Amino acids may be the most underrated nutritional tool for transforming heifer development and health on your dairy farm. In this eye-opening episode, Ken March takes us through his remarkable journey from East London to becoming a dairy nutrition specialist in West Wales, where his thirst for knowledge led him to the cutting edge of amino acid nutrition. Ken shares results from a ground breaking trial comparing 100 calves on a standard diet against 100 calves receiving an amino acid-balanced d...
Aug 05, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Season 4Ep. 3
The transition period is the highest-risk window in a dairy cow's life, with far-reaching consequences for health, productivity, and farm profitability. In this comprehensive episode, we speak with Donald Lawson, head of the ruminant team at Premier Nutrition, who shares invaluable insights from his extensive experience managing transition cow nutrition. Donald reveals how approximately 80% of health problems in dairy cows originate during the six-week window around calving, and how getting tran...
Jul 15, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Season 4Ep. 2
What does the UK's third-highest PLI Holstein herd discover when they test every calf born on their farm? Stuart and Helen Rogers of Longmoor Farm reveal how genomic testing transformed not just their breeding decisions, but their entire approach to dairy farming. When the Rogers family moved their pedigree Holstein herd from Oxfordshire to Dorset in 2011, they wanted to push their genetics forward. What started with tentative use of genomic bulls evolved into a comprehensive strategy where ever...
Jul 01, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Season 4Ep. 1
This time Simon Reeves, Managing Director, Pangea Insurance joins the team. Like usual we start with both their backgrounds, to get them to where they are today with their respective businesses. Like usual we start with Simon's background to get to where he is today as Managing Director of his own insurance brokering business. Then we move on to discuss today's topic of how's your insurance cover? Simon discuss how insurance companies like to win, and the advantages of having a broker on your si...
Jun 18, 2025•1 hr 9 min•Season 3Ep. 23
This time Conner Smith, Product Lead for Diagnostic & Ruminant Specialist, Bimeda and Rachel Hayton, Vet & Research Lead, Synergy Farm Health join the team. Like usual we start with both their backgrounds, to get them to where they are today with their respective businesses. Then we move on to today's topic of Calf Immune Status, and more specifically the development of the ImmunIGY Bovine IgG Test. We discuss how the idea of the test came about, how the product was developed from the or...
Jun 04, 2025•54 min•Season 3Ep. 22
This time Robert Morrison, Head of Farms, UK Agri-Tech Centre and Mike Jones, Dairy Technical Manager, UK Agri-Tech Centre join the team. Like usual we start with both their backgrounds, to get them to where they are today with UK Agri-Tech Centre. It's been a year since we visited the South West Dairy Development Centre (SWDDC) with Mike, and so we have a little catch up with how the herd is now doing, but it's also been a year since UK Agri-Tech Centre was formed when three agri-tech centres m...
May 14, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Season 3Ep. 21
This time Neil Adams, former Managing Director, Promar International, joins the team. Like usual we start with Neil's background from a small dairy farm in Shropshire, to (now retired) Managing Director of Promar International. Then we move on to today's subject of Pursuing Wealth. We discuss what is wealth? Is it money in the bank? Is it time with your family? Or being happy in what you do? This was recorded in October 2024 and all information was correct at the time of recording. Send us a tex...
Apr 30, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Season 3Ep. 20
This time Jade Toone, Key Account Manager, Buitelaar Group and Jessica Tomley, Buying Manager Livestock, Elite Beef join the team. Like usual we start with both their backgrounds to get them to where they are today with Buitelaar Group & Elite Beef. Then we move on to today's subject of Elite Beef. Elite Beef is an integrated beef scheme set up in partnership between Buitelaar Group and Myton Food Group to source and supply beef into Morrisons supermarkets. Buitelaar Group source and rear th...
Apr 16, 2025•1 hr 6 min•Season 3Ep. 19
This time Eric Dorr, Founder, Silage Consulting International joins the team. Like usual we start with Eric's background, having been in the industry and worked for several companies that are household names within the industry, including Lallemand Animal Nutrition & Chr. Hansen Animal Health. Eric was also the original importer of Silostop into North America before founding his own business Silage Consulting International in 2023. Then we move on to today's subject of Optimising Silage Prod...
Apr 02, 2025•1 hr 25 min•Season 3Ep. 18
This time Ollie Simons, Crew Manager, Dorset & Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service joins the team. Like usual we start with Ollie's background, on the periphery of agriculture before joining Dorset & Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service to be where he is today. Then we move on to today's subject of fire & rescue! While we have an expectation of Ollie & his colleagues to deliver a service when we need them, we discuss with Ollie what we can do, to make their life easier & safer...
