** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** KETOSIS HAS BEEN INDENTIFIED AS A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR ASSOCIATED WITH DISEASE AND POOR PERFORMANCE IN DAIRY COWS ENTERING LACTATION. PUT TOGETHER,KETOSIS AND ITS ASSOCIATED COMPLICATIONS CONSTITUTE A WELFARE CONCERN, AND REPRESENT AN ECONOMIC BURDEN OF HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR DAIRY FARMERS IN THE UNITED STATES ALONE. DESPITE DECADES OF RESEARCH AND COLLECTIVE EFFORTS TO REDUCE THE INCIDENCE OF KETOSIS AND ITS PRESUMED NEGATIVE IMPACTS, OUR ABILITY TO MITIGATE THIS DISORDER AND ITS CONSEQUENCES REMAINSLIMITED.AN INCREASINGLY STRONG BODY OF EVIDENCE INDICATES THAT KETONES CAN HAVE POSITIVE EFFECTS ON METABOLISM AND THE CONTROL OF INFLAMMATION IN RODENTS AND HUMAS; FURTHERMORE, KETOSIS CANSOMETIMES BE ASSOCIATED WITH NORMAL COW HEALTH AND PRODUCTIVITY. THIS APPARENT CONTRADICTION INDICATES THAT OUR UNDERSTANDING OF KETONES THEMSELVES AND THEIR ROLES ON ANIMAL METABOLISM AND METABOLIC HEALTH IS CURRENTLY IMPERFECT. OUR GOALIS TO DIRECTLY ADDRESS OUR GAPS IN KNOWLEDGE BYPERFORMING A SERIES OF COMPLEMENTARY STUDIES THATUNEQUIVOCALLY ESTABLISH THE ROLES OF KETONES DURING HEALTH AND DISEASE.WE ANTICIPATE THAT OUR RESEARCH WILL REVEALTHE SPECIFIC CONDITIONS OF METABOLISM AND COW PHYSIOLOGY IN WHICH KETONES MAY PROMOTE NORMAL AND HEALTHY METABOLISM, AND SEPARATE THESE FROM THOSE CONDITIONS THAT LEAD TO NEGATIVE OUTCOMES OF HEALTH AND PERFORMANCE. THIS RESEARCH IS EXPECTED TO PROVIDE NEW KNOWLEDGE AND MANAGEMENT TOOLSTO OPTIMIZELACTATION PERFORMANCE AND WELFARE IN DAIRY COWS, THUS PROMOTING THESUSTAINABILITY OF THE DAIRY INDUSTRY.