Dairy Digressions

The pod belongs to the students once again as we welcome four of our 2025 ADSA Graduate and Undergraduate Student Division winners!
Each year at the ADSA Annual Meeting, top competitors in dairy production and dairy foods face off for cash prizes—and the pride that comes from developing excellence in both scientific rigor and scientific storytelling. Some of this year’s first-place winners include Mitchell T. Armstrong from the University of Wisconsin–Madison (2025 Dairy Management Inc. Graduate Student Paper Presentation Contest in Dairy Foods Research), Savitha Saikumar from the University of Florida (2025 ADSA Graduate Student Division Three-Minute Thesis competition), Tessa Tauke, president of the ADSA Undergraduate Student Division (USD), from Iowa State University (2025 ADSA-USD Undergraduate Student Oral Contest in Dairy Foods), and Brooke Seelenbinder of Michigan State University (2025 ADSA-USD Undergraduate Student Oral Contest: Original Research/Independent Study). Their award-winning research spans the frontiers of dairy science, from whey protein phospholipid concentrate and bone health to postbiotic supplementation in transition cows to dietary fatty acid balancing in mid-lactation cows to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) or “forever chemicals” in dairy products. Together, they share what inspired them to compete, how they prepared for high-pressure presentations, and the mentors—such as Adam Lock and Barry Bradford—who shaped their paths to the winning podium.  
The group also reflects on where their degrees may take them next and how ADSA’s community and diversity, as well as the broad range of science at the Annual Meeting, have already influenced their careers. Their stories underscore why supporting emerging scientists is central to ADSA’s mission and the bright future of the dairy industry.
 
Episode Thirty-Five Show Notes
Graduate Student Division and Undergraduate Student Division, including their robust award programs and the many benefits for student members.
Connect with dairy’s next generation and refresh your scientific inspiration at the ADSA 2026 Annual Meeting in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this June! 
The 2026 Three-Minute Thesis Challenge is still open! Learn more and submit your science before Monday, May 18, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. CT to enter this year’s competition.
Read each of the winners’ 2025 abstracts:
·        Impact of whey protein phospholipid concentrate and its fraction supplementation on bone and muscle health in a weanling mouse model, 2025 ADSA Annual Meeting
·        Effects of peripartal supplementation of prototype postbiotics on blood metabolic profile and liver enzymes in transition dairy cattle, 2025 ADSA Annual Meeting
·         Effects of balancing dietary 18-carbon fatty acids from high oleic soybeans or a commercially available stearic acid-enriched supplement on milk production of mid-lactation dairy cows, 2025 ADSA Annual Meeting
·        Exploring the impacts of contamination by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in dairy products, 2025 ADSA Annual Meeting

We know our journals are the engine behind the ADSA community, but have you ever been curious about how the Journal of Dairy Science (JDS) comes together? Join us for a rare look at the stewardship required to keep dairy science’s gold standard journal moving as Matt interviews outgoing Editor in Chief Paul Kononoff, PhD, professor and dairy nutrition extension specialist at the University of Nebraska, and incoming Editor in Chief Laura Hernandez, PhD, professor of lactation physiology and director of the Endocrine and Reproductive Physiology Graduate Program at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. We trace their weaving paths to their dairy science careers, from early days influenced by icons like Bob Collier and Jud Heinrichs to their current roles steering the world’s leading dairy research publication. The conversation details Paul’s tenure, which began just as the global COVID pandemic took hold. He reflects on the “great leap of faith” required to guide the journal through that time of transition, as well as the monumental move to Open Access. The group discusses how ADSA remains committed to providing affordable publishing options for its members, emphasizing the importance of making science accessible to the world, and the refreshed loyalty program designed to reward our dedicated community of reviewers and authors. Listeners will also hear the origins of the JDS Club 100 and the impact of seeing the journal reach a 4.4 Impact Factor under Paul’s leadership.
Looking toward the future, Laura shares her vision for the journal’s next chapter. She tackles the challenges of generative artificial intelligence and explains her goals for growing dairy foods representation through interdisciplinary research that bridges production and processing. The episode wraps up with a look at the essential partnership between JDS and JDS Communications, some surprising revelations about what these two scientists would be doing if they weren’t in academia, and a heartfelt exchange of advice on how to lead by simply listening to the ADSA community.
 
