Dairy Hub Supports Innovation in Wisconsin

The University of Wisconsin–Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) has selected eight projects for funding through the Dairy Innovation Hub initiative. These one-year grants will support research and outreach projects that address the Hub's four priority areas: stewarding land and water resources, enriching human health and nutrition, ensuring animal health and welfare, and growing farm business and communities.

The following UW–Madison projects were selected for short-term, high-impact grants:

• "Demonstrating the value of dairy ingredients in protein- and fiber-based enriched snack foods" by Audrey Girard, assistant professor in the Department of Food Science. This project will investigate ways to use whey coproducts to make snack foods that are more nutritious and sustainable. Read the full summary here
   
• "Manure application recommendations for alfalfa interseeded into corn silage" by Marta Kohmann, assistant professor and extension specialist in the Department of Plant and Agroecosystem Sciences. This project will develop recommendations for applying manure to alfalfa interseeded with corn silage to improve the establishment, productivity, and nutritive value of the alfalfa. Read the full summary here.
   
• "Intramammary infusion of hydrogels for prevention or treatment of bovine mastitis" by Christian Krueger, research project manager in the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences. This project will evaluate the safety and efficacy of a new treatment for bovine mastitis, a common and costly infection of the mammary gland in dairy cows. Read the full summary here.
   
• "Unlocking the ecological interactions in the rumen microbiota that affect methane formation and mitigation strategies" by Hilario Mantovani, assistant professor in the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences. This project will investigate how methane-producing bacteria in the rumen of cows interact with each other and with methane inhibitors, with the goal of developing new strategies to reduce methane emissions from dairy cows. Read the full summary here
   
• "The characterization of bovine milk fat lipids in surgical nutrition support" by Joseph Pierre, assistant professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences. This project will study the effects of milk fat lipids on the metabolism and immune response of animals undergoing surgery. Read the full summary here
   
• "The use of a modified acrylic fiber for removal of copper and antibiotics from manure amended soils" by Inna Popova, assistant professor in the Department of Soil Science. This project will evaluate the effectiveness of a new type of fiber for removing copper and antibiotic residues from manure-amended soils. Read the full summary here.
   
• "Towards net-zero dairy: Designing and operating a novel catalytic reactor to increase the value of acid whey" by Scott Rankin, professor and chair in the Department of Food Science. This project will develop a new process for converting acid whey, a byproduct of cheese production, into valuable products such as glucose-galactose syrup. Read the full summary here.
   
• "Mooving Cows: An innovative tool for diverse audiences to learn dairy cow handling practices" by Jennifer Van Os, assistant professor and extension specialist in the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences. This project will develop a digital educational game that will teach people how to handle dairy cows in a safe and humane way. Read the full summary here.
   

The Dairy Innovation Hub is a $7.8 million per year initiative funded by the state of Wisconsin. The Hub is designed to advance dairy research and development in Wisconsin, and to help the state's dairy industry remain competitive in the global marketplace.

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