2023 Central Plains Dairy Expo Special Edition

DAIRY ST R

March 11, 2023

First Section

March 28 - 30, 2023

Denny Sanford Premier Center • Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Where dairy in the Central Plains comes together

Central Plains Dairy Expo generates education, fellowship

Event to highlight vitality of region’s dairy industry

maria.b@dairystar.com

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Central Plains Dairy Expo is coming up. And with a full agenda, dairy producers and industry professionals from across the region should take note.

The annual dairyfocused event is March 28-30 at the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls.

This year’s expo features more than 300 exhibitors and 60 breakout sessions, including 10 sessions presented in Spanish. Trade show exhibitors will highlight innovative products, services and technologies rele-

vant to today’s dairy industry. Speakers amassing the two-day event will bring prominent presentations to the forefront for farmers and professionals alike.

“Every minute that dairy farmers attend Central Plains Dairy Expo will be spent in a very valuable way,” said Renee Brod, executive director of CPDE.

“The exhibitors that are attending are 100% dairy focused. They all have passion and desire to help dairy farmers and the dairy industry grow with the products and services they offer. All of our exhibitors and speakers will have information dairy farmers will nd benecial.”

CPDE will commence at 5:30 p.m. March 28 with its free Welcome Reception featuring Sara Evans, a multi-platinum entertainer

and the fth-most played female artist on country radio. Brod said CPDE allows attendees time for learning

as well as fun.

“They will be able to connect and network with other dairy producers,” she said. “They are not only get-

ting a priceless education from our seminars

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led by experts that are coming in to hold these breakout sessions, but they are also going to have afternoon and evening time where they can share what is going on in their lives with their passions around the dairy industry with others who are doing the same thing.”

The Central Plains Dairy Foundation’s fth annual Dairy Forward Auction is back this year with proceeds supporting dairy scholarships, workforce grants and community diversity programs in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota.

The March 28 silent auction features wine and cheese baskets, dairy art, concert tickets, hunting and shing trips, tickets to sporting events, livestock supplies and equipment and more.

The Prayer Breakfast will begin at 7 a.m. March 29. This year’s breakfast features Tim Lovelace, a Grammy and Dove Award nominated artist. This free event will showcase Lovelace, a nationally sought-after storyteller and musician.

The trade show doors open at 8:30 a.m. March 29 and features a free wine and cheese social starting at 4:30 p.m. Other complimentary items for CPDE visitors to enjoy include doughnuts, grilled cheese sandwiches and ice cream novelties. There will be a beer garden at the convention center. Proceeds from the 16-ounce tap beers will go toward CPDF’s initiatives. Tickets for the beer garden can be purchased online at https://e. givesmart.com/events/uP9/.

Educational breakout sessions will begin at 8:30 a.m. March 29. This year’s sessions will include several panels. A farm bill forum will be comprised of congressional representatives and their staff. Speakers will address Federal Milk Marketing Order reform, crop programs, and food and school lunch programs.

“With continued changes to the dairy industry and potential legislative changes to the farm bill in 2023, you do not want to miss this

year’s Central Plains Dairy Expo,” said Kris Bousquet, president of the Central Plains Dairy Association. “This year contains education and networking opportunities that are sure to have an impact on your business.”

A panel of farmers and processors will discuss the dairy industry in the next 10 years, and three dairy farmers will lead a panel discussion titled, “When do robots make sense? Understand the decisions involved in switching to automation.”

March 30 beings with a free pancake breakfast at 8 a.m. followed by a full day of trade show and breakout sessions.

New to CPDE this year are Ed Shed presentations. Found in the arena, Brod said these informal 30-minute exhibits will share the latest and greatest in research, product innovation and tools for a dairy farmer’s toolbox. These will be presented by Ralco, MGK Insect Control Solutions, Bio-Vet Inc., Cargill and MB Nutritional Sciences LLC.

“Our initial intent with this was to have it be product focused,” Brod said. “But, we really have some high impact big hitters coming in to talk in that informal format as well.”

Future Connections will be unveiled at CPDE. The new feature is geared toward the dairy industry’s up and coming generation.

“We are trying to create an ongoing platform at expo that will connect young dairy enthusiasts,” Brod said. “We want to help them connect and inspire them while bringing relevant dairy topics to the forefront for them.”

Dr. Jeffrey Bewley, from Holstein Association USA, will keynote Future Connections at 3:30 p.m. March 29. He will present, “Smart Dairy Technology, Excitement with Cautious Optimism.”

Bewley is a dairy analytics and innovation scientist and has worked with more than 50 dairy technologies during the last 18 years.

“He is going to speak to all the technology he has tested,” Brod said. “He is going to have a conversation with participants so they can understand more of the technologies that are up and coming.”

Attendees should preregister and can nd more information at www.centralplainsdairy.com.

Flexible margin management in uncertain times

Toll will present on milk, feed markets at CPDE

Milk and commodity prices are inherently volatile, and dairy operators need to use every tool available to help them remain protable.

This topic will be explored in-depth during a breakout session that will be conducted by Jeff Toll, account executive with Chicago-based Commodity & Ingredient Hedging LLC. Toll is slated to give his presentation, “Dairy Margin Outlook and Strategies to Consider,” at 9 a.m. March 29 during the Central Plains Dairy Expo in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

“I want to help producers gain an understanding of today’s dairy and feed market fundamentals and how this volatility impacts the producer’s margins,” Toll said. “I will review the importance of having a margin management plan and walk through an education on different contracting tools to optimize exibility and protect protability.”

Recent history provides a vivid illustration of the many ways extreme price volatility can affect a dairy operation’s bottom line.

“At this same time last year, forward margins for what is now spot rst quarter 2023 were projecting positive returns of over $4 per hundredweight for a model dairy operation,” Toll said. “That was around the 99th percentile of historical protability when looking back over the previous decade. Currently, that same rst quarter margin is now only barely breakeven on the open market.”

Dairy farmers are no strangers to price swings, but the past year has seen some truly neck-snapping changes, Toll said. Operators who made use of the tools available to them were able to cushion the blow by evening out some of the peaks and the valleys.

“Many things have transpired over the past year to impact the price of milk as well as the cost of feed for this marketing period, but in the big picture, the opportunity to protect a historically high level of protability was real,” Toll said. “And, it is now lost if there was no risk management plan in place to secure it.”

Despite recent drops in milk prices, there are opportunities for dairy operators to remain protable.

“Looking ahead later this year into fourth quarter of 2023 or rst quarter of 2024, positive margins are still projected for this same model dairy, and producers may want to consider defensive strategies to protect against the possibility of falling milk prices and/or rising feed costs,” Toll said.

During his breakout session, Toll plans to explore the current fundamentals of both the milk and feed markets as well as discuss forward margin opportunities that currently exist.

Toll said a variety of strategies could be considered to protect future price risk to secure forward margins. Toll will review basic option structures including calls and puts in addition to insurance market alternatives such as Dairy Revenue Protection or Dairy Margin Coverage to accomplish this.

“I hope to help dairy operators become more informed about ways to protect forward protability in their operations so they can take charge of their bottom lines,” Toll said.

Why is a ending CPDE important to you?

4,000 cows

How many years have you attended Central Plains Dairy Expo? I have attended CPDE for three years.

Why is attending CPDE important to you and your dairy? It’s a great fellowship and networking opportunity.

What are three must do’s when you attend CPDE? The Prayer Breakfast was a great time last year; that’s an important part. My other two must do’s are ice cream and great food.

What seminars or booths are you interested in seeing? This year we are interested in seeing what new technologies are available and what’s new to the industry.

What have you incorporated on your farm from a previous CPDE? We are new to South Dakota so developing the relationships we are making out here. That’s the most important thing we’ve found. It is not particularly a product but getting to meet people face to face that we are doing business with.

What is your most memorable experience at CPDE? I got a bunch of free hats last year; that was pretty memorable.

What would you say to encourage other farmers to attend CPDE? It’s a great time of visiting and fellowship. Everybody is pretty relaxed and there to eat, greet and have a good time.

Tell us about your farm. We milk in an 80-stall GEA rotary parlor. We are mainly a Jersey herd. We employ 18 people. Some of my employees have been with me for about 25 years. We ship our milk to Agropur in Lake Norden, South Dakota. We purchase our feed from local farmers. We are having fun dairying in South Dakota.

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“It’s a great fellowship and networking opportunity.”

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Breeding for feed efciency

New index measurement designed to increase protability, sustainability

When mating cows and heifers, feed efciency is a trait dairy farmers can start selecting for. By achieving the same level of growth and milk production with fewer inputs, a farmer can keep more money in their pocket.

“This is an opportunity to improve protability because feed is such an incredible expense on a dairy,” said Peter Dueppengiesser, central U.S. sales manager at STgenetics. “It’s also an opportunity to be greener.”

During his presentation, “The Genetic Fingerprint of Efcient Feed Conversion,” at the Central Plains Dairy Expo in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Dueppengiesser will share information on Ecofeed® – a feed conversion index developed by STgenetics that identies animals with superior feed conversion.

“I feel Ecofeed is going to be very impactful because the difference in feed efciency between animals can be extreme,” Dueppengiesser said.

“Selecting for feed efciency provides an opportunity to save on feed costs.”

Dueppengiesser will speak at 4 p.m. March 29 and 10 a.m. March 30.

Dueppengiesser will highlight recent advancements in Ecofeed and discuss how it can improve the overall sustainability of the dairy industry while positively impacting a dairy producer’s bottom line.

one that has not been available before,” Dueppengiesser said. “And it’s very effective. It goes right to your bottom line based on the protability of feed conversion. If cow A is producing 100 pounds of milk, but cow B can produce the same with less intake, she’s going to be more protable.”

Ecofeed is a feed efciency measure for both dairy and beef cattle, and all the bulls in STgenetics’ lineup have an Ecofeed measurement. The company did trials on thousands of heifers to measure daily intakes and weight gains.

Ecofeed score as well.

“There are other measures of feed efciency, but they are highly correlated with body size,” Dueppengiesser said. “Ecofeed measures true feed efciency independent of body size.”

When comparing bulls, a farmer may decide to choose bull A if his daughters convert the same amount of feed better than the daughters of bull B, resulting in better feed conversions per pound of milk.

“Feed efciency is an independent measurement,” Dueppengiesser said. “You can select for Ecofeed without negatively or positively inuencing any other traits. It’s a protability measure, and our farms are putting emphasis on it.”

Dueppengiesser said dairy farmers are using the information provided by Ecofeed to make breeding decisions. When selecting genetics, farmers can rank for feed efciency along with other traits like Total Performance Index, net merit and udder composite, among others. According to Dueppengiesser, the heritability of feed efciency is reasonable and comparable to other traits.

“This is yet another measure but

“We started by measuring feed efciency with heifers to determine how much feed it takes for growth,” Dueppengiesser said. “Now, we’re doing it with milking cows, too, to learn how much feed it takes to produce a pound of milk. Feed efciency varies greatly between the progeny of one bull compared to another sire.”

During his talk, Dueppengiesser will share data along with details of the scoring system used to rank bulls on feed efciency. Bulls are ranked on a scale where a score of 100 is neutral. For every 10 points above this score, animals are consuming 1 pound less dry matter with equal performance. Heifer calves genomically tested through STgenetics can receive an

Dueppengiesser sees the benets of Ecofeed extending past the farm and positively impacting the environment as well.

“Dairymen are getting pressure to be greener, and this is an opportunity to really impact that area,” Dueppengiesser said. “If cattle can produce the same with less feed and we can select on that genetically, it can be a huge win for the industry because then we produce the same with less. Not only does the dairy prot but so does the consumer and the environment. It’s a win-win.”

“ We move heifers

5 to 6 months

right away and we don’t see them lying

rarely have

stalls

Meeting employees where they are at Coffeen to detail why communication is important to staff retention

As a journalist who spent her career sitting down with dairy farmers and telling their stories, Peggy Coffeen has heard from farmers about what keeps them up at night. A lot of it has to do with managing employees.

“How many times have you heard that cows are easy, people are hard,” Coffeen said. “There is a new level of information that people are seeking and so much of it is around how to learn and manage people.”

Coffeen is the founder of the “Uplevel Dairy Podcast.” She will present “Set yourself up for success: How to retain, engage and empower employees” at the Central Plains Dairy Expo in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. She will speak at 10:30

a.m. March 29 and 9:30 a.m. March 30.

Coffeen said managing employees is a common challenge for dairy producers.

“The retention, engagement and empowerment were denitely key things that came up,” Coffeen said.

“How can we not just attract people, but keep them? How do we get them to care more about what we are doing, and how can we get them to take on larger roles and leadership, managing other people?”

The presentation will include ve things that ef-

fective dairy managers are doing differently, featuring examples and stories from managers she sat down with on her podcast. Coffeen said an effective manager does not have a phone that rings constantly and does not lose sleep worrying about who will or will not show up for a midnight shift change.

“They’re the people who are saying that turnover isn’t what keeps them up at night,” Coffeen said. “It tells you that they’re not constantly under re. They’re able to delegate and motivate their teams.”

One commonality Coffeen has discovered in talking with effective managers is what one producer refers to as shoulder time. It is the intentional effort to talk with every single employee every single day.

“It’s meeting people where they’re at,” Coffeen said. “The intention of having those conversations and that time together is a huge part of making employees feel like they are in the right place, and that’s such a foundational step in that bigger piece of retention that can

get you to those next levels of engagement and empowerment.”

This presentation, sponsored by the Golden Calf Company, will also include how founders Andy and Dagmar Bechtel support these same success factors with their products, services and technologies for helping dairy producers achieve their calf health goals.

Sometimes, the need for a higher level of employee engagement comes when producers go through an expansion. The owner needs to transition from being the person who is good with cows to the person who is good with people.

“It’s kind of that jumping point,” Coffeen said. “I’m looking through the lens of 1,500 cows or more. That seems to be in my mind where the layers of management start to form.”

Coffeen said there are takeaways that will apply to anyone, but a lot of the conversations surround farms with multiple layers of management. Some of the producers she will reference in

her presentation manage 50 employees or more.

Coffeen is taking the experiences and stories from her podcast guests, as well as friends in the industry, and presenting them as a way to be a resource for the industry.

“I consider it almost like an anecdotal study,” Coffeen said. “Being able to collectively take a couple of steps back and say what can we learn and capsule from these people that are doing things right and put it in a perspective that others can take home and implement so that they can improve their retention and engagement.”

Coffeen’s goal with the presentation is to help effective managers share their wisdom with others.

“I see their skills, and I see their leadership and the things that they are doing that make them unique and inspire me,” Coffeen said. “I can share that with other people who can grab a few nuggets that will help them with their daily management in some way or be inspired to do something different.”

Why is a ending CPDE important to you?

1,200 cows

How many years have you attended Central Plains Dairy Expo? I have attended the expo every year since it started. I haven’t missed even one.

Why is attending CPDE important to you and your dairy? It’s a great opportunity to talk to other dairy farmers and get new ideas.

What are three must do’s when you attend CPDE? I have to look at all of the displays, attend some of the breakout sessions and visit with people.

What seminars or booths are you interested in seeing? I don’t have anything particular in mind. I am looking forward to seeing everything.

What have you incorporated on your farm from a previous CPDE? We got some ideas at the expo that helped us out when we decided to expand our dairy facilities.

What is your most memorable experience at CPDE? I have especially enjoyed many of the speakers and the musical performances at the Welcome Reception.

What would you say to encourage other farmers to attend CPDE? Take a day off and come to the expo and see what you can learn. A person needs to be exposed to new ideas.

Tell us about your farm. I farm with my brothers Mike, Pete and Rick. Our mother, Orma, is still involved with the dairy at age 91. She continues to paint murals on our farm buildings. My sons, Joe and Donald, have become involved with the operation as has my nephew, Brad, who is in charge of the crops. We have 15 employees and sell our milk to Valley Queen Cheese Factory in Milbank, South Dakota.

“Take a day off and come to the expo and see what you can learn. A person needs to be exposed to new ideas.”

Fieber

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

TUESDAY, MARCH 28

5:00 PM Doors Open

5:30 Welcome Reception Program Begins

9:00 PM Sheraton Hospitality Room

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29

6:30 AM Ag Prayer Breakfast

8:30 AM Trade Show Floors Open

8:30 AM Silent Auction Opens

8:30-10:30 AM Free Donuts

8:30 AM-5:30 PM Breakfast Bar & Beer Garden Open

8:30-9:30 AM BREAKOUT SESSIONS

Sustainability: not one-size-fits-all and what consumers really think! - Dr. Marissa Hake (Sponsored by TechMix, LLC) MR 6/7

SPANISH SESSION: ¿Que te dicen los números sobre el manejo de tu rebaño lechero? - Patricia Villamediana & Maristela Rovai

MR 11

(Sponsored by SDSU)

9:00-9:30 AM ED SHED SESSION: Non-antibiotic alternatives that work for raising healthy calves - David P. Casper (Sponsored by Ralco) Ed Shed

9:00-10:00 AM BREAKOUT SESSIONS

Dairy Margin Outlook and Strategies to Consider

- Jeff Toll (Sponsored by CIH/Commodity & Ingredient Hedging, LLC) MR 8/9/10

A Global Perspective on Sustainability: Opportunities and Definitions - Fabian Bernal M.S., PAS (Sponsored by DeLaval Group) MR 1/2 Next generation of dairy insights - Stephanie De Vries

(Sponsored by VAS)

“Sugar: What’s the Sweet Spot?” - Dr. Rick Lundquist

(Sponsored by Westway Feed Products)

10:00-10:30 AM ED SHED SESSION: Fly control: An integrated pest management approach for dairy facilities - Christy Jones

(Sponsored by MGK Insect Control Solutions)

12:00-1:00 PM BREAKOUT SESSIONS

Dairy Markets from a Global Viewpoint

- Mary Ledman (Sponsored by Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative) MR 8/9/10

Common Stressor that Cause Inflammation and Potential Dietary Strategies to Manage it - Lance Baumgard

(Sponsored by United Animal Health) MR 14

Mycoplasma, the Cunning Chameleon - Dr. Matt Boyle

(Sponsored by Zoetis Animal Health) MR 12

12:30-1:30 PM Making the most efficient milk: a proven concept to produce more without breaking the bank. - Dr. Andre Pereira

(Sponsored by Land O’Lakes/Purina/Croplan) Premier Center

1:00-2:00 PM Calf Care Seminar: Common problems that challenge your calf program when protocols drift

- Mario Solis Flores (Sponsored by Form-A-Feed) MR 6/7

1:00-1:30 PM ED SHED SESSION: Manage heat stress to improve milk production and profitability - Tim Thompson

(Sponsored by Cargill/Provimi) Ed Shed

1:30-2:30 PM The Changing Tide of Terms and Conditions in Insurance

Coverage - Allen Schlenker (Sponsored by Marsh McLennan Agency) MR 8/9/10

2:00-2:30 PM ED SHED SESSION: Nutritional Strategies to Address Emerging Challenges with Beef x Dairy Calves. - Michael A Ballou, Ph.D.

