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Training farmers to tell dairy's story has never been more important
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At the end of September, the Texas Association of Dairymen held its board meeting in Amarillo and also attended Dairy MAX’s spokesperson training. The training, “Telling Your Story,” is held several times a year for those in dairy. It is extremely helpful in developing the skills needed not just to handle media interviews, but to talk to anyone about your farm or dairy issues effectively and with confidence.
Participants review key dairy messaging and communications techniques, and then put those lessons into action by practicing on-camera interviews followed by feedback.
Over the years, many Texas dairy farmers have been through the training facilitated by Dairy MAX and nationally recognized communications coach Joan Horbiak and videographer Bud Young. Joining members of the TAD board for this training were representatives from the Texas Beef Council, the Animal Agriculture Alliance and New Mexico Cooperative Extension Service.
If you have not taken part in this training, you are missing a great opportunity to
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Darren Turley, TAD Executive Director
better your ability to represent yourself, your farm and the dairy industry.
Thanks to this Dairy MAX program, the days of dairy farmers being unprepared for interviews about their farms, sustainability, animal health or other dairy issues are a thing of the past. The Texas Association of Dairymen takes seriously our responsibility to represent our state’s dairy farmers in the most professional and positive manner. With so many people who are generations removed from the farm, it’s vital that we share accurate information about our industry, how we care for our animals and our natural resources, and how we produce the healthy, wholesome milk that feeds the world. ...
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Several members of the Texas Association of Dairymen Board of Directors and Executive Director Darren Turley recently participated in two days of intensive spokesperson training provided by Dairy MAX in order to better represent TAD and the Texas dairy industry in the media and with others.
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Around the Texas Capitol
Legislators go back to work, Texans prepare to vote
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Cooler fall temperatures are on the horizon, but things started heating up in Austin when the Third Called Special Session of the 88th Legislature gaveled in on Oct. 9. Gov. Greg Abbott’s agenda for the session includes:
EDUCATION FREEDOM: Legislation providing education savings accounts for all Texas school children.
BORDER SECURITY:
- Legislation to do more to reduce illegal immigration by creating a criminal offense for illegal entry into this state from a foreign nation and authorizing all licensed peace officers to remove illegal immigrants from Texas.
- Legislation to impede illegal entry into Texas by increasing the penalties for criminal conduct involving the smuggling of persons or the operation of a stash house.
- Legislation to impede illegal entry into Texas by providing more funding for the construction, operation, and maintenance of border barrier infrastructure
PUBLIC SAFETY: Legislation concerning
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Lauren Fairbanks and J Pete Laney
TAD Governmental Affairs
public safety, security, environmental quality, and property ownership in areas like the Colony Ridge development in Liberty County, Texas.
ENDING COVID RESTRICTIONS: Legislation prohibiting COVID-19 vaccine mandates by private employers.
The governor has promised another special session if his priority items are not passed, which could lead to a very long fall in Austin ahead of the Nov. 7 election. While the only candidates on the ballot at the state level will be for the House District 2 special election in Hopkins, Hunt and Van Zandt counties, voters will have a lengthy ballot to consider when they head to the polls on Nov. 7. ...
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SPOTLIGHT:
U.S. Dairy Training & Education Consortium
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Preparing the next generation:
Dairy Consortium celebrates
15 years of dairy education
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In the mid-to-late 2000s, dwindling university dairy herds and dairy programs in the Southwest led Dr. Mike Tomaszewski from Texas A&M and Dr. Robert Hagevoort from New Mexico State University (NMSU) – along with Dr. Bob Collier, previously with the University of Arizona – to develop a program that provides university students with a hands-on dairy education to prepare them for careers in the dairy industry. The U.S. Dairy Education and Training Consortium – formerly the Southern Great Plains Dairy Consortium – was established in 2008 with a class of 18 students. The six-week summer program has been held in Clovis, New Mexico, for the past 15 years.
“The original concept was to provide opportunities for our students to be exposed to dairy management since it wasn’t being taught on campus,” Tomaszewski says. “We wanted to incorporate cows and dairy producers into the program, and we’ve been able to fulfill our original goal.”
Dairy faculty from across the nation teach students about an array of dairy management topics, including dairy
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Photo courtesy of USDETC
Kimmi Devaney
Editor and Podcast Host/
Progressive Dairy
Article reprinted with permission
finance, economics, facility design, cow comfort, technology, precision management, sustainability, nutrition, reproduction, milk quality, dairy safety, transition cow management and special topics. In addition to classroom learning, students travel to dairies almost daily to see real-world application. To test their knowledge, students take quizzes at the end of each module, and they must have at least a 70% average after the second week to remain in the program. For students required to take the course as part of their dairy major or minor, grades are reported to their home universities. ...
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Volleman: Summer experience at Consortium 'truly opened my eyes'
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Daniel Volleman
Sundance Dairy, Dublin, TX, and TAD Board of Directors
 I grew up on my family’s dairy farm where we milk 5,000 cows. When I was moving on to college at Texas A&M University, I considered myself to be somewhat knowledgeable about the dairy industry and all the facets of what it took to operate a dairy.
