Education

• A.S Math, Chemistry, and Biology, McCook Community College
• B.S. Biological System Engineering, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
• M.S. Biological Systems Engineering/Animal Sciences, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
• Ph.D. Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, University of Kentucky

Certifications

  • Ph.D.

Research Opportunities (Graduate/Undergraduate)

• Precision Management of Animals (Master's)
• Precision Management of Animals (PhD)

Areas of Research and Professional Interest

• Dr. Brown-Brandl has research program that is focused on an engineering approach to improved animal well-being and production efficiency.  This is accomplished employing by several uniquely focus areas including: Precision Animal Management as a method of reducing animal stress and improving animal well-being by collecting and utilizing electronic data collected on individual animal, while being housed in typical industry sized pens.  Prediction of individual animal susceptibility to heat stress as a method of maximizing animal performance and well-being while minimizing the negative aspects associated with many heat stress interventions.  Calorimetry and animal energetics of cattle, sheep, and swine to evaluate both thermal and nutritional factors. Development of sensors and control systems to provide objective measurements of dynamic animal responses.  Forecasting feedlot cattle heat stress developed a web-based cattle heat stress forecast, and currently developing a smart phone application “app” get the forecast information to producers on the go.

Honors and Awards

• 2014 ASHRAE Technical Paper Award
• 2013 ASABE Presidential Citation
• 2012 ASABE Presidential Citation
• 2009 ASABE Presidential Citation
• 2006 ARS Certificate of Merit
• 2005 Outstanding Paper Award
• 2005 ISB Young Scientist Award
• 2005 ARS Merit Award
• 2002 ISB Young Scientist Award
• 2001 Honorable Mention Paper Award

