Newsletter

January 2024

ADSA® GSD Newsletter January 2024

Contents

Welcome Letter from the President

Dear ADSA GSD membership,

Welcome to everyone as we push forward through fall and wrap up an eventful 2023. ADSA was fully back in person this year in Ottawa, and we enjoyed a strong showing from the Graduate Student Division with over 450 attendees in Canada's capital. Our events had strong attendance, with over 200 attendees at our social in the Haymarket district, a panel on careers in entrepreneur- ship, and a networking lunch with 14 young profession- als from across the dairy industry.

We are planning for the upcoming annual meeting, which will take place June 16 to 19 in West Palm Beach, Florida. In seeing the site for this year's meeting, I found that we are a 15-minute walk from the water and only an hour or two train ride away from Miami. We have a lot in the planning stages. Some of the new happenings we look to put together include the following:

  • Streamlining the registration process for graduate students,
  • Creating a premeeting Zoom conversation about how to make the most of your meeting,
  • Amending the officer election process to give students a chance to “meet” the candidates, and
  • Starting a new travel grant program for graduate students attending the ADSA 2024 Annual Meeting.

In the meantime, be sure to submit your abstracts by February 13, 2024. We want to highlight all of the great research you are working on to make this one of the biggest ADSA Annual Meetings to date.

Last, we are actively soliciting volunteers to help with planning for the upcoming ADSA Annual Meeting. If you are interested in helping out, please reach out to Jenny Paul to find out how you can be involved. In the meantime, feel free to follow us on our socials at Instagram, Facebook, X, and LinkedIn to keep up to date with everything happening on the ADSA front.

Cheers,

Conor McCabe ADSA GSD President

Meet Your 2023–2024 GSD Leadership!


President
Conor McCabe
University of California, Davis


Vice President
Yufeng “Evelyn” Lin
North Carolina State University


Secretary
Madison Bacon
University of Minnesota–Twin Cities


Treasurer
Guadalupe Ceja
Texas A&M University


Dairy Foods Director
Bailey Gong
Cornell University


Dairy Production Director
Mariana Nehme Marinho
University of Florida

Welcome Letter from Jerry Bowman

I am thrilled to welcome ADSA’s Graduate School Division members to another school year, and I want to take a few minutes to introduce myself and talk about the importance of maximizing your ADSA membership.

I joined ADSA in September 2021 to take on the role of executive director of the association. Prior to my current role, I worked to support the mission and visions of several science-focused organizations in the association and nonprofit fields, focusing on flavor science, food science, pediatrics, public health, and other disciplines. With that background, it was a natural progression in my career to take on a new role as executive director of ADSA, especially given the association’s respected reputation as an interactive forum for anyone interested in the critical role of dairy science, from production to dairy foods and beyond.

What makes associations unique is the diversity of people, which generates a collective diversity of per- spectives. Whether members are from academia, government, or industry, ADSA is truly THE forum for engagement around dairy science issues throughout the supply chain.

As we head into a new year, students continue to be critical to the future of our association and the dairy community. This year is even more exciting at ADSA as we continue to “serve as a career home for mem- bers to engage, learn, share, and grow throughout their career lifecycle.” There will be opportunities for students to connect and build relationships that will be important throughout their careers. Students can connect with noted experts, authors, and leaders in dairy science and production; participate in social me- dia or webinars; or attend ADSA’s annual meeting to meet fellow students. The GSD is the place to start so you can engage based on what is important to you. This year we will be in West Palm Beach, Florida, for our annual meeting in June, and I hope to meet you in person.

Jerry Bowman

ADSA Executive Director

Student Spotlight: Kathryn Bosley


Country of origin: United States, New York

Current school: University of Minnesota–Twin Cities

Degree: MS in animal science

Year in school: Second-year master’s student

Area of specialization: Applied dairy cattle genetics

Research focus: The primary focus of my research is comparing the milk fatty acid profile of Holstein and crossbred dairy cattle. Specifically, we are looking at ProCROSS (Holstein, Montbéliarde, and VikingRed) and Grazecross (Jersey, Normande, and VikingRed) crossbreeding groups.

Future plans: I want to pursue a PhD to further my professional career in the applied dairy genetics field

What is your favorite dairy food? Very difficult choice, but I am going to have to go with cheese.

Hobbies: I enjoy reading fantasy and dystopian novels. I also love to spend time with my friends and family showing dairy cattle and hiking. I also run an educational agricultural social media account as “Cow Nerd.”

Awards won: University of Minnesota Animal Science Department Outstanding MS Student of the Year, 2023; American Jersey Cattle Association Russell-Malnati Scholarship for Advanced Studies, 2023

Instagram handle: @cow_nerd

Student Spotlight: Hannah Woodhouse

Country of origin: Canada

Current school: University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada

Degree: Completed: BSc in biomedical sciences, minor in nutrition; Current: PhD candidate, population medicine

Year in school: Third year of PhD

Area of specialization: Mastitis control

Research focus: Free fatty acids (FFA) in milk

Background: I grew up on a small, family-operated dairy farm with my parents and 3 younger sisters. We milk approximately 50 cows in a tiestall facility about 2 hours north of Toronto. I was very involved in agriculture growing up: participating in 4-H by showing our calves, serving as ambassador for local agricultural societies, and being a member of Gay Lea Foods (a Canadian dairy cooperative). I entered university with an athletic scholarship and aspirations to eventually go to medical school, but moving away from my farm made me realize how important agriculture (specifically the dairy industry) is to me.

Future plans: I am planning to finish my PhD next year and take a break from school! I can see myself completing a postdoc sometime in the future, but I would like to transition into industry at this point. I am currently exploring career options, but it will certainly involve the dairy industry and milk quality in some capacity. I would love to work overseas at some point to broaden my international dairy experience. I also want to continue elite running and see where that takes me.

What is your favorite dairy food? Cheese! Chocolate milk is a close second.

Hobbies: I have a passion for long-distance running, specifically, cross-country. The sport complements my studies well and allows me the space and time to clear my head and take healthy breaks from school work. I also have fun participating in other sports such as swimming, biking, and cross-country skiing. I enjoy the outdoors and spending time in nature with animals and family. I am a hobby beekeeper and love to bake with fresh products that our farm produces such as milk, eggs, maple syrup, and honey.

Awards won:

  • 2021–2023, Ontario Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) Highly Qualified Personnel (HQP) PhD Scholarship
  • 2021–2023, Ontario Veterinary College PhD Scholarship
  • 2023, International Dairy Federation World Dairy Summit overall poster presentation
  • 2022, USports Cross-Country Community Service Award
  • 2022, Bruce Power Education Scholarship
  • 2021, Ontario Dairy Joint Breeds Scholarship
  • 2020, Ontario Veterinary College MSc Scholarship
  • 2020, National Mastitis Council Scholarship
  • 2020, Holstein Canada Education Scholarship

Publications important to your research:

Any social media accounts you would like to share:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-woodhouse-9131a7129/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hannahwoodhouse1/

Student Spotlight: Sebastián Umaña Sedó

Country of origin: Costa Rica

Current school: University of Guelph

Degree: Doctor of veterinary science (DVSc)

Year in school: Third year—last year

Area of specialization: Food animal medicine (besides research, my program consisted of teaching veterinary students dairy, beef, and small ruminants production and medicine; in addition, it included doing the field food animal clinical and herd management service)

Research focus: Dairy calf mortality

Future plans: I will be an assistant professor at the Department of Large Animal Clinical Science, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine.

What is your favorite dairy food? Dulce de Leche!

Hobbies: I enjoy reading fantasy and dystopian novels. I also love to spend time with my friends and family showing dairy cattle and hiking. I also run an educational agricultural social media account as “Cow Nerd.”

Awards won:

  • Helen Leitch Dairy Development Scholarship—This scholarship is intended to support students whose research has a global impact on developing countries.
  • International Doctoral Tuition Scholarship, University of Guelph—This scholarship is given to students enrolled in a fulltime program with a minimum 80% (A−) admission average.
  • Outstanding Achievement Award, International Center, University of Florida—This award highlights the accomplishments and contributions of international students at the University of Florida. The awards are designed to recognize students who distinguish themselves not only by their exemplary academic achievements, but also by a wide range of accomplishments and contributions to the University of Florida and the community.

Publications important to your research:

  • Prediction of calving time in Holstein-Friesian cows using a commercial automated tail movement sensor: Accuracy and limitations. S. G. Umaña Sedó, D. L. Renaud, J. Morrison, D. L. Pearl, J. F. Mee, and C. B. Winder. Accepted for publication in JDS Communications on Nov. 29, 2023.
  • Exploring herd–level perinatal calf mortality risk factors in eastern Canadian dairy farms. S. G. Umaña Sedó, D. L. Renaud, R. A. Molano, D. E. Santschi, J. L. Caswell, J. F. Mee, and C. B. Winder. Submitted for publication in the Journal of Dairy Science on Nov. 26, 2023.
  • Risk factors for Salmonella Dublin on dairy farms in Ontario, Canada. K. V. Perry, D. F. Kelton, S. Dufour, C. Miltenburg, S. G. U. Sedo, and D. L. Renaud. Published in the Journal of Dairy Science on Aug. 23, 2023: S0022-0302(23)00565-9.
  • Graduate student literature review: The problem of calf mortality in dairy farms. S. G. Umaña Sedó, C. B. Winder, and D. L. Renaud. Published in the Journal of Dairy Science in Oct. 2023: 106(10):7164–7176. doi: 10.3168/jds.2022-22795.

Any social media accounts you would like to share:

Instagram: sebasumase

May 2023

ADSA® GSD Newsletter May 2023

Contents

Do Not Paint Yourself in a Professional Corner

Normand St-Pierre, Ph.D., P.A.S., Dipl. ACAN
Professor Emeritus, The Ohio State University
President, American Dairy Science Association

First, a few words about me. I grew up in Quebec, Canada, and only spoke French until I came to the United States for my Ph.D. degree in 1981. Prior to this, I had completed both my Bachelor and Masters degrees at Université Laval in Québec City, hence avoiding having to learn English—especially the spoken part. My Masters’ research was in classic dairy nutrition with full collection trials and much time spent in the lab doing bomb calorimetry (among many assays). I did not relish lab work, plus I was pretty good at setting things on fire. Thus, I reasoned that I should look at doing a Ph.D. in a non-conventional way.

At the time, there were many students in classic dairy nutrition. All would take a bunch of biochemistry classes, something that had little appeal to me. At that point, I had reasoned that nutrition should be looked at as a random system where groups of animals do not have set and fixed nutrient requirements but do require some nutrients and therefore respond to nutrient intake in a nonlinear, declining return to input fashion. This view required an in-depth understanding of probability distributions and statistics. So, I took the full set of mandatory coursework for a Ph.D. in statistics. Believe me, there were many times when I felt like I was swimming upstream in a river full of crocodiles . . . I also reasoned that the application of nutrition to livestock feeding systems would require some knowledge in economics. So, I took the full set of mandatory coursework for a Ph.D. in agricultural economics. Again, I often felt like I was swimming upstream in a river full of crocodiles . . . big and hungry ones! In the end, this broad training in disciplines other than nutrition has been the determining factor in my (meager) professional successes.

This leads me to my candid advice to graduate students:

  • Do not paint yourself in a professional corner. Being an expert in calcium metabolism in young calves can be scientifically interesting, but very few people can make a living in such a narrow field. Granted, your own graduate research must be focused, but use all opportunities to broaden your training. Work alongside other graduate students conducting very different research. When attending a scientific meeting, spend some time in sessions other than those closely associated with your discipline. In short, make yourself aware of recent developments in disciplines other than your own turf; make yourself desirable to a broad range of potential employers.
  • Develop an extensive network of colleagues. The professional friends that you make during your graduate years will be of invaluable help when you find yourself in a professional ditch later in your career.
  • Keep learning. Ten years from now, most of what you have learned during your graduate degree will be obsolete. Read, listen, investigate, and ask questions.
  • Learn the professional ropes. Your graduate research is important, but during your graduate degree (especially Ph.D.) you should learn how modern scientific research operates. You should learn about grant writing, research project budgeting, and publishing, among many things.
  • Find a professional home. In your career, it is likely that you will become a member of many different professional organizations. Early on, find the one that most closely matches your values and provides the best opportunities to network with other professionals. We certainly hope that for you, this organization will be the American Dairy Science Association (ADSA). It’s fine to also be a member of the Society for the Study of Reproduction (SSR) or the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), for example, but I like to think that ADSA should provide you broader opportunities in the long-run.

I leave you with a special assignment. Below are references to 2 papers that I wrote during my career. One has been cited hundreds of times. The other one has been cited only a handful of times. I will let you guess which one I value the most.

St-Pierre, N. R., and C. S. Thraen. 1999. Animal grouping strategies, sources of variation, and economic factors affecting nutrient balance on dairy farms. J. Dairy. Sci. 82 (Suppl. 2):72-83.

St-Pierre, N. R., B. Cobanov, and G. Schnitkey. 2003. Economic losses from heat stress by U.S. livestock industries. J. Dairy Sci. 86(E. Suppl.): E52-E77.

ADSA Annual Meeting Graduate Student Events!

GSD Business Meeting and Open Forum: Sunday, June 25th, 4–4:45 PM. Located in the Convention Center.

The opening discussion of the meeting will welcome our new officers and provide important details for GSD’s upcoming week.

Graduate Student Mix and Mingle Social: Sunday, June 25th, 8–10 pm. Located at Lowertown Brewery.

Join us at the Lowertown Brewery in Ottawa, which specializes in craft beer! Kick off the week with a fun night of entertainment and networking with your fellow dairy science graduate students! Use this opportunity to meet other graduate students you can network with throughout the week at the annual meeting. Appetizers will be served and each registered student will be provided with one drink ticket. Registration is US$10.

Entrepreneurship in the Dairy Industry: Monday, June 26th, 12:30–2 PM. Located in the Convention Center.

The potential of scientific findings can be exploited by transformation into commercial product. Whether it is technological innovation or sustainable product design, we can make a larger impact on the productivity and sustainability of the society by tapping the gold mine from our research findings. But even students who excel at science might

find it difficult in this process as to get on the path of entrepreneurship, students often need to develop a deeper understanding in areas out of their comfortable zones, including legal issues, marketing strategies, consumer insights. This workshop is aimed to address these needs.

During the workshop, students will hear the true stories behind successful entrepreneurs, learn various essential skills for a start-up, and explore different resources available to utilize. The workshop will finish with a roundtable to answer any questions from students.

A US$15 registration fee is required, and a boxed lunch is included.

Speakers include:
Niel Sandfort, Chief Innovation Officer at Chobani
Bethany Deshpande, Founder and CEO of SomaDetect Inc.
Sam Alcaine, Associate Professor in the Department of Food Science at Cornell University

Three-Minute Thesis Competition: Monday, June 26th, 4–5:30 PM. Located in the Convention Center.

ADSA graduate students are encouraged to participate in the return of the Three-Min- ute Thesis Challenge. This event will test the competitors’ ability to convey their research in a way that is understandable to all, in three minutes or less! Emphasis will be placed on the ability to explain research to a lay audience. Want to participate?

  • Call for submissions are now open! Submit your documents by 4:59 EDT on June 5th.
  • Documents for registration: One-page CV and 300-word research summary.
  • A panel of judges will review all applications and select 10 students to compete in-person during the 2023 ADSA Annual Meeting in Ottawa.
  • Judges will select the top 3 presentations, and the audience will also vote for their favorite presentation. The 4 winners will each receive a cash prize.

All ADSA members are invited to attend the challenge and watch students compete for cash prizes and present their research in a fun and exciting way!

Career Insights Luncheon: Tuesday, June 27th, 12:30–2 PM. Located in the Convention Center.

Graduate students—plan to join us for lunch and networking with a diverse assortment of academia and industry professionals! With a roundtable format this year, you will have the opportunity to connect with professional members about their experience moving from graduate school to the professional world. This lunch is intended to give students an informal environment in which to inquire about each professional’s personal journey and the challenges they encountered along the way.

A US$10 registration fee is required, and a boxed lunch is included.

Graduate Student Spotlight: Meghan Pister

Country of origin: United States, Illinois

Current school: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree: Ph.D. in Animal Sciences

Year in school: 4th year in graduate school. As of this year, I am a Ph.D. student. I was originally on the B.S. to M.S. track but switched my program this year. I am now on the B.S. to Ph.D. track.

Area of specialization: Dairy calf nutrition

Research focus: My main research project thus far focuses on nutritional diarrhea in calves fed high solids milk replacer diets. Some of the diets include the addition of casein and psyllium, among others. Dry matter analysis is also being analyzed.

Future plans: At this point, I am undecided. I am passionate about research and hope to obtain a career in research and development or stay in academia.

What is your favorite dairy food? Cheese! Colby jack and brie are my favorites!

Hobbies: Hanging out with my dog, spending weekends with friends and family, and vacationing when possible!

Awards won: (during graduate school)
University of Illinois Conference Travel Award 2021
University of Illinois Conference Travel Award 2022
Clark Fellowship in Applied Dairy Cattle Nutrition 2023

Instagram handle: @meghanpister

Graduate Student Spotlight: Renata de Freitas Leite

Country of origin: Sao Paulo, Brazil

Current school: School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil

Degree: Ph.D. in Veterinary Medicine

Year in school: 5th

Area of specialization: Mastitis control

Research focus: My research is multidisciplinary and focuses on the usage of nanotechnology for mastitis prevention. We developed polyhexamethylene biguanide nanoparticles and evaluated their antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities against virulent mastitis-causing Staphylococcus aureus.

Future plans: I want to pursue a post doctorate to keep researching the potential use of nanotechnology in favor of dairy cows’ health.

Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? This is a hard question, but cheese is my favorite one.

Hobbies: I enjoy reading different types of books and watching series. Moreover, I’m keen on practicing Pilates and hiking. If I have a chance and the weather is sunny, you may meet me visiting waterfalls. We have beautiful ones in Brazil!

Awards won:

  • 2020: The best oral presentation for the manuscript entitled “Antimicrobial activity of polyhexamethylene biguanide nanoparticles against Staphylococcus aureus isolated from bovine mastitis”—Symposium of the Department of Nutrition and Animal Production, University of Sao Paulo
  • 2022: Selected as a National Mastitis Council (NMC) Scholar

Instagram handle: @renata_frleite

LEGEND-DAIRY RECIPES

Yogurt Smoothie

Ingredients:
2 cups of frozen strawberries
½ cup of frozen cauliflower
1 ⅓ cups of 2% milk
½ cup of low-fat vanilla yogurt
2 tablespoons of honey
Strawberries
1 pinch bee pollen

Directions:

  1. Blend all the ingredients in a blender until they are completely smooth.
  2. Pour smoothie into a glass

Recipe credit: https://www.usdairy.com/recipes/berry-dairy-smoothie-recipe

Better Buttermilk Biscuits

Ingredients:
2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoons of baking powder
½ teaspoon of baking soda
½ cup of vegetable shortening, chilled and cut into ½-inch pieces
¾ cup buttermilk

Directions:

  1. Use a fork to stir the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. With a pastry blender, blend in the shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Create a well in the middle and fill it with buttermilk. Using your hands, quickly incorporate dry ingredients into buttermilk until a sticky dough forms.
  2. Disperse the dough onto floured surface. To form layers, gently fold the dough over on itself 3 or 4 times. ¾-inch thick dough should be rolled out. Use a 3-inch biscuit cutter to cut. Place dough rounds on a baking sheet. Repeat after collecting scraps. To help the top rise evenly, create a dimple in the middle. Use butter to brush. Golden brown should be achieved after 15 minutes in an oven preheated to 400°F.

Recipe credit: http://allsaints-spnj.org/uploads/3/4/5/2/34528812/north_carolina_cooking.pdf

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November 2022

ADSA® GSD Newsletter November 2022

Contents

Interview with the President

Luke Qian, Cornell University

Welcome to a new year with the ADSA GSD! I hope you enjoyed our events during the hybrid 2022 ADSA Annual Meeting in Kansas City. Our graduate student events were well attended and will hopefully be beneficial to your career development. The success of these events is not possible without support from all of you. Our GSD membership consists of 627 students and scholars, with 176 new members this year. If you do not have a GSD membership, you are invited to register on the ADSA website.

Our members come from many different backgrounds and education levels, and we want to make sure that our content will meet your needs. Thus, before deciding on future events, our Advisory Council is eager to hear from you about anything you expect from the GSD, such as resources, webinar topics, and new events. In particular, we would like to hear your opinion about the new programs we plan to bring, namely a mentorship program with the American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists (ARPAS), and a certificate program for our educational and career development webinar series. You can share your opinion by reaching out to us via social media or emailing us at adsagsd@gmail.com.

Thank you for supporting us throughout the year, and we look forward to seeing you at our events!

MEET YOUR 2022-2023 GSD LEADERSHIP!


President
Luke Qian
Cornell University


Vice President
Conor McCabe
University of California, Davis


Secretary
Lauren Engelking
University of Alberta


Treasurer
Richard R. Lobo
University of Florida


Dairy Foods Director
Caitlin Smits
North Carolina State University


Dairy Production Director
Guilherme Madureira
University of Guelph

MEET YOUR 2022-2023 GSD LEADERSHIP!

I am thrilled to welcome ADSA’s Graduate School Division members to another school year, and I want to take a few minutes to introduce myself and talk about the importance of maximizing your ADSA membership.

I joined ADSA in September 2021 to take on the role of executive director of the association. Prior to my current role, I have worked to support the mission and visions of several science-focused organizations in the association and nonprofit fields by focusing on flavor science, food science, pediatrics, public health, and other disciplines. With that background, it was a natural progression in my career to take on a new role as executive director of ADSA, especially given the association’s respected reputation as an interactive forum for anyone interested in the critical role of dairy science, from production to dairy foods and beyond.

What makes associations unique is their diversity of people, which generates a collective diversity of perspectives. Whether members are from academia, government, or industry, ADSA is truly the forum for engagement around dairy science issues throughout the supply chain.

This year is even more exciting at ADSA, as we continue to create opportunities for students to connect and build relationships that will be important throughout their careers—whether connecting with noted experts, authors, and leaders in dairy science and production, participating in social media or webinars, or attending ADSA’s Annual Meeting to meet fellow students. The GSD is the place to start so you can engage based on what is important to you. Next year we head to Ottawa for our Annual Meeting in June, and I hope to meet you in person.

Wishing you all a successful school year!
Jerry Bowman

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: JUANITA ECHEVERRY-MUNERA

Name: Juanita Echeverry-Munera

Country of origin: Medellin, Colombia

Current school: University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada

Current Program: First-year PhD student in animal nutrition, specializing in early life nutrition and dairy-beef.

Hobbies: When I am not around calves, I am either hiking with my dog Lana, traveling, or baking.

Research focus: Colostrum and milk feeding strategies for dairy- beef calves, and nutritional strategies to maximize growth and reduce health challenges at calf rearing facilities and feedlots. “Currently, I am performing a study at Trouw Nutrition Calf & Beef Research Centre, The Netherlands, investigating the interaction between colostrum and milk feeding strategies, and the effects on the performance, gastrointestinal development, and health of the dairy-beef calf. Results may clarify the early interactions between different nutritional managements, and they will help to pinpoint physiological and nutritional controls of dairy-beef calves that will lead to practical strategies for producers to employ in the attempt to improve animal welfare, future performance, and profitability.”

Future plans: Work in industry as a ruminant researcher.

Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? Cheese

Instagram: @Juanita_e_m

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: KEVIN BRAMAN

Name: Kevin Braman

Country of origin: Tampa, Florida, USA

Current school: Mississippi State University, USA

Current Program: Second-year MSc in animal science, specializing in behavior and well-being.

Hobbies: Anything outdoors, especially hiking, camping, and adventures with my dog. I’m a huge fan of reality TV, especially the Real Housewives.

Research focus: Behavior of pastured dairy cattle when offered shade or sprinklers for heat abatement.

Future plans: Working as an extension specialist, or industry research that will have a positive impact on farmers.

Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? Definitely a toss-up between ice cream (chocolate with peanut butter) and cheese (literally any kind).

Instagram: @kevin_braman

LEGEND-DAIRY RECIPES

Brazilian Brigadeiro

1 tablespoon of butter
14 oz of sweetened condensed milk
¼ cup of cocoa powder
1 cup of chocolate sprinkles

In a pot over low heat, melt the butter, condensed milk, and cocoa powder, stirring continuously until you can see the bottom of the pot for 2-3 seconds when dragging a spatula through. Pour onto a greased plate and chill for 1 hour. Shape and roll the chilled mixture into balls. Roll the balls in chocolate sprinkles. Enjoy!

Fudge

3 cups of semisweet chocolate chips
1 can of sweetened condensed milk (14 oz)
¼ cup of unsalted butter, cut into pieces 1 cup of chopped walnuts (optional)

Melt the chocolate, sweetened condensed milk, and butter together. Add walnuts if desired. Pour the mixture into a prepared baking dish and refrigerate until the fudge is set. Cut into squares. Enjoy!

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March 2021

ADSA® GSD Newsletter March 2021

Contents

Interview with the President

by Heather McCain Keefer

Name: Heather McCain Keefer

Position: GSD President 2020–2021

How long been a member in ADSA GSD? Four years now.

Where do you see GSD in 5 to 10 years? Currently, ADSA’s board members are rewriting the strategic plan for ADSA, so based on what I have been hearing in board meetings, I see GSD more integrated into ADSA as a whole as opposed to being treated as a separate entity. What I think that will look like is, GSD members and committee will have more responsibility and be in charge of not only planning GSD events but events for everyone in ADSA. I also see our goals meshing with ADSA, having more cohesive leadership, and having a clear direction for GSD.

What’s your dream job? I would love to be a professor at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, or work as a senior food scientist for a major dairy company.

How has GSD/ADSA broadened your worldview and perspectives within dairy science/dairy food? There are so many different areas and concentrations within dairy production that are really cool to see. As a food sci- entist/dairy foods graduate student, I did not know there was so much to dairy production, so it is really cool to get to work with people I would not necessarily have met if I did not get involved with GSD/ADSA. I am learning so much from my peers and have so much respect now for my dairy farmer friends.

Best experience you’ve had with the GSD or in your program? The graduate social at the annual meeting in Cincinnati, Ohio, is probably my favorite memory. I was the dairy foods director and was given the responsibility of planning that event with my amazing committee and I think we planned an amazing event (but I might be bi- ased). We had pizza, video games, Mario Kart tournament, trivia, and fun drinks. The bar was packed with dairy scientists having a great time, and I witnessed so many friendships and future connections being made. People told me all week how much fun they had, and I saw “trivia” groups meeting up all week during the conference as new friends.

 

2020–2021 ADSA GSD Officer Board

President:
Heather McCain-Keefer, North Carolina State University

Vice President:
Lautaro Rostoll Cangiano, University of Guelph

Secretary:
Emily Lindner, University of Florida

Treasurer:
Timothy Lott, Cornell University

Dairy Production Director:
Cora Okkema, Colorado State University

Dairy Foods Director:
Lauren Sipple, University of Wisconsin

Student Spotlight: Alayna Gerhardt

State of origin: Illinois

Current school: Oklahoma State University

Degree: Master’s in plant and soil science

Year in school: Second year of master’s

Area of specialization: Forage production

Research focus: Using reduced-lignin alfalfa cultivars to improve water use efficiency, forage yield, and forage quality in water-limited environments.

Future plans: In August I will begin my PhD in crop science, specializing in forage production and livestock grazing systems. Upon completion of my education, I plan to enter the agriculture industry to aid producers in producing and supplying their livestock with high- quality, high-yielding forages.

Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? I love cheese or ice cream! It’s honestly a tie between the two!

Favorite flavor: For cheese, I love a good Gouda or a white Cheddar. Chocolate brownie ice cream is my favorite ice cream!

Hobbies: I enjoy baking and cooking new foods, taking my rescue pup, Max, on long walks, and finding new books to read.

Awards won: ADSA Foundation Graduate Student Literature Review Award: Dairy Foods Division (MS)

Publications: All of my publications are still in review! Hopefully they will be released here shortly!

Student Spotlight: Ana Velasquez

State of origin: Chile (South America)

Current school: Colorado State University

Degree: PhD in Animal Sciences

Year in school: Three

Area of specialization: Dairy management system

Research focus: Dairy calf health and welfare.

Future plans: Ideally, I would like to stay in academia and conduct research. My short-term plan is to do a postdoc after the competition of my PhD.

Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? Yogurt!

Favorite flavor: Plain yogurt with berries.

Hobbies: Running, cooking, transforming my apartment in a jungle.

Publication important to my research: As my area of research is dairy calf health and welfare, I find all the latest research related to new approaches to raise calves extremely interesting. For example: milk allowance, social housing, environmental enrichment, transmission of diseases, and prevention of diseases through different approaches.

I was able to work with environmental enrichment for weaned calves a few years ago. It was a very interesting project for me:
Velasquez-Munoz et al. 2019. Effect of a mechanical grooming brush on the behavior and health of recently weaned heifer calves. BMC Vet. Res. 15: 284.

Student Spotlight: Bailey Klug

State of origin: Nevada

Current school: Colorado State University

Degree: Master of science in animal science

Year in school: Second year (last and final!)

Area of specialization: Dairy science

Research focus: Body condition scores in dairy cattle and their association with fertility.

Future plans: I hope to pursue a PhD but will take four years off and seek internships within the industry.

Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? Ice cream, of course! Chocolate milk is a close second.

Favorite flavor: I love sweet flavors, especially berries.

Hobbies: I used to show Hereford cattle in my free time, but now I like to spend it with my husband and daughter.

The ADSA Graduate Student Division (GSD) is pleased to announce our Winter 2021 Statistics Webinar Series

Please join us for the final webinar in this series, “An Introduction to R: Opening the Door to a Friendly and Useful Software Package,” featuring Scott Merrill of the University of Vermont. In this webinar, Merrill gives a brief discussion of statistics before introducing R. Merrill demonstrates how to download this open-source software and then walks through a couple of quick statistics examples. He finishes with some of the advanced functionality of R.

This webinar is free to all ADSA-GSD members and is available now on demand by logging into your ADSA account.

There you will also be able to view the other two webinars in this series, “Learning and Applying Statistics: What Could Go Wrong?” with Nick Serão and “The Principles and Practices of Food Systems Research,” featuring John McNamara.

We will be holding a roundtable discussion Q&A session with our statistics webinar speakers on Tuesday, March 23, at 4 pm EDT, so please note any questions you might have as you listen to these webinars.

About the speaker:
Scott Merrill is a research assistant professor in the Plant and Soil Science Department at the University of Vermont and managing director of the Social Ecological Gaming and Simulation (SEGS) laboratory. He is a systems ecologist with research spanning a wide range of both natural ecosystems and social-ecological systems. Projects include examining dynamics of change within pest-crop agroecosystems including aspects of climate change, examining ways to nudge human behavior to help protect the health of our livestock herds, and looking at factors motivating behavior that affects water quality in the Lake Champlain watershed. In the SEGS laboratory, he uses experimental gaming as a novel technique for collecting data to examine decision-making in social-ecological systems. An important goal of this work is the creation of applicable and predictive models to inform best management practices.

For additional information on webinars, please look at the event listing on the ADSA GSD Facebook page.

Industry Spotlight: Brandon Carter

What degrees do you hold and from where?
BS, food science from Brigham Young University
MS, food science from North Carolina State University
PhD, food science from North Carolina State University

What company do you work for?
High Desert Milk, which is a dairy cooperative, located in southwest Idaho.

What are your position, title, and duties?
Director of research and development. I help develop new products, conduct research to aid in production, and help do some large-scale planning for new processes.

Why did you choose your current position?
High Desert Milk is a great company with a lot of great growth opportunities. They have a great system to pro- duce, transport, and process the milk, and I felt that I had a skill set to help elevate them to the next level.

What is your favorite part about your current position or the company you work for?
I enjoy being able to be creative and problem solve. It is nice to have the flexibility to explore complicated research topics as well as create products to nourish the world.

What previous jobs have you held, and what major takeaways did you get from those?
This is my first full-time position after college. I had previously done internships at Glanbia Nutritionals and Bolthouse Farms, working in research and develop- ment.

Did you always know that one day you would work in the dairy industry?
From a young age I grew up around a lot of dairy cows and dairy farmers, although I did not have any real in- tention of pursuing a career in dairy until I began to meet the great people in the industry. Milk is such a versatile ingredient that it is extremely rewarding to fig- ure out unique ways to present it. It is a small industry but full of many incredible people.

If you could give advice to any student, what would it be?
Gain as many hands-on and practical experiences as you can. The education you are pursing is only useful if you can apply it in a real-world scenario to help solve people’s problems.

What is your favorite thing about the dairy industry, in general?
I really enjoy how connected it is. Everyone is hard- working and willing to help, which makes it easier to learn new things and to meet people.

Favorite dairy food?
Full-fat yogurt.

What is a fond memory you have during your time working in the dairy industry?
Now I can look back fondly on long hours processing milk for various research projects, which led to many great friendships, as well as tackling difficult problems and projects, which led to a lot of personal growth.

We’re Social!
Find Us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn!

Facebook: ADSA Graduate Student Division

Instagram: adsagsd

Twitter: ADSA Grad Students @ADSAGSD

LinkedIn: ADSA Graduate Student Division (ADSA)

If you are interested in doing a social media takeover or writing for the next newsletter, contact us through one of our social media platforms or one of our officers.

 

Strawberry Overnight Oats

Ingredients
2 cups old fashion oats
2 teaspoons ground flaxseed 3 cups milk, your choice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 cups strawberries, sliced

Instructions

  1. Place four jars on a flat surface. Fill each jar with ½ cup oats, ½ teaspoon ground flax, ¾ cup milk, and ½ teaspoon vanilla. Stir to combine. Top with strawberries and refrigerate.
  2. In the morning, stir to combine. Warm up, if desired, and enjoy!
September 2020

ADSA® GSD Newsletter September 2020

Contents

GSD President’s Letter

by Heather McCain Keefer

Welcome to a new year with ADSA GSD! We had a great time at the unprecedented 2020 ADSA® Virtual Annual Meeting. Over 390 graduate students and 40 postdoctoral members tuned in to the annual event from more than 25 universities around the world! We hope you all enjoyed and learned from the virtual events and were able to attend the GSD virtual events. Our Advisory Council and GSD Liaison are already hard at work developing and improving the programs offered throughout the year and at the 2021 ADSA Annual Meeting in Louisville, Kentucky. Your 2020–2021 Advisory Council members are from many universities across the country, and we are always available to answer questions you may have about the GSD or general ADSA events. Our committees are working diligently to create opportunities for graduate student development and interaction events throughout the year. For example, our communication committee hosted a webinar on how to create an effective scientific poster on September 15, and we have several other webinars in the works. Be sure to check it out, and keep an eye out for future webinars!

Also, be sure to join us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to stay up to date on our events and professional opportunities. If you have not already done so, please remember to renew your GSD membership, and encourage your fellow graduate students to join ADSA GSD as well.

Thank you for interacting with us throughout the year, and we look forward to yet another exciting year!

Student Spotlight: Brandon Batty

State of origin: Oregon

Current school: Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine

Degree: I’ve been fortunate to have received my associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees in animal science.

Year in school: Third

Area of specialization: Nutritional support of the growing skeleton

Research focus: To determine how to maximize genetic potential of our skeletal physiology through high-quality nutrition. Specifically, I want to understand the effect of milk on skeletal development and dive into the genomic changes, if any, of milk on bone marrow stem cells.

Who or what inspired you to go into this area of study? The one person who has always been incredibly supportive, invested in me, and been my greatest ally was my mentor, Dr. Massimo Bionaz. I first met Dr. Bionaz during my junior year of undergrad while I was taking his class called Dairy Production Systems. I had always loved the dairy industry and even worked as a milker at the OSU dairy. Halfway through the class, Dr. Bionaz invited me for a tour of his lab. From there I began to help with research projects, work on cell culture, and eventually started my own project as a master’s student in his lab at Oregon State University. For the entirety of my program, Massimo was always there to help with work in the lab, give suggestions and advice, and give me the tools I needed to succeed. We developed a strategy to accomplish goals and to submit abstracts and posters for presentations, and he was my biggest enthusiast during my thesis defense. My biggest accomplishment was presenting my work at the ADSA national convention in Knoxville, Tennessee, which I can attribute to the hours of revision of my abstract, the numerous practice presentations Dr. Bionaz sat through and provided feedback for, and his willingness to answer any and all of my questions, even at 1:00 am. Words cannot describe how thankful I am to have had the honor and privilege to work with Dr. Bionaz. I would not be the student I am today, nor the person I am today, without the help and guidance of Dr. Massimo Bionaz.

Future plans: I have decided to hang up my research hat and pursue my other passion, veterinary medicine. I want to intertwine my research into my future career as a veterinarian by mastering various orthopedic surgeries, developing high-quality rehabilitation protocols using my background in skeletal physiology, and devising nutritional plans to best suit bone growth and development.

Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? Ice cream

Hobbies: Cycling, hiking, wakeboarding, golfing, working out, and playing my alto saxophone.

Awards won: ADSA Foundation Graduate Student Literature Review Award: Dairy Foods Division (MS)

Publications: Graduate Student Literature Review: The milk behind the mustache: A review of milk and bone biology

Social media handles: Instagram, battyb22; Facebook, Brandon Batty

 

Student Spotlight: Brandon Batty

President:
Heather McCain-Keefer, North Carolina State University

Vice President (Career Development Committee):
Lautaro Rostoll Cangiano, University of Guelph

Secretary (Communications Committee):
Emily Lindner, University of Florida

Treasurer (Fundraising Committee):
Timothy Lott, Cornell University

Dairy Foods Director (Social Committee):
Lauren Sipple, University of Wisconsin–Madison

Dairy Production Director (Education Committee):
Cora Okkema, Colorado State University

GSD Liaison:
Holly Miller

Student Spotlight: Sara Maruyama

State of origin: Oregon

Current school: Oregon State University

Degree: Master of science in food science and technology

Year in school: Second

Area of specialization: Sensory

Research focus: Consumer preferences for clean label dairy products.

Future plans: I hope to work for a processor or in the dairy industry, where I can continue to research consumer preferences and behaviors and promote dairy products.

Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? Cheese—especially smear-ripened varieties

Hobbies: Running, cooking, foraging for wild mushrooms, hiking, and camping

Awards won: Second place in the 2019 ADSA graduate oral competition (Dairy Foods Division)

Publication important to my research: Making sense of the “clean label” trends: A review of consumer food choice behavior and discussion of industry implications (Asioli et al., 2017).

Instagram handle: sara.maruyama

Student Spotlight: Conor McCabe

State of origin: Oregon

Current school: Purdue University

Degree: Master of science in animal science

Year in school: Second

Area of specialization: Dairy cattle nutrition

Research focus: My research is mixed between two main areas: the amount of fat and muscle cows mobilize over the transition period for early lactation requirements. And determining the effect of circadian rhythm disruptions through the alteration of the timing of light during the dry period and its subsequent impact on the following lactation.

Future plans: To obtain a PhD by January 2021 in studies on the integration of limits and dairy production. Then, eventually, I want to hold a role in improving the global sustainability of the dairy industry.

Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? Has to be ice cream.

Favorite flavor: Pots of Gold and Rainbows—Lucky Charms-flavored ice cream from Salt and Straw in Portland, Oregon.

Hobbies: Reading, bike riding, and playing my cello. Quarantine has been great for all three of these.

Publication important to my research: I had my first one a couple of weeks ago; there will be more to come. “Invited Review: Quantifying protein mobilization in dairy cows during the transition period,” Applied Animal Science.

Student Spotlight: Immanuel Rodriguez

State of origin: Riverside, California

Current school: Oregon State University

Degree: Master’s in food science and technology

Year in school: Second

Area of specialization: Dairy/Cheddar cheese

Research focus: Efficacy of heat shock and other process controls against Salmonella, STEC, and L. monocytogenes in Cheddar cheese.

Future plans: Cheese manufacturing and operations.

Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? Ice cream, by far!

Favorite flavor: Pots of Gold and Rainbows—Lucky Charms-flavored ice cream from Salt and Straw in Portland, Oregon.

Hobbies: Mountain biking and cooking.

Industry Spotlight: Kerst Stelwagen

What degrees do you hold and from where?
BSc, Bijzonder Hogere Landbouwschool Leeuwarden, the Netherlands (Ag economics and animal husbandry)
MSc, University of Gulph, Canada (Ruminant nutrition)
PhD, University of Guelph, Canada (Lactation physiology and ruminant nutrition)

What company do you work for?
SciLactis Ltd., Hamilton, New Zealand, a boutique consulting company, providing strategy and R&D support to companies in the agriand value-added food sectors.

What are your position, title, and duties?
Managing director (founder and owner).

My duties included day-to-day running, prospecting, overseeing, and carrying out R&D-related projects for a wide range of clients (including desk studies, on-farm trials, formulation of infant formulas and other human nutritionals, etc.).

I am also a section editor for the Journal of Dairy Science and an honorary lecturer at Waikato University (Hamilton, New Zealand) and serve on a number of advisory boards

Why did you choose your current position?
After my undergraduate in the Netherlands I emigrated to Canada and worked for a number of years on dairy farms, before going back to university and doing my MSc and PhD at the University of Guelph. After completing my PhD in Canada, I took up a postdoctoral scientist position in New Zealand at what is now DairyNZ, the New Zealand dairy farmer–funded applied research and extension organization. Then I became a scientist with AgResearch (kind of the USDA equivalent for New Zealand). There I spent nearly 18 years as a dairy scientist in the lactation physiology group and latterly as a science manager and department head. After the umptieth organizational restructuring, I had enough and decided to go out on my own and founded SciLactis Ltd., which is based at the Waikato Innovation Business Park.

What is your favorite part about your current position or the company you work for?
As a scientist, ultimately your objective is to do research and then publish the findings; often the publication ends up in a journal and “sits on the shelf.” However, now, working directly with clients in the R&D space, I can have a much more immediate impact, which may help sales or progress certain parts of their business, which I find quite satisfying.

Also, I very much like the variety of my work. For example, yesterday I completed the statistical analyses and report of a feed-supplement trial for a client, and in the afternoon I had a meeting with a client to discuss the necessary regulatory approvals for a mycotoxin binder product that they are trying to put on the market, and later I worked on the formulation of an infant formula product for the Chinese market with small local dairy company. And in between I was emailing with a scientist in Europe about preparing an Invited Review paper on the benefits of bovine colostrum—wearing my Journal of Dairy Science editor hat.

What previous jobs have you held, and what major takeaways did you get from those?
As mentioned, before I went back to graduate school I worked for a few years on different dairy farms in Canada (and also in Germany). That practical aspect of dairying is very important when you are a scientist, no matter whether you work at the applied end or at the molecular level. It helps put everything in context. As a scientist my research covered applied production research as well as cellular and molecular research and anything in between. This broad experience is very handy when dealing with a wide range of commercial clients. My experience as a science manager came in very handy as well when I started for myself (setting budgets, interpreting financial statements, managing intellectual property, staff management, preparing contracts, etc.).

Did you always know that one day you would work in the dairy industry?
Yes. I was born and grew up on a small dairy farm in the Netherlands. Unfortunately, my parents, for a number of reasons, had to stop farming before I was old enough to take over. But I knew I wanted to get into dairying, and that is why I moved to Canada, but after a while I decided to change track and go back to university and go into research, but I knew this would always be related to the dairy sector, somehow.

If you could give advice to any student, what would it be?
It sounds cheesy, but do something you have real interest in or passion for, as you will spend a significant part of your life doing it. Importantly, whatever you do, don’t become too narrowly focused; maintain a broad interest. A career path seldom follows a straight line and often meanders into areas you could not have imagined—the broader your experience, the easier it is to seize unexpected opportunities.

What is your favorite thing about the dairy industry, in general?
First, I was recently told at a meeting that we should not refer to it as the dairy industry—this has a negative connotation for many people (i.e., factory farming). Instead, we should call it the dairy sector.

I love cows—so, working in some way, directly or indirectly, with cows, but also that milk provides a natural complete food, with all the necessary nutrients as well as many bioactive properties. Did you know that milk contains more than 3,000 components that complement and interact with each other to make milk unique? There will never be such a thing as artificial milk—despite some people thinking otherwise. Just because something looks like milk does not mean it ever will be milk!

Favorite dairy food?
Cheese (any type)—must be my Dutch heritage!

What is a fond memory you have during your time working in the dairy industry?
Doing the lactation physiology trials in our dairy goat unit—goats are cheeky and great to work with (except when they eat your datasheet behind your back).

We’re Social!
Find Us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn!

Facebook: ADSA Graduate Student Division

Instagram: adsagsd

Twitter: ADSA Grad Students @ADSAGSD

LinkedIn: ADSA Graduate Student Division (ADSA)

If you are interested in doing a social media takeover or writing for the next newsletter, contact us through one of our social media platforms or one of our officers.

Thank You to Outgoing GSD Advisory Council

We thank the outgoing 2019–2020 GSD Advisory Council for all of their hard work and dedication during the past year. We especially thank Bethany Dado-Senn for her leadership through transitioning to a virtual conference and Holly Miller for her never-ending dedication to the GSD.

Dairy Recipes on a Grad Student Budget

by Holly Miller, FASS
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hollys-Country-Canning/520945074720031
Instagram: Holly’s Country Canning
Pinterest: Holly’s Country Canning

Cheese and Herb Dutch Baby

1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups flour
4 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup fresh chives chopped, divided
1 tablespoon fresh thyme chopped
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary chopped
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup Gruyere cheese, shredded, divided
3 ounces prosciutto, chopped

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425°F.
  • Pour milk, flour, eggs,. garlic powder, salt, and chives in a blender, and blend until smooth and frothy, about 2 minutes. Place blender container in the refrigerator to chill for about 20 minutes.
  • Place a 10- or 12-inch cast iron pan in the oven for approximately 10 minutes.
  • Remove batter from refrigerator and stir in half of the cheese, prosciutto, rosemary, thyme, and half of the chives; set aside.
  • Remove heated pan from oven and place butter in the bottom, swirling around to melt. Quickly pour batter into buttered cast iron skillet.
  • Bake for 25 minutes or until edges are golden. The batter will rise substantially, then deflate quickly once removed from the oven. Remove pan from oven and sprinkle with remaining cheese and chives.
  • Cut into 8 slices; serve warm or at room temperature.

https://thedairyalliance.com/dairy-recipes/cheese-and-herb-dutch-baby/

February 2020

ADSA® GSD Newsletter February 2020

Contents

GSD President’s Letter

by Bethany Dado-Senn

Welcome to another year with the ADSA GSD! Our Advisory Council and GSD Liaison are hard at work, developing and improving programs offered across the year and at the 2020 ADSA Annual Meeting in West Palm Beach, Florida. Your Advisory Council members are listed below. We are proud to represent many universities across the country. We are always available to answer questions you may have about the GSD or general ADSA events. Please reach out to us!

Membership remains on an excellent track, as we are maintaining numbers similar to last year. Be sure to say hello to your ~500 graduate student peers at the upcoming meeting. This is also a friendly reminder to renew your GSD membership if you have not yet done so. Registration and lodging for the ADSA annual meeting are now open as well.

Our committees are working diligently toward graduate student development and interaction. For instance, the Career Development Committee will host a webinar for student development titled “Overcoming challenges faced in the dairy industry” on February 20, 4:00 p.m. EST. Our Fundraising Committee has been engaging with dairy foods and production companies to secure sponsorship support for GSD activities, some of which can be found below. Additionally, the Communications Committee runs our vibrant social media outlets and this newsletter. Be sure to join us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to stay up to date on our events and professional opportunities.

To end this letter, there are a few annual meeting GSD events that I would like to highlight. Be sure to mark your calendars for the following:

  • Thesis and Dissertation Writing Workshop with Vernetta Williams, Cultivate the Writer
    Sunday, June 21, 2:00–4:00 p.m.
  • Social Mixer at E.R. Bradley’s Saloon
    Sunday, June 21, 7:00–9:00 p.m.
  • Three-Minute Thesis Challenge
    Monday, June 22, 2:30–3:30 p.m.
  • Mix and Mingle including casual roundtables and limited mock interviews
    Monday, June 22, 5:00–7:00 p.m.
  • Career Insights Luncheon
    Tuesday, June 23, 12:30–2:00 p.m.

Thank you for interacting with us throughout the year, and we look forward to learning about your research and networking with you at the upcoming ADSA Annual Meeting!

