The Moos Room™

A case of New World screwworm was recently identified in a three-month-old calf in Zavala County, Texas, near the Texas-Mexico border. In this episode, Brad breaks down what New World screwworm is, why it matters to livestock producers, and what signs to watch for in cattle and other animals. He explains how the larvae infest live tissue, how the pest spreads, and why early detection, reporting, quarantine, and treatment are key to preventing further spread.
The episode also clears up common myths, including whether screwworm spreads animal-to-animal or person-to-person, whether whole herds must be culled, and whether recovered animals can enter the food supply. Brad also discusses past eradication efforts using sterile flies, current treatment options, and the importance of producer awareness, especially for those in areas at higher risk. 
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
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YouTube -> UMN Beef and Dairy and UMN Farm Safety and Health
Instagram -> @UMNWCROCDairy
Extension Website
AgriAmerica Podcast Directory

Brad discusses new research comparing dairy heifers raised on pasture versus in confinement, focusing on studies from Wisconsin and Minnesota. Both studies found that pasture-raised heifers were slightly lighter and gained less before calving, but they reached calving at a similar age and showed advantages after freshening. Pasture-raised animals had higher dry matter intake, fewer health issues in the Minnesota study, and stronger first-lactation milk production, especially under rotational grazing systems.
Brad also highlights the economic upside: pasture systems reduced heifer feed costs and, in the Wisconsin study, improved income over feed cost during lactation. The episode makes the case that raising dairy heifers on pasture can be a practical strategy to lower rearing costs without sacrificing, and potentially improving, future milk production.
 
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 shares updates from the University of Minnesota Morris dairy herd, including cows heading out to spring pasture, a recent Holstein classification, and highlights from several high-scoring cows. He then revisits University of Minnesota crossbreeding research comparing Holsteins with Viking Red and Montbéliarde crosses. The results show that crossbred cows often had better fertility, lower health treatment costs, improved survival to later lactations, and higher daily profitability, even when milk volume was sometimes lower than Holsteins. Brad also connects these findings to current beef-on-dairy calf research showing health advantages from crossbreeding, especially fewer scours and digestive problems.
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 of The Moos Room, Brad discusses spring pasture challenges in western Minnesota, including dry conditions, temperature swings, and slowed grass growth. With summer heat on the horizon, the focus shifts to heat stress in dairy cows and how precision technologies, especially internal bolus sensors, can help farmers identify problems earlier.
Brad shares observations from cows monitored with Smaxtec boluses, including rumination, internal body temperature, and water intake data. He also reviews research from the University of Minnesota herd showing that rumination may start dropping at lower temperature-humidity index levels than traditional industry thresholds suggest. Conventional cows showed rumination declines around a THI of 64, while pasture-based organic cows showed declines closer to 58.
The episode highlights why waiting for milk production losses may be too late when managing heat stress. Instead, rumination, body temperature, water intake, shade, cooling systems, and feeding strategies can all play a role in protecting cow comfort and performance before visible signs of heat stress appear.

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 takes a closer look at FerAppease, a synthetic analog of the maternal bovine appeasing substance that is gaining attention in both the dairy and beef industries. He explains how the product is designed to reduce stress in cattle during events like breeding, weaning, dehorning, transportation, calving, and dry-off.
The episode highlights recent research in lactating Holstein cows showing that applying FerAppease at the time of artificial insemination increased pregnancy per AI from 47.7% in control cows to 60.2% in treated cows. Brad also walks through the potential economics, estimating a strong return on investment when improved pregnancy rates are valued at the farm level.
Brad then discusses a calf study looking at FerAppease use around disbudding. Treated calves showed signs of reduced stress, including lower cortisol measures, and had improved average daily gain shortly after disbudding. While more research is needed, Brad notes that FerAppease may be a useful non-antibiotic, non-hormonal tool for reducing stress and improving outcomes during key management events.

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