L. Lee Southern, Ph.D., PASMy primary research interest is nonruminant nutrition; specifically to conduct research with pigs and poultry aimed at more efficient production of meat. We attempt to identify ways at which more efficient production can be accomplished and then to determine, if possible, the reason for the change in efficiency. Research projects include the determination of the net energy value of diets differing in protein and amino acids, and to estimate the energy costs associated with growth of specific tissues, determination of the ratios of certain amino acids to each other and the effect of these ratios on body composition, the effect of certain additives on growth and health of the intestine, and phytase effects on energy and amino acid digestibility in pigs and poultry. Research in collaboration with meat scientists and nutritional physiologists in the Department are invaluable in meeting our research objectives. TOBEC analysis of carcasses also are an important component of our research methodology. Research facilities include a complete and modern nutritional laboratory with amino acid and mineral analyses capability; and the swine unit with 120 sows.
Activities in professional organizations include membership in the American Society for Nutritional Sciences, American Society of Animal Science, American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists, Louisiana and National Pork Producers Association, Poultry Science Association, and the Australasian Pig Science Association. I am a member of the National Research Council, Board on Agriculture, Committee on Animal Nutrition, 1998-2001. I have been on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Animal Science, Associate Editor of Poultry Science, Section Editor of the Nonruminant Nutrition Section of the Journal of Animal Science, and an ad hoc reviewer for the American Journal of Physiology, Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Journal of Dairy Science, USDA Competitive Grants Office, USDA-Agricultural Research Service, USDA Competitive Grants Office, SBIR Program.
Awards include Sigma Xi Student Paper Award, LSU Phi Kappa Phi Award for Outstanding Research by Non-tenured Faculty, First Mississippi Corporation Award of Excellence for Outstanding Work in the Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station, American Feed Industry Nonruminant Nutrition Award, Tipton Team Research Award in Recognition of Excellence in Research, Gamma Sigma Delta Research Award of Merit, Gamma Sigma Delta Teaching Merit Honor Role in1995, 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000, and membership in Gamma Sigma Delta, Phi Kappa Phi, Sigma Xi, and Alpha Zeta, and Omicron Delta Kappa.
Representative Publications:
- Matthews, J.O., L.L. Southern, A.D. Higbie, M.A. Persica and T.D. Bidner. 2001. Effect of betaine on growth, carcass characteristics, pork quality, and plasma metabolites of finishing pigs. J. Anim. Sci. 79:722-728.
- Payne, R.L., T.D. Bidner, L.L. Southern and J.P. Geaghan. 2001. Effects of dietary soy isoflavones on growth, carcass traits, and meat quality in growing-finishing pigs. J. Anim. Sci. (in press).
- Matthews, J.O., L.L. Southern, T.D. Bidner and M.A. Persica. 2001. Effects of betaine, pen space, and slaughter handling on growth performance, carcass traits, and pork quality of finishing pigs. J. Anim. Sci. 79:(in press).
- Matthews, J.O., L.L. Southern and T.D. Bidner. 2001. Estimation of the total sulfur amino acid requirement and the effect of betaine in diets deficient in total sulfur amino acids for the weanling pig. J. Anim. Sci. 79: (in press).
- Matthews, J.O., L.L. Southern, J.M. Fernandez, J.E. Pontif, T.D. Bidner and R.L. Odgaard. 2001. Effect of chromium picolinate and chromium propionate on glucose and insulin kinetics of growing barrows and on growth and carcass traits of growing-finishing barrows. J. Anim. Sci. 79: (in press).
- Cranwell (Ed.) Manipulating Pig Production. p 183. Australasian Pig Science Association, Werribee, Victoria, Australia.
- Cline, T.R., G.L. Cromwell, T.D. Crenshaw, R.C. Ewan, C.R. Hamilton, A.J. Lewis, D.C. Mahan and L.L. Southern. 2000. Further assessment of the dietary lysine requirement of finishing gilts. J. Anim. Sci. 78:987-992.
- Guzik, A.C., L.L. Southern and T.D. Bidner. 2000. Enzymatically digested animal protein as a source of protein for weanling pigs. Prof. Anim. Sci. 16:41-46.
- Southern, L.L., F.M. LeMieux, J.O. Matthews, T.D. Bidner and T.A. Knowles. 2000. Effect of feather meal as a source of valine for lactating sows. J. Anim. Sci. 78:120-123.
- Matthews, J.O. and L.L. Southern. 2000. The effect of dietary betaine in Eimeria acervulina- infected chicks. Poultry Sci. 79:60-65.
- Hill, G.M., G.L. Cromwell, T.D. Crenshaw, C.R. Dove, R.C. Ewan, D.A.Knabe, A.J. Lewis, G.W. Libal, D.C. Mahan, G.C. Shurson, L.L. Southern and T.L. Veum. 2000. Growth promotion effects and plasma changes from feeding high dietary concentrations of zinc and copper to weanling pigs (regional study). J. Anim. Sci. 78:1010-1016.
- Guzik, A.C., L.L. Southern, J.O. Matthews, T.D. Bidner and J.P. Ladner. 2000. Ornithine alpha-ketoglutarate and creatine effects on growth and plasma metabolites of nursery pigs. J. Anim. Sci. 78:1022-1028.
- Johnston, S. L. and L. L. Southern. 2000. The effect of varying mix uniformity (simulated) of phytase on growth performance, mineral retention, and bone mineralization in chicks. Poultry Sci. 79:1485-1490.
- Matthews, J.O., L.L. Southern and T.D. Bidner. 1999. Effect of a hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate on growth performance and carcass traits of pigs. Prof. Anim. Sci. 15:196-200.
- Matthews, J. O., A. D. Higbie, L. L. Southern, D. F. Coombs and T. D. Bidner. 1999. Dietary chromium propionate and metabolizable energy effects on pork quality of finishing pigs. In: P. D. Cranwell (Ed.) Manipulating Pig Production. p 183. Australasian Pig Science Association, Werribee, Victoria, Australia.