Dairy Research Bulletin: Selected Articles from September 2025

Environmental Management and Sustainability

Review: Effect of breeding strategies, feeding and manure management, to mitigate methane emissions in dairy cattle farming: an overview and the road ahead. Zanon T, Baes C, Miglior F, Gierus M, Gauly M. Animal. 2025 Sep;19(9):101617.

Ruminant production systems, in particular those involving cattle, play a substantial role in greenhouse gas emissions, particularly because of the amount of methane (CH₄) that they eruct.
Herein, researchers describe and incorporate the most relevant interdisciplinary approaches to mitigating CH₄emissions in dairy cattle farming. We examine genetic selection for reduced daily CH₄ production, including key methods (direct measurement and mid-infrared spectroscopy predictions) now being integrated into breeding goals in some countries (e.g., Canada).
The researchers also evaluate feeding interventions, such as forage digestibility improvements and the use of additives (tannins, algae, and specialized compounds like 3-nitrooxypropanol), which may reduce CH₄production in the rumen. Finally, we discuss manure management strategies (anaerobic digestion, reduced storage time, lower temperature) that can mitigate CH₄
By combining these approaches, producers can potentially reduce CH₄emissions per unit of milk while maintaining productivity. However, important challenges persist – such as scaling up breeding practices without simply shifting emissions to beef systems, and verifying long-term impacts of dietary additives.
The researchers conclude that integrated breeding, feeding, and manure management strategies, supported by robust research and policy incentives, are essential for curbing dairy CH₄emissions while ensuring sustainable milk production worldwide.

Effects of management and technology scenarios on the carbon footprint of milk from pasture-based dairy farm systems. Mazzetto AM, Falconer S, Ledgard SF, et al. J Dairy Sci. 2025 Sep 11:S0022-0302(25)00732-5.

Consumers are increasingly concerned with their environmental impacts, especially GHG emissions from food production.
The main goal of this study was to scope the current and future mitigation practices that can be implemented for pasture-based dairy production, how their effect on emissions could differ by region and farm system and affect long- and short-lived gases differently.
To do this, researchers estimated the total GHG emissions and carbon footprint of milk from New Zealand-average (total of 352 farms) and regional (Canterbury and Waikato) dairy farm systems that rely on grazed pastures for the year 2020 and a projection for 2040 using a cradle to farm-gate life cycle assessment approach. The researchers also simulated a series of mitigation scenarios considering the potential effects of farm management changes and technologies available currently and in the future.
For mitigations currently available, the most significant reductions (compared with the baseline 2020 data) occurred by changing the type of brought-in feeds, decreasing stocking rate, and changing manure management.
Replacing brought-in feeds that have a high footprint (e.g., imported palm kernel expeller) with maize silage produced locally resulted in a reduction from 5.0% to 19.2% of the footprint (per kg fat and protein-corrected milk).
Complete removal of N fertilizer had little effect on the carbon footprint of milk (-0.1% and -0.4%) but was associated with lower production of milk and lower per-hectare GHG emissions (by 9%-11%).
The future mitigation that showed the largest potential reduction was the use of methane (CH₄) inhibitors for enteric CH₄(3-nitrooxypropanol [3NOP] scenario), which is a major source of GHG emissions for dairy grazing systems. This mitigation showed a large potential short-term and sustained decrease in CH₄ but would lead to continued CO₂ emissions from 3NOP production and use.
Another important possible trade-off is that some mitigations resulted in lower total GHG emissions per farm but lower milk production per hectare. Under such circumstances, it is important to carefully consider unintended emissions that may arise as a result of management decisions to compensate for lower milk production per farm, such as land use change to increase the dairy area.

Transitioning toward sustainable dairy systems in Europe: A systematic literature review. Alrhmoun M, Gauly M, Zanon T. J Dairy Sci. 2025 Sep 3:S0022-0302(25)00723-4.

The European Union makes a significant contribution to the global dairy industry, producing an estimated 160.8 million tons of milk in 2023, which accounts for more than 20% of the world’s total milk production. However, the sector faces increasing pressure to align with sustainability goals amid economic constraints, environmental degradation, climate change, and evolving societal expectations.
This systematic literature review examines the transition toward sustainable dairy systems across Europe by synthesizing peer-reviewed studies published over the past decade. It analyzes the range of agroecological practices being implemented, such as rotational grazing, breed selection, and reduced-input systems, alongside the roles played by policy frameworks, socio-economic drivers, and technological innovations.
The review identifies key barriers to progress, including fragmented policy support, data limitations, and insufficient incentives for farmers. At the same time, it highlights opportunities for a just and effective transition, emphasizing the importance of multiactor collaboration and the urgent need for standardized evaluation frameworks across diverse agroecosystems.
This study provides a conceptual and practical foundation to guide future research, policymaking, and on-the-ground initiatives aimed at fostering resilient and sustainable dairy systems in Europe.

Addressing wastewater challenges in the dairy industry: a focused case study. Cvetković BR, Memišin N, Ilić N, et al. J Dairy Res. 2025 Sep 4:1-11.