Episode Thirty-Four Show Notes
Learn more about our guests and follow them on LinkedIn: Paul Kononoff and Laura Hernandez.
Read the journals’ new Artificial Intelligence Policy for Authors.
Join Paul and Laura—and the larger journal community—at the ADSA 2026 Annual Meeting in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, next June, and submit your research during our call for abstracts, which closes on February 10, 2026!
Are you looking to publish dairy research in 2026? Save on your article costs via the ADSA Loyalty Rewards Program for the Journal of Dairy Science and JDS Communications when you join the ADSA member community!
Explore articles related to the episode:
Laura Hernandez: Mentor, researcher and leader, Progressive Dairy (2025)
Some closing words to the Journal of Dairy Science community, Journal of Dairy Science (2025)
A note from the Journal of Dairy Science Editor in Chief, Journal of Dairy Science (2026)

How might dairy science involve dancing and video games? Find out as Matt sits down with Jennifer Van Os, PhD, associate professor and extension specialist in the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Jennifer’s path to dairy began in an unexpected place—human psychology—where her early love of applied science set her on a course toward solving challenges for farmers and their cows. Today, her motto, “Giving cows a voice through science,” guides her lab’s work on understanding animal welfare and developing accessible tools to improve the physical, behavioral, and social well-being of dairy cows. The two discuss one such tool, Mooving Cows, a gaming app inspired by flight simulators that allows dairy staff to practice cow-handling skills in a safe, interactive way to keep animals calm and secure during daily movements on the farm. Although she never set out to work in gaming, Jennifer explains how cow handling is like a dance, and that direct feedback from her local farming community inspired the active, hands-on learning solution. Beyond technology, Matt and Jennifer discuss broader themes of public perception of dairy welfare, industry resilience, and herd longevity. Jennifer explains why pair housing can be a win-win for both calves and farmers, and why the future of animal welfare may hinge on giving cows more agency through choice. Along the way, she shares career advice from mentors such as Cassandra Tucker and Paul Fricke, and reflects on the vital role of extension specialists in bridging science with daily farm practice to make improvements for farmers and their cows alike.
 
Episode Thirty-Three Show Notes
Learn more about Jennifer Van Os, download the Mooving Cows game, explore other free resources from her AWS@UWM lab, and see more of Jennifer’s work on Instagram, Facebook, or X/Twitter.
Curious about the latest animal welfare research and what cool new tools Jennifer’s lab might be working on? Join us at the ADSA 2026 Annual Meeting in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, next June and submit your research during our call for abstracts, closing February 10, 2026!
Are you looking to publish dairy research in 2026? Save on your article costs via the ADSA Loyalty Rewards Program for the Journal of Dairy Science and JDS Communications when you join the ADSA member community!
Want a chance to speak directly with—and learn from—dairyscience experts like Jennifer? Look out for the next ADSA Discover Conference coming in fall 2026!
Explore the articles discussed in the episode:
Engaging dairy farming stakeholders in developing the Mooving Cows digital tool for practicing appropriate cow handling, Journal of Dairy Science (2025)
Thermo-physiological responses and hutch microclimate of outdoor hutch-housed dairy heifers with or without continuous ventilation during a continental summer, Journal of Dairy Science (2025)
Producer perceptions of dairy calf management, behavior, and welfare, Journal of Dairy Science (2024)
Perceptions of dairy cow–handling situations: A comparison of public and industry samples, Journal of Dairy Science (2024)
Public attitude toward and perceptions of dairy cattle welfare in cow-calf management systems differing in type of social and maternal contact, Journal of Dairy Science (2022)
Youth and adult public views of dairy calf housing options, Journal of Dairy Science (2020)
Dairy cow preference for access to an outdoor pack in summer and winter, Journal of Dairy Science (2019)
Separation from the dam causes negative judgement bias in dairy calves, PLOS One (2014)
Invited review: Sustainability of the US dairy industry, Journal of Dairy Science (2013)
Retrieval monitoring and anosognosia in Alzheimer’s disease, Neuropsychology (2007)
Injury or infection in udders of heifers may terminate in blind quarters, Journal of Dairy Science (1939)
Expectation of life in dairy cows, Journal of Dairy Science (1939)

Explore the fascinating, frustrating world of microbial biofilms in this special episode of Dairy Digressions! Matt is joined by returning guest and special cohost Nicole Martin, PhD, assistant research professor in dairy foods microbiology and director of the Milk Quality Improvement Program in the Department of Food Science at Cornell University. In this episode, they host two  contributors to the recent Journal of Dairy Science special issue devoted to biofilm formation in dairy: Mérilie Gagnon, PhD, coeditor of the Biofilm Formation in Dairy: A Food Safety Concern special issue and microbiology researcher at the Centre ACER, and Tara Wilson, a food science PhD candidate from the University of Guelph. They explain that these invisible communities of bacteria and fungi cling to surfaces from farm to factory, potentially contaminating milk, causing mastitis in cows, and compromising dairy quality and safety. Given the high level of interconnection in the dairy sector, this special issue aimed to present a holistic “One Biofilm” perspective, emphasizing that understanding and controlling biofilms necessitates an integrated strategy that connects farms, processing plants, and the environment. Mérilie walks listeners through the process of how biofilms form and explains that while not all biofilms are bad—some are central to the development of culture and flavor in dairy and maple syrup products, for example—understanding and controlling them is critical for both human and animal health. Nicole and Tara discuss the miles and miles of piping and equipment in dairies and processing plants, explain the power of a good acid wash, review current cleaning protocols, and explore promising new tools like improved equipment design, ultraviolet detection, and machine learning data-prediction tools that can anticipate increasing biofilm risk. Whether you’re in production or dairy, don’t miss this introduction to the microbes that rule our world!
 
