Researcher Spotlights

Brooke Latack

Brooke Latack is a Livestock Advisor in Imperial County. She conducts research at Desert REC.

What led you to become a livestock advisor?

I have always loved working with animals. I was hoping to find a position that combined my interest in research, livestock, and working with farmers. The livestock position with ANR provided all of that plus the opportunity to help solve real-world problems that could be implemented directly on-farm.

What brought your work to Desert REC?

I am housed at UCCE Imperial County, which happens to be right next door to the Desert REC. Since many of my clientele are involved in feedlot management, the feedlot at the Desert REC was an ideal place to conduct our research. The Desert REC has a history of incredible livestock research, so I look forward to being part of that system.

What do you hope to learn from your research at Desert REC?

We hope to identify management techniques that will help improve the productivity of the cattle in feedlots. This includes nutrition, implant strategies, feed additives, and heat abatement techniques.

What is your favorite part about conducting your research at Desert REC?

The Desert REC has a great feedlot with a great capacity for research. We are able to house enough cattle for robust trials and a feed mill that allows us to test many diets. All of this allows us to conduct research that will ultimately help California feedlot operators. An added benefit is that it is just down the road from my office, so I am able to stay extremely involved and close to the research, which makes my job much easier.

What is your favorite livestock animal and why?

I love working with all livestock, but my favorite would probably be cattle. From a nutrition standpoint, working with ruminants is so interesting. Cattle, especially Holsteins, have some fun personalities, so working with them is never boring.