Training Sessions
Presenters and topics by week, with a brief description of each day's episode topic and featured presenter(s):
Week 121: Herd Profitability, Feed Efficiency & Market Update: (watch now)
Tuesday, August 16
Dig into the characteristics that make dairy herds profitable. Go beyond cow numbers and identify key areas throughout the farming operation that make a difference in the bottom line.
- Dr. Joleen Hadrich, PhD, Associate Professor and Extension Specialist, Department of Applied Economics, University of Minnesota
Wednesday, August 17
Take a close look at feed intake and feed efficiency, focusing on how dairies can do more with less. Learn how to measure feed intake and milk yield and put that information to work to benefit the operation.
- Dr. Heather White, PhD, Associate Professor of Nutritional Physiology of the University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Dr. Kent Weigel, PhD, Professor and Chair, Department of Animal & Dairy Sciences, UW-Madison
Thursday, August 18
Don’t miss the bi-weekly market update to gain valuable and timely insights on the news, weather, export and market trends that will impact your farm and the dairy industry now and in upcoming months.
- Dan Basse, President of AgResource Company
Week 120: Alternative Feed, Managing Costs & Activity Monitors: (watch now)
Tuesday, August 9
Alternative feedstuffs such as non-consumable food items are a hot topic as dairy producers look to make the most of potential ration ingredients while maintaining production, cow health and profitability. Learn how to incorporate these alternative feedstuffs into rations and understand how cattle can break these items down.
- Dr. Gail Carpenter, Assistant Professor of Extension and Outreach, Dairy Production, Iowa State University
Wednesday, August 10
With seven months of 2022 behind us, hear about strategies to successfully navigate your dairy business through an environment of both high milk prices and high input costs, and look ahead at what may be in store for the rest of the year.
- Will Babler, Principal, Atten Babler Commodities LLC
Thursday, August 11
Dive into research about the role that activity monitoring systems on dairy farms can play in predicting fertility as well as how these systems can be used to manage groups of cows based on their activity levels. The episode will also feature a discussion comparing estrus detection programs with timed A.I. programs.
- Julio Giordano, Associate Professor-Dairy Cattle Biology and Management, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Department of Animal Science, Cornell University
Week 119: Production Span, Hiring and Onboarding, Market Update: (watch now)
Tuesday, August 2
Take a deep dive into the production life span of a dairy cow and how it should impact managing a dairy farm and heifer numbers. Discussions will explore the typical age at which a dairy cow begins to make a profit, the optimal number of replacement heifers for a herd and culling factors that lower production life span.
- Dr. Gavin Staley, Technical Services Specialist, Diamond V
Hear from a panel of successful dairy producers about their hiring and onboarding processes, qualifications for new employees, resources for finding new employees and the ongoing protocols once the right person is hired.
- Jordan Matthews, Partner, Rosy-Lane Holsteins LLC, Watertown, Wis.
- Tyler Raatz, Feed Manager/Employee Leader, Wagner Farms Inc., Oconto Falls, Wis.
- Jim Kusilek, Owner, Four Mile Creek Dairy, Hillsdale, Wis.
Stay on top of ever-changing industry, export and market news as Dan Basse gives an update on the trends that will impact your farm through the rest of 2022.
- Dan Basse, President, AgResource Company
Week 118: Silage Quality, Graduate Research & Biochar: (watch now)
Tuesday, July 26
The 2022 corn crop moves forward despite less-than-optimal conditions. Tune in for a forecast of silage quality and recommendations for the upcoming chopping season. Alfalfa quality and its place in dairy rations will also be featured.
- Dr. John Goeser, PhD, Director of Nutritional Research & Innovation at Rock River Lab, Inc., and Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Dairy Science Department at University of Wisconsin-Madison
Sponsored by Balchem, the July edition of “Rising Stars: Graduate Research Showcase” will highlight students from University of Idaho studying the effects of heat stress on hepatic and mammary epithelial cells, as well as the impact of wildfire-smoke inhalation on dairy calf health.
- Adamarie S Márquez Acevedo, second-year master's student in Animal Physiology at the University of Idaho
- Alexandra Pace, master’s student at the University of Idaho
- Dr. Amy Skibiel, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Idaho
Thanks to funding from the Dairy Innovation Hub, scientists have been studying the use of on-farm anaerobic digesters and improving air quality and odor management. Tune in to learn how using biochar reduces hydrogen sulfide in the process. Specific findings about manure storage coverings will also be shared.
- Dr. Joseph Sanford, PhD, Assistant Professor in the School of Agriculture, UW-Platteville, and faculty researcher for the Dairy Innovation Hub
Week 117: Transition Management, Data Platform, & Farm Safety : (watch now)
Tuesday, July 19
Tune in to hear about some of the most common obstacles in transition planning and important steps to manage through them. Discover strategies to prepare family members for the planning process and what to look for in an advisor.
- Liz Griffith, Market Development, Human Resource Consultant, Encore Consultants
- Tim Schaefer, CFP, Certified Family Business Advisor, Certified Professional Business Coach, Encore Consultants
Learn about the DAIRI platform developed at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, including how producers can use the program to understand and benchmark key production numbers such as income over feed cost.
- Dr. Andrew Bohnhoff, Director of Forage and Nutrition, Prairie Estates Genetics
- Dr. Austin Polebitski, PhD, Associate Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, UW-Platteville
Whether helping with chores, playing outside or working a summer job, children from toddlers to teens often spend more time on the farm during the summer months. Learn how to prepare farms for having young children around and explore what distractions could lead children to unsafe situations and how to prevent them.
