Knowledge Nook

Located in the Atrium of the Exhibition Hall, the Knowledge Nook is a space designed for companies to showcase an innovative product, service or research that was introduced to the market since the last World Dairy Expo. There will be up to 27, 45-minute sessions over the course of World Dairy Expo, 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Tuesday - Thursday and 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Friday.

The list of 2025 Knowledge Nook Sessions and their sponsors are below.

Innovation Unveiled also features additional cutting-edge products that can be found in the Trade Show.

Interested in hosting a session in 2025? Applications for the 2025 Knowledge Nook Sessions can be found HERE.

Wednesday, October 1
9:30 a.m.	Coated Amino Acid Speaker: David P. Casper, Nutritionist, Global Ingredients Corporation Presenting Company: Global Ingredients Corporation
10:30 a.m.	Do more with less: New technology boosts your existing parlor Speaker: James Bringe, Milking Equipment Sales Specialist, GEA Farm Technologies, Inc. Presenting Company: GEA Farm Technologies, Inc.
11:30 a.m.	Feed with Confidence: Connecting Workflows with Results Speaker: Melissa Freitas, West & Northeast FPC Team Leader, VAS Presenting Company: VAS
12:30 p.m.	Emerging Agriculture Sector Threats Speakers: Stephen Goldsmith DVM, Management and Program Analyst and Special Agent Scott Mahloch  Presenting Company: Federal Bureau of Investigation
1:30 p.m.	Probiotic Use in Livestock - A Veterinarian's Perspective Speaker: Dr. Ryan Royer, Technical Service Manager, Novonesis Presenting Company: Novonesis
2:30 p.m.	TBA Speaker: Jeffrey Bewley, PhD, PAS, Executive Director of Genetic Programs and Innovation Presenting Company: Holstein Association USA
3:30 p.m.	Magnesium Matters - Putting Solubility to the Test Speaker: Dr. Noelia Silva del Rio, Dairy Herd Health Specialist, UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine Presenting Company: GLC Minerals

Tuesday, September 30 at 10:30 a.m.
New Strategies for Fly Control in Dairy Farms
Speaker: Dr. Mike Catangui, Entomologist and Parasitologist Manager
Presenting Company: MWI Animal Health

The MWI Animal Health Entomology Laboratory has been collecting data on the development or evolution of resistance by house flies to commonly used insecticides in dairy farms across the United States. New strategies to manage the development of insecticide resistance by house flies to insecticides will be presented and discussed.

 Dr. Michael A. Catangui is a distinguished Livestock Entomologist and Parasitologist Manager at MWI Animal Health AmerisourceBergen. With a rich background in entomology and parasitology, Dr. Catangui has dedicated over three decades to advancing the field of livestock health through innovative pest management strategies.

Tuesday, September 30 at 11:30 a.m.
Improving Hoof Health Protocols Using Automated Locomotion Monitoring With Vision Technology
Speaker: Arnold Harbers, Nedap Dairy Solution Expert
Presenting Company: Nedap 

With the latest computer vision technology, we can continuously monitor the locomotion of every cow. This session will focus on how to use these insights in your hoof health protocols, enabling the farmer to take practical and profitable action.

Born and raised on a dairy farm in the Netherlands, Arnold Harbers has dedicated his career to the dairy industry. He holds a degree in Animal Breeding from Wageningen University and has worked across various roles in the sector. Today, he serves as a Dairy Solution Expert at Nedap Livestock, where he develops technology that helps farmers worldwide improve herd performance and daily operations.

Wednesday, October 1 at 9:30 a.m.
Coated Amino Acid
Speaker: David P. Casper, Nutritionist, Global Ingredients Corporation
Presenting Company: Global Ingredients Corporation 

In this session, we will discuss data on a new encapsulated methionine product from Global Ingredient Corporation, which bypasses the rumen and is available in the lower intestinal tract for absorption. The focus will be on rumen stability and intestinal availability, highlighting various in vitro and in vivo methods used. Attendees will gain insights into how this product meets the metabolizable methionine requirements for milk cows, enhancing milk production efficiency and profitability. The presenter will also share tips on ration balancing and feeding recommendations from their 30 years in the dairy industry.

