The Rumen Room Podcasts

Intramuscular fat (IMF) is fat that’s deposited between and within individual muscle fibres (cells) in the skeletal muscle of animals. Also referred to as ‘marbling’, consumers of red meat often prefer meat that contains a higher level of IMF due to an enhanced eating experience.

In this, our second in a two-part series focusing on IMF in ruminant animals, we carry on a discussion around IMF from part one (Episode 32) that covered the basics of IMF in red meat.

In Episode 33, our current episode, we further explore the subject of IMF, covering first up, some of the animal-based factors that influence extent of IMF deposition. In the second part of this podcast we discuss the importance of the dietary nutrition of finishing animals to achieve desired levels of IMF in red meat.

The following topics are covered within Episode 33, at times within the podcast,  listed below at 

2.41: An introduction to the current episode

3.45: The importance of animal genetics as a key driver of IMF deposition in finishing animals

6.33: Animal-specific factors, other than genetics, that influence IMF

11.08: The conflict of outcomes between (a) keeping fattening animals on farm for longer, to achieve higher IMF %, when (b) mature, fattening animals are extremely inefficient converters of feed to liveweight gain

12.22: The differences in feed conversion efficiency (kg of dry matter per kg of liveweight gain) for young growing animals, compared to that of older fattening animals

16.47: The effects of the sex of an animal on efficiencies of IMF deposition

20.44: Effects of dietary nutrition on IMF deposition

21.00: Maternal nutrition and subsequent potential IMF deposition by progeny

26.08: IMF deposition during the finishing phase – the influence of dietary nutrition

26.56: Blood glucose drives IMF deposition – the ‘101’ basics of biochemistry helps define why blood glucose is important - including the “cricket wicket” of fat structure

29.51: IMF fat cells – glucose is the IMF cells ‘fat manufacturing ingredient of choice’

34.40: Maintaining high blood glucose levels on temperate pasture & forage crop systems

37.00: Developing a farm plan for more IMF within temperate forage systems

40.10: High dry matter intakes and IMF deposition

41.55: Very high quality forages and the potential role for rumen pH and IMF

43.29: Lamb finishing on chicory and chicory/temperate clover blends – IMF and Omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids

44.33: Trying to understand the “black box” of how chicory/clovers support more IMF and/or more Omega 3 fatty acids

47.23: Length of time on finishing feeds for ideal IMF deposition

48.43: Micronutrients and IMF deposition

Intramuscular fat (IMF) is fat that’s deposited between and within individual muscle fibres (cells) in the body of animals. Often also referred to as ‘marbling’, the consumers of red meat often have a preference for higher IMF meat due to an enhanced eating experience.

In this, our first in a two-part series that focuses on IMF, we lay the foundations for our discussion around IMF. We define what IMF is, and describe why the increasingly discerning consumers prefer meat that contains a higher percentage of IMF. We further scene set around fat metabolism with a discussion around the four key fat depots found in a finishing animal and what roles these fat depots play in the day to day existence of our sheep and cattle.

In Episode 33, we’ll build further on this IMF topic by looking at a deeper level of detail around animal and nutrition-based factors (at a farm level) that influence the extent of IMF deposition in finishing cattle and sheep.

Have a search within this current Episode 32 for topics of interest relating to an introduction to IMF.

0:55 Introduction to Episode 32

2:52 Outlining the content of the episode

4:12 Intramuscular fat (IMF) defined and is ‘marbling’ the same thing?

7:30 Why do consumers of red meat specifically request high IMF meat and why does IMF improve the eating experience for consumers?

14:10 Fat depots around the body, it’s not all about IMF!

14:40 Fat as an essential energy reserve for animals – both white a brown fat (Brown Adipose Tissue; BAT)

17:18 The role of fat to protect internal vital organs inside the animal

18:18 The role of fat to protect the musculoskeletal system

18:44 Intermuscular fat is not the same as intramuscular fat

19:15 Fat as an endocrine organ (that produces hormones, who would have thought!)

