The Dairy Podcast Show

In this episode of The Dairy Podcast Show, Dr. Laura Hernandez from the University of Wisconsin Madison explains how ultrasound technology may improve dry off management in dairy cows. She discusses mammary gland involution, milk secretion markers, AI based imaging, and strategies to reduce antibiotic use during the dry period. Dr. Hernandez also explores early colostrum formation and transition cow health. Listen now on all major platforms!

“Researchers observed early mammary secretions and colostrum related structures forming several months before calving in pregnant heifers.”

Meet the guest: Dr. Laura Hernandez is a Professor of Lactation Biology at the University of Wisconsin Madison, where research focuses on calcium homeostasis, mammary gland biology, lactation transitions, and dry period physiology in dairy cattle. Research efforts also explore ultrasound technology, milk secretion, and strategies to improve dairy cow health during dry off. Listen to Dr. Laura Hernandez on The Dairy Podcast Show, available on all major platforms!

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What you'll learn:
(00:00) Highlight
(01:46) Introduction
(03:12) Ultrasound dry off
(06:55) Gland structure findings
(09:34) Milk secretion markers
(11:17) AI ultrasound analysis
(14:15) Dry off strategies
(20:33) Final Questions

The Dairy Podcast Show is trusted and supported by innovative companies like:

- AHV

* Afimilk
* Adisseo
* Evonik
* Agri-Comfort
* CowManager
* Priority IAC
- Agrarian Solutions
- DietForge
- dsm-firmenich
- BoviSync
- Chemlock Nutrition
- Natural Biologics
- Protekta

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.
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In this episode of The Dairy Podcast Show, Dr. Margret Vonholdt-Wenker, postdoctoral researcher at the Friedrich Loeffler Institute, explains prolonged cow calf contact systems and their implications for dairy production. She discusses housing models, calf and cow welfare outcomes, management requirements, milk production impacts, weaning challenges, and practical adoption considerations across Europe. Listen now on all major platforms!

“Calves in contact systems can drink according to natural intake patterns and develop within a social herd environment.”

Meet the guest: Dr. Margret Vonholdt-Wenker is a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Animal Welfare and Animal Husbandry of the Friedrich Loeffler Institute in Germany. Her work focuses on animal behavior and developing housing systems that support natural behavior while maintaining health. With more than ten years of experience in cow-calf contact systems, she also received the 2024 IGN Research Award for her research on dairy welfare. Listen to The Dairy Podcast Show featuring Dr. Margret Vonholdt-Wenker on all major platforms.

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What you'll learn:
(00:00) Highlight
(01:32) Introduction
(02:58) Prolonged cow calf contact
(04:53) Welfare and health
(07:53) Housing management
(16:00) Foster cow systems
(21:42) Weaning challenges
(28:20) Final Questions

The Dairy Podcast Show is trusted and supported by innovative companies like:

* Agri-Comfort
* Adisseo
* Afimilk
* Evonik
* Priority IAC
* CowManager

- dsm-firmenich
- AHV
- Natural Biologics
- DietForge
- Agrarian Solutions
- Chemlock
- Protekta
- BoviSync

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.
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In this episode of The Dairy Podcast Show, Dr. Jess McArt from Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine discusses calcium balance in fresh cows, subclinical hypocalcemia, rumination monitoring, and prevention strategies for improving transition cow health. She explains how dairy professionals can more effectively identify high-risk cows and apply practical management tools to improve production and reproductive outcomes. Listen now on all major platforms!

“Rumination time can serve as a proxy for intake, and help set standards for intervention when fresh cows fail to recover quickly.”

Meet the guest: Dr. Jess McArt is a Professor at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine and Chair of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences. Her research focuses on transition cow health, calcium metabolism, dairy production medicine, and herd-level management strategies that improve dairy cattle performance and health outcomes. Learn more from Dr. Jess McArt on The Dairy Podcast Show, available on all major platforms.

Liked this one? Don’t stop now — Here’s what we think you’ll love!

What you'll learn:
(00:00) Highlight
(01:34) Introduction
(04:34) Prevention strategies
(08:34) Intake patterns
(10:54) Supplementation insights
(19:10) Hypocalcemia prevention
(20:57) Monitoring fresh cow calcium
(23:19) Final questions

The Dairy Podcast Show is trusted and supported by innovative companies like:

- Chemlock

* Priority IAC
* CowManager
* Agri-Comfort
* Adisseo
* Afimilk
* Evonik
- Protekta
- BoviSync
- dsm-firmenich
- AHV
- Natural Biologics
- DietForge
- Agrarian Solutions

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.
Website: The Dairy Podcast Show
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In this episode of The Dairy Podcast Show, Dr. Larry Roth, Vice President of Nutrition at Agrarian Solutions, explains how mycotoxins affect dairy cow health, performance, and nutrient use. He outlines risk factors, testing strategies, and emerging technologies like IgY and probiotics to defend gut integrity and liver function. Get practical insights that help manage contaminated feeds and improve herd resilience. Listen now on all major platforms!

"The digestive tract functions as a protective barrier, and when mycotoxins damage intestinal cells, harmful substances can enter the body and trigger systemic health challenges."

Meet the guest: Dr. Larry Roth earned his Ph.D. in Ruminant Nutrition from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, with prior degrees from Texas A&M University and the University of Wyoming. As Vice President of Nutrition at Agrarian Solutions, his work focuses on probiotics, forage utilization, and dairy nutrition strategies that support animal health and performance. Learn more from Dr. Larry Roth on The Dairy Podcast Show. Listen on all major platforms.

Liked this one? Don’t stop now — Here’s what we think you’ll love!

What you'll learn:
(00:00) Highlight
(01:35) Introduction
(07:14) Mycotoxin basics
(08:53) Gut damage effects
(12:20) Risk assessment
(17:23) Multiple toxins
(22:37) Testing strategy
(29:47) Final Questions

The Dairy Podcast Show is trusted and supported by innovative companies like:

- Agrarian Solutions

* Evonik
* Priority IAC
* CowManager
* Agri-Comfort
* Adisseo
* Afimilk
- BoviSync
- Chemlock
- Protekta
- dsm-firmenich
- AHV
- Natural Biologics
- DietForge

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.
Website: The Dairy Podcast Show
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In this episode of The Dairy Podcast Show, Dr. Kurt Rosentrater, Professor of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering at Iowa State University, breaks down what sustainability really means across food and agriculture. He explains why feed efficiency matters more than any single additive, how DDGS and ethanol co-products fit ruminant diets, and why systems thinking, not silver bullets, drives lasting results. Listen now on all major platforms!

“Feed efficiency is one of the holy grails of sustainability. It is all about converting protein and energy into an animal product.”

Meet the guest: Dr. Kurt Rosentrater is a Professor of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering at Iowa State University. His research focuses on grain processing, ethanol co-products including DDGS, and sustainable food and feed systems, bridging historical data with precision feeding tools to help producers make better decisions. Learn more from Dr. Kurt Rosentrater on The Dairy Podcast Show, available on all major platforms.

Liked this one? Don’t stop now — Here’s what we think you’ll love!

What you'll learn:
(00:00) Highlight
(01:59) Introduction
(03:18) Growing up on a farm
(11:50) Sustainability across systems
(17:42) Carbon scoring in formulation
(24:49) Value of historical research
(30:25) Feed efficiency as sustainability
(37:13) Closing thoughts

The Dairy Podcast Show is trusted and supported by innovative companies like:

* Agri-Comfort
* Adisseo
* Afimilk
* Evonik
* Priority IAC
* CowManager

- DietForge
- Agrarian Solutions
- BoviSync
- Chemlock
- Protekta
- dsm-firmenich
- AHV
- Natural Biologics

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.
Website: The Dairy Podcast Show
Instagram: The Dairy Podcast Show
LinkedIn: The Dairy Podcast Show