CentralStar Cooperative serves dairy and beef producers in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Indiana. During all the uncertainty of COVID-19, CentralStar hired several new employees to expand business, replace retiring staff, and fill their internship program. These employees offer services in everything from artificial insemination (A.I.) and research to herd-management products and milk-testing opportunities.
Team A.I. technicians work together with A.I. specialists and other team members to make sure the genetic and reproductive needs of dairy- and beef-producer customers are being met. Nathan Ellerbrock, River Falls, Wis.; David Franck, Eleva, Wis.; Ben Butikofer, Chippewa Falls, Wis.; and Justin Hartleben, Wittenberg, Wis., have all accepted roles in this area of CentralStar’s genetics and A.I. division. In addition, Damon Smith, St. George, Kansas; Rebecca Herzog, Lansing, Mich.; Luke Johnson, Pulaski, Wis.; Ben Bruss, Markesan, Wis.; and Levi Tranel, Platteville, Wis., were all hired on as A.I.-specialist interns for the summer.
Dairy farmers continue to gain knowledge about all the herd-health information that can be obtained from a sample of milk. As a result, CentralStar’s Dairy Herd Information (DHI) milk- and diagnostic-testing division continues to expand. New DHI specialists have been added to the employee team in the last few months. They include Leah Schnobrich, Glenwood City, Wis.; Hannah Moyer, Neenah, Wis.; and Erin Drilling, Cadott, Wis.
CentralStar Cooperative has two milk- and diagnostic-testing laboratories, one in Kaukauna, Wis., and the other in Grand Ledge, Mich. Kyle Nackers, Kaukauna, Wis.; Alissa Ball, Grand Ledge, Mich.; and Michael Mulholland, Grand Ledge, Mich., have all joined the laboratory team to help with efficiency in testing operations. In addition, Audry Gerber, Grand Ledge, Mich., is interning in the Michigan laboratory and Breanna Fritsch, Kaukauna, Wis., in the Wisconsin laboratory.
To assist CentralStar in making sure their customers have the most modern milk- and diagnostic-testing opportunities available at their fingertips, the research and development division also added new staff members: Laura Pavliscak, Lansing, Mich., as a research associate, and Erin Gauss, Lansing, Mich., as an intern.
“We strive every day to offer the best training program for our new employees so they can excel in their careers,” commented Phil Dieter, director of development. “We really enjoy watching our team members use their developed skills to work together and help our dairy- and beef-producer customers maximize success.”
CentralStar’s goal of enhancing producer profitability through integrated services is fulfilled by incorporating an array of products and services critical to dairy-and-beef-farm prosperity. CentralStar’s product and service offerings include Accelerated Genetics, GenerVations and Select Sires genetics; extensive artificial-insemination (A.I.) technician service; genetic, reproduction, and dairy records consultation; DHI services; diagnostic testing; herd-management products; research and development; and more. CentralStar’s administration and warehouse facilities are located in Lansing, Mich., and Waupun, Wis., with laboratories in Grand Ledge, Mich., and Kaukauna, Wis. For more information, visit CentralStar Cooperative Inc. at www.mycentralstar.com.
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