a) Understand proper incentivization of greenhouse gas mitigation strategies, as well as improvements in water quality and biodiversity. b) Understand the costs and benefits of a more traceable system, also given that improved traceability might come with more benchmarking abilities. c) Complete a gap analysis of, and note barriers to the implementation of better vaccinating strategies and changing management practices to note preconditioning, reduced stress, etc. d) Assess demonstration projects, noting practices and programs which deliver information the most efficiently. e) Assess new technology or programs to determine their effectiveness or efficiency for producers.

2024-082: Closing Litter Gaps in Saskatchewan Rangeland Reference Data Researcher: Eric Lamb Funding: $4,050 Sufficient litter retention at the end of a growing season improves productivity through improved moisture capture and retention, lowering soil temperatures, and erosion protection. However, specific litter accumulation recommendations for native and tame rangeland in SK are based on limited reference site data, often collected in Alberta. This work will close gaps from the 2022 project, working with range ecologists already on the ground to collect data. There are 9 ecoregions in the project, and 3 were underrepresented - the Mixed grassland clay, moist missed grassland loam, and Solinetzic sites. This team will coordinate targeted data collection with organizations conducting range health assessments to fill litter data gaps in Saskatchewan Rangeland reference data. Results: Waiting for research results.

2023-082: A Decade On: How Have the 35 Ranchers Under 35 Fared? Researcher: Kathy Larson Funding: $12,000 As the median age for cattle producers continues to increase, the Canadian Cost of Production Network reports that many cow-calf operations are not economically profitable. Only 13% of the "typical farms" are able to cover their long-term costs. In the fall of 2014, 35 SK cow-calf producers all under 35 were interviewed about their challenges, opportunities, access to financing, land availability/affordability, etc. Since then, calf prices have remained low compared to 2014, and land prices have doubled along with equipment. The researchers in this project, lead by Kathy Larson, will interview the 35 operations that were previously interviewed in Fall 2014 to learn how opportunities and challenges were approached, their use and impediments to using recommended or novel management practices, new technology, alternative marketing channels, networking, continuous learning, and risk management. The interview will also note changes in land tenure, profitability, and plans for expansion/transition. The study will also work with these producers to complete a full cost of production analysis using the Agri benchmark methodology, and then compare these operations to similar "typical farms" in the Canadian COP network. Results will be used to develop policy recommendations to support young cattle producers. Results: Waiting for research results.

2023-004: Succession Planning and Business Model Innovation in Saskatchewan Agriculture Researcher: Eric Micheels Funding: $14,250 Farms and ranches, like other businesses, have expanded and innovated over the decades in Saskatchewan. Corporate or business innovations which expand beyond crop varieties but also added processing, direct marketing, and cooperative arrangements have led some businesses to expand despite a stagnant land base. However, there are a number of risks involved in creating new business opportunities, including time, needed skills, and other factors. Dr. Eric Micheels will examine and analyze perceived barriers to business model innovations by communicating with successful farms and ranches, then developing a series of case studies to guide other producers to similar strategies. Results: Waiting for research results.

2019-118: Evaluating Premiums for Weaned Calves Marketed with Value-Added Management Characteristics Researcher: Kathy Larson Funded: $20,000 Auction marts report the average prices for the cattle they sell. But what are the characteristics of the cattle that have the highest bids at the auction? This team of researchers will use information collected through CanFax for detailed lot listings and market reports. They will then cross-reference this information with attributes for each sale including vet work, location, implant status, breed, age verification, etc. over the course of seven years. They hope to understand sales trends over this period of time, and to understand if some attributes like preconditioning have changed. If a trend is shown, it will provide producer with more information for their marketing decisions. Results: Waiting for research results.

