NC2042: Management Systems to Improve the Economic and Environmental Sustainability of Dairy Enterprises.

(Multistate Research Project)

Status: Active

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SAES-422 Reports

Annual/Termination Reports:

[12/10/2023] [12/11/2024] [12/11/2025]

Date of Annual Report: 12/10/2023

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 10/12/2023 - 10/14/2023
Period the Report Covers: 10/01/2022 - 09/30/2023

Participants

Brief Summary of Minutes

Note that this was the first meeting of the newly renewed NC2042. Please refer to https://www.nimss.org/meetings/project/18446 for NC2042's 2023 report/termination report.

Location: The StateView Hotel and Conference Center, Raleigh, NC
Host: Stephanie Ward. Chair: Joao Costa. Secretary: Albert De Vries

• We need to double check the email list + check NIMSS website. Some people not getting emails this year. Action item for 2024.
• Minutes from annual meeting in 2022 were approved as written.
• The previous NC2042 project ended on 09/30/2023.
• The group expressed their sincere thanks to Jackie Boerman for leading the rewrite for project renewal that was approved earlier in 2023. New project period is 10/01/2023 - 09/30/2028. Title is again: NC2042: Management Systems to Improve the Economic and Environmental Sustainability of Dairy Enterprises. Website:
https://www.nimss.org/projects/view/mrp/outline/18980
• Matias Aguerre accepted to be secretary for next year’s annual meeting. Chair will be Albert De Vries.
• Host in 2024: U of Prince Edward Island (PEI, Canada). Katie Proudfoot (PEI) agreed to host us. Meeting: W T F. Add a full day for farm visits. Not many flights. Pete Erickson and Albert De Vries will organize 2024 meeting with Katie Proudfoot.
• Mike Schutz will be contact to approve meeting in PEI. He may need to reach out to NIFA but does not expect a problem getting approval.
• Backup host: Purdue (Jackie Boerman).
• Mike Schutz academic advisor report:
     o Slide set on Introduction to Multistate Research Projects (mostly for new members)
     o No 5-year termination report required anymore. Annual reports still required.
     o Ken Kalscheur has list of hosts, secretaries, chairs, names of project since 1971.
     o Annual project report due December 11, 2023. Albert De Vries action.
     o Update NIMSS website for new chair, secretary. Albert De Vries action.
• Upload presentations for each station at:
     o https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Xm2M2M-2vF_B6vd_VCBQAX1iQ9Kl_U-Z
• Joao Costa has invited several new people to attend the new NC2042 project.
• Joao Costa encouraged attendees to officially join the new NC2042 project.
• Similar project that also has USDA and industry participation: NC1211: Precision Management of Animals for Improved Care, Health, and Welfare of Livestock and Poultry: https://www.nimss.org/projects/view/participant_list/18777

Accomplishments

None yet since this incarnation of the project just renewed. Please see <a href="../../meetings/project/18446">https://www.nimss.org/meetings/project/18446</a> for NC2042's 2023 report/termination report.

Publications

Impact Statements

Date of Annual Report: 12/11/2024

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 10/17/2024 - 10/19/2024
Period the Report Covers: 10/01/2023 - 09/30/2024

Participants

Costa, Joao-University of Vermont, Kalscheur, Ken-USDA-USDRC-Madison, Erickson, Pete-University of New Hampshire, Chahine, Mireille-University of Idaho, Cantor, Mellissa-Penn State University, Aguerre, Matias-Clemson University, De Vries, Albert-University of Florida, Nichols, Kelly-UC Davis, Schutz, Mike-academic advisor, University of Minnesota, Cabrera, Victor-University Wisconsin-Madison, Brito, Andre-University of New Hampshire, Uddin, Elias-University of Connecticut, Carpenter, Gail-Iowa State University, Neave, Heather-Purdue University, Rovai, Marisa-South Dakota University

Brief Summary of Minutes

Location: University of Prince Edward Island and Hampton Inn and Suites, Prince Edwards Island, Canada

Host: Katie Proudfoot. Chair: Albert De Vries. Secretary: Matias Aguerre

Welcome, introductions, and agenda review: The meeting started with a general welcome to the group and a review of the agenda. Introductions were done with the whole group, which included not only NC-2042 members but also the host and invited speakers from Prince Edward Island Veterinary School.

