WEBVTT 00:00:10.449 --> 00:00:13.990 Welcome to the Bullvine Podcast. Today, we're 00:00:13.990 --> 00:00:16.949 tackling dairy's billion -dollar question. Can 00:00:16.949 --> 00:00:20.210 a controversial 90s tech solve 21st century climate 00:00:20.210 --> 00:00:23.070 challenges? Spoiler, the answer's hiding in a 00:00:23.070 --> 00:00:26.210 Wisconsin barn. Join us as we unpack how bovine 00:00:26.210 --> 00:00:29.649 somatotropin, BST, is making an unlikely comeback. 00:00:30.079 --> 00:00:32.380 slashing emissions while boosting milk yields 00:00:32.380 --> 00:00:34.859 you'll hear from farmers who've cracked the code 00:00:34.859 --> 00:00:38.119 scientists defending the data and even a rebel 00:00:38.119 --> 00:00:40.780 eu dairy producer running a black milk operation 00:00:40.780 --> 00:00:44.539 grab your earbuds this isn't your grandpa's sustainability 00:00:44.539 --> 00:00:47.579 chat all right everyone welcome back we're diving 00:00:47.579 --> 00:00:49.640 headfirst into a topic that's been generating 00:00:49.640 --> 00:00:52.219 a lot of buzz in the dairy world lately buzz 00:00:52.219 --> 00:00:55.869 more like a whole herd of Holsteins stampeding 00:00:55.869 --> 00:00:57.890 through the pasture. That's one way to put it. 00:00:57.909 --> 00:00:59.729 I think a lot of dairy folks out there are feeling 00:00:59.729 --> 00:01:02.869 that stampede, especially when it comes to this 00:01:02.869 --> 00:01:06.049 whole sustainability push. You know, trying to 00:01:06.049 --> 00:01:08.750 meet those ever -tightening environmental targets 00:01:08.750 --> 00:01:11.750 while at the same time just trying to keep the 00:01:11.750 --> 00:01:14.510 farm afloat financially. It's a real tightrope 00:01:14.510 --> 00:01:16.609 walk, isn't it? You said it. It's like trying 00:01:16.609 --> 00:01:19.049 to juggle three milk pails at once while riding 00:01:19.049 --> 00:01:21.349 a unicycle. You're bound to spill something eventually. 00:01:21.609 --> 00:01:24.480 Exactly. And today, We're going to really dig 00:01:24.480 --> 00:01:26.319 into something that's been kind of a controversial 00:01:26.319 --> 00:01:28.359 figure in the dairy industry for a while now, 00:01:28.500 --> 00:01:30.920 but might actually hold some surprising solutions 00:01:30.920 --> 00:01:34.019 for this whole sustainability dilemma. Bovine 00:01:34.019 --> 00:01:37.859 somatotropin, better known as BST. Yeah, BST. 00:01:37.980 --> 00:01:39.900 It's been a bit of a lightning rod, hasn't it? 00:01:39.959 --> 00:01:41.480 A lot of strong opinions swirling around that 00:01:41.480 --> 00:01:43.879 one. For sure. I mean, think back to the 90s. 00:01:43.879 --> 00:01:45.680 It was practically a four -letter word in some 00:01:45.680 --> 00:01:48.959 circles. But now we're seeing a real shift in 00:01:48.959 --> 00:01:50.840 how folks are looking at it, especially through 00:01:50.840 --> 00:01:53.379 this lens of environmental responsibility. It's 00:01:53.379 --> 00:01:55.819 almost like we've come full circle. Something 00:01:55.819 --> 00:01:58.319 that was demonized is now being looked at as 00:01:58.319 --> 00:02:00.920 a potential climate hero. It's a fascinating 00:02:00.920 --> 00:02:03.739 turn of events. It really is. And for this deep 00:02:03.739 --> 00:02:06.640 dive, we've gathered a whole stack of research 00:02:06.640 --> 00:02:09.960 articles, even some firsthand accounts from farmers 00:02:09.960 --> 00:02:12.960 who've been using BST, all to get a clearer picture 00:02:12.960 --> 00:02:15.879 of what it is, how it works, and most importantly... 00:02:16.060 --> 00:02:18.060 how it could potentially be a game changer for 00:02:18.060 --> 00:02:19.780 both the environment and your bottom line. Yeah, 00:02:19.840 --> 00:02:21.759 because at the end of the day, that's what really 00:02:21.759 --> 00:02:24.659 matters, right? We can talk all day about sustainability 00:02:24.659 --> 00:02:27.419 goals, but if it doesn't make economic sense 00:02:27.419 --> 00:02:29.719 for the farmer, it's not going to work. 100%. 00:02:29.719 --> 00:02:32.620 So let's start by laying out the challenge, the 00:02:32.620 --> 00:02:35.219 kind of sustainability trap that a lot of dairy 00:02:35.219 --> 00:02:37.680 farmers are feeling caught in these days. Right. 00:02:37.740 --> 00:02:39.500 It's like you're being squeezed from all sides. 00:02:39.620 --> 00:02:42.219 On one hand, you've got these global climate 00:02:42.219 --> 00:02:44.460 agreements pushing for significant reductions 00:02:44.460 --> 00:02:47.240 in greenhouse gas emissions. We're talking about 00:02:47.240 --> 00:02:50.280 that net zero target by 2050, which feels like 00:02:50.280 --> 00:02:52.460 it's just around the corner. Yeah, come 50 sounds 00:02:52.460 --> 00:02:56.280 far off, but it's really not when you think about 00:02:56.280 --> 00:02:59.759 the changes we need to make. And look, we all 00:02:59.759 --> 00:03:02.780 know that dairy. isn't exactly a tiny player 00:03:02.780 --> 00:03:05.379 when it comes to emissions. True that. In the 00:03:05.379 --> 00:03:07.340 U .S., the dairy industry contributes around 00:03:07.340 --> 00:03:10.659 2 % of the total greenhouse gas emissions. Now, 00:03:10.680 --> 00:03:12.419 that might not sound like a huge number on its 00:03:12.419 --> 00:03:14.960 own, but... There's a big but coming, isn't there? 00:03:15.039 --> 00:03:17.819 Always. The but is methane. Methane is the main 00:03:17.819 --> 00:03:19.719 culprit in those dairy emissions, and it's a... 00:03:19.879 --> 00:03:22.080 Potent little bugger. We're talking about 25 00:03:22.080 --> 00:03:24.460 times more effective at trapping heat in the 00:03:24.460 --> 00:03:27.340 atmosphere compared to carbon dioxide. So that 00:03:27.340 --> 00:03:29.860 2 % actually packs a much bigger punch than it 00:03:29.860 --> 00:03:32.080 initially seems. Yeah, like a Jersey bull calf 00:03:32.080 --> 00:03:34.479 that thinks it's a Holstein. Small but feisty. 00:03:34.680 --> 00:03:37.580 Perfect analogy. And so you've got all this pressure 00:03:37.580 --> 00:03:39.199 to clean up those methane emissions, and there 00:03:39.199 --> 00:03:40.719 are solutions out there, but they don't come 00:03:40.719 --> 00:03:43.240 cheap. That's what I keep hearing. A lot of the 00:03:43.240 --> 00:03:46.460 approved green technologies are just plain out 00:03:46.460 --> 00:03:48.460 of reach for a lot of farms, financially speaking. 