Some Udder Thoughts

Introduction.

The holidays are approaching, and 2025 will soon come to a close. As we prepare for the new year, I’d like to ask for your feedback to help me continue improving this newsletter. Please take a few minutes to complete the Some Udder Thoughts Survey—your insights would be greatly appreciated.

What’s new in dairy science?

Tightening dairy cow nutrition, especially during the postpartum period, is critical. The postpartum period is vital because it sets the tone for the rest of the cow’s lactation. Getting this period just right can be challenging because there are so many options to try to increase milk production. Energy is usually the limiting nutrient, particularly just after calving. The best way to address this is by adding fat to the ration, as it is energy-dense.

This week’s research from Michigan State University and the Lock Lipid Lab studied how increased dietary fat affects dairy cows after calving. The control group received a diet with 1.7% fatty acids, while other groups got diets with 3% fat by adding cottonseed or a fatty acid supplement. One treatment combined cottonseed and palmitic acid for a total of 4.5% dietary fatty acids. Did this combination boost milk yield even further?

The inclusion of fat resulted in an anticipated increase in energy-corrected milk yield from cows; however, supplementing with both palmitic acid:oleic acid supplement and cottonseed did not produce any additional improvement in milk production.

Read the entire article here: https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2025-26931

Leadership, growth, and development.

I recently encountered a quote from Marcus Aurelius in his Meditations: “The present is the same for everyone.” This statement resonated with me because of its brevity and clarity. First, it doesn’t matter who are what you are, the present moment is the same. We have a choice in how to use it. Additionally, for me, it addresses a common challenge—the necessity of remaining present, recognizing that this moment is all we possess.

The world is busy. We have many priorities that are often competing and overlapping. Yet, we only have 24 hours in a day to complete all of our objectives, and hopefully, one-third of those hours are for sleep and rest. This natural challenge of having too many things and not enough time means we probably rush through certain tasks, constantly worry about the next task, and, worst of all, feel guilty if we take a break to catch our breath. During this sprint through the day, are you ever present in the moment or in what you’re doing? Or are you just rushing on to the next thing? Marcus’ quote is a reminder that you only have the present. In the context I laid out, this means that when you’re working, you can only do the one thing in front of you at that moment. If you’re worried about all the things you’re not doing, you’ll feel exhausted and never get caught up. Remain present, regardless of how many places you think you need to be.

If you find yourself losing touch with the moment because your to-do list is too long, try this – tell yourself to “just do the next thing”. Whatever is next – do that. Don’t worry about the next 20 things or next 8 hours of your day; just do the next item.

Final Thoughts.

I would like to sincerely thank everyone for their engagement with this newsletter. Your comments, advice, and feedback are invaluable, and I welcome further suggestions to ensure that this publication remains a valuable resource within your busy schedule.