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The next decade of global dairy growth may look very different from the last one. For years, much of the world's additional milk came from pasture-based systems. New Zealand added acres. Production expanded across parts of South America, Australia and Europe. But those regions are not growing the way they once did. Today, the next unit of milk is increasingly coming from grain-fed systems. That shift could put the U.S. in the driver's seat for global dairy markets over the next 5 to 10 years. In this episode of The Milk Check, host Ted Jacoby III and the Jacoby team are joined by Scott Briggs of Bridgecape Commodities. We dive into: Why marginal milk growth is shifting from grass-fed to grain-fed systems What environmental policy and structural inefficiencies mean for European milk production Why China is shifting from building milk supply to creating higher-value dairy products Why the U.S. will need to become a more consistent exporter of butterfat Plus, beef income has helped support dairy farm margins and encouraged producers to breed more cows to beef. What happens if beef prices fall? The cows are ready. The plants are being built. What's next for U.S. dairy? Listen to The Milk Check episode 102: Who Wins the Next Decade of Milk Production? Also available on Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Got questions? We'd love to hear them. Submit below, and we might answer it on the show. Ask The Milk Check Intro commercial [Text not included.] Ted Jacoby III: Coming up on the Milk Check. Ted Jacoby III: You’ve got the U.S. dairy industry now in a position where even the worst-case scenario continues to be a threat for Europe or the rest of the world from a milk supply standpoint. Ted Jacoby III: Welcome to the Milk Check from T.C. Jacoby & Co., your complete guide to dairy markets, from the milking parlor to the supermarket shelf. I’m Ted Jacoby. Let’s dive in. This week, we are excited to have Scott Briggs from Bridgecape Commodities joining us. Scott lives in Australia and really understands what’s going on with dairy markets on that side of the pond. Scott, thank you so much for joining us. We’re excited to have you. Why don’t we start by having you tell everybody a little bit about yourself? Scott Briggs: Thanks very much for the intro, Ted. I’m Scott Briggs, Bridgecape Commodities, based down in Melbourne, Australia and work with a number of Asian and Oceanic consumers to try and understand global dairy markets and try and help them risk manage. Thanks very much for the opportunity to be a part of the podcast. Ted Jacoby III: Scott, thanks for joining us. We’re really excited to have you. We’re gonna have a little bit of a debate: How do U.S. dairy production costs compare to those in New Zealand, Europe, and China today? Do we think the U.S. is building a lasting competitive advantage? And what does that mean for the global dairy market over the next five years? Scott, I’ll start with you. You’re based down under. Do you think the U.S. Is developing a competitive advantage, or do you think New Zealand will continue to be in the driver’s seat? Scott Briggs: It’s a very big topic Ted, but I think the short answer is that yeah, the U.S. is really in a great position to drive global dairy markets over the next 5 to 10 years. One of the major things that’s changed probably since about 2015, we’ve been in a transition period where the marginal milk growth is not coming from a grass-fed system anymore, it’s coming from a grain-fed system. Between 2000 when a lot of global dairy markets started to deregulate and we had falling trade controls and those sorts of things, quotas in the EU eventually coming off, between 2000 and 2015, the marginal milk growth was really coming from a grass-fed system, be it New Zealand growing the number of acres that it planted or the number of acres that it farmed. Places like Uruguay or southern Brazil or Argentina growing quite strongly and other parts of Europe and Australia as well. So that was the driver of the growth, and that’s why we saw that volatility in global dairy markets driving back towards a grass-fed cost of production. But since then, those places have stopped growing and really the next unit of growth or the next liter of growth comes from grains and ultimately that does mean that the U.S. is in a great position to respond to the milk production needs of the world. At the end of the day, you’ve got the greatest exportable surplus of grains and you’ve got a fantastic platform to grow from. That’s the 10,000-foot view of why the U.S. is in the box seat. Ted Jacoby III: You mentioned that even New Zealand is starting to go towards a grain-based system. Could you tell me a little bit more about that? Scott Briggs: I would say that’s pretty incipient, Ted, but there’s certainly steps that are being taken in New Zealand that seem to mirror what Australia’s been doing for probably the last five to 10 years. You have a marginal cost of production that is grain-fed and it’s being led by the U.S. At the moment, if we looked at the margins in the U.S. for a dairy farmer, they’re pretty good given your beef situation. But if you were to remove that beef situation or that beef revenue, you’re probably at a pretty low income over feed cost. But that’s still a highly profitable milk price for a grass-fed system. And a lot of the fixed costs are already being paid off, be it the farmer’s labor the equipment on the farm all of those overheads, they’re already being paid off by a pasture fed system. So, there’s a huge marginal return for that extra liter of milk that comes out of a pasture fed system. If you look at the steps that have occurred in Australia and that are probably starting to come to New Zealand, it is a lot more shared housing in wetter areas, feed pads, dry feed pads. It's certainly not moving to the barn fed system that the States has got. More multiple calvers, if you like, to flatten out that milk curve. A lot more maize silage production, which just stores that little bit better and gives you more dry matter per acre as well. It’s these kind of marginal steps which have occurred a lot in Australia or even in some of our more grass-fed areas, and that are starting to occur in New Zealand. And some of the incentives that are being given, market-wise, in New Zealand to produce that shoulder milk or that additional milk are starting to respond with additional investment on farm. Ted Jacoby III: So, is maybe another way to put it that core pasture-based part of New Zealand dairy farming continues to be very profitable, but any marginal increase in milk production that would come from New Zealand, the cost of that marginal increase is probably the same or more likely probably less than the same marginal increase in milk production in the U.S.? Scott Briggs: Look, I would say that the marginal cost of production out of the States is pretty good. If you think that you’ve already got all the infrastructure paid for and it’s really just an additional growth there. But I think it’s more so the profit margins that sit in a pasture-fed system in New Zealand allow for that investment to try and get that little bit of extra milk as well. So, I wouldn’t say either or are better placed. It’s just that we do have a lot of low-hanging fruit in Oceania, if you like, to start moving into that kind of system. Ted Jacoby III: That makes sense. That makes sense. Mike Brown (2): One thing I think about New Zealand and why the system is the way it has been historically has been your cost of concentrates or grains hasn’t always been as competitive. You lead world price in a lot of cases, and your location makes you very competitive. Your dairymen have more room to pay some of those higher costs for that marginal production. So my question is the strong world price has a fair amount to do, obviously , with everybody’s growth, but in your case when you look at that difference in marginal cost versus that pasture based cost, are you more sensitive to that marginal change in price than maybe some other markets just simply because your feed costs are higher? Scott Briggs: Let’s have a look at world milk prices at the moment. The U.S. at $17 a counterweight, if you like, $16.50, $17 a counterweight. That’s low on your range. On the New Zealand numbers, that’s coming out at a $9.50 dollars per kilo in New Zealand dollars, which is a historically pretty high milk price. So, they do have that ability to just bring in PKE exports. One of the major sources of additional feed or additional milk growth in New Zealand is this palm kernel expeller which comes off of the palm kernel crushing. It’s kinda like soybean meal, if you like that they bring in from Indonesia and other palm kernel or palm crushing countries. Fonterra had placed limits on that for a long period of time because it was affecting the fat composition of the milk. Once they removed those limits, PKE imports went up 20% or 30% almost in one or two years. The last two seasons, New Zealand milk growth has been about 4% or 5% this year, and probably 2% or 3% the year before, so 6 or 7%. Nearly a third to a half of that has come from the additional energy that’s coming in the PKE. So it’s having a huge marginal impact on their growth, and it’s coming at a pretty low cost ’cause it’s a low-cost feed source. So, I think, Mike, going back to your question, they have that ability to grow because there’s such a lot of low-hanging fruit between that grass-fed cost of production, which is already paying for their farm, and the milk price that they’re getting paid, which is actually a marginal cost of production out of the U.S. Mike Brown (2): What kind of world fat price might change their incentive on PKE? We’re seeing a little bit of that here because it’s very expensive here, and people look at their marginal return. It isn’t, of course, near what it was when fat was $2.50. Do you think, depending where that world market settles, will that change the incentive to use PKE? ‘Cause in our case, it’s fat production is the real gain that you get compared to other alternative rations we feed. Scott Briggs: I think it’s seen more as just a bulk source of feed and source of energy- to get the cow up early in the season, Mike, and peak it as high as possible, and then to keep going on the shoulder. It’s a milk solids game rather than a tweak the fat percentage game. At $9.50 they’ll be feeding it. Mike Brown (2): Yes. Scott Briggs: $9.50 a kilo of milk solids they’ll be feeding it. Mike Brown (2): Oh, yes. Yeah. I would be feeding it here, too. Yeah. At that price for sure. Yeah. Ted Jacoby III: My thoughts immediately go to Europe. The U.S. is well-positioned for growth. New Zealand is building off a very profitable base, which insulates them and puts them in a very good position of at least maintaining their position in the global market. Where does that put Europe? Scott Briggs: Europe is an interesting situation where realistically I think that they’re gonna struggle for the main drivers of additional milk production. They seem to be struggling to add any additional land at a reasonable cost, whether it be to the feed base or to the dairy base. That’s obviously being driven by environmental policy, which is very different in Europe than it is say in the U.S. or even Latin America. So I think that they’re gonna struggle at that policy level to be able to keep driving forward. The other thing that does sit within Europe is that we’re only 10 years removed from quota coming off, and so we’re still in that process of losing milk production where we should in the more marginal areas, or from the smaller farms, or from the more marginal land, and trying to drive it into places like Germany or the Netherlands. And so whenever you’ve got a core base of pretty uneconomic sticky milk, it takes a fairly heavy price response to drive change in those farms. So down at the lowish milk prices that we’ve got globally at the moment and I say, I’m happy to debate that point. I think we’re at pretty low milk prices on the range since the end of COVID, particularly with the low feed prices. Where we are at the bottom of the price range, you’re gonna still struggle to get some of these European guys out given the subsidies that they’ve got. But that also means you’re not driving efficiency back into the system. So it feels to me like Europe’s gonna really struggle to meet the global needs and be a quick mover like the States has been. Probably the call-out on that one to me would be Russia. They’ve got probably huge settings if they wanted Russia and the Stans to really grow into dairy production. But it’s not gonna be something that’s being done for the rest of the world. I think it’s gonna be getting done for their part of the world and for China. Ted Jacoby III: Speaking of Eastern Europe, do you think Poland still has a lot of room to grow as well? Scott Briggs: I wouldn’t know the specific micro settings of Poland. It does seem like they are growing pretty well. If you look at the investments that are going into some of the Stans, eventually Ukraine and some of the other parts of the former Eastern Bloc, if you like, it does seem like there’s a lot of investment in Belarus still. It does seem like there’s a lot of investment going in there to help feed parts of the world that longer-term probably aren’t gonna be getting fed by the U.S. Ted Jacoby III: That makes sense to me. With all these different factors, what about China? China’s in a pretty interesting spot from a milk production standpoint. They really increased their milk production three or four years ago, and then more or less stabilized it. Where is their cost of production and where does China go from here? Scott Briggs: Probably the first point to make is that we’ve all learned not to bet against China on dairy production in the last four or five years on milk production in particular. That’s been an incredible rise. And I think the second thing is that lesson to me is then, don’t bet against them and what they might be able to do with the quality of the product, and the investments that they’re making in manufacturing capacity now. There’s a huge push from China to value add, particularly on the protein side, and to then try and drive that down in sales into Southeast Asia and other parts of the world. They’ve obviously got a huge domestic market, but when it comes to starting to grow into things like processed cheese or fat exports or even micellar casein exports and MPC exports, that’s where I think that their next push is gonna be, is trying to move out anything that they don’t need domestically. So it’s not just gonna be bulk whole milk powder, which has been the story of the last two or three years. The structural issue that they’ve got is that their population versus their arable land is just huge. That’s a long-term limiter, if you like, for how much you can push into exports. Ultimately, as their productivity grows and their incomes grow, they’ll be consuming more dairy themselves. The steps that we’ve seen the last four or five years were really about shoring up domestic milk capability so that they weren’t a victim of world markets, and then now they’re trying to value add that milk. They’ve learned the lesson that you don’t grow milk but not grow factories, and they’ve learned the lesson that you don’t grow demand without growing milk. The policy now is, let’s do step changes as productivity rises to drive income rises. I think that they’re gonna be putting a push on certain functional products into Asia But I don’t think that they’re necessarily in a place to be the driver of global milk production because ultimately their cost of production, going back to where you started, Ted, is higher, and it’s structurally higher because of the fact that they just don’t have enough arable land for the population that they’ve got. Ted Jacoby III: But with China doing that and really trying to expand into value add and even trying to export, I gotta believe that’s causing Fonterra and the other New Zealand exporters to really shift their export strategy. What’s happening there? Scott Briggs: When you look at Fonterra, their stated strategy is to basically be a skim protein and fat company. They have recognized that the days of whole milk powder are limited. China went through a period where they went from 500,000 tons of imports pre-COVID to 800,000, and now they’re back down to 500,000 again. They’ve really gone through that boom and during that period, Fonterra’s basically said, “We need to move out of whole milk powder and move back into being a skim and fat company.” And when I say a skim and fat company, a skim protein and fat company. And so, we have seen them push 50 to 70,000 tons more skim into Southeast Asia. But what they’re now starting to do is to value add that skim, similar to what the U.S. is doing: putting on more ultrafiltration in front of dryers, ’cause that’s the highest marginal investment that you can do. Starting to do more MPCs, starting to do more value add on the fat side, as well. There’s been some huge investments in UHT cream which are gonna be going ahead or have already gone ahead and are being launched for this year, which draws fat away from butter and AMF. Overall, their stated strategy is to be a nutrition and food service company. Nutrition: protein-heavy products. Food service: fat-heavy products. And so they’re moving away from that whole milk powder. I think that the next stage for them is to try and drive those two sorts of products into Southeast Asia. Because China itself is already quite a big market for those sorts of products and is probably screaming out for, “How do we not use WPC and WPI?” ‘Cause that’s the highest priced protein in the world right now. So how do we move away from that? I think they’re also trying to help Southeast Asia grow protein as a category. Ted Jacoby III: But based on what you said of China’s strategy, it almost sounds like it means China and New Zealand are going head-to-head in that market in Southeast Asia. Scott Briggs: Yeah. Yeah. I think- And- And look, that’s a 5 to 10-year view. We’re already seeing traditional Fonterra markets or New Zealand markets, Open Country Dairy’s obviously nearly 20% of the market down there now, as well, and are making their own steps towards value-adding fat. So that’s always one to keep in mind. We’re certainly seeing a competition of powder flows and functional product flows from China, including fat, laminated fat, pastry butter, those sorts of things, coming into Southeast Asian markets that were traditionally New Zealand-dominated markets. Diego Carvallo: Going back to China’s milk production, a lot of rumors about a disease in the northwest of China hand, foot, and mouth. Very little information. We have several customers that have asked about it. Without going down the rabbit hole, is there any update in that regards? Scott Briggs: Super important if it were to be a big story. I think that the likelihood of it being a massive story is low at the moment from what I’ve seen at least. The key thing to watch for me in China is always the spot milk price. They’ve got a fantastic not that it’s particularly visible, but they do have a huge trade of liquid milk market between different zones and between companies in specific zones. It’s a little bit like your plus/minus to the Class III. So that spot milk price to me is always the one which tells you: are they having any problems? And it does seem to me like the containment strategy was quite effective early on. Lock down the zones, stop the movement of the cattle. So yeah, it doesn’t look like it, but, it’s a bit of a black box. Diego Carvallo: So, we don’t expect a long-term impact to their production as of right now? Scott Briggs: Not at this stage, but that could change tomorrow. Ted Jacoby III: Everybody, we will be right back after these messages. Diego Carvallo: I’m Diego Carballo with T.C. Jacoby & Co.. T.C. Jacoby & Co. specializes in international dairy markets. For new customers that haven’t done business with Jacoby, I would tell them that we can provide them with many of the powders, dairy products that they consume, not only with the physical product, but we can also help them mitigate their risk. We know dairy. We know the main players. We know the main providers for the whole value chain. We are one of the strongest players in the U.S. market because we have contact all the way from the farmer moving the liquid milk all the way to the end users that buy the end products. I am Diego Carballo with T.C. Jacoby & Co., and we bring dairy to the world. Ted Jacoby III: Josh, I’m gonna put you on the spot. Is the U.S. gonna continue to increase our exports? And if so, who do we increase those exports at the expense of? How is that gonna play out? Josh White: Yes. We’re going to absolutely continue to increase our exports. The most obvious area is where there’s gonna be a need, and that’s fat, at the moment. It’s pretty well-noted that we’ve invested heavily in cheese production, boy, if those new cheese process facilities are running at the moment, they’re happy to have a co-product in whey proteins. Things are looking pretty good at the moment. As a result of that, we’re assuming that anybody who can produce cheese or process cheese is trying to process just as much as they possibly can. As a result of that, it seems pretty eminent that the U.S. will continue to have available cheese for the global consumer. Now we’ll take a look at the protein side. One of the expected results of this protein movement in the U.S., and now again, I wanna clarify this movement because I think there’s a lot of chatter about GLP-1 being the main driver, and I would almost view that as just a catalyst and a reason why the U.S. market might be leading in protein consumption. ‘Cause if you look around the world, this is a health and wellness trend that is not exclusive to the United States, not exclusive to Europe. It’s happening everywhere. We receive inquiries from all over the world, including import regions, for protein. Given the limitation on whey protein availability, one would assume that we’re gonna see quite a migration to milk proteins, and Scott did a great job of alluding to that earlier. We’re finding different ways of concentrating protein and delivering it to the consumer. The result of that, fat’s going to come along with it. I’ve listened to Gus, Mike and the team talk fairly openly about the incredible improvements in components over the past several years from the U.S. dairymen. Scott alluded to component growth in other parts of the world as well. We’re going to have surplus fat, and there’s going to be extra fat beyond what the U.S. consumer can take in, and as a result of that, we’re going to be hungry to capture market share in the global market. Now, you ask, “At whose expense?” And that’s a loaded question in some ways because I think there’s two things going on. I also think fat consumption globally is increasing, maybe not at the rate protein is and maybe not as popular right now, but if you look, ever since the early 2000s when we made this paradigm shift in the U.S. to moving away from the old food pyramid model and moving into this clean label, healthy consumable products, fat no longer was the enemy, and it seems like ever since that happened, the world has also agreed, and we’ve continued to see more clean label dairy fat being consumed per capita globally. So, two things will happen. One is the U.S., we’re in position to grow our milk production more quickly than anywhere else in the world. We have the infrastructure, currently, we have the economics to do that, and we might outpace that fat consumption growth globally. Which means then, yes, we will have to capture some market share. And from who? It, it’s either going to be Europe or Oceania, and I think that’s a seasonal thing. I don’t know that I would point to either single market as being the loser in that, other than that the dairy support and economic situation and the outlook for dairy growth in Europe seems to have more headwinds than the rest of the world. One would assume that they’re a bit more vulnerable, right now, to the U.S. capturing market share. Ted Jacoby III: Joe, what about fat? Joe Maixner: Josh summed it up pretty clearly. We’re going to have to continue to be a net exporter of fat. We’re gonna continue to add fat into our system with all of these high protein demand and these components that just continue to creep higher and higher. We’re not going to consume everything that we can supply. We will have to be a net exporter of fat moving forward until either the supply structurally shifts or we find a different way to utilize it. I agree with Josh and Scott that it’s going to be seasonal dependent on whose expense it comes at because I think that our fat market, our butter market specifically, is going the direction that cheese has gone over the past 15 years, where it becomes almost a cyclical market. We’ll be really competitive, we’ll get a lot of exports on the books, we’ll clean up our inventories, and then our pricing will spike, we will not be competitive on exports for a while, which will develop this surplus of domestic inventory and force us to depress pricing again and go back into the export markets. Josh White: We have a U.S. bias obviously, as we’re looking at the world. The one limitation to U.S. capturing fat market share is the reputation of U.S. fat being quite a bit different. Our commodity butter is an 80% salted butter. Our packaging is different. The visual appearance of our product is different. The flavor profile of our product is a bit different. Up until now, the opportunity for us to capture market share has happened largely in the processing sector as an ingredient to make something else. As of late, we’re starting to realize a little bit more of a win in, say, food service applications in developing markets and other things. From your perspective, how close is the U.S. to penetrating into the food service or retail business in import regions for butterfat? Scott Briggs: Yeah. It’s a good question. I think there’s two parts to that answer. The first is that you break down trade barriers slowly, but it happens. It’s been happening since the start of trade, right?  