Steve Hart An Extension Giant

Dr. Steve Hart: An Extension Giant at AIGR

MOST LIKELY, DR. STEVE HART NEVER IMAGINED THAT A SINGLE GRANT COLLABORA

TION WOULD SET THE TRAJECTORY OF THE CROWNING DECADES OF HIS CAREER. BUT

THAT IS PRECISELY WHAT HAPPENED — AND THE PROGRAMS AND PEOPLE OF LANGSTON

UNIVERSITY ARE FAR RICHER FOR IT. HART’S PROFESSIONAL YEARS BEGAN IN 1972, WHEN

HE RECEIVED A B.S. IN DAIRY SCIENCE FROM TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY. HE SERVED TWO

YEARS IN THE ARMY BEFORE RETURNING TO TEXAS A&M, WHERE HE STUDIED SORGHUM

SILAGE FOR DAIRY COWS AND COMPLETED AN M.S. IN ANIMAL SCIENCE IN 1977. HART THEN

HEADED EAST AND, IN 1981, EARNED A PH.D. IN ANIMAL SCIENCE FROM VIRGINIA TECH.

“He excelled at producer communication and training. … His expertise and friendly, informative teaching style were well known all over Oklahoma and throughout the country.”

— DR. ROGER MERKEL, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR

Doctoral diploma in hand, Hart joined the ranks of the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture at El Reno, Oklahoma. There, he focused his considerable energies on silages and crop residues for beef and stocker cattle, grain-forage interactions in cattle, turnips as a feed source for sheep, and sheep grazing behaviors.

FROM ARS TO AIGR

In 1988, ARS initiated a small grant program to establish collaborative ties with 1890 land-grant institutions, Langston University among them. With his sheep and animal nutrition experience, Hart was a natural fit to collaborate on a grant proposal with Dr. Tilahun Sahlu, a research scientist at LU’s American Institute for Goat Research (AIGR). Winning the grant, Hart and Sahlu combined their own expertise and their institutions’ facilities, studying nutrient metabolism of goats at AIGR and conducting goat grazing trials at (continues)

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“There were many wonderful friendly people who encouraged me, shared their knowledge, and made me feel at home ….”

— DR. STEVE HART, RESEARCH SCIENTIST AND EXTENSION SPECIALIST

El Reno. When the project concluded, Dr. O.C. Simpson, dean of LU’s School of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, saw Hart’s potential to fill a research and extension role at AIGR, and invited him to join the faculty. So it was that in 1991 Hart traded sheep for goats and began an AIGR career that would span nearly 30 years, first as a research professor, then as acting director in 1995-1996, and ultimately as a research scientist and extension specialist. Hart celebrated his retirement in 2019.

A DRIVING FORCE FOR EXTENSION

During his time at LU, Hart was responsible for many of the extension activities carried out at AIGR. Dr. Roger Merkel, a colleague and collaborator, recalled Hart’s approach. “He excelled at producer communication and training,” Merkel said. “Each year, he conducted many workshops and presentations on topics such as internal parasite control and goat feeding and nutrition. His expertise and friendly, informative teaching style were well known all over Oklahoma and throughout the country.”

Hart worked closely with a great many farmers and responded to countless inquiries via phone and email. He was closely involved in producer organizations, serving as director of the Oklahoma Meat Goat Association and as director and later president of the Mohair Producers of Oklahoma. Hart often gave generously of his own time to the goat farming community, helping over many years at the birthing centers at the Oklahoma State Fairs in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. He was, and still is, regularly invited to present at producer organization meetings and scientific conferences. Wherever he goes, Hart educates scientists and goat producers while representing Langston University with skill and class.

A SCIENTIST IN SERVICE

During his career, Hart was awarded several research grants focusing on grazing-based dairy production systems and vegetation management. Most recently, he investigated using

goats to control Eastern redcedar as a less expensive, more sustainable alternative to conventional control methods such as burning, mechanical clipping, and herbicide. In addition, he served on and was chair of LU’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). Hart was also very active in professional societies, notably the American Society of Animal Science, both regionally and nationally, and the American Dairy Science Association. He represented the dairy goat industry at the National Conference of Interstate Milk Shippers, where he worked to get antibiotic

residue test kits approved for goats and to resolve problems with somatic cell levels in goat milk.

A LASTING LEGACY

The scientists, researchers, and staff of AIGR will long remember their colleague as someone who never hesitated to lend a hand. “Steve is the ‘service’ in cooperative extension service. His motto is to serve everyone,” said Dr. Terry Gipson. “He has been instrumental to AIGR. If I needed

an innovative or creative idea,” Gipson continued, “the first person I went to was Steve, and he would almost immediately provide me with a new outlook. That is how quick his mind works.” To Dr. Raquel Laurencon, who worked with Hart on numerous grant projects, he will always be a role model. “I’m so proud and thankful for the years that I worked with Dr. Hart,” she said. “He was an extraordinary advisor and taught me a lot about goats and

extension. I appreciate and admire his kindness, patience, hard work, and sense of humor. I really enjoyed our road trips to research plots and conferences. He is one of the best men I have ever met.” Everyone who worked with Hart knows he won’t be easy to replace.

Among the many things Hart will look back on fondly, friends and colleagues top the list. “At AIGR, we all worked together as a team,” he recalled. “The job at hand was everyone’s job, and everyone worked together until it was done. There were many wonderful friendly people who encouraged me, shared their knowledge,

and made me feel at home — from day one.” In retirement, Hart plans to raise his own goats and stay active the industry. As he says farewell to AIGR, true to form, he leaves a nugget of wisdom for future students. “Find something you love, learn all you can, and learn how to write and communicate effectively.”

For more information, please contact Dr. Tilahun Sahlu, tilahun.sahlu@langston.edu.