2017-148: Dugout management for improved water quality Researcher: Kerri Finlay Funding: $45,043 Could farms and ranches construct and better manage their dugouts to limit blue-green algae (cynobacteria), toxins, salinity, sulfates and nitrates? As cattle have been shown to increase their weights and body condition through better water, and as there have been significant herd health problems even leading to death in the past year alone, these improvements could greatly improve your herd health. Samples from dugouts throughout Saskatchewan will evaluate the relationship between dugout characteristics and water quality. The researchers will report their findings to cattle producers after their research is complete in 2019. Results: Kerri Finlay and her research group sampled 101 dugouts in August 2017 and 2019, as well as 20 dugouts in 2018 to note the algal growth, (in particular blue-green algae), nitrates, total dissolved solids, and sulfates. While algal growth was very high in dugouts and blue-green algae were present in over half of the sties, blue-green algae toxin production was generally acceptable across the province. Sulfates were noted as a concern as it was frequently above recommended limits for cattle exposure in 20-30% of the sites. While many would guess that water quality was worse in dry years, others might be surprised that water quality measurements did not differ based on geographical regions - problems were consistent throughout the province. Further research is ongoing to determine how dugout location, relative to soil type or groundwater input might impact sulfate concentrations in water.

2017-140: Western Canadian Cow-Calf Survey II: Understanding Practices and Profitability Researcher: Kathy Larson Funded: $5,750 Benchmarking, or comparing your farm to another similar farm, has been shown to improve performance. A survey to gather common practices hopes to inform not only extension staff so that they can direct their efforts, but also help the SCA direct their funding and your levy appropriately. Results: This survey is an update of the 2014 Western Canada Cow-Calf Productivity Survey. Some 261 cow-calf producers were asked 58 questions about their cattle operations and management and marketing practices. The survey applied to their 2017 calf crop, starting with breeding in the summer of 2016 and ending with weaning. A total of 261 surveys were completed – representing 34,479 breeding females — that’s about 1% of the beef herd in Western Canada as reported by Statistic Canada in January 2018. While this survey was open to all cow-calf producers across Western Canada, the majority of respondents were from Alberta (41%) followed by Saskatchewan (28%), Manitoba (25%) and British Columbia (7%). The results of this survey have been available to be compared to other similar surveys in different parts of Canada. It has been used to establish industry benchmarks for production indicators and management practices, to establish industry trends, and to guide research and extension efforts moving forward. See full research results. View more info.

2017-048: Implications of Carbon Pricing for Canada’s Beef Sector: Quantitative Analysis and Assessment of Revenue Recycling Policies Researcher: Brandon Schaufele Funded: $8,000 The aim of this project is to understand the impacts of a carbon tax on the cattle industry and the tools that could be used to reduce the impact on the industry. This includes implications from the Federal Carbon Tax policy in terms of beef farm profitability and competitiveness, interprovincial trade disruptions, and international trade implications. Results: While economists have often noted that the carbon tax will encourage businesses to lower their greenhouse gas emissions, they often assume that businesses compete only with other Canadian companies which are taxed in the same manner. Dr. Schaufele notes in this research that carbon pricing in Canada ignores our globally integrated industry. Therefore, when selling beef on the international market, our costs are larger than our competitors in other countries which do not have carbon taxes. As a result, this decreases the amount of beef producers in Canada who are able to compete. View Beef Business article.

2017-004: Enhancing the Efficiency of Computer Vision Carcass Data Capture and Reporting for Feedlots and Packing Plants Researcher: Mark Klassen Funded: $10,000 At the moment, carcasses at the top and bottom of Canada’s yield class 1 differ by more than 50 pounds of lean mean. Researcher Mark Klassen will develop procedure for plan computer vision system grading with support from a web based Carcass Information System (CIS). CIS will be used at a pilot evaluation at Harmony Beef, which will pay on a lean yield % basis, as opposed to yield classes. In addition, CIS can be further developed to provide analytical reporting to feedlots and processors, so that they can adjust their beef production and procurement practices. This research has the potential to reduce the number of graders necessary, and therefore reduce grading costs Results: Waiting for research results.

2016-189: The Economics of Forage-Based Backgrounding Programs in Conventional and Non-Conventional Beef Production Systems Researcher: John McKinnon Funded: $55,200 Changes in consumer demands as well as labour availability on beef farms have led to producers pondering alternate farming practices. However, these changes are often filled with risk which could cause more strain on the farm. In order to provide a clearer outlook, steers in this trial will be separated into three different feeding trials, and further separated into conventionally treated cattle and “naturally” treated cattle without antibiotics, hormones, or Ionophores. Dr. John McKinnon and his team will compare direct finishing, short backgrounding, and long-background (which rely more heavily on hay and pasture diets) and each groups’ status as “natural” or “conventional” to its death loss, cost of feed, equipment, health treatments, and labour, as well as the revenue from each of the six production systems. The researchers hope to provide beef producers with more information to choose from alternative production and feeding systems. Results: Waiting for research results.

