BURLINGTON, Vt. — Green Mountain Dairy Schools are planned for several locations in Vermont this winter to provide dairy producers with information on herd health, crops, Vermont’s required agricultural practices, farm management and other pertinent topics.
The fee for these University of Vermont (UVM) Extension-sponsored schools is $25, which includes lunch. Although registrations will be accepted online at http://go.uvm.edu/gmdairyschool until the day before each meeting, to guarantee lunch, farmers are asked to register at least three days in advance.
The schools will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with registration beginning at 9:30 a.m. The program varies at each site, so farmers are encouraged to attend the school that best fits their farm’s needs. All registrants also will receive a webinar link giving them the option of participating in any or all schools from their home or office.
Among the topics to be covered are optimizing rations for cows on pasture, ultra-high forage diets, advances in cow-monitoring technologies, cover cropping, hay field and pasture renovation, techniques to intensify forage production, cow comfort, prevention and treatment of livestock illnesses on organic dairy farms and managing for calf health. The legal implications of required agricultural practices and effective management of farm employees also will be discussed, along with other areas of interest to dairy farmers.
Schools are scheduled for the following dates and locations:
Feb. 6–East Side Restaurant, 47 Landing St., Newport
Feb 8–Green Mountain Technology and Career Center, 738 Vermont Rte. 15W, Hyde Park
Feb. 9–The Dairy Center, 2445 Sampsonville Rd., Enosburg
Feb. 10–UVM Extension, 374 Emerson Falls Rd., Suite 1, St. Johnsbury
March 3–American Legion Hall, 100 Armory Ln., Vergennes
To request a disability-related accommodation to participate, contact Virginia Jaquish at (800) 545-8920 (toll-free in Vermont) or (802) 751-8307, ext. 351, two weeks prior to the meeting date.
—UVM Extension
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