You know, I do think that there’s the ability to continue educating the consumer to get them comfortable with the product, the appearance of the product. I think I said that to Joe once: U.S. butter, it’s not terrible. It’s a great tagline. But I’m not a marketing guy. It will continue to gain acceptance, I think, Josh. I think the second thing to recognize is that with Fonterra, so New Zealand, trying to put so much fat into food service applications, I think for the point of educating, as you say, what does that mean in Asia and China? It’s not necessarily just butter. UHT cream is just this massive category which keeps on growing in Asia. Asia’s not this singular thing. Like they’re all sub-markets. But as a generalization, bakery is huge through a lot of Southeast Asia China itself. If you travel there, it’s cakes, it’s pastries, it’s a hell of a lot of really nice product. It’s seen as a luxury good if you like and through the supermarkets and convenience stores and everything like that. That’s a huge sector which needs a more functional application. There’s a lot of growth in there. That’s actually leaving behind ingredient markets for U.S. fat, whether that be in Australia or whether that be into Southeast Asia or the Middle East. So that is actually to me, probably the lowest hanging fruit, and it’s what you’ve already seen. So it’s not like you need to necessarily change the spec immediately to go for these applications. It can be just as easily going for what’s been left behind by New Zealand. Just one point that I’d make about whose market share is the U.S. gonna take on certain products? The European milk growth in late last year really does mask the fact that we probably still need U.S. butterfat exports to balance the world market. If you were to take the 100,000 excess tons that Europe made in the second half of last year out of the market, say that was unsustainable milk growth for a period of time, once we eat through that stock, we’ve taken a lot of the U.S. growth, if you like. We’ve absorbed a lot of that growth in what you’ve made, and we needed it. So I do think that we’re going through a process of still eating through those European stocks overall, and that glut that we had, which was driven by two years of fantastically high milk prices. But once we get through that, the global consumer is buying $5,000 butter, and they’re buying $3,000 skim. And that is a price level that’s comfortable in a lot of the world. Mideast is obviously going through a few lumps right now, so we may have some problems on demand in the next six months. But once we get through that and, hopefully the conflict there is over and they return to some kind of growth, we do get to a position where we probably need U.S. fat in the world market. Mike, you made the comment about how well the U.S. farmer is now not feeding for fat, and it does seem like some of that fat component growth at least is slowing. Do you see responsiveness to fat prices significantly, and how can that change the U.S. fat balance of being a reliable or necessary exporter? Mike Brown (2): As far as producer decisions, I’ve had some conversations, particularly with cheese plants, who are seeing some changes and talking with their producers. And some are making some adjustment to ration changing sources, and what those sources are finding is what we’re seeing in the milk supply, protein remains relatively strong and still grows. Fat has slowed down a bit, and most of it is PKE. That seems to be the change. Talking with producers, I had a good conversation, actually, last fall with a very high producing Jersey herd who said that if fat gets below about $1.70, it doesn’t really make sense for him to feed PKE anymore because he isn’t getting enough return from it. I think there’s probably some doing that. Is it broad? I think when the U.S. cows are milking so well, they’re reluctant to make a lot of ration changes that might slow things down. But we’re seeing somewhat on the margin. Will it solve the problem? No, because it’s genetics. It’s the genomics, our selection for fat. There’s so much variability in fat genetics within cattle, particularly Holsteins, that they’ve been able to make huge progress, and of course that’s permanent. So I expect that fat will continue to stay high. So, will we see some moderate fluctuations from time to time? Sure. That market will, I think, have some effect, particularly since they’ve gotten so high. Will our trend change? No. We’ll continue to improve in fat and in protein with time just because genetic selection in the U.S., particularly with sexed semen and genomics, has just gotten so intense that I don’t see that changing. The rate of gain will slow because the base population is higher versus the sires that are being used, but that will continue. We may slow down. We’re not gonna turn around and go the other way. Ted Jacoby III: Awesome. Thanks, Mike. Jacob Menge: I was gonna stir the pot a bit and almost take the other side by saying I have a degree in economics, so I succumb to liking to pretend that free trade is how everything works in the world. And it doesn’t. And I think we’re pretty clearly going down this path of almost a bifurcated world of trade relationships. And I really think it would be a mistake to ignore that moving forward, especially with Russia potentially being able to supply China in the future. We’re almost taking for granted that everyone is gonna buy from the most efficient producer in the world, and we’re really going into this kind of tumultuous geopolitical landscape that it feels like we’re probably ignoring. I don’t think that changes the fact that the U.S. is still gonna have to export. We’re producing more than we’re gonna consume. We’re not gonna let the product rot. We’re probably not gonna shut down all these nice facilities we just built. But it does make me question what price we are going to be getting when we go to export the products. What happens to the basis on those export sales? There’s a big geopolitical issue when it comes to a lot of the analysis we’ve just been doing. Scott Briggs: How much of the cake is baked? How much growth are we guaranteed to see on U.S. milk supply in the next two to three years, and cheese supply, just as a function of these investments that have already been made? How much of the world trade has already bifurcated? China’s getting it from New Zealand. Okay, that could break. I could see that breaking. I could see the Middle East possibly breaking, like you’re already seeing Iran getting certain product from Belarus or you already seen China get part of it. So there could be massive breakages in there, you’re right. The challenge is if we were to stop trading between Russia, the ‘Stans, and China, if that became one zone and we all became the other zone, like the two biggest linkages are the Middle East and New Zealand, and you probably do flood the market if you were to stop that. Who would get hurt in that scenario? It’s probably Europe. It’s Gonna be a race to the bottom to try and kill some of the highest cost milk production. Yeah, how much of the cake is baked? Ted Jacoby III: I would say it is pretty baked. But I think of it more in terms of between the current trends we’re seeing and how sticky we suspect they are from a breeding-to-beef standpoint, specifically cattle supply, beef cattle supply, and being able to continue to supply the beef market with beef, I think we’re gonna continue to see some really good returns to dairy farmers breeding to beef, which means they are going to resist and be pretty resistant even when the milk price is low to reducing the number of cows in the U.S. That’s number one. That puts in a really hard floor. In addition to that, those dairy farmers, especially the really big ones, are making really good money when you add the beef income on top of the milk income, and they’re looking to continue to expand as a result. So, in terms of the capacity that’s already added, they’re gonna fill it up. In terms of the additional capacity, which, let’s just put it this way: Over the last two to three years, we’ve had a lot of new capacity. Over the next couple of years, we will continue to have additional capacity added, but at a lower rate than what we just saw, but it’s all gonna get filled up. I don’t think we’re gonna have a problem over the next three to five years filling the capacity that we build because I think that the income situation for the dairy farmer in the U.S., it’s just in a really good spot. Even if you take, what’s our worst-case scenario from a milk revenue standpoint? Whey protein prices collapse. We produce so much milk that butter prices stay low, nonfat prices stay low, cheese prices stay low. All that means is we’re just gonna be that much more competitive in the global market, and I think our overproduction is probably gonna hurt Europe more than it’s actually gonna hurt the U.S. Josh White: I’ll just maybe add to it that, the most obvious way that the U.S. has invested is to add a lot of cheese processing capacity over the past few years, massive investments. People are well aware of it. But the aggregate of all of the incremental expansions and all of that has been really significant as well. It feels almost imminent right now that we were already investing in dairy growth before the beef on farm income reached a level that it’s at today, and it just doesn’t feel like that’s going to change any time in the near future. And as a result of that, it only maintains or accelerates that desire to make more milk. We were having conversations 24 months ago about how would we have the heifers to grow the herd? How would we do this? We found a way to grow the herd. The component growth outperformed expectations, and it’s only been more consistently profitable because the revenue stream’s been spread across more things. So we’re gonna have milk, and if we’re gonna have milk, we’re going to figure out a way to process that milk. And so far, there must have been some really good foresight to do that and build all of this cheese processing capacity to absorb it up till now, and we’ve got a little runway left to continue to fill them up. But there’s conversations at every major place about how do we extend our put-through and extend our yield by shipping more condensed skim, by processing more UF milk products, by… I can go on and on. I don’t know if it’s exactly what you were asking, but are we done in investing in our ability to process more milk? I don’t believe so. The next move had to have already been thought about and has to be under construction. We’re years out from the one after that. I think there’s plenty that are thinking about the next move. Mike Brown (2): It’s kinda like the beef has created this amazing revenue stream for dairy producers in the U.S., and our use of sexed semen and beef selection has just improved that. Same with whey proteins and plant profitability. With these very high whey protein isolate and whey protein concentrate prices, even at a 70-cent whey market, your margins on your whey proteins are very high, which gives those plants a little more room to grow. But I think the other part is: we’ve always talked about growth in cheese, the milk proteins are growing, too, and as whey protein prices get higher, manufacturers and product developers are figuring out ways to use lower-priced dairy protein alternatives, and that market’s gonna grow as well. How much milk do we have left to dry into whey? How much milk are we gonna have left to dry into powder if those markets continue to grow? We don’t think they’re done yet. We think that growth is there. Will these prices stay where they are forever? Probably not, but the demand seems to be continuing to grow. Part of it isn’t will we grow our plants, it’s also what will we be making in those plants? Are we gonna be making more focus on other protein products than just cheese? Ted Jacoby III: I think one of the most ironic things about milk production in the U.S. right now is the fact that the biggest danger, the thing that would hurt the dairy farmer the most right now, is actually not milk cost. It’s beef price. What would happen if the beef price collapses to the point where breeding the beef is no longer profitable? We’re going to double the amount of dairy heifers we start producing. You know how that plays out? That plays out by, right now the number of lactations out of a cow has gone from two to three to four, which is decreasing the rate of increase of the components in the milk because you’re turning over a smaller percentage of your herd every year. All you’re gonna do is speed that up. So maybe our milk production plateaus or even drops a little bit, but the components in the milk increase will speed up as a result. You’ve got the U.S. dairy industry now in a position where even the worst-case scenario continues to be a threat for Europe or the rest of the world from a milk supply standpoint. Mike Brown (2): We look at the percentage of milk in the U.S. that is now produced by these extremely efficient, very well-managed, very well-leveraged herds, and so our susceptibility is less. It’s kinda like we’re going through a heat wave right now, Scott, and everybody says, “What’s that gonna do to milk?” A whole lot less than it used to because of the controlled environments of our modern barns. We’ve done a lot and kinda like I think in a lot of industries, we’ve had some good profitability, people have made investments for the long term. And when you make big investments for the long term, you don’t usually turn around. You’re committed to being in the business. I think the biggest thing for us, in my mind, is for years we’ve been looking at the whey and dry milk markets, exports are a huge part of those sales. Cheese is growing, and we’ve reached a point with cheese where those export sales are becoming more and more important, and so how do we sustain them over time? What do we need to do? I think a good example, Joe’s been working a lot with our opportunities in butter over the last few years and working with folks that we work with and what do I need to make to take best advantage of those export markets? We’ll continue to do that as well. We’re just thinking a lot more world demand than just, “I need to make a 40-pound block of cheddar and who will buy it?” We’re trying to think a little harder than that now. Scott Briggs: Mike, you touched on if we’d had the milk production growth that we’ve had in the last two years 10 years ago, we would’ve wiped out certain pieces of milk production around the world. The market would not have absorbed that level of additional product. Now, we certainly had a period in October, November, December last year, where things got uneconomic in certain part of the world, and we didn’t last. Because ultimately, the demand shone through and, having listened to the podcast, protein demand and that protein story is a huge part of that in the States. That, to me, is a trend that’s really only beginning around a lot of the other parts of the world. It can go underestimated from your side of the world. You guys are the vanguard in that. You’re the leaders in it. You’ve got the category. China’s got a great category in this area and is making some huge investments in it. But, we’ve just seen here in Australia and in Southeast Asia some massive investments from European companies into cottage cheese, into ready-to-drink categories with the principal idea of exporting them to Asia. And, that growth model into developing markets is always put a high price product in there that’s branded from a developed market, and then grow the category with the local champion. You get an imported product, it looks sexy and it looks great, and it’s like a luxury product, and then you grow the category by producing a lower price point product to try and then get the local population really going for it. And so that’s just started. The other thing that’s really hot in different parts of Asia is, funnily enough, processed cheese for food service. It’s a really quickly growing category. It’s a category that gets a lot of interest. We’ve spent a lot of time on the point of does the U.S. have a competitive advantage for supply, in this kind of changing world. I think one of the biggest pieces of competitive advantage that the States has is its ability to grow an export pathway. It’s a mindset; it’s a trade infrastructure, as well, with government relations and everything like that allows you to grow into world markets in a way that probably a lot of other places don’t have. If we’ve got a growing demand, and I made this point before, we might see a few lumps here, mainly because of the Middle East, right? The Middle East looks a little bit overbought, looks a little bit quiet. Southeast Asia’s having a few little hiccups with changes in Indonesia and some of their currency devaluation, like these sort of short-term issues. But longer term, it’s very comfortable for a Southeast Asian consumer buying $2,800 to $3,200 skim and $5,000 butter. These are price points that work now, which never worked before, that’s the growth price point now. I do think that we’re going to have a situation where the world market is gonna be the next engine for some of the growth in protein demand and fat demand as well. Tristan Suellentrop: Scott, being based in Australia, I’d be interested to hear your perspective on the potential super El Niño that was confirmed this week. How does that factor into your outlook for dairy production in Oceania over the next year or two? And how concerned should producers in Australia and New Zealand be if it develops as forecasted? Scott Briggs: So it’s a very detailed topic. The El Niño indicator that everybody looks at is the Southern Oscillation Index, which is screaming El Niño at the moment. The reality is that what impacts Australia and New Zealand is not just the El Niño. It can be a major impact, but we’ve also had years where it has had no impact, and probably even at a similar level of El Niño indicator. And the reason for that is the El Niño obviously talks about what’s happening out in between South America and Asia, so that pressure, but our weather system, particularly in our dairy regions, is just as impacted by how much moisture is exiting Antarctica and moving north, into the southern parts of Australia, which are our heavy dairy regions, and also into New Zealand. The other weather system that impacts our dairy production during spring and our moisture levels is how much tropical cyclone activity is actually exiting the Pacific Islands and moving down into the North Island of New Zealand, which really doesn’t have a lot to do with El Niño either. The key point is that, right now El Niño, yeah, it’s a real phenomenon, but it’s not the only thing that’s gonna impact Oceania. when you look back at the history, which we have, some years it’s a really important thing, and other years you can have a fantastic spring in what seems to be an El Niño year. The other point that I’d make is that we have fantastic moisture right now. We’re getting huge rainfalls through Australia particularly, but also in New Zealand, which are really recharging things over winter. Economics would also mean that we’ve all got a fair bit of silage buffered away from the last 12 months of good weather. So I don’t think, at this stage, we’re seeing anything that’s like a huge impact on Oceanic dairy, but it’s very early. The thing that we’re all gonna need to watch out for is how much does it rain, particularly in New Zealand in December. New Zealand in December, January, that’s really when we have to start looking at what might happen. Ted Jacoby III: Cool. All right. Scott, this was a fantastic discussion. Thank you so much for joining us. Really appreciate your insight and your expertise in what’s going on the other side of the pond. Thank you.  Thank you. Lockhart, thank you very much. Cheers, guys. Next time on The Milk Check. Will Loux: The U.S. exports as we go forward here over the next few years is at a crossroad. Do we swing back to balancing to milk fat, which would mean we’re probably short of protein? Or do we start balancing to protein, which means we’re gonna need to find homes for a heck of a lot more cheese and butter. Ted Jacoby III: Join us and our special guest, Will Loux from the U.S. Dairy Export Council as we discuss the future of U.S. dairy exports. Ending commercial: The best part of my job is working directly with cheesemakers and helping their businesses run better because they make wonderful, great products. Anything we can do to make them more successful not only helps them, but helps Jacoby. We look at how milk flows through their plant, what their real cost of products are, so when they’re making marketing decisions, making new investments, particularly on whey processing, they have a benchmark to use to determine what opportunities they have and what the returns would be. Whey has become so valuable with these high-protein markets. There’s added value that they can get by just condensing it, and maybe moving further down the supply chain in the longer term, making products themselves. My role is to help them cost that so they have a better understanding of what the opportunities can be. Longer term, we expect the whey protein market to remain very valuable. For one part of the supply chain to be successful, everyone has to be, and part of my role is trying to help people be as competitive as they can possibly be. My superpower is practical application of data and analysis. I believe firmly that Jacoby’s success is because we help our suppliers and our buyers be successful. I’m Mike Brown, and I love working for T.C. Jacoby & Co. because I get to help people make their businesses more successful.