Dr. David P. Casper is an Assistant Professor of Dairy Science at South Dakota State University with over 30 years of experience in dairy cattle nutrition and research. He has held roles in academia, government (USDA-ARS), and industry, including leadership positions at Cargill and Agri-King, Inc. Dr. Casper has published extensively and is active in professional organizations such as ADSA, ASAS, and ARPAS. He is a recipient of multiple industry awards recognizing his contributions to applied dairy research and forage innovation.

Wednesday, October 1 at 10:30 a.m.
Do more with less: New technology boosts your existing parlor
Speaker: James Bringe, Milking Equipment Sales Specialist, GEA Farm Technologies, Inc.
Presenting Company: GEA Farm Technologies, Inc. 

Labor challenges and the pressure to milk more cows aren’t new, but how you tackle them can be. This session will show you how to integrate new milking automation capabilities into your current parlor with the DairyProX system. This technology will help streamline milking workflows, improve throughput and deliver consistent results—all with fewer people in the pit. See how the right tools and strategy can help you accomplish more with the team and equipment you already have.

For more than 25 years, James Bringe has helped producers across the Midwest and East Coast select the milking facility that best fits their operation. James specializes in large parlor projects and new technologies designed to benefit employees, cows and owners alike. With a background in business, he focuses on delivering solutions that prioritize efficiency, productivity and return on investment.

Wednesday, October 1 at 11:30 a.m.
Feed with Confidence: Connecting Workflows with Results
Speaker: Melissa Freitas, West & Northeast FPC Team Leader, VAS
Presenting Company: VAS

Take control of your dairy's biggest expense from the palm of your hand. Learn how to take a mobile-first approach to streamline mixing and feeding workflows while ensuring accurate rations reach the right pen, every time. Plus, connect owners, feeders and consultants for a smoother, more transparent dairy operation.

Melissa Freitas is a passionate advocate for the dairy industry. As the FPC Team Leader for the West, Northeast and Mexico sales territories at VAS, Freitas leads and supports a team of eight in addition to managing her own territory. She has been with VAS for 13 years and holds a bachelor’s degree in Dairy Science from Eastern New Mexico University.

Wednesday, October 1 at 12:30 p.m.
Emerging Agriculture Sector Threats
Speakers: Stephen Goldsmith DVM, Management and Program Analyst and Special Agent Scott Mahloch
Presenting Company: Federal Bureau of Investigation 

This is a 45-minute presentation that discusses the emerging threats to the U.S. agriculture sector by foreign and domestic threat actors. It describes the roles of the FBI WMD Coordinators assigned to all FBI Field Offices as well the resources and capabilities to investigate and respond to CBRNE, cyber, economic espionage, and sabotage incidents with State and Federal Agriculture agencies.

Dr. Goldsmith is assigned to the FBI Counterterrorism Division-WMD Branch as a program analyst and was previously assigned to FBI Laboratory Hazardous Science Response Unit. He was a Field Veterinarian-Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostician for 15 years with USDA APHIS Veterinary Services. He also served 30 years in the U.S. Army in Afghanistan, Philippines, and Central-South America.

Wednesday, October 1 at 1:30 p.m.
Probiotic Use in Livestock - A Veterinarian's Perspective
Speaker: Dr. Ryan Royer, Technical Service Manager, Novonesis
Presenting Company: Novonesis 

As pressures continue to be placed on reducing anti-microbial use on livestock production systems, alternative methods are being used to treat and maintain animal health. One of those alternatives includes the use of probiotics in animal feeds to support the animal’s immune function, promote rumen health and enhance the intestinal barrier.

