Join us in Russellville on April 13, 2024

Want to enhance your small ruminant production or learn more about raising small ruminants in Arkansas?

Join us to learn about various facets of small ruminant husbandry, from breeding strategies to parasite management. After the sessions end we will have a free lamb burger lunch!

When: April 13, 8:50 AM - 12:30 PM

Where: Williamson Dining Hall on Arkansas Tech University Campus. Get Google Map directions.

View the ATU map here.

Cost: Free

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Agenda

• 8:15 Registration, coffee, and doughnuts
   
• 8:50 Welcome
  Arkansas Tech University 
   
• 9:00 Improving small ruminant production in Arkansas
  Dr. Dan Quadros, UADA
   
• 9:45 Breeds and genetic improvement 
  Dr. Jim Morgan, Round Mountain Consulting
   
• 10:30 Break 
   
• 10:45 Gastrointestinal parasites management
  Dr. Joan Burke, USDA-ARS
  
  

• 11:30 FSA programs for small ruminant producers
  Marshall Rye, Farm Service Agency/USDA

• 11:40 Producer panel: Sharing positives and negative experiences
  Amanda Goodwin, Arkansas Goat Association/The Arkansas Traveling Goat Farrier/Goodwin Family Farms; Debbie Taylor, Dairy goat producer; Stacy Kirk, Arkansas State Sheep Council/Kirk Club Lambs; Tanya Feagin, South Central Katahdin Association/Rocking TLC Farms 
   
• 12:30 Lunch with lamb burgers

Meet our Speakers

Dr. Joan Burke, USDA-ARS 

Dr. Burke is a Research Animal Scientist, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)-Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Dale Bumpers Small Farms Research Center. She received a Ph.D. in reproductive biology at Oregon State University, a Master’s in animal science from the University of Maine and a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University. Dr. Burke has been with ARS since 1999 where she has conducted research on the control of gastrointestinal nematodes in sheep and goats.

Her program focuses on addressing problems of small and mid-size farmers including: organic and grass-fed production systems for ruminant livestock, alternatives to synthetic anthelmintics which includes specialty forages, genetic and genomic selection for parasite resistant animals that are also great producers, nutrition and products such as copper oxide wire particles. She is one of the founding members of the American Consortium for Small Ruminant Parasite Control. 

Dr. Jim Morgan, Round Mountain Consulting 

James Morgan is a sheep producer and consultant who lives in Fayetteville Arkansas. His graduate education involved using animal models to understand more about biomedical physiology. He received his B.S. from Southwestern College, Winfield, Kansas, a M.S. from University of Oregon and a Ph.D. from Oregon State University. Dr Morgan was a part time researcher and teacher at the University of Arkansas until 2002. Since then, he has worked for Katahdin Hair Sheep International, been active with the National Sheep Improvement Program, American Sheep Industry Association, and for several years helped award grants for USDA’s Southern SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research and Extension).

He helped with the trials and research to develop the first USA across flock selection for genetic resistance to parasites and facilitated the development of the first EBV for pounds lamb weaned per ewe, the key profit trait in small ruminant production. Besides speaking in the USA, Dr Jim Morgan has spoken about sheep genetics to audiences in Canada, Mexico and Brazil. Dr. Morgan is particularly active in helping bridge the information gap between researchers and small ruminant producers. He is a member of the American Consortium for Small Ruminant Parasite Control.

Dr. Dan Quadros, UADA 

Dr. Quadros is the Small Ruminant Specialist, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture (UADA). He received his B.S. in Agronomy from Southwest Bahia State University, Master and PhD in Animal Science from Sao Paulo State University in Brazil and a second Master’s degree from Pennsylvania State University in sustainability. Additionally, he was a post-doctoral researcher at University of Florida and Texas A&M University, in forages and pastures, and livestock nutrition, respectively. Before coming to Arkansas, Dr. Quadros was a professor at Bahia State University in Brazil for 15+ years.

His program at UADA is designed to discover solutions and deliver science-based information to develop sheep & goats value chains in Arkansas. He uses multiple extension techniques to increase producer knowledge and understanding of small ruminant husbandry/health, production, and marketing. He is a member of the American Consortium for Small Ruminant Parasite Control. Connect with the small ruminant extension team: UAEX Small Ruminants Facebook.

