biscoe of Cottage Grove, MN on behalf of the Minnesota Limousin Association.		Kole Delzer from Dodge City, MN receives the Shorthorn heifer donated by the Dicks Family, Glen and Ruth Dicks of Lakefield, MN and Oak Center Shorthorns, Donald and Kathy Heise of Lake City, MN on behalf of the Minnesota Shorthorn Association.
Katie Winslow from Fountain, MN receives the Simmental heifer donated by Wilmes Farm, Allen and Bonnie Wilmes and Steve and Vicky Wilking of LeSueur, MN, and the Zimmer Family Simmentals, Herb and Bessie and Neil and Maggie, daughter Courtney and son Neil Jr. Zimmer of Clarissa, MN in conjunction with the Minnesota Simmental Association.		Amanda Jensen from Springfield, MN receives the South Devon heifer donated by Dar Lynn Cattle Company of Pierz, MN on behalf of the North American South Devon Association.

Adam Jensen from Springfield, MN, received an award for the 2006 Minnesota Youth Beef Experience Program. He demonstrated excellence in managmenet, record keeping, communication to his sponsor, and improvement in beef showmanship over the past year. The Angus heifer he received was donated by Lindeland Farms of Minnesota Lake on behalf of the Minnesota Angus Association.

Other Beef Expo activities included a showmanship competition sponsored by Farm Credit Services of Minnesota Valley, the Minnesota State Fair Foundation, Resource Recovery Technologies, and Sanctified Design.

This year, thanks to the Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council, a free Grab-n-Go dinner was provided following the showmanship contest. Animal Science Meat Lab Supervisor Pete Nelson served as Grill Master; he and student employees Jason Ertl, Kevin Borst, Kyle Sommers and Brandon Thesing grilled over 500 burgers in only 1 hour and 15 minutes. U of M Beef Team member Lori Weddle-Schott coordinated the effort and other U of M Beef Team members helped serve the meal to hungry exhibitors.

Also at the Beef Expo, a judging contest sponsored by Minnesota Farm Bureau Foundation, a youth educational workshop sponsored by Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council and presented by the U of M Beef Team, breed sales, a club calf sale, a youth heifer and steer show, Seedstock Alley, and trade show exhibits.

The Minnesota Beef Expo is a yearly roundup for cattlemen, cattle women and youth throughout the state, gathering to celebrate and promote the beef industry. The event provides a unique opportunity for cattle producers and beef-specific agribusinesses to take part in the largest beef industry event in Minnesota. Dates for the next Minnesota Beef Expo have been set for October 16-19, 2008.

For further information about the Minnesota Beef Expo, please call 651-643-6476 or visit their website.
  

View Availability of Department Managed Rooms

Now you can view the calendars and check availability of Department Managed Rooms (495 AS/VM; 225A, 265G, 365, 430, 445 Haecker Hall; and the Livestock Pavilion). See http://www.ansci.umn.edu/room_calendars.htm, or look for the link to "Dept Managed Rooms Calendar Display" on the home page under the heading “For Current Employees”.

Those who wish to reserve a room will still need to contact one of the staff members listed below but now you can check on availability before you call or email.

Contact any of the following to reserve a Department Managed Room:

• Bonnie Rae (bjrae@umn.edu / 624-4995)
• Jennifer Welsh (jwelsh@umn.edu / 624-3491)
• Faraz Shaukat (mian0005@umn.edu / 624-3435)
• Dana Souther (south005@umn.edu / 624-7453)
    

Mandatory Training for Faculty, Staff and Students

The University has developed new mandatory training for all faculty, staff and students. You may have already received an email asking you to complete the on-line training courses for Public Jobs, Private Data.

Public Jobs, Private Data is presented in three parts: 1) Data Security in Your Job; 2) Securing Your Workstation; and 3) Using University Data. These training modules can be completed at your desk using your computer; they will help you to develop procedures and techniques for managing the complex data security requirements that many of us deal with daily, as we store and transmit the data required by our University positions.

