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Sustainable Beef Systems Research Group

Dr. Greg Penner

Department of Animal and Poultry Science

College of Agriculture and Bioresources

University of Saskatchewan

Saskatoon, Canada S7N 5A8

phone: (306)966-4219

fax: (306)966-4151

e-mail

Areas of Research

My research program focuses on developing nutritional strategies to enhance the health and productivity of cattle. This includes fundamental research investigating gut function with a goal to gain a further understanding of regulatory processes involved in the adaptive response. Research techniques used within this theme include the use of Ussing chambers as an ex vivo approach and the temporarily isolated reticulo-rumen technique as an in vivo approach. Results from these studies are used within my second theme, applied research, to evaluate efficacy of nutritional management strategies to enhance productivity and health.

Funded Projects Include

Strategies to minimize the negative effect of short-term feed restriction on rumen epithelial function
Role of butyrate supplementation on the metabolic and barrier function of the ruminal epithelia
Rate of adaptation for the transport of SCFA across the rumen epithelia
Risk for ruminal acidosis in relation to dietary adaptation
Comparative physiology for the transport of SCFA between bison and cattle
Role of sugar in modulating ruminal acidosis and N efficiency for dairy cattle
Determining the optimal maturity at harvest for annual crops used in swath-grazing systems
Establishing hybrid bromegrass with enhanced NDF digestibility
Evaluating optimal pellet quality characteristics on feed utilization by beef cattle
Use of high-fat supplements in diets for feedlot cattle

Recent Research Publications

D. Kiran, G.B. Penner and T. Mutsvangwa. 2011. Feeding oscillating dietary crude protein concentrations improves N utilization in growing lambs and this response is attributable to increased urea transfer to the rumen. J. Nutr. 141:560-567.
J.R. Aschenbach, G.B. Penner, F. Stumff and G. Gabel. 2011. Role of fermentation acid absorption in the regulation of ruminal pH. J. Animal Sci. 89:1092-1107.
G.B. Penner, M.A. Steele, J. R. Aschenbach and B.W. McBride. 2011. Molecular adaptation of ruminal epithelia to highly fermentable diets. J. Anim. Sci. 89:1108-1119.
J.R. Aschenbach, N.B. Kristensen, S.S. Donkin, H. Hammon, B. Al-Trad and G.B. Penner. 2010. Critical Review: Gluconeogenesis in dairy cows: the secret of making sweet milk from sour dough. IUBMB Life 62:869-877.
M. Taniguchi, G.B. Penner, K.A. Beauchemin, M. Oba and L.L. Guan. 2010. Comparative analysis of gene expression profiles in ruminal tissue from cows fed high or low concentrate diets. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. D: Genomics and Proteomic. 5:274-279.
G.B. Penner, M. Oba, G. Gabel and J.R. Aschenbach. 2010. A single mild episode of subacute ruminal acidosis does not affect ruminal barrier function in the short term. J. Dairy Sci. 93:4838-4845.
G.B. Penner, J.R. Aschenbach, G. Gabal and M. Oba. 2009. Epithelial capacity for the apcial uptake of short-chain fatty acids is a key determinant for intra-ruminal pH and the susceptibility to sub-acute ruminal acidosis in sheep. Journal of Nutrition. 139:1714-1720.
G.B. Penner, J.R. Aschenbach, G. Gabel and M. Oba. 2009. Technical note: evaluation of a continuous ruminal pH measurement system for use in non-cannulated small ruminants. Journal of Animal Science. 97:2363-2366.
G. B. Penner, M. Taniguchi, L.L. Guan, K.A. Beauchemin and M.Oba. 2009. The dietary forage to concentrate ratio does not affect the rate of volative fatty acid absorption but alters the expression of genes regulating energy metabolism in rumen tissue. Journal of Dairy Science. 92:2767-2781.
G.B. Penner and M.Oba. 2009. Increasing dietary sugar concentration may improve dry matter intake, ruminal fermentation and productivity of dairy cows in the post-partum phase of the transition period. Journal of Dairy Science. 92:3341-3353.
G.B. Penner, M.Oba, G.F. Trembley and T.Dow. 2008. Timothy hay with a low dietary cation-anion difference improves calcium homeostatis in periparturient Holstein cows. Journal of Dairy Science. 91:1959-1968.

This webpage was last updated on November 28, 2011. The linked pages in this series may have been updated more recently however.

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