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Growing up on a 60-cow dairy farm, Ainsley Sellers was involved in the operation from an early age. From pushing her siblings around in strollers to feeding cows, completing milking shifts, and eventually taking on more of a managerial spot on the farm, her passion for the dairy industry has always been strong.
“I developed my passion for the dairy industry from my parents. I saw how hard they worked and how much they loved what they did every single day. And I fell in love with the same thing – just being able to take care of animals and seeing the relationships they had with them,” Ainsley shared. “I also enjoyed the relationships and the tight connection that the dairy farm community has. It just made me fall in love with everything from the animals to the people in the industry.”
Ainsley is currently starting her junior year at The Pennsylvania State University where she’s studying animal science with a minor in livestock production to build on her love for dairy. While her foundation in dairy is strong, she wanted to gain experience on a larger scale operation and push herself outside her comfort zone. Ainsley is completing an on-farm internship at Oakfield Corners in Batavia, New York.
“I grew up on a small, 60-cow dairy farm that operates in a tie stall. I wanted more of a broad experience on a bigger operation to see the business side and how everything operates. There’s a lot more communication with everybody running different sectors and not just one person managing [the business],” she said. “I wanted to see all the different opportunities, machinery, and technology that a bigger operation has that I wouldn’t have on my farm.”
During the internship, Ainsley has been rotating through different areas of the business – from treating sick cows to milking and herd management.
“Every week or two has been a little different. Mostly, I start milking around 6 or 7 in the morning. Then I do a lot of work with sick cows, diagnosing their illnesses, treating them, and doing a lot of IVs,” she explained. “Something I learned so far is how to communicate with everybody because everyone is in charge of a different sector. There has to be a lot of communication with different animals that are getting treated in different pens, so you don’t retreat them or skip them completely.”
Learning how to communicate and work alongside Spanish-speaking employees was a hurdle, but it helped Ainsley boost her communication skills and appreciate the culture of the dairy team.
“My biggest challenge would probably be the communication between the Spanish-speaking employees on the farm. I took two years of Spanish in high school, but it’s not enough to be completely bilingual,” she added. “I’ve really learned a lot from them and they’re so willing to help. We worked toward understanding each other and just helping each other out.”
Thanks to the on-farm internship, Ainsley found value in getting unfamiliar with what she thought she knew about the dairy industry and gaining hands-on experience hundreds of miles from home. She also found her passion for the genetics side of the industry and hopes to find a future career in that space.
“I know I want to do something in the dairy industry. That is a total given for me. I’m leaning towards something in reproduction and genetics, so I want to focus on that in the future and see where that takes me,” Ainsley said. “I would also tell other interns to step out of your comfort zone and do something out of state. I know it might seem a little scary to go away from what you’re familiar with, but take the chance while you have it.”
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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.