Keynote Speakers

Yves Boisclair, Cornell University
Yves Boisclair completed a M.Sc. degree in applied dairy cattle nutrition in 1984 at the University of Guelph, followed by a Ph.D. on the growth hormone regulation of muscle protein turnover in cattle in 1991 at Cornell University. His Ph.D. work sparked an interest for the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system as a mediator of the effects of growth hormone. He pursued this interest as a postdoctoral fellow in molecular endocrinology at the National Institutes of Health in Washington, DC. He was appointed assistant professor in the Department of Animal Science at Cornell University in 1994, and promoted to associate professor in 2000 and full professor in 2007. Throughout his career, Dr. Boisclair has used a comparative biology approach to understand how hormones regulate metabolism, growth and development. Dr. Boisclair initially focused on mechanisms underpinning the transcriptional effects of growth hormone, and on the resolution of the relative importance of systemic and locally produced IGF-I in mediating growth hormone actions. More recently, Dr. Boisclair has used the transition from pregnancy to lactation in both mice and ruminants to understand the roles of the adipokines leptin and adiponectin and the hepatokine fibroblast growth factor-21 in coordinating adaptive metabolism. His research work has been funded by the NIH, US-Israel BARD and USDA-NIFA. Dr. Boisclair is a member of the Endocrine Society, the American Society for Nutrition, the American Society of Animal Science and the American Society for the Advancement of Science.

Todd Callaway, University of Georgia
Todd Callaway is an associate professor in the Department of Animal and Dairy Science at the University of Georgia. Dr. Callaway joined USDA-ARS as a research microbiologist in the Food and Feed Safety Research Unit in Texas. Dr. Callaway received the 2023 American Feed Industry Association/ASAS Ruminant Nutrition Research Award. His research focuses on how the complex environment of the cattle gastrointestinal tract can impact production.

Joel Caton, North Dakota State University
Joel Caton was born in central Missouri and raised on his parents’ livestock and grain farm. He received his B.S. from New Mexico State University (NMSU) and his M.S. from the University of Missouri-Columbia (UMC). He received his Ph.D. in 1987 from NMSU. In 1988, he accepted an appointment as Assistant Professor at North Dakota State University (NDSU), with emphasis on ruminant nutrition and digestive physiology. He was promoted to Associate and Full Professor 1994 and 2000, respectively. In 2013, Joel received the Engberg Presidential Professorship at NDSU. Joel has conducted sabbatical leave research at the University of Reading, England and the Rowett Institute for Nutrition and Health in Aberdeen, Scotland. Topical areas during his sabbaticals included visceral protein metabolism and strategies to rescue pregnancies compromised by poor maternal nutrition. Joel has received NDSU’s Eugene R. Dahl Award and the Waldron Award for Excellence in Research, the ASAS-AFIA Ruminant Nutrition Research Award, and the ASAS Cromwell Award for Mineral Research. In 2013 Joel was appointed to the National Academy of Sciences-National Research Council’s subcommittee to revise the Beef NRC, which was subsequently published in 2016. Joel has served the ASAS in a variety of capacities including as National Board of Directors, ASAS National Program Committee, and as Associate Editor, Division Editor, and Associate Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Animal Science. He currently serves as President for ASAS. Joel also serves on the Coordinating Committee of the National Animal Nutrition Program. During his career, Joel’s highly collaborative research program has used methodologies from the whole animal to multi-omic approaches to understand nutritional, physiological, and metabolic principles that influence whole animal production responses. He has received over 9 million dollars in grant funds and published over 230 refereed manuscripts and book chapters. He has trained 50 graduate students (15 Ph.D. and 35 M.S.), 6 postdocs, and over 37 undergraduate research interns. He currently teaches the undergraduate course Fundamentals of Nutrition and a graduate course in Vitamins and Minerals. Joel and his wife, Kristina, live in Fargo, North Dakota.

Matt Crouse, USDA-ARS
Matthew Crouse is a Research Physiologist in the Nutrition, Growth, and Physiology Research Unit at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center (USMARC), in Clay Center, NE. He finished his Ph.D. in Nutritional Physiology from North Dakota State University and joined USMARC in 2020. Dr. Crouse’s research efforts have focused on the nutritional and epigenetic programming of beef heifers, yearling bulls, and their offspring to elicit positive effects on growth and development.

