Research

The recent issues includes "Using yeast in sow diets to optimize piglet growth", a summary of U of G research recently published in the Journal of Animal Science. 

PhD student and HQP Scholar Hannah Christensen, Dr. Elijah Kiarie and Dr. Lee-Ann Huber, along with Hagen Schulze, the innovation and technical director at Livalta, write that their study has shown yeast additives are a promising alternative to in-feed antibiotics and zinc oxide (ZnO).

The U of G wheat breeding program is a feat of industry and government collaboration to supply the world with healthy grains. 

Together with private and public partners and a team of professional staff, graduate and undergraduate students, Dr. Helen Booker breeds varieties for disease resistance but also for traits economically critical to farmers: high yield, optimal maturity time, height and structural strength.

Since Booker took over leadership in 2020, the program has already brought five new varieties of wheat to market.

Alliance-funded research shows purple coneflower supplementation in Holstein calves led to indicators of better immunity and anti-inflammatory properties.

A new plant-based coating could keep packaged food fresher, providing a renewable solution that maintains food quality without harming the planet.

Dr. Manjusri Misra, a researcher with a joint appointment in the School of Engineering and Department of Plant Agriculture, and her team have unlocked the new potential for camelina oil.

As the demand for sustainable packaging grows, innovations can help pave the way for greener paper packaging.

Rural businesses are finding it more difficult since the pandemic to attract and retain workers, with some sectors--like food services-- experiecing the most difficulty.

These are some of the key findings emerging from an Alliance-funded University of Guelph survey, which is part of a multi-year research initiative examining labour shortages in rural communities called Addressing Labour Shortages through Newcomer Attraction in Rural Ontario. 

In early 2024, an outbreak of avian influenza virus (AIV) in U.S. dairy cattle prompted a burst of alarming news headlines and calls for action in the scientific community.

Up to this point, nobody knew the H5N1 strain of influenza could spread to cattle—though it had already devastated poultry flocks around the world and was known to circulate among hundreds of avian species and about 50 species of mammals.

A demonstration of automation and ag robotics attracted about 170 fruit and vegetable growers to the Ontario Crops Research Centre – Simcoe in early July. 

“The day was a chance to showcase new technologies that solve problems in the ag industry,” said Torin Boyle, site manager at the centre. “It’s a partnership between the Ag Robotics Working Group, Western Fair District, and the University of Guelph.”

U of G-led research delivers agri-food innovation

Engineering a robot to harvest tomatoes, making microplastic-free green composites and using responsible artificial intelligence are among more than 40 University of Guelph agri-food research projects receiving more than $7 million in new funding from the Government of Ontario.

This funding will support U of G research that delivers solutions for Ontario’s farmers, agribusinesses and rural communities