Dr. Fadi Hassanat

Research Scientist

Research on forages and and forage preservation

2560 Hochelaga Boulevard, Quebec, QC G1V 2J3

Current research and/or projects

Improving the carbohydrate to protein ratio of alfalfa to improve microbial protein synthesis and reduce CH4 and N losses in the environment

Reducing Clostridia dominance during silage fermentation to improve silage quality and reduce silage and milk losses

Exploring forage management practices to improve nutritive value and increase yield of forages

Research and/or project statements

Forages continue to be an important part of livestock feeding systems. For ruminants, and especially dairy cattle, from 50% to 100% of the diet is made up of forages. My research program focuses on improving forage yield, conservation and quality to improve production, increase animal longevity in the herd, and advance the sustainability and environmental feasibility of farms.

At the start of my scientific career, I worked on evaluating perennial plants by studying environmental and foraging conditions that affect their yield and quality when used as emergency forages. This work developed to working on pearl millet as an alternative forage to corn and the effect of several pre- and post-harvest conditions on the nutrition quality of forage and silage. In 2008, I joined the Science and Technology Branch of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), where I worked on the effect of forages and non-forage components of the diet on rumen fermentation, enteric methane CH4 production, N metabolism and N excretion in dairy cows. I also worked on the effect of diet on methane emissions during storage of manure.

In 2021, I was hired by AAFC as a research scientist to work on silage and forage management for ruminants, with emphasis on dairy production. I have joined an interdisciplinary forage research team and will be working closely with industry, universities and partners within the government of Canada and abroad to advance scientific development in sustainable forage and animal production.

Professional activities / interests

Improving forage nutritive value through genetic selection and forage management practices
Improving quality of preserved forages (hay, silage)
Using forages to increase performance and reduce carbon footprint of dairy and beef production
Using additives to improve forage nutritive value and silage quality
Developing farm practices to increase sustainability and durability of animal production

Education and awards

McGill University: Ph.D. in Animal Science

Jordan University: M.Sc., B.Sc.

International experience and/or work

Revegetating arid lands in Jordan: Nutritional evaluation of saltbush as emergency forage

Key publications

Massé, D.I., Jarret, G., Hassanat, F., Benchaar, C., Saady, N.M.C. (2016). Effect of increasing levels of corn silage in an alfalfa-based dairy cow diet and of manure management practices on manure fugitive methane emissions. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, [online] 221 109-114. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2016.01.018
2016 - View publication details
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
Hassanat, F., Gervais, R., and Benchaar, C. (2015). "Methane production from dairy cows fed regular or brown midrib corn silage.", Journal of Animal Science, 93(Suppl. S3), pp. 449. (Abstract)
2015 - View publication details
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Benchaar, C., Hassanat, F., Gervais, R., Chouinard, P.Y., Petit, H.V., Massé, D.I. (2014). Methane production, digestion, ruminal fermentation, nitrogen balance, and milk production of cows fed corn silage- or barley silage-based diets. Journal of Dairy Science (JDS), [online] 97(2), 961-974. http://dx.doi.org/10.3168/jds.2013-7122
2014 - View publication details
Benchaar, C., Hassanat, F., Gervais, R., Chouinard, P.Y., and Massé, D.I. (2013). "Effect of increasing amounts of corn dried distillers’ grains with solubles in dairy cow diets on enteric methane emissions, digestibility, and milk production.", 31st Western Canadian Dairy Seminar (WCDS), Capri Centre, Red Deer, AB, Canada, March 5-8, 2013.
2013 - View publication details
Hassanat, F., Benchaar, C., Gervais, R., Chouinard, P.Y., and Massé, D.I. (2013). "Effects of replacing timothy silage with alfalfa silage in dairy cow diets on enteric methane production.", ADSA-ASAS 2013 Joint Annual Meeting, Indianapolis, IN, USA, July 8-12, 2013.
2013 - View publication details
Hassanat, F., Gervais, R., Chouinard, P.Y., Petit, H.V., Massé, D.I., and Benchaar, C. (2013). "Effect of replacing timothy silage with alfalfa silage in dairy cow diets on enteric methane production.", ADSA-ASAS 2013 Joint Annual Meeting, Indianapolis, IN, USA, July 8-12, 2013, Published in: Journal of Dairy Science, 96:28 (#T76).
2013 - View publication details
Benchaar, C., Hassanat, F., Gervais, R., Chouinard, P.Y., Petit, H.V., and Massé, D.I. (2013). "Enteric methane emissions from dairy cows fed corn silage or barley silage based diets.", ADSA-ASAS 2013 Joint Annual Meeting, Indianapolis, IN, USA, July 8-12, 2013, Published in: Journal of Dairy Science, 96: 512 (# TH111).
2013 - View publication details
Hassanat, F., Gervais, R., Julien, C., Massé, D.I., Lettat, A., Chouinard, P.Y., Petit, H.V., Benchaar, C. (2013). Replacing alfalfa silage with corn silage in dairy cow diets: Effects on enteric methane production, ruminal fermentation, digestion, N balance, and milk production. Journal of Dairy Science (JDS), [online] 96(7), 4553-4567. http://dx.doi.org/10.3168/jds.2012-6480
2013 - View publication details
Benchaar, C., Hassanat, F., Gervais, R., Chouinard, P.Y., Julien, C., Petit, H.V., Massé, D.I. (2013). Effects of increasing amounts of corn dried distillers grains with solubles in dairy cow diets on methane production, ruminal fermentation, digestion, N balance, and milk production. Journal of Dairy Science (JDS), [online] 96(4), 2413-2427. http://dx.doi.org/10.3168/jds.2012-6037
2013 - View publication details
Hassanat, F., Benchaar, C. (2013). Assessment of the effect of condensed (acacia and quebracho) and hydrolysable (chestnut and valonea) tannins on rumen fermentation and methane production in vitro. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, [online] 93(2), 332-339. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.5763
2013 - View publication details
Lettat, A., Hassanat, F., and Benchaar, C. (2012). "Effects of feeding corn- or legume/grass silage-based diets on ruminal bacteria and archaea communities.", Journal of Dairy Science (JDS), 95(Suppl. 2), pp. 371 (#T339). (Abstract)
2012 - View publication details