Western Canadian Dairy Seminar

March 10 - 13, 2026

Red Deer Resort & Casino, Red Deer, Alberta, Canada

Excellence in Efficiency 

Tuesday, March 10, 2026

Once again, there will be no pre-conference tour as the Virtual Farm Tours will be returning as part of the Producer Panel on Thursday March 11.

Pre-conference workshops are hosted by various sponsors and will be promoted as they are confirmed.

6:30 pm - 9:00 pm Registration

7:00 pm - 10:00 pm Opening Reception

Please join us at our opening reception for cocktails and refreshments

Wednesday, March 11^th

7:30      Breakfast

Wednesday AM, Plenary Sessions

8:30       Welcome: Tietsia Huyzer, Chair, WCDS Advisory Committee

Introduction and Conference Overview: Greg Penner, University of Saskatchewan, Program Chair, WCDS Program Committee

Keynote Session

8:45      Dairy Business and Navigating the Changes

A Fireside Chat with – Dianne Finstad, Ag Journalist

9:45       Nutrition break

Session     I. Dairy     Products:     Managing Milk Composition

10:30    Managing Milk Composition & Market Trends– Xiaoyan Chen, Vitalus Nutrition Inc. 

11:10     Altering Milk Protein Concentrations and Yield– Phil Cardoso, University of Illinois 

11:50     Milk Fat: Easy to Love, Difficult to Master!– Rachel Gervais, Université Laval

12:20 Lunch

Wednesday PM, Plenary Sessions

Session II. Disease and Biosecurity 

2:00        Emerging Diseases and Best Management Practices– Murray Gillies, Animal Health Canada

2:40       What We Learned form a TB Outbreak– Kerri-Rae Millar, Morden Veterinary Clinic

3:15        Nutrition break

Session  III. Reproduction:

3:45        Using Data and Technology to Optimize Repro Management – Tony Bruinje, South Dakota State University

4:20        Genomics of Fertility – Christine Baes, University of Guelph

6:00        Cash Bar

7:00        Banquet Dinner

Entertainment – Dustin Farr
The banquet is optional. Separate registration required.

Thursday, March 12^th

7:30   Breakfast

Thursday AM, Plenary Sessions

Session IV. Student Research

8:30   Student Research Presentation Oral Competition

There will be 5 students presenting their current research in the Mediterranean Room. In the tradeshow room there will be  6 students presenting posters for the Student Poster Competition.

Session V.    Producer Panel and Virtual Farm Tours

10:30      Adapting to Change

3 virtual farm tours from BC, MB, and SK will be presented. Following the virtual farm tours will be a discussion panel from each of the farms to discuss how they have adapted to change. 

Panel Discussion

12:30     Lunch

Thursday PM, Plenary Sessions

Session VI. Feeding Trace Minerals

2:00        Trace Minerals in Calves – Speaker to be announced

2:40       Assessing Trace Mineral Feeding Practices in Dairy Cows – Melissa Duplessis, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

3:15 Nutrition break

Announcement of Student Presentation and Poster Competition Winners

Session VII.      Environmental Stress 

4:00       When Canadian Dairy Cows Lose Their Cool – Véronique Ouellet, Université Laval

4:40        Late Gestation Heat Stress in Cows – Geoffrey Dahl, University of Florida

5:30 – 6:30  Cocktail Reception

Friday, March 13^th

7:30       Breakfast

Friday AM, Plenary Sessions

Session VIII. Addressing Lameness

8:30        Reducing Lameness: Voices form Across Our Dairy Industry – Laura Solano, University of Wisconsin-Madison 

9:10          Cow Comfort -Past, Present, & Future – Dan Weary, University of British Columbia

9:45         Nutrition break

Session IX. Calf Management

10:30      Calf Raising with Goals: Feeding Strategies and Housing That Pay Off with Interest– Joao Costa, University of Vermont

11:10       Lessons Learned form a Veterinary Delivered Calf Herd Health Program – University of Calgary

12:30  Closing Remarks