Brian Nelson Turlock, California Regional Services Specialist – Western Region Accelerated Genetics

What education are you bringing with you to this position?
I have a bachelor’s degree in dairy science from Cal Poly State University and a thorough knowledge of dairy cattle evaluation. I went to Modesto Junior College and worked on the dairy heifer farm for two years. I was on the national winning dairy cattle judging team in 2004 – I was eighth overall and fourth in reasons.

I received my associate's degree from Modesto Junior College in 2006, then transferred to Cal-Poly State University and was on the dairy judging team there as well. I worked at the Cal-Poly dairy while attending school there.

Please describe your agricultural background.
I grew up in the dairy world. I was born and raised on my Grandpa Joe’s dairy, Duarte Acres. My family and I lived there until I was 11 and my parents started Nelson Farms, where we have 550 Holstein cows of which about 75 percent are registered. I've done just about everything on the farm, at one time or another.

We also are involved in showing and competing with our dairy cattle nationally. Our cloned animal Nelsons Estimate Liz 2 was junior champion at the World Dairy Expo in 2004. I am still involved on the farm, helping out whenever I can and making genetic decisions, as well.

What territory will you cover?
The Western region, which includes California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Idaho, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Texas.

What are your new responsibilities?
My responsibilities include coordinating daughter photography, tours and sets, which provide accurate type proofs for the bulls.

I also make sure that the dairymen on our PACE young sire program are maintaining accurate records, so that we, in turn, get the information back on each animal. My other responsibilities include mating cows with our GEM program and working with the sales staff.

What previous positions have you held?
I worked for another A.I. company for 3.5 years as a cornerstone specialist.

What excites you most about working in your new role?
Meeting new and interesting people and seeing great dairy cattle before the bulls graduate with enough reliability. It is fun to see how the daughters turn out from the young bulls and to see a customer happy with good results.

How will you be of most help to producers in your region or area of expertise?
I will help customers on their genetic selections for their dairy cattle. I will provide matings from our GEM program that entail 19 linear evaluations on each individual cow and best match each cow based upon type and production levels to ensure maximum results. I’ll also provide advice to producers on which bull best fits their needs for their operations.

Why did you choose this company?
This a family-oriented company and everyone works well together. I love the atmosphere and the people involved within and outside of the company. The company is continuing to grow and is determined to keep the customers happy by providing the best genetics and products available on the market.

What goals would you like to accomplish while in this position?
My goals include continuing to keep the customers satisfied. I want to ensure each sire reaches their full potential by graduating and providing great genetics to the dairy producers.

My other goals are to make sure that genetics are one of the main priorities in herds everywhere and to promote the importance of the dairy industry so that we can continue to feed the world. PD