Contact Information

Email: plruegg@msu.edu

Education

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine
• Master of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, University of California School of Veterinary Medicine

Research Interests

• Using epidemiologic techniques to solve critical issues related to animal health and milk quality
• Bridging the gap between research and practical applications on dairy farms

After completion of a residency in Food Animal Herd Health and Reproductive Management and a Master of Preventive Veterinary Medicine at the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California, Davis [‘89], Ruegg returned to the CVM as an assistant professor in LCS. In 2017, Ruegg was appointed chair of the Department of Animal Science, MSU College of Agricultural and Natural Resources.

Prior to joining MSU as department chair, Ruegg was professor and Extension milk quality specialist in the Department of Dairy Science at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, spent time in private practice and in academic faculty positions at the Atlantic Veterinary College in Prince Edward Island, Canada, as well as in corporate technical service. She is active in a number of industry organizations and is a past president of the National Mastitis Council.

Ruegg’s professional reputation is documented through her extensive publications (>130 peer-reviewed manuscripts), invited national and international presentations, and robust extramural funding record. Ruegg is part of a multi-disciplinary team of scientists on a USDA-funded grant project that studies how the intestinal microbiome of dairy cattle affects antibiotic resistance, a problem plaguing farms across the country. Ruegg has also received numerous awards for research and extension programs.