The Rumen Room Podcasts

Our latest episode in our four-part, worm-themed podcast series focuses on setting up forage crops for success, to maximise the chances of crops helping beat the worms in lambs and calves. Forage crops fit so very well into the worm-battling, whole-farm based Wormwise ‘FARMED’ approach to managing youngstock on farm (F=Feed, A=Avoidance, R=Refugia, M=Monitor and ED=Effective Drenches) https://beeflambnz.com/knowledge-hub/PDF/wormwise-resource-book In the podcast, hear how to optimise the chance of achieving low populations of worm eggs and larvae within your crop. We’ll revisit the importance of monitoring lambs and calves on crop through faecal egg counting, and (ideally) the regular weighing of youngstock. Finally, we’ll bring together the theory of cropping and reduced worm burdens in lambs and calves with proof of concept, farm level research. Hear about recent research by PGG Wrightson Seeds and PGG Wrightson Ltd that demonstrates that forage cropping is a viable option to reduce drench use on farm. For more information about the forage crop vs. internal parasite (worm) research, read the research paper by Westwood et al (2025) Liveweight gain and faecal nematode egg counts from Romney lambs grazing five contrasting forage treatments. New Zealand Journal of Animal Science and Production Vol 85. 61-66 https://www.nzsap.org/proceedings/brief-communication-liveweight-gain-and-faecal-nematode-egg-counts-romney-lambs-grazing

Could bigger, faster-growing young ruminants be better equipped to handle incoming worm L3 larvae than smaller, slower growing animals of the same age? Yes, potentially! In our latest podcast, the second in our four part series all about nutrition and worms, we explore the reasons why fast growing heavier lambs and calves (expressed as a % of mature weight) are potentially more resilient in the face of incoming infective L3 worm larvae. Practical farm-level strategies to grow young stock faster are discussed. The importance of improved maternal nutrition as a key driver for well grown young stock is covered. Better nutrition of ewes to improve placental development, together with better nutrition during late pregnancy increases lamb birthweight and improves lamb survival. Higher lamb birthweights mean better weaning weights, more prime lambs away off mum, better forward store lambs, and/or lambs finished off farm sooner = fewer drenches per lamb. Better, faster grown young stock will be one useful ‘tool in the toolkit’ to consider in our on-farm battle against worms. For more information about ruminant nutrition and worms, refer back to Episode 68. Subscribe so that you don't miss out on our next episode, number 70, all to do with nutrition, forage crops and internal parasites!

Continuing the dietary protein journey started in Podcast No. 66, our latest podcast picks apart the pros and cons of crude protein (CP) as a proxy for dietary protein. Fantastic as CP is for quickly and easily balancing diets on the basis of CP supply vs. CP demands of ruminants, some limitations of CP mean that sometimes protein nutrition needs a bit more detail than just CP. Metabolisable protein (MP) is introduced and defined in the podcast, and we explore the value of MP vs. CP in a farm-level, down to earth manner. Will you ever look at CP in the same way ever again after listening to this podcast? Or will you be a “MP convert” from now on? Take a listen and make up your own mind about protein nutrition!

How do we wean calves from liquid milk or calf milk replacer (CMR)? For each and every calf weaning set up, there’s no doubt a broad range of different ways to wean calves - and no two systems will be the same! In this our latest Rumen Room Podcast, we explore some of the different approaches to weaning dairy calves (heifer replacements and dairy beef) off milk or CMR. The sudden stopping of milk feeding isn’t an option – being way too stressful on the calf! What’re some ways to reduce the stress on the calf associated with the weaning from liquid feeds? There should be something for everyone in this, our latest podcast – enjoy!

With winter just around the corner for New Zealanders, our latest topic focuses on the effects of cold temperatures and frost on forage plants. We investigate how frosts damage our plants during the freeze-thaw cycles, “messing” with a plants wellbeing. Thankfully – and given time for plants to adjust to the cold - Mother Nature steps in and helps a plant develop some degree of resilience to cold and frosty weather. Despite this, frosts can damage pasture plants, causing a drop / fall in pasture mass (kgDM/ha) through the winter - as well as reducing the nutritive value of pasture during long cold winter months. Rug up warm and tune in for this, our latest podcast!! If you’ve enjoyed this podcast, tune in to some of our earlier winter-themed podcasts: 4. Checklist for success – wintering sheep and cattle on winter crops and pastures 35. Rumen bloat (“frost bloat”) in cattle that eat frozen winter pastures and forage crops 51. Wild winter weather. Cattle outside, how can we help – Part One 52. Wild winter weather – Part Two. Farm-level practical concepts

