Bethany Fisher Lubbock, Texas Calf and Heifer Specialist Purina Animal Nutrition
What education are you bringing with you to this position?
A bachelor of science from Southern Arkansas University and a master's in dairy nutrition from Louisiana State University Agriculture and Mechanical College.
Please describe your agricultural background.
I began my journey in agriculture in the Mississippi River Delta of Arkansas with a family engulfed in row crop farming which includes rice, wheat and soybeans. My first experience with dairy cattle was when I went to college.
What territory will you cover?
The Texas Panhandle and Central Texas regions.
What are your new responsibilities?
Work with dairy farms and calf-raising facilities to improve growth, health, efficiency and profitability. This involves determining each operation's specific needs and developing a plan that will benefit both the producer and the young animal.
What previous positions have you held?
I worked as a student employee on the Southern Arkansas University farm where I was involved with all levels of the dairy, from calves and cows to hay production and feeding. My passion for the dairy industry began here and sparked my interest in a graduate degree in dairy nutrition.
Shortly after beginning graduate school at Louisiana State University Agriculture and Mechanical College, I took a full time job as the assistant manager on the LSU dairy farm, a position I held from 2008 to 2012. This gave me the opportunity to walk a mile in producers’ shoes. I oversaw all animals and student employees.
What excites you most about working in your new role?
My ability to assist dairymen in improving their business, both management and nutrition, by adapting the ideal to what works on their operation.
How will your work in your new role benefit dairy producers?
My perspective comes mostly from my experience working as both a student employee and as an assistant manager on two different dairy farms. This allows me to relate with a certain level of understanding. I want the dairymen to succeed; if this isn’t the case then I feel I am not succeeding.
Why did you choose this company?
Its goals are more in line with my overall goals of helping producers on more than a nutrition level.
The employees of this company also display a passion for the industry and are encouraged to grow and improve. This is evident in the longevity of several of the employees in similar roles to mine. In the dairy industry, working as a team or united front is important to everyone – customers and specialist – winning in the end.
What goals would you like to accomplish while in this position?
Educate producers on the importance of starting heifers off right, from small management procedures in the first few hours to their diet in the first six months, and to provide them with products and procedures to improve the quality of their animals. PD
