Dairy Research Bulletin: Selected Articles from January 2026

Dairy Research Bulletin – January 2026 | by Kevin Comerford, Ph.D., Chief Science Officer

Our January selections highlight advances across environmental management, animal health, nutrition, and innovation—gain insights into soil microbial dynamics, manure management, strategies supporting calf immunity, sustainable feed production, and research exploring the evolving role of dairy in human nutrition and health, including studies on full-fat dairy.

Dive in to explore the latest findings that inform more sustainable and future-ready dairy systems.

Environmental Management and Sustainability

Distinct soil microbial community composition and structure: evidence from soil inside and outside the cattle farm. Ding Q, Li J, Cheng P, et al. Braz J Microbiol. 2026 Jan 12;57(1):31.

The contrast between the soils inside and outside the cattle farm may reflect the prolonged manure exposure within the farm, potentially creating distinct properties and microbial structure. However, comparative studies are scarce on the microbial composition and co-occurrence patterns between soils inside and outside the cattle farm.
To address this gap, this study combined Illumina MiSeq sequencing with co-occurrence network analysis and soil physicochemical characterization to compare the microbial community structures between the two sites.
The soil inside the cattle farm exhibited higher microbial alpha diversity than that outside the farm. Volcano plots revealed significant differences in the relative abundances of microbial taxa between sites.
Notably, the relative abundances of Devosia was significantly higher inside the cattle farm, whereas Paenibacillus and Nitrospira were markedly higher outside the cattle farm (|log2FC| ≥ 1.2).
The fungal network inside the cattle farm demonstrated higher complexity and stability than outside, with larger nodes and edges (Nodes: 194 vs. 153; Edges: 13231 vs. 8007) and superior topological characteristics.
To elucidate the specific manure-induced environmental factors driving these differences, Mantel tests confirmed that soil organic carbon and alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen significantly influenced the microbial communities.
This study identifies the specific manure-derived drivers of microbial community structure and network stability, providing critical insights for utilizing cattle manure to improve soil microbial ecology and thereby contributing to sustainable agricultural management.

Effect of water-retaining agent on nitrogen conversion in cattle manure composting process. Xu S, Zhang A, Li G, et al .J Environ Sci Health B. 2026:1-13.

To mitigate the environmental pollution caused by ammonia volatilization during livestock manure composting, this study investigated the effects of different dosages of water-retaining agent (CK: 0 g/m³; T1: 100 g/m³; T2: 200 g/m³; T3: 300 g/m³; T4: 400 g/m³; T5: 500 g/m³) on nitrogen transformation and ammonia emissions in cattle manure windrow composting.
The results showed that the water-retaining agent exhibited a significant dosage-dependent effect: appropriate dosages (T1-T3) could retain water, stabilize the microenvironment for nitrifying bacteria, promote the conversion of ammonium nitrogen to nitrate nitrogen, and reduce ammonia volatilization.
Among these treatments, the T3 treatment achieved the optimal effect; compared with CK, the final moisture content increased by 16.97%, the nitrate nitrogen content increased by 22.03%, the ammonia volatilization decreased by 15.06%, and the total nitrogen loss rate decreased by 10.32%.
In contrast, excessive dosages (T4-T5) prolonged the thermophilic phase of composting, inhibited the activity of nitrifying bacteria, leading to increased ammonia volatilization (12.61% and 38.72% higher than CK, respectively) and intensified total nitrogen loss.
study clarified the water-retention and nitrogen-fixation mechanism of the water-retaining agent, identified its optimal dosage, and provided a theoretical basis and technical support for the clean composting of livestock manure and efficient nitrogen retention.

The Ruminant Farm Systems (RuFaS) model is a platform to support future research and actions for sustainable dairy farming. Reed KF, Tricarico JM, McClintock L, et al. JDS Commun. 2026. 30;6(Suppl 1):S15-S22.

