OKState Animal & Food Sciences

08/20/2026

The next series of the Rancher's Thursday Lunchtime Series begins Thursday, Aug. 27. This series will focus on emerging livestock diseases and pests.

Join the beef cattle Extension team, experienced ranchers and scientists to learn and share beef cattle production, management and marketing tips. This free webinar series will focus on animal health challenges facing the livestock industry, New World screwworm, bovine theileriosis and pasture mealybug.

Registration 🔗: https://okstate-edu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_MKvQ_mVUQrWkLT9iWtR7Xg #/registration

For More Information: https://extension.okstate.edu/programs/beef-extension

08/11/2026

The inaugural Cows & Code is currently underway! This intensive, hands-on data analytics summer school is a collaboration between Oklahoma State University and CQUniversity Australia. This program trains livestock researchers and graduate students in smart farming, sensor data, and analytics.

07/21/2026

Bringing together international expertise in agriculture and data science.

It's always great to welcome international researchers to CQUniversity! 🌏🐄

Last week, we were delighted to host Megan Weil, a Master's student from Oklahoma State University, who is visiting Australia on an Scholarship.

Megan is exploring how virtual fencing technology could be used on a Central Queensland property and took the opportunity to spend time with our livestock research team while she was here.

Having previously worked with Professor Mark Trotter during his visit to Oklahoma last year, Megan is now part of Professor Ryan Reuter's lab at Oklahoma State University. Professor Reuter is a CQUniversity Adjunct and Fulbright Scholar, whose team is leading innovative research into ranch automation using digital technologies and robotics.

Megan has been doing her masters on mixed species (cattle and sheep) virtual fencing and exploring how this technology might be used to optimise grazing of these potentially synergistic production animals.

Megan's research focuses on virtual fencing for mixed livestock systems, investigating how cattle and sheep can be managed together to improve grazing outcomes.

During her visit, Megan learnt more about the exciting livestock research underway at CQUniversity, including seeing our new smart ear tags being deployed with bulls at Belmont Research Station.

We're proud to collaborate with researchers from around the world to help shape the future of livestock production and look forward to welcoming Professor Reuter back to Rockhampton for Beef Australia next year.

07/09/2026

Well-deserved recognition. Congrats, Dr. Mafi!

Join us in congratulating Dr. Gretchen Mafi on being recognized by the American Meat Science Association!

Dr. Mafi, professor in the Department of OKState Animal & Food Sciences, has made a lasting impact through her dedication to teaching, mentoring students and advancing the field of meat science. We are proud to celebrate her well-deserved recognition and grateful for all she does for the Ferguson College and our students. 🧡

Read more here: https://okla.st/4vNjtqd

06/29/2026

Dr. Adel Pezeshki, associate professor in Oklahoma State AFS, is a 2026 recipient of the Excellence in Graduate Student Advising and Mentoring Award.

06/24/2026

After nearly 17 years of dedicated service to the Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Dr. Dan Stein will retire on July 10th. Please join us as we honor his many contributions and celebrate the beginning of this exciting new chapter.

A retirement celebration will be held at noon on Friday, July 10, 2026, at Totusek Arena. Please RSVP using the link below:
https://okstatecasnr.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_721QdJvVoVKEhL0

06/12/2026

Inspect. Protect. Report.
New World screwworm has been detected in Texas, but not in Oklahoma. Knowing the signs and reporting concerns quickly can help protect livestock, pets and wildlife across the state.
Awareness is one of the best tools we have.
Find New World screwworm resources and educational materials from OSU Extension.
🔗: screwworm.okstate.edu

06/05/2026

Several AFS faculty, students and extension specialists, were a part of the 2026 Payne County Pasture Tour. Participants spent the day exploring practical pasture management strategies, cattle efficiency research, forage improvement techniques, prescribed fire and herbicide integration, and emerging drone technology for woody plant control. The tour also featured hands-on learning opportunities, including plant identification and livestock producer contests, along with valuable networking among producers, landowners and agricultural professionals. Featured in the photos are the OSU North and South Range Cow Research Centers. Mike Major, OSU South Range Herd manager teaching about integrating fire and herbicides for pasture and w**d management. Mariana Garcia OSU Postdoctoral Fellow and Earl Ward, Northeast Area Livestock Specialist discussing Cow Efficiency, and Jay Edens, North Range Herd Manager and Greg Perdue, Assistant North Range Herd Manager discussing strategies to reclaim bermuda pastures.

📷 Courtesy of Payne County Extension

06/05/2026

Congratulations to Madilyn Brummer who won third in the BIF graduate oral competition this week. The “Shark Tank” Competition consisted of students writing a one-page summary of a new idea that would benefit the beef industry. From there, the proposals were screened to the top five which were invited to present their idea in front of the BIF attendees. Her topic was Bovi-Vision: Advancing Beef Cattle Evaluation Through Automated Identification and Structural Function Quantification. Madilyn is currently doing research under Dr. David Lalman at Oklahoma State Animal and Food Sciences.

05/07/2026

Congratulations to our graduates! We are proud of you and wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors. 🧡👏