Centre for Dairy Science Innovation (CDSI)

Genetics | Reproduction | Behaviour | Nutrition | Health & Welfare | Productivity | Food Integrity | Environmental Impact

Internationally-leading dairy science research facility at the forefront of research into the health, nutrition and welfare of dairy cows and calves.

In partnership with

Uni of Nottingham 200 x 89

The £6 million Centre for Dairy Science Innovation (CDSI) is a state-of-the-art extension to the University of Nottingham’s longstanding dairy facilities. It brings together existing expertise in dairy science, dairy herd health & welfare and dairy food science, and positions the University at the forefront of research into the health, nutrition and welfare of dairy cows.

The CDSI houses a 340-strong dairy herd and enables studies with up to 100 individually fed, high-yielding dairy cows and heifers to test the effect of a range of diets on milk production and composition, feed intake and live-weight change. A dedicated Youngstock Facility (calf and heifer) additionally enables the research team to track animals throughout their lives, using precision systems for monitoring performance, welfare, health, nutrition and behaviour.

A wide range of sensing and monitoring systems are in place across the CDSI to automate detailed data collection and process this data to generate meaningful information.

Key research expertise

The facility brings together researchers from the University’s Schools of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine and Science alongside industry. The CDSI offers the latest research technologies for studying a range of dairy-related topics including mastitis control, antimicrobial resistance, feed efficiency, environmental emissions and ‘wearable’ technologies for the herd.

Wider issues studied range from reproduction to rumen function, feeding behaviour and digestibility, to emerging technologies to prevent disease and improve cow welfare and greenhouse gas emissions.

Cutting-edge laboratory facilities expand the Dairy Herd Health Group’s capacity to study mastitis and investigate novel therapies and vaccines derived from new genomic technologies.

The CDSI offers the latest research technologies for studying a range of dairy-related topics including:

  • Antimicrobial resistance
  • Environmental emissions
  • Feed efficiency
  • Lameness
  • Mastitis control
  • New wearable technologies for the herd

Principle features

  • Nutritional research unit
  • Flexible housing unit
  • Category 2 containment unit
  • Youngstock unit (calf and heifer)

Impact

Developing guidelines for precision nutrition of cows. Evaluating the impact of spatial environment on health, welfare and production of housed dairy cows. New therapies to reduce the impact of mastitis while reducing or eliminating use of antibiotics.

Supporting the Grand Challenges facing livestock food production:

Climate Smart Food Systems

Resource Efficiency & Precision Nutrition

Health & Welfare Management

The Centre for Dairy Science Innovation

Centre for Dairy Science Innovation Brochure

The Centre for Dairy Science Innovation

Space to Move

Centre for Diary Science Innovation | Machine Learning

Machine learning to improve the diagnosis of mastitis in cows.

Centre for Dairy Science Innovation | Dairy sourced bull calves risk

Determining risk to dairy-sourced bull calves as they enter the beef rearing unit.

Centre for Dairy Science Innovation | Dairy sourced bull calves risk

Case Study: Sustainable palm-free fat supplementation for dairy cows