This Research Paper addresses the hypothesis that wastewater characteristics in the dairy industry vary with product type and operational procedures, and that current treatment methods face limitations in managing such variability.
The study examined raw and clean-in-place (CIP) wastewater from a Serbian dairy plant over three years. Physico-chemical and microbiological analyses included pH, protein, fat, carbohydrates, total solids, total microorganisms, coli, Enterobacteriaceae, chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and dissolved oxygen (O₂).
Dairy plants produced 0.2-10 L wastewater per litre of milk. Protein content ranged 0.07-0.31 g/100 ml, fat 0.01-0.19 g/100 ml, and carbohydrates up to 1.37%. Total solids were 0.13-2.95%. pH varied from 4.41 to 12.76, affected by lactic fermentation and cleaning agents. COD values (529-12,476 mg/l) indicated strong organic loads.
Microbiological counts were highly variable, with coliup to 10³ cfu/ml and total microorganisms up to 1 × 10⁸ cfu/ml. Nitrogen ranged 36-104 mg/l and phosphorus reached 10.91 mg/l, sometimes exceeding limits. Principal component analysis (PCA) explained 61.86% of variance, driven by N, pH, P, E. coli, Enterobacteriaceae, and oxygen content.
Seasonal patterns were identified: higher TSS during spring and summer, and increased microbial loads, COD, and oxygen fluctuations in autumn and winter.
The findings demonstrate that dairy wastewater is complex and variable, requiring adaptive treatment strategies. Optimised management, including pH control, nutrient removal, and combined biological and advanced technologies, can improve treatment efficiency, support reuse, and mitigate environmental impact.

Biomass growth, nutrient removal, and microbial community dynamics in mono-, Co-, and sequential culture of screened cyanobacteria with microalgae for dairy wastewater treatment. Phyu KK, Zhi S, Zhang K, et al. Bioresour Technol. 2025 Sep 12;439:133329.

The dairy industry is a major global contributor to wastewater production, generating nutrient-rich effluent characterized by high levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, and organic matter.
Improperly treated dairy wastewater poses serious environmental risks, including eutrophication, groundwater contamination and greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). Conventional biological treatments methods face incomplete nutrient removal, residual sludge production, and GHG emissions.
To address these challenges, an integrated treatment approach combining the strengths of biological and advanced physical–chemical processes could be developed, with a focus on sustainable and energy-efficient solutions.
Microalgae-based wastewater treatment has emerged as a sustainable alternative, offering three key advantages: efficient water purification, high valuable biochemicals and bioresources production, and significant carbon sequestration.
This study evaluated monoculture, co-culture, and sequential culture strategies for dairy wastewater treatment using two wastewater-borne cyanobacteria and two laboratory-cultured microalgae.
Sequential culture demonstrated superior performance, achieving the highest nutrient removal efficiencies (e.g. 90.5 ± 3.2 % for NH₄^±-N, 86.6 ± 0.3 % for TN, 78.8 ± 1.2 % for COD, 74.8±5.9% for TP). In contrast, co-culture generated the highest concentration of valuable biomolecules (proteins, polysaccharides, and lipids) and extracellular polymeric substance production.
Microbial analysis revealed that the enhanced nutrient removal in sequential culture originated from a defined functional partitioning and a decrease in overall community diversity (by 70 %). The resulting phycosphere community (dominated by Proteobacteria nearly to 80 %) was enriched with genes for nitrogen assimilation and photoautotrophy, directly driving nutrient uptake; while the free-living community (Proteobacteria only of 20 %) specialized in methanogenesis and organic degradation.
These findings demonstrate that sequential culture enhances treatment by intentionally steering microbial community structure and function, offering a promising strategy for simultaneous bioremediation and resource recovery.

Seaweed as a climate fix for meat and dairy production: an LCA perspective. Thomas JE, Xu VW, Gröndahl F, et al. Sci Rep. 2025 Sep 18;15(1):32597.

Livestock supply chains contribute a substantial share of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with enteric methane (CH₄) from ruminants being a key driver. Seaweed-derived feed additives have been proposed as a CH₄ mitigation strategy, but their broader environmental trade-offs remain unclear.
This study applies life cycle assessment (LCA) to evaluate seven seaweed-supplemented scenarios across beef, dairy, and sheep production, assessing climate change, marine and freshwater eutrophication, land use, fossil fuel depletion, and water use.
Results indicate that while certain seaweed additives can lower CH₄ emissions in vitro, real-world reductions in total GHG emissions remain modest. Energy-intensive processing and long transport distances can offset CH₄ abatement gains, with only scenarios utilizing low-impact by-products achieving net climate benefits.
Sensitivity analyses highlight the importance of Global Warming Potential (GWP) time horizon selection, energy sources, and grazing practices in determining overall environmental performance. Optimizing algae sourcing, processing, and application will be essential to realizing meaningful and scalable mitigation potential in ruminant systems.
While seaweed additives can contribute to CH₄ reduction, this study concludes they will not single-handedly deliver transformative climate benefits.

Unveiling of active bacteria associated with nutrient cycling during cattle manure composting. Ai C, He Y, Zhou S, et al.Environ Res. 2025 Sep 10;286(Pt 1):122810.

