Nurturing the Next Generation of Agricultural Scientists

ARS Scientists are hosting six LEADing NexGen interns at the Fort Keogh Livestock and Range Research Laboratory, in Miles City, MT. 

The students hail from land-grant institutions including Texas A&M at Kingsville, TX, and New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, NM. As interns, they will gain a unique opportunity to obtain hands-on experience in livestock production management. 

Over the 10-week program that runs through early August, ARS scientists are leading the interns through next generation practices in livestock management. Their instruction includes branding, pasture utilization, artificial insemination and natural breeding programs. Students will also learn about post-partum supplementation (the role of strategic supplementation), and the data collection and analysis (for blood metabolites, DNA for sire confirmation, and rumen digestion). In addition, they will gain an understanding about the proper techniques used for blood collection and milk-production sampling. 

“Through the strong partnership between USDA-ARS and our university collaborators, the interns are immersed in hands-on research and real-world livestock production practices,” said Dr. Richard Waterman, ARS animal scientist who supervised the internship program.

During the summer program, the interns also have the opportunity to identify common management issues related to range livestock production. Using scientific literature, they will lead discussions for the Fort Keogh professional research team on those issues. 

“The students’ dedication, curiosity, and professionalism have shined in every task they performed,” he added. “They are giving us an inspiring glimpse into the future of our industry. We are grateful for the expertise, energy, and fresh perspectives they are bringing to Fort Keogh throughout this summer.” --Tami Terella-Faram, ARS Office of Communications