Raeisaenen, Susanna, Dr.

Research area:

With her research, Susanna wants to contribute to reduced negative environmental impact and improved resource utilization of the dairy sector, while ensuring the resiliency, efficiency, and economic sustainability of farms as they themselves face the impacts of climate change. Her research focus is in the field of ruminant nutrition, nutritional physiology, greenhouse gas emissions, and environmental impact of dairy farming. More specifically she has conducted and published work related to amino acid and protein requirements, metabolism and nitrogen excretions in dairy cattle including development of methods to assess the bioavailability of rumen-protected amino acids, investigation of histidine requirements and metabolism as well as evaluation of different protein feeds, and related nitrogen efficiency. Further, Susanna has contributed to research investigating different nutritional methane mitigation strategies including the use of red seaweed (Asparagopsis taxiformis) and Bovaer (3-nitrooxypropanol). During her time at University of Helsinki she was a part of a multidisciplinary consortium (Leg4Life-project) that aims to increase the cultivation of legumes in Finnish conditions, and she continues to investigate the use of legumes in diets of dairy cows. For her current ETH postdoctoral fellowship project, she aims to maximize the microbial protein synthesis in the rumen through optimal energy and amino acid supply, as well as investigate minimizing nitrogen emissions while ensuring maximal nitrogen efficiency by utilization of the post-absorptive energy and amino acid interactions.

Academic background:

Susanna got her foundation in Animal Sciences at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, where she was able to strengthen and broaden her knowledge from a global perspective with a Bachelor’s thesis project in Kenya and a study abroad semester at Massey University in New Zealand. After receiving her Master’s degree, she moved to the US for a PhD program in Dr. Alex Hristov’s group at the Pennsylvania State University. After receiving her PhD degree, Susanna moved back to her native Finland to work as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Helsinki, Finland, in the group of Professor. Aila Vanhatalo. In her current position as a post-doctoral fellow (ETH Postdoctoral Fellowship Program) in the group of Animal Nutrition at ETH Zürich she has continued her path as an independent scientist and developed and designed her own research program in the field of protein and amino acid nutrition and nitrogen emissions. Susanna is responsible for overseeing all animal experiments conducted in the group, and together with Assistant Professor Niu develop new ideas and acquire funding for future research in the field of dairy nutrition.

Publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals

1. Wasson, D. E., H. Stefenoni, S. F. Cueva, C. Lage, S. E. Räisänen, A. Melgar, M. Fetter, M. Hennessy, K. Narayan, N. Indugu, D. Pitta, C. Yarish & A. N. Hristov. 2023. Screening macroalgae for mitigation of enteric methane in vitro. Sci Rep 13, 9835 (2023).
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-36359-y

2. T. Silvestre, L. F. Martins, S. F. Cueva, D. E. Wasson, N. Stepanchenko, S. E. Räisänen, S. Sommai, M. L. Hile and A. N. Hristov. 2023. Lactational performance, rumen fermentation, enteric methane emissions and manure greenhouse gas emitting potential in dairy cows fed
a blend of essential oils. Accepted to Journal of Dairy Science, May 2023.

3. S. E. Räisänen, K. Kuoppala, P. Rissanen, A. Halmemies-Beauchet-Filleau, T. Kokkonen, A. Vanhatalo. 2023. Effects of forage and grain legume-based silages supplemented with faba bean meal or rapeseed expeller on lactational performance, nitrogen utilization and plasma
amino acids in dairy cows. Accepted to Journal of Dairy Science, April 2023.
https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2022-22997.

4. M. Z. Islam, S. Giannoukos, S. E. Räisänen, K. Wang, X. Ma, F. Wahl, R. Zenobi, M. Niu. 2023.
Exhaled volatile fatty acids, ruminal methane emission and their diurnal patterns in lactating
dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science, https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2023-23301

5. S. E. Räisänen, H. Lapierre, W. J. Price, A. N. Hristov. 2023. Lactational performance effects of supplemental histidine in dairy cows: a meta-analysis. Journal of Dairy Science, 106.
https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2022-22966

6. N. Stepanchenko, H. Stefenoni, M. Hennessy, I. Nagaraju, D. E. Wasson, S. F. Cueva, S. E. Räisänen, C. D. Dechow, D.W. Pitta, A. N. Hristov. 2023. Microbial composition, rumen fermentation parameters, enteric methane emissions, and lactational performance of
phenotypically high- and low-methane emitting dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science,
https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2022-23190

7. S. F. Cueva, S. E. Räisänen, D. E. Wasson, C. F. A. Lage, T. Silvestre, D. M. Kniffen, R. A. Fabin, and A. N. Hristov. 2023. Production effects of extruded soybean meal replacing canola meal in the diet of lactating dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science,
https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2022-22818

