The Moos Room™

In this episode, Emily and Brad reunite to dive into a hot topic on the beef-on-dairy circuit: Are today’s sky-high calf prices economically sustainable? After crisscrossing the country speaking with farmers and cattle buyers, Brad shares firsthand insights and jaw-dropping market figures — with beef-on-dairy calves selling for up to $1,600. The duo discusses whether investing in calves at these p...

In this episode, Brad shares insights from recent dairy science meetings and dives deep into total serum protein (TSP) levels in calves—a key indicator of successful colostrum management and passive transfer of immunity. He reviews data from multiple studies, including work by Dave Casper in Illinois and a Midwest study on beef-on-dairy cross calves. The results show improvements in TSP levels ove...

Brad flies solo in this episode—literally and figuratively—to tackle a problem buzzing on every farmer’s mind around the 4th of July: flies. With heavy rains in the Upper Midwest fueling major fly outbreaks, Brad dives deep into why managing flies is essential for livestock health, productivity, and human comfort. He covers the four main types of flies affecting livestock— stable flies, house flie...

In this solo episode, Emily shares timely reminders about biosecurity as county fair and livestock show season ramps up across Minnesota. Drawing on her own experience showing dairy cattle in 4-H, she discusses the importance of protecting animals from disease before, during, and after exhibitions. Topics include bringing only healthy animals to shows, cleaning equipment beforehand, being mindful...

🎉 Episode 300: Celebrating Five Years of The Moos Room 🎉 In this milestone episode, Emily and Brad reflect on five years and 300 episodes of The Moos Room, a podcast that began as a small idea in late 2019 and launched in April 2020. Born in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the show quickly became a weekly staple—covering everything from beef and dairy production to farm safety and menta...

In Episode 299 of The Moos Room , Emily returns to the mic, reminding Brad—and the audience—that The Moos Room is a team effort, not just "The Bradley Show." The two catch up and share updates on their chaotic summer schedules in the world of Extension before diving into the topic of the week: pasture management in mid-June . Brad gives a detailed look at what’s happening in Morris, where heavy ra...

In this solo episode, Brad dives into the challenges of managing mastitis, especially during wet spring and summer conditions. He shares findings from ongoing University of Minnesota research on non-antibiotic treatments for mastitis, highlighting two promising alternatives: Ozolea-Mast , a corn oil-based intramammary product, and Optimum UterFlush , a botanical-based treatment studied in Colorado...

In this solo episode, Brad dives deep into Johne’s disease (paratuberculosis), a chronic intestinal illness affecting ruminants, with a particular focus on dairy cattle. Prompted by recent whole-herd milk ELISA testing at the University of Minnesota’s Morris dairy, Brad shares results, trends, and lessons learned from managing Johne’s over the years. Key topics include: Clinical signs and long-ter...

In this episode, Brad shares a recent case study from the University of Minnesota's dairy research center, where a group of spring-born calves experienced widespread scours. He walks through the onset of symptoms, including diarrhea, depression, and reduced milk intake, primarily in calves on an automatic feeder. Diagnostic testing confirmed rotavirus A as the culprit, ruling out other common path...

Lyme Disease and the Long Road to Recovery: Brad’s Story In this episode of The Moos Room , Brad shares his powerful personal journey through a long and challenging battle with Lyme disease. Starting with a seemingly harmless bite in July 2023, his symptoms progressed from fatigue to severe neurological issues, misdiagnoses, and multiple rounds of antibiotic treatments over the span of nearly two...

 In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, Emily returns for a second week in a row to join Brad in discussing a common but often overlooked type of stress: anticipatory stress . They explain what it is, how it manifests both physically and mentally, and offer practical strategies to manage it—like reframing your thoughts and using deep breathing for biofeedback. Emily and Brad also share persona...

Spring Catch-Up: Virtual Fencing, Safety, and Self-Care  Emily returns to the podcast after a travel-heavy spring focused on farm safety and farm stress programming. She shares highlights of her outreach work, including training Extension colleagues in the Northeast on ambiguous loss and farming. Meanwhile, Brad has been experimenting with virtual fencing for dairy heifers , a new and evolving tec...

 In this episode, Brad dives into the topic of polled genetics — cattle that are naturally hornless — and why it's becoming more important in both the dairy and beef industries. He explains what polled genetics are, how the trait is inherited, and how farmers can use homozygous or heterozygous polled bulls to reduce the need for dehorning. Brad discusses the growing emphasis on polled genetics by...

