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23rd ANNUAL NORTHEAST OHIO REGIONAL DAIRY CONFERENCE

 

Robots, Records & Reports, Oh My!

  

Dr Joao Costa, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, University of Kentucky

Wednesday, February 15, 2023

Fisher Auditorium

OARDC Campus
680 Madison Ave.
Wooster, Ohio 44691​
(map)

Proposed Schedule

9:00-9:55 AM Registration, Continental Breakfast, Visit with Exhibitors

9:55-10:00 AM Welcome and Opening Remarks - Shaun Wellert, D.V.M./KVVMA Co-President

10:00-10:45 AM Featured Speaker - Joao Costa, PhD:  Adult Cow Monitoring - how to utilize it, and what do you do with the information

10:45-11:15 AM Break and Visit with Exhibitors

11:15-12:00 PM Featured Speaker - Joao Costa, PhD:  Calves - Automated calf systems and health monitoring

12:00-1:30 PM Lunch and Visit with Exhibitors

1:30-2:00 PM Speaker, Joao Costa, PhD:  Differences between monitoring systems

2:00-2:30 PM Break and Visit with Exhibitors

2:30 - 3:15 PM Panel Discussion with local dairy producers - open up for questions from the floor

3:15 PM  Door Prizes (must be present to win)

Adjourn

Reminder - reservations for lunch are due by Monday, February 6th.

About the Trade Show

In past years, the trade show featured booths and presentations by more than 70 exhibitors and we expect similar numbers this year.  The conference was attended by over 300 dairy producers, specialists, and service providers.

About the Speaker

Dr. Joao Costa, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, University of Kentucky

Joao Costa is an Assistant Professor at the University of Kentucky since 2017.  Dr Costa obtained his Bachelor degree (2009) and MSc degree (2012) at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil and his PhD from the University of British Columbia, Canada (2015). Currently, Dr. Costa has a large research program investigating applied nutrition and feeding behavior of dairy calves and heifers, animal welfare metrics and measurement of animal welfare on-farm, health and management decision support tools using dairy precision tools, precision nutrition algorithm and management tool development, and basic animal behavior science. His research program employs a variety of research methods across several scientific fields, including ruminant nutrition, in vivo studies, behavioral observations, precision technology, and developmental biology. Dr Costa has authored more than 50 peer-reviewed scientific papers, 100 abstracts in scientific conferences, 1 book and 3 book chapters and presented 52 national and international invited talks in 13 countries. One of his highest accomplishments at the University of Kentucky has been the development of a research group that has led the field in the use of precision dairy technologies for the management of dairy calves, especially in the development and use of algorithms and decision making on farm. These research interests especially focus on the development, validation and use of technologies, sensors, and algorithms to automate or support nutritional management decisions on an individual basis. His cutting-edge research program in precision dairy nutrition and management has utilized experimental models that address practical industry problems, including weaning strategies for dairy calves and how to minimize its effects, the influence of conspecifics in feeding behavior development, and the development of nutritional interventions for animals in need, particularly those at-risk for disease, ruminal acidosis, and low feed intake problems. One of the key problems that his group has tackled is that nutritional management of dairy cows and  calves has traditionally been directed at the average animal, with large variability in results. With a movement toward individual-based and data-driven dairy farm management systems, there are more opportunities to make informed decisions at the individual-level.

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