2016-109: Factors Affecting the adoption and exploitation of data management systems in the Canadian beef industry Researcher: Eric Michaels Funded: $10,000 The purpose of this project is to better understand the reasons behind the adoption of herd data management tools as well as the factors that influence greater utilization and effectiveness of these tools on certain farms and ranches. In order to note adoption of innovations and its uses, the researchers have proposed to examine factors that separate tech adopters from non-adopters, and then those factors that allow producers to fully exploit the data they have available. Results: Waiting for research results.

2013-321: Policy Development Carbon Sequestration Researcher: Ken Belcher and Shawn Ingram Funded: $41,630 Number of years: 2 Objectives: 1) Note voluntary conservation programs and their effectiveness/willinngess for producers to opt-in. 2) compare cost share programs, extension programs, or conservation easements. Results: In this study, 30 ranchers were interviewed. Most understood public and private benefits, and wanted to increase services on their land - 93% of producers noted that they would consider changes to their management practices if it would increase ecosystem services. The producers then ranked water quality as important, followed by wildlife and habitat, then much fewer with carbon sequestration. There were several areas which could make producers more likely to participate, and several others that would make them less likely to participate. To increase producer participation in conservation opportunities, cost share programs were most attractive, with 38.3% to 61.8% covered. Extension programs were also valuable, because they give more infomation about changing management practices. However, easements were last option (4%). The producers also suggested methods that would make them interested in participating, including a market-based carbon credit-trading program, tax relief for providing ecosystem services, “results-based” programs that trigger incentives for providing measurable ecosystem services, and an expansion or continuation of previously offered cost-share programs. The interviews indicated that private costs of conservation was primary barrier to increased conservation efforts, in the form of higher management costs or lost production. While there was interest in these programs, long term programs were less likely to hold interest compared to shorter contracts, which would likely lead to more participation. Increasing levels of administration or paperwork would also likely dissuade producers from participating in programs.

2012-027: Multiplier Effect in the Canadian Beef Industry Researcher: Suren Kulshreshtha Funded: $10,000 Number of years: 1 Economic systems are getting increasingly complex over time. Decisions taken by one individual or firm affect many other individuals or agencies than what is obvious through casual observation. The Canadian cattle sector operates under such a complex economic system. Here, actions taken by producers and other economic agents impact other members of society. This project studied the interactions and impacts of the Canadian cattle sector regionally and nationally. 1) Western Canada cattle production represents $24 billion in sales and contributors $8.8 billion in regional GDP in 2011. It also employs 127,000 workers. Results: Live cattle production farms contribute to the economy not only through direct impacts on the national / regional economy, but they also generate additional impacts through secondary mechanisms – indirect and induced. For Canada as a whole, the cattle sector contributes $13.2 billion to the national gross domestic product, and is directly or indirectly associated with creation of 228,811 fulltime equivalent jobs. If production in the beef cattle sector increases by $1, output of all goods and services in the economy increase by $4.2. For every job created in the industry, another 3.56 jobs are created elsewhere. Finally, for every $1 of income received by producers, another $2.08 is created elsewhere. View more info.

a) Provide research that leads to farm-level application of genomic approaches that allow producers to pursue and measure progress towards multiple simultaneous (and possibly competing) phenotypes. b) Investigate and supply tools to enable breeders to move faster towards breeding goals. c) Improve upon markers available to note fleshing ability. d) Identify genes with functional roles in microbiological and physiological processes that affect feed intake and efficiency in feedlot and cow-calf production.

