Animal Sciences Department

Florida Cattle Enhancement Board

The Florida Cattle Enhancement Board is a Direct Support Organization of the University of Florida. The Board is organized to promote research, education and scientific purposes including the promotion of research, education and extension for the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) on issues relating to the Florida cattle industry, including production, disease prevention, forage development, and genetic research and technology. Funded through state appropriations since its inception in 2016, the Florida Cattle Enhancement Board has funded over $5.2 million in research projects, education and extension efforts at the University of Florida.

FY 2023-2024

Deanne Maples
Florida Beef Council Beef Marketing & Promotions Programming
$250,000

Fernanda Rezende
UF beef herd management software
Amount Funded: $39,880

Fernanda Rezende
UF Brahman Project
Amount Funded: $45,007

Jose Dubeux
Animal performance and methane emissions of cattle grazing stockpiled 'Gibtuck' limpograss under different supplementation strategies in North Florida? YEAR 2
Amount Funded: $61,455

Angela Gonella Diaza
Association between residual feed intake and fertility-related measures in young bulls
Amount Funded: $46,016

Maria Lucia Silveira
Evaluating the effectiveness and economic viability of pasture management strategies to increase soil carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas mitigation
Amount Funded: $45,592

John Bromfield
Effect of Over Conditioned Bulls on Fertility
Amount Funded: $54,622

Jose Dubeux
Digital soil carbon storage and sequestration mapping in Florida grazinglands through spatial sampling and machine learning methods
Amount Funded: $65,685

Jose Dubeux
Strategies to overseed forage legumes on limpograss in the summer and stockpiling period
Amount Funded: $34,070

Nicolas DiLorenzo
Addressing labor shortage: Use of intake limiters to design free-choice supplementation
Amount Funded: $50,687

Angela Gonella Diaza
Sexual dimorphism of supplementation with rumen-protected Methionine in early gestation in beef cattle systems: impact on fetal development, and postnatal growth and performance (Year 1)
Amount Funded: $58,437

Maria Lucia Silveira
Evaluating the agronomic performance of bahiagrass under different biosolids and inorganic fertilizer phosphorus fertilization regimens
Amount Funded: $48,263

Jiangxiao Qiu
Assessing Land Intensification and Grazing Impacts
Amount Funded: $50,020

Peter J. Hansen
Enhancement of pre- and post-weaning growth
Amount Funded: $71,209

Tracy Scheffler
Improving tenderness and consistency of Brahman beef
Amount Funded: $19,912

Estaban Rios
Breeding Legumes Adapted to Beef Cattle Systems in Florida
Amount Funded: $25,306

Fernanda Rezende
Genetics of immune competence in beef cattle
Amount Funded: $45,773

Lynn Sollenberger
Next-Stage Screening of Bahiagrass Breeding Lines to Identify New Varieties for the Florida Cattle Industry
Amount Funded: $50,040

Raluca Mateescu
Improving the accuracy of genomic selection for carcass and meat quality Year 3
Amount Funded: $41,741

Raluca Mateescu
Learning from Brahman cattle how to dissipate heat in a hot world
Amount Funded: $41,886

Emma Matcham
Impact of rate and source of Nitrogen and Potassium fertilizers on yield, nutritive value, and profitability of Bermudagrass and Bahiagrass hay production in sandy soils of North Florida
Amount Funded: $30,888

Yang Lin
Rapid and cost-effective prediction of soil health indicators
Amount Funded: $24,907

Nicolas DiLorenzo
Impact of Brahman genetics on feed efficiency and methane emissions of heifers with implications for the Florida cow-calf producers
Amount Funded: $126,519

Joao Vendramini
What is the feed value of fall fertilized forage in Florida
Amount Funded: $11,594

Joao Vendramini
Evaluation of new warm-season perennial grass cultivars adapted to poorly drained soils and propagated by seed in Florida
Amount Funded: $31,631

Diwakar Vyas
Environmental Impact Analysis of Cow-Calf Operations in Florida: A Life Cycle Assessment
Amount Funded: $30,596

Raluca Mateescu
Using genomics to estimate heterosis effect on growth and carcass traits
Amount Funded: $46,863

Rosvel Bracho-Garrillo
Evaluating the carbon balance, greenhouse gas emissions and global warming potential of typical Florida cow-calf production systems.
Amount Funded: $37,233

Brad Daigneault
Finding new sperm traits that more accurately estimate bull fertility
Amount Funded: $39,507

