The Value of Undergraduate Research

Research. Where would agriculture be without it? Over the last century, agricultural research has led to gains in productivity all around the world. Whether the research is being conducted by a private sector, company, or university; there is one thing that is for certain and that is that we all have the same end goal. The goal to provide solutions for current problems farmers around the world are facing and or to prevent problems that could happen in the future.

For the last two years, I have been blessed to have the opportunity to conduct undergraduate research under the direction of Dr. Mark Bernards,  WIU Associate Professor of Agronomy, Crop Science, and Weed Control. Dr. Bernards is in charge of the Agronomy Field Lab where he conducts mainly weed science research, but also agronomic demonstrations that he will use for his classes throughout the school year.

When Dr. Bernards first approached me about assisting him in conducting a research project, I was nervous and out of my element. Little did I know, this project would be one the most valuable things I took part in during my undergraduate career.

During the first year of my project, I focused my learning on what the concept of

Allyson Rumler applying herbicides in the WIU greenhouse via spray chamber. (Credit: Zach Brewer)

research was and mainly just did everything Dr. Bernards told me to do. Year two came around and it was my turn to repeat everything on my own. It was time to take charge and take everything I had learned in the year prior and apply it.  Year two is almost coming to an end and what have I learned?

Commitment

To produce a successful research project, one must be committed. If they aren’t, there will be things left undone or forgotten about. I have learned commitment over the last two years by never giving up, even when I didn’t think that I could slice another waterhemp seed in half, when I had already sliced over 300 seeds prior, I did not give up.

Employers LOVE It

Everyone wants a stellar resume, right? Participate in undergraduate research and you will have one, I promise. When one participates in undergraduate research and actually takes charge and pride in their project, then when asked about it during a job interview, they will light up. What does this show to employers? This shows that you can get the job done. This shows that you are not afraid to do something no one has ever done before. If you can do this type of tedious work as an undergraduate, they know that you will add value to their team upon hiring you.

A New Passion

When you go to college, chances are you are going to study an area you are passionate about, or you may not, to each his own. However, one thing that I know for certain is that when you to college to study agriculture, it is truly because you have a passion for agriculture. I chose Western Illinois University because I had a passion for agriculture, little did I know I would gain another career passion while going to college. Since conducting undergraduate research in weed science, I truly have gained a passion for it. If I had not stepped out of my element, I would have never known what my true passion was.

It takes someone special to lead an undergraduate through research since most likely it is not only their first time, but a whole new learning experience. When I asked Dr. Bernards what it means to him to mentor undergraduates through research he said,

“As a professor one of my most rewarding experiences has been advising
some of my student employees on research projects at the WIU Agronomy
Farm.”

I will forever be thankful that Dr. Bernards took a chance on me, allowing me to discover who I truly was, all while conducting research to help farmers who have weeds that they cannot control.

 

About me:

My name is Allyson Rumler and I am from Canton, Illinois. I am currently a senior studying agriculture science with a minor in agronomy and I will be graduating December 2018. Here at Western, I work at the Agronomy Field Lab as well as participate in undergraduate research. I am also a senior team member on the School of Agriculture recruitment team. In my freetime I like to ride four wheelers, go for walks, and watch Grey’s Anatomy.

AGvocating through Farm Bureau

A passion for the agriculture industry is something that has been instilled in me since the day I was born. Growing up on the farm, I always had the opportunity to see cows and pigs and of course ride in all the tractors that my dad was driving. My favorite thing to do was to try and catch the day old calves and pet them. This is what really started my love for the livestock showing industry. Even though I knew it, once I was in college my eyes were opened and I actually realized there was more to agriculture than just cows, pigs, corn and soybeans. There are more people involved with agriculture than just the producer.

