The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast

In this episode of The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Joseph McFadden from Cornell University explains how methyl donors support transition cow nutrition. He discusses methionine, choline, omega-3 fatty acids, bioavailability, oxidative stress, and liver function, and examines why nutrient interactions matter beyond individual supplementation strategies. Listen now on all major platforms!

"You feed a methyl donor like methionine or choline, and you think everything is going to be great in terms of liver health. But if you’re missing another key component, like omega-3 fatty acids, then you can limit the expected metabolic response."

Meet the guest: Dr. Joseph McFadden is Professor of Dairy Cattle Biology at Cornell University, where he also serves as a Northeast Agribusiness & Feed Alliance and Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability Faculty Fellow. He is the Founder and CEO of NuParadym, Inc. His career combines dairy cattle biology, nutrition, metabolism, sustainability, and industry innovation. Listen to Dr. Joseph McFadden on The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, available on all major platforms.

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Dr. Richard Paratte: Lysine and Milk Production | Ep. 133
Dr. Susanna Räisänen: Histidine and New Amino Acid Trends | Ep. 141

What will you learn: 
(00:00) Highlight
(01:57) Introduction
(02:27) Transition cow metabolism
(04:16) Methyl donor interactions
(06:31) Choline and methionine
(08:16) Nutrient bioavailability
(09:03) Research findings
(10:33) Closing thoughts

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

* Vetagro

* Barentz
* Fortiva
* Priority IAC
* Kemin
* Adisseo
- DietForge
- Virtus Nutrition
- Esmilco Inc.

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.
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In this episode of The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Clarissa Strieder-Barboza, Assistant Professor of Veterinary Sciences at Texas Tech University, explains how adipose tissue influences metabolic adaptation, inflammation, ketosis risk, and transition cow performance. She discusses emerging research on adipose tissue remodeling, cellular specialization, and biomarkers that may improve health and productivity during early lactation. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Adipose tissue from cows with subclinical ketosis can be metabolically different before clinical signs appear."

Meet the guest: Dr. Clarissa Strieder-Barboza is an Assistant Professor of Veterinary Sciences at Texas Tech University. Her research focuses on adipose tissue biology, immunometabolism, metabolic disease, and transition cow physiology. She investigates how adipose tissue remodeling, inflammation, and metabolic adaptation affect dairy cattle health and productivity. Hear more from Dr. Strieder-Barboza 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
(02:50) Adipose importance
(05:12) Ketosis regulation
(08:17) Sequencing tools
(10:53) Cell subtypes
(11:46) Metabolic resilience
(15:12) Closing thoughts

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

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

- Esmilco Inc.
- Virtus Nutrition
- DietForge

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.
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In this episode of The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Ben Moitoso, Dairy Solutions Specialist supporting customers through Veterinary Service Inc., discusses why water quality deserves more attention in dairy systems. He explains how storage tanks, older pipelines, trough contamination, biofilm, and bacterial loads can affect herd health, and how chlorine dioxide can help sanitize water lines, reduce pathogen pressure, and support better somatic cell outcomes. Listen now on all major platforms!

"When animals drink contaminated water, somatic cell counts can rise, and cleaner water can help bring them back down."

Meet the guest: Ben Moitoso serves as a Dairy Solutions Specialist supporting customers through Veterinary Service Inc. (VSI), a leading distributor of animal health products. He works closely with Kemin and dairy producers to evaluate on-farm challenges and implement practical, results-driven solutions, particularly in water quality, disinfection, and pathogen control. Learn more from Ben Moitoso on The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, available on all major platforms.

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Dr. José Eduardo Santos: Choline & Dairy Cows - Part 1 | Ep. 106
Dr. José Eduardo Santos: Rumen-Protected Choline - Part 2 | Ep. 107
Dr. Frank Mitloehner: Nitrogen Excretion & Amino Acid Balancing | Ep. 111

What will you learn: 
(00:00) Highlight
(01:55) Introduction
(02:48) Water challenges
(05:10) Chlorine dioxide
(07:37) Somatic cell counts
(09:50) Herd impact
(12:53) Farm installation
(16:44) Closing thoughts

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

* Kemin

* Fortiva
* Barentz
* Priority IAC
* Adisseo
* Vetagro
- DietForge
- Esmilco Inc.
- Virtus Nutrition

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. Mike Van Amburgh, Professor at Cornell University, explores what truly limits milk components in modern dairy cows. He discusses the roles of amino acids and fatty acids in milk fat synthesis, the biological factors contributing to increasing milk fat levels, and the nutritional considerations affecting milk protein production. Listen now on all major platforms.

"The way requirements are evaluated needs to move beyond net nitrogen and consider the metabolic machinery needed to make milk fat and protein."

Meet the guest: Dr. Mike Van Amburgh is a Professor at Cornell University with long-standing expertise in dairy cattle nutrition, animal science, and the Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System. He earned his Ph.D. in Animal Science from Cornell University and his B.S. in Dairy Science from The Ohio State University. Hear more from Dr. Mike Van Amburgh on The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, available on all major platforms.

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Victoria Ramos: Fatty Acids in Dairy Cow Diets | Ep. 103
Dr. Eduardo Rico: Omega-3 & Inflammation Control | Ep. 128

What will you learn: 
(00:00) Highlight
(01:47) Introduction
(02:27) Milk fat gains
(03:47) Amino acid responses
(05:20) Fat synthesis
(07:08) Enzyme requirements
(10:30) Protein response
(13:22) Closing thoughts

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

- Virtus Nutrition

* Vetagro
* Barentz
* Fortiva
* Kemin
* Priority IAC
* Adisseo
- DietForge
- Esmilco Inc.

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. Tadeu Silva, Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Vermont, discusses CalfSim, a tool designed to help dairy professionals create and evaluate calf milk feeding programs. He explains the science behind the model, its practical applications, current limitations, and future opportunities using farm data and predictive technologies. Listen now on all major platforms!

Click here to read the full research article!

"Disease, environment, and daily farm practices can explain gaps between model predictions and field results."

Meet the guest: Dr. Tadeu Silva is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Vermont with extensive experience in ruminant nutrition. He earned his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. from the Federal University of Viçosa in Brazil and previously worked with Cargill Animal Nutrition. His work focuses on nutrition models, calf performance, and practical tools that support dairy management decisions. Listen to Dr. Tadeu Silva on the Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, available on all major platforms.

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What will you learn: 
(00:00) Highlight
(02:03) Introduction
(02:37) CalfSim basics
(05:21) Model foundations
(07:04) Farm variation
(08:53) Tool limitations
(10:26) Future models
(11:55) Closing thoughts

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

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

- DietForge
- Virtus Nutrition
- Esmilco Inc.

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