Minnesota Dairy Days 2010

Minnesota Dairy Days 2010, presented by the University of Minnesota Extension Dairy Team, is currently in the planning stages and will be held at various locations around the state in January, 2010. More information will be available this fall.
Dairy Days Page

Regional Dairy Meetings

The 2010 Regional Dairy Meetings will be conducted in February, 2010 at three locations in Minnesota. The locations will be New Ulm, Rochester, Detroit Lakes and Sauk Centre. The Regional Dairy Meetings will be sponsored by the Minnesota Milk Producers Association in cooperation with the University of Minnesota Extension Dairy Team. There will be speakers from the U of MN as well as from outside the state to provide an opportunity for dairy producers and dairy advisors to hear the latest research-based information. Presentations given at the 2007 Minnesota Dairy Days are posted on this website, as well as those for the 2006 and 2005 Dairy Days. Check this site later this fall for further details.

Midwest Dairy Expo

The 2009 Midwest Dairy Expo will be held December 8 and 9 in St. Cloud. This two-day conference, held in cooperation with the Minnesota Milk Producers Association, looks at current issues in dairy marketing, communication, positioning for the future, and general production.
Midwest Dairy Expo Page

Successful Dairy Systems

The Successful Dairy Systems program is a series of educational events, activities and educational materials that provide producers and dairy industry professionals with current dairy management techniques intended to help dairy farm families improve their dairy operations in order to better position themselves for their own dairy future. One of the goals of this program is to help keep families in dairy production. It is more geared at helping families plan strategies that are best for their situation. It also addresses management issues that are relevant to the individual farm.

There are several components to the Successful Dairy Systems Program including: Series of on-farm Field Days emphasizing management concepts; Training for Dairy Industry personnel; Series of Fact Sheets on topics regarding management practices; Strategic Planning emphasizing Operational Excellence.
Summer Field Days

Milk Quality

The production, processing and marketing of dairy products must meet the standards of the industry and expectations of the consumer. Minnesota Dairy producers are making progress in lowering the average somatic cell count in dairy herds. However, mastitis still remains the most costly infectious disease affecting the dairy herd. The Extension Dairy Team offers educational programs and informational materials on mastitis control, using the latest researched based information available. Information is available on bedding management, stall management, cow cleanliness, milking procedures, culturing strategies, monitoring strategies and equipment and facility maintenance related to mastitis. The University of Minnesota has a Quality Count$ program that is a state-wide cooperative campaign to improve milk quality in Minnesota.

Calves

Calf health and vaccination, colostrum management and nutrition, reducing death loss are all part of an emphasis the Extension Dairy Team is placing on helping educate dairy producers. Through research being conducted at the new Calf and Heifer Research facilities at the Southern Research and Outreach Center in Waseca, which opened in April, 2004, calf growers are able to tap into the latest information by attending workshops, on-farm meetings, seminars conducted by researchers and extension personnel as well as learn from reading publications and articles written on research results.

Cow Comfort and Management Program

Whatever housing system, feeding system, and milking system used on the dairy farm, creating and maintaining a comfortable environment for the dairy herd, dry cows and replacements are important management issues. Health, culling rates, milk production, reproductive efficiencies, longevity all affect profitability of the farm operation and can be related to the comfort of the animal.

The Extension Dairy Team offers programs, facility tours, workshops and informational materials that include such topics as stall management, retrofitting or constructing facilities, bedding management, ventilation, feeding space for proper dry matter intake, lighting, floor surfaces, manure management, and facility, pen and grouping capacities.

Feed Management and Nutrition

With feed costs representing 45 to 50% of the total cost to produce a hundred pounds of milk, the Extension Dairy Team offers programs on feeding and nutrition for the producer to stay abreast of new research and trends that may be beneficial to the dairy operation. There are meetings and seminars devoted to helping producers minimize the incidence of metabolic, infectious and reproductive disorders in the dairy herd that may be due to feeding and nutrition. Proper harvesting, storing and feeding of forages are emphasized in workshops, on-farm meetings and through informational materials. Feed bunk management that includes feed selection, mixing of the ration, delivery of the feed and watching refusals are other important feed strategies that are discussed or written in articles and publications. Feeding the transition cow, feeding for calf health and heifer growth are other very important topics that are provided to dairy producers through a number of educational methods.

Low Input Production, Grazing and Organic Production

Many dairy producers are finding ways to dairy using less inputs. A number of Minnesota producers have found success in dairying with an emphasis on grazing and/or organic milk production. Management approaches vary greatly. But the goals are similar in that they want to provide a more profitable income, promote an environmental friendly dairy system on their farm, and promote a stable farm families and communities.
The Dairy Extension Team offers educational programs based on research from the West Central Research and Outreach Center in Morris and other research conducted by University nutritionists, forage specialists and agriculture engineers. Results of the research are written in publications and information is presented at workshops, meetings and seminars. On-farm tours are conducted to look at and discuss low input facilities and grazing management practices.