Uplevel Dairy Podcast

Peggy Coffeen

What does it take to be a successful, profitable and competitive dairy farm business? This is the podcast for dairy owners, managers and advisors who are after their next level of success. Join Uplevel Dairy host Peggy Coffeen each week as she sits down with the industry’s leading dairy producers and thought leaders for real conversations about business, management and leadership.

  1. 4D AGO

    330 | Why Beef-on-Dairy Calves Fail to Thrive in the Feedyard with Stephanie Hansen

    On the Uplevel Dairy Podcast, Peggy Coffeen interviews Dr. Stephanie Hansen of Iowa State University at Adisseo’s VIP seminar about why beef-on-dairy calves often fail to thrive in the feedlot. Hansen, a feedlot “mineral nerd,” explains how high liver copper—seen in necropsy results at 800–900 ppm—can originate from late-gestation cow diets and be compounded in dairy systems by copper-fortified milk replacer and starter feed while calves are still functionally monogastric, leading to greater absorption. Research funded by the Iowa Beef Checkoff found high liver copper did not affect vaccine response but did worsen outcomes in a respiratory disease challenge, increasing fever, clinical signs, and lung consolidation, alongside systemic inflammation and potentially compromised liver health. Action steps include moderating copper in late-gestation and calf starter diets, avoiding feedlot copper over-fortification, reassessing frequent vaccination protocols, and considering zinc’s anti-inflammatory benefits. Hansen also notes she writes national-park crime thrillers under the pen name SL Hansen, with a new book due April 2026. This Episode is brought to you by Adisseo This episode is sponsored by Uplevel Dairy Podcast Founding Partner Adisseo, a global leader in nutritional solutions and premier provider of rumen-protected methionine for dairy producers who want to optimize milk production, capture more value from components, and maintain the health of their high-performing herds. Learn more at https://www.adisseo.com/en/ 00:00 Why Calves Struggle 00:45 Sponsor Message 01:30 Meet Mineral Nerd 03:21 Feedlot Mystery Copper 04:46 Beef Copper Fortification 07:25 Dairy System One Two Punch 09:26 Toxicity Signs Inflammation 12:34 Respiratory Challenge Study 15:25 Other Thrive Factors 17:29 Producer Action Steps 21:15 Zinc Balancing Idea 22:04 Author Side Quest 23:56 Wrap Up Takeaways

    25 min

  2. 6D AGO

    329 | Dairy's Rising Leaders: Conversations We Need to Have

    This week on the Uplevel Dairy Podcast, we’re bringing you our breakout session from the Central Plains Dairy Expo for a real, unfiltered conversation with dairy’s rising leaders. From coming back to the farm… to carving your own path… to earning respect and finding your voice—this is a must-listen not only for the next generation, but for senior leaders looking to better understand, develop, and lead them. We are proud to partner with Central Plains Dairy Expo to feature these four panelists:Jacob Wag, Wag's Blue and White Dairy; Emma Brockshus, Brockshus Dairy; Emmett Meissner, Norm-E-Lane Farm, and Chelsea Abbott, Trans Ova Genetics.  Hear it straight from these rising leaders.

    1h 5m

  3. MAR 26

    328 | Dairy Farm Leadership Starts Here: Valuing Every Role in the Barn with Dr. Amanda Onan

    On location at Brooks Farms in Waupaca, Wisconsin, Peggy Coffeen interviews Dr. Amanda Onan of United Vet Services (Heritage Vet Partners) about how teamwork shapes her approach to dairy veterinary medicine nearly 10 years into practice. A second-generation veterinarian, Dr. Onan describes learning through ride-alongs with her father and hands-on work at Sugar Creek Farms, including projects to improve somatic cell count and mastitis understanding. She shares a formative lesson from a 70-year-old farm owner scraping stalls, reinforcing that no one is above any task and that every employee’s observations matter. Dr. Onan emphasizes building trust by engaging employees, recognizing positives, and using empathy to improve farm efficiency, while also discussing compassion fatigue in veterinary medicine and the support systems that help. She notes that Heritage’s national network enables collaboration, and she sees AI changing record analysis and on-farm implementation. This episode is brought to you by Heritage Vet PartnersHeritage Vet Partners is the nation’s leading veterinary partnership, specializing in mixed and large animal practices.  Heritage Vet Partners provides a unique partnership model that preserves local practice legacies, serving dairy and other livestock producers and companion animal owners through shared services, data, and strategic growth. Learn more at HeritageVetPartners.com. 00:43 Podcast Welcome and Sponsor01:43 Why Amanda Became a Vet04:09 Producer Perspective Lessons05:51 Somatic Cell Count Project08:06 Nobody Above Scraping Stalls11:31 Building Trust With Employees15:44 Positive Leadership Habits16:39 Compassion Fatigue Explained18:25 Support Systems and Grace21:53 Business Side and Heritage Network27:11 Future of Vet Med and AI28:25 Final Thanks and Outro