To complete the third training module, you will be asked to complete a survey about your job responsibilities. Based on your answers, you may also be assigned one or more of the following course topics: 1) Managing Financial Data Securely; 2) Managing Personnel Data Securely; 3) Managing Health Data Securely; 4) Managing Student Data Securely; 5) Data Security Information for Faculty, Managers and Supervisors. Note that all employees who work with PeopleSoft data, employee files or with protected health information (PHI) will be automatically assigned to the Managing Personnel Data Securely module.

These courses are available to you through your myU Portal by signing in with your X.500 username and password. Once signed in, go to your 'my WORK LIFE' tab (students will need to go to their 'ACADEMICS & CAREER' tab). If you do not see a 'my WORK LIFE' tab, choose myU Space and look for the Public Jobs: Private Data section.

Please do not wait to complete the training as there will be penalties—including revocation of X.500 privileges—for those who fail to complete the training. Allow 15 to 20 minutes of your time for each course training.

To help you prepare for this training, see Ten Data Security Safeguards.

If you have questions about the Public Jobs, Private Data training, please contact Lori Loberg (624-8439), or Mike Balak (625-2209).
  

Writing Fundable Grant Proposals

A workshop on Writing Fundable Grant Proposals will be held on November 15 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. in 101 Fraser Hall on the U of M Minneapolis Campus. Dr. Jeanine Ferguson will present strategies for developing successful grant proposals, as well as an overview of resources for prospecting grant sources within federal, state, private and University funding pools.

Dr. Ferguson has taught grant writing at the U of M for 20 years and has assisted in securing over $40 million in external funding for projects.

The workshop, which is sponsored by the Office of the Senior Vice President for System Academic Administration, is aimed toward graduate students and postdoctoral associates/fellows.

For more information, contact Noro Andriamanalina (626-4546). To register, please visit: http://www.grad.umn.edu/career/workshops/.
  

Internship Listings Available

College students will find an assortment of internship opportunities on the National Dairy Shrine website. Their Internship Directory currently lists over 30 different internships (some with more than one opening) in the areas of communications, public relations, marketing, on-farm consulting, youth education, industry development, and more.

National Dairy Shrine brings together dairy producers, scientists, students, educators, marketers, and others who share a desire to preserve our dairy heritage and keep the dairy industry strong. National Dairy Shrine now has over 18,500 members encompassing virtually every facet of the industry. In addition, Dairy Shrine gives over $30,000 annually in scholarships to dairy students. See http://www.dairyshrine.org/students.asp for scholarship information and applications.

To become a member of National Dairy Shrine, contact Maurice Core at National Dairy Shrine, 1224 Alton Darby Creek Road, Columbus, OH 43228-9792. A lifetime membership is only $50.
  

MSCA Offering Scholarships

The Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association (MSCA) is offering two $500 scholarships for Animal Science students. The scholarship is available to those who are studying in the field of 1) Animal Science and/or Agronomy, or 2) for those in Animal Science and/or Agronomy with a specific interest in beef cattle.

Scholarship applications are due in the MSCA office on November 16, 2007. For more information or to obtain an application, please contact Deb Dahlke (218-821-1536).

Scholarships will be presented at the MSCA Annual Convention in Bloomington, MN in December.
 

Research Fellowship in the Rockies

Are you interested in conducting scientific research in Rocky Mountain National Park? The Rocky Mountain Nature Association (RMNA) has announced a fellowship opportunity for graduate level researchers in Rocky Mountain National Park located in Estes Park, CO, for 3 to 4 months during the summer of 2008. The fellowship includes an $8,000 stipend and housing. The application deadline is February 1, 2008.

The Rocky Mountain Research Fellowship is an endowed program funded by the Justine and Leslie Fidel Bailey Trust. The fellowship, co-sponsored by the Rocky Mountain Nature Association and Rocky Mountain National Park, is designed to encourage highly qualified graduate students to apply their talents to conducting research in the national parks.

Pick up an informational brochure at Lisa Wiley’s office, 277 Coffey Hall, U of M St. Paul Campus, or contact Nancy Wilson at the RMNA directly at 970-586-0108 or nancy.wilson@mna.org.

More information about the RMNA is available at http://www.rmna.org/.
  

