This episode features speakers from the 2025 ADSA Applied Nutrition Symposium, “Milk Pricing Dynamics and Strategies for Enhancing Milk Fat Production.” Dr. Lock gave the highlights of his presentation on dietary opportunities for promoting milk fat. (2:18)Dr. St. Pierre’s presentation focused on the change we've had in the way milk and its components are priced. (5:25)Dr. Van Amburgh’s symposium talk covered amino acid supplementation to high producing cows eliciting more of a milk fat response than a milk protein response. (9:31)Dr. Van Amburgh and Dr. Lock talk about where butyrate fits into milk fat synthesis. Dr. Van Amburgh shares some of his experiences with grass-based dairy diets in Ireland and how those might influence milk fat production. The group discusses de novo and preformed fat synthesis and how diets may or may not influence those two mechanisms. (12:16)The guests talk about an abstract from Dr. Van Amburgh’s lab at the ADSA meetings about supplemental lysine levels. This leads into a discussion of lactose production and fluid milk volume, as well as feedback from cheese processors and the impact of supplemental chromium on milk production parameters. (22:31)Dr. St. Pierre talks about cheese processor concerns with increased milk fat concentrations, milk pricing structures, and milk perishability. (28:27)The panel discusses metabolizable protein, essential, non-essential, and branched-chain amino acids, and how the view of fatty acids and amino acids has changed from simple substrates to make milk components to compounds with biogenic activities. (36:20)Dr. St. Pierre talks about the inaugural Industry Day at the 2025 ADSA meetings and goals for similar future events. (43:01)Panelists share their take-home thoughts. (48:13)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, we feature some of the winners of poster and oral presentation competitions at the 2025 ADSA Annual Meeting in Louisville, Kentucky. Abstracts can be found here: ADSA 2025 Annual MeetingMS Oral Presentation, ProductionGuests: Trinidad Fernandez-Wallace and Dr. Lautaro Rostoll-Cangiano, University of Wisconsin-MadisonCo-host: Dr. Laura Niehues, BalchemAbstract 1218: Immunity at the crossroads of cellular metabolism: Navigating T helper shifts in the periparturient period of dairy cows. (0:08)Trinidad found that T-helper cell metabolism and proliferation were both upregulated after calving, which may impact the effectiveness of immune responses during the transition period. The group discusses if T-helper cells could be used as a marker of inflammation in the future and how Trinidad’s results may have been different if samples had been collected between 3 and 28 days after calving.PhD Oral Presentation, ProductionGuests: Natnicha Taechachokevivat and Dr. Rafael Neves, Purdue UniversityCo-host: Dr. Sion Richards, Balchem Abstract 1107: Relationships between systemic inflammation, subclinical hypocalcemia, and hyperketonemia in clinically healthy Holstein cows. (8:07)Natnicha investigated the association of plasma haptoglobin (an inflammatory marker) on days 1 and 3 in milk with subclinical hypocalcemia and hyperketonemia. Systemic inflammation appears to be associated with subclinical hypocalcemia and hyperketonemia and reduced milk yield in multiparous cows. When multiparous cows exhibited both inflammation and metabolic disease indicators, they produced less milk; however, when primiparous cows exhibited both inflammation and metabolic disease indicators, they produced more milk. 3 Minute ThesisGuests: Savitha Saikumar and Dr. Diwaker Vyas, University of FloridaCo-host: Dr. Laura Niehues, BalchemAbstract 1548: Effects of peripartal supplementation of prototype postbiotics on intake, rumen fermentation, colostrum quality, and performance in transition dairy cows. (15:14)Savitha investigated the effects of a prototype postbiotic supplement in transition cows from 35 days before calving to 63 days after calving. Cows on the postbiotic treatment received 25 grams per day topdressed on their TMR. Before calving, the postbiotic had no effect on dry matter intake, body condition sore, body weight, or total VFAs. After calving, the postbiotic increased dry matter intake and milk yield after 6 weeks, and increased energy-corrected milk and fat-corrected milk with no effect on body weight, body condition score, or rumen fermentation profile.PhD Poster Guest: Amanda Fischer-Tlustos, University of Guelph Abstract 2012: Characterization of dry-period mammary acetate and glucose metabolism and their association with colostrum production in multiparous Holstein cattle. (25:15)Amanda’s research evaluated acetate and glucose metabolism in the mammary gland during the dry and calving periods to better understand how colostrum is made. Acetate uptake by the udder remained fairly constant until one week before calving, when it started to increase. Glucose uptake did not increase until the onset of calving. Previous lactation milk production and far-off mammary metabolism were both negatively correlated with colostrum production. Amanda hypothesizes that high producing cows who have trouble drying off may have high amounts of metabolic activity in the mammary gland when they should have low activity, which may result in lower colostrum production at the subsequent calving. PhD Oral Presentation, Southern Branch DivisionGuests: Bridger Sparks and Dr. Clarissa Strieder-Barboza, Texas Tech UniversityCo-host: Dr. Ryan Pralle, BalchemAbstract 1215: Adipose tissue neuro-like cell profile changes with ketosis in dairy cows. (33:05)Bridger investigated neuro-like cells in the adipose tissue of cows with or without subclinical ketosis. The transcriptional profile of neuro-like cells changed when collected from cows with subclinical ketosis, which may indicate a potential regulatory role in adipose tissue metabolism. Perhaps modulation of neuro-like cells could potentially alleviate excessive adipose mobilization in the postpartum period. ADSA Graduate Student Division HighlightsGuests: Evelyn Yufeng Lin, North Carolina State University; Miranda Farricker, Cornell University; Conor McCabe, University of California-Davis; Dr. Maurice Eastridge, Ohio State University. (40:45) Dr. Eastridge is the chair of the ADSA Foundation and explains some of the Foundation’s current projects. Evelyn and Conor are past presidents of the ADSA Graduate Student Division, and Miranda is the incoming president. Each student gives a bit of background on themselves and their research and describes what the Graduate Student Division does and how they foster new graduate students in ADSA. Please subscribe and share with your industry friends to invite more people to join us at the Real Science Exchange virtual pub table. If you want one of our Real Science Exchange t-shirts, screenshot your rating, review, or subscription, and email a picture to anh.marketing@balchem.com. Include your size and mailing address, and we’ll mail you a shirt.
