youth doing milk quality activity

Dairy Discovery Workshop

Dairy Discovery Workshop

The annual Dairy Discovery program provides New York youth with fun, hands-on science-oriented learning experiences in dairy production and management topics that feature the unique facilities, industry professionals, and staff at Cornell University.

The statewide program for youth ages 14 to 19 years-old is held one Saturday in March. Youth learn about dairy careers by rotating through a series of hands-on stations that focus on specific aspects of the dairy industry. Dairy Discovery workshop topics changes each year but include: Dairy Herd Health and Management, Calf and Heifer Production Management, Quality Milk and Milk Production, Whole Farm Management Planning, and Maximizing the Feed Management Program.

March 24 - 25, 2023

Theme: Dairy Herd Management

Dairy herd management is critical in determining the production potential of dairy enterprises.   Management of the dairy herd includes:

  • fresh cow monitoring and treatment
  • foot care
  • disease control and management
  • reproduction
  • genetics
  • nutrition
  • records. 

All these facets of dairy cattle managing make for good animal health stewards.  Having a good herd health program and managing risk effectively leads directly to a healthier herd, both physically and financially.

Youth will understand, observe and participate in technical skill training related to such topics as:

  • Linear type evaluation
    • Pedigree, sire selection and genetic mating
    • Herd management - functional cow or not
  • Managing risk in fresh cows
    • Is my cow sick?
    • Look, listen and touch cows!
  • Reproduction
    • Understanding the anatomy, hormones and breeding timeline
    • Heat detection  and reproduction management programs
  • Do my cows wear “good sneakers”
    • Foot disease identification, management and treatment
    • A good pedicure!
  • DHI records
    • Getting to know DairyComp 305
    • What the records say!

Location

Frank Morrison Hall at Cornell University
Map and driving directions

Workshop agenda

6:30 PM

  • Welcome and dinner (Room 348 Morrison)

7:00 PM

  • CALS Admissions presentation and college planning (Room 146 Morrison)

7:45 PM

  • Group mixer with Animal Science students (Livestock Pavilion)

9:00 PM    

  • Snack and program conclusion

 

Youth will rotate through three stations in the morning and three stations in the afternoon.

7:30 AM

  • Breakfast on your own

8:30 AM

  • Registration (Morrison Hall lobby)

9:15 AM

  • Welcome and workshop introduction (146 Morrison)

9:30 AM

  • Workshop session 1

12:20 PM

  • Lunch (348 Morrison)

1:30 PM

  • Workshop Session 2

4:20 PM

  • Wrap-up and evaluation

Registration

Participation guidelines

Youth who are 14 to 19 years of age on January 1 of the program year and have an interest in dairy cattle and production management are eligible and strongly encouraged to attend (with their parents or chaperones). This program is not limited to any organization, 4-H project members, FFA youth, and others with a dairy interest or desire to learn about dairy are all welcome.

 

How to register

Pre-registration and advanced payment is required for all participants (both youth and adult chaperones). A separate registration form must be submitted for each youth and chaperone attending in the workshop.  Additionally, all registrations must include approval from a Cornell Cooperative Extension educator, FFA advisory or 4-H club leader.

Due to the hands-on approach to this workshop, registration is limited to the first 75 individuals enrolled on or before March 15, 2023, whichever comes first.

Fees

Registration fees include dinner on Friday night, lunch on Saturday and workshop activities and materials.

$50 per youth participants
$15 per adult chaperone

Payment

Advanced payment is required for this program upon completion of online registration.  Credit card payments may be submitted online here.  If paying by check, please make check payable to Cornell University and mail to Dairy Discovery Registration, 161 Frank Morrison Hall, Ithaca, New York 14853.

Lodging

Best Western University Inn

1020 Ellis Hollow Rd, Ithaca, NY 14850
607-272-6100

Group Room Rate

$149.00 per night

Book a room online

Reservation deadline: March 1, 2023

Group rates apply to Friday night only until the reservation cutoff date.  If your hotel stay extends beyond these nights or is made after the cutoff deadline, prevailing rack rate will apply and is based on availability.

Additional Area Hotels

 

instructor showing youth bacteria plates
youth and instructor with hole-y cow
youth and instructor looking at cow repro tracts
youth doing milk quality activity

Instructor Dr Rick Watters from QMPS teaching youth about mastitis cultures and somatic cells during the 2022 Dairy Discovery Workshops.

Youth with instructor Bruce Berggren-Thomas and the "hole-y" cow learning about ruminant nutrition.

Youth learning about reproduction with instructor Dr. Rob Lynch at the 2022 program.

Youth at the 2022 Dairy Discovery Workshop learn about milk quality.

For more information

Registration and payment questions:

  • Linzi Chambers (lc994 [at] cornell.edu or 607-255-6695)

Program questions:

  • Debbie Grusenmeyer (djc27 [at] cornell.edu)