September 2018 vol. 2
Brought to you by Dairy's Professional Development Organization®

Opportunities to learn...

WHICH PROGRAMS WILL YOU ATTEND?   The 2018-19 PDPW programming calendar is packed full of programs, events and tours planned by producer-led committees to be in step with the needs and priorities for today's dairy farmers.  Check out the calendar here; we look forward to seeing you soon.

SIGN UP FOR 2018-19 FINANCIAL LITERACY CLASSES.  Plans have been finalized for the fall 2018/spring 2019 session of the PDPW Financial Literacy for Dairy series of courses. The series will be presented through multiple sessions and provide opportunities to learn, study and practice new concepts in your operation between sessions. Learn more and register  here . 

PREPARE, PRACTICE AND POSITION YOUR DAIRY FOR MEDIA SUCCESS by participating in the one-day PDPW Media Training Workshop on Wed., Oct. 17.  The program is open to dairy farmers and dairy industry professionals and provides an understanding of how the media works and an opportunity to develop messages for your farm and practice with mock interviews.  By preparing now, you can build confidence in your skills and credibility for your dairy when the cameras arrive.  To learn more or register, click here or call 1-800-947-7379. 

WHAT NEW MARKETS CAN YOU TAP INTO? Explore opportunities to add more value to your dairy farm's operations on the PDPW Value-Added Dairy Tours Tues., Oct. 23. A chartered bus will depart from Madison at 9:30 a.m. and return at 4:00 p.m. Tour stops will include Crave Brothers Farmstead Classics in Waterloo and Sassy Cow Creamery in Columbus, as well as a round-table discussion over lunch with tour hosts George Crave, James Baerwolf and agriculture value-added business consultant Jim Gage. Registration is limited to the first 50 participants, so register today by calling 800-947-7379 or click here.  

WHAT WILL DAIRY REVENUE PROTECTION INSURANCE MEAN for your dairy farm?  Carl Babler, principal with Atten Babler Commodities, will break down the options of the new USDA program and share how you can use the insurance effectively and immediately in your operation.  Join the PDPW World Class Webinar on Wed., Oct. 24 from 12-1pm CT or access the recording when it fits your schedule.  Register or learn more here or call 800-947-7379.

HERDSPERSON CONFERENCE IS MUST-ATTEND EVENT for herd managers, nutritionists, veterinarians and all those responsible for critical herd health and management decisions on a dairy.  Join Dr. Paul Fricke, Dr. Thomas Overton, Dr. Trevor DeVries and Hank Wagner for this workshop focused on reproduction, transition management and other key topics.  The one-day conference will be held Oct. 31 in Marshfield and repeat on Nov. 1 in Arlington. For additional information, call 800-947-7379 or click here. 

CHECK OUT DAIRY ADVANCE  - With the harvest season in full swing and the education season upon us, now's the time to learn more about why finding, tracking and reporting your Continuing Education (CEs) credits makes financial sense for every person on your dairy.  Get more details at DairyAdvance.org .
For your dairy...

MEASURING THE EXPERIENCE OF TRANSITIONING TO AUTOMATED MILKING SYSTEMS was the focus of a recent study published in the Journal of Dairy Science.  The study documented the experiences of 217 Canadian dairy producers from eight provinces during the transition to, and during the use of automated systems. The paper reported it took an average of 1 week to train a cow or heifer to use the AMS and a median of 30 days for the entire herd to adapt. Producers reported they gained more flexibility in their work time, found work to be less stressful and physically demanding, found employee management easier, and had improved herd health and management.  Read more here. 

FEEDING HIGH-OLEIC SOYBEANS MAY RESULT IN INCREASED MILK FAT CONCENTRATION compared to cows fed conventional soybeans, according to research published in the Journal of Dairy Science.  Researchers conducted two experiments, one with 63 cows and another with 20 cows, to compare soybean diets with high-oleic soybeans and conventional soybeans.  The results showed a clear advantage in milk fat yield with ground high-oleic soybeans compared to ground conventional soybeans and the potential for some increase in milkfat in cows fed whole high-oleic soybeans compared to conventional whole soybeans containing high levels of linoleic acid. Learn more here.

WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU at World Dairy Expo next month. Stop by our booth in the foyer of the Exhibition Hall as we celebrate the dairy industry in Madison, Wis. We've got exciting programs to share with you and your team members! You'll find us at booth EH4427.
Dairy currents...

TRENDS IN BEVERAGE CHOICES BY KIDS was the focus of a report released by the Center for Disease Control.  The report showed milk made up about one-third of beverage intake for children between the ages of 2 to 5, but only represented 14.5% for 12- to 19-year olds.  The study focused on data from 2013 through 2016, with water accounting for almost 44% of total beverage consumption among U.S. youth, followed by milk, soft drinks, juice and other beverages.  Click here to read the full report.

NEW METHODS TO REDUCE SUGAR CONTENT COULD BOOST APPEAL of dairy products for consumers.  A study conducted at North Carolina State University tested new methods such as hydrolysis of lactose and ultrafiltration to reduce sugar content while maintaining taste, texture and other key elements for consumers. The authors noted that while reducing sugar is difficult the industry is making progress. Click here for the full article in Dairy Herd Management and see a comparison of sugar content in white milk, flavored milk and other popular beverages.  

HIGH-YIELD, INTENSIVE AGRICULTURE CAN BE THE BEST WAY to meeting increasing demands for food production while conserving biodiversity. A study from the UK's University of Cambridge included data from 17 organizations around the world to analyze practices and production output for dairy and several crops. Their results from four major agricultural sectors suggest that more intensive agriculture practices that use less land may also produce fewer pollutants, cause less soil loss and consume less water, which would protect biodiversity and fragile land. Read the full article here.
For your business mind...

CLEAR GOALS AND PRIORITIES KEY FOR AVOIDING DATA OVERLOAD WITH ADVISORY TEAMS Today's technologies and tracking systems provide a wealth of data and measurements to monitor herd performance and farm financial performance.  These measurements are critical for sharing with an advisory team of consultants to help the operation improve, but they can also cause overload for the team and take time away from a focus on current issues. Prioritizing the list of metrics based on the most pressing challenges for your farm and overall goals is key to a successful team.  Start with understanding which metrics are available, then decide which are most important and develop a tracking system to clearly report them on a timely basis.  Details along with worksheets and tips are available in this article from Penn State Extension.

MAKING EMPLOYEES AND COLLEAGUES FEEL VALUED is an important way to supercharge your leadership credibility and improve relationships. By reaching out to people, you can build relationships and become a valued resource when team members are dealing with challenging situations. Read this article for 12 tips on building strong relationships, including:
  • Be a super human, not superhuman
  • Identify individual's strengths
  • Ask for and give feedback
  • Ask people for their ideas
  • Allow autonomy
  • Be visible and available
MANAGING FAMILY LIVING EXPENSES STARTS WITH ACCURATE RECORDS. Determining whether income from milk and farm income can meet current family living expenses can be a challenging and stressful process without a true accounting of living expenses.  When accurately reported, family living expenses are often much higher than what may have been initially budgeted. Penn State University Extension offers tips and worksheets for calculating living expenses, and how to determine whether production is adequately generating income for family needs, as well as ideas for adjustments.  Click here for more information.
Words to live by...

"The key to successful leadership is influence, not authority." --- Kenneth H. Blanchard
Podcast review... 

CREATING DISNEY MAGIC during the 2018 Managers Academy, participants learned the secrets of managing successful teams from former Disney World executive Lee Cockerell. He shares insights on customer service as well as recruiting, hiring, training and rewarding employee teams in his blog. Check out this episode titled " Creative Ways to Find and Hire the Right People"  where he provides tips to go beyond the "Help Wanted" ad in finding new employees.
A BIG Thank You...  

TO THE PDPW SPONSORS who are supporting your professional development organization! As a producer-led group, we extend a heart-felt "Thank You!" to those that stand alongside our nation's dairy farmers. T heir support allows PDPW to execute best-in-class producer training and has enabled us to become the go-to resource for unified outreach initiatives. If you or a company you know is interested in participating as a sponsor, please contact us at [email protected] or call 800-947-7379.
 
See the full list of generous sponsors here.