Ruminate This | Agrarian Solutions

Scott Zehr
  • 5.0 (4)
  • BUSINESS
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Ruminate This by Agrarian Solutions is your trusted source for insights on safeguarding ruminant health for a lifetime. From tackling the hidden threats of mycotoxins to optimizing gut health, immune function, and nutrition, we break down the biggest challenges impacting animal performance and producer profitability. But it’s not just about the science—we also explore workplace culture, leadership, and people development, because a strong team drives success. Tune in the second and fourth Monday for insights, research, and real-world strategies to keep your herd and team thriving.  Follow Ruminate This on your favorite podcast platform today, because healthier herds start with smarter solutions.

  1. FEB 23

    67: T-2 Exposure and Hemorrhagic Bowel Syndrome in Dairy

    T-2 mycotoxin, often called the assassin toxin, is one of the most aggressive and overlooked feed risks in dairy production. In this episode of Ruminate This, Dr. Larry Roth explains how T-2 disrupts protein synthesis, damages the rumen and intestines, and creates serious health challenges at levels as low as 75 ppb. They connect T-2 exposure to Hemorrhagic Bowel Syndrome (HBS), gut integrity breakdown, and increased risk from Clostridium perfringens. The discussion also covers feed risks, including refusal management, TMR variability, and why passing down feed can increase mycotoxin exposure. 🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favorite podcast platform  💬 Have thoughts or a story to share? Email podcast@agrsol.com. 🔗 Stay informed: Get expert livestock nutrition insights, cutting-edge research, and updates on future episodes by subscribing here: agrariansolutions.com/podcast Social Links: YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@RuminateThis YouTube Page:  https://www.youtube.com/@agrariansolutions5557 LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/agrarian-solutions/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AgrarianSolutions Instagram Page:  https://www.instagram.com/agrariansolutions/ Website: https://agrariansolutions.com/ Got a Question or want free Mycotoxin Testing? Send us a Message!!

    27 min

  2. FEB 9

    66: Inconsistent Herd Performance? Take A Closer Look at Fumonisin

    Fumonisin is one of the most overlooked mycotoxins in dairy production, and its impact goes beyond immune suppression. In this episode, Dr. Larry Roth explains how fumonisin disrupts cell-to-cell communication in the gut (often called quorum sensing), which plays a critical role in gut integrity, immune function, liver health, and respiratory resilience. Learn why this mycotoxin is increasingly more common, why many binders fall short, and how targeted testing and smarter mitigation can help explain inconsistent herd performance. 🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favorite podcast platform  💬 Have thoughts or a story to share? Email podcast@agrsol.com. 🔗 Stay informed: Get expert livestock nutrition insights, cutting-edge research, and updates on future episodes by subscribing here: agrariansolutions.com/podcast Social Links: YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@RuminateThis YouTube Page:  https://www.youtube.com/@agrariansolutions5557 LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/agrarian-solutions/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AgrarianSolutions Instagram Page:  https://www.instagram.com/agrariansolutions/ Website: https://agrariansolutions.com/ Got a Question or want free Mycotoxin Testing? Send us a Message!!

    29 min

  3. JAN 26

    65: Beyond Fertility | Zearalenone’s Impact on Herd Health

    Zeralanone is often labeled a reproductive mycotoxin, but that barely scratches the surface. This reproductive mycotoxin, is an estrogen imposter that disrupts fertility, immunity, liver function, and overall metabolic stability. In this episode, Dr. Larry Roth explains why zearalenone is fat-soluble, how it can be stored and released during post-calving fat mobilization, and why its metabolites may be even more damaging than the parent toxin. Learn how it contributes to cystic ovaries, early embryonic loss, cows showing heat signs while pregnant, and inconsistent reproduction, as well as why some traditional binders can make things worse. If pregnancy rates aren’t matching expectations, this episode shows why zearalenone could be the hidden disruptor and how targeted protection like DTX helps prevent absorption before damage occurs. 🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favorite podcast platform  💬 Have thoughts or a story to share? Email podcast@agrsol.com. 🔗 Stay informed: Get expert livestock nutrition insights, cutting-edge research, and updates on future episodes by subscribing here: agrariansolutions.com/podcast Social Links: YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@RuminateThis YouTube Page:  https://www.youtube.com/@agrariansolutions5557 LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/agrarian-solutions/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AgrarianSolutions Instagram Page:  https://www.instagram.com/agrariansolutions/ Website: https://agrariansolutions.com/ Got a Question or want free Mycotoxin Testing? Send us a Message!!

