Join us at our new location in La Crosse, WI June 11-12, 2025!
Dr. Joel Pankowski
Title: Mycotoxin Mitigation: A New Approach
Short description: Mycotoxins can be formed on crops in the field, during harvest, or during storage, processing, or feeding. In a global survey, 85% of cereal grains sampled were contaminated with at least one mycotoxin. The threat of mycotoxins also exists in silage. Ruminants are susceptible to the detrimental effects of mycotoxins in the diet, meaning that your herd’s production and performance -- and, ultimately, your profitability -- could be taking a hit.
Ingested mycotoxins can damage the gut epithelial cell surface, compromising a cow’s ability to block mycotoxins from entering its tissues and migrating to different organs. What if you could combat the constant mycotoxin challenge from the inside out, building resilience and consistently meeting milk production goals?
During this breakout, recent research-proven concepts with be reviewed and discussed. Following this breakout, attendees will be better positioned to evaluate and implement practical solutions specific to their individual a better understanding of how their mycotoxin mitigation options can be objectively evaluated and implemented. This process will aid in the identification of research-proven and field-tested opportunities to maximize herd profitability.
Biography: Dr. Joel Pankowski joined the Arm and Hammer Technical Services Team in 2011. Currently, he leads and manages a team of Ph.D. and DVM Multi-Species Technical Service Managers that provide technical expertise to the Field Sales Team, Key Influencers and Producers in the Americas.
Joel received both his BS and MS degrees from The Ohio State University and then went on to earn his Ph.D. in Dairy Management from Cornell University. His areas of expertise are: reproductive management and health, quantitative dairy herd data analysis, transition cow management and fatty acid nutrition.
His 30+ year career has included a variety of technical and leadership roles with the Monsanto Dairy Business, CPG Nutrients, AGWAY, Inc., Land ‘O Lakes Purina Feed, and Alpharma Animal Health. Joel resides in Baldwinsville, NY with his wife, Tracy and they have 3 grown children (Stacy, AJ and Trevor) .
Dr. Jimena Laporta
Title: The Hidden Cost of Heat: Multigenerational Effects on Dairy Cattle
Description: Heat stress doesn’t just impact dairy cattle during summertime—it can leave lasting effects that ripple across generations. This presentation will showcase how in utero heat stress alters calf development, leading to long-term consequences on growth, health, and future milk production. These generational impacts extend far beyond initial heat exposure, subtly influencing herd performance and farm profitability over time, with estimated industry losses reaching millions yearly. Understanding these hidden costs is crucial for developing strategies that protect animal welfare and the bottom line.
Biography: Jimena Laporta is originally from Uruguay, where she earned her B.S. and M.S. in Biology and Animal Sciences before completing her Ph.D. in Dairy Science at UW-Madison in 2014. She then spent four years as a faculty member at the University of Florida before returning to the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2020, where she has served as an Associate Professor of Lactation Physiology in the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences. Her research focuses on understanding how environmental and nutritional factors influence mammary gland development throughout life and affect lactation performance. She investigates the effects of early-life heat stress and how epigenetic programming shapes calf physiology and long-term productivity across generations. Additionally, her lab explores nutritional and heat abatement strategies to enhance calf resilience and support health, growth, and sustained productivity in challenging environments.
Dr. Alex Bach
Plenary Title: Management and nutritional strategies to improve profits from dairy farms
Description: Different aspects influencing the economic returns in dairy farms will be evaluated. First, what and how to use data to make decisions will be reviewed, and then several examples of areas that can make a relevant change to the bottom line of the dairy enterprises will be presented.
Breakout title: Getting the most out dairy replacements:
Key nutrition and management aspects
Biography: Alex Bach is a research professor at the University of Lleida. Alex conducts research to understand the physiology and metabolism of cattle and to improve nutrition and management of dairy herds to make them more sustainable. He has received several awards in recognition to his research activities, has spoken at more than 150 international congresses, is author or co-author of more than 170 peer-reviewed publications, more than 100 extension articles, and more than 20 books (or book chapters).
He has served as a scientific expert in several committees of the European Food Safety Authority and has also served in the European Research Council. He is section editor and sits in the editorial board of several scientific journals, and is member of various scientific committees. In his spare time, Alex enjoys running, biking, and windsurfing.
