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The 2017 Four-State Dairy Nutrition and Management Conference will be held on June 14 and 15 at the Grand River Center in Dubuque, Iowa. This premier conference will focus on nutrition and management topics to improve cow performance, and foot and cow health.

This conference is a collaborative effort of Iowa State University Extension, University of Illinois Extension, University of Minnesota Extension and University of Wisconsin-Extension.

The program starts on June 14 with the Quality Liquid Feeds pre-conference symposium. Dave Barbano from Cornell University will cover how short chain fatty acid content affects milk fat and protein yield. Lance Baumgard, Iowa State University will discuss the effect of leaky gut on transition cow health and using chromium propionate as a mitigation strategy. Other topics include how supplementing methionine during the transition period can enhance health, milk yield and reproduction and final topic is feeding and managing herds for 100 lbs of milk per cow per day.

Four State conference speakers include Richard Erdman, University of Maryland, discussing DCAD for lactating cows. Paul Kononoff, University of Nebraska, will talk about the importance of water quality in dairy production. Bill Weiss, Ohio State Univesity, will show his latest research on using TMR sampling to trouble shoot herds.

Nigel Cook, University of Wisconsin, will discuss how to prevent lamness in dairy herds and new ways to effectively ventilate dairy barns. Karl Burgi, Dairyland Hoof Care Institue will explain the fundamentals for good hoof health. Pamela Ruegg will share the results of a survey on bedding choice, udder health and production on Wisconsin farms.

Select breakout topics include:

  • Are all clays equal? Clay utilization in dairy cow diets.
  • Amino acids; Roles beyond being the precursers for protein synthesis.
  • Feeding strategies and returns for robotic milking systems.
  • Mycotoxins in dairy cattle; Who, What and Why.
  • Producing more milk using more high quality forages.
  • Feeding and management on top producing herds in Minnesota.
  • Feeding to minimize lameness.
  • Can we feed by-products with confidence?
  • Incorporating pen and feed variation into diet formulation.

The post-conference symposium sponsored by Mycogen seeds will include Barry Bradford, Kansas State, discussing uNDF and the synchrony of intake, rumen health and microbial production. Greg Roth, Penn State, talking about silage hybrid selection and Kathleen Emery, Mycogen seeds, discussing using CornPicker to economically evaluate silage hybrids.

In addition to the educational program, there is a trade show with 50 companies exhibiting their latest products, evening receptions and plenty of time to network with other participants. ARPAS and veterinary CEU credits are available (contact your state veterinary certifying agency).

For more information and to register, visit http://z.umn.edu/4state or contact Wisconsin Agri-Service Association, 608-223-1111, or Jim Salfer at salfe001@umn.edu or 320-203-6093. The conference registration fee is $150 until May 31 and $175 after.