In this episode of the Progressive Dairy Podcast , host Jenn Coyne visits with Jason Anderson and Pam Selz-Pralle regarding the recently updated Dairy Calf and Heifer Association (DCHA) Gold Standards. Anderson is the association’s west regional director and Selz-Pralle is a dairy producer from Wisconsin. Both were on the committee for revising the fourth edition of DCHA Gold Standards. In this episode, the guests speak about the revisions – why they came to be and how they play a critical role ...
Oct 10, 2023•34 min•Season 5Ep. 39
If you're not focusing on feed efficiency, you're leaving money on the table. Zinpro® dairy team members Dr. Jeff Weyers and Roger Olson join the podcast to discuss why feed efficiency provides a direct snapshot to your herd's profitability. As dairies continue to navigate market pressures, homing in on feed efficiency boosts profitability and can open the door to more benefits. Learn how to tailor your nutrition program to make the most of this metric and improve health and reproduction in the ...
Oct 03, 2023•11 min•Season 5Ep. 38
Dr. Andrew Bohnhoff is the Director of Forage and Nutrition for Prairie Estates Genetics. During his lifetime of involvement with the dairy industry, he has researched an array of topics that affect the bottom line of the farmer. While the importance of starch digestibility is widely known, he speaks with us today to show what specific factors can and should be considered, including growing conditions, corn hybrid genetics, moisture content, lab work and more. We discuss how all of these aspects...
Sep 28, 2023•21 min•Season 5Ep. 37
In this episode of the Progressive Dairy Podcast , host Kimmi Devaney visits with Kennedy Youngren and Emily Schaapman about how to stay energized during busy seasons, what you can do to fuel your body properly, optimize the hours you do have for sleep, protect your mental health, manage stress and much more. Follow Youngren and Schaapman on social media: Emily Schaapman: @dairygirlfitness Kennedy Youngren: @the.legendairy.dietitian Here’s a breakdown of the episode: Meet Kennedy and Emily. [~0:...
Sep 26, 2023•49 min•Season 5Ep. 36
Raising dairy-beef crossbred calves is a value-added production strategy that is here to stay, and dairy producers have a tremendous opportunity to influence the success of their crossbred program through early-life nutrition. Researchers at the Purina Animal Nutrition Center have diligently worked to better understand the specific nutritional needs of crossbred calves. Their research has focused on preweaning nutritional needs, but the findings have shown that early-life nutrition has a signifi...
Sep 14, 2023•16 min•Season 5Ep. 35
In this episode of the Progressive Dairy Podcast , host Kimmi Devaney visits with five dairy producers representing a variety of herd sizes and geographic regions about what agritourism looks like on their farms, how they got started, their advice for other producers interested in doing something similar and much more. Whether you are interested in doing your first farm tour, hosting an open house, scheduling regular tours, opening up the farm for several weekends or anything in between, you’ll ...
Sep 12, 2023•52 min•Season 5Ep. 34
ChatGPT and other Artificial Intelligence systems have taken the world by storm, generating debates on the potential benefits and threats of wider AI applications. But what is different about these systems and how could this impact the dairy industry? Here is a breakdown of the episode: 01:10 Perspectives on new advances in Artificial Intelligence technology and generative AI such as ChatGPT. 02:29 What is different about generative AI and what it can do for the dairy industry. 04:57 Potential a...
Sep 05, 2023•21 min•Season 5Ep. 33
In this episode of the Progressive Dairy Podcast , host Jenn Coyne visits with Matthew Byl of Dutch Cowboy Dairy in Utah. Byl is a second-generation dairy farmer whose father and uncle immigrated to the U.S. from Holland in the 1980s. Since then, the family has captured the American dream, founding Dutch Cowboy Dairy first in Texas with 40 cows milked in a double-six parlor and later resettling in Utah. Today, the family and 30 employees milk 4,500 cows. In this episode, Byl shares more about hi...
Aug 29, 2023•20 min•Season 5Ep. 32
Listen in with our dairy farmer hosts, New York’s Audrey Donahoe and Georgia’s Jennifer Glover, as they talk with registered dietitians Katie Brown, Senior Vice President at National Dairy Council , and Abigail Copenhaver of Farmstead Nutrition & Consulting about what the dietary guidelines are, how they evolve, who follows them and how that affects dairy. To learn more about the national dairy checkoff and your local dairy checkoffs, please visit usdairy.com/for-farmers . This episode is sp...
Aug 17, 2023•22 min•Season 5Ep. 31
In this episode of the Progressive Dairy Podcast , guest host and Progressive Dairy editorial intern Michelle Stangler visits with two young adults who work on dairy farms – Max Shenkenberg and Aubrey Schlimgen – about how Schlimgen's experiences of growing up on a dairy farm and Shenkenberg's experience not being involved in the dairy industry until college have both led them to where they are today. Listen in to hear what it’s like as a young adult being part of the dairy community, what ideas...
