It is with great pleasure that I share Animal Science News from the Department of Animal Sciences at Auburn University with you in this column. I appreciate the strong interaction that has existed between the Department of Animal Science at Auburn University and the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association in past years. As I begin my work at Auburn University as the Department Head of Animal Sciences I look forward to a continued collaborative relationship as we work to provide support for beef cattle production in Alabama and the entire Southeast.
First, let me introduce myself and provide a short summary of my background. Having grown up in the upper piedmont region of North Carolina, the environment in Alabama is very familiar and both myself and wife, Dottie, consider it as coming back home after spending 23 years in Texas. We have three sons that have finally been weaned. Two reside in Texas and the youngest has been recently assigned to Fort Benning, GA to complete his advanced individual training in the Army Reserves.
After a tour of duty in the US Navy, I received the BS and MS degrees in Animal Science at North Carolina State University. I received a Ph.D. in 1981 from Virginia Tech University where I conducted research in mineral nutrition of beef cattle. I was appointed as Assistant Professor in the Department of Animal Science at Texas A&M University after graduation and held a research and teaching appointment for several years. In 1987, I became the section leader of Animal Nutrition at Texas A&M University and accepted an additional appointment with Texas Cooperative Extension. My research program in Texas initially focused on mineral nutrition of grazing livestock and in particular, grass tetany in beef cattle. Later, our laboratory conducted work in trace mineral nutrition to access the needs for copper and zinc supplementation for grazing cow. As questions arose in the area of phosphorus supplementation and the impact of phosphorus feeding on environmental issues facing cattlemen, my laboratory began to address those questions. Consequently, research efforts were directed to environmental issues affecting beef cattle production in concentrated animal feeding operations. In 1997, I left my joint teaching, research, and extension position on the Texas A&M University campus and moved to the center of the “Cattle Feeding Capital of the World”, Amarillo, TX, to conduct research. Within 150 miles of the research laboratory in Amarillo, 1/3 of the nations beef (7 million+) is finished in the feedyards annually. In Amarillo, my relationship to Texas A&M University was maintained along with accepting joint faculty appointments with West Texas A&M University and Texas Tech University. Our research team focused on the nutritional and management needs of the feedlot industry as well as stocker calf grazing programs. I will continue to use the experiences gained throughout my career as I work in the Department Head position at Auburn University. Working to develop interactive relationships with other departments within the University, and agencies across the state and nation will be a high priority.
At Auburn University it is my intention to work with the faculty in the Department of Animal Science to span the continuum of Animal Science and Biological Science research needs to answer questions needed to make our industry more productive and profitable for livestock producers. As citizens of Alabama, your Department of Animal Science will continue to offer outstanding educational opportunities for your sons and daughters in the Animal Sciences. We will work hard to answer questions needed to solve problems associated with your livestock enterprises and deliver the information in a timely and efficient manner through our Extension programs.
I am excited to be a part of this excellent faculty in the Department of Animal Science. As we progress into the future, I will introduce you to our departmental programs and faculty to highlight a portion of our activities and identify how these may affect you at the grass roots level. Again, it is my pleasure to serve as the Department Head in Animal Sciences at Auburn University and to deliver Animal Science News to you monthly.