News for the College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences

CApril 2016

UTM Beef Break 2016By Dr. Emalee Buttrey

Spring break proved to be quite memorable for several AGN students and faculty members, but not for the reasons typically associated with a college spring break.

There were no white sandy beaches with miles of clear blue water and certainly no bikinis and flip-flops. Instead, there were oceans of winter wheat fields, windmills, and cattle as far as the eye could see and button-downs, boots, and jeans were the standard attire.

Students enrolled in ANSC 413: Stocker and Feedlot

Cattle Production, members of the Student Cattlemen’s Association, faculty and staff members Brad Buttrey, Dr. Emalee Buttrey, Dr. Ross Pruitt, and Mike Pierce, plus recent AGN graduate Derek Giffin and Houston County stocker producer Chris Pitts set out for the High Plains of Oklahoma and Texas on March 4 for a 7-day, 2,500 mile round-trip tour of the cattle and agriculture industry. In Stillwater and Marshall, Oklahoma, the group learned about the unique role 5 million acres

Bikinis and beaches? Nope – boots and beef!

Pictured at West Texas A&M University’s Nance Ranch research feedlot in Canyon, Texas, the UTM group learned about feedlot research and saw cloned animals on feed.

See Break, page 2

CAAS Correspondent • April 2016 • Page 2

Break (from page 1)of Oklahoma wheat pasture play in the beef industry and how Duff Cattle Company in Hobart is marketing their beef to Whole Foods. The group also enjoyed a delicious steak dinner at the famed Cattlemen’s Café in the Stockyard area of Oklahoma City.

Hereford, Texas, the “Beef Capital of the World,” provided a variety of tours, including a 1,280-acre irrigated hay farm, a 120,000 dairy calf grow yard with nearly 65,000 calves in hutches, the Hereford veterinary and embryo transfer clinic, the North Star Dairy where 6,000 cows are milked two to three times daily, and lunch with 2 Bar Angus owners Steve and Laura Knoll and other local cattle producers and farmers.

One of the group’s favorite stops was the Tyson Fresh

Meats facility in Amarillo, where over 4,000 head of cattle are harvested every day. Other highlights of the trip included visits to USDA-ARS and West Texas A&M University research facilities, Cargill Sweet Bran, Wrangler Feedyard, Beck Cowboy Boots, and Palo Duro Canyon State Park, the nation’s second-largest canyon.

Because of the generosity of many donors and supporters throughout the state, the students were able to participate in this once-in-a-lifetime experience for less than $400 out of their own (or their parents’) pockets. For more pictures and details about the trip, please visit the group’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/UTMBeef2016, #utmbeefbreak.

The UTM group toured

Cargill’s Sweet Bran facility in Bovina, Texas.Sweet Bran is

a branded feed ingredient that

is the byproduct of the wet corn

milling industry.

Dairy heifers at the Lonestar Calf Ranch in Hereford, Texas, are eating, growing, and waiting to be artificially inseminated before going back to their “home” dairy.

CAAS Correspondent •April 2016 • Page 3

Dr. Sue Byrd retiring

Department of Family and Consumer Sciences

Front row, from left:Leanne Snider, Dr. Sue Byrd, Dr. Lisa LeBleu

Back row, from left:Lori Littleton, Amy

Richardson, Brian Carroll, Dr. Keith Dooley

Reception2-4 p.m.

Wednesday, May 4,Tennessee Room,Holland McCombs

Center

CAAS Correspondent •April 2016 • Page 4

To Dr. Sue Byrd from the College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences: Thank you for your international work, fashion tours, work with the American Associationof University Women, University of Tennessee Extension roots and all you have given to UTM the past 28 years . We are so grateful for your dedication.

You willbe missed!

Happyretirement!

CAAS Correspondent • April 2016 • Page 5

The next edition of the CAAS newsletter will be distributed

in Fall 2016.• Dr. Emalee Buttrey is offering a new course, ANSC 413, Stocker and Feedlot Cattle Production. It is very hands-on and labor-intensive.

News brief

The College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences has truly become a family affair with three couples working within the department.

The Buttreys, the Darrochs and the Mehlhorns work alongside one another as they invest in students.

Dr. Sandy Mehlhorn, assistant professor of Agricultural Engineering, said her favorite part about working with her spouse was getting to see him more throughout the day. She was not concerned about working with her husband because they work in two different fields. Dr. Joey Mehlhorn, Gilbert Parker Chair of Excellence and professor of Agricultural Economics, came to UTM first so she had no reservations about working here.

When asked what the most challenging part about working with her spouse is, she said, “Sometimes when you go home, the discussion is about work.”

Their children feel like UTM is their second home. They know their way around campus and are considering attending in the future.

Brad Buttrey, Animal Science lab intructor, enjoys getting to work with Dr. Emalee Buttrey, assistant professor of Animal Science, to help students. He told everyone she was the smarter one to avoid any intimidation. Their children love visiting campus and spending time on the farm.

Dr. Barbara Darroch, assistant professor of Plant and Soil Sciences, likes being able to ask Dr. Craig Darroch, professor of Animal Science, advice about work when preparing lectures. She says it is very convenient and easy to coordinate life by having their offices next to each other. Both of them being employed at UTM becomes difficult only when they become busy at the same time.

The benefits far outweigh the challenges for these three couples. The College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences thanks them for their dedication to the University of Tennessee at Martin.

Couples thanked for dedication to UTM

Have a wonderful summer!

Emalee Buttrey Brad Buttrey

Barbara Darroch Craig Darroch

Sandy Melhorn Joey Melhorn