Angel Abuelo
Red Cedar Distinguished Professor & Dairy Extension Veterinarian
Angel Abuelo is researching ways to improve immunity in dairy cattle and calves, reducing the need for antibiotics and antimicrobials
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Angel Abuelo is director of the Abuelo Lab, where his research focuses primarily on the interaction between nutrition and the immune system of neonatal dairy calves. In particular, he is interested in understanding how different nutritional interventions (e.g., supplementation with antioxidants, changes in late-gestation maternal nutrition, etc.) can improve the immune responses of calves and, therefore, increase their resistance to diseases.
Beyond his research he maintains close interaction with
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the dairy industry through MSU Extension. As part of that work, he is involved with a joint USDA project with Cornell and Wisconsin Veterinary Colleges to alleviate the shortage of rural veterinarians in the US by increasing awareness of rural practice among DVM students and providing continuing education to early-career veterinarians working in veterinary under-served areas.
Selected Press
New USDA grant supports MSU researcher studying prevention of dairy cow diseases after calving
MSU Today | 2022-02-17
Angel Abuelo, an assistant professor in the Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM), has received a $642,000 grant to develop diagnostic tools that predict major illnesses during dairy cows’ transition from late gestation to early lactation.
The grant is funded by the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
Roughly 75% of diseases in adult dairy cows occur in the first month after calving, with two of the most devastating being mastitis — a bacterial infection of the udder — and metritis, a bacterial infection of the uterus. These ailments can cause a deterioration in reproductive performance, lower milk production, lameness and in severe cases, result in death. Mastitis alone costs U.S. dairy producers an estimated $2 billion annually.
New grant aims to help dairy calves and farmers
MSU Today | 2018-09-13
Michigan State University researcher Ángel Abuelo, an assistant professor of cattle health and wellbeing in the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine, has been awarded a four-year, $500,000 grant for his work with dairy calves.
The study, which is focused on decreasing the use of antimicrobials on dairy farms, while increasing farm profitability, is funded through the United States Department of Agriculture, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative.
The average mortality rate for dairy calves in the U.S. fluctuates between six and 10 percent. Most of those deaths occur during the first 60 days of life and 80 percent are due to infectious diseases. Because the immune systems of young calves aren’t fully developed, vaccinations aren’t effective. As a result, antimicrobials are used to fight off these infections, but this practice may be harmful as well.