Mario Binelli
Predicting Puberty in Brahman Heifers and Bulls: can we predict early puberty at weaning?
Amount Funded: $72,948

Mario Binelli
Predicting Fertility in Brahman Cows
Amount Funded: $38,106

Hui-Ling Liao
Mycotoxins, nitrate, cyanide and monensin toxicity in Florida pastures, hay and livestock feeds
Amount Funded: $58,241

Mario Binelli
Improving fertility, growth and carcass traits of the UF Brahman herd through genomic selection and targeted breeding year 3
Amount Funded: $36,830

Philipe Moriel
A new supplementation strategy for beef heifers in Florida
Amount Funded: $72,531

Brent Sellers
Utility of Liquid Nitrogen Fertilizer and Soil Surfactants
Amount Funded: $34,419

Joao Bittar
Effect of injectable trace minerals use at two different
Amount Funded: $55,553

Marcelo Wallau
Maintenance and expansion of vegetatively-propagated pastures for Florida farmers
Amount Funded: $33,497

FY 2022-2023

Project Coordinator

Name of Study

Amount

Lynn E. Sollenberger

Next-Stage Screening of Bahiagrass Breeding Lines to

Identify New Varieties for the Florida Cattle Industry

$16,955

Brent Sellers

Utility of Liquid Nitrogen Fertilizer and Soil

Surfactants for Smutgrass Control with Hexazinone

$52,893

Brent Sellers

Impact of Individual Macronutrients on Broomsedge

Densities in Bahiagrass Pastures

$17,359

Philippe Moriel

Fatty acid supplementation to increase pregnancy

rates in multiparous beef cows

$67,782

Joao Vendramini

Evaluation of new warm-season perennial grass

cultivars propagated by seed in Florida - Year 2

$33,516

Todd Thrift

Impact of implant strategy on Brahman-sired steer

performance, carcass traits, and tenderness

$17,640

Maria L. Silveira

EVALUATING THE AGRONOMIC AND

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF NEW FL-DEP

$56,183

G Golmohammadi

Mitigation strategies for groundwater quality

improvement in grazing lands of Florida

$56,707

Angela Gonella-Diaza

Genomics to phenomics integration to predict feed

efficiency in beef cattle: year 2.