00:03:49.289 --> 00:03:51.629 I was reading a comment from a dairy farmer in 00:03:51.629 --> 00:03:53.969 Wisconsin the other day, and it really stuck 00:03:53.969 --> 00:03:56.250 with me. He said something like, they keep talking 00:03:56.250 --> 00:03:58.150 about these climate solutions, but the price 00:03:58.150 --> 00:04:00.229 tag on some of them is higher than my entire 00:04:00.229 --> 00:04:03.229 annual income. Yeah, I've heard similar things. 00:04:03.370 --> 00:04:05.789 You're looking at anaerobic digesters, which 00:04:05.789 --> 00:04:09.360 can cost upwards of... $1 .2 million to install. 00:04:09.840 --> 00:04:12.060 Solar panels, those are great, but we're talking 00:04:12.060 --> 00:04:15.259 $4 ,500 per cow equivalent to get those up and 00:04:15.259 --> 00:04:17.600 running. Then you've got all these fancy precision 00:04:17.600 --> 00:04:19.560 feeding systems with all the bills and whistles. 00:04:20.279 --> 00:04:23.800 $10 ,000 or more, easy. And that's not even factoring 00:04:23.800 --> 00:04:25.579 in the cost of actually hiring someone to help 00:04:25.579 --> 00:04:27.720 you navigate all this, like a carbon consultant. 00:04:27.959 --> 00:04:30.459 You're looking at $450 an hour for that kind 00:04:30.459 --> 00:04:33.779 of expertise. Ouch. It's a lot to swallow, especially 00:04:33.779 --> 00:04:35.740 when you look at the milk price, which, let's 00:04:35.740 --> 00:04:37.959 be honest, hasn't exactly been setting any records 00:04:37.959 --> 00:04:40.839 lately. Still hovering around that $20 per hundred 00:04:40.839 --> 00:04:43.139 weight mark, give or take. Right. It's a tough 00:04:43.139 --> 00:04:44.720 equation. You're trying to do the right thing 00:04:44.720 --> 00:04:46.839 for the environment, but you also need to, you 00:04:46.839 --> 00:04:49.639 know, stay in business. Exactly. And that's where 00:04:49.639 --> 00:04:52.680 I think BST might be able to step in and offer 00:04:52.680 --> 00:04:54.959 a different approach. Something that could... 00:04:55.120 --> 00:04:58.000 potentially move the needle on both the environmental 00:04:58.000 --> 00:05:00.339 and the economic front. Okay, so let's talk about 00:05:00.339 --> 00:05:02.399 BST. For folks who might not be totally familiar 00:05:02.399 --> 00:05:04.819 with it, can you give us a quick crash course? 00:05:05.160 --> 00:05:09.240 Sure. BST, or bovine somatotropin, is a protein 00:05:09.240 --> 00:05:12.300 hormone that's naturally produced by cows. It 00:05:12.300 --> 00:05:15.699 plays a big role in growth and, importantly for 00:05:15.699 --> 00:05:18.839 us, milk production. Now, the supplemental form 00:05:18.839 --> 00:05:20.560 we're talking about here is called recombinant 00:05:20.560 --> 00:05:25.069 BST or RBST. Recombinant? Sounds a bit sci -fi, 00:05:25.149 --> 00:05:26.910 doesn't it? Like something out of Jurassic Park. 00:05:27.350 --> 00:05:29.689 Maybe a little, but it's really not that complicated. 00:05:30.069 --> 00:05:33.550 Basically, RBST is an identical twin to the BST 00:05:33.550 --> 00:05:36.230 that a cow naturally produces. It's made in a 00:05:36.230 --> 00:05:38.269 lab, but it's structurally the same thing. It's 00:05:38.269 --> 00:05:40.050 not some kind of foreign substance we're pumping 00:05:40.050 --> 00:05:42.069 into our cows. Got it. So it's like a boost of 00:05:42.069 --> 00:05:44.269 something their bodies are already making. Exactly. 00:05:44.490 --> 00:05:46.990 Now, the interesting part is how it works. You've 00:05:46.990 --> 00:05:48.709 probably heard of the dilution of maintenance 00:05:48.709 --> 00:05:52.850 effect. Dilution of? Ah, remind me again. Think 00:05:52.850 --> 00:05:56.009 of it like this. a cow just like any living creature 00:05:56.009 --> 00:05:59.160 needs a certain amount of energy Just to exist. 00:05:59.259 --> 00:06:01.819 Just to keep all her systems running. That's 00:06:01.819 --> 00:06:03.680 the maintenance. It's like the energy she needs 00:06:03.680 --> 00:06:05.620 to keep the lights on in the barn, so to speak. 00:06:05.680 --> 00:06:08.620 I get it. The basic overhead. Right. And scientists 00:06:08.620 --> 00:06:11.660 estimate that about 35 % of a cow's total feed 00:06:11.660 --> 00:06:14.579 energy goes towards that maintenance. So that's 00:06:14.579 --> 00:06:17.540 35 % that's not going toward making milk. What 00:06:17.540 --> 00:06:19.720 BST does is it kind of shifts that energy balance. 00:06:20.040 --> 00:06:22.699 It helps the cow use less energy on just being 00:06:22.699 --> 00:06:25.240 a cow and more on producing milk. So it's like 00:06:25.240 --> 00:06:27.410 telling her... Hey, let's focus a little less 00:06:27.410 --> 00:06:29.629 on just hanging out and a little more on filling 00:06:29.629 --> 00:06:31.910 the tank. Precisely. And when you look at the 00:06:31.910 --> 00:06:33.910 cellular level, it gets even more fascinating. 00:06:34.269 --> 00:06:37.310 BST actually binds to receptors in the mammary 00:06:37.310 --> 00:06:40.189 gland. This binding essentially tells those milk 00:06:40.189 --> 00:06:43.089 -producing cells to stick around longer to extend 00:06:43.089 --> 00:06:45.250 their productive lifespan. And what's really 00:06:45.250 --> 00:06:47.629 cool is that this can potentially prolong that 00:06:47.629 --> 00:06:52.180 peak lactation period by up to 41%. Whoa, 41%. 00:06:52.180 --> 00:06:54.199 That's like getting an extra month of top dollar 00:06:54.199 --> 00:06:57.879 milk checks. Exactly. More milk, same cow, same 00:06:57.879 --> 00:07:01.160 basic feed bill. Now, before anyone jumps down 00:07:01.160 --> 00:07:03.600 my throat about pushing cows too hard, let's 00:07:03.600 --> 00:07:05.480 talk about what this actually looks like in practice. 00:07:05.759 --> 00:07:07.980 We see those maintenance energy requirements 00:07:07.980 --> 00:07:10.620 dropping when cows are supplemented with BST. 00:07:10.839 --> 00:07:13.459 So instead of 35 % of energy going to maintenance, 00:07:13.639 --> 00:07:16.620 it goes down to about 28%. That's a pretty significant 00:07:16.620 --> 00:07:19.199 chunk of energy that's now freed up for milk 00:07:19.199 --> 00:07:21.379 production. Right. And that translates into a 00:07:21.379 --> 00:07:23.680 14 % improvement in feed efficiency, which is 00:07:23.680 --> 00:07:25.220 huge. It's like getting almost one and a half 00:07:25.220 --> 00:07:28.019 free meals per day for each cow. Same feed going 00:07:28.019 --> 00:07:30.300 in, more milk coming out. Talk about making the 00:07:30.300 --> 00:07:32.519 most of every bale. And on top of that, we see 00:07:32.519 --> 00:07:35.139 milk production increasing by anywhere from 6 00:07:35.139 --> 00:07:38.160 to 15 pounds per cow per day, often without having 00:07:38.160 --> 00:07:40.240 to increase their feed intake proportionally. 