In this episode of The Moos Room, Brad dives deep into A2 genetics and what dairy producers need to know. Brad shares his experience genotyping over 1,500 dairy animals, highlighting how A2 genetics have progressed in his herd and across the industry. He explains the science behind A2 milk, distinguishing it clearly from lactose intolerance, and discusses its potential health benefits, including i...

Experience with Our Automated Calf Feeder  In this episode, Brad goes solo to talk about the ups and downs of using an automatic calf feeder at the U of M dairy. He shares why they made the switch, how the setup has changed over the years, and what they’ve learned—like how ad lib feeding boosts growth and why cleanliness is everything. The feeder’s been a game changer for efficiency and calf healt...

In this episode of The Moos Room , Brad is back from sunny Florida (and into a snowy Minnesota) to dive into the world of AI in agriculture—and no, we're not talking about artificial insemination. Brad shares his recent experience experimenting with AI-generated audio content and how tools like Google’s NotebookLM are changing the way we interact with research. From cow monitoring and health alert...

Dairy Cow Culling Research Insights In this episode of The Moos Room , Brad takes a break while guest hosts Emily and Joe dive into a recent research study from the University of Minnesota on dairy cow culling. The study, spanning 14 years of data, compares Holstein and crossbred cows, uncovering key insights about the reasons for culling and its economic impact. Did you know that dairy cows make...

 Gut Check: Optimizing Rumen Health with Dr. Kirby Krogstad In this episode of The Moos Room ,  Brad welcomes Dr. Kirby Krogstad from The Ohio State University to discuss his research on dairy cow nutrition and gut health. Dr. Krogstad shares his journey through various academic institutions and how a personal experience with cow health sparked his interest in rumen function. The conversation delv...

Reducing Methane with Red Seaweed: New Research Findings In this episode of The Moos Room , Brad dives into a groundbreaking research study on feeding red seaweed to dairy cows to reduce methane emissions. Conducted at the University of Minnesota’s research center, this six-month study demonstrated a 30% reduction in methane emissions without negatively impacting milk production. Brad discusses ke...

 Mooving Cows: A Game-Changer for Dairy Training In this episode of The Moos Room , Emily and Bradley welcome Dr. Jennifer Van Os from the University of Wisconsin Extension to discuss an innovative training tool— Mooving Cows , a free mobile game designed to teach proper dairy cattle handling techniques. The app provides an interactive and engaging way to learn low-stress cattle movement, helping...

The Moos Room Podcast: Catching Up with Brad and Emily In this episode of The Moos Room , Emily and Brad reunite after a busy stretch of research, extension work, and conference travel. They reflect on where they’ve been, what they’ve been working on, and exciting projects on the horizon. Brad celebrates his birthday while attending the Southwest Missouri Spring Forage Conference, where he discuss...

Beef on Dairy: Genomics, Genetics, and Sire Selection In this final episode of The Moos Room’s three-part Beef on Dairy series, Brad dives into the genetics and genomics of beef-on-dairy crosses. He breaks down the results of genomic testing on 50 crossbred animals, highlighting how breed composition influences carcass traits, marbling, and growth rates. Brad explains how new genomic tools, such a...

Beef on Dairy Research: Growth, Efficiency, and Carcass Data In this episode of The Moos Room , Brad continues the deep dive into beef-on-dairy research, focusing on data collected in Minnesota. This is the second installment of a three-part series, where we examine how different beef breeds perform when crossed with dairy cattle. Key highlights include: ✅ Pre-Weaning Performance: Limousin crossb...

Beef on Dairy: Trends, Economics, and Genetics (Part 1) Brad takes the mic solo this week to dive into a hot topic in dairy farming—beef on dairy crossbreeding. In this first part of a two-part series, he breaks down current market trends, semen sales data, and recent research on how beef genetics are being used in dairy herds. Key highlights include: The growth of beef-on-dairy crossbreeding and...

In this episode of The Moos Room , hosts Emily and Brad tackle the latest updates on H5N1 (Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza) and its impact on the dairy industry. With raw milk testing set to begin in Minnesota, they break down what dairy producers need to know about the testing process, quarantine protocols, and potential impacts on farm operations. Key Topics Covered: Delays in Minnesota's milk...