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Milk-cow farming may be different in Argentina and the United States, but for Gustavo Schuenemann — the new Ohio State University Extension dairy veterinarian — the needs of farmers, workers and consumers are the same no matter where: safety, health, environmental sustainability and quality.
Born in the southeastern corner of Buenos Aires province, where the fertile lowlands known as the pampas provide exceptional soils and grazing for livestock operations, Schuenemann was raised on a farm that produced crops and cattle. That experience marked his youth and his professional interests.
“After school, and during the weekends, I performed all types of farm duties along with two brothers,” said Schuenemann, who came to Ohio State in mid-2008. “I developed an interest for animal care and production medicine at a young age.”
After finishing high school, Schuenemann enrolled in the College of Veterinary Medicine at the National University of the Center of Buenos Aires-Tandil, where he graduated as doctor of veterinary medicine in 1998. After practicing for a few years on bovine production medicine, he came to the United States to complete his M.S. (2004) and Ph.D. (2008) degrees in reproductive physiology at The University of Tennessee’s Department of Animal Science.
Fresh off graduate school but with significant experience in livestock production issues, Schuenemann found his professional north star, well, up north in Ohio — which is ranked 11th in the United States in milk production, is ahead nationally in Swiss cheese production, and leads all Midwestern states in new dairy farm start-ups and expansion.
“OSU offered an excellent opportunity and environment for teaching, extension and research in areas of my expertise,” Schuenemann, whose family tree includes both German and Italian ancestry, said of his decision to join the university’s Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine as an assistant professor.
Schuenemann’s research interests include male factors associated with reduced fertility in cattle and other issues of dairy herd fertility, among them early detection of problem cows, timing of ovulation and semen quality. In terms of outreach, his interests are related to the use of software as a tool to improve recordkeeping on dairy farms — including analysis, detection of opportunities and aid in the decision-making process to increase sustainable production and profitability.
Since most of Ohio’s 3,700 licensed dairy producers are small, one key goal of Schuenemann’s work as Extension dairy veterinarian is to develop educational programs aimed at enhancing the sustainability of smaller operations through the implementation of practical management programs. Another important project of Shuenemann’s is to provide training to the many Latin@ workers who are now engaged in Ohio’s dairy industry, in topics such as calving (birthing) assistance, reproduction and milking routine.
“Enhancing the flow of scientific-based information through practical knowledge to dairy farms is one of the most gratifying working experiences,” Schuenemann said of his outreach and education activities.
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