Fund Purpose:
This fund was formed to recognize the contribution of Dr. Jean Claude Bouffault to international agriculture and to the American Society of Animal Science. The fund supports the Bouffault International Agriculture Award given at the ASAS Annual Meeting. The requirements for the Bouffault International Animal Agriculture Award can be found here.
Biographical Sketch:
Dr Jean Claude Bouffault was born in Morocco in 1927. Following the completion of his Ph.D. in 1952, he became inspector of the Cherifian stud farms. His taste for discovery was revealed at the outset of his career. His pioneer work on artificial insemination well in advance of when it came into common practice. This foresight was not limited to scientific or technical matters, but extended to many other areas. In 1955, he joined the Roussel-UCLAF group. Dr. Bouffault engaged in and published extensive research on the use of anabolic agents to promote the growth of beef cattle and on the potential for residual contamination of the meat that was produced. He left some thirty publications, of which 12 were in international Congresses, and eight in the Bulletin of the Veterinary Academy of France. In addition, he created a range of pharmaceuticals and nutritional additives for animals that continue to see use today. He also focused on international cooperation, founding the organization which would become the European Health Federation Animale (FEDESA). Dr. Bouffault was known for his passion, scientific rigor and groundbreaking research applications.
Dr. Bouffault possessed a particularly sharp scientific competence in a number of domains, which won the admiration of those whom he shared his knowledge. This won him first the respect, and rapidly the friendship of many high level scientists, whether French, European or Americans, North or South. His kindness, affability, and his loyalty in friendship allowed him to have many friends, and to keep them.
His success was not limited to professional aspects. He was among the best as an international show jumping rider. He was a member, and even Captain, of the French show jumping team, for almost 20 years. With his mare Joyeuse, he won many national and international classes. He was elected President of the International Paris Horse Show, and remained so for several years; he worked in these various positions within the structure of the French Federation of Equestrian Sports (FFSE). Dr. Bouffault authored, in addition to his scientific work, a history of the French horse in the United States.
In the last few years of Dr. Bouffault's life, he established a home in Boyce, Virginia.
His personal and professional success can also be measured by awards and distinctions:
- The Xavier Bernand Prize from the Agricultural Academy of France;
- The Gold Stirrup awarded by his fellow riders;
- The National Award as an Officer of Agricultural Merit;
- The National Award as a Chevalier of the National Order of Merit.
- Elected National Correspondent of the Veterinarian Academy of France in 1987.
He was a member of:
- The Fraternal Society of Veterinarians of the Paris Region
- The Practical Veterinarian Society
- The American Society of Animal Science
Past Awards:
2023 Award Recipient: Michael D. MacNeil
Dr. Michael D. MacNeil received a B.S. from Cornell (1974), M.S. from Montana State (1978), and Ph.D. from South Dakota State (1982). From 1980-2011 he worked for USDA-ARS, first at U.S. Meat Animal Research Center and beginning in 1989 at Fort Keogh Livestock and Range Research Laboratory. In 2012, he founded Delta G to work with breed associations, private industry and government research organizations in the USA and abroad. He is (co)author of 181 scientific articles, 51 resulting from international collaborations. He has given more than 100 invited presentations in the USA and 8 foreign countries. Dr. MacNeil’s work has been recognized with awards from the Beef Improvement Federation, the American Society of Animal Science and South Dakota State University. He is an honorary member of the South African Society of Animal Science since 2012, served as editor-in-chief of the South African Journal of Animal Science from 2019 to 2022, and received its President’s Award in 2022.
2022 Award Recipient: Dr. Luis O. Tedeschi
Dr. Luis O. Tedeschi received his bachelor’s degree in Agronomy Engineering from the University of São Paulo, Brazil, in 1991, his master’s degree in Animal and Forage Sciences from the same university in 1996, and his doctorate in Animal Science from Cornell University in 2001. He joined Texas A&M University in 2005. Dr. Tedeschi teaches ruminant nutrition, precision diet formulation, summer study abroad comparative ruminant production, and a modeling course for undergrad and grad students. His internationally recognized teaching and research programs focus on the role of higher education in providing students with opportunities for high-impact learning experiences. He prepares students to understand the role of globalization and internationalization on our modern production systems and how to solve contemporary societal issues. He developed a student exchange program between the United States and Brazil under the auspices of the US Department of Education. He has authored 685 scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals, books, and book chapters and presented at 95 international conferences.