Best regards,

Bethany Dado-Senn
ADSA GSD President, 2019–2020

2019–2020 GSD Officer Board

President
Bethany Dado-Senn, University of Florida

Vice President (Career Development Committee)
Heather McCain-Keefer, North Carolina State University

Secretary (Communications Committee)
Miriam Snider, University of Vermont

Treasurer (Fundraising Committee)
Hugo Monteiro, University of Florida

Dairy Foods Director (Social Committee)
Maryam Enteshari, South Dakota State University

Dairy Production Director (Education Committee)
Benjamin Saylor, University of Florida

GSD Liaison
Holly Miller

GSD Secretary’s Letter

by Miriam Snider, 2019–2020 ADSA GSD Secretary and Communications Chair

Hello everyone!

I hope you are off to a great start for the spring semester! The GSD has been hard at work planning and prepping for the upcoming ADSA meeting in West Palm Beach, Florida (June 21–24), so don’t forget to submit an abstract and register!

The GSD Communications Committee has once again put together a great newsletter. Included in this newsletter are the following articles:
2020 ADSA Annual Meeting GSD Events
International Spotlight: Brazilian Dairy Industry
Student Spotlight: Katie Smith
Student Spotlight: Gustavo Mazon
Student Spotlight: Kayla Alward
Dairy Recipes on a Grad Student Budget
Upcoming Webinar with Eric Bastian and Alex White—February 20
Daisy Travel Award
ADSA GSD Awards and Scholarships

If you have not done so already, please renew your ADSA membership to continue receiving great member benefits and join our Facebook page for updates, webinars, scholarship information, deadlines, meeting registration information, and other interesting dairy-related articles. We are also active on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn, so don’t forget to check us out there. If you are interested in doing a social media takeover, please feel free to reach out!

Finally, we will soon be accepting 2019–2020 GSD Advisory Council officer nominations. Be on the lookout for more information in your inbox in the coming months. We highly encourage all interested graduate students to consider running for available positions.

Have a great semester everyone, and please feel free to reach out if you need anything!

GSD Webinar

Join us on Thursday, February 20, 2020, at 4 p.m. EST for our GSD webinar titled “Overcoming challenges faced in the dairy industry,” where Dr. Eric Bastian (Dairy West) and Dr. Alex White (Virginia Tech) talk about challenges currently faced in the dairy industry and strategies being used to overcome them.

Student Spotlight: Kayla Alward

Student Spotlight: Kayla Alward

State of origin: Georgia

Current school: Virginia Tech

Degree: PhD in dairy science

Year in school: first-year PhD student

Area of specialization: Reproduction

Research focus: My current research focuses on associations between photoperiod manipulation in dry cows and performance of those cows during the next lactation. Not only is milk production affected by the length of time that cows are exposed to light, but recent works show that colostrum quality, immune function, and reproductive parameters are affected by photoperiod. This project evaluates the effect of photoperiod on these parameters. My other research projects are focused on reproductive efficiency and physiology.

Future plans: After graduating, I plan (hope) to land a job in academia focusing on extension and teaching to serve both producers and students.

Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? Definitely cheese!

Hobbies: When I’m not in the lab or at the farm, I’m either riding my horse, kayaking, fishing, or doing just about anything else outdoors!

Instagram handle: kaylajean95

Twitter handle: kaylajean9511

Student Spotlight: Gustavo Mazon

Country of origin: Minas Gerais, Brazil

Current school: University of Kentucky

Degree: PhD

Year in school: First

Area of specialization: Precision dairy technologies

Research focus: My research is focused on strategic nutritional interventions to improve metabolic status of sensitive animals, using automatic milking and feeding systems.

Future plans: I hope to obtain a position focused on extension and research at a land-grant university. That will allow me to facilitate the exchange of information between researchers and dairy farmers.

Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? Ice cream (pistachio flavor)

Hobbies: Fishing, hiking, and grilling

Awards won:

  • 3rd place, American Veterinary Medical Association Animal Welfare Assessment Contest
    November 2019
  • 2nd place, College of Agriculture, Food and the Environment Three-Minute Thesis Competition
    April 2019
  • National Milk Producers Federation Scholarship Recipient
    August 2018
  • 1st place, American Dairy Science Association Three-Minute Thesis Challenge
    June 2018
  • 2nd place, American Dairy Science Association Southern Branch Dairy Production Oral Competition
    June 2018
  • 3rd place, MS oral presentation competition—Tri-State Dairy Nutrition Conference
    April 2018
  • Brazil Scientific Mobility Program Scholarship Recipient
    August 2014–June 2015
  • Publication important to my research: I just published my first manuscript this year, “Effects of a Megasphaera elsdenii oral drench on reticulorumen pH dynamics in lactating dairy cows under subacute ruminal acidosis challenge.

    Instagram handle: @mazongustavo

    Lab Facebook: UkDairyScience

    Student Spotlight: Katie Smith

    State of origin: Missouri

    Current school: Miner Institute

    Degree: BS in animal science, working on MS in dairy nutritionYear in school: Second-year master’s student

    Area of specialization: Dairy nutrition

    Research focus: Undigested fiber and starch interactions in the rumen

    Future plans: Dairy nutritionist

    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? Queso dip

    Hobbies: Cooking, working out, and long walks behind the barn

    Publication important to my research: “Nutritional Ecology of the Ruminant,” Peter Van Soest

    Instagram handle: lilkatiemae

    International Spotlight: Dairy Production in Brazil

    by Nathaly Ana Carpinelli
    MS Dairy Production, South Dakota State University

    I obtained my degree in animal science at the Federal University of Pelotas (Rio Grande do Sul, Pelotas, Brazil). During my undergrad I worked at the Center for Research, Teaching, and Extension in Livestock at the Veterinary School (NUPEEC–UFPel) collaborating in dairy research projects in commercial farms. Currently, I am a master’s student in dairy production at South Dakota State University (Brookings, SD). The main focus of my research is evaluation of yeast-products supplementation on health and performance in transition dairy cows.

    Dairy Production in Brazil
    Brazil is the largest country in South and Latin America and the fifth-largest country by area in the world (Figure 1). The official language is Portuguese, and the country is multicultural due to ethnically different immigration. Because of the large landmass and the tropical climate, dairy production in Brazil is strong, and we have large potential to grow.

    The milk production in Brazil in 2018 was 33.8 billion liters, which is an increase of 1.6% compared with 2017 (IBGE, 2018). The state of Minas Gerais had the greatest milk production, around 450,000 liters in the second quarter of 2018. There are about 1,921 dairy farms in Brazil, and the dairy production system and the size of the farm vary according to the region. Minas Gerais has the largest number of farms, followed by Parana and Rio Grande do Sul. The size and type of dairy farm depend of the region and state. We have more family farms in the South of Brazil; for example, in Minas Gerais dairy farms reach up to a 100 hectares, and in Rio Grande do Sul, which has a large number of medium and small farms, the average size is 30 hectares.

    Because of the tropical climate, grazing systems have been used in Brazil. In the South of Brazil, the pasture during the summer is basically Cynodon spp. and during the winter is Lolium multiflorum. Cows receive a complementary diet to supply the nutritional requirements, based on corn silage and soybean meal. Larger farms, due to the space limit, generally adopt the freestall system or compost barn (Figure 2). The compost barn is growing in Brazil, due to benefits such as increased milk production and animal welfare.

    Figure 1. Map of Brazil showing the regions and states. Map data ©2020 Googl, INEGI.

    As mentioned before, the prospects for improvement in milk production and quality are positive. The dairy farms are focusing on nutritional strategies associated with animal breading and genetics to improve efficiency and quality of the herds, while working to increase milk production and quality of the final product.

    Map
    https://www.google.com/maps/place/Brazil/@13.659565,69.6877082,4z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x9c59c7ebcc28cf:0x295a1506f2293e63!8m2!3d-14.235004!4d-51.92528

    References
    IBGE. 2018. Pesquisa Trimestral do Leite. https://www.ibge.gov.br/estatisticas/economicas/agricultura-e-pecuaria/9209-pesquisa-trimestral-do-leite.html?=&t=o-que-e.

    USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, Global Agricultural Information Network. 2017. Grain Report: Brazil, Dairy and Products Annual, Annual Dairy Report. https://apps.fas.usda.gov/newgainapi/api/report/downloadreportbyfilename?filename=Dairy%20and%20Products%20Annual_Brasilia_Brazil_10-26-2017.pdf

    Figure 2. Freestall from Farm Copetti in Catuipe, Rio Grande do Sul State. Source: Nathaly Carpinelli, 2016.

    ADSA 2020 Abstract Submission Deadline

    Reminder!!

    Abstracts for ADSA 2020 are due at 11:59 p.m. CST on February 20, 2020.

    More information can be found on the ADSA website.

    We hope to see everyone in Florida for the 2020 ADSA Annual Meeting, June 21 to 24! Keep an eye out for information about our Mixer, 3MT, Socials, Lunch-N-Learn, and much more!

    2020 Awards

    ADSA 2020 is rapidly approaching, and we would like to let you know of several award opportunities available for graduate students.

    Although there are many awards listed, three may be of interest to graduate students:

    1. ADSA Foundation Graduate Student Literature Review Award
      • Purpose—To recognize graduate students who have composed in-depth and extensive literature reviews in their thesis or dissertation, and allow for these papers to be published in the Journal of Dairy Science® (JDS®) as review papers, making them available as references for citations in original research papers.
      • Requirements
        • The nominee must be a graduate student at the time of submission.
        • Review papers for consideration must be submitted by the graduate student within six months of graduation. Manuscript submissions to JDS will be made throughout the year for peer review by the journal.
        • Submitted review papers are to be no more than 30 double-spaced pages, including references and graphs.
        • Submitted papers will be on a focused topic in dairy science and may include a maximum of 75 references.
        • Submitted papers must conform to current JDS formatting requirements.
    2. Alltech Inc. Graduate Student Paper Publication Award
      • Purpose—To recognize a graduate student who has published a paper in the Journal of Dairy Science.
      • Requirements
        • The student must be a member of ADSA.
        • The manuscript must be based on research conducted by the student before his or her final oral examination and must list the student as senior author.
        • The manuscript must be submitted to JDS within six months after completion of the final oral examination.
        • The manuscript must be published in JDS during the calendar year preceding the presentation of the award.
    3. The National Milk Producers Federation Richard M. Hoyt Award
      • Purpose—To recognize research efforts with direct application to problems of the US dairy industry.
      • Requirements
        • Nominee must have accomplished research with direct application to problems of the US dairy industry.
        • Nominee when nominated must be enrolled in or have completed within the preceding one year a program leading to an advanced degree in a department of dairy science, dairy production, dairy processing, or food science or a department with similar curriculum in an accredited university in the United States.
        • If degree work is completed, the nominee must be employed by a US company.
        • Nominee must be a member of ADSA or of the Student Affiliate Division of ADSA.

    To find out more, visit the Awards page of the ADSA website. The deadline for initial nominations was January 6, 2020. The deadline for supporting nomination materials (for qualified nominations only) is February 17, 2020.

    GRADUATE RESEARCH TRAVEL AWARDS

    Daisy Brand supports dairy foods graduate research by offering travel awards for graduate students to present their work at ADSA’s annual meeting in West Palm Beach, Florida. Up to four $500 awards will be offered in 2020.

    An Applicant Must

    • Be the first author of an abstract accepted for the ADSA annual meeting
    • Present a poster or oral presentation in the area of dairy foods research
    • Be enrolled as a student in a graduate MS or PhD degree program at a college or university by the application deadline
    • Have membership in the Graduate Student Division of ADSA

    Application Process

    • Submit the application, written in English, to dftravelaward@daisybrand.com with the subject line "First Name Last Name Application", after receiving confirmation from ADSA that your abstract has been accepted
    • Attachments, in pdf format, to the application email:
      • A one page curriculum vitae
      • A letter of recommendation from a faculty adviser or department head confirming that the student will attend the annual meeting of ADSA in West Palm Beach, Florida and that funding will be provided in addition to the Daisy Brand Travel Award
      • Confirmation that the abstract was accepted
      • Copy of the accepted abstract
      • Statement of Interest, limited to 200 words single spaced, explaining why the applicant is conducting dairy foods research and what benefit they hope to receive from attendance at the annual meeting of ADSA
    • Only complete applications will be accepted
    • One application per student (APPLICATIONS WITH MORE THAN ONE ABSTRACT WILL BE DISQUALIFIED)
    • Within 5 business days, a reply to the submission email will acknowledge receipt
    • Applications must be received by 11:59pm CDT April 20, 2020
    • Applicants will be notified by May 31, 2020
    • Checks will be mailed to award winners at the address on their curriculum vitae

    In the event an award winner cannot attend the ADSA annual meeting, Daisy Brand should be notified immediately at the email indicated previously. The award will be refunded to the Daisy Travel Award Program and or be given to another applicant.

    We’re Social!
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    Facebook: ADSA Graduate Student Division

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    Twitter: ADSA Grad Students @ADSAGSD

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    If you are interested in doing a social media takeover or writing for the next newsletter, contact us through one of our social media platforms or one of our officers.

    Dairy Recipes

    by Holly Miller, FASS

    Holly’s Country Canning

    Instagram: Holly’s Country Canning
    Pinterest: Holly’s Country Canning

    My Favorite Dairy Fruit Dip

    • 1 package (8 oz) softened cream cheese
    • 1/2 cup sour cream
    • 1/4 cup sugar
    • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
    • 1 TBSP maple syrup

    Combine cream cheese, sour cream, sugars, and syrup in bowl and beat until smooth. Chill and serve with fresh fruit.

    Breakfast Smoothie

    • 1 cup low-fat vanilla Greek yogurt
    • 1 cup blueberries, strawberries, or raspberries
    • 1 medium banana, cut into chunks
    • 1/2 cup orange juice
    • 2 cups ice

    Combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth and creamy. Serve immediately.

    Enchiladas

    • 1 lb ground beef
    • 1 packet taco seasoning
    • 1 can cream of chicken soup
    • 1 can cream of mushroom soup
    • 8 ounces sour cream
    • 1 small can (4.5 oz) green chilies
    • 1/2 cup diced onion
    • 2 cups cheddar cheese
    • 10 large flour tortillas
    • 1 small can (4.6 oz) sliced black olives (optional)

    Preheat oven to 350°F.

    Brown ground beef and drain. Add taco seasoning to beef with 1/2 cup water.

    Mix together soups, sour cream, and chilies. Pour half to cover the bottom of a 9 × 13 baking dish.

    To make the enchiladas: Place 1/4 to 1/3 cup of ground beef mix on tortilla, sprinkle with onion, shredded cheese, and olives. Roll like a burrito and place in backing dish, seam side down. Lay all of them side by side in the dish.

    Pour remaining soup mixture over the enchiladas, top with sliced olives and remaining shredded cheese. Cover and bake for 35 minutes, and then, remove cover and bake 10 minutes.

    May 2019

    ADSA® GSD Newsletter May 2019

    Contents

    GSD President’s Letter

    by Marie Lawton, Cornell University

    Hello fellow graduate students!

    Hopefully everyone is beginning to enjoy the spring sunshine and feel its warmth! As you gear up for the summer, do not forget to register for the 2019 ADSA Annual Meeting. June will be here before we know it. If you have already registered and are putting some final touches on a poster or presentation, take some time to browse through the ADSA Graduate Student Division newsletter.

    The GSD Communications Committee has once again put together a great newsletter! In this month’s newsletter you will find the following:

    • Meet your 2019–2020 GSD president!
    • GSD events at the 2019 ADSA meeting
    • Have you voted for the 2019–2020 GSD nominated officers?
    • Country Spotlight—Bangladesh
    • Industry Spotlight—David Kirk
    • Student Spotlight—Sena Field
    • Student Spotlight—Brittney Riebel

    I hope to see everyone in Cincinnati! The GSD officers have been hard at work planning some exciting programming that you will not want to miss. If you have not registered yet, be sure to sign up as soon as possible before the graduate student price goes up on May 30! Also, if you have not done so yet, please renew your ADSA membership to continue receiving great member benefits and the discounted price to the meeting. As always, be sure to check out our Facebook and Instagram pages. And if you have any questions, please reach out to us at gsd@adsa.org.

    Meet the 2019–2020 GSD President

    Name: Bethany Dado-Senn

    Current university and program: University of Florida, PhD in animal sciences

    Research: I study lactation physiology, specifically the effect of heat stress on mammary gland development during the dry period and in utero. My project this past summer analyzed the combinatory effect of heat stress both preand postnatally on dairy calf performance.

    Background: I grew up on a 500-cow dairy farm in northwestern Wisconsin with my family, where I was responsible for calf care and general chores. I got my undergraduate degree in dairy science and genetics at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where I participated in Badger Dairy Club and the Association of Women in Agriculture and worked in two animal science laboratories. Go Badgers!!

    Favorite dairy product: Cream cheese

    Favorite part about graduate school: Seminars—I love learning about other people’s projects and sharing my own!

    Favorite paper: W. L. Hurley, 1989, “Mammary Gland Function During Involution,” J. Dairy Sci. 72:1637– 1646.

    Fun fact: I played Mrs. Potts in my high school musical “Beauty and the Beast.”

    Benefits of being a GSD member: The Graduate Student Division of ADSA offers unique opportunities to improve our career development and education skills while building our professional networks. It can be challenging to meet other students or faculty outside of our own departments, but the GSD provides events both during the ADSA annual meeting and throughout the year that can help bridge that gap. I highly encourage all members to take advantage of the programs we offer and to suggest areas that you would like to added or improved upon. We are here to serve you!

    GSD Events You Do Not Want to Miss at the ADSA Annual Meeting

    SAD and GSD Dairy Tour

    Saturday, June 22, 12:00–5:00 pm

    Young’s Jersey Dairy in Yellow Springs, Ohio
    Buses depart from Hampton Inn/Homewood Suites (student headquarters)
    Tickets: $15

    Young’s Jersey Dairy was established in 1946 with a focus on milking cows and row crop farming. They began selling their Jersey milk to the public in the late 1950s. That evolved into the opening of a convenience store featuring hand-dipped ice cream. Today, Young’s is a favorite Ohio destination, with two restaurants, a dairy store, and loads of family fun activities including a petting zoo, mini golf, giant slides, and more. They also host a multitude of special events including car shows, bike tours, and seasonal festivals. Young’s is a model for agritourism; their operating dairy is also a top family destination, offering more than 70,000 gallons of ice cream and 45,000 pounds of cheese to more than 1 million guests each year. The tour includes a farm tour ticket and bus transportation. Students, both undergraduate and graduate, are given first opportunity. The tour will be offered to professional members on a remaining-availability basis.

    GSD Workshop: Grant Writing

    Sunday, June 23, 2:00–4:00 pm

    All ADSA graduate students are encouraged to attend this extremely valuable grant writing workshop. Jodi Williams, PhD, national program leader at USDA-NIFA, will share tips and tricks for successful grant writing. After the presentation, an open discussion will be held between the audience and a panel of academics in dairy science. Topics to be covered include finding funding, choosing a grant, knowing what goes into a grant proposal, writing clearly and concisely, crafting a compelling first page, and making a timeline for planning and writing your proposal.

    GSD Business Meeting and Open Forum

    Sunday, June 23, 4:15–5:00 pm

    In addition to greeting the incoming GSD officer team, attend this meeting to voice your ideas and opinions about ADSA graduate student activities. While at the meeting, sign up for a GSD committee to become involved and help shape the future of our organization.

    GSD Mixer

    Sunday, June 23, 7:30–9:30 pm

    16-Bit Bar and Arcade
    Tickets: $10

    Kick off the week with a fun night of entertainment and networking with your fellow dairy science graduate students at 16-Bit Bar and Arcade, located just a short walk or trolley ride from the Convention Center. Join us to enjoy trivia night, arcade games, and free drinks! Use this opportunity to meet other graduate students you can network with throughout the week at the annual meeting.

    GSD Career Insights Lunch

    Monday, June 24, 12:30–2:00 pm

    Convention Center
    Tickets: $10

    Graduate students, plan to join us for lunch and interact with a diverse panel of academia and industry professionals! Be prepared to question panel members about their experience moving from graduate school to the professional world. This lunch is intended to give students an informal environment in which to inquire about each professional’s personal journey and the challenges they encountered along the way. A boxed lunch is included.

    GSD Three-Minute Thesis Challenge

    Tuesday, June 25, 2:30–3:30 pm

    ADSA graduate students are encouraged to participate in the return of the Three-Minute Thesis Challenge. This event will test the competitors’ ability to convey their research in a way that is understandable to all, in three minutes or less! Emphasis will be placed on the ability to explain research to a lay audience. Entry details will be released prior to the annual meeting, and competition will be limited to 10 students selected by a panel of judges based on strength of CV and a 100-word interpretive summary. All ADSA members are invited to attend the challenge and watch students compete for cash prizes and present their research in a fun and exciting way!

    GSD Mix and Mingle

    Tuesday, June 25, 7:00–9:00 pm

    Register to attend the GSD Mix and Mingle with professional members. At this speed-networking event, graduate students will have the opportunity to mingle with industry professionals and faculty members looking for employees. Students are encouraged to bring copies of their CV as well as business cards. Professional ADSA members looking to hire graduate students or discuss research are encouraged to attend the mixer as a way to interact with graduate students outside of the typical poster session atmosphere. Light refreshments will be provided.

    International Spotlight: Bangladesh

    by Arup Sen

    Bangladesh. The name consists of two words: Bangla, which is the mother tongue of its people, and Desh, meaning country. By name, it is the home of Bengali people. People of this country sacrificed their lives in 1952 for the sake of their mother tongue on a day that is now known as International Mother Language Day. It then emerged as an independent and sovereign country after nine months of the War of Liberation. Bangladesh is located in South Asia and shares its border with India and Myanmar on three sides and the Bay of Bengal on the south side. The flag of Bangladesh represents its history (i.e., red represents the blood of liberation war martyrs, and green represents the lushness of the land). Dhaka is the capital and the largest city of Bangladesh, and Chittagong serves as the port city and the second largest city of Bangladesh.

    Bangladesh is a riverine country with 360 miles of coastline on the Bay of Bengal on the south, and the core sector of its economy is agriculture. Agriculture contributes around 17% of the gross domestic products (GDP) and also provides employment to 45% of the labor force (BBS, 2015). Around 84% of the rural people earn their livelihood from agriculture either directly or indirectly (Mirza, 2015). The animal farming subsector of agriculture contributed about 1.73% of the GDP in fiscal year 2014–2015 (Rahman, 2017). However, it contributes largely toward meeting essential daily protein requirements. Livestock shared 13.62% of the agriculture GDP in fiscal year 2017–2018. Cattle, among the livestock species available in Bangladesh, are the most versatile, considering the existing farming system, and are multipurpose. Nearly 24.1 million head of cattle are distributed throughout the country, and 85% of the cattle population is nondescriptive and of an indigenous breed with low productivity as compared with exotic breeds (DLS, 2018). However, they are well adapted in a tropical harsh environment and maintain their body condition on poor-quality feedstuffs.

    The cattle genetic resources of Bangladesh consist of Red Chittagong cattle, Munshiganj cattle, Pabna cattle, North Bengal Grey cattle, crossbreeds and exotic breeds (Holstein Friesian, Shahiwal, Jersey, and Sindhi), and nondescriptive breeds (Hamid et al., 2017). The indigenous breeds are Zebu-type cattle having developed hump. They are low in production and used for various purposes (milk, meat, and draft). However, Pabna cattle have better production among the indigenous cattle breeds. For commercial farming, people use crossbreeds of Holstein Friesian and Jersey, because they produce more milk compared with other breeds available in Bangladesh. For beef fattening, Bangladesh does not have any specialized beef cattle. People use the available cattle breeds in Bangladesh for the beef fattening program. Farmers are involved in beef fattening just before three to four months of Eid-ul-Azha (Baset et al., 2002), a religious ceremony of the Muslim community of Bangladesh in which a large number of cattle are sacrificed. During this ceremony, an influx of cattle occurs through the Indian border.

    Because most of the farming is in the rural area of Bangladesh, cattle housing depends on the economic condition of the farmers. Cattle housing could be a stall type having tin or straw roofing with limited grazing on the roadside, embankment slope, and fallow land (Hossain et al., 2005). Few farmers provide a semi-pucca shed with a brick floor. Others use an unpaved shed. For commercial farming, they use a stanchion barn for the milch cow. For beef cattle, farmers usually use an open housing system. Farmers use both stall feeding and grazing depending on the availability of grazing land. Feed resources used also depends on availability, market price, production, and economic status of the farm. The major feeds used in cattle feeding are rice straw, wheat straw, roadside grass, sugarcane tops, rice bran, pulses bran, till oil cake, and molasses (Baset et al., 2002; Rashid et al., 2007). However, for beef fattening, farmers use maize, urea-molasses block, urea-treated straw, rice gruel, boiled rice bran, oil cakes, and vegetable by-products (Baset et al., 2002). With rice straw being the staple food and the unavailability of high-yielding varieties suitable for a tropical region, the per capita milk production is very low (158.19 mL/day per head; DLS, 2018). As a result, Bangladesh invested $295.90 million for milk and cream import and $1429.984 million for power milk in fiscal year 2017 (BBS, 2017).

    Starting from its inception Bangladesh struggled a lot with its economy and poverty alleviation. However, it has made remarkable changes in its economy and development. Bangladesh is moving forward to be a developing country by 2024, fulfilling the criteria set by the United Nations. Despite having differences in religion, culture, and opinion, when it comes to hospitality, the people of Bangladesh treat people as their own, wholeheartedly. I am proud to be a Bangladeshi.

    References

    • Baset, M. A., M. M. Rahman, M. S. Islam, G. B. Das, and A. Ara. 2002. Beef cattle production in Bangladesh—A review. Journal of Biological Sciences 2(6):429–435.
    • BBS. 2015. Page 3 in Yearbook of Agricultural Statistics—2015. Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, Agargaon, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
    • BBS. 2017. Pages 46–47 in Bangladesh Statistics. 2017. Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, Agargaon, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
    • DLS. 2018. Livestock Economy at a Glance, 2017–18. Department of Livestock Services, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
    • Hamid, M. A., A. Rahman, M. A. Zaman, and K. M. Hossain. 2017. Cattle genetic resources and their conservation in Bangladesh. Asian Journal of Animal Sciences 11(2):54–64.
    • Hossain, M. M., M. M. Alam, M. M. Rashid, M. Asaduzzaman, and M. M. Rahman. 2005. Small scale dairy farming practice in a selective area of Bangladesh. Pakistan Journal of Nutrition 4(4):215– 221.
    • Mirza, M. M. U. 2015. Causal relationship between agriculture, industry and services sector for GDP growth in Bangladesh: An econometric investigation. Journal of Poverty, Investment and Development 8:124–129.
    • Rahman, M. T. 2017. Role of agriculture in Bangladesh economy: Uncovering the problems and challenges. International Journal of Business and Management Invention 6.7:36–46.
    • Rashid, M. M., B. C. Roy, M. Asaduzzaman, and M. M. Alam. 2007. Study of the dairy cattle management systems at farmer’s level in Jessore District of Bangladesh. Pakistan Journal of Nutrition 6(2):155–158.

     

    Sources
    The map is from https://www.targetmap.com.

    The cattle pictures are from M. A. Hamid, A. Rahman, M. A. Zaman, and K. M. Hossain. 2017. Cattle genetic resources and their conservation in Bangladesh. Asian Journal of Animal Sciences 11(2):54–64.

    Student Spotlight: Sena Field

    Award won: National Milk Producers Federatio paper presentation contest in dairy production, MS division

    Country of origin: United States

    Current school: University of Florida—Animal Molecular and Cellular Biology MS Program

    Degree: Bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida in animal biology

    Year in school: Second year

    Area of specialization: Endocrinology

    Research focus: Exploring the role of serotonin in metabolism and bioenergetics in Holstein calves

    Future plans: Following my master’s, I will continue my education by pursuing a PhD in dairy science with a focus on serotonin

    Advice for future graduate student poster competitors: Be confident and clear when presenting! Also, always remind yourself that you are the connoisseur of your research.

    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? Cheese and ice cream!! But not eaten together

    Student Spotlight: Brittney Riebel

    Award won: Dairy Foods Graduate Student Paper Presentation Competition

    Country of origin: Minnesota, United States

    Current school: University of Wisconsin–Madison

    Degree: Master’s degree

    Year in school: Third year

    Area of specialization: Cheddar and process cheese

    Research focus: Maintaining high intact casein during aging in Cheddar cheese used for process cheese

    Future plans: I plan to work in dairy R&D or technical services. I look forward to having a small hobby farm with goats and rabbits as well.

    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? Ice cream, mint chocolate chip

    Industry Spotlight: David Kirk

    What degrees do you hold and from where?
    BS in animal science—Rutgers University
    MS in nutrition—Texas A&M University
    PhD in animal science—Virginia Tech

    What company do you work for?
    Phibro Animal Health Corporation

    What is your position—title and duties?
    Director, Dairy Technical Services, North America

    I lead and am a member of the US team of dairy technology managers who provide technical support and training on Phibro’s Nutritional Specialty Products for dairy cattle. The team also develops and supports research projects conducted by universities, commercial research groups, and our own research facility.

    Why did you choose your current position?
    The dairy technology manager position provides a great mix of meaningful roles: outreach, teaching, and research. We get to work with and provide support to many of the top dairy producers, nutritionists, veterinarians, and feed companies in the world (outreach). We get to develop training materials and teach both our own employees and our customers’ employees (teaching). We help design and manage projects conducted by leading research scientists across the United States (research). In my current role as director of this team, I get to lead a top-notch group of PhD and DVM professionals who work hard every day to achieve their personal, team, and corporate goals.

    What is your favorite part about your current position or company you work for?
    Honestly, I really enjoy the opportunity to work with leaders in the dairy industry as a member of a highly respected company. Working at Phibro has given me the chance to work closely with people in this industry I never thought I would have the chance to interact with.

    What previous jobs have you held?
    While finishing my PhD at Virginia Tech, I managed the Ruminant and Equine Nutrition Research Unit, which is where I was taught what real work is all about. My first job out of school was with Dawe’s Laboratories, a small vitamin–trace mineral premix company headquartered in the Chicago area. At Dawe’s Laboratories, I worked in formulation and technical support for all species, but developed a dairy technical support program that allowed me to work and travel across the United States and a bit overseas. I worked with this company for 15 years. I then took a position as dairy nutrition manager at Pennfield Animal Feed Technologies, a regional feed company located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where I provided technical support for the dairy sales team. After a few years, I was moved to director of nutrition at Pennfield, where I oversaw all nutrition and quality assurance programs for the company. After seven years, I took a position as technical service specialist with Milk Specialties Global, which provides milk replacers and energy supplements to the dairy industry. I was with Milk Specialties Global for one year before joining Phibro in 2013.

    Did you always know that one day you would work in the dairy industry?
    Absolutely not! I was a city kid whose first on-farm job was feeding cows on weekends at the Rutgers dairy barn. I was there most Saturday and Sunday mornings at 4:30 am. I swore I would never work with dairy cows because the hours were unreasonable. So, I focused on beef cattle in graduate school. Fortunately for me, I was able to get work in the dairy industry once I finished school and got to understand the business much better. I truly enjoy the great people I’ve gotten to know and work with in the dairy industry.

    If you could give advice to any student, what would it be?
    Get as much education outside the classroom as possible. Intern at an industry-related job every summer, even if the pay is poor (if you can). The payback for this experience is very high. Develop your “soft skills” by working with people in as many areas of the industry as you can.

    What is your favorite thing about the dairy industry in general?
    The friendly, hard-working, passionate people that are a part of this industry.

    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food?
    Almost all flavors of ice cream (except pistachio…I HATE pistachio). I also really enjoy blue cheeses.

    February 2019

    ADSA® GSD Newsletter February 2019

    Contents

    GSD President’s Letter

    by Marie Lawton, Cornell University

    I hope everyone is having a great start to the spring semester! The GSD has been working hard to schedule some great programming for the 2019 ADSA Annual Meeting in Cincinnati, Ohio, so don’t forget to register! A description of the GSD events can be found in this newsletter. If you are a graduate student, we hope to see you there.

    The GSD communications committee has once again put together a great newsletter! Included in this newsletter are the following articles:

    If you haven’t done so yet, please renew your ADSA membership to continue receiving great member benefits and join our Facebook page for GSD updates and other interesting dairy-related articles. Be sure to check out the Facebook live videos that our officers have shared!

    Additionally, we will soon be accepting 2019–20 GSD Advisory Council officer nominations. Be on the lookout for more information in your inbox in the coming months. We highly encourage all interested graduate students to consider running for available positions!

    GSD Events at the 2019 ADSA Annual Meeting

    During the 2019 ASDA Annual Meeting registration, make sure to sign up for the many Graduate Student Division (GSD) events. Don’t forget to encourage other GSD members to sign up as well.

    Saturday, June 22:
    12:00–5:00 pm: SAD and GSD Tour Young’s Jersey Dairy, Yellow Springs, Ohio
    Tickets: $15

    Sunday, June 23:
    2:00–4:00 pm: GSD Workshop: Grant Writing
    4:15–5:00 pm: GSD Business Meeting and Open Forum
    7:30–9:30 pm: GSD Mixer at 16 Bit Bar and Arcade. Tickets: $10

    Monday, June 24:
    12:30–2:00 pm: GSD Career Insights Lunch. Tickets: $10

    Tuesday, June 25:
    2:30–3:30 pm: GSD Three-Minute Thesis Challenge
    6:00–8:00 pm: GSD Mix and Mingle with Professional Members

    International Spotlight: South Korea Dairy Industry

    by Usuk Jung

    Author’s note: I am from South Korea and matriculated PhD for the Fall 2018 semester at the University of Tennessee, under Dr. Agustin G. Rius

    South Korea is located in Eastern Asia between Japan, North Korea and China. In South Korea, most farmers are breeding Holstein cows and they supply TMR. The most common type of barn is layered with sawdust and straw below the sawdust, with open sides (Figure 2). Although the use of robot milking is increasing, pipelines are the main type of milking machine. Currently, as reported in 2018, there are 407,000 dairy cows milking in South Korea. And even though large-scale farms are increasing, the number of animals is decreasing annually due to a policy of reduced raw milk output.

    Figure 1. Hanok heritage village, an area of traditional houses in the Jeonju city. This photo is being used courtesy of Seongwook Ha.

    The dairy industry in South Korea is fairly new as it started about 70 years ago, but it has significantly developed in this short period. In the 1960s, the National Dairy Promotion & Research was encouraged by the government to make mass importations of dairy cows and increase development of milk processing and technology, such as pasteurization of milk. With those efforts, Seoul Dairy Cooperative was established in 1962 and now several companies are also competing to sell their dairy products. In 2016, dairy accounted for 11.6% of the livestock industry since consumption of dairy products per capita is increasing.

    Currently, average milk production per dairy cow is 13,395 kg. According to the countries of International Committee for Animal Recording, this production comes in third place. In addition to milk production, milk quality is very good because the percentage of milk with less than 200,000 somatic cells/ml surpassed 58% and less than 30,000 bacteria/ml surpassed 92%. The fat content of milk has also increased continuously since 2000, in 2017 was around 3.8 – 3.9%. Dairy industry in Korea is trying to accelerate exports to China, Southeast, and Middle East based on high quality milk and processed dairy products.

    Figure 2. Sawdust cow barn

    The dairy industry in South Korea is facing several problems. Milk consumption has been decreasing because of population decline and an aging society. Most Koreans (75%) do not have lactase, which might also be one of the factors. However, imports and consumption of dairy products such as cheese, ice cream, and yogurt are increasing. Moreover, higher price for milk can affect the reduction in milk consumption. Because of poor infrastructure, low level of self-sufficiency rate in feed (being able to meet consumption need from own production) and milk price system based on milk fat, the cost of milk production is the most expensive in the world. Also, the anti-milk movement has recently emerged as a social issue as well as low competitiveness through Free Trade Agreement.

    To try and solve these problems, industry and academia are working hard. Several research studies have been carried out, such as the production of functional milk, improvement of milk protein, as well as heat stress reduction. Milk companies are trying to receive milk containing greater number of oleic acid, Conjugated Linoleic Acid, vitamin A, and vitamin E. Some experts have suggested that switching from Holstein to Jersey should be considered in order to produce higher levels of milk protein and milk fat.

    Sources:

    Korea Dairy Committee: http://www.dairy.or.kr/english/english.html

    KDIA (Korea Dairy Industries Association): http://www.koreadia.or.kr/_eng/index.html

    Student Spotlight: Yizhou Ben Ma

    Country of origin: China

    Current school: Kansas State University

    Degree: Bachelors of Science in food science, Masters of Science at the University of Minnesota

    Year in school: Second year

    Area of specialization: Dairy foods and processing

    Research focus: Rapid detection and chemometric modelling in dairy food production

    Future plans: I would like to obtain a PhD in food science and technology and work in the food and beverage research sector

    Advice for future graduate student poster competitors Clear visualization of experimental data is the key to communicating research findings. Also, making sure that your poster is readable from eight feet away.

    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? Extra-sharp cheddar cheese

    Award won: Leprino Foods Graduate Student Poster Presentation Contest in Dairy Foods Research

    Student Spotlight: Clarissa Strieder-Barboza

    Country of origin: Brazil

    Current school: Medical School, University of Michigan

    Degree: DVM, MS, PhD

    Year in school: First year postdoctoral research fellow

    Area of specialization: Metabolic diseases and adipose tissue biology

    Research focus: Cellular mechanisms of adipose tissue dysfunction during metabolic diseases

    Future plans: In the future, I see myself in an academic position developing independent research that will benefit both animal and human health, while contributing to the training of animal and veterinary science professionals

    Advice for future graduate student poster competitors Be enthusiastic when presenting your research and find applicability with your work. Be confident!

    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? Cheese!!!

    Award won: Purina Animal Nutrition Graduate Student Poster Contest in Dairy Production: PhD Division

    Professional Spotlight: Peter Løvendahl

    Hometown: Copenhagen, Denmark

    What degrees do you hold and from where? I have a Master’s and PhD from the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Denmark.

    Where do you work and what is your position/title and duties? I am a Senior Scientist at Aarhus University. My duties include research in quantitative genetics among dairy cattle, teaching a Bachelor’s course in Genetics and Animal Breeding, and seeking funding for further projects.

    What is your favorite part about your job?
    1. Analyzing data
    2. Visiting with farmers
    3. Doing applied research

    Have you held any previous jobs or did you do a post-doc? Would you recommend a post-doc? I started at Aarhus University immediately following a PhD. I would recommend a post-doc if someone is unable to get a faculty job right away.

    Why did you choose academia versus industry? I like to do research based on my own ideas and have always felt like I was an experimenter before anything else.

    If you could give advice to your younger self during graduate school, what would it be?
    1. Follow your instincts to do things that you find interesting
    2. Keep learning new things

    What is your favorite thing about the dairy industry or academia in general? My favorite thing about the dairy industry is the welcoming attitude of the farmers. My favorite thing about academia is the possibility to dive deeply into theoretical and biological problems.

    Advice for future graduate student poster competitors Be enthusiastic when presenting your research and find applicability with your work. Be confident!

    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? Cheese

    Have you checked us out on social media?

    Don’t miss learning about dairy foods and production research happening at different universities. Select GSD members are showing our community their labs and facilities, through a social media takeover!

    Do you need to keep updated on ADSA annual meeting events? We will be posting all of the upcoming meeting events specific to GSD members and any deadlines.

    Be sure to follow our Instagram @ADSAGSD and ask to be a member of our private Facebook group— just click on this link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/adsagsd/.

    November 2018

    ADSA® GSD Newsletter November 2018

    Contents

    GSD President’s Letter

    by Marie Lawton, Cornell University

    This year the ADSA Graduate Student Division (GSD) is gearing up to host some engaging opportunities for our members. We are looking forward to a great year of professional development, networking, and social activities followed by an exciting program at the ADSA annual meeting in 2019. The officers for this year’s GSD Advisory Council include President Marie Lawton, Cornell University; Vice President Bethany Dado-Senn, University of Florida; Secretary Glenda Pereira, University of Minnesota; Treasurer Melissa Cantor, University of Kentucky; Dairy Foods Director Heather McCain-Keefer, North Carolina State University; and Dairy Production Director Connor Owens, Virginia Tech.

    The 2018 annual meeting was very successful for GSD as we experienced record-breaking attendance for many of our events. For the GSD symposium we brought back the popular Manuscript Writing Workshop, which included speakers Lou Armentano, Dave Barbano, Marina von Keyserlingk, and Corey Geiger. During the Career Insights Luncheon, professional members of ADSA provided career advice to graduate students. Participation in the Three-Minute Thesis Competition was popular as usual and resulted in a huge audience. Gustavo Mazon, University of Kentucky, took first place this year. All of the presentations can be seen on our website. New this year, we hosted a poster session mixer, an event for students, industry, and academia. The goal of this event was to connect job-seeking graduate students with employers in an informal environment.

    The GSD Advisory Council and committees are working hard this year to expand our presence on social media. Watch for our posts on Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, and the GSD website. Please contact GSD President Marie Lawton at adsagsd@gmail.com with any questions or ideas for improvement or if you would like to get more involved with the ADSA GSD.

     

    International Spotlight: Azores Dairy Industry

    by Glenda Pereira, MS, University of Minnesota

    Author’s note: I was born in the Azores but moved to the United States at the age of 10. My family still owns and operates a dairy farm with 100 milking Holsteins (Figure 1). It wasn’t until recently that the Azores become the “Hawaii of Portugal,” as tourism has substantially increased in the past five years.

    History of the Azores

    Figure 2. The Azores are made up of nine islands in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

    When you picture volcanic islands in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean (Figure 2; 932 miles or 1,500 km from mainland Portugal and 2,423 miles or 3,900 km from North America), would you think of dairy cows? One of the most talked-about tourist attractions in the Azores is the green hills filled with dairy cows.

    The Azores were discovered around 1427 and populated in the 15th century, mostly by people of the Portugal mainland. However, these volcanic islands have been around for long; some believe the oldest island to be 5 to 8 million years old. Very small in size, covering 901 square miles (2,333 km2) over nine islands, the Azores have a total population of 245,283. The largest and main island, named São Miguel, has 138,138 inhabitants on 290 square miles (760 km2). The official spoken language is Portuguese; however, many different dialects are heard throughout the nine islands. Temperatures vary from 40 to 80°F (4–26°C) throughout the year, and the breeze is the ocean’s way of reminding you that you’re surrounded by water.

    Dairy Industry

    Figure 1. Cows graze for 365 days of the year.

    Because the weather is so favorable, grazing is the most common practice during the year. The pastures are predominantly made up of ryegrass, some clover, and alfalfa. Permanent fencing is rare other than hydrangea bushes or the lava rock walls dividing pastures (Figure 3); therefore, electric fencing is heavily used.

    Most dairy cows receive a pelleted grain concentrate during milking, as this is an incentive for cows to come into the milking parlor from pasture. Some farmers also supplement corn silage and hay bales in feed bunks during this time. With the average herd size of 20 to 30 cows, mobile milking parlors are used.

    Producers still bring milk to the milk processors in the back of a pickup truck after every milking. In the first 6 months of 2018 alone, the Azores produced 104 million gallons (394 million L). Most of the milk produced is used for consumption, including ultra-high temperature processed milk, cheese (mainly raw and aged), whey protein, butter, yogurt, and heavy cream.

    Figure 4. The most popular cheese, Queijo de São Jorge.

    There are around 90,000 milking cows in the Azores, and 50% are on the main island. Most producers use artificial insemination; however, many still use a herd bull. The predominant breed is Holstein, allowing producers to participate in two national Holstein shows during the year.

    Figure 3. Small herd sizes are common, with grazing pastures broken down into small sections.

    After the quota system came to an end in early 2015, niche markets were explored in the Azores. One of the main milk processors on the island of São Miguel is Terra Nostra, owned by Bel (owner of The Laughing Cow and Babybel cheeses). This company started the Happy Cow program with the goal of encouraging consumers to buy milk from Azorean cows that are allowed to graze year round (check out this video to learn more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6YfF4ZfgIU).

    With many dairy products exported to mainland Portugal and Europe, the dairy sector will continue to thrive in the Azores. If you get a chance to visit, make sure to try a cheese board with traditional cow cheeses, be it fresh white or aged, such as Queijo de São Jorge (Figure 4). However, beware of the delicious taste, for you will want to purchase a whole wheel of cheese!

    References and Further Reading

    https://srea.azores.gov.pt/default.aspx?lang_id=1

    P. Larrea, C. Gale, T. Ubide, M. Lago, Z. Franca, J. Wijbrans, and E. Widom. 2014. Age of Azores volcanism and new 40Ar/39Ar constraints from Graciosa Island. 1st Int. Workshop Volcano Geol., Madeira, Portugal.

    http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2015/567667/IPOL_STU(2015)567667_EN.pdf

    Photo Credits

    Unless cited, submitted by the author with full copyright.

    Figure 2: http://primepassages.com/wp-content/uploads/DayHikingAzores/azoresmap-1.jpg

    Figure 3: https://www.geekyexplorer.com/why-the-azores-are-the-next-big-travel-destination/

    Figure 4: https://culturecheesemag.com/travel/dairy-treasure-in-the-azores

     

    Student Spotlight: Karla Rodriguez-Hernandez

    Name: Karla Rodriguez-Hernandez

    Country of origin: Mexico

    Current school: South Dakota State University

    Degree: PhD

    Year in school: Graduated in August 2018

    Area of specialization: Dairy science (production)

    Research focus: Evaluation of carinata meal in dairy heifer feeding programs

    Future plans: Keep working in research and extension in Mexico

    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? Cheese

    Award won: Third place, National Milk Producers Federation Paper Presentation Contest in Dairy Production: PhD Division

     

    Student Spotlight: Russell Pate

    Name: Russell Pate

    Country of origin: Visalia, CA, USA

    Current school: University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

    Degree: PhD

    Year in school: 3rd year of my PhD program

    Area of specialization: Dairy Nutrition

    Research focus: My research focuses on how nutritional and environmental stressors effect lactation performance and immune function. Specifically, I have conducted studies that research the effects of aflatoxin challenge and heat stress on lactating dairy cows. I’ve also done some work with foliar fungicide application on corn silage.

    Future plans: After I graduate I would like to become a nutrition consultant within the dairy industry.

    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? Just recently I drove through Delaware and stopped at the University of Delaware Creamery. I had a bowl of their “8th and Market” ice cream and it was unbelievable! Hands-down best ice cream I’ve ever had!

    Award won: First Place in the Oral Paper Presentation Competition at ADSA, and the ADSA/EAAP PhD Student Travel Award.

     

    Industry Spotlight: Mike Socha

    What degrees do you hold and from where?

    BS, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 1988
    MS, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 1991
    PhD, University of New Hampshire, 1994

    What company do you work for?

    Zinpro Corporation

    What is your position—title and duties?

    My current position is associate director—research and product development leader. My duties are to work with our product development team to develop new products for the livestock industry. Our product development team is part of the research and nutrition services group at Zinpro Corporation.

    Why did you choose your current position?

    I have worked at Zinpro Corporation for 22 years in various capacities in our research and nutrition group. Just prior to our restructuring this past spring, I was overseeing both our North America research and nutrition services group and the product development team. However, product development was not getting the focus it needed. With the restructuring, we now have a team of individuals devoted to only product development. Product development is both challenging and rewarding. It is challenging because one is working in an area where there really is not a clear path. We not only have to develop new products, but once we find a promising new product idea, we have to figure out how much to feed and when to feed it. So it is very challenging work. However, it is very exciting to develop a new product and see it come to market.

    What is your favorite part of your current position or company you work for?

    The favorite part of my work is seeing how one of our new products can help producers. It is very rewarding to see how a new product can help producers increase health and performance of their animals. We developed a product several years ago to help growing cattle overcome a foot problem. This problem had frustrated producers for years. It has been really satisfying seeing how this product has helped producers.

    What previous jobs have you held?

    Prior to coming to Zinpro Corporation, I worked for Growmark for two years. I enjoyed this job very much. It was great working with producers and my coworkers. This position involved providing technical support to the sales force as well as developing new products and maintaining the ration formulation software. Prior to going back to graduate school after my BS, I worked for a milk cooperative where I worked with dairy producers to solve milk quality issues and maintain their licenses. I also worked to recruit new patrons for the milk cooperative.

    Did you always know that one day you would work in the dairy industry?

    I grew up on a small dairy farm in Wisconsin and was about five years old before I realized that not everyone had dairy cows. I always knew that I wanted to be part of the ag industry. The biggest question for me was not whether I was going to be part of the ag industry. It was whether I was going to be a farmer or be working in an ag support industry.

    If you could give advice to any student, what would it be?

    Technology is evolving fast, so you never stop learning. Even after you get your graduate degree, you will need to continue to read and attend conferences to stay up on the latest research and research techniques. As far as preparing for the job market, there are opportunities for people who have a good practical working knowledge of the dairy industry as well as a solid science background. You also have to be flexible on your location and willingness to travel. Possessing foreign language skills is a real plus.

