2020/21 Research Projects

Supplementing glycerol to transition dairy cows to improve metabolic status and productivity

Lead Applicant: Trevor DeVries

Research Priority: Animal Health & Welfare

Program Type: Tier 2

Funding Cycle: 2020/2021

Research Centre: Ontario Dairy Research Centre - Elora

Research Summary: Determining whether supplementing dairy cows prior to and after calving with glycerol, a sugar alcohol,  improves metabolic health, rumen stability, and productivity.

 

Non-lethal transcriptional profiling of growth in rainbow trout

Lead Applicant: Nicholas Bernier

Research Priority: Animal Health & Welfare

Program Type: Tier 2

Funding Cycle: 2020/2021

Research Centre: Ontario Aquaculture Research Centre

Research Summary: Validating a new genetic tool for monitoring the growth and health of fish in aquaculture settings and determining the usefulness of repeated tissue sampling that does not kill the fish.

 

A longitudinal observational study of the winter incidence rate of Eimeria species infecting lambs at the Ponsonby Research Station

Lead Applicant: John Barta

Research Priority: Animal Health & Welfare

Program Type: Tier 2

Funding Cycle: 2020/2021

Research Centre: Ontario Sheep Research Centre- Ponsonby

Research Summary: Observing the effects of stressful events and an anticoccidial drug test on a parasite species, Eimeria, in young lambs, during the winter lambing season.

 

Pilot project: Investigating technologies that assess locomotion and flooring interactions in dairy cattle in the context of preventing lameness

Lead Applicant: Vern Osborne

Research Priority: Animal Health & Welfare

Program Type: Tier 2

Funding Cycle: 2020/2021

Research Centre: NA

Research Summary: Categorizing the properties of different flooring surfaces using a new technology to assess dairy cow movements related to slipping.

 

Biology and management of turfgrass diseases

Lead Applicant: Tom Hsiang

Research Priority: Plant Health & Protection

Program Type: Tier 2

Funding Cycle: 2020/2021

Research Centre: NA

Research Summary: Examining: 1) commercial and in-development products for controlling turfgrass diseases; and 2) exploring fungicide resistance in turfgrass pathogens.

 

Identifying developmental determinants of successful behavioral adaptation and musculoskeletal health of egg-laying hens (Study 1)

Lead Applicant: Tina Widowski

Research Priority: Animal Health & Welfare

Program Type: Tier 2

Funding Cycle: 2020/2021

Research Centre: NA

Research Summary: Determining if and how raising young chickens in different environments affects their health and behaviour.

 

Characterization of the core gut microbiome associated with pig health and performance: towards fecal diagnostics and microbiome therapy

Lead Applicant: Robert Friendship

Research Priority: Animal Health & Welfare

Program Type: Tier 2

Funding Cycle: 2020/2021

Research Centre: NA

Research Summary: Characterizing the role of maternal pig gut microbiome on piglet gut microbiome, growth performance and health.

 

Kenetic study of Saccharomyces boulardii as a potential probiotic agent in horses

Lead Applicant: Luis G. Arroyo

Research Priority: Animal Health & Welfare

Program Type: Tier 2

Funding Cycle: 2020/2021

Research Centre: NA

Research Summary: Evaluating the potential benefits of Saccharomyces boulardii, a probiotic yeast that does not cause disease, for treatment or prevention of intestinal inflammation in horses.

 

Does high levels of nutritional iron interfere with equine gut microbiota?

Lead Applicant: Luis G. Arroyo

Research Priority: Animal Health & Welfare

Program Type: Tier 2

Funding Cycle: 2020/2021

Research Centre: NA

Research Summary: Determining the make-up of fecal microorganisms (such as bacteria) in adult horses fed a diet supplemented with iron.

 

A longitudinal observational study of the incidence rate of Eimeria species infecting lambs at the Ponsonby Research Station

Lead Applicant: John Barta

Research Priority: Animal Health & Welfare

Program Type: Tier 2

Funding Cycle: 2020/2021

Research Centre: Ontario Sheep Research Centre- Ponsonby

Research Summary: Observing the effects of stressful events and an anticoccidial drug test on a parasite species, Eimeria, in young lambs.