Wisconsin Ag Connection - UW-Madison Dairy Curriculum to Focus on Reproduction

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UW-Madison Dairy Curriculum to Focus on Reproduction
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 07/23/2007

Dairy science students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison will see more wear and tear on the soles of their boots and less on the seats of their pants this school year, thanks to curriculum changes aimed to help students build their technical and analytical skills. According to Reproductive Physiologist Milo Wiltbank, one change was the addition of a new course called Reproduction Management of Dairy Cattle.

"Reproduction has a great deal of economic impact on dairy herds, says Wiltbank. "We are finding more and more dairy herds with reproductive problems that are seriously affecting their bottom-line profitability. Our students want to learn the skills and expertise they'll need to help producers optimize their reproductive performance as part of an overall program to enhance farm profitability."

Students will get one hour per week of classroom discussion and another 2 1/2 hours of hands-on instruction in reproductive management techniques for dairy herds. Over the semester they will master artificial insemination, reproductive management protocol implementation and ultrasound.

The department has also restructured its Dairy Herd Management class. The program is now taught in seven modules, each taught by a different instructor. The course taps the expertise of instructors with a commercial dairy experience, including the department's own extension dairy team as well as industry professionals.

The dairy science curriculum changes aim to broaden the potential of the department's future graduates. By giving its classes more of an applied focus, the department is successfully engaging students in learning that will prepare them for their futures in the dairy industry.

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