Crepuscular: appearing or active in twilight. How can dairy producers benefit by understanding the crepuscular behavior of cows? Ask Dr. Gordie Jones. From veterinarian in private practice to dairy farmer to acclaimed international dairy consultant, Gordie has seen a lot throughout his 50 year career in the dairy industry—from his earliest days solving milk quality issues related to hand milking to the design of facilities capable of milking thousands of cows per hour. Gordie and Andrew talk about his role in the evolution of the cow comfort movement, which is now part of every dairy producer’s vernacular. Listen in and Gordie wears his dairy farmer and veterinarian hats and talks about some of the most basic things that can be done to increase milk production and overall herd health.

Season 3 is just getting started, and we're already on a roll...roller compacted concrete, that is! Join Andrew and Brock as they sit down with a guest who's back by popular demand (and because he has a lot of great knowledge to share). Zach Settje, Chief Operating Officer of Settje Agri-Services and Engineering, joins The Herd to share all about roller compacted concrete, also known as RCC. Zach walks us through the basics of RCC, talks about design considerations, shares about the construction process, and finally looks ahead at how RCC is paving the way for opportunities in beef cattle production. Grab your hard hat and hi-vis vest as you tune in for a great conversation in Episode 43 of Sustaining The Herd!

Episode 42 looks back at Season 2 of Sustaining The Herd. Join Andrew and Brock as they give an episode-by-episode recap of the season's highlights. Want to learn more about an episode or new to Sustaining the Herd? Jump to the episodes that interest you the most. Settje Agri-Services and Engineering would like to say thank you to our guests and listeners for being part of "The Herd" in Season 2. We look forward to Season 3, which will debut on January 14th. Have any suggestions or feedback? Drop us a line at podcast@settje.com!

Season Index:
E19: Hispanic Labor in Agriculture with Katie Dotterer
E20: Part 1: Cattle Feeding with John Schroeder
E21: Part 2: Cattle Feeding with John Schroeder
E22: Industry Update: State of Biogas Industry and Manure Management on Roller Compacted Concrete in Feedyards
E23: Over the Road Trucking Powered by Renewable Natural Gas, with Cummins, Inc. with David King and Tom Quimby
E24: Myths of Manure Liquid-Solid Separation
E25: The "Pondcast": Talking Innovation and Industry Involvement with Dr. Kevin Pond of WTAMU
E26: Sustainable Crop Production and Global Ag Trade with Andy Fabin
E27: LIVE From Biogas Americas in Denver, Colorado
E28: Self-Driving Feed Trucks and Precision Cattle Feeding with Jacob Hansen
E29: Settling the Debate on Settleables: What's Filling My Digester?
E30: Unlocking the Transportation Market for Renewable Natural Gas with Charles Love of Trillium
E31: Verifying Sustainability with Doug Stanton
E32: Agricultural Security is National Security: How the FBI Protects the Ag Industry From Threats with Eugene Kowel
E33: Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture with Dan Kurdys
E34: How Consumer Tastes are Driving Pesticide Usage, GMOs, and the Future of U.S. Fruit Production with Win Cowgill
E35: Nutrient Management - The Achilles Heel of Feedlot Digestion Projects E36: Part 2: Nutrient Management Opportunities and Solutions for Feedlot Anaerobic Digestion Projects
E37: Rounding Up The Herd
E38: Cattle Feeding Update: Data, Developments, and Daring to Look Ahead with Dr. Jessica Sperber
E39: Innovations in Animal Agriculture - Past to Present, Accomplishments, and Opportunities
E40: Dairy Manure Management: Lessons Learned and Looking Ahead with Mark Stoermann
E41: Manure as a Resource - a Change of Perspectives with Dr. Amy Schmidt

Manure is a resource. It is also potentially a pollutant and certainly not a “waste”. Brock and Andrew visit with Dr. Amy Schmidt (a.k.a. The Manure Lady), Professor of Animal Manure Management in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to talk about manure management from a university researcher and extension engineer’s perspective. Amy shares insights on livestock sustainability, how she works with producers, and what types of research she's doing to improve manure management. Pull on your boots, grab a shovel, and get ready to dig in with this episode!

How has manure management evolved over the years? Sit down with Andrew and Brock to answer this question and many more as they're joined by Mark Stoermann of Newtrient to discuss all things related to dairy manure management and anaerobic digestion. Founded in 2015, Newtrient’s mission is to reduce the environmental footprint of U.S. dairy and make it economically viable to do so. Mark shares about the various ways he and his team serve the dairy industry in the pursuit of this mission. Even more, this is a special episode, because it was recorded on-location in St. Louis at the American Biogas Council's Business of Biogas conference! Tune in to hear it all in the full episode.

Livestock production doesn't look the same as it did 75 years ago - why might that be? Innovation! Join Andrew and Brock as they take a glance back at the past, assess the present, and look ahead to the future of animal agriculture and agriculture in general. There are many aspects of livestock production that have come a long way over the years but could still benefit from further development. You won't want to miss this conversation that walks through opportunities to make an impact in nutrient management, resource efficiency, water usage, labor challenges, and many other areas. Sit down, tune in, and get ready to think big with Episode 39 of Sustaining The Herd!

What does data tell us about the sustainability of cattle feeding today? If you'd like to know, this episode is for you! Join Andrew and Brock as they sit down in the studio with Dr. Jessica Sperber, Assistant Professor of Animal Science and Feedlot Extension Specialist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Dr. Sperber uses production data to tell the story of how beef production has become more efficient as the result of technology and innovation. She also digs into current industry trends and shares about what her team at UNL is doing to serve the beef cattle industry both today and in the future. Tune in to hear the latest on all things cattle feeding!

Andrew and Brock have been busy working on sustainability related projects for clients and need some time to round up The Herd before coming back with another full episode. Tune in today to hear about what Andrew and Brock have been up to and learn about how you can help shape future episodes of Sustaining The Herd. If you have any suggestions for topics or guests, send us a note at podcast@settje.com to share your thoughts. We look forward to being back with you in two weeks!