Carl Dahlen, North Dakota State University
Carl Dahlen Since the year 2000 Dahlen has been intimately involved in research efforts with a focus on reproduction, nutrition, and management of cattle and sheep. The emphasis of his current research program is to improve fertility in livestock species and to evaluate implications of nutrition and management strategies on reproductive and offspring outcomes. Dahlen joined the North Dakota State University faculty in 2010 as a Beef Cattle Extension Specialist where he engaged in integrated Extension and research efforts taking place on over 350 commercial beef operations. Dahlen was instrumental in developing innovative training methods that empower county, area, and state Extension personnel to better serve their beef-producing clientele. The unique mix of his research background and practical experience has led to several novel research techniques, data collection efforts, and training methodologies. Publications have been geared toward answering questions about developmental programming, focusing on implications of maternal nutritional management on offspring characteristics. In 2018 Dahlen transitioned to position that allowed him to dedicate more time to research, as well as teach undergraduate/graduate classes in reproductive physiology. A new facet of his research program has been dedicated to addressing whether paternal (i.e. sire) nutrition and management was not only impacting semen characteristics and molecular composition, but also implicit in offspring outcomes. Other recent efforts involve evaluating impacts of nutritional perturbations during gestation on offspring and transgenerational endpoints. Dahlen’s efforts are supported by his wife Roberta and their sons, Arthur and Lyle.

Joao Dorea, University of Wisconsin
Joao Dorea is an Assistant Professor in Precision Agriculture and Data Analytics. He obtained his BS (2008) in Agronomy from the Bahia State University (Brazil), MS (2010) and PhD (2014) degree in Animal Science from the University of Sao Paulo (Brazil). Dr. Dorea spent two years coordinating dairy and beef research in Latin America for DSM, a global supplier of animal health and nutrition. In 2019, he was hired as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences (UW-Madison). Dorea develops research focused on digital technology and predictive analytics to optimize farm management decisions. His research group is interested in large-scale implementation of computer vision systems, wearable sensors, infrared spectroscopy, and other sensors to monitor animals in livestock farms. Examples of application include the use of digital technologies to monitor animal behavior, growth development, social interaction, and early detection diseases or animal welfare concerns. Such innovative research program has been extremely well accepted by the livestock industry and scientific community and has also attracted intramural and extramural funding.

Samodha Fernando, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Samodha Fernando holds the position of professor of Nutritional Biochemistry in the Department of Animal Science at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. His research activities focus on the microbial ecology and host microbe interactions of livestock species and humans. He has published in high-impact journals and has been very successful in securing research funding.

Jeff Firkins, The Ohio State University
Jeff Firkins After a PhD and postdoc at the University of Illinois, Jeff Firkins started at OSU in 1987 and was promoted to professor in 2000. He has advised and served on committees of nearly 100 graduate students, served multiple terms on competitive grant panels (manager twice), and served 6 terms as a section editor for 3 journals. He was a member of the update committee for NASEM’s Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle. Out of about 600 publications and presentations, he has over 160 journal articles and reviews and over 200 invited presentations in more than 20 countries. He has received numerous awards, including Fellow of ADSA and Distinguished Professor in his college at OSU.

Stephanie Hansen, Iowa State University
Stephanie Hansen is a Professor in the Department of Animal Science at Iowa State University. An Iowa native, she earned her B.S. from Iowa State and her M.S. and Ph.D. from North Carolina State University. With 104 peer-reviewed publications and over 11 million dollars in funding as Co-PI or P.I., she has established an original and impactful beef cattle research program. A major focus of her program is the refinement of mineral requirements for feedlot cattle. She has received early or mid-career awards in research from Iowa State University, the Midwest section of ASAS, and ASAS. Dr. Hansen is passionate about training the next generation of animal scientists. She teaches courses in animal nutrition, ruminant nutrition, and micronutrient metabolism. She also co-hosts a podcast on graduate mentoring called Mentoring Matters and the Beef Podcast Show. Graduates of her program are serving industry and academia. She enjoys hiking, photography and writes crime thrillers as well.