2023-080: Genomic association analysis of forage efficiency in beef cows Researcher: Mika Asai-Coakwell Funding: $26,000 While feed efficiency has been studied, very few genes have been identified and confirmed to influence this trait in cattle, especially as it is costly and difficult to measure accurately. The most common measures are the feed conversion ration, and residual feed efficiency (RFI). However, RFI does not accurately define efficiency in mature cows. Preliminary research has found some associations with several chromosomes, though work is needed on a larger number of animals with breed diversity. This research will use DNA from calves in a variety of herds, from producers with detailed calving records. They will identify genomic regions associated with forage efficiency, genetically screen the cow population for this forage efficiency. Results: Waiting for research results.

2021-098: Genomic variations associated with gestation length in beef cattle Researcher: Mika Asai-Coakwell Funded: $50,500 Increased gestation lengths are correlated with calving difficulty, and can increase post-partum interval for cows. The selection for shorter gestation length has similar benefits as smaller birth weight, without an association to low growth rates and weaning weights. A shorter gestation also ensures that cows have a longer period to recover. Researchers have already narrowed the search for potentially associated genes with shorter gestations, which span across Angus, Charolais, Limousin, and Holstein-Friesen breeds.This work, from Dr. Mika Asai-Coakwell at the University of Saskatchewan will track sires with long and short gestation lengths, identifying their genomic differences. Her team will then test the predictive value of the genomic data assumed to be responsible for this trait. Results: Waiting for research results.

2021-090: Bovine Reproductive Syndromic Sequencing Panel Researcher: Yanyun Huang Funded: $48,000 When a large number of cows abort, or when there is an usually high number of open cows, producers and veterinarians often search for answers, including a search for potential pathogens which could have caused this wreck. There are 12 pathogens linked with reproductive failure, which requires lab testing. Vets often choose the most likely tests, but when those fail, additional testing is necessary. Those tests also often fail. Only 64% of cases related to abortions had a final diagnosis. Repeating tests for additional pathogens takes time, and samples might have already deteriorated. As herds continue to amalgamate, it will increase this risk of pathogen transmission. Dr. Yanyun Huang from the Prairie Diagnostic Services will design a bovine reproductive sequencing panel, (BovReproSeq) with a list of selected pathogens, to reduce diagnostic time and to serve as a one-for-all test for bovine reproductive failure. After comparing this panel with the already available diagnostics, Dr. Yanyun and his team will note the costs of the different procedures. Results: Waiting for research results.

2020-104: Investigating the Role of GDF11 in muscle and fat deposition in Beef Cattle Researcher: Mika Asai-Coakwell Funded: $18,500 Both consumer preferences and producer efficiency are important to cattle production. Consumers are interested in beef that is tender - a trait that has been noted for years, but has not significantly improved in numerous quality surveys. The number of genes that note growth, carcass yield and meat tenderness are few, and have not been the focus of many projects. While over 60% of beef cattle graded AAA or Prime, there has been a decline in yield grade. Dr. Mika Asai-Coakwell has indicated that one beef gene variant, GDF11, could impact marbling, backfat, and yield score while also allowing beef cows to thrive under extensive production settings with better pregnancy rates, milk composition, and weaning weights. This research team, which includes Ms. Kathy Larson and Dr. Greg Penner, will compare the DNA of cross-bred beef cows to their body weight, age, calf birth weight, and other growth data that are economic importance. They will also evaluate feedlot calves with a variety of GDF11 variants being fed to finish with GrowSafe Bunks. Differences between purebred and crossbred cattle will be noted, as weill meat quality differences associated with these genotypes Results: Waiting for research results.

2017-149: The forage efficient beef cow: Investigating into the underlying physiology Researcher: Greg Penner Funded: $45,000 Cows will vary in their body condition score, even if they are provided identical diets. This study will assess cows body condition on low-input winter diets to determine their ability to utilize the feed. This work differs from Residual Feed Intake work, as the cattle in those studies were still growing. This research considers cattle that are maintaining their health with lower-quality forages which might utilize these feeds more effectively from animal to animal. To facilitate this study, 130 pregnant heifers will be fed, and following that the cows with the highest and lowest body condition scores will be examined to determine their differences. Results: Waiting for research results.

