The Moos Room™

Does a second colostrum feeding give newborn calves an extra boost? In this episode of The Moos Room, Brad explores University of Minnesota research involving 150 dairy and beef-on-dairy calves that examined how a second colostrum meal—and feeding by bottle versus tube—affected immunity, health, appetite, and behavior. On a farm delivering high-quality colostrum within one hour of birth, a second...

Fresh from World Dairy Expo, Brad Heins discusses the newly identified HYAL1 mutation in Holstein cattle and its implications for cow health, longevity, and farm profitability. Research in Switzerland and France links this recessive variant to swollen hocks, joint fluid buildup, impaired mobility, and reduced productive life in cattle that inherit two copies. Brad explains how researchers uncovere...

Virtual fencing is drawing plenty of questions from grazing dairy and beef producers. In this episode of The Moos Room , Brad shares what the University of Minnesota’s West Central Research and Outreach Center learned from using NoFence collars with heifers during the summer grazing season. Undergraduate interns observed 27 heifers from June through August and compared their behavior with collar r...

Brad begins with an update from the WCROC dairy, where corn silage harvest is complete, fall calving is underway, and new Angus and beef-on-dairy calves are arriving. The episode then examines a six-year study of approximately 1,300 Holstein bull calves purchased through Wisconsin livestock auctions. Researchers measured serum total protein to evaluate whether the calves had received adequate immu...

Early calf socialization may deliver long-term benefits Can housing calves together during their first weeks of life affect how they perform as cows? This episode examines University of Florida research comparing individually housed, pair-housed and group-housed calves through their first lactation. Socially housed calves grew faster before weaning, producing up to 16% greater average daily gain t...

Can AI turn mountains of dairy data into practical management insights? This episode explores how tools like ChatGPT can analyze bulk tank records, DHI reports, and milking-parlor data. Using examples from conventional and organic herds, we discuss how AI can reveal production and milk-quality trends, identify cows driving somatic cell count, highlight reproductive concerns, and uncover parlor-eff...

What is the ideal age at first calving for Holstein heifers? Brad examines a Zoetis study of nearly 130,000 cows from 74 dairy herds. Although heifers calving at 26 months produced slightly more projected first-lactation milk, those calving around 23 months produced more cumulative milk through two lactations, remained in the herd longer, and generated greater modeled net income. Replacement risk...

Lameness can quietly reduce milk production, cow welfare, and dairy farm profitability. In this episode of The Moos Room, we examine how a difficult, wet spring prompted our dairy to make routine hoof trimming a priority for both its grazing and confinement herds. Since 2019, every cow—including lactating and dry cows—has been trimmed twice a year, with hoof problems carefully recorded. The result...

After a busy week showing dairy cattle at the county fair, Brad explores research on the dairy cow’s 12-month biological clock. Using data from 332 Western U.S. dairy herds, the study examined how region, breed, housing, organic management, and BST use influence seasonal patterns in milk production, components, dry matter intake, and feed efficiency. Despite differences among herds, annual rhythms...

This episode previews new U.S. dairy genetic evaluations scheduled for release by the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding on August 11, 2026. Two new calf-health traits will measure genetic resistance to diarrhea and respiratory disease in Holsteins and Jerseys. Positive predicted transmitting abilities indicate greater resistance. Although these traits have relatively low heritability, they may help...

After sharing how recent heat stress caused an average milk loss of four pounds per cow in his herd, Brad turns his attention to lameness and footbath management. He examines a study of approximately 250 Canadian dairy farms to explore how footbaths are being used, where management gaps exist, and what the future of hoof-health programs may look like. Most farms sent lactating cows through a footb...

Beef-on-dairy calves continue to bring strong prices, but producing calves that perform well from birth through harvest requires careful decisions about genetics and nutrition. In this episode, we look at current Minnesota calf markets, the factors influencing beef sire selection and recent research exploring how early feeding programs affect the long-term performance of Angus-Holstein calves. A U...

This episode examines how heat stress affects water intake in dairy cows—and why farms must prepare their watering systems for increasingly hot weather. A review of studies from 1985–2024 found that Holstein cows producing roughly 65–70 pounds of milk averaged about 24 gallons of water per day under thermoneutral conditions. During heat stress, intake increased by approximately 10 liters, or 2–3 g...

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 fe...

Brad takes a closer look at heat stress in dairy calves and cows. This episode highlights several recent studies on how temperature-humidity index affects calf behavior, lying time, respiration rates, shade use, and growth performance. Brad discusses research from the University of Guelph, The Ohio State University, and Mississippi State showing that heat-stressed calves spend less time lying down...

Back from the ADSA annual meeting in Milwaukee, Brad shares highlights from several calf-focused dairy studies. This episode covers new research on colostrum management for beef-on-dairy crossbred calves, including how feeding practices differ between retained dairy heifers, beef-on-dairy calves, and calves not kept on farm. Brad also reviews a study comparing fixed-age weaning with starter-intake...

Brad shares two studies He presented at the American Dairy Science Association annual meeting. First, he examines records from more than 150,000 lactations to compare genetic predictions for somatic cell score and clinical mastitis. The results suggest that PTA for somatic cell score is more useful for predicting and ranking cows by observed somatic cell count than PTA for mastitis. He also discus...

Brad discusses what he learned about high oleic soybeans at the Four State Dairy Management and Nutrition Conference in La Crosse, Wisconsin. High oleic soybeans are gaining attention in dairy nutrition because they can provide both rumen undegradable protein and a more rumen-friendly fat source, potentially reducing the need for purchased protein and fat supplements. The episode covers how high o...

A case of New World screwworm was recently identified in a three-month-old calf in Zavala County, Texas, near the Texas-Mexico border. In this episode, Brad breaks down what New World screwworm is, why it matters to livestock producers, and what signs to watch for in cattle and other animals. He explains how the larvae infest live tissue, how the pest spreads, and why early detection, reporting, q...

Brad discusses new research comparing dairy heifers raised on pasture versus in confinement, focusing on studies from Wisconsin and Minnesota. Both studies found that pasture-raised heifers were slightly lighter and gained less before calving, but they reached calving at a similar age and showed advantages after freshening. Pasture-raised animals had higher dry matter intake, fewer health issues i...

 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 hea...

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 monito...

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...

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 pe...

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....