Dairy Research Bulletin: Selected Articles from March 2026

Each month CDRF Chief Science Officer, Dr. Kevin Comerford, reviews emerging scientific articles that may have an impact on our industry, specifically from a California perspective. month’s research in environmental management and sustainability largely focused on improving waste utilization and reducing environmental impacts in agriculture, especially through innovations in composting, microbial management, and recycling of livestock byproducts into useful materials. It also examined how agricultural practices and food consumption affect environmental outcomes, including greenhouse gas emissions, microplastic pollution, and human exposure to contaminants.

Environmental Management and Sustainability

Enhancing combined composting with cattle slurry solids as a bulking agent: Synergistic improvements in earthworm performance, lignocellulose degradation, and greenhouse gas mitigation. Li J, Bai M, Yuan Q, et al. Bioresour Technol. 2026 Mar 21;450:134465.

• Coupling membrane-covered composting with vermicomposting is an emerging strategy for livestock manure management. However, crop straw, the conventional bulking agent, poses challenges due to inconsistent supply and slow biodegradation, prolonging the composting cycle. Therefore, identifying readily available and biodegradable alternative bulking agents is crucial.
• This study evaluated the effects of the solid fraction of cattle slurry (SCM), the solid fraction of pig slurry, and water hyacinth as alternative bulking agents on the combined composting process, using wheat straw as the control.
• The results demonstrated that SCM outperformed other bulking agents. Compared with the control, SCM not only increased cocoon production and average weight gain by 72.3% and 76.6%, respectively, but also maintained the highest survival rate and substrate reduction efficiency.
• Moreover, SCM enhanced lignin degradation and the humification index to 12.4% and 2.0, respectively. It also enhanced bacterial diversity and lignocellulose-degrading genera like Actinomadura.
• Additionally, SCM reduced copper content and bioavailability and improved final product quality, characterized by high total nutrient content (54.5 mg/g), low electrical conductivity (2.7 mS/cm), and low bulk density (0.3 g/cm³).
• Finally, SCM reduced greenhouse gas emissions (carbon dioxide equivalents) by 13.1% relative to the control group (P < 0.05).
• These findings provide theoretical support and technical guidance for livestock waste management and vermicomposting.

Distinct temporal succession patterns of soil microbial communities under multi-source compost and chemical fertilizer application. Wang Y, Lu Y, Xi B, et al. Environ Res. 2026 Mar 4;297:124163.

• Understanding the temporal succession of soil microbial communities under multi-source composts and chemical fertilizer (CF) is critical for sustainable agriculture.
• This study investigated the effects of CF and composts derived from cow dung (CD), chicken manure (CM), and food waste (FW) on soil microbial community over 360 days.
• Composts application enhanced soil microbial diversity with distinct temporal patterns: FW provided consistent enrichment, CD caused cyclical fluctuations, and CM produced delayed positive effects. CF persistently reduced diversity and created unique ecological niches of bacteria.
• Microbial communities exhibited clear directional shifts over time, with key transition points at day 14 (shift to active restructuring) and day 150 (onset of stabilization). Besides, CM enriched cellulose- and hemicellulose-degrading microbes; CD promoted C/N-cycling and mutualistic microbes; FW increased nutrient-transforming functional bacteria as well as some risk-associated taxa.
• CF restructured the microbial community by enriching nitrogen-cycling specialists. Temporal biomarkers indicated a shift from copiotrophic to oligotrophic taxa, with 17 early abundant genera declining over time, likely contributing to necromass accumulation. Furthermore, compost fostered more complex and resilient microbial networks with greater functional diversity, whereas CF simplified community structure despite higher connectivity.
• Over time, networks showed fewer nodes and phased fluctuations in topology, reflecting functional reorganization from early competitive interactions toward later synergistic associations. These dynamics were linked to depletion of DOC and NH₄⁺-N and accumulation of TN and NO₃^–-N, causing structural simplification but tighter topological connectivity.
• Overall, the results emphasize the need for source-specific compost strategies to optimize soil ecosystem services.

Farm conditions shape microbial communities and their association with methane intensity in dairy cattle: insights from the rumen microbiome at the community level. Roques S, Koning L, Kar SK, et al Front Microbiomes. 2026;4:1540197.

