Podcasts about dairy business

Dairy farmers and farmers generally are facing significant challenges regarding their autumn sowing plans due to high fuel and fertiliser costs because of the war in the Middle East. Decisions need to be made by farmers to enable them to minimise the effects of this situation on pasture and herd production and ultimately financial performance. Nathan Jennings from the North Coast Local Land Services in NSW joins us to talk about some of the management options that farmers should consider related to urea application and sowing strategies for ryegrass in the current environment.Resources:Nathan Jennings' article “Ryegrass planting options considering fertiliser and fuel supply”MiniMilkBizThis podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit – further information and resources are available here - Dairy | Department of Primary IndustriesIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageNSW DPI Dairy Newsletter - Connect with us | Department of Primary Industries Transcript hereProduced by Liam DriverThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

Australia's dairy sector is rich in performance data, and herd recording remains a key source of insights for on-farm decision-making and tracking national herd trends. In this episode, host Sheena Carter is joined by Michelle Axford (DataGene) to explore key takeaways from DataGene's latest Australian Dairy Herd Improvement Report, including emerging trends in herd performance and how genetics and new research are shaping herd improvement.Resources:Australian Dairy Herd Improvement Report 2025DataGene websiteDataConnectThis podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit – further information and resources are available here - Dairy | Department of Primary IndustriesIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageNSW DPI Dairy Newsletter - Connect with us | Department of Primary Industries Transcript hereProduced by Liam DriverThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

Dr. Baumgard opens by explaining the origin of the “immune suppression” theory in transition cows. Research dating back to the late 1970s showed slower neutrophil infiltration into the mammary gland in early lactation, which led to the assumption that cows are immunosuppressed after calving. This idea has shaped industry thinking for more than 40 years. (10:43) He outlines two primary mechanisms traditionally blamed for immune suppression: the cortisol surge at calving, which may impair neutrophil migration, and the metabolic changes of early lactation—high NEFAs, ketones, and low calcium—which appear to reduce neutrophil function in laboratory settings. (13:16) Dr. Baumgard then challenges the central assumption: are cows truly immunosuppressed, or are they simply exposed to greater pathogen loads and stressors during a narrow window around calving? He argues that morbidity may reflect increased environmental and physiological challenges rather than a dysfunctional immune system. (15:25) Dr. Fry shares field data from three herds representing over 100,000 calvings. After implementing management changes—primarily building a well-designed transition barn with lower stocking density, improved hygiene, and better cow flow—metritis rates dropped from 21.3% to 9.7%. Nutrition and innate immunity remained unchanged, suggesting management and environment were key drivers. (21:29) The panel discusses the role of stress stacking during the transition period. Dr. Baumgard explains that multiple simultaneous stressors, such as overcrowding, heat stress, hygiene challenges, social stress, and nutritional shifts, may overwhelm cows. He emphasizes growing evidence that stress compromises gut integrity (“leaky gut”), potentially triggering systemic inflammation and increasing susceptibility in tissues like the mammary gland. (27:27) Heat stress provides another example. While mastitis rates often increase during humid Midwest summers, they decline in arid regions like Arizona and Israel despite severe heat stress. Dr. Baumgard suggests environmental pathogen load—not immune suppression—is the primary driver. (27:43) The conversation shifts to ketosis and hyperketonemia. Dr. Baumgard and Dr. Pralle discuss how elevated BHB and NEFAs may not always indicate disease but instead reflect normal metabolic adaptation to support milk production. The key distinction is productivity: cows milking well with high ketones may not require intervention, while cows with high ketones and poor milk production warrant deeper investigation into underlying causes such as metritis, mastitis, hypocalcemia, gut inflammation, or environmental stress. (37:13) Dr. Fry reinforces the importance of whole-cow and whole-environment evaluation rather than treating metabolic markers in isolation. Monitoring milk yield, rumination, activity, and cow demeanor—along with assessing stocking density, pen hygiene, hoof health, and stockmanship—are critical to identifying true problems. (44:00) The group emphasizes reducing pathogen load through simple, practical management: minimizing manure accumulation, maintaining clean and dry bedding, improving calving hygiene, and lowering stocking density—especially for close-up and fresh cows. (33:39) Looking ahead, Dr. Baumgard describes his lab's focus on modeling “stacked stressors” to better replicate the real-world transition period. Rather than studying stressors in isolation, his team is investigating how combined stressors influence physiology, particularly gut health. (47:11) In closing, the panel encourages industry professionals to reconsider the immune suppression paradigm. Instead of trying to “fix” the immune system at calving, the emphasis should shift toward removing stressors and minimizing environmental challenges that create excessive pathogen exposure. (53:01) Please subscribe and share with your industry friends to invite more people to join us at the Real Science Exchange virtual pub table.   If you want one of our Real Science Exchange t-shirts, screenshot your rating, review, or subscription, and email a picture to anh.marketing@balchem.com. Include your size and mailing address, and we'll mail you a shirt.

