*World Dairy Expo is THE show where standing around is still worth it for businesses. The show is wrapped around arguably the best cattle exhibit in the world. In 2024, 1812 cattle owners showed* ***2527 head*** *from* ***39 US states and four Canadian provinces****. It is also about so much more for the* ***56,250 people who visited*** *the iconic Madison venue. It included* ***534 trade exhibits from 26 counties*** *- showing what’s new, what’s tried and tested, and what advances are coming for the commercial industry. The 2025 event will run from September 30 to October 3. Photo: Dianna Malcolm.*

So, what do the trade exhibitors think about the show?

World Dairy Expo (WDE) is as much about “showing up”, as it is about “showing cows” for the businesses who commit to Madison’s Trade Exhibition Hall every year.

In a fast-paced world where the value of standing still in a booth for a week has sometimes been considered redundant, seven businesses share why they proactively choose to be involved in the biggest show in the dairy world.

Merck Animal Health’s Marketing Manager for Dairy Monitoring Technology, Erica Tessmann, and Dairy Marketing Manager for Reproduction & Udder Health, Austin Snook, helped shake up Merck’s presence at the 2024 WDE.

Merck Animal Health’s Marketing Manager for Dairy Monitoring Technology, Erica Tessmann, says it was never a question for her team to attend. For the first time, Merck Animal Health won the award for the best large booth. With its recent acquisition of Allflex Animal Identification products – in addition to cow calf monitoring through SenseHub® Dairy monitoring – Merck had a lot of news to share.

“We designed our booth completely differently this year, and we were so excited to be rewarded for it,” Erica said. “We leaned into our campaign theme to ‘empower’ our customers, rather than just talking about our business name, and product offerings.

“Because one of the things that was a challenge for us was that our portfolio had tripled since we purchased the identification and monitoring tools that are now available to dairy men and women. We knew we had to do something to make sense of that. So, it was almost as much of an internal learning opportunity as it was an external positioning for our audience.”

She said they never underestimated the value of supporting dairy producers.

“I 100% see value in being at WDE,” Erica said. “We put a lot of effort into it, because our customers are here. This is a cow show. I know they are in the barns over there. We’re going to show up for our dairy producers and put a lot of work into providing the space for them to have a really good time. There is a lot of other things we do outside the booth throughout the show week.

“Because the camaraderie is a really important piece of this week. It’s about committing to the industry, educating our producers, and creating community.

“I feel like the producers and veterinarians are the ones that are really doing the work here, and we are just trying to help them along the way. That’s really where our team’s passion comes from.”

She also said their customers had indicated that they wanted them to be at WDE.

“It is noticed when businesses don’t show up. That was the really valuable feedback I got from our customers last year.”

Veteran of WDE

Promat’s International Technical Product Manager, Matthew Thiel, has travelled to WDE 27 times now. Promat cow bedding is in 60 countries, and Matthew says their products exist to help dairy men and women feed the world by making cows comfortable.

“We are trying to get cows to produce the maximum amount of milk with the least amount of input. A cow is similar to a human in a lot of ways – their bed determines their success every day,” Matthew said.

“WDE is the Superbowl of dairy. There are other shows in the world that have crops and other things, but this the Superbowl of dairy. A lot of what we bring here is the new ideas that we’ve been researching – because we do a lot of research off video footage – and we bring it not only to US dairies but into the Middle East, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and show them that there is perhaps a better way to do it.

“We offer a very efficient and comfortable way to bed cows. I had a guy here from Turkey today who didn’t understand the concept of free stalls – so it’s important that we are here.”

He says he uses the information he gathers from customers through the week to also check Promat’s progress.

“To me this is also a social experience to not only re-affirm what the customers want from us, but to also get new ideas. We’re seeing a lot more women coming into the field running and managing dairies, and they understand animals maybe a little better than men. One of my best dairy people I have is a women and her herd’s SCC is 42,000 on 300 cows. She’s winning awards on quality of milk. We want quality of product coming out.”

He said there is growing interest in using solids for bedding over sand or other options.

“They can be a challenge but there are a lot of dairy people who are doing solids very successfully in hot, humid climates,” Matthew said. He added that barn renovations are more challenging than greenfield builds, but equally important.

“Our big goal is to use the money once. When you’re renovating you can’t keep renovating, and so it’s a lot of work. But, if you do the work before you start, you will get the result.”

