May 2022 Vol. 2
Brought to you by Dairy's Professional Development Organization®
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HAVE YOU CHECKED OUT PDPW TALENTCONNECT? This dairy-specific platform provides a professional network through which dairy employers and job seekers can post job openings, view candidates and resumes, and search for available positions based on job category or company name. Job seekers can register for a FREE quarterly membership – and your resume and qualifications will then be viewable to potential employers.
For more information, to add a job listing and search for jobs, use the button below.
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“Now hiring” signs are everywhere … yours is right here! |
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HOOF MANAGEMENT WORKSHOPS IN NEW YORK, WISCONSIN AND SOUTH DAKOTA during June. Don’t miss your chance to interact with hoof care and lameness experts at these on-farm workshops. Topics will include technical essentials of footbaths, risk factors for maturing heifers, treatment and protocols for chronic cows and more. Register today for the 2022 PDPW Hoof Management Workshops set for June 14 in Hudson Falls, NY; June 28 in Newton, Wis.; and June 30 in Baltic, SD. Learn more and register on the PDPW website.
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GALAXIS FRONTIER FEATURED ON THE NEXUS STAGE. Native Microbials presented their product, Galaxis Frontier, on the Nexus stage at the 2022 PDPW Business Conference.
Galaxis Frontier was developed from years of rigorous work to better understand the complexity of the rumen microbiome and the microbial communities at work within that environment. The product is made with live microbes that are native to the rumen of dairy cows and then delivered to cows in a live state, allowing them to colonize and productively influence the rumen. Specifically, four native rumen microbes were selected for their unique biochemical modes of action in the rumen. They include:
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Pichia kudriavzevii synthesizes enzymes that degrade fiber to create more accessible energy in the rumen.
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Clostridium beijerinckii is a bacteria that efficiently convert sugars into volatile fatty acids, primarily butyrate.
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Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens are involved in the biohydrogenation of linoleic acids found in forage to vaccenic acid, the major substrate for conjugated linoleic acid in milk.
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Ruminococcus bovis, a novel species identified and named by Native Microbials, break down resistant starches in the feed to access energy.
Academic and on-farm trials have shown a measurable, therapeutic-like response in the cow, with studies conducted at the University of Illinois, Michigan State, University of Florida, South Dakota State and Cornell University. A recent 40-week trial conducted in Tulare, Calif., showed an increase in energy corrected milk compared to control cows.
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ONLINE TRAINING MODULES FOR CALF CARE & QUALITY ASSURANCE PROGRAM are now available for calf raisers to ensure optimal calf health and welfare across the industry. Completing the free Calf Care and Quality Assurance (CCQA) online modules will provide certification equivalent to Beef Quality Assurance certification. The program was developed with an understanding of the diversity of calf-raising enterprises, being science- and outcome-based while maintaining facility type and size neutrality. In addition to the manual, online modules and self-assessment tools, CCQA will release an audit tool later this year.
Learn more and find all resources here.
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DON’T OVERLOOK THE ROLE OF DRY COW DIETS IN PREVENTING MASTITIS. The two highest-risk periods during which a cow is likely to develop mastitis are at the end of the lactation, moving into the dry period and at the start of the lactation. An article from Penn State Extension outlines the importance of dry cow diets to support the immune function and prevent potential disease concerns post-calving, including mastitis. While many dry cow diets eliminate supplements to prevent overfeeding minerals and vitamins, these are essential to cow health and future lactations.
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RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS THE CHALLENGE OF EARLY IDENTIFICATION OF BOVINE RESPIRATORY DISEASE (BRD). A study published in the Journal of Dairy Science reviewed the accuracy of clinical symptoms, monitoring and scoring systems in more than 900 calves from 84 herds to identify calves with ultrasound-confirmed pneumonia. Calves were monitored and scored, then submitted to thoracic ultrasounds. Spontaneous or induced cough was the only clinical sign associated with both dairy and beef calves. Researchers highlighted the need to develop and validate scoring systems for breeds, ages and housing systems of calves. They also found that cough, rectal temperature and breathing rate showed the most promise as clinical signs that could be used to develop continuous monitoring systems for early detection of BRD.