Episode Thirty-Two Show Notes
Learn more about our guests and connect with them onLinkedIn: Nicole Martin, PhD, Mérilie Gagnon, PhD, and Tara Wilson.
Want even more of the latest dairy food science? Join us atthe ADSA 2026 Annual Meeting in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, next June, and submit your emerging dairy foods research during our call for abstracts, closing February 10, 2026!
Do you have publishing plans in 2026? Save on your articlecosts via the ADSA Loyalty Rewards Program for the Journal of Dairy Science and JDS Communications.
Explore each of the special issue articles:
Biofilm Formation in Dairy: A Food Safety Concern—Introduction, Journal of Dairy Science (2025)
Microbial community tracking from dairy farm to factory; Insights on biofilm management for enhanced food safety and quality, Journal of Dairy Science (2025)
Biofilms in the milking machine, from laboratory scale to on-farm results, Journal of Dairy Science (2025)
Insights into the prevalence of Pseudomonadota and yeasts on milking system surface biofilms, Journal of Dairy Science (2025)
Recent progress in antibiofilm strategies in the dairy industry, Journal of Dairy Science (2025)
Effect of biofilm production on antimicrobial susceptibility of Staphylococcus aureus bovine mastitis strains from the most prevalent Canadian spa types, Journal of Dairy Science (2025)

In this episode of Dairy Digressions, host Matt Lucy welcomes Jason Lombard, DVM, veterinary epidemiologist, associate professor, and dairy systems specialist at Colorado State University, and lead author of the Journal of Dairy Science invited review, The One Health Challenges and Opportunities of the H5N1 Outbreak in Dairy Cattle in the United States. Drawing on his experience as the point person on the highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 outbreak and the learnings he gleaned from his expert coauthors on the review, Jason provides an update on the latest science we have on the virus and reviews its immense impact to date on animals, the US food supply, and people working in agriculture. He explains what the One Health concept means in practice, showing how dairy farms function as complex ecosystems where animals, humans, and environments are linked. The conversation also explores why the exact mechanisms of transmission—whether through the movement of cows, people, trucks, milk, or aerosols—remain so difficult to pin down. Beyond the science, Jason reflects on his career path from veterinary private practice to his time with the US Department of Agriculture to Colorado State University, describing how epidemiology feels like solving a crime, and how curiosity and humility in the face of what we still don’t know fuel his work. This episode offers a critical update on the H5N1 outbreak and connects breaking research with the lived realities of the dairy sector. It underscores why a One Health perspective will be essential not only in navigating H5N1 but also in strengthening the dairy and agricultural sectors for outbreaks yet to come.
Episode Thirty-One Show Notes
Learn more about Jason Lombard, DVM, and connect with him on LinkedIn.  
Want more science on the H5N1 outbreak in dairy? Catch up on the JDS Communications special issue on highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 in dairy cattle, and join us at the ADSA 2026 Annual Meeting in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, next June!
Start earning rewards and journal savings via the ADSA Loyalty Rewards Program for the Journal of Dairy Science and JDS Communications.
Catch up on the papers and presentations discussed in theepisode:
H5N1 in dairy cattle: What we have learned in the past 18 months, Hoard’s Dairyman webinar (2025)
Dairy environments with milk exposure are most likely to have detection of influenza A virus, medRxiv preprint (2025)
Invited review: The One Health challenges and opportunities of the H5N1 outbreak in dairy cattle in the United States, Journal of Dairy Science (2025)
The devil you know and the devil you don’t: Current status and challenges of bovine tuberculosis eradication in the United States, Irish Veterinary Journal (2023)
Bovine tuberculosis at the interface of cattle, wildlife, and humans, pages 829–846 in Tuberculosis: Integrated Studies for a Complex Disease (2023)
Human-to-cattle Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex transmission in the United States, Frontiers in Veterinary Science (2021)
An impossible undertaking: The eradication of bovine tuberculosis in the United States, The Journal of Economic History (2004)