Bacteria play a pivotal role in nutrient turnover during the composting process. However, studies relying on total DNA analysis for bacterial community may be confounded by the presence of extracellular DNA from dead cells.
In this study, ethidium monoazide (EMA) was employed to extract intracellular DNA from composting samples for amplicon and metagenomic sequencing, enabling the assessment of active bacterial community dynamics during cattle manure composting.
The results revealed that total DNA-based 16S rRNA sequencing could only represent 36.9 %-81.6 % of the active bacterial communities. In contrast, EMA-based 16S rRNA sequencing identified Proteobacteria as the dominant active bacterial phylum throughout the composting process, with Actinobacteria exhibiting increased activity during the maturation phase.
EMA-based metagenomic sequencing further showed that carbon and nitrogen metabolism genes showed the highest activity during the initial phase. Proteobacteria were identified as key functional bacteria in nutrient turnover, with its contribution reaching 55.4 % and participating in 82.1 % (23/28) of metabolic pathways.
Meanwhile, Firmicutes (bin-23, g_Capillibacterium, bin-66, c_Bacilli) were the sole active nitrogen-fixing bacteria, harboring nitrogenase genes (nifH and nifD).
This study offers novel understandings regarding the contribution of active bacteria in nutrient turnover and highlights the importance of distinguishing between active and total bacterial communities for a better understanding of microbial processes in composting systems.

The use of rumen-protected amino acids and fibrous by-products can increase the sustainability of milk production. Cavallini D, Lamanna M, Formigoni A, et al. Front Vet Sci. 2025 Sep 8;12:1588425.

Optimizing the balance between dietary proteins and energy in dairy cow feeding is key to improving milk production efficiency and sustainability, with current strategies focusing on the inclusion of fibrous by-products as alternatives to cereals and the reduction of protein content through the use of rumen-protected amino acids (AA), thereby reducing competition with human food resources.
This study involved 8 multiparous Holstein cows assigned to one of four isoenergetic diets: High Protein and High Cereals (HP-HC, 15% CP; 27% starch), High Protein and High Fibrous By-products (HP-HF, 15% CP; 20% starch), Rumen-Protected Amino Acids and High Cereals (AA-HC, 12% CP; 26% starch), and Rumen-Protected Amino Acids and High Fibrous By-products (AA-HF, 12% CP; 20% starch).
The trial used a Latin square design, with data collected on intakes, milk production, rumen fermentation, nitrogen (N) utilization, diet digestibility and feces residual nutrients analysis.
The results showed that the ration based on fibrous by-products did not affect DMI and rumination time. Cows fed with lower protein sources and AA had significant lower ruminal ammonia levels (-1.61 mg/dL), improved N utilization efficiency (+5.61%) and reduced water intake (-21 L/day).
These findings suggest that formulating rations substituting cereals with fibrous by products and reducing the N intake using rumen protected AA improve N efficiency and reduce the water consumption enhancing the environmental sustainability of milk production.
Milk production and fiber digestibility were greatest in HP-HC diet indicating that some refinements of this ration strategy are needed to maintain animal performances.

Animal Health and Food Safety

Nutritional Challenges Related to Animal Welfare in Feedlot and Dairy Cattle. McAllister T, Engle T. Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract. 2025 Sep 3:S0749-0720(25)00039-8.

The current article describes select nutritional metabolic disorders that can impact the health and well-being of beef and dairy cattle. These include: Subclinical or clinical acidosis that can lead to rumen, hind gut, or systemic acidosis.
Acidosis can disrupt epithelial barrier function in the rumen and hindgut, enabling bacteria to enter the portal vein and form liver abscesses. If rumen acidosis is severe, rumen contractions can be inhibited, or objects may block the esophagus, leading to free-gas bloat.
Frothy bloat can occur in cattle fed high grain or legume diets, where froth in the cardia region prevents eructation and the rumen expands to the point that the lungs cannot inflate.
Reduced blood Ca levels as a result of milk fever can also impair rumen contractions and is often mistakenly identified as bloat. Reductions in intake as a result of acidosis can lead to an energetic deficit in dairy cows, with heightened metabolism of fatty acids leading to ketosis.
Water quality can also impact animal health and welfare, where elevated levels of sulfate in the water can induce polioencephalomalacia as a result of the production of H2S or thiaminases leading to thiamine deficiency.
These conditions can occur currently or precipitate a number of other metabolic disorders including lameness, dystocia, uterine prolapse, retained placentas, metritis, abomasal displacement, and mastitis.
Ensuring that the nutrient requirements of the host are satisfied and that diets are fed appropriately in an optimally processed form, with high quality water being readily available, are key to avoiding most of the nutritionally linked health and welfare issues in feedlot and dairy cattle.

Grass forages grown under identical conditions and conserved as silage or barn-dried hay: Effects on feed intake, performance, apparent total-tract digestibility, and fecal microbiota in dairy cows. Bauer K, Hartinger T, Knaus W. J Dairy Sci. 2025 Sep 18:S0022-0302(25)00754-4.

