Dairy Spotlight: Zelmar Rodriguez
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EmailAssistant Professor, Large Animal Clinical Sciences
I grew up in Montevideo, the capital city of Uruguay, a country where beef cattle traditions are deeply ingrained in its national identity. From a very young age, I've been passionate about animal care, which led me to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. During my initial year at veterinary college, I was introduced to dairy production. As someone with little previous contact with dairy cows, I found the dairy system both complex and challenging, and it quickly became my passion and focus.
After graduation, I worked for a few years in the dairy industry, mainly on dairy calves’ health, and then I moved to New Zealand where I spent two years working mostly on milk quality and hoof health. Wanting to learn more about cattle health, I pursued a PhD in veterinary population medicine at the University of Minnesota. Soon after, I took a postdoctoral position at Michigan State University to work on milk quality research.
Today, as an assistant professor and dairy extension veterinarian, I lead an integrated research and extension program that allows me to develop fully applied research. My focus is on developing effective management strategies to improve the profitability and sustainability of dairy farms by optimizing disease control and milk quality. In addition to my research, I am dedicated to educating veterinary and graduate students on the practical application of epidemiological tools in preventing animal diseases.
I consider myself incredibly fortunate to be a member of MSU. Here, I have the opportunity to pursue my passion in a field I deeply care about, surrounded by supportive colleagues, engaged stakeholders, and motivated students.
