May 2021 Vol. 2
Brought to you by Dairy's Professional Development Organization®
Opportunities to learn
Commodity Marketing Class
Six classes throughout 2021
Upcoming class: June 9
PDPW headquarters, Juneau, Wis. 
A CLASS FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF MILK MARKETERS will focus on effective marketing rules, principles, beliefs, assumptions and tools. Sessions will be facilitated by Carl Babler, commodity marketing consultant and senior hedge specialist at Atten Babler Commodities. Registration of $450 will enroll two people from each farm or business entity. The first of six sessions in this program will be held Wednesday, June 9, at PDPW headquarters in Juneau, Wis. For more information and to register, click here.
PDPW Dairy Obstetrics & Newborn Calf Care Workshop
Taught exclusively in Spanish
June 16 and June 17
Juneau, Wis. and Colby, Wis.
GIVE YOUR CALVES AND FRESH COWS THE BEST START by ensuring your team members have the technical skills and can administer the safe, compassionate techniques necessary to successfully deliver calves and care for both the newborn and cow through the early transition process. The PDPW Dairy Obstetrics & Newborn Calf Care Workshop is designed for your farm's Spanish-speaking employees and will be led by Dr. Julia Hamann, ruminant field technical specialist for Diamond V, and Dr. Flavio Silvestre, DVM, PhD, dairy technical services veterinarian for Zoetis. For more information and registration, review the program flyer.
2021 Hoof Health Workshop
July 20, July 28, Aug. 3
Waupaca, Wis., Frankfort NY, Lake Norden, SD
MARK YOUR CALENDARS! The PDPW Dairy Hoof Health Workshops will be held on farms this summer in Wisconsin, New York and South Dakota. Each host farm will serve as an interactive case study with engaging discussions to identify hoof health issues and practical strategies to address them. For more information or registration, review the program flyer.
For your dairy
ALLEVIATE EFFECTS OF HEAT STRESS BY ADDING AMINO ACIDS TO DIETS during hot weather. Research has shown that heat stress decreases overall milk yield while also altering milk composition, specifically milk protein concentration. An article from the University of Illinois Extension outlines the role amino acids can play in increasing lactation performance, milk protein and fat concentration, and improving responses to stressful conditions. Learn more here
ENSURE PROTOCOLS ARE STILL RELEVANT FOR MAXIMUM BENEFIT. While standard operating procedures help create consistency on a dairy, it’s important to confirm that these systems don’t come at the expense of cow needs. In a recent interview conducted by Michigan State University Extension educators, one dairy’s protocol was to allow for a 54 to 60-day dry period. When records confirmed that cows with a dry period of less than 60 days didn’t perform as well, the dairy adjusted the protocol to ensure a dry period of 60 to 66 days. Read more here.
The Dairy Signal
DAIRY FARMER PANELS, LEADING RESEARCHERS AND MARKET EXPERTS are sharing their knowledge and answering your questions live each Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Don’t miss The Dairy Signal™ as it continues providing timely news and analysis on the most pressing issues in today’s marketplace. The educational sessions air live three days a week from noon to 1 pm CT, with recorded versions available for free at www.pdpw.org. Click here to find archived recordings of sessions.

Presenters and topics covered recently include:
Learn how unexpected economic events like the Colonial Pipeline hack can impact markets and the dairy industry, as well as how farms can prepare their businesses to better handle market volatility.
  • Dr. Mark Stephenson, PhD, Director of Dairy Policy Analysis at UW-Madison and Director of Wisconsin’s Center for Dairy Profitability

Hear from several dairy producers on how they motivate, educate and reward their employees.
  • Sarah Daugherty, Workforce Development Manager, Paramount Calves, Darlington, Wis.
  • Katie Gerrits, Director of Human Resources, Breeze Dairy Group, Pine River, Wis.
  • Kevin Wulf, Community Relations and Employee Education, Riverview LLP, Morris, Minn.