2017-095: Evaluating long term benefits of genomic selection programs in beef cattle breeding programs Researcher: Bart Lardner Funded: $24,000 This project has been developed from a project that showed that not all bulls pull their weight in a herd. This study furthers that research, to evaluate whether bulls persistently fail to perform, and whether breeding performance can be determined based on genetics. Results: Waiting for research results.

a) Develop and promote cost-effective vaccination and management strategies that can be widely adopted throughout the beef production system to improve health, reproductive and performance outcomes. b) Re-invest in vaccine research, including Histophilus somni and the rest of the Bovine Respiratory Disease Complex. c) Assess the value of re-investing in vaccine development, with a specific focus on pathogens such as, Mycoplasma spp, liver abscesses, foot rot, and digital dermatitis. d) Investigate and develop simple, cost-effective alternative vaccine delivery methods to improve vaccination rates. e) Develop rapid, accurate, cost-effective diagnostic tools to detect disease before symptoms become apparent. f) Develop cost-effective non-antimicrobial products to prevent, treat and control disease. g) Identify or develop management or treatment options that lead to improved control of internal and external parasites. h) Develop treatment and management plans for black flies and their effects on the cattle herd, especially in northern grazing areas. i) Create a plan to reduce the death loss rate in feedlots. j) Evaluate the spread of Bovine Tuberculosis as a result of wildlife herds in Saskatchewan.

2024-083: Characterization of behaviour and physiology traits related to chronicity and recovery of feedlot cattle with induced BRD Researcher: Diego Moya Funding: $9,750 Despite a great deal of effort, Bovine Respiratory Disease is still the most common and costly disease in the North American beef cattle industry. There is no gold standard to diagnose it, but early treatment is vital. Early treatment in a preliminary study reduced the impact on the lungs and immune system. This builds on research with a smaller cohort of animals (only 20). Also, on research that investigates the health of calves that haven't yet been diagnosed or treated. Previous work was able to successfully predict the health of 79.2% of animals up to 3 days before overt physical signs. This research endeavours to find it up to 7 days before observable clinical signs. Results: Waiting for research results.

2024-079: Field screening test to differentiate risks of Anthrax and expedite diagnostic investigation of sudden deaths in livestock Researcher: Yanyun Huang Funding: $31,000 There are no reliable tests for Anthrax. However, due to regulations, vets cannot rule out anthrax and need lab work to be complete before completing a post mortem on a body. However, due to a 24-48 hour delay in lab results, there are often only scavenged remains. This is particularly dangerous in a disease outbreak. The only field test available is limited, and it is not sensitive. Therefore, a better field test that both performs better and is cost effective will be developed. Results: Waiting for research results.

2024-078: Impact of micronutrient supplementation on response to vaccination in feeder calves Researcher: Cheryl Waldner Funding: $29,000 A recent C3SN survey of cattle across Canada has questioned the among of selenium and copper in cattle diets. While some previous studies have shown positive health measures including higher average daily gain and lower Bovine Respiratory Disease morbidity rates, but other have shown no effect, mineral status at cattle at arrival in feedlots has not been assessed. These minerals could lead to greater health outcomes in weaned calves, but also in mature cows and neonatal calves. As there are feedlots attempting to move away from additional antibiotics but maintain healthy calves, this information can help them make strategic choices. The researchers will compare different supplement strategies and changes in micronutrient status in calves early in the feeding period, when the disease prevalence is highest. Results: Waiting for research results.

2023-075: Development of a Bacterial Community to Enhance Respiratory Health of Cattle Researcher: Trevor Alexander Funding: $34,000 Overcoming Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD) is a key priority for cattle producers not only in Saskatchewan, but throughout North America. As no new antibiotics are viable for our industry, other strategies have been suggested, including this project to focus on a cocktail of bacteria that could work as probiotics in the respiratory system. This project will carry out a closer examination of the bacteria in the respiratory tract, then transplant the most promising bacteria cocktails into cattle arriving into a feedlot. They will study the reactions and continue to test and verify this cocktail on calves challenged with BRD. Results: Waiting for research results.

2023-008: Analysis of antibody concentration in beef calves born to dams administered inactivated or modified-live viral vaccines. Researcher: Philip Griebel Funding: $9,500 Vaccine protocols are an essential method to ensure your herd is healthy and productive. Part of that protocol involves vaccinating your cows, though the transfer of maternal antibodies to calves, and how they could interact with the effectiveness of BVDV and BHV-1 vaccines for calves. Dr. Phillip Griebel and his team of researchers will collect blood samples from pregnant cows at preg testing in the fall. These cows will have used either the modified live vaccine protocol in the previous 3 years, or a killed virus vaccine protocol. They will then collect blood samples of their calves at spring turnout, and analyze it for any neutralizing antibodies. They will then notes whether there are any increased risks of early or late term abortion with each vaccine regime. Results: Waiting for research results.

2023-006: Characterization of behavior and physiology traits related to chronicity and recovery of beef cattle with respiratory disease Researcher: Diego Moya Funding: $43,200 Despite a great deal of effort, Bovine Respiratory Disease is still the most common and costly disease in the North American beef cattle industry. Recognizing the disease early in its infection can allow for custom antibiotic treatments, which in turn reduces costs for producers. Dr. Diego Moya from the University of Saskatchewan will use computer-assisted electronic stethoscopes, accelerometers or automatic behavior monitoring systems to monitor, recognize, and manage 200 calves. Results: Waiting for research results.

2021-095: Investigation of AMR transmission via horizontal gene transfer in Mycoplasma bovis Researcher: Murray Jelinski Funding: $18,000 Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD) is the most significant feedlot cattle disease, responsible for approximately 60-70% of cattle morbidities in Canada. Mycoplasma bovis, or M. bovis, is a major component of this disease complex, though there is no effective vaccine for it. An even greater concern is that the antimicrobials used to treat M. bovis have become more susceptible to resistance. Dr. Murray Jelinski and his team at the University of Saskatchewan's Western College of Veterinary Medicine will research how this antimicrobial resistance occurs by understanding how these traits jump from cell to cell, including how biofilms, which can be up to 5000 times more tolerant to antimicrobials than other bacteria, can assist in this transfer. Results: Waiting for research results.

2021-088: Clinical investigation of treatment options for joint infections in western Canadian feedlot Researcher: Murray Jelinski Funding: $23,350 Lameness is a major cause of feedlot morbidity, of which 16.1% is attributable to septic arthritis. This disease has a higher fatality rate than other types of lameness. However, its treatment is frustrating, unrewarding, and costly. Currently, there are no antimicrobials with a label claim for septic arthritis. This project will use Shotgun metagenomics to characterize the relative abundance and diversity of the bacterial communities within the joint. This will help better understand the bacteria present in septic arthritis joints and the complexity of the microbiota in infected joints to potentially lead to better management strategies, such as a short-acting and more affordable NSAIDs. Murray Jelinski's research team will work with three commercial feedlots in Western Canada to study 225 head of cattle diagnosed with septic arthritis, as well as their outcomes after being treated with three types of antimicrobials. Additional samples will be taken to closely examine the microbiome of the infected joints. Results: Waiting for research results.

2020-111: Enhancing diagnostic methods for rapid and accurate detection of macrolide resistance in Mannheimia haemolytica Researcher: Janelt Hill Funding: $20,000 Antimicrobial resistance is already an issue for beef cattle, and there is evidence of new mechanisms in the Mannheimia bacteria indicating creating additional new resistance. As Mannheimia haemolytica is resistant to the most commonly used antibitoics within the Bovine Respiratory Disease Complex, more analysis to curtail this problem is essential. Dr. Janet Hill and her team will sample 800 calves on arrival into the LFCE feedlot for two years, so that they can sequence the bacteria shown to have resistance. While the application of this research is long-term, understanding antimicrobial resistance in a large scale will generate a much more comprehensive understanding of this problem Results: Waiting for research results.

2020-109: Using watering bowls to monitor the respiratory bacterial resistome in cattle by location and time within the feedlot Researcher: Murray Jelinski Funding: $22,500 Antimicrobial resistance is an increasingly alarming risk. Treatments for sick cattle, without knowing for certain what is causing their illness, increases resistance on farms, which then necessitates a search for other more useful drugs. It could also lead to greater beef mortality. Results: Waiting for research results.

