The Rumen Room Podcasts

In this, our latest Rumen Room Podcast episode, we’ll carry on with the theme of dairy cow nutrition and reproductive performance. Episode 20 covered the importance of 3-week submission rate as a driver of reproductive success in seasonally calved dairy herds. We discussed how the nutrition of cows impacts the onset of ovulation and oestrus (heat) in cows after calving. Episode 20 finished up talk...

For seasonally mated dairy cows, 3-week submission rate is an important driver of a herds reproductive efficiency. There’re a huge number of factors that influence 3-week submission rate including but not limited to the nutrition of dairy cows. In part one of this two-part podcast series about dairy nutrition and submission rates, we’ll first explore how submission rate contributes to reproductive...

In this, the third of our three part series exploring “Where are my missing milksolids”, we’ll continue on from topics covered in parts one (Episode 16) and two (Episode 18). This time around, we’ll cover off the challenges of ryegrass-based pastures for New Zealand spring calving, pasture-fed cows. Perennial ryegrass is a highly productive, top quality feed for most months of the year. During lat...

In our first podcast in this three-part series, we explored factors that influence milksolids production from calving through to peak production in New Zealand spring calved dairy herds - take a listen to part one to catch up on that discussion.  In this, our latest part in this “Where are my missing milksolids?” series, we move onto the next stage in the lactation curve - the post-peak decline (o...

In this latest podcast, well known veterinarian Andrew Dowling joins Charlotte Westwood to discuss all things to do with animal wellbeing and performance on summer crops. With a wealth of veterinary and farm systems knowledge, Andrew steps us through the various tips and tricks around looking after your lambs or young cattle during their first summer of life. The importance of transitioning stock...

In theory, our pasture-fed cows should simply eat pasture and produce milksolids. Shouldn’t they? Well yes, but sometimes on a whole herd basis, we might track the herds milk production and wonder why the herd is not producing as much as they should. In this latest Rumen Room Podcast we’ll explore different aspects of the lactation curve of a spring calving dairy herd, looking for clues to explain...

Urea concentration in the milk of pasture-fed cows, what’s it about? In this latest Rumen Room Podcast, veterinarian and nutritionist Dr Charlotte Westwood steps us through all things to do with milk urea. Why and how does urea end up in the blood and therefore in the milk of cows? What does it mean for the cow when milk urea concentrations are unusually high or unexpectedly low?  Do we do anythin...

Forage brassicas are simply an amazing, low cost feed for our ruminant species. Over 300,000 ha of brassicas are planted in New Zealand annually and thankfully, animal health disorders are not particularly common despite the huge numbers of animals that eat brassicas each year. Very occasionally, grazing animals might experience an animal health disorder called SMCO toxicity. SMCO is a non-protein...

Spring is just around the corner and before we know it, it’ll be Christmas. It’s never too early to be planning for your summer forage crop requirements to keep your sheep, cattle and/or deer happy, well fed and content through the summer months. In this episode, Dr Charlotte Westwood is joined by Paul Greenbank, agronomist and farm systems guru with PGG Wrightson Seeds based on the east coast of...

In this second of a two part series about preweaned calf nutrition, this episode covers all things to do with nutritional scours (diarrhoea) in calves younger than 3 weeks of age. Nutritional scours not only increase risk of dehydration in your young calves, but also increase risk of infectious scours due to a range of pathogens. Presented by New Zealand veterinarian and ruminant nutritionist Dr C...

Such a magical transformation - a newborn calf that becomes a fully fledged and functioning ruminant within just a matter of months. How does this amazing process of changing a fully milk-fed calf to one that eats and digests pasture work? Join us for another fact filled and down to earth approach to understanding about the nutrition of young calves, including nutritional tips and tricks to help r...

Keeping our cows happy, healthy and well through the transition period. What are some practical tips and tricks to help make calving a whole lot less stressful for our cows (and us)?   In this episode, New Zealand veterinarian and nutritionist Dr Charlotte Westwood is joined by guest podcaster and fellow veterinarian and nutritionist Dr Laura Pattie. Born and bred on a North Island dairy farm, Lau...

Udder oedema is a condition that sometimes affects our younger dairy cows around calving time. This latest Rumen Room podcast covers off information about udder oedema. Topics discussed include why udder oedema occurs, the range of factors that increase risk of udder oedema and some of the nutritional strategies that may reduce the chances of udder oedema occurring in your cows.  Presented by New...

Magnificent magnesium – a mineral that all animal species require to keep the body ticking along. And a very relevant mineral given lambing and calving time is just around the corner for New Zealand and Australians. Why the extra interest in magnesium in winter and spring??  For pregnant and lactating animals, magnesium is a very important mineral.  If we don’t get the diet just right, and the mag...

Cattle are picky critters and oh such fussy eaters! The backstory to this Podcast is that our cattle have decided “No thanks”, they’d rather not eat our pasture silage. Why not? What’s different about this pasture silage that might explain why our cattle won’t touch it?     In this, part two of a two part series, New Zealand veterinarian and nutritionist Charlotte Westwood walks us through what th...

How many of you routinely collect feed samples and send them away for feed testing? Ever wondered what all those numbers mean? No worries – you are most certainly not alone! Listen in to this, the first in a two part series all about interpreting feed test results for a sample of pasture silage. New Zealand veterinarian and nutritionist Charlotte Westwood will step you through the various feed tes...

Nitrate toxicity - the most commonly encountered toxicity challenge in New Zealand ruminants. This podcast breaks nitrate toxicity down into seven "bite sized", easy to understand sections. By stepping through, step-by-step, the various things that we need to know about nitrate toxicity, you'll be set up well to understand how to deal with this challenging problem. Topics covered include how to as...

Are you looking after pregnant cows or ewes through the winter months? Then this podcast is designed for you. With an emphasis on looking after cows and ewes really well, on outdoor winter forage crops particularly, this podcast steps us through some of the planning processes required before animals transition off pasture-based diets onto winter feeds. Topics covered include the basics of feed bud...

Assuming you've survived the dizzying journey of a ryegrass leaf from the front (biting) part of a cow to the back (emptying) end of a cow in Part One of this two part series - you'll now be ready for the other part of Basic Ruminant Nutrition.  In this episode, we'll explore how the broken down various bits of pieces of feeds, such as ryegrass, get turned into useful things that the ruminant anim...

Many of us have suffered the rather dry and boring nature of ruminant nutrition lectures at school, college or university. Fear no more, The Rumen Room Podcasts are delighted to bring to you a new, down to earth and practical approach to the basics of ruminant nutrition.  In this episode, you, a leaf from a ryegrass plant are about to head off on an adventure as you're consumed by a large dairy co...

A brief welcome to introduce ourselves before we head off on a journey of exploration and discovery about all things ruminant.