00:07:40.279 --> 00:07:42.660 So you're telling me we could get more milk without 00:07:42.660 --> 00:07:45.000 shoveling in a mountain of extra feed. Where 00:07:45.000 --> 00:07:47.959 do I sign up? Hold your horses. We're getting 00:07:47.959 --> 00:07:50.870 there. But first, we need to address the elephant 00:07:50.870 --> 00:07:54.050 in the parlor. Why isn't every dairy farmer using 00:07:54.050 --> 00:07:57.189 BST if it's so great? I think there's this lingering 00:07:57.189 --> 00:07:59.689 perception that it was banned because it was 00:07:59.689 --> 00:08:01.730 somehow dangerous. Yeah, that myth has stuck 00:08:01.730 --> 00:08:04.750 around like manure on a boot. The truth is, the 00:08:04.750 --> 00:08:07.949 FDA here in the U .S. approved BST way back in 00:08:07.949 --> 00:08:11.290 1993 after a very, very thorough 12 -year review. 00:08:11.689 --> 00:08:14.350 They looked at it from every angle and their 00:08:14.350 --> 00:08:18.079 conclusion was clear. Milk from cows treated 00:08:18.079 --> 00:08:20.759 with BST is indistinguishable from milk from 00:08:20.759 --> 00:08:23.100 untreated cows. There's no scientifically significant 00:08:23.100 --> 00:08:25.560 difference, period. So it wasn't a safety issue 00:08:25.560 --> 00:08:27.439 that led to its decline. What happened then? 00:08:27.800 --> 00:08:29.639 Well, it was a bit of a perfect storm really. 00:08:29.759 --> 00:08:31.639 You had some early challenges with how it was 00:08:31.639 --> 00:08:33.919 being implemented on farms. Some of those early 00:08:33.919 --> 00:08:36.779 trials in the 90s, they did see a temporary increase 00:08:36.779 --> 00:08:39.419 in mastitis cases. It wasn't unmanageable, but 00:08:39.419 --> 00:08:41.279 it became this big talking point for groups that 00:08:41.279 --> 00:08:43.440 were already opposed to the technology. Mastitis 00:08:43.440 --> 00:08:45.460 is a big deal. It's not something any dairy farmer 00:08:45.460 --> 00:08:47.879 wants to mess around with. Right. And it created 00:08:47.879 --> 00:08:49.840 this opening for those who were already skeptical. 00:08:50.120 --> 00:08:52.379 And then you had this very effective activist 00:08:52.379 --> 00:08:54.700 campaign that really played on those fears and 00:08:54.700 --> 00:08:58.580 concerns. We're talking RBST free, labels popping 00:08:58.580 --> 00:09:00.940 up everywhere, consumer boycotts, the whole nine 00:09:00.940 --> 00:09:03.299 yards. It put a lot of pressure on farmers to 00:09:03.299 --> 00:09:05.259 stop using it, even if they didn't necessarily 00:09:05.259 --> 00:09:07.240 have any issues with it themselves. So it was 00:09:07.240 --> 00:09:09.639 more about public perception and marketing than 00:09:09.639 --> 00:09:12.179 any real scientific evidence of harm. That's 00:09:12.179 --> 00:09:14.820 an important distinction to make. 100%. It was 00:09:14.820 --> 00:09:17.059 a case study in how powerful those marketing 00:09:17.059 --> 00:09:19.120 campaigns can be. All right, so now that we've 00:09:19.120 --> 00:09:22.259 debunked that myth, let's talk brass tacks. What 00:09:22.259 --> 00:09:25.179 could using BST actually mean for your dairy 00:09:25.179 --> 00:09:27.620 operation? Let's break it down. If you look at 00:09:27.620 --> 00:09:30.919 a typical 500 -cow dairy, the potential financial 00:09:30.919 --> 00:09:33.259 impact is pretty substantial. We're talking about 00:09:33.259 --> 00:09:35.440 feed cost savings in the neighborhood of $120 00:09:35.440 --> 00:09:39.620 ,000 a year. Wait, hold on. $120 ,000 just from 00:09:39.620 --> 00:09:41.700 using BST? That's what the numbers are showing. 00:09:42.039 --> 00:09:44.279 And then you add in the increased milk production, 00:09:44.419 --> 00:09:47.559 which could generate an extra $59 ,000 in revenue 00:09:47.559 --> 00:09:49.860 annually. Okay, now we're talking. That's almost 00:09:49.860 --> 00:09:53.220 $180 ,000 straight to the bottom line. You could 00:09:53.220 --> 00:09:55.679 buy a new tractor with that kind of money. Maybe 00:09:55.679 --> 00:09:58.039 even two. It's a significant boost, no doubt. 00:09:58.220 --> 00:10:00.820 And all this translates to a net profit margin 00:10:00.820 --> 00:10:03.580 improvement of about 3 .5 percentage points. 00:10:03.980 --> 00:10:06.700 So if you're currently operating at, say, an 00:10:06.700 --> 00:10:10.820 8 .6 %... profit margin, BST could bump you up 00:10:10.820 --> 00:10:14.000 to a much healthier 12 .1%. And these aren't 00:10:14.000 --> 00:10:15.960 just theoretical numbers, right? These are based 00:10:15.960 --> 00:10:18.299 on real -world data. Absolutely. These numbers 00:10:18.299 --> 00:10:20.600 come from real dairy farms that have continued 00:10:20.600 --> 00:10:23.679 to use BST, they stuck with it, and they've seen 00:10:23.679 --> 00:10:25.710 these kinds of financial gains. That's really 00:10:25.710 --> 00:10:27.809 encouraging to hear. It's one thing to talk about 00:10:27.809 --> 00:10:30.230 potential benefits, but it's another thing entirely 00:10:30.230 --> 00:10:33.110 to see actual farms succeeding with it. For sure. 00:10:33.210 --> 00:10:36.129 And to put it in even more relatable terms, that 00:10:36.129 --> 00:10:39.029 kind of profit boost, that extra $180 ,000 a 00:10:39.029 --> 00:10:41.590 year, that's enough to buy a brand new robotic 00:10:41.590 --> 00:10:44.990 milker every two years, debt -free. Think about 00:10:44.990 --> 00:10:47.269 that kind of impact on your operation. Now you're 00:10:47.269 --> 00:10:49.370 talking my language. Yeah. A new robot milker 00:10:49.370 --> 00:10:52.070 every two years. Sign me up. Right. It's a pretty 00:10:52.070 --> 00:10:53.929 compelling argument. And that's just the economic 00:10:53.929 --> 00:10:55.889 side of things. We haven't even gotten into the 00:10:55.889 --> 00:10:57.950 environmental benefits yet. Which is why we're 00:10:57.950 --> 00:10:59.950 really here. Right. This whole sustainability 00:10:59.950 --> 00:11:02.950 push. Yeah. So let's talk about the environmental 00:11:02.950 --> 00:11:05.570 math that maybe those high priced carbon consultants 00:11:05.570 --> 00:11:08.269 aren't exactly advertising. Right. So we've got 00:11:08.269 --> 00:11:10.509 a mountain of research, including these really 00:11:10.509 --> 00:11:12.830 comprehensive studies called life cycle assessments. 