2020-107: Towards 1-step testing – rapid identification of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) viruses to inform vaccine use & development Researcher: Cheryl Waldner Funding: $25,000 Bovine respiratory disease is a complex that mostly affects incoming feedlot calves. While a great deal of research has focused on the bacterial contributions, viral contributions are equally important. Automate sequencing and bioinformatics will be used for viral BRD to reduce time and costs. The research team will also note potential of sequencing infections on arrival at feedlots, then evaluate the effectiveness of cow/calf vaccines arriving at feedlot. This in turn will help them determine the need for vaccine/protocol updates. Ultimately, this research team, lead by Cheryl Waldner, hopes to provide 1-step rapid identification of known and emerging BRD viruses, in order to quickly and effectively treat this disease complex. Treating animals for the right infection at the right time ultimately will help reduce costs, and improve animal welfare. Results: Waiting for research results.

2019-114: A screen for drugs that reveal Mycoplasma bovis to the bovine immune system Researcher: Antonio Ruzzini Funding: $24,200 A successful treatment for Mycoplasma Bovis has evaded us for some time. This novel research, led by Dr. Tony Ruzzini, will study proteins released from the bacterial membrane of this disease, and use available drugs to determine if they can disrupt them, essentially removing the "cloak" that makes its treatment so difficult. Results: Waiting for research results.

2019-006: Genomic epidemiology and rapid detection of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis infections (Johne’s disease) in Saskatchewan cattle Researcher: Andrew Cameron Funding: $50,000 Johne’s disease reduces the ability for an animal’s intestines to absorb nutrients, causing weight loss, diarrhea, and eventually death. There are no vaccines available or effective drugs to treat animals with this Johne’s, though there are international trade risks associated with this disease. The current tests available for Johne's disease provide false positives, and are not able to detect it until the onset of the disease's symptoms. Detecting the specific pathogen is also a challenge. This study will find the DNA of various Johne's disease strains, and then develop a rapid, accurate, and cost effective diagnostic tool. Results: Waiting for research results.

2018-138: Managing calves before arrival at the feedlot to reduce infectious disease, antimicrobial use & resistance: What is it worth & An Interactive Tool to Inform Johne’s Disease Control in Beef Herds: What Test, When and How Often Researcher: Cheryl Waldner Funding: $4,888 Dynamic computer models can assess a number of different management practices, and have been used to determine best practices to achieve water quality, medical practices, and oil and gas refineries. The purchase of the dynamic modelling computer allows researchers to assess different management practices on cow-calf farms, and their impacts on treatment rates for disease, antibiotic use, resistance, and costs of production for the feedlots. It will also be used to further investigate best practices surrounding Johne’s disease. Results: Johne's disease is increasing as the beef industry consolidates. The disease reduces weaning After a farm tests positive for Johne's once, it is more likely to test positive again as it is difficult to eradicate. In this project, Dr. Cheryl Waldner and her team created a calculator to compare potential benefits of different testing options for Johne's Disease in cow-calf herds, which can be found here. The calculator was developed using a simulation model based on 3,171 blood and fecal samples from 159 Canadian cow-calf herds. These samples were subjected to different types of tests, which can result in conflicting results with some false negative results. This team found that a serum ELISA test can be effective for herd screening, while PCR tests were more appropriate for individual animal testing. As PCR testing is expensive, pooling the samples for could be more applicable for a cow-calf operation. The calculator helps producers and veterinarians compare the relative costs and benefits of different disease management options, under a range of different herd management scenarios, so that they can navigate a very complex problem over a ten-year time horizon. For Johne's disease testing calculators, please review the following: BCRC Alberta Beef Producers Canadian Cattlemen's Magazine Real Agriculture

2018-137: Treatment guidance for Bovine respiratory disease: Optimizing prudent and economical antimicrobial decision making. Researcher: John Campbell Funding: $23,000 Medicating cattle with effective antibiotics helps reduce treatment times and costs. However, producers do not often know precisely what pathogens are affecting cattle. This research will investigate if calves can be swabbed on arrival at feedlots, and the chances that they will later be ill from the same pathogens detected. It will also determine if the most common bacteria detected would affect the whole herd, and if a small sample could predict the illnesses for the entire pen. Results: Waiting for research results.

