2024 IOWA CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATION HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE BY ERIKA OSMUNDSON | Communications Director A PURPOSEFUL INFLUENCE Many of our readers will be familiar with Dr. Loy’s story and will likely have their own stories as he was a familiar face around the countryside throughout his career. “From his early career work in growth enhancers, software tools, benchmark-ing, and nutritional management to help-ing cattle feeders incorporate ethanol co-products in rations to leading the Iowa Beef Center’s programming to support all Iowa cattle producers, Dan has been an innovator and leader,” said Dr. Lawrence. DR. DAN LOY It is always a pleasure to recognize those doing good within our industry. This year at the Iowa Cattle Industry Convention, held December 12, the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association (ICA) had the chance to do just that. ICA recognized Dr. Dan Loy as the 2024 Hall of Fame inductee. This award recognizes an industry champion and contributor. The candidate must be or have been dedicated to the bet-terment of the Iowa beef cattle industry and has helped infl uence its advancement. Dr. Loy exemplifi es these characteristics and can also be counted on as a supporter of producers across our state. Dr. Loy was nominated by fellow col-leagues, Dr. John Lawrence, Dr. Maynard Hogberg, Dr. Daryl Strohbehn, and Denise Schwab, who articulated Dr. Loy’s impres-sive background and the impression he has made on the Iowa cattle industry. 22 Dr. Loy has had an impactful 41-year career serving the beef cattle industry in Iowa and beyond. Dr. Loy holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Western Illinois University and a PhD from Pennsylvania State University. THE EARLY YEARS Early in his career, Dr. Loy focused on the impact and advantages of implants on cattle performance and profi tability, and management practices to improve starting cattle on feed. Much of his focus was on determining the impact of growth stimu-lants, feed effi ciency enhancers, and time on feed and how these affect cattle in a value-based marketing system. He used this knowledge to fi ne-tune nutritional management schemes for Iowa feedlots. Dr. Loy helped pioneer the use of microcomputers in data management for cattle feeding operations. His work in the development and implementation of some of the fi rst computer-based monitoring and benchmarking systems led to the Iowa State University (ISU) Feedlot Monitoring Program. Dr. Lawrence shared that Dr. Loy’s computer-based program, for many farm-JANUARY 2025
Iowa Cattleman January 2025: Page 22
