The Dairy Show

A "Fitting" Tribute to Michael Heath The Friends & Family of Michael Heath will be honoring his memory with several very "fitting" awards at World Dairy Expo.  The Michael Heath Overall Fitter Award will be presented to the overall champion of the youth competition, taking place on opening day of the show and  Junior Champion and Senior Champion Bred & Owned Awards will be presented during the International Jersey Show in Michael's memory. Who was this man who inspired so many during his lifetime and career in the dairy industry?  Learn more from Michael's close personal friend, Jenny Thomas, as she shares the qualities she admired most about him and  how she hopes these special awards will keep them alive in the recipients of these special awards.

Final preparations are underway for World Dairy Expo 2024. Laura Herschleb, General Manager, shares what you can expect if you attend, and how you can join virtually, if unable to make the trek to Madison, Wisconsin. Learn what's new at this year's show and how Highly Pathogenic Avian Flu (HPAI) is being addressed when the world's dairy industry meets, October 1 - 4, 2024.   For more information, or to purchase discounted tickets in advance, visit www.worlddairyexpo.com  

On this episode of the dairy show, the 2024 World Dairy Expo Dairy Producers of the Year, Ed and Barb Larson, Mike Larson, Sandy Larson and Jim Trustem, from Evansville, Wisconsin, share their story. From herd favorites to ways they engage with the community, you'll learn how they manage a 2,500 cow milking herd and 5,000 acres with stellar results. Tune in to hear about herd credentials and how these producers have excelled at breeding and helping cows achieve their potential. 

Meet the 2024 World Dairy Expo International Person of the Year On this episode of The Dairy Show, Paul Larmer, who recently retired as CEO of Semex, shares not only his career journey, but insights he gleaned along the way. Paul has dedicated his professional life to the dairy cattle genetics industry, making a valuable global impact. It speaks volumes that competitors in the AI industry saw fit to nominate him for this prestigious award. Who were his favorite bulls during his storied career? What does he count as his greatest successes? Tune in to The Dairy Show to learn the answers to these questions and more.

GPS Dairy Consulting Founders, Jim Barmore, Marty Faldet and King Hickman will be honored on October 2 at the Recognition Award Banquet. Learn more about this year's World Dairy Expo Industry Persons of the Year on this episode of The Dairy Show.

On this episode of the Dairy Show, sponsored by Legacy Seeds, we visit with John and Sheri Egan of Egan Family Dairy, located in Omro, Wisconsin and their agronomist, Judd Hodgen. Achieving herd production goals of 100 pounds of milk and 7.25 pounds of solids per cow was made possible, in large part, to the quality forages they raise and feed the 500+ cow herd. Champions of the 2021 World Forage Superbowl Standard Corn Silage Category, these folks know a thing or two about producing quality feed.  Join the Egan Family as they celebrate June Dairy Month on their Centennial Farm on June 1. They will be hosting Grilled Cheese Day from 10 am to 2 pm, sponsored by the Winnebago County Farm Bureau. Follow this link for more info:  https://www.visitoshkosh.com/event/grilled-cheese-day/137139/ Learn more about Legacy Seeds at https://legacyseeds.com.

As another growing season gets underway, we take a minute to remind listeners how important it is to keep farm safety top of mind. Juan Quezada, director of Training and Development at MilkSource, is passionate about preventing accidents and injury. He served for many years as director of training and safety for 550 people on multiple sites in multiple states and has traveled to numerous countries internationally to offer pointers on the subject. 

Who hasn't taken a souvenir photo at World Dairy Expo? Today's podcast tests your knowledge of those iconic locations: The Coliseum and colored shavings, the willows, the globe and Miss Madison.  Laurie Breuch, Expo's Dairy Systems Manager, shares the inside scoop about each of these famed photo ops.  You're sure to learn something new about World Dairy Expo's home during today's podcast!

Meet Dr. Sheila McGuirk, DVM, MS, PhD, DACVIM (LAIM), Professor Emeritus of Large Animal Internal Medicine and Food Animal Production Medicine. Her love of bovines led her from Maryland on a multi-state and province journey that wound up at The University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, and ignited a 40+ year relationship with World Dairy Expo. You may know her as "The Mother Teresa of World Dairy Expo," but did you know she was also a multi-sport collegiate athlete and an award winning dairy judge?  Join us on this episode of The Dairy Show to learn more about this industry leader.

