Q&A: Ella McDyre gains hands-on experience at Penn State Dairy Barns

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — For fourth-year Penn State student Ella McDyre, some school days begin well before sunrise.

McDyre, an animal science major, works as a technical service animal attendant at the Penn State Dairy Barns, where a morning shift can begin at 5 a.m. Her responsibilities include milking cows, caring for newborn calves, moving cows, administering vaccinations and assisting with other day-to-day operations at the barns.

McDyre, who is also pursuing minors in wildlife and fisheries science, international agriculture, entomology and American Sign Language, said working at the Dairy Barns has allowed her to apply lessons from the classroom while gaining hands-on experience with large animals. She hopes to attend graduate school to study animal behavior and eventually become a zookeeper and educator.

Q: Why did you choose to attend Penn State?

McDyre: I chose Penn State because of all the opportunities it has to work hands-on in almost any field you could imagine. I did not grow up on a farm, so I did not have many opportunities to work with large animals throughout my childhood. When I came to Penn State, endless opportunities opened up to me, and I was able to become involved in animal agriculture in ways I never imagined would be available to me.

Q: What does a typical shift at the Dairy Barns look like?

McDyre: For a morning shift, I typically arrive around 4:45 a.m. and change into barn clothes. At 5 a.m., I clock in and figure out what job I will be doing that morning, whether that is milking, calf feeding, scraping or moving cows.

If I am milking, we milk around 230 cows, which typically takes until about 8 a.m. Once all cows are back in their pens, we clean the parlor. After that, we complete any other jobs that need to be done around the farm, such as bedding pens, cleaning, administering vaccinations or checking for newborn calves.

Q: How do you balance your classes with your work at the Dairy Barns and other responsibilities?

McDyre: I am able to pursue many opportunities because of the flexible scheduling at the Dairy Barns. The early morning schedule allows me to get in a shift during the week and still have time for all my classes and extracurricular activities.

At Penn State, I am involved with Ag Advocates. We are ambassadors for the College of Agricultural Sciences and spend much of our time interacting with prospective students and telling them about the opportunities the college has to offer. Outside of Penn State, I volunteer with Centre County PAWS and Special Olympics Pennsylvania.

Q: What have you learned through working at the Dairy Barns that you don’t think you could have learned in a classroom?

McDyre: I have learned how to apply the things I learn in the classroom to real-world situations. As an animal science student, I have learned a lot about the proper ways to manage livestock species. Being able to see those management practices with real animals allowed me to see how something that looks perfect on paper can have flaws when put into practice.

I have learned that on-farm practices must be adaptable, and that animal comfort should be at the forefront of operating procedures.

Q: How has working at the Dairy Barns changed your perspective on agriculture?

McDyre: Working at the Dairy Barns has opened my eyes to all the moving parts of the agricultural industry. It takes many people to produce a glass of milk, and even more to make products such as ice cream or yogurt. Farmers are the first step of this process and are often underappreciated.

I have also seen that consumers are often unaware of what happens at the farm level and may make decisions based on misinformation. That is why I am so grateful to be able to advocate for this industry.

Q: How do you advocate for the agriculture industry?

McDyre: The biggest way I advocate for the industry is by sharing accurate information. Since starting work at Dairy Barns, I have noticed that a lot of people will ask me questions about the milking process, how calves are handled and what is in our milk.

It is important that consumers are given correct information on which to base their decisions. Advocating for agriculture doesn’t have to look like constant social media posts or talking to anyone who will listen; it can also look like staying informed about the industry’s current practices and offering information to those who ask.

Q: How do you think your experience at Dairy Barns will prepare you for your future education and career?

McDyre: Working at the Dairy Barns has not only increased my knowledge and comfort working with large animals, but it has also taught me how to work with all of the people involved in agricultural systems. It has encouraged me to try new things and ask questions when I want to learn more about the production system or animal care.

I often give prospective students or local agricultural groups, such as 4-H and the National FFA Organization, tours of the Dairy Barns. This has allowed me to develop my skills in taking technical, day-to-day operations and communicating them in a way that is easy to understand and engaging.

Q: What is your favorite part of working at the Dairy Barns?

McDyre: Being a part of the animals’ lives and watching their journey from calf to production. For me, it will always come down to the animals. I love interacting with the cows and learning their individual personalities.