$50,967

Joao Vendramini

Refining phosphorus fertilization recommendations

for limpograss in South Florida - Year 2

$44,447

Jose C. Dubeux

Animal performance and methane emissions of

cattle grazing stockpiled ‘Gibtuck’ limpograss under

different supplementation strategies in North Florida

$35,663

John F. Roberts

Identification and characterization of biomarkers for

ovarian follicular dysplasia (OFD) in cattle

$53,906

Nicolas DiLorenzo

Potential use of algae as a feed supplement to

increase production and sustainability of Florida beef

$59,250

Raluca Mateescu

Improving the accuracy of genomic selection for

carcass and meat quality

$34,587

Raluca Mateescu

Using genomics to estimate heterosis effect on

growth and carcass traits

$33,859

Ann R. Blount

Mycotoxins in bahiagrass, limpograss, bermudagrass

and smutgrass in Florida pastures

$67,834

Raluca Mateescu

Learning from Brahman cattle how to dissipate heat

in a hot world

$41,867

Yang Lin

Building a soil health database for Florida ranchlands

$21,314

Deanne Maples

Florida Beef Council Beef Marketing & Promotions

Programming

$204,000

Administrative/Audit

For Use to pay for the required Audit and for

Administrative fees that UF might incur

$33,271

Total

$1,000,000

FY 2021-2022

FY 21-22 Final Report

Project Coordinator	Name of Research Study	$ Available
Joao Vendramini	Evaluation of new warm-season perennial grass cultivars propagated by seed in Florida	$37,051
Brent Sellers	Utility of Liquid Nitrogen Fertilizer and Soil Surfactants for Smutgrass Control with Hexazinone	$47,593
Angela Gonella	Genomics to Phenomics integration to predict feed efficiency in beef cattle	$55,159
Lynn Sollenberger	Selecting New Bahiagrass Varieties for the Florida Cattle Industry	$24,774
Esteban Rios	Diversifying Forage Options for Beef Cattle Systems in Florida	$41,720
Joao Vendramini	Refining phosphorus fertilization recommendations for limpograss in South Florida	$55,150
Brent Sellers	Impact of Individual Macronutrients on Broomsedge Densities in Bahiagrass Pastures	$16,948
Philipe Moriel	Biomarkers to predict future cow performance and response to supplementation	$40,006
Tracy Scheffler	Tenderness of Bos indicus-influenced beef	$18,648
Raluca Mateescu	Using genomics to estimate heterosis effect on growth and carcass traits	$38,332
Mario Binelli	Improving fertility, growth and carcass traits of the UF Brahman herd through genomic selection and targeted breeding	$34,952
Raluca Mateescu	Improving the accuracy of genomic selection for carcass and meat quality	$31,012
Mario Binelli	Predicting Puberty in Brahman Heifers and Bulls	$44,423
John Arthington	UF Brahman Project	$68,908
Maria Silveira	Evaluating the agronomic and environmental impacts of new FL-DEP biosolids rule	$64,328
Todd Thrift	Florida raised beef strip steak quality audit	$13,054
Peter Hansen	Identifying genetic markers for neonatal weak calf syndrome in Brahman cattle	$12,902
Rosvel Bracho-Garrillo	Evaluating the carbon balance and global warming potential of typical Florida cow-calf production systems	$33,476
FCEB	Audit and Operating Expenses	$20,000
Deanne Maples	Florida Beef Council Promotional Request	$50,000
	Total	$748,436

FY 2019-2020

Project Coordinator	Name of Project and Final Report	Amount Approved	Executive Summary
Purvis & Gray	Audit	$15,000	See final report
Alan M. West	Contract Support from UF	$10,000	See final report
Dubeux, Jose	Canopy Characterization of stockpiled limpograss in North Florida (Year 2)	$17,408	Summary
Silveira, Maria L.	Phosphorous Budget for Cow-Calf Operations in the State of Florida	$18,390	Summary
DiLorenzo, Nicolas	What is the link between feed efficiency, reproduction competence and heat tolerance in Brahman influenced cattle?	$52,163	Summary
Minteer, Carey	Release strategy optimization of classical biological control agents for Brazilian peppertree in Florida	$76,751
Maples, Deanne	Florida Beef Marketing and Promotion Retail Coupon Campaign	$54,109	See final report
Thrift, Todd	Florida raised beef strip steak quality audit	$11,950
Sollenberger, Lynn	Selecting New Bahiagrass Varieties for the Florida Cattle Industry	$25,318	Summary
Binelli, Mario	Predicting puberty in Brahman heifers	$41,395	Summary
Silveira, Maria L.	Agronomic and environmental impacts of land application of biosolids to bahiagrass pastures in Florida	$66,345	Summary
Binelli, Mario	Control of embryo receptivity and fertility in beef cows	$21,990	Summary
Wallau, Marcelo	Bermudagrass establishment techniques and expansion of planting material	$33,790	Summary
Binelli, Mario	Puberty induction as a strategy to increase reproductive performance of Brahman-influenced heifers	$27,915	Summary
Rios, Esteban	Development of Improved Legumes for Florida	$25,760	Summary
Boughton, Betsey	What is the optimal grazing regime to maintain wetland forage production?	$16,257
Cuda, James	Laboratory Rearing and Impact Assessment of the Gall Midge Orseolia javanica (Diptera: Ce-cidomyiidae), a Potential Biological Control Agent of the Invasive Cogongrass	$43,141	Summary
Binelli, Mario	Using genomic tools to continue the expansion of the Brahman herd at the University of Florida	$26,645	Summary
Moriel, Philipe	Boosting reproduction without increasing feed costs of beef heifers in Florida	$72,739	Summary
Blount, Anne	Continuation of grass endophytes and mycotoxins occurrence in Florida pastures	$46,334
Mateescu, Raluca	Can we predict heterosis from genetic markers?	$23,240
Sellers, Brent	Increasing soil fertility to manage broomsedge in bahiagrass pastures	$23,360	Summary
Total		$750,000

