The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast

In this episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Georgios Oikonomou, Professor of Cattle Health and Welfare at the University of Liverpool, explains how automated detection can support earlier lameness management in dairy herds. He discusses a randomized controlled trial showing reductions in severe and chronic lameness, while addressing accuracy, welfare, and future research opportunities. Listen now on all major platforms!

Click here to read the full research article!

"The group managed with the automated system reduced severe lameness cases from 8% to 2%."

Meet the guest: Dr. Georgios Oikonomou is Professor of Cattle Health and Welfare at the University of Liverpool. His work spans cattle health, welfare, epidemiology, animal behavior, and husbandry. He earned his veterinary degree and Ph.D. in Veterinary Medicine from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Learn more from Dr. Georgios Oikonomou on The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, available on all major platforms.

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What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (01:23) Introduction
• (02:23) Lameness detection challenges
• (04:02) Trial design
• (05:44) Trial outcomes
• (07:39) Accuracy and economics
• (09:25) Welfare and adoption
• (11:08) Closing thoughts

The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast is trusted and supported by the innovative companies like:

* Boehringher Ingelheim

- inBarn

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

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In this episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Pedram Rezamand from the University of Connecticut explains how colostrum management and weaning strategy shape calf health. Dr. Rezamand discusses passive immunity, physiological responses to weaning, feeding frequency, starter feed, and rumen development. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Gradual weaning can support better grain intake, daily growth, fecal scores, heart rate, and respiration compared with abrupt weaning."

Meet the guest: Dr. Pedram Rezamand is a Professor & Department Head of Animal Science at the University of Connecticut. Dr. Rezamand earned a Ph.D. in Animal Science from the University of Connecticut. His work addresses calf nutrition and health, including colostrum management, passive immunity, weaning strategies, physiological responses, and early feeding practices that support rumen development. Learn more from Dr. Rezamand on The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, available on all major platforms.

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What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (01:38) Introduction
• (02:23) Calf health priorities
• (05:58) Colostrum management
• (06:55) Weaning trial design
• (07:52) Weaning pace effects
• (09:51) Feeding frequency
• (12:31) Closing thoughts

The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast is trusted and supported by the innovative companies like:

* Boehringher Ingelheim

- inBarn

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

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In this episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Andy Hubner, Assistant Clinical Professor at Purdue University, explains why dry-off should be viewed as the beginning of the next lactation, not the end of the previous one. He discusses inflammation after dry-off, common procedural mistakes, antimicrobial and sealant decisions, vaccination strategies, cow comfort, and cooling. Listen now on all major platforms!

Click here to read the full research articles:

Measurement of haptoglobin after the time of dry-off and effects of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug administered on the day of dry-off to Holstein dairy cows

A randomized, controlled trial examining quarter-level somatic cell count and culture-based selective dry cow therapy against blanket dry cow therapy on early lactation production outcomes

"The dry period should prepare cows for the most profitable and vulnerable stage of their next lactation."

Meet the guest: Dr. Andy Hubner is an Assistant Clinical Professor at Purdue University. Drawing on experience in private veterinary practice, his work addresses dry cow management, dry-off procedures, inflammation, and practical decisions that help prepare dairy cows for the next lactation. Learn more from Dr. Andy Hubner on The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, available on all major platforms.

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What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (01:14) Introduction
• (02:11) Why dry cows matter
• (04:20) Dry-off as a new beginning
• (04:50) Common procedure mistakes
• (08:02) Management decisions
• (08:32) Selective antimicrobial use
• (11:12) Closing thoughts

The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast is trusted and supported by the innovative companies like:

* Boehringher Ingelheim

- inBarn

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

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In this episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Scott Poock from the University of Missouri explains how dairy reproduction has advanced through better protocol compliance, nutrition, transition cow management, activity monitoring, and genetics. He discusses higher pregnancy rates, individualized breeding decisions, high-fertility cycles, and the future cow built for health, production, and reproductive efficiency. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Reproductive progress depends on compliance, transition cow management, nutrition, activity monitoring, and genetic improvement working together."