NSE Offers Opportunity to Study Out of State/Country

Want to spend a semester or year studying in Hawaii, California, Alaska, or Puerto Rico? Want to do this and still pay U of M tuition? Then the National Student Exchange (NSE) might be an option for you!

NSE is a network of about 200 schools across the U.S., Canada, and the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Most U of M students would pay U of M tuition while on exchange, and all credits should transfer back to the U of M.

For more information, please visit http://www.offcampusstudy.umn.edu, or contact David Holliday (612-626-2044) or the Assistant NSE Coordinator in 345 Fraser Hall on the U of M Minneapolis Campus.

The application deadline to go on exchange during the 2008/2009 school year is February 8, 2008. Those interested in applying will need to attend an informational session to receive an application.
  

President's Award for Outstanding Service Now Accepting Nominations

The President’s Award for Outstanding Service is presented each spring to recognize faculty and staff who have provided exceptional service to the University. The award honors active or retired faculty or staff who have gone above and beyond their regular duties and have shown an unusual commitment to the University community.

Nominators must be current members of the U of M faculty or staff, or alumni. Nomination letters should focus on the nominator’s personal knowledge of the nominee’s exceptional service, such as innovative service to students, the University community, individual units of the University, or outreach beyond the University.

Nominations for this award are due on March 7, 2008 and should be submitted to:

President's Award Committee
c/o Vickie Courtney, program director
University Honors and Awards
427 Morrill Hall
100 Church Street SE
Minneapolis, MN  55455

For additional information, details about eligibility, the nomination procedure, selection criteria, etc., please call the University Senate Office at 612-625-9369 or visit http://uawards.umn.edu/Awards/Presidents_Award_Outstand.html.
  

Open Enrollment Ends November 30

November 30, 2007 is the deadline for Open Enrollment, which is the one time each year that the University announces benefit plan changes and contribution rates for the next calendar year. This year, employees may choose a different medical and/or dental plan, enroll in a health care or dependent care flexible spending account, add $25,000 of additional employee life insurance without evidence of insurability, and/or add or increase the amount of long term disability insurance.

If you want to continue with your current medical and dental plans, there is no need to re-enroll this year. However, if you want to add or drop dependents from your plan, you will need to make those changes to your dependent coverage. Also, if you plan to participate in a flexible spending account in 2008, you must re-enroll in the program.

All the options for Open Enrollment are summarized in an online presentation. A Guide for UPlan Open Enrollment (pdf) is also available online.

Go to Employee Self-Service (choose "Benefits Enrollment") to make your changes.

For more information, see Open Enrollment for 2008 for current employees.
  

Christina Howell

Christina Howell is from a small town in Central California. Her husband is a third year medical student at the U of M. They have two adorable little dachshunds, which you may see occasionally, and one cat. The rest of her family, who she visits at least once a year, remain in California.

Christina went to a community college and transferred to the University of California-Davis where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science. Now, Christina is starting her second year in our Masters program with Dr. Mohamed El Halawani and is conducting research in Turkey Reproductive Neuroendocrinology. After earning a Masters degree, she hopes to go to Veterinary School and eventually reunite with her family back in California.

In her spare time, Christina likes to spend time with her husband and pets, and loves to watch scary movies whenever possible.
  

Sarah Schmidt gave birth to a baby girl, Aubree Lauren Schmidt. Sarah and husband Kelly welcomed their daughter into the world on September 10, 2007.

Dave and Aimee Weinand were blessed with the birth of their first child, a daughter. Miriam Helen Weinand was born September 29, 2007.
  

no new grants this month
  

- November 2007 -

14 - Turkey Media Day, Turkey Research Unit, UMore Park, Rosemount, MN. Contact: Sally Noll at 612-624-4928 or nollx001@umn.edu.

14 - Carver County Ag Leadership Informational Session, Carver County Public Works Bldg., Cologne, MN. 11:00 a.m. -12:30 p.m. RSVP for lunch count; call 952-466-5300 and press “0”. For more information, contact: Laura Kieser, 952-466-5306 or 952-492-5386.

14-15 - National 4-H Poultry and Egg Conference, Louisville, KY.

