The information below has been supplied by dairy marketers and other industry organizations. It has not been edited, verified or endorsed by Hoard’s Dairyman.

Dairy cattle fertility advancements and future opportunities will be addressed during the next Dairy Cattle Reproduction Council (DCRC) webinar on Aug 25, at 1 p.m. Central Time. Jeffrey Stevenson, Kansas State University animal sciences and industry professor, will present “Where We’ve Been and Challenges for the Next 10 Years.” Webinar attendees will learn about progress made in improving dairy cattle fertility and research underway in cell biology, nutraceuticals, genomics and computer technology applications to further this progress.

Prior to the formation of DCRC, many dairy cattle researchers, veterinary practitioners and producers were concerned that dairy cattle fertility was decreasing. The falling reproduction performance was impairing dairy farm profitability and limiting producers’ ability to grow their businesses. Concerned industry leaders determined that a key missing component to improving reproductive performance was a mechanism to more effectively communicate novel ideas and technologies directly to dairy producers and bovine veterinarians. With the help of DCRC, dairy cattle fertility has improved significantly during the last decade.

Looking to the future, DCRC will continue to foster dairy cattle fertility enhancements by integrating the disciplines of physiology, management, nutrition, genetics, economics, herd health and production medicine. “Advancements will be based in novel and visionary applications of basic and applied sciences to optimize lactating dairy cows’ reproductive efficiency,” said Stevenson.

To register for this webinar, www.dcrcouncil.org/webinars and follow the prompts. As the webinar approaches, you will receive an e-mail with information on how to log in to participate. If you are a DCRC member and cannot attend the live program, you may access the webinar at dcrcouncil.org.

The 2017 webinar series provides information-packed forums. In addition to the every-other-month webinars, DCRC will present “Activity Monitors for Reproductive Management,” by Stephen LeBlanc, University of Guelph population medicine professor, on Nov. 3, These highly regarded sessions offer attendees from across the United States and around the world access to high-quality information and interaction with industry experts from the comfort of their farm or office.

For more information, e-mail Pablo Pinedo, DCRC education committee chair, at Pablo.Pinedo@colostate.edu or e-mail DCRC at kristym@dcrcouncil.org.

The Dairy Cattle Reproduction Council is focused on bringing together all sectors of the dairy industry – producers, consultants, academia and allied industry professionals – for improved reproductive performance. DCRC provides an unprecedented opportunity for all groups to work together to take dairy cattle reproduction to the next level.