Melissa Cantor

Melissa Cantor

  • Assistant Professor Precision Dairy Science
345 Ag Science & Industries Bldg.
University Park, PA 16802

Areas of Expertise

  • Epidemiology
  • Animal behavior
  • Dairy calf development/nutrition
  • Precision livestock farming
  • Animal welfare
  • Dairy cattle management
  • OneHealth/Biosecurity

Education

  • University of Kentucky. BSc. Animal Science, 2011
  • UW-Madison. MSc. Dairy Science, 2015.
  • University of Kentucky Ph.D. Animal Science, 2021.
  • University of Guelph Post-doctoral fellowship, 2021-2023.

Dr. Melissa Cantor is an Assistant Professor in Precision Dairy Science at Penn State University. She has an applied dairy research program that explores the potential of new precision technologies and investigates the impact of disease, precision nutrition strategies, and environment on the health, performance, and welfare of cattle. Cantor has an extension program focused on strengthening stakeholder partnerships throughout the dairy industry including Chair of the PSU Dairy Nutrition Workshop, an editorial board member of J. Dairy Science, a member of the Dairy Cattle Welfare Media Outreach committee, and has two extension programs. Her extension programs focus on "dairy calf success:" including nutrition, health and management, as well as dairy robotics in partnership with U. Penn Drs. Bender, and Rassler. She has 10 PSU extension publications, 22 peer reviewed journal articles, and is a co-author of 2 book chapters.Cantor's expertise focuses in epidemiology,  animal behavior, precision livestock farming concepts, OneHealth, and dairy calf nutrition.

Publications

Calf scours: Simple preventions and interventions for optimal calf health, Cantor, Melissa, 2024

Investigating nutritional strategies during a rest period to improve health, growth, and behavioral outcomes of transported surplus dairy calves
Journal of Dairy Science, Bajus, A., Creutzinger, K. C., Cantor, M. C., Wilms, J. N., Gomez Nieto, D. E., Steele, M. A., Kelton, D. F., Renaud, D. L., 2024

Common Pathogens Causing Diarrhea in Dairy Calves, Plaugher, Gillian, Renaud, Dave, Cantor, Melissa, 2024

HPAI: What You Need to Know About Dairy Cattle and Poultry, Cantor, Melissa, Lorenzoni Calvo, A, Holden, L, 2024

What is Animal Welfare?, Cantor, Melissa, Hodder, A, Monroe, Jennifer, 2024

Penn State Extension AI Guidelines, Ladlee, J, Beresnyak, Tom, Butzler, T, Cantor, Melissa, Esker, P, Felix, T, Fetter, J, Grozinger, C, Long, He, Hines, E, Hirneisen, Andy, Krali, Richard, LaBorde, L, Onopa, Jenn, Schmidt, C, Snyder, Carla, Yutzy, Amber, Mahan, Wendy, Millet, Chris, 2024

The development and validation of a milk feeding behavior alert from automated feeder data to classify calves at risk for a diarrhea bout: A diagnostic accuracy study
Journal of Dairy Science, Cantor, M. C., Welk, A. A., Creutzinger, K. C., Woodrum Setser, M. M., Costa, J. H.C., Renaud, D. L., 2024

Effects of supplementing colostrum beyond the first day of life on growth and health parameters of preweaning Holstein heifers
Journal of Dairy Science, McCarthy, H. R., Cantor, M. C., Lopez, A. J., Pineda, A., Nagorske, M., Renaud, D. L., Steele, M. A., 2024

Purchasing Guide for the Dairy: Precision Technology System, Cantor, Melissa, Bone, Breanna, 2024

Colostrum supplementation beyond the first feeding after birth, Cantor, Melissa, 2024

Dairy Farm Transformation: Artificial Intelligence, Bone, Breanna, Cantor, Melissa, 2024

Stop the Suck: Avoiding Cross-sucking with Automated Feeders, Cantor, Melissa, James, Robert, 2024

Why Do Dairy Calves Cross-suck Each Other: A Success Guide, Cantor, Melissa, James, Robert, 2024

Precision Livestock Farming: Dairy Technologies, Cantor, Melissa, Monroe, Jennifer, 2023

The Endemic Calf Parasite Cryptosporidium Parvum, Cantor, Melissa, Springer, H, 2023

A Machine Learning and Optimization Framework for the Early Diagnosis of Bovine Respiratory Disease
IEEE Access, Casella, Enrico, Cantor, Melissa C., Setser, Megan M.Woodrum, Silvestri, Simone, Costa, Joao H.C., 2023

Association of a green tea extract with serum immunoglobulin G status and neonatal vitality in newborn dairy calves
Journal of Dairy Science, Reis, M. E., Cantor, M., Bittar, C. M.M., Costa, J. H.C., 2022

Effect of supplementation with algae β-glucans on performance, health, and blood metabolites of Holstein dairy calves
Journal of Dairy Science, Reis, M. E., de Toledo, A. F., da Silva, A. P., Poczynek, M., Cantor, M. C., Virgínío Júnior, G. F., Greco, L., Bittar, C. M.M., 2022

Evaluation of an infrared thermography camera for measuring body temperature in dairy calves
JDS Communications, Cantor, M. C., Goetz, H. M., Beattie, K., Renaud, D. L., 2022

Evaluation of a point-of-care meter for measuring glucose concentrations in dairy calves: A diagnostic accuracy study
JDS Communications, Renaud, D. L., Hare, K. S., Wood, K. M., Steele, M. A., Cantor, M. C., 2022

Cost-aware Inference of Bovine Respiratory Disease in Calves using Precision Livestock Technology, Casella, Enrico, Cantor, Melissa C., Silvestri, Simone, Renaud, Dave L., Costa, Joao H.C., 2022

Associations between Feeding Behaviors Collected from an Automated Milk Feeder and Neonatal Calf Diarrhea in Group Housed Dairy Calves: A Case-Control Study
Animals, Conboy, Meridith H., Winder, Charlotte B., Cantor, Melissa C., Costa, Joao H.C., Steele, Michael A., Medrano-Galarza, Catalina, von Konigslow, Taika E., Kerr, Amanda, Renaud, Dave L., 2022

Using machine learning and precision livestock farming technology for early indication of health status in preweaned dairy calves, Cantor, M. C., Casella, E., Silvestri, S., Renaud, D. L., Costa, J. H.C., 2022

Supplementation of lysolecithin in milk replacer for Holstein dairy calves: Effects on growth performance, health, and metabolites
Journal of Dairy Science, Reis, M. E., Toledo, A. F., da Silva, A. P., Poczynek, M., Fioruci, E. A., Cantor, M. C., Greco, L., Bittar, C. M.M., 2021

Symposium review: Precision technologies for dairy calves and management applications
Journal of Dairy Science, Costa, Joao H.C., Cantor, Melissa C., Neave, Heather W., 2021

A comprehensive evaluation of microchips to measure temperature in dairy calves
Journal of Dairy Science, Woodrum Setser, M. M., Cantor, M. C., Costa, J. H.C., 2020

Technical note: Estimating body weight of dairy calves with a partial-weight scale attached to an automated milk feeder
Journal of Dairy Science, Cantor, Melissa C., Pertuisel, Charlotte H., Costa, Joao H.C., 2020

Effect of milk feeding strategy and lactic acid probiotics on growth and behavior of dairy calves fed using an automated feeding system
Journal of Animal Science, Cantor, Melissa C., Stanton, Amy L., Combs, David K., Costa, Joao H.C., 2019

Key animal welfare issues in commercially raised dairy calves: social environment, nutrition, and painful procedures.
Canadian Journal of Animal Science, Costa, Joao H.C., Cantor, Melissa, Adderley, Nicola A., Neave, Heather W., 2019

Impact of observed and controlled water intake on reticulorumen temperature in lactating dairy cattle
Animals, Cantor, Melissa C., Costa, Joao H.C., Bewley, Jeffrey M., 2018

Bovine Life History, Costa, Joao, Cantor, Melissa, Neave, Heather, 2018