Brad shares preliminary results from a University of Minnesota study examining feed intake, methane emissions, and feeding behavior in Holstein and crossbred dairy heifers. Using precision feeders, methane-monitoring equipment, and activity sensors, the research team compared Holsteins with ProCROSS and GrazeCross heifers.The early findings show that methane production generally increased with feed intake. Smaller GrazeCross heifers consumed less feed and produced less methane and carbon dioxide, while ProCROSS heifers had the highest feed intake. However, methane produced per unit of dry matter intake did not differ significantly among the breed groups.Brad also discusses how often heifers visited the feed bunk, how much time they spent eating, and what sensor data revealed about rumination and activity. These preliminary results highlight how body size, breed, and feeding behavior may influence heifer management and environmental efficiency.Questions, comments, scathing rebuttals? -> themoosroom@umn.edu or call 612-624-3610 and leave us a message!Linkedin -> The Moos RoomTwitter -> @UMNmoosroom and @UMNFarmSafetyFacebook -> @UMNDairyYouTube -> UMN Beef and Dairy and UMN Farm Safety and HealthInstagram -> @UMNWCROCDairyExtension WebsiteAgriAmerica Podcast Directory 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Matthew Evangelo sits down with host Matti McBride in this episode of the Progressive Dairy Podcast to chat about milking Holsteins and Jerseys, mastitis management and vermiculture. Learn about Evangelo's career in dairy, current management practices and future plans at Bar E Dairy and their commitment to sustainability.  Episode breakdown: 1:00 – Rapid-fire questions 2:00 – Evangelo's background 3:20 – Bar E Dairy 4:25 – Milking cows 2X vs. 3X 6:25 – Milking Holsteins and Jerseys 9:45 – Youngstock management 10:40 – Milking protocol at Bar E 11:50 – Mastitis treatment protocol 13:00 – Advice for improving somatic cell counts 15:00 – Cow comfort 17:00 – Vermifiltration system