2021 Award Recipient: Dr. Jack C. Dekkers
During his career, and especially over the past ten years, Dr. Jack Dekkers has led teaching, research, and extension activities in animal breeding and genetics that have directly influenced research, education, and implementation of breeding programs in developing and under-developed countries. His practical outlook on the design, analysis, and implementation of animal breeding programs, including genomics, guide the implementation of animal breeding programs in such countries, with positive long-term impacts. His ongoing work on developing methods to improve resistance of local African poultry to Newcastle Disease will have long-term benefits, both on small-holder farmers and on the research capabilities in these countries.
2020 Award Recipient: Dr. James Reecy
Dr. James Reecy’s has vigorously engaged in international development and research. His international collaborations focused on 1) the quantitative and molecular genetic evaluation of beef cattle, swine, and goats, 2) sequencing and annotation of livestock genomes, 3) the development of computational resources and minimal standards to facilitate genomics research, and most importantly 4) on career development of visitors. Over his career, Dr. Reecy has published 71 of his 152 peer-reviewed manuscripts with international collaborators/students. He has hosted 37 international professors, researchers and graduate students at Iowa State University.
2019 Award Recipient: Dr. Adegbola Adesogan
Dr. Adesogan is currently a Professor of Animal Nutrition and Director of the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Livestock Systems. He has served on the Editorial boards of the Journal of Animal Science, ANIMAL, and other journals and he has chaired or co-chaired the committees of over 13 PhD and 6 MS students. He has authored or coauthored over 200 scientific publications and received over $65,000,000 in research grants. He has consulted for various organizations and companies including the International Atomic Energy Agency and the World Bank, served as the President of the UF Christian Faculty Fellowship and the President of the UF Chapter of Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society, and he currently chairs the Council of Feed the Future Innovation Lab Directors. His research interests include sustainable improvement of livestock production, using animal-source foods to improve human nutrition and health, and improving the quality of forages to improve animal production.
2018 Award Recipient: Dr. Ermias Kebreab
Ermias Kebreab was born in Ethiopia and grew up in Eritrea. He received a B.S. degree from University of Asmara, Eritrea and MS and PhD from the University of Reading, UK. He worked as lecturer, post-doctoral fellow, adjunct, and associate professor at universities in Eritrea, England and Canada before joining UC Davis in 2009. He is a Professor of Animal Science and holds the Sesnon Endowed Chair in Sustainable Animal Agriculture at the Department of Animal Science, UC Davis. In 2016, he was appointed Associate Vice Provost in Global Affairs at UC Davis to advance the university’s engagement in international education. Dr. Kebreab conducts research on reducing the impact of animal agriculture on the environment, particularly greenhouse gas emissions globally. He has mentored or hosted over 30 international scholars in his laboratory and authored over 190 peer-reviewed articles, 34 book chapters, and edited 5 books.
2017 Award Recipient: Dr. Curtis R. Youngs
Dr. Curtis R. Youngs earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in animal science from the University of Minnesota before he received postdoctoral training at Louisiana State University. A er three years at the University of Idaho, he joined the animal science faculty at Iowa State University. He has utilized his expertise to train scientists and students in developing countries in the technologies of artificial insemination and embryo transfer. He brought the unique courses he created in embryo transfer and in global food security to countries that greatly needed enhanced production of animal source foods. Youngs’ development work has been performed in nine developing countries across four continents, and his activities have included classroom and laboratory teaching, on-farm consultations, and research. He hopes to empower agriculturalists in developing nations with the knowledge and skills needed to increase production of safe and nutritious animal source foods.
2016 Award Recipient: Dr. Dorian Garrick
Dr. Garrick has held the Lush Chair in Animal Breeding & Genetics at Iowa State University since 2007, after 5 years at Colorado State University and 15 years at Massey University in New Zealand. He has a First Class Honors degree from Massey University and a Ph.D. from Cornell University. Dr. Garrick has trained graduate students and postdoctoral fellows from 14 developing countries. He has been integrally involved in research, development, and implementation of a variety of genetic improvement programs in livestock and plants in developed and developing countries. Dr. Garrick is the Executive Director of the U.S. National Beef Cattle Evaluation Consortium. His recent work focuses on the theory and application of genomics in animal improvement. He enjoys working with enthusiastic producer and industry groups from developed and developing countries that seek to include animal breeding approaches in the attainment of their business goals. Dr. Garrick will be returning to Massey University in January 2017.
2015 Award Recipient: Dr. David Notter
David Notter was born in 1950 in Gallipolis, Ohio, and grew up on a small tobacco and cattle farm. He has a B.S. degree in Animal Science from The Ohio State University, M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Nebraska, and was a faculty member at Virginia Tech until his retirement in 2010. As Emeritus Professor, he remains active in the department and continues to do applied research in quantitative genetics. Dr. Notter has made important global contributions to the characterization, conservation, appropriate use, and continuing improvement of farm animal genetic resources through diverse assignments with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and International Atomic Energy Agency. He mentored developing-country scientists through collaborations and cooperative research in India and Bangladesh, and recently initiated collaborations involving the genetic evaluation of sheep in Mexico and development of a breeding nucleus for alpaca in Peru.