"Where the Global Dairy Industry Meets" is more than a World Dairy Expo tagline to Jack and Logan Cliffe. Jack is originally from Scotland and Logan from Delaware. The couple met at the show in 2013, and when Jack dropped to one knee in the middle of the showring in 2015, it resulted in happily ever after for the past ten years. Tune in to this special Valentine's Day episode of The Dairy Show to learn where their first decade of marriage has taken them.

Containing emerging diseases and keeping pace with mutating viruses is an ongoing war. Vaccines have historically taken five years or more to research, develop, produce and license and once released, they may no longer be relevant. MedGene Laboratories recently received a USDA license to product the first Platform Vaccines for the dairy industry. Dr. Alan Young, Professor, South Dakota State Animal Disease Research and Diagnostic Laboratory and Chief Technology Officer for Medgene Labs shares how nimble and effective platform vaccine technology is in the battle against bovine diseases. This episode of the Dairy Show is sponsored by Medgene Labs.  To learn more, click on any of the following links. Medgene - Animal Health (medgenelabs.com) Medgene: Company Page Admin | LinkedIn Facebook . 

Fearlessly Invest in Yourself! Ray Dykeman, a successful dairyman in Upstate New York, attended a financial seminar at the age of 20 that changed his life. On this episode of The Dairy Show, Ray shares how the advice he took to heart years ago has resulted in wise investments that continue to pay dividends today. Learn more about his take on risks and rewards and how investing in stocks and people have paved his way to success.    Though he's not a licensed financial advisor, Ray is passionate about sharing the lessons in financial fitness that he's learned over the years. If you'd like to learn more, follow him on Facebook at Personal Finance Lessons by Raymond J Dykeman.  

The Dairy Shrine's 50th Anniversary included an invitation to share what you think was the most significant "advancement" in the industry during that 50-year period (1949 - 1999). This resulted in a collection of 77 letters, each highlighting and explaining what the author thought was most responsible for the dairy industry moving forward. The binder that houses these thoughts and so much more is housed at the Hoard's Museum and Dairy Shrine Museum in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin.   Today's guest on The Dairy Show is Steve Larson, former managing editor of Hoard's Dairyman.  Steve shares Dairy Shrine insights, museum "must-sees", sheds some light on why a trip to Fort Atkinson is worth your while, and he reveals the top five things that propelled our industry forward between 1949 and 1999.  Tune in to see if you agree with what he thinks might be the most important recent industry milestones!

For eighteen years, ExpoTV has acquainted people from around the globe with World Dairy Expo. A farm boy who grew up just north of Madison married his love of dairy farming and the magic of television to capture the special moments on the colored shavings and to give the knowledge shared on Expo's educational stages an even larger global audience. During this episode of The Dairy Show, learn how John Salzwedel started his mobile broadcast company, how he caught the attention of ESPN and Fox Sports networks and how a chance meeting ignited nearly two decades of ExpoTV.

Remember when AI used to stand for artificial insemination instead of artificial intelligence and robots were relegated to science fiction and comic books? For more than a quarter century, robots have been quietly milking cows around the world. What do you know about the pros and cons of robotic milking systems? Today's guest on The Dairy Show serves as a Robotic Milking Consultant. John Gerbitz, from Cow Corner LLC shares a wealth of knowledge about who, or should I say "what" is milking our cows.

