Brad flies solo in this episode—literally and figuratively—to tackle a problem buzzing on every farmer’s mind around the 4th of July: flies. With heavy rains in the Upper Midwest fueling major fly outbreaks, Brad dives deep into why managing flies is essential for livestock health, productivity, and human comfort. He covers the four main types of flies affecting livestock— stable flies, house flies, horn flies, and face flies —including their behaviors, lifecycles, preferred habitats, and the ec...
Jul 07, 2025•25 min•Ep. 304
In this solo episode, Emily shares timely reminders about biosecurity as county fair and livestock show season ramps up across Minnesota. Drawing on her own experience showing dairy cattle in 4-H, she discusses the importance of protecting animals from disease before, during, and after exhibitions. Topics include bringing only healthy animals to shows, cleaning equipment beforehand, being mindful of potential disease exposure at the fairgrounds, and the value of quarantining animals upon return....
Jun 30, 2025•13 min•Ep. 303
🎉 Episode 300: Celebrating Five Years of The Moos Room 🎉 In this milestone episode, Emily and Brad reflect on five years and 300 episodes of The Moos Room, a podcast that began as a small idea in late 2019 and launched in April 2020. Born in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the show quickly became a weekly staple—covering everything from beef and dairy production to farm safety and mental health. The hosts celebrate: A loyal and growing global audience in 89 countries , including the U...
Jun 23, 2025•33 min•Ep. 302
In Episode 299 of The Moos Room , Emily returns to the mic, reminding Brad—and the audience—that The Moos Room is a team effort, not just "The Bradley Show." The two catch up and share updates on their chaotic summer schedules in the world of Extension before diving into the topic of the week: pasture management in mid-June . Brad gives a detailed look at what’s happening in Morris, where heavy rainfall (over five inches in the past month) has led to explosive pasture growth. With 315 cows now g...
Jun 16, 2025•21 min•Ep. 301
In this solo episode, Brad dives into the challenges of managing mastitis, especially during wet spring and summer conditions. He shares findings from ongoing University of Minnesota research on non-antibiotic treatments for mastitis, highlighting two promising alternatives: Ozolea-Mast , a corn oil-based intramammary product, and Optimum UterFlush , a botanical-based treatment studied in Colorado. Brad discusses how these non-antibiotic tools have performed both in lactating cows with subclinic...
Jun 09, 2025•22 min•Ep. 300
In this solo episode, Brad dives deep into Johne’s disease (paratuberculosis), a chronic intestinal illness affecting ruminants, with a particular focus on dairy cattle. Prompted by recent whole-herd milk ELISA testing at the University of Minnesota’s Morris dairy, Brad shares results, trends, and lessons learned from managing Johne’s over the years. Key topics include: Clinical signs and long-term impact of Johne’s on milk production and cow longevity Interpretation of milk ELISA results and te...
Jun 02, 2025•23 min•Ep. 299
In this episode, Brad shares a recent case study from the University of Minnesota's dairy research center, where a group of spring-born calves experienced widespread scours. He walks through the onset of symptoms, including diarrhea, depression, and reduced milk intake, primarily in calves on an automatic feeder. Diagnostic testing confirmed rotavirus A as the culprit, ruling out other common pathogens like salmonella, cryptosporidium, and coronavirus. Brad explains the importance of prompt trea...
May 26, 2025•22 min•Ep. 298
Lyme Disease and the Long Road to Recovery: Brad’s Story In this episode of The Moos Room , Brad shares his powerful personal journey through a long and challenging battle with Lyme disease. Starting with a seemingly harmless bite in July 2023, his symptoms progressed from fatigue to severe neurological issues, misdiagnoses, and multiple rounds of antibiotic treatments over the span of nearly two years. Brad also discusses the co-infections he faced, the impact on his mental health, and how Lyme...
May 19, 2025•40 min•Ep. 297
In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, Emily returns for a second week in a row to join Brad in discussing a common but often overlooked type of stress: anticipatory stress . They explain what it is, how it manifests both physically and mentally, and offer practical strategies to manage it—like reframing your thoughts and using deep breathing for biofeedback. Emily and Brad also share personal experiences and remind listeners that it's okay to struggle, and it's even more important to seek h...
May 12, 2025•26 min•Ep. 296
Spring Catch-Up: Virtual Fencing, Safety, and Self-Care Emily returns to the podcast after a travel-heavy spring focused on farm safety and farm stress programming. She shares highlights of her outreach work, including training Extension colleagues in the Northeast on ambiguous loss and farming. Meanwhile, Brad has been experimenting with virtual fencing for dairy heifers , a new and evolving technology typically used with beef cattle. He shares how the system works, its benefits for rotational ...
