NE North Dakota News

Five students from Mayville State University's Agribusiness Club, accompanied by their faculty adviser Dr. Michael Kjelland, attended the International Embryo Technology Society (IETS) Conference in Fort Worth, Texas. The event, held in late January, brought together approximately 580 participants from various countries to discuss advancements in reproductive science and biotechnology.

The attending students were Logan Krueger, Kinsey Hanson, Claire Lovro, Justina Carlson, and Layni Schieffer. At the conference, Dr. Kjelland presented several research posters and abstracts alongside his colleagues. These included topics such as "Embryo Transfer Using Inteli-Straws with a Wireless Cloud-based Data Acquisition and Management Tool" and "Pregnancy per AI in Grazing Suckled Beef Cows Subjected to Estradiol Salts - or GnRH-based Fixed-time AI Protocols."

In addition to the conference activities, the group visited local attractions including the Fort Worth Stockyards and American Butchery. They also toured Hoofstock Genetics, LLC near Ranger, Texas to observe embryo transfer processes.

Claire Lovro expressed her appreciation for the experience: “It gave me a wider range of job opportunities that I didn’t know about previously and that I could explore for the future.”

The trip included cultural experiences such as dining at a Texas de Brazil churrascaria restaurant and visiting Billy Bob’s Texas nightclub. The group also attended the Professional Bull Riders Last Cowboy Standing event at Dickies Arena.

Dr. Kjelland noted that “students participated in experiential learning while having a great time.” He mentioned plans for fundraising efforts to attend the next IETS conference scheduled for Panama in 2026.

The trip was supported by a Postsecondary Students in Agriculture Grant from the North Dakota FFA Foundation's Star Partner Program. Additional contributions came from Hoofstock Genetics, LLC; American Butchery; and Conservation, Genetics & Biotech, LLC.

For more information on agribusiness opportunities at Mayville State University, visit www.mayvillestate.edu/agribusiness.