WEBVTT 00:00:11.720 --> 00:00:15.060 Breaking free from the chains of the past Where 00:00:15.060 --> 00:00:18.820 truth moves faster than a Holstein calf No law 00:00:18.820 --> 00:00:21.660 waiting on some printed page We're charting new 00:00:21.660 --> 00:00:25.300 ground in the digital age From genomic codes 00:00:25.300 --> 00:00:29.120 to robot facts We cut through the noise, no hold 00:00:29.280 --> 00:00:32.460 them back not your daddy's dairy news tonight 00:00:32.460 --> 00:01:03.289 we're sparking Welcome to the Bullvine Podcast, 00:01:03.829 --> 00:01:06.549 the bold voice challenging conventional wisdom 00:01:06.549 --> 00:01:09.810 in the global dairy industry. I'm your host, 00:01:09.930 --> 00:01:12.390 bringing you cutting -edge insights that connect 00:01:12.390 --> 00:01:15.750 the dots between dairy science, economics, and 00:01:15.750 --> 00:01:19.489 innovation from around the world. At the Bullvine, 00:01:19.650 --> 00:01:22.189 we don't shy away from controversial topics or 00:01:22.189 --> 00:01:25.299 uncomfortable truths. We tackle the issues that 00:01:25.299 --> 00:01:27.200 matter most to progressive dairy professionals 00:01:27.200 --> 00:01:29.599 who demand more than surface -level analysis. 00:01:30.019 --> 00:01:33.180 Whether you're managing a 50 -cow operation or 00:01:33.180 --> 00:01:36.540 a 5 ,000 -head facility, our mission is to arm 00:01:36.540 --> 00:01:39.000 you with evidence -based perspectives that can 00:01:39.000 --> 00:01:42.420 transform your business. Today's episode dives 00:01:42.420 --> 00:01:44.780 deep into research and insights that could reshape 00:01:44.780 --> 00:01:48.120 how you think about your operation. So grab your 00:01:48.120 --> 00:01:51.299 coffee, settle in, and prepare to challenge some 00:01:51.299 --> 00:01:55.340 assumptions. This is the Bullvine Podcast, where 00:01:55.340 --> 00:01:58.480 bold meets practical in the dairy industry. Welcome 00:01:58.480 --> 00:02:01.200 back to the Deep Dive. We're here again, taking 00:02:01.200 --> 00:02:03.859 the info you send our way, articles, research, 00:02:04.019 --> 00:02:07.060 you name it, and really getting into it, unpacking 00:02:07.060 --> 00:02:09.060 what matters. Exactly. Helping you get the key 00:02:09.060 --> 00:02:11.419 takeaways without wading through pages and pages. 00:02:11.639 --> 00:02:14.240 Saves you some time, hopefully. And we really 00:02:14.240 --> 00:02:16.240 appreciate you trusting us with this stuff. We 00:02:16.240 --> 00:02:24.919 do. Everyone listening, I'd imagine. Anyone in 00:02:24.919 --> 00:02:27.680 dairy. Absolutely. So for this deep dive, we 00:02:27.680 --> 00:02:29.560 are tackling something that's, well, it's more 00:02:29.560 --> 00:02:32.500 than just comfort, isn't it? It's a serious threat 00:02:32.500 --> 00:02:36.139 to farm viability. Heat stress, specifically 00:02:36.139 --> 00:02:39.620 heat stress on dairy farms. We've got this really 00:02:39.620 --> 00:02:41.699 insightful article right here on The Bullvine, 00:02:41.780 --> 00:02:44.259 actually. It digs into some pretty new, pretty 00:02:44.259 --> 00:02:46.580 expensive research. And honestly, it paints a 00:02:46.580 --> 00:02:49.389 stark picture. A bit alarming, maybe. Yeah, it 00:02:49.389 --> 00:02:51.469 definitely goes beyond just saying, yeah, heat 00:02:51.469 --> 00:02:53.550 makes cows uncomfortable. This research puts 00:02:53.550 --> 00:02:56.810 some genuinely staggering numbers behind the 00:02:56.810 --> 00:02:59.330 problem. And maybe more importantly, it reveals 00:02:59.330 --> 00:03:02.150 this growing divide within the industry, a gap 00:03:02.150 --> 00:03:05.629 that's potentially devastating, something everyone 00:03:05.629 --> 00:03:08.169 really needs to grasp. Producers, processors, 00:03:08.650 --> 00:03:12.509 everyone. Totally agree. So for you listening, 00:03:12.530 --> 00:03:14.150 maybe you're dealing with a tough summer right 00:03:14.150 --> 00:03:15.770 now or, you know, planning for the ones coming 00:03:15.770 --> 00:03:18.830 up. Our mission here is simple. We're going to 00:03:18.830 --> 00:03:21.789 unpack the key findings from this bullvine article. 00:03:22.050 --> 00:03:24.449 Get right into it. Yeah, we'll get into the science. 00:03:24.490 --> 00:03:27.360 Why is heat such a big deal for dairy cows? Then 00:03:27.360 --> 00:03:29.900 the economics, which are serious and unequal, 00:03:29.979 --> 00:03:32.259 and how it's hitting farms of different sizes 00:03:32.259 --> 00:03:34.340 so differently. It's not just about welfare, 00:03:34.599 --> 00:03:37.180 important as that is. It's about the whole structure, 00:03:37.300 --> 00:03:40.120 the future of dairy farming. And the real strength 00:03:40.120 --> 00:03:42.020 of this research, the stuff cited in the article, 00:03:42.139 --> 00:03:45.740 is the sheer scale of it. It uses this massive 00:03:45.740 --> 00:03:48.979 data set. Huge. Right. It puts numbers to what 00:03:48.979 --> 00:03:52.219 so many producers have seen anecdotally for years. 00:03:52.560 --> 00:03:55.599 But it proves pretty clearly that the pain isn't 00:03:55.599 --> 00:03:58.419 spread evenly. Not at all. Creates real winners 00:03:58.419 --> 00:04:00.460 and losers in this warming climate we're in. 00:04:00.560 --> 00:04:02.319 It really does. And it highlights some things 00:04:02.319 --> 00:04:05.199 that might surprise you, like how early cows 00:04:05.199 --> 00:04:07.680 can start feeling heat stress maybe way before 00:04:07.680 --> 00:04:10.439 you even notice it yourself. Yeah. Or the massive 00:04:10.439 --> 00:04:12.500 differences in heat tolerance between breeds 00:04:12.500 --> 00:04:14.860 that alone can change everything for a farm's 00:04:14.860 --> 00:04:17.560 bottom line. And just the scale of the financial 00:04:17.560 --> 00:04:21.100 hit the industry's already taken. Well, what's 00:04:21.100 --> 00:04:23.120 projected? It's becoming really clear, isn't 00:04:23.120 --> 00:04:25.339 it? Heat stress isn't just some summer annoyance 00:04:25.339 --> 00:04:28.740 anymore. It's a fundamental challenge right to 00:04:28.740 --> 00:04:31.300 the core of dairy production. Okay, then. Let's 00:04:31.300 --> 00:04:33.519 unpack this. So let's jump right in the numbers. 00:04:34.060 --> 00:04:36.779 Because the figures highlighted in this Bullvine 00:04:36.779 --> 00:04:38.980 article coming from that big University of Illinois 00:04:38.980 --> 00:04:42.680 study, they really set the stage. They're staggering. 00:04:42.920 --> 00:04:45.759 No kidding. They point to a cumulative loss, 00:04:45.899 --> 00:04:50.079 get this, of $245 million. Just from heat stress. 00:04:50.300 --> 00:04:53.660 And that's over only five years, 2012 to 2016. 00:04:53.879 --> 00:04:57.639 A quarter of a billion dollars. Just poof. Gone 00:04:57.639 --> 00:05:00.319 from the industry's pocketbook in just five years. 00:05:00.439 --> 00:05:01.800 And you got to understand where this number comes 00:05:01.800 --> 00:05:04.180 from, right? Yeah, the methodology is key. Totally. 00:05:04.500 --> 00:05:06.259 The University of Illinois researchers, they 00:05:06.259 --> 00:05:08.560 didn't just, you know, call up a few farms. They 00:05:08.560 --> 00:05:11.980 analyzed over 56 million individual production 00:05:11.980 --> 00:05:17.129 records. 56 million. Wow. Yeah. from 18 ,000 00:05:17.129 --> 00:05:19.649 different dairy farms across nine states in the 00:05:19.649 --> 00:05:22.290 Midwest. So this isn't just guesswork or like 00:05:22.290 --> 00:05:26.410 anecdotal stuff. It's big data giving us a really 00:05:26.410 --> 00:05:29.490 solid data -driven view of the hit from heat. 00:05:29.629 --> 00:05:32.110 And the physical loss behind that money is... 00:05:32.350 --> 00:05:35.370 Just as, well, mind -boggling. The article translates 00:05:35.370 --> 00:05:39.370 that $245 million into lost milk, about 1 .4 00:05:39.370 --> 00:05:41.250 billion pounds of milk over those five years. 00:05:41.290 --> 00:05:43.589 1 .4 billion pounds. Yeah. And the article uses 00:05:43.589 --> 00:05:45.910 this great analogy to help picture it. That's 00:05:45.910 --> 00:05:49.290 enough milk to fill over 160 million gallon jugs. 00:05:49.290 --> 00:05:50.990 Okay. That's a lot of jugs. Right. And if you 00:05:50.990 --> 00:05:52.889 line them all up end to end, they'd circle the 00:05:52.889 --> 00:05:55.990 earth one and a half times. No. It's just a powerful 00:05:55.990 --> 00:05:58.189 way to visualize the sheer volume of milk, the 00:05:58.189 --> 00:06:00.480 revenue that just... Didn't happen. Didn't make 00:06:00.480 --> 00:06:02.079 it into the tank purely because of heat stress. 00:06:02.339 --> 00:06:05.560 And the science behind why that happens, it's 00:06:05.560 --> 00:06:07.699 pretty direct. Professor Marin Skidmore explains 00:06:07.699 --> 00:06:10.000 it in the article. He points out a high -producing 00:06:10.000 --> 00:06:12.160 Holstein. She's basically a milk factory, right? 00:06:12.240 --> 00:06:15.819 Absolutely. And she generates a ton of metabolic 00:06:15.819 --> 00:06:18.220 body heat doing that. Roughly the equivalent 00:06:18.220 --> 00:06:21.620 of running five standard space heaters. Non -stop. 00:06:21.759 --> 00:06:26.040 Five space heaters inside a cow. Exactly. Now, 00:06:26.100 --> 00:06:29.300 unlike us, cows... They don't really sweat effectively. 