(Sponsored by MB Nutritional Sciences, LLC) Ed Shed

2:00-3:00 PM Hay Supplies, Use, and Left-Overs - Jack Davis

(Sponsored by Northern Forage Association) MR 11

2:00-4:30 PM Free Ice Cream

2:30-3:30 PM BREAKOUT SESSIONS

TMR fermentation characteristics of top-producing herds with over 7 lbs of components - Kai Yuan, Ph.D., PAS

10:00-11:00 AM

BREAKOUT SESSIONS

10:30-11:30 AM

MR 14

MR 12

Ed Shed

Reducing Pathogen Loads in Recycled Manure Solids Used as Dairy Bedding - Ben Saylor, Ph.D., PAS

(Sponsored by Arm & Hammer Animal Nutrition)

MR 13

SPANISH SESSION: Salud y bienestar de las becerras, soy yo responsable? (Calf health; am I responsible?) - Jorge Luna

(Sponsored by Zoetis Animal Health)

Sustainability for Profit: A Producer Panel

- Panel of Producers (Sponsored by Feedworks USA, Ltd.)

BREAKOUT SESSIONS

MR 11

MR 6/7

Maximizing raw material utilization and feed efficiency

- Dr. Amanda Gehman (Sponsored by Alltech) MR 1/2

Trace Mineral Supplementation is NOT for Dummies!

- Craig Louder, DVM (Sponsored by Axiota Animal Health, Inc) MR 12

Dairy market outlook: consumers take the wheel

- Ben Laine (Sponsored by Farm Credit) Premier Center

Set yourself up for success: How to retain, engage and empower employees - Peggy Coffeen

(Sponsored by Golden Calf Company) Room MR 8/9/10

Managing Transition Cow Inflammation on the Farm

- Barry Bradford, Ph.D. (Sponsored by Phibro Animal Health) MR 14

11:00 AM-1:00 PM Free Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

11:00 AM Dairy Girl Network Luncheon

11:00-11:30 AM ED SHED SESSION: Transition cow success: Technologies and economics - William A. Zimmer D.V.M. (Sponsored by Bio-Vet, Inc.) Ed Shed

11:30 AM-12:30 PM BREAKOUT SESSIONS

When do robots make sense? Understand the decisions involved in swiching to automation. - Andy Meyer, Dan Venteicher and Bill Demerath

(Sponsored by Gorter’s Clay & Dairy Equipment/LELY) MR 6/7

Transition cow management: Solutions for dry matter intake to enhance colostrum, health, and productivity

- Gustavo Schuenemann, D.V.M., MS, PhD.

(Sponsored by Jefo Nutrition USA Inc) MR 13

SPANISH SESSION: Herramientas visuales de capacitación en las lecherías para motivar y retener a los empleados (On-Farm Visual Training Tools to Motivate and Retain Employees)

- Jorge Delgado (Sponsored by Alltech) MR 11

(Sponsored by Quality Liquid Feeds, Inc.) MR 6/7

Farm Bill Panel - Congressman Brad Finstad, Congressman Don Bacon, Dorothy Clark and Nick Lunneborg MR 12/3/14

3:30-4:30 PM Smart Dairy Technology, Excitement with Cautious Optimism - Dr. Jeffrey Bewley (Sponsored by Holstein Association USA, Inc.) MR 1/2 4:00-5:00 PM

The Genetic Fingerprint of Efficient Feed Conversion

- Peter Dueppengiesser (Sponsored by STgenetics) MR 6/7

SPANISH SESSION: Diez puntos clave para una buena inmunización del ganado lechero (Ten key points for a good immunization of dairy cattle). - Tiago Tomazi

(Sponsored by Merck Animal Health in Spanish) MR 11

4:30-5:30 PM Free Wine & Cheese Social on the Trade Show Floors

5:30-7:30 PM Dairy Checkoff Taste and Learn Experience

- Molly Pelzer, Midwest Dairy MR 8/9/10

5:30 PM Trade Show Floors Close

THURSDAY, MARCH 30

8:00 AM

Show Floors Open

8:00-10:00 AM FREE Pancake & Sausage Breakfast

8:00-9:00 AM SPANISH SESSION: Herramientas visuales de capacitación en las lecherías para motivar y retener a los empleados (On-Farm Visual Training Tools to Motivate and Retain Employees)

- Jorge Delgado (Sponsored by Alltech in Spanish) MR 12

8:30-9:30 AM

TMR fermentation characteristics of top-producing herds with over 7 lbs of components - Kai Yuan, Ph.D., PAS

(Sponsored by Quality Liquid Feeds, Inc.) MR 6/7

Mycoplasma, the Cunning Chameleon - Dr. Matt Boyle

(Sponsored by Zoetis Animal Health) MR 13

9:30-10:00 AM ED SHED SESSION: Recent practical impacts of rumen-protected B vitamins in the Upper Midwest - Dr. Gerald D Mechor MVSc

(Sponsored by Jefo Nutrition USA Inc.) Ed Shed

9:30-10:30 AM BREAKOUT SESSIONS

Common Stressor that Cause Inflammation and Potential Dietary Strategies to Manage it - Lance Baumgard

(Sponsored by United Animal Health) MR 14

9:30-10:30 AM

Set yourself up for success: How to retain, engage and empower employees - Peggy Coffeen (Sponsored by Golden Calf Company) MR 8/9/10

SPANISH SESSION: ¿Que te dicen los números sobre el manejo de tu rebaño lechero? - Patricia Villamediana & Maristela Rovai

(Sponsored by SDSU)

11:30 AM-12:30 PM “Sugar: What’s the Sweet Spot?”- Dr. Rick Lundquist

(Sponsored by Westway Feed Products) MR 3

12:00 PM Silent Auction Closes

12:00-1:00 PM The Changing Tide of

10:00-11:00 AM

BREAKOUT SESSIONS

Dairy in the next 10 years: Perspective from farmers and processors - Panel of Farmers & Processors

(Sponsored by Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative)

Sustainability for Profit: A Producer Panel

- Panel of Producers,(Sponsored by Feedworks USA, Ltd.)

MR 12

Reducing Pathogen Loads in Recycled Manure Solids Used as Dairy Bedding - Ben Saylor, Ph.D., PAS

MR 3

MR 6/7

Making the most efficient milk: a proven concept to produce more without breaking the bank. - Dr. Andre Pereira

(Sponsored by Land O’Lakes/Purina/Croplan)

The Genetic Fingerprint of Efficient Feed Conversion

- Peter Dueppengiesser (Sponsored by STgenetics)

11:00 AM-1:00 PM Free Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

11:00 AM-12:00 PM BREAKOUT SESSIONS

MR 1/2

MR 13

(Sponsored by Arm & Hammer Animal Nutrition) MR 14

SPANISH SESSION: Diez puntos clave para una buena inmunización del ganado lechero (Ten key points for a good immunization of dairy cattle). - Tiago Tomazi

(Sponsored by Merck Animal Health) MR 12

Bacteria: The Key to Healthy Cows - Craig Louder, DVM

(Sponsored by Axiota Animal Health, Inc) MR 13

A Global Perspective on Sustainability: Opportunities and Definitions - Fabian Bernal M.S., PAS (Sponsored by DeLaval Group) MR 1/2

Managing Transition Cow Inflammation on the Farm

MR 8/9/10

When do robots make sense? Understand the decisions involved in swiching to automation. - Andy Meyer, Dan Venteicher and Bill Demerath (Sponsored by Gorter’s Clay & Dairy Equipment/LELY)

Maximizing raw material utilization and feed efficiency

- Dr. Amanda Gehman (Sponsored by Alltech)

MR 14

SPANISH SESSION: Seminario en Crianza de Becerros: Problemas mas comunes que afectan el programa de crianza de becerros cuando los protocolos establecidos se desvian involuntariamente. - Mario Solis Flores

(Sponsored by Form-A-Feed)

11:30 AM-12:30 PM BREAKOUT SESSIONS

MR 12

Sustainability: not one-size-fits-all and what consumers really think! - Dr. Marissa Hake (Sponsored by TechMix, LLC)

MR 1/2

Next generation of dairy insights - Stephanie De Vries

(Sponsored by VAS)

EXHIBITORS

4-D Ag World/4-D Ag Fashion .......................................................C

A Bar K Trailers .......................................................................A219

A1 Mist Sprayers ....................................................................A513

ABS Global ..............................................................................C306

ADA Enterprise Inc ..................................................................A115

Adisseo ...................................................................................C328

Archer Daniels Midland Company ...........................................C632

Advanced Ag Products ............................................................C804

