Renee Smith

Beyond energy: What signals are your fatty acids sending?

The main fatty acids found in dairy diets and the signals they send beyond being utilized for energy

August 13, 2024

Let’s walk through the main fatty acids found in dairy diets and talk specifically about the signals they are sending beyond being utilized for energy. While they may seem complex, the stakes are high in understanding their roles as there is a rare function of the cow that is not impacted by fatty acids.

The blooming onion of milkfat: Understanding the layers

The two pathways for fatty acids to be transformed into milkfat are either derived from the diet or from the rumen.

March 14, 2024

Renee Smith

Let’s play a simple word association game. When I say “milkfat,” what do you say? Palmitic? That’s what I’d expect 80% of you to say if we were having this conversation in person.

Implementing a fertility first approach at Rocking S Dairy

March 12, 2024

Renee Smith

Breed for fertility, feed for fertility, manage for fertility – this phrase encapsulates the approach Siebren Jacobi has taken to capture greater herd performance and profitability at Rocking S Dairy in Modesto, California.

Rethinking bioactive fatty acids in dry cows

Omega fatty acids, particularly EPA/DHA, improve a wide array of both cow performance and colostrum measurements when provided at adequate levels in close-up diets.

August 30, 2023

Renee Smith

If there’s one set of research that has prompted me to think differently about how we manage dry cows, it’s the work done by Dr. Geoffrey Dahl and team at the University of Florida on the effects of heat stress on dry cows.

Mitigating heat stress effects with EPA/DHA omega-3

Review your management and nutrition practices through the lens of reducing inflammation to recapture glucose for the mammary gland and improve cow health.

March 25, 2023

Renee Smith

While mitigating heat stress with proper cow cooling lays the foundation, recent research shows that properly supplying essential nutrients to dairy cows, specifically EPA/DHA omega-3s, may be just as important in tempering inflammation and helping cows be more resilient through immune challenges.

Exploring nutrient synergies: EPA/DHA omega-3 and methionine

Feeding adequate levels of either methionine or EPA/DHA pre- and post-fresh to dairy cows shows strong improvements in milk production and liver function.

January 17, 2023

Renee Smith

The results from this study showed strong production improvements in response to feeding adequate levels of either methionine or EPA/DHA pre- and post-fresh, plus positive synergistic effects in performance and in improving liver function.

The case for EPA/DHA omega-3 as an essential nutrient

March 28, 2022

Renee Smith

One of my fond childhood memories is of my dad placing me on Nina’s back as she walked into the barn to be milked. Nina was truly a great cow by all accounts – highly productive, great conformation and highly prolific thanks to my dad’s forays into embryo transfer (ET) work in the early ’80s.

Connecting the dots: Inflammation, body condition loss and reproduction

June 9, 2021

Renee Smith

As a kid, I remember gathering around the table after morning chores to eat a hearty breakfast of bacon and eggs. What could be better than a hot breakfast after peeling out of bed at 5 a.m. to help my dad get the cows milked?

What’s your cost to obtain a pregnancy?

February 24, 2021

Renee Smith

Give me just one number. That’s what we all want, right? One simple number to focus on and improve our chances of reaching our goal. While this common mantra has merit, it is truly a double-edged sword.

Roadmap to fatty acid balancing

June 30, 2020

Renee Smith

Fatty acids can be flat-out complicated. First off, they have too many names. Linoleic is 18:2 and is also omega-6. Three names for the same fatty acid – is that really necessary?

Articles by Renee Smith

Beyond energy: What signals are your fatty acids sending?

The blooming onion of milkfat: Understanding the layers

Implementing a fertility first approach at Rocking S Dairy

Rethinking bioactive fatty acids in dry cows

Mitigating heat stress effects with EPA/DHA omega-3

Exploring nutrient synergies: EPA/DHA omega-3 and methionine

The case for EPA/DHA omega-3 as an essential nutrient

Connecting the dots: Inflammation, body condition loss and reproduction

What’s your cost to obtain a pregnancy?

Roadmap to fatty acid balancing

West: The value of records

South Central: Heifer development from weaning to breeding

Southeast: BCS – one of the best tools you have

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