Again this year, 10 free seminars will be offered during the week.

There will be two seminars each day, Tuesday through Saturday, in Mendota 2 meeting room, located in the Exhibition Hall. Seminars are structured with a 45-minute presentation and time for questions and discussion.

Tuesday, September 29, 11 a.m.
“Using popular media to tell dairy farming’s story”
The myDairy Social Media seminar will teach producers and agribusiness professionals of all ages how to utilize peer-to-peer communication to tell the dairy industry’s story, reinforce and build its positive image and counter inaccurate or uninformed online commentary about modern dairy farming practices.

Tuesday, September 29, 1 p.m.
“The future of your alfalfa”
New plant improvement tools, new traits of reduced lignin content and improved fiber digestibility will be featured in this session. Other ongoing alfalfa biotech projects that are being researched by the Consortium for Alfalfa Improvement (CAI) will also be discussed.

Wednesday, September 30, 11 a.m.
“Interface integration of RFID tags into management software”
Join the panel of experts as they discuss the success and hurdles associated with implementing RFID tags into an existing management system.

Wednesday, September 30, 1 p.m.
“Relief for your employee management headache”
Tom Wall will present five simple principles that every manager and owner can implement to overcome these challenges and improve profitability, leading to a more successful team.

Thursday, October 1, 11 a.m.
“Genomic selection of dairy cattle: Opportunities and challenges”
Dr. Kent Weigel will discuss the practical application of testing animals for A.I. programs and commercial dairy producers, including the implications of this technology on selection programs, mating decisions, inbreeding and management practices. C. Michael Cowan will discuss how methods in sampling methods, storage and test procedures can impact the amount and accuracy of information generated and the utility of DNA information.

Thursday, October 1, 1 p.m
“Feeding calves to maximize potential growth”
Experts will discuss how increasing the level of nutrition to calves has shown positive results in growth rates and increased immune defense, which results in lower treatment costs, decreased death loss and ultimately improved first-lactation production.

Friday, October 2, 11 a.m.
“Are you prepared for the worst? How to plan for a crisis”
This session will feature all types of disasters, accidents and public pressures like activists and poor neighbor relations and how to prepare for them. Resources for developing management plans for these situations will be discussed.

Friday, October 2, 1 p.m.
“Making manure pay: New economics of manure in an era of change”
Kevin Erb will cover not only how to determine manure’s value for your operation, but also how to accurately determine whether you are better off to sell it, give it away or apply it to your own fields.

Saturday, October 4, 11 a.m.
“Taking control of what you can: Financial management and communication during volatile times”
In this seminar, you’ll learn how to use key financial measures and analysis, benchmarking and other tools to make the most of your on-farm production and financial data.

Saturday, October 4, 1 p.m.
“Making your electricity work smarter for you”
Dr. Worley will explore ways to use electrical energy more efficiently and to reduce the use of other types of energy.  PD