00:06:29.540 --> 00:06:32.759 Their main ways to cool down, like panting, just 00:06:32.759 --> 00:06:35.579 become less efficient when the temperature and, 00:06:35.699 --> 00:06:38.100 crucially, the humidity climb. That humidity 00:06:38.100 --> 00:06:40.939 factor is key. It is. So this internal heat builds 00:06:40.939 --> 00:06:43.759 up. And that triggers a whole cascade of negative 00:06:43.759 --> 00:06:45.399 things mentioned in the article. Their breathing 00:06:45.399 --> 00:06:47.720 rate shoots up. Heart rate, too. They get restless. 00:06:48.060 --> 00:06:50.399 And maybe the biggest hit for production, their 00:06:50.399 --> 00:06:52.920 appetite drops. And obviously, if a cow isn't 00:06:52.920 --> 00:06:54.879 eating enough... She can't make milk efficiently. 00:06:55.079 --> 00:06:57.480 Simple as that. Professor Skidmore points out, 00:06:57.500 --> 00:07:00.019 right, that whole physiological response, less 00:07:00.019 --> 00:07:03.000 feed intake, energy just trying to stay cool, 00:07:03.040 --> 00:07:06.120 it directly leads to less milk. It's not just 00:07:06.120 --> 00:07:08.100 about them feeling bad. It's a direct hit on 00:07:08.100 --> 00:07:10.480 the farmer's wallet. Precisely. And the article 00:07:10.480 --> 00:07:12.480 then takes these huge industry numbers and kind 00:07:12.480 --> 00:07:14.759 of zooms in, brings it down to the individual 00:07:14.759 --> 00:07:17.920 farm. And that's where we first see this uneven 00:07:17.920 --> 00:07:20.740 impact. For small farms, and the study defined 00:07:20.740 --> 00:07:23.300 that as under 100 cows, the data showed they 00:07:23.300 --> 00:07:27.069 lost On average, 1 .6 % of their annual yield, 00:07:27.189 --> 00:07:31.230 just from heat. 1 .6%. Now, that might not sound 00:07:31.230 --> 00:07:33.290 like a disaster on the surface, but the article 00:07:33.290 --> 00:07:35.370 makes it really clear what that means in practice, 00:07:35.490 --> 00:07:37.529 especially for a small farm likely running on 00:07:37.529 --> 00:07:39.370 tight margins already. Right, it's not just a 00:07:39.370 --> 00:07:41.810 number. No, it's like operating your entire farm, 00:07:41.910 --> 00:07:44.810 feeding, milking, all the work, but getting zero 00:07:44.810 --> 00:07:47.149 income for almost six whole days out of the year. 00:07:47.269 --> 00:07:49.569 Just because the cows got too hot, that's revenue 00:07:49.569 --> 00:07:52.410 just vanished. Hitting their already thin bottom 00:07:52.410 --> 00:07:55.769 line hard. And that financial pain, that loss. 00:07:56.069 --> 00:07:58.170 Yeah. As this big study shows really clearly, 00:07:58.329 --> 00:08:00.610 it is not being felt the same way across the 00:08:00.610 --> 00:08:03.750 board. Which brings us right into, well, why 00:08:03.750 --> 00:08:05.970 some farms feel the heat so much more than others. 00:08:06.290 --> 00:08:08.050 Okay, so maybe you're starting to feel a bit 00:08:08.050 --> 00:08:10.810 warm as the temperature creeps up, right? But 00:08:10.810 --> 00:08:13.629 the research in this Bullvine article. It suggests 00:08:13.629 --> 00:08:16.089 your cows are probably feeling the heat stress 00:08:16.089 --> 00:08:18.850 way, way sooner than you are. Much sooner, yeah. 00:08:19.009 --> 00:08:20.970 And it's often not just about the number on the 00:08:20.970 --> 00:08:24.449 thermometer, humidity. That plays a massive role, 00:08:24.610 --> 00:08:27.529 which is where this temperature humidity index, 00:08:27.709 --> 00:08:30.930 the THI, comes in. It's the key metric everyone 00:08:30.930 --> 00:08:34.049 uses for cattle. Yeah, the THI is so critical 00:08:34.049 --> 00:08:36.169 because it's not just temperature. It really 00:08:36.169 --> 00:08:38.330 captures the perceived temperature for the cow. 00:08:38.470 --> 00:08:41.509 How much stress is actually on her cooling system? 00:08:41.649 --> 00:08:44.559 It combines the air temp. And the relative humidity. 00:08:44.600 --> 00:08:47.299 And the article says heat stress can start affecting 00:08:47.299 --> 00:08:50.279 cows at temps as low as, what, 19 Celsius? Like 00:08:50.279 --> 00:08:52.759 67 Fahrenheit? Around there. Especially if the 00:08:52.759 --> 00:08:54.940 humidity is up. That's a temperature where, you 00:08:54.940 --> 00:08:56.980 know, we might feel totally fine. Maybe even 00:08:56.980 --> 00:08:59.580 cool. So why does humidity matter so much for 00:08:59.580 --> 00:09:02.539 a cow? It's about how they cool off, right? Exactly. 00:09:02.659 --> 00:09:05.879 Unlike us, we sweat a lot, right? Evaporation 00:09:05.879 --> 00:09:08.889 cools us down. Cows. They don't really sweat 00:09:08.889 --> 00:09:10.570 effectively. They produce a little moisture, 00:09:10.690 --> 00:09:13.529 sure, but it's limited. Their main tools are 00:09:13.529 --> 00:09:16.250 panting, breathing faster, getting rid of heat 00:09:16.250 --> 00:09:18.929 that way. But if the air is already full of moisture, 00:09:19.049 --> 00:09:22.169 high humidity, then the moisture they produce 00:09:22.169 --> 00:09:24.750 or the warm, moist air they breathe out just 00:09:24.750 --> 00:09:27.330 can't evaporate properly. Evaporation is how 00:09:27.330 --> 00:09:30.330 cooling happens physically. So high humidity 00:09:30.330 --> 00:09:33.049 basically shuts down their main cooling system. 00:09:33.340 --> 00:09:36.799 traps the heat inside. Gotcha. Dr. Joseph McFadden 00:09:36.799 --> 00:09:38.740 at Cornell explains that pretty well in the piece. 00:09:38.879 --> 00:09:41.759 He does. He notes that cattle start feeling stress 00:09:41.759 --> 00:09:45.200 way lower than we do because, one, they produce 00:09:45.200 --> 00:09:47.820 so much internal heat just making milk, and two, 00:09:48.080 --> 00:09:49.940 they have this limited ability to get rid of 00:09:49.940 --> 00:09:51.990 it through sweating. So their internal temp starts 00:09:51.990 --> 00:09:55.629 rising. Stress kicks in, often way before a farmer 00:09:55.629 --> 00:09:57.950 even notices obvious signs, like heavy panting. 00:09:57.970 --> 00:10:00.330 It's happening inside first. And here's where 00:10:00.330 --> 00:10:02.269 it gets really, really interesting. Something 00:10:02.269 --> 00:10:04.509 maybe not everyone thinks about enough. This 00:10:04.509 --> 00:10:07.169 Boldvine article digs into the huge differences 00:10:07.169 --> 00:10:11.519 in heat tolerance by breed. Ah, yes. Genetic. 00:10:11.539 --> 00:10:14.039 Yeah, it's genetic. The research shows it makes 00:10:14.039 --> 00:10:16.559 a massive difference. Different breeds just have 00:10:16.559 --> 00:10:19.340 different THI thresholds for when heat stress 00:10:19.340 --> 00:10:22.159 starts messing with their bodies and their milk 00:10:22.159 --> 00:10:24.700 production. And that fundamental genetic difference. 00:10:24.740 --> 00:10:27.720 That's exactly why, like the article says, you 00:10:27.720 --> 00:10:29.840 could have two farms right next door. Same weather, 00:10:29.940 --> 00:10:32.139 same temperature, same humidity, same THI. Right. 00:10:32.279 --> 00:10:35.340 But see totally different impacts on milk production 00:10:35.340 --> 00:10:38.100 in their herds. It could just be the breeds they 00:10:38.100 --> 00:10:40.480 have. The research actually includes a really 00:10:40.480 --> 00:10:42.940 useful table showing these differences. Let's 00:10:42.940 --> 00:10:44.700 look at that table because it's pretty revealing. 00:10:44.799 --> 00:10:47.100 The Holstein Friesian, right? The classic black 00:10:47.100 --> 00:10:49.740 and white dominant breed everywhere. A workhorse. 00:10:49.940 --> 00:10:52.539 Totally. They start feeling significant stress 00:10:52.539 --> 00:10:56.720 at a THI of just 68. 68. That's pretty low. Yeah. 00:10:56.960 --> 00:11:01.210 And the hit to production. At a THI of 80, they 00:11:01.210 --> 00:11:04.049 can typically lose 20 to 30 % of their milk. 00:11:04.110 --> 00:11:06.789 That's a fifth, almost a third of their potential 00:11:06.789 --> 00:11:09.549 milk gone on a hot, humid day. Okay, now compare 00:11:09.549 --> 00:11:12.210 that to, say, the Jersey. Much higher tolerance. 00:11:12.529 --> 00:11:15.169 They don't typically feel stress until the THI 00:11:15.169 --> 00:11:19.179 hits 75. 75 versus 68, that's a big jump. It's 00:11:19.179 --> 00:11:21.659 a huge difference on the THI scale before that 00:11:21.659 --> 00:11:23.679 stress response even starts. And even when it 00:11:23.679 --> 00:11:26.659 does get hot, like THI 80, their production drop 00:11:26.659 --> 00:11:28.840 is generally lower than Holstein's, more like 00:11:28.840 --> 00:11:31.639 10 to 15%. The table also mentions others, like 00:11:31.639 --> 00:11:34.039 the Kiwi Cross, often used in grazing setups. 