A Broad Overview of The Various Technologies Our Dairy Farms Use Today
Welcome to Introduction to Dairy Technologies, the fourth course in the Dairy Leaders of Tomorrow curriculum. This lesson provides a broad overview of the various technologies our dairy farms use today. By the end of this course, students will be able to identify and explain several types of technologies that farmers are utilizing in their day-to-day operations to enhance the care they provide to their animals.
Curriculum Objectives
LESSON 1: Introduction to Technologies in Dairy
At the conclusion of the lesson, the student will be able to:
- Describe how technology has changed over the past 100 years and impacted the growth of the dairy industry.
- Identify basic technological advancements in the dairy industry.
LESSON 2: Understanding Milk Production Data
At the conclusion of the lesson, the student will be able to:
- Describe how milk yield recording systems collect data during each milking with 100% accuracy.
- List production data that is recorded from individual cows during each milking with 100% accuracy.
- Develop appropriate management decisions from sample production data to teacher satisfaction.
LESSON 3: Automated Dairying
At the conclusion of the lesson, the student will be able to:
- Describe how a voluntary milking system integrates several aspects of herd management to teacher satisfaction.
- Explain the function of an automated feed pusher, calf feeder, and feed robot with 100% accuracy.
- Create a sales pitch encouraging a dairy farmer to pursue automation to teacher satisfaction.
LESSON 4: Monitoring Animal Activity with Mobility
At the conclusion of the lesson, the student will be able to:
- Identify the components of an activity monitoring system with 100% accuracy.
- Explain the perceived benefits of utilizing an activity monitoring system to teacher satisfaction.
- Describe how data from an activity monitoring system is utilized by a dairy farmer with 100% accuracy.
- Compare and contrast various brands of activity monitoring systems to teacher satisfaction.
LESSON 5: Genetics & Genomics in Dairy Cattle
At the conclusion of the lesson, the student will be able to:
- Interpret predicted phenotypes from a Punnett Square with 100% accuracy.
- Match common Genomic Predicted Transmitting Ability (GTPA) traits to provided scenarios to teacher satisfaction.
- Utilize a sample GTPA report to make management decisions to teacher satisfaction.
- Compare 3 DNA sampling techniques with 100% accuracy.
LESSON 6: Staying Sustainable
At the conclusion of the lesson, the student will be able to:
- Identify 3 ways farmers have improved their sustainability through technologies with 100% accuracy.
- Explain the perceived benefits of active sustainability practices on a modern-day dairy to teacher satisfaction.
LESSON 7: Reproductive Technologies
At the conclusion of the lesson, the student will be able to:
- List the hormones involved in the estrus synchronization process with 100% accuracy.
- Describe the process of embryo transfer and in-vitro fertilization in dairy cattle to teacher satisfaction.
- Explain the benefits of utilizing sexed semen with 100% accuracy.
LESSON 8: Precision Agriculture
At the conclusion of the lesson, the student will be able to:
- Describe the process of collecting GIS data utilizing drones with 100% accuracy.
- Interpret GIS data on a sample map to teacher satisfaction.
- Explain the perceived benefits and barriers of precision agriculture to teacher satisfaction.