Dr. Richard Waterman

Biographical Information:

Richard conducts research investigating the relationships between grazing livestock and noxious weeds as well as identifying nutrient limitations that grazing livestock must overcome to meet optimal production in the Northern Great Plains.  Specific goals for this research are: 1) Develop an in-depth understanding of the role livestock portray in controlling noxious weeds and implementation of management practices that support the sustainability of rangelands.  2) Increase the understanding of the rumen microbial environment in the presence of noxious weeds.  3) Identify specific seasons and physiological stages of production that compromise grazing livestock production nutritionally and implement strategic supplementation regimes that target those specific events.  Research includes identifying rumen dynamics (e.g. fermentation products, presence of secondary compounds, microbial population shifts) that occur when increasing concentrations of noxious weeds are added to the rumen.  Other research evaluates the efficiency of energy metabolism via metabolic challenges in young growing, developing, lactating, or gestating livestock in the Northern Great Plains

Research

Richard's Full Publication List

Publications
(go here for downloadable .pdf files)

Educational Background:

• BS – Animal Science (science concentration) - Colorado State University - 1998
• MS – Animal Science - New Mexico State University – 2000
• PhD - Animal Science (Range Nutrition) – New Mexico State University - 2003

Current Research Projects:

• Relationships between grazing livestock in the control or spread of noxious weeds.
  • Evaluation of ruminal dynamics when exposed to various concentrations of noxious weeds.
  • Impact of secondary compounds or fermentation products on selection aversions in grazing livestock
• Influence of nutrient metabolism as influenced by season (forage quality and quantity), physiological state (lactation, gestation and age) that will help identify optimal times for strategic supplementation.
• Evaluation of nutrient metabolism as influenced by level of intake in young growing and developing heifers.