Students Visit the Waterman Dairy Center

On November 30, TRECA Digital Academy students visited the Waterman Dairy Center in Columbus, OH. 

The Waterman Dairy Center consists of 122 acres of cropland and 45 acres of pasture. On this guided tour, students learned about herd management and how calves are raised to become productive dairy cows. OSU students are employed at the dairy center each semester to assist with chores and daily activities. High-quality Grade A milk is produced from a herd of 100 registered Jersey cows and then sold to Smith's Dairy. The farm is a closed herd and raises all replacement heifers on-site, having approximately 150 to 170 head at a time. Cows are milked twice daily, and the farm utilizes herd management software to record individual records on each animal at the farm, which aids in research and herd management. The cattle at the facility are very well acquainted with tours and loved the interaction from students!