Milk samples could give insights about a cow’s level of heat load, offering an easy-to-access management tool to guide animal welfare decisions by dairy farmers
This project is investigating the potential to use the level of the ‘heat shock protein’ HSP70 in milk as an indicator of heat load in dairy cattle.
Benefits
Using milk as a monitoring and diagnostic tool has potential benefits at the industry, herd and individual cow level. Ultimately, the diagnostic capability of bulk tank milk could reduce the risk of disease spread within and among herds.
At an industry level this is vital for biosecurity as the detection of pathogens or specific antibodies in milk can be used for monitoring endemic diseases within a farm, region, or country. At an individual level, the early diagnosis and treatment of infections and nutritional disorders improves animal health and welfare.
Progress
Final Project Summary (May 2026)
Studies to date have confirmed that milk HSP70 levels could be used as an indicator of heat load.
Final Project Report (May 2026)
Read the final report for the Dairy UP P9 project: Designer Milk.
Publication - J. Dairy Sci. (September 2026)
Daily variation in milk HSP70 in dairy cows during a heat wave.
Abstract - ADSA (June 2025)
Potential of HSP70 as a non-invasive biomarker for detecting heat stress in dairy cow.
Thesis (April 2026)
Investigations of Heat Shock Protein 70 for Non-Invasive Detection of Heat Stress in Dairy Cows: Dr Razaul Rakib
Publication - J. Dairy Sci. (February 2026)
Detecting heat shock protein 70 in milk, blood, and saliva of dairy cows exposed to different seasonal conditions.
Publication - J. Dairy Sci. (February 2026)
Comparison between in-house competitive and commercial ELISA for the detection of heat shock protein 70 in milk, blood, and saliva of dairy cows.
Publication - JDS Commun. (May 2025)
Skimming and storage factors affect the detection of heat shock protein 70 in raw bovine milk
Abstract - ADSA (June 2024)
Influence of management and storage factors on detection of HSP70 in raw bovine milk.
Abstract - ADSS (November 2024)
Detecting HSP70 in milk, blood and saliva of dairy cows exposed to different climatic conditions.
Publication - J. Dairy Sci. (August 2024)
A review: Potential use of HSP70 as an indicator of heat stress in dairy cows
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Project Lead
Juan Gargiulo
Development Officer Dairy | Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
You can help
If you are interested in this project or think you may want to be involved at some stage, please contact Juan Gargiulo juan.gargiulo@dpi.nsw.gov.au.
Project Team:
- Indunil Pathirana, University of Ruhuna
- Rezaul Rakib – University of Sydney – rezaul.rakib@sydney.edu.au
- Valeria Messina – University of Sydney
- Yani Garcia – University of Sydney – sergio.garcia@sydney.edu.au
For more information contact Prof. Yani Garcia (sergio.garcia@sydney.edu.au) or Juan Gargiulo (juan.gargiulo@dpi.nsw.gov.au).
This research is funded by the Dairy UP initiative (https://dairyup.com.au/).