Gerald Stokka has joined North Dakota State University's Department of Animal Sciences as an associate professor of livestock stewardship.

He primarily will be working with livestock producers on a variety of stewardship and animal welfare issues.

“I’m excited to have Dr. Stokka join our faculty in Animal Sciences,” says Greg Lardy, department head. “He brings a wealth of experience to the position and will be able to assist North Dakota’s livestock producers with the pressing issues related to livestock stewardship that they face now and into the future.”

Prior to joining NDSU, Stokka spent 11 years as a member of the Pfizer Animal Health veterinary operations team in Cooperstown and was recognized for his multifaceted expertise in beef cattle production medicine. He worked with feedlots and stocker and cow-calf operations throughout the Great Plains and participated in numerous agricultural projects abroad, including in Ukraine, Brazil, South Africa and Costa Rica.

He also has held adjunct professor status in the Animal Sciences and Industry departments at Kansas State University and NDSU.

Before joining Pfizer Animal Health, he was in private practice for seven years at the Cooperstown Veterinary Clinic. From 1992 to 1995, he was an assistant professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences at Kansas State, then became an associate professor and Kansas State’s Extension Service beef veterinarian.

Stokka earned a bachelor’s degree in animal science from NDSU, a master’s degree in beef cattle production medicine from Kansas State and his doctor of veterinary medicine degree from Iowa State University.

He has led more than 600 continuing education meetings for producers, consumers and veterinarians across the country. He also is a director and immediate past president of the Academy of Veterinary Consultants and a member of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners, American Veterinary Medical Association, North Dakota Veterinary Medical Association, American Society of Animal Science, North Dakota Stockmen’s Association and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.

The NDSU Extension Service livestock stewardship position was created by an initiative in the last North Dakota legislative session in response to an increasing need for expertise to help livestock

NDSU Agriculture Communication - July 19, 2012