Afimilk .....................................................................................A306

Ag Processing, Inc. ................................................................C628

Ag Property Solutions .............................................................C904

Ag United of South Dakota/South Dakota Dairy Producers .........BB

Agpro, Inc ...............................................................................A312

Agri Feed International, LLC ....................................................C407

Agri-King, Inc. .........................................................................C404

Agri-Placement Services, Inc. .................................................A103

Agri-Plastics/Agri-Comfort ......................................................C724

Agri Pro Enterprises ..............................................................A1113

AgriSteel .................................................................................C500

AgroChem USA, LLC ...............................................................C730

Agromatic ...............................................................................C704

Agropur, Inc. ...........................................................................C122

Agrovive Biologicals ................................................................C332

AHV USA .................................................................................A505

Albers Dairy Equipment ..........................................................C507

Alltech .....................................................................................C415

Amelicor..................................................................................H113

American AGCO Trading Co. ...................................................C629

American Dairymen/Twin Rivers Media...................................C128

American Jersey Cattle Association ........................................H100

American Wagyu Association ................................................A1103

AMPI .......................................................................................A400

Anez Consulting, Inc. ..............................................................C633

Animal Health International .....................................................C530

Animat Inc.............................................................................A1011

Arm & Hammer Animal Nutrition ............................................H102

Armor Animal Health ...............................................................C228

Arnolds of Kimball, Inc............................................................C433

Artex Manufacturing/Farmers Union Industries ......................A406

Balchem Corporation ..............................................................A106

Bazooka Farmstar .................................................................A1008

BECO Dairy Automation ..........................................................H110

Big Bear Genetics ....................................................................A410

Bioret Agri .............................................................................AF111

Bio-Vet Inc. .............................................................................H113

- Barry Bradford, Ph.D. (Sponsored by Phibro Animal Health) MR 6/7 1:00-3:00 PM Silent auction item pick-up

Hay Supplies, Use, and Left-Overs - Jack Davis

(Sponsored by Northern Forage Association) MR 11

SPANISH SESSION: Salud y bienestar de las becerras, soy yo responsable? (Calf health; am I responsible?) - Jorge Luna

(Sponsored by Zoetis Animal Health) MR 12 3:00 PM Trade Show Floors Close

MR 6/7

BioZyme, Inc .........................................................................A1106

BluTeQ Infrared Drying Solutions ............................................A303

Boehringer Ingelheim ..............................................................C211

Bohning Ag .............................................................................A413

BouMatic .................................................................................C232

Bovine Hoof Adhesives/Glue-U Inc. ........................................A313

Butler Machinery Company .....................................................A803

Byron Seeds, LLC ...................................................................H132

CalfStart LLC ...........................................................................H121

Calf-Tel ...................................................................................C400

Cambridge Technologies .........................................................C309

Canarm AgSystems.................................................................A205

Central Confinement Service LLC............................................A108

Central Life Sciences ....................................................................M

Central Valley Dairy & Midwest Dairy Robotics .......................A402

Chamberlain Oil Co., Inc. .....................................................A1104

Chr. Hansen.............................................................................C114

CIH/Commodity & Ingredient Hedging, LLC ...........................C113

Cloverdale ...............................................................................A800

Corteva Agriscience MCS, LLC - Dairyland Seed ...................A600

Countryside Dairy/Countryside Environmental Solutions ........C304

Creative Genetics of California, Inc. ........................................C703

Crystal Creek Natural ..............................................................A209

Cumberland Valley Analytical Services ....................................H127

Current Defense ......................................................................A116

Midwest Dairy Solutions .........................................................C230

Dairy Farmers of America .....................................................AF102

Dairy Star ................................................................................C220

Dairyland Laboratories ............................................................C604

DairyVisor Inc. ........................................................................C304

Datamars Livestock.......................................................................T

Dave’s Repair ..........................................................................C818

DeHaan, Grabs & Associates, LLC ..........................................C835

Dellait - Animal Nutrition & Health ..........................................C301

Deluxe Animal Health .......................................................C610 & B

Development Resources of Iowa, Inc. .....................................C600

Diamond V ..............................................................................C402

DM Concrete Grooving..................................................................Z

Diesel Machinery Inc...............................................................C832

Doda USA .............................................................................A1003

Dordt University ............................................................................L

EASYFIX Livestock Comfort ....................................................C731

Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative ...............................................C330

Elanco Animal Health ..............................................................C427

Ellis Design and Coatings ......................................................A1111

ENDOVAC Animal Health .........................................................C200

Equipment Blades ...................................................................A315

Essential Water Solutions, Inc.................................................A405

Ever.ag ....................................................................................C708

Evergreen Village ..................................................................A1107

Evolution Spray Foam .............................................................A309

Excel Machine & Mfg ..............................................................C901

Faber’s Farm Equipment..........................................................C121

FAMO Feeds, Inc. ....................................................................C702

Farm Inc ..................................................................................C609

Farm Systems .........................................................................A313

FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative ....................................................C734

Supervisor Systems ................................................................C527

Feedworks USA, Ltd. ...............................................................C511

FERA Diagnostics and Biologicals Corp ..................................C327

Fermented Nutrition ..............................................................A1210

Fieber Van’s Implement Inc. ....................................................C828

Form-A-Feed ...........................................................................C134

Frontier Mills Inc. ....................................................................H125

GEA Farm Technologies Inc. ...................................................C618

Genex Cooperatives, Inc. ........................................................C101

Golden Calf Company..............................................................C430

Gorter’s Clay & Dairy Equipment.............................................C521

Gorter’s Clay & Dairy Equipment/LELY ....................................C318

Hanson Silo Company .............................................................C518

Hatfield Mfg. Inc. ....................................................................C902

Hawke & Company Ag ............................................................C824

Hawkins Inc. .........................................................................A1109

Heart of America DHIA ............................................................H126

Hoard’s Dairyman .........................................................................G

Hoppe Roofing Inc. .......................................................................C

Hover Chute ............................................................................C509

Hubbard Feeds Inc. .................................................................C115

Hundertmark Cleaning Systems, Inc. ....................................A1013

I-29 Moo University Collaboration ..........................................A203

Intercomp .............................................................................A1012

Interstate Commercial Laundry, LLC ..............................................F

Iowa Area Development Group ...............................................C605

J & D Manufacturing ...............................................................C826

J. B. Hunt Ag Services ..................................................................X

Jefo Nutrition USA Inc ............................................................H135

Johnson Concrete Livestock Waterers ....................................H134

EXHIBITORS CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

Johnson Engineering Group, LLC .........................................A1108

Jones-Hamilton Co .................................................................A111

K2S Engineering Inc................................................................C806

Kampert Ag LLC ......................................................................A212

Kemin Animal Nutrition & Health ............................................C209

Kent Nutrition Group ...............................................................C607

Kooima Ag ..............................................................................C626

Kuhn North Amercia ................................................................C822

Kunafin “the insectary” .........................................................A1105

KVK USA ...............................................................................A1014

Lallemand Animal Nutrition .....................................................C208

Land O’Lakes/Purina/Croplan ..................................................C215

Landmark Builders ..................................................................A510

Lange Ag Systems, Inc. ..........................................................A902

Lankota ...................................................................................A607

Lawley’s, Inc. ..........................................................................C603

Leedstone ...............................................................................C321

Legend Rubber Inc..................................................................A515

Maas Energy Works ................................................................A802

MAI Animal Health ..................................................................A104

Marloo Equipment...................................................................C809

Marsh McLennan Agency........................................................C411

Masters Choice/Rob-See-Co, LLC ...........................................A107

MB Nutritional Sciences ...............................................................C

McFinn Technologies ..............................................................A511

McLanahan .............................................................................C701

MEDA/Chemstar & Milk-Rite USA .........................................AF100

Mensch Mfg ............................................................................C613

Merck Animal Health ...............................................................C206

MGK Insect Control Solutions .................................................C602

Micro Technologies and MWI Animal Health .........................AF105

Midwest Ag Supplements .......................................................C308

Midwest Dairy ........................................................................C204

Midwest Livestock Systems, LLC............................................C624

Minnesota Department of Agriculture .....................................C303

MN DHIA (MN Dairy Herd Improvement Assoc.) ..................AF104

MTech Dairy Solutions ............................................................C326

Axiota Animal Health, Inc ........................................................H111

Munters ..................................................................................C111

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association ....................................A211

NDE co / New Direction Equipment Co....................................A603

Nebraska NSDA - AFAN .................................................................N

Neogen..........................................................................................H

NeoSpectra by Si-Ware ...........................................................A210

Nextire Inc. & Forklift Tire Inc. ................................................C510

New Vision Co-op ...................................................................A211

Norbco ..................................................................................A1213

North Central Steel Co.............................................................A307

Northland Farm Systems ......................................................A1003

Novita Nutrition (NovaMeal)....................................................C331

Novus International .................................................................C935

NuAge Builders .......................................................................A412

Nu-Force Water Technologies, LLC .........................................A208

Nuhn Industries Ltd ................................................................A619

NutraDrip Irrigation ...............................................................A1211

Nutrient Advisors ..........................................................................Y

Osakis Silo Repair DBA: WW Erection ....................................C728

Pacer Technology, Inc ...........................................................A1114

