Herd Management

Join us for a first-hand look at how fellow dairy farmers are managing pre-weaned calves using technology. These include automatic calf feeders, pasteurizers, and milk cooling systems. Basic sanitation, equipment hygiene, housing and ventilation will be discussed. Read more about Automatic Calf Feeder Field Day

The I-29 Moo University will host its Dairy Beef Short Course Tour on Tuesday, March 27. The tour is an educational pre-event associated with the Central Plains Dairy Expo in Sioux Falls, and all dairy beef and milk producers plus industry and students are encouraged to attend. The tour includes stops at two feedlots and one auction facility that deal with dairy steers. The $30 registration includes noon meal, educational materials and bus transportation.

The bus will load at the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls (1201 N. West Ave., Sioux Falls, SD 57104) and leave by 8:15 am. The first stop will be Binford Farms Feedlot near LuVerne, Minnesota. Grant and Rebecca plus Eric and Shari Binford have seven children between the two families ranging in ages from 15 to 4 years of age that they hope will become the next generation in agriculture. Binford Farms is a farmer feeder operation with management divided between Grant managing the cattle feeding and Eric managing the farming and trucking aspects of the business. The operation has primarily fed Holsteins since 2002 from 350 pounds to finish with some Holstein calves in the mix. 

Lunch will be provided at the Tristate Livestock Auction Café. Tri-State Livestock in Sioux Center is a diversified auction market selling all classes of livestock and specializing in dairy for over 80 years. Co-owners are Mike and Roger Koedam, Duane Rus plus Jason Spykerboer. The barn is affiliated with Sheldon Livestock and Sioux Falls Regional Livestock. Mike and Rus will outline what they need in the ring to get “top-dollar” for producers selling dairy beef.

The third stop will be Rock River Feeders north of Sioux Center, Iowa. Kent and Sylvia Pruismann, along with other family members, have taken great care to develop the feedlot with special attention to animal well-being, environmental sustainability and the incorporation of new technologies.  The feedlot currently houses 3500 head of cattle in outside yards meeting all federal and state manure management regulations.  Kent is a member of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Board, so it is no surprise that Beef Quality Assurance is the normal mode of daily operation.  All cattle are tagged upon arrival with an electronic identification tag, which is used to track animal origin, health and movement.  Placement weight of incoming calves averages 270 pounds.  The feedlot rations are a TMR consisting of earlage, corn, wet distillers grains and mineral supplementation.  They market their dairy steers on a high energy grid to JBS in Wisconsin.

The tour will return to the Denny Sanford Premier Center at 4:30 p.m.

Registration by March 23 will guarantee a spot on the bus. Registrations with digital payment should be made at iGrow.org.

The I-29 Moo University is a consortium of Extension Dairy Specialists from Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. Now in its 13th year, the consortium provides resources and education to enhance a sustainable dairy community along the I-29 corridor by focusing on: best management practices, utilization of research-based expertise and resources, and ag-vocating the benefits of a vibrant dairy community. For more information on the dairy beef tour or other I-29 Moo University programs contact your state Extension Dairy Specialist. In Northwest Iowa, contact Fred M. Hall at 712.737.4230 or email at fredhall@iastate.edu. Read more about I-29 Moo University Dairy Beef Short Course Tour

Agenda

Wednesday, June 13, 2018

7:30 AM Registration

Alltech Pre-conference Symposium

Sponsored by Alltech
Achieving and ensuring a herd’s genetic potential

8:00 - 11:30 AM

Introduction, Dan Weiland and Brad Rortvedt

Strategies to capture your herd’s potential, Dr. Roger Scaletti, Alltech Mineral Management Technical Support

Mycotoxin impact on lifetime performance from fetus through freshening, Dr. Alexandra Weaver, Alltech Mycotoxin Management Technical Support

The 5 C’s of calf management, Dr. Sam Leadley, Calf/heifer management specialist, Attica Veterinary Associates

Fine tuning your dairy for greater efficiency and profits, Thomas Lorensen and Jeff Johnson, Alltech On-Farm Support Specialists

11:30 AM - Lunch

4-State Dairy Nutrition and Management Conference

General Session (Exhibit A)
Feeding management and behavior

1:30 - 2:10 PM
Improving the prediction of metabolizable protein supply through evaluation and application of intestinal protein digestibility, Dr. Mike Van Amburgh, Cornell University

2:10 - 2:50 PM
Low lignin forages: BMR corn & reduced-lignin alfalfa, Ev Thomas, Oak Point Agronomics, Ltd.

2:50 - 3:30 PM
Making low-lignin highly digestible forages work on the dairy, Jim Barmore, GPS Consulting and Brian Forrest, Farmer Maple Ridge Dairy, Stratford WI

3:30 - 4:00 PM - Break (Exhibit B)
Visit conference exhibitors

Breakout Session I

4 Topics 2x; 4:00 - 4:30 & 4:40 - 5:10 PM

Beyond IgG: components of colostrum as modifiers of metabolism and the immune system of the calf, Dr. Mike Van Amburgh, Cornell University

Alfalfa vs. alfalfa-grass: obstacles and opportunities, Ev Thomas, Oak Point Agronomics, Ltd.