• Rumen microbial communities are known to drive methane (CH₄) production, but their dynamics in variable “real-world” farming environments are less understood.
• This research aims to identify specific microbial taxa linked to CH₄emission in commercial dairy farms by employing 16S rRNA gene sequencing, thereby providing a more ecologically relevant understanding of CH₄ production in real-world settings.
• Rumen fluid samples were collected from 212 cows across seventeen Dutch dairy farms. Methane production was measured from these dairy cows using the GreenFeed system and expressed as CH₄intensity (g fat- and protein-corrected milk yield^-1). Rumen microbiota was analyzed using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing.
• Results showed higher CH₄intensity in cows during late lactation, and feeding type, particularly fresh grass intake, strongly influenced rumen microbiota. However, after classifying low and high CH₄ emitting cows, only limited differences in microbiota composition could be measured.
• Few taxa, like Lachnospiraceae, were common across both groups, while Ruminoccocaceae and Rikenellaceaewere more abundant in low emitters, and Oscillospiraceae in high emitters.
• Methanobrevibacterdifferentiated CH₄ emission groups, but archaeal methanogen abundance may not accurately reflect CH₄ variation due to methodological limitations, including reliance on relative abundance, limited taxonomic resolution, and primer bias.
• Using a bacterial-biased 16S rRNA approach, the researchers observed a limited number of consistent bacterial taxa associated with CH₄intensity highlights the challenges of studying dairy farms under practical conditions, where variability in diet, genetics, and management practices complicates the identification of specific rumen microbes associated with CH₄
• In conclusion, our study clearly indicates that understanding CH₄emissions from dairy cattle in real-world settings fundamentally requires a broader ecological perspective where rumen microbes are recognized as key determinants influencing microbiota signals within multi-factorial farm settings.

Meat, dairy, fish, and shellfish consumption and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) exposure in the U.S. population. Sun H. Chemosphere. 2026 Apr;399:144897.

• Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent environmental contaminants for which consumption of animal-derived foods represents an important exposure pathway.
• Using nationally representative data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2020, researchers examined associations between intake of meat, dairy, fish, and shellfish and serum PFAS concentrations.
• Total serum PFAS showed an approximately 75% decline over the study period, primarily reflecting reductions in perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA).
• Shellfish consumption was the strongest dietary predictor of higher total and individual PFAS concentrations, with dose-response relationships, while meat intake was modestly associated and fish intake showed weak or inconsistent associations.
• In contrast, higher dairy intake was linked to lower total PFAS and reduced odds of elevated PFAS, particularly for PFOS, perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUA), and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDeA).
• These findings indicate that, while regulatory actions contributed to population-level declines, specific animal-derived foods-especially shellfish-remain important determinants of PFAS exposure, and the inverse association with dairy warrants further investigation.

Impact of Exposure of Dairy Cow Feed to Polystyrene Microplastics on 24 h In Vitro Rumen Fermentation Responses, Microbiota Biodegradation Potential and Metabolic Pathways. Guan X, Ma H, Li Y, et al. Animals (Basel). 2026;16(5):749.

• Microplastic pollution is increasingly serious worldwide, threatening human and animal health. The cow rumen is a key organ for nutrient digestion and absorption, and its fermentation is closely related to rumen microorganisms.
• Here, researchers investigated how polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) with varying particle sizes and concentrations affect rumen fermentation and the biodegradability of PS-MPs by rumen fermentation.
• The results reveal that exposure to PS-MPs lowered gas production and gas concentrations, as well as volatile fatty acid content, and these decreases were positively correlated with PS-MP concentration. However, higher PS-MP concentration and larger particle size increased the activity of carboxymethyl cellulose, β-glucosidase, and xylanase.
• Furthermore, PS-MP exposure reduced the abundance of certain rumen microorganisms and altered metabolic pathways and metabolites linked to PS-MP biodegradation. It was also found that PS-MP content decreased significantly after 24 h fermentation.
• Therefore, PS-MPs can inhibit rumen fermentation by affecting the rumen microbiome, and rumen microorganisms and their secreted enzymes can biodegrade PS-MPs to produce styrene and derivatives; such small molecules may further disrupt rumen homeostasis, thereby affecting lactation performance.
• In addition, rumen microbial degradation of PS-MPs provides a new idea to resolve future microplastic contamination challenges.

 

Animal Health and Food Safety

Epidemiology of Antimicrobial Residues and Phenotypic Resistance of Bacterial Isolates from Waste Milk on California Dairies. Mihreteab Y, Okello E, Pandey P, Abdelfattah E, Ekong PS, Sheedy D, ElAshmawy WR, Karle BM, Black RA, Williams DR, Aly SS. Microorganisms. 2026 Mar 10;14(3):620.

• Waste milk (WM) on dairies is commonly fed to pre-weaned calves, raising concerns about antimicrobial drug (AMD) residues and their potential role in selecting for antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in their gut microbiota.
• The current observational study assessed AMD residue prevalence in WM and examined associations with AMR patterns in its bacterial isolates.
• Over a 10-month period, 40 WM samples were collected from eight dairies across Northern California, Northern San Joaquin Valley, and Greater Southern California. ELISA was used to detect six AMD residues, and bacterial isolates (n = 348), including coliforms, Streptococcus spp., Staphylococcus spp., and Staphylococcus aureus, were tested for AMR.
• Antimicrobial resistance was evaluated using the broth microdilution test, and associations with the presence of residues were analyzed via interval-censored accelerated failure time models.
• Ceftiofur was the most frequently detected residue (30%), followed by penicillin (5%), florfenicol (5%), and sulfadimethoxine (5%). Resistance varied by bacterial species, with significant associations observed between florfenicol residues and resistance in coliforms (MIC ratio = 2.12; p < 0.01), and between ceftiofur residues and resistance in Streptococcus spp. (MIC ratio = 10.51; p = 0.03).
• These findings suggest that WM may contain low-level AMD residues linked to elevated AMR, highlighting the need for targeted antimicrobial stewardship practices to mitigate AMR dissemination in dairy calves.

