Randy was raised on a sheep and cattle operation in west-central Utah. He received his B.S. degree in Animal Science from Brigham Young University in 1983. His M.S. degree was obtained from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville in 1987, majoring in Business/Marketing and minoring in Reproductive Physiology. He managed a branch of Stevenson Farms in Cuba City, WI while attending UW-Platteville and, upon graduation, managed the large Wis-zona Ranch in Bancroft, WI. In 1989 Randy joined the UW-Madison, Department of Animal Sciences.
His research involves sheep management and sheep reproductive physiology. He is responsible for ram semen collection and freezing, sheep artificial insemination, and embryo transfer, along with assisting Dr. Dave Thomas in all other areas of sheep research.
Randy teaches the Sheep Short Course on the UW-Madison campus and the lab sections of the undergraduate Sheep Production course. He also serves as a Sheep Specialist for the Wisconsin Cooperative Extension Service. He has worked for the USDA on international projects in Estonia, Russia, and Azerbaijian, and was awarded a grant to study sheep semen cryopreservation techniques in Israel. Randy is a popular speaker at sheep industry gatherings throughout the U.S.
Randy Gottfredson
434 Animal Sciences Building
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Department of Animal Sciences
1675 Observatory Dr. Madison,
WI 53706
Telephone:608-265-2499
fax: 608-265-5157
email: rggottfr@facstaff.wisc.edu
Todd Taylor joined the Department of Animal Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison in August 2001 as Shepherd at the Arlington Agricultural Research Station and is actively involved in instructional, research, and Extension activities in the sheep area. Todd's major responsibility is daily management of the Arlington sheep flock as a resource for the Department's research, teaching, and extension programs. The 300-ewe flock includes registered Hampshires, Targhees, Polypays, and Rambouillets as well as some crossbred ewes. The purebred flocks participate in several shows, shows and sales, and the Wisconsin Ram Test.
He grew up in Laramie, Wyoming where his father is the long-time shepherd at the University of Wyoming. He received an Associate degree from Northeastern Junior College, Sterling, Colorado, the B.S. degree in Animal Science from the University of Wyoming, and is completing the M.S. degree in Animal Science at Texas A&M University. He has competed on national 4-H or FFA judging contests in dairy, livestock, wool, and meats and on wool and livestock judging teams in college. He holds a number of high placings in national contests including membership on the Champion Jr. College Livestock Judging Team at the 1992 Fort Worth Stock Show.
For seven years prior to joining UW-Madison, Todd was the Sheep Center Manager at Texas A&M University at College Station for a flock of 950 ewes. He is familiar with the techniques of artificial insemination, semen collection and freezing, and ultrasound scanning in sheep. While at Texas A&M, he was advisor and sponsor of the Sheep Show Team, a group of students that exhibited Texas A&M sheep at major shows in Texas. He is a sheep shearer and a trainer and worker of Border Collie stock dogs.
Todd Taylor
Arlington Agricultural Research Station
Department of Animal Sciences
University of Wisconsin-Madison
W4857 Meek Road
Arlington, WI 53911
Telephone: 608-846-5858
email: ToddTaylor@facstaff.wisc.edu
He grew up in the small rural community of Mineral Point, Wisconsin where he raised purebred Hampshire sheep. He obtained his B.S. degree in Meat and Animal Science in 1971 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His graduate degrees were obtained from Oklahoma State University - the M.S. degree in Animal Science in 1975 and the Ph.D. degree in Animal Breeding and Genetics in 1977. He served as a member of the faculties of the Departments of Animal Science at Oregon State University (1977-81) and the University of Illinois (1981-91) before returning to Wisconsin in 1991.
His research has involved many areas in sheep breeding and management. He is engaged in a project to introgress the major gene for high ovulation rate of the Booroola Merino into a Rambouillet population. He was the first to show that the severe skeletal deformity of Suffolk sheep (Spider Syndrome) was due to a recessive autosomal allele. A breed evaluation study conducted in southern Illinois showed the merit of hair sheep breed crosses over prolific wool breed crosses for lamb production and economic returns in hot, humid environments. In more recent years, he has developed a research program in dairy sheep production that serves this growing industry in North America. He has published over 300 articles in both peer-reviewed scientific journals and popular sheep industry magazines. His former graduate students hold both academic and industry positions in the U.S. and abroad.
Dr. Thomas teaches undergraduate courses in Sheep Production and Principles of Animal Breeding. He also serves as the Sheep Specialist for the Wisconsin Cooperative Extension Service. Dr. Thomas has an interest in international animal agriculture. He served for two years as a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer in Kenya, has worked on projects in Bulgaria, Kenya, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Kazakhstan, and currently serves as the Scientific Liaison Officer for the U.S. Agency for International Development to the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi, Kenya. Dr. Thomas is a familiar speaker at sheep industry symposia throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Dave Thomas
Department of Animal Sciences
University of Wisconsin-Madison
1675 Observatory Drive
Madison, WI 53706
Phone: 608-263-4306
Fax: 608-262-5157
Email: dlthomas@facstaff.wisc.edu