The Ruminant Farm Systems (RuFaS) model is an open-source, modular, whole-farm simulation platform designed to support interdisciplinary research, innovation, and decision making in sustainable dairy production.
This review outlines RuFaS structure, functionality, current applications, and potential for further development.
Through integration of biophysical modules for animal, manure, soil and crop, and feed storage systems, RuFaS enables comprehensive evaluation of management strategies, environmental interventions, and productivity outcomes in a whole-farm context.
The RuFaS model facilitates hypothesis testing, multi-objective analysis, scenario evaluation, and identification of research gaps by simulating interactions and trade-offs across biological, environmental, and management domains.
The model’s current applications include its integration into the Farmers Assuring Responsible Management Environmental Stewardship program for GHG accounting and its use in evaluating innovations in nutrition, breeding, and manure management technologies. Its modular architecture supports rapid prototyping, modeling at different scales, and uncertainty analysis, making it adaptable to diverse research questions and stakeholder needs.
Finally, it highlights the critical role its open-source foundation has for promoting transparency, reproducibility, and collaborative development across disciplines. Its transparent development process, hosted on GitHub under a GPLv3 license, invites contributions from across disciplines and institutions.
Scientists are encouraged to explore RuFaS as a tool for advancing their own research, contributing to model development, and engaging in a shared effort to improve the sustainability of dairy systems.

Dataset on microbial community structure in response to microalgal cultivation in dairy wastewater. Phyu KK, Zhi S, Zhang K, et al. Data Brief. 2026;64:112407.

This data article describes a comprehensive dataset investigating the dynamics between microalgae, bacteria, and pollutant removal in dairy wastewater treatment.
Data was collected from a 12-day laboratory-scale experiment employing three distinct cultivation systems: monoculture, co-culture, and sequential culture of four algal/cyanobacterial strains (Chlorella sorokiniana, Euglena gracilis, Synechocystis, and Desertifilum tharense).
The generated dataset includes high-frequency measurements of water quality parameters (COD, NH₄⁺-N, TN, TP), algal physiological data (biomass production, total chlorophyll, biochemical compositions like proteins, lipids, and polysaccharides), and 16S rRNA gene sequencing data of the associated bacterial communities, which were fractionated into free-living and tightly bound phycosphere populations.
The reuse potential of this data is significant. It provides a detailed profile of microbial community assembly driven by different cultivation strategies and environmental factors, offering a benchmark for future ecological studies in engineered systems.
Researchers in the fields of wastewater biotechnology, microbial ecology, and synthetic ecology can reuse this data to validate microbial interaction models, optimize consortia design for bioremediation, and inform life-cycle assessments of algal-based treatment processes.

Green gains: the development of next-generation dairy feed additives through a multidimensional sustainability lens. Agyemang P, Kwofie EM, Thoma G, et al. J Environ Manage. 2026 Jan 15;398:128557.

While feed additives have been widely studied for their role in reducing the environmental impact of dairy production, few studies have evaluated the baseline sustainability and improvement potential of their commercial manufacturing.
This study employed a multidimensional analytical framework to evaluate baseline sustainability performance and develop improvement strategies for the commercial manufacturing of rumen-protected B vitamins (RPBVs) in Canada.
The study followed the Livestock Environmental Assessment Performance guidelines, ISO 14040/44 for environmental life cycle assessment, and ISO 14075 and ISO 14045 standards for social life cycle and eco-efficiency assessment.
Producing and packaging 1 kg of RPBV could contribute 1375 g of CO₂-eq, 3.21 g of PO₄^3--eq, 7.5 g of SO₂-eq, use a 0.7 m²area of crop-eq, and deplete 225 g of oil-eq in fossil resources. A relative contribution analysis revealed that raw material sourcing was the highest contributor, particularly hydrogenated vegetable oil, which emerged as a principal impact component, accounting for an average of 78.0 % of the raw material environmental footprint.
Possible product design changes using alternative hydrogenated oils from cottonseed, soybean, and insect oils as substitutes could offset CO₂-eq emissions and acidification potential by 1.0-70.2 % and 1.6-70.1 %, respectively. However, in some substitution scenarios (sunflower and cottonseed oils), the eutrophication potential and fossil depletion increased by up to 8.8 % and 58.1 %, respectively, while all scenarios increased agricultural land use.
Comparative analysis of socio-eco-efficiency scenarios also revealed that the probable substitution of hydrogenated vegetable oil with cottonseed and sunflower oils is associated with relatively greater medium-risk worker hours, lower supply-demand ratios, higher environmental footprints, and increased costs of production, making them unfavorable alternatives.
Instead, incorporating hydrogenated soybean oil was the most promising alternative, reducing potential impacts in some priority categories by 32.0-53.0 % and the unit cost of production by 1.0-10.2 % for partial to complete substitution. The simultaneous incorporation of hydrogenated soybean and insect oils in the RPBV could offset 82-180 tons of CO₂-eq annually, supporting the industry partner’s climate goals.
Although product stability has been addressed, further research on the efficacy, quality, and zootechnical performance of redesigned products is needed to ensure the viability of these alternatives for sustainable RPBV production.