00:11:34.320 --> 00:11:37.440 They start feeling it around THI 69, lose maybe 00:11:37.440 --> 00:11:40.919 15 -25 % at THI 80. And Brown Swiss are in there 00:11:40.919 --> 00:11:44.860 too. Stress starts around THI 73, with a 12 -18 00:11:44.860 --> 00:11:49.159 % drop at THI 80. So this data, coming from places 00:11:49.159 --> 00:11:51.700 like Darien Zee and studies in the Journal of 00:11:51.700 --> 00:11:54.320 Dairy Science, it makes it crystal clear. Breed 00:11:54.320 --> 00:11:57.179 genetics are a massive factor in heat vulnerability. 00:11:57.659 --> 00:11:59.779 Absolutely. The article spells out, your Holstein 00:11:59.779 --> 00:12:02.620 herd is feeling the pressure at THI 68. That's 00:12:02.620 --> 00:12:04.379 a level where your neighbor's Jersey herd might 00:12:04.379 --> 00:12:06.580 still be cruising along relatively fine. That 00:12:06.580 --> 00:12:08.320 difference alone explains a lot of farm -level 00:12:08.320 --> 00:12:10.889 variation. So, OK, the natural question then 00:12:10.889 --> 00:12:13.870 is, if jerseys or brown Swiss handle heat so 00:12:13.870 --> 00:12:16.409 much better, should farmers facing really bad 00:12:16.409 --> 00:12:18.970 regular heat just switch breeds? Is it that simple? 00:12:19.129 --> 00:12:21.429 Well, according to Dr. Chad Detshow at Penn State, 00:12:21.629 --> 00:12:23.669 who's quoted in the article, it's definitely 00:12:23.669 --> 00:12:26.490 not a simple switch. Not at all. Bigger. He calls 00:12:26.490 --> 00:12:29.269 breed adaptation, you know, thinking about changing 00:12:29.269 --> 00:12:32.649 breeds, a long term strategy that involves complex 00:12:32.649 --> 00:12:35.009 tradeoffs. It's a big decision, takes years. 00:12:35.309 --> 00:12:37.190 Right. And the biggest tradeoff, the one everyone 00:12:37.190 --> 00:12:40.129 thinks of first, is probably volume, right? Which 00:12:40.129 --> 00:12:42.389 Dr. Detchell mentioned. Exactly. Breeds like 00:12:42.389 --> 00:12:44.870 jerseys, brown Swiss, yeah. They've got that 00:12:44.870 --> 00:12:47.450 better heat tolerance we just talked about. But 00:12:47.450 --> 00:12:50.789 the article notes they usually produce less total 00:12:50.789 --> 00:12:53.269 milk volume than a high -producing whole -stain 00:12:53.269 --> 00:12:55.769 herd, even when conditions are good. So if you're 00:12:55.769 --> 00:12:59.120 paid mainly on pounds of milk... Switching could 00:12:59.120 --> 00:13:02.159 mean selling way less milk overall, even if the 00:13:02.159 --> 00:13:04.740 cows are happier in the heat. But, and this is 00:13:04.740 --> 00:13:06.539 a big, but the article adds some really important 00:13:06.539 --> 00:13:09.700 nuance. Jerseys and Brown Swiss, they often have 00:13:09.700 --> 00:13:12.220 higher components, higher fat, higher protein 00:13:12.220 --> 00:13:15.299 percentages. Ah, so quality over quantity, potentially. 00:13:15.580 --> 00:13:18.139 Potentially, and maybe even more important. The 00:13:18.139 --> 00:13:20.240 research cited suggests they actually show better 00:13:20.240 --> 00:13:22.340 feed efficiency, specifically under heat stress, 00:13:22.539 --> 00:13:25.059 compared to Holsteins. Okay, that's interesting. 00:13:25.279 --> 00:13:28.039 Yeah, so it's not just about sheer fluid volume. 00:13:28.379 --> 00:13:31.019 It's about what that milk is worth component 00:13:31.019 --> 00:13:33.460 -wise, especially if your co -op pays that way, 00:13:33.559 --> 00:13:37.139 and how well the cow turns feed into product 00:13:37.139 --> 00:13:40.039 when she's stressed. A Jersey might give less, 00:13:40.159 --> 00:13:42.960 but the milk might be worth more per hundredweight, 00:13:43.100 --> 00:13:45.419 and she might keep converting feed better when 00:13:45.419 --> 00:13:47.659 it's hot. The article also talks about a kind 00:13:47.659 --> 00:13:50.159 of middle ground. cross -breeding. Right, the 00:13:50.159 --> 00:13:52.840 hybrid approach. Yeah. It mentions this big University 00:13:52.840 --> 00:13:55.379 of Florida study found that if you strategically 00:13:55.379 --> 00:13:58.360 cross Holsteins with Jersey or Brown -Swiss genetics, 00:13:58.759 --> 00:14:01.299 the offspring can get some of that better heat 00:14:01.299 --> 00:14:03.320 tolerance. From the Jersey or Brown -Swiss side. 00:14:03.500 --> 00:14:06.240 Exactly. While still keeping around 90 % of the 00:14:06.240 --> 00:14:09.159 Holsteins' high milk production capability. That 00:14:09.159 --> 00:14:11.259 makes sense. You get that heterosis, right? Hybrid 00:14:11.259 --> 00:14:14.080 vigor. The cross -breds are often just more robust, 00:14:14.340 --> 00:14:17.200 handle stress better than either purebred parent. 00:14:17.419 --> 00:14:19.669 And Dr. Leslie Brown Berringer adds another really 00:14:19.669 --> 00:14:22.210 critical point in the article about crossbreeds. 00:14:22.250 --> 00:14:25.509 Oh yeah, fertility. Yes. She says crossbreeds 00:14:25.509 --> 00:14:27.730 often show better fertility, specifically during 00:14:27.730 --> 00:14:30.350 hot weather, and that is huge. Because heat stress 00:14:30.350 --> 00:14:33.909 often tanks reproduction, missed heats, low conception, 00:14:34.309 --> 00:14:37.129 losing pregnancies early, way before you even 00:14:37.129 --> 00:14:39.690 see a drop in the milk tank readings. Good point. 00:14:39.830 --> 00:14:42.370 By the time the milk drops, the repro damage 00:14:42.370 --> 00:14:45.889 might be done. So better fertility in crossbreeds 00:14:45.889 --> 00:14:48.730 under heat. That means getting cows bred back 00:14:48.730 --> 00:14:51.590 more reliably, which is critical for cash flow. 00:14:51.809 --> 00:14:54.210 So the article really wraps it up well, deciding 00:14:54.210 --> 00:14:57.789 on breeds or crossbreeding. It's complex. Depends 00:14:57.789 --> 00:15:00.269 entirely on your farm, your goals, how you get 00:15:00.269 --> 00:15:02.669 paid volume or components, and what challenges 00:15:02.669 --> 00:15:04.669 you already face, especially with getting cows 00:15:04.669 --> 00:15:07.210 bred in the summer. It's definitely a long -term 00:15:07.210 --> 00:15:09.490 strategic thing. No easy answer fits everyone. 00:15:09.590 --> 00:15:12.399 But understanding these breed differences. absolutely 00:15:12.399 --> 00:15:14.659 essential for knowing your farm's baseline vulnerability 00:15:14.659 --> 00:15:16.620 to heat. And that difference in vulnerability 00:15:16.620 --> 00:15:19.740 combined with other factors. Well, it leads us 00:15:19.740 --> 00:15:21.700 to maybe the most troubling finding in this whole 00:15:21.700 --> 00:15:23.720 bullvine article. Yeah, this is where it gets 00:15:23.720 --> 00:15:26.629 really stark. It is. This is where the research 00:15:26.629 --> 00:15:30.090 shifts from just counting losses to talking about 00:15:30.090 --> 00:15:32.610 the potential like structural changes to the 00:15:32.610 --> 00:15:35.210 whole dairy landscape. And the article pulls 00:15:35.210 --> 00:15:38.129 no punches. It uses some really strong language 00:15:38.129 --> 00:15:41.129 talking about how this unequal heat stress impact 00:15:41.129 --> 00:15:43.730 could lead to a climate driven extinction event 00:15:43.730 --> 00:15:46.750 for small dairy farms. Extinction event. That's 00:15:46.750 --> 00:15:49.299 wow. But unfortunately, the numbers from that 00:15:49.299 --> 00:15:51.360 University of Illinois study, they seem to back 00:15:51.360 --> 00:15:53.860 up that level of concern. They really do. The 00:15:53.860 --> 00:15:56.340 research is clear. Heat stress is not hitting 00:15:56.340 --> 00:15:59.139 all farms the same way across the Midwest. Those 00:15:59.139 --> 00:16:01.740 small farms, the ones under 100 cows in the study. 00:16:02.509 --> 00:16:05.590 Their production losses averaged 1 .6 % annually 00:16:05.590 --> 00:16:07.590 from heat. Which, remember, was significantly 00:16:07.590 --> 00:16:10.149 higher than the overall industry average loss 00:16:10.149 --> 00:16:12.850 in the same study, which was 1%. Right. So let's 00:16:12.850 --> 00:16:15.210 really break down what that gap means. Small 00:16:15.210 --> 00:16:17.590 farms, collectively, they produce less than 20 00:16:17.590 --> 00:16:20.330 % of the total milk in that huge data set, right? 00:16:20.409 --> 00:16:22.389 Less than a fifth of the volume. But they carry 00:16:22.389 --> 00:16:24.750 a much bigger piece of the financial damage from 00:16:24.750 --> 00:16:27.049 heat. The article says they account for a full 00:16:27.049 --> 00:16:31.850 27 % of that total $245 million loss. Okay, wait. 00:16:31.970 --> 00:16:34.429 So they produce less than 20 % of the milk, but 00:16:34.429 --> 00:16:37.669 absorb over 27 % of the heat losses. Exactly. 00:16:37.870 --> 00:16:40.429 They lose more milk per cow than the bigger farms. 00:16:40.610 --> 00:16:43.169 And when you add up those higher individual losses 00:16:43.169 --> 00:16:46.070 across all the small farms in the study, it accounts 00:16:46.070 --> 00:16:48.690 for over a quarter of the entire region's financial 00:16:48.690 --> 00:16:51.470 hit from heat, even though they're smaller individually. 00:16:51.870 --> 00:16:54.149 And the article explains why that happens. It 00:16:54.149 --> 00:16:56.370 often boils down to infrastructure resources. 00:16:56.850 --> 00:17:01.029 Yeah. Dr. Jennifer Van Oss from UW -Madison points 00:17:01.029 --> 00:17:03.370 out that a lot of small dairies operate in older 00:17:03.370 --> 00:17:07.130 facilities. Barns built decades ago, not designed 00:17:07.130 --> 00:17:09.289 with modern cooling in mind, maybe no cooling 00:17:09.289 --> 00:17:11.349 at all. Right. Built for a different climate, 00:17:11.470 --> 00:17:13.569 essentially. Pretty much. And she calls it a 00:17:13.569 --> 00:17:15.869 compounding problem, like a negative feedback 00:17:15.869 --> 00:17:19.430 loop. How so? Well, their cows suffer more because 00:17:19.430 --> 00:17:21.829 there's no cooling. Production drops further 00:17:21.829 --> 00:17:24.309 because they're suffering. And crucially, these 00:17:24.309 --> 00:17:26.630 farms often have the fewest financial resources 00:17:26.630 --> 00:17:29.410 to actually buy the cooling systems or make the 00:17:29.410 --> 00:17:31.630 upgrades that could break that cycle. It's a 00:17:31.630 --> 00:17:34.269 vicious cycle then. Suffer more, produce less, 00:17:34.430 --> 00:17:36.750 have less money to fix it, so you suffer more 00:17:36.750 --> 00:17:39.130 next time. Exactly. The article quotes sources 00:17:39.130 --> 00:17:41.650 pretty bluntly, saying, what we're seeing is 00:17:41.650 --> 00:17:43.890 nothing short of a climate -driven extinction 00:17:43.890 --> 00:17:46.970 event for these smaller operations. It argues 00:17:46.970 --> 00:17:49.750 that while bigger farms, maybe with better margins, 00:17:49.769 --> 00:17:52.410 more capital access, they might be able to swallow 00:17:52.410 --> 00:17:56.349 a 1 % annual loss. It hurts, sure, but they can 00:17:56.349 --> 00:17:58.710 maybe manage it. But the small guys? The small 00:17:58.710 --> 00:18:01.289 guys, operating on what the article calls razor 00:18:01.289 --> 00:18:04.829 -thin margins, they just can't sustain a 1 .6 00:18:04.829 --> 00:18:07.849 % hit to their income year after year. The article 00:18:07.849 --> 00:18:10.529 implies pretty strongly that without help or 00:18:10.529 --> 00:18:13.009 big changes, many will just have to close the 00:18:13.009 --> 00:18:15.109 doors, become another statistic. Which leads 00:18:15.109 --> 00:18:17.410 right into the biggest reason for that gap in 00:18:17.410 --> 00:18:19.869 impact that the article points to. Access to 00:18:19.869 --> 00:18:22.640 capital. Money. Right. It's not really a secret 00:18:22.640 --> 00:18:24.900 why bigger farms, often corporate structures, 00:18:25.059 --> 00:18:27.200 seem less panicked about the heat's economic 00:18:27.200 --> 00:18:29.619 hit. The article lays it out. Large operations 00:18:29.619 --> 00:18:32.000 just have access to way more capital. I can borrow 00:18:32.000 --> 00:18:34.440 more, invest more. Exactly. Which lets them spend 00:18:34.440 --> 00:18:37.579 millions, literally millions on fancy cooling 00:18:37.579 --> 00:18:40.180 tech and infrastructure that many small family 00:18:40.180 --> 00:18:42.339 farms just can't even dream of affording, even 00:18:42.339 --> 00:18:44.319 if they know they need it. You see it in the 00:18:44.319 --> 00:18:46.500 examples the article gives for big farms, right? 00:18:46.640 --> 00:18:49.240 State of the art tunnel. ventilation systems, 00:18:49.400 --> 00:18:52.200 moving huge amounts of air, extensive sprinkler 00:18:52.200 --> 00:18:54.900 networks, fans everywhere, over free stalls, 00:18:55.140 --> 00:18:57.940 holding areas. They even mentioned trying strategic 00:18:57.940 --> 00:19:01.140 calving schedules, shifting peak lactation away 00:19:01.140 --> 00:19:02.980 from summer, though Professor Skidmore notes 00:19:02.980 --> 00:19:05.319 that's tricky and has other risks. But the point 00:19:05.319 --> 00:19:09.039 is, these are massive investments, millions of 00:19:09.039 --> 00:19:11.940 dollars. and they do dramatically improve cow 00:19:11.940 --> 00:19:14.619 comfort and cut production losses. Now contrast 00:19:14.619 --> 00:19:17.599 that with your typical small family farm, often 00:19:17.599 --> 00:19:19.660 working in barns that are decades old, maybe 00:19:19.660 --> 00:19:22.180 passed down, trying to fight hotter temperatures 00:19:22.180 --> 00:19:24.160 with whatever they can scrape together. A few 00:19:24.160 --> 00:19:26.039 fans here, maybe opening up the sides? Yeah. 00:19:26.410 --> 00:19:28.829 Basic stuff helps a bit, sure. Open barn sides, 00:19:29.009 --> 00:19:31.289 a few portable fans, maybe raking up a garden 00:19:31.289 --> 00:19:34.230 hose sprinkler. But putting in the kind of comprehensive 00:19:34.230 --> 00:19:37.349 barn -wide cooling systems that really make a 00:19:37.349 --> 00:19:39.529 difference in a heat wave, that takes serious 00:19:39.529 --> 00:19:42.430 upfront cash. Money that, frankly, most small 00:19:42.430 --> 00:19:44.549 farms just don't have lying around. And the article 00:19:44.549 --> 00:19:47.349 makes a good point. Regardless of, you know, 00:19:47.349 --> 00:19:50.150 the bigger debates about climate change, small 00:19:50.150 --> 00:19:53.210 farmers are living the reality right now on their 00:19:53.210 --> 00:19:56.319 farms. Every hot summer. Which leads to that 00:19:56.319 --> 00:19:58.539 really pointed question the article throws out 00:19:58.539 --> 00:20:01.180 there, aimed maybe at consumers, policymakers, 00:20:01.640 --> 00:20:04.440 the whole industry. Is the cheap milk in your 00:20:04.440 --> 00:20:06.900 refrigerator worth the cost of losing America's 00:20:06.900 --> 00:20:10.779 small dairy farms? It highlights that these economic 00:20:10.779 --> 00:20:13.140 pressures, the need for climate adaptation, they're 00:20:13.140 --> 00:20:15.160 directly impacting the traditional structure 00:20:15.160 --> 00:20:18.279 of dairy, potentially wiping out smaller players. 00:20:18.660 --> 00:20:21.789 It's a heavy thought. But the good news, thankfully, 00:20:21.970 --> 00:20:24.130 is the article doesn't just leave it there, all 00:20:24.130 --> 00:20:26.789 doom and gloom. No, it shifts. It emphasizes 00:20:26.789 --> 00:20:29.230 that not all effective cooling solutions need 00:20:29.230 --> 00:20:31.730 a massive corporate budget. Right. Extension 00:20:31.730 --> 00:20:34.130 folks, like those at Penn State quoted in the 00:20:34.130 --> 00:20:36.029 article, they point out there are affordable 00:20:36.029 --> 00:20:38.589 options, things specifically suited for smaller 00:20:38.589 --> 00:20:41.049 operations on tighter budgets. Dr. Cassandra 00:20:41.049 --> 00:20:43.470 Tucker at UC Davis is quoted talking about shade. 00:20:43.809 --> 00:20:47.769 Just shade. Simple but effective. Yeah. She says 00:20:47.769 --> 00:20:50.190 even just strategically placed shade can cut 00:20:50.190 --> 00:20:53.849 the heat load on cows by up to 50%. 50. And that 00:20:53.849 --> 00:20:56.970 alone can lower a cow's core temp by 1 to 2 degrees 00:20:56.970 --> 00:21:00.049 Celsius. Simple shade plough, well -placed trees. 00:21:00.509 --> 00:21:02.769 It makes a real difference, especially for cows 00:21:02.769 --> 00:21:05.470 on pasture or waiting and holding areas. And 00:21:05.470 --> 00:21:07.230 the article gives us a really useful breakdown 00:21:07.230 --> 00:21:09.650 of options, right? Based on cost, effectiveness, 00:21:09.809 --> 00:21:12.710 and even potential return per cow, citing research 00:21:12.710 --> 00:21:14.980 from places like Florida and Cornell. Let's look 00:21:14.980 --> 00:21:16.680 at the lower cost ones first, because those are 00:21:16.680 --> 00:21:19.319 key for smaller farms. Strategic shade, like 00:21:19.319 --> 00:21:21.960 cloth or simple structures, estimated at just 00:21:21.960 --> 00:21:25.299 $1 to $3 per square foot for materials. Offers 00:21:25.299 --> 00:21:28.240 that big drop in solar heat load. And the estimated 00:21:28.240 --> 00:21:32.460 annual return per cow, $56 to $112. Oh, you've 00:21:32.460 --> 00:21:35.539 got portable fans? Maybe $300 to $1 ,200 each, 00:21:35.640 --> 00:21:37.480 depends on the fan. Put them in the right spots, 00:21:37.539 --> 00:21:39.240 holding areas over feed bunks. They can knock 00:21:39.240 --> 00:21:40.920 the THI down three or four points right there. 00:21:41.160 --> 00:21:45.220 Estimated annual return, $84 to $168 per cow. 00:21:45.380 --> 00:21:47.660 And simple, low -pressure sprinkler systems. 00:21:47.920 --> 00:21:50.660 Maybe $1 ,000 to $5 ,000 total, depending on 00:21:50.660 --> 00:21:52.759 the size needed. You combine those with fans, 00:21:53.000 --> 00:21:55.240 get that evaporative cooling going right on the 00:21:55.240 --> 00:21:58.789 cow's hide. Can drop body temp. by about 1 .5 00:21:58.789 --> 00:22:03.369 degrees Celsius and the return $112 to $224 per 00:22:03.369 --> 00:22:06.539 cow annually. Now, the article does mention the 00:22:06.539 --> 00:22:09.519 pricier options, too, for comparison. High -pressure 00:22:09.519 --> 00:22:11.859 misting systems, maybe $5 ,000 to $15 ,000 or 00:22:11.859 --> 00:22:14.180 more. Very effective, higher estimated return, 00:22:14.400 --> 00:22:18.119 $168, $336 per cow. But, you know, more complex, 00:22:18.240 --> 00:22:20.660 more cost, more maintenance, too. Those nozzles 00:22:20.660 --> 00:22:23.500 can clog. But the really critical takeaway here 00:22:23.500 --> 00:22:25.779 is that even those lower -cost options, shade, 00:22:25.900 --> 00:22:29.019 fans, basic sprinklers, they provide real, documented 00:22:29.019 --> 00:22:31.099 returns on investment. Multiple universities 00:22:31.099 --> 00:22:32.779 have shown it. Doing something, even if it's 00:22:32.779 --> 00:22:34.240 not a capital -like system, makes a measurable 00:22:34.240 --> 00:22:35.509 financial difference. difference. And here's 00:22:35.509 --> 00:22:38.130 the rub. Even with those proven returns, those 00:22:38.130 --> 00:22:40.589 solutions, even the cheaper ones, we circle back 00:22:40.589 --> 00:22:42.990 to that tough economic reality for small farms. 