While high-forage diets benefit net human food production, cows’ responses to differently conserved grass forages (ensiling vs. barn-drying) may affect feed intake and performance and eventually the efficiency of forage utilization.
In the present study, forages were obtained from the same fields, harvested at the same time after equal wilting conditions, and either ensiled in a bunker silo or artificially dried in the barn.
At the onset of the feeding trial, 18 lactating Holstein cows were divided into 2 feeding groups based on daily milk yield, BW, parity, and DIM. Cows received either grass silage (38% DM) or hay ad libitum for 35 days in addition to a fixed allocation of 3.64 kg DM dairy concentrate per cow and day. Data were collected for 21 days, after a 14-day adaptation period.
Chemical analysis showed similar composition of NDF assayed with a heat-stable amylase and expressed exclusive of residual ash (521 and 524 g/kg DM), but differences in CP (136 and 117 g/kg DM) and water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC; 23 and 177 g/kg DM) between grass silage and hay, respectively.
Results showed that cows fed hay had a significantly higher DMI (+2.4 kg/d) when compared with the group receiving grass silage, presumably due to microbial metabolites from ensiling, as well as lower content of WSC and NFC.
Butyric acid, as well as the silage’s low lactic acid content and uncommon lactic to acetic acid ratio, may have affected palatability and limited feed intake. Consequently, dairy performance was significantly higher, that is, 28.1 kg ECM/day versus 25.2 kg ECM/day in hay-fed cows versus silage-fed cows, respectively.
Milk fat concentration tended to be higher in the hay group than in the silage-fed cows, with 4.37% and 4.06%, respectively. Body condition and apparent total-tract digestibility of nutrients remained unaffected by the treatment. Likewise, fermentation profile and bacterial community in feces were similar between groups.
In conclusion, conserving grass forages as hay rather than silage maintains the level of WSC and can significantly increase feed intake and the resulting nutrient and energy supply to cows when concentrates are fed restrictively. In practice, this can help reduce concentrate feed usage per kilogram of milk, increasing net food production.

Yeast culture improves growth, antioxidant status, immunity, and gut microbiota homeostasis in preweaning Holstein calves. Li X, Yang X, Liu D, et al. Front Vet Sci. 2025 Sep 8;12:1670912.

Calves in the lactation period exhibit limited disease resistance and stress tolerance, making them particularly vulnerable to health challenges such as diarrhea. Yeast culture (YC) supplementation has emerged as a promising strategy to enhance health and growth in young ruminants.
This study aimed to investigate the effects of YC supplementation on growth performance, antioxidant capacity, immune function, and intestinal microbiota composition in lactating Holstein calves.
A total of 40 lactating Holstein calves were randomly assigned to either a control group or a YC-supplemented group, with the feeding trial lasting 60 days. Growth performance parameters were recorded, serum antioxidant and immune markers were evaluated, and gut microbial diversity and composition were analyzed using metagenomic sequencing. Furthermore, correlations between microbial taxa and serum markers were assessed.
The results showed that YC supplementation significantly increased average daily gain (ADG) and feed intake, and reduced the incidence of diarrhea (p< 0.05). Serum levels of total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) were significantly elevated, while malondialdehyde (MDA) content was significantly decreased, indicating improved antioxidant status.
Immunoglobulin and cytokine levels were also significantly higher in the YC group.
YC supplementation notably increased the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria such as Phocaeicola plebeius, Ruminococcus, Segatella copri, and Candidatus Scatovivens faecipullorum, while reducing potentially pathogenic bacteria like Candidatus Cryptobacteroidessp. and Dorea sp.
Several immune markers exhibited positive correlations with beneficial bacteria and negative correlations with harmful bacteria. Functional pathway analysis suggests that YC may enhance immune responses and antioxidant capacity through activation of the T cell receptor and B cell receptor signaling pathways.
In conclusion, YC supplementation improved growth performance, enhanced antioxidant and immune functions, and favorably modulated gut microbiota in lactating Holstein calves. These changes collectively contributed to reduced diarrhea incidence and improved overall health, highlighting yeast culture as a valuable nutritional strategy for calf health management.

Dairy Environments with Milk Exposure are Most Likely to Have Detection of Influenza A Virus.

Stenkamp-Strahm C, McCluskey B, Melody B, Christensen B, Urie N, Amey N, Lomkin R, Campbell AJ, Lakdawala SS, Lombard J. medRxiv. 2025 Sep 7:2025.09.03.25335023.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus of the H5N1 subtype has been infecting U.S dairy cattle and spreading among dairy farms since March 2024. H5N1 surveillance systems for dairy farms are needed, but information on whether environmental sampling can inform these systems is lacking.
To guide a surveillance framework, researchers determined the environmental locations on H5N1-affected dairies (n = 25) in four states (California, Colorado, Michigan, and Ohio) that harbored influenza A virus (IAV), and explored sample characteristics that may influence viral detection.
A total of 623 samples from environments and sale barns were characterized for IAV and classified into six categories based on location.
A total of 94 samples (15.1%) had IAV detected, the majority in the following categories: milking equipment/personal protective equipment, parlor surfaces, and wastewater/lagoons/manure.
These results suggest that dairy environments most likely to harbor IAV are those with exposure to milk, although the viral load in environmental samples was typically lower than that of bulk tank milk tested on a subset of farms.
Mixed effect modeling was used to explore the relationship between IAV detection, Ct value, and days into an outbreak that samples were collected or the category where samples were collected. Days into an outbreak that samples were collected was associated with IAV detection while category of collection was associated with the measured Ct value.
These results may guide H5N1 surveillance efforts on dairies, and can be strengthened by studies that collect samples from farm environmental locations prior to, during, and after H5N1 outbreak periods.