    31 min

  4. JAN 12

    64: How DON Mycotoxin Slows the Rumen and Erodes Dairy Performance

    In this episode of Ruminate This, Scott Zehr is joined by Dr. Larry Roth (VP of Nutrition, Agrarian Solutions) for a discussion about DON (deoxynivalenol/vomitoxin)—one of the most common and most misunderstood mycotoxins in dairy rations. Rather than causing an obvious crash every time, DON often works like a “pause button” on rumen microbes. It doesn’t necessarily kill bacteria, it slows microbial function and disrupts fermentation, reducing the cow’s ability to convert the TMR into energy and microbial protein. The result can be a quiet, cascading problem: lower feed efficiency, reduced intake, erratic manure, and performance erosion that shows up long after the damage begins. Scott and Larry discuss how DON can: Disrupt rumen microbial balance by interfering with protein synthesis and slowing fermentationPush undigested nutrients “down the river” into the hindgut, leading to undesired hindgut fermentationCreate signs that look like acidosis, when the real issue may be hindgut acidosis driven by poor rumen breakdownWeaken gut barrier integrity, increasing permeability and contributing to leaky gutTrigger immune activation and force nutrient reallocation, pulling glucose and energy away from milk and reproduction to support inflammation controlCompound other stressors, making DON a major player in stacked inflammation They also discuss why the same DON ppm level can hit two herds very differently, and why ongoing mycotoxin testing can help connect the dots before a slow decline turns into a full-blown crisis. If you’ve ever wondered, “Is this really rumen acidosis… or something else?” This episode will change how you diagnose digestive, immune, and performance problems in high-producing dairy cows. 🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favorite podcast platform  💬 Have thoughts or a story to share? Email podcast@agrsol.com. 🔗 Stay informed: Get expert livestock nutrition insights, cutting-edge research, and updates on future episodes by subscribing here: agrariansolutions.com/podcast Social Links: YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@RuminateThis YouTube Page:  https://www.youtube.com/@agrariansolutions5557 LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/agrarian-solutions/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AgrarianSolutions Instagram Page:  https://www.instagram.com/agrariansolutions/ Website: https://agrariansolutions.com/ Got a Question or want free Mycotoxin Testing? Send us a Message!!

    34 min

  5. 12/29/2025

    63: Best of Ruminate This: The Dairy Nutrition Conversations That Still Matter

    This is the final episode of the year for Ruminate This, and we’re closing it out with a “best of” reflection on five episodes that continue to matter on dairy farms today. In this year-end episode, Scott Zehr revisits some of the most impactful conversations on dairy nutrition, calf health, transition cow management, gut health, and mycotoxin control, and explains why these topics continue to influence herd performance and profitability long after the episode airs. Whether you’re revisiting these discussions or hearing them for the first time, this recap highlights practical, on-farm insights that help producers and nutritionists reduce risk, improve efficiency, and make better decisions across every stage of production. Featured topics include: Gut health and digestive integrity and why protecting the rumen and liver is foundational to performanceCalf health from day one and winning the battle of the gut during the milk-feeding phaseColostrum management, including quality, quantity, and why management matters more than band-aid solutionsTransition cow nutrition and why preventing milk fever alone is not enoughProactive mycotoxin testing and how DON, zearalenone, and fumonisin quietly impact herd healthIf you’re focused on raising healthier calves, supporting smoother transitions, protecting reproduction, and improving long-term dairy profitability, this episode brings together the conversations worth revisiting. 🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favorite podcast platform  💬 Have thoughts or a story to share? Email podcast@agrsol.com. 🔗 Stay informed: Get expert livestock nutrition insights, cutting-edge research, and updates on future episodes by subscribing here: agrariansolutions.com/podcast Social Links: YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@RuminateThis YouTube Page:  https://www.youtube.com/@agrariansolutions5557 LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/agrarian-solutions/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AgrarianSolutions Instagram Page:  https://www.instagram.com/agrariansolutions/ Website: https://agrariansolutions.com/ Got a Question or want free Mycotoxin Testing? Send us a Message!!