Recommendations for identification and selection of bioactive compounds to develop antimethanogenic feed additives. Dr. Yáñez-Ruiz (8:23) How can we search for molecules that modify how feed is fermented in the rumen? Conventionally, we have used scientific literature to look for plant extracts and compounds that have been researched before. Now, we have computational technology that offers opportunities to model how molecules interact with rumen microbes. Once a candidate compound is selected, in vitro tools can be used to test dose responses before animal experiments.  Recommendations for testing enteric methane-mitigating feed additives in ruminant studies. Dr. Yáñez-Ruiz for Dr. Alexander Hristov (17:07) Once compounds have been identified and selected, they need to be tested in the animal. These experiments are costly and best practices for experimental design, animals used, diets fed, delivery of the test compound, and measurement of methane should be followed. Some of these guidelines are strongly linked to the regulatory aspects that provide requirements for how in vivo trials need to be conducted.  Feed additives for methane mitigation: Modeling the impact of feed additives on enteric methane emission of ruminants—Approaches and recommendations. Dr. Bannink (22:43) Once experimental data is collected, it can be used to develop models to predict how effective an additive is, how it works, and its relevance. The intention is to quantify how an additive will work if you feed it to an animal. This can be complex due to variation among different datasets and natural fluctuation in methane production in the animal. One factor that plays a big role in the effectiveness of additives is the type of diet that animals are fed.  A guideline to uncover the mode of action of antimethanogenic feed additives for ruminants. Dr. Belanche (30:03) Understanding the mechanism of action for methane mitigants is challenging. We know some compounds work to reduce methane, but we don't know how or why they are working. There are five main types of additives when grouped by mode of action: modify rumen fermentation to decrease hydrogen production; methane inhibitors that act specifically against methanogens; inhibit enzymes common to all methanogens; hydrogen sinks to redirect hydrogen away from methanogenesis and toward other metabolic pathways; and promote methanotrophs that oxidize methane. The most effective are methane inhibitors, which decrease methane but don't increase animal productivity. Combining a methane inhibitor with a hydrogen sink may help redirect hydrogen and result in improved animal productivity. Regulations and evidence requirements for the authorization of enteric methane-mitigating feed additives. Dr. Tricarico (41:22) There are as many regulatory systems as there are jurisdictions. Two concepts that are shared across jurisdictions are regulatory status/legal classification and intended use. While each jurisdiction requires some legal classification of a feed additive compound, each has a different criteria base from which they classify products. For example, “inhibitor” is a legal classification in New Zealand, but doesn't even exist in other jurisdictions. Sometimes, the same word may mean different things in different jurisdictions. Authorization of a compound is not a blanket authorization, it is an authorization of the intended use of the compound. This specificity is critical for all involved to understand. Feed additives for methane mitigation: How to account for the mitigating potential of antimethanogenic feed additives—Approaches and recommendations. Dr. del Prado (49:42) A major challenge in this area is what kind of accounting system will be used: farm level, lifecycle analysis, carbon markets, national greenhouse gas inventories, etc. An accounting system needs to be well tailored from the type of experimental data available to the complexity used on the scale of the method. Experimental data, modeling, and accounting move hand-in-hand.  Panelists share their take-home thoughts. (58:57) Please subscribe and share with your industry friends to invite more people to join us at the Real Science Exchange virtual pub table.   If you want one of our Real Science Exchange t-shirts, screenshot your rating, review, or subscription, and email a picture to anh.marketing@balchem.com. Include your size and mailing address, and we'll mail you a shirt.

Dr. Nichols opens by outlining her background in protein nutrition research spanning Canada, the Netherlands, industry R&D, and now academia at UC Davis. Her research has focused on mammary amino acid metabolism, nitrogen efficiency, and the interaction between protein and energy supply in dairy cattle. (1:00–4:05) Dr. Räisänen shares her path from Penn State to Finland, Switzerland, and now Aarhus University, where she is leading research within a large, multidisciplinary project focused on lifetime nitrogen efficiency in dairy systems. Her current work examines early lactation protein supply and rumen nitrogen balance. (7:32–10:07) The discussion begins by establishing why protein nutrition plays a central role in sustainability. Ruminants are net protein producers, converting low-value feeds into high-quality milk and meat protein. However, inefficiencies in nitrogen utilization lead to urinary nitrogen excretion, contributing to ammonia emissions, nitrous oxide production, and nitrate leaching. Improving nitrogen efficiency, therefore, directly impacts environmental outcomes. (12:28–14:17) The group discusses geographic differences in nitrogen regulation. European countries like the Netherlands and Denmark face intense scrutiny due to high livestock density on limited land. Similar regional challenges are emerging in concentrated U.S. dairy regions such as California's Central Valley and parts of the Midwest. (15:17–18:19) Dr. Nichols introduces the concept of metabolic flexibility—the ability of ruminants, and especially the mammary gland, to utilize different nutrients and metabolic pathways depending on supply. This flexibility helps explain why responses to protein supplementation are not always black and white, and why traditional limiting amino acid theory does not consistently predict milk protein responses. (24:58–26:23) The conversation explores early lactation “protein boost” strategies inspired by post-ruminal amino acid infusion studies. Dr. Räisänen describes ongoing work using targeted concentrate supplementation to mimic infusion responses. Preliminary data suggest substantial early lactation milk yield responses, similar to infusion studies, when protein is delivered in a separate concentrate rather than blended into a TMR. (28:33–31:16) Dr. Nichols discusses three key areas of flexibility highlighted in her webinar: Energy source interactions (glucogenic vs. lipogenic supply),   Rumen nitrogen balance, and   Mammary gland amino acid metabolism. (32:21–33:50)   The panel explores how feeding systems may influence metabolic responses. PMR systems with separate concentrate feeding may allow temporal and metabolic “choice,” potentially improving efficiency compared to uniform TMR feeding. Robotic milking systems and automated concentrate feeders offer opportunities for more individualized protein nutrition strategies. (35:00–37:57) Amino acid discussions highlight how flexibility challenges the traditional limiting amino acid model. Milk protein synthesis is not consistently limited by one amino acid, and mammary uptake patterns show that amino acids can serve multiple roles beyond direct incorporation into milk protein. Lysine, leucine, and histidine are discussed as examples of amino acids whose responses may vary depending on metabolic context. (41:07–45:25) The group also examines energy source effects on nitrogen partitioning. Lipogenic diets (e.g., supplemental fats) may alter amino acid metabolism differently than glucogenic diets, but more research is needed to fully characterize these interactions. (49:24–53:11) Dr. Räisänen emphasizes the importance of rumen microbial protein synthesis and improving prediction models for digestible amino acid supply. Better understanding and measurement of microbial protein output could significantly improve feed evaluation systems and nitrogen efficiency modeling. (54:04–56:05) Dr. Nichols highlights endogenous nitrogen recycling and urea transport back to the rumen as another underexplored area. Improved mechanistic understanding of recycled nitrogen could refine models of rumen nitrogen balance and reduce overfeeding of dietary protein. (1:00:46) The episode closes with a discussion of cow-to-cow variation in nitrogen efficiency and the potential for individualized feeding strategies to optimize the marginal efficiency of protein use. (1:02:00) Please subscribe and share with your industry friends to invite more people to join us at the Real Science Exchange virtual pub table.   If you want one of our Real Science Exchange t-shirts, screenshot your rating, review, or subscription, and email a picture to anh.marketing@balchem.com. Include your size and mailing address, and we'll mail you a shirt.

