Brad recaps a fall road trip with the Minnesota dairy extension team to South Dakota’s rapidly growing I-29 dairy corridor, highlighting what innovative farms are doing to boost efficiency, cow health, and profitability. Along the way, they tour the Bel Brands plant in Brookings, where milk from about 10,000 cows a day is turned into those familiar Babybel snack cheeses, and hear how the plant’s demand for high-protein milk is shaping local production.

On the farm visits, Brad digs into why one 1,700-cow dairy is ripping out a barn full of robots after just a few years—citing software headaches, maintenance demands, and an extra dollar per hundredweight in cost—and how they’re using strict 5-minute milking times and strong beef-on-dairy markets to stay competitive. He then visits a Holstein dairy using parlor timers, FutureCow brushes, genomic testing, Akushi (red Wagyu) beef-on-dairy crosses, intensive calf biosecurity, and a Danish SKOV ventilation system to keep big groups of calves healthy.

The final stop is a 6,000-cow Jersey herd proving Jerseys can be successfully raised in northern climates. Brad shares how they use SenseHub tags on calves from birth, IVF and embryo work for high-value Jersey genetics, fresh-heifer mastitis prevention strategies in recycled bedding systems, and clever pen redesigns to add bunk space.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• Why one large dairy abandoned milking robots for a parlor
• How timers in the parlor are being used to speed up milking and labor efficiency
• Beef-on-dairy strategies, from Angus to Akushi crosses and premium Texas markets
• New approaches to calf housing, ventilation, and biosecurity
• Using precision technology and genomic data to guide breeding and health decisions
• Practical ideas Brad wants to bring home to the U of M dairy, from boot disinfectant to fresh-heifer dry treatment

Questions, comments, scathing rebuttals? -> themoosroom@umn.edu or call 612-624-3610 and leave us a message!

Linkedin -> The Moos Room
Twitter -> @UMNmoosroom and @UMNFarmSafety
Facebook -> @UMNDairy
YouTube -> UMN Beef and Dairy and UMN Farm Safety and Health
Instagram -> @UMNWCROCDairy
Extension Website
AgriAmerica Podcast Directory

Brad recaps his trip to dairy farms in the Netherlands and Germany, where robotics, crossbreeding, and creative manure and energy management are everywhere — even on small farms. He visited farms using Lely robots, grass/rye silage-based diets, and small-scale digesters that capture manure methane. Crossbreeding (Holstein × Montbéliarde × Viking Red) is common, driven by goals of longevity, health, and reducing inbreeding.

He also saw some surprising management choices: dry cows fed only straw for 60 days (reportedly reducing metabolic issues) and one advisor recommending farmers don’t clean calf pens to preserve the microbiome — a concept Brad remains skeptical about.

At a dairy technology show and breeding conference, Brad shared research on feed efficiency and methane emissions and learned how European breeders are incorporating resilience and efficiency traits into genetic programs. Overall, Europe’s dairy farms showed strong use of technology, a focus on components and longevity, and serious interest in crossbreeding as a labor- and health-saving strategy.

Hybrid Genetics YouTube Channel to learn more about some of these Farms

Questions, comments, scathing rebuttals? -> themoosroom@umn.edu or call 612-624-3610 and leave us a message!

Linkedin -> The Moos Room
Twitter -> @UMNmoosroom and @UMNFarmSafety
Facebook -> @UMNDairy
YouTube -> UMN Beef and Dairy and UMN Farm Safety and Health
Instagram -> @UMNWCROCDairy
Extension Website
AgriAmerica Podcast Directory

In this episode, Brad is back from Europe—jetlagged but full of insights from farms and conferences in Germany and the Netherlands. He dives into one of the biggest topics he heard about abroad and at home: Inbreeding in dairy cattle.

Brad explains how inbreeding occurs, what it costs farmers economically, and how inbreeding levels have climbed across all major dairy breeds—especially Holsteins and Jerseys. Drawing on recent research from Italy and data from the U.S. Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding, he outlines how increasing inbreeding negatively impacts cow survival, fertility, and long-term profitability.

