The Topline 2014-2015

The Topline

Gopher Dairy Club 2014-2015University of Minnesota

Table of Contents

The Topline 2014-2015 3

Featured Articles

Featured Photos

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2. 2015 Distinguished Service Award Recipient4. Editors’ Message5. The 2014-2015 Executive Team7. President’s Reflection8. 2015 Golden Graduate Award Recipient9. Adviser Report10. CFANS Dean, Dr. Brian Buhr11. Animal Science Department Head, Dr. William Dayton12. Princess Kay of the Milky Way15. 6th Annual 4-H Dairy Showcase16. Annual Recognition Banquet19. Regional ADSA21. Featured Department Staff- Dr. Marcia Endres22. Gopher Dairy Bar24. Minnesota Royal26. Fall FFA Dairy Judging Invitational27. State FFA Dairy Judging Contest32. Senior Trip to California37. Senior Biographies48. Intercollegiate Dairy Judging (Senior Team)49. Intercollegiate Dairy Judging (Junior Team)50. 4-H National Dairy Conference51. Animal Science Barbeque53. National Dairy Shrine Scholarship Recipients54. World Dairy Expo Alumni Reunion56. Internship Reports63. Gopher Dairy Club’s Annual Food & Animal Networking Evening66. Freshmen Viewpoints67. International Experience, Switzerland68. Membership Roster

28. Group Photo30. Freshman & Sophomores31. Juniors & Seniors34. Sights & Highlights from California64. Candids

Inside Front Cover: DuPont PioneerInside Back Cover: AMPI3. FarmHouse Fraternity6. Minnesota 4-H13. Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity14. Udder Tech, Inc.18. Winfield Solutions20. Lambda Delta Phi Sorority36. Beta of Clovia Sorority52. Form-A-Feed55. Accelerated Genetics 62. Delta Theta Sigma Fraternity

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2 The Topline 2014-2015

2015 Distinguished Service Recipient:Alicia Thurk

By Cassie Olson, Senior in Agricultural Education - Leadership and Communication

Alicia Thurk is the 2015 recipient of Gopher Dairy Club’s Distinguished Service Award. Alicia gradu-

ated from the University of Minnesota in 2002 with a bachelor of science in animal production systems with an emphasis in dairy.

While receiving her undergraduate degree, Alicia was a tremendous asset to the University of Minnesota dairy judging team. In 2001, she and her team went on to receive a 3rd place team finish at the World Dairy Expo national contest in Madison, Wisconsin. Individually, Alicia received All-American honors, as well as a first place finish in the Guernsey breed.

Dairy judging has continued to play a valuable role in Alicia’s life. In her years since graduating, she has judged numerous county fairs throughout Minnesota. Addition-ally, she has had the opportunity to judge both the Min-nesota and North Dakota state fair contests.

Alicia’s dairy judging skills have allowed her to serve as coach to many county 4-H and local FFA dairy judging teams. In addition to these coaching opportunities, her

skills and advice have been a valuable resource to mem-bers of the University of Minnesota dairy judging teams since 2005. Her upbeat, positive attitude and construc-tive criticism is greatly appreciated by past and current members of the dairy judging team.

A successful judging career is just part of what makes Alicia such an outstanding Gopher Dairy Club alumna. After leaving the University of Minnesota, she worked for Genex Cooperative for four years in southeast Min-nesota. During that time, she worked as an area pro-grams consultant, helping customers with their genetic and reproduction management decisions. She returned to her family’s farm in 2006, where her family formally milked three times a day for five years, and now milks twice a day.

As members of the Gopher Dairy Club, we are always delighted to recognize outstanding members of the dairy community who have made considerable contri-butions to our organization. The Gopher Dairy Club is proud to bestow upon Alicia Thurk the 2015 Distinguished Service Award.

Alicia Thurk (front right) helped lead the senior dairy judging team of Michael Schmitt (second left), Mary Liebenstein, An-drew Hetke, and Nick Reps to a first place finish in the 2015 All-American contest in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Pictured

with the team are fellow coaches Dr. Les Hansen (back left), and Scott Ellinghuysen (right).


Editors’ MessageAs editors, we are incredibly honored to present to

you this year’s edition of The Topline. Developing The Topline allows our members to reflect on the great accomplishments and honors the Gopher Dairy Club has experienced throughout the previous year. It has been a year filled with new memories, experiences, and opportunities for which our club is thankful for. We are a club of young dairy enthusiasts, and it is a pleasure to develop a publication showcasing our achievements both in and outside of the club. As editors, it brings us great joy to showcase the wonderful assets our club has.

The highlights of our publication are the 2015 Distin-guished Service and Golden Graduate Award articles. These annual awards are the biggest awards the Go-pher Dairy Club bestows upon dairy men and women. A big thank you goes out to David Lawstuen recipient of the Golden Graduate Award, and Alicia Thurk, recipi-ent of the Distinguished Service Award. These individu-als have made a lasting impact on the dairy industry as they promote dairy throughout Minnesota and the entire nation. Congratulations on this prestigious honor and thank you for your continuous contributions.

This year, our cover features the West River Flats. The flats are located along the Mississippi River on the West Bank campus at the University of Minnesota. This area is incredibly scenic and features nightly river boat tours to the public. West River Flats provided an excellent loca-tion for this year’s photo opportunity.

There are no words for how thankful we are for the beautiful photography featured in our publication. A tre-mendous gratitude is extended to Sonja Miedtke. Sonja has been gracious enough to capture of cover photos for many years now, and we appreciate her incredible talent. This is Sonja’s fifth year of also taking our senior headshots. These photographs greatly add to the quality and overall appearance of The Topline. Thank you, Sonja, for your continous dedication of your time and talents to the Gopher Dairy Club.

We are fortunate to have outstanding campus organiza-tions and agricultural companies that have an essential role in making The Topline a success. We would like to extend our appreciation to the organizations that

have placed advertisement in this year’s edition. Your supportive contributions ensures that members, past, present, and future, as well as industry leaders, have the opportunity to enjoy the memories of the Gopher Dairy Club.

Another thank you goes out to all the club members that volunteered time, writing, and photography skills to this year’s edition of The Topline. In particular, we would like to thank the members of the yearbook commit-tee: Chaneen Haler, Matthew Hansen, Lauren Servick , Valery Earley, Troy King, and Justin Siewert. These mem-bers lent a hand in editing, packaging, and sending out copies of The Topline. Finally, thank you to Dr. Les Han-sen, our advisor, for his time and guidance.

It has been a pleasure compiling The Topline. It has been a rewarding experience, much in part to the support of the aforementioned inidividuals. We are thankful for our advertisers and are proud to showcase our club’s many successes. Please enjoy the 2014-2015 edition of The Topline.

Sincerely,Cassie Olson, Co-Editor 2013-2015Crystal Siemers-Peterman, Co-Editor 2014-2016


The 2014-2015 Executive Team President, Kelsey Mussman, is a senior majoring in agricultural education - leadership and communica-tion with minors in animal science and agronomy from Owatonna, MN. While growing up on her family’s dairy farm, Kelsey sparked an interest in the dairy industry at a young age that led to being selected as a Princess Kay of the Milky Way finalist in 2011. As a member of Gopher Dairy Club, Kelsey has served as chair and co-chair of the Gopher Dairy Club Networking Evening in addition to serving on the scholarship and judging committees. On campus she is involved with Beta of Clovia Sorority, Delta Theta Sigma Little Sisters, Block and Bridle and the Agricultural Education Club. Upon graduation, Kelsey hopes to work with marketing for the dairy industry.

Vice President, Nicholas Reps, grew up on his fam-ily’s 50 cow dairy farm in Fremont, MN. He is a senior studying agriculture and food business management. On campus, Nicholas is active on the University of Minne-sota dairy judging team, Block and Bridle, Delta Theta Sigma Fraternity and Minnesota Royal Executive Team. Through Gopher Dairy Club, Nicholas has assisted with the Judging Committee, Dairy Networking Evening and attending regional ADSA-SAD. After graduation, Nicho-las would like to work in agricultural finance assisting farmers with loans and other financial consulting.

Secretary, Michael Schmitt, is a senior studying animal science with an emphasis in dairy production. Michael grew up on his farm of 90 Registered Holsteins in Rice, MN and 400 acres of land. Michael has been very active in the Junior Holstein Association, showing cattle at the local, state, and national levels. Through Gopher Dairy Club, Michael has assisted with regional ADSA, Gopher Dairy Camp and dairy judging contests. On campus, he has served as the FarmHouse Fraternity President, is active in the Agricultural Education Club, various inter-mural athletic teams, the University of Minnesota dairy judging team and the Dairy Challenge team.

Treasurer, Rebecca Groos, is a senior majoring in agricultural education - leadership and communication with minors in mass communications and applied eco-nomics from Howard Lake, MN. In Gopher Dairy Club, Rebecca has aided with dairy judging events, Regional ADSA-SAD, Gopher Dairy Camp and Dairy Network-

ing Events. On campus, Rebecca is a member of Beta of Clovia Sorority, University of Minnesota dairy judging team, Collegiate Agri-Women, Reformed University Fel-lowship Ministry team and the Minnesota Mentorship Program. After graduation, Rebecca plans to work in public relations and or marketing within the agricultural industry.

Reporter, Cassie Olson, is a senior studying agricul-tural education - leadership and communication with minors in animal science and mass communications. Cassie is from Black River Falls, WI and grew up with a strong interest in the dairy industry. Through the Go-pher Dairy Club, Cassie serves as the senior co-editor of The Topline and has also helped on the membership committee, judging contests and has attended regional ADSA-SAD. On campus Cassie is a member of Beta of Clovia Sorority, Agricultural Education Club, Collegiate Agri-Women, Undergraduate Student Advisory Board and the Mortar Board National Senior Honors Society. After graduation, Cassie will join the Dairy Star as a reporter.

Officer at Large, Andrew Hetke, is a senior majoring in Animal Science. Andrew grew up on his parents’ regis-tered Ayrshire farm in Ladysmith, WI. In Gopher Dairy Club, Andrew is a member of the social committee where he plans social events for members. After col-lege, Andrew plans to work in the dairy industry before returning to the family farm.


Continuing a 32-Year TraditionBy Kelsey Mussman, Senior in Agricultural Education - Leadership and Communication

The Gopher Dairy Club continues its tradition of promot-ing a higher scholastic standard among students that

are interested in the dairy industry. While encouraging dairy interest in students at the University of Minnesota, Gopher Dairy Club has aided in creating a closer relationship among the students and faculty for 32 years. The members of Gopher Dairy Club have a passion for dairy and encompass their values through hard work, respect and responsibility. As one of the most active and largest organizations on campus, it is a blessing to be apart of something so wonderful.

Beginning in 1982, 28 founding members found potential in a club that could touch hundreds of students lives within the next 32 years. Mike Frost (President), Mary Ellen (Ingval-son) Larson (Vice President), Jim Way (Treasurer), Sharlene (Fingerson) Daninger (Recording Secretary), Karen Larson (Corresponding Secretary), Brian Rezac (Historian), Cheryl Schwanke (College Board Representative), Doris Mold (So-cial Committee Chair), Dave Heckman (Publicity Committee Chair), Mike Schutz (Clubroom Committee Chair), served as the first members of the executive committee for Gopher Dairy Club. We, the members of Gopher Dairy Club, are thankful that these individuals saw possibilities for a club that would change student lives forever. As a member of Gopher Dairy Club, I couldn’t be more proud of our organization’s accomplishments throughout the year. In the summer, our Gopher Dairy Club Camp chairmen are busy hosting young dairy enthusiasts for several days on campus. This event requires a lot of work for both our student chairs and our alumni chairs. Gopher Dairy Club is thankful for the hard work and dedication these individuals contribute to providing a positive experience for potential Gopher Dairy Club members.

The Gopher Dairy Club summer does not stop there. Our largest fundraiser is held during the Great Minnesota Get Together at the Gopher Dairy Bar. Once again, we are fortunate to have four dedicated managers to coordinate everything for the 12 days of fun. We wouldn’t be successful without the hard work of our managers and members. We are happy to continue serving dairy products to fair goers year after year.

After a busy summer, members continue the hard work and planning into the fall. We host the Food Animal Networking Evening, formally known as The Gopher Dairy Club Net-working Evening. We are tremendously proud of the success of this year’s event. We opened the event to several clubs on campus and were happy with our turn out. We hope that

this event continues to grow and provide a wonderful op-portunity to our members.

Throughout the year, Gopher Dairy Club participates in many different events, including American Dairy Science Association, GDC Alumni Reunion, judging contests, the California senior trip and much more. These events prove to create some of the best memories for our members.

I know that our club’s success can be credited back to our founding members. We truly value the traditions and history that Gopher Dairy Club was founded on. With 32 years un-der our belts, imagine the potential our future students have. Each year, students continue to grow with the capability to reach prestigious awards such as the National Dairy Shrine, National and Regional ADSA office or dairy judging awards at World Dairy Expo.

I know my time in Gopher Dairy Club is coming to end, and I couldn’t be happier with my decision to join such a presti-gious club. My year as president wouldn’t have been possible with out the dedicated and enthusiastic members who truly make our club one-of-a-kind. Likewise, I couldn’t have done it with out the continued guidance and help from our adviser, Dr. Les Hansen. The executive team, consisting of Nick Reps, Michael Schmitt, Rebecca Gross, Cassie Olson, and Andrew Hetke, has been a pleasure to work with. Our members, as well as myself, appreciate their dedication, passion and hard work. Thank you to everyone who has made my time with the Gopher Dairy Club the best experience of my life.