Dr. Royer is a veterinarian and dairy nutritionist with experience in the Midwest and Texas panhandle for over 20 years. He started his technical service role with Novonesis about 1 year ago and has brought a hands-on, practical approach, focusing on animal health and helping producers use probiotics on dairy farms. He believes that healthy animals should always be the primary focus of any type of livestock farming, and utilizing probiotics is a safe and effective tool in the health promotion toolbox.

Wednesday, October 1 at 2:30 p.m.
TBA
Speaker: Jeffrey Bewley, PhD, PAS, Executive Director of Genetic Programs and Innovation
Presenting Company: Holstein Association USA

Dr. Jeffrey Bewley is from Rineyville, Kentucky where he grew up working on his grandfather's dairy farm.  He is currently Executive Director of Genetic Programs and Innovation with Holstein Association USA.  He has published and presented extensively around the world mostly focused on dairy technology and data.

Wednesday, October 1 at 3:30 p.m.
Magnesium Matters - Putting Solubility to the Test
Speaker: Dr. Noelia Silva del Rio, Dairy Herd Health Specialist, UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine
Presenting Company: GLC Minerals 

Dr. Noelia Silva del Rio of UC Davis recently published a pivotal study in the Journal of Dairy Science that evaluates the bioavailability of five commonly used magnesium sources in non-lactating Holstein cows. Dr. Silva del Rio’s insights offer a valuable roadmap for nutritionists and feed operations to optimize mineral supplementation and maximize return on investment. Key findings that will be shared include the importance of magnesium in dairy cow nutrition and health, types of magnesium sources, the difference in = bioavailability of various magnesium sources and practical strategies to enhance your herd’s mineral status.

Dr. Silva del Rio serves as the Dairy Herd Health Specialist at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. She is located at the Veterinary Teaching and Research Center, a satellite unit of the vet school in Tulare County. She obtained her DVM from Spain and her PhD in Dairy Nutrition and Reproductive Physiology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her research interests include a wide range of topics, such as transition cow and calf health, dairy herd sustainability, and animal welfare. Additionally, she is deeply interested in improving dairy worker performance and developing tools to motivate positive changes in dairy operations.

Thursday, October 2 at 9:30 a.m.
Revolutionizing Rumen Health from the Inside Out
Speaker: Louisa Koch, Ph.D., Feeding and pH Specialist, smaXtec Inc.
Presenting Company: smaXtec Inc. 

This session will examine the use of in-rumen sensor technology for continuous pH monitoring and its implications for rumen health management. We'll discuss how real-time data from internal boluses can support earlier detection of digestive disturbances, inform nutritional strategies and enhance decision-making on dairy operations. Practical considerations for implementation and interpretation of pH data will also be addressed.

Dr. Louisa Koch is a West Virginia native with a background in nutrition and rumen physiology. She received her doctorate from Clemson University, where her focus was on understanding the impacts on sugar and starch sources on milk fat depression. She joined smaXtec at the beginning of 2025 and currently consults with producers, veterinarians, and nutritionists on how to integrate sensor-data into farm management.

Thursday, October 2 at 10:30 a.m.
New Strategies for Fly Control in Dairy Farms
Speaker: Dr. Mike Catangui, Entomologist and Parasitologist Manager
Presenting Company: MWI Animal Health 

The MWI Animal Health Entomology Laboratory has been collecting data on the development or evolution of resistance by house flies to commonly used insecticides in dairy farms across the United States. New strategies to manage the development of insecticide resistance by house flies to insecticides will be presented and discussed.

Dr. Michael A. Catangui is a distinguished Livestock Entomologist and Parasitologist Manager at MWI Animal Health AmerisourceBergen. With a rich background in entomology and parasitology, Dr. Catangui has dedicated over three decades to advancing the field of livestock health through innovative pest management strategies.

