Join us June 3-4, 2026 in La Crosse, WI!
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2026 conference program details
Note: This conference has been approved for ARPAS credits.
Wednesday, June 3: Pre-Con & Plenaries
Pre-Conference Sessions
Pre-conference Symposium Sponsored by Diamond V.
8:00-8:45 a.m.-"Re-evaluating Transition Cow Dogmas, is the Nutritionist Really to Blame for the Problems?” Dr. Lance Baumgard, Iowa State University
8:45-9:25 a.m.- "What’s going on with lameness these days?” Dr. Nigel Cook, University of Wisconsin
9:25-10:00 a.m.- Break
10:00-10:30 a.m.- TBA Dr. Mark Thomas, Dairy Health Management Services
10:30-11:15 a.m.- TBA
11:15-11:30 a.m.- Q & A session
11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.-Lunch
June 3: Conference Plenary
1:30-2:00 p.m.- “Finding the next 5 pounds of milk: many ways to fill a tank,” Dr. Barry Bradford, Michigan State University
2:00-2:30 p.m.- "Feed efficiency in dairy cows: a data cruncher's perspective", Dr. Francisco Penagaricano, University of Wisconsin
2:30-3:00 p.m.- Top three 7 lb club award winner presentations and winner presentations
3:00-3:30 p.m.-Panel discussion
3:30-4:15 p.m.-Break
June 3: Breakouts
Six topics, each being presented twice at 4:15-4:45 p.m. & 4:50-5:20 p.m.
Breakout 1- TBA, Dr. Lautaro Rostoll-Cangiano, University of Wisconsin
Breakout 2- “Managing culling in dairy herds - one cow at a time," Dr. Nigel Cook, University of Wisconsin
Breakout 3- "From Sensors to Solutions: Leveraging Dairy Tech Data in the Field", Dr. Mark Thomas, Dairy Health & Management Service
Breakout 4- "Designing feeding programs for dairy profitability", Dr. Barry Bradford, Michigan State University
Breakout 5- TBA, Dr. Sam Fessenden, AMTS, Silver Spirit Dairy
Breakout 6- Graduate student presentations
Thursday, June 4: Breakfast
6:45-8:00 a.m.-Breakfast sponsored by Agrarian Solutions
7-8 a.m. - "Phytogenics: A Smart Link Between Nutrition and Health," Simon Guillaume, Phytosynthese
8:00-8:30 a.m.-Break
June 4: Four State Conference Plenary
8:30-8:45 a.m.- Awards Ceremony for the Graduate Student Competition
8:45-9:15 a.m.- "Conventional and High-Oleic Soybeans and Dairy Nutrition Models: Chemistry, Fuel Profile, and Lactation Responses," Dr. Paul Kononoff, University of Nebraska
9:15-9:45 a.m. - "Applying 35 Years of Roasting and Expelling Experience to HO Soybeans", Dr. Lynn Davis
9:45-10:15 a.m.- “Feeding high oleic soybeans to dairy cows: Opportunities to decrease purchased feed costs and increase cow performance,” Panel Discussion: Paul Wyk, GPS Consulting and Barry Visser, Vita Plus
10:15-10:30 a.m.- Discussion with Speakers, Moderated by Katelyn Goldsmith
10:30-11 a.m.- Break
June 4: Four State Conference Breakouts
Six topics twice; 11:00-11:30 a.m. & 11:40-12:10 p.m.
Breakout 1- "Corn silage after BMR", Dr. Luiz Ferraretto, University of Wisconsin
Breakout 2- TBA, Dr. Phil Cardoso, University of Illinois
Breakout 3- "Industry Perspectives on the Welfare of Beef × Dairy Calves," Dr. Gail Carpenter, Iowa State University
Breakout 4- "Optimizing reproductive efficiency in dairy heifers," Dr. Paul Fricke, University of Wisconsin
Breakout 5- "Forages: what do we know and what are we learning about feeding alfalfa to dairy cows?", Dr. Paul Kononoff, University of Nebraska
Breakout 6- “Use of cover crops in dairy cattle nutrition," Dr. Ken Kaulscheur, USDA
June 4: Post-Conference Tour
Post-Conference Event Overview
The post‑conference event will consist of two parts. The first part will be a lunch and speaker session held at the conference venue. Following lunch, attendees will have the option to participate in an off‑site alfalfa plot tour at the Forage Genetics Research Center in West Salem, Wisconsin.
Please note that attendance at each portion is optional, and participants must drive themselves to the off‑site tour location.
Join us for a post‑conference Lunch & Learn designed specifically for dairy nutritionists, focused on how alfalfa management decisions can translate into forage quality, ration flexibility, and cow performance. The title of the discussion will be, " The Power of Alfalfa: Optimize Forage Quality for Dairy Cow Nutrition & Performance."
This expert‑led discussion will connect the field to the feedbunk and feature:
- Luana Queiroz, Extension Alfalfa Outreach Specialist at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
- Dr. Isaac Salfer, Assistant Professor of Dairy Nutritional Physiology at the University of Minnesota
- Phil Bollman, Director of Sales & Marketing with Forage Genetics International
The discussion will be moderated by Dr. Erika Rodbell, Forage Genetics International.
Following the session, attendees are invited to the nearby Forage Genetics International research center for a guided tour of alfalfa research plots, where they can learn how to apply the latest alfalfa research to their producers’ forage production programs. Tour highlights include seeing the latest genetics and disease packages that may provide producers more yield potential on tough acres, along with HarvXtra® alfalfa in our cutting management trials. These trials demonstrate how HarvXtra® alfalfa gives producers flexibility to balance forage quality needs for improved digestibility with overall yield needs for the operation.
Lunch is only available to those attending the post-conference tour.
