In this special episode of The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. James Spain, Professor at the University of Missouri, discusses how increasing milk production has intensified heat stress challenges in modern dairy cows. With warmer months placing additional pressure on herd performance, he explains the effects on feed intake, milk production, thermal balance, and cooling strategies, highlighting why cow-centered temperature management may improve performance and efficiency. Listen now on all major platforms!

"The thermometer we should be using to run our cooling systems is not measuring air temperature; it really should be based on cow temperature."

Meet the guest: Dr. James Spain earned his PhD in Animal Sciences from Virginia Tech and his BS in Animal Sciences from North Carolina State University. As a Professor at the University of Missouri, his work has focused on dairy cattle management, environmental challenges, and production efficiency. Learn more from Dr. James Spain on The Dairy Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, available on all major platforms.

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What will you learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (01:43) Introduction
• (02:43) Heat stress challenges
• (04:06) Internal heat production
• (05:44) Cow-centered cooling
• (08:10) Thermal balance indicators
• (08:56) Nighttime cooling benefits
• (11:30) Closing thoughts

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