2008 Southeast Equine Conference
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Speakers
Dr. Preston R. Buff
Dr. Preston R. Buff currently holds the position of Extension Equine Specialist at Mississippi State University. He was raised in Southwest Missouri on his family’s Quarter Horse breeding farm, which was established in 1950. He received a PhD from the University of Missouri in 2001 and board certification with the American College of Animal Nutrition in 2006. He completed a Postdoctoral Fellow at the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Missouri in Equine Nutritional Neuroendocrinology. His research has focused on equine obesity and neuroendocrine regulation of energy balance in horses. Dr. Buff raises foundation bred American Quarter Horses and received the Legacy Breeders Award from the American Quarter Horse Association in 2007.
Dr. Tania Cubbit
Dr. Tania A. Cubitt is a native of Queensland Australia. She received her Bachelor of Science from the University of Queensland in Animal Science. Dr. Cubitt received her Master of Science from Virginia Tech in Equine Nutrition and Growth, this work focused on environmental influences on hormonal and growth characteristics in Thoroughbred fillies. She received her Doctor of Philosophy in Equine Nutrition and Reproduction also from Virginia Tech, this work focused on nutritional effects on ovarian function. Dr. Cubitt currently holds a position as a nutrition consultant with Performance Horse Nutrition.
Dr. David Freeman
Dr. David Freeman holds the position of Professor and Extension Equine Specialist with Oklahoma State University. He received his master of science in Scientific Nutrition and PhD in Animal Science from Texas A&M University. Dr. Freeman is a charter Diplomate of the American College of Animal Nutritionist. He served on the National Academy of Science Committee for Revision of Nutrient Requirements of Horses. Dr. Freeman has made many contributions to the horse industry throughout his career through research, education and service.
Dr. Mary Beth Gordon
Dr. Mary Beth Gordon is the Director of Research and New Product Development for Purina Mills® horse products. She also serves as the Director of the Purina Mills Equine Research Facility. Dr. Gordon received her PhD in Equine Nutrition and Exercise Physiology from Rutgers University. Her research focused on the effects of exercise on the hormonal regulation of appetite in horses and her work was the first to characterize the appetite stimulating hormone, ghrelin, in equine. She is published in numerous scientific journals including The Veterinary Journal, Journal of Animal Science and Equine and Comparative Exercise Physiology. She has also co-authored chapters in textbooks such as Equine Sports Medicine and Surgery, as well as Equine Exercise Physiology. Mary Beth joined Land O’Lakes Purina Feed in 2005 and is based in the Northeastern U.S. In addition to her work as a nutritionist and exercise physiologist, Mary Beth is active in the sport horse world as a dressage rider.
Dr. Johnny Haffner
Dr. Haffner, Clinical Specialist in Equine Reproduction and Wellness at the Middle Tennessee State University Horse Science Center, is certified by the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners in Equine Practice and is a member of the American Association of Equine Practitioners. He has had a long time interest in equine dentistry and had an equine dentistry practice before moving to MTSU. He helped establish the “Fast Horse Seminar” (an education program for veterinarians) in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia through the Christian Veterinary Mission and continues to be very involved in the training of Mongolian veterinarians in modern veterinary medicine.
Dr. Kate Jacques
Dr. Kate Jacques is Alltech's director of nutrition and serves as part of the research group located at Alltech's North American Bioscience Center in Kentucky, USA. A native of Kansas, Jacques received an M.S. in range management and a Ph.D. in animal science from Kansas State University, USA. She moved to Kentucky in 1986 when she joined Alltech. Jacques' research focus is on trace mineral form and function in diets for all species, from food animals to horses and humans. By taking the approach of examining minerals as they exist in plants and grains, the goal is to find 'nutrient forms' of the elements, thereby maximizing storage and availability for immune and reproductive functions.
Dr. Larry Lawrence
Dr. Lawrence is the Senior Nutritionist at Kentucky Equine Research (KER) in Versailles, Kentucky. Dr. Lawrence leads the KER technical staff and provides support for the worldwide KER Team Members and their customers through formulation and on-farm consultation. He has a Masters degree from the University of Georgia in animal nutrition and a Ph.D. in Equine Nutrition from the University of Florida. He has over 15 years teaching and research experience as a former professor of Equine Sciences at Washington State University and Virginia Tech. Dr. Lawrence's primary research focus has been the effects of nutrition and exercise on bone strength and development in growing horses.
Dr. Bridgett J. McIntosh
Dr. McIntosh is the Extension Horse Specialist for the University of Tennessee, headquartered at Ellington Agricultural Center in Nashville, Tennessee. Her main role is to develop and implement adult and youth equine educational programs throughout Tennessee. Bridgett received her Ph.D. (2005) in Animal Science with a concentration in Equine from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Bridgett was awarded the John Lee Pratt Fellowship in Animal Nutrition to study carbohydrate profiles in feeds and forages, and the avoidance of equine laminitis. She graduated with her M.S. (2003) in Animal Science with a concentration in Equine, also from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, where she studied alkanes as markers to determine feed intake and digestibility in horses. Her B.A. in Biology is from Hollins College (1997) where she was a member of the I.H.S.A. team, and also showed hunter/jumpers in local and ‘A’ rated shows. Bridgett has been involved with several aspects of the horse industry. She grew up on a horse farm in upstate New York where she began showing ponies at age 7, and continued riding and showing horses through college. She currently competes in the hunter/jumpers, and also enjoys foxhunting. Bridgett is an active member of various professional organizations, including the Equine Science Society and the American Society of Animal Science.