 Brad shares updates from the University of Minnesota Morris dairy herd, including cows heading out to spring pasture, a recent Holstein classification, and highlights from several high-scoring cows. He then revisits University of Minnesota crossbreeding research comparing Holsteins with Viking Red and Montbéliarde crosses. The results show that crossbred cows often had better fertility, lower health treatment costs, improved survival to later lactations, and higher daily profitability, even when milk volume was sometimes lower than Holsteins. Brad also connects these findings to current beef-on-dairy calf research showing health advantages from crossbreeding, especially fewer scours and digestive problems. Questions, comments, scathing rebuttals? -> themoosroom@umn.edu or call 612-624-3610 and leave us a message!Linkedin -> The Moos RoomTwitter -> @UMNmoosroom and @UMNFarmSafetyFacebook -> @UMNDairyYouTube -> UMN Beef and Dairy and UMN Farm Safety and HealthInstagram -> @UMNWCROCDairyExtension WebsiteAgriAmerica Podcast Directory 

In dieser Spezialfolge von How to Hack senden wir direkt aus dem kleinsten Hotel der Welt auf der OMR in Hamburg. Carsten Puschmann trifft auf ein außergewöhnliches Vater-Sohn-Gespann: Conner, der bereits mit 13 Jahren sein eigenes Medienunternehmen gründete, und seinen Vater Lars, der ihn als Mentor und Supporter auf diesem unkonventionellen Weg begleitet.Während andere in der großen Pause zocken, schreibt Conner Rechnungen für Video-Produktionen (u.a. für AIDA). Doch wie gründet man in Deutschland eigentlich, wenn man noch nicht einmal voll geschäftsfähig ist? Conner und Lars berichten von bürokratischen Hürden beim Familiengericht, dem „unternehmerischen Gen“ und der Frage, warum wir in Deutschland mehr Mut zum „einfach Machen“ brauchen. Eine Folge über Resilienz, den Tunnelblick etablierter Unternehmer und die Vision einer neuen Generation von Creatoren.Wir reden über⚖️ Bürokratie-Hürden: Wie man mit 13 eine Spezialgenehmigung vom Familiengericht bekommt.

What does it take to run a 1,000‑cow free stall barn system in New Zealand while keeping milk solids, cow health, and staff workload on track? Matt and Wade sit down with Arjun Singh of Lawwal Holsteins to unpack the realities of running a large-scale free-stall operation, from feeding and effluent management to staff routines and daily decision-making. Arjun explains to achieve over 800 milk solids per cow from his autumn herd requires attention to detail, tight targets, and good data. The conversation covers how maize silage is the backbone of a TMR diet, rations are adjusted using milk dockets, milk urea, and wearable data. We also dive into Lawwal Holsteins' breeding strategy, combining North American genetics with NZ index lines. Arjun also speaks to their upcoming event “Land at Lawwal”, an on-farm sale, open day, and fundraiser happening on Friday, April 24. For more information, visit https://issuu.com/lawwalholsteins/docs/_land_at_lawwal_by_lawwal_holsteins.

In this episode, Northern Ireland dairyman David Irwin, owner of Redhouse Holsteins, explains how he builds functional, profitable Holsteins through balanced genetics, strong cow families, and strategic use of Select Sires' NxGEN® program. This episode is a great listen for anyone also chasing production, components, and longevity in their herd.

Milk cooling is one of the biggest energy users on a dairy. Inefficient systems force compressors to run longer and harder, driving up energy costs. That's a message that resonated with Jordan Matthews from Rosy Lane Holsteins in Watertown. This dairy operation milks about 1,600 cows across two sites. The Watertown (Main Farm) site houses all calving operations, high-production cows, and wet calves through six months. The Paoli (Second Site) is a rented milking facility that manages around 700 pregnant and late-lactation cows. Two very different setups, but both rely on dependable milk cooling systems. Listen in as Terry Pernsteiner, Focus on Energy Advisor, explains the routine examination that Rosy Lane Holsteins goes through to keep their equipment working well. Through the team of professionals that Focus on Energy works with, there's actually very little for the farm to do except collect the rebates and savings. Pernsteiner explains what happens. If you're a busy dairy operator or someone involved in production agriculture, isn't there a motor, fan, compressor or some other electric device that might need a tune up. Request a visit from one of Wisconsin's Focus on Energy Advisors and find out! Go to Focus on Energy's website and request a visit from an advisor, or call 800.762.7077 for assistance.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour remains one of the biggest constraints on Canadian dairy farms, pushing many operators to rethink how work gets done. For Steve Yungblut of Greenview Holsteins in Smithville, Ont., automation has become a central part of building a more sustainable and scalable family operation. In this episode of Profitable Practices, Yungblut speaks with RealAgriculture’s Bernard... Read More

The Farm and Industry Short Course has a new leader. Mary Holle is the new program director at UW-River Falls Farm and Industry Short Course. Mary and her husband operate a 480-acre farm in Baldwin, Wisconsin, where they manage a herd of 50 registered Holsteins. She tells Stephanie Hoff about the 16-week course which is specifically designed for the "slow season," running from the last week of October to the second week of March. Students spend roughly 80% of their time at the Mann Valley lab farm, working directly with cows, silages, and industry professionals. While the current curriculum is dairy-focused, there are plans to add business, horticulture, agronomy, and soil science electives by the 2026–27 school year. Mary aims to rebuild the FISC advisory board and restart the agricultural tour to connect current students with successful program graduates. Prospective students can reach out directly to the program via a dedicated email address: fisc@uwrf.edu. Snow totals continue to impress on a Tuesday morning. Stu Muck runs down tally's from around the state. He also cautions that more snow could be coming back around. Drifting will continue to be a challenge. As agriculture grows, so does the size of the buildings it's using. Ben Jarboe finds out about some of the challenges that have to be met in constructing those buildings from Jason Ullmer. Ullmer is an ag construction advisor in the Fox Valley. In Wisconsin, current milking parlors were probably built around 2000. That means it could be time for an upgrade. He explains that expansion projects take time and a lot of attention to details. Soybeans moved limit lower yesterday in Chicago. John Heinberg, market advisor with Total Farm Marketing in West Bend says it was sparked by rumors that the US/China meeting will be postponed. He says that there was also a brief comment made by China that they were interested in almost everything except U.S. soybeans. If you're looking for a positive from all the snow - think river levels. Heinberg says at least for the upper Mississippi River transports, levels are good.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brad shares a spring dairy update and breaks down newly released national performance metrics from the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding, offering a snapshot of what the U.S. dairy herd looks like today. He also touches on a major industry headline—Zoetis' planned acquisition of Neogen's animal genomics business—and what that could mean for dairy genetics going forward.A big part of the episode focuses on the red-hot calf market, especially for beef-on-dairy crosses. Brad highlights eye-popping prices from Minnesota sale barns, where Holstein bull calves and beef-cross calves are bringing in far more than producers would have expected just a few years ago. He reflects on how dramatically the economics of beef-on-dairy have changed and what that could mean for breeding decisions on dairies this year.The second half of the episode dives into the new national herd data, including milk production, components, somatic cell counts, herd size, and breed distribution across the country. Brad walks through where Holsteins, Jerseys, crossbreds, Brown Swiss, Guernseys, Ayrshires, and Milking Shorthorns stand today, and which states are leading in cow numbers and herd size. It's a practical, numbers-driven look at dairy trends in the U.S. and a useful update for anyone interested in genetics, herd demographics, and where the industry is heading.Questions, comments, scathing rebuttals? -> themoosroom@umn.edu or call 612-624-3610 and leave us a message!Linkedin -> The Moos RoomTwitter -> @UMNmoosroom and @UMNFarmSafetyFacebook -> @UMNDairyYouTube -> UMN Beef and Dairy and UMN Farm Safety and HealthInstagram -> @UMNWCROCDairyExtension WebsiteAgriAmerica Podcast Directory 