Prioritization of interventions to reduce antimicrobial use in dairy cows: A multicriteria decision analysis. Millar N, Dufour S, Aenishaenslin C, et al. Prev Vet Med. 2026 Mar 26;252:106861.

• Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major global health challenge requiring integrated One Health approaches that consider human, animal, and environmental dimensions.
• In the province of Québec (Canada), a 2019 regulation restricting the use of category I antimicrobials (AMs) in livestock highlights the need for context-specific, evidence-based interventions to limit the dissemination of resistant microorganisms while preserving animal health and production efficiency.
• In this study, researchers developed a participatory Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) model to identify and prioritize future interventions aimed at limiting the dissemination of AMR from dairy herds. The model was co-constructed with stakeholders from agricultural, veterinary, public health, and consumer sectors, encompassing 22 interventions and 18 evaluation criteria covering public health, animal welfare, environmental, economic, social, and operational dimensions.
• Stakeholders assigned weights to each criterion under three exploratory AMR scenarios representing different risk contexts: (1) the current AMR situation (CURRENT scenario), (2) a scenario depicting an increase in AMR infections in humans (PUBLIC THREAT scenario), and (3) a scenario depicting an increase in AMR infections in dairy cattle (ANIMAL THREAT scenario).
• Across all scenarios, the highest-ranked interventions included producer education (mandatory farm training, EDU1), financial support for preventive veterinary activities (subsidies for preventive monitoring, PRE2), and disease surveillance (mandatory disease surveillance, SUR5).
• In contrast, restrictive regulatory interventions on AMs sales (REG4, REG5) ranked lowest due to limited feasibility and acceptability.
• The participatory approach fostered transparency, cross-sectoral dialogue, and consensus-building, demonstrating how MCDA can operationalize the One Health framework for AMR governance.

Dairy Sites with Milk Exposure Are Most Likely to Have Detection of Influenza A Virus. Stenkamp-Strahm C, McCluskey B, Lakdawala S, Lombard J. Microorganisms. 2026 Mar 5;14(3):584.

• Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus of the H5N1 subtype has been infecting U.S. dairy cattle and spreading among dairy operations since March 2024. H5N1 surveillance systems for dairies are needed, but information on whether environmental sampling can inform these systems is lacking.
• To guide a surveillance framework, researchers determined the environmental sites with Influenza A virus (IAV) detection on H5N1-affected dairies (n = 25) in four states (California, Colorado, Michigan, and Ohio) and explored sample characteristics that may have influenced detection.
• A total of 581 samples from dairy environmental sites were characterized for IAV RNA via rRT-PCR, and classified into six categories. A total of 94 samples (16.2%) had IAV detected, and the Ct values measured from these samples were typically higher than those measured in bulk tank milk from a subset of sampled herds.
• A majority of IAV detections were made from the following site categories: milking equipment/personal protective equipment, parlor surfaces, and wastewater/lagoons/manure.
• These results suggest that environmental sites most likely to be contaminated with IAV on dairies are those with exposure to milk. Meanwhile, mixed effect logistic modeling showed that days into an outbreak that samples were collected was associated with IAV detection.
• These results provide a framework within which to continue the assessment of environmental sampling as a surveillance tool for dairy H5N1. This framework can be strengthened by studies that perform further IAV viral characterization and collect samples from sites prior to, during, and after H5N1 outbreak periods.

A mixed-methods survey of dairy veterinarians’ attitudes toward and experiences with social and individual housing of the preweaning dairy calf in the United States and Canada. Knauer WA, Ventura BA. J Dairy Sci. 2026 Mar 24:S0022-0302(26)00269-9.