FY 2018-2019

Project Coordinator	Name of Project	Amount Approved	Executive Summary
Mario Binelli	Continuing the expansion of the Brahman herd at the University of Florida	$56,000	Summary
Philipe Moriel	Does year-round supplementation of cows pay off?	$19,769	Summary
Mauricio A. Elzo	Florida Brahman: Genomic selection for tenderness, marbling, and reproductive tract score	$106,357	Summary
Raluca Mateescu	Using Genomics to Beef Up meat quality in Brahman influenced cattle	$58,000
Philipe Moriel	Evaluating cost-effective supplementation programs for cows during late-gestation	$18,000	Summary
Brent Sellers	Optimizing Herbicide Rates for Wiping Smutgrass and Impacts of Rainfall and Non-structural Carbohydrates on Smutgrass Control	$22,259	Summary
Brent Sellers	Increasing Soil Fertility to Manage Broomsedge in Bahiagrass Pastures	$28,511	Summary
Jose C Dubeux	Supplementation strategies for first-calf heifers grazing stockpiled limpograss in North Florida	$25,000
Philipe Moriel	Overcoming the negative impacts of frequency of supplementation on reproduction of developing replacement beef heifers	$28,000	Summary
Maria L. Silveira	Agronomic and environmental impacts of land application of biosolids to bahiagrass pastures in Florida	$63,200	Summary
Fredy Altpeter	Precision breeding for herbicide resistance and improved digestability in bahiagrass	$48,000	Summary
Cheryl Mackowiak	Fertilizer management impacts on Florida bahiagrass pasture health	$20,000	Summary
Dr Raoul Boughton	Florida Calf Loss - 2018-2019 continuation (yr3)	$50,000	Summary
Marcelo Wallau	Management alternatives and and variety testing for Alfalfa-Bermudagrass pastures in North Florida	$44,983
Ann Blount	Presence of grass endophytes and mycotoxins in Florida pastures?	$52,000	Summary
Esteban Rios	Development of Improved Forage Cultivars and Management Systems for Florida Conditions	$42,000	Summary
Allyson Trimble	Florida Beef Marketing and Promotion Ibotta Campaign	$50,000	See final report
Alan M West	Services provided by the Office of the University of Florida Controller will provide to the Cattle Enhancement Board (CEB)	$10,000	See final report
Purvis Gray & Company	Required Annual Audit of Florida Cattle Enhancement Board	$7,921	See final report
Total		$750,000

FY 2017-2018

Project Coordinator	Name of Project	Amount Approved	Executive Summary
Sellers, Brent	Optimizing herbicide rates for wiping smutgrass and impacts of rainfall and non-structural carbohydrates on smutgrass control	$20,158	Summary
Boughton, Raoul	Florida Calf Loss	$150,000
Silveira, Maria L	Agronomic and environmental impacts of land application of biosolids to bahiagrass pastures in Florida	$49,998	Summary
Lamb, Cliff	Understanding the relationship between feed efficiency and fertility in replacement beef heifers	$51,324	Summary
Elzo, Mauricio A	Florida Brahman: Genomic selection for tenderness, marbling, and reproductive tract score	$94,566	Summary
Mackowiak, Cheryl	Options for phosphorus fertilization and retention in bahiagrass pastures’	$63,349	Summary
Moriel, Philipe	Does year-round supplementation of cows pay off?	$27,714	Summary
Moriel, Philipe	Evaluating cost-effective supplementation programs for cows during late-gestation	$37,310	Summary
Sellers, Brent	Increasing soil fertility to manage broomsedge in bahiagrass pastures	$25,095	Summary
Dahl, Geoffrey	Development and expansion of the Brahman herd at the University	$15,992	See final report
Vendramini, Joao	Identification of superior limpograss cultivars under low-input systems	$28,308	Summary
Huo, Qun	Immune Response Test for Cattle Breeding and Health Management	$40,176
Sollenberger, Lynn E	Defining the importance of soil pH, Potassium, and Phosphorus in reversing bahiagrass pasture decline on Florida Cattle Ranches	$17,666	Summary
Rios, Esteban (was Munoz, Patricio)	Development of Improved Forage Cultivars and Management Systems for Florida Conditions	$43,108	Summary
Florida Cattlemen's Association	Florida Traceability Initiative -Demonstration Project 2018	$85,000	See final report
Total		$749,765

