Kansas State University

• Voices of #KSUASI: Catch our October podcast episodes of Voices of #KSUASI on your favorite podcast platform! This past week, we spotlighted the journeys of two transfer students and their paths to K-State. You won’t want to miss their inspiring stories
  • Logan Topp: https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-tmbhr-1714e82
  • Emma Balisky: https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-pen36-1714e8c
• New Faculty Member: Dr. Ahmed Hammam comes to us from a current position in the dairy processing industry. He earned his PhD at SDSU a few years ago. Ahmed will be in the position of Assistant Professor of Dairy Processing and Innovation, with a start date of 11/11/2024. Please feel free to reach out and welcome Ahmed, his wife Preksam, and their children Alma and Adam to our ASI family! You can contact him by email at ahmed.hammam@jacks.sdstate.edu.

• Operation Santa: The Department of Animal Sciences & Industry will be participating in Operation Santa this holiday season. Operation Santa has been helping military families at Ft. Riley for 40 years. Each family receives 2 toys for each child; a Christmas stocking with stocking stuffers for each child; and a game or puzzle for each family. The gifts are wrapped and delivered to the families beginning Dec. 4 through Dec. 25^th . Last year Operation Santa served 850 military families: between 1700-1800 children.

  If you would like to participate in the donation, please bring your monetary gift or a new toy(s) to one of these locations:

  ASI Business Office 232 Weber Hall; Call Hall Business Office 139 Call Hall; or Food Science Institute Office, Call Hall 216.

  Any money collected will be given to Operation Santa coordinators to purchase items that are needed.  Donations will be collected until 5:00 p.m. December 2, 2024.

• Blood Drive: Donate Blood on Friday, December 6 in Dykstra Hall from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. To make an appointment email, Marci Ritter (mritter@ksu.edu).

• Plan to join us Wednesday, November 20 to leave your mark and sign a beam that will go in the new Bilbrey Event Center. This construction milestone will be celebrated from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. at the Stanley Stout Center (2200 Denison Ave) as a come-and-go event. Please RSVP by November 13 at kstate.ag/Bilbreybeamsigning.
• Join President Richard and First Lady Sally Linton for a spook-tacular day of fun on Oct. 31 – K-State students are invited to Trick-or-Treat with the Lintons at the President’s Residence. Mark your calendars for Oct. 31 from 9-11 a.m. and 2-4 p.m. — you won’t want to miss this.

  President Richard and First Lady Sally Linton will be hosting a costume contest where the Lintons will be the judges. The two students with the best costumes will each win a gift card to the K-State Campus Store. Whether you’re going for spooky, funny or downright creative, we can’t wait to see what you come up with. Additionally, there will be plenty of free treats to enjoy throughout the event. We can’t wait to see you there to celebrate Halloween in style!

• Save the Date – Friday, November 15th 9:15am-10:00am KSU Student Union, Big-12 Room (+Zoom)

  KSU President Linton and Provost Mendez will meet with all College of Ag leadership, faculty, and staff on Friday, November 15, 2024, from 9:15-10:00am at the KSU Student Union (Big 12 Room). We will ensure that a zoom connection is available for those that cannot attend in person.

• Fall Animal Sciences & Industry Professional Apparel – NOW OPEN! You can customize and purchase your items through the following link:KSU Animal Science Graduate Student Association Apparel Order. The order window will be open from October 14 through October 31. Please note that payment is required at the time of purchase. All items will arrive before finals weeks in December.
• Cheese Box: Cheese box order forms are now available here –

  Please turn in all orders before November 22nd, this will give us time to ship all orders by December 6th. Cheese Box Order Form 2024[12]

UPCOMING DEFENSE

• Firman Nasiu, “In vitro Screening of Sorghum Parent Lines for Digestibility as a Step Toward Development of Superior Sorghum Hybrids for Cattle Feeding” – Friday, November 1 at 2 p.m. in 205 Call Hall
• Max Corso, “Effects of water quality, acidification, and zinc source on growth performance of nursery and finishing pigs” – Friday, November 1 at 1 p.m. in Call Hall 205.
• Rachael Skinner, “Effects of high protein corn co-product as a replacement for soybean meal in calf starter grains.” – Thursday, October 31 at 1 p.m. in 206 Call Hall

