The Rumen Room Podcasts

16. ”Where are my missing milksolids?” Part One - Calving through to peak lactation

In theory, our pasture-fed cows should simply eat pasture and produce milksolids. Shouldn’t they? Well yes, but sometimes on a whole herd basis, we might track the herds milk production and wonder why the herd is not producing as much as they should. In this latest Rumen Room Podcast we’ll explore different aspects of the lactation curve of a spring calving dairy herd, looking for clues to explain why New Zealand spring calving cows might not be delivering the milksolids we’d been expecting.
The first in a three-part series, this podcast focuses on the early to peak stages of the lactation curve of a spring calving herd. Factors that might result in cows producing fewer milksolids during early lactation are explored including calving rate, cow body condition score, metabolic disease, amount and quality of pasture and supplementary feeds, and milking frequency, once or twice a day milking.
Tune in and see if any of these reasons might explain where your missing milksolids have gone during early lactation.
In the second and third parts of this three part series “Where are my missing milk solids” we’ll delve into the post-peak period of the herds lactation curve, exploring reasons for rapid post-peak decline for New Zealand spring calving dairy herds. Risk factors for short lactation length in New Zealand spring calving dairy herds will be covered in a further podcast early in 2023.

15. Milk urea in pasture-fed dairy cows

Urea concentration in the milk of pasture-fed cows, what’s it about? In this latest Rumen Room Podcast, veterinarian and nutritionist Dr Charlotte Westwood steps us through all things to do with milk urea. Why and how does urea end up in the blood and therefore in the milk of cows? What does it mean for the cow when milk urea concentrations are unusually high or unexpectedly low?  Do we do anything different with the diet of cows if milk urea concentration is too high or too low? 
With a specific emphasis on the interpretation of milk urea concentrations for pasture-fed dairy herds, tune in for an update about all things to do with milk urea. 
 

14. SMCO toxicity (aka kale anaemia, red water) in ruminant species

Forage brassicas are simply an amazing, low cost feed for our ruminant species.
Over 300,000 ha of brassicas are planted in New Zealand annually and thankfully, animal health disorders are not particularly common despite the huge numbers of animals that eat brassicas each year.
Very occasionally, grazing animals might experience an animal health disorder called SMCO toxicity. SMCO is a non-protein sulphur-nitrogen compound that sometimes accumulates in brassica crops and brassica weed species. Most cases of SMCO toxicity are seen when animals graze forage brassica crops during late winter and early to mid spring (August, September, October in New Zealand) when plants are undergoing fresh growth and reproductive development with increasing daylength and warmer, spring days. Cases present with signs associated with haemolytic anaemia, including red water (red coloured urine).
Presented by New Zealand veterinarian and nutritionist Dr Charlotte Westwood, this podcast takes us through all you ever wanted to know about SMCO toxicity. Because prevention is better than cure, the podcast focuses specifically on how to reduce risk of SMCO toxicity in your grazing animals.
You can scroll through and find subheadings within this podcast  as follows:
Introduction to SMCO toxicity in ruminants: 2.32
What is SMCO and how is the animal affected? 5.00
Can we forage test for SMCO in brassicas? 13.00
What role does copper and selenium status of animals play in SMCO toxicity? 17.45
Clinical signs of SMCO toxicity? 21.15
Other causes of red water confused with SMCO toxicity. 28.10
Onion and SMCO toxicity – what’s the link? 30.50
Why is SMCO toxicity more likely late winter / spring? 32.30
Grazing and feeding management of crops suspected contain high SMCO. 36.30
Why do brassicas contain SMCO and what soil and fertiliser-based factors influence SMCO accumulation by brassicas? 46.05

13. Summer crop planning – The journey from seed to feed

Spring is just around the corner and before we know it, it’ll be Christmas. It’s never too early to be planning for your summer forage crop requirements to keep your sheep, cattle and/or deer happy, well fed and content through the summer months.
In this episode, Dr Charlotte Westwood is joined by Paul Greenbank, agronomist and farm systems guru with PGG Wrightson Seeds based on the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand. Paul steps us through the planning process for getting a spring planted crop into the ground - ready for your lambs, cattle or deer to enjoy a cost effective, tasty and nutritious summer forage crop. 
All manner of topics are discussed in a practical, down to earth manner. Everything is covered from paddock selection and preparation for cropping through to looking after your new crop plants as they get up and running during the days and weeks after planting.
Later in 2022 we’ll feature a couple of crop-focused episodes that’ll discuss the assessment and grazing of different crop types. We’ll target the various tips and tricks around how to convert your forage crops into highly efficient animal production. Keep an eye out for those episodes!
In the meantime, we need to get the seed in the ground to get the summer feed! We hope that you enjoy this episode.