Pacific Ag, Pacific Ag Renewables ................................................Q

Passion Ag ..............................................................................A411

Phibro Animal Health ..............................................................C221

Pifer’s Auction & Realty ........................................................AF109

Pioneer Seeds .........................................................................H101

Pivot Bio .................................................................................C300

PortaCheck Inc ........................................................................A314

Post Equipment Company .......................................................C424

Powerlift Hydraulic Doors .......................................................A414

Prairie Farms...........................................................................A105

Prairie Land Ag Supply Inc......................................................C235

ProfitProAg .............................................................................A206 Progressive Dairy....................................................................H115

Promat ....................................................................................A310

Provimi North America............................................................H122

PSI Power Washer ........................................................................P

Puck Enterprises ...................................................................A1203

QC Supply ...............................................................................C906

South Dakota State University, College of Ag, Food & Environmental Science ...................................................K Soy Best ..................................................................................C226

Steelwerx ................................................................................C807

Steffes Group ........................................................................A1010

Steuart Labs ............................................................................C501

STgenetics ..............................................................................C224

Stuhr Enterprises LLC ..........................................................A1207

Sun-North Systems, Ltd .........................................................A602

Superior Attachments Inc. ............................................................V

TechMix, LLC ..........................................................................C109

TerraKat LLC ...........................................................................A109

The Coburn Company Inc. ......................................................A113

TLAY Dairy Video Sales ...........................................................C124

Trans Ova Genetics .................................................................C534

TranSource Truck & Equipment Inc .........................................A615

TriCal Superior Forage.............................................................C630

Trioliet B.V. ..............................................................................C324

Tri-State Neighbor ...................................................................H124

Tunnel Plus .............................................................................A612

Udder Comfort Inc. ...............................................................AF110

Udder Health Systems, Inc......................................................H109

Udder Tech Inc. .......................................................................C126

United Animal Health ..............................................................C202

V & M Distributing ..................................................................C810

Valley Dairy Farm Automation Inc. ..........................................C635

Valley Queen Cheese ...............................................................H128

Van Beek Natural Science........................................................C504

Van Bruggen & Vande Vegte, PC .............................................H108

Van Zee Enterprises Inc./Rock Valley Precast ...............S & outside

VAS .........................................................................................C103

Vaxxinova ................................................................................C528

VES-Artex................................................................................C531

Vetagro Inc..............................................................................C708

Vision Electric .........................................................................A204

Vita Plus Corp. ........................................................................C107

Vosterman’s Ventilation ........................................................A1205

Westway Feed Products ........................................................AF107

Wieser Concrete Products Inc.................................................C729

XF-Nebraska............................................................................C706

Ymker Insulation Inc. ..............................................................A304

Y-TEX Corporation ......................................................................AA

Automation Center Inc. .................................................C830

Sioux Dairy Equipment ...........................................................C615

Sioux Nation Ag Center ...........................................................A305 smaXtec Inc ............................................................................A415

Zimmerman Manufacturing.....................................................A213

ZISK app .................................................................................H120

Zoetis Animal Health ...............................................................C218

MISSED

CONCEPTION

Sauk Centre, MN

320-352-5762 • 800-342-2697

Fuller’s Milker Center, LLC

Lancaster, WI • 800-887-4634

Richland Center, WI • 608-647-4488

Midwest Livestock Systems, LLC

Zumbrota, MN • 800-233-8937

Menomonie, WI • 715-235-5144

Renner, SD • 800-705-1447

Leedstone, Inc.

Melrose, MN 320-256-3303 • 800-996-3303

Glencoe, MN

320-864-5575 • 877-864-5575

Plainview, MN • 800-548-5240

Menomonie, WI • 715.231.8090

Monroe WestfaliaSurge

Monroe, WI • 608-325-2772

Preston Dairy Equipment

Sparta, WI • (608) 269-3830

Sioux Dairy Equipment, Inc.

Rock Valley, IA 712-476-5608 • 800-962-4346

Colton, SD Service 800-944-1217

Edgerton, MN Chemical Sales 507-920-8626

Central Ag Supply Inc.

Juneau, WI • 920-386-2611

Baraboo, WI • 608-356-8384

Eastern Iowa Dairy Systems

Epworth, IA • (563) 876-3087

J Gile Dairy Equipment

Cuba City, WI • (608) 744-2661

Kozlovsky Dairy Equipment

Kaukauna, WI •920-759-9223

Weston, WI • 715-298-6256

Stanley Schmitz, Inc.

Chilton, WI • 920-849-4209

Tri-County Dairy Supply

Janesville, WI • (608) 757-2697

Increased risks in dairy farming Schlenker to discuss insurance coverage

In the past few years, dairy farmers in the Upper Midwest have been faced with additional hardships ranging from ination to natural disasters. Among the multitude of scal responsibilities farmers have incurred, insurance remains an important topic of conversation.

“We have seen a plethora of derechostyle storms in the past two years,” said Allen Schlenker, risk management consultant with Marsh & McLennan. “Farmers often don’t realize how vulnerable they are to a major loss if they don’t have the right coverage in place. This can significantly impact their nancial well-being.”

The increased risk farmers are facing has initiated changes in insurance coverage. Schlenker and his colleague, Kendall Woodward, will share more about these changes and what farmers can do to ensure they are properly covered in a session titled “The Changing Tide of Terms and Conditions in Insurance Coverage,” at 1:30 p.m. March 29 and noon March 30 at the Central Plains Dairy Expo in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

“We are trying to continuously educate dairy farmers, and farmers in general, about why they should be the having a constructive conversation about how things are valued and what’s going to be paid in the event of a loss,” Schlenker said.

Schlenker said the insurance industry, like any other business, is looking to turn a prot despite increasing their payouts in recent years due to natural disasters. In the insurance world, decreasing an expense sometimes equals not paying as much in claims.

Some of the major changes and trends Schlenker is seeing in terms of insurance contracts at renewal are increasing deductibles, the addition of wind-hail deductibles, and exclusions for cosmetic damages to roof

and siding and application of co-insurance. These small changes could end up being nancially fatal to a business at the time of a great loss, Schlenker said.

“I want farmers to have a heightened awareness of the changes that are going on within their insurance program,” Schlenker said. “Their farms are a business, and if they are not approached as one, they can leave themselves pretty vulnerable.”

Schlenker said additional types of coverage are becoming increasingly benecial to dairy farmers. As the industry and society shifts, coverages such as cyber liability and employment practice liability insurance are becoming more relative and necessary.

Another effect the recent economic state has on insurance policies is increased ination causing property to be under insured. As pricing for materials and labor increases so does the property’s coverage value. The difference between what the reconstruction costs actually are and what the dairy has a structure insured for becomes a cost the dairy farmer has to bear. This may be determinantal to a farm’s nances, Schlenker said.

“We are seeing an average inationary increase of anywhere between 10% to 12% just for building materials and labor alone,” Schlenker said. “This dramatically impacts the cost to reconstruct dairies.”

As farmers renew their insurance year to year, Schlenker emphasizes the importance of fully understanding their coverage and risk. He encourages farmers to negotiate deductibles and rates.

“If you are just renewing your plans, crossing your ngers and hoping you’re covered, you’re really leaving yourself vulnerable to some big losses unless you really sit down and analyze your risk appetite,” Schlenker said.

Schlenker intends for the session to shed light on the importance of these conversations and clear communication between dairy farmers and their insurance agents.

“We hope to encourage the dairy farmer to bring up these important points with their current agent to make sure that they are insured to value and that they have the right coverages in place,” Schlenker said.

Midwest Dairy to showcase new brands, products

Molly Pelzer, CEO for Midwest Dairy, will lead the “Dairy Checkoff Taste and Learn Experience” at the Central Plains Dairy Expo in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Those attending the session will get to see and sample some of the dairy products checkoff dollars are helping to create. Both Midwest Dairy and Dairy Management Inc. are sponsoring the session.

Attendees can take in the session at 5:30 p.m. March 29.

Food scientists and staff who work behind the scenes to research, create and market new products will join Pelzer in presenting. The taste and learn experience will feature brands and new dairy foods and beverages launched with partners over the past year.

“During this event, we will feature checkoff partnerships with Taco Bell, DARI LLC, General Mills and Pizza Ranch,” Pelzer said. “Each of these partnerships will have its own taste and learn sampling ‘station’ to allow farmers to learn more about why we partnered with them as well as taste some innovative dairy products that consumers are enjoying in the market-

Tasting innovation

place today.”

The tasting is geared toward bringing attendees awareness and excitement about new products in a fun but meaningful way.

“These products range from cheesy breadsticks to innovative beverages that meet consumers’ needs to eat on the go,” Pelzer said. “A variety of different products will be provided to sample. But, this experience will be more than yummy dairy treats. We will provide industry research and information on why checkoff and our partners are targeting certain product categories and the opportunity these products allow for in the marketplace.”

“Midwest Dairy and DMI are committed to implementing a shared strategy from the national to regional level to impact dairy sales and trust,” Pelzer said. “Nationally, DMI’s Wellness Insights and Innovation team’s work has led to impactful results and relationships with General Mills and Taco Bell, which will be showcased to demonstrate the why behind these partnerships as well as the tremendous opportunity these partners have to impact dairy sales.”

