Can you briefly explain the journal’s aims and scope?

The Journal of Dairy Research (JDR) is special. It is owned by the Hannah Dairy Research Foundation, a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) SC007058. Although the Editor in Chief has complete independence from the HDRF, the Foundation is intended to “support all aspects of dairy research including the biology, wellbeing of dairy animals, dairy technology and food production. The Foundation’s aim is to stimulate original scientific research, encourage and inspire young scientists in the field, invigorate industry and enable dairy farmers through advances in knowledge, technology and good practice.” As the incoming Editor in Chief, I can completely buy into this ambition, and it agrees well with the scope of the Journal. Although the Foundation is a Scottish Charity, the Journal is a truly international publication, and the Foundation’s objectives are equally relevant, regardless of where the research is based.

What is your background/expertise in the field?

I qualified as a veterinary surgeon from Sydney University and went to work in mixed, dairy, beef, small animal and equine practice, over time drifting to the dairy work. By the time I had finished up as a private practitioner, I was almost exclusively working on dairy farms and had a particular interest in genetics and artificial breeding. I did my PhD on how heat stress, hypocalcaemia and genetic merit affected resumption of post-partum ovarian function and ended up in various research and academic positions, mostly involving cattle. I continue to be very interested in how we can diagnose, manage, and prevent metabolic and dietary problems in cattle.

What are your aims/plans for the journal throughout your term?

Any editor wants to see their journal grow according to the usual metrics, and I’m no exception. However, for me, a real indicator of success will be when farmers, consultants, journalists and others in the dairy industry start quoting papers that we publish and debating their application. To achieve this requires a robust research community, which the Foundation is helping to develop through strategic funding, conferences and other activities. One of my first tasks is to work with the Editorial Board, the Foundation, and the existing JDR Community to strengthen our base, develop a sense of ownership of the Journal, and to use whatever platforms we can to encourage the translation of our research into practice.

Where do you see growth in your field in the next 5-10 years?

Dairy science is strongly data driven. Every cow produces thousands of potential datapoints in her lifetime, and these data are increasingly accessible in middle to high income countries. Routine management incorporates ever more precision livestock farming tools and high-density genotyping is becoming common on commercial herds. Inevitably, the dairy research community will grow its capacity to extract information from masses of data and translate this into recommendations and practices. On the post-harvest side of dairy science, interest in functional food products and in regional, traditional dairy products has been growing recently, and concerns around sustainability and food security are driving strong interest in minimising wastage and maximising food safety.

Why should people submit to Journal of Dairy Research?

The Journal of Dairy Research is a high-quality, international journal that exists for the benefit of dairy science in the broad sense. It is the focal point of a community of researchers and is committed to promoting and publishing research that can benefit society.