Promat has been proud to work with (among others) Braum’s Ice Cream in Oklahoma, the Daisy Brand out of Dallas, and the dairies which sell to Chobani Greek Yoghurts out of New York.

“These are all food grade quality products, with a huge focus on animal welfare. When you go to the store the perception customers get must be the reality of what happens at the farm. We’re proud to be helping deliver that result.”

*Jefo’s team includes (L-R): Wayne Bradshaw (Australia), Chris Gwyn (Canada), Kara Ortega, Jodi Peterson, Gabe Papoi, Krastyo ‘Kris’ Malinov, and Gerald Mechor DVM.*

Time is the investment for Jefo

Jefo is at the heart of performance through intestinal health. It’s a competitive area and it’s taken time for the industry to understand Jefo’s mission to help “animals feed the hands that feed them”. There were seven Jefo team members at WDE in 2024, including Wayne Bradshaw from Australia.

Jefo’s Ruminant Technical Sales Manager for the Upper Mid-West USA, Krastyo ‘Kris’ Malinov said his team was very specific on how they dedicate their time.

“For the first three years we were here, I was by myself, and we didn’t have a booth,” Kris said. “The last three years we evaluated it again, and we decided to have a booth for the connections. It’s had a positive impact on our business, and on farms. It’s worth the time investment.

“Forget the money. For me, the time investment is the bigger question, because when you have your team here that is a big-time investment.”

He said it’s also about more than their own business. It’s about helping their connections find other connections which are sympathetic to the entire business.

“Sales cycles in our business can take time, so I never relate the show to direct sales but it’s certainly part of the process. It’s more about connecting with people. I also help my clients connect with businesses that are not related to Jefo. Other industry people that I know, might come to me and say, ‘I’m building a barn, and I don’t know how to set up my stall gates?’ In that situation, I often know someone who I would recommend.

“I managed dairy farms for 13 years so I know what people might need and what they might appreciate, and it’s about helping one another. I was listening to Peggy Coffeen’s Uplevel Dairy podcast recently, and it noted that you’re only five people removed from knowing the world. In dairy, you’re only one person from knowing everybody, right?

“We had a big group from Mexico at WDE. We went to a Packers game Saturday and had dairy tours Monday and Tuesday. All of a sudden, it all gets very big, very fast.”

For Canada’s Chris Gwyn, his dedication to WDE goes all the way back to honeymooning there in 1994. He said he drove 9.5 hours from south-western Ontario in 2024 to WDE to visit with people – some who live 30 minutes from his home. Simply because he’s not home that much.

“Being present at WDE, is often the opportunity to share, even the simplest of technologies sometimes – like a cow brush. It’s important. All the producers from around here come in. I love coming. We used to sit and watch the fluffy tails all day long. I physically like being around cows. They are calming. There are tons of international visitors here. Even a global company like ours, we find we have just as many interactions with our local producers in the Dane County, as we do our international guests.”

*Semex’s Director of Global Marketing Joan Lau.*

Five-star sponsor in Semex

Semex, a five-star WDE sponsor, has adjusted, evolved, and thrived at WDE for more than four decades. Its relationship with WDE started out handing out catalogues in the coliseum from traditional booths, before graduating to Semex’s Walk of Fame which included a progeny daughter display in a tent right beside the coliseum. It included a happy hour every afternoon, and it became a “must-see” part of the show. Animals from that collection were often also sold during the week, adding to the intrigue and interest.

Semex’s Director of Global Marketing Joan Lau has been an integral part of Semex’s growth, and she said the progeny daughter tent was big.

“It was always great place to meet and greet our customers, and we had college and university kids working in that tent – some of whom have since become Semex employees,” Joan said.

“It was a super way to develop relationships. When genomics came into play, it just wasn’t as important to show the daughters. That concept had passed its time, but we still believe WDE is the place to greet people in the industry, and to find new talent to bring into the company.”

This year Semex transitioned into a comfortable permanent building space adjoining the cattle pavilion – right before visitors hit the cow strings.

“An important reason why Semex continues to participate at WDE is to show our support and appreciation to the exhibitors for showcasing Semex genetics on the world stage,” Joan said.

“This new space is a great place to meet our genetic partners that we’re already working with and – as we know – the guys in the barn don’t like to travel too far from their cows, so it’s great to be so close and so central. We also give away windbreaker jackets in the barns to exhibitors to show them our appreciation.

