After extolling the virtues of the cow's physiology, vet and herd manager Nial O'Boyle returns to talk about the cow's role in human progress and civilisation. Sharing stories that focus on the links between humans and cows, throughout the ages, Nial highlights common themes such as kinship, loyalty, betrayal and wealth.

Then to emphasise just how integrated bovine products are in our lives, we share how a day in the life of a typical person might look.

Highlights from this educational and fun-filled episode include: Queen Maeve of Connacht, vulcanisation, whitening of sugar, a false eye, and learning how the cow forms part of the borth of the world.

After hearing this episode, you'll be reminded how we shouldn't take cows for granted and reflect on the many ways we've benefitted from having them in our lives.

If you'd like to hear more from Nial, check out episode 8 in Season 3.

I think of milk in terms of its similarity to crude oil, so you could say my business is like running a milk refinery.

Dairy farmer and entrepreneur Jimmy Dickinsons returns to share more stories about how he built his business, this time expanding more on dairy product technology.

Jimmy talks about his long career marked by innovation and perseverance. He recounts experimenting with freezing techniques to create a viable frozen milk product.

Not all his experiments were successful, and Jimmy points out that progress often requires risk, resilience, and a willingness to learn from setbacks.

Compared to the resources available to support innovation in the 1960s, 70s and 80s, we talk about the decline of independent dairy product research and innovation in the UK, attributing this to changing political and commercial landscapes.

Reflecting on a poignant piece of advice shared by his father, Jimmy recounts that, no matter how far one climbs, those at the top are just ordinary people, and the journey is often more significant than the destination.

Communication should be brief but comprehensive. Indeed, beef farmer Andrew Loftus suggests we should all start life with a quota of words, and once that quota is reached, it's time to shuffle off this mortal coil!

Andrew currently chairs the Beef and Lamb Net Zero Roadmap Group, an industry led group providing thought leadership on sustainable UK beef and lamb production. In this and in his various former roles, the need to have strong communication skills is crucial. Andrew may come across as challenging and argumentative, yet what he strives to achieve in conversations is a deeper and clearer understanding of the topic under discussion, and the viewpoint held by others.

In this episode, we discuss:

• adapting communications for different audiences, including farmers, policymakers, and the scientific community,

• the challenges and rewards of farming,

• the significance of data in livestock management, and the role livestock markets should play in data transfer.

Listen in to hear more about Andrew's thoughts on communication, cows and coffee.

Notes/links:

Beef and Lamb Environmental Roadmap https://projectblue.blob.core.windows.net/media/Default/Environment/Beef_and_Lamb_Environmental_Roadmap_Feb%202025.pdf

Johnny Baghdad's Cafe on the Square, Masham, Ripon