Ruminate This | Agrarian Solutions

What do you do when the cows look perfectly fine but performance keeps drifting? In this episode of Ruminate This, Scott Zehr breaks down the quiet, hard-to-detect issue plaguing many dairy herds: subtle biological stress, especially from low-level mycotoxins that rarely show up on a single feed test but can dramatically impact herd performance.

Scott explains how cows can look visually healthy while quietly battling stress that affects reproduction, rumination, immune function, intakes, components, manure consistency, and overall milk production.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why cows “whisper” their symptoms instead of crashing.
• How low/medium DON, Zearalenone, T-2, and Fumonisin levels still cause major damage.
• Why mycotoxin tests often mislead (uneven distribution + sample variability).
• The real signs of toxin pressure: weak heats, cysts, SCC drift, soft milk, inconsistent manure, fluctuating intakes.
• Why patterns matter more than single data points.
• How to use Agrarian’s DTX Decision Chart to identify immune suppression.
• A real case where cows looked totally fine until toxin correction turned the herd around.
• Exactly what to review in your last 90 days of herd data to spot hidden stress before it becomes costly.

If your cows look “fine” but your numbers don’t, this episode will give you the clarity you’ve been searching for.

Resources:

• Mycotoxin Decision Chart
• Mycotoxin Guide

🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favorite podcast platform 

To learn more on this topic, email [email protected].

🔗 Stay informed: Get expert livestock nutrition insights, cutting-edge research, and updates on future episodes by subscribing here: agrariansolutions.com/podcast

Social Links:
- Ruminate This YouTube Page
- Agrarian Solutions YouTube Page
- Agrarian's LinkedIn
- Agrarian's Facebook Page
- Agrarian's Instagram Page
- Agrarian Solutions Website

Got a Question or want free Mycotoxin Testing? Send us a Message!!

Today’s dairy herds are facing a new class of mycotoxin challenges that traditional binders weren’t designed to address. In this episode, Scott Zehr explains why today’s most common mycotoxins (DON, Zearalenone, T2/HT2, Fumonisin) don’t respond to the same binder strategies developed for aflatoxin.

Instead of being bound in the gut, these toxins are absorbed into the bloodstream and suppress the cow’s immune system. The result: cows that look fine, but fall short on milk, heats, and conception.

Scott outlines how biological solutions like DTX™ support immune function, gut integrity, and nutrient allocation, including a +2.5 lb milk response in a large commercial trial. If you’ve ever walked pens and thought, “The cows look okay… but something feels off,” this episode connects the dots.

🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favorite podcast platform 

To learn more on this topic, email [email protected].

🔗 Stay informed: Get expert livestock nutrition insights, cutting-edge research, and updates on future episodes by subscribing here: agrariansolutions.com/podcast

Social Links:

YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@RuminateThis

YouTube Page:  https://www.youtube.com/@agrariansolutions5557

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/agrarian-solutions/

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AgrarianSolutions

Instagram Page:  https://www.instagram.com/agrariansolutions/

Website: https://agrariansolutions.com/

Got a Question or want free Mycotoxin Testing? Send us a Message!!

Mycotoxins like DON, zearalenone, and fumonisin silently drain herd health and profits, but too often, testing only happens after the damage is done.

In this episode of Ruminate This, Scott Zehr and Dr. Larry Roth discuss why routine, proactive mycotoxin testing of TMR and silage should be a standard practice on every dairy. They explor regional mycotoxin trends, the influence of agronomic practices, and the role of residue management. Learn why monthly TMR testing, especially in dry cow and pre-fresh rations, is the most reliable way to safeguard milk production and herd health.

Take control before losses occur. Download your complimentary Mycotoxin Report from Agrarian Solutions at agrariansolutions.com/mycotoxin-report-april-september-2025 and see the latest trends impacting herds. With proactive testing and resources like this, protecting herd health and profitability has never been easier.

🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favorite podcast platform 

To learn more on this topic, email [email protected].

🔗 Stay informed: Get expert livestock nutrition insights, cutting-edge research, and updates on future episodes by subscribing here: agrariansolutions.com/podcast

Social Links:

YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@RuminateThis
YouTube Page:  https://www.youtube.com/@agrariansolutions5557
LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/agrarian-solutions/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AgrarianSolutions
Instagram Page:  https://www.instagram.com/agrariansolutions/
Website: https://agrariansolutions.com/

Got a Question or want free Mycotoxin Testing? Send us a Message!!

Most people see “calcium carbonate” on a label and assume it’s all the same, cheap limestone that barely gets absorbed. However, now we know: Not all calcium carbonate is created equal.

