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February 2026 Vol. 3
Brought to you by Dairy's Professional Development Organization®
| | Check out what's coming this week on The Dairy Signal! | | Feb. 17 - From Pen to Performance: Calf Housing Strategies that Deliver | | 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 | | |
Feb. 10
Hear how dairy producers can respond to rapid change, interest rates, evolving technology, low milk prices and more, with a focus on pivoting business models to be ready for the next opportunity.
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Dr. Brady Brewer, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Agricultural Economics, Kansas State University
Feb. 12
Learn about the importance of early gut health in dairy calves and what producers can do to set their youngstock up for a lifetime of success.
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Dr. Jill Soderstrom, PhD, PAS, National Young Animal Technical Innovations Business Manager, Land O’ Lakes, Inc.
| | 2026 PDP Business Conference | | |
HEALTHY PEOPLE ARE KEY TO HEALTHY HERDS
Make your own health a priority at the 2026 PDP Business Conference, March 4-5 at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wis.
Health and wellness offerings in the Hall of Ideas include:
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Mammograms provided by Marshfield Clinic Mobile Health Screening Unit. Appointments must be scheduled by February 25; call Marshfield Clinic directly at 715-221-6086. Have insurance information ready when scheduling appointment. Learn more.
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Blood pressure checks provided by National Farm Medicine Center Marshfield Clinic.
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Health coaching consultations provided by Morgan Ekovich, fitness and accountability coach and owner of Get Fit with ME, including stretching to boost mobility and flexibility, healthy eating, meal planning and more.
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Sunrise stretch at 7:00 a.m. on Thursday, with 45 minutes of stretches and mobility exercises.
| | | Visit the 2026 Business Conference website for a preview of 50 precision-focused sessions along with Preview Stage, Nexus Innovation Stage, and the Hall of Ideas Trade Show. And, check out discounted hotel rates at several Madison hotels. Learn more and register. | | Vote for 2026-27 PDP Board Members | | |
PRODUCER-LED AND PRODUCER-FOCUSED is the heart of everything we do at PDP. We invite active PDP farm members to vote for their PDP Board of Directors. Our grassroots, producer-led mission and vision equip PDP with a board of active dairy farmers who serve up to two 3-year terms.
The PDP Board has three available positions and each PDP farm member (one official ballot per farm entity) can vote for up to three candidates, according to our bylaws.
View the sample ballot on our website to learn more about each candidate.
- The mail-in deadline has passed, but you can still cast your ballot in person at PDP’s Business Conference, March 4-5, 2026, Alliant Energy Center, Madison, WI.
Learn more here.
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GOOD DECISIONS START WITH UNDERSTANDING DATA. An article from UW-Extension highlights why looking at only the average in a data set can hide inconsistent or variable performance. For example, when looking at average daily gain of calves, looking at the distribution of data can show whether calves are growing at the same rate or if outliers that are growing much faster are skewing the data. Read the full article to learn about tools to examine variability including visualization, standard deviation and coefficient of variance.
| BEYOND BMR CORN: NEXT GEN FEED STRATEGIES. A panel of dairy producers will share practical insights on optimizing feed quality, maintaining cow performance and making informed decisions for the next crop cycle. Dr. John Goeser, PhD, Progressive Dairy Solutions, will facilitate the discussion with Shaun Wagner, Jacobs Brothers/Green Valley Dairy, and Tom Zwald, Bomaz Farms. Day one afternoon session, 3:00 and 4:15 p.m. | | 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/.
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WHY DO SOME FOODS KEEP YOU FULLER LONGER? A Dairy Foods article dives into the science of hunger and satisfaction, explaining how the brain and digestive system work together. Research shows dairy foods can reduce appetite, improve blood sugar response and influence hunger hormones. Scientists are also studying how different dairy forms impact digestion and nutrition, helping uncover new ways dairy foods can support wellness and meet evolving consumer needs. Learn more.
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FARM SAFETY IN ACTION. Sharpen your on-farm emergency skills with hands-on practice in triage, bleeding control and CPR techniques at the Hands-On Hub session at the 2026 PDP Business Conference. Led by Keri Dudek, CPR and first aid instructor, attendees will gain confidence to respond when every second counts. Hands-on Hub, Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.; Thursday at 10:30 a.m.
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"Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others."
-Jack Welch
| | 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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