Dairy Research Bulletin: Selected Articles from January 2025

Environmental Management and Sustainability

Sources and risk factors for nitrate, pathogens, and fecal contamination of private wells in rural southwestern Wisconsin, USA. Stokdyk J, Firnstahl A, Borchardt MA, et al. Water Res. 2025 Jan 25;275:123202.

Household well water can be degraded by contaminants from the land’s surface, but private well owners lack means to protect the source water from neighboring disturbances. Rural residents of southwestern Wisconsin, USA, rely on private well water, and the combination of land use and fractured carbonate bedrock makes groundwater vulnerable to contamination.
To identify the extent, sources, and risk factors of private well contamination, randomly selected wells sampled during two-day periods in fall (n = 301) and spring (n = 529) were analyzed for nitrate and indicator bacteria, and a subset (n = 138) was sampled across four seasonal events for analysis of pathogens and microbial source tracking markers by quantitative polymerase chain reaction.
Risk factors representing land use, hydrology, geology, and well construction were analyzed for associations with contamination in multivariable models. The importance of risk factors varied by contaminant, illustrating the multifaceted nature of rural groundwater quality.
Nitrate contamination was associated with agricultural land use, and wells with casings that extended below a shale aquitard accessed less contaminated water than those drawing water from above it.
Human fecal microbes were detected in 64 wells (46%), and rainfall was the key risk factor for contamination, indicating that wastewater from septic systems was available to contaminate wells when transport conditions were favorable.
Manure microbes from cattle/ruminants and pigs were detected in 33 and 13 wells, respectively, and concentrations increased with the hectarage of cultivated land near wells.
Pathogen genes for viruses, bacteria, and protozoa were detected in 66 wells (48%), including more detections of zoonotic than human-specific pathogens, and human Bacteroides, an indicator of wastewater, was an equivocal predictor of pathogen presence in private wells.
Characterizing important elements of the setting, like geology, and identifying sources and risk factors for contaminants can inform landscape-level policies to protect groundwater quality.

Effects of cattle manure and sludge vermicompost on nutrient dynamics and yield in strawberry cultivation with distinct continuous cropping histories in a greenhouse. Bai X, Lu W, Wang XX, et al. Front Plant Sci. 2025 Jan 6;15:1514675.

Continuous cropping has emerged as a significant challenge affecting yield and quality in greenhouse strawberries, particularly as the cultivation of strawberries as a protected crop continues to increase.
To address this issue, substrates with 0 or 2 years of continuous cropping were fertilized with two types of organic materials: vermicompost derived from either sludge or cattle manure. A control group consisted of substrate without the addition of vermicompost.
Both types of vermicompost improved substrate fertility, promoted plant growth and fruit quality. The cattle manure vermicompost had a better improvement effect at peak fruiting stage. Substrate nutrients were increased 14.58~38.52% (0-year substrate) and 12.04%~42.54% (2-year substrate), respectively.
In both substrate types, there was a substantial increase in microbial population and enzyme activity, accompanied by a significant decrease in phenolic acid content. During the senescence stage, the use of cattle manure vermicompost led to enhancements in plant height, leaf area, and root length, with increases ranging from 15.01% to 32.77% and 23.75% to 32.78% across the two substrate types compared to the control group.
Furthermore, the application of cattle manure vermicompost significantly improved both fruit yield and quality. Compared with the control (CK), the cattle manure vermicompost increased fruit yield by 18.29% and 19.64% in the 0- and 2-year substrates, respectively.
The contents of soluble sugars, vitamin C, and free amino acids in the fruits increased by 21.42%~34.16% (0-year substrate) and 9.62%~42.62% (2-year substrate), at peak fruiting stage. Cattle manure vermicompost application to the 2-year substrate ranked higher in the membership function than the CK treatment at 0-year planting.
In conclusion, the application of vermicompost can significantly improve strawberry fruit yield and quality, as well as substrate characteristics, thus effectively addressing challenges associated with continuous cropping. Furthermore, the use of cattle manure vermicompost produced more pronounced positive effects.

Cyanobacterial phycoremediation: a sustainable approach to dairy wastewater management. Chahal S, Bhandari R. Environ Technol. 2025 Jan 27:1-13.

The dairy industry is a significant sector within the food industries, known for its high-water consumption and consequent generation of dairy wastewater (DWW), which is rich in pollutants like Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD).
Improper disposal of DWW poses serious environmental challenges, including eutrophication and highlighting the need for sustainable biological treatment methods.
This study investigates the potential of indigenous cyanobacterial strains Oscillatoria pseudogeminata, Oscillatoria proteus, Oscillatoria trichoides, and Lyngbya ceylanicafor the bioremediation of DWW. Under controlled laboratory conditions, these strains were assessed for their uptake capabilities for 15 days.
Results indicated that ceylanicasignificantly reduced (approx. 70%, P < .05) in key pollutants such as ammonia, nitrate, and phosphate compared to other strains. Biochemical analyses indicated a decrease in biomass, chlorophyll a, carotenoids, proteins, and carbohydrates in DWW relative to the growth of cyanobacteria in BG 11 media. This decline may hinder the effectiveness of cyanobacterial in wastewater remediation.
The findings highlight the efficacy of selected cyanobacteria in nutrient removal from DWW, emphasizing their dual role in nutrient uptake through biosorption mechanism and biomass generation.
The results pave the way for innovative biotechnological applications such as biofertilizers and feedstock for bioethanol/ biodiesel production, thus promoting more sustainable management practices within the dairy industry.

Optimization of Dairy Soiled Water as a Novel Duckweed Growth Medium. Redmond C, Coughlan NE, Purcell A, Jansen MAK. Plants (Basel). 2025 Jan 2;14(1):110.