Administrative Update: Angelica Van Goor provided an administrative update on the reorganization of the AFRI program, as well as the staffing/hiring status at NIFA and upcoming funding opportunities.

Minutes from the annual meeting in 2022 were approved as written.

Kate Creutzinger has accepted the secretary position for next year’s annual meeting. The chair will be Matias Aguerre.

Host in 2024: South Dakota has offered to be the host for next year. Marisa Rovai and Matias Aguerre will organize the 2025 meeting. The tentative dates are the 9 to the 11 of October.

Mike Schutz academic advisor report:
- There has been a good effort to bring more people to the group and we should encourage people who have not been coming to the meeting to attend in the future.
- North-Central department heads/chairs suggested nominating the group for a national award.
- Mike Schutz asked Ken Kalscheur, Albert De Vries and Pete Erickson to be part of the group in the 2-3 page nomination award package. The Award is $15,000, which will also be used for two members to attend the National meeting award. Submissions are due in February

Annual Reports should be in by mid-December. The webpage should be in good shape by April 2025.

The committee thanks the host for having us this year.

Accomplishments

Publications

Impact Statements

Dairy calves and heifers are the future of the milking herd and represent a substantial on-farm investment. The multi-institution effort led by the University of New Hampshire resulted in a colostrum yield and quality for Jersey cattle. Several extension fact sheets were written regarding the colostrum model to aid farmers in improving colostrum production. A recently published systematic review of weaning practices that affect the performance, behavior and health of dairy calves will serve to guide future research that can target improved dairy calf productivity and welfare.
The nutrition research has provided knowledge on practical aspects of forage production and utilization and novel additives that can mitigate enteric methane emissions. Several collaborations between researchers have led to a better understanding of how to adopt and implement new management strategies for robotic milking systems and automated milk feeders.
Small dairy farmers are usually reluctant to use the futures market for milk prices. A hands-on educational program was developed and delivered as educational workshops or webinars to improve the understanding of this tool for dairy farmers. The dairy industry is experiencing a significant shift fueled by technology. Several projects have led to new insights into the approaches that could be utilized for farm data collected at the individual cow and farm level to develop decision-support tools for dairy farmers. Several tools (RuFaS, SmartFarm, the Dairy Brain and KeepOrBeef ) are already available for farmers.

Date of Annual Report: 12/11/2025

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 10/09/2025 - 10/11/2025
Period the Report Covers: 10/01/2024 - 09/30/2025

Participants

In person: De Vries, Albert-University of Florida, Rovai, Maristela-South Dakota State University, Aguerre, Matias-Clemson University, Heins, Bradley-University of Minnesota, Boerman, Jacquelyn-Purdue University, Bruinjé, Tony-South Dakota State University, Haagen, Isaac-University of Minnesota

Online: Kate Creutzinger, University of Vermont; and Mike Schutz, Academic Advisor, University of Minnesota

Brief Summary of Minutes

Location in 2025: South Dakota State University, University Student Union, 1421 Student Union Ln, Brookings, SD 57007

Host: Maristela Rovai. Chair: Matias Aguerre. Secretary: Kate Creutzinger

Welcome, introductions, and agenda review: The meeting started with a general welcome to the group and a review of the agenda. Introductions were done with the whole group, which included not only NC-2042 members but also the host and invited speakers from South Dakota State University.

Administrative Update: Angelica Van Goor with NIFA provided an administrative update on the reorganization and timing of the AFRI program, as well as the staffing/hiring status at NIFA and upcoming funding opportunities.

Minutes from the annual meeting in 2024 were approved as written and posted.

Maristela Rovai has accepted the secretary position for next year’s annual meeting. The chair will be Kate Creutzinger.

Host in 2026: The University of Florida has offered to be the host for next year. Albert DeVries, Kate Creutzinger, and Maristela Rovai will organize the 2026 meeting. The tentative dates are October 8-10, 2026.

Mike Schutz academic advisor report:
- Encouraged us to continue meeting despite low attendance this year. Suggested that low attendance may be due to the government shut down and changes in funding
- This is the mid-term review year and his review is due December 15. Reports are due 60 days after the annual meeting
- Mike suggested this group to pursue the Excellence award
- Trainings are available to write for the reporting of impact for this group and hatch reports. We agreed that we should organize one for next year during this meeting
- This project expires Fall 2028. The rewrite of objectives needs to be completed next fall, and the final version is due December 1, 2027.
  - We will begin discussions of rewrites next fall
- The committee thanks the host, Maristela Rovai and SDSU for having us this year.
- No new business.

Accomplishments

Multistate research project NC-2042 aims to improve calf and heifer growth, health, and welfare through enhanced nutrition, housing, and management (Objective 1). Improve dairy cow performance and welfare through enhanced forage production and utilization, nutrition, housing, and management (Objective 2). Integrate data and technology to enhance the dairy enterprise's environmental, economic, and social sustainability (Objective 3). Objective 1.  Several projects have been completed under this objective, focused on pre-weaned calf nutrition and health. Penn State University completed two research projects: 1) to evaluate the impact of a forage pellet on pre-weaned dairy calf health, behavior, and productivity, and 2) to investigate the impact of pneumonia diagnosed at weaning on the productivity of dairy-beef cattle. Further, Penn State University also started data collection on two research projects: 1) to evaluate the impact of colostrum feeding at the time of lung consolidation diagnoses on calf health and productivity, and 2) to investigate stakeholder opinions related to calf health challenges using surveys. Researchers at Clemson University completed a study to screen the effects of fat sources supplemented at different concentrations to high- and low-forage diets. This experiment found that poultry fat and coconut oil can be included in the rations up to 6% under continuous culture conditions to reduce the amount of intake and reduce nutrient loss. Two projects are being completed at the University of New Hampshire under this objective: 1) to evaluate the impact of feeding a probiotic to dairy cows during the close-up period on calf weight, transfer of passive immunity, and weight gain; a secondary objective is to assess the impact of feeding colostrum from the probiotic supplemented cows to calves on serum total protein, and 2) to investigate the relationship between prolactin and estradiol blood concentration and environmental temperature and colostrum yield and quality. Additional work under this objective has focused on the behavior and welfare of dairy calves and heifers. The University of Minnesota recently completed a study to evaluate an ear-tag accelerometer sensor and correlate behavior with an automatic calf milk feeder system for pre-weaned dairy calves. The results suggest that ear-tag sensors can be used to detect behaviors in pre-weaned calves to support management decision-making. The University of Vermont completed data collection on two projects: 1) they completed a cross-sectional study on dairy farms rearing calves in dam-calf contact systems to investigate pre-weaned calf health and welfare, and 2) investigated if breeding-age and pregnant dairy heifers consume pre-consumer produce waste and if it can be utilized as nutritional enrichment to improve welfare. Purdue University has published review papers on weaning practices in ruminants, weaning methods on calf welfare, and the future of cow-calf contact research. They have also collected data on several projects related to the maternal behavior of dairy cows and management of cow-calf contact systems. Objective 2. Much work has been conducted on dairy cattle nutrition and management as an independent institution initiative or through collaborative work. Transition cow health has been at the forefront of research completed under this objective. Cornell University completed several projects related to this objective. They performed an intensive trial to collect blood and milk samples between dry-off and 56 days in lactation for health diagnostic modeling; more than 1,250 blood samples, 1,800 milk samples, and continuous rumination and activity data were collected. In a second large, commercial farm-based study, 42 herds have been enrolled in a prospective cohort study with two major aims 1) to evaluate associations between precalving (close-up dry) feeding management of controlled energy diets with biomarkers of energy metabolism, inflammation, liver health, milk yield, and reproductive performance and 2) to evaluate associations between feeding a high starch fresh diet and either higher or lower levels of forage NDF with health, biomarkers of energy metabolism, inflammation, liver health, milk yield, and reproductive performance. South Dakota State University has completed many projects focused on transition cow health including, 1) evaluating differences in blood leukocyte count differentials, measured by a rapid cow-side blood test device, associated with metritis diagnosis, 2) associations of blood BHB with health, production, and reproduction with a multi-study pooled dataset, and 3) testing the effects of NSAID administration on immune activation and uterine inflammation. Dairy cow health and welfare have also been a focus of research performed by this multistate group. The University of Minnesota team conducted several trials within this objective. They completed a study to evaluate a non-antibiotic, no-withdrawal, non-prescription