Karen A. Beauchemin, Ph. D.

Image Karen A, Beauchemin
Research Scientist, Ruminant Nutrition and Environment (Retired)

Development of nutritional knowledge and technologies for the beef and dairy industries to improve efficiency of production and reduce environmental impact

Current research and/or projects

Development of nutritional knowledge and technologies for the beef and dairy industries to improve efficiency of production and reduce environmental impact

Research and/or project statements

Projects include:

  • Mitigation of enteric methane and other greenhouse gas emissions from ruminants

  • Farm-based life cycle analysis of greenhouse gas emissions from beef and dairy production

  • Improved nitrogen use efficiency of ruminants

  • Improved rumen ecology and fiber utilization

  • Use of feed additives, including exogenous enzymes, yeast and direct fed microbials

  • Reduction of ruminal acidosis in dairy cows and feedlot cattle

  • Physically effective fiber requirements for feedlot cattle and dairy cows

  • Grain digestion and utilization for ruminants

  • Nutritional evaluation of short season corn silage hybrids

Fields of Science

Learn more about my research and how it impacts you by visiting Fields of Science, a campaign featuring 11 Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada scientists from coast to coast.

Professional activities / interests

Research with beef and dairy cattle

National and international advisory role

Mentorship of students and young researchers

 

 

Education and awards

Education

B.Sc. (honours), McGill University, Major in Agriculture 1978

M.Sc. Université Laval, Major in Animal Science 1982

Ph.D.(distinction) University of Guelph 1988

Major in Ruminant Nutrition, minors in Gastrointestinal Physiology and Statistics, Supervisor:  Dr. J. G. Buchanan-Smith

Honours and Awards Held

  • B.Sc. awarded with honours, 1978

  • Ph.D. awarded with distinction, 1988
  • Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) award held during Ph.D.      (1983-88)
  • 1st prize for presentation in CSAS Graduate Student Competition, 1987
  • Canadian Society of Animal Science Young Scientist Award, 1994

  • Travel Scholarship, Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science, 2005

  • American Dairy Science Association Pioneer Hi-Bred Forage Award, 2005

  • Gold Harvest Award of Excellence, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 2007

  • George B. Caine Foundation Award, Utah State University, 2008

  • Sir Frederick McMaster Fellowship, CSIRO, Australia, 2009 ($28,000 awarded for travel)

  • Canadian Society of Animal Science Excellence in Nutrition and Meat Science Award, 2009

  • American Dairy Science Association, Nutrition Professionals Applied Dairy Nutrition Award, 2010

  • The Bertebos Prize, Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry, 2011

  • Visiting Professorship for Senior International Scientists, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 2011-13

  • Canadian Society of Animal Science Fellowship Award, 2014

International experience and/or work

1995-96   Work Transfer (sabbatical), Danish Institute of Animal Sciences, Foulum,  Denmark (12 months)

2005-06   Work Transfer (sabbatical), Department of Primary Industries – Victoria (Elinbank), Australia (12 months)

Advisory Roles - International

-International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC): (2017-2019). Invited contributing author to Chapter 10: Emissions from livestock and manure management, 2019 Refinement to the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories, Volume 4, Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use. https://www.ipcc-nggip.iges.or.jp/public/2019rf/vol4.html. This IPCC methodology is used by Environment and Climate Change Canada and other countries to produce their national greenhouse gas inventories.

Invited Member of the Committee on Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle, Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources, Division on Earth and Life Studies, National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.  Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle, 8th Revised Edition (2013-16). Committee tasked with revising the NRC publication/model for beef cattle nutrient requirements. Only Canadian member of the 9 person committee. This publication sets the standards for nutrient requirements and is widely considered to be the cornerstone of beef nutrition and is universally used by nutritionists, veterinarians, and feed regulators such as the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

European Research Council (2016-17; 2018-19). Advanced Grant LS9 “Applied Life Sciences and Non-Medical Biotechnology” Invited Panel Member. The Advanced Grants represent the highest achievement in science within the EU.  The Panel consists of 12 invited international members and receives 60-120 proposals/year to review.  Successful proposals are awarded 2.5 million euros.

SmartCow (www.smartcow.eu): Invited Scientific Advisor to an EU research consortium (14 research partners, 7 EU countries, 2018-2022). Project designed to optimize the use of European research facilities and multi-disciplinary research across countries to promote efficient use of resources, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and improving animal welfare and health.

AnimalChange Consortium (http://www.animalchange.eu): Invited scientific advisor to the EU research consortium (9 million Euros, 30 institutes) with representation from research, industry, and policy makers. The goal of the project is to develop greenhouse gas mitigation and adaptation strategies for livestock production in the EU and partnering developing countries.

