USU Shepherd’s Symposium: Celebrating 50 Years of St. Croix Sheep – Attend In-Person or Virtually!

Posted on August 7, 2025August 29, 2025 by Treasurer Treasurer

September 12 and 13, 2025

Co-sponsored by Utah State University Extension and St. Croix Hair Sheep Breeders

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 Page Animal 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

Symposium Agenda

Day One: Friday, September 12

Virtual Option	Time	Session Title
	11:00am	Registration & Networking
✅	12:00pm	Lunch & Welcome Message Dr. Chad Page, Utah State University
✅	1:30pm	Review of St. Croix Research: Past and Present Dr. Stephan Wildeus, Virginia State University
✅	2:45pm	St. Croix Sheep as a Model for Immune Function and Parasite Resistance Dr. Scott Bowdridge, West Virginia University
✅	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
✅	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
✅	8:00am	National Sheep Improvement Program-A Tool for Seedstock & Commercial Producers Dr. Andrew Weaver, North Carolina State University Extension
✅	9:00am	Predator Management: the USDA Predator Ecology & Behavior Project Dr. Dustin Ranglock, USDA APHIS NWRC
✅	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
	2:00pm	Hands-On Station-Based Activities * Carcass Evaluation ✅ * Parasite Identification * Udder/Milk Evaluation * Blood Draws
	4:00pm	Closing Remarks
	6:00pm	SCHSB Social (location TBD)

Symposium Registration Fees

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
Virtual Registration – $20 each

50 Years of St. Croix Sheep Celebration Banquet

$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.

2025 Board of Directors & Officer Election Results

Posted on January 21, 2025January 21, 2025 by Treasurer Treasurer

The 2025 Board of Directors election took place the weekend of November 29, 2024. Five seats were up for election and five candidates ran. A third-party contractor used ElectionBuddy to send ballots to members by email and SMS-text messages, with a 23% response rate. The five elected candidates with terms expiring December 31, 2028 include:

Crystal Criswell, Ohio
Lori Marion, Oregon
Tara Seltz, Minnesota
Jason Webster, Indiana
Amy Wheeler, Oregon

Two additional directors, Elizabeth Hernandez (West Virginia) and Tamara Lambdin-Abney (Kentucky) have two years remaining in their terms.

During the January 13, 2025 meeting, the directors elected our officers. Officers serve one-year terms. The 2025 Board of Directors Officers for St. Croix Hair Sheep Breeders are:

President – Jason Webster, Indiana
Vice President – Lori Marion, Oregon
Secretary – Tara Seltz, Minnesota
Treasurer – Crystal Criswell, Ohio

The next Board of Directors meeting is scheduled for January 27, 2025. As always, the Board of Directors encourages member involvement in all our projects and activities. Please reach out to us at any time.

Board Nominations are OPEN

Posted on September 23, 2024September 23, 2024 by Treasurer Treasurer

Board nominations for the Board of Directors members are open until October 7th. St. Croix Hair Sheep Breeders needs board members who will help preserve and promote our sheep. The election takes place in December, and elected Board Members serve four-year terms beginning with our first meeting in January 2025.

Nominate Someone Now!

We meet once per month for regular Board meetings, with most meetings lasting about 2 hours. Opportunities to help include marketing, advertising, managing our registry, budgeting, arranging educational sessions, and completing special projects. Special committees may hold extra meetings to complete projects such as our Genetics Project.

If you (or another member you know) want to serve our organization, please complete this nomination form or contact the board. Yes! You are encouraged to nominate yourself! Remember, board nominations close on October 7!

SCHSB Represents at the Homesteading-ish Conference

Posted on September 15, 2024September 15, 2024 by Treasurer Treasurer

Two of our board members, Elizabeth Hernandez (WV – Trillium Family Farms) and Crystal Criswell (OH – Melwood Farm) attended the Homesteading-ish Conference in Charleston, WV on September 13 and 14. The pair set up a table and spoke to participants about St. Croix sheep and how to become members of our organization.

Homesteading-ish was sponsored by the Natural Resources Conservation Service with over 300 people in attendance. Speakers included several social media influencers and authors, such as Joel Salatin of Polyface Farms, Shawn & Beth Dougherty of The Sow’s Ear, Josh Draper the Stoney Ridge Farmer, Nathan Elliott from Out of the Woods, Troy McClung of Red Tool House, and Chuck Lewis from Sheraton Park Farms. The sessions focused on topics such as land preparation and management, Appalachia-specific production issues, food and financial security, organic homesteading, and the urban homestead.

