Brandon Smith

EDUCATION

• 2017 – Ph.D., Agronomy, Texas A&M University
• 2014 – M.S., Animal Science, University of Arkansas
• 2012 – B.S., Animal Sciences, Auburn University
• 2012 – B.S., Agronomy & Soils, Auburn University

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

• 2021-present – Assistant Professor of Ruminant Nutrition in Forage Systems, Department of Animal Sciences, Auburn University
• 2017-2021 – Assistant Professor of Animal Science, Department of Animal Science and Veterinary Technology, Tarleton State University
• 2014-2017 – Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Texas A&M University
• 2012-2014 – Graduate Assistant, Department of Animal Science, University of Arkansas

HONORS AND AWARDS

• 2021 – Distinguished Young Educator, Non-Land Grant Agriculture and Renewable Resources Universities, Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities
• 2021 – Outstanding Early Career Animal Scientist in Education, Southern Section, American Society of Animal Science
• 2021 – Educator Award, North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture
• 2020 – Outstanding Junior Faculty (college- and university-level), Tarleton State University
• 2019 – Outstanding Junior Faculty (college-level), College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Tarleton State University
• 2017 – Emerging Scholar, Southern Section, American Society of Animal Science

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

• American Forage and Grassland Council
• American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists
• American Society of Agronomy
• American Society of Animal Science
• American Statistical Association
• Crop Science Society of America
• North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture

My research focus relates to the characterization and improvement of ruminal processes and efficiency in forage systems. More specifically, I am looking to describe the chemical properties of the rumen, as well as the kinetics of enzymes and digestion, under conditions of forage systems common to the southeastern United States. My program is a marriage of basic ruminant nutrition with applied beef production, working closely with the Beef Systems and Forage Focus teams to answer the questions of “why” we see certain phenomena in production systems so that we may better serve the beef producers of Alabama.

• ANSC 3420 – Applied Animal Feeding and Nutrition
• CSES 5500/6500 – Forage Production and Utilization

