Writer: Steve Byrns, 325-653-4576, s-byrns@tamu.edu
Contact: Dr. Ellen Jordan, 972-952-9212, e-jordan2@tamu.edu
LUBBOCK – The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, along with its counterparts in Oklahoma, New Mexico, Colorado and Kansas, will host the High Plains Dairy Conference set for March 1-2 at the Overton Hotel and Conference Center in Lubbock.
The conference center is located at 2322 Mac Davis Lane.
“Registration will start bright and early both days at 6:30 a.m. with the first day’s program ending at 5 p.m. and the March 2 activities culminating at noon,” said Dr. Ellen Jordan, AgriLife Extension dairy specialist at Dallas who is chair of the event.
“We expect this to be a major regional event with a strong slate of nationally known experts who will be speaking on a number of timely subjects crucial to today’s High Plains dairy industry,” she said.
Topics and speakers over the course of the two days will include:
– Making genetic progress on low heritability traits, Dr. David Erf, dairy technical services-geneticist, Zoetis, Oakdale, Minnesota.
– Impact and economic evaluation of negative energy balance in transition dairy cattle, Dr. Jessica McArt, assistant professor, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.
– Tips for optimizing fertility in dairy cattle, Dr. Todd Bilby, dairy technical services manager, Merck Animal Health, North Richland Hills.
– What’s all the fuss about technology in the dairy world?, Dr. Nancy Charlton, dairy management adviser, Automatic Milking Systems, DeLaval Inc., Bannockburn, Illinois.
– Consequences and costs associated with metritis and mastitis, Dr. Mike Overton, senior consultant in dairy analytics, Elanco Knowledge Solutions, Athens, Georgia.
– Strategies to reduce heat stress in lactating dairy cows, Dr. Robert Collier, professor, University of Arizona, Tucson.
– Bridging the gap between the beef and dairy industries – A packer perspective, Dr. Lily Edwards-Callaway, technical services, JBS USA, Greeley, Colorado.
– How to avoid and survive undercover video investigations, Tiffany Dowell Lashmet, AgriLife Extension agricultural law specialist, Amarillo.
– Worker safety management on dairy farms: Current issues, challenges and solutions, Dr. Dave Douphrate, assistant professor, University of Texas-San Antonio.
– Managing the water you have, Dr. Dana Porter, AgriLife Extension agricultural engineering water management specialist, Lubbock.
– After El Niño, now what? Dr. John Nielsen-Gammon, state climatologist, Texas A&M University, College Station.
– World dairy outlook, Mary Ledman, dairy economist, Daily Dairy Report Inc., Libertyville, Illinois.
Also included are two panel discussions, When “it” happens – Do you have a business continuity plan? and Managing dry lot dairies during extreme weather events.
Registration is $225 for the first registrant and $175 for each additional participant from the same dairy. Registration must be postmarked by Feb. 8. Late registrations will increase to $250 with no discount.
Online registration and other conference information is available at http://www.highplainsdairy.org/ . For more information, call 785-532-7788 or contact Jordan at 972-952-9212, e-jordan2@tamu.edu.
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