After this miraculous revelation, I decided to explore a little bit more into the newfound agriculture industry. As long as I have been around, my family has always been Farm Bureau members. As a little kid, I would always attend Young Farmers meetings with my parents. At that time, all I thought I was doing was playing farm with my cousin. The only other way I knew that they were Farm Bureau members was whenever we went through Dairy Queen on our way home from those meetings they would get a discount for showing their membership card. At the time, this seemed pretty minute but nowadays I will take whatever discount I can get as a college student! Since those days, I have noticed my dad and uncle’s role within the Knox County Farm Bureau and it has always interested me as to what they were actually doing besides just going to meetings all the time.

One day after class I had a missed call from my dad, so per usual I quickly called him back. What seemed like just another phone call from him at the time, actually turned into one of the greatest opportunities I’ve been asked to take in my professional career. He told me that our Farm Bureau Internship was still open for applications and suggested that I should give it a shot. I called the Farm Bureau manager to ask about the internship and to make sure my dad wasn’t just coming up with stuff. After the phone call, the internship sounded like something I would enjoy. Little did I know how great of an opportunity I was about to have! Even though I knew a little bit about the Farm Bureau, during the first couple of weeks I quickly realized that I knew next to nothing about it and how it does many things “AGvocating” for the agriculture industry.

One of the most successful programs that the Knox County Farm Bureau has for reaching out to people is Ag in the Classroom. Knox County is fortunate enough to have two Ag in the Classroom Coordinators. The coordinators have lesson plans that they are able to take into classrooms and teach kids about the importance of agriculture in their everyday lives. In order to engage the students, the lessons provide hands on activities. What better way to teach young kids than making the activity fun!

This program I found really enjoyable that was also part of Ag in the Classroom was the Summer Ag Institute. This program  was the opposite in the sense that we brought teachers to various agricultural locations and taught them how they can incorporate agriculture into their classrooms. Illinois Farm Bureau staff presented on how the teachers are eligible for different grants for agricultural books that portray agriculture in a positive way.

 

On a county level, towards the end of my internship, Knox County hosted an event called Sounds of Summer. This even was co-hosted with the Knox-Galesburg Symphony. Members of the agricultural community and members of the Symphony following were invited to come to a farm to listen to the music. Attendees were also able to experience an instrument petting zoo and make musical instruments with agricultural commodities that the Ag in the Classroom Coordinators put together. This event was a great opportunity for people that are not used to being on a farm, to come out and experience a good time.

If you have a passion for the agriculture industry, then the best thing you can do is get involved with your county Farm Bureau; no matter what your background is. Along with being a member, there are over 302,000 benefits that come with your membership. They still have the same Dairy Queen discount my parents used!

My name is Blake Hennenfent and I am currently a junior at Western Illinois University majoring in Ag Business with a minor in Animal Science. I am from Gilson, Illinois where I attended Knoxville High School. While in high school, I enjoyed playing baseball and football all while showing cattle and having a passion for the agriculture industry. Being involved with 4H and showing livestock introduced me to livestock judging, where I found one of my favorite hobbies of all time! I then went on to Black Hawk East to be on the livestock judging team, which fortunately led me here to be a proud Leatherneck.

Veterinary Feed Directive: The Answer to Consumer Concern

Veterinary Feed Directives (VFD’s) have certainly been a major topic in the livestock industry since being enacted on January 1, 2017. Any time the government takes a little more control over the agriculture sector the general masses become a little hesitant. Honestly, I do not mind VFD’s. Many people that switched away from eating meat animal protein are concerned with antibiotics and hormones in the meat, but this is the first step in proving that farmers don’t just throw antibiotics in the feed.

VFD’s are a very simple yet complex idea. In short, they are just like you or I getting a prescription for medicine when we are sick. Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine states it as “essentially the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) rule ends performance enhancement uses of feed grade antimicrobials. Some of the same products, however, are labeled for prevention or control of disease and the VFD rule places those applications under the control of a licensed veterinarian.” When you first receive your VFD the vet will establish how long it is valid for.

This new mandate may create slightly more stress on the producer because they can not readily use antibiotics in feed to prevent future issues. It will force farmers to be better managers and stewards of not only the livestock but resources as well. I also see how some producers are frustrated with this new hoop to jump through because animals can become sick. The antibiotics are then used to treat and not prevent issues potentially causing a loss in profit.

