10/24/2026
UC Davis Distinguished Professor Emeritus Dr. John Madigan has released a new book, Awakening at Birth: What the Newborn Foal Revealed About Birth, Consciousness, and Neurodevelopment. With a foreword by renowned animal behaviorist Temple Grandin, PhD, Awakening at Birth tells a medical mystery story that extends well beyond veterinary medicine: a veterinarian investigating newborn foals discovers biological signals that may change how we understand the transition to consciousness at birth, with potential implications for infant care and neurodevelopment. Awakening at Birth is available on Amazon.
Image description: Male veterinarian wearing blue jeans and a blue button-up shirt sits with a standing brown foal in a hospital stall; the foal approaches him gently; on the left side of the image is the cover of a book entitled "Awakening At Birth" with image of a chestnut-colored foal with white patch on head lying in pasture
