Ajmal Khan

Senior Scientist – Animal Nutrition and Physiology at AgResearch Limited, New Zealand

What was your experience in the Animal Welfare Program?

I am a Ruminant Nutritionist from Pakistan and I spent 5 years as a Post-Doctoral Fellow with the UBC AWP mainly working at UBC Dairy Education and Research Centre at Aggasiz BC. This gave me a tremendous opportunity to learn how on-farm feeding management could improve the welfare and performance of calves and dairy cattle. I integrated a farm animal welfare perspective into my animal nutrition research. Interactions with many students, scientists and visiting scholars from around the world improved my ability to be inclusive and made me a global citizen.

What have you been doing since graduating from the AWP?

Since February 2014, I have been working as a Senior Scientist at AgResearch Limited, New Zealand where I am leading Dairy Animal Nutrition and Physiology research to improve the welfare and performance of cows in the pastoral system. I work closely with diverse science teams, government and commercial stakeholders to design and deliver science projects.

Overall, my mission is to enhance the production and sustainability of livestock and dairy systems through research, innovation, and extension. Firstly, I am interested in studying the underlying principles of physiology to influence the development of calves for better performance during their lifetime. Secondly, I am interested in developing nutrition and management solutions to reduce metabolic issues and the performance of cows specifically targeting physiological and dietary transition phases.

What is your advice for students?

The Animal Welfare Program and UBC offer enormous formal and informal learning opportunities. Consider using this approach Engage – Explore – Experience – Empower and exercise and promote Empathy to be a global citizen.