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ASSOCIATE, POST-DOCTORAL, AND VISITING RESEARCHERS

 

Associate and Post-Doctoral Researchers || Visiting Researchers

 

ASSOCIATE AND POST-DOCTORAL RESEARCHERS

 

Núria Chapinal || Julie Huzzey || Muhammad Ajmal Khan

 

Núria Chapinal - Postdoctoral Researcher

Núria Chapinal studied Veterinarian Science at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, where she also completed her Master's and Ph.D. focusing on the welfare of pregnant sows. She spent a summer in Agassiz as a Ph.D. student and was fascinated by the facilities and the people working at the Animal Welfare Program. She finally joined the program in November 2006 as a Postdoctoral fellow.

Her postdoctoral research initially focused on lameness in dairy cattle, arguably the greatest welfare issue facing the dairy industry in North America. One of her primary interests was to validate top-notch automated methods to monitor behaviour for early detection of lameness on farm. As an example, she has worked on systems to assess the way cows distribute their weight among limbs, and to measure the acceleration of the hooves when cows walk.

Her current research focuses on the use of changes in feeding and social behaviour as a way of identifying cows at risk for illness. The lactating dairy cow is most vulnerable to disease and health in the immediate post partum period. Development of technologies, such as electronic feeding systems and activity meters, has now made it possible for scientists to collect behavioural information from individual cows housed in large groups.

Her ultimate goal is to address animal welfare in a multidisciplinary way by integrating behavioural measures with physiological blood parameters, health records, or genetic merits to try and improve the welfare within the herd context, and across different husbandry systems. This work is ongoing in collaboration with the Department of Population Medicine at the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph.

Select Publications:

  1. Search Pubmed
  2. Chapinal, N., Carson,M., Duffield, T.F., Capel, M., Godden,S., Overton, M., Santos, J.E.P., LeBlanc, S.J. 2011. The association of serum metabolites with clinical disease during the transition period. J. Dairy Sci. 94: 4897–4903.
  3. Chapinal, N., de Passillé, A.M., Pastell, M., Hänninen, L., Munksgaard, L., Rushen, J. 2011. Measurement of acceleration while walking as an automated method for gait assessment in dairy cattle. J. Dairy Sci. 94: 2895-2901.
  4. Schirmann, K., Chapinal, N., Weary, D.M., Heuwieser, W., von Keyserlingk, M.A.G. 2011. Short-term effects of regrouping on behavior of prepartum dairy cows. J. Dairy Sci. 94: 2312-2319.
  5. Chapinal, N., de Passillé, A.M., Rushen, J., Tucker, C.B. 2011. Measures of weight distribution and frequency of steps as indicators of restless behavior. J. Dairy Sci. 94: 800-803.
  6. Veira, D.M., Chapinal, N., Nadalin, A., 2011. Does the presence of the cow influence the absorption of immunoglobulins by the neonatal dairy calf? Can. J. Dairy Sci. 91: 349-352.
  7. Chapinal, N., Weary, D.M., Rushen, J., de Passillé, A.M., von Keyserlingk, M.A.G. 2011. Effects of temporal restriction in availability of the total mixed ration on feeding and competitive behavior in lactating dairy cows. Livestock Sci. 137: 282-286.
  8. Chapinal, N., Baird, L., Pinheiro Machado, C., von Keyserlingk, M.A.G., Weary, D.M. 2010. Risk of severe heel erosion increased with parity and stage of lactation in freestall-housed dairy cows. J. Dairy Sci. 93: 3070-3073.
  9. Chapinal, N., de Passillé, A.M., Rushen, J., Wagner, S. 2010. Automated methods for the detection of lameness and analgesia in dairy cattle. J. Dairy Sci. 93: 2007-2013.
  10. Chapinal, N., Goldhawk, C., de Passillé, A.M., von Keyserlingk, M.A.G., Weary, D.M., Rushen, J. 2010. Overnight access to pasture does not reduce milk production or feed intake in dairy cattle. Livestock Sci. 129: 104-110.
  11. Chapinal, N., de Pasillé, A.M., Rushen, J. 2010. Correlated changes in behavioral indicators of lameness in dairy cows following hoof trimming. Journal of Dairy Science 93: 5758-5763.
  12. Chapinal, N., de Passillé, A.M., Rushen, J., Wagner, S. 2010. Effect of analgesia during hoof trimming on gait, weight distribution and activity of dairy cattle. Journal of Dairy Science 93: 3039-3046.
  13. de Passillé, A.M., Jensen, M., Chapinal, N., Rushen, J. 2010. Technical note: Use of accelerometers to describe gait patterns in dairy calves. J. Dairy Sci. 93, 3287-3293.
  14. Chapinal, N., de Passillé, A.M., Weary, D.M., von Keyserlingk, M.A.G., Rushen, J. 2009. Using gait score, walking speed and lying behavior to detect hoof lesions in dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 92: 4365-4374.
  15. Chapinal, N., de Pasille, A.M., Rushen, J. 2009. Weight distribution and gait in dairy cattle are affected by milking and late pregnancy. Journal of Dairy Science 92: 581-588.
  16. Goldhawk, C., Chapinal, N., Veira, D.M., Weary, D.M., von Keyserlingk, M.A.G. 2009. Prepartum feeding behaviour as an early indicator of subclinical ketosis. Journal of Dairy Science 92: 4971-4977.
  17. Chapinal, N., Veira, D.M., Weary, D.M., von Keyserlingk, M.A.G. 2007. Technical note: Validation of a system for monitoring individual feeding and drinking behavior and intake in group-housed cattle. Journal of Dairy Science 90: 5732-5736.

