In this episode of the Progressive Dairy Podcast, learn from National Mastitis Council president and director of Udder Health Systems Justine Britten as she and host Matti McBride discuss milk quality. Enjoy a conversation about changes in milk quality, innovations that have changed how milk quality is managed on dairies, common problems in parlors, tips for sampling milk for mastitis cultures and more.

Here is the episode breakdown:

• 1:00 – Britten’s background
• 2:40 – How milk quality has changed recently
• 7:30 – What’s made the biggest wave in milk quality
• 12:00 – Britten’s approach to treating a mastitis outbreak
• 17:05 – The most common problem in parlors today
• 18:40 – How to properly sample milk for a mastitis culture
• 23:18 – The importance of explaining the problem at hand when sending milk to a lab
• 26:00 – The biggest misconception when it comes to milk quality
• 28:00 – Rapid-fire questions

In this episode, we will introduce you to the 2025 Nexus Innovation Award winners. They were recently recognized at Professional Dairy Producers Business Conference.

One of the award winners is an innovative new lending marketplace that can help producers find funding for tech-centered projects. Another winner has a sort gate that uses electromagnets and springs to operate and makes less noise during operation. One is a new feed pad design to capture rainwater and keep it out of lagoons. Another winner has a rumen-protected feed product that looks promising to improve feed efficiency. Finally, one is an automated hoof bath with onboard computer vision to spot digital dermatitis earlier.

Congratulations to the 2025 Nexus Innovation Award winners!

Here is a breakdown of the episode:

• ~1:45 – BankBarn
• ~15:20 – CowManager
• ~34:45 – Dairy Nutrient Reclamation
• ~52:00 – QuadraStep
• ~1:09:15 – Pathway Intermediates

DMI’s Anne Marie Splitstone, EVP for Growth Platforms and Partnerships, and Silvia Robles, VP for Growth Platforms and Partnerships, speak with DMI’s Scott Wallin about the evolution of fluid milk innovation since 2015, emphasizing consumer insights and industry partnerships.

They highlight the role of the Dairy Foods Research Center Network, which includes 150 R&D experts, in driving innovation.

Key consumer trends identified include a preference for high-protein, low-sugar products and lactose-free options.

Successful products like Fairlife, which surpassed $1 billion in sales, and DFA’s Milk 50, launched with strategic packaging and positioning, are cited as examples.

The conversation underscores the importance of consumer insights, industry collaboration, and ongoing innovation in driving growth in the fluid milk category. 

Tune in to find out!

What is the economic impact of The Dairy Checkoff?

Your Dairy Checkoff Podcast

The Your Dairy Checkoff Podcast offers firsthand perspectives on examples of local, national and global checkoff collaborations to grow sales and build trust in U.S. dairy.

This episode is sponsored by Dairy Management Inc.

Raising healthy calves isn’t just about helping them survive their first weeks—it’s about setting them up for lifetime productivity. One of the biggest factors in long-term success? Gut health.

In this episode, Taylor Wolfe, a territory sales representative with DBC Ag Products, shares what she’s seeing on Northeast dairy farms and why prioritizing gut health and immune support from day one leads to healthier, more productive calves. Wolfe also explains what sets First Arrival® apart and how proactive care pays off, especially as treatment regulations and input costs shift.

This episode is sponsored by DBC Ag Products.

Connecticut dairy producer Amanda Freund recently took the national stage to promote her product Cow Pots (and in turn, the dairy industry) during a televised episode of Shark Tank. Host Kimmi Devaney sat down with her to learn about this experience and how this product has changed manure management on their farm over the past 20-plus years, how diversifying their farm has been a game changer and so much more. This is a high-energy episode you won’t want to miss.

Contact Freund at cowpots.com, @cowpotsgirl on Instagram or [email protected].

Here’s a breakdown of the episode:

• [~1:25] Freund’s inspiration for building her dairy career
• [~3:30] Cow Pots: 1990s to now
• [~7:30] Manure management cooperatives
• [~9:50] Manure management and their anaerobic digester
• [~13:45] Marketing and target audience for Cow Pots
• [~18:30] The greatest lessons she has learned over the last two decades building and expanding this business.
• [~20:40] Freund shares about her recent experience on Shark Tank
• [~26:15] A new product line for Cow Pots
• [~35:00] The value of media training in preparing for big opportunities like Shark Tank and everyday conversations.
• [~39:15] Where Freund learned to negotiate as well as she did on the Shark Tank episode.
• [~42:05] Freund’s advice for others interested in promoting dairy locally or on a national stage.
• [~44:45] Key takeaways from her Shark Tank experience.
• [~47:05] What drives her family when it comes to sustainability and why it is important to them.
• [~48:55] About their farm market.
• [~52:40] The benefits of diversifying their farm to create multiple revenue streams.
• [~54:45] Freund’s advice for other dairy producers looking for innovative ways to create new revenue streams on their operations
• [~58:20] Rapid-fire questions

Afimilk recently released the first product to accurately identify individual cow dry matter intake and calculate the feed efficiency of each animal. Product manager, Veronica Shabtai, DVM, shares the research behind the ground-breaking development and producer Jacob de Jong from Parkview Dairy in California, talks about how he's used the service to enhance the accuracy and profitability of his culling decisions. Listen to hear that and more.