Aug 15, 2023•50 min•Season 5Ep. 30
the future of the lactating herd, but they determine your long-term profitability. That’s why providing them with adequate and consistent vitamin and trace mineral nutrition is important to help support optimal growth, health, immunity, reproduction and hoof integrity. Melissa Holtz, technical calf nutrition and business manager for Land O’Lakes Animal Milk Solutions & Purina Animal Nutrition, joins us today to share when to start implementing vitamin and mineral nutrition into your heifer d...
Aug 09, 2023•10 min•Season 5Ep. 29
Did you know? … there are more than 30 different stressors that can affect the health and performance of dairy cows. Knowing how these stressors work and how they affect your cows can help you reduce their negative impacts on your herd. Jefo Nutrition has developed an initiative to help producers better understand and manage everyday stressors. Know stress, no stress at JefoDairyStressors.com . This episode is sponsored by Jefo. Jefo is a global leader in high-performance, non-medicated nutritio...
Aug 02, 2023•13 min•Season 5Ep. 28
In this episode, meet Tennessee dairy producer and dairy advocate Stephanie Nash. The Nash family moved their dairy from California to Tennessee in the last 10 years and in the last few years added a creamery and agritourism. Listen in to learn what they did differently when building the new dairy in Tennessee, how they revamped their calf program, their experiences with on-farm processing and welcoming the general public to their farm and creamery, and what else Stephanie is doing to teach cons...
Aug 01, 2023•40 min•Season 5Ep. 27
Beef on dairy has been in the news over the past few years as dairy farmers search for ways to add value to their businesses. In today’s episode Brady Hicks with Simplot Animal Sciences, along with Nampa, Idaho, dairy farmer Joe Stewart to talk about using full beef embryos to take advantage of this trend and create new revenue opportunities for dairy farmers. Learn more at herdflex.com . Here is a breakdown of the episode: Who is Brady Hicks and Simplot Animal Sciences. [~0:41] Using Beef embry...
Jul 25, 2023•23 min•Season 5Ep. 26
In this episode of the Progressive Dairy Podcast , host Kimmi Devaney visits with Kansas dairy producer Lee Holtmeier from Linn Willow Creek Dairy about their employee culture, what they do to mentor and empower employees, and how they keep employee turnover low. Here is the breakdown of the episode: How Holtmeier got into the dairy business midway through his career [~1:00] Linn Willow Creek Dairy’s business structure [~4:10] How the dairy has grown over the past 24 years and what it looks like...
Jul 18, 2023•33 min•Season 5Ep. 25
Learn from Steve Maddox, owner of Maddox Dairy, and Dr. Greg Goodell, owner of The Dairy Authority, as they discuss the workflow and efficiency benefits of sample based pregnancy testing with IDEXX’s Charles Perotti. Speaking from the producer’s perspective and from veterinarians’ this episode demonstrates how IDEXX Alertys™ sample based testing can increase access and reduce lock up times, with long term sustainable benefits to veterinarians and cow comfort. This episode is sponsored by IDEXX. ...
Jul 11, 2023•26 min•Season 5Ep. 24
In this episode of the Progressive Dairy Podcast , host Jenn Coyne visits with Josh Mendenhall, founder and chief brand officer of Spylt. The product is a dairy-based chocolate energy drink that is shelf stable, high in protein, low in sugar and lactose-free. Mendenhall worked with several dairy partners, including Dairy Farmers of America, to create this product and was recognized as the 2022 New York MilkLaunch Champion, which is an accelerator for driving dairy-based product consumption to Ge...
Jul 03, 2023•25 min•Season 5Ep. 23
Heifers are one of the most valuable assets for a dairy operation. They are the future of the milking herd and ultimately determine the profitability and longevity of your business. Research has shown that early calf care and nutrition are the foundation for and can significantly impact the future growth, potential milk production, reproduction and overall health of your replacement dairy heifers. Dr. Rebecca Klopp, calf and heifer specialist for Purina Animal Nutrition, is joining us today to s...
Jun 27, 2023•14 min•Season 5Ep. 22
Hear from Chris Wacek-Driver, independent consultant for Forage Innovations, LLC, about the importance of using an oxygen barrier film to reduce silage losses and maintain high-quality silage. This episode also covers common mistakes related to silage chopping, packing and covering—as well as strategies producers can implement to avoid these pitfalls. This episode is sponsored by Silostop Agri. Silostop Agri is now the global leader in all things silage, from silage clamps to HOB silage films an...
Jun 22, 2023•16 min•Season 5Ep. 21
In this episode, host Kimmi Devaney visits with Charlie Gardner and Emily Barge from the Center for Dairy Excellence in Pennsylvania about their new resources for new and beginning farmers. These resources can also be helpful for the next generation returning to the farm and producers that have been in the dairy business for several decades. The guide can be accessed online at www.centerfordairyexcellence.org/getting-started or by calling the Center for Dairy Excellence at (717) 346-0849. Here's...
