Chris Parreira Certified A.I. Specialist Tulare, California All-West/Select Sires

What territory will you cover?
Southern California, specifically work in Tulare, Kings, Fresno and Kern counties

Please describe your agricultural background.
I’ve been a part of the dairy industry my whole life and wouldn’t change a thing! My father was the herd manager for an 1,800-cow dairy herd in the area, and by learning and being inspired by him, I got a job working at Esteves Dairy when I was 16. I was an ag major throughout high school and was very active in FFA, even becoming a member of the judging team.

I’ve spent time working with show animals (clipping, halter breaking, etc.) and spent weekends working with another A.I. technician to learn as much as I could about the business. My first full-time job out of school was for Golden State Feed, which deals with commodities. I not only delivered them to dairies, but learned a lot about nutrition, pre-mixes and different types of feed. From there, I moved to Walco Dairy Supply/Animal Health International.

I’m not sure what I learned most while there – pharmaceutical/product knowledge, customer service or problem solving, i.e. what can my company do to help the dairyman? All those experiences have given me a fairly well-rounded base to work from and I think my customers can benefit from that.

Who has made the biggest impact on your career?
There are two men that have really helped shape my career, Mike Parreira and Cris Hatch. Mike is an A.I. technician and salesman for All-West, and also happens to be my cousin. Growing up, he was the person who not only taught me life skills (dealing with people, setting goals, working above and beyond your peers), but more recently he’s taught me about genetics, breeding and the company structure. I spent many weekends with him improving my A.I. techniques.

I also enjoyed meeting and talking with his wide-expanse of industry contacts, like vets, nutritionists, etc. Having connections in all areas of the dairy industry is a good thing to provide for customers if they ever run into a challenge. Mike’s also a great golfer and that doesn’t hurt either.

Cris is my direct supervisor and, to put it simply, he made my good A.I. skills great! He’s an excellent teacher and has improved my speed and accuracy in breeding, which bottom-line means getting more cows pregnant. He’s trained me to reach company standards in technician service and business practices. Both are excellent mentors and motivate me to become better and get to the next level of service.

How will you be of most help to producers in your region or area of expertise?
We’re all in this dairy business together, so the number one thing I can do for my customers is to get their cows pregnant. When they’re happy, I’m happy. I hope to give them knowledge about how to breed the best-quality, most profitable cattle they can, all with superior reproductive services and our leading genetics.

Why did you choose this company?
I chose this company because of their great reputation in the industry. Personally, I feel they are the leaders in genetics, providing an excellent sire lineup, and products/programs that enhance customer profitability.

What goals would you like to accomplish while in this position?
I want to be its best breeder! I’m looking forward to moving from relief/support service to having my own route, simply because I’ll get to work one-on-one with dairy management teams that are my specific customers. It will be interesting to see what breeding decisions we make, and how they impact the herd long-time. I want to provide exceptional customer service and make breeding cows worry-free. PD