00:11:12.990 --> 00:11:15.929 And they're all pointing to some pretty impressive 00:11:15.929 --> 00:11:18.850 environmental benefits associated with BST. OK, 00:11:18.909 --> 00:11:20.980 give us the highlights. All right. Buckle up. 00:11:21.019 --> 00:11:24.200 For starters, we're seeing an 8 .1 % reduction 00:11:24.200 --> 00:11:27.820 in total feed requirements per kilogram of milk 00:11:27.820 --> 00:11:31.220 produced. Less feed. That means less land needed 00:11:31.220 --> 00:11:34.080 to grow that feed, less water used, less fertilizer 00:11:34.080 --> 00:11:36.519 runoff. It all starts to add up, doesn't it? 00:11:36.539 --> 00:11:38.320 You got it. And it gets even better. We're also 00:11:38.320 --> 00:11:41.600 looking at a 7 .3 % reduction in methane emissions 00:11:41.600 --> 00:11:44.960 per unit of milk. That's a big deal, especially 00:11:44.960 --> 00:11:47.340 when you consider how much more potent methane 00:11:47.340 --> 00:11:50.139 is compared to carbon dioxide. Yeah, any reduction 00:11:50.139 --> 00:11:52.659 in methane is a win in my book. What about manure? 00:11:52.860 --> 00:11:55.700 Isn't that a major environmental concern with 00:11:55.700 --> 00:11:58.240 dairy? It is, and BST delivers on that front 00:11:58.240 --> 00:12:01.659 too. We see about a 6 .8 % reduction in manure 00:12:01.659 --> 00:12:04.240 output per unit of milk, which can make a real 00:12:04.240 --> 00:12:06.919 difference in managing those waste streams. And 00:12:06.919 --> 00:12:09.320 then there's the issue of nutrient runoff, which 00:12:09.320 --> 00:12:11.299 can impact water quality. We're talking about 00:12:11.299 --> 00:12:14.419 a 9 .1 % reduction in nitrogen excretion and 00:12:14.419 --> 00:12:17.279 an even bigger 11 .8 % reduction in phosphorus 00:12:17.279 --> 00:12:20.200 excretion. Okay, so less feed. Less methane, 00:12:20.419 --> 00:12:23.220 less manure, less nutrient runoff. It sounds 00:12:23.220 --> 00:12:25.259 like BST is ticking all the boxes on the environmental 00:12:25.259 --> 00:12:28.120 scorecard. But what about land use? You mentioned 00:12:28.120 --> 00:12:30.279 earlier that BST could have a significant impact 00:12:30.279 --> 00:12:32.679 there. Right. The research indicates that by 00:12:32.679 --> 00:12:35.080 using BST, we could potentially reduce the land 00:12:35.080 --> 00:12:37.679 needed for dairy production by a whopping 219 00:12:37.679 --> 00:12:41.080 ,000 hectares for every million cows. To put 00:12:41.080 --> 00:12:43.080 that in perspective, that's an area larger than 00:12:43.080 --> 00:12:45.159 New York City. Wow, that's a lot of land. You 00:12:45.159 --> 00:12:46.820 could grow a whole lot of alfalfa on that. You 00:12:46.820 --> 00:12:48.940 could. And to give you another powerful analogy, 00:12:49.139 --> 00:12:51.759 if we implemented BST across the entire U .S. 00:12:51.779 --> 00:12:53.820 dairy herd, the resulting reduction in methane 00:12:53.820 --> 00:12:55.700 emissions would be the equivalent of taking 1 00:12:55.700 --> 00:12:58.639 .2 million gas -guzzling cars off the road every 00:12:58.639 --> 00:13:01.059 year. That's a pretty mind -blowing image. So 00:13:01.059 --> 00:13:02.940 it's not just about reducing our negative impact, 00:13:03.059 --> 00:13:05.360 but also about potentially freeing up resources 00:13:05.360 --> 00:13:08.519 for other important uses. Now, I know a lot of 00:13:08.519 --> 00:13:10.980 folks think that organic dairy is the gold standard 00:13:10.980 --> 00:13:13.899 for sustainability. What does the research say 00:13:13.899 --> 00:13:16.539 about that? Well, it's not as simple as organic 00:13:16.539 --> 00:13:18.960 equals green. There was a really interesting 00:13:18.960 --> 00:13:21.480 study done in Germany that compared the environmental 00:13:21.480 --> 00:13:25.139 impacts of conventional, organic, and BST -enhanced 00:13:25.139 --> 00:13:28.019 milk production. What they found was that organic 00:13:28.019 --> 00:13:30.360 milk actually had a higher methane footprint 00:13:30.360 --> 00:13:33.440 per gallon than conventional milk. Hold on, higher? 00:13:33.580 --> 00:13:35.279 You're telling me organic milk produced more 00:13:35.279 --> 00:13:37.610 methane than conventional? That's surprising. 00:13:37.769 --> 00:13:39.809 It was a bit unexpected, but the numbers don't 00:13:39.809 --> 00:13:42.970 lie. Organic came in at 112 % of the conventional 00:13:42.970 --> 00:13:45.850 baseline, while the BST enhanced milk had the 00:13:45.850 --> 00:13:49.169 lowest methane footprint at 92 .7%. Interesting. 00:13:49.250 --> 00:13:51.509 What about land use? I would think organic would 00:13:51.509 --> 00:13:53.570 have an advantage there. Not necessarily. In 00:13:53.570 --> 00:13:55.950 that same study, organic actually required 130 00:13:55.950 --> 00:13:58.309 % of the land to produce the same amount of milk 00:13:58.309 --> 00:14:01.149 compared to the conventional system. BST enhanced 00:14:01.149 --> 00:14:04.529 came out on top again, using only 81 .9 % of 00:14:04.529 --> 00:14:08.139 the land. Huh. So BST wins on methane and land 00:14:08.139 --> 00:14:11.629 use. What about synthetic fertilizers? That's 00:14:11.629 --> 00:14:13.870 a big differentiator between organic and conventional. 00:14:14.129 --> 00:14:16.470 Well, organic obviously doesn't use any synthetic 00:14:16.470 --> 00:14:19.549 fertilizer, so it gets a gold star there. Conventional 00:14:19.549 --> 00:14:22.850 was the baseline at 100%, and BST enhanced came 00:14:22.850 --> 00:14:26.210 in at 84%. So while it doesn't eliminate the 00:14:26.210 --> 00:14:28.909 need for fertilizer, it does significantly reduce 00:14:28.909 --> 00:14:31.269 it compared to conventional production. So it's 00:14:31.269 --> 00:14:33.490 not as black and white as some folks might think. 00:14:33.669 --> 00:14:37.470 There are trade -offs with every system. What 00:14:37.470 --> 00:14:38.909 are some of the reasons behind these findings? 