150 Points of Pride

The Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences has a proud and distinguished history. As part of Iowa State's sesquicentennial celebration, 150 points of pride related to the College - accomplishments, discoveries, contributions, highlights, famous and interesting people - will be posted here. These postings will coincide with 150 days of the 2007-2008 academic year, beginning Aug. 20, 2007 and ending May 2, 2008, with time off for the Thanksgiving, winter and spring breaks. Check back each Monday for five new items.

Meat Science Extension Program Ranked No. 1 in the U.S.

Meat & Poultry magazine ranked Iowa State's meat science extension program first in the nation in November 2004. The ranking is based on the quality and variety of workshops, conferences and short courses available to the industry. The magazine's editorial staff recognized Iowa State for educational offerings that "have a long history of serving the industry well," citing the 26-year-old annual Sausage and Processed Meat Short Course as an example. "Perhaps nowhere is the commitment to keeping industry managers more informed about food processing and food safety technologies more evident than at Iowa State University," said the editors in the citation.

Fast Facts: The magazine did rankings on various aspects of meat science for three years including faculty qualifications, research and number of students involved in respective programs. 2004 was the only year in which meat science extension programs were ranked.

Animal Scientist Discovers Supplement to Save Muscle

Juven, a nutritional supplement that restores and maintains muscle mass, hit the market in 1998. Developed by animal scientist Steve Nissen, the nonprescription drink mix is intended for use by people with AIDS or muscular dystrophy, the elderly and others suffering from muscle loss or "wasting." The key ingredient in Juven is HMB (beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate), a compound produced in the human body. Nissen was studying its potential as a livestock feed additive when he realized the product potential for humans. Unlike anabolic steroids or human growth hormones, which also are effective against wasting, Juven has no demonstrated side effects and costs less than other options.

Fast Fact: According to a World Health Organization report, wasting is the second-leading HIV/AIDS-related cause of death in the United States and the third-leading cause of death worldwide.

Judging Teams are a Winning Tradition

An important departmental activity has been the development of livestock, meat and dairy cattle judging teams that compete in intercollegiate contests. This activity has stimulated interest in animal science and fostered good relations between the department and the producers of purebred and commercial livestock. The first contest was held at the first International Livestock Exposition in 1900. Iowa State is the only college that has had a team competing every year in the international contest. The number of colleges and universities competing annually has varied from six, in the first few years, to more than 40 in more recent contests.

Fast Fact: In 2007 the Dairy Judging Team won first place in the Sixth Annual North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge. The Animal Science Team also won the National Beef Bowl Championship.

First university to build and operate a linear accelerator facility

Iowa State became the first university to build and operate a linear accelerator in 1993. The electron beam linear accelerator machine is used for food irradiation research and demonstrations. Researchers study the amount of irradiation needed to extend food shelf-life, reduce spoilage organisms and eliminate pathogenic bacteria, parasites and viruses in foods. Accelerators work on the same principle as a television tube, instead of being widely dispersed and hitting a phosphorescent screen at low energy levels, the electrons are concentrated and accelerated to 99 percent of the speed of light. This produces rapid reactions in the molecules in a product. A cart system moves the products at a predetermined speed to obtain the desired dosage.

Fast Fact: Iowa State has a cooperative agreement with Texas A&M, the only other university with a linear accelerator, to share information and research.

Swine Breeding Research Farm Opened in 1937

The swine breeding research farm was opened in 1937 with the purchase of 342 acres south of Ames. The federal Swine Breeding Laboratory was established at about the same time with regional headquarters at Iowa State College. In 1960, Iowa State started a major project in cooperation with the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission on the effects of radiation on swine at the Bilsland Farm near Madrid. In the 1970s, swine breeding and genetics research was moved to the Bilsland Memorial Farm near Madrid, the farm was a gift from the Bilsland family in 1959. During the 1980s, the Bilsland Swine Farm became the home of several swine breeds that Iowa State imported from China for research purposes. The farm was renamed the Lauren Christian Swine Research Center in May 2007 after the late Lauren Christian, a Charles F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor of Agriculture in animal science and faculty member for 33 years. Researchers at the farm study swine breeding, genetics, management, behavior, physiology and meat quality.

Fast Fact:A Swine Teaching Farm and a Swine Nutrition Research Farm provide educational facilities for students and faculty and research results for Iowa hog producers.

*Some historic photographs courtesy of the University Archives.

150 Points of Pride Archives