UPCOMING SEMINARS

• Monogastic Seminar
  • Paula Giacomini, Wednesday, October 30 – “Strategic use of copper on nursery and grow-finishing pigs.” – Weber 111 at 12:30 p.m.
  • Jessica Smallfield, Wendesday, November 13 – “Mode of action of organic acids and impacts of performance” – Weber 111 at 12:30 p.m.
• Ruminant Nutrition, Growth, and Management Seminar
  • JONN Frey, Monday, November 4 – “Use of seaweed as an enteric methane mitigation strategy” – Call Hall 205 at 4:30 p.m.
  • Jeremy Davies, Monday, November 11 – “Trace mineral bioavailability: organic and inorganic complexes” – Call Hall 205 at 4:30 p.m.
• Reproductive Physiology, Breeding, and Genetics 
  • Sydney Tastad-Flax, Tuesday, October 29 at 8:30 a.m. on Call Hall 205 – “The Role of Leptin in Beef Cow Reproduction: From Metabolism in Maternity” Seminar Fall ’24 FLyer
  • Maria Eugenia Gaya Macaneiro, Tuesday, November 5 at 8:30 a.m. at Call Hall 205 – “Social dynamics in pigs: The influence of contest outcomes, behavioral lateralization, and feeding conditions” Maria Eugenia Gaya Macaneiro Seminar Flyer

CONSTRUCTION

• It’s an exciting time on campus. Bookmark our construction page to follow how changes are occurring around Weber and Call Halls and up by the Stout Center with the construction of the Bilbrey Family Event Center.
  https://www.asi.k-state.edu/construction.html

OPEN POSITIONS:

Professor (Assistant/Associate/Full) Position(s): 

None at this time.

• 

  Curious how #KSUASI is shaping future leaders in agriculture? In our latest Voices of #KSUASI podcast, Dr. Cassie Jones offers essential tips for families on setting future Wildcats up for success!
  From picking the right courses to learning through hands-on experiences, this episode is packed with advice. Plus, learn how strategic recruitment and out-of-state tuition waivers are driving record enrollment!
  Whether you’re a prospective student or proud alum, tune in now to see why #KSUASI is the place to start a future in animal agriculture!
  Listen Here: https://open.spotify.com/show/2CS3h0Wci66AUjVdAQiSn9

• Save the Date – Friday, November 15th 9:15am-10:00am KSU Student Union, Big-12 Room (+Zoom)

  KSU President Linton and Provost Mendez will meet with all College of Ag leadership, faculty, and staff on Friday, November 15, 2024, from 9:15-10:00am at the KSU Student Union (Big 12 Room). We will ensure that a zoom connection is available for those that cannot attend in person.

• Fall Animal Sciences & Industry Professional Apparel – NOW OPEN! You can customize and purchase your items through the following link:KSU Animal Science Graduate Student Association Apparel Order. The order window will be open from October 14 through October 31. Please note that payment is required at the time of purchase. All items will arrive before finals weeks in December. 
• Cheese Box order forms are now available here –

  Please turn in all orders before November 22nd, this will give us time to ship all orders by December 6th. Cheese Box Order Form 2024[12]

UPCOMING DEFENSE

• Hilario Cordoba, “Nutritional and management strategies to optimize growth performance and carcass traits of grow-finish pigs.” – October 28, 1 p.m. in Leadership Studies Room 126.
• Firman Nasiu, “In vitro Screening of Sorghum Parent Lines for Digestibility as a Step Toward Development of Superior Sorghum Hybrids for Cattle Feeding” – November 1 at 2 p.m. in 205 Call Hall
• Max Corso, “Effects of water quality, acidification, and zinc source on growth performance of nursery and finishing pigs” – November 1 at 1 p.m. in Call Hall 205.
• Rachael Skinner, “Effects of high protein corn co-product as a replacement for soybean meal in calf starter grains.” – October 31 at 1 p.m. in 206 Call Hall

UPCOMING SEMINARS

• Dr. Meriam Saleh, Assistant Professor, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University will present: “Threat Assessment of African Swine Fever Virus Competent Tick Vectors, Ornithodoros spp., in Texas” on Thursday, October 10, at 3:30 p.m. in the Mara Center. You may also join via Zoom,  https://ksu.zoom.us/j/91407704236.