21:02 IMF is the last of the four fat depots to be laid down as an animal ages/matures

25:08 IMF is the first of the four fat depots to be mobilised when animals are underfed, eat poor quality feed and/or are stressed

This is our second of a two part series all about “drying off” lactating dairy cows. Part One of this two-part series (Episode 30) covered off the basics of why the cow and her udder need a dry period to rest and recuperate in preparation for a new lactation. What a “good” dry off process might look like was discussed, as well as the impact of once-a-day milking before dry off for cows that are still producing a lot of milk in late lactation.

In this, Part Two of the two-part series about drying off dairy cows, we explore the role for nutrition before, through and after the dry off process. We’ll cover different ways to reduce the intake of energy and other nutrients for cows during dry off, with the aim to make the process as successful as we can - for both the cow but also for you and your business.

Below hopefully will help you find the content if you’ve not got time to listen in to the whole podcast. Enjoy! 

3.00 Introduction and overview of this podcast

4.50 Combining nutritional  manipulation and milking frequency for high producing cows at dry off

5.35 Nutritional strategies to help dry cows off – things to consider

7.35 Making decisions around drying off – how much milk are your cows producing?

10.20 Nutritional concepts to help drop milk production before dry off

13.10 Concentrate (grains, meals) feeding before dry off

16.00 Total amount of feed on offer and/or reducing nutrient density of feeds through dry off

21.35 Unintended consequences during dry off; condition loss and immunosuppression

29.50 Importance of adequate trace mineral status through dry off

31.15 Reducing dietary protein intake as a potential option to help with dry off

42.40 Planning ahead for nutritional approaches to dry off – starting the year before

49.20 Conserved feeds for dry off

54.30 Specific points around use of high rates of maize silage for drying off

56.10 Provision of ample, top quality tasty drinking water for cows through dry off – an essential part of the dry off process

“Drying off” lactating dairy cows is the process of successfully and efficiently closing down the lactation process in readiness for the dry period – a time of rest and recuperation for not only the cow but also her hard-working milk secretory cells in her udder.

In this, part one of a two-part series about drying off dairy cows, we explore the basics of just why the cow and her udder deserve a well-earned break over the dry period. What “good” might look like for the ideal dry-off process is defined, and the role (or not) for gradual step down from twice-a-day to once-a-day milking before the dry off process.

The second part of this two-part series (Episode 31) covers the role for nutrition in the dry off process for lactating cows.

Search within this current Episode 30 for topics of interest if you've not got time to listen to the entire episode: 

1.00 Just what do we mean by the term “drying off” of dairy cows?

1.40 Introduction around what will be covered in this podcast

5.22 The “why” around the need for a dry period for lactating cows

7.55 Fitting in lactation and dry periods within 365 days in seasonal calving systems

10.05 Do New Zealand cows gain any benefits of our relatively long dry period of 90 days vs. shorter dry periods?

11.18 The benefits of a dry period for both the cow and her udder

14.00 What might happen if a cow doesn’t have a dry period at all?

18.10 Defining the outcome “what does a good dry off process look like?”

25.18 Setting up paddocks to dry off on

27.40 The two approaches to dry off 1) Reduce nutrient supply to the cow and / or 2) Reduce milking frequency from twice to once a day before dry off

34.20 Things to consider before deciding if a short period of once-a-day milking might be useful before dry off for your twice-a-day milked cows

37.00 Abrupt dry off (and not stepping cows from twice to once-a-day) remains the default recommendation for most dairy herds in New Zealand

38.30 Why “skip-a-day” milking before dry off is NOT recommended under any circumstances

In this our latest “bite sized” Rumen Room Podcast, we cover off a brief overview about rusty grasses. Often the first time you realise your pastures contain Crown rust (Puccinia coronata) or Stem rust (Puccinia graminis) fungi is when your boots turn an orange colour as you walk through the paddocks. (Note that these aren’t the only types of fungi to cause rusty coloured mottling on your grasses - we’re focusing on just these two in this podcast. Ask your local agronomist for more advice around what types of fungi might be turning your grasses unusual rust and orange colours). 