The presentation will offer a chance for farmers to meet some of those working to advance and strengthen dairy demand.

research with impactful partners who have like-minded goals to advance their business decisions and lead to positive impacts for dairy.”

The presentation will address building trust in the dairy industry, which Pelzer said is another important goal of the checkoff program.

“Midwest Dairy is committed to working with and through partners to positively impact dairy sales and build trust in dairy foods and dairy farmers with consumers,” Pelzer said. “This session will demonstrate how checkoff has worked with these partners on menu innovation and product innovation. We will also highlight how partners use checkoff research, consumer marketing and insights on consumer trends to grow dairy sales.”

The session will cover both national and regional dairy innovation and promotion.

“Regionally, Midwest Dairy is excited to showcase our partnerships with DARI LLC, a regional partner founded by dairy farmers introducing a new Moo’v product to store shelves in April, as well as Pizza Ranch, sharing samples of a reformulated cheesy ranch stick which includes 50% more cheese than the original recipe,” Pelzer said.

Besides DMI co-sponsoring the event, the company is an important partner to Midwest Dairy, Pelzer said.

“During the taste and learn experience, attendees will also have the chance to engage with some of the talent behind these partnerships, including dairy scientists, dairy processors, brands, and national and regional checkoff staff,” Pelzer said. “Behind every partnership is a commitment from both partners and checkoff to bring dairy to life in new and compelling ways.”

Pelzer said it is important to share what goes on behind the scenes to ensure checkoff dollars are used wisely.

“Dairy checkoff is grounded in research and based on science,” Pelzer said. “Our goal is to ensure that the research checkoff is investing in – whether that be nutrition science, product development, consumer insights or packaging – is heavily used to help the industry. Midwest Dairy’s goal is to share our intelligence and

In turn, the session offers those at Midwest Dairy a chance to meet with the farmers they serve.

“This will be a unique experience that will allow us to not only have conversations but also allow for a hands-on viewing of products that checkoff dollars have helped create and promote,” Pelzer said. “Through this event, (attendees) can not only experience products but also have deep conversations about the impacts they are having on dairy sales.”

Midwest Dairy’s regional staff will also host a booth at CPDE.

“Please stop by booth C204 to ask questions and learn more about the impact checkoff dollars are having across our 10-state region,” Pelzer said.

Dairy, Sanborn, Iowa

Next level herd management

De Vries will speak on new features to DairyComp

New technology features within VAS’ DairyComp and PULSE Platform allow farmers to receive realtime herd alerts via text or email, helping them better manage animal care.

As VAS has added more modules and features to its PULSE Platform, farmers can receive animal health data to share directly with team members. This information, according to Stephanie De Vries, a farm performance consultant with VAS, can help farmers better understand herd health on a herd- and individual-cow level, helping them make data-driven decisions for the future.

“We are creating a hub for dairymen to be able to have all of their data in one place,” De Vries said. “We continue growing PULSE platform which allows dairymen to not only have their information in the cloud, but also allows them to have other modules and to go in and dissect their information.”

De Vries will present “Next generation of dairy insights” at 9 a.m. March 29 and 11:30 a.m. March 30 at the Central Plains Dairy Expo in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

De Vries serves farmers across South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, Missouri, southwestern Minnesota and western Iowa. She said VAS is the global market leader in connecting dairy management systems. The PULSE Platform brings a farmer’s DairyComp, FeedWatch and WeighComp data together as well as information from more than 40 integrations from industry-leading partners. Each system has its own plethora of features and modules that can be accessed through the platform.

HealthVAL is a module within

the platform that dials into the diseases affecting a herd. It tracks all health events associated with each animal and helps calculate the health-related costs for each animal. Farmers can also benchmark their performance against herds of similar size and region.

“At a glance, a farmer can assess their herd and just gather insight about the health events that are happening on their farm and see what each cow is costing them and determine what they want to do in the future,” De Vries said. “That’s why HealthVAL is so important.”

The system is pre-populated with health event costs based on research from the Journal of Dairy Science, or farmers can input their own values. Adding health events such as mastitis, pneumonia or vaccinations is key to generating accurate reports that can help farmers make protocol adjustments to improve overall herd health. DairyComp users can already access HealthVAL through the PULSE platform.

“The benet of having all this information is knowing where your bottom line is and how much you are actually spending on each animal,” De Vries said. “We can dial in and see if there is one animal that is costing you a lot of money.”

For example, if a rst-lactation cow has had numerous health events, then the farmer can determine if the cow will be a good longterm producer or if culling would be a better decision.

“I stress that with my dairies that if you aren’t putting something in (the system), you aren’t going to be getting anything out,” De Vries said. “Management has to be able to input data accurately in order to get useful information out.”

Most importantly, De Vries said the PULSE Platform allows farmers to collaborate more effectively with their consultants, employees and other team members. De Vries encourages not only producers to attend the breakout session but also consultants because she said it is helpful for every team member to understand.

“The benet of having these tools is to make those executive decisions and make sure your dairy is protable,” De Vries said. “Providing data-driven decisions is what DairyComp always has been and always will be.”

Why is a ending CPDE important to you?

360

How many years have you attended Central Plains Dairy Expo? We have attended CPDE for eight years.

Why is attending CPDE important to you and your dairy? We like to go to get away and also pick up on new advancements in the industry.

What are three must do’s when you attend CPDE? The Zoetis meeting is always No. 1 for me. I also enjoy the Welcome Reception entertainment and attending breakout sessions.

What seminars or booths are you interested in seeing? I don’t have any specic ones to look for. I’m always interested in new technology and ways to reduce input costs.

What have you incorporated on your farm from a previous CPDE? A few years ago, we ran across and purchased a water ltration system that removes chlorine and other toxins that are harmful to cows.

What is your most memorable experience at CPDE? I always enjoy the entertainment because the artists are usually ones I’ve never seen before.

What would you say to encourage other farmers to attend CPDE? It is a great place to get away from the farm for a day and come home with new ideas that will benet your operation.

Tell us about your farm. The family members involved include my grandpa, Ronald; my parents, Gary and Holly; my wife, Morgan; and my brother, Tim. We milk 360 cows twice a day in a double-10 parabone parlor. We farm 1,700 acres where we grow corn, soybeans, wheat and alfalfa. We also have 350 acres of pasture that we use for breeding-age to close-up dairy heifers, dry cows and 50 Red Angus cows.

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These corn roots show enhanced root health from biologically treated manure applied in a strip-till application. Growers who understand the value of bioaugmented manure can reduce plant nutrient cost, improve soil and plant health, improve crop residue decomposition, detoxify the soil (reduce salts) and improve

“It is a great place to get away from the farm for a day and come home with new ideas.”

SectionSecond

Don’t miss this all dairy event, highlighting valuable updates in the dairy industry and new products and services giving you successful ways to improve your dairy operations.

•Free Ag Prayer Breakfast

•Over 300 Exhibitors

•Foundation Auction

•Educational Sessions

•Industry Experts

•Producers Attend for Free

Transition management affects both cows, calves

Schuenemann to share solutions to increase DMI

For a dairy cow, the transition period is a make-or-break time. What happens during the transition period can set a cow up for success or just as easily for failure.

Providing the tools needed to navigate that period of a cow’s life has been what Dr. Gustavo M. Schuenemann has dedicated his life’s work to.

At the Central Plains Dairy Expo, Schuenemann will share insight on navigating the transition period in the breakout session

“Transition cow management: Solutions for dry matter intake to enhance colostrum, health and productivity” at 11:30 a.m. March 29 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

“Poor feeding management can substantially reduce the DMI of pre- and postpartum cows,” Schuenemann said. “That leads to excessive body weight loss and increased incidence of stillbirth

and metabolic diseases early in lactation regardless of housing system.”

Schuenemann works with Ohio State University’s Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine. His time is divided between extension, teaching and focusing on research related to dairy cattle health and management with an emphasis on transition dairy cow management.

“The transition period is perhaps the single most important period in a cow’s life,” Schuenemann said. “It has direct implications for lifetime performance of both lactating cows and newborn ca lves.”

Schuenemann denes the transition period as the three- to four-week period prior to and after parturition. He said during that time, quality feed ingredients and dietary formulation are both important.

“Optimizing DMI is perhaps the biggest opportunity in most dairy farms,” Schuenemann said. “DMI regulation is a complex, integrated process that insures adequate supply of energy to meet the important nutrient requirements the cow has.”

Schuenemann said the nutritional requirements of a dairy cow change throughout her lactation. Factors that impact a cow’s daily consumption include physical limitations (or gut ll), metabolic status and farm factors such as management, facilities and environment.

“To formulate and manage efcient diets (for dairy cattle) requires accurate

Turn to SCHUENEMANN | Page 3

Con nued from SCHUENEMANN | Page 2

estimates of DMI,” Schuenemann said. “Therefore, the factors inuencing DMI must be understood.”

Dairy farmers can promote positive feed behavior by making small changes such as increasing bunk space per cow, increasing the frequency of feed delivery and increasing the amount of resting surface and space per cow.

Schuenemann said that through his work with dairy producers within their various management systems, he found several common factors that all play a role in successful transition cow management.

“I quickly recognized that cow comfort and management consistency are perhaps the biggest opportunities to improve productivity, longevity and the overall protability of dairy operations,” Schuenemann said.

als and vitamins in the transition diet are vital to promoting the process of synthesizing and transferring colostrum immunoglobulins inside the mammary gland.

