Research at Davis Dairy Plant
- Strengthen leadership for RSCA
- Maintain research excellence and enhance research activity among faculty through increased federal, industry and other grants.
- Diversify dairy cattle nutrition research to include molecular aspects such as nutrigenomics, metabolomics, data analysis and other areas of research, including biofuel co-products and other alternative feed ingredients for dairy cattle.
- Increase knowledge of the functionality and expected responses to targeted, specific nutrients in regulation of metabolic and physiological processes of dairy cattle across all stages of life.
- Expand research on dairy farm employee labor relations and farm management practices.
- Develop a management related research program focused on precision dairy farming including utilization of robotic milking systems, sensors and other technologies.
- Develop state-of-the-art and scientific-based farm decision support tools for better dairy management.
- Develop new and improved dairy and food products through the evaluation and utilization of emerging technologies (i.e. cavitation, High Pressure Processing (HPP), ultrasound, encapsulations, etc.).
- Develop microbiological quality assurance and food safety research programs for milk production and processing. Provide critical information regarding potential contamination issues on milk production farms and manufacturing units focusing on biofilm formation and removal, spore former control mechanisms and Listeria.
- Development and improvement of functional dairy and food products and nutraceuticals through collaboration with other university faculty.
- Strengthen dairy ingredient research program focusing on the development of new and improved membrane-based manufacturing processes to produce dairy-based ingredients.
Enhance collaboration with other departments, universities and industry partners in grant development and joint-research activities
- Increase personnel infrastructure for excellence in innovation and economic development
- Recruit, fill and maintain fully-staffed faculty in all positions.
Encourage undergraduate student participation in research, experiential learning and study abroad opportunities in addition to pursuing internships.
- Strengthen physical infrastructure to support innovation and RSCA
- Obtain funding, complete renovation and building of the Dairy Research and Training Facility (dairy farm) to meet emerging industry needs and expectations to enable continued focus on teaching and extension programs while expanding research capabilities in management, nutrition and sustainable production.
Complete construction of Food Science Instructional Lab and Food Science Research Lab in space allocated in Berg Agricultural Hall.
- Create a culture of communicating, branding RSCA and its achievements, outcomes and impacts
- Publish and present research work in a timely manner
- Work with University and College Marketing and Communications in disseminating findings.
Goals and Strategies
- Achieve Excellence Through Transformative Education
- Cultivate and Strengthen Community Engagement
- Foster Innovation and Increase Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity (RSCA)
- Be a Growing, High-Performing and Healthy Department