This is the third in a series of blog posts to highlight individuals within the UC Cooperative Extension (CE) working to bring science-based solutions to challenges facing ranchers and rangeland stakeholders. This post features campus-based statewide CE Specialists.
Find a local UCCE range professional here!
Rob Atwill, D.V.M., Ph.D. – Director of Vet Med Extension
Contact: (530) 754-2154 ● ratwill@ucdavis.edu UC Davis
Focus: Research on wildlife and livestock contributions to water quality impairments. Dr. Atwill’s specialties include the study of waterborne zoonotic disease, best water quality management practices for livestock and agricultural producers, along with microbial food safety.
Roger Baldwin, Ph.D. – Cooperative Extension Specialist
Contact: 530-752-4551 ● rabaldwin@ucdavis.edu UC Davis
Focus: Dr. Baldwin is a wildlife ecologist whose program focuses on wildlife management with a particular interest in human-wildlife conflict. His rangeland research topics include ground squirrels, feral horse, and feral pig.
Joseph DiTomaso, Ph.D. – Weed Cooperative Extension Specialist
Contact: (530) 754-8715 ● jmditomaso@ucdavis.edu UC Davis
Focus: Research investigating invasive weeds, where he has identified mechanisms to manage invasive species in California’s diverse landscape. Dr. DiTomaso has assisted local UCCE advisors to bring rangeland management tools to producers and has published numerous technical guides as a resource for rangelands managers to reduce species such as medusahead and starthistle.
Elise Gornish, Ph.D. – Restoration Ecology Cooperative Extension Specialist
Contact: (530) 752-6314 ● egornish@ucdavis.edu UC Davis
Focus: Researches invasive species management, grassland ecology, population ecology, climate change, grazing management and fire. Dr. Gornish kicked off her research in California in 2013 focusing on medusahead head and fire interaction on invasive species, including post-fire grazing.
Thomas Harter, Ph.D. – Groundwater Cooperative Extension Specialist
Contact: (530) 752-2709 ● thharter@ucdavis.edu UC Davis
Focus: Researches the impacts of agriculture and human activity on groundwater flow and contaminant transport, supporting the development of tools to effectively address groundwater management and water quality issues in agricultural regions.
Luke Macaulay, Ph.D. – Assistant Cooperative Extension Specialist
Contact: (703) 798-8459 ● luke.macaulay@berkeley.edu UC Berkeley
Focus: Research on economic and environmental impacts of wildlife management in rangelands. Dr. Macaulay’s goal is to meet the needs of people who use or enjoy rangelands with the goal of enhancing the conservation of rangeland ecosystems.
Frank Mitloehner, Ph.D. – Air Quality Cooperative Extension Specialist
Contact: (530) 752-3936 ● fmmitloehner@ucdavis.edu UC Davis
Focus: Research on livestock systems air quality, along with quantification and mitigation of agricultural air pollutants. Dr. Mitloehner has conducted extensive research on air quality, specifically looking at dust emission and microbial sampling in feedlot settings.
Deanne Meyer, Ph.D. – Livestock Waste Management Cooperative Extension Specialist
Contact: (530) 752-9391 ● dmeyer@ucdavis.edu UC Davis
Focus: Researches current and future needs of livestock operators related to environmental sustainability, regulatory compliance, and economic feasibility.
Jim Oltjen, Ph.D. – Animal Management Systems Cooperative Extension Specialist
Contact: (530) 752-5650 ● jwoltjen@ucdavis.edu UC Davis
Focus: Building computer decision support software and strengthening the beef quality assurance program, along with developing standardized performance analysis for cattle and sheep ranches.
Alda Pires, DVM, Ph.D. – Assistant Cooperative Extension Specialist
Contact: (530) 754-9855 ● apires@ucdavis.edu UC Davis
Focus: Research and outreach to identify mitigation strategies to reduce food safety risks at the interface of animals and crops on mixed crop-livestock farms.
Dan Putnam, Ph.D. – Alfalfa and Forage Cooperative Extension Specialist
Contact: (530) 752-8982 ● dhputnam@ucdavis.edu UC Davis
Focus: Researches alfalfa and forage crop systems, forage quality and utilization, alternative field crops, cellulosic energy crops (e.g. switchgrass) and crop ecology.
Peter Robinson, Ph.D. – Dairy Nutrition and Management Cooperative Extension Specialist
Contact: (530) 752-7565 ● phrobinson@ucdavis.edu UC Davis
Focus: Research on cattle nutritional management and developing ration evaluation software. Dr. Robinson has collaborated with county UCCE advisors to explore the ability to utilize rice straw as a livestock forage, along with studying the nutritional value of various other agricultural by products.
Leslie Roche, Ph.D. – Rangeland Management Cooperative Extension Specialist
Contact: (530) 752-5583 ● lmroche@ucdavis.edu UC Davis
Focus: Research that looks at the effectiveness of adaptive grazing management to restore and enhance soil, plant, water, and agricultural production services. Additionally, Dr. Roche serves as a resource to ranchers and land managers on ecosystem management, soil, plant ecology and wildlife topics.
Tina Saitone, Ph.D. – Livestock and Rangeland Economics Cooperative Extension Specialist
Contact: (530) 752-1870 ● saitone@primal.ucdavis.edu UC Davis
Focus: Researches a broad range of topics in agricultural economics including food quality and safety, agricultural cooperatives, industry competition, generic commodity promotion, federal and state marketing orders, and supplementary feeding programs.
Ken Tate, Ph.D., CRM – Rangeland Watershed Sciences Cooperative Extension Specialist
Contact: (530) 754-8988 ● kwtate@ucdavis.edu UC Davis
Focus: Research investigating water quality, riparian areas, mountain meadows, and grazing management. He has assisted ranchers in providing factual data to determine access to public lands grazing leases and creating sustainable stocking rates.
Alison Van Eenennaam, Ph.D. – Animal Genomics and Biotechnology Cooperative Extension Specialist
Contact: (530) 752-7942 ● alvaneenennaam@ucdavis.edu UC Davis
Focus: Research investigating animal genomics and biotechnology in livestock production systems. Dr. Van Enennaam’s current research projects include selection for cattle that are less susceptible to bovine respiratory disease, identifying fertility genetic markers in beef cattle and software to manage recessive genetic conditions in mating decisions.