12. Calf Nutrition: Nutritional scours

In this second of a two part series about preweaned calf nutrition, this episode covers all things to do with nutritional scours (diarrhoea) in calves younger than 3 weeks of age. Nutritional scours not only increase risk of dehydration in your young calves, but also increase risk of infectious scours due to a range of pathogens. Presented by New Zealand veterinarian and ruminant nutritionist Dr Charlotte Westwood, this fact filled episode will provide tips and tricks for calf rearers around preventing nutritional scours. This episode discusses just what nutritional scours are in calves, why scouring makes calves unwell, and factors that increase risk of nutritional scours in young calves.
For more information around the basics of the nutrition of milk-fed young calves, tune into the first of this two part series about pre-ruminant calf nutrition.

11. Calf nutrition: All you wanted to know but were afraid to ask!

Such a magical transformation - a newborn calf that becomes a fully fledged and functioning ruminant within just a matter of months. How does this amazing process of changing a fully milk-fed calf to one that eats and digests pasture work? Join us for another fact filled and down to earth approach to understanding about the nutrition of young calves, including nutritional tips and tricks to help rear strong and healthy calves. Presented by New Zealand veterinarian and nutritionist Dr Charlotte Westwood, there's something for everyone in this first of a two part series. We'll step us through how calves digest milk, how a new rumen develops and the how and why of the importance of different feeds along each step of the journey. 
The second part of this two part series focuses more on the challenge of nutritional scours in calves younger than 3 weeks of age. A discussion is included around what is nutritional scour and risk factors that increase the likelihood that young calves will experience nutritional scours. 

10. Transition feeding of dairy cows through calving – Keeping cows well, the practicalities!

Keeping our cows happy, healthy and well through the transition period. What are some practical tips and tricks to help make calving a whole lot less stressful for our cows (and us)?  
In this episode, New Zealand veterinarian and nutritionist Dr Charlotte Westwood is joined by guest podcaster and fellow veterinarian and nutritionist Dr Laura Pattie. Born and bred on a North Island dairy farm, Laura spent 10 years in a predominantly dairy veterinary role before moving into a ruminant nutrition role with PGG Wrightson Ltd.
Laura brings to this podcast a very hands on, down to earth and practical approach to managing metabolic disease challenges in New Zealand dairy cows. Stepping us through the various stages of the transition period as cows move through the springer to colostrum to milking herds, Laura provides us with a wealth of sensible farm-level advice to keep our cows well. There’s something here for everyone as practical takehomes for your calving cows. Tune in when you can!

9. Udder oedema in calving dairy cows

Udder oedema is a condition that sometimes affects our younger dairy cows around calving time. This latest Rumen Room podcast covers off information about udder oedema. Topics discussed include why udder oedema occurs, the range of factors that increase risk of udder oedema and some of the nutritional strategies that may reduce the chances of udder oedema occurring in your cows. 
Presented by New Zealand veterinarian and ruminant nutritionist Charlotte Westwood, we hope that you find some handy tips to help reduce risk of udder oedema. As for any animal health disorder, the content of this podcast is not intended to replace the advice of your own veterinarian or qualified ruminant nutritionist. 

8. Magnesium metabolism – the inside story!

Magnificent magnesium – a mineral that all animal species require to keep the body ticking along. And a very relevant mineral given lambing and calving time is just around the corner for New Zealand and Australians. Why the extra interest in magnesium in winter and spring?? 
For pregnant and lactating animals, magnesium is a very important mineral.  If we don’t get the diet just right, and the magnesium status of our animals correctly sorted, our animals can get themselves into all sort of trouble with increased risk of metabolic diseases before, during and after calving or lambing. Risk of magnesium challenges is especially a problem during winter and spring. 
New Zealand veterinarian Dr Charlotte Westwood steps us through everything we need to know about magnesium metabolism in our pregnant and lactating ruminant species. Tune in now and start thinking magnesium just in time for spring!
 

7. “Feed Test Lab Reports: Just what on earth do all those numbers mean” - Part Two

Cattle are picky critters and oh such fussy eaters!
The backstory to this Podcast is that our cattle have decided “No thanks”, they’d rather not eat our pasture silage.
Why not? What’s different about this pasture silage that might explain why our cattle won’t touch it?    
In this, part two of a two part series, New Zealand veterinarian and nutritionist Charlotte Westwood walks us through what the various feed test results might mean for this sample of pasture silage.
This podcast explores, step-by-step, the second section of the feed test results provided to us by Hill Laboratories. (Part one of this podcast series largely explored the mineral test results).
Join us to walk through the various test results including energy, protein and fibre contents of the silage, the pH result and the levels of various fermentation acids in the sample.
Might these results explain why those cattle turned up their noses at our silage? We shall see! Tune in and see how our silage results compare with yours.
A copy of these silage results are posted in the Facebook Group “The Rumen Room” that you can join here https://www.facebook.com/groups/376802106011728 for more information about all things to do with ruminant animals.