As a result of intensive agriculture, large quantities of liquid wastewaters are produced. Dairy soiled water (DSW) is produced in large volumes during the milking process of cattle. It comprises essential plant nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. The physicochemical properties of DSWs are highly variable as per individual farmer practices and seasonality.
Currently, DSWs are disposed of primarily through land spreading, which frequently results in environmental pollution through land run-off. As a result of the large volumes produced coupled with the high variability, there are few alternative uses for DSWs, with presently little consideration of possible on-farm valorization.
Through a series of factorial experiments, the suitability of DSW as a novel duckweed (Lemna minor) cultivation medium was assessed.
Different concentrations and pH values are assessed to determine the optimal conditions to support duckweed cultivation. Under the principles of circular economy, duckweed-based valorization of DSWs can lead to the production of valuable, high-protein plant biomass that could be incorporated into animal feed to support livestock nutritional requirements.
This study identifies the management of DSW’s pH as a key growth parameter in the successful cultivation of duckweed to underpin a circular economy approach for valorization and improved environmental outcomes.

Source segregation and treatment of urine and feces from dairy cattle reduces GHG and NH(3) emissions in covered storage. Mahdi JE, De Vries JW, Gort G, Koerkamp PG. J Environ Manage. 2025 Jan;374:123895.

Managing dairy excreta as slurry can result in significant emissions of ammonia (NH₃) and greenhouse gases (GHGs) during storage and thereafter. Additionally, slurry often has an imbalanced nitrogen (N) to phosphorus (P) ratio for crop fertilization. While various treatments exist to address emissions and nutrient imbalances, each has trade-offs that can result in pollution swapping.
An integrated management system, starting with source segregation (SS) in-house to separate feces and urine into two manageable streams followed by step-wise complementary treatments has been designed to manage nutrients and reduce emissions in the whole chain, but its effect on emissions in storage remains untested.
This study investigated NH₃, nitrous oxide (N₂O), and methane (CH₄) emissions and total N losses from integrated storage systems combining SS, mesophilic or thermophilic anaerobic digestion (AD), acidification, drying and zeolite addition and an impermeable cover. These systems were compared to two reference slurry storage systems: in-house uncovered (US) and outside covered (CS).
Results indicated that the SS fractions treated before covered storage exhibited significantly lower emissions (NH₃or CH₄ or both) compared to both reference slurry storage systems (US and CS).
Source segregation combined with acidification of urine and AD of feces at 35 °C and an impermeable cover allowed for a 99% reduction in NH₃emissions, a 45% reduction in CH₄ emissions and had no effect on N₂O emissions as compared to US. When AD of feces was conducted at 55 °C instead of 35 °C, the CH₄ emission was reduced by 77% compared to US.
This study concludes that SS combined with urine and feces treatment allows a more effective and simultaneous reduction of all emissions in storage as compared to slurry storage systems, while also effectively separating nutrients allowing more precise N and P fertilization with dairy excreta. Further research is necessary to assess emissions and fertilizer value of treated fractions after field application, in addition to the associated costs.

The Effect of Mono- and Di-Saccharides on the Microbiome of Dairy Cow Manure and Its Odor. Loughrin JH, Agga GE. Microorganisms. 2025 Jan;13(1):52.

In a previous experiment, researchers showed that the odor of Bos taurusmanure slurries could be improved by anaerobic incubation with the sugars glucose, lactose, and sucrose. This improvement was due to reductions in the concentrations of malodorants, including dimethyl disulfide, p-cresol, p-ethylphenol, indole, and skatole, and a shift to the production of fruity esters, including ethyl butyrate and propyl propanoate.
Due to large concentrations of lactic acid produced by the sugar-amended manure slurries, the researchers inferred that lactic acid bacteria were involved in improving the manure slurry odor. Here, through 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing for microbiome analysis, the researchers show that lactic acid bacterial growth was promoted by the addition of all three sugars.
Lactobacillus buchneriand an unknown Lactobacillus were the most prominent lactic acid bacteria stimulated by sugar addition. Lactobacillales were found only in trace abundances in unamended manure slurries. The relative abundance of orders such as Clostridiales, Bifidobacteriales, and Erysipelotrichales were not noticeably affected by sugar amendment. However, the disaccharides lactose and sucrose seemed to increase the relative abundance of Bifidobacterium, whereas the monosaccharide glucose did not.
The researchers conclude that lactic acid bacteria are the primary bacteria involved in improving odor in dairy cow manure slurries and present strategies to enhance their abundance in animal wastes.

The “best practices for farming” successfully contributed to decrease the antibiotic resistance gene abundances within dairy farms. Salerno B, Cornaggia M, Losasso C, et al. Front Vet Sci. 2025 Jan 7;11:1420282.

Farms are significant hotspots for the dissemination of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and genes (ARGs) into the environment and directly to humans. The prevalence of ARGs on farms underscores the need for effective strategies to reduce their spread.
This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a guideline on “best practices for farming” aimed at reducing the dissemination of antibiotic resistance.
A guideline focused on prudent antibiotic use, selective therapy, and hygienic and immune-prophylactic practices was developed and provided to the owners of 10 selected dairy farms and their veterinarians. Fecal samples were collected from lactating cows, dry cows, and calves both before and after the implementation of the guideline.
The results showed that ARG abundances were higher in lactating cows compared to other categories. Despite similar levels of antibiotic administration in both sampling campaigns, the total abundance of selected ARGs, particularly bla_TEM and tetA, significantly decreased after the adoption of the farming guidelines.
This study highlights the positive impact of prudent antibiotic use and the implementation of farming best practices in reducing the abundance of ARGs. The lactating cow category emerged as a crucial point of intervention for reducing the spread of antibiotic resistance.
These findings contribute to ongoing efforts to address antibiotic resistance in farm environments and strengthen the evidence supporting the adoption of good farming practices.

Animal Health and Food Safety

Evaluating the impact of 3-nitrooxypropanol supplementation on enteric methane emissions in pregnant nonlactating dairy cows offered grass silage. Lahart B, Shalloo L, Dwan C, Walker N, Costigan H. JDS Commun. 2025 Jan;6(1):44-48.