Starting out as a milker and rising to herd manager of 900 cows, Tegan Gilfillan's career is a true dairy success story. With more than 18 years spent on the one farm, Tegan has grown alongside Speldon Partnership, owned and operated by the Maslen family in the New South Wales Mid Coast region. Today, she leads both livestock and people, managing a large herd and a committed team of staff. In this episode, Tegan shares her journey and speaks candidly about the importance of people in a dairy business, developing strong teams, and the role the Maslen family has played in supporting her growth.  This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit – further information and resources are available here - Dairy | Department of Primary IndustriesIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:NSW DPI Dairy Facebook page NSW DPI Dairy Newsletter - Connect with us | Department of Primary Industries Transcript Here Produced by Liam DriverThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

Dr. Rico's presentation was titled “Of cows and bugs: Using insects as alternative feeds in dairy cattle nutrition.” He gives an overview of his presentation, noting that while insects are not a major focus of US dairy nutrition, they are of interest in other parts of the world as a protein source to substitute for soybean or fish meal. (2:12)Dr. Dou's talk was “Alternative feed for livestock: Opportunities and challenges to support a circular food system.” She explains that a typical agriculture/food system is linear: take, make, and waste, which generates a lot of food residues. Her research aims to recover and recycle some of the food residues from other industries and evaluate their suitability for livestock feeding. (3:51)Dr. Pinotti's presentation was titled “Alternative foodstuffs in dairy ruminant nutrition: Basic concepts, recent issues, and future challenges.” His research focuses on using “former food” for livestock feeding and feeding insects not only as a protein source but also as a potential mineral source. (5:38)Dr. Pinotti talks about the challenges around variability in alternative feedstuffs. He goes on to describe some of the bakery byproducts he has used in research rations. He calls them fortified versions of cereal. They contain quite a lot of starch and also contain a lot of fat. These ingredients are ideal for young monogastric animals and also have utility in lactating dairy cow diets. The panel discusses the EU animal protein ban and whether similar restrictions exist for animal fats. (10:16)Dr. Rico notes that insects contain between 40 and 70% protein, depending on the type of insect. Crickets, mealworms, and black soldier fly larvae are the most popular. The fly larvae have a higher fat content compared to crickets and are a good energy source for monogastrics like pigs, chickens, or fish. Less is understood about the feeding value of insects in ruminant diets, and Dr. Rico's lab has been conducting experiments to help define this in dairy cattle. He notes the chitin content of insects is a unique challenge due to its indigestibility. It comes out in the NDF fraction in a nutrient analysis, but it is animal fiber, not plant fiber. (21:27)The panel talks about the scalability of insects as a protein source and confirms that the theory that insects are a cheap protein source is different from reality at this time. The group talks about small-scale insect projects at universities and in Africa. (27:17)Dr. Pinotti explains that insects are quite good at accumulating minerals, bad and good. His group conducted an experiment using sodium selenite as the substrate and the insects made selenocysteine and selenomethionine. Future research will include zinc as well as selenium in the substrate, and insects will be fed in an in vivo trial to verify bioavailability. He does not envision issues with chitin interfering with bioavailability since the insects incorporate the minerals into amino acids. (34:27)Dr. Rico talks about the amino acid and fatty acid profiles in insects. Essential amino acid content is relatively similar to other common protein sources. Insects contain higher levels of lauric and myristic acids than other common sources which could pose a challenge for lactation diets. He explains that there is a low-fat source of black soldier fly larvae with around 12% fat, compared to 30% in the full-fat version. The panel talks about variability in protein and fat content by insect type and the substrate the insects were grown on. (37:35)Dr. Dou describes some of her circular feed research using fresh cull fruit (kiwi, citrus, apples; delivered daily) blended into the TMR. Later, she also ensiled the fruit with dry hay in an effort to preserve the fruit before spoilage. Dr. Pinotti notes that he has used cull material from a salad plant as feed as well.  (44:31)Dr. Dou reports that one-third of food produced for human consumption never makes it to the human stomach. Globally, it's estimated that 1.6-1.9 billion tons of food are lost and wasted each year. The panel talks about the biggest challenges keeping us from using more former food products in livestock feeding. (50:54)Panelists share their take-home thoughts. (59:51)Please subscribe and share with your industry friends to invite more people to join us at the Real Science Exchange virtual pub table.

This episode's guests were speakers on a Hot Topic Panel titled “Farm Management for the Future - Managing for Health, Welfare, and Performance” at the 2025 ADSA annual meeting. Dr. Nelson gives some background on how the Hot Topic Panel idea came to be and introduces the rest of the guests. (1:07)Dr. Devries describes his research program in dairy cattle behavior and nutrition, particularly using behavior as a metric for understanding nutrition and housing management and using automated tools. He has particular expertise in automated milking systems. He envisions incremental adoption of various automated tools to replace human labor in the manufacturing of milk. He predicts this will manifest not only in automated or robot systems, but also in increased automation in a traditional parlor system as well. (5:01)Dr. Boerman, a nutritionist, collaborates with Dr. Amy Reibman, an engineer, at Purdue to research the use of video analytics on dairy farms. Projects include video prediction of cow intake and cow body weight combined with milk production information in an effort to make improvements in feed efficiency. She emphasizes that technology needs to be used across a large number of farms without disrupting the farm. The panel talks about what technologies are currently available, challenges in identifying individual cows, and specific issues created for technology in a dairy farm environment. Dr. Boerman notes that a collaborative effort with colleagues of different expertise leads to the most optimal outcomes. (15:42)Dr. Giordano talks about monitoring systems for reproduction, health, and welfare. Wearable sensors are a good example of a technology that can be used to monitor both reproduction and health, as well as aspects of nutritional management. The goal of many research programs in this area is to touch cows as little as possible, yet intervene as early and intensely as possible with cows who truly need intervention. An intervention could be a treatment to ameliorate or reduce clinical signs, or it could be a preventative intervention that prevents the cow from developing a clinical health disorder. More work is needed to refine algorithms and integrate data, as well as distilling the data into what is most valuable to make the best predictions at the most reasonable cost.  (34:08)The panel further discusses the challenges of data integration, adequate internet and power access on farms, human error for manual data entry, and future training challenges for dairy farm and allied industry employees.(38:32)Panelists share their take-home thoughts. (52:26)Please subscribe and share with your industry friends to invite more people to join us at the Real Science Exchange virtual pub table.  If you want one of our Real Science Exchange t-shirts, screenshot your rating, review, or subscription, and email a picture to anh.marketing@balchem.com. Include your size and mailing address, and we'll mail you a shirt.

