PDPW Manager's Memo

July 2021 Vol. 2

Brought to you by Dairy's Professional Development Organization®

Opportunities to learn

2021 Hoof Health Workshop

Aug. 3

Lake Norden, SD

ONE MORE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND

the 2021 Hoof Health Workshop on August 3 at Drumgoon Dairy in South Dakota. Don’t miss your chance to interact with world-leading hoof health experts including, Dr. Gerard Cramer from the University of Minnesota, Karl Burgi, founder of the Save Cows® Network, and Roger Olson, dairy account manager for Zinpro Corporation. The workshop will feature case studies and practical tips for preventing and treating hoof health issues that impact cow health and production. For more information or registration, review the program flyer .

ACE Twilight Meetings

Aug. 23, 24, 25, 26

Juneau, Fennimore, Hatley & Deer Park, Wis.

BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION about water, community development, resource management, infrastructure and other topics critical to rural communities by attending Agricultural Community Engagement (ACE®) On-the-Farm Twilight Meetings hosted by the Wisconsin Counties Association, Wisconsin Towns Association and the Professional Dairy Producers®. Sessions are Aug. 23, 24, 25 and 26, from 6:00-8:30 p.m., in Juneau, Fennimore, Hatley and Deer Park, Wis, respectively. Each meeting will kick off with a farm tour at 6:00 p.m., followed by ice cream and an open discussion between community leaders and dairy farmers. Visit the PDPW website for details.

For your dairy

RESEARCH QUESTIONS CURRENT UNDERSTANDING of transition cow health, including the view that excess nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) in the bloodstream and the resulting hyperketonemia during the transition period, along with low levels of available calcium, are largely responsible for disorders such as mastitis, metritis, retained placenta and poor fertility. However, a review of decades of research shows “it is increasingly evident that periparturient diseases and disorders cannot be explained by the severity of changes in these simple metabolites.” The research review provides a baseline for future work, and authors suggest a future focus on preventing immune system activation in cows, thereby reducing the negative effects of inflammation. Read more here.

MINIMIZING SILAGE LEACHATE STARTS WITH GOOD PLANNING and harvesting at the proper moisture content. Silage leachate is about 100 times as strong as raw sewage, and as little as one gallon of silage leachate can lower the oxygen content of 10,000 gallons of freshwater to a critical level for fish survival. Locate bunker silos away from open waterways and wells and choose a location that is at least five feet above the seasonal high-water table. Silage harvested at a dry matter content of 30% or greater will greatly reduce the flow of leachate. Find more tips in this article from Penn State Extension.

The Dairy Signal

TUNE INTO THE DAIRY SIGNAL™ throughout the seasons ahead. While the topics covered on The Dairy Signal will continue to be crafted around your most relevant needs, our commitment to offering up-to-the-minute information remains steadfast. In partnership with fellow dairy producers and other experts across dairy and agricultural industries, the 60-minute episodes air from noon to 1 p.m. CT every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Recorded versions are available free in video and audio format at pdpw.org. Click here to find archived recordings of sessions.

Presenters and topics covered recently include:

July 20

Learn strategies to address hazardous distractions on farms and safely design jobs for employees and family members of all ages.

Marsha Salzwedel, Project Scientist at Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation/National Farm Medicine Center

July 21

As we celebrate National Ice Cream Month in July, two entrepreneurs share the lessons they've learned in diversifying their dairy farms by making and selling homestead ice cream.

Karen Kelley, Owner, Kelley Country Creamery, Eden, Wis.
James Baerwolf, Owner, Sassy Cow Creamery, Sun Prairie, Wis.

July 22

Get an update and analysis of U.S. and global agricultural markets, including insights on how weather is impacting feed supply and quality as well as inflation and dairy pricing trends.

Dan Basse, Economist and President of AgResource Company

July 27

Thousands fall victim to human trafficking, even in rural areas and agricultural labor markets. Know what signs to look for and how to prevent it from happening on your farm.

Paul Marik, Captain of Patrol Division, Village of Pleasant Prairie, Wis.

July 28

Learn from UW-Madison graduate students about new research on the relationship between serotonin and calcium during a cow’s lactation and how calcium levels can affect reproduction hormones around calving time and reproductive health long-term.

Dr. Laura Hernandez, PhD, Professor of Lactation Physiology, Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Meghan Connelly, PhD, Research Scientist, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Pedro Leopoldo Jeronimo Monteiro Junior, University of Wisconsin-Madison

July 29

Body condition score (BCS) is one of the factors limiting reproduction on farms today. Learn the role BCS plays during the transitional period.

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

For your business mind

COMMUNICATING VALUE OF TOTAL COMPENSATION can be an important tool in hiring and retaining key employees by showing the full value of their salary, as well as the monetary value of other benefits, bonuses and perks, including paid vacation days, work-supplied cell phones or vehicle use, lunches and more. Developing a template that can be personalized to each employee provides a way to communicate the investment an employer is putting in their team and can give employees a new perspective. Highlighting various benefits in regular employee meetings can also be helpful. Learn more in the full article from UW Extension and download a sample statement template.

A TRANSITION PLAN IS JUST THE START of preparing the next generation of managers and leaders in a family business. Developing an educational plan that is tailored to each person and includes the leadership skills and business-ownership knowledge required to expand their role in the business is key. Education should include a combination of internal company-based training and external programs, such as workshops, courses and conferences to provide a broad base of experiences and knowledge. Creating ways to share the family’s values and business legacy is also a way to preserve the past while encouraging innovation. Learn more in this article from Family Business Consulting Group.

HOW MANY WAYS CAN YOU SHOW GRATITUDE to your team? Sharing positive feedback and appreciation for a job well done in simple and immediate ways will build a stronger, more productive team. An article from ChiefExecutive.com shares seven simple tips:

It isn’t about money
Timing is everything
Be sincere
Make it personal
Praise, then stop
Make it a habit
Be proactive.

Read more details about each tip and more in the full article .

Dairy currents

BREAKFAST CEREAL, MAC AND CHEESE AND BAGELS are just a few of the inspirations for innovative new ice cream flavors. Creameries are also introducing more lines of products that tailor to dietary needs or preferences such as diabetic-conscious, keto-friendly and low calorie. Popular TV shows and movies like Friends, Caddyshack and The Goonies are also inspiring flavor combinations. Read more and see a slide show of new products.

GROCERY STORE DAIRY CASE TRANSFORMED INTO OLYMPIC GYM is the focus of a new campaign to draw attention to the link between athletic performance and milk. A high-performance gym was installed just behind dairy products, and hidden cameras captured the reaction of shoppers as they saw Olympic athletics working out. Videos also share Olympians’ testimonies on the role that milk and dairy products play on their training tables. Learn more here.

SMARTPHONE APP TO DETECT E.COLI IN MILK has been developed by researchers in China. An article published in the Journal of Dairy Science stated that the scientists created a smartphone-based colorimetric aptasensor, which can serve as an efficient on-site tool for detecting E.coli 01757:H7 in milk, which could prevent outbreaks of foodborne illness. Read more here.