Each of our top 10 most popular podcasts published between Oct. 1, 2020 and Oct. 1, 2021 have received more than 1,100 downloads. We’ve also included our top three most popular sponsored podcasts, or “sponsorcasts,” which launched in early 2021 and are provided by paid advertisers.
Top 10 podcasts of 2021
1. Lloyd Holterman, Rosy-Lane Holsteins – Pioneer on the genomics frontier
“I think we can make the entire dairy food system more efficient through genetics, faster. You can find the animals faster that have the correct genes.”
Holterman discusses how laser-focused, data-driven genetic selection has enabled him to create a more sustainable cow that lives longer with fewer health incidents and greater feed efficiency.
Photo provided by Daphne Holterman.
2. Maximizing efficiency with Nate Heim, formerly with Yippee! Farms
“None of what we do is possible without our employees. It takes great employees to achieve the goals we set and to get the performance [from the cows] we’re looking for. And for me, it’s making sure they have the tools to do their jobs. I live by the motto, ‘Work smarter, not harder.’”
A self-proclaimed “city slicker,” hear how Heim’s childhood job of packing apples served as a training ground for finding efficiencies on the 2,300-cow dairy he’s managed since its startup, and how his efforts are shaving time off of milking shifts to get more turns in the double-20 parlor while maintaining production, excellent cow comfort and a loyal team.
Nate Heim is now working as a dairy management consultant. Contact Next Level ROI, LLC or email Nate Heim.
3. Chuck Ripp: Ripp’s Dairy Valley
Q. What advice would you give to younger producers?
“Surround yourself with good people. Don’t try to do it [all] yourself. There are so many tremendous people and companies out there who can help you achieve your goals.”
Ripp discusses his farm’s recent switch over to producing renewable natural gas and whether he thinks it will pay off. He also explains the farm’s focus on transition cows and the protocols he uses to limit issues with fresh cows. Since the COVID-19 pandemic started, he’s using a virtual relationship with his nutritionist, and he talks about how that’s affected his feeding program.
4. Kristy Pagel: Use this powerful tool to transform your team in 2021
Kristy Pagel from GPS Dairy Consulting LLC talks about one of the most powerful, yet simple, tools dairy teams can use to boost morale, empower people and take things to the next level in 2021.
“The Rapid Fire Year in Review is a simple tool where you bring together your leadership team, management team - any team. And we simply pause, and we talk about what took place in the current year... Also, it’s about how to set the stage for the challenges, the opportunities, or – frankly – the things we need to tackle and want to tackle in the year to come.”
Courtesy Photo.
5. 4 things dairies need to do to stay in business with Pauly Paul, Complete Management Consulting LLC
Dairy management consultant Pauly Paul revisits an article he wrote for the magazine in December 2019, “4 things dairies need to do to stay in business.” He told dairy farmers to:
- Swallow your pride.
- Keep your belt tight.
- Rip off the Band-aids.
- Bring your “A” game.
In the episode, he digs into these points and how the events of 2020 influenced them.
6. U.S. Dairy Sustainability Award Winner, MVP Dairy – featuring Ken McCarty
“To me, the biggest reason why [we work hard to create a sustainable business] is: It feels good to do good. I take pride in how we’ve grown our farms, how we engage with our communities and how we take care of our cows and team members. And I know I wouldn’t want to go to work, and my brothers and our partners wouldn’t want to go to work if we did it any other way.”
Hear from McCarty about MVP Dairy’s holistic approach and mindset around cow comfort, soil health, worker care and community engagement with 4,400 cows and 4,500 acres of cropland in their care.
7. Two technologies that are transforming cow health and reproduction at Dairy Dreams LLC, featuring Dr. Don Niles
Dr. Don Niles discusses how he traded in needles and lockups for technologies that take control of bovine leukosis virus (BLV) transmission, capture pounds of milk and get more cows pregnant.
Photo provided by Peggy Coffeen.
8. Implementing IVF on commercial dairies with Dr. Shantille Kruse
“… what IVF really allows you to do is take those most elite animals and make more of the good ones that are making you profitable. That’s really what we are after.”
Boviteq’s Dr. Shantille Kruse discusses how some herds are using this reproductive technology to move the needle on genetic progress while, at the same time, controlling heifer inventory and adding value to offspring.
9. How to talk so your employees will listen, featuring Bill Eberle, Chr. Hansen, account manager
Bill Eberle provides tips on how to talk so your employees will listen, including how to establish a culture of buy-in, address disconnect of communication and effectively show appreciation to employees.
10. Meet the New Mexico Milkmaid: Tara Vander Dussen
Tara Vander Dussen is a key influencer on social media, and she’s a dairy farmer and an environmental scientist who works on dairy farm projects throughout the Southwest. Hear how Tara uses her knowledge, expertise and passion to share the message of dairy’s sustainability efforts and impact.
Photo provided by Tara Vander Dussen.
Top 3 sponsorcasts of 2021: Sponsorcasts are special bonus content sponsored by Progressive Dairy advertisers
1. The rumen microbiome and implications for dairy farmers – Mallory Embree, Native Microbials
Mallory Embree is joined by Alfonso Lago, president of DairyExperts. In this episode, you’ll learn about the importance of the microbiome, implications for the dairy industry and how Native Microbials is delivering novel feed additive solutions that can benefit farmers.
2. Mark Rodgers: Hillcrest Farms
Hillcrest Farms is home to Georgia’s first robotic dairy farm. Hear from Mark Rodgers about his family’s 2019 decision to install five DeLaval VMS V300 robots into their retrofit barn. Their herd currently sits above a 90-pound average milk production, with a positive outlook on growing that number even more. Recently, Hillcrest Farms opened up their farm for agritourism. Mark shares about the agritourism experience on their farm and shares some insight on the future of his farm with robots.
3. Real Science Exchange – Heat stress and late-gestation cows
Balchem’s Real Science Exchange Podcast launched in October 2020. In this episode on Progressive Dairy’s platform, Balchem’s Scott Sorrell and Dr. Clay Zimmerman are joined by Dr. Geoff Dahl with the University of Florida and Dr. Jimena Laporta with the University of Wisconsin – Madison to discuss the effects of heat stress. The group talks about research that can measure stress without getting in contact with the cow. 
