Speaker Topic: The Millennial Rancher: Progression in the midst of cultural change.

Jonathan Wallace grew up on the family farm in Harvest, Alabama, where he was introduced to skills that would set the foundation for his career.

Wallace accepted an offer to attend Princeton University until his path was rerouted to follow Coach John Thompson III to Georgetown University as a walk-on for the men’s basketball team. Wallace earned a full scholarship by the third game of his freshman year and started every game of his career, was part of four teams that went to the postseason (including three straight NCAA Tournament appearances), won back-to-back Big East Regular Season titles, and a Big East Tournament Championship. He set the record for 3-point makes and ranks third all-time in career starts at Georgetown.

Following his graduation, Wallace embarked on a professional career that took him from the NBA Developmental League to Slovenia, Germany, Belgium, and Africa. When Wallace returned to Georgetown, he served as special assistant to the head coach for both John Thompson III and Patrick Ewing. In 2019, he completed the executive master’s in leadership program through Gerogetown’s McDonough School of Business. He is currently in his second year as operations associate for the Denver Nuggets, where his focus involves player development, NBA draft prep, in-season trades, and organizational management.

Wallace also runs Capshaw Ridge Cattle Company, a cow-calf beef cattle operation using SimGenetics in Harvest, Alabama.

Speaker Topic:  Understanding Pulmonary Hypertension in Cattle in the Context of Arterial Pressures (PAP), Brisket Disease, and Late Term Feedlot Death.

Dr. Tim Holt graduated Veterinary School in 1988 from Colorado State University. Directly after graduating, he joined a mixed animal practice in the rural mountains of Colorado at 8,000 feet elevation in the town of Gunnison. Dr. Holt remained in this practice for the next 18 years treating any animal that came through the door. Since 1980, Dr. Holt has been measuring pulmonary arterial pressures (PAP) in the western US, and has traveled abroad doing research in the area of bovine high mountain disease and pulmonary hypertension. He has now carried out over 462,000 PAP measurements and continues to utilize this tool in evaluating the heritability of pulmonary hypertension in cattle assisting in sire selection and the development of resistant herds. In 2005, Dr. Holt moved from Gunnison to Fort Collins and joined the faculty at Colorado State University’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Currently, he teaches at CSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine  in the Livestock Medicine and Surgery Department where he incorporates the taking of PAP measurements into his teaching. Dr. Holt, in collaboration with others, continues to explore and research the many mysteries of pulmonary hypertension in cattle. One of Dr. Holt's most recent endeavors is studying and evaluating the increase in feedlot cardiac death, and potential tie between bovine high mountain disease and acute cardiac failure.

Milt Thomas, PhD
Professor and John E. Rouse Chair
Colorado State University

Speaker Topic:  Feedlot Heart Disease: What we are learning from a study funded by USDA.

Dr. Milt Thomas was raised on farms and ranches in Texas and Missouri and received animal science degrees from University of Missouri and Texas A&M University. Dr. Thomas joined Colorado State University in December of 2012 as professor and John E. Rouse Chair of Beef Cattle Breeding and Genetics in the Department of Animal Sciences. Prior to this position, Dr. Thomas worked in the Department of Animal and Range Sciences at New Mexico State University (1997–2011), where he was involved in breeding Angus, Brangus, and Brahman cattle for the Chihuahuan Desert, which was great experience to prepare for breeding Angus cattle for tolerance to high altitude in Colorado and Wyoming. 

Dr. Thomas has published over 500 professional articles as abstracts, experiment station reports, extension articles, and more. Over100 of these papers were published in peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Thomas has trained more than 30 graduate students and helped more than 30 undergraduate students with honors projects. Dr. Thomas has held several leadership positions within the American Society of Animal Sciences and also completed sabbatical studies in livestock genomics at UC–Davis and CSIRO in Australia. 

Mark Enns, PhD
Professor
Colorado State University

Speaker Topic:  PAP EPD Development and Appropriate Use.

