Dairy Calf & Heifer Association Vision & Training-Workforce, August 5, 2026
The Dairy Calf & Heifer Association (DCHA) board of directors invite you to attend the 2025 DCHA Vision & Training Seminar, October 28, 2025, in Garden City, Kansas. The day will kick off with a tour of Kansas Dairy Development (KDD) in Deerfield, Kansas. The seminar will include two separate classroom educational offerings - one for managers, which will be presented in English, and the other for workers, which will be presented in Spanish. The content presented to the managers will include how to work and communicate with Spanish employees and learn more about their culture. For the workers, leadership and technical topics on calves will be discussed.
Schedule of the day:
- 8:00-8:15 a.m. Check-in at Deerfield Community Center, Deerfield, Kansas (load busses for KDD tour)
- 11:00 a.m. Depart Deerfield Community Center and go to Clarion Inn, Garden City, Kansas
- 11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Lunch at the Clarion Inn
- 12:15-4:00 p.m. Educational sessions
The sessions include:
- English class:
- Luis Briones, Elanco Animal Health
- Prevention StartsWithin: Protecting Our Farm from Activist Risk
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Preventing an activist strike begins with fostering a strong farm culture that prioritizes animal welfare and has zero tolerance for abuse. Activists often target farms where they perceive gaps in oversight or culture. The best defense is identifying and addressing risks before they become problems - whether that's a weak process, a disengaged team member, or poor facility security. Everyone on the farm has a role to play in reporting suspicious activity, raising concerns about animal handling, and holding each other accountable. Prevention isn't just about stopping outsiders; it's about ensuring our own standards are beyond reproach every day.
- Marisol Orellana, Diamond V
- Why do Protocols Fail? Seting up On-Farm Processes for Success
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Understanding why calf protocols fail and how to build systems that ensure long-term adoption and success is important on farm. You’ll discover how a strong farm culture, clear communication, and practical tools can drive team buy-in and consistent protocol adherence. Learn how to measure and sustain effective on-farm processes that lead to stronger calf programs through real-world examples and actionable insights.
- Lesa Dike and Jessie Potterton, McNess
- From Compliance to Culture: Elevating Safety Training in Livestock Operations
- In livestock farming, safety training is often treated as paperwork instead of a powerful tool for protecting people, animals, and operations. This session will explore how to move beyond compliance to create training that is engaging, role-specific, and embedded in farm culture — building safer, stronger, and more resilient operations.
- Spanish class:
- Julia Hamann, Actus Nutrition
- Respiratory Events and the Calf Immune Response
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An overview of the calf respiratory and immune system and its role in the development of respiratory events.
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Eventos Respiratorios y el sistema inmunológico del becerro
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Una mirada al sistema respiratorio e immune y su función en el desarrollo de eventos respiratorios.
- Cecilia Rosas, Zoetis
- Effective Leadership for the Transformation of the Team
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This presentation covers the characteristics of a leader, effective communication and conflict resolution.
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Liderazgo efectivo para la transformación del equipo
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Esta presentación abarca, características de un líder, comunicación efectiva y resolución de conflictos.
- Luis Briones, Elanco Animal Health
- Calf Handling: Keep It Calm, Keep It Safe
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Proper calf handling techniques are essential for ensuring animal welfare and reducing the risk of injury to both animals and workers. Inappropriate handling can cause stress and lead to issues that affect productivity. Consistent, low-stress methods not only improve calf comfort but also support better performance outcomes and contribute to a safer, more efficient working environment.
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Manejo de Becerros: Menos Estrés, Más Seguridad
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Las técnicas adecuadas de manejo de los becerros son fundamentales para garantizar el bienestar animal y reducir el riesgo de lesiones tanto para los animales como para los tranajadores. Un manejo inapropiado puede causar estrés y provocar problemas que afectan la productividad. La aplicación constante de métodos de bajo estrés no solo mejora el confort de los becerros, sino que también favorece mejores resultados productivos y contribuye a un entorno de trabajo más seguro y eficiente.
The 2025 Vision and Traning Seminar is intended for calf raisers and producers from throughout the country.
The training is $50 for members and $75 for non-members. All pre-registered workers for the Spanish class will receive a diploma.
If you need help with your login information please contact Kyle Wieskus, DCHA membership director, at: kyle@calfandheifer.org.
The seminar will be held at the Clarion Inn, 1911 E Kansas Ave, Garden City, KS 67846. To make your reservation, call 620-275-7471.
Any questions can be directed to DCHA Vision & Training Seminar committee:
Jorge Delgado, DCHA corporate-at-large director, jdelgado@alltech.com
Mariana Guerra, mariana.guerra-maupome@telusagcg.com
Sue Schatz, DCHA member services director, sue@calfandheifer.org
Website: www.calfandheifer.org
1-855-400-DCHA
To receive DCHA Member pricing, be sure to login/enter your DCHA member account information!
DCHA would like to thank the following sponsors who are making the 2025 Vision & Training Seminar possible:
