Episodes

  • Understanding the Dairy Matrix, Its Uses in Human Health and Precision Nutrition, and Why Dairy Is So Cool with Grace Lewis, PhD, and David Everett, PhD

    Understanding the Dairy Matrix, Its Uses in Human Health and Precision Nutrition, and Why Dairy Is So Cool with Grace Lewis, PhD, and David Everett, PhD
    May 31 2025
    We’re celebrating dairy foods in the latest installment of Dairy Digressions! Host Matt Lucy sits down with two of the voices behind the recent Journal of Dairy Science special issue, “Dairy Foods: A Matrix for Human Health and Precision Nutrition.” Devoted to the latest science on dairy food nutrition, the selected articles in this issue emphasize the crucial role dairy plays in human health from infancy through adulthood. Join us with Grace Lewis, PhD, assistant professor of animal and food science and Dairy Innovation Hub Affiliate at the University of Wisconsin (UW) River Falls, Journal of Dairy Science section editor, and guest editor of the special issue, and David Everett, PhD, a principal investigator and international stakeholder–relationship manager at the Riddet Institute, incoming ADSA President, and author in the special issue. Grace introduces the special issue articles and the exciting studies happening around the dairy matrix, which is helping to usher in a new era of nutrition science. This new era recognizes that dairy can’t be reduced to its parts—we need a holistic understanding of how the interconnected matrix profoundly affects digestion, absorption, and how we fuel our bodies. Grace and David are passionate about advancing the science and spreading the story of dairy’s important part in human health. They delve into the history of dairy’s consumer perceptions and the evolving science around how we think about full-fat dairy products in particular. Milk is a whole food that delivers all essential amino acids, meaning it’s a complete protein that’s also highly digestible and a vital source of vitamins and minerals like calcium. David dives further into his article on understanding the physical structures in dairy foods that uniquely fuel the human body. He also answers our burning dairy questions, including what the true color of milk is, how we process the most valuable whey powder, and the scandalous history of margarine and butter. Finally, the group debates whether it’s okay to top your pizza with cottage cheese. Do you have a vote? Sound off in the comments on your favorite podcast platform! Episode Twenty-Seven Show NotesLearn more about Grace Lewis, PhD, and connect with her on LinkedIn, and learn more about David Everett, PhD, and connect with him on LinkedIn. Want even more of the latest dairy food science? Join us atthe 2025 ADSA Annual Meeting in Louisville, Kentucky, this June! Start earning rewards and journal savings via the ADSA Loyalty Rewards Program for the Journal of Dairy Science and JDS Communications.Catch up on the papers and presentation discussed in theepisode:Engaging today’s undergraduate students in the field of dairy science with a focus on the female student population, JDS Communications (2025) Dairy Foods: A Matrix for Human Health and Precision Nutrition—Introduction, Journal of Dairy Science (2025)Dairy Foods: A Matrix for Human Health and Precision Nutrition—The impact of the dairy food matrix on digestion and absorption, Journal of Dairy Science (2025)Dairy Foods: A Matrix for Human Health and Precision Nutrition—Effect of processing infant milk formula on protein digestion and gut barrier health (in vitro and preclinical), Journal of Dairy Science (2025)Dairy Foods: A Matrix for Human Health and Precision Nutrition—The relevance of a potential bioactive ingredient; The milkfat globule membrane, Journal of Dairy Science (2025)
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    1 hr
  • Feeding Fats and Fatty Acids, Finding Transition Balance, and Making Science Actionable with Adam Lock, PhD