Contact: nchapinal@yahoo.com

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Julie Huzzey - Postdoctoral Researcher

Julie Huzzey obtained her B.Sc. (Agroecology) and M.Sc. (Animal Science) degrees from the University of British Columbia. Her Masters research, under the supervision of Drs. Marina von Keyserlingk and Dan Weary with the UBC Animal Welfare Program, focused on using feeding and social behavior as an early indicator of disease in dairy cattle around the calving period. To further develop her research interests in the area of dairy cattle health and management, Julie traveled to Ithaca, New York to pursue a Ph.D. (Animal Science) at Cornell University under the supervision of Dr. Tom Overton. While at Cornell Julie explored the use of physiological biomarkers of stress, inflammation, and energy balance as early indicators of disease, low milk yield and compromised reproductive performance. Julie has also focused her research efforts towards understanding how common dairy cattle management practices such as overstocking influence stress physiology, behavior, disease susceptibility and overall animal wellbeing.

In January 2012, Julie re-joined the UBC Animal Welfare Program as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow. In this position Julie is keen to explore new research directions in the field of dairy cattle welfare, including furthering the understanding of factors that influence feeding behavior and developing a scientific approach for the study of emotion and cognition in dairy cows.

Select Publications:

  1. Jower, P. E., J. M. Huzzey, S. J. LeBlanc, and M. A. G. von Keyserlingk. 2012. Associations of subclinical hypocalcemia at calving with milk yield and feeding, drinking, and standing behavior around parturition in Holstein cows. J. Dairy Sci. In Press.
  2. Huzzey, J. M., D. V. Nydam, R. J. Grant, and T. R. Overton. 2011. Associations of prepartum cortisol, haptoglobin, fecal cortisol metabolites and nonesterified fatty acids with postpartum health status in Holstein dairy cows. J. Dairy Sci. 94:5878-5889.
  3. Huzzey, J. M., T. F. Duffield, S. J. LeBlanc, D. M. Veria, D. M. Weary, and M. A. G. von Keyserlingk. 2009. Short communication: Haptoglobin as an early indicator of metritis. J. Dairy Sci. 92:621-625.
  4. Proudfoot, K. L., J. M. Huzzey, and M. A. G. vonKeyserlingk. 2009. The effect of dystocia on the dry matter intake and behavior of Holstein cows. J. Dairy Sci. 92:4937–4944.
  5. D. M. Weary, J. M. Huzzey, and M. A. G von Keyserlingk. 2009. Board-Invited Review: Using behavior to predict and identify ill health in animals. J. Anim. Sci. 87:770-777.
  6. Huzzey, J. M., D. M. Veira, D. M. Weary, and M. A. G. von Keyserlingk. 2007. Prepartum behavior and dry matter intake identify dairy cows at risk for metritis. J. Dairy Sci. 90:3220-3233.
  7. Huzzey, J. M., T. J. DeVries, P. Valois, M. A. G. von Keyserlingk. 2006. Stocking density and feed barrier design affect the feeding and social behavior of dairy cattle. J. Dairy Sci. 89:126-133.
  8. Huzzey, J. M., M. A. G. von Keyserlingk and D. M. Weary. 2005. Changes in feeding, drinking, and standing behavior of dairy cows during the transition period. J. Dairy Sci. 88:2454-2461.

