‘Impact of cow housing comfort on behaviour and udder health’
Ph.D. Student Position Available
Research Area:
The research area is within animal behaviour, health and welfare. The successful candidate will develop an in-depth understanding of the impact that dairy cattle housing has on cow comfort and udder health. Specific research will be conducted aimed at identifying housing management systems that provide both a suitable environment for the cow to stand, and thus reduce lameness, but equally important also provide a clean, dry lying surface that promotes cow comfort and udder health. This information will be used to provide recommendations for suitable environments for the cow to stand, and lie down, in to reduce rates of udder infection and improve cow welfare.
Start Date: The position is available starting May 2014, with funding for 3 years. An earlier or later start date may be negotiable.
Program and Place of Work:
Funding has been made available to for a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) graduate student program through the Dept. of Animal and Poultry Science (http://www.aps.uoguelph.ca) at the University of Guelph (http://www.uoguelph.ca). This position will be primarily located at the Kemptville Campus (http://www.kemptvillec.uoguelph.ca), located 30 min south of Ottawa (Canada’s capital city).
Qualifications:
Candidates should have a Master’s degree in animal science, veterinary medicine, physiology, or biological sciences. The successful candidate will have demonstrated strong research capabilities through their previous graduate program, as well as strong academic performance and verbal and written communication skills throughout their postgraduate studies.
Training and experience in animal behaviour, nutrition and welfare research is desirable; those
candidates with a background in any one of these disciplines are also strongly encouraged to apply.
Application Interest:
Interested candidates should please send, by email (tdevries@uoguelph.ca), a current curriculum vitae, names and contact information for three references, and a cover letter describing his or her research experience and interest in the project.
For further information about the above Ph.D. research opportunity please contact:
Dr. Trevor DeVries, Associate Professor
Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Guelph, Kemptville Campus
830 Prescott Street, Kemptville, ON, K0G 1J0 CANADA
Telephone: 613-258-8336, ext.61458
E-mail: tdevries@uoguelph.ca
URL: http://www.aps.uoguelph.ca/users/tdevries