The Pineywoods Cattle Association Registry

D. Phillip Sponenberg, DVM, PHD

Professor, Pathology and Genetics
Virgnia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine

education:
BS, Texas A&M University, 1975
DVM, Texas A&M University, 1976
PhD, Cornell University, 1979

honors most recently include: Honorary Member, American College of Theriogenology 2017.
Distinguished Alumnus, Texas A&M University 2019.
Virginia Tech Alumni Award for Excellence in International Outreach. 2019

Clinical Service duties include diagnostic histopathology and necropsy. Didactic teaching includes reproductive and endocrine pathology, domestication and genetic resources, veterinary genetics and small ruminant medicine. Service roles have included Director of Student Affairs and Advisor to Student Chapter of the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Research interests include pathology and genetics. Genetic work includes single gene diseases in domesticated animals, and color in domesticated animals. Active research includes the conservation and history of domesticated animal genetic resources.

Publications include thirteen books such as Equine Color Genetics (four editions), An Introduction to Heritage Breeds, Managing Breeds for a Secure Future), 33 chapters of books (including some on pathology, others on genetics), 118 refereed journal publications, 19 invited papers, and 439 publications in the lay press (these concern genetics, and the history and conservation of rare breeds of livestock).

Service roles include technical advisor for the Livestock Conservancy, a not-for-profit organization working to conserve genetic resources of livestock species in North America. This work involves the identification of livestock genetic resources, as well as their phenotypic and historic characterization. Work includes the development of conservation strategies for those breeds that are rare. He also serves as registrar for Pineywoods cattle and Karakachan dogs.

Specific breed conservation work has involved the development of breeding plans for rare breeds, including the rescue and recovery of some in danger of immediate extinction (Pineywoods Cattle, Randall Lineback Cattle, Milking Devon Cattle, American Cream Draft Horses, Spanish Goats, Leicester Longwool Sheep, Golden Guernsey Goats, Choctaw Horses, others). Defining and saving local breeds and landraces is a specific interest. Participation in the hemispheric “Red CONBIAND” has put these ideas and practices out to a wide international audience.

 Articles by Dr. Sponenberg: