Day 2: Workshops
“Workshops” are organized on the second day (3th of June) of the event.
Participation in this workshop is only possible for people who have also registered for the conference on 2nd of June.
The 4 key-note speakers will go through their topics in an interactive way.
To stimulate interaction as much as possible, the speakers ask to bring specific cases from your own practice. If you want to submit your specific herd problem to one of our specialists, we ask you to send us the details (in English) of your case by e-mail by 15th of May at the latest.
Because of logistical reasons, you can follow only 2 (out of 4) different workshops (1 session in the morning, 1 session in the afternoon). There is a maximum number of admitted participants per session. Selection is based on the “first come, first served” principle. So you choose 2 workshops that you want to attend based on availability.
We expect all registered participants on 3th of June by 9:15 at the latest on the ILVO site, Scheldeweg 68, 9090 Melle. Shuttle transportation will be provided from the city centre of Ghent to the ILVO site.
At noon, a sandwich lunch will be offered to the attendees of the workshops.
Alex Bach – Placing the veterinary at the center of the profit engine of a dairy herd
Traditionally, veterinarians have focused on ensuring adequate health, reproduction, and nourishment of cattle. After many years of improving these topics and applying effective preventive strategies, it is time to move to the economic health of dairy herds. This workshop will provide several key aspects of management and nutrition of dairy cattle (calves, heifers, dry and lactating cows) that represent opportunities to improve sustainability of dairy production through improved economic returns.
Sepehr Foroushani – Thermodynamic assessment of the thermal interaction between livestock and the environment
Heat stress is an issue of increasing importance in precision livestock farming in times of climate change with serious implications for animal welfare and productivity. Despite decades of research, versatile environmental stress predictors that can be used to prevent and alleviate stress for a reasonably wide range of animal breeds, facilities and climates remain a challenging goal. Mechanistic models of the thermal interaction between livestock and the environment can be powerful tools for identifying conditions of potential stress and optimizing the barn climate for maximum energy efficiency and minimum stress. This workshop presents an overview of thermodynamic models for characterizing the highly coupled, multiphysics interaction between livestock and the environment, with a focus on the systematic implementation and application of such models for deriving stress indicators and tresholds. A detailed case study of dairy cattle housed in naturally ventilated barns will be presented as an example. Participants will have an opportunity for hands-on exercises in using sample models.
John Remnant – Claw health
In this workshop, we will explore the aetiology, identification, and treatment of common causes of lameness in dairy cattle. We will consider how understanding these allows us to identify and control herd level risk factors for lameness. We will then discuss how to monitor progress at a herd level.
Jud Heinrichs – Young stock rearing
The workshop will look at nutrition and housing of weaned and transition heifers and discuss better ways to care for these groups so that their growth does not lag after weaning. Next, we will look at ways to monitor growth rates and look at body condition scoring of genetically superior heifers. Specific diet needs of heifers will be covered focusing on new research and nutrient recommendation publications.