• Monogastic Seminar
  • Paula Giacomini, Wednesday, October 30 – “Strategic use of copper on nursery and grow-finishing pigs.” – Weber 111 at 12:30 p.m.
  • Jessica Smallfield, Wendesday, November 13 – “Mode of action of organic acids and impacts of performance” – Weber 111 at 12:30 p.m.
• Ruminant Nutrition, Growth, and Management Seminar
  • Stefan Knecht, Monday, October 28 – “AMP grazing: sustainable practices and environmental benefits” – Call Hall 205 at 4:30 p.m.
  • JONN Frey, Monday, November 4 – “Use of seaweed as an enteric methane mitigation strategy” – Call Hall 205 at 4:30 p.m.
• Reproductive Physiology, Breeding, and Genetics 
  • Sydney Tastad-Flax, Tuesday, October 29 at 8:30 a.m. on Call Hall 205 – “The Role of Leptin in Beef Cow Reproduction: From Metabolism in Maternity” Seminar Fall ’24 FLyer

CONSTRUCTION

• It’s an exciting time on campus. Bookmark our construction page to follow how changes are occurring around Weber and Call Halls and up by the Stout Center with the construction of the Bilbrey Family Event Center.
  https://www.asi.k-state.edu/construction.html

If you’d like your birthday added to the list, please email Stacey Chard at schard@ksu.edu.

OPEN POSITIONS:

Professor (Assistant/Associate/Full) Position(s): 

None at this time.

Congratulations to the K-State Livestock Judging Team on their recent success at the at the Buck Livestock Judging Contest.

Kansas State University: 1st-Olivia Gerloff, 2nd-Logan Buhrman, 3rd-Kyla Mennen, 4th-Emerson Tarr, 5th-Ty Knodle

Abigail Jenkins, graduate student in K-State Applied Swine Nutrition, is the 2024 recipient of the  Thaler Family Swine Nutrition Scholarship. Dr. Bob Thaler completed his PhD in swine nutrition at Kansas State University in 1988 and has spent his career in South Dakota State University. He and his wife, Karen, sponsor the scholarship yearly for a graduate student in the K-State Applied Swine Nutrition program.

GUEST SPEAKER: 

Dr. Pete Anderson, Midwest PMS, presented to ASI 661: Feedlot Systems Management, Feedlot Bootcamp and Collegiate Cattlemen’s on Thursday, October 10 at the Stanley Stout Center.

DEPARTMENT NEWS

• Animal Science Internship Forum – Come learn about internship and career path opportunities as animal science students share their 2024 internships at the Internship Forum on Wednesday, October 16 from 11:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in Weber 221 and Thursday, October 17 from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Weber 111. All faculty, staff and students are invited! A schedule can be viewed hereAnimal Sciences Internship Forum Schedule Oct 16 & 17 2024[11].
• Fall Animal Sciences & Industry Professional Apparel – NOW OPEN! You can customize and purchase your items through the following link:KSU Animal Science Graduate Student Association Apparel Order. The order window will be open from October 14 through October 31. Please note that payment is required at the time of purchase. All items will arrive before finals weeks in December.

UPCOMING DEFENSE

• Will Shaffer – Thursday, October 17 at 8:30 a.m. in Call Hall 206.

UPCOMING SEMINARS

• Dr. Meriam Saleh, Assistant Professor, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University will present: “Threat Assessment of African Swine Fever Virus Competent Tick Vectors, Ornithodoros spp., in Texas” on Thursday, October 10, at 3:30 p.m. in the Mara Center. You may also join via Zoom,  https://ksu.zoom.us/j/91407704236.

