Jessica Sperber
Extension Assistant ProfessorFeedlot Specialist
Ph.D., Animal Science (Ruminant Nutrition), University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2021
M.S., Animal Science, West Texas A&M University, 2018
B.S., Biological Sciences, MacEwan University, 2016
Jessica Sperber joined the Department of Animal Science as an extension assistant professor and extension feedlot specialist in November of 2022. Her role in the department includes delivering relevant education and guiding problem-solving efforts targeted towards feedlot owners, management, consultants, and allied industry. She will also organize the Nebraska beef feedlot extension team, coordinate feedlot roundtables, and contribute to feedlot extension publications.
Sperber earned her Ph.D., in Animal Science with a specialization in Ruminant Nutrition at Nebraska in December of 2021 and was previously a Feedlot Nutrition Consultant and Technical Specialist at Bullseye Feeds in Strathmore, Alberta, Canada. From 2019-2021, she served as a graduate assistant at Nebraska at the Eastern Nebraska Research, Extension and Education Center near Mead, NE, assisting with research and learning initiatives at the feedlot and forage unit. She also previously served as a graduate assistant at West Texas A&M University from January 2017-December 2018.
She is passionate about the relationship between the cattle feeder and packer, and the technologies that improve beef cattle production efficiency. Her family owns and operates a cow/calf and grain operation in Alberta, Canada, and she grew up exhibiting and evaluating cattle at various livestock shows across North America.
Professional Highlights
Honors and Recognition
2020 - Dr. Karl C. Ivarson Agricultural Scholarship, Canadian Foundation for Food and Agricultural Education2020 - Keith Gilmore Prize for Beef Cattle Innovation, Keith Gilmore Foundation
2019 - W.D. Farr Scholarship, National Cattlemen’s Foundation
2019 - Paul Engler Endowment, West Texas A&M University
2018 - Alberta Beef Producers Scholarship
2017 & 2018 - Texas Cattle Feeders Association Scholarship, Texas Cattle Feeders Association Education Foundation
Experience
November 2022-Present - Extension Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska-LincolnNovember 2022-Present - Feedlot Extension Specialist, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
March 2022-November 2022 - Feedlot Nutrition Consultant & Technical Specialist, Bullseye Feeds
August 2019-December 2021 - Graduate Assistant, Texas Tech University
January 2017-December 2018 - Graduate Assistant, West Texas A&M University
Memberships
2022-Present, Animal Nutrition Association of Canada2020-Present, American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists
2019-Present, Beef Quality Assurance Certified
2019-2021, IACUC Animal Handling Certified
2019-Present, ServSafe Manager Certified
2017-Present, American Meat Science Association
2017-Present, American Society of Animal Science
2016-Present, Young Cattlemen’s Council