The discussion highlights startling trends—Holstein inbreeding has jumped from 3.7% in the mid-1990s to nearly 11% today, and some genomic bulls now exceed 16%. Brad also touches on historic bulls whose genetics still dominate today’s herds, like Elevation and Highland Magic Duncan, and explores whether approaches like crossbreeding, linebreeding, or greater genetic diversity in breeding programs could help slow the trend.

Brad concludes with a call to action: farmers, AI companies, and breed associations must prioritize genetic diversity now to safeguard herd health and productivity.

Questions, comments, scathing rebuttals? -> themoosroom@umn.edu or call 612-624-3610 and leave us a message!

Linkedin -> The Moos Room
Twitter -> @UMNmoosroom and @UMNFarmSafety
Facebook -> @UMNDairy
YouTube -> UMN Beef and Dairy and UMN Farm Safety and Health
Instagram -> @UMNWCROCDairy
Extension Website
AgriAmerica Podcast Directory

Brad kicks off a solo episode (recorded before a trip to Germany) and turns the mic to rangeland scientist Anna Clare for a deep dive into “the solar savanna”—treating solar arrays on grasslands as functioning grazing ecosystems. She shares early results from Silicon Ranch’s Cattle Tracker research on integrating cattle (not just sheep) with PV systems. Brad follows with University of Minnesota’s on-farm demos: panel heights that work for cattle, heat-stress reductions, forage performance under panels, and a mobile, battery-equipped shade/solar rig. If you’re curious how and when cattle can safely graze under solar, this one’s packed with data and practical design tips.

Key takeaways

• Solar as savanna: Think of arrays as shade “canopies” over grasslands—manage them as grazing systems with soils, roots, pollinators, and large herbivores in mind.
• Cattle can work under PV: Moving from sheep to cattle is feasible when arrays are designed with animal size/behavior in mind.
• Panel height matters: In controlled mockups, animal interactions dropped 43% from 2.0→2.5 m and 59% at 3.0 m. Cattle never touched panels; most curiosity was with dampers—a design hotspot.
• Ecosystem wins: Under-panel zones showed higher soil moisture and lower soil temperatures, favoring cool-season grasses and legumes; regrowth dynamics can improve after grazing passes.
• Animal welfare benefits: UMN trials showed lower respiration rates and 0.5–1.0 °F lower internal body temperatures during hot afternoons for shaded cows—meaningfully less heat stress.
• Forage production holds up (or improves): Certain mixes (e.g., orchardgrass, meadow fescue; grass-legume combos) produced equal or greater biomass under panels with no drop in nutritive value.
• Design for cattle, not fear: After a decade of on-farm experience, Brad’s team hasn’t seen cattle damage panels; people and tractors are more likely risks than cows.
• Practical layouts: Keep inverters outside fences, route wiring high/inside racking, and allow equipment lanes; rotational grazing and (potentially) virtual fencing fit well.
• Innovation on wheels: A 20 kW mobile bifacial shade rig with onboard batteries can power irrigation, fencing, and even an electric tractor—bringing agrivoltaics to wherever cattle need relief.

Research & projects mentioned

• Silicon Ranch – Cattle Tracker: multi-year cattle-PV integration study; Phase 2 is a 4.5 MW Tennessee “outdoor test lab” comparing array vs. open pasture for behavior, space use, health/performance, plus mirrored ecosystem monitoring.
• Comprehensive literature review (AGU Earth’s Future – in press): Maps intersections among livestock–solar–land, identifies six research gaps (integration, layered ecology, modeling, best practices, social dimensions, collaborative science).
• UMN Morris agrivoltaics demos: Fixed-tilt arrays at 6–8 ft (1.8–2.4 m) leading edge; 0.5 MW pasture array powering campus; vertical bifacial and crop-under-PV pilots coming; EV fast charger powered by cow-shade solar.

Who it’s for

Developers, ranchers, extension pros, and policy folks exploring dual-use solar that keeps grasslands working and cattle comfortable.

Questions, comments, scathing rebuttals? -> themoosroom@umn.edu or call 612-624-3610 and leave us a message!