Genetic resilience and the dynamics of inbreeding and diversity in dairy breeding. Dr. Maltecca (6:43)The main issues in managing genetic diversity in dairy cattle include inbreeding depression and continuing selection without exhausting the available variability in the population. These are difficult to investigate in a breeding population, as there is not a model algorithm where there is the luxury of designing an experiment. Dairy cattle closely resemble one another, so it is difficult to distinguish between the effect of selection from the effect of drift and the effect of deleterious mutation accumulation in the population. Researchers find proxies to estimate inbreeding and inbreeding depression because we don't have good estimates of dominance effects.Identifying genetic diversity within indigenous and highly commercialized breeds for improved performance and future preservation. Dr. Huson (12:24)Dr. Huson covered four steps of thinking about genetic diversity in cattle: characterization of the genetic diversity, biological understanding of why we should preserve diversity, utilizing our understanding of diversity in breeding programs, and preserving and reassessing diversity over time. Harnessing indigenous African breeds for sustainable dairy production: Opportunities for crossbreeding to accelerate genetic improvement. Dr. Mapholi (16:52)Dr. Mapholi emphasized the importance of tick and disease resistance for the sustainability of the African dairy industry. The indigenous African breeds had been overlooked due to small frame size and the perception they were not suitable for commercial farming, but they have excellent tick and disease resistance. Exotic breeds from the US and Europe struggled with the harsh environment. Crossbreeding indigenous and exotic breeds is allowing for simultaneous improvement in milk production and disease resistance. Genomics is particularly helpful to identify the best candidate breeds for crossing.Genomic- versus pedigree-based inbreeding: 2 sides of the same coin. Dr. Macciotta (24:19)It was thought that genomic selection would help in slowing the increase of inbreeding because we were looking at the DNA of the animal, not their pedigree. However, the traditional top animals were the population from which genomic selection began, and genomic selection shortens generation interval, so inbreeding continues to increase at a faster rate. Genomics offer new tools for investigating inbreeding, but there are 10-15 options to calculate inbreeding, all of which could provide a different answer. With pedigree selection, there is only one measurement of inbreeding. We are still investigating the best method for calculating inbreeding using genomic tools.Managing genetic diversity: Strategies for sustainable livestock improvement. Dr. Baes (27:53)Genomic selection has increased the speed at which animals become more related. There are negative implications of inbreeding, but today, the genetic and economic gains achieved through the current intense directional selection still far outweigh the inbreeding issues. No one knows where the edge of the cliff is, however. Dr. Baes envisions an international system one day where academia, AI companies, and producers all work together to understand and manage genetic diversity in livestock.The panelists discuss key takeaways they got from the other speakers' presentations and give perspectives on the topic of genetic diversity for their particular country and field of study. (34:58)Panelists share their take-home thoughts. (46:10)Please subscribe and share with your industry friends to invite more people to join us at the Real Science Exchange virtual pub table.  If you want one of our Real Science Exchange t-shirts, screenshot your rating, review, or subscription, and email a picture to anh.marketing@balchem.com. Include your size and mailing address, and we'll mail you a shirt.

This month we revisit one of our very early episodes which was released on the 1st December 2023 which was a particularly dry period across most of NSW and other regions. My guest was Neil Moss, a veterinarian and consultant with Scibus. The focus of our discussion was on heifer management in dry times and while we currently have much of southern NSW, Victoria and SA who have been managing very dry conditions for a prolonged period, these conditions are expanding. I am recording this introduction in December 2025 and the forecast in NSW moving towards Feb 2026 when this podcast will be released, is showing expansion of dry conditions further into central NSW and some coastal pockets.Useful resources related to this podcast:·       Farming Forecaster (including instructional videos)·       NSW DPIRD Seasonal Conditions and drought forecast webpage·       Dairy Australia's “Nutritional Strategies” webpage – comprehensive list of feed budgeting and management resources  This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit – further information and resources are available here - Dairy | Department of Primary IndustriesIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageNSW DPI Dairy Newsletter - Connect with us | Department of Primary Industries Transcript hereProduced by Liam DriverThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice.  

Host Scott Sorrell begins the episode by setting expectations for a science-first conversation on chelated trace minerals, noting panelist affiliations while emphasizing that the discussion is grounded in research, not promotion. Stephen Ashmead, Senior Fellow for Chelates with Balchem, shares the origins of chelated mineral technology through Albion Laboratories, founded in 1956 by his grandfather, Harvey Ashmead, after recognizing challenges with mineral absorption. The conversation also introduces Dr. Bill Weiss of The Ohio State University and co-host Dr. Maria Spinola, who brings both veterinary and applied nutrition perspectives to the discussion. (00:08)The panel explains chelated minerals from a chemistry standpoint, describing how organic ligands form stable ring structures around trace minerals, helping protect them from antagonists in feed and water. The discussion also extends beyond dairy into human nutrition, including examples such as magnesium and iron, highlighting how mineral interactions affect absorption across species. (09:20)Dr. Weiss and Dr. Spinola discuss emerging research showing that mineral sources can influence rumen and intestinal microbial populations. The group also explores how inorganic minerals can accelerate the degradation of vitamins A and E in premixes, particularly over time and under heat, whereas organic minerals are largely inert and help preserve vitamin potency. (14:20)The panel acknowledges the difficulty of trace mineral research due to limited biomarkers and subtle performance responses. They emphasize the importance of using averages for forage mineral contributions rather than relying on single samples, and caution against assuming zero mineral supply from forages. (25:00)A candid discussion centers on over-supplementation, with consensus that many diets exceed trace mineral requirements, particularly for copper and vitamins. Dr. Weiss explains the difference between requirements and recommendations, noting that modest safety margins are justified to account for biological variability, but feeding two to three times the requirements increases cost and risk without clear benefit. (37:57)The episode concludes with a warning against “too-good-to-be-true” organic mineral products, explaining why unusually high metal percentages often indicate inferior chemistry. The panelists emphasize that mineral quality, ligand structure and supplier credibility are important in the long term. The panel's final takeaways reinforce feeding minerals thoughtfully, enough to meet needs, but not in excess. Lastly, you need to consider the microbiome effects, vitamin stability and consistency in delivery when feeding these mineral products. (49:41)

