Keith S. Lusby

Innovations in agricultural practices are necessary for agriculture and livestock production to grow. Moreover, the methods and facilities used in educating students should be innovative, too. Keith S. Lusby, 66, of Fayetteville, who earned an animal science doctorate degree at Oklahoma State University, returned to Arkansas after 19 years in extension, research and teaching at OSU to lead the University of Arkansas’ Department of Animal Science. During his UA tenure, Dr. Lusby built the animal science department into a national powerhouse with rebuilding and renovation projects that increased jobs, graduates and educational standards. More than $10 million in facilities construction and improvements included the building of the Pauline Whitaker Animal Science Center and the Dorothy E. King Equine Pavilion, as well as complete renovation of research facilities at Fayetteville and rebuilding the research station at Batesville. The Animal Science Building was also renovated. New scholarship endowments were added to support an intense effort to increase enrollment. With new scholarship endowments increasing more than $850,000, undergraduate enrollment increased from 85 to more than 200. To support the increased enrollment, 12 new positions were created for research, teaching and extension. In the effort to excel, Dr. Lusby made decisions that would benefit future students. Lusby closed two dairies and the bull test program, which shifted research away from large beef herds to a diversified mix of swine, beef cows, stocker, feeders, dairy replacement heifers and horses. Dr. Lusby is an active member of the Arkansas Cattlemen’s Association and Foundation where he was awarded the Arkansas Cattlemen’s Association Producer Education Award in 2013.