Sustaining The Herd

Episode 42 looks back at Season 2 of Sustaining The Herd. Join Andrew and Brock as they give an episode-by-episode recap of the season's highlights. Want to learn more about an episode or new to Sustaining the Herd? Jump to the episodes that interest you the most. Settje Agri-Services and Engineering would like to say thank you to our guests and listeners for being part of "The Herd" in Season 2. We look forward to Season 3, which will debut on January 14th. Have any suggestions or feedback? Drop us a line at [email protected]!

Season Index:
E19: Hispanic Labor in Agriculture with Katie Dotterer
E20: Part 1: Cattle Feeding with John Schroeder
E21: Part 2: Cattle Feeding with John Schroeder
E22: Industry Update: State of Biogas Industry and Manure Management on Roller Compacted Concrete in Feedyards
E23: Over the Road Trucking Powered by Renewable Natural Gas, with Cummins, Inc. with David King and Tom Quimby
E24: Myths of Manure Liquid-Solid Separation
E25: The "Pondcast": Talking Innovation and Industry Involvement with Dr. Kevin Pond of WTAMU
E26: Sustainable Crop Production and Global Ag Trade with Andy Fabin
E27: LIVE From Biogas Americas in Denver, Colorado
E28: Self-Driving Feed Trucks and Precision Cattle Feeding with Jacob Hansen
E29: Settling the Debate on Settleables: What's Filling My Digester?
E30: Unlocking the Transportation Market for Renewable Natural Gas with Charles Love of Trillium
E31: Verifying Sustainability with Doug Stanton
E32: Agricultural Security is National Security: How the FBI Protects the Ag Industry From Threats with Eugene Kowel
E33: Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture with Dan Kurdys
E34: How Consumer Tastes are Driving Pesticide Usage, GMOs, and the Future of U.S. Fruit Production with Win Cowgill
E35: Nutrient Management - The Achilles Heel of Feedlot Digestion Projects                E36: Part 2: Nutrient Management Opportunities and Solutions for Feedlot Anaerobic Digestion Projects
E37: Rounding Up The Herd
E38: Cattle Feeding Update: Data, Developments, and Daring to Look Ahead with Dr. Jessica Sperber
E39: Innovations in Animal Agriculture - Past to Present, Accomplishments, and Opportunities
E40: Dairy Manure Management: Lessons Learned and Looking Ahead with Mark Stoermann
E41: Manure as a Resource - a Change of Perspectives with Dr. Amy Schmidt

Manure is a resource. It is also potentially a pollutant and certainly not a “waste”. Brock and Andrew visit with Dr. Amy Schmidt (a.k.a. The Manure Lady), Professor of Animal Manure Management in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to talk about manure management from a university researcher and extension engineer’s perspective. Amy shares insights on livestock sustainability, how she works with producers, and what types of research she's doing to improve manure management. Pull on your boots, grab a shovel, and get ready to dig in with this episode! 

How has manure management evolved over the years? Sit down with Andrew and Brock to answer this question and many more as they're joined by Mark Stoermann of Newtrient to discuss all things related to dairy manure management and anaerobic digestion. Founded in 2015, Newtrient’s mission is to reduce the environmental footprint of U.S. dairy and make it economically viable to do so. Mark shares about the various ways he and his team serve the dairy industry in the pursuit of this mission. Even more, this is a special episode, because it was recorded on-location in St. Louis at the American Biogas Council's Business of Biogas conference! Tune in to hear it all in the full episode. 

Livestock production doesn't look the same as it did 75 years ago - why might that be? Innovation! Join Andrew and Brock as they take a glance back at the past, assess the present, and look ahead to the future of animal agriculture and agriculture in general. There are many aspects of livestock production that have come a long way over the years but could still benefit from further development. You won't want to miss this conversation that walks through opportunities to make an impact in nutrient management, resource efficiency, water usage, labor challenges, and many other areas. Sit down, tune in, and get ready to think big with Episode 39 of Sustaining The Herd! 

What does data tell us about the sustainability of cattle feeding today? If you'd like to know, this episode is for you! Join Andrew and Brock as they sit down in the studio with Dr. Jessica Sperber, Assistant Professor of Animal Science and Feedlot Extension Specialist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Dr. Sperber uses production data to tell the story of how beef production has become more efficient as the result of technology and innovation. She also digs into current industry trends and shares about what her team at UNL is doing to serve the beef cattle industry both today and in the future. Tune in to hear the latest on all things cattle feeding! 

Andrew and Brock have been busy working on sustainability related projects for clients and need some time to round up The Herd before coming back with another full episode. Tune in today to hear about what Andrew and Brock have been up to and learn about how you can help shape future episodes of Sustaining The Herd. If you have any suggestions for topics or guests, send us a note at [email protected] to share your thoughts. We look forward to being back with you in two weeks!

In Episode 35 we talked a lot about challenges associated with digestate nutrient management for feedlot anaerobic digestion projects—that is, the consistency (solids content) and composition (N, P, and K) of what comes out is a lot different than what went in. What about potential solutions? Join Andrew and Brock as they work to answer that question as they discuss nutrient management opportunities and solutions. They talk about liquid-solid separation, biological treatment of digestate, advanced separation techniques, and how it all fits into project development. Tune in if you want to learn more about this mission-critical aspect of anaerobic digestion projects for feedlots and other livestock operations!

Picture this...feedlot manure has been collected from roller compacted concrete pens, fed into an anaerobic digester, and made a lot of renewable natural gas...so now what? There's digestate to handle! And make no mistake - handling liquid digestate (and a lot of it) is a significant departure from the status quo of feedlot manure management. Join Andrew and Brock as they discuss what they're seeing when it comes to the challenges associated with integrating digestate handling into feedlot manure management. If you're an anaerobic digester project developer or livestock producer considering AD, this is one you won't want to miss. 

What is pomology...or a pomologist? Join us for yet another "first" on Sustaining The Herd to find out. Andrew and Brock sit down in the studio with Win Cowgill, Professor Emeritus from Rutgers University, to discuss the science of growing fruit and developing new fruit varieties. Win has spent his career in the North East U.S. and beyond, working with fruit growers to sustainably produce fruit for hungry consumers. They discuss the intricacies of fruit cultivation and challenges faced by producers when it comes to labor, pest prevention, and changing consumer preferences. Tune in for the full episode!

Most people have heard of artificial intelligence, but does anyone really know how it will impact the future? Join Brock...yes, you read that right...as he hosts solo for the first time without Andrew. Brock sits down in-person with Dan Kurdys of Pairwise at the AgTech Connect conference in Lincoln, NE for a thoughtful discussion on artificial intelligence (AI) in agriculture. Dan shares his perspective on how AI can be used in the ag industry and what impacts it will have. He also talks about the interesting ways his team is using AI at Pairwise. This is seriously an episode you won't want to miss. And don't worry...Andrew will be back soon for the next episode! Tune in for the full conversation.