January 2021 Vol. 2
Brought to you by Dairy's Professional Development Organization®
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DAIRY’S PREMIER EDUCATIONAL EVENT IS SWIFTLY APPROACHING! And we’re taking the lid off expectations with a new location and new programming. In addition to featuring 28 sessions presented by leading-edge speakers from around the world, the annual conference will debut the Nexus™ stage – a platform for inventors and innovators to present new concepts that will have ground-breaking implications for the dairy community. Idea generators who apply and submit an application by February 1 have an opportunity to present their novel product, concept or service to conference attendees. Rules and application can be found at www.pdpw.org/nexus.
Another new offering this year is a four-part series of leadership sessions for 15- to 18-year olds. The communications-focused programming will involve students in fast-paced, interactive learning. Registered students can also attend other conference sessions.
In addition, the Hall of Ideas Trade and Equipment Show will once again serve as a hot spot connecting dairy’s elite producers with dairy’s premier suppliers.
View the full program for a closer look at speaker and session information, and learn about steps in place to ensure a safe conference experience for all who attend. Click here for details and registration.
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CORNERSTONE DAIRY ACADEMY™
March 16-17, 2021
Deadline to apply: January 31, 2021
APPLY TODAY FOR 2021 PDPW CORNERSTONE DAIRY ACADEMY to be held Mar. 16-17, at Kalahari Resort, Wisconsin Dells, Wis. The three-track leadership-development program is led by a slate of top-notch experts including Trevina Broussard, Liz Bockman, Hank Wagner, Dr. Richard Kyte, Dr. David Kohl and Tom Thibodeau. The application deadline is Jan. 31, 2021. Learn more and submit your application here.
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SEEKING APPLICATIONS FOR NEXUS. APPLICATION DEADLINE FEBRUARY 1, 2021. The Nexus™ stage affords companies with cutting-edge ideas, innovations and technologies an opportunity to connect with the dairy community's most innovative and pioneering dairy farmers and professionals. Each selected company will have 15 minutes of stage time to give an overview of their product, idea or service, and attendees will have 5 minutes to ask questions after each presentation to further understand the implications at the farm and industry level. An expert facilitator from Progressive Dairy magazine will moderate the session.
Selected applicants must attend PDPW Business Conference at Kalahari Resort and Conventions, Wisconsin Dells, Wis. The initial application fee will be waived for companies that have already submitted payment and contract for the Hall of Ideas Trade and Equipment Show. For details on how to apply, cost to enter and available rewards, go to www.pdpw.org/nexus.
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FINANCIAL LITERACY FOR DAIRY™
Level Three: March 24-25
START THE NEW YEAR WITH A NEW FOCUS ON PRIORITIZE YOUR FOCUS ON FINANCIALS for your dairy in 2021. While level 2 attendees have completed their first of three sessions, there’s still time to register for Level 3 of PDPW's Financial Literacy for Dairy™ to take your financial management skills to the next level. Space is limited and requires a pre-assessment.
The “Count on Us” program is a collaboration with lending partners who will provide full or partial scholarships to participants in the program. Learn more about the “Count on Us” program and registration information here.
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AVOID THE AVALANCHE OF WINTER CALF-HEALTH ISSUES that can lead to widespread pneumonia. Cold weather changes the nutrition and passive-transfer processes in young calves, making it more critical than ever to pay attention to the details involved in calf-raising, according to Dr. Theresa Ollivett, DVM, PhD, DACVIM. An Assistant Professor in Food Animal Production Medicine section at UW-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Ollivett shared calf-management tips in a recent episode of PDPW’s The Dairy Signal™. Cleaning, sanitizing and collecting colostrum often lose their place on the priority list when team members are also dealing with winter weather challenges. Additionally, changes in ventilation and indoor housing meant to keep employees warm can lead to significant negative health issues in calves. Watch the January 21 Dairy Signal episode for insights and practical tips to keep calves healthy and strong all winter.
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TRANSITION MILK PROVIDES BENEFITS TO CALVES during the first five days of life and has implications for long-term benefits, according to research conducted at Michigan State University. Calves were fed colostrum, then two quarts of transition milk three times a day for nine feedings before receiving milk replacer starting on day five of life. Compared to calves receiving milk replacer after colostrum, the transition-milk calves weighed an average of 6.6 pounds more at weaning. A follow-up study showed that transition milk stimulates the development of the digestive tract through increasing cell numbers, which ultimately increases small intestinal surface area and potential nutrient absorption. Based on relationships from a separate analysis published in 2012, the increase in average daily gain would be predicted to result in 387 pounds of additional first-lactation milk yield. Read the full article for more details.
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SHIFTS IN ROUTINE AND CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS impact mammary development and can increase insulin resistance, according to research published in the Journal of Dairy Science. Holstein cows were exposed to 16 hours of light and eight hours of darkness, with the light cycle shifting six hours every three days, starting 35 days before the animals were expected to calve. Researchers found that after five weeks of exposure, cows in late pregnancy exhibited increased insulin resistance and reduced mammary development compared with the control group. Cows in the treatment group had reduced milk yield and decreased insulin sensitivity into the postpartum period after treatments were completed. Learn more in the full study and news release about how this research indicates a need to minimize changes in a cow’s routine.