Although 3-nitrooxypropanol (3-NOP; Bovaer10) has been proven to reduce enteric methane (CH₄) by ∼30% in indoor systems of dairying when the additive is mixed throughout TMR and partial mixed ration (PMR) diets, there has been limited research to date on the CH₄abatement potential of 3-NOP when mixed within a diet based on perennial ryegrass silage only and fed to pregnant nonlactating dairy cows.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of 3-NOP supplementation on enteric CH₄emissions of pregnant nonlactating dairy cows.
A 6-week study was undertaken in which treatment cows were supplemented with 3-NOP mixed within grass silage, whereas control cows were offered grass silage without additive supplementation.
Enteric CH₄, hydrogen (H₂), and carbon dioxide (CO₂) were measured using a GreenFeed machine. Body weight, BCS, DMI, and calf birth weight were monitored to determine the effect of 3-NOP supplementation on productivity.
The measured dietary concentration of 3-NOP was 63 (range 53.2-77.1) mg/kg DM. Cows supplemented with 3-NOP produced 22% less enteric CH₄per day and CH₄ per kilogram of DMI, respectively, than cows offered the control diet.
Cows supplemented with 3-NOP also produced 4.4-fold more H₂and H₂ per kilogram of DMI, respectively, relative to the control. The 3-NOP supplementation had no impact on DMI, BW, BCS, or calf birth weight.
Supplementing pregnant nonlactating dairy cows with 3-NOP during the winter housing period effectively reduced enteric CH₄emissions without detriment to productivity.

INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON RUMINANT PHYSIOLOGY: Rumen fungi, archaea and their interactions. McAllister TA, Thomas KD, Gruninger RJ, Elshahed M, Li Y, Cheng Y. J Dairy Sci. 2025 Jan 15:S0022-0302(25)00009-8.

Anaerobic gut fungi (AGF) were the last phylum to be identified within the rumen microbiome and account for 7-9% of microbial biomass. They produce potent lignocellulases that degrade recalcitrant plant cell walls, and rhizoids that can penetrate the cuticle of plant cells, exposing internal components to other microbiota.
Interspecies H₂transfer between AGF and rumen methanogenic archaea is an essential metabolic process in the rumen that occurs during the reduction of CO₂ to CH₄ by methanogens. This symbiotic relationship is bolstered by hydrogensomes, fungal organelles that generate H₂ and formate. Interspecies H₂ transfer prevents the accumulation of reducing equivalents that would otherwise impede fermentation.
The extent to which hydrogenosomes serve as a conduit for H₂flow to methanogens is unknown, but it is likely greater with low quality forages. Strategies that alter the production of CH₄ could also have implications for H₂ transfer by anaerobic fungi.
Understanding the factors that drive these interactions and H₂flow could provide insight into the effect of reducing CH₄ production on the activity of ruminal fungi and the digestion of low-quality feeds.

Impact of dairy calf management practices on the intestinal tract microbiome pre-weaning. Carroll A, Bell MJ, Bleach ECL, Turner D, Williams LK. J Med Microbiol. 2025 Jan;74(1).

Microbiota in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) consisting of the rumen and hindgut (the small intestine, cecum and colon) in dairy calves play a vital role in their growth and development.
This review discusses the development of dairy calf intestinal microbiomes with an emphasis on the impact that husbandry and rearing management have on microbiome development, health and growth of pre-weaned dairy calves.
The diversity and composition of the microbes that colonize the lower GIT (small and large intestine) can have a significant impact on the growth and development of the calf, through influence on nutrient metabolism, immune modulation, resistance or susceptibility to infection, production outputs and behavior modification in adult life. The colonization of the calf intestinal microbiome dynamically changes from birth, increasing microbial richness and diversity until weaning, where further dynamic and drastic microbiome change occurs.
In dairy calves, neonatal microbiome development prior to weaning is influenced by direct and indirect factors, some of which could be considered stressors, such as maternal interaction, environment, diet, husbandry and weaning practices. The specific impact of these can dictate intestinal microbial colonization, with potential lifelong consequences.
Evidence suggests the potential detrimental effect that sudden changes and stress may have on calf health and growth due to management and husbandry practices, and the importance of establishing a stable yet diverse intestinal microbiome population at an early age is essential for calf success.
The possibility of improving the health of calves through intestinal microbiome modulation and using alternative strategies including probiotic use, faecal microbiota transplantation and novel approaches of microbiome tracking should be considered to support animal health and sustainability of dairy production systems.

Linking Animal Feed Formulation to Milk Quantity, Quality, and Animal Health Through Data-Driven Decision-Making. Akintan OA, Gebremedhin KG, Uyeh DD. Animals (Basel). 2025 Jan 10;15(2):162.

The global demand for high-quality animal products, particularly dairy, has intensified the need for more precise and efficient livestock feed formulation.
This review connects data-driven decision-making in optimizing feed formulation to enhance milk quantity and quality while addressing animal health implications.
Modern feed formulation has evolved into a sophisticated, data-centric process by integrating diverse data sources such as nutritional databases, environmental data, and animal performance metrics. Leveraging advanced analytical techniques, such as machine learning and optimization algorithms, have created highly accurate feed formulations tailored to specific livestock needs. These innovations increase milk yield and contribute to developing dairy products with higher nutritional value.
Decision Support Systems play a complementary role by offering real-time decision-making capabilities, enabling farmers to make data-informed adjustments composition based on changing conditions. However, despite its potential, the widespread adoption of data-driven feed formulation faces challenges such as data quality, technological limitations, and industry resistance, mostly disjointed processes.
The objectives of this review are: (i) to explore the current advancements and challenges of data-driven decision-making in feed formulation, focusing on its connection to milk quantity and quality, and (ii) to highlight how this optimized feed formulation strategy improves sustainable dairy production.

UC-Davis Research In laboratory inactivation of H5N1 in raw whole milk through milk acidification: results from a pilot study. Crossley BM, Miramontes CC, Rejmanek D, Gallardo R, Pereira R. J Dairy Sci. 2025 Jan 29:S0022-0302(25)00051-7.

