Student Resources
2020 Corporate Technology Presentations
- Component Production: Is Your Herd Up to Par? (Dr. Hank Spencer, Cargill Technical Services Principal)
- Domestic and Global Outlook within the Ag Industry (Dr. David Kohl, Emeritus Professor of Virginia Tech, presented by Farm Credit of the Virginias)
- The World of Genetics - Creating Ideal Commercial Cows (Leah James, U.S. Dairy Marketing Manager, Genex Cooperative, Inc.)
- Utilizing Genetics & Data to Maximize Efficiency (Lyle Kruse, Vice President U.S. Market Development, Select Sires)
Dairy Challenge Information
- Farm Safety Protocols
- DairyComp Command Basics
- DairyComp Command Reference Guide
- Making a Farm Visit: Hints and Strategies - Mike Hutjens
- Northeast Regional Dairy Challenge Sponsor Training Meeting-Four Event Cows with Dr. Alex Scanavez (Oct 20, 2020)
Passcode: $^5Lg2my - Dairy Questionnaire
- Financial Template
- Major Areas to Assess the Dairy Farm Operation
- Presentation Tips
- USDA data for WI
- NAIDC Presentation Warmup Exercise
- Dairy Challenge Dairy Comp Training
- DCTeach Info Sheet - Attention Academic Version Users, click to view and download ACADEMIC backup. If you need help, click here
- DHI-PLUS Software Installation Information - To install DHI-PLUS software, contact Cathy Myers, Amelicor at (559) 289-2585
- PCDART Software Installation Information - To install PCDART software, contact Greg Palas at gepalas@iastate.edu or (515) 294-2526
Financials
General
- Minimum Expectations for NAIDC Financial Analysis
- Farm Financial Ratios and Benchmarks Calculations
- This file contains the key ratios, formulas, and benchmarks
- Quick & Dirty Guide to Financial Ratios
- Financial Implications of Your Recommendations – Partial Budgeting – Alex White
- Harvesting a Profit Guide
- Financial Analysis:
- Sample NAIDC Balance Sheet
- Introduction to Balance Sheet (video)
- Sample NAIDC Income Statement
- Understanding Financial Ratios
- Introduction to Financial Analysis (video)
- Understanding Your Farm's Financial Health (PowerPoint)
- Sample NAIDC Balance Sheet
- 15 Measures of Dairy Farm Competitiveness
- Financial Suggestions to Dairy Challenge College Students II (Gary Sipiorski)
- 2022 Northeast Dairy Farm Summary and 2023 Mid-Year Outlook
- 2023 National Dairy Challenge – Financial Presentation with Heather Weeks from Farm Credit East (March 20, 2023)
- NAIDC Financial Statements 2023 Addendum
- Sample Farm File Coaches
- Financial Implications of Your Recommendations – Partial Budgeting – Alex White (November 2022)
- Southern Regional Financial Bootcamp with Alex White (November 2022)
- Northeast Regional Training: Finance – Partial Budgets How-To with Kelsey Neckers, Farm Credit (Oct 19, 2022)
- Dairy Financials and Benchmarks - Tim Baumgartner
- Harvesting a Profit Guide
- New York State Dairy Farm Business Summary
- Northeast Regional Dairy Challenge-"Understanding Your Financial Position"-an overview of business planning, budgeting, and the role of risk management with Phil Taylor from Ag Choice (Oct 23, 2020)
Passcode: K?C.PQJ0 - Northeast Regional Dairy Challenge-Importance of Tax Planning on Dairy Operations with John Black from Ag Choice (Oct 21, 2020)
Passcode: ?de0.LAt - Midwest Dairy Challenge 2022 Presentation by Jim Moriarty (Compeer)
- Minimum Expectations for NAIDC Financial Analysis
- Financial Suggestions to Dairy Challenge College Students II (Gary Sipiorski & Alex White)
- Introduction to Balance Sheet (video)
- Introduction to Financial Analysis (video)
- Understanding Your Farm's Financial Health (PowerPoint)
- Quick & Dirty Guide to Financial Ratios
- Examples of Financial Ratios:
- Farm Financial Ratios and Benchmarks Calculations & Implications
- 15 Measures of Dairy Farm Competitiveness
- Farm Credit West Financial Presentation
DHI Reports
- Dairy Comp 305 Commands (Select Sires)
- Example Herd Summary 202 Report (DRMS)
- Explanation of Herd Summary 202 Report (DRMS)
- Example Herd Summary ASHS-100 (AgSource)
- Using Herd Summary ASHS-100 (AgSource)
- Herd Comparison Report Explanation (AgriTech Analytics)
- Herd Total Report Explanation (AgriTech Analytics)
- Herd Summary Example Report (Amelicor/DHI Provo)
Nutrition
- Fundamentals of Dairy Nutrition: Forages and Feed - Check out this self-paced, online Coursera course and you'll dive deep into the fascinating world of dairy nutrition. Join dedicated instructors Josh McCann and Phil Cardoso to explore the role of common feedstuffs, understand forage growth, compare cereal grains and oilseed meals, and discover the nutritional value of byproducts from common feed processing techniques. Equip yourself with the latest scientific insights to enhance your practice or research, guided by featured experts Jim Drackley and Derek Nolan.