therapy at dry-off to lower somatic cell count. There were no differences in the occurrence of mastitis, SCC, or milk yield between cows treated with corn germ oil or antibiotics at dry-off. Another study evaluated the effect of intra-mammary application of a carvacrol-based botanic product on udder health in the subsequent lactation of cows in an organic system. There was no difference between outcomes when cows had an intramammary injection of the botanical therapy vs. water. They also completed a study to assess changes in activity as an indicator of mastitis in organic dairy cows. Standing time increased before clinical symptoms of mastitis. Number of steps decreased during mastitis events, especially for cows with pasture access. Standing time also increased with lameness and retained placenta. Standing bout frequency was not affected by mastitis or pasture access. Finally, they completed a study to assess the association between mastitis incidence and self-reported risk factors on organic dairy farms in the US (this was a collaborative multi-state project completed with University of Florida). An increase in annual mastitis incidence was associated with higher milk yield, greater perceived importance of vaccination, and a lower concern for bulk tank somatic cell count. University of Vermont completed a cross-sectional study on dairy farms rearing calves in dam-calf contact systems to investigate the health and welfare of cows in contact with their calves. Texas A&M University initiated a new project to investigate the impact of HPAI outbreaks on reproductive performance in lactating dairy cows and heifers. Production has also been a research focus in this objective. UC Davis performed a project to develop new additives to decrease the severity of milk fat depression in lactating dairy cows. At the University of Connecticut, research is being done to evaluate various enteric methane–mitigating feed additives (both in vitro and in vivo) across different dietary conditions to better understand the interactions between feed additives and diet composition. Additionally, they are developing machine learning models to identify the optimal dosage that enhances animal productivity while maximizing methane mitigation efficiency. Purdue University continues its work on characterizing skeletal muscle accretion and depletion across lactation. Similarly, Texas A&M is in the data collection phase of a project to examine how variations in body condition score (BCS) and hip dimensions influence reproductive success in dairy heifers. Objective 3. Technology development and adoption continue to play an important role in several group projects. Many projects have focused on collecting on-farm data. The Pennsylvania State University (PSU) continued the Robotic Discussion Group extension program. Researchers at PSU also started two projects, 1) precision data to identify what calves need assistance learning to drink from an automated milk feeder, and if vaccination compromises calf feeding behavior, 2) study investigating the association of sensor data (feeding and activity) with early-stage lung consolidation. Collaborative efforts between PSU and Cornell also received funding to use milk properties collected in automatic milking systems to determine lactating cow health. Researchers at Cornell University are using FTIR technology, coupled with rumination and activity sensor data, to continually assess cow health in the immediate postparturient period and identify changes in milk composition that are associated with reduced performance and wellbeing. Researchers from Texas A&M conducted a study measuring farmers' value for Robotic Milking systems. Clemson University continued its research on estimating forage biomass in pastures using field robotics. In collaboration with the USDFRC, researchers from Clemson University evaluated how reducing milking permissions impacted cow behavior in automatic milking systems. Purdue University evaluated the use of technology and alternative therapies in the early detection of illness in dairy calves and continues to collaborate long-term to improve video image analysis for multiple projects, including assessing diet uniformity and feed volume estimation, as well as dairy cattle appearance. Farmers and industry personnel were educated in these workshops on using the Futures Market to hedge milk prices. Several projects using data for model building and technology transfer have been completed in the last year. The University of Florida (UF) evaluated and revised the St-Pierre et al. (2003) model for dairy cows that estimates the annual losses due to heat stress. They also worked on the development of the Fresh Cow Index, which is the ratio of actual energy corrected first test-day milk yield. The objective of this work was to associate the fresh cow index with milk production and herd removal later in lactation. The University of Wisconsin-Madison continued to develop multiple projects like RUFaS systems, Dairy Brain, and Dairy Victory Platform, which use all available data streams on dairy farms to enhance decision-making through computerized decision support tools. To address dairy industry sustainability, the University of Connecticut is conducting a study that integrates profitability indicators (i.e., measures of economic sustainability) into life cycle assessment (LCA) models. The primary objective is to explore the tradeoffs and potential synergies between economic and environmental sustainability. To this end, they are collecting detailed data from over 30 dairy farms across multiple Midwestern states. Using these data, they will develop LCA models for farms with comparable characteristics, incorporating profitability metrics to create a more comprehensive sustainability assessment framework.

