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ASSOCIATION UPDATE
DCRC celebrates 10 years of dairy
reproductive improvement
BY DR. STEPHEN
LEBLANC, PRESIDENT,
DAIRY CATTLE REPRO-
DUCTION COUNCIL
It’s remarkable what a group of individuals
can do when they combine
their efforts to reach a goal.
Since 2006, the Dairy Cattle Reproduction
Council (DCRC) has been
dedicated to enhancing and sharing
university and applied research with the
dairy industry to improve reproductive
performance, raise awareness of reproductive
solutions and encourage dairy
reproduction success. DCRC combines
the collaborative energy and efforts of
dairy producers, veterinarians, consultants,
allied industry and leading experts
in dairy reproduction research.
A decade later, the organization remains
true to its core values and dedicated to
engaging all sectors of the dairy industry—producers,
veterinarians, consultants,
academia and allied industry professionals—in
its quest to improve dairy cattle
reproductive performance. Since DCRC’s
beginning, the dairy industry has seen
a renewed emphasis on reproductive
performance and a significant improvement
in on-farm reproductive results.
DCRC strives to push these reproductive
accomplishments even higher.
This objective is accomplished by
promoting an open dialogue on reproduction
to enhance learning and on-farm
adoption of the latest research and
technology. DCRC fosters a network to
achieve sustainable, effective reproductive
health and performance for dairy cattle.
REWARDING REPRODUCTION
These efforts are reflected in the success
of the winners of the DCRC Reproduction
Awards Program. Last year, DCRC
honored 24 herds that had achieved truly
remarkable reproductive performance,
with several Platinum award winners
sustaining pregnancy rates above 30%—
what was once thought to be a nearly
unreachable goal.
A record number of herds has been
nominated for this year’s program, and
we look forward to honoring the winners
at the 2016 DCRC Annual Meeting in
Columbus, Ohio, Nov. 10-11.
The reproduction awards program
has been held since 2009 to honor dairy
producers committed to raising the bar of
reproductive performance on their operations
by soundly implementing reproduction
fundamentals and adopting new
technologies to help meet dairy goals.
To be considered for the awards
program, dairies must be nominated by
a third party, and nominee-herd data are
analyzed by a panel of experts and an
independent analytic program. Finalists
are ranked based on critical reproductive
parameters and then selected to receive
Platinum, Gold, Silver or Bronze honors,
accordingly. The program rewards highperforming
herds in both Holstein and
non-Holstein categories.
The awards program continues to grow
and enables herds to learn from each
other how to elevate performance. Winners
share the background to their success
during a panel session at the annual meeting,
providing examples and inspiration
for reproductive accomplishment.
Winners of the reproduction awards
exemplify the DCRC philosophy—to
apply knowledge from a variety of
sources to address a myriad of reproductive
influences. These factors include
nutrition, cow comfort, genetics,
behavior and management of people to
address and positively influence fertility
and performance. Year after year, winning
dairies say there are no secrets to their
achievement—and no shortcuts, either.
Consistent dedication to doing the little
things well and comfortable cows make
all the difference on these farms.
CHECK OUT THE ANNUAL
MEETING
The DCRC Annual Meeting is one of the
biggest highlights for the organization
each year. It’s a forum for the best and the
brightest in the dairy industry to discuss
the latest technologies and on-farm
practices that can improve reproductive
performance and positively impact a
dairy’s bottom line.
The 2016 annual meeting is slated for
Nov. 10-11 in Columbus, Ohio.
This world-class conference features
sessions and breakout presentations on
pertinent issues including nutrition,
genetics, cow comfort, records analysis
and other key topics.
This year, topics include:
Heifer-rearing decision-making
advice
Reproductive management strategies
Finding the optimal pregnancy rate
for your herd
Cow grouping recommendations
Records analysis
Managing cows as individuals
Sire fertility
Industry and consumer trends
If you haven’t yet attended, make this
the year you go to the annual meeting.
MEMBERSHIP REWARDS
DCRC provides its members numerous
benefits, which influence the day-to-day
operations of dairy farms. In addition,
the organization has opened its doors
to enable more people to learn about
the benefits of DCRC membership.
Undergraduate, graduate and veterinary
students are invited to join with a free
three-month trial membership.
Since the beginning, DCRC has
strived to provide members with a broad
26 OCTOBER 2016
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