July 2023 Vol. 1
Brought to you by Dairy's Professional Development Organization®
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PDPW Accelerate™
July 26, 2023
Wisconsin Dells, Wis.
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THERE IS STILL TIME TO REGISTER YOUR SUMMER INTERNS for PDPW Accelerate™. Help your college interns make the most of their experience as they prepare for the full-time workforce upon graduation. Michael Hoffman will bring his high energy, interactive style as he facilitates the one-day conference on July 26 in Wisconsin Dells. Sessions will focus on communication, feedback, workplace interactions and more. Learn more, download the program flier and register here.
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Innovation & Technology Farm Tours
August 23, 24, 2023
Dorchester, Wis., and Deer Park, Wis.
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GO BEHIND THE SCENES AT PROGRESSIVE DAIRY FARMS on the 2023 Innovation & Technology Farm Tours. Learn from forward-thinking dairy producers about the innovations they're using for efficiencies leading to increased production and data on rumination and activity. Engage in conversations with dairy managers about the MFR Lely Vector System for feeding, the smaXtec rumination and activity system, and see the first Stjernholm Sand Separation system installed in the U.S. Attend one or both days of the tour. Click here for details and registration information.
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ACE Twilight Meetings
August 28-31, 2023
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ENGAGE WITH LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS, LEGISLATORS AND COMMUNITY members at un upcoming Agricultural Community Engagement (ACE®) Twilight Meeting. Planned for Aug. 28, 29, 30 and 31, these meetings are designed for state and community leaders, neighbors and agricultural producers alike to engage in shared discussions about issues that affect each of us – educational resources, water quality, issues of sustainability, transportation and more. Each event starts with a dairy tour at 6 p.m., followed by ice cream and open dialogue. Meetings will conclude at 8:30 p.m
RSVP in advance by calling PDPW at 800.947.7379 or register here.
Make plans to attend. Invite your neighbors, community leaders and local elected officials, too!
Monday, Aug. 28 - Washington County
Bob & Cindy Roden and family
Roden Echo Valley LLC
5545 Cty Rd. Y, West Bend, WI 53095
Tuesday, Aug. 29 - Rock County
Larson Acres
18218 W. State Rd 59, Evansville, WI 53536
Wednesday, Aug. 30 - Polk County
Ted & Gretchen Johnson; Hans & Catherine Johnson
Horse Creek Holsteins LLC
2080 20th Ave., Star Prairie, WI 54026
Thursday, Aug. 31 - Wood County
Travis & Melissa Marti
Marti Farms
6603 Grant Rd., Vesper, WI 5448
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CONSUMER-PRODUCER RELATIONSHIPS TIED WITH CONTINUING EDUCATION and Dairy AdvanCE is PDPW’s answer to this growing demand.
PDPW will be offering a host of opportunities for dairy producers and other industry professionals to equip themselves with knowledge and new information throughout the summer and into the fall. because consumers want their suppliers to be able to prove they’re pursuit of lifelong learning
The Future Ready™ research conducted by PDPW with stakeholders all across the food value chain indicates that customers want their suppliers to be continually informed and educated so they can sustainably offer the best in products and services. DACE allows you to track and report continuing education (CE) units earned by attending educational programs. Farmers and students are eligible for a free subscription; allied industry professionals can subscribe for a one-time fee of $75. For more information on how to begin tracking CEs and a list of the other education providers through which credits can be earned, visit the Dairy AdvanCE website here.
Be future-ready by continuing your education regularly – and tracking it with Dairy AdvanCE.
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A FULL YEAR OF WORLD-CLASS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS are on tap for the 2023-24 PDPW program year. The schedule of educational events and elite training opportunities is designed to assist dairy farmers and industry professionals alike in strategically managing their businesses and careers for success. The program calendar is developed by PDPW’s producer-led board of directors with input from PDPW members based on what they feel are the most urgent educational needs. See the asterisked programs to identify which will be simultaneously translated into Spanish.
Check out the full calendar here.