2018-136: Use of bacteriophage-derived lysins in combatting multi-drug resistant (MDR) pathogens that cause bovine respiratory disease (BRD) Researcher: Dongyan Niu Funding: $45,774 1) Engineer a part of the bacteriophage (bacteria-killing viruses) to specifically a􀄴ack the most drug-resistant pathogens. 2)Antimicrobial resistance is increasing, and it is difficult to treat some bacteria common in bovine respiratory disease. 2) There has been success in mice and humans. Results: Waiting for research results.

2018-135: Comparison of immune response & respiratory disease sparing effect of homologous & heterologous vaccine programs in neonatal calves Researcher: Nathan Erickson Funding: $17,250 Respiratory disease control research is a major priority for the SCA Board and Research Committee. This project will investigate the best vaccination protocol, based on the vaccines that are already commercially available. It will also note if different forms of vaccines (intranasal priming vaccines with injectable booster vaccines) would be more effective than either intranasal or injectable vaccine protocols alone. Results: Waiting for research results.

2017-147: Mycoplasma bovis antimicrobial resistance determination by MALDI-TOF MS: feasibility and practical application pilot study. Researcher: Murray Jelinksi Funding: $18,170 Veterinarians conduct tests to determine if the samples of bacteria will be affected by antibiotics. There are several tests already available, but faster tests to make this information more available will help provide answers more efficiently for beef producers, especially with M. Bovis bacteria which often mutate quickly. This study will determine the effectiveness of 3 different tests for antimicrobial resistance, one of which is the MALDI-TOF test. The researchers hope to provide a larger, more practical system available to more vets and their clients. Results: Waiting for research results.

2017-146: Enhanced Vaccine Adjuvant Platform for Nasal Administration in Livestock Researcher: Ellen Wasan Funding: $50,000 Currently, nasal vaccines are not effective for newborn calves, as the maternal antibodies normally counteract its effectiveness. This adjuvant (or a substance that enhances a body's immune system to an antigen) would make these vaccines suitable for maternal immunization, and highly effective in newborn calves. Trials will start in the lab, and then move on to mice, pigs, and then cattle for this. Results: Waiting for research results.

2017-145: Alternative Trace Mineral Supplementation Strategies for Improved Cow Performance Researcher: Bart Lardner Funding: $30,000 Trace mineral intake can vary when they are available as free-choice to a herd. These minerals can be vitally important in order to prevent a wreck. To determine the value of injectable versions of trace minerals, 200 cows at the new Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence and 200 cows in Guelph, Ontario will be provided various sources of trace minerals, and measured for their reproductive response. Results: Waiting for research results.

2017-094: Development of a novel vaccine for protection against Mycoplasma bovis infections in feedlot cattle Researcher: Jose Perez-Casal Funding: $149,788 Mycoplasma bovis is a pathogen causing respiratory disease and arthritis, among other problems. It is increasingly recognized as having an important impact on the health, welfare, and productivity of dairy and beef cattle. M. bovis diseases can be difficult to diagnose and control because of inconsistent disease expression and response to treatments and vaccines. Dr. Perez-Casal will test novel vaccine candidates against an M. Bovis challenge. This approach has already been successful in Sub-Sahara Africa against Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia. Results: This project resulted in the identification of novel antigens that could be used in the development of a vaccine to control M. bovis disease in feedlots. However, this vaccine wasn't administered orally, and had less opportunity to affect the lungs - a key obstacle that could significantly improve the immune response. The scientists at VIDO (Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization) in Saskatoon, SK are now working on oral and intranasal routes for immunizations. However, the vaccines need to be formulated to reach the deepest sections of the lungs, which could include encapsulations and biodegradable polymers.

2016-186: Effect of Ergot on Beef Bull Fertility Researcher: Jaswant Singh Funding: $28,980 The effect of ergot on cattle has been studied in the past. Beef nutritionists feel comfortable providing their cattle with a low level of ergot in feed, while higher levels of ergot can lead to large wrecks. However, Dr. Singh and his team are investigating whether even these low levels of ergot can lead to poor fertility for bulls