Assistant Professor in Dairy Nutrition & Modeling
Division of Animal Sciences
Research at a glance
Area(s) of Expertise
Research Summary
My research program focuses on understanding dietary nutrient supply, metabolism, and requirements in dairy cattle by integrating nutritional modeling, animal health, and stress physiology. Ultimately, my long-term goal is to optimize dairy cattle health and performance through a systems-level approach that combines nutrition, management strategies, and data-driven decision-making.
Daley’s research program focuses on nutrition and metabolism in dairy cattle, with a strong emphasis on nutrient supply and requirements. Her current work investigates the supply and metabolism of individual amino acids and fatty acids in dairy cows aiming to manipulate milk components (fat and protein).
She also conducts modeling studies using advanced programming techniques to integrate nutrition, animal health, and stress physiology into a system-level framework.
During her doctoral studies, Daley developed a ration formulation software in Brazil (RLM Leite) designed to support precision feeding strategies. She completed her postdoctoral training through the National Animal Nutrition Program at Virginia Tech, where she contributed to data mining initiatives, nutrition modeling, and educational workshops on nutritional models. She also contributed to the 2021 NASEM Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle committee.
Prior to joining CAFNR, Daley served for over five years as a Senior Research Scientist in Dairy Nutrition at the Purina Animal Nutrition Center, where she led applied research initiatives focused on adult dairy cows and contributed to innovation in the dairy industry.
Educational background
- Ph.D., Dairy Nutrition and Modeling, University of São Paulo (ESALQ/USP)
- MVSc, Dairy cattle health, Federal University of Paraná (UFPR)