In this episode of the Real Science Exchange – Dairy Producer Edition, hosts Scott Sorrell, Balchem and Walt Cooley, Progressive Dairy Magazine, recap a recent Real Producer Exchange webinar featuring Rob and Adrian Diepersloot of Wolf Creek Dairy and WonderCow Nutrition. Rob and Adrian share their family's journey, from Dutch immigrant roots to managing large-scale dairy operations in California and Colorado, and discuss how communication, leadership structure and disciplined decision-making have helped them successfully scale their operation. The conversation also dives into lessons learned from facility design, sustainability initiatives and the launch of a consumer colostrum brand rooted in dairy science. Rob and Adrian introduce themselves and share their family's immigration story and early dairy roots in California, including how prior generations entered the U.S. dairy industry. (1:01) The Diepersloot's tell the story growth on their dairy operations, including expansion in California, the decision to diversify geographically and the opportunity that led them to build Wolf Creek Dairy in Colorado in 2017. (1:29) Rob and Adrian describe how they build and empower a strong leadership team, emphasizing the importance of hiring the right people, expecting managers to think like owners, and conducting efficient and candid meetings that focus on the entire business. (6:25) The conversation shifts to facility design and operational successes in Colorado, including no-headlock systems, sort gates, feed efficiency improvements, and later adopted in California. (9:59) Sustainability initiatives are explored, including methane digesters, power generation, manure management and solar energy projects, with a comparison of approaches between California and Colorado. (11:10) Rob and Adrian share lessons learned from technology challenges, including manure handling systems, activity collars, and feeding infrastructure, and how those experiences shaped future decisions. (15:46) The discussion turns to the origin of WonderCow Nutrition, detailing how academic research on colostrum and personal family experiences led to the launch of a consumer colostrum brand in 2023. (17:47) Rob explains WonderCow's calf-first sourcing commitment, how colostrum is collected responsibly, and what differentiates whole colostrum products from skim-based alternatives. (20:19) The episode concludes with a preview of the exclusive “Back 30” live Q&A, available only to live webinar attendees, and a reminder of upcoming Real Producer Exchange events including the next one on February 17 with Skylar Gericke out of Arizona which will focus on reproduction success and heat stress. (23:23)

The 2024-25 financial year was one of extremes for NSW dairy farmers with extraordinarily wet conditions in the North and significantly dry conditions in the South. Despite these challenges, average profitability on our NSW Dairy Farm Monitor farms was above the long-term average for the 5th year in a row. Average Return on Total Assets managed was 4.3%, down slightly from the previous year of 4.5%. In this episode we discuss factors that impacted these results and look at some of the regional nuances between the North and South group of farms participating in the project. This project is an ongoing collaboration between NSW DPIRD and Dairy Australia and marks the 14th year of DFMP in NSW.Useful resources related to this podcast:·       NSW Dairy Industry Overview 2025 and Snapshot·       NSW Dairy Farm Monitor Project webpage with links to the Annual Report, Regional Summaries and the Interactive DFMP Report·       Dairy Australia's DFMP webpage with links to Annual Reports for all milk producing regions of AustraliaThis podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit – further information and resources are available here - Dairy | Department of Primary IndustriesIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageNSW DPI Dairy Newsletter - Connect with us | Department of Primary Industries Transcript hereProduced by Liam DriverThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

Welcome to the Farmer Rapid Fire on RealAg Radio brought to you by Pioneer Seeds Canada! On today’s show, host Shaun Haney is joined by: John Wiebe of Dykstra Salisbury, NB; Wilco VanMeijl of Rapid City, Man.; Drew Spoelstra of Binbrook, Ont.; Kresten Jorgenson of New Brigden, Special Areas 3, Alta.; and, Pioneer Agronomist Ambrose... Read More

Welcome to the Farmer Rapid Fire on RealAg Radio brought to you by Pioneer Seeds Canada! On today’s show, host Shaun Haney is joined by: John Wiebe of Dykstra Salisbury, NB; Wilco VanMeijl of Rapid City, Man.; Drew Spoelstra of Binbrook, Ont.; Kresten Jorgenson of New Brigden, Special Areas 3, Alta.; and, Pioneer Agronomist Ambrose... Read More

This month we continue the theme of planning, not business planning but farm development planning and approvals. My guest, Wendy Goodburn, a NSW DPIRD Land Use Planner joins us to explain the development and recent release of a fantastic, freely available online tool called myFarmPlanner. myFarmPlanner assists farmers, planners, consultants and local government with the pre-lodgement process for development applications related to on farm developments and upgrades. It is designed for the dairy, horticulture, poultry and agritourism industries in NSW.While this is an audio only podcast and while we can't actually show you what the tool looks like, you can view our recently recorded Dairy Breakfast webinar which was very well received and shows the tool being used live with a NSW dairy farm. A link to the recording is in the show notes and can also be found on the NSW Agriculture YouTube page in the Dairy playlist.Useful resources related to this podcast:·       Dairy Business Breakfast webinar showcasing myFarmPlanner·       myFarmPlanner·       Industry resources for planning and development including “NSW Dairy Development and Environmental Guidelines 2024”, “Farm System Evaluator” tool and the “National Guidelines – Dairy Feedpads and Contained Housing”·       NSW Agricultural Land Use Planning website  This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit – further information and resources are available here - Dairy | Department of Primary IndustriesIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageNSW DPI Dairy Newsletter - Connect with us | Department of Primary Industries Transcript hereProduced by Liam DriverThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

“Plans are worthless, but planning is everything.” This is a quote from Dwight D Eisenhower who was the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe in WWII and also the 34th President of the United States. What he as saying is that a plan is a guide that can often change in the heat of battle, but because there is a plan it means different risks and scenarios have been thought through, you know what your resources, risks and goals are and having thought all this through you now have a foundation or base level that sets out your direction and you can use and adapt this when things change. In the case of a Farm Business Plan, it is also an excellent document to have when communicating within your business and to external parties such as advisers and financiers.My guest this month is Jess Bell, Senior Project Officer with NSW DPIRD's Farm Business Resilience Program who has co-authored a book called Farm Business Planning which has been published by Tocal College and is also available online. We discuss the importance of a Farm Business Plan, when you should develop one, who should do it, what it contains, why you should have one and how it can be used, as well as providing you with lots of resources to help you through the process and set your business up for future success.Useful resources related to this podcast:·       Order your “Farm Business Planning” book and access free templates·       Dairy Standard Chart of Accounts·       Dairy Cash Budgeting Tool | Dairy Australia·       Farm Business Resilience ProgramThis podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit – further information and resources are available here - Dairy | Department of Primary IndustriesIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageNSW DPI Dairy Newsletter - Connect with us | Department of Primary Industries Transcript hereProduced by Liam DriverThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

CMAB and VentureFuel spotlight 14 standout dairy startups driving growth and sustainability.