United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO): (2010-2015) Consultant on a Coordinated Research Project entitled “The use of enzymes, direct-fed microbials and yeast to improve the efficiency of utilizing fibrous feeds in developing countries and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from livestock", of the Animal Production and Health Section, Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture.  Provided advice to participating researchers for 10 research contract holders in developing countries.  

International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC): (2009)  Invited member of the 3rd Expert Committee on Data for the IPCC Database on Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emission Factors (attended meeting June 24-26, Santiago, Chile). The Emission Factor Database is a public database on GHG emission factors with supporting scientific information maintained by the IPCC National Greenhouse Gas Inventories Program to help the inventory compilers develop better quality national greenhouse gas inventories in a cost-effective way.

Bovine Innovative Greenhouse Gas Solutions (BIGGS) project (2011-13). Invited participant in the Protocol Scientific Adaptation Team, for the Bovine Innovative Greenhouse Gas Solutions (BIGGS) project. The project aims at creating carbon credits generated from various beef and dairy production practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Greenhouse Gasses in Animal Agriculture Conference (www.GGAA2010.org): Banff, Alberta, Oct. 2010, member of the local organizing committee, program committee, and co-editor of the proceedings.  This is the major international conference for environment-livestock interactions Participated on an organization committee to setup the Greenhouse Gases (GHG) in Animal Agriculture Conference held in Banff, Alberta, Canada in October of 2010.  The conference had over 400 delegates from 36 countries, an attendance that attests to the global research effort that is ongoing in this area.

United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA): Invited member of the Expert Panel (2007) to explore development of a Coordinated Research Project on straw digestibility, The Animal Production and Health Section, Plant Breeding and Genetics Section, Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture.

 

Key publications

  1. 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

  2. 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

  3. 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

  4. Zhang, X.M., Smith, M.L., Gruninger, R.J., Kung, L., Vyas, D., Mcginn, S.M., Kindermann, M., Wang, M., Tan, Z.L., Beauchemin, K.A. (2021). Combined effects of 3-nitrooxypropanol and canola oil supplementation on methane emissions, rumen fermentation and biohydrogenation, and total tract digestibility in beef cattle. Journal of Animal Science, [online] 99(4), http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jas/skab081

    2021 - View publication details

  5. McGinn, S.M., Coulombe, J.F., Beauchemin, K.A. (2021). Technical note: Validation of the GreenFeed system for measuring enteric gas emissions from cattle. Journal of Animal Science, [online] 99(3), http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jas/skab046

    2021 - View publication details

  6. Guyader, J., Baron, V.S., Beauchemin, K.A. (2021). Effect of harvesting corn after frost in alberta (Canada) on whole-plant yield, nutritive value, and kernel properties. Agronomy, [online] 11(3), http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11030459

    2021 - View publication details

  7. Salvati, G.G.S., Santos, W.P., Silveira, J.M., Gritti, V.C., Arthur, B.A.V., Salvo, P.A.R., Fachin, L., Ribeiro, A.P., Morais Júnior, N.N., Ferraretto, L.F., Daniel, J.L.P., Beauchemin, K.A., Santos, F.A.P., Nussio, L.G. (2021). Effect of kernel processing and particle size of whole-plant corn silage with vitreous endosperm on dairy cow performance. Journal of Dairy Science (JDS), [online] 104(2), 1794-1810. http://dx.doi.org/10.3168/jds.2020-19428

    2021 - View publication details

  8. Cassiano, E.C.O., Junior, F.P., Barros, T.A., Marino, C.T., Pacheco, R.D.L., Ferreira, F.A., Millen, D.D., Martins, M.F., Pugine, S.M.P., De Melo, M.P., Beauchemin, K.A., Meyer, P.M., De Beni Arrigoni, M., Rodrigues, P.H.M. (2021). Evaluation of liquid and powdered forms of polyclonal antibody preparation against Streptococcus bovis and Fusobacterium necrophorum in cattle adapted or not adapted to highly fermentable carbohydrate diets. Animal Bioscience, [online] 34(1), 74-84. http://dx.doi.org/10.5713/ajas.19.0761

    2021 - View publication details

  9. Ran, T., Saleem, A.M., Beauchemin, K.A., Penner, G.B., Yang, W. (2021). Processing index of barley grain and dietary undigested neutral detergent fiber concentration affected chewing behavior, ruminal pH, and total tract nutrient digestibility of heifers fed a high-grain diet. Journal of Animal Science, [online] 99(1), http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jas/skab011

