Joao Costa is an Assistant Professor at the University of Kentucky since 2017. Dr Costa obtained his Bachelor degree (2009) and MSc degree (2012) at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil, and his PhD (2015) from the University of British Columbia, Canada. His research group at the University of Kentucky investigates the effects of preweaning nutrition and environment on dairy calves’ early development, the feeding behavior of dairy cattle, and the use of precision technologies to make managerial and nutritional decisions. Dr Costa has authored over 60 peer-reviewed scientific papers, 100 abstracts in scientific conferences, and presented more than 100 invited talks around the world.
Studium an der FH Weihenstephan/Triesdorf (1980-1984)
Unistudium Kiel (1988-1990)
Promotion bei Prof. Kalm (externer Doktorant an der BLT Grub) mit dem Thema „ Verbesserung der Fruchtbarkeit beim Rind durch Nutzung von Informationen aus der Milchleistungsprüfung und Besamung“. (Oktober 90-Januar 93)
Seit Mai 1993 bei Trouw Nutrition Deutschland (Milkivit) beschäftigt. Leitung Produktmanagement Rind.
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jörg Dörr holds the chair of „Digital Farming“ at TU Kaiserslautern. Furthermore, he has been a member of the extended institute management of Fraunhofer IESE in Kaiserslautern since 2020. In this position, he is responsible for the research programs of the institute and has been leading the Smart Farming program at the institute since 2020. His work at the TU as well as at Fraunhofer IESE focuses on software and systems engineering, especially for applications in digital farming. Jörg Dörr was Co-Head Business Development from 2018 to 2020. From 2010-2019, he was division head „Information Systems“ and from 2005-2010 Head of the department „Requirements and Usability Engineering“. He received his PhD in 2010 on non-functional aspects in requirements specification. He studied computer science with a minor in electrical engineering at the University of Kaiserslautern. Since 2002, he has been working at the Fraunhofer Institute for Experimental Software Engineering IESE. Jörg Dörr has extensive knowledge in the areas of software and systems engineering, requirements engineering, and data usage control. He is active in diverse industries, with a focus on smart farming. He is the author of more than 150 academic and industry-related publications. Since 2006, he has been active as a lecturer on topics including requirements engineering and agile methods, and since 2021 also on digital farming at universities. Jörg Dörr is active in the GI (Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V.), was spokesman of the requirements engineering group for several years, and is a founding member of the GI Kaiserslautern regional group. Furthermore, he is a member of the BMEL’s Competence Network Digitalization in Agriculture, a member of the Start-up Expert Advisory Board of the Landwirtschaftliche Rentenbank, scientific spokesperson of the Competence Network Digital Agriculture Bavaria, technical leader of the Requirements Engineering Community Days of the Softwareforen, and active in various national and international program committees.
PD Dr. Harald M. Hammon is a senior scientist at the Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN) in Dummerstorf, Germany, since 2004 and heads the Endocrine Metabolic Regulation Unit at the Institute of Nutritional Physiology “Oskar Kellner”. He has studied veterinary medicine in Munich, Germany, and has received his DVM degree in 1993 and his Habilitation in 2003 from the University of Bern in Switzerland. Dr. Hammon has authored and co-authored more than 190 peer-reviewed papers and reviews.
Dr. Jason Hayer is the deputy director and the head of the animal husbandry and education of the Hofgut Neumühle. He was born and raised on a dairy farm in the region of Eifel, Germany, and continued working there as a family workforce during his studies in agriculture and animal science. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Bonn with a thesis on improving animal welfare on dairy farms focusing on dairy calf management. The focus of his research is on animal welfare, dairy calf management, water supply and drinking behavior of dairy cows, as well as antibiotic resistance in animal husbandry. His research aims to improve farm management on dairy farms to improve the welfare of animals and farmers.
Prof. Dr. W. Heuwieser („Heu“) was a Professor at the Freie University of Berlin and led the Clinic of Animal Reproduction for 25 years. He held research and teaching appointments at Hannover University, Cornell University, Freie Universität Berlin, and University of British Columbia. His research group focuses on reproductive management, calf and udder health as well as animal welfare aspects. He authored more than 200 peer-reviewed papers. He serves as section Editor for the Journal of Dairy Science (Health, Well-being and Behavior). He is the initiator of the calfschool (Kälberschule, www.kaelberschule.de) and develops new outreach formats aimed at dairy farmers and veterinarians (www.heusblog.de). Currently, he is extending his knowledge on data visualization. His Motto: What‘s more awesome than learning something new?