• Although most dairy calves are housed individually during the preweaning period in the United States and Canada, there is increased interest in various ways to socially house calves.
• Researchers sought to describe practicing veterinarians’ attitudes and experiences with dairy calf social housing using a mixed-methods survey.
• The survey was hosted on the online Qualtrics platform from June through October 2023 and taken by practicing dairy veterinarians (n = 157) based in the United States and Canada. The survey addressed (1) demographics; (2) attitudes toward dairy calf housing; (3) perceptions toward societal expectations; (4) experiences with farms using preweaning social housing; and (5) experiences with farms that had tried social housing but had since reverted to individual housing.
• Most participants were between the ages of 25 and 45; approximately half were women and half men; and more practiced in the United States (73.2%) than in Canada (26.7%). Most (82.8%) participants reported working with farms using some form of social housing for preweaning calves.
• Of these, respondents worked with all housing types, including pair (64.4%), small group (70.8%), large group (73.1%), nurse cows (16.2%), and cow-calf pairs (10%). Most veterinarians considered the transition to social housing at least somewhat (49.7%), if not extremely, feasible (17.4%).
• Approximately half of participants (44.6%) indicated they also worked with farms that had tried preweaning social housing but had since transitioned back to individual housing. Participants reported that these farms had most often tried large (56.5%), followed by small groups (34.8%), pairs (24.6%), and cow-calf pairs (2.9%).
• Overall, participants rated individual, pair, and small groups as the most ideal and acceptable preweaning housing (compared with large groups, cow-calf pairs, and nurse cows). Generally, Canadians and women were more comfortable with housing preweaning calves socially compared with those in the United States or men. Although many noted that “ideal” was often contingent on farms’ management and infrastructure, those who favored individual housing often focused on health and disease control (84.5% of participants giving reasons for individual housing).
• Those preferring pairs or small groups favored providing balance between provision of socialization and learning opportunities (61.4%) and control of disease/promotion of health and growth (63.6%).
• In contrast, cow-calf pairs were by far viewed as the most publicly acceptable option (71.3%), with individual housing most frequently deemed as least acceptable to the public (81.5%). When looking 20 yr into the future, participants thought that some sort of social housing would be the most common form of preweaning calf housing (63%), although nearly a third (27.9%) thought most calves would still be individually housed.
• Overall, most veterinarians favored housing systems that were felt to support calf health, with socialization also deemed important by a portion of participants, highlighting the need for continued work to support transitions to housing systems that meet both health and behavioral needs of calves.

Validation of the use of ozonated water in sanitization and prevention of mastitis in dairy cows. Achy J, Fuentes EA, Escodro PB, et al. J Dairy Res. 2026 Mar 25:1-6.

• Applying teat dips to cows’ teats before and after milking (pre- and post-dipping) are important methods for preventing mastitis.
• Given the proven effectiveness of ozonated water for eliminating bacterial colonies, this study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of ozonated water in preventing mastitis in pre- and post-dipping of dairy cows.
• Fifty-eight cows were selected based on negative black-bottom cup test results and the California mastitis test (CMT), and randomly allocated into two groups: the control group (CG, n= 23) where pre- and post-dipping were done with a commercial hydrogen peroxide product, and the ozone group (OG3, n = 35) where ozonated water at a concentration of 2 µg/ml was used, prepared immediately before use with an ozone generator.
• Samples were collected at four timepoints: M0 (pre), M1 (72 hrs), M2 (7 days) and M3 (14 days). Somatic cell count, CMT, pH, milk composition, and microbiological identification were analyzed. The black-bottom cup test and physical evaluation of the udder were performed daily before milking.
• All milk composition variables were similar in both groups. SCC remained within normal ranges for both groups at all time points. Microbiological cultures revealed similar pathogens across time points with the same growth dynamics.
• The study demonstrated that the use of ozonated water was as effective as the commercial product used in pre- and post-dipping for hygiene and prevention of mastitis in dairy cows, potentially serving as a viable alternative with lower environmental contamination, especially on organic dairy farms. Further studies comparing different concentrations and evaluations against other sanitizers are necessary.

Prevotella as the main driver for the association between dairy farming and human gut microbiome composition. Cuperus T, Kool J, Fuentes S, et al. Front Microbiomes. 2025 Jul 9;4:1612922.

• The human gut microbiota is shaped by a multitude of environmental factors, including contact with animals.
• To investigate the association between occupational exposure to cattle and the gut microbiome, a cross-sectional study was performed on 65 individuals working and/or living on Dutch dairy cattle farms in comparison to controls.
• The gut microbiome of the participants was assessed by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing of stool samples.
• A lower alpha diversity and divergent microbiome composition was observed, driven largely by a greater Prevotellaabundance in dairy farm participants when compared to controls.
• Prevotellawas also associated with contact frequency with the dairy cattle, with participants with more frequent contact showing higher abundance.
• The results of this study show occupational contact with cattle is associated with gut microbiome composition, which is of relevance because of the importance of the microbiome for human health.

 

Nutrition and Health

Effect of milk and dairy intake on cognitive function in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Giraldo-Castrillon Y, Mendoza JD, Lopez-Jaramillo P, et al. Front Aging. 2026;7:1709281.

