Webinars offer relevant dairy herd management information

A variety of dairy management topics is presented by nationally recognized experts through webinars offered by DAIReXNET.

DAIReXNET offers webinars for dairy producers, dairy farm employees, Extension educators, allied industry professionals, and veterinarians. DAIReXNET is part of the eXtension system that incorporates educational and informational resources from universities across the U.S.

The DAIReXNET webinars resumed this fall in early October. Gary Sipiorski, Dairy Development Manager for Vita Plus presented a webinar on “Economic Benchmarks for Dairies: Eight Rules You Cannot Break”. Agricultural lenders use many financial benchmarks and ratios to evaluate a dairy farm’s financial position and progress. During this webinar Sipiorski discussed eight key items that are critical for a dairy producer to monitor.

On Nov. 7, 2013 at 1 p.m. Eastern Time, Mike Brouk, Kansas State University, will provide information on “Discovering Hidden Feed Costs in the Milking Herd”. Brouk will help dairy producers identify some common sources of unseen feed costs on a dairy farm. He will cover factors such as commodity shrink, mixer errors, refusal, and expense of inventory.

Other topics and dates which have been finalized for upcoming DAIReXNET webinars are:

  • December 16, 2013 – Critical Economic Decisions when Raising Heifers, Jason Karszes, Cornell University
  • January 13, 2014 – Basic Vaccinology: Why Vaccines Work or Don’t Work, Dr. Dan Grooms, Michigan State University

The format for each webinar is a 40-45 minute presentation followed by a 15-minute question and answer period. Details about how to participate in these webinars are available at the DAIReXNET website.

If you are interested in any of these topics, but can’t view the webinar(s) on the date scheduled, the webinars are recorded and stored online. Previous DAIReXNET webinars have been archived and can be accessed at any time.

Webinars have become a convenient and effective way to share information about dairy herd management. Audiences can view presentations in their offices and homes. In many cases the webinars are archived and consequently can be accessed at a time that best fits the viewer’s schedule.

Michigan State University Extension encourages you to take advantage of the webinars being offered through DAIReXNET. Timely information is presented by nationally recognized experts in the dairy industry.

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