The Beef Podcast Show - #18 - Tackling bovine respiratory disease (BRD), a multifactorial issue

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is a complex of pathogens that presents several challenges to the beef industry – since there are viruses and bacteria involved in the development of the disease, all of which are triggered by stressors, it is commonly considered a multifactorial issue. In other words, it is a disease that “hits cattle when they are at their worst” and, therefore, its prevention and intervention are a tricky matter, as Dr. McGill herself states in this episode. She also mentions: the importance of timing when intervening; the role of vitamins A and D regarding the integrity of the immune function at the lung and gut level; the relevance of consolidating interdisciplinary groups for research purposes; and the development of future technologies, such as nanoparticle formulation.

What you’ll learn:

1. Understanding bovine respiratory disease (BRD)

2. Intervening and managing the risks of BRD

3. Researching the role of vitamin A in the immune system

4. Predicting BRD responses through pro-inflammatory cytokines

5. Conducting interdisciplinary work and groups

6. Is inflammation a good or a bad thing?

7. Stimulating the innate immune system

8. The nanoparticle formulation

9. Getting ahead of the animal before sickness vs. treating the illness

10. The role of vitamin C

11. The dairy cow and its louder immune system

Meet the guest

Dr. Jodi McGill

Experience

     ○ Current: Associate Professor at Iowa State University

     ○ Past: Faculty Fellow at Kansas State University

Background

     ○ Post-doc. (National Animal Disease Center, USDA)

     ○ Ph.D., Immunology (University of Iowa)

     ○ M.Sc., Pathology (University of Iowa)

     ○ B.Sc., Microbiology (Iowa State University)

Hobbies: taking my children to their activities, caring for my zoo of animals, knitting, reading, and cooking (a.k.a. drinking wine).
Favorite book, movie or TV series: Do you mean favorites? Ok… My favorite author is John Sanford and the Prey Books. My favorite Movie… too many to choose, but some of them are Lethal Weapon, Father of the Bride, Casino, and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.
Favorite quote: "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." – Thomas Edison
A tip for success: Focus on a positive mindset. Practice good time management. Work really hard when it's time to work… but make sure to prioritize things other than work.