In this episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Ronaldo Cerri from the University of British Columbia discusses how dairy cow health plays a key role in reproductive performance. He breaks down how metabolic stress and health challenges can impact fertility and shares how data-driven management can make a difference. Learn practical ways to improve herd reproduction through smarter health monitoring and sustainable strategies. Listen now on all major platforms!

"The idea that reproduction has improved overall is true, but the next frontier for continued progress is in cow health."

Meet the guest: Dr. Ronaldo Luis Aoki Cerri is a Professor of Animal Reproduction at the University of British Columbia, where he leads research in the Applied Biology Program. He earned his DVM in Brazil and completed his M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Animal Biology at the University of California, Davis, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Florida. His work focuses on improving reproductive efficiency in dairy and beef cattle by linking health, inflammation, and fertility.

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What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (01:03) Introduction
• (02:43) Health and reproduction
• (04:45) Data-driven fertility
• (07:17) Sensor-based monitoring
• (09:39) Pregnancy loss factors
• (11:44) Reproduction efficiency
• (13:13) Closing thoughts

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

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In this episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Christine Baes from the University of Guelph shares how genetics and genomics are transforming the way we think about sustainability in dairy herds. She explains how using genomic tools in breeding programs can help cut methane emissions, strengthen herd health, and keep dairies running efficiently. Tune in now to hear how genomic selection is helping producers breed cows that perform better, last longer, and support a more sustainable dairy industry.

"When we talk about breeding or genetic selection, we’re talking about how to make cows better: healthier, more efficient, more environmentally friendly."

Meet the guest: Dr. Christine Baes is a quantitative geneticist and the Canada Research Chair in Livestock Genomics at the University of Guelph, where she also serves as Acting Associate Dean of External Relations at the Ontario Agricultural College. Her work focuses on genetic strategies that improve sustainability, animal health, and production efficiency.

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The Resilient Dairy Genome Project—A general overview of methods and objectives related to feed efficiency and methane emissions

Review: Opportunities and challenges for the genetic selection of dairy calf disease traits

Estimation of genetic parameters and genome-wide association study for enzootic bovine leukosis resistance in Canadian Holstein cattle

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What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (00:47) Introduction
• (01:56) Breeding for sustainability
• (04:37) Genetics versus genomics
• (06:02) Genomic selection tools
• (07:02) Reducing methane emissions
• (08:45) Global genetic impact
• (09:55) Closing thoughts

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

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In this episode of The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Jimena Laporta from the University of Wisconsin–Madison discusses how heat stress affects calves before and after birth. She shares findings on multi-generational effects, calf cooling strategies, and the long-term benefits of thermal management. Learn how early-life cooling can improve future performance and herd health. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Heat stress during late gestation affects both the dry cow and her unborn calf, creating long-term impacts on productivity and health."

Meet the guest: Dr. Jimena Laporta earned her bachelor’s in Biology and master’s in Animal Sciences before completing her Ph.D. in Dairy Science at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Now an Associate Professor of Lactation Physiology, her research explores how environmental and nutritional factors shape mammary development and lactation in dairy cattle.

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Liked this one? Don’t stop now — Here’s what we think you’ll love!

What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (00:57) Introduction
• (02:02) Heat stress impact
• (04:18) Calf cooling systems
• (06:37) Housing challenges
• (07:32) Research insights
• (09:27) Practical applications
• (12:14) Closing thoughts

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

Website: The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast

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LinkedIn: The Dairy Health Blackbelt Podcast