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)

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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.

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!
• October 9
• November 13
• December 11

If you need to join the Water Trough Chats by phone instead of the app, dial: ‪(US) +1 570-810-2380‬ and enter PIN: ‪507 182 985‬#

Predators and internal parasites are two of the largest causes of sheep and lamb losses. St. Croix sheep are known for having a leg up on resisting the effects of parasites, but all sheep are vulnerable to predators. In the USDA’s 2020 report, 32% of losses of mature sheep are due to predators, and 40% of
all lamb losses. There are many methods for minimizing sheep losses to predators. No method is 100%
effective, but choosing the best methods for the situation will yield the best results.

Predators come in many forms – wild, feral and domesticated, 4-footed and winged, solitary and
cooperative hunters. Canines are overwhelmingly the most common predator of sheep, accounting for
47% of all predator sheep kills. Dogs are the next most common, with 34%. Bears, mountain lions, fox,
wolves, bobcats, eagles, hawks and even ravens and vultures round out the list of usual suspects for the
remaining 19% of losses.

Preventing the loss of the first sheep can be most effective in discouraging further losses. Many experts
feel that once a predator has killed and eaten sheep or lamb, it’s more likely to do so again as predators
learn from experience and from one another. Sometimes killing the predator only allows a new predator to move into the now-vacant territory. State or federal laws protect many predators so ranchers cannot legally kill them without obtaining a permit to do so.

When attacks do occur, the sheep owner rarely sees the attack occur,. But each predator may leave clues to their identity on the prey and in the area. The more the owner knows about what to look for and the earlier the signs are noted, the more useful info can be learned. New or different deterrents may be
needed to discourage that predator. Some resources are below to help with predator identification and
management.

Identifying the predators that are likely to be present in your area is a starting point for choosing cost-
effective methods of deterring them. Integrated predator management means combining the most effective means of deterrence for the predators in your area.

Predator Resources:

• Distinguishing stillborn lambs scavenged by coyotes from lambs killed by coyotes or by dogs.
• The Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management can help the livestock owner identify other
  predators.
• USDA/APHIS’s Wildlife Services provides information and services by state that can be accessed by calling 1- 866-4USDA (866-487-3297).
• Data on sheep predators and losses are from the USDA’s 2020 National Animal Health Survey of sheep. The next NAHMS sheep survey was conducted in 2024, and results should be released in 2025.
  

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.

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.

Register now

In the grip of a severe and prolonged drought, sheep farmers across multiple regions are facing unprecedented challenges. The lack of rainfall has led to dry pastures, scarce water supplies, and soaring feed costs, creating a crisis that threatens the livelihood of many in the agricultural sector.

Impact on Pastures and Feed

One of the most immediate effects of the drought is the deterioration of pasture quality. Fields that once provided abundant, nutritious grass for grazing have turned into barren, dusty expanses. With natural forage in short supply, farmers are forced to rely on supplementary feed to sustain their flocks. However, the cost of feed has surged due to increased demand and decreased production, adding financial strain to already burdened farmers.

Normally, our sheep graze freely and get most of their nutrition from the pastures. Now, we’re spending money on hay and grain to supplement the dry pastures. It’s not sustainable in the long term, adding to many farmers bottom lines. 

Water Scarcity

Water scarcity is another critical issue. Many regions affected by the drought are experiencing depleted water reserves, making it difficult to maintain adequate hydration for sheep. Some farmers have resorted to trucking in water, a costly and logistically challenging endeavor.

Health and Productivity

The drought is also taking a toll on the health and productivity of sheep. Malnutrition and dehydration can lead to weakened immune systems, making sheep more susceptible to diseases. Additionally, the stress from these harsh conditions can result in lower reproduction rates which may further impact farmers’ income.

Seeking Solutions

In response to the crisis, government agencies and agricultural organizations are working to provide support. Emergency relief funds, subsidies for feed and water, and technical assistance are being offered to help farmers cope. Additionally, research into drought-resistant forage crops and improved water management practices is underway. 

What We are Doing at Trillium Family Farms

Typically, by mid-summer, our farm in the Appalachian Mountains is beset by substantial rainfall, transforming the terrain into a muddy mess. However, this summer has been different, with the Midwest experiencing drought conditions for most of the season. Accustomed to wet weather, we have had to adapt and implement different preparations as we transition into the autumn season.

Our practice of rotational grazing necessitated special considerations to prevent overgrazing and avoid stressing the grass. Extended periods of dry weather can shorten the grazing season and reduce the quality of available forage. Reduced forage quality means sheep struggle to meet their nutritional needs, leading to weight loss and weakened animals. With pastures not recovering as expected, we shifted our focus to maintaining the sheep in a dry lot near the barn.

The “grass-fed only” movement presents a challenging decision on flock management during drought conditions. At Trillium Family Farms, we have decided to offer supplemental feeding until our pastures are up to standard. In the dry lot, our sheep have unlimited access to hay, sheep minerals, kelp, baking soda, and water, along with limited access to a special grain mix in our Advantage Grain Feeder. Additionally, we provide a protein tub if body condition is not adequate for breeding.

Looking ahead to the winter season, we have also prepared for the ongoing drought’s impact on hay supply. The lack of rain has caused a severe supply and demand problem for local hay farmers. Those who typically achieve two cuttings of hay have only managed one this year, resulting in a significant reduction in hay availability. Ranchers are feeding their animals hay earlier this year due to the drought, increasing demand for an additional two months’ worth of hay compared to previous years. Consequently, we have increased our stockpile of round hay bales to ensure an adequate supply throughout the winter season.

To many, a drought might simply mean a less vibrant lawn, but as farmers we recognize the long-term, cascading effects of a summer with below-average rainfall. If you require assistance in locating drought relief programs offered by your state’s Department of Agriculture, or if you seek mentorship on mitigating drought-related issues on your farm, please do not hesitate to contact the Board of Directors.