By Jenna Larson
This summer, two UF Animal Science students attended the US Dairy Education and Training Consortium in Clovis, New Mexico. After taking Dr. DeVries’ Biology and Management of Dairy Cattle course in the Spring of 2026, both myself, Jenna Larson, and Lily Clemens were encouraged to apply for the program. Lily and I have a background and passion in the dairy industry and seized the opportunity to learn as much as we could this summer.
The US Dairy Education and Training Consortium, or the USDETC, is organized by faculty and staff from Texas A&M University and New Mexico State University. Clovis, NM sits in the third largest milk sheds in the United States. The program entails an application process and between 65 and 70 students were selected from around the country. Upon orientation, the students were broken into two different sessions based on their level of incoming knowledge of the dairy industry. Both of us were in the second session, designed for more advanced dairy topics.
The USDETC invites guest lecturers from dairy farms, universities, and supporting industries to teach concepts and practical skills to students. In session 2, Lily and I were exposed to a detailed industry overview, agribusiness management and financial planning, ruminant nutrition, reproductive physiology, emerging dairy technologies, youngstock management, labor management, and farm safety over the course of 6 weeks. Students spend about half of their time in the classroom, learning the science behind important concepts. For the other half of the time, students visit dairies or other entities to see these concepts applied in real life and get the chance to practice some of these practical skills.
On the weekends, students are free to explore the region around them and make connections with their peers. One of the most exciting new skills I learned was how to take a blood sample from the jugular vein. I had collected blood from the tail vein before, but I was always intimidated by the jugular because of how big it is and how close it is to the animal’s head. After learning this here, I was better equipped to give intravenous medications in my internship to follow! Lily had a big smile when we got to palpate for reproductive structures! We were coached on how to detect the cervix, uterine horns, and ovaries. Knowing the roadmap of the reproductive tract is critical to being able to diagnose pregnancy or artificially inseminate, which are two skills Lily hopes to learn as she aspires to become a veterinarian.
Both Lily and I could agree that we learned so many invaluable lessons and concepts through this experience. Without a doubt, this program will enhance our ability to be successful as we pursue careers in animal agriculture. Additionally, the connections we made were priceless. We now have a network of friends and professionals from around the country and in every discipline. We learned at the USDETC that the most important app you can have on your phone is not DairyComp, Calculator, or Google; it’s your Contacts. We are so grateful that the Animal Science Department supported us in attending and we hope that more students from UF attend in the future!
Find more information about the UF/IFAS Department of Animal Sciences on our website. Stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Read more on UF/IFAS ANS here: http://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/animalsciencesdept/.
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