Livestock transportation is more than getting cattle from Point A to Point B. How cattle are loaded, handled and hauled can have a real impact on stress, health and performance.

In this episode of Ahead of the Herd, Dr. Brian Dorcey sits down with Hunter Pankonin, the owner of Dry Creek Trucking, to talk about the role good trucking plays throughout the beef production system. From preparing cattle and loading trailers to driver experience, communication and creating a smoother ride, Hunter shares lessons learned from years on the road hauling cattle.

They also discuss what producers can do before the truck arrives—and why keeping cattle welfare at the center of every decision benefits everyone involved.

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This episode of the Ahead of the Herd Podcast explores a different way of thinking about livestock nutrition.

The conversation covers the importance of veterinarians and nutritionists working together as one team, the role of individual feed intake patterns, oxidative stress, and how nutrition can influence overall herd performance.

Veterinarian & Profectus CEO Dr. Brian Dorcey, Sr. Ruminant Nutritionist Dr. Monty Kerley, and Phil Lawler, of PDT Consultants, discuss why balancing diets for amino acids—instead of simply crude protein—can improve feed efficiency, increase carcass weight, reduce cost of gain, and support healthier cattle.

Whether you're a cow/calf operation, backgrounding calves or finishing cattle, this episode offers practical insights into maximizing profitability through precision nutrition and by having a cohesive Veterinary & Nutrition team.

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What does it take for the USDA to allow a vaccine to carry a mortality reduction label claim?

In this episode of Ahead of the Herd, Dr. Brian Dorcey is joined by Dr. Jeffery Hall and Morry Long from Huvepharma to discuss the science behind PrimeLine® IN5, a new intranasal Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD) vaccine offering broad spectrum defense against IBR, BRSV, PI3, Pasteurella multocida, and reduces mortality associated with Mannheimia haemolytica. PrimeLine IN5 is safe for calves as young as three days old.

The discussion covers the rigorous studies used to evaluate the vaccine, the significance of its rare USDA mortality reduction label claim, and why updated field isolates may play an important role in today's BRD prevention strategies.

You'll also hear how intranasal vaccines stimulate both mucosal and systemic immunity, where PrimeLine IN5 fits into cow-calf, calf ranch, dairy, and stocker vaccination programs, and what Profectus veterinarians have observed through early field use.

Whether you're evaluating your current vaccination program or looking for practical ways to reduce the impact of bovine respiratory disease, this episode offers valuable insights backed by science and real-world experience.

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What happens in the first few weeks after beef on dairy calves arrive can have a lasting impact on performance, health, and profitability.

In this episode of Ahead of the Herd: The Profectus Podcast, Nutritionist Brandon Rodriguez and Veterinarian Dr. Reed Leiting discuss the critical steps involved in receiving and starting beef on dairy calves. From managing dietary transitions and bunk management to maintaining rumen health and reducing stress, they share practical strategies producers can implement immediately.

The conversation covers:
 • Transitioning calves from high-energy calf ranch and hog barn diets
 • Managing feed intake during receiving
 • Bunk reading fundamentals
 • Preventing digestive and respiratory challenges
 • Weather impacts on intake and performance
 • Differences between beef on dairy and traditional western cattle
 • How amino acid balancing supports rumen health and smoother diet transitions

Whether you're backgrounding calves, operating a feedlot, or looking to improve receiving performance, this episode offers practical insights to help cattle get off to a stronger start.

Subscribe to Ahead of the Herd for more conversations on cattle health, nutrition, and management from the team at Profectus Livestock Solutions.

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Forage quality is one of the most overlooked drivers of cattle performance, and one of the biggest hidden sources of loss.

In this episode of the Profectus Livestock Solutions Podcast, Dr. Brian Dorcey sits down with Peter Vinelli of International Stock Food Corporation, the maker of SiloGuard, to break down how mold and yeast silently impact intake, health, and production across forage systems.

They discuss the difference between biological inoculants and chemical preservatives, how oxygen drives spoilage, and why preventing forage degradation at harvest is critical to protecting your return.

From silage piles to baled hay, this conversation focuses on practical strategies to reduce dry matter loss, widen harvest windows, and maintain consistent feed quality across varying conditions.

If you are putting up forage, this episode will change how you think about preservation, management, and performance.

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Mycotoxins are one of the most overlooked threats in livestock performance and profitability, and they are showing up stronger than ever in today’s feed supply.

In this episode, Dr. Steve Dudley sits down with Dr. Andrew Bents of Alltech to break down what producers are actually facing in the crop and why testing, monitoring, and mitigation matter more than ever. From real harvest data across the U.S. to practical on farm strategies, this conversation connects the science to what you are seeing in your hogs (and cattle) right now.
 • What current mycotoxin levels look like across regions
 • Why storage conditions can make problems worse after harvest
 • The three mycotoxins that are quietly hurting performance and immunity
 • How distillers grains can amplify risk in your ration
 • What to test, when to test, and how often
 • Practical mitigation strategies that actually work in the field

If you are seeing unexplained health issues, poor vaccine response, off feed events, or reproductive challenges, this episode will help you connect the dots.

Health. Nutrition. Performance. Profectus.

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From 2.5lbs to 3.23lbs average daily gain, under 2% death loss, and a 60-day health turnaround, Profectus is measurably making a difference for producers.

In this episode, Kyle Verhoek shares how his calf program went from battling health issues to driving measurable performance gains with Profectus Livestock Solutions. By implementing an integrated vaccine protocol, amino acid balanced diets, and individualized calf tracking through EID and Cattler, his team transformed both calf health and rate of gain.

Even after moving calves three different times between weaning and closeout, performance held strong. This is a real world look at precision nutrition, proactive herd health, and data driven calf management for dairy beef and backgrounding operations. If you want better gains, stronger calves, and systems that actually work under pressure, this episode is for you.

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Steve and Riley Van Heerde share how their South Dakota feedlot evolved from cow/calf to a performance driven feedlot operation through side-by-side feed trials.

They walk through what they feed, how amino acid nutrition fits their existing feedstuffs, and what changed in cattle efficiency and consistency.

The conversation covers tracking performance with real data, managing cattle through extreme winter weather, and improving health without adding complexity.

Steve explains how nutrition and technology work together to support a profitable family feedlot and long-term growth.

This episode is a real-world discussion for producers focused on better cattle performance, smarter decisions, and passing the operation to the next generation.

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Dr. Reed Leiting and Dr. Steve Dudley share how batch farrowing, nurseries, and wean to finish systems fit into modern swine operations, and what producers should consider when evaluating their own flow. Hear their recommendations on how to select the right production system based on health, labor, and facility realities. 

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High prices, tight margins, and unpredictable cattle markets are putting real pressure on producers. In this episode, Devin Stricherz sits down with nutritionist Brandon Rodriguez to break down what’s happening in today’s cattle industry, and what producers can do to stay profitable.

They dig into why traditional rations built around crude protein and NEG often lead to problems like acidosis, bloats, erratic intakes, and late-term losses. Brandon explains how small nutrition mistakes cascade into big economic setbacks, especially when cattle are this expensive.

The conversation highlights the Profectus approach to diet formulation, built around balancing amino acids and effective energy rather than relying on outdated industry standards. Brandon shares real-world results from the field, including improvements in feed efficiency, cost of gain, animal health, and carcass weight, along with the risk reduction that comes from fewer days on feed.

Whether you’re finishing cattle, backgrounding calves, or trying to get young cattle started right, this episode offers practical insight into where profitability is leaking and how smarter nutrition can capture it back.

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