Publications

Bacon, Madison E., Marcia I. Endres, and Bradley J. Heins. Effects of an herbal tincture therapy and willow bark (Salix extract) on the physiological and behavioral response to disbudding in dairy calves under organic management.  J Dairy Sci., https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2024-26239 Bacon, Madison E., Marcia I. Endres, and Bradley J. Heins. 2025. "Effects of Willow Bark (Salix Extract) on Pain and Stress Following Disbudding of Organic Dairy Calves" Animals 15, no. 4: 575. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15040575 Portner, S.L. and B.J. Heins. 2024. Reasons for disposal and cull cow value of Holstein cows compared with Holstein, Jersey, Montbéliarde, Normande, and Viking Red crossbred cows. J Dairy Sci., 107: 9656 – 9665. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2024-24652 Dean CJ, Peña-Mosca F, Ray T, Wehri TJ, Sharpe K, Antunes AM Jr, Doster E, Fernandes L, Calles VF, Bauman C, Godden S, Heins B, Pinedo P, Machado VS, Caixeta LS, Noyes NR. Exploring associations between the teat apex metagenome and Staphylococcus aureus intramammary infections in primiparous cows under organic directives. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2024 Apr 17;90(4):e0223423. doi: 10.1128/aem.02234-23. Epub 2024 Mar 18. PMID: 38497641; PMCID: PMC11022539. Swartz, D. M., Schutz, M. M., Pereira ABD, & Endres, M. I. (2024). Effects of a sorbitol-containing additive fed to dairy cows for 30 days postpartum. Journal of dairy science. doi: 10.3168/jds.2024-25571 Lage CFA, Marques, T. C., Bruno, D. R., Endres, M. I., Ferreira, F., Pires APA, . . . de Lima, F. S. (2024). Farmers' Perceptions on Implementing Automatic Milking Systems in Large USA Dairies: Decision-Making Process, Management Practices, Labor, and Herd Performance. Animals : an open access journal from MDPI, 14(2). PubMed Central ID Number: PMC10812517 doi: 10.3390/ani14020218 Perttu, R. K., Peiter, M., Bresolin, T., Dórea JRR, & Endres, M. I. (2024). Predictive models for disease detection in group-housed preweaning dairy calves using data collected from automated milk feeders. Journal of dairy science, 107(1), 331-341. doi: 10.3168/jds.2022-23037 Lage, C, T. Marques, D. Bruno, M. I. Endres, F. Ferreira, F. Lima. 2024. Farmers’ perceptions on implementing automatic milking systems in large USA dairies: Decision-making process, management practices, labor, and herd performance. Animals 14: 218. Brito, L., B. Heringstad, I. Klaas, K. Schodl, V. E. Cabrera, A. Stygar, M. Iwersen, M. Haskell, K. Stock, N. Gengler, J. Bewley, M. Hostens, E. Vasseur, C. Egger-Danner, and Christa. 2025 (accepted). Using data from sensors and other precision farming technologies to enhance the sustainability of dairy cattle breeding programs. Journal of Dairy Science00:00–00. Higaki, S., E. N. Freitas, A. Negreiro, J. R. R. Dorea, and V. E. Cabrera. 2025 (in press). Leveraging unsupervised machine learning techniques for detecting outliers in the daily milk yield data of dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science00:00–00. <a href="https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2024-25889">https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2024-25889</a> Gong, Y., H. Hu, K. Reed, and V. E. Cabrera. 2025 (in press). Advancing dairy farm simulations: A two-step approach for tailored lactation curve estimation and its systemic impact. Journal of Dairy Science 00:00–00. <a href="https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2025-26334">https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2025-26334</a> Gontijo, D., D. R. Santana, G. Assis Costa, V. E. Cabrera, and E. N. A. Freitas. 2025 (in press). Dairy GPT: Empowering dairy farmers to interact with numerical databases through natural language conversations. Smart Agricultural Technology 00:00–00. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atech.2025.101097">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atech.2025.101097</a> Gong, Y., A. Bellingeri, F. Fumagalli, G. S. Sechi, A. S. Atzori, F. Masoero, A. Gallo, and V. E. Cabrera. 2025. A mixed integer linear programming framework for mitigating enteric methane emissions on dairy farms through optimized crop and diet planning. Journal of Cleaner Production 511:145636. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2025.145636">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2025.145636</a> Barton, R., J. Burchard, V. E. Cabrera, D. Cook, W. Cooley, R. Cue, L. Fadul, J. Mattison, and A. Saha. 2025. Data ownership and privacy in dairy farming: Insights from U.S. and global perspectives. Animals 15:524. <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15040524">https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15040524</a> Cabrera, V. E., J. Bewley, M. Breunig, T. Breunig, W. Cooley, A. De Vries, R. Fourdraine, J. Giordano, Y. Gong, R. Greenfield, H. Hu, A. Lenkaitis, M. Niu, E. A. Noronha, and M. Sullivan. 