Farm businesses in some parts of NSW have experienced some very challenging weather events throughout 2025 including ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred in March and the East Coast Severe Weather event in May. When disasters of this scale occur and they are declared a severe weather event, the NSW Rural Assistance Authority (RAA) is the agency that administers funding made available by the state and federal governments. In this episode my guests introduce us to the RAA, its history, and its role in administration and distribution of funds. We also discuss two types of loans made available to provide assistance with natural disasters and also drought preparedness and touch on farm debt mediation.Useful resources related to this podcast:·       RAA website - NSW Rural Assistance Authority (RAA)·       Phone 1800 678 593 (Monday to Friday from 8:30am – 4:30pm)·       NSW DPIRD Dairy – Emergencies and risk management web page - Emergencies and risk management | Department of Primary Industries This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit – further information and resources are available here - Dairy | Department of Primary IndustriesIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterTranscript hereProduced by Liam DriverThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Farm Link Hawaiʻi's Claire Sullivan on the recent announcement that it will be carrying fresh milk from Hawaiʻi's last dairy farm, Cloverleaf Dairy, on Hawaiʻi Island; Bahman Sadeghi, who bought the Meadow Gold processing plant on Hawaiʻi Island five years ago, discusses the history of Hawaiʻi's dairy business.

What is over-capitalisation, what does it look like on a dairy farm and how does it impact your business performance? It is important to be aware of how over-capitalisation can add to your business's cost of production – adding to both cash and non-cash costs.This month, updates have been provided on average depreciation and interest costs as we revisit one of our very early podcast episodes. The content and insights provided by Jake are as relevant today as they were in 2021.Useful resources related to this podcast:·       Jake Musson (Dairy Australia) – NSW System Performance presentation (~19:20 minute mark for ‘Plant and equipment vs. Depreciation) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLb7Z2DU6fI ·       Tower of Resilience (John Mulvany)·       Farm Business Snapshot calculator·       NSW Dairy Farm Monitor reports This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit – further information and resources are available here - Dairy | Department of Primary IndustriesIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageNSW DPI Dairy Newsletter - Connect with us | Department of Primary Industries Transcript - HereProduced by Liam DriverThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

How do you tell if your dairy business is heading in the direction you want it to? Is it ‘gut sense' or can you quantify it? MiniMilkBiz is a tool that we have recently updated that allows you to generate some rich physical and financial reports to see how your milking herd is currently performing. This episode explains MiniMilkBiz, what information is required and outlines the two key reports that are generated. The show notes contain a link to download the tool from our website.Learn more:MiniMilkBizDairy Standard Chart of AccountsDairyBaseThis podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit – further information and resources are available here - Dairy | Department of Primary IndustriesIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageNSW DPI Dairy Newsletter - Connect with us | Department of Primary Industries Transcript here Produced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

Now in its seventh year, the Real California Milk Excelerator has become a powerhouse for commercializing breakthrough dairy innovations. With over 60 startups and 100+ mentors participating to date, the program continues to elevate the dairy category by fueling scalable, consumer-ready products. In this episode, Bob Carroll, CEO of the California Milk Advisory Board, shares what's new in the program and why dairy is having a major moment. From wellness trends to sustainable innovation, Carroll reveals how legacy industries can stay ahead through bold thinking and fresh partnerships. If you're into food innovation, scaling startups, or future-proofing traditional sectors, you don't want to miss this conversation. For founders go to www.realcamilkexcelerator.com to apply by Aug 4, 2025.

Producing milk with less lactose – why might this be important? Our guest this month is Juan Garguilo, one of my NSW DPIRD colleagues. Juan has been involved in a number of research projects as part of the NSW Dairy Up R& D initiative and if you are a long-term listener of this podcast, you will have heard his Argentinian accent before!Juan, in conjunction with other well known dairy researchers, Professor Yani Garcia (University of Sydney) and Russ Hovey (University of California – Davis) has analysed the lactose content in milk – lactose being a milk solid that you don't normally hear too much about. Understanding and manipulating lactose content of milk may have farm level and industry level benefits as described by Juan in discussion with Zita Ritchie in this podcast.Project Update – Producing Milk with less lactose  DairyUp website Journal of Dairy Science paper This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit – further information and resources are available here - Dairy | Department of Primary IndustriesIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land Services Please share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include;NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageNSW DPI Dairy Newsletter - Connect with us | Department of Primary Industries Transcript hereProduced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

We are now entering milk pricing season in the Australian dairy industry, which means there will be plenty of headline news as we head into milk processors announcing prices on the 1st June as required under the mandatory Dairy Code of Conduct.Joanne Bills, Director of the Global Insights team with Ever.Ag (Freshagenda) outlines their forecast around milk pricing with particular reference to the NSW industry and we also discuss some of the implications of the Trump Administration's tariff announcements on the Australian dairy industry.  Milk Value Portal (MVP) Fresh Agenda Quarterly Insights Report (MVP)Farmgate Milk Value tool (MVP - calculator)This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit – further information and resources are available here - Dairy | Department of Primary IndustriesIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageNSW DPI Dairy Newsletter - Connect with us | Department of Primary Industries Transcript hereProduced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

Over 170 dairy farms across SE QLD and the North Coast of NSW were impacted by severe flooding and wet conditions as a result of Tropical Cyclone Alfred in early March this year, 2025. This resulted in losses of power, pasture and crop and other feed losses, for some farms a period of time where milk was unable to be picked up and infrastructure damage on farm and off farm such as land slips impacting road access to farms. Herd health is always a major issue in this situation and this month we focus particularly on the impact of mastitis, lameness and the conditions for people on the farm. While the floods have receded, the management of these conditions continues and I am very pleased to have veterinarian Dr Mark Humphris and Riverina dairy farmer, Ruth Kydd join me in discussion today. NSW Rural Assistance Authority – Natural Disaster Transport SubsidyNSW Rural Assistance Authority – Natural Disaster Relief LoanQLD Freight subsidies for disaster affected Primary Producers - Freight Subsidies for Disaster Affected Primary Producers QLD | business.gov.au QLD Rural & Industry Development Authority – Disaster Assistance Loan - Disaster Assistance Loans | Queensland Rural and IndustryQLD Rural & Industry development Authority – Disaster Assistance (Essential Working Capital Loan) - Disaster Assistance (Essential Working Capital) Loan |Fact sheets – Dairy Australia:“Managing Lameness in Wet Conditions” and “Mastitis Control in Wet Conditions”This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit – further information and resources are available here - Dairy | Department of Primary IndustriesIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageNSW DPI Dairy Newsletter - Connect with us | Department of Primary Industries Transcript hereProduced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

A dairy farm in Tasmania's north west was named the state's Dairy Business of the Year at an awards ceremony overnight in Launceston.

