September 2020 Vol. 2
Brought to you by Dairy's Professional Development Organization®
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MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR 2020-21 EVENTS AND PROGRAMS. The programming may look different, but our commitment to providing leading-edge programs and events for our nation’s most forward-thinking dairy farmers hasn’t changed. Check out our 2020-21 program calendar and make plans to attend tours and courses throughout the year. And keep watching The Dairy Signal™ every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday for timely and engaging topics – or download the free audio or video recordings.
A special thank you to our PDPW Mission, Corporate and Event Sponsors for ensuring adequate funding to build the best-in-class dairy education provided to our nation's dairy farmers.
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AUTOMATED ACTIVITY MONITORS INCREASE ESTROUS DETECTION, PREGNANCIES IN HIGH-PRODUCING COWS. An article from Penn State Extension reviewed research that compared heat-detection and pregnancy rates between two methods of observing estrous activity. One group of cows was monitored using visual detection combined with mounting-indicator devices. The second set wore automated-activity monitor collars. Results showed that the use of automated-activity monitors improved first- and second-service conception rates and significantly increased the rate of pregnancies among the high-producing cows. Higher pregnancy rates were not observed in the low-producing cows wearing automated-activity monitor collars. Read the full article here.
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FEEDING FREQUENCY AND PROTEIN SOURCE IN MILK REPLACER were studied in a recent Journal of Dairy Science article. Researchers compared growth rate and starter intake of 103 Holstein calves fed conventional whey-protein-based milk replacer with those that received a blend of bovine-plasma protein and modified-wheat-protein milk replacer. They also compared the results of feeding two times or three times per day. Results showed that calves fed the modified-wheat-protein replacer had increased starter intake and greater body weight gain from weeks 7 to 12, and calves fed twice a day had increased growth and feed efficiency compared with those fed three times a day. Learn more here.
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BEST PRACTICES FOR MANAGING MASTITIS IN AUTOMATIC MILKING SYSTEMS. A recent publication from UW-Extension featured a case study of a dairy farm using a robotic milking system with concerns about the level of mastitis and poor recovery rates on the farm. An automated somatic cell count measurement system was installed on each AMS to monitor individual cows, and a robust testing program was put in place. Resulting recommendations from the Extension team for managing mastitis with robotic milking technologies include:
- Continuous monitoring of individual cows and bulk tank milk
- Adjusting the intensity of pre- and post-milking sanitization processes based on the general cleanliness of udders in the herd and regular monitoring
- Cleaning and drying stalls as the first level of defense for environmental mastitis
- Designing AMS barns so groups of cows can be easily isolated and housed separately as needed
Read the full case study here.
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PDPW Prime Exhibitors are leading dairy-industry companies and service providers. In upcoming editions, we’ll continue to highlight several of these exhibitors.
Thank you, PDPW Prime Exhibitors. We appreciate your continued work for dairy.
To view PDPW Prime, click here.
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DON’T MISS THE DAIRY SIGNAL. Join leading experts across dairy and agricultural industries, government and regulatory associations, and universities and producers for insights on the most pressing issues in today’s marketplace. The free educational sessions are held every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with recorded versions of The Dairy Signal™ available free on the PDPW web site. Click here to find archived recordings of sessions including:
Upcoming topics include:
Wednesday, September 30
It’s a busy time of year with fall harvest underway. Learn proper etiquette when sharing the road with farm equipment.
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Cheryl Skjolaas, Extension Agricultural Safety Specialist with the Department of Biological Systems Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
Thursday, October 1
Tune in for an analysis of agricultural markets, current trends and what to expect for the rest of this year and into 2021.
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Dan Basse, Economist and President of AgResource Company
Presenters and topics covered recently include:
The USDA’s Farm Service Agency began accepting round two applications last week for the second round of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. Learn the new details and how they may differ from the first round of this program.
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Sandy Chalmers, State Executive Director for the Wisconsin FSA
Learn how one family has become farm safety advocates, turning their tragedy into a learning experience, and understand practices to prevent exposure to silo gases.
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Gerald Minor, Pittsville, Wis., Fire Chief
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Bob Biadasz and Lisa Grezenski, fund administrators for the Mike Biadasz Farm Safety and Educational Memorial Fund.
Hear an update from Washington, including export market trends and details on round 2 of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program.
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Dr. Peter Vitaliano, Vice President, Economic Policy and Market Research, of the National Milk Producers Federation
Learn how to manage corn silage inventory to take advantage of both yield and quality.
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Dr. John Goeser, Director of Nutritional Research & Innovation at Rock River Lab, Inc., and Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Dairy Science Department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
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Dr. Luiz Ferraretto, Assistant Professor and Ruminant Nutrition Extension Specialist, UW-Madison
Get an update on current trends, an analysis of agricultural markets and what to expect the rest of this year and into 2021.
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Dan Basse, Economist and President of AgResource Company
Learn more about risk-management tools and how to effectively use them to capture opportunity and minimize commodity risk.
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Tim Swenson, Senior Business Consultant, Compeer Financial
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Chris Atten, Principal, Atten Babler Commodities
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NEW RULES IN EFFECT FOR FEDERAL COVID-19 PAID LEAVE. The U.S. Department of Labor issued an announcement of new rules for the paid-leave program for employees affected by COVID-19.
Changes included in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFRCA):
- employees can take paid leave only if work is available by the employer
- clarifications on intermittent leave approvals
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additional guidance on timing of providing supporting documentation and notification.
