Two graduate students with Texas Tech's Department of Animal and Food Sciences ranked in the top five of research poster competitors at the Plains Nutrition Council's Spring Conference last week in San Antonio. Tech's Andrew Hosford and Tyler Harris received $1,000 scholarship awards for their academic efforts.

The focus of Hosford's research poster was, "Effects of supplemental lysine and methionine with zilpaterol hydrochloride on feedlot performance, carcass characteristics, and tenderness in finishing feedlot cattle." Separately, Harris' research poster centered on, "Interactive effects of zinc and ractopamine hydrochloride on the Î² - adrenergic receptor."

"These results speak to the quality of our graduate students and their ability to apply their research to current feedlot issues," said Brad Johnson, Texas Tech's Gordon W. Davis Regent's Chair in Meat Science and Muscle Biology. "I have no doubt these students will be significant contributors to the industry."

The Plains Nutrition Council meeting is coordinated by the Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Amarillo. In addition to the graduate student poster sessions, officials said the program reviewed some of the current research underway at other regional animal science departments.

Written by Norman Martin

CONTACT: Leslie Thompson, chairman and professor, Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Texas Tech University at 806-742-2805, ext 224 or leslie.thompson@ttu.edu

0424NM13