Animal Health and Food Safety

Simulating Dairy Herd Structure and Cash Flow: Design and Application of a Web-Based Decision-Support Tool. Cabrera VE. Animals (Basel). 2026 Jan 2;16(1):129.

Dairy herd decisions about replacement, herd size, reproduction, and capital investments have long-lasting consequences for herd structure and farm cash flow. Yet most planning tools emphasize static budgets rather than the dynamic evolution of animal numbers and cash availability.
The Dairy Herd Structure Simulation and Cash Flow tool is a web-based decision-support system, available through the Dairy Management Decision Support Tools website, designed to simulate these dynamics under alternative management strategies.
The model operates in monthly time steps using a Markov-chain framework in which transition probabilities among animal states are driven by user-specified parameters such as culling, reproduction, and heifer management.
Calves, heifers, and cows are tracked by age and lactation group, and starting conditions can be entered as herd-level summaries or via individual-animal spreadsheets. Economic components include milk income, variable costs, cull-cow income, heifer purchases or sales, miscellaneous costs, and loan amortization.
For each scenario, the tool projects monthly cash flow and income over variable cost per cow, together with graphical summaries of herd structure.
An example application compares a baseline steady-state herd with a heifer-driven herd growth scenario, illustrating how replacement strategies influence herd composition and net cash flow, supporting more informed dairy herd planning and risk management.

Cognition of dairy cattle: Implications for animal welfare and dairy science. Proudfoot KL, Ede T, Ryan CL, Neave HW.JDS Commun. 2026;6(Suppl 1):S37-S41.

The study of dairy cattle cognition has gained increasing attention over the past several decades, offering insights into the relationship between cognition and animal welfare.
The objectives of this narrative review are to summarize a selection of studies exploring different cognitive processes in dairy cattle, discuss how these processes relate to common management practices and animal welfare, and identify knowledge gaps to guide future research.
The researchers begin with a brief overview of research into how dairy cattle perceive and sense the world around them, followed by a description of different types of learning and memory studied in dairy cattle, including nonassociative and associative learning, as well as short- and long-term memory.
The researchers then discuss how researchers have explored cognitive processes in dairy cows to understand their social lives, their ability to cope with challenges, and how they feel under different management conditions.
Continued research into dairy cattle cognition is encouraged, including both foundational studies asking questions about the cognitive abilities of dairy cattle, as well as applied questions that can lead to improvements to their housing and management.
The researchers end by offering several avenues of future research into the cognition of dairy cattle, including a better understanding of competence and resilience, factors that influence cognition such as sleep and individual differences, as well as other under-investigated topics, such as problem-solving and metacognition.

Early-Life Galacto-Oligosaccharide Supplementation Induces Persistent Immunoglobulin and Metabolic Alterations in Holstein Dairy Calves by Shaping Gut Microbiota. Huang Q, Chang M, Sun P. Animals (Basel). 2026 Jan 1;16(1):126.

