The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast

In this episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Ana Velasquez Munoz, Assistant Professor at the Catholic University of Temuco in Chile, explains how seasonal calving creates pressure on pasture-based dairy systems. She discusses calf supervision, environmental stress, worker workload, colostrum hygiene, and how management routines protect newborn calves during high-risk calving windows....

In this episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, Tiarna Scerri, PhD candidate at the Gulbali Institute in Australia, explains how antimicrobial resistance is changing mastitis treatment research. She discusses synthetic biology, farmer-centered product design, regulation, and why new therapies must be both effective and practical for dairy farms. Listen now on all major platforms! "Alter...

In this episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Laura Hernandez from the University of Wisconsin-Madison explains why low calcium after calving is not always a problem. She discusses transient hypocalcemia, dyscalcemia, feed intake, mammary calcium demand, and why timing matters when deciding whether a fresh cow needs intervention. Listen now on all major platforms! "Calcium regulat...

In this episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Jennifer Walker, Co-founder and Chief Animal Welfare Officer at Kinder Ground, explains why dairy welfare decisions need to account for more than visible production metrics. She discusses hidden costs, farmer learning networks, cow thriving, caregiver wellbeing, and the importance of keeping cows at the center of herd management. Listen no...

In this episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Ermias Kebreab, Professor at the University of California, Davis, explains science based strategies to reduce enteric methane emissions in dairy systems. He discusses feed additives, genetic selection, and productivity improvements, while addressing common misconceptions about livestock emissions and environmental impact. Practical insight...

In this episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, celebrating World Milk Day, Dr. Jennifer Walker from Kinder Ground, discusses the connection between milk quality, animal welfare, and long-term herd health. She explains how management decisions involving milking routines, efficiency, and cow handling can influence dairy sustainability, resilience, and consumer trust. Learn why balancing welf...

In this episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, Joshua Brooke from inBarn Solutions explains how automated barn management systems can improve cow comfort, reduce heat stress, and lower water and energy usage in dairy operations. He discusses AI-powered monitoring, smart soaking systems, fan efficiency, and practical strategies that support sustainability and stronger dairy profitability. L...

In this episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Jackson Seminara, Cornell University veterinary medicine student with doctoral training in epidemiology, explains why dyscalcemia can signal transition cow stress. He connects calcium recovery, inflammation, feed intake, immune pressure, and rumination patterns to show how fresh cow monitoring can identify cows needing closer attention aft...

In this episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Jody Kull, Assistant Teaching Professor at Penn State University, explains how dairy farms can use protocols, employee training, and the FARM program as a practical tool for risk abatement. She discusses calf care, transition cow management, team communication, and the value of keeping protocols up to date. Listen now on all major platform...

In this episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, Melinda Kovacs, MSc graduate student from the University of Guelph, explains how beef-on-dairy crossbred calves compare to purebred Holsteins in health, growth, and carcass performance. Her retrospective study followed calves from birth to harvest, revealing lower disease incidence and higher weight gains in crossbreds. Listen now on all major...

In this episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Stephen Wadsworth, dairy veterinarian and lecturer at the University of Vermont, explains how experiential learning through student-managed herds builds practical skills in dairy health and management. He highlights hands-on training, accountability for decision-making, and workforce development for future veterinarians. Discover how real...

In this episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, Gaurav Dutta, Graduate Research Assistant at the University of Connecticut, explains how genomics is improving female fertility traits in dairy cattle. He discusses low-heritability challenges, new measurable traits, and how heat stress affects reproduction and production. Get practical insights on genetic evaluation systems and future opportu...

In this episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, Bridger Sparks, PhD candidate at Texas Tech University, explains how adipose tissue innervation influences lipid mobilization and metabolic health in dairy cows. He discusses parity effects, catecholamine regulation, and links to ketosis and transition disorders. Bridger highlights future strategies for breeding and biomarker development. List...

In this part two episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Amanda Fischer-Tlustos, NSERC postdoctoral research fellow at UC Davis and the University of Guelph, continues the conversation, explaining how dry off strategies and dry period length influence colostrum quality and IgG transfer. She discusses regenerative involution, high milk production at dry-off, and management approaches to...

In this part one episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Amanda Fischer-Tlustos, NSERC postdoctoral research fellow at UC Davis and the University of Guelph, explains how colostrum is produced and what drives its composition. She shares new findings on IgG accumulation, macronutrient synthesis, mammary activity during the dry period, and management factors influencing colostrum quality....

In this episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Dave Renaud, Associate Professor at the University of Guelph and veterinary epidemiologist, discusses antibiotic use in treating calf diarrhea. He shares research showing that blanket antibiotic therapy at the onset of diarrhea can reduce performance and increase health risks. Dr. Renaud also explains selective treatment, supportive care,...

In this episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Herman Barkema, Professor of Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases at the University of Calgary, explains why reducing antimicrobial use on dairy farms is both practical and necessary. He discusses mastitis prevention, dry-cow management, biosecurity, and antimicrobial resistance from a herd-health perspective. Listen now on all major platfo...

In this special episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, marking International Women’s Day, Dr. Jennifer Van Os, Associate Professor and Extension Specialist in Animal Welfare at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, discusses pair and group housing of preweaned calves. She explains behavioral needs, enrichment, cross-sucking, milk feeding methods, and upcoming Canadian housing expectations....

In this episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Tasia Kendrick, Associate Professor at Michigan State University, explains why bovine leukemia virus remains a major but often overlooked challenge in US dairy herds. She outlines prevalence levels, transmission routes, impacts on immunity and longevity, and practical management strategies to reduce spread. Dr. Kendrick highlights proactiv...

In this episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Sabine Mann, Associate Professor at Cornell University, continues the discussion, now focusing on cow calf separation and the physiology behind delayed separation strategies. She explains current research on transition milk, calf health, and cow outcomes, while addressing common assumptions and management concerns. Listen now on all major...

In this episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Sabine Mann, Associate Professor at Cornell University, explains how colostrum volume influences passive immunity, digestion, and calf comfort. She discusses body weight-based feeding strategies, absorption efficiency, and behavioral responses linked to excessive volumes. Practical insights help refine colostrum programs for modern dairy s...

In this episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Stephen LeBlanc, Professor and Director of Dairy at the University of Guelph, explains why longevity should not be used as a simple indicator of dairy cow health, welfare, or profitability. He challenges common assumptions around culling rates, survivorship bias, and replacement economics, emphasizing data-driven, cow-specific decisions. L...

In this episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Osvaldo Pascottini from University College Dublin shares his ongoing research on alternative approaches to supporting uterine health and fertility in dairy cows. He explains how studying the microbiome, metabolic pathways, and host interactions can help identify new ways to maintain reproductive efficiency after calving. Listen now on all...

In this episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Daryl Nydam from Cornell University explains how real-world herd dynamics drive semen decisions and long-term replacement planning on today’s dairies. He walks through the economic trade-offs between sexed and beef semen, how these choices influence milk flow, and why keeping the right number of heifers is key for a sustainable herd. Get p...

In this episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Christine Baes from the University of Guelph explores how genomic innovation is transforming dairy cattle breeding. She discusses the Resilient Dairy Genome and Net-Zero Dairy Genome Projects, highlighting new genetic traits improving efficiency, animal health, and environmental sustainability. Listen now on all major platforms! "We’re...