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Farmers are stewards of the land and their animals. Progressive dairy farmers are constantly seeking opportunities to achieve greater financial stability and resilience.

The High-Performance Herd Certificate at the Faculty of Agriculture is designed for just such an individual.  The program will be highly interactive and designed to help improve the herdsperson’s animal and herd management skills. The certificate includes training activities before and after the in-class and on-farm sessions. These activities will increase adoption of best practices on-farm and improve farm productivity and animal care.

“Having the opportunity to interact and work with progressive dairy producers, to learn with them and to provide advice and services to those who want to improve their farm performance in terms of animal husbandry, health, nutrition, milk quality and other goals is very rewarding,” said Dr. Frank Schenkels, a large animal vet with Fundy Veterinarians Limited in Murray Siding, Truro and a sessional instructor with the Faculty of Agriculture.

Dr. Schenkels has been teaching at the Faculty of Agriculture for the past 13 years in Dairy Herd Health and Nutrition Management and will be leading this project and coordinating the development of curriculum  for this three-course, three-location certificate. The certificate program is designed to provide progressive and interested dairy producers and herdspersons with the opportunity to interact and learn with other like-minded individuals from across the Atlantic Provinces.  

“It is rewarding to see producers achieve greater financial stability and resilience and greater satisfaction producing high-quality, nutritious food,” he added.

The certificate is designed to provide great learning opportunities in critical areas related to animal care and husbandry, nutrition and reproduction - all of which is under the care and control of the dairy herdsperson.  

This development project is being funded through the Canadian Dairy Commission Workforce Development Initiative Continuing Education Program.

For more information on this certificate program beginning in October please contact Ashley Coffin at Ashley.coffin@dal.ca or phone 902-890-5369.