Speaker topics spanned from ration formulation and people management to milling operations and bunk management. I left the boot camp with a deeper appreciation for the men and women who ensure a profitable, consistent, and high-quality beef supply.
I am immensely grateful for the chance to learn from the brilliant minds who took time out of their busy schedules to meet with us. A Texas-sized thank you goes to West Texas A&M, the Plains Nutrition Council, and the PNC Executive Committee.
Last week, I joined 25 standout graduate students at the 2024 Feedlot Nutritionist Boot Camp, hosted by the Plains Nutrition Council at West Texas A&M. The week was packed with thought-provoking insights and stimulating discussions.
Throughout the week, we took notes, engaged with industry legends, honed invaluable skills, and gathered insights rarely found in textbooks. Experts in cattle feeding shared decades of wisdom, life lessons, hard-earned insights, and a dash of arithmetic.
Yesterday marked the end of two wks of balance trial collections! 🎉 This included 16 steers and 640 samples of feed, urine, fecal, etc. 🐂
None of this would be possible without our amazing volunteers' time and efforts! 🤝 Now onto sample processing and a third replication! 🔜
Exciting update: my metabolism pens have been upgraded to v2! 🎉
Metal has replaced the previous 2x4s, we’re providing more headroom for feed bunks, and a simplified hose-tension mechanism has been installed. 🔨
The new design is performing great for collections this week! 🙏
The @FFARFellows program hit a home run with our St. Louis trip! ⚾
Thank you, @RebeccaRddunnin, for all you've done for us. Because of you, we've grown so much as scientists!
A massive thanks to the @DanforthCenter for hosting a highly informative tour of their facilities for the @FFARFellows!
The highlight: a panel of researchers from startups, centuries-old companies, and in-between sharing their unique experiences over lunch!
The future careers of these @FFARFellows are looking bright! 🕶️☀️
I’m extremely proud to have met them, learned next to them, and grown with them—it is rare that intelligence, heart, and humility comes together as it does in these amazing scientists.
Keep it up, Fellows!
Great visit to @Bayer today with the @FFARFellows! Generous scientists shared advice for applying to industry jobs:
1) don’t doubt your qualifications, just apply
2) job options should include topics tangential to research area
3) build connections >1 yr before applying for jobs
Excited to be reunited with my fellow @FFARFellows in St. Louis next month and meet with @Bayer, @BioSTL, @DanforthCenter, and other groups to share our science and learn from their experience!