• Carrell, R. C., W. B. Smith, L. A. Kinman, V. R. G. Mercadante, N. W. Dias, and D. A. Roper. 2021. Cattle stress and pregnancy responses when imposing different restraint methods for conducting fixed time artificial insemination. Anim. Reprod. Sci. 225:106672. doi: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2020.106672
• Smith, W. B. 2021. Attitudes toward community service using a targeted term project in a beef production course. NACTA J. 64:4-11.
• Smith, W. B., J. P. Banta, J. L. Foster, L. A. Redmon, T. J. Machado, L. O. Tedeschi, and F. M. Rouquette, Jr. 2021. Effect of dried distillers grains with solubles supplementation of steers grazing ‘Coastal’ bermudagrass on performance on-pasture and in-feedlot, and carcass characteristics. Appl. Anim. Sci. 37:155-165. doi: 10.15232/aas.2020-02120.
• Smith, W. B., M. L. Galyean, R. L. Kallenbach, P. L. Greenwood, and E. J. Scholljegerdes. 2021. Board-invited review: Understanding intake on pastures: How, why, and a way forward. J. Anim. Sci. 99:skab062. doi: 10.1093/jas/skab062.
• Norris, A. B., and W. B. Smith. 2020. Farming characteristics and manure management of small ruminant and cervid livestock. In: H. M. Waldrip, P. H. Pagliari, and Z. He, (eds.), Animal manure: Production, characteristics, environmental concerns and management. ASA, CSSA, SSSA Books, Madison, WI. p. 129-144. doi: 10.2134/asaspecpub67.c7.
• Smith, W. B., J. P. Banta, J. L. Foster, L. A. Redmon, T. J. Machado, L. O. Tedeschi, and F. M. Rouquette, Jr. 2020. Evaluation of growth performance and carcass characteristics of beef stocker cattle grazing Tifton 85 bermudagrass supplemented with dried distillers grains with solubles then finished in the feedlot. Appl. Anim. Sci. 36:308-319. doi: 10.15232/aas.2019-01907.
• Smith, W. B., M. D. Miller, W. L. Crossland, T. R. Callaway, L. O. Tedeschi, F. M. Rouquette, Jr. 2020. In vitro gas production including methane from bermudagrasses supplemented with dried distillers grains with solubles. Appl. Anim. Sci. 36:172-182. doi:10.15232/aas.2019-01916.
• Smith, W. B., M. Wilson, and P. Pagliari. 2020. Organomineral fertilizers and their application to field crops. In: H. M. Waldrip, P. H. Pagliari, and Z. He, (eds.), Animal manure: Production, characteristics, environmental concerns and management. ASA, CSSA, SSSA Books, Madison, WI. p. 229-243. doi: 10.2134/asaspecpub67.c18.
• Szemplinski, K. L., A. Thompson, N. Cherry, K. Guay, W. B. Smith, J. Brady, and T. Jones. 2020. Transporting and exercising unconditioned horses: Effects on microflora populations. J. Equine Veter. Med. doi: 10.1016/j.jevs.2020.102988.
• Talsma, B., K. L. Vincent, W. B. Smith, J. L. Speshock, J. Waddell, D. Snyder, N. W. Dias, V. R. G. Mercadante, T. Jones, and D. A. Roper. 2020. Progesterone release and incidence of bacteria sterilization and reuse of controlled internal drug release devices (CIDRs). Bovine Practitioner 54:130-135. doi: 10.21423/bovine-vol54no2p130-135.
• Vanotti, M. B., M. C. Garcia-Gonzalez, A. A. Szogi, J. H. Harrison, W. B. Smith, and R. Moral. 2020. Removing and recovering nitrogen and phosphorus from animal manure. In: H. M. Waldrip, P. H. Pagliari, and Z. He, (eds.), Animal manure: Production, characteristics, environmental concerns and management. ASA, CSSA, SSSA Books, Madison, WI. p. 275-321. doi: 10.2134/asaspecpub67.c22.
• Clark, J. K., K. P. Coffey, W. K. Coblentz, B. C. Shanks, J. D. Caldwell, R. E. Muck, D. Philipp, M. A. Borchardt, R. T. Rhein, W. E. Joleka, E. A. Backes, M. G. Bertram, and W. B. Smith. 2018. Voluntary intake and digestibility by sheep of alfalfa ensiled at different moisture concentrations following fertilization with dairy slurry. J. Anim. Sci. 96:964-974.
• Hairgrove, T. B., S. M. Rogers, W. M. Cook, C. M. Budke, and W. B. Smith. 2018. Review of epizootic hemorrhagic disease in cattle and a study defining seroprevalence of epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus serotype 2 in Texas cattle. Bovine Practitioner 52:10-15. doi: 10.21423/bovine-vol52no1p10-15.
• Roper, D. A., F. N. Schrick, J. L. Edwards, F. M. Hopkins, T. M. Prado, J. B. Wilkerson, A. M. Saxton, C. D. Young, and W. B. Smith. 2018. Bovine reproduction tract pH and temperature influences upon embryo transfer pregnancy rates. Anim. Reprod. Sci. 199:79-83.
• Crossland, W. L., L. O. Tedeschi, T. R. Callaway, M. D. Miller, W. B. Smith, and M. Cravey. 2017. Effects of rotating antibiotic and ionophore feed additives on volatile fatty acid production, potential for methane production, and microbial populations of steers consuming a moderate-forage diet. J. Anim. Sci. 95:4554-4567. doi: 10.2527/jas2017.1665.
• Smith, W. B., K. P. Coffey, R. T. Rhein, E. B. Kegley, D. Philipp, J. G. Powell, J. D. Caldwell, and A. N. Young. 2017. Feeding distillers’ grains, soybean hulls or a mixture of both to cows as a forage replacement: Effect on intake, digestibility, and ruminal fermentation characteristics. J. Anim. Sci. 95:3666-3675. doi: 10.2527/jas.2017.1379.
• Smith, W. B., K. P. Coffey, J. D. Tucker, D. S. Hubbell, III, E. B. Kegley, D. Philipp, J. D. Caldwell, and A. N. Young. 2017. Using soybean hulls to meet dietary energy requirements of gestating cows having restricted access to poor-quality hay. Prof. Anim. Sci. 33:101-107. doi: 10.15232/pas.2016-01553.
• Smith, W. B., J. L. Foster, K. C. McCuistion, L. O. Tedeschi, and F. M. Rouquette, Jr. 2017. In situ degradation patterns of ‘Tifton 85′ bermudagrass with dried distillers’ grains supplementation. Crop Sci. 57:1-11. doi: 10.2135/cropsci2016.12.0981.
• Smith, W. B., T. R. Callaway, L. O. Tedeschi, F. M. Rouquette, T. Sheridan, and J. Adamski. 2016. Prebiotic and probiotic approaches to improving food safety on the farm and their implications on human health. In: V. Rao and L. G. Rao, (eds.), Probiotics and prebiotics in human nutrition and health. InTech Open, Rijeka, Croatia. p. 1-18.