Colorado State University AgNext

09/08/2026

It’s Ag Week at Colorado State University! 🧡🐏

This annual tradition celebrates CSU’s rich agricultural history, and the AgNext team is excited to be part of it. Here’s where you can connect with us this week:

🔶 CSU Department of Animal Sciences Involvement Fair | Thursday, September 10 | 4:00–6:30 p.m. | Animal Sciences
🔶 Ag Fest | Friday, September 11 | 10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. | LSC Plaza
🔶 Nutrien Ag Day BBQ | Saturday, September 12 | 1:00–3:00 p.m. | Intramural Fields

There’s plenty more happening throughout Ag Week! Check out the full list of activities hosted by the Colorado State University College of Agricultural Sciences: https://loom.ly/sSF19r4

09/06/2026

Check out Dr. Diego Manriquez’s latest research on how precision technology and on-farm data can help dairy producers make more informed decisions!

Up next, we’re headed to the dairy!

CSU Animal Sciences researchers Dr. Pablo Pinedo and Dr. Diego Manríquez used data from more than 12,000 lactations and 7,600 Holstein cows to examine relationships among body condition, milk production, and reproductive performance.

Using automated body condition scoring, they found that lower body condition was associated with greater milk production, while greater body condition was associated with improved reproductive performance.

Research like this shows how precision technology and on-farm data can help producers make informed decisions that balance productivity, reproduction, and profitability.

📖 Read the full manuscript here: https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2025-28132

09/01/2026

We’re excited to share a new AgNext publication highlighting the Ph.D. research of Dr. Afrin Jannat!

This study examined volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in commercial dairy barns and milking parlors. Researchers found that VOC concentrations varied across different areas of the facilities, with methane, ethane, and propane among the most commonly detected compounds. Understanding where gases concentrate indoors can help identify potential emission sources and inform management practices to improve air quality in dairy systems.

Read the full publication: https://loom.ly/Hoc-omw

08/31/2026

The August AgNext Newsletter is available now!

In this issue, learn about our upcoming Animals, Landscapes & Communities seminar, get details on Ag Week at CSU, explore recent AgNext publications, and more.

Read the full newsletter: https://conta.cc/4x4nuGT

08/31/2026

Don’t miss Dr. Hailey Wilmer’s upcoming seminar in our Animals, Landscapes & Communities: Building Engaged Grazing Research Capacity series!

Dr. Wilmer will explore how researchers, ranchers, and land managers can work together to produce useful, collaborative research that supports working landscapes.

Register today: https://loom.ly/sVGzG4U

Colorado State University College of Agricultural Sciences | Colorado State University Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering | CSU College of Liberal Arts | CSU College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences | Warner College of Natural Resources

08/28/2026

Last Wednesday, Dr. Mike VanDyke, Dr. Diego Manriquez, and Fallon Jiménez hosted the second Confined Space Safety Training session for livestock operations, this time in Spanish.

During the session, attendees shared their experiences and unique approaches and discussed hazards, permit-required confined spaces, and risk monitoring and management. Participants also received materials to support safety efforts in their businesses.

A special thank you to Joshua Espinoza from High Plains Intermountain Center for Agricultural Health and Safety for his support, to the sponsors Advanced Dairy Service / IBA Dairy Depot, and to all the attendees for making this session a success!

We are pleased to announce that the team will be offering free on-site Confined Space Safety training for dairy and beef producers. If you’re interested, please register your farm using the link: https://loom.ly/SBVFWdY

This training is funded through the OSHA Susan Harwood Training Grant Program (SH-00212-SH5).

08/20/2026

This week’s newsletter from Beeftech.news takes a deep dive into an AgNext publication on virtual fence technology in grazing cattle.

The story highlights the value of independent research in understanding how emerging technologies can support sustainable livestock production.

Read more: https://loom.ly/Jliy-D0

The first independent, full-season virtual fence trial on real rangeland just published. The fence works. The gains don't. The carbon pitch doesn't survive the data.

08/19/2026

AgNext Dairy Systems Specialists Dr. Jason Lombard and Dr. Diego Manriquez contributed to a new publication in the Journal of Dairy Science examining the relationship between mastitis pathogens and changes in cow milking behavior and performance in automatic milking systems.

The study found that cows with clinical mastitis caused by certain pathogens showed changes in milking behavior and performance up to seven days before diagnosis. While the researchers found some associations between mastitis pathogen categories and these changes, they note that additional research is needed to better understand how automatic milking system data could help identify clinical mastitis.

Read the full publication: https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2025-27786

08/17/2026

Here is your update from the Livestock Marketing Information Center (LMIC), with insights from Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics (DARE CSU) professor Dr. Stephen Koontz.

Stay up-to-date on trends impacting the livestock industry: https://loom.ly/Hbr3VLI

08/17/2026

This fall, we’re excited to welcome more experts to Colorado State University for our Animals, Landscapes, and Communities: Building Engaged Grazing Research Capacity seminar series!

Our first seminar this semester will be on September 15 with Dr. Hailey Wilmer of USDA-ARS. Drawing on her work in rangeland science and social science, Dr. Wilmer will explore how researchers, ranchers, and land managers can work together to produce useful, collaborative research that supports working landscapes.

Register today: https://loom.ly/sVGzG4U

Colorado State University College of Agricultural Sciences
Colorado State University Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering
CSU College of Liberal Arts
CSU College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
Warner College of Natural Resources