Avian Influenza virus H5N1 2.3.4.4.b has recently been detected in cattle, with milk from infected animals reported to contain a high viral load, serving as a potential source for shedding and dissemination of this virus. Currently, pasteurization is the only widely recognized method for on-farm inactivation of H5N1 in milk.
A current concern is that according to USDA data, less than 50% of large dairy farms pasteurize non-saleable milk, with a much lower percentage occurring in medium and small dairy farms.
The objective of this pilot study was to evaluate the effect of milk acidification to a pH of ∼0 to 4.4 and lactoperoxidase system (LPS) on the inactivation of low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) and highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in raw whole milk.
Initial trials in this study used the LPAI H6N2 virus as a surrogate for HPAI H5N1. For the milk acidification trials, citric acid was used to acidify milk. For evaluation of milk acidification and LPS, milk samples were inoculated with LPAI H6N2, with samples collected before and after treatment at various times.
Three acidification experiments were conducted using milk spiked with LPAI H6N2. Given the positive outcome observed in the inactivation of LPAI with citric acid, a fourth trial was conducted with milk containing a high load of H5N1 originating from actively infected cows.
These findings observed that MILK ACIDIFICATION with a pH between 4.1 and 4.2 resulted in the inactivation of LPAI H6N2 and HPAI H5N1 virus in milk after 6 hours of treatment. Milk treatment with LPS was not effective for the inactivation of the H6N2 virus.
This is the first study reporting the effectiveness of MILK ACIDIFICATION for the inactivation of HPAI H5N1 in milk originating from animals infected with H5N1. Milk acidification is an effective, accessible, and easy-to-use alternative to milk pasteurization, and future studies should evaluate the on-farm effectiveness of acidification of non-saleable milk to inactivate H5N1.

Pasteurization temperatures effectively inactivate influenza A viruses in milk. Schafers J, Warren CJ, Hutchinson E, et al. Nat Commun. 2025 Jan 30;16(1):1173.

In late 2023 an H5N1 lineage of high pathogenicity avian influenza virus (HPAIV) began circulating in American dairy cattle Concerningly, high titers of virus were detected in cows’ milk, raising the concern that milk could be a route of human infection.
Cows’ milk is typically pasteurized to render it safe for human consumption, but the effectiveness of pasteurization on influenza viruses in milk was uncertain.
To assess this, researchers evaluated heat inactivation in milk for a panel of different influenza viruses. This includes human and avian influenza A viruses (IAVs), an influenza D virus that naturally infects cattle, and recombinant IAVs carrying contemporary avian or bovine H5N1 glycoproteins.
At pasteurization temperatures of 63 °C and 72 °C, we find that viral infectivity is rapidly lost and becomes undetectable before the times recommended for pasteurization (30 minutes and 15 seconds, respectively).
The researchers then show that an H5N1 HPAIV in milk is effectively inactivated by a comparable treatment, even though its genetic material remains detectable.
The researchers concluded that pasteurization conditions should effectively inactivate H5N1 HPAIV in cows’ milk, but that unpasteurized milk could carry infectious influenza viruses.

Nutrition and Health

Association of different types of milk with depression and anxiety: a prospective cohort study and Mendelian randomization analysis. Wu C, Liu Y, Jiang X, et al. Front Nutr. 2025 Jan;11:1435435.

The relationship between different types of milk and depression and anxiety remains unclear, with limited evidence from prospective cohort studies.
This study aimed to evaluate this relationship using data from the UK Biobank cohort and to explore its potential causality through Mendelian randomization analysis.
Models were used to assess the association between different milk types and the risk of depression and anxiety among 357,568 UK Biobank participants free of these conditions at baseline. To further explore causality, a 2-sample Mendelian randomization analysis was conducted using data from the FinnGen study.
During a median follow-up period of 13.5 years, among 357,568 participants, a total of 13,065 were diagnosed with depression and 13,339 participants were diagnosed with anxiety.
In the fully adjusted model (adjusted for sociodemographics characteristics, lifestyle behaviors and health indicators), full cream milk was related to a lower risk of anxiety (HR = 0.84). Semi-skimmed milk had a lower risk of depression (HR = 0.88) and anxiety (HR = 0.90).
No significant relationships were found between skimmed milk and depression/anxiety. Other types were related to an increased risk of depression (HR = 1.14).
The 2-sample Mendelian randomization analysis revealed a potential protective causal relationship between semi-skimmed milk and depression (OR = 0.83) and anxiety (OR = 0.71).
These findings indicate that semi-skimmed milk consumption may be linked to a lower risk of depression and anxiety, potentially highlighting its role in dietary strategies to promote mental health.

Moderate full-fat and low-fat yoghurt consumption correlates with reduced mortality risk: a large-scale prospective analysis. Lin Z, Zeng M, Liu T, et al. J Glob Health. 2025 Jan 17;15:04014.

Yoghurt is a commonly consumed fermented food recommended by many guidelines. Yoghurt consumption can contribute to the intake of multiple nutrients and reduce the risk of several diseases. However, prospective evidence is limited on the associations between full/low-fat yoghurt consumption and mortality risk.
In this prospective cohort study, researchers aimed to assess the dose-dependent associations between full/low-fat yoghurt intake and all-cause or cause-specific mortality.
The research included 186,168 participants from the UK Biobank who had joined the study between 2006 and 2010 and were followed up until 2022.
Data were obtained on self-reported intake of full/low-fat yoghurt and mortality from all causes and specific causes of death, including cancers and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs).
A total of 9,402 deaths occurred during a mean follow-up of 13.4 years, including 1,687 CVD-related and 5,073 cancer-related deaths.
Relative to non-consumers, the hazard ratios (HRs) for all-cause mortality risk in participants consuming >0-50, 50-100, and >100 g of full-fat yoghurt a day were 0.82, 0.97, and 0.96,
The corresponding HR estimates relative to non-consumers for participants consuming low-fat yoghurt were 0.88, 0.91, and 0.95, respectively. Subgroup analysis indicated women who had moderate consumption of full-fat yoghurt had lower all-cause mortality risk, while men consuming low-fat yoghurt had lower all-cause mortality risk.
In conclusion,moderate consumption of full-fat and low-fat yoghurt was correlated with decreased all-cause mortality.

