Dairy Digressions

A bimonthly podcast celebrating dairy science and featuring the leading thinkers in dairy production and foods.

Welcome to Dairy Digressions, the podcast from the American Dairy Science Association and the minds behind JDS Communications and the Journal of Dairy Science. Every other month, host and JDS Communications Editor in Chief Matt Lucy, PhD, explores the latest developments, fascinating discoveries, and breaking trends in the world of dairy science.

From pioneering technologies to innovative research, we cover a range of topics related to the dairy industry and go behind the scenes of the top labs and minds in dairy research. Our guests are leading experts in their fields, providing unique insights and perspectives on dairy career paths, research philosophies, and what excites them about the science of dairy production and dairy foods.

Whether you’re a dairy researcher, a student, dairy professional, or simply interested in learning more about the science behind the food we consume, Dairy Digressions is the show for you. Listen in as we dig deep into the science of dairy and discover what’s new and exciting in this ever-evolving field.

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Episode One: Dairy Genetics and the Genomic Sequencing Revolution with Jennie Pryce, PhD

In the inaugural episode of Dairy Digressions, Matt sits down with Jennie Pryce, PhD, principal research scientist at Agriculture Victoria and professor at La Trobe University in Australia, to talk all things genetics—connecting the scientific dots behind dairy cow traits to human height to inbreeding within the population of threatened hihi birds on New Zealand’s Tiritiri Mātangi Island. They discuss how Jennie came to be interested in dairy science—from showing calves in the All Britain Calf Show as a child to her trailblazing career in dairy genetics. The two marvel at the past 50 years of advances and investments in genetic sequencing and how they have impacted not just the dairy industry, but all types of plant and animal breeding. They also dig into what a genetics lab looks like and how researchers are working with massive data sets and super computers, including Jennie’s best advice for a career in genomic science.

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Episode One Show Notes

Learn more about Dr. Jennie Pryce and connect with her on Twitter @jenniepryce.

Catch up on the papers discussed on the episode:

Synchronization of breeding and its impact on genetic parameters and evaluation of female fertility traits, Journal of Dairy Science (2022)

A saturated map of common genetic variance associated with human height, Nature (2022)

Genomic signatures of inbreeding depression for a threatened Aotearoa New Zealand passerine, Molecular Ecology (2023)

Meet the Host

Matthew Lucy, PhD, is a professor of animal science at the University of Missouri and the Editor in Chief of JDS Communications. Hailing from New York State, he received his BS from Cornell University before moving to Kansas State University to study reproduction in postpartum dairy cows, and later completed a PhD in dairy science at the University of Florida. He became a member of ADSA as a graduate student and has been an active and leading member serving as the Editor in Chief of the Journal of Dairy Science, before helping to launch JDS Communications. During his tenure, Lucy maintained and boosted the journal’s history of excellence, growing its published pages and overall impact. He is a passionate advocate for dairy science and for making science accessible, as well as mentoring the next generation of leaders in the field.

Have thoughts about the show? Connect with Matt on Twitter @Matt_Lucy_JDS or email us at adsa@adsa.org.