This episode of the the Dairy Show is sponsored by Channel Seeds. Challenges abound when you are raising crops to feed your dairy herd. While Mother Nature can be a formidable foe,  Field Sales Representative for Channel Seeds, Patrick Baecker, shares how research, technology and genetics are offering seeds that can meet and beat her challenges.  Learn more at https://tinyurl.com/edbr5myk  

Fingers point when nitrate levels exceed acceptable limits in drinking water supplies. Often times they point at the "dairy down the road," when in fact, science can tell a far different story.  Today's guests on The Dairy Show, Dr. Fatemeh Vakili and Dr. Mike Sklash have made it their life's work to understand nitrate and how it interacts in our environment. Through their research, it is possible not only to identify the origin of nitrate in water (plant, animal or chemical), but also determine the age of the nitrate in the water. This information combined with other data points has often times helped resolve permitting issues and prevented litigation from being pursued. Learn more about Legacy Nitrate on this episode of The Dairy Show. This episode is sponsored by Dragun Corporation Environmental Advisors.  https://www.dragun.com/    

When the global dairy industry meets in Madison, Wisconsin each fall, there are many stories to tell. More than 200 journalists travel to World Dairy Expo to report on the research and technology that is shared there.  They cover the recognitions bestowed upon the dairy cattle exhibited and the individuals honored for their skills and contributions to the industry.  Serving as hostesses in this busy Media Room and managing and reporting the official results of the show is the World Dairy Expo communications team. Today on the Dairy Show we introduce you to the four young women who served as World Dairy Expo's 2023 Media Interns.

World Dairy Expo will begin on Saturday, September 30. There are many changes at this year's show.  Laura Herschleb, World Dairy Expo's General Manager, visits with us on today's episode to explain why change is good for this 56 year old show and shares why you should plan to attend!

The Quest for Genetic Improvement Top shelf genetics put Oakfield Corners Dairy on the map. A robust ET and IVF program yields 7,500 to 8,000 embryos each year. Jonathan Lamb, joins us on The Dairy Show to discuss how genomics, index formulas and phenotypic data factor into matings that win in the showring and have worldwide appeal.    In addition to managing more than 10,000 Holsteins in four facilities (three in New York and one in Ohio), Jonathan currently serves as President of Holstein Association USA and offers a producer's perspective on the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding Board of Directors, where he represents the Purebred Dairy Cattle Association.    This episode sponsored by the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding.

A Judging Dynasty in the Making   Winning dairy cattle judges not only accurately place the animals in a class, they also successfully “sell” those placings when they give oral reasons. Judging Coach Carrie Edsall, a born marketer, shares the valuable skills she has learned and in turn shares with her SUNY Cobleskill students and dairy judging team members on this episode of the Dairy Show. The SUNY Cobleskill teams have taken her lessons to heart, winning the Post Secondary Contest at World Dairy Expo four out of the last five years. Edsall and her family manage Black Willow Pond Farm.  In addition to marketing their pasture-raised meats, both at farmer's markets and mail-order, they exhibit dairy cattle and are engaged in “solar grazing.”  

Annette Ostrom had an affinity for showing dairy cattle and a love for youth in the dairy business.  While she lost her battle with cancer shortly after World Dairy Expo last year, those two aspects of her life will be fondly remembered through a memorial award sponsorship. Jim Ostrom, Annette's husband, joins us on this episode of The Dairy Show to share Annette's lasting legacies and to announce the changes participants can expect to the World Dairy Expo Youth Showmanship Contest. A tribute to Annette and the World Dairy Expo Youth Showmanship Contest rules and entry information can be found at https://worlddairyexpo.com/pages/Youth-Fitting-&-Showmanship.php

From running out of gas on a first date to a firearms mishap in Cuba, Howard Voegeli didn't let obstacles stand in his way. Learn how  this Expo Founding Father's creative approach to life and problem solving served him throughout his time here on earth.  The same "let's get this done and have fun doing it" attitude that made Voegeli's Brown Swiss Farms of Monticello, Wisconsin successful over seven generations also laid a solid foundation for World Dairy Expo. Howard Voegeli's Dynasty in Dairy story is told by his sons, Bryan and Jimmy Voegeli. If you've enjoyed this four-part series, featuring stories about Expo's Founding Fathers: Howard Voegeli, Norman E. Magnussen, Gene Nelson and Allen Hetts, consider ordering a copy of "We Need a Show," a full-color, 202-page, hard-cover book, celebrating World Dairy Expo's first 50 years, available at https://hoards.com/article-16862-we-need-a-show-(wnas).html  

Remembering Expo's Founding Fathers At 18 years of age, Allen Hetts took over the reins at Crescent Beauty Farm when his father passed away at the age of 42. Described by his sons, Roy and Rodney, as a driver,  Allen built upon the foundation his father and grandfather laid with the Registered Holstein herd in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, becoming a highly respected breeder, judge and ambassador of the dairy industry on an international scale. This episode of The Dairy Show explores the history of Crescent Beauty and the network of friendships and partnerships that resulted in Allen Hetts laying the groundwork for World Dairy Expo. Roy and Rodney Hetts share stories about their father, mother Doris, Gene Acres Felicia May Fury and how the torch was passed in the Hetts family from one generation to the next.