    Feeding Fats and Fatty Acids, Finding Transition Balance, and Making Science Actionable with Adam Lock, PhD
    Apr 30 2025
    Growing up on a dairy farm in the United Kingdom, Adam Lock, PhD, always thought he would take over the family business and milk cows for a living. Instead, he now works to help dairy professionals increase their cattle’s health, productivity, and profitability through nutrition. Join us to find out how!Host Matt Lucy sits down with Adam, a professor and associate chair for farm operations in the Department of Animal Science, and interim chair of the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences at Michigan State University. He explains the central focus of his research on fatty acid digestion and metabolism in the dairy cow and the impact of bioactive fatty acids on animal production and human health. The two focus on Adam’s recent work optimizing fat-feeding strategies during the transition period. The previous dogma around feeding fresh cows recommended against supplementing fats, but that is now changing. Adam and his team are proving that particular blends of individual fatty acids can help fill a cow’s unique needs during this time, promote energy balance, and increase milk production. The pair also discuss Adam’s focus on making all of his work immediately applicable to farmers and industry professionals, and the importance of extension work in dairy. Finally, he shares his philosophies around ensuring his lab is fun for students, the best way to connect with and train students, and how to embrace the fortuitous twists and turns your career in science might take. Episode Twenty-Six Show NotesLearn more about Adam Lock and connect with himon LinkedIn. Are you interested in learning applied nutrition strategiesdirectly from Adam? Join us at the 2025 ADSA AnnualMeeting in Louisville, Kentucky, this June! Adam is speakingduring our first-ever applied nutrition symposium and panel discussion focused on feeding high oleic soybeans and balancing diets for milk fat.Start earning rewards and journal savings via the ADSA Loyalty Rewards Program for the Journal of Dairy Science and JDS Communications.Catch up with the discussion of dairy nutrition dogma in Arandom view of the world: Because we are never absolutely sure of anything from Normand St-Pierre at the 2024 ADSA Annual Meeting. Catch up on the papers and presentation discussed in theepisode:Effects of raw and roasted high oleic soybeans on milk production of high-producing dairy cows, Journal of Dairy Science (2024)Effects of increasing dietary inclusion of high oleic acid soybeans on milk production of high-producing dairy cows, Journal of Dairy Science (2024) Milk production responses of dairy cows to fatty acid supplements with different ratios of palmitic and oleic acids in low-and high-fat basal diets, JDS Communications (2024) Increasing palmitic acid and reducing stearic acid content of supplemental fatty acid blends improves production performance of mid-lactation dairy cows, Journal of Dairy Science (2024)Oleic acid abomasal infusion limits lipolysis and improves insulin sensitivity in adipose tissue from periparturient dairy cows, Journal of Dairy Science (2023)
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    42 mins
  • Muscle, Metabolism, and Milk—Dairy and Dairy Protein’s Role in Healthy Aging in Childhood and Beyond with Daniel Moore, PhD

    Muscle, Metabolism, and Milk—Dairy and Dairy Protein’s Role in Healthy Aging in Childhood and Beyond with Daniel Moore, PhD
    Mar 29 2025

    Join us as we sit down with Daniel Moore, PhD, professor of muscle physiology at the University of Toronto and invited speaker at the ADSA Annual Meeting. He explains how muscle serves as the body’s primary storage for amino acids, the building blocks crucial for immune function, and emphasizes its importance beyond just physical strength into healthy aging and metabolic health. In his lab, he’s working to understand which foods—and which types of high-quality protein—can best support recovery and muscle development, with a focus on childhood. Are children just little adults, for example, or are they entirely different? How can nutrition best support them after exercise and help with the healthy muscle growth that will carry them into adulthood? Matt and Daniel discuss the importance of milk as a whole food rich in essential amino acids that can underpin this critical muscle development, focusing on his interest in leucine. He highlights the importance of teamwork and mentorship in his lab, sharing his strategies for fostering a supportive atmosphere for his students, drawing from his time in industry at Nestlé’s research center in Switzerland (including his experience being woken up by cowbells). Finally, the two digress on the fascinating topic of muscle preservation in hibernating animals and consider its potential relevance to dairy cows.

    Episode Twenty-Five Show Notes

    Learn more about Daniel Moore and connect with him on LinkedIn.

    Are you interested in even more breaking dairy foods science? Join us at the 2025 ADSA Annual Meeting in Louisville, Kentucky, this June!

    The Journal of Dairy Science is releasing a forthcoming special issue, Dairy Foods: A Matrix for Human Health and Precision Nutrition, in April. Look out for the latest research on this topic!

