New small ruminants specialist plans to lead from the ground up

RYAN MCGEENEY

LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS

After growing up in rural Brazil and conducting research at several universities there, in Europe and the United States, Dan Quadros said he is ready to bring three things to Arkansas: motivation, innovation and confidence.

Quadros, who joined the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture as an assistant professor and extension small ruminant specialist in January, first came to the United States in 2013 as a visiting scholar.

A native of Brazil, Quadros said joining the Cooperative Extension Service seemed like a natural fit.

“This is my passion, to help other people,” he said. “To help those in need with knowledge.”

Quadros completed a Bachelor of Science in agronomy at Southwestern Bahia State University, located on the eastern coast of Brazil, in 1999. After completing a master’s degree and then a Ph.D. in animal science at Sao Paulo State University in 2004, he was hired as an assistant professor at Bahia State University with appointments for teaching, research and extension.

In 2013, he traveled to the University of Florida for postdoctoral research.

“Coming to the United States changed my life,” he said. “Ever since, I’ve tried to stay.”

Vic Ford, associate vice president of agriculture and natural resources for the Division of Agriculture, said he believes Quadros can help Arkansas producers develop a stronger foothold in the sheep and goat markets.

“Small ruminant interest and herd numbers are increasing in Arkansas,” Ford said. “Dr. Quadros is knowledgeable in livestock but is especially gifted in small ruminants. He has the knowledge and experience to increase efficiency of production with small ruminants which may lead to Arkansas being a major supplier in this area. 

 “Dr. Quadros is enthusiastic about his program,” Ford said. “Anyone spending time with him will catch his enthusiasm and the beneficiaries are the county agents and producers.”

With the collaboration of county agents and other faculty, Quadros said his plan is to develop a hands-on extension program to increase producer knowledge and understanding of small ruminant husbandry, health, production and marketing.

“Most of the time, the bottleneck isn’t in production, but in the market,” he said. “This region is something new for me — but if something’s working, I can adapt what I know to the situation.”

But, he said, even tried-and-true solutions won’t work for every problem.

“You can apply all the basics and still run into trouble,” he said. “That’s where innovation comes in. ∆

RYAN MCGEENEY: University of Arkansas