Personally I could see justifying the tradeoff of some loss of profit with the livestock to regain the skeptical consumers back to meat animal protein. Most operations have now adjusted to this mandate and are just as efficient as they were, but the public still does not know the radical change that has occurred to the products they eat every day. With better promotion of where the industry is now I truly believe some of the nervous consumers have about potential residues left in meat animal protein will dissipate.

My name is Cody Dawson from Rushville, Indiana. I am a senior pursuing a degree in Agriculture Business with a minor in Animal Science. Currently I am part of the Livestock Judging team and an active member of the Hoof’N’Club. I grew up on a small farm with row crops and 50 head of show cattle. I would like to continue my education to get a masters in ruminant nutrition to hopefully one day be employed in that field. I hope you enjoy my take on VFD’s!

Weaning and Growth of Calves

That feeling of having a heavy weight lifted from your shoulders, it’s amazing. If you can imagine it, relief from stress. Think of no exams, bills, car troubles, or anything else making you want to pull out your hair. It is often an unenjoyed feeling, but often prayed for. For beef cows, the udderly freeing moment of stress relief comes from weaning calves. Lactation is the most physically taxing time of a cow’s life. During so, her diet must be dense in nutrients. The peak lactation that puts the most stress on the cow is about 60 days postpartum according to Western Illinois University Beef Science Professor Dr. Trennepohl. A cow’s diet requirements are based on their physiological stage. Nutrients are prioritized in the following manner; maintenance, lactation, growth, and reproduction. Once calves have been weaned significantly more nutrition and energy from the the diet can be put towards maintenance and reproduction. This is beneficial as it assists in keeping the cows healthy and prepares them to gain body condition in preparation for the next calving and breeding periods.

One of the heifer calves born at Bull Test in February 2018. Photo taken myself.

Once calves are weaned you will certainly know it for a couple days. During this time the calves and cows will be vocal, sturdy fences are a necessity to keep cattle from getting back together during this time. The pen for the calves must be secure on all sides. I have had experience where the staples holding cattle panels to posts have worked themselves out and then cattle are able to escape that way. This can be problematic because unless you see them push through the panel it will spring back into place and give the appearance that nothing was ever wrong. This proves the point that it is not only good to walk your livestock at least once daily to check the health of the herd but also enclosure in which they are in. Due to this high stress period it is best to keep the calf pen/lot clean, dry, and as dust free as possible. These are all things that can further prevent more stressful issues and health implications of the calf.

Day one of weaning. All is good. Vocal cords are still highly functional except only during times of drinking and chewing. Calves are in large lot bedded with corn stalk bales, plenty of bunk space available per head and all they want to eat from a round bale. Side not this is a beautiful view when watching the sun come up. Photo taken myself.

The feed the calves will be on should be dust free and have a higher content of molasses or sweetening additives to make it more palatable/desirable to them. If financially feasible it may be beneficial to add creep feed to calves prior to weaning to help the transition from solely a forage and milk diet to one containing grains and energy concentrates as well. A typical cattle creep feed will be about 16% crude protein. Depending on the size and age of the calf they may eat between 2-6lb/hd/day .  Also provide free choice hay at all times. Hay is one of the most important feed requirements because the calves are used to grazing and foraging for nutrition alongside their mothers. As for setting up the lot, try to set up the feeders or bunks along a perimeter wall or across a portion of the pen that still allows them to eat from both sides. Cattle will walk perimeter fences so positioning feed and water there makes it easier for them to find it in their new environment.

Weaning is a high stress time for the calves and requires a lot of care and time taken to inspect the health of the calves. During this time preventable health measures, quality feed, and clean water are the best tools to keep things economically viable. Mother nature can be your biggest enemy. If the temperature fluctuates too much and there is periods of constant dampness this can be disastrous during weaning. Keeping close contact and visual of the animals is one of the most simple and yet effective ways of being a good herdsman. These measures insure good health and keep your animals an economic asset and not a liability.

