Progressive Dairy provides updates on dairy-related organizations and companies, compiled from staff news sources and industry press releases. Email industry and organization news to Progressive Dairy Editor Jenna Hurty.
Business Digest Highlights
Industry news
New DAIRY CARE365 training module focuses on creating a culture of care
A new DAIRY CARE365 online training module from Merck Animal Health will help dairy owners and managers foster on-farm cultures that prioritize exceptional animal care, 365 days of the year.
The new module, entitled “Creating a Culture of Care,” is the first module specifically tailored to those in leadership roles on dairies. Nine other training modules focus on e-learning for dairy employees, covering such topics as dairy stockmanship, newborn calf care and non-ambulatory cow handling.
“Creating a Culture of Care” consists of five lessons, each six to eight minutes long. Each lesson includes an educational video, followed by interactive quiz questions to test how well the lesson meets specific learning objectives. The module includes standard operating procedures (SOPs) for each lesson, as well as a certificate of completion to document training. The lessons are:
- Leadership Pledge
- On-farm Commitment to Zero Tolerance for Animal Abuse
- Creating Protocols and SOPs
- Developing a Training Plan
- Monitoring and Measuring for Accountability
The company developed the training module in cooperation with Brandon Treichler, DVM, an expert in animal welfare, milk quality, residue avoidance and human resource management. Treichler serves on National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) Animal Care Task Force and Workforce Development Task Force, providing guidance and input to the National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program.
Visit DAIRY CARE365 to learn more.
Agrimesh partners with UC – Davis
Agrimesh and UC – Davis have partnered together on a project to optimize controls for cooling dairy cows. The project is to last three years.
The purpose of the collaboration is to support a project funded by the California Energy Commission to demonstrate and monitor control methods for operating fans and sprayers for cooling livestock based on a heat and mass transfer model of cow hair drying. The goal of the collaboration is to deploy the control method using Agrimesh’s wireless control hardware and software platform at five dairies in California’s Central Valley. UC – Davis will provide a specific set of control logic to be deployed and measure the results.
Elanco introduces CyLence name expansion in its insecticide portfolio
Elanco Animal Health Incorporated has announced new naming for Tempo SC Ultra Premise Spray and Tempo SC Ultra Pest Control Concentrate as CyLence Ultra Premise Spray and CyLence Ultra Pest Control Concentrate.
The insecticide has long been a standard for eartags and pour-ons to control flies and ticks in beef and dairy operations. Now, the name is expanding to include broad-spectrum control for beef, dairy, poultry and swine operations. It is the same proven pyrethroid insecticide product that can reduce the volume of flies, darkling beetles and ticks.
Visit Elanco for more information.
Dellait – Animal Nutrition and Health opens new laboratory in South Dakota
Dellait announced the opening of a new laboratory in Brooking, South Dakota, allowing the company to enhance feed and forage analytical services and expertise for cattle and crop farmers in Brookings and throughout the region.
The new facility located in the South Dakota State University Research Park features new capabilities and equipment for performing high-quality and efficient testing – creating more robust lab offerings for the ag community. The laboratory includes NIR and wet chemistry equipment to process a high volume of samples and ensure the highest standards of accuracy and quality. In addition, the laboratory underscores the company’s commitment to South Dakota and builds on its strong presence in the state.
Visit Dellait for more information.
Entries open: SprayMaster spectacular giveaway
Entries are open for the SprayMaster Spectacular Giveaway from Valley Vet Supply until June 24.
Help control flies with the opportunity to win a Pyranha SprayMaster System Kit. What’s more? Whether it’s for your barn, backyard or pool area, the experts at Pyranha will install the system in the space of your choice, absolutely free.
Kit features:
- Controls harmful flying and biting insects in and around horse barns
- State-of-the-art, hassle-free solution
- Everything needed for installation in a four-stall barn
- Expandable up to 80 stalls with the purchase of additional hose and nozzles
- Automatically timed spray intervals
The winner will be announced on the company’s Facebook page on June 29.
Visit Valley Vet Supply for more information.
Organization news
Year in Review spotlights FARM Program’s growth
The Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program released its 2021 Year in Review highlighting new initiatives and program area advancements.
The annual report chronicled the FARM Program’s many activities and accomplishments of the past year, which included adding the FARM Biosecurity program area, implementing the FARM Excellence Awards and developing a formal partnership program.
In 2021 the Animal Care program, FARM’s foundational pillar, solicited wide-ranging input from stakeholders on ideas and support for potential changes to industry animal care standards to help guide ongoing discussions about the development of Version 5. The program also unveiled the first volume of its Calf Care and Quality Assurance Animal Care Reference Manual for farmers who raise calves for dairy or beef production.
Meanwhile, FARM’s Antibiotic Stewardship program provided ongoing education for the dairy community, working with its task force to update its primary educational tool for dairy farmers on the judicious and responsible use of antibiotics.
FARM Workforce Development grew significantly in program area implementation and available resources to better equip dairy owners and managers with tools to enhance their work environments. Forty-nine second-party evaluators were trained and certified during the year to conduct voluntary on-farm evaluations, encouraging best practices in human resources and safety.