Lawstuen Honored as Golden GraduateBy Cassie Olson, Senior in Agricultural Education - Leadership and Communication

David A. Lawstuen of Lanesboro, Minnesota is the 2015 recipient of the Gopher Dairy Club’s Golden

Graduate Award. David graduated with a bachelor of science in animal science in 1984 and a master of sci-ence in genetics and dairy cattle breeding in 1986, both degrees from the University of Minnesota. He has had a great influence on the dairy community for many years, and his passion continues to show.

“Growing up on a dairy farm in Southeastern Minne-sota in the 1960’s and 1970’s, I developed a deep love for agriculture and the Holstein cow,” David said. “This passion led to success in 4-H, FFA, and at the collegiate level. At the time, I didn’t realize the tremendous influ-ence and impact my teachers and mentors were having on me. With their guidance, I learned what a difference caring, supportive faculty members and mentors can have on the life of a student.”

David held the position of Director of Sire Procure-ment for Eastern/Federated Genetics in Ithaca, NY for nine years. In 1995, David returned to the Midwest as a Dairy Science faculty member at Northeast Iowa Community College, Calmar. He currently is the Chair of Dairy Operations at Iowa’s Dairy Center in Calmar, Iowa, and teaches courses in genetics, nutrition, dairy production, and animal science.

“I developed a teaching philosophy focused on building self-confidence in each student I teach. Buy guiding and encouraging, I am able to contribute to each student’s understanding and attainment of his or her potential. I do not consider myself a great teacher; instead my strength is my ability to help develop the next genera-tion of leaders in our rural communities,” David said.

David has had notable success with his dairy judg-ing teams as well. He has coached national champion two-year collegiate teams in both dairy judging and proficiency. He has been recognized as the 2011 Iowa Professor of the Year and the 2013 Iowa Community College Outstanding Faculty. Teaching has been his greatest joy, and it continues to be the case.

Dave said, “My role as facilitator is to structure and de-sign an educational program that will assist each student

in developing a skill set that will ensure future success in the dairy industry. The majority of my students have no idea of their potential or capabilities. My greatest achievement has been in getting these students to real-ize, ‘Yes, I can!’”

David resides on his century family farm in Lanesboro with his wife, Debby, and his two children, Kirstin (19), who is a sophomore at the University of Minnesota in the College of Biological Sciences, and Kyle (18), who is a senior at Lanesboro High School and will be a fresh-man at the University of Minnesota in the fall of 2015.

The Gopher Dairy Club is pleased to have so many outstanding alumni. Each year, we are delighted to rec-ognize those who have continued to have an impact on the dairy industry and our organization. We are pleased to recognize David Lawstuen as the 2015 recipient of the Golden Graduate Award.


What an Organization!By Dr. Les Hansen, Gopher Dairy Club Adviser

The Gopher Dairy Club held its inaugural meeting in late 1982, and I have had the privilege of serving

in the role of adviser continuously since that time – 32 years and counting! In the beginning, the member-ship of GDC was small in number, but very intimate in nature. As the club has grown in size over the years – from 30 students to 50 students to 80 students to 110 students and more – the goal has been to maintain the intimate and mutually-supportive feel to the club. Despite a membership greater than 100 for many years, GDC has been successful in maintaining inclusiveness, warmth, and relevance for the development of dairy-interested undergraduate students.

Without question, the club’s clear structures for gover-nance have played a major role in the club’s continuous success for more than 30 years. Six elected officers form a highly-effective executive committee, which oversees the highly-functional standing committees and enforces the club’s policies and guidelines. The goal

at all times of the executive committee is the fair and equal treatment of each student that comprises the club. No single member of the club is provided special treatment, and all voices are heard. Problems or con-cerns that arise among the membership are quickly and fairly addressed by the executive committee.

The professionalism displayed by the Gopher Dairy Club on campus and within the dairy industry gives me tremendous pride. The club has a national reputation for highest-quality performance – excellence, competi-tiveness, and sportsmanship with plenty of opportuni-ties for fun by its members. What a student organiza-tion!


Dean Encourages Discovery Through Teaching, Research, and Outreach

By Dr. Brian Buhr, Dean, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS)

In CFANS, we strive to encourage discovery through teaching, research and outreach.

For students getting ready to start their careers in the dairy industry, ‘discovery’ means helping solve the challenges of today as well as being prepared to capitalize on new technologies in the coming decades. Our role as a research university includes more than research for the sake of research; we’re also here to educate the next generation of scientists and farmers.

As Minnesota’s only land-grant university, we’re entrusted with the great responsibility of finding and sharing ways to enhance our state’s dairy and other agricultural endeavors. Increasingly, that means collaboration, whether it’s between scientific disciplines that may not traditionally have worked together, or collaboration between academia and industry.

Here’s an example: MnDRIVE, or Minnesota’s Discovery, Research and InnoVation Economy, is a partnership created in 2014 between state government, the University of Minnesota and industry. Part of the MnDRIVE challenge involves addressing food supply challenges. Last year, we funded 19 food-related research projects, all of them involving collaborations between scientists from different disciplines as well as industry partners. Three projects specifically involve the dairy industry, and all could involve dairy science in some way.

Why should dairy students care about this research initiative? Because it shows us how scientific advancements are likely to happen as you progress through your professional careers. Dairy scientists and producers, like the scientists and producers in any agricultural field, increasingly will be called upon to address highly complex problems, working with people from different fields and perspectives. The challenges of the 21st century world can’t be solved alone, whether than means by one person or one scientific discipline.

As CFANS graduates, you will have an advantage over colleagues who are just beginning their careers. You already know how to solve problems, how to call on fellow scientists or producers who can address a challenge from a different perspective, and how to work collaboratively. As Gopher Dairy Club members, you’ve gained practical experience as well as a network of friends in the industry.

My hope is that as you transition from a student to a professional, you’ll appreciate the importance of what you learned in CFANS, not just in the classroom, but through all of your experiences. I look forward to working with you in the future!


Animal Science Department Congratulates Gopher Dairy Club on a Great Year

By Dr. William Dayton, Head of the University of Minnesota Animal Science Department

Congratulations to the Gopher Dairy Club on an-other great year!

The Department of Animal Science benefits greatly from the national and international recognition that your successes bring to the Department. We recognize your individual and collective achievements and we are extremely proud of you and all that you do to contrib-ute to the Department and the profession. We will continue to strive to provide exceptional experiential and science-based learning and growing experiences that will allow you to develop your full potential. We are proud that you have chosen to further your education here in the Department of Animal Science.

As members of the University of Minnesota Gopher Dairy Club, you are among the best in the nation. Your successes are a testament to your exceptional quality, and to the excellent experiential and interdisciplinary

educational experiences you have taken advantage of here. Your enthusiasm, excitement and fresh perspec-tive invigorate the Department and University. We know you will have a tremendous positive impact on the dairy industry and we take pride that more than 90% of our graduates find employment and go on to make significant contributions to national and interna-tional agriculture.

Again, congratulations. You as students involved in our programs are our pride and joy. We look forward to our interactions as the future unfolds and to your suc-cesses and contributions.


Princess Kay Thanks Farmers and Studentsfor Continued Dedication

By Jeni Haler, Princess Kay of the Milky Way

Princess Kay of the Milky Way is a role known by many. Year after year, she is adored, waved at, and

she strives to be an inspiration to those who she meets. The iconic position is unique to the great state of Min-nesota. However, it is not the admiring public that con-tinues to uphold this legacy; it is the dedicated people who make up the dairy industry.

As part of one of the 3,600 dairy farm families in Min-nesota, I take pride in my childhood on the farm and attribute many of my greatest successes to my upbring-ing. People that I have met along the way, competitions and titles I have vied for, and experiences that I have learned from have all shaped my life as I know it. I am told time and time again that my college years will be some of the best years of my life. So far, that has yet to be proven wrong.

College is about engaging in your surroundings and making the most of what little time is spent there. Gopher Dairy Club has become a large part of my ex-perience at the University of Minnesota and has made an inspiring impact on me as I continue meeting new members and becoming more involved through various GDC functions. Helping during dairy judging contests is one of my favorite parts of being a member. Not only are we giving back to organizations that many of us were involved in prior to college, but we are also repre-senting one the best dairy clubs in the nation. Naturally, we pay it forward by encouraging others to become a part of the great Gopher Dairy Club legacy.

Many of us are rooted in the dairy industry either growing up on a farm, currently working in the industry, or having studied in the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences. No matter who you are or where you come from, being a member of the Gopher Dairy Club automatically makes you part of its legacy- a legacy that opens endless doors and immedi-ately connects you with the greatest people within the dairy community. Our alumni is an exceptional group of individuals that genuinely cares about the success of our club. Often, speaking with one can be enlightening,

educational, and exciting in knowing that we all have the same opportunities, if not more, than they did as a member.

As young people of the industry, it is our responsibility to enhance the experiences of those yet to come. We must not settle for anything less than superb. This year I hold the title of Princess Kay of the Milky Way. To me, this means upholding a 61-year-long legacy and making the biggest impact I can in 365 days. Just because my reign ends, does not mean my advocacy for the dairy industry will. I will continue sharing the good word of dairy and motivating others to do the same. The Gopher Dairy Club will remain a large part of my time at the University of Minnesota. Working together with those who share the same passion for the dairy indus-try, we will be sure to make the Gopher Dairy Club experience truly legen-dairy for all.

To the dairy farmers: thank you for giving me the op-portunity to serve as your goodwill ambassador this year. I am overwhelmed with humility and admiration for all that you do.


Princess Kay Finalists


6th Annual Minnesota 4-H Dairy ShowcaseRecognizes Outstanding Dairy Youth

By Andrew Krause, Sophomore in Animal Science - Dairy Production

The 6th Annual Minnesota 4-H Dairy Showcase was held on Sunday, August 24, 2014 in the AgStar Arena at the

Minnesota State Fair. The program determines the top 25 youth in the dairy industry across the state. It is a joint effort between the Minnesota 4-H Dairy Project Development Committee and the Minnesota Livestock Breeders Association that strives in “recognizing the involvement, dedication, and passion of Minnesota’s dairy youth.”

A committee of judges selects the finalists from a scorecard format. Points are earned based on project leadership, dairy-related activities, community and church involvement, as well as a leadership portfolio, consisting of two short essay questions allowing youth to share how the dairy industry has impacted them. They must also receive a blue or purple ribbon in their class at the state fair with bonus points awarded to reserve and champion honors to qualify for one of the top twenty-five positions. Each finalist receives a monetary award which is unveiled for the first time during the program on Sunday.

The Minnesota 4-H Dairy Showcase is a joint effort between the Minnesota Livestock Breeders Association and the Minnesota 4-H Dairy Project Development Committee. This year, the Gopher Dairy Club, along with AgStar Financial Services and Grain Millers Dairy Products was considered a “Bulk Tank Sponsor” for contributing $2,500 or more. This

year more than $42,000 was contributed by donors with eighty percent being awarded directly to the youth and the balance being used for youth development and Dairy project programming. To date, the event has donated more than $157,000 to deserving Minnesota 4-H youth and programs.

There were three Gopher Dairy Club representatives in this year’s showcase. Audery Lane placed 25th, Andrew Krause placed 23rd and Kayla Brown placed 9th overall.

The Gopher Dairy Club members have consistently had strong placings in the showcase since the program first started with Gopher Dairy Club alumnus, Karen Anderson, as the inaugural showcase winner in 2009. Additionally, Kelsey Mussman took the honor in 2011, Michael Schmitt in 2010 and 2012, and Jeni Haler in 2013.

Thank you to all of the sponsors of the Minnesota 4-H Dairy Showcase. It is because of your generosity that the youth of our state have the amazing opportunity to be a part of something greater than themselves and represent the dairy industry on a new level. If you would like to be a sponsor for the program, please contact Steve Pooch at (651) 323-4210 or [email protected].

Gopher Dairy Club president, Kelsey Mussman, presented Travis Troendle with the 3rd place award.


T he 30th Annual University of Minnesota Gopher Dairy Club Recognition Banquet was held on February 23,

2014 and brought together more than 200 students, parents, alumni, faculty and those in the dairy industry to celebrate the achievements of members. The banquet was held at the Ramada Plaza Hotel in Minneapolis and showcased club events and achievements over the past year.

The Gopher Dairy Club was pleased to have a welcome from Dr. Mike White, Head of the Department of Animal Science, as well as remarks from Dr. Brian Buhr, Dean of the College of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resource Sciences. MarJenna McWilliam, the 60th Princess Kay of the Milky Way, joined those attending the event and shared her passion for the dairy industry. McWilliam encouraged members to continue to promote the livelihood they love.

The featured speaker was Dr. David Selner, Executive Director, National Dairy Shrine, Denmark, Wis. In his remarks, Dr. Selner encouraged attendees to consider seven characteristics he believes dairy industry leaders pos-sess: mentoring, goal setting, optimism, passion, history, education, and responsibility.

The Distinguished Service Award was presented to Glen and Lois Nelson (pictured with member Andrew Hetke) of Milltown, Wisconsin for their contri-butions to the Gopher Dairy Club. The Nelsons, who are registered Ayrshire breeders, have hosted the University of Minnesota dairy judging teams at their farm for more than 40 years.

Ken Herbranson of Clitherall, Minnesota received the Gold-en Graduate Award, an award presented to a University of Minnesota alumnus who has made honorable contributions to the dairy industry. Ken serves as chairperson of the Dairy Producer board of directors for the Minnesota Division of the Midwest Dairy Association.

The Gopher Dairy Club also had the opportunity to recog-nize several exceptional new club members. Ethan Dado of Amery, Wisconsin received the 2014 Douglas Siem Memo-

Gopher Dairy Club Holds 30th Annual Club Recognition Banquet

By Greta Tank, Sophomore in Agricultural Education - Leadership & Communication

rial Scholarship of $2,000. In addition, 10 new student $1,500 scholarships were awarded to the following students: Kayla Brown, of Hastings; Annie Culbertson of Pine Island; Jeni Haler of Waconia; Johanna Knorr of Pelican Rapids; Andrew Krause of Buffalo; Nicole Krumrie of New Hope; Audrey Lane of Prior Lake; Kirstin Lawstuen of Lanesboro; Trevor Otte of Randolph; Crystal Siemers-Peterman of Cleveland, Wisconsin.