8. O. Pitkänen, A. Halmemies-Beauchet-Filleau, S. E. Räisänen, S. Jaakkola, T. Kokkonen, and A. Vanhatalo. 2023. Processed faba bean as a substitute for rapeseed meal with or without rumen protected methionine supplement in grass silage-based dairy cow diets. J. Dairy Sci.
106:3217-3232.https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2022-22897

9. T. Silvestre, S. E. Räisänen, S. F. Cueva, D. E. Wasson, C. F. A. Lage, L. F. Martins, E. Wall, and A. N. Hristov. 2022. Effects of a combination of Capsicum oleoresin and clove essential oil on metabolic status, lactational performance, and enteric methane emissions in dairy cows. J.
Dairy Sci. 105:9610-9622 https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2022-22203

10. L. F. Martins, J. Oh, M. Harper, A. Melgar, S. E. Räisänen, X. Chen, K. Nedelkov, T. P. Karnezos, A. N. Hristov. 2022. Effects of an exogenous enzyme preparation extracted from a mixed culture of Aspergillus spp. on lactational performance, metabolism, and digestibility in
primiparous and multiparous cows. J. Dairy Sci. 105:7344-7353.
https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2022-21990

11. T. Silvestre, M. Fetter, S. E. Räisänen, C. F. A. Lage, H. Stefenoni, A. Melgar, S. F. Cueva, D. E. Wasson, L. F. Martins, T. P. Karnezos, A. N. Hristov. 2022. Performance of dairy cows fed normal- or reduced-starch diets supplemented with an exogenous enzyme preparation J.
Dairy Sci. 105:2288-2300. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2021-21264

12. S. E. Räisänen, X. Zhu, C. Z. Zhou, C. F. A. Lage, M. Fetter, T. Silvestre, H. Stefenoni, D. E. Wasson, S. F. Cueva, J.-S. Eun, J. O. Moon, J. S. Park, A.N. Hristov. 2022a. Production effects and bioavailability of N-acetyl-l-methionine in lactating dairy cows. J. Dairy Sci. 105:313-328.
https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2021-20540

13. N. Indugu, M. Hennessy, V. S. Kaplan-Shabtai, C. F. A de Assis Lage, S.E. Räisänen, A. Melgar, K. Nedelkov, X. Chen, J. Oh, B. Vecchiarelli, J. S. Bender, A. N. Hristov, D. W. Pitta. 2021. Comparing noninvasive sampling techniques with standard cannula sampling method for
ruminal microbial analysis. JDS communications, 2021. https://doi.org/10.3168/jdsc.2021-0094

14. S. E. Räisänen, C. F. A. Lage, C. Zhou, A. Melgar, T. Silvestre, D. E. Wasson, S. F. Cueva, J. Werner, T. Takagi, M. Miura, A. N. Hristov. 2022b. Lactational performance, and plasma and muscle amino acid concentrations in dairy cows fed diets supplying two levels of digestible
histidine and metabolizable protein. J. Dairy Sci. 105:170-187.
https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2021-20800.

15. J. Oh, M. T. Harper, A. Melgar, S. Räisänen, X. Chen, K. Nedelkov, M. Fetter, T. Ott, E. H. Wall, A. N. Hristov. 2021. Dietary supplementation with rumen-protected capsicum during the transition period improves the metabolic status of dairy cows. J. Dairy Sci. 104: 11609-11620
https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2020-19892

16. S. F. Cueva, H. Stefenoni, A. Melgar, S. E. Räisänen, C. F. A. Lage, D. E. Wasson, M. E. Fetter, A. M. Pelaez, G. W. Roth, and A. N. Hristov. 2021. Lactational performance, rumen fermentation, and enteric methane emission of dairy cows fed an amylase-enabled corn
silage. J. Dairy Sci. 104:9827–9841. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2021-20251

17. V. Kaplan-Shabtai, N. Indugu, M. L. Hennessy, B. Vecchiarelli, J. S. Bender, D. Stefanovski, C. F. A. Lage, S. E. Räisänen, A. Melgar, K. Nedelkov, M. E. Fetter, A. Fernandez, A. Spitzer, A. N. Hristov and D. W. Pitta. 2021. Using Structural Equation Modeling to Understand
Interactions Between Bacterial and Archaeal Populations and Volatile Fatty Acid Proportions in the Rumen. Front. Microbiol. Vol. 12:611951 https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2021.611951

18. S. E. Räisänen, C. F. A. Lage, J. Oh, A. Melgar, K. Nedelkov, X. Chen, M. Miura, A. N. Hristov. 2021a. Histidine dose-response effects on lactational performance and plasma amino acid concentrations in lactating dairy cows: 1. Metabolizable protein-adequate diet. J. Dairy Sci.
104:9902–9916. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2021-20188

