Real-world experience is shaping me into the clinician I want to become

Last year, our lab conducted a large project, studying the impact of dairy cattle mastitis on greenhouse gas emissions using the animal respiration chambers. I served as an undergraduate study lead in the project. I was responsible for leading the milking and sample collection sessions, ensuring all samples were sterically collected while conducting health screenings of all the dairy cattle and caring for their welfare. In the lab, I analyzed plasma and serum samples, measuring beta-hydroxybutyrate (bovine ketone body) levels and quantifying bacterial counts in milk samples. 

This project has been very rewarding because I have watched all the scientific pieces connect: the clinical signs in the cows, the shifts in milk quality, and the changes in methane and carbon emissions. Seeing how a disease process shows up both biologically and environmentally is what keeps me invested and inspires me to start generating my own ideas for how farms can reduce the environmental impact of mastitis through better management and earlier detection.

Seeing how a disease process shows up both biologically and environmentally is what keeps me invested.

Through investigative research, I have learned how tightly a single disease, such as mastitis or bovine respiratory disease, can ripple through an entire production system and have long-term influences on economic-loss and the livelihoods of many production professionals. Seeing how one inflammatory process can translate into milk losses, higher treatment costs, increased labor and elevated greenhouse gas emissions has challenged me to research new ideas to optimize production systems. It has also reinforced the need for empathy and humane practices for the animals.

Most importantly, my research group always asks “why,” rather than stopping at “what.” Working with Dr. Leal-Yepes and his lab has taught me that veterinarians and researchers do not focus on a single symptom or outcome; we have to understand the entire profile of the farm to innovate solutions while caring for the welfare of the animal. Real-world experience is shaping me into the clinician I want to become.

This experience has taught me to not just chase a familiar project or topic, but to deliberately explore a different model organism or research area. Before joining the Precision Livestock Health Lab, I had worked with a large animal veterinarian but was unfamiliar with dairy production systems. The lab’s support has made it possible for me to broaden my knowledge and learn quickly. 

Stepping into an unfamiliar area ended up being the most valuable part of the experience. It has made me a more well-rounded animal scientist, and I now feel far more confident tackling complex problems across animal systems.

Sydney Zarb ’27 is an undergraduate student majoring in Animal Science.