AK Podcast
Join us as part of AK Podcast, brought to you by Agri-King, an advanced livestock nutrition company, as we journey through the world of agriculture and livestock nutrition. Our podcast will dive into the latest technology and insights, foster curiosity, and help to build connections within the ag industry to help grow the passion for agriculture.
Episodes
28 episodes
Calf and Heifer Care Part 2 - Wet Calves up to Weaning with AK Nutrition with AK Nutrition Consultant Dr. Adam Geiger
In this episode, Mike Donaldson discusses the critical aspects of calf care and management with Dr. Adam Geiger. They explore the importance of early calf care, feeding consistency, and the role of environment in calf health. The conversation d...
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Season 1
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Episode 28
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53:53
Calf and Heifer Care Part 1 - Pre-Fresh to Freshening Phase with AK Nutrition Consultant Dr. Adam Geiger
In this episode of AK Podcasts, Mike Donaldson and Dr. Adam Geiger discuss the critical aspects of dairy nutrition and calf management, focusing on the first 48 hours of a calf's life. They emphasize the importance of colostrum management, incl...
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Season 1
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Episode 27
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39:08
2025 Toxin Outlook with Dr. Marcus Kehrli
In this episode of AK Podcasts, Mike Donaldson engages with Dr. Marcus Kehrli, who shares his extensive background in veterinary medicine and animal agriculture. The discussion focuses on the increasing prevalence of mycotoxins in livestock fee...
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Season 1
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Episode 26
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58:16
2025 Forage Year in Review and What's Next
In this episode of AK Podcasts, Mike Donaldson, Brett Mortensen, and Jason Alsum discuss the forage year of 2025, exploring the challenges and successes in hay production, corn silage trends, and innovations in livestock nutrition. The conversa...
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Season 1
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Episode 25
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42:21
Performance Livestock Analytics with Kory Lauridsen
In this episode of AK Podcasts, Mike Donaldson and guest Kory Lauridsen from Performance Livestock Analytics discuss the evolution of livestock management, focusing on the importance of data and technology in modern farming. They explore the fe...
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Season 1
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Episode 24
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27:25
Forage Program with AK Nutrition Consultant Joe Sparrow
In this episode, Mike Donaldson discusses dairy nutrition and forage management with Joe Sparrow, a nutrition consultant at Agri-King. They explore the shift from traditional alfalfa to small grains in dairy diets, the advantages of using small...
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Season 1
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Episode 23
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47:33
Antioxidant Vitamins and Minerals: Protection Against Stress
Mike Donaldson and Dr. Dave Jones discuss the critical aspects of livestock care management, focusing on the nutritional and environmental factors that contribute to animal stress. They explore how stress impacts dairy cows, the long-term effec...
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Season 1
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Episode 22
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29:06
Forage Programs with AK Nutrition Consultant Fredy Urquia
In this episode of the AK Podcast, Mike Donaldson and Fredy Urquia delve into the intricacies of dairy nutrition and management. They discuss various approaches to nutrition programs based on geographical differences, focusing on corn silage an...
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Season 1
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Episode 21
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33:33
Preparing for Corn Silage Harvest
Mike Donaldson discusses the essential preparations for corn silage harvest with Justin Monson. They cover topics such as determining when corn is ready for harvest, the importance of community engagement through chipper days, safety considerat...
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Season 1
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Episode 20
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40:46
Bench Marking
In this episode of AK Podcasts, Mike Donaldson discusses the advancements in dairy farming with Hannah Lansing. They explore the importance of data and technology in managing dairy farms, the key performance indicators that determine farm succe...
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Season 1
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Episode 19
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27:49
Cow Comfort
In this episode, Mike Donaldson discuss the critical importance of cow comfort in dairy farming with expert Chris Keane from Promat (www.promatinc.com/). They explore the design and management of dairy barns, the impact of cow comfort on milk p...