After a long, hot and often dry summer when pasture quality might be rather poor and in short demand, we’re always keen to see the onset of autumn rains. At last, we can expect improved amounts of pasture on hand and the silage wagon can be parked up for a while. Improved feed quality of autumn pasture is an added bonus, likely being much better than what stock have been grazing through the summer months. With the change of season from summer to autumn, pasture quality can shift dramatically from poor quality to very lush, leafy pasture. Why then, do sheep or cattle sometimes not do as well as they should, when they first meet this new, high quality autumn pasture? This is an issue often called (in a rather nondescript manner!) “Autumn Ill Thrift”. This first of a two part podcast series will explore some of the nutritional reasons why grazing animals might not do as well as they should on this changeable autumn pasture. Not enough feed? Low dry matter percentage, low NDF/high NDFd, or the sudden lift in crude protein? Or more likely, a combination of multiple nutritionally-based factors. Keep an ear out for part two of this two part podcast (episode 62) where we’ll continue this discussion around autumn ill thrift, by covering some of the animal health issues that might contribute to animals doing poorly during autumn months.

What are some of the ways that we can test feed or other samples to assess the likelihood of copper deficiency in sheep, cattle or deer? Part three of this four-part copper themed miniseries moves the topic to defining the copper status of your farmed ruminants. The strengths and weaknesses of different testing methods for copper status are discussed. If a copper deficiency is very likely / has been defined, this episode covers different ways to provide additional copper to your ruminants. **Note: The content within this episode is NOT intended to replace the nutritional advice specific to your animals - as provided by your veterinarian or qualified ruminant nutritionist**

Read the side of any bag of trace mineral additives or feed products, and there’s good chance copper will be listed as one of the ingredients. Just what is copper and why should we be interested? Our latest copper-themed miniseries offers in a “bite-sized” manner four short and snappy podcasts all to do with copper. Why do ruminants (sometimes, but not always) need copper? What “jobs” does copper do throughout the body? How do deficiencies of copper come about on farm? Sheep and cattle – do we need to think about copper in different ways for each of our farm species? We hope you enjoy the first of our four part copper miniseries. Subscribe so you don't miss the remaining episodes in this four-part miniseries.

Amazing feed quality or compost? This second of a two part podcast series focuses on how to make sure we get the very best quality feed from plastic-wrapped bales. Part 1 focused on how to assess baleage, and the importance of getting the dry matter (DM) % right to ensure a tasty, good quality end product. In this, part 2 of our baleage series, we look at further factors that impact balelage quality, including chop length, bale compaction, individual or tube-wrapped bales, how to handle bales and answers the question of “just how long do we need to leave baleage from the point of wrapping until feed out”?

Hypothermia is a real risk for newborn lambs and calves - and is a significant cause of loss of newborns born outdoors during cold weather. When body heat is lost to the environment faster than a lamb or calf can replenish core body heat from within, hypothermia is likely. What factors influence the amount of heat that a lamb or calf can generate to keep itself warm, from the 'inside-out'?In our latest podcast, we investigate how mother nature has designed a range of inbuilt systems that help newborn lambs and calves stay warm. The importance of brown fat reserves is explained and other mechanisms such as muscle shivering are explored. Farm-level factors, specifically the nutrition of the pregnant ewe determine the extent of brown fat deposition in the unborn lamb. Keeping ewes in good body condition from mating to scanning, then from scanning to lambing favours better reserves of brown fat in unborn lambs and calves. More brown fat available at birth helps lambs and calves keep warm during the first few hours of life - potentially reducing risk of hypothermia in newborn ruminants.

Cold winter weather. Great if you love skiing, not so great for us and our ruminants when we’re out and about in rough weather. That said, ruminants can be remarkably resilient in cold winter conditions – to a point. In this, part one of a two part podcast series, we explore why ruminants (focusing specifically on dairy cattle) can tolerate moderately cold winter conditions. Risk factors that influence the degree of tolerance by cows to cold conditions are discussed. The range of coping mechanisms provided to ruminants by “Mother Nature” to improve resilience to colder winter weather are explored. Part two of this latest podcast series (episode 52) will cover some practical, farm-based strategies, with a nutritional twist, that can help keep cows well through winter weather events.

