[August 8, 2011; Kennett Square, PA] – New Bolton Center announces that Dipti Wilhelmina Pitta, MVSc, PhD has joined the faculty at New Bolton Center as assistant professor of ruminant nutrition. New Bolton Center is University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine’s large animal campus, located in Kennett Square, PA.

Dr. Pitta brings to New Bolton Center a strong background in nutritional issues affecting food production animals; her primary area of research is ruminant nutrition and microbiology, and she is widely published in professional journals in these fields. She comes to New Bolton Center from Texas AgriLife Research Center in Vernon, TX, where she has been a post-doctoral research associate. She has also held research associate positions at AgResearch in Palmerston North, New Zealand and Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University in Hyderabad, India.

Dr. Pitta was awarded her PhD in animal science by Massey University in Palmerston North, New Zealand. Her master’s of veterinary science and bachelor’s of veterinary science and animal husbandry were earned from Tamil Nadu University of Veterinary and Animal Science in Chennai, India and Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University in Hyderabad, India, respectively.

A microbiologist, Dr. Pitta is specifically trained in ruminant bacteria. “Rumen microbial niche is primarily responsible for the efficient conversion of dietary nutrients ultimately to milk and meat,” says Dr. Pitta. Use of powerful and innovative molecular technology such as metagenomics, coupled with next-generation sequencing platforms can certainly revolutionize our knowledge of gut microbes and thus improve food animal production and animal health.”

According to James D. Ferguson, VMD, chief of the Center for Animal Health and Productivity (CAHP), Dr. Pitta brings a unique skill to Penn Vet, which complements the expertise available at CAHP to achieve sustainable food animal production. Her focus on genomic profiling of rumen bacterial populations may provide valuable, practical information on improved feeding methods to enhance the efficiency of rumen metabolism.

“This is exciting work, as rumen organisms are fastidious growers and difficult to culture and require anaerobic methods,” says Dr. Ferguson. “Thus, many organisms that comprise small proportions of rumen microflora have not been adequately studied due to difficulties in culturing methodology.”

Dr. Pitta, he adds, will be able to examine more closely the influence of diet, stage of lactation, and feed additives on rumen microflora.

“We hope to be able to incorporate her work into our ration formulation software to bring her expertise into field application,” says Dr. Ferguson.

With the world hunger crisis growing, researchers at Penn Vet are focused on methods to enhance sustainable food animal production.

“Dr. Pitta’s exciting and forward-thinking research focus fits in quite well with Penn Vet's longstanding tradition of introducing new concepts and applications that have broad impact in the dairy industry,” says Gary Althouse, DVM, chair of Clinical Studies at New Bolton Center.

Penn Vet is the only institution in the state of Pennsylvania graduating veterinarians accredited to care for food production animals. The large-animal facility, New Bolton Center, in Kennett Square, PA, encompasses hospital facilities for the care of horses and food animals as well as diagnostic laboratories serving the agriculture industry.