• Cognitive aging represents a growing challenge for global public health. Nutrition could have a beneficial effect in preserving cognitive function, and dairy products have been proposed as neuroprotective due to their nutrient density and bioactive compounds.
• In this systematic review and meta-analysis, researchers evaluated the association between milk and dairy product intake and cognitive function in older adults.
• The systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, LILACS, and Google Scholar, including randomized controlled trials (RCT) and observational studies evaluating dairy intake versus low or no intake in adults aged ≥60 years.
• 22 studies were included (11 RCT, 11 observational studies), of which 5 RCT and 5 observational studies were analyzed by meta-analysis. RCT revealed significant positive effects on global cognition, memory, and processing speed. This effect was associated in fermented and fortified products, with moderate to high certainty.
• In observational studies no positive effect emerged (Odds Ratio [OR] = 0.95).
• These findings support the potential of dairy intake as a nutritional strategy to preserve cognitive function in older adults, with implications for clinical practice, public health, and food policy design.

Effect of Dairy Form on Cognitive Performance, Glycemic Response, and Subjective Emotions in Children Aged 9-14 Years. Wurtele M, Kucab M, Bellissimo N, et al. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2026 Mar 13.

• Dairy consumption may influence cognitive performance through its macronutrient composition and subsequent release of bioactive components during digestion.
• The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of dairy form on cognitive performance, glycemic response, and subjective emotions in children.
• A repeated measures randomized controlled trial was conducted with 54 children (31 girls and 23 boys; age: 12.0 ± 0.2 years) who completed 5 experimental visits.
• Upon arrival at the laboratory, consumption of a standardized breakfast, and collection of baseline measures, children consumed an isocaloric (180 kcal) snack of milk, yogurt, cheese, sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) or snack skipping. Cognitive performance, glycemic response, and subjective emotions were measured over 120 minutes.
• Corsi Block Tapping Test (CBTT) (forward) was higher after milk compared to yogurt, cheese, SSB and snack skipping. CBTT (backward) was higher after milk and yogurt compared to snack skipping.
• Immediate word recall was higher after SSB compared to yogurt but did not differ from other treatments.
• Blood glucose (mmol/L) was lower after milk, cheese, yogurt, and snack skipping compared to SSB.
• Subjective average emotions were higher after milk, yogurt, cheese and SSB compared to snack skipping.
• In conclusion, both milk and yogurt affected short-term cognitive performance in children, and the mechanism was explained, in part, by changes in glycemic response. Future studies are needed to explore the long-term effect of dairy form on cognitive performance and the role of the gut-brain axis and varying nutrient compositions.

Association Between Dietary Calcium or Dairy Product Intake and Metabolic Syndrome Risk: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Gonnelli S, Al Refaie A, Caffarelli C, et al. Nutrients. 2026 Mar 22;18(6):1006.

• Dietary calcium and dairy products are hypothesized protective factors against metabolic syndrome (MetS), yet epidemiological evidence remains inconsistent.
• This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the association between total dietary calcium intake or dairy consumption and MetS prevalence in adults.
• Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, PubMed, Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.gov, and SCOPUS were searched through to October 2025 for eligible cross-sectional studies assessing dietary calcium or dairy intake and MetS.
• Twenty-four studies were included (12 for dietary calcium intake, 12 for dairy products).
• Higher dietary calcium intake was significantly associated with lower MetS odds (pooled OR: 0.85), despite substantial heterogeneity. Higher dairy consumption was also inversely associated with MetS (pooled OR: 0.78)
• Higher calcium intake further correlated with favorable profiles in individual MetS components, including blood pressure, HDL cholesterol, waist circumference, triglycerides, and fasting glucose.
• In conclusion, higher total dietary calcium intake and dairy product consumption are associated with a lower prevalence of MetS in adults. Although these findings suggest a protective role of calcium-rich diets, well-designed prospective and interventional studies are warranted to clarify whether this relationship is causal.

The effects of dairy products containing Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus on bone turnover biomarkers and bone mineral density: a pilot trial study. Rueangsri N, Booranasuksakul U, Singhato A, et al. Front Nutr. 2026 Mar 5;13:1785177.

• Low bone mineral density is a major public health concern that negatively affects quality of life. Dairy products fermented with Lactobacillus bulgaricusand Streptococcus thermophilus have been suggested to promote gut health, enhance calcium absorption, and suppress inflammatory cytokines related to bone turnover. However, the benefits of these fermented dairy products on bone health remain unclear.
• This study aimed to compare the effects of consuming dairy products with and without Lactobacillus bulgaricusand Streptococcus thermophilus on bone turnover biomarkers and bone mineral density.
• A randomized controlled pilot trial was conducted in a total of 40 female participants, who were allocated to either a control group (n= 20) receiving full-fat milk or an intervention group (n = 20) receiving yogurt fermented with Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus.
• Both groups consumed products providing an equivalent calcium intake of 400 mg/day for 12 weeks. Blood samples were collected, and body composition and bone mineral density were assessed.
• At the endpoint, serum calcium levels in the intervention group were significantly higher than those in the control group. Alkaline phosphatase and parathyroid hormone levels were significantly reduced from baseline in both groups.
• Bone mineral density at the right arm, right leg, and pelvis was significantly increased from baseline in the intervention group; however, no significant between-group differences in bone mineral density were observed at the endpoint.
• Although within-group improvements in bone mineral density were observed, no significant differences between groups were detected. These findings should be interpreted with caution due to the pilot nature of the study, and larger, adequately powered randomized controlled trials are warranted to confirm the effects on bone mineral density.