Expo's Founding Fathers: Part 2 Norman C. Magnussen, the youngest child of Norman E. Magnussen, recounts his father's start in the dairy business and the personal dynasty he built, from serving as a herdsman of well-known herds in the eastern United States before starting his own herd with his wife Marion and brother Victor, and developing the renown Norvic Brown Swiss herd. In addition to also being a respected international judge of dairy cattle, Magnussen Sr. was also a noted sales manager. As owner of Brown Swiss Sales Service, he managed sales in 39 states and in Canada during his 30-year sales career, including the World Premier Brown Swiss Sale at World Dairy Expo, managed to this day by his son. Learn more about this founding father: a master breeder, super salesman, inspirational leader and eminent judge of all breeds on today's episode of the Dairy Show.

World Dairy Expo's 2023 Dairy Producer of the Year, Randy Kortus, from Lynden, Washington, takes type, production and longevity to a whole new level. With 20 cows over 300,000 lbs. and two over 400,000 lbs. lifetime production, he has achieved success not only with the Holstein herd he started out with, but across multiple breeds.  Learn more about how Mainstream Holsteins, Jerseys and Ayrshires have topped the charts and gained world-wide notoriety across all three breeds.

Dynasty in Dairy is the theme of World Dairy Expo 2023. It seems fitting that The Dairy Show would explore the personal dynasties of World Dairy Expo's four founding fathers. In this episode, the first of a four-part series, we learn more about Gene Nelson of Gray View Farms. Gene's son, Steve, shares his recollections of World Dairy Expo's beginnings and the role his father played in getting the first show off the ground 56 years ago.

With a newly minted agricultural journalism degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in hand, Bonnie Cooper moved to Canada in 1973 to serve as Associate Editor of the Holstein Journal. A "landed immigrant" for over two decades, she attained dual (US/Canadian) citizenship in 1994. For 45 years, Bonnie captured the events, achievements and stories surrounding Canada's Holstein business, immortalizing the cows and breeders. In this episode of The Dairy Show, learn how this international trailblazer has left an indelible mark on the dairy industry.

When Bill Ciolkosz and his wife, Bridget, took over the reins at Ciolkosz Dairy, located near Thorp, Wisconsin, they became the fourth generation to continuously milk cows and manage the land there. As they work to transition the farm to the fifth generation, Bill shares how a deep love and respect for the land, animals and family have served them in the past and positioned them for success in the future. This episode of The Dairy Show is sponsored by Legacy Seeds.  Learn more at https://legacyseeds.com.

An industry catalyst, Tom Morris has been named World Dairy Expo's 2023 Industry Person of the Year. Learn more about the steps this entrepreneur took to build a successful sale and publishing business. 

It's time to meet your new host of The Dairy Show! After 60 episodes, Katie is passing the microphone to the new Expo Communications Manager, Lisa Behnke. Join us as we talk about Lisa's experiences with World Dairy Expo and what the 2023 event has in store. 

The Dairy Show hosts Tom Kilcer, owner of Advanced Ag Systems, to learn more about this new term - winter forage - and its relationship to triticale.  This episode of The Dairy Show is sponsored by TriCal Superior Forage.  If you have additional questions about this topic, please reach out to Tom at tfk1@cornell.edu.

What started as one 4-H heifer when Todd Koch was 12 has now turned into a value-add enterprise at TMK Creamery in Oregon. TMK first ventured into cheese and ice cream but recently started making alcohol with their whey called "Cowcohol." 

Riley and Brooks Hendrickson join The Dairy Show to talk about experiences renovating their dairy barn, hosting farm tours during Expo, WDE memories, and insight on farming with a spouse.   