Contact: jmhuzzey@gmail.com

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Muhammad Ajmal Khan - Postdoctoral Researcher

Khan was born in a family that has been engaged in livestock and crop production operations in a fertile delta of Punjab for generations. He has completed his B.Sc. in Animal Science at the University of Agriculture in Faisalabad, Pakistan, from where he later earned his M.Sc. (Hons.) and Ph.D. in Animal Nutrition in 2004. The majority of his research work as a graduate student was focused on enhancing the utilization of crop residues by dairy animals. His research team demonstrated many physio-chemical techniques to improve the feeding value of cereal straws for ruminants. He joined the Dairy Science Division of the National Institute of Animal Science (NIAS) in South Korea as a post-doctoral fellow in 2005 where much of his research focused on improving the milk feeding system and starter diets for dairy calves. Later he was appointed as a senior research fellow at Seoul National University where he continued his efforts in improving calf starter and milk replacer for dairy calves. Khan joined the UBC Animal Welfare Program in 2008. Currently, he is interested in examining the role and need of forage in calves during transition from liquid to solid feed.

Select Publications:

  1. Khan, M.A., Weary, D.M., von Keyserlingk, M.A.G., 2011a. Invited review: Effects of milk ration on solid feed intake, weaning, and performance in dairy heifers. J. Dairy Sci. 94: 1071-1081.
  2. Khan, M.A., Weary, D.M., von Keyserlingk, M.A.G., 2011b. Hay intake improves performance and rumen development of calves fed higher quantities of milk. J. Dairy. Sci. 94: 3547-3553.
  3. Lee, H.J., Khan, M.A., Lee, W.S., Yang, S.H., Kim, S.B., Ki, K.S., Kim, H.S., Ha, J.K., Choi, Y.J. 2009. Influence of equalizing the gross composition of milk replacer to that of whole milk on the performance of Holstein calves. Journal of Animal Science. 87: 1129-1137.
  4. Khan, M.A., Lee, H.J., Lee, W.S., Kim, H.S., Kim, S.B., Park, S.B., Baek, K.S., Ha, J.K., Choi, Y.J. 2008. Starch source evaluation in calf starter: II. Ruminal parameters, rumen development, nutrients digestibilities and nitrogen utilization in Holstein calves. Journal of Dairy Science. 91: 1140-1149.
  5. Khan, M.A., Lee, H.J., Lee, W.S., Kim, H.S., Kim, S.B., Ki, K.S., Ha, J.K., Lee, H.G., Choi, Y.J. 2007. Pre- and post-weaning performance of Holstein female calves fed milk through step-down and conventional methods. Journal of Dairy Science. 90: 876-885.

Contact: ajmals1@yahoo.com

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VISITING RESEARCHERS

 

2011 || 2007 || 2006 || 2005 || 2004 || 2003


2011


Julie Boulanger Bertolus is visiting from France, where she is completing an MSc degree in neuroscience at the ENS de Lyon. During her 5-month stay at UBC, she is working on a project investigating humane methods of euthanasia for laboratory rats.

Vanessa Carli Bones is a veterinarian and PhD student from Brazil. During her 5-month stay at UBC, she is using the 'Your Views' survey program to investigate the barriers to adopting alternative practices to laboratory animal use in Brazil.