Maternal overweight/obesity and yogurt supplementation from early pregnancy to postpartum augments infant gut microbiota. Jia L, Zhao J, Chen L, et al. Front Nutr. 2026 Feb 26;13:1733803.

• Maternal overweight/obesity during pregnancy heightens the risk of overweight/obesity in their offspring, and probiotic interventions during pregnancy may prevent excessive weight gain and enhance the abundance of beneficial gut microbiota.
• This study examined the effect of probiotic-rich yogurt supplementation in overweight or obese women on infant weight and gut microbiota.
• The intervention group (YC) comprised 90 infants born to mothers with a pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m²who were provided with yogurt from early pregnancy to 3 years postpartum. The control groups comprised 70 infants born to mothers with normal weight (NC) and 66 infants born to mothers with a BMI ≥ 25 kg/m² (CC).
• Infant weight was significantly higher in the YC group than in the NC group at 42 days and 3 months. The Shannon index of the YC group was higher than that of the NC group at 0-6 months. Enterotype compositions in the YC and CC groups differed from those of the NC group during 0-6 months. In the NC group, the relative abundance of Akkermansia and Serratiaremained stable, that of Blautia was initially stable but then increased, whereas that of Lactobacillus decreased over time. In the CC and YC groups, the abundance of these genera increased and then decreased.
• Infant weight and the relative abundance of Veillonella, Fusicatenibacter, and Akkermansia showed a positive correlation.
• Maternal overweight/obesity affects subsequent infant weight and gut microbiota development, and maternal yogurt intervention may alter the relative abundance of infant gut microbiota.

Dietary index for gut microbiota and its protective role against osteoporosis: Evidence from NHANES 2007 to 2018. Feng R, Xu S, Chen Q, et al. Medicine (Baltimore). 2026 Mar 20;105(12):e48045.

• Distortions in gut microbiota homeostasis may contribute to abnormal bone metabolism and osteoporosis.
• This study aimed to examine the association between the dietary index for gut microbiota (DI-GM) and osteoporosis among U.S. adults, identify key dietary components, and develop a clinically applicable risk prediction model incorporating dietary and clinical factors.
• Researchers conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 9065 adults. DI-GM was calculated from the dietary intake data, and osteoporosis was the primary outcome.
• Each unit increase in DI-GM reduced the risk of osteoporosis by 10%. A higher intake of DI-GM-beneficial components was also associated with reduced osteoporosis risk.
• The research highlighted soy, fermented dairy, and processed meat as the most influential dietary factors; higher intake of soybeans and fermented dairy was associated with a decreased risk of osteoporosis, whereas higher processed meat intake was associated with an increased risk.
• A higher DI-GM was associated with a reduced risk of osteoporosis, and specific dietary components may drive this association. The proposed model may support individualized dietary risk stratification and prevention strategies for populations with an elevated osteoporosis risk.

 

Innovation, Social Science, and Dairy Alternatives

What is local? US consumer perception of local dairy foods. Smits C, Liu Y, Watson ME, Drake MA. J Dairy Sci. 2026 Mar 10:S0022-0302(26)00210-9.

• Consumer interest in the local foods category has gained global popularity, and prior research has established consumer interest in local dairy products. However, there is no legal US definition of “local” as it pertains to food.
• This study determined consumer perception of “local” as it pertained to dairy foods.
• A mixed-method approach was used with 3 online surveys and in-person focus groups. The online surveys (n = >400 consumers per survey) consisted of sliding scales, maximum differential scaling, conjoint analysis, and Kano questions to assess dairy consumer definition, importance, purchase drivers, and effective marketing messages for local dairy foods.
• Data were evaluated by univariate and multivariate statistics. Focus groups (5 groups with n = 27 consumers) included a pregroup shopping activity and discussion of emotions, motivators, and definitions of local dairy foods.
• A journey map was generated from focus group insights. Consumer definition of local was most associated with geographical boundaries such as region or state, as opposed to distance-based definitions.
• Local purchase drivers were associated with positive emotions and ethical and sustainability attributes. Consumer assumptions about local dairy foods were fresher, healthier, of higher quality, and improved animal welfare.
• Dairy consumers indicated they would look at the front of the packaging and store promotional tags to determine if dairy foods were local or not.
• Marketing imagery relating to state, region, or local resonated the most with consumers for communicating local with dairy foods. Certifications and package messages had little influence on consumer opinion. Understanding consumer perception of “local” can help the dairy industry more effectively position products.

