The MSU Extension dairy team offers many resources in Spanish
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EmailSince a significant percentage of dairy employees in Michigan speak Spanish as their primary language, MSU Extension offers resources and training in Spanish to assist those who work in the dairy industry.
Spanish is the second most spoken language in the U.S. and the fourth in the world. Many people in the dairy industry are native Spanish speakers. The MSU Dairy Team has developed multiple resources in different formats available in Spanish.
A new webinar series
A new five-part webinar series will highlight research from the Department of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine and will be presented entirely in Spanish. The speakers, topics, and dates are listed below:
4/1/26 – Milking efficiency - Paola Bacigalupo Sanguesa. Paola is originally from Chile and works as an MSU Extension dairy educator. She recently earned her PhD at the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine, where she researched practical aspects of milking efficiency.
4/8/26 – Heat stress in dairy cows - Jessica Duran. Jessica is a master’s student researching heat stress in dairy cows. She uses precision livestock technologies and data analytics to enhance animal welfare and improve farm sustainability.
4/15/26 – Fatty acid supplementation in early lactation - Jair Parales Girón. Originally from Columbia, Jair is completing his doctoral studies in the Department of Animal Science. His research focuses on fatty acid supplementation in early lactation cows.
4/22/26 – Role of adipose tissue in dairy cow health - Miguel Chirivi. Miguel is an assistant professor at Michigan State University. His research focuses on the interactions between inflammation and minerals, and their impact on adipose tissue function in dairy cattle.
4/29/26 – Optimization of vaccination strategies against Salmonella Dublin in cattle - Rafael Castro. Rafael is a PhD student in the College of Veterinary Medicine. His research aims to improve vaccination strategies against Salmonella Dublin in cattle by evaluating immunological indicators of protection.
Participation in the webinars is free, but prior registration is required.
Video resources
The TopMilk lab in the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine offers several playlists relevant to Spanish-speaking dairy farm employees. The Antibiotic resistance for dairy employees series teaches workers why antibiotic resistance is a concern for people and animals, and what farm workers can do to reduce the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The antibiotic stewardship series discusses rules for using antibiotics on farms, the role of the veterinarian, and how to dispense and record antibiotics in a dairy.
In-person trainings
The Dairy Extension program guide lists the free on-farm trainings that MSU Extension educators provide to dairy farms in Michigan. Covering topics such as parlor performance, passive transfer of immunity in calves, down cow management, farm team communication, and stockmanship, all trainings are available in English or Spanish. These trainings can also be tailored to the specific needs of a farm or group of employees.
MSU faculty and staff also participate in the Spanish herdsperson session of the Great Lakes Regional Dairy Conference, held annually in February in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan.
