Professors Joel Derouchey and Jason Woodworth brought home honors from the American Society of Animal Science Annual Meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico held July 16-20.
Derouchey, animal sciences and industry professor and state Extension leader, was awarded the 2023 AFIA Award in Nonruminant Nutrition. DeRouchey grew up on a purebred swine and cattle farm in Pukwana, S.D. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree from South Dakota State University and received his master’s degree and doctorate degree from K-State, then joining the faculty in 2001. His leadership is central to the workings of a progressive swine nutrition research team that has made K-State the “go-to” place in applied swine nutrition research. DeRouchey has co-authored 287 refereed journal articles, 540 abstracts, 792 extension publications and 12 book chapters. He has maintained a long running record of sustained funding from allied industries and the National Pork Board generating more than $21 million in grants and gifts. Derouchey is dedicated to training the next generation of swine nutritionists and has served as chair or committee member of 100 master’s or doctorate students. His contributions to the field of applied swine nutrition research have saved pork producers millions of dollars throughout his career.
During the annual meeting, Derouchey presented “Swine feed additives: current and future innovation to achieve profitable and sustainable production.”
Woodworth, animal sciences and industry research professor, was awarded the 2023 Gary L. Cromwell Award for Mineral Nutrition. Woodworth has established himself as an innovative leader in the livestock industry. After completing his doctorate at K-State, Woodworth joined the Lonza Group Ltd. in 2002 as a regional technical sales and service manager and quickly rose to oversee the North American specialty feed products portfolio. In 2008, he was promoted to global product manager. In 2013, Woodworth returned to K-State joining the ASI faculty. Upon transitioning to academia, he quickly showed his business and research acumen with industry partners in swine nutrition. He leads a research directive examining the role of minerals on animal growth and health. Woodworth is recognized as a level-headed, thoughtful leader that seeks and achieves cooperative solutions with producers and industry partners. Woodworth has published 47 peer reviewed journal papers, 86 abstracts, and 98 extension and proceedings papers directly related to mineral research.
During the annual meeting, Woodworth presented “Recent breakthroughs in mineral nutrition research that are influencing commercial swine diet formulation, in Nonruminant Nutrition III: Amino Acid and Chelated Minerals.”
“Joel and Jason are both exceptional researchers and industry leaders. Their capacity to link discovery through application in swine nutrition makes them especially worthy of these awards,” says Mike Day, KSU animal sciences and industry department head. “Beyond their impressive research contributions to the swine nutrition discipline in the U.S. and abroad, their commitment to education is instrumental to development of the next generation of scientists who will serve the pork industry.”
