The 2019 Dairy Calf and Heifer Association’s (DCHA) annual conference is set for April 9-11, in Madison, Wisconsin. Themed “Joining forces. Reaching higher.”, this year’s lineup of speakers will challenge attendees to join industry experts and their fellow producers and strive for a higher level of care on their farms.

In addition to networking, attendees will be able to listen to presentations on a variety of topics such as calf health and disease control, business management and animal welfare.

For more information, visit online (Dairy Calf and Heifer Assocation), call (855) 400-3242, or email (Dairy Calf and Heifer Assocation). View the full conference agenda below.

Tuesday, April 9

6:30 a.m.
Meet in lobby for industry tour

6:45 a.m.
Bus departs for ABS Global and Crave Brothers Dairy Farm

2 p.m.
Bus returns to hotel

3-4 p.m.
Pre-conference seminar

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The use of colostrum to support health post-day one
Michael Nagorske,
sponsored by SCCL

4-4:15 p.m. Afternoon break

Manuel Vela4:15-5:15 p.m.
Pre-conference seminar
Managing fly control for growth and health
Manuel Vela, sponsored by Champion Animal Health

5:30-7 p.m.
Trade show reception and entertainment
Music by Coondog

Visit with exhibitors and learn about new products and services to take your heifer enterprise to the next level.

Wednesday, April 10

7-7:45 a.m.
Breakfast and welcome in the trade show

Keith Poulsen8-9 a.m.
A growth mindset on the ranch encompasses more than the health of the calves
Keith Poulsen, Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory

9:15-10:15 a.m.

Select one
Track A: Panel – Lessons learned from a disease outbreak
Moderator: Curt Vliestra, Boehringer Ingelheim

Track B: Increasing your operation’s positive impact on the environment
Dennis Frame, Timber Ridge Consulting

Track C: The business of dairy heifers; quality, labor, cost, risk management
Jason Karszes, Cornell University

10:15-10:30 a.m.
Morning break

10:30-11:30 a.m.
Select one (repeated)

Track A: Panel – Lessons learned from a disease outbreak
Moderator: Curt Vliestra, Boehringer Ingelheim

Track B: Increasing your operation’s positive impact on the environment
Dennis Frame, Timber Ridge Consulting

Track C: The business of dairy heifers; quality, labor, cost, risk management
Jason Karszes, Cornell University

11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.
Lunch in the trade show

12:45-1:15 p.m.
 Annual business meeting

1:30-2:30 p.m.
Select one

Track A: Animal and human well-being: Outcome-based management
Robert Hagevoort, New Mexico State University

Track B: Calf scours on a timeline – not all cases are infectious
Keith Poulsen, Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory

Track C: Panel – X’s and O’s of custom heifer raising: Contracts, economics and customer relations
Moderator: Jason Karszes

2:30-2:45 p.m.
Afternoon break

2:45-3:45 p.m.
Select one (repeated)

Track A: Animal and human well-being: Outcome-based management
Robert Hagevoort, New Mexico State University

Track B: Calf scours on a timeline – not all cases are infectious
Keith Poulsen, Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory

Track C: Panel – X’s and O’s of custom heifer raising: Contracts, economics and customer relations
Moderator: Jason Karszes

Robert Hagevoort4-5 p.m.
Dairy BQA: How do BMPs come alive?
Robert Hagevoort, New Mexico State University

5-7 p.m.
Reception in the trade show
Connect with industry-leading companies, fellow producers, veterinarians and students. Unwind from day two, all while enjoying cheese, light appetizers and drinks.

Thursday, April 11

7-7:45 a.m.
Breakfast in the trade show

8-9 a.m.
Select one

Track A: Dry period heat stress: Effects on dam and daughter
Geoffrey Dahl, University of Florida

Track B: Nutritional regulation of gut function: from colostrum to weaning
Michael Steele, University of Guelph

Track C: Panel – Thinking outside the bottle, alternative milk sources for calves
Moderator: Bob James, Virginia Tech University

9-10:15 a.m.
Morning break in the trade show

10:15-11:15 a.m.
Select one (repeated)

Track A: Dry period heat stress: Effects on dam and daughter
Geoffrey Dahl, University of Florida

Track B: Nutritional regulation of gut function: From colostrum to weaning
Michael Steele, University of Guelph

Track C: Panel – Thinking outside the bottle, alternative milk sources for calves
Moderator: Bob James, Virginia Tech University

Jennifer Van Os11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
General Session

Welfare of dairy calves and heifers: Relevance to the animal, the producer, and the consumer
Jennifer Van Os, University of Wisconsin – Madison

12:30-1:45 p.m.
Lunch in the trade show

Post-conference seminars
Both sessions offered 2-2:50 p.m., 3-3:50 p.m., 4:05-4:55 p.m., 5:05-5:55 p.m.

Deep nasopharyngeal swab
Don Sockett, University of Wisconsin – Madison

Lung ultrasound
Theresa Ollivett, University of Wisconsin – Madison

2-4 p.m., or 4-6 p.m.
STgenetics genomic testing site tour.  end mark