Ranches and research: Extension specialist earns regional excellence award
Wednesday, May 21, 2025
Media Contact: Sophia Fahleson | Digital Communications Specialist | 405-744-7063 | sophia.fahleson@okstate.edu
For David Lalman, the cattle industry is not just a profession. Cattle are a lifelong passion rooted in tradition and science.
Growing up in southeast Kansas, Lalman connected to the cattle industry long before he became an Oklahoma State University Extension beef specialist.
In November 2024, he was recognized with the Southern Region Individual Excellence in Extension Award, highlighting his contributions to the industry.
Lalman’s passion for the cattle industry has been a constant, he said.
Following high school and junior college, Lalman chose to focus his career on crop and cattle production, he said.
In the 1980s, rising interest rates made it difficult to acquire land, equipment and other essential resources needed for farming, Lalman added.
“I was faced with the option to either expand in crop production or go back to school,” Lalman said.
In 1986, Lalman moved to Manhattan, Kansas, with his wife, Susan, to attend Kansas State University, where he earned his Bachelor of Science in animal science.
Afterward, he accepted a position at Montana State University in Bozeman as the beef cattle herdsman, which required him to pursue a master’s degree in animal and range sciences.
“I spent a little over three years in Montana, gaining valuable experience and connecting with students and faculty while completing my master’s degree,” Lalman said.
After his time in Montana, Lalman accepted a position at the University of Missouri. This role allowed him to gain experience in extension work while also pursuing a doctorate in animal sciences, Lalman said.
“Graduate school was not in the plan,” Lalman said. “I did not have it on my bucket list.
“But, that’s how it turned out,” he added. “I had a tremendous experience in each case.”
As an MU Extension associate, Lalman spent a lot of time working with farmers and ranchers across Missouri, he said.
After five years at Mizzou, Lalman transitioned to his current role as the OSU Extension beef cattle specialist and brought his family to Stillwater.
“My journey to get here was not short, but I was given many great experiences working with cattle producers and helping solve problems,” Lalman said. “Overall, it allowed me to get set up for the job I have now.”
Lalman joined the OSU Beef Extension Team in 1996 and has since worked on a variety of projects related to beef cattle production, management practices, and industry outreach.
“When Dr. Lalman joined the animal and food sciences department and joined the beef team, we started working on a variety of things together,” said Damona Doye, associate vice president of OSU Extension.
Doye and Lalman were co-developers of the Master Cattlemen Program. Together, they developed the first version of what is now the Oklahoma Beef Manual, which provides content from animal science, agricultural economics, natural resources, veterinary medicine and much more.
“Dr. Lalman has a practical approach to things,” Doye said. “His projects provide useful insights for potential savings for producers, which can be very beneficial to them.”
Lalman also helped develop a user-friendly beef cattle nutrition software program called the “Cowculator.”
“The software is downloaded more than 2,000 times a year from all over the world,” he said. “Producing something that is helpful to people has been the most rewarding part of my career.”
Lalman and his team’s recent research study examines cow efficiency by testing cattle to identify those that excel at forage utilization. Lalman’s main goal is to help producers identify the cattle in their herds that are best at utilizing forage, he said.
“Extension and research are a perfect combination because you can turn some of your extension questions into your research program,” Lalman said. “It really helps you connect your passion for the industry to the rewarding feeling of actually helping people with things they are interested in.”
Lalman’s impact on the cattle industry is a testament to his ongoing dedication, said Paul Beck, OSU Extension beef nutrition specialist.
“Dr. Lalman is extremely intelligent,” Beck said. “His ability to apply his research to the real world is astonishing. He has developed an outstanding extension program that showcases how passionate he is about producers meeting their goals in economics and sustainability.”
Story by Karlee Shiery | Cowboy Journal