Dr. Koch has authored and co-authored over 50 peer-reviewed scientific papers and presented a high number of invited talks around the world especially in practical farming. His current research focuses on “Nutritional and metabolic programming in dairy calves”, “Dairy calf and cow nutrition” and “Metabolic regulation and adaptation in dairy cows in the transition period”. He is particularly interested in nutritional strategies and the transformation process to bring the best scientific knowledge into practical farming.
2022 – present: Head of Educational and Research Centre for Animal Husbandry, Hofgut
Neumuehle, Muenchweiler an der Alsenz
2009 – 2022: Head of Department for Ruminants, Feed Production and Feeding Trials,
Educational and Research Centre for Animal Husbandry, Hofgut Neumuehle, Muenchweiler
an der Alsenz
2007 – 2010: Doctoral Thesis in Animal Nutrition at the Institute of Animal Science, University
of Bonn
2002 – 2007: Study of Agriculture at the University of Bonn
2000 – 2002: Education as a practical farmer
Sabine Mann is an Assistant Professor of Ambulatory Medicine. She received her DVM degree from Hannover, Germany, her veterinary doctorate from LMU Munich, Germany, and her PhD from Cornell University, USA in transition cow nutrition and physiology and epidemiology. Her current research focuses on the intersection of metabolism, nutrition, and immunology. She is particularly interested in nutritional strategies and interventions to improve host resilience in newborn calves and postpartum cows.
Javier Martín-Tereso (Madrid, 1974) studied Agricultural Engineering in Madrid, where he specialised in Animal Science. In 2010, he obtained a PhD degree from Wageningen University in the Netherlands with a thesis on dairy cattle nutrition. In his studies he included academic years in Ohio (USA) and in Ancona (Italy).
His professional career started in education, teaching science in Madrid and Spanish in Minnesota during college. In 2000 he moved to the Netherlands to join Nutreco Research & Development, where through the years he has held different functions. His research has mainly focused on ruminal health and efficiency in beef and dairy animals, and also on mineral nutrition across farm animal species, including modelling supply and requirements, trace element homeostasis, and milk fever prevention in dairy cattle. Beyond research, he held technical manager positions for feed additives, and also provided nutritional consulting for feed companies in Europe, Asia and the Americas. Since 2012, he leads the Ruminant Research Centre of Trouw Nutrition, a team dedicated to dairy, beef, and calf nutrition innovation.
His curriculum vitae includes scientific and technical publications, co-supervisions of Master and PhD students from various universities, participations in scientific and professional international conferences, and several products developed for the feed industry, including several patents.
Emily Miller-Cushon is an Associate Professor in Animal Behavior and Welfare in the Department of Animal Sciences at the University of Florida. Dr. Miller-Cushon received her PhD from the Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph. Her research program at the University of Florida addresses relationships between management, behavior, and welfare of farm animals. She specifically focuses on understanding the role of early environment in dairy calf behavioral development and exploration of novel behavioral indicators of dairy cattle welfare. Dr. Miller-Cushon additionally leads a teaching program in applied animal behavior and welfare and serves on industry animal welfare advisory committees.
Bart Pardon is a veterinarian, currently associated professor in large animal internal medicine at Ghent University (Belgium). He holds a Ph.D in veterinary sciences (Morbidity, Mortality and Drug use in veal calves with emphasis on respiratory disease, 2012) and is an EBVS certified specialist of the European college of Bovine Health Management (2016). Next to his teaching assignment, he runs a clinic for ruminant internal medicine. He and his team offer problem herd solving services to farmers and veterinarians, mainly in the area of calf health and infectious diseases. His research group focuses on respiratory health, especially in calves, with the eventual aim to rationalize antimicrobial use. Current projects include the development of rapid diagnostic tools, decision support tools and precision medicine applications for bovine respiratory disease. A significant portion of his past and present work deals with lung ultrasonography and Mycoplasma bovis, an interest that awoke from his Ph.D work. Bart attempts to keep close contact with practice, and puts effort in bringing tools with potential to the field, of which non-endoscopic bronchoalveolar lavage (nBAL) diagnostics and quick thoracic ultrasonography (qTUS) are two examples.
