Genex Employees Trained for On-Farm Success

SHAWANO, Wis. - Five new employees have completed their initial training at Genex Cooperative, Inc., the bovine genetics cooperative headquartered in Shawano, Wis. New employees studied cattle reproductive anatomy and physiology, synchronization and heat detection as well as dairy and beef genetics. The two-week basic training course also included extensive practice in semen handling and artificial insemination technique on live cows.

Three training class graduates are serving as Regional Services Coordinators providing relief cattle reproductive management services. Bailey Beres, of Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., is serving producers in central Wisconsin while pursuing a degree in agribusiness and farm operations from Mid-State Technical College. Seth Gardiner, of Fiskdale, Mass., works in the New England area. Steven O'Connor is a RSC in western New York. O'Connor resides in Alden, N.Y.

Christopher Russell is employed as a Marketing Development Specialist serving the dairy and beef producers of eastern Connecticut. Russell previously worked as a dairy herdsman, and is from Dudley, Mass.

Jason Zappa is a new Breeding Program Specialist providing daily cattle reproductive service in western Wisconsin. Zappa is a graduate of Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College in Rice Lake, Wis., with a degree in dairy herd management. He also has over eight years of prior dairy farm work experience. Zappa resides in New Richmond, Wis.

Following their initial training, each new employee worked closely with tenured employees during a period of field training. Throughout their careers, they will continue to learn the latest in cattle reproduction and A.I. techniques through follow-up training, advanced reproductive training and E-learning.