Dr. Dahl presented a Real Science webinar on heat stress on April 1, 2025. You can find the webinar at balchem.com/realscience. This episode of Real Science Exchange further explores the key elements of Dr. Dahl’s webinar.Dr. Dahl talks about geographical differences in whether farms provide cooling for dry or lactating cows. Cows get heat stressed long before humans. Some farms are concerned that using misters for cooling will add too much water to their manure handling systems. He notes a study comparing conventional misters and fans, no cooling, and smart soakers that only provide mist if a cow is present. When the total amount of water (drinking + cooling system) was evaluated, the smart soakers cooled as well as the conventional system, but used the same amount of water as the no cooling group. (7:08)During the dry period, a main impact of heat stress is a reduction in dry matter intake. However, there are dramatic shifts in immune function and effects on mammary development and redevelopment in cows who experience heat stress in the dry period. This sets the stage for lower productivity in the next lactation. In addition, there are many negative impacts on the in utero calf from heat stress. Calves from heat stressed dams are challenged from a growth standpoint, in addition to organ development challenges in the mammary gland, ovaries, and immune system. These calves are less likely to make it through their first lactation, are less productive, and pass their poor production and survival phenotype on to their offspring. (14:28)Dr. Tao talks about when during the dry period to provide cooling for cows. Spoiler alert: the entire dry period! He also notes that bred heifers should have cooling provided for the last 60 days of gestation as well. Laura asks about the impact of heat stress on neonatal calves and how it may impact their mammary development. More research is needed in this area, and you also have to wait two years to collect data from the first lactation. Dr. Dahl notes that observations from season of birth data indicate lower longevity for calves who are born to heat stressed dams. (18:26)Milk production is decreased by 8-10 pounds per day for cows stressed during the dry period, and they also produce a lower volume of colostrum. Calves from heat stressed dams also have a lower rate of passive transfer of antibodies from colostrum. The panel talks about why that might be, whether or not those gut differences persist after calfhood, and how that might be related to growth differences between heat stressed and cooled calves. (27:30)What about reproduction? It appears that heat stress during the dry period has a negative impact on reproductive function in the subsequent breeding season. Recent research has indicated that calves experiencing heat stress in utero have poor gonadal development and lower follicular reserves. In addition, placental development is also negatively affected. Dr. Tao notes that heat stress negatively impacts mammary gland involution during the dry off period. All of this leads to a decrease in cow longevity. (35:36)Dr. Dahl describes a retrospective records study using Florida and California herds to evaluate cows in their fifth through eighth lactations. In Florida, about three-quarters of those animals were born in cooler parts of the year rather than in hotter months of the year. The pattern in California was similar, though not quite as extreme. (44:02)Dr. Tao and Dr. Dahl expand on the economics of cooling cows, including return on investment and the costs of not cooling. The guests also talk about some of their research abstracts at the 2025 ADSA meetings. (48:10)Panelists share their take-home thoughts. (57:41)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 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, during the 2025 Tri-State Dairy Conference.Dr. Fessenden gives an overview of his presentation which covered both research and field information on automated milking systems. He recommends going back to basics and formulating a rumen-friendly PMR with a complementary palatable feed that encourages the cows into the robot system. (5:57)The panel discusses ideas for driving cows to the robot on different types of PMRs, management of transition and late lactation cows in automated milking systems, and the use of custom pellets versus other supplemental feeds in the robot. (9:04)Dr. Fessenden talks about some of his experiences visiting automated milking systems in Europe and some of the differences between European and North American approaches to diet formulations in automated systems. The group goes on to talk about different options for supplemental feed formulations in the robot. (18:38)Dr. Fessenden and Dr. Tylutki share ideas for how feeding technology could help both traditional and automated milking farms in the future. They discuss more precise grouping of cows and targeted feeding of those groups to better match requirements, as well as how movement to different pens and diet changes can impact milk production. (23:45) Dr. Tylutki updates the group on advancements in the AMTS balancing tools for multiple robot feeds. He and Dr. Fessenden describe the challenges of developing new tools that are streamlined and user-friendly for nutritionists. They also delve into the role artificial intelligence and machine learning might play in ration balancing in the future. (29:32)Dr. Fessenden encourages nutritionists to think outside the box when working with automated milking herds to make decisions that are right for that particular farm. Dr. Tylutki chimes in with advice to spend time actually watching the cows on the farm, and Dr. Van Soest echoes this sentiment when it comes to troubleshooting issues with the robots themselves. Don’t just assume it’s an issue with the ration - ask or observe for yourself what may have changed on the farm that could contribute to the issue the farm is facing. (40:02)Panelists share their take-home thoughts. (45:20)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 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, during the 2025 Tri-State Dairy Conference.Dr. Schwanke begins by describing how we can shape cattle personalities through handling and management and adapting our strategies to accommodate different personality traits so as to not cause undue stress. Personality traits are consistent across time and context, which is nuanced by the other animals in a particular group. There are five generally recognized personality traits: boldness, exploration, activity, sociability and aggressiveness. Some debate exists as to whether dominance should be considered a sixth trait or if it’s just an outcome of the other five. (5:43)Dr. Schwanke’s research focused mainly on how cows react to specific stressors, such as adapting to an automated milking system. In a robotic system, cows who are more independent, explorative and bold are more likely to do well. Some diversity is good because it can help to minimize long-term antagonistic interactions in a group. If we have cows that are very similar to each other, it will take longer for them to establish a social hierarchy. (10:05)The panel discusses where the research is in regard to on-farm applicability and potential genetic components of personality traits. In the future, Dr. Schwanke envisions automated assessments of cow personality through computer vision cameras in the barn, fed into an algorithm that creates a personality ranking of cows based on their behaviors. She also notes personality traits can help predict a cow’s coping style: proactive, reactive and intermediate. Proactive cows are more bold, explorative and aggressive. They thrive in predictable, stable conditions. Reactive cows are more fearful, less active and less dominant. They typically do better than proactive cows in unpredictable or changing environments because they’re better able to modify their behavior to the environment they find themselves in. (14:09)The panel talks about future research goals in this area, including transition to automated milking systems, modifying feed management for behavioral and nutritional requirements and impacts of commingling stress. The guests also explore behavioral research in calves and brainstorm about future research with this age group, as well as talk about potential implications of making the wrong selection decisions for personality traits. (20:08)Are there things dairy producers could do to condition calves to be more adaptable to an automated milking system later in life? If a calf is reared in an automated feeding system, do they adapt to an automated milking system more easily? We don’t have the research yet to answer these questions, but they’re great questions. The panel also talks about how to scale up personality trait information to large herds, how precision feeding systems and personality traits might interact and how machine learning and computer vision technology can automate personality trait assessments. (28:46)Panelists share their take-home thoughts. (35:02)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 in Reno, Nevada, during the 2025 Western Dairy Management Conference.Dr. Hutjens’ presentation focused on herds producing seven pounds of milk fat and milk protein per cow per day, and the genetics, on-farm management and nutrition to make that happen. The panel discusses where components could top out, how added dietary fat has influenced components and the importance of high quality forage to de novo fat synthesis. (4:09)The panel explores how well nutritionists are keeping up with rapid genetic change in milk component production and how farmers respond to recommendations for things like rumen-protected fatty acids and supplemental fat. Dr. Nelson shares some of the unique challenges and opportunities faced by the California dairy producers he works with. (11:56)Dr. Hutjens gives some benchmark values for energy and protein efficiency. The panel debates the merit of energy-corrected milk per stall as an efficiency measure, with the consensus being it might lead to crowding, which would then probably decrease milk and component production due to decreasing cow comfort. The group also discusses selecting for feed efficiency and the heritability of feed efficiency. (16:33)The panel dives into the topic of feed ingredients. High-oleic soybeans and high quality forages are a focus in some parts of the country. Dr. Nelson discusses non-forage fiber sources available in the California market, such as citrus, plums, apples and carrots. The group talks more about how high-sugar byproducts influence rumen fermentation, which is different from starch, as well as benefits in palatability, digestibility and intake. (21:03)Dr. Hutjens talks about benchmarks for milk components and different strategies for increasing component production. Rumen-protected amino acids, purchased fats, roasted high-oleic soybeans and