Brief description of research. I am a dairy specialist veterinarian by training, and my research focuses primarily on the interaction between nutrition and the immune system of neonatal dairy calves. In particular, I am interested in understanding how different nutritional interventions (e.g., supplementation with antioxidants, changes in late-gestation maternal nutrition, etc.) can improve the immune responses of calves and, therefore, increase their resistance to diseases.

Impact. Each year, between 6 and 11 percent of dairy calves die within the first months of life due to infectious diseases. This is mainly attributed to the fact that at birth, the immune system of calves are naïve and underdeveloped. By boosting the development and effectiveness of the calves’ immune system through nutrition, we aim to reduce the number of calves that succumb to infectious diseases and, ultimately, die. In addition, increasing calves’ resistance to disease will mean a reduction in the usage of antimicrobials needed for treating sick calves, also contributing to a lower risk for the development of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria.

What inspired me. I was raised on a dairy farm, and from an early age, I knew that cows were my passion, and they are the reason I became a veterinarian. One of the tasks I had from a very young age was to feed the calves, and I think that’s where my bond with these animals developed. My research program now focuses on calves because, although they are the future of the herd, they have traditionally been overlooked, as they are not productive animals that generate income in the farms. However, we now know that how calves are managed during the first weeks of life has lifelong impacts in the animals. Hence, we expect that improving neonatal health will result in healthier adult cows.

Outreach. My appointment with MSU Extension puts me in a unique position to continue having a close interaction with the dairy industry, communicate my research findings, and identify new questions in my field of work that are in need of answers. As part of my extension role, I also am working in a joint USDA project with Cornell and Wisconsin Veterinary Colleges to alleviate the shortage of rural veterinarians in the US by increasing awareness of rural practice among DVM students and providing continuing education to early-career veterinarians working in veterinary under-served areas.

New Veterinary Research Grant Aims to Help Dairy Calves and Farmers