Dairy producers to tour farms during annual Exchange
July 2, 2014
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Dairy producers from two states will tour several Kentucky dairy operations when Purdue Extension and the University of Kentucky Extension co-host the Kentuckiana Dairy Exchange July 29-30.
The event includes tours of five farms in south-central Kentucky and features a presentation by Nicola Blackie, lecturer at Writtle College in England. Blackie will talk about the dairy industry in England and her work in managing lameness in dairy cattle.
"One of the biggest benefits of the Kentuckiana Dairy Exchange is the opportunity it gives dairy producers to interact with one another," said Tamilee Nennich, Purdue Extension dairy specialist and one of the event's organizers. "Producers get the chance to see other farms and to get ideas they can implement to improve their own operations."
Tour stops are Hutchison Holsteins in Columbia, Tony and Ben Compton in Fairplay, Corbin Dairy and Cowherd Dairy in Campbellsville and Sidebottom Dairy in Greensburg. The featured farms range in size from 150 to 300 dairy cows.
Participants will see a variety of animal-housing facilities, breeding programs, milking parlors and management techniques.
Welcome and registration will be 12:30-1 p.m. on July 29 at the University of Kentucky Extension's Taylor County office, 1143 S. Columbia Ave., Campbellsville. Tour buses will depart at 1 p.m., and tours will run until 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner and a reception. July 30 tours run from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and are followed by lunch.
Registration, due July 15, is $100 per person for the first individual from a farm, then $75 per person for additional members of the same farm. The fees include transportation, the July 29 dinner and the July 30 lunch. Checks should be made payable to Indiana Dairy Producers and mailed to IDP, c/o Doug Leman, 205 W. Gordon St., Francesville, IN 47946.
Bus transportation to Kentucky is available for Indiana participants. The bus will leave from the Best Western Lafayette Executive Plaza & Conference Center in Lafayette at 7 a.m. on July 29 and from Kelsay Farms in Whiteland at 8:30 a.m.
A block of rooms has been reserved at the Best Western Campbellsville Inn under "Dairy Exchange" at a rate of $76.49 per night. Reservations should be made before July 15 by calling 270-465-7001.
For more information, visit http://www.indianadiary.org or contact Nennich at 765-494-4823, tnennich@purdue.edu, or Purdue Extension dairy specialist Mike Schutz at 765-494-9478, mschutz@purdue.edu.
Sponsors for the Kentuckiana Dairy Exchange include the Indiana Dairy Producers, Kentucky Dairy Development Council, Indiana Corn Marketing Council, Indiana Soybean Alliance, NorthStar Cooperative and Perdue Ag Solutions.
Writer: Jennifer Stewart, 765-494-6682, jsstewar@purdue.edu
Source: Tamilee Nennich, 765-494-4823, tnennich@purdue.edu
Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722;
Keith Robinson, robins89@purdue.edu
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