ºÚÁÏÍø

For our latest blog post, we wanted to congratulate Dr Juliana Garcia Alvarez, who successfully defended her PhD thesis, entitled Environmental enrichment in the form of a synthetic analogue of the bovine appeasing pheromone to increase the overall welfare of female dairy calves from birth through to weaning.

Juliana was supervised by Dr Annabelle Beaver and Professor Mark Rutter. Juliana started her ºÚÁÏÍø back in 2016 but did not begin her PhD until 2020.

Dr Ellen Williams asked Juliana to share a little bit about herself and her journey. Everyone has a different road into a PhD, it is always fun to hear about what bought everyone to the same academic time point. We hope you enjoy this Q&A with Juliana – and if you would like to reach out to Juliana or the rest of the team, email us.

 What did you do before you started the PhD at ºÚÁÏÍø?

Before starting my PhD, I went to medical school in Colombia, got a postgrad degree in Anaesthesia and worked as a consultant in a high complexity clinic in my home city. I realised the life of an anaesthetist had very little quality of life and was very stressful, so I decided to follow my interest in animal welfare and came to the UK to get a BSc in Animal behaviour and Welfare at ºÚÁÏÍø. During this time, I developed a passion for farm animal welfare as I became more involved in research projects with calves.

What made you want to study a PhD at ºÚÁÏÍø?

I chose ºÚÁÏÍø Adams because of its strong reputation in agricultural and animal welfare research. The opportunity to work with experienced researchers and have direct access to a commercial and research dairy herd really aligned with my goals of conducting practical, impactful science.

In a nutshell, how would you describe your research project?

My research explored how the use of an appeasing pheromone - a natural calming scent that animals can detect - affected the stress levels and resilience of dairy calves.

We  used non-invasive methods like measuring salivary and hair cortisol  - the stress hormones found in saliva and hair, heart rate variability - how the heart rate changes over time, an indicator of stress, behavioural observations - watching how the calves behave - and production outcomes, such as growth rates and weight gain, during key challenges such as illness, weaning or coming off milk and disbudding -the removal of horn buds.

Why was your research important?

In intensive calf rearing systems, calves are exposed to challenging situations such as early separation from the dam, social isolation, food restriction, early weaning and painful procedures (e.g. disbudding).

There is an increased public awareness for welfare friendly livestock farming, and improving calf welfare isn't just about ethics, it also supports healthier growth and better productivity. By identifying interventions and practical monitoring tools, my work can help farmers make more informed decisions to support animal wellbeing and performance.

It is important we undertake evidence-based research to ensure animals under human care receive positive welfare.

What was it like studying at ºÚÁÏÍø?

Studying at ºÚÁÏÍø Adams was a great experience. I was part of an experienced research group with full access to laboratory and farm facilities. I met amazing people that were extremely helpful whist I was collecting data at the farm and processing samples at the lab. My supervisors, Annabelle and Mark, were very supportive and encouraged me to become an independent researcher all along the way. The close link between academic work and real world farming made my research feel relevant and rewarding.

What are your next steps?

I’m now applying for postdoctoral fellowships to continue my work in calf resilience, which will include working with both pregnant cows, newborn calves and heifers, to identify phenotypical traits - observable characteristics such as temperament, growth patterns, or disease resistance - for resilience. I’d like to eventually be a part of a permanent research group working in improving the welfare conditions of farm animals, combined with teaching and preparing behaviour and welfare scientists of the future.

What one piece of advice would you give to future PhD students?

Stay curious, but also be kind to yourself. A PhD is a long journey, embrace the setbacks as part of the process, and make time to connect with your peers and support network. You’re not alone!

Juliana is currently presenting her work at the with Dr Ellen Williams, Dr Holly Vickery and Professor Mark Rutter (watch out for the next blog on the congress coming soon!). If you are at the congress then look out for Juliana in the poster hall!