Research Area(s)
- Ruminant nutrition
- Beef cattle production
- Forage production
- Grazing and range management
- Systems modelling
Department
Animal and Poultry Science
Other Affiliations/positions
Working at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Swift Current Research and Development Center and an adjunct professor with University of Manitoba since 2021.
Research Interests
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.
Education
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
Selected Recent Publications
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
Selected Awards
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).
Funding Sources
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)
Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC)
Saskatchewan Agricultural Development Fund (ADF)
Southwest Saskatchewan Forage Cooperation Association Ltd. (SWFA)