Degrees

• B.A. University of Kansas, 1990
• Ph.D. Cornell University, 1996

Research Interests:

Nutrient transformations and gaseous emissions from manure-impacted environments.

Major Project Activities:
Past activities at the USDA-ARS U.S. Meat Animal Research Center (MARC) focused on describing the effect of animal diet on manure composition and the biochemistry of odor compound formation in cattle feedlot soils and swine manure slurry pits with the objective of decreasing odor emissions from animal feeding operations.  Current research responsibilities within the Agroecosystem Management Research Unit have expanded to also include odor emission issues from a wide variety of manure-holding structures and to evaluate both greenhouse gas and odor compound emissions from cropland where manure as fertilizer.  Ongoing collaborations with researchers at MARC are investigating potential environmental impacts of feeding distiller’s by product in beef cattle feedlots.

Publications:

Archibeque, S. L., D. N. Miller, H. C. Freetly, E. D. Berry, and C. L. Ferrell.  The influence of oscillating dietary protein on finishing cattle.  I. Feedlot performance and odorous compound production.  J. Anim. Sci. 85:1487-1495.  2007.

http://hdl.handle.net/10113/16729

Varel, V. H., J. E. Wells, and D. N. Miller.  Combination of a urease inhibitor and a plant essential oil to control coliform bacteria, odour production, and ammonia loss from cattle waste.  J. Appl. Microbiol. 102:472-477.  2007.  http://hdl.handle.net/10113/14908

Woodbury, B. L., D. N. Miller, R. A. Eigenberg, and J. A. Nienaber.  An inexpensive laboratory and field chamber for manure volatile gas analysis.  Transactions of the ASABE 49:767-772.  2006. http://hdl.handle.net/10113/1369

Varel, V. H., D. N. Miller, and E. D. Berry.  Incorporation of thymol into corncob granules for control of odor and pathogens in feedlot cattle waste.  J. Anim. Sci. 84:481-487.  2006. http://hdl.handle.net/10113/7926

Smith, R. L, L. K. Baumgartner, D. N. Miller, D. A. Repert, and J. K. Böhlke.  Assessment of nitrification potential in ground water using short term, single-well injection experiments.  Microb. Ecol. 51:22-35.  2006.

Petersen, S. O., and D. N. Miller.  Greenhouse gas mitigation by livestock waste storage and lagoon covers?  J. Sci. Food Agric. 86:1407-1411.  2006.  http://hdl.handle.net/10113/8732

Miller, D. N. and Woodbury, B. L.  A solid-phase microextraction chamber method for analysis of feces and manures volatiles.  J. Environ. Qual. 35:2383-2394.  2006.

http://hdl.handle.net/10113/3739

Miller, D. N., E. D. Berry, J. E. Wells, C. L. Ferrell, S. L. Archibeque, and H. C. Freetly.  Influence of genotype and diet on steer performance, manure odor, and carriage of pathogenic and other fecal bacteria.  III. Odorous compound production.  J. Anim. Sci. 84:2533-2545.  2006. http://hdl.handle.net/10113/7369

Ferrell, C. L, E. D. Berry, H. C. Freetly, and D. N. Miller.  Influence of genotype and diet on steer performance, manure odor, and carriage of pathogenic and other fecal bacteria. I. Animal performance.  J. Anim. Sci. 84:2515-2522.  2006.

http://hdl.handle.net/10113/7367

Böhlke, J. K., R. L. Smith, and D. N. Miller.  Ammonium transport and reaction in a contaminated ground-water plume:  Application of isotope tracers and isotope fractionation studies.  Water Resources Research 42:W05411, doi:10.1029/2005WR004349.  2006.

Berry, E. D., J. E. Wells, S. L. Archibeque, C. L. Ferrell, H. C. Freetly, and D. N. Miller.  Influence of genotype and diet on steer performance, manure odor, and carriage of pathogenic and other fecal bacteria. II. Pathogenic and other fecal bacteria. J. Anim Sci. 84:2523-2532.  2006. http://hdl.handle.net/10113/7368

Archibeque, S. L., D. N. Miller, Freetly, H. C., and Ferrell, C. L.  Feeding high-moisture corn instead of dry-rolled corn reduces odorous compound production in manure of finishing beef cattle without decreasing performance.  J. Anim. Sci. 84:1767-1777.  2006. http://hdl.handle.net/10113/7338

Smith, R. L., S. P. Buckwalter, D. A. Repert, and D. N. Miller.  Small-scale, hydrogen-oxidizing-denitrifying bioreactor for treatment of nitrate-contaminated drinking water.  Water Res. 39:2014-2023.  2005.

Wells, J. E., J. T. Yen, and D. N. Miller.  Lactobacillus-associated effects on animal growth and pathogenic bacterial shedding in growing-finishing swine fed diets with or without dried skim milk.  J. Appl. Microbiol. 99:400-407.  2005.

Miller, D. N. and E. D. Berry.  Cattle feedlot soil moisture and manure content:  I. Impacts on greenhouse gases, odor compounds, nitrogen losses, and dust.  J. Environ.

