By Blake Jackson
The 2026 Dairy Wellbeing Workshop, organized by Professional Dairy Producers (PDP), will help dairy professionals understand how herd management and animal care practices influence cow health, productivity, welfare, and meat quality at the end of a cow’s productive life.
The workshop will take place November 18, and 19, 2026, at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Both sessions will run from 8:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Registration is required, and simultaneous Spanish translation will be available. Space is limited.
The program will begin with an exclusive tour of American Foods Group, offering participants an opportunity to follow a culled dairy cow through the processing facility, from the harvest floor to the cooler.
Attendees will learn how on-farm management decisions affect carcass quality and hear from beef buyers, market specialists, and USDA meat inspectors about body condition and carcass evaluation.
Dr. Simon Peek, BVSc, PhD, DACVIM, MRCVS, a 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.”
Dr. Peek session will examine the physical and physiological changes associated with non-ambulatory cows and discuss practical approaches to improve recovery, strengthen animal welfare, and help dairy teams respond effectively.
Dr. Jennifer Walker, DVM, PhD, co-founder and chief animal welfare officer at Kinder Ground, will lead “Recognize Pain: Better Decisions for Better Care.” Her presentation will focus on identifying pain related to calving, lameness, and injuries, along with appropriate pain-management tools and protocols that promote long-term health and welfare.
The workshop aims to equip dairy teams with practical knowledge they can apply to daily herd management, improving animal care while supporting the quality and value of cull cows.
Participants can find additional information and register at www.pdpw.org or call PDP at 800-947-7379.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-vwalakte
Categories: Wisconsin, Education, Livestock, Dairy Cattle