Since 2020, Andrew Hetke has been traveling the country picturing and videoing dairy cattle. His forte? Candid shots in pastures, barns, under the willows, and so many more places. Learn more about Andrew's story of starting a small business and the advice he has to share with others interested in capturing cows for marketing purposes. 

Jake Smoker is the fifth generation on his family's feedyard in northern Indiana. For the past five years, they have focused on raising beef-on-dairy cross calves. Hear from Jake on what it takes to raise these calves and how dairies can set feedlots up for success during this episode of The Dairy Show.    Jake references two past episodes of the podcast as additional resources. Here are easy links to them: - Kevin Ziemba, "Genetics from A to ZBW" - https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-vqsq4-12a61ed - Andy Beckel, "Success Starts with Calves and Colostrum" - https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-9b8h3-1114eda

After getting her start in dairy through the 4-H lease program, Sarah Lyness, along with her husband Dan, now owns Spring Run Dairy. The farm is not only a first-generation dairy, but also only the second dairy in New Jersey to bottle milk for direct-to-consumer marketing.    Learn more about the farm start-up, the creamery start-up, and more during this episode of The Dairy Show. 

Roger McEowen, Professor of Agricultural Law and Taxation at Washburn University School of Law and at Kansas State University, takes a break from his speaking schedule to share some insight on The Dairy Show. During this episode, we cover farm entity types, farm estate planning, updates on federal taxes, US Supreme Court cases related to agriculture, and more.  Find more information on this topic on Roger's website: http://washburnlaw.edu/waltr

Mike Duckett exhibited the World Dairy Expo Supreme Champion this year, but he also exhibited her granddam to the same title in 2009 and 2010. Hear from Mike as we talk cow care and breeding, "The Doc," and Footloose. 

From delivering the Supreme Champion results at World Dairy Expo to promoting agriculture across the state of Wisconsin, Alice in Dairyland wears one tiara but many hats. Hear from the 75th Alice in Dairyland, Taylor Schaefer, during this episode of The Dairy Show. 

As we celebrate the 50th episode of The Dairy Show, Callum McKinven joins us to share his experiences judging and showing on the colored shavings and building Lookout Farm from the ground up in North Hatley, Quebec, Canada. 

Karl Crave grew up on his family's dairy farm in Waterloo, Wisconsin, but today, he works for Dynamic Renewables. Karl joins The Dairy Show to talk bio-gas and it's relationship with dairy.

An agricultural economist for the California Federal Milk Marketing Order, Alex Gambonini of Petamula, California has taken the knowledge gained from growing up on a dairy farm and applied it to a career that supports dairy farms. 

World Dairy Expo 2022 is just around the corner, so we asked Matt Sloan, a dairy cattle fitter, what it takes to get animals ready for the showring. 

World Dairy Expo 2022 is only four weeks away, so here are the 10 things you should know!

Kevin Ziemba of Durhamville, New York is the owner of ZBW Genetics along with his wife Barb and son Mason. Kevin joins The Dairy Show to share his perspective on dairy cattle genetics.   This episode is sponsored Vytelle.

Discover why Shelly Mayer is synonymous with professional dairy leadership development and has been named the 2022 Industry Person of the Year by World Dairy Expo on this week's episode. 

Thanks to Jarrod Burleigh, we explore what it's like caring for world record holding cows and managing an outstanding type-production herd in Pennsylvania. This episode of The Dairy Show is sponsored by Vytelle.

Mark Comfort has been called a rebel for his work in opening the Canadian border to US semen and is the force behind Udder Comfort. Learn more about Mark, Expo's 2022 International Person of the Year, during this episode of The Dairy Show.

Ron Brooks joins The Dairy Show this week to share his experiences as the current steward of Brooks Farms in Waupaca, Wisconsin.  This episode of The Dairy Show is sponsored by Legacy Seeds. 

As we celebrate Father's Day, it's time for our first bonus episode! Breaking (partially) from the normal flow of things, host, Katie, invites her dad, Mark Schmitt, to be a part of the show. Together, they cover general dairy topics as well as stories that continue to influence Katie's perspective as our host.