Research Leader
Contact Information
Phone: +1 765-496-7946
Email: Jay.Johnson2@usda.gov
Areas of Expertise:
Stress physiology
Nutritional physiology
Applied ethology
Education:
BS: Animal Sciences, 2009, University of Missouri
MS: Animal Sciences, 2011, University of Missouri
PhD: Nutritional Sciences, 2014, Iowa State University
Postdoc: Applied Ethology, 2014-2015, Purdue University
Dr. Jay S. Johnson is the Supervisory Research Animal Scientist (Research Leader) of the USDA-ARS Livestock Behavior Research Unit in West Lafayette, IN USA specializing in stress and nutritional physiology. He received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Missouri, his PhD from Iowa State University, and completed his postdoctoral training at Purdue University. The overall goal of Dr. Johnson’s research program is to identify and mitigate the effects of production-relevant stressors on livestock. Dr. Johnson’s research program uses an integrative physiology approach encompassing aspects of stress physiology, nutritional physiology, and applied ethology to develop and/or improve upon livestock husbandry practices that enhance animal health and welfare while maintaining or increasing economic return for producers. Specific areas of research include: 1) improving heat stress resilience in swine through improvements to management practices, nutrition and genetic selection to reduce the negative effects of pre- and postnatal heat stress in pigs, and 2) mitigating the effects of early life stressors on gastrointestinal function in pigs and dairy calves to improve health, performance, and welfare metrics.
Nejati, S., Sarnaik, D., Gopalakrishnan, S., Kasi, V., Krishnakumar, A., Hyde, S., Mccain, R., Park, K., Johnson, J.S., Rahimi, R. 2023. Electronic-free Traceable Smart Capsule for Gastrointestinal Microbiome Sampling. Advanced Materials. https://doi.org/10.1002/admt.202300810.
Wen, H., Johnson, J.S., Freitas, P.F., Maskal, J.M., Gloria, L.S., Araujo, A.C., Pedrosa, V.B., Tiezzi, F., Maltecca, C., Huang, Y., Schinckel, A.P., Brito, L.F. 2023. Longitudinal genomic analyses of automatically-recorded vaginal temperature in lactating sows under heat stress conditions based on random regression models. Genetics Selection Evolution. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12711-023-00868-1.
Frietas, P.H., Johnson, J.S., Tiezzi, F., Huang, Y., Schinckel, A.P., Brito, L.F. 2023. Genomic predictions and GWAS for heat tolerance in pigs based on reaction norm models with performance records and data from public weather stations considering censored temperature thresholds. Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics. https://doi.org/10.1111/jbg.12838.
De Oliveira, F., Brito, L., Marques, D., Da Silva, D., Dos Santos, C., Johnson, J.S., Veroneze, R. 2023. Investigating the impact of non-additive genetic effects in the estimation of variance components and genomic predictions for heat tolerance and performance traits in crossbred and purebred pig populations. BMC Genomic Data. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12863-023-01174-x.
Mcconn, B.R., Kpodo, K.R., River, J.E., Behan, D.P., Richert, B.T., Radcliffe, J.S., Lay, D.C., Johnson, J.S. 2023. Interactions between corticotropin releasing factor signaling and prophylactic antibiotics on measures of intestinal function in weaned and transported pigs. Frontiers in Physiology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2023.1266409.
Freitas, P., Johnson, J.S., Wen, H., Maskal, J., Tiezzi, F., Maltecca, C., Huang, Y., DeDecker, A.E., Schinckel, A.P., Brito, L.F. 2023. Genetic parameters for automatically-measured vaginal temperature, respiration efficiency, and other thermotolerance indicators measured on lactating sows under heat stress conditions. Genetics Selection Evolution. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12711-023-00842-x.
Markland, L., Johnson, J.S., Richert, B.T., Erasmus, M.A., Lay, D.C. 2023. Investigating the effects of jute nesting material and enriched piglet mats on sow welfare and piglet survival. Translational Animal Science. https://doi.org/10.1093/tas/txad076.
Hu, L., Brito, L.F., Luo, H., Chen, S., Johnson, J.S., Sammad, A., Guo, G., Xu, Q., Wang, Y. 2023. Differential responses of physiological parameters, production traits, and blood metabolic profiling between first- and second-parity Holstein cows in the comparison of spring versus summer seasons. Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.3c00043.