Mark Enns grew up working on the family’s fourth- generation wheat and cattle operation in northwest Oklahoma. Those early experiences stimulated his interest in livestock and agriculture and led him to undergraduate degrees from Tabor College, and masters and doctorate degrees in animal breeding and genetics from Colorado State University (CSU). After completing his education, he worked two years in New Zealand for Landcorp Farming Ltd, the largest ranching company in the country. At Landcorp, he developed genetic improvement programs for beef cattle, deer, sheep, and goats. After his time in New Zealand, he spent four years at the University of Arizona and then joined the Department of Animal Sciences at CSU in 2001. As a professor at CSU he teaches courses at both the undergraduate and graduate level in animal breeding and genetics, and in livestock production systems; and serves as the director of the Western Center for Integrated Resource Management. His primary research focus is on beef cow adaptability/longevity and genetic improvement in susceptibility to bovine respiratory disease and pulmonary hypertension (e.g. high mountain disease and feedlot heart failure). He has special interest in using multi-trait selection and genetic improvement to better profitability of beef production.

Dr. Enns serves the beef industry through activities with the CSU Center for Genetic Evaluation of Livestock — a center that calculates EPD and performs foundational genetic evaluation research for breed associations and producer groups both nationally and internationally. In addition, he serves on the board of directors for the Beef Improvement Federation as the western region secretary.

Scott Speidel, PhD
Associate Professor
Colorado State University

Speaker Topic:  Developing a Phenotype for Feedlot Heart Disease.

Scott Speidel is an associate professor of beef cattle breeding and genetics in the Department of Animal Sciences at Colorado State University. Dr. Speidel,a native of southern California, received his undergraduate degree in animal sciences from California State University–Fresno, where he spent much of his time working with swine and dairy programs. In 2001, he completed his MS in animal sciences at the University of Arizona, specializing in diary molecular genetics. He received his PhD in breeding and genetics from Colorado State University in 2011. 

Dr. Speidel’s research interests include the development of models for genetic evaluation of efficiency and adaptability traits in beef cattle.

Alison Van Eenennaam, PhD
Cooperative Extension Specialist
University of California–Davis

Speaker Topic:  Animal Agriculture and Alternative Meats: Learning from past science communication failures.

Dr. Alison Van Eenennaam is a cooperative extension specialist in the field of animal genomics and biotechnology in the Department of Animal Science at University of California–Davis. She received a bachelor’s degree in agricultural science from the University of Melbourne in Australia, and both an MS in animal science, and a PhD in Genetics from UC–Davis. 

Her publicly funded research and outreach program focuses on the use of animal genomics and biotechnology in livestock production systems. Dr. Van Eenennaam’s current research projects include the development of genome editing approaches for cattle. She has given over 700 invited presentations to audiences globally, and uses a variety of media to inform general public audiences about science and technology. A passionate advocate of science, Dr. Van Eenennaam was the recipient of the CAST 2014 Borlaug and the ASAS 2019 Rockefeller Prentice Award in Animal Breeding and Genetics. Twitter: @BioBeef.

Tony Bryant, PhD
Director of Nutrition, Research, and Analytics
Five Rivers Cattle Feeding

Speaker Topic: Value-added Programs and Opportunities for Feeder Cattle.

Tony Bryant was born and raised in Amarillo, Texas, where he worked on the family feedlot and farm in the Texas Panhandle and the family cow-calf and stocker ranch in Oklahoma. Dr. Bryant received a BS in agribusiness from West Texas A&M University as well as an MS in ruminant nutrition jointly at West Texas A&M University and Texas Tech University. He then completed his PhD at Colorado State University in ruminant nutrition and metabolic physiology.

Dr. Bryant started at Five Rivers Cattle Feeding (previously ContiBeef) in 1998 and held various roles such as market analyst; manager of beef programs, operations analysis, and research; and staff nutritionist and manager of research. Most recently, Dr. Bryant has been the general manager of Kuner Feedlot, a 100,000-head feedyard in Kersey, Colorado, where he was responsible for operations, cattle and commodity procurement. He has recently been promoted to the position of director of nutrition, research, and analytics, in which he manages and coordinates the research function for the company conducting research trials in the area of nutrition, growth, and health. Although his role is in the private sector, Dr. Bryant has published in 13 peer-reviewed publications and over 80 internal research trial publications. He remains active in many industry organizations and advisory boards including the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Texas Cattle Feeders Association, Colorado Livestock Association, Plains Nutrition Council, Beef Industry Food Safety Council, and Boys Club.

