Abigail Maertens Position/Title: MSc Student email: amaerten@uoguelph.ca Phone: 5198026972 Office: Research Gate LinkedIn

I completed a Bachelor's of Science in Agriculture with a major in Animal Science in April 2025.

I am currently pursuing a Master of Science by thesis in Dr. Eduardo Ribeiro’s laboratory, where my research focuses on transition cow management at the herd level in dairy cattle. My project evaluates the effectiveness and economic value of Lactanet’s newly developed Transition Management Index (TMI) as a tool to assess transition management quality. As part of this work, we are conducting on-farm visits to 60 dairy herds across Ontario to collect detailed information on management practices, housing infrastructure, and herd equipment.

The goals of this research are to improve consistency and transparency in health record keeping - particularly for disease diagnosis and treatment, and to develop practical, evidence-based best management practices and factsheets that producers can use to enhance cow health, welfare, and overall farm performance.