Rethinking resilience in dairy cattle: Farmer perceptions of a multisystemic concept. Doidge C, Prosser N, Kaler J, et al. Prev Vet Med. 2026 Mar 12;252:106852.

• For sustainable food production, it is necessary to build resilience in livestock to be able to adapt or respond to multiple challenges. Farmers have not been involved in the development of resilience indicators for dairy cattle.
• The aim of this study was to understand how farmers conceptualise resilience in dairy cows.
• Twenty farmers from the UK and Channel Islands were interviewed and the data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Four themes were generated from the analysis: “Fitting the system”, “An invisible cow”, “A Will to Live”, and “She holds her own”.
• Farmers conceptualized a resilient cow as one that requires little to no individual intervention. The farmers’ overall goal for their cows was to be healthy, fertile and have a stable milk yield, reflecting the purpose of resilience in cows. Farmers perceived that cows enact resilience through their motivation to survive and thrive.
• Farmers also observed that cows enact resilience through “holding their own”, a process where cows maintained their position over resources such as feed and lying space despite potential social challenge, by being assertive but not aggressive. Furthermore, farmers recognized that resilience in a cow was distributed across different systems, such as herd, housing environment, feeding, and farmer.
• Whilst resilience is often considered an individual trait in animal science, we conceptualize it as complex and dynamic process by which cows navigate and negotiate resources that sustain their health, fertility, and productivity. Resources are multisystemic and can reside at individual, social, and environmental levels. We suggest adopting a systems approach to understanding resilience in cows.

Production of the renewable bioplastic poly-3-hydroxybutyrate from underutilized dairy waste streams through microbial bioconversion. Surana CR, Mascaraque LG, Callanan M, McAuliffe O. J Dairy Sci. 2026 Mar 10:S0022-0302(26)00197-9.

• Whey waste streams from dairy processing can present major challenges for the industry in terms of their further utilization and the environmental impact of disposal. However, these waste streams generally contain high concentrations of nutrients with the potential to act as substrates in bioprocesses to generate sustainable high-value products.
• In this work, researchers evaluated the use of salty whey (SW) and acid casein whey (ACW) as feedstocks for the microbial production of poly-3-hydroxybutyric acid (PHB), a renewable and biodegradable bioplastic.
• Five PHB-producing strains – Priestia megaterium DSM32, Cupriavidus necator DSM545, Azohydromonas lata DSM1123, Paraburkholderia fungorum DSM1749, and Halomonas halophila DSM4770 – were examined for growth and PHB production in ACW and SW.
• Compared with the control minimal salts medium, both whey types supported higher biomass yield with SW generally producing more biomass than ACW. In small-scale (50 mL) batch fermentations in salty whey, H. halophila DSM4770 produced the highest yield of PHB (1.06 g/L), while C. necator DSM545 achieved the highest yield in ACW (0.34 g/L).
• These 2 substrate-strain combinations were selected for scale-up to 500 mL batch fermentations. At this scale, PHB yields reached 0.30 g/L for C. necator DSM545 in ACW but only 0.34 g/L for H. halophila DSM4770 in SW.
• While PHB production from SW has been reported previously, this study is the first to demonstrate PHB production using ACW. These findings highlight the potential of SW and ACW as viable feedstocks for the microbial production of PHB, contributing to the valorization of dairy waste streams.

Innovative bedding materials for compost bedded pack barns: enhancing dairy cow welfare and sustainable dairy farming. Eberl DT, Smith MJ, Wilson PB, et al. Environ Dev Sustain. 2026 ;28(3):6293-6317.

• Compost bedded pack (CBP) barns are an innovative housing system that improves the comfort and welfare of dairy cows, compared to cubicle style housing or free stalls with artificial surfaces, such as rubber or concrete. This type of bedding system also has the potential to improve lameness scores, overall health, welfare, and productivity of dairy cows.
• In CBP barns, carbon materials or organic materials are composted in the barn while being used as bedding for livestock. The animals pass manure on these surfaces providing the nitrogen, microorganisms, and moisture necessary for the composting process.
• Historically, dry sawdust originating from mills, furniture and pallets have been used as a substrate for compost. However, due to these materials becoming increasingly expensive and hard to source, other materials have been trailed as potential substitutes. Furthermore, there is an increasing interest in making dairy production more environmentally friendly by reducing carbon footprint.
• This review summarizes and highlights appropriate alternative materials that, subject to their management, can be successfully used in the CBP barn system. This will act as an aid for farmers and decision makers when choosing materials to be incorporated in CBP barns.
• Using alternative materials to sawdust, wood chips and wood shavings, which are the current industry standard, will contribute to a more circular economy and sustainable dairy production, while simultaneously contributing to sustainable development goals, and improved animal health and welfare.