Early-life development of immune functions is crucial for calf health, growth, and future productivity. Galacto-oligosaccharides (GOSs) have been reported to facilitate ruminal microbial establishment and improve growth in Holstein dairy calves, but their prolonged influence on immunoglobulin levels, hindgut microbiota, and metabolic regulation remains insufficiently understood.
This study evaluated the effects of early-life GOS supplementation on immune-related indicators, intestinal microbial ecology, and metabolic profiles in Holstein calves.
Twenty-four newborn Holstein female dairy calves were randomly assigned to a control group (CON, n= 12) or a GOS group (GOS, n = 12; 10 g/day from birth to day 28).
After supplementation ceased on day 28, calves previously receiving GOS were referred to as the GOSS group (n= 6). Immunoglobulin levels, gut microbiota, and fecal and serum metabolomes were evaluated during supplementation and six weeks after withdrawal.
GOS supplementation significantly increased serum IgA and IgG levels during the treatment, with IgG levels remaining elevated for six weeks after discontinued supplementation. Although overall microbial diversity was not markedly altered, GOS selectively enriched bacterial taxa and function pathways linked to amino acid synthesis, unsaturated fatty acid production, and coenzyme-related metabolism.
On day 70, GOSS group displayed distinct fecal and serum metabolomic profiles, with altered metabolites primarily associated with vitamin B6, folate, cobalamin metabolism, branched-chain amino acid biosynthesis, and purine and arginine pathways.
These results demonstrate that early-life GOS supplementation promotes sustained immune and metabolic alterations following supplementation cessation, potentially mediated by modulation of gut microbial functions and that early dietary GOS supplementation may support physiological maturation in calves and could be useful as a nutritional strategy in calf-rearing systems.

Waste milk consumption in Holstein calves: Effect on systemic adaptive immunity. da Silva KN, Moreno AM, Gomes V, et al. Vet Immunol Immunopathol. 2026;292:111051

Waste milk (WM) is unsuitable for human consumption due to the presence of drug residues, particularly antimicrobials and anti-inflammatory agent, as well as its high microbial load and somatic cell counts (SCC). Consequently, WM is commonly used to feed dairy calves.
This study aimed to evaluate the effects of WM on humoral and cellular immunity in Holstein calves. Calves were assigned to three groups: saleable milk (SM, n = 10), pasteurized waste milk (PWM, n = 10), and raw WM (n = 10).
Animals were monitored daily using standardized health scoring systems, and clinical samples were collected on days 7, 21, 35, 49, and 63 of life. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated, cultured, and stimulated with concanavalin A (ConA), Escherichia coli, Lactobacillus johnsonii, L. reuteri, and Bifidobacterium longum to assess proliferation (BrdU incorporation) and cytokine production (ELISA).
Generalized linear models revealed significant group differences. Clinical profiles were similar among groups. PWM and WM calves exhibited higher monocyte, lymphocyte, and total PBMC counts. Proliferation was greater in SM and PWM calves in response to ConA, E. coli, and L. johnsonii.
SM and PWM calves showed higher IL-4 production, whereas WM calves had increased IL-17. IL-10 production was highest in SM. IgG concentrations increased across all groups; however, WM calves exhibited earlier and higher levels, while SM calves maintained the lowest. STP and Brix (%) trends paralleled IgG results.
In conclusion, WM elicited an earlier and more intense pro-inflammatory immune response, PWM showed intermediate effects, and SM promoted greater IL-10 production, potentially modulating inflammation in calves.

The intersection of biology and advanced technologies defines the future of dairy reproductive management. Lucy MC. JDS Commun. 2025 Sep 25;6(Suppl 1):S47-S53.

Advances in reproductive management in dairy cattle have typically been made through the application of new technology. The past 25 yr have been a period of rapid improvement in dairy reproduction through the implementation of new technology that was unknown a short time ago.
The next 25 yr will likely be similar with the refinement of existing technology and development of new technology to address the current challenges to dairy reproduction. Many of these new developments will address the need for greater on-farm automation necessitated by the consolidation of farms (more cows per farm) in the face of shortages in large animal veterinary and agricultural labor. Genomics will continue to play an important role in improving fertility on farm.
There is the possibility that postpartum uterine health could benefit from advanced technologies that are emerging as effective treatments for tissue damage caused by disease. The reprogramming of somatic cells into gametes (in vitro gametogenesis) or embryos (blastoids) may entirely change the methods used to propagate elite genetics from female animals.
Despite important advances in new technology, there are also important questions and researchable topics that need to be addressed so that the field of dairy reproduction can advance. These include automating or simplifying the current method of artificial insemination, addressing the short lifespan of sperm in the reproductive tract, and solving fertilization failure and embryonic loss following insemination.
Embryo technologies await new discoveries to improve embryo yield from donor animals, increase the development of embryos in culture, reduce the damage caused by freezing embryos, and effectively evaluate embryo quality before transfer.
The collective result of new knowledge and new technology will drive further improvements in genetics, fertility, and the efficiency of reproduction in high-producing dairy cattle.

