HARRISBURG, Pa. – Dr. Michaela Kristula, section chief of field services for the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, will review milk quality strategies for achieving a somatic cell count level of less than 150,000, during the sixth of ten webinars associated with the Pennsylvania Dairy Futures Analysis.
The webinar is planned for 2 p.m. Aug. 23 at The Pennsylvania Dairy Futures Analysis was a joint project of the Center for Dairy Excellence, Penn State Extension Dairy Team, University of Pennsylvania New Bolton Center and Saint Joseph’s University School of Food Marketing. It was funded in part by a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and was a year-long review of historical trends and future projections within Pennsylvania’s dairy industry.
The study looks at trends in producer demographics, on-farm production, crop and land use, processing, marketing and consumption patterns. The analysis also offers twenty prescriptions for necessary interventions to foster growth and revitalization of the dairy industry in the commonwealth. Improving milk quality and lowering somatic cell counts in Pennsylvania was part of a prescription focused on improving herd performance included in the analysis recommendations.
Kristula’s work focuses on mastitis in dairy cattle, production medicine and milk quality. She will offer suggestions for helping dairy herds achieve a SCC of 150,000 or less.
A recording of the first five webinars are now available online at www.centerfordairyexcellence.org. The most recent webinar, led by Dr. James Ferguson, focused on reproductive management strategies to achieve a pregnancy rate of 25 percent or higher.
Click on “Dairy Information,” then on “PA Dairy Futures Analysis,” to access the recordings. Upcoming webinar dates are listed below. All future webinars begin at 2 p.m.
To pre-register, email info@centerfordairyexcellence.org.
- Sept. 13, “Milk yield and nutritional management strategies to gain 4-5 Pounds in milk yield,” led by White and Dr. Linda Baker with the University of Pennsylvania.
- Sept. 27, “Heifer rearing strategies to achieve an AFC of 22 months,” led by Galligan.
- Oct. 11, “Milk processing and consumption trends in Pennsylvania,” led by White and Dr. John Stanton with the Saint Joseph’s University School of Food Marketing.
- Oct. 25, “A review of what labeling can do for Pennsylvania milk sales,” led by Stanton.
For more information, go to www.centerfordairyexcellence.org and click on “Dairy Information,” then on “PA Dairy Futures Analysis.”