“The transition period is perhaps the single most important period in a cow’s life. It has direct implications for lifetime performance of both lactating cows and newborn calves.”

“Prepartum dairy cows are often vaccinated to prevent cases of mastitis and calf diarrhea. Transferring blood immunoglobulin inside the mammary gland is an active and specic process, requiring large quantities of calcium and energy to produce the best quality colostrum,” Schuenemann said. “Prepartum animals that are losing body weight prior to calving due to inconsistent nutrition management, high mycotoxin concentrations in feed or a sudden drop in water intake could negatively alter DMI and thus affect both colostrum volume and quality.”

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Each calf born is a benefactor of the success of its mother’s transition period through the quality of the colostrum produced.

“The synthesis of colostrum in the mammary gland starts several days prior to parturition with a marked volume increment during the last three to four days prior to calving,” Schuenemann said. “Colostrum volume, hygiene and quality are critical for best colostrum management.”

Schuenemann will share practical solutions for optimizing DMI in transition cows. That optimization will directly affect the health and productivity of both cows and calves and will enhance the quality and volume of colostrum produced by the cow.

“The goal is to provide the best possible diet and to promote feeding behavior by removing farm factors that will limit intake,” Schuenemann said. “This presentation will share key information describing how best or most successful dairy farms have achieved consistent management over time by implementing a simple but effective transition program to promote feeding behavior and DMI.”

PRECAUTION:

KEEP OUT OF REACH OF

An

excess. UO

Always follow recommended label dose. Do not overdose

It is recommended that accurate body weight is determined prior to treatment.

Do not use concurrently with other injectable selenium and copper products. o

Do not use concurrently with selenium or copper boluses.

Do not use in emaciated cattle with a BCS of 1 in dairy or 1-3 in beef.

Consult your veterinarian

RECOMMENDATIONS:

LVES: Up to 1 year 1 mL/per 100 lbs. bodyweight

CATTLE A : From 1-2 years 1 mL/per 150 lbs. bodyweight

CATTL A E: Over 2 years .. 1 mL/per 200 lbs. bodyweight yg

CAUTION:

Slight local reaction may occur for about 30 seconds after injection. A sl ght swelling may be observed at injection site for a few days after administration. Use standard aseptic procedures during administration of injections to reduce the risk of injection site abscesses or lesions.

WITHDRAWAL PERIOD:

Meat 14 days. Milk zero withdrawal.

DIRECTIONS:

This product is only for use in cattle. MULTIMIN® 90 is to be given subcutaneously (under the skin) ONLY. It is recommended to administer the product in accordance with Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) guidelines. Minimum distance between injection sites for the MULTIMIN® 90 product and other injection sites should be at least 4 inches. Inject under the loose skin of the middle of the side of the neck. Max volume per in ection site is 7 ml

3 times per year

4 weeks before breeding

4 weeks before calving

4 weeks before calving

4 weeks before insemination at dry-off at birth at 3 months and/or weaning every 3 months –especially 4 weeks before breeding

(program gives planned dates that can be varied to suit management programs)

DR. GUSTAVO M. SCHUENEMANN

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Providing expert care

Solis equips calf raisers to address common issues

Mario Solis Flores wants dairy farmers to know how straightforward calf raising can be. Solis, of Form-A-Feed, will lead a breakout session entitled “Calf Care Seminar: Common problems that challenge your calf program when protocols drift” at this year’s Central Plains Dairy

Expo in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He will speak at 1 p.m. March 29 and give the same presentation in Spanish at 11 a.m. March 30.

Solis will focus his session on impediments to healthy calf programs that he has seen in his 30 years of industry experience.

“A lot of what I’m going to talk about is from the eld,” Solis said. “I have the opportunity to share what I’ve seen other people do throughout the years – the things that work and don’t work.”

Solis has worked throughout the world with farms of all sizes, ranging from 25 cows to 16,000 cows.

He grew up in Mexico City, Mexico, and received an animal science degree from the Instituto Tecnológico de Monterrey. In the late 1990s, he moved to the United States and spent the next 1012 years working on four dairy farms in Minnesota, Wisconsin and South Dakota as a farm manager and operations manager.

After his career working directly on dairy farms, Solis transitioned to working for ViCor, a position that allowed him to travel throughout the U.S. and also to Canada, South America and Jamaica before his current job with Form-A-Feed.

Solis supports Form-A-Feed’s customers in detecting milk production issues, testing milk equipment and creating calf nutrition and management programs. He also provides employee leadership coaching and training. His session will include what farmers should look for in their calf operation, a discussion of technologies that can address calf health problems and an overview of the communication necessary to implement change in a calf program.

This is the fourth time Solis will present at CPDE, sharing his broad experience.

“Throughout the years, I’ve been involved in all areas of the dairy, whether it’s calves, calving or fresh barn, but most of what I do is more oriented toward employee development and training and helping producers be more efcient,” Solis said.

The rst topic Solis will cover in his session is how to develop healthy immunity in calves and rumen development.

Solis said he has two practical tips for calf raising that he hopes attendees will take home. First, he encourages farmers to consider weighing their powdered milk replacer instead of using the provided cup. Solis said anything greater than a 1% variation from the recommended amount of solids can be detrimental to calves. Weighing the powder will help keep the milk replacer consistent across calf feeders and ensure calves get the proper nutrition.

“It’s just simple things like that, that really break calves,” Solis said.

Besides weighing powder, Solis also encourages calf raisers to monitor milk intake for optimal nutrition.

Solis will focus most of his presentation on how to utilize calf technologies such as electrolytes, nutraceuticals, immunonutrients, probiotics and botanicals. Solis said he will focus on helping attendees understand the mode of action the technologies use and when the best time is to utilize them according to the challenges a calf is experiencing. He will also speak on how technologies can be used to prepare calves for upcoming challenges.

Finally, Solis will talk about on-farm communication with employees. For reimplementing protocols, he said aggression and reprimands do not work well. He said meetings should instead focus on helping employees understand the reason behind the protocols and the tasks they do. Employees need to know how their actions positively and negatively affect the calves they work with.

“Employees don’t get up in the morning and wake up and say, ‘Oh, well, today I’m going to go and do a bad job,’” Solis said.

Solis said he wants attendees who do not work with calves to walk away from the session knowing the importance of communication.

“The biggest problem … in a farm is communication, and we’re not talking about a language barrier,” Solis said.

“The biggest problem … in a farm is communication, and we’re not talking about a language barrier.”

MARIO SOLIS FLORES, FORM A FEED

Why is a ending CPDE important to you?

900 cows

How many years have you attended Central Plains Dairy Expo? I have been going since the early 2000s.

Why is attending CPDE important to you and your dairy? It is important to attend CPDE to see our peers, meet with our support companies, nd out about innovative technologies and to learn new methods.

What are three must do’s when you attend CPDE? The three things I would recommend would be the Prayer Breakfast, looking at the exhibits and the Tuesday night Welcome Reception.

What seminars or booths are you interested in seeing? I will try to attend and get information about what appears to be one or two of our problem areas to learn how to

solve them and to improve productivity.

What have you incorporated on your farm from a previous CPDE? I think almost every aspect of our dairy has been inuenced in one way or another by information gathered from CPDE. Some examples would include feeding, milking procedures, breeding, genomics analysis, sire selection and calf raising.

What is your most memorable experience at CPDE? I have had many good experiences, but if I had to choose one, I would say the inspiration from the speakers at the Prayer Breakfast.

What would you say to encourage other farmers to attend CPDE? I would say it is worth the time to visit with peers and see new ideas.

Tell us about your farm. Our third-generation farm involves my wife, Lisa Zeinstra, along with myself, my daughter, Ashley Hoheisel,

and her husband, Justin Hoheisel. We milk 900 cows in a double-12 parlor, and the milk gets shipped

to Agropur. We farm around 1,200 acres and raise all of our youngstock.

“Almost every aspect of our dairy has been inuenced in one way or another by information gathered from CPDE.”

CPDE Prayer Breakfast sure to entertain

Would you like to add a little more laughter to your day and put your challenges away for a morning? If you answered yes, join fellow dairy enthusiasts for the Prayer Breakfast. This year’s headliner is Tim Lovelace, who is simply coined “one funny man.” As a Grammy and Dove nominated artist, this nationally sought-after storyteller and musician has also been described as the most versatile comedian on stage today.

The free breakfast at the Central Plains Dairy Expo includes a hot breakfast, yogurt, fruit, coffee and milk, and time devoted to prayer and reection. Generous sponsors help offset the breakfast’s costs. If you’d like to make a monetary donation during the breakfast, collected funds will go to the Western Iowa Dairy Alliance’s Banquet Ministry. This group purchases a signicant amount of dairy foods for the meals and people they serve.

Tim Lovelace

With more than three decades of world travel under his performance belt, Lovelace has developed his concerts into more than

just a great show. He uses humor to motivate and inspire by uniquely delivering life lessons. He also has an extraordinary way of weaving songs into his stage performance as he masterfully displays his musical abilities on piano, guitar and harmonica.

