E DUC AT IO N: P O S T-S E C O N DA RY
EDUCATING THE NEXT GENERATION OF FARM ADVISERS U of G’s Challenges and Opportunities in Dairy Cattle Production course is a winner By Katie Duncan
JONATHAN KOOT KNEW taking the Challenges and Opportunities in Dairy Cattle Production course in his final year at the University of Guelph wasn’t required, but strongly recommended. Koot, a recent graduate of the Bachelor of Science in Agriculture program, majoring in Animal Science at the University of Guelph, had an eye to the future in the dairy industry. He saw the practical nature of the course built on assessing dairy operations for strengths and opportunities and being able to make recommendations to farms to improve their financial viability. The dairy industry, seeing the value in future career and recruitment opportunities, sponsors the course and its associated activities: an opportunity for students to attend the regional and national Dairy Challenge competitions.
DR . JOH N WA LT ON BU I L D S A L E G AC Y
The popular U of G course got its start in 2006, following a prompt from undergraduate students, including Mark Carson, who wanted to get involved in the North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge competition (Dairy Challenge). Students from universities across North America annually come together and compete, using their knowledge of farm operations and dairy production to present
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viable business opportunities to producers, which are judged by industry experts. Dr. Walton quickly saw an opportunity for students to participate while honing their skills in rigorous assessment, relationship building, teamwork and presentations while earning course credit, and mirroring the same style of hands-on learning in the competition. “He had a passion for education at the University of Guelph and this course
was the perfect opportunity for teaching students who are really keen on making contributions to the dairy industry, as well as developing a program to foster some of that excitement and learning,” says Dr. Trevor DeVries, Professor of Animal Biosciences at the University of Guelph. In 2015, when Dr. DeVries transferred to the main campus in Guelph, Dr. Walton saw an opportunity for the course’s succession. In a brave fight with cancer, he wanted to ensure the course continued. “In 2015, we taught the course together. John went to his final competition in the spring of 2016 and passed away that summer,” says Dr. DeVries. “I was counting on co-teaching again that fall, but that wasn’t to be. I took over at that point and I’ve taught it ever since.” Using Dr. Walton’s teaching model, Dr. DeVries has relied on the help of various industry volunteers, including Carson who now works at Semex, Matt Groen from Cargill, Robyn Walsh from Grand River Robotics, and a few others — most of whom were students of the course in the last decade — for help with judging and assessing student presentations.
The dairy industry, seeing the value in future career and recruitment opportunities, sponsors the course and its associated activities Hudson Bell, Gordon Milley, Myah Vingerhoeds, and Vera Hoogendoorn — 2022 DC national team.