00:22:43.049 --> 00:22:45.829 Yeah, the upfront cost. Exactly. $100 or $200 00:22:45.829 --> 00:22:49.440 per cow return sounds great long term. But finding 00:22:49.440 --> 00:22:53.039 that initial, say, $5 ,000 for a basic sprinkler 00:22:53.039 --> 00:22:56.140 system, that can still be a huge hurdle if cash 00:22:56.140 --> 00:22:59.680 flow is tight. Absolutely. And the USDA ERS data 00:22:59.680 --> 00:23:01.720 in the article, it paints that picture really 00:23:01.720 --> 00:23:05.140 clearly. Small dairies under 100 cows, they run 00:23:05.140 --> 00:23:08.039 on incredibly thin net margins. The data shows 00:23:08.039 --> 00:23:13.180 average margins of just $60 to $175 per cow per 00:23:13.180 --> 00:23:16.819 year. $60 to $175 profit per cow for the whole 00:23:16.819 --> 00:23:19.170 year. Yeah. Now compare that to the big guys, 00:23:19.269 --> 00:23:23.869 over 1 ,000 cows. Their margins, $275 to $425 00:23:23.869 --> 00:23:28.349 per cow per year. Wow. That's hundreds of dollars 00:23:28.349 --> 00:23:30.569 difference per cow. Huge difference in financial 00:23:30.569 --> 00:23:32.150 cushion, right? Which leads to what the article 00:23:32.150 --> 00:23:34.470 called that cruel paradox. Right. The farm is 00:23:34.470 --> 00:23:36.490 most vulnerable to heat stress, the ones feeling 00:23:36.490 --> 00:23:38.509 the pain the worst when production drops. They're 00:23:38.509 --> 00:23:40.130 also the ones with the least money, the lowest 00:23:40.130 --> 00:23:42.309 margins, the tightest cash flow. They have the 00:23:42.309 --> 00:23:44.109 hardest time affording the very solutions that 00:23:44.109 --> 00:23:45.630 could help them survive and make more money. 00:23:45.880 --> 00:23:48.119 Dr. Mark Stevenson from Wisconsin illustrates 00:23:48.119 --> 00:23:50.460 it perfectly in the article, that $5 ,000 basic 00:23:50.460 --> 00:23:52.920 cooling system we talked about. For a small 50 00:23:52.920 --> 00:23:56.660 cow, Gary, making maybe $125 profit per cow, 00:23:56.819 --> 00:23:59.640 that $5 ,000 investment is almost their entire 00:23:59.640 --> 00:24:03.200 profit for the year. 125 by 50 cows equals $6 00:24:03.200 --> 00:24:07.480 ,250 annual profit. Wow. Basically wipes out 00:24:07.480 --> 00:24:09.980 their whole year's game. Right. But that same 00:24:09.980 --> 00:24:13.099 $5 ,000 system on a big 5 ,000 cow operation. 00:24:13.819 --> 00:24:15.619 based on their higher margins it's less than 00:24:15.619 --> 00:24:18.019 a week's profit for them okay yeah that puts 00:24:18.019 --> 00:24:20.059 it in stark release so for that small farmer 00:24:20.059 --> 00:24:22.240 deciding to spend five thousand dollars on cooling 00:24:22.240 --> 00:24:24.460 it's not just you know another line item in the 00:24:24.460 --> 00:24:27.099 budget dr stevenson calls it an existential decision 00:24:27.099 --> 00:24:29.299 it might mean taking on debt spending almost 00:24:29.299 --> 00:24:32.039 all their scarce annual income just to get started 00:24:32.039 --> 00:24:34.599 it's a risk many just can't afford to take and 00:24:34.599 --> 00:24:36.819 that is precisely why access to financial help 00:24:36.819 --> 00:24:38.960 to assistance programs is so absolutely critical 00:24:38.960 --> 00:24:42.000 to bridge that capital gap for small farms The 00:24:42.000 --> 00:24:44.279 Argo highlights a couple of key ways. Like EQIP. 00:24:44.619 --> 00:24:47.519 Exactly. The USDA's Environmental Quality Incentives 00:24:47.519 --> 00:24:50.599 Program. EQIP. That's a big one. It provides 00:24:50.599 --> 00:24:52.759 cost sharing for on -farm improvements, including 00:24:52.759 --> 00:24:54.279 cooling systems, if they're part of approved 00:24:54.279 --> 00:24:56.730 conservation practices. And Paul Wolf from the 00:24:56.730 --> 00:24:59.009 National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition is 00:24:59.009 --> 00:25:02.130 quoted specifically saying EQIP can cover up 00:25:02.130 --> 00:25:06.089 to 75 percent of the costs, 75 percent, for qualified 00:25:06.089 --> 00:25:08.309 cooling upgrades that also offer environmental 00:25:08.309 --> 00:25:11.150 benefits like saving energy or improving air 00:25:11.150 --> 00:25:14.390 quality. That 75 percent cost share changes the 00:25:14.390 --> 00:25:16.789 whole equation, doesn't it? Turns that maybe 00:25:16.789 --> 00:25:20.170 impossible $5 ,000 investment into a much more 00:25:20.170 --> 00:25:23.230 doable $1 ,250 out of pocket for the farmer. 00:25:23.529 --> 00:25:25.890 Huge difference. The article also mentions some 00:25:25.890 --> 00:25:28.210 dairy co -ops are stepping up too. Yeah, recognizing 00:25:28.210 --> 00:25:30.930 the gap. Some have started group purchasing programs, 00:25:31.269 --> 00:25:33.390 letting their smaller members buy cooling gear 00:25:33.390 --> 00:25:35.990 fans, sprinklers at lower costs because the co 00:25:35.990 --> 00:25:38.750 -op buys in bulk. Makes it more accessible. And 00:25:38.750 --> 00:25:40.910 even with that tough upfront cost, the article 00:25:40.910 --> 00:25:43.589 keeps coming back to that powerful ROI, the return 00:25:43.589 --> 00:25:45.609 on investment. Because the research backs it 00:25:45.609 --> 00:25:48.180 up. Yeah. Quoting Dr. Albert DeVries at Florida 00:25:48.180 --> 00:25:50.440 again, the return on investment for even basic 00:25:50.440 --> 00:25:53.019 cooling should not be underestimated. His research 00:25:53.019 --> 00:25:55.059 shows, pretty consistently, for every dollar 00:25:55.059 --> 00:25:57.180 a small farm spends on effective heat relief, 00:25:57.380 --> 00:26:01.220 they can expect $2 .50 to $5 back. $2 .50 to 00:26:01.220 --> 00:26:04.559 $5 back for every dollar spent. That's a great 00:26:04.559 --> 00:26:07.369 investment. It is. And crucially... The returns 00:26:07.369 --> 00:26:09.630 aren't just from keeping milk production up during 00:26:09.630 --> 00:26:12.210 hot spells. It's also from better cow health, 00:26:12.309 --> 00:26:15.029 fewer heat -related sicknesses, better reproduction, 00:26:15.150 --> 00:26:17.869 getting cows bred back faster, keeping body condition 00:26:17.869 --> 00:26:20.430 on them. It pays off in multiple ways and potentially 00:26:20.430 --> 00:26:22.809 pretty quickly if they can get over that initial 00:26:22.809 --> 00:26:25.710 capital hurdle with things like EQIP or co -op 00:26:25.710 --> 00:26:28.730 help. The article gives us a fantastic real -world 00:26:28.730 --> 00:26:30.849 example of all this coming together, a boots 00:26:30.849 --> 00:26:33.230 -on -the -ground story. Yeah, the story of John 00:26:33.230 --> 00:26:37.099 Warning. Farmer in Iowa, 65, cow dairy. His story 00:26:37.099 --> 00:26:40.339 is just incredibly powerful and probably very 00:26:40.339 --> 00:26:43.000 relatable for a lot of folks listening. Back 00:26:43.000 --> 00:26:46.299 in 2022, really brutal summer heat. He was losing 00:26:46.299 --> 00:26:49.859 almost 20 % of his milk production. 20%. He describes 00:26:49.859 --> 00:26:52.359 it vividly, quoted in the article, I was watching 00:26:52.359 --> 00:26:55.039 my livelihood evaporate in real time. Milk prices 00:26:55.039 --> 00:26:58.119 were tight, barely covering feed. He knew, straight 00:26:58.119 --> 00:27:01.220 up, another summer like that he'd be done. Foreclosure. 00:27:01.799 --> 00:27:04.480 Another farm auction statistic, as he put it. 00:27:04.539 --> 00:27:06.420 So facing that, what'd he do? Did he just throw 00:27:06.420 --> 00:27:09.240 in the towel? No way. The article details his 00:27:09.240 --> 00:27:12.599 plan. He got proactive, didn't give up. First 00:27:12.599 --> 00:27:15.660 crucial step. Reached out, worked closely with 00:27:15.660 --> 00:27:18.160 his local extension agent. Smart move. Use those 00:27:18.160 --> 00:27:20.920 resources. Definitely. And based on their advice, 00:27:21.059 --> 00:27:23.420 he put together this staged approach to cooling, 00:27:23.579 --> 00:27:26.440 designed specifically for his tight budget, focused 00:27:26.440 --> 00:27:29.240 on the biggest bang for the buck first. So not 00:27:29.240 --> 00:27:32.029 a whole barn overhaul right away. Nope. targeted 00:27:32.029 --> 00:27:35.170 affordable steps. The article lists them. Portable 00:27:35.170 --> 00:27:37.690 fans strategically placed in holding areas, $1 00:27:37.690 --> 00:27:41.470 ,800. Added shade cloth extensions over key pasture 00:27:41.470 --> 00:27:45.609 spots and feed bunks. $2 ,400. And put in a simple 00:27:45.609 --> 00:27:47.990 low -pressure sprinkler system just for the barnyard 00:27:47.990 --> 00:27:50.369 holding area combined with the fans, $3 ,200. 