Aklilu Alemu

Animal and Poultry Science

Working at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Swift Current Research and Development Center and an adjunct professor with University of Manitoba since 2021.

My research program focuses on the development of nutritional knowledge and technologies for the animal industry that improve efficiency of production and minimize its environmental impacts. My current research area encompasses: feeding and nutritional managements to improve productivity, forage crop production and management, mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions from ruminant livestock, assessment of the environmental impacts of Canadian beef production systems, farm-based life cycle analysis of greenhouse gas emissions and application of mathematical models in livestock production system.

Ph.D., Animal Production System Analysis, University of Manitoba, 2013

MSc., Ruminant Nutrition, University of Alberta, 2008

BSc., Animal Production and Rangeland Management, Hawassa University (Ethiopia), 2003

Diploma, General Agriculture, Awassa College of Agriculture (Ethiopia), 1997

Zhao T., Suo R., Alemu A.W., Li S., Zheng J.,  Lu N.,  Zhang F., Qiao J., Guo J., Iwaasa A.D., Han G., Zhao M., Zhang B. 2024. High stocking rates effects in continuous season long grazing reduces the contribution of microbial necromass to soil organic carbon in a semi-arid grassland in Inner Mongolia. J. Enviro. Manage. 375: 120765. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120765

Lemke, R.L., Machado, P.V.F., Alemu, A.W., Baron, V.S. Farrell, R.E., Iwaasa, A.D., Liang, B.C., Schoenau, J.J. 2023. Pastures under dry climate can be cold spots for soil nitrous oxide emissions from grazing cattle excreta. Agri. Ecosyst. and Environ. 121: 135-152. doi: 10.1016/j.agee.2023.108684

Kröbel, R., Stephens, E.C., Gorzelak, M.A., Thivierge, M.N., Akhter, F., Nyiraneza, J., Singer, S.D., Geddes, C.M., Glenn, A.J., Devillers, N., Alemu, A.W., St. Luce, M., Giardetti, D. 2021. Making farming more sustainable by helping farmers to decide rather than telling them what to do. Environmental Research Letters, [online] 16(5), http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/abef30

Alemu A.W., Pekrul L.K.D., Shreck A.L., Booker C.W., McGinn S.M., Kindermann M. and Beauchemin K.A. 2021. 3-Nitrooxypropanol Decreased Enteric Methane Production From Growing Beef Cattle in a Commercial Feedlot: Implications for Sustainable Beef Cattle Production. Front. Anim. Sci. 2:641590. doi: 10.3389/fanim.2021.641590

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, 99(1), http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jas/skaa394

Recipient of 2024 Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) Gold Harvest Award for Collaboration and Service Excellence.  

Recipient of 2024 Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) Instant award for the contribution to AAFC Science.

Received the Canadian Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC) Beef Researcher Mentorship Program  (2019-2020) to enhance the engagement of new researchers with the beef cattle industry.  

Recipient of Travel Fellowship to the annual International Livestock Congress (ILC-Calgary in Calgary, Canada, and ILC-USA in Denver, USA).

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)

Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC)

Saskatchewan Agricultural Development Fund (ADF)

Southwest Saskatchewan Forage Cooperation Association Ltd. (SWFA)