New Generation Genetics is pleased to announce the hiring of Sarah Lehner as a U.S. Sales Specialist Summer Intern, and will begin working for the company in early May. Lehner, currently a sophomore at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, is majoring in Animal Sciences, Agribusiness & Applied Economics.
Lehner’s duties will include direct semen sales and young sire daughter evaluations in the Midwest portion of the United States. She will also coordinate young sire daughter photography in the Midwest as well, and assist at the company office in shipping semen orders, inventory, and financials.
She is no stranger to the field, as she has helped on her family farm for most of her life. She is currently the Dairy Records Manager at D.E.E. Lehner Farms in Delaware, Ohio where she assists with milking, feeding, and the daily care of 70 total dairy animals. She also maintains registrations, as well as herd breeding and health records. In addition to those duties, Lehner also has to analyze conformation, pedigrees, genomic test results, and bull proofs to mate animals for optimal genetic improvement.
“I’ve definitely always loved genetics,” Lehner said. “I learned to read bull proofs at age 12, and have always been looking to do this type of work.”
In addition to her work at home, Lehner is also quite busy as a student at Ohio State. She is a member of the Ohio State Dairy Judging Team, and has helped bring the program unprecedented success, including a victory at the 2019 World Dairy Expo Intercollegiate Dairy Cattle Judging Contest. Lehner was an All-American Individual at the 2019 World Dairy Expo, and was sixth out of 140 competitors at the 2019 World Dairy Expo Senior Showmanship Contest.
Lehner’s role on the Ohio State Dairy Judging Team also allowed her to travel to Switzerland with New Generations Genetics President Dan Gilbert a few months ago where she got to apply her skills to different production systems, network with leading Swiss breeders, and learn about the artificial insemination industry in an international setting.
“We went to 14 different farms and evaluated some of the best cows,” Lehner explained. “It was interesting to see the similarities and differences of the processes between Switzerland and the United States.”
Since July of last year, Lehner has also been a National Brown Swiss Ambassador, and has strategically marketed Brown Swiss cattle and association programs by networking with dairy producers at shows, sales, and other events across the United States. She has organized awards at national shows, and encouraged youth involvement by visiting with junior exhibitors, shaping youth programs that are offered, and utilizing social media. Lehner has also created a youth page for the Brown Swiss Bulletin, which is a publication of the Brown Swiss Cattle Breeders’ Association. The page contains youth program updates, and keeps youth engaged.
Lehner is looking forward to this summer, and hopes to provide farmers with what they need, but also pick up some knowledge from them as well. “I am hoping to develop relationships with dairymen and help them improve their herds,” Lehner said.
Lehner will be based out of the Fort Atkinson, WI headquarters, and can be reached at 740-707-3332.
