Researchers Turn Idaho Dairy Manure into Profits, Protect Waterways

Aug 13, 2025

By Lori Tyler Gula

The Idaho Sustainable Agriculture Initiative for Dairy, or ISAID, has spent five years developing and testing systems that capture valuable nutrients and byproducts from manure and wastewater. The research was funded in 2020 by a $10 million Sustainable Agriculture Systems Coordinated Agriculture Project.

Idaho, the nation's third-largest dairy producer, has undergone a remarkable transformation, surpassing its 11th position just 25 years ago. However, this exponential growth comes with challenges, particularly in managing the substantial amounts of liquid and solid manure generated by the dairy industry.

As a result, a team of scientists led by the University of Idaho has undertaken a groundbreaking plan to harness nitrogen and phosphorus from dairy production, converting them into valuable bioproducts. These products can be transported and used in other areas for crop production or as raw materials for value-added products like bioplastics.

Source : usda.gov

Video: Sweetener Effects on Gut Health - Dr. Kwangwook Kim

In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Kwangwook Kim, Assistant Professor at Michigan State University, discusses the use of non-nutritive sweeteners in nursery pig diets. He explains how sucralose and neotame influence feed intake, gut health, metabolism, and the frequency of diarrhea compared to antibiotics. The conversation highlights mechanisms beyond palatability, including hormone signaling and nutrient transport. Listen now on all major platforms!

“Receptors responsible for sweet taste are present not only in the mouth but also along the intestinal tract.”

Meet the guest: Dr. Kwangwook Kim / kwangwook-kim is an Assistant Professor at Michigan State University, specializing in swine nutrition and feed additives under disease challenge models. He earned his M.S. and Ph.D. in Animal Sciences from the University of California, Davis, where he focused on intestinal health and metabolic responses in pigs. His research evaluates alternatives to antibiotics, targeting gut health and performance in nursery pigs.