    What is your favorite thing about the dairy industry in general?

    I do like cows. To me, there is nothing better than to walk onto a dairy and see a group of content, healthy cows with slick haircoats and full udders.

    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food?

    Yogurt, followed by ice cream, cheese, and milk. I have not found a dairy product I do not like.

     

     

    In this newsletter, we feature 10 things graduate students have benefited from by being members or by staying involved with ADSA-GSD committees:

    1. Networking
    2. Access to Journal of Dairy Science
    3. Professional webinars
    4. Graduate student–only events at the ADSA Annual Meeting
    5. Registration discounts for the ADSA Annual Meeting
    6. Access to myDairy Career and job offers
    7. Friends
    8. Resume building and professional writing workshops
    9. Career-focused events at the ADSA Annual Meeting
    10. Leadership

    If you want to join a committee, email gsd@adsa.org or check out the Leadership section at https://www.adsa.org/Membership/Graduate-Student-Division to meet our officers!

    April 2018

    Hello, fellow graduate student members! 

    The purpose of GSD is to provide resources that help graduate students develop the skills needed to become future leaders within the dairy industry. The upcoming Annual Meeting meeting in Knoxville, Tenn., boasts several opportunities for graduate students to develop scientifically, socially, and professionally. 

    • We will begin Sunday with 'Writing in the Dairy Sciences: A Graduate Student’s Guide to Publishing in Journals and Beyond.' Leading dairy scientists and editors will discuss publishing scientific manuscripts, examining several critical steps in the process. 
    • Join us on Sunday evening at the Scruffy City rooftop bar for our annual mixer! Enjoy trivia, refreshments, and scenic views of downtown Knoxville.
    • The GSD Career Insights Lunch on Monday afternoon features a discussion panel of dairy leaders. We'll cover a range of topics, including research, balancing work and life, and job negotiations.
    • The Three-Minute Thesis Challenge on Tuesday for GSD members to watch their peers compete for great cash prizes! The competition encourages students to convey their research in a concise and compelling manner that will resonate with a lay audience.
    • The GSD Poster Session Mixer allows prospective employers to network with graduate students. Students seeking employment are HIGHLY encouraged to attend. All students should bring resume copies and business cards to hand out to employers. Many thanks to Daisy Brand for hosting the event.

    Don’t forget to check out myDairy Career, our free online job resource center. You'll find industry jobs, post-doc positions, academic positions, and even graduate student internship opportunities on the site. Several updates have been made so come see what is new!

    The Graduate Student Division is always working to recruit new members. Whether you're continuing your graduate studies or preparing to graduate, our memberships provide education and networking opportunities that are invaluable. If you’ll be graduating soon, you should learn more about the transitional membership. Email me and I would be happy to talk with you about this. You can also find out more online at www.adsa.org/GSDmembership.

    Stay up-to-date with GSD activities by connecting with us on Facebook and LinkedIn. Thank you for the great year and we look forward to seeing you in Knoxville!

    Matthew Borchers
    2017-2018 ADSA-GSD President

    Nominations Open for GSD Advisory Council

    If you have a passion for the dairy industry and an interest in serving in a leadership role, nominations are now open for the ADSA Graduate Student Division Advisory Council. Nominations are due by Monday, April 23, 2018. 

    Please review the officer duties and the current GSD committees as you carefully consider this opportunity. You may nominate yourself or a fellow graduate student for any of the available positions. All officers are required to chair a committee of their choosing, and are highly encouraged to attend the ADSA Annual Meeting during their term. Available officer positions include:

    • Vice President 2-year term with advancement into President's position in the second year (open to students from Dairy Production division)
    • Treasurer (Open to all membership divisions)
    • Secretary (Open to all membership divisions)
    • Dairy Foods Director (open to students from Dairy Foods division)
    • Dairy Production Director (open to students from Dairy Production division)

    To nominate yourself or another candidate, complete the nomination form by MONDAY, APRIL 23, 2018. 

    Dair-e-News Writers Needed at Annual Meeting

    ADSA graduate students attending the upcoming Annual Meeting are invited to write for the Dair-e-News from the ADSA Annual Meeting newsletter. The Dair-e-News is sent to more than 11,000 readers around the world, providing great visibility that extends far beyond meeting attendees. This unique opportunity is a great way to build your professional portfolio while you attend any of the great sessions scheduled for the annual meeting.

    Sessions are not assigned to writers; instead, graduate students are encouraged to cover and summarize a session of interest to them. You will be asked to declare in advance which session you plan to cover. This is a great way to showcase your writing skills and get your name in front of thousands of professionals!

    If you're interested in learning more, please contact Samantha Koon at SamanthaK@adsa.org by Friday, June 22. Interested grad students will be asked to attend a 30-minute meeting at the start of the annual meeting to review instructions. If you are interested in writing a summary, but are unable to attend the meeting, please let us know.

    Interested in seeing a sample of the Dair-e-News from the 2017 annual meeting? Take a minute to view this sample to get a sense for the style and tone of the articles needed for this assignment.

    Watch for details about the GSD Three-Minute Thesis Challenge

    We're excited to announce the return of the Three-Minute Thesis Challenge! ADSA graduate students are invited to participate in this event that will test your ability to convey your research in a way that is coherent, concise, and inspiring. Join us on Tuesday, June 26 during the ADSA Annual Meeting for this event that is equal parts education and entertainment.

    Entry details will be released prior to the Annual Meeting, and competition will be limited to ten students selected by a panel of judges based upon strength of CV and a 100 word summary. Emphasis will be placed on the ability to explain research to a lay audience. All ADSA members are invited to attend the Challenge and watch students compete for cash prizes and present their research in a fun and exciting way!

    Student Spotlight: Deb Hutchins, Brigham Young University

    Name: Deb Hutchins

    Country of Origin: United States

    Current School: Brigham Young University

    Degree: MS Food Science

    Year in School: 1st year Graduate Student

    Area of Specialization: Dairy and Product Development

    Research Focus: Immobilization of lactase and other enzymes

    Future Plans: This summer I will be interning with Agropur in MN and continuing research and dairy product development.

    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? Cream cheese

    Award Won: Idaho Milk Processors Association (IMPA) New Product Innovation Competition 2017: Grand Prize

    Learn more about Deb's background, areas of expertise, and professional awards by checking out her LinkedIn profile.

    Professional Member Spotlight: Lloyd Metzger

    What degrees do you hold and from where? 

    Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Dairy Manufacturing from South Dakota State University and doctorate in Food Science from Cornell University   

    What is your position- title and duties?

    Professor and Alfred Chair in Dairy Education at South Dakota State University. I teach classes on cheese manufacturing, dairy products judging, laboratory techniques, and product development.  I also conduct research on natural and process cheese manufacture as well as dairy ingredient manufacture.

    Why did you choose your current position?

    I enjoy the combination of teaching and research and South Dakota State has a unique program that focuses on dairy manufacturing.   

    What is your favorite part about your current position or company you work for?

    I enjoy the variety in my job.  I get to work with students and companies from all over the United States and the world and no two days are ever the same.   

    What previous jobs have you held?

    Assistant/Associate Professor at the University of Minnesota Research Scientist at General Mills   

    Did you always know that one day you would work in the dairy industry?

    Yes, I grew up on a dairy farm in Iowa and always thought I would work somewhere in the dairy industry.   

    If you could give advice to any student, what would it be?

    Take advantage of the opportunities to do internships.  Spend some time in the library instead of typing your question into Google and start your literature review the first semester of graduate school.   

    What is your favorite thing about the dairy industry in general?

    The people and companies I get to work with.   

    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food?

    Aged cheddar cheese

    Guidelines for Publishing Graduate Student Literature Reviews in JDS

    The ADSA Foundation Graduate Student Literature Review Award recognizes graduate students who have composed in-depth and extensive literature reviews in their thesis or dissertation. The award program allows these papers to be published in the Journal of Dairy Science (JDS) as review papers making them available as references for citations in original research papers.

    Graduate students may submit their literature reviews (as Grad Student Lit Review) to be evaluated by the journal for publication as review papers. Papers must be prepared according to JDS style and form, contain no more than 30 double-spaced pages, and be submitted to the appropriate scientific section of the journal (not as invited reviews).

    Students submitting papers should note in the cover letter that the paper is a graduate student literature review, that they are competing for the Graduate Student Literature Review Award, and indicate the category in which they are competing (PhD Production Division, MS Production Division, PhD Dairy Foods Division, MS Dairy Foods Division).

    A full description of the award is available on the ADSA website and provides further details about this program.

    International Spotlight: Danish Dairy Industry

    By Amanda Lee, PhD student under Dr. Peter Krawczel, University of Tennessee

    Author’s note: In October 2017, I was given the unique opportunity to assist on a research project through Aarhus University in Denmark. The research allowed us to explore the research priorities in another country. If you are given the opportunity to visit Denmark, I highly recommend making the trip, even if just for the cheese and pickled herring. So curl up with some cheese, grab your Legos, and fill your heart with that Danish hygge feeling.

    Denmark, or the country with the happiest people on earth two years in a row, is smaller than Colorado, yet still manages to export $2.4 billion dairy, eggs, and honey products each year. In fact, Denmark is one of the top five world dairy exports. The kingdom of Denmark is three constituent countries: Denmark, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands, but is also considered a Nordic and Scandinavian country alongside Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. Denmark has no mountains, making biking a daily transportation method for 50% of people. Uniquely, Denmark has the oldest independent nation flag, established in 1219.

    Agriculture in Denmark began around 4,000 BC, when Danes burned down forested lands to make space for cultivation and livestock production. Around 900 AD, Vikings switched from oxen to cattle, allowing women to begin churning butter. Beginning in 1500, Danes increased their milk production to meet the national and foreign demands for butter and milk. In the late 1800s, the Jutland farmers created the first co-operative in Denmark. By 1900, more than 1,000 co-operative dairies were functioning throughout Denmark.

    Today, 97% of milk is supplied through co-operative dairies, but 67% goes into export products. Denmark and Sweden cooperatively own Europe’s largest dairy group, Arla Foods. By milk volume, Arla Foods is the fourth largest dairy company in the world, selling three major brands Arla, Lurpak, and Castello cheeses.

    Denmark has the greatest population of dairy cattle per herd among countries in the European Union, averaging 160 cows per herd. As of 2015, the majority (72%) of dairy cows are Holstein, with an average milk production across all breeds of 10,300 kg/lactation. Organic dairies have also become more prevalent throughout the Nordic countries. As of 2015, about 11% of dairy cows in Denmark were raised organically with a typical grazing season from April 15 to November 1.

    Among research institutes throughout Scandinavia, one major area of interest is housing dairy dams with their calves after calving. Their goal is to explore the role of housing dams and calves together on play behavior, animal health, and lying behavior.

    Overall, the dairy industry in Denmark is facing similar challenges to the dairy industry throughout the world. With increasing labor costs, a quota system, and farmer’s greater desire to spend time with their family, there is an increase in automatic milking systems and a decrease in small family owned farms. Nonetheless, the dairy industry continues to thrive throughout all the Nordic countries. 

    References

     

    Student Spotlight: Jennifer Ann Spencer, University of Idaho

    Name: Jennifer Ann Spencer

    Country of Origin: U.S.

    Current School: University of Idaho

    Degree: Ph.D. Animal Physiology

    Year in School: 3rd year (complete in May)

    Area of Specialization: Dairy Reproductive Physiology

    Research Focus: Management strategies to improve the reproductive efficiency of dairy cows.

    Future Plans: Pursue a career in academia.

    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? Cheese

    Recent Award Won: American Dairy Science Association Graduate Student Division: Three Minute Thesis, First Place – 2017

    Learn more about Jennifer's background, areas of expertise, and professional awards by checking out her LinkedIn profile.

    June 2017

    GSD President's Letter

    It’s that time of year again, time for the ADSA Annual Meeting!  The GSD Advisory Council and committee members have once again put together an exciting lineup of events this year! All ADSA members are encouraged to attend the Three-Minute Thesis Challenge on Tuesday, June 27, 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm, Convention Center 333, to watch the selected graduate students present their research in three minutes or less and compete for cash prizes! Graduate students are then encouraged to stay around after the Challenge for the GSD Business Meeting and Open Forum at 3:45 pm, Convention Center 333, to provide input on graduate student events and meet the incoming GSD Advisory Council. 

     

    Also at the Annual Meeting, any graduate student member looking to get your name out to the dairy science community should look no further than the Dair-e-News! The daily newsletter is looking for writers to attend scientific sessions and provide a short summary. More details can be found in the Dair-e-News Writers Needed article below. Any interested student should contact Kasey Klein at KaseyK@adsa.org. 


    Included in this issue of the GSD Newsletter:

    - Professional head shots and free GSD promo item opportunities at the upcoming Annual Meeting.

    - Check out the GSD election results to familiarize yourself with the 2017-18 Advisory Council before arriving in Pittsburgh.

    - Learn about the Honduran Dairy Industry in the International Spotlight!

    - Meet Dr. Phil Cardoso in the Professional Member Spotlight.

    - Get to know a few GSD members in our Student Spotlight.

    - In case you missed the live events, two of our recent webinars have been posted to the GSD website.

    A big congratulations to those of you who recently finished your degree! Remember, however, your involvement in ADSA doesn't have to end here. Visit our website to learn more about transitional membership.

    Thank you to all the professional members who have supported the Graduate Student Division throughout the year. Whether it was presenting a webinar, sponsoring an Annual Meeting event, or giving an in-kind donation, we truly appreciate your support and hope you see the benefits of helping our graduate student members.

    I hope you enjoy this latest newsletter, and I hope to meet many of you at the ADSA Annual Meeting!


    Hiral Vora

    GSD President

    Dair-e-News Writers Needed at Annual Meeting

    ADSA graduate students attending the upcoming Annual Meeting will again have the chance to participate in the Dair-e-News from the ADSA Annual Meeting newsletter. The Dair-e-News is sent to over 11,000 readers around the world, and therefore will reach far beyond the attendees in Pittsburgh. If you have ever dreamed of writing for this informative publication, now is your chance! Dair-e-News has requested help from GSD members in covering the many sessions during the Annual Meeting for these special daily editions.

    If interested, please contact Kasey Klein at kaseyk@adsa.org by Saturday, June 24. Interested grad students are requested to attend a short 30 minute meeting on Sunday, June 25 at 9:30 am in the media room to review instructions. If you are interested in writing a summary, but are unable to attend the meeting, please let us know.

    Sessions are not assigned to writers, instead, graduate students are encouraged to cover and summarize a session of interest to them. It is requested that you let us know in advance what session you plan to cover. This is a great way to showcase your writing skills and get your name in front of thousands of professionals!

     

    Professional Head Shots Available at ADSA Annual Meeting

    ADSA will be providing a “head shot” station in the exhibit hall near the Job Resource Center on Monday, June 26 from 2:30 - 4:30 pm. A professional photographer will be available to all attendees who are interested in getting a professional head shot taken. The cost is $10 per person, and you will receive up to 6 digital photo files via email. This opportunity is offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Anyone interested should report to the photography area near the Job Resource Center.

    Network to Receive a FREE GSD Promo Item at ADSA Annual Meeting

    The GSD Career Development Committee encourages all ADSA graduate student members to capitalize on the networking opportunities available at the upcoming ADSA Annual Meeting. New this year, any graduate student who presents a professional member’s business card at the GSD Booth on either Monday, June 26 or Tuesday, June 27 from 8:00 - 10:00 am will receive a free GSD promotional item! Students are limited to one item, but we hope you use this opportunity to connect with numerous professional members while walking through the exhibit hall and poster sessions.

    2017-2018 GSD Advisory Council

    Elections are over, and the votes have been tallied. Meet the 2017-18 ADSA Graduate Student Division (GSD) Advisory Council:

     ●       Matthew Borchers, President, University of Kentucky

    ●       Marie Lawton, Vice-President and Career Development Committee Chair, Cornell University

    ●       Amanda Lee, Secretary and Membership Committee Chair, University of Kentucky

    ●       Derek Nolan, Treasurer and Education Committee Chair, University of Kentucky

    ●       Maryam Enteshari, Dairy Foods Director and Communication Committee Chair, South Dakota State University

    ●       Lauren Mayo, Dairy Production Director and Social Committee Chair, University of Missouri

    You can meet the new leadership team at the ADSA Annual Meeting during the GSD Business Meeting and Open Forum on Tuesday, June 27 from 3:45 pm - 4:30 pm, Convention Center 333.

    International Spotlight- Honduran Dairy Industry

    By Arnulfo Pineda Baide, PhD candidate studying under the direction of Dr. James Drackley and Dr. Phil Cardoso

    Honduras has a territorial extension of 43,433 square miles which is 37,000 square miles smaller than Illinois. Honduras is the second largest and most mountainous country in Central America with an estimated population of 7.9 million. It is located between the Caribbean Sea (to the north), Nicaragua (to the south and east), the Gulf of Fonseca (in the Pacific Ocean), Guatemala (to the west), and El Salvador (to the southwest).

    The dairy industry in Honduras is mainly characterized by small farms (less than 125 acres) which accounts for 48% of the cows. 35% of cows are in medium size farms (125 to 600 acres), and the rest (17%) are in bigger farms (600 to 1200 acres). Smaller farms account for ~30% of the milk production, medium size farms account for ~45%, and bigger farms account for ~25%. Milk production in Honduras is influenced at large by rainfall regime. The average milk yield in summer is 3.8 L/cow and 4.4 L/cow in rainfall season. Low productivity is associated with the low availability of forage, especially during summer. Most farms are based on grazing with some supplementation (medium and bigger farms) or not at all (small farms). Although dairy producers understand the benefit of supplementation, the high prices of concentrates, minerals and vitamin mixes, and other supplements limit their use for small farms. Low productivity is also associated with cross-breeding for dual purpose, milk and meat, production system that predominates in Honduras.

      

     

     

    Milk is commercialized in several ways. Small farms deliver the milk in collection centers or intermediaries who deliver the milk to processing plants. In some cases, processing plants collect the milk from producers and collection centers. Some farms also deliver the milk to processing plants. There are artisanal and industrial processing plants. Industrial processing plants pay higher price but they require higher quality standards, whereas artisanal processing plants pay lower price and they require lower quality standards. Unlike artisanal processing plants, industrial processing plants pay for fat content and require cooling of the milk, no water content, and low bacterial count. Industrial plants collect around 35% of the milk production and the rest (65%) is collected by artisanal plants. The price of milk is influenced by season; higher prices occur in summer whereas lower prices occur in rainfall season. Milk production increases 40% during rainfall season causing reduction in the price of milk due to the oversupply. 

    The diversity of dairy product is quite small. Artisanal processing plants manufacture limited number of dairy products, mostly sour cream and a few varieties of cheese which are sold locally in fairs or in small shops. Industrial processing plants manufacture a wide variety of products which are sold in supermarkets, some of these plants are certified to export to Central America and other countries. 



     

     

     

    Although dairy production in Honduras is growing and there is much potential, there are many opportunities to improve. Currently, the productivity is low which suggest the need for improvement in management, nutrition, reproduction, and genetics. Milk quality is not the best, especially in farms where milking is carried out by hand. Milk production and milk price are strongly influenced by season resulting in fluctuations which affect the producers and consumers. Besides few or no regulations for the import of dairy products there is few support to the dairy industry. 


    Sources 

    • Molina, D. O. 2010. Análisis de la cadena de valor lácteo de Honduras. PYMERURAL y PRONAGRO.

    • FMI. 2005. Honduras: Statistical Annex. Country Report No. 05/385. October.

    • Instituto Nacional de Estadística. Boletín de prensa, 18 de junio de 2009.


    Professional Member Spotlight- Phil Cardoso

    What degrees do you hold and from where?

            D.V.M.          Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) – Brazil.                             

         College of Veterinary Medicine, December 9, 2001.

            M.S.              Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) – Brazil.                            

          Major: Surgery and Biochemistry of Ruminants.

                                  College of Veterinary Medicine, January 7, 2007.

            Ph.D.             University of Illinois, August 6, 2012.

                                  Major:   Animal Sciences (Ruminant Nutrition).

     What company do you work for? University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

    What is your position- title and duties? Assistant Professor.  I have the duties of doing dairy extension, research, and teaching.

    Why did you choose your current position? I’ve chosen the position of an assistant professor to be able to more comprehensively impact the dairy industry.  As a veterinarian, I had the chance to work and directly impact 20-30 dairy farms.  In my current position, I can train students that will in turn each one work and directly impact 20-30 dairy farms.  The effect gets multiplied. 

    What is your favorite part about your current position or company you work for? My favorite part is to help students in achieving their next step.  In the process, our lab ends up discovering amazing things that can help the dairy industry to move forward.  If students feel they are moving forward; doing research, extension, and teaching is enjoyable.

    What previous jobs have you held?

    SerVet, Inc. – Dairy Cattle Services – Brazil.

                   Dates: December 10, 2001 to May 14, 2007.

                   Title: Founder and President.

                   Location: Passo Fundo, RS – Brazil.

    University of Sao Paulo (Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz – ESALQ) – Brazil.

                   Dates: May 15, 2007 to January 15, 2009.

                   Title: Research Associate.

                   Location: Piracicaba, SP – Brazil.

    Did you always know that one day you would work in the dairy industry? While in vet school I had the chance to work with different species.  When I got to work with dairy cows, I got hooked.  After that, all my vacations and extra time was dedicated to learn more about the dairy cow, nationally and internationally.  I’m very passionate about what I do.

    If you could give advice to any student, what would it be? Put yourself out there.  Have experiences.  Figure it out what you like and what you don’t like as soon as you can and keep doing it until the end.  Never stop learning.

    What is your favorite thing about the dairy industry in general? The pace. In general, the dairy industry moves really quickly.  The fast pace makes me want to keep moving forward. 

    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? Cold whole milk… yummy.

     

    Student Spotlight- Andy Lee

    Name: Andy Lee

    Country of Origin: USA

    Current School: North Carolina State University    

    Degree: MS Food Science

    Year in School: Graduated (2nd year MS during 2016 Joint Annual Meeting)

    Area of Specialization: Dairy Foods

    Research Focus: Fluid milk processing

    Future Plans: Working in dairy industry

    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? Ice cream!

    Award Won: 1st place 2016 Three-minute Thesis Challenge; 1st place NDC New Product Competition

    Student Spotlight- Emily Griep

    Name: Emily Griep

    Country of Origin: U.S.

    Current School: Cornell University  

    Degree: PhD, Food Science

    Year in School: 3rd

    Area of Specialization:  Food Safety Engineering

    Research Focus: The removal of spoilage-causing bacterial spores from skim milk using microfiltration

    Future Plans: I would like to work in food safety in the food industry, with an international focus

    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? Cheese. I could live off of brie

    Award Won: Dairy Foods Division Graduate Student Oral Competition

    GSD Webinar Series- New Recordings Available

    The ADSA Graduate Student Division webinar series continues to be a success! If you missed any of our webinars this year, recordings can be viewed on the GSD Webinar Recordings and GSD Pioneers in Dairy Science webpages.

    Recently added webinars include Dr. Susan Duncan’s presentation titled Driving Miss Dairy: The Role of Consumer Emotions in Milk Choice and Consumption Behaviors and Dr. Cindie Luhman’s career development webinar Show Your Best Self – Techniques to Introduce Yourself in Informal Business Settings.

    Plans are underway for future webinars, so be sure to watch your email for more details. If you have a suggestion for a webinar speaker or topic, please contact Derek Nolan, GSD Education Committee Chair, at nolan.56@uky.edu.

    February 2017

    GSD President's Letter

    Happy spring!  The year is passing by quickly so don’t forget to register for the upcoming Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on June 25-28, 2017. Check out the Graduate Student Division events listed below. If you are a graduate student, we hope to see you there. If you know or work with graduate student members, please encourage them to sign up! Our Advisory Council has been working hard to put together some great events specifically for students.

    • ADSA Student Tour: Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium

              Saturday, June 24, Time: 12:30 pm – 4:30 pm, Ticket Price: $18

    •  ADSA Graduate Student Division Symposium: Building Strong Work Relationships to be Effective

              Sunday, June 25, Time: 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm, Ticket Price: $10

    • ADSA Graduate Student Division Career Insights Luncheon

              Monday, June 26, 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm, Ticket Price: $10

    • ADSA Graduate Student Division Three-Minute Thesis Challenge

              Tuesday, June 27, 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm

    • ADSA Graduate Student Division Business Meeting and Open Forum

              Tuesday, June 27, 3:45 pm – 4:30 pm

    • ADSA Graduate Student Division Mixer: Take Me Out to the Ballgame

              Tuesday, June 27, PNC Park, Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Tampa Bay Rays 7:00 pm, Ticket Price: $10- includes a $10 food voucher

    The GSD communications committee has once again put together a great newsletter! Included in the spring newsletter are the following articles:

    • Hear from Scott Bascom of Phibro Animal Health in the Industry spotlight.
    • Read the International spotlight to learn about the Spanish dairy industry.
    • Check out the student spotlights highlighting three of our current and previous members.
    • Don’t forget the free myDairy Career website is still available. Take this opportunity to update your profile, and read our article with helpful hints to get the most out of your posting.

    If you haven’t done so yet, please renew your ADSA membership to continue receiving great member benefits and join our Facebook page for GSD updates and other interesting dairy-related articles. Lastly, in order for GSD to continue to improve we need your support!  We will soon be accepting 2017-18 Advisory Council officer nominations. We encourage all interested graduate students to consider running for available positions!

    Sincerely,

    Hiral Vora

    2016-17 ADSA GSD President

    International Spotlight-Spanish Dairy Industry

    by Ivan Ansia Vazquez, PhD Student, University of Illinois 

    There is just one Spain, but inside its uniqueness there are a wide and diverse variety of cultures. This southern European country is divided in 17 different regions. Each of this regions has its own culture, food, traditions, landscape and even some of them its own language or dialect. However, far from tear us apart, our diversity make us a strong, pleasant and amazing nation. Agriculture is a reflection of this variety. From the prairies and mountains where cows have sights to the Atlantic in the North, passing through the plains and plateaus where grain and forage growth in the center of the Peninsula, until the dehesa and the endless greenhouses where the vegetables watch the sunset over the Mediterranean sea, Spain has a huge variety of farm production.

    Spain is the 7th country on cow’s milk production among the 28 countries that constitute the European Union (EU). While takes the first and second place regarding sheep and goat milk respectively. Even though the number of dairy farms (~18.000 in 2015) had been following a decreasing tendency since 2009, Spain has been increasing continuously its milk production since that year. In 2015 Spain produced, 6.793.284 metric tons of cow’s milk. It is worthy to remark that the 38.1% of that production comes from only one region, Galicia. Galicia comprises only the 6% of the geographic area of Spain but has the 56% of all the dairy farms in Spain. Together with other two Northern regions (Asturias and Cantabria), make the North of Spain (Cantabric Cornice) as the main cow’s milk provider with the 53% of the milk and the 78% of the dairy farms.

    Spain uses 54% of its milk production as liquid milk to direct consumption and the vast majority (more than 80%) of it is processed as Ultra High-Temperature (UHT) milk, 14 % to yogurts and other fermented products, and only the 7 % to cheese. However, do not let this small percentage distracts you. In Spain exists around 80 different kinds of cheese. In general, cheese production is limited to small traditional and regional manufactures but some of them had reached a notorious repercussion among the most prestigious gourmet markets, like for example the “Mahon”, “Queixo de O Cebreiro”, or “Gamonedo”.

    Spain has been historically a net importer of milk products, especially yogurts and cheese from our European neighbors, even though this imbalance has been recently became smaller.  This shortage of dairy products, has driven the industry in Spain to specialize in liquid milk production and distribution, which is the dairy product with higher consumption among Spanish homes (73.3 liters/person in 2015). There are around 300 industries registered to buy milk in Spain from dairy producers, however only between 70 and 80 have a significant volume dimension. The specialization in liquid milk for direct consumption, and this highly atomized dairy industry, resulted in Spain being historically among the countries with lower range of prices paid per liter in the EU (~14 USD/cwt average in 2015).

    Even though Spain is ranked in second place in total usable farmland among the EU countries with 24.892.520 ha, the average is just 24 ha (60 acres) per farm. Spain is the first producer in UE of forage (mainly alfalfa) and the second bigger exporter, after the EEUU, of dehydrated forage (1.1 million of metric tons exported in 2015) in the world. More than half of that production is exported to emergent countries as United Arab Emirates and China who really push the prices up and difficult the accessibility of forage to national dairy farmers. Besides, around 78% of the grain used in animal feeding is imported. These factors combined, derive in that Spain has one of the highest feed cost in the EU (~7.36 USD/cwt). These delicate situation enlarge the importance of the availability of own forage crops. Corn and grass silage, and alfalfa hay are the main forage components used in dairy rations in Spain. The proportion inclusion varies widely depending of prices, seasonal productions, quality of harvest (half of the crop land has no irrigation) and proximity to the source in the case of purchased hay.

    Spain has around 850,000 dairy cows with an average production of 17.600 lb. per year. Even though we have 39 different indigenous breeds of bovine (mostly for beef production), Holstein is the hegemonic queen among dairy cows. Accounting only for the herds registered on the herd-book, the average milk production raises till 25.406 lb. Rolling Herd Average in 2015 with 500,000 cows registered. With 4 centers of genetic selection in Spain, coordinated by the Confederation of Holstein Associations (CONAFE), Spain have been raising and placing animals among the elite on milk production and the morphologic contests in Europe over the last decades.          

    The different climatology, geography and cultural factors also had influenced the diverse systems of milk production spread over the country. The high density of dairy farms in the Cantabric Cornice and its concomitant lower herd size, embrace the most traditional and familiar farms where using pasture grazing is still an option. The numerous economic subsidies from the Common Agrarian Politic (PAC) seeking for promote this kind of extensive farms coupled with the nowadays extinct milk quote system, allowed the surviving of dairy farms with relatively small size. Once again, the diversity that characterizes our country is reflected in the dairy industry where this mentioned traditional dairies coexist with bigger and progressive farms.

    The lower margin perceived per liter together with the strict European legislation (no transgenic crops, no bST, no monensin, no animal proteins, rigorous environmental rules, etc.) forced the Spanish dairy industry to be at the edge of the technology and management practices in order to be competitive. The whole productive sector involving farmers, technicians, consultants and veterinaries have built a solid structure ready to keep producing milk of quality in an unpredictable market as is this. Nowadays, Spanish dairy farms are focusing their capabilities toward the specialization in high milk producing cows, through the application of the most recent and advanced techniques on reproduction, nutrition and especially, quality forage and cow comfort.           

    The future scenario in the European milk market is still unknown. The global constrained economic situation and the recent “liberation” of the milk production will dictate where to go. Nevertheless, the Spanish milk producer will be ready to adjust itself and keep providing the white gold.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    REFERENCES              

    Díaz Yubero, Miguel Ángel (2016). The Spanish dairy sector at the crossroads. Cajamar Caja Rural.
    The dairy industry in Spain (2016). Organizacion Interprofesional Lactea.
    Livestock surveys (2015). Ministerio de Agricultura y Pesca, Alimentacion y Medio Ambiente.

    Industry Spotlight-Scott Bascom, Phibro Animal Health

    What degrees do you hold and from where? BS in Dairy Science from Virginia Tech,   MS in Animal and Nutritional Sciences from the University of New Hampshire,  PhD in Animal Science from Virginia Tech

    What company do you work for? Phibro Animal Health

    What is your position- title and duties? Dairy Technology Manager. In this role I provide technical support to our sales team and support our research and product development efforts.

    Why did you choose your current position? I have always loved dairy cows and the folks that work with dairy cattle. This position allows me to work with nutritionists, dairy producers and other folks that are passionate about the dairy industry. The position I have also allows me to be involved in developing and researching products that help dairy farmers become more profitable. 

    What is your favorite part about your current position or company you work for? I love working with people who love cows and helping them solve problems. The company I work for, Phibro Animal Health is very dedicated to helping our customers solve problems and improve the performance and productivity of their herds.

    What previous jobs have you held? My previous jobs include working as a herd manager on my family’s farm, working for the American Jersey Cattle Association, work as a dairy cattle nutritionist and work in technical support for a consulting group. 

    Did you always know that one day you would work in the dairy industry? My grandfather was a dairy farmer and had me in the barn before I was a year old.  Supposedly I was terrified of cows as an infant----but I got over that!   Since I was a young boy I wanted to have a job that allowed me to work with dairy cows.

    If you could give advice to any student, what would it be? I never intended to go to graduate school and if someone had told me I would one day have a PhD on the day I finished my undergraduate studies I would have told them they were crazy! I spent a few years working in the industry between my degrees. For me this really helped me learn what I liked doing (and didn’t like doing) and it also gave me valuable experience. Not everyone will take the path I took but I think it is really important to discover what one likes and doesn’t like so they can focus their graduate school program on things they are passionate about. Graduate school is tough but doing a research in an area that is exciting and personally satisfying motivated me on the days when I wondered why I had enrolled in graduate school.

    What is your favorite thing about the dairy industry in general? I love the people in our industry.    The people in our industry are very passionate about what they do. They are hard-working folks that care both about cows and the consumers that buy the products our cows make. I think most people in the dairy industry could earn more money if they worked in another field but they do what they do because they love it. 

    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? It is hard to beat ice cream!

    Student Spotlight-Carolina Bespalhok Jacometo

    Name: Carolina Bespalhok Jacometo

    Country of Origin: Brazil

    Current School: Professor at Universidad de La Salle – Bogotá/Colombia           

    Degree: PhD in Animal Biotechnology (2015, UFPel – Brazil)

    Area of Specialization: Animal Nutrition

    Research Focus: Fetal programming and nutrigenomics

    Future Plans: Establish a recognized research group on nutrigenomics

    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? Cheese!

    Award Won: Alltech Inc. Graduate Student Paper - JDS

    Student Spotlight-Elizabeth Keuter

    Name: Elizabeth Keuter

    Country of Origin: US

    Current School: Washington State University        

    Degree: Masters

    Year in School: 2nd

    Area of Specialization: Genetics

    Research Focus: Fertility in US Dairy Heifers

    Future Plans: In the future, I would like to continue to work with genomic research pertaining to animal health and hopefully translate it to human health. 

    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? Cheese

    Award Won: Dairy Production MS Division Poster Contest

    Student Spotlight-Yairanex Roman-Garcia

    Name: Yairanex Roman-Garcia        

    Country of Origin:  Puerto Rico

    Current School: The Ohio State University 

    Degree: Ph.D.

    Year in School: 3rd year

    Area of Specialization: Ruminant Nutrition

    Research Focus: Factors Affecting Microbial Growth

    Future Plans:  I want to be a researcher, it could be academia it could be somewhere else as long as I am finding answers…

    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? Ice Cream of course!

    Award Won:  First place in the Purina Dairy Productions Poster Presentation Ph.D. Division

    myDairy Career-a FREE online job resource center

    Graduating soon and wondering what to do next? Whether you are looking for a job, a graduate assistantship, or an internship you need to check out myDairy Career!

    Are you or your employer looking for the best and the brightest to fill a job, assistantship, or internship?  The resource you need is myDairyCareer!

    myDairyCareer is a complimentary online job resource center created by the American Dairy Science Association (ADSA) Graduate Student Division, where employer needs and student interests are matched instantly.

    Job Seekers:

    Create your profile on myDairy Career today at http://careers.adsa.org/ to start connecting with future employers and gain access to the high-quality dairy science opportunities you’ve been looking for!

    1.     Click on “Job Seekers” and enter your ADSA member username and password. You can even create an account if you don’t have one!

    2.     Edit “Your Profile” to include your personal information.

    3.     Search available posted positions specific to your interests!

    Helpful hints:

    •  “Your Profile” will help link you to different job descriptions- fill out all that may apply!
    •  Sign up for email alerts for positions that match you interest.

    Recruiters:

    Log onto http://careers.adsa.org/ to post job, assistantship, and internship opportunities available to ADSA student members.

    1.     Click on “Recruiters” and enter your ADSA member username and password, or create a new account.

    2.     Edit “Your Profile” to include key company information.

    3.     Explore “Your Positions” to post your job openings (full-time, part-time, internships, etc.) and view any candidate matches for active positions.

    4.     View the “Search Candidates” tab to look at all student profiles or search by keywords. Recruiters can even set up email notifications to be alerted when a candidate profile matches your position!

    Helpful hints:

    •  “Your Profile” information will help candidates find you, please describe adequately.
    •  “Your Positions” have many options and by choosing all that apply will increase the chances of matching with candidates!
    October 2016

    GSD President's Letter

    I hope that you had a great summer and that you are ready for another busy year.  We currently have a lot of exciting things going on with the ADSA Graduate Student Division (GSD). We are busy planning some great educational webinars over the next few months, in the process of scheduling all graduate student events for the 2017 ADSA Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh, PA, and gearing up for our annual membership renewal!

    I hope you continue to stay in touch with the GSD throughout the year. After you finish reading the Newsletter, take a moment to check out the other areas of our website.

    As you can see below, the GSD Communications committee has worked hard to put together another great newsletter. In the current issue, you will find a very interesting article by Mario Riboni about the Italian dairy industry, as well as an industry spotlight featuring Adam Geiger with Milk Products. Don’t forget to check out the student profiles highlighting two of our student competition winners, J. Eduardo Rico and Martin J. Carrasquillo-Mangual. Lastly, be sure to read our JAM 2016 summary to view the recordings from the ADSA Student Three-Minute Thesis Challenge. 


    If you haven’t done so yet, please join our Facebook page for GSD updates and other interesting dairy-related articles.  Lastly, if you are not familiar with the myDairyCareer website, check it out to view or post job, internship, and postdoctoral opportunities.

    Sincerely,
    Hiral Vora
    ADSA GSD President

    International Spotlight- Italian Dairy Industry

    by: Mario Pietro Emilio Vailati Riboni, PhD Student, University of Illinois

    Introduction

    Italy is a small but densely populated country (~60 million inhabitants, 521.5/sq mi) located in the center of the Mediterranean area. Overall, Italy has a typical continental climate, except for the Alps and coastal area. However, with hot and dry land in the south and snow-capped mountains in the north, each region’s dairy farmers face unique struggles.

    The Dairy Industry

    With approximately 1 million cows and an average of 90 cows/farm, the Italian dairy industry supplies only ~50% of the domestic demand, with the remaining being imported mainly from other EU countries. Eighty percent of cows are located in the northern “Pianura Padana” (or the Po’ Valley), a flat, fertile and water rich area, with typical continental climate (cold and dry winters, and hot and humid summers). Here cows are mainly fed TMR-based diets, which include corn or wheat silage, grass and alfalfa, with all crops mainly produced directly by each dairy.

    According to the latest census (2015), the average Italian cow produces up to 9.1 metric tons of milk per year, with 3.75% and 3.31% of fat and protein, respectively. The major breed in the industry is the Italian Holstein crosses with great pedigrees imported mainly from Canada and the US. Following that are jersey, brown (in the mountain area), and many different regional breeds specialized in high quality, but small quantity, milk production mainly destined to the production of typical cheeses.

    Figure 1. Alpine Gray cows grazing in the alpine pastures.

    While technology is becoming more prevalent in the United States, producers in Italy are not so much prone to its use, due to the traditional mentality still present in the majority of smaller realities. However, the majority of the big herds use either a neck or leg device that registers each animal as they enter the parlor. Luckily these farmers are now also approaching and implementing devices to monitor milk volume, quality, and electrical conductivity, and cow activity, rumination, and body weight. Data gained from these systems are used in heat detection, mastitis diagnosing, lameness detection, and monitoring transition cow diseases, all to allow for a better animal care and welfare.

    Figure 2. Newly developed dairy farm, with annex biogas production plant, located at the center of the Pianura Padana (Piacenza)

    The Market Situation

    To regulate supply and manage internal prices, the EU in the past introduced the Quota system, which limits the possible marketable production of each of its countries, down to the single producer. This system recently came to an end, opening the industry to the world market. However, it limited the expansion of the Italian market, one of the few that could have produced more than the originally assigned quota by the EU. Milk price at the barn in Italy now averages around 33-36 euros/100kg of milk, and the market is still not independent from import.

    The Italian rules concerning milk quality are among the most severe in the world, e.g. aflatoxin level cannot be over 50 ppt, BST treatment and GMOs crops are banned, all in addition to severe population control for paratubercolosis, IBR, and leucosis.

    Even though cows supply half the demand, only a small amount is directed to direct consumption, as approximately 80% of the internal production is destined to the many cheese plants. Italy has many different typical cheeses, protected by the European legislations through production marks or labels. Among the strictest ones are DOP, DOC, and DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Protetta/Controllata e Garantita – controlled/protected and guaranteed designation of origin). For example, the most important DOP includes: Parmigiano Reggiano, Grana Padano, Provolone, Asiago, Gorgonzola, Mozzarella (both from cows and water buffalos), Taleggio, and Fontina.

    Every DOP cheese has to comply with a specific production process; from the origin of the milk (limiting the production district), all the way down to the technological process, even including cow feeding limitations. Classic examples are Parmigiano Reggiano, which milk can’t come from cows fed with any type of silage, or Grana Padano, which excludes only some types of silages (e.g., ryegrass or wheat). In their “Disciplinare” ,the official documents listing all the regulations, the same ban applies to a lot of different byproducts, like wet brewers grain or corn distillers. For example, for Grana Padano, the diet can’t contain more than 25 kilos as fed of silages- limiting the concentrate quantities as well to balance the forage/concentrate ratio. Moreover, every single component of the ratio must have a certificate of origin (where and when it was produced), including the history of treatment applied (fertilizers, herbicides, fungicides, etc.). All these rules and controls are in place to maintain the authenticity of the Italian cheese production, especially in a market overflowed by Italian-sounding products, guaranteeing the best milk and final products, as a big amount of the production will be exported.

    Figure 3. A display of some of the DOC, DOP, and DOCG cheeses of Italy. You can easily recognize Parmigiano Reggiano on the bottom left, Grana Padano on the bottom right, next to Gorgonzola, and Provolone (still tied up) in the top left. By reading the marks you will find also Pecorino Romano, Asiago, and Buffalo Mozzarella.

    Industry Spotlight- Adam Geiger: National Accounts Manager, Milk Products

    What degrees do you hold and from where? B.S. Wisconsin-Madison; M.S. Mississippi State; Ph.D. Virginia Tech

    What company do you work for? Milk Products

    What is your position- title and duties? National Accounts Manager

    I really do a host of things. Being account based and not territory based, I cover a lot of the United States. Milk Products makes milk replacer, electrolytes, and health products for young animals (calves, kids, lambs, etc.). So, I am dealing with companies that purchase that service from us. When I work with those companies I am doing any number of things including: on-farm diagnostics/problem solving, meeting to plan future business direction/endeavors, technical presentations to large groups, and article writing (some technical and some not). I also do some work with planning research projects.

    Why did you choose your current position? It allowed me to stay involved with calves. I get to deal with them almost every day. Learning about the process of making milk replacer has really been a great learning experience for me.

    What is your favorite part about your current position or company you work for? I still get on farm. Don’t get me wrong, I love public speaking and getting in front of large groups, but I love the days where I am on farm and still get to train a calf to a bucket from time to time.

    What previous jobs have you held? This is it, other than graduate school.

    Did you always know that one day you would work in the dairy industry? Sure did. I grew up on a dairy and my parents did a great job of bringing me up around it and fostering my love of animals, dairy animals in particular.

    If you could give advice to any student, what would it be? This is two-fold:

    1.     Consider industry. There are a lot of jobs available to graduate students with animal science degrees in the industry. There is a shortage and companies are searching high and low for qualified candidates.

    2.     Network. Get out of your comfort zone at meetings. Email someone from a company you think you might like to work for. Call up someone from the USDA and ask to spend a day with him or her. Even if you learn you don’t want to work there, you learned something. You spend a lot of time in graduate school; some of that time should include figuring out what you actually want to do. When you reach out to a professor or someone in the industry asking about what they do and wanting to learn more, you’ll be surprised how receptive they are. At the end of the day, networking and increasing your pool of contacts is one of the most beneficial things you can do for your future.

    What is your favorite thing about the dairy industry in general? It is so small. You continually see the same folks over and over again and can really make some tight connections. It really is a big family! I guess that comes with some advice… be nice! You will see everyone in the industry a lot!

    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? Fontina Cheese made by Belgioso in Denmark, WI.

    Student Spotlight- Martin J. Carrasquillo-Mangual

    Name: Martin J. Carrasquillo-Mangual

    Country of Origin: Puerto Rico

    Current School: Michigan State University 

    Degree:  Master of Science

    Year in School: 3rd

    Area of Specialization: Dairy Cattle Nutrition

    Research Focus: Feed Efficiency, Repeatability of Residual Feed Intake

    Future Plans: Pursue a PhD and a Career as an academic Specialist

    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food: Got to Go with Milk!!

    Award Won: First place in the National Milk Producers Federation Award for paper presentation MS Division

    Student Spotlight- J. Eduardo Rico

    Name: J. Eduardo Rico

    Country of Origin: Colombia

    Current School: West Virginia University    

    Degree: Doctor of Philosophy, Agricultural Biochemistry

    Year in School: 3rd, recently graduated.

    Area of Specialization: Nutritional Biochemistry

    Research Focus: Energy metabolism, lipids  

    Future Plans: Faculty research

    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food: Cheese and Ice cream are at the top

    Award Won: 1st place. National Milk Producers Federation Graduate Student Paper Competition PhD Division.

    Three-Minute Thesis Challenge- JAM 2016 Recap

    The 2016 Joint Annual Meeting was a success for the ADSA Graduate Student Division. The GSD and SAD (ADSA Student Affiliate Division) partnered up to provide our members with a pre-conference tour of Bateman’s Mosida Farms and Utah Olympic Park. The meeting also featured a successful graduate student workshop, a career luncheon and saw the return of the Three-Minute Thesis Challenge. Thank you to all students who submitted abstracts for this event, and congratulations to those who did an outstanding job competing at the conference. You can view recordings of the presentations HERE.

     Winners of the 2016 ADSA Student Three-Minute Thesis Challenge are:

    Graduate Student 1st place: Andy Lee, North Carolina State University
    Presentation Title: The influence of ultrapasteurization by indirect and direct steam injection processing on sensory perception of skim and 2% fat milks

    Graduate Student 2nd place (tie): Melissa Bainbridge, The University of Vermont
    Presentation Title: Optimizing milk's bioactive fatty acid content for human health

    Graduate Student 2nd place (tie): Lauren Mayo, University of Missouri
    Presentation Title: Efficacy and development of early chemical pregnancy diagnosis methods in dairy cattle

    Graduate Student 3rd place: Jeffrey Kaufman, The University of Tennessee
    Presentation Title: Feeding a low crude protein diet sustains milk production in lactating dairy cows during summer months

    Undergraduate Student 1st place: Linda Beckett, Virginia Tech
    Title of Presentation: "What occurs in the rumen when a heifer is heat stressed?"

    We capped off the GSD activities with a well-attended mixer that provided numerous networking opportunities. The Graduate Student Division is grateful to the many sponsors and professional members who supported our events at JAM, and are looking forward to the 2017 Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh.

    July 2016

    GSD President's Letter

    Holy cow! Can you believe it is already time for JAM? A big congratulations are in store to those of you who recently finished your degree! Remember, however, your involvement in ADSA doesn't have to end here. Visit our website to learn more about transitional membership! Regardless of whether you have finished your degree or not, JAM is most definitely upon us! Read the ADSA-ASAS JAM article below to familiarize yourself with this year's GSD events; we have quite the exciting lineup this year! Don’t miss the GSD Business Meeting (Tuesday, July 19 at 3:15 PM, Convention Center 151 B/C), where we will introduce the incoming Advisory Council! Online registration is closed, but if you are still interested in attending our events, please contact kaseyk@adsa.org, as space may still be available.

    Also, if you plan to attend JAM this year and are looking to get your name out to the dairy science community, the Dair-e-News newsletter is looking for writers to cover sessions at JAM. If you are interested please contact myself (adamjgeiger@gmail.com) and plan to attend a short informational meeting on Tuesday, July 19 at 10:00 AM in the Media Room. More information about this can be found in the Dair-e-News Writers Needed article.

    Once you are ready for JAM, check out the great articles below to keep you in the loop:
    - Take a look at the dairy industry in the Netherlands in the International Spotlight!
    - Get a sneak peek at the GSD election results to familiarize yourself with the 2016-17 Advisory Council before arriving in Salt Lake City.
    - Get to know one of the current (and incoming!) officers in our Officer Spotlight.
    - In case you missed it, the most recent webinar from June featuring casein micelles has just been posted!