Too hot, too dry, too wet - seasonal conditions can be challenging to manage for those on the land. Forecasting for the season ahead can be difficult but is important when planning what you will do now or in the coming months. The NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development's Climate team have some excellent freely available resources including a recently released Drought Forecasting tool. Kel Langfield and Jen Wurtzel from the team step us through these tools and how they can be used by farmers and their advisors. Please use the links in the show notes to access these tools and other information, noting that the State Seasonal Update report is released at the beginning of the month and the drought forecast maps are updated twice a month.Email the team: seasonal.conditions@dpird.nsw.gov.au  DPIRD Climate webpageState Seasonal Update  Drought forecastCombined Drought IndicatorFarm Tracker AppMy Farm DashboardSurvey - Have Your SaySeasonal Conditions Information PortalClimate DogsBoM OutlooksClimate Forecasts and MonitoringSeasonal Climate Forecasts in Australian Agriculture Case StudiesDrought Hub   LLSThis podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit – further information and resources are available here - Dairy | Department of Primary IndustriesIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterTranscript hereProduced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

 Are you a farmer or interested party looking to undertake a development on your dairy farm? Planning farm developments is complex and involves planning and assessment requirements which can be tricky to navigate. This month my colleague Zita Ritchie discusses the recent release of the NSW Dairy Development Guidelines with Clare Fitzpatrick who is a renowned and respected planning consultant within the dairy industry. The guidelines are designed to help anyone involved in decision making around planning, design, construction and operation of a dairy development. They also contain an excellent farmer checklist highlighting key areas to consider when planning a development and a checklist for a development application. A link to the guidelines is provided in the show notes.  NSW Dairy Development and Environmental Guidelines 2024 - New developments and facilities | Department of Primary Industries This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit For more information visit Dairy | Department of Primary Industries It is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land Services Please share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.com Further NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include: NSW DPI Dairy Facebook page DPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feed NSW DPI Dairy Newsletter Connect with us | Department of Primary Industries Transcript here Produced by Video Lift The information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

The 13th year of the Dairy Farm Monitor Project in NSW was one in which strong milk prices managed to hold gross farm incomes relatively stable. Increases in operating costs reduced average Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) relative to the previous year, with the most noticeable impact coming from purchased feed costs.On average, profits for the 36 NSW Dairy Farm Monitor Project (DFMP) participants remained strong at $2.12/kgMS and above the long-term average of $1.36/kgMS, for the fourth consecutive year. This translates to an average return on total assets of 4.5%.  This month I discuss the ups and downs of NSW DFMP relative to the previous year with my colleague Zita Ritchie, including some commentary on the GHG emissions profile of the group of farms.NSW DFMP Annual Reports, Regional Infographics and Interactive ReportNSW DPIRD “NSW Dairy Industry Overview”Previous podcasts related to economics of intensive dairies:Episode 27 “Intensive Dairies – Drivers of Adoption and Profitability”Episode 39 “Intensive Dairying – Profitability and Risk Insights”This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit It is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterTranscript hereProduced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

This week's guest is James Higgins from Co Wexford. James studies Dairy Business in University College Dublin (UCD) and recently won an award and bursary – sponsored by the Irish Farmers Journal – for work experience he competed in New Zealand. James was on 2,500-cow farm in the South Island for six-months. We discuss going form Gorey to New Zealand, lessons he brought back to the home farm and his plans to go back to the South Island after college, before coming home to farm. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Very hot – that is the forecast for the summer ahead. Heat has immediate impacts on the performance of our dairy herd and pastures, but it also impacts other industries we rely on such as the broadacre cropping industry. Extensive work has been undertaken by the NSW Department of Primary Industries Climate Vulnerability Assessment program and also our own Dairy Unit through the Storm and Flood Industry Recovery Program to understand what the on farm climatic impact will be in NSW dairying regions by 2050. Our guests this month, James Lawson – Project Officer with the Climate Vulnerability Assessment team and Blake Cheer from the Dairy Unit explain the outlook for the coming 25 years, what we are likely to see and how we can start to manage these conditions on farm and share some useful resources to help inform your decision making now and into the future.Climate Vulnerability Assessment websiteTHI Forecasting Tool (Northern Australia Climate Program)NSW State Seasonal UpdateThis podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory UnitIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterTranscript hereProduced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

Feed costs are the highest operational costs in a dairy business, so it is vital that we manage these well in order to enhance our farm's profitability. We are currently well into a somewhat m­ild spring here, in most regions of New South Wales, so thought it would be a good opportunity to revisit some earlier podcast episodes on key aspects of profitable pasture management and silage making.The extracts come from a couple of very popular episodes and even though they are a couple of years old, the messages and key principles discussed are as relevant as ever.The first episode was Episode 3 – Lowering total feed costs with good spring pasture management with NSW agronomists Josh Hack and Peter Beale. Aspects such as the importance and economics of nitrogen use and the principles of good grazing management to help capture true pasture surpluses are discussed. Please note that urea prices discussed in this episode were from a couple of years ago when urea prices were abnormally high.The second episode comes from Episode 24 – The economics of silage making with agronomist Neil Griffiths. It follows on logically from the previous episode. Neil highlights the importance of timing when making silage in relation to producing high quality and profitable silage. This includes capturing silage with high energy content and minimising wastage.Links to the original episodes have been included in the show notes for this episode which include links to some very useful resources.Podcast links:Podcast Episode 3 - Lowering total feed costs with good spring pasture managementPodcast Episode 24 - The economics of silage makingThis podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory UnitIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterTranscript hereProduced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

Late in 2023, a group of dairy farmers from across NSW were interviewed about their experiences, decisions made, support networks and lessons learnt following a number of recent natural disaster events, including the 2021-2022 floods. Tori Alexander (DPIRD) and Nikki Reichelt (University of Melbourne) share some of the findings from these interviews and the key challenges and successes observed.  For further information on the interview findings and products take a look at the Storm and Flood Industry Recovery Program (SFIRP) webpage, or the DPIRD Dairy webpage as resources become available.This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPIRD Dairy Business Advisory UnitIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPIRD Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:NSW DPIRD Dairy Facebook pageDPIRD Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPIRD Dairy NewsletterTranscript hereProduced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