urea are discussed. The group also talks about what might happen if milk processors start asking for less milk fat, for example. Dr. Hutjens talks about how nutritionists can help balance rations to yield different results for different markets. (33:04)Panelists share their take-home thoughts. (40:33)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 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, during the 2025 Tri-State Dairy Conference.Dr. Firkins’ presentation covers key aspects of how to improve digestibility of different diet components: fiber, starch, fat and total diet. (4:31)The negative relationship between starch in the diet and fiber digestion has been well known for more than 50 years. A recent meta-analysis showed the depression in fiber digestibility starts at very low starch concentrations. Dr. Weiss points out this can’t be due to low rumen pH at that starch level. Dr. Firkins agrees pH is probably only about half of the relationship and the other half is factors called the carbohydrate effect. He goes on to say adequate ammonia and amino acids are necessary for the fibrolytic bacteria in the rumen to maximize fiber digestibility, and urea alone is not adequate. The panel agrees there is little knowledge about what exactly the amino acid requirements of fibrolytic bacteria are or should be. (6:05)Dr. Firkins shares some of his findings regarding how sugars impact fiber digestibility. Dr. Krogstad notes grain particle size can have key impacts on fiber digestibility and the panel discusses some of the challenges in nailing down optimal particle size. (13:39)Dr. Weiss indicates diets should be formulated for rumen degradable starch - but how do we get that number? Dr. Firkins explains some of the difficulty in making accurate, cohesive predictions. The panel discusses some field measures that may be helpful. (18:24)Ruminants have lower fat digestibility than monogastrics. The panel explores biological factors that might be limiting fat digestibility. Dr. Firkins believes palmitic and oleic acids probably help the microbes and that is why we see improved diet digestibility when those fatty acids are supplemented. He encourages further exploration into the reason behind this and the mechanism by which it occurs. Dr. Krogstad mentions a Utah State study that also saw improved diet digestibility and also evaluated microbial fractions and phospholipids. (22:44)The panel explores the relationship between rumen-degradable protein and fiber digestibility. What happens when RDP is too high or too low? What is the optimal level of RDP to maximize digestibility? How does the composition of the base diet influence how much RDP you might need? What role do peptides play in the rumen? (29:00)Panelists share their take-home thoughts. (41:52)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.
This episode was recorded in Fort Wayne, Indiana, during the 2025 Tri-State Dairy Conference.Dr. Boerman notes we know cows experience a negative metabolizable protein balance in early lactation, which means they’re mobilizing skeletal muscle to make up for that. Dr. Boerman and her group have been interested in strategies to measure how much muscle they’re mobilizing, when they’re losing it and when they gain it back. (3:51)Cows are ultrasounded during the dry period to determine longissimus dorsi muscle reserves, then divided into low vs high muscle groups. Weekly ultrasounds follow them through lactation. Animals with high muscle reserves during the dry period mobilized muscle before calving, which resulted in increased calf birth weights. Animals with less muscle during the dry period can gain muscle during that time and have more muscle reserves at calving than they had in the middle of the dry period. Dr. Boerman discusses possible nutrition interventions to manage muscle depletion and accretion, as well as timing of muscle loss and gain. (5:14)The panel discusses how cows were assigned to high- and low-muscle groups and how representative those groups might be to the general population of dairy cows. Dr. Boerman mentions they’ve recently started evaluating primiparous cows as well to see if they perform differently than multiparous cows. (10:33)Dr. Boerman notes that cows are mobilizing between 30 and 35% of their longissimus dorsi depth during lactation and muscle biopsies have shown a reduction in muscle fiber size. They also measure 3-methyl histidine and creatinine as biomarkers of muscle loss and gain. The panel discusses increased calf birth weights and impacts on colostrum for high-muscle groups. Body condition score is not a good predictor of muscle depth. (16:52)The group discusses how parity might impact protein loss and gain, the influence of genetics on these muscle measurements, how health events might affect muscle mobilization and what kind of hormonal regulation might be occurring to control muscle losses and gains. (23:41)Dr. Weiss shares about a project from his group where muscle and fat losses were measured by dilution. They fed 20% protein diets using soy alone or with supplementation of rumen-protected amino acids. He emphasized the differences between heifers and cows, similar to what Dr. Boerman’s group has observed as well. (29:54)Dr. Boerman shares some ideas of what kind of experiments she’d like to conduct next to continue this line of research. (33:42)Panelists share their take-home thoughts. (35:29)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.
