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. Hassanat, F. and Benchaar, C. (2015). "Methane and carbon dioxide emissions from manure of dairy cows fed regular or brown midrib corn silage-based diets.", Journal of Animal Science, 93(Suppl. S3), pp. 716. (Abstract)

    2015 - View publication details

  2. Benchaar, C., Hassanat, F., Martineau, R., Gervais, R. (2015). Linseed oil supplementation to dairy cows fed diets based on red clover silage or corn silage: Effects on methane production, rumen fermentation, nutrient digestibility, N balance, and milk production. Journal of Dairy Science (JDS), [online] 98(11), 7993-8008. http://dx.doi.org/10.3168/jds.2015-9398

    2015 - View publication details

  3. Li, R., Beaudoin, F., Ammah, A.A., Bissonnette, N., Benchaar, C., Zhao, X., Lei, C., Ibeagha-Awemu, E.M. (2015). Deep sequencing shows microRNA involvement in bovine mammary gland adaptation to diets supplemented with linseed oil or safflower oil. BMC Genomics, [online] 16(1), http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12864-015-1965-7

    2015 - View publication details

  4. Benchaar, C. (2015). Diet supplementation with cinnamon oil, cinnamaldehyde, or monensin does not reduce enteric methane production of dairy cows. Animal, [online] 10(3), 418-425. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S175173111500230X

    2015 - View publication details

  5. do Prado, R.M., Côrtes, C., Benchaar, C., Petit, H.V. (2015). Interaction of sunflower oil with monensin on milk composition, milk fatty acid profile, digestion, and ruminal fermentation in dairy cows. Animal Feed Science and Technology, [online] 207 85-92. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2015.06.017

    2015 - View publication details

  6. Rico, D.E., Chouinard, P.Y., Hassanat, F., Benchaar, C., Gervais, R. (2015). Prediction of enteric methane emissions from Holstein dairy cows fed various forage sources. Animal, [online] 10(2), 203-211. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1751731115001949

    2015 - View publication details

  7. De Marchi, F.E., Palin, M.F., dos Santos, G.T., Lima, L.S., Benchaar, C., Petit, H.V. (2015). Flax meal supplementation on the activity of antioxidant enzymes and the expression of oxidative stress- and lipogenic-related genes in dairy cows infused with sunflower oil in the abomasum. Animal Feed Science and Technology, [online] 199 41-50. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2014.10.018

    2015 - View publication details

  8. Lima, L.S., Palin, M.F., Santos, G.T., Benchaar, C., Petit, H.V. (2015). Effects of supplementation of flax meal and flax oil on mammary gene expression and activity of antioxidant enzymes in mammary tissue, plasma and erythrocytes of dairy cows, 176 196-204. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2015.03.015

    2015 - View publication details

  9. Benchaar, C., Hassanat, F., Petit, H.V. (2015). Dose-response to eugenol supplementation to dairy cow diets: Methane production, N excretion, ruminal fermentation, nutrient digestibility, milk production, and milk fatty acid profile. Animal Feed Science and Technology, [online] 209 51-59. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2015.07.027

    2015 - View publication details

  10. Petit, H.V., de Lima, L.S., Palin, M.-F., Santos, G.T.D., and Benchaar, C. (2014). "Effect of Antioxidants from Flax meal on the Oxidative Status of Dairy Cows Infused With Flax Oil in the Abomasum.", Joint International Symposium on the Nutrition of Herbivores/International Symposium on Ruminant Physiology (ISNH/ISRP), Canberra, Australia, September 8-12, 2014, In: Proc. Aust. Soc. Anim. Prod. 30:83.

    2014 - View publication details

  11. Massé, D.I., Jarret, G., Benchaar, C., and Hassanat, F. (2014). "Effects of Adding Corn Dried Distiller Grains with Solubles (DDGS) to the Dairy Cow Diet and Effects of Bedding in Dairy Cow Slurry on Fugitive Methane Emissions.", Animals, 4(4), pp. 767-778. doi : 10.3390/ani4040767

    2014 - View publication details

  12. Benchaar, C., Hassanat, F., Gervais, R., and Martineau, R. (2014). "Methane production from dairy cows fed red clover- or corn silage-based diets supplemented with linseed oil.", Journal of Dairy Science (JDS), 97(E-Suppl. 1), pp. 853. (Abstract)

    2014 - View publication details

  13. Royer, I., Chantigny, M.H., Angers, D.A., Rochette, P., Massé, D.I., Bittman, S., and Benchaar, C. (2014). "Trace metals content of soils and plants from different dairy manure types based on feeding and manure storage strategies", Annual meeting of the Canadian Soil Science Society, Banff, Alberta, Canada, May 4-7, 2014.

    2014 - View publication details

  14. Hassanat, F., Massé, D.I., and Benchaar, C. (2014). "Methane and carbon dioxide emissions from manure of dairy cows fed red clover- or corn silage-based diets supplemented with linseed oil.", Journal of Dairy Science (JDS), 97(E-Suppl. 1), pp. 740. (Abstract)

    2014 - View publication details

  15. dos Santos, G.T.D., de Marchi, F.E., de Lima, L.S., Palin, M.-F., Benchaar, C., and Petit, H.V. (2014). "Activity of Antioxidant Enzymes in Dairy Cows Infused with Sunflower Oil in the Abomasum: Effect of Antioxidants from Flax Meal.", Joint International Symposium on the Nutrition of Herbivores/International Symposium on Ruminant Physiology (ISNH/ISRP), Canberra, Australia, September 8-12, 2014, In: Proc. Aust. Soc. Anim. Prod. 30:68.

    2014 - View publication details

  16. Royer, I., Chantigny, M.H., Angers, D.A., Rochette, P., Massé, D.I., Bittman, S., and Benchaar, C. (2014). "La stratégie d’alimentation et de stockage du fumier de bovin laitier influence-t-elle le contenu en éléments traces métalliques des sols ?", Congrès annuel de l’AQSSS à Victoriaville, Québec, Canada, du 26 au 29 mai 2014.

    2014 - View publication details

  17. Rico, D.E., Chouinard, P.Y., Hassanat, F., Benchaar, C., and Gervais, R. (2014). "Prediction of enteric methane emissions in Holstein dairy cows fed various forage sources.", Journal of Dairy Science (JDS), 97(E-Suppl. 1), pp. 918. (Abstract)

    2014 - View publication details

  18. Lima, L.S., Palin, M.F., Santos, G.T., Benchaar, C., Lima, L.C.R., Chouinard, P.Y., Petit, H.V. (2014). Effect of flax meal on the production performance and oxidative status of dairy cows infused with flax oil in the abomasum. Livestock Science, [online] 170 53-62. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2014.09.023

    2014 - View publication details

  19. Benchaar, C., McAllister, T.A., Petit, H.V., Chouinard, P.Y. (2014). Whole flax seed and flax oil supplementation of dairy cows fed high-forage or high-concentrate diets: Effects on digestion, ruminal fermentation characteristics, protozoal populations and milk fatty acid profile. Animal Feed Science and Technology, [online] 198 117-129. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2014.10.003

    2014 - View publication details

  20. Hassanat, F., Gervais, R., Massé, D.I., Petit, H.V., Benchaar, C. (2014). Methane production, nutrient digestion, ruminal fermentation, N balance, and milk production of cows fed timothy silage- or alfalfa silage-based diets. Journal of Dairy Science (JDS), [online] 97(10), 6463-6474. http://dx.doi.org/10.3168/jds.2014-8069

    2014 - View publication details

Contact

Research facility

Sherbrooke Research and Development Centre
2000 College Street
Sherbrooke, QC J1M 1Z3
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