Training Sessions
Presenters and topics by week, with a brief description of each day's episode topic and featured presenter(s):
Week 126: Parlor Management and Mastitis Prevention: (watch now)
Tuesday, September 20
Get back to basics on mastitis prevention and management by focusing on the bacteria that causes this disease, and the environmental conditions that allow them to thrive. Hear about ways to improve cow health and milk quality.
- Dr. Maria Jose Fuenzalida, PhD, GLP and Non-GLP Study Coordinator, Pathway Preclinical Services
Learn about the impact that milking parlor equipment and management have on animal wellbeing, including the amount of time cows should spend in the parlor and what happens if they are there too long. Also hear about potential solutions to parlor equipment challenges.
- Dr. Marcia Endres, PhD, Professor, Animal Science Department, and Director of Graduate Studies, University of Minnesota
- Dr. Doug Reinemann, Professor and Chair of Biological Systems Engineering, University of Wisconsin–Madison
Tune in for a dairy producer panel on parlor management focused on key questions like parlor staffing, scheduling, systems and equipment and parlor design. Bring your questions for real-world insights on improving processes and animal wellbeing in the milking parlor.
- Rick Roden, Part Owner, Roden Echo Valley, LLC
- Zoey Nelson, COO of Brooks Farm 1855, LLC
Week 125: Dairy Profitability, Exports and Market News: (watch now)
Tuesday, September 13
As we move into fall, it isn’t too early to think about setting your dairy up for success in the next calendar year. Understand factors and management steps that will impact dairy profitability for the remainder of 2022 and plan ahead for a profitable 2023.
- Gary Sipiorski, independent business and financial consultant
- Dr. Kevin Bernhardt, Professor of Agribusiness at University of Wisconsin-Platteville School of Agriculture and Farm Management Specialist with UW-Extension and Center for Dairy Profitability
Exports are key to the strength of U.S. dairy markets. Tune in to hear about work that the Wisconsin Export Council is doing, including target opportunities, successes and bottlenecks, as well as new development with the United Kingdom to receive shipments of Wisconsin dairy products.
- Randy Romanski, Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection
- Chad Vincent, CEO of Dairy Famers of Wisconsin
Hear the latest in dairy market news and trends and take a look ahead at what is in store for the last three months of 2022 in the bi-weekly market update.
- Dan Basse, President of AgResource Company
Week 124: Manure Storage, Digital Dermatitis, Dairy Protein: (watch now)
Tuesday, September 6
Managing and maintaining manure storage is key to preventing manure spills and other issues. Learn about key management practices to avoid spills and what steps you should take if a spill does occur.
- Kevin Erb, Director of the Conservation Professional Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Division of Extension
Digital dermatitis is common, highly contagious and can have significant impact on cow health and lameness. Tune in to understand digital dermatitis, including what triggers it, how it appears on the farm and best management practices to manage it in individual cows and across your herd.
- Dr. Dörte Döpfer, DVM, PhD, Professor, Food Animal Production Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine at UW-Madison
Take a deep dive into the value of dairy protein, glycomacropeptide (GMP), in curbing hunger and building bone density in this overview of research conducted through the Dairy Innovation Hub.
- Dr. Denise Ney, Professor of Nutritional Sciences, UW-Madison
Week 123: Employee Development, Research Showcase & Market News: (watch now)
Tuesday, August 30
A strong, growing business starts with people who are constantly growing and developing their skills. Tune in for strategies on starting employee development programs at your dairy, and how to build relationships and systems that will benefit both your teams and your business.
- Jay Joy, Chief Executive Officer, Milk Money, LLC
Sponsored by Balchem, this month’s Rising Stars – Graduate Research Showcase features the latest research from Washington State University that evaluated the impact of rBST injections given to prepubertal dairy heifers on mammary gland development and lactation performance.
- Dr. Marcos Inácio Marcondes, Assistant Professor, Dairy Cattle Nutrition, Washington State University
- Giulia Berzoini C. Leite, master’s student, Washington State University
- Ícaro Castro, master’s student, Washington State University
As harvest season nears, join in the bi-weekly market update to hear how the latest news, weather, export and market happenings could impact the dairy industry and your farm.
- Dan Basse, President of AgResource Company
Week 122: Alfalfa Management, Cybersecurity & Calf Diseases: (watch now)
Tuesday, August 23
Tune in to learn about the conditions that cause alfalfa winterkill and hear management techniques to reduce or prevent winterkill and preserve feed quality.
- Dr. Don Miller, Ph.D., Director of Product Development, Alforex Seeds
Wednesday, August 24
Cyber-attacks continue to be in the news and impact organizations and businesses of all sizes. Learn how to protect your business and personal data on networks and wi-fi. In addition, hear what steps you should take if you suspect your information has been compromised.
- Jeremy Cherny, Founder and President, Tobin Solutions
Thursday, August 25
A disease outbreak in your calf barn can be both costly and overwhelming. Hear about the diagnostic tools and signs to watch for to determine if an illness is a single occurrence or the start of an outbreak, and what steps producers should take to manage a breakout.
- Dr. Keith Poulsen, PhD, Director, Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (WVDL), University of Wisconsin
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