Pilar Sepúlveda Varas is a veterinarian and PhD student at the Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile. Her research focuses on behavioural changes and the relation to illness in transition dairy cows.

Edwige Bouvet-Gauthier, a visiting student from VetAgro Sup, France, worked as a research assistant on a project evaluating the effect of different dry-off management procedures on cow behaviour and indicators of intramammary infections.

Dorthe Puerling is an undergraduate student in Agriculture at the University of Applied Sciences in Bingen am Rhein, Germany. She is currently doing an internship on dairy cow feeding and nutrition.

Inger Anneberg is an anthropologist and PhD student from Aarhus University in Denmark. Her project focuses on Danish farmers’ communication about animal welfare, with a special focus on animal welfare inspections done by the authorities. While at UBC, she listens and learns from those with experience in social sciences in the Animal Welfare group.

Ulrike Bayer is an undergraduate student in Agriculture at the University of Applied Sciences in Bingen am Rhein, Germany. While at UBC, she is involved in projects investigating maternity behaviour and dry-off management procedures in dairy cows.

Grazyne Tresoldi is a veterinarian and M.Sc. student at LETA/UFSC in Florianópolis, Brazil. Her research focuses on dairy cattle social behaviour; more specifically, on positive relationships.

João Henrique Cardoso Costa is an Agronomist Engineer and Master's student at the Federal University of Santa Catarina in Florianópolis, Brazil. His research focuses on the usage of pasture and the preference of housing systems in dairy cows.

Johanna Axling just completed her Master's in Applied Animal Behaviour at Linköping University in Sweden. While at UBC, she will analyse the different social and exploratory behaviours expressed by single and group housed calves.

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2007


Florian Bernardi is a M.Sc. student at the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences in Vienna, Austria. His research focuses on cow comfort and lameness.

Dr. Jose Fregonesi is a visiting researcher from Universidade Estadual de Londrina (UEL), Brazil. He has several of his Brazillian students with him conducting research at the UBC Dairy Centre in Agassiz.

Mario Jose Giannasi Scala is a graduate student from the Universidade Estadual de Londrina (UEL) in Brazil. His work is focused on transition cow welfare.

Andressa Amorim de Oliveira is a graduate student from Curitiba, Brazil. Her work is focused on transition cow welfare.

Yukiko Shima is a veterinarian from Nihon University, Japan, who is working on a project related to dairy welfare at the UBC Dairy Centre in Agassiz.

Brigid Sweeney is a M.Sc. student at the University of Edinburgh. She is currently conducting her thesis research on weaning in dairy calves at the UBC Dairy Centre in Agassiz.

Roberta Viggiani is a visiting researcher from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Bologna University, Italy.  She is currently assessing physiological means (particularly cortisol) of measuring welfare.

Amelie Legrand is a visiting researcher from the National Institute of Advanced Agronomy (FNESAD) in France.  She is working on dairy cattle at the UBC Dairy Centre in Agassiz.

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2006


Guilherme Bond, a graduate student from Curitiba, Brazil who conducted research at the UBC Dairy Centre in Agassiz

Ali Hosseinkhani, a visiting PhD student from the Animal Science Department of the  Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran who conducting research at the UBC Dairy Centre in Agassiz.

Wiolene Nordi, a graduate student from Curitiba, Brazil who conducted research at the UBC Dairy Centre in Agassiz

Larissa Parazzi, a graduate student from Londrina, Brazil conducted research at the UBC Dairy Centre in Agassiz

Dr. Ed Pajor, a visiting researcher from Purdue University. He spent his sabbatical year with the AWP.

Wiebe Veenstra, a Masters student from the Wageningen Institute of Animal Sciences Netherlands who conducted research at the UBC Dairy Centre in Agassiz.

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2005


Dr. Jalal Bakhtiari, a Visiting Professor from the University of Tehran, Iran joined the program to work on the assessment and prevention of post-surgical pain in laboratory animals. As an Associate Professor of veterinary surgery, Jalal brought  to this project his expert knowledge and techniques for the surgical components and the post-surgical care of animals.