Association between the healthy eating index 2020 and heart failure among the U.S. middle-aged and older adults from NHANES 2005-2020: a cross-sectional study. Gu F, Yu W, Shu T, Zhu Y. Front Nutr. 2025 Jan 6;11:1496379.

Heart failure, a prevalent and intricate illness, often arises from weakened left ventricular myocardial function. It manifests as dyspnea, fatigue, less exercise tolerance, fluid retention, pulmonary edema, and peripheral edema. It is estimated that over 60 million individuals globally are afflicted with heart failure, and its prevalence is projected to increase as the global population ages.
This study aims to shed light on the correlation between Healthy Eating Index-2020 (HEI-2020) and heart failure in American adults aged 50 or above.
Data were from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005-2020, encompassing 13,105 participants with an age of 50 or above. HEI-2020 score was utilized for rating the dietary quality.
Dietary models revealed a beneficial combined influence of 13 dietary components on heart failure risk. Specifically, dairy (28.04%), whole fruits (26.04%), and total fruits (13.60%) were found to be the most influential components, suggesting that they contributed the most to the reduction in heart failure risk.
Elevated HEI-2020 scores are linked to decreased heart failure risks among Americans aged 50 or above, suggesting that adherence to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans can mitigate heart failure risk with dairy and whole fruits emerging as the most influential dietary components.

Association of Healthy Eating Index-2015 Total and Component Scores with Measures of Inflammation and Immune Activation in Healthy Adults. Stephensen CB, Jiang X, Gale B, Peerson JM. J Nutr. 2025 Jan 7:S0022-3166(25)00009-4.

The Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2015 measures diet quality and is associated with a lower risk of death from chronic disease. Dietary components may affect health via multiple mechanisms, including decreasing inflammation and affecting immune activation.
Researchers hypothesized that the overall HEI-2015 score, or individual component scores, would be associated with altered inflammation and immune activation in healthy adults.
The association of HEI-2015 scores with 88 inflammation and immune activation markers was examined in 346 adults without diagnosed disease using general linear models to adjust for covariates, including visceral fat mass index (VFMI). Adjustment for VFMI decreased the association of HEI-2015 with inflammation, consistent with the known role of adiposity in mediating effects of poor diet on inflammation.
The overall HEI-2015 score was inversely associated with plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) and leukocyte concentrations, which are markers of inflammation, but these associations lost statistical significance with adjustment for VFMI.
The total dairy score was positively associated with production of multiple cytokines by lipopolysaccharide-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells [e.g., interleukin (IL)-1β]. These results suggest that intake of dairy food might promote health by enhancing the response to bacterial challenges, as represented in the present study by LPS stimulation.
In general, it should be noted that dairy foods do not increase markers of chronic inflammation, and whereas anti-inflammatory activity has been noted in some studies, current research does not suggest an overall “anti-inflammatory” profile according to recent reviews.

Dairy consumption has a partial inverse association with systolic blood pressure and hypertension in populations with high salt and low dairy diets: cross-sectional data analysis from the Iwaki Health Promotion Project. Kawata D, Ueno HM, Itoh K, et al. Hypertens Res. 2025 Jan 22.

The prevalence of hypertension in Japan remains high, owing to the high salt content of the typical Japanese diet. Dairy-based foods may reduce blood pressure and hypertension risk. However, dairy consumption is low in Japan, and the relationships between dairy intake and blood pressure or the mechanisms by which dairy products affect blood pressure are not fully understood.
This cross-sectional study was conducted as part of the Iwaki Health Promotion Project in Aomori, Japan.
A total of 1071 participants were included from those who underwent annual medical checkups in June 2015.
Whole- and high-fat dairy consumption was found to have significant inverse associations with systolic blood pressure (SBP) for all participants and with SBP and systolic hypertension risk for non-users of antihypertensive medicines.
Three blood biomarkers related to phosphorus metabolism (inorganic phosphorus, intact parathyroid hormone, and interleukin-6) were associated with both dairy consumption and SBP.
Dairy consumption had a partial inverse association with SBP and hypertension risk in a Japanese population with high salt and low dairy consumption. Analysis of blood biomarkers suggested that phosphorus metabolism is involved in the associations between dairy consumption and blood pressure.

Association Between Dairy Products Consumption and Esophageal, Stomach, and Pancreatic Cancers in the PANESOES Multi Case-Control Study. Oncina-Cánovas A, Torres-Collado L, Vioque J, et al. Cancers (Basel). 2025 Jan;16(24):4151.

Digestive cancers are still important contributors to the global burden of cancer in our society, and diet may play a role in their development. Certain components of dairy products may exert a protective effect on the risk of esophageal, stomach, and pancreatic cancers through various mechanisms.
Vitamin D, one of the most studied components, may have anticancer effects through its regulation of cell growth, apoptosis, and immune function. Calcium, another important nutrient in dairy products, may reduce cancer risk by inhibiting the proliferation and differentiation of cancer cells. Additionally, the probiotics found in fermented dairy products, such as yoghurt, may modulate gut microbiota, reducing inflammation and enhancing immune responses, which could lower the risk of digestive tract cancers.
However, the effects of these components may vary depending on the type of dairy product consumed and individual factors, such as genetics and gut health.
Therefore, this study explored the association between dairy products consumption (total and subgroups) and cancer of the esophagus, stomach, and pancreas within the PANESOES case-control study.
Data from 1229 participants, including 774 incident cases of cancer and 455 controls matched by age, sex, and region, were analyzed. Dietary intake was assessed using a validated Food Frequency Questionnaire, categorizing dairy intake by total and subgroups (fermented dairy, sugary dairy desserts, and milk).
The researchers found an inverse association between moderate dairy consumption (T2) and esophageal cancer (RRR _{T2 vs. T1}= 0.59). The highest tertile (T3) of fermented dairy was associated with a lower risk of esophageal (RRR _{T3 vs. T1} = 0.55) and stomach cancers (RRR _{T3 vs. T1} = 0.68).
By contrast, the highest tertile of consumption of sugary dairy desserts was associated with a higher risk of stomach cancer (RRR _{T3 vs. T1}= 1.85). No association was found for milk.
This study suggests that fermented dairy may reduce the risk of esophageal and stomach cancers, while sugary dairy desserts may increase the risk of stomach cancer.

