"The CREAM Progam is one of the most exciting programs in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.  Students gain a valuable and essential hands-on experience.  It is amazing each year to watch a group of primarily urban students learn to cooperatively operate and manage the CREAM dairy herd."

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• CREAM (Cooperative for Real Education in Agriculture Management) is an Animal Science Program at the University of Vermont.   Fifteen students learn experientially as individuals and as a team as they manage and operate their 32 cow, registered Holstein, dairy herd business.

• CREAM is a 2-semester course in experiential learning; 4 credits/semester; January to December.

• The team of students has final responsibility for making all management decisions.

• CREAMers learn dairy herd management skills in breeding, feeding, health care, and finance.

• CREAMers develop team skills, leadership, and communication skills by solving real-world problems.

• Learning is student-directed and is motivated by the CREAMers' concern for the animals' welfare, their desire for the business to be successful, and their desire to each pull their own fair share and not let team members down.

• Strong friendships develop between team members and between CREAMers and their cows.

“I knew nothing about cows before joining CREAM.  My goal was to be a small animal vet.  Now I understand production agriculture, I appreciate the hard work that farmers put in, and I am familiar with segments of the Vermont Dairy Industry.  I definitely want to have a career in agriculture.” -Dr. Vicki McFadden President of CREAM ‘90

CREAM's registered Holsteins average 29,000 pounds of milk per year and 85 points for type.

Dr Steve Wadsworth visits with the Production Committee about herd health.

CREAMers develop strong friendships with their cows and team members.

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• Selection and transition

Prospective members apply in October with a written application, interview and visits to chores and meetings.  Fifteen are selected.  A transition team helps them get started in January.

• Team and leadership development

Officers and key positions are elected in January to facilitate the operation and management of the business.  Personality types and group procedures are discussed.

• Operation of the business

Chore schedules for each week are negotiated so that each CREAMer does 3 chores.  Chores are 3 times per day at 5:00am, 1:00pm and 9:00pm, and include milking, feeding, barn cleaning, heifer and calf care, health care, and heat detection.

• Management of the business

Management decisions are made by the team at business meetings, which are held 6:30-8:30pm on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings.  Much of the groundwork and discussions leading up to decisions are done in committee meetings.  Production, Breeding, Finance, and Projects committees meet for one hour each week for part of the scheduled time listed above.  Members serve on 2 of the 4 committees each semester.

• Documentation of Learning

Students document their learning in weekly emails to the faculty advisor.  They also write a business report at the end of each semester and present highlights to the CREAM Advisory Board for their critique at semester-end dinner meetings.

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In 1990, a CREAM Advisory Board was formed to give CREAMers advisory resources from Vermont's Dairy Industry.  Nine Key Vermont Dairy Industry Leaders are members of this board.  Their advice has been valuable, as CREAM has risen to the top!

Advisory Board Members are:

Don Maynard	UVM
Doug Watkin	UVM
Melanie Carmichael	Dairy Farmer
Eric Clifford	Dairy Farmer
Jason Devino	Arrowhead
Jerry Emerich	Select Sires
Stuart Hall	Fairmont
Dr. Joe Klopfenstein	Veterinarian
Bob Fitzsimmons	Carrousel

In addition CREAM utilizes Faculty Advisors, Farm Advisors, and Student Herd Advisors including Dr. Thomas McFadden, Don Maynard, Bryan Chicoine, and Doug Watkin.

   

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From 1988 through 2003, 258 Creamers have been a part of this great program. Twenty-six are still at UVM.  They are working this year to develop a CREAM ALUMNI organization.  Sixteen CREAMers are veterinarians and 20 are in vet school.   Several others have earned graduate degrees.  Twelve are dairy farmers.  Ten others work in dairy related fields.  Andrew Meyer works with agricultural legislation in Washington D.C.  Andrew King is field man for the Holstein Association in the Pacific Northwest.  Mary Wright manages the Budweiser team in New Hampshire.

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After starting in a section of the UVM tie-stall barn in 1988 and developing the program there for 2 years, CREAM now is housed in the larger and very attractive Brett Klein Memorial Barn. 

CREAMers working with Advisors began planning the barn in August 1990 and the herd moved in on February 9, 1991.  Funds for remodeling this structure were raised from memorial contributions, and donations from members of the Vermont Dairy Industry.  Thanks to the Vermont Dairy Industry, and friends of Brett Klein for their donations of over $150,000.