    17 min

  6. 12/15/2025

    62: Why Culture Builds Better Calves

    Everyone talks about “culture” on dairies, but for calves, culture quietly determines which calves grow into healthy, high-performing cows and which struggle. In this episode, Scott explores how Agrarian Solutions’ RISE core values, Relational, Integrity, Strategic, and Excellence, shape real-world calf management, not just posters in the office. Through examples from three dairy farms, Scott demonstrates why the same facilities, nutrition, and SOPs can produce drastically different results: Farm A: Two shifts, same protocols, with wildly different outcomes because attention to calves matters.Farm B: Intentional hiring and team alignment drives uniform, resilient dairy calves that more than double birth weight.Farm C: No new equipment or formulas. They focused on people, and calf health problems disappeared.Explore how to apply RISE on your dairy farm by seeing quiet signals, sticking to protocols, and refusing mediocrity. Plus, learn why pre-weaning growth predicts lifetime milk production and how excellence spreads through dairy farm culture. 💬 Have thoughts or a story to share? Email podcast@agrsol.com. 🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favorite podcast platform  🔗 Stay informed: Get expert livestock nutrition insights, cutting-edge research, and updates on future episodes by subscribing here: agrariansolutions.com/podcast Social Links: YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@RuminateThis YouTube Page:  https://www.youtube.com/@agrariansolutions5557 LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/agrarian-solutions/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AgrarianSolutions Instagram Page:  https://www.instagram.com/agrariansolutions/ Website: https://agrariansolutions.com/ Got a Question or want free Mycotoxin Testing? Send us a Message!!

    24 min

  7. 12/01/2025

    61: Mycotoxins & Subtle Stress: Why Cows Look Fine but Performance Drifts

    What do you do when the cows look perfectly fine but performance keeps drifting? In this episode of Ruminate This, Scott Zehr breaks down the quiet, hard-to-detect issue plaguing many dairy herds: subtle biological stress, especially from low-level mycotoxins that rarely show up on a single feed test but can dramatically impact herd performance. Scott explains how cows can look visually healthy while quietly battling stress that affects reproduction, rumination, immune function, intakes, components, manure consistency, and overall milk production. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why cows “whisper” their symptoms instead of crashing.How low/medium DON, Zearalenone, T-2, and Fumonisin levels still cause major damage.Why mycotoxin tests often mislead (uneven distribution + sample variability).The real signs of toxin pressure: weak heats, cysts, SCC drift, soft milk, inconsistent manure, fluctuating intakes.Why patterns matter more than single data points.How to use Agrarian’s DTX Decision Chart to identify immune suppression.A real case where cows looked totally fine until toxin correction turned the herd around.Exactly what to review in your last 90 days of herd data to spot hidden stress before it becomes costly.If your cows look “fine” but your numbers don’t, this episode will give you the clarity you’ve been searching for. Resources: Mycotoxin Decision ChartMycotoxin Guide🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favorite podcast platform  To learn more on this topic, email podcast@agrsol.com. 🔗 Stay informed: Get expert livestock nutrition insights, cutting-edge research, and updates on future episodes by subscribing here: agrariansolutions.com/podcast Social Links: - Ruminate This YouTube Page - Agrarian Solutions YouTube Page - Agrarian's LinkedIn - Agrarian's Facebook Page - Agrarian's Instagram Page - Agrarian Solutions Website Got a Question or want free Mycotoxin Testing? Send us a Message!!

    23 min

  8. 11/03/2025

    59: Nine Months of Pain All Because Testing Came Too Late

    Mycotoxins like DON, zearalenone, and fumonisin silently drain herd health and profits, but too often, testing only happens after the damage is done. In this episode of Ruminate This, Scott Zehr and Dr. Larry Roth discuss why routine, proactive mycotoxin testing of TMR and silage should be a standard practice on every dairy. They explor regional mycotoxin trends, the influence of agronomic practices, and the role of residue management. Learn why monthly TMR testing, especially in dry cow and pre-fresh rations, is the most reliable way to safeguard milk production and herd health. Take control before losses occur. Download your complimentary Mycotoxin Report from Agrarian Solutions at agrariansolutions.com/mycotoxin-report-april-september-2025 and see the latest trends impacting herds. With proactive testing and resources like this, protecting herd health and profitability has never been easier. 🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favorite podcast platform  To learn more on this topic, email podcast@agrsol.com. 🔗 Stay informed: Get expert livestock nutrition insights, cutting-edge research, and updates on future episodes by subscribing here: agrariansolutions.com/podcast Social Links: YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@RuminateThis YouTube Page:  https://www.youtube.com/@agrariansolutions5557 LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/agrarian-solutions/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AgrarianSolutions Instagram Page:  https://www.instagram.com/agrariansolutions/ Website: https://agrariansolutions.com/ Got a Question or want free Mycotoxin Testing? Send us a Message!!

    27 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Ruminate This by Agrarian Solutions is your trusted source for insights on safeguarding ruminant health for a lifetime. From tackling the hidden threats of mycotoxins to optimizing gut health, immune function, and nutrition, we break down the biggest challenges impacting animal performance and producer profitability. But it’s not just about the science—we also explore workplace culture, leadership, and people development, because a strong team drives success. Tune in the second and fourth Monday for insights, research, and real-world strategies to keep your herd and team thriving.  Follow Ruminate This on your favorite podcast platform today, because healthier herds start with smarter solutions.

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