The 2024 Annual Meeting is October 19

Posted on August 14, 2024October 17, 2024 by Treasurer Treasurer

The 2024 Annual Meeting will take place virtually on October 19 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm ET. The meeting will include a report on the activities of the SCHSB Board of Directors, election information, and an educational session about Solar Grazing.

Solar Grazing and St. Croix

Posted on August 14, 2024August 14, 2024 by Treasurer Treasurer

Our president, Jason Webster of Green Pastures Farm, has started on a solar grazing adventure and hopes to lead the way for other St. Croix breeders. He started making plans with an undisclosed company as part of a land management program in 2023. There were many things to discuss, including fencing and seeding needs, liability insurance, water access, and more. Finally, at the end of April, Jason delivered 42 St. Croix lambs, all about three months old, to a rather extensive solar field. The lambs spent a few days in a staging pen before they moved onto the solar field to graze.

As part of the project, Jason is closely monitoring the lambs’ growth. The average weight on April 22, the week before they went to the solar field, was 38 pounds. One month later on May 29, the lambs averaged 50 pounds, meaning they had gained an average of 12 pounds in 30 days. On August 5, the average weight of the group was 65 pounds, for another gain of 15 pounds. The final average daily gain for the group was 0.26 pounds per day. These gains are a testament to the quality of forage available in solar grazing and the genetics of the lambs.

Jason hopes to develop a model that others can use when developing partnerships to use sheep to graze solar fields as a management tool.

SCHSB Promotional Materials Available

Posted on August 2, 2024August 2, 2024 by Treasurer Treasurer

The St. Croix Hair Sheep Breeders board of directors has updated our promotional materials. We have three vinyl banners ( 6 ft x 2.5 ft), brochures, and business cards. We intend to use these items to promote the breed and our organization at a variety of events such as hair sheep sales, livestock shows, farming and homesteading workshops, 4H or FFA events, and forage/grazing seminars.

Please use this form to borrow a banner and to obtain copies of the brochure and business card for use at events. We require that within the 30 days after the event, members submit photos of themselves in the booth, a brief description of the event, and return the banner in good condition to a director. SCHSB will cover the cost of shipment both ways.

Members can request up to five copies of the brochure for farm use by sending an email or calling us at 458-240-3499. We hope these promotional materials will help to spread the word about our sheep and our organization.

Best Practices When Transferring Sheep

Posted on May 30, 2024May 31, 2024 by Treasurer Treasurer

When transferring sheep, we should all use best practices. This time of year, shepherds are busy! They are recording lamb data, tagging ears, and deciding which lambs stay, which to sell, and which are freezer-bound. It is easy to lose track of paperwork, forget to record a transfer, or lose an envelope somewhere in the truck. However, using Grassroots and a standard process can make things easier for both the seller and the buyer.

I recommend following these steps when transferring sheep:

The seller and buyer agree on the price of the sheep and the date of pickup/drop off. Buyers may need to make a deposit if they want the seller to hold the sheep beyond a few days. These situations may call for a signed Livestock Purchase Contract.
The seller should obtain a health certificate/certificate of veterinary inspection, or CVI for out-of-state Buyers or when requested. Each animal’s CVI must be obtained no more than 30 days before the date of pickup/drop off. Buyers pay for these services in addition to the cost of the sheep.
At least 3 weeks before the date of pickup/drop off, the seller should birth notify lambs on Grassroots using accurate ear tag numbers. If previously registered sheep are changing hands, gather the certificates.
At least 3 weeks before the date of pickup/drop off, the buyer should join SCHSB if not a member.
Upon pickup/drop off the seller should always provide the buyer with:
- a detailed Livestock Bill of Sale
- a CVI for each animal, and
- the original certificates for previously registered sheep with the back side completed to indicate a transfer of ownership
Upon pickup/drop off, the buyer should always provide the seller with:
- payment in full
- full name, address, phone number, and SCHSB membership number
After pickup/drop off of the sheep, the seller should immediately register (if applicable) and transfer the sheep on Grassroots.* The seller must provide the buyer’s information so the registrar can mail the papers directly to the new owner. Buyers should be prepared to pay for these transactions ($8 per registration, $8 per transfer) in addition to the cost of the sheep, although many sellers include these costs in the quoted price.
The buyer should notify the seller if registration certificates do not arrive by mail within 30 days after pickup/drop off of the sheep.