Current members were recognized for their impressive contributions to our club. Jenn Janak received the Outstand-ing Senior Award. The R.W. Touchberry Award was given to Michael Schmitt, and Katie Schmitt received the Outstanding Rookie Award as a sophomore.

The dairy cattle judging teams did outstanding again this year, representing the University of Minnesota at the na-

tional level. The senior judging team members included: Craig Betcher, Erin Daninger, Ty-

ler Otte, Doug Petzel, and Jonathon Schmitt. The teams were coached

by Dr. Les Hansen as well as alumni Scott Ellinghuysen, Alicia Thurk, and Isaac Salfer.

Each year, two seniors can be nominated, per agricultural

university, for the Student Rec-ognition Program of National Dairy

Shrine and the 2014 nominees are Erin Daninger and Tyler Otte. The Midwest Dairy

Association sponsored the Senior Judging Team awards and Genex/CRI sponsored the National Dairy Shrine Stu-dent Recognition Program awards.

Another remarkable team to note is the Dairy Management Challenge Team coached by Marcia Endres. Team members include: Jeff Borst, Tyler Otte, Laura Rosenhammer, and Ben Thorpe with awards presented by MN Select Sires.

The banquet provides an excellent opportunity for members and attendees to reflect on the accomplishments, memories, and dairy industry promotion achieved over the last year by the Gopher Dairy Club. Thank you to alumni, faculty, and the many supporters of the Gopher Dairy Club who help to maintain its reputation of one of the largest and most suc-cessful student organizations at the University of Minnesota.


Ken Herbranson (left) accepted the Golden Graduate Award in recognition of his honorable contributions to the

dairy industry.

As a sophomore, Katie Schmitt (left), recieved the Out-standing Rookie Award. Presenting the award was Kelsey

Petit, a Gopher Dairy Club alumnus.

Seniors Tyler Otte and Erin Daninger were recognized for the Student Recognition Program of National Dairy

Shrine. The awards are sponsored by Genex/CRI.

Jenn Janak (left) was honored with the Outstanding Senior Award. Janak graduated from the University of

Minnesota in May 2014 with a degree in Animal Science - Dairy Production.


Regional ADSA-SAD 2014:A Year of Networking and Success

By Wyatt Smith, Junior in Animal Science - Dairy Production

The Buckeye Dairy Club welcomed area schools to Ohio State University for the 2014 Midwest Regional Ameri-

can Dairy Science Association - Student Affiliate Division Conference. This year’s conference was held in Columbus, OH from January 31st to February 2nd. Over 50 members of the Gopher Dairy Club represented the University of Min-nesota at the annual conference.

The weekend began Friday afternoon with dairy quiz bowl where our senior and junior teams competed with the other collegiate teams. The official start of the weekend was made by welcoming all of the schools in attendance with a small meal and introduction of the officer team. A local comedian provided a little bit of entertainment for the students pres-ent. Friday evening then ended with club skits and a lively dance.

Saturday morning and early afternoon consisted of educa-tional seminars at Ohio State University’s campus. Students were broken into small groups and were rotated between breakout sessions. In these sessions, delegates learned about

the history of Select Sires Inc., positive social media coverage, mastitis management, genomics from the American Jersey Cattle Association, graduate school versus entering the industry right out of college, and a presentation of specialty ice cream.

Everyone returned to the hotel after the seminars and lunch to prepare for the banquet. At the banquet, the Gopher Dairy Club received recognition for our yearbook. The Topline received high honors and second place for our online website. In addition, the University of Minnesota’s very own Kelsey Mussman was elected to serve as the Midwest Region Secretary – Treasurer. The night was ended with another enjoyable dance and socialization.

The members of the Gopher Dairy Club returned to the St. Paul campus with new knowledge and many new connec-tions. We thank the Ohio State University for hosting a great conference.

The University of Minnesota Gopher Dairy Club delegation at the 2014 Regional ADSA-SAD Conference. 52 members at-

tended the conference and were able to participate in network-ing sessions, workshops, and enjoy meeting members from dairy

clubs across the Midwest.

Gopher Dairy Club member, Kelsey Mussman, was selected as the Mid-west Region Secretary – Treasurer.


The Gopher Dairy Club is the best and largest student organization on the St. Paul campus. As a

professor in the Department of Animal Science working with dairy production, I have the privilege of interact-ing with many GDC members who are taking my dairy production classes or are participating in the Dairy Challenge contests and Academy. About 98 GDC members have participated in the Dairy Challenge over the years and I am always impressed by their profes-sionalism, knowledge, teamwork and presentation skills. They are a pleasure to coach!

Attendance at the GDC banquet for the last 13 years has been another opportunity to see many members of the club. I also chaperoned the senior trip a few years back and it was a pleasure to spend time with the seniors out in California. They were always on time in the morning to leave for the farms and presented themselves really well. I also enjoy interacting with various GDC alumni who are now working in industry or managing their farms. Being a member of GDC is a great way to create lifelong friendships, establish a large

Featured Department Staff: Dr. Marcia Endres

By Marcia Endres, PhD, Professor and Extension Dairy Scientist

professional network, and have fun.

We in the Department of Animal Science are very impressed by all the great things members of GDC ac-complish throughout the year. Your contributions to the University of Minnesota campus are prime examples of the excellent work you do as a club. It is outstand-ing. Alumni of GDC have made a significant impact on agriculture and members will continue to do so in the future. Keep up the good work! I wish you all the very best.

Dr. Marcia Endres at the 2014 Gopher Dairy Club Annual Awards banquet with members of the Midwest Dairy Manage-

ment Challenge team.


Outstanding Year forBy Chaneen Haler, Senior in Spanish Studies and Agricultural Education - Leadership and Communication Bryan Wendt, Senior in Bioproducts & Biosystems Engineering

The Great Minnesota Get-Together kicked off on August 21, 2014, marking the beginning of 12 days

of fun at the State Fair. In accordance, members of the Gopher Dairy Club joined in, working on 12 days of fundraising for the upcoming year.

As part of our ongoing partnership with Land O’Lakes, the Dairy Bar once again provided its customers with their delicious products. Our “Flavor of the Year”, a tra-dition started in 2013, was mint, and proved to be quite a hit. With beautiful weather and the exciting new flavor, the Dairy Bar experienced steady daily success. We are thrilled to report record sales in 2014, and are looking forward to continuing to surprise our custom-ers with a new flavor annually!

The funds raised at the Gopher Dairy Bar help our

club thrive throughout the year. Additionally, we are proud to sponsor dairy judging events, scholarships for students, and donations to 4-H and FFA organizations. Furthermore, funds are used to send our club members to regional and national American Dairy Science Asso-ciation - SAD conferences, on a senior trip over winter break, and to host events, like the annual Gopher Dairy Club Recognition Banquet.

We would like to thank Land O’Lakes for its continued, generous sponsorship and support. A special thank you is extended to our alumni, friends, returning and new customers, and to the GDC members who sold the shakes and milk. Your dedication and commitment is what makes the Gopher Dairy Bar successful. We look forward to seeing you all at the 2015 Minnesota State Fair!

Above: Gopher Dairy Club member and Princess Kay of the Milky Way, Jeni Haler (left), stops for a treat with

Ethan Dado and Christine Reitsma. Top Right: Members (from left) Cassie Olson, Audrey Lane, and Mary Leiben-stein serve customers during their shift. Bottom Right: Maggie Jennissen (left) and Nick Reps do a great job of

making their time in the dairy bar enjoyable!


the Gopher Dairy Bar

The Gopher Dairy Bar would not be possible without the hard work of our managers. Serving as manag-ers in the 2014 dairy bar were: (from left) senior managers, Bryan Wendt & Chaneen Haler, and junior

managers, Amber Johnson & Wyatt Smith.

Thank You Land O’ Lakes!

The Gopher Dairy Club extends our gratitude for the 5th annual sponsorship of $10,000. We are now in our fourth year of this partnership and appreciate this token from Land O’ Lakes. As a leading company in the dairy industry, we are proud to display Land O’ Lakes

sinage throughout our Dairy Bar.

We are proud to serve Land O’ Lakes Products!

Thank You!


Gopher Dairy Club Excels By Andrew Hetke, Senior in Animal Science - Dairy Production

Hours of washing, clipping, walking animals and train-ing were put in weeks before one of the University

of Minnesota’s longest standing traditions, the Minnesota Royal. Drawing members of nearly 10 different organizations together for a week of friendly competition, MN Royal has been going for 99 years, allowing students to meet others, and celebrate agriculture in numerous ways.

As the week of MN Royal rolls around there is a wonderful smell in the air. Some say it’s the smell of spring and some just think it’s the smell of the animals being walked over the campus. Either way this week brings out the best in every-one. The week started out with a bang as GDC put together a wonderful skit that left everyone holding their guts laugh-

ing. Their performance threw them in 3rd place after the first day. On Tuesday the club carefully selected four individuals to represent the club for the Quiz Bowl competition. The team consisting of Kelsey Petit, Craig Betcher, Nick Reps, and Andrew Hetke took to the field, placing first in the written portion of the competition. But even after the great start, GDC was knocked off in the first round.

Moving onto Wednesday, GDC represented themselves very well winning the Royal run with four of the top five runners wearing the GDC jersey. Then it was off to the dairy barn to compete in the Milkmaid competition. This year the song that was twisted around and put to an ag theme was “Talk Dirty to Me” turned into “Start Milking On Me.” The song was a hit

Gopher Dairy Club members Nick Reps (left) and Andrew Hetke (right) added choreography to the club’s song in the Milkmaid competition. The club preformed “Start Milking on Me”, and received high ratings for their creativity.


and many of those competing had it stuck in their heads late into the night.

After four days of rugged competition Thursday was a night of relaxation with the Johnny Holm Band coming into town to entertain us in the Livestock Pavilion. After a night of fun it was back to the weight room. With Ag Olympics on Friday it was clear that one team had put in the time and prepa-ration to outshine the rest of the field and that team was GDC. Winning the obstacle course and animal calling, while also having a good showing in the keg toss and tug of war was all that was needed to walk away with a victory. As peo-ple woke out of their slumber on Saturday you could notice a faint smell of Revive and Final Mist making its way from the

in 2014 Minnesota Royalanimal barns where over 100 animals were shown in both amateur and professional divisions. With many people show-ing sheep, swine, beef and dairy it was hard for the judges to sort through such a tremendous crowd.

After what seemed like countless hours of work and fun, MN Royal concluded. And thanks to the outstanding efforts that were put forth from the club, GDC was awarded sec-ond place finish amongst organizations. A big thank you to all that helped make the 99th MN Royal a successful one!

The 2014 MN Royal Theme: “Beyond the Barn Door in 20-1-4.”

Gopher Dairy Club’s Royalty Candidates:Craig Betcher & Kelsey Petit

Brett Schwartz exhibited a pig in the showmanship contest.

Gopher Dairy Club entertained the MN Royal audience with a skit.

Kelsey Mussman was selected as the Champion Amateur Beef Showman.


Gopher Dairy Club HostsMinnesota FFA Fall Invitational Contest

By Nicholas Reps, Senior in Agricultural & Food Business Management

Shortly after returning from World Dairy Expo, Go-pher Dairy Club members went to work preparing

eight calves and 16 cows for the 2014 Minnesota State FFA Fall Invite on Tuesday, October 7 at the Miracle of Birth Center on the Minnesota State Fair Grounds. Members helped clip and wash all the animals prior to the contest. During the contest, students helped lead animals, highlight cards and take reasons.

The contest was comprised of two calf classes and four cow classes along with a sire selection class, pedigree class, pedigree and type combination class and oral rea-sons. Michael Schmitt and Doug Petzel of the University of Minnesota Dairy Judging Team were the officials. There were over 231 FFA members that participated in

the contest making up 66 teams. KMS won the contest by a 17-point margin over Kenyon-Wanamingo and Rushford-Peterson took third. Garrett Moorse of Min-neota was the high individual.

This contest helps FFA members learn how to evaluate dairy cattle and defend their opinions through oral rea-sons. The Gopher Dairy Club hosts the contest on a yearly basis and two club members help coordinate all of the volunteers. Over 40 Gopher Dairy Club mem-bers helped make this run smoothly; a big thank you to everyone who helped make the contest successful.

Judging contest committee co-chair, Mary Liebenstein,

enjoyed announcing at the 2014 Fall Invitational.

Gopher Dairy Club members (l-r) Allison Pieper, Cassie Olson, Justin Siewert and Lauren Servick assisted with handling the cattle in each class. GDC members are responsible for all aspects of the contest (as shown below)

and each have a vital role in making the contest a success.


Minnesota FFA State Judging Contest: Successful, Fun, and Competative

By Mary Liebenstein, Junior in Animal Science

It is always a sure sign of spring when St. Paul Campus becomes a sea of blue corduroy jackets during the an-

nual state FFA convention. With this comes the respon-sibility of planning and hosting the FFA State Dairy Judg-ing contest for the members of Gopher Dairy Club and judging contest co-chairs. The incredible amount of help from Gopher Dairy Club members made for another successful contest. The contest was held April 28, 2014 at the Lee & Rose Warner Coliseum on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds with nearly 220 participants and 54 teams.

