In this episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Kirby Krogstad from The Ohio State University discusses the complexity of rumen health and its relationship to dairy cow performance and systemic inflammation. He outlines the current research on rumen tissue and immune cell behavior and shares practical strategies for evaluating gut health on-farm. Listen now on all major platforms!

"A healthy rumen is effectively and efficiently digesting feed, producing VFA and microbial protein while maintaining its protective barrier function."

Meet the guest: Dr. Kirby Krogstad is an Assistant Professor of Dairy Nutrition at The Ohio State University. He holds degrees from South Dakota State University, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and Michigan State University. His research explores dairy cattle nutrition, ruminant gut health, and systemic inflammation. Focused on improving dairy sustainability and efficiency, he brings practical and research-based insights to the field.

Click here to read the full research articles:

Associations of body condition score, body condition score change, and hyperketonemia with mastitis, reproduction, and milk production

Investigating ruminal resident immune cells in dairy cattle before and after a subacute ruminal acidosis challenge

On-farm supplementation of rumen-protected niacin: A randomized clinical trial

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What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (00:36) Introduction
• (01:56) Defining rumen health
• (02:66) On-farm assessments
• (05:03) Health and nutrition link
• (06:63) Latest research topics
• (09:36) Final recommendations
• (10:12) Closing thoughts

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

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In this special episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, celebrating National Cow Appreciation Day, Dr. Theresa Casey from Purdue University explores how circadian rhythms influence dairy cow physiology. She discusses how disrupted light cycles impact glucose production, reproduction, and metabolic efficiency in dairy cattle. The episode highlights low-cost, practical steps to enhance cow well-being and productivity by aligning dairy management with natural rhythms. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Disrupting circadian rhythms decreases glucose homeostasis, impacting dairy cows' ability to produce milk efficiently."

Meet the guest: Dr. Theresa Casey received her B.S. from the University of Connecticut and her M.S. and Ph.D. in Animal Science from the University of Vermont. She is a Research Associate Professor at Purdue University, where she studies mammary gland development, lactation physiology, and circadian rhythms in dairy cows.

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What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (00:39) Introduction
• (02:33) Circadian rhythm basics
• (04:40) Light-dark disruptions
• (05:26) Chronic jetlag model
• (08:07) Glucose and lactation
• (09:59) Practical takeaways
• (13:06) Closing thoughts

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

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I'm Dr. Luciano Caixeta, and I’m thrilled to kick off my first episode as cohost on The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast! Very excited to embark on this journey with you. In this episode, our guest, Dr. Bart Pardon from Ghent University, shares groundbreaking insights on the quick thoracic ultrasound technique for diagnosing calves with Bovine Respiratory Disease. He explains how quadrant-based scanning can lead to more efficient diagnostics and improved antimicrobial stewardship. Learn how to implement ultrasound scoring systems and interpret cure outcomes based on consolidation depth. Listen now on all major platforms!

"The main characteristics of the Quick Thoracic Ultrasound (qTUS) technique are that it goes really fast, requiring only one movement and small scanning cuffs on each side of the calf."

Meet the guest: Dr. Bart Pardon earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and PhD from Ghent University, where he currently serves as a Professor of Large Animal Internal Medicine. His research with the calf health group focuses on improving diagnostic accuracy and treatment efficiency for respiratory diseases in calves.

Click here to read the full research article!

Liked this one? Don’t stop now — Here’s what we think you’ll love!

What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (00:40) Introduction
• (01:20) Quick thoracic ultrasound
• (04:54) Consolidation depth impact
• (06:20) Quadrant evaluation logic
• (08:48) Defining clinical cure
• (11:08) Treatment by severity
• (14:09) Closing thoughts

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

Website: The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast

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In this episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Richard Pursley from Michigan State University discusses advancements in reproductive management for dairy herds. He explains how attachment timing influences pregnancy outcomes and how synchronization protocols impact fertility. Tune in for actionable insights on reducing pregnancy loss and improving herd longevity. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Insemination success is key; getting cows pregnant earlier reduces metabolic issues and increases herd longevity."

Meet the guest: Dr. Richard Pursley earned his BS and MS from Kansas State University and his PhD from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he co-developed the Ovsynch protocol. Now a professor at Michigan State University, he researches fertility challenges and pregnancy loss in lactating dairy cows.

What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (00:49) Introduction
• (03:24) Early embryonic loss
• (04:55) Progesterone insights
• (06:23) Gene expression detection
• (09:51) Synchronization vs estrus
• (14:39) Fertility program priorities
• (15:18) Closing thoughts

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

Website: The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast

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Welcome to the first episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast—your go-to source for practical, science-based talk about dairy cattle health. I’m Dr. Mark Thomas, your co-host, here to bring you straight-to-the-point conversations with top experts and real-world takeaways that connect research to everyday farm life.

In this episode, Dr. Douglas Reinemann from the University of Wisconsin–Madison breaks down how milking equipment influences udder health. He shares what really drives mastitis risk from a machine perspective—think liner fit, overmilking, and teat-end condition. He also discusses vacuum fluctuations, why they’re outdated concerns with today’s cows and machines, and how veterinarians and producers can assess equipment and milking procedures in the field. Listen now on all major platforms!

"The highest risk of mastitis in the herd is mastitis in a herd."

Meet the guest: Dr. Douglas Reinemann is a Professor and Associate Dean for Outreach and Extension in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He holds an M.S. and B.S. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Ph.D. in Agricultural Engineering from Cornell University. He has directed the UW Milking Research and Instruction Lab since 1990. His work focuses on machine milking biomechanics, mastitis risk, and cow-milking system interactions.

What you will learn:

• (00:00) Introduction
• (02:50) Milking and mastitis link
• (04:00) Backflush system insights
• (06:27) Mastitis risks from equipment
• (10:20) Teat congestion and overmilking
• (14:20) Importance of liner fit
• (15:02) Closing thoughts

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

Website: The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast

Instagram: The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast

LinkedIn: The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast

What if just 9 minutes could change the way you think about dairy cattle herd health? Top expert insights, no fluff. The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast is almost here. Are you ready to level up? Subscribe now and don’t miss a single episode.