Registration Open for Midwest Dairy Day

Advanced Calving Clinic will provide in-depth information for dairy and beef producers.

Register today for the Midwest Dairy Day: Advanced Calving Clinic for Dairy and Beef to be held Thursday, December 6 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Iowa’s Dairy Center located at 1527 Highway 150 S, in Calmar, Iowa.

This event is a collaborative effort between Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, the Northeast Iowa Dairy Foundation and Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC). This year’s event will provide an array of sessions on advanced calving, including a unique opportunity for a hands-on experience with a life-sized cow model. Participants choose to attend one of two different blocks of sessions: one block focuses on dairy cows and the other block focuses on beef cows. Dairy and beef producers, students and industry members are encouraged to attend.

Sessions in both the Dairy and Beef block will include:

• “Handling Dystocia with Frosty” A hands-on experience with Dr. Caitlin Wiley, D.V.M., and clinical assistant professor. Dr. Wiley will share tips and tricks to help ease calving season and difficult calvings. She will use “Frosty,” the life-size cow model to demonstrate various techniques to simplify pulling malpresentations to result in more live calves.
• “First Aid for the Cow and Calf” Led by Postville Vet Clinic Veterinarian, Dr. Kia Knutson, this presentation will discuss and demonstrate ways to provide first aid to both cow and calf around the time of delivery. Providing emergency care before a vet can arrive helps to ensure a healthy start and reduce fresh cow incidences.
• “Neonatal Calf Care” Presented by Dr. Grant Dewell, Iowa State University Extension and outreach beef veterinarian/associate professor, along with Jenn Bentley, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach dairy specialist; presentation discusses colostrum management, first-day care and vaccine protocols.
The block of sessions for the Advanced Calving Clinic for Dairy will also include “Successful Transition – Stacking the Deck in the Cow’s Favor” with Dr. Matt Boyle, dairy technical service veterinarian with Zoetis. Dr. Boyle’s presentation will focus on key objective measures that help predict successful transition into lactation.
The Advanced Calving Clinic for Beef block of sessions will also include “Beef Cow Nutrition” with Katy Lippolis, Iowa State University assistant professor and Extension cow-calf specialist. Lippolis will discuss the challenges that beef cows will experience surrounding calving and how to use nutrition and management to ensure healthy calves, successful rebreeding rates and improved performance.

This program will be free of charge, generously supported by local businesses. Call NICC at (800) 728-2256, ext. 399, to register by Wednesday, November 28. More information is available at http://iowadairycenter.com/farmers/midwest-dairy-day.php.