David R. Balbian

Dave Balbian is a regional dairy specialist with the Central New York Dairy, Livestock & Field Crops Program. In this role, he serves large and small dairies across an eight-county region that includes Chenango, Fulton, Herkimer, Madison, Montgomery, Otsego, Saratoga and Schoharie Counties. His responsibilities include:

• Providing on-farm consultation to all dairy producers in the region
• Organizing and conducting educational programs for dairy producers and agribusiness professionals serving the dairy industry
• Carrying out grant-funded precision feeding projects that result in improved economic returns for producers along with reduced environmental risk

Dave's areas of interest include dairy nutrition, transitions from tie-stall to free-stall and milking parlors, ventilation and heat abatement systems in dairy facilities, and forage quality strategies.

David grew up on a dairy farm in New York. He has worked for local Cornell Cooperative Extension offices in Eastern New York and worked in the feed industry prior to joining the Central New York Dairy, Livestock & Field Crops team. He is a member of the American Dairy Science Association and the New York State Association of County Agricultural Agents.