University of Idaho College of Agricultural & Life Sciences

How do the recent wildfires affect dairy cows? is working on figuring that out.

To do this, a team of researchers is looking at how smoke exposure on both dairy calves and lactating dairy cows influences lung function, immune responses, and overall health.

"So far, we have shown that wildfire smoke can alter pulmonary function, activate inflammatory immune responses, and change immune cell populations within the respiratory tract," said Mostafa (Mike) Kamyabi, a doctoral student studying animal physiology. "This research will help establish evidence-based thresholds and identify measurable health indicators that can be used to assess risk, improve animal welfare, maintain productivity and support more resilient dairy operations."

The research is being led by Associate Professor Amy Skibiel, a lactation and environmental physiologist.

"One of my biggest takeaways has been realizing that even short-term exposure to wildfire smoke can trigger measurable physiological and immune changes that are not always obvious from outward clinical signs; however, affecting the animals’ health and productivity," said Mike.

At the heart of the project is practicality for producers.

"I want producers to know that this research is driven by practical questions from the dairy industry. Our goal is to provide science-based information that helps producers make informed decisions during wildfire smoke events while protecting animal health and maintaining productivity," he said. "The findings may also contribute to broader discussions on livestock health under changing environmental conditions and other causes of poor air quality."

University of Idaho

J.R. Simplot Endowed Dean of Leslie Edgar recently joined The Ranch Podcast to discuss Idaho agriculture.

🔗 Check it out: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2244653/episodes/19524935

A partnership for the record books... literally. 🧀

Recently, Brush Creak Creamery's labneh cheese emerged victorious from a field of 1,200 cheeses to receive a top prize at the Good Food Awards, which are often described as the Oscars of the food and beverage industry. When asked what the secret is, Brian Salmeri, with , simply credits their access to outstanding milk, as well as a strong partnership with the milk supplier — the University of Idaho Dairy Center.

“You have to start out with a good base, and a good base is good milk,” Salmeri said.

Brush Creek buys about 357,000 pounds of milk per year from the U of I dairy, producing 40,000 pounds of a variety of cheeses including types of blue cheese, brie, feta, cheddar, smoked gouda, Labneh and Havarti.

Many cheesemakers around the world add component parts, such as supplemental fat or protein, to their milk supply to achieve their desired specifications. Salmeri, however, believes Brush Creek gets the best results from an unadulterated milk supply, and U of I has gone to great lengths to accommodate the business.

For example, when the creamery needed to boost its butterfat levels, U of I added Jersey cows, known for producing milk with high fat content, to the herd.

“They’re providing exactly what I need,” Salmeri said. “I’ve been working with U of I for eight years now, and it’s an amazing partnership. I would not exist without them.”

That's not all there is to know. Learn more about the project:

🔗 https://www.uidaho.edu/newsroom/cals-dairy-award-winning-cheese

University of Idaho

New Course Alert! 🚨

University of Idaho is offering a new course this fall and at the heart of it is campus sustainability. Let's take a look:

SUS 4060/5060, Sustainability Challenge: Campus Zero Waste Plan taught by Erin James, will be a hybrid course open to both undergraduate and graduate students. The goal? Producing a 10-year plan for waste reduction on campus. Here's how they'll do it:

1. Devise a plan to reduce campus waste that ends up in the landfill.
2. Expand composting to additional campus locations, improving signage and education on proper waste sorting.
3. Partner with vendors to reduce single-use items and eliminate non-recyclable and non-compostable packaging.

"If you are interested in taking action to make the University of Idaho campus more sustainable, this course is for you," said Senior Instructor of Apparel, Textiles and Design, and CALS Representative for U of I's sustainability certificate, Chelsey Byrd Lewallen. "The three- credit course counts towards the undergraduate or graduate sustainability certificate and is a wonderful way to conduct interdisciplinary collaboration efforts to reduce the environmental impact of UI!"

The course has been funded by the Strategic Plan Grant Initiative.

We can't wait to see how this new course impacts campus and the students in it.

Here's to the Vandal parents. 🫶

Thank you for all you do to support students as they chase their dreams. Happy National Parents' Day!

University of Idaho

From helping producers diagnose crop diseases, to expanding mental health resources for agricultural communities and meeting youth where they're at in 4-H, has been serving Idaho since 1910.

In the latest episode of The Vandal Theory Podcast, Associate Dean and Director of University of Idaho Extension Barbara Petty explores the impact Extension has had, and continues to have.

🔗 Check it out: https://www.uidaho.edu/newsroom/vtheory-ss-2-3-extension-history

Whether you're a Vandal fan, student, parent or faculty/staff member, there's one thing that we can probably all agree on: the Vandal Dog is iconic. 🌭 Haven't experienced it for yourself? Let's talk about it.