2025. Data integration and analytics in the dairy industry: Challenges and pathways forward. Animals 15:329. <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15030329">https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15030329</a> Baldin, M., J. M. Bewley, V. E. Cabrera, K. Jones, C. Loehr, G. Mazon, J. D. Perez, M. Utt, and J. Weyers. 2025. Standardization for data generation and collection in the dairy industry: Addressing challenges and charting a path forward. Animals 15:250. <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15020250">https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15020250</a> Higaki, S., G. L. Menezes, R. E. P. Ferreira, A. Negreiro, V. E. Cabrera, and J. R. R. Dórea. 2024. Objective dairy cow mobility analysis and scoring system using computer vision-based keypoint detection technique from top-view 2D videos. Journal of Dairy Science 108:3942–3955. <a href="https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2024-25545">https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2024-25545</a>. Editor’s Choice. Menezes, G. L., G. Mazon, R. E. P. Ferreira, V. E. Cabrera, and J. R. R. Dorea. 2025. Artificial intelligence for livestock: A narrative review of the applications of computer vision systems and large language models for animal farming. Animal Frontiers 14:42–53. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/af/vfae048">https://doi.org/10.1093/af/vfae048</a> Cantor, M.C. 2025. An evaluation of the precision livestock farming landscape for dairy cattle management: What we know, and what the future holds. Conference Proceedings for Western Dairy Management Conference. April 2025. Costa, J.H.C. M. Woodrum Setser, and M.C. Cantor. Heifers, an opportunity and a liability. 2025. Conference Proceedings for National Mastitis Council. January 2025. Fernandes, I.L.B.*, A. Welk, D.L. Renaud, D. Sockett, T.L. Felix, and M.C. Cantor. 2025. The association of lung consolidation and respiratory pathogens identified at weaning on the growth performance of beef-on-dairy calves. J. Dairy Sci. 108:3980–3990. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2024-25617. Fernandes, I.L.B.*, M.C. Cantor, A. Fonseca, E. Ganda, and T.L. Felix. 2025. The association of lung consolidation in beef x dairy cattle at weaning with feedlot growth performance, carcass characteristics, and liver microbiome diversity. J. Anim. Sci. In press. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skaf358">doi: /10.1093/jas/skaf358</a>. Goetz, H.M., M.A. Steele, K. Nott, H.R. McCarthy, A.J. Lopez, M.C. Cantor, and D.L. Renaud. 2025. Evaluating the change in immunoglobulin G and accuracy of assessing transfer of passive immunity during the first 7 days of age in Holstein dairy calves fed colostrum replacer. J. Dairy Sci. 108:6340–6348. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2024-25854. Lee, A.*, M. Brause, D. Foy, and M.C. Cantor. 2025. Review: Establishing precision, bias, and reproducibility standards for dairy cattle behavior sensors. Sel. Keynote Lect. 75th Annu. Meet. Eur. Fed. Anim. Sci. Florence Italy. Animal. 19:101613. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.animal.2025.101613. McCarthy, H.R., M.C. Cantor, A.J. Lopez, A. Pineda, M. Nagorske, D.L. Renaud, and M.A. Steele. 2024. Effects of supplementing colostrum beyond the first day of life on growth and health parameters of preweaning Holstein heifers. J. Dairy Sci. 107:3280–3291. doi:10.3168/jds.2023-23649. Plaugher, G.D.*, and M.C. Cantor. 2025. A scoping review on pair housing dairy calves: health and performance outcomes and tactics to reduce cross-sucking behavior. Front. Vet. Sci. Volume 12-2025. DOI: <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2025.1568164">10.3389/fvets.2025.1568164 </a> Plaugher, G.D.*, and M.C. Cantor. 2025. The effects of feeding pelleted timothy hay to ameliorate the duration, frequency, and latency to start cross-sucking behavior in paired dairy calves. JDS Commun. In press. https://doi.org/10.3168/jdsc.2025-0789. Welk, A., M.C. Cantor, H.W. Neave, J.H.C. Costa, J.L. Morrison, C.B. Winder, and D.L. Renaud. 2025. Effect of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on neonatal calf diarrhea when administered at a disease alert generated by automated milk feeders. J. Dairy Sci. 108:1842–1854. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2024-25413. Malekkhahi, M., I. Flamenbaum, and A. De Vries. 