As a team, participants answered questions about dairy cattle and filled out worksheets based on DHIA re-cords. Individually contestants then judged two classes of heifers and four classes of cows. Additionally, partici-pants rank a sire selection class and placed a pedigree class. Members then have to give two sets of reasons. Winning the contest was the team from Caledo-nia, who represented Minnesota at the National FFA Convention held in October. Second and third went to Norwood-Young America and Lewiston-Altura respec-

tively. Individually the top five individuals were Aaron Houdek of Caledonia placing first, followed by Simon Johnson of Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunberg, Jacob Horn-berg of Winona, Jennifer Oelfke of Norwood-Young America, and Marcus Irrthum of Kenyon-Wanamingo. Thank you to Doug Petzel and Tyler Otte for officiating the contest.

The dairy cattle handling contest goes on simultaneous-ly with participants leading cattle for the judging contest. Judging the dairy cattle handling contest was Bret Otte and Cole Theede. Christopher Pederson of the Mora chapter won the handling contest.

The contest went very smoothly thanks to the tremen-dous participation by the GDC club members before, during, and after the contest. Thanks to all that helped especially in transporting cattle to and from the colise-um. We look forward to many more successful contests in the future.

Assisting with highlighting score cards is one job Gopher Dairy Club Members have while assisting with the contest. Junior Wyatt Smith (left) highlighted cards during the State

FFA Dairy Judging Contest.

Austin Schmitt participated in the 2014 State FFA Dairy Handling Contest as senior in high school. Schmitt is now a

freshman studying animal science at the University of Minnesota and a member of the Gopher Dairy Club.

Freshmen

Sophomores

Back Row (l-r): Mariah Daninger, Lance Sexton, Austin Schmitt, Jack Roessler, Andy Houdek, Brandon ThurkFront Row (l-r): Jordan Juckel, Breanca Bussert, Madison Taylor, Valery Earley, Ellen Sheehan, Gabriella Sorg

Back row (l-r): Kayla Brown, Trevor Otte, Andrew Krause, Matt Ditsch, Luke Werner, Crystal Siemers-Peterman Middle row (l-r): Audrey Lane, Libby Mills, Greta Thormodson, Johanna Knorr, Nicole Krumrie

Front row (l-r): Lisa Janak, Jeni Haler, Christyn Hokanson, Greta Tank, Amber Johnson

Juniors

Seniors

Back row (l-r): Adam Donkers, Troy King, Bret Otte, Austin Davis, Eric Houdek, Justin Siewert, Wyatt SmithMiddle row (l-r): Sara Roerick, Mike Anez, Katie Schmitt, Paige Durhman, Vincent Migliazzo, Matthew

HansonFront row (l-r): Jessica Blosberg, A.J. Hasslen, Thomas Liepold, Amy Grotsun, Katherine Wippler, Christine

Reitsma, Rachael Rostad, Mary Liebenstein, Abby Shea

Back row (l-r): Matt Frenchick, Michael Schmitt, Andrew Hetke, Andrew Miron, Ryan Rehbein, Bryan Wendt, Eric DeBlieck

Middle Row (l-r): Allison Pieper, Nick Reps, Brett Schwartz, Lauren Servick, Paige Lemke, Eric Seifert, Abby Mills

Front row (l-r): Aly Schwartau, Maggie Jennissen, Cassie Olson, Kelsey Mussman, Rebecca Groos, Chaneen Haler, Mary Zahurones


Senior Trip: The Tale of Three Vans

By Lauren Servick, Senior in Agricultural Education - Leadership & Communication Andrew Plumski, Senior in Animal Science - Dairy Production

The Gopher Dairy Club sent its largest class of seniors to California for the annual senior trip.

After leaving Minnesota’s tundra, 28 seniors along with chaperones Lucas and Alise Sjostrum landed in sunny California on Janurary 2nd. The group started their trip at Fisherman’s Warf on the San Francisco Bay where they toured Alcatraz Island, walked the piers and even ven-tured to downtown San Francisco. The group crossed the Golden Gate Bridge on their way out of San Francisco as they headed north to Napa Valley. They stopped at an authentic, Italian castle that is also home to Castello di Amorosa winery. After a tour of the castle and an amazing wine tasting, the three vans headed to the central valley where we began farm tours.

With 14 dairy farms and over 61,700 cows to visit, the next five days were busy! Seniors were treated with remarkable hospitality from the farmers and were able to gain valuable insight regarding dairy farming in Cali-fornia. The dairy farmers were all eager to share their farms with them and help them get a glimpse at what

the challenges and regulations they face in California. Our students were interested to see a wide variety of dairy farms that were all meeting similar challenges with different management practices. It was wonderful to witness the same commitment to the land, animals and resources that dairy farmers have here in the Midwest. The group was also treated to some Real California Milk at Top O’ The Morn, and some great cheese at Fiscalini Farmstead Cheese.

Senior Allison Pieper enjoyed seeing the different sys-tems that California dairies are able to utilize. Separated manure solids were used on every farm they saw. She mentioned that seeing the recycled water flush systems was very thought-provoking.

“Bylsma Dairy was interesting. It was pleasant talking with the nutritionist and picking apart the owner’s brain about why he switched to crossbreeding,” commented Pieper.

Above: Seniors (from left) Lauren Servick, Cassie Olson, Eric Seifert, Robert Sexton and Michael Schmitt played a

little dress up at Hilmar Cheese Factory.Above Right: Gopher Dairy Club seniors were enlight-ened by 14 knowledgeable farmers while visiting their

facilities throughout the week.Below Right: Gopher Dairy Club seniors inspect the

rotary parlor at Airosa Dairy.


A huge thank you is in order for the farms that hosted this year’s seniors: Hoekstra Dairy, Full Circle Dairy, Dur-rer’s Dairy Lorita Holstein, Fiscalini Dairy and Farmstead Cheese, Wickstrom Brothers Dairy, Clauss Dairy, Bylsma Dairy, Dinomi Holsteins, Red Top Jerseys, Vlot Brothers Calf Ranch, Airosa Dairy, El Monte Dairy, Maddox Dairy, and Top O’ The Morn Farm. They were also treated to lunch with World Wide Sires staff to wrap up our week of farm visits.

“Durrer’s Dairy was my personal favorite. They are us-ing the best Holstein genetics and embryo technologies and are making them successful in a commercial setting. They were knowledgeable and could explain informa-tion to all knowledge bases,” said senior, Eric Seifert.

The three vans made their way to the Los Angeles area with a drive down the coastal highway, a stop at the tar pits, and even a hike in Angeles National Forrest. After making it into Los Angeles, everyone cleaned up and headed out to the Pantages Theatre to see the famous Broadway show, Wicked! Their last full day in California was spent at Universal Studios where they took part in the studio tour and rode the interactive rides. They

were also able to have lunch with senior Justin Blumer’s cousin, Sheree Wilson. Most notably, Sheree played Alex Cahill in Walker, Texas Ranger and April Stevens in Dallas. After an eventful day of rollercoasters and lunch with a celebrity, the seniors headed back to the hotel where some took in a sunset on the beach and pre-pared for out last night out in California.

“I think the senior trip to California is a great reward for putting in our time as members of the Gopher Dairy Club. We get learn so much about the dairy industry in California and enjoy a little vacation from Minnesota,” remarked senior, Rob Sexton.

The seniors would like to again give a big thank you to the farmers that hosted visits. Seniors benefit every year from the outstanding relationship the Gopher Dairy Club has with the phenomenal dairy farmers in California. Lucas and Alise were fantastic chaperones to have along with us in California. The trip would not be possible without the time and dedication of great chaperones. Their continued support and commitment to the Gopher Dairy Club help the 2015 senior trip successful.

Gopher Dairy Club seniors enjoyed a variety of farm tours, including Top O’ The Morn Farms in Tulare. Members enjoyed a fun-filled tour and were able to indulge in several glasses of freshly bottled milk. Seniors of Gopher Dairy Club is thankful for the hospitality of all the California dairy farmers who made their stay

enjoyable.

Alcatraz Island


Golden Gate Bridge

CaliforniaSigh

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Napa Valley Wine Tasting

San Francisco

14 Farm Tours


14 Farm Tours

Universal StudiosM

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Hiking

Pantages Theatre

Los Angeles


Gopher Dairy Club

Senior Biographies

As a standard in every issue of The Topline, graduating members are highlighted for their contributions to the club. The Gopher Dairy Club is proud and honored to have 30 seniors graduating in the 2014-2015 school year. The following section, pages 38-47, recognizes our

graduating members, their accomplishments and goals for the future. These students have been the cream of the crop in our organization. From hours spent in the Gopher Dairy Bar at the Minnesota State Fair and assisting with contests, to serving on committees and helping at Go-pher Dairy Camp, these members have given countless hours to the Gopher Dairy Club, and for that, we are very grateful. These members have had outstanding results both in and out of

the classroom, and we look forward to what they will do after graduating from the University of Minnesota. Thank you, Class of 2015, for your time, hard work and dedication.

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Hometown: LeSueur, MN

Parent’s Names: Mark and Cheryl Amundson

Activities in GDC: Clubroom, Clothing, and Website committees

Other Activities: FarmHouse Fraternity, University of Minnesota Clean

Snowmobile Team

Future Plans: Work as an engineer in the automotive industry

Favorite Quote: “Truck. Girl. Beer. Cane’s. Sports.” - Lauren Servick and

Cassie Olson

Favorite Dairy Product: Whole milk because it is the best complement for

my Honey Nut Cheerios.


Brian Amundson

Major: Animal Science

Hometown: Chatfield, MN

Parent’s Names: Randy and Karolyn Boyum

Activities in GDC: Judging Contests, Regional ADSA, and Gopher Dairy Bar

Other Activities: Beta of Clovia Sorority, Delta Theta Sigma Little Sisters,

Block and Bridle, and General Livestock Team

Twenty years from now, I want to: Have traveled the world

Favorite dairy product and why: Milk. It goes with everything.

Favorite Quote: “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a

new dream.” - C.S. Lewis

Jessica Boyum

Major: Agricultural Industries and Marketing Hometown: Fountain, MNParent’s Names: Don and Julie Blumer Activities in GDC: Clothing committee, Banquet committee, Judging Contests, and Gopher Dairy BarOther Activities: Delta Theta Sigma Fraternity, Block and Bridle Club, and Livestock Judging TeamFavorite Class &Why: Livestock and Carcass Evaluation. I got to learn about the production aspect of animal agriculture and how the animal goes from live, to slaughter, to consumer’s dinner plate, and the careers within those steps. Favorite GDC Memory: Not being raised on a dairy farm, the opportunity to learn more about the dairy industry and network with colleagues who share their passion for the dairy industry. Favorite Dairy Experience: Showing a dairy cow at MN Royal.

Justin Blumer


Major: Animal Science - Beef Production Hometown: Ellsworth, WI Parent’s Names: Jim and Pam Dressen Activities in GDC: Judging Contests and Gopher Dairy BarOther Activities: Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity, General Livestock Judging Team, Block and Bridle, and Crops and Soils ClubTwenty years from now I want to: I hope to have a farm with beef and sheep, working for Purina and making a lot of money. Favorite Dairy Experience: While working for Pioneer I got to visit and learn more about the dairy industry. I was on farms that ranged from having simple tie stalls to robots. Best Advice Received: “You can only solve one problem at a time.” - Jim Dressen

Caleb Dressen

Rebecca Groos

Major: Animal Science and Agriculture Education

Hometown: Paynesville, MN

Parent’s Names: George and Lynda Frenchick

Activities in GDC: Social Chair, Gopher Dairy Bar, and Judging Contests

Other Activities: Delta Theta Sigma Fraternity and Lambda Delta Phi Sorority

Phi Guy

Twenty years from now I want to: Teach agriculture education and have a

small farm

Favorite Quote: “Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat

it.”

Favorite Dairy Experience: Heading to two national contests with our

Dairy Knowledge Quiz Bowl Team and winning one.

Matthew Frenchick

Major: Agricultural Education - Leadership and CommunicationHometown: Howard Lake, MNParent’s Names: Sean and Linda GroosActivities in GDC: Treasurer, Dairy Judging Co-Chair, Dairy Judging and Yearbook committees, Dairy Judging Team, Food Animal Networking Evening, Regional ADSA and Dairy Camp counselorOther Activities: National Agri-Marketing Association, Beta of Clovia Sorority, Agricultural Education Club, Reformed University Fellowship, Collegiate Agri-Women, UMN FFA Alumni Chapter, and CFANS Mentoring ProgramTwenty years from now I want to: Breed a class winner at World Dairy Expo, dairy farm with my husband and children, get involved in the community and actively engage in agricultural policy and other young farmer programsBest Advice Received: “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care” - Grandma Geneva Diers

Major: Animal Science

Hometown: Ladysmith, WI

Parent’s Names: Paul and Janet Hetke

Activities in GDC: MN Royal Representative and Officer at Large

Other Activities: Dairy Judging Team

Twenty years from now, I want to: Live somewhere that I only need to

see people once a year: the first week in October.

Favorite GDC Memory: Riding around the Mid-West with the best dairy

judging team I could ever imagine, winning the All-American Dairy show judging

contest and ending up third at World Dairy expo with the guys…. oh, and Mary

Favorite Dairy Product: My favorite dairy product would have to be ice

cream because it’s a lot like me; cold and sometimes it can be a little chunky.


Major: Spanish Studies and Agricultural Education – Leadership and CommunicationHometown: Norwood, MNParent’s Names: Rick Haler, Connie HaaskenActivities in GDC: Dairy Bar Manager, Social Chair, Membership Chair, Regional and National ADSAOther Activities: International Agriculture Club, Agricultural Education Club, Beta of Clovia Sorority, Spanish and Portuguese Across Cultures Organization, and CFANS Mentoring ProgramFavorite Quote: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.” - Mark TwainFuture Plans: I plan to pursue a career in agriculture, ideally working with students or interns in an international capacity.Favorite GDC Memory: The 2012 National ADSA trip to Arizona.

