Multi-State Dairying, Team Communication & Launching a Consumer Colostrum Brand with Rob & Adrian Diepersloot. In this episode of the Real Science Exchange – Dairy Producer Edition, hosts Scott Sorrell, Balchem and Walt Cooley, Progressive Dairy Magazine, recap a recent Real Producer Exchange webinar. This webinar features Rob and Adrian Diepersloot of Wolf Creek Dairy and WonderCow Nutrition.
Real Producer Exchange: Rob & Adrian Diepersloot
Timestamps:
To start, Rob and Adrian share their family’s journey, from Dutch immigrant roots to managing large-scale dairy operations in California and Colorado. Along the way, they discuss how communication, leadership structure, and disciplined decision‑making have helped them successfully scale their operation. Additionally, the conversation dives into lessons learned from facility design, sustainability initiatives, and the launch of a consumer colostrum brand rooted in dairy science.
Next, Rob and Adrian introduce themselves and share their family’s immigration story and early dairy roots in California, including how prior generations entered the U.S. dairy industry. (1:01)
Then, the Diepersloot’s tell the story of growth in their dairy operations. This includes expansion in California, the decision to diversify geographically, and the opportunity that led them to build Wolf Creek Dairy in Colorado in 2017. (1:29)
After that, Rob and Adrian describe how they build and empower a strong leadership team. They emphasize the importance of hiring the right people. They expect managers to think like owners. Meetings should be efficient and candid. These meetings focus on the entire business. (6:25)
From there, the conversation shifts to facility design and operational successes in Colorado. This includes no-headlock systems, sort gates, feed efficiency improvements, which were later adopted in California. (9:59)
Sustainability initiatives are explored, including methane digesters, power generation, and manure management. Solar energy projects and approaches in California and Colorado are also compared. (11:10)
Rob and Adrian share lessons learned from technology challenges. These include issues like manure handling systems, activity collars, and feeding infrastructure, which have shaped future decisions. (15:46)
The discussion turns to the origin of WonderCow Nutrition. It details how academic research on colostrum and personal family experiences led to the launch of a consumer colostrum brand in 2023. (17:47)
Finally, Rob explains WonderCow’s calf-first sourcing commitment. They ensure colostrum is collected responsibly. He explains what differentiates whole colostrum products from skim-based alternatives. (20:19)
The episode concludes with a preview of the exclusive “Back 30” live Q&A, available only to live webinar attendees. It also includes a reminder of upcoming Real Producer Exchange events, like the next one on February 17 with Skylar Gericke from Arizona. This event will focus on reproduction success and heat stress. (23:23)
Conclusion
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