    Finally, this is my last letter as a GSD officer before the next President, Hiral Vora, takes over.  It has been an amazing three years on the Advisory Council and I am very thankful for the friendship and memories made through GSD. I truly appreciate you electing me onto your Advisory Council and having had the opportunity to work with you throughout the years! I have enjoyed every minute of my time on the Council, particularly getting to know so many of you!  I can't wait to continue to watch this organization grow and be involved on not only the GSD level, but in other capacities down the road!  GSD is in great hands with this new batch of officers! If you see me in Salt Lake City, make sure to say Hi!

    Sincerely,

    Adam Geiger
    2015-16 GSD President

    ADSA-ASAS Joint Annual Meeting-FINAL DETAILS

    Attending the upcoming Joint Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City? Have you remembered to register for the ADSA Graduate Student Division Special Events? Online registration is closed, but if you are still interested in attending our events, please contact kaseyk@adsa.org, as space may still be available.

    ADSA Student Dairy Tour: Bateman's Mosida Farms and Utah Olympic Park; Monday, July 18, 11:45 am – 6:00 pm, Ticket Cost: $16
    Departing from the lobby of the student hotel, the Salt Lake Plaza, we'll travel via motor coach to Bateman's Mosida Farms in Elberta. Owned and operated by the Bateman family, it is one of Utah’s largest farms and has been touted as a model of efficiency, animal care and high quality milk. Next, we'll depart for Utah Olympic Park, one of the venues for the 2002 XIX Olympic Winter Games. Today it is an active Olympic training site, home to six Nordic Ski Jumps, 1,335-meter sliding track with five start areas, freestyle aerials winter training and competition hill, a 750,000-gallon training pool, and a Winter Sports Center with a Ski Museum and 2002 Olympic Winter Games Museum. Ticket price includes transportation and refreshments. 

    ADSA GSD Workshop: Applying for jobs? Separate yourself!; Tuesday, July 19, Convention Center 151 B/C, Time: 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, Ticket Cost: $5
    Join other dairy science graduate students as Dr. Leon Spicer and Dr. Al Kertz provide practical insight on separating yourself from the rest when it comes time to apply for jobs. Drs. Spicer and Kertz will cover topics from interview do's and don’ts to the differences between CV and resume writing and much more. There will also be ample time for professional and social networking throughout the workshop. A $5 registration is required and water and soft drinks will be provided.

    ADSA GSD Career Insights Luncheon; Wednesday, July 20, Grand Ballroom E, 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm, Ticket cost: $10
    This roundtable career development event will provide dairy science graduate students the opportunity to interact with career professionals from industry, academia, and government agencies.  This event is intended to give attendees an informal environment in which to inquire about each professional’s personal journey and the challenges they encountered along the way.  This is also an excellent context in which to network with likeminded professionals and graduate students. A $10 registration fee is required and a boxed lunch will be provided.

    You can also attend some ADSA GSD events at no charge. Our FREE events, which do not require registration, include: 

    ADSA GSD Business Meeting and Open Forum; Tuesday, July 19, Convention Center 151 B/C, Time: 3:15 pm – 4:00 pm
    In addition to greeting the incoming GSD officer team, attend this meeting to voice your ideas and opinions about ADSA graduate student activities. Learn about our upcoming events and enjoy conversations with your fellow dairy science graduate students. 

    ADSA Student Three-Minute Thesis Challenge; Thursday, July 21, Convention Center 250 F, 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm
    ADSA Graduate Student members are encouraged to take part in the return of the Three-Minute Thesis Challenge. This event will test the competitor’s ability to quickly and concisely convey their research in a way that is understandable to all. Competition will be limited to ten graduate students and one undergraduate student previously selected by a panel of judges based upon strength of CV and a 100 word abstract describing the presentation. Everyone is invited to attend the Challenge to watch these students compete for cash prizes and present their research in a fun and exciting way! 


    ADSA GSD Mixer; Thursday, July 21, 9:00 pm – 12:00 am, Keys on Main: 242 South Main Street, Salt Lake City, UT
    Enjoy a fun night of entertainment and networking with your fellow dairy science graduate students. Keys on Main is a short walk from the Salt Palace Convention Center and features dueling pianos playing the most popular hits guaranteed to have you singing along! Attend and complete the interactive mixer for your chance to win free drink tickets and other exciting prizes! 

    We have worked hard to plan fun, educational, and exciting events for our graduate student members attending the Joint Annual Meeting. It is our hope you will sign up and attend these events to round out your “JAM”-packed schedule!

    Dair-e-News Writers Needed at JAM

    If you have attended JAM in the past, you were sure to receive the daily ADSA Dair-e-News from the Joint Annual Meeting newsletter each morning. The Dair-e-News is sent to over 11,000 readers around the world, and therefore will reach far beyond the attendees in Salt Lake City this year. If you have ever dreamed of writing for this informative publication, now is your chance! Dair-e-News has requested GSD members’ help in covering the many sessions during JAM for these special editions.


    If interested, please let Adam Geiger at adamjgeiger@gmail.com or Kasey Klein at kaseyk@adsa.org know by Saturday, July 16. Interested grad students are requested to attend a short 30 minute meeting on Tuesday, July 19 at 10 am in the media room to review instructions. 


    Sessions are not assigned to writers, rather graduate students are encouraged to cover and summarize a session of interest to them. It is mandatory that you let us know in advance what session you plan to cover. Special editions go out each day from Tuesday, July 19 through Saturday, July 23, 2016, so there are ample opportunities to have your session summary published.

    Again, if interested in this great opportunity, please let Adam Geiger at adamjgeiger@gmail.com or Kasey Klein at kaseyk@adsa.org know by Saturday, July 16.

    International Spotlight-Netherlands Dairy Industry

    By: Matthew Borchers, PhD Student, University of Kentucky, Housing Environments and Dairy Cattle Health 

    Recently, I was given the opportunity to travel to the Netherlands for the first International Precision Dairy Farming Conference in Leeuwarden. Many of the recent developments in Precision Dairy Farming were discussed. If you are interested in visiting the Netherlands, I can promise you that it is a great experience!

    Figure 1. The Dutch countryside is famous for its lush fields, bodies of water, and traditional (and frequently modern) windmills.

    As the home of everyone’s favorite black and white dairy breed, the Netherlands has been a dairy country since the middle ages. The Netherlands is a Dutch-speaking country in Western Europe, bordered by Germany to the east, Belgium to the south, and the North Sea to the north. The Netherlands is a large exporter of agricultural goods; second only to the United States. Flowers and other ornamentals, vegetables, meat, dairy products, cereals, and flour are the largest agricultural exports. The majority of the country is below, or just above sea level, with much of the water being diverted and directed by man-made dikes, ditches, canals, and lakes to create arable land.

    Figure 2. Dutch cheese wheels stacked and ready for purchase.

    The dairy industry in the Netherlands represents one of the largest agricultural markets for the country. With 18,000 dairy farms, 1.6 million dairy cows, 1.2 million hectares of grassland, and 62 dairy processing facilities, the Netherlands’ dairy industry represents a major economic driver. The dairy sector generates 12.7 billion kg of milk, is responsible for 60,000 jobs, and generates €7.2 billion in export revenue. Nearly 35% of dairy products are consumed domestically, while the remaining 65% are exported.

    Being a northern country beside the ocean, the Netherlands enjoy a cooler climate where temperatures range from 2 to 6°C in the winter and 17 to 20°C in the summer. This reduces the impact of heat stress experienced in other areas of the world. Nearly two thirds of the dairy cows in the Netherlands have access to pasture and the average cow in the Netherlands produces 8,200 kg of milk per year. The majority of milk (~55%) is used for cheese production. Interestingly, Gouda is the most popular cheese, with over half the cheeses made in the Netherlands being Gouda.

    The dairy industry in the Netherlands encounters some unique obstacles not faced elsewhere in the world. For one thing, antibiotic usage has been a concern and efforts to reduce usage have been implemented. For cows in the Netherlands, blanket dry cow therapy is no longer an option. Somatic cell counts, bacteriological cultures, and clinical mastitis history are evaluated before dry-off, and only those meeting specific criteria are treated. Additionally, the use of estrus synchronization protocols have been prohibitied in the European Union since 2006. With greater than 90% of the herds in the Netherlands using artifical insemaintion, alternative heat detection aids are needed.

    Figure 3. June 2016 milk prices for the European Union (Adapted from the Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development).

    One of the more interesting developments in the Netherlands has been the elimination of the milk quota pricing system. Since April 2015, the Netherlands and the rest of the European Union have operated without a milk quota system. The elimination of the quota removed production restrictions that had been in place to control milk supply for the previous 30 years. This has increased the volatility of the milk price. Milk prices throughout the European Union can be seen in Figure 3. Much like the rest of the world, milk prices are down but Dutch dairymen remain optimistic they will rebound. 

    Technology in the Netherlands

    Automatic milking systems have gained worldwide popularity in the last 25 years. Much of the early research and development for these units took place in the Netherlands, with the first commercial units appearing in 1992 . Since then, the Netherlands have been the foremost adopters of automatic milking systems, with nearly 2,300 farms using these systems. Robots aren’t limited to milking, either. Robots for feed delivery, feed push-up, and manure management are frequently utilized on these dairies. Similarly, several other technologies are frequently used by dairy farmers in the Netherlands. Technologies monitoring milk yield, milk composition, cow activity, rumination, lying behavior, feeding behavior, cow position and location, and many others are popular in the Netherlands as well.

    One of the driving factors behind technology adoption and development are labor costs and labor availability. Many of these technologies decrease labor, or make managers more efficient. This saves costs on the amount of time dedicated to performing tasks. Additionally, technologies such as the automatic milking units provide more flexibility in when tasks can be performed, making them a popular option.

    Figure 4. An automatic milking system used on a typical Dutch dairy farm.

    Figure 5. A Dutch freestall housing system.

    Conclusion

    If you have ever considered visiting the Netherlands, I would highly encourage it! The dairy industry there has much to offer, and a lot of knowledge to be gleaned. With the rich cultural dairy heritage and the positive attitude towards the dairy industry, the Netherlands is an interesting place to visit for those of us in the dairy industry!

    References

    de Koning, K. 2011. Automatic milking: Common practice on over 10,000 dairy farms worldwide. Pages 14-31 in Proc. Dairy Research Foundation Symposium.

    DG AGRI (Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development), http://dairy.ahdb.org.uk/market-information/milk-prices-contracts/farmgate-     prices/eu-farmgate-milk-prices/#.V3QmbLgrKUk

    Dutch Agro-Food, http://www.dutchagrofood.com/english/dairy/importance-of-the-sector/

    Dutch Dairy Association (Nederlandse Zuivel Organisatie, NZO) http://www.nzo.nl/en

    2016-2017 GSD Advisory Council

    Welcome to the newly elected 2016-2017 ADSA Graduate Student Division (GSD) Advisory Council: 

    Hiral Vora, President, South Dakota State University
    Matthew Borchers, Vice-President, Social Committee Chair, University of Kentucky
    Kristen Glosson, Secretary, Communication Committee Chair, University of Illinois
    Elizabeth Eckelkamp, Treasurer, Membership Committee Chair, University of Kentucky
    Karthik Pandalaneni, Dairy Foods Director, Education Committee Chair, Kansas State University
    Brittany Casperson, Dairy Production Director, Career Development Committee Chair, Purdue University 

    Attending the ADSA-ASAS Joint Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City, UT? Meet the new leadership team during the GSD Business Meeting and Open Forum on Tuesday, July 19 from 3:15 – 4:00 pm. 

    All graduate students are invited to be involved with the GSD and these great officers. Please check out the GSD Committees!  There will be a Committee sign-up sheet at the GSD Business Meeting, but you can also email KaseyK@adsa.org. We have several committees to choose from, and would love your participation!

    GSD Advisory Council Spotlight-Elizabeth Eckelkamp

    Name: Elizabeth Eckelkamp

    GSD Advisory Council: 2016-17 Treasurer and Membership Committee Chair, 2015-16 Secretary 

    Country of Origin:  United States of America

    Current School: University of Kentucky

    Degree: PhD in Dairy Science (in progress)

    Year in School: 2nd

    Area of Specialization: Applied Precision Dairy Technology

    Research Focus: Farmer utilization of health alerts generated by an on-farm precision dairy technology

    Future Plans: Graduate and work in industry, ideally in a consulting capacity where I can continue to work closely with dairy farmers

    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food: Gouda Cheese

    Structure-Function Properties and Novel Functionality of Casein Micelles-Webinar Recording

    The ADSA Graduate Student Division webinar series continues to be a success! Dr. Federico Harte recently gave an informative presentation titled The Structure-Function Properties and Novel Functionality of Casein Micelles. If you missed Dr. Harte’s presentation, a recording of the webinar is located on the GSD Webinar Recordings webpage.

    Planning is underway for our next GSD webinar. Be watching your email for upcoming announcements! All webinars include a 45 minute presentation followed by a live question and answer session. A recording of the webinar is made available following the live event, and can be found with all of our previous webinar recordings on the GSD Webinar Recordings and GSD Pioneers in Dairy Science webpages. 

    April 2016

    GSD President's Letter

    As winter has come to an end and we begin to see producers back in the fields as we drive by, I hope you find time to get some much deserved R&R before an exciting spring and summer. JAM will be here before we know it, and I hope you are as excited as I am to visit Salt Lake City. Before busy spring sneaks up on us, take some time to read through our newest ADSA Graduate Student Division newsletter!

    Included you will find:

    • The opportunity to learn about the dairy industry in New Zealand!
    • Very important updates and reminders regarding our exciting JAM events in Salt Lake City! Interested in the Three-Minute Thesis Challenge? Graduate and undergraduate students have until Friday, May 6 to enter the competition!
    • The chance to meet some of the GSD officers that have put in a lot of effort behind the scenes to plan JAM events and make GSD membership as impactful as possible!
    • Finally, if you missed our most recent webinar by Dr. Michael Steele, click HERE to view it now!

    Again, I hope each of you are able to attend the 2016 JAM in Salt Lake City! Your Advisory Council and GSD Committee members have been hard at work planning an exciting lineup of events – and we don't think you will be disappointed! Please don't forget to register for JAM, and don't forget to sign up for all of this year's ADSA GSD ticketed events HERE (note: these links are separate this year)! Most importantly, please set aside time to attend our annual business meeting on Tuesday, July 19 from 3:15 – 4:00 pm to meet the newest GSD officer team and help us make plans for the upcoming year!

    Sincerely,

    Adam Geiger
    ADSA GSD President

    International Spotlight-New Zealand Dairy Industry

    By Derek Nolan: M.S. Student, University of Kentucky, Dairy Decision Support

    Introduction to New Zealand

    New Zealand is a country made of two small islands surrounded by the Tasman Sea.  The whole land mass of the country is about the size of Colorado and of that land, roughly 43% is used for agriculture and 95% of that land is used as pasture for livestock production.  Both the North and the South islands have beautiful landscapes but some differences.  A couple of the main differences are the climate and landscape.  Most would not think the climate would change much in such a small area, but the difference in landscape aids this.  The North Island is slightly warmer while the South Island has a more mountainous landscape.  Even though the islands are different, dairy production is predominant in both islands.   

      







    Figure 1: New Zealand North Island Figure 2: New Zealand South Island

    Overview of the Dairy Industry in New Zealand

    In 1882, New Zealand shipped the world’s first refrigerated shipment.  The export to London contained butter and meat.  Refrigerated shipping allowed New Zealand to build a substantial dairy industry.  In 2015 New Zealand dairy companies processed 21.3 billion liters of milk, much, much more than the demand for the country itself.  Ninety-five percent of the milk produced in New Zealand is exported.  Milk powder, butter, and cheese were New Zealand’s top exports in 2014 with a value just shy of $10 billion (USD).  In 2013, 42% of the revenue made from dairy exports was from whole milk powder alone.  Like the United States, New Zealand producers sell to cooperatives but unlike the US, one major cooperative processes the majority of the milk for the country.  Fonterra collects 87% of the milk produced in New Zealand making it the world’s largest dairy exporter.

    Dairy Farming at the Farm Level   

    New Zealand’s dairy industry consists of approximately 5 million cows, making cows more populous than people.  Major breeds consist of the Holstein-Friesian, Jersey and a Holstein-Friesian/Jersey cross, otherwise known as Kiwi Cattle.  The average herd size in New Zealand is 419 cows producing close to 4.5 thousand liters of milk per year.  Seventy-four percent of New Zealand’s dairy farms are in the North Island.  In the North Island, most dairy farms are pasture-based systems where in many cases the parlor might be the only time the cows are ever inside.  This is also the case in the South Island but confinement systems like those that we have here in the US are a little more common than in the North Island. 

    A Year on a Dairy Farm

    Dairy production in New Zealand is very much seasonal.  Some produce milk all year round but this is rare.  It is important to keep in mind that seasons in New Zealand are almost the complete opposite of those in the US.  July through September are the busiest months on a New Zealand dairy farm.  This is the start of spring calving.  Much of the farmer’s time is spent checking the pastures for newborn calves.  Through October into December, herds are at peak milk production.  Towards the end of spring, the breeding season begins.  The majority of farmers use AI and clean up with a bull to catch any cows that are not pregnant by the end of the breeding season.          

    In the summer (January to March) production starts to drop.  Some farmers even begin milking once a day.  Farmers often pregnancy check to aid in decision making for the next year’s season.  In the fall (April and May) winter (June) the herd’s production gradually drops and the dry period begins.  This is when producers focus on the maintenance of both the cow and the farm to prepare for next spring.









    Visit New Zealand!

    A couple of years ago I was given the opportunity of a lifetime to go to New Zealand to study their agriculture industry.  If ever given the opportunity do not pass it up.  Not only is the country beautiful but the dairy industry is too.  

    Important 2016 JAM Updates

    JAM Housing

    Student Headquarter Hotel: The Salt Lake Plaza Hotel, 122 West South Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84101

    The Salt Lake Plaza Hotel will be the student headquarter hotel for the 2016 Joint Annual Meeting. The hotel is conveniently located across the street from the convention center. Room rates are $152 USD for up to 4 to a room.  Students are advised to book early to get a room at the Plaza, as it is the cheapest housing option on the JAM hotel list and rooms will likely sell quickly. Reservations can be changed and canceled without penalty until June 27, 2016. Click here for the housing form.

    ADSA Graduate Student Division Events

    NOTE: ADSA event registration is separate from JAM registration!! 
    Register for all ADSA GSD ticketed events HERE

    ADSA Student Dairy Tour: Bateman's Mosida Farms in Elberta, UT and Utah Olympic Park in Park City, UT
    Monday, July 18, 11:45 am – 6:00 pm, Ticket Cost: $16
    Departing from the lobby of the student hotel, the Salt Lake Plaza, we'll travel via motor coach to Bateman's Mosida Farms in Elberta. Owned and operated by the Bateman family, it is one of Utah’s largest farms and has been touted as a model of efficiency, animal care and high quality milk. Next, we'll depart for Utah Olympic Park, one of the venues for the 2002 XIX Olympic Winter Games. Today it is an active Olympic training site, home to six Nordic Ski Jumps, 1,335-meter sliding track with five start areas, freestyle aerials winter training and competition hill, a 750,000-gallon training pool, and a Winter Sports Center with a Ski Museum and 2002 Olympic Winter Games Museum. Ticket price includes transportation and refreshments.


    ADSA Graduate Student Division Workshop: Applying for jobs? Separate yourself!
    Tuesday, July 19, Time: 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, Ticket Cost: $5
    Join other dairy science graduate students as Dr. Leon Spicer provides practical insight on separating yourself from the rest when it comes time to apply for jobs. Dr. Spicer will cover topics from interview do's and don’ts to the differences between CV and resume writing and much more. There will also be ample time for professional and social networking throughout the workshop. A $5 registration is required.


    ADSA Graduate Student Division Business Meeting and Open Forum
    Tuesday, July 19, Time: 3:15 pm – 4:00 pm
    In addition to greeting the incoming GSD officer team, attend this meeting to voice your ideas and opinions about ADSA graduate student activities. Learn about our upcoming events and enjoy conversations with your fellow dairy science graduate students.


    ADSA Graduate Student Division Career Insights Luncheon
    Wednesday, July 20, 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm, Ticket cost: $10
    This roundtable career development event will provide dairy science graduate students the opportunity to interact with career professionals from industry, academia, and government agencies.  This event is intended to give attendees an informal environment in which to inquire about each professional’s personal journey and the challenges they encountered along the way.  This is also an excellent context in which to network with likeminded professionals and graduate students. A $10 registration fee is required and a boxed lunch will be provided.


    ADSA Student Three-Minute Thesis Challenge
    Entry Deadline: Friday, May 6!!
    Thursday, July 21, 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm
    ADSA Graduate Student and Student Affiliate Division members are encouraged to take part in the return of the Three-Minute Thesis Challenge. This event will test the competitor’s ability to quickly and concisely convey their research in a way that is understandable to all. Competition will be limited to five graduate and five undergraduate students selected prior to JAM by a panel of judges based upon strength of CV and a 100 word abstract describing the presentation. Everyone is invited to attend the Challenge to watch these students compete for cash prizes and present their research in a fun and exciting way!

    ADSA Student Three-Minute Thesis Challenge Rules and Judging Criteria

     The Three-Minute Thesis Challenge was originally developed at The University of Queensland, and this competition has been adapted from the original guidelines. This year’s ADSA Three-Minute Thesis Challenge will showcase 5 graduate members presenting their thesis topics, and 5 undergraduate members presenting their research topics. These respective members will be selected prior to JAM on the basis of a 100-word abstract and strength of Curriculum Vita as determined by a panel of judges. The purpose of this competition is to challenge students to present an overall picture of their research project and its greater implications in a manner that is appropriate for both the scientific and public audiences. The presentation should be content driven and maintain a scientific basis while also being accessible to all audiences. Cash prizes will be given to the first- and second-place graduate students and first- and second-place undergraduate students.    

     Competition rules

    To standardize the presentations in the competition, these rules are to be followed.

    1. A SINGLE PowerPoint slide may be used and the PowerPoint slide may NOT utilize animations.
    2. No additional electronic media such as sound and video files are permitted.
    3. Presentations are limited to three minutes.  Presentations exceeding three minutes will be penalized.
    4. The timer will begin when the competitor begins to speak.
    5. The student will receive an indication from the timekeeper when 30 seconds remain.
    6. The panel of judges has the final decision.

    Judging criteria
    At least three judges will evaluate presentations on the basis of the following criteria and assign a score of 1 to 10 for each criterion, with 1 being poor and a 10 being excellent.  Each criterion within each category carries equal weight.  Scores will be totaled, and winners will be determined by those with the greatest total score.

    Category 1: Content
    1. Did the presentation describe the background and significance of the research?
    2. Did the presentation describe the experimental procedures, results, and conclusions of the research?
    3. Did the presentation follow a clear and logical sequence?
    Category 2: Engagement
    1. Did the presentation make the audience want to know more and capture the audience’s attention?
    2. Was the presenter careful to not trivialize or oversimplify their research?
    3. Was the presenter enthusiastic about their research and outcomes?
    Category 3: Communication
    1. Was the research topic, results, and significance communicated appropriately for all audiences (i.e. both scientific and lay audience members)?
    2. Did the speaker avoid scientific jargon, explain terminology, and provide adequate background information?
    3. Did the speaker have sufficient stage presence, eye contact, vocal range, maintain a steady pace, and have a confident stance?
    4. Was the PowerPoint slide used appropriately to enhance the presentation and convey information?
    5. Was the presentation given in three minutes or less?


    ADSA Graduate Student Division Mixer
    Thursday, July 21, 9:00 pm – 12:00 am, Keys on Main: 242 South Main Street, Salt Lake City
    Enjoy a fun night of entertainment and networking with your fellow dairy science graduate students. Keys on Main is a short walk from the Salt Palace Convention Center and features dueling pianos playing the most popular hits guaranteed to have you singing along! Attend and complete the interactive mixer for your chance to win free refreshments and other exciting prizes!

    GSD Advisory Council Spotlight-Brittany Casperson

    Name:   Brittany Casperson

    GSD Advisory Council: Treasurer and Social Committee Chair

    Country of Origin: United States

    Current School: Purdue University, West Lafayette IN      

    Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

    Year in School: 3rd year

    Area of Specialization: Dairy

    Research Focus: Ruminant Nutrition and Physiology, specifically determine how alternative feed products are utilized by dairy cattle and develop feeding strategies that can be implemented into the dairy industry to enhance milk production efficiency, promote animal health, and improve the success of the industry.

    Future Plans: I plan to obtain a position in industry as a dairy nutrition consultant.   

    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? Milk, it’s so delicious!

    Awards Won: Purina Animal Nutrition Graduate Student Poster Contest in Dairy Production: PhD Division- 1st Place, 2015 JAM

    Lallemand Forward Scholarship Graduate/PhD Division Recipient

    GSD Advisory Council Spotlight-Gil Tansman

    Name: Gil Tansman

    GSD Advisory Council: Dairy Foods Director, Career Development Chair

    Country of Origin: USA

    Current School: The University of Vermont

    Degree: PhD

    Year in School: 4th

    Area of Specialization: Cheese

    Research Focus: Crystallization of minerals in cheese during aging

    Future Plans: I have an open mind to all possibilities

    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? Fresh mozzarella, with a touch of olive oil and pesto

    Nutritional Regulation of Gastrointestinal Development of the Calf-Webinar Recording

    The ADSA Graduate Student Division webinar series continues to be a success! Dr. Michael Steele recently gave an informative presentation titled Nutritional Regulation of Gastrointestinal Development of the Calf. If you missed Dr. Steele’s presentation, a recording of the webinar is located on the GSD Pioneers in Dairy Science webpage.

    Planning is underway for our next GSD webinar. Be watching your email for upcoming announcements! All webinars include a 45 minute presentation followed by a live question and answer session. A recording of the webinar is made available following the live event, and can be found with all of our previous webinar recordings on the GSD Webinar Recordings and GSD Pioneers in Dairy Science webpages. 

    October 2015

    GSD President's Letter

    Welcome to the GSD Newsletter!  

    We currently have a lot of exciting things going on with the ADSA Graduate Student Division (GSD). We are busy planning some great educational webinars over the next few months, and have recently scheduled all graduate student events for JAM 2016 in Salt Lake City! 

    I hope you continue to stay in touch with the GSD throughout the year. After you finish reading the Newsletter, take a moment to check out the other areas of our website.

    As you will see below, the Communications committee has put together a great Newsletter. In the current issue, you will find a very interesting article by Hiral Vora about the Canadian dairy industry, and an industry spotlight featuring Randy Brandsma with Schreiber Foods. Don’t forget to check out the student profiles highlighting two of our student competition winners, Janna Moats and Melissa Woolpert, as well as an officer profile on Benjamin Enger, the GSD Dairy Production director.

    If you haven’t done so yet, please join our Facebook page for GSD updates and other interesting dairy-related articles.  Last, if you are not familiar with the myDairyCareer website, check it out to view job, internship, and postdoctoral opportunities.

    Sincerely, 
    Adam Geiger
    ADSA GSD President  

    International Spotlight-Canadian Dairy Industry

    By: Hiral Vora-ADSA GSD Vice-President and PhD Candidate at South Dakota State University

    Overview of Geographical location and climatic conditions

    Canada is a country, consisting of ten provinces and three territories, in the northern part of the continent of North America. It extends from the Atlantic to the Pacific and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering 9.98 million square kilometers (3.85 million square miles) in total, making it the world's second-largest country by total area and the fourth-largest country by land area. Canada's common border with the United States forms the world's longest land border.

    The major Canadian city that falls outside the continental climate schema is Vancouver, which experiences an oceanic climate with a marked summer dry season. Of the eight largest Canadian cities, Ottawa, Montreal and Toronto have the warmest summers, Winnipeg the coldest winters, while Vancouver's winters are far milder than any other large city in Canada.

    Central and northern Canada experiences subarctic and Arctic climates, much of them arid. Those areas are not heavily populated due to the severe climate, where it drops below −20 °C (−4 °F) on most winter days and has a very brief summer season.

       










    Fig: 1 Map showing location of Canada in world map and detailed provinces of Canada

    The Canadian Dairy Industry

    The Canadian dairy industry is a strong and viable industry in Canada. Canadian milk and dairy products are as diverse as Canada’s land and people and are world-renowned for their excellence.  In Canada, 98% of dairy farms across Canada are family-owned and operated. Dairy farms can be found in each province across Canada with a large concentration (81%) located in Ontario and Quebec, 13% in the Western provinces and 6% in the Atlantic provinces. The average Canadian dairy farm milks 73 cows.

    The dairy industry in Canada is represented by the Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC). Founded in 1934, DFC has now come to be responsible for the policy, marketing, nutrition, and market research activities relating to milk production in Canada, and is the voice of Canadian dairy producers.

    At The Farm

    The Canadian dairy industry is famous for the superior genetic quality of its herd as well as its strong dairy cattle improvement and genetic evaluation programs. Over 75% of Canadian dairy herds are enrolled in milk recording programs. Cows recorded in official milk recording programs produced on average 9,893 kg of milk per lactation (305 days) with an average content of 3.92% fat and 3.22% protein.

    The Holstein breed is the most common dairy breed (94% of the dairy herd); Ayrshire, Brown Swiss, Canadienne, Guernsey, Jersey and Milking Shorthorn breeds are also found on Canadian farms.

     

    Fig 2: Showing Number of Farms, Dairy Cows and Dairy Heifers in different states of Canada

    Supply Chain Management

    The Canadian dairy sector operates under a supply management system based on planned domestic production, administered pricing and dairy product import controls. The dairy industry ranks third (based on farm cash receipts) in the Canadian agriculture sector following grains and oilseeds and red meats.

    The table below highlights some key features of the Canadian dairy industry:

    Farm

    2014

    Total net farm receipts from dairying

    $ 6.07 billion

    Dairy manufacturing shipments

    $17.3 billion

    Dairy cattle population

    1.4 million head

    Number of dairy farms

    11,962 (Aug. 1, 2014)

    Milk production

    78.3 million hl

    Organic milk production (Dairy Year 2013/14)

    0.97 million hl

    Goat milk production

    0.515 million hl

    Processing sector

    Largest processors

    Saputo, Agropur and Parmalat

    Number of plants

    447 dairy plants

    Milk utilization

    Fluid milk

    28.2 million hl

    Industrial milk

    49.9 million hl

    Table 1: Some key feature highlights of Canadian Dairy Industry

    Manufacturing of Dairy Products

    Canadians looking for healthy and nutritious products continue to have access to an ever expanding range of quality and innovative Canadian dairy products. New dairy products have been developed such as Greek-style yogurt, pre- and probiotics, lactose-free and calcium or omega-3 fortified products. Milk protein products continue to be used as ingredients in a growing array of food items, such as infant formula, sports and nutritional beverages and confectionaries.

    The Canadian cheese industry has entered into a maturity phase, evidenced by its know-how developed through extensive cheese making traditions and the diversity of its more than 1000 varieties of cheese (cow, goat, ewe and water buffalo). Many of these are recognized around the world for their quality and taste. 

     

     

     

    Production of main products

     

     

    Specialty cheese (155,175 t.)

     Cheddar (143,054 t.)

     Mozzarella (116,131 t.)

     Yogurt (317,601 t.)

     Hard ice cream (172,242 t.)

     Butter (87,232 t.)

     Skim milk powder (80,984 t.)

     

     

    Per capita consumption

     

     

     

    Fluid milk (74.17 litres)

    Cheese (12.02 kg)

    Cream (10.17 litres)

    Yogurt (9.28 litres)

    Ice cream (5.49 litres)

    Butter (2.84 kg)

    Dairy workforce

    Manufacturing sector (22,679 jobs)

    Dairy farm operations (22,055 jobs)

    Table 2: Highlights of Canadian manufacturing industry

    Trade Overview

     In 2014, imports of dairy products totaled 201,667 tonnes ($900.1 million) and exports reached 95,258 tonnes ($281 million). This represented 19.6% increase in import value and 7.2% increase in export value from last year. Looking to the Canadian dairy trade balance during the last decade, imports of dairy have been consistently higher than exports.  The strength of the Canadian dollar up until late 2014 made imports not subject to Tariff Rate Quotas (TRQ) more attractive, particularly milk protein ingredients. Demand for products such as dairy protein ingredients is rising steadily, and cannot be entirely supplied by the small, newly developing protein ingredient industry in Canada. 

    Dairy products

     

    Imports

    $900.1 million

    Main products imported

    Cheese, Milk Protein Isolates, Whey Products and Casein

    Major suppliers

    US, New Zealand, Italy and France

    Exports

    $280.9 million

    Main products exported

    Cheese, Whey Products and Skim Milk Powder

    Major markets

    United States, Egypt, Philippines and Cuba

    Dairy genetics

     

    Net exports (Bovine embryos, semen and live

    dairy cattle)

    $158.3 million

     

    Major markets for Canadian animal genetics

     

    US, Kazakhstan and Republic of Korea (Dairy cattle)

    US, Netherlands and China (Dairy Semen)

    Australia, China and Germany (Embryos)

    Table 3: Trade overview of Canadian Dairy Industry

    Conclusions

    The Canadian dairy industry is known for its very high quality and safety standards. Many milk safety and quality programs and services help farmers across Canada to produce the highest-quality and safest dairy products for consumers. Enforcement of strict quality standards on dairy farms and in processing plants enhances this international reputation, along with a strong commitment to sound animal welfare practices and environmental sustainability.

    To ensure dairy animals across Canada are kept in healthy and well-maintained conditions, Dairy Farmers of Canada and the National Farm Animal Care Council have collaborated to create and update the Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Dairy Cattle. The Canadian Dairy Industry has implemented this Code that meets or exceeds the majority of the standards of humane livestock treatment expected by the food industry and society.

    References

    www.agr.gc.ca/eng/industry-markets-and-trade/statistics-and-market-information

    www.dairyinfo.gc.ca

    www.dairyfarmers.ca

    www.holstein.ca/Public/en/About_Us/The_Canadian_Dairy_Industry

    www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada

     

     

    Industry Spotlight-Randy Brandsma

    What degrees do you hold and from where? I have a PhD from Cornell University in Food Science (Dairy Processing) where I worked on microfiltration of milk for manufacture of Mozzarella cheese. Prior to that, I earned a Master’s degree from South Dakota State University in Dairy Science (Manufacturing) with my thesis work on manufacture of reduced fat cheese from evaporated milk. My Bachelor degree is also from South Dakota State University in Commercial Economics.

    What company do you work for? I’ve worked for Schreiber Foods in Green Bay, WI since 1999. The company started in 1945 in Green Bay and we are now one of the largest dairy companies in the world with 27 plants and more than 7,000 partners worldwide. Our primary products are cream cheese, process cheese, natural cheese, and yogurt. Additionally, we have a plant in India that makes a full range of dairy products and ingredients.

    What is your position- title and duties? I’m currently Sr. Principal Scientist at Schreiber Foods. My primary work is to conduct research on new products and process developments, process modifications, and cost savings on a variety of processed & natural cheese products, as well as cultured products. My project activities involve experimental design, prototyping, plant trials, patent reviews, nutritional qualifications, economic evaluation, and commercial plant scale-up. Other work involves plant troubleshooting support, nutritional database management, creation and revision of ingredient specifications, developing new cost-effective ingredients, and developing test protocols for measurement of ingredient and finished product functional properties.

    Why did you choose your current position? Coming out of my PhD program, I was looking for a company where I could make a difference and use both my dairy knowledge and economics background. Schreiber offered a position where I could lead broad, end-to-end projects that utilized many different skills with a lot of variety. My job allows a person to really go as far as they want to and to directly impact company profitability.

    What is your favorite part about your current position or company you work for? My job allows me to work on many different aspects of a project and to collaborate with partners in all the corporate and operational functions of Schreiber Foods.  The people I work with each day and overall variety are my favorite things. 

    What previous jobs have you held? I worked for Davisco Foods as a Quality Assurance team leader prior to going for my PhD degree. During my time at Cornell, my major professor at Cornell, Sy Rizvi, helped me arrange a 7 month internship at the Nestle Research Center in Lausanne, Switzerland, which really opened my eyes to the rest of the world and broader opportunities. 

    Did you always know that one day you would work in the dairy industry? Definitely not, as I didn’t have any direct relationship to the industry. However the area was very appealing in that it offered me a chance to use many skills, had a variety of work, and opportunities for personal growth. 

    If you could give advice to any student, what would it be? Study hard, learn the value of hard work, and get as many experiences as you can to help you understand where you want to end up at. As you enter into the workforce, you should always go above and beyond the expectations of your leader. Be self-directed and motivated. Many people today look to someone else to lead or tell them how and what should be done. The most successful people think about what they are doing, figure out how to make it better/more successful, and then go the extra mile to accomplish it Doing so takes time and effort, but this attitude is highly valued in any line of work. In situations where there isn’t a clear leader, go ahead and take a chance – you might like it. Be organized and diligent in doing what you said you would or should do. Don’t be a complainer, rather be the person pushing forward with the answer to the problem. 

    What is your favorite thing about the dairy industry in general? The people have been tremendous and couldn’t ask for a more down to earth and genuine group of folks, all the way through academia, suppliers, production, and competitors. People like dairy products and it’s enjoyable to develop and make things that taste great and provide good nutrition. 

    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? I really like process cheese, which goes very well with many foods. … but should mention that liquid ice cream mix is pretty good too!

    Student Spotlight-Janna Moats

    Name: Janna Moats

    Country of Origin: Canada

    Current School: University of Saskatchewan

    Degree: M.Sc. Animal Science

    Year in School: 2nd year

    Area of Specialization: Ruminant Nutrition

    Research Focus: Effect of dietary flaxseed supplementation on Rumen Metabolism and Milk Composition

    Future Plans: Work in the feed industry

    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? Ice Cream!

    Award Won: Purina Animal Nutrition Graduate Student Poster Contest in Dairy Production: MS Division- 2nd Place

    ADSA Three-Minute Thesis Competition- 1st Place

    Student Spotlight-Melissa Woolpert

    Name: Melissa Woolpert

    Country of Origin: US

    Current School: The University of Vermont, with assistantship support from Miner Institute

    Degree: MS Candidate

    Year in School: 2nd year

    Area of Specialization: Food Systems

    Research Focus: Dairy nutrition and management

    Future Plans: After graduate school, I would like to work in agricultural communications. I am passionate about helping the general public engage in science, and specifically to help them understand how hard farmers work to take care of their animals, the land, and to produce safe and healthy food!

    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? It’s a three way tie between Cabot sharp cheddar, Chobani greek yogurt, and Ben and Jerry’s ice cream!

    Award Won: 2nd place in the ADSA Three-Minute Thesis Challenge and 3rd place in the ADSA Production Division Oral Competition for MS students

    GSD Advisory Council Spotlight-Benjamin Enger

    Name:   Benjamin Enger

    GSD Advisory Council: Dairy Production Director and Education Committee Chairman

    Country of Origin: USA

    Current School: Virginia Tech

    Degree: Currently working on Ph.D. in Dairy Science and previously received M.S. in Animal Science from Washington State University in 2014

    Year in School: Beginning the second year of Ph.D. program

    Area of Specialization: Mastitis and Mammary Development

    Research Focus: Characterizing mastitis’ impact on the growth and development of the mammary gland in prepartum heifers.

    Future Plans: Graduate and continue to work in academia.

    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? Without a doubt it has to be ice cream!!

    April 2015

    GSD President's Letter

    Happy spring!  The year is passing by quickly so don’t forget to register for JAM 2015 in Orlando, FL July 12-16, 2015.  Book your JAM hotel room at the reduced student rate of $96/night here.  We have new events this year and you can find them listed in the JAM Registration Brochure.

    The GSD communications committee has put together a great newsletter!  You can access the current newsletter and past newsletters on our GSD website.   Included in the spring newsletter are the following articles:

    • Learn about the dairy industry in Austria in the international spotlight article.
    • Hear from a master cheese maker, Duane Petersen, from Arla Foods.
    • Student spotlights with Xin Feng from Virginia Tech and Karmella Dolechek from the University of Kentucky.

    If you haven’t taken the time yet, be sure to check out myDairyCareer where you can post your resume and search for available jobs in the dairy industry. 

    Lastly, in order for GSD to continue to improve we need your help!  The Call for Nominations for 2015-2016 GSD officers will be arriving in your inbox later this month.  Please consider running for available positions!

    Curtis Park

    ADSA GSD President 

    International Spotlight-Austrian Dairy Industry

    by Barbara Wolfger and Robert Wolf

    1.0 INTRODUCTION

    Austria is a small, landlocked country in Central Europe, bordered by Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany. The terrain is mainly in the Alps and only 32% of the country is below 500 m. The central European and Atlantic climates influence Austria’s climate with four distinct seasons. Although small, Austria’s climate varies by region. The east is characterized by Pannonian climate with low precipitation, hot summers and moderately cold winters. The Alpine Region has high precipitation, short summers and long winters and the remainder of the country is influenced by the Atlantic in the West and the continental influence in the Southeast. Climate and topography of the land influence the distribution of cattle around the country, with higher cattle density in the foothills and the mountainous parts of the Alps, where cultivation of grain is hampered by steep slopes and rough winters.

     

    Fig. 1: Graphical distribution of dairy cattle in Austria; source: Bundesanstalt fuer Bergbauernfragen

    2.0 HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE AND CURRENT STATUS OF AUSTRIAN DAIRY INDUSTRY

     Currently around 28,200 farms (28% of all farms) in Austria are specialized dairy farms, whereas around 9,100 farms (9%) are mixed farms, with income from multiple sources (Source: Bundesministerium fuer ein lebenswertes Oesterreich). While the cattle population and number of farms in Austria have decreased during the past decades, the total milk production has almost doubled since 1960 (Fig. 1). The average farm size in 2013 was 17.2 lactating cows per farm (Gruener Bericht, 2014).

    Farms are usually family run businesses, relying on both women’s and men’s labor. During the summer months (depending on the area between May/June and September) young stock is commonly put on alpine pastures and is raised on the main farm during the rest of the year. In some areas, lactating dairy cows are brought to alpine summer pastures and milked in special “summer barns”. In 2013, 263,800 cattle grazed 8,396 alpine pastures. Around ¼ of Austria’s pasture land and 17% of all farms (including grain, wine, orchards and animal production) are organically managed (Gruener Bericht 2014). 

    Fig. 1: Total milk production and number of herds between 1960 and 2012. Source: ZAR/Zuchtdata

      

    Figure 2: Summer pasture in the western, mountainous parts of the country (left picture), summer barn and farmhouse (right picture). Source: Afra-Verena-Mang, and Barbara Wolfger

     



    Another source of income for Austrian farmers is trade of breeding cattle. Due to the high health status of Austrian farms, a significant number of breeding cattle is exported internationally.

     DAIRY BREEDS

    The Austrian cattle industry consists of a variety of breeds, including traditional dual-purpose breeds, like Pinzgauer and Grauvieh, and pure dairy breeds, like Brown Swiss and Holstein. However, the majority of cattle is Austrian Simmental, increasing from 40% in 1954 to 76% in 2013. Although Austrian Simmental is a typical dual-purpose breed, its annual milk production has increased to an average of 7,103 kg/lactation, which is comparable with the milk production of Brown Swiss with 7,111 kg/lactation and slightly lower than Holstein with 8,483 kg/lactation.

    Like elsewhere, progress in genetics advanced through the increased use of reproductive techniques, such as artificial insemination. Insemination density increased from 40.5% in 1970 to 95.2% in 2013. Due to the small herd sizes, the majority of inseminations in Austria are still carried out by veterinarians (55%), with insemination technicians (6%) and farmers who inseminate only their own cows (39%) playing less of a role. However, with increasing herd sizes, the proportion of inseminations carried out by veterinarians will likely decrease.

    ANIMAL FEEDING AND HOUSING

    Animal housing and feeding are dependent on the herd size and the geographic location. Small herds that are often located in the mountainous western region of the country use tie stalls (Figure 3), and pasture their cows during the summer months. Large herds are frequently located in the foothills and use free stalls (Figure 4), house their cows indoors for the whole year and feed TMR. Across systems, wood is an important building material because most farmers own forestland.







    Figure 3: Traditional Austrian barn design (left picture), tie stall barn (middle picture)

    Figure 4: Austrian Simmental in an open free stall barn (right picture)

    ORGANIZATION AND MARKETING

    The processing sector is mainly organized through farmer owned cooperatives in different sizes. For example, the western part of the country has many small cheese plants that produce local specialties. A few large companies that trade their products on the international market, however, process the majority of the milk. The milk price is generally low and the current 37 Euro/100kg is insufficient to cover the high production costs on Austrian dairy farms (Figure 5). However, a significant proportion of the profit generated on Austrian farms is due to state, as well as European, subsidies, for which farms have to meet predefined environmental and animal welfare standards. This system makes farmers dependent on governmental regulations, but also makes dairy products competitive on the international market. It is noteworthy that the European Union recently dropped the quota regulation in the milk sector, which will likely impact the structure of the dairy industry as well as the milk price.

    Figure 5: European milk prices in December 2014 (Adapted from Agrarmarkt Austria)

    Industry Spotlight-Duane Peterson

    Brief Background: I have been making cheese for more than forty years now, but didn’t always plan on becoming a world-class cheesemaker. I actually began working in a cheese factory when I was 14 as a way to save money for college. I continued working at the plant while earning an associate’s degree and had plans to work as a Civil Engineer after school, but cheese making kept calling me back. My passion for this craft led me to pursue a Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker certification in 2002 in Edam and Gouda. This year, I returned for a certification in Havarti. I am currently working for Arla Foods, making cheese, helping to keep equipment up-to-date, mentoring cheesemakers, monitoring the cheese recipes and helping to make sure everything runs smoothly. I hope that my years of experience will help fellow cheesemakers and that my certifications will help my company to grow.

    What degree(s) do you hold and from where? I hold an associate degree from Northeast Wisconsin Technical College in Civil Engineering and 3 Master Certificates from the University of Wisconsin. I received 2 Certificates in 2003 in Gouda and Edam. I will receive my 3rd in Havarti this year at the US Championship Cheese Contest.

    What company do you work for? I work for Arla Foods Production in Hollandtown, Wisconsin which is located about 15 miles south of Green Bay and 11 miles east of Appleton. This plant has been in the Dairy business for over 100 years.

    Briefly describe that company. We are the leading manufacturing facility in the US for Havarti cheese but we also make Gouda, Edam, Muenster and Fontina. We have a number of cutting and slicing lines to further process our bulk cheese. We also sell bulk cheese to a number of cut and wrap people such as Sargento and Kraft. The plant produces about 33 million pounds of cheese per year. We have approximately 200 employees. The plant is supplied by 52 local farms.

    What is your position title and duties? I am a master cheese maker. My responsibility at the dairy plant is to train and help the 10 cheese makers that I have on staff. I am responsible for all the cheese that is made in this plant as far as quality and how it looks. I am also responsible for new products and procedures. I take care of the day to day scheduling on what we will make and how. I take care of milk sales or the purchase of milk if needed.

    What drew you to your current position and why did you choose it? I spent 15 years as a cheese maker so I decided to pick up some short courses through the University of Wisconsin to help my career if not here, then elsewhere. I enrolled in the Master Cheese Maker Course and this helped further my career. I was promoted to Production Manager and spent 12 years doing that. I no longer hold that title because of the growth of our plant so we had to divide up the duties that I had. Our plant went from producing 15 million pounds of cheese per year to the present 33 million pounds per year. It became impossible to concentrate on both positions so we hired a new Production Manager. Some of my duties include training him before I retire.

    What other jobs have you held prior to this job? 15 years as a cheese maker followed by 12 years as a production manager. I did give a go for 2 years in the Civil Engineering field and it was just not what I expected. Working outside during construction season 12 hours per day sometimes more and laid off in the winter. If I would have stuck with the job it would have worked out but the cheese making kept pulling me back.

    If you could give one bit of advice to a current graduate student or someone interested in a job similar to yours, what would it be? If I could give advice to a graduate student, focus on the food industry. This is one of the industries in the United States that will always be around and will continue to grow.

    What type of employee is your company looking for and what sets an applicant ahead of his/her peers? As far as what we look for in skilled level jobs, it is some type of education and experience in the Dairy Field. We look for this type because our primary function is to produce cheese so we look for someone that has that skill level. There are many opportunities in Food Industry from R&D to Quality to Regulatory and hands on positions.

    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? My favorite dairy food is cheese but just for the record the type of cheese is 1 year old smoked Edam.

