Feb. 29 webchat: Communicating animal welfare research

The newest webchat from ASAS will be held at noon CST on Feb. 29. Dr. Candace Croney will be speaking on “Communicating Animal Behavior and Animal Welfare Research.” Croney is an associate professor of animal science at Purdue University. She has served on the American Humane Association’s Scientific Advisory Committee, and she recently served on the Center for Food Integrity’s Animal Care Panel reviewing under-cover footage from a hog farm.

This webchat is free to attend. Go to: http://www.asas.org/2012webchat.asp to register.

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Photo of the week: Ear radar

ear radarWrites photo submitter Temple Grandin, “Animals watch with their ears. The zebra and the horse both have an ear on each other. The other ear of the horse is watching the photographer as she takes the picture. Grazing animals are very aware of small details in their environment. They will orient their ears towards things that attract their attention such as rapid movement.” This photo was featured in Grandin’s “Cattle Handling Principles to Reduce Stress” and it was taken at a guest lodge in South Africa.

The Animal Science Image Gallery is a joint project of the American Society of Animal Science and the National Agricultural Library. To view more images or submit your own, go to: http://anscigallery.nal.usda.gov/index.php.

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Symposium summary: The crucial role of the extracellular matrix in meat marbling and tenderness

Scientists used to think the extracellular matrix (ECM) was simply a kind of scaffolding. That was partly true; the ECM is a non-living mix of proteins that sits between cells and provides structural support. But research has revealed that the ECM also plays a crucial role in the development of new cells in the body. Scientists now think that signals in the ECM can spark the transformation of immature cells into muscle and fat cells.

meat“Such a radical change in view owes to the efforts of countless biologists,” wrote Washington State University professor Min Du in a paper for the Journal of Animal Science.

In his paper, Du summarized four presentations given at the 2011 Joint Annual Meeting “Extracellular matrix in muscle growth and meat quality symposium.” Du explained that growth of connective tissue, which contributes to toughness in meat, could be controlled by the ECM. The ECM also plays a role in the growth of fat cells that lead to marbling in meat. Du called marbling and tenderness the “top two quality problems” in meat production because producers want to increase marbling and decrease toughness. Perhaps research into the ECM can help.         Continue reading →

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Podcast: Livestock vs. nematodes

Small roundworms called nematodes can infect livestock and cause health and production problems in the animal industry. In this podcast, a student researcher explains how a seaweed extract could ward away nematodes in goats. Why goats? She says goats are a good source of protein in developing countries.

Listen now

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Last day for JAM award nominations

You have until the end of today, Feb. 23, to submit nominations for ASAS national awards. Go to the awards site to nominate your fellow researchers and industry colleagues in areas like ruminant nutrition, equine science, teaching, meats research and much more.

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AAAS Symposium: Livestock science will benefit sub-Saharan Africa

VANCOUVER, B.C. – People and animals in Africa will benefit greatly from advances in livestock science, said scientists here Sunday.

rod hill

Animal scientist Rod Hill (third from right) with speakers from the AAAS symposium on "Sub-Saharan Africa: Livestock Science Provides New Hope and Faces New Challenges." Photo courtesy AAAS.

By Bill Loftus / University of Idaho

Panelists addressed the hopes and challenges of modernizing livestock production in Sub-Saharan Africa during the American Association for the Advancement of Science annual meeting in Vancouver, B.C.

“We explored how implementing new technologies will benefit society,” said University of Idaho animal scientist Rod Hill. Hill studies physiology in cattle, focusing on topics including feed use efficiency and muscle development.

“The issue is,” Hill said, “how do we get them to work best for mankind and benefit societies in Africa?”    

Hill, an associate professor of animal science in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at the University of Idaho, organized the session with Albert Medvitz of McCormack Sheep and Grain in Rio Vista, Calif. The American Society of Animal Science sponsored the session.      Continue reading →

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Ag events calendar

To post an event, email MadelineMS@assochq.org

February 23 to 24, Annual Southwest Nutrition and Management Conference. Tempe, Arizona. For information http://ag.arizona.edu/ans/swnmc/.

March 12 to 16, Spring Forum/Purchasing & Ingredient Suppliers Conference, Omni at ChampionsGate, Orlando, Fla.; American Feed Industry Assn. For information: (703) 524-0810; www.afia.org.     Continue reading →

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Letter to the membership from President Benson, President Elect Sartin, and Past President Green

Dear ASAS Membership,

We don’t know that there has ever been in the history of ASAS, a time of more innovative, active and visionary programming than what ASAS is offering today. Our membership has increased by 25% in the last 4 years. Our journal, the Journal of Animal Science is the #1 rated animal science journal worldwide. Our annual meeting, in partnership with ADSA is the largest and most robust annual, global animal science meeting. We have launched, with international collaborators, a highly successful, international journal to rave reviews.  Continue reading the Letter to Membership

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ASAS Strategic Planning Update: Of Dinosaurs and Animal Scientists

By Jim Sartin / ASAS President Elect

The American Society of Animal Science (ASAS) developed the 2008-2014 Strategic Plan after discussion of the past history of ASAS and the changing environment that ASAS was facing. The Strategic Planning Committee discussed a broad array of events that might be encountered from changing research funding and priorities to altered membership demographics and declining membership to the globalization of our world markets. Faced with inevitable change, the Strategic Planning Committee chose to approach strategic planning as an opportunity to position the Society to benefit from the changing world, rather than sit and hope the world wouldn’t change. Continue reading →

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The future of hunger: Part 2

cows on pastureThe future of hunger: How animal science supports global food security

By Madeline McCurry-Schmidt / ASAS Scientific Communication Associate

In Part 1 of “The future of hunger” we explored the coming food crisis. The world population is expected to increase from 7 billion people today to 9.1 billion in 2050. That means farmers need to produce more food than ever. History shows that advances in science and new legislative policies can keep the population from going hungry. In Part 2, we look at feed efficiency and how scientists can help farmers produce more food using fewer resources.

On a 30-year graph of corn prices, the year 2011 looks like Mount Everest. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, corn prices reached $318.74 per metric ton in April 2011, an all-time high. There are many reasons for that spike; 2011 also saw a severe drought in the southern United States and more demand for corn in the ethanol market.

For those in animal agriculture, that spike in corn prices came with a spike in blood pressure. For years, corn has been a crucial ingredient in animal feed in the United States.

“Nobody else in the world was in a position where they could afford to do that [feed corn] previously, and now we’re in a position where we cannot afford to do it either,” said Iowa State University animal scientist John Patience in an interview.

For Patience, rising corn prices are a sign that scientists and farmers need to produce more animal protein, like meat and eggs, while using less animal feed. This concept is called feed efficiency.         Continue reading →

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