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In April, 1901, the Missouri Legislature approved the establishment of a department of dairy husbandry at the University of Missouri. C.H. Eckles, a founding member of ADSA, was chosen as the first department head. Eckles emphasized research, teaching, and extension education under his direction. In 1930, he was named one of 'The Ten Master Minds of Dairying'. Early research focused on high producing cows and increasing appetite as well as studies on butter composition. In 1927, C.W. Turner began research that focused on the endocrinology of milk secretion. His work was instrumental in understanding mammary gland anatomy and function. In 1928, Samuel Brody began his research on the growth and development of domestic animals. He authored the classic book, 'Bioenergetics and Growth'. In 1936, H.A. Herman began pioneer work with artificial insemination and the physical and biochemical characteristics of semen. From 1958-79, John Campbell initiated research focusing on the nutritional quality and potential of whey and waste paper. In 1975, Campbell and R.T. Marshall coauthored the book, 'The Science of Providing Milk for Man'. In the 60s and 70s F. Martz conducted research on forage quality. Nutritional studies continued with R. Belyea and his work on the nutritive quality of byproduct feeds. Using lower cost, byproduct feeds in dairy diets was an economical boost to the dairy industry. In the 1980s and 90s, A. Garverick explored the reproductive biology of cystic ovaries in dairy cattle. He later studied gene expression during the wave of follicular development. In 1990, J. Spain joined the faculty and developed the 100 day Contract management concept for cows during the transition period. In 1993, M.C. Lucy began his work at MU and has focused his research on the decline of fertility in dairy cattle, focusing on nutrient partitioning mechanisms and their interactions on the reproductive axis. Today, the Commercial Agriculture and Dairy Extension Programs continue to aid the local dairy industry with projects such as the Dairy Heifer Plan and a web site entitled, Missouri Dairymen's Resource Guide. Today, the University still follows Eckles' original vision to meet the needs of the industry through teaching, research and extension while emphasizing a sound scientific approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The achievement of education in rural populations was one of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), outlined by the United Nations. During the last World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), it was concluded that the majority of the world's poor, illiterate and undernourished population lives in rural areas; therefore, access to education is considered one of the greatest challenges for governments in countries with developing economies. The purpose of this study was to determine how a theoretical-practical training program in rural management and leadership (D-ML), artificial insemination (DAI), and bovine genetic improvement (D-GI) affected the perception and level of knowledge in a rural population affected by Colombia's armed conflict. Phase 1 included the theoretical and practical training of undergraduate animal sciences students in three dimensions (D-ML, D-AI, D-GI). After training, students were evaluated according to their level of theoretical-practical knowledge and their behavioral performance. There were 13 students selected to be a part of what we went on to call "the group of student leaders." Phase 2 included the socioeconomic characterization and training of rural residents by the group of student leaders and field experts in the same three dimensions (D-ML, D-AI, D-GI). We evaluated the perception and level of knowledge before and after training in 63 rural residents using an evaluative instrument. The perception of knowledge in rural residents was low for general knowledge (GTD) (2.48 ± 0.76, p < 0.05), D-ML (2.89±1.18, p < 0.05) and D-AI/D-GI (2.17±0.83, p < 0.05), in accordance with the 5-point Likert-type ordinal scale. When level of knowledge was measured before the theorical-practical training, the level of GTD was 45.9%, however, after the training it increased to 77.6% (p<0.01), while the level of knowledge for D-AI increased from 38.5% pre-training to 80.6% (p <0.05) post-training, and level of knowledge for D-GI pre-training was 50.8% and increased to 73.0% (p<0.01) post-training. Finally, the level of knowledge for D-ML increased (p<0.01) from 54.8% pre-training to 75% post-training. Altogether, rural extension programs contribute to closing knowledge gaps in relation to the use of reproductive biotechnologies and bovine management in rural areas affected by armed conflict. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is about cows in Colombia, the practices that make them different. Although our main concern is not the difference among breeds, we pay crucial attention to the word breed which, in its exclusive animal-use, does not exist in Spanish. Its translation becomes raza, a word that is also used to classify humans and therefore easily translates into English as 'race'. Maintaining these differences in analytical sight, we follow the practices that make res and ejemplar – two types of bovines. Untranslatable to English, res refers to an ordinary cow or bull; the second one indicates an exemplary bovine, even a prized one. The practices that make these animals are different. We explain how making res does not meet the requirements of breed, while making ejemplar does; consequently, while the latter has breed, a res has a slippery raza, one that, difficult to pin down, transgresses the firmness of breeds. Thus, raza can be different from breed, and surprisingly, it is also different from 'race' in English: the slippery quality of raza also surfaces when talking about people, at least in Colombia and Peru, the countries of origin of the authors of this article. If classified, their raza may shift from 'white' to 'mestizo' (not white) depending on the eyes of the beholder – like res ! [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]