The second international Precision Dairy Conference and Expo is June 24 and 25 in Rochester.
The conference is designed for producers to focus on practical applications available as precision dairy technology grows.
"Precision dairy describes several areas of innovation on dairy farms. The thing all of the various new tools have in common is that they increase efficiency in milk production," said Marcia Endres, University of Minnesota Extension Dairy Scientist and conference co-chair. Technologies include robotic milkers, individual cow sensors, automated calf feeders and inline parlor sampling.
The event is co-hosted by University of Minnesota Extension and the University of Kentucky. The program includes showcase sessions for producers and industry updates. Three plenary sessions on advances in precision dairy will be presented:
- An update on experiences and developments in The Netherlands with Henk Hogeveen of Wageningen and Utrecht universities.
- Understanding cow sensors, with Jeffrey Bewley of the University of Kentucky; and
- Factors that influence success in robotic milking and automated feeder systems with Endres.
The trade show offers the latest in precision technologies and equipment; industry-sponsored speakers will present on a variety of topics. Producers from the United States and Canada will share their experiences, offering virtual tours of their farms and use of precision.