*Sometimes, the buyer is not an active SCHSB member and/or registration certificates were provided in lieu of electronic transfer. In these cases, the buyer must join SCHSB and mail the registration certificates, a work order, and payment to the registrar to transfer the sheep to the buyer’s name.

Need More Help Transferring Sheep?

Refer to page 5 of the SCHSB Official Forms & Regulations for more information about the rules for transferring sheep. If you ever have difficulty or questions, please reach out. Contact SCHSB by phone or text message at 458-240-3799 or by email. You can reach our registrar, Jaye Ray, by phone at 919-542-5704 ext. 111 or by email.

Photo is courtesy of Tamara Lambdin-Abney, Aldenwood Farm, Kentucky

2024 International Heritage Breeds Week – May 19-25

Posted on May 20, 2024May 20, 2024 by Treasurer Treasurer

Every year during the third week of May is the International Heritage Breeds Week. The annual event’s purpose is to raise awareness about endangered heritage breeds of livestock and poultry. We encourage St. Croix sheep breeders and enthusiasts to spread the word in their networks about our sheep and to maintain registrations on qualifying sheep online using Grassroots or by mail with paper forms.

Conservation Status of St. Croix Sheep

According to the 2024 Conservation Priority List, St. Croix sheep are in the Watch (W) category. The Watch list includes breeds with less than 2,500 annual registrations in the U.S.and an estimated global population less than 10,000. The Livestock Conservancy (TLC) bases this decision on the number of sheep registered and alive in our registry records and that of other St. Croix registries.

In 2023, our members registered 1,080 new animals. If numbers continue to grow, it is possible that our breed will graduate to the Recovering (R) category. Breeds on the Recovering list still need monitoring and remain on TLC’s Conservation Priority List (CPL). Once a breed graduates from the Priority List, it might not eligible for support or monitoring by TLC. Learn more about how TLC’s CPL is determined.

The Livestock Conservancy: A Resource for St. Croix Hair Sheep Breeders

Our members have opportunities to benefit from TLC’s efforts. TLC members receive their quarterly newsletter and annual breed directory. There are many educational posts on their site. You can download and print the Heritage Sheep for Niche Production brochure to hand out to potential customers or at special events. The TLC store offers a variety of useful books and promotional items. Perhaps most helpful to producers are the Microgrants, open for application around June-August each year.

What You Can Do

SCHSB members can participate by sharing information about Heritage Breeds Week. Talk to people about the role St. Croix sheep have in maintaining biodiversity, ensuring adequate adaptation to environmental pressures, and avoiding over-reliance on chemical dewormers. Be sure to help your customers who are buying breeding stock understand the importance of membership and registering quality offspring so that pedigrees can be tracked and genetics preserved.

National Sheep Improvement Program: Get Started with Your St. Croix Flock

Posted on February 22, 2024March 22, 2024 by Treasurer Treasurer

Many of us have heard of the National Sheep Improvement Program (NSIP) but don’t know enough about it or are reluctant to join. However, NSIP continues to gain momentum and is being used by several sheep breeds to improve performance and market breeding stock. St. Croix breeders need to become familiar with this tool and truly understand it so they can make an informed decision that works for their situation.

Join us on Thursday, March 21st at 7:00pm Eastern to learn about the National Sheep Improvement Program from Lynn Fahrmeier of Fahrmeier Grain & Livestock and see how to get started with your flock. Lynn is a fourth generation farmer in Wellington, Missouri. He graduated from the University of Missouri with a degree in Agriculture and Animal Science, focusing on nutrition and genetics. He started raising Katahdins since 1997 and currently owns a flock of approximately 150 ewes. He first submitted data to the National Sheep Improvement Program in 2001, helped develop the mathematical equations for several of the EBVs, served as Chairman, and currently serves as a board member. He is also a member of the Katahdin Hair Sheep International NSIP Committee.

Learning Objectives

Understand how the use of NSIP’s powerful data analysis for selecting breeding stock is more accurate than the use of raw phenotypic data and/or visual appraisalDefine key concepts used in the NSIP program (i.e., EBV, contemporary group, WWT, PWT, FEC, USAHAIR)
Explore the process of recording performance data, submitting data, and using the data analysis reports
Examine the costs (time, money, and labor) of participation for an average-sized flock
Review real data produced by a participating St. Croix flock and the EBVs most relevant to the breed
Describe how to maximize the power of NSIP by working with other St. Croix producer members

Did you miss it? Don’t worry! Watch the recording below.