This latest podcast discusses what rust fungi are, why they appear in your paddocks and what weather conditions favour the accumulation of rust on your pastures.  What rust might mean for your grazing animals is discussed – both from an animal nutrition point of view, as well as the risk of unintended consequences to animal performance and wellbeing when stock graze rusty pastures.

For spring lambing businesses, autumn means it’s time for the rams to head out with the ewes. Ovulation, conception rate and embryo implantation are all influenced by nutrition before and during mating.

In this our latest Rumen Room Podcast, we’re focusing on the importance of a rising plane of nutrition for ewes (otherwise known as “flushing”) before the ewes meet the rams. We’ll cover a range of information, everything from how we think that flushing might work specifically to improve ovulation rates, and the importance of ewe body condition score as a modifier of and reproductive success. Feeding for flushing success is covered, including everything from pasture grazing management, different non-pasture forages and supplementary feeds for flushing.

Here’s where to find the various sections of our latest ewe mating podcast:

2:05 Scene setting around the importance of ewe nutrition before and during the early weeks of mating.

5:30 What does “flushing” ewes mean before mating and what we are trying to achieve by flushing ewes?

14:48 Does flushing always work to lift ovulation rate in ewes?

16:42 The static vs. the dynamic effect of ewe body condition score on flushing outcomes.

23:00 How long do we need to flush for – the “ideal” six weeks vs. what’s practical.

23:55 What to think about if we don’t have enough feed to flush for 6 weeks?

26:00 How much more feed (over and above feed demands for maintenance) do we need to feed ewes to achieve the “flush” effect?

32:45 Importance of feed quality for successful ewe flushing outcomes.

37:10 What does a good flushing pasture look like?

38:25 Non-pasture forages for flushing.

43:30 Supplementary feeds – which ones for flushing ewes?

47:45 Crude protein content of feeds for flushing

51:55 Lucerne and red clover – can we flush ewes on these forages?

1:00:10 Short acknowledgement of non-nutritional factors that influence ovulation in sheep

With this, our latest and all new “bite-sized” short Rumen Room podcast, we discuss the specific topic of magnesium salts... magnesium chloride and magnesium sulphate. We’ll take a compare and contrast style of approach to cover off the basics around the decision around which type of magnesium to use and when, how and where to use either of these types of magnesium salts. Acknowledging of course as usual that this podcast is not designed to replace the recommendations and advice of your very own veterinarian or qualified dairy nutritionist! 

Let us know what you think of our latest “bite-sized” podcasts and if you like our shorter and more to the point style of topic presentation or our more comprehensive longer style (or perhaps a mixture of both!). Look forward to hearing from you!

In this, our latest Rumen Room Podcast episode, we’re going to carry on with the topic of flood damage to ruminant feeds. Episode 25 was part one of this two-part flood themed topic, which covered a discussion around assessing and deciding what to do with supplementary feeds (specifically, silage, baleage, hay and straw) that may have been damaged by flood waters.

This latest podcast is part two of this two part flood-themed series, focusing more on the challenges and opportunities of flood damaged summer and winter crops, with an emphasis on forage brassica crops. To assist with your navigation through Episode 26, the following provides some guidance for those of you searching for specific aspects of managing flood-damaged forage crops – to save you having to listen to the whole podcast if you’re too busy just now. NOTE: There is however considerable overlap between sections of content within this particular podcast.

Content within this podcast is not intended to replace the advice of your qualified rural professionals and advisors.

1:32 Introduction, overview and scene set for this crop-specific, flood themed podcast.

6:53 Safety first – look after yourself, your friends, family, staff and animals before moving into forage crop assessment.

7:13 Beginning the assessment of forage crops, paddocks and infrastructure.

8:53 Stock water requirements – the irony in the midst of flooding.

9:45 Assessment of forage brassica crops and soil conditions.

11:20 What factors influence the survivability of your flooded brassica crops?

19:48 Flood water contaminants and your flooded forage crops.

22:43 What to do with flood damaged crops – some suggestions to consider.

24:38 Can we graze our flood damaged crops? Things to consider including potential nutritive (feed) value of damaged crops.

