EACH YEAR, OVER 3 MILLION COWS SUCCUMB TO INFLAMMATORY-BASED DISEASES THAT ADVERSELY AFFECT THE PROFITABILITY OF THE U.S. DAIRY INDUSTRY AND CAUSE SIGNIFICANT ANIMAL WELFARE CONCERNS. BOVINE MASTITIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT INFECTIOUS DISEASE THAT NOT ONLY CAUSES ANIMAL SUFFERING, BUT ALSO AFFECTS BOTH THE QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF MILK PRODUCED FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION. ON AVERAGE, LOSSES ASSOCIATED WITH MASTITIS WILL COST AMERICAN DAIRY PRODUCERS ABOUT 2 BILLION DOLLARS EACH YEAR. THE MOST WIDELY ACCEPTED METHOD OF MASTITIS THERAPY IS ANTIBIOTIC TREATMENT. THIS METHOD IS NOT ALWAYS COST EFFECTIVE DUE TO DISCARDED ANTIBIOTIC-CONTAMINATED MILK DURING AND AFTER TREATMENT. ALSO, THE EFFICACY OF ANTIMICROBIAL TREATMENTS IS LOW DURING THE LACTATING PERIOD, ESPECIALLY AGAINST MAJOR MASTITIS-CAUSING PATHOGENS SUCH AS ESCHERICHIA COLI. NEW APPROACHES ARE NEEDED TO CONTROL MASTITIS AND REDUCE THE DAIRY INDUSTRIES' DEPENDENCE ON ANTIMICROBIAL THERAPY. THIS PROJECT WILL EXPLORE HOW NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTATION WITH ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS CAN OPTIMIZE THE IMMUNE SYSTEM OF THE COW AND REDUCE THE INCIDENCE AND SEVERITY OF MASTITIS. A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW IMMUNITY CAN BE ENHANCED THROUGH NUTRITIONAL INTERVENTIONS MAY LEAD TO IMPROVED DISEASE PREVENTION STRATEGIES THAT RELY LESS ON ANTIMICROBIAL USE AND OPTIMIZE PRODUCTION EFFICIENCY IN THE US DAIRY INDUSTRY.