Bill grew up near Wauneta in southwestern Nebraska, on a farm that has remained in the family for over a century. He graduated from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, with a B. S. Degree in Animal Science and Agricultural Economics in 1972, and an M. S. Degree in Ruminant Nutrition in 1974. After honing his skills in three industry positions, Bill embarked on a career as an independent consultant, founding Cattlemen’s Nutrition Services in 1981 and Dicke Consulting LLC in 2015. He has provided nutrition and management services to cattle feeders for 40 years and remains active in that role.

His impact in Nebraska, the surrounding Plains and the Pacific Northwest has been immeasurable. The firm grew to be among the largest feedlot consulting practices, influencing more than one million cattle on feed. Many of Bill’s clients are family owned and operated lots that have been feeding cattle since the 1950’s. He was an early advocate of feeding corn milling byproducts, resulting in win-win outcomes for the ethanol and feedlot industries. Guided by science and seasoned by experience, Bill became an expert to whom feedlots and consultants often turn for counsel they trust.

He cultivated a special relationship with faculty and students at his alma matter, lecturing graduate students and inspiring them to pursue careers in the beef industry including consulting. His team directed numerous large-pen studies in client feedlots, involving UNL graduate students and providing them onsite experience. These collaborative efforts generated over a dozen beef reports and 5 peer-reviewed journal articles.

Bill contributed to the success of the UNL Feedlot Management Internship Program, connecting faculty with cattle feeders willing to provide students with meaningful experiences. He was responsible for organizing the Timmerman Fund, given in the family’s honor to support the Internship Program. And he was instrumental in garnering funds for UNL from the Kenneth and Caroline Eng Foundation, for confined-cow research.

Well regarded by clients and colleagues for his genuine, humble and friendly manner, Bill is also forthright and open-minded. Always the optimist, he seeks the higher road when viewpoints differ. Bill Dicke is defined by his “gentleman values” said a fellow consultant. His integrity and civility are hallmark qualities, setting by example a standard for the next generation of consultants.

Noteworthy is his longevity with clients, some connections spanning decades. One long-term client praised Bill’s coaching and teaching skills, his capacity for building relationships, and the time he dedicates to people on operational details. Another client summed his experience saying Bill knows his stuff and tells it like it is. Both called him friend. Both mentioned (wife) Laurie’s positive influence, one concluding “Bill is a more complete nutritionist with Laurie in the office.”

Apart from work, Bill’s priorities include family time with Laurie, daughters Nan and Sarah, and six grandchildren. Another passion is TeamMates, an organization facilitating adult mentoring of youth. Also important are respites on the family farm, fishing, hunting, golfing and Husker football, not necessarily in that order.

Dr. Andy Cole grew up on a grain and livestock farm near Pampa, TX. He received a B.S. degree in Animal Science from West Texas State University in 1971, a M.S. in Animal Science, and Ph.D. in Animal Nutrition from Oklahoma State University in 1973 and 1975, respectively. Andy was a recipient of a National Science Foundation Fellowship in 1973 and was named the Oklahoma Feed Manufacturer’s Outstanding Graduate Student in Animal Nutrition in 1974.

Andy began his career with the USDA-ARS Conservation and Production Laboratory in Bushland, TX in 1976. He provided leadership in two major research areas during his career. First, he developed a renowned program in stressed feeder calf research. His applied nutrition and management studies with beef calves subjected to the stressors of weaning and transportation were pioneering in this area. The knowledge gained from his efforts is applied extensively today in management of feeder calves in the U.S. and Canada. In addition, this research played a major role in establishing the nutrient requirements associated with stress in the 1996 and 2016 NRC Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle publications. His research was recognized by Feedstuffs magazine as one of the top-10 contributions to beef cattle production in the 1980s.

Programmatic changes within the USDA-ARS resulted in a transformation of Andy’s research efforts in 1996. He embraced this challenge and led a team of scientists studying nutrient excretion and gaseous emissions from beef cattle feedlots. His research focused on the development of management and nutritional practices to decrease the adverse effects of cattle feeding operations on the environment without unfavorably affecting production efficiency. Much of Andy’s research is being implemented in the nation’s feedlots today. For the final three years of his career, Andy served as Laboratory Director of the Bushland facility, while continuing to conduct research.

Andy has authored 136 journal articles and hundreds of book chapters, proceedings, and popular press publications. He has made over 200 presentations to scientists and producers around the world, and he has been principal or co-investigator on grants totaling over $10,000,000. As an adjunct faculty member at four universities, he has been involved in training 39 M.S. and Ph.D. students. He has served in all officer positions of the Plains Nutrition Council and as Secretary and President of ARPAS. He also has served on the editorial boards for both the Journal of Animal Science and the Professional Animal Scientist and as Section Editor for the Journal of Animal Science.

Andy received the ASAS Animal Management Award in 2005, was named a Fellow of ASAS in 2009, received the AFIA-ASAS Ruminant Nutrition Research Award in 2012, and was recognized with the Western Section Distinguished Service Award in 2019. He was named an Advanced Degree Graduate of Distinction by the Animal Science Department at Oklahoma State University in 2008. Andy continues to live in Amarillo and stays active in research and golf.

Dr. Mark Branine is a native Coloradan, born into a family that homesteaded there 100 years ago and that taught him the value of hard work and education and treating people right. Mark earned his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Animal Science from Colorado State University, and the University of Wyoming, respectively, and his doctorate in Ruminant Nutrition from New Mexico State University.

Mark’s early interest was in forage-based ruminant animal production, which was the focus of his master’s and Ph.D. research. While still completing his Ph.D. dissertation Mark was hired as a Research Specialist at the NMSU Clayton Livestock Research Center where he worked closely with Dr. Glen Lofgreen, with whom he collaborated on over 50 projects related to nutritional and health management of feedlot and wheat pasture beef cattle, with a particular emphasis on newly received, stressed feeder calves.

The bulk of Mark’s now nearly forty-year career has been with allied industries working in clinical development, applied research and technical services in support of beef cattle nutrition, health, and management products. He worked for many of the major animal health companies, and currently is a Research Nutritionist with Zinpro Corporation. At each stop Mark has been a valuable and respected member of the technical services team. His forte has been working, often behind the scenes, in the research and technical information arenas, contributing to every aspect of the process including experimental design, protocol development, study site identification and selection, trial conduct and monitoring, data collection, quality assurance, summarization and statistical analysis, and preparation of final reports and technical bulletins.

Mark also spent six years as Associate Director of Research and Operations Manager for Cactus Research supervising the 12,000 head large-pen research section at Cactus Feedyard, as well as conducting industry-sponsored and in-house research projects. Mark’s time with Cactus Research was special to him not only because of the involvement with large scale projects on contemporary feedlot products and management practices but also because it immersed him in the feedlot culture and enabled him to interact with feedlot personnel and work directly with cattle every day.

An excerpt from his nomination form illustrates Mark’s impact on people beyond just his research contributions to the beef cattle industry. “If there is such a thing as an unsung hero among those who are worthy of recognition as a Legend of Feedlot Nutrition, it is Dr. Mark Branine. During his entire career as a beef cattle nutritionist, he has demonstrated his passion for cattle and the people who are responsible for their nutrition and well-being. Mark treats everyone with respect, kindness and recognition for their contributions whether it is the person responsible for the daily feeding and care of the livestock, the nutritionist, the veterinarian, the manager or the owner.”

Mark and his wife Laura reside in south-central Colorado with their three daughters and a host of dogs, cats, goats, and horses. Whenever he can, Mark enjoys getting away to the mountains to hike, ski, or fly fish.