May 05, 2025•26 min•Ep. 295
In this episode, Brad dives into the topic of polled genetics — cattle that are naturally hornless — and why it's becoming more important in both the dairy and beef industries. He explains what polled genetics are, how the trait is inherited, and how farmers can use homozygous or heterozygous polled bulls to reduce the need for dehorning. Brad discusses the growing emphasis on polled genetics by organizations like Organic Valley, highlights some top polled bulls across major dairy breeds, and sh...
Apr 28, 2025•23 min•Ep. 294
In this episode of The Moos Room, Brad dives deep into A2 genetics and what dairy producers need to know. Brad shares his experience genotyping over 1,500 dairy animals, highlighting how A2 genetics have progressed in his herd and across the industry. He explains the science behind A2 milk, distinguishing it clearly from lactose intolerance, and discusses its potential health benefits, including improved digestive comfort. Brad reviews recent genetic studies, emphasizing how consumer demand is s...
Apr 21, 2025•27 min•Ep. 293
Experience with Our Automated Calf Feeder In this episode, Brad goes solo to talk about the ups and downs of using an automatic calf feeder at the U of M dairy. He shares why they made the switch, how the setup has changed over the years, and what they’ve learned—like how ad lib feeding boosts growth and why cleanliness is everything. The feeder’s been a game changer for efficiency and calf health, but maintenance headaches and mouse-chewed wires have tested his patience. Still, it’s hard to arg...
Apr 14, 2025•23 min•Ep. 292
In this episode of The Moos Room , Brad is back from sunny Florida (and into a snowy Minnesota) to dive into the world of AI in agriculture—and no, we're not talking about artificial insemination. Brad shares his recent experience experimenting with AI-generated audio content and how tools like Google’s NotebookLM are changing the way we interact with research. From cow monitoring and health alerts to feeding behavior, milk yield forecasting, and even employee training, artificial intelligence i...
Apr 07, 2025•23 min•Ep. 291
Dairy Cow Culling Research Insights In this episode of The Moos Room , Brad takes a break while guest hosts Emily and Joe dive into a recent research study from the University of Minnesota on dairy cow culling. The study, spanning 14 years of data, compares Holstein and crossbred cows, uncovering key insights about the reasons for culling and its economic impact. Did you know that dairy cows make up 10% of the U.S. beef market ? In this episode of The Moos Room , guest hosts Emily and Joe break ...
Mar 31, 2025•21 min•Ep. 290
Gut Check: Optimizing Rumen Health with Dr. Kirby Krogstad In this episode of The Moos Room , Brad welcomes Dr. Kirby Krogstad from The Ohio State University to discuss his research on dairy cow nutrition and gut health. Dr. Krogstad shares his journey through various academic institutions and how a personal experience with cow health sparked his interest in rumen function. The conversation delves into the impact of diet composition on rumen health, exploring the effects of starch levels and non...
Mar 24, 2025•24 min•Ep. 289
Reducing Methane with Red Seaweed: New Research Findings In this episode of The Moos Room , Brad dives into a groundbreaking research study on feeding red seaweed to dairy cows to reduce methane emissions. Conducted at the University of Minnesota’s research center, this six-month study demonstrated a 30% reduction in methane emissions without negatively impacting milk production. Brad discusses key findings, including changes in cow efficiency, milk composition, and the microbiome, while also ad...
Mar 17, 2025•26 min•Ep. 288
Mooving Cows: A Game-Changer for Dairy Training In this episode of The Moos Room , Emily and Bradley welcome Dr. Jennifer Van Os from the University of Wisconsin Extension to discuss an innovative training tool— Mooving Cows , a free mobile game designed to teach proper dairy cattle handling techniques. The app provides an interactive and engaging way to learn low-stress cattle movement, helping farm workers refine their skills in a risk-free environment. Dr. Van Os shares insights on the game’s...
Mar 10, 2025•26 min•Ep. 287
The Moos Room Podcast: Catching Up with Brad and Emily In this episode of The Moos Room , Emily and Brad reunite after a busy stretch of research, extension work, and conference travel. They reflect on where they’ve been, what they’ve been working on, and exciting projects on the horizon. Brad celebrates his birthday while attending the Southwest Missouri Spring Forage Conference, where he discusses agrivoltaics —the integration of solar panels and grazing systems. He shares updates on his upcom...
Mar 03, 2025•26 min•Ep. 286
Beef on Dairy: Genomics, Genetics, and Sire Selection In this final episode of The Moos Room’s three-part Beef on Dairy series, Brad dives into the genetics and genomics of beef-on-dairy crosses. He breaks down the results of genomic testing on 50 crossbred animals, highlighting how breed composition influences carcass traits, marbling, and growth rates. Brad explains how new genomic tools, such as Neogen’s identity profile, can help farmers predict carcass weight, average daily gain, and marbli...
