BY MAUDE BLOUIN, KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER OFFICER, NOVALAIT
A native of Montreal who dreamed of becoming a veterinarian, Kathrin Dubois has an inspiring academic and professional background. She stumbled upon research and the dairy sector somewhat by chance and ultimately discovered a passion. Meet this young woman who loves science, sharing knowledge, and wants to contribute to applied research to improve the daily lives of dairy farmers.
When research becomes another way to heal
After trying out the agro-environmental sciences program in Montréal, Kathrin decided to pursue a bachelor’s degree in biology in Sherbrooke, with the goal of entering veterinary medicine. She explored various paths, including an internship at a wildlife park where she discovered science communication.
Her interest in the dairy sector took shape through the Université de Montréal’s practical program in large animal production. There, she completed an internship on a dairy farm as an employee, working alongside veterinarians. In fact, she continues to lend a hand there in her free time: “I helped the couple who own the farm take their first vacation in 11 years!” she says.
Without enrolling in the veterinary medicine program, Kathrin managed to achieve her goal of caring for dairy cattle. In her final year of biology, she applied for an internship with the team of Mélissa Duplessis, a researcher affiliated with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC). Since then, Kathrin has never left her AAFC office in Sherbrooke or her research team.
“At the end of my internship, I was at a crossroads. I had the choice between continuing to apply to veterinary medicine, pursuing animal health technology, or continuing in research. I chose to pursue my master’s degree under Mélissa’s supervision. I knew I wanted to work with dairy cows.”
The start of her professional career
Now holding a master’s degree in veterinary science, Kathrin has been working on a contract basis since October 2024 as a research assistant for the same team. Between contracts this spring, she once again found herself reflecting on her professional future. Although her contract as a research assistant at AAFC was renewed, Kathrin decided to pursue a certificate in animal production. She plans to complete this certificate in the fall of 2025, at the end of her current employment contract, to become a member of the Ordre des agronomes du Québec. Her goal: to round out her practical training and be better equipped for her work with producers.
“I want to continue helping producers who need a highly qualified professional workforce. It comes naturally to me to have multiple professional and personal projects.”
In her role as a research assistant, she is tasked with training students on the experimental methods used and working on several research projects, including one on foot baths for cows and their effects on the farm environment. “This project stems from a survey of producers on the practices used regarding foot baths,” she explains. “We’re gathering concrete data to validate the effectiveness of products used for something that’s not very well understood. It’s very applied!”
A master’s program focused on the health of cows and newborn calves
Kathrin’s master’s project, supported by Novalait, focused on the effects of feeding cows during the pre-calving period (before the calf is born) on the health of both the mother and the calf. More specifically, the student analyzed the levels of B vitamins—particularly B12—and immunoglobulins (IgG) in colostrum, the cow’s first milk, as these are indicators of the calf’s immune system development.
The main objective was to determine whether supplementing the pre-calving diet with B vitamins had positive effects on the mother’s health, colostrum quality, and the calf’s development during its first days of life. Kathrin was enthusiastic about visiting the many farms participating in her research. She was inspired to better understand the effects of diet on cow and calf health, thereby helping producers improve their practices.
62 farms, 5 regions: coordinating science across rural Quebec
This was the first research project conducted on commercial farms, particularly regarding B vitamins. The results available in Quebec up to that point had come from studies conducted in highly controlled laboratory settings. A total of 463 cows and 456 calves across 62 farms in five regions of Quebec were studied for this project. Kathrin explains that, for various reasons beyond their control, there were many exclusions, such as the death of some calves.
“It was quite a challenge to coordinate the collection of samples from farms in the five regions and their shipment to our laboratory! However, I found it very interesting to try to apply laboratory results to a real-world dairy production context. We worked hard with dairy farmers to obtain tangible data on B vitamins and IgG.”
Nor should we overlook the multifactorial nature of this study. For example, the results analyzed so far regarding colostrum’s vitamin B12 content are explained by only 50% through Kathrin’s study—that is, the composition of the pre-calving ration. Several factors, including the animal’s genetics, can influence the composition of colostrum. Epigenetic analyses are currently underway to assess the impact of these genetic factors on the quality of colostrum produced by the mother.
Are new recommendations on the horizon for producers?
Kathrin explains that B-vitamin supplements are already added to certain products on the market for pre-calving cow rations. Nevertheless, her master’s thesis helps explain why, in the Quebec context, it may be worthwhile to invest in this supplementation. Indeed, the results confirm several factors influencing colostrum quality, as well as the fact that vitamin B12 supplementation can benefit the energy metabolism of both the cow and the calf. However, it’s important to note that Kathrin is not making any recommendations.
The research team’s goal was rather to generate data in a real-world dairy production context to eventually equip agronomists and veterinarians in their work. With more research like that of Kathrin and her team, these industry professionals could identify situations where it is beneficial to add vitamin B supplements to the diets of pre-calving cows.
