University of Guelph researchers working on innovative projects from improving nutrition and reducing methane emissions in dairy cattle to value chain genomics have received more than $800,000 from the provincial government.

The U of G projects are among 20 announced today by the Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE). The funding is the result of the Alberta-Ontario Innovation Program.

The program brings together industry and academia to solve key industry challenges in Ontario and Alberta through research and development. Funded projects focus on strengthening global competitiveness in areas such as water and energy conservation, environmental remediation, manufacturing and assembly, converting waste into energy and agriculture.

OCE is contributing $3.51 million and industry partners are providing $3.4 million. Additional funding for select projects is provided by Alberta Innovates, Emissions Reduction Alberta and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.

U of G’s recipients and the OCE funding are as follows:

• Prof. Amir Aliabadi, School of Engineering, $250,000 to optimize high-resolution computational fluid dynamics for large-scale, atmospheric boundary layer investigations;
• Prof. Christine Baes, Department of Animal Biosciences, $150,000 to develop breeding strategies in dairy cattle;
• Prof. Angela Canovas, Department of Animal Biosciences, $201,320 to research value chain genomics, profitability and customer satisfaction; and
• Prof. Eduardo de Souza Ribeiro, Department of Animal Biosciences, $200,000 for redefining trace mineral nutrition in dairy cattle.