Dr. Emily K. Miller-Cushon
Associate Professor of Animal Behavior and Welfare
Dr. Miller-Cushon conducts research and teaching in the areas of applied animal behavior and welfare. Her lab focuses on the relationships between management, behavior, and welfare of farm animals. Current research includes investigation of the role of early environment in behavioral development of dairy calves, with applications to refine dairy calf management to improve animal welfare, and exploration of novel behavioral approaches to evaluate animal welfare.
Programs
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Research
Research Summary
Dr. Miller-Cushon’s research program focuses on the relationships between management, behavior, and welfare of farm animals. In general, she is interested in how behavior patterns develop and are affected by factors in the environment, and what behavior can tell us about animal welfare. Current research in her lab is investigating the development of feeding and social behavior of dairy calves, with a focus on how these behavioral patterns respond to aspects of management, such as housing, diet, and environmental complexity, and relate to other measures of welfare, including states of pain and disease. Dr. Miller-Cushon ultimately aims to apply research findings to refine dairy calf management strategies to improve long-term welfare and to identify novel behavioral measures to improve welfare assessment.
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Teaching
- ANS 3008 Livestock Behavior & Welfare, Fall 3 credits
- ANS 4605 Animal Welfare Assessment, Fall 1 credit
- ANS 6040 Applied Ethology, Spring 3 credits
Contact
PO Box 110910
Gainesville, FL 32611
352-448-3748
2250 Shealy Dr.
Gainesville, FL 32611
emillerc@ufl.edu
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Education
Education
- April 2014; Ph.D., Animal Behavior and Welfare, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
- April 2009; B.Sc., Honours, Mathematical Physics, Biophysics Specialization, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario
Academic Positions Since Final Degree
- 2021-Present; Associate Professor, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
- 2014-2021; Assistant Professor, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
- Publications
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Professional Service and Awards
Awards, Honors, and Outstanding Achievements
- Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (2025)
- International Society for Applied Ethology New Investigator Award (2019)
- UF IFAS CALS Innovation in Teaching Award (2019)
- Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
(NSERC) Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship (2012 - 2104).
Professional Memberships
- International Society for Applied Ethology
- American Dairy Science Association