Nutrition and Health

RFK Jr unveils new US food pyramid recommending protein and full fat dairy, and removing alcohol limits. Tanne JH. BMJ. 2026 Jan 9;392:s57.

US health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr and agriculture secretary Brooke Rollins have published new dietary guidelines recommending higher protein intake and endorsing full fat dairy products with no added sugar, while urging Americans to reduce consumption of highly processed foods.
The new guidelines emphasize higher protein intake—including animal sources such as red meat and full fat dairy—while keeping longstanding recommendations that saturated fat intake should be less than 10% of daily calories and people should eat more plant derived foods.
Link to 2025-20230 Dietary Guidelines for Americans

Dairy foods support healthy dietary patterns and nutrition security in the United States: a nutrient adequacy and affordability perspective. Unger AL, Comerford KB, Brown K, Lamin-Bangura K; Slimko M, Cifelli CJ. Front. Sustain. Food Syst. Vol 9.

The United States is currently challenged by high rates of diet-related disease and nutrition insecurity especially among vulnerable populations, such as children and adolescents, older adults and those who are pregnant or lactating.
This paper aims to explore the important role of dairy foods in supporting nutrient adequacy and nutrition security for all U.S. populations.
The scientific evidence indicates that daily consumption of dairy foods is a foundational component of healthy eating patterns in the U.S. due to dairy foods’ complex nutrient package and cost-effective contributions of multiple shortfall nutrients (i.e., calcium, vitamin D, potassium).
Dairy foods also provide an array of bioactive compounds and beneficial microorganisms that can support human health and well-being. Therefore, it is a major public health concern that most populations in the U.S. fall short of dairy food recommendations, putting them at increased risk for nutrient inadequacies and diet-related diseases.
Continued research efforts, public health initiatives and communication strategies focused on the benefits of affordable nutrient-dense foods, such as dairy foods like milk, yogurt and cheese, can help support healthy dietary patterns and nutrition security for U.S. populations of all backgrounds and life stages.

The effect of three daily servings of full-fat dairy for 12 weeks on body weight, body composition, energy metabolism, blood lipids, and dietary intake of adults with overweight and obesity. Anderson GH, Chen Zhou CZ, Luhovyy B, et al. J Nutr. 2026 Jan 22:101373.

Habitual dairy consumption reduces risk factors for obesity and its associated characteristics of the metabolic syndrome.
The objective of this study was to describe the effect of adding three daily servings of full-fat dairy to the diet of adults with overweight and obesity, counselled to follow Canada’s Food Guide.
A 12-week single-blinded, parallel, randomized study was conducted in 74 participants (age: 36.55 ± 1.04 years; body mass index (BMI): 29.34 ± 0.43 kg/m²) assigned to 1 of 3 groups:
- Low Dairy Energy Restriction (LD-ER): 500kcal restriction with ≤1 serving of low-fat dairy,
- 3 Dairy Energy Neutral (3D-EN): 500kcal restriction replaced by 3 servings of full-fat dairy,
- 3 Dairy Ad libitum (3D-AL): no energy restriction with 3 servings of full-fat dairy.
Changes in physiological outcomes and dietary intakes were measured over 12 weeks.
The results showed that body weight and BMI were reduced by treatment (p<0.05) in LD-ER over the 12 weeks (p>0.05). In 3D-AL, a decrease (0.25 ± 0.34 cm) in hip circumference (p<0.05) and in systolic blood pressure (2.72 ± 2.18; p<0.05; SBP) was found at week 12. SBP also decreased in LD-ER (p<0.05).
Triglycerides increased in all groups at week 4 (p<0.05) but returned to baseline by week 12. Neither treatment nor time affected waist circumference, fat and fat-free mass, resting metabolic rate, fasting blood cholesterol, and urine creatinine and urea (p>0.05). Protein and calcium (p<0.04) intakes were increased with time in 3D-EN and 3D-AL but not in LD-ER.
In conclusion, frequent and daily consumption of full-fat dairy as part of a healthy diet is consistent with Canada’s Food Guide.