    Catch up on the papers, news articles, and podcasts discussed in the episode:

    Postexercise dietary leucine retention for whole-body anabolism is greater with whey protein isolate and fish-derived protein hydrolysate than nonessential amino acids in trained young men, International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism (2024)

    Estimation of skeletal muscle mass in 4-year-old children using the D3-creatine dilution method, Pediatric Research (2023)

    Protein quality and the food matrix: Defining optimal versus maximal meal-based protein intakes for stimulating muscle protein synthesis, Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism (2023)

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    50 mins
  • Latest Updates on HPAI H5N1 and Dairy—What We Know Today About Bird Flu Viral Dynamics and Pathways with Diego Diel, DVM, PhD

    Latest Updates on HPAI H5N1 and Dairy—What We Know Today About Bird Flu Viral Dynamics and Pathways with Diego Diel, DVM, PhD
    Feb 11 2025
    Since our last episode devoted to the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 outbreak in US dairy herds, the virus has passed some concerning new milestones—infecting over 900 herds, more than 60 people (including 1 death), and millions of domestic poultry flocks—and continues to present a pressing concern to dairy scientists and the dairy sector as a whole. To help our listeners keep their finger on the latest science, Matt sits down withDiego Diel, DVM, MS, PhD, a leading virologist and associate professor in the Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Diego and his lab team at Cornell were on the testing frontlines during the COVID-19 outbreak and are once again leading the charge in studying, documenting, and understanding H5N1—including via three impactful recent publications inJDS Communications andNature. He and Matt unpack the complexities of the H5N1 virus, explaining its unique components and genetic lineage, how it affects different cells across species, and tracking its evolution from wild birds to spreading in dairy cattle and spillovers to other avian and mammal hosts. The two discuss Diego’s recent work experimentally infecting dairy cows and calves to better understand the dynamics of the virus, detailing how it impacts the mammary gland, leading to severe mastitis and surprisingly high viral loads in milk. They review some of the remaining unknowns of the outbreak: Why haven’t we seen H5N1 in beef cattle? How is the virus spreading regionally from farm to farm? What is theexactroute of infection for dairy cows? Will vaccines be needed to stop its spread? The duo also cautiously explores the pandemic potential from the outbreak, outlining the current presentation of the virus in humans and clarifying that there is currently no human-to-human transmission. Thankfully, we have tools—such as antivirals that are effective against influenza in humans—in the toolbox to fight a pandemic if the virus were to mutate. While reassuring listeners that current data suggest a low risk, Diego emphasizes the importance of continued surveillance, testing, preventive measures, and research to understand how H5N1 might evolve.This episode ofDairy Digressions is a must-listen for anyone in the dairy sector seeking a comprehensive understanding of what we know today about the H5N1 outbreak. Episode Twenty-Four Show NotesLearn more aboutDiego Diel and connect with him onLinkedIn andX/Twitter. Start earning rewards and journal savings via the ADSA Loyalty Rewards Program for the Journal of Dairy Science and JDS Communications.Are you interested in participating in ADSA’s next AnnualMeeting?Submit your abstract beforeFebruary 12, 2025, andjoin us in Louisville, Kentucky, this June!Catch up on the papers, news articles, and podcasts discussed in the episode:Hot topic: Influenza A H5N1 virus exhibits a broad host range, including dairy cows,JDS Communications(2024)Spillover of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus to dairy cattle,Nature(2024)H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b dynamics in experimentally infected calves and cows,Nature(2025)The global H5N1 influenza panzootic in mammals,Nature (2025)Why hasn’t the bird flu pandemic started?,Science(2024)First bird flu death in U.S. reported in Louisiana,New York Times(2025)Update: Bird flu in the United States, Infectious Diseases Society of America (2025)Transmission of a human isolate of clade 2.3.4.4b A(H5N1) virus in ferrets,Nature(2024)A human isolate of bovine H5N1 is transmissible and lethal in animal models,Nature(2024)A single mutation in bovine influenza H5N1 hemagglutinin switches specificity to human receptors,Science (2024)Genetic tracing of market wildlife and viruses at the epicenter of the COVID 19 pandemic,Cell(2024)
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    1 hr and 2 mins
  • Guidelines on Accelerating Feed Additives for Methane Mitigation with David Yáñez-Ruiz, PhD, and André Bannink, PhD

    Guidelines on Accelerating Feed Additives for Methane Mitigation with David Yáñez-Ruiz, PhD, and André Bannink, PhD
    Jan 15 2025
    Join us for a special Dairy Digressions episode with the co-leads of a just-released special issue of the Journal of Dairy Science, Feed Additives for Methane Mitigation. Guests David Yáñez-Ruiz of the Spanish Research Council (CSIC) and André Bannink of Wageningen University & Research introduce listeners to the six articles in the issue, which represent the first outcomes of a flagship project by the Feed and Nutrition Network of the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases’ Livestock Research Group. The open-access special issue synthesizes decades of nutrition innovation on methane-reducing feed additives to cover the full spectrum—from additive development to impact measurement. David and André explain the decades of research that have gone into the project, outlining how reducing enteric methane produced by ruminants can contribute to the overall reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. While many areas of research, including breeding and genetics, are working on improving sustainability—nutrition and feed additives are currently at the forefront. The guests explain how feed additives modulate methane production to produce substantially less emissions without negative effects on the animal, milk production, or quality and nutrition of the final milk product. David and André delve into the groundbreaking research on 3-nitrooxypropanol (3-NOP), seaweed, and more, and look ahead to the exciting potential of novel feed additive combinations in the future. Host Matt Lucy and the guests marvel at how far the science has come even in the past ten years and look ahead to the application of this knowledge for farmers around the globe. In closing, Matt asks, “What skills and perspectives are needed to drive impactful research in this critical area?” for anyone looking to enter methane research. Listen in for a valuable overview of the latest advancements in methane mitigation and a glimpse into the future of sustainable dairy production! Episode Twenty-Three Show Notes Learn more about David Yáñez-Ruiz and connect with him on LinkedIn, and learn more about André Bannink. Are you interested in participating in ADSA’s next Annual Meeting? Submit your abstract to the 2025 ADSA Annual Meeting before February 12, 2025, and join us in Louisville, Kentucky, next June! Check out the full Journal of Dairy Science special issue, Feed Additives for Methane Mitigation, below and join members of the project team for a half-day symposia at the 2025 ADSA Annual Meeting: · Introduction—Special issue on technical guidelines to develop feed additives to reduce enteric methane · Recommendations for identification and selection of bioactive compounds to develop antimethanogenic feed additives · Recommendations for testing enteric methane-mitigating feed additives in ruminant studies · Modeling the impact of feed additives on enteric methane emission of ruminants—Approaches and recommendations · A guideline to uncover the mode of action of antimethanogenic feed additives for ruminants · Regulatory frameworks and scientific evidence requirements for the authorization of feed additives to mitigate ruminant methane emissions · Assessment of feed additives as a strategy to mitigate enteric methane from ruminants—Accounting; How to quantify the mitigating potential of using antimethanogenicfeed additives
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    1 hr and 1 min
  • Understanding Calcium, Bone Density, and the Unique Benefits of the Dairy Matrix on Human Health with Connie Weaver, PhD

    Understanding Calcium, Bone Density, and the Unique Benefits of the Dairy Matrix on Human Health with Connie Weaver, PhD
    Dec 31 2024

    You know how delicious dairy foods are, so join us for a conversation with renowned nutrition scientist Connie M. Weaver, PhD, to better understand their essential role in human diets and overall health. Connie, a Distinguished Research Professor at San Diego State University and Distinguished Professor Emerita of Purdue University, a Fellow of the American Heart Association, American Society for Nutrition, and the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research, joined us for the 2024 ADSA Annual Meeting. From her early days as a young scientist with a passion for food to her groundbreaking research on calcium and bone health, Connie shares her insights on the power of whole foods and the dairy matrix. Discover why the dairy matrix is more than just a collection of individual nutrients—the unique and sophisticated balance of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals in dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cheese contributes to optimal health. Matt and Connie particularly focus on calcium and its importance for bone health, including the data on dairy as the critical source of calcium. Calcium is what we are most likely to be deficient in when not consuming the recommended three servings of dairy per day. Connie also shares her expertise in building successful research teams and the value of humility and open-mindedness in scientific inquiry. Tune in for invaluable insights into human nutrition, health, and the science behind the foods we eat!

    Episode Twenty-Two Show Notes

    Learn more about Connie Weaver and connect with her on LinkedIn.

    Are you interested in participating in ADSA’s next Annual Meeting? Submit your abstract to the 2025 ADSA Annual Meeting before February 12, 2025, and join us in Louisville, Kentucky, next June!

