Morris wins Agriscience Research Animal Systems Proficiency

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COLUMBIA, Mo., April 16, 2026 – Isabel Morris of Rolla won the Missouri FFA Agriscience Research – Animal Systems Proficiency Award at the 98th Missouri FFA Convention.

Morris, a senior at Rolla Technical Institute, is the daughter of Joshua and Chiara Morris. She is a member of the Rolla FFA Chapter. Her advisor is Cord Jenkins.

For her supervised agricultural experience, Morris conducted a research project to determine the effect of anthelmintic treatments on the rumen microbiome bacteria of meat goats. She worked with nine Boer goats from three different age groups and collected cud samples by orally swabbing each animal. Each goat was sampled four times, with one control sample and three treated samples exposed to different anthelmintics: Prohibit, Cydectin, and Valbazen. The samples were cultured on agar plates and incubated for nine days before bacterial colonies were counted to evaluate microbial growth and diversity. Her findings showed that all anthelmintics reduced rumen bacterial diversity, with Prohibit having the greatest impact and Cydectin having the least.

Throughout the experiment, Morris was responsible for all aspects of the research, including preparing agar plates, collecting samples, treating cultures, and recording data. One major adaptation in the project involved using a chicken egg incubator to maintain the necessary temperature for bacterial growth when a laboratory incubator was not available.

Morris plans to continue research in the future as she pursues degrees in biochemistry,nutrition, and exercise physiology to become a physician. She also intends to remain involved in the goat industry and apply her research to improve herd health and production efficiency.

Proficiency awards recognize FFA members who excel as agricultural entrepreneurs, employees, or volunteers while gaining hands-on career experience. Agriscience Research Animal Systems is one of 46 proficiency award areas recognized at the state level. FMC Corporation sponsored this award.

The Missouri FFA has 27,000 members representing 369 chapters. The national organization has more than 1,042,245 members representing 9,407 chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.

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