Chaouki Benchaar, Ph. D.

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Research Scientist

Dr. Benchaar is a research scientist at the Sherbrooke Research and Development Centre (Quebec) of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. He obtained (with distinction) a Ph.D. in Dairy Cow Nutrition and Metabolism from “Institut National Polytechnique” of Toulouse, France. After completing his Ph.D., Dr. Benchaar joined Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (Dairy and Swine Research and Development Centre, Sherbrooke, Quebec) to work as a post-doctoral fellow (1994-1997) and research assistant (1997-2000). Since April 2000, he is a Research Scientist in Dairy Cow Nutrition and Metabolism/Sustainable Dairy Production at the Sherbrooke Research and Development. His research program focuses mainly on: 1) Quantification and mitigation of enteric methane emissions from dairy cows; 2) Impact of dietary enteric methane strategies on emissions from stored manure; 3) Dietary and nutritional approaches to reduce nitrogen excretion from dairy cows; and 4) Evaluation of potential use of plant secondary metabolites (e.g., essential oils) as feed additives to modulate rumen fermentation and enhance feed efficiency. The ultimate objective of his research program is : 1) Enhancing environmental performance of the Canadian agricultural system (reduction of green-house gas emissions and nitrogen excretion); and 2) Enhancing economic benefits of Canadian dairy production (improved production efficiency and reduced feeding costs).

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
2000 College Street, Sherbrooke, QC

Current research and/or projects

  • Canola meal to improve efficiency and sustainability of dairy production: filling knowledge gaps. Funded by Canola Council of Canada/Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (Growing Forward III).
  • Assessment of the impact of feeding management practices on methane emissions from enteric fermentation and manure storage of dairy cows: filling knowledge gaps. Funded by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (A-Base).
  • Mitigation of enteric methane production from dairy cows and impact on manure emissions: Filling knowledge gaps. Funded by the Dairy Farmers of Canada/Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (Growing Forward II).
  • Mitigation of Enteric Methane Emissions to Reduce Carbon Footprint of the Dairy Industry. Funded by the Dairy Farmers of Canada/Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (Growing Forward I).
  • Towards determining protein requirements of the Aryrshire Cow: Effects of variation in metabolizable protein intake. Funded by Agrinova (Alma, Quebec).
  • Faba bean (Vicia faba) inclusion in dairy cow diets: Effect on nutrient digestion, rumen fermentation, nitrogen utilization, methane production, and milk performance. Funded by Agrinova (Alma, Québec).
  • Effects specific plant extracts on rumen microbial fermentation and methane production in vitro. Funded by IDÉNA (Sautron, France).
  • Effects of direct-fed microbials on rumen microbial fermentation and methane production. Funded by Bacterras Inc. (Montreal, Quebec).
  • Effects of herbs, spices and essential oils and their combination on rumen microbial fermentation and methane production. Funded by Ayurvet Ltd. (Baddi, India).

Professional activities / interests

  • Co-leader of the “Technical Advisory Group on Feed Additives” of the “Livestock Environmental Assessment and Performance (LEAP) Partnership” of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations (Rome, Italy).  Development of “Guidelines for Assessment of Environmental Performance of Feed Additives in Livestock Supply Chains”.
  • Eastern Director of the Canadian Society of Animal Science (2006-2008).
  • Associate Editor to the Canadian Journal of Animal Science (2003-2008).
  • Member of the Editorial Board of "Animals" Journal. https://www.mdpi.com/journal/animals/editors

Education and awards

  • Ph.D. in Animal Science (with distinction), Institut National Polytechnique de Toulouse, France. 1993.
  • Diplôme d’Étude Approfondies, Institut National Polytechnique de Toulouse, France. 1988.
  • M.Sc. in Animal Sciences, Institut National Agronomique, Algiers, Algeria. 1987.
  • Recipient of the Canadian Society of Animal Science Award-2020 in "Excellence in Nutrition and Meat Science".
  • Recipient of an Outstanding Presentation Award (Invited keynote speaker) delivered by "The Chinese Academy of Sciences” at the Third International Symposium on Sustainable Agriculture for Subtropical Regions" for presentation entitled "Nutritional Managements to Reduce Enteric Methane Production from Ruminants". October 20th, 2015, Changsha, China.

Key publications

  1. Different sources of biochar had no effect on in vitro rumen fermentation and methane production. J. Dairy Sci. 105 (Suppl. 1): 219 (Abstr.)

    2022 - View publication details

  2. Benchaar, C., F. Hassanat, and K. A. Beauchemin. 2022. Effect of Dietary Metabolizable Protein Level on Energy Partitioning of Ayrshire and Holstein Dairy Cows. 8th International Greenhouse Gas Animal Agriculture Conference. June 5-9, 2022. Orlando, FL.

    2022 - View publication details

  3. Benchaar, C. 2022. Nutritional strategies to mitigate enteric methane emissions from dairy cows: state of knowledge and new perspectives. Proceeding of the 2022 Animal Nutrition Conference of Canada, pp. 184-200.

    2022 - View publication details

  4. Benchaar C., F. Hassanat, K. A. Beauchemin, H. Lapierre, D. R. Ouellet, and C. Côrtes. 2021. Effect of dietary metabolizable protein level on digestion and ruminal fermentation of Holstein and Ayrshire dairy cows. J. Dairy Sci. Vol. 104, Suppl. 1, 303.