About me: Hello my name is Nathan Yacks. I am a Senior at Western Illinois University. My hometown is Otter Lake, Michigan. I will be graduating May of 2019 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Agricultural Science with a dual minor in Animal Science and Agricultural Economics. I am part of the WIU Ag-vocators and a Servant Leader for Campus Students for Christ. I also work out at the University Farm with the Beef Cow herd as well as the Annual Bull Test. If you have any questions about WIU I would be glad to help answer or point you in the right direction. Thank you for your time.

 

Beef Quality Assurance in Illinois

“Empowering people…because producers can make a difference.

Taking responsibility…because it’s our job, not someone else’s.

Working together…because product safety and wholesomeness is everyone’s business.”

Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) is a program that was designed and funded by the Beef Checkoff to provide husbandry and management information to beef producers. Since its inception in the early 1990s, BQA has made a huge impact on the beef industry. The program not only teaches producers, truck drivers, and harvest facility workers how to properly handle cattle, but it gives a positive public image and provides consumer confidence in the beef industry. The certification guidelines are designed to instill consumer confidence in meat quality and trust in the industry.

Image taken from bqa.org

Although the Beef Quality Assurance program is voluntary, many companies, private farms, and events in the cattle industry are beginning to require certification. The BQA program has gained a lot of buzz in Illinois recently after Tyson Foods, the largest beef processor in Illinois, announced it will be requiring all producers that provide cattle to them to be certified starting January 1, 2019. The second part of this policy will come one year later in 2020 when all livestock haulers that deliver and unload cattle on Tyson facilities will be required to be BQA certified.

BQA isn’t just for the fed cattle segment of the industry. Many seedstock and cow calf operations are requiring workers to be certified as well. Beef quality starts at the farm and producers are embracing the program across the country. Several junior livestock shows are also requiring BQA certification to exhibit cattle.

Cattle graze a pasture in north western Illinois. Image taken from a video produced by Herdmark Media.

The certification itself is a relatively simple process. It is available both online and at certification seminars. Information on the best management practices that help improve quality and yield grades is the core of the program, but it also demonstrates a commitment to food safety and quality while providing the livestock with the proper care. Certification online is tailored to the specific segments of the industry, takes approximately 2 hours to complete, and is valid for 3 years. Resources are provided throughout the training and are available to review on the BQA website.

I have been certified for several years and encourage others to become certified as well. The program provides insightful information that helps producers stay current while improving the quality of beef in the U.S. The reputation of this industry lies in our hands. Take the time to get certified and together we can continue improving the quality of our product and the image of today’s producer.

I hope you enjoyed this blog and have a better understanding of the Beef Quality Assurance Program. For more information on Beef Quality Assurance visit the program website or contact Travis Meteer at wmeteer@gmail.com.

Hi, my name is Katie Miller. I am currently a senior at WIU majoring in Agriculture Science with an emphasis in Animal Science. I am a member of the livestock judging team, Hoof ‘n Horn club, Sigma Alpha, and several other agriculture clubs at WIU. I originate from Cambridge, Illinois, where I am involved on my family’s cattle and grain farm. Growing up raising and showing Simmental cattle opened my eyes to and sparked my passion for the cattle industry and the vast opportunities within it. I plan to continue my education in ruminant nutrition after graduating from WIU.

 

Why A Farmers Market?

Farmers markets are a great part of many communities across the country. Almost every city around home (Quincy, IL) has one or there is one not too far away. These markets are usually busy places during the market season of May through October. A wide variety of goods are sold at these markets; everything from fruits and vegetables, baked goods, goat milk soaps and lotions, fall decorations, flowers, and even doughnuts.

