The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast

In this episode of The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Alexander Hristov, Distinguished Professor of Dairy Nutrition at Penn State, discusses rumen methane formation and practical mitigation strategies for dairy cattle. He explains how fiber, starch, diet formulation, and feed additives influence hydrogen flow in the rumen, why production trade-offs matter, and why producers should evaluate methane-reduction claims through independent science. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Feed additives can produce the most practical methane reduction, but producers need to look at the science behind each product."

Meet the guest: Dr. Alexander Hristov is a Distinguished Professor of Dairy Nutrition in the Department of Animal Science at Penn State. He earned his Ph.D. in Animal Nutrition in Bulgaria and has worked with USDA-ARS, Ag Canada, the University of Idaho, and Penn State. His research focuses on dairy cattle protein and amino acid nutrition, nutrient losses, and gaseous emissions. He has given over 120 invited presentations and published over 230 books, book chapters, and peer-reviewed journal articles. Learn more from Dr. Alexander Hristov on The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, available on all major platforms.

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What will you learn: 
(00:00) Highlight
(02:12) Introduction
(02:52) Methanogenesis
(03:40) Feed effects
(05:12) Starch trade-offs
(07:12) Diet tools
(08:23) Additive science
(11:24) Closing thoughts

The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast is trusted and supported by the innovative companies:

* Vetagro
* Priority IAC
* Fortiva
* Barentz
* Kemin
* Adisseo

- DietForge
- Virtus Nutrition
- Esmilco Inc.

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.
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In this special roundtable episode of The Dairy Nutrition Black Belt Podcast, Dr. Victoria Asselstine, Ruminant Technical Team Manager at Jefo Nutrition, and Dr. Lance Baumgard, Distinguished Professor at Iowa State University, discuss transition cow health and challenge long-held assumptions about its management. They explore B vitamins, inflammation, ketones, subclinical hypocalcemia, feed intake, and stress management. Discover why the same metabolic marker can reflect either high production or hidden illness. Listen now on all major platforms!

“B vitamins support major pathways involving carbohydrate, lipid, and protein metabolism, making nutritional support especially relevant during substantial metabolic shifts around calving.”

Meet the guests:
Dr. Victoria Asselstine earned her Ph.D. in Animal Genetics and Immunology from the University of Guelph and serves as Ruminant Technical Service Manager at Jefo Nutrition. She collaborates with industry and academic partners to evaluate nutritional strategies supporting transition cow health, calf development, productivity, and sustainability.
Dr. Lance Baumgard is a Distinguished Professor and Norman L. Jacobson Endowed Professor in Dairy Nutrition at Iowa State University. His research focuses on nutritional and environmental physiology, including metabolism, inflammation, heat stress, nutrient partitioning, and transition cow biology. His work supports nutritional strategies for dairy cow health and performance.

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What will you learn: 
(00:00) Highlight
(02:17) Introduction
(03:16) Transition cow dogmas
(04:21) Targeted nutrition
(06:17) Metabolic markers
(08:55) Ketones and inflammation
(12:17) Stress management
(14:19) Closing thoughts

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

Jefo

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.
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In this episode of The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Megan Lauber, Ph.D. Candidate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, explains how reproductive performance shapes herd structure, milk flow, replacement needs, and farm profitability. She discusses insemination eligibility periods, sexed semen, beef semen, dairy-beef calf value, and the financial impact of improving 21-day pregnancy rate. Listen now on all major platforms!

Click here to read the full research article!

"Effective reproductive management shapes herd structure by influencing pregnancy status, milk production, replacement needs, and overall farm profitability across different stages of lactation."

Meet the guest: Megan Lauber is a PhD student in the Department of Animal and Dairy Science at the University of Wisconsin Madison. Her research focuses on dairy reproduction, herd structure, reproductive management, and decision-support models that improve profitability and support practical management decisions for modern dairy farms. Listen to Megan Lauber on The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, available on all major platforms.

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What will you learn: 
(00:00) Highlight
(01:56) Introduction
(02:36) Herd structure
(04:06) Eligibility period
(05:26) Semen type returns
(07:34) Model limits
(09:56) Profitability gains
(12:10) Closing thoughts

The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast is trusted and supported by the innovative companies:

* Adisseo
* Vetagro
* Barentz
* Fortiva
* Kemin
* Priority IAC

- Esmilco Inc.
- DietForge
- Virtus Nutrition

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.
Website: The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast
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In this special rerun episode of The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Marcos Marcondes from the William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute discusses key insights into calf and heifer nutrition. He shares findings on feed intake modeling, pre- and post-weaning transitions, and how feeding strategies influence mammary gland development and long-term milk yield. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Adequate body weight alone does not guarantee future milk production; mammary development also needs time."

Meet the guest: Dr. Marcos Marcondes is a Dairy Research Scientist at the William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute. He earned his M.S. and Ph.D. in Animal Science from the Federal University of Viçosa in Brazil and completed postdoctoral research at the University of Florida. His work focuses on feed evaluation, nutrient requirements, and methane mitigation in dairy cattle. Hear Dr. Marcos Marcondes on The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, available on all major platforms!

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What will you learn: 
(00:00) Highlight
(01:55) Introduction
(03:31) Model accuracy
(05:48) Starter intake bias
(07:50) Feeding strategies
(11:10) Mammary gland growth
(12:55) Weaning transition
(16:31) Closing thoughts

The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast is trusted and supported by the innovative companies:

* Kemin
* Priority IAC
* Adisseo
* Vetagro
* Barentz
* Fortiva

- Virtus Nutrition
- Esmilco Inc.
- DietForge

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.
Website: The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast
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In this episode of The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Efstathios Sarmikasoglou from Michigan State University explains how short-stature corn hybrids may affect dairy silage systems. He discusses plant morphology, fiber digestibility, cow intake, milk yield, methane emissions, and field yield considerations for producers evaluating this emerging forage option. Listen now on all major platforms!

Click here to read the full research article!

"Short stature corn hybrids provide an alternative genetic approach that improves plant architecture while maintaining characteristics important for forage production and dairy nutrition."

Meet the guest: Dr. Efstathios Sarmikasoglou is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Michigan State University. He earned a Ph.D. in Animal Science from the University of Florida and a B.S. in Animal Sciences from the Agricultural University of Athens, in Greece. His work includes dairy cattle nutrition, ruminal fermentation, and research on short-stature corn. Learn more from Dr. Efstathios Sarmikasoglou on The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, available on all major platforms.

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

What will you learn: 
(00:00) Highlight
(01:50) Introduction
(02:46) Short stature corn
(04:49) Nutritional value
(07:08) Cow performance
(09:04) Fiber levels
(10:37) Yield potential
(14:50) Closing thoughts

The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast is trusted and supported by the innovative companies:

* Barentz
* Fortiva
* Kemin
* Priority IAC
* Adisseo
* Vetagro

- DietForge
- Esmilco Inc.
- Virtus Nutrition

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.
Website: The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast
Instagram: The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast
LinkedIn: The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast
Facebook: The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast
TikTok: The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast