The first U.S. Precision Dairy Conference and Expo is taking place in Rochester, Minnesota, June 25-27. The program includes a tour of nearby farms, a two-day agenda packed with the latest research and industry information, and a trade show dedicated to the latest technology in robotic milking and precision management.

During the two-day conference, there will be four producer panels with a total of 14 producers talking about their experiences with robotic milking, individual cow sensors for activity, temperature and rumination, automated calf feeding, and in-line parlor technology that measures components, progesterone and ketones in every cow at every milking, and more.

Well known producers on the program include Doyle Waybright of Mason Dixon Farms in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and Jake Peissig of JRP Farms in Dorchester, Wisconsin, which was recently acclaimed as the highest producing, DeLaval-robot-milked herd in the world.

Click here to read more about Peissig's operation.

Keynote conference speakers include Dr. Jeffrey Bewley, who leads research in precision technologies at the University of Kentucky; world renowned nutritionist Dr. Alex Bach, from Spain; as well as Dr. Marcia Endres from the University of Minnesota and Dr. Margit Bak Jensen from Denmark, who will be talking about automated feeding of calves.

Jack Rodenburg from Canada will share his experiences with robotic milking and what makes it work.

Economics is an important part of the discussion. Dr. Albert DeVries from the University of Florida, well known for his economic modeling work, will give the American perspective on adoption of precision technology; Dr. Henk Hogeveen from the Netherlands will give the European experience.

Dr. Ilan Halachmi from Israel, Dr. Ray Nebel from Select Sires, and Dr. Doug Reinemann from the University of Wisconsin will talk about sensors.

Read on to learn more about two of the general sessions.

Information about the full program including submitted papers on the latest research can be found on the Precision Dairy 2013 website. Early registration ends June 10.

Exciting Dairy Breakthroughs: Science Fiction or Precision Dairy Farming?
Dr. Jeffrey Bewley
Assistant Professor
University of Kentucky

Why is this topic important?
BEWLEY: Precision dairy farming has the potential to improve the lives of dairy producers and dairy cows through improved health and reproductive management. Technologies can monitor cows continuously in ways that we cannot.

What do you hope attendees will take away from this presentation?
BEWLEY: I hope attendees will better understand the potential benefits of precision dairy technologies and what needs to be considered before an investment.

Now What? Some Economic Guidelines for Practical Precision Dairy
Dr. Albert DeVries
Associate Professor
University of Florida

Why is this topic important?
DEVRIES: The quality and cost of technologies for precision dairy farming are rapidly improving and many different applications are available. At the end of this conference, the participants have learned a great deal about the many new and emerging precision dairy technologies.

My goal is to give participants some economic guidelines on how to evaluate if an investment in any of these technologies makes sense for their operations.

Essentially, I'll be looking at the cost of the technology and then look at the necessary increase in animal performance (milk, health, reproduction etc.) or reduction in labor to pay for the investment. I'll also briefly touch on non-financial social aspects such as more time for family.

What do you hope attendees will take away from this presentation?
DEVRIES: I hope the participants will have learned some rules and methods they can take home on how to sort through a precision dairy technology investment opportunity. PD

—Compiled from U.S. Precision Dairy Conference and Expo news release and responses sought by PD Editor Karen Lee