We are CUDS, a cooperative in which a group of students manages our own herd at the Knott Dairy Center just off campus. We milk 30-40 cows at any given time and raise calves born on our farm to eventually integrate them into our lactating herd. The milk we produce goes to the WSU creamery and is used in Cougar Gold cheese and Ferdinand’s ice cream! CUDS provides a great opportunity for hands-on experience in the dairy industry, both on the management and veterinary sides of the operation.
Membership
We recruit new members once a year by conducting interviews. We usually have about fifteen members at any given time. Keep an eye out for the next round of interviews!
Lactating Cows
Lactating Cows ensures cow comfort by conducting monthly health and housing checks. The Lactating Cows chair scores each lactating cow individually by observing things like hygiene scores, bedding wetness, udder health, teat quality, etc.
Public Relations
Public Relations manages social media for CUDS and creates content to provide the general public with an inside look into CUDS. Public Relations also plans fundraisers, tabling events, and recruitment.
Nutrition
Nutrition works to oversee feeding protocols, including the consistency and accuracy of each feeding, as well as ensuring the animals are receiving a balanced and nutritious ration. Activities include calculating particle sizes, scoring manure, body condition scoring, etc.
Vice President
The Vice President assists the President when needed and assumes the duties of president when the president is unavailable. Vice President ensures everyone is adequately trained and helps coordinate tasks for other chairs, while also doing tasks assigned by CUDS advisors.
President
The President works with our advisors to guide the CUDS group in making key decisions to benefit both the cows and group. Additionally, the President ensures that each chair is successfully fulfilling their responsibilities, addressing concerns and offering support to CUDS members in various capacities.
Finance
Finance ensures we are adequately stocked with every item we need and also ensures we are meeting the necessary requirements to remain profitable.
Milk Quality and Udder Health
Milk Quality and Udder Health collects milk samples, logs held milk, measures somatic cell count, plates milk samples, and more. One of the main responsibilities of this chair is to ensure parlor protocols are being followed to ensure cleanliness and health of our lactating cows.
Calves, Heifers, and Dry Cows
Calves, Heifers, and Dry Cows manages the health and food intake of our calves and heifers in order to ensure they have a successful average daily gain (ADG) and will become a healthy and functioning member of the lactating herd in the future. We also manage our dry cows (not currently in milk) before and throughout their dry period to ensure they are prepared for their next calving and lactation.
Reproduction
The Reproduction chair schedules and manages hormone programs for cows and heifers. Utilizing an Ovsynch schedule, Reproduction timely breeds them using artificial insemination.
Herd Health
Herd Health ensures the health and wellness of the entire herd. The members in this position work together to determine and administer treatments, perform preventative care like vaccination programs, communicate with veterinarians, and develop protocols to care for our herd.
Current Members
Emma Van Gemert
Amali Gutierrez
Samuel Hamilton
Zachary Hays
Charity Jordan
Berenice Lainez-Pintor
Sadie Muller
Kindra Nelson
Edith Ortega
Francesca Poledrelli
Madelyn Rode
Elias Silva
Giselle Tellez
Connor Wilkins
Our Advisors
Contact Information
cudsofwsu@gmail.com
ansci.cuds@wsu.edu