Qual. 34:644-655.  2005. http://hdl.handle.net/10113/7181

Berry, E. D. and D. N. Miller.  Cattle feedlot soil moisture and manure content:  II. Impacts on survival and growth of Escherichia coli O157.  J. Environ. Qual. 34:656-663.  2005. http://hdl.handle.net/10113/7182

Woodbury, B. and D. N. Miller.  Determining dust potentials from cattle feedlot soils:  A simple protocol.  Resource 11 (10):11-12.  2004. 

Yen, J. T., J. E. Wells, and D. N. Miller.  Dried skim milk as a replacement for soybean meal in growing-finishing diets:  Effects on growth performance, apparent total tract nitrogen digestibility, urinary and fecal nitrogen excretion, and carcass traits in pigs.  J. Anim. Sci. 82:3338-3345.  2004.  http://hdl.handle.net/10113/17849

Varel, V. H., D. N. Miller, and A. D. Lindsay.  Plant oils thymol and eugenol affect cattle and swine wastes emissions differently.  Water Science Technology 50(4):356-364.  2004.  http://hdl.handle.net/10113/17519

Varel, V. H. and D. N. Miller.  Eugenol stimulates lactate accumulation yet inhibits volatile fatty acid production and eliminates coliform bacteria in cattle and swine waste.  J. Appl. Microbiol. 97: 1001-1005.  2004.

Miller, D. N., J. B. Yavitt, E. L. Madsen, and W. C. Ghiorse.  Methanotrophic activity, abundance, and diversity in forested swamp pools:  Spatiotemporal dynamics and influences on methane fluxes.  Geomicrobiol. J. 21:257-271.  2004.

http://hdl.handle.net/10113/16957

Koelsch, R. K., B. L. Woodbury, D. E. Stenberg, D. N. Miller, and D. D. Schulte.  Total reduced sulfur concentrations in the vicinity of beef cattle feedlots.  Appl. Eng. Agric. 20:77-85.  2004. http://hdl.handle.net/10113/8325

Miller, D. N. and B. L. Woodbury.  Simple protocols to determine dust potentials from cattle feedlot soil and surface samples.  J. Environ. Qual. 32:1634-1640.  2003.

http://hdl.handle.net/10113/8657

Miller, D. N. and V. H. Varel.  Swine manure composition affects the biochemical origins, composition, and accumulation of odorous compounds.  J. Anim. Sci. 81:2131-2138.  2003.  http://hdl.handle.net/10113/8519

Miller, D. N. and V. H. Varel.  An in vitro study of manure composition on the biochemical origins, composition, and accumulation of odorous compounds in cattle feedlots.  J. Anim. Sci. 80:2214-2222.  2002.  http://hdl.handle.net/10113/8193                                                                               

Woodbury, B. L., D. N. Miller, J. A. Nienaber, and R. A. Eigenberg.  Seasonal and spatial variations of denitrifying enzyme activity in feedlot soil.  Transactions of the ASAE 44:1635-1642.  2001.  http://hdl.handle.net/10113/8725

Varel, V. H. and D. N. Miller.  Effect of carvacrol and thymol on odor emissions from livestock wastes.  Water Sci. Technol. 44 (9):143-148.  2001. 

Varel, V. H. and D. N. Miller.  Plant-derived oils reduce pathogens and gaseous emissions from stored cattle waste.  Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 67:1366-1370.  2001. 

http://hdl.handle.net/10113/17414

Smith, R. L., D. N. Miller, M. H. Brooks, M. A. Widdowson, and M. W. Killingstad.  In situ stimulation of groundwater denitrification with formate to remediate nitrate contamination.  Environ. Sci. Technol. 35:196-203.  2001. 

Miller, D. N. and V. H. Varel.  In vitro study of the biochemical origin and production limits of odorous compounds in cattle feedlots.  J. Anim. Sci. 79:2949-2956.  2001. 

http://hdl.handle.net/10113/8192

Miller, D. N.  Evaluation of gel filtration resins for the removal of PCR-inhibitory substances from soils and sediments.  J. Microbiol. Meth. 44:49-58.  2001.  http://hdl.handle.net/10113/3254

Miller, D. N.  Accumulation and consumption of odorous compounds in feedlot soils under aerobic, fermentative, and anaerobic respiratory conditions.  J. Anim. Sci. 79:2503-2512.  2001.  http://hdl.handle.net/10113/8191

Varel, V. H. and D. N. Miller.  Effect of antimicrobial agents on livestock waste emissions.  Current Microbiol 40:392-397.  2000.  http://hdl.handle.net/10113/17413

Miller, D. N., W. C. Ghiorse, and S. H. Zinder.  High purity ¹⁴CH₄ generation using the thermophilic acetotrophic methanogen Methanothrix sp. strain CALS-1.  J. Microbiol. Meth. 35:151-156.  1999. 

Miller, D. N., W. C. Ghiorse, and J. B. Yavitt.  Seasonal patterns and controls on methane and carbon dioxide fluxes in forested swamp pools.  Geomicrobiol. J. 16:325-331.  1999.

Miller, D. N., J. E. Bryant, E. L. Madsen, and W. C. Ghiorse.  Evaluation and optimization of DNA extraction and purification procedures for soil and sediment samples.  Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 65:4715-4724.  1999.  Url:  http://hdl.handle.net/10113/17009

Ghiorse, W. C., D. N. Miller, R. L. Sandoli, and P. L. Siering.  Applications of laser scanning microscopy for analysis of aquatic microhabitats.  Microscopy Res. Tech. 33:73-86.  1996.