Did you like this episode? Send us a text message and share your thoughts!We all know that on a dairy farm, it's very easy to go from zero to 50 in the blink of an eye – but nothing is more important than saving a life or preventing an injury. In this episode of Cow-Side Conversations, Matt Carr, a third-generation dairy farmer from Westmoreland County, opens up about a farm safety accident where he lost the fingers on his left hand. He describes how quickly the accident happened, what the physical and mental recovery process was like, and the lessons he learned through the incident. Their dairy operation is a true family business with some additional Spanish-speaking employees. Matt shares how developing clear protocols for their workforce, while always remembering to have fun, is one of their top priorities. He also compares running a dairy business to the years he spent running marathons – and shares how keeping your mind in the right spot is key to working toward your goals. 

NSW dairy farmer Brad Winzer shares his journey, moving their well-established family farm from Northern Victoria to the Mid Coast of New South Wales – the reasons why, the differences between farms and the challenges they faced. He outlines the key support people he uses in the business, how he manages and monitors the performance of the business, and the things he focusses on to drive a profitable farm performance.This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory UnitIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterTranscript here Produced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

This month's episode focuses on a project looking at intensive dairy systems in Inland NSW and Northern Victoria over the last 7 years. This has provided the industry with quality foundational information on the profitability, cost structures and risks of these systems. Claire Waterman from Agriculture Victoria and Sheena Carter (NSW DPI) led the project for their respective regions and were recently interviewed for a Rural Bank podcast called “Beyond the Farm Gate”. A big thank you to Rural Bank who have kindly allowed us to use the recording to share the project findings via this podcast. Links to useful resources related to this podcast:Project Report and Case Studies Intensive Farm Systems Economics | Dairy AustraliaThis podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory UnitIt is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land ServicesPlease share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.comFurther NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:NSW DPI Dairy Facebook pageDPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feedNSW DPI Dairy NewsletterTranscript hereProduced by Video LiftThe information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

Nosipho Radebe speaks to Hoven Meyer, Group Manager at Nestlé ESAR Agric Services See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Charles O'Donnell, Breifne O'Brien and Stella Meehan bring you the biggest stories of the week in Irish agriculture from Agriland, which this week includes:Revenue guidance on VAT refunds and reactionMost popular sire breeds in sucklersKilkenny based dairy business with 470 cows sold for €1.45mInter-county footballer and farmerSheep Shearing Championships MountbellewDon't forget to rate, review and follow The Farming Week, Agriland's weekly review of Irish agriculture, and visit Agriland.ie for more.

Jay Truitt, Andrew Henderson and Trent Loos take the situation in front of us in Texas and what the impacts may be.

In this episode of the Ducks Unlimited podcast, host Katie Burke is joined by Wes Dillon, an independent consultant for the firearms industry, and Josh Loewensteiner, Fine Arms Division Head with Guyette and Deeter. They discuss the G&D Fine Sporting Arms Auction and the enthusiasm in the market for high-quality sporting guns. Wes and Josh share their background growing up in a hunting and outdoor environment and joining the Fire Arms industry. Wes shares the story of when the legendary gun, Bo Whoop was found and auctioned. The trio also discuss some interesting parts of American fire arms history. www.ducks.org/DUPodcast

Since 2020, the Dairy Business Innovation Alliance has released five different rounds of grant money to dairy businesses across several states, including Wisconsin. The money totals more than $6 million dollars. One of the dairy businesses here in Wisconsin to get awarded a few of these grants is Alpinage Artisan Cheese in Oak Creek, just 10 minutes south of Milwaukee. Founder Orphee Paillotin has a unique story of how he came to be a Wisconsin cheesemaker and how the Dairy Business grants from DBIA have been instrumental in moving the cheesemaking forward. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host of DairyVoice podcast, Connie Kuber of Sealpro Silage Barriers, talks with Helen Korzek about the management of nutrition, repro, animal care and crops evaluated on dairy farms. Helen Korzek is with GPS Dairy Consulting and she discusses the importance of combining local talent with immigrant talent. GPS is a dairy consulting company with a broad offering of services, tools, and expertise for the dairy business. This human resources level podcast is a must-listen.

Especially during this month of giving and gratitude, being able to work alongside your family and serve your community at the same time is one of the most satisfying parts of dairy farming. To kick off Season 3 of Cow-Side Conversations, Jennifer Orr of Harmony Acres in Fayette County, Pennsylvania shares what sparked her family to enter the value-added space and begin bottling milk from their 170-cow herd. She reflects on their community's strong desire for a local food source, pandemic-related challenges, creative partnerships and products that were born along the way, and the memories she has built with her family throughout this journey.

In this episode, Ashlie talks about succession planning, employee retension, and work place harassment and how these topics are of vital importance to your business. Ashlie Johnson, PHR is an accomplished HR Manager and Consultant with over 20 years of experience in Human Resources. Working as corporate HR for 14 years in a multitude of industries, heavily in dairy, Ashlie saw a need for HR consulting and support and created Brooke Human Resource Solutions as a way to be the support that those business needs. You can find out more at: http://www.brookehrs.com/

On this Progressive Dairy Podcast, Peggy Coffeen sits down with Jay Joy, founder of Milk Money LLC, to learn how defining executive level roles within a dairy can propel the business forward, and how an outside perspective can lead to long-term viability.

The dairy industry relies on truckers to get milk from the farm to the processing plant. People in the industry say while the pandemic exacerbated transportation issues, not having enough milk haulers is a longstanding problem.

The Dairy Business Innovation Alliance is now accepting applications for its Dairy Business Builder Grant. Dairy farmers, entrepreneurs, and processors in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin are eligible to apply.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SEASON TWO! We made it to 2022 and for our first episode of the year Jarron, Mark, and Kevin were able to sit down with Dale and Colleen Mattoon, the owners of Pine Hollow Dairy in Locke, NY. The Mattoons bought their first Percherons in 2012 and have learned a ton in their short ten years as horses owners. Listen in to hear about those who have helped them along the way and learn about their background in the dairy business.Do you have suggestions for future episodes? Do you have ideas of someone we should have join us? Please send us any comments or questions to podcast@naclassicseries.com!