2025 Calf Care Connection Workshops Focus on Stress

By Blake Jackson

The 2025 Calf Care Connection workshops, hosted by Professional Dairy Producers (PDP), will highlight the effects of stress on dairy calves and explore strategies to reduce those challenges.

The program will combine classroom instruction with hands-on learning through two sessions: Wednesday, Oct. 22, at the Arlington Ag Research Station Public Events Building in Arlington, Wis., and Thursday, Oct. 23, at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College in Green Bay, Wis. Both workshops will run from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with presentations in English and simultaneous Spanish translation available.

“Stressors and challenges in a calf’s early life can have short-term impacts on their health and growth and some of those experiences will have negative effects throughout their entire life,” said Laura Raatz, calf care manager at Wagner Farms in Oconto Falls, Wis., and PDP board member.

“This year’s Calf Care Connection is designed to help dairy team members identify potential stressors and take proactive steps to minimize those situations so they can have more resilient calves from day one.”

The workshops are geared toward calf care managers, feeders, and other dairy professionals. Attendees will hear from nationally recognized experts, including Dr. Catie Cramer, PhD, associate professor of animal sciences at Colorado State University; Dr. Ryan Breuer, DVM, DACVIM, diagnostic case and outreach coordinator at the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and clinical associate professor at UW-Madison; and Dr. Franklyn Garry, DVM, professor and integrated livestock management coordinator at Colorado State University.

Participants can also earn continuing education credits: up to 4.5 Dairy AdvanCE (DACE) credits, 6.0 ARPAS credits, and 4.5 UW-Madison WVDL credits.

For more information or to register, visit www.pdpw.org or call PDP at 800-947-7379.

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