THE DFD (Dairy Farmer’s Digest) Podcast

Colostrum is cool!

On this episode of the podcast, I talk to Dr. Sarah Parsons, she is the Colostrum Technical Specialist with Alta Genetics.  Sarah provides technical support for clients right across North America.
Dr. Parsons graduated from the  University of Guelph with a BSc in Animal Biology and a PhD in Dairy calf management where she specialized in calf weaning management.
Colostrum is the one of the first steps in ensuring that your future milking herd gets off to the best start to their life, it factors into and influences almost every aspect of that calves early life.  We have a great talk about why it's so important.  If you have any questions and would like to reach out to Dr. Parsons, you can contact her by email sarah.parsons@altagenetics.com 
I hope you enjoy this episode of the podcast.  If you have any questions about this episode or on future episodes of the podcast, please feel free to reach out to me by email at keith.schweitzer@trouwnutrition.com or by phone at 1 (226) 236-3227 and please follow me on twitter @keithschweitzer

It’s COW CHOW time!

On this weeks episode of the podcast, I talk to Bill Woodley.  Bill is the owner of Woodley Dairy Direction, a consulting company that specializing in training nutritionists on the key concepts of dairy nutrition, Bill has spoken to, and consulted with Dairy producers all over the world.
With hay and winter forage crops quickly reaching their harvest windows, Bill and I tackle the topic of forage quality and how it affects feed cost.  We also talk about the physiology of the plant and how the cow utilizes the fiber to make milk,  as well as how different crops feed, and why we may want to consider growing them in the future. 
With protein and grain prices at or near all-time highs, controlling the narrative when it comes to making high quality forages is the first step in offsetting these high feed prices.  Bill can be reached at woodleydairy@gmail.com 
I hope you enjoy this episode of the podcast.  If you have any questions about this episode or on future episodes of the podcast, please feel free to reach out to me by email at keith.schweitzer@trouwnutrition.com or by phone at 1 (226) 236-3227 and please follow me on twitter @keithschweitzer

Fatty Acids, not the kind your parents think of!

On this weeks episode of the podcast, I have a great discussion with Dr. Stirling Dorrance, DVM from Nova Scotia, Canada.  Along with being a practicing veterinarian, Dr. Dorrance works with Lactanet in Eastern Canada where he works with producers understanding and interpreting Profilab, the milk fatty acid report from Lactanet.
 
Milk has a multitude of different fatty acids in it, Dr. Dorrance helps me understand what the three main groups are, and how we can influence them through feeding and management.  We also talk about how this tool can be utilized on the farm to help your bottom line.  If you have any further questions, you can reach out to him through email at sdorrance@lactanet.ca 
 
I hope you enjoy this episode of the podcast.  If you have any questions about this episode or on future episodes of the podcast, please feel free to reach out to me by email at keith.schweitzer@trouwnutrition.com or by phone at 1 (226) 236-3227 and please follow me on twitter @keithschweitzer

Transition shouldn’t be a bad word!

On this episode of the podcast, I talk to Dr. José Santos, a Professor in the department of Animal Science at the University of Florida, Gainesville.  Dr. Santos and I explore the world of DCAD diets for transition dairy cows and how it can work on your operation to help keep cows healthier and more productive.  
Dr. Santos conducts applied and basic research in dairy cattle nutrition and reproductive biology.  In addition to his research endeavors, Dr. Santos also teaches several course at the Univ. Florida in both the Post and Undergrad programs, and works with dairy producers throughout the Southeast United States through the University of Florida's extension service.
I hope you enjoy this episode of the podcast.  If you have any questions about this episode or on future episodes of the podcast, please feel free to reach out to me by email at keith.schweitzer@trouwnutrition.com or by phone at 1 (226) 236-3227 and please follow me on twitter @keithschweitzer

Great minds think alike, but fools seldom differ!

On this weeks episode of the podcast, I talk to Tony Hall, Technical Services support from Lallemand Animal Nutrition.  Tony and I drill down on the difference between forage samples when it all looks good on paper, and how CP isn't always the best indicator of quality.
Tony has extensive experience when it comes too making high quality forages and how fiber quality affects milk production. Tony is a world renowned speaker, he has consulted on farms all over the world in his career and has been an incredible resource for me over the years.
I hope you enjoy this episode of the podcast.  If you have any questions about this episode or on future episodes of the podcast, please feel free to reach out to me by email at keith.schweitzer@trouwnutrition.com or by phone at 1 (226) 236-3227 and please follow me on twitter @keithschweitzer

Calves, calves, calves ... some are good, some are bad

On this episode of the podcast, I talk to Dr. David Renaud.  Dave is a veterinary epidemiologist in the Department of Population Medicine at the University of Guelph.  His research focuses on the health and welfare of dairy calves, Dave teaches in both the veterinary and undergraduate curriculum.
As one producer put it to me, "raising calves can be the most rewarding or the most soul sucking endeavor on the farm".  This producer wasn't wrong.  Dave and my discussion helps shed some light on how to make it the most rewarding job on the farm. 
In this episode we cover colostrum, nutrition and management considerations. If you have any questions regarding the podcast, or any of the projects his team is working on, you can reach out to Dave by emailing him at renaudd@uoguelph.ca and you can follow him on Twitter @DavRenaud
I hope you enjoy this episode of the podcast.  If you have any questions about this episode or on future episodes of the podcast, please feel free to reach out to me by email at keith.schweitzer@trouwnutrition.com or by phone at 1 (226) 236-3227 and please follow me on twitter @keithschweitzer

The silage doctor is in the house!

On this weeks episode of the podcast, I talk to Dr. Andy Skidmore from Lallemand Animal Nutrition about inoculant, what they are, how they work and how they can fit into your forage production systems.
Dr. Skidmore is a Veterinarian with a PhD in Dairy Management from Cornell University.  He has been in the dairy industry in the United States and has held various roles from a practicing veterinarian, to research at MSU and in the animal nutrition industry. 
Dr. Skidmore has been with Lallemand Animal Nutrition, a Canadian Bio-tech company that specializes in making yeast and inoculants for animal nutrition as well has the human food and beverage industry.  He has been with them several years where he supports their yeast and inoculant business all across North America.
I hope you enjoy this episode of the podcast.  If you have any questions about this episode or on future episodes of the podcast, please feel free to reach out to me by email at keith.schweitzer@trouwnutrition.com or by phone at 1 (226) 236-3227 and please follow me on twitter @keithschweitzer
 

Alberta bound!!

On this weeks episode of the podcast, I have a great conversation with Dustin Grisnich.  He is the owner of Windy Creek Dairy in Fort Macleod, Alberta.
Dustin, along with his wife, four kids and two cats milk 45 cows under the new entrant program from Alberta milk.  He is also the host of the Faraway Farmboy podcast, a podcast dedicated to networking within the Western Canadian dairy business.  You can find the podcast wherever you download your podcasts.  You can also find Dustin on twitter @farawayfarmboy
I hope you enjoy this episode of the podcast.  If you have any questions about this episode or on future episodes of the podcast, please feel free to reach out to me by email at keith.schweitzer@trouwnutrition.com or by phone at 1 (226) 236-3227 and please follow me on twitter @keithschweitzer
 

Wait a second .... you said how much?!?!

On this week's episode of the podcast I have a great  conversation with Dustin Gamble, the Procurement manager for Shur Gain Ontario.
There are a lot of things that we can't control in our day to day lives and business, and the major global influences on feed price is one of them.  Dustin and I talk about what influences the markets around the world and in our own back yard, we also touch on the global supply chain for fat, proteins and grains that we feed every day.
I hope you enjoy this episode of the podcast.  If you have any questions about this episode or on future episodes of the podcast, please feel free to reach out to me by email at keith.schweitzer@trouwnutrition.com or by phone at 1 (226) 236-3227 and please follow me on twitter @keithschweitzer

I just dropped in to see what condition my condition is in ....

On this episode of the podcast, I have a great discussion with Kristen Kelderman about mental health.  Kristen is currently doing her Masters of Psychology and Neuroscience of Mental Health at King's College in London, UK.
Mental health is becoming a more common and less stigmatized conversation in our daily lives.  Kristen helps facilitate those conversations and normalizes them.  Growing up on a dairy farm, she has a keen passion for the mental wellbeing of producers and industry professionals alike.  She is a great advocate and resources, you can follow her on Instagram @thefarmtherapist.
We discussed a few resources throughout the podcast and the links are listed below.
 
CMHA (Canadian Mental Health Association) website https://cmha.ca 
In the Know farmer mental health program https://ontario.cmha.ca/intheknow/ 
Farmer's Toolbox https://www.thefarmerstoolbox.com
Farmer Wellness Program https://www.farmerwellnessprogram.ca 
 
I hope you enjoy this episode of the podcast.  If you have any questions about this episode or on future episodes of the podcast, please feel free to reach out to me by email at keith.schweitzer@trouwnutrition.com or by phone at 1 (226) 236-3227 and please follow me on twitter @keithschweitzer