Karen Beauchemin – Cattle nutrition and greenhouse gases
This article was originally written and submitted as part of a Canada 150 Project, the Innovation Storybook, to crowdsource stories of Canadian innovation with partners across Canada. The content has since been migrated to Ingenium’s Channel, a digital hub featuring curated content related to science, technology and innovation.
Karen Beauchemin
Dr. Karen Beauchemin is an award winning scientist who is recognized internationally for her cattle nutrition research to improve air quality and lessen the environmental footprint of the livestock sector. Thanks to the work of Dr. Beauchemin and her colleagues, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is recognized as a world leader in reducing greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural activities.
Dr. Beauchemin has developed strategies to reduce the enteric methane emissions from cattle, which is a byproduct of digesting fiber. The strategies work to curb greenhouse gas emissions and improve the efficiency by which dairy cows and beef cattle convert plant material into food, including milk and meat, for people.
Dr. Beauchemin has been recognized with awards from agricultural and science associations in Canada, the United States, China and Sweden. She used the award money from her Bertebos Prize to establish a scholarship fund at the Khame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi, Ghana. This fund will promote the education of women pursuing graduate degrees in animal science.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
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