Click here to read the news release and here for information from Cornell University.
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NEGATIVE LANGUAGE CAN BE EXTREMELY DESTRUCTIVE in personal and business communications, even if a negative statement is quickly followed by a positive one. Because negative statements are often more easily remembered than positive ones, leaders should focus on simple, constructive and positive language whenever possible in both verbal and written communications. For example, saying “Here’s what I would do,” is more productive than “I wouldn’t do it that way.” More examples can be found in the full article here.
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IN PROBLEM-SOLVING, MINDSETS ARE JUST AS IMPORTANT AS THE METHODS used to roll out solutions. An article from consultants McKinsey & Company outlined six mindsets that business and nonprofit leaders who successfully addressed challenging issues shared. They include:
- Be ever-curious about every element of your problem.
- Tolerate ambiguity and stay humble.
- Take a dragonfly-eye view of the world to see through multiple lenses
- Pursue occurrent behavior and restless experimenting
- Tap into the collective intelligence and the wisdom of the crowd
- Show and tell to drive action
Read more about each of these mindsets and how they were used here.
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WLIC TRACEABILITY VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS IMPORTANCE OF ANIMAL ID
The Wisconsin Livestock Identification Consortium (WLIC) is working on behalf of livestock producers – and all agricultural food production industries – to build systems that keep our businesses and food supplies safe. Central to the work of WLIC is premise registration and traceability. Consumers rely on the food system to provide safe food for their tables, and that means producers have to equate traceability with sustainability. Watch this video for a look at the work of WLIC and how it impacts consumers, producers, and animals.
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U.S. DAIRY CONSUMPTION REACHES 60-YEAR HIGH IN 2019. USDA reported that per-capita consumption reached 650 pounds of dairy products a year in 2019, up 1% from the year before. The rise was driven by an increase in cheese, butter, frozen products, including ice cream, and some dry products such as whey. The increases made up for slight declines in fluid-milk consumption, yogurt and dry and canned products. Over the past ten years, American consumption of cheese has increased by nearly 20 percent. Butter consumption has also increased by 24 percent and yogurt is up 7 percent. Click here to read news reports and here for USDA data.
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DO YOU HAVE A CHALLENGE THAT NEEDS AN ENGINEERING SOLUTION? UW-Madison Professor John Shutske teaches an engineering-design capstone course for seniors in which they identify a design problem to research, investigate, test and solve. Dairy producers are invited to share clearly defined problems or opportunities that can potentially be solved with an engineered solution within the scope and boundaries of this course.
If you’d like to submit a challenge for consideration, contact John Shutske with answers to the following:
- Name the specific problem or opportunity you’re proposing that could be solved with an engineering-design solution.
- Describe why this topic is of concern to the dairy industry. If possible, provide web links or attachments that will help us assess the topic.
- List other designs or attempts to solve this topic in the past, and list the reasons you believe a solution still needs to be found.
- Keeping in mind this project will be completed by 4 to 5 students over about 20 6-to-8-hour weeks, what would be a successful final product? (A small-scale working prototype? A detailed set of engineering drawings? An alternative part to replace an existing one?)
- Students will need industry-based contacts. In addition to your name and contact information, please include the names of two or three others in the industry who would also find a solution to this topic beneficial. (Please secure their approval before sharing their contact information.)
Based on time and budget limitations, Professor Shutske’s team may not be able to respond to all requests. If your idea is selected, you’ll be contacted by email in late December or early January.
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CONSUMERS TURNING TO “COMFORT FLAVORS” DURING 2020. Flavors that are perennially considered comforting — chocolate, vanilla, macaroni and cheese, chicken soup — and seasonal flavors including pumpkin spice, peppermint and sugar cookie are increasing in popularity as consumers sort through the health, political and economic headlines of 2020. Marie Wright, president of creation, design and development and chief global flavorist at ADM (Archer-Daniels-Midland Company), shares how changing consumer demands impact product development and the flavors that make their way to the grocery shelves. Learn more here.
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STRONG FAMILIES & TEAMS... AND GOD LOVES JOE
In his typical energetic and insightful style, Michael Hoffman teaches us to see ourselves through other people’s circumstances in “God Loves Joe.” In a late-night airport encounter with a stranger, a man named Joe unwittingly made a lasting impression on Michael – and each of us who listen to this podcast.
In “Strong Families & Teams: What's their Language?” Michael outlines specific tools we can use to impact one another more deeply and effectively. Not only can these tips be used to strengthen family relationships, they can positively influence and enhance work partnerships, too.
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PDPW educational calendar |
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November 10, 11 & 12
Calf Care Connection®
Menomonie, Stratford, & Hilbert, WI
November 11-12
Financial Literacy for Dairy - Level 1
Juneau, WI
November 18 & 19
Herdsperson Workshop
December 3
Dairy Insights Summit
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December 8-9
Dairy Managers Institute™ - Level 1 & 2
December 9-10
Financial Literacy for Dairy - Level 1
Juneau, WI
January 13-14
Financial Literacy for Dairy - Level 2
Juneau, WI
January 20 & 21
Hispanic Training - exclusively in Spanish
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“It’s your reaction to adversity, not adversity itself that determines how your life’s story will develop.”
~ Dieter F. Uchtdorf
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Professional Dairy Producers
820 North Main St.
Juneau, WI 53039
800-947-7379
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