Productivity, Efficiency & Benchmarking

Dialing into your best dairy

June 29, 2020

Episodes in this series will discuss management practices and tips to reach your herd's full genetic potential. In 8 episodes, PRO-DAIRY and CCE Dairy Specialists will discuss the different life stages of the dairy cow, including raising calves through the milk phase and weaning; managing weaned heifers up to freshening; making decisions about which replacements to keep including talking about inventory, disease prevention, and culling decisions; feeding and nutrition management during lactation; facilities, time management, and ventilation considerations throughout lactation; and management factors around reproduction, gestation, and the dry period.

Find the entire series here, along with more information:

Episode 1: Reaching Your Herd's Genetic Potential Available 6.15.20
CCE Regional Dairy specialists Betsy Hicks, Lindsay Ferlito, and Margaret Quaassdorff, share an overview of the series. Dr. Mike VanAmburgh, Cornell University Professor, in an interview provides background on epigenetics and how he came to study the effects management and nutrition play in genetic programming of the calf for her entire life.

Episode 2: Calves - Birth to Weaning Available 6.22.20
In this episode, CCE Regional Dairy Specialists Alycia Drwencke and Casey Havekes, discuss best management practices for the dairy calf from the time of birth through weaning. Topics include colostrum management, cleanliness, ventilation, housing, plane of nutrition, and weaning strategies.

Episode 3: Heifers and Springers Available 6.29.20
In this episode, CCE Regional Dairy Specialists Margaret Quaassdorff and Dave Balbian, and Lindsey Worden, Holstein USA, discuss best management practices for dairy heifers from post-weaning to freshening. Topics include heifer health and nutrition, growth and breeding targets, housing facilities and ventilation, and incorporation into the milking herd.

Episode 4: Don’t be a Heifer Hoarder-Heifer Inventory Management Available 7.6.20
In this episode we discuss culling policy and inventory management with Rob Lynch, DVM, Dairy Herd Health and Management Specialist, Cornell PRO-DAIRY, Margaret Quaassdorff, CCE Regional Dairy Specialist and Lindsey Worden, Holstein USA.

Episode 5: Nutrition and Feeding for the Lactating Cow Available 7.13.20

This episode features CCE Dairy Specialists Margaret Quaassdorff, Dave Balbian, and Melanie Palmer while they discuss dialing in lactating cows’ nutrition, goals as a feeder of lactating cows, and recommendations from Miner Institute to create the perfect dining experience for our cows.

Episode 6: Managing the Lactating Cows' Environment Available 7.20.20

In this episode CCE Regional Dairy Specialists Dave Balbian, Betsy Hicks, and Margaret Quaassdorff cover best management practices for lactating dairy cows including ventilation, heat abatement, management through lactation, and time budgets. They also interview a producer on factors to keep in mind for facility design, and the changes he saw in his herd after implementing herd management and facility design strategies.

• Temperature Humidity Index (THI)
• Tunnel Ventilation in Freestall Barns

Episode 7: Reproduction, Gestation and the Dry Period Available 7.27.20

This episode is hosted by CCE Regional Dairy Specialists Alycia Drwencke, Casey Havekes, and Lindsay Ferlito. They discuss management practices during the breeding, gestation and dry cow phases. Topics include feeding and nutrition, body condition score, breeding, time budgets, and behavioral considerations.

• PAACO Dairy Welfare Auditor Training
• FARM – Animal Care Training Resource Library
• PRO-DAIRY Dairy Environmental Systems
• University of Wisconsin-Madison, Dairyland Initiative – Housing Module

Episode 8: Pulling it All Together - Management for Record Setting Cows Available 8.3.20

Dialing into Your Best Dairy concludes with an interview of the owners of Selz-Pralle Dairy, the herd that contains the U.S. milk production record holder Selz-Pralle Aftershock 3918 that produced 78,170 pounds of milk in a single 365-day lactation. The Pralles have a whole herd of cows that deserve appreciation as well, and share some of their management strategies to achieve exceptional results. CCE Regional Dairy Specialists Betsy Hicks, Lindsay Ferlito, and Margaret Quaassdorff, wrap up the series in this episode and share where to find contact information and more resources on topics covered in the series.

• Selz-Pralle Dairy on Facebook
• Contact Selz-Pralle Dairy at selzpralle@centurytel.net

Listen to the podcasts on SoundCloud

Last updated November 21, 2023