For the fifth year, dairy producers, employees and consultants who want to improve their operations, but may not have time to attend workshops off-farm, will have access to the most recent information on topics ranging from cow comfort to nutrition to animal behavior through online workshops. These free online “Technology Tuesday Webinars” begin Tuesday, Sept. 23 and are available at no cost to anyone with a computer and a high-speed Internet connection.

Dan F. McFarland, extension dairy team ag engineer, said, “Technology Tuesday webinars allow dairy producers and ag professionals to participate in presentations on timely dairy system design and management topics by extension and industry specialists from the comfort of their own office. By logging onto the live webinars, participants also can ask questions and interact with presenters; and, since dairy producers often have other things to do on Tuesday mornings, each webinar is recorded and archived on the Penn State Extension Dairy Team website to view at their convenience or future reference.”

The fifteen webinars take place on Tuesdays, from 8:30 to 10:00 a.m. Registration is free, but advance registration is requested.

Sept. 23: “Stray Voltage in Dairy Systems”
When cow performance dips, stray voltage is often mentioned as a possible cause. This webinar will define what is – and what isn’t – stray voltage according to research-based information. Investigation and mitigation methods will be discussed. Led by Dan McFarland, ag engineer, Penn State Extension Dairy Team.

Oct. 7: “Downed Cows and End of Life Decisions”
Animal welfare of the farm is a priority to all dairy producers. This webinar will look at issues of handling downed cows, when and how to euthanize animals and proper methods of handling the carcass. Led by John Tyson, ag engineer, Penn State Extension Dairy Team.

Oct. 21: “Modernization of Dairy Businesses”
As Pennsylvania’s dairy industry moves forward, modernization of the present infrastructure on the dairy is inevitable. This may mean new housing for better cow comfort, changes to feed storage for less shrink or changes to milking for better labor efficiency. The webinar will look at how to modernize the farm without breaking the bank. Led by John Tyson, ag engineer, Penn State Extension Dairy Team.

Nov. 18: "Collection and Use of Data in Robotic Milking Systems”
Robotic milking systems provide a lot of information that can be used by the dairyman, veterinarians and dairy nutritionists to manage the production and health of dairy cattle. This webinar will provide practical examples of how the data is being used on farms. Led by Mathew Haan, dairy educator, Penn State Extension Dairy Team.

Nov. 25: “Cow Comfort Update”
Research and experience continue to demonstrate that providing an environment that caters to cows’ needs benefits health, production, well-being and longevity. This webinar will focus on the factors that define “cow comfort,” why it is important and how it can be applied to almost any dairy housing system. Led by Dan McFarland, ag engineer, Penn State Extension Dairy Team.

Dec. 12: “Focus on Transition Cows”
Transitioning cows from the dry period into and through early lactation has a huge effect on the overall production and health of the entire herd. The way we house and manage the dry and pre-fresh cows ultimately determines the level of production they can achieve. The webinar will look at animal behavior aspects of this transition period as well as housing and management options. Led by John Tyson, ag engineer, Penn State Extension Dairy Team.

Jan. 20, 2015: “LEED for Dairy and Livestock Facilities”
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a green building certification program used extensively in office buildings, museums and other buildings in urban areas. Learn how LEED principals can be applied to dairy and livestock facilities. Led by Mathew Haan, dairy educator, Penn State Extension Dairy Team.

Feb. 10, 2015: “Handling Manure with Gypsum Bedding”
Led by Eileen Wheeler, professor, Penn State Ag & Bio Engineering, Penn State Extension.

Feb. 24, 2015: “Heat Stress”
Dairy cattle just aren’t made for hot weather. As we look ahead toward spring and summer weather, what needs to be done to offset those effects of heat stress? Discover ways to tackle heat stress and provide better comfort through the summer. Led by John Tyson, ag engineer, Penn State Extension Dairy Team.

March 10, 2015 “Calf and Heifer System Planning and Design”
The future of the dairy enterprise lies in the health and performance of the replacement herd. Developing a management plan and housing system that satisfies the unique needs of each age group is not difficult, but must fit into the farm’s management goals and allow flexibility. Topics to be covered include management and health-care considerations, animal environment needs, common shelter types and a method to develop a plan that suits the needs of your farm. Led by Penn State Extension Dairy Team ag engineers, Dan McFarland and John Tyson.

March 17, 2015: “Best Milking Practices – Evaluating your Routine”
This program will teach the use of consistent milking practices that emphasize teat cleanliness, udder stimulation and rapid milk flow while performing the most important job on the farm. Milking consistency affects cow well-being, mastitis risks and milk output. Participants will learn about the importance of early detection of clinical and subclinical mastitis and proper treatment protocols. This in turn will increase income through increased milk production, increased premium benefits and decreased cost of treatment. Led by Amber Yutzy, Penn State Extension Dairy Team.

March 24, 2015: “Mastitis Costs and Why Culturing is Important”
Designed to help producers improve income by increasing production and premium benefits as well as decrease cost of treatment for mastitis, this webinar will explore the costs associated with mastitis. Participants will learn the importance of essential tools needed for early detection of clinical and subclinical mastitis and proper treatment protocols. They will also acquire the proper techniques for collecting milk cultures, setting up cultures for on-farm identification and the knowledge to identify bacteria growth. Led by Amber Yutzy, Penn State Extension Dairy Team.

April 14, 2015: “Restraint and Handling of Dairy Cattle”
Dairy cattle need to be isolated and restrained regularly for a number of reasons including observation, health care and breeding. These procedures must be done easily, safely and without excitement. Presentation topics include access and restraint requirements, sorting and isolation options, and proven restraint methods used for dairy cows and heifers. Led by Dan McFarland, ag engineer, Penn State Extension Dairy Team.

April 28, 2015: “Milk Quality and Robotic Milking Systems”
Even with the ability of some robotic milking systems to provide conductivity, fat, protein and other information on milk quality from each quarter of the udder each time a cow is milked, obtaining consistent, good milk quality can be a challenge on some farms. We will discuss recent research on milk quality from robotic milking dairy farms and management strategies to achieve high quality milk. Led by Mathew Haan, dairy educator, Penn State Extension Dairy Team.

May 12, 2015: “Feet and Floors”
Lameness continues to be a significant cattle health and well-being concern on dairy farms. Learn about common foot health and lameness issues, how to identify them, and methods to reduce lameness in new and existing housing systems. Led by Dan McFarland, ag engineer, Penn State Extension Dairy Team.

All sessions are held 8:30-10:00 a.m. (EDT/EST). All webinars are recorded; to watch past seminars, visit the Penn State Extension website.

Registration for the Technology Tuesdays Webinar Series is free of charge, but you must pre-register for the first session that you wish to attend. Pre-register online, no later than noon the day preceding the session. Prior to the webinar session, you will receive an email that confirms your registration and contains the webinar URL. You need only register once; the same URL is used for all sessions.

This webinar series qualifies for one SmartStart credits for every two webinars from AgChoice Farm Credit. PD

—From Penn State Extension news release