High Individual Overall

1. Emily Horvath
2. Catharine Koroulis
3. Curtis Doubet
4. Weston Charles
5. Lisa Reid
6. Clay Carlson
7. Jordan Kurtz
8. Morgan Hatfield
9. Kamber Carlson
10. Marissa Campbell
11. Morgan Neilson
12. Dan Sewald
13. Wyatt Taylor
14. Clint Johnson
15. Geoffrey Mills
16. Cashley Ahlberg
17. Garrett Liss
18. Taylor Eurich
19. Lindsay Bowman
20. Clay Johnson

1. Elbert A
2. Weld A
3. Routt A
4. Boulder A
5. Kit Carson A
6. Otero A
7. Rio Blanco A
8. Douglas A
9. La Plata A
10. Delta A 

The JBS Swift & Company Seminar was initiated a number of years ago to capitalize on the strong relationship already in place between the College of Agricultural Sciences at CSU and JBS Swift & Company and to create a setting among industry professionals to share and discuss some of the cutting edge research being done by graduate students in the Department of Animal Sciences.
The seminar also provides JBS Swift & Company employees and CSU faculty and students the opportunity to network and grow the relationship.

JBS Swift & Company has hosted this event since its inception at their world-wide headquarters in Greeley, providing a great learning experience for students to present in front of varied audiences and in a corporate environment. This type of learning opportunity also helps the students communicate their research results in an industry-applicable mode, which may differ from university and science-focused audiences.

A few advantages of this mutually beneficial event include exposure and potential career opportunities for Animal Sciences graduate students, new ideas and approaches for JBS Swift & Company to consider, and an ongoing opportunity for engagement between the College of Agricultural Sciences and JBS Swift & Company. The Department of Animal Sciences wishes to thank JBS Swift & Company for their continued support of its students and faculty.

The JBS Swift & Company Seminar is held once per semester, allowing multiple opportunities for graduate students to present their ongoing research discoveries. A panel of judges, consisting of both JBS Swift & Company employees and Animal Science faculty, evaluate the presentations on various criteria, then award winners with cash prizes. The graduate students taking home top honors from this spring’s seminar include the following:

Spring 2008 JBS Swift & Company Seminar Results:

1st Place – Jessica Corron
Presentation Title: Invasion attenuated strains of Listeria monocytogenes and strains from human clinical listeriosis cases survive similarly when exposed to host-and food-like conditions

2nd Place – Amy Summers
Presentation Title: The possible replication and transmission of the modified-live Equine Viral Arteritis vaccine virus to non-vaccinated animals

3rd Place – Jeremy Adler
Presentation Title: Attachment and growth of Escherichia coli O157:H7 on stainless steel as affected by nutrient level, ground beef residues and natural flora

Pictured left to right:  Ruben Flores, JBS Swift & Company; 2nd place Amy Summers; 1st place Jessica Corron; 3rd place Jeremy Adler; Katie Trybig, JBS Swift & Company; Kendra Nightingale, CSU Assistant Professor.

By Travis W. Hoffman

The beef industry, and everyone involved, has the responsibility to uphold the wholesomeness and integrity of merchandised beef products.  This week, the United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer announced the plan for a proposed rule to ban all non-ambulatory cattle from entering the U.S. food supply.  This will remove the exception currently given to injured animals that are slaughtered at federally-inspected packing facilities following a satisfactory ante-mortem inspection.  Last year, this exception was applied to less than 1,000 animals, or 0.003 % of annual beef slaughter.  The now proposed rule will no longer allow cattle with a broken leg or any other ailment making them non-ambulatory to be suitable for federally-inspected slaughter.  It is certain that USDA is enacting this strict new guideline in attempt to bolster consumer confidence in the safety of the nation’s food supply.  

Whether you are for or against this new requirement, producer responsibility will become of even greater significance to consumer acceptability of beef.  Schafer stated “This action sends a clear message to consumers in both domestic and in international markets that we will continue to uphold the highest standards to protect our food supply and deliver the highest-quality products.”  Even though this is not a food safety issue, the resulting impact on consumer perception of the beef industry is critical for the beef supply chain to acknowledge the consumer’s request for more information about their purchased food choices.  From the producer’s standpoint, further regulations will amplify the need for proper culling in beef and dairy industries.  Animal injuries are unavoidable, but we must focus on the well-being of animals and ensure that cattle sent to slaughter are healthy and will contribute to a safe food supply.  Keep in mind that our beef reaches dinner tables throughout the world, and we must take pride in OUR cattle business by doing our part to ensure beef safety, quality, and integrity in the marketplace.    

