On Valentine's Day, the University of Vermont Extension's Small Ruminant Team will show some love for dairy goat and sheep producers at a milk quality management education event.
This in-depth presentation will feature Dr. Michelle Buckley, the Western Laboratory Director at Cornell University's Quality Milk Production Services.
She'll discuss the key components of milk quality, common challenges faced by small ruminant dairies, and practical strategies producers can use to improve milk quality on their farms.
This is a free event, and lunch will be provided.
Online registration is required. When registering, participants will be prompted to choose either an in-person option or a remote option via Zoom. For in-person attendees, a map and parking directions will be linked in the confirmation email.
In-person location: Sugar Maple Ballroom, Dudley H. Davis Center, University of Vermont, 590 Main St. Burlington, VT 05405.
Date and time: 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. on Feb. 14, 2026
Accommodations: If you require an accommodation related to a disability, please email UVM Extension Dairy Herd Management Technical Assistance team member Whitney Hull at whitney.hull@uvm.edu as soon as possible.
About Dr. Michelle Buckley:
Dr. Buckley earned her DVM from Western University of Health Sciences in 2017. She began her career serving small-scale farms and ranches in Southern California’s Inland Empire, where she developed a strong interest in small ruminant production.
In 2021, Dr. Buckley began a PhD program in microbiology and clinical pharmacology at Iowa State University, focusing on subclinical mastitis and antibiotic stewardship in dairy goats and cattle.
She currently serves as Western Laboratory Director of Cornell University's Quality Milk Production Services (QMPS), located in Warsaw, N.Y., and she's expanding QMPS support for dairy goat and sheep producers across New York and the Northeast.
About UVM Extension Dairy Herd Management Technical Assistance:
The UVM Extension Dairy Herd Management Technical Assistance team delivers technical assistance to dairy farmers throughout the state, targeting specific areas of dairy management with the goal of making improvements to their operations and improving economic viability.
Farmers can apply for assistance online at https://www.uvm.edu/extension/dairy-herd-management-request-assistance.
You can also sign up for the Vermont Dairy Update email newsletter.