Understanding the ambiguity behind Enterococcus as a probiotic ally or a pathogenic adversary. Elnar AG, Kim GB.Crit Rev Microbiol. 2025 Sep 18:1-27.

The genus Enterococcushas been extensively investigated, emphasizing either its potential as a probiotic in fermented foods or its opportunistic pathogenic nature, particularly in hospital settings.
This review focuses on the defining characteristics of enterococci species to better understand their dual nature, with the goal of establishing a universal method to safely and effectively characterize probiotic enterococci.
Despite harboring genes for potentially harmful enzymes and metabolites, enterococci have traditionally been used to improve the flavor profiles of artisanal dairy products. Additionally, certain strains produce antimicrobial compounds, particularly bacteriocins, which help control the microbial composition of food products.
These bacteriocins have been extensively explored as alternatives to antibiotics, driven by the rapid increase in antimicrobial resistance across several bacterial species. However, enterococcal isolates of nosocomial origin are harmful.
Recent studies have clarified the divergent lineages that resulted in the emergence of pathogenic and nosocomial strains, thus improving the selection process for determining whether an isolate can be utilized as a probiotic.
The insights gathered in this review have important implications for developing regulations on and optimizing the use of enterococci.

Nutrition and Health

Dairy Consumption and Risk of Cardiovascular and Bone Health Outcomes in Adults: An Umbrella Review and Updated Meta-Analyses. Sharifan P, Roustaee R, Vatanparast H, et al. Nutrients. 2025;17(17):2723.

The relationship between dairy consumption and cardiovascular or bone health outcomes remains controversial, with inconsistent findings across existing meta-analyses.

In this study, researchers aimed to systematically evaluate and synthesize the evidence from published meta-analyses on dairy consumption and cardiovascular and bone health outcomes in adults, and to conduct updated meta-analyses incorporating recently published prospective cohort studies.
The researchers performed an umbrella review following PRISMA guidelines, searching published and grey literature up to April 2024. Meta-analyses evaluating dairy intake and its impact on cardiovascular and bone health outcomes were included. Updated meta-analyses were conducted for cardiovascular outcomes, while bone health outcomes were synthesized qualitatively.
The researchers included 33 meta-analyses (26 on cardiovascular, 7 on bone health outcomes).
Updated meta-analyses showed that total dairy (RR: 0.96), milk (RR: 0.97), and yogurt (RR: 0.92) were significantly associated with reduced CVD risk. Total dairy and low-fat dairy were inversely linked to hypertension (RRs: 0.89, 0.87), and milk and low-fat dairy were associated with reduced stroke risk.
Credibility was rated as “weak” for most associations, with total dairy and stroke, and total dairy and hypertension showing “suggestive” evidence. For bone health, dairy-especially milk-was linked to higher bone mineral density (BMD).
Evidence on osteoporosis risk was mixed, and while total dairy and milk showed inconsistent associations with fractures, cheese and yogurt showed more consistent protective effects. Limited evidence suggested milk may reduce bone resorption markers.
In conclusions, this review suggests that dairy consumption, particularly milk and yogurt, is modestly associated with reduced cardiovascular risk, while dairy intake appears to benefit BMD and fracture prevention.

A systematic review of health promoting effects of consumption of whey-based fermented products on adults. Sar T, Bogovic, Matijasic B, G, Ergün BG. Front Nutr. 2025 Aug 20;12:1651365.

Fermented whey-based products show significant potential as functional foods, owing to their rich nutritional profile and the generation of bioactive compounds during fermentation.
This systematic narrative review evaluates the health effects of fermented-whey consumption based on evidence from human studies in adults.
A systematic literature search was conducted using electronic databases including, PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Library for studies published between 1970 and 2024. All human clinical studies conducted with adults over 18 years old were included in this study. Inclusion criteria were randomized controlled trials and clinical studies involving adults consuming fermented whey products.
A total of 12 human intervention studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the systematic narrative review.
Consumption of fermented whey products was associated with improvements in muscle mass, glycemic control, lipid profiles (notably triglycerides and LDL cholesterol), immune function (e.g., increased natural killer cell activity), and reductions in oxidative stress and inflammation.
Some studies also reported benefits for gastrointestinal and urinary tract health. The health effects were attributed to increased bioavailability of branched-chain amino acids, bioactive peptides, and microbial metabolites such as exopolysaccharides and short-chain fatty acids. Most interventions were well tolerated, with no serious adverse effects reported.
In conclusion, fermented whey products demonstrate promising health benefits across multiple physiological systems. Fermented whey appears to be a safe and versatile option for enhancing adult nutrition and health.

