Colorado State University Animal Sciences Professor Named Top 10 Industry Leader

A leading beef trade publication on Thursday named a faculty member in the Colorado State University Department of Animal Sciences among the region’s Top 10 Industry Leaders.

Jason Ahola, an associate professor of beef production systems, was the only Colorado professional recognized as a 2011 Top 10 Industry Leader by The Cattle Business Weekly, a leading agricultural newspaper based in Philip, S.D. The publication annually recognizes cattle professionals for their leadership.

Cattle Business Weekly cited Ahola’s work as faculty adviser to the CSU Seedstock Merchandising Team, which gives rising beef-industry professionals hands-on experience in the cattle business. Each year, the team, comprising about 10 select Animal Sciences students, prepares about 50 bulls and young cows from the CSU teaching herd for a spring sale.

Under Ahola’s guidance, the students work almost the entire academic year to ready purebred Hereford, purebred Angus and Herford-Angus crossbred cattle for the sale, which is attended by about 500 buyers.

Ahola also is one of 21 principal investigators, and one of five at CSU, to conduct the National Beef Quality Audit, which provides critical data to measure the quality and safety of U.S. beef throughout the supply chain and across the nation.

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