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START NEW YEAR WITH FOCUS ON CORE VALUES. Each individual’s personal and business behaviors are driven by their core values. In the scope of family farms, it’s important to understand the core values of each family member for a better perspective on their actions and decisions. Ensuring an overall understanding also provides a strong foundation for transition planning. Educators at UW-Madison’s division of Extension Farm Succession have developed tools to help identify a person’s core values and the associated behaviors. Read more about core values, and check out the Core Values Clarification Exercise.
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DON’T MISS HIDDEN TALENTS INTROVERTS BRING to your farm or business. While introverts can be easily overlooked in crowded or noisy work environments, taking time to recognize their strengths and contributions, and creating leadership opportunities to meet their skills, can strengthen the entire operation. A SmartBrief article noted the following points about introverts:
- Introverts may not speak much, but they carefully observe situations as they unfold.
- Introverts may not freely offer their opinions, but they are perceptive of the attitudes and feelings of others.
- Introverts may not be self-promoting, but they genuinely contribute to team success.
Read the article to learn more about how to leverage the talents of all employees in your organization.
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The 2021 virtual Pennsylvania Dairy Summit will be hosted by the Professional Dairy Managers of Pennsylvania and the Center for Dairy Excellence on February 8-11, 2021. The event’s 10-plus keynote and breakout sessions are designed to be dynamic, interactive and filled with relevant takeaways and practices such as sustainability efforts, maximizing components, integrating beef into dairy operations, hosting virtual farm tours and more.
Click here for more details.
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TUNE IN TO THE DAIRY SIGNAL. Join leading experts across dairy and agricultural industries, government and regulatory associations and universities for insights on the most pressing issues in today’s marketplace. The educational sessions continue to air every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, with recorded versions available for free at pdpw.org. Click here to find archived recordings of sessions.
We’ve recently upgraded The Dairy Signal™ landing page for easier navigating and sorting of episodes. After clicking on any of the episode links, enter your name and email address when prompted. All sessions continue to be available free, whether you listen live or download an episode for later.
Presenters and topics covered recently include:
Pneumonia is the most common disease in growing calves and is especially challenging in the winter months. Listen here for the latest updates on preventing and treating calves when they’re susceptible to illness.
- Dr. Theresa Ollivett, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (Large Animal), Assistant Professor in Food Animal Production Medicine section at UW-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine
A panel shares practical ways you can make calf care a top priority on your dairy, including calf-care techniques, record-keeping systems and working with the entire dairy team.
- Stacy Jauquet, owner, Jauquet’s Hillview Dairy LLC
- Ermith Ocampo, Livestock Director, Milk Source LLC
Learn how the calf’s rumen develops and hear tips to make the weaning transition period more successful, including cost-effective ways to begin introducing weaned calves to heifer rations.
- Dr. Jud Heinrichs, Professor of Dairy Nutrition, Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences
Hear the latest updates on water quality and cover crop research and learn about the environmental issues that dairy producers should be aware of in 2021.
- Amber Radatz, Co-Director, Discovery Farms
- Tim Radatz, Minnesota Discovery Farms Coordinator
Discover the grocery trends and consumer demands that will continue from 2020 into the future, including the future of online grocery shopping and possible marketing opportunities for dairy producers.
- Brandon Scholz, President and CEO of the Wisconsin Grocers Association
Tune in here for the latest news and analysis of agricultural markets and trends impacting dairy producers and the entire ag industry.
- Dan Basse, Economist and President of AgResource Company
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WILL BREAKFAST HABITS CONTINUE AFTER PANDEMIC? As work and schools have moved online during the pandemic, many consumers have adopted new morning routines that include more time for breakfast foods. It’s estimated that home consumption of traditional breakfast foods such as cereal, bacon, breakfast sausage, pancakes and waffles increased from 11% to 25% in 2020. While returning to work will reduce time for breakfast, experts think this new routine will stick for many people and companies are developing products to meet the demand for healthier, lower-sugar, higher-protein breakfast options. Read the full article.
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PANDEMIC HAS WIDE-RANGING EFFECTS ON FARM AND RURAL MENTAL HEALTH. A poll conducted by American Farm Bureau Federation found that two in three farmers and farm workers say the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted their mental health. According to the poll, producers and farmworkers were 10% more likely than rural adults to have experienced feeling nervous, anxious or on-edge during the pandemic. Warning signs of mental-health challenges include:
- Change in routines
- Decline in the care of domestic animals
- Increase in illness
- Increase in farm accidents
- Decline in appearance of farmstead
- Signs of stress in children
- Decreased interest
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USDA RELEASES SUMMARY AND DASHBOARD FOR AGRICULTURAL INNOVATION STRATEGY. In February 2020, the USDA announced the Agriculture Innovation Agenda, setting a goal of increasing U.S. ag production by 40% and cutting the environmental footprint in half by 2050. The agency collected hundreds of responses with input on setting research goals and identifying opportunities in four key areas: genome design, digital automation, prescriptive intervention and systems-based farm management. An initial report and dashboard summarizing these responses was released in January. Read more here.
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"Man's mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions."
~ Oliver Wendell Holmes
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PDPW educational calendar |
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March 3-4
Financial Literacy for Dairy - Level 2
Juneau, WI
March 16-17
Cornerstone Dairy Academy
Wisconsin Dells, WI
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March 17-18
Business Conference
Wisconsin Dells, WI
March 24-25
Financial Literacy for Dairy - Level 3
Juneau, WI
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Professional Dairy Producers
820 North Main St.
Juneau, WI 53039
800-947-7379
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