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STRATEGIES TO MAXIMIZE PERFORMANCE WITH CONCENTRATE FEEDING in automated milking systems (AMS) is the focus of an article from Michigan State University. AMS systems allow for tailored feeding to encourage cows to regularly visit milking systems and boost milk production. Having more than one feed bin available to deliver concentrates is also becoming more common.
Rules of thumb include:
- Don’t feed more than 5 pounds of concentrate per milking.
- Avoid feeding more than 9 pounds of concentrate per day.
- When drawing from a pen in which cows have similar levels of milk production, it may be best to formulate a more nutrient-dense partial mixed ration (PMR) and feed less concentrate in the robot.
- Since there will be a difference between the amount of feed programmed, delivered and consumed, minimize the quantity of pellets fed to reduce that variation; doing so should also increase the ability to formulate diets that can better predict production outcomes.
- Remember that PMR represents the bulk of nutrients; feeding high-quality forages and having good feeding management remains essential.
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UNDERSTANDING CALF RECUMBENCY IN HOLSTEIN BREED has become a hot topic in the dairy industry. A recent episode of The Dairy Signal® from PDPW took a deep dive into the research into this genetic disorder with Dr. Chelsea Holschbach. She shared a history of research and the finding of “Early Onset Muscle Weakness Syndrome” identified as a single recessive mutation in the CACNA1S gene on chromosome 16. Learn more about this disorder, available testing and ongoing research and work in the recording of the Dairy Signal session here.
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WOUND HEALING FROM CALF EAR TAGS was the focus of research published in the Journal of Dairy Science to determine how long the healing process took and factors that affected it. Calves were ear tagged at two days of age and photos of the wounds were taken weekly until 9 to 22 weeks of age. A scoring system was used to review, and evidence of irritation or tissue growth around ear tag area was still seen in many calves up to 12 weeks of age. A number of environmental and behavioral factors could have caused the irritations and further research is needed to determine ways to improve the ear tagging process.
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CONTACT PREMIER DAIRY SUPPLIERS WITH PDPW PRIME® and take the hassle out of finding an industry professional for the services and resources you need. PDPW Prime companies represent a wide swath of categories, including animal health, buildings, crops, feed and feed additives, implements and equipment, milk handling equipment and more.
Check pdpw.org/prime regularly to find updated specials offered by the leading dairy-industry companies and service providers listed.
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GOOD QUESTIONS DRIVE PRODUCTIVE DISCUSSIONS between managers and their employees. The goal of one-on-one meetings is to help team members secure the direction and resources they need to succeed in their role. However, because those meetings are often driven by managers, the needs of employees are sometimes forgotten. An article from the Harvard Business Review provides nearly 30 questions employees can use to drive productive conversations, including:
- Given what’s currently on my plate, what should I prioritize right now, and can you help me understand why?
- Considering my workload, am I taking on the appropriate projects and tasks?
- From your perspective, am I on track for meeting my goals and your expectations? Is any refocusing necessary?
- Is there any context I might be missing about the projects I’m working on? (For example, what is the reason for doing project X?)
- In your opinion, what are my strengths and how might they be helpful in the future?
Find the remaining suggested questions and learn more here.
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SUCCESSION PLANNING STARTS WITH CONVERSATIONS about a farm’s history and vision for the future. A workbook from University of Wisconsin Extension provides a series of discussion pieces for family members to document the goals for their farm, options for the future and resources available. The workbook doesn’t replace working with such professionals as accountants and attorneys, but is a great starting point to prepare for more efficient conversations with professionals. Access “Cultivating Your Farm’s Future” materials here.
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TRY THESE SIMPLE ROUTINES TO IMPROVE MEMORY. It happens to everyone – experiencing something you want to remember but know you probably won’t. An article from Inc.com shares four easy techniques to improve learning and retention of ideas:
- Say what you want to remember out loud
- Try to predict whether you will remember something
- Spend 40 seconds rehearsing something you want to remember
- Sleep on things you want to remember
Learn more about each of these routines in the full article.
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KEEP TUNING IN TO THE DAIRY SIGNAL. With a growing global audience, The Dairy Signal® continues to bring a wide array of valuable information to the dairy industry. From leading experts across dairy and agricultural industries to researchers at universities and government agencies, The Dairy Signal continues to bring insights on the most pressing issues in today’s marketplace. The 60-minute sessions air every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, with recorded episodes available at www.pdpw.org. Click here to tune in to archived sessions.