    Student Spotlight-Xin Feng

    Name: Xin Feng

    Country of Origin: China

    Current School: Virginia Tech

    Degree: Ph.D (May 2015 expected)

    Year in School: Aug 2011-May 2015

    Area of Specialization: Ruminant phosphorus digestion and metabolism

    Research Focus: Phosphorus digestion and absorption in dairy cattle and growing Holstein steers

    Future Plans: Will work as a postdoc at Dr. Knowlton's lab studying how antibiotic treatment would affect gut and fecal microbiome of cattle

    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food?  Yogurt I guess

    Award Won: Graduate Paper Competition Third Place-Dairy Production PhD level (2014 ADSA annual meeting)

    Student Spotlight-Karmella Dolecheck

    Name: Karmella Dolecheck

    Country of Origin: Idaho, USA

    Current School: University of Kentucky

    Degree: PhD Animal Sciences

    Year in School: First year of PhD

    Area of Specialization: Dairy Economics and Decision Support

    Research Focus: I work with spreadsheet based dairy farm models to try to determine the effect of different disease treatments, nutritional products, and management strategies on whole farm profitability.

    Future Plans: Undecided

    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? Cheese- almost any kind

    Award Won: Graduate Paper Competition Third Place- Dairy Production MS Level

    myDairy Career website

    Graduating soon and looking for a job? Need an internship?  Whether now or in the future, the ADSA Graduate Student Division has created just the resource you need!  myDairy Career is a complimentary online job resource center that unites the best and brightest of the next generation of dairy scientists with current dairy focused jobs, post-doc positions, academic positions, and even graduate student internship opportunities.

    Gain access to the high-quality Dairy Science opportunities you’ve been looking for.

    Log onto http://careers.adsa.org/ to search for job, internship or assistantship opportunities today!

    1.    Click on “Job Seekers” and enter your ADSA member username and password. You can even create an account if you don’t have one!

    2.    Edit “Your Profile” to include your personal information.

    3.    Search available posted positions specific to your interests!

    December 2014

    GSD President's Letter

    Dear ADSA GSD,

    A new year has come upon us! What a better way to start the New Year than to get involved with an ADSA GSD committee!

    Mark your calendars now for the 2015 JAM in Orlando, FL July 12-16. Don’t forget the abstract deadline is March 3, 2015. Now is also the time to reserve a hotel room at the student rate of only $96/night.  There are a limited number of these rooms available, so book early HERE! With that, don’t forget to renew your GSD membership and register for the 2015 JAM.  We have some new and exciting events planned this year!

    The GSD Communications Committee has worked hard to put together the winter newsletter.  Check out these great articles below.
    ·         Get to know Jade Proulx and Lindsey Caudle-Chambers, two of the 2014 JAM competition winners.
    ·         An interesting article by Bettie Kawonga about the dairy industry in Malawi.
    ·         A spotlight on Nate Zwald from Alta Genetics.

    I look forward to a new year working with you to make the ADSA GSD even better!

    Curtis Park
    ADSA GSD President

    myDairy Career

    Graduating soon and looking for a job? Need an internship?  Whether now or in the future, the ADSA Graduate Student Division has created just the resource you need!  myDairy Career is a complimentary online job resource center that unites the best and brightest of the next generation of dairy scientists with current dairy focused jobs, post-doc positions, academic positions, and even graduate student internship opportunities.

    Gain access to the high-quality Dairy Science opportunities you’ve been looking for.

    Log onto http://careers.adsa.org/ to search for job, internship or assistantship opportunities today!

    1.    Click on “Job Seekers” and enter your ADSA member username and password. You can even create an account if you don’t have one!

    2.    Edit “Your Profile” to include your personal information.

    3.    Search available posted positions specific to your interests!

    Student Spotlight - Jade Proulx

    Country of Origin: Canada     

    Current School: Cornell University

    Degree: M.S. Food Science

    Year in School: Expected graduation in December 2014 from Cornell University

    Area of Specialization: Food Engineering / Non-thermal processing 

    Research Focus: Development of Pulsed Light based treatments for microbial control on cheese surface 

    Future Plans: Full-time R&D Scientist at Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc.

    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? Aged cheddar from Fromagerie Perron in Québec!

    Award Won: 1st place in the 2014 ADSA/Dairy Foods Graduate Student Paper Presentation Competition

    Student Spotlight - Lindsey Caudle-Chambers

    Country of Origin: United States
    Current School: N/A
    Degree: M.S. Dairy Science
    Year in School: Graduated in August 2014 from Virginia Tech
    Area of Specialization: Antibiotic Resistance, Metagenomics
    Research Focus: Using metagenomics to analyze the effect of therapeutic antibiotic administration on the fecal microbiome of dairy cows
    Future Plans: Pursue a career with the USDA or NIH
    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? Homestead Creamery ice cream (from Burnt Chimney, VA)
    Award Won: 2nd place in the 2014 MS Graduate Student Paper Presentation in Production Area

    International Spotlight - Malawi Dairy Industry

    By Bettie Kawonga

    1.0 INTRODUCTION

    Malawi also nicknamed the “Warm Heart of Africa” is a country in southern central Africa with a population of about 13 million (Malawi Government, 2008). The total surface area is 118,484 km² of which 31,000km² is covered by Lake Malawi, the 8th largest fresh water lake in the World. Malawi has a sub-tropical climate, with a mean annual temperature of 24° C (75° F). 

                      

    Figure1: Lake Malawi                                                           Figure2: Map of Malawi www.worldatlas.com

    The warm-wet season stretches from November to April, the cool, dry winter season from May to August with mean temperatures varying between 17 and 270C (63 to 80.60F) and temperatures falling between 4 and 100C (39 and 500F ). A hot, dry season lasts from September to October with average temperatures varying between 25 and 37 0C (77 and 70.60F). Humidity ranges from 50% to 87% for the drier months of September/October and wetter months of January/ February respectively. www.metmalawi.com/climate/climate.php.  


    2.0 HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE AND CURRENT STATUS OF MALAWI DAIRY INDUSTRY 

    Smallholder intensive dairy production commenced in 1969 with installation of plants in Blantyre (1969), Lilongwe (1973) and Mzuzu (1974) to process milk to meet growing urban demand (Chagunda et al., 2002). Crossbreeding Malawi Zebu with Canadian Holstein-Friesians was initiated to increase milk yield and in 1973 half-bred cows were sold to smallholder farmers (Chagunda et al., 2002).  


    Cattle population is estimated at 980,000 of which 3.4 % is dairy cattle comprising of an estimated 28,025 (84%) crosses and 5295 (16%) pure breeds (Malawi Government, 2010). Small-scale producers contribute over 80% of the marketed milk output and dominate the dairy sector in Malawi. The annual domestic milk production is estimated at 61,491 tonnes of which 37% (22,783 tonnes) is from improved dairy animals and 63% (38,708 tonnes) is from the Malawi Zebu cattle (DAHLD, 2008). The average milk production per cow per day ranges from 5 to 10 litres (Kawonga et al., 2012). 

    The dairy industry in Malawi is constrained by low numbers of dairy animals, low productivity, lack of access to stock and artificial insemination, diseases and parasites, stock theft, poor quality feeds and feeding, poor husbandry practices, limited access to credit and extension services, insufficient infrastructure and support services (Chagunda et al., 2004).


    DAIRY BREEDS

    Holstein- Friesian and Jersey breeds are the dominant dairy breeds owned by farmers in Malawi (Chagunda et al, 2006, Kawonga et al., 2012). A small proportion of smallholder livestock farmers (< 3%) own Saanen-Malawi local goat crosses. The dairy goat crosses are mostly distributed to farm families under Child nutrition improvement programs.


    BREEDING PROGRAMS

     

     

    Malawi has one Government funded National Artificial Insemination Center (NAIC) for semen production and crossbreeding of Holstein-Friesian and Malawi Zebu (Chagunda et al., 1998). The strategy has been used to explore the difference in milk yield and tropical stress adaptability between the Bos Indicus and Bos Taurus breeds (Cunningham and Syrstad, 1987).The crosses produced at NAIC are distributed to farmers through Milk bulking groups. Dairy goat breeding is done at the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR).     


      

     

    Figure 3: Malawi Zebu (left) and Holstein-Friesian dairy breed used for AI at NAIC 

     

     

     

     

     

      

    Figure 4: Saanen goats (left) and Malawi local goats (right) at LUANAR Goat breeding farm



    ANIMAL FEEDING AND HOUSING

    The majority of smallholder farmers have adopted cut-and-carry feeding system (Banda J, 2008). Cut-and-carry feeding system are a form of zero grazing, an approach in which livestock are permanently housed and provided with fodder and water.  The benefits of using zero grazing management on dairy farms include increased monitoring of the health of the animals, reduced energy and time costs to livestock, and reduced risk of tick-borne diseases. Dairy animals are milked by hand twice a day in a compartment located within the housing structure (Fig 8).

       

     

    Figure5: Farmers transporting grass for cow feeding    Figure 6: Drying grass  Figure 7: Farmers making hay bales  

      

     

     

     

    Figure 8: Standard cattle housing structure in Malawi



    FARMER ORGANIZATION AND MILK MARKETING

    There are an estimated 7,000 smallholder dairy farmers in the formal sector who keep 1-3 animals and around 9 medium or large-scale producers (Chagunda et al., 2004). Farmers are organized in milk marketing centers known as Milk Bulking Groups (MBGs). Milk delivered by farmers is weighed and tested for wholesomeness and bacteriological and chemical quality before being cooled for collection by dairy processors. 

     

     

     

    Figure 9: Kavuzi Milk Bulking Group in Northern Malawi


    MILK PROCESSING, MARKETING AND CONSUMPTION

    Malawi uses volume-based milk payment system which has promoted the predominant use of Holstein-Friesian cattle. Most the milk in Malawi is marketed informally (over 60%). The processing companies’ process 35,000 litres daily of which around 55-60% is supplied locally (Rates, 2004). Malawi exports about 7% of its milk to neighboring countries and imports over 40% of total milk consumed in Malawi (DIDP, 2012). Contributing causes for the increase in imports have been the liberalization of international trade since 1981which included reductions in tariffs, removal of non-tariff barriers to trade (WTO), changes in the exchange rate, regional and bilateral trade agreements (SADC and COMESA) and structural adjustment programs (SAPs). Malawi’s per capita consumption is estimated at 6kg which is too low when compared with an estimated Africa figure of 15 kg and FAO requirements of 200kg. 


    Source: DIDP, 2012

    References

    Banda, J., 2008. Revolutionalizing Livestock industry in Malawi. Department of Animal Science, University of Malawi, Bunda College of Agriculture, Lilongwe, Malawi.


    Changunda M.M,G , 2002. The Importance of National Breeding Policy-Case for the Malawian Dairy Industry. Department of Animal Science, University of Malawi, Bunda College of Agriculture, Lilongwe, Malawi.


    Chagunda, M. G. G., Wollny, C.B.A., Bruns E., and Kamwanja L. A. 1998. Evaluation of the artificial insemination program for small-scale dairy farms in Malawi.Archiv fur Tierzucht-Archives of Animal Breeding. 41(1-2):45-51.


    Dairy Industry Development Platform (DIDP), 2012. Dairy value Chain review: end Market Assessment.


    Kawonga, B, Chagunda, M.M.G, Gondwe, T.N, Gondwe, S and Banda, J., 2012. Characterisation of smallholder dairy production systems using animal welfare and milk quality. Trop Anim Health Prod 44:1429–1435


    Malawi Government, 2008. Annual Livestock Census Report. Department of Animal Health and Livestock Development, Lilongwe, Malawi. Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.


    Malawi Government, 2010. Annual Livestock Census Report. Department of AnimalHealth and Livestock Development, Lilongwe, Malawi. Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.


    Malawi Government, 2008. National Statistical Office Census Report. 


    Regional Agricultural Trade Expansion Support program (RATES). Review of the Dairy Industry in Malawi, Imani Development consultants, June 2004.


    Cunningham, E.P. & Syrstad, O. Crossbreeding Bos indicus and Bos 1987 taurus for milk production in the tropics. FAO Animal Production and Health Paper 68, 90 pp


    Industry Spotlight - Nate Zwald

    Brief Background: I grew up and am still involved with Bomaz Farms – an 800 cow dairy in NW Wisconsin.  I have worked for Alta since 2001 in various roles.  I am married to Angela, who I met in college, and we have 3 kids, Mary (6), Allison (4), Zachary (6 months).

     What degrees do you hold and from where? I received my MBA and PHD from UW-Madison

     What company do you work for? Alta Genetics

     Briefly describe that company: We are an International Genetics and Reproduction company

     What is your position title and duties? I am the General Manager for the United States and am responsible for oversight of all US business.

     What drew you to your current position and why did you choose it? The motivation of people in the USA and the infrastructure of the dairy industry here is the best in the world.  That combined with the cultural differences, and the fact that International travel for long stints is taxing on a young family, make the USA a great place to be!  We have a great team in the USA, which I am very happy to be part of!

     What other jobs have you held prior to this job? I spent time managing parts of our product development program initially with Alta, and also was responsible for Global Strategic Marketing for 2 years prior to my current role. 

     If you could give one bit of advice to a current graduate student, what would it be? Work for an organization that you believe in, with leadership that you identify with.  Never be afraid of new challenges, or taking on responsibility out of your comfort zone, and CERTAINLY do not be afraid of “sales”.  Some of the BEST and most lucrative positions in the industry are sales, and when approached correctly, the relationships you build with your customers is lifelong and very rewarding.

     What type of employee is your company looking for and what sets an applicant ahead of his/her peers? We look for the right type of person that can identify with our progressive clients, and can fit within our culture.  We can teach technical things, but it is difficult to teach the intangibles!

     Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? Milk!  I drink a half gallon everyday!

    September 2014

    GSD President's Letter

    Hi ADSA Graduate Students!

    I hope that you had a great summer and that you are ready for another busy school year.  It was great to meet you during the 2014 JAM.  If you were not able to come, we hope youre planning on attending next year in Orlando and participating in our great GSD events.

    We have a lot of exciting things going on with the ADSA GSD and would love to have your help to make our 2015 JAM events the best they can be.  We can’t do it without your help!  If you or someone you know is interested in helping in any way with the Graduate Student Division, please contact any member of the Advisory council

    The GSD Communications committee has put together a great newsletter that you should check out!  Below you can find a student profile highlighting one of our student competition winners, Ben Enger from WSU.  There is also an industry spotlight of Abby Bauer, associate editor with Hoard’s Dairyman.  Lastly, there is a very interesting article by Sandip Ghimire about the dairy industry in Nepal. 

    If you haven’t done so yet, join our Facebook page!  We have great posts coming in on a regular basis.  Lastly, if you are not familiar with the myDairyCareer website, check it out to view job listings.

    Sincerely,

    Curtis Park
    2014-2015 ADSA GSD President  

    Student Spotlight-Ben Enger

    Country of Origin: United States

    Current School: Washington State University

    Degree: M.S. Animal Science

    Year in School: Graduated in 2014 from Washington State University

    Area of Specialization: Mastitis, Teat Dips

    Research Focus: Contact time of premilking teat dips with teat skin and its impacts on teat skin pathogen load

    Future Plans: Pursue a Ph.D. at Virginia Tech

    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? Cougar Gold Cheese made at WSU

    Award Won: 1st place in the 2014 MS Graduate Student Poster Presentation in Production Area

    Industry Spotlight-Abby (Huibregtse) Bauer

    Brief Background: I grew up on my family’s 150-cow dairy farm near Plymouth, Wisconsin. My involvement on our dairy operation and in 4-H and FFA led me to pursue a career in agriculture.

    What degrees do you hold and from where?

    Bachelor of Science degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in dairy science and life science communications

    Master of Education degree from North Carolina State University in Agricultural Education and Extension

    What company do you work for? WD Hoard & Sons Co.- Hoard’s Dairyman magazine

    Briefly describe that company: Hoard’s Dairyman is a national dairy magazine published 20 times per year with more than 60,000 subscribers. The publication is also printed in Japanese and Spanish. Based out of Fort Atkinson, Wis., Hoard’s Dairyman originated from the pages of the Jefferson County Daily Union, a newspaper founded by William Dempster Hoard, the first editor of Hoard’s Dairyman and Wisconsin’s 16th Governor.

    Since that first issue in 1885, our staff strives to make each issue of the magazine our best one yet. Our internet presence also continues to grow and evolve with our website, blog, Facebook page and Twitter account. We started a weekly e-newsletter, Hoard’s Dairyman Intel, last year.

    The W.D. Hoard and Sons Co. also owns and operates a dairy farm, which helps our staff remain connected to the dairy industry. The Hoard’s Dairyman Farm is home to the largest and longest continually registered Guernsey herd in the United States. The herd was expanded in 2007 and Jerseys were added in late 2009, and today we are milking 500 Guernseys and Jerseys.

    What is your position title and duties? I am an associate editor for the magazine, and I spend time both in the office working on the magazine and on the road covering dairy events and visiting dairy producers across the country. The editors also remain active on the Hoard’s Dairyman Farm and with a variety of dairy organizations within the industry.

    What drew you to your current position and why did you choose it? I always have had an interest in the dairy industry, education and writing. I feel very fortunate to have found a career that combines my interests and degrees so well. It is also an honor to work for a magazine like Hoard’s Dairyman that has played an important role in the dairy industry for more than a century.

    I enjoy learning new information and staying up-to-date on current dairy topics. I like being able to deliver that information to producers through the print magazine and our other outlets. One of my most favorite parts of the job is visiting with dairy producers across to country to learn more about their operations, and in turn sharing some of their stories with our readers.

    What other jobs have you held prior to this job? Prior to Hoard’s Dairyman, I was employed as a county-based agriculture agent for UW-Extension in Oconto County, Wisconsin. In that role, I served as an educational resource and connection between university research and dairy and livestock producers in Northeast Wisconsin. I worked with both adults and youth involved in dairy, livestock and crop production, in addition to promoting agriculture to people with non-farm backgrounds.

    If you could give one bit of advice to a current student, what would it be? I recommend that students be actively involved with campus or community groups. For me, a full schedule helped me stay more productive in both my classes and extracurriculars. In addition, those activities allowed me to meet and work with a wide variety of people, many of whom I still connect with today in my professional career. I certainly enjoy cows, but the people I’ve been able to interact with is one of my favorite parts about working in the dairy industry.

    What type of employee is your company looking for and what sets an applicant ahead of his/her peers? Hoard’s Dairyman looks for people that are well-rounded and actively involved in the dairy industry. Good writing and verbal communication skills are a must, as well as thorough knowledge of the dairy industry. The company values people with strong dairy backgrounds, and currently 5 of the 6 people working on the editorial team have families with operating dairy farms.

    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? Chocolate milk.

    International Spotlight-Nepal Dairy Industry

    By: Sandip Ghimire

    Introduction

    Nepal is a landlocked country situated between China and India. It has an area of 147,181 sq km which is about the area of Iowa (145,746 sq km), and is populated with 27 million people, bit more than in Texas (26 million). It has three distinct geographical regions- the high mountainous region on the north towards the Chinese border which includes the Mount Everest (8848 masl), the hilly regions from 700 to 3000 masl and the plains towards the south.

    FIgure 1. Topographical map of Nepal (Source: Wikipedia)

    Economically Nepal is one of the least developed country in the world and ranks 147th in United Nation’s human development index (UNDP, 2014). The US ranks 5th.

    Milk production and dairy system in Nepal

    The dairy industry in Nepal was characterized by small scale highly dispersed producers and less regulated market with many informal marketing chains until recently. In the recent decades though, the dairy sector is receiving reasonable impetus from government, non-government organizations and private stakeholders. This decade might reflect the transition phase in dairy industry in Nepal: from a scattered subsistence type dairy farming to more consolidate small holder farmers well connected to markets.

    Total milk production in Nepal in 2012 was about 1.7 million tonnes out of which 70% was from water buffaloes (only referred as buffalo from this point forward) and 30% from the cows (Figure 2). When we consider the number of milking animals the production is 480 kg/yr/ milking cow and 867 kg/yr/milking buffalo (MOAD, 2013) which is not close to typical US Holstein cow producing about 9000kg milk per year. Having said that, it is important to notice the difference in functioning of dairy production and marketing system in Nepal, an agrarian country compared to its other industrialized counterparts.

    Figure 2: Whole milk production by species in Nepal from 1993 to 2012 (FAOSTAT, 2014)

    The preference for buffalo is mainly due to its dual purpose- both for meat and milk. Dairy cows are considered sacred in Nepal due to religious belief and are not allowed to slaughter. The major buffalo breed for dairy in Nepal is the ‘Murrah’ breed which has Indian origin. Most of the high producing dairy buffaloes in Nepal are imported from India mainly from Delhi and Punjab. Dairy cows are either crossbred or are indigenous breed. Most of the crossbred are those with Jerseys and few are with Holstein.

    Buffalo milk has high fat (7%) and protein (6%) content. However, buffaloes have their own limitations as well. The age at first calving for buffaloes is around 36 to 42 months compared to 24 to 30 months for productive dairy cows. Additionally, milk production in Nepal follows a seasonal pattern with sharp decline in production from March to June. This is partly due to shortage of green forage during that time but also can be attributed to heat stress which the buffaloes are particularly sensitive to because of low density of sweat gland and thick epidermis.

    There are also about 65 thousands heads of yaks and their crossbreed (‘Chauris’) population in Nepal which is concentrated on the mountainous regions (MOAD, 2013). Most of the diary yaks are raised for the yak cheese. Many of the yak and chauris are also raised as transhumance mode which is a practice of seasonal moving of herds of animals at various grazing sites at different altitude.  

    Figure 3: Yak grazing on pasture

    (Photo: http://www.northsouth.ethz.ch/programmes/sawiris/sawiris_1)

    Housing

    Dairy animals are mostly kept in tie stall barns and are allowed to graze in pasture land for certain period in the day. However, some of the relatively larger farms have free stall barns for the animals.

     

    Figure 4: Cattle and buffalo in tie stall barn in Nepal (Photo credit: Bhuwan Poudel and Nirajan Bhattarai)

    Milking

    There is no automatic milking parlors in Nepal and the milking machines are also not very common so most of the animals are hand milked. Many rural small holder farmers are unaware of hygienic milking practices which impairs the quality of milk.

    Feeding

    Cut forages/fodder and pasture grazing are main diet for Nepalese dairy animals. Concentrates are mainly based on corn, rice, and rice barns which are usually supplemented to lactating animals. Pasture land are common property resources and are usually managed by community organizations. Despite various efforts from the government, there remains a shortage of quality forages for livestock in Nepal. The problem of fodder scarcity is most pronounced in the hilly areas and the productivity of pastureland is also on the decline mainly due to lack of improved grazing management practices (FAO, 2010). Poor nutrition is one of the reasons why the cross bred cattle and buffaloes are far less productive in Nepal compared to other countries.

    Breeding practices and health issues

    Natural breeding as well as AI are practiced in dairy animals. Buffalo’s semen for AI are imported from India and cattle semen are imported mainly from New Zealand and the US. The conception rate for AI is only about 50% even in improved herds. Hemorrhagic septicemia (HS), foot and mouth disease (FMD), silent estrus, dystocia, and plant toxicity are some of the main health issues in dairy cattle and buffaloes in Nepal.

    Milk market, quality and price

    It was not so long ago that many farmers used to sell the milk directly to the consumers. But most of the milk from small holder farmers are nowadays collected at collection centers run by cooperative organizations or the processing plants. The milk is then transported to processing plants where most of it is sold as fluid milk after processing. Processing plants also produce skim milk powder in flush season to meet the demand during periods when there is less production. Due to less hygienic practice of human handling of milk, more time for transport, high temperatures, and contaminated water the bacterial load in fluid milk is higher in Nepal. However, producers are not penalized on price for bacterial counts.

    The price of milk for the producers is set based on fat and SNF percent in the milk. The Dairy Development Corporation, a government owned organization, determines the retail price of its milk based on the market and the private dairy industries follow the same price. The retail price of 2.5% fat milk in Nepal at this time is 56 Nepalese Rupees per liter (1 USD= 96.74 NRs).

    Opportunities

    Despite various limitations, there are plenty of opportunities for dairy industry expansion in Nepal.

    ·       The demand for milk and milk products in Nepal is increasing because of   improved life standards and food habits of people and rise urban population. Not only the fluid milk but also the demand of cheese, yogurt, local sweets and ice-cream is on the rise. To keep pace with the demand milk processing industries at times have to import skim milk from India and other countries.

    ·       Government emphasis on dairy sector has attracted many larger investment by the private business for dairy processing plants which ensures ample market for domestic fluid milk production.

    ·       Development of organized dairy cooperatives in dairy pocket areas has enhanced the market by linking the small producer to the processing industries. Cooperatives also help farmers for financing through development banks as well as the processing industries themselves at nominal interest rates. Farmers nowadays have easier access to extension and animal health services than they used to have.

    ·       In the past due to Maoist insurgency, politically motivated closures and strikes hampered the agriculture sector as a whole with many people forced to abandon farming occupation. At present Nepal is in a state of huge political transformation with an elected government which has the mandate to build new constitution. There is a hope of political stability in Nepal which will provide better environment for industries including dairy.

    References

    Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Statistics Division. 2014. http://faostat3.fao.org/faostat-gateway/go/to/home/E

    Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Nepal. 2010. Dairy Sector Study of Nepal. ftp://ftp.fao.org/TC/CPF/Country%20NMTPF/Nepal/thematic%20studies/Dairy.pdf

    ftp://ftp.fao.org/TC/CPF/Country%20NMTPF/Nepal/thematic%20studies/Dairy.pdf

    MOAD, Nepal. Ministry of Agriculture Development, Nepal. 2013. Statistical information on Nepalese agriculture. http://www.moad.gov.np/yearbook/YearBook2013Whole.pdf

    United Nations Development Program (UNDP). 2014. Human development report.

    Wikipedia. 2014. Geography of Nepal. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Nepal

    July 2014

    GSD President's Letter

    Can you believe it’s July already?  Congratulations to those who graduated recently – check out how you can become an ADSA transitional member!  For those of us still trudging along, July is a sign that JAM 2014 is only a few weeks away!  If you haven’t already, please be sure to register for all the GSD events.  We have quite the exciting lineup this year!  Don’t miss the Business Meeting, where we will introduce the incoming Advisory Council!  Also, ARPAS is offering free exams to all students again this year so you might want to brush up before coming!

    Once you are ready for JAM, check out the rest of our newsletter to keep you in the loop:

    - Read about working at Elanco from Dr. Michael Overton in our Industry Spotlight!
    - Get to know two of your fellow graduate students in the Student Spotlight!
    - Take a look at the dairy industry in Taiwan in the International Spotlight!

    On a final and bittersweet note, this is my last GSD President’s letter before the next President (Curtis Park) takes over.  I truly appreciate you electing me onto your Advisory Council two years ago…even if you didn’t vote for me, thanks for going along with it!  I have enjoyed every minute of my time on the Council, particularly getting to know so many of you!  I look forward to what the GSD will accomplish in the future and am proud to remain a part of this great group! 

    Sincerely,

    Amanda Sterrett
    ADSA GSD President

    Free ARPAS Exams at JAM

    The Governing Board of the American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists (ARPAS) is offering the ARPAS exam at no cost for graduate student members during the upcoming JAM in Kansas City. ARPAS certification provides credibility and credentials in addition to formal education. It also provides an enhanced network of credentialed animal scientists, the leaders in the industry. The ARPAS website has the information you need to prepare for the examination process including: student membership information, an application to take an exam (exams available for dairy, beef, swine, poultry, equine, and more!), sample exam questions, and suggested study guides. Exams will be given in the Convention Center, Room 2214 on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of JAM. Check your JAM Program Book for times that fit in your schedule. You can sign up for a FREE exam at the ARPAS booth #439 in the Exhibit Hall.

    Industry Spotlight-Dr. Michael Overton

    What degrees do you hold and from where?

    M.P.V.M.         University of California, Davis, 2001

    D.V.M.             North Carolina State University, 1990

    B.S.                  Animal Science (Cum Laude), North Carolina State University, 1986

    What company do you work for? Elanco Animal Health

    What is your position- title and duties? Senior Consultant – Dairy Analytics; In this role, I am responsible for developing economic models and tools for both internal and external customers; for providing consultative services for dairies including customized analytics and records analysis; and for assisting in Global Marketing and Research and Development for Elanco. I am considered a global resource for Elanco Animal Health in the field of dairy production medicine.

    Why did you choose your current position? My professional objectives are to use my education and talents to continue to advance the level of understanding, performance, and efficiency of dairy production systems, both nationally and internationally, and to serve as a positive role model for the next generation of dairy production medicine professionals. Elanco presented me a very unique opportunity to work for a great company. I get to work with great dairy producers, innovative dairy veterinarians, and some pretty amazing industry people. 

    What is your favorite part about your current position or company you work for? I have a lot of flexibility within my current position to help educate the general dairy industry, to help dairies with custom analytics, and to help Elanco and its customers by developing new analytical tools.

    What previous jobs have you held? I worked for 8.5 years as a veterinarian in private practice in North Carolina. I then worked in academia for a total of about 14 years, first with U.C. Davis VMTRC in Tulare, CA and then as Professor with UGA. 

    Did you always know that one day you would work in the dairy industry? Tough question – I have worked as an outside/independent consultant for a number of dairy-related companies throughout my veterinary career. I considered going to industry several times in the past but was waiting for the right time and opportunity. Now that I am in industry full time, I love it.

    If you could give advice to any student, what would it be? Dream big, work hard, and take advantage of your talents, abilities and opportunities. Carefully consider what it is that you want AND love doing and work hard to achieve it. Find a good mentor – one that will challenge you, support you, and help you to be the best you can be.

    What is your favorite thing about the dairy industry in general? There are just so many opportunities within this industry to help make a difference by improving the amount and quality of our food supply; to work with many other smart, resourceful people; to be innovative via research and development; and to work with cows!

    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? Almost any kind of cheese – I particularly enjoy high quality, aged cheeses.

    Student Spotlight - Marie Iwaniuk

    Country of Origin: United States of America

    Current School: University of Maryland, College Park

    Degree: Master of Science

    Year in School: Second year M.S. student

    Area of Specialization: Dairy Cattle Nutrition

    Research Focus: Improving the feed efficiency of lactating dairy cows by manipulating the cation-anion difference in the diet

    Future Plans: Currently, I am working towards completing my PhD in Animal Science

    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? Gruyère cheese

    Award Won: American Dairy Science Association M.S. Graduate Student Poster Competition

    Student Spotlight - Gerui Li

    Country of Origin: China

    Current School: Iowa State University

    Degree: M.S. in Food Science and Technology

    Year in School: Graduated 2013 from Iowa State University

    Area of Specialization: Dairy foods, Sensory evaluation, product development

    Research Focus: How feeding cows DDGS would affect the quality of their milk

    Future Plans: Working for a dairy company in NYC

    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? ICE CREAM! (Fun fact, my ice cream serving size is a pint.)

    Award Won: 3rd place in 2013 ADSA Schreiber Foods Graduate Student Poster Presentation Contest in Dairy Foods Research

    International Spotlight - Taiwan Dairy Industry

    My name is Nicky Tsai, and I am a graduate student at the University of Kentucky studying dairy systems management. I am originally from Taiwan. I think the Taiwanese dairy industry could be greatly improved through further farmer education and development of a better milk pricing system.

    Introduction: After World War II, there were only 873 dairy cows in Taiwan. This number remained fairly constant until 1957 when the government started to import dairy cows.  Imports continued into the 1970s, with a focus on Holstein cows from New Zealand. In 2008 there were 559 dairy farms and 99,171 dairy cows in Taiwan. Currently there are 146,148 dairy cows and 2,472 dairy farms in Taiwan. 

    Geography: Taiwan, R.O.C. is located in the Pacific Ocean, east of mainland China. The total area is 35,981 km², of which 26.4% is coastal plain, 26.9% is slope land, and 46.7% is mountainous. The average temperature is 72.5°F, yearly rainfall is 118 in, and the total population is 23 million.

                                                 

    Development: Since the development of the Taiwanese dairy industry, there have been three major industry events.  These were the 1965 importation of milk powder, which impacted domestic milk sales; the 1975 importation of beef, which combated the domestic meat market; and joining with the WTO in 2002, which impacted agriculture as a whole. The biggest factor influencing the dairy industry specifically was the government establishment of the Dairy Development Team. This group helps to increase milk sales, improve the interaction between farmer and businesses, and increase automation and efficiency on dairy farms. The Dairy Development Team educates farmers about quality control, barn environment, total mixed rations, automated equipment (like milking parlors), environmentally friendly housing (like feeding alleys and cubicles), barn scraping, pasture evaluation, and drug residues.  Overall, the Dairy Development Team has resulted in major improvements to cow nutrition, health standards, and milk yield.

    Figure 1. An automated parallel milking parlor in Taiwan.

    Figure 2. Environmentally friendly barn in Taiwan with a feeding alley.

                         

                     

     

    Figure 3. The environmentally friendly cubicle bed in Taiwan. 

                   

    Figure 4. Automated equipment used in Taiwan: barn scraper and parallel parlor.

    Housing: The Taiwanese farmer needs to consider multiple things before they can build cow housing. First, the environment; second, the hot and humid weather; and third, enough space for cows to exercise- each of these can be a challenge. Here is a short introduction to the housing in Taiwan.

    There are two different types of housing in Taiwan: tie-stall and freestall (Figure 5).  Freestall barns are most common because they are easier to manage.

        

    Figure 5. An older tie stall barn and the newert freestall barn in Taiwan.

    In the early days of the modern Taiwanese dairy industry (1970), people lacked education about raising cows. They built housing from what they had on hand.  These structures were similar to brick houses, with no ventilation. After a few years, people had more chances to visit the US and New Zealand. They brought information back and taught farmers to build barns for cows. Now, they know about feed allies and cubicles, and focus more on the needs of the cow. Additionally, automated equipment is becoming more and more common. Taiwan is trying to catch up to the pace of the US through continuous improvements and goals focused on increasing profits.

     

    Figure 6. The calf cage is off of the ground.

    Management:

    Cow: Cows are separated by dry, lactating, heifer, pregnant, and sick. This allows for management to better control the cows condition through different feeding strategies. Just like in the US, the basic feed is a total mixed ration, but the minor elements are different.

    Due to a lack of technology, close-up cows are monitored by paid labor 24 hours a day. Although this seems like a waste of labor and money, cheap labor is the solution for this problem. However, this also means none of the labor is well trained.

    Calf: For the calf, it is really important to feed the colostrum in 24 hours. After three days, they will start to feed replacement milk and water for two months. After two months, they will move to the heifer barn.

    Calf housing is really different from the US.  Due to the climate, the farmer needs to take extra precautions to avoid the severe heat and humidity. Therefore, they lift up the cage for each individual calf to increase ventilation (Figure 6).

    Reproduction: The farmer in Taiwan uses AI to keep the number of cows in the herd constant. Due to the hot weather, the farmer needs to avoid heat stress, which will decrease conception rate. Also, they need to import the semen from outside of the country and it is expensive. Due to the technical skill and weather problem, the farmers are still in the learning stages of reproductive management. 

    Milking: The milking procedure is the same as US. They use both pre-dip and post-dip. They are really strict about the milking procedures (Figure 7), because mastitis treatment is expensive. So, they will make sure every milker follows the procedure. Most dairies milk cows twice a day, and rely on paid labor.

     

    Figure 7. The milking procedures are hanging outside of the milking parlor.

    Milk pricing: The government and the dairy factories have high standards for purchased milk, and there are three steps to milk pricing.  First, the government will test the raw milk. Milk fat should be above 3.4% and solids-not-fat should be between 8.17% and 8.48%. The higher milk fat, the higher price the producer can receive. The milk flavor, color, and the alcohol test results are also contributors to this step of pricing.  The alcohol test is conducted by adding a few drops of alcohol to the milk to determine the antibiotic level.   Season is the second factor affecting milk price.  Summer (hot season), June to September, the pricing is 29.28NTD (New Taiwan dollar)/kg,($0.976), warm season, April, May, October, and November, the pricing is 27.28NT/kg,($0.909), and cold season, December to March, the pricing is 21.79NT/kg, ($0.726). They last factor for pricing involves both the raw milk bacteria count and somatic cell count (SCC) (Table 1). Milk will be graded into four classes by bacteria count and somatic cell count, with lower bacteria counts and somatic cell counts receiving better prices.

    Table 1. The grade of the different somatic cell counts (SCC).

    Production: According to the Council of Agriculture Executive Yuan R.O.C., dairy production is rising year by year. Food production in Taiwan is fifth in manufactures, but dairy is only 5% of the food production. The major food in Taiwan is rice.  Although dairy is not the major food in Taiwan, the diet of people in Taiwan is changing (Figure 8). However, milk products in Taiwan are not very diverse; the major product of dairy is liquid milk, which includes fermented milk and flavored milk. However, ice cream is recently becoming more popular in Taiwan. If there are more dairy products in Taiwan, which is becoming the case, there will be more chances for people to enjoy them (Table 2.).

    Table 2. The number of the dairy herds in Taiwan over recent years.

     

    Figure 8. The dynamic of the diet of Taiwanese people.

    Future opportunitiesDue to high prodcution costs, dairies in Taiwan can only sell domestically for a profit. Other limiting factors are that the dairy market is small, the ability of purchasing milk is small, and the benefit between farmer and factory are affected by the seasonal milk price. Since Taiwan joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) the dairy industry has found it difficult to keep up with international competition. Moreover, the cost of raising cows, the loss of labor, and the increased cost of labor have attributed to the dairy industries decline.

    To combate this, dairy farmers tried to change their management model. They created dude ranches, providing a place for people to avoid the noise of the city.  Also, dude ranches can provide the chance to educate younger children and help them understand more about dairy. In order to promote dairy, education of people is the first step to understanding the advantage of dairy products. The next step will be the government helping to improve the relationship between farmer and the milk factory, which could increase trust and the credit of dairy. Last but not the least, diversity of dairy products will help to increase people’s interests to purchase the product (Figure 9). If there is an opportunity to increase the interest in milk products, the diet may change.                                                                                              

     

    Figure 9. Consumption of dairy products in Taiwan.

     

    Referees:

           Council of Agriculture Executive Yuan R.O.C.: http://eng.coa.gov.tw/content_view.php?catid=9162&hot_new=9160

          Food and Fertilizer Technology Center: http://www.agnet.org/library.php?func=view&style=type&id=20110801155633

          http://www.austrade.gov.au/Export/Export-Markets/Countries/Taiwan/Industries/Dairy#.U3porCi6CSo

          http://agrstat.coa.gov.tw/sdweb/public/common/CommonStatistics.aspx

          http://www.angrin.tlri.gov.tw/cow/20051031/20051031_1.pdf

          http://www.angrin.tlri.gov.tw/cow/rocmilkmu/Tw_milk/Tw_milk.htm

          http://www.angrin.tlri.gov.tw/cow/rocmilk_y50/cowrocmilk_y50-40.htm

          http://kmweb.coa.gov.tw/subject/ct.asp?xItem=117334&ctNode=3903&mp=109&kpi=0

    March 2014

    GSD President's Letter

    Dear ADSA GSD,

    This year many of us have had the prolonged chance to see that snow is very beautiful…as long as it doesn't block your path or require shoveling!  Hopefully March will leave like a lamb, right into a sunny spring.  While you are still stuck inside, take advantage of the hot-off-the-press ADSA GSD newsletter:

    • Learn about the dairy industry in Japan!
    • Check out our new Transitional Member Profile, featuring past ADSA GSD President, Rachel Campbell!
    • Read about your fellow students in the Student Spotlights!
    • Free ARPAS exams will be available to ADSA GSD members at JAM!
    • Get an inside view of what it's like to work for Purina Animal Nutrition in the Industry Spotlight!
    • If you haven't already, get a profile on myDairyCareer – even if you are not yet seeking a job, it's a great networking opportunity and will be ready for you when the time comes!

    I hope each of you are able to attend the 2014 JAM in Kansas City! Your Advisory Council has been hard at work planning an exciting lineup of events – and we don't think you will be disappointed! Please don't forget to register for the 2014 JAM and sign up for all the ADSA GSD events!

    Sincerely,

    Amanda Sterrett

    2013-2014 ADSA GSD President

    Industry Spotlight

    Name: Christie Underwood

    Place of birth: Ruston Louisiana

    What college did you attend?

    Doctor of Philosophy; Animal and Dairy Sciences (emphasis: dairy transition cow and calf glucose metabolism); Louisiana State University; Baton Rouge, LA; August 2005.

    Master of Science; Animal, Dairy, and Poultry Sciences (emphasis: dairy calf and heifer nutrition); Louisiana State University; Baton Rouge, LA; May 2001.

    Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, summa cum laude; Louisiana Tech University; Ruston, LA; November, 1997.

    What was your major? Animal and Dairy Science

    What company do you work for currently? Purina Animal Nutrition

    What is your position? Technical Sales Consultant- Calf and Heifer Specialist

    Regional Calf and Heifer Specialist, Land O' Lakes Purina Feed (Sept 2008- current),Southwest Region.  Serves as the regional calf and heifer technical consultant in the Southwest, working with sales personnel to develop solutions for improving young animal nutrition and performance on dairies. Facilitates new product demonstrations and launches. Captures customer insights and regional industry news for strategic sales and marketing planning. Lead the Southwest Dairy Young Animal team.

    Did you always know that one day you would work in the dairy industry? I always wanted to work in agriculture and had a desire to work with people and animals.

    What did you do career wise before joining your current company?

    Dairy Nutrition and Production Consultant, Standard Dairy Consultants (May 2007- Sept 2008) Amarillo, TX.  Worked as a consultant specializing in large herd production nutrition and management for dairies and calf ranches. Building relationships with dairies and acquiring new accounts were primary emphasis.

    Dairy Focus Representative, Cargill Animal Nutrition (August 2005-May 2007), Little Chute, WI. Responsibilities were being a member of the management team on dairies, evaluating herds, balancing rations, providing advice in general management of farms, diagnosing issues, and solving problems on dairies.

    Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Dairy Science (June 1999-August 2005), Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, LA.  Duties included conducting thesis and dissertation research, assisting with other research projects, serving as a teaching assistant, and serving as an instructor for an independent study course and co-instructor for Applied Animal Feeds and Feeding. Responsibilities were daily feeding of calves and cows; collecting feed samples and weighing refused feed; mixing rations; collecting urine, blood, and rumen samples; conducting frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance tests on animals; conducting insulin tolerance tests; performing hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp tests in cows and calves; weighing cows and calves; and organizing projects.  Responsibilities included coordinating research projects and overseeing student workers in performing research oriented tasks.  Responsibilities also included laboratory analysis of plasma samples.   Duties also included statistical analysis of data and interpretation of results.

    What helped you in your life to be prepared for working in the dairy industry? I raised calves as teenager. That experience gave me a very practical perspective.  I draw on these experiences in my daily job.

    If you could give advice to any students both graduate and undergraduate's looking for a career in the dairy industry what would it be? Take advantage of every opportunity to gain more knowledge and experience. Too often we focus on getting to the next step but fail to gain all we can from the road we are on.

    If you could give advice to any student in general what would it be? Be passionate about your interest, always do what is right, and follow your dreams

    What is your favorite part about your current position or company you work for? I really enjoy helping people.  Raising healthy calves is a one of my passions. Helping people raise a better calf is a very rewarding job.

    What is your favorite part about the dairy industry in general? It is very fulfilling to be part of production agriculture and help feed the world.

    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food? Smoked gouda cheese

    International Spotlight – Japan

    Japanese Dairy Industry

    By Karmella Dolecheck, M.S. Candidate, University of Kentucky, Dairy Systems Management

    Please enjoy a brief overview of the Japanese dairy industry.  Although I have never been to Japan, my sister has lived there for two years and I would like to visit someday.

    cows

    Introduction

    Full-scale dairy farming did not begin in Japan until after World War II.  Even then, demand for milk was not high until the 1970s.  Since, Japan has been one of the fastest growing dairy industries.  Between 1975 and 1990, European countries increased cow numbers by 70% while Japan increased by 160%.  Average production per head each year grew from 5,600 kg in 1985 to 8,000 kg in 2010.  Now, yearly production per cow in Japan outranks France, England, Australia, and New Zealand.

    Production

    Dairy is Japan's second biggest agriculture commodity (not surprisingly, rice is the first).  It represents about 1.3% of the total farms in Japan, but 10% of agriculture products.  One draw to the dairy industry is that a single dairy cow provides the income of 52 acres of rice fields.  Another advantage of dairy over rice is consistent, year-round income and less weather dependency.

    With about 30,000 dairy farms and 1.8 million dairy cows, Japan averages 72 cows per herd.  Japan has experienced similar trends as the US in regards to decreasing herd numbers but increasing herd sizes.  Holsteins make up the majority of the dairy population, though some Jersey and Brown Swiss can also be found.

    The majority of dairy farms are tie stall facilities found in narrow valleys or land located on the outskirts of urban areas.  However, pasture dairies are becoming more and more popular as the older generation of rice farmers is unable to use all of their land.  Additionally, some large pasture dairies exist on the island of Hokkaido because its northern climate is unsuitable for rice production.

    Japan map

    Like most countries, the largest production expenses on Japanese dairies are labor (23%) and feed (46%).  The majority (78%) of feed used on dairies in Japan is purchased rather than grown.  A large portion of feed is imported and, therefore, production costs are highly dependent on international grain markets and currency exchange.  Some local by-products used in dairy rations include soybean meal, coffee grounds, brewer's grains, bean curd (tofu), and oil cake.

    Only 15% of dairies are part of corporations and 80% of dairies have no full-time employees, making it more family reliant than other agricultural industries in Japan.  The biggest modern problem on dairies is lack of young people willing to continue on the operation.

    Structure

    A subsidy program for Japanese dairy production has been in place since 1965.  As part of this program, the government attempts to prevent market and price instability by setting production ceilings based on supply and demand.

    In addition, producers organized a planned production system to protect farms from low prices in 1979.  Although technically voluntary, about 97% of dairy producers operate according to these guidelines.  This system works through the Japan Dairy Council who allocates production allowances to regions of Japan that, in turn, assign production allowances to individual farmers.

    Before 2001, deficiency payments were awarded to dairy farmers annually based on the difference between the cost of production and the price received for raw milk.  Therefore, a dairy farmer's income included the base income from the milk processor they sold to and deficiency payments from the government.  Now, farmers receive the market price and a fixed payment recalculated each year based on the milk demand and supply, as well as production costs.  This new policy has a built-in security measure that goes into effect if the price of milk is below the past three-year average.

    Dairy Consumption

    Japan produces approximately 7.5 million tons of raw milk every year.  Sixty percent of that milk is used strictly for drinking.  The remainder becomes cheese, butter, ice cream, yogurt, and other products.  There are close to 700 processing facilities located throughout Japan, but most of these are small.  Japan's rate of domestic self-sufficiency in milk and dairy products is 69%, which is higher than most agricultural products in the country (wheat = 14% and beef = 39%).

    Along with dairy farm growth, dairy consumption has increased in Japan.  Initially occurring as a result of school lunch programs, per capita consumption of milk and dairy products increased by 48% between 1975 and 1990.  In 1965, raw milk weight consumed yearly per capita was 38 kg.  In 2010, this number was 86 kg.  Even after this increase, consumption compared to other countries is low.  This is partially because the Japanese people do very little cooking with dairy products (milk, butter, cheese, etc.).  High prices also contribute to low milk consumption.  The average price of a liter of milk in Japan in 2009 was 214 yen or $2.09.  In comparison, the average price of U.S. milk in 2009 was $0.82 per liter.

    japan diet

    There are six kinds of drinking milk sold in Japan: whole milk, low-fat milk, fat free milk, component adjusted milk, processed milk, and milk beverages.  The term “milk” means that raw milk was heated for sterilization, but has had no other component added to it.  The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare dictates that whole milk contain more than 3.0% of fat and more than 8.0% of non-fat solids.  Component adjust milk refers to the milk with 1.5 to 7.9% non-fat solids.  Processed milk is a mixture of milk and milk products (butter, cream, or skimmed milk powder).  Milk beverages are some combination of dairy products and non-dairy products.

    Dairy Education

    In 1998, the Japan Dairy Council initiated the Committee for the Promotion of Dairy Educational Farms.  After 3 years of research, they developed a program called the “Dairy Educational Farm Certification System.”  This system allows for dairies who meet safety and hygiene requirements to be classified as “appropriate to seek education from.”  In 2008, another certification program for facilitators to carry out education activities on farms began.  Three hundred and nine farms and 556 facilitators were certified by 2011.  Together these certified farms and facilitators educate the public about the dairy industry, emphasizing contributions the dairy industry makes to society.

    japan milk ed1

    japan milk ed2

    References

    Campo, I. S. and J. C. Beghin. 2005. Dairy Food Consumption, Production, and Policy in Japan. C. f. A. a. R. Dvelopment, ed. Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.