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EFFECTIVE MENTORS PROVIDE SUPPORT, NOT STEP-BY-STEP PLANS, for the success of their mentees. An article from Kellogg Insights provides tips for being a better mentor in both formal and informal mentoring relationships, including:
1. Teach skills, but don’t stop there
2. Allow mentees to “own” the relationship
3. Help mentees to think beyond the next job or career
4. Don’t be afraid to have tough conversations
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ASSESS CURRENT SITUATION AND MAP OUT A FINANCIAL PLAN for the rest of 2022, encouraged by financial consultant Gary Sipiorski and UW-Platteville agribusiness professor Dr. Kevin Bernhardt. Sharing their insights in a recent episode of The Dairy Signal, the duo suggested this as a good exercise for dairy farms of all sizes, especially in today’s economic environment. As the second quarter rolls on, they recommend dairy producers assess their needs for the remainder of the year, including capital expenditures, inputs that haven’t been pre-purchased, debt-service requirements and family living expenses. Compare those numbers with price and revenue expectations to update budget and planning documents.
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MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS ABOUT RAISING HEIFERS ON PASTURE with the Excel-based Heifer Grazing Compass planning tool developed by the Grassland 2.0 project at the University of Wisconsin. While raising heifers with managed grazing can result in financial and labor savings, farmers must plan ahead and answer key questions to ensure the practice will meet the animals’ health and feed needs. The planning tool provides a framework for addressing questions and identifying the financial outcomes of a proposed pasture system. Learn more here.
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KEEP TUNING IN TO THE DAIRY SIGNAL. In its third year of bringing valuable information to the dairy industry, The Dairy Signal™ continues to bring together leading experts across dairy and agricultural industries, universities, and government and regulatory associations for insights on the most pressing issues in today’s marketplace. The 60-minute sessions air every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, with recorded episodes available for free at pdpw.org. Click here to find archived recordings of sessions.
Presenters and topics covered recently include:
Protecting yourself and your team from the sun and heat stress has both short- and long-term health benefits. Learn strategies for working and playing safely in the heat, including sun-protection tips and how to prevent and identify heat stress and heat stroke.
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Leslie Olivares, Education and Outreach Specialist, Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety, University of California, Davis
A quick response can save property and lives in case of a fire. Learn how to prevent common fire safety hazards and how to respond when equipment or tractors overheat and when a fire starts in a barn environment.
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Gerald Minor, Fire Chief, Pittsville Fire Department
Take a deep dive into how heat stress impacts dairy cow reproduction, including longer breed-back time, the incidence of twins and more. Learn practical strategies to combat these adverse effects during warmer summer months.
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Dr. Paul Fricke, PhD, Dairy Reproduction Specialist at University of Wisconsin-Madison
Tune in for a timely discussion on risk management and budgeting for the remainder of 2022. Now is a great time to review financials from the first quarter and adjust your plans for the coming months.
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Gary Sipiorski, independent business and financial consultant
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Dr. Kevin Bernhardt, Professor of Agribusiness at UW-Platteville School of Agriculture and Farm
Learn about the effects dietary fiber and starch digestibility can have on your herd’s feeding behavior and lactation performance.
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Dr. Luiz Ferraretto, Assistant Professor and Ruminant Nutrition Extension Specialist, UW-Madison
Clear your schedule for this bi-weekly discussion on the latest dairy industry news, weather updates and analyses on the trends in agricultural markets expected to impact dairy producers and all of agriculture.
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Dan Basse, President of AgResource Company
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STRESS LEVELS, SNACKING, AND CLEAN EATING are driving consumer food behaviors in 2022, according to the Food and Health Survey from IFIC. Slightly more than half of the respondents said they are following a diet or eating pattern. The top eating patterns were found to be “clean” eating, mindful eating, calorie counting and plant-based diets. Nearly three-quarters of consumers snack at least once a day – up 15% from 2021 – and respondents who felt “very stressed” in the last six months said they were more likely to snack three or more times a day compared to people who reported feeling only “somewhat stressed.” Learn more and see full results here.
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WHAT ARE THE BIOSECURITY PRIORITIES ON YOUR FARM? External and internal biosecurity protocols cover a wide range of practices to prevent the introduction and spread of disease agents from external and internal sources. In addition to supporting animal health, effective biosecurity practices can improve economic results and lower antimicrobial use and resistance. Taking time to review a checklist of practices for incoming animals, farm visitors, incoming feed and inputs, as well as farm management practices such as newborn calf management, calf housing, milking procedures, and more will help identify priorities to protect the health of animals, team members and public. Read the article for the list of priority areas.
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PDPW educational calendar |
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Hoof Management Workshop
Hudson Falls, NY; Newton, WI;
& Baltic, SD
March 14-15
Wisconsin Dells, WI
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March 15-16
Wisconsin Dells, WI
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“The beginning is always today.” - Mary Shelley |
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Professional Dairy Producers
820 North Main St.
Juneau, WI 53039
800-947-7379
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