Dr Annabelle Beaver

Supervisor Details

Contact Details

Animal Health, Behaviour and Welfare, Harper Adams University

Scientific Background

Research Interests

Annabelle Beaver is an interdisciplinary animal welfare scientist with a particular interest in dairy cows and calves. She joined Harper Adams in January 2020, after serving as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of British Columbia. Annabelle has a Master's in Animal Behaviour and Conservation (Hunter College, CUNY) and a PhD in Animal Science (Cornell University). She also gained a Fulbright Scholarship in Mathematical Modelling (Wageningen University).

Annabelle’s current research examines how housing and management decisions impact cow and calf welfare. As co-project director of a multi-institutional project funded by the United States Department of Agriculture, Annabelle is investigating how prolonged-cow calf contact may offer benefits for cow and calf behaviour and affective state. One of the MIBTP PhD opportunities builds upon this research. The second project will progress the ongoing research in Dr Beaver’s lab on the bovine appeasing pheromone. Please see her ResearchGate profile for recent publications on this topic. Annabelle also serves as an advisory editor for the Animal Welfare book series (Springer Nature).

Supervision Style

In three words or phrases: supportive, understanding, detail-oriented.

Provision of Training

I prefer to take responsibility for your technical training at first, leading to more independence later.

Progression Monitoring and Management

I have high expectations and will push you to your full potential. I like to be kept up to date and will expect to see evidence of method development/data generation at our meetings. I am here for advice and guidance to help you reach the goals you set for yourself.

Communication

I am happy to discuss any issues that are impacting your ability to fulfil your potential or my/our expectations.

PhD Students can expect scheduled meetings with me:

In a group meeting

At least once a month

In year 1 of PhD study

At least once a week

In year 2 of PhD study

At least once a fortnight

In year 3 of PhD study

At least once a month

These meetings will be a mixture of face to face, via video chat or telephone. I have an open-door policy, though my pattern of being contactable for an instant response is not predictable.

Working Pattern

The timing of work in my lab is completely flexible, and (other than attending pre-arranged meetings), I expect students to manage their own time.

Notice Period for Feedback

I need at least 2 weeks' notice to provide feedback on written work of up to 5000 words.

MIBTP Project Details

Primary supervisor for:

Optimising management strategies within dairy cow-calf contact systems in the United Kingdom

See the PhD Opportunities section to see if this project is currently open for applications via MIBTP.

Please Note: The main page lists projects via BBSRC Research Theme(s) quoted and then relevant Topic(s).

Optimising management strategies within dairy cow-calf contact systems in the United Kingdom

Secondary Supervisor(s): Dr Emma Bleach

University of Registration: Harper Adams University

BBSRC Research Themes:

Sustainable Agriculture and Food (Animal Health and Welfare)

Project Outline

This project aims to investigate and optimise cow-calf contact (CCC) systems in dairy farming, addressing a growing interest from both consumers and farmers in the UK and globally. While separating dairy calves from dams within 24h is standard practice, CCC systems are gaining attention due to potential benefits for cow and calf health, welfare, and social sustainability.

The proposed research will comprise two main components:

1. Identification of optimal management practices for CCC systems in the UK:

The project will begin with a cross-sectional study to determine the most common management practices on CCC dairy farms (e.g., duration of CCC, contact type, separation methods), using a combination of data from on-farm visits and herd-management software. Specific management decisions will be analysed for associations with welfare and performance indicators for cows and calves to identify optimal practices.
Longitudinal data collection from dam-reared heifers will be undertaken during key stages of rearing, up until joining the adult herd, to quantify the health and welfare implications of specific CCC methods.

2. Prospective cohort study on the dam's postpartum health and fertility

Suckling is associated with reduced rates of mastitis, but there is a paucity of literature exploring the effect of CCC on other common postpartum conditions and fertility metrics. The student will compare rates in CCC vs. conventional systems. This study will run alongside the cross-sectional and longitudinal work described above, as it will rely on records from farms that keep data on fertility metrics and the frequencies of postpartum conditions.
This comprehensive approach will address key research gaps regarding the effects of CCC on calf and dam health and welfare. By combining on-farm data collection and epidemiological analysis, the project aims to provide evidence-based guidance for optimal CCC management practices, potentially facilitating wider industry adoption.

Use of a synthetic analogue of the bovine appeasing pheromone to mitigate health and welfare challenges in calves and heifers

See the PhD Opportunities section to see if this project is currently open for applications via MIBTP.

Please Note: The main page lists projects via BBSRC Research Theme(s) quoted and then relevant Topic(s).

Use of a synthetic analogue of the bovine appeasing pheromone to mitigate health and welfare challenges in calves and heifers

Secondary Supervisor(s): Dr Holly Vickery and Dr Juliana Garcia Alvarez

University of Registration: Harper Adams University

BBSRC Research Themes:

Sustainable Agriculture and Food (Animal Health and Welfare)

Project Outline

Commercially reared dairy calves can be subject to a host of health and welfare challenges in early life. This project aims to refine our understanding of the bovine appeasing pheromone (BAP) and its potential effects on dairy calf welfare. Previous research from our lab and other's (e.g., Garcia-Alvarez et al., 2025; Spencer et al., 2025) has found that application of a synthetic analogue of BAP can improve coping mechanisms for dairy calves during stressful events such weaning, disbudding, and episodes of disease.

The proposed project will comprise two main components:

1. A randomised controlled trial within a single herd to extend our previous work with BAP. This experiment, which will be blinded until after completion of the statistical analysis, will be designed to enhance power to detect health-related differences between BAP-treated animals and controls. The trial will also investigate whether application of the pheromone in early life is sufficient to mitigate weaning distress, or if a constant application of the pheromone through the weaning phase is necessary to provide welfare benefits. There may be further opportunities to investigate the effectiveness of a new galenic form of the pheromone, which would facilitate commercial application.

2. Research is needed regarding the potential long-term benefits of BAP in heifers later in life. At Harper Adams University, we are fortunate to maintain a cohort of heifers that have been treated with BAP from birth through weaning. This exploration will involve the collection of historical records from these animals in addition to current measurements to evaluate production, reproduction, and other performance metrics (compared to control animals).

This dual-pronged approach will address key research gaps and aid in providing data for a cost-benefit analysis for pheromone usage in commercial dairy-farm settings.

Refs: https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2024-25452; https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2025-26398