Hear directly from University of Guelph researchers, OMAFA veterinarians, and calf specialists who are advancing calf health, nutrition, and management.
Whether you raise veal cattle, dairy replacements or start calves for the dairy-beef sector, you’ll leave with research-backed ideas to improve calf health, reduce losses, and strengthen on-farm performance.
Unlocking colostrum’s potential beyond Immunoglobulin G!
Kayleigh Klein, PhD candidate
Kayleigh Klein is a PhD candidate in the Department of Animal Biosciences at the University of Guelph. Her research focuses on the bioactive components of bovine colostrum, particularly oligosaccharides, and their role in calf gut health and microbiome development. She completed both her BSc and MSc in Agricultural Animal Science at the University of Guelph.
Getting the first colostrum feed right
Katheryn Churchill, PhD candidate
Katheryn Churchill is a PhD candidate in Population Medicine at the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph. Her research focuses on improving how bovine respiratory disease is measured and reported so research findings can be compared more consistently and applied more effectively on farm. Her work also examines the role of passive immunity in preventing respiratory disease.
Temporal changes in maternally derived anti-BLV antibodies
Olivia Willoughby, PhD candidate
Olivia Willoughby is a PhD candidate at the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph. Her research focuses on the transmission and control of bovine leukemia virus on commercial dairy farms, with the goal of identifying practical management strategies to reduce new infections. She holds a BSc in Animal Biology and an MSc in Animal Breeding and Genetics from the University of Guelph.
From alert to action: Using automated feeding data to guide treatment decisions for calf diarrhea
Allison Welk, PhD candidate
Allison Welk is a PhD candidate in Population Medicine at the University of Guelph. Her research combines epidemiology and animal behaviour to improve the early detection and management of neonatal calf diarrhea. She studies how automated technologies can identify changes in calf behaviour associated with illness and support better health and welfare outcomes.
Are we maximizing the potential of dairy x beef crossbred calves?
Melinda Kovacs, PhD candidate
Melinda Kovacs is a PhD candidate in Animal Biosciences at the University of Guelph. Her research focuses on early-life calf management and nutrition, with a particular interest in improving the health and performance of dairy and dairy-beef calves. She previously completed her MSc under the supervision of Dr. Michael Steele, studying the nutrition, health, and production of dairy-beef crossbred calves.
Dr. Rachel Budd is a bovine veterinarian whose professional interests include calf health, data-driven decision-making, and on-farm training. She works closely with farmers and farm employees to improve animal health through practical management, disease prevention, and knowledge sharing. Dr. Budd graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 2021 and has worked exclusively with cattle since then.
Dr. Cynthia Miltenburg is Lead Veterinarian, Animal Health and Welfare, with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Agribusiness. She previously worked in large animal practice before completing graduate research on transition cow health and immune function. Today, her work focuses on disease prevention and control in dairy, beef, and veal cattle, and she co-leads the Bovine Ontario Animal Health Network.
Dr. Hanne Goetz is a consultant with ACER Consulting, where she leads applied research and knowledge translation projects for the livestock industry. She completed her PhD in epidemiology and a postdoctoral fellowship at the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, with research focused on the health and welfare of transported dairy calves. Her work helps turn research into practical recommendations for producers and the livestock industry.
Dr. Kristen Edwards is an Assistant Professor in Veterinary Epidemiology at the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph. After 11 years in cattle practice in Ontario and the United States, she returned to the University of Guelph in 2025. Her research focuses on improving the health and welfare of dairy, beef, and dairy-beef calves through advances in management, nutrition, and herd health decision-making.
Registration includes presentation recordings, calf care resources, expanded on-demand webinars, and a new Healthy Calf Conference podcast mini-series.
Handle With Care – Young Calves
Jennifer Woods, MSc
Jennifer Woods is a livestock handling specialist based out of Alberta. She obtained her undergrad degree in Animal Science at Colorado State University and her masters degree in Veterinary Preventative Medicine from Iowa State University. Jennifer has over 25 years experience in the livestock industry. Her areas of expertise include euthanasia, animal handling and behaviour, animal welfare auditing and assessing, livestock emergency response, transportation, and facility design.
Healthy calves are the building blocks of every successful dairy and veal operation, and early management and rearing practices are a key component of raising a healthy, productive animal. Find practical ways to help your calves reach their full potential here.
The Codes of Practice are nationally developed guidelines for the care and handling of farm animals. They serve as our national understanding of animal care requirements and recommended practices.
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