UW-Madison Department of Dairy Science

280 Animal Sciences Building
1675 Observatory Drive
Madison, WI 53706-1284
Phone: (608) 263-3491, (608) 263-9411
Fax: (608) 263-9412
rdshaver@wisc.edu

BIOSKETCH -- 2005

Dr. Randy Shaver was born and raised on a western Pennsylvania dairy farm. After completing a B.S. degree in Dairy Science at the Pennsylvania State University in 1981, Randy received an M.S. degree from the Department of Animal Sciences at the University of Maryland in 1982. His research focused on the use of buffers in dairy cattle rations and the effects of silage pH on the intake of silage. He then completed his doctorate degree in Dairy Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1986 after conducting research at the UW-Madison and U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center on the effects of forage fiber content and particle length on forage utilization in dairy cattle rations.

Randy spent 1986-87 working as Product Development Manager, Animal Industry Development Department, American Cyanamid Company on the bovine somatotropin project, and 1987-88 as a Dairy Nutrition Consultant for Purina Mills, Inc. in Wisconsin and Michigan. Since then he has been on the faculty in the Department of Dairy Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison with a 75% Extension, 25% Research appointment. He was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure in 1994 and Professor in 1999.

His research focuses on applied nutrition of lactating dairy cattle with emphasis on B-vitamins, carbohydrates, and forages. His primary extension thrust has been the coordination of applied feeding and management conferences for veterinarians, private consultants and feed industry representatives. Randy has authored or co-authored 50 peer-review journal publications, 81 scientific abstracts, 71 popular-press articles in industry trade magazines, and over 150 newsletter articles, extension handouts or bulletins, and internet publications. He has presented over 229 invited papers at industry conferences in 38 states. Additionally, he has been an invited speaker for dairy producer and feed industry audiences in Argentina, Brazil, Japan, Italy, Korea, Mexico, and seven provinces in Canada.

In 1991, he received both the Second Mile Award from the Wisconsin County Agents Association and the Educator of the Year Award from the Wisconsin Forage Council. In 1993, he received the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Pound Extension Excellence Award. In 1996, he received the Midwest ADSA/ASAS Outstanding Young Extension Specialist Award. Randy was recipient of the 2002 Nutrition Professionals Applied Dairy Nutrition Award presented at the ADSA Annual Meeting, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. In 2003, he received the Outstanding Researcher Award from the Wisconsin Forage Council. Randy was the 2005 recipient of the DeLaval Dairy Extension Award presented at the ADSA Annual Meeting in Cincinnati, OH.

Randy is a member of the American Dairy Science Association, American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists, and Wisconsin Association of Professional Agricultural Consultants. He serves on the ARPAS Governing Council and the WAPAC Executive Council. He has served as Director, Secretary-Treasurer, Vice-President, and President of the Midwestern Branch of the American Dairy Science Association. He has served as Secretary, Vice-Chair, and Chair of the Production Division of the American Dairy Science Association. Dr. Shaver has served on the UW-Madison Biological Sciences Division Tenure Committee. He has served on the Editorial Board for the Journal of Dairy Science and the Journal of Animal Feed Science & Technology. Randy served on the College of Agricultural & Life Sciences Dean Search & Screen Committee.