A pioneer in performance testing and was instrumental in establishing one of the earliest boar test stations and was the driving force in the establishment of Oklahoma Beef, Inc.
1910-1993 | Artist: C.J. Fox Studios (commercial portrait studio, specific artist not attributed)
Impact & Accomplishments
Jim Hillier received B.S. and M.S. degrees from Iowa State College and served briefly as an assistant county agent and staff member at Massachusetts State University, before joining the Animal Husbandry faculty at Oklahoma A&M College in 1937.
In 1953, he completed his doctorate in Animal Nutrition from Purdue University. As a meats judging coach, his teams won eight of twelve contests. Dr. Hillier was a pioneer in performance testing and was instrumental in establishing one of the first boar test stations, as well as Oklahoma Beef, Inc., a bull test station.
He was a master breeder of Yorkshire and Hampshire swine herds, and as a judge, used the show ring to provide leadership for changes he knew were needed in the breed. His was the first portrait hung in the Pork Industry Hall of Fame. Dr. Hillier died in 1993, just months before his Saddle & Sirloin induction.
Did You Know?
Special awards Dr. Hillier has received include the recipient of the Oklahoma Hereford Association's "Hereford Breeder of the Year" award; the Tyler Award for outstanding contributions in animals science; the Poland China Record Association's Distinguished Gold Buckle Award; and Oklahoma Swine Breeders Award.
"Pork on the hoof is bring studied here by John Schlittler, Texas Tech, from Graham, Texas, and Gene Diels, Oklahoma A & M, form Kiowa, Kan. J. C. Hillier, of the animal husbandry department of Oklahoma A & M college, is discussing the pig." Tapscott, George. April 4, 1957; Courtesy of the Oklahoma Historical Society.