Chaneen Haler

Maggie Jennissen

Andrew Hetke

Major: Applied Economics & Psychology

Hometown: Sauk Centre, MN

Parent’s Names: Jerry and Linda Jennissen

Activities in GDC: Regional ADSA, Gopher Dairy Camp Counselor, Banquet

Chair, and Gopher Dairy Bar

Other Activities: National Agri-Marketing Association

Future Plans: Pursue a career that allows me to help with organizational

development in agricultural businesses

Favorite Quote: “Man, I feel like a woman.” - Shania Twain

Favorite Class & Why: My favorite class was The Sustainable Food Systems

of Italy study abroad course with Dr. Mike White. It was awesome to experience

agriculture in another country, and Dr. White is a great professor!


Major: Animal Science Hometown: Adams, MN Parent’s Names: John and Barb KloecknerActivities in GDC: Food Animal Networking Event, U of M Fall FFA Invite, State FFA Judging Contest, and Gopher Dairy BarOther Activities: Delta Theta Sigma Fraternity and Block & Bridle ClubFuture Plans: Obtain a Master’s Degree and work in the industry as a dairy nutrition consultant.Favorite Class & Why: Organic Chemistry because it took everything I learned in my other chemistry classes and put it all together and explained how everything works. Favorite GDC Memory: Going to Target Field for the first time to watch the Twins play.

Lee Kloeckner

Major: Agricultural Education – Teaching LicensureHometown: Hutchinson, MNParent’s Names: Jamie and Koreen LemkeActivities in GDC: Judging Contests, Banquet, and Senior Class TripOther Activities: Gopher Poultry Science Club, Beta of Clovia Sorority, and Agricultural Education ClubTwenty years from now I want to: Be settled in a house, married with at least 2 kids. I hope to also own a bakery and be working part-time in an agricultural enterprise.Favorite Dairy Experience: Sitting at country fair in the straw and cuddling with cows while they lick my face.Favorite Class & Why: PE 1014: Conditioning class – because it forced me to push myself harder both mentally and physical to improve over time.

Paige Lemke

Major: Animal Science - Dairy Production Hometown: Lake City, MNParent’s Names: Kent and Deborah MillsActivities in GDC: Gopher Dairy Bar, Regional ADSA, Judging Contests, Membership committee, and Clothing committeeOther Activities: Delta Theta Sigma Little Sisters, MN Royal Executive Team, and National Dairy Challenge AcademyFavorite Quote: “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.” - Forrest GumpTwenty years from now I want to: Be doing what I love. Be happily married, raise the next generation of dairy farmers and milk lots of Holsteins!Favorite Dairy Experience: My favorite experience was attending the National Dairy Challenge Academy in Indiana. I enjoyed the opportunity of meeting other dairy enthusiasts around the country.

Abby Mills


Major: Animal Science and Agricultural EducationHometown: Hugo, MNParent’s Names: Fran and Mary Ann Miron Activities in GDC: Gopher Dairy Bar, Judging Contests and Regional ADSAOther Activities: Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity, MN Royal Exec Team, and Agricultural Education ClubFuture Plans: Trick some girl into settling down and raising a family on a dairy farm.Favorite GDC Memory: Regional ADSA over my birthday sophomore year.Favorite Dairy Experience: Being host to school tours. Children’s eyes light up when they see livestock for the first time. With a growing disconnect to production agriculture, I believe it is crucial to provide this experience to as many people as possible.

Andrew Miron

Major: Agriculture Education - Leadership and CommunicationHometown: Black River Falls, WI Parent’s Names: Leonard and Jan OlsonActivities in GDC: The Topline Editor, Reporter, Judging Contests, Regional ADSA, GDC Alumni Reunion, and Membership, Clothing, and Yearbook committeesOther Activities: Beta of Clovia Sorority, Agricultural Education Club, Collegiate AgriWomen, Mortarboard Senior Honors Society, and Undergraduate Student Advisory BoardFuture Plans: I will be joining the Dairy Star staff as a reporter. I hope to one day return to school to obtain a masters degree in an agriculture-related field.Favorite GDC Memory: The night of 218 at freshman ADSA and singing along to “Living Next Door To Alice” with my friends in California.

Cassie Olson

Major: Agriculture Education - Leadership and CommunicationHometown: Owatonna, MN Parent’s Names: Mike and Julie MussmanActivities in GDC: President, Food Animal Networking Evening Co-Chair, Scholarship committee, Regional ADSA 1st Vice-President and Secretary/Treasurer, Judging Contests, Gopher Dairy Bar, and GDC Alumni Reunion Other Activities: Beta of Clovia Sorority, Delta Theta Sigma Little Sisters, Block & Bridle Club, and MN Royal Exec TeamBest Advice Recieved: Put your phone down and enjoy your time with the people around you. You never know how long they will be there.Favorite Dairy Experience: Participating in the Princess Kay of the Milky Way Program and being named Miss Congeniality, a Scholarship Winner and a top three contestant

Kelsey Mussman

Major: Animal Science - Dairy ProductionHometown: Augusta, WI Parent’s Names: Tom and Joanie PieperActivities in GDC: Web Page Chair, Web page committee, Judging Contests, Yearbook committee, Regional ADSA, Food Animal Networking Evening, and MN RoyalOther Activities: Beta of Clovia Sorority, International Agriculture Club, Collegiate Agri-WomenFavorite Class & Why: Dairy Production Systems Management, the most applicable class to my major, I loved being hands on and out on various farms.Favorite Dairy Product: Chocolate milk, it’s the best thing after a workout!Favorite Advice Received: You’re the only you there is so don’t waste time trying to be someone else!


Allison Pieper

Major: Animal Science - Dairy ProductionHometown: Royalton, MNParent’s Names: Larry and Denise PlumskiActivities in GDC: Senior Trip Chair, Regional ADSA, Judging Contests, and Food and Animal Networking EveningOther Activities: FarmHouse Fraternity, International Agriculture Club, and Dairy ChallengeTwenty years from now I want to: Be established in a career that is both rewarding and enjoyable, and be raising a family in rural Minnesota.Favorite Dairy Experience: My first 4-H Dairy project because it introduced me to the dairy industry and sparked my passion to learn more.Favorite Quote: “We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face... we must do that which we think we cannot.” - Eleanor Roosevelt

Andrew Plumski

Major: Architecture

Hometown: Hugo, MN

Parent’s Names: Tim and Chris Skarphol

Activities in GDC: Regional ADSA, Gopher Dairy Bar, Banquets, and MN

Royal

Other Activities: Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity

Favorite GDC Memory: Riding in the bus down to ADSA and meeting so

many new people on the trip. The bus home was pretty quiet.

Favorite Dairy Experience: Milking at the Miron Farm. There is just

something about waking up early and blasting country music and hanging out with

the ladies.

Best Advice Received: Look good, feel good, do good.

Ryan Rehbein


Major: Agriculture and Food Business ManagementHometown: Fremont, MNParent’s Names: Dean and Kristi RepsActivities in GDC: Vice President, MN Royal Representative and Judging Committee Co-ChairOther Activities: Delta Theta Sigma Fraternity, Block and Bridle, Dairy Judging Team and MN Royal Exec TeamFavorite Quote: “Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose.” - Lyndon B. JohnsonFavorite Dairy Experience: Traveling with the University of Minnesota Dairy Judging Team to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and earning first team overall honors.Favorite GDC Memory: I enjoy going to the Alumni Banquet at World Dairy Expo and networking with alumni and fellow students.

Nick Reps

Major: Animal Science - Dairy ProductionHometown: Red Wing, MNParent’s Names: Jane and David SchwartauActivities in GDC: Banquet committee and Food and Animal Networking Evening committeeOther Activities: Beta of Clovia Sorority and Block & Bridle ClubFavorite Quote: “It’s not so important to be happy ever after, just to be happy right now, because once in a while people will surprise you, and once in a while, people may take your breath away” – Meredith GreyFavorite GDC Memory: At regional ADSA when we tied all of the SDSU kids to their chairs using the lanyards that they had in their back pockets during the opening meetingBest Advice Received: “When you leave college all you’ll have is a piece of paper and memories, so make those memories great.”

Aly Schwartau

Major: Animal Science - Dairy ProductionHometown: Rice, MNParent’s Names: Mark and Natalie SchmittActivities in GDC: Dairy Camp counselor, Judging Contests, Regional ADSA, GDC Alumni Reunion, and SecretaryOther Activities: FarmHouse Fraternity, Agricultural Education Club, Dairy Judging Team and Dairy ChallengeTwenty years from now I want to: Be operating my own registered Holstein farm, showing cattle and marketing superior genetics with my family.Best Advice Received: You can choose to influence. You can choose to lead. Be a good brother. Be a good friend. Be a good man. Do what is right- without boasting and without fear. Easier said than done, but something we are all called to strive for.

Michael Schmitt


Major: Animal Science and Agricultural Education

Hometown: LeSueur, MN

Parent’s Names: Alan and Barbie Schwartz

Activities in GDC: Judging Contests, Regional ADSA, Banquet, and GDC

Alumni Reunion

Other Activities: Delta Theta Sigma Fraternity, Block & Bridle Club, and MN

Royal Exec Team

Twenty years from now I want to: Be happily married with a family, and

continuing the tradition by taking over the family farm.

Favorite Dairy Product: Milk, it goes good with almost anything.

Favorite Class & Why: I enjoyed any class with Dr. Roland Peterson; he

knows how to make every class period interesting.

Brett Schwartz

Major: Agricultural Education - Teaching LicensureHometown: Sleepy Eye, MNParent’s Names: Steve and Barb SeifertActivities in GDC: Regional ADSA, Judging Contests, Gopher Dairy Camp, GDC Alumni Reunion, Banquet, and Quiz Bowl at Regional ADSA.Other Activities: FarmHouse Fraternity, Agricultural Education Club, and International Agriculture ClubFavorite Dairy Product: Ice Cream à la mode, because who doesn’t like ice cream with a little ice cream on the side?Favorite Dairy Experience: Working on a dairy farm near Foster, Victoria, Australia this past summer.Best Advice Received: Remember that unless your students know you care about them, they won’t care how much you know.

Chris Seifert

Major: Agricultural Education - Teaching Licensure

Hometown: Browerville, MN

Parent’s Names: John and Wanda Seifert

Activities in GDC: Judging Contests, GDC Alumni Reunion, and Banquet

Other Activities: Agricultural Education Club, FarmHouse Fraternity, Crops &

Soils Club, and the CFANS Student Board.

Twenty years from now I want to: Settle down on my family farm

growing great hops, great cattle, and maybe, even married to a good looking

teacher.

Favorite Quote: “If we spend all of our time dying to move on to the next

chapter of our lives, we may wake up one day and realize we have never lived.” -

Anonymous

Eric Seifert


Major: Agricultural Education - Leadership and Communication Hometown: LeRoy, MNParent’s Names: Donald Servick and Stephanie StartActivities in GDC: Judging Contests, ADSA, Banquet, Outstanding Senior committee, Senior Trip Chair, and Club Hoard’s Dairy Judging ContestOther Activities: Agricultural Education Club, Block and Bridle Club, and Beta of Clovia SororityTwenty years from now I want to: Have a successful career in agricultural communications, be married with five kids, living on a farm in SE MN, and attending every home Gopher Football game.Favorite Dairy Experience: Talking with Vikings football players about how awesome milk and dairy products are at a Fuel Up to Play 60 event.Favorite Quote: “A smooth sea never made a skillful sailor. “ - English Proverb

Lauren Servick

Major: Animal Science Hometown: Hastings, MNParent’s Names: William and Juanita SorgActivities in GDC: Outstanding Senior committee, Judging Contests, and Regional ADSAOther Activities: Block and Bridle, Collegiate Agri Women, Delta Theta Sigma Little Sisters and Beta of Clovia SororityFuture Plans: I am currently in my first year of veterinary school and following graduation I plan to practice as a large animal veterinarian specializing in dairy cattle.Best Advice Received: Spend time with friends because this is the only time in your life when all of your friends will live within a few blocks of you. Favorite GDC Memory: Attending Regional ADSA each year

Janna Sorg

Major: Agriculture and Food Business ManagementHometown: Millville, MN Parent’s Names: Vince and Sheri Sexton Activities in GDC: Regional ADSA, Judging Contest, Gopher Dairy Bar,Other Activities: FarmHouse Fraternity, National Agri-Marketing Association, Dairy Judging TeamFuture Plans: After graduation I hope to work within the agriculture industry helping farmers minimize market risk and expand on profit maximizing efficiencies.Favorite Quote: “Don’t cry over spilled milk. By this time tomorrow, it’ll be free yogurt.” – Stephen ColbertTwenty years from now I want to: Be the premier grower and retailer of hops to breweries and hobbyist in the upper Midwest.

Robert Sexton


Major: Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering

Hometown: Stoughton, WI

Parent’s Names: Jerry and Sharon Wendt

Activities in GDC: Dairy Bar Manager and Judging Contests

Other Activities: Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity and MN Royal Exec Team

Favorite Dairy Product: Gopher Dairy Bar Mint Milkshakes because they

were new to the GDC Dairy Bar this year and sold very well.

Best Advice Received: Riding the bus home as a freshman, coincidentally

I sat next to an engineer who owned his own business. He explained the

importance of having a balance of academics and extracurricular experiences. He

looked for engineering applicants with a GPA of 3.3-3.7. Anything over a 3.7 he

questioned if they did anything but study.