Determination is an unwritten characteristic of anyone involved in agriculture. The 2026 Groundbreaker award winners, presented by Compeer Financial, exemplify that determination. The selected winners are Bryanna and Dylan Handel of Barneveld. There story has taken many turns over the past decade, but they remain determined to pursue their passion for agriculture. Pam Jahnke listened in. Bryanna’s plans to establish a farm began at 16 years old when she purchased her first cow and housed it at her grandparents’ farm. She and Dylan established B. Kurt Dairy in 2014 with 16 cows in a rented barn near Verona, Wis., before they purchased their current farmstead from a retiring farmer near Barneveld in 2016. Since then, they’ve been growing their farm, family and community engagement while addressing a severe stray voltage issue. The stray voltage began in late 2023 and was linked to a nearby substation. It impacted overall herd health and drastically reduced milk production. The Handels enlisted experts and deployed solutions like rewiring and isolating their farm to minimize the impact. During their journey, the Handels encountered other farmers experiencing stray voltage challenges and helped them navigate their situations. They continue their fight as they engage with state and federal organizations to fund a new USDA study focused on better understanding stray voltage. Their goal is to uncover and correct the source cause so other farmers aren’t faced with stray voltage issues in the future. Meghan Wellnitz-Trejo, financial officer with Compeer Financial, who nominated the Handels, shared that the Handels believe “farming is a calling that provides their children and community a grounded connection to the land and their food sources.” They demonstrate that connection by offering farm camps to area youth and on-farm markets where they invite area farmers to sell their goods. They also established a farm store in downtown Barneveld to strengthen local food networks. The store is helping 35 area farmers sell their products locally. “It’s really great because you get to see so many businesses thrive off this one idea. All these farmers are gaining income from this store, which is great because as farmers we need that help to get it to the consumer,” Bryanna said. Compeer Financial presented the Handels with a $5,000 award, as well as $5,000 that the Handels will split between the Iowa County Technical Rescue Team and Marshall FFA Chapter on their behalf by Compeer. Dense fog advisory is in effect for most of eastern Wisconsin this morning. Stu Muck says the moisture will linger through the day with nearly an inch possible. Fortunately temperatures will stay above average. The World Champion Cheese hails from the Netherlands for 2026. The Beemster Royaal Grand Cru, made by CONO Kaasmakers in Westbeemster, Netherlands, walked away with the title Thursday, scoring 98.68 out of a possible 100. The cheese features a very sweet, nutty flavor and is very creamy. The dairy cooperative that makes up CONO Kaasmakers features 400 dairies in northern Holland with approximately 98% grazing their herds. Wisconsin came away with 45 first-place awards, followed by New York with eight and Vermont with seven. Pam Jahnke shares comments from the cheesemaker in Holland. There's a new driving force behind the Farm and Industry Short Course at UW-River Falls. Stephanie Hoff introduces us to Mary Holle. She's taken the reins as program director. Mary and her husband operate a 480-acre farm in Baldwin, Wisconsin, where they manage a herd of 50 registered Holsteins. The 16-week course is specifically designed for the "slow season," running from the last week of October to the second week of March. Students spend roughly 80% of their time at the Mann Valley lab farm, working directly with cows, silages, and industry professionals. While the current curriculum is dairy-focused, there are plans to add business, horticulture, agronomy, and soil science electives by the 2026–27 school year. Mary aims to rebuild the FISC advisory board and restart the agricultural tour to connect current students with successful program graduates. Prospective students can reach out directly to the program via a dedicated email address: fisc@uwrf.edu.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The KCCK Genetics Springtime Showcase Sale III is set for March 21st and we are sitting down with Cole Kruse to discuss all things sale prep and the offering. This week it's the Holsteins and Red & Whites. Enjoy our first in a series of Wednesdays with Cole.

It’s election time for the 9 open districts for the Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin Board of Directors, so it’s a great time to talk about farmer leadership and their voice. Today, we learn the story of Sandy Madland, a Wisconsin dairy farmer and Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin Board Director. Madland was elected to represent Adams, Juneau, and Monroe counties. As a Director, she helps represent farmers, guide how checkoff dollars are stewarded, and make long-term decisions that support demand for Wisconsin dairy. Madland's story is like many others in Wisconsin. Their family operation in Lyndon Station involves 500 registered Holsteins, and their two sons. Madland's involvement in the boys 4-H projects helped elevate her to county dairy activities, which fed her curiosity about Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin. Are you ready to step up and be a voice for fellow dairy operators? Madland believes that Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin is your checkoff and your voice. Farmer leadership is how we keep Wisconsin dairy strong for the next generation. She says if the DFW Board is not an option, consider running for a leadership position at the county level. Ask questions, bring your voice and advocate for Wisconsin dairy! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vi skal til valg den 24 marts og politikere og politiske kommentatorer går ind i nogle travle uger. Det første døgn har Erik Holstein tabt en øl i et væddemål, stillet op i seks forskellige medier, set partilederdebat og skrevet om Altingets første måling i valgkampen. I Ajour fortæller han om formueskat som et emne med sprængkraft – og om den valgkamp han tror, vi ser ind i. Gæst: Erik Holstein, politisk kommentator på AltingetVært: Caroline Tranberg, podcastredaktør på AjourValgkampen er i gang, og tre fredage i træk fylder vi Altingets gård med debat, musik og politisk fredagsbar. Tilmeld dig her: https://www.altinget.dk/live-arrangementer/valg-2026-har-vi-opgivet-klimaetFå Altinget i 179 dage for 179 kr.: altinget.dk/dkpolSom podcastlytter ved du, at politik er mere end overskrifter. Med Altinget får du overblik, vælgervandringer og analyser - samlet ét sted. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Quietcove Holsteins has an offering at the Tip-off at Topps Tag Sale. See what they are sending in their feature ad. Also, listen to the Friday Comment Feature on today's daily podcast.

Brad checks in from a brutally cold stretch in western Minnesota (30–40°F below zero), noting the cows are handling it well and somatic cell counts tend to run low in the extreme cold. He then walks listeners through how he thinks about sire selection in his research herd—mostly Holsteins, plus Jerseys and a few “colored breeds” like Norwegian Red, Montbéliarde, and Normande.His selection philosophy is clear: he starts with Net Merit, but he doesn't blindly follow it. Brad says he doesn't chase milk pounds, and he wishes the major indexes put more emphasis on fertility. Instead, his priorities are:Low somatic cell count / mastitis resistanceHigh fertility (DPR, heifer and cow conception rate)Productive life and durabilityManaging inbreeding (using outcross sires when needed)A major current push: polled genetics (especially homozygous polled sires to speed progress)Brad shares many of the specific bulls he's using and why—including proven sires with lots of daughters for reliability, plus a smaller “sprinkling” of genomic bulls (often because they're polled). He highlights using popular Holstein sires like Genosource Captain, polled-focused options like Leyser PP and Seabrook PP, plus a few high-type outcross bulls mainly to reduce inbreeding, even if their production or functional traits aren't his usual preference. He also lists several Select Sires bulls (including polled sires) that fit his functional-trait focus.On the Jersey side, he emphasizes moderate cows with fertility, productive life, and livability, again weaving in polled where possible. For crossbreeding, he calls out Norwegian Red bulls with strong U.S. proofs for fertility and functional traits, and he mentions finding limited polled options in Montbéliarde but using them when available. He wraps by summarizing what listeners should take away: his herd is moving deliberately toward polled, backed by a USDA grant, while still prioritizing fertility, longevity, mastitis resistance, and outcrossing to manage inbreeding—and he invites feedback and debate from listeners.Questions, comments, scathing rebuttals? -> themoosroom@umn.edu or call 612-624-3610 and leave us a message!Linkedin -> The Moos RoomTwitter -> @UMNmoosroom and @UMNFarmSafetyFacebook -> @UMNDairyYouTube -> UMN Beef and Dairy and UMN Farm Safety and HealthInstagram -> @UMNWCROCDairyExtension WebsiteAgriAmerica Podcast Directory 

In this solo episode of The Moos Room, Brad shares “hot off the press” research on circadian rhythms in dairy cows and what long-term sensor data can tell us about cow welfare. Drawing from a study presented at the International Precision Dairy Farming Conference in New Zealand, the episode explores how daily and seasonal behavior patterns—such as eating, rumination, activity, and rest—are shaped by environment, management, and breed.Using more than 10 years of CowManager sensor data from the University of Minnesota research herd, Brad walks through how different breeds (Holsteins, crossbreds, graze-cross cows, and 1964 Holstein genetics) show distinct seasonal rhythms. Results revealed clear breed differences in eating time, rumination, overall activity, and inactivity, with graze-cross cows showing the strongest seasonal patterns and more stable alignment with environmental cues—suggesting better adaptability to pasture-based systems.The episode highlights how disruptions to circadian rhythms—caused by inconsistent lighting, feeding schedules, or confinement—may be linked to stress, immune suppression, lameness, mastitis, and reduced fertility. Brad discusses how precision dairy technologies offer a powerful, non-invasive way to monitor these rhythms and potentially detect welfare issues before clinical signs appear.The episode wraps up by looking ahead to future research linking behavior patterns directly to health and productivity outcomes, and how better alignment of management practices with natural cow rhythms could improve welfare and resilience on dairy farms.Questions, comments, scathing rebuttals? -> themoosroom@umn.edu or call 612-624-3610 and leave us a message!Linkedin -> The Moos RoomTwitter -> @UMNmoosroom and @UMNFarmSafetyFacebook -> @UMNDairyYouTube -> UMN Beef and Dairy and UMN Farm Safety and HealthInstagram -> @UMNWCROCDairyExtension WebsiteAgriAmerica Podcast Directory 

In this episode of the Uplevel Dairy Podcast, Peggy Coffeen welcomes back Jordan Matthews, an ultra-endurance athlete and dairy farmer at Rosy-Lane Holsteins in Watertown, Wisconsin. They discuss how genetics, environment management, and feed technology at the rumen microbial level are unlocking the full potential of dairy cows. Jordan shares his recent endeavors on the farm and in the trail, including running a 100-mile race to support cancer research, and the introduction of a new and novel calf barn designed for optimal calf socialization and cleanliness. This episode is sponsored by Native Microbials, the makers of Galaxis Frontier, powered by advanced microbiome technology proven to help cows perform to their full potential. Learn more at nativemicrobials.com.00:00 Meet Jordan Matthews: Dairy Farmer and Ultra Endurance Runner01:49 Jordan's Inspiring Story: Running for a Cause04:16 Updates on Jordan's Brother and Personal Achievements06:43 The Vision and Values at Rosy-Lane Holsteins07:52 Innovations in Calf Care at Rosy-Lane11:14 The Legacy and Culture of Innovation at Rosy-Lane13:39 Pioneering Barn Designs and Genetic Advancements19:05 Focus on Feed Efficiency and New Technologies20:23 Evaluating New Feed Products20:59 Understanding Rumen Microbiome21:45 Economic and Environmental Impact24:39 Human and Animal Nutrition Parallels30:08 Technological Innovations in Dairy Farming36:35 Future Goals and Personal Insights38:08 Conclusion and Podcast Wrap-Up

Der har været mange bud på, hvorfor det gik så galt for Socialdemokratiet til kommunalvalget, og hvad Mette Frederiksen skal gøre nu. I Ajour i dag skal vi høre Holsteins bud.Gæst: Erik Holstein, politisk kommentator på AltingetVært: Caroline Tranberg, podcastredaktør Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ella Bouton was chosen as a Beck's Player with Heart for her commitment and passion on and off the court. In school, Ella participates in volleyball, basketball, and track, is part of the National Honor Society, student council, and FFA, and is a Knox County Career Center Student Ambassador. She loves being involved in different organizations and meeting new people to become a well-rounded person in the process. Ella is also involved in 4-H, where she raises and calves heifers for her projects. She also has the opportunity to raise hogs, and it is her ninth year farrowing hogs. She has been able to take her hogs and Holsteins to the county fair, and says she has learned a lot from every litter. Ella has also been able to show market goats through her Supervised Agricultural Experience in FFA. To Ella, agriculture is the basis of everyday life and will always hold a special place in her heart. It is a special way of life that few are able to experience. Ella plans to attend Michigan State University to run track and field and study animal sciences to pursue large animal veterinary medicine.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, Brad is back from Europe—jetlagged but full of insights from farms and conferences in Germany and the Netherlands. He dives into one of the biggest topics he heard about abroad and at home: Inbreeding in dairy cattle.Brad explains how inbreeding occurs, what it costs farmers economically, and how inbreeding levels have climbed across all major dairy breeds—especially Holsteins and Jerseys. Drawing on recent research from Italy and data from the U.S. Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding, he outlines how increasing inbreeding negatively impacts cow survival, fertility, and long-term profitability.The discussion highlights startling trends—Holstein inbreeding has jumped from 3.7% in the mid-1990s to nearly 11% today, and some genomic bulls now exceed 16%. Brad also touches on historic bulls whose genetics still dominate today's herds, like Elevation and Highland Magic Duncan, and explores whether approaches like crossbreeding, linebreeding, or greater genetic diversity in breeding programs could help slow the trend.Brad concludes with a call to action: farmers, AI companies, and breed associations must prioritize genetic diversity now to safeguard herd health and productivity.Questions, comments, scathing rebuttals? -> themoosroom@umn.edu or call 612-624-3610 and leave us a message!Linkedin -> The Moos RoomTwitter -> @UMNmoosroom and @UMNFarmSafetyFacebook -> @UMNDairyYouTube -> UMN Beef and Dairy and UMN Farm Safety and HealthInstagram -> @UMNWCROCDairyExtension WebsiteAgriAmerica Podcast Directory 

Families built on Faith is the tag line for Ralma Holsteins and today we have the history on how they got their start in the Registered Holstein business. Their sale is tomorrow and you can find the catalog online!