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Season 1
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Episode 18
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35:27
Special Edition: Goal Setting
In this episode, Mike Donaldson discusses the importance of goal setting with Shawn Mennenga, who shares his unique perspective on achieving goals through S.M.A.R.T. criteria and the impact of daily habits. They explore the role of coaching, th...
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Season 1
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Episode 17
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34:30
Robot Milking (part 2)
In this conversation, Mike and Parker Snider delve into the intricacies of robotic milking systems, discussing the differences between free flow and controlled flow setups, the challenges and considerations of retrofitting existing barns versus...
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Season 1
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Episode 16
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27:14
Special Edition: Are You Ready for Summer?
In this episode, Mike Donaldson discusses the critical issue of heat stress in dairy cows with expert Don Sanders. They explore the signs of heat stress, effective cooling strategies, and the importance of adjusting rations to ensu...
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Season 1
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Episode 15
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30:30
Robot Milking (part 1)
In this episode, Mike Donaldson discusses the advancements in robotic milking technology with Parker Snider from Agri-King. They explore the evolution of robotic milking, its adoption trends in the U.S., and the benefits of automation in dairy ...
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Season 1
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Episode 14
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24:03
2025 Hay Outlook
In this episode of AK Podcasts, Mike Donaldson engages with Brett Mortenson, a Regional Manager at Agri-King, to discuss the intricacies of commercial hay growing. They explore the evolution of hay production, the dynamics of the export market,...
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Season 1
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Episode 13
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38:42
2025 Forage Outlook
In this episode, Mike Donaldson discusses the importance of effective forage management with Jason Alsum, Agri-King's Director of Silo King. They explore the significance of corn silage, the need for proper planning and equipment readiness, and...
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Season 1
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Episode 12
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28:12
Deworming and Fly Control
In this episode, Mike Donaldson discusses the challenges of managing flies and worms in livestock care with Dr. Adrian Baker. They explore the economic impact of these pests, effective deworming strategies, and the importance of pasture managem...
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Season 1
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Episode 11
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25:44
Energy from Fats in a Ruminant Diet
In this episode of AK Podcasts, Mike Donaldson discuss the critical role of fats in dairy cattle nutrition with Dr. Dave Jones. They explore the significance of fats as a concentrated energy source, the differences between bypass and non-bypass...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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25:37
Energy from Carbohydrates in a Ruminant Diet
In this episode of the AK Podcast, Mike Donaldson and Grace Thomas discuss the intricacies of ruminant nutrition, focusing on the role of carbohydrates in livestock diets. Grace, an Agri-King Nutritionist from the UK, joins Mike to explore how ...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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20:09
Energy from Fiber in a Ruminant Diet
In this episode of the AK Podcast, Mike Donaldson and Dr. Dan Schauff discuss the critical role of nutrition in livestock management, focusing on the importance of energy and fiber in ruminant diets. They elaborate on the energy needs of dairy ...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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29:42
The Stomachs of a Ruminant
In this episode of the AK Podcast, host Mike Donaldson is joined by Dr. Luke Koester and Dr. Adrian Baker from Agri-King to explore the fascinating world of ruminants. They discuss the unique digestive system of ruminants, including the four co...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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31:20
Avian Influenza
In this episode of the AK Podcast, Mike Donaldson discuss the current state of avian influenza, particularly the H5N1 strain affecting cattle, with expert Dr. Marcus Kehrli. The conversation covers Dr. Kehrli's extensive background in animal he...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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47:28
Component Efficiency (Part 2)
In this episode of the AK Podcast, Mike Donaldson is again with Don Sanders to discuss the critical aspects of improving component efficiency in dairy farming. They explore the importance of cow comfort, forage quality, and genetics, emphasizin...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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25:35
Component Efficiency (Part 1)
In this episode of the AK Podcast, Mike Donaldson and Don Sanders delve into the evolving metrics of dairy farming, focusing on the importance of feed efficiency and component efficiency. They discuss the significant shift in the dairy market, ...
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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20:33