The Moos Room™

• Episode 293 - Spring Catch-Up: Virtual Fencing, Safety, and Self-Care - UMN Extension's The Moos Room

  Spring Catch-Up: Virtual Fencing, Safety, and Self-Care Emily returns to the podcast after a travel-heavy spring focused on farm safety and farm stress programming. She shares highlights of her outreach work, including training Extension colleagues in the Northeast on ambiguous loss and farming. Meanwhile, Brad has been experimenting with virtual fencing for dairy heifers, a new and evolving technology typically used with beef cattle. He shares how the system works, its benefits for rotational grazing, and amusing quirks like a Norwegian lullaby for escaped animals.Brad also previews his packed summer research agenda, which includes agrivoltaics, fly and parasite control, and student intern supervision. He promotes an upcoming agrivoltaics field day (June 27) and webinar series.The episode also emphasizes farm safety as planting ramps up, including ATV safety and roadway precautions. Both hosts reflect on the importance of self-care, taking breaks, and setting realistic expectations—reminding listeners, “You can do anything, but you can’t do everything.”Agrivoltaic Cattle Grazing WebinarQuestions, comments, scathing rebuttals? -> [email protected] or call 612-624-3610 and leave us a message!Linkedin -> The Moos RoomTwitter -> @UMNmoosroom and @UMNFarmSafetyFacebook -> @UMNDairyYouTube -> UMN Beef and Dairy and UMN Farm Safety and HealthInstagram -> @UMNWCROCDairyExtension WebsiteAgriAmerica Podcast Directory 

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• Episode 292 - Breeding for the Future: Polled Genetics in Dairy - UMN Extension's The Moos Room

   In this episode, Brad dives into the topic of polled genetics — cattle that are naturally hornless — and why it's becoming more important in both the dairy and beef industries. He explains what polled genetics are, how the trait is inherited, and how farmers can use homozygous or heterozygous polled bulls to reduce the need for dehorning. Brad discusses the growing emphasis on polled genetics by organizations like Organic Valley, highlights some top polled bulls across major dairy breeds, and shares his own experience integrating polled genetics into his herd. He also touches on the challenges of finding polled bulls and the slow but steady transition toward more humane animal management practices. Brad wraps up by encouraging farmers to consider polled genetics as a way to reduce labor, improve animal welfare, and align with consumer expectations. Questions, comments, scathing rebuttals? -> [email protected] or call 612-624-3610 and leave us a message!Linkedin -> The Moos RoomTwitter -> @UMNmoosroom and @UMNFarmSafetyFacebook -> @UMNDairyYouTube -> UMN Beef and Dairy and UMN Farm Safety and HealthInstagram -> @UMNWCROCDairyExtension WebsiteAgriAmerica Podcast Directory 

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• Episode 291 - Decoding A2 Milk: Genetics, Health, and Herd Management Strategies - UMN Extension's The Moos Room

  In this episode of The Moos Room, Brad dives deep into A2 genetics and what dairy producers need to know. Brad shares his experience genotyping over 1,500 dairy animals, highlighting how A2 genetics have progressed in his herd and across the industry. He explains the science behind A2 milk, distinguishing it clearly from lactose intolerance, and discusses its potential health benefits, including improved digestive comfort. Brad reviews recent genetic studies, emphasizing how consumer demand is steadily increasing for A2 milk, driven by perceived health advantages.Listeners will learn about the inheritance patterns of A2 genetics, costs associated with testing animals, and realistic timelines for transitioning to a fully A2 herd—ranging from 10 to 20 generations depending on breeding and culling strategies. Brad provides detailed breed-specific insights, identifying Guernsey and Normandy breeds as standout performers with 100% A2 genetics. He also reviews current availability of A2 bulls in various dairy breeds globally.Wrapping up, Brad shares results from a collaborative study indicating higher genetic merit and productive life traits among A2 animals, though he notes that improved survival to second lactation is primarily due to management choices like culling. Overall, Brad emphasizes the importance of testing your herd, making informed breeding decisions, and understanding that fully transitioning to an A2 herd requires patience and deliberate genetic management.UMN Extension A2 Milk and A2 GeneticsUC Davis A2 GenotypingCentralStar Cooperative A2 TestingQuestions, comments, scathing rebuttals? -> [email protected] or call 612-624-3610 and leave us a message!Linkedin -> The Moos RoomTwitter -> @UMNmoosroom and @UMNFarmSafetyFacebook -> @UMNDairyYouTube -> UMN Beef and Dairy and UMN Farm Safety and HealthInstagram -> @UMNWCROCDairyExtension WebsiteAgriAmerica Podcast Directory 

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• Episode 290 - Feeding the Future: Lessons from Our Auto Feeder Journey - UMN Extension's The Moos Room

  Experience with Our Automated Calf Feeder In this episode, Brad goes solo to talk about the ups and downs of using an automatic calf feeder at the U of M dairy. He shares why they made the switch, how the setup has changed over the years, and what they’ve learned—like how ad lib feeding boosts growth and why cleanliness is everything. The feeder’s been a game changer for efficiency and calf health, but maintenance headaches and mouse-chewed wires have tested his patience. Still, it’s hard to argue with the results. Questions, comments, scathing rebuttals? -> [email protected] or call 612-624-3610 and leave us a message!Linkedin -> The Moos RoomTwitter -> @UMNmoosroom and @UMNFarmSafetyFacebook -> @UMNDairyYouTube -> UMN Beef and Dairy and UMN Farm Safety and HealthInstagram -> @UMNWCROCDairyExtension WebsiteAgriAmerica Podcast Directory 

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• Episode 289 - Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture: What It Means for Farms - UMN Extension's Moos Room

  In this episode of The Moos Room, Brad is back from sunny Florida (and into a snowy Minnesota) to dive into the world of AI in agriculture—and no, we're not talking about artificial insemination. Brad shares his recent experience experimenting with AI-generated audio content and how tools like Google’s NotebookLM are changing the way we interact with research.From cow monitoring and health alerts to feeding behavior, milk yield forecasting, and even employee training, artificial intelligence is already showing up on farms in more ways than we might realize. Brad covers the opportunities and challenges AI brings to the dairy world, including data integration issues, false alarms, and maintenance headaches. He also highlights exciting tools like Cattle Care and Cattleytics that are pushing dairy efficiency and management forward.Whether you're AI-curious, skeptical, or somewhere in between, this episode explores what AI can do with human intelligence—not instead of it.Cattle-Care AI Video MonitoringCattleyticsQuestions, comments, scathing rebuttals? -> [email protected] or call 612-624-3610 and leave us a message!Linkedin -> The Moos RoomTwitter -> @UMNmoosroom and @UMNFarmSafetyFacebook -> @UMNDairyYouTube -> UMN Beef and Dairy and UMN Farm Safety and HealthInstagram -> @UMNWCROCDairyExtension WebsiteAgriAmerica Podcast Directory 

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