Erin Horst, Elanco
Erin Horst grew up on a small farrow-to-finish swine operation in Van Horne, Iowa. She attended Iowa State University for her B.S. in Animal Science. Following graduation, she stayed at Iowa State and completed a PhD in Animal Science under the direction of Dr. Lance Baumgard. Erin’s research focused on inflammation and its impact on energetic and calcium homeostasis. She has worked as a technical consultant in the dairy industry since 2020 and joined Elanco Animal Health in September of 2022. Erin lives in Cottage Grove, Minnesota.

Brad Johnson, Texas Tech University
Bradley J. Johnson is currently the Gordon W. Davis Regent’s Chair in Meat Science and Muscle Biology and a Professor in the Davis College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources’ Department of Animal and Food Sciences at Texas Tech University. Johnson has been in this position since June 1, 2008. Johnson, a native of Milbank, SD, earned a bachelor’s degree in animal science from South Dakota State University. His master’s degree in animal science and Ph.D. in animal science are from the University of Minnesota. Our laboratory focuses on research that increases our understanding of factors regulating growth and development of skeletal muscle in meat animals such as beef cattle. Our group has used exogenous growth promotants like steroidal implants and beta adrenergic agonists as models to study the mechanism of postnatal muscle growth in meat animals. We have been using the beef on dairy model to study some of these differences in growth response to implants. Separately, the research team is involved in developing novel means to enhance marbling in beef. This research focuses on novel receptors present on intramuscular adipocytes that appear to have positive effects on lipid accumulation.

Tim McAllister, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Tim McAllister was raised on a mixed cow-calf operation in Innisfail, Alberta, Canada. He obtained his MSc in animal biochemistry at the University of Alberta and his PhD in rumen microbiology and nutrition from the University of Guelph in 1991. After a NSERC postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Calgary and appointments in technical, biologist, and scientist positions at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, he was promoted to a Principal Research Scientist in 2005. He leads a diverse research team and has published articles on the ecology of rumen bacteria, protozoa, fungi, and methanogens. He has participated in and led projects to develop strategies to lower greenhouse gas emissions from ruminant production systems. McAllister has authored over 900 peer-reviewed scientific papers and is a recipient of the Feed Industry Research Award, Queen’s Diamond Jubilee medal and the Governor General’s Award for Excellence in the Public Service. He was most recently appointed as a research fellow of the American Society of Animal Science. McAllister is an avid bicyclist and has a suitcase bicycle that enables him to explore the places he visits.

Kevin Sinclair, University of Nottingham
Kevin Sinclair is Professor of Developmental Biology and Head of the Division of Animal Sciences within the School of Biosciences at the University of Nottingham. He is a graduate of the Universities of Aberdeen (BSc, PhD) and Nottingham (DSc). His programme of work relates to how exposure of parents to environmental factors (e.g., diet and environmental chemicals) around the time of conception, or the use of advanced reproductive technologies, can lead to epigenetic changes during early embryogenesis with long-term consequences for offspring health and wellbeing. He works predominantly with farm animals but also with rodents and, through collaboration, undertakes studies in human populations. He is currently in receipt of funding from the BBSRC (UK), NIH (USA) and the Wellcome Trust.

Erminio Trevisi, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Italy
Erminio Trevisi is Full Professor of Animal Science and Head of the Department of Animal science, Nutrition and Food (DIANA) at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (UCSC) of Piacenza, Italy. He grew up on a dairy cow farm in the South of Lombardia, in the middle of Po valley. Graduated (1984) with distinction (award A. Gemelli) in Agricultural Sciences and Ph.D in Molecular Biotechnology (1992) at UCSC. In charge of academic courses: “Advanced Animal physiology”, “Animal Production: Ruminants”; “Adaptation and Animal Welfare”. Trevisi’s research program centers the physiopathology of the periparturient ruminants and approaches to attenuate nutritional and immune dysregulation; the assessment of dairy cow welfare; the relationship between nutrition, physiology and milk properties; the interaction between nutrition, forestomachs and gut functions; the Precision Livestock Farming; strategies to optimize dry off management and dairy farm sustainability. He has cooperated with many prestigious international Universities and realized many scientific projects funded by Public Authorities and Private Companies. He authored or co-authored of 217 peer review articles, 24 books and book chapters, and more than 350 abstracts and popular press articles. Invited speaker on the physiology of dairy cattle in many international scientific conferences. Chairman of the Management Board of Research Center for Livestock and Environment (CERZOO Ltd) and of the Committee for Animal Welfare of the UCSC. Member of many scientific associations and serves on the Board Committee of Italian Society Veterinary Sciences and of Italian Association of Nutrition and Food Researchers.