00:27:50.670 --> 00:27:52.589 Okay, so what's the total for those first steps? 00:27:52.829 --> 00:27:55.269 Comes out to $7 ,400, which, you know, still 00:27:55.269 --> 00:27:58.009 isn't pocket change for a 65 -cow dairy. Right. 00:27:58.130 --> 00:28:00.009 And here's where the assistance part is key, 00:28:00.069 --> 00:28:02.029 showing the power of these programs. John got 00:28:02.029 --> 00:28:04.650 about $4 ,800 in cost -sharing funds through 00:28:04.650 --> 00:28:07.509 EQIP. Ah, so EQIP covered more than half. Yeah. 00:28:08.120 --> 00:28:10.980 As he says in the article, the EQIP help made 00:28:10.980 --> 00:28:13.220 the investment possible. Without that grant, 00:28:13.359 --> 00:28:15.920 that $7 ,400 might have just been too much to 00:28:15.920 --> 00:28:18.559 swing on his margins. Okay, so he gets the systems 00:28:18.559 --> 00:28:21.599 in. What happened? What were the results? Dramatic, 00:28:21.700 --> 00:28:25.619 transformative. The very first summer after putting 00:28:25.619 --> 00:28:28.960 that stuff in, his summer production losses plummeted 00:28:28.960 --> 00:28:32.559 from that catastrophic 20 % down to just 7%. 00:28:32.559 --> 00:28:36.990 Wow. From 20 down to 7. That's huge. Huge. The 00:28:36.990 --> 00:28:39.029 article estimates that difference translated 00:28:39.029 --> 00:28:42.390 to roughly $22 ,000 in extra milk revenue for 00:28:42.390 --> 00:28:44.130 him that summer compared to the year before. 00:28:44.390 --> 00:28:48.670 $22 ,000 on a $7 ,400 investment minus the EQIP 00:28:48.670 --> 00:28:51.089 share. Right. He's quoted making this really 00:28:51.089 --> 00:28:53.589 powerful statement about the ROI. He says the 00:28:53.589 --> 00:28:55.369 systems he installed have paid for themselves 00:28:55.369 --> 00:28:57.730 twice in a single season, just from the recovered 00:28:57.730 --> 00:28:59.930 milk, not even counting maybe Better Health or 00:28:59.930 --> 00:29:02.109 Repro down the line. Incredible. But maybe the 00:29:02.109 --> 00:29:03.650 most telling quote from him in the whole piece, 00:29:03.730 --> 00:29:05.769 the one that sums up the stakes. Without these 00:29:05.769 --> 00:29:08.049 changes aided by EQIP, I'd have been another 00:29:08.049 --> 00:29:11.269 farm auction statistic by now. Chills. That story. 00:29:11.609 --> 00:29:14.049 Right. It's not just an anecdote, right? It perfectly 00:29:14.049 --> 00:29:17.089 illustrates the research findings on ROI. And 00:29:17.089 --> 00:29:20.500 it shows the absolutely critical difference that 00:29:20.500 --> 00:29:23.519 accessible funding like EQIP can make. It literally 00:29:23.519 --> 00:29:26.400 turned a farm -facing collapse into one that's 00:29:26.400 --> 00:29:29.319 surviving, more resilient, maybe even more profitable, 00:29:29.480 --> 00:29:31.539 despite the heat challenges. But it's not just 00:29:31.539 --> 00:29:34.440 about individual farms and these inspiring success 00:29:34.440 --> 00:29:36.759 stories, important as they are. Right. The article 00:29:36.759 --> 00:29:38.900 looks bigger picture, too. Yeah. The Bullvine 00:29:38.900 --> 00:29:41.160 article makes it clear. If the current climate 00:29:41.160 --> 00:29:43.799 trends keep going the way they are, that summer 00:29:43.799 --> 00:29:46.240 production slump across the whole industry, it's 00:29:46.240 --> 00:29:48.359 only going to get worse. This isn't a problem 00:29:48.359 --> 00:29:51.400 you solve once and forget. It's growing, accelerating. 00:29:51.960 --> 00:29:54.460 And the research kind of explains why that acceleration 00:29:54.460 --> 00:29:57.160 is likely. Right now, most of the total milk 00:29:57.160 --> 00:29:59.359 loss happens on what they call low and moderate 00:29:59.359 --> 00:30:02.099 heat stress days. You know, days where the THI 00:30:02.099 --> 00:30:04.279 is up, but not necessarily off the charts extreme. 00:30:05.039 --> 00:30:06.880 But there are lots of those days. However, the 00:30:06.880 --> 00:30:09.660 article points out there's really extreme heat 00:30:09.660 --> 00:30:12.880 days, super high THI. They cause more than double 00:30:12.880 --> 00:30:15.000 the milk loss per cow compared to the moderate 00:30:15.000 --> 00:30:17.819 days. More than double the loss per cow on extreme 00:30:17.819 --> 00:30:20.880 days. Right. So as climate change is expected 00:30:20.880 --> 00:30:23.279 to make those extreme events more frequent, more 00:30:23.279 --> 00:30:26.119 intense, those per cow losses are going to shoot 00:30:26.119 --> 00:30:28.480 up dramatically. leading to much bigger overall 00:30:28.480 --> 00:30:30.680 losses for the industry. The article sets some 00:30:30.680 --> 00:30:32.980 regional data, too, from NCBI research published 00:30:32.980 --> 00:30:36.480 in 2022, shows the impact is already pretty big, 00:30:36.700 --> 00:30:39.299 widespread across the U .S. northern and central 00:30:39.299 --> 00:30:43.240 regions. Saw about a 7 .12 % total drop in summer 00:30:43.240 --> 00:30:46.079 milk production. Southern regions, understandably 00:30:46.079 --> 00:30:50.000 a bit higher, around 7 .94 % drop. But check 00:30:50.000 --> 00:30:53.400 out August specifically. The article really highlights 00:30:53.400 --> 00:30:56.500 August dairy farms down south losing over 10 00:30:56.500 --> 00:30:58.539 percent of their potential milk production in 00:30:58.539 --> 00:31:01.259 August alone because of heat stress. Ten percent 00:31:01.259 --> 00:31:04.700 in one month. Yeah. That's a massive direct hit 00:31:04.700 --> 00:31:07.339 to the bottom line in a key month. And like the 00:31:07.339 --> 00:31:09.380 article keeps saying, small farms on those razor 00:31:09.380 --> 00:31:11.299 thin margins, they just can't keep absorbing 00:31:11.299 --> 00:31:13.200 that kind of hit year after year. It's just not 00:31:13.200 --> 00:31:15.839 sustainable financially. Dr. Jeffrey Dahl, another 00:31:15.839 --> 00:31:17.680 leading heat stress researcher from Florida, 00:31:17.779 --> 00:31:20.299 he's quoted warning that heat stress, it's basically 00:31:20.299 --> 00:31:22.200 become a year -round management concern now. 00:31:22.319 --> 00:31:25.220 Not just summer anymore. Not just July and August. 00:31:25.359 --> 00:31:28.079 He says even for farms up north, the way these 00:31:28.079 --> 00:31:30.380 critical heat events are becoming more frequent, 00:31:30.500 --> 00:31:33.299 more intense, and maybe happening outside the 00:31:33.299 --> 00:31:35.819 traditional summer window. Producers need to 00:31:35.819 --> 00:31:38.140 be ready for heat stress potentially from late 00:31:38.140 --> 00:31:41.869 spring clear through early fall now. this bigger 00:31:41.869 --> 00:31:44.450 system -wide challenge. It brings us to that 00:31:44.450 --> 00:31:46.509 maybe uncomfortable question the article raises 00:31:46.509 --> 00:31:49.309 about the dairy industry's structure itself. 00:31:49.650 --> 00:31:52.269 Yeah, the processor part. Right. While dairy 00:31:52.269 --> 00:31:54.769 processors are reportedly making pretty good 00:31:54.769 --> 00:31:57.730 profits, maybe especially when supply gets tight, 00:31:57.869 --> 00:31:59.950 which heat waves hitting small producers can 00:31:59.950 --> 00:32:03.190 cause, Bjarzel asks, have they adjusted their 00:32:03.190 --> 00:32:05.630 pricing models at all? To account for the fact 00:32:05.630 --> 00:32:09.190 that small farmers are facing these huge, disproportionate, 00:32:09.190 --> 00:32:14.210 and growing costs. Economist for the American 00:32:14.210 --> 00:32:16.829 Farm Bureau, he's quoted saying it pretty plainly 00:32:16.829 --> 00:32:18.950 in the article. The pricing structure of the 00:32:18.950 --> 00:32:21.289 dairy industry does not currently account for 00:32:21.289 --> 00:32:23.869 the uneven burden of climate adaptation. Doesn't 00:32:23.869 --> 00:32:26.190 account for it. Wow, that's a strong statement. 00:32:26.490 --> 00:32:28.630 It is, and the implication is clear, isn't it? 00:32:28.690 --> 00:32:31.289 It suggests small producers are footing the bill 00:32:31.289 --> 00:32:34.470 for climate adaptation. Buying coolers, losing 00:32:34.470 --> 00:32:37.430 milk costs that from this viewpoint maybe should 00:32:37.430 --> 00:32:39.329 be spread more fairly through the whole supply 00:32:39.329 --> 00:32:42.890 chain, processors, maybe even consumers. So this 00:32:42.890 --> 00:32:46.730 failure of the current market pricing to really 00:32:46.730 --> 00:32:49.910 value, I guess, climate resilience or the diverse 00:32:49.910 --> 00:32:52.849 network that small farms provide, it leads to 00:32:52.849 --> 00:32:56.650 that final big, maybe most urgent question the 00:32:56.650 --> 00:32:58.829 article poses for the future. Which is? Does 00:32:58.829 --> 00:33:01.190 the market really value keeping this diverse 00:33:01.190 --> 00:33:03.640 structure? Lots of different sized farms. Or 00:33:03.640 --> 00:33:05.819 is it, maybe unintentionally, through pricing 00:33:05.819 --> 00:33:08.200 that hurts small guys and makes adaptation too 00:33:08.200 --> 00:33:10.420 expensive for them? Is it silently accepting, 00:33:10.680 --> 00:33:13.200 maybe even speeding up, the trend towards total 00:33:13.200 --> 00:33:15.880 corporate consolidation? Fewer, bigger farms. 