Indiana Ag Connection - Dairy Meetings Help Producers Face Industry Challenges

Indiana Ag News Headlines

Dairy Meetings Help Producers Face Industry Challenges
Indiana Ag Connection - 02/05/2010

The dairy industry has dealt with its fair share of challenges over the past year, so the 2010 Purdue Extension Regional Dairy Meetings will address the issues and give producers tips and tools for dealing with areas on the dairy farm that are difficult to manage.

"Dairy producers have seen extremely difficult times this past year," said Mike Schutz, Purdue Extension dairy specialist. "Milk prices have been well below the cost of production. Prices are better now than they were last year, but they still haven't reached the cost of production for some farms. The regional meetings will help producers deal with that."

The meetings take place Feb. 23 at the Log Inn, 12653 S. 200 E., Warrenton; Feb. 24 at the Bartholomew County Fairgrounds, 750 W. 200 S., Columbus; Feb. 25 at the Parke County Fairgrounds, U.S. 41 North, Rockville; March 3 at the Elkhart County Fairgrounds, 17746-E County Road 34, Goshen; and March 4 at the Back 40 Junction Restaurant, 1011 N. 13th St., Decatur. All meetings start with registration at 9 a.m. local time and conclude at 2:30 p.m.

At the Warrenton, Columbus and Rockville locations, speakers and topics are as follows:

* "Keys to Profitable Calf Rearing," Sam Leadley, Attica Veterinary Association.

* "Current Issues in Nutrition and the Environment," Tamilee Nennich, Purdue Extension nutrition management specialist.

* "How Will Animal Welfare Issues Affect Your Dairy?" by Schutz.

In Goshen and Decatur, participants will hear the following presentations:

* "Getting Them Back on Their Feet-Lameness Treatment and Prevention," Kent Ames, Michigan State University veterinarian.

* "Reproductive Management Issues Facing the Dairy Industry," Allen Bridges, Purdue Extension animal reproduction specialist.

* "Determining Economically Optimal Reproductive Management Programs," Nicole Olynk, Purdue Extension agricultural economist.

As part of his presentation on reproduction, Bridges also will focus on the effects of vomitoxin and zearalenone contaminated corn on dairy cows-something producers, especially in the northern part of the state, have been dealing with. Both toxins can cause reduced fertility if fed to dairy cattle in high quantities.

"We want participants to walk away from these meetings with some tools to make their dairy operations more profitable through better management practices," Schutz said.

In addition to the presentations, both Nennich and Schutz will be on hand at each location to talk with producers and answer any questions they may have.

Registration for any of the five locations is free for Indiana Professional Dairy Producers (IPDP) members. Additional family or farm members of IPDP members can register for $10 each. Non-member registration is $20 per person. Fees include meeting handouts and lunch.

For the Warrenton, Columbus and Rockville locations, registration is due by Feb. 19. The deadline for Goshen and Decatur is Feb. 26.

For more information, call 765-494-9478, mschutz@purdue.edu.

The Purdue Extension Dairy Team and IPDP sponsor the meetings in partnership with the Indiana Forage Council. Sponsors represented at the meetings will be the Allied Industry members of IPDP: Milk Promotion Services of Indiana, Indiana Soybean Alliance, Indiana Corn Marketing Council, Dairy Farmers of America, Boehringer-Ingelheim and Zeeland Farm Services.