“This week is about the relationship building. We have a new CEO who started January 1, so it was a great spot for him to come for two to three days and to meet people. We also sponsor quite a few opportunities here to keep Semex and Boviteq names up front.”

She said not having WDE in 2020 because of Covid had been clarifying.

“We missed being here, and the Canadians had trouble coming over the border the following year. So, we really missed those two years for keeping Semex in the forefront. It has been great to get everything back on track,” she said.

*Udder Comfort’s Ryan Eades and Willy Meerakker.*

Udder Comfort popular

One of the popular and well understood products at WDE is Udder Comfort. Connecting with their customers remains a priority even though Udder Comfort is a staple for most dairies.

“We come here mainly because everyone in the world comes to this venue to see what’s new and what’s out there,” Udder Comfort’s Ryan Eades says. “I can’t send one of our guys to every single country, so it’s easier for us to get a booth at WDE, and have all those people come here, make all those connections, and try to build relationships in these different countries.”

He said New Zealand and Australia appreciate Udder Comfort, because it used to be available in both countries, and now isn’t.

“We get asked all the time about why people can’t get it in their country. It is just a natural product. There is nothing crazy in it. But New Zealand and Australia are two of the hardest countries to get products in there, and demand is very high.

“We had a salesman live there for several months and people know about it, so it was literally like taking candy away from a baby in the worst way.”

Udder Comfort is also in a backpack size that is powered by an 18V battery for dealing with the larger herds in the barn or in the parlour.

First Defense

One of the fun marketing plays at WDE in 2024 was First Defense Calf Health’s booth. All of its staff were clad in leather jackets, and the slogan boldly stated: Restocked and ready to rock.

First Defense protects calves from E. coli, coronavirus and rotavirus scours by delivering antibodies directly. The science is based on colostrum technology. Cows are hyperimmunized with First Defense’s proprietary vaccines, and the colostrum is then collected from those cows, the antibodies are extracted, concentrated, purified, and then a small dose is given to the calves for a protective effect. Tri-Shield® First Defense® Calf Scours Prevention, has been popular because it is a single-dose gel tube (and the only veterinary biologic) with a guaranteed dose of immunity against the three nastiest, E. coli, coronavirus, and rotavirus.

First Defense’s Commercial Research & Technical Services Veterinarian, Raffael Lichdi DVM, has been with the company for four years. He says their breaking news is all about supply and demand.

“The new thing is that we actually have enough supply,” Raffael said. “We are restocked and ready to rock. Over the last three years we’ve had major increase in demand.

“Because the Tri-Shield® almost doubled our business in five years we did have some constraints, because it does take time to make. So, we were living hand to mouth for almost two years in terms of supply. Now we have enough, and we can help new customers.”

He said the impact of the product depends on the challenge, but it is not uncommon for producers to see a 50% reduction in the incidence of scours.

“If you have 80% scour rate, we’re probably not going to take it down to 40%, but we will reduce the severity of it and the calves will respond better to treatment, there is less death and less subsequent secondary disease because they are just not quite as ill.

“If you typically have a low challenge (30%) and things are fairly clean, it’s very common to knock it down to 15%, with a lot less respiratory disease later on too. Strong immune systems make calves less suspectable.”

Raffael said attending WDE was a no-brainer for his company.

“It’s a nice way to connect with a lot of customers we maybe don’t call on routinely. But yesterday we had one of the biggest calf ranches visit our booth, and we had a nice long conversation with them, and so it’s a good mix. We also use WDE to get together as a team once a year. We enjoy the foot traffic and the kids. It’s a good time to be here.”

Videos help with sales

Agromatic’s Sales Manager Erik Niemeier said they made some decisions in 2024. They downsized their booth by 20 feet, but still felt it was important to be at WDE, and to include six team members. They have been come every year since 1968 (1967 was the only year it wasn’t part of WDE), and video marketing has changed the game for them.

“Most of our product is fairly big, and we can use more videos now, instead of having to physically bring in everything,” he said. “We can also use those videos on our socials later on, so it all makes sense,” Erik said.

“But, I’d also say that WDE still brings the face-to-face business. The dairy industry is still about a handshake, and it’s nice to have some of our products here so people can see them.

“One of the other changes over the years is that now almost all my competition is within three aisles of me, and we focus on the fact that we sell quality products.”

Summary

If there is one event that it’s important to have a presence at, WDE is that event.

For more information, click here: https://www.dairyingbydesign.com/events

“People notice when you don’t show up”