Boots on the ground innovation. That’s what can make the difference in a sustainable farming business, not just for the environment, but your bottom line. The Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program, otherwise known as SARE, has been helping farmers since the 1980s with grants and education that can turn on-farm ideas into real-world solutions. Cindy Bartel joins us from Hurtgenlea Holsteins in Elkhorn. She's also a researcher with Iowa State University. Cindy first learned about the SARE grant at a field day, and now she’s putting it to work in her own research. SARE grants open mid-October: https://northcentral.sare.org/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sherri McMahon, the Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Administrator for the Public Works Department of Las Vegas, Nevada. Sherri McMahon explained that her role involves managing environmental programs for the City of Las Vegas, ensuring compliance with state and EPA regulations, and that the city faces unique environmental challenges due to stormwater runoff pollution, over 42 million annual visitors, and air quality concerns. Sherri McMahon highlighted the importance of education over penalties in enforcement, shared her extensive career path, and emphasized communication skills, particularly technical writing and public speaking, as crucial for environmental careers, while also discussing issues with "flushable" wipes and recommending Holsteins for burgers in Las Vegas. Give the episdoe a listen and remember to thank your local Public Works Professionals.

Straight from the 2025 World Dairy Expo, we sit down with Brooke Carey from Plum-Line Holsteins in Pennsylvania to talk about how she manages elite animals with a focus on individual care. Brooke shares how STgenetics®' Farmfit® technology is transforming health monitoring both at home and in the show string. She highlights how Farmfit® assists with early illness detection and improving overall farm management, while discussing how the user-friendliness of the platform.00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome00:28 Overview of the Farm00:43 Farmfit® Technology at Home and the Show01:31 Impact of Technology on Animal Care02:16 User Experience with Farmfit®02:39 Farmfit® on a Larger Scale03:00 Conclusion and Farewell

Step onto Connecticut's only veteran-owned dairy farm, where every drop of milk is lightly processed, vat-pasteurized, and bottled right on the property. Guardians Farm in scenic Southbury is the passion project of David Buck, a retired U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Enforcement Specialist and former K9 officer, and his wife Tamra French, an active K9 officer. Together, they're first-generation dairy farmers on a mission to produce clean, nutrient-rich milk while caring for the land through regenerative practices.Meet their beloved herd—Holsteins, Jerseys, and Brown Swiss—and learn how each breed contributes its own rich flavor and butterfat magic. From calf cuddles and goat snuggles to a welcoming farm stand stocked with minimally processed dairy, every visit lets you see (and taste!) where your milk comes from.Discover how David and Tamra nurture future generations of cows with group-raised calves, selective genetics, and zero-chemical fields. Whether you're savoring their fresh milk, booking a weekend cuddle session, or simply curious about sustainable farming, Guardians Farm offers an unforgettable, hands-on experience.

Today, Brad brings on University of Minnesota Extension colleague Jim Salfer to talk through the state of dairy automation. Robots are still going in across the Upper Midwest, but they're also coming out—and the “why” depends on farm goals, labor, barn design, and cash flow.HighlightsAdoption reality: Robots are spreading, yet many farms are re-evaluating fit. Large herds often lean toward automated rotaries (pre- and post-sprays) for sheer throughput; small to mid-size herds may benefit most from box robots—especially when barn flow and labor fit the model.Repair costs that pencil: Plan for $10–12k per robot per year once out of warranty, with $500–$1,000 annual increases as units age. Under warranty is lower; 24/7 equipment inevitably costs more to maintain.Troubleshooting visits: Dips from ~2.7–2.9 milkings/day to ~2.2–2.3 crush production and are hard to diagnose (cow behavior, nutrition, traffic, hardware hiccups).Feeding in robots: Trend has shifted from “all pellets through the robot” to less robot feed overall. Pellets remain reliable; meals can work but often require hardware tweaks (vibrators/lines) and some herds struggle with consistency. Multiple feeds can help target fresh cows but isn't mandatory.Used robots are viable: Dealer-refreshed, recent-model used units can be half (or less) the cost of new. Expect less warranty and potentially higher repairs, but they're a solid on-ramp for younger or capital-tight producers.Rotaries & partial automation: Pre/post sprayers are getting better and can deliver impressive efficiency. Full robotic attachment on rotaries remains complex due to eye-hand coordination challenges, but incremental automation keeps improving labor per hundred cows.Batch milking with box robots: A compelling middle path for pasture-based or capital-limited farms—bring cows up 2–3× daily, run them through multiple boxes, and send them back. You won't maximize 24/7 robot utilization, but you may optimize labor and cash while managing cows like a traditional system.Capital strategy matters: Highly automated, all-robot barns can tie up capital and slow growth; retrofitting modest parlors can free cash to grow cow numbers. Match the system to your growth goals.Crystal ball: Expect three lanes to coexist—(1) retrofit parallels, (2) large new rotaries (increasingly automated), and (3) robots for small/mid herds—plus combo herds (rotary + a robot barn for elite “robot cows”).Bottom line: There's no one “right” technology. Choose the milking system that fits your labor pool, barn flow, capital plan, and temperament for tech and troubleshooting—not what worked for your neighbor.Chapter markers00:00 – Cold open, guest intro & breed banter (Red Angus; black-and-white Holsteins)03:21 – Why talk robots now? Installs vs. removals and what that means04:56 – Large-herd calculus: automated rotaries vs. box robots06:22 – The visit-rate problem: when milkings/day drop and why it's tricky07:48 – Real repair numbers and how they climb after warranty09:38 – Feeding through the robot: pellets, meals, and what's working now12:47 – Should you buy used robots? Costs, warranties, dealer refreshes16:13 – Robotic rotaries, parlor automation, and what's practical today20:08 – Labor reality: making jobs people actually want to do21:33 – “All-automated” dairies, cash flow, and growth constraints23:55 – Jim's outlook: three lanes + hybrid herds26:00 – Batch milking with boxes: where it shines (esp. pasture herds)28:13 – Tradeoffs: robot idle time vs. labor/capital fit30:02 – The cost elephant: margins, risk, and decision discipline31:41 – Wrap and contact info Questions, comments, scathing rebuttals? -> themoosroom@umn.edu or call 612-624-3610 and leave us a message!Linkedin -> The Moos RoomTwitter -> @UMNmoosroom and @UMNFarmSafetyFacebook -> @UMNDairyYouTube -> UMN Beef and Dairy and UMN Farm Safety and HealthInstagram -> @UMNWCROCDairyExtension WebsiteAgriAmerica Podcast Directory 

In this episode, Brad dives into the growing interest in milk fatty acid profiles and what they can tell us about cow health, nutrition, and management.Brad explains the three main groups of milk fatty acids—de novo, mixed, and preformed—and how they are shaped by diet, stage of lactation, seasonality, and even genetics. He highlights how monitoring these fatty acid trends through routine milk testing can help farmers fine-tune rations, detect health challenges like subclinical ketosis or mastitis, and make more informed feeding decisions.Brad also shares findings from two recent University of Minnesota research projects:Commercial herd study: Comparing Holsteins and crossbreds, as well as feeding strategies (higher starch diets vs. fat supplementation). Results showed small but meaningful differences in fatty acid profiles, with crossbreds showing slightly healthier rumen indicators.University herd study: Comparing organic pasture-based cows to conventional TMR-fed cows, and looking at breed influences (Holsteins, Viking Reds, Jerseys, and Normandy crosses). Pasture cows had higher preformed fatty acids, while Jerseys and Normandy crosses stood out for more favorable fatty acid compositions.The takeaway: fatty acid testing is a valuable management tool for nutrition, genetics, and herd health monitoring—and could even open new opportunities for niche milk markets.Questions, comments, scathing rebuttals? -> themoosroom@umn.edu or call 612-624-3610 and leave us a message!Linkedin -> The Moos RoomTwitter -> @UMNmoosroom and @UMNFarmSafetyFacebook -> @UMNDairyYouTube -> UMN Beef and Dairy and UMN Farm Safety and HealthInstagram -> @UMNWCROCDairyExtension WebsiteAgriAmerica Podcast Directory 

Are you leaving calf money on the table? Not long ago, a Holstein bull calf might have earned you 50 bucks, if that. Today, thanks to high beef prices and better breeding tools, that same cow might deliver a $1,000 calf instead. Beef-on-dairy isn't just a trend; it's changing how progressive dairies manage their herds and drive revenue. In this episode of The Milk Check, host Ted Jacoby III talks with CoBank's Corey Geiger and Abbigail Prins about how dairy farmers are rethinking breeding strategies and how those decisions are reshaping herd structure, replacement numbers, and profitability. Why some farms are holding onto cows longer How sexed semen and genomics are guiding breeding calls And how beef calves are becoming a serious income stream Whether you're breeding for replacements, premiums or profit, this episode unpacks how to make herd decisions that pay. Listen now to hear why the value of a cow's uterus might be higher than ever. Got questions? Got questions for The Milk Check team? We've got answers. Submit your questions below and we'd be happy to get back to you or answer your question on the podcast. Ask The Milk Check Intro (with music): Welcome to the Milk Check, a podcast from T.C. Jacoby & Co., where we share market insights and analysis with dairy farmers in mind. Ted Jacoby III: Welcome everybody to this month's version of the Milk Check, a T.C. Jacoby & Co. podcast. Really excited today to have two special guests from CoBank, Corey Geiger and Abbi Prins. We are going to talk about breeding to beef and the profitability of the dairy farm, and how that dairy farm profitability has changed over the years as this trend has come about, and what it means for the future of dairy. Excited to have this conversation, Corey, Abbi, thank you so much for joining us today. So Corey, what do you do? Corey Geiger: CoBank is actually short for cooperative banks, so we're the bank of cooperatives. We're part of the Farm Credit System. Abbi and I are part of the knowledge exchange division, so we have a group of 10 economists who work in dairy and animal protein, consumer package goods, digital infrastructure, and farm inputs and crops. I've been at CoBank for two years now. I have just started my third year with CoBank, and Abbi joined our team about a year ago. She can tell you a little bit about herself. Abbigail Prins: Thanks, Corey. I also joined CoBank about a year and a half ago. I helped cover the dairy and animal protein sectors, come from a very heavy dairy and agriculture background, originally from Tulare, California, based out of Minnesota now. We're excited to be on the podcast with you today, so thank you for the invitation. Ted Jacoby III: Abbi, Corey, thank you so much for joining us. Really appreciate it. So our topic today is going to be about breeding to beef and the dairy farm profitability, and how the whole breeding to beef trend has been affecting dairy farm profitability. Give us a little background on this trend of how more and more dairy farmers are breeding dairy cows in order to get cows to enter the dairy herd. More and more dairy farmers are breeding to beef and how is that affecting the dairy breed right now? Corey Geiger: I have a broad background, having been in the editorial team of Hoard's Dairyman for 28 years and a past president of Holstein USA, and this is a journey. It really involves a triple play. The first part of that triple play was gender sorted semen coming onto the scene. Then genomics came on the scene, and then it all kind of came together with the beef on dairy movement. Now, economics always enters the equation because if I were to come back and have a conversation with my late grandfathers and say, "We're breeding some of our prize Holsteins to Angus," they'd throw me out the window, thinking I fell on my head. But gender sorted semen came along.

In this episode of The Moos Room, Brad shares updates from a busy summer and fall kickoff at the Minnesota State Fair, where his kids showed cows and he helped with 4-H dairy programming. After reflecting on the fair, he dives into the latest research and extension projects happening at the University of Minnesota's West Central Research and Outreach Center in Morris.Brad covers a wide range of studies, including:Virtual fencing trials with heifers, lessons learned from training, and future plans to test with milking cows.Horn fly vaccine research, tracking fly counts across hundreds of cows to evaluate effectiveness.Agrovoltaics and portable solar shade, examining how cows use shade structures to reduce heat stress and the impact on pasture regrowth.Parasite monitoring and exploring connections between genetics and parasite load.Heifer feed efficiency, using precision feeders and methane collectors to measure intake, weight gain, and greenhouse gas output.Mastitis management, including trials with alternatives to antibiotics.Genetics-focused projects on inbreeding effects in Holsteins and the potential of polled genetics.Milk processing exploration, with plans to begin producing value-added products like ice cream and butter from the university herd.From innovative technology like virtual fencing to on-farm challenges like mastitis, Brad shares insights into ongoing research aimed at helping dairy farmers improve efficiency, sustainability, and profitability.Questions, comments, scathing rebuttals? -> themoosroom@umn.edu or call 612-624-3610 and leave us a message!Linkedin -> The Moos RoomTwitter -> @UMNmoosroom and @UMNFarmSafetyFacebook -> @UMNDairyYouTube -> UMN Beef and Dairy and UMN Farm Safety and HealthInstagram -> @UMNWCROCDairyExtension WebsiteAgriAmerica Podcast Directory 

The Holsteins take the ring in Madison! And we are ringside for all of it!