- Moving Beyond Basics: Dairy Nutrition and Diet Formation - Join our dairy cattle nutrition course, led by esteemed instructors Jim Drackley and Phil Cardoso on Coursera. Learners will explore feeding strategies for cows, calves, and heifers, gain skills in diet formulation, and understand the effects of dietary choices on health and reproduction. Topics include colostrum management, liquid feeding strategies, and nutrient interactions to boost dairy cow productivity. Practical applications are emphasized, ensuring mastery of feeding practices during critical periods like the transition phase. The self-paced, online course also features immersive footage that places learners on a commercial dairy farm and case studies that provide printable learner guides for field settings.
- Northeast Regional Training: Forage Quality (Oct 18, 2022)
- Dairy efficiency by the numbers - By Jon Pretz, Ph.D., Hubbard Dairy Nutritionist
- Fatty Acid Forum - online learning platform for dairy nutrition
- Quick Guides to Fatty Acids - The "cliff-notes" way to learn fatty acids
- Legacy Series from Fatty Acid Forum - Interviews with important researchers that left a legacy on fatty acid nutrition in dairy
- Omega Balancer - simple web tool to assess omega fatty acid ratio in dairy diets and ingredients
- Making and Managing Feeds (Connor Agriscience)
- Dairy Performance - Optimizing Robot IOFC (Vita Plus)
- Forage Foundations - 10 Ways to Get More Milk From Homegrown Forages (Vita Plus)
- Example Grain Mix
- Example Milking Ration
- How to use the Dairy NRC 2001 Program
- Dairy NRC 2001 Program
Reproduction
- Northeast Regional Dairy Challenge-"Repro Evaluation Using Dairy Records with Paul Colgan, Premier Select Sires (Oct 23, 2020)
Passcode: 61*416eM - Dairy Cow Reproduction Protocols (Select Sires)
- Dairy Heifer Reproduction Protocols (Select Sires)
- Reproduction Consultant Checklist (Select Sires)
- Making Genetic Progress (GENEX)
- Mixed Breed Sires (GENEX)
- Semen Handling And AI Technique (GENEX)
- Top 10 Repro Parameters (GENEX)
Management
- Robotic Training Webinar - MWDC (February 8, 2023)
- Building Cost Spreadsheet
- Northeast Regional Training: CAFO Environmental Factors with Sally Flis, Nutrien Ag Solutions (Oct 20, 2022)
- Overview of Robotic Milking - Justin Segner
- Northeast Regional Dairy Challenge-Dairy Care with Merck (Oct 22, 2020)
Passcode: 9^uNF79r - Northeast Regional Dairy Challenge-"Farm to Grocery Store-FARMS program and the dairy supply chain" with Mike Brown, Dairy Supply Chain Manager, Kroger (Oct 22, 2020)
Passcode: meD1x!5& - Northeast Regional Dairy Challenge-Herd Health with Dr Jerry Mechor-Elanco (Oct 21, 2020)
Passcode: L@gV1jo* - Lameness, Hoof trim evaluation, and facility concerns for hoof health-Neil Andrew, Zinpro (Oct 20, 2020)
Passcode: m5W*$Ta% - Managing the Feed Center on Dairy Farms - By Sam Mosley, PhD
- Calf Care & Quality Assurance - Animal Care Reference Manual
- Heat Abatement Assessment Form (Select Sires)
- Heat Index Reference Guide (Select Sires)
- SRS Locomotion Scoring Worksheet (Select Sires)
- Milk & Fat Valuator - Downloadable spreadsheet to better analyze milk volume vs. component decisions to improve milk check
- Surviving the Coronavirus in the Dairy Industry (Dr. Scott Tripp/Amelicor)
- Starting Strong - What is your Maternity Gameplan with Maternity Sheet (Vita Plus)
Coaches: as a reminder, you have access to past presentations and data sets that you can also use for student preparation. If you need assistance logging in, contact Molly Kelley at mollyk@dairychallenge.org.