Obioha Durunna
Adjunct Professor

Dr. Obioha Durunna is a Livestock Research Scientist at Lakeland College and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Saskatchewan. He received his MSc in Quantitative Genetics from the University of Manitoba and a PhD in Genomics from the University of Alberta. Before joining Lakeland College, Dr. Durunna was a Livestock Specialist with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture. He had also worked as a Beef Researcher with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) Brandon Research Station. Since joining Lakeland in 2018, Dr. Durunna leads the development of Lakeland’s Livestock Research Program with a strong applied focus on different production systems. His research programs evaluate strategies and tools that advance the beef and dairy sectors’ productivity, profitability, and sustainability via production efficiency profiling, telemetric applications in livestock production, genetic/genomic evaluations, reducing antimicrobial resistance, and integrated crop-livestock strategies.

Animal and Poultry Science

• Genetics/Genomics of important livestock traits
• Alternative beef production systems and telemetric applications
• Applied research and supplementation strategies to reduce antimicrobial resistance

• PhD. (Animal Science) University of Alberta. 2011
• MSc. (Animal Science) University of Manitoba. 2007
• B.Agric.Tech. (Animal Science & Technology) Federal University of Technology Owerri. 2002

• Durunna O. N. and Lardner Herbert. 2021. Impact of garlic-infused salt supplement on fly abundance, salt intake, and defensive behaviors in grazing beef cows. Sustainable Agriculture Research. 10:1. DOI:10.5539/sar.v10n1p54
• Damiran, D., Durunna, O. N., Timsit, E., Campbell, J. R., Larson, K. A., Carroll, J. A. Dailey, J. W. and Lardner, H. A. 2019. Evaluating core body temperature and lying behavior as an indicator of feed efficiency profile of beef cattle consuming forage-based diets Transl. Anim. Sci. 3: 1632–1635.
• Fryza, S., Carlberg, J. G., Khakbazan, M., Robins, C. D., Block, H. C., Scott, S. L., Huang, J., Durunna, O. N. 2016. An economic analysis of resting versus non-resting perennial pastures during the critical acclimation period Can. J. Anim. Sci. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 96: 364-375
• Khakbazan, M., Durunna, O. N., Sirski, T. K., Brewin, D. G., Huang, J., Berry, N., Iwaasa, A. D., Scott, S. L., Robins, C.D., Block, H.C., Lardner, H.A. 2015. The effects of spring versus summer calving on beef cattle economic performance in western Canada. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 95: 475-486
• Durunna, O. N., Block, H. C., Iwaasa, A. D., Thompson, L. C., Scott, S. L., Robins, C., Khakbazan, M. and Lardner, H. A. 2014. Impact of calving season and feeding systems in western Canada. I. Postweaning growth performance and carcass characteristics of crossbred steers. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 94: 571–582
• Durunna, O. N., Block, H. C., Iwaasa, A. D., Scott, S. L., Robins, C., Khakbazan, M., Dugan, M. E. R., Aalhus, J. L., Aliani, M. and Lardner, H. A. 2014. Impact of calving seasons and feeding systems in western Canada. II. Meat composition and organoleptic quality of steaks. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 94: 583–593
• Durunna, O. N., Girardin, L. C., Scott, S. L., Robins, C., Block, H. C., Iwaasa, A. D., Khakbazan, M. and Lardner, H. A. 2014. The effects of spring versus summer calving on beef cattle reproductive and growth performance in western Canada. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 94: 259-271
• Khakbazan, M., Carew, R, Scott, S. L., Chiang, P., Block, H. C., Robins, C., Durunna, O. N. and Huang, J. 2014. Economic analysis and stochastic simulation of alternative beef calving and finishing systems in western Canada. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 94: 299-311
• Miar, Y., Plastow, G. S., Bruce, H. L., Moore, S. S., Durunna, O. N., Nkrumah, J. D. and Wang, Z. 2014. Estimation of genetic and phenotypic parameters for ultrasound and carcass merit traits in crossbred beef cattle. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 94: 273-280
• Durunna, O. N., Nkrumah D. J., Mujibi, F.D.N., Basarab, J., Okine. E. K., Moore, S. S. and Wang, Z. (2013). Genetic parameters for production and feeding behavior traits in crossbred steers fed finishing diet at different ages. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 93: 79–87