Bennet G. Cassel

Job Responsibilities:

My primary appointment is in Cooperative Extension, but I also maintain an active research program including grant generation and training of graduate students. My research program produced two national awards. My Extension program includes dairy cattle genetics where I provide leadership to producers in optimum sire selection and mate assignment decisions. I have additional Extension responsibilities in DHI and other milk recording systems, including advanced on-farm and web-based computer systems. I conduct workshops, write extension publications, consult directly with producers, and present invited talks within Virginia, nationally, and internationally. My research program is designed to help farmers identify and use economically sound breeding objectives, locate superior animals to achieve those breeding objectives, and to use mate assignment techniques (inbreeding avoidance and crossbreeding) that optimize lifetime economic performance of dairy cattle. I have developed and studied methods of estimating lifetime economic merit of dairy cattle based on field data not originally collected for that purpose. I lead a long term, multi-state crossbreeding project in the Virginia Tech, University of Kentucky, and North Carolina State University dairy herds. Recent teaching experience included ALS 3104, Animal Breeding and Genetics, a four-credit junior-level course at Virginia Tech.

Most Recent Refereed Publications:

• Garcia-Peniche, T.B., B.G. Cassell, R.E. Pearson, and I. Misztal. 2005. Comparisons of Holsteins with Brown Swiss and jersey cows on the same farm for age at first calving and first calving interval. J. Dairy Sci. 88:790-796.
• Cassell, B.G., V. Adamec, and R.E. Pearson. 2003. Effect of incomplete pedigrees on estimates of inbreeding and inbreeding depression for days to first service and summit milk yield in Holsteins and Jerseys. J. Dairy Sci. 86:2967-2976.
• Cassell, B.G., V. Adamec, and R.E. Pearson. 2003. Maternal and fetal inbreeding depression for 70-day non-return and calving rate in Holsteins and Jerseys. J. Dairy Sci. 86:2977-2983.
• Cassell, B.G., S. M. Jobst, M. L. McGilliard, and R.E. Pearson. 2002. Evaluating sire selection practices using lifetime net income functions. J. Dairy Sci. 85:3492-3502.
• Cassell, B.G., 2001. Optimal genetic improvement for the high producing cow. J. Dairy Sci. 84(July).Online. Available. http://www.adsa.org/jds/papers/2001/jds_es144.pdf.
• Vierhout, C.N., B.G. Cassell, and R.E. Pearson. 1999. Comparison of cows and herds in two progeny test programs and two corresponding states. J. Dairy Sci. 82:822-828.
• Smith, L.A., B.G. Cassell, and R.E. Pearson. 1998. The effects of inbreeding on lifetime performance of dairy cattle. J. Dairy Sci. 81:2729-2737.
• Vierhout, C.N., B.G. Cassell, and R.E. Pearson. 1998. Influence of progeny test programs on genetic evaluations of young sires. J. Dairy Sci. 81:2524-2532.
• Weigel, D.J., B.G. Cassell, and R.E. Pearson. 1997. Prediction of transmitting abilities for productive life and lifetime merit from production, SCC, and type traits in milk markets for fluid milk versus cheese. J. Dairy Sci. 80:1398-1405.
• Weigel, D.J., B.G. Cassell, and R.E. Pearson. 1995. Relative genetic merit and effectiveness of selection of young sires for Artificial Insemination. J. Dairy Sci. 78:2481-2485.
• Weigel, D.J., B.G. Cassell, I. Hoeschele, and R.E. Pearson. 1995. Multiple-trait prediction of transmitting abilities for herdlife and estimation of economic weights using relative net income adjusted for opportunity cost. J. Dairy Sci. 78:639-647.
• Weigel, D.J., B.G. Cassell, and R.E. Pearson. 1995. Adjustment of a net income function for opportunity cost of postponed replacement on a lactation basis. J. Dairy Sci. 78:648-654.

Honors and Awards:

1. ADSA Dairy Management Research Award, 1994
2. Virginia Tech 20-year service award, 2002
3. USDA 25-year service award, 2001
4. ADSA J.L. Lush Award in Animal Breeding and Genetics, 2003

Membership in Professional Organizations:

American Dairy Science Association Gamma Sigma Delta
Virginia State Dairymen’s Association Sigma Xi
Dairy Shrine Club Epsilon Sigma Phi

International speaking engagements:

Venezuela – 1985, 1987, and 1992 Italy – 1994
Chile – 1988 Brazil – 1996
Australia – 1989 and 1990 Poland – 1998
New Zealand – 1989 and 1990 Mexico – 1999 and 2000
Columbia – 1991 Canada – 1999 and 2001