Second Place Honors for Two Students at ASAS Competition

Photo Submitted

Taylor Drane and Brandon Smith after the awards presentation at ASAS Southern Section.

Two University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Department of Animal Science students recently earned high honors in student competition. Brandon Smith, a master's candidate, and Taylor Drane, a senior, both competed in the American Society of Animal Science’s graduate and undergraduate competitions. Both Smith and Drane earned second place honors.

Held during the ASAS Southern Section annual meeting, in Dallas; the student competition gives each competitor 15 minutes to make their presentation, and allow time for questions from the audience and the judges. Judging is based on how well the competitor presents the information, how knowledgeable they seem about the topic, and how they answer the questions presented to them, among other criteria.

A total of nine abstracts were presented in the undergraduate competition, Drane’s presentation was titled "Magnesium bioavailability from dolomitic using ram lambs." Her advisers are Ken Coffey and James Caldwell (Lincoln University).

While Smith presented "Production, digestion and ruminal fermentation by beef cattle limit-fed co-product feedstuffs." There were 28 abstracts presented during the graduate competition. Smith’s graduate adviser is also Coffey.