Forskarstudent (2 år) i husdjursvetenskap

Institutionen för husdjurens utfodring och vård (HUV) i Ultuna 1 forskarstudent (2 år) i forskarutbildningsämnet: Husdjursvetenskap Milk fat composition, secretion and lactation persistency BACKGROUND The department of animal nutrition and management has been involved in research regarding lactation dynamics for many years. Almost all production related health problems in dairy cows occur around parturition and in early lactation. Examples of health problems that are typical for early lactation are mastitis, lameness and metabolic diseases. Life time risk of these health problems can be decreased by extending the calving interval. Studies have shown that farm economy can be maintained in systems with increased calving interval, given that the cows do not dry off too early i.e. have a good lactation persistency. In general, high milk yield is linked to more persistent lactations but there is variation among the individual cows. It is important that the farmer knows, which cows are persistent milkers in order to make correct breeding decisions. Improved understanding of the factors that regulate lactation persistency may help us to develop management strategies for longer calving intervals. Nutrition is considered to have an effect on lactation persistency, but the mechanisms involved are largely unknown. Emptying of the mammary gland is necessary for maintaining the secretory activity of the mammary cells. Feedback inhibitor of lactation (FIL) is an example of a secretory protein that influences the activity of the mammary cells. Possibility that a lipid secreted by the mammary cells could influence the activity of the cells has not been studied. Our working hypothesis is that in early lactation the secretion of milk fat per se may represent a physiological challenge that could influence the viability of mammary cells and explain in part the observed variation in lactation persistency among individual cows. This physiological challenge may involve processing of saturated fatty acids mobilized from body fat stores into milk fat that can be secreted by the mammary cells. PROJECT DESCRIPTION This is a 2-year project leading to a licentiate degree. The project is funded by the department of Animal Nutrition and Management. The research student's work will involve animal experimentation and laboratory analysis of milk and tissue samples. The project will be linked to projects in other Nordic countries, giving the student an international working environment. Kvalifikationer The applicant should have an MSc degree in Animal Science or Veterinary Medicine or an equivalent degree and a strong interest in the nutrition and physiology of the lactating dairy cow. Good spoken and written English and interest in laboratory work is necessary. Working hours will be flexible and the work may include short term visits at research units in other Nordic countries. Anställningsform Anställning som doktorand 2 år SLU är en arbetsplats där mångfald och jämn könsfördelning eftersträvas. För att vara behörig till utbildning på forskarnivå krävs avlagd examen på avancerad nivå eller minst fyra års heltidsstudier varav minst ett år på avancerad nivå. Den som före den 1 juli 2007 uppfyller tidigare krav på grundläggande behörighet, dvs. minst 180 högskolepoäng eller motsvarande, har grundläggande behörighet fram till utgången av 2015. Ansökan görs på denna ANSÖKNINGSBLANKETT http://www.slu.se/UserFiles/File/ansokningsblankett2.doc Fullständig (complete advt) annons: http://www.slu.se/phdadvert