Rising costs are reshaping dairy nutrition strategies as milk fat levels continue to increase across US herds. This episode examines how supply chain pressures and renewable diesel demand are influencing fat economics, while highlighting how different fatty acids affect intake, component efficiency, reproduction, and overall return on investment.

Key takeaway: Diets balanced for functional fatty acids and efficiency, rather than cost per ton, are critical for protecting cow performance and profitability in volatile fat markets.

This episode is sponsored by Actus Nutrition, innovators of precision dairy nutrition solutions. Actus proudly manufactures Energy Booster and RPMet, category leading supplements that help farmers maximize their milk check. To learn more about other nutrition products by Actus, such as custom milk replacer products, visit https://actus.com/livestock/specialty-ingredients/

Ben Dickman of Dickman and Sons Dairy joins host Matti McBride in this episode of the Progressive Dairy Podcast to discuss how he creates pregnancies in 110°F temperatures. Learn what type of cooling system Dickman implements, what reproduction protocol he follows and more about his dairy in Coolidge, Arizona.

Episode breakdown:

• 0:40 – Rapid-fire questions
• 1:45 – Dickman’s background, Dickman and Sons Dairy
• 3:20 – Temperature challenges
• 4:45 – Cooling systems
• 6:30 – Reproduction protocol
• 7:30 – Current breeding split
• 9:15 – Focus on cow comfort
• 11:20 – Methane digester
• 12:20 – Dickman’s advice for getting cows pregnant in heat
• 13:20 – Goals moving forward

Join Kenley Zuga and Gene Spellman from Central Life Sciences as they highlight how feed-through fly control can help livestock producers manage fly populations more effectively. In this podcast, they will talk about how targeting flies early in their lifecycle can help reduce pressure on animals, improve overall comfort, and support better performance. They also underscore the importance of combining multiple control methods as part of a broader management approach. Tune in to learn a practical, low-labor strategy for controlling flies that can improve both animal and working conditions on your farm.

Learn more about ClariFly Larvicide and how it can work on your operation.

This episode is sponsored by Central Life Sciences.