Dairy intake and risk of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome: A narrative review. Vimaleswaran KS, Mohan V.Nutrition. 2026;144:113064.

Dairy products are important components of human health. While some studies claim that dairy increases the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and metabolic syndrome (MetS), several large studies have shown the beneficial impact of dairy consumption. Given the increasing prevalence of T2D and MetS, it is important to understand the benefits and/or risks of milk and dairy products in the diet.
The objective of this review is to highlight the effect of dairy intake on T2D and MetS using recent evidence (published within the last decade) from large epidemiological studies, meta-analyses, randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and Mendelian randomization (MR) and multi-omics studies, and to provide plausible underlying biological mechanisms linking dairy consumption with the risk of T2D and MetS.
Based on all available evidence from large-scale epidemiological studies, MR analyses, and RCTs, the beneficial impact of dairy products as part of a healthy diet plan appears to be an additional way of mitigating the risk of T2D and MetS.
The evidence for a protective effect appears to be undisputed for fermented dairy products like yogurt. For milk, most studies were either protective or neutral, with very few showing a deleterious effect, and with respect to cheese and butter, there were studies showing a deleterious effect, but the grade of evidence was weak.
Further mechanistic studies combined with large prospective studies and RCTs in ethnically diverse populations, taking into account sufficient dose and duration, are warranted to get a more complete understanding of dairy consumption and T2D risk.

The Effects of Probiotic Yogurt and Resistance Training on Body Composition and Metabolic Parameters in Post-bariatric Surgery Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Rajabi S, Askarpour M, Babajafari S, et al. J Obes Metab Syndr. 2026 Jan 7.

Bariatric surgery (BS) is an effective intervention for morbid obesity; however, it is often accompanied by undesirable muscle mass loss, which can negatively affect metabolic function and physical performance. Probiotics and resistance training have been studied discretely to address this complication.
The present randomized controlled trial investigated the independent and combined effects of probiotic-enriched yogurt and resistance training on muscle preservation and related health outcomes in post-BS patients.
In this parallel, randomized controlled trial, 52 participants who had recently undergone BS and met the eligibility criteria were randomly assigned to one of four groups (n = 13):
- Group A (probiotic-enriched yogurt plus resistance training [FY+RT])
- Group B (probiotic-enriched yogurt [FY])
- Group C (resistance training [RT])
- Group D (control)
Anthropometric indices, body composition, functional performance, inflammatory and oxidative stress markers, lipid profile, and liver enzymes were measured at baseline and after a 12-week intervention.
All participants completed the intervention. The FY+RT group showed the greatest preservation of muscle mass, with the smallest reductions in fat-free mass percentage (-2.32%, P=0.001) and skeletal muscle mass (-1.34 kg, P<0.001). This group also exhibited significant improvements in muscle strength, as measured by hand grip strength (P=0.038) and 30-second chair stand test repetitions (P<0.001).
In conclusion,the combination of probiotic-enriched yogurt and resistance training was the most effective strategy for preserving muscle mass and improving strength following BS. Further research is warranted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and validate these findings.

Association of cheese and yogurt intake with sleep duration in preschool-aged children: a 6-month prospective cohort study. Lin C, Yang Z, Pan D, et al. Front Nutr. 2026 Jan 5;12:1685564.

Adequate sleep in preschool-aged children is a critical determinant of neurodevelopment, metabolic health, and long-term wellbeing. Evidence consistently associates insufficient sleep in this age group with a range of adverse outcomes, for example, disrupting the physiological sleep rhythm can have long-term negative effects on motor, cognitive, language, and emotional development.
Probiotic-containing and other fermented foods are increasingly studied for potential health benefits, particularly through modulation of the gut microbiota.
The objective of this study was to evaluate whether baseline cheese and yogurt intake is associated with sleep duration at baseline, 3- and 6-month follow-ups among preschool-aged children.
Researchers conducted a prospective cohort study in Zhongshan City, Guangdong Province, China. Parents completed baseline questionnaires on cheese and yogurt intake frequency, sleep duration and potential confounders, with sleep time followed up at 3 and 6 months. Sleep duration of < 10 h per day was defined as insufficient.
A total of 221 preschool-aged children were included in the analysis. No significant association was found between yogurt consumption and sleep duration at any time point. For cheese intake, a significant trend was identified at 6 months (p= 0.007), and cheese intake ≥ 7 servings/week showed a reduced prevalence of insufficient sleep (adjusted OR = 0.001).
These findings suggest that frequent cheese intake may reduce the risk of insufficient sleep in preschool-aged children, whereas yogurt shows no comparable association.
These differential results underscore the need for product-specific analyses. Despite limitations in sample size and measurement, the study adds to evidence linking diet, microbiota, and sleep. Further research should clarify underlying mechanisms and guide actionable, child-appropriate dietary recommendations.