Presenters and topics covered recently include:
Learn about the calf-recumbency mutation in the Holstein breed, how it relates specifically to a certain haplotype and what’s being done by researchers, industry professionals and dairy farmers to understand this newly discovered mutation.
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Dr. Chelsea Holschbach, DVM, MS, DACVIM, Assistant Professor in Large Animal Medicine and Food Animal Production Medicine at University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine
As we move into the second half of 2023, join in the interactive conversation about what’s ahead for dairy markets, exports and more, and what you can do to prepare for what’s ahead.
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Ben Buckner, Chief Grains and Dairy Analyst at AgResource
Watch this interactive discussion on how to become an emotionally intelligent business leader and strengthen your team. Learn strategies for improving communication, increasing empathy and empowering your team to build a culture of emotional intelligence in the workplace.
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Tim Schaefer, CFP, Certified Family Business Advisor, Certified Professional Business Coach, Encore Consultants
July is National Ice Cream Month and this episode celebrates the popular treat with a conversation to get the latest “scoop” on the ice cream and frozen dessert research underway at the Babcock Dairy Plant at University of Wisconsin-Madison.
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Dr. Scott Rankin, PhD, Professor and Chair, Food Science Department, UW-Madison
Tune in for a discussion on zoonotic diseases, including what they are, how they are transmitted and which can be transmitted from cattle to humans. Protect both the animals and humans on your farm with precautions to avoid illness and transmission.
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Dr. Darlene Konkle, DVM, MS, DACVIM, State Veterinarian, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection
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Dr. Angela Maxted, DVM, PhD, DACVPM, State Public Health Veterinarian, Wisconsin Department of Health Services
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WHAT ARE THE TRADEOFFS in dairy production systems as the industry works to reduce environmental impact while contributing to global food supply? A new study in the Journal of Dairy Science focused on this question to determine dairy’s impact on nutritional requirements. The study noted that while reducing environmental impact across the sector is key, “milk is one of the only low-energy sources of calcium available for human consumption” and also provides critical nutrients such as protein, riboflavin, vitamin B12 and phosphorus. Learn more in the full journal article.
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LIMITED-SERVICE RESTAURANTS ON THE RISE IN RURAL AMERICA, according to an article from the USDA Amber Waves publication. From 1990 to 2019, the number and popularity of limited-service restaurants in rural counties doubled to 36% of all away-from-home eating establishments. Across the country, the eating-out trend continues to rise, with 50% of food spending and 25% of calories consumed at away-from-home dining establishments. The shift in dining from home to both full-service and limited-service restaurants has an impact on diets and caloric intake. Learn more in the full article.
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KEEPING FARM HELPERS SAFE is always a top priority. During busy times on the farm, getting extra help from family and friends is welcome. Just keep in mind that your farm’s safety priorities should extend to even the most “infrequent” farmers. Keeping helpers safe on the farm starts with:
- Make the message clear that safety is important
- Determine the skill set for necessary tasks and comfort level of employees to do such tasks
- Prepare in advance step-by-step instructions, training materials and personal protective equipment
- Perform routine maintenance on equipment
- Review operation procedures on equipment
Learn more and find other tips in the full article from Penn State Extension.
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“Every problem is a gift; without problems we would not grow.”
– Anthony Robbins
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MIND YOUR MINDSET: THE SCIENCE THAT SHOWS SUCCESS STARTS WITH YOUR THINKING. Understanding the science of how our brains work and the impact of storytelling on our actions and thoughts is the foundation of this book. The authors draw on insights from performance psychology, neuroscience and case studies to explore how the power of ideas and positive narratives can shape positive outcomes in business and life.
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PDPW educational calendar |
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July 26
Accelerate™
Wisconsin Dells, Wis.
August 23, 24
Innovation & Technology Farm Tours
Dorchester, Wis., and Deer Park, Wis.
August 28-31
ACE Twilight Meetings
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Professional Dairy Producers
820 North Main St.
Juneau, WI 53039
800-947-7379
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