Well known New Zealand-based veterinarian, nutritionist and farmer Dr Sue Macky joins Charlotte Westwood in our latest podcast. Sue steps us through everything to do with the individual dairy cow during the dry and transition periods - from the cow's point of view. Too often we get overly focused on the detail of the diet and management dry and transition dairy cows - and forget about focusing specifically on the cow herself. Not in this latest episode, this is very much about the cow herself! Sue discusses a cow-centric approach to managing dairy cows from dry off, during the far-off dry period and into the “springer” period (close-up dry period) and colostrum mob. This is one episode you simply will not want to miss! 0.40 Introducing Dr Sue Macky, defining her lifetime of global experience in dairy cow feeding and management 3.35 The dairy cow is an elite athlete, and should be treated as such 4.35 The New Zealand dry (non-lactating) cow period - redefined 5.10 Managing cows heading into dry off including redrafting cows for the dry period. Impacts on an individual cow with changing herd social structure discussed 7.10 Cow body condition score at dry off through to calving 7.50 Gut fitness in dairy cows; Capacity and muscularity during the dry period 10.20 Feeding cows through dry off – “don’t confuse the cow” 10.50 Immune functionality through dry off 11.40 Stock water supply and access by cows during the dry period 13.30 Late dry period through to the transition period – setting cows up well 14.00 “Calves are obligate parasites during late pregnancy” 14.40 The challenges of pasture-based diets in late pregnancy 15.30 Mob size for springer (close-up) dry cows, it’s all about compromise 16.05 How long should cows remain in the springer mob? 16.30 The calving cow – the importance of access by cows to feed and stock water 17.50 The cow-newborn calf bond 18.45 Feed, water and calcium for freshly calved cows 20.10 Cow behaviour after calving – the modern cow vs. the cow of ancient times 21.05 Milking out a cow after calving (“energy in, energy out”) 21.35 Once-a-day milking of cows after calving, it’s all about gut fill and rumination

Sliced on our morning cereal or perched on top of our iconic New Zealand dessert Pavlova, kiwifruit deliver a tasty powerpack of valuable nutrients for us humans. What about ruminants? Are reject kiwifruit from your local packhouse equally as good for our dairy cows and other animals on farm? Yes! A valuable source of energy delivered largely as water soluble carbohydrates, whole kiwifruit can be a very useful feed. However… as for any byproduct feed, kiwifruit may not always meet our expectations as a stockfeed. Join us for this latest podcast that explores the good, the bad and the (occasionally) ugly aspects of kiwifruit as a feed for ruminants, with a specific focus on kiwifruit feeding to lactating dairy cows. Although this is a kiwifruit-focused topic, we include content that applies equally to the feeding of other byproduct fruit and vegetables. Enjoy! Where to find the various topics within this podcast: 2.35 Overview of the episode 5.35 The nutritive value of kiwifruit – “so changeable as the fruit ripens” 6.45 Water soluble carbohydrates (WSC) 7.45 Neutral detergent fibre (NDF) 8.30 Crude protein (CP) 10.40 Ash and mineral content 13.10 Risk of rumen acidosis associated with kiwifruit feeding 19.00 Best practice approaches to minimise risk of rumen acidosis when feeding kiwifruit 20.30 The importance of knowing your kiwifruit on a dry matter (DM) basis - and not just a wet weight basis 21.35 Gradual adaptation by ruminants to a kiwifruit diet 22.40 The protective role of a rumen-full of long stem fibre in reducing risk of rumen acidosis 23.10 Day to day consistency when feeding kiwifruit is the key! 23.50 Maximum daily amounts of kiwifruit you can feed to dairy cows. The answer? “It depends” 25.05 Feed planning with kiwifruit – the “Three Versions” of a diet that contains kiwifruit 27.30 The role for Kiwi ingenuity and innovation when feeding kiwifruit 33.15 Handling kiwifruit storage on farm 34.00 What to do if kiwifruit is overripe? 35.00 Are rumen additives protective against kiwifruit-induced acidosis? 37.00 Risk of “choke” and rumen bloat with kiwifruit feeding 41.00 Know how much your kiwifruit are costing you. Converting $ per tonne wet weight to $ per tonne DM 44.15 The paperwork. Dairy Feed Declaration. Making sure your kiwifruit are fit to feed 45.45 Preventing birds from eating your stockpiled kiwifruit, helping out your local Regional Council.