Alumni Spotlight
Name: Zach McCracken
Current Title: Cattle Nutrition Consultant
Organization: Suther Feeds
Major: B.S. Animal Sciences and Industry '09
K-State College of Ag is proud to recognize alumni from all departments who continue to pursue their passion in their respective fields. It is through experience that we continue to grow as individuals and stewards of the industry. Through those experiences, we hope to be a continued resource for the next generation of K-State students to lean on for advice and continue to build our network!
What mentors did you have while at K-State and into your career?
Dr. Scott Schaake was so pivotal to what I did at Livestock Judging, but also my life after K-State. We currently breed and market Simmental cattle with him, which has set my family up for another generation of beef producers with my two children.
Dr. Joel DeRouchey was another great mentor. When I was touring K-State, and I left Weber Hall with those two individuals, I knew for a fact that I was going to K-State. I still stay in touch with them, and they help me both professionally and personally. They’ve done a lot for me.
What did your study abroad experience look like?
We went to South Africa for two weeks, and it was life-changing. We studied agriculture and toured numerous sheep ranches. We went through Kruger National Park and took a look at what their ag business is like. It helps with exposure, it shows you more and makes you thankful for the ag processes we have in the United States. It also makes you so much more diversified because you understand different production models within agriculture itself.
What's one of your favorite things about K-State?
Everybody is so interconnected. We were in Ireland for the K-State game, and once we left the United States, we already had a family overseas. The number of relationships I had started at K-State translated to Ireland. You could see somebody and start up a conversation. Everybody’s intertwined in some way, shape or form. Somebody knows somebody that you are connected to.
Give us an overview of the company you're with.
I work for Suther Feeds in Frankfort, Kansas, and we’ve been in business since 1962. Our model is working with independent producers on cattle, swine and dairy scenarios. Our motto is opportunities, solutions and success. We handle cattle nutrition and balancing diets, so I work with producers in getting their commodities sampled, building programs and diets from a feed-efficiency scenario. We also work with cow-calf ranches to tighten up breeding windows and nutrition programs for their cows.
My daily schedule is touring the Midwest, working with producers and going through their cow herds, diets and projections. What cattle are going to make money? What cattle are losing money? How do we make them more efficient?
Do you have any advice for current college students?
Keep grinding. Always work hard and keep trying to put your best foot forward. Continue to explore opportunities. There were times at K-State where I would question if something was worth it. It was foolish of me; seize the opportunity while you have it.
Earlier in my career, I never thought that I would be a part of the larger commercial swine production model. There was an opportunity in Iowa to work for a large swine production model, and I seized it. That was a life-changing moment for me. At the time, it seemed like four or five years was going to be an eternity. In reality, it’s a short blip of your life. That job helped direct where I am today. The diversity and trajectory K-State leaves you with is profound. You can go so many different directions.