• Monogastic Seminar
  • Ty Kim, Wednesday, October 16, – “Alternative antioxidants to replace synthetic vitamin E in nursery pig diets.” – Weber 111 at 12:30 p.m.
  • Paula Giacomini, Wednesday, October 30 – “Strategic use of copper on nursery and grow-finishing pigs.” – Weber 111 at 12:30 p.m.
• Ruminant Nutrition, Growth, and Management Seminar
  • Harleigh Johnson, Monday, October 21 – “Congestive heart failure in beef cattle” – Call Hall 205 at 4:30 p.m.
  • Stefan Knecht, Monday, October 28 – “AMP grazing: sustainable practices and environmental benefits” – Call Hall 205 at 4:30 p.m.
• Reproductive Physiology, Breeding, and Genetics 
  • Muhammad Awais Ajmal, Tuesday, October 15 – “The Genetics of Cashmere Fiber Characteristics” – Call Hall 205 at 8:30 a.m.
    • Zoom link: https://ksu.zoom.us/j/95153700060?pwd=M7knTzuhuF5CM6Iwqlr42wJxhXL9zI.1 (Passcode: 247469)
• Entomology
  • Dr. Jimmy Pitzer, Research Entomologist at Arthropod-borne Animal Diseases Research Unit, Friday, October 18 at 2:30 P.M. in Waters 231
    • Zoom Link: https://ksu.zoom.us/j/91561693047?pwd=BSzQbEOqmCZbckDAbD3NlsRYdt6Ij6.1 (Passcode: ENTOM2425)
• Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences

  • Dr. Randall Singer, Professor, Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, will present, “Controlling Salmonella in Poultry Production: Challenges and Misperceptions” on Thursday, October 17^th at 3:30 p.m. in the Mara Center.

    You may also join via Zoom,  https://ksu.zoom.us/j/91407704236.

CONSTRUCTION

• It’s an exciting time on campus. Bookmark our construction page to follow how changes are occurring around Weber and Call Halls and up by the Stout Center with the construction of the Bilbrey Family Event Center.
  https://www.asi.k-state.edu/construction.html

If you’d like your birthday added to the list, please email Stacey Chard at schard@ksu.edu.

OPEN POSITIONS:

Professor (Assistant/Associate/Full) Position(s): 

The 10th Annual K-State ASI Family & Friends Reunion was hosted Saturday, October 5, at the Stanley Stout Center with more than 900 ASI family and friends in attendance. Highlights of the evening included awarding the 2024 Don L. Good Impact Award to Dr. Dell and Joyce Allen as well as a performance by the K-State marching band and the attendance of Willie the Wildcat. Huge thank you to all the faculty, staff and student help that made the evening a success.

Saturday was full of energy as fourteen future Wildcats arrived in Manhattan for the Student Edition! They spent the day exploring hands-on workshops and immersing themselves in the world of animal science. A huge thank you to our dedicated faculty and generous alumni for making this event an unforgettable experience.

Check out recaps of the evening at the links below.

Family & Friends Reunion photos, view here.

Award winner video, view here.

Full program, view here.

Student Edition photos, view here.

Recap video, view here.

World Dairy Expo Results

On  September 29^th, the KSU Dairy Judging Team competed at World Dairy Expo in the 103^rd  National Intercollegiate Dairy Cattle Judging Contest held in Madison, WI. Team members pictured (left to right) include McKenzie Metz (Washington, KS), Ella Robinson (Pittsburgh, PA), Dana Mattison (Louisburg, KS), Rileigh Ballinger (Baldwin, KS), and Coach Kelsey Pasch. The team is also coached by Billy Brown. Highlights of the day are below.

Team Results:

10^th  Team – Holstein

10^th  Team – Jersey

12^th  Team – Reasons

14^th  Team – Overall

Individual Results:

Ella Robinson – 3^rd High Individual – Jersey

Dana Mattison – 10^th High Individual – Milking Shorthorn
Rileigh Ballinger – 10^th High Individual – Red & White

The team also competed in the inaugural Practical Contest for the Intercollegiate Division while at World Dairy Expo. The team was recognized for their record perfect team score for the registered heifer pedigree portion of the contest! Check out practical contest results below.

Team Results:

1^st  Team – Registered Heifer Pedigree

3^rd  Team – Overall

3^rd  Team – Non-ID Animals
3^rd  Team – Mating Selection

Vernon County Results

The KSU Dairy Cattle Judging Team kicked off their competition season on September 15^th where they competed in the 30^th Annual Vernon County Intercollegiate Dairy Cattle Judging Contest in Viroqua, WI. Team members pictured (left to right) include Rileigh Ballinger (Baldwin, KS), Ella Robinson (Pittsburgh, PA), Dana Mattison (Louisburg, KS), and Coach Kelsey Pasch. The team is also coached by Billy Brown. Highlights of the day are below.

Team Results:

4^th Place Team – Jersey

5^th Place Team – Reasons

5^th Place Team – Brown Swiss