The Moos Room™

Virtual fencing is drawing plenty of questions from grazing dairy and beef producers. In this episode of The Moos Room, Brad shares what the University of Minnesota’s West Central Research and Outreach Center learned from using NoFence collars with heifers during the summer grazing season.
Undergraduate interns observed 27 heifers from June through August and compared their behavior with collar records of audio warnings and pulses. The heifers spent most of their observed time grazing or standing, although grazing increased as the summer progressed. Observations associated with pulses showed less grazing and more walking, while warnings and pulses varied widely among individual heifers. Brad discusses what those patterns might mean, including how heifers respond when a virtual boundary moves.
He also looks ahead to testing additional collars and virtual fencing systems with dairy cattle. Future work will examine animal behavior alongside the labor and economics of managing pasture with virtual fences.

Questions, comments, scathing rebuttals? -> themoosroom@umn.edu or call 612-624-3610 and leave us a message!
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Twitter -> @UMNmoosroom and @UMNFarmSafety
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YouTube -> UMN Beef and Dairy and UMN Farm Safety and Health
Instagram -> @UMNWCROCDairy
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Brad begins with an update from the WCROC dairy, where corn silage harvest is complete, fall calving is underway, and new Angus and beef-on-dairy calves are arriving.
The episode then examines a six-year study of approximately 1,300 Holstein bull calves purchased through Wisconsin livestock auctions. Researchers measured serum total protein to evaluate whether the calves had received adequate immunity from colostrum. More than 70% of the calves were classified in the poor or fair categories, while only 16% reached the excellent benchmark. Calves with poor passive immunity were nearly 12 times more likely to die than calves with excellent serum total protein levels.
Brad discusses why male dairy and beef-on-dairy calves should receive the same high-quality colostrum management as replacement heifers. He also explores how serum total protein testing—using a simple blood sample and refractometer—could help farms evaluate their colostrum programs and give calf buyers better information. Verified colostrum management could reduce calf mortality, reward dairy producers for raising healthier calves, and create greater value throughout the beef-on-dairy supply chain.

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

Early calf socialization may deliver long-term benefits
Can housing calves together during their first weeks of life affect how they perform as cows? This episode examines University of Florida research comparing individually housed, pair-housed and group-housed calves through their first lactation.
Socially housed calves grew faster before weaning, producing up to 16% greater average daily gain than individually housed calves. Although differences in growth and reproductive performance largely disappeared after weaning, important benefits emerged after calving. Pair- and group-housed animals produced approximately 1,700 additional pounds of milk during their first lactation and were substantially less likely to be culled.
The findings suggest that early social contact builds behavioral resilience. Calves raised with companions may adjust more easily to the milking parlor, regrouping and competition at the feed bunk—helping them maintain intake, manage stress and remain productive during the demanding transition into the milking herd. The results position social housing as more than a calf-welfare practice; it may also be a long-term investment in productivity and herd retention.
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

Can AI turn mountains of dairy data into practical management insights? This episode explores how tools like ChatGPT can analyze bulk tank records, DHI reports, and milking-parlor data. Using examples from conventional and organic herds, we discuss how AI can reveal production and milk-quality trends, identify cows driving somatic cell count, highlight reproductive concerns, and uncover parlor-efficiency problems. AI cannot replace farmers, advisers, or Extension expertise—and its results should always be verified—but it can save hours of spreadsheet work and help dairy managers focus on the issues that need attention.
 
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

What is the ideal age at first calving for Holstein heifers? Brad examines a Zoetis study of nearly 130,000 cows from 74 dairy herds. Although heifers calving at 26 months produced slightly more projected first-lactation milk, those calving around 23 months produced more cumulative milk through two lactations, remained in the herd longer, and generated greater modeled net income.
Replacement risk increased substantially as calving age rose, reaching about 35% for heifers calving at 27 months compared with 17% at 21 months. By 27 months, modeled net income was approximately $650 lower than for the 23-month group because the small milk-production advantage did not offset additional rearing costs and earlier removal from the herd.
The findings support targeting 22 to 23 months—but only when heifers are adequately grown. Brad explains why producers should monitor body weight alongside age, evaluate the costly tail of late-calving heifers, and consider cumulative production and survival rather than relying solely on projected 305-day milk.

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