Milk and dairy products – a scoping review for Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023. Bjørklund Holven K, Sonestedt E. Food Nutr Res. 2025 Jan;68.

Milk and dairy products are major sources of protein, calcium, and other micronutrients. Milk and dairy products contribute with approximately half of the total intake of saturated fat in the Nordic and Baltic diets. Saturated fat is an important determinant of plasma total and low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol concentrations, and a causal relationship between high LDL-cholesterol and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease has consistently been documented.
The aim of this scoping review is to describe the evidence for the role of milk and dairy products for health-related outcomes as a basis for setting and updating food-based dietary guidelines. Two qualified systematic reviews were included (World Cancer Research Fund and a systematic review for the US Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee 2020). In addition, 159 systematic reviews published between January 2011 and January 2022 were evaluated for this review.
The systematic reviews suggest that milk or dairy consumption is not associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease and dyslipidemia. Current evidence suggests an inverse association with some cardiometabolic risk factors, such as total and LDL-cholesterol, especially regarding fermented dairy products (i.e. yogurt and cheese).
There was evidence of an association between intake of dairy products and reduced risk of colorectal cancer.
Some studies reported an inverse association between intake of dairy and type 2 diabetes or markers of impaired glucose homeostasis, especially for low-fat dairy, yogurt, and cheese.
Overall, most studies suggest that intake of milk or dairy is not associated with increased risk of cardiovascular risk and some suggestions of inverse association, especially with low-fat products and fermented dairy products, were found with respect to cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and colorectal cancer. Milk or dairy products are important dietary sources of calcium and iodine, and are fully compatible with a healthy dietary pattern.

Innovation, Social Science, and Dairy Alternatives

Dairy Victory Platform: A novel benchmarking platform to empower economic decisions on dairy farms. Freitas ENA, Cabrera VE. JDS Commun. 2025 Jan;6(1):69-73.

In the face of diminishing economic margins, dairy farmers globally are compelled to maintain economic competitiveness. Benchmarking emerges as a strategic tool to establish new, achievable improvement objectives that balance ambition with practicality. This typically requires integrating diverse data sources, such as feed, milk production, diet, and market prices.
However, many farms lack essential cow-level data like daily milk output and milk income over feed cost (IOFC), which hampers economic performance visibility and informed decision making.
To address this challenge, researchers have introduced the Dairy Victory Platform (DVP), a novel cloud-based benchmarking platform designed to simplify complex analyses. The DVP uniquely calculates zootechnical and economic key performance indicators (KPI) at the cow and herd levels and benchmarks these against a dynamically selected cohort of farms, facilitating comparisons across various farm sizes, and milk production levels.
The primary objective of this paper is to demonstrate the utility of DVP as a decision-making tool in supporting farmers and consultants with both operational and strategic decisions. It emphasizes leveraging benchmarking information to enhance decision-making processes, thereby highlighting the significant value that DVP brings to farmers, consultants, and dairy farm stakeholders.
This study analyzed data from 712 farms from December 2023, focusing on several KPI, such as milk production, milk quality, feed efficiency, and IOFC using DHI records. This approach showcases DVP’s ability to use minimal data inputs for detailed analysis, leveraging peer performance to set desirable and achievable goals.
The researchers present a case study demonstrating how the DVP platform can guide dairy farms using anonymized peer data. This approach enables users to potentially improve their IOFC by up to 35%.
These findings highlight the potential of DVP as a powerful tool for generating insightful analyses, simulations, and recommendations, primarily from test-day data, but also integrated with market and estimated data. This supports more strategic decision-making in dairy management, including automatic goal-setting based on peer performance.

Engaging today’s undergraduate students in the field of dairy science with a focus on the female student population. Lewis G. JDS Commun. 2025 Jan;18;6(1):175-179.

The dairy industry has profound economic importance, and individuals earning postsecondary degrees within dairy science-related fields are future industry leaders. Yet, enrollment at universities is declining and there is a labor shortage within the dairy industry.
The objective of this review article is to highlight current trends within academia, identify some techniques to improve student experiences within higher education, and describe successful education strategies employed within dairy science-related fields.
The proportion of female students within academia and agriculture-related degrees is growing; however, women still face gender bias and report higher incidence of mental health symptomology during their enrollment. With this, there is a profound need to address mental health-related issues throughout higher education, especially for the female student population.
Additionally, active learning approaches and high-impact practices such as flipped classrooms, animal handling courses, capstone experiences, internships, and undergraduate research have shown promising benefits when employed in dairy and animal science-related fields.
Universities play a critical role in guiding the future leaders of the dairy industry into successful and fulfilling careers, and this review highlights some pertinent strategies to improve the engagement of dairy science undergraduate students.

Adolescents as food designers: The value of co-creation for the development of healthy dairy products. Pinesso Ribeiro AC, Pimentel TC, et al. Food Res Int. 2025 Jan;200:115455.