Feb 24, 2025•23 min•Ep. 285
Beef on Dairy Research: Growth, Efficiency, and Carcass Data In this episode of The Moos Room , Brad continues the deep dive into beef-on-dairy research, focusing on data collected in Minnesota. This is the second installment of a three-part series, where we examine how different beef breeds perform when crossed with dairy cattle. Key highlights include: ✅ Pre-Weaning Performance: Limousin crossbred calves showed greater growth efficiency than Holstein calves, consuming less milk while gaining m...
Feb 17, 2025•29 min•Ep. 284
Beef on Dairy: Trends, Economics, and Genetics (Part 1) Brad takes the mic solo this week to dive into a hot topic in dairy farming—beef on dairy crossbreeding. In this first part of a two-part series, he breaks down current market trends, semen sales data, and recent research on how beef genetics are being used in dairy herds. Key highlights include: The growth of beef-on-dairy crossbreeding and its impact on both the dairy and beef industries. Market insights, including beef inventory trends a...
Feb 10, 2025•35 min•Ep. 283
In this episode of The Moos Room , hosts Emily and Brad tackle the latest updates on H5N1 (Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza) and its impact on the dairy industry. With raw milk testing set to begin in Minnesota, they break down what dairy producers need to know about the testing process, quarantine protocols, and potential impacts on farm operations. Key Topics Covered: Delays in Minnesota's milk testing rollout and what it means for producers Overview of the USDA’s national milk testing progra...
Feb 03, 2025•26 min•Ep. 282
In this episode of The Moos Room , Brad and Emily are joined by Katie Schmitt from the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding (CDCB) to discuss the organization's role in managing genetic evaluations and the National Cooperator Database. Katie, a Minnesota native, shares insights into the CDCB's work, including their transition from USDA oversight to an independent nonprofit, ensuring the stewardship of dairy cattle data. Key topics include the upcoming April 2025 updates to Net Merit , which will adj...
Jan 27, 2025•33 min•Ep. 281
In this solo episode of The Moos Room , Emily discusses essential cold weather safety tips for farmers and agricultural workers. With below-zero temperatures in Minnesota, Emily emphasizes the importance of recognizing cold stress symptoms like hypothermia and frostbite, dressing in proper moisture-wicking layers, and using safe heating practices. She shares practical advice on layering clothing, protecting extremities, and managing tasks during extreme cold. Emily also highlights winter safety ...
Jan 20, 2025•13 min•Ep. 280
In this episode, Emily and Brad discuss winter barn fire prevention, highlighting common causes such as outdated wiring and heating equipment. They share real-life stories, practical tips for maintaining safety, and the importance of annual inspections, clean barns, fire extinguishers, and emergency action plans. Don’t let a preventable fire impact your farm—tune in for actionable advice to keep your barns and animals safe this winter! Barn Fire Statistics Barn Fire Report 2025 Questions, commen...
Jan 13, 2025•24 min•Ep. 279
In the first episode of 2025, Brad dives into a real-life case study of a calf that succumbed to coccidiosis at the University of Minnesota's research center. Learn about the symptoms, causes, and prevention of this parasitic disease, along with insights on how early detection and better management practices can make all the difference. This episode is packed with valuable tips for improving calf health and leveraging technology to catch illness early. Don’t miss it! Coccidiosis of Cattle Questi...
Jan 06, 2025•23 min•Ep. 278
Join us for The Moos Room's epic year-end wrap-up! We’re looking back at 2024’s biggest highlights, revisiting key episodes, and sharing what’s ahead for the world of agriculture. From exciting research on dairy-beef crossbreeding and agrivoltaics to breakthroughs in calf and heifer feed efficiency, methane emissions, and fatty acid profiles, we’ve got plenty to explore. Plus, we tackle important topics like mental health in farming communities. And, of course, you won’t want to miss the hilario...
Dec 30, 2024•27 min•Ep. 277
The holiday season can be a joyful time, but it also brings unique challenges for farmers managing livestock and family life in the depths of winter. In this episode of The Moos Room , we tackle the stress and winter blues that often accompany shorter days, colder temperatures, and holiday demands. Join us as we share practical tips for staying resilient, maintaining mental health, and finding joy during this bustling time of year—both in the barn and at home. Stress and Crisis: Get Help Now Cop...
Dec 23, 2024•25 min•Ep. 276
In this episode of The Moos Room, we dive into cutting-edge research on a camera-based technology for detecting lameness in dairy cattle. Lameness is a significant issue impacting animal welfare and the economic sustainability of dairy farms. We discuss a recent study that evaluated how autonomous locomotion scoring aligns with hoof health data, highlighting its potential for early lesion detection. Tune in as we explore what this means for improving dairy herd health and minimizing labor-intens...
Dec 16, 2024•25 min•Ep. 275