In this episode of Ruminate This, Scott Zehr sits down with Dr. Larry Roth to answer the questions producers and vets are really asking:

• What’s the difference between Calcium Carbonate and Calcium Chloride?
• Why Is seaweed-derived calcium actually more bioavailable?
• Will I see an ROI with a calcium bolus at calving?

Agrarian Solutions is a technology company that takes complex science and makes it usable on your farm. Just like Windows made DOS simple, we’re here to make advanced animal health innovation practical, profitable, and impossible to ignore.

🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favorite podcast platform 

To learn more on this topic, email [email protected].

🔗 Stay informed: Get expert livestock nutrition insights, cutting-edge research, and updates on future episodes by subscribing here: agrariansolutions.com/podcast

Social Links:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RuminateThis
YouTube Page: https://www.youtube.com/@agrariansolutions5557
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/agrarian-solutions/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AgrarianSolutions
Instagram Page: https://www.instagram.com/agrariansolutions/
Website: https://agrariansolutions.com/

Got a Question or want free Mycotoxin Testing? Send us a Message!!

What if the biggest hidden cost on your dairy isn’t feed, labor, or genetics, but the pain of not changing?

In this episode of Ruminate This, Scott Zehr and co-host Jeff Hostetter, Product Manager at Premier Select Sires, explore the challenges and opportunities facing today’s dairy producers. Change in dairy management can feel disruptive with new training, updated protocols, and added investments. But staying the same carries a constant, quiet cost in lost milk production, reproductive failures, high culling rates, and wasted resources.

You’ll learn how forward-thinking farms push past “good enough” and capture more profit by:

• Supporting cow longevity and keeping “Golden Girls” in 4th and 5th lactation productive, the most profitable animals in the herd.
• Recognizing the true ceiling of herd performance and avoiding the trap of underestimating potential.
• Making smart, long-term investments in transition cow management, calf health, and silage protection that deliver a powerful ROI.
• Building trust with dairy nutritionists and consultants who prioritize the farm’s interests and make change easier.

Every dairy pays for pain. The choice is whether to take on the short-term discomfort of change for long-term herd health and profitability, or keep paying forever through hidden losses, high turnover, and missed opportunities. The pain of change is temporary. The pain of staying the same is permanent.

🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favorite podcast platform 

To learn more on this topic, email [email protected].

🔗 Stay informed: Get expert livestock nutrition insights, cutting-edge research, and updates on future episodes by subscribing here: agrariansolutions.com/podcast

Social Links:
YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@RuminateThis
YouTube Page:  https://www.youtube.com/@agrariansolutions5557
LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/agrarian-solutions/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AgrarianSolutions
Instagram Page:  https://www.instagram.com/agrariansolutions/
Website: https://agrariansolutions.com/

Got a Question or want free Mycotoxin Testing? Send us a Message!!

Most dairies focus on calcium deficiency during the transition period, but what if that’s just a symptom, not the root cause? In this episode of Ruminate This, Mark Carpenter, CEO of Agrarian Solutions, shares why the real enemy is inflammation and how the company made the bold move to walk away from its popular calcium bolus in favor of a more complete, integrity-driven solution.

Grounded in Dr. Lance Baumgard’s research and broader industry discussions, this conversation challenges the status quo, moving beyond quick fixes to strategies that protect cow health, support producers, and redefine progress in the dairy industry. The inflammation-first approach isn’t just theory, it’s the future.

🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favorite podcast platform 

To learn more on this topic, email [email protected].

🔗 Stay informed: Get expert livestock nutrition insights, cutting-edge research, and updates on future episodes by subscribing here: agrariansolutions.com/podcast

Social Links:

YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@RuminateThis
YouTube Page:  https://www.youtube.com/@agrariansolutions5557
LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/agrarian-solutions/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AgrarianSolutions
Instagram Page:  https://www.instagram.com/agrariansolutions/
Website: https://agrariansolutions.com/

Got a Question or want free Mycotoxin Testing? Send us a Message!!

Disbudding is performed on nearly 94% of U.S. dairy farms. Dr. Alycia Drwencke, PhD, Tucker Lab Member at the University of California, Davis, shares research comparing methods and why proper pain management requires both a local block and NSAID.

She also discusses the impact of disbudding on calf behavior, feeding, and performance, and the role of polled genetics to reduce stress.

📊Interested in the research? Check out Dr. Drwencke’s published papers.

