Vern Osborne Position/Title: Professor email: vosborne@uoguelph.ca Phone: (519) 824-4120 ext. 53691 Office: ANNU 235

Dr. Vern Osborne (MSc, PhD, University of Guelph) was born and raised on a Master Breeder Holstein operation near Rockwood, Ontario. He joined the faculty of Ridgetown College in 1986 as a Senior Lecturer/Dairy Researcher and later served as a college professor in the Animal Science department. In January 1990 he was seconded from Ridgetown to Semex Canada, where as Marketing Director for computer systems, he developed the current genetic mating program. In January 2002, he joined the Animal and Poultry Science department at Guelph as a professor in ruminant nutrition. His research has concentrated on nutritional management strategies that enhance early heifer growth, and the delivery of extra nutrients using drinking water, and water and feed combinations during times of physiological needs of the dairy cow and horse. Dr. Osborne is internationally known for his expertise in water nutrition of dairy animals and has been an invited speaker in many countries. He is also an internationally recognized designer of dairy facilities. Dr. Osborne is currently the Science and Design Lead for the Mission 2050 project, a conceptual framework plan that would replace Guelph’s/OMAFRA’s dairy, swine and poultry research facilities. Dr. Osborne has taught in the diploma and degree programs at Ridgetown and Guelph for 25 years. He was recently awarded the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA) Teaching Award of Merit. He currently lives on a 300 acre farm with his wife and three children and cash crops with his father.