AMES, Iowa — Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is sponsoring the 2018 Four-State Dairy Nutrition and Management Conference, which will feature the latest information in dairy nutrition and management. It will be held on June 13-14 at the Grand River Center in Dubuque, Iowa. This premier conference will feature information on using new low lignin forages, fatty acids and better ration predictions to improve cow performance and health.
Holstein dairy cows at feed bunk.A pre-conference symposium, sponsored by Alltech, will focus on how herds can achieve their genetic potential. Alltech’s Roger Scalitti, Alexandra Weaver and Sam Leadly will cover ways to capture your herd’s potential, how mycotoxins can impact the lifetime performance of dairy animals, the five C’s of calf management and fine tuning your dairy farm for greater efficiency and profits.
Four-State conference speakers include Mike Van Amburgh, professor at Cornell University, who will discuss research into improving predictions of metabolizable protein. Ev Thomas, retired Miner Institute agronomist, will talk about BMR corn silage and low lignin alfalfa. Jim Barmore, GPS consultant, and Brian Forrest, Maple Ridge Dairy, will discuss how farms are achieving high production using low lignin forages.
Randy Shaver, professor at the University of Wisconsin, will discuss how herds are producing more milk with more high quality forages. John Goeser, Rock River Labs, will talk about fiber digestion metrics to build better diets. Adam Lock, associate professor at Michigan State University, will present on how different fatty acid combinations affect cow performance and metabolism.
Select breakout topics include:
- Beyond IgG: Components of colostrum as metabolic modifiers
- Alfalfa vs Alfalfa Grass: Obstacles and opportunities
- Feeding practices of U.S. Jersey herds
- Integrating cover crops and livestock to improve profitability
- New information to better manage transition cows
- Feeding and management on robotic dairies
- Corn genetic applications to improve silage starch digestibility
- Successfully supplementing fatty acids to fresh cows
- Cost of raising calves in individual or automated feeding systems
The post-conference symposium includes Ken Kalscheur, U.S. Dairy Forage Resarch Center, and Spencer Moore,
University of Wisconsin PhD candidate, discussing their research on using canola meal in early lactation cows and in ration formulations. Essi Evans, Technical Advisory Services, will talk about getting canola meal values right in ration formulation and Marty Faldet, GPS consulting, on evaluating feeding financials. The post-conference symposium is sponsored by the Canola Council of Canada.
In addition to the educational program, there will be a trade show with 50 companies exhibiting their latest products, evening receptions and plenty of time to network with other participants. Advanced Dairy CE and ARPAS CEU credits are available.
This conference is a collaborative effort of Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, University of Illinois Extension, University of Minnesota Extension and University of Wisconsin-Extension.
For more information and to register visit http://z.umn.edu/4state. The conference registration fee is $150 until May 31 and $175 after.
— Jennifer Bentley and Larry Tranel, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
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