Free dairy herd management workshops will be offered this summer on three Vermont farms.

Dayna Locitzer, a large animal veterinarian at the Green Mountain Bovine Clinic in Chesterfield, N.H., will lead these on-farm sessions. She has worked with pasture-based dairies in the Northeast for more than 10 years, as well as worked on organic dairy farms in New York before enrolling in veterinary school.

Farmers may sign up for one or more workshops at go.uvm.edu. Registration is required as space is limited.

All workshops will take place from 10 a.m. to noon. They include:   

July 14. “Physical exam of the herd and individual cow,” Richardson Family Farm, 18 Richardson Farm Road, Hartland. Participants will learn how to assess whole-herd and individual cow health, and practice performing a physical exam on a cow to better understand how to identify sick cows, target treatment and assess severity of the illness.

Aug. 25. “Raising healthy heifers,” Taconic End Farm, 1395 Leicester-Whiting Road, Leicester. This session will focus on preventative care and treatment of common diseases. It will include a farm tour to observe how the owners raise their calves.  

Sept. 8. “Understanding mastitis to produce quality milk,” Rebop Farm, 1320 Sunset Lake Road, Brattleboro. Farmers will explore the steps to take to improve milk quality; the importance of udder health; and the causes, types and prevention of mastitis.

Additional dairy herd management workshops will be offered virtually this fall via Zoom. Topics will include vaccines on Oct. 6; calving and when to intervene on Oct. 20; and fluid therapy to treat sick cows on Nov. 3. Details and registration information is available at go.uvm.edu.

Maryland dairy day planned for July 12

Dairy producers and industry personnel are invited to come to Maryland Dairy Day from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. July 12, put on by the Maryland Dairy Industry Association and University of Maryland Extension.

This event will take place at Coldsprings Farm in New Windsor, Md., and will feature topics related to fertilizer management, calf management and compost barn management. Speakers will include Nicole Fiorellino and Amanda Grev, University of Maryland Extension, and Sue Puffenbarger of Zoetis.

The program will also include a producer panel discussion on compost pack barn management.

Registration is $20 and includes lunch. The annual Maryland Dairy Industry Association awards ceremony will take place during lunch. An evening awards banquet — sponsored by MDIA, the Maryland Holstein Association and the Maryland Dairy Shrine — will take place at 6:30 p.m. at the Union Bridge Fire Hall. 

Registration for the evening banquet is $25. The banquet will recognize outstanding members of the dairy community, including youth and Dairy Shrine inductees.

To register for either event, visit go.umd.edu or contact Laurie Savage at 301-525-1902 or [email protected]; or contact Sarah Potts at 301-432-2767 or [email protected].

Maryland Commodity Classic set for July 28

Registration is now open for the annual Maryland Commodity Classic, which will be July 28 at the Queen Anne’s County 4-H Park.

The Commodity Classic is the grain industry's largest networking and educational event in the state. The Maryland Grain Producers Association and Utilization Board works closely with the Maryland Soybean Board and Mid-Atlantic Soybean Association to put on the event.

To register online, visit marylandgrain.org. To save a seat and pay cash at the gate, call 443-262-8491.

Doors will open at 8:30 a.m. for the morning educational sessions. Nutrient management and continuing education credits will be available.

The exhibit hall will open at 10:30 a.m. Lunch will be available for purchase from a local 4-H club at 11 a.m.

The program will begin at 1:30 p.m., featuring policy and trade updates as well as possible comments from invited speaker Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

For more information, visit marylandgrain.org.