About Alex
What is my name?
Alex Hegman
Why the Dairy?
You never worked with livestock before and took an interest in the dairy cattle after an animal science lab.
How long was a typical shift?
about 4 hours
What ADS course helped me the most?
ADS 1113, the Animal Science lab because you actually milked a cow, which helped you learn the basics
My major is...
Animal and Dairy Science
How many cows does MSU have in its milking herd?
Almost 200
What do you have to do before you can start milking the cow?
Wipe the udders with a rag, dip each teat in a pre-dip iodine solution, strip each teat by squirting a small amount of milk out, and wipe each teat again
Which ADS course helped me understand the production side of the dairy?
ADS 1121, the Animal Science lecture because Dr. Larson explained an overview of the dairy industry and why production is important
I am from...
Woodstock, Georgia
Where does the milk from the MSU dairy go?
The MAFES store to get processed into cheese, ice cream, and milk to drink at school.
What do you do once the claw falls off the udder and the cow has given all her milk?
Dip the claw into a bucket of cleaning solution and hang it back up, dip each teat in a thicker iodine solution, and let the cow out of the parlor.
What course helped me understand the anatomy of the cows?
ADS 3014, Anatomy and Physiology because it went through the physiology of lactation and helped you understand the internal anatomy of the cows
What is my concentration?
What kinds of cows does MSU have in its herd?
Holsteins, Jerseys, and mixed breeds of Jersey/Holstein
Once all of the cows are milked, what do you do?
You have to clean the parlor by spraying it down with water and scrubbing any mess off the walls.
Why do you need to strip each teat before milking?
You will learn this in Animal Science lecture- stripping allows you to check the milk for quality or any infections
Bonus Shift Question: What type of shift does every intern at the dairy have that paid workers do not?
Each intern has a shift where they help mix and feed the milk replacer formula to any young calves.