• Wound healing and pain sensitivity following caustic paste disbudding in dairy calves
• Wound characteristics after disbudding: Part I - Effects of caustic paste dose and presence of hair
• Wound characteristics after disbudding: Part II - Comparing cautery and caustic paste methods
• Effects of disbudding on behavior and heart rate during jugular venipuncture in dairy calves
• Development and application of a novel approach to scoring ear tag wounds in dairy calves
• Pilot testing an ethanol cornual nerve block as a long-term analgesic for calf disbudding

🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favorite podcast platform 

To learn more on this topic, email [email protected].

🔗 Stay informed: Get expert livestock nutrition insights, cutting-edge research, and updates on future episodes by subscribing here: agrariansolutions.com/podcast

Social Links:

YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@RuminateThis
YouTube Page:  https://www.youtube.com/@agrariansolutions5557
LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/agrarian-solutions/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AgrarianSolutions
Instagram Page:  https://www.instagram.com/agrariansolutions/
Website: https://agrariansolutions.com/

Got a Question or want free Mycotoxin Testing? Send us a Message!!

Preventing milk fever is important,  but it’s not the whole story. The real wins in transition care happen when you go beyond calcium.

In this episode of Ruminate This, John Lawlor, Managing Director of Anchor Life Science and Agrarian Solutions Vice President of Nutrition Dr. Larry Roth, explore research that challenges long-held assumptions about calcium supplementation at calving. While traditional boluses are effective at preventing milk fever, studies show they don’t necessarily boost performance. That’s where new thinking and new data come in. 

Tune in to hear how a more comprehensive approach to transition nutrition can help reduce multiple post-calving metabolic challenges, improve body condition, increase milk yield, and support fertility, all while driving a stronger return.

📊Get the details and research HERE. 

🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favorite podcast platform 

To learn more on this topic, email [email protected].

🔗 Stay informed: Get expert livestock nutrition insights, cutting-edge research, and updates on future episodes by subscribing here: agrariansolutions.com/podcast

Social Links:

YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@RuminateThis

YouTube Page:  https://www.youtube.com/@agrariansolutions5557

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/agrarian-solutions/

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AgrarianSolutions

Instagram Page:  https://www.instagram.com/agrariansolutions/

Website: https://agrariansolutions.com/

Got a Question or want free Mycotoxin Testing? Send us a Message!!

Do forage inoculants really work, or are they just “insurance”?
Can they prevent or reduce mycotoxins in silage?

In this episode of Ruminate This, Agrarian Solutions’ Vice President of Nutrition, Dr. Larry Roth, explains the real role inoculants play in silage management. Tune in to learn  how the right inoculant can help preserve dry matter and nutrient value, why it can’t remove mycotoxins already present at harvest, and the practical steps to get the most from your forage.

Think of your silage bunk as a pile of valuable nutrients, the more protein and energy you keep after fermentation, the less you’ll need to purchase. From harvest timing to packing, covering, and inoculant selection, understand how to best protect feed value, reduce losses, and keep your herd performing at its best.

🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favorite podcast platform 

To learn more on this topic, email [email protected].

🔗 Stay informed: Get expert livestock nutrition insights, cutting-edge research, and updates on future episodes by subscribing here: agrariansolutions.com/podcast

Social Links:

YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@RuminateThis
YouTube Page:  https://www.youtube.com/@agrariansolutions5557
LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/agrarian-solutions/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AgrarianSolutions
Instagram Page:  https://www.instagram.com/agrariansolutions/
Website: https://agrariansolutions.com/

Got a Question or want free Mycotoxin Testing? Send us a Message!!

In this episode of Ruminate This, we discuss simple, no-nonsense strategies to set up your silage season for success and stop costly feed losses before they start. Agrarian Solutions’ Vice President of Nutrition, Larry Roth, Ph.D., PAS, shares expert tips on reducing corn silage shrink, improving fermentation, and protecting forage quality from harvest to feedout.

From hitting the perfect harvest window and cracking every kernel to packing, covering, and sampling like a pro, this episode is full of  practical advice to help you feed more, waste less, and maximize your dairy’s bottom line.

🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favorite podcast platform 

📋 Download the free Corn Silage Prep Checklist

🔁 Share this episode with your team!

📬Reach out anytime, we’re here to support you! [email protected]

Social Links:

YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@RuminateThis

YouTube Page:  https://www.youtube.com/@agrariansolutions5557

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/agrarian-solutions/

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AgrarianSolutions

Instagram Page:  https://www.instagram.com/agrariansolutions/

Got a Question or want free Mycotoxin Testing? Send us a Message!!