Laura Kieser, Carver/Scott County Extension Educator

February 11, 2006

As dairy producers and agri-business professionals, we all have a lot to gain by taking a day or two to attend educational workshops or programs. Some people attend these workshops for networking purposes, others have an interest in a specific topic and still others may need to meet some requirements for continuing education credits. Whatever the reason, it's still an excellent opportunity to help make one think about their business and whether a particular technique or piece of research may be applicable for their operation.

Believe me, as an Extension Educator I know how difficult it is to make professional development a priority on my schedule. If I have an event penciled in on my calendar, and something comes up in one of the counties that I work in, that professional development opportunity is the first thing to be erased. Well, I have decided that this year the constituents in the counties I work will be better served by my taking time for professional development opportunities. If I spend one day out of the office learning about food safety or national animal identification or other important topics, I will be better prepared to answer questions on those topics when the time arises. And it will arise.

The Carver County/University of Minnesota Dairy Expo is an opportunity that can fit right into your professional development plan if you are involved in any way in the dairy industry. The event is scheduled for Monday, February 20, 2006 at Norwood Young America Central High School. Registration starts at 9:30 AM and the speakers will begin their presentations at 10:30 AM. The Expo wraps up around 3:30 PM and you're on your way back home to milk the girls. What other educational program can you attend that features a full day of nationally and regionally recognized speakers, 50 agri-business exhibitors, lunch and door prizes for the bargain price of $10? Not many other places.

Perhaps you may be hesitant to go to the Expo because the cost of gas is high. Think about that for a moment. Currently gas is approximately $2.30 per gallon. If you lived 100 miles away from Norwood Young America, you would pay approximately $23 for gas for the whole trip. That's an entire day of learning and networking for $33 for one person. If you decide to carpool or bring a spouse or business associate, the per person cost is considerably less. You can't go for a night out on the town for that! If you go home from the Expo with one tip to increase the profitability of your operation, it will be time and money well spent. With the information-packed agenda at this year's Expo, you will most likely go home with more than one profit improvement tip.

Take advantage of this professional development opportunity near you. Here is some information about the topics and speakers for this year's Carver County/University of Minnesota Dairy Expo:

• "Where the Rubber Meets the Road - Adventures at the Claw Floor Interface" by Dr. Nigel Cook, University of Wisconsin Veterinary School. Dual roles of cow comfort interacting with trigger factors to make cows lame leading to interacting with lame cows, changing their behavior, so that they stay lame for longer. How to break the cycle of "get lame - stay lame" will be addressed.


• "Heat Abatement Options in Mid-West Dairy Herds" by Dr. John Smith, Kansas State University. Discussion will focus on heat abatement, cow cooling using sprinkler systems and fans along with new research conducted in this area.


• "Defining Quality in Corn Silage" by Dr. Jim Linn, University of Minnesota. How to evaluate corn silage for quality and look at the factors related to feeding high corn silage diets for milk production.


• "Achieving Maximum Forage Density" by Barry Visser, Vita Plus Corp. Results will be shared from a survey comparing variation in forage density and fermentation analysis in bunkers, piles and bags. Practical solutions to achieve ideal packing goals and maximizing forage quality.


• "Raising Healthy Calves" by Dr. Sandra Godden, University of Minnesota Veterinary School. Rearing healthy calves requires that dairy producers optimize immune resistance while minimizing disease challenge. Key management strategies designed to achieve both of these targets will be discussed.


• "Revving Up Profits with RPM's" by Pete Weber, Genex/CRI. Real life reproductive performance in Midwest herds: what are herds achieving for cow and heifer conception rates, pregnancy rates, abortion rates, etc.? What factors can affect reproduction in these herds? What value can you put on increasing reproductive efficiency in your herd?

For more information about the Carver County/University of Minnesota Dairy Expo, contact Laura Kieser at 952-466-5306 or 952-492-5386. If you have internet access, you may also view the program brochure and agenda on the University of Minnesota Dairy Team website at www.extension.umn.edu/dairy.