Mar 20, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Season 3Ep. 17
This time Sarah Tomlinson, Technical Director, TB Advisory Service (TBAS), joins the team for an episode of the podcast. Like usual we start with Sarah's background, graduating as a farm vet to where she is today with TBAS. Then we discuss the history of TB, and how you used to be rewarded for the voluntarily testing your herd! We discuss the different skin tests, and why we use the one we do here in the UK, before moving on to discuss the Gamma Test and what this brings for TB detection. Throug...
Mar 06, 2025•1 hr 12 min•Season 3Ep. 16
This time the team are joined by Gabby Emery, Customer Success Manager, HerdVision. Like usual we start with Gabby's background, from growing up on a farm in Somerset, to where she is today with HerdVision before we move on to today's topic of HerdVision. Listen as we discuss how HerdVision went from a proof of concept to be developed into the commercial product it is today. We talk about it's ability to measure body condition score (BCS) and mobility every time an animal walks under the camera,...
Feb 20, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Season 3Ep. 15
This time the team are joined by Kathryn Rowland, Senior Farm Services Manager, Kingshay Farming & Conservation Ltd. Like usual we start with Kathryn's background, from a dairy farm in West Dorset, to where she is today with Kingshay before we move on to today's topic of the Antimicrobial Focus Report. We take a look at different aspects and discuss the trends of the report, and look at how while the use of antimicrobials on farm is down, the overall health of the herds in the report has not...
Feb 06, 2025•1 hr•Season 3Ep. 14
This time the team are joined by Claire Winson, Head of Animal & Environmental Sciences and George Stickly, Farm Manager of Rodway Farm, from Bridgewater & Taunton College - Cannington Campus. Like usual we start with both Claire & George's backgrounds, before we move on to today's topic of Educational Opportunities in Agriculture. We discuss the different education options available to students, from Level 1 all the way to Level 6, depending on previous experience & qualificatio...
Jan 16, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Season 3Ep. 13
This time the team are joined by Paul Harris, Founder & CEO of Real Success Ltd. Like usual we start with Paul's background, which was outside the agricultural industry, how he began Real Success and then how he became involved with agriculture to the role he plays within it today. Then we move on to the main topic of today's episode, People Management. We discuss the challenges we face today as an industry for recruiting, and then retaining staff, and sometimes how the most basic things can...
Jan 02, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Season 3Ep. 12
This time the team, based in the South West of England, are joined by Neil Parish, farmer, former MEP & MP and now podcaster. Neil started life on the family farm, not far outside Bridgewater, in Somerset and so we initially discuss his life in farming, and how his farm has changed over the years to where it is today. Then we move on to politics and discuss Neil's time as an MEP in Brussels, before becoming an MP in Westminster. We compare the two parliaments, discuss all the different Prime...
Dec 19, 2024•1 hr 16 min•Season 3Ep. 11
This time the team, based in the South West of England, are joined by Paul Morris, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Oxi-Tech Solutions Limited. As usual we start with a brief overview of our guest's background to get to where they are today. Then we move on to the main topic of today's episode, the Oxi-Tech system that uses pulse oxidation to offer a chemical free solution to cleaning your milking equipment. At the South West Dairy Development Centre (SWDDC) it was attached to the Lely robots o...
Dec 05, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Season 3Ep. 10
This time the team, based in the South West of England, are joined by Mickie Blackett, Supply Chain Business Growth Manager & James Taylor, Farm Manager from the Buitelaar Group. As usual we start with a brief over view of both of our guests' backgrounds to get to where they are today. Then we move on to today topic of Evidence Based Calf Rearing. Not only do we take a tour of the farm, but we discuss the continuing development of the farm and it's facilities and how the business is constant...
Nov 21, 2024•58 min•Season 3Ep. 9
Your hosts Andrew Jones & Sarah Bolt, based in the South West of England, are this time joined by Dr James Wilson, Hoof Health Consultant & PDRA (Post Doctoral Research Associate) at Liverpool University. As usual we start with a brief over view both of our guest's background from herdsman to where he is today. Then we move on to today topic of Feet & Mobility. We first discuss the UK Hoof Health Registry and the benefits of people sharing their data with the AHDB to improve genetic ...
Nov 07, 2024•1 hr•Season 3Ep. 8
Your hosts Andrew Jones & Sarah Bolt, based in the South West of England, are this time joined by Richard Tunnicliffe, Analytical Services Manager and Isabelle England, Technical Account Manager both from Trouw Nutrition. As usual we start with a brief over view both of our guests backgrounds to get them to where they are today. Then we move on to today's main topic which is silage sampling. What happens, over the next twenty four hours, once your sample is put in the post to receiving the r...