- Melissa Ploeckelman, Outreach Specialist, National Farm Medicine Center at Marshfield Clinic Research Institute
Week 116: Nutrient & crop management tips, ringworm and pinkeye: (watch now)
Tuesday, July 12
Ringworm and pinkeye are common, easily transmissible diseases dairy farmers sometimes face in their herds. Tackle myths and misconceptions about these ailments and learn the most effective treatments and preventions in a fact-or-fiction format.
- Dr. Chelsea Holschbach, DVM, MS, DACVIM, Assistant Professor in Large Animal Medicine and Food Animal Production Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine
- Dr. Ryan Breuer, DVM, Clinical Assistant Professor of Large Animal Internal Medicine, UW-Madison, School of Veterinary Medicine, and Diagnostic Case & Outreach Coordinator, Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
Wednesday, July 13
Managing nutrients effectively can improve crop performance and boost the bottom line. Hear about changes that can be made based on fertilizer prices and supplies, evaluating soil tests to target phosphorous and potassium needs, and properly crediting manure and legumes to reduce commercial purchases.
- Dave West, agronomist, West Agronomics
- Justin Peterson, partner, Creamery Creek Holsteins, LLC
Thursday, July 14
As the growing season progresses, hear about the effects of heat stress on young crops and management tips to get the best performance in early-growth stages.
- Dr. Joe Lauer, Professor, Agronomy, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UW-Madison
Week 115: Side-dressing manure, fly control & market update: (watch now)
Tuesday, July 5
Side-dressing corn with manure can help save costs on commercial fertilizer. Hear about how to effectively apply and manage this valuable resource.
- Glen Arnold, Associate Professor, Field Specialist, Manure Nutrient Management at Ohio State University Extension
Fly control is a hot topic during summer months. Hear from dairy producers who will share how they manage fly populations in calf-raising areas.
- Christine Bender, Owner/Herd Manager, McFarlandale Dairy LLC, Watertown, Wis.
- Sherry Arnold, Busse’s Barron Acres, Barron, Wis.
As we move into the second half of 2022, hear about the market, export and industry news that will impact the dairy industry now and over the next several months.
- Dan Basse, President of AgResource Company
Week 114: Human trafficking, vitamin D research & ground water: (watch now)
Tuesday, June 28
Human trafficking can and does happen everywhere, unfortunately. Learn what signs to look for in rural areas and in agricultural workforces, and what you can do to prevent it.
- Paul Marik, Captain of Patrol Division, village of Pleasant Prairie, Wis.
Sponsored by Balchem, this Rising Stars Graduate Research Showcase features recent graduates from the Nelson Lab at the University of Florida. Their work focuses on vitamin nutrition and physiology, with fresh research on the effects of maternal choline and vitamin supplementation on offspring performance and vitamin D supplementation during development on first-lactation performance. A trio of presenters will share summaries of their research as it pertains to heifer development.
- Ana Vieira, Enogen Account Lead, Syngenta
- Samantha Zeitler, Yield Analyst, JBS USA
- Dr. Corwin Nelson, PhD, Associate Professor of Physiology, Immunology, and Endocrinology, University of Florida
Learn about the underpinnings of Wisconsin geology and how it impacts groundwater. This episode will also explore the water yields of wells, as well as the resources available in Wisconsin and other states.
- David Hart, Hydrogeologist, Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey
Week 113: Cover crops, alfalfa management & market update: (watch now)
Tuesday, June 21
With the corn and soybean growing season finally underway, many producers are turning attention to cover crops for the next season. Hear about best practices for aerial seeding and interseeding cover crops into corn and soybeans, as well as strategies for optimizing typical conservation plots such as waterways and buffers. We’ll also discuss cover-cropping small grains.
- Matthew Oehmichen, Co-Owner, Short Lane AG Supply LLC
Understand the impact that fertilizer deficiencies can have on alfalfa growth and quality, and learn what options exist if you have deficiencies in your crop.
- Dr. Don Miller, Ph.D., Director of Product Development, Alforex Seeds
We’re a week away from the halfway point of 2022. Tune in to hear about the trends, opportunities and challenges that will shape the next six months in dairy and agricultural markets.
- Dan Basse, President of AgResource Company
Week 112: Heifer nutrition, barn microclimates and beef checkoff: (watch now)
Tuesday, June 14
Understanding heifer-growth benchmarks from weaning to calving and hitting targets for their nutritional needs is key. Dr. Akins will discuss those details and offer strategies for controlling growth and feed costs for pregnant heifers.
- Dr. Matt Akins, Associate Scientist and Extension Dairy Specialist, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Learn about how microclimates inside barns can affect animal health, production and wellbeing, as well as other trends in housing and animal welfare.
- Dr. Nigel Cook, DVM, Professor in Food Animal Production Medicine at UW-Madison, School of Veterinary Medicine; Chair of the Department of Medical Sciences
- Dr. Jennifer Van Os, PhD., Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist in Animal Welfare, UW-Madison
Hear about the latest consumer research in beef purchasing and promotion from state and national checkoff leaders. They’ll also share promotions and recipes to keep beef on the grill and dinner tables during the summer months.
- Angie Horkan, Director of Marketing, Wisconsin Beef Council
- Sarah Reece, Sr. Executive Director, Brand Marketing, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
- Mandy Carr Johnson, PhD, Sr. Executive Director, Scientific Affairs, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association