Balchem’s Bourbon & Brainiacs event took place at the Frazier History Museum during the 2025 ADSA annual meetings in Louisville, Kentucky. After introductions, Dr. Lucy shares about the ADSA monthly podcast, Dairy Digressions, which he hosts. He discusses listener demographics, the diverse paths to becoming a dairy scientist and inspiring young people to pursue a career in dairy science. The panel goes on to discuss the camaraderie and friendships developed and nurtured at ADSA meetings. (2:44)Dr. Kononoff asks the panel their thoughts on how to protect students, given the current and potential future funding concerns for science. Dr. Lucy notes he believes science will prevail. Dr. St-Pierre comments we have portrayed science as infallible, when it’s really self-correcting, and the machine of a university is faculty and students. Dr. Kononoff, originally from Canada, discusses the uniqueness of the land-grant system in the US. (8:31)Dr. Lucy shares some of his favorite parts of being an ADSA member. (17:44)Dr. Williamson, a neuroscientist, suggests the dairy industry could learn from human behaviorists regarding marketing their products. Dr. Ordway agrees, as someone who did not grow up in the agriculture industry. (20:42)Dr. St-Pierre talks about presenting at his very first ADSA meeting when he was still learning to speak English. He goes on to discuss how meetings and students have evolved over the years. (23:03)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 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, during the 2025 Tri-State Dairy Conference.Dr. Carpenter gives an overview of her presentation. She summarizes an Extension risk management project regarding heifer development, assisting dairies in benchmarking their heifer growth and development. Key focus points include reducing morbidity and mortality and timely breeding to achieve goals for age at first calving. Dr. Carpenter also emphasized heat detection and conception, as well as recordkeeping as important considerations for success. (4:10)Dr. Carpenter shares findings from a beef-on-dairy feeding experiment where any calf that had two or more lifetime respiratory events had lower carcass weight and lower return on investment. The panel discusses industry uptake of using lung ultrasounds to evaluate respiratory events. (11:53)Guests talk about different feeding concepts in heifer development and trends in age at first calving over time. (14:31)The panel dives into home-raising versus custom-developing heifers. Dr. Carpenter notes Penn State has great resources regarding custom rearing of dairy heifers. Pros and cons of both systems are discussed, and the panel also touches on rearing of beef-on-dairy calves as well. (19:17)The group returns to the topic of age at first calving. Reducing variation at age at breeding is important, and producers should consult with their nutritionists and veterinarians for a team approach to success. (24:44)Dr. Carpenter and Dr. Tebbe talk about how producers are dealing with replacement heifer shortages. (27:24)Panelists share their take-home thoughts. (31:48)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.
Guests: Dr. José Santos, University of Florida; Dr. Jeff Firkins, The Ohio State University; Dr. Bill Weiss, Professor Emeritus, The Ohio State University; Dr. Jimena Laporta, University of Wisconsin; Dr. Jim Aldrich, CSA Animal Nutrition; Dr. Tom Overton, Cornell University; Dr. Mark Hanigan, Virginia Tech University; Martin Bengtsson, Balchem; Dr. Barry Bradford, Michigan State University; Dr. Turner Swartz, South Dakota State University; Dr. Adam Lock, Michigan State University; Dr. Goeff Dahl, University of FloridaBalchem’s Bourbon & Brainiacs event took place at the Frazier History Museum during the 2025 ADSA annual meetings in Louisville, Kentucky. This bonus episode features a rotating slate of guests throughout the entirety of the episode. The episode begins with guests talking about how many ADSA meetings they’ve attended and some of their favorite locations. Quebec City travel nightmares, side trips to the Grand Canyon, and university host sites with dorms featuring no air conditioning were highlighted. (0:08)The group talks about the impact scientific meetings have on graduate students and how important the social and networking aspects are in the development of students’ careers. (9:44)Formative moments in your career can be forged at ADSA meetings. Learning to step back and talk about the big picture of your work can be pivotal. Other panelists share their experiences in making the final decision on where to attend graduate school based on their experiences at ADSA meetings. (19:48)Martin Bengtsson, Balchem’s Executive Vice President, CFO and Animal Nutrition and Health General Manager joins the panel. He talks about his background and Balchem’s investment in animal nutrition research. He asks the panel what they’d like to see a company like Balchem do more of to have a bigger impact and be more helpful to the industry. (22:49)A new wave of guests arrive. Topics include coaching quiz bowl and dairy challenge teams, softball games, rooftop lawn bowling and how one can go from being an up-and-comer to being one of the big names at ADSA to being a retiree. (36:24)Panelists share some of the events at this year’s ADSA meeting they’re excited to attend, including a symposium about feed additives for methane inhibition in conjunction with the Journal of Dairy Science and an applied nutrition series geared toward field nutritionists. (42:06)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 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, during the 2025 Tri-State Dairy Conference.Dr. Jaborek gives an overview of his presentation including sire selection, how beef on dairy crosses compare, feedlot performance, liver abscesses and red meat yield. (6:21)Beef sire availability and quality have changed over time with the development of selection indexes and selection criteria. Calving ease, growth, ribeye area,and quality grade are important traits. (10:03)The panel discusses if milk replacer feeding protocols differ for beef on dairy calves. More research in this area is needed. The group then talks about liver abscesses, including etiology, prevalence, and animal welfare and performance impacts. Dr. Jaborek notes calves with liver abscesses gain about 0.2 pounds per day less, on average. The panel believes understanding the impacts of diet differences (beef calves vs. the dairy model) in early life on rumen development would be a fruitful area of research. (16:00)Dr. Jaborek talks