Resistance Exercise Training and Greek Yogurt Consumption Modulate Markers of Systemic Inflammation in Healthy Young Males-A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial. Fraschetti EC, Abdul-Sater AA, Perry CGR, Josse AR. Nutrients. 2025 Aug 29;17(17):2816

Chronic exercise training reduces markers of systemic inflammation; however, less is known about how to optimize this adaptation using nutrition. Dairy products, especially fermented ones, like Greek yogurt (GY), contain anti-inflammatory constituents.
This secondary analysis aimed to examine the influence of post-exercise GY consumption vs. an isoenergetic carbohydrate pudding (CP; control) on markers of systemic inflammation during an exercise training intervention.
Thirty healthy young males completed 12 weeks of resistance and plyometric exercise training and were randomized to consume GY (n= 15) or CP (n = 15). Rested/fasted blood samples were acquired at baseline, and weeks 1 and 12, and inflammatory biomarkers (tumor necrosis factor-alpha [TNF-α], interleukin [IL]-6, IL-1 receptor antagonist [IL-1ra], IL-1Beta [IL-1β], IL-10, and C-reactive protein [CRP]) were measured
In both groups, CRP (pro) and IL-1ra (anti) increased at week 1 vs. baseline and week 12, while IL-1β (pro) decreased at week 12 vs. baseline (main time effects). The researchers observed significant interactions for IL-6, TNF-α, and the TNF-α/IL-10 ratio, indicating that at week 12, IL-6 (pro) was lower in GY, whereas TNF-α and TNF-α/IL-10 (both pro-inflammatory) were higher in CP vs. week 1 and baseline, respectively.
These results indicate that the intervention benefited circulating inflammatory markers, and GY supplementation may enhance these effects.

The effect of Milk Fat Globule Membrane phospholipid supplementation on cognitive function in older adults with subjective memory complaints-a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trial. Zajac IT, Kakoschke N, White DJ, et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 2025 Sep 10:S0002-9165(25)00521-0.

Milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) phospholipids have been linked to improved cognitive function, especially in infants, but evidence in healthy older adults is limited.
This project investigated MFGM phospholipid supplementation in older adults and focused on clinically meaningful cognitive function and other health-related outcomes.
This study was a multi-center, repeated-measures, parallel groups, randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. A total of N=263 participants aged 55-75 were randomly assigned to receive: 1) powdered milk fortified with Low-dose MFGM (1.7 g phospholipid/day); 2) powdered milk fortified with High-dose MFGM (4.0 g phospholipid/day); or 3) rice starch powder (Control).
Participants consumed the product daily for 16-weeks and attended their local study site at baseline, 8-weeks, and endpoint. At each visit, they completed various cognitive, behavioral, biochemical and physical measures.
For the primary cognitive outcome, Repeatable Battery for Neuropsychological Status (RBANS), there were no significant treatment effects nor for the secondary cognitive outcome, Computerized Mental Performance Assessment System (COMPASS); however, alertness (Bond Lader Visual Analogue Scales) was better maintained during cognitive testing at endpoint in the High-dose group.
TNF-α reduced in the High-dose group, while Gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) and Serotonin increased in both MFGM groups. Cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) also reduced in both MFGM groups. Active B12 increased and Homocysteine tended to decrease in the High-dose group.
In conclusion, while no significant effects were evident for cognition function, subjective alertness during cognitive testing was improved in the High-dose group. Reduced inflammation, cholesterol and LDL impacts for long-term cardiovascular health, linked with cognitive decline in ageing.
MFGM supplementation positively impacted Active B12 (High and Low dose) and Homocysteine (High dose only), which have been associated with brain health. Longer study durations are needed to demonstrate cognitive benefits.

Comparing the Effects of Dairy and Soybean on Bone Health in Women: A Food- and Component-Level Network Meta-Analysis. You L, Wang L, He J, et al. Nutrients. 2025 Aug 30;17(17):2833.

Dairy and soybean are important potential dietary sources of bone health. However, their comparative effectiveness and the role of specific components remain unclear.
In this network meta-analysis (NMA), researchers aimed to compare the effects of various dairy and soy products (food level) and their key bioactive components (component level) on bone health in healthy women.
The researchers systematically searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science (up to 28 February 2025) for randomized controlled trials. A frequentist random-effects NMA was used to compare interventions for lumbar spine (LS) and total body (TB) bone mineral density (BMD) and bone turnover markers [osteocalcin (OC), deoxypyridinoline (DPD)].
Interventions were ranked using the surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA).

Sixty RCTs involving 6284 participants (mean age: 54.2 years) were included.

At the food level, no dairy or soy interventions significantly improved outcomes versus control, although milk + yogurt ranked numerically highest based on SUCRA values.
At the bioactive-component level, the combination of casein + whey protein and soybean protein significantly increased TB BMD. Whey protein alone (SUCRA 74.4% for LS BMD) and casein + whey protein (SUCRA 86.3% for TB BMD and 75.9% for DPD) were among the highest-ranked interventions for bone health.
In conclusion, the combination of milk and yogurt may be relatively promising among dairy products for bone health. Whey protein appears to be a key bioactive component beneficial for women’s bone health.

