Click on the link for more information about each event.

Penn State Extension Conference Call: Forage Quality, Feed Costs and Financials
When: Feb. 1
Where: Conference Call

Pennsylvania Dairy Summit
When: Feb. 8-9
Where: Lancaster Host Resort in Lancaster, Penn.

Great Lakes Regional Dairy Conference
When: Feb. 9-11
Where: Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort in Mount Pleasant, Mich.

Wisconsin Cattleman’s Winter Conference
When: Feb. 10-11
Where: Wintergreen Resort Conference Center in Wisconsin Dells, Wis.

Best Milking Practices Workshop
When: Feb. 14, 16, 21, 28
Where: Various locations throughout Pennsylvania

Penn State Extension Conference Call: Loaning Money to Farms
When: Feb. 15
Where: Conference Call

Dairy Business Association 7^th Annual Expansion Symposium
When: Feb. 21
Where: KI Convention Center in Green Bay, Wis.

Heifer Management Workshop
When: Feb. 23 and 28
Where: Franklin County Penn State Extension Office in Chambersburg, Penn. and The Park at Morrisons Cove in Martinsburg, Penn.

New York Farm Show
When: Feb. 23-25
Where: New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse, N.Y.

Damian Lettieri, veterinarian for Udder Health Systems, recently wrote an article for Progressive Dairyman about how improper supervision and lack of training can compromise an otherwise effective mastitis control program.

Lettieri offers some tips for improving the integrity of collected cultures:

• When collecting samples, ensure the milkers are wearing gloves and have clean hands
• Samples should be collected from each quarter in one vial to create a composite sample from the cow
• Change gloves or wash hands between sampling each fresh cow
• Disinfect the teats prior to sampling a fresh cow or new cows with mastitis to prevent sample contamination

To read the full article and learn more helpful tips, click here.

Determine the cost of production per acre with AgWeb’s Corn Margin Calculator. With this tool, you can determine the expected per bushel corn yield to determine your breakeven selling price and what optimizations you can make to improve your bottom line.

Speaking of bottom line, little changes in feed efficiency can have a big impact. Try out the NutriDense Silage Calculator to learn how much a 6 percent improvement in feed efficiency can save in feed costs.

What tools do you use to track expenses and keep costs down?

Neighbors Up North: Ted McMeekin, the newly appointed minister of agriculture, food and rural affairs for Canada, recently spoke about the important connection between agriculture and social media at the recent Southwest Agricultural Conference in Canada.

Online Dairy Advocacy: Check out this webinar from Dairy Management Inc. and myDairytoolkit about utilizing social media in agriculture and presenting your farming operation in a positive light.

New Editor’s Blog: The editor of Progressive Forage Grower recently started a new blog, and she’s looking for help with a name! Follow along to interact with her on forage news, and submit your idea for a name by Jan. 14.

Cream of the Crop: Progressive Farmer Magazine recently announced its “2012 Best Young Farmers and Ranchers” awards, and Monsanto was proud to claim four out of the five winners on the list as their customers.

Click on the link for more information about each event.

Keystone Farm Show
When: Jan. 3-5
Where: York Fairgrounds in York, Penn.

Penn State Extension Webinar: Feed and Water System Design and Management
When: Jan. 10
Where: Online

Northern Illinois Farm Show
When: Jan. 11-12
Where: Northern Illinois University Convocation Center in DeKalb, Ill.

Penn State Extension Conference Call: Strategies for Dairy Farm Profitability
When: Jan. 18 and 19
Where: Conference Call

Calf Health and Management Workshop
When: Jan. 24 and 31
Where: Penn Valley Christian Retreat in McVeytown, Penn. and The Park at Morrisons Cove in Martinsburg, Penn.

Heifer Management Workshop
When: Jan. 27
Where: Westmoreland County Penn State Cooperative Extension Office in Greensburg, Penn.

#AgChat – Day Job, Farm Job:  #AgChat recently discussed ways to stay true to your ag roots while working a day job that might not relate to ag, adjusting to leaving a farm job for a day job or vice versa, and incorporating family members who may have a day job into farm life.

Social Networking Lessons from 2011: Entrepreneur Magazine gives four lessons on social networking from 2011 – applying to businesses and organizations across many sectors including ag.

Social Media to Reach China: The USDA is using social media to build relationships with Chinese consumers to increase confidence in U.S. biotechnology, particularly corn.

Wheat and Technology: Monsanto’s latest blog post tackles the need for more technological investments to ensure the long-term sustainability of wheat.

Here are a few of our favorite topics from 2011:

1. Even with bigger cows and a 59 percent increase in milk production, the carbon footprint for each gallon of milk continues to decrease. Read more here.

2. Dr. Fred Below from the University of Illinois presented the seven most influential factors on corn production. Check out the full list here.

3. A lactating dairy cow drinks approximately 30 to 50 gallons of water daily, accounting for over 85 percent of its nutrients. To learn more, check out both Part I and Part II of our Nutrient Management Practices posts.

4. Milk yield loss begins at the Temperature Humidity Index of 68. For more information about the index and heat’s effect on the herd, click here.

5. Locomotion scoring is recommended when trying to reduce lameness throughout a herd. Learn more about what that can mean for herd management practices here.

Click below to view this new video and begin your conservation conversation.

#AgChat – Youth in Agriculture: This week’s #AgChat covered 4H and FFA programs, teaching youth to be agvocates, employment for youth in the ag industry and educating America’s youth on the importance of agriculture.

The Future of Social Media: Thirty-eight social media experts weighed-in on what ag professionals can expect in 2012, including increased usage, on-the-go commerce and personalized consumer content.

Barn Media: Brian Allmer, member of The National Association of Farm Broadcasters, released a podcast discussing how farmers use social media to have conversations with consumers and why that is so important for the agriculture industry.

Thankful for Farmers: In 2010, the hashtag #foodthanks generated over 2,000 posts thanking those responsible for our food. Once again, agvocates took to Twitter to show their appreciation for ag this past Thanksgiving.