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April 2026 Vol. 1
Brought to you by Dairy's Professional Development Organization®
| | Check out what's coming this week on The Dairy Signal! | | April 7 - Soil Health Check and Spring Readiness | | |
Thank you to DLF for sponsoring The Dairy Signal in April. Success starts with the seed. That’s why farmers trust DLF, the world’s forage seed leader. Backed by cutting-edge research, DLF delivers high-yielding forage products with the traits you need to drive profit on your farm. Ask your retailer about high-performance alfalfa brands like Forage First, 5 Series and Alforex Seeds. Learn more at lacrosseseed.com.
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 | | |
March 31
Learn how to manage manure to retain valuable nutrients, minimize losses and protect water quality, turning a necessary task into a resource.
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Laura Paletta, UW-Extension outreach specialist, agriculture water quality program
April 2
Hear the results of a multi-year study that reviewed the impact of a winter rye cover crop in corn silage systems. Researchers will also discuss nitrogen recommendations for silage when cover crops and manure are used.
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Dr. Matt Ruark, PhD, professor, department of soil science, UW-Madison, and extension specialist
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Hannah Francis, PhD student, UW-Madison
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PDP SMART DAIRY WORKSHOP
April 15, 16, 2026
Chippewa Falls, Manitowoc, Wis.
SPACE IS LIMITED - JOIN US NEXT WEEK! Curious about ways to use artificial intelligence to integrate data and make better decisions on your farm? Don't miss this interactive, lab-style session led by Dr. Jeffrey Bewley and Dr. Miel Hostens. Learn more and register today.
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PDP ACCELERATE™
July 28, 2026
Madison, Wis.
HIRING AN INTERN AT YOUR FARM OR BUSINESS THIS SUMMER? Build on their experience and give them an advantage by registering them for PDP Accelerate workshop. The one-day event will build knowledge, skills and confidence as they pursue careers in agriculture. Learn more here.
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UNDERSTANDING THE VALUE AND ROI OF PRECISION TECHNOLOGY was the focus of research published in the Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics. They studied 17 combinations of precision agriculture technologies on Kansas farms and found that these technologies don’t broadly improve farm efficiency, and that less-efficient farms gain the most. Authors recommend examining technology carefully and how it will fit in your operation before automatically adopting, noting that timing, lifestyle and comfort benefits may outweigh financial returns in some situations. Read more.
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NAVIGATE UNCERTAINTY WITH A LONG-TERM PERSPECTIVE. Farms and ag-based businesses inherently understand the importance of a long-term view; an article from Inc.com highlights how that perspective can help you focus on what matters most — the health and sustainability of your business and family — while managing through current conditions. Read more.
| | 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.
YFYF provides tools and report information so you can confidently showcase your farm’s commitment to sustainability. The data stays with you, but the story of your farm’s positive environmental and resource management practices is yours to tell. Your sustainability efforts matter, and with YFYF, you control how you share that story.
Learn more and sign up today at www.pdpw.org/your-farm-your-footprint/.
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THE DRY PERIOD ISN’T JUST DOWNTIME, it is a critical reset for the next lactation. Today’s high-producing cows may still be milking heavily at dry-off, which can present challenges. An article from Ohio State Extension outlines strategies to transition from high production to dry-off, including slightly restricting feed energy and reducing milking frequency to gradually decrease production. The goal is to help the mammary gland transition smoothly and reduce infection risk, setting cows up for better health and performance after calving. Learn more.
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DIFFERENCES IN AVERAGE DAILY GAIN in the first two months of life in an intensive milk replacer feeding program were highly predictive for later developmental, reproductive, and production performance in Holstein heifers, according to research published in the Journal of Dairy Science. Calves with greater early-life growth exhibited distinct feeding behaviors, including greater MR intake, more time spent feeding at automatic feeders, and better feed efficiency than their contemporaries during the feeding phase. These behaviors and efficiencies resulted in a sustained bodyweight advantage until weaning and ultimately greater milk production in the first lactation. Read the full study.
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| More Than a Day's Work: Dave Styer | | |
When Dave Styer talks about Alfalawn Farm, it is clear this dairy means more than just a day’s work. It’s where family traditions were formed and where lessons about responsibility and teamwork were learned.
What makes the work meaningful, though, is the people he works with and the community around them. Dave believes strongly in treating people well and understands that the way a farm operates reaches far beyond its own barn.
“I’m a firm believer that what comes around goes around. If you treat people well, in turn, it might not be today, it might not be tomorrow, it might be 20 years from now, but it comes around. People will treat you well in return.”
At Alfalawn Farm, dairy farming is about more than producing milk, and success comes from working together and caring deeply about the people and land that make it all possible.
“How you operate your farm and conduct your business impacts a lot of other people and a lot of other lives, not just your local farm, but your community and your neighbors. Positive or negative, you do make a difference. And I think, by and large, the dairy industry and what it entails is very positive.”
View the full video profile here.
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"We keep moving forward, opening new doors and doing new things because we're curious. And curiosity keeps leading us down new paths."
-Walt Disney
| | Thank You, National Partners | | Thank You, Legacy Partner | | |
Professional Dairy Producers
820 North Main St.
Juneau, WI 53039
800-947-7379
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