Travis W. Hoffman
Colorado Beef Quality Assurance Coordinator
Colorado State University
Dept. of Animal Sciences
Ft. Collins, CO 80523-1171
Office:  970-491-BEEF (2333)
Email:  This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

May 17, 2008

Juniors:

High Individual Overall

1. Allie Esch, Boulder
2. Samantha Trehal, Elbert
3. Cole Carnahan, Routt
4. Lonny Trehal, Elbert
5. Chase Glaser, El Paso
6. Taylor Nielson, Rio Blanco
7. Shelby Lopez, Rio Blanco
8. Kaylee Heizenrader, Elbert
9. Maclaine Shults, Rio Blanco
10. Jacob Sewald, Elbert
11. Katy Strandberg, Adams
12. Dirk Murphy, Elbert
13. Mackenzie Carnahan, Routt
14. Morgan Penner, Boulder
15. Taylor Horton, Adams
16. Wade Tope, El Paso
17. Kolby Shannon, Otero
18. Dillon Blyth, Larimer
19. Rhett Larsen, Otero
20. Rod Hall, Bent

High Team Overall

1. Elbert A
2. Elbert B
3. Routt
4. Otero A
5. Rio Blanco A
6. Larimer
7. Boulder A
8. Montrose/Del A
9. Adams A
10. Elbert C

By JAMES BELTRAN
ASSOCIATED PRESS

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — When it comes to comfort, Kirk Christie's cows have it all — a new barn, a flat-screen television and waterbeds.

That's because of the dairy farmer's philosophy that a happy cow is a productive cow. More milk means more money, so Christie doesn't mind providing the frills.

"Them cows are my girls," said Christie, who runs a farm near Slater, about 25 miles north of Des Moines. "You ask anybody, I probably think more highly of those cows than I do myself."

Christie's 23 cows spend about 18 hours a day on waterbeds he installed in November. He said the beds, durable rubber mats that lay flat on the ground and are filled with water, were popular with the animals from the beginning. They provide heat for the cows in the winter and coolness in the summer, depending on the water Christie pipes in.

The beds are covered with woods chips for extra padding to prevent friction.

"They really took to them right away," he said. "When they're laying down chewing cud, they're comfortable and happy."

Christie's cows aren't the only ones enjoying such comforts. Industry experts say waterbeds are increasingly being used in dairy farms across the country, as well as in Canada and Europe, where the idea originated more than a decade ago.

The idea is to boost milk production by making the cows more comfortable. Leo Timms, a dairy scientist at Iowa State University, estimates cows with comfortable bedding produce 6 percent more milk daily.

"There's no question, probably one of the most important things is the comfort of the surface they lay on," said Timms, who conducts research at a university dairy facility. "The overwhelming majority (of dairy farmers) understand that."

Christie estimates his cows' milk production has increased 10 percent since he installed the waterbeds. He figured a flat-screen TV couldn't hurt, either, so the cows are spending the spring snoozing in their beds and enjoying "The Oprah Winfrey Show," "Dr. Phil" and other shows.

"The nice part about it is they get used to different voices," Christie said. "A lot of people like to come in and look at my barn. When somebody different comes in and talks, the cows don't get all nervous because they're used to hearing different voices."

While Christie swears by waterbeds, most dairy farmers in the United States use other bedding methods for cows, such as mattresses or sand, industry experts said. Those methods are generally cheaper than waterbeds — which cost about $200 each — but require more upkeep, and sand can sometimes damage dairy equipment.

A study released last summer by Colorado State University found that sand and waterbeds are far more comfortable for cows than mattresses, which cause more swelling in their legs.

Temple Grandin, a professor who oversaw the project, predicted the findings would prompt more dairy farmers to invest in waterbeds, but said new dairy facilities would likely be the trailblazers.
"It's going to take time," she said. "Existing dairies just aren't going to change things overnight."

Dean Throndsen is hoping they do. He owns Advanced Comfort Technology Inc., a waterbed company in Reedsburg, Wis., that sells to dairy farms across North America and Europe.

Throndsen said business has flourished since farmers in the United States began investing in waterbeds about three years ago. He said he has lost count of sales but estimates he has sold 200,000 waterbeds.

"And demand is growing tremendously," he said.

Click here for the original AP article

BY CARI MERRILL 
This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it
MAY 16, 2008

You might think twice before biting into your sandwich at lunch today.

Prepared lunch meat can carry bacteria known as Listeria monocytogenes, even though the meat is cooked. That bacteria can grow and thrive, even at refrigerated temperatures.

And even though people with healthy immune systems don't suffer ill effects from the bacteria, the strain can be fatal for pregnant women and their fetuses.

But a rapid meat test created by an assistant professor at Colorado State University could help prevent meats contaminated with bacteria such as Listeria and salmonella from ever reaching grocery stores and, ultimately, consumers' kitchens.

The Phast Swab is Larry Goodridge's baby, a project he's worked on for 10 years.