    30 min

  4. MAR 24

    327 | Exploring Dairy and Feed Dynamics with Matt Wolf and Jake Kingsley

    Recorded in Amarillo at the High Plains Dairy Conference, Peggy Coffeen sits down with Matt Wolf and Jake Kingsley as they share their farm backgrounds—Matt from a Texas dairy family and Jake from Kansas, where his grandparents once had a small family dairy—plus unique experiences like dairy cattle and collegiate wool judging. Matt explains building a beef-on-dairy risk management program spanning day-old calves through finishing cattle and cull cows, including new LRP opportunities, and how producers can protect value at record-high calf and cow prices. Jake outlines Ever.Ag’s feed risk management approach as it combines futures, basis, and cash-feed analysis with regular producer check-ins. They discuss High Plains consolidation, processing capacity growth, water constraints, ongoing volatility, export needs, and the rise of high-protein products, then close with quick personal Q&A and country music picks. Ever.Ag partners with dairy producers to build customized risk management plans that help protect margins in any market environment. With dedicated advisors, industry leading technology, and proven tools like Dairy Revenue Protection, we help farms reduce uncertainty and secure long‑term financial strength. Learn more at https://ever.ag/ 00:00 High Plains Kickoff 01:53 Why Amarillo Matters 02:27 Matt Wolf's Story 04:45 Jake Kingsley's Story 06:29 Wool and Cattle Judging 08:15 Beef on Dairy Growth 13:10 Feed Risk Playbook 15:53 High Plains Game Changers 21:29 Future Outlook and Trends 29:08 Rapid Fire Fun 33:34 Wrap Up and Thanks

    35 min

  5. MAR 22

    326 | Farm Forward: Lessons in Leadership from Tommy Oesch of Swisslane Farms

    In this episode of the Uplevel Dairy Podcast, we wrap up our preview of the Farm Forward Conference with part two of a conversation with Michigan dairyman, Tommy Oesch about farm transition mistakes and building an advisory team. Tommy describes a costly error of trying to manage dairy nutrition himself, learning to hire and listen to the right consultants, and updating who “sits at the table” as the business evolves. He outlines Swiss Lane’s aggressive growth plan from 5,000 cows to 10,000 by 2032, explains adopting EOS quarterly strategy meetings, and shares leadership lessons on accountability, communication, employee reviews, and putting the right people in the right roles. He advises older generations to allow mistakes and the next generation to push succession planning forward, noting it requires time, money, and persistence. Join us for the Farm Forward ConferenceFriday, March 27, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center7001 Gass Lake Rd, Manitowoc, WIRegister Here: https://pci.jotform.com/form/260474594709165 00:00 Farm Forward Invite 01:27 Costly Nutrition Lesson 05:19 Building Advisor Team 08:52 Aggressive Growth Vision 10:47 Who Sits at Table 12:58 EOS Outside Expertise 15:05 Evolving Vet Role 16:13 Leadership Growing Pains 19:42 Accountability Processes 23:33 Advice Both Generations 25:29 Patience With Equity 27:05 No One Size Fits All 29:07 Conference Details Wrap

