The Animal Nutrition Association of Canada (ANAC) is pleased to offer the ANAC Graduate Scholarship. Eligible students (Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada) must be enrolled in a Canadian university graduate program in Animal Science or related field of study and have a specific interest (research project/course selection) in animal nutrition.

The ANAC Graduate Scholarship is made possible through funding by ANAC member companies. The intent of this annual national scholarship is to encourage students to consider pursuing a career in the feed industry.

In addition to the $4,000 award, the scholarship recipient will have the opportunity to present their research at the opening plenary of the Animal Nutrition Conference of Canada (ANCC). The ANCC is a dynamic conference that brings together researchers and feed industry specialists to exchange knowledge about the latest scientific developments related to livestock nutrition.

How to apply

To apply for the ANAC Graduate Scholarship, applicants must complete an online application package including following components, by March 3, 2025:

1. Resume
2. Reference letter from the applicant’s academic advisor
3. One-page cover letter outlining their project and how it contributes to the Canadian feed industry. Note: Commitment to attend the conference must be stated in the letter.
4. Official transcript or list of completed courses signed by the applicant’s academic advisor. Additional consideration will be given to those that have a focus on nutrition related courses. 

Detailed application information can be found in the document below.

For any questions concerning the Graduate Scholarship, please email info@anacan.org.

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2024 ANAC Scholarship Recipient: Catherine Seidle

Impact of Adding Water to a Barley-Based Finishing Feedlot Diets on Cattle Feeding Behaviour and Ruminal Fermentation

Finishing feedlot diets have high grain and low forage (≤10% diet dry matter) contents, resulting in a dry, sortable diet. Competition among cattle pen-mates may result in varied consumed diets. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of water addition to finishing total mixed rations (TMR) as a strategy to bind ingredients together and reduce dietary sorting. Eight ruminally cannulated beef steers were used in a replicated 4×4 Latin square study. Four dietary treatments incorporated water at 0%, 10%, 20%, and 30% relative to the barley grain weight. Aggressively processed barley with 3.2% fines (±1.0%) detected treatment effects on dietary intake behaviour and rumen parameters. As water inclusion increased, both dry matter intake (DMI) and water intake linearly increased (P<0.01 and P=0.04, respectively). Sorting against small particles (P<0.01), mean ruminal pH (P<0.01), and maximum ruminal pH decreased linearly (P=0.02) with increased water inclusion. Moreover, increasing water addition linearly increased the time ruminal pH was below 5.5 (P=0.02). Total short-chain fatty acid and rumen ammonia-nitrogen concentrations remained unchanged (P≥0.46 and P≥0.22, respectively). Rumen lipopolysaccharide (LPS) concentration increased linearly with water inclusion (P<0.01). These data suggest that adding water to the TMR may enhance DMI, water intake and reduces dietary sorting. The ability of water to limit sorting was further confirmed by the longer duration of ruminal pH depression and increased concentrations of ruminal LPS. Ongoing research is needed to evaluate whether water addition affects average daily gain, feed efficiency, carcass merit, and pen variability for finishing beef cattle.

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Past Scholarship Winners

ANAC National Scholarship
2023: Miranda Buchinski, University of Saskatchewan
2022: Amanda J. Fischer-Tlustos, Univerisity of Guelph
2021: Melissa Williams, University of Guelph
2020: Liam Kelln, University of Saskatchewan
2019: Casey Havekes, University of Guelph
2018: Victoria Seip, University of Guelph
2017: Haley Leung, University of Guelph

Eastern Scholarship
2016: Heather Reinhardt, University of Guelph
2015: Melissa Wiseman, University of Guelph
2014: Elizabeth Ellis, University of Guelph
2013: Emily Miller, University of Guelph 
2012: Natalie Litvak, University of Guelph
2011: Jaclyn Elyse Love, University of Guelph
2010: Hector R. Martinez Ramirez, University of Guelph
2009: Daniel Columbus, University of Guelph
2008: Katie Wood, University of Guelph

Western Scholarship
2016: Sasha van der Klein, University of Alberta
2015: Janna Moats, University of Saskatchewan
2014: Faustin Joy, University of Saskatchewan
2013: Megan DeVisser, University of Saskatchewan
2012: Aman Deep, University of Saskatchewan
2011: Matthew Walpole, University of Saskatchewan
2010: Prajwal Regmi, University of Alberta
2009: Amanda Van De Kerckhove, University of Saskatchewan
2008: Kristopher Wierenga, University of Alberta
2007: Thomas Nortey, University of Saskatchewan