When I learned about the opportunity to go to the U.S. Dairy Education & Training Consortium (USDETC), I of course thought it would be fun to get to do the things I grew up doing and get school credit for it. Little did I know how much a faculty-led program like that would impact me at that time.
The USDETC truly opened my eyes to EVERY aspect of the dairy industry. I learned more in the two six-week sessions I did in Clovis, New Mexico, than I did my entire childhood on a dairy. Giving students the opportunity to learn in a classroom setting and then, on the same day, applying what was learned on a truly modern, large conventional dairy, is something that is not offered anywhere else in the world.
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'Udderly cold' milk dispenser installed at Texas Tech Sports Performance Center
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Regional dairy council Dairy MAX, in collaboration with Gandy's Dairy, installed a refrigerated milk dispenser at the Texas Tech Sports Performance Center. This installation is a significant step towards fostering excellence in nutrition and supporting the success of student-athletes in Lubbock.
Texas Tech University, home to more than 400 dedicated student-athletes, welcomed the state-of-the-art milk refrigeration technology. The system, known as the Udderly Cold milk dispenser, ensures the delivery of fresh milk through refrigerated lines, dispensed at a refreshingly cool 35 degrees Fahrenheit. With its introduction into the athletic facility, the Udderly Cold milk dispenser empowers student-athletes to fuel their bodies with the high-quality nutrition essential for muscle growth, repair, recovery and hydration.
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Mandy Johnson
Dairy MAX Manager, Public Relations, Texas
Gandy’s will contribute to this initiative through weekly donations of white and chocolate milk offering the student-athletes access to a range of fresh milk options for use in the cereal bar and smoothie station. The donations symbolize the commitment of dairy farmers and their vital contributions to both the agricultural sector and the overall well-being of their communities. ...
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Dairy heifer reproductive management
Part 1:Estrus synchronization protocols
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Each individual dairy farm is an intricate and complex business, with many important operational aspects such as reproduction. When looking at the input costs of running a conventional dairy farm, around 50% is spent to feed the lactating herd. However, the second highest cost of conventional dairy farming is rearing replacement heifers which accounts for approximately 23% of production costs.
Heifers are both an asset and the foundation to the future success of a dairy operation. To maximize the productive lifetime of Holstein dairy heifers, producers should aim for an age at first calving of 23 to 24 months. Given that Holstein heifers reach puberty between 10 to 11 months of age with breeding initiated between 12 and 15 months of age, an efficient breeding program is essential to achieve a first calving age of 23 to 24 months. This article will discuss two heifer estrus synchronization protocols that control the induction of heat in heifers and require heat detection and artificial insemination. Before implementing any estrus synchronization protocol always consult with your herd veterinarian and/or reproductive management consultant.
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Allison Hajny, Graduate Research Assistant
Jennifer A. Spencer, MS, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Dairy Specialist - Stephenville
Benefits of Controlling the Estrus Cycle
Implementing a synchronization protocol when raising heifers requires planning, time, and most importantly, adherence to the protocol. There are many different protocols to choose, depending on specific farm conditions and goals of the producer, but all of them can only be beneficial when followed correctly. The use of estrus synchronization and artificial insemination (AI) can help producers enhance overall genetic progress by reducing the number of services and improving pregnancy rates. ...
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Dinges named TAHC executive director and state vet
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The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) has named Dr. Lewis R. “Bud” Dinges as the state veterinarian and TAHC executive director, effective Oct. 16.
The TAHC welcomed Dinges as a field veterinarian in 2019. He was later promoted to region director and currently serves as an agency veterinarian for the TAHC. Learn more about Dinges and his appointment here.
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NRCS Texas announces sign up for 2024 EQIP
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The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Texas announced fiscal year (FY) 2024 financial assistance opportunities for agricultural producers and landowners through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). While NRCS accepts conservation program applications year-round, producers and landowners should apply by Nov. 8 to be considered for FY 2024 funding.
Additionally, Texas NRCS will use the ACT NOW process for some EQIP funding pools.Through ACT NOW, NRCS can immediately approve and obligate a ranked application when an eligible application meets or exceeds a determined minimum ranking score.
EQIP provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers and forest landowners to address natural resource concerns. ...
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National FARM Program launches enhanced biosecurity initiative
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The National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program today announced the launch of FARM Biosecurity – Enhanced, a new aspect of the FARM Biosecurity Program that includes training and an online database.
FARM Biosecurity – Enhanced includes an online database to develop and securely store dairy producers’ enhanced biosecurity plans (EBP) and an online training that helps users write those plans. FARM has also developed a FARM Biosecurity – Enhanced Biosecurity Prep Guide and Database User Guide to complement these tools.
Stronger, or enhanced, levels of biosecurity will be needed to protect cattle against the highly contagious foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) found in two-thirds of the world. One FMD case in the United States could shut down movement across the nation of livestock and their products for at least 72 hours. ...
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