00:14:39.149 --> 00:14:41.590 Why is organic... not necessarily the greenest 00:14:41.590 --> 00:14:43.889 option. Well, one of the biggest factors is that 00:14:43.889 --> 00:14:46.350 organic systems often have lower milk yields 00:14:46.350 --> 00:14:49.289 per cow. This means you need more cows to produce 00:14:49.289 --> 00:14:51.230 the same amount of milk, which generally leads 00:14:51.230 --> 00:14:53.309 to higher overall emissions. Right. More cows, 00:14:53.490 --> 00:14:55.730 more mouths to feed, more methane. Makes sense. 00:14:56.129 --> 00:14:58.409 Exactly. And the forage -based diets that are 00:14:58.409 --> 00:15:00.870 common in organic systems, those can actually 00:15:00.870 --> 00:15:03.799 lead to higher methane emissions per cow. The 00:15:03.799 --> 00:15:05.860 type of fiber they're digesting can produce more 00:15:05.860 --> 00:15:08.879 methane in their rumen. And while carbon sequestration 00:15:08.879 --> 00:15:11.580 in organic soils is a good thing, it doesn't 00:15:11.580 --> 00:15:13.820 seem to fully offset those higher emissions from 00:15:13.820 --> 00:15:16.240 the larger herds. So it's a complex equation. 00:15:16.539 --> 00:15:20.000 There's no easy answer. And that brings us to 00:15:20.000 --> 00:15:23.399 another tricky topic. This whole idea of natural. 00:15:24.419 --> 00:15:27.440 BST often gets slapped with the unnatural label. 00:15:27.779 --> 00:15:29.720 What are your thoughts on that? Honestly, it's 00:15:29.720 --> 00:15:31.480 a bit of a loaded term, isn't it? I mean, how 00:15:31.480 --> 00:15:33.559 much of modern agriculture is truly natural? 00:15:33.759 --> 00:15:36.220 We've been selectively breeding animals and plants 00:15:36.220 --> 00:15:38.580 for centuries. We manage their environments, 00:15:38.679 --> 00:15:40.580 their diets, their breeding cycles. It's all 00:15:40.580 --> 00:15:42.720 about maximizing efficiency. Yeah, if we're being 00:15:42.720 --> 00:15:45.259 honest, modern dairy farming, whether it's organic, 00:15:45.379 --> 00:15:47.860 conventional, or somewhere in between, is pretty 00:15:47.860 --> 00:15:50.559 far removed from a cow just grazing in a field. 00:15:50.940 --> 00:15:54.559 Exactly. So where do we draw the line? The argument 00:15:54.559 --> 00:15:57.799 for BST is that it's actually optimizing a natural 00:15:57.799 --> 00:16:00.299 biological process that's already happening inside 00:16:00.299 --> 00:16:03.360 the cow. It's not some foreign substance. It's 00:16:03.360 --> 00:16:05.519 about helping her be more efficient at what she 00:16:05.519 --> 00:16:08.710 already does, produce milk. And this increased 00:16:08.710 --> 00:16:11.029 efficiency means we can produce more milk with 00:16:11.029 --> 00:16:14.029 fewer resources and, importantly, lower emissions 00:16:14.029 --> 00:16:16.549 per unit of milk. So more milk with less impact. 00:16:16.809 --> 00:16:18.649 That's the goal. Yeah, that's the holy grail 00:16:18.649 --> 00:16:21.129 of sustainable intensification. And when you 00:16:21.129 --> 00:16:23.850 compare BST to some of the other sustainability 00:16:23.850 --> 00:16:26.169 technologies out there, it really stands out. 00:16:26.350 --> 00:16:28.529 Let's take methane digesters, for example. Okay, 00:16:28.570 --> 00:16:30.250 those are the big systems that capture methane 00:16:30.250 --> 00:16:32.629 from manure, right? Right. They can offer a bigger 00:16:32.629 --> 00:16:35.870 methane reduction than BST, but the cost is astronomical. 00:16:36.190 --> 00:16:38.480 We're talking about an average cost of $1 ,200 00:16:38.480 --> 00:16:41.700 per cow for a digester and it takes years to 00:16:41.700 --> 00:16:44.259 recoup that investment. BST on the other hand 00:16:44.259 --> 00:16:47.279 costs around 47 cents per cow per day and you 00:16:47.279 --> 00:16:49.220 typically see a return on investment within about 00:16:49.220 --> 00:16:51.500 six months. So it's much more affordable and 00:16:51.500 --> 00:16:54.500 has a much faster payback. What about feed additives 00:16:54.500 --> 00:16:57.039 like 3 -NOP? Those are supposed to reduce methane 00:16:57.039 --> 00:16:59.460 too, right? They do, but they're even more expensive 00:16:59.460 --> 00:17:03.019 than BST. We're talking $2 .10 per cow per day 00:17:03.019 --> 00:17:05.380 and it takes about a year to see a return on 00:17:05.380 --> 00:17:07.710 that investment. Plus, the methane reduction 00:17:07.710 --> 00:17:10.349 with 3NOP isn't significantly different from 00:17:10.349 --> 00:17:13.490 BST. So BST wins on cost and speed of return, 00:17:13.670 --> 00:17:16.509 and it's competitive on methane reduction. What 00:17:16.509 --> 00:17:18.470 about solar? A lot of folks are investing in 00:17:18.470 --> 00:17:21.089 solar panels. Solar is great, but it's primarily 00:17:21.089 --> 00:17:23.910 addressing your farm's energy use, not directly 00:17:23.910 --> 00:17:26.049 targeting the methane emissions from the cows 00:17:26.049 --> 00:17:28.529 themselves. And again, there's a big upfront 00:17:28.529 --> 00:17:31.769 investment. We're talking $4 ,500 per cow equivalent 00:17:31.769 --> 00:17:34.390 for solar. And the payback period is typically 00:17:34.390 --> 00:17:36.670 around eight years. Okay, so it sounds like BST 00:17:36.670 --> 00:17:39.250 offers a pretty unique combination of affordability, 00:17:39.470 --> 00:17:42.049 a quick return on investment, and significant 00:17:42.049 --> 00:17:44.710 environmental benefits. But we can't ignore the 00:17:44.710 --> 00:17:47.650 animal welfare question. How does BST affect 00:17:47.650 --> 00:17:50.130 the cows themselves? That's a valid concern, 00:17:50.269 --> 00:17:52.009 and I think it's where a lot of the hesitancy 00:17:52.009 --> 00:17:55.450 around BST comes from. But the data coming from 00:17:55.450 --> 00:17:58.230 countries where BST is still being used suggests 00:17:58.230 --> 00:18:00.849 that with proper management, it doesn't have 00:18:00.849 --> 00:18:04.230 a negative impact on cow welfare. In fact, it 00:18:04.230 --> 00:18:06.410 might even be beneficial. Really? Can you elaborate 00:18:06.410 --> 00:18:09.069 on that? Sure. There's longevity data coming 00:18:09.069 --> 00:18:11.190 out of Israeli dairy farms, for example, that 00:18:11.190 --> 00:18:13.589 shows BST treated cows actually have a slightly 00:18:13.589 --> 00:18:16.849 longer productive lifespan compared to cows in 00:18:16.849 --> 00:18:19.349 conventional and even organic systems. Longer 00:18:19.349 --> 00:18:21.470 lifespan. So it's not wearing them out faster. 