Dr. Dave Renaud is an Assistant Professor at the University of Guelph. He received his DVM from the Ontario Veterinary College and a PhD in epidemiology from the Department of Population Medicine at the University of Guelph. His research focus is on identifying factors associated with improving cattle health, specifically in calves. He also works on identifying alternative management strategies to reduce the level of antimicrobial use. Dave is also a practicing veterinarian working with dairy producers around the Guelph area. He focuses on preventative medicine to improve the health and welfare of dairy cows and calves.
Dr. Caroline Ritter (DVM, PhD) received her veterinary training in Hannover, Germany. She currently holds a position as a Canada Research Chair and Assistant Professor at the Atlantic Veterinary College in Prince Edward Island, Canada. Prior to accepting her faculty position, she was the recipient of the prestigious Government of Canada Banting Scholarship, which enabled her to complete her post-doctoral fellowship at the University of British Columbia’s Animal Welfare Program. In her research, Dr. Ritter blends epidemiology and social science approaches. Her work focuses on understanding the decision-making process and behaviour of different stakeholders in the dairy industry with the goal of motivating and supporting best management practices on farms. Dr. Ritter has a special interest in exploring public expectations of dairy farm management and has been involved in studies assessing public attitudes toward genetic modification, dairy calf housing, and management of surplus calves.
Dr Steele was born and raised on a Holstein dairy farm in South-Western Ontario. He obtained a BSc in Nutrition and Physiology and a Master Degree in Animal Nutrition at the University of Guelph (2003). He worked as a consultant for one year in the Chinese Dairy Industry (2003-2004) and two years as the head of dairy nutrition for Masterfeeds in Canada (2004-2007). He returned to academics and completed a PhD followed by a one year post-doctoral fellowship – all with Dr. Brian McBride at the University of Guelph (2007-2012. After his postdoctoral fellowship, he worked for Nutreco Canada Ag-research as Research Scientist for two years (2012-2014) where he supervised undergraduate and graduate students and conducted research in the field of gastrointestinal health and function of the calf and lactating dairy cow. In September 2014, he started a new position as Assistant Professor of Ruminant Nutrition and currently supervise undergraduate, MSc, PhD, postdoctoral fellows and research technicians. He has established productive collaborations with professors throughout Canada, USA, New Zealand and Europe and published over 30 peer-reviewed publications, 30 conference abstracts and 40 presentations at scientific and, industry meetings in the last five years. In 2016 Dr Steele was awarded an NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Dairy Nutrition, Young Animal Scientist Award (CSAS), Lallemand Animal Nutrition Award for Scientific Excellence in Dairy Nutrition (ADSA) and is currently focusing on early-life nutrition and gastrointestinal function and development.
Jennifer Van Os is an Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist in Animal Welfare on the faculty of the Department of Animal & Dairy Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dr. Van Os received her PhD in the interdisciplinary Animal Behavior graduate program at the University of California-Davis and conducted postdoctoral research in the Animal Welfare Program at the University of British Columbia. The research in her lab at UW-Madison focuses on understanding, evaluating, and improving the welfare of dairy animals from biological- and social-science perspectives. The goal of Dr. Van Os’ extension program is to promote best practices in management and housing to help the dairy industry adapt as our scientific knowledge about animal welfare continues to grow.
As Technical Support and Sales Manager serving German-speaking countries and Hungary, Dr. Peter Zieger works to support and grow Provimi’s ruminant business in North West Europe.
Dr. Zieger was born and raised in Grossostheim, Germany, on a family-run dairy farm. He studied veterinary medicine at the University of Giessen (Germany) and Ecole veterinary de Nantes (France). After completing his studies, he worked for 11 years in mixed animal veterinary practice as an associate. He then joined the animal pharmaceutical industry at Pfizer/Zoetis, staying with the company for the next 10 years. While with Pfizer/Zoetic, he held several positions, working as a Technical Manager and as National Veterinary Specialist for dairy cows.
Since 2000, Dr. Zieger has also worked as an independent dairy advisor and journalist. He is also a founding member of the Innovationsteam Milk Hessen, a non-profit consulting organization of economists, nutritionists and architects, supporting the dairy industry. Dr. Zieger is based near Frankfurt, Germany.