Sustaining The Herd

Renewable natural gas (RNG) is produced from manure and other feedstocks through the anaerobic digestion process...and then what happens? Join Andrew and Brock as they welcome to The Herd special guest Charles Love of Trillium—a leading provider of clean, alternative fuels for over the road truck fleets across the United States, with natural gas being one of the fuels they provide. Starting at the farm and ending at dispensing, Charles will go through the process of how manure is converted to and used as fuel for over the road vehicles.  Andrew and Brock also visit with Charles about some of the headwinds faced by natural gas in the transportation market, while also delving into some opportunities that lie ahead. Tune in to Episode 12 for the full conversation!

What does it look like to design and build a livestock production facility? What makes a project successful? Andrew and Brock visit with Zach Settje of Settje Agri-Services and Engineering to break down the construction process. Zach offers some insightful advice to anyone planning for a livestock construction project. The group also looks ahead as they discuss how they think innovation will be manifested in future livestock facilities. Tune in with The Herd to join the conversation.

When you hear the word "sustainability" in the context of animal agriculture, do you think of...water? manure? feed production?...What about hoof health? Join The Herd to take a look at sustainability from a different perspective as Andrew and Brock visit with Karl Burgi, the founder of Save Cows, and a global leader in all matters involving hoof health. Karl covers everything from hoof anatomy and function to hoof maintenance. While hoof health is a frequent topic when it comes to dairy cows Karl talks about feedlot cattle as well.  Tune in to Episode 10 to find out what you can do to improve animal wellbeing by doing the little things when it comes to hoof health.

Why is there so much water in dairy manure? What makes for a good anaerobic digestion feedstock? Why is there sand and grit in manure? Sit down with Andrew and Brock to discover answers to these questions and more as they dig into manure management for anaerobic digestion. There are several key considerations for producers and project developers to keep in mind when working to develop an anaerobic digester project on a livestock operation. Andrew and Brock approach these considerations from several angles to help project stakeholders think about what they could encounter. 

Can a compliance program lead to profitability? What do government regulations, manure, and sustainability all have in common? Tune in to Episode 8 to find out as Andrew and Brock sit down with a couple of their colleagues from Settje Agri-Services and Engineering. Travis Caspersen, Compliance Division Lead, and Nick Maaske, Agronomist, join The Herd to talk about how they work with livestock producers to maintain compliance with environmental regulations while sustainably managing the nutrients found in manure. Get ready for an insightful and engaging conversation on a critically important aspect of livestock production.

Have you ever met someone who's an animal scientist, rancher, cattle feeder, and well-known agriculture industry advocate on social media? Whether or not you answered "yes" to this question, you won't want to miss this episode as Andrew and Brock sit down with Anna Kobza. As you'll find out, Anna brings a unique and well-rounded perspective to the issues, challenges, and opportunities we face in agriculture today. Anna shares about her experiences ranching and feeding cattle, all while working on her doctorate in ruminant nutrition. She also visits with Andrew and Brock about her experience as an "influencer" on social media and what it means from her perspective for the livestock industry to be sustainable.

Join Andrew and Brock as they decipher the "alphabet soup" of getting paid for biogas. They explain the landscape of biogas revenue while breaking down the "ABCs and 123s" of the acronyms used to describe these pathways to getting paid. From different types of markets, to carbon credits and tax credits, they cover it all in this episode. Tune in to join the conversation and learn more.

Wonder how an attorney approaches sustainability in the agricultural industry? Join Andrew and Brock as they sit down with David Crass, an environmental attorney with Michael Best Law Firm. They discuss how sustainability looks different today than it did in the past. David shares about his vast experience working with people and groups across the agriculture value chain, and offers some insight and advice for those working to meet today's sustainability demands.

Look for new episodes of Sustaining the Herd every other Wednesday. To reach out to us or learn more about Settje Agri-Services & Engineering, visit our website. 

Join Andrew and Brock as they record on-location in Savannah, Georgia at Biogas Americas, the annual conference of the American Biogas Council. They share their experiences at Biogas Americas and some highlights the event. They also get down to business as they discuss what they're learning and talk about industry trends.

Look for new episodes of Sustaining the Herd every other Wednesday. To reach out to us or learn more about Settje Agri-Services & Engineering, visit our website. 

As the saying goes, what goes in must come out.  Animal feed plays a significant role when it comes to the sustainability of animal agriculture,  from production to emissions, to ingredients.   In this episode of Sustaining the Herd, we talk with Lara Moody, P.E. the Executive Director at the Institute for Feed Education and Research (IFEEDER), which is the R&D arm of the American Feed Ingredient Institute.  We discuss the role of animal feed and feed production when it comes to sustainable food production.

Look for new episodes of Sustaining the Herd every other Wednesday. To reach out to us or learn more about Settje Agri-Services & Engineering, visit our website.