Neal R Merchen
Professor
Division of Nutritional Sciences
University of Illinois at urbana champaign
United States of America
Biography
He has done his Ph.D., 1981, University of Wisconsin, Madison, M.S., 1978, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, B.S., 1973, University of Nebraska, Lincoln.
Research Interest
Nutrition of domestic animals; gastrointestinal fermentation; digestion of protein and amino acids; use of processing by-products in animal feeding.My group has a longstanding interest in comparative nutrition of domestic species and in evaluation of feedstuffs for use in animal diets. We seek to improve the utilization of feeds such as forages and processing by-products that are not used by humans. Our primary effort in the past has been to define the nature of the transformations in nitrogenous compounds that occur during fermentation in the rumen. We recently have expanded our efforts to include companion animals (canines, felines) as well, with a focus on evaluation of protein sources for use in pet foods and on the role of fiber in dog and cat diets.
Publications
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Cole, J.T., G.C. Fahey, Jr., N.R. Merchen, A.R. Patil, S.M. Murray, H.S. Hussein, and J.L. Brent, Jr. (1999) Soybean hulls as a dietary fiber source for dogs. J. Anim. Sci. 77:917-924.
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Bush, J.A., D.E. Freeman, K.H. Kline, N.R. Merchen, and G.C. Fahey, Jr. (2001) Dietary fat supplementation effects on in vitro nutrient disappearance and in vivo nutrient intake and total tract digestibility by horses. J. Anim. Sci. 79:232-239.
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Bednar, G.E., A.R. Patil, S.M. Murray, C.M. Grieshop, N.R. Merchen, and G.C. Fahey, Jr. (2001) Starch and fiber fractions in selected food and feed ingredients affect their small intestinal digestibility and fermentability and their large bowel fermentability in vitro in a canine model. J. Nutr. 131:276-286.
