Students gained valuable insights and potential career paths into Maryland beef production
Schiff Farms Feedlot, Greensboro. Front Row: (Left to Right) Margaret Hubbard, Alannah Rood, Madison Hale, Sullivan Haines, Diego Henriquez, Jessica Fang, Nyla Lewis and Alyssa Dimitrievski; Back Row: Ted and Tj of Schiff Farms.
Animal and Avian Sciences students had a unique opportunity over Spring Break to go on a cross-state tour of beef production operations throughout Maryland. Leaving early on March 20, Racheal Slattery, Dr. Monica VanKlompenberg, and eight ANSC students spent three days traveling around the Eastern Shore, Central, and Western Maryland visiting a variety beef industry locations including UMD Research and Education Sites, in-production farms, and private industry partners. Through this exceptional learning opportunity, students gained valuable insights and potential career paths into regional beef production.
This trip was supported by the Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, University of Maryland, through an endowment from the Jorgensen Family Foundation. Slattery, ANSC Beef and Dairy Extension Coordinator, explained, “back in October 2023, the idea was developed to take a group of students … around the state during their spring break with the goal of introducing them to all that is the beef industry here.” She added, “When all was said and done, we made 10 different tour stops, traveled through 11 Maryland counties, and one [in] Delaware, had sit-down discussions with beef producers from 9 Maryland counties and made an incalculable impact on the lives of our students.”
Two graduating seniors, Nyla Lewis and Sullivan Haine, both felt they gained significant insights into beef production through this trip. Lewis said, “I gained a better understanding of what goes into the Maryland beef industry [and the] great considerations on sustainability regarding the environment, animal welfare, and creating the best product possible to put on the table.” Haine said, “I knew I would soon be entering the workforce, and I wanted to get a better understanding of what jobs, organizations, and farms are available here in Maryland. This trip really helped me broaden my horizons and get a better idea of what is out there."
With so many tours and stops, each student found different aspects compelling. Lewis said, “My favorite experience was visiting a smaller farmer with about 20 head of cattle. The system he had in place ensured the health of each pasture and bodies of water that were nearby.” Haine said, “My main focus in my degree has been reproductive technology and embryology [so] my favorite experience from the trip was watching aspiration and collection of oocytes when we were at TransOva.”
For trip organizers, networking was a key piece of this experience. Slattery said, “The most interesting part of the whole experience for me–watching my invited beef producers interacting with the students each day. [I] very much enjoyed being able to bring the two groups together.”
“The biggest surprise for me was seeing that at Roseda Farms they use waste from fruit processing as a large part of their animals' diets … they were able to repurpose what might otherwise have been waste into an economical food source for their cattle,” said Haine. Lewis “was surprised by just how large feed yards could be. Every farmer had a different management style that included acres of land you could not see by standing at [a single] point.”
“We are grateful for the industry folks who not only welcomed us out to their businesses and farms with open arms, but also those who took time out of their busy schedules to sit down with the students and share their experiences and knowledge,” Slattery said.