Linkedin -> The Moos Room
Twitter -> @UMNmoosroom and @UMNFarmSafety
Facebook -> @UMNDairy
YouTube -> UMN Beef and Dairy and UMN Farm Safety and Health
Instagram -> @UMNWCROCDairy
Extension Website
AgriAmerica Podcast Directory

Emily is back from medical leave (hooray!) and she and Brad dig into an essential topic for every operation: emergency planning. You can’t predict every detail, but you can make the first decisions easier when seconds count.

What we cover:

• What an emergency plan is (and isn’t): a concise, written set of steps and key info you can default to under pressure.
• Start with a farm map: access routes, gates/fences, livestock locations, hazardous/flammable materials, and utility shutoffs.
• Make the red sheet easy to find: an emergency contact list (911 first), then vet, sheriff/emergency management, insurance, milk hauler, feed/suppliers, and owner/manager.
• Stock the right supplies: standard first-aid kits, a trauma kit with a tourniquet, and consider an AED; plan to keep kits replenished.
• Three scenario buckets to plan for:
  1. Shelter in place (blizzards, extended outages): backup power/fuel, blocked access routes, pared-down chore list, role assignments, keeping people safe.
  2. Evacuation (fire, flood, tornado damage): best escape routes for people/animals, which gates to open and in what order, a designated meeting point (and Plan B), and who calls whom.
  3. Medical emergencies (injury or health event): known conditions (EpiPens, diabetes, heart issues), where supplies/AED live, basic first-aid/CPR training, clear directions for EMS, and—on larger sites—who meets the ambulance at the road and whether a safe helicopter landing area exists.
• Mind the paperwork: review insurance coverage before you need it.
• Keep it simple and living: a few clear steps beat a thick binder no one reads.

Resources mentioned:

• University of Minnesota Extension: Operations contingency plan templates for livestock operations.
• Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN): disaster-specific farm resources.
• Cultivating Change Foundation (Emily & Joe Rand received the Cultivator of Change award).
• Save the date: Ag for All Conference for LGBTQ+ farmers, ag professionals, and allies — March 7, 2026, Waite Park/St. Cloud, MN.

Have questions, comments, or scathing rebuttals? Email TheMoosRoom@umn.edu
.

Chapter markers (optional)

• 00:00 – Emily’s back! (and why breaks matter)
• 03:18 – Why farms need emergency plans
• 05:41 – What an emergency plan actually is
• 08:07 – How plans help when stress spikes
• 10:45 – Simple planning story (cats + hamper)
• 12:03 – What belongs in the plan (map, shutoffs, hazards)
• 15:11 – The red emergency contact list
• 19:06 – First-aid vs. trauma kits (tourniquets)
• 24:44 – Shelter-in-place: questions to answer
• 26:11 – Evacuation: routes, gates, meeting points
• 28:04 – Medical emergencies: AEDs, training, EMS access
• 32:35 – Keep it living, keep it simple
• 33:00 – Resources + wrap-up

Questions, comments, scathing rebuttals? -> themoosroom@umn.edu or call 612-624-3610 and leave us a message!

Linkedin -> The Moos Room
Twitter -> @UMNmoosroom and @UMNFarmSafety
Facebook -> @UMNDairy
YouTube -> UMN Beef and Dairy and UMN Farm Safety and Health
Instagram -> @UMNWCROCDairy
Extension Website
AgriAmerica Podcast Directory

In this episode, Brad shares his fall updates from western Minnesota before diving into a detailed discussion on genomic testing in dairy herds. Drawing on his experiences from recent farm visits in South Dakota and ongoing University of Minnesota research projects, he explores how producers are using genomics and whether the investment pays off.

Brad explains that while some herds use genomic testing solely to decide which animals to breed to beef, he believes the technology’s value lies much deeper — in improving herd genetics, managing inbreeding, verifying parentage, and advancing traits like health, fertility, and production components. He outlines the major testing companies (Neogen, Zoetis, and Genetic Visions), their costs (around $37–$42 per animal), and the kinds of data producers can expect from each, including A2 status, horned/polled traits, and wellness indices.