Mark Trotter, Central Queensland University, Australia
Mark Trotter leads a research group aiming to transform the way industry manages rangeland landscapes. His research involves the development and evaluation of technologies that improve the resolution of data being generated in extensively grazed red meat production systems. The ultimate goal is to enable ranchers and graziers to make more objective decisions to improve production and sustainability.

Sinead Waters, Teagasc
Sinead Waters has over 18 years research experience leading a research programme in the application of molecular biology tools (genetics, transcriptomics, genomics, rumen microbiology and bioinfomatic techniques) to understand host-microbiome interactions in relation to the ruminant health, nutrition and the environment. Her main focus in recent years has been in understanding the rumen microbiome and its potential manipulation to enhance nutrient utilisation from feed and reduce enteric methane emissions through feed additives and breeding strategies. Her research programme also aims to understand the host-gene expression and multi-site microbiome response to diseases in calfhood such as bovine respiratory disease and diarrhoea. Her research is funded mainly by the EU Horizon, FACCE-JPI and national government agencies such as the Irish Department for Agriculture, Food and the Marines and thus plays a role in influencing national and EU policy. She holds many national (Policy: Irish Climate Action Plan, Methane Pillar Lead of Teagasc Climate Centre) and international roles in the area of agri-environment such as the co-chair of the Livestock Research Group of the Global Research Alliance for Agricultural Greenhouse Gas emissions (2018-2023) and a member (Irish Representative) of the EU Expert Group on agricultural methane emissions, appointed by DG-AGRI under the EU methane strategy (action 10) to provide expertise to the EU Commission (May 2021). She has published 145 peer reviewed research articles, supervised over 20 PhD students and has been invited to present her research at many international conferences.

Zhongtang Yu, The Ohio State University
Zhongtang Yu, a Professor in the Department of Animal Sciences at The Ohio State University, specializes in researching the rumen microbiome and its intricate interactions with diets, hosts, and its impact on animal productivity. A key focus within his research pertains to the microorganisms involved in nitrogen metabolism in the rumen, with particular attention to protozoa and viruses. Notably, his lab sequenced the first genome and transcriptome of rumen protozoa, complemented by the subsequent establishment of a genome-based taxonomic framework for these microorganisms. Furthermore, Dr. Yu's team is actively engaged in exploring practical strategies aimed at mitigating methane emissions and reducing nitrogen excretion from ruminants, all while ensuring minimal disruption to rumen function. Another significant aspect of his research involves an in-depth investigation of the rumen virome—the collective viruses that infect rumen microbes. His lab has successfully developed the initial comprehensive global rumen virome database and bioinformatics pipeline, which serve as crucial resources and tools facilitating future investigations of the potential roles played by rumen viruses in regulating microbes and their associations with key aspects of animal productivity. Dr. Yu has authored and co-authored more than 400 publications, including more than 200 peer-reviewed journal articles, 20 book chapters, and 25 proceeding papers. As an invited speaker, he has also shared his research at numerous national and international conferences. Currently, Dr. Yu serves as an editor or associate editor for several journals, including Microbiome, Animal Microbiome, Animal Nutriomics, and Frontiers in Microbiology.

Maya Zachut, Volcani Institute, Israel
Maya Zachut is a Research Scientist and Head of the Department of Ruminant Science, Institute of Animal Sciences, Volcani Institute, Israel. Dr. Zachut has a B.Sc, M.Sc. and PhD in Animal and Veterinary Sciences at Faculty of Agriculture of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Since 2014 she is a Researcher at the Department of Ruminant Sciences, Volcani Institute, Israel. Her research focuses on nutritional means to improve the physiological responses of dairy cows during metabolic and heat stresses; by modulating inflammation and the endocannabinoid system. Her research is pioneering in exploring modulation of the endocannabinoid system as a novel approach to affect the physiological responses during stress in dairy cows.

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