Nutrition aspects during the transition period in dairy cows, Dr. Phil Cardoso, University of Illinois

Looking back to understand the present: monitoring the transition cow, Luciano Caixeta, University of Minnesota

Thursday, June 14

7:00 - 8:00 AM - Breakfast
Sponsored by Papillion

General Session (Exhibit A)
Information for better decision making

8:30 - 9:10 AM
Producing more milk with more high-quality forages, Dr. Randy Shaver, University of Wisconsin

9:10 - 9:50 AM
Wrap your head around today's fiber digestion metrics: working to better understand feeds on farm and build better diets, Dr. John Goeser, Rock River Labs

9:50 - 10:30 AM
Impact of individual and combinations of supplemental fatty acids on dairy cow performance and metabolism, Dr. Adam Lock, Michigan State University

10:30 - 11:00 AM - Break
Visit conference exhibitors

Breakout Session II

6 Topics 2x; 11:00 - 11:30 & 11:35 - 12:05 PM

Corn genetic applications to improve silage starch digestibility in dairy cows, Dr. Randy Shaver, University of Wisconsin

Feeding practices in top U.S. Jersey herds, Dr. Mike Hutjens, University of Illinois

Supplementing fatty acids to fresh cows: which ones, when, and how much? Dr. Adam Lock, Michigan State University

Effect of manipulating progesterone before timed artificial insemination on double ovulation and twinning rates in high-producing Holstein cows, Dr. Paul Fricke, University of Wisconsin

(One-time) Feeding and management practices for robotic milking success, Jim Salfer, University of Minnesota

(One-time) Integrating cover crops and livestock to improve farm profitability, Dr. Brad Heins, University of Minnesota

12:00 PM - Conference concludes

Canola Council of Canada Post Conference Symposium

Sponsored by Canola Council of Canada

12:00 - 12:20 PM - Lunch for post conference attendees

12:20 - 12:30 PM
A snapshot of the canola industry in Canada, Brittany Dyck, Canola Council of Canada

12:30 - 12:50 PM
Canola meal, a proven advantage in various diet formulations, Dr. Kenneth Kalscheur, USDA-ARS, U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center

12:50 - 1:10 PM
Canola meal for early lactation cows, Dr. Spencer Moore, University of Wisconsin-Madison

1:10 - 1:30 PM
Getting canola meal values right in the formulation, Dr. Essi Evans, Technical Advisory Services

1:30 - 2:00 PM
Evaluating feeding financials, Dr. Marty Faldet, GPS Dairy Consulting, LLC

Location

The conference will be held at the Grand River Center, 500 Bell Street, Dubuque, Iowa, 52001, (563)-690-4500.

Lodging

A block of rooms have been reserved at these area facilities.

Grand Harbor Resort
350 Bell St., Dubuque, IA
(866)-690-4006

Single room rate $95 + taxes; double room rate $105 + taxes. Cut off date May 10. Be sure to mention 4-State Dairy to receive the group rate.

This hotel will sell out, so register now.

Holiday Inn Dubuque
450 Main St., Dubuque, IA
9563)-556-2000

Room rate $95 + taxes for a single or double. Cut off date May 9. Be sure to mention 4-State Dairy to receive the group rate.

Program information contacts

Dr. Phil Cardoso, University of Illinois
(217)-300-2303
cardoso2@illinois.edu

Dr. Larry Tranel, Iowa State University
(563)-583-6496
tranel@iastate.edu

Jim Salfer, University of Minnesota
(320)-203-6093
salfe001@umn.edu

Dr. Randy Shaver, University of Wisconsin
(608)-263-3491
rdshaver@wisc.edu

Registration Information

Registration fee: $150 before June 1, $175 after June 1 and at the door

Includes: registration, conference proceedings, listed meals and breaks. Please advise us at the time of registration if you need special accommodations. Requests will be kept confidential.

Cancellations/refunds

To receive a full refund, you must contact the Wisconsin Agri-Business Association by June 1, 2018. After that date, a $25 cancellation fee will be charged. If you fail to cancel, no refund will be granted.

Registration questions, please contact WABA at 608-223-1111.

Register today!

Early registration fee by May 31: $150
Late registration fee: $175

After June 2, please bring your registration to the conference Walk-in Registration Table.

Register online Read more about Four-State Dairy Nutrition and Management Conference

Clinic To Help NW Iowa Livestock Producers Improve Corn Silage Quality

Northwest Iowa beef and dairy producers depend on quality corn silage to build profitable rations. To help them accomplish this, the Iowa Beef Center and Iowa Extension Dairy Team are hosting the NW IA Corn Silage Clinic on August 28 at the Northwest Iowa Research and Demonstration Farm in Sutherland.

“The NW Iowa Corn Silage Clinic will feature top experts from the upper Midwest with the most current information on topics that affect corn silage and earlage quality and economics” notes ISU Extension Dairy Field Specialist Fred M. Hall. Presentations will begin promptly at 9 am and will break at 12 noon for lunch. The program will adjourn by 3:30. Each expert will be available to answer questions.

Topics and speakers include:

• Agronomic practices impacting corn silage digestion- Dr. Fred Owens, feedlot nutrition specialist.
• Silage and kernel processing equipment- Aaron Ostrander, John Deere silage specialist.
• Silage additives and inoculants- Dr. Scott Dennis, Pioneer.
• Evaluating corn silage and earlage: What’s typical, Dr. Dan Loy, ISU Beef Center director.
• Quality corn silage going in and coming out, Dr. Hugo Ramirez, ISU dairy specialist.
• Pricing corn silage, Dr. William Edwards, retired ISU ag economist.

In addition, there will be two concurrent session featuring feeding corn products to the beef animal with Owens and feeding corn products to the dairy cow with Ramirez.

Producers will also be able to walk through corn silage variety plots and talk with seed company technicians. “In addition, there is a trade show which will allow producers to compare equipment and products used in putting up quality silage,” says ISU Extension Beef Field Specialist Beth Doran.

Registration is $25, with payment at the door. Pre-registration is required for the meal count and can be made by calling the Sioux County Extension office at 712.737.4230.

For more information, contact ISUEO Beef Field Specialist Beth Doran or ISUEO Dairy Field Specialist Fred M. Hall. Both can be reached at 712.737.4230 in the Sioux County Extension office. Read more about 2018 NW Iowa Corn Silage Clinic