Dr. Jackie Boerman
Plenary Title: Changes in muscle throughout a dairy cow lactation
Plenary Description: Skeletal muscle is required for movement and posture and also serves as a protein and energy reservoir. Adipose tissue is recognized as an energy store that can be accreted and depleted based on energy balance; however, skeletal muscle is also a dynamic tissue that changes across the lactation. During the stages of gestation and lactation, when cows are supporting growth of the fetus or large amounts of milk, they are able to pull from their skeletal muscle reserves to meet their requirements. A series of studies have been conducted at Purdue University, to evaluate skeletal muscle changes throughout lactation to understand when and how muscle is changing for the dairy cow.
Breakout Session Title: Feed Video: What we can extract from video related to dairy nutrition
Breakout Session Description: Video analytics automatically extracts usable, actionable information from video. We are applying video analytic techniques to dairy cattle feed and feeding. Our goals are to design video systems to measure total mixed ration uniformity and individual intake of group housed cows. Ultimately, we are trying to integrate data from video with other data sources on farm to continuously measure feed efficiency of dairy cattle. In order to design systems that people will adopt; we are utilizing end user input in the development process.
Biography: Dr. Jackie Boerman grew up on a small dairy farm in western New York, where her parents still milk cows in a tie-stall barn. Dr. Boerman completed her B.S. from Cornell University in Animal Science. She earned an M.S. degree at the University of Illinois and a Ph.D. from Michigan State University. Since 2017, Dr. Boerman has worked at Purdue University where she holds a three-way appointment in research, teaching, and extension focused on dairy nutrition and management. teaching, and extension focused on dairy nutrition and management.
Dr. Mike Van Amburgh
Plenary Session Title: Strategies to Improve Productive Nitrogen and Reduce Urinary Nitrogen Excretion
Plenary Description: This presentation will focus on whole-body nitrogen and amino acid metabolism and how to approach diet formulation strategies that more precisely meet ruminal and post-ruminal amino acid requirements while reducing urinary nitrogen excretion.
Breakout Session Title: The Role of Amino Acids in Fatty Acid Synthesis
Breakout Session Description: Most dairy cattle's genetic capability for milk component yield is increasing rapidly, and this is helping us learn more about how nutrients interact to enhance the partitioning of milk fat and protein. As the capacity for fat yield increases, we are learning that a greater amino acid supply is required to improve the protein synthesis involved in de novo and preformed fatty acid yield. This talk will focus on these interactions and the quantities of metabolizable amino acids needed for greater fat yield.
Biography: Mike Van Amburgh is a Professor in the Department of Animal Science and a Stephen H. Weiss Presidential Fellow at Cornell University where he has a dual appointment in teaching and research.
Mike received his undergraduate degree from The Ohio State University and his Ph.D. is from Cornell University.
He leads the Cornell Dairy Fellows Program, advises approximately 30 undergraduate students, and is the Cornell University Dairy Club advisor. He also is teaches several undergraduate and graduate level courses.
Mike currently leads the development of the Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS/CPM Dairy), a nutrition evaluation and formulation model used worldwide. Through licensing, the CNCPS is used to formulate diets for approximately 70% of the dairy cows in North America. Through the modeling effort, he focuses on enhancing the efficiency of nutrient use by ruminants to improve the environmental impact of animal food production. A significant component of his current work is to understand whole animal and ruminal nitrogen metabolism and amino acid supply and requirements to enhance the productivity of high-producing lactating dairy cattle and use that information in the further development of the Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System. Further, his group is active in developing methods to better describe the interaction between forage and feed chemistry, rumen function and post-ruminal digestion to complement the model.
He has authored and co-authored over 100 journal articles and many conference proceedings. He is the recipient of several awards, including the American Dairy Science Foundation Scholar Award, the Land O’Lakes Teaching and Mentoring Award from ADSA, the American Feed Ingredient Association Award for Research, Journal of Dairy Science Most Cited Award, the CALS Professor of Merit Award, and the CALS Distinguished Advisor Award. In 2016, he was named a Stephen H. Weiss Presidential Fellow, the highest teaching award given by Cornell University.
