Carl Dahlen, assistant professor of animal sciences and beef cattle specialist, has been notified his proposal, “Evaluating the Sustainability of Beef Cattle Breeding Systems,” has been selected for funding by North Central Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education. The funding totals nearly $200,000.

As part of the funded project, on-farm research projects will be developed at 10 commercial beef operations throughout North Dakota. The purpose of the project will be to evaluate the production, performance and profit responses of breeding systems that incorporate artificial insemination compared with those that rely only on natural service bull breeding.

Personnel for the NDSU Extension Service, NDSU Departments of Agribusiness and Applied Economics and Sociology and Anthropology, the North Dakota Beef Cattle Improvement Association/Dickinson Research Extension Center and North Dakota Farm Business Management Group are collaborating to make the effort possible.

According to its website, the North Central Region includes the states of North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio and Wisconsin. The national grant and education program aims to advance sustainable innovation in American agriculture.

Of the 177 pre-proposals submitted, 23 were requested to develop full proposals. A total of 21 proposals were submitted for review, and nine proposals were selected for funding.

Dahlen’s research interests include applied reproductive physiology, cow-calf and feedlot nutrition and beef cattle management. Dahlen earned his bachelor’s degree in animal and plant systems, master’s degree in ruminant nutrition and reproductive physiology and doctorate in production systems from the University of Minnesota.

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