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Texas Agriculture Archive

August 2, 2002

McNeill heads A&M
animal science department

Dr. John McNeill of College Station has been named the head of the department of animal science at Texas A&M University.

McNeill, who formerly served as the associate department head for Texas Cooperative Extension programs, assumed his new duties July 15.

The Texas A&M department of animal science is the largest in the nation in terms of enrollment. In the fall of 2001, more than 1,000 undergraduate students and more than 160 graduate students were enrolled in animal science, dairy science, food science and technology and human nutrition.

"Dr. McNeill has been a pioneer and a leader in animal science statewide and nationally," said Dr. Ed Hiler, Texas A&M vice chancellor and dean of agriculture and life sciences.

McNeill earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in animal science from Texas A&M in 1968 and 1970, respectively, and his doctorate in animal nutrition from the University of Kentucky in 1974. Prior to joining Extension, he served as an assistant and associate professor of animal science at West Texas A&M University in Canyon.

For 14 years, McNeill served as an Extension beef cattle specialist at the Texas A&M University Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Amarillo.

There he pioneered the use of computers as decision aids in beef cattle production and management.

In 1990, he joined the animal science department at Texas A&M as associate department head for Extension where "he served most effectively in leading and coordinating the department's Extension and outreach programs," Hiler said.

McNeill also provided statewide leadership for the highly-acclaimed Texas A&M Ranch to Rail program.