Dairy Team Offers Heifer Care Webinars

Thursday, August 28, 2025

The Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Dairy Team is bringing back the Raising Your Dairy Best Heifer webinar series for its second season. This online series is designed to provide dairy producers with useful insights on heifer management while also giving them the chance to engage with experts through Q&A sessions.

Jennifer Bentley, dairy field specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach, explained the importance of the program. “Nearly 25% of dairy production costs are related to raising heifer replacements, so a considerable amount of feed, time and facilities must be invested to optimize growth for heifers to calve at an appropriate age,” she said. “The topic of raising your ‘dairy best’ heifers can have significant financial and herd benefits.”

Each week’s session will cover a unique area of heifer management, presented by experts from universities and research institutes across the U.S. Topics include housing, nutrition, genetics, and health practices that influence long-term herd productivity.

The fall webinar schedule includes:

Oct. 1: Benefits and management of pair housing calves, Melissa Cantor, Penn State University.
Oct. 8: Positive biofilms in calf health, Sarah Morrison, Miner Institute.
Oct. 15: Genetics for improving dairy calf health and performance, Isaac Haagen, University of Minnesota.
Oct. 22: Weaning management strategies, Jennifer Bentley, ISU Extension and Outreach.
Oct. 29: Colostrum delivery strategies, Donald Sockett and Ryan Breuer, University of Wisconsin–Madison.
Nov. 5: Tips for managing heifer body condition, Gail Carpenter, Iowa State University.
Nov. 12: Calving pen readiness for fresh cow success, Howard Tyler, Iowa State University.
Nov. 19: Grazing heifers for performance and profit, Larry Tranel, ISU Extension and Outreach.
Dec. 3: Heifer mastitis, Pamela Adkins, University of Missouri.

By bringing together specialists and producers, the series continues to strengthen dairy education while promoting practices that improve both herd health and overall dairy efficiency.

Photo Credit:iowa-state-university