People - Jude Capper

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Jude Capper Assistant Professor Phone: (509) 335-6192 E-mail: capper@wsu.edu

MODELING THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF DAIRY PRODUCTION. My primary research interest is in developing deterministic models to evaluate the environmental impact of dairy and beef production systems. The global population and demand for milk and meat products is continually increasing, but agricultural production is limited by finite land, water and fuel resources. To supply sufficient high-quality, affordable animal products it is therefore essential to adopt management practices and technologies that improve production efficiency, i.e. food output per unit of resource input, thus reducing environmental impact. Research to date has concentrated on evaluating the environmental impact of recombinant bovine somatotropin (rbST) use within the dairy industry and comparing the environmental impact of milk produced under modern (2007) and historical (1944) production systems. Other research interests include ruminant lipid metabolism and the interaction between nutrition and behavior.

Specific research areas:

• Effect of breed (Jersey vs. Holstein) and management tools that improve production efficiency on the environmental impact of dairy production
• Evaluation of the environmental impact of using feed additives to improve efficiency within the dairy industry
• Comparison of the environmental impact of modern (2007) and historical (1975) US beef production systems
• Quantification of the impact of growth-enhancing technologies on efficiency and environmental impact of beef production

Selected publications:

1. Capper, J. L., R. A. Cady, and D. E. Bauman. 2009. The environmental impact of dairy production: 1944 compared with 2007. Journal of Animal Science doi:10.2527/jas.2009-1781
2. Capper, J. L., E. Castenada-Gutierrez, R. A. Cady and D. E. Bauman. 2008. The environmental impact of biotechnology: application of recombinant bovine somatotropin (rbST) in dairy production. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 105:9668-9673.
3. Capper, J. L., R. G. Wilkinson, A. M. Mackenzie and L. A. Sinclair. 2007. The effect of fish oil supplementation of pregnant and lactating ewes on milk production and lamb performance. Animal 1:889-898.
4. Capper, J. L., R. G. Wilkinson, S. E. Pattinson, A. M. Mackenzie and L. A. Sinclair. 2006. Polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation during pregnancy alters neonatal behaviour in sheep. Journal of Nutrition 136:397-403.
5. Capper, J. L., R. G. Wilkinson, E. Kasapidou, S. E. Pattinson, A. M. Mackenzie and L. A. Sinclair. 2005. The effect of dietary vitamin E and fatty acid supplementation of pregnant and lactating ewes on placental and mammary transfer of vitamin E to the lamb. British Journal of Nutrition 93:549-557.