For livestock producers, the cost of feed represents at least half of annual expenses. "Nutrition is the key element in the production of animal protein to enhance the human diet," says Maynard Hogberg, animal science department chair. Iowa State's animal nutrition program was ranked among the best during the 1960s and '70s. "The university's graduates were highly sought and filled many of the open faculty and industry positions in the country," Hogberg says. "Many of the faculty were considered leaders in the field, so their graduate students were in demand."