Veterinarian:
Often
abbreviated, D.V.M., or doctor of veterinary medicine, this career
requires one of the highest levels of education. Vets
must first obtain a 4-year degree in animal science or a related
field, from an accredited college or university. To be accepted
into a 4-year vet school, applicants must have a great deal of experience
handling and working with animals, as well as research and excellent
academics. Vets often choose to specialize in a certain kind
of medicine, such as large animal or small animal. A large
animal vet travels to farms to treat cows, horses, sheep or other
livestock. Small animal veterinarians often work in clinic
where they treat primarily companion animals such as dogs and cats.
Some veterinarians choose to specialize in treating certain diseases.
Vets that specialize in exotics treat birds, fish, lizards, reptiles,
etc. orthopedic,
 Farmer:
The term “farmer” often does not give much
justice to a career that requires a lot of education and knowledge
of animals, plants, soils, and the environment. Many farmers
have advanced degrees in soil science, biology, animal science, business,
horticulture, etc. Another term for a farmer is a “producer”
because they create and market products for public consumption. A
dairy farmer producers and sells milk, while crop farmers grow and
sell crops. Farmers need to have excellent business and management
skills. Other examples of different kinds of farmers are fruit
and vegetable farmers and greenhouse or nursery farms. All
kinds of farming require excellent business and management skills. A
farm owner or manager has a lot of responsibility, including managing
employees, caring for animals, keeping expenses in line, and producing
a quality product.
Herdsperson:
A great way to be involved in agriculture
is to become a herdsperson on a farm. A herdsperson is in charge
of caring for animals. Generally, this term refers to someone
who works on a dairy farm, but it could refer to other kinds of livestock
operations as well. This career requires a great deal of knowledge
in treating sick animals, feeding and nutrition, reproduction and
general animal handling skills. Most herds-people go to college
and have degrees in animal science or a related field. A great
way to gain experience in this field is to work on a farm, and to
apply for internships with agricultural companies. Most farms
want someone with experience and education to care for their animals.
Dairy Cattle Nutritionist:
This title refers to
someone who is a specialist in feeding dairy cows. This career
requires a great deal of knowledge in ruminant nutrition. Nutritionists
generally have a 4-year degree in animal science with a concentration
in nutrition. After college, nutritionists will often train
in the field with more experienced nutrition consultants. Some
nutritionists focus on research while others work primarily in the
field on dairy farms. Dairy producers rely on nutritionists
to provide their cows with the best source of balanced nutrients
so cows will produce large quantities of high-quality milk. To
be successful in this career, one must be familiar with dairy cattle
and an expert on different feeds, including forages and grains that
are fed to cattle. The nutrients that are fed to cows have
a great impact on overall health and production of cows.
A.I. Technician/Reproductive Consultant:
This person is responsible
for breeding cows and tracking their overall reproductive health.
Learning to breed cows is easier than it sounds, and can be learned
through a trade school or breeding course. A reproductive consultant
is someone who assists farms with reproduction in dairy cattle, genetics
and breeding programs. This can be done with the help of computer
software and monitoring systems that track pregnancy rates on dairies,
and also the rates of reproductive diseases/disorders. The
goal in dairy farming is to produce live heifer calves that will
replace current lactating females. Cows have to have a calf
in order to keep making milk and be a profitable part of the herd!
For more information on opportunities in Agriculture
visit:
www.fusiongrant.org
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