Melanie Barkley

Melanie is a livestock educator based out of the Bedford County office. She also serves as the team leader for the State Livestock Extension Team.

Her program area focuses on sheep and meat goat production, covering everything from basic production information to reproduction, nutrition, health, marketing and finances. Currently she is working with producers to improve sheep and meat goat performance in their flocks or herds. This ranges from methods to increase lambing/kidding percentage to improving selection practices utilizing performance data. Her interests also include alternative methods for internal parasite prevention and management and she is certified to teach FAMACHA.

In addition, she also works with beef producers to improve production efficiencies in their herds, and works with all producers to improve pasture production and pasture management practices.