Animal Science Graduate Club

I’m a masters student pursuing a degree in dairy cattle genetics. I graduated from Iowa State My advisors are Dr. Brad Heins and Dr. Isaac Haagen. My research focuses on reducing the economic losses from parasite prevalence in organic dairy cattle through genetic selection. My hobbies are hiking, exploring the cities, watching football and basketball, specifically the cyclones! 

I am a master's student pursuing a degree in dairy cattle genetics. My advisors are Dr. Isaac Haagen and Dr. Brad Heins. My research focuses on the genetic correlation of feed efficiency in dairy calves. In my project, I tracked body growth and feed intake to calculate feed efficiency on dairy calves from birth to 6 months of age. I then use genomic tests to understand the genetic relationship between the calves for feed efficiency. Outside of school I enjoy watching football and basketball, judging dairy cattle, and helping on my family’s farm.

Ben Styer, a first year Master's student from Menomonie, WI, is currently serving as the treasurer. Ben did his undergrad at the University of Minnesota and graduated in 2025. In grad school, he's studying dairy cattle genetics, specifically relating to hoof lesions in lactating cows. His advisor is Dr. Isaac Haagen, and he also works closely with Dr. Gerard Cramer. Some of Ben's favorite activities include showing and judging dairy cattle, deer hunting, fishing, being active in his church, and spending quality time with friends and family.

My name is Amritha Ajayan, and I’m a Ph.D. student in the Department of Animal Science. I work under the mentorship of Dr. Anup Kollanoor Johny. My research focuses on investigating the effect of phytochemicals against foodborne pathogens like Salmonella. Our goal is to explore innovative, natural solutions to improve poultry health and help prevent foodborne outbreaks. In my free time, I enjoy bird watching, going on long walks, and spending time outdoors.

Hannah Lochner is a first-year PhD student studying under Dr. Eric Mousel in the area of beef systems management. Her research focuses on evaluating on-farm composting as a practical option for managing beef cattle mortalities in areas with a history of livestock depredation. Extension outreach is a key component of her project and she values connecting her audience to her work through field days, website articles, infographics, and videos. Hannah enjoys traveling and spending time outdoors. Trekking to waterfalls in the Upper Peninsula during fall colors is always a highlight of her year. She also has a goal for visiting every National Park in the U.S.; out of the 14 she’s been to, Glacier National Park is her favorite.

I'm a second-year Master's student here in the Animal Science department. My advisor is Dr. Anup Kollanoor Johny, and my project involves examining how the inclusion of insects in broiler feed impacts their production metrics and gastrointestinal microbiome diversity. My hobbies include cooking, making music, creative writing, and playing video games and board games. I also have an orange cat named Bug.
 

Dhananjai is a veterinary medicine graduate from India, and he has completed his M.S. in Animal Science from University of Minnesota, before continuing with his Ph.D. He is advised by Dr. Anup Kollanoor Johny. His current research focuses pre-harvest mitigation of foodborne Salmonella Infantis in broilers using antibiotic alternatives and studying host-microbe interactions in the ceca by metagenomic sequencing analysis; to understand how antibiotic alternatives modulate the microbiome of Salmonella-challenged poultry.