about some of the differences in growth and performance among beef calves raised on their dam, beef embryos from Holstein recips raised in the dairy system, and beef-sired calves from Holstein and Jersey dams raised in the dairy system. The panel talks about why beef calves in the beef system are outperforming those raised in the dairy system, including milk composition differences between beef and dairy cows and milk quantity and availability. Free-choice robot milk replacer feeding systems might better mimic the beef system environment. (26:21)The panel then explores how beef on dairy calves are fed post-weaning. Dr. Jaborek notes they generally continue to be fed a high concentrate diet which may contribute to the liver abscess and digestive issues given the long timeframe of exposure to concentrates. The panel ponders if backgrounding calves on pasture for some length of time after weaning would be beneficial. The group also delves into how maintenance requirements might differ for beef on dairy crosses and if feedlot nutritionists are making adjustments for these calves. (30:45)Given the price of beef calves, would it be more profitable to put beef embryos into dairy cows instead of using beef semen to create a beef-dairy crossbred? Matt then asks if any dairy producers are retaining ownership of these calves past 1-3 days of age. The panel discusses risks and rewards of both questions. (34:29)The panel talks about corn processing and potential impacts on rumen health and liver abscesses. Dr. Jaborek cites a study where feeding more fiber in the form of corn silage did not increase cost of gain, but improved liver abscess reduction by 30 percentage points. (38:47)Dr. Jaborek talks about yield and quality differences in dairy-influenced carcasses and talks about his top priorities for research in the beef on dairy sector moving forward. (42:21)Panelists share their take-home thoughts. (46:26)Please subscribe and share with your industry friends to invite more people to join us at the Real Science Exchange virtual pub table. If you want one of our Real Science Exchange t-shirts, screenshot your rating, review, or subscription, and email a picture to anh.marketing@balchem.com. Include your size and mailing address, and we’ll mail you a shirt.
Balchem’s Bourbon & Brainiacs event took place at the Frazier History Museum during the 2025 ADSA annual meetings in Louisville, Kentucky. This bonus episode takes a deep dive into bourbon tasting!After introductions, Steve leads off in his role as the bourbon steward and describes the two bourbons and a rye whiskey for the tasting. (2:14)Steve gives some instructions on the best way to taste bourbon like an expert, including determining your dominant nostril, the “Kentucky Chew,” the “Kentucky Hug,” and moving from lowest to highest proof. (4:48)Steve leads the guests through tasting Buffalo Trace and Maker’s Mark 46 bourbons and Angel’s Envy rye whiskey. The panel discusses their impressions and talks about mash bills, crop variation and the health of the bourbon business. (7:00)Please subscribe and share with your industry friends to invite more people to join us at the Real Science Exchange virtual pub table. If you want one of our Real Science Exchange t-shirts, screenshot your rating, review, or subscription, and email a picture to anh.marketing@balchem.com. Include your size and mailing address, and we’ll mail you a shirt.
In the Real Science Exchange Legacy Series, we celebrate the pioneers who have shaped the dairy industry. In this episode, we honor Dr. Charlie Staples, a distinguished professor at the University of Florida, whose groundbreaking work in dairy nutrition and mentorship touched countless lives. From his 35 years of research mentoring 23 graduate students to earning the American Dairy Science Association's Fellow Award, Dr. Staple's legacy continues to inspire. Join us as we explore his contributions and enduring impact on our industry.Guests introduce themselves and how they knew Dr. Staples. (1:05)Dr. Grummer shares when he and Dr. Staples were applying and interviewing for university jobs in the same pool, and how they eventually landed jobs at universities where the other was not in the pool. (7:22)Drs. Santos, Grummer and Zenobi share about Dr. Staples’ early life, his undergraduate and graduate career, and his family and faith. (10:42)Dr. Staples took a sabbatical at the University of Wisconsin in Dr. Grummer’s lab. He shares a story about taking Charlie smelt fishing, where the tradition is the newbie has to bite the head off a smelt. (18:04)Dr. Zenobi and Dr. Santos talk about Dr. Staples as a teacher and mentor, giving examples of his caring nature and thorough teaching style. (22:30)Dr. Grummer and Dr. Santos give a broad overview of Dr. Staples’ research career, including pioneering work in nutrition-reproduction interactions, fat supplementation and the separation of the energy effect and the fatty acid effect on reproductive performance, heat stress and choline supplementation. All panelists emphasized the collaborative and interdisciplinary nature of Dr. Staples’ work. (27:52)Dr. Grummer shares about the fatty acid research he and Dr. Staples collaborated on during Charlie’s sabbatical, as well as the choline research he worked on with Dr. Staples when Dr. Grummer worked for Balchem. The panelists talk about how Dr. Staples was not afraid to reach out to experts in other areas of expertise to ask questions and how thorough he was in literature searches. They talk about a symposium paper he presented summarizing 30-plus years of choline research. (36:12)The panelists talk more about the legacy Dr. Staples left behind - he was unassuming, humble, kind, collaborative and a man of principles. (44:14)Panelists share their take-home thoughts about Dr. Staples’ dedication to dairy science, mentorship and innovation. (54:51)The University of Florida established the Charles R. Staples Lecture Endowment to support the Charles R. Staples Lectureship Series. Each year, an invited speaker gives a seminar and meets with graduate students. If you'd like to support the endowment, you can do so by visiting the UF/IFAS Animal Sciences giving web page: https://give.ifas.ufl.edu/animal-sciences-giving/Please subscribe and share with your industry friends to invite more people to join us at the Real Science Exchange virtual pub table. If you want one of our Real Science Exchange t-shirts, screenshot your rating, review, or subscription, and email a picture to anh.marketing@balchem.com. Include your size and mailing address, and we’ll mail you a shirt.
