Name: Devan Fielding

Job title: Dairy specialist
Company: Grand Valley Fortifiers

What education are you bringing with you to this position?

I only bring a high school education with me, but what I lack in schooling, I make up for in real life experience. Prior to working for Grand Valley Fortifiers, I was a reproductive management specialist and before that, a herdsman.

Please describe your agricultural background.

I grew up on a chicken farm for the first few years of my life, which really gave me a love for all things agriculture. As soon as I was old enough, I started in the Brant County 4-H Dairy Club at a local farm and resulted in a job I worked for the next eight years. Throughout high school, I would chore morning and night and switch to full time in the summer. Once I finished high school, I moved to Fergus (Ontario) to work full time as a herdsman. Over my three years there, I really learned a lot about the day-to-day on a dairy operation and got to help at dairy shows across the province. I really enjoyed my time in this role and was able to make lots of connections. I then moved on to work as a reproductive management specialist, managing all aspects of reproduction on a daily route of more than a dozen barns. Now, I am able to use my industry relationships to develop and grow business for the company in my territory.

What territory will you cover?

Wellington, Waterloo and Brant counties.

What are your new responsibilities?

My new responsibilities as a dairy specialist with Grand Valley Fortifiers are to develop strong working relationships with dairy producers and help provide value in the barn through consulting, service and expertise.

What previous positions have you held?

Prior to working for this company, I have held a few different positions, but the common denominator between them all is cows. In high school, I worked part time milking at over five different farms and full time in the summer at one farm. After that, I took a job as a herdsman, where I was involved in all parts of daily dairy life. After that role, I transitioned into working for Major Dairy A.I. as a reproductive management specialist. In this role, I was responsible for managing all aspects of reproduction in the barn including breeding, heat detection, syncing cows, herd health, mating programs and recordkeeping.

Who has made the biggest impact on your career?

While I cannot pick one sole person, I have a few stand-out people who have had the biggest impacts on my career. First would be my Papa. In my early years, he taught me how to work hard and have a love of animals. My second would be working for a local Brant dairy farmer who took time to teach me with patience and kindness.

How will you be of most help to producers in your region or area of expertise?

I feel I, along with our amazing team, will be able to help producers maximize production goals, breeding goals and improve animal health and growth. While I am on the road and in the barns as the front line, it is not without help from everyone within our company behind the scenes. My area of expertise is reproduction, and I have already been able to help some producers in my territory to achieve a greater pregnancy rate.

Why did you choose this company?

It was an easy choice for me after hearing about what a great company it was. With my wife being hired on five months prior as a rumination nutritionist, I was able to get the inside scoop of what it is like to work for the company. I was also looking for a new opportunity to learn and expand my knowledge of ruminants.

What goals would you like to accomplish while in this position?

My main goal in this position is to grow and maintain a healthy working relationship with dairy producers in my assigned territory.