Professor of Agriculture
Dr. Schmitt is one of the worlds leading experts in elephant reproductive physiology and elephant veterinary management. In 1999 he made history by being the first researcher to produce an elephant from artificial insemination. Since then he has assisted in ten elephant pregnancies from artificial insemination and consulted in over 30 elephant births. As a board-certified theriogenologist, Dr. Schmitt administered the first successful treatment for the herpes virus in an elephant. In addition, he is credited for producing the first scimitar-horned oryx from an embryo transfer and the first to establish a bovine non-surgical embryo transfer business in Missouri. Dr. Schmitt is a Professor in the Agriculture Department at Missouri State and teaches Reproductive Physiology (AGS 302), Dairy Production (AGS 446), and Advanced Reproductive Physiology (AGS 616). Dr. Schmitt’s current research projects are in the area of reproductive physiology in elephants, specifically sex-sorting semen, cryopreservation, and reproductive endocrinology. In addition, he is also currently researching the reproductive physiology of North American river otters and Grand Cayman ‘blue’ iguana’s.
Dr. Schmitt has an extensive publication record, and his most current publications include:
Brown, J.L., and Schmitt, D.L. The unusual anatomy and reproductive physiology of the elephant, and challenges with developing artificial insemination. Science India 7:9 & 10 pp 27-32 (2004).
Brown, J. L., Goritz, F, Pratt-Hawkes, N., Hermes, R., Galloway, M., Graham, L. H., Gray, C., Walker, S. L., Gomez, A., Moreland, R., Murray, S., Schmitt, D. L., Howard, J., Lehnhardt, J., Beck, B., Bellem, A., Montali, R., and Hildebrandt, T. B. Successful artificial insemination of an Asian elephant at the National Zoological Park. Zoo Biology 23[1], 45-63. 2004.
Dahl, N.J., Olson, D., Schmitt, D.L., Blasko, D.R., Kristipati, R.S., and Roser, J.F. Development of an Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) in the Elephant (Loxodonta africana and Elephas maximus) Zoo Biology 23:65-78 (2004)
In addition to his many journal publications Dr. Schmitt has also authored several book chapters, including the following:
Schmitt D. Reproductive System. In: Biology, Medicine, and Surgery of Elephants. Blackwell Publishing. In Press.
Schmitt D.L. Under the Big Top. Why elephants belong in circuses. In: Ethics of Elephants in Captivity. C. Cristen ed. John Hopkins University Publishing. In Press.
Schmitt, D. Ultrasonography of Elephants In: Health Care, Breeding and Management of Asian Elephants. Editor. Dharmeswar Das. Published by College of Veterinary Medicine, Khanapara, Guwahati, Assam, India (2003)
Schmitt, D., Probisdidea (Elephants) In: Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 5th edition. Fowler and Miller. Saunders publishing, St. Louis, Missouri. Chapter 53: 541-549. 2003
To support his research, Dr. Schmitt has been the recipient of many grants. The most recent include:
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2004-2005, Fecal reproductive steroids in North American River otters (Principal Investigator), Wonders of Wildlife ($39,900)
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2002-2004, Cryopreservation of Asian Elephant Semen (Principal Investigator), Ringling Bros. CEC ($37,000)
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2003, Cryopreservation of African Elephant Semen (Principal Investigator), Indianapolis Zoo ($2,500)
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2001-2002, Acquisition of mobile Ultrasound (Principal Investigator), Endangered Ark Foundation/SMSU ($36,000)
Dr. Schmitt presents his research throughout the United States as well as internationally. In addition, he is very active in service activities throughout the university as well as within his professional organizations. He has severed as the graduate education coordinator for the Agriculture Department since 1996, and has advised over 20 graduate student thesis research projects. He also serves internationally on the Board of Directors of the International Elephant Foundation, and is the chairman of their Scientific Advisory Committee.