Jun 20, 2023•35 min•Season 5Ep. 20
In this episode, the experts from Central Life Sciences discuss ClariFly® Larvicide and the importance of fly control on dairy operations including biosecurity and employee retention (1:03), the threats of flies and the diseases they spread (3:33), fly audits on a dairy operation (7:11) and the importance of implementing an integrated pest management program (8:46). This episode is sponsored by Central Life Sciences. ClariFly® Larvicide protects from disease-carrying flies that feed on dairy cat...
Jun 13, 2023•19 min•Season 5Ep. 19
In this episode of the Progressive Dairy Podcast , host Jenn Coyne visits with Alice Crothers of Long Green Farms in Maryland. Crothers is a member of the Holstein Foundation’s Young Dairy Leaders Institute Class 12 where she spent the last two years welcoming opportunities that allowed for personal and professional growth. That progress pushed Crothers to be a greater leader in her community and be a true advocate for her family’s farm and the larger dairy indusry. Along with her YDLI involveme...
Jun 06, 2023•19 min•Season 5Ep. 18
As temperatures begin to rise, dairy producers know their cows are susceptible to heat stress. Even in relatively cool regions, heat stress can negatively affect cow comfort, health and performance. Stu Rymph, technical support dairy nutritionist for Purina Animal Nutrition, says understanding the visual signs of heat stress is the first step to developing strategies to help your cows cope with the heat. Q: What is heat stress and what are the visual signs? Q: What are the effects of unmanaged h...
May 30, 2023•21 min•Season 5Ep. 17
In this episode of the Progressive Dairy Podcast , host Kimmi Devaney visits with Sara Talcott and Felice Thorpe about how to build a standout brand, when to stay local versus grow regionally or nationally, how to differentiate your brand story and much more as it relates to branding, sales and marketing. Here’s a breakdown of the episode: How does a brand become valuable to consumers? [~3:30] What are some examples of farms and agricultural brands that have done a great job marketing to consume...
May 23, 2023•53 min•Season 5Ep. 16
In this episode, the experts from Central Life Sciences discuss ClariFly® Larvicide and the importance of fly control on dairy operations including biosecurity and employee retention (1:03), the threats of flies and the diseases they spread (3:33), fly audits on a dairy operation (7:11) and the importance of implementing an integrated pest management program (8:46). This episode is sponsored by Central Life Sciences. ClariFly® Larvicide protects from disease-carrying flies that feed on dairy cat...
May 16, 2023•19 min•Season 5Ep. 15
In this episode of the Progressive Dairy Podcast , host Jenn Coyne visits with Brent and Nancy Wilson of Wilson Centennial Farms in Michigan. The couple and their sons, Tyler and Ben, work in partnership on the dairy and crop farm operation. Over the years, the Wilsons have been recognized for their dedication to milk quality and production, as well as regularly participating in cutting-edge industry research trials. Most recently, the family was honored as the 2023 Dairy Farm of the Year by Mic...
May 09, 2023•35 min•Season 5Ep. 14
In this episode of the Progressive Dairy Podcast , host Kimmi Devaney talks with California dairy farmer Richie Mayo, who is the chief financial officer (CFO) for DeJager Farms in California, about how technology has contributed to their overall sustainability efforts on the farm. Here is a breakdown of the episode: Mayo’s agricultural background and his role on DeJager Farms [~0:27] Examples of technologies that Mayo and his team have implemented to improve overall sustainability [~2:55] Why th...
Apr 25, 2023•31 min•Season 5Ep. 12
Should you make that next level investment in technology? Listen to learn firsthand, how McCormick Dairy LLC went from “knowing we needed a change” to “the decision of the year” with GENEX HerdMonitor® cow monitoring system. Dan Utter, Reproductive Program Senior Technician from GENEX and Jen McCormick from McCormick Dairy LLC share their herd check success as the farm has gone from 50% palpated pregnancy rate to 90 to 95%. GENEX HerdMonitor® brings real-time solutions and next level technology ...
Apr 18, 2023•14 min•Season 5Ep. 11
In this episode of the Progressive Dairy Podcast , host Jenn Coyne visits with Mike Haddad, the former chair of the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, as well as dairy producer Suzanne Vold of Minnesota. Last year, Haddad spoke at the Dairy Sustainability Alliance fall meeting where he reminded the audience of the industry’s unity and alignment on sustainability goals for the future of the industry. This episode dives further into those efforts and leans on Vold. She and her family’s experiences ...
Apr 11, 2023•48 min•Season 5Ep. 10
In this episode, we will introduce you to, and celebrate, the 2023 Nexus Innovation Award winners. They were recently recognized at Professional Dairy Producers' (PDPW) business conference. One of the award winners requires zero wires to work, another can separate corn stover from corn silage after its been in the pile, yet another inhibits pathogen growth in recycled manure solids, one can tell you how much water and how often your cows drink, and the final one uses a smell-masking technology t...
Mar 28, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Season 5Ep. 9
