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A North Carolina native has been spending her summer immersing herself in the Pennsylvania dairy industry. Hannah Mansfield, a rising junior at Penn State University, is studying Animal Science with plans to become a dairy herd manager after graduation. Hannah wasn’t raised on a dairy farm, but she dove into any agricultural opportunity she could get growing up – including FFA and the Penn State Dairy Barns.
“I really fell in love with dairy, the relationships you make with the cows, seeing them through their lifetime, and all that they can accomplish in terms of production,” she shares.
While Hannah works at the Penn State Dairy Barns, she wanted to experience a different opportunity this summer on a large, production-focused farm. She decided to complete the On-Farm Internship program and was paired with Kreider Farms in Manheim, Pennsylvania. The 1,900-cow dairy has given Hannah firsthand experience with milk cows, calf care, and breeding.
At the beginning of her internship, she worked heavily with the milk cows, gaining experience in treating cows, mastitis cultures, and herd checks. Then, Hannah moved into calving. She assisted in pulling calves if needed, transporting calves, and milking the fresh cows. To get widespread experience across the entire operation, Hannah ended her internship in the calf barns, where she fed calves and gave vaccinations. She credits the great people she worked alongside for making her internship experience so rewarding.
“I have loved getting to meet everyone because this farm is just full of amazing people. They’ve been so helpful to me when I was learning something new, trying something new, or trying to speak Spanish,” Hannah shares. “They were just so patient and kind, and they really helped me to feel comfortable here.”
One unique opportunity that Hannah took full advantage of was a breeding course that the farm provided. Throughout this three-day course, Hannah gained knowledge and hands-on experience that resulted in her obtaining an artificial insemination (AI) certification. Since becoming certified, Hannah has spent Fridays (breeding days) working to progress this skill.
“I really have a passion for dairy and reproduction. Being able to apply all the anatomy and physiology [concepts] I have in my head has been great,” she adds.
Hannah applied even more of her knowledge to a summer research project that led to valuable findings for the farm. She studied photo periods for cows, measuring both the brightness and length of time. Throughout her research, Hannah was able to define Short Day Photo Periods (SDPP) as 6-8 hours of light daily and Long Day Photo Periods (LDPP) as 16-18 hours of light daily. LDPPs are proven to be effective for lactating cows while SDPPs are a better fit for dry cows. With this difference in length of light, cows are able to react to the light transition when they begin a new lactation. After concluding her research, Hannah was even able to recommend a timer program for the farm which will be installed later.
This internship experience has helped Hannah solidify her passion for staying in the agriculture, and specifically dairy, industry.
“I just want to help make [dairy] more accessible and make this nutritious product something that everyone can enjoy. So, dairy is where I’m passionate,” she shares.
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The Dairy Excellence Foundation, the Professional Dairy Managers of Pennsylvania, and the Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association provide $3,000 grants to support these on-farm internships each summer.