15 - Writing Fundable Grant Proposals, 101 Fraser Hall, U of M Minneapolis Campus. 5:00-7:00 p.m. Contact: Noro Andriamanalina, 626-4546. Registration: http://www.grad.umn.edu/career/workshops/.

22-23 - Thanksgiving holiday (U of M-TC is closed).

28 - Carver & Scott County Forage Day, Carver County Public Works Bldg., Cologne, MN. 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. RSVP by Nov. 27; call 952-466-5300 and press “0”. For more information, contact: Laura Kieser, 952-466-5306 or 952-492-5386.

29 - Poultry Testing Agent Training Course, 8:30 a.m. Holiday Inn & Willmar Conference Center, 2100 East Hwy 12, Willmar, MN. Reservations: 800-465-4329 (toll free) or 320-235-6060.

- 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, 320-203-6093.

13-14 - Artificial Insemination in Swine Training Course, Southern ROC, Waseca. Contact: Mark Whitney, 507-389-5541. (Note date change.)

14 - WinterFest (the Animal Science annual winter get-together), 365 Haecker Hall, U of M St. Paul Campus. 11:30 a.m. For more information, contact Jennifer Welsh (612-624-3491).

18 - Animal Science Research Day, Haecker Hall, U of M St. Paul Campus. For more information, contact Jennifer Welsh (612-624-3491).

20 - Fall semester ends.

24-25 - Christmas holiday (U of M-TC is closed).

- January 2008 -

1 - New Year's holiday (U of M-TC is closed).

16 - Winter Crops Day, Waseca and Lake Crystal, MN. For more information, contact: Southern Research and Outreach Center at 507-835-2620.

17 - Winter Crops Day, Kasson and Wykoff, MN. For more information, contact: Southern Research and Outreach Center at 507-835-2620.

21 - Martin Luther King holiday (U of M-TC is closed).

22 - Spring semester classes begin.

- February 2008 -

2 - Horse Owner Education Day, Leatherdale Equine Center, U of M St. Paul Campus. For more information, visit www.extension.umn.edu/horse. To register by mail, contact Kristi ( 888-241-0719). In case of inclement weather, call 888-241-0719.

5-6 -Turkey Health School, U of M St. Paul Campus. Contact: Dr. Sally Noll, 612-624-4928.

6 - Environmental Internship and Career Fair, North Star Ballroom, Student Center, U of M St. Paul Campus. 10:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

8-9 - Northern Plains Sustainable Ag Society (NPSAS) 29th Annual Winter Conference, Seven Seas, Mandan, ND. Contact: NPSAS, 701-883-4304.

9 - Horse Owner Education Day, South Central College, North Mankato, MN. For more information, visit www.extension.umn.edu/horse. To register by mail, contact Kristi (888-241-0719). In case of inclement weather, call 888-241-0719.

18 - 16th Annual Carver County/ U of M Dairy Expo, Central High School, 531 Morse Street, Norwood Young America, MN. 10:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m. For more information, see: http://www.extension.umn.edu/dairy or call 952-466-5300.

- March 2008 -

1 - Horse Owner Education Days, UM-Morris Science Bldg., Morris, MN. For more information, visit www.extension.umn.edu/horse. To register by mail, contact Kristi (888-241-0719). In case of inclement weather, call 888-241-0719.

15 - Horse Owner Education Days (Advanced Session), Leatherdale Equine Center, U of M St. Paul Campus. For more information, visit www.extension.umn.edu/horse. To register by mail, contact Kristi (888-241-0719). In case of inclement weather, call 888-241-0719.

17-21 - Spring break.

21 - Floating holiday (U of M-TC is closed). 

- April 2008 -

1-3 - Dairy Calf and Heifer Association National Conference, Mayo Civic Center, Rochester, MN. Contact: DCHA at 636-449-5077 or Dr. Hugh Chester-Jones at 507-837-5618.

28-30 - State FFA Convention, U of M St. Paul Campus.

- May 2008 -

20-22 - Minnesota Dairy Health Conference, Continuing Education and Conference Center, U of M St. Paul Campus. Contact: Veterinary Continuing Education, 800-380-8636.