    Japan Dairy Council http://www.dairy.co.jp/eng/menu.html

    Nakatsuji, h. Livestock Production. L. o. A. P. System, ed. Hokkaido University, http://ocw.hokudai.ac.jp/Course/Faculty/Agriculture/AgricultureInHokkaido/2009/page/materials/AgricultureInHokkaido-2009-Text-05.pdf.

    Suzuki, N., and H.M. Kaiser. 1994. “Basic Mechanisms of Japanese Dairy Policy and Milk Market Models: A Comparison with United States Dairy Policy.” Journal of Dairy Science 77: 1746-54.

    Transition Insight

    rachel

    Dr. Rachel Campbell Mertz received her BS, MS, and PhD all at NC State University in Food Science with a dairy focus. Her research focused on flavor chemistry of whey protein, serum protein, and milk protein concentrate. Rachel is currently a scientist at Kraft Food Ingredients working on process cheese formulation.

    Q: Now that you are transitioning to a career, what is one thing you wish you knew prior to the start of the process?

    A: I knew that it would be a different pace from graduate school, but it is very, very different for me.  I wish I knew “a day in the life of” my current job so I could better prepare for the less glamorous and more mundane corporate tasks.

    Q: What has been the most difficult aspect of your transition and why?

    A: The most difficult has actually been personal and not professional.  I do not have to do work all the time, like in grad school, and find myself with loads of spare time with nothing to do.  I need to pick up a hobby now!  I never had time for one before.

    Q: Did you ever have any disagreements with your advisor?  If so, how did you handle it, or what is the best way to handle it?

    A: Of course, we all have disagreements.  The best ways to handle those are to take a moment, think through your case and present it logically and without emotion.  Your advisor is a scientist too, and once you present the facts they will see things your way. If you are emotional about it, this can be hard.

    Q: What do you think is the most important thing a current graduate or undergraduate student can do to improve their chances of finding a job immediately following school?

    A: Network with your peers!  Those you are attending school with right now will get a job. Maybe they can get you a job too!

    Q: How did your experiences with the ADSA GSD (or SAD) help prepare you for this job (i.e. networking, professional development, etc.)?

    A: I the GSD.  It helped me develop professional leadership skills, it gave me great networking opportunities, and it even helped me further narrow my career goals.  Even better, while it was often a lot of work, it was fun to meet people across not just dairy foods but also dairy production.

    Q: What do you look for in a job and how would you determine if that job is a fit for you?

    A: I think at some point you have to realize you can't have it all.  I personally made the decision to not go into academia because I wanted to “have a life” and have more balance.  That being said, I look for a good work-life balance, nice people, and a nice place to live.  I hope the job is interesting, but if I'm happy to come to work and see my co-workers and happy to go home because I like the area I live in, then that is enough for me.

    Student Spotlights

    Nuria Garcia-Fernandez Picture

    Name: Nuria Garcia-Fernandez

    Country of Origin: Spain

    School: South Dakota State University

    Degree: PhD in Biological Sciences

    Year in School: 3rd year of PhD.

    Area of Specialization: Dairy Science

    Research Focus: My research project is focused on studying the role of exopolysaccharide-producing bacteria in biofilm formation on dairy separation membranes.

    Future Plans: Continue doing research in the field of animal or food science with the objective of improving food safety.

    Award Won: Schreiber Foods Graduate Student Poster Presentation Contest- 1st Place

    Maneesha Mohan Picture

    Name: Maneesha S. Mohan

    Country of Origin: India

    School: The University of Tennessee, Knoxville

    Degree: PhD student

    Year in School: 4th year

    Area of Specialization: Milk proteins

    Research Focus: Casein micelles and their properties on binding with hydrophobic compounds and on processing using ultra high pressure homogenization

    Future Plans: Research the fundamental and processing aspects of dairy components, ingredients and products.

    Award Won: DRI Graduate Student Paper Presentation Contest in Dairy Foods Research Award- 1st Place

    Free ARPAS Exam at JAM!

    ARPAS Exam FREE for all Graduate Students during JAM

    The Governing Board of the American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists (ARPAS) is offering the ARPAS exam at no cost for graduate student members during the upcoming Joint Annual Meeting in Kansas City.

    If you are interested in this tremendous opportunity to get ARPAS certification at very little cost to you, please check out the ARPAS website. It has the information you need to prepare for the examination process including:

    1. Student membership information (membership is only $10 for current students)

    -Student membership requires verification from major professor to qualify

    -CEU's are not required for full time graduate student membership

    2. Application to take an exam (free to graduate students!)

    3. Exams available (dairy, beef, swine, poultry, equine and more)

    4. Sample exam questions – each exam consists of 100 multiple choice questions

    5. Suggested study guides for each exam

    Go to www.arpas.org for complete details on membership and taking the ARPAS exam.

    This is a tremendous opportunity – membership is only $10 for students. ARPAS certification provides credibility and credentials in addition to formal education. It also provides an enhanced network of credentialed animal scientists, the leaders in the industry. Having ARPAS certification before a student enters the workforce gives them a distinct advantage over other potential employees, and will give potential employers another reason to hire them.

    Don't delay – visit the ARPAS web site today to get registered and begin preparing for the exam!

    December 2013

    President's Letter

    Dear ADSA GSD,

    As 2013 rolls to an end, it's fun to look forward to a new year filled with new beginnings and new goals.  We would love to see one of those goals be to get more involved in your ADSA GSD by joining a committee!

    Hopefully each of you will get some time off to relax over break, but I think we all know the sinking feeling on January 2 when we realize the 2014 ADSA JAM abstract deadline is six short weeks away!  To decrease some stress then, renew your membership early!  You can also register for the 2014 JAM now.  Be sure to attend all the exciting GSD events – we have some great ones planned thanks to all of your help and ideas!  Lastly, please pass the word on to new students that you know so they can reap the benefits, too!

    The GSD Communications Committee has been hard at work getting together your December newsletter so stop on over and see what they have in store:

    • Get to know some of your fellow graduate students in the Student Profiles.
    • Ever wonder what the dairy industry is like in India?  Find out in the International Dairy article.
    • See what it's like to work at Select Sires in an interview with Dr. Ray Nebel in the Industry Spotlight.

    I hope you all are able to keep your New Year's resolutions and have fun celebrating the season.

    Happy holidays,

    Amanda Sterrett

    ADSA GSD President

    cow christmas card for dec newsletter

    Dairy Industry in India

    Overview of Indian Dairy Industry

    Pravin Sawale & Hitesh Kumar

    Dairy Technology Division,

    National Dairy Research institute, Karnal-132001, India

    The dairy industry in India has been on a sturdy path of progression since Indian independence. The milk production of India has grown from 17 million tonnes (1951) to 127 million tonnes (2012) and expected to increase upto 190 million tonnes, worths 0.05 Lakh Billion by the year 2015.  Today, India is the world's largest milk producer; accounting for more than 17% of the world's total milk production. Still the per capita milk consumption is around 276 g per day. India has the largest cattle (185.2 million, 2.1 kg dairy yield/animal and contributed 38% of total milk production) and buffalo population (97.9 million, 2.6 kg dairy yield/ animal and contributed 54% of total milk production) total population in the world. Out of all bovine population in India, 40 percent are indigenous cows, 46 percent are buffaloes and 14 percent are imported European or North American cattle crossbreeds (6.9 kg daily yield/ animal). More than 67 percent of dairy animals are owned by marginal and small farmers. Interestingly, buffalo milk accounts for the largest share of the total milk produced in the country. The pricing policies totally based on fat contains, hence buffalo milk offers higher profit margins as compared to cow milk.

    Milk production is growing 7% by volume and app. 5% by value. This progress is primarily attributed to structural changes in the Indian dairy industry (IDI) brought about by the advent of dairy cooperatives. A market size of IDI was USD 48.5 billion in 2011. With a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 16 percent, India represents one of the world's most lucrative dairy markets. IMARC Group, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms, finds in its new report entitled “Indian Dairy Market Report & Forecasts 2012-2017” that driven by a strong growth in both urban and rural demands, the market for milk products in India is expected to surpass US$ 163 Billion by 2017. The market size of milk and milk products (organized and non organized) is estimated about INR 0.036 Lakh Billion. The organized sector dairy market is growing 10% annually. About 50% of total milk produced in India is converted into Traditional Indian Dairy Products (TIDP).

    The consumptions pattern of dairy products in India is chiefly skewed towards traditional products; however, westernized products are gradually gaining momentum in the urban areas. The percentage consumption pattern of different milk products in India are as follows; 1 liquid milk consumption accounts for 45.7% of total milk output, while 39% is converted into ghee and butter, 6.9% into dahi, 6.5% into khoa and similar milk sweet, 3.7% into milk powder including infant milk food, 1.9% into paneer, chhana and cheese, 0.6% into ice cream and khulfi, 0.2% into cream-0.2% and others dairy products absorbing the remaining 0.5%.

    Despite India being one of the largest milk producing country in the world, India had neither been on the radar screen of many international dairy companies nor involved in major exports of dairy products till about the year 2000. In the 70's, milk powder and butter oil paved the path for India in the international market. From 2000 onwards, milk powder, casein, whey products and ghee from Indian have started making their presence felt in global markets. Bangladesh, UAE, US, and Philippines are the major importer country of Indian dairy products. Indigenous milk products and desserts are becoming popular with the ethnic population spread all over the world. Therefore, the export demand for these has gone up tremendously, thus providing great potential for export. Ghee has been a regular export item from India since the 1930's. Presently, Ghee has been exported to Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Middle East countries and a modest quantity to North America, New Zealand, and South Africa to serve the ethnic market.

    Structure of Indian dairy Industry

    In India, Operation Flood (since 1970) introduced co-operatives into the dairy sector with the objectives of increasing milk production, augmenting rural income, and providing fair prices for consumers. The village milk producer's co-operative (a voluntary asso­ciation of milk producers in a village who wish to market their milk) is the fundamental unit in the cooperative system. Every milk producer can become a member of the co-operative society by buying a share and committing to sell milk only to the society. Each producer's milk is getting money on the basis of quality of milk (fat and solids-not-fat percentage). In addition to milk collection, the societies are also provided other services such as cattle feed, artificial insemination (AI), and veteri­nary services. Village milk producers' co-operatives in a district are members of their district co-operative milk-producers' union. The Union processes buys milk from the all societies and then markets fluid milk and products. Most Unions also provide a range of inputs and services to the village societies—feed, veterinary services, artificial insemination, and other services—and have milk-processing plants to convert seasonal surpluses of liquid milk into milk powder and other conserved products. This allows the Union to ensure better returns to its members. (Rajendran et al., 2004)

    Milk Production in India

    Popular Indian Dairy Products

    India is the highest producer of buffalo milk in the world. Buffalo milk is not suited for manufacture of certain western dairy product due to its certain limitation. But in India, it is particularly appropriate for producing certain dairy products, viz. mozzarella cheese, feta cheese, domiati cheese, paneer, khoa and ghee etc. Pizza has become an international dish for which Mozzarella cheese is an essential ingredient. Middle East provides an enormous scope for specialty dairy products.

    Dahi 

    Dahi (resembles yoghurt) is a fermented dairy product from fermentation of cow or buffalo or mixture of milk by using suitable lactic acid bacteria (LAB). It is consumed in different form such as sweetened, blended with spices, salted, beverage “lassi”. Its therapeutic value has been described in the Ayurveda (Indian System of Medicine) literature from around 600AD. At commercial scale mixed starter cultures of lactic acid bacteria such as Streptococcus lactis, S. diacetylactis, S. cremoris in single or in combination with or without Leuconostoc species along with Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. bulgaricus, and S. thermophilus are used for dahi preparation (Kale et al., 2011), whereas at small scale production old dahi is used as starter to initiate the lactic fermentation in cool boiled fresh milk.

    Dahi is a good vehicle for maintaining the beneficial bacterial population in the human gut. Addition of probiotic bacteria such as Bifidobacterium longum, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bi?dobacterium infantis, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus along with starter induce additional therapeutic effect on consumer health such as anticancer effect, immune modulation effect, antibacterial, anti-diarrhea effect (Panesar, 2011).

    Buttermilk

    Buttermilk is a byproduct of Indian dairy industry which is obtained by churning of dahi. During the preparation, dahi is churned continuously until butter is not formed on the surface. The aqueous phase remaining after removing butter is called buttermilk. It consists components of milk such as protein, lactose, and minerals. Buttermilk also consist milk fat globule membrane rich in phospholipids especially phosphotidylcholine (lecithin), phosphatidylethanolamine, and sphingomyelin, provides additional health benefits.

    Shrikhand

    Shrikhand is a semi soft, sweetish sour, whole milk product prepared from lactic fermented curd. The dahi is partially strained through a cloth to remove the whey and thus produce a solid mass called chakka (the basic ingredient for shrikhand). Furthermore, this chakka is blend with the required amount of sugar and flavor for obtaining shrikhand.

    Ghee

    Ghee is synonymous to clarified butter chiefly prepared from cow and buffalo milk It is generally prepared by heating cream or butter to above 100oC. Heating is responsible for development a typical kind of ghee flavour and loss in its water content. According to Ayurveda, ghee prepared from cow milk has health promoting effects. Ghee consist 98% glycerides and 0.3% moisture. In addition, it also consist of free fatty acids, phospholipids, sterols, sterol esters, fat soluble vitamins, carbonyls, hydrocarbons. Traditionally, ghee is prepared from butter (also known as Makkan) recovered after churning of dahi. To improve flavor and health promoting properties of ghee, the various kind of spices such as Cinnamon, Ginger, Cardamom and herbs such as Lavender, Marjoram, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme now been added into the ghee.

    Paneer

    Paneer is a famous traditional Indian dairy product analogous to fresh cheese like Queso blanco or Queso fresco and used in many recipes. It is a coagulated product prepared by coagulation of particularly buffalo milk with acid like lactic ,or citric or sour milk and pressing the curd in a muslin cloth to drain the excess whey (Masud et al., 2007). About 5% milk of total milk production in India is converted into paneer. it contains about 70% moisture, 15% milk fat and 15% milk protein. Particularly, buffalo milk is preferred for manufacture of paneer due to its rich in milk nutrients as compare to cow or goat milk.

    Chhana

    Chhana is also a heat acid coagulated product. It differ from paneer as no pressure is applies to drain the whey and its pH is slightly higher. Chhana is used as a base for a large variety of Indian delicacies namely Chhana gaja, sandesh, cham cham, rasmalai, patoha, raj bhog, chhana murki etc. It is also a heat acid coagulated product.Cow milk is better suited for chhana making because it produces chhana with soft body and smooth texture which is better for sweets. Rasogolla is the most common chhanna-based sweet. It is prepared using fresh and soft-chhanna.  It is in the form of balls 30 mm in diameter with a typical spongy body and smooth texture. It is stored and served in sugar syrup.

    Khoa

    Khoa is a type of heat desiccated milk product obtained from cow, buffalo or mixed milk by thermal evaporation of milk in an open pan with continuous stirring. It is used for making different types of sweets. Buffalo milk is preferred for preparation of khoa since it gives better yield. Buffalo milk khoa is white in color, smooth textured and granulated which makes it highly suitable for preparation of top-quality sweets. There are three kind of khoa; pindi, dhap and danedar (Dodeja et al., 2012). Final product should not have less than 20% fat on dry matter. A better quality of khoa is obtained from cow milk by additions of 5 % whey protein concentrates into it.

    Peda is a sweetened dried granulated khoa based product which is prepared by heating mixture of milk and sugar with constant stirring till solid texture is not obtained and then made a small balls of 25-25g sized. There are different types of pedas available such as saffron peda, plain peda, brown peda (Raju et al., 2006). It has a characteristic light brown color due to caramelization of sugar.

    Burfi is another popular khoa based confection. It is prepared by blending a pindi type of khoa with sugar syrup . The ingredients are kneaded together at 50ºC in a tray and allowed to set, followed by cutting into square pieces (Raju et al., 2006). Different types of burfies are prepared by addition of different additives such as pista, almond, coconut etc.

    Gulabjamun is soft, sweet, granulated, slightly spongy, brown spherical milk based product. Generally, it is prepared by blending of dhap khoa, wheat flour and baking powder then kneaded and spherical balls are made which further fried in oil and finally dipped into sugar syrup.

    Kheer

    Basundi/kheer (In USA and Europe is called as rice pudding) is an Indian dessert and a heat desiccated sweetened, concentrated milk product obtained by the partial dehydration of whole milk together with sugar and usually rice (occasionally semolina).  It has a creamy consistency and color, sweet taste with nutty and cooked flavor and soft textured. Whole milk is heat condensed by using periodically stirring up to its half volume then sugar is added (@5%.  The heating is continued until the desired consistency is reached. Finally, it packed and store under refrigeration. Additives such as cardamom, saffron and edible camphor are added to improve flavor of kheer (Sharma et al., 2009).

    Kulfi

    It is a popular Indian frozen dessert made from concentrated sweetened milk with or without added nuts and flavor and is known for its refreshing and delightfully sweet characteristics.

    References

    Dodeja, A. K., & Deep, A. (2012). Mechanized Manufacture of Danedar Khoa using Thr ee Stage S Three. Indian Journal of Dairy Science, 65(July), 274–284.

    Kale, A. K., Dhanalakshmi, B., & Kumar, U. (2011). Development of Value Added Dahi by Incorporating Cereal and Fruits. Journal of Food Science and Engineering, 1, 379–385.

    Masud, T., Shehla, S., & Khurram, M. (2007). Paneer ( white cheese ) from buffalo milk. Biotechnology & biotechnological equipment, 451–452.

    PFA. (2010). Prevention of food adultration rules, 1954 (amended up to 2009). Universal Law Publishing Company Pvt Ltd, New Delhi, pp 165–166

    Panesar, P. S. (2011). Fermented Dairy Products: Starter Cultures and Potential Nutritional Benefits. Food and Nutrition Sciences, 02(01), 47–51. doi:10.4236/fns.2011.21006

    Rajendran K. and Mohanty S Dairy (2004) Co-operatives and Milk Marketing in India: Constraints and Opportunities. Journal of Food Distribution Research 35(2), 201-210

    Raju, D. P., & Narender, P. (2006). Developments in the manufacture of heat desiccated traditional milk desserts. Developments in Traditional Dairy products, 18–25.

    Sharma, P., Singh, R. R. B., Singh, a. K., Patel, a. a., & Patil, G. R. (2009). Sorption isotherms and thermodynamics of water sorption of ready-to-use Basundi mix. LWT – Food Science and Technology, 42(1), 441–445. doi:10.1016/j.lwt.2008.04.010

    Student Spotlights

    Justin Banach - Photograph

     

    Name:  Justin Banach

    Country of Origin:  USA

    Current School:  Iowa State University

    Degree:  MS Food Science and Technology

    Year in School:  2nd Year PhD

    Area of Specialization:  Dairy Foods

    Research Focus:  My research is focused on modifying the functional properties of milk protein concentrate with enzymes, extrusion processing, and toasting with emphasis on utilization in high-protein nutrition bar applications.

    Future Plans:  I plan to continue researching milk protein concentrate and hope to gain a better understanding of its structure-function relationships and how other protein modification techniques alter its use in food applications.  After that, I plan to get a job in the dairy foods industry with the eventual hope of starting my own company.

    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food?  Milk protein concentrate

    Award Won:  3rd Place – DRI Graduate Student Paper Presentation Contest in Dairy Foods Research Award

     

    katherine.boesche

     

    Name:  Katie Boesche

    Country of Origin:  USA (Hometown: DeKalb, Illinois)

    Current School:  Purdue University

    Degree:  PhD

    Year in School:  3rd

    Area of Specialization:  Ruminant Nutrition and Physiology

    Research Focus:  Influences of fatty acid chain length and degree of saturation on enzymes for fatty acid metabolism in transition dairy cattle

    Future Plans: Research in dairy nutrition industry

    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food?:  Ice cream!

    Award Won:  Purina Animal Nutrition Graduate Student Poster Contest in Dairy Production, PhD Division, 2nd Place

    Industry Spotlight

    Posted on December 16, 2013

    nebel

     

    Name

    Dr. Ray Nebel

    What degrees do you hold and from where?

    B.S. – Northeast Louisiana University

    M.S. – University of Maryland

    PhD – Virginia Tech

    What company do you work for?

    Select Sires Inc.

    What is your position- title and duties?

    V.P. of Technical Program Services

    Over-see the Select Reproductive Solutions Program which includes all reproductive management consultant specialist for the nine member cooperatives and Select Sires Inc. Specialist (approximately 50 individuals).

    Why did you choose your current position?

    New position created in 2005 with the most progressive A.I. company in the Dairy Industry and it represented a challenge that allowed me to re-focus my career in the Dairy Industry.  

    What is your favorite part about your current position or company you work for?

    Work with outstanding young professionals that have a major impact on the dairy farms and with the producers they consult with on a daily basis.  I am constantly challenged to supply new tools for progressive dairy producers.

    What previous jobs have you held?

    Research Associate at L.S.U.

    Assistant Professor at NCSU

    Full Professor and Extension Project Leader at Virginia Tech

    Did you always know that one day you would work in the dairy industry?

    No – Not until after my M.S. in 1977!

    If you could give advice to any student, what would it be?

    Keep an open mind – you do not know what the future will require of you!

    What is your favorite thing about the dairy industry in general?

    The variety of the day to day requirements of my position- working with 40 cow herds in Vermont to 30,000 cow herds in Oregon!

    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food?

    Sharp Cheddar Cheese

    September 2013

    Fall President's Letter

    Happy fall, ADSA graduate students!  Congrats on making it through another summer of conference presentations into the hustle and bustle that occurs when the undergraduates return from their summer off.

    It was so nice to have met many of you at the 2013 JAM.  If we weren't able to get to know each other, please be sure to come and introduce yourself at the next meeting – I'd love to meet you!  I truly love being involved in the ADSA GSD and look forward to a great year working with each and every one of you.

    Although the 2013 JAM seems to have just ended, your ADSA GSD Executive team is already hard at work planning the 2014 JAM and all the other activities that will take place throughout the year.  But we need your help!  We have some great committees that you should consider being a part of so that this year can be exactly what you want it to be!  Have some ideas you want to share right now?  Contact our executive team!

    In the meantime, here's what you can look for in this issue of the ADSA GSD newsletter:

    1. Didn't make it to some of the 2013 JAM events?  Check out our recap of the Career Insights Luncheon.
    2. We had some great graduate student competitions at the JAM this year.  Have a look at our Student Profiles, spotlighting two of the winners.
    3. Ever wonder what cows sleep on and how they're made?  Our Industry Spotlight highlights this exciting job!

    Lastly, be sure to like our Facebook page to be the first to see exciting posts and take a look at the myDairyCareer page to view job listings!  Have a great semester!

    Sincerely,

    Amanda Sterrett

    2013-2014 ADSA GSD President

    Career Insights Luncheon

    Here's what was new about the Career Insights Luncheon this year at JAM.  The Career Development Committee did a great job!

    We added a keynote speaker!

    •  Dr. Robin Rastani presented her “5 Keys to Success”

    We were thrilled by the positive feedback from the students who attended! Students were extremely impressed with the advice provided by Dr. Robin Rastani's in her brief, but engaging keynote talk; many stated that there was at least one thing she mentioned that they'd never thought of when it comes to developing their professional career. The keynote was such a hit that it will definitely become a staple of future year's events!

    Format change:

    • Students were encouraged to change tables every 10 minutes – this was great for ensuring they met as many experts as possible

    As with the keynote, this addition to the format of the luncheon was very well received by both students and the experts.

    One student said, “By the time I got there, grabbed my lunch and chatted with the expert at my chosen table, a lot of time had gone by. I was worried we wouldn't have much time to meet the other experts. But then you got up and yelled at us like 4 times to change tables. It was super useful – plus it was kind of funny!” 

    Attendance:

    • 71 students
    • 12 Industry, academic and government reps:

    Dr. Robin R. Rastani (Novus International, Inc.)

    Dr. Brandon Nelson (Daisy Brand)

    Joshua Goldman (Kraft Foods)

    Dr. Ric Grummer (Balchem Corp)

    Dr. Steven Smith (USDA — National Institute of Food and Agriculture)

    Dr. Erin E. Connor (USDA — Agricultural Research Service)

    Dr. Michael Steele (Nutreco Canada Agresearch)

    Rory McCarthy (Grande Cheese Company)

    Dr. Gerald Poppy (Diamond V Mills)

    Dr. Kent Weigel (University of Wisconsin)

    Industry Spotlight

    IMG_5175

    Name: Amy Throndsen

    Place of birth: Eau Claire, WI

    What college did you attend? Edgewood College (Madison, WI), Class of ‘03

    What was your major? English and (minor) business

    What company do you work for currently? Advanced Comfort Technology, Inc.

    What is your position? Sales director for DCC Waterbeds

    What did you do career wise before joining your current company?

    At one point, I thought I wanted to be a journalist – so I joined the staff of the college newspaper and ended up as the editor.  I thought I wanted to run a nonprofit – so I volunteered at a shelter.  Later, I was interested in marketing and worked my way into a promotions internship at a Madison newspaper. After college, I volunteered with AmeriCorps – working with teachers, building families, cleaning nature trails – and then went to China on a Peace Corps assignment.

    Did you always know that one day you would work in the dairy industry?

    When a friend asked me four years ago if I would ever work for my family's dairy industry business, I said, “No way, are you crazy?” I was definitely wrong.

    How did I go from teaching English in China with the Peace Corps to working with dairy farmers in Wisconsin? Good question.

    What helped you in your life to be prepared for working in the dairy industry?

    I am a firm believer that you can learn to do anything. You may take some twists and turns, but if you follow your passion with a curiosity that will kill a cat and do so with dedication – there's no telling where you'll end up.

    The further I get from college graduation, the less people care about my major. But EVERYTHING I did in college and after has laid a foundation of experiences for me to build upon as my interests evolved.

    All of these opportunities, challenges, and experiences came loaded with lessons – takeaways that helped me get where I am today and help me in my daily life.

    If you could give advice to any student in general what would it be?

    Find your passion.

    My passion is for trying something new, learning lessons (sometimes from being wrong), and applying those lessons to new experiences – from studying journalism to learning Chinese to selling cow waterbeds. I've built a broad foundation of experiences to draw from, and I am passionate about building ever higher to be ever better.

    Follow your passion – for learning, for teaching, for technology, for agriculture, for anything that makes you wake up every day and feel opportunity, excitement, and engaged. And then find, or create, a job where you can be in that sphere as much as possible.

    I am always at work somewhere in my mind, not because I'm a workaholic, but because I have found my passion for trying new things and endless learning, is perfectly suited to our business. I can read an article today and try the idea tomorrow. My passion and my job are perfectly matched, so when I say that I am always at work, it's a good thing. It's a fun thing.

    If you could give advice to any students both graduate and undergraduate's looking for a career in the dairy industry what would it be?

    Once you're in an industry – in our case the dairy industry – start looking outside the industry for inspiration so you don't get boxed in. Find something that will set you apart.

    What is your favorite part about your current position or company you work for?

    The people.  I love talking to dairy producers – listening to the stories of their family farms and trying to help them overcome challenges on the farm.  I enjoying learning about local economies through our local dealer network, and seeing the relationships dealers nurture with farmers around the world.  I am always amazed at what I learn from other industry professionals and academics – you never stop learning.  And last, but certainly not least, I consider myself one of the lucky ones who is absolutely surrounded by a committed, passionate, talented team.  We're small in numbers, but bonded together to tackle tough problems and celebrate our successes.

    What is your favorite part about the dairy industry in general?

    Dairy farming is a 24/7, 365 days a year – where the work is never done and Mother Nature always seems to throw a curve ball, yet dairy producers are always willing to take a few minutes (which often turns into an hour and a cup of coffee) to talk, show you their barn or introduce you to their favorite cow.

    Just for fun, what is your favorite dairy food?

    Cheese – but don't make me pick just one kind.

    Student Profiles

    LucasPicture

    Name: Lucas Krueger

    Country of Origin: United States

    School: Iowa State University

    Degree Program: M.S. in Nutritional Sciences

    Year in school: 1st year

    Area of Specialization: Ruminant Physiology: Nutrition and Immunology

    Research Focus: Vitamin Supplementation and Enteric Immune System in Dairy Calves

    Future Plans: Complete both M.S. and Ph.D. at Iowa State University, and then look for a career either in nutrition and immunological research, or as a nutrition and health specialist for dairy farms.

    Award Won: National Milk Producers Federation Graduate Student Paper Competition MS Division- 1st Place

    Kai Yuan Picture

    Name: Kai Yuan

    Country of Origin: China

    School: Kansas State University

    Degree: Ph.D. in Animal Science

    Year in School: 3rd year

    Area of Specialization: Nutritional Physiology

    Research Focus: Research interests include investigating the interaction between immune function and metabolism in dairy cows transitioning from late gestation to early lactation, and to develop strategies to apply this understanding to improve cow health and production

    Future Plans: Become an investigator in animal or human metabolic diseases

    Award Won: National Milk Producers Federation Graduate Student Paper Competition PhD Division- 1st Place

    June 2013

    Summer President's Letter

    Enjoying the “summer” life of a graduate student?  Are you making posters and presentations, furiously doing research before classes start again, longing for the relaxed summers of undergrad?

    Take a break!  Read about all the fun events at JAM the graduate student division has planned for you.  From networking at the career insights luncheon to riding a mechanical bull at the mixer – there is something for everyone.

    I'm sure you all would agree that this year has been a whirlwind.  It seems the days drag on so slowly, but when the year is up you wonder how the time flew by so fast.  The graduate student executive council is looking forward to seeing you at all of the JAM events this year that they have worked so hard on.  Thank you to Amanda Sterrett, Michael Adams, Goshia Zobel, Steve Beckman, and Keena Mullen for all their hard work and service!

    See you at JAM!

    Rachel Campbell

    GSD President

    Summary of Dairy Industry in the United States of America

    Randi

    By Randi Black, PhD Candidate, University of Tennessee, Knoxville (M.S. in Dairy Systems Management from the University of Kentucky, 2013)

    Climate

    The United States is located in North America, north of Mexico and south of Canada.  A vast variety of climates exist in the United States ranging from semi-arid to desert in the West, humid subtropical in the Southeast, and humid continental in the Northeast and Midwest, with all variations in between.  This climactic variation is reflected in the management and production within the different regions.

    Production

    In 2012, the United States produced 90,558,996,884,992 kg of milk from 9,225,000 cows producing 9,817 kg per cow.  The Northwest produced 12,654,771,850 kg of milk from 1,209,000 cow producing 10,463 kg per cow, while the Southwest produced 29,754,294,743 kg of milk from 2,815,000 cows producing 10,570 kg per cow.  The Midwest produced 1,349,437,122 kg of milk from 2,975,000 cows producing 9,597 kg per cow, while the East Coast, including the Southeast and Northeast, produced 19,905,444,921 kg of milk from 2,236,000 cows producing 8,903 kg per cow.  The top dairy states in the United States are California, producing 18,960,612,140 kg of milk from 1,782,000 cows, Wisconsin, producing 12,348,597,041 kg of milk from 1,270,000 cows, and Idaho, producing 6,149,804,536 kg of milk from 580,000 cows.  (USDA/NASS, 2013)

    Reproduction

    The majority of dairy producers in the U.S. (93%) utilize visual observation as a means to detect estrus in dairy cattle; however, many producers also use tail chalk (35%), and bulls for estrus detection (40%).  Although a large number of producers use bulls of estrus detection, only 27% rely on bulls for breeding.  Most producers (75%) use artificial insemination to breed cattle.  Genetic selection for milk is the primary reproductive goal for U.S. producers.  However, more producers are beginning to select for net merit, SCC, and longevity.  (USDA/NAHMS, 2007b)

    Calf hutches allow for individualized care of calves at a young age and a reduction in disease transmission.

    Calf hutches allow for individualized care of calves at a young age and a reduction in disease transmission.

    Calves

    The majority of U.S. dairy farms raise heifers on the farm (97%).  Additionally, most producers remove calves from the dam immediately after calving (56%), while 22% remove calves after nursing the dam, but within 12 hours of birth.  All but 0.2% of operations give calves colostrum via the dam, bottle feeding, or bucket feeding.  (USDA/NAHMS, 2007a)

    41111_853906422650_82108_n

    A small proportion of cows are housed in compost bedded pack barns, an alternative housing facility to freestall barns.

    Housing

    Housing options vary for dairy farms based on herd size.  A small percentage (27%) of small dairy farms (fewer than 100 cows) use freestall barns for housing.  These farms typically use tie-stall barns, deep bedded pack barns, or have no housing.  Conversely, large farms (500 or more cows) use freestalls as the predominant housing type (83%).  (USDA/NAHMS, 2007a)

    Feeds and Feeding

    Cow diets in the U.S. consist of three main ingredients; corn or corn silage, alfalfa hay or haylage, and whole soybeans or soybean meal.  Most small farms (66%) feed all cows the same ration, while most large farms (71%) feed different rations to

    The majority of producers choose to feed a total mixed ration to provide a more balanced diet to cows.

    The majority of producers choose to feed a total mixed ration to provide a more balanced diet to cows.

    different groups based on production and stage of lactation.  (USDA/NAHMS, 2007a)

    Breeds

    The majority of U.S. dairy producers (over 90%) choose to milk Holstein cattle.  Producers favor this breed from their ability to produce large quantities of milk.  Jersey cattle are the second most popular dairy breed in the U.S., at about 7% of the dairy population.  Jersey cows have a small frame size compared to Holsteins.  However, Jersey cows are popular for their high butterfat production and milk efficiency. (USEPA, 2010)

    Welfare

    Cow brushes can be found on some dairies to provide enrichment to cows.

    Cow brushes can be found on some dairies to provide enrichment to cows.

    The U.S. dairy industry is faced with many of the same welfare concerns as other countries.  One of the most concerning issues is lameness associated with dairy cows housed in confinement or infectious disease.  Producers have difficulty diagnosing lameness in the early stages, which allows the disease to manifest to a more severe stage.  Many researchers around the world have been working on solutions for automated lameness detection.  Transition cows also pose concern throughout the dairy industry.  Monitoring feed intake throughout the early stages in lactation is an important strategy to identifying ill cows to prevent further concern.  However, U.S. dairy producers are not as quick to adopt new technologies (Daberkow and McBride, 2003), making many automated systems somewhat irrelevant.  Producers also struggle with management practice concerns including tail docking, dehorning, separation of the cow and calf, and confinement housing.  Although many concerns arise, U.S. dairy producers still strive to provide comfortable, healthy, productive lives for cows.  (von Keyserlingk et al., 2009)

    References

    Daberkow, S. and W. McBride. 2003. Farm and Operator Characteristics Affecting the Awareness and Adoption of Precision Agriculture Technologies in the US. Precision Agriculture 4(2):163-177.

    USDA/NAHMS. 2007a. Dairy 2007 Part III: Reference of dairy cattle health and management practices in the United States. W. USDA, DC.  Accessed May 31, 2013.  http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/nahms/dairy/downloads/dairy07/Dairy07_dr_PartIII_rev.pdf, ed.

    USDA/NAHMS. 2007b. Dairy 2007 Part IV: Reference of dairy cattle health and management practices in the United States. D. h. w. a. u. g. a. h. n. d. d. d. D. d. P. p. USDA.  Washington, ed.

    USDA/NASS. 2013. Milk Production. USDA-NASS.  Washington, DC.  Accessed May 31, 2013.  http://usda01.library.cornell.edu/usda/nass/MilkProd//2010s/2013/MilkProd-02-20-2013.pdf.

    USEPA. 2010. Ag 101. USEPA.  Washington, DC.  Accessed May 31, 2013.  http://www.epa.gov/agriculture/ag101/dairysystems.html.

    von Keyserlingk, M. A. G., J. Rushen, A. M. de Passillé, and D. M. Weary. 2009. Invited review: The welfare of dairy cattle—Key concepts and the role of science. J. Dairy Sci. 92(9):4101-4111.

    Industry Spotlight

    Michael Steele, PhD

    B.S.: Agricultural Science, University of Guelph, 2001Mike&Cows

    M.S.: Animal Nutrition, University of Guelph, 2003

    Ph.D.:  Ruminant Nutrition, University of Guelph, 2012

    1. Current Position (title and describe duties):

    Research Scientist and Technology Transfer, Nutreco Canada Agresearch

    • Leading basic and applied research program in functional nutrition of ruminants
    • Forging highly competitive external research and development collaborations
    • Contributing to develop Nutreco's global Gut Health Research Platform
    • Participating in cross-species and cross-functional research teams
    • Providing technical leadership for ruminant nutrition and sales team
    • Updating Nutreco's training program and developing an E-learning initiative

    2. Previous Positions (titles and describe duties):

    Dairy Cow Nutritionist, Masterfeeds Inc. 2005-2007 London, Ontario

    • Leading national product research and development program
    • Designing efficient rations and styles of feeding throughout Canada
    • Training sales staff and providing technical service from office or on the farm
    • Formulating products and coordinating precise and efficient production
    • Developing strategic plans and creating marketing material

    Dairy Project Manager, Beijing Land of Plenty Technology Inc. 2004-2005 Beijing, China

    • Nutrition and management consultation for livestock farms throughout China
    • Balancing rations, designing feeding regimes and measuring progress
    • Designing cutting-edge feed and housing facilities for livestock operations
    • Writing and presenting business plans for investors and government officials

    Steele Brothers Farms Limited, Stelbro Holsteins 1990-2004 Thamesford, Ontario

    • Selecting dairy genetics and establishing a globally-respected breeding program
    • Ration balancing, herd health monitoring, record keeping and farm management
    • Actively participating in all farm duties and economic decision making

    3. Why did you choose your current position?

    My current position at Nutreco enables me to express my passion for ruminant research and knowledge transfer.  In addition, I truly enjoy working with an international company that values research and innovation.

    4. What is your favorite part of working at Nutreco?

    My favorite part of working at Nutreco is participating in an international team tackling international and local animal nutrition and production challenges.  Being able to share and apply knowledge globally is very exciting for me.

    5. Did you always want to go into research or did you think about teaching/Extension? Please describe the path you took to figure out exactly what you wanted to do after graduate school.

    I have always had a deep-rooted passion for teaching and extension and thought I would move into that direction before I started my PhD.   However, I started to gain confidence in my ability to conduct research during the second year of my PhD thanks to the guidance of my supervisor, Dr. Brian McBride.   During this time I came to the conclusion that research had to be component of my future career.  Luckily for me, Nutreco offered me a position that allowed me to develop my own research program and still conduct teaching/extension within the company.  Even though I am working in private industry I have been fortunate to stay connected to teaching through advising graduate students at the University of Guelph and developing an interactive elearning training program.  I feel like I am getting the best of both worlds.

    5. Please describe your transition from graduate school to the “real world”?  What was easy? What was difficult?

    I have worked in industry prior to my PhD therefore the transition to industry was not difficult.   I personally find the pace to be faster and the expectation for an application of your research is greater in industry.

    6. Do you think a particular class or area of study was beneficial to your current or previous job? 

    I feel very fortunate that I devoted efforts to learn molecular biology, cell biology and microbiology during my PhD.  Being able to integrate these techniques with nutrition is very powerful and has supplied me with many opportunities to collaborate with leading industrial and academic research groups.

    7. In your opinion, what characteristics should graduate students possess to be successful in their career development?

    Graduate students should be able to integrate several areas of research and be able to sense where the industry is moving and adapt to be successful in their career.  There are many experts in specific fields but there are very few experts that can integrate several disciplines.  Try your best to find and develop your expertise in your specific area but make sure you can integrate your knowledge with the big picture.

    8. What do you think are the biggest opportunities for graduate students in the dairy field? 

    Graduate students should be able to integrate several areas of research and be able to sense where the industry is moving and adapt to be successful in their career.  There are many experts in specific fields but there are very few experts that can integrate several disciplines.

    Student Profiles: Meet Your New Exec Team!

    014

    .......................................................................

    President: Amanda Sterrett

    .......................................................................

    Educational Background:

    University of Kentucky, Dairy Systems Management, hopefully an M.S. as of this Friday (fingers crossed) and continuing on for my PhD

    Previous Degrees: University of Findlay, B.S. in Animal Science and Biology, 2009

    Thesis Topic: Management and Technology Solutions for Improving Milk Quality

    ADSA-Related:

    Were you involved in SAD (Student Affiliate Division)? If so, how? Unfortunately, no. I was not involved with dairy in general until my junior year of my undergraduate career and my school was not involved with ADSA so I was not exposed to it until graduate school.

    Do you plan to present at JAM 2013?  Yes, a poster and an oral.

    What is your favorite GSD event and why? All of them, of course! I love that Dairy Tales exposes me to new and interesting topics. I really enjoyed the ADSA/ASAS Symposium last year and it was actually my overall favorite symposium of JAM. The Career Insights lunch was nice because I got to talk with other GSD members and hear from those out in the real world. The mixer was a lot of fun last year as I got to meet so many GSD members and I am really looking forward to that this year.

    Just for Fun:

    What is your favorite dairy food? Frozen yogurt, specifically the orange flavor from Orange Leaf.

    If you could have dinner with any person, living or dead, who would it be and why? Rosalind Franklin because of her involvement in such an amazing scientific development and the resulting advancements for women in science. I also have a long list of mastitis researchers whom I would love to meet and talk to.

    Tell us about a unique or quirky habit of yours.  There are too many to list in this article.  My advisor and lab mates call me Sheldon (from the Big Bang Theory) because I tend to embody some of his quirkiness, particularly the germophobia and awkward social presence.

    If you had to describe yourself using three words, they would be... Passionate, inquisitive, and hard-working.

    When you were little, who was your favorite super hero and why? Though not actual super heroes, The American Gladiators (from the TV show) were my idols. My family even took me to Orlando, FL once to watch the filming of the show. I got all their autographs and talked about it for years (and obviously still do).

    If you couldn't be a dairy scientist, you would want to be...An animal scientist of another species. I can't imagine not working with animals.

    Curtis Park

    .......................................................................

    Vice President: Curtis Park

    .......................................................................

    Educational Background:

    North Carolina State University, PhD Food Science, expected 2016

    Thesis Topic: MS: Influence of spray drying parameters on the flavor of WPC

    Previous Degrees (Undergraduate/ Graduate): BS Food Science BYU (2011), MS Food Science NCSU (2013)

    ADSA-Related:

    Were you involved in SAD (Student Affiliate Division)? If so, how? I went to some of the activities at the JAM 2012 but that was about it.

    Do you plan to present at JAM 2013?  Yes

    Just For Fun:

    What is your favorite dairy food?Either ice cream or cheese!

    Tell us about a unique or quirky habit of yours: As a kid I would always follow the “don't step on a crack or you'll break your mother's back” rule.  Out of habit I still avoid stepping on cracks even if I'm not thinking about it.

    If you couldn't be a dairy scientist, you would want to be...I think I would want to be a professional jazz musician.  It's something I've done as a hobby for a long time.

    Adam Geiger

    .......................................................................

    Secretary: Adam Geiger

    .......................................................................

    Educational Background:

    Virginia Tech, Ph. D. in Lactation Physiology, anticipated May 2017

    Thesis Topic: Effect of pre-pubertal feeding strategies on mammary growth, cell proliferation, and lactation potential in dairy calves

    Previous Degrees (Undergraduate/ Graduate): MS at Mississippi State University in Ruminant Nutrition

    Thesis Title: Effect of increased crude protein concentration in the milk replacer with or without direct-fed microbial supplementation on Holstein dairy calves during heat stress

    BS at UW-Madison in Dairy Science

    ADSA-Related:

    Were you involved in SAD (Student Affiliate Division)? If so, how? Yes.  I attended the conference all 4 years of undergrad and participated in dairy bowl 3 of the years. I also have served as a chaperone to the southern ADSA-SAD twice and served as a dairy bowl judge both of those years

    Do you plan to present at JAM 2013?  Yes, I am presenting my thesis research.

    Just For Fun:

    What is your favorite GSD event and why?  All of the socials were a lot of fun at JAM last year, but dairy tales and the career insight luncheon were great.  The dairy tour in Phoenix was also really neat to see.  If I had to pick one I think the career luncheon takes the cake.

    What is your favorite dairy food?  I'm from Wisconsin.  Cheese it is.  More specifically, Fontina cheese made by Belgioso, or cheese curds from Laacks.  Gotta love the cheese curds!

    If you could have dinner with any person, living or dead, who would it be and why?  On a sentimental note, my grandmother.  She played, and continues to play, a large role in who I am and why I do what I do.  Otherwise, Aaron Rogers.  Go Pack Go!

    If you could visit any place in the world, where would you choose to go and why?  Dubai maybe?  The pictures look really cool and elegant.  Otherwise I would love to go to New Zealand/ Australia.  Just to see their landscape and all the grazing operations out there.

    Tell us about a unique or quirky habit of yours.  I am colorblind, but that's not a habit, I was born that way.  I am known as “Extreme” in my grad office because I keep a strict planner and make sure I accomplish everything in it every day.  A lot of my fellow students think I have a little bit of OCD going on. 

    If you had to describe yourself using three words, they would be... Outgoing, Determined, Fun. That is a tough question

    When you were little, who was your favorite super hero and why? Batman.  His belt with all those gadgets is pretty cool.

    If you couldn't be a dairy scientist, you would want to be... Animal Scientist.  Kidding.  I always thought going to business school and then law school would have been interesting.  So maybe a lawyer?  Easy with the judgement.

    Maneesha Mohan

    .......................................................................

    Dairy Foods Director: Maneesha Mohan

    .......................................................................

    Educational Background:

    The University of Tennessee, PhD program, expected 2014

    Thesis Topic: Nanostructure and properties of casein micelles

    Previous Degrees (Undergraduate/ Graduate): B.Tech. Dairy Science and MS Biological sciences

    ADSA-Related:

    Were you involved in SAD (Student Affiliate Division)? If so, how? No

    Do you plan to present at JAM 2013?  Yes

    Just For Fun:

    What is your favorite dairy food? Ice cream

    If you could visit any place in the world, where would you choose to go and why? Manasarovar lake in the Himalayas

    Tell us about a unique or quirky habit of yours. Roll my r's when I am very excited.

    If you couldn't be a dairy scientist, you would want to be: a world traveler

    Eric Testroet

    .......................................................................

    Treasurer: Eric Testroet

    .......................................................................

    Educational Background:

    Iowa State University, Biochemical and molecular nutrition, expected M.S. Summer 2013, PhD 2016

    Thesis Topic: The impact of DDGS on milk quality (and milk product quality) in dairy cows

    Previous Degrees (Undergraduate/ Graduate): BA Chemistry

    ADSA-Related:

    Were you involved in SAD (Student Affiliate Division)? If so, how? No

    Do you plan to present at JAM 2013?  No, I presented at the Midwest ADSA meeting.

    Just For Fun:

    What is your favorite GSD event and why?  I really enjoy Dairy Tales.  Dairy Tales is a fun event to plan and has very interesting topics presented in a fun way.  It gives attendees the opportunity to learn about current “hot topics” in a more casual way than the traditional scientific presentation.

    What is your favorite dairy food?  I am a huge cheese fan.  I think it's amazing that you can make so many diverse foods from milk.

    Robb Bender

    .......................................................................

    Dairy Production Director: Robb Bender

    .......................................................................

    Educational Background:

    University of Wisconsin – Madison, Ph.D. in Dairy Nutrition, expected May 2015

    Thesis Topic: “Integration of Nutritional Data on Commercial Dairy Farms to Develop Real-time Decision Making Tools”

    Previous Degrees (Undergraduate/ Graduate): Bachelor of Science – Dairy Science (UW – Madison 2010); Master of Science – Dairy Science Reproductive Physiology (UW – Madison 2012)

    ADSA-Related:

    Were you involved in SAD (Student Affiliate Division)? If so, how? No

    Do you plan to present at JAM 2013?

    Oral: Effects of acute feed restriction combined with targeted use of increasing LH in FSH preparations on superovulation and embryo quality in lactating dairy cows

    Poster: Improving embryo recovery from superovulated Holstein dairy cattle: Evaluation of reflushing 30 minutes after the initial flush on embryo recovery.

    Poster:  Comparison of in situ versus in vitro methods of fiber digestion at 120 and 288 hours to quantify the indigestible NDF fraction of corn silage samples.

    Just For Fun:

    If you could visit any place in the world, where would you choose to go and why? I think Brazil would be a lot of fun.  As a result of a few years in graduate school, I have a lot of friends in Brazil that have been students and interns at Madison.  It would be great to see some of them again.

     If you couldn't be a dairy scientist, you would want to be... Probably a dairy farmer.  Getting cooped up in the office or lab is not my ideal place to be.  I would much rather be working with the cows in some capacity. 

