PDP Manager's Memo

June 2026 Vol. 1

Brought to you by Dairy's Professional Development Organization^®

The Dairy Signal^®

Check out what's coming this week on The Dairy Signal!

June 2 - Colostrum, gut health and long-term outcomes

Hear the results from a recent study on the impact of freezing colostrum on cells and calf health outcomes and how they will be used to refine colostrum-management guidelines.

Dr. Lautaro Rostoll-Cangiano, PhD, Assistant Professor, Bovine Immunology, Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, UW-Madison

June 4 - Market update

Kick off a new month with a look at dairy exports, trends and market updates that will impact the industry and your operation.

Ben Buckner, Chief Grains and Dairy Analyst, AgResource Company

Access Now

Tune in every Tuesday and Thursday live from noon to 1 p.m. CT, or catch previous episodes on demand here.

Previously on The Dairy Signal

May 26 - Exploring Reproductive Protocols and Procedures

Reproductive efficiency is a key success factor on today’s dairy farms. Join an interactive discussion on reproductive protocols and procedures.

Dr. Paul Fricke, PhD, Dairy Reproduction Specialist, UW-Madison

May 28 - 2026 Dairy Outlook: Quarter 2

Hear an update on dairy markets and policy developments, along with practical considerations and risk factors for continued volatility in 2026.

Leonard Polzin, Dairy Markets and Policy Outreach Specialist, UW-Extension

Did you know? The Dairy Signal is on Spotify! Check it out and click "Follow" so you don't miss an episode.

Opportunities to Learn

HOOF MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP

June 16, Plattsburgh, New York

June 18, Athens, Wisconsin

Go on-farm for a real-world case study in using hoof health records and identifying risk factors. You'll leave with an action plan for your own operation. Simultaneous Spanish translation will be provided at all sessions. Learn more and register.

PDP ACCELERATE™

July 28, 2026

Madison, Wis.

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT & ADVANCED FINANCE WORKSHOP

Sun Prairie, Wis.

Oct. 28-29, 2026

Learn more

FINANCIAL LITERACY FOR DAIRY®

Beaver Dam, Wis.

Level One:
Nov. 11-12,

Dec. 1-2, 2026

Level Two:
Feb 2-3, 17-18, Mar. 9-10, 2027

Learn more

Opportunities to Give Back

JUNE DAIRY MONTH IS HERE! Dairy industry professionals, producers and community members are invited to donate blood from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Monday, June 22, at 820 N. Main Street in Juneau. The blood drive will be overseen by the American Red Cross. Learn more and register here.

For Your Dairy

DAIRY CALVES THAT ARE FED MORE MILK are more likely to exhibit play behaviors, while calves who are fed less finish tasks faster and remember more as they look for milk. The study published in Scientific Reports compared the behavior of two groups of calves receiving either 12 liters of milk or 6 liters of milk each day when given the task of finding milk in a maze. Read the full study to learn more.

DETERMINING THE COST of mastitis, including the economic impact of treatment and discarded milk are key for dairy operations. A Michigan State Extension article summarizes research, highlighting that the most significant cost of mastitis treatment was discarded milk (87%) over the cost of drugs (13%). Older cows generally cost more to treat because they produce more milk than younger cows, and following the minimum treatment duration saves money. Learn more in the article and video series.

Your Farm - Your Footprint®

YOUR SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS MATTER

With Your Farm - Your Footprint (YFYF), you can measure the impact of your sustainability efforts, without having to share your data with anyone.

"Having our carbon score puts us ahead of the game. Now that we have this information, we can act on it — and that gives us a new data point to enhance our business."

David Trimner, Miltrim Farms, Inc.

Learn more and sign up today at www.pdpw.org/your-farm-your-footprint/.

Dairy Currents

COTTAGE CHEESE CONTINUES ITS COMEBACK with U.S. sales topping $2 billion and climbing nearly 19% year over year. Growth is driven by demand for high-protein, nutrient-dense foods and renewed interest from younger shoppers. The category’s strong momentum highlights changing dairy purchasing patterns and creates opportunities for processors, retailers and dairy producers to capitalize on evolving health, wellness and convenience trends. Learn more.

AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING OF NEW DIETARY GUIDELINES was the focus of a survey from the International Food Information Council. Within the first three weeks of the announcement of updated guidelines, nearly 50% of Americans were aware of the changes, but many consumers felt they lacked understanding of the “inverted” food pyramid recommendations. Read more in a Dairy Processing article and the full IFIC report.

Member Profile

MOORE FAMILY FARMS: AT THE HEART OF THE FARM (PART 1)

Heather Moore is redefining what it means to be a progressive dairy producer through Moore Family Farms and Moore Local. Balancing the demands of a diversified farm and a growing set of community-focused businesses, Moore has embraced a mindset rooted in adaptability and continuous learning, while keeping her family and businesses at top of mind.

Rather than following a single blueprint for success, Moore emphasizes that “just because something works for someone else doesn’t mean it’s going to work here. But we think it’s really important to know what is working… so we can decide if that’s something we are going to use in our farm.”

That willingness to evolve has been key as Moore and her family expanded beyond traditional dairy farming. Integrating retail, direct-to-consumer sales and local food connections through Moore Local has required a shift in how they define success. “We’ve had to throw what we thought a good farm was out the window to make it work alongside these other businesses,” she says. Even so, Moore remains confident in the path they are building. “I think we are still doing good things, even if it looks a little different than everyone else.”

For more on this interview, watch here.