Dr. Manuel Juárez

Image Manuel Maria Juarez Davila
Livestock Phenomics Scientist

Dr. Manuel Juárez coordinates the Livestock Phenomics program, linking livestock genomics and phenotypical research focused on meat production. Dr. Juárez applies a holistic approach to evaluate the interactions between genetic and environmental factors, being able to quantify their relative contribution on animal performance, carcass and meat quality traits. Breeders can benefit from being able to select and sort animals based on current and expected market conditions. His goal is the optimization of livestock production systems to maximize profitability while maintaining or enhancing carcass and meat quality.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Lacombe, AB

Current research and/or projects

  • Augmented reality for pork primal classification based on quality attributes. Alberta Innovates. 2022-2023.
  • The Profitability of Classifying Alberta Pork Based on Quality Attributes. Alberta Agriculture. 2021-2023.
  • Big data and Graphic Processing Unit (GPU) accelerated data science for high-throughput carcass and pork quality phenotyping. Ontario Pork. 2021-2023.
  • Enhancing beef production efficiency by optimizing carcass composition via predictive analytics and genomic selection. AAFC-ABase. 2021-2023.
  • Classifying Canadian pork based on quality attributes. Swine Innovation Porc. 2018-2023.
  • Alternative grading technologies for the pork industry. A cost-benefit analysis. Results Driven Agriculture Research. 2021-2023.

  • Big data and Graphic Processing Unit (GPU) accelerated data science for high-throughput carcass and pork quality phenotyping. Ontario Pork. 2021-2023

  • Developing a Canadian Total Quality Management System for Beef Processing.  Beef Cattle Research Council. 2018-2023.
  • Canada's National Beef Quality Audit at Retail and Processing. Beef Cattle Research Council. 2020-2023.

Research and/or project statements

  • Linking livestock genomics and phenotypical research
  • Evaluation of interactions between genetic and environmental factors
  • Selection of animals and production systems based on current and expected market conditions
  • Optimization of livestock production systems to maximize profitability while maintaining or enhancing carcass and meat quality

Professional activities / interests

  • Associate Editor in the area of Meat Science for the Canadian Journal of Animal Science
  • Past President Canadian Meat Science Association
  • Volunteer at the Alberta Science Network

Education and awards

Education:

  • Management and Leadership Development Program. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 2016
  • Master in Management of Agri-Food Companies. EOI Spain (Executive Education International). 2008
  • PhD in Animal Production. European PhD Program. University of Seville. 2007
  • Master Business Administration (MBA). International Business Centre (CEREM). 2003
  • Doctor Veterinary Medicine. University of Cordoba. 2002

Awards

  • Award for Best Communication in the area of “Meat and Health”. 56th International Congress of Meat Science and Technology (ICoMST). Jeju, South Korea. 2010
  • 2007-2008 PhD Award of Excellence. University of Seville. 2010
  • Award Young Researcher “Intervet”. SEOC (Spanish Sheep and Goat Breeders Association). Badajoz. Spain. 2003
  • Award Best Scientific Communication. 7th Army Veterinary Congress. Madrid. Spain. 2003

International experience and/or work

2020-2021: A/Associate Director Research Development and Technology. AAFC-Lethbridge and Lacombe Research and Development Centres

2019: A/Director Research Development and Technology (Alberta).

2017-218: A/Associate Director Research Development and Technology. AAFC-Lethbridge and Summerland Research and Development Centres.

2017-2108: President Canadian Meat Science Association.

2012-2013: A/Director of Operations. AAFC-Lacombe Research Centre. Lacombe, AB, Canada.

2011-Present: Livestock Phenomics Scientist. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Lacombe, AB, Canada.

2009-20110: NSERC Post-doctoral Fellow. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Lacombe, AB, Canada.

2008: Quality Differentiation Specialist. Spanish Association of Malagueña Goat Breeders. Malaga, Spain.

2007: Meat Quality Researcher. Italian Agriculture Research Council (C.R.A.). Monterotondo, Rome. Italy.

2005-2006: Research Assistant. TEAGASC. Ashtown Food Research Centre. Dublin, Ireland.

2003-2004: Veterinary and Production Manager. Honkolan Kartano. Urjala, Finland.

2002-2003: Applied Geneticist. Spanish Merino Sheep Breeders’ Association. Madrid, Spain.

Key publications

  1. Roberts, J.C., and Juarez, M. 2017. Evaluating classification methods for Canadian lamb carcasses. Sheep Canada. 32(3):17-20.

    2017 - View publication details

  2. Soladoye, O.P., Shand, P., Dugan, M.E.R., Gariépy, C., Aalhus, J.L., Estévez, M., Juárez, M. (2017). Influence of cooking methods and storage time on lipid and protein oxidation and heterocyclic aromatic amines production in bacon. Food Research International, [online] 99 660-669. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2017.06.029

    2017 - View publication details

  3. Juárez, M., Dugan, M.E.R., López-Campos, Ó., Prieto, N., Uttaro, B., Gariépy, C., Aalhus, J.L. (2017). Relative contribution of breed, slaughter weight, sex, and diet to the fatty acid composition of differentiated pork, 97(3), 395-405. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/CJAS-2016-0103

    2017 - View publication details

  4. Juarez, M. 2017. Livestock phenomics and integrated meats research at the Lacombe Research and Development Centre. In Canadian Beef Industry Conference. Calgary, Canada.