Oct 16, 2024•57 min•Season 3Ep. 7
Your hosts Andrew Jones & Neil Greggor, based in the South West of England, are this time joined by Anthony Marsh, Director at Hoofcount Ltd As usual we start with a brief over view of Anthony's background and how he started Hoofcount. We then move on to today's main topic which is the development of the PediVue, from Hoofcount. The product was recently Winner of the "Best New Product" competition at the recent UK Dairy Day in September. This follows on from our podcast in May 2024, where we...
Oct 02, 2024•1 hr•Season 3Ep. 6
Your hosts Andrew Jones & Sarah Bolt, based in the South West of England, are this time joined by Neil Greggor, Solutions Manager at Viking Genetics UK. As Neil's background is familiar to our regular listeners he gives us a brief overview of his career before we move to our main topic of this podcast. Using data to make your breeding decisions. Neil discusses how it doesn't matter your type of system, your type of cow, using all the data you have available, be it pedigrees, milk recording o...
Sep 18, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Season 3Ep. 5
Your hosts Andrew Jones & Neil Greggor, based in the South West of England, are this time joined by Neil Groom, General Manager at Grainseed. Like usual we start with a brief introduction from Neil about how he started in the industry to get to where he is today. Then we move on to today's topic and start with a brief overview of the trials currently being run at Wiltshire College & University Centre Lackham, not only for DEFRA & NIAB but also the MGA (Maize Growers Association). We ...
Sep 04, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Season 3Ep. 4
Your hosts Andrew Jones & Neil Greggor, based in the South West of England, are this time joined by Sarah Bolt & Becky Miles, two of the co-founders of Women in Dairy. With Sarah being a returning guest we move straight on to Becky and ask her about her background, and how she got to the multiple job titles she has today! We then move on to discuss the ten years that "Women in Dairy" has been in existence, the hows, wheres & why is started. The successes they've seen and the upcoming...
Aug 15, 2024•57 min•Season 3Ep. 3
Your hosts Andrew Jones & Neil Greggor, based in the South West of England, are this time joined by Andrew Harrison, Technical Sales Manager, from I'Anson Brothers Ltd in Yorkshire. As usual we start by asking Andrew about his background, from a farm in Lancashire to where he is now with I'Anson Brothers. We then discuss the new feed mill that I'Anson Brothers are due to open about the time this podcast is released, and discussed the process of starting from scratch on a green field site and...
Aug 01, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Season 3Ep. 2
Your hosts Andrew Jones & Neil Greggor, based in the South West of England, are this time joined by Dr Jo Matthews, Technical Trials Manager, and Harley Brown-Keech, Area Sales Manager, from Germinal GB Limited at their Germinal Horizon site in Wiltshire. Initially we talk about the background of both our guests, and then briefly about the history of Germinal. We then talk to Jo & Harley about the whole process of developing the different varieties for the different species, how long it ...
Jul 15, 2024•1 hr 17 min•Season 3Ep. 1
Your hosts Andrew Jones & Neil Greggor, based in the South West of England, are this time joined by Neil Christensen, partner in Steanbow Farms Ltd, at Pilton in Somerset. We talk to Neil about the different aspects of the farm and how the management of the business is split with his brother, with Neil looking after all the Livestock and Mike looking after all the Operations (all the field work). We then discuss the how the farm is affected for three months of the year, not just three days o...
Jun 14, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Season 2Ep. 12
Your hosts Andrew Jones & Neil Greggor, based in the South West of England, are this time joined by Mike Jones, Dairy Technical Manager from UK Agri-Tech Centre, based at the South West Dairy Development Centre (SWDDC) near Shepton Mallet in Somerset. With this we had so much great information recorded that rather than one long episode we decided to split the episode into two parts, so welcome to part to of this episode. We continue our conversation and tour around the SWDDC and this time di...
May 15, 2024•51 min•Season 2Ep. 11
Your hosts Andrew Jones & Neil Greggor, based in the South West of England, are this time joined by Mike Jones, Dairy Technical Manager from UK Agri-Tech Centre, based at the South West Dairy Development Centre (SWDDC) near Shepton Mallet in Somerset. As always we start with an introduction to Mike and his background, from starting his career on a dairy farm, managing herds to working with technology in the genetics industry to where he is now managing the different projects at the SWDDC tes...
May 15, 2024•47 min•Season 2Ep. 11
Your hosts Andrew Jones & Neil Greggor, based in the South West of England, are this time joined by Sean O'Toole, Regional Sales Manager, North UK & Europe for Silostop Agri. As always we start with an introduction to Sean and his background, from a farm in Lincolnshire he went to college. Then upon completion of his course started in the ruminants feed industry, before progressing over the last 30 years to where he is today with Silostop Agri. We then start the story back in 1995, and a...
Apr 15, 2024•57 min•Season 2Ep. 10
