Cattle Chat – Episode Summary

Podcast: BCI Cattle Chat
Episode: Research Update, New Grad Opportunities, New Products: How to Evaluate
Date: October 24, 2025
Host: Brad White
Guests: Dr. McKenna Jensen, Bob, Phillip

Episode Overview

This episode centers on three main topics:

• A discussion of Dr. McKenna Jensen's research into cattle heart pathology at harvest.
• Insights and advice regarding opportunities and challenges for new veterinary graduates entering rural communities.
• Practical advice for evaluating and deciding whether to adopt new products in cattle operations.

The show features a friendly, conversational tone with practical takeaways and personal anecdotes throughout.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Dr. McKenna Jensen’s Research Update on Cattle Heart Health

Project Background

• Dr. Jensen, about to enter veterinary practice, discusses her master's research focused on cattle heart and organ health at harvest.
• Study involved scoring the hearts of cattle at harvest (scoring system 1-5; 1-2 normal, 3-5 abnormal). Samples of heart, lung, and liver tissues were collected for histopathology.

Major Findings

• Low Incidence of Damage: Surprisingly, grossly abnormal ("big") hearts did not necessarily exhibit microscopic fibrosis (scarring) or necrosis (active tissue death).
  • Only 5 out of 98 cases had fibrosis; 3 out of 98 had necrosis.
  • [05:13] Dr. Jensen: “We didn't see a lot of [necrosis or fibrosis]. We only had five out of the 98 cases that had fibrosis, and then three out of those 98 cases had necrosis in their heart.”
• Parasite Discovery: High prevalence of the parasite sarcocyst (a protozoa similar to Toxoplasma) found in heart tissue.
  • 85 out of 98 cattle had sarcocyst in at least one heart sample; 74 had it in all four samples.
  • [06:56] Dr. Jensen: “85 out of our 98 cases had sarcocystis within at least one heart sample, and 74 of those cases had it in all four of those heart samples.”
  • Typically considered incidental, its frequent presence, particularly in abnormal hearts, was unexpected.
• Implications:
  • Raises new questions about the significance of subclinical heart pathology and parasite load in cattle that make it to harvest.
  • [08:27] Bob: “What may be happening is that there’s some structural changes to the heart, but it takes a long time for problems under the microscope to show up…this is another area where we just don't know what exactly to completely conclude by some of the findings.”
  • Gross heart lesions have been linked to decreased performance and sometimes carcass condemnation.

Discussion Takeaways

• The findings prompt a need for further research rather than immediate practice changes.
• Bob’s perspective: Sometimes what appears normal at slaughter may mask complex subclinical issues.

2. New Graduates Entering Rural Practice: Opportunities and Challenges

Excitement for New Roles

• Dr. Jensen shares her anticipation about launching into clinical practice, making connections with clients, and being active in the community.
  • [11:27] Dr. Jensen: “I’m really most excited about just jumping head in and getting into that clinical practice aspect of things…make connections with clients.”

Recognized Challenges

• Social challenges cited: leaving established support networks, integrating into a new town, forming friendships, and establishing new hobbies.
  • [11:52] Dr. Jensen: “Definitely some of the challenges are going to be finding new hobbies, you know, finding friends. You're leaving everything you've known…”

Stories & Advice

• Bob’s Anecdote: Pulling up to a new town knowing no one, his wife’s outgoing approach to making friends, and the importance of building a community outside the workplace.
  • [13:22] Bob: “We actually, you know, we enjoyed our job…But if you're a transplant, if you're in from another area, another state, you got to kind of break into that.”
• Community Integration:
  • Attending local churches and volunteering are highlighted as practical ways to meet people and ease the transition.
    • [15:36] Phillip: “We tended to make friends and get to know people through church.”
  • Importance of support from employers to help new hires integrate outside of work.
    • [15:48] Brad: “If you're the boss and you're hiring somebody to come in, figure out ways that…How can I help them integrate with this community?”

Retention Emphasis

• Retention is closely tied to integration, not just job fit.
  • [14:20] Brad: “Anybody that's hiring a young person into ag, remember, that's not their entire life.”
  • [14:24] Bob: “And the job could be good. But if it's lonely at home…”

3. How to Evaluate New Products for Cattle Operations

Scenario: The Promise of "Purple Power"

• Host presents a hypothetical new product, "Purple Power," promising weight gain with one injection.

Evaluative Approaches

• Dr. Jensen’s Approach:

  • Emphasizes skepticism; would demand supporting research and regulatory status before considering use.
  • [16:46] Dr. Jensen: “…Always ask questions and never blindly trust anything… I would need to see some research to back it up.”
  • [17:16] Dr. Jensen: “I'd need to see what are the adverse effects, you know, what is this product going to do to my clients’ cattle?”

• Host and Bob’s Perspective:

  • Regulatory approval and safety data are crucial first steps.
  • Skepticism is healthy, given past products that failed to deliver or presented problems.
  • [19:31] Bob: “An optimistic skeptic. I know that most products don't really live up to the original hype, but some do.”

• Phillip’s Structured Framework:

  • Referenced University of Illinois "4 Rs": Response, Return, Research, and Field Response.
    • Anticipated response – expected benefit.
    • Economic return – cost-benefit.
    • Available research – validity/consistency of results.
    • Field responses – is it working under real-world conditions?
    • [22:00] Phillip: “Response, return, research and field responses.”
  • Field evidence and repeatability in different environments are important.

Consensus & Elder Wisdom

• New products should be approached with “optimistic skepticism.”
• Substantial and replicated research, clarity on safety, and practical field experience are all necessary for adoption.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Research Surprises:
  • Dr. Jensen (04:43): “When we looked in the histopath of these hearts, we didn’t see a lot of that…”
  • Bob (07:17): “Bodies, human bodies, cattle bodies. They're pretty complicated…so we know, we've known for years that, yeah, these parasites can be in the muscle...Traditionally, we've said, they don't seem to be causing big problems.”
• On New Communities:
  • Dr. Jensen (11:52): “Definitely some of the challenges are going to be finding new hobbies, you know, finding friends…”
  • Bob (13:22): “If you're a transplant, if you're in from another area, another state, you got to kind of break into that.”
• On Evaluating New Products:
  • Dr. Jensen (16:46): “…Always ask questions and never blindly trust anything.”
  • Bob (19:34): “An optimistic skeptic. I know that most products don't really live up to the original hype, but some do.”
  • Phillip (22:00): “Response, return, research and field responses.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:05 – 10:16: Dr. Jensen’s research project background, methodology, and key findings
• 10:16 – 11:27: Rationale for studying subclinical heart lesions
• 11:27 – 15:47: Transitioning to practice—challenges, excitement, and advice for new grads
• 15:47 – 22:10: Strategies for evaluating new cattle products, structured frameworks, and lessons learned

Overall Tone

• Friendly, practical, and supportively skeptical; blending good-natured personal stories with actionable advice.
• Conversation stays accessible, inquisitive, and applicable to professionals and newcomers alike.

Final Takeaways

• Current research calls old assumptions into question and demonstrates the complexity of cattle health.
• Personal connections, mentorship, and supportive communities are central to successful, lasting veterinary careers.
• Cattle producers and veterinarians alike should stay curious, skeptical, and evidence-driven when reviewing novel products, employing a blend of regulatory data, field evidence, and judicious optimism.