Tanya Feagin, SCKA/Rocking TLC Farms 

Tanya and Chris Feagin are the owners of TLC Farms. Tanya is also Director at Large of the South-Central Katahdin Association (SCKA). SCKA is a regional group of Katahdin hair sheep breeders covering states from Texas to Georgia – including Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. Each representative of SCKA is a member of Katahdin Hair Sheep International. Rocking TLC Farms is nestled in the scenic hills of Greenbrier, Arkansas, where the rolling hills and lush pastures set the stage for a thriving sheep-raising enterprise. Established and managed by the dedicated duo of Tanya and Chris Feagin, Rocking TLC Farms is a testament to their unwavering commitment to raising registered Katahdin sheep. 

They take immense pride in pursuing excellence across all facets of Katahdin sheep farming, particularly emphasizing pasture management, nutrition programs, and genetics (Rocking TLC Facebook).

Amanda Goodwin, AGPA/ The Arkansas Traveling Goat Farrier/Goodwin Family Farms 

Amanda Goodwin is Member at Large of the Arkansas Goat Producers Association, which promotes goats and their products through exhibitions, sharing information on management, and other activities. Amanda is known as “The Arkansas Traveling Goat Farrier” and also owns Goodwin Family Farms where she raises Oberhasli dairy goats and commercial goats along with Brahmans, commercial cattle, emus, kune kunes and alpacas and a few other varieties of poultry.

She offers a range of services, including hoof trimming, disbudding, dehorning, and banding etc. Her expertise extends beyond these practical tasks; she evaluates her clients' herds and provides valuable information to improve their health. She's well-versed in wormers, copper treatments, vaccinations, and other essential aspects of livestock care. In addition to hands-on services, Amanda provides livestock consulting. Whether you're a seasoned farmer or just starting out, her insights can help you make informed decisions for your herd's well-being. As a passionate farmer and competitive exhibitor of goats, rabbits, and cattle, Amanda understands the needs of these creatures. Whether you need advice or guidance, she is here to help (The Arkansas Traveling Goat Farrier Facebook; Visit her website.).

Deborah Taylor

Deborah has been raising registered dairy goats for 50 years, 25 of those as a commercial milk producer. She raises Alpine, Nubian, and Toggenburg, selling raw milk. Deborah has been a judge for the American Dairy Goat Association (ADGA), and currently, she is the superintendent at her county fair for the goats.

She has mentored many people interested in goats, from husbandry, showing, artificial insemination, and other subjects. She has allowed her herd to be used for various studies. Her herd has been on the official Dairy Herd Improvement Association (DHIA) milk test for 44 years continuously and participated in Linear Appraisal.

Stacy Kirk, Arkansas State Sheep Council/Kirk Farm Club Lambs

Stacy is part of the Arkansas State Sheep Council and owner of Kirk Farm Club Lambs. Kirk Farm Club Lambs is a family-owned business that is run by parents, Stacy and Lisa Kirk, with the help of their two daughters, Ashley Flickinger and Emily Kirk. They are located on a small farm just east of Clinton, AR. They started in the club lamb business was like many others, when their daughters began to show lambs back in 2016. Today, they run right at 60 ewes. They strive to provide quality Arkansas Bred Lambs across the state.

Marshall “Duffey” Rye

Duffey has worked for USDA Farm Service Agency since September 2018. Duffey was hired as a County Executive Director (CED) for Franklin/Johnson/Logan County Service Center in Ozark, AR in November of 2019. Since then he has been acting CED in Conway/Falkner/Perry County and Sebastian/Crawford/Scott County offices in conjunction with daily duties of the Ozark Office.

Duffey was hired as CED for Pope and Yell Counties in October of 2022. Since being with the agency, Duffey has worked multiple disasters to include: 2019 Arkansas River flood, Corona Virus Food Assistance Program along with multiple other pandemic programs, Emergency Livestock Assistance Program, Livestock Forage Program and Noninsured Disaster Assistance Program for the 2022 drought. Duffey is a retired Army Veteran with 21 years’ service. He has been married for 12 years and has three daughters. Duffey and his family raise commercial beef cattle in the London, AR area.

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