In 1976 Dr. Benyshek was appointed to the faculty at the University of Georgia with teaching and research responsibilities in Animal Breeding. His vision for the beef cattle industry led to the formation of a team of scientists which continues to provide a research arm and genetic evaluations for many major breeds of beef cattle in the U.S., Canada and, South America (American and Canadian Hereford, American Angus, American and Canadian Limousin, American and Canadian Gelbvieh, American Brahman, Beefmaster, Brangus, American Chianina/Chiangus, American and Canadian Charolais, Santa Gertrudis, Uruguayan and Argentine Hereford, and American Senepol). These breeds represent thousands of breeders registering over 500,000 cattle each year.

Although he has now retired from academia, Dr. Benyshek maintains close ties with the beef industry. He has served as a member of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (formerly NCA) Research and Education Committee, and the American Simmental Technical Advisory Committee. He has been called on to serve on industry committees by NCA and the former National and Livestock and Meat Board concerned with beef tenderness and carcass expected progeny differences (EPDs). He has presented research results from the UGA Animal Breeding and Genetics Group concerning National Cattle Evaluation in almost every state in the U.S. that has a beef industry. He has also traveled to several countries throughout the world to discuss this research and the development of National and International Cattle Evaluation (NCE, ICE). He has been instrumental in the development of NCE programs in Uruguay.

In 1993, he accepted the appointment as Head of the University of Georgia Animal and Dairy Science Department where he had responsibility for faculty programs in teaching, research and extension. During his tenure as Department Head he had oversight responsibilities for the construction of over $25 million of new facilities that provide the opportunity for the Department to be competitive with any program in the U.S. During his tenure as Department Head he hired several outstanding faculty including two Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholars. He also developed a biotechnology group conducting leading edge research in livestock improvement.

Dr. Benyshek has served on the Board of Directors for the American Society of Animal Science. Each year he gives numerous presentations concerning national genetic improvement programs to national and international livestock groups. Dr. Benyshek has authored or co-authored over 200 scientific and trade publications on genetic improvement of beef cattle.

Education
B.S. Kansas State University, 1969
M.S. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1971
Ph.D. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1973

Benyshek and Hough Homepage