In today's economy, the cost of feeding dairy cattle, and any livestock for that matter, is skyrocketing and leaving producers in a tailspin trying to find ways to maintain profitability. DAIReXNET, an arm of the national eXtension Initiative, will offer a Webinar aimed at helping producers survive high feed costs at 8 p.m. EDT Aug. 18. However, if producers miss the original time slot, they won't be left out of the loop.

"One of the great things about DAIReXNET is that users can get research based information 24 hours a day, seven days a week in a very user-friendly format," said Donna Amaral-Phillips, a dairy specialist for the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture and DAIReXnet project management team leader. "So, even if they can't join us the moment the Webinar is offered, they'll be able to pull it up and watch it when it's convenient for them."

Amaral-Phillips said participants will learn how to develop cost-effective strategies for feeding dairy cattle in light of increasing feed prices.

"We'll offer strategies to lock in milk and feed prices and discuss feeding strategies with $7, $8 or $9 corn," she said. "The Webinar will also offer strategies for determining alternative feedstuffs choices for corn and soybean meal."

Each of three speakers will offer a 10-minute lecture and then take questions at the end of all three discussions.

The event is free; however, participants must have Internet access and an enabled sound card on their computer to hear the Webinar's audio. Go to DAIReXNET's Web page at http://www.extension.org/dairy+cattle for instructions on how to log onto the Webinar and how to view archived materials.

Amaral-Phillips said the Webinar is just one way DAIReXNET is expanding its offerings to add learning modules in subject areas of nutrition, reproduction and mastitis.