Mission:
The Ruminant Diseases and Immunology Unit conducts basic and applied research in the field of bovine immunology, using a combination of state of the art immunology, proteomic and genomic approaches. The study of the immune systems of the preruminant calf and transition dairy cow and the factors influencing susceptibility of these groups of dairy cattle to infectious disease is the primary research emphasis. The neonatal period for the calf and the transition period for the cow are physiological transitions characterized by substantially increased susceptibility to infectious disease and often the greatest economic losses to dairy producers. An increased understanding of factors influencing the functional capacity of the bovine immune system will improve the health of calves and transition dairy cows, reduce economic losses to the producer, and enhance the safety of the food supply to the U.S. consumer.