Lovelace hosts the national TV hit, “The Music City Show,” aired weekly on ve syndicated networks, including RFD-TV’s FamilyNet, NRB and Heartland. He is also a staff songwriter for Daywind Music Publishing in Nashville, Tennessee. With his wife, Mary Alice, he co-writes feature articles for www.dollyparton.com.

Lovelace’s passion for life is contagious and effectual. He wants people to laugh, but his ultimate goal is to utilize humor with a purpose to encourage people to discover real joy and inspire them to passionately pursue their own dreams. His award-winning musical talents, coupled with his crystal clean humor, motivates people of all ages to laugh their ribs loose. Get ready to put aside life’s challenges and celebrate your abundant blessings.

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Observing sweet alternatives

Lundquist to present on high sugar-based diets

From the remnants of citrus pulp to almond hulls, using byproducts as a source of feed in dairy rations is common, and depending on location, byproduct type and availability change.

“Farms across the United States use many different forages and byproducts in their rations,” Rick Lundquist said. “There is a huge difference between what dairies in the Midwest have available to them as compared to those in the southeast or southwest region of the country.”

During his career, Lundquist has traveled across the country as a dairy nutrition consultant through Nutrition Professionals Inc. He has observed a variety of feeding regimens and how byproducts can affect cow health and milk production.

Lundquist will share his observations and experiences in a breakout session titled “Sugar: What’s the Sweet Spot?” at 9 a.m. March 29 and 11:30 a.m. March 30 at the Central Plains Dairy Expo in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

The session, and the expo itself, will allow Lundquist to talk with producers.

“Most of the meetings I attend are technical meetings with nutritionists and professionals,” he said. “I’m looking forward to visiting with producers. This should be fun.”

tion, whereas southern states have a uid milk market.

“What I noticed was that farms in say Florida were achieving a 4.4% butterfat and 3.5% protein score without necessarily trying, being their market is uid milk,” Lundquist said. “So, I began speculating that the easily digestible sugars help the cattle not only achieve high components but also a really good rumen environment as protozoa love sugar.”

Farmers can increase the sugar in a ration many ways, but sugar beet pulp and molasses are commonly available byproducts in the Midwest, Lundquist said.

“Due to cost, it wouldn’t make sense for a

farm to ship a truckload of citrus pulp from Florida to Minnesota,” he said. “There are other options, and farms can experiment with the available resources to nd what makes their cows protable.”

Lundquist said his presentation is not based on research but rather his professional observations, which could lead to a conversation about implementing more sugar in a diet.

“When you see something enough, you tend to believe it to be true,” Lundquist said. “My observations are what I’ve perceived, and I’m going to just be showing farmers some alternative ways to feed a healthy, productive cow.”

This is not the rst time Lundquist has shared his thoughts and observations; he writes a column for Dairy Herd Management where he covers nutrition trends among other topics.

“With my dairy consulting business, I’ve had the opportunity to work with farms both in the Midwest and in states like Florida and Arizona where crops vary and production goals are different for each farm,” Lundquist said. “In southern regions of the country, they use high sugar-based diets, whereas in the Midwest, diets are high starch.”

Diets are subject to geographical availability of feeds. Lundquist said producers keep cost and readily available feed sources in mind when developing a feeding program or making ration adjustments. His seminar will expose producers to the potential opportunities from increasing the sugar within a ration.

There is a guideline Lundquist uses when balancing a ration to accommodate sugar and starch.

“Sugar plus starch should equal roughly 32%,” he said. “This is what I believe to be that sort of sweet spot. If one goes up, the other must come down.”

The high sugar-based diets have been benecial for farms by producing higher components, Lundquist said. Producers in the northern part of the country have a drive to produce high components as their market is primarily cheese produc-

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Why is a ending CPDE important to you?

How many years have you attended Central Plains Dairy Expo?

We are not sure how many years we have attended the Central Plains Dairy Expo, but it has been quite a few.

Why is attending CPDE important to you and your dairy? Attending CPDE is important to us because it allows us to connect with others in the industry, see what is new and attend seminars that we feel are benecial to the dairy.

What are three must do’s when you attend CPDE? We look at equipment, browse the booths and see what catches our eye. We talk to others.

What seminars or booths are you interested in seeing? We haven’t had time yet to check out what booths and seminars are going to be available this year.

What have you incorporated on your farm from a previous CPDE? We have incorporated a sand shooter that we saw at last year’s expo.

What is your most memorable experience at CPDE? We would not say there is one that is more memorable than others. We do know that it is an event our children always look forward to. They liked it when they were little so they could run around and accumulate booth goodies; as they get older, they enjoy going to check things out and try to convince us of what we need to spend money on.

What would you say to encourage other farmers to attend CPDE? We would encourage others to attend CPDE because it is great family time. At times, dairying with family can be intense, and we have to remember that we are family rst and co-workers second. CPDE is a great place to relax and enjoy the business we are in.

Tell us about your farm. We are a 600-cow dairy located in northwestern Iowa. We have three generations working together. Grant’s dad, John, is 91 and comes to the farm about every day. We have three children who are out of high school or college and help us either full time or part time. The other six are in school and help us when they are available, depending on jobs and school activities.

“CPDE is a great place to relax and enjoy the business we are in.”

I-29 Moo University’s Dairy Beef Short Course returns

The I-29 Moo University Dairy Beef Short Course will be held March 28 as part of the pre-educational events for the Central Plains Dairy Expo in rooms 8, 9 and 10 of the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

The Dairy Beef Short Course is one of the premiere dairy beef events in North America.

The morning speakers include Dr. Tara Felix, of Penn State University, discussing the national attitudes of dairy producers about crossbreeding beef on dairy and Dr. Dale Woerner, of Texas Tech University, discussing carcasses and cattle biotypes. Dr. Alfredo DiCostanzo, of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, will also present in the morning. DiCostanzo will speak on implant strategies for dairy-sourced cattle.

In the afternoon, Dr. Jeremy Schefers, of Milk Specialties Global, will present perspectives and experiences on feeding dairy and dairy cross cattle; Dr. Nathan Pyatt, of Elanco, will present a liver

abscess summary; and a panel featuring Schefers, Pyatt and Dr. Sheri Bierman, of Cattlemen’s Nutrition Services, will focus on roughage concentration for nishing diets.

To register for the event, visit https://go.iastate.edu/OFSVS8. The registration fee is $40 and includes the short course and lunch with proceedings available digitally. College students may register for $20. Pre-registration is required by March 21; attendees are limited to 120 on a rst-come, rst-served basis.

You can also register by mailing the registration fee to Fred Hall at 400 Central Ave., NW, Suite 700, Orange City, IA 51041. Please include your contact information and any dietary restrictions when mailing in your registration information. For questions, contact fredhall@iastate.edu or 712-737-4230.

For more information, visit the I-29 Moo University website at https://i-29moou.com/dairy-beefshort-course.

Helps decrease

Helps decrease retained placenta

Why is a ending CPDE important to you?

5,000 cows

How many years have you attended Central Plains Dairy Expo? I have attended CPDE twice.

Why is attending CPDE important to you and your dairy? Attending is very helpful to see all the services offered in the Central Plains and to personally meet the various people that operate them.

What are three must do’s when you attend CPDE? I enjoy attending CPDE’s Prayer Breakfast. I also just enjoy all of it.

What seminars or booths are you interested in seeing? I haven’t looked at the list yet, but I enjoy learning about a variety of topics.

What have you incorporated on your farm from a previous CPDE? We have mostly used local vendors that we met up with at CPDE.

What is your most memorable experience at CPDE? The year I had a beard because no one recognized me. I was incognito.

What would you say to encourage other farmers to attend CPDE? I encourage other farmers to attend CPDE to look at the latest technology, meet with vendors and talk with other dairy farmers.

Tell us about your farm. We milk in a rotary parlor. The milk is shipped to Agropur in Lake Norden, South Dakota. My wife, Sophia, and I have six children. Four are still at home who help with the farm.

“Attending is very helpful to see all the services offered in the Central Plains and to personally meet the various people that operate them.”

Daniel Vander Dussen

South Dakota

Farm bill forum

Congressional representatives and their staff will join Central Plains Dairy Expo for a healthy discussion about the 2023 farm bill at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 29, at the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Topics include Federal Milk Marketing Order reform, crop programs, food and school lunch programs, and more. Attendees will learn and be able to ask questions. The forum will be followed by a hospitality event hosted by the Nebraska State Dairy Association, Iowa State Dairy Association, South Dakota Dairy Producers, Minnesota Milk Producers Association and Midwest Dairy.

Congressman Don Bacon

Bacon grew up and worked on a farm in Illinois. He serves on the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee and Agricultural Committee.

Congressman Brad Finstad

Finstad is a fourth-generation farmer and resident of the New Ulm area. He was elected to Congress in a special election Aug. 9, 2022, and was sworn in three days later to represent Minnesota’s 1st District.

Dorothy Clark

Clark serves as the agriculture legislative assistant for Congressman Tom Emmer. She has 2.5 years of Washington, D.C., experience. While being a native of Blaine, Minnesota, Clark has strong ties to her family’s dairy farm in Redwood Falls, Minnesota.

Nick Lunneborg

Lunneborg is deputy chief of staff to Congresswoman Michelle Fischbach. He has worked on Capitol Hill for more than six years, including for Emmer during the 2018 farm bill. Lunneborg is a Minnesota native and graduate of the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota.

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