Innovation, Social Science, and Dairy Alternatives

The future of milk in 2050: Dairy in the age of personalization. Pollet E. JDS Commun. 2026. 18;6(Suppl 1):S3-S8.

Cow milk is often considered one of the most versatile foods on the planet, with an ability to transform into multiple formats, containing thousands of bioactive compounds that serve a plethora of different purposes in the body, some of which are known, and many of which are still to be discovered.
In the past 25 years, dairy has continued to be recognized as a highly nutrient-dense commodity. Advancements in the next 25 years will push culture and consumers toward enhanced demands for precision, personalization, and transparency from the products they purchase to the services they use, especially regarding food, health, and wellness.
This will begin the shift for dairy and milk from a nutrient-dense commodity to an even higher value food. Dairy foods will need to align with new concepts in the future of retail and commerce that allow consumers to gain tailored solutions based on a set of criteria and personal preferences they set, with and through their personal technology.
Dairy science will play a critical role in enabling this shift-encompassing fields from nutrition science and product development to genetics, marketing, and commercialization-by leveraging the versatility of cow milk and demonstrating dairy food’s health and wellness benefits from the molecular level to the whole dairy matrix.

The future of big data and artificial intelligence on dairy farms: A proposed dairy data ecosystem. Hostens M, Franceschini S, Sharma S, et al. JDS Commun. 2026;6(Suppl 1):S9-S14.

The dairy sector should overcome challenges in productivity, sustainability, and data management by adopting intelligent, scalable, and privacy-preserving technological solutions. Adopting data and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies is essential to ensure efficient operations and informed decision making and to keep a competitive market advantage.
This paper proposes an integrated, multimodal AI framework to support data-intensive dairy farm operations by leveraging big data principles and advancing them through AI technologies.
The proposed architecture incorporates edge computing, autonomous AI agents, and federated learning to enable real-time, privacy-preserving analytics at the farm level and promote knowledge sharing and refinement through research farms and cloud collaboration.
Farms collect heterogeneous data, which can be transformed into embeddings for both local inference and cloud analysis. These embeddings form the input of AI agents that support health monitoring, risk prediction, operational optimization, and decision making. Privacy is preserved by sharing only model weights or anonymized data externally.
The edge layer handles time-sensitive tasks and communicates with a centralized enterprise cloud hosting global models and distributing updates. A research and development cloud linked to research farms ensures model testing and validation. The entire system is orchestrated by autonomous AI agents that manage data, choose models, and interact with stakeholders, and human oversight ensures safe decisions, as illustrated in the practical use case of mastitis management.
This architecture could support data integrity, scalability, and real-time personalization, along with opening up space for partnerships between farms, research institutions, and regulatory bodies to promote secure, cross-sector innovation.

Valorization of dairy by-products for milk-based infant formulas: A nutritional perspective review. Ağagündüz D, Şahin TÖ, Çelik E, Ozogul F, Karaca OB. Food Res Int. 2026;225:118094.

