Expo Seminar: New Perspectives on Aging and Lifespan in Dairy Cows

Presenter: Matt Lucy, Ph.D., Professor, University of Missouri
Continuing Education Credits: (1) ARPAS

The life expectancy of the modern dairy cow is short, and most cows are culled from the herd because they have health problems or they are low-producing. The collective interpretation of the culled dairy cow is that she is too old ("worn out") and needs to be replaced. Although the reasons for culling have been identified, the "why" a cow is "worn out" is unclear. This seminar will explore what we know about aging in dairy cows and what the future holds for extending the productive life of dairy cows.

Dr. Matthew Lucy is a Professor of Animal Science at the University of Missouri-Columbia. A native of New York State, he received a B.S. from Cornell University, where he developed an interest in dairy cows. He then moved to Kansas State University where he began his studies of reproduction in postpartum dairy cows and later completed a Ph.D. in Dairy Science at the University of Florida on the same topic. His current research program examines the physiological processes regulating fertility in dairy cows and explores practical methods that evolve from this research.