Selected Publications

• Brown-Brandl, T.M., G.A. Rohrer, R.A. Eigenberg.  2013.  Analysis of feeding behavior of group housed growing-finishing pigs.  Computers and Electronics in Agriculture 96:246-252.
• Brown-Brandl, T.M., R.A. Eigenberg, and J.A. Nienaber.  2013.  Benefits of providing shade to feedlot cattle of different breeds.  Transactions of the ASABE.  56(4):1563-1570
• Brown-Brandl, T.M., R.A. Eigenberg, and J.L. Purswell.  2013.  Using thermal imaging as a method of investigating thermal thresholds in finishing pigs.  Biosystems Engineering.  114:327:333.
• Freetly, H.C. and T.M. Brown-Brandl.  2013.  Enteric methane production from beef cattle that vary in feed efficiency.  Journal of Animal Science.  91(10): 4826-4831.
• Hales, K.P, T.M. Brown-Brandl, H.C. Freetly.  2013. Effects of decreased dietary roughage concentration on energy metabolism and nutrient balance in finishing beef cattle.  Journal of Animal Science. 92(1): 264-271.
• Spiehs, M.J., T.M. Brown-Brandl, D.B. Parker, D.N. Miller, J.P. Jaderborg, A. DiCostanzo, E.D. Berry, J.E. Wells.  2013.  Use of wood-based materials in beef bedded manure packs: Part 1: Effect on ammonia, total reduced sulfide, and greenhouse gas concentrations.  Journal of Environmental Quality  43:1187-1194.
• Spiehs, M.J., T.M. Brown-Brandl, E.D. Berry, J.E. Wells, D.B. Parker, D.N. Miller, J.P. Jaderborg, A. DiCostanzo.  2013.  Use of wood-based materials in beef bedded manure packs: Part 2: Effect on odorous volatile organic compounds, odor activity value, Escherichia coli, and nutrient concentrations.  Journal of Environmental Quality 43:1195-1206
• Rohrer, G.A., T.M. Brown-Brandl, L.A. Rempel, J.F. Schneider, and J. Holl.  2013.  Genetic analysis of behavior traits in swine production.  Livestock Science 157(1):28:37
• Hales, K.P., T.M. Brown-Brandl, H.C. Freetly.  2014.  Effects of decreased dietary roughage concentration on energy metabolism and nutrient balance in finishing beef cattle.  92(1):264:271.
• Hales, K.P., A.P. Foote, T.M. Brown-Brandl, H.C. Freetly.  2014.  Effects of dietary glycerin inclusion at 0%, 5%, 10%, 15% of dry matter on energy metabolism and nutrient balance in finishing beef steers.  Journal of Animal Science 
• Brown-Brandl, T.M., M.D. Hayes, H. Xin, J.A. Nienaber, H. Li, R.A. Eigenberg, J.P. Stinn, and T. Shepherd.  2014.  Heat and moisture production of modern swine.  American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers Transactions 120(1):469-489
• Hales, K.P., S.D. Shackelford, J. Wells, D.A. King, M.D. Hayes, T.M. Brown-Brandl, L.A. Kuehn, H.C. Freetly, T.L. Wheeler.  2014.  Effects of feeding dry-rolled corn-based diets with and without wet distillers grains with solubles and zilpaterol hydrochloride on performance characteristics, and heat stress in finishing beef steers.  Journal of Animal Science 92:4023-4033.
• Brown-Brandl, T.M., and D.D. Jones.  2014.  Characterizing stress in shaded and unshaded feedlot heifers. Biological Systems Engineering.
• Brown-Brandl, T.M. and R.A. Eigenberg. 2014.  Determination of minimum meal interval and analysis of feeding behavior in shaded and open lot feedlot heifers.  Transactions of ASABE.
• Boyd, B.M., S.D. Shackelford, K. Hales, T.M. Brown-Brandl, M.L. Bremer, M.L. Spangler, T.L. Wheeler, D.A. King and G.E. Erickson.  2015.  Effects of shade and feeding zilpaterol hydrochloride to finishing steers on performance, carcass quality, heat stress, mobility, and body temperature. Journal of Animal Science. 93(12):5801-5811.
• Freetly, H.C., A.K. Lindholm, K.E. Hales, T.M. Brown-Brandl, M. Kim, P.R. Myer, and J.E. Wells. 2015. Methane production and methanogen levels in steers that differ in residual gain.  Journal of Animal Science 93(5):2375-2381.
• Foth, A.J., T.M. Brown-Brandl, K.J. Hanford, P.S. Miller, G. Garcia Gomez, and P.J. Konoff.  2015.  Energy content of reduced-fat dried distiller’s grains and solubles for lactating dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science.  98(10):7142-7152.
• Sales, G.T., A.R. Green, R.S. Gates, T.M. Brown-Brandl, and R.A. Eigenberg.  2015.  Quantifying detection performance of a passive low-frequency RFID system in an environmental preference chamber for laying hens.  Computers and Electronics in Agriculture.  114:261-268.
• Schneider, J.F., J.R. Miles, T.M. Brown-Brandl, J.A. Nienaber, G.A. Rohrer, and J.L. Vallet.  2015.  Genome-wide association and identification of candidate genes for average birth interval in swine.  Journal of Animal Science. 93(2):529-540.
• Hales, K.E., J.P. Jaderborg, G.I. Crawford, A. DiCostanzo, M.J. Spiehs, T.M. Brown-Brandl, and H.C. Freetly.  2015.  Effects of dry-rolled or high-moisture corn with twenty-five or forty-five percent wet distillers’ grains with solubles on energy metabolism, nutrient digestibility, and macromineral balance in finishing beef steers. Journal of Animal Science 93(1):4995-5005.

Grants:

• $104,500 NCBA - “Effects of pond ash as a feedlot pen surface and animal stress-level on the prevalence, levels, and persistence of E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella spp. in feces, on hides, and in manure of feedlot cattle” Berry, Arthur, Wells, Brown-Brandl
• $180,000 ASHRAE – “Updating heat and moisture standards for modern swine” Brown-Brandl, Xin, Nienaber
• $50,000 Nebraska Beef Council – “Evaluation of housing systems effects on beta-agonist, Zilmax, usage” Erickson, Hales, Brown-Brandl, Shackelford, Wheeler, Pollak -- Active
• $60,755 UNL-MARC  - “Development and deployment of tracking system for improved animal management” Brown-Brandl, Keeshani, Luck, Pitla  -- Active
• $498,921 USDA/AFRI – “Impact of dietary protein reduction and amino acid balance on the effieciency of nitrogen utilization and heat production in lactating sows”, Trottier, Powers, de Lange, Bequette, Brown-Brandl  -- Active