STtalks

During the 2026 World Dairy Expo, we visited with Stuart Crosthwaite, a dairy producer from Australia, to explore the Australian dairy industry, climate adaptation and the technologies driving progress on his farm.

Stuart shares how investments in barn ventilation have improved production and reproductive performance, while discussing the role of genetics, genomic testing and Chromosomal Mating® in accelerating genetic progress. He also highlights the importance of surrounding your business with the right people and embracing technology to improve efficiency and support long-term growth.

During the 2026 World Dairy Expo, we visited with Greg Andersen of Seagull Bay Dairy to explore their breeding program, the growing focus on polled genetics and the technologies accelerating genetic progress in dairy.

Greg highlights how genomic testing, IVF and embryo transfer are helping accelerate genetic progress, while sharing the importance of combining polled genetics with high genetic merit. He also discusses the role of genetics and emerging technologies in improving efficiency and productivity across the dairy industry.

During the 2026 World Dairy Expo, we visited with Corey Geiger, Dairy Economist Lead at CoBank and the 2026 World Dairy Expo Industry Person of the Year, to explore his journey in the dairy industry and his vision for the future of dairy.

Corey reflects on how his experiences in 4-H and dairy judging shaped his career and inspired his commitment to mentoring and supporting the next generation. He also discusses how genetics and genomics are transforming dairy production, driving changes in milk components and responding to growing consumer demand for high-protein dairy products.

Looking beyond the farm, Corey shares his perspective on how dairy producers can connect with consumers, especially through authentic storytelling and communication, and why the industry has an opportunity to engage a growing global audience interested in high-quality dairy nutrition.

In this episode recorded at the 2026 World Dairy Expo, we visit with Lisa Behnke, World Dairy Expo Communications Manager, to explore how the show continues to create opportunities for the next generation of dairy professionals.

Lisa highlights the importance of youth competitions, hands-on experiences and mentorship in helping young people develop their skills and find their place in the dairy industry. She also shares how World Dairy Expo brings together multiple generations, creating connections that can open doors to careers, learning and lifelong relationships across the industry.

Looking ahead, she discusses the significance of World Dairy Expo’s 60th anniversary in 2027 and what attendees can expect as the show celebrates this milestone with “Diamond Days of Dairy.”

From the barns of the 2026 World Dairy Expo, we visit with Kevin Ziemba of ZBW Genetics to explore how Farmfit® supports the management of calves, heifers and cows both at home and at shows.

Kevin highlights the value of combining rumination and temperature data to better understand health challenges and recovery, while also using Farmfit® insights to support everyday management decisions. Looking ahead, he shares his perspective on the potential for Farmfit® to evolve into a broader farm management platform, bringing together health, reproduction and genomic information.

From the barns of the 2026 World Dairy Expo, we catch up with Alan Kruse of Generation Next Boarding to hear how the use of Farmfit® has evolved in his cattle management over the past year.

Alan shares how improvements in heat detection and health monitoring help him track individual animals, identify concerns earlier and focus attention where it is needed most. He also discusses how Farmfit® can support more informed treatment and management decisions across different conditions and stages of production.

From the barns of the 2026 World Dairy Expo, we visit with Clint Irrthum of Bar-Vue Farms to hear how Farmfit® has changed the way his team manages their cattle.

Clint shares how the technology helps identify health concerns earlier, catch more heats and support better breeding decisions. He also highlights the value of using Farmfit® with calves and how real-time insights help his team focus their attention on the animals that need it most.

From the barns of the 2026 World Dairy Expo, we visit with Elizabeth Gunst of Smith-Crest Holsteins to hear how Farmfit® has helped her stay ahead of potential health concerns and better understand changes in her cows.

Elizabeth shares how early alerts and rumination monitoring can provide insights before visible signs of illness appear. She also discusses how catching those changes sooner can save valuable time, especially when getting cows ready for the show ring.

From the barns of the 2026 World Dairy Expo, we talk with Ryan Ferris of Summit Cattle Company to hear how Farmfit® has become part of his everyday cattle management.

Ryan shares how the technology helps with heat detection while providing insights into rumen activity and body temperature, giving his team a clearer picture of what’s happening with their cattle. He also talks about how simple Farmfit® is to use and how easily it fits into both show cattle and everyday herd management.

STgenetics Canada team members join us to review the 2026 August Canadian Genetic Evaluations, discussing the sire lineup’s proven performance and highlighting new genetics, while considering what these results could mean for dairy producers and the future of the dairy industry. From sires like BREEZER, MYLO and RHETT for components, functional conformation and health traits to Canadian-bred bulls like SPOTLIGHT, CRYSTAL-PP and BRIGHTYPE-P to the polled, type sires LEYSER-PP and SIAKIM-PP, this discussion covers the strength of proven genetics, influential cow families, and new options designed to support the diverse goals of dairy producers around the world.