2025. The economic benefit of cooling cows. Chapter 7.1 (pages 99-107) in: Managing Heat Stress in Dairy Cattle. Bulletin of the International Dairy Federation No. 534/2025. <a href="https://doi.org/10.56169/NFGC1866">https://doi.org/10.56169/NFGC1866</a> . Review and revision of the St-Pierre dairy cow model to estimate losses from heat stress. 2025. Malekkhahi, M., I. Flamenbaum, and A. De Vries. J. Dairy Sci. Vol. 108, Suppl. 1. Page 64 (abstract 1259) Nino De Guzman, C., L. Prada, S. Bellinzoni, P. Muñoz, C. Hernandez, C. Ibarguren, R. Weng, Q. Kolar, V. E. Cabrera, B. J. Heins, R. Lynch, E. K. Miller-Cushon, G. M. Schuenemann, P. Pinedo, and A. De Vries. 2025. Associations between mastitis incidence and risk factors in US organic-certified dairy farms. J. Dairy Sci. Vol. 108, Suppl. 1. Page 93 (abstract 1350) De Vries, A., and R. Foudraine. 2025. Associations of the Fresh Cow Index with performance later in lactation. J. Dairy Sci. Vol. 108, Suppl. 1. Page 326 (abstract 2421) Hussein, S.M., T. C. Jenkins, M. J. Aguerre, W. Bridges, G.J. Lascano. 2025. Simulating Precision Feeding of High-Concentrate Diets with High-Fat Inclusion and Different Plant-Based Saturated, Unsaturated, and Animal Fat Sources in Continuous Culture Fermenters. Animals 2025, 15:2406. Singh, J., A. B. Koc, M. J. Aguerre, J. P. Chastain. 2025. Real-Time Forage Biomass Estimation Using IMU Sensor-based Systems. Smart Agricultural Technology https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atech.2025.101424. Singh, J., A. B. Koc, M. J. Aguerre, J. P. Chastain. 2025. Biomass Estimation of Bermudagrass in Pastures: A Comparison of Sensor-Based Field Robotic Systems. 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Johnston, K., D. Reyes, K. Klobucher, T. Stahl, N. Price, P. Erickson, and A. Brito. 2025. Prepartum supplementation of Ascophyllum nodosum meal or ethylenediamine dihydroiodide: Effects on colostrum yield and growth and health of dairy calves. J. Dairy Sci. 108:3586–3601 Beckett, L.M., Gast, B., Tobolski, E., Jones, L., Gouveia, K., Han-Hallett, Y., Casey, T., Boerman, J.P., 2025. Dam prepartum skeletal muscle reserves and supplementation with branched-chain volatile fatty acids during late gestation influence calf birth weight and calf muscle metabolic activity. JDS Commun. 6, 293–298. Bérat, H., Gengler, N., Maskal, J.M., Boerman, J.P., Brito, L.F., 2025. Using milking robot data for genetic evaluation of behavioral traits in Holstein cattle. Boerman, J.P., Brito, L.F., Montes, M.E., Maskal, J.M., Doucette, J., Kalbaugh, K., 2025. Data processing techniques to improve data integration from dairy farms. JDS Commun. 6, 339–344. Centeno-Delphia, R.E., Glidden, N., Long, E., Ellis, A., Hoffman, S., Mosier, K., Ulloa, N., Cheng, J.J., Davidson, J.L., Mohan, S., Kamel, M., Szasz, J.I., Schoonmaker, J., Koziol, J., Boerman, J.P., Ault, A., Verma, M.S., Johnson, T.A., 2025a. Nasal pathobiont abundance is a moderate feedlot-dependent indicator of bovine respiratory disease in beef cattle. Anim. Microbiome 7, 27. Centeno-Delphia, R.E., Long, E.A., Ellis, A.C., Hofmann, S., Mosier, K., Ulloa, N., Cheng, J.J., Richards, A., Boerman, J.P., Koziol, J., Verma, M.S., Johnson, T.A., 2025b. Nasal pathobiont abundance does not differ between dairy cattle with or without clinical symptoms of bovine respiratory disease. Anim. Microbiome 7, 16. Dos Santos Neto, J.M., Worden, L.C., Boerman, J.P., Bradley, C.M., Lock, A.L., 2025. Long-term effects of abomasal infusion of linoleic and linolenic acids on the enrichment of n-6 and n-3 fatty acids into milk fat of lactating cows. JDS Commun. 6, 206–211. Hanno, S.L., Casey, T.M., Rojas de Oliveira, H., Boerman, J.P., 2025. Assessment of skeletal muscle dynamics and milk production across a 300-day lactation in multiparous dairy cattle. J. Dairy Sci. 108, 1092–1102. Kern, J., Jorgensen, M.W., Boerman, J., Erasmus, M.A., Johnson, J.S., Pempek, J., 2025. Differences in colostrum management and transfer of passive immunity between purebred dairy and dairy × beef crossbred calves in Indiana and Michigan. Transl. Anim. Sci. 9, txaf062. Lyu, J., Ramesh, M., Simonds, M., Boerman, J.P., Reibman, A.R., 2025. Automatic retrieval of specific cows from unlabeled videos. arXiv [cs.CV]. Moreira, R.P., Vicari, M.R., Mulim, H.A., Casey, T.M., Boerman, J.P., Rehman, H., Markworth, J.F., Fu, X., Oliveira, H.R., 2025. Cattle breed used in single-cell RNA-Seq impacts fiber-type proportions from deconvolution analyses of muscle RNA-Seq: A comparison of software tools. Neave, H.W.*, 2025. 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Impact Statements

