Western Canadian Dairy Seminar
March 8 - 11, 2022
The WCDS Advisory Committee is planning a safe return to an in-person WCDS. In addition to adhering to all Alberta Health Services and University of Alberta health restrictions, the following decisions have been made to reduce health and safety risks, as well as to reduce disruptions to the Seminar in the event of changing COVID-19 restrictions:
- There will be no concurrent sessions; it will be easier to manage spacing and movement in plenary sessions.
- Only speakers residing in Canada will be invited to speak at the 2022 WCDS. All speakers are being asked to speak in person and an all-Canadian program will reduce the risk of travel restrictions while celebrating dairy research in Canada.
- There will be no pre-conference farm tours. Instead, high quality, professionally produced virtual farm tours will be presented as part of the producer panel.
- There will be no pre-conference workshop
We will keep providing updates on the 2022 WCDS format as we get closer to March 2022. Thank you for your support in making the 40th anniversary of the WCDS a successful and safe event.
To download a PDF copy of the program click here.
Western Canadian Dairy Seminar
March 8 - 11, 2022
Cambridge Hotel, Red Deer, AB
Building on 40 Years of Dairy Extension
Tuesday, March 8, 2022
For the 2022 WCDS, there will be no pre-conference tour. Instead, professionally filmed virtual farm tours will be presented as part of the producer panel on Thursday March 10, 2022.
There will also be no pre-conference workshop.
6:30 pm - 9:00 pm Registration
7:00 pm - 10:00 pm 40th Anniversary Opening Reception
Please join us at our opening reception for cocktails, refreshments and live music to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the WCDS.
Wednesday, March 9, 2022
Morning Plenary Session
8:30 Welcome – Nelson Dinn, University of British Columbia, Chair, WCDS Advisory Committee
Introductory Remarks and Conference Overview – Karin Orsel, University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chair, WCDS Program Committee
8:50 Keynote Speakers
The Dynamic World of Agri-Food: A Fireside Chat with Dianne Finstad and Kim McConnell
9:50 Nutrition Break
Session I: Sustainable Dairy for Society’s Challenges
10:20 Trends and Opportunities in Reducing the Environmental Footprint of Dairy Farms– Tim McAllister, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
11:00 Building Public Trust in Food and Farming – Kim McConnell, Founder & Former CEO of AdFarm
11:50 Inbreeding: New Solutions for an Old Problem – Christine Baes, University of Guelph
12:10 Lunch
Afternoon Plenary Session
Session II: Adopting New Trends/Technologies to Bolster On-Farm Nutrition
1:40 Back to the Future: New Ideas for Today’s Dairy Herd Challenges – Daniel Scothorn, Scothorn Nutrition
2:20 How Can Automation be Used to Optimize Cow Nutrition? – Trevor DeVries, University of Guelph
3:00 Nutrition Break
Session III: Reproduction
3:30 Transition Period Health and Reproduction: Preparing for a Successful Pregnancy – Stephen LeBlanc, University of Guelph
4:10 What Activity Monitors Can and Cannot do Today – Ronaldo Cerri, University of British Columbia
Evening Banquet
6:00 Cash Bar
7:00 Supper Entertainment – Dueling Pianos
The banquet is optional. Separate registration required.
Thursday, March 10, 2022
Morning Plenary Session
Session IV: Student Research
8:30 Student Research Presentation Competition
Five graduate students will present their dairy-related research findings
9:55 Nutrition Break
Session V: Producer Panel
10:25 The Big Change – Producer Panel Presentations
Three dairy farms that have implemented big changes on their operations will be virtually toured followed by a Q&A period
12:30 Lunch
Afternoon Plenary Session
Session VI: Preventing Diseases in the Future
1:45 Importance of Selective Antibiotic Use: Drying Off and Clinical Mastitis – Herman Barkema, University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
2:25 Surveillance, prevention and control of Salmonella in dairy cattle in Quebec – Luc Bergeron, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, QB
3:05 Nutrition Break
Session VII: Calf Management
3:35 Starting Calves Off Right: Back to the Basics on Colostrum Management – Sarah Parsons, Alta Genetics
4:15 Optimizing Health and Welfare in the Pre-Weaned Calf – Charlotte Winder, University of Guelph
5:00 Cocktail Reception
Announcement of Winners for the Student Research Presentation and Poster Competitions
Friday, March 11, 2022
Morning Plenary Session
Session VIII: Healthy Cows, Healthy People
8:30 Minimizing Stress to Enhance Cow Health and Productivity – Meagan King, University of Manitoba
9:10 Wellbeing and Productive Farming – Cynthia Beck, University of Regina
9:50 Nutrition Break
Session IX: Emerging Trends
10:20 Managing Health and Rumination Data: Getting The Most Out Of Your Technology - Jake Vermeer, Vermeer's Dairy Ltd
11:00 From Touching Udders to Touching Screens: How We Use Sensors on Our Farm – Sytse Heeg, Heeg Dairy Inc
11:40 Beef on Dairy Crosses: Diversification and Income Potential – Kee Jim, Feedlot Health Management Services
12:20 Closing
Program subject to change