October 2018 vol. 2
Brought to you by Dairy's Professional Development Organization®

Opportunities to learn...
 
DON'T MISS HERDPERSON CONFERENCE; WALK-INS WELCOME. Developed by a committee of dairy producers, this world-class program is designed for herd managers, nutritionists, veterinarians and others responsible for herd health decisions on the dairy. Experts featured include Canada Research Chair in Dairy Cattle Behavior Dr. Trevor DeVries, Cornell Professor and transition-cow nutrition expert Dr. Tom Overton as well as UW-Madison's Dairy Science Professor and reproductive guru, Dr. Paul Fricke. In addition, John Maxwell-certified speaker and dairy farmer Hank Wagner will be on hand to talk about motivating employees while managing all the tasks of the dairy.  
A thank you to all our sponsors for collaborating on this grand-slam workshop. The one-day conference will be held Oct. 31 in Marshfield and again on Nov. 1 in Arlington. For additional information, call 800-947-7379 or click here .

R AISE THE BAR ON YOUR FINANCIAL COMPREHENSION THROUGH FINANCIAL LITERACY FOR DAIRY©. The program curriculum was written by Dr. David Kohl and will be facilitated by Level 1 trainers, Gary Sipiorski and Steve Schwoerer, and Level 2 trainers Gary Sipiorski and David Olsen. Upon registration, participants will complete an online assessment to determine appropriate course placement into Level 1 or Level 2. Level-one students attend a four-day course, which begins in November and concludes in January. Level-two students will attend a six-day course, held in February, March, and concluding in April. For details, click  here or call 800-947-7379.

GEEK OUT ON CALVES at one of the three Calf Care Connection© workshops scheduled Nov. 13-15. Dr. Donald Sockett, Dr. Richard Wallace and Dr. Jud Heinrichs will lead participants through sessions on Salmonella Heidelberg, sanitation protocols, necropsies to expose digestive and respiratory systems, exploration of rumen development, appropriate calf rations and effective feeding strategies. The one-day workshops will start Nov. 13 in Fennimore, and repeat Nov. 14 in Eau Claire and Nov. 15 in Chilton. Call 800-947-7379 to register or click here for more details.

PDPW MENTOR PROGRAM APPLICATIONS DUE NOV. 10.  Don't miss the opportunity to get hands-on experience in the dairy industry through the 2018-19 mentor program. The program is open to students at four-year universities, technical schools and Short Course programs and includes pairing with a dairy farmer mentor and registration at 2018 PDPW Business Conference for students who complete the program. Learn more here. For more information on serving as a mentor through this program, contact PDPW at 800-947-7379.

HIRING RIGHT AND TAKING CARE OF TEAMS will be the focus of presentations at the one-day Human Resources Workshop scheduled for Wed., Dec. 12, at Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells. Presenters include Trevina Broussard, John Shutske and Rhonda Strebel with a focus on building strong teams, managing in a multi-generational workplace and taking care of the mental and physical wellbeing of yourself and employees.  Call 800-947-7379 to register or click here for more details.

ARE YOU PREPARED FOR A CRISIS? Nobody wants to face an on-farm crisis, but in the event of   one, being prepared with appropriate crisis-response materials, fact sheets specific to your dairy, and an emergency response plan is priceless. The PDPW Crisis Management Workshop, to be held Tue., Dec. 11 in Madison, Wis., will equip attendees with the resources they need to be properly prepared, practiced and positioned for crisis situations. The training, led by media and communication expert Judy Rupnow of MorganMyers, is open to dairy farmers and allied industry professionals, and is one of four installments in the Dairy's Visible Voice© curriculum. Call 800-947-7379 to register or click here for more details. 

OPPORTUNITIES IN TRADE, TRENDS MARKETS AND MORE.  The 2018 Dairy Food & Policy Summit will explore what's in store for dairy and provide an opportunity for dairy farmers and key stakeholders to have conversations about critical issues. A full slate of industry CEOs, food system departme nt executives and key decision makers from across the food-value chain will present on a variety of topics, including updates on ag policy and exports, dairy trends, animal transportation, DNR regulations and more. Click here for more information and to register online, or call 800-947-7379.

MAKE PLANS TO ATTEND 2019 PDPW MANAGERS ACADEMY in Charleston, South Carolina, January 15-17, 2019.  The theme for the three-day executive-level training program is "Smooth Sailing" and will feature expert facilitators Ray Davis and Tom Thibodeau; participants will further expand their horizons with behind-the-scenes tours and valuable networking opportunities. Discover what peanuts, tea and the Port of Charleston have in common with dairy. Learn more here or call 800-947-7379 for details.  

READY FOR DAIRY ADVANCE TO GO TO WORK FOR YOU? Wait no longer - if you're a dairy farmer, student, allied industry professional, academic, scientist, food-system professional or public-service professional serving the dairy industry, the time is right for you to sign up for a Dairy AdvanCE account. This award-winning program gives you the opportunity to find, track and report the training programs that will advance your personal knowledge and your career. Program subscriptions are free to dairy farmers and students. Check out a short video and learn more  at  DairyAdvance.org .
For your dairy...