 

Photo Credit: Tanner Stratton

Photo Credit: Tanner Stratton

Farmers markets are an important part of a community, not just because you can buy awesome fresh produce there, but because you are supporting the local farmers and vendors that bring them to you. These are the people that work hard to give you the best quality product possible. We the farmers want to supply the best quality that we can, because it is our reputation on the line. One of the best feelings as a vendor is when you start to get repeat and regular customers every week. It is very satisfying to know that your customers like what is being sold so much that they keep coming back every week. That feeling is why I made growing produce and selling it at farmers markets my summer job through school. Growing fruits and vegetables is a hands-on and labor intensive process that requires many hours spent in the hot sun. This requirement is one thing for the home gardener with a couple plants. Now take an operation like mine for example. I have roughly three acres of garden area that is planted every year. My methods of maintaining this area usually means quite a bit of mowing, weed cultivation, and watching for potential problems like different insects and diseases that could destroy my crop. You may be asking yourself as you are reading this “why would anyone want to work this hard.” Well, like I said earlier, it all comes back to getting to talk to my customers and seeing the smiles on their faces. My friend and fellow market vendor Randy Stone sums it up pretty well, “after seeing some of the same customers year after year, they start to become like family. I talk to these people and they know about me and my family and my story behind why I do these markets. When I see them, I get to ask how their family has been and if so and so is doing better and things like that. It is nice to have that personal touch with people.”

Photo Credit: Tanner Stratton

Photo Credit: Tanner Stratton

About Me:
I am Tanner Stratton, a senior Agriculture Science student here at WIU and I will be graduating in May. I am from Quincy, Illinois and I grew up on a family farm raising corn and soybeans and growing produce. I am very active with the ag clubs on campus, as I am in Agronomy Club, CFFA, Agriculture Mechanization Club, Ag Council, and Horticulture Club.

All photos are mine.

Fill the Cab With WIU Ag

Agriculture, is more than just growing crops and conserving the land in which we grow these precious crops. Although, this a very important piece of the agriculture puzzle, there are many other pieces that complete it. These pieces of agriculture consists of educating the consumers on the products in which they are consuming, as well as taking action and being involved in the community around you.

The WIU Ag Club did just that this past Saturday, by holding a Fill the Cab Event at our local Hy-Vee. This event focused on a educating consumers on food production, while also serving the community by holding a Food Drive.

Tractor donated for the event by Painter Farm Equipment

This event had many different ways that the community could not only learn about some of the products that they purchase on a regular basis, but have a opportunity to help out the WIU Food Pantry by donating goods to Fill the Cab of the tractor. What can be more exciting than that.

Besides collecting food for the WIU Food Pantry, we also gave out a brief survey and gave out candy with Food Myths attached to them about different food products. Don’t forget the kids, for which we had agriculture related coloring books with crayons that were made from soybean products to give out to them. Our goal was to make every part of the event to be related to agriculture in some way.

Although, we received a massive amount of rain for almost the entirety of the event, we made the most of it. Hy-Vee was gracious enough to allow us to move are station inside the main door to try to weather the vast of amount of rainfall that we encountered. We were internally grateful for any chance of staying somewhat dry.  Even with the weather condition’s being less than ideal, we still had an amazing turnout of local folks that joined in on donating, as well as being willing to take part in our brief survey.

 

 

The results for the survey we conducted concluded, that 79% of shoppers were female and live within 30 minutes of Macomb. Our survey also concluded that 69% percent of shoppers look at the labels that are on their food. A very alarming statistic was also shown through this survey. This statistic is that 35% of shoppers strongly believe that there is pesticide in their food products, along with 42% of shoppers believing that their is added hormones in their meat products. This is living proof that the agriculture industry as a whole,  needs to improve how it communicates and educates the public about our products that are grown on our farms.

I had the opportunity to play a part in organizing this event, and it defiantly was a great experience. I was also able to make conversation with several folks in the community, as well as help collected several pounds of non-perishable items to donate. This event would not have been made possible without the help of my team Allyson Rumler, Avery Bennett, and Chase Taylor, as well as our many sponsors that came alongside us to help make this event possible. My hope is that this event not only help promote WIU Agriculture, but made a big impact of the community in which we live in.

