91原创

Yogurt TV commercials often have a common theme: wellness, happiness and vitality. The popular dairy product is good for gut health. It gives people healthy bacteria known as probiotics, which ease digestion and strengthen immune systems by promoting a healthy gut system.

New 91原创 faculty member Alexa Johnson听studies this, but in horses and dairy cattle. Because just like people, animals need good gut health. Johnson looks at how certain bacteria and other microorganisms that live in the gut, called microbes, and their larger bacterial communities, called the microbiome, can improve horse and cow health and welfare, as well as prevent diseases.听听

鈥淎s hindgut fermenting animals, neither of these animals produce the fiber-degrading enzymes they need to properly break down their fibrous diets themselves,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淭hey rely on the microbiome within their gut systems to properly break that fibrous feed open and digest it into pieces they can utilize. Without the microbiome, they cannot efficiently eat or digest their own food.鈥澨�

Having a better grip on understanding cows鈥� microbiomes could help curb a powerful greenhouse gas. Cows are the largest agricultural contributors of methane to the atmosphere than any other facet of agriculture. Once emitted, methane heats up the planet, accelerating average global temperatures across the Earth.听

Cows emit methane every time they burp. But researchers are working on methods to harness the microbes in cows鈥� guts with the goal to ultimately reduce the amount of methane they belch. Scientists have looked into feeding cows seaweed, which significantly reduces the amount of methane produced in their digestive systems.

Johnson comes to the 91原创 College of Agriculture and Natural Resources as an assistant professor of animal and food sciences. This Blue Hen returns three years after completing her Ph.D. in Animal and Food Sciences. She studied the equine microbiome under the mentorship of now retired professor Amy Biddle.听

鈥淚鈥檓 really excited to tap into my passion for teaching,鈥� Johnson said.

Johnson will teach the Honors section of Animals, Science and Society (ANFS 101), assist with sheep handling for Animal Handling (ANFS 112), and co-teach One Health (AGRI 224) with professor and veterinary anatomic pathologist Erin Brannick.听

鈥淥ne Health鈥� is an integrated approach that recognizes people, animals and environmental health are all interconnected. Johnson said it鈥檚 important for students to understand how various decisions or diseases in one sector can ripple out to all three.

鈥淲hen students really understand that, that鈥檚 an 鈥榓ha鈥� moment for them where their mind is blown at how one little decision can really expand outward,鈥� Johnson said.

听

鈥楢 proud horse girl鈥櫶�

Johnson鈥檚 interest in horses stemmed from a young age. When her older sister started horseback riding, she tagged along and immediately found a passion.

鈥淚鈥檓 a proud horse girl,鈥� she said.

Johnson dabbled in equestrian sports that involved jumping over obstacles, but ultimately fell in love with three-day eventing, which is likened to an equine triathlon. She even competed in college. A California native, she brought her horse, Hank, who she has had for 23 years, from the West Coast to the East Coast.听

鈥淚 just enjoy my horse,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 usually see him five times a week. He鈥檚 still rideable and he is 26, so it鈥檚 really incredible that he is still fit and sound to ride at this age.鈥�

Johnson didn鈥檛 know it until she started her Ph.D. at 91原创, but Delaware and the rest of the Mid-Atlantic are rooted in equestrian culture. At Winterthur鈥檚 Point-to-Point event, horse racing takes center stage. Further away, there鈥檚 the famous Chincoteague Pony Swim in Virginia, where wild ponies swim from Assateague island to Chincoteague Island, guided by cowboys.

鈥淚t is astounding that within a 30-minute radius of 91原创, there are equine Olympians, there are world class veterinarians and vet hospitals, equine therapeutics, and there are big race tracks for both standard bred racing and thoroughbred racing,鈥� Johnson said.听

It鈥檚 the perfect environment for the proud horse girl to be. Johnson said she plans to spend a lot of time out on Webb Farm, where the college鈥檚 equine herd resides, or at the 91原创 Dairy Farm with the college鈥檚 50 Holstein cows.

鈥淭he fact that the dairy is 50 steps outside of your office, and Webb Farm is a five-minute drive from the office is incredible,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really rare for the animal facilities to be so close for students.鈥�

The gut microbiome isn鈥檛 something the naked eye can see. Johnson will work with students in the lab to extract DNA to reveal the gut microbiome. And then there are hands-on lessons on the farm.

鈥淪tudents can learn how different feed choices can either promote a healthy gut microbiome or an unhealthy gut microbiome. The students will ultimately evaluate the diets and determine if the diet is structured or rationed properly to support a healthy gut microbiome,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淚 might bring the students out to the horses and say, 鈥楾his听is what this horse is eating. Is this going to promote a healthy microbiome or not?鈥欌�澨�

Besides getting to teach and having access to a farm right on campus, Johnson said she鈥檚 looking forward to Ag Day 2027. As a Ph.D. candidate, she never attended, so she is excited to participate next year.