Randie Culbertson, PhD
Lead Geneticist
ASA/IGS

Speaker Topic:  Feed Intake vs Feed Efficiency: What should we be selecting for?

Randie Culbertson is a graduate of Colorado State University, where she earned her MS and PhD in animal breeding and genetics. She accepted the position as lead geneticist for International Genetic Solutions (IGS), in November 2019.
Dr. Culbertson spent her childhood on the family’s cattle ranch in northern New Mexico. She later attended New Mexico State University where she obtained a BS in animal science. Her master’s research project examined the effect of the genetic potential for beef cattle milk production and the ability to remain in production with improved longevity (or stayability). In conjunction with her research, Dr. Culbertson was placed in charge of coordinating test schedules and data collection for CSU’s Feed Intake Unit. This work led to her interest in feed intake as a trait. As a result, her doctoral research focused on feed intake in beef cattle and specifically the implementation for genetic improvement.
In addition to her graduate work, Dr. Culbertson conducted several genetic evaluations for new and novel traits for breed associations and cattle producers. Some of the traits she worked on included heifer pregnancy, stayability, and a multi-trait analysis of pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP). The last nine months at CSU, Dr. Culbertson managed and coordinated a USDA grant project examining late feedlot death in cattle. This project studied the effects of PAP on the performance and survivability of fed steers and began to answer some questions about this growing concern.

Steve Williams
Head of Procurement
JBS USA

Steve Williams, head of cattle procurement for JBS USA, is a leading expert in the cattle feeding and buying sector of the beef industry. He has worked with Continental Grain Company feedlot out of Texhoma, Oklahoma, as well as Monfort Cattle Buyer in Guymon, Oklahoma, before joining the JBS team, where he has been for 24 years. During his time with JBS he has worn many hats, including distribution manager, and cattle buyer for facilities in Cactus, Texas; and Grand Island, Nebraska.

Randy Moody
Little Mountain Farm
Chairman of ASA Board of Trustees

Speaker Topic:  Welcome Message

Randy Moody’s Little Mountain Farm, established in 1984, is a Simmental, SimAngus^TM, and Angus seedstock operation of 60 mature females. His breeding program is exclusively by AI and ET, and utilizes cooperator herds to produce 25–30 additional ET calves annually. Females are marketed through the Genetic Connection Sale and bulls are mainly sold at the North Alabama Bull Evaluation Sale.

During his tenure on the ASA board he has also served as treasurer, two years as chairman of the Policies and Procedures Committee as well as serving as chairman of the Simbrah Committee one year. Moody has served as president of the Alabama Simmental Association and was co-chair of the Regional AJSA Classic held in Huntsville in 2008. A member of NCBA, he served as president of the Alabama Beef Cattle Improvement Association in 2009 and again in 2018. He holds a BS from the University of Montevallo and is the owner of Randy Moody Associates, a marketing company that specializes in industrial and agriculture spray pumps, controls, and hydraulics.

Wade Shafer, PhD
Executive Vice President
ASA

Speaker Topic:  Feed Intake vs Feed Efficiency: What should we be selecting for?

Wade Shafer grew up in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, on Shoestring Ranch, a small Simmental, SimAngus, and Charolais seedstock operation. Shafer completed his bachelor’s degree in animal science at North Dakota State University, followed by a master’s and doctorate in animal breeding and genetics from Colorado State University (CSU).

While at CSU, Shafer did extensive work in the area of bio-economic simulation modeling. Following his formal education, he expanded Shoestring Ranch to more than 500 cows, with cooperator herds representing another 500 cows. The ranch sold up to 200 bulls annually.

After selling his cow herd, Shafer joined the Simmental team as the director of Breed Improvement for the American Simmental Association (ASA) in 2003; in 2011, he accepted the position of ASA’s chief operations officer. Shafer now serves as executive vice president of ASA.