Dr. Paul Fricke
Title: Effect of timing of AI with sexed and conventional semen based on increased activity and synchronization of ovulation on fertility
in lactating dairy cows.
Description: Timing of AI relative to estrus and ovulation has a profound effect on fertility. Dr. Fricke will discuss new data on the effect of timing of AI relative to increased activity and synchronization
of ovulation in lactating dairy cows.
Biography: Dr. Paul Fricke was raised on his family's row crop and dairy farm located near Papillion, Nebraska where his father and uncle continue to farm today. After receiving a B.S. degree in
Animal Science in 1988 from the University of Nebraska, Paul went on to complete a M.S. degree in 1992 and a Ph.D. degree in 1996 in Reproductive Physiology from the department of Animal Sciences at North Dakota State University. Paul worked as a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Department of Dairy Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison from 1995 to 1998 and then joined the faculty on July 1, 1998. Dr. Fricke was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure in 2004 and to Full Professor in 2009. His current position includes 70% Extension and 30% research appointments in dairy cattle reproduction.
Dr. Fricke’s research program focuses on understanding the biology underlying the many reproductive problems of dairy cattle. Dr. Fricke has authored or co-authored 103 peer-reviewed journal publications, 131 abstracts, and 6 book chapters. He has mentored 16 M.S. and 6 Ph.D. students, and his research program has attracted more than $4.2 million in extramural research grants, contracts, and gifts. In 2014, Dr. Fricke was awarded a six-month research sabbatical as a visiting scientist at the Teagasc Moorepark Animal; Grassland Research Innovation Centre in Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland.
The goal of Dr. Fricke’s extension program is to improve reproductive efficiency of dairy cattle by applying scientific research to develop practical management strategies and assess new reproductive technologies. Dr. Fricke is a sought-after speaker and has spoken to over 500 audiences in Wisconsin since 1998. In addition, Paul has presented at conferences in 35 U.S. states and 6 Canadian provinces and has been an invited speaker for international meetings in
27 countries spanning 6 continents around the world.
Dr. Fricke is the recipient of several campus and national awards recognizing his innovative applied research and extension programs including the Midwest Section ADSA Outstanding Young Extension Specialist Award (2006), the University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Pound Extension Award (2006), the ADSA DeLaval Dairy Extension Award (2008), and the Wisconsin Association of County Agriculture Agents Second
Mile Award (2010).
Dr. Matt Akins
Title: Cocktail Forage Mix Research:
Agronomic and Dairy Cow Production Results
Short Description: As more dairies include cereal grain forages into the cropping rotation, the subsequent use of annual warm and cool-season mixtures (cocktail forage mixes) can work well. This talk will cover recent work evaluating the yield and quality of a warm/cool-season cocktail forage mixture, as well as the productivity of dairy cows fed a diet with cocktail forage mix silage.
Biography: Matt Akins is a Dairy Scientist with the USDA-ARS Dairy Forage Research Center Environmentally Integrated Dairy Management Research unit in Marshfield, WI. His research focuses on forage management and dairy cattle nutrition, including evaluation of growing various high-fiber forages for feeding dairy heifers and improving management of baled silage. Matt is also collaborating with UW-Madison colleagues to evaluate feeding strategies for dairy beef crossbred cattle. He received an undergraduate degree from UW-Platteville, M.S. degree from University of Arkansas, and PhD from UW-Madison. In his free time, Matt enjoys spending time with his family in the outdoors (fishing, hunting, hiking) and at the kids’ sporting events.
Alycia Bales, Ph.D
Topic: Utilizing High Oleic Soybeans in Dairy Cow Diets
Biography: Dr. Alycia Bales is the Animal Nutrition Technical Support representative for Caledonia Farmers Elevator (CFE) located in Caledonia, Michigan. She works with a team of ruminant nutritionists where she helps to be a bridge between applied research and on-farm practical solutions. Alycia received her B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees from Michigan State University where her graduate work concentrated on dairy cattle nutrition with a focus on fatty acid supplementation. During her Ph.D., Alycia ran several studies that investigated the utilization of high oleic acid soybeans and the impact of this soybean on milk production responses. Since joining the CFE team in the Spring of 2024, she has been part of the effort to help dairy producers adopt the idea of including high oleic soybeans into dairy rations.
