Name: Krista Cotten
From: Amarillo, Texas
Degrees and institute: B.S., Animal Science, University of Kentucky (UK)

Krista Cotten, a master’s student in Plant and Soil Sciences at UK, came to the Lexington area with the Kentucky Equine Management Internship program.

“I fell in love with the area and transferred to UK (from West Texas A&M University) to finish my undergrad degree,” Cotten said. “I ended up in Plant and Soil Sciences (PSS) because of a great opportunity that a friend knew about working with Dr. Ray Smith and the UK Horse Pasture Evaluation Program. So I guess PSS found me.”

Cotten’s research project focuses on the effect of tall fescue sample handling and storage on ergovaline concentrations in fresh material. Ergovaline (toxin produced by the fungus that infects some tall fescue) adversely affects many livestock species, including horses