Several attendees of the USU Shepherds Symposium had the pleasure of an informal chat with Mr. Cole Evans on the evening of September 10, 2025. Cole was a graduate student who was working with Dr. Warren Foote when the founding flock was imported to Utah State University. Mr. Evans still raises St. Croix sheep on his ranch in Utah and plans to obtain a new ram from USU for breeding season this year.
Some Things Change, Some Stay the Same
He compares the size of today’s sheep with those from the import, stating that they are much larger now. When he looked at the lambs in USU’s flock, he was visibly impressed with their size. When asked how the USU flock looks now compared to those from the past, he said “They looked just like this only miniature.”
Mr. Evans describes the fertility, fecundity, and prolificacy of our sheep in accelerated lambing, and those traits are still common today. Our sheep rarely require assistance during lambing, and Mr. Evans reports he often had to remind students to leave them alone because they wanted to pull lambs. When Dr. Page asked if the sheep were friendly then, he said “They were always friendly.”
The First Flock
Cole explains that the first set of sheep were selected from several farms on the island of St. Croix. The university was interested in them because they “were so different” reproductively. The team chose sheep that were white and without horns because it was believed that they were most likely to be “pure.” However, he also says that while on the island, he saw sheep of other colors and with spots running among the white sheep. Several of the ewes they imported were pregnant, and for the first couple of generations, some of the lambs had spots or even small horns/scurs. The team at USU chose to cull those animals, but he was unsurprised to learn that color still pops up in flocks.
St. Croix as a Meat Breed
Mr. Cole Evans shared his observations at one of the local livestock auctions, stating that ethnic populations “…buy up these hair sheep a lot faster than wool.” He described a meat quality panel at USU in which the meat from six different sheep breeds (Dorper, Rambouillet, Suffolk-type commercial, crossbreds, and St. Croix) was compared for juiciness, flavor, and tenderness. “The St. Croix were the favorite on all three …” with Dorpers in second place and St. Croix-Dorper crossbreds in third. Wool sheep were the least favorite. The study was published by Dr. Bunch after Cole retired.
Attend the Utah State University Shepherd’s Symposium to participate in two days of education for sheep producers. This is a unique opportunity to learn from industry experts and enhance your shepherding skills. Anticipate engaging sessions and valuable networking opportunities. Join us at our Celebratory Banquet to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of USU’s importation and importance of the St. Croix breed. Let’s reflect on the journey, share stories, and honor this iconic landmark. Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to connect with fellow enthusiasts and history buffs. See you there!
Our Speakers
R. Cole Evans, MS Cole was a graduate student at Utah State University when the first St. Croix sheep flock arrived. He was deeply involved in Dr. Warren Foote’s research with the breed and is listed as the author, co-author, or contributor of several studies. Cole’s signature adorns the initial registration applications as he helped establish the first breed association. Mr. Cole Evans also traveled to the Virgin Islands to collect semen and embryos to expand the genetic diversity of the continental flock.
Dr. Chad PageAnimal Dairy & Veterinary Sciences, Sheep and Goat Specialist, Utah State University Chad works for Utah State University as the Sheep and Goat Extension Specialist. He also teaches a variety of classes at the university, including sheep and wool management. Chad has worked across the intermountain west conducting applied sheep research while he obtained his Bachelor, Masters, and PhD degrees. His research interests include sheep nutrition, production, and mastitis.
Dr. Scott Bowdridge, Program Coordinator of Animal and Nutritional Sciences, Professor of Food and Animal Production, WVU Davis College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Dr. Bowdridge’s research interests are centered around improving small ruminant production. His basic research program is focused on identifying immune mechanisms necessary to clear helminth parasite infection using parasite-resistant St. Croix sheep as a model. Additionally, Dr. Bowdridge works with a team of faculty across the School of Food and Agriculture to evaluate grazing practices that will reduce the impact of gastrointestinal parasitism of grazing livestock.
Dr. Stephan Wildeus, Research Professor at Virginia State University Dr. Wildeus received his B.S. in Animal Science from Montana State University, USA, a Ph.D. in Animal Reproduction from James Cook University, Australia, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Texas A&M University. He initially worked at the Agricultural Experiment Station at the University of the Virgin Islands on St. Croix and has been a research scientist at the Agricultural Research Station of Virginia State University since 1992. His research has focused on small ruminant breed evaluation, accelerated mating, assisted reproduction, and more recently on pasture-based production systems. Dr. Wildeus also has an interest in small ruminant breed resource preservation and serves as chair of Small Ruminant Advisory Committee of the USDA National Animal Germplasm Program. He has served on the editorial boards of Small Ruminant Research and the Journal of Animal Science.
