The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast

In this episode of The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Brian Campbell, ruminant product manager at Fortiva, explores how heat stress affects dairy cattle across multiple lactations and generations. He explains nutritional strategies, including yeast, chromium, and betaine, and why combining approaches improves resilience, intake, and milk production under varying climate conditions. Learn how to manage heat stress more effectively in dairy systems. Listen now on all major platforms!

Click here to read the full research articles:
Effects of feeding live yeast at 2 dosages on performance and feeding behavior of dairy cows under heat stress
Effects of supplemental calcium salts of palm oil and chromium-propionate
on insulin sensitivity and productive and reproductive traits of mid- to late-lactating Holstein × Gir dairy cows consuming excessive energy
Soybean hulls as a primary ingredient in forage-free diets for limit-fed growing cattle

"Heat stress creates multiple lactation and multigenerational impacts across dairy systems, requiring nutritional strategies that support several biological pathways to maintain long-term productivity."

Meet the guest: Dr. Brian Campbell earned his M.S. and Ph.D. in Animal Science from the University of Tennessee, along with a Master’s in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University and an MBA from Indiana University Kelley School of Business. He has served as a research and extension professor at Virginia Tech and now works as a ruminant product manager at Fortiva, focusing on applied dairy nutrition solutions. Learn more on The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast with Dr. Brian Campbell. Listen now on all major platforms!

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What will you learn: 
(00:00) Highlight
(01:41) Introduction
(02:17) Heat stress impact
(03:30) Yeast role
(04:40) Chromium effects
(05:56) Betaine insights
(07:31) Multi-ingredient approach
(11:14) Closing thoughts

The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast is trusted and supported by the innovative companies:

* Fortiva

* Barentz
* Vetagro
* Kemin
* Adisseo
- DietForge
- Esmilco Inc.
- Virtus Nutrition

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.
Website: The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast
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In this episode of The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. José Santos, Professor at the University of Florida, explains calcium regulation in dairy cows and how mineral-related disorders during transition affect health, intake, immunity, and lactation outcomes. Learn the differences between clinical and subclinical hypocalcemia and why recovery after calving matters. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Borderline low blood calcium that persists for a few days can alter intake, attenuate innate immune response, and contribute to negative outcomes."

Meet the guest: Dr. José Santos is a Professor at the Department of Animal Sciences at the University of Florida. His work focuses on dairy cow health, production, reproduction, and nutrition-health interactions, with prior experience at UC Davis and training at the University of Arizona, UC Davis, and the University of Sydney. Hear more from Dr. Santos on The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, available on all major platforms.

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What will you learn: 
(00:00) Highlight
(02:14) Introduction
(04:29) Calcium regulation
(05:49) Clinical hypocalcemia
(06:53) Dyscalcemia risk
(08:33) Borderline calcium
(09:39) Transition challenges
(11:58) Closing thoughts

The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast is trusted and supported by the innovative companies:

* Adisseo
* Kemin
* Vetagro
* Barentz
* Fortiva

- DietForge
- Virtus Nutrition
- Esmilco Inc.

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.
Website: The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast
Instagram: The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast
LinkedIn: The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast

In this episode of The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Renée Petri, Research Scientist at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, explains how rumen microbiome dynamics influence dairy cow performance, feed efficiency, and environmental outcomes. She explores diet changes, adaptation periods, and microbiome-informed nutrition strategies to improve milk components and sustainability. Discover how managing microorganisms drives production success. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Dietary changes influence microbial populations and nutrient availability, creating ripple effects that impact intake behavior, milk components, and overall production efficiency in dairy systems."

Meet the guest: Dr. Renée Petri is a Research Scientist at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Sherbrooke. Her work focuses on dairy rumen and gut microbiome research, including interactions during lactation, sustainability, gut health, and feed management in calves and dairy cattle. She holds a PhD in Ruminant Microbiology from the University of Saskatchewan. Learn more about microbiome-driven nutrition with Dr. Renée Petri on The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast. Listen now on all major platforms!

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What will you learn: 
(00:00) Highlight
(01:52) Introduction
(03:23) Microbiome study
(04:28) Feed changes
(06:26) Adaptation time
(08:22) Heritability insights
(09:13) Informed nutrition
(13:01) Closing thoughts

The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast is trusted and supported by the innovative companies:

* Barentz
* Fortiva
* Adisseo
* Vetagro
* Kemin

- Esmilco Inc.
- DietForge
- Virtus Nutrition

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.
Website: The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast
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LinkedIn: The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast

In this episode of The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Tatiane Fernandes, Assistant Professor at Virginia Tech, explains how stable isotope tracing improves dairy nutrition research. She explores amino acid absorption, rumen-protected product evaluation, and how labeled nutrients help track milk protein synthesis. Get practical insights on tracer design, nutrient metabolism, and precision feeding research. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Rumen-protected amino acid absorption can be estimated by comparing labeled markers in blood with the amount absorbed after intestinal release."

Meet the guest: Dr. Tatiane Fernandes is an Assistant Professor in the School of Animal Sciences at Virginia Tech. Her research focuses on ruminant nutrient metabolism, rumen fermentation, stable isotope tracer techniques, and metabolic modeling. Her work supports dairy nutrition studies on amino acid absorption, nutrient use, and milk protein formation. Hear more from Dr. Fernandes on The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, available on all major platforms.

Liked this one? Don’t stop now — Here’s what we think you’ll love!

What will you learn: 
(00:00) Highlight
(02:03) Introduction
(03:01) Stable isotopes
(04:55) Amino acid tracing
(05:54) Study design
(07:56) Protected amino acids
(09:03) Milk protein
(12:15) Closing Thoughts

The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast is trusted and supported by the innovative companies:

* Kemin
* Adisseo
* Barentz
* Fortiva
* Vetagro

- Virtus Nutrition
- Esmilco Inc.
- DietForge

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.
Website: The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast
Instagram: The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast
LinkedIn: The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast

In this episode of The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Richard Paratte, dairy nutritionist at Vetagro, explains how lysine drives milk production efficiency beyond crude protein. He explores amino acid balance, rumen protection technologies, and how precision delivery improves milk protein and fat synthesis. Get practical insights on microencapsulation and metabolic coordination to improve performance. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Dairy cow performance depends on amino acid balance rather than crude protein levels, since limiting amino acids like lysine directly influence milk protein synthesis efficiency and overall nutrient utilization."

Meet the guest: Dr. Richard Paratte earned a PhD in Animal Science and has over 20 years of global experience in ruminant nutrition and agribusiness. As a dairy nutritionist and specialist in precision nutrition and microencapsulation, his work focuses on improving efficiency, animal health, and sustainability in dairy systems. Learn more from Dr. Richard Paratte on The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast. Listen now on all major platforms!

Liked this one? Don’t stop now — Here’s what we think you’ll love!

What will you learn: 
(00:00) Highlight
(01:33) Introduction
(03:03) Lysine importance
(03:59) Amino balance
(06:48) Rumen protection
(08:43) Matrix technology
(10:39) Milk fat
(13:57) Closing thoughts

The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast is trusted and supported by the innovative companies:

* Vetagro

* Kemin
* Adisseo
* Barentz
* Fortiva
- DietForge
- Virtus Nutrition

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.
Website: The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast
Instagram: The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast
LinkedIn: The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast