Agriculture Dairy and Animal Science (ADA)

Section Information

Research and innovation in dairy and animal science are being used to improve productivity, animal health, and product quality across diverse farming systems. Rising demand for animal-source foods, climate pressures, and resource limits are creating new needs for systems that stay efficient, reliable, safe, economical, and robust from farm to consumer.

The operation and management of modern herds require a mix of methods and technologies, from genetics, nutrition, and reproduction to precision sensing, automation, welfare assessment, and environmental management. Gathering information from animals, feeds, housing, and the supply chain is critical to understand system state and to optimize performance, cost, product quality, and sustainability.

This section will present new contributions, studies, and reviews in dairy and animal science, including breeding and genetics, feed science and nutrition, reproduction and herd health, welfare and behavior, precision livestock farming, housing and manure management, milk and meat processing, quality and safety, epidemiology and disease control, environmental impacts, and decision support for resilient and sustainable livestock systems.

Scope

Breeding, Genetics, and Genomics
- Genetic improvement and selection programs
- Genomic prediction and marker-assisted selection
- Breed conservation and diversity
- Trait evaluation and heritability studies
Animal Nutrition and Feed Science
- Ration formulation and feed efficiency
- Forages, byproducts, and alternative feeds
- Rumen function, additives, and methane mitigation
- Nutrient metabolism and health
Reproduction and Herd Health
- Fertility management and reproductive technologies
- Transition cow management and metabolic disorders
- Mastitis control and udder health
- Preventive medicine and biosecurity
Welfare, Behavior, and Housing
- Behavior monitoring and welfare assessment
- Comfort, ventilation, and bedding systems
- Pasture-based and confinement systems
- Calf and heifer rearing
Precision Livestock Farming and Automation
- Sensors, wearables, and real-time monitoring
- Milking robots and automated feeding
- Data analytics, AI, and decision support
- Health and estrus detection systems
Manure, Environment, and Sustainability
- Manure handling, treatment, and valorization
- Greenhouse gases, water, and nutrient management
- Life cycle assessment and carbon accounting
- Agroecosystem services and circular practices
Dairy and Meat Processing, Quality, and Safety
- Milk handling, processing, and product development
- Cheese, fermented products, and functional foods
- Meat quality, processing, and shelf life
- Food safety, hygiene, and traceability
Epidemiology and One Health
- Disease surveillance and risk assessment
- Antimicrobial stewardship and resistance
- Zoonoses and public health interfaces
- Health economics and policy
Systems Modeling and Farm Management
- Production and economic modeling
- Supply chains, cold chains, and logistics
- Resilience, climate adaptation, and risk
- Extension, adoption, and farmer decision tools