Healthy eating habits may protect adolescents against disease development, ensure optimal physical and cognitive development, and may persist in adulthood. However, adolescents usually prefer sweetened dairy products and show a low consumption of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and pulses.
Co-creation offers an innovative and inclusive alternative for the development of new products. Adolescents’ involvement in the co-creation process may promote the development of healthy products that they can effectively choose.
This study aimed to use the co-creation process through exploring, prototyping, refining, and validation stages for developing healthy dairy products with and for adolescents, aiming to obtain comprehensive insights into their opinions, perceptions, preferences, and needs.
Twenty-eight adolescents (14-18 years old) participated in three co-creation sections, while the other 65 (14-18 years old) participated only in the validation stage.
The adolescents created a healthy dairy product using a set of ingredients in the first section (grouped into dairy base, fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains, and culinary ingredients). The adolescents could select the ingredients in the number and quantity they wanted for developing the product.
There were only two rules: the dairy base was limited to one, and at least one ingredient of each group must be used. Four factors drove the ingredient selection (hedonic, sensory properties, health impact, and novelty). Afterward, they tasted their prototype and noted possible improvements.
In the second section, they created a concept prototype (post) as a product communication strategy. They were requested to create a post similar to those shared on social media to promote their product and invite other adolescents to try it.
Seven factors drove the post design (product name, poster visual design, promotional image, ingredients, sensory properties, health compounds and health claims, and marketing purposes). The third section validated the refined products (products with the improvements suggested during the tasting stage) and posts for acceptance and perceptions.
The products were accepted by adolescents involved or not in the co-creation process despite using healthy and novel ingredients and sugar reduction. Furthermore, based on the posts, the products were perceived as healthy, nutritious, tasty, and with suitable texture.
The concentration of vegetables, grains, and nuts was lower than the fruits, demonstrating that, although the adolescents accepted the products, they would not be the central ingredient. The adolescents participating in the co-creation sections were not biased towards higher acceptance scores or more positive perceptions of the posts than general adolescents.
These results demonstrated the high potential to involve adolescents in product co-creation and provide helpful subsidies for its implementation. The healthy dairy products co-created in this study could comply with policy measures designed to reduce added sugar intake and increase the intake of fruits and vegetables.
Public health policies may encourage schools to engage adolescents in cooking activities and meal planning, besides performing marketing restrictions and food reformulation strategies, mainly related to sugar reduction.

Lactose-assimilating yeasts with high fatty acid accumulation uncovered by untargeted bioprospecting. Persson K, Onyema VO, Geijer C, et al. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2025 Jan:e0161524.

Bioprospecting can uncover new yeast strains and species with interesting ecological characteristics and valuable biotechnological traits, such as the capacity to convert different carbon sources from industrial side and waste streams into bioproducts.
In this study, researchers conducted untargeted yeast bioprospecting in tropical West Africa, collecting 1,996 isolates and determining their growth in 70 different environments.
While the collection contains numerous isolates with the potential to assimilate several cost-effective and sustainable carbon and nitrogen sources, the researchers focused on characterizing the 203 strains capable of growing on lactose, the main carbon source in the abundant side stream cheese whey from dairy industries.
The researchers identified 30 different yeast species from both the Ascomycota and Basidiomycotaphyla, of which several have not previously been shown to grow on lactose, and some are candidates for new species. Observed differences in growth and ratios of intra- and extracellular lactase activities suggest that the yeasts use a range of different strategies to metabolize lactose.
Notably, several yeasts, including Apiotrichum mycotoxinivorans, Papiliotrema laurentii, and Moesziomyces antarcticus, accumulated lipids up to 40% of their cell dry weight, proving that they can convert lactose into a bioproduct of significant biotechnology interest.
This study paves the way to a better understanding of the natural yeast biodiversity in the largely under-sampled biodiversity hotspot area of tropical West Africa. The discovery of several yeasts capable of efficiently converting lactose into lipids underscores the value of bioprospecting to identify yeast strains with significant biotechnological potential, which can aid the transition to a circular bioeconomy.

UC Davis Research Characterization of Bifidobacterium bifidum growth and metabolism on whey protein phospholipid concentrate. Kim YT, Huang YP, Ozturk G, Hahn J, Taha AY, Wang A, Barile D, Mills DA. J Dairy Sci. 2025 Jan 7:S0022-0302(24)01462-0.

Whey protein phospholipid concentrate (WPPC) is a co-product generated during the manufacture of whey protein isolate. WPPC is depleted of simple sugars but contains numerous glycoconjugates embedded in the milk fat globule membrane, suggesting this fraction may serve as a carbon source for growth of bifidobacteria commonly enriched in breast fed infants.
In this work, researchers demonstrate that WPPC can serve as a sole carbon source for the growth of Bifidobacterium bifidum, a species common to the breastfed infant and routinely used as a probiotic.
Growth on WPPC fractions resulted in expression of key extracellular glycosyl hydrolases in B. bifidum associated with the catabolism of glycoproteins. Interestingly, this included induction of fucosidase genes in B. bifidum linked to catabolism of fucosylated human milk oligosaccharides even though the WPPC glycan possesses little fucose.
Additional growth studies revealed that WPPC-glycan components N-acetylglucosamine or N-acetylgalactosamine were required for pre-activation of B. bifidum toward rapid growth on the fucosylated human milk oligosaccharides.
Growth on WPPC fractions also resulted in expression of extracellular sialidases in B. bifidum which promoted a consistent release of sialic acid, a well-known component of bovine milk oligosaccharides and glycoconjugates with potential impacts on gut microbial ecology and host cognition.
These studies suggest WPPC may serve as a promising bioactive component to facilitate probiotic activity for use in infant formulas and other synbiotic applications.

Exploration of milk flavor: From the perspective of raw milk, pasteurized milk, and UHT milk. Lan L, Wang W, Ai N, et al. Food Chem X. 2024 Dec 9;25:102083.

