Nutrition & environment in early-life
This proposal focuses on management interventions to enhance nutrition and provide heat stress abatement for dairy calves during early-life developmental windows (pre-weaning) to improve future lactation performance.
Individually or synergistically, these interventions may program whole-body and mammary gland morphology, cellular dynamics, and molecular signature, improving first-lactation yields. We will provide practical recommendations on dairy heifer management during summer to ensure they express their genetic potential year-round despite the changing environment.
USDA-NIFA-AFRI grant
Project Title
Nutritional & environmental management in early life: impact on mammary gland growth and future lactation performance
Year Funded: 2023-2027
Co-PI: Dr. Sha Tao (UGA)
Graduate students: Maverick Guenther (PhD, UW), Caroline Guzi (PhD, UGA)
Photo Gallery & Key Findings
Meet the team
Experimental Design
160 heifers | 2×2 factorial: plane of nutrition & heat abatement
First two months of life: from birth to weaning
Heifers will be followed as a cohort until their first lactation
Positive Pressure Ventilation Tubes
In collaboration with Courtney Halbach (UW Dairy Land initiative), we developed a PPVT system for outdoor calves providing ~ 1.5 m/s airspeed to promote convective cooling.
Acknowledgments: Ziehl Abbeg for donating the fans and Purina for milk replacer!
PPVT paired with daytime misters
- reduced skin temperature
- reduced respiration rates
- improved microenvironment
- reduced sand temperature
Plane of Nutrition pre-weaning
Conventional vs. enhanced milk replacer fed in 3 meals
Mammary Gland Dissection & In-Vitro Explants
Work in progress, coming soon!