ADDING EXTRUDED HIGH-FAT PELLET TO CALF STARTER in newborn calf diets to reach a total fat content of 7 percent resulted in increased starter intake and energy intake as well as body weight gain in calves up to 84 days of age, according to research published in the Journal of Dairy Science.  A study of 75 female calves included a comparison of different levels of inclusion of an extruded high-fat pellet along with milk replacer, starter feed, chopped straw and water.  No differences were observed for insulin or other parameters related to blood glucose homeostasis.  To learn more, click here for the article.

DO YOUR NUMBERS ADD UP for providing proper care of pre-fresh, maternity and post-fresh cows?  An article from Penn State Extension provides recommendations for freestall space, bedded area and feeding space for cows from dry-off through freshening to minimize stress and improve cleanliness as they approach calving.  
Authors also caution against using averages for uniform calving rates year-round when planning space needs for transition areas, which can often lead to overcrowding when calving rates are higher than planned. 
Read the full article here. 

CONSIDER SECOND FEEDING OF COLOSTRUM in order to meet the industry goal of 90% of calves with successful passive transfer for dairy calves, according to an article from Michigan State University Extension. The article outlines research from 50 Michigan dairy farms where the best passive transfer results were seen in calves that received a second feeding of colostrum 6 to 12 hours after the first feeding, for a total of 5.5 to 6 quarts of colostrum within the first 24 hours.  Read more in the full article here.
Dairy currents...

LACTOFERRIN CAN ALLEVIATE CHEMOTHERAPY SIDE EFFECTS and help with cancer patient recovery, according to research published in the journal Food & Function.  Researchers analyzed how lactoferrin, a bioactive protein found in saliva and milk, can be used as a dietary supplement to diminish the metallic flavor that cancer patients can experience after chemotherapy treatments.  These taste and smell abnormalities can lead to a number of issues for patients and compromise their ability to recuperate.  Read more in this article, or access the full research paper here.

REGIONAL FLAVORS, GUT-HEALTHY FOODS AND NATURAL SWEETENERS are at the top of the list of top food trends for 2019 compiled by Kroger grocery chain. Trends include:
  • Eating styles, from keto and paleo diets
  • Gut-healthy foods, with customers looking for products rich in probiotics and flavor
  • Low sugar and natural sweeteners
  • Plant-based foods continue to attract attention
  • Local, regional and global tastes influence flavor trends
Click here to read the full article with more details about each trend.

VETERINARY STUDENTS ENCOURAGED AT INDUSTRY MEETING. At the recent U.S. Animal Health Association annual meeting, veterinary students were welcomed and encouraged to enter the field with unlimited opportunities. A luncheon for students has gained in popularity at the conference, with speakers highlighting the need for veterinarians in all sectors of livestock production. A recent Fortune magazine article outlined the role that veterinarians play in animal health and the connections to food safety and human health, noting that 80% of states experienced a shortage of veterinarians last year.
For your business mind...

INFORMAL LEADERS ARE KEY TO SUCCESS for any business team. Senior managers are often given credit for business decisions and implementation, but successful teams also need a group of informal leaders at every level who can explain changes to fellow employees and help overcome skepticism throughout the organization. A common thread for all these informal leaders is their mindset of achieving results, along with the ability to help colleagues see what's in it for them and build consensus. Read the full article here.

HOW YOU PROCESS CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM is an important piece of your work and leadership style. Common reactions to constructive criticism can include:
  • Empathizer - looking to understand the feelings of the person who delivered criticism and protect the personal relationship
  • Processor - looking to understand and correct the underlying issues that caused the problem
  • Fixer - results-oriented and eager to fix the problem as soon as possible
  • Analyzer - wants to understand the evidence and facts behind the feedback.
Each response has strengths and weaknesses and understanding how you respond can help you be a better manager and colleague. Read more here.
Words to live by...

There is nothing permanent except change --- Heraclitus
Book review... 
 
PEAK: SECRETS FROM THE NEW SCIENCE OF EXPERTISE  Author Anders Ericsson has taken three decades of research into how top-performing champions and experts approach building and perfecting skills. For example, as people increase their skill levels, they begin to see things differently, breaking representations of physical objects into different "chunks." They recognize patterns and develop much more sophisticated mental representations. Chess boards, piano keys, and guitar frets are all seen differently by experts. The book shares methods to improve at a variety of skills. Click here to learn more.
A BIG Thank You...  

TO THE PDPW SPONSORS who are supporting your professional development organization! As a producer-led group, we extend a heart-felt "Thank You!" to those that stand alongside our nation's dairy farmers. T heir support allows PDPW to execute best-in-class producer training and has enabled us to become the go-to resource for unified outreach initiatives. If you or a company you know is interested in participating as a sponsor, please contact us at [email protected] or call 800-947-7379.
 
See the full list of generous sponsors here.