 

About Me:

 

My name is Schylar Fairchild, and I am a senior at WIU. I am from La Harpe Illinois, and I am pursing a degree in Agriculture Science, with an emphasis in Agronomy and Ag Technology. I have a wide range of agriculture background and have been involved in some time of agriculture for most of my life. Thank you for taking the time to read my blog post.

 

Right Here at Home

It is one thing to recruit a student, and another to actually retain them. Western IL University School of Agriculture excels at both. The mission of the Ag Vocator team here at WIU is not only to recruit students, but to make sure once they are here, they are fully integrated into all we have to offer in the Ag Department and help them realize we really are, one big family. Every semester I, along with my fellow vocator team, have the opportunity to showcase the WIU School of Agriculture at our Ag Open House. A substantial amount of hard work, planning and determination goes into this event. To be honest though, it really doesn’t seem like work at all. It’s fun, and exciting, to plan for and share all the opportunities we have to offer in our Leatherneck family and we all look forward to meeting and answering the questions of our future Aggies!

At the open house, prospective students will learn not only about the academic side of the program, but also hear personal stories from current students and alumni which includes details about Aggie life at WIU, the connections that are made and the transition into employment after graduation. The aspect that I enjoy most about open house is that students and their family can come just to sit back and listen to what we have to offer, or they can fill out their application on the spot!  Either way, lunch is on us and we’ll waive all application fees and enter the student into a scholarship drawing! It’s a laid back atmosphere, with no pressure. No matter where you are in the college selection process, we respect that and encourage and welcome your attendance. We encourage students to bring their parents, but it is not required.

Pictured above is Dr. Baker addressing students and parents before the student panel.

This fall, the Ag Open House, sponsored by Nutrien Ag Solutions, will be held on Friday, October 5th from 9 A.M until 1 P.M. The event is free to attend and is held at the University Livestock Center located at 2265 Wigwam Hollow Road, Macomb, IL.  This event is open to the public, and high school seniors and transfer students are especially encouraged to attend! Upon arrival, prospective students will have the opportunity to learn about Ag clubs/organizations and activities, as well as visit with Admissions, Financial Aid and the Honors College at our student fair. The Ag Vocator Recruitment Team, School of Ag Director, Dr. Andrew Baker and Interim Associate Director of Undergraduate Admissions, Melissa Telles, will then welcome everyone and provide information about our signature program. We are excited to host Alumni Guest Speaker, Ryan Ricketts, from Pioneer! We will then offer a tour of our school farm and invite guests to sit in on a student panel. During the panel, current students will discuss why they chose WIU and answer questions from the audience giving insight from their own perspectives. Lunch with the faculty is then provided and allows for yet another opportunity to ask questions. To conclude the open house, a walking tour of the campus is provided to anyone interested. Did I mention Rocky will be there?!

Pictured above is alumna Mallory Espenscheid who was the guest speaker for the Ag Open House in the spring of 2018. (This picture is provided by Western Illinois University.)

Pictured above is Dr. Mark Bernards giving prospective students a tour of the school farm. (This picture is provided by Western Illinois University.)

As part of the WIU School of Agriculture, students will find their passion, education, opportunities, future, network and forever friends – all while receiving a personalized, hands on learning experience, support and assistance in a family like environment…right here at home.

You may register for our Open House by visiting Western Illinois University’s Website! Also, be sure to like our Facebook Page where you will be able to see everything we do throughout the year and keep updated on important WIU Aggie events!

About me:

My name is Kamryn Endress and I am a sophomore at WIU. I am from Stronghurst, IL, and I am pursuing a degree in Ag Business with minors in Agronomy and Ag Economics. Here at Western, I am involved in the Centennial Honors College,  Sigma Alpha Professional Agricultural Sorority where I serve as the Sisterhood Chair, Collegiate Farm Bureau serving as Treasurer, and the Ag Vocator Recruitment Team. I hope to see you at our Ag Open House next week! If you have any questions about open house, setting up a school visit with our recruitment team, or the WIU School of Ag in general, feel free to contact me at k-endress@wiu.edu. Thank you for taking time to read my blog post!