Jessica Sperber

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.