Bryan Wendt

Major: NursingHometown: Pierz, MN Parent’s Names: Chuck and Pat TaxActivities in GDC: Banquet Chair and Membership committeeOther Activities: Beta of Clovia Sorority, National Student Nurses Association, Emerging Scholar for Midwest Nursing Research Society, Co-Director of Clarion Interprofessional Healthcare Board, involved in two nursing-driven research studies at the U.Future Plans: Work in a Pediatric ICU setting before returning to graduate school to obtain my Doctorate in Nurse Anesthesia.Favorite Dairy experience: Visiting farms and classrooms across the state as the 58th Princess Kay of the Milky WayFavorite Dairy Product: Chocolate milk because it is beyond delicious

Mary Zahurones

Senior Dairy Judging Team:Grand Year, Grand Results

By Andrew Hetke, Senior in Animal Science - Dairy Production

The University of Minnesota Senior Dairy Judging Team had a busy fall competing at both the All-

American Dairy Judging Contest held in Harrisburg, PA, as well as the National Collegiate Dairy Judging Contest in Madison, WI. The team hit the ground running, making their coaches and school proud. The team consisted of Mary Liebenstein, Dundas, MN, Andrew Hetke, Lady-smith, WI, Michael Schmitt, Rice, MN, Nick Reps, Utica, MN and Rebecca Groos, Howard Lake, MN.

Starting the fall in Harrisburg, the team ended up on top of a 14 team field. The Minnesota team was also 1st

in the Holstein breed, 2nd in Brown Swiss, 2nd in Guern-sey, and 3rd in Ayrshire. This is the 3rd time in the past five years that the University of Minnesota has placed 1st overall in this contest in Harrisburg, PA. Individually Liebenstein was 2nd overall, 1st in oral reasons, Reps was 6th overall, 5th in reasons, 2nd in Holstein, giving the team momentum going into the National Contest at World Dairy Expo.

Only four points separated the top three teams in the

National Collegiate Dairy Cattle Judging Contest held at Madison, WI. In the end, UW-Madison placed 1st overall, Cornell University was 2nd, and the University of Min-nesota was 3rd. Twenty-one universities competed for honors. The University of Minnesota team was 1st over-all in the Milking Shorthorn breed, 2nd in Holstein, 3rd in Ayrshire, 3rd in Guernsey, 4th in Jersey, and 5th in Red & White. All three team members from the University of Minnesota placed among the top 10 individually – 7th, 8th, and 10th.

Individually, Liebenstein was 7th overall, and 8th in Hol-stein. Hetke was 8th overall, 3rd in reasons, 4th in Red & White, 7th in Jersey, 7th in Milking Shorthorn, and 10th in Guernsey. Schmitt was 10th overall, 10th in oral rea-sons, 2nd in Ayrshire, 3rd in Milking Shorthorn, and 9th in Holsteins. Nick Reps was 11th in oral reasons, 2nd in Guernsey, and 4th in Milking Shorthorn. Dr. Les Hansen, Scott Ellinghuysen, Alicia Thurk, and Doug Petzel served as coaches for the 2014 dairy cattle judging teams for the University of Minnesota.

The senior judging team of Nick Reps (second left), Michael Schmitt, Mary Liebenstein and Andrew Hetke after their third place finish at the National Collegiate Dairy Cattle Judging Contest at World Dairy Expo. Pictured with the team are

coaches Dr. Les Hansen (left), Alicia Thurk (second from right) and Scott Ellinghuysen.



Successful Year forJunior Dairy Judging Team

By Nathan Donnay, Junior in Animal Science - Dairy Production

After two weeks of visiting elite dairy farms through-out Wisconsin and Minnesota the junior dairy

judging team arrived in Viroqua, WI. Traveling with the team were coaches Dr. Les Hansen, Alicia Thurk, Scott Ellinghuysen and Doug Petzel.

The University of Minnesota junior team competed in two regional contests this fall. The team consisted of six juniors who were Austin Davis, Nathan Donnay, Eric Houdek, Vincent Migliazzo, Mathew Hanson, and Dane Thompson. The first contest was the Acclerated Judging Contest in Viroqua, WI. The four-person team of Davis, Donnay, Houdek, and Thompson placed 2nd overall among the 18 teams that competed. Also, the team was 1st in Holstein, 3rd in Guernsey, and 3rd in Milking Shorthorn. Hanson and Migliazzo also competed as individuals. Among the 73 contestants, Migliazzo was 8th individual overall, 3rd in reasons, 2nd in Holstein, and 5th in Milking Shorthorn. Thompson was 11th individual

overall and 4th in reasons. Donnay was 13th overall, and Houdek was 14th overall and 9th in reasons.

In early November, the four-person team of Donnay, Houdek, Migliazzo, and Thompson competed in the col-legiate judging contest hosted at the North American International Livestock Exposition, Louisville, KY. The team placed 5th overall among the 19 teams competing for honors. Also, the team was 1st in Guernsey and 2nd in Holstein. Individually, Houdek was 9th overall among the 73 contestants, 8th in reasons, 1st in Ayrshire, and 5th in Holstein. Migliazzo was 15th overall and 10th in Guernsey, and Thompson was 2nd in Ayrshire.

The junior team gained a lot of knowledge this fall and hopes to excel in the upcoming contests in the fall of 2015 at Madison and Harrisburg.

The junior dairy judging team consisted of Dane Thompson, Nathan Donnay, Vincent Migliazzo, Austin Davis, Matthew Hansen, and Eric Houdek. Pictured with the team are

coaches Dr. Les Hansen (left), Alicia Thurk, and Scott Ellinghuysen (right).


Investing in Dairy Youth Through National 4-H Dairy Conference

By Johanna Knorr, Sophomore in Animal Science - Dairy Production

Once again, over 200 4-H youth from across the United States and parts of Canada gathered in

Madison, Wisconsin for the 4-H National Dairy Confer-ence. The conference, which was held this year from September 28th-October 3rd ,in conjunction with the World Dairy Expo, has always been an exceptional event for dairy youth. However, this year it was an es-pecially marked gathering, as the conference celebrated its 60th year. Attendees were once again treated to a variety of experiences; they visited Hoard’s Dairyman’s farm and offices, the National Dairy Shrine Museum, the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s campus, several local dairy farms, and the pinnacle of the trip, the World Dairy Expo itself.

Minnesota traditionally has one of the largest state delegations present at the National Dairy Conference, and this year our state did not disappoint, bringing 4-H members across the border, chaperoned by Rel Seykora. Our 4-H students were able to spend 5 days learning about the dairy industry, leadership, and future opportunities for them in the dairy industry.

In the 60 years since its inception, the National 4-H Dairy Conference has hosted thousands of young dairy enthusiasts. If you look around a room full of today’s dairy leaders, you will find many alumni of the confer-ence. In fact, several of those leaders have returned to the conference, acting as guest speakers for events and meal times, imparting their memories and words of wisdom on the next generation. It is a great networking and learning opportunity for high school students to be brought into contact with professionals from some of the largest dairy companies in the world. The confer-ence sparks new interests or fuels old ones for many 4Hers, and is a great experience to get them excited about the dairy industry.

The Gopher Dairy Club is one of the generous spon-sors that makes it possible for Minnesota’s 4-H dairy members to attend the conference at minimal cost. As an alumna of the National Dairy Conference, I can per-sonally attest to how much of an impact the 5 days in

Madison can have. It meant making lifelong friends, not only from various areas of Minnesota, but from across the nation. I also was able to meet those dairy profes-sionals, who inspired me to explore the vast number of careers available for young people who have a passion for dairy. It was also a time to reflect on the tradition and history built at places like the National Dairy Shrine and the World Dairy Expo. A sizeable proportion of members in the Gopher Dairy Club had similar expe-riences as National Dairy Conference attendees, and would attest to their great experiences. By sponsor-ing this activity, we as a club are able to give back to something that meant a lot to us. We are also aiding in enlightening and encouraging younger dairy students in Minnesota, who may very well be the next members and leaders of the Gopher Dairy Club.

2014 Minnesota National 4-H Dairy Conference Delegation:

Back Row – Lucas Potthoff, Tyler Kappers, Jax Bauer, Jake Borst and Stephanie Sukalski

Third row – Cole Voorhees, Carla Bromenschenkel, Angalee Schmidt, Emily Anderson, Sierra Swanson, Caitey Drietz, Megan

Holl, Rebekka Paskewitz, Chase DeFrang, Hannah Rolf, Lisa Sontag (chaperone) and Jake Siewert (sitting)

Second row – Steve Sontag (chaperone), Kayla Post, Sarah Manderfeld, Jay Sachs, Haely Hinrichs, Brittany Coop, Kayla

Leiding, Abby Hopp and Lauren HendelFront row – Rel Seykora (chaperone and committee member),

Caleb Blaisdell, Haely Leiding and Emily Annexsted


Animal Science Barbeque Continues tobe Valuable to Students

By Annie Culbertson, Sophomore in Agricultural Education - Leadership & Communication

Students in Dr. Anthony Seykora’s Introduction to Animal Science class have the opportunity to show

a dairy animal in the Annual Showmanship and Animal Science Barbeque each spring. From breaking calves to lead to washing and clipping their heifers, students from all different majors had the unique opportunity of getting a calf showmanship ready. Many students in the class are also Gopher Dairy Club members.

During the spring semester students work with dairy calves and have a hands-on learning experience. The students begin their work with their calves by dehorn-ing, taking weight and height measurements, freeze branding, and giving vaccinations.

After students have obtained enough knowledge about the dairy species, groups of students are assigned a calf to work with and show at the end of the semes-ter. These groups spend a few weeks preparing for the showmanship competition. Each group must hal-ter break their calf and learn how to clip and fit their

animal for the show ring. They also learn about different showing techniques. A student who is experienced in the dairy species is usually paired with another who may have less experience. With this pairing both stu-dents are able to learn from each other in order to train their calf.

On the day of the showmanship competition students wash their calves to prepare them for the show ring. The classes are based on the student’s showing ex-perience level, which range from little experience to experts. Brad Rugg, and GDC member, Andrew Hetke, were the judges for this year’s contest. The students were judged based on their showing abilities and knowl-edge of their animal. Both judges made sure that the students had an educational, yet fun, experience.

A huge thank you to Dr. Anthony Seykora and his wonderful wife, Rel, for helping to make the contest and BBQ possible. The Animal Science BBQ is always an enjoyable experience for all those involved!

Gopher Dairy Club member, Abigail Porter (second, left), listens to official, Brad Rugg’s, critique. Students participating in the Introduction to Animal Science showmanship contest were placed in classes based on their previous experience

with animal handling.

As a freshmen, Gopher Dairy Club member, Amber Johnson, exhibited a crossbred calf. Johnson, as well as other tudents particpating in the showmanship contest, worked with her animal throughout the semester in order to prepare for the

show.


Outstanding Members Recognized with National Dairy Shrine

By Abby Mills, Senior in Animal Science - Dairy Production & Christine Reitsma, Junior in Agricultural Education - Leadership & Communication and Applied Economics

The 65th National Dairy Shrine Awards Banquet was held October 2, 2014, in Madison, Wisconsin, at the

World Dairy Expo. Each year, the National Dairy Shrine honors dairy producers, breeders and industry leaders who have made a sizeable impact on the dairy industry they belong to. The National Dairy Shrine also sponsors scholarships to recognize students who will become the dairy leaders of tomorrow. Once again, several mem-bers of the Gopher Dairy Club were honored with scholarships from the National Dairy Shrine.

For the fourth year in a row, a Gopher Dairy Club member claimed the top award in the Student Recogni-tion Award Scholarship for graduating seniors. Erin Dan-inger was awarded the $2,000 scholarship award. Also receiving a Student Recognition Award and a $1,000 scholarship was Tyler Otte.

Freshman Gabriella Sorg received the 1st place ($2,500) McCullough Scholarship and sophomore Johanna Knorr received the Maurice Core Scholarship of $1,000. Re-ceiving the Sophomore Merit scholarship of $1,000 was Mary Liebenstein.

Michael Schmitt was awarded the Junior Merit Scholar-ship ($1,500), the first year this scholarship has been offered.

Five Gopher Dairy Club members were selected for the National Dairy Shrine and Dairy Management Inc. Milk Marketing Scholarship. Rebecca Groos received the $1,500 Education & Communication Scholarship followed by $1,000 recipients Abby Mills and Katie Schmitt. The Milk & Dairy Product Scholarship was awarded to Robert Sexton ($1,500), Christine Reitsma ($1,000) and Maggie Jennissen ($1,000).

Altogether, these twelve Gopher Dairy Club members were honored with $16,000 in awards. We are very proud of their achievements and are glad to have them as part of our club. Thank you to the National Dairy Shrine for providing these opportunities for students and congratulations to all of the award winners!.

Taking top honors in the Student Recognition Award Scholarship program was alumna Erin Daninger (left). Alumnus Tyler Otte

(right) also received a scholarship through the program.

Current members receiving National Dairy Shrine scholar-ships included (back, l-r) Mary Liebenstein, Michael Schmitt, Gabriella Sorg, (front, l-r) Abby Mills, and Johanna Knorr. (Not pictured: Rebecca Groos, Maggie Jennissen, Christine Reitsma,

Katie Schmitt, and Robert Sexton.)


Gopher Dairy Club AlumniReminisce at Annual Reunion

By Crystal Siemers-Peterman, Sophomore in Agricultural and Food Business Management

During the first week of October dairy enthusiasts from across the world congregate in Madison, WI to

celebrate all things dairy. From watching the best cows and heifers parade across the colored shavings, visit-ing with nearly 850 innovative commercial exhibitors, to simply catching up with fellow dairy devotees, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Each year Gopher Dairy Club members travel to Madison to take advantage of these opportunities, as well as to reconnect with past alumni at the annual Alumni Reunion.

Many of our members competed in various contests throughout the week. Gopher Dairy Club member Annie Culbertson and her fall yearling Eastside Brady Caramel earned the title of Junior Champion of the International Junior Holstein Show. The Collegiate Judging Team con-sisting of Mary Liebenstein, Nick Reps, Michael Schmitt, and Andrew Hetke placed third overall in the National Intercollegiate Dairy Judging Contest with three members placing in the top ten individual scoring.