Raber, V.L., Pritchett, R.K., Robbins, L.A., Stewart, K.R., Gaskill, B.N., Green-Miller, A.R., Johnson, J.S. 2023. Evaluating the temperature preferences of sexually mature Duroc, Landrace, and Yorkshire boars. Translational Animal Science. 7(1). https://doi.org/10.1093/tas/txad060.
Ceja, G., Boerman, J.P., Neves, R.C., Jorgensen, M.W., Johnson, J.S. 2023. L-glutamine supplementation reduces gastrointestinal permeability and biomarkers of physiological stress in preweaning Holstein heifer calves. Journal of Dairy Science. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2023-23334.
Johnson, J.S., Wen, H., Freitas, P.F., Maskal, J.M., Hartman, S.O., Byrd, M.K., Graham, J.R., Ceja, G., Tiezzi, F., Maltecca, C., Huang, Y., Dedecker, A., Schinckel, A.P., Brito, L.F. 2023. Evaluating phenotypes associated with heat tolerance and identifying moderate and severe heat stress thresholds in lactating sows housed in mechanically or naturally ventilated barns during the summer under commercial. Journal of Animal Science. 101. https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skad129.
McConn, B., Schinckel, A.P., Robbins, L., Gaskill, B.N., Green-Miller, A.R., Lay, D.C., Johnson, J.S. 2022. A behavior and physiology-based decision support tool to predict thermal comfort and stress in non-pregnant, mid-gestation, and late-gestation sows. Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology. 13. Article 135. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40104-022-00789-x.
Nejati, S., Wang, J., Sedaghat, S., Long, A.M., Kasi, V., Park, K., Johnson, J.S., Verma, M., Rahimi, R. 2022. Smart Capsule for Targeted Proximal Colon Microbiome Sampling. Acta Biomaterialia. 154(83-96). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actbio.2022.09.050.
Ceja, G., Boerman, J.P., Neves, R.C., Johnson, N.S., Schoonmaker, J.P., Jorgensen, M.W., Johnson, J.S. 2022. Technical Note: A procedure to place urinary catheters in 1- and 6-week-old preweaned Holstein heifer calves for the in vivo evaluation of intestinal permeability. Journal of Animal Science. 100(8). Article skac213. https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skac213.
Xue, S., Park, J., Tuell, J.R., Johnson, J.S., Dinh, T., Kim, Y. 2022. In utero heat-stress has minimal impacts on processed pork products: A comparative study. Foods. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11091222.
Cabezon, F., Johnson, J.S., Schinckel, A.P., Stwalley, R. 2022. INITIAL EVALUATION OF SOW COOLING PAD COOLANT PROTOCOLS ON PERFORMANCE AND PHYSIOLOGICAL CONDITIONS MEASURED BY PRECISION ANIMAL DATA SYSTEM. Applied Engineering in Agriculture. https://doi.org/10.13031/aea.14699.
Byrd, C.J., Mcconn, B.R., Gaskill, B.N., Schinckel, A.P., Green-Miller, A.R., Lay Jr, D.C., Johnson, J.S. 2022. Characterizing the effect of incrementally increasing dry bulb temperature on linear and nonlinear measures of heart rate variability in nonpregnant, mid-gestation, and late-gestation sows. Journal of Animal Science. 100(1). Article skac004. https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skac004.
Johnson, J.S., Jansen, T.L., Galvin, M., Field, T.C., Graham, J.R., Stwalley, R.M., Schinckel, A.P. 2022. Electronically controlled cooling pads can improve litter growth performance and indirect measures of milk production in heat-stressed lactating sows. Journal of Animal Science. 100(2). Article skab371. https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skab371.
Maskal, J.M., Brito, L.F., Duttlinger, A.W., Kpodo, K.R., Mcconn, B.R., Byrd, C.J., Richert, B.T., Marchant, J.N., Lay Jr, D.C., Perry, S.D., Lucy, M.C., Safranski, T.J., Johnson, J.S. 2022. Characterizing the postnatal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis response of in utero heat stressed pigs at 10 and 15 weeks of age. Scientific Reports. 11. Article 22527. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-01889-w.
Nejati, S., Wang, J., Heredia, U., Sedaghat, S., Woodhouse, I., Johnson, J.S., Verma, M., Rahimi, R. 2021. Small intestinal sampling capsule for inflammatory bowel disease type detection and management. Lab on a Chip. 22(1):57-70. https://doi.org/10.1039/D1LC00451D.