Take a look at domestic and international dairy markets and policy, activity in our key dairy exporting regions around the world, and discover which products are having the biggest impact on the U.S. economy.
  • Mary Ledman, Global Dairy Strategist, Rabobank

Learn how to stay connected when working remotely and what the future holds for data integration.
  • Jeremy Cherny, Founder and President, Tobin Solutions

Discover what’s new at Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin as they work to increase awareness and affinity for Wisconsin dairy products and find out what’s happening in the retail marketplace.
  • Suzanne Fanning, Senior Vice President, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin and Chief Marketing Officer, Wisconsin Cheese
  • Mike Edge, Senior Regional Marketing Director, East, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin

Hear the latest news and analysis of agricultural markets and trends that will impact dairy producers and the ag industry.
  • Ben Buckner, Senior Dairy and Grain Analyst, AgResource Company
For your business mind
SPRINT YOUR WAY TO PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT and goal achievement with 30 days of focused effort. Because committing to just 30 days of improvement in one area is less overwhelming than the idea of changing something for life, the idea of self-improvement becomes much more attainable. The concept is simple. Take a little time each day to work on a new skill or build habits to address something that has been challenging you in work or personal life. Tips for making 30-day sprints effective include:
  • Count your improvements, not your blunders
  • Make each session count
  • Find experts you can model and learn from
  • Journal your lessons learned
  • Set your own bar rather than following others
 
Learn more in the full blog post.  
THE FINANCIAL VALUE OF BEING A GOOD BOSS can be difficult to pinpoint, but an article from UW-Extension shares how several dairy farmers view the monetary and non-monetary benefits that come from focusing time and energy on employee management. Examples include:
  • The cost of turnover is a minimum of $2,500 to $3,000 for each employee who leaves the farm
  • Well-trained employees are less likely to use equipment improperly, resulting in fewer accidents and lower repair costs
  • Well-trained employees are more likely to follow protocols, resulting in healthier cows with fewer issues such as mastitis and lameness

Read more in the full article.
THE DECISION TO GET VACCINATED is highly personal for many people and presents a number of questions for both dairy farmers and their employees. Resources from Cornell University provide insights on whether employers should recommend or require COVID-19 vaccinations and how to handle questions and conversations while still complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act and other regulations. Read the full article here; consult with an attorney for specific legal advice for your farm or business. 
Dairy currents
AMERICANS’ PANDEMIC EATING HABITS ARE STARTING TO FADE, according to the 2021 Food & Health survey from the International Food Information Council. One year ago, 60% of consumers said they were cooking at home more than usual, but that number has fallen to 47%, and fewer survey participants said they were snacking more, eating more in general and eating more premade meals from pantry or freezer. However, one trend has continued to stay strong. The number of Americans who shop for food online at least once a month has grown from 27% in 2019 to 33% in 2020 to 42% in 2021. Read a summary of the study here, and download full results here
INDULGENCE, INNOVATION DRIVING ICE CREAM category growth, according to an article from Progressive Grocer. Sales of ice cream, especially super-premium categories, grew during the pandemic and experts expect strong sales to continue. New flavors and novelty items such as layered sundae cups and chocolate-covered Greek yogurt bars are attracting adult consumers in addition to ice cream’s traditional appeal to children. Learn more in the full article.
RESEARCH SUGGESTS LESS STOMACH DISCOMFORT for adults with a history of lactose intolerance when they drank A1-protein-free milk that contains A2 beta-casein protein. The study was conducted by Purdue University and published in Nutrients Journal. The double-blind, randomized, crossover clinical trial examined the effects that A1 and A2 proteins have on people who are confirmed lactose maldigesters who have been diagnosed with lactose intolerance. Participants received one of four types of milk calculated according to their body-weight: a2 Milk® (100% A2 protein); Jersey milk (25% A1 protein/75% A2 protein); conventional milk (75% A1 protein/25% A2 protein) and lactose-free milk (60% A1 protein/40% A2 protein). Review the study here.
Quote
“Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.” – Joshua J. Marine
PDPW educational calendar
June 9
Commodity Marketing Class
Juneau, WI

June 16 & 17
Obstetrics and Newborn Calf Workshop
- taught exclusively in Spanish
Juneau & Colby, WI

July 20, 28 & August 3
Hoof Health Workshop
Waupaca, WI; Frankfort, NY &
Lake Norden, SD
January 11-13
Managers Academy for Dairy Professionals

March 15-16
Cornerstone Dairy Academy
Wisconsin Dells, WI


March 16-17
Business Conference
Wisconsin Dells, WI
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