Markos Managos

I am a veterinarian and animal scientist with a PhD in Animal Science from SLU. My research focuses on sustainable dairy production, particularly the interactions between animal nutrition, feed use, productivity and environmental impact.

My research combines experimental animal studies, quantitative analysis and systems-based environmental assessment. During my PhD, I investigated feeding strategies to reduce the climate footprint of Swedish dairy production, ranging from individual-animal feeding trials to farm-level life-cycle assessment and regional scenario modelling.

I currently work as a postdoctoral researcher at SLU, focusing on feed and feed-intake data from research facilities and commercial farms, including data harmonisation and development of data structures for future dairy nutrition and feeding research.

My research focuses on how dairy cattle feeding strategies can contribute to productive, resource-efficient and environmentally sustainable dairy systems.

My PhD research investigated how feed ration formulation can reduce greenhouse gas emissions from high-producing Swedish dairy production while maintaining animal productivity. The work combined controlled feeding trials with dairy cows and heifers, ration formulation, measurements of feed intake and enteric methane emissions, life cycle assessment (LCA), and regional scenario modelling.

The research showed that selecting feed ingredients with a low carbon footprint can reduce feed-related and farm-level greenhouse gas emissions without compromising animal performance. It also demonstrated that environmental outcomes depend on the choice of feed ingredients and the system level considered. For example, feeding strategies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions may have different consequences for land use, feed self-sufficiency and other sustainability objectives.

My current research focuses on harmonising and analysing feed and feed-intake datasets from research facilities and commercial dairy farms, with the aim of supporting future research in dairy nutrition and feeding.

I have teaching and supervision experience in animal nutrition and animal science at SLU. In 2024, I served as course leader for the undergraduate course Animal Nutrition (HV0208). I have also co-supervised a master's student project and worked as a study mentor at SLU.

PhD in Animal Science, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), 2025
Thesis: Feed rations in dairy production and their climate footprint – Linking experimental feed trials with life cycle assessment

MSc in Animal Science, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), 2020

Degree in Veterinary Medicine (DVM), Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece, 2016

Higher education pedagogy
Teaching in Higher Education, Basic Course, SLU, 4.5 ECTS (2023)
Course in Grading and Assessment, SLU, 1 ECTS (2024)

Animal nutrition and dairy production
Dairy ration formulation, feed intake and feed efficiency, forage and concentrate evaluation, and dairy cattle feeding.

Environmental assessment
Greenhouse gas assessment, enteric methane, life cycle assessment (LCA), land use and environmental evaluation of dairy production systems.

Data analysis and modelling
Advanced R-based data analysis, management and harmonisation of animal and feed datasets, and experience with data from research facilities and commercial dairy farms.

Dairy ration formulation
Experience with the Nordic Feed Evaluation System (NorFor).

2026 – Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), Short-term Postdoctoral Research Fellowship
2025 – Third place, IDF Pavel (Paul) Jelen Early Career Scientist Prize
2023 – NOVUS Award, European Federation of Animal Science (EAAP)
2020 – First Prize, ELLS Scientific Student Conference, Innovation in Life Sciences

Managos, M., Lindahl, C., Agenäs, S. & Lindberg, M. (2026). Effects of replacing 50% of grass clover silage with whole-crop wheat silage on feed intake, growth, and enteric methane emissions in dairy heifers. JDS Communications. https://doi.org/10.3168/jdsc.2026-1098

Managos, M., Lindberg, M., Lindahl, C., Agenäs, S. & Sonesson, U. (2026). Toward lower-carbon dairy: Life cycle assessment of a modelled high-yielding Swedish dairy farm. Cleaner and Circular Bioeconomy, 13, 100197. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clcb.2025.100197

Managos, M., Lindahl, C., Agenäs, S., Sonesson, U. & Lindberg, M. (2025). Considering greenhouse gas emissions from feed production in diet formulation for dairy cows as a means of reducing the carbon footprint. animal, 19(7), 101544. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.animal.2025.101544

Zira, S., Managos, M., Printz, S., Lindberg, M., Ahlgren, S. & Sonesson, U. (2025). The dairy production system in the north of Sweden under possible future food scenarios. Agricultural Systems, 222, 104177. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104177