Impact of sustainable diets on micronutrient intakes and status: outcomes of the MyPlanetDiet randomized controlled trial. Leonard UM, Davies KP, Kiely ME. Am J Clin Nutr. 2025 Sep 8:S0002-9165(25)00525-8

Data from dietary intervention studies to test the ability of sustainable diets to meet micronutrient (MN) requirements is required.
This study’s objective wasto compare MN intakes and status among adults who received dietary counselling to follow a sustainable diet or a standard healthy diet.
The researchers conducted a single-blind, randomized controlled trial among 355 healthy adults aged 18-64 years in three centers over 12-weeks. Participants received personalized dietary counselling; the intervention arm for a sustainable healthy diet and the control arm for a healthy diet.
Greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE), MNs and biomarkers of nutritional status were assessed, and the prevalence of inadequate intakes was defined by the proportion of participants with usual intakes below harmonized Average Requirements. Data were analyzed using two-way mixed ANCOVA (time and treatment) on complete-cases.
The results showed that there were differential changes in intakes in the intervention arm compared to controls for GHGE (-22%), energy (-8%), retinol (-25%), thiamin (-11%), riboflavin (-16%), niacin (-16%), calcium (-16%), zinc (-13%), potassium (-10%), selenium (-15%), and iodine (-26%), vitamins B₆(-12%), B₁₂ (-36%), C (-23%), D (-28%) and K₁ (30%).
These were consistent following energy adjustment for retinol, riboflavin, niacin, calcium, iodine and vitamins B₁₂and K
The prevalence of inadequate intakes of riboflavin, vitamins B₆and B₁₂, calcium and zinc increased considerably, and at endpoint, there was a higher prevalence of inadequate intakes in the intervention arm for riboflavin, vitamins B₆, B₁₂ and C, calcium, zinc and selenium, than controls. Iron, iodine, vitamins A, D, E, C, and K₁ status did not change.
In conclusion, a diet based on sustainable dietary principles lowered dietary GHGE and several MNs, despite provision of daily servings of dairy, three weekly servings of animal protein and two servings of fish. These findings show that MNs should be considered in developing environmentally protective diets.

Innovation, Social Science, and Dairy Alternatives

Toward the future of next-generation dairy foods-A processing perspective and economic analysis. Ozturk G, Nicholson CF, Hartel RW.JDS Commun. 2025;6(5):714-719.

There is a need for sustainable food production and processing that reduces resource use and increases the availability of nutritious, innovative, and sustainable food. A coordinated, multisectoral approach across the food supply chain is essential to address global food and nutrition insecurity.
The dairy industry produces abundant bioactive compound streams that can be examined for their valuable functionalities. Whey protein phospholipid concentrate (WPPC) is a byproduct of whey protein isolate production and a source of many bioactive compounds, including the milk fat globule membrane (MFGM).
MFGM has unique functionalities, such as promoting brain development, modulating the immune system, improving the growth of desirable gut bacteria, and reducing inflammatory and metabolic diseases.
Researchers recently demonstrated that WPPC contained relatively higher levels of MFGM proteins, representing 23% of the total protein and phospholipids accounting for 20% of the total fatty acid pool.
In this symposium review, the researchers use WPPC as a case study to demonstrate dairy streams with the potential to be used as cutting-edge ingredients to develop next-generation dairy foods that are nourishing, innovative, and sustainable.
Additionally, the researchers assessed the economic costs and benefits of higher-valued uses of WPPC (e.g., in human food applications rather than as animal feed), which complements the discussion of the functionality of WPPC in various applications.

Agents are all you need: Pioneering the use of agentic artificial intelligence to embrace large language models into dairy science. Liu E, Yang H, Hostens M, et al. J Dairy Sci. 2025 Sep 11:S0022-0302(25)00727-1.

Large language models (LLM) hold significant promise to transform dairy science by enhancing research interpretation, supporting decision making, and improving knowledge dissemination.
However, without proper systematic design, LLM may generate irrelevant or factually inaccurate responses for domain-specific questions. Moreover, most existing LLM and related tools are not tailored to the needs of the dairy domain, limiting their practical application within the field.
To demonstrate the feasibility and practical value of embracing LLM in dairy science, we developed a 2-component agentic system: (1) a decision-support chatbot grounded in the Journal of Dairy Science (JDS) for science-backed insights and (2) a natural language interface for interacting with academic models and visualizing prediction results.
To address questions beyond the coverage of JDS literature, a web search agent was incorporated into the system to retrieve supplementary information from external online sources. Grading agents, powered by Databricks Research Transformer X (DBRX; a LLM developed by Databricks), were incorporated to evaluate the credibility and relevance of LLM-generated content to mitigate the risk of misinformation or hallucinated responses.
The second component of the system facilitates natural language interaction with MilkBot, a published Bayesian milk yield prediction model. After users submit questions in plain language, the system converts the question into model parameters for MilkBot, executes the model prediction, and uses the predicted output to generate visualizations. This work demonstrates the capability of LLM to serve as intuitive, user-friendly interfaces for dairy-specific models.
This is the first chatbot prototype that integrates large-scale information from scientific literature, web-based resources, and academic models, along with self-evaluation capability, to provide dairy-specific insights to scholars, consultants, and farmers.
However, challenges remain to realize the full value of LLM-assisted decision making, such as the lack of region-specific data to tailor the answers to the local circumstances, the need for more robust measures to protect data security and privacy, and the need to integrate additional functions to enable more comprehensive decision support.

