Agricultural News
New OSU Animal Science Department Chair Sees Future Challenges, Opportunities
Fri, 05 Oct 2012 14:07:19 CDT
Dr. Clint Rusk, new head of the animal science department of Oklahoma State University spent a day at the Tulsa State Fair working with-what else--animals. He began early in the morning working in the sheep show ring and then moved over and assisted with the swine show. By the end of the day he was helping with the steer show. Radio Oklahoma Network Farm Director Ron Hays asked Rusk about his impressions of the events.
"I had an opportunity to judge at the OYE, had not judged here at Tulsa, but was very impressed with the numbers and quality today both of the livestock and the young people."
These type of events are very popular with Oklahomans with some even going out of state to attend livestock competitions. Rusk says competitors get a lot out of making the effort. In 13 years at Purdue University, Rusk says "it really hit home to me the number of life skills these young people develop in and through their livestock projects. In fact, I did some research on that with graduate students while I was at Purdue. And there are a number of skills, you know: the responsibility of raising an animal, that appreciation for life that is developed, and just the overall leadership as those young people grow through the project and continue to feed animals. I just think there's an awful lot that when they put those life skills on a wheel, there's skills all the way around the wheel that these young people develop."
He says that competitors at shows like the Tulsa State Fair know the competition will be fierce. He says young people learn how to both win and lose gracefully when the competition is so keen.
"You don't necessarily have to win to come out a winner. And there is so much to be gained just by being involved in those projects and getting to compete here. And to be able to have an animal that can even come here and stand in the class and be competitive, those young people are going to gain tremendous skills. You don't even have to have the best one to come out of it with skills that are going to be with you the rest of your life."
Rusk, a native of Kansas, says there are a number of things that attracted him to Oklahoma State University and the position he now holds.
"I think this department has probably produced more folks who have had their portrait hung in the Saddle and Sirloin Club in Louisville at the North American than any other department in the country that I know of. So I'm impressed by the alumni, I'm impressed by the heritage and the tradition of excellence. And, so, to be part of that, to me, is just a humbling experience and that's what attracted me to come here."
Rusk says he appreciates the magnitude of the challenge he's facing not only in educating Oklahoma students, but students from across the country. He heads the largest department on campus serving almost 900 students from 40 different states.
He's been on the job for just over three months and said he has spent a lot of time getting to know the faculty and staff. He said it will probably take at least a year before he has a full grasp of priorities for the department and enhancements that can be made. That's not to say there aren't immediate concerns that have grabbed his attention.
"The challenge right now with the high cost of feed and grain is just trying to maintain our livestock. You look around the country at other universities similar to Oklahoma State in terms of land grant schools and some of them have decided to focus on one or two or maybe three species. We're still trying to maintain a presence in several species. And just simply the cost of maintaining those animals is going to be a challenge this year.
"But I'm hoping we've already made some plans and we're looking at budgets and planning and figure out how we can basically survive during the next year and continue to teach and do the research and all those things that we want to do and have done well for so long. We don't want to lose those. As a department head, I don't want to be that department that has to trim down to just one or two species. I think it's important that we maintain presence in a lot of species because we are training young people who have a lot of varied interests."
Rusk says another immediate challenge is the declining cow herds in Oklahoma due to the drought. He says it's difficult to convince producers to keep back more replacement heifers and grow their herds in the face of skyrocketing feed and forage prices.
"I think it's important that they hang on. As you look around the country those beef cattle numbers are going down. Those feeders still need more cattle to feed. Those who survive are going to be in the driver's seat. I think for beef cattle, the future is great for those who can hang on and survive."
Dr. Rusk has a lot more to say about the future of the cattle industry and Oklahoma State's role in shaping that future. Click on the LISTEN BAR below to hear the full interview.
Ron Hays talks with Dr. Clint Rusk about the OSU animal science department.
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