Many factors can influence milk flavor, including the climate of the pasture, the geographical location of the pasture, the grading of the pasture, and the processing of the milk. Different heat treatment methods can lead to different organoleptic qualities of milk.
Milk flavor is derived primarily from fatty acids formed when milk fat is degraded. Fatty acids undergo secondary metabolism to produce flavor compounds such as ketones, aldehydes, and esters. However, most studies focus on milk that has been packaged and marketed, and there are only a few studies that focus on the flavor of milk during large-scale heat treatment production.
In this study, raw milk was collected from three different grades of pastures and processed by pasteurization, blending and ultra-high temperature sterilization (UHT) in a factory production line with a feed size of 10 tons. Additionally, all samples (from raw milk to UHT milk samples) were analyzed by E-nose and GC-MS.
Five key flavor compounds were identified in milk samples. Key flavor compounds were 2-heptanone, hexanal, nonanal, 3-methyl-butanal, and dimethyl sulfide.
The results showed that the pastures with higher grades could help to improve the quality of milk flavor, and the heat treatment had a significant impact on the milk flavor profile.
Pasteurization was effective in eliminating undesirable flavors such as hexanal resulting from the oxidation of raw milk fat, whereas the ultra-high temperature sterilization exacerbated the oxidation of milk fat that led to the massive production of ketones such as 2-heptanone, which contributed to undesirable milk flavors.

Consumer evaluations of commercially available plant-based cheddar cheese alternatives reveal inferior taste, nutrition and emotional appeal. Jaeger SR, Jin D, Roigard CM, Cardello AV. Food Res Int. 2025 Jan;200:115452.

Many people in the Western world wish to reduce dietary reliance on animal-based and animal-derived foods. Plant-based (PB) meat and dairy alternatives can aid in this transition, but in the dairy category, only the milk market is well developed.
Attention in the present research is, therefore, directed to PB cheese alternatives (PBCA), which were studied relative to dairy cheeses in a consumer taste test (central location setting) with 157 New Zealand (NZ) consumers conducted in 2023.
Five commercial semi-hard cheeses from cow’s milk and three commercial PBCAs in the cheddar style were tested. All samples were presented blind, and a multi-response measurement paradigm (hedonic, sensory, emotional, conceptual, situational, attitudinal) was used.
Results showed that, without major exception, all PBCAs had lower liking ratings, inferior sensory, emotional and conceptual characterizations and poorer attitudinal and situational use evaluations than their dairy counterparts. Further, all of the PBCAs were rated similarly, as contrasted with the dairy cheese samples, which were differentiated based on textural and flavor attributes, liking and non-sensory characterizations.
It was concluded that, as a whole, PBCAs in the 2023 NZ market were poorly accepted by consumers, suggesting that much more research and consumer-focused product development is needed before these products offer consumers suitable choices if they seek to transition from an animal-based to a PB diet.

Influence of Plant Additives on Changes in the Composition of Fatty Acids, Lipid Quality Indices and Minerals of Fermented Dairy Products from Cow’s Milk. Paszczyk B, Tońska E.Molecules. 2025 Jan 9;30(2):235.

Milk and dairy products play an important role in the healthy daily diet of the general population. They are rich in many nutrients, including various minerals, vitamins, fatty acids and high-quality protein. The content of all nutrients in dairy products depends mainly on their content in the milk they are made of, and the production process applied and the additives used.
The additives used not only improve sensory and functional properties of yogurts by modifying their taste, color and texture, but also provide many bioactive components. For example, chia seeds, shelled hemp seeds and quinoa are characterized by a high nutritional value and may impact the lipid content and health properties of yogurt.
The aim of this study was to assess the effect of selected plant additives on changes in the content of fatty acids, lipid quality indicators and mineral composition of yogurts produced from cow’s milk.
The analysis included natural yogurts and yogurts enriched with 10% of chia seeds, hulled hemp seeds, quinoa seeds and oat bran. The fatty acid composition, the content of lipid quality indicators and the content of mineral components varied in all analyzed yogurts.
The plant additives used caused significant changes in their fatty acid content, i.e., a significant decrease in the content of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and a significant increase in the content of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs).
It was shown that additives such as chia seeds and peeled hemp seeds caused the greatest changes in the analyzed yogurts. Yogurts with these additives were characterized by a significant increase in the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), including n-3 acids, and a more favorable n-6/n-3 ratio. Yogurts with these additives were also characterized by significantly lower atherogenic (AI) and thrombogenic (TI) indices and a higher hypocholesterolemia-to-hypercholesterolemia ratio (H/H).
The addition of peeled hemp seeds caused the greatest changes in the content of minerals. Yogurts with hemp seeds were characterized by the highest content of all measured macroelements, as well as copper, iron and zinc. In turn, the highest manganese content was determined in the yogurts with the addition of chia seeds.

Exploring Nutrient-Adequate Sustainable Diet Scenarios That Are Plant-Based but Animal-Optimized. Huppertz T, Blom L, van Est L, Peters S. Nutrients. 2025 Jan 18;17(2):343.

Transitions toward more sustainable food systems may become rather polarized, particularly in the plant-based vs. animal-based debate. These discussions, however, are often based on environmental impact data from individual products or product groups and do not consider that the products together should form a nutrient-adequate diet that is also affordable.
Linear programming approaches are ideal for exploring the impact of changes in diet composition on environmental impact and price while ensuring nutrient adequacy.
In this study, researchers used a linear programming system, Optimeal 2.0, based on the diet in the Netherlands to explore the impact of changing the contributions of specific food groups on the environmental impact and price of the diet.
Reducing the amount of meat products in the diet reduced the environmental impact but increased the price. On the other hand, when dairy products were reduced or even omitted, the environmental impact of the nutrient-adequate optimized diet did not change notably, but prices increased notably. This could be attributed to the fact that the products required to compensate for the nutrient gaps by removing dairy products have equal environmental impact and higher prices.
Increasing vegetable or fruit consumption increased price but did not affect the environmental impact nor did it increase the consumption of beans and pulses when kept within realistic levels.
Overall, this work strongly highlights that consideration of ‘sustainability’ at a food product level is insufficient and that their role in nutrient-adequate diets needs to be considered. Furthermore, dietary shifts should be considered from the perspective of affordability and consumer preferences.