DAIRY NEWS – From a calf’s first day through each stage of her life on a dairy farm, animal care is the top priority for dairy team members. Sessions at the 2024 Business Conference presented by the Professional Dairy Producers® (PDP) will deliver a variety of sessions focused on cow and calf care to boost animal health, productivity and profitability on farms of all sizes.
The 2024 PDP Business Conference will be held March 13-14, 2024, at the Kalahari Resorts in Wisconsin Dells, Wis. With 54 learning sessions in breakout sessions, panel discussions, learning lounge and Hands-on Hub sessions, there is something for everyone. Business conference sessions will also be translated simultaneously for attendees who prefer to learn in Spanish. The two-day event also includes the Hall of Ideas Equipment and Trade Show, Preview Stage, Nexus® stage and two sessions for 15-18 year-olds to build their leadership and communications skills.
“Two things make for happy, productive cows — excellent care and well-trained team members ensuring each animal gets the high-quality feed and health management they need,” said Brady Weiland, Columbus, Wis., dairy producer and treasurer of the PDP board of directors. “Our team members enjoy each opportunity they get to learn about how to do their jobs more effectively and they always come back to the farm excited to implement what they’ve learned.”
A selection of the presentations focused on cow care and animal wellbeing include:
- “Creative dairy feed solutions” features a panel discussion with Dr. Joseph Bender, DVM, associate professor at the Center for Animal Health and Productivity at University of Pennsylvania; Dr. Mike DeGroot, PhD, owner of EDGE Dairy Consulting; and Bill Reyes, nutrition and management consultant at Royal Ag Services. Facilitated by Dr. Robb Bender, PhD, managing partner and consultant at GPS Dairy Consulting LLC, the discussion will highlight alternative feed solutions when inventories run slim. Learn about creative products and solutions farmers across the country are using to keep health, production and the bottom line in grasp.
- “Feeding out 2023 corn silage,” will feature a review of 2023 testing results and local and national findings to help producers optimally feed their cows over the next 12 months. Presented by Dr. Andrew Bohnoff, DVM, director of nutrition at Prairie Estate Genetics.
- “Managing for more dry matter intake,” presented by Kathryn Elliott, dairy consultant and technical support specialist with ProAGtive Dairy Nutrition, will examine how one extra meal per day can improve cow health and production.
- “Grazing heifers for the win,” led by Jason Cavadini, grazing specialist and certified professional agronomist at UW-Madison Extension, will share updates in research and management practices for raising dairy heifers in managed grazing systems to reduce costs and improve performance, water quality and soil health.
- “Understand optimal heifer breeding goals,” presented by Dr. Michael Overton, DVM, MPVM, global precision dairy data lead at Zoetis Inc., will discuss the right time to calve heifers to meet profit goals and benefit animal health.
Two Hands-on Hub sessions will provide interactive opportunities for attendees to improve their skills. The 75-minute sessions will be presented twice each day of the conference:
- Dr. Ryan Breuer, DVM, clinical assistant professor of large animal internal medicine at UW-Madison, will facilitate “Make the most of her first day” focused on first-response skills for the team members who manage the youngest animals in a dairy herd. The session will review hands-on stimulation models for newborns, tools and techniques for the first 24 hours after difficult calvings and optimal management practices for newborn calves.
- Dr. Sylvia Kehoe, PhD, professor of dairy science at UW-River Falls, will present “Managing pain from day one,” where attendees will work with cadaver heads to practice proper methods for applying dehorning tools such as burners and paste. They will also learn how to properly administer pain-mitigation tactics orally and via injection.
Register today by visiting the 2024 Business Conference website. Also available are the English-language flier, the Spanish-language flier, information on exhibiting, and details on lodging. A discounted rate at Kalahari Resorts is available if booked through PDP by Feb. 19.
The 2024 PDP Business Conference offers accredited training through such providers as Dairy AdvanCE (DACE) American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists (ARPAS) and Certified Crop Advisor (CCA).
Professional Dairy Producers (PDP) is the nation’s largest dairy producer-led organization of its kind, focusing on producer professionalism, stakeholder engagement and unified outreach to share ideas, solutions, resources and experiences that help dairy producers succeed.
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