Forming Committees at the start of CREAM
You will be assigned to one of the following committees at the beginning of the fall semester, and you will rotate amongst the committees throughout. The goal is to serve with every member of your class at some time during the school year, which will require thought and care in scheduling. There have been many systems of assigning people to committees, don't be afraid to ask your advisors what seemed to work best!
Committee Responsibilites
During the academic year, CREAMers will be members of five committees. The committees include Production Management, Breeding, Finance, Education and Planning, and Farm Facilities and Maintenance. The committees rotate members to allow each CREAMer to have the opportunity to be a part of each committee. During committee rotations, one member from each committee will elect to remain on the same committee for a class period to ensure a smooth transition between groups. The committees can then continue to work towards the same goals with a new group of people, while having minimal setbacks.
Production Management Committee
The Production Management Committee is responsible for the production and statuses of each cow, as well as body condition scores, environmental scores, and hock scores for each cow. This committee requires additional hours outside of classtime to perform what are called "Production Checks", which are completed twice a day. Production checks require students on the committee to monitor temperatures of sick cows or cows that have recently calved, as well as signs of estrus. The CREAMer on Production check will also note which cows are eating, chewing cud, laying down, or standing, as well as push up feed and scrape any manure or urine into the gutter to maintain a clean environment. The committee reports on the herd average production, as well as other variables that are important to the success of the dairy operation as well as the health of the herd.
Breeding Committee
The Breeding Committee is responsible for the genetic improvement and reproductive performance of the herd. The main responsibility is to select sires for the cows that have been provided by the farm manager, given the problem areas that the subcommittee will determine when observing the cows in the barn.
Finance Committee
The Finance Committee is responsible for calculating the income and expenses that CREAM incurs, as well as updating financial records when required. The Finance Committee calculates feed cost, medical costs, breeding costs, and tracks the rent to house dry cows, heifers, and the CREAM string. Other expenses, such as hoof trimming, is also calculated by the Finance Committee.
Education and Planning Committee
The Education and Planning Committee is responsible for planning events and activities, as well as scheduling appointments for speakers and education sessions. The committee is also responsible for keeping the rest of the CREAM group informed of upcoming activities and due dates.
Farm Facilities and Maintenance Committee
The Farm Facilities and Maintenance Committee is responsible for completing tasks at the barn that fall out of the normal responsibilities of a CREAM shift. These tasks are provided by the farm manager at the start of Tuesday business meetings. Some tasks may include light maintenance, cleaning walls and calf stalls, pushing up feed, clearing the walk way in the dry cow barn, or installing new scratch posts in the milk parlor holding pen.