    2021 - View publication details

  10. Alemu, A.W., Shreck, A.L., Booker, C.W., McGinn, S.M., Pekrul, L.K.D., Kindermann, M., Beauchemin, K.A. (2021). Use of 3-nitrooxypropanol in a commercial feedlot to decrease enteric methane emissions from cattle fed a corn-based finishing diet. Journal of Animal Science, [online] 99(1), http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jas/skaa394

    2021 - View publication details

  11. Owens, J.L., Thomas, B.W., Stoeckli, J.L., Beauchemin, K.A., McAllister, T.A., Larney, F.J., Hao, X. (2020). Greenhouse gas and ammonia emissions from stored manure from beef cattle supplemented 3-nitrooxypropanol and monensin to reduce enteric methane emissions. Scientific Reports, [online] 10(1), http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-75236-w

    2020 - View publication details

  12. Abbott, D.W., Aasen, I.M., Beauchemin, K.A., Grondahl, F., Gruninger, R., Hayes, M., Huws, S., Kenny, D.A., Krizsan, S.J., Kirwan, S.F., Lind, V., Meyer, U., Ramin, M., Theodoridou, K., Soosten, D.V., Walsh, P.J., Waters, S., Xing, X. (2020). Seaweed and seaweed bioactives for mitigation of enteric methane: Challenges and opportunities, 10(12), 1-28. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ani10122432

    2020 - View publication details

  13. Lagrange, S., Beauchemin, K.A., MacAdam, J., Villalba, J.J. (2020). Grazing diverse combinations of tanniferous and non-tanniferous legumes: Implications for beef cattle performance and environmental impact. Science of the Total Environment, [online] 746 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140788

    2020 - View publication details

  14. Samsonstuen, S., Åby, B.A., Crosson, P., Beauchemin, K.A., Aass, L. (2020). Mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions from beef cattle production systems. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section A - Animal Science, [online] 69(4), 220-232. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09064702.2020.1806349

    2020 - View publication details

  15. Zhang, X.M., Gruninger, R.J., Alemu, A.W., Wang, M., Tan, Z.L., Kindermann, M., Beauchemin, K.A. (2020). 3-Nitrooxypropanol supplementation had little effect on fiber degradation and microbial colonization of forage particles when evaluated using the in situ ruminal incubation technique. Journal of Dairy Science (JDS), [online] 103(10), 8986-8997. http://dx.doi.org/10.3168/jds.2019-18077

    2020 - View publication details

  16. Samsonstuen, S., Åby, B.A., Crosson, P., Beauchemin, K.A., Wetlesen, M.S., Bonesmo, H., Aass, L. (2020). Variability in greenhouse gas emission intensity of semi-intensive suckler cow beef production systems, 239 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2020.104091

    2020 - View publication details

  17. Samsonstuen, S., Åby, B.A., Crosson, P., Beauchemin, K.A., Wetlesen, M.S., Bonesmo, H., Aass, L. (2020). Variability in greenhouse gas emission intensity of semi-intensive suckler cow beef production systems. Livestock Science, [online] 239 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2020.104091

    2020 - View publication details

  18. Molavian, M., Ghorbani, G.R., Rafiee, H., Beauchemin, K.A. (2020). Substitution of wheat straw with sugarcane bagasse in low-forage diets fed to mid-lactation dairy cows: Milk production, digestibility, and chewing behavior. Journal of Dairy Science (JDS), [online] 103(9), 8034-8047. http://dx.doi.org/10.3168/jds.2020-18499

    2020 - View publication details

  19. Wilson, R.L., Bionaz, M., MacAdam, J.W., Beauchemin, K.A., Naumann, H.D., Ates, S. (2020). Milk production, nitrogen utilization, and methane emissions of dairy cows grazing grass, forb, and legume-based pastures. Journal of Animal Science, [online] 98(7), http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jas/skaa220

    2020 - View publication details

  20. Chibisa, G.E., Beauchemin, K.A., Koenig, K.M., Penner, G.B. (2020). Optimum roughage proportion in barley-based feedlot cattle diets: total tract nutrient digestibility, rumination, ruminal acidosis, short-chain fatty absorption, and gastrointestinal tract barrier function. Journal of Animal Science, [online] 98(6), http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jas/skaa160

    2020 - View publication details

Research facility

5403 1st Avenue South
Lethbridge, AB T1J 4B1
Canada

Affiliations

2005-2020 Adjunct Professor, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

2005-2020 Adjunct Professor, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

2017-2020 Adjunct Professor, Graduate Faculty, Utah State University, Logan, UT

Language

English