Dairy industry launches new sustainability website
In a worldwide dairy industry effort to reduce carbon emissions as part of its continued contribution to help address global warming, the Dairy Sustainability website (www.dairy-sustainability-initiative.org/Public/) was launched. This site aims at sharing best practices, promoting environmentally focused initiatives and improving overall performance of the dairy sector.

The site launch is the beginning of a transparent portal to action taken by the global dairy industry to contribute to mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions. It was launched immediately after signing the Global Dairy Agenda for Action – an industry declaration to reduce carbon emissions as part of its contribution to help address global warming, where seven dairy organizations gathered at the World Dairy Summit in Berlin, pledging their commitment to addressing climate change.

The site hosts a vast majority of information regarding sustainable dairy activity worldwide. One major initiative is the ‘Green Paper,’ a project that catalogues online initiatives illustrating the continuous improvements already made and in progress along the whole of the dairy supply chain.

The site also includes information about the Global Dairy Agenda for Action, climate change fact sheets, as well as scientific publications and a press room.
—From Global Dairy Platform

Jersey breed continues to lead industry for productive life
Based on the August 2009 USDA genetic summaries, Jersey is the leader for productive life (PL) among the six dairy breeds evaluated in the U.S. Data published by the USDA Animal Improvement Programs Laboratory (AIPL) show that for cows born in the years 1998 through 2002, Jerseys have the longest productive life of 33.6 months, or 1,026 days.

A total of 204,587 Jersey cows are included in the evaluations. By comparison, the weighted average productive life for 3,291,962 cows of the other five breeds (Ayrshire, Brown Swiss, Guernsey, Holstein and Milking Shorthorn) born in the same period is 844 days, giving Jersey an advantage of 182 days for the trait of productive life.

AIPL defines productive life as “time in the milking herd before removal by voluntary culling, involuntary culling, or death.” The evaluation combines information from direct longevity, measured by DHI data on calving dates, disposal dates, reasons for disposal and lactation lengths, with correlated traits.

Cows having opportunity to reach eight years of age are considered a completed observation, yet they can continue to add credits for productive life after this point. Cows with multiple lactations get more total credit than cows with just one long lactation. As a cow’s lactation is extended, the value credited to her production is diminished.

Productive life is a key component of the USDA Net Merit functions. For Jerseys, it receives 18 percent of total emphasis for Net Merit dollars (NM$) and Fluid Merit dollars (FM$), and 14 percent for Cheese Merit dollars (CM$). In Jersey Performance Index, productive life is weighted at 12 percent.
—From US Jersey news release

All West/Select Sires returns $1.4 million to members
In the truest sense of a successful cooperative, All West/Select Sires announces the distribution of patronage for 2008 business profits. On September 15, All West co-op members received their share of the $1,404,212 cash being returned in the form of patronage checks.

This cash disbursement amounts to 60 percent of the 2008 profits; the remaining 40 percent is scheduled to be sent to qualifying members on a five-year rotation. That will make total patronage returned to members based on their 2008 purchases more than $2.3 million. This is the largest declared patronage distributions in the 68-year history of the cooperative.

The second half of the 2003 patronage was paid on March 15. When combined with the September payment, more than $1.8 million will be paid out in cash to members in 2009. This is also a record payout amount. The total patronage returned for 2008 amounts to more than 13 cents on the dollar returned to member owners of the cooperative.

In other words, for every dollar spent on semen with All West in 2007, 13 cents will be returned to the farmer who purchased the semen through the cooperative. The more business they did, the bigger their patronage checks will be.
—From All West/Select Sires news release

Sign up now for fun-filled dairy-focused youth lock-in
Youth ages 15 to 18 interested in exploring opportunities and aspects within the dairy industry are encouraged to sign up for Youth Leadership Derby, a weekend of fun and learning sponsored by the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin (PDPW).

The highly interactive Youth Leadership Derby, which will headquarter out of Milton High School, starts at 11 a.m. on November 7, and wraps up at noon on November 8. In between are 24 hours of engaging, fun-filled activities and a lock-in. Doug Knoepke, a Durand, Wisconsin, dairy producer and president of PDPW, says that this event, which is limited to the first 100 youth, is designed for youth from dairying families as well as off-farm youth wanting to learn more about what  the dairy industry encompasses.

It’s also an ideal opportunity for youth to network and have some good wholesome fun while expanding their horizons. Visit www.pdpw.org to register for Youth Leadership Derby or to learn more about specific tours, learning labs, workshops and competitions.
—From PDPW news release

YP Summit – ‘Innovate, Integrate, Motivate’ to be held December 5-6
Enthusiastic producers and herdspeople from across Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois and Iowa are invited to the YP Summit – ‘Innovate, Integrate, Motivate,’ to be held December 5-6, at the Holiday Inn Conference Center in Tomah, Wisconsin.

The YP Summit is part of the Accelerated Genetics Young Producer Program. Seminars for this year’s YP Summit include presentations by state-of-the-art speakers with extensive backgrounds including Michele Payn-Knoper, with Cause Matters Corp., speaking about “Celebrating Agriculture and Championing Agriculture and Dairy”; Dan Schreiner, product specialist for Accelerated Genetics, with a talk on “Importance of Complete Calf Care”; and Nigel Cook, associate professor at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, who will speak to attendees on “Designing Welfare Friendly Housing for Dairy Cows”; along with a panel of dairy producers.

Additionally, there will be a new event, the “Cream of the Crop Ball.” Everyone is encouraged to trade in their barn clothes for their best clothes and dancing shoes for Saturday night’s dinner and dance.

To register for the 2009 YP Summit or for more information on this or other upcoming Young Producer events, contact Kari Stanek at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or (800) 451-9276 ext. 222. The deadline for registration is November 9.  PD
—From Accelerated Genetics news release