    31 min

  6. MAR 21

    325 | Farm Forward: Insights from Tommy Oesch on Succession Success

    On this episode of the Uplevel Dairy Podcast, we are featuring a throwback interview with Michigan dairyman, Tommy Oesch of Swisslane Farms about generational transition challenges, including older owners holding control, the growing financial scale of dairies, and the need for next-generation members to work elsewhere and succeed before returning. Tommy shares his path from MSU to leaving the farm for a feed sales career, then returning in 2011 for lower pay to help manage growth, including building a 500-cow robot dairy. He describes using consultants, advisors, core values, and buy-sell planning to structure ownership, reduce senior wages to enable management transition, and navigate leadership mistakes. Join us for the Farm Forward Conference Friday, March 27, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center 7001 Gass Lake Rd, Manitowoc, WI Register Here: https://pci.jotform.com/form/260474594709165 00:00 Introduction and Conference Announcement01:04 Generational Transition Challenges03:06 Preparing the Next Generation05:44 Tommy's Early Career Journey07:03 Learning the Feed Business08:17 The Hard Decision to Return10:48 Realizing Career Opportunities11:51 Senior Generation's Perspective14:57 Creating the Succession Plan16:27 Building the Robot Dairy Together19:45 Developing Core Values23:27 Structuring the Buyout25:01 Difficult Ownership Decisions25:43 Lessons from Leadership Transition26:39 Farm Forward Conference Details

    28 min

  7. MAR 20

    324 | Farm Forward: How to Have Hard Conversations with Kristy Pagel

    In this episode of the Uplevel Dairy Podcast, we are gearing up for the Farm Forward Conference on March 27 with Kristy Pagel of Leading Edge Consulting speaking on navigating difficult conversations. This conversation previews Kristy's guidance for managers who avoid confrontation, emphasizing that hard conversations can strengthen bonds and improve retention. She outlines starting with root-cause identification, fact gathering, and objective measures, and shares an employee analyzer matrix (head/skills, heart/passion, capacity/time) plus an added column on willingness to reinvest with a timeframe, sometimes having employees self-assess. Kristy coaches three mindset skills—confidence, active listening, and forward-looking outcomes—and notes common sticking points are initial courage and follow-up. Join us for the Farm Forward Conference Friday, March 27, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center 7001 Gass Lake Rd, Manitowoc, WI Register Here: https://pci.jotform.com/form/260474594709165 00:00 Farm Forward Invite 01:11 Why Hard Talks Matter 02:21 Find the Root Cause 03:19 Employee Analyzer Tool 04:46 Reinvest or Reassign 08:05 Manager Mindset Trio 10:38 Forward Looking Plans 11:58 Where People Get Stuck 13:36 Uplevel Five Q and A 19:09 Wrap Up and Contact

    21 min

  8. MAR 19

    323 | Farm Forward: Navigating Family Farm Transition Planning with Will McKinley

    This episode of the Uplevel Dairy Podcast re-shares a conversation with Will McKinley, president of Menn Law, about legal realities of family farm transition and succession planning and common mistakes when families wait too long. The discussion focuses on why transition planning stalls, macro delays tied to reluctance to “retire” and the cyclical nature of farming, and micro stalls during multi-meeting planning, plus the value of scheduling, on-farm meetings, and mediation to address misunderstandings, confrontation avoidance, and ownership qualifications. The episode also promotes the Farm Forward Conference on March 27, 2026 at Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center in Newton, Wisconsin, featuring expert training and a transition panel including Will McKinley. Join us for the Farm Forward Conference Friday, March 27, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center 7001 Gass Lake Rd, Manitowoc, WI Register Here: https://pci.jotform.com/form/260474594709165 00:00 Why Plans Fail 00:25 Farm Forward Conference 01:06 Meet Will McKinley 02:36 Menn Law and Tuig Merger 05:48 Will’s Farm Roots 08:00 Outside Industry Lessons 10:08 Learning from George Tuig 12:35 Why Transitions Stall 18:30 Keeping Momentum 21:35 Case Study Two Brothers 22:33 Breaking the Stalemate 23:34 One on One Mediation 25:39 Assumptions and Avoidance 27:32 Setting Fair Qualifications 29:06 Key Takeaways Recap 31:40 When to Get Help 33:24 Menn Law One Stop Shop 35:55 Listener Questions Invite 36:47 Uplevel Five Questions 40:32 Wrap Up and Contact Info 41:58 Farm Forward Conference

    44 min
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4.8
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32 Ratings

About

What does it take to be a successful, profitable and competitive dairy farm business? This is the podcast for dairy owners, managers and advisors who are after their next level of success. Join Uplevel Dairy host Peggy Coffeen each week as she sits down with the industry’s leading dairy producers and thought leaders for real conversations about business, management and leadership.

Information

  • Creator
    Peggy Coffeen
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    326
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 868329
  • Show Website
    Uplevel Dairy Podcast

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