Both past and present Gopher Dairy Club members met on Friday, October 3rd to connect at the Alumni Reunion. Over 90 attendees gathered at the Coliseum Bar and Grill to celebrate the many accomplishments that the club has made over the past year. This event is always the climax of World Dairy Expo as it allows members to network and form relations with the successful University Alumni in the agriculture and dairy industry in a fun and casual environ-ment.

The Gopher Dairy Club is thankful for our University Alumni and their continuous support and excitement about our club’s endeavors. This event is a way to remi-nisce on past triumphs, as well as to build anticipation for our club’s bright future. As the Alumni Reunion continues to grow in attendance, we look forward to next year’s World Dairy Expo and its many exciting opportunities for all. Members (l-r) Kelsey Mussman and Cassie Olson enjoyed

socializing with Gopher Dairy Club alumni.

Brett Schwartz (right) and Alexis Ahlborn (left) pose for a picture. Alexis is the grandaughter of Gopher Dairy Club

alumna, Carol Sue Ahlborn.


Summer 2014Internship Reports

It is a tradition for members of the Gopher Dairy Club to present internship reports at fall meetings. These internship reports are not only apart of the University of Minnesota experi-

ential learning curriculum, but also serve as a way for other students to learn of opportunities in their chosen fields. The Topline is proud to feature ten member internships from the summer of 2014 in the following section, pages 57-61. These students put in long hours learning more about their future careers, networking with professionals and developing professionally. They

are delighted to share their experiences with fellow students and professionals alike.


Golden Oaks Farm Genetic Improvement Intern

Kuhn North America Dealer Development Intern

This summer I was the Genetic Improvement intern for Golden Oaks Farm in Wauconda, IL. My main focus was taking care of the show and sale animals. In the start of my summer, I was able to walk through the over 1000 head of animals that they owned and select a few to be on the show string for the rest of the summer. I selected ten cows and eight heifers to take to a different facility to put on a pro-gram and different diet.

Every day, I was required to wash and train the show animals to lead ,while also grooming the animals when it was needed. Golden Oaks consigned many animals to sales throughout the summer that needed to be worked with and trained that I was in charge of. In addition to working with the show stock, I was able to assist in the large free stall operation. When I had down time I would go help with giving IV’s to cows and helping the vet with surgeries like displaced abomasums. I also helped with the maternity pen. Delivering calves and assisting with feeding the newborns.

My favorite part of the summer was being able to go to shows. Attending the district show, IL Championship Show, and the Red and White National Convention Show. I en-

joyed coming home with many awards including the Premier Exhibitor at our district show. It was a lot of fun to be able to look at the animals and notice how far they had come from the start of the summer when I walked through the freestalls and selected them.

I was also able to take charge of their marketing side of the farm. Designing their advertisements, and taking promotional videos for them, as well as taking ringside photos and professional side profile photos. It was awesome to be able to see my work in major publications like HolsteinWorld and Red and White Bloodlines.

My experience with Golden Oaks was truly amazing as I was able to meet and connect with many great professionals in the industry. My favorite part of intern-ing with Golden Oaks was the freedom

and trust that they had in me to accomplish the job right. I would highly recommend this internship since I was able to gain many skills that will prove to be very helpful in my future education and career.

-Andrew Hetke, Senior in Animal Science - Dairy Productiom

As the Dealer Development intern for Kuhn North America, I was allowed to experience the machinery-side of ag-riculture and learn what goes on behind the scenes in a manufacturing world. Located in Brodhead, WI, Kuhn North America is owned by Kuhn Group headquartered in Sav-erne, France which is owned by Bucher Industries, a Swiss company. Kuhn North America offers the largest complete line of agricultural implements in North America and contin-ues to grow their business each year.

My tasks can be broken up into two parts: design and analyt-ics. For design, I utilized InDesign and Photoshop to create several professional documents including brochures, signage catalogues and Kuhn North America’s first ever promotional item catalog. Furthermore, I created several Power Points for the North American dealer convention. The analytical portion focused on tracking coupons and converting thou-sands of files from paper to electronic. The majority of my time was spent in the office but as convention drew closer, I trekked north to Madison, WI several times to set up for the dealer convention.

I thoroughly enjoyed learning from my co-workers within Dealer Develop-ment and other departments. What I learned this summer about working for a corporate business opened my eyes to what suits me best in a future career. I realized I need people interaction versus sitting in my cubical all day. More-over, I prefer face-to-face communication rather than email which was a challenge this summer. Working for Kuhn North America was a tremendous learning experience for me and will influence the foundational building blocks of a future career.

-Rebecca Groos, Senior in Agricultural Education - Leadership and Communication


Central Wisconsin Cooperative InternI had the oppor-tunity to work for Central Wisconsin Cooperative based in Stratford, Wis-consin. Stratford is in central Marathon County. I worked 9 hour shifts begin-ning at 8am. I spent two days a week working in the main

office filing credit accounts and updating the company’s web-site. The rest of the week I worked directly in the Stratford feed mill and was assigned to do a customer satisfaction survey where I came up with a list of questions to evaluate dairy producers’ satisfaction with the whole company.

My main focus group included dairy farms that were in a 30- mile radius of Stratford. I was given a list of producers to visit and was given a company vehicle to drive out to the farms. I had the opportunity to stop at a wide variety of farms; some producers only had 30 cows while other producers had 3,000! I also had the unique opportunity of seeing a goat dairy. I traveled to about 15 farms in one day in a given area.

I completed over 200 surveys and used the data to com-pile a consensus on what could be improved at the co-op. I shared my findings with the general manager. For the rest of the summer I rode along with the dairy nutritionists on farm calls, helped take forage samples and assisted with balancing rations. I enjoyed getting to tour the various farm set ups and to see what worked well for each co-op customer. I also spent time with the nutritionists at the feed mill located in Chili, Wisconsin.

Some other miscellaneous things that I had the opportu-nity of doing was helping to weigh and measure calves that were a part of a calf trial for 2x a day feeding versus 3x a day feeding. I was able to spend an entire day at Wiscon-sin’s Farm Technology Days in Plover, Wisconsin conversing with businesses that were there and asking them questions about new agricultural technologies. I was able to ride with the route delivery truck on deliveries of feed and barn lime where I also toured the Purina/Land O’ Lakes feed mill in Spencer, Wisconsin. I really liked being introduced to dairy industry professionals from companies such as Agri-Nutrition Consulting, Diamond V and Purina.

-Allison Pieper, Senior in Animal Science - Dairy Production

Sassy Cow Creamery Marketing & Public Relations InternWorking at a creamery is surprisingly similar to working on a dairy farm. Each day is different from the next; there are early mornings and very late nights, hard work, dedication are requirements, and passion is more then evident in each and every product that they both produce.

This past summer, I had the opportunity to work for Sassy Cow Creamery in Columbus, WI as their Marketing and Public Relations Intern. The Baerwolf brothers, James and Rob, started Sassy Cow Creamery in April of 2008. With their families, they operate two dairy farms, a traditional dairy where they milk 400 cows and an organic dairy milking 200 cows. All of the milk produced from both of the farms is processed at their creamery site where they bottle milk and produce premium ice cream.

I performed many store demos in Madison and Milwaukee where we introduced new products and interacted with lo-cal customers. We went to many local food events where I learned about the local and the organic demand. I conducted over one hundred tours of the farm and creamery to many diversified consumer audiences. I enjoyed my time teaching dairy facts and answering many questions. I also generated newsletters and promotional materials for print along with

managing various forms of social media.Some of the other learning experiences that I had this summer were collaborating with grocery store manag-ers to ensure that Sassy Cow products were placed and distributed to meet the market demographics in the dairy sections. I learned about the many steps and precautions that were taken to ensure that our milk and ice cream was always safe and wholesome for everyone to enjoy.

My internship experience was one that I will always treasure. I was fortunate to work with outstanding people who are passionate about “agvocating” and producing delicious dairy products. Sassy Cow Creamery has deepened my love and appreciation for dairy products and has certainly sparked my interest in possibly starting my own creamery or working in the dairy food business one day.

-Crystal Siemers-Peterman, Sophomore in Agricultural and Food Business Management


William H. Miner Institute Farm Management InternI had the opportunity to live in Chazy, New York as a Farm Management Intern at the William H. Miner Institute. The Miner Institute, also known as Hearts Delight Farm, milks 350 Holstein cows, break and trains Morgan horses, as well as plants and harvests 1000 acres of corn and alfalfa. Throughout the summer there were five areas of study: milking cows,feeding calves, herd health, crop work, and nutri-tion for the cows. I started in late May by first meeting everyone on the farm and my fellow interns. Everyone was very welcoming and I felt right at home.

The first week I was switched from the jobs of milking, feeding calves, herd health and crops so that I could get a feel for each job. From then on, the jobs switched every week. During milking I was able to learn the proper udder prep in order to achieve maximum milk quality, herd health allowed me to get in touch with taking care of the animals from giving shots to helping birth a calf. I was also able to help diagnose and treat sick cows while following management practices to ensure a healthy herd. I learned how each ration was different for each lactating and

non-lactating group. I was also taught how to merge hay for chopping for both their first and second cuttings.

There were other opportunities to learn, as well. The Miner Institute has Farm Days for 5th Graders every year in which students, teachers, and chaperones come from the local schools to learn everything that happens at the farm from what cows are fed and how horses are cared for, to being able to put their hand in a canulated cow and learn about different types of crop equipment. As an intern, I was also able to pick out, halter break, and show my heifer at the Clin-ton County Fair. I was also able to travel around New York and Vermont to different dairy farms to meet and talk with farm-ers about the way they run their farm. I

enjoyed every minute of my summer as I learned more than I could have imagined and made connections with people I will never forget. I encourage others to apply for any of their three summer internship sections because you are sure to have a good time and make great memories.

-Jessica Boyum, Senior in Animal Science

Warner Dairy - Dairy Management InternWorking as a dairy management intern at Warner Dairy in Warner, South Dakota this summer was the best experi-ence I could have asked for. The farm manager, Jacob Achen, established a set of expectations and goals that were to be completed during the course of my employment at War-ner Dairy. These goals included; creating a research project, shadowing the herd manager during pregnancy and fresh cow checks, building a new 900 stall barn, and completing cow comfort projects like installing sprinklers in the barns, replacing the rear walls of the calf hutches with wire panels, and incorporating new 52 inch fans in the barns, milking parlor, and alley-ways.

Recording each day’s activities allowed me to track the progress of each project accurately and efficiently. Ensur-ing accurate records was necessary to prepare a scholastic presentation for the University of Minnesota’s Gopher Dairy Club and to provide detailed proof of hands-on large animal experience for the University of Minnesota’s Veterinary School.

This internship proved to be a maturing experience inter-nally, but required faith to delve into uncertain territories, hard-work in body and spirit, and perseverance to success-

fully make it through the summer.

The majority of the goals Jacob laid out at the start of the intern-ship were completed by summer’s end with the exception of the research project and new barn construc-tion. Leaving midway through construction was difficult knowing that a sizable amount of hard labor was necessary before cattle could be brought on farm for herd expansion before the end of the autumn months. Continued connection with the Achen family has enabled me to plan for an additional internship experience at Warner Dairy for the summer months of 2015.

-William Schanus, Junior in Animal Science - Pre-Veterinary Science


AJAY Dairy Farms InternIn the land of kangaroos, koalas, and toilets that flush back-wards, I was fortunate enough to find an internship with AJAY Dairy Farms in Yanakie, Victoria, Australia. I arrived in Melbourne on May 21st, caught a V-line bus to Foster, and was greeted by Philip Tracy, owner, who took me to the farm. At this point, I learned that I would be working with people from numer-ous countries.

The farm is located about a half a mile from the beach of an oceanic inlet and surrounded by scenic mountains. In addition, I was a short walk from Wilson’s Promontory Na-tional Park. Despite my busy work schedule, I was allotted two days off per week to explore the country. During this time, I was able to climb up Mount Oberon, walk the boardwalks of Sale, and see lots of wildlife including the “Tiny Penguins” on Phillip Island. I was also able to tour a feed mill that was owned and operated by Phil Tracy.

While working on the farm, I gained a perspective on international agriculture that I could only get in Australia. I learned how to effectively and aggressively graze more

than 850 acres of pasture with over 1200 milking cows in 4 different herds. I was in charge of setting up strip fences for strip grazing, moving the cows to and from the pastures and the 60-stall carousel parlor. Further responsibilities that I had

included: drying cows off, mixing feed, being in charge of the bull rotation and manage-ment, and taking charge of the dairy cow pasture rotation for a full month while the main manager was on paternal leave. I had never worked with bulls before, so this was certainly a learning experience for me.

All-in-all, this internship was a great experi-ence. I formed many valuable connections and made friends with people from all around the world. It helped me to gain knowledge about the Australian dairy industry in a way that I would never have

been able to learn any other way. This was truly an opportu-nity of a lifetime, and I would strongly encourage others to take this internship in the future.

-Chris Seifert, Senior in Agricultural Education - Teaching Licensure

Ag Star Financial Services Crop Insurance InternI was the Crop Insurance Intern with AgStar Financial Ser-vices. I was based out of the St. Cloud office and dealt pri-marily with insurance services. My main responsibility was to help process acreage reports. Clients turned in their acreage reports by the deadline, which contained information of how many acres they planted in each section with the date it was planted or whether it was Prevented Plant. Once they turn their acreage reports in, insurance services then works to map their acreage reports in the insurance companies pro-gram. A schedule of insurance is then returned to the client which tells them their reported acres, plant dates, premium they will receive, etc.

From scanning and indexing, to mapping the acreage re-ports, to mailing schedule of insurances, my days in the office always proved to be busy. While the internship was rather intense at times, the part I enjoyed most was having a specific role that really impacted the company. AgStar likes to remind their crop insurance interns that they wouldn’t make it through acreage reporting season without us, which really made me feel good since I knew what I was doing was worthwhile and truly benefiting the company.

