In early 2022, many small-scale goat and sheep producers in Lane County faced a critical gap when the last veterinarian who regularly served small ruminants retired. With fewer local options for timely care, producers needed practical skills, reliable information and peer support to protect animal health, reduce losses and stay in business.
A stronger producer support network reduces avoidable veterinary calls and costs, improves farm viability and keeps local food and fiber production more resilient during workforce shortages in rural veterinary care.
In response, Melissa Fery, small farms professor of practice who serves Lane, Linn and Benton counties for the Oregon State University Extension Service, supported producers in forming the Small Ruminant Network, a producer-led learning community connected through an OSU-sponsored email listserv and monthly on-farm meetups.
Fery helped launch the listserv, encouraged producers to identify shared education needs, and continues to support the grassroots planning team by helping locate presenters, facilitate activities and connect members to research-based resources.
Since the first planning meeting, 213 members have joined the email listserv. The planning team has organized 30-plus events covering core husbandry and farm-management topics, including kidding and pregnancy, herd health and observation, wound care, fecal testing, the FAMACHA anemia check (a lower-eyelid method used to identify parasite-related anemia), internal parasites, nutrition and hay, pasture management, rotational grazing and silvopasture.
In October 2025, Fery and producer leaders surveyed network members and 79 producers responded.
- 100% of respondents said the listserv is valuable, and 75% rated it very or extremely valuable, citing email as an accessible, cross-generational communication tool.
- Participation varied: 32% had not attended an in-person meetup, while 32% had attended six or more events, showing both the reach of the listserv and the value of hands-on learning for frequent participants.
- Members reported meaningful on-farm impacts:
- 92% reported a stronger sense of belonging in the farming community.
- 77% increased their connections with other farmers, leading to practical support such as relief milking, equipment borrowing and skill-sharing.
- 74% said their ability to do basic animal husbandry increased.
- 73% reported increased confidence raising sheep and goats.
- 70% learned something that delivered a positive economic impact, such as avoiding animal deaths, reducing veterinary bills, or cutting feed costs.
- 34% received information or assistance that helped save an animal’s life.
When producers can prevent illness, respond quickly to common emergencies and manage parasites and nutrition effectively, animals suffer less and farms lose fewer animals.
A stronger producer support network also reduces avoidable veterinary calls and costs, improves farm viability and keeps local food and fiber production more resilient during workforce shortages in rural veterinary care.