Dairy calves and heifers are the future of the milking herd and represent a substantial on-farm investment. A recently published systematic review of weaning practices that affect the performance, behavior and health of dairy calves will serve to guide future research that can target improved dairy calf productivity and welfare. Pre-weaned calf health has implications for cows during lactation. Projects showing health improvements and identifying early detection may lead to better performance of dairy cattle. The work focused on dairy cow-calf contact is making strides is a novel field of research that contributes to the social license to practice for dairy cattle. Finally, valorizing food waste for dairy nutrition (alternative fat sources and pre-consumer produce waste) may increase the dairy industry sustainability by adding novel sources of low-cost feeds.
The nutrition research has provided knowledge on practical aspects of forage production and utilization and novel additives that can mitigate enteric methane emissions. The research focused on dairy cow health has major implications for the dairy industry. Opportunities to decrease disease serve multiple benefits, including lower costs for treating animals, decreased financial loss from compromised production, and better animal welfare.
Several collaborations between researchers have led to a better understanding of how to adopt and implement new management strategies for robotic milking systems and automated milk feeders. Small dairy farmers are usually reluctant to use the futures market for milk prices. A hands-on educational program was developed and delivered as educational workshops or webinars to improve the understanding of this tool for dairy farmers. The dairy industry is experiencing a significant shift fueled by technology. Several projects have led to new insights into the approaches that could be utilized for farm data collected at the individual cow and farm level to develop decision-support tools for dairy farmers. Several tools (RuFaS, SmartFarm, the Dairy Brain, the Fresh Cow Index, and KeepOrBeef) are available for farmers to make data-driven decisions.