Talk Title: Turning High Oleic Soy Research Intro Practical Nutrition Advice
Talk Description: Taking academic research and transitioning it to on-farm nutrition application
Kyle Tasom
Biography: Kyle Taysom is the CEO of Dairyland Laboratories — a third-generation family business that’s been serving the dairy industry since the 1950s. Kyle has been with Dairyland for the past 15 years, bringing experience in lab operations, dairy nutrition, and data science. He began his career as a dairy nutrition consultant and now spends much of his time developing new analytical services and working directly with customers and the technical teams at Dairyland.
Talk Title: Why and How Best to Test High Oleic Soy
Talk Description: An overview of what to test for and which tests best inform us about high oleic soy plus a summary of test results to-date from Dairyland Laboratories.
Dr. Isaac Salfer
Title: Maximizing feed efficiency in high producing dairy cows
Short Description: In the age of high feed costs, achieving optimal utilization of feed nutrients is key. Dr. Salfer will present a talk about maximizing whole-farm feed utilization with updates on recent research from his lab focused new technologies to improve energy and nitrogen losses from dairy cows.
Biography: Dr. Isaac J. Salfer is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Animal Science at the University of Minnesota. He earned his Ph.D. in Animal Science from Pennsylvania State University in 2019, an M.S. and B.S. in Animal Science from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities in 2015 and 2013, respectively. His research focuses on dairy nutritional physiology, particularly understanding how circadian and seasonal rhythms impact metabolism and behavior in dairy cows to influence feed efficiency. He also studies the effects of novel feeds and feed additives on rumen nitrogen and energy balance, as well as the impact of neonatal nutrition on calf growth, feed efficiency, and health.
Dr. Marcia Endres
Title: Let's talk about on-farm dairy technology!
Description: In the last 10 years or so, there has been greater adoption of sensors, automation, computer vision, artificial intelligence, etc. on many dairy farms. Let us go over some of what is currently in the market and what is coming, then share your own experiences with the farms you work with.
Biography: Dr. Marcia Endres is a Professor, Extension Dairy Specialist, and the Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Animal Science at the University of Minnesota. Her research team has studied how various housing and management systems can influence health, welfare and performance of dairy cattle. In the last ~15 years, Dr. Endres and her team have also conducted research and outreach on precision dairy technologies, including robotic milking systems, automated milk feeders and individual cow behavior sensors.
They have published numerous peer-reviewed research articles, abstracts, proceedings, and popular press articles, in addition to 7 book chapters. Dr. Endres was the editor for the 2021 international book “Understanding the Behaviour and Improving the Welfare of Dairy Cattle”. She has taught the dairy herd management course and has coached the University of Minnesota Dairy Challenge teams for many years. Dr. Endres serves as director on the PAACO (Professional Animal Auditor Certification Organization) Board (the national organization that certifies animal welfare audits and auditors) and served as President of the Dairy Cattle Welfare Council.
In addition, Dr. Endres has chaired U.S. and International Precision Dairy Conferences and serves as chair of the International Precision Dairy Farming Association Board of Directors.
Dr. Luiz Ferraretto
Title: How corn silage production and management can affect feed efficiency by dairy herds?
Description: This presentation will discuss the importance of minimizing dry matter losses and how it should be considered a metric of feed efficiency. Also, some new information about nutrient variation in corn silage ant how it affects dairy cows will be discussed.
Biography: Dr. Luiz Ferraretto is a Ruminant Nutrition Extension Specialist in the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences at University of Wisconsin-Madison, and his research interests are applied dairy cattle nutrition and management with emphasis on starch and fiber utilization by dairy cows, forage quality and digestibility, and the development and evaluation of assays for feed and forage analysis.
Dr. Phil Cardoso
Title: Why Calcium and Negative DCAD Matter for Reproductive Success and troubleshooting Management Issues
Biography: Dr. Phil Cardoso is an associate professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He received his D.V.M., and M.S. degrees from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil and his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois. Since 2012, Phil has established a unique program and online presence that seamlessly blends his teaching, extension, and research efforts. Phil’s Dairy Science program impact by placing students in applied positions and academia. Phil and his students have published over 80 peer-reviewed manuscripts (original research and invited reviews) and 3 invited book chapters to date.
The program builds from questions from dairy producers and focuses on having the dairy cow’s diet as a medical prescription for performance, health, and reproduction. That is achieved by understanding the impact of nutrition on metabolism, reproduction, and health in dairy cows, as well as mechanisms of metabolic adaptation to stressors and forage quality.
Dr. Gail Carpenter
Title: Nutritional Approaches to Decrease Stress in Calves
Biography: Gail Carpenter is the state dairy extension specialist for Iowa State University, where she has a split appointment with teaching and research in addition to her extension role. A firm believer in the power of applied learning inside and outside the classroom, she also coaches the Dairy Challenge team and serves on the national Dairy Challenge board. Gail held positions at the University of Guelph, Ridgetown Campus and CSA Animal Nutrition in Dayton, OH before beginning at Iowa State. As a Michigan native, Gail is a connoisseur of all things Midwest and can be found exploring the region’s state and national parks when she is away from work.
Dr. Michael Hutjens
Title: TBD
Biography: Mike Hutjens was raised grade Holstein farm near Green Bay, Wisconsin. His bachelor, masters, and Ph.D. degrees were awarded from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
From 1971 to 1979, Dr. Hutjens was extension dairy specialist at the University of Minnesota where he coached the national champion team in 1978 at the World Dairy Expo. Since 1979, he has been a member of the University of Illinois Animal Sciences Departments as extension dairy specialist. He speaks at 60 to 70 meetings at conferences in 46 states, 17 foreign countries, and nine Canadian provinces. Mike writes feed columns for Hoard's Dairyman and presents the Hoard’s Dairy monthly webinars.
Award recognitions include the Undergraduate Teaching Purina Award from the American Dairy Science Association, National DeLaval Extension Worker Award, ADSA, Applied Nutrition Award from ADSA, Outstanding Extramural Instructor (University award) in 1993 and 2000, and two citations from the Minnesota Board of Regents,. Mike was president of the American Dairy Science Association. In 2008, he was select “Service Person of the Year” by World Dairy Expo. In 2009, he received the Award of Honor from ADSA and Fellow, the “Eagle Award” from the IL Farm Bureau Association, the national DHI Service in 2013, and the Dairy Shrine Person of the Year in 2019. Currently, Mike is teaching on-line to 1200 international students in five languages with monthly updates and a weekly podcast.
He resides in Savoy, IL, with his wife, Carol and five children and seven grandchildren. Mike served six years in the U.S. Army Reserve Mike retired from the University of Illinois on Dec 31, 2010.
Dr. Isaac Haagen
Title:
Dr. Isaac Haagen is an Assistant Professor of Dairy Production at the University of Minnesota. Haagen grew up on a small, registered Holstein farm in Central Pennsylvania. Before joining the faculty at the University of Minnesota, Haagen completed his BS and PhD at Penn State University and was a postdoctoral scholar with the USDA National Animal Germplasm Program in Fort Collins, Colorado. At the University of Minnesota, Haagen holds a joint Extension and Research appointment. His applied research program focuses on utilizing genetics to improve the health and efficiency of dairy cattle. Current projects are largely focused around the genetics of dairy youngstock. In addition, Haagen is involved in dairy youth development in Minnesota and co-advises the Gopher Dairy Club at the University of Minnesota.
Description: During this presentation, Dr. Haagen will discuss how body composition is related to body condition scores and performance in preweaned calves.
Biography: Dr. Isaac Haagen is an Assistant Professor of Dairy Production at the University of Minnesota. Haagen grew up on a small, registered Holstein farm in Central Pennsylvania. Before joining the faculty at the University of Minnesota, Haagen completed his BS and PhD at Penn State University and was a postdoctoral scholar with the USDA National Animal Germplasm Program in Fort Collins, Colorado. At the University of Minnesota, Haagen holds a joint Extension and Research appointment. His applied research program focuses on utilizing genetics to improve the health and efficiency of dairy cattle.
Current projects are largely focused around the genetics of dairy youngstock. In addition, Haagen is involved in dairy youth development in Minnesota and co-advises the Gopher Dairy Club at the University of Minnesota.