The Moos Room™

In this episode of The Moos Room, Brad discusses spring pasture challenges in western Minnesota, including dry conditions, temperature swings, and slowed grass growth. With summer heat on the horizon, the focus shifts to heat stress in dairy cows and how precision technologies, especially internal bolus sensors, can help farmers identify problems earlier.
Brad shares observations from cows monitored with Smaxtec boluses, including rumination, internal body temperature, and water intake data. He also reviews research from the University of Minnesota herd showing that rumination may start dropping at lower temperature-humidity index levels than traditional industry thresholds suggest. Conventional cows showed rumination declines around a THI of 64, while pasture-based organic cows showed declines closer to 58.
The episode highlights why waiting for milk production losses may be too late when managing heat stress. Instead, rumination, body temperature, water intake, shade, cooling systems, and feeding strategies can all play a role in protecting cow comfort and performance before visible signs of heat stress appear.

Questions, comments, scathing rebuttals? -> [email protected] or call 612-624-3610 and leave us a message!
Linkedin -> The Moos Room
Twitter -> @UMNmoosroom and @UMNFarmSafety
Facebook -> @UMNDairy
YouTube -> UMN Beef and Dairy and UMN Farm Safety and Health
Instagram -> @UMNWCROCDairy
Extension Website
AgriAmerica Podcast Directory

Brad takes a closer look at FerAppease, a synthetic analog of the maternal bovine appeasing substance that is gaining attention in both the dairy and beef industries. He explains how the product is designed to reduce stress in cattle during events like breeding, weaning, dehorning, transportation, calving, and dry-off.
The episode highlights recent research in lactating Holstein cows showing that applying FerAppease at the time of artificial insemination increased pregnancy per AI from 47.7% in control cows to 60.2% in treated cows. Brad also walks through the potential economics, estimating a strong return on investment when improved pregnancy rates are valued at the farm level.
Brad then discusses a calf study looking at FerAppease use around disbudding. Treated calves showed signs of reduced stress, including lower cortisol measures, and had improved average daily gain shortly after disbudding. While more research is needed, Brad notes that FerAppease may be a useful non-antibiotic, non-hormonal tool for reducing stress and improving outcomes during key management events.

Questions, comments, scathing rebuttals? -> [email protected] or call 612-624-3610 and leave us a message!
Linkedin -> The Moos Room
Twitter -> @UMNmoosroom and @UMNFarmSafety
Facebook -> @UMNDairy
YouTube -> UMN Beef and Dairy and UMN Farm Safety and Health
Instagram -> @UMNWCROCDairy
Extension Website
AgriAmerica Podcast Directory

Virtual fencing is gaining attention in livestock production, and this episode breaks down what dairy producers need to know before trying it. Brad explains how virtual fencing uses GPS-enabled collars or ear tags, audio cues, and electrical cues to manage grazing animals within digital boundaries. He also shares lessons from training heifers with virtual fence collars, including the adjustment period, the importance of using a physical fence during training, and how animals typically learn the system within about a week.
The episode also compares several virtual fencing systems available to U.S. producers, including Vence, Gallagher, Halter, and Nofence. Brad walks through major considerations such as collar weight, cellular versus base station connectivity, battery life, subscription fees, and upfront costs. He also discusses how virtual fencing may compare financially with traditional physical fencing and why more research is needed to understand its fit in dairy grazing systems.
Brad also previews upcoming virtual fencing work at the University of Minnesota West Central Research and Outreach Center, where multiple systems will be tested with dairy cattle to better understand labor needs, cost, practicality, and overall performance in real grazing conditions. 
Questions, comments, scathing rebuttals? -> [email protected] or call 612-624-3610 and leave us a message!
Linkedin -> The Moos Room
Twitter -> @UMNmoosroom and @UMNFarmSafety
Facebook -> @UMNDairy
YouTube -> UMN Beef and Dairy and UMN Farm Safety and Health
Instagram -> @UMNWCROCDairy
Extension Website
AgriAmerica Podcast Directory

This episode highlights new research on Salmonella Dublin in dairy-beef systems and what it means for calf health and farm management. 
The disease is a major threat to young calves, causing severe illness and high mortality, while often spreading silently through carrier animals and contaminated environments. New PCR testing shows the pathogen is far more common than traditional methods suggest.
Key risk factors include frequent introduction of new calves, mixing animals post-weaning, and human movement (boots, equipment) spreading contamination between areas.
Bottom line: Salmonella Dublin isn’t random—it reflects management. Strong biosecurity, better calf flow, delayed weaning, and improved monitoring are critical to reducing risk.
Questions, comments, scathing rebuttals? -> [email protected] or call 612-624-3610 and leave us a message!
Linkedin -> The Moos Room
Twitter -> @UMNmoosroom and @UMNFarmSafety
Facebook -> @UMNDairy
YouTube -> UMN Beef and Dairy and UMN Farm Safety and Health
Instagram -> @UMNWCROCDairy
Extension Website
AgriAmerica Podcast Directory

Spring may be slow to arrive in Minnesota, but research season is heating up. In this episode of The Moos Room, Brad revisits a large Minnesota-based study exploring the true cost of health events in dairy cows—and why tracking cost, not just disease incidence, could transform genetic selection and farm profitability.
Using data from thousands of Holstein cows across multiple herds, the team found that health costs are heavily concentrated in the first 30 days of lactation, when cows face metabolic stress from calving and high milk production. However, issues like lameness and mastitis continue to accumulate costs throughout the lactation, especially in older cows. In fact, total health costs more than double from first to later lactations, reflecting wear, immune fatigue, and management differences.
A key takeaway: management determines cost, but genetics influence risk. While some high-cost conditions (like reproductive disorders) are difficult to improve genetically, others—such as mastitis and metabolic disease—show stronger heritability.
The breakthrough insight is that total health cost itself is moderately heritable (~0.25)—much higher than traditional “sick vs. not sick” measures. This means selecting animals based on overall health cost could drive faster genetic progress than current methods.
Brad also highlights important genetic and phenotypic relationships:
 Higher milk production is linked to increased health costs 
 Lower somatic cell count strongly reduces total health costs 
 Taller, more angular cows tend to have higher health costs 
 Shallower udders are associated with better health outcomes 
From a practical standpoint, the episode emphasizes:
 The need for consistent, detailed health and cost recording
 Moving beyond binary disease tracking to full economic impact
 Incorporating total health cost into sire selection decisions
Bottom line: Selecting for lower total health cost can improve profitability, extend cow longevity, and enhance animal welfare—potentially saving tens of thousands of dollars at the herd level in just one generation.
Questions, comments, scathing rebuttals? -> [email protected] or call 612-624-3610 and leave us a message!
Linkedin -> The Moos Room
Twitter -> @UMNmoosroom and @UMNFarmSafety
Facebook -> @UMNDairy
YouTube -> UMN Beef and Dairy and UMN Farm Safety and Health
Instagram -> @UMNWCROCDairy
Extension Website
AgriAmerica Podcast Directory