Dairy Digressions

Join us as we delve into the fascinating world of bovine reproduction research with Niamh Forde, PhD, professor and chair of molecular reproductive biosciences at the University of Leeds School of Medicine and cofounder of LeedsOmics, a virtual research institute. Niamh, a passionate scientist and community builder, shares her journey from a young, curious mind to a leading expert in the field who is currently focused on understanding the molecular interactions between the uterine endometrium and the embryo required for successful early pregnancy in cattle. She and Matt reflect on the unusual and fascinating diversity of placental structure across species and review Niamh’s research developing both in vitro and in vivo models to study how early-stage, preimplantation embryos in utero communicate with the maternal endometrium. Studying the peri-implantation period of pregnancy is critical, she explains, as this is when most cattle pregnancy losses occur. Our current understanding of these interactions is limited, but developing innovative models using microfluidics, organoids, and extracellular scaffolds holds promise for the future. The two also walk down memory lane of the iconic researchers who went before them in the field of cattle repro and discuss the importance of building a supportive professional community—not only to boost collaboration and creativity but to lend strength in the face of the rigors of a career in science. Finally, Niamh gives her best advice for young scientists and shares her infectious joy around her favorite day at work: new data day! Tune in to learn more about the latest advancements in reproductive science, the importance of mentorship, and the joy of discovering new knowledge. Episode Twenty Show Notes Learn more about Niamh and connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter/X. Start earning rewards and journal savings via the ADSA Loyalty Rewards Program for the Journal of Dairy Science and JDS Communications. Save the date for the 2025 ADSA Annual Meeting (June 22–25) in Louisville, Kentucky, and submit your abstracts before February 12! Catch Up on the Articles Discussed in the Episode Understanding conceptus–maternal interactions: What tools do we need to develop? Reproduction, Fertility and Development (2023) Quantification of the effect of in utero events on lifetime resilience in dairy cows, Journal of Dairy Science (2024)

What has the dairy science community learned since the March 2024 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 outbreak in US dairy herds? That’s the question host Matt Lucy, PhD, is posing to two special guests on the pod: Nicole Martin, PhD, assistant research professor in dairy foods microbiology and associate director of the Milk Quality Improvement Program in the Department of Food Science at Cornell University, and Zelmar Rodriguez, DVM, PhD, assistant professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Michigan State University. The two experts are authors in the newly released hot topic special issue of JDS Communications dedicated to the H5N1 strain of avian influenza in dairy. Zelmar takes listeners through the epidemiology and clinical signs of the disease, recovery time for animals, and where we’re at with vaccine development and management now and into the future. Nicole walks us through her work on how HPAI H5N1 is impacting dairy foods, from what we know about viral loads in raw milk to the details on how fluid milk and dairy products are regulated and made safe through the 100-year-old Pasteurized Milk Ordinance. Ultimately, she explains, pasteurization is effective at eliminating H5N1 and reducing risk for consumers. Finally, the trio discusses where we are now in this outbreak and the remaining science still to be done—emphasizing the importance of connection, communication, and the strength of the dairy science community in getting us to this point. Do you have unanswered H5N1 questions? Join us for a free one-hour Q&A with the authors of the JDS Communications special issue on October 16! Episode Nineteen Show Notes Connect with the Guests Learn more about Nicole Martin, and connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter/X. Learn more about Zelmar Rodriguez, and connect with him on LinkedIn and Twitter/X. Review the H5N1 updates from the US Department of Agriculture, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and US Food and Drug Administration.   Save the date for the 2025 ADSA Annual Meeting (June 22–25) in Louisville, Kentucky, and submit your abstracts before February 12! Catch Up on the Articles Discussed in the Episode and Read the Full Special Issue Hot topic: Avian influenza subtype H5N1 in US dairy—A preliminary dairy foods perspective, JDS Communications (2024) Hot topic: Epidemiological and clinical aspects of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 in dairy cattle, JDS Communications (2024)