Dr. Hristov gave a webinar titled “Histidine: a limiting amino acid for dairy cows” on March 4, 2025, and joins the podcast in this episode for a deeper dive into the topic. Panelists introduce themselves and give some background on their interest in histidine (00:52)Dr. Hristov gives an overview of his webinar presentation, touching on some of the first research projects that showed lower protein diets resulted in no change in plasma methionine, but a decrease in plasma histidine. When dietary protein decreases, the cow relies more on microbial protein to meet her needs. Histidine content is about 20% less than methionine content in microbial protein. He also notes there are some short-term reserves of histidine in the body, so short-term studies may not show a histidine deficiency when indeed there is one. (7:08)Matt gives some perspective as a consulting nutritionist about the importance of histidine in diet formulation for his clientele. He agrees with Dr. Hristov about the higher requirement for histidine compared to methionine, and he generally formulates diets with 1.1 times more histidine than methionine. (12:38)The panelists share their experiences with the responses observed from providing additional histidine to lactating cows, including milk and component yields and changes in dry matter intake and body condition. They also talk about how muscle loss can mask a histidine deficiency in the short term. (15:43)The panelists discuss the challenges in determining histidine requirements and finding reliable sources of highly bioavailable histidine. (24:04)Why is rumen-protected histidine not commercially available? Clay explains it is due to the high cost of histidine. There are no feed-grade sources, and using human-grade sources is cost-prohibitive. Dr. Hristov notes swine nutritionists are starting to pay more attention to histidine, which might bring the cost down if demand increases. Matt notes aquaculture is also interested in histidine. (33:58)Matt comments that increasing fat content can be problematic for cheese plants. He sees increasing milk protein yield may be the next frontier of dairy nutrition and histidine might play an important role. The panel discusses the role milk pricing has played in the increased fat content. (37:32)The panel discusses what other amino acids might be important in dairy nutrition as research continues. They also touch on methane mitigation and reducing methane intensity per unit of milk. (43:45)Panelists share their take-home thoughts. (54:31)View Dr. Hristov’s webinar on this subject by visiting https://balchem.com/anh/podcasts-webinars/histidine-a-limiting-amino-acid-for-dairy-cows-2/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.Dr. Cantor gives an overview of her presentation at the conference, focusing on data from accelerometers and robotic feeders to predict calf sickness. While the correlations are there and we know calves change activity, behavior and feeding behavior before they get sick, there is more work to be done before the technology is ready for wide implementation. When data from both accelerometers and robotic feeders were used, Dr. Cantor’s group was able to find respiratory disease with a 96% accuracy six days before clinical symptoms. (2:36)Dr. James and Dr. Cantor discuss the use of robotic feeders in the industry and the under-utilization of data collected by the feeders. Dr. James shares observations from a farm he works with about heifers coming in to the milking herd who were raised on robotic feeders compared to those raised in calf hutches. (6:15)The panel discusses the accuracy, specificity and sensitivity of the predictions from monitoring technologies. They also touch on challenges around deciding what parameters to use to classify an animal experiencing the onset of clinical disease and how that will vary depending on the disease. They go on to share their experiences with training algorithms and how computer scientists have different goals than animal scientists with this type of technology. (11:17)Dr. James talks about how data collection and using data can be a hard sell on some calf ranches. The panel talks about some of the challenges they have seen with adoption of technology and recordkeeping on dairies of various sizes. (28:30)Dr. Giordano gives an overview of his presentation on using monitoring technology in fresh cows to predict disease. His group has worked with wearable sensors that monitor rumination time and physical activity. More recently, sensor companies have added eating behavior and body temperature. Variations in these parameters create a health alert to check on that particular animal. (39:08)He goes on to describe two extremes in dairy farms. One spends little time and effort on looking for sick cows, while the other puts a lot of time and effort into this task. He discusses how bringing technology to these two types of farms benefits them and what drawbacks there are, along with an economic analysis for each. (43:14)The panel discusses how implementing monitoring technologies require a change in management. Allowing animals the opportunity to express their natural behavior is critical to success. They also talk about how veterinarians view this technology and the target age for calves to best learn how to use a robotic feeder. (48:54)Panelists share their take-home thoughts. (57:11)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.
