Event Summary

Join Us in the Queen City!! The NMC 48th Annual Meeting will be held January 25-28, 2009 at the Westin Hotel in Charlotte, North Carolina. Nicknamed the "Queen City", Charlotte is named in honor of Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg, who had become queen consort of King George III the year before the city's founding. Thanks to its mid-Atlantic location, getting to Charlotte is easy from anywhere in the country or world, garnering another nickname, the "International Gateway to the South".

The program is targeted toward individuals interested in mastitis and milk quality, including veterinarians, producers, researchers, extension specialists, industry suppliers, field staff, regulatory officials, and students.

Conference Goal and Theme
The goal of the NMC Annual Meeting is to provide a global forum for the exchange of information relating to udder health, milking management, milk quality and milk safety. The theme for this year's conference, "Milk Quality - Beyond Mastitis", features a program that goes beyond traditional mastitis prevention & control, with topics such as cow comfort, nutrition, genetics, influences on the global market, and consumer trends & perceptions.

Pre-conference Symposium. "Managing and Monitoring the Environment for Milk Quality" is the theme for a symposium scheduled for Sunday afternoon, January 25. This is open to all registered attendees (no additional registration fee).

Short Courses. Limited-enrollment short courses will be held on Sunday evening, Monday afternoon, and Monday evening. A total of six courses will be offered. An extra registration fee is required for the short courses.

Committee Meetings. NMC committees will meet Monday, January 26 from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm. Individuals are encouraged to attend and participate in the committee meetings, which are open to all registered attendees.

General Session. The opening session begins at 9:00 am on Tuesday, January 27. Oral presentations continue Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday morning. Tuesday afternoon features two concurrent sessions, offering more variety for meeting registrants. The meeting adjourns about noon on Wednesday, January 28.

Technology Transfer Session. The NMC Technology Transfer Session (TTS), featuring poster presentations on mastitis control and milk quality, will be held on Monday and Tuesday. Posters will be available for viewing all day, with authors present at specified times during the day.

Research and Development Summaries Session. Selected posters from the TTS will be presented Tuesday afternoon in an oral session (held concurrently with the general session).

Reception. The main social event of the meeting, the annual reception will be held on Tuesday evening after the TTS. Meet new friends and old acquaintances at this feature event.

Proceedings. Papers presented at the meeting (excluding the short courses) will be published in the Annual Meeting Proceedings. Members who do not attend the meeting will be mailed a copy. Additional copies may be purchased from the NMC office. The proceedings will also be provided on CD-ROM.

Registration. Early bird, pre-registration fees (by December 31) are $240 for NMC members and $325 for non-members. Non-members are automatically signed up as NMC members for one year. (The registration fee for members does not include annual dues.) Registration includes a copy of the proceedings, two continental breakfasts, one luncheon and a reception. Student registration ($95 for NMC student members and $120 for non-member students) is also available.

Golf Outing. The 4th Annual Woody Pankey Open is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, January 24. Tee times will start about noon. Proceeds will benefit the National Mastitis Research Foundation.

Hotel Reservations. The meeting is being held at the Westin Charlotte. In order to get the conference rate, reservations should be made by December 31.