The FARM Environmental Stewardship Program in 2021 added tools that continue to help dairy farmers measure and improve their environmental footprint. Strategic planning motivated the development of a Conservation Practice Questionnaire that could become an optional component of the evaluation in 2022. The program also developed state-by-state nutrient management plan fact sheets and released a participant handbook.
Contact dairyfarm@nmpf.org for a printed copy of the review.
World Dairy Expo recognizes global dairy leaders
World Dairy Expo is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2022 Expo Recognition Awards. Nominated and selected by their peers, these individuals have made remarkable contributions to the dairy industry and their communities. Honorees will be formally honored during the Recognition Awards Banquet at World Dairy Expo on Oct. 5, 2022. Banquet tickets will be available at worlddairyexpo.com beginning on July 1.
The 2022 Expo Recognition Award honorees are:
- Dairy Producer of the Year: John Ruedinger, Van Dyne, Wisconsin; Ruedinger Farms Inc.
- Industry Person of the Year: Shelly Mayer, Slinger, Wisconsin; Professional Dairy Producers (PDPW), Mayer Farm, Folks Song Farm and Mayer Farms Beef
- International Person of the Year: Mark Comfort, Cardinal, Ontario, Canada; Udder Comfort, Comfort Holsteins and Comfort Tunis
Visit World Dairy Expo for more information.
Scholarship program open for students pursuing careers in dairy
The annual Student Leader Scholarship program is now open for undergraduate students pursuing an education in a dairy-related field. Ten $3,000 scholarships are available through a new partnership between the Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association, the Dairy Excellence Foundation and Tröegs Independent Brewing for the 2022-23 academic year. Applications must be submitted online by May 1.
The Student Leader Scholarships are offered annually to provide recognition, encouragement and financial assistance to outstanding students enrolled in academic programs that support the dairy industry. Undergraduate students and high school seniors entering college in the fall are eligible for the scholarships. One scholarship is specifically designated for an incoming freshman.
To qualify, students must demonstrate a commitment to working in the dairy industry. Recipients are selected based on academic performance, interest in a dairy-related career, evidence of leadership, character and integrity, and application compliance.
Pennsylvania residents who are full-time undergraduate students currently enrolled in a qualifying field of study or high school seniors who are planning to enroll in a qualifying field of study are given consideration for this scholarship.
Visit Center for Dairy Excellence - scholarships for more information.
WSDA names new state veterinarian
The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) has selected Dr. Amber Itle as its new state veterinarian.
Dr. Itle first joined WSDA in 2013 as a field veterinarian and was appointed assistant state veterinarian in 2017. Last summer, she was named interim state veterinarian upon the retirement of Dr. Brian Joseph.
During her time at WSDA, Itle has responded to animal disease outbreaks, including avian influenza in 2014-15 and rabbit hemorrhagic disease in 2019. In recent years, she worked to increase outreach from the State Veterinarian’s Office, expanded the use of RFID tags in the state’s livestock industry, built infrastructure to support animal disease traceability across the state, developed guidance materials for responding to animal welfare cases and provided subject matter expertise on animal care issues during natural disasters.
In her new role, Itle will manage the WSDA Animal Health, Avian Health and Animal Disease Traceability programs – all dedicated to protecting animal health and welfare, containing and eradicating animal disease and safeguarding public health by limiting exposure to zoonotic diseases. She is the current president of the U.S. Animal Health Association, Western States Livestock Health Association, which will holds its annual conference in Washington state this year. She also chairs several animal health and welfare committees with the National Assembly of State Animal Health Officials.
Itle has been engaged in animal agriculture all her life, growing up on her family’s fourth-generation producer-handler dairy farm. She learned to do everything from milk cows to bottle milk at the processing plant, to running a milk route for home delivery service. Both her father and sister are also veterinarians. She spent 10 years as a livestock, equine and sale yard veterinarian in the private sector before joining WSDA.
Itle holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Pennsylvania State University, a Doctoral of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a master’s degree in animal welfare from the University of British Columbia.
Five graduate from PDPW Cornerstone Dairy Academy
Five dairy farmers and allied industry professionals received recognition for completing all three pillars of leadership training in PDPW’s Cornerstone Dairy Academy. The application-based professional-development program is designed to build the skills of dairy producers and industry professionals who want to expand their skills to lead with purpose, character and integrity.
The two-day program focuses on enhancing the skills of communication, visionary thinking, ethical leadership, servant-oriented leadership and professional etiquette. The presenters also equip attendees with tools to work through workplace challenges caused by generational differences and varying types of emotional intelligence.
The academy began on March 15 and was held in conjunction with the PDPW Business Conference being held at the Kalahari Resorts and Convention Center in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, March 16-17.
The Cornerstone Dairy Academy graduates who have completed all three pillars – Influential, Visionary and Servant Leadership – include Sara Griswold, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin; Kalista Hodorff, Eden, Wisconsin; Michael Kortuem, Marshfield, Wisconsin; Brooke Trustem, Evansville, Wisconsin; and Danielle Warmka, Fox Lake, Wisconsin.
Visit PDPW or call (800) 947-7379 for more information.
