Mallorie Harris Beaver Dam, Wisconsin Territory Manager Animart, Inc.

Novus International, Inc. on Tuesday cut the ribbon commemorating the opening of its newly expanded Novus Arkansas facility in Little Rock, Arkansas. The Novus Arkansas site was developed in the Little Rock Riverport Industrial Park in 2006 to manufacture MHA feed supplement, a dry, granular powder that provides an effective and environmentally friendly source of methionine, an essential amino acid in premixes and farm feed mills. MHA provides benefits to laying hens and other livestock and companion animals.

Penn State Dairy Alliance – the industry’s source for educational programming based on unbiased Penn State dairy research – is getting a new name, announced Dr. Terry Etherton, head of Penn State’s Department of Dairy and Animal Science. Penn State Dairy Alliance will now be known as the Penn State Extension Dairy Team, a name that reflects the growth of the unit to include Penn State Extension educators. “The Dairy Alliance name is changing, but the program’s reputation for excellence in educational programming will remain unchanged,” Etherton explained.

Since the first of the year, more than 180 dairy producers across the Midwest have gone to Midwest Dairy Association’s Producer Service Center for help with their promotion needs. More importantly, the materials and services they received helped them reach more than 70,000 consumers. With June Dairy Month approaching, access to what the Center offers becomes even more important. Dairy farm families hosting events or helping industry partners honor the industry have a direct line to free items that range from “I Met a Dairy Farmer” stickers to plastic sheeting for parade floats, fact sheets about farm practices, and camera-ready graphics and copy for advertisements. Other free items include recipe brochures, videos, exhibit booths and a coloring pad for kids.

Since its introduction in 2008, genomics has significantly changed how dairy cattle breeders choose sires and make matings for the next generation. In fact, genomics has likely made the biggest impact on dairy cattle selection in Holsteins, Jerseys and Brown Swiss since the introduction of genetic evaluations nearly five decades ago. With any new science, there are opportunities and concerns as it is incorporated into the dairy operation. To help breeders better understand the impact of genomics and how the technology may fit into their breeding program, the Wisconsin Holstein Association will be hosting a forum to discuss this pressing matter. The town hall meeting will take place on Thursday, July 21, at 1 p.m. at the Rib River Ballroom located at 3237 State Highway 29, Marathon, Wisconsin. The four genomic specialists will provide the opportunity for dairy producers throughout the Midwest to ask questions and get answers regarding genomics. All interested in dairy genetics are welcome to attend the afternoon event.

BouMatic, a global dairy equipment manufacturer, launched BouMatic University, a new training organization with a global mission to use the industry’s latest technology and time-tested BouMatic milking principles for the education of its dealers, employees and key industry influencers.

Kimmi Devaney Indianapolis, Indiana Producer Relations Program Coordinator Milk Promotion Services of Indiana

At a recent workshop here in Washington D.C., our group had as many answers to this question as there were participants. So in this article, let me explain.