FY 2016-2017

Project Coordinator	Name of Project	Amount Approved	Executive Summary
Locke, J.W.C.	Comparison of long-term progestin-based protocols to synchronize estrus prior to fixed-time artificial insemination or natural service in Bos indicus-influenced beef heifers	$58,268	Summary
Vendramini, Joao	Identification of superior limpograss cultivars under low-input systems	$38,447	Summary
Silveira, Maria L	Agronomic and environmental impacts of land application of biosolids to bahiagrass pastures in Florida	$66,009	Summary
Moriel, Philipe	Does year-round supplementation of cows pay off?	$35,276	Summary
Lamb, Cliff	Understanding the relationship between feed efficiency and fertility in replacement beef heifers	$68,693	Summary
Lamb, Cliff	Impact of enhanced Insulin-Like Growth factor I (IGF-I) on fetal development during the first trimester of pregnancy	$36,449	Summary
Elzo, Mauricio A	Florida Brahman: Genomic selection for tenderness, marbling, and reproductive tract score	$208,384	Summary
Moriel, Philipe	Evaluating cost-effective supplementation programs for cows during late-gestation	$49,765	Summary
Huo, Qun	Immune Response Test for Cattle Breeding and Health Management	$54,486
Silveira, Maria L	Managing Soil Health for Pasture Sustainability	$31,680	Summary
Sollenberger, Lynn E	Defining the importance of soil pH, Potassium, and Phosphorous in reversing bahiagrass pasture decline on Florida Cattle Ranches	$51,233	Summary
Lamb, Cliff	Development of a puberty indication protocol for Bos indicus-based heifers in Florida	$33,784	Summary
Sellers, Brent	Increasing soil fertility to manage broomsedge in bahiagrass pastures	$24,655	Summary
Nelson, Corwin	Effects of Dietary vitamins A, D, and E sources fed peri-partum on body stores of vitamins A, D, and E of beef cows and calves	$54,395
Dilorenzo, Nicolas	Chemically treating forages with alkali may improve digestibility and enhance beef cattle performance	$45,445
Dahl, Geoffrey	Development and expansion of the Brahman herd at the University	$86,800	See final report
Scheffler, Tracy	Relating Growth to Beef Tenderness and Thermotolerance of Brahman Steers	$68,890	Summary
Braden, Tim	Development of a Diagnostic Test for Ovarian Follicular Dysplasia (OFD)	$173,718	Summary
Mackowiak, Cheryl	Options for phosphorus fertilization and retention in bahiagrass pastures’	$97,976	Summary
Sellers, Brent	Optimizing herbicide rates for wiping smutgrass and impacts of rainfall and non-structural carbohydrates on smutgrass control	$28,829	Summary
Boughton, Raoul	Florida Calf Loss	$191,427
Rios, Esteban	Development of Improved Forage Cultivars and Management Systems for Florida Conditions	$59,052	Summary
Hughes, Ashley	Florida Beef Marketing and Promotion – Option 1	$250,000	See final report
Patterson, Geoffrey	Florida Cattle Industry Videos Option 1	$50,000	See final report
Souto, Javier	Miami International Agriculture, Horse and Cattle Show	$25,000	See final report
Total		$1,980,435

FY 2015-2016

Project Coordinator	Name of Project	Amount Approved	Executive Summary
Altpeter, Fredy	Precision breeding for improved digestibility and herbicide resistance in bahiagrass	$50,000	Summary
Arthington, John	Using RFID technology to Identify mineral intake variation and subsequent copper and selenium status of Brahman cattle	$33,744	Summary
Lamb, Cliff	Estrus synchronization (ES) and fixed-time artificial insemination (TAI) on pregnancy and calving of Florida beef herds	$22,175	Summary
Lamb, Cliff	The effects of bST administration prior to TAI on pregnancy rates, fetal development and hormonal profile of beef heifers	$35,225	Summary
Kaufman,Philip	Development of novel UF patented semiochemical-based insecticides for biting flies of cattle	$53,784	Summary
Hughes, Ashley	Florida Beef Marketing Plan Option 2	$249,681
FDACS	Pre-Approved FDACS Commercial	$60,000
DiLorenzo, Nicolas	Effects of the natural biopolymer chitosan on performance of growing cattle	$33,200	Summary
Mateescu,Raluca	Increasing the value of Florida beef through genomics	$106,980
Sellers, Brent	Management of Broomsedge Species in Bahiagrass Pastures	$21,967	Summary
Mackowiak, Cheryl	Biosolids options for phosphorus fertilization and its effect on P retention in pasture soils	$53,673	Summary
Silveira, Maria	Agronomic and Environmental Impacts of Land Application of Biosolids to Bahiagrass Pastures in Florida	$69,046	Summary
Rae, Owen	Assessment of Calf Loss in Florida Beef Cattle Populations	$28,760	Summary
Sollenberger, Lynn	Defining the Importance of Soil pH, Potassium, and Phosphorus in Reversing Bahiagrass Pasture Decline on Florida Cattle Ranches	$34,446	Summary
Vendramini, Joao	Identification of superior limpograss cultivars under low-input systems	$25,152	Summary
Braden, Tim	Ovarian Follicular Dysplasia (OFD): Early Detection and Origin	$122,167	Summary
Total		$1,000,000