00:33:16.099 --> 00:33:18.059 It's a critical question. It really gets to the 00:33:18.059 --> 00:33:19.880 heart of what dairy farming will look like in 00:33:19.880 --> 00:33:22.279 the U .S. down the road. But while those huge 00:33:22.279 --> 00:33:24.359 market and policy questions are being debated. 00:33:24.420 --> 00:33:27.259 Which could take a while. Yeah. Thankfully, the 00:33:27.259 --> 00:33:30.460 article pivots back. Back to concrete, actionable 00:33:30.460 --> 00:33:33.359 things individual farmers can do now on their 00:33:33.359 --> 00:33:35.500 own farms, which is where the immediate focus 00:33:35.500 --> 00:33:37.519 has to be for a lot of people. And before it 00:33:37.519 --> 00:33:39.400 lists those actions, it gives that handy little 00:33:39.400 --> 00:33:42.259 assessment tool, right? So you, listening, can 00:33:42.259 --> 00:33:44.720 get a quick feel for your own farm's risk level. 00:33:44.859 --> 00:33:46.960 Yeah. Based on the factors the research showed 00:33:46.960 --> 00:33:49.279 matter most. Yeah, it's a simple five -factor 00:33:49.279 --> 00:33:51.779 check. You score your farm on each one. Low risk 00:33:51.779 --> 00:33:53.940 is one point, medium is two points, high is three 00:33:53.940 --> 00:33:56.819 points. Add them up. Higher score means higher 00:33:56.819 --> 00:33:58.579 vulnerability, basically. Okay, let's run through 00:33:58.579 --> 00:34:00.759 the five factors quickly. Factor one, primary 00:34:00.759 --> 00:34:03.319 breed. Right. Jersey or brown Swiss dominant, 00:34:03.480 --> 00:34:05.980 that's low risk, one point. Mixed breed herd, 00:34:06.200 --> 00:34:09.780 medium risk, two points, mostly Holsteins. High 00:34:09.780 --> 00:34:12.079 risk, three points because of that lower heat 00:34:12.079 --> 00:34:14.960 tolerance. Makes sense. Factor two, cooling infrastructure. 00:34:15.260 --> 00:34:17.500 Got comprehensive systems like tunnel ventilation, 00:34:17.739 --> 00:34:20.019 extensive misting. Low risk, one point. Just 00:34:20.019 --> 00:34:22.599 basic fans, some shade. Medium risk, two points. 00:34:22.920 --> 00:34:25.280 Limited or pretty much no cooling. High risk, 00:34:25.480 --> 00:34:27.659 three points. Factor three, regional location. 00:34:27.960 --> 00:34:30.059 Where are you farming? Northern states. Generally 00:34:30.059 --> 00:34:32.139 lower risk, one point. Central states. Medium 00:34:32.139 --> 00:34:34.460 risk, two points. Southern states. High risk, 00:34:34.639 --> 00:34:36.679 three points. Just based on baseline climate. 00:34:36.860 --> 00:34:52.960 Factor four. And the reason for that, again, 00:34:53.059 --> 00:34:55.280 is those eye producers just generate way more 00:34:55.280 --> 00:34:57.559 internal body heat making all that milk. Exactly, 00:34:57.619 --> 00:34:59.820 more heat to get rid of. Okay, and factor five, 00:35:00.019 --> 00:35:03.119 primary housing type, open pasture with plenty 00:35:03.119 --> 00:35:05.719 of shade. Low risk, one point. Cows have space 00:35:05.719 --> 00:35:07.880 airflow. Freestall barn with some ventilation. 00:35:08.360 --> 00:35:10.599 Medium risk, two points. Confinement housing. 00:35:10.760 --> 00:35:13.179 Limited airflow. High risk, three points. Heat 00:35:13.179 --> 00:35:15.019 can really build up there. So you add up your 00:35:15.019 --> 00:35:16.579 points across those five. The article gives a 00:35:16.579 --> 00:35:18.719 simple guide. Total score of five to seven. Lower 00:35:18.719 --> 00:35:20.760 vulnerability. Probably focus on targeted fixes. 00:35:20.900 --> 00:35:23.039 Score eight to 11. Moderate vulnerability. Need 00:35:23.039 --> 00:35:25.599 a more comprehensive approach. Score 12 to 15. 00:35:25.800 --> 00:35:28.119 High vulnerability. Need urgent action. Be aggressive. 00:35:28.420 --> 00:35:30.699 Your farm's at significant risk. And the article's 00:35:30.699 --> 00:35:33.760 clear. The higher your score, the more urgently 00:35:33.760 --> 00:35:35.860 it suggests you start implementing the solutions 00:35:35.860 --> 00:35:38.800 it lays out to protect your cows and protect 00:35:38.800 --> 00:35:40.920 your business. And importantly, it doesn't just 00:35:40.920 --> 00:35:43.079 diagnose the problem and give you a score. It 00:35:43.079 --> 00:35:46.000 gives concrete steps, actionable things you can 00:35:46.000 --> 00:35:48.820 do today, right now, even before the next heat 00:35:48.820 --> 00:35:51.860 wave hits, proven strategies. Let's walk through 00:35:51.860 --> 00:35:53.980 those five critical actions the article recommends 00:35:53.980 --> 00:35:57.320 every dairy farmer think about. Number one. conduct 00:35:57.320 --> 00:35:59.639 a comprehensive heat vulnerability assessment. 00:35:59.880 --> 00:36:02.360 Right. Don't just stop with that quick five -factor 00:36:02.360 --> 00:36:04.619 score. That's just a starting point. The article 00:36:04.619 --> 00:36:07.460 specifically flags the USDA Climate Hub's free 00:36:07.460 --> 00:36:12.079 heat stress audit tool. It's online, www .climatehubs 00:36:12.079 --> 00:36:15.619 .usda .gov. And that free tool, the article explains, 00:36:15.800 --> 00:36:17.920 it helps you do a deeper dive, looks at your 00:36:17.920 --> 00:36:20.219 specific farm layout, your buildings, your herd 00:36:20.219 --> 00:36:23.199 details, local climate data. The goal is to pinpoint 00:36:23.199 --> 00:36:25.300 your exact weak spots and then help you prioritize 00:36:25.300 --> 00:36:27.920 what to fix first based on your budget where 00:36:27.920 --> 00:36:30.039 you'll get the most impact. Good resource. Okay, 00:36:30.099 --> 00:36:32.519 action number two. Implement low -cost shade 00:36:32.519 --> 00:36:35.599 solutions immediately. Immediately. Don't underestimate 00:36:35.599 --> 00:36:39.119 shade. The article hammers this home. Even temporary 00:36:39.119 --> 00:36:41.860 shade cloth strung up in the right places can 00:36:41.860 --> 00:36:45.380 cut heat load by 30 to 50 percent. Wow. Yeah, 00:36:45.440 --> 00:36:47.820 and folks like extension specialists at University 00:36:47.820 --> 00:36:50.659 of Kentucky are quoted saying, prioritize shade 00:36:50.659 --> 00:36:53.800 over holding areas and feed bunks first. Places 00:36:53.800 --> 00:36:56.599 cows bunch up spend a lot of time, especially 00:36:56.599 --> 00:36:59.260 when it's hot. And the article advises, call 00:36:59.260 --> 00:37:01.760 your state's cooperative extension office. They 00:37:01.760 --> 00:37:03.840 offer free advice on where to put shade on your 00:37:03.840 --> 00:37:06.480 specific farm for the best effect. Materials, 00:37:06.480 --> 00:37:09.420 angles, location, they can help tailor it. Smart. 00:37:09.659 --> 00:37:12.320 Okay, action number three. This one's crucial 00:37:12.320 --> 00:37:14.619 for getting help paying for bigger things. Apply 00:37:14.619 --> 00:37:18.219 for EQIP funding this week. This week, urgency 00:37:18.219 --> 00:37:20.760 matters. Because getting government funding like 00:37:20.760 --> 00:37:24.260 EQIP approved, it takes time. Months, often. 00:37:24.440 --> 00:37:26.380 You need to start the process before you desperately 00:37:26.380 --> 00:37:28.760 need the system. Don't wait for the crisis. Exactly. 00:37:29.119 --> 00:37:32.519 And remember, EQIP can cover up to 75 % of the 00:37:32.519 --> 00:37:34.659 cost for eligible cooling systems if they meet 00:37:34.659 --> 00:37:36.360 the conservation standards. So how do you start? 00:37:36.440 --> 00:37:40.039 The article says. Visit your local NRCS service 00:37:40.039 --> 00:37:42.039 center. That's the Natural Resources Conservation 00:37:42.039 --> 00:37:44.880 Service. They run EQIP or just call the main 00:37:44.880 --> 00:37:50.340 USDA conservation line. 888 -526 -3227. Ask for 00:37:50.340 --> 00:37:52.519 help with the application. Don't let the paperwork 00:37:52.519 --> 00:37:55.219 stop you. That funding could be the key. Good 00:37:55.219 --> 00:37:58.639 advice. Action number four, join forces with 00:37:58.639 --> 00:38:01.300 neighboring producers. Yeah, think about forming 00:38:01.300 --> 00:38:03.880 or joining local equipment sharing cooperatives. 00:38:04.000 --> 00:38:06.500 It's a way to tackle that capital barrier together. 00:38:06.739 --> 00:38:08.659 Pool resources. And there's research backing 00:38:08.659 --> 00:38:11.219 this up too. Yep. Dr. Katie Proudfoot at Ohio 00:38:11.219 --> 00:38:13.480 State, her research cited in the article found 00:38:13.480 --> 00:38:15.840 small farms that shared portable cooling gear. 00:38:16.509 --> 00:38:19.630 Big fans, temporary misters, they cut their individual 00:38:19.630 --> 00:38:21.809 upfront costs for access to that equipment by 00:38:21.809 --> 00:38:24.349 up to 60%. 60%. So you get the benefit during 00:38:24.349 --> 00:38:26.030 heat waves without having to buy and maintain 00:38:26.030 --> 00:38:27.949 the whole thing yourself. Makes sense. Totally. 