Real Producer Exchange: 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 featuring Rob and Adrian Diepersloot of Wolf Creek Dairy and WonderCow Nutrition. Rob and Adrian share their family’s journey, from Dutch immigrant roots to managing large-scale dairy operations in California and Colorado, and discuss how communication, leadership structure and disciplined decision-making have helped them successfully scale their operation. The conversation also dives into lessons learned from facility design, sustainability initiatives and the launch of a consumer colostrum brand rooted in dairy science. 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) The Diepersloot’s tell the story growth on their dairy operations, including 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) Rob and Adrian describe how they build and empower a strong leadership team, emphasizing the importance of hiring the right people, expecting managers to think like owners, and conducting efficient and candid meetings that focus on the entire business. (6:25) The conversation shifts to facility design and operational successes in Colorado, including no-headlock systems, sort gates, feed efficiency improvements, and later adopted in California. (9:59) Sustainability initiatives are explored, including methane digesters, power generation, manure management and solar energy projects, with a comparison of approaches between California and Colorado. (11:10) Rob and Adrian share lessons learned from technology challenges, including manure handling systems, activity collars, and feeding infrastructure, and how those experiences shaped future decisions. (15:46) The discussion turns to the origin of WonderCow Nutrition, detailing how academic research on colostrum and personal family experiences led to the launch of a consumer colostrum brand in 2023. (17:47) Rob explains WonderCow’s calf-first sourcing commitment, how colostrum is collected responsibly, and 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, and a reminder of upcoming Real Producer Exchange events including the next one on February 17 with Skylar Gericke out of Arizona which will focus on reproduction success and heat stress. (23:23)