Goodridge, an assistant professor of food microbiology, created the test for food and surfaces, looking for certain strains of bacteria that can be deadly to those with compromised immune systems and who are susceptible to food-borne illnesses, such as pregnant women, the elderly or those with cancer.

Simply swipe the swab over the meat, place it in a tube with a "broth" to help the bacteria grow and in 10 to 12 hours if the color of the broth changes, you know the meat is contaminated with bacteria.

"Some people may not have heard the announcement," Goodridge said of possible meat recalls.

"We could stop that product from ever being shipped."

The test could have a significant impact on the meat packing industry.

It was only a week ago that Palama Holdings LLC in Hawaii recalled almost 69,000 pounds of ground beef because it may have been contaminated with the potentially deadly E. coli 0157:H7, a strain of bacteria that can cause diarrhea and dehydration.

Each year in the United States, there's an estimated 76 million cases of food-borne diseases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

And while the majority of those people only experience symptoms for a few days, there are still 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths each year.

But with the Phast Swab test, massive food recalls could be prevented.

A simple 10-hour test before the meat is shipped could prevent contaminated products from ever reaching grocery stores and ending up in consumers' refrigerators.

Some current testing methods can take up to 28 hours to test for Listeria or salmonella strains.

"We wanted something that could be fast," Goodridge said.

Goodridge said for testing to be useful, it must be cost-effective and simple enough for almost any business to use.

Swift & Co. in Greeley is working on creating safer standards for its meat to reduce the risk of bacteria such as the E. coli strain and salmonella from contaminating meat.

The company's Multiple Hurdle Intervention Program is a six-step pasteurization process to help fight bacteria.

Company officials were unavailable for comment.

Goodridge is working with CSU Ventures and hopes to create a startup company to market the test.

After that, he hopes to one day have a version of the test available for home use, as well.

"The idea is to hopefully attract interest from companies who want to start this," he said.

Click here to see the original article at www.coloradoan.com

Date: June 23 through June 27, 2008

Location: Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO

Instructors: Martin Wiedmann (Cornell University), Mark Carter (Silliker Labs), Kendra Nightingale (Colorado State University) and Sarita Raengpradub (Silliker Labs)

Goal of workshop series: The overall goal of the “Molecular Methods in Food Microbiology Symposium and Workshop Series” is to address and fill-in knowledge gaps regarding molecular detection and subtyping of foodborne pathogens and spoilage organisms for industry professionals and graduate students being trained to work in the food industry.  In order to realize this goal, we have assembled an advisory committee to address the challenges the industry faces today with respect to molecular methods.

Advisory committee members:

• Tim Freier, Director, Global Food Safety Technologies, Cargill
• Paul Hall
• Scott hood, Senior Manager, Microbiology, General Mills
• Yuewei Hu, Microbiologist, General Mills
  
• Randy Huffman, Vice President Scientific Affairs, American Meat Institute Foundation 
• Keith Lampel, U.S. Food and Drug Administration 
• Jennifer Lee, Quaker Oats, PepsiCo 
• Mark Moorman, Senior Director, Food Safety and Chemistry, Kellogg Company 
• Theo Morille-Hinds, Associate Program Director of Global Manufacturing and Food Safety, Kraft Foods
  
• Bob Reinhard, Director Food Safety, Sara Lee Food and Beverage 
• Jenny Scott, Vice President Food Safety Programs, Grocery Manufacturers Association/Food Products Association 
• Les Smoot, Director, Nestle Quality Assurance Center
  

Sponsors: Silliker Labs

Program overview: This new workshop will exclusively cover the use of molecular genetics approaches used in food microbiology; antibody-based technologies (e.g., ELISA, etc.) will not covered.  The workshop will be offered annually with rotating topics; in 2008 the workshop will cover nucleic acid based detection methods with a focus on PCR-based detection and confirmation methods (including PCR, multiplex PCR assays, real-time PCR, and quantitative reverse transcriptase-based PCR assays), including DNA sequencing of PCR products.  Some coverage of other DNA-based detection methods (e.g., isothermal amplification) will also be provided.  Attendees will become familiar with commercial DNA-based detection methods (including data interpretation) as well as approaches to design custom PCR-based assays and protocols for foodborne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms.  In 2009, this workshop will focus on nucleic acid-based subtyping and characterization of food associated microorganisms.

This one-week program includes a one-and-a-half-day lecture series and symposium as well as a three-day hands-on workshop (registration limited to 30 people).  The lecture series and symposium will provide the fundamental knowledge and core concepts behind molecular detection systems and the detailed understanding required to accurately interpret results from these assays.  The hands-on workshop session will allow participants to not only become familiar with performing commercial molecular detection systems, but also allow them to learn how develop and troubleshoot of custom molecular-based detection assays.

 

To order, contact Lucy Whitehead at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it , or at 491-3969.

 
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