Dairy farmers’ experiences with adopting social housing for milk-fed dairy calves. Kuo C, Weary DM, von Keyserlingk MAG.J Dairy Sci. 2025 Sep 18:S0022-0302(25)00757-X.

Rearing milk-fed dairy calves in pairs or groups (i.e., social housing) can be beneficial for their welfare, but individual housing remains the norm on many farms. Although some research has investigated farmer perceptions of social housing, to our knowledge no research has investigated farmers’ experiences with transitioning from individual to social housing.
In this study, researchers aimed to describe dairy farmers’ experiences of transitioning from individual to social calf housing using the Innovation-Decision Process, a framework that includes the processes leading up to, implementing, and sustaining (or discontinuing) a practice.
The researchers conducted in-person semi-structured interviews with 17 dairy farmers from 15 farms in British Columbia, Canada, that transitioned calf housing during the milk feeding period from an individual to a social setup (n = 12 farms); as well as farms that returned to individual housing after the transition (n = 3 farms). Interviews averaged 86 min in length and were anonymized, transcribed, and thematically coded.
The findings indicate that the initial motivation to adopt social housing was influenced in part by participants’ social environment, but also by calf-based (e.g., growth) and farm-based (e.g., labor saving) reasons. After implementing social housing, participants varied in the challenges (e.g., competition between calves for feed access) and benefits (e.g., improved calf growth) they experienced.
Participants also discussed problem-solving approaches to improve outcomes, such as modifying housing and management practices, sometimes cycling through multiple approaches before settling on one that worked for them.
The results of this research contribute to the understanding of farmer motivators, needs, concerns, and approaches when transitioning to social housing for calves. More generally, the results provide insights into how changes in farm practices occur, helping to inform the adoption of other practices on farms.

Dairy byproducts as sustainable alternatives to FCS in 2D and 3D skeletal muscle cell cultures. Baldeweg TH, Hubel P, Kluger PJ, et al. Bioresour Bioprocess. 2025 Sep 22;12(1):101.

Skeletal muscle tissue engineering is a rapidly developing field with applications in disease modelling, tissue replacement, biorobotics, and cultivated meat. The need for more sustainable and ethical biotechnologies has grown due to concerns about resource scarcity, climate change, and animal welfare.
One major challenge is replacing fetal calf serum (FCS), a widely used but ethically and environmentally highly problematic media supplement. A promising alternative is the utilization of natural byproducts such as whey and colostrum from the dairy industry, which provide essential nutrients and growth factors.
In this study, wheys produced by microfiltration of raw milk and colostrum were investigated as FCS replacements for culturing C2C12 skeletal muscle cells.
Composition analysis confirmed a variety of pro-proliferative compounds in both substances. Cell culture experiments led to the development of an optimized medium formulation based on colostrum whey. Colostrum whey medium (CM) supported cell proliferation and maintained the myogenic differentiation potential for over 30 days.
Additionally, a CM-based freezing solution enabled effective cryopreservation throughout culture. In 3D static suspension culture, CM sustained viable spheroids for over 14 days. Spheroids showed significantly higher proliferation compared to those in serum-containing medium, making CM suitable for 3D modelling and scale-up of biomass production.
These findings highlight CM as a sustainable, cost-effective, and ethical alternative for skeletal muscle tissue engineering, particularly in cultivated meat production.

Comparison and correlation analysis of microbiota composition and short-chain fatty acid profile in Milk across 15 mammalian species. Pan Y, Wu Y, Wang Z, et al. Food Chem X. 2025 Sep 4;30:102995.

Milk contains a rich and diverse microbiota and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), both of which play important roles in offspring development.
This study conducted a systematic cross-species comparative analysis of milk from 15 mammalian species using 16S rRNA sequencing and GC-MS techniques.
The results revealed a conserved core microbiota at the phylum level, primarily composed of Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria, while at the genus level, Pseudomonas, Lactobacillus,and Propionibacterium were predominant. Host physiological traits and ecological environment were identified as key drivers of milk microbial composition.
Significant differences were observed in the SCFA profiles among milk from different species. Human milk exhibited high levels of butyric acid, valeric acid, and caproic acid. The SCFA profiles of Holstein cow milk and Mongolian horse milk were highly similar to those of human milk, particularly in butyric acid content, suggesting their potential as alternative sources to human milk.
A close interaction exists between microbes and SCFAs. Phyla such as Firmicutes and Verrucomicrobia can produce SCFAs through lactose fermentation. Genera including Actinomyces, Akkermansia,and Bifidobacterium showed positive correlations with various SCFAs, contributing to nutrient absorption and probiotic functions. In contrast, potentially pathogenic bacteria such as Actinobacillus, Corynebacterium and Staphylococcus were negatively correlated with SCFAs, indicating that SCFAs may help maintain microbial balance by inhibiting pathogens.
These findings demonstrate a bidirectional regulatory relationship between milk microbiota and SCFAs, which collectively contribute to the stability of the mammary gland microenvironment and newborn intestinal health.
The results not only provide new insights into the conservation and species-specificity of the milk microecology but also offer a important theoretical basis for developing human milk substitutes, functional dairy products, and intestinal health intervention strategies for infants and young children.