    ********************BE SURE TO TRACK DOWN YOUR NEW OFFICER TEAM AT JAM TO MEET THEM IN PERSON(GSD EVENTS ARE A GOOD PLACE TO DO THIS...HINT, HINT)!******************

    March 2013

    President's Letter

    The deadline has passed, your abstracts are turned in...now what?

    • Make sure your membership is current, if not, renew!  Don't forget to refer a friend.
    • Register for the meeting and don't forget to book your hotel room with the special student code you received via e-mail.
    • Be sure to check out the summaries of events at JAM this year in Indianapolis!
    • If you aren't already a member, join our Facebook group.  This is the most efficient way to receive updates about opportunities made available by the GSD.
    • Update your CV and upload it on to myDairyCareer – now is the time to start looking for jobs and making connections.
    • Relax!  Read about the dairy industry in China and Sweden and the veal industry in Canada in the newsletter. Or read about your fellow graduate students and a past GSD officer who has moved onto an industry job!

    Best,

    Rachel Campbell

    ADSA Graduate Student Division President

    JAM 2013 GSD Events

    JAM 2013

    ADSA GSD logoADSA Graduate Student Division Business Meeting

    Monday, July 8

    6:00 – 6:45 pm

    Convention Center

    Meet the incoming officer team and voice your ideas and opinions about ADSA GSD activities. Enjoy conversations with your fellow graduate students and complimentary snacks.

    Career Insights Lunch, sponsored by Novus International Inc.career2

    Tuesday, July 9

    12:00 – 2:00 pm

    Convention Center

    Through informal conversations at each roundtable, graduate students will learn from table leaders (members with hiring responsibilities) and be able to ask frank questions about how to get an interview, how to win them over in an interview, and how to thrive once in the position. Stay for the entire lunch time or just as long as you can. Registration is required and the $5 fee includes a box lunch. Thanks to Novus International Inc. for making this lunch possible through their generous sponsorship.

    ADSA Graduate Student Division Dairy TalesTell a Friend

    Wednesday, July 10

    3:00 – 4:30 pm

    Convention Center

    Join us for the 2nd annual, and hugely popular, Dairy Tales! Graduate students from dairy production and dairy foods will give presentations on their fields of study. The TED-style talks (10-15 minutes) are meant for an audience of students who are not experts in the field. Confirmed topics include raw milk, tail docking, and transition cow management. A fourth topic (TBD) will be dairy foods-focused. The event is free, but please preregister to stay informed about the program.

    ADSA Graduate Student Division MixerMixer 2013

    Wednesday, July 10

    9:00 pm – 12:00 am

    Location TBD

    Join your fellow graduate students and others at a nearby Indianapolis bar/restaurant. Registration is FREE and the first 100 to attend the event will receive a free drink ticket. Attend to win door prizes throughout the night, and dance the night away with music from a local DJ. Make sure to preregister for this very popular event.

    Student Spotlights

    luizName: Luiz Felipe Ferraretto

    Country of Origin: Brazil

    Area of Specialization: Dairy Nutrition

    Focus of Research: Corn silage quality and utilization by lactating dairy cows

    Degree Program: PhD in Dairy Science at University of Wisconsin-Madison

    Year in school: 2nd year

    Future plans: conduct research on applied dairy nutrition, either in the industry or academia

    Award won at JAM 2012: 3rd place Land O'Lakes, Purina Feed LLC Graduate Student Poster Contest MS Division

    silvaName: Paula R. Basso Silva
    Country of origin: Brazil
    Area of specialization:
    Dairy production and reproduction
    Focus of research: Effects of prepartum grouping strategy on immunity, metabolites, health, production and reproduction of dairy cows.
    Degree program: Ph.D. in Animal Science at University of Minnesota
    Year in school: 1st year of Ph.D. program
    Future plans:
    My plans are to continue researching the effects of different transition period managements on immunity, metabolites, health, production and reproduction of dairy cows.
    Award won:
    1st place Graduate Student Poster Contest MS Division, July of 2012

    Summary of the Dairy Industry in Sweden

    By Barbara Wadsworth, M.S. Candidate, University of Kentucky, Dairy Systems Management

    Barbara Wadsworthmap of sweden

    My Research: My research focuses on housing and cow comfort, more specifically the impact of Dual Chamber Cow Waterbeds© and how they compare to rubber-filled mattresses. I am a native of the United States and during the junior year of my undergraduate career at Purdue University, I had the awesome opportunity to spend spring semester abroad in Uppsala, Sweden at SLU- Swedish University of Agriculture Sciences.

    Sweden is located between Norway and Finland in Scandinavia. The climate is milder than other countries so far north due to the Gulf Stream.  Generally, the winters are long and cold and the summer months hold long days and mild temperatures.

    Sweden has 287,606 dairy cattle as of 2012 and 4,022 total dairy farms. Average production is 9,210 kg of milk per year. Average fat percentage is 4.21 and average protein percentage is 3.46 (Swedish dairy association).  Average herd size is 48 cows per farm (Hansson, 2008).

    cows in sweden

    Reproduction: Breeding goals in Sweden is often referred to as “the Nordic genetic profile.” This profile focuses both on production and on functional properties. These properties include fertility, calving ability and hoof health (Swedish dairy association). The two most common types of dairy cattle are the Swedish Red and White, which is related to the Ayrshire and the Swedish Holstein (Wedholm et al., 2006).

    Calves: The majority of calves are kept in individual pens after they are taken away from their mothers. Calves receive milk from their dams for an average of 4 days after birth and then are fed 2.5 liters of whole milk twice a day.  On average calves are weaned at 8 weeks of age. Table 1 below shows the distribution of housing system for weaned heifer calves.

    Table 1

    The most common type of feed fed to weaned heifers is grain, silage and hay. The median age of first breeding time is 16 months (Petterson et al., 2001).

     Welfare: Sweden is a leader in the dairy industry and a pioneer in animal welfare. Swedish cows are some of the healthiest in the world and during summer months, every cow has the right to go out to pasture (Swedish Dairy Association).  The Swedish Dairy Association has many animal welfare programs that are focused on preventive cattle health.  Some of these programs include healthy udders and clinics focusing on somatic cell counts, hoof health, calves, and diseases.

    Feedstuffs: There are many different types of feed in Sweden.  Whole crop refers to when the whole plant is harvested and fed as silage. This can include barley, oats, winter wheat, and triticale.  Other feedstuffs that are presented to cows are corn silage, oilseeds such as rapeseed and cottonseed, root vegetables like beet molasses, cereal, grain legumes, and grassland.  Larger herds, 80 cows or greater, will be fed a total mixed ration with feedstuffs mentioned above.

    sweden cows

    Housing: Tiestalls are traditionally the most common housing system in Sweden. Short stalls and long stalls make up the tiestall types. Long stalls shut the cow off from feed while the herdsman is not in the barn.  Short stalls always allow the cow access to her feed.  Loose housing in freestalls is recommended for the cattle and is starting to increase as a housing option as now a quarter of the dairies use freestalls as their housing system (Hultgren, 2003).

    Farmers Association: Recently the Swedish Farmers Association and the Swedish Dairy Association have collaborated to form the Farmers Association (LRF) milk.  The purpose of this partnership is to strengthen the producer's influence and opportunities on the commercial and political markets. The mission of the LRF Dairy Association is to protect and strengthen the Swedish milk for human consumption.

    Emerging issue: Like many other countries, a trend in Sweden shows a decrease in milk production and a loss of dairy farms.  Producers need to gain confidence in the dairy industry in order for this situation to reverse. The Swedish Dairy Association is working to reverse this decrease through capturing producer's involvement and boosting their confidence. They fear that if the decrease does not have a turn around that milk production will cease to exist in Sweden (Swedish Dairy Assocation).

    In conclusion, the Swedish dairy industry is a leader throughout the globe. They are facing many changes and opportunities with the industry. They are pioneers in the industry with their focus on animal welfare and health of the cattle.

    References:

    http://www.svenskmjolk.se/ Swedish dairy association

    Hansson, H. 2008. Are larger farms more efficient? A farm level study of the relationships between efficiency and size on specialized dairy farms in Sweden. Agriculture and Food Science. Volume 17: 325-337.

    Hultgren, J. 2003. Lameness and Udder Health in Swedish Dairy Herds, as Influenced by Housing Changes. Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica. 10.1186/1751-0147-44-S1-P61

    Petterson. K, C. Svensson, and P. Liberg. 2001. Housing, Feeding and Management of Calves and Replacement Heifers in Swedish Dairy Herds. Acta vet. scand. 42, 465-478.

    http://www.blackseagrain.net/about-ukragroconsult/news-bsg/farmers-association-lrf-and-swedish-dairy-form-lfr-milk

    Wedholm, A., E, Halle, L. B. Larsen, H. Lindmark, A. H. Karlsson and T. Allmere. 2006. Comparison of milk protein composition in a Swedish and a Danish dairy herd using reversed phase HPLC. Acta Agriculturae Scand Section A, 56: 8_15

    Summary of the Dairy Industry in China

    By Di Liang, M.S. Candidate, University of Kentucky, Dairy Systems Management

    I got my Bachelor's Degree in China Agricultural University in 2011, and then came to the U.S. for graduate school. My research project is about animal health economics, estimating common disease costs in the U.S. with stochastic simulations.

    China has a large dairy market; however, dairy production level is not high comparing with the U.S. The Chinese dairy industry started rapidly increasing the past several decades:  In 2010, there were 12 million milking cows, while the number was less than 5 million in 1999. The total national milk production was 37 billion kg in 2010, while it was 7 billion in 1999. The average annual milk production was 4,760 kg per cow (2010). Although China was the third largest milk producing country, the production level varied a lot among Chinese dairy farms. Grazing and pen-stabling are the most common housing systems for small dairies while tie-stall and free-stall are popular for large ones.  Some large dairy farms, which were always owned by large dairy companies, had more than 5,000 cows with rotary milking systems, DHI records, and advanced technology, while some small family farms (just two or three cows) were kept in pen-stabling with single cluster milking machine.

    One unique dairy farm system, a 'dairy community', was built in one village and the residents raised a couple dairy cows on their own and sent cows to the community milking parlor once or twice. Some dairy communities also have barns where producers could take care of their cows. Grazing is popular in northern and north-western China where the majority of high quality pasture is. The other dairy farms purchased feed from market instead of planting crops. The common feed components were crop and grain byproducts, such as straw, hay, or forages grass. Land limitation was a serious issue for the Chinese dairy industry, because all the land was used for human food as priority, which explained why corn silage was not popular among small Chinese dairies, although large-scale ones had that. The Chinese dairy industry made great efforts in decreasing mastitis and somatic cell count (SCC) in milk; and the national average SCC was 437,000 cells/mL in 2010. Different from most countries, SCC was not included in the national standards of qualification of raw milk. Because most of those small Chinese dairies were at very low production level, a stricter regulation might make them bankrupt immediately.

    A specialty of Chinese dairy industry is the variation of breeds. The most common dairy breed is the China Holstein, which was a crossbred breed by Holstein and some native breeds (i.e. China yellow cattle, China Jun-nan cattle, etc.) to adapt to rough conditions. Jersey is another popular milking breed. China imports a great number of frozen semen, embryos, and live heifers and bulls from all around the world for genetic purposes. Simmentals, a dual-purpose ‘dairy' cow were also common in some areas due to their musling and comparative good milk production (4000 kg/year) . Some farmers in high-altitude areas raise Yak for three uses: fur/skin, meat, and milk because of their life-style and the geographical situation. Some producers in south China also kept Chinese Buffalo, a native breed, which had outstanding heat tolerance, farming purpose, and good milk components (7.5% milk fat).

    Milk quality became a hot topic in China since the 'Melamine Scandal'; people started paying more attention to milk quality and food safety. The ‘Melamine Scandal' occurred in 2008 when melamine was found in formulated milk powder for infants and babies, which led to kidney stones in infants and four deaths.  The investigation found that melamine was added into raw milk to elevate milk protein content when dairy companies collected it from dairy producers. The ‘Melamine Scandal' is a turning point for Chinese dairy industry and pen-stabling dairies and ‘dairy communication' are gradually being replaced by large dairies and cooperative dairies. Since 2008, an increasing number of foreign dairy companies (i.e. Fonterra, Arla, etc.) are permitted to start their business in China, which is helping improve the Chinese dairy production level and milk quality.

    Chinese Buffalo

    Chinese Buffalo

    Milking parlor in a cooperative dairy community

    Milking parlor in a cooperative dairy community

    Dual purpose Simmental

    Dual purpose Simmental

    Tian-zhu white yak

    Tian-zhu white yak

    References:

    Liu, C. 2010. China dairy yearbook 2010. China Agriculture Press.

    Liu, C. 2007. China dairy yearbook 2007. China Agriculture Press.

    Li,S., S. Zhang, J. Liu, J. Wang, H. Zhang, Z. Yang, Y. Liu, Y. Bi, Z. Cao, and K. Yao. 2012. Dairy industry technology development annual report in 2011. China Journal of Animal Science 6:014.

    Summary of the Veal Industry in Canada

    By Christine Murray, Ph.D. Candidate, University of Guelph, Epidemiology

    Ph.D. Candidate, Epidemiology, University of Guelph

    Christine Murray, Ph.D. Candidate, Epidemiology, University of Guelph

    My Research

    My research is investigating the effects of dystocia on calf vitality and health in the dairy and veal industries, with a specific focus on the benefits of the administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to calves at birth.

    It is suspected that the effects of problems with newborn calf vitality occur at a greater frequency in male Holstein calves, due to their larger size at birth compared to heifer calves. Furthermore, it is anticipated that these issues have repercussions well into the growing and finishing periods in veal production systems.

    About Canada's Veal Industry

    Veal calves are male (bull) dairy calves, which are not kept for breeding purposes, and are instead raised for meat. Today, only 2% of farmers produce veal in Canada. Ontario and Quebec are the largest producers of veal because they also have the greatest number of dairy farms.  82% of Canadian dairy farms are located in Ontario and Quebec, 13% in the Western provinces and 5% in the Atlantic provinces (1). Veal production in Quebec represents approximately 67% of the nation total, and Ontario represents 30%. This leaves only 3% of veal production to the Western and Atlantic provinces.

    In Ontario, there are approximately 450 veal producers who raise about 70,000 veal calves per year. Most of these farms are family owned and produce other commodities such as beef, poultry or crops. An average veal farm will raise about 175-200 calves per year. In Ontario, veal has an annual farm gate value of $110 million and an economic impact of $450 million on Ontario's economy (2).

    Types of Veal

    There are two types of veal produced in Ontario: milk-fed and grain-fed veal. Milk-fed veal calves are raised primarily on a milk-based diet until they reach market weight at 450-500lbs (205-227kg). At this point they are approximately 5 months of age. The meat from milk-fed veal is very light in colour, is tender and has a mild flavor. Grain-fed veal calves are raised in a more similar manner to dairy heifer calves. These calves are fed a milk-based diet until approximately 6-8 weeks of age. At this point, the calves are weaned and corn and protein supplement are gradually introduced to their diet. Grain-fed veal will reach a market weight of 650-700lbs (296-318kg), in which calves are approximately 7 months of age (2).

    One common misconception is that veal is from very young calves. Many people chose not to eat veal because they believe the calves are sent to market at only a few weeks old. In reality, veal is the second oldest animal we eat next to beef.

    Veal Housing

    Calves raised for veal can be housed in hutches, stalls or group pens. Hutches are individual housing units that offer the calf freedom to move around, but allow calves to develop their immune systems before living with other calves. Hutches are predominantly used in grain-fed veal production prior to the calves being weaned at 6-8 weeks of age. Stalls are also individual units of adequate size to allow the calf to lie down, stand up, stretch out and groom themselves. However, in modern veal production facilities, individual housing is largely being phased out, in both grain and milk-fed housing. In group pens, calves are fed with automatic computerized feeders. Calves have room for increased free movement and are grouped based on size and age in order to prevent bullying and competition.

    Over the past several years, veal production has grown into a prosperous and significant component of Canada's agricultural industry. For more information on dairy and veal production in Canada, please visit:

    1. Canadian Dairy Information Center. Government of Canada. http://www.dairyinfo.gc.ca
    2. Ontario Veal Association. http://www.ontarioveal.on.ca/main.html
    3. Farming Facts – Veal. http://www.farmissues.com/pages/factsVeal.php
    4. Virtual Farm Tours. http://www.farmissues.com/virtualTour/en/index.html

    Industry Profile

    Elizabeth French, PhD.

    Elizabeth French, PhD.

    Dr. Elizabeth French

    B.S.: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 2005, Animal Sciences with an option in Science, Biotechnology, and Pre-Veterinary Medicine

    M.S: University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2005, Dairy Science: Supplementation of distillers dried grains with solubles with lysine-rich protein sources in lactating dairy cow diets

    PhD: University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2012, Dairy Science: Relationship between rumen and milk odd and branched-chain fatty acids and influences by precursors, animals, and rumen environment on their appearance

    • What is your position at DeLaval and what are your job responsibilities?

    My official title is the Clinical Trial Specialist for North American. Overall, my responsibilities include planning, executing, and analyzing data generated from field trials and assisting in the development of new products or supporting existing products for the Milk Quality Animal Health Department. The chemicals being tested are created for a range of dairy management areas, including hoofcare, milk quality, cleaning milking systems, and nutrition. It is an exciting position that allows me the opportunity to travel and meet many experts in the field and, on occasion, collaborate with them. Although the position is located within North America, there are many instances where I work alongside individuals from around the world.

    Another component of my job involves providing extension and training to product specialists, dealers, and solution managers in the areas of milk quality and animal health.

    • Why did you choose to work for DeLaval?

    DeLaval provides exciting and fresh research opportunities within the company and encourages research collaboration outside of the company. Also, since my background is focused so strongly on nutrition, it seemed like a challenging and unique opportunity to expand my knowledge in areas of management I was less familiar with, because the types of experiments, data collection, and analyses differ based on the area.

    • Please describe your position from graduate school to the work force? What was easy? What was difficult?

    Transitioning between graduate school and full-time employment was surprisingly manageable. Of course, some of that is because it requires many of the same working habits as graduate school (think PhD Comics); it is very rewarding and enjoyable to use the skill set you learned (and continue to learn) in the working world.

    • Did you have to relocate for this position? Was that a difficult decision? Would you advise current graduate students to be prepared to do so for their future jobs?

    Even though I was willing to relocate, I was happy I had the chance to stay in Madison. I really think the decision to relocate depends on personal circumstances, but definitely recommend being available for some work-related travel – it is the best way to gain experience and meet others in the field.

    • In your opinion, what characteristics should graduate students possess to be successful in their career development?

    I would say these characteristics include:

    1. Ability to organize (at least at work)
    2. Self motivation
    3. Respect for everyone you encounter – the global dairy industry is smaller than you think
    4. A drive to keep learning
    • Do you think a particular class or area of study is beneficial to your current job?

    The focus of my research in graduate school gave me the ability to research and gather information. Taking occasional courses outside of my particular research gave me a base of different dairy management areas. Also, courses that teach presentation skills prepare you for educating, and as future professionals, we are responsible for sharing information with others.

    I would strongly emphasize learning a second language. If you are not proficient in another language, most companies will support training. For example, DeLaval enabled me to take Spanish classes at Madison Area Technical College.

    • Do you feel being active in the ADSA GSD has helped you obtain this position or be successful in this position? If so, how?

    The training sessions offered by the GSD were very useful, especially the interviewing skills training, the networking lunch, and, of course, the social. Also, being active in the group was another way to meet more students from around the globe and have a lot of fun planning events that help developing students.

    • Do you have any advice you would like to give current graduate students?

    Even though we are heavily driven by online technology, a hand-written note and a phone call go a long way. Keep an open mind; you will meet people from many different backgrounds and cultures. It is good to remember your roots by reviewing your graduate research every once in awhile and the newer articles in that area.

    Free Organic Milk Webinar Wednesday, April 17

    American Dairy Science Association

    Sign up for this FREE webinar now!

    Organic Milk: Is It Worth The Price?
    Webinar — April 17th at 12:00 CDTPresenter: Zeynep Ustunol, Ph.D., Professor of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Michigan State University

    Facilitator: Keena Mullen, Ph.D. student in Animal Science, North Carolina State University

    Organic milk production is a niche market with growing popularity in the United States. This webinar will explore the production practices and processing of organic milk and examine the appeal of organic milk to the consumer. Nutritional differences and perceived health benefits of organic milk will also be discussed. Join us after the webinar for a live discussion of organic milk, facilitated by one of our Graduate Student Division executive board members, Keena Mullen.

    Normally priced at $199/recording, this webinar is being offered for no charge to ADSA Graduate Students as a member benefit. You can join the event from anywhere, only an internet connection is needed. Simply register to receive your log-in instructions and be sure to add the date on your calendar.See you next Wednesday—virtually—and be prepared to discuss this pertinent topic!

    December 2012

    Winter President's Letter

    Happy Holidays –

    Congratulations!  You made it through another semester.  As things are winding down and you are trying not to think about all you have to do next semester—take a break and read the newsletter!

    • Interested in learning about dairy in different countries?  Read on about Brazil, Germany, and Iran!
    • Check out our industry profile and read more about what life is like after graduate school.
    • Read more about students like you in our student profiles.
    • Don't forget to renew your membership for the upcoming year!

    While next semester will bring its share of work (don't forget ADSA abstracts are due Feb 13th!), there will also be good times to look forward to.  The graduate student division of ADSA is already planning Dairy Tales, an awesome social event, and a joint symposium with ASAS for JAM 2013 in Indianapolis!  Don't worry, you have plenty of time to collect data and write an abstract...Feb 13 is two months away and that is an eternity for graduate students.

    Hope your holidays are filled with fun, laughter, home cooking, and much needed sleep!

    Sincerely,

    Rachel Campbell

    ADSA GSD President

    ADSA Graduate Student Membership Benefits

    Now is the time to renew your GSD membership in order to get all the benefits of membership brings throughout the year! If you've recently started graduate school, this is a great chance for you to join the GSD, where you can get all the benefits of an undergrad membership but also much more! Please contact any members of our officer team if you have any questions about membership or the GSD.

    gsd logo

    Here's how to make the most of your graduate student membership:

    Visit and bookmark the GSD blog: http://www.adsa.org/Membership/Students/GraduateStudentDivision/Resources/GSDNewsletter.aspx and read the quarterly newsletters to stay current. We publish new issues every December, March, June, and September.

    • Need an internship or job soon? Bookmark and get registered at the myDairy Career site–a free service for ADSA GSD members!
    • Ask to join the GSD Facebook group–it's private and safe–to meet and learn from graduate students across the globe.
    • Submit your abstract to JAM 2013 before the deadline (February 13), and when registering for JAM 2013, be sure to sign-up for all GSD events!
    • Get to know your officer team. Officer nominations begin in February and anyone can become a part of the next officer team.
    • Begin making connections with dairy scientists across the globe through the ADSA online membership directory.

    And more! Watch your email for more information on career-focused events including webinars and events during JAM 2013. We look forward to your participation every year until you complete your graduate degree.

    Student Spotlights

    Sean AndersonName:  Sean Anderson

     Country of Origin:  United States

     Area of Specialization:  Dairy Production

     Focus of Research:  Effects of heat abatement systems on core body temperature, resting behavior, and performance of dairy cows

     Degree Program:  Ph.D. in Animal Sciences at The University of Arizona

     Year in School:  1st year of Ph.D. program

    Future Plans:  After graduation, I would like to continue researching the effects of heat stress on dairy production and work with dairy producers to help them apply new strategies to improve cow comfort and performance.

    Award won at JAM 2012:  2nd place Land O'Lakes, Purina Feed LLC Graduate Student Poster Contest MS Division

    Monica VanKlompenbergName: Monica VanKlompenberg

    Country of Origin: USA

    Area of Specialization: Lactation Biology

    Degree Program: PhD

    Year in School: 5th year

    Future Plans: My future plans are to contain in academy where I plan to teach and conduct research related to lactation biology.

    Award Won at JAM 2012: 2nd Place PhD Oral Competition Dairy Production

    Industry Profile

    Dr. Reid Ivy

    B.S.: Microbiology, University of Arkansas, 2003

    M.S.: Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas, 2005

    Ph.D.:  Food Science and Technology, Cornell University 2010

    Current Position: Kraft Foods Inc., Food Safety Scientist; Our group offers food safety and microbiology expertise for various business units within Kraft.  I am a member of a team within the FS&M group that is tasked with developing new, cost effective systems for improving sensitive ingredient supply chain safety.  My day-to-day activities include traveling to Kraft's ingredient suppliers and working with them to ensure that they have programs in place that achieve the same high standards for food safety as our internal facilities.

    Previous Position: Old Chatham Sheepherding Co. Creamery Manager, At OCSC I oversaw and participated in all aspects of production of sheep's milk cheese and yogurt products, including developing quality programs with our suppliers, making the product, and participating in customer education and relations.  I even did social media communications for the company.  But, by far my favorite part of the job was occasionally serving as tour guide.

    Why did you choose to work for Old Chatham Sheepherding Co.?  The Milk Quality Improvement group at Cornell (where I served a one year postdoctoral appointment), is constantly developing systems to improve the quality and safety of dairy products, including those produced in New York State.  The MQIP works with many large-scale processors of fluid milk, but its services are also available to small artisan operations.  I had the pleasure of working with several artisanal cheesemakers in New York State who showed an inspiring passion for their profession.  Most of these smaller cheese companies did not have the resources to implement expensive quality programs.  The opening at OCSC provided me the opportunity to practice the programs that I learned at Cornell.  I was also excited at the prospect of being involved in all aspects of an organization.

    What was your favorite part of working at Old Chatham Sheepherding Co.?  The people:  from the owners and staff to the customers who loyally purchased the product and visited the farm. I often worked in the creamery on Saturdays, and if an opportunity to give an impromptu tour or cutting (that's just a fancy word for tasting) presented itself, I always took it.

    Describe your transition from graduate school to the cheese world?  What was easy? What was difficult? I suddenly went from being the trainee to being the trainer, and one of the biggest adjustments and challenges with this transition had to do with access to information. Information in an academic environment is freely available, and in industry (especially a small company), it is much harder to come by.  The OCSC owners' relationship with Cornell animal science and food science definitely helped, but I realized very quickly that, in graduate school, I had taken for granted having experts literally next door. Secondly, I learned the only way to really understand food production is to do it.  What do you do if an official vat thermometer fails during pasteurization? How do you maintain production during a milk shortage?  How do you prepare for an IMS [Interstate Milk Shippers] inspection?  The answers to these questions I learned, for better or worse, by trial and error.

    Do you think a particular class or area of study was/is beneficial to your current or previous job?  At Old Chatham Sheepherding Co., I used dairy processing techniques and dairy chemistry concepts daily.  I think haven taken or having served as teaching assistant in those classes at Cornell helped a lot.  I also found that general food science knowledge came in handy, and I feel it will be essential to my success at Kraft.  As a graduate student I had the opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities such as IFTSA college bowl, which I feel enhanced my knowledge of food science.  I also went to as many department and student seminars as I could.  I would encourage any food science student to take advantage of every available learning opportunity, especially those outside of your area of expertise.  Food science departments are often very diverse and everyone can benefit from how interdisciplinary our field is.  I would say to a student: if you go to work in the food industry, you'll likely find that having exposure to different aspects of food science will put you ahead of the curve.

    In your opinion, what characteristics should graduate students possess to be successful in their career development? To be successful in graduate school, a student must be self-motivated, goal oriented, and be able to design and implement projects.  These are definitely among the skills one must possess to be successful in the food industry.

    What do you think are the biggest opportunities for graduate students in the dairy field?  As the U.S. moves toward becoming a global player in dairy exports, I believe there will be more opportunities for candidates with advanced degrees.  I also see opportunities for students to lead innovation initiatives. The road to the next “greek yogurt” will open opportunities in product development, food safety, and quality.  In general I think companies will be looking for candidates with strengths in quality and product development.

    And finally, what are the main differences between sheep's milk cheese and cow's milk cheese? Sheep's milk has more fat and protein than to cow's milk.  For softer cheeses, this often translates to a creamier and pastier texture in the sheep's milk product.  For harder cheeses, the difference is in the flavor; sheeps' milk is higher in short chain fatty acids, which have the potential to contribute unique flavor compounds as the cheeses age.

    Interview conducted by Steve Beckman, Cornell University.

    Summary of the Dairy Industry in Iran

    Iman Ahmadi Senobari, M.A. in Animal Science

    I live in Iran and I have a master's degree (MA) in Animal Science (Ruminant Nutrition) from the Islamic Azad University. My thesis title is Study theeffect of different levels of pomegranate seeds on the performance of Holstein male calves.

    The geographical position of Iran

    Map cow

     Iran is located in West Asia and borders the Persian Gulf , Gulf of Oman, and Caspian Sea. Its mountains have helped to shape both the political and the economic history of the country for several centuries. The mountains enclose several broad basins, or plateaus, on which major agricultural and urban settlements are located. Until the 20th century, when major highways and railroads were constructed through the mountains to connect the population centers, these basins tended to be relatively isolated from one another.

    Iran is one of possibly the most unique countries in terms of climate. So that the difference between the hottest and coldest temperatures in the winter, sometimes reaching more than 50 degrees. Located in an area that is generally semi-arid and dry in terms of precipitation.

    The number of cattle and cattle farms

    Considering to statistics provided by the Department of Agriculture (2010). In Iran there are more than 6.6 million cattle and approximately 188,500 cattle farms. Iran's Department of Agriculture has a program called ANIMAL BREEDING PROJECT in which official and monthly records of milk can be done. According to statistics presented by this office, the average milk production per cow is 30 kg (2&3).

    Housing Systems

    Usually, two type housing systems are used to hold cattle in farms in Iran:

    1. Free Stalls
    2. Open sheds

    Free Stalls systems are used on large cattle farms and are the type commonly chosen for new housing systems. And the Open sheds are commonly used on small and old cattle farms (2).

    Nutrition and feeding

    Two types of feed are used to feed cattle:

    • Concentrate pellets (produced by factories)
    • Concentrate mesh (produced on the farm)

    Concentrates usually include: barley, corn, wheat bran, cotton seed, cotton seed meal, canola meal, soybean meal, fat powder, sodium bicarbonate, vitamin and mineral supplements, magnesium oxide, di-calcium phosphate, salt, etc. Common forages include: alfalfa hay, wheat straw, and corn silage (2).

    Iran is a vast country with different climates and a variety of agricultural products. This has resulted in a large food and agricultural byproducts exist that these products are used to feed livestock seasonal or regional, such as: pistachios shells, pomegranate seeds, pomegranate skins, beet pulp, citrus pulp, sugarcane bagasse, palm, melon, watermelon,  etc(2).

    The interest cases in the dairy industry

    Byproducts of agriculture and the food industry are valuable sources of nutrition for ruminants that reduce the cost of cattle feed and produce (1).

    Major concern to produce

    In any industry there are always problems and concerns in the manufacturing sector. These concerns vary in regions and countries and impact on production. These are some concerns in Iran:

    1. The final price of products is expensive.
    2. There is no guarantee for the purchase price of products or there is no guarantee for the purchase price of goods.
    3. Provide feed for livestock and primary requirement or livestock's needs.
    4. No lateral support (no governmental help) (2).

    What is unique in the dairy industry in Iran?

    Given this situation to solve the mentioned problems and concerns we must strengthen the production process on cattle farms and facilitate the export product, which can make it unique in this industry. We believe in Iran that the breeds that are used all over the world, like Holstein, Brown Swiss, Jersey, and Simmental, in the future, we will not tolerate this genetic selection and they will have inefficiencies in production. Most likely they will be phased out the production cycle.

    There are several indigenous cattle breeds in Iran. They are resistant against diseases, environmental conditions and etc. These breeds are reservoirs of genetic that we expect, in the coming years to help the dairy industry. But we don't work on these breeds yet. Now, Iranian Holstein cattle are the dominant race, and Brown Swiss, Jersey, Montbeliarde and Simmental, are limited (2&4).

    talesh
    Sistani
    sarabi
    sarab
    Mazandarani

    References

    1. Ahmadi Senobari, Iman., Ahmadi Senobari, Aram., Ahmadi Senobari, Omid., Hamidreza Razaei., and Ali, Zanganeh. (2012). Use the byproducts of agriculture and food industry in feeding dairy cattle order to reduce the cost of nutrition and its importance in the processing of agricultural products (case study pomegranate residues).Conference on Sustainable Agriculture, functionality and improving investment in Torbate-heydarieh. Iran.
    2. Interviews with managers Department of Agriculture(2012). Iran.
    3. Letter Statistics of Agriculture(2010). Iran.
    4. Zamiri, M. J. (2007). Dairy Cattle Production. Shiraz University Press250.

    Summary of the Dairy Industry in Germany

    By Behnam Saremi, PhD in Animal Physiology and Hygiene

    Versuchsstall Gut Frankenforst

    My name is Behnam Saremi. I joined the center of animal nutrition at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad in my home country, Iran, as a bachelor student in 1995. I continued in a master program of ruminant nutrition in the same school. The title of my master thesis was “Different levels of yeast culture (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and its effects on calves' performance, and rumen bacterial population (using Quantitative PCR); Description and evaluation of a mechanistic model integrating Holstein calves' growth”. After defending my master thesis in 2003, I was invited as a lecturer and researcher in an applied science university, division of animal science in the same city which was continued up to 2008. Afterwards, I moved to the capital, Tehran, where I joined the National Elite Foundation as a research associate. In 2009, I moved to University of Bonn and joined Theodor-Brinkmann-Graduate School where I did my PhD in the field of Animal Physiology and Hygiene up to 2012. The topic of my thesis was “Characterization of insulin sensitivity and inflammation related factors in dairy cows receiving conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) or a control fat supplement during lactation.”

    A dairy cow in Germany produces between 18 and 25 liters of milk per day, or roughly 7000 kilograms per year (all cows), thus providing 21 German citizens with fresh milk and dairy produce. Total number of cattle was 13 million spreading in 183 thousands farms in May 2009. Number of dairy cows was 4.2 million spreading in 97.4 thousands farming businesses (1). Cows in Germany are fed based on forages [silage (mainly grass and corn) or hay i.e. alfalfa], concentrate [grains (barley, wheat, and corn), protein sources (soybean meal and rapeseed meal), and other by products (sugar beet pulp, etc.)], and common additives. The ratio of forage to concentrate varies from 60:40 to 40:60 percent but mainly forage base diets are used.

    In 2009 Animals' Angels has inspected numerous dairy farms all over Germany. More than one third of Germany's dairy cows (35%) are kept in tie stall housing systems (see table), many of them without pasturing, and 60% are in loose housing system. In small dairy farms (< 30 animals) 85% of German dairy cows are tethered.

    A new concern of farmers in Germany is “Schmallenberg virus”. Both in Germany and in neighboring EU states, there has recently been a rise in the cases of “Schmallenberg virus”. The virus has so far mainly affected sheep and goats but is now also increasingly hitting herds of cattle. The cases to date have mainly occurred in the federal states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Lower Saxony, Hesse and Schleswig-Holstein, but other federal states have also been affected. The Netherlands, Belgium, Great Britain and France have also reported cases of the Schmallenberg virus, mostly in sheep. The Schmallenberg virus can affect cattle, sheep and goats. Adult animals display only mild symptoms. However, infections of pregnant animals may lead to delayed symptoms, namely fertility disorders, premature births and in some cases severe deformation of new-born animals. Some lambs have, for example, been born with severe deformities in Germany (3).

    My favorite part about the dairy system in Germany is to see an increasing concern about cows comfort and health and development of new system tools and indices to monitor cow's health and behavior. There are ongoing attempts to integrate different disciplines to open new insights in the dairy system. An example is CIDRe (Center of Integrated Dairy Research) developed in University of Bonn.

    German dairy industry is unique because it is sustainable. In my opinion, conservation of breeds and development of the dairy industry based on different local breeds and feedstuffs makes it a sustainable system in Germany. Indeed, development of the “recommendations of energy and nutrient supply for dairy cows and breeding cattle” by the German Society of Nutrient Physiology (GfE) is another important aspect of this industry in Germany (4).

    Bild2

    References

    1. Aigner, I. 2010. German Agriculture facts and figures, Federal ministry of food, agriculture, and consumer protection (BMELV).
    2. Greger, s. 2010. Animals' Angels, the stall housing systems of dairy farms – Germany 2009 (www.animals-angels.org).
    3. Federal ministry of food, agriculture, and consumer protection (BMELV) and Friedrich Loeffler Institute – Current Information on ?Schmallenberg virus'.
    4. GfE. 2001. (German Society of Nutrition Physiology). Ausschuss für Bedarfsnormen der Gesellschaft für Ernährungsphysiologie. Nr. 8. Empfehlungen zur Energie- und Nährstoffversorgung der Milchkühe und Aufzuchtrinder (Recommendations of energy and nutrient supply for dairy cows and breeding cattle). DLG-Verlag, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

    Summary of the Dairy Industry in Brazil

    Joao Henrique C. Costa,  M.Sc., Agronomist Engineer

    brazil2

    I obtained my undergraduate and M.Sc. degrees at the Brazilian Federal University of Santa Catarina State (Florianopolis, Brazil). Currently, I am a Ph.D. student in Animal Sciences at the University of British Columbia (Vancouver, Canada). The main focus of my research is applied ethology and animal welfare, specifically in dairy and beef cattle production.

    There are approximately 205 million cattle in Brazil, with approximately 10% being dairy cattle. National average milk production is approximately 1300 kg per cow per year. Brazil has 1.35 million dairy farms with an estimated average herd size of 17 cows (IBGE, 2009). These figures may be a bit deceiving however, because there is not an even distribution of milk production between the producers. There are a lot of small-scale, low production (e.g., < 20 kg/farm/d) farms; the bulk of the country's milk production (75%) comes from just 20% of biggest dairy producers. Milk production in Brazil is increasing rapidly, with an average growth rate of 5% per year between 1990 and 2009 (IBGE, 2009). A process of cow genetic selection and improved specialization and training of milk producers has allowed farms to improve production; producers that have not adapted to the new procedures and regulations have been naturally eliminated from the dairy market.

    The country's large landmass, coupled with large climatic and cultural variations, mean milk production methods vary greatly. Brazil's dairy production systems are varied; they range from situations were two cows are pastured and milked by hand to large state-of-art free-stall and dry lot operations. Interestingly, even with the introduction of the latter, large-scale, pasture-based systems are still quite prevalent. Both tropical and temperate pastures are used for year-round rotational grazing in most parts of Brazil. This diversity makes Brazil's milk production very adaptable to market fluxes and changes in consumer demand. This in turn provides ample possibility for growth and future change.

    Recently, the biggest discussion in the dairy sector in Brazil is the elevated price of feed, principally corn and soy beans; however in the long term, the quality of the raw milk leaving the farm will likely be a major obstacle in the development of dairy exportation in Brazil. In December 2011, the new regulations for the milk quality in Brazil were published by the Agriculture Ministry (IN 62). These regulations update some standards of production and quality of milk, and aim to bring Brazilian legislation in line with major international milk markets. However, time is needed not only for the process and for the regulation system to be implemented, but for the producers to be able to implement the changes themselves.

    Brazil's prospects for improvement in its dairy industry are positive. The country's focus on improved efficiency and quality of the final product, while at the same time working within culturally established practices such as pasture-based systems, have resulted in a growing, sustainable and profitable dairy production system.

    brazil1

    References:

    IBGE. 2009. Censo Agropecuário. Accessed Sept. 6, 2011. http:// www.ibge.gov.br/home/estatistica/economia/agropecuaria/ censoagro/default.shtm.

    The Chronicle of Higher Education

    http://chronicle.com/section/Home/5

    This is a great newsletter for graduate students interested in pursuing an academic career.

    ADSA Abstract Deadline Extended

    The ADSA abstract deadline of February 13, 2013 has now been extended to Wednesday February 20, 2013. This gives you all an extra 7 days to crunch those numbers...and take the time to refer a friend to join ADSA for our Member-Get-A-Member competition!

    For more info on how to submit your abstract, please go to: http://www.jtmtg.org/2013/call.asp

    For more info on the Member-Get-A-Member program, please see : http://www.adsa.org/Membership/StudentResources/GraduateStudentDivision/StudentDivision60Daysto600Members.aspx.

    This deadline extension is probably a good thing for those of us who have procrastinated more than we would have liked up to this point!

    This deadline extension is probably a good thing for those of us who have procrastinated more than we would have liked up to this point!

    September 2012

    Fall 2012 President's Letter

    Hello Grad Students!

    First off, thanks to all of you for helping to make this past year's JAM amazing for graduate students!  If you missed any of these events, check out the summaries, and be sure to attend these events next year.  Thank you again to those of you who filled out our post-JAM survey and gave use feedback for improvements to next year's program.

    I'd like to highlight several items in this newsletter:

    • If you aren't already a member, join our Facebook group.  This is the most efficient way to receive updates about opportunities made available by the GSD.
    • Couldn't make it to GSD events at JAM this year? Take a look at the JAM Recap!
    • Learn more about some fellow graduate students and Dr. Ric Grummer in our Student Spotlight and Professor Profile.
    • Check out educational opportunities available to you!  In the midst of research it may seem like you will be in grad school forever, but I promise you won't, so take advantage of these opportunities while you can.
    • Get more involved with the GSD by joining the Membership Committee.
    • Update your CV and upload it on to myDairyCareer.

    Best of luck in the new school year!

    Rachel Campbell

    ADSA GSD President

    The Membership Committee Needs Your Help!

    You're already a part of the ADSA Graduate Student Division (GSD), so you know the benefits of belonging to a professional group that shares your interests and encourages success. If you want to share what your GSD experience has offered you with your peers and you have creative ideas of how to do it, then the Membership Committee wants you!

    The Membership Committee is tasked with:

    1) Retaining current graduate students by ensuring that their needs are being met

    2) Attracting new members, whether they're from dairy foods or dairy production,international or domestic

    3) Providing incentives for students to continue their ADSA memberships after graduation.

    If you are interested in joining this committee, please contact Michael Adams at mca64@cornell.edu.

    If you are interested in getting involved in the GSD, but not in joining this committee, please email us at adsagsd@gmail.com and we'll point you in the right direction!

    Student Spotlights

    Jimena Laporta, University of Wisconsin, 3rd place: National Milk Producers Federation Graduate Student Paper Competition, PhD Division.

    Name: Jimena Laporta

    Country of origin: Uruguay

    Area of specialization: Dairy Science

    Focus of research: Mammary gland and bone calcium homeostasis during the peri-partum period in dairy cows.

    Degree program: Ph.D. in Dairy Science at Wisconsin University, Madison.

    Year in school: 1st year

    Award won at JAM 2012: 3rd place in the Ph.D oral student competition.

    Plans after graduation: I am planning to look for a faculty position to work in research and teaching, or in the biochemistry, molecular biology and biotechnology development sector in the United States.

    Nilusha MalmuthugeGraduate, University of Alberta, 2nd place: Student Poster Contest, PhD Division.

    Name: Nilusha Malmuthuge

    Country of origin: Sri Lanka

    Area of specialization: Animal Science

    Focus of research: Identifying the association of gut microbial establishment and mucosal immune system development

    Degree program: PhD at the University of Alberta

    Year in school: 2nd year

    Award won at JAM 2012: 2nd place in the Student Paper Contest, PhD Division.

    Plans after graduation: I would like to pursue my career as a researcher, which I can continue to learn, and research and most interestingly disseminate knowledge to the scientific and industrial communities.

    Professor Profile

    Professor Profile: Dr. Ric Grummer

    Dr. Ric Grummer

    B.S., Dairy Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1977

    M.S., Dairy Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1980

    Ph.D., Dairy Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1984

    Current position: Ruminant Technical Director at Balchem Corp.; Emeritus Professor in the Department of Dairy Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison

    Why did you choose to work for Balchem Corp.? Once I made the decision to step down as department chair of the Department of Dairy Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, I decided I needed a new challenge. I had never worked in the private sector, so I thought that might be refreshing. I had done collaborative research with Balchem when I was at the UW so I knew the company and its products quite well and also knew we shared common values. For example, it was very important that Balchem has a strong emphasis towards research and development of products before marketing them.

    What is your favorite part of your current job? Taking the knowledge that I acquired during 26 years at the UW and the new knowledge that I continue to acquire and applying it to “the real world”. There is huge satisfaction in teaching people how to get cows successfully through a stressful time- the transition period. I have had a lot of fun interacting with and sometimes reacquainting myself with former students who are working in the dairy industry. There are quite a few out there.

    What are differences between working at a university and at a company? At the university, there is great freedom to pursue what interests you or what you think is important. The ability to do that was awesome. I always considered myself very self-motivated to do well, but in retrospect and to be honest, there were fewer ramifications of failure at the university. You have greater control of your life. In academia, I think it is important that your greatest sense of accomplishment comes from helping others to become successful, i.e, from teaching undergraduate and graduate students. In industry, the bottom line becomes very important. Decisions must be made quickly and there is greater pressure for them to be the correct ones. This should not be construed as a negative. I must say, there is something very invigorating about being in an environment in which “the bullets are real”! I am very lucky to have a position in industry where I still feel that teaching and research is an important part of my job assignment. Clearly, the environment in which I do these duties is different, but in a good way. I have enjoyed both careers immensely.

    In your opinion, what characteristics should graduate students possess to be successful in their career development? Don't stop learning. Have a good work ethic. To advance, you need to be ambitious and work harder than the next person. To do that and have fun at the same time, you have to be passionate about what you do. If your job is getting stale, don't be afraid to change and take on new challenges. If you begin feeling too comfortable in your position, reflect on why that is and ascertain if you are heading toward mediocrity in your job performance and job satisfaction. If so, be willing to get outside of your comfort zone!

    What do you think about the job opportunities in our dairy industry in the foreseeable future? Universities have been cutting positions ever since I began my career, so academic jobs have been limited and will continue to be limited. However, if that is where one truly wants to have a career, work hard and be a top graduate student so you have that choice! I think there will continue to be great job opportunities in the private sector. While the industry is consolidating, there has been greater emphasis on hiring students with graduate degrees. With the cutbacks in faculty hiring, the number of students completing graduate degrees will probably continue to decrease. The imbalance of supply and demand should mean excellent opportunities for young professionals, especially if world-wide demand for dairy products continues to increase. It is amazing how many companies are looking “for good people”.

    Interview conducted by Kai Yuan in January 2012.

    Upcoming Educational Opportunities

    In case you are wondering what's going on in the world of dairy, here are the upcoming conferences with still-open registration:

    Dairy Foods:

    Domestic:

    Sept. 18-20, 2012: New York State Association for Food Protection 89th Annual Conference, Doubletree Hotel, E. Syracuse, NY. For details contact: Janene Lucia, jgg3@cornell.edu; 607-255-2892.http://foodscience.cornell.edu/cals/foodsci/extension/nys-afp/workshops.cfm

    Sept. 25-27, 2012 – Cultured Dairy Products Short Course, Food Science Building, University Park, for more information, please visit http://foodscience.psu.edu/events/culturedproducts

    October 16-18, 2012: High temperature short time pasteurizer operators workshop, B82 Morrison Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. For details, Steve Murphy, scm4@cornell.edu, 607-255-2893; Janene Lucia, jpp3@Cornell.edu; 607-255-2892

    October 22-24, 2012 – Short Courses – The Science and Art of Cheese Making, Food Science Building, Curtin & Bigler Rds., University Park, Pa. 16802. For registration and additiona information click here

    November 5, 2012 – Vat Pasteurizer Workshop, B82 Morrison Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY.  For details contact :  Janene Lucia, jgg3@cornell.edu; 607-255-2892, Rob Ralyea, rdr10@cornell.edu, 607-255-7643.

    November 6-7, 2012 - Basic Cheese Making/Grading Workshop, B82 Morrison Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY.  For details contact: Janene Lucia, jgg3@cornell.edu; 607-255-2892, Rob Ralyea, rdr10@cornell.edu, 607-255-7643.

    November 6-8, 2012 – Advanced Cheese Making Workshop, B82 Morrison Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY.  For Details contact:  Janene Lucia, jgg3@cornell.edu; 607-255-2892, Rob Ralyea, rdr10@cornell.edu, 607-255-7643.

