Day, Mike

Mike Day
Professor
210 Call Hall
Manhattan, KS 66506
785-532-7624
mlday@ksu.edu

Education

B.S. , University of Missouri, 1980
M.S. , University of Nebraska, 1982
Ph.D. , University of Nebraska, 1985

Bio Brief

Dr. Mike Day was raised in central Missouri on a farm that included swine, beef and hay production. Growing up, cattle were of greatest interest to him and reproductive management always sparked his curiosity.

A husband and father of two, Day has prioritized his career by focusing on the three things that he enjoys most — animal agriculture, science and people. He explains these three interests stemmed from his time growing up on the family farm and through his education and now his career. "I am involved in higher education because this is the place where these three can come together," he explains.

After obtaining his bachelor's degree in animal husbandry from the University of Missouri, Day went on to earn his master's and doctorate from the University of Nebraska in animal science with an emphasis in reproductive physiology.

Upon completion of his doctorate, Day was hired at The Ohio State University (OSU). He was a faculty member in the department of animal sciences for 30 years (1985-2015), holding a research and teaching appointment focused on reproductive physiology of beef cattle. His teaching responsibilities stretched from introductory classes, through various reproductive classes and the capstone beef production class for seniors. His research at OSU was a continuation of his graduate work in replacement heifer development and also included research in estrous synchronization, factors that influence fertility and gene expression during early pregnancy in cattle.

While at OSU, he spent a year on sabbatical in New Zealand in 1996 – 97, where he worked on early development of CIDR (controlled internal drug release) device technology and use. In addition to New Zealand and Australia, he has traveled extensively for research and outreach to Brazil and Argentina, and before that, in Japan.

After retiring from OSU as a Professor Emeritus in 2015, Day became Head for the University of Wyoming Animal Science Department. At Wyoming he led a department with approximately 15 faculty and 280 undergraduate students for 4 years. He was recruited in 2019 to fill the same role for the Animal Sciences and Industry Department (ASI) at Kansas State University. In this role he led approximately 55 faculty and 1100 students from 2019 – 2025. During this time, enrollment increased to record numbers and in 2024 and 2025, the ASI Department was ranked first in the US in Animal Sciences by College Raptor. Research expenditures also reached new heights during this time. In 2025, Day returned to the faculty in ASI as a Professor.

Through the years he has been recognized for his excellence in teaching and research.
• 1999, Teaching Award, College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, OSU
• 2000, Teaching Award of Merit, Gamma Sigma Delta, The Ohio State University
• 2001, Advising Award, College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, OSU
• 2004, Research Award of Merit, Gamma Sigma Delta, The Ohio State University
• 2004, Honorary Uncle, OSU Saddle and Sirloin Club, The Ohio State University
• 2005, Epsilon Sigma Phi Team Teaching Award for Cow-Calf Schools, OSU
• 2015, ASAS Animal Physiology and Endocrinology Award
• 2018, Meritorious Service Award, OSU College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Alumni Society

Day and his wife, Toni, live on a farm in Olsburg, KS and have two grown children. Travis, his wife Amanda and their son Mason, live on a nearby farm and their daughter, Leslie, is a Postdoctoral Researcher in microbiology at Dartmouth College.