The episode also includes two case studies:

• A small grazing herd where genomic testing clarified breed composition, revealed unknown sires, and identified A2 status across mixed-breed animals.
• A university research herd exploring polled genetics and crossbred performance, where Brad questions how well current evaluations reflect the true genetic potential of crossbreds like Normande and Montbéliarde crosses.

Brad closes by summarizing the practical ways to use genomic information — from strategic breeding and heifer selection to developing niche markets like A2 milk products. His key takeaway: genomic testing can be a powerful tool for herd improvement, but it’s only worth the cost when used strategically rather than as a simple breeding filter.

Listeners are encouraged to share feedback or questions via The Moos Room’s contact page or University of Minnesota Extension channels.

Questions, comments, scathing rebuttals? -> themoosroom@umn.edu or call 612-624-3610 and leave us a message!

Linkedin -> The Moos Room
Twitter -> @UMNmoosroom and @UMNFarmSafety
Facebook -> @UMNDairy
YouTube -> UMN Beef and Dairy and UMN Farm Safety and Health
Instagram -> @UMNWCROCDairy
Extension Website
AgriAmerica Podcast Directory

Host Brad Heins welcomes Becca Weir, a Minnesota native and newly appointed assistant professor of agricultural economics at Penn State. Growing up on a dairy farm near Sauk Centre, Rebecca developed a passion for applying economics to dairy management decisions.

In this episode, she shares findings from her University of Minnesota research with Jolene Hadrich, which connected genetic selection (sire Net Merit) with farm-level profitability using data from 2012–2018 Minnesota dairy herds.

Key insights:

• A $100 increase in sire Net Merit was linked to roughly $12,000 more in net farm income—about $87 per cow, higher than expected.
• The positive relationship held across small, medium, and large herds, showing that investing in genetics pays off for all farm sizes.
• Traits related to longevity and health—such as livability and milk fever resistance—were the most consistent contributors to profitability.
• Selecting based on the Net Merit index is more effective than focusing on single traits.
• Genetics explained about 3% of profitability variation, a small but meaningful share alongside market conditions, management, and input costs.

Rebecca also discusses her new role at Penn State, where she’ll continue exploring dairy farm management, risk management, and programs like Dairy Margin Coverage to help producers improve economic resilience.

Brad closes by reminding listeners that genetics are just one piece of the profitability puzzle—but an important one that can deliver measurable returns for dairy farmers.

Questions, comments, scathing rebuttals? -> themoosroom@umn.edu or call 612-624-3610 and leave us a message!

Linkedin -> The Moos Room
Twitter -> @UMNmoosroom and @UMNFarmSafety
Facebook -> @UMNDairy
YouTube -> UMN Beef and Dairy and UMN Farm Safety and Health
Instagram -> @UMNWCROCDairy
Extension Website
AgriAmerica Podcast Directory

In this episode, Brad shares his firsthand experience with virtual fencing on the University of Minnesota’s Morris dairy herd. After a long grazing season, he dives into the reasons he began experimenting with NoFence collars, the training process for heifers, and what he learned about costs, labor savings, and animal behavior.

Brad walks listeners through the setup, the challenges of training, and the variation he saw among animals in how quickly they adapted. He highlights both the advantages—like labor efficiency and flexibility—and the limitations, such as collar costs, GPS accuracy, and the need for careful management when mixing groups.

Looking ahead, Brad plans to extend the trial to lactating cows next grazing season, a new frontier for virtual fencing in dairy. He also points to upcoming field days and funding opportunities for farmers curious about adopting the technology.

Virtual fencing, he concludes, may be the future of grazing management—helping reduce labor while improving flexibility on farms.

Questions, comments, scathing rebuttals? -> themoosroom@umn.edu or call 612-624-3610 and leave us a message!

Linkedin -> The Moos Room
Twitter -> @UMNmoosroom and @UMNFarmSafety
Facebook -> @UMNDairy
YouTube -> UMN Beef and Dairy and UMN Farm Safety and Health
Instagram -> @UMNWCROCDairy
Extension Website
AgriAmerica Podcast Directory