    Jan. 6-12, 2013 - Ice Cream Short Course, The Nittany Lion Inn, University Part, for more information please visit http://foodscience.psu.edu/events/ice-cream-short-course

    Jan. 26-27, 2013 – Ice Cream 101: Introduction to Frozen Desserts, Food Science Building, University Park, for more information please visit http://foodscience.psu.edu/workshops/ice-cream-101

    Dairy Production:

    Domestic:

    Sept. 17-19, 2012 – Emerging Transboundary Animal Diseases Workshop, Center for Food Security and Public Health, Ames, IA To register or submit abstracts for poster presentations, click here*

    Sept 18-19, 2012: 73rd Minnesota Nutrition Conference*, Holiday Inn, Owatonna, MN. For additional information click here

    Sept 25 – 28, 2012 - International Symposium on Alternatives to Antibiotics: Challenges and Solutions in Animal Production, Paris, France.  For more information click here

    October 8-10, 2012 – 9th International Symposium on Milk Genomics and Human Health, Hof van Wageningen, The Netherlands, for more information click here

    October 2-3, 2012 – Dairy Technology 101, Cal Poly Dairy Products Technology Center, San Luis Obispo, CA. For more information, click here

    October 2- 6, 2012 – World Dairy Expo, Madison, WI for more information visit http://www.worlddairyexpo.com/

    October 16-18, 2012: 74th Annual Cornell Nutrition Conference for Feed Manufacturers, for additional information click here

    October 18-24, 2012 – 116th USAHA/55th AAVLD Annual Meeting*, Greensboro, NC, for more information visit http://www.usaha.org/

    October 18, 2012 – Southwest Dairy Day, SW Regional Dairy Center, Stephenville, TX. For more information and registration, visit www.texasdairymatters.org

    October 23-24, 2012 – Pacific Northwest Animal Nutrition Conference*, (pre-conference sponsored by Lallemand), Pasco, WA, Red Lion, contact John McNamara, mcnamara@wsu.edu; 509-335-4113 or Jill Habrich, jill.habrich@haysassnmgmt.com, 503-989-6893.

    October 25-26, 2012 – California ARPAS Continuing Education Conference*, Harris Ranch Inn, Coalinga, CA, for more information, visit www.arpasca.net

    International:

    Sept 20 – 22, 2012 – American Association of Bovine Practitioners Annual Conference, Montreal, Canada, for more information visit http://www.aabp.org

    Oct. 24-26, 2012- 1st Dairy Cattle Welfare Symposium, Delta Hotel & Conference Center in Guelph, Ont., Canada. For additional information http://www.dairycattlewelfaresymposium.ca/

    Also, if you're curious about organic dairy farming or other extension-type webinars, check out the US Extension website: http://www.extension.org/pages/18624/organic-dairy-production-system-topics

    Or, for more information about the viewpoints of the growing sector of local food consumers, check out the webinars on this webpage: http://www.ngfn.org/resources/ngfn-cluster-calls

    That's it for September! Look for an e-mail update in early October.

    JAM 2012 Recap

    The ADSA GSD members who enjoyed a great day at Shamrock Farms!

    Cows had access to shelter with fans and curtains to keep them cool. The curtains and fans are controlled automatically according to the ambient climate.

    On Saturday, the ADSA GSD joined the ADSA SAD members for a Dairy Tour of Shamrock Farms, a dry lot dairy in Stanfield, Arizona.  Shamrock Farms milks around 10,000 Holstein Cows, with a few Guernsey cows sprinkled in, producing around 47,000 gallons of milk each day and selling everything from gallons to pints and cottage cheese to protein rich milk, offering a wide variety of local milk products to the public.  Shamrock Farms also operates an organic dairy, supplying milk to every market.  The GSD had an engaging and enlightening visit and Shamrock Farms offered a truly exceptional experience to students, many who have never seen a dry lot dairy.

                                                                                                                                                    

    Attendees indulging in free ice cream at the First Annual Dairy Tales!

    JAM 2012 included the first ever Dairy Tales, where students talked about their respective fields and the importance it has on the future of dairy.  Amanda Sterrett discussed bringing dairy production into the 21st century and the use of technologies to measure physiological, behavioral, and production indicators on individual animals to improve animal health and well-being and economic sustainability.  Gosia Zobel explored the meaning of welfare discussing the three criteria of animal welfare, the achievement of balance, and the science of animal welfare.   Eric Testroet examined organic milk and what it really means through a discussion about available information to the public, USDA requirements, and the differences between organic and conventional milk.  The last speaker, Steve Beckman, discussed the art and science of artisan cheese making, examining the meaning of artisan, the compromise between artisan and science food production, and food quality.  Stay tuned for new and exciting topics for JAM 2013!

                                                                                                                                                 

    This year's Career Insights Luncheon format was a huge success, allowing students to engage in casual conversations with six different representatives from industry and academia.  These individuals were Barry Bradford, Kansas State University; Ric Grummer, Balchem Corp; Howard Green, Elanco; Steven Smith, NIFA USDA; Julie Roepke, Kraft; and Rory McCarthy, Grande Cheese.  Through informal conversations at each table, graduate students were be able to ask these individuals questions about how to get an interview, how to win them over in an interview, and how to thrive once in the position.  All members who participated left the luncheon with a deeper understanding of how to obtain the job of their dreams within their area of interest.

                                                                                                                                                   

    The Graduate Student Symposium “From Hypothesis to Manuscript: How to conduct valuable and efficient research” provided attendees at JAM 2012 with insight on those things that are important to the success of graduate students yet are not often presented to them early in their careers.

    Drs. Bauman and Collier from Cornell University opened the session with “Developing the research question, hypothesis, design, and protocol.” They stated that an hour spent in the library is worth a month in the laboratory and explained the importance of literature reviews. They also explained that young researchers should understand and recognize limitations of research so that they can form good questions.

    “Data collection and integrity” was then presented by Dr. Hartnell from Monsanto Company. He explained what integrity is and that falsifying data is a main problem in U.S. research fraud. After going through some shocking examples of past researchers falsifying data, he explained that accurate data collection is the foundation on which the integrity of research is built. “How do I know?” is a question he suggested every researcher ask when he/she is trying to accomplish or explain something. Answering that question with confidence ensures that the data is reliable and that the explanation of the research is well thought-out.

    Next, Dr. Aaron from the University of Kentucky presented “I'm an animal scientist, why do I need statistics?” Aaron's presentation was full of both humor and useful information. She suggested that every researcher make decisions on how to analyze the data before the study begins so that alterations to the study design can be made if needed. She also explained that equal attention should be given to analysis and design in order to make the study great.

    Lastly, Dr. Zinn from the University of Connecticut presented “It is not a scientific contribution until it is published: Tips from a journal editor.” Zinn explained that the importance of publishing is the external peer review. Publishing research gives the researcher a stamp of approval and validates the work. He noted that publications are the “business card” of scientists.

                                                                                                                                                    

    Thank you to those who took the time to fill out the post-JAM GSD survey! The Executive Board will be implement your suggestions into making JAM 2013 even better than 2012! Congratulations to Mutian Niu, Jackie Ploetz, and Heather Robertson for winning the Amazon gift certificates! Below is a short summary of the results of the survey:

    • Among survey respondents, the ADSA/ASAS joint symposium was the most highly attended event (52 people/72 respondents).
    • In addition, the joint symposium was also the most highly rated (7.8 out of 9).
    • Top three events (on a 9 point scale) were 1) joint symposium, 2) dairy tales, and 3) social mixer.
    • “I thought all the programs for grad students were great and well organized.  The lunch was extremely helpful in thinking about options for when I graduate and Dairy Tales was great because it gave a younger perspective on issues that are important to industry.”
    • “I had a good time at the mixer at Brick and met some new students.”
    • “I enjoyed the GSD events very, very much.”

    Missed JAM this year? Photos and Dairy Tales summary!

    Check out some photos from our events here, including the trip to an Arizona dry lot dairy!

    For those of you who missed it or forgot to take notes, here are the take-home messages and discussion questions from our first annual Dairy Tales:

    Bringing dairy production into the 21st century
    Speaker: Amanda Sterrett, University of Kentucky

      • Precision Dairy Farming is the use of technologies to measure physiological, behavioral, and production indicators on individual animals to improve animal health and well-being and economic sustainability.
      • The main objectives of Precision Dairy Farming are maximizing individual animal potential, early detection of disease, and minimizing the use of medication through preventive health measures thus improving animal welfare.
      • Technologies currently on the market around the world can monitor milk components (i.e. SCC, fat, protein, electrical conductivity, urea, and progesterone), lying/standing times, neck and leg activity, ruminal temperature and pH, and rumination times.
      • Precision Dairy technologies can be sound economic investments and may benefit both dairy producers and cows.

    What is Animal Welfare?
    Speaker: Gosia Zobel, University of British Columbia

    Three Criteria of Welfare: Achieving good animal welfare in a dairy production system requires addressing the strengths and deficiencies of the specific system in how it promotes productivity and health, prevents negative affective states, and allows cows to live in a way that suits their natural adaptations.

    Balance: Sometimes the three criteria go hand-in-hand, but there are also trade-offs when people emphasize one criterion at the expense of the others.

    Animal Welfare Science: A key role for animal welfare science is to interpret the different criteria — understanding health, recognizing affective states, clarifying natural adaptations — for the given species, and to find practical ways that take all three into account.

    What does Organic Milk really mean?
    Speaker: Eric Testroet, Iowa State University

    • What information is available to the ley public consumer regarding the safety, quality, and cost of organic milk? (e.g., Wikipedia, Google, and the label on the milk).
    • What requirements does the USDA impose on a dairy in order to be considered organic?
    • What does the science tell us about the effects of organic dairy production on quality of milk?
    • What does the current research tell us about the possible health benefits of these measureable differences in organic and conventional milk?

    The art and science of artisanal cheese making
    Speaker: Steve Beckman, Cornell University

    • Think about what the word “artisan” means in relation to food and agriculture.
    • Can there be a compromise between artisan and scientific aspects of food production? Is there a boundary between the two aspects?
    • Artisan cheese is a very complex fusion of tradition, geography, personality, and new techniques blended into a (mostly) delicious treat that's waiting to be explored.
    • Remind yourself that the quality of the food you eat is directly related to where it came from and how it was produced.
    July 2012

    Wednesday JAM Events

    9:30-10:30am ADSA Business Meeting, Rm 223 
    Graduate students are welcome to join the business meeting of our parent organization, ADSA. 

    2-5pm ASAS-ADSA Graduate Student Symposium, “From Hypothesis to Manuscript: How to Conduct Valuable and Efficient Research” Rm 227AB 
    Join in the first annual ASAS-ADSA Joint Graduate Student Symposium and get a refresher on conducting good research from a panel of world-renowned speakers:

    “Establishing the Research Problem”
    Dale Bauman, Cornell University, and Bob Collier, University of Arizona

    “Good Laboratory Practices”
    Gary Hartnell, Monsanto

    “I'm an Animal or Dairy Scientist, Why Do I Need Statistics?”
    Deb Aaron, University of Kentucky

    “It is Not a Scientific Contribution until its Published: Tips from a Journal Editor.”
    Steve Zinn, University of Connecticut, Editor of the Journal of Animal Science

    Grad students are invited to meet Sonny Ramaswamy, Director of the US National Institute of Food and Agriculture  (NIFA) at an open forum during JAM 2012.

    Wednesday July 18, 9:30am Conference Center Rm 228AB

    Tuesday JAM Events

    3-4:30pm Dairy Tales, Rm 231A 
    Join our first-ever Dairy Tales to learn about hot topics in dairy science and foods from your fellow graduate students and FREE ice cream! Topics include animal welfare, new technology in dairy production, organic milk and artisanal cheese-making. 

    7-9pm ADSA Awards and Ice Cream Social, Hyatt 2nd floor

    9pm-midnight ADSA Mixer, Brick, 455 N 3rd St (in the Arizona Center)
    Drop by for some fun and FREE pizza!

    Monday JAM Events

    12-1pm Career Insights Luncheon, Rm 229B *must pre-register
    Join us for this excellent networking opportunity with table leaders from industry, academia and government. You must pre-register for lunch – but you could also just come for the networking!

    9pm-Midnight ASAS Graduate Student Mixer, Crescent Ballroom (website), 308 N. 2nd Ave
    Join your fellow graduate students from ASAS at a mixer for all to enjoy. This event will provide an opportunity to catch up with old friends and make new ones, so don't miss it.

    Sunday JAM Events

    2-3pm Dair-e-news Meeting, Rm 221C

    Graduate students are invited to put on their journalist hats at this year's JAM. Join this meeting if you are interested in reporting on 2012 JAM symposium for dair-e-news.

    6-6:45pm Business Meeting & Open Forum, Rm 231C
    Everyone is welcome! This meeting is your chance to get involved in the GSD.

    7-8:15pm Opening Session, Convention Center, Symphony Hall
    Featuring a live interview with Temple Grandin!

    8:15-10pm Opening Reception, Convention Center, Symphony Hall
    Come for snacks, drinks, a strolling mariachi band and meeting up with old friends. Look for yellow ribbons to signify grad students!

    JAM Update: Meet Sonny Ramaswamy

    Grad students are invited to meet Sonny Ramaswamy, Director of the US National Institute of Food and Agriculture  (NIFA) at an open forum during JAM 2012.

    Wednesday July 18, Conference Center Rm 228AB

    Click here for a recent Nature interview with Sonny!

    June 2012

    Summer 2012 President's Letter

    Hi grad students!

    Wow, time flies! Can you believe its just one more month until JAM? This newsletter will highlight all of the fun events we have planned for graduate students this year! If you haven't registered yet, be sure to sign up for all of the GSD events.

    In this newsletter you will also find our first Professor Spotlight! Meet Dr. Barry Bradford, an Associate Professor in dairy nutrition and metabolism at Kansas State University.

    Here is your final checklist for JAM 2012:

    1) Register!

    2) Book yourself a room at the exclusive Student Hotel to get free wifi and free hot breakfast!

    3) Sign up forMy Program” and start scheduling your days activities! I recommend that everyone do this ahead of time – it will make the conference much more enjoyable when you know where you have to be and when you need to be there. Have a smartphone? You can also use the new Mobile Program!

    4) Practice your journalism skills by reporting for “Dair-e-news” about the JAM symposium of your choice!

    5) Sign up for GSD events! This year we have some really exciting new events planned specifically for grad students, like... (click on each link to find out more!)

    • Sunday Dairy Farm Tour
    • Business Meeting and Open Forum
    • Career Insights Luncheon
    • Dairy Tales
    • Mixer
    • ASAS-ADSA Joint Grad Student Symposium

    I look forward to seeing many of you in Phoenix next month! This is my last newsletter, after JAM I will pass the torch to Rachel Campbell (my current VP and next year's President)!

    Katy Proudfoot

    Professor Spotlight: Dr. Barry Bradford

    Dr. Barry J. Bradford

    B.S., Biochemistry and Animal Science, Iowa State University, 2002

    Ph.D., Animal Science, Michigan State University, 2006

    Current position: Associate Professor in dairy nutrition and metabolism at Kansas State University

    What are your current research interests?
    My group is currently focusing a lot of effort on understanding how inflammatory cascades, activated by a variety of stimuli, impact systemic metabolism. We are particularly interested in how these pathways influence the transition to lactation in dairy cattle.

    What is your favorite part of your job?
    If you consider the broad spectrum of things that people do for a living, I feel exceptionally lucky to be paid to learn. I love the challenge of understanding biology and I love that the vast majority of the people that I work with in this job are intelligent and inquisitive people.

    What does your typical day of work look like?
    Is there a typical day? One of the challenges and rewards of my job is that you are constantly being pushed to move outside of your comfort zone, because every day is a little different. However, on average I spend roughly a third to half of my time in meetings with students, collaborators, and faculty committees. On good days I get to spend a couple of hours looking at a new paper, running statistics on a data set, writing or revising a paper or grant proposal, or reviewing a manuscript. On many days I'll spend an hour or so in front of an audience, whether it be undergraduate students, dairy nutritionists, or a journal club. I generally need to spend at least a couple of hours daily communicating by phone and email, and a lot of this work typically gets bumped into the evening hours.

    What are the characteristics that you prize most in a student?
    By far the most important characteristic I seek is an ability to think deeply and logically. Many students can understand the basics of biology, but it is often difficult to teach someone to think with clarity and to use sound, consistent logic. This is the key underlying attribute of a student who can write well, design experiments properly, provide quality control in their research, and link many different types of information into a unifying picture of “the way things are”. Many other traits are also important, but someone lacking this characteristic will struggle in graduate school.

    What experience you want to share with graduate students who are aiming for a successful career in science?
    In my mind there are 2 prerequisites for a successful career in science. The first and most important is integrity. As a scientist, you are selling your view of reality, and if your audience perceives that those views are biased by external pressures, your product becomes more or less worthless. No grant, publication, sale, or bonus is worth more than your integrity, because once that is lost you have nothing in the scientific world. The other critical piece is that you have to really enjoy science. You should not seek a career in science because it pays well, or leads to prestige, or anything like that. Successful scientists work very hard and some of the work can be very tedious...if you aren't in it because you have a passion for this, you won't be happy long-term. That being said, the training that graduate school provides can be excellent preparation for many other important, fulfilling jobs that are based on science.

    Report for Dair-e-news!

    Do you have dreams of practicing your journalism skills this year at the JAM? 

    Then great news! Graduate students get the opportunity to provide real-time reports to Dair-e-news, ADSA's newsletter, during this year's annual meeting!

    We've been asked by the editor of the newsletter to put our reporter hats on and email them a short summary on any symposia presented during the meeting (check My Program to find symposia that you plan on attending!).

    Email adsagsd@gmail.com if you are interested in reporting on a symposium this year! Let us know your name, and which symposium you would like to summarize.

    Winning GSD Logo!

    ADSA SAD-GSD Dairy Farm Tour

    SATURDAY JULY 14
    1:00 pm – 5:00 pm

    Shamrock Farms 
    http://www.shamrockfarms.net/

    Must pre-register! If you have already registered and forgot to sign up, email adsagsd@gmail.com to secure your spot for only $13! This is a great way to check out the local dairy industry and network with undergraduate and graduate students. Ticket price includes transportation and refreshments! Bus departs from Springhill Suites.

    ADSA GSD Business Meeting and Open Forum

    SUNDAY JULY 15
    6:00 – 6:45 pm
    Convention Center Room 231C

    Attend to meet your incoming Officers, learn about the progress the outgoing Advisory Council has made on the current GSD Strategic Plan, and the objectives that the Council has reached in the past year.

    The second portion of the meeting will be an open forum for graduate student members of the GSD to voice their opinions about the strategic plan, the advisory council, JAM events, and any other topics that might be of interest to members! We will all head to the JAM reception together after the meeting!

    ADSA GSD Career Insights Lunch

    MONDAY JULY 16
    12:00 – 1:30 pm
    Convention Center Room 229B

    Through informal conversations at each table, graduate students will be able to ask table leaders (members with hiring responsibilities) questions about how to get an interview, how to win them over in an interview, and how to thrive once in the position.

    Professional Member Attendees:
    Grande Cheese: Rory McCarthy
    Kraft: Julie Roepke
    NIFA USDA: Steven Smith
    Kansas State University: Barry Bradford   
    Novus International Inc: Dennis Nuzback   
    Balchem Corp: Ric Grummer   
    Elanco: Howard Green

    Stay the entire time or just as long as you can.  All graduate students are welcome, but preregistration for this event is required.  Lunch is only $10.  If you have already registered for JAM but forgot to sign up for this event, please email adsagsd@gmail.com to get on the list!

    ADSA GSD Dairy Tales

    Tuesday, July 17
    3:00 – 4:30 pm
    Convention Center Room 231A

    Please join our first-ever Graduate Student Division Dairy Tales to learn about hot topics in dairy science and foods from your fellow graduate students!  During this new and exciting event, select graduate students will be giving short, TED-style talks about their fields of study, using terms that can be understood by students studying any field.

     

    “Bringing Dairy Production to the 21st Century”

    Amanda Sterrett, University of Kentucky, Dairy Systems Management

    Amanda Sterrett is a M.S. student researching the use of technologies to predict disease before cows show clinical symptoms and to automate body condition scoring

    What if we knew what cows were going to do an hour, or even a day, before they did it?  Amanda will discuss various technologies that enable producers to make more informed decisions on-farm to improve health, estrus detection, and production–not quite your grandfather's way of managing a dairy. 

     

    “What is 'Animal Welfare'?”

    Gosia Zobel, MSc, University of British Columbia, Animal Welfare Program

    Gosia's PhD thesis focuses on understanding how dry-off management practices impact the productivity and welfare of dairy animals, with a final aim of providing a scientific basis for improved dry-off techniques.

    Let's face it, we've all heard the term “animal welfare” used – but how many of us really know what it means?  Gosia will  present a brief and simple overview of animal welfare and its importance in the dairy industry.  She'll also provide a few neat examples of welfare research!

     

    “What Does 'Organic Milk' Really Mean?”

    Eric Testroet, Iowa State University, Nutritional Biochemistry

    Eric's research is focused on investigating the effects of feeding DDGS on milk quality in dairy cows.

    Eric will be presenting past and current research regarding organic dairying.  His talk will include a definition of what “Organic” actually means, as well as relevant research findings regarding the effects of this alternative production strategy. 

     

    “The Art and Science of Artisanal Cheese Making”

    Steve Beckman, Cornell University, Dairy Chemistry

    Steve Beckman is a PhD student studying under Dr. Dave Barbano.  He is currently studying milk filtration and pasteurized fluid milk shelf-life extension.  Besides filtration and shelf-life extension, he has a passion for all things cheese.

    As the founder of the Cheese Club at Cornell in 2009, Steve will be able to provide great insight into his favorite subject, artisan cheese.  In the talk, he will discuss the burgeoning market of artisan cheese, the science and art behind its production, and questioning what it means to be 'artisan'. 

    ADSA GSD Mixer

    TUESDAY JULY 17
    9:00pm – Midnight

    Brick, 455 North 3rd Street, Phoenix http://brickphx.com/index.html 

    Join your fellow graduate students and others at Brick, a fun local wine bar within steps of the convention center.  Registration is FREE and the first 100 to sign-up receive a free drink ticket!  We are giving away door prizes throughout the night and a local DJ will play our favorite tunes.  Make sure to pre-register for this very popular event!

    ASAS-ADSA Joint Graduate Student Symposium

    WEDNESDAY JULY 17
    2:00 – 5:00pm
    Convention Center Room 227AB

    “From Hypothesis to Manuscript: How to Conduct Valuable and Efficient Research”

    Join in the first annual ASAS-ADSA Joint Graduate Student Symposium and get a refresher on conducting good research from a panel of world-renowned speakers:

    “Establishing the Research Problem”
    Dale Bauman, Cornell University, and Bob Collier, University of Arizona

    “Good Laboratory Practices”
    Gary Hartnell, Monsanto

    “I'm an Animal or Dairy Scientist, Why Do I Need Statistics?”
    Deb Aaron, University of Kentucky

    “It is Not a Scientific Contribution until its Published: Tips from a Journal Editor.”
    Steve Zinn, University of Connecticut, Editor of the Journal of Animal Science

    March 2012

    Spring 2012 President's Letter

    Hello Grad Students!

    When I first wrote this letter last week it was snowing in Vancouver... but now it is sunny and the roads are filled with cherry blossoms! I really hope that the old saying is true this year, March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb... we will see!

    Either way, many of us will be enjoying lots of sun in Phoenix in just a few months!

    In this newsletter, you will find some very important information to make your 2012 JAM experience the best possible. If you can't make it to JAM this year, don't fret, there are other exciting events happening on the web to keep you busy.

    • Check out our newest feature, 'Company Profiles'! This newsletter we are highlighting Novus, International. Remember our amazing student mixer last year in New Orleans? Novus made that possible!
    • Meet Michael and Anne from Cornell, our newest student profiles!
    • Going to JAM 2012? Check out the JAM Checklist to ensure that you take advantage of all that the GSD has to offer this July in Phoenix.
    • Check out our new Webinar feature on the blog to keep you updated with interesting dairy-related talks happening around the world!
    • Have your say in the first GSD logo! We took your comments from Facebook into consideration and came up with a new design! Vote today!

    Thanks to everyone who nominated themselves or a fellow graduate student for the upcoming Officer elections! Stay tuned for information about our upcoming election for the next leaders of the GSD...

    I wish you all a wonderful Spring!

    Katy Proudfoot
    GSD President

    JAM 2012 Checklist!

    1) Register now! Don't forget to renew to save $75 on registration as a grad student.

    2) When you register, sign up for GSD Events! The registration brochure is full of fun things to do, including our first ever 'ADSA Graduate Student Career Insights Luncheon' – where just $10 will get you lunch and the chance to network with professionals in industry, academia and government.

    3) Book your spot at the Student Hotel! This hotel is not listed in the main housing page! As it is exclusively reserved for students! To book your room follow these steps:

    • Go here.
    • Login on the right panel using your username and password.
    • Enter JAMStudentPhx2012 as the 'Student Access Code'.
    • Book your room at the Springhill Suites Phoenix Downtown.
    • Email adsagsd@gmail.com if you have any problems!

    FINAL Vote for our next GSD logo!

    Posted on March 23, 2012

    Student Profiles: Cornell Spotlight

    Name: Michael Adams
    Country of Origin: United States
    Area of Specialization: Dairy Processing/ Dairy Chemistry
    Focus of Research: Dairy Applications of Microfiltration and Ultrafiltration
    Degree Program:  M.S. at Cornell University
    Year in School: 3rd year
    What would you like to do after finishing your degree?
    After I earn my M.S. in food science, I will continue to work in Dr. Barbano's lab to pursue my Ph.D. After I complete my education, I intend to return to the food industry to work in the research and development sector with an emphasis in dairy technology.

                                                                                                                        

    Name: Anne Sauer
    Country of Origin: Germany
    Area of Specialization: Dairy Foods
    Focus of Research: Physicochemical properties and stability of micellar casein concentrates
    Degree Program: Ph.D. in Food Science at Cornell University
    Year in School: 4th year 

    What would you like to do after finishing your degree?
    I would like to pursue a career in the food industry, doing R&D in a multinational corporation.

    Picture: Me in the lab during a dairy product development team session.

    Company Profile: Novus

    Company Info:
    Novus International, Incorporated
    20 Research Park Drive St. Charles, MO 63304, United States
    (314) 576-8886

    About Novus:
    Novus International, Inc. is a global leader in animal health and nutrition solutions for the poultry, pork, beef, dairy, aquaculture, and companion animal industries. Over 2,500 clients in more than 90 countries trust the Novus product family to be an integral part of their daily animal agricultural operations. Novus has more than 25 locations around the world.

    At Novus we believe in Performance Through Innovation which is why we employ more than 50 Ph.D. Animal Nutritionists and Doctors of Veterinary Medicine who work continuously to create new products and programs for animal health and nutrition. Novus's Mission is to “help feed the world affordable, wholesome food and achieve a higher quality of life.”

    Keep up with Novus on the web: Website, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube

    Profile of a Professional: Robin R. Rastani

    Current position: Dairy Technical Manager

    Education:
    B.S. Animal Science, Pathobiology, University of Connecticut, 1998
    M.S. Animal Science, University of Connecticut, 2000
    Ph.D. Dairy Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2005

    GSD: How did you end up working for Novus?

    Robin: As background, this is my second industry position. I am trained in dairy cattle nutrition. I learned of the position by those in my professional network that worked for Novus. They were informed by others in the industry that I would be a good fit. I then interviewed, saw it as an excellent opportunity for me to continue to grow and use my skills, and when the position was later offered to me, I gladly accepted. I can't stress enough the importance of networking and connecting with people in the industry. It is personally satisfying, keeps you up to speed with what's relevant, and it allows you to help others and in turn others then help you.

    GSD: What does your typical day of work look like?

    Robin: After waking up, and figuring out what state I'm in, I'll first check my email to see if there are questions that need to be answered immediately from the sales team or customers about use of Novus' products (methionine source, antioxidant or trace minerals). Then I'll prepare for the day- which will either be (1) presentations, small meetings or interactions with customers about their needs and finding solutions for them, (2) attending a conference to learn about the latest and greatest technology or solution, or (3) an office day where I write a literature piece explaining the applied usage a technology, pull together or update PowerPoint presentations, catch up on reading or evaluate a ration. My work is dynamic in nature, but it keeps me on the cutting edge of the industry's needs, problems and solutions.

    GSD: What is your favorite part about working for Novus?

    Robin: I'm a problem solver, and I love opportunities to troubleshoot and find areas to improve in rations and on farms. Working with Novus, allows me to find these areas of improvement, suggest changes and then follow them over time. Afterwards, I can then communicate with others in the field and use these as teachable moments, showing what worked in each situation.

    GSD: What do you do when you are not working for Novus (i.e., for fun!)?

    Robin: Since I travel and am around people most of the week, I tend to stay close to home in my down-time. I enjoy doing puzzles (crossword, scrabble and jigsaw), reading, advocating and sharing about agriculture and farm values on social media (follow me on Twitter, @cownutritionist) and watching sports. I also try to stay active, walking and practicing yoga.

    Nominate a graduate student today for the ADSA Graduate Student Division!

    Do you know a graduate student in Dairy Production or Dairy Foods who is a natural leader?

    Good news! The Graduate Student Division of ADSA is holding its first elections for Officers! Nominees will be voted on electronically before the Joint Annual Meeting, and will be introduced at the GSD Business Meeting and Open Forum held at JAM on Sunday evening.

    You can nominate a graduate student (including yourself) for the available positions listed below. To nominate a candidate, fill out the following and send to adsagsd@gmail.com by March 14th:

    Your name:
    Nominee's Name:
    Nominee's Email:
    Position(s):

    Available positions (View all officer duties):

    • Vice President (Dairy Production)
    • Treasurer (Dairy Production)
    • Secretary (Dairy Foods)
    • Dairy Foods Specialist (Dairy Foods)
    • Dairy Production Specialist (Dairy Production)

    We look forward to hearing from you by March 14th!

    Regards,

    Katy Proudfoot
    GSD President

    Rachel Campbell
    GSD Vice President

    FREE Webinar on Ketosis today!

    February 13: Preventing and treating ketosis

    12:00 to 1:00PM CST


    Presented by Garrett Oetzel, D.V.M., University of Wisconsin
    Brought to you by Elanco and their portfolio of dairy products (www.elanco.com)

    Register Here to access webinar!

    After a very successful premier, the Hoard's Dairyman webinar series continues through 2012. The webinar series will take place the second Monday of each month at 12:00 p.m., central time. Hosted by the energetic Mike Hutjens of the University of Illinois, each short, one-hour webinar will include nationally-known and carefully selected presenters who will discuss the most relevant topics and challenges faced by dairy producers across the country. During the presentation, webinar participants will have the opportunity to ask questions of the presenter and engage in thought-provoking discussions. If unable to attend a webinar, they will be recorded and can be accessed later from http://www.hoards.com/webinars.

    February Dairy Webinar – Today 12:00PM Central!

    Animal Welfare Certification Options (FREE!)

    • Date: February 8th, 2012, 12:00 PM Central Time
    • Speaker: Dr. Jim Reynolds, University of California-Davis International Animal Welfare Training Institute
    • Dr. Reynolds will discuss current options in animal welfare certification, along with the value of certification and how to determine if you should become part of one of these programs

    To attend a live session you will need to:

    1. Go to Connect at the appointed time for the webinar you wish to attend
    2. Select “Enter as a Guest”
    3. Type your name in the box; if you are attending as part of a group, please indicate at the end of the name how many people are in the group, including yourself.
    4. Click “Enter” to join the webinar
    5. Once you enter the meeting room, the audio portion of the webinar will come through your computer speakers. All you will need to do to hear the presentation is enter the meeting room and ensure that your speakers are on.

    JAM ABSTRACTS DEADLINE NEXT WEDNESDAY FEB 15th!


    This is a friendly reminder from your GSD to start (or finish, for some of you keeners!) your abstracts for JAM 2012 in Phoenix, Arizona!

    FIND INSTRUCTIONS HERE 

    SUBMIT ABSTRACTS HERE! 

    A few quick reminders: 

    • Abstracts must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. CST on FEBRUARY 15, 2012
    • Space limitations allow a maximum of 2,300 keystrokes (including characters, spaces, and punctuation). Begin count at the title and end count with the last key word or end of a table if one is included. The word count does not include authors and their affiliations.
    • If an abstract is accepted, the author(s) must attend the meeting to present.
    • Become a member of ADSA for only $10 and save $100 on your registration!
    • Questions? Find some FAQ here! Still questions? Email abstract@assochq.org
    December 2011

    Winter 2011 President's Letter

    Hi ADSA Graduate Students!

    Well, the year is coming to an end, I hope you have all had a productive 2011!

    Here at the ADSA GSD we are trying to deliver as much relevant news to you as possible. We have been a little slow getting started this year... but you can help us out by giving us your opinion on how we are doing! What else do you want from the GSD? 

    A few things to report in this newsletter:

    • JAM 2012 Call for Abstracts is out! Its time to start thinking about your abstract, whether you are doing a talk or a poster, or perhaps scrambling for some data to quickly analyse before February 15th!
    • It's also that time of the year to Renew Your Membership! Graduating students are very lucky this year, you have the chance to experience the new transitional membership costing 1/2 as much as a professional member.
    • Keep following us on the web! We have a Facebook Group where we can interact with eachother – already 151 members strong and growing! We also decided it would make more sense for our members to join the official ADSA LinkedIn Group, to make networking with professionals easier!
    • Meet Jacquelyn Ploetz: our newest student profile!
    • Looking for a job? I know many students who choose to defend their MSc and PhD right before the holidays... but then what? Create a profile on the new myDairyCareer and start looking for jobs! If you don't find something right away – don't worry – this is a very new service and we are adding employers by the day!
    • Need a conference to attend? Check out the upcoming dairy-related events happening in early 2012!
    • Looking for a FREE webinar to keep you entertained this holiday? Check out DAIReXNET's past and upcoming free dairy cattle webinars. Topics range from animal welfare to cow nutrition to human nutrition to the environment – there is definitely something for everyone!

    Happy holidays everyone! I hope you are enjoying these newsletters – don't be shy – let us know what you think!

    Katy Proudfoot
    GSD President
    adsagsd@gmail.com

    JAM Call For Abstracts

    The Joint Annual Meeting in Phoenix, AZ is coming up soon!

    CLICK HERE to submit an abstract by February 15th!

    It’s Time to Renew Your Membership!

    If you are still a graduate student renew online!

    Graduating? You are eligible for a transitional membership–this is 1/2 the price of a professional membership for the first year following graduation!  For more information click here!

    Benefits of membership:

    • Access to myDairyCareer
    • Quarterly Newsletter
    • Graduate Student Events at the Joint Annual Meeting
    • Social Media (Facebook and LinkedIn) for Members Only
    • Deep Discounts to Attend Discovery Conferences
    • Many Leadership Opportunities

    Networking on the Web

    Join the ADSA GSD Facebook Group today to connect with other graduate students all around the world!

    This is a closed group, only available to graduate students with current membership.

    Why should you join?

    • Frequent postings on job opportunities
    • Networking with other graduate students
    • Going to a new school?  Make friends before you go!
    • Need a roommate for JAM to lower costs? This is the place!

    Not on Facebook? Interested in ADSA updates and networking opportunities with Dairy Science professionals?

    Join the ADSA LinkedIn Group

    Student Profile

    Name: Jacquelyn Ploetz

    Country of Origin: United States

    Area of Specialization: Dairy Nutrition

    Focus of Research: Lipid Metabolism

    Degree Program: Ph.D.

    Year in School: First year

    What would you like to do after finishing your degree? Teaching, nutritionist or research

    MyDairyCareer

    Have you heard about the newest career tool? 

    myDairyCareer  is a tool for ADSA graduate students! This is a year-round, online dairy science career center that will allow you, the job seeker, to look for job openings in the dairy industry, government or academia. It will also allow recruiters to find you! Undergraduate, graduate, and postdoc students can take advantage of this center to look for jobs and internships.


    CLICK HERE TO CREATE YOUR PROFILE!


    This tool is great for:

    • Students looking for a job. You will be able to search for job opportunities, and recruiters will be able to search for you!
    • Students that will be looking for a job in the next few years. Start building your network of future employers now!

    Go online today or over winter break to create your profile and upload your CV and cover letter!

    Secure your future in dairy science now by getting started in the myDairyCareer!

    Upcoming Dairy Events!

    Looking for a conference or a short course in your field of interest or near your University? Check out the latest dairy-related events!

    Jan 8-14, 2012
    120th Penn State Ice Cream Short Course, University Park, Pennsylvania

    Jan. 22-24, 2012
    National Mastitis Council 51st Annual Meeting, St. Pete Beach, Florida

    Jan 24-25, 2012
    38th Annual Southern Dairy Conference, Embassy Suites, Atlanta Airport

    Jan 28-29, 2012
    Ice Cream 101: Introduction to Frozen Desserts, University Park, Pennsylvania

    Jan 31 – Feb 1, 2012
    Florida Ruminant Nutrition Symposium, Gainesville, FL

    Feb. 5 – 10, 2012
    11th International Colloquium on Paratuberculosis, Sydney, Australia

    Feb 23 – 24, 2012
    The 27th Annual Southwest Nutrition and Management Conference, Tempe Mission Palms Hotel & Conference Center, Tempe, Arizona

    March 6 – 9, 2012
    Western Canadian Dairy Seminar, Capri Hotel & Conference Centre, Red Deer, Alberta, Canada

    March 7 – 8 2012
    High Plains Dairy Conference, The Ambassador Hotel, Amarillo, Texas

    March 20 – 21, 2012
    Dairy Calf and Heifer Association Conference, Visalia, California


    FREE Dairy Webinars

    DAIReXNET offers great FREE webinars to keep us up-to-date with the latest dairy science news! Take advantage of this wonderful service provided by the Cooperative Extension System, the National Association of County Agricultural Agents and your Land Grant University!

    Click here to check out upcoming webinars!

    Bored over winter break? Check out past and archived webinars!

    UPCOMING WEBINARS:

    Lameness, Hoof, and Leg Issues in Dairy Cattle

    • Date: January 12, 2012, 12:00 PM Central Time
    • Speaker: Dr. Ernest Hovingh, Pennsylvania State University
    • Dr. Hovingh will discuss causes and preventative measures of lameness as well as other hoof and leg issues.

    Animal Welfare Certification Options

    • Date: February 8th, 2012, 12:00 PM Central Time
    • Speaker: Dr. Jim Reynolds, University of California-Davis International Animal Welfare Training Institute
    • Dr. Reynolds will discuss current options in animal welfare certification, along with the value of certification and how to determine if you should become part of one of these programs.

    Strategies to Improve Reproduction During Summer Heat Stress

    • Date: March 5th, 2012, 12:00 PM Central Time
    • Speaker: Dr. Todd Bilby, Texas A&M
    • Reproductive failure is the number one reason dairy cows involuntarily leave the dairy farm and summer heat stress exemplifies this costly issue.  However, managerial, hormonal and novel reproductive technologies are available for producers to utilize which will reduce the severity of summer heat stress on reproduction.  The various strategies will be presented in detail to educate both producers and consultants to be able to implement reproductive program changes to subside summer's negative effects.

    Nutrition Programs for the Heat Stressed Herd

    • Date: March 19th, 2012, 12:00 PM Central Time
    • Speaker: Dr. Jose Santos, University of Florida
    • Proper dietary programs are essential to cow health and performance during heat stress.  Understanding what dietary changes can be made prior to and during summer heat stress are important for assisting thermoregulatory mechanisms of our modern high producing lactating dairy cows to aid in reducing the negative effects of heat stress. Nutritional changes will be presented for producers and consultants to make informed decisions on the proper dietary changes necessary to reduce the severity of summer heat stress

    Vote for the GSD Logo!

    Vote for your favorite logo for the GSD!  To vote, visit our Facebook page!


    Option 1


    Option 2


    Option 3

    September 2011

    Fall 2011 President's Letter

    Hello ADSA Graduate Students!

    Welcome to a new semester! But alas, as graduate students most of us were probably in the lab or the barn all summer... all that has really changed are busier buses and more undergraduates in the hallways!

    As for me, I have spent the last week in Denmark at the Foulum Research Centre on a research internship with Aarhus University. It has already been an amazing experience, and it will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of my PhD! I strongly encourage all of you to look into the potential for travel/research internship opportunities at your university!

    Can you believe it has been 2 months since JAM? And we are already in the process of planning next year's GSD events! Thanks to everyone who completed the post-JAM survey, this information will help us plan better for next year. If you want to get involved in planning JAM 2012, make sure that you apply for one of our sub-committees!

    We have a few other exciting things to share with you in this newsletter:

    1. The *Grand Opening* of the MyDairyCareer tool for ADSA Graduate Students!
    2. ADSA GSD Facebook and LinkedIn groups! We have 101 friends and are looking for more!
    3. Our first of many Student Profile! Meet Kevin Herrick, Land O'Lakes, Purina Feed LLC Graduate Student Poster Contest Winner!
     

    See details of all of these topics in the posts to follow. Have a wonderful semester and look for more ADSA news to come your way soon!

    Katy Proudfoot
    ADSA GSD President

    MyDairyCareer

    We would like to formally invite you to the GRAND OPENING of the myDairyCareer tool for ADSA graduate students! This is a year-round, online dairy science career center that will allow you, the job seeker, to look for job openings in the dairy industry, government or academia. It will also allow recruiters to find you! Undergraduate, graduate, and postdoc students can take advantage of this center to look for jobs and internships.

     

    CLICK HERE TO CREATE YOUR PROFILE!

     

    This tool is great for:

    • Students looking for a job. You will be able to search for job opportunities, and recruiters will be able to search for you!
    • Students that will be looking for a job in the next few years. Start building your network of future employers now!

    We are giving you one-month access to myDairyCareer to create your profile before we allow recruiters to start searching for you. This will give you time to refine your profiles before the hunt begins!

    Secure your future in dairy science now by getting started in the myDairyCareer!

    Join us on the Web!

    Join the ADSA GSD Facebook and LinkedIn Groups today to be able to connect with other graduate students all around the world.

    These are closed groups, only available to graduate students with current membership.

    Why should you join?

    • Frequent postings on job opportunities
    • Networking with other graduate students
    • Going to a new school?  Make friends before you go!
    • Need a roommate for JAM to lower costs? This is the place!
    *FACEBOOK* JOIN US TODAY! *LINKEDIN*

    Student Profile

    Congrats to Kevin Herrick for winning first place in the Land O'Lakes, Purina Feed LLC Graduate Student Poster Contest Ph.D. Division!

    In honor of the all the graduate student award winners, we will be featuring short profiles on these amazing individuals in our quarterly newsletter!

    Name: Kevin Herrick

    Country of Origin: United States

    University: South Dakota State University

    Area of Specialization: Dairy Cattle Nutrition

    Focus of Research: Butyrate Metabolism in Lactating Dairy Cows

    Degree Program: Ph.D. in Dairy Science

    Year in School: 2nd Year into Ph.D. Program

    What would you like to do after finishing your degree?: I would like to return to the dairy industry in a sales or technical support role

    Post-JAM Survey Results

    Thank you for attending our graduate student events!  Your feedback will help us continually better the programs for graduate students!

    Here is what graduate students had to say:

      • On a nine-point scale, the top three events this year were: the inaugural business meeting (6.47), the grant writing workshop (6.11), and the mixer at the House of Blues (6.05).
      • Out of the total respondents, 78.3% would be likely to attend a career development workshop held over lunch. 
      •  65.2% of you would like a seminar between dairy foods and dairy production graduate students to learn more about their respective research topics.
      • 60.9% of respondents would like a farm or plant tour prior to JAM.

    Again, thank you for taking the time to give us your input and please feel free to contact us with your ideas at anytime. Your opinions help shape the future of GSD and help us to better serve you!

    GSD Leadership Opportunity

    Think the ADSA GSD should be doing something different? Have some great ideas for JAM 2012? Want to become a future leader of the GSD?

    Great news! The ADSA Graduate Student Division wants YOU to get involved!

    We are looking for a few good volunteers to help us make the coming year a success. Check out the committees below where we need the most help! Each volunteer will sit on one committee for a one year term, until the end of JAM 2012.

    If you are interested, please email adsagsd@gmail.com with:

    1. Your name
    2. One or two committees you want to join, ranked in order of preference
    3. A copy of your CV or resume

     
    ADSA GSD STUDENT COMMITTEES:

    JAM Social Events
    Committee Chair: Lizzie French

    A goal of the GSD is to provide opportunities for graduate students to network with other graduate students working in dairy science, the JAM Social Events committee will be vital to accomplishing this goal. The JAM social events committee will be responsible for planning and coordinating both a pre-JAM tour of a dairy farm or processing plant and the GSD social event. This includes finding a venue for the social event and ensuring adequate funding for the event either by corporate sponsors are through drink tickets. For the pre-JAM tour of a dairy farm/processing facility the committee will need to identify tour options as well as associated costs, and arrange for necessary transportation.

    Career Development
    Committee Chair: Emily Hurt

    The Career Development committee will focus on providing opportunities for graduate students to learn more about academic and industry careers and tools to help graduate students transition from student to salary earner. The committee will be responsible for organizing the JAM career roundtable including arranging for the panelists. The other main responsibility will be to ensure the success and usefulness of the myDairy Career online tool which will include promoting the site to both student and corporate members of ADSA.

    Membership
    Committee Chairs: Prafulla Salunke, Fabio Lima

    The Membership committee is charged with the vital task of increasing and retaining graduate student ADSA members. This committee will be responsible for helping to identify possible new members and communicate the value of an ADSA membership to them. Other responsibilities include collecting and analyzing data on membership to identify ways ADSA GSD could retain and increase membership.

    Communications
    Committee Chair: Rachel Campbell

    The Communications committee will work to keep the graduate student members of ADSA informed of ADSA and GSD activities through a variety of media including Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin. The committee will also be responsible for putting together the quarterly newsletter. The Communications committee will also look at ways of fostering graduate student discussions and ways to enhance graduate student participation through social media.

    Education
    Committee Chair: Katy Proudfoot

    The Education committee will work to provide educational opportunities for graduate students. This includes planning and coordination educational JAM events, such as a joint ASAS-ADSA workshop and an informal session for graduate students in dairy production and foods to get to know a little about the other's research. This will include finding speakers for the events and coordinating with the Communications committee on publicizing the events.  The Education committee will also plan and promote one or two webinars during the following year.

    FAIR 2012 Graduate Student Opportunity

    The FAIR 2012 Program Committee is seeking exceptional graduate students to play an active role in the FAIR 2012 conference as recorders during discussion sessions. Students must be nominated by October 1 to participate. This is an outstanding opportunity for graduate students and will provide them with insight into policy and the future priorities for animal science research. All travel expenses will be paid and there will be a career and professional development event at the USDA-ARS Beltsville Area Research Center immediately following the FAIR 2012 conference.

    For nomination information and any other questions, please contact Heather White h.m.white@uconn.edu).

    July 2011

    Join our Facebook group and take our survey!

    Hi ADSA Grads!

    Can you believe it has already been two weeks since JAM? What a great 2011 conference. Thank you all for coming to our events and supporting your Graduate Student Division (GSD)!

    If you missed the meeting this year, don't worry...

    We will fill you in! To stay up-to-date, we need you to do these quick, simple things:

    1. Join our Facebook group (it's closed and just for ADSA graduate students)! Check out pictures from JAM and find other ADSA graduate student friends!
    2. Complete the post-JAM survey to let us know how we are doing. Even if you did not attend, we want your feedback on programs and services GSD should offer in the coming year. Complete the survey by August 10th to be entered in a drawing to win a $25 Amazon gift.

    Thank you for helping us ratify our constitution!

    Summer 2011 President's Letter

    The flowers are blooming, classes are ending, the university is getting quiet, and we all know what that means... it's almost time for JAM! This year's conference is going to be especially exciting for dairy science graduate students because of our inaugural ADSA Graduate Student Division!

    To help make your trip easier, here is your pre-JAM checklist:

    ☑ Become of member of ADSA, and get your friends to join too! This year we are giving away a prize for the most new members! Sign-up here!

    ☑ Book your plane ticket! Soon!

    ☑ Find a hotel! ADSA graduate students are in the Westin this year. Check out that pool, we will need it for the hot Louisiana sun!

    ☑ Start organizing your schedule with the 'My Program' tool offered by ADSA! Click here to get started!

    ☑ Pack your party clothes for the ADSA Graduate Student Mixer! Our inaugural social will be Monday, July 11th from 9pm to midnight at the New Orleans House of Blues! This is our chance to get to know each other while enjoying some great tunes (DJ sponsored by Novus). Best of all – the first drink is on us!

    ☑ Mark your calendars for all of the activities planned just for graduate students! Check them out here!

    ☑ Keep your eyes peeled for these folks, we are your first GSD Advisory Council, at your service and ready to answer any of your JAM questions!

    I can't wait to meet all of you in person!

    Katy Proudfoot
    ADSA GSD President
    asdagsd@gmail.com