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Jayakrishnan Nair

Jayakrishnan Nair, Assistant Professor

Animal Science

Dr. Jay specializes in beef cattle nutrition, forage production, and management. Research at Nair’s Lab focuses on expanding the understanding of nutrient utilization and metabolism of beef cattle, improving production efficiency, and reducing the environmental footprint of beef operations through sustainable beef production systems

The Forage Lab focuses on sustainable beef production systems by improving forage production practices, forage quality and digestibility, grazing management, and optimization of beef cattle diets.

Jayakrishnan Nair Agriculture Building, Room 115
618-453-7105
jay.nair@siu.edu 

Special Interests

  • Enhancing the production efficiency of ruminants through improved nutritional management, animal genetics, health, and feed additives.
  • Enhancing the forage production and management practices for improved forage productivity and digestibility, ruminant production, animal health, and welfare.
  • Reducing farm emissions through improved animal genetics, nutrition, and management.

Education

  • Ph.D. [2017], University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
  • M.S. [2013], University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
  • DVM [2003], Kerala Agricultural University, Kerala, India

Classes

  • ANS 123A: Livestock Practicum - Beef
  • ANS 314: Forages, An Introduction to Grassland Agriculture
  • ANS 315: Feeds and Feeding
  • ANS 485: Beef Cattle Management

Recent Publications and Awards

  • J. Nair, P. M. T. Lima, A. L. Abdalla, L. J. Molnar, Y. Wang, T. A. McAllister, C. M. Geddes. 2021. Kochia (Bassia scoparia) harvest date impacts nutrient composition, in vitro degradability, and feed value more than pre-harvest herbicide treatment or herbicide resistance traits. Anim. Feed. Sci. Technol. 280:1-16
  • Kai Peng, Zhongjun Xu, Jayakrishnan Nair, Long Jin, Tim McAllister, Surya Acharya and Yuxi Wang. 2021. Effects of conservation method and condensed tannins in conserved purple prairie clover (Dalea purpurea Vent.) on ruminal fermentation in vitro. J. Sci. Food Agric. 101: 1247-1254.
  • Jayakrishnan Nair, Niu Huaxin, Estefanía Andrada, Hee-Eun Yang, Eric Chevaux, Pascal Drouin, Tim McAllister, and Yuxi Wang. 2020. Effects of Inoculation of corn silage with Lactobacillus hilgardii and Lactobacillus buchneri on silage quality, aerobic stability, nutrient digestibility, and growth performance of growing beef cattle. J. Anim. Sci. 98: 1-11.
  • Shanwei Xu, Lysiane Duniere, Brenda Smiley, William Rutherford, Samuel Qi, Jayakrishnan Nair, Yuxi Wang and Tim McAllister. 2020. Using molecular microbial ecology to define differential responses to the inoculation of barley silage. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 100: 703-715.
  • Jayakrishnan Nair, Shanwei Xu, Brenda Smiley, Hee-Eun Yang, Tim A. McAllister, and Yuxi Wang. 2019. Effects of inoculation of corn silage with Lactobacillus spp. or Saccharomyces cerevisiae alone or in combination on silage fermentation characteristics, nutrient digestibility, and growth performance of growing beef cattle. J. Anim. Sci. 97: 4974-4986.
  • Jayakrishnan Nair, T. Kelly Turkington, Robert Blackshaw, Charles M. Geddes, Newton Lupwayi, Shanwei Xu, Jinli Yang, Hee-Eun Yang, Yuxi Wang and Tim A. McAllister. 2019. Impact of field fungal contamination of barley on ensiling properties, nutritional quality and the microbiome of barley silage. Grass and Forage Sci. 74: 231-243.
  • Jayakrishnan Nair, David Christensen, Peiqiang Yu, Aaron D. Beattie, Tim McAllister, Daalkhaijav Damiran, and John McKinnon. 2019. Effect of variety and level of inclusion of barley silage selected for varying NDF digestibility on ruminal fermentation and nutrient digestibility in feedlot heifers fed backgrounding and finishing diets. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 99: 268-282.
  • Basim Refat, David A. Christensen, John J. McKinnon, Luciana L. Prates, Jayakrishnan Nair, Aaron D. Beattie, WenZhu Yang, Tim A. McAllister and Peiqiang Yu. 2018. Evaluation of barley silage with varying ruminal in vitro fiber digestibility on lactation performance and chewing activity of lactating dairy cows in comparison with corn silage. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 98: 177-186.
  • Jayakrishnan Nair, Aaron D. Beattie, David Christensen, Peiqiang Yu, Tim McAllister, Daalkhaijav Damiran, and John J. McKinnon. 2018. Effect of variety and stage of maturity at harvest on nutrient and neutral detergent fiber digestibility of forage barley grown in western Canada. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 98: 299-310.
  • N. G. Preston, J. K. Nair, P. Yu, D. A. Christensen, J. J. McKinnon and T. A. McAllister. 2017. Ensiling barley cultivars selected for varied levels of in vitro neutral detergent fiber digestibility in mini and bunker silos to evaluate effects on fermentation. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 97: 314-327.
  • Jayakrishnan Nair, David Christensen, Peiqiang Yu, Tim McAllister, Natalie Preston, Daalkhaijav Damiran and John J. McKinnon. 2017. Effect of variety and level of inclusion of barley varieties for silage selected to vary in NDF digestibility on performance and carcass characteristics of growing and finishing beef steers. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 97: 383-394.
  • N. G. Preston, M. Hunerberg, T. M. Silva, J. Nair, P. Yu, D. A. Christensen, J. J. McKinnon and T. A. McAllister. 2016. Digestibility and performance of feeder lambs fed mixed barley grain-barley silage diets with varieties of barley silage selected on the basis of in vitro neutral detergent fiber degradability. Can. J Anim. Sci. 97: 418-430.
  • Jayakrishnan Nair, David Christensen, Peiqiang Yu, Aaron Beattie, Tim McAllister, Daalkhaijav Damiran, Natalie Preston, Leland Fuhr and John J. McKinnon. 2016. A nutritional evaluation of common barley varieties grown for silage by beef and dairy producers in western Canada. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 96: 598-608.
  • J. Nair, G. B. Penner, P. Yu, H. A. (Bart) Lardner, T. A. McAllister, D. Damiran and J. J. McKinnon. 2016. Evaluation of canola meal derived from Brassica juncea and Brassica napus on rumen fermentation and nutrient digestibility by feedlot heifers fed finishing diets. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 96: 341-352.
  • Jayakrishnan Nair, Gregory B. Penner, Peiqiang Yu, H. A. (Bart) Lardner, Tim McAllister, Daalkhaijav Damiran and John J. McKinnon. 2015. Evaluation of canola meal derived from Brassica juncea and Brassica napus seed as an energy source for feedlot cattle. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 95: 599-607.