Iowa State Professor Joins the Ranks of Top Animal Scientists

AMES, Iowa ­— Don Beitz received the Frank Barron Morrison Award in July at the American Society of Animal Science (ASAS) conference in Denver. Beitz, an Iowa State Charles F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor, received the honor for outstanding research that is important in livestock production. Beitz is a professor in both the animal science and the biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology department. During the last 10 years, Beitz's research has focused on a variety of nutritional biochemistry topics such as vitamin D3 and how it relates to beef tenderness and animal health. He and his colleagues were the first to show that vitamin D3 supplements before harvest improved beef tenderness. He also evaluated the effects of animal protein, fats, vitamin D, calcium and a probiotic on plasma and tissue cholesterol. Recently, he studied the variation of fatty acid composition in beef and milk. This work has shown that selection of animals on the basis of fatty acid composition will result in production of healthier beef and milk for human consumption. The award was established by Mr. and Mrs. Frank Barron Morrison to annually honor an ASAS member for outstanding research important to livestock production. He is the seventh Iowa State professor to receive the honor. Jay Lush, an Iowa State animal science professor, was the first to receive it in 1946. Other Iowa State animal science awardees include: Lanoy Hazel,1960; Wise Burroughs, 1966; Norman Jacobson, 1970; Gene Freeman, 2000; and Lloyd Anderson, 2007.