We’re celebrating dairy cow behavior this month on the pod as the special issue of JDS Communications, Behavior in Dairy Animals, launches! Host Matt Lucy chats with Katy Proudfoot, PhD, associate professor at the University of Prince Edward Island and director of the Sir James Dunn Animal Welfare Centre at the Atlantic Veterinary College in Prince Edward Island, and Emma Ternman, PhD, associate professor at Nord University. The two are coauthors of an Editor’s Choice article in the special issue devoted to estimating sleep in dairy cattle. Katy and Emma explain how both of their academic paths were filled with “banana peels” and lots of googling—all of which eventually led them to the study of behavior and welfare in dairy cows. They dive into their work to better measure sleep and rest in dairy cows, explaining that sleep serves several essential functions throughout the animal kingdom, so understanding sleep in dairy cows could help us to improve their overall welfare, health, and production. They review how scientists are currently measuring and estimating sleep in dairy cattle—from changes in behavior to electrodes placed on a cow’s head—including the limitations of these methods and where the science might go. As prey animals, dairy cows must be vigilant during the day and average only about three hours of total sleep time. But they can supplement this with “drowsing,” an intermediate state between waking and sleeping that allows cows to stay alert and continue ruminating while getting essential rest. The two explain, however, that this research is still in its infancy and much work still needs to be done to understand sleep in dairy herds—from how the lights and noise of a barn might impact cows to whether they dream. Finally, the guests give their best advice, including why sleep is just as important for dairy scientists as it is for cows, why no one should ever pull all-nighters, and how to make writing papers fun. Episode Eighteen Show Notes Learn more about Katy Proudfoot and connect with her on LinkedIn. Learn more about Emma Ternman and connect with her on LinkedIn. Want to learn more about the latest science of dairy cow behavior? Dive into the Special Issue of JDS Communications! Catch up on the papers and the news articles discussed in the episode: Methods used for estimating sleep in dairy cattle, JDS Communications (2024) Effects of acute lying and sleep deprivation on metabolic and inflammatory responses of lactating dairy cows, Journal of Dairy Science (2021) Sleep in dairy cows recorded with a non-invasive EEG technique, Applied Animal Behaviour Science (2012)

Buckle up for a lively episode, as we welcome the infectiously energetic Julio Giordano, DVM, PhD, professor of dairy cattle biology and management in the Department of Animal Science and a codirector of the Cornell Institute for Digital Agriculture at Cornell University. Julio originally hails from Balnearia, Argentina, where he grew up learning from his father’s practice as a dairy veterinarian and working on his family’s dairy farms. He joins Matt to explain how this early interest in dairy cow health led to a passion for the study of reproduction and a career in the United States. He takes listeners into the evolution of his work—from his most hated experiment as a PhD student to his current research, which involves pushing the bounds of digital agriculture innovation to benefit farms and their herds. In his lab today, he and his team are focused on integrating new technology with farming best practices to develop approachable tools and techniques to help farms maximize their herds’ health, productivity, and profitability—all while increasing sustainability. Julio also shares his best advice for which skills students should be building for a career in dairy science and why he chose a faculty position over a career in industry. The two friends also discuss if the traditional lecture format needs an overhaul for the next generation, the importance of family—hola a Soledad, Julito, and Benji—and how relationships with colleagues, mentors, and students make a career in dairy so rewarding. Episode Seventeen Show Notes Learn more about Julio Giordano and connect with him on LinkedIn and follow his lab on X/Twitter. Are you interested in participating in future Discover Conference meetings? Save the date for the 47th Discover Conference happening May 5 to 8, 2025, in Itasca, Illinois. Catch up on the papers and the news articles discussed in the episode: Combining reproductive outcomes predictors and automated estrus alerts recorded during the voluntary waiting period identified subgroups of cows with different reproductive performance potential, Journal of Dairy Science (2024) Effect of targeted clinical examination based on alerts from automated health monitoring systems on herd health and performance of lactating dairy cows, Journal of Dairy Science (2023) Effect of increasing GnRH and PGF2α dose during Double Ovsynch on ovulatory response, luteal regression, and fertility of lactating dairy cows, Theriogenology (2013) Reproduction in the era of genomics and automation, Reproduction, Fertility and Development (2014) Effect of increasing GnRH and PGF2α dose during Double-Ovsynch on ovulatory response, luteal regression, and fertility of lactating dairy cows, Theriogenology (2013) Changes in serum pregnancy-associated glycoprotein, pregnancy-specific protein B, and progesterone concentrations before and after induction of pregnancy loss in lactating dairy cows, Journal of Dairy Science (2012) Possible strategies to increase ovulatory follicle size and reduce time to ovulation in lactating dairy cows, University of Tennessee dissertation (2007) Catch an abbreviation you’re not sure about? Here is a list from the episode: ·        CIDR: controlled internal drug release ·        ELISA: enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay ·        FSH: follicle-stimulating hormone ·        GnRH: gonadotropin-releasing hormone  ·        hCG: human chorionic gonadotropin ·        LH: luteinizing hormone ·        PAG: pregnancy-associated glycoprotein