Title:                 Extension Specialist - Forage Agronomist / Extension Clinical Professor

Unit:                  Agriculture & Natural Resources

Location:          1078 Agricultural Science Building, P.O. Box 6108
                          Morgantown, WV 26506-6108

E-mail:             Ed.Rayburn@mail.wvu.edu

Phone: 304-293-6131 Ext. 4209           Fax: 304-293-6954

Areas of Expertise:

Forage management, pasture ecology, ruminant nutrition

Program or Curriculum Responsibilities:

Responsible for curriculum development in forage production and forage utilization by livestock in pasture-based systems.

Background:

Holds bachelor and master degrees in wildlife biology and a doctor of philosophy degree in forage agronomy.  His research and outreach programs focus on the economics of ruminant livestock production in pasture based forage-livestock systems. 

Career Highlights:

Prior to coming to WVU served as a USDA-Soil Conservation Service Grassland Specialist working with dairy and livestock producers in the 15 western counties of New York State.

Owner/operator small fruit and livestock farm in Allegany Co. New York.

Research/development manager for a hydroponic greenhouse company.

Crop production and marketing consultant to a natural gas company conducting market analysis for greenhouse vegetable crops for hydroponic vegetable production systems.

Adjunct Associate Professor of Biology, Alfred University, Alfred, NY, teaching a senior level botany course dealing with plant physiology and ecology.

Research agronomist at Cornell University conducted field experiments to evaluate the potential of no-till forage establishment for hay and pasture.

General Manager, Delta Farm Management Company, Middleburg, VA, responsible for farm operations and marketing for 1,100 acres of crops, 250 head of beef cows, and 100 head of feeder cattle.