The Dairy Unit here at Cal Poly is home to around 400 hundred cows and functions around the clock 24/7. It is located north of campus and around twenty employees keep it running. One of which is Ariana Bellanti, a second year Cal Poly student. She has worked at the Dairy for almost a year. Her job as a milker is definitely challenging, but made her very knowledgeable of the dairy industry. Not only does she have to get up before dawn to milk these massive animals, she must be aware of her surroundings at all times.

Her day begins at 3 a.m. as she herds the cows into the milking parlor. As the cows align in the parallel parlor, the milking process begins. Ariana elaborates on the dangers of milking stating, “We have had incidents where people get their hands crushed between the cow and the parlor because they were distracted or the cow was startled.” Being a milker is no joke and Ariana takes every precaution to keep herself from getting injured.

The Dairy Unit is a massive part of the school and Ariana is proud to represent it in this podcast. I hope you enjoy as she speaks about her job as a milker!

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, I love it so much I even have it for dinner most nights. My go to breakfast food is cereal, it’s both convenient and always delicious. So there was no question that I would be filming how to produce the perfect bowl of cereal.

It starts off by making the difficult decision of which cereal to choose. In the video I had chosen Rice Puff cereal because I had recently finished my favorite, Cocoa Puffs. Then the choice of which bowl I desired to use that would perfectly hold the amount of cereal I wanted at the time and the spoon that could handle my large mouthfuls. Next, I contemplated the milk I wished to pour over my dry cereal. Along with finishing my favorite cereal, I also finished my whole milk. I opted for the subordinate option, Breeze Unsweetened Almond Milk. I know what you’re thinking a Dairy Science Major drinking almond milk, but trust me it is my roommates.

All that’s left is the task of actually eating it. I believe this to be the most rewarding part to top off my hard work of making breakfast. I hope this video aids you in making the most delectable bowl of cereal you have ever had!

Cal Poly is known for being one of the nation’s most prestigious undergraduate agriculture programs, so it makes sense that Cal Poly is home to the fourth largest avocado orchard in the nation. On June 12, 2003 the school announced they would be planting a 50 acre avocado field for students to manage and learn the commercial side of selling produce. Cal Poly’s motto is learn by doing and this opportunity gives students a chance to experience first hand the commercial avocado operation.

6,400 avocado trees are currently planted on the property and the number continues to increase as the program expands. The orchard is a student ran, profitable business. Students are expected to also take part in selling the produce at the downtown Farmer’s Market that occurs every Thursday evening. Both students and locals of San Luis Obispo are benefiting from having the fourth largest avocado orchard in their backyard. This is all thanks to alumni, Stu and Jan Bartleson, for donating $11.3 million to purchase land surrounding the campus for this very reason. The Bartlesons were quoted in an interview stating, “It’s exciting to think about this being kept as ag land and carrying our name in perpetuity, I’m also excited to think that the ranch will help prepare today’s students to become tomorrow’s ag industry leaders.” Cal Poly has done just that, they have extended their land by 10,000 acres all used for agricultural programs for the students.

This venture of making the fourth largest avocado orchard was also funded by an actual avocado company called Mission Produce. The avocados harvested also go to Mission Produce to be sold. They have so generously agreed to donate money to Cal Poly’s Agriculture program after each harvest dependent on how much they profit from the sale of the avocados. Many people have invested their time, money and property to make this project a success. The orchard will continue to teach students for many years to come the ropes of managing a functioning commercial orchard.

San Francisco, California is a place known for their packed filled streets, graffitied walls and houses so close they touch. This is where I spent four grueling years of my life attending St. Ignatius College Prepatory. The city is untouched by the agriculture world, as it was to me. This is how I knew Cal Poly was the only place I wished to attend college, better yet attend as a Dairy Science major.

My first quarter here I had two dairy science classes. They were hands on and taught me the ropes when it came to handling dairy cows and farms. The dairy program here continues to teach me new and improved ways revolving around every aspect of dairy farming.

More specifically, how to improve the reproductivity of cows through genetics. I recently took part in a class that touched on how scientists are able target specific genetic traits in bulls, rather than cows to produce calves that will significantly increase milk production. If dairy farms have cows that produce more milk, the number of cows in each herd will decrease. This leads to a decrease in greenhouse air emissions because with less cows there will be less manure and fertilizers to contribute to global warming.

Dairy farmers around the world are searching for ways to be as sustainable as possible, but this brilliant idea was all new to me. A study from the Genetics and Management department at Virginia Polytechnic State University stated, “The use of genome information to select sires of replacement females in dairy herds could increase the rate of genetic progress by at least 50%.” This is a simple new way of reproduction that is still being tested, but already has so much potential in decreasing global warming.

Scientist even discovered that they can target genomes that even make cows release fewer greenhouse gases, so basically making them less gassy! This new information that I learned has inspired me to work with genetics in the future; so one day I can be responsible for targeting specific genetics to partake in ending global warming.

Here we have a clear picture of how massive piles of manure release significant amounts of greenhouse gases. Worldwide there are 270 million dairy cows, imagine how many gases are being released as of right now.

In photo two, we see some of the first genetically modified cows. They are still young heifers showing how new genetic targeting is. These cows however were genetically modified to be born without any horns. Dairy calves must be dehorned, which can often be a painful process. Just another way genetics can make a positive difference.

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