Showbox Stories: From Dairy Legacies to Calving Alerts with Clark Woodmansee, Bryan Voegeli and Tara Bohnert

The dairy industry continues to move forward because of people who are willing to share what they've learned, build relationships, and embrace new ways of doing things. From the families who helped establish World Dairy Expo to the technology helping producers manage their herds today, progress comes from connecting experience with new ideas.

In this episode of Showbox Stories: Live from the Tanbark, Peggy Coffeen and Tim Abbott bring together Clark Woodmansee, Bryan Voegeli of Begley's Brown Swiss, and Tara Bohnert of CowManager to explore the memories, mentorship, and innovations shaping dairy's future. Their conversations highlight how the industry's history continues to influence today's breeders and how technology can help producers make more informed decisions.

The Memories Behind Dairy's Biggest Milestones

For many dairy families, World Dairy Expo represents far more than a place to exhibit cattle. It's where years of work come together, friendships are strengthened, and memories become part of a family's story.

Tim Abbott shares an emotional story about the Kruse family's iconic blue show box, which witnessed four World Dairy Expo champions. The box represents more than the equipment used to prepare cattle for the show ring. It holds memories of the people, animals, and accomplishments that have shaped a family's experience in dairy.

Bryan Voegeli also reflects on his family's role in the early history of World Dairy Expo, connecting today's show experience to the people who helped establish the event nearly six decades ago. These stories demonstrate how the dairy industry's traditions are carried forward through families, shared experiences, and the objects that hold meaning long after a show ends.

Why Mentorship Matters in Dairy

Experience is one of the dairy industry's most valuable resources, but its impact grows when people are willing to share it. Throughout the conversation, Clark Woodmansee and Bryan Voegeli reflect on the lessons they've learned from others and the camaraderie that makes the dairy community special.

Not every lesson comes from a championship or a successful breeding decision. Sometimes it comes from a difficult moment in the show ring, when a person has to stay humble, make a decision quickly, and learn from the outcome. Those experiences build judgment and perspective that can carry into other parts of the business.

For young breeders and dairy professionals, building relationships with experienced industry members creates opportunities to ask questions, learn from mistakes, and gain insight that might otherwise take years to develop. Mentorship also depends on honesty and integrity. The strongest relationships are built when people share knowledge openly and treat one another with respect, whether they're competing in the ring or working together outside it.

How Calving Alerts Can Support Better Herd Management

While the stories from World Dairy Expo look back at the people and experiences that shaped the industry, Tara Bohnert of CowManager brings the conversation to a practical innovation for today's dairy operations: calving alerts.

Calving is a critical period in herd management, and knowing when a cow is likely to enter labor can help teams prepare and organize their time in the maternity pen. CowManager's calving alerts use real-time data to predict the likelihood of an upcoming calving, giving dairy teams another source of information as they manage cows through this important stage.

For producers and employees, earlier insight can help prioritize attention and coordinate responsibilities. Rather than relying only on observation, teams can use alerts alongside their existing protocols and experience to determine which animals may need closer monitoring.

As with any technology, the value comes from how the information is used. Calving alerts are designed to support the people caring for the animals, helping them make informed decisions while keeping cow health and welfare at the center of maternity management.

Innovation and Tradition Can Work Together

Dairy technology continues to evolve, but innovation doesn't mean leaving experience behind. In fact, the best tools often build on what producers and their teams already know about their animals and operations.

The conversations with Clark and Bryan highlight the importance of experience, careful observation, and learning from other breeders. Tara's discussion of calving alerts shows how technology can add another layer of information to help teams apply that knowledge.

This combination matters as dairy operations become more complex and teams balance multiple responsibilities. Technology can help identify when an animal may need attention, while experienced caregivers use their judgment to evaluate the situation and determine the next step. The goal isn't to replace the human element of dairy farming, but to give people better information to work with.

Helping the Next Generation Find Its Place in Dairy

Building a future in dairy doesn't always mean following a path that has been established for generations. Tara Bohnert shares how her family found its place in the industry without starting with a long generational history in dairy.

Her experience highlights the role that determination, mentorship, and involvement in industry events can play in helping families become part of the dairy community. Activities such as Dairy Jeopardy give young people opportunities to learn, participate, and connect with others who share their interest in agriculture.

These experiences help the next generation build confidence and develop relationships that can support them as they explore their future in the industry. They also reinforce an important point: dairy's future depends not only on preserving family traditions, but on welcoming and supporting the people who are working to find their place in the business.

Building Dairy's Future Through People and Progress

From the memories held in a well-worn show box to the development of new calving alerts, this episode of Showbox Stories demonstrates how dairy's past and future are connected. The relationships and lessons that shaped earlier generations continue to influence today's breeders, while technology creates new opportunities to improve herd management.

For dairy producers, the takeaway is that progress doesn't have to mean choosing between tradition and innovation. It means learning from the people around you, sharing knowledge with those coming up behind you, and staying open to tools that can help your team do its job more effectively.

The future of dairy will be shaped by the people who continue to learn, collaborate, and find better ways to care for their animals. That work starts with the relationships we build today and the knowledge we're willing to pass along.

Follow the Uplevel Dairy Podcast for more conversations with the people shaping the future of dairy. Subscribe at UplevelDairy.com and follow along on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram for more stories, insights, and lessons from leaders across the industry.

To hear the complete discussion, stream now on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or watch the full conversation on YouTube.