00:18:21.690 --> 00:18:24.250 Not according to this data. And there's research 00:18:24.250 --> 00:18:26.210 from the Netherlands showing that cows treated 00:18:26.210 --> 00:18:29.109 with BST analogs actually have higher levels 00:18:29.109 --> 00:18:31.690 of play behavior and are more likely to interact 00:18:31.690 --> 00:18:33.829 with enrichment devices in their environment. 00:18:34.069 --> 00:18:36.910 So potentially happier cows. That goes against. 00:18:37.039 --> 00:18:39.460 That's the common narrative. It does. The theory 00:18:39.460 --> 00:18:42.200 is that BST, by helping the cow optimize her 00:18:42.200 --> 00:18:45.420 metabolism and energy use, actually reduces physiological 00:18:45.420 --> 00:18:48.259 stress, which could lead to those positive behavioral 00:18:48.259 --> 00:18:51.059 changes. That's fascinating. And what about mastitis? 00:18:51.200 --> 00:18:53.099 We talked earlier about how that was a concern 00:18:53.099 --> 00:18:55.420 in the early days of BST. Right. Those early 00:18:55.420 --> 00:18:58.960 trials did show a temporary spike in cases. But 00:18:58.960 --> 00:19:01.200 those were primarily due to management practices 00:19:01.200 --> 00:19:03.519 not keeping up with the increased milk production. 00:19:03.819 --> 00:19:06.220 So it wasn't the BST itself causing the problem. 00:19:06.339 --> 00:19:09.019 Right. And the protocols for using BST have evolved 00:19:09.019 --> 00:19:11.920 significantly since then. We now have better 00:19:11.920 --> 00:19:14.779 teat sealant products, more sophisticated monitoring 00:19:14.779 --> 00:19:17.740 technologies to catch problems early, and a better 00:19:17.740 --> 00:19:20.299 understanding of how to adjust diets to support 00:19:20.299 --> 00:19:22.579 those higher -producing cows. So it sounds like 00:19:22.579 --> 00:19:24.599 the key is good management, regardless of whether 00:19:24.599 --> 00:19:27.759 you're using BST or not. Well, 100%. A well -managed 00:19:27.759 --> 00:19:30.900 herd is a healthy herd. period. And I think that's 00:19:30.900 --> 00:19:32.819 the message we need to get across to folks. BST 00:19:32.819 --> 00:19:35.460 isn't some magic bullet. It's a tool that can 00:19:35.460 --> 00:19:38.000 be incredibly effective, but only when it's used 00:19:38.000 --> 00:19:40.200 responsibly and as part of a holistic management 00:19:40.200 --> 00:19:43.220 system that prioritizes cow health and well -being. 00:19:43.589 --> 00:19:45.829 Okay, so let's move on to some real -world examples. 00:19:46.049 --> 00:19:47.849 You mentioned that some countries are successfully 00:19:47.849 --> 00:19:51.230 using DST, even today. Tell us about those success 00:19:51.230 --> 00:19:53.930 stories. Sure. Let's start with Brazil. They 00:19:53.930 --> 00:19:56.990 really dialed in a system that combines BST supplementation 00:19:56.990 --> 00:19:59.910 with high RUP diets, meaning diets that have 00:19:59.910 --> 00:20:02.529 a higher percentage of rumen -undegraded protein. 00:20:02.890 --> 00:20:04.880 Okay. And how's that working out for them? The 00:20:04.880 --> 00:20:06.740 results are pretty incredible. They're seeing 00:20:06.740 --> 00:20:10.740 a 15 .2 % increase in milk yield per lactation 00:20:10.740 --> 00:20:13.319 compared to conventional systems. And that's 00:20:13.319 --> 00:20:16.819 not all. They've also achieved a 15 .5 % reduction 00:20:16.819 --> 00:20:20.220 in methane intensity, meaning less methane produced 00:20:20.220 --> 00:20:23.420 per kilogram of milk. Plus, their profitability 00:20:23.420 --> 00:20:27.200 per hectare is 62 % higher. Those are some serious 00:20:27.200 --> 00:20:28.660 gains. It sounds like they've cracked the code. 00:20:28.799 --> 00:20:30.799 What are they doing differently in terms of their 00:20:30.799 --> 00:20:32.799 management practices? Well, they're really focused 00:20:32.799 --> 00:20:34.640 on precision feeding. They're making sure those 00:20:34.640 --> 00:20:36.640 cows are getting exactly the right balance of 00:20:36.640 --> 00:20:38.859 nutrients to support that higher level of production. 00:20:39.200 --> 00:20:41.940 They're also using BS2 strategically, typically 00:20:41.940 --> 00:20:44.980 administering it every 14 days. And many farms 00:20:44.980 --> 00:20:47.180 are incorporating real -time methane monitoring 00:20:47.180 --> 00:20:49.980 systems so they can track those emissions reductions 00:20:49.980 --> 00:20:52.400 directly. So it's a combination of technology 00:20:52.400 --> 00:20:56.309 and good old -fashioned management savvy. What 00:20:56.309 --> 00:20:58.069 about Israel? You mentioned they're doing some 00:20:58.069 --> 00:21:00.230 really innovative things with BST. Yeah, they've 00:21:00.230 --> 00:21:02.369 gone all in on the high -tech route. They're 00:21:02.369 --> 00:21:04.849 integrating BST with artificial intelligence, 00:21:05.250 --> 00:21:08.009 sensor technologies that track everything from 00:21:08.009 --> 00:21:11.509 methane emissions to cow behavior. The whole 00:21:11.509 --> 00:21:13.690 works. Wow, it sounds like they're running a 00:21:13.690 --> 00:21:16.430 space -age dairy operation. Pretty much. And 00:21:16.430 --> 00:21:18.880 the results are impressive. Their methane emissions 00:21:18.880 --> 00:21:22.299 are significantly lower in BST -treated herds. 00:21:22.359 --> 00:21:24.940 They're also achieving some incredible feed efficiency 00:21:24.940 --> 00:21:29.359 numbers, producing 21 .4 kilograms of milk per 00:21:29.359 --> 00:21:32.779 cow per day, which is 37 % higher than the European 00:21:32.779 --> 00:21:36.000 average. So more milk with less feed, less methane, 00:21:36.200 --> 00:21:37.839 and they're incorporating cutting -edge technology. 00:21:38.000 --> 00:21:40.140 What's not to love? Right. But what about consumer 00:21:40.140 --> 00:21:42.220 perception? How are they addressing that? They're 00:21:42.220 --> 00:21:44.240 going for radical transparency. They're actually 00:21:44.240 --> 00:21:47.180 putting QR codes on their milk cartons that allow 00:21:47.180 --> 00:21:50.119 consumers to see the real -time data on the environmental 00:21:50.119 --> 00:21:53.000 impact of that specific carton of milk. That's 00:21:53.000 --> 00:21:54.599 pretty cool. So you can scan your milk and see 00:21:54.599 --> 00:21:57.319 how much methane was emitted to produce it. Exactly. 