Associate Professor Karen Harper
PhD, M.Agr.Sc., B.Agr.Sc. (hons)Associate Professor - Ag, Sci and Environment-593293
School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences
Institute for Future Farming Systems
361 - G16
Dr Karen Harper is an Associate Professor in Agriculture in the School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences at Central Queensland University. Karen is also a member of the Future Farming Institute and Precision Livestock Group at CQU.
Karen is a ruminant nutritionist and her research has focused on tropical pastures and environments.
- Increasing productivity and reducing methane emissions by supplementing feed with dietary lipids - (MLA funded)
- The role of iNDF in dairy cattle nutrition in subtropical Australia - (Dairy Australia funded)
- Kikuyu ecotype Studies - (DAF and Norco funded)
- A range of probiotic studies (ARC, Ridley and Christian-Hansen funding)
- Developing ration formulators
Karen has also worked on a number of ACIAR funded international research projects in Indonesia (Straw cow, More beef), Myanmar and across Africa, in either an administrative/management role, or as project leader. She is strongly motivated in building successful teams and building the research capacity of students and scientists and improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in developing countries.
Background
Karen grew up in the heart of the Lockyer Valley in south-east Queensland. Here she gained experience in cattle production systems and horticultural production. Her passion for agriculture led her to study agriculture at The University of Queensland. She went on to complete a Masters of Agriculture Science (1991 –1996) in Microbial protein production in sheep consuming low phosphorus diets and her PhD (2008 - 2011) in The association between rumen microbial protein production with rumen microbial community structure. She went on to complete a postdoctoral fellowship in Indigestible NDF assessment of tropical forages and then worked in the teaching space while working on international development projects in Myanmar, Indonesia and Africa. Dr Harper's goal is to find innovative solutions to livestock industries in Australia and overseas.
Universities Studied At
The University of Queensland
Universities Worked At
The University of Queensland
Awards
Frank Nicklin Scholarship
Previous teaching
Dr Karen Harper has an exceptional understanding of all aspects of teaching in agriculture and animal science and has designed, coordinated and delivered a broad range of courses. Many courses were over 120-250 students and have an undergraduate, postgraduate, internal and external component.
Karen also undertaken teaching in a range of international settings and formats such as a veterinary science nutrition course at Nong Lam in Ho Chi Minh city, as well as organising and taking field trips to Indonesia to study agricultural systems. She has designed and coordinated two courses for ACIAR learn in research project management and research administrative management for senior leaders in developing countries. This teaching role blends teaching experience with research and management skills in a new and exciting learning platforms such as catalpa international and ACORN.
Professional Memberships
Australian Association of Animal Sciences (AAAS)
Key Achievements
Dr Karen Harper has a demonstrated track record in the successful completion of projects over a range of themes, across a variety of research groups and from an array of funding agencies (ACIAR MLA, Dairy Australia and companies). Some key achievements include:
Development of the ACIAR LCR formulator,
Development of the app BeefUpp
Development of the Indigestible NIR calibration
Industry Reports
Harper K.J, Poppi D.P. Noviandi C.T. (2022) Profitable feeding strategies for smallholder cattle in Indonesia. LPS/2013/021. Final report. Published by ACIAR
Poppi D., Harper K. (2017) Heifer-calf and fattening strategies. LPS/2014/022. ACIAR final report.
Hanks J., Poppi D, Oo K., Aung A. Campbell A, Henning J., Quigley S., Harper K. and Dalgleish N. (2017) Improving livelihoods of small scale livestock producers in the central dry zone through research on animal production and health in Myanmar. Project AH/2011/054. ACIAR final report.
Harper K and Wong P (2015) Screen and quantify the biodiversity of existing collections of kikuyu plants in terms of ME, kikuyu yellows resistance and cold tolerance and identify potential ecotypes for commercialization. Final report for C100000928 C4Milk. Funded by Dairy Australia.
Harper K.J. (2014) The role of iNDF in dairy cattle nutrition in subtropical Australia. Project UQ13912. Collaborators Dairy Australia, DAFF (Qld), The University of Queensland.
Harper K.J., Klieve A. (project leader), Martinez E., Ouwerkerk D. (2012). Increasing productivity and reducing methane emissions by supplementing feed with dietary lipids. Project B.CCH.1014. Published by MLA.
Editor
Associate Editor of Animal Production Science
Accreditation
I am currently accredited for supervision in the following:
- 3002 Agriculture, Land and Farm Management
- 3003 Animal Production
