Gavin Brophy is a junior at North Carolina State University where he’s majoring in animal science on the pre-veterinary track. He is originally from Westchester, PA, which is only a 30-minute drive from where he spent the summer through an on-farm internship at Walmoore Holsteins, Inc in Cochranville, PA.
Gavin grew up in the suburbs with little to no agriculture experience, but college allowed him to broaden his horizons. His dairy experience started at NC State with volunteer opportunities on the student farm. He hoped to gain more formal, farm-level experience, which is what led him to apply for the On-Farm Internship. Now, he is hooked on the industry.
“I love the environment [in the dairy industry]. It’s super dynamic and a lot different from just a vet clinic or small animal hospital,” Gavin shared. “You’re out on the farm working closely with the animals and the people. Everyone who’s in the agriculture industry seems to be family-oriented.”
At Walmoore Holsteins, Gavin experienced an enjoyable, supportive and purpose-driven workplace – which only added to his desire to continue working in the dairy industry. “I feel like I was more a part of [their business] than any other job or internship I’ve had,” he added.
The team at Walmoore Holsteins works closely with the veterinarians at the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center. These connections and interactions were invaluable to Gavin with his studies in the pre-veterinary track. Gavin also worked closely with the herd and young stock managers at Walmoore Holsteins. His daily tasks included feeding, scraping, cleaning pens and vet checks.
Each on-farm intern is encouraged to complete a research project over the summer. Gavin researched colostrum feeding and treatments that can be applied to colostrum before being given to calves.
“They feed acidified colostrum with fomic acid,” Gavin said. “My study focused on tracking the age of the colostrum when it’s fed and then seeing how that impacts their blood serum, which is just like their immunity.”
Gavin’s research helped the farm to identify how many immunoglobulins each calf is absorbing, which has a direct correlation to growth, health, and efficiency for the calf’s entire life.
One of Gavin’s favorite memories from the internship came on a chopping day. The harvest crew was cutting and chopping in the fields, but everyone else was called in to throw tires over the feed bunk.
“It was hot and everybody was out there throwing tires,” Gavin shared. “Ellen, Walt’s wife, brought us all this food and we just hung out. It was hard work but we celebrated after.”
One challenge Gavin faced was the independence that comes with working on a large farm.
“I had to adjust to be confident in my options and my own abilities alone,” he added. “Just learning how to be ready for any situation. It was definitely a challenge at first learning how such a large farm works and their protocols.”
Thanks to the personal and professional experiences he gained throughout the summer, Gavin solidified his desire to find a career in the dairy industry.
“I was using [this internship] as a defining moment. Do I want to pursue a career with large animals or do I go somewhere else? I think it really cemented that right now in my life,” he shared. “I want to stay in the dairy industry. It is so interesting and rewarding. Everyone says it’s hard work, but at the end of the day, it is rewarding.”
When asked what he would tell another student interested in this internship, Gavin said, “I would tell them to do it. There is so much to learn from the farm that goes beyond things you put on your resume or use in your professional life. You learn so many basic skills such as working with people and building a team. No matter what path you take in life, I think working in an environment like this can help you grow a lot as a person.”
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The Dairy Excellence Foundation, the Professional Dairy Managers of Pennsylvania, and the Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association provide $3,000 grants to support the on-farm internship program each summer. Learn more.