Meet your consultants
Joan Burke
Joan recently retired from the USDA, Agricultural Research Service as a Research Animal Scientist. She has a PhD from Oregon State University and has lived in each of the four corners of the U.S. at some point in her life. She has loved working with sheep since she was an undergraduate at Cornell University. Joan has conducted research on internal parasite control, forage systems including tall fescue and bermudagrass based forages and organic and grass-fed production. She has recently studied reproductive losses associated with Cache Valley Virus and Bluetongue Virus. Joan loves working with farmers, industry and university professionals.
James Morgan
Jim Morgan has worked in the sheep industry since 2000. He grew up on a diversified farm in Kansas with livestock, wheat and row crops. Jim did graduate work at the University of Oregon and Oregon State University. After teaching and doing research at the University of Arkansas for 10 years, he transitioned to full time in the sheep industry. Jim raises breeding stock and direct markets lamb. He worked for Katahdin Hair Sheep International for 20 years from being a minor breed to being one of the most popular sheep breeds. On the genetic side, Jim worked with Dr Dave Notter (Virginia Tech) in the development of the first EBV (Estimated Breeding Value) for parasite resistance in the USA and the first EBV for Pounds of Lamb Weaned per Ewe. Jim worked with Dr Joan Burke (USDA), continuing to improve genetic selection for parasite resistance. Presentations include genetic talks at the World Sheep and Wool Congress, Brazil, Mexico and Canada. His driving goal has always been to help producers adopt “appropriate science” to improve their practical management and genetic selection