Thursday, October 2 at 11:30 a.m.
Probiotic Use in Livestock - A Veterinarian's Perspective
Speaker: Dr. Ryan Royer, Technical Service Manager, Novonesis
Presenting Company: Novonesis 

As pressures continue to be placed on reducing anti-microbial use on livestock production systems, alternative methods are being used to treat and maintain animal health. One of those alternatives includes the use of probiotics in animal feeds to support the animal’s immune function, promote rumen health and enhance the intestinal barrier.

Dr. Royer is a veterinarian and dairy nutritionist with experience in the Midwest and Texas panhandle for over 20 years. He started his technical service role with Novonesis about 1 year ago and has brought a hands-on, practical approach, focusing on animal health and helping producers use probiotics on dairy farms. He believes that healthy animals should always be the primary focus of any type of livestock farming, and utilizing probiotics is a safe and effective tool in the health promotion toolbox.

Thursday, October 2 at 12:30 p.m.
Data You Can Use. Insights You Can Trust. Meet the Dairy Data Partner.
Speaker: Stuart MacLennan, CEO, Intelligent Dairy Solutions
Presenting Company: Intelligent Dairy Solutions

Intelligent Dairy Solutions' Dairy Data Partner (DDP) service transforms complex data into clear, real-time insights delivered directly to producers via tools like SMS or WhatsApp. DDP humanizes ag tech by combining automation with trusted, personal partnerships that support better cow health, feed efficiency, and farm management. Each partner provides context-rich, actionable updates tailored to the farm's unique needs. The result is more confident, data-driven decisions every day.

As CEO at Peacock Technology, Stuart MacLennan leads with a clear vision: to develop innovative systems that advance sustainability, support local economies, and deliver real-world solutions to the agri-food sector. With a degree in Agriculture and experience spanning from hands-on farming to renewable energy projects, MacLennan brings a holistic perspective to sustainable food production. Representing Intelligent Dairy Solutions (IDS), a division of Peacock Technology, he is passionate about using technology to drive productivity, profitability, and animal welfare in the dairy industry.

Thursday, October 2 at 1:30 p.m.
Unlocking Fiber Efficiency: Enhancing Rumen Function and Milk Performance with Probiotic Microbial Consortia
Speaker: Mauricio Agudelo Rendón, CEO at Bialtec
Presenting Company: Bialtec 

High-producing dairy cows need costly TMR diets, but improving fiber digestion can reduce costs. This session shows how microencapsulated probiotics enhance rumen microbiota and fiber degradability. Results from field and lab studies highlight benefits under short rumen retention times. Attendees will learn how this boosts feed efficiency and milk performance.

Mauricio Agudelo is a chemical engineer and CEO of Bialtec, a biotech company focused on microencapsulated probiotics for animal nutrition. He has led international research on rumen microbiota, fiber digestibility, and sustainable dairy production, bridging science and practical application in high-yield systems.

Thursday, October 2 at 2:30 p.m.
TBA
Speaker: TBA
Presenting Company: Datamars Livestock 

Thursday, October 2 at 3:30 p.m.
Dairy's Latest Innovation: Digitizing & Automating Feed Pushing
Speaker: Praveen Penmetsa, CEO, Monarch Tractor
Presenting Company: Monarch Tractor 

Dairy farms face labor shortages, rising fuel costs, and pressure to operate sustainably. In February 2025, Monarch launched the first 100% electric, driver-optional, smart tractor with autonomous feed-pushing — boosting milk production, cutting costs, and improving efficiency. It’s a breakthrough solution for a changing industry, and just the beginning for Monarch and modern dairy operations.

Praveen Penmetsa is the CEO and co-founder of Monarch Tractor, developer of the world’s first smart, electric, driver-optional tractor. Monarch’s modular platform powers autonomy, electrification, and data intelligence — starting with the MK-V Dairy tractor, which automates feed pushing for dairy farms to enhance labor, boost efficiency, and increase milk production.