    2017 - View publication details

  5. Soladoye, O.P., Uttaro, B., Zawadski, S., Dugan, M.E.R., Gariépy, C., Aalhus, J.L., Shand, P., Juárez, M. (2017). Compositional and dimensional factors influencing pork belly firmness. Meat Science, [online] 129 54-61. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2017.02.006

    2017 - View publication details

  6. Roberts J, Rodas-González A, Juárez M, López-Campos Ó, Larsen IL, Aalhus JL (2017) Muscle profiling of retail characteristics within the Canadian cull cow grades. Can J Anim Sci 97 (4):562-573. doi:10.1139/cjas-2017-0001

    2017 - View publication details

  7. Silva, M.L.P., Juárez, M., Nassu, R.T., Tullio, R.R., Berndt, A., Alencar, M.M., Rolland, D.C., Dugan, M.E.R. (2017). Relative contribution of breed, gender, and diet to the fatty acid profile of young crossbred beef cattle finished on feedlot, 97(1), 6-9. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjas-2015-0147

    2017 - View publication details

  8. Aalhus, J.L., Thacker, R.D., Larsen, I.L., Roberts, J.C., Price, M.A., Juárez, M. (2017). Control points to reduce movement of central nervous system tissue during beef slaughter, 80(2), 355-360. http://dx.doi.org/10.4315/0362-028X.JFP-16-302

    2017 - View publication details

  9. Vahmani, P., Rolland, D.C., Mapiye, C., Dunne, P.G., Aalhus, J.L., Juarez, M., McAllister, T.A., Prieto, N., Dugan, M.E.R. (2017). Increasing desirable polyunsaturated fatty acid concentrations in fresh beef intramuscular fat, 12 http://dx.doi.org/10.1079/PAVSNNR201712020

    2017 - View publication details

  10. Dugan, M., López-Campos, O., Aalhus, J.L., Vahmani, P., Prieto, N., Juárez, M., McAllister, T., Stanford, K. Lamb fat composition: the good, the not so good and possibilities for the future. N’ewesletters Winter 2017.

    2017 - View publication details

  11. Soladoye, O. P., Campos, Ó. L., Aalhus, J. L., Gariépy, C., Shand, P., & Juárez, M. (2016). Accuracy of dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in assessing carcass composition from different pig populations. Meat Science, 121, 310-316.

    2016 - View publication details

  12. López-Campos, Ó., Larsen, I.L., Prieto, N., Juarez, M., Dugan, M.E.R., and Aalhus, J. 2016. Evaluation of total lean and saleable meat yield prediction equations and dual energy x-ray absorptiometry for a rapid, non-invasive yield prediction in beef. In Proceedings of the 96th Annual Conference of the Canadian Meat Council. Ottawa, Canada.

    2016 - View publication details

  13. SIM detection and quantification of MIB & Geosmin in trout using SBSE-GC-MS

    2016 - View publication details

  14. Juarez, M., Lopez Campos, O., Prieto, N., Hosford, S., Galbraith, J., Uttaro, B., and Aalhus, J. 2016. Evaluating alternative lamb carcass classification systems in Canada. Canadian Meat Science Association Newsletter.

    2016 - View publication details

  15. López-Campos, Ó., Larsen, I.L., Prieto, N., Juarez, M., Dugan, M.E.R., and Aalhus, J. 2016. Evaluation of total lean and saleable meat yield prediction equations and dual energy x-ray absorptiometry for a rapid, non-invasive yield prediction in beef. In Proceedings of the 69th Reciprocal Meat Conference. San Angelo, Texas.

    2016 - View publication details

  16. Zhang, H., Aalhus, J.L., Gariépy, C., Uttaro, B., López-Campos, O., Prieto, N., Dugan, M.E.R., Jin, Y., Juárez, M. (2016). Effects of pork differentiation strategies in Canada on pig performance and carcass characteristics. Canadian Journal of Animal Science, [online] 96(4), 512-523. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjas-2015-0197

    2016 - View publication details

  17. Horcada, A., Polvillo, O., Juárez, M., Avilés, C., Martínez, A.L., Peña, F. (2016). Influence of feeding system (concentrate and total mixed ration) on fatty acid profiles of beef from three lean cattle breeds, 49 110-116. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jfca.2016.04.008

    2016 - View publication details

  18. Galbraith, J. K., J. L. Aalhus, M. Juárez, M. E. R. Dugan, I. L. Larsen, N. Aldai, L. A. Goonewardene, and E. K. Okine. "Meat Colour Stability and Fatty Acid Profile in Commercial Bison and Beef." Journal of Food Research 5, no. 3 (2016): 92.

    2016 - View publication details

  19. Juárez, M., Basarab, J.A., Baron, V.S., Valera, M., López-Campos, Ó., Larsen, I.L., Aalhus, J.L. (2016). Relative contribution of electrical stimulation to beef tenderness compared to other production factors, 96(2), 104-107. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjas-2015-0041

    2016 - View publication details

  20. O.P. Soladoye, Ó. López Campos, J.L. Aalhus, N. Prieto, C. Gariépy, P.J. Shand, M. Juárez, Evaluating the accuracy of dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) in predicting carcass composition from varying pig populations, Meat Science, Volume 112, 2016, Page 185, ISSN 0309-1740, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2015.08.195.
    (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0309174015003344)

    2016 - View publication details

Contact

Research facility

Lacombe Research and Development Centre
6000 C and E Trail
Lacombe, AB T4L 1W1
Canada

Expertise

Agriculture›Agri-Food
Agriculture›Beef
Agriculture›Carcass grading›Pork carcass quality
Agriculture›Food Science›Anti-microbial resistance of microbes in food production
Agriculture›Food Science›Food biochemistry
Agriculture›Livestock›Livestock phenomics
Agriculture›Pork
Agriculture›Sensory evaluation
Animals›Production
Food›Agriculture

Affiliations

  • Adjunct Professor University of Saskatchewan
  • Adjunct Professor University of Manitoba
  • Adjunct Professor University of Guelph

Language

English
French

Other languages

Spanish, Italian