Meet the guest: Dr. Scott Poock is an Extension Professor and Veterinary Extension Specialist at the University of Missouri. He earned a DVM from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is board-certified in Beef and Dairy Cattle Practice. With 19 years of dairy and beef cattle practice experience in Wisconsin, Dr. Poock has published more than 20 peer-reviewed papers since 2021, and his work focuses on dairy veterinary medicine, reproduction, herd health, and producer education.

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What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (01:27) Introduction
• (02:50) Fertility progress
• (04:17) Compliance factors
• (06:47) Monitoring tools
• (09:07) Future cows
• (11:54) Dairy education
• (13:56) Closing thoughts

The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast is trusted and supported by the innovative companies like:

* Boehringher Ingelheim

- inBarn

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

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In the second part of this conversation on The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Froylan Sosa, Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, discusses nutritional strategies that can help mitigate heat stress effects on dairy reproduction. He explains how essential amino acids interact with embryonic development, oxidative stress, blastocyst formation, trophoblast growth, and placental development. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Lower amino acid concentration protected embryos from elevated temperature in vitro."

Meet the guest: Dr. Froylan Sosa is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He earned his Ph.D. in Animal Molecular and Cellular Biology from the University of Florida, and his research focuses on how nutrition, essential amino acids, and heat stress affect oocyte quality, embryo development, and placental function in dairy cattle. Learn more from Dr. Froylan Sosa on The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, available on all major platforms.

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What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (01:17) Introduction
• (02:17) Nutritional strategies
• (03:09) Heat stress model
• (03:32) Embryo protection
• (04:57) Placental formation
• (06:38) Trophoblast growth
• (08:05) Closing thoughts

The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast is trusted and supported by the innovative companies like:

* Boehringher Ingelheim

- inBarn

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

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In this episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Froylan Sosa, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, explains how heat stress affects dairy reproduction at the cellular level. Dr. Sosa discusses oocyte quality, mitochondrial damage, oxidative stress, early embryo sensitivity, and why pregnancy loss can begin before producers confirm conception. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Heat stress can compromise early embryo development before pregnancy is ever confirmed on the farm."

Meet the guest: Dr. Froylan Sosa is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He earned his Ph.D. in Animal Molecular and Cellular Biology from the University of Florida, and his research focuses on how nutrition, essential amino acids, and heat stress affect oocyte quality, embryo development, and placental function in dairy cattle. Learn more from Dr. Froylan Sosa on The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, available on all major platforms.

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What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (01:23) Introduction
• (02:59) Heat stress effects
• (03:48) Mitochondrial damage
• (04:42) Oxidative stress
• (05:33) Embryo vulnerability
• (08:03) Oocyte quality
• (09:26) Closing thoughts

The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast is trusted and supported by the innovative companies like:

* Boehringher Ingelheim

- inBarn

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

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In this episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. George Smith from the University of Arizona explains how research, extension, and industry partnerships can move dairy science into practical farm results. He discusses reproductive management, research infrastructure, a nutritional strategy associated with more than $1 per cow per day, heat stress, water use, and sustainability. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Applied dairy research can improve milk components and feed efficiency while delivering more than one dollar per cow per day for producers."

Meet the guest: Dr. George Smith is the Charles-Sander Dean of the University of Arizona College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences. Previously, he served as Professor and Director of MSU AgBioResearch at Michigan State University, where he built a 29-year career in animal science and research leadership. Learn more from Dr. George Smith on The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, available on all major platforms.

