Dr. Andy Herring is associate professor, section leader of beef cattle science, and holder of the John K. Riggs ’41 beef cattle professorship in the Department of Animal Science. He also is a member of the TAMU intercollegiate faculty of genetics. Herring was raised on a cattle and sheep ranch near Talpa, Texas, in Coleman and Runnels counties that has been in his family since 1886. He received a bachelor’s in animal science from Tarleton State University in 1988, a master’s in animal breeding from Texas A&M University in 1991, and a doctorate in genetics from Texas A&M University in 1994. Herring came to our department from Texas Tech University, where he was a faculty member in the Department of Animal and Food Sciences from 1994-2002. Herring has teaching and research responsibilities within the department. He teaches undergraduate and graduate level classes in beef cattle production and management (ANSC 406 and 605). His research interests focus on areas to increase production efficiency for cow-calf producers through coordination of breeding systems, environmental resources and marketing strategies. He has researched genetic and environmental influences on milk production in beef cows, breed differences for feedlot and carcass characteristics, and genetic influences on beef cow reproduction and productivity, cattle temperament and immune responses. He also remains active in state and national beef cattle industry groups. Recent writing efforts include chapters on North American beef cattle production in Beef Cattle Production and Trade (CSIRO Publishing/Meat & Livestock Australia), beef cattle production considerations for the Encyclopedia of Agriculture and Food Systems, (published by Elsevier), and a 14-chapter textbook entitled Beef Cattle Production Systems (published by CAB International, available November 2014). Herring enjoys teaching undergraduate and graduate students and uses of a wide variety of techniques. He has trained or co-trained 10 Ph.D. students, 25 M.S. students and 9 M.Ag. students.

Beef Cattle