Freitas, P., Johnson, J.S., Chen, S., Oliveria, H., Tiezzi, F., Lazaro, S., Huang, Y., Gu, Y., Schinckel, A., Brito, L. 2021. Definition of environmental variables and critical periods to evaluate heat tolerance in large white pigs based on single-step genomic reaction norms. Frontiers in Genetics. 12. Article 717409. https://doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2021.717409.
Robbins, L.R., Green-Miller, A.R., Lay Jr, D.C., Schinckel, A.P., Johnson, J.S., Gaskill, B.N. 2021. Evaluation of sow thermal preference across three stages of reproduction. Journal of Animal Science. https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skab202.
Mcconn, B.R., Gaskill, B.N., Schinckel, A.P., Green-Miller, A.R., Lay Jr, D.C., Johnson, J.S. 2021. Thermoregulatory and physiological responses of nonpregnant, mid-gestation, and late-gestation sows exposed to incrementally increasing dry bulb temperature. Journal of Animal Science. 99(7). https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skab181.
Robbins, L., Green-Miller, A.R., Johnson, J.S., Gaskill, B.N. 2021. One is the Coldest Number: Determining How Group Size and Body Weight Affects Thermal Preference in Weaned Pigs (3 to 15 kg). Animals. 11(5). https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11051447.
Duttlinger, A.W., Centeno Martinez, R.E., Mcconn, B.R., Kpodo, K.R., Lay Jr, D.C., Richert, B.T., Johnson, T.A., Johnson, J.S. 2021. Replacing dietary antibiotics with 0.20% L-glutamine in swine nursery diets: impact on intestinal physiology and the microbiome following weaning and transport. Journal of Animal Science. 99(6). https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skab091.
Tuell, J.R., Nondorf, M.J., Maskal, J.M., Johnson, J.S., Kim, Y.H. 2021. Impacts of in utero heat stress on carcass and meat quality traits of market weight gilts. Animals. 11(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11030717.
Ma, D., Suh, D., Zhang, J., Chao, Y., Duttlinger, A.W., Johnson, J.S., Lee, C., Kim, Y. 2021. Elucidating the involvement of apoptosis in postmortem proteolysis in porcine muscles from two production cycles using metabolomics approach. Scientific Reports. 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-82929-3.
Kpodo, K.R., Duttlinger, A.W., Maskal, J.M., Mcconn, B.R., Johnson, J.S. 2021. Effects of feed removal during acute heat stress on the cytokine. Animals. 11(1). https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11010205.
Suarez-Trujillo, A., Sun, H., Huff, K., Cummings, S., Franco, J., Steckler, T., Boerman, J., Wernet, G., Townsend, J., Grott, M., Johnson, J.S., Plaut, K., Casey, T. 2020. Exposure to chronic light-dark phase shifts during the prepartum dry period attenuates circadian rhythms, decreases blood glucose and increases milk yield in the subsequent lactation. Journal of Dairy Science. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2019-16980.
Ma, D., Guedes, J.M., Zuelly, S.M., Duttlinger, A.W., Johnson, J.S., Lay Jr, D.C., Kim, Y.H. 2020. Impact of L-Glutamine as Replacement of Dietary Antibiotics during Post Weaning and Transport Recovery on Carcass and Meat Quality Attributes in Pigs. Livestock Science. 244. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2020.104350.
Johnson, J.S., Maskal, J.M., Duttlinger, A.W., Kpodo, K.R., Mcconn, B.R., Byrd, C.J., Richert, B.T., Marchant Forde, J.N., Lay Jr, D.C., Perry, S.D., Lucy, M.C., Safranski, T.J. 2020. In utero heat stress alters the postnatal innate immune response of pigs. Journal of Animal Science. 98(12). https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skaa356.
Opgenorth, J., Abuajamieh, M., Horst, E., Mohannad, S., Johnson, J.S., Mayorga, E., Sanz Fernandez, V., Al-Qaisi, M., Defrain, J., Kleinschmit, D., Gorden, P., Baumgard, L. 2020. The effects of zinc amino acid complex on biomarkers of gut integrity, inflammation, and metabolism in heat-stressed ruminants. Journal of Dairy Science. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2020-18909.
