October 2021 Vol. 2
Brought to you by Dairy's Professional Development Organization®
Nexus
Have a great idea for dairy? PDPW’s Nexus™ is a venue for companies to showcase their cutting-edge technologies to the industry’s most forward-thinking dairy farmers. Companies chosen as finalists receive 15 minutes of stage time at the 2022 PDPW Business Conference (March 16-17, 2022, at Kalahari Resorts, Wisconsin Dells) to describe how their product, idea or service can accelerate how today’s dairy producers operate. Dairy farmer attendees will have five minutes to engage in Q&A with the presenter for more details. Application deadline is January 17, 2022.
 
For a glimpse of the 2021 debut of Nexus and finalists, watch this short video. See the PDPW Nexus webpage to apply and for more details.
Save the date for the 2022 PDPW Business Conference! We continue to finalize plans for the biggest PDPW event of the year. Plan to attend March 16-17, 2022, at the Kalahari Resorts in Wisconsin Dells, Wis., for bold ideas and big results. Where else can you go to feed your business success in only two days away from your dairy? Extend your stay and enjoy time with your family at one of the country’s most treasured water parks. Stay tuned to pdpw.org for more information as it becomes available.
For your dairy
NUTRITION, BEDDING ARE KEY TO THE KEEPING YOUNGEST members of the herd healthy as temperatures cool down over the next weeks and months. Dr. Theresa Ollivett, UW-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, shared strategies for preventing respiratory disease and answered questions during a recent episode of PDPW’s The Dairy Signal™. Calves less than three weeks of age start to burn energy to stay warm when temperatures drop below 60 degrees, so it’s key to ensure they have the calories necessary to develop their immune system and support growth. Calves should receive 2 to 2.5 gallons of whole milk or milk replacer a day with total solids in the 12.5 to 13% range to mimic natural milk. When temperatures drop at night but remain mild during the day, deep bedding is preferable to calf jackets for helping young calves stay warm. Listen to more tips from Dr. Ollivett on the full episode.
LOWER THAN PREVIOUSLY ESTIMATED RATE OF BACTEREMIA in dairy calves could lead to a review of the use of antimicrobial treatments for diarrhea, according to research in the Journal of Dairy Science. Researchers found the rate of bacteremia in replacement heifer calves with diarrhea and systemic signs of illness was 9.26%, significantly lower than previously reported estimates. They noted bacteremia was rare in calves that did not show signs of depression in addition to other symptoms. So, antimicrobial therapy targeting potential bacteremia is not currently justified in routine cases of diarrhea in preweaning calves without signs of depression. More research is necessary to develop tangible and evidence-based guidelines for antimicrobial-use decisions on commercial dairy farm. Learn more in the full study
PREPARE NOW FOR THE WORST OF WINTER with a list of reminders prepared by Penn State Extension. As winter draws near, investing time and resources into preparing for cold temperatures, ice and snowfall will pay off for animals, equipment, facilities and people on your dairy. Creating a checklist specific to your operation for all tasks that need to be accomplished, along with responsibilities and deadlines, will help keep everyone on the same page. Critical areas include barn maintenance, water supplies, farm equipment, driveways and barnyard maintenance, as well as plans for the maternity pen, calves and heifers. Read the full article with a list of reminders.
For your business mind
SHARED LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE IN FAMILY ENTERPRISES can provide a way to take advantage of all the talents and resources of family members as a business grows and becomes more complex. It also provides a way for multiple generations to be involved in the business. The Family Business Consulting Group shared hallmarks of successful shared leadership businesses:

  • Clear, honest communication
  • Trust
  • Transparency
  • Agreed-upon fair process for selecting leaders and evaluating their performance
  • Written role descriptions
  • Servant-leadership mindset

Learn more about each area here.
PREPARE YOUR MESSAGE IN ADVANCE to ensure your audience clearly understands what you’re trying to convey. In today’s busy world with many ways to quickly share information, it is even more critical to develop a message that is clear, simple and persuasive. Keep these points in mind:

  • Use the right balance of realism and optimism.
  • Distill your message down to the major points.
  • Make your big ideas stand out.
  • Prepare questions to ask your audience.
 
Read more here.
LEADERSHIP DURING DIFFICULT TIMES like the pandemic and related volatility may cause employers to rethink their leadership styles and what is important. However, an article from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University recommended amping up existing positive leadership skills during times of stress or crisis. Leaders should double down on self-reflection, including taking time to ask yourself questions on what you intended to do, what you actually did, and what you could have done differently.
 
