Creating pregnancies in the heat with Ben Dickman

Creating pregnancies in the heat with Ben Dickman

Author: Progressive Dairy editors May 27, 2026 Duration: 15:30

Ben Dickman of Dickman and Sons Dairy joins host Matti McBride in this episode of the Progressive Dairy Podcast to discuss how he creates pregnancies in 110°F temperatures. Learn what type of cooling system Dickman implements, what reproduction protocol he follows and more about his dairy in Coolidge, Arizona. 

Episode breakdown:

  • 0:40 – Rapid-fire questions
  • 1:45 – Dickman’s background, Dickman and Sons Dairy
  • 3:20 – Temperature challenges
  • 4:45 – Cooling systems
  • 6:30 – Reproduction protocol
  • 7:30 – Current breeding split
  • 9:15 – Focus on cow comfort
  • 11:20 – Methane digester
  • 12:20 – Dickman’s advice for getting cows pregnant in heat
  • 13:20 – Goals moving forward

For those who live and work in the world of milk production, the day doesn’t stop for a deep dive into industry news. That’s where the Progressive Dairy Podcast comes in, extending the trusted editorial voice of the magazine into an audio format you can take anywhere. Hosted by the Progressive Dairy editors, this series is crafted specifically for U.S. dairy producers and the network of professionals who support them. Think of it as a conversation with well-informed colleagues, breaking down the latest trends, operational strategies, and business insights that matter at the farm gate and beyond. You’ll hear straightforward discussions that translate complex topics into actionable advice, whether the subject is herd health, market dynamics, sustainability practices, or technology adoption. Released every other Tuesday, each episode is designed to fit into a busy schedule, providing a dose of relevant information during a morning commute or an afternoon walk. It’s more than just a business podcast; it’s a practical resource built on the same foundation of reliability that readers have come to expect, now available for your ears instead of your eyes. Tune in to stay informed and connected to the pulse of the dairy industry.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Progressive Dairy Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Anton Borst: Halarda Farms [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:53
Join host Matti McBride as she chats with Anton Borst, owner of Halarda Farms in Elm Creek, Manitoba. Learn about the dairy, current succession plans, why Halarda Farms invests in technology and opts to be a trial farm f…
Best of 2025 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:31
Join Progressive Dairy Podcast co-hosts Kimmi Devaney, Walt Cooley and Matti McBride as they highlight some of their favorite articles and podcast episodes from 2025 and discuss Progressive Publishing’s new artificial in…
Jim Van Patter: Decades of experience dairying around the world [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:30
Jim Van Patter has managed large dairy herds from Wisconsin to Turkey to Australia to Mississippi and back again. He's now the dairy manager at Nehls Brothers Farm near Juneau, Wisconsin, and he's brought home some hard-…