Reynoldsburg, Ohio—The AJCC Research
Foundation has issued a request for research proposals to be funded in 2021
addressing significant issues for the Jersey breed and Jersey milk producers.
Current priorities for research funding are:
- Nutrition
of high-producing Jerseys, particularly practical feeding methods to
maximize production of valuable milk components;
- Factors
affecting management of Jersey calves;
- Factors
affecting semen production of Jersey bulls;
- Factors
affecting yield and/or quality of products manufactured from Jersey milk;
- Factors
affecting economic impact of Jerseys: efficiencies, net income, longevity,
and lifetime profit;
- Optimizing
the genetic basis for improving animal health and/or enhancing product
quality;
- Enhancing
environmental impact associated with Jerseys;
- New
technologies for safe and sustainable food production from Jersey cattle;
and
- Feasibility
of adding value and increasing consumer acceptance of Jersey-derived
products through enhanced product quality and branding.
Application deadline is December 1, 2020. The Research
Advisory Committee of the American Jersey Cattle Association will evaluate the
proposals, then forward its recommendations to the AJCA Board of Directors,
which will award funds at its meeting in March 2021.
Submissions are evaluated for (a) merit (e.g., potential to
advance practical knowledge, creative approach to the problem); (b) competence
(i.e., high probability of successful completion within the proposed time
frame); and (c) relevance (e.g., problem derived from one of the areas of
research priority).
Since 1988, the Foundation has awarded more than $1 million
in seed money for selected projects. Funding is in the form of seed money and
has averaged $8,900 per project since 2011.
Detailed information about the Competitive Grants Program
can be found on the USJersey web site (permalink http://bit.do/JerseyRFP) or requested from Cari W.
Wolfe, Director of Research and Genetic Program Development, at 614/322-4453.