Doug Lloyd of Sprucetone Holsteins in Ontario, Canada joins us to share his experience utilizing STgenetics® Farmfit® health monitoring system. From the peace of mind it brings him along with the bulk of information, Farmfit® has allowed Doug to keep a closer eye on his herd and promotes a more proactive care approach. Doug also shares the kind of cow he is breeding for and how this system has worked itself into his day to day as well as where he believes it will help him get to next.00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome00:30 Overview of Sprucetone Holsteins00:55 Breeding Philosophy and Favorite Bulls02:55 Introduction to STgenetics® Farmfit® Program04:03 Implementation and Benefits of Farmfit®06:07 Utilizing Farmfit® Data13:41 Future Plans for Sprucetone Holsteins15:15 Conclusion and Farewell

This episode was recorded at the 2025 Western Dairy Management Conference in Reno, Nevada.Mike gives an overview of his three presentations at the conference regarding heifer supply. The panel discusses how the industry went from too many heifers to not enough heifers. (3:46)Clay asks Dan about his breeding philosophy from a semen standpoint right now as a purebred Holstein breeder. He suggests skating to where the puck's going versus where it's been, and focusing on yield and protein after such a large emphasis on fat. He also emphasizes health traits, particularly because the industry needs cows to last longer due to low heifer supply. Mike notes that this can have negative impacts, including lower milk yield, more chronic mastitis, and perhaps elongating the generation interval of genetic gain. He shares that while huge strides have been made in genetic improvement for yield and components, we have gone backwards a bit on disease resistance and fertility in the last five years or so. Tom suggests that it just ups the ante on management, especially with an older milking herd. (10:55)The panel talks about sexed semen (beef and dairy both) and IVF/embryo transfer. (14:49)Mike details some research in Holstein herds that decreased their replacement rate and number of heifers calving from 2020-2022 (surplus herds) compared to 2023-2024 (short herds). Short herds kept cows 25 days longer in milk, but the net impact was an average of seven pounds less milk per day over the last 30 days prior to culling. He also noted an increase in chronic mastitis in the short herds.  (20:18)Mike describes his presentation regarding the heifer completion rate: once a heifer is born alive, what's the expected percent of heifers remaining at first calving? Many producers have a false high assumption of this number, around 90%. In 65 herds Mike analyzed in the last year, the median completion rate was 76%. He details the different life stages during which losses occurred, along with management considerations to reduce these impacts. Dan shares his perspectives on the heifer completion rate. (24:11)The panel discusses a variety of topics around heifer supply, including whether heifers are entering the herd at a younger age to compensate for low inventories, appropriate heifer size at calving, optimal age at first calving, and just how short the supply of heifers is.  (29:01)Panelists share their take-home thoughts. (38:35)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.

In this episode of The Select Sires Podcast, host Ethan Haywood chats with Mark Kerndt, Aggressive Reproductive Technologies (ART) program manager, to explore the powerful potential of the Slick gene in Holstein cattle. Learn how this naturally occurring genetic trait improves heat tolerance, reproduction, and productivity, especially in hot, humid climates. Mark explains how the gene is being advanced through Select Sires' ART program and what it means for the future of dairy genetics. Whether you're breeding for performance, resilience, or both, this conversation is full of insights for producers everywhere.

Tom Otton joins us from the far south coast of Australia to share his journey from growing up on a beef farm to operating a grazing-based dairy with his family. Tom discusses the evolution of his practices, including a heavy focus on multi-species pastures, no-till methods, and regenerative grazing—long before he even knew the word “regenerative.” He shares thoughtful insights on cow genetics, virtual fencing, and the challenges of balancing tradition with innovation, especially in the context of Australia's extreme weather and regulatory environment.Transition from beef farming to dairy during Australia's millennium droughtGrazing-based dairy practices with multi-species pasturesImplementing high-density rotation with 2–4 shifts per dayAdoption and legality of virtual fencing in AustraliaUsing sexed semen and beef crosses for herd improvement and profitabilityWinter planting of cereal and forage blends; native summer grass systemsInfrastructure layout with laneways, river watering, and no indoor housingHonest insights on power costs, robotic milkers, and future techPersonal reflections on footwear, decision-making, and doing what works for you Tom's down-to-earth approach to grazing-based dairying in a region with both drought and flood extremes offers valuable perspective for anyone in livestock. Whether you're intrigued by virtual fencing, cow genetics, or just love hearing how others adapt regenerative principles across the globe, Tom delivers a mix of practical know-how and big-picture thinking.Resources MentionedCall of the Reed Warbler by Charles MassyDirt to Soil by Gabe BrownTango Holsteins on FacebookTango Holsteins on InstagramLooking for Livestock that thrive on grass?  Check out Grass Based GeneticsVisit our Sponsors:Noble Research InstituteRedmondGrazing Grass LinksNew Listener Resource GuideProvide feedback for the podcastWebsiteInsidersResourcesCommunity (on Facebook)Check out the Apiary Chronicles PodcastChapters

The home of over-the-top burgers and "Bam-Boozled" milkshakes, about one year after closing its spot in the Cosmopolitan, is back in business in the Arts District. Billy Richardson, CEO of parent company Gen3 Hospitality, grabs a seat in the corner booth to share the Holsteins story with Al, Rich and guest co-host Bob Barnes. Bob also offers up a beer report -- because that's his claim to fame. Gemini joins us from Chicago, fresh from attending the James Beard Awards ceremony. Along with the usual Happy Hour report, this episode is loaded with short interviews from: French Chef Jean Joho, El Segundo Sol's Wesley Pumphrey and Marissa Demello, Chef Marquita Duren of Tailgate Social, James Cox of Brewdog and Underdog, All'Antico Vinaio's Zach Allen, Chef Dan Krohmer and Angeline Kuhlman of Amari.  

Are you missing the biggest leap in dairy performance since the milking machine? From fertility breakthroughs to Holsteins with 4.5% components/5% fat, today's cows are not your grandparents' cows. In this episode of The Milk Check, we sit down with Nate Zwald, president and CEO of Progenco, to uncover how genetics is quietly reshaping the dairy industry. We tackle: Why genetic progress is accelerating and how that changes your herd strategy The rise of gender-selected genetics and the fall of dairy bull calves What makes a cow “better” — and how to breed more of them Why embryo technology could be the next big leap Listen now to the latest episode of The Milk Check to learn why cows engineered for fire in the belly could have improved lifespan, higher fertility, better fat composition and a better life. Got questions? Got questions for The Milk Check team? We've got answers. Submit your questions below and we'd be happy to get back to you or answer your question on the show. Ask The Milk Check Special Guest: Nate Zwald, president and CEO of Progenco The Jacoby Team: Gus Jacoby, president, fluid dairy ingredients & dairy support Mike Brown, vice president of dairy market intelligence Ted Jacoby III, CEO & president, cheese, butter & dry ingredients Intro (with music): Welcome to The Milk Check, a podcast from T.C. Jacoby & Co., where we share market insights and analysis with dairy farmers in mind. Ted Jacoby III: Welcome, everybody, to the podcast. This month's version we have a special guest. We have Nate Zwald, former CEO of ABS Global and current president and CEO of Progenco. Joining us from the Jacoby team is Mike Brown, our VP of Market Intelligence, and Josh White, our VP of Dairy Ingredients. Nate, we've asked you on this podcast today because you're one of the foremost experts in bovine genetics out there, and we've been talking a lot about some of the changes in cow genetics and how it's been affecting our dairy markets. It's something we'd love to learn a lot more about. Why don't you start us off? Tell us a little about your background, and we'll go from there. Nate Zwald: Yeah, sure. Well, first of all, a pleasure to be here. I appreciate being asked and appreciate that introduction. I've had a long career in dairy genetics, starting with growing up on a farm and learning about dairy genetics from where it should be learned about, in a barn with my dad, thinking about milking cows and recognizing that the next generation of cows was going to be better than the current generation of cows. And that was a pretty fun thing to see firsthand. When you think about having a daughter of a cow out in the heifer yard, that's going to be better than the cow you're milking today. And I think that's the whole idea that we think about when we think about genetics is making better animals faster and trying always to make sure that the next generation is going to be more productive, healthier, happier, better for the farmers, better for the community, and better for the world and the next generation than the cows are in this generation. And we've seen tremendous progress through time in doing that compared to when I was a kid milking cows thinking, "Hey, I hope the heifer is going to be better than the cow herself." Because here we are, we've gone through so many technologies like selection for fitness, longevity, and fertility, and then we went through genomic technology that's had a huge impact on the industry. And then more recently, sex semen and the use of beef on dairy cows have all had substantial changes to the genetic progress curve compared to what seems like not that long ago from my standpoint, just milking cows in the barn with dad. Ted Jacoby III: So, currently, what are some of the major trends in genetics that the dairy producer is either utilizing or needs to be aware of, that are coming down the pike?

The full team is together again, with Gemini Zooming in to Al and Rich from Oklahoma City. Also on the show: From the Arts District, we have Chef Bruce Kalman at Soulbelly and Gen 3 Hospitality's Stacia Stephens at Holsteins. Chef Steven Piamchunter tells us about the food at the new Thai spot Blue Orchid. Football legend Emmitt Smith talks butter cake. Boulder Station's Lakeita Ahern talks about the return of the Broiler salad bar. And we have a nice long conversation with Chef Martin Heierling of Wynn's Pisces. If that's not enough, Happy Hour Vegas's Andrew Morgan talks Arts District, Gemini has a hospital “room service” report, and Al discusses visits to Union Biscuit, Emmitt's Vegas, Nudo and Bardot Brasserie.

This episode was recorded in Reno, Nevada for the 2025 Western Dairy Management Conference. Dr. Shabtai gives an overview of her presentation. Afimilk has a new technology that includes a feed efficiency sensor to determine eating, rumination, heat stress monitoring and more. The Feed Efficiency Service combined with the AfiCollar can estimate dry matter intake, which, when combined with Afimilk's milk meter data, yields an efficiency value of milk income over feed cost for each cow. She details how the algorithm works to predict intake and some of the challenges faced during the development of this technology. The algorithm was developed with Holsteins, but a Jersey algorithm is nearing completion. (5:33)Shane and Emily share some of their experiences with beta-testing the Feed Efficiency technology on-farm to evaluate, including animal-to-animal variation and variation in different stages of lactation. The panel discusses how genomics could pair with this data to aid in selection decisions. (9:21)Walt asks Dr. Shabtai to share how the company took the technology from research facilities to commercial farms, and asks Shane and Emily to share how the technology has proven itself on-farm. (13:11)Shane notes that they've had a handle on the milk side of the efficiency equation of individual cows for a while, but they didn't know much about the feed intake side of the equation. This technology allows for that. Shane also shares how this technology adds another tool to their dairy's sustainability toolbox.  (18:50)Walt asks both producers to share a metric that they thought was important before, but now that we have more knowledge and technology, it might not be as important as they thought. Shane's pick is starch level in corn silage, and Emily's is percent pregnant by 150 days in milk. (21:18)Dr. Shabtai shares the basics that a producer would need to implement this technology. She details a few things that have changed and will change about the product based on data from beta testing and notes there are always new things to see and find on-farm. (22:59)Scott asks Shane and Emily what metric they'd like to measure that they can't measure yet. Shane wonders if there would be a way for AI to compile weather and market data to assist with milk or feedstuff contracting decisions. Emily would like to be able to use more on-farm technology to help manage people. She shares how the data she has now allows her to see different improvements that could be implemented for different milking shifts. Shane talks about need-to-know information versus neat-to-know information. (26:35)The panel discusses how the technology is updated through software rather than hardware when new versions are available. They also share some tips for implementing the software on-farm. Walt asks each panelist their “I wonder if…” question. (29:58)The panel wraps up with their take-home thoughts, and Dr. Shabtai shares where farmers can learn more about Afimilk's feed efficiency technology by visiting afimilk.com. (36:49)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 episode was recorded at the 2025 Western Dairy Management Conference in Reno, Nevada. Gregg Doud, National Milk Producers Federation, begins with an overview of his talk regarding recent and ongoing investments in the dairy industry. Dan Siemers, Siemers Holsteins, notes they were able to build a new dairy and find a new milk market because Agropur built a new plant in their area. Corey Geiger, CoBank, describes that the US is approaching $9 billion of new investment in dairy plants coming online through 2027, over half of that in cheese. High-quality whey protein isolates are in equal demand as cheese, so that has been a large part of the investment as well. He mentions investment in class one beverage milk and extended shelf life, as well as growth in yogurt and Greek yogurt. The panel also discusses milk in schools.  (1:35)Corey talks about the generational change on dairy farms regarding components. Dan mentions that in one generation, you can increase the fat percentage by 0.4 using bulls available today. The focus on pounds of fat and protein plus health traits has resulted in somewhat less milk. Dan feels that the industry needs to focus a bit more on pounds of milk as a carrier to get protein back in the business. Some plants indicate there might almost be too much fat, so a focus on protein pounds may be in order. (11:03)Corey states that 92% of dairy farmers get paid on multiple component pricing, and 90% of that milk check is butter fat and protein. While some cheese plants don't quite need all the butter fat that's coming from dairy farms, it's important to note that we are still not filling our butter fat needs domestically. There are definitely opportunities in the butter sector. The panel discusses some shuffling in domestic processing might also be needed to better use the sweet cream that's available. (13:01)Scott asks about export markets in developing countries. Gregg mentions that many Central American dairy products contain vegetable oil, so there is a lot of potential there. Corey agrees and states there is also similar potential in the Middle East and North Africa. He also notes that lack of refrigeration is still an issue in some parts of the world, so shelf-stable products are critical. Gregg mentions that drinkable yogurts are in demand in Latin America. (18:29)The panel dives into the way beef on dairy has changed the industry. Dan notes the baby calf market has been a huge profit center, where the dairy can essentially break even and the calves provide the profit. This may be creating a challenge where a lot of dairies aren't creating enough replacement dairy heifers. (23:16)Data and how we use it is the next topic the group discusses. Gregg shares a story of an MIT grad who is developing an artificial intelligence algorithm to combine cow genetics with different diet ingredients and feed additives to decrease methane production while improving cow productivity. (28:49)The panelists close out the episode with their take-home messages. Corey gives listeners a look at the impact of the domestic dairy market. Dan shares the sustainability story and climate impact of the dairy industry will continue to be important. Gregg is excited about new technologies, but asks for assistance in working with the federal government to get those technologies approved at the speed of commerce. The panel also discusses the impacts of tariffs on agriculture and how dairy farmers need to be communicating with their members of Congress. (32:56)Please reach out to your Congress members. Start the conversation, and  help them understand!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.

More from Lonnie's Scrapbook as we shoot back to the late nineteen seventies and consider the Knack (the band, not the noun or the film), George Harrison's wedding to Olivia, the 1979 fire at Ringo's residence, the aftermath of Paul McCartney / January 1981, and  the farms of John and Yoko - including their Holstein cattle (Mango the cow!).    

Dairy Cow Culling Research InsightsIn this episode of The Moos Room, Brad takes a break while guest hosts Emily and Joe dive into a recent research study from the University of Minnesota on dairy cow culling. The study, spanning 14 years of data, compares Holstein and crossbred cows, uncovering key insights about the reasons for culling and its economic impact.Did you know that dairy cows make up 10% of the U.S. beef market? In this episode of The Moos Room, guest hosts Emily and Joe break down a new University of Minnesota study analyzing 14 years of dairy cow culling data. The study compares Holsteins and crossbred cows, revealing key factors that influence culling decisions, market value, and farm profitability.What You'll Learn:✅ Why cows are culled (poor reproduction & mastitis top the list) ✅ How cull cows impact the beef market and farm revenue ✅ Which cows bring in the most money—Holsteins vs. crossbreds ✅ How seasonal trends & lactation cycles affect cull value ✅ The future of dairy genetics—is a shift toward dual-purpose cows coming?This episode challenges the traditional view of dairy culling and explores how breeding, management, and market trends are shaping the future of dairy farming.Valuing Cull CowsReasons for disposal and cull cow value of Holstein cows compared with Holstein, Jersey, Montbéliarde, Normande, and Viking Red crossbred cowsQuestions, comments, scathing rebuttals? -> themoosroom@umn.edu or call 612-624-3610 and leave us a message!Linkedin -> The Moos RoomTwitter -> @UMNmoosroom and @UMNFarmSafetyFacebook -> @UMNDairyYouTube -> UMN Beef and Dairy and UMN Farm Safety and HealthInstagram -> @UMNWCROCDairyExtension WebsiteAgriAmerica Podcast Directory 

This episode was recorded at the 2025 Florida Ruminant Nutrition Symposium. Dr. Johnson and Dr. Felix begin with brief descriptions of their background. (1:26)Dr. Johnson's presentation at the symposium focuses on beef quality aspects of using beef sires on dairy cows. Using the same Angus semen, his research model compared Angus-sired beef calves raised in a conventional cow-calf system, Angus x Holstein calves, Angus x Jersey calves, and Angus-sired IVF beef embryos transplanted into Holstein and Jersey cows. The model evaluated how the management impacted feedlot performance and carcass quality. (6:37)Dairy-influenced beef is tender and highly marbled. It also has more oxidative fibers prone to lipid peroxidation and higher myoglobin content which gives it a redder hue. When high-myoglobin beef is in retail packaging, it goes through discoloration faster than traditional native beef, and retailers shy away from that. Beef on dairy products have a retail display life more like native beef, and large retailers are embracing that product. (10:12)Ribeye size was not different among any of the cattle groups in Dr. Johnson's study, including straight calf-fed Holsteins. Beef on dairy calves have similar ribeye area and 0.15-0.20 inches less backfat than a straight beef calf, so their yield grades are lower, implying more red meat yield. In practice, however, they don't have increased red meat yield compared to native beef because they give up so much muscle in their hindquarter. (14:14)Dr. Felix asks if the selection criteria of the Angus sire Dr. Johnson used may have limited the findings from a yield standpoint. Dr. Johnson agrees that was definitely the case, as they chose a high-marbling sire on purpose, and he happened to be fairly light muscled. Dr. Johnson feels that improving the plane of nutrition of beef on dairy calves in the hutch for the first 60-70 days could vastly improve hindquarter muscling later in life. (19:39)Muscle biopsies from the ribeye and hindquarter of hutch calves on low and high planes of nutrition found no difference in muscle proliferation in the ribeye. Hindquarter muscle proliferation was improved in calves on the high plane diet. Dr. Felix reiterated that there is a lack of literature in this area. (25:35)If beef on dairy calves have less backfat, does that mean they have better feed efficiency? In Dr. Johnson's study, the best feed efficiency group was the Angus x Holstein F1 cross. Dr. Felix and Dr. Johnson discuss changes in feedlot practices and days on feed and how the industry is moving to carcass-adjusted average daily gain and feed efficiency measures. (31:14)The panelists discussed the impact of gut size on carcass value. In the dairy industry, we want cows to have high intakes for high milk production, which requires a large gut size. Dams of beef on dairy calves may pass on these traits. Dr. Johnson describes a beef calf and a beef on dairy calf out of the same sire where the beef calf was 40 pounds lighter at the end of the feeding period, yet both calves had the same hot carcass weight. That 40-pound difference was gut size. Dr. Felix and Dr. Johnson share their experiences with differences in fat and trim between beef and beef on dairy carcasses. (39:25)Dr. Felix asks Dr. Johnson how the valuation of beef on dairy calves drives marketing decisions. Day-old dairy calves are extremely valuable right now. A high index beef on dairy calf will bring $800-$1100, depending on what part of the country you live in. If a dairy producer only has $200 in that calf, they should take the money and run. There is no way they will make $800 per head feeding out those calves. (47:30)In closing, Dr. Zimmerman urges ASAS and ADSA to bring back Joint Annual Meetings so more cross-species interactions can be fostered. Dr. Felix notes there is a tremendous gap where the dairy nutrient requirements end and where the beef nutrient requirements pick up. We need to fill that gap to better target optimal muscle development in beef on dairy calves. Dr. Johnson is enthusiastic about the amount of progress the beef on dairy sector has experienced in a short period. We're one or two tweaks away from beef on dairy carcasses rivaling native beef in quality. What we're learning in this sector can also be applied to the native beef sector to improve meat quality and red meat yield. (56:52)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. 

President Donald Trump laid out foreign policy promises, goals and predictions during his swearing-in ceremony as he assumes another term in office. Also, the UN says 630 aid trucks have entered Gaza since the start of the ceasefire deal over the weekend between Israel and Hamas. And, the Ankole cattle of western Uganda are now considered an endangered breed as farmers switch to other imports such as Holsteins. Plus, remembering Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s universal message against oppression.Listen to today's Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Pastor Ray Lane shares his remarkable journey of faith and resilience, emphasizing the preciousness of life and the potential of the unborn. Born during the Great Depression and facing an early plan for abortion, Pastor Ray's life story is a testament to the belief that every life has value and purpose. He reflects on the powerful influence of his first wife, who introduced him to faith, and the mentors who shaped his spiritual path, including his current wife, Joyce. Throughout the conversation, he discusses the impact of significant life events, including his experiences as a pastor and his role in the community. Ultimately, Pastor Ray's message is clear: life is a gift from God, and every individual has the potential to make a meaningful difference in the world.Pastor Ray Lane shares an extraordinary life story that illustrates the power of faith, the value of life, and the impact of community. Born during the Great Depression under circumstances that almost led to his abortion, Ray's life took a remarkable turn thanks to a compassionate family doctor. His upbringing on a farm in Idaho instilled a strong work ethic that guided him through a diverse career path, including service in the Air Force and pastoral roles across five states and New Zealand. Ray's life has been a tapestry of experiences, from breeding registered Holsteins to volunteering in law enforcement, each thread woven with a commitment to serve others and embody the Golden Rule, a principle he attributes to his parents' teachings.Central to this episode is Ray's reflection on the pivotal role that his first wife played in his spiritual journey. Initially, both were unaware of God's presence in their lives, but after his wife discovered faith, her transformation inspired Ray to explore his own beliefs. He recounts how her newfound spirituality not only changed her demeanor but also influenced her family's dynamics, leading to a life dedicated to service and community support. This narrative sets the stage for a deeper discussion on mentorship and the importance of community in shaping one's faith. Ray highlights various mentors, including Dr. Oswald Hoffman, who helped him develop his theological understanding, and a pastor in New Mexico whose compassion for a single mother profoundly affected him.The episode culminates with an exploration of Ray's book, 'Conceivable: The Unlimited Potential of the Unborn.' Through this work, he passionately advocates for the value of every life, especially those unborn, sharing anecdotes that illustrate the potential lost through abortion. He challenges societal norms by discussing the potential that every individual holds and how every life is a divine gift. His reflections serve as a call to action for listeners to recognize the dignity of the unborn and to consider the profound impact each life can have on the world. Pastor Ray's message resonates deeply, encouraging a collective reevaluation of how we view and treat life, ultimately advocating for a culture that cherishes and protects the vulnerable.Takeaways: Pastor Ray Lane's life journey, from a difficult start during the Great Depression, reflects resilience and purpose. He emphasizes that life is precious and every unborn child has unlimited potential worth protecting. The advice he treasures is to avoid making excuses and instead focus on making good decisions. His first wife played a crucial role in his spiritual awakening and faith journey. Pastor Ray's experiences as a pastor and funeral director have shaped his views on the sanctity of life. He believes that every person is created with a unique purpose and destiny from God. Companies mentioned in this episode: Walmart Barnes and Noble Colorado State University