00:21:57.420 --> 00:21:59.200 They're not shying away from the fact that they 00:21:59.200 --> 00:22:01.980 use BST. They're embracing it as part of their 00:22:01.980 --> 00:22:05.099 commitment to sustainable dairy farming. And 00:22:05.099 --> 00:22:07.460 it's paying off. They're seeing faster returns 00:22:07.460 --> 00:22:09.799 on investment for those robotic milking systems. 00:22:09.880 --> 00:22:12.779 They're freeing up land for other uses. And they're 00:22:12.779 --> 00:22:15.319 building trust with their consumers. It's a great 00:22:15.319 --> 00:22:17.779 example of how transparency and clear communication 00:22:17.779 --> 00:22:20.339 can really make a difference. Okay, let's talk 00:22:20.339 --> 00:22:23.160 regulations. We know there's a real patchwork 00:22:23.160 --> 00:22:26.279 of rules and perceptions around BST globally. 00:22:26.920 --> 00:22:29.279 What's the current state of play? It's a bit 00:22:29.279 --> 00:22:31.779 of a mess, to be honest. Canada banned BST back 00:22:31.779 --> 00:22:34.559 in 1999, mainly over animal welfare concerns, 00:22:34.779 --> 00:22:37.099 even though human safety wasn't really the issue. 00:22:37.400 --> 00:22:39.660 The EU followed suit with restrictions of their 00:22:39.660 --> 00:22:41.660 own. Here in the U .S., it's still approved, 00:22:41.819 --> 00:22:44.079 but those market pressures and consumer campaigns 00:22:44.079 --> 00:22:46.039 we talked about earlier have largely pushed it 00:22:46.039 --> 00:22:48.420 to the sidelines. It's interesting that Canada 00:22:48.420 --> 00:22:50.319 banned it, but could still be importing dairy 00:22:50.319 --> 00:22:52.660 products from the U .S. that potentially came 00:22:52.660 --> 00:22:55.400 from BSD -treated herds. It's one of those weird 00:22:55.400 --> 00:22:58.559 regulatory contradictions. And it highlights 00:22:58.559 --> 00:23:01.440 the economic consequences of these bans. Canada, 00:23:01.559 --> 00:23:04.019 for instance, is facing some tough choices about 00:23:04.019 --> 00:23:06.299 how to meet its climate targets. They might have 00:23:06.299 --> 00:23:08.500 to significantly reduce their dairy herd, which 00:23:08.500 --> 00:23:11.279 could cost them billions of dollars. BST could 00:23:11.279 --> 00:23:13.579 potentially help them avoid that. So there's 00:23:13.579 --> 00:23:15.839 a real opportunity to revisit these regulations, 00:23:16.160 --> 00:23:18.460 especially in light of the environmental benefits 00:23:18.460 --> 00:23:21.460 PST can offer. Exactly. And it's not just a Canadian 00:23:21.460 --> 00:23:24.079 issue. We've seen different approaches to RBST 00:23:24.079 --> 00:23:26.119 -free labeling here in the U .S. at the state 00:23:26.119 --> 00:23:28.700 level, with some states trying to restrict such 00:23:28.700 --> 00:23:30.779 labels while others have considered requiring 00:23:30.779 --> 00:23:33.980 disclaimers. It's a regulatory minefield. But 00:23:33.980 --> 00:23:36.480 the science is pretty clear. All the major global 00:23:36.480 --> 00:23:39.500 regulatory bodies, including the FDA, the World 00:23:39.500 --> 00:23:41.440 Health Organization, and the American Medical 00:23:41.440 --> 00:23:43.920 Association, have all concluded that milk from 00:23:43.920 --> 00:23:46.259 BST -treated cows is safe for human consumption. 00:23:46.559 --> 00:23:49.410 Right. The science is there. Now it's a bringing 00:23:49.410 --> 00:23:51.750 the regulations and public perception in line 00:23:51.750 --> 00:23:54.089 with that science, especially as we face these 00:23:54.089 --> 00:23:57.150 mounting environmental challenges. Okay, so for 00:23:57.150 --> 00:23:59.089 the dairy farmers listening who might be thinking 00:23:59.089 --> 00:24:01.670 this is all well and good, but how do I actually 00:24:01.670 --> 00:24:04.990 implement BST on my farm? What's a practical 00:24:04.990 --> 00:24:08.609 roadmap for success? I'm glad you asked. Based 00:24:08.609 --> 00:24:10.289 on those success stories we've seen around the 00:24:10.289 --> 00:24:12.829 world, here's a five -step plan to get you started. 00:24:13.180 --> 00:24:15.660 First, update your farm management protocols. 00:24:16.019 --> 00:24:18.339 Make sure you're using the current best practices 00:24:18.339 --> 00:24:21.200 for BST administration, which typically involves 00:24:21.200 --> 00:24:24.059 a dose of 500 milligrams per 100 kilograms of 00:24:24.059 --> 00:24:26.640 body weight every 14 days. Okay, so every two 00:24:26.640 --> 00:24:28.740 weeks. Got it. What else? Crucially, you want 00:24:28.740 --> 00:24:31.579 to pair that with a high RUP diet. That's key 00:24:31.579 --> 00:24:34.119 for maximizing those methane reductions. And 00:24:34.119 --> 00:24:35.940 you need to be on top of your monitoring game. 00:24:36.380 --> 00:24:38.759 Use technology to track cow health and make sure 00:24:38.759 --> 00:24:41.059 those girls are thriving. So it's not just about 00:24:41.059 --> 00:24:43.920 injecting the ST and hoping for the best. It's 00:24:43.920 --> 00:24:46.900 about a whole system approach. Exactly. Step 00:24:46.900 --> 00:24:49.720 two is all about building transparency. Think 00:24:49.720 --> 00:24:52.319 about creating a climate smart dairy certification 00:24:52.319 --> 00:24:54.700 or something similar that clearly shows the emissions 00:24:54.700 --> 00:24:58.160 reductions you're achieving. Use QR codes on 00:24:58.160 --> 00:25:00.799 your products to give consumers access to real 00:25:00.799 --> 00:25:03.400 time data on your farm's environmental footprint. 00:25:03.680 --> 00:25:06.160 And consider getting third party verification 00:25:06.160 --> 00:25:09.480 of your animal welfare practices. So be open, 00:25:09.559 --> 00:25:11.640 be honest and let people see what you're doing. 00:25:11.779 --> 00:25:15.339 Exactly. Step three is about collaboration. Form 00:25:15.339 --> 00:25:17.740 working groups with other dairy farmers and industry 00:25:17.740 --> 00:25:20.119 experts to share knowledge and best practices. 00:25:20.500 --> 00:25:22.619 Partner with companies that offer complementary 00:25:22.619 --> 00:25:25.279 technologies like those robotic milking systems, 00:25:25.380 --> 00:25:27.700 which we saw can have a faster return on investment 00:25:27.700 --> 00:25:31.059 when paired with BST, and look into those emerging 00:25:31.059 --> 00:25:32.900 carbon markets. There might be opportunities 00:25:32.900 --> 00:25:34.720 there to get paid for those emissions reductions. 