May 2020 Vol. 1
Brought to you by Dairy's Professional Development Organization
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COMING NEXT WEEK:
Join The Dairy Signal for a new week of content and speakers.
Tuesday, May 19
- Jim Mulhern, President and CEO, National Milk Producers Federation
Wednesday, May 20
- Mary Ledman, Global Dairy Strategist, RaboBank
Thursday, May 21
- Sandy Chalmers, State Executive Director, USDA Wisconsin Farm Service Agency
- Tom Brandt, Farm Loan Chief, Wisconsin Farm Service Agency
The Dairy Signal is connecting dairy farmers, allied industry, community leaders, elected officials and media from coast to coast. Please, feel free to share this content and recordings with others in the dairy community. This information is meant be shared for the good of the entire dairy sector.
If you have suggestions for future programs, email mail@pdpw.org.
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TOP DAIRY-INDUSTRY
STUDENTS ARE READY TO START
their careers with leading companies, farms and other organizations. As the spring semester wraps up, seniors are graduating and underclassmen are looking for work experiences. TalentCONNECT™, developed by PDPW, is a resource featuring job-seeking individuals from universities and technical colleges. Student profiles are searchable by preferred job type; contact information and resumes are also available at this portal. Click
here
to view profiles of qualified students who may be a perfect fit for your job or internship.
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DETERMINING WHICH COWS ARE CANDIDATES FOR EARLY DRY-OFF
is the subject of an article recently published by UW-Extension. In addition to indicating which cows are candidates for early dry-off, recommendations are made for other associated management considerations. When determining if extended dry periods or early dry-off is a viable option for your dairy, maintaining cow health – including proper environmental and nutritional management and appropriate dry-cow therapy –- remains critical. For more information, including a
calculator
to determine your dairy’s suggested milk-reduction plan based on herd production and extended dry periods, click
here
.
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UPDATE ILLNESS-PREVENTION PROTOCOLS AND HANDBOOKS
with the necessary steps to stop the spread of COVID-19 on dairy farms. Several weeks have transpired since the onset of the pandemic; it’s time to ensure your farm has established SOPs specific to your dairy. Resources from the Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center provide detailed recommendations in English and Spanish for management tasks such as hand washing, disinfecting equipment and setting expectations for physical distances between employees. Staggering break and lunch times as well as adjusting schedules to minimize times when people are in the same spaces can also help. Click
here
to access COVID-19 resources to share with your teams.
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HCG HORMONE CAN REDUCE PREGNANCY LOSS IN IVF EMBRYO TRANSFER
according to research conducted at UW-Madison and published in the
Journal of Dairy Science.
These results were presented by graduate student Elisa Cabrera and
Paul Fricke on the Preview Stage at the 2020 PDPW Virtual Business Conference. While use of embryo transfer is becoming increasingly common, pregnancy loss is a problem, with studies showing an average of 12% pregnancy loss between pregnancy-check and recheck. This study administered hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) at the time of embryo transfer with a goal of increasing progesterone. Results showed the same rate of pregnancy with the hCG and control groups, but the group receiving hCG had 10% pregnancy loss compared to 22% pregnancy loss in the control group. Learn more in the study
here
.
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IS IT TIME TO BACK UP DATA SAVED IN THE CLOUD?
The use of Software as a Service (SAAS) or cloud applications such as Microsoft Office 365 and Google G Suite enables users to save data in the cloud. However, that doesn’t mean data is safe or that it doesn’t need to be backed up. During a presentation at the 2020 PDPW Virtual Business Conference, IT specialist Jeremy Cherney discussed strategies for protecting personal and business data. He outlined a 3-2-1 method for file backups:
- Create three copies of your data; one primary copy and two backups
- Store your copies in at least two types of storage media
- Store one of these copies offsite (in a different geographical location or in the cloud)
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PDPW Prime Exhibitors are
industry
leading dairy companies and service providers.
In upcoming editions, we’ll highlight several exhibitors.
Thank you, PDPW Prime Exhibitors. We appreciate your continued support!
To view PDPW Prime, click
here
.
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PREPARE FOR WARMER TEMPERATURES
by properly maintaining fans. Ventilation systems often consume 20 to 25% of total energy used on the farm; taking care of fans will boost the bottom line along with animal wellbeing. Efficiency can be reduced by as much as 40% in dirty fans, so an effective washing protocol is important. While fans are disconnected from power supply for cleaning, conduct a review of the following maintenance items as well:
- Ensure all shafts turn smoothly and replace any bearings showing wear
- Inspect impellers for cracks
- Replace worn belts
- Align pulleys as needed
- Confirm bolts and set-screws are sufficiently tight
Read the
full article
from Ohio State Extension for more tips on maintenance and recordkeeping.
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DID YOU MISS A SESSION OF THE DAIRY SIGNAL?
Recorded versions of every Dairy Signal program can be accessed for free on the PDPW web site. Each session features timely insights and resources to support dairy farmers and industry professionals. The free broadcast airs live at 12pm Central Time each Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with recordings available following each session. Click
here
to find archived recordings in English and Spanish via La Señal Lechera™.
Enter your first and last name, and email address, then click register. The latest available episodes include:
In this episode, Dan Basse once again shared new information and insights on market trends and tips for responding to business shifts while considering local and global implications.
Dr. David Kohl and Dr. Luiz Ferraretto teamed up to discuss nutrition strategies that align with market conditions and take cow health into consideration.
Back by popular demand, Governor Tony Evers and Interim Secretary of DATCP Randy Romanski discussed the distribution of federal funds in Wisconsin and shared their top-3 list of things dairy producers should be doing and thinking about right now.
Dan Basse and Steve Van Lannen shared insights on the global economy and how the Defense Production Act is affecting the meat-processing industry.
Charles Palmer and Dr. David Kohl discussed farm-safety protocols and the latest market updates
Dr. Mark Stephenson and John Umhoefer reviewed how the cheese industry has been impacted by COVID-19 pandemic and a look at current market insights.
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TIPS TO KEEP FARM EMPLOYEES SAFER IN VEHICLES
are included in guidelines published by the New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health. Keeping windows open in pickups or other vehicles, and cleaning and disinfecting high-touch surfaces such as railings, door handles, armrests, radio controls and seatbelts will help minimize risk of COVID-19 in shared vehicles on farms. Recommendations call for allowing only two people to ride together in a pickup cab, encouraging the passenger in a crew-cab truck to ride in the back seat on the passenger side. Click
here
for tips on disinfecting vehicles and other best practices.
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INDEPENDENT
GROCERS ARE STEPPING UP TO SERVE
rural communities in innovative ways during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an article in
Progressive Grocer.
Home deliveries,
additional in-store services
and
“blessing boxes” containing essential supplies
are helping small retailers better meet the needs of community members and comply with social-distancing requirements. With an ability to conduct business in a nimble manner and respond more quickly to change, independent retailers and their store managers have said they plan to continue some of the successful initiatives after the pandemic has passed. Read the
full article
.
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LEADING WITH GRATITUDE: EIGHT LEADERSHIP PRACTICES FOR EXTRAORDINARY BUSINESS RESULTS
We’ve all heard about the importance of showing gratitude to family members, co-workers and employees, but it can be challenging to build those habits and put practices in place consistently. Authors Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton share eight ways to show employees they are valued. The book includes case studies and examples of leaders providing authentic, specific and timely acknowledgements of gratitude to employees, and showcases the measurable morale and bottom line benefits. Click
here
to
learn more.
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“It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.”
~Albert Einstein
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Professional Dairy Producers
820 North Main St.
Juneau, WI 53039
800-947-7379
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