19. S. E. Räisänen, C. F. A. Lage, M. E. Fetter, A. Melgar, A. M. Pelaez, H. A. Stefenoni, D. E. Wasson, S. F. Cueva, X. Zhu, M. Miura and A. N. Hristov. 2021b. Histidine dose-response effects on lactational performance and plasma amino acid concentrations in lactating dairy
cows: 2. Metabolizable protein-deficient diet. J. Dairy Sci. 104:9917–9930.
https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2021-20189

20. H. A. Stefenoni, S. E. Räisänen, S. F. Cueva, D. E. Wasson, C. F. A. Lage, A. Melgar, M. E. Fetter, P. Smith, M. Hennessy, B. Vecchiarelli, J. Bender, D. Pitta, C. L. Cantrell, C. Yarish, and A. N. Hristov. 2021. Effects of the macroalga Asparagopsis taxiformis and oregano leaves on
methane emission, rumen fermentation, and lactational performance of dairy cows. J. Dairy Sci. 104. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2020-19686

21. C. F. A. Lage, S. E. Räisänen, H. Stefenoni, A. Melgar, X. Chen, J. Oh, M. E. Fetter, D. M. Kniffen, R. A. Fabin, and A. N. Hristov. 2020. Lactational performance, enteric gas emissions, and plasma amino acid profile of dairy cows fed diets with soybean or canola meals included
on an equal protein basis. J. Dairy Sci. 104: 3052-3066. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2020-18851

22. C. F. de Assis Lage, S. E. Räisänen, A. Melgar, K. Nedelkov, X. Chen, J. Oh, M. E. Fetter, N. Indugu, J. S. Bender, B. Vecchiarelli, M. L. Hennessy, D. Pitta and A. N. Hristov. 2020. Comparison of two sampling techniques for evaluating ruminal fermentation and microbiota
in the planktonic phase of rumen digesta in dairy cows. Frontiers in Microbiology, 11, 3330.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2020.618032

23. A. Melgar, C.F.A. Lage, K. Nedelkov, S.E. Räisänen, H. Stefenoni, M.E. Fetter, X. Chen, J. Oh, S. Duval, M. Kindermann, N.D. Walker, A.N. Hristov. 2020. Enteric methane emission, milk production, and composition of dairy cows fed 3-nitrooxypropanol. J. Dairy Sci. 104: 357-
366. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2020-18908

24. A. Melgar, K. Nedelkov, C.M.M.R. Martins, K.C. Welter, X. Chen, S.E. Räisänen, M.T. Harper, J. Oh, S. Duval, A.N. Hristov. 2020. Short communication: Short-term effect of 3-nitrooxypropanol on feed dry matter intake in lactating dairy cows. J. Dairy Sci, 103: 11496-
11502. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2020-18331

25. S. E. Räisänen, C. M. M. R. Martins, K. Nedelkov, J. Oh, M. T. Harper, X. Chen, C. Parys, R. A. Patton, M. Miura, and A. N. Hristov. 2020. Bioavailability of rumen-protected methionine, lysine and histidine assessed by fecal amino acid excretion. Animal Feed Science and
Technology, 114595. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2020.114595

26. A. Melgar, K. C. Welter, K. Nedelkov, C. M. M. R. Martins, M. T. Harper, J. Oh, S. E. Räisänen, X. Chen, S. F. Cueva, S. Duval, and A. N. Hristov. 2020. Dose-response effect of 3-nitrooxypropanol on enteric methane emissions in dairy cows. J. Dairy Sci. 103:
https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2019-17840

27. K. Nedelkov, X. Chen, C. M. M. R. Martins, A. Melgar, M. T. Harper, S. Räisänen, … & Hristov, A. N. (2020). Alternative selenium supplement for sheep. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 114390. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2020.114390

28. M. T. Harper, J. Oh, A. Melgar, K. Nedelkov, S. Räisänen, X. Chen, C. M. M. R. Martins, M. Young, T. L. Ott, D. M. Kniffen, R. A. Fabin, and A. N. Hristov. 2019. Production effects of feeding extruded soybean meal to early-lactation dairy cows. J. Dairy Sci. 102:8999–9016:
https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2019-16551

29. K. Nedelkov, M. T. Harper, A. Melgar, X. Chen, S. Räisänen, C. M. M. R. Martins, J. Faugeron, E. H. Wall, and A. N. Hristov. 2019. Acceptance of flavored concentrate premixes by young ruminants following a short-term exposure. J. Dairy Sci. 102:388–394: https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2018-15400