Western Canadian Dairy Seminar
Knowledge is Power
March 5 – 8, 2019
Sheraton Hotel
Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
Download the 2019 WCDS Program(pdf)
Tuesday, March 5, 2019
10:00 am – 4:00 pm Pre-Conference Tour: This tour will visit three local dairy farms with the focus on progressive, innovative dairy managers.
1:30 pm – 4:30 pm Pre-Conference Workshop: Addressing Precision Feeding Strategies for Cows in Automated Milking Systems. Facilitator: Greg Penner, University of Saskatchewan (Max 75). This workshop will cover the theory associated with precision feeding strategies, diet formulation, cow responses associated with the implementation of precision feeding strategies, and challenges associated with imposing precision feeding in group-fed cattle. By the end of the workshop, participants should be able to improve their ability to assess precision feeding strategies under commercial settings.
6:30 pm – 9:00 pm Registration
8:00 pm – 10:00 pm Opening Reception
Wednesday, March 6, 2019
7:30 am – 5:00 pm Registration
7:30 am – 8:30 am Breakfast
Morning Plenary Session
Session I: The Road Ahead
8:30 am Welcome – Gezinus Martens, Alberta Milk, Chair, WCDS Advisory Committee
Conference Overview – Mike Steele, Universities of Alberta and Guelph, Chair, WCDS Program Committee
8:50 am Keynote Speaker
When Celebrity Culture and Science Clash – Presented by Timothy Caulfield, University of Alberta
9:50 am Nutrition Break
10:20 am How do we Earn Public Trust in Food and Farming with Canadian Consumers? – Presented by Crystal Mackay, The Canadian Centre for Food Integrity
11:05 am Milk Supply Management After CUSMA: An Economic Policy Analysis – Presented by Al Mussell, Agri-Food Economic Systems
11:50 am Speaker Panel
12:10 pm Lunch
Afternoon Concurrent Sessions
Session II: Optimizing Farm Management
1:40 pm New Concepts in Dairy Cow Barn Design – Presented by Gordie Jones, Central Sands Dairy LLC
2:20 pm Mission 2050: Building Envelopes for the Future – Presented by Vern Osborne, University of Guelph
3:00 pm Nutrition Break
3:30 pm Mental Health in the Dairy and Livestock Production Sector – Presented by Andria Jones-Bitton, University of Guelph
4:10 pm Understanding the Internal Frictions Weighing on Milk Supply Management – Presented by Al Mussell, Agri-Food Economic Systems
4:50 pm Speaker Panel
Session III: Fundamentals of Nutrition
1:40 pm Strategies to Alleviate Aflatoxin Deleterious Effects on Performance, Inflammation, and Oxidative Stress in Dairy Cows – Presented by Phil Cardoso, University of Illinois
2:20 pm Gut Health and How to Improve It – Presented by J.C. (Kees) Plaizier, University of Manitoba
3:00 pm Nutrition Break
3:30 pm Feeding Management for Cows in Automated Milking Systems: What We Know and What We Still Need to Learn – Presented by Greg Penner, University of Saskatchewan
4:10 pm Consistency is Key When it Comes to Feed Consumption in Dairy Cows! – Presented by Trevor DeVries, University of Guelph
4:50 pm Speaker Panel
Evening Banquet
6:00 pm Cash Bar
7:00 pm Supper
Entertainment – Tribute artist and comedian Corny Rempel will be performing Johnny Cash
Thursday, March 7, 2019
7:30 am – 5:00 pm Registration
7:30 am – 8:30 am Breakfast
Morning Plenary Session
Session IV: Student Research and Producer Panel
8:30 am Student Research Presentation Competition – Five graduate students will present their dairy-related research findings.
Effect of wheat straw chop length in high-straw dry cow diets on behaviour and physiology of dairy cows across the transition period – Presented by Casey Havekes, University of Guelph
Deep learning improves mastitis detection in automated milking systems – Presented by Ali Naqvi, University of Calgary
Economic evaluation of longevity to increase profits – Presented by Jesse Schuster, University of Calgary
Condition of cull dairy cows at farm, auction and before slaughter – Presented by Jane Stojkov, University of British Columbia
Where are we now with lameness prevention and control, after nearly a decade of research – Presented by Michelle van Huyssteen, University of Calgary
9:50 am Nutrition Break
10:20 am How I Define Efficiency on My Farm – Producer Panel Presentations – Three dairy producers will discuss different aspects of efficiency on their farms.
Geoff Brown, Lakeland College, Vermillion, AB
George Dick, Dicklands Farms, Chilliwack, BC
Armand Lavoie, Enterprises Lavoie Inc., St. Isidore, AB
11:40 am Producer Panel
12:00 noon Lunch
Afternoon Concurrent Sessions
Session V: Healthy Cows – Healthy Milk
1:30 pm Better Fresh Cows – Presented by Gordie Jones, Central Sands Dairy LLC
2:10 pm Being a Mom is Hard: Calcium Demands of Early Lactation Dairy Cows – Presented by Jessica McArt, Cornell University
2:50 pm Nutrition Break
3:20 pm Bovine Leukemia Virus (BVL) in Your Herd? Get rid of it! – Presented by Frank van der Meer, University of Calgary
4:00 pm No Guarantees with Johne’s Disease: Use of common and novel diagnostic methods – Presented by Jeroen De Buck, University of Calgary
4:40 pm Speaker Panel
Session VI: Advances in Genetics and Reproduction
1:30 pm Impact of Nutritional Strategies, Including Feeding Amino Acids, on Health, Performance, and Fertility of Dairy Cows – Presented by Phil (F.C.) Cardoso, University of Illinois
2:10 pm Benchmarks for Reproduction at the Herd Level – Presented by Mark Carson, EastGen Genetics
2:50 pm Nutrition Break
3:20 pm Timed AI in Context: Fitting Reproductive Programs to Cows’ Physiological Needs – Presented by Rafael Bisinotto, University of Florida
4:00 pm Using Automated Activity Monitors to Modify Reproductive Programs – Presented by Ronaldo Cerri, University of British Columbia
4:40 pm Speaker Panel
5:00 pm – 6:30 pm Reception
Friday, March 8, 2019
8:00 am – 12 noon Registration
7:30 am – 8:30 am Breakfast
Morning Plenary Session
Session VII: Improving Animal Welfare with proAction
8:30 am Managing Robot Herds to Optimize Health and Welfare – Presented by Trevor DeVries, University of Guelph
9:10 am Why Do Some Calves Thrive and Others Die? Risk Factors Impacting Male and Female Dairy Calf Health – Presented by David Renaud, University of Guelph
9:50 am Nutrition Break
10:20 am What are the Options to Improve the Comfort and Welfare of Dairy Cows? – Presented by Elsa Vasseur, McGill University
11:00 am Key Considerations for the Implementation of a Hoof Health Program – Presented by Laura Solano, Farm Animal Care Associates
11:40 am Speaker Panel
12:00 noon Closing