33:42 Do we need to retransition stock back onto forage brassicas after stock have been removed during flood events

35:20 The challenges of allocating breaks across ex flooded crop ground.

39:05 Animal wellbeing when flood affected crops are grazed.

45:42 The importance to update feed budgets after a flood event, including prioritisation of feed types to different stock classes.

DairyNZ Flood resources https://www.dairynz.co.nz/business/adverse-events/flood/

Beef and Lamb Flood resources https://beeflambnz.com/news-views/flood-support

With recent flood damage across many New Zealand regions, it’s timely to explore flood-associated nutritional and feed challenges being faced by many farmers. This episode is the first of a two part series that explores topics to do with managing flood damaged feeds for cattle, sheep and deer. We’ll discuss topics to do with flood damaged silage, baleage, hay and straw for ruminant species. Episode 26, part two in this two-part series will carry on with this flood-damaged feed theme by covering aspects of challenges when flood waters damage forage crops, with a specific emphasis on forage brassicas.  

To assist with your navigation through this episode, the following time points provide some guidance for those of you searching for specific aspects of managing flood-damaged supplementary feed – to save you having to listen to the whole podcast if you’re simply too busy just now. NOTE: There is, however, considerable overlap between sections of content within this particular podcast.

Content within this podcast is not intended to replace the advice of your qualified rural professionals and advisors.

2:48 An introduction to what’ll be covered in this podcast.

5:03 How do flood waters damage conserved feeds?

7:08 Focus on flood damage to silage and baleage – changes to feed quality, potential dry matter losses and challenges of contaminants from flood waters.

23:00 Hay and straw damage from flood water including risk of contaminants from flood waters.

23:58 Farm-level subjective assessment of flood damaged supplementary feeds including risks of leachates (silage “effluent”) runoff from flood damaged silages and baleages.

35:00 Will our ruminants want to eat our post-flood damaged feeds? What do the presence of e.g. moulds, yeasts and fungi amongst our supplementary feeds mean?

38:40 Will we see ongoing quality deterioration and loss of dry matter from our flood damaged supplementary feeds?

40:10 The ‘sniff test’ of flood damaged feeds – what does the smell of damaged forages tell us?

43:22 What to do with your flood damaged conserved forages?

46:00 The importance of revising your feed budget when conserved forages are damaged.

48:35 Feed testing of flood-damaged conserved forages.

49:56 Animal health and wellbeing when flood damaged forages are consumed.

52:28 Utilisation of flood damaged feeds by stock – approaches to feeding out these forages.  

54:10 Mycotoxins in flood damaged forages.

DairyNZ Flood resources https://www.dairynz.co.nz/business/adverse-events/flood/

Beef and Lamb Flood resources https://beeflambnz.com/news-views/flood-support

A relatively common feed for lactating dairy cows, summer bulb turnips deliver top quality feed crop when the amount and/or nutritive value of summer pastures is lacking.  

Continuing on with our summer turnip theme that we started back in episode 23, in part two of this two-part summer turnip series, we’ll cover off practicalities of feeding summer bulb turnips. The importance of the careful transitioning of cows from pasture-based diets to one that contains summer bulb turnips is explained. Expected performance and milk responses by cows to summer turnips are discussed as well how to avoid animal health, or milk taint issues when cows eat bulb turnips.

To help you navigate through – here’s where to find the content within this podcast.

3:50       When to graze summer bulb turnips (tankard and globe types) after planting

6:45       Planning ahead when turnips are ready to graze, including dry matter yielding turnips

8:35       Calculating the allocation of turnips for lactating dairy cows

11:30    Recommended maximum allocation of turnips as a proportion of total diet

13:55    Transitioning cows from pasture-based diets to turnip-based diets

25:40    Minimising risk of heat stress in cows grazing summer forage crops

27:40    Reducing risk of milk taint when cows consume summer turnips

29:05    Milk responses when spring calved cows eat summer turnips

35:05    Lactating cow body condition and liveweight responses to summer turnips

43:00    Photosensitisation – an occasional challenge when cows graze summer turnips

44:30    Fatty acid composition of milk from turnip-fed cows