Robbins, L., Green-Miller, A.R., Johnson, J.S., Gaskill, B.N. 2020. Early life thermal stress: Impacts on future temperature preference in weaned pigs (3 to 15 kg). Journal of Animal Science. 98(12). https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skaa327.
Duttlinger, A.W., Kpodo, K.R., Schinckel, A.P., Richert, B.T., Johnson, J.S. 2020. Effects increasing dietary L-glutaine to replace antibiotics on pig health and performance following weaning and transport.. Translational Animal Science. https://doi.org/10.1093/tas/txaa157.
Mcconn, B.R., Duttlinger, A.W., Kpodo, K.R., Eicher, S.D., Richert, B.T., Johnson, J.S. 2020. Replacing dietary antibiotics with 0.20% L-glutamine and synbiotics following weaning and transport in pigs. Journal of Animal Science. https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skaa272.
Maskal, J.M., Duttlinger, A.W., Kpodo, K.R., Mcconn, B.R., Byrd, C.J., Richert, B.T., Marchant Forde, J.N., Lay Jr, D.C., Perry, S.D., Lucy, M.C., Safranski, T.J., Johnson, J.S. 2020. Evaluation and mitigation of the effects of in utero heat stress on piglet growth performance, post-absorptive metabolism, and stress response following weaning and transport. Journal of Animal Science. https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skaa272.
Brito, L.F., Oliveira, H.R., Mcconn, B., Marchant Forde, J.N., Schinckel, A.P., Johnson, J.S. 2020. Large-scale phenotyping of livestock welfare in commercial production systems: a new frontier in animal breeding. Frontiers in Genetics. https://doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2020.00793.
Zhang, S., Johnson, J.S., Trottier, N.L. 2020. Effect of dietary near ideal amino acid profile on heat production in lactating sows exposed to thermal neutral and heat stress conditions. Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40104-020-00483-w.
Johnson, J.S., Stewart, K.R., Safranski, T.J., Ross, J.W., Baumgard, L.H. 2020. In utero heat stress alters postnatal phenotypes in swine. Theriogenology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2020.05.013.
Parois, S.P., Duttlinger, A.W., Richert, B.T., Lindemann, S.R., Johnson, J.S., Marchant Forde, J.N. 2020. Effects of three distinct two-week long diet strategies after transport on weaned pigs’ short and long-term welfare markers, behaviors and microbiota.. Journal of Animal Science. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2020.00140.
Kpodo, K.R., Duttlinger, A.W., Maskal, J.M., Johnson, J.S. 2020. Effects of feed removal on thermoregulation and intestinal morphology in pigs recovering from acute hyperthermia. Journal of Animal Science. https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skaa041.
Zhang, S., Johnson, J.S., Qiao, M., Trottier, N.L. 2020. Reduced protein diet with near ideal amino acid profile improves energy efficiency and mitigates heat production associated with milk for lactating sows. Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40104-019-0414-x.
Kpodo, K.R., Duttlinger, A.W., Radcliffe, J.S., Johnson, J.S. 2019. Time course determination of the effects of rapid and gradual cooling after acute hyperthermia on body temperature and intestinal integrity in pigs. Journal of Thermal Biology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtherbio.2019.102481.
Byrd, C.J., Johnson, J.S., Radcliffe, J.S., Craig, B.A., Eicher, S.D., Lay Jr, D.C. 2019. Nonlinear analysis of heart rate variability for evaluating the growing pig stress response to an acute heat episode. Journal of Animal Science. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1751731119001630.
Byrd, C., Chapel, N., Lugar, D., Safranski, T., Lucy, M., Johnson, J.S. 2019. Evaluating the effects of in utero heat stress on piglet physiology and behavior following weaning and transport. Animals. 9(4):191. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani9040191.
Kpodo, K.R., Duttlinger, A., Johnson, J.S. 2019. Effects of pen location on thermoregulation and growth performance in grow-finish pigs during late summer. Translational Animal Science. https://doi.org/10.1093/tas/txz033.
Johnson, J.S., Zhang, S., Morello, G.M., Maskal, J.M., Trottier, N.L. 2019. Technical note: Development of an indirect calorimetry system to determine heat production in individual lactating sows. Journal of Animal Science. 97(4):1609-1618. https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skz049.
