In this episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Stephen Wadsworth, dairy veterinarian and lecturer at the University of Vermont, explains how experiential learning through student-managed herds builds practical skills in dairy health and management. He highlights hands-on training, accountability for decision-making, and workforce development for future veterinarians. Discover how real farm experience strengthens technical expertise and industry readiness. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Managing a small dairy herd allows a detailed understanding of individual animal biology, which can later be scaled to larger operations with stronger confidence and technical accuracy."

Meet the guest: Dr. Stephen Wadsworth is a dairy veterinarian and lecturer at the University of Vermont, specializing in dairy health management, reproduction, and animal welfare. With over four decades of field experience, his work focuses on experiential learning through student-managed herds and workforce development in dairy veterinary medicine.

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What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (01:05) Introduction
• (02:07) Student herd
• (03:30) Small herd value
• (05:14) Hands-on learning
• (06:17) Student transformation
• (08:07) Work ethic
• (12:27) Closing thoughts

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