Dr. Dustin Ranglack, Predator Project Leader and Utah Field Station Leader for the National Wildlife Research Center Dr. Dustin Ranglack’s research is focused on human-wildlife conflicts with predators. Studies include testing nonlethal tools for preventing conflict, measuring the impact of carnivores on livestock and wildlife species, and applied biology and ecology of large carnivores
Dr. Kevin Welch & Dr. Clint Stonecipher, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Poisonous Plant Research The Poisonous Plan Research Laboratory investigates poisonous plants and their toxins, determines how the plants poison animals, develops diagnostic and prognostic procedures, identifies the conditions under which poisoning occurs, and develops management strategies and treatments for ranchers to reduce livestock losses.
Dr. Andrea Rios Lugardo, Research Assistant Professor of Animal Science, University of the Virgin Islands Dr. Rios is the Animal Science Program Leader at the University of the Virgin Islands. She holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Animal Science from the University of Puerto Rico, with a focus on growth performance, meat quality, and heat stress in sheep production in the Caribbean. Her Ph.D. was obtained on the University of Arizona on the program of Animal & Comparative Biomedical Science, during her Ph.D., Dr. Rios worked with the physiology of heat stress on ruminants, focusing on growth promoter on beef cattle exposed to heat stress and the milking production, offspring performance and insulin secretion on ewes exposed to maternal heat stress and their lambs. Currently, she is conducting research on parasite infection, heat stress, and growth performance in St. Croix White Hair sheep and a new crossbreed between the Dorper breed and St. Croix White Hair sheep.
Dr. Andrew Weaver, Extension Specialist, Small Ruminants, North Carolina State University Dr. Weaver grew up in central Michigan and attended Michigan State University where he earned his B.S. in Animal Science in 2015. He completed his M.S. at Virginia Tech in 2017 studying terminal sire options for hair sheep producers. That research led him to West Virginia University where he completed his Ph.D. studying immune mechanisms related to parasite resistance. Dr. Weaver’s research and extension interests focus on utilization of genetic tools and other management practices to improve parasite resistance, production efficiency, and end-product value of small ruminants in the Southeast US.
Troy Bird, Nutrition, Dietetics & Food Sciences Meat Lab Manager at Utah State University
Justin Clawson, Utah State University Extension, Assistant Professor, Agriculture & Natural Resources, Cache County
Lunch & Welcome Message Dr. Chad Page, Utah State University
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1:30pm
Review of St. Croix Research: Past and Present Dr. Stephan Wildeus, Virginia State University
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2:45pm
St. Croix Sheep as a Model for Immune Function and Parasite Resistance Dr. Scott Bowdridge, West Virginia University
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4:00pm
St. Croix White Hair sheep and the Future of Sheep Production Dr. Andrea Rios Lugardo, University of the Virgin Islands
5:00pm
Break and Networking with Exhibitors
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6:00pm
BANQUET – Sponsored by Superior Farms
Celebrating 50 Years of St. Croix Sheep Special video message from Dr. Warren Foote. Panel discussion with St. Croix researchers and presenters. Presentation of Awards from SCHSB.
8:00pm
SCHSB Social (location TBD)
Day Two: Saturday, September 13
Virtual Option
Time
Session Title
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8:00am
National Sheep Improvement Program-A Tool for Seedstock & Commercial Producers Dr. Andrew Weaver, North Carolina State University Extension
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9:00am
Predator Management: the USDA Predator Ecology & Behavior Project Dr. Dustin Ranglock, USDA APHIS NWRC
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10:00am
Poisonous Plant Identification Dr. Kevin Welch and/or Dr. Clint Stonecipher, USDA Poisonous Plant Research Laboratory
11:00am
Lunch and Networking with Exhibitors Sponsored by St. Croix Hair Sheep Breeders
12:00pm
Using Drones on Pasture Justin Clawson, USU Extension
12:30pm
Tour the Utah State University Sheep Facility USU Faculty and Staff
Registration grants access to all educational sessions both days and includes lunch on Friday as well as breakfast and lunch on Saturday. SCHSB members enjoy a discount with a Promo Code. The code will be sent to active members via email in mid-April and will be posted in the news section of the Grassroots registry system’s member dashboard in late March. If you have difficulty finding the promo code, please contact us.
Early Registration (closes August 1) – $50 for nonmembers, $35 for SCHSB members with code
Late Registration – $60 for nonmembers, $45 for SCHSB members with code
Family Member Registration (up to 3 with each full registration) – $35 each
Single-Day Registration also available for In-Person ($35) or Virtual ($10-$15) attendance
$25 per Plate – Registrants are invited to attend this special celebratory banquet held Friday evening. Special guests will include those who were pivotal to the importation, development, and early research of the St. Croix breed, as well as a discussion of the breed’s future.
Members, join us for our monthly Water Trough Chats. At least two of our Directors attend each call, but we all try to participate. This virtual meeting is a relaxed, open discussion forum where our members can talk about all things sheep. Each Chat is an excellent opportunity to lean on other members for their knowledge and experience, get help with registration issues, and enjoy some laughs together.
Water Trough Chat Dates in 2025
All Chats are at 7:00pm Eastern on the 2nd Thursday of the month
April 10
May 8
June 12
July 10
August 14
No Chat in September. Attend the Symposium Instead!