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What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (01:21) Introduction
• (02:01) Reproductive research impact
• (02:45) Applied research partnerships
• (04:27) Research infrastructure
• (06:38) Extension opportunities
• (08:34) Future industry challenges
• (10:48) Closing thoughts

The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast is trusted and supported by the innovative companies like:

* Boehringher Ingelheim

- inBarn

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

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In this episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Angelica Dias, Assistant Professor in Bovine Health at the University of Calgary, explains why digital dermatitis remains difficult to control in dairy cows. She discusses Treponema species, anaerobic bacteria, microbial dysbiosis, lesion reservoirs, treatment limitations, and footbath strategies for herd-level prevention. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Digital dermatitis is not just a bacterial infection; it is a complex multifactorial disease."

Meet the guest: Dr. Angelica Dias is an Assistant Professor in Bovine Health at the University of Calgary. Her work focuses on dairy cattle health and management, infectious diseases in cattle, host-microbe-environment interactions, and strategies for disease prevention and control. She earned her Ph.D. in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Calgary, her DVM from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil, and her master's degree in Animal Science with a focus on ruminant production. Learn more from Dr. Angelica Dias on The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, available on all major platforms.

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What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (01:05) Introduction
• (01:50) Why DD is complex
• (03:58) Microbial dynamics
• (06:32) Lesion reservoirs
• (07:38) Treatment limits
• (08:25) Herd-level control
• (09:15) Closing thoughts

The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast is trusted and supported by the innovative companies like:

* Boehringher Ingelheim

- inBarn

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

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In this episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, Sue Hagenson, Senior Dairy Consultant at inBarn Solutions, explains how cow comfort, ventilation, and targeted cooling shape dairy performance during heat stress. She discusses early behavioral warning signs, holding pen priorities, fan and soaking mistakes, and how to create barn environments that support healthier and more productive cows. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Cow comfort is part of dairy production because lying time, rumination, feed intake, reproduction, hoof health, and longevity all connect to performance."

Meet the guest: Sue Hagenson is a Senior Dairy Consultant and Cow Comfort Specialist at inBarn Solutions Inc. with more than 30 years of international dairy industry experience. She specializes in cow comfort, heat stress management, barn ventilation, and cooling system performance, helping dairy producers improve herd wellbeing, productivity, resource efficiency, and farm profitability through practical, science-based solutions. Listen to Sue Hagenson on The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, available on all major platforms.

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Joshua Brooke: How Technology Improves Cow Comfort | Ep. 50

What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (01:10) Introduction
• (01:46) Cow comfort value
• (04:10) Early heat signs
• (05:05) Cooling priorities
• (08:10) Cooling system mistakes
• (11:30) Targeted cooling results
• (14:17) Closing thoughts

The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast is trusted and supported by the innovative companies like:

- inBarn

* Boehringher Ingelheim

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

Website: The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast

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In this episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Vinicius Machado, Associate Professor at Texas Tech University, explains how selective therapy for metritis can reduce antimicrobial use in dairy cows. Dr. Machado discusses cow-level data, biomarkers, farm technologies, AI-based prediction models, and validation steps that protect productivity, reproduction, and animal welfare. Listen now on all major platforms!

"AI-based algorithms increased metritis treatment prediction accuracy from about 75% to nearly 95%, creating stronger support for selective therapy decisions."

Meet the guest: Dr. Vinicius Machado is an Associate Professor at Texas Tech University, where his work focuses on dairy science, epidemiology, animal health, and precision livestock strategies. Research connects cow-level data, biomarkers, and predictive modeling to improve dairy cow health and reduce antimicrobial use. Learn more from Dr. Vinicius Machado on The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, available on all major platforms.

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What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (01:23) Introduction
• (02:27) Selective therapy
• (03:15) Cow data
• (05:32) Research stages
• (06:54) AI models
• (08:10) Strategy validation
• (11:59) Closing thoughts

The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast is trusted and supported by the innovative companies like:

* Boehringher Ingelheim

- inBarn

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

Website: The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast

LinkedIn: The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast

Instagram: The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast

YouTube: The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast

Facebook: The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast