Welcome back to the American Dairymen Podcast. Just ahead, we have Dustin Hector, he’s the Publisher of the American Dairymen and he sits down with Tucker Silberhorn and Dr. Dave Ellefson of Silberhorn Animal Health to explore one of the most important challenges facing fresh cows: maintaining healthy calcium levels during the transition into lactation.

Calcium supports far more than milk production. From muscle contractions and nerve function to immune response and digestion, this essential mineral helps keep cows functioning properly. But as colostrum production begins and milk demand increases, a cow’s calcium needs can quickly outpace the amount available in her bloodstream.

In this episode, Tucker and Dr. Ellefson discuss how cows respond to low calcium, why that response takes time, and how delayed recovery can create problems beyond clinical milk fever.

Tucker and Dr. Ellefson also review familiar management approaches, including intravenous calcium, conventional oral calcium products, DCAD diets, and zeolite feeding strategies. They discuss the role these tools play while highlighting the challenge of supporting cows through the critical days following calving.

Silberhorn Animal Health has their own calcium support product, Goff-Bol. Tucker explains how its formulation combines rapidly available calcium with Solanum glaucophyllum plant material. They describe how these components are designed to provide immediate support and extend calcium assistance through approximately four days after calving. Because dairy operations use different feeding programs, the discussion also covers Goff-Bol DCAD, Goff-Bol Max, and an organic option. Tucker and Dr. Dave explain why matching a product to the farm’s existing nutritional strategy matters, particularly when managing acidification in cows receiving a DCAD ration.

They also explore the practical value of a single administration at calving, discussing how fewer follow-up treatments can simplify protocols and reduce demands on busy dairy teams. Whether you’re a dairy producer, veterinarian, nutritionist, or someone interested in transition cow management, this episode offers an accessible look at calcium’s importance and the thinking behind tailored fresh cow support. Tune in for a conversation that brings chemistry, veterinary experience, and farm management together around healthier cows and productive dairy herds.

For previous episodes of the American Dairymen visit our website: https://americandairymen.com

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In this episode of the American Dairyman Podcast, host Dustin Hector sits down with Jason French, Commercial Portfolio Manager for DeLaval North America, along with Christy Craun-Hartman of Hillview Dairy in Virginia, to explore how automation, robotics, and data are changing the way dairy producers manage their herds.

Jason brings a lifetime of dairy experience to the conversation. Raised on a dairy farm in Ontario, Canada, he now works with DeLaval’s robotic and automated milking systems across North America. Christy offers the producer perspective as a fourth-generation dairy farmer managing a 200-cow Holstein and Jersey herd with three VMS V300 milking robots. The conversation dives into how modern dairy technology has evolved beyond simply automating the milking process. Today’s systems can collect valuable information that helps producers monitor reproduction, milk quality, cow health, milking performance, and other important areas of herd management. By turning that information into actionable reports, producers can identify animals requiring attention and make faster, more informed decisions.

Christy explains how labor challenges and an aging parlor helped drive her family’s transition to robotic milking. Instead of relying on handwritten records or physically observing every cow multiple times each day, she can now use reports to identify cows showing potential health or production concerns. That allows the farm to be more proactive while saving valuable time and labor.

Jason and Christy also discuss DeLaval’s Milk Cell Analysis biosensor, which monitors somatic cell counts and gives producers additional information about milk quality and udder health. Christy uses the information when making decisions involving breeding, dry-off timing, and identifying chronic problem cows. Importantly, she emphasizes that technology alone does not create healthy cows—the producer must use the information to make better management decisions. Finally, the conversation looks toward the future of dairy farming, where artificial intelligence could help producers manage an ever-growing amount of information. From robotics and biosensors to AI-powered reporting, this episode shows how combining technology with good management can help dairy producers improve efficiency, animal care, and decision-making for the next generation.

For previous episodes of the American Dairymen visit our website: https://americandairymen.com

American Dairymen Podcast is Sponsored By:

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In this episode of Cattlemen and Veterinarians: A Partnership in Bovine Health, hosts Kaid Panek and Dr. Shynia Peterman, DVM, sit down with Matt Poindexter of Midnight Cattle Tags to explore practical ways cattle producers and veterinarians can make processing cattle safer, faster, and more efficient.

Matt’s background in the cattle industry has taken him from his family’s Missouri farm to an extraordinary experience helping develop beef cattle operations in Russia. After returning home, Matt became involved in backgrounding cattle and custom cattle tags before eventually helping launch Midnight Cattle Tags. What started as late-night tag printing and a desire to solve everyday problems has developed into innovative tools designed by people who actually work cattle.

A major focus of the conversation is Midnight Cattle Tags’ battery-powered ear tagger and tattooer. Matt explains how a hand injury originally inspired him to develop an easier way to apply cattle tags. Instead of repeatedly squeezing a traditional applicator, the battery-powered system allows operators to place tags with the pull of a trigger, reducing strain during long processing days.

The group also discusses cattle handling, workplace safety, efficiency, and the importance of developing a processing crew where everyone understands their role. Matt’s philosophy is simple: less is more. A smaller, experienced crew can often process cattle more calmly and efficiently while reducing unnecessary confusion around the chute.

Listeners also get a preview of products under development, including battery-powered syringes, ear notchers, chute-mounted coolers, and livestock management technology designed to improve medication tracking, inventory, billing, and communication with veterinarians.

Ultimately, this episode demonstrates how practical innovation can improve cattle processing for both animals and handlers. From reducing repetitive strain to improving workflow and animal handling, Matt, Kaid, and Dr. Shynia Peterman offer producers useful ideas for making the next processing day safer and smoother.

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Cattlemen and Veterinarians: A Partnership in Bovine Health Sponsored by:

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