Johnson, J.S., Baumgard, L.H. 2019. Postnatal consequences of in utero heat stress in pigs. Journal of Animal Science. 97(2):962-971. https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/sky472.
Parois, S.P., Cabezón, F., Schinckel, A.P., Johnson, J.S., Stwalley, R.M., Marchant Forde, J.N. 2018. Effect of floor cooling on behavior and heart rate of late lactation sows under acute heat stress. Frontiers in Veterinary Science. 5(223):1-8. DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2018.00223.
Johnson, J.S. 2018. Heat stress: Impact on livestock well-being and productivity and mitigation strategies to alleviate the negative effects. Animal Production Science. 58(8):1404-1413. https://doi.org/10.1071/AN17725.
Johnson, J.S., Aardsma, M.A., Duttlinger, A., Kpodo, K. 2018. Early life thermal stress: Impact on future thermotolerance, stress response, behavior, and intestinal morphology in piglets exposed to a heat stress challenge during simulated transport. Journal of Animal Science. 96(5):1640-1653. https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/sky107.
Seibert, J., Abuajamieh, M., Sanz Fernandez, M., Johnson, J.S., Kvidera, S., Horst, E., Mayorga, E., Lei, S., Patience, J., Ross, J., Rhoads, R., Johnson, R., Lonergan, S., Baumgard, L. 2018. Effects of heat stress and insulin sensitizers on pig adipose tissue. Journal of Animal Science. 96(2):510-520.
Cabezón, F.A., Schinckel, A.P., Marchant Forde, J.N., Johnson, J.S., Stwalley, R.M. 2017. Effect of floor cooling on late lactation sows under acute heat stress. Livestock Science. 206: 113-120.
Cabezon, F., Schinckel, A., Smith, A.J., Marchant Forde, J.N., Johnson, J.S., Stwalley, R. 2017. Initial evaluation of floor cooling on lactating sows under severe acute heat stress. Professional Animal Scientist. 33(2):254-260. http://doi.org/10.15232/pas.2016-01584.
Maskal, J., Cabezón, F.A., Schinckel, A.P., Marchant Forde, J.N., Johnson, J.S., Stwalley, R. 2018. Evaluation of floor cooling on lactating sows under mild and moderate heat stress. Professional Animal Scientist. 34(1):84-94. doi:org/10.15232/pas.2017-01661.
Chapel, N.M., Byrd, C.J., Lugar, D.W., Morello, G.M., Baumgard, L.H., Ross, J.W., Safranski, T.J., Lucy, M.C., Johnson, J.S. 2017. Determining the effects of early gestation in utero heat stress on postnatal fasting heat production and circulating biomarkers associated with metabolism in growing pigs. Journal of Animal Science. doi: 10.2527/jas2017.1730.
Johnson, J.S., Shade, K. 2017. Characterizing body temperature and activity changes at the onset of estrus in replacement gilts. Livestock Science. 199:22-24. doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2017.03.004.
Johnson, J.S., Taylor, D., Green, A.R., Gaskill, B.N. 2017. The effects of nesting material on energy homeostasis in BALB/cAnNCrl, C57BL/6NCrl, and Crl:CD1(ICR) laboratory mice housed at 20°C. Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science. 56(3):254-259.
Kvidera, S.K., Dickson, M.J., Abuajamieh, M., Snider, D.B., Sanz Fernandez, M.V., Johnson, J.S., Keating, A.F., Gordon, P.J., Green, H.B., Schoenberg, K.M., Baumgard, L.H. 2017. Intentionally induced intestinal barrier dysfunction causes inflammation, affects metabolism, and reduces productivity in lactating Holstein cows. Journal of Dairy Science. 100(5):4113-4127. doi: 10.3168/jds.2016-12349.
Johnson, J.S., Lay Jr., D.C. 2017. Evaluating the behavior, growth performance, immune parameters, and intestinal morphology of weaned piglets after simulated transport and heat stress when antibiotics are eliminated from the diet or replaced with L-glutamine. Journal of Animal Science. 95:91-102. doi:10.2527/jas.2016.1070.
Johnson, J.S., Martin, K.L., Pohler, K.G., Stewart, K.R. 2017. Effects of rapid temperature fluctuations prior to breeding on reproductive efficiency in replacement gilts. Journal of Thermal Biology. 61:29-37. doi: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2016.08.003.
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