Episode Description
Growing up on a dairy farm in the United Kingdom, Adam Lock, PhD, always thought he would take over the family business and milk cows for a living. Instead, he now works to help dairy professionals increase their cattle’s health, productivity, and profitability through nutrition. Join us to find out how!
Host Matt Lucy sits down with Adam, a professor and associate chair for farm operations in the Department of Animal Science, and interim chair of the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences at Michigan State University. He explains the central focus of his research on fatty acid digestion and metabolism in the dairy cow and the impact of bioactive fatty acids on animal production and human health. The two focus on Adam’s recent work optimizing fat-feeding strategies during the transition period. The previous dogma around feeding fresh cows recommended against supplementing fats, but that is now changing. Adam and his team are proving that particular blends of individual fatty acids can help fill a cow’s unique needs during this time, promote energy balance, and increase milk production. The pair also discuss Adam’s focus on making all of his work immediately applicable to farmers and industry professionals, and the importance of extension work in dairy. Finally, he shares his philosophies around ensuring his lab is fun for students, the best way to connect with and train students, and how to embrace the fortuitous twists and turns your career in science might take.