Tomasz Grudnik, a visiting scientist from the Agricultural University of Wroclaw in Poland, worked on a research project investigating the identification of lameness in dairy cattle.

Dr. Andrzej Lozicki, a visiting scientist from the Warsaw Agricultural University (SGGW) in Poland, worked on a research project investigating the how free stall design influences dairy cow comfort.

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2004


Dr. Omar Hernandez Mendo, Associate Professor at Colegio de Postgraduados in Montecillos, Mexico, joined the program on a sabbatical leave to study how access to pasture helps dairy cows recover from lameness.

Allison Stewart worked as a research assistant and assisted in various research projects at the Dairy Centre.

Lorna Baird was employed as a research associate with the Program and assisted with a variety of research projects at the Dairy Centre.

Marcela Vankova, a visiting student from the Czech Republic, worked on a research project investigating the effect of using automated brushes as environmental enrichment for dairy cows.

Paul-Antoine Valias, a visiting student from France, worked as a research assistant on a project evaluating the effect of feed barrier design and stocking densities on feeding and social behaviour of dairy cows.

Sabine Dippel, a researcher visiting from Germany, worked on a research project investigating the development of lameness in dairy cattle.

Dr. Monica Budzynska, a visiting scientist from the Polish Agricultural University in Lublin, worked on a study that investigated ways to minimize dairy calf distress during weaning.

Dr. Reza Valizadeh, an Associate Professor at the University of Mashad in Iran, joined the program for a six-month sabbatical to investigate methods to reduce distress in dairy cattle at the end of lactation.

Keelin O'Driscoll, a visiting M.Sc. student from Edinburgh University, worked on a research project investigating the feeding and social behaviour of calves feeding and drinking from an automated feeder.

Sarah Maidaa, a visiting M.Sc. student from Edinburgh University, worked on a research project investigating calf weaning and minimizing distress.

Elizabeth Carter, a visiting M.Sc. student from Edinburgh University, worked on a research project investigating using analgesics to modify the gait of dairy cows.

Dineke van den Hazel: Dineke is an M.Sc. student in  Animal Science from Holland. She worked on a project involving the effects of  feeding frequency on dairy cow behavior.

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2003


Fernando Wolf: Fernando is a graduate student visiting from the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil. He completed a research project investigating improved feeding systems for dairy calves.

Jose Fregonisi: Lecturer from the University of Londrina, Brazil. Jose worked on effects of stocking density on dairy cattle in Agassiz.

Marek Gaworsk: Lecturer from the University of Warsaw, Poland. Marek worked on a research project investigating the effects of stall maintenance on cow comfort at Agassiz.

Marek Spinka:  A senior researcher from the Research Institute of Animal Production, Prague, Czech Republic. Marek carried out a research project investigating the relationship between asymmetry and lameness in dairy cattle.

Raymond Anthony: Ph.D. candidate from Malaysia by way of Purdue University completed a dissertation in philosophy titled, “Animals and Their Moral Standing: A Philosophical Exploration of the Relationship between Animals and Human Beings in Agriculture”.

Luisa Brusius: Graduate student visiting from the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Luisa worked on the effect of teat competition on calf feeding behaviour.

Daniela Cristina da Silva: Final year veterinary student from Londrina University Brazil. She joined the program for three months to participate in research at the UBC Dairy Research Centre in Agassiz .

Jin Suk Kim: Faculty member from Konkuk University, The Republic of Korea, is a toxicologist interested in animal welfare concerns facing farm and companion animals. Jin is presently writing a book on animal welfare issues in Asia .

Luiz Carlos Pinheiro Machado Filho: Faculty member from the Department of Zootechny and Rural Development, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil. He joined UBC's Animal Welfare Program for a sabbatical year. He is an agronomist who researched the effects of increased pasture use on the behaviour and welfare of dairy cows.

Andreia Vieira: Final year veterinary student from Londrina University, Brazil. She joined the program for three months to participate in research at the UBC.

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