Dr. Maurice Eastridge, Professor and Extension Dairy Specialist, Department of Animal Sciences, The Ohio State University
The Dairy Science Hall of Service was initiated in 1952 to recognize worthy men and women who have made a substantial and noteworthy contribution toward the improvement of the dairy industry of Ohio, elevated the stature of dairy farmers, or inspired students enrolled at the Ohio State University. The 2017 inductees were recognized on April 8 at the Department of Animal Sciences ‘Evening of Excellence’ held at the Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center.
In 2002, Andy and Itske Miedema moved from the Netherlands to begin their family’s new dairy operation in Circleville, OH. Today, their farm consists of about 1300 cows, with a manure separator for using solids for bedding and the liquid for flushing alleys and irrigation and a covered lagoon for trapping methane. As stated by their veterinarian, “I came to respect their intellect, wit, progressive approach to the dairy business, and concern for their cows. The thing that I learned from Andy that made a lasting impression upon me and helped me to become a better veterinarian and a better person came from a statement that he often made after listening to one of my bright ideas: “Everything is possible.””
They are members of the Ohio Farm Bureau, and they were recognized in 2010 with the Ohio Dairy Producers Association‘s (ODPA) Environmental Stewardship Award in association with the Ohio Livestock Coalition (OLC). In recognition of the award, the OLC Executive Director said of the Miedema family “… consistently demonstrated that their commitment to quality extends not only to the animals they raise, but also to the environmental practices they implement daily on the farm.” Andy has served on the Board of Directors for the ODPA and represented the dairy industry on the Concentrated Animal Feeding Facility Advisory Committee with the Ohio Department of Agriculture.
Andy and Itske have been involved in the education of Ohio State students in many ways, including welcoming many undergraduate, graduate, and veterinary students to their farm. They have opened their farm for hosting the Ohio Dairy Challenge and in training students to participate in the National Dairy Challenge. All three of their children, Rixt, Sytske, and Jan, have degrees from Ohio State. Both Jan and Sytske have been members of Ohio State’s team at the National Dairy Challenge. Rixt was on OSU’s rowing team when they won the NCAA national championship in 2014.
The Miedema family has continuously welcomed Ohio State faculty and graduate students to conduct research at their farm. They always accept the requests for classes at Ohio State to be brought to the farm, and in addition, they have readily accepted the request to speak to classes on campus. Itske has devoted considerable amount of her personal time in arranging visits for the OSU European Dairy Study Abroad.
Andy and Itske always display a positive attitude and have been devoted to their community, Ohio State, and the Ohio dairy industry. Recognition of their support of the dairy industry and the educational and research programs at Ohio State as recipients of the Dairy Hall of Service is most fitting for this Ohio dairy farm family.
Dr. Hogan is a native of Jonesboro, Louisiana. He obtained his BS degree from Louisiana State University in 1981, his MS degree from the University of Kentucky in 1983, and his PhD from the University of Vermont in 1986. Dr. Hogan became a post-doctoral researcher in 1986 with the Mastitis Laboratory at OARDC. In 1987, he was promoted to a Research Scientist in the Department of Dairy Science, OARDC. He became an Assistant Professor in 1992, was promoted to Associate Professor in 1995, and Professor in the Department of Animal Sciences in 2001. In 2004, Dr. Hogan was appointed as the Associate Chair of the Department, a position he held until his retirement in 2016. In 2011, Dr. Hogan served as the Interim Chair of the Department of Animal Sciences, The Ohio State University.
In addition to his service to The Ohio State University, serving on numerous College and Departmental Committees, Dr Hogan has contributed in several significant ways to the American Dairy Science Association, the National Mastitis Council (NMC), and the International Dairy Federation (IDF). In all of the groups, he chaired numerous important committees and served as President of NMC during 2006. For IDF, he served on the Standing Committee on Animal Health from 2003 to present and Mastitis Action Team from 2002 to present and was Chair of the Action Team from 2003 to 2005.
Dr. Hogan always maintained an internationally recognized research program in the area of mastitis control and production of quality milk in dairy herds. The emphasis was on control of environmental mastitis, the role of dietary vitamin E and selenium in resistance to mastitis and role of bedding in teat end exposure to pathogens, and ways to reduce pathogen loads in bedding materials. His research resulted in 119 peer-reviewed journal articles, 16 book chapters, 87 scientific abstracts, 226 lay articles, 39 invited symposium presentations, and 239 invited seminar presentations. In 1994, Dr. Hogan was awarded the Distinguished Research Award as the Top Junior Scientist at OARDC and received the American Dairy Science Association (ADSA), West-Agro Research Award. In 2014, he received the ADSA Elanco Award for Excellence in Dairy Science.
Dr. Hogan advised 13 graduate students, was a gifted teacher, and his classes were sought out by undergraduate students. The primary courses he taught were Animal Health and Milk Secretion. Teaching evaluations were always in the excellent category and he received the 1995 Teaching Excellence Award from CFAES and the 2011 Gamma Sigma Delta Teaching Award. The recognition provided as a recipient of the Dairy Science Hall of Service Award acknowledges Dr. Hogan’s contributions to the Department and University, the Ohio dairy industry, and dairy farmers globally.