Biotechnology Approaches to Dairy Alternatives Through Precision Fermentation and Cellular Agriculture. Purba RAP, Sangsawad P.Food Sci Anim Resour. 2026;45(5):1221-1250.

• Growing environmental concerns and ethical considerations have catalyzed unprecedented technological innovation in dairy alternatives, with precision fermentation emerging as a transformative methodology bridging traditional approaches.
• Unlike previous analyses that examine production technologies in isolation, this review presents the first integrated framework connecting milk’s compositional complexity directly to production technology selection, economic viability assessment, and regulatory pathway determination.
• Through this multidimensional analytical lens, we provide critical analysis of artificial milk production strategies through complementary paradigms. The bottom-up approach engineers individual milk components including proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates using recombinant technologies, offering unprecedented compositional control but encountering structural complexity barriers.
• Conversely, the top-down approach employs mammary cell cultivation to replicate natural lactation systems, preserving native structural complexity while confronting significant scalability challenges.
• Precision fermentation represents a technological nexus between these methodologies, employing genetically engineered microorganisms to produce milk-identical components while retaining critical structural elements.
• Despite significant progress in casein and whey protein production demonstrating 95%-99% sequence identity with native proteins, substantial barriers remain in replicating quaternary structures like casein micelles and milk fat globule membranes.
• Economic viability represents another critical challenge, with current production costs for recombinant proteins ($210-310/kg) substantially exceeding conventional dairy ($15-25/kg).
• Environmental analyses suggest potential reductions of 91%-97% in greenhouse gas emissions and 78%-90% in land use through large-scale implementation.

New frontiers in beverage fortification: Delivery of functional ingredients via micro- and nanoencapsulation in dairy and non-dairy beverages. Shishir MRI, Khan S, Li F, et al. Food Res Int. 2026;230:118607.

• The global beverage market is rapidly evolving toward functional products fortified with bioactive ingredients like probiotics, polyphenols, vitamins, and omega-3 fatty acids. However, the inherent instability of these ingredients during processing, storage, and gastrointestinal transit compromises their efficacy and product viability.
• To address these challenges, micro- and nanoencapsulation have emerged as powerful technological solutions.
• This review provides a comprehensive and critical analysis of recent advances in micro- and nanoencapsulation strategies for fortifying dairy and non-dairy beverages. It focuses on emerging delivery systems, including hydrogel beads, polymeric complexes, emulsions, and bilayer vesicular systems, and evaluates their role in improving the stability, viability, and bioaccessibility of bioactive ingredients.
• Numerous studies demonstrated that encapsulation can enhance the performance of functional ingredients across diverse beverage matrices, from dairy to plant-based alternatives. Specifically, tailored systems (e.g., coated particles, emulsion-gels, Pickering emulsions) improve probiotic survivability, shield antioxidants from degradation, and mask undesirable flavors, thereby improving the beverage’s sensory attributes.
• Crucially, these technologies facilitate targeted release in the gut, enhancing bioaccessibility and the potential for bioavailability to maximize intended health benefits.
• Despite promising laboratory results, commercial adoption faces challenges in scalability, cost-effectiveness, and sensory impact. Long-term stability in complex beverage systems and the regulatory landscape for novel materials, particularly nanocapsules, requires further attention.
• This review underscores the transformative potential of encapsulation for creating advanced, health-promoting beverages while outlining the critical path for successful market translation from research to market.

From cow to crop: motives and barriers for plant-based dairy alternative consumption across three European countries. Maison D, Jaworska D, Stasiuk K. J Dairy Res. 2026 Mar 23:1-13.

• Currently, alternative sources of protein are being sought to replace not only meat but also dairy products in the diet. From this perspective, it is worth examining how consumers perceive these products, what motivates them to choose them and what barriers they encounter, especially with regard to attitudes towards dairy products.
• The present study aimed to compare attitudes towards plant-based dairy alternatives (PBDAs) in three European countries – Poland, Germany and the UK. Furthermore, the study aims to examine the extent to which two main arguments appearing in the media, intended to persuade consumers to replace dairy products with PBDA – referring to ethical concerns (animal welfare) or emphasizing ecological considerations (environmental impact) – are actually convincing to them.
• An online survey was conducted in each of the three countries on a representative sample of dairy consumers (2,157 respondents in total). Curiosity proved to be the primary motivation for trying PBDA in all countries. In contrast, the arguments commonly used in PBDA communication (referring to environmental protection and animal welfare) appeal to consumers to a much lesser extent.
• However, these ethical and ecological factors influenced consumers differently across regions. British consumers emerged as the most receptive to PBDA. German respondents showed the highest sensitivity to animal welfare and environmental concerns in PBDA communication. Polish consumers, on the other hand, strongly believe in the exceptional health benefits and necessity of dairy in daily diets, which negatively affects their interest in PBDA.
• Notably, dairy is perceived more favorably than PBDAs on most attributes in all investigated countries.