    2021 - View publication details

  5. Hassanat, F., C. Benchaar., K. A. Beauchemin, H. Lapierre, D. R. Ouellet, and C. Côrtes. 2021. Effect of dietary metabolizable protein level on enteric methane production and milk production of Holstein and Ayrshire dairy cows. J. Dairy Sci. Vol. 104, Suppl. 1, 308 (Abstr.).

    2021 - View publication details

  6. Hassanat, F., Benchaar, C. (2019). Methane emissions of manure from dairy cows fed red clover- or corn silage-based diets supplemented with linseed oil. Journal of Dairy Science (JDS), [online] 102(12), 11766-11776. http://dx.doi.org/10.3168/jds.2018-16014

    2019 - View publication details

  7. Bougouin, A., Appuhamy, J.A.D.R.N., Ferlay, A., Kebreab, E., Martin, C., Moate, P.J., Benchaar, C., Lund, P., Eugène, M. (2019). Individual milk fatty acids are potential predictors of enteric methane emissions from dairy cows fed a wide range of diets: Approach by meta-analysis. Journal of Dairy Science (JDS), [online] 102(11), 10616-10631. http://dx.doi.org/10.3168/jds.2018-15940

    2019 - View publication details

  8. Benchaar, C., Hassanat, F. (2019). Methane emissions of stored manure from dairy cows fed conventional or brown midrib corn silage. Journal of Dairy Science (JDS), [online] 102(11), 10632-10638. http://dx.doi.org/10.3168/jds.2019-16822

    2019 - View publication details

  9. Little, S.M., Benchaar, C., Janzen, H.H., Kröbel, R., McGeough, E.J., Beauchemin, K.A. (2017). Demonstrating the effect of forage source on the carbon footprint of a Canadian dairy farm using whole-systems analysis and the holos model: Alfalfa silage vs. corn silage. Climate, [online] 5(4), http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/cli5040087

    2017 - View publication details

  10. J. Dairy Sci. Vol. 100 (Suppl. 2):265.

    2017 - View publication details

  11. J. Dairy Sci. 100 (Suppl.2):94

    2017 - View publication details

  12. J. Dairy Sci. 100 (Suppl.2):325.

    2017 - View publication details

  13. J. Dairy Sci. 100 (Suppl.2):324.

    2017 - View publication details

  14. De Marchi, F.E., Santos, G.T., Petit, H.V., Benchaar, C. (2017). Oxidative status of dairy cows fed flax meal and infused with sunflower oil in the abomasum. Animal Feed Science and Technology, [online] 228 115-122. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2017.04.013

    2017 - View publication details

  15. Hassanat, F., Gervais, R., Benchaar, C. (2017). Methane production, ruminal fermentation characteristics, nutrient digestibility, nitrogen excretion, and milk production of dairy cows fed conventional or brown midrib corn silage. Journal of Dairy Science (JDS), [online] 100(4), 2625-2636. http://dx.doi.org/10.3168/jds.2016-11862

    2017 - View publication details

  16. Guyader, J., Little, S., Kröbel, R., Benchaar, C., Beauchemin, K.A. (2017). Comparison of greenhouse gas emissions from corn- and barley-based dairy production systems in Eastern Canada. Agricultural Systems, [online] 152 38-46. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2016.12.002

    2017 - View publication details

  17. Schogor, A.L.B., Palin, M.F., Santos, G.T., Benchaar, C., Petit, H.V. (2017). β-glucuronidase activity and enterolactone concentration in ruminal fluid, plasma, urine, and milk of Holstein cows fed increased levels of flax (Linum usitatissimum) meal. Animal Feed Science and Technology, [online] 223 23-29. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2016.11.004

    2017 - View publication details

  18. Benchaar, C., Hassanat, F., Warner, D., and Petit, H.V. (2016). "Enteric methane emissions from dairy cows fed corn silage based-diets supplemented with increasing amounts of linseed oil.", 2016 ASAS/ADSA/CSAS/WSASAS Joint Annual Meeting, Salt Lake City, USA, 19-23 July, 2016.

    2016 - View publication details

  19. Hassanat, F., Gervais, R., and Benchaar, C. (2016). "Effect of linseed oil supplementation on milk fatty acid profile of dairy cows fed diets based on red clover silage or corn silage.", 2016 ASAS/ADSA/CSAS/WSASAS Joint Annual Meeting, Salt Lake City, USA, 19-23 July, 2016.

    2016 - View publication details

  20. Guyader, J., Benchaar, C., and Beauchemin, K.A. (2016). "What effect does corn silage vs barley silage have on the carbon footprint of milk? A case study from Québec.", Sustainability of Canadian Agriculture: Metrics & Measures Workshop/Webinar, Calgary, AB, Canada, 9 March, 2016. (Presentation)

    2016 - View publication details

Contact

Research facility

Sherbrooke Research and Development Centre
2000 College Street
Sherbrooke, QC J1M 0C8
Canada

Expertise

Agriculture›Agriculture-environment interactions
Agriculture›Forages
Agriculture›Nutrition›Cow
Agriculture›Nutrition›Ruminant
Animals›Production
Environment›Sustainability›Sustainable Development›Management
Food›Nutrition›Additives
Sciences›Scientific research

Affiliations

  • Associate Professor, Department of Animal Sciences, Laval University, Quebec, QC.
  • Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia.
  • Adjunct Professor, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha, P.R. China.
  • Member of the American Dairy Science Association (ADSA).
  • Member of the Canadian Society of Animal Science (CSAS).

Language

English
French