00:25:35.980 --> 00:25:38.500 Share knowledge and explore new revenue streams. 00:25:38.759 --> 00:25:41.359 What's next? Step four is about being proactive 00:25:41.359 --> 00:25:44.680 on the regulatory front. Document those environmental 00:25:44.680 --> 00:25:47.140 improvements you're making. Use that data to 00:25:47.140 --> 00:25:49.480 challenge labeling restrictions. Make the case 00:25:49.480 --> 00:25:51.839 that BST milk is actually better for the environment. 00:25:52.180 --> 00:25:53.799 Don't be afraid to fight for what you believe 00:25:53.799 --> 00:25:56.920 in. Right. And finally, step five is all about 00:25:56.920 --> 00:26:00.039 communication. We need to change the way we talk 00:26:00.039 --> 00:26:04.119 about BST. Ditch the loaded language like growth 00:26:04.119 --> 00:26:06.799 hormone and start using terms like metabolic 00:26:06.799 --> 00:26:09.720 optimizer. Focus on the positive environmental 00:26:09.720 --> 00:26:12.079 benefits, not just the production increases. 00:26:12.380 --> 00:26:14.400 So it's about shifting the narrative. Exactly. 00:26:14.539 --> 00:26:18.579 Position BST as a climate solution. Help consumers 00:26:18.579 --> 00:26:20.720 understand that it's a way to produce the milk 00:26:20.720 --> 00:26:23.319 they love in a more sustainable way. Okay, so 00:26:23.319 --> 00:26:25.240 we've covered a lot of ground here, but before 00:26:25.240 --> 00:26:27.480 we wrap up, let's zoom out for a minute and talk 00:26:27.480 --> 00:26:30.460 about why this whole conversation about BST matters 00:26:30.460 --> 00:26:33.559 beyond just our individual dairy farms. It really 00:26:33.559 --> 00:26:35.599 gets to the heart of some big questions about 00:26:35.599 --> 00:26:37.180 how we're going to feed a growing population 00:26:37.180 --> 00:26:40.400 while also protecting the planet. BST is a perfect 00:26:40.400 --> 00:26:42.900 example of how we can use technology to enhance 00:26:42.900 --> 00:26:45.680 natural processes and make food production more 00:26:45.680 --> 00:26:48.259 efficient and sustainable. Right. It challenges 00:26:48.259 --> 00:26:51.460 that false dichotomy between natural and technological. 00:26:52.130 --> 00:26:54.470 Exactly. And it highlights the economic realities 00:26:54.470 --> 00:26:57.369 of sustainability. We can't just expect farmers 00:26:57.369 --> 00:26:59.450 to shoulder the entire burden of environmental 00:26:59.450 --> 00:27:02.170 improvement. Solutions need to be economically 00:27:02.170 --> 00:27:04.130 viable or they're not going to work in the long 00:27:04.130 --> 00:27:06.890 run. That's a crucial point. And finally, with 00:27:06.890 --> 00:27:08.970 climate change becoming an increasingly urgent 00:27:08.970 --> 00:27:12.369 issue, how does BST fit into that larger global 00:27:12.369 --> 00:27:15.150 picture? It's a tool in our toolbox, and it's 00:27:15.150 --> 00:27:17.420 one we can't afford to ignore. Those emissions 00:27:17.420 --> 00:27:20.240 reductions, the land savings, the increased efficiency, 00:27:20.660 --> 00:27:22.759 those are all things that can contribute to a 00:27:22.759 --> 00:27:25.759 more sustainable food system. So what's the bottom 00:27:25.759 --> 00:27:28.160 line here? We're facing unprecedented challenges, 00:27:28.339 --> 00:27:30.779 but we also have unprecedented opportunities. 00:27:31.460 --> 00:27:34.819 BST is a scientifically proven, safe, and effective 00:27:34.819 --> 00:27:37.400 technology that can help us navigate those challenges. 00:27:37.859 --> 00:27:39.880 It's time to take a fresh look at it with open 00:27:39.880 --> 00:27:42.779 minds and a focus on the future. Well said. And 00:27:42.779 --> 00:27:44.420 to our listeners out there, I'll leave you with 00:27:44.420 --> 00:27:46.630 this. Are you going to stick with the status 00:27:46.630 --> 00:27:49.970 quo? Or are you willing to explore how BST could 00:27:49.970 --> 00:27:52.430 fit into your farm's future and contribute to 00:27:52.430 --> 00:27:54.890 a more sustainable dairy industry for all of 00:27:54.890 --> 00:27:58.509 us? It's a question worth pondering. Well, that 00:27:58.509 --> 00:28:01.109 wraps up another deep dive. What a fascinating 00:28:01.109 --> 00:28:04.039 conversation. It really highlights how important 00:28:04.039 --> 00:28:06.859 it is to stay informed and be open to new ideas. 00:28:07.200 --> 00:28:09.759 The dairy industry is constantly evolving and 00:28:09.759 --> 00:28:12.420 we need to evolve with it. 100%. Yeah. And as 00:28:12.420 --> 00:28:14.599 we face these growing pressures from the market, 00:28:14.660 --> 00:28:17.779 from consumers, and from the environment, we 00:28:17.779 --> 00:28:19.559 need to be willing to consider all the options, 00:28:19.680 --> 00:28:22.059 all the tools at our disposal. Absolutely. We 00:28:22.059 --> 00:28:24.619 can't let outdated perceptions or fear of the 00:28:24.619 --> 00:28:27.400 unknown hold us back. Exactly. So as you head 00:28:27.400 --> 00:28:29.359 back out to the barn, take a moment to think 00:28:29.359 --> 00:28:31.680 about what we've talked about today. Think about 00:28:31.680 --> 00:28:34.059 those farmers in Brazil and Israel who are successfully 00:28:34.059 --> 00:28:36.700 using BST to make their operations more sustainable 00:28:36.700 --> 00:28:39.920 and more profitable. And ask yourself, could 00:28:39.920 --> 00:28:42.359 this be part of the solution for my farm, for 00:28:42.359 --> 00:28:44.500 my future, for the future of the dairy industry? 00:28:44.720 --> 00:28:46.920 It's a question worth asking. Whether BST becomes 00:28:46.920 --> 00:28:49.759 dairy's climate hero or remains its misunderstood 00:28:49.759 --> 00:28:53.720 outcast, one truth is clear. Feeding 10 billion 00:28:53.720 --> 00:28:57.720 sustainably demands tough choices. For show notes 00:28:57.720 --> 00:29:00.259 with Mike Peterson's ROI calculator and the full 00:29:00.259 --> 00:29:02.680 Journal of Dairy Science study, visit thebullvine 00:29:02.680 --> 00:29:05.700 .com. This is the Bullvine Podcast, where tradition 00:29:05.700 --> 00:29:08.539 meets tomorrow's tech. Until next time, milk 00:29:08.539 --> 00:29:09.759 smarter, not harder.