The Beef Podcast Show - #24 - Climate-friendly, marbled beef: where sustainability meets consumer preference

In nowaday's beef industry, producing climate-friendly beef must marry with maintaining carcass quality and value. However challenging that may be, Dr. Zach Smith – an expert in animal science – believes that it is feasible through thoughtful planning and research. In this episode, he discusses the economic and environmental benefits of limit-feeding and accuracy in cattle feed, along with the complex relationship between efficiency and marbling potential. Additionally, Dr. Smith also shares his experiences with grad school and mentorship, the importance of work ethic, and some insights on the learning process, emphasizing the importance of learning from one's mistakes and the value this has for both students and mentors.

What you’ll learn:

1.  The first steps of a research

2. Faculty roles and mentoring

3. Learning from errors in science

4. Climate-smart beef

5. Residual feed intake and marbling

6. Efficiency as a selection trait and its consequences

7. Efficiency in feedlot cattle

Meet the guest

Dr. Zach Smith

Experience

     ○ Current: Assistant Professor of Ruminant Nutrition at South Dakota State University

Background

     ○ Ph.D. (Texas Tech University)

     ○ M.Sc. (South Dakota State University)

     ○ B.Sc. (Texas Tech University)

Hobbies:  spending time with my family, riding my skateboard, raising ducks, and gardening in the summer. Also, I've been obsessed with aviation since I was a little kid.

Favorite book, movie or TV series: my favorite movie is Shawshank Redemption and my favorite series is Trailer Park Boys.

Favorite quote: "I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein

A tip for success: Do not be afraid of failure.

Connect with our guest on Social Media: Instagram