PDP Manager's Memo

July 2025 Vol. 2

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

The Dairy Signal^®

Check out what's coming this week on The Dairy Signal. Tune in every Tuesday and Thursday live from noon to 1 p.m. CT, or catch previous episodes on demand here.

July 15 - Salmonella Dublin

Hear the latest on Salmonella Dublin, including prevention, disease transmission, managing outbreaks, vaccination protocols, clinical signs and more.

Dr. Melissa Cantor, Assistant Professor, Precision Dairy Science, Pennsylvania State University
Dr. Erika Ganda, DVM, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Food Animal Microbiomes, Department of Animal Science, Pennsylvania State University

July 17 - Life Balance: What's Even Possible?

Dairy women daily tackle the challenges of juggling family, business and everything in between. Hear real stories and practical insights from three high-performing women on managing competing priorities without losing yourself — or your sanity — in the process.

Sandy Larson, owner and dairy producer, Larson Acres, Inc, Evansville, Wis.
Heather Moore, owner, Moore Family Farms, Moore Family Farms Creamery, Moore Local and Rockdale Locker, Maquoketa, Iowa
Suzanne Vold, dairy producer, Dorrich Dairy, Glenwood, Minn.

Access Now

Previously on The Dairy Signal

July 8

Join an interactive conversation about strategies to improve heifer reproductive performance, with a focus on how dairy producers can reduce heifer rearing costs.

J.P. Martins, DVM, MS, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Medical Sciences School of Veterinary Medicine, UW-Madison

July 10

What's ahead in dairy and agricultural markets for the second half of 2025? Tune in for the latest updates in export, weather, market and consumer trends that will impact the industry and your bottom line.

Ben Buckner, Chief Grains and Dairy Analyst, AgResource Company

Opportunities to Learn

MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW FOR 2025-26 EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING! PDP is excited to share the schedule of learning opportunities beginning in July 2025, with a full range of hands-on, focused programming to ensure that everyone on your dairy team is future ready. Learn more.

ACE® ON-THE-FARM TWILIGHT MEETINGS

August 25, 26, 27, 28

Durand, Tomah, Newton, Watertown, Wis.

BE PART OF THE SOLUTION!

JOIN CONVERSATIONS WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS

Join local community leaders, local elected officials, educators and dairy farmers to learn together and discuss important issues such as water, community development, resource management, changes in ag and rural communities, roads, bridges and transportation, and other critical subjects.

Each meeting will kick off with a farm tour at 6:00 p.m. and will be followed by ice cream and open discussions, and conclude at 8:30 p.m.

Open to the public, these meetings are brought to you in partnership with the Wisconsin Counties Association, Wisconsin Towns Association and PDP.

Learn more and register today.

PDP ACCELERATE WORKSHOP

July 22, 2025

Madison, Wis.

Learn more and register today.

PDP BUSINESS MANAGEMENT & ADVANCED FINANCE WORKSHOP

October 29-30, 2025

Sun Prairie, Wis.

Learn more and register.

MANAGERS ACADEMY FOR DAIRY PROFESSIONALS®

January 20-22, 2026

Puerto Rico

Learn more and register.

For Your Business Mind

LEADERS OFTEN SPEND MOST OF THEIR TIME IN “DOING MODE,” focusing on getting tasks done quickly. An article from Harvard Business Review highlights that the best leaders also create space for “spacious thinking,” which requires slowing down to think more deeply, notice connections and come up with creative ideas. Teams need both a narrow focus to finish work and a wide focus to solve bigger problems. Leaders can help their teams find better solutions by asking big questions, bringing new ideas to meetings and rewarding creative thinking. Learn more.

WITH MORE TECHNOLOGY OPTIONS THAN EVER BEFORE to handle daily tasks on a farm, producers need a solid plan to evaluate which technologies or equipment are the best fit for their operation and business plan. An article from UW-Extension shares a five-step process to guide decisions:

Clearly define your motives for buying technology, such as addressing labor shortages, etc.
Collect accurate data on your current operations
Set specific long-term goals that align with your motives and financial realities.
Do thorough research: talk to farmers, visit farms, check equipment compatibility, and assess your infrastructure.
Ask vendors about total costs, support, and workflow impact before purchasing.

Read the full article for details on each step.

Your Farm - Your Footprint

YOUR SUSTAINABILITY STORY

Modern consumers value sustainably produced food, and your farm is already doing its part.

With Your Farm - Your Footprint (YFYF), you can highlight your sustainability efforts—without having to share your data with anyone.

YFYF helps you measure the impact of your practices, 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.

Want to learn more? Visit the website or email croy@pdpw.org.

For Your Dairy

HOW DOES FREEZING COLOSTRUM IMPACT QUALITY? Research published in the Journal of Dairy Science investigated the impacts of freezing colostrum at −20°C (−4°F) for one year. They collected 10 samples from Holstein cows and analyzed each for key components, including immunoglobulins (IgG, IgA, IgM), insulin and bacterial counts, when fresh and every four weeks. The results found that concentrations of IgA and IgM remained stable, but IgG showed reductions of about 8% at 32, 44, and 48 weeks of frozen storage compared to fresh colostrum. Insulin concentrations also saw reductions at several points. Researchers recommend freezing colostrum at −20°C for up to 32 weeks as a conservative recommendation. Learn more in the full study .

SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF AUTOMATED MILKING SYSTEMS depends on facility design that promotes cow comfort, flow and health. An article from Penn State Extension outlines key considerations for planning an AMS system, including clean, non-slip flooring, adequate ventilation, well-bedded lying areas, and unobstructed access to feed and water to encourage frequent robot visits. Cow mobility is critical, as lame cows visit the robot less often. Facilities must also include properly designed special-needs areas for sick or fresh cows, ensuring sufficient space, feed, water and handling equipment. Read more on important facility factors.

Foundation Focus: Rosario Ibarra

Rosario Ibarra started her dairy journey more than 2,000 miles from where she calls home today. In addition to her role as general manager of Grotegut Dairy near Newton, Wisconsin, she serves as a board member for Dairy’s Foundation.

As an agronomy major at a university in Mexico, she had the opportunity to do a two-month professional practice in Wisconsin at Gold Star Dairy Farms, which was managed by PDP and supported by Dairy's Foundation. During the program, she saw a dairy cow for the first time and was inspired by the commitment and focus on animal care at the dairy. After graduation, she worked for a Mexico-based dealer of a Wisconsin company for five years, then moved to the U.S. under a TN visa as a professional worker. She worked at Gold Star Farms as a calf manager and now oversees the daily operations of Grotegut Dairy Farm. At the 6,000-cow dairy, she is focused on ensuring that the herd thrives and contributes to the production of high-quality milk for cheese.

Joining the board of Dairy’s Foundation has given Rosario a behind-the-scenes perspective on the work required to develop and fund innovative programs for the fast-paced dairy industry. Sustainability on today’s dairy farms starts with a solid foundation of animal care, productivity and profitability, which requires a commitment to continuous improvement.

“Programs funded by Dairy’s Foundation provide dairy producers of all ages with the tools to improve the leadership and technical skills necessary to navigate the complexities of modern dairy farming,” she said. “A key element of many of these programs is providing simultaneous translation into Spanish to expand learning opportunities to more of our team members. Learning in their primary language allows team members to improve their technical skills and position them for personal growth and new opportunities on a farm.”