Geri Parsons is a certified veterinary technician and co-owner of Optimal Livestock Services, LLC, with specialties in sheep health, reproduction and management. She grew up on a diversified livestock and grain farm in western Nebraska. Her previous professional positions include 19 years with the Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. This position combined work for Cooperative Extension, Integrated Livestock Management, Food Animal Medicine & Surgery Technical Support Supervisor / Head Technician, Equine Medicine and Small Animal Critical Care. She also has 6 years of veterinary technician experience working in private practices with varying specialties in Nebraska, Idaho, Wyoming, California and Colorado. Geri is author or co-author of numerous book chapters and publications including “Raising Healthy Sheep”, a popular sheep industry handbook published in multiple languages and sold throughout the world.
Jay Parsons grew up on a diversified crop and livestock farm in the southwestern panhandle of Nebraska. He attended Hastings College and Colorado State University earning a bachelor's degree in mathematics and mathematics education, a master's degree in mathematics, and a Ph.D. in agricultural economics. His areas of specialization include production economics, risk management, and decision analysis. His current work is focused on helping farmers and ranchers understand risk and emerging management tools.
Jay is President and co-owner of Optimal Ag Consulting, Inc. in Fort Collins, Colorado. Along with his wife, Geri, he co-founded Optimal Livestock Services LLC in 2009 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Optimal Ag focused on meeting the growing services needs of the sheep and livestock industry and assisting producers in optimizing profitability. Jay teaches graduate courses in the Western Center for Integrated Resource Management at Colorado State University and remains active as a stake holder in the family farming operation in Nebraska.