The valorization of dairy by-products presents a sustainable approach to enhancing the nutritional quality of infant formulas while addressing environmental concerns.
This review explores the potential of milk-derived components, including whey proteins, casein, lactose, galactooligosaccharides (GOS), and milk fat globule membrane (MFGM), in infant nutrition.
These by-products, often sourced from dairy waste, exhibit functional and bioactive properties that mimic human breast milk, supporting infant growth, immune function, and gut health. MFGM, rich in phospholipids and bioactive peptides, promotes neurological development and reduces infection risks, while lactose and GOS foster beneficial gut microbiota.
Besides, the review highlights biotechnological and physicochemical methods for valorizing dairy waste, such as enzymatic hydrolysis and membrane filtration, to recover high-value ingredients.
Whey proteins, hydrolyzed for easier digestion, and casein derivatives, like A2 β-casein, offer hypoallergenic and growth-supporting benefits. GOS, synthesized from lactose, serves as a prebiotic, though its efficacy differs from human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs). Probiotics, derived from dairy or breast milk, further enhance gut microbiota and immune responses in formula-fed infants.
Despite advancements, challenges remain in replicating breast milk’s complexity, particularly in MFGM structure and HMO diversity. Regulatory standards and safety evaluations are critical for commercial application. Future research should focus on optimizing these components to bridge nutritional gaps and ensure safety, offering a promising pathway for sustainable and health-focused infant nutrition.

Major drivers of consumer choice of dairy milk and plant-based milk alternatives in coffee. Phan UTX, Hoang L, Weber K, Prakash A.J Dairy Sci. 2026 Jan;109(1):183-198.

Coffee shops in the United States typically offer several options of dairy milk and plant-based milk alternatives (PBMA) for espresso-based beverages. Although previous studies have explored consumer preferences for dairy or PBMA in general, none have examined what drives their milk or PBMA choices specifically in the context of coffee shops.
This study aimed to identify key decision drivers for the choice of milks in coffee, assess the role of lactose-free preferences, and explore whether offering lactose-free cow milk would increase coffee shop visits.
Following a preliminary study using in-depth interviews, an online survey was used to collect data from 300 regular coffee drinkers in California, ages 18 and older, consisting of 50% males and 50% females. The survey participants were self-identified as primary dairy milk drinkers, primary PBMA drinkers, or flexitarians, depending on their milk and PBMA consumption habits.
The highest-impact drivers for choice of milk for all 3 groups were taste and texture, along with health and nutrition. Dairy milk drinkers’ and flexitarians’ choices of dairy milk and PBMA were also affected by how familiar the dairy milks and PBMA were to them.
Flexitarians and primary PBMA drinkers were more familiar with lactose-free milk than primary dairy milk drinkers. A significant portion of PBMA drinkers (32%) and flexitarians (36%) would be more likely to visit a coffee shop if lactose-free milk was available.
The results reveal opportunities for the dairy industry to boost dairy consumption in coffee by promoting lactose-free dairy milk’s digestibility and comparable nutrition profile to traditional dairy milk.

Neuroscience meets food choice: Implicit and explicit consumer responses to plant-based vs animal-based foods. Inguscio BMS, Carcaterra G, Cartocci G, et al. Curr Res Food Sci. 2026.

Understanding consumer acceptance of plant-based (PB) alternatives is essential for fostering sustainable dietary transitions.
This study combined electroencephalography (EEG) and self-reported measures to examine implicit and explicit responses to PB alternatives versus animal-based (AB) traditional foods – belonging to meat, fish, and dairy food types-across visual, olfactory, and gustatory experimental phases.
Thirty-six participants evaluated matched PB and AB foods while EEG indices of approach-withdrawal (AW) and mental workload (WL) were recorded.
Results showed AB products globally received higher ratings for taste, familiarity, and purchase intention, whereas PBs were rated as more sustainable.
From a neurophysiological point of view, tasting PB foods induced higher WL, which negatively correlated with liking and purchase intention, suggesting that greater cognitive effort reduced explicit acceptance.
Conversely, AW positively correlated with tastiness, and purchase intention for PB alternatives and was also higher for AB products during the visual-olfactory presentation phase, reflecting greater familiarity.
Psychographic traits modulated responses: a lifestyle of health and sustainability (LOHAS scores) was associated with more favorable PB ratings, although without corresponding EEG indices, while food neophobia was linked to increased WL and reduced AW across both PB and AB products, indicating lower cognitive engagement despite unchanged self-reports.
By combining neuroscience and behavioral measures, this multi-method approach offers novel insights into consumers’ perceptions of plant-based foods. Findings emphasize the dual roles of cognitive effort and approach motivation in food evaluations and highlight practical implications for developing and marketing plant-based products aligned with consumer expectations.