In addition to continuously checking in to see how people are doing, leaders should be extra diligent with other communication efforts. This includes ensuring everybody is crystal clear on their own role, the expectations that are in place and how people will be held accountable. Learn more in the full article
The Dairy Signal
TUNE INTO 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 air every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, with recorded versions available for free at pdpw.org. Click here to find archived recordings of sessions. 
 

Presenters and topics covered recently include:
The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), represents the nation’s dairy manufacturing and marketing industry. Learn what IDFA has been involved with recently when it comes to trade and exports, nutrition, innovation and sustainability.
  • Michael Dykes, DVM, President and CEO, IDFA
 
Learn the impact heifer selection can have on your culling decisions and how it can enhance profitability and more effectively control inventory management. Tune in to capture practical ideas to reach pre-breeding growth and nutrition targets.
  • Dr. Mike Overton, DVM, MPVM, Global Dairy Platform Lead, Zoetis Animal Health
  • Dr. Matt Akins, Associate Scientist and Extension Dairy Specialist, UW-Madison
 
Hear how you can use hoof-trimming records to make informed decisions about your hoof health program to set trimming schedules and footbath programs.
  • Dr. Gerard Cramer, DVM, DVSc, Associate Professor with the Department of Veterinary Population Medicine of the University of Minnesota
 
While there are many challenges in today’s fluctuating economic environment, a number of innovative opportunities have arisen for foodservice businesses. Hear about a few of these opportunities and how businesses have adapted.
  • Kristine Hillmer, CAE, President and CEO, Wisconsin Restaurant Association
  • Eric Skrum, Director of Public Relations and Communications, Culver's
 
In this “Rising Stars: Graduate Research Showcase” episode, learn the effect of weight versus age at calving on milk production in the first lactation and hear about strategies to optimize fertility to sexed semen in non-lactating heifers and lactating dairy cows.
  • Dr. Paul Fricke, PhD, Professor of Dairy Science and Extension Specialist in Dairy Cattle Reproduction Specialist, Department of Animal & Dairy Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison
  • Megan Lauber, M.S., Graduate Research Assistant, Dairy Reproductive Physiology, Department of Animal & Dairy Sciences, UW-Madison.
 
Gain insights on the latest news and hear an analysis of agricultural markets and trends that will impact dairy producers and the ag industry. Episode presenter will be:
  • Dan Basse, Economist and President of AgResource Company
Dairy currents
WHAT CAN YOU LEARN FROM “NEAR MISSES”? An important part of building a strong safety culture is encouraging team members to report close calls where an accident or injury was narrowly avoided. Rather than just seeing it as a lucky break, taking time to examine the situation and putting precautions in place to prevent an injury is key. Also, make it a point to celebrate and show gratitude to employees who step up and bring those potential safety issues to the attention of their managers and co-workers. Learn more in the full article from UW-Extension.
FOOD SHORTAGES AND SUPPLY DELAYS are once again causing issues in restaurants, grocery stores, schools and more. While shortages aren’t as severe as at the start of the pandemic, a combination of factors – labor shortages, equipment problems at plants and transportation challenges – are causing intermittent shortages of a variety of food products. One food-service director referred to the situation as a game of “whack a mole” as new shortages pop up just as another is solved. Read the full article from Bloomberg News
CLIMATE NEUTRALITY IN U.S. BEEF AND DAIRY SECTOR IS POSSIBLE by 2050 if methane emissions are reduced by 18 to 32 percent, according to a recent white paper by Sara E. Place, chief sustainability officer for Elanco Animal Health and Frank Mitloehner, University of California, Davis professor and UC Agriculture and Natural Resource Cooperative Extension air quality specialist. Their report highlights possible paths in which the beef and dairy cattle sectors can reach climate neutrality while noting a goal of net-zero warming (versus net-zero carbon) makes more sense for the cattle sectors that primarily produce methane. Read more here.
Quote

“If you want to see the sunshine, you have to weather the storm.” – Frank Lane

PDPW educational calendar
Herd Management Workshop
Marshfield & Arlington, WI

Financial Literacy for Dairy ®-Level 1
Juneau, WI

Dairy Insights Summit
Madison, WI

Managers Academy for Dairy Professionals
West Palm Beach, FL
Cornerstone Dairy Academy™ Application Deadline
Wisconsin Dells, WI

Wisconsin Dells, WI

Wisconsin Dells, WI
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