Honored Dairy Consultant

When he graduated from veterinary school, Dr. King Hickman ‘85 thought his job was fixing sick animals. A dairy cattle specialist, the native of Sheldon, Iowa, saw prompt care for sick cows as the key to a healthy herd.

“But after a number of years of fixing the sick animals, it dawned on me that if I could keep the herd healthy, I wouldn’t have to fix the cattle,” he says.

That mindset shift led to a shift in career emphasis. Hickman became an expert in animal nutrition, working in private practice and the corporate world. In 2009, he and two colleagues formed GPS Dairy Consulting, which today advises clients as far away as Australia. The consultancy takes a holistic approach. 

“Anybody can print the ration, but getting all the people on the dairy to work together, setting goals, making them better leaders and better at their jobs, will make the dairy perform that much better,” he says.

In October, Hickman and his GPS colleagues were named Industry People of the Year at the World Dairy Expo. Hickman says he’s honored to play a role in supporting healthy food production.

“I have a passion for safe food and feeding the world,” he says.