If you’re interested in learning more about dairy herd management there’s a relatively new consortium to turn to. It’s made up of 8 schools.
The Southern Great Plains Dairy Consortium (SGPDC), will coordinate with industry and government to enhance the dairy industry’s competitiveness, as well as its ability to produce a safe, wholesome and competitively priced supply of milk and related products. The consortium has research, extension and teaching components. However, the first activity of the consortium will be to establish a large herd teaching program.
Consortium Teaching Program leaders Mike Tomaszewski of Texas A & M University, Bob Collier of the University of Arizona, and Robert Hagevoort of New Mexico State University describe the teaching program as the first of its kind for the dairy industry: a regional, multi-university program which provides a framework for coordinating dairy training in a large herd setting.
Consortium members are Abilene Christian University, University of Arizona, New Mexico State University, Oklahoma State University, Tarleton State University, Texas A&M University, Texas Tech University, West Texas A&M University, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, Texas Cooperative Extension, Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Lab, and USDA Agricultural Research Service. In addition industry support is being provided by trade organizations such as Dairy Producers of New Mexico, Texas Association of Dairymen, Dairy Max and Southwest Dairy Museum.
The first program to be offered is “Advanced Large Herd Management Program” which will give 25 to 30 students a unique educational experience and employment opportunities.