Join us for a day of learning about why reducing stress if helpful to you and your animals. We will also highlight ways for you to reduce stress in your life.
9:30 AM: Registration
10:00 AM Stress and Strain Effects on Cattle Reproduction – Presented by Heather Schlesser
Most dairy managers dream of the “anonymous” cow. Trouble-free in udder conformation and mobility; rarely, if ever, treated for health events; and breeds back year after year. She’s anonymous because, on a day-to-day basis, our only interaction with her is milking. Anonymous cows do not need to be handled or receive special attention. Why do cows that face a common challenge (Stress) respond differently to it (Strain), and how do managers capitalize on this? The short answer is genetics, but it isn’t that simple, and we will discuss this in detail during this presentation.
10:30 AM Alternative Forage Options – Presented by Matt Lippert and Melissa Ohlrich
11:30 AM Lunch – Sponsored by Marathon County Farm Bureau
12:15 AM Cultivating Calm Conversations: A three-step approach to Farm Succession Planning – Presented by Joy Kirkpatrick
Research shows that working with other family members and succession planning are top stressors for farmers. This presentation will provide an overview of common barriers to planning for the next generation of owners/managers for family-owned farms. It will discuss recent research on what farmers see as the barriers and how farm owners can better prepare for their meetings with farm succession service professionals. Kirkpatrick will provide practical tools farmers can use to get the important and hard conversations started at the farm/family level. A three-step planning process provides a framework that farm members can follow and break down into smaller action steps. It blends practical, technical steps with ideas to address the emotional and personal dynamics that can derail succession planning.
1:15 PM Ways to cope with stress – Presented by Carissa Weber, The Joyful Mind
1:45 PM Panel Discussion: Real World Stress Reduction Techniques – Ashleigh Calaway, Heidi Slinkman, and Brittany Olson or Jennifer Webster
Our Presenters
Matthew Lippert is the Wood and Clark County agricultural agent. He has previous experience in the dairy nutrition industry, and his current focus in Wood County and other central Wisconsin counties has been on dairy production, dairy cattle nutrition, dairy genetics, and farm management. He works closely with grower organizations to develop educational programs and newsletters. Matthew has a Bachelor of Science in dairy science/ag economics and a Master of Science in animal breeding from UW-Madison.
Heather Schlesser is an agriculture educator for Marathon and Clark Counties. Her research and outreach have included using current technology to enhance farm profitability and sustainability. Her current projects include research on the transfer of passive immunity in the calf and milk quality. Heather also helps with planning the Animal Wellbeing Conference, the Midwest Manure Summit, and teaching farmers throughout the Midwest how to breed their own cattle. Heather has a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science, a Masters in Animal Breeding and Genetics, and a PhD in Reproductive Physiology.
Joy Kirkpatrick has worked for the University of Wisconsin for 31 years. She began her Extension career as a county-based Extension educator. She is now a statewide farm management outreach specialist for UW-Madison Division of Extension. In this position she collaborates with colleagues to provide educational programs and information on farm succession planning. She has extensive experience facilitating farm succession discussions with farm businesses and farm families. Joy grew up on a farrow-to-finish hog farm in Southern Illinois, the youngest of seven. She is honored to work with farm families on some of their most personal issues when working on farm succession planning. She writes articles about and teaches workshops throughout the US on farm succession facilitation. Kirkpatrick co-developed the Certified Farm Succession Coordinator training with John Baker that has certified over 400 participants in farm succession planning in the US and beyond. Kirkpatrick received both her BS and MS degrees from Southern Illinois University – Carbondale.
Ashleigh Calaway is Wisconsin Farm Bureau’s District 8 Coordinator, a role she has served in for over a decade. Ashleigh grew up in Lafayette County and is a graduate of UW-River Falls. Today, her and her husband, Josh, and their daughter, Alena, live in Wood County where they raise beef, sheep, goats, chickens and whatever else she brings home in the trailer. Ashleigh is responsible for working with county Farm Bureaus in District 8 (Clark, Lincoln, Marathon, Portage, Price, Taylor, and Wood) to develop and implement programs that serve Farm Bureau members while also helping to recruit and retain the district’s membership efforts.