This episode is sponsored by Afimilk.

Dairy farmers have several options when designing and implementing beef-on-dairy programs. One approach is breeding dairy cows to beef sires, producing crossbred calves that enter the beef value chain. However, an increasing number of dairies are choosing HerdFlex beef embryos, which result in full-beef calves. Evaluating embryo quality is crucial for dairy farmers when considering beef-on-dairy options. Understanding the processes involved with these embryos is essential, and we provide comprehensive information to address any questions you may have.

Here is a breakdown of the episode:

• 1:50: The Impact of Embryos and In Vitro Fertilization on Dairy Breeding
• 3:28: Debunking the Myth: “An embryo is an embryo”
• 6:57: Quality Control and Simplot Animal Sciences
• 8:56: Why Embryo Quality Matters for Dairies
• 10:49: Practical Insights from Your Own Herds
• 14:54: Final Thoughts & Advice for Dairies Considering HerdFlex Embryos
• 16:14: Where to Learn More

This episode is sponsored by Simplot Animal Sciences.

Embryo quality is the foundation of a successful embryo transfer program. By prioritizing high-quality embryos, dairy farmers can achieve higher conception rates and healthier, stronger calves for a more profitable and sustainable dairy operation.

There’s a new type of AI in town, and one you might not be as familiar with. Shari van de Pol, CEO of Cattleytics, joins host Matti McBride to explain how and why dairies can benefit from artificial intelligence. Learn the different types of AI, what applications you might use it for and understand the benefits and limitations of this technology.

Brad Peterson, VP of Sales at Total Farm Marketing, discusses how AI-powered tools and proactive strategies are transforming dairy marketing and risk management. He explores how the TFM360 system uses AI and data-driven insights to help dairy farmers optimize milk pricing, manage feed and fuel costs, and navigate market volatility. Brad also shares how Dairy Revenue Protection (DRP) insurance works alongside these strategies to provide a safety net against downturns. Learn how Total Farm Marketing’s innovative approaches can help dairy producers make more informed and strategic decisions.

Episode Highlights:

• Overview of Total Farm Marketing’s Approach to Dairy Risk Management
• How TFM360 Utilizes AI to Enhance Milk Marketing
• Understanding the Role of Scenario Planning in Risk Management
• The Benefits of Dairy Revenue Protection Insurance
• What Sets Total Farm Marketing Apart in the Dairy Industry

This episode is sponsored by Total Farm Marketing by Stewart-Peterson.

Total Farm Marketing’s family of companies helps farmers manage commodity price volatility with comprehensive strategies and recommendations that span a producer’s operation. Total Farm Marketing offers two services to help dairy farmers optimize operations. TFM360, a product of Stewart-Peterson Inc., is an AI-powered, rules-based system that provides data-driven recommendations for managing price risk on milk, feed, and fuel. Dairy Revenue Protection insurance, offered through SP Risk Services LLC, secures a safety net against market downturns. Futures and options involve risk and are not suitable for everyone. SP Risk Services LLC is an insurance agency and an equal opportunity provider.

On this Progressive Dairy Podcast, Matt Dodd, DVM, a Ruminant Field Technical Specialist with Diamond V, shares strategies to support the herd throughout the marathon of heat stress season. As the season progresses, producers implement different strategies to help the herd combat heat and humidity. He will dive into pre-season prep, management adjustments and the use of additives, such as Diamond V™ Ice Plus, to support maintaining milk production and reproductive health.

As temperatures rise, cows need to sustain their endurance for the entire season – whether they are lactating or growing the next generation. As average temperatures have continued to increase year-over-year, we’re seeing more heat stress days annually impacting dairy cows’ performance across the US. Ultimately, it’s not a matter of if heat stress will impact a herd – but how deep is the impact.

This podcast examines management strategies to support maintaining milk production and reproductive health throughout the heat stress season:

• Pre-season prep: Activate a check list and audit, prep equipment (1:05-5:00)
• During heat stress: Physical, feed and bunk management (5:00-7:30)
• Late-season: Shift strategies as the season continues (7:30 - 9:30)
• Diamond V™ Ice Plus helps cool, protect and hydrate (9:30-11:25)

This episode is sponsored by Diamond V.

Diamond V delivers a true partnership, built on trust, quality, and innovation. Our cutting-edge technologies, combined with our technical expertise, support your animal's health and help your dairy business thrive. A new addition to our expanding portfolio, Diamond V™ Ice Plus helps support cows during the challenges of heat stress season. It features a unique, synergistic blend that helps lessen the heat’s impact on milk production and reproductive health by supporting cow cooling at the cellular level. Stay cool at DiamondV.com/IcePlus.