Got milk?? High quality milk, cheese, and my favorite, ice cream comes from happy, health dairy cows. To keep cows happy and healthy, my research focuses on applied strategies we can use now on dairy farms to help farmers, help their cows; as well as basic research that will help us develop new strategies in the future.

One of the detriments to cow health and milk quality is mastitis, an inflammation of the mammary gland usually caused by bacterial infection. One of our recent projects includes testing a nutritional supplement to reduce mammary infections during periods of high risk and limit the use of antibiotics. In a second project we are evaluating the links among cow mammary health and productivity with those pesky flies that increase during summer months along with mastitis. Each of these projects will provide tools that producers can use to help reduce the risk of mastitis and improve cow health.

In a nod to the future, we use genetics as a tool to help us investigate why some cows are naturally able to resist or eliminate infections more quickly than others. We’ve conducted targeted and wide-spread screening of the cows’ DNA to determine markers that identify susceptible vs resistant cows. We are currently using these genetic markers, in combination with cellular and molecular approaches, to better understand the underlying reasons for greater resistance to infection. Our ultimate goal to identify specific processes or proteins we can target to prevent new infections or cure current infections.