Another part about the internship I enjoyed was the days they took all the interns out of the office to tour some of

their client operations. We were able to tour a large dairy farm as well as Gold’n Plump’s processing plant based out of Cold Spring. We also attended Ag Star’s Annual Confer-ence, which was held in Brainerd this year at Cragun’s Resort. These were great oppor-tunities to network with many interns and other employees of AgStar.

My experience with AgStar was truly rewarding as I was able to meet and connect with many great people. My favorite part of interning with AgStar was the overall welcoming and friendly atmosphere they created. I would highly recommend this internship since I was able to gain many skills that will prove to be very helpful in my future education and career.

-Sara Roerick, Junior in Animal Science - Pre-Veterinary Science


As Midwest Dairy’s, Saint Paul Integrated Communications Intern, I was able to share my passion for the dairy commu-nity while inspiring consumer confidence. I have had my eye on this internship since I came to the University of Minne-sota and was eager to apply. Through this internship I was able to build up a diverse portfolio and gain valuable insight about the capabilities of Midwest Dairy.

I was able to gain a wide range of experiences and build new skills because of the diversity of projects the Integrated Communications team oversees. Compiling and editing a four-page, corporate newsletter and numerous press releases allowed me to develop my writing skills. I was able to work with the Princess Kay of the Milky Way program where I produced the Princess Kay Finalist video. My travels took me to the Iowa Dairy Princess Orientation where I facilitated a workshop about the use of social media as a dairy advocate. I was also involved in coordinating the Midwest Dairy booths at the Red River Valley Fair in North Dakota and the Min-nesota State Fair.

The Minnesota State Fair was the capstone of my summer as many of my projects came to an end. I was able to use

my love of social media throughout the 12 days of the state fair and the days leading up to the opening day.

I assisted in appearance coordination for Princess Kay and the finalists while capturing photos throughout the fair

A personal highlight was work-ing with the Health and Wellness team at the annual Vikings Play-ground Build. Princess Kay, MarJen-na McWilliam and I got to meet a large majority of the Vikings football team and discuss their involvement with the Fuel Up to Play 60 program while encourag-ing them to check out the butter heads during the state fair!

Overall, I had a wonderful experi-ence working for Midwest Dairy. I believe checkoff programs do wonderful things on behalf of their farmer funders. I encourage students who have an interest in communicating for dairy farmers

to apply for this internship. Midwest Dairy provides a great learning experience for students who aspire to be profes-sional communicators.

-Lauren Servick, Senior in Agricultural Education -Leadership & Communication

Midwest Dairy Integrated Communications Intern

Genex, CRI Service Specialist InternI had the opportunity to work as a Service Specialist Intern for Genex, CRI. At the beginning of summer, I spent two weeks in Shawano, Wisconsin at CRI Headquarters for training on heat detection, semen handling, sales and marketing, and reproductive physiology. Most of the second week of training was spent at a JBS plant in Green Bay for hands on training. Hands on training made it much easier to start breeding after training.

I was sent into the field to work at various dairies in northwest Iowa around Sioux Center and Le Mars. After the couple weeks, I was responsible for heat detecting, administering shots and CIDRs for synch proto-cols, and breeding cows. Communication with my coworkers

was an important aspect of my job in order to make sure everything got done correctly. Day to day duties were gener-ally the same, but I gained a lot of speed and skill at breeding cows throughout the summer.

I also had the chance to shadow veterinarians during herd check on two of the dairies. I observed how important the use of ultrasound is for reproductive management. This experience was particularly valuable as I hope to pursue a career as a large animal veterinarian. The internship was very beneficial overall. I became more familiar with the day to day operations of commercial sized dairy farms and the reproductive programs involved as well. Working with dif-ferent people within the dairy industry and gaining hands on experience breeding were probably the most enjoyable parts of the internship.

-Nathan Bos, Junior in Prevetrinary Science


Food Animal Networking Evening Boasts Huge Success

The Gopher Dairy club hosted its third annual Food Animal Networking Evening on October 22nd and

was the largest yet. The night started with a chance for students to exchange resumes with businesses and interact in a career fair setting. This was followed by a sit down dinner where the students and business repre-sentatives had the opportunity to talk in a more relaxed atmosphere.

The dinner featured two presentations by Gopher Dairy Club members Cassie Olson and Bryan Wendt. Olson’s presentation was filled with information on what businesses are looking for in students when se-lecting employees for internships or jobs. She has had seven internships in the agriculture communications and extension fields. Her tips and tricks for securing positions in agriculture were beneficial to all students in attendance. Wendt presented on aspects that students are looking for when selecting internships or employ-ment. He provided ideas for employers to improve the experiences students have in their internships, and to make them feel more comfortable and welcome in their positions.

Another change that this event saw was a new name. Formerly called the Dairy Networking Evening, the event was exclusive to the Gopher Dairy Club mem-

bers. Now that the event was refocused to attract a larger, more diverse group of businesses, it was renamed as the Food Animal Networking Evening (FANE). Students from the Agricultural Education Club, Block & Bridle Club, Poultry Club and Pre-Vet Club also attended this year. With the addition of these students the attendance increased from 45 students last year to 71 students in 2014.

We increased our business attendance from 11 to 18 this year. The businesses in attendance included Ac-celerated Genetics, Agstar, AMPI, Boehrigner Ingelhiem Vetmedica, Broadhead, Cargill, Dairy Star, Dow Agro-Sciences/Mycogen Seeds, Elanco, Land O’Lakes/Purina, Midwestern BioAg, Minnesota Farm Bureau, Pioneer, Riverview, Select Sires, United Farmers Coop, Vita Plus, and Zinpro.

A student who attended the event said, “I was pleas-antly surprised. Time well spent.” Another student said it was “Very good event, much better than a career fair.” The business professionals were also of the same mindset saying, “I was very impressed with the quality of conversations with the students.” Another professional said, “It was the best networking night yet!”

With this year’s success, we are already looking forward to next year’s event as we continue to grow and im-prove. This year’s success would not have been possible if not for the help and effort from the event committee.

By Katie Schmitt, Junior in Animal Science - Dairy Production

Students from the Agricultural Education Club, Block & Bridle Club, Poultry Club, Pre-Vet Club, and Gopher Dairy

Club enjoyed the networking expereince.

Thank you to our chair Katie Schmitt and co-chair Kayla Brown for all of your help!

CANDIDS!“SOLD!”

“You’re such a good friend, Dougie.”

“This stinks.”

“What is 2+2, again?”

“It’s not nap time, yet!”

“Oops...”

“HUH?”

“Ha! They think we’re working!”

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“Blegh!”

“Alright, let’s go now!”

“I can help you, Tony!”

“Get your

shakes here!”

“Let’s get ready to judge cows!”

Who said exec wasn’t fun and games?

From the Freshmen’sPoint of View

By Crystal Siemers-Peterman, Sophomore in Agricultural and Food Business Management

A new place to live, new friends, a diverse campus, classes, and even a newfound freedom: that is what many find

at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities. The Saint Paul campus is home to even more new discoveries for the freshmen class each fall. Bailey Hall is the only residence hall on the St. Paul campus, and has a rich past of creating lasting friendships and memories.

“The CAs are interactive with us and enjoy having conversa-tions. The students are the same. You just need to take the time to go talk to them and establish a friendship,” said Bran-don Thurk, a freshman studying agricultural education.

While Bailey Hall house many agricultural majors, students of diverse backgrounds and majors call it home, as well.

Breannca Bussert, a freshman studying animal science said, “I’ve met all kinds of different people that I feel like I never would have met if they weren’t living in the same place as me.”

Each year, freshmen dairy club members have the option of purchasing exclusive coats. These coats become a popular

accessory for students attending Gopher football games in the fall.

Mariah Daninger, a freshman studying agricultural education stated, “The St. Paul-designated student section was always the best place to be for the game. Gopher Dairy Club jack-ets definitely had their share of appearances in the outdoor TCF Bank Stadium, however the chilly temperatures didn’t stop us.”

Sororities and fraternities provide many students with a “home away from home.” They also encourage students to be active both in and outside the classroom to achieve a well-rounded education.

Bussert said, “For me, it was really important to get involved in my community and I did so by joining a few of the clubs and a sorority. It made transitioning to college life easier because I was able to make even more friends and meet upperclassmen that were able to help me with any questions I had.”

The St. Paul campus is a tight-knit community that escapes from the hustle and bustle of the East and West Bank com-munity.

Thurk said, “The mall is one of the places on campus where you can sit down on the grass, relax, and enjoy the flowers and sights. The atmosphere is amazing, and there are great people all around you. It’s easy to make friends, whether it’s a classmate or professor.”

For many students who come from rural backgrounds, the open space of the St. Paul campus can remind many of home.

“If you ever get nostalgic for the smell of the farm, taking a jog down by the barns will always give you a reminder of home with a waft of fresh manure!,” stated Daninger.

Each year, the Gopher Dairy Club looks forward to getting to know the freshman class and introducing them to all the experiences and opportunities that the University of Min-nesota – Twin Cities offers. We are thankful to continuously welcome outstanding students into our organization, and it is a pleasure to see them develop throughout their college career.


Gopher Dairy Club members enjoy the exciting atmosphere of Gopher football games.


Members Study Abroad in Switzerland

By Allison Pieper, Senior in Animal Science - Dairy Production Robert Sexton, Senior in Agricultural and Food Business Management

As the Spring semester at the St. Paul campus came to a close; GDC members, Allison Pieper, Janna Sorg, Robert

Sexton and Jessica Blosberg embarked on a trip across the ocean to Switzerland through CFANS Study Abroad along with 5 other students. The international program has been running for numerous years and is something to look forward to once finals are completed.

To optimize our stay we had a full schedule almost ev-eryday.The first part of our trip was spent at Plantahoff College, the agricultural school most well known in Switzerland. A big part of our trip was touring dairy farms across the Swiss country-side. What makes Swiss dairy farms unique is their size. 100 cows is considered a very large herd, most farms range between 20-30 cows but some have even less.

Along our stay we also got the opportunity to tour a strawberry and raspberry producer as well as a meat drying factory. The students got their share of tasty Swiss treats along the way. We also had the unique opportunity to stop at a winery and learn about grape and wine production in high altitudes. The roads were very windy as we drove up the mountainsides and at points we were 10,000 feet above sea level!

The weather in Switzerland is very similar to here in

Minnesota. Days that were spent in the val-ley were very sunny and breezy. As we ascended into the Alps, the tempera-tures were lower and

a jacket was needed to fend off chilly winds.

Once in the Alps we also got to experience the snow that

stays there year round.

The favorite part for many was the home stay visits during the middle of the trip. In groups of two we were able to get hands on involvement for four consecutive days. It was

a great opportunity to see some of the day to day operations and how they differed

from our own techniques. It was a once in a lifetime experience that

we will all be able to learn from.The last four days of our trip we had more fun touring the beautiful scenery of Switzer-land. After visiting a waterfall in the mountains, we rode a

cable car up Mt. Schilthorn and visited the famous James Bond

set. We also visited a shop full of authentic cowbells and were able to

purchase cowbells to bring home to our families. We ended the trip by having a get-

together and celebrating our last night in Switzerland.

Through the Swiss trip we were all able to gain a more extensive under-standing of Swiss Mountain Agricul-ture. Between visiting dairy farms, touring vineyards, and the beautiful scenery of Switzerland, this trip was an experi-ence we all will cherish.

Gopher Dairy Club 2014-2015 RosterBrian AmundsonMike AnezJessica BlosbergJustin BlumerNathan BosJessica BoyumKayla BrownBreannca BussertAmanda CoehoornAnnie CulbertsonEthan DadoMariah DaningerAustin DavisEric DeBlieckMatt DitschAdam DonkersNathan DonnayCaleb DressenPaige DurhmanKenny DuxValery EarlyJacob FrandrupMatt FrenchickRebecca GroosAmy GrotsunChaneen HalerJeni HalerMatthew HansonA.J. HasslenAndrew HetkeChristyn HokansonJulia HolenAndy HoudekEric HoudekLisa JanakMaggie JennissenLaura JensenAmber JohnsonMatthew Johnson

Jordan JuckelTroy KingLee KloecknerJohanna KnorrAndrew KrauseNicole KrumrieAudrey LaneKirstin LawstuenPaige LemkeMary LiebensteinThomas LiepoldVince MigliazzoAbby MillsLibby MillsAndrew MironAdam MunsterteigerLuke MurrKelsey MussmanCassie OlsonMaddie OskeyBret OtteTrevor OtteJoseph PettitAllison PieperAndrew PlumskiRyan RehbeinChristine ReitsmaNick RepsSara RoerickJack RoesslerRachael RostadWilliam SchanusAustin SchmittKatie SchmittMichael SchmittMegan SchulteAly SchwartauBrett SchwartzChris Seifert

Eric SeifertLauren ServickLance SextonRobert SextonAbby SheaEllen SheehanCrystal Siemers-PetermanJustin SiewertWyatt SmithGabriella SorgJanna SorgJoey SullivanGreta TankMadison TaylorDane ThompsonGreta ThormodsonBrandon ThurkBryan WendtLuke WernerKatherine WipplerMary Zahurones

Front Cover (L-R)Eric HoudekAustin SchmittCassie OlsonKayla BrownLance SextonBryan WendtTrevor OtteKelsey MussmanRachael RostadCrystal Siemers-Peterman

Back Cover (L-R)Rachael RostadEric HoudekLance SextonAustin SchmittBryan WendtKelsey MussmanCassie OlsonCrystal Siemers-Peterman Trevor Otte Kayla Brown

http://www.ansci.umn.edu/gdc/index.htm

Gopher Dairy ClubHaecker Hall1364 Eckles AvenueSt. Paul, MN 55108-6118

The Topline 2014-2015

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