00:38:28.070 --> 00:38:30.449 Okay, and finally, action number five. Adjust 00:38:30.449 --> 00:38:32.769 your production strategy. This has a couple of 00:38:32.769 --> 00:38:35.289 parts. Long term, maybe it's considering breed 00:38:35.289 --> 00:38:37.090 changes or cross breeding like we discussed. 00:38:37.329 --> 00:38:40.130 But short term, it can be simple, no cost schedule 00:38:40.130 --> 00:38:43.739 changes. Right. Dr. Larry Tranel, dairy specialist 00:38:43.739 --> 00:38:46.099 at Iowa State Extension, he's quoted saying, 00:38:46.239 --> 00:38:48.739 simple tweaks, milking times, feeding times. 00:38:49.179 --> 00:38:51.719 When you handle a cow's can cut production losses 00:38:51.719 --> 00:38:54.880 by 10 to 15 percent during heat events with zero 00:38:54.880 --> 00:38:57.920 equipment costs. Zero cost, 10, 15 percent savings. 00:38:57.980 --> 00:39:00.440 That's huge. Yeah. Like the article mentions, 00:39:00.599 --> 00:39:02.820 just shifting high energy stuff like feeding 00:39:02.820 --> 00:39:05.480 or milking to cooler times, evening or early 00:39:05.480 --> 00:39:07.619 morning instead of the hottest part of the afternoon 00:39:07.619 --> 00:39:11.099 makes a difference. Common sense. but needs conscious 00:39:11.099 --> 00:39:13.159 effort. So the overall message from this Bullvine 00:39:13.159 --> 00:39:15.940 article feels pretty clear, right? Yes, the big 00:39:15.940 --> 00:39:17.940 picture climate and market challenges are real 00:39:17.940 --> 00:39:20.579 and daunting, but you don't have to just sit 00:39:20.579 --> 00:39:22.719 and wait for some industry -wide fix. You can 00:39:22.719 --> 00:39:25.599 take action now on your own farm. Exactly. Taking 00:39:25.599 --> 00:39:27.800 these steps, especially focusing on those affordable 00:39:27.800 --> 00:39:30.500 high ROI options and tapping into funding like 00:39:30.500 --> 00:39:33.420 EQIP can make a critical difference right now, 00:39:33.559 --> 00:39:36.219 helping you weather the storm this summer and 00:39:36.219 --> 00:39:38.639 the ones to come. And the article gives one last 00:39:38.639 --> 00:39:41.369 nudge. For getting more help, call your state 00:39:41.369 --> 00:39:43.909 dairy extension specialist. They know your local 00:39:43.909 --> 00:39:46.929 conditions. They're free. Or check the National 00:39:46.929 --> 00:39:49.889 Dairy Farm Program website, nationaldairyfarm 00:39:49.889 --> 00:39:52.969 .com. More resources there, too. Don't go it 00:39:52.969 --> 00:39:55.610 alone. Absolutely. Your farm's survival, your 00:39:55.610 --> 00:39:57.710 future profitability, especially if you're running 00:39:57.710 --> 00:40:00.369 a smaller operation, it could really depend on 00:40:00.369 --> 00:40:02.969 taking action before the next heat wave hits 00:40:02.969 --> 00:40:06.010 hard. So wrapping up this deep dive into the 00:40:06.010 --> 00:40:08.969 bullvine article on heat stress. Quite a journey, 00:40:09.010 --> 00:40:11.130 huh? It really was. We started with just the 00:40:11.130 --> 00:40:13.570 sheer scale of the problem. Those massive losses, 00:40:13.889 --> 00:40:15.630 hundreds of millions of dollars, billions of 00:40:15.630 --> 00:40:18.389 pounds of milk, all backed by that huge University 00:40:18.389 --> 00:40:20.829 of Illinois study. Then we got into the science, 00:40:20.909 --> 00:40:23.190 the why. Why dairy cows struggle so much. That 00:40:23.190 --> 00:40:25.309 critical temperature humidity index, their trouble 00:40:25.309 --> 00:40:27.690 sweating, and those really significant differences 00:40:27.690 --> 00:40:30.469 in heat tolerance between breeds. Holsteins versus 00:40:30.469 --> 00:40:33.099 Jerseys, big difference. Then we hit that tough 00:40:33.099 --> 00:40:35.480 part, the stark research showing how small farms 00:40:35.480 --> 00:40:37.639 are getting hit hardest. That capital divide 00:40:37.639 --> 00:40:39.780 stopping them from getting cooling, leading to 00:40:39.780 --> 00:40:41.639 that really strong language about a potential 00:40:41.639 --> 00:40:44.679 climate -driven extinction event. But then, the 00:40:44.679 --> 00:40:47.860 pivot to solutions. Affordable cooling options, 00:40:48.159 --> 00:40:51.019 shade, fans, sprinklers, all with proven high 00:40:51.019 --> 00:40:54.280 ROI and the crucial pathways to funding like 00:40:54.280 --> 00:40:58.139 EQIP covering up to 75 % and co -op efforts making 00:40:58.139 --> 00:41:00.619 things accessible. We shared that powerful story 00:41:00.619 --> 00:41:03.449 to John Warning in Iowa. showed how a smart, 00:41:03.570 --> 00:41:06.630 budget -conscious plan combined with EQIP, it 00:41:06.630 --> 00:41:08.550 didn't just save his farm, it made it more resilient. 00:41:08.889 --> 00:41:11.230 Real -world proof it can be done. And finally, 00:41:11.269 --> 00:41:13.429 we looked at the bigger trends. Worsening impacts 00:41:13.429 --> 00:41:16.349 from extreme heat, the uneven burden across regions, 00:41:16.570 --> 00:41:18.349 and those tough questions the article raises 00:41:18.349 --> 00:41:21.409 about market pricing. Is the system fair? Does 00:41:21.409 --> 00:41:23.909 it account for these adaptation costs? Or is 00:41:23.909 --> 00:41:26.130 it pushing towards consolidation? The key takeaways 00:41:26.130 --> 00:41:27.769 from this bullvine piece feel really essential. 00:41:28.300 --> 00:41:30.480 Small farms are losing disproportionately. 1 00:41:30.480 --> 00:41:34.360 .6%, 1%, carrying 27 % of damages with 20 % output. 00:41:34.760 --> 00:41:37.780 Breed matters hugely. Holstein THI 68 versus 00:41:37.780 --> 00:41:41.280 Jersey 75. Cooling, even basic stuff, pays back 00:41:41.280 --> 00:41:45.460 big time. $2 .55 per $1 spent. EQIP is vital. 00:41:45.599 --> 00:41:48.519 Covering up to 75 % makes it feasible. And the 00:41:48.519 --> 00:41:50.320 current market price doesn't reflect this uneven 00:41:50.320 --> 00:41:52.760 burden, which raises huge questions about the 00:41:52.760 --> 00:41:54.920 industry's future shape. That phrase, climate 00:41:54.920 --> 00:41:57.539 extinction event, for small farms. It really 00:41:57.539 --> 00:41:59.619 frames the stakes, doesn't it? Especially with 00:41:59.619 --> 00:42:01.539 projections saying heat stress impacts could 00:42:01.539 --> 00:42:04.519 jump 30 % or more by 2050. Which leads us to 00:42:04.519 --> 00:42:06.940 that final thought to leave you with. Given everything 00:42:06.940 --> 00:42:08.699 this research highlights market failures, the 00:42:08.699 --> 00:42:10.980 capital gap, the unequal costs, what changes 00:42:10.980 --> 00:42:13.219 need to happen beyond the farm gate? In policy, 00:42:13.380 --> 00:42:15.639 in the supply chain, maybe even in how we all 00:42:15.639 --> 00:42:18.119 think about the true cost of food. What's needed 00:42:18.119 --> 00:42:20.599 to keep diverse dairy farming viable in a warming 00:42:20.599 --> 00:42:22.519 world? Is the system we have now sustainable 00:42:22.519 --> 00:42:25.239 for everyone? It's a huge question. It goes way 00:42:25.239 --> 00:42:27.719 beyond just managing cows better. It requires 00:42:27.719 --> 00:42:30.420 some real industry soul -searching, maybe policy 00:42:30.420 --> 00:42:33.739 action. But as this Bullvine article shows really 00:42:33.739 --> 00:42:36.440 well, understanding the facts, the science, the 00:42:36.440 --> 00:42:39.159 economics, it's always the first essential step 00:42:39.159 --> 00:42:41.800 towards making or advocating for those needed 00:42:41.800 --> 00:42:44.539 changes. Couldn't agree more. Well, a huge thank 00:42:44.539 --> 00:42:47.179 you for joining us on this deep dive. We really 00:42:47.179 --> 00:42:49.500 hope unpacking this bullvine article on heat 00:42:49.500 --> 00:42:51.780 stress has given you some valuable insights, 00:42:52.099 --> 00:42:54.260 maybe a tool to check your own risk, and definitely 00:42:54.260 --> 00:42:56.760 some concrete ideas you can act on. Yeah. And 00:42:56.760 --> 00:42:58.619 please do check out those resources mentioned 00:42:58.619 --> 00:43:00.840 in the article. Your extension agent, the USDA 00:43:00.840 --> 00:43:03.519 tools, the farm program. Yeah. They're there 00:43:03.519 --> 00:43:05.800 to help. Absolutely. Use them. Okay. Until our 00:43:05.800 --> 00:43:08.130 next deep dive. That's a wrap on today's episode 00:43:08.130 --> 00:43:10.889 of the Bullvine Podcast. If this analysis challenged 00:43:10.889 --> 00:43:13.349 your thinking or sparked new ideas for your operation, 00:43:13.610 --> 00:43:17.050 we've done our job. Remember, the dairy industry's 00:43:17.050 --> 00:43:19.469 future belongs to those willing to question conventional 00:43:19.469 --> 00:43:21.909 wisdom and embrace evidence -based innovation. 00:43:22.449 --> 00:43:26.110 Don't just adapt to change, lead it. For more 00:43:26.110 --> 00:43:28.989 cutting -edge dairy insights, visit us at www 00:43:28.989 --> 00:43:55.280 .thebullvine .com. This has been the Bullvine 00:43:55.280 --> 00:43:59.300 Podcast, your source for bold, evidence -backed, 00:43:59.480 --> 00:44:02.460 dairy industry insights until next time keep 00:44:02.460 --> 00:44:04.880 questioning keep innovating and keep leading 00:44:04.880 --> 00:44:05.800 the future of dairy