    Catch up on the papers discussed in the episode:

    Next-generation health benefits of maternal calcium supplementation, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2024)

    Dairy matrix: Is the whole greater than the sum of the parts?, Nutrition Reviews (2021)
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    47 mins
  • Storytelling, Staying Curious, and the Joys of a Career in Dairy Science with ADSA’s 2024 Graduate Student Award Winners

    Storytelling, Staying Curious, and the Joys of a Career in Dairy Science with ADSA’s 2024 Graduate Student Award Winners
    Dec 11 2024
    Our annual grad student takeover episode is back! This year, Matt sits down with three of the 2024 winners of ADSA’s Graduate Student Division awards: Jason Pronschinske and Philip Eberly, both hailing from the Department of Food Science at the University of Wisconsin–Madison under the mentorship of John Lucey, PhD; and Amanda Fischer-Tlustos, joining us from the Department of Animal Biosciences at the University of Guelph working with Michael Steele, PhD, and John Cant, PhD. All three of our winners delve into the research they presented at the 2024 ADSA Annual Meeting—from the science behind making shelf-stable cheese puffs from pure cheddar to understanding the best anticaking agents for grated mozzarella and measuring the metabolic activity in the mammary gland to map the physiology of the dry period and its impacts on future colostrum production. The group discusses the differences and similarities between the oral and poster competitions, advising future entrants on which to enter based on which skills you want to showcase or strengthen. The guests also explain why they entered the competitions, and agree that turning your science into a compelling story is the key to success. Whether you’re a dairy science student, a mentor for students, or an employer, you’ll want to listen in for their take on the dairy science job market, the best advice for staying curious and asking for support in grad school, and the thrill of being able to snack on your experiments. Episode Twenty-One Show Notes Learn more about ADSA’s Graduate Student Division and Undergraduate Student Division, including their robust award programs and the many benefits for student members. Are you interested in participating in ADSA’s undergraduate or graduate awards program? Submit your abstract to the 2025 ADSA Annual Meeting before February 12, 2025, and join us in Louisville, Kentucky, next June! Curious to see the cheese-pull photo Jason and Philip reference? Check it out here. Catch up on Amanda’s JDS Communications paper discussed in the episode: Insulin, IGF-I, and lactoferrin concentrations and yields and their associations with other components within colostrum, transition, and whole milk of primiparous and multiparous Holstein cattle, JDS Communications (2024) Review the mental health article referenced in the episode: The huge toll of PhDs on mental health: Data reveal stark effects, Nature News (2024) Read all three winners’ 2024 abstracts and connect with and follow them on LinkedIn: · Jason Pronschinske · Philip Eberly · Amanda Fischer-Tlustos
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    51 mins
  • Mapping the Bovine Endometrium, Building a Scientific Community, and Celebrating New Data Day with Niamh Forde, PhD

    Mapping the Bovine Endometrium, Building a Scientific Community, and Celebrating New Data Day with Niamh Forde, PhD
    Nov 15 2024

    Join us as we delve into the fascinating world of bovine reproduction research with Niamh Forde, PhD, professor and chair of molecular reproductive biosciences at the University of Leeds School of Medicine and cofounder of LeedsOmics, a virtual research institute. Niamh, a passionate scientist and community builder, shares her journey from a young, curious mind to a leading expert in the field who is currently focused on understanding the molecular interactions between the uterine endometrium and the embryo required for successful early pregnancy in cattle. She and Matt reflect on the unusual and fascinating diversity of placental structure across species and review Niamh’s research developing both in vitro and in vivo models to study how early-stage, preimplantation embryos in utero communicate with the maternal endometrium. Studying the peri-implantation period of pregnancy is critical, she explains, as this is when most cattle pregnancy losses occur. Our current understanding of these interactions is limited, but developing innovative models using microfluidics, organoids, and extracellular scaffolds holds promise for the future. The two also walk down memory lane of the iconic researchers who went before them in the field of cattle repro and discuss the importance of building a supportive professional community—not only to boost collaboration and creativity but to lend strength in the face of the rigors of a career in science. Finally, Niamh gives her best advice for young scientists and shares her infectious joy around her favorite day at work: new data day! Tune in to learn more about the latest advancements in reproductive science, the importance of mentorship, and the joy of discovering new knowledge.

    Episode Twenty Show Notes

    Learn more about Niamh and connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter/X.

    Start earning rewards and journal savings via the ADSA Loyalty Rewards Program for the Journal of Dairy Science and JDS Communications.

    Save the date for the 2025 ADSA Annual Meeting (June 22–25) in Louisville, Kentucky, and submit your abstracts before February 12!

    Catch Up on the Articles Discussed in the Episode

    Understanding conceptus–maternal interactions: What tools do we need to develop? Reproduction, Fertility and Development (2023)

    Quantification of the effect of in utero events on lifetime resilience in dairy cows, Journal of Dairy Science (2024)

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    44 mins
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