Dairy Production and Management
Program Highlights
Among many other things, students in this program learn to:
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Prepare a management plan for a dairy enterprise that includes skills for positive handling, care and management of animals within the herd
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Recognize dairy animals’ health and wellness, and be able to choose appropriate prevention and treatment techniques to optimize the production of the herd
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Identify and describe animal nutritional requirements and translate these needs into accurate ration formulations, then to evaluate the effectiveness of the ration
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Relate the needs and outputs of the dairy herd to the forage and crop resources available
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Analyze dairy industry record systems to determine and implement a decision-making strategy that will maximize the profitability of the herd
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Become (and remain) thoroughly up-to-date regarding current breeding and reproductive methods and practices in the dairy industry and use them to evaluate the genetic merits of individual animals for selection decisions
Degree Option
Associate in Applied Science (AAS)
- 60 Credit Hours (2 Years)
- Designed to provide a well-rounded education in the efficient and profitable management of dairy operations.
- Students will be provided with the knowledge to continue their education in bachelor’s degree programs or to enter closely related occupations in the dairy industry.
- Read more details in the College Catalog >>
The dairy industry is one of the largest and most important industries in New York State, and the Dairy Production and Management curriculum at SUNY Cobleskill Ag & Tech is designed to provide a well-rounded education in the efficient and profitable management of dairy operations.
As the dairy business continues to grow, the need for well-trained and competent workers is consistently greater than the number of quality candidates available for placement. In other words, the odds of our graduates finding employment in this field are excellent.
Cobleskill Ag & Tech is a leader in two-year education and is committed to meeting the future needs of the dairy industry in the Northeastern United States. Our Dairy Production Management students gain necessary skills, knowledge and experience through classroom instruction, laboratory training, on-farm experience and field visits. And they will also be prepared with more than enough knowledge and skills to enable them to continue their education in bachelor’s degree programs, or to enter certain dairy-related occupations directly after graduation.
Sample courses include:
- Dairy Science Techniques
- Principles of Animal Nutrition
- Into to Dairy Cattle Management
- Dairy Record Management
- Dairy Cattle Breeding
- Ruminant Health
- Agricultural Economics
- Dairy Policy & Milk Marketing
- Farm Management
- Ag Business Financial Management
- Forage & Seed Crops
- Intro to Soil Science
- Artificial Insemination
A recent USDA study shows that each year there are an estimated 57,900 high-skilled job openings in the food, agriculture, renewable natural resources and environmental fields – yet only 35,400 new U.S. graduates in those fields. Cobleskill Ag & Tech graduates are poised to enter a world with near-boundless career opportunities.
To help ensure their success, we prepare our Dairy Production and Management students for both on-farm and off-farm career choices, including:
- Calf management
- Transition cow management
- Sick cow management
- Parlor management
- Reproductive herd management
- Milking systems management
And, as evidence of the extensive knowledge and skills they have acquired here, our recent graduates have filled such positions as:
- Herd manager
- Artificial insemination/breeding management technician
- Dairy nutritionist
- Dairy equipment service and sales representative
- Dairy herd improvement field representative
- Processing facility intake manager
- Dairy product processing specialist
- Dairy farm entrepreneurs
Dairy Cattle Club - This club is open to any person from any major who is interested in dairy cattle. It is the largest club on campus with over 60 active members. Activities include trips, club-sponsored contests, and the longest-running college club-run consignment sale of registered cattle.
Dairy Judging Team – The Judging Team is comprised of four students who evaluate dairy cattle based on phenotypic characteristics and who compete in judging contests across the country. We’re proud to say that our 2017 Dairy Judging Team placed first in the International Post-Secondary Dairy Judging Contest, held annually in Madison, Wisconsin.
Dairy Challenge Team – This four-person team of students evaluate a specific dairy farm for future improvement. Students are given less than 24 hours to inspect the facility and provide recommendations to the dairy farm owners and to a panel of judges, and then compete at the Northeast Regional and National Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge competitions.