2014 Award Recipient: Dr. David R. LeDoux
Dr. David Ledoux received a BS and MS from the University of Missouri and PhD from the University of Florida. He was appointed an Assistant Professor in the Division of Animal Sciences at the University of Missouri in 1990 where he was promoted to Professor in 2003. Dr. Ledoux's research program focuses on determining the effects of mycotoxin contamination of poultry feed ingredients. He has presented his research in over 20 countries worldwide, and is a visiting lecturer at the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Dr. Ledoux has hosted 7 international faculty and 18 international interns in his laboratory and authored or co-authored a total of 98 refereed journal publications. Dr. Ledoux was one of the first recipients of the University of Missouri’s International Scholar Award. Dr. Ledoux has served as an Associate Editor for the Poultry Science Journal and as the Poultry Science Association’s representative on the board of the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology. Dr. Ledoux received AFIA Poultry Nutrition Research Award from the Poultry Science Association and the University of Missouri Faculty Diversity Enhancement Award.
2013 Award Recipient: Dr. Xingen Lei
Xingen Lei received his B.S. and M.S. in China. He received his Ph.D. from Michigan State University. Between 2005 and 2010, Lei created the International Center of Future Agriculture for Human Health in the underdeveloped Sichuan province to improve swine and poultry production. Using pigs as a model, Lei is actively involved in biofortifying staples with iron and zinc for use by malnourished populations in Asia, Africa, South and Latin America. Lei has assisted in establishing a national team of more than 100 scientists in China to fight against micronutrient deficiencies. His dedication has immediate benefits to humankind, and is documented by 105 of his 397 publications, 30 graduate students and postdoctoral associated trained outside Cornell, and 50 international visiting scientists hosted at Cornell. Lei’s sustained passion, strong leadership, and meritorious contributions represent true “distinguished service to animal agriculture in the developing areas of the world”.
2012 Award Recipient: Dr. John Mabry
Dr. Mabry’s contributions to International animal agriculture have been in developing programs that have the potential for long-term positive effects. He has worked in more than 30 countries. He has developed formal agreements with universities and government organizations from 13 different countries. These agreements include graduate education, in-service training and cooperative research programs. He has given more than 100 invited presentations at international conferences. He has been recognized with numerous college, university, and industry awards. His ability to communicate and his knowledge of production systems have allowed him to have a long-term positive impact on the animal production in numerous countries worldwide.
2011 Award Recipient: Dr. Eduardo Casas
Dr. Eduardo Casas is a Research Leader at USDA/ARS/National Animal Disease Center. He received his Ph.D. degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is recognized internationally for his research into identification of genetic markers for economically important traits in diverse breeds of cattle. He provided the first publicly accessible evaluation of genetic markers for meat tenderness in Bos indicus cattle, and translated his findings to producers worldwide with high visibility in Latin American and South American countries, providing counsel on the implementation of animal biotechnology programs to improve production efficiency of beef cattle. He served ASAS as an Editorial Board member and currently is an Associate Editor.
2010 Award Recipient: Michael D. Kenealy
Michael Kenealy joined Iowa State University in 1975. He has taught over 14,000 students and was selected Teaching Fellow by ASAS. Kenealy's first international program was a study tour to China in 1982. This was only the second student team allowed full access to the rural areas of post-Mao China. He has completed education projects with Armenia, Bulgaria, China, Serbia, and Ukraine. He is most proud of the creation of BS and MS programs at the National Agricultural University of Ukraine. Kenealy has great enthusiasm for programs that enhance internationalization of both US and international students. To this end, Kenealy has led five international travel courses and hosted many international students via Iowa State University exchange programs.
2009 Award Recipient: Dr. Everado Gonzalez Padilla
Everardo received his PhD from Colorado State University in 1974. In 1975, he was appointed director general of the National Institute for Livestock Research, Mexico, leading research to improve livestock production. His pioneering research on puberty, estrus synchronization, and lactation management improved bovine reproductive efficiency. As professor at the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, he supervised the graduate research of 51 students. In 2006, the Government of Mexico appointed Padilla coordinador general de ganaderia, where he is responsible for national livestock programs and agencies in Mexico. Padilla's distinguished accomplishments make him a truly deserving recipient of the 2009 Bouffault International Animal Agriculture Award.
