Program to showcase strategies for pain mitigation, down-cow protocols, beef processing plant tour
DAIRY NEWS – Every decision on today’s dairies can have an impact on animal health, welfare and beef quality. The 2026 Dairy Wellbeing Workshop, presented by Professional Dairy Producers® (PDP), includes an exclusive beef processing plant tour for dairy producers and their teams to see firsthand how animal care choices impact beef quality. Each day, the tours will be followed up by sessions sharing the latest strategies shown to improve dairy herd health outcomes.
Two repeating sessions of Dairy Wellbeing Workshop will be held on Wed., Nov. 18, and Thurs., Nov. 19, at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College in Green Bay, Wis. Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. and the program will conclude at 3:45 each day. All sessions will feature simultaneous Spanish translation.
Each day will begin with a tour of the American Foods Group facility where participants will follow a cull cow’s journey from the farm to the harvest floor and then the cooler. A facilitated discussion with industry experts provides insights into what determines cull cow carcass value and why some cows are discounted or condemned.
“This is one of the most eye-opening programs a dairy producer can attend,” said Cassandra Strupp, Richfield, Wis., dairy producer. “Touring the beef processing plant while animals and carcasses are actively being routed through the stations is a powerful experience. In combination with the educational sessions that occur after the tour, this is a workshop that will forever change the way attendees consider how they care for their animals.”
Dr. Simon Peek, BVSc, PhD, DACVIM, MRCVS, clinical professor of large animal internal medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine, will present “Prevent the Down Cow: Protocols to Improve Outcomes.” He will explore the anatomy and physiological changes that occur when a cow goes down, explain why timely intervention is critical and share best practices for developing clear, effective response protocols at farms of every size.
Dr. Jennifer Walker, DVM, PhD, co-founder and chief animal welfare officer with Kinder Ground, will present “Recognize Pain: Better Decisions for Better Care.” She will discuss how to identify signs of pain associated with calving, lameness and injuries along with practical considerations for using available tools to manage pain.
Pre-registration is required for the session. Learn more and register at www.pdpw.org or by contacting PDP at 800-947-7379.
Dairy Wellbeing Workshop is accredited for up to 5.75 Dairy AdvanCE (DACE) continuing education credits and up to 5.0 ARPAS credits. Follow along digitally in advance of and during the event by following @dairyPDPW on Facebook, Instagram, X, and LinkedIn.
Professional Dairy Producers (PDP) is the nation’s largest dairy producer-led organization of its kind, focusing on producer professionalism, stakeholder engagement and unified outreach to share ideas, solutions, resources and experiences that help dairy producers succeed.
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