Earlier this year, Balchem and Progressive Dairy Magazine partnered to create a new webinar series, The Real Producer Exchange. In this podcast episode, Scott and Walt reflect on the first webinar in the series, where Clare Alderink from Brian Ryzebol Dairy was the featured producer. Walt gives an overview of the premise and setup of the webinar series along with a brief overview of Clare’s background and current operation. Walt and Scott go on to share some excerpts from the webinar. (0:33)Clare talks about the dairy’s experience incorporating high oleic soybeans into their rations, including pitfalls, growing pains and successes. (2:56)Ryzebol Dairy uses the AfiCollar feed efficiency tool. Clare talks about how they’re using the data from the collars to make culling and breeding decisions, with an eye toward selecting more efficient cows to produce replacement heifers over time. (9:35)Clare also shares about things the dairy has tried that didn’t work out so well, including the installation of solar. He notes that more research and discussion should have taken place among the dairy, the developer and the utility. (16:28)Scott and Walt invite listeners to the next Real Producer Exchange on Tuesday, August 26 at 11 am EST, featuring Rob Diepersloot, a seventh generation dairy farmer and founder of WonderCow Nutrition, a colostrum-based wellness company. Topics will include how the family started and manages a consumer colostrum product, and how it impacts the dairy; the many differences in management needs across three locations – two in California and one in Colorado; and the vital role sustainability plays in all aspects of both businesses. (19:57)To register for the Real Producer Exchange webinar on August 26, visit balchem.com/realsciencePlease 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.Stan begins with an overview of the dairy checkoff since its inception in 1983. At that time, dairy farmers were producing 139 billion pounds of milk, but only 122 million pounds were being consumed. Dairy promotion has evolved to focus on research and education about nutrition, crisis management and even partnerships with Domino’s, Taco Bell and McDonald’s. (3:02)Stan and Marty detail some of the national and regional partnerships around dairy menu options. Walt notes that the grilled cheese burrito from Taco Bell is one of his son’s favorite fast food meals. The panel discusses some of the strategy behind the Taco Bell partnership as well as marketing to Gen Z consumers about how dairy fits into mind and body wellness. (6:39)Walt comments the checkoff has done and is continuing to do a great job of being future-ready. He remembers a few years ago hearing about the gaming generation and partnerships with Mr. Beast and YouTube and embedding cows in Minecraft, and now his sons are playing Minecraft and gaming and are on YouTube. (13:43)Stan notes in 1995, exports were at 3%. That has now increased to 16-17%. Marty gives some examples of partnerships with the Dallas Cowboys and HEB stores in Mexico to promote dairy. (16:09)The panel discusses the US investments in processing, the “Dairy Renaissance”, research into dairy-as-medicine, and continued product innovations to meet consumer demands. (23:24)Marty and Stan detail the agreement between the Dairy Checkoff and Mayo Clinic investigating the role of whole milk foods in treating and preventing cardiovascular and metabolic disease. (34:04)Panelists share their take-home thoughts. (37:51)You can find more information about the dairy checkoff at https://www.dairycheckoff.com/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.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.
This episode was recorded at the 2025 Western Dairy Management Conference in Reno, Nevada.Dr. Lock begins with an overview of his presentation, discussing nutrition and genomics impacts on the speed of progress in milk fat production. He also talks about historic differences in milk fat production in Europe compared to the US. With the reduction in generation interval that genomics provides, a more complete understanding of rumen and mammary metabolism will continue to be imperative. How do we supply the nutrients she needs to meet her genetic potential? (3:34)Can we feed too much 16:0? The panel discusses how palmitic and other fatty acids are incorporated into milk fat. They emphasize that no matter what, milk fat will remain a liquid at body temperature, so that does provide some limitations. Processors can alter their protocols to account for increased palmitic acid in milk fat and for increased milk fat in milk overall. (8:35)There is a gene called DGAT that can explain about 50% of the variation in milk fat content. Dr. Lock discusses some research looking at more vs less favorable DGAT profiles and how feeding palmitic acid interacted with those profiles in milk fat production. (13:04)The panel discusses whether there is a physiological limit for how much milk fat a cow can produce. Traditionally, when milk yield increased, fat yield decreased, but that is not the current case. We are learning more all the time about altering rations and using new oilseed ingredients like whole cottonseed and high-oleic soybeans. Dr. De Souza emphasizes that understanding de novo fatty acid synthesis is really important to keep pace with genomic progress. (16:08)Amino acid supplementation has recently been linked with milk fat production, with the assumed mechanism of action being increased mammary gland enzyme synthesis and activity. Dr. Lock describes a study assessing amino acid-fatty acid interactions in fresh cows. The amino acid (metabolizable protein) effect was greater for fat yield than feeding fatty acids, which was interesting. But perhaps more exciting was the effects were additive. Feeding both high metabolizable protein and 2% palmitic:oleic acid blend resulted in 9.5 kg more energy-corrected milk and a carryover effect after supplementation ceased. (22:41)Dr. Lock summarizes some of his group’s work on using oilseeds in dairy diets.(28:24)Dr. De Souza and Dr. Lock give some perspective on just how much we have learned about milk components over the last several years. (34:38)Panelists share their take-home thoughts, including practical advice on increasing milk fat production and what’s on the horizon for fatty acid nutrition research. (37:15)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.