Many dairy farms hire Spanish speaking employees with little to no
English proficiency creating communication barriers between the dairy
owner and employees. We understand that employees are more successful in their
job and employee retention is higher if the training is in their native
language. This project provided producers and employees with educational tools
needed to make positive changes in milk quality, cow health and
well-being, and retention through an online milker training program.
We developed 23 training videos that addressed the "why" of animal
care and milk quality. The videos included demonstrations of on-farm practices to emphasize key milking and management techniques. Each module was offered in Spanish with English subtitles. Eight resource materials were developed to view during the training or printing for display. Two animations were created to help explain the process of "Food to Milk" and "Somatic Cells in Milk".
After
completing each module, participants completed a quiz to receive a certificate
of completion. The quizzes were offered in English and
Spanish, and the Spanish quizzes included audio translation.
Long-term outcomes include improved understanding of milking
practices, increased milk yield and components, employee retention, and
overall dairy farm profitability.