The Vandal Dog is Vandal Brand Meats' version of the hot dog and it's made right here on campus. You can purchase it for yourself — or sometimes find them at campus events — but the most iconic place you'll find them is at athletic events. From basketball to football, you'll be sure to see them in concessions and most likely throughout tailgates. Oftentimes you'll see the Vandal Smoked Sausage offered in concessions alongside the Vandal Dog.

Vandal Brand Meats offers more than these two products, however. It is a full-service, on-campus, butcher shop focused on preparing students for careers in the meat industry. You can work at Vandal Brand Meats as an undergraduate or graduate student. also has classes that use the space for labs. James Nasados is the manager, and Talia Holtmeyer and Ryan Nelson serve as assistant managers. Committed to the community, you'll also see Vandal Brand Meats offering tours, hosting youth competitions and providing meat for events.

Although Vandal Brand Meats and the Vandal Dog have been longstanding traditions, one big thing has changed over the last year: they relocated to the newly built Meat Science and Innovation Center Honoring Ron Richard. Be sure to check out the new building and purchase some Vandal Dogs during their retail hours on Thursday and Friday from noon to 5:00 p.m.

Oh, and happy belated National Hot Dog Day to anyone who celebrated!

University of Idaho

University of Idaho was awarded $50,000 by the Anheuser-Busch Foundation to support barley research through and .

Jared Spackman, Idaho Barley Commission endowed barley agronomist and Extension specialist, was at the companies event when the announcement was made. He anticipates the money will be used in a few ways; check it out:

• Update nitrogen and phosphorus guidelines for raising barley - helping farmers improve fertilizer-use efficiency
• Further industry goals toward reducing emissions
• Further industry goals toward improving economic outcomes across the supply chain

Thank you, Anheuser-Busch Foundation! We can't wait to see how this funding impacts Idaho agriculture.

Welcome to the west side of campus: the Beef Center and Steer-A-Year feedlot. 🐮

On this end of campus, you'll find both Charolais cattle grazing in the field and a variety of breeds being fed at the feedlot. The managers in charge are Makayla Harrison and Elisha Johnson.

Although these facilities can seem like hidden gems, they've been a longstanding part of the university. Beef cattle research began at U of I in 1892 when the Idaho Agricultural Experiment Station was established and Steer-A-Year dates back to 1988. The iconic white barns have been part of the university skyline since 1919. Despite the programs having many similarities such as both raising beef cattle, providing research opportunities across campus, hosting local 4-H and FFA activities and providing hands-on experiences to student employees, they also differ in many ways.

The Beef Center has a focus of breeding and raising purebred Charolais cattle. The center manages a breeding herd of 50 mature cows used for research, cattle experience, and courses within the Department of Animal, Veterinary and Food Sciences. The cattle raised at the Beef Center are sold and marketed as breeding bulls and heifers to beef cattle producers across the northwest. Students also exhibit the Charolais cattle through the Block and Bridle Club. In total, the facility consists of about 200 acres, 120 acres of which are pasture ground. The primary hands-on experiences for students includes cattle breeding, feeding and nutrition, handling, vaccinations, branding, calving and cattle marketing.

Steer-A-Year shows a different side of the cattle industry with feedlot practices. The cattle are fed-out over an eight month time period. While many students and community members glean hands-on experiences from cattle at Steer-A-Year, the program reach is much different. This starts from the cattle's first moments as they are born elsewhere then donated to the program. Those donating steers can include producers or general public that purchase cattle on behalf of the program through the Nancy M. Cummings Research, Extension and Education Center. The cattle are then fed a finishing diet and sold when they reach market weight. Over that time, the program is evaluating the performance of each steer to later award producers within categories including Average Daily Gain, Carcass Cutability, Lean Gain per Day and Most Valuable Steer. CALS students are involved in every step of the day-to-day operation to learn how a small-scale feed-lot is run. The cherry on top - all revenue funds go directly to programs including student scholarships, beef industry research and Vandal Athletics.

Of course, we can't celebrate the success of the programs, especially on National Cow Appreciation Day, without recognizing the incredible animals that make this all happen. We'll be sure to give them an extra scratch or two today.

Here's to many more years of advancing beef in Idaho. 🥩

Ginny Lane, an assistant professor specializing in food security and global nutrition in the UI Margaret Ritchie School of Family and Consumer Sciences, led a group of six students on a trip to Guatemala this summer.

The students got to see nutrition recovery programs, small farms, a traditional wool weaver and an orphanage in the Mayan highlands. At the orphanage, students provided nutritional assessments of children. They also participated in a multisectoral meeting about food security, organized by World Vision in Huehuetenango.