DCHA Annual Conference Goes Virtual

The in-person Dairy Calf and Heifer Association (DCHA) Annual Conference, previously scheduled for April 7-9, in Madison, Wis., is rescheduled for April 8-9, in a virtual format. DCHA’s in-person event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

DCHA Annual Conference registrants received a full refund for the in-person event. To register for the virtual conference, go to: www.bit.ly/DCHA2020VirtAC. Bovine veterinarians may still earn up to nine Registry of Approved Continuing Education (RACE) credits if they attend the virtual conference.

With the exception of the keynote address and panel discussions, the presentation lineup remains the same. Presentation titles and presenters and are:

• New passive transfer standards for dairy calves and how to achieve them – Jason Lombard, U.S. Department of Agriculture
• Why heifer maturity matters. The Peter Pan problem – Gavin Staley, Diamond V
• Disbudding practices: Present and future – Sarah Adcock, University of California, Davis
• Understanding the good, the bad and ugly of the innate immune response – Chris Chase, South Dakota State University
• Managing and marketing dairy x beef crossbred cattle – Grant Crawford, Merck Animal Health
• Why aren’t we all dead? Building on Mother Nature’s plan for inducing adaptive immunity through vaccinations – John Ellis, Professor, University of Saskatchewan
• Dairy industry collaboration on animal care – Emily Yeiser Stepp, National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program
• Calf nutritional management in 2030: Challenging the dogma – Michael Steele, University of Guelph
• How do dairy animals respond to different handling techniques? It’s all about human, calf, heifer, cow and bull learning – Don Höglund, Dairy Stockmanship

“While the virtual format isn’t our first choice for DCHA’s Annual Conference, it provides the next-best option that will still foster valuable learning and interaction between speakers and participants,” said Sue Schatz, DCHA member services director. “These unprecedented times call for creative learning and experience sharing venues.”

About DCHA

The Dairy Calf and Heifer Association (www.calfandheifer.org) was founded in 1996 based on the mission to help dairy producers, calf managers and those professionally focused on the growth and management of dairy calves and heifers. With a national membership of producers, allied industries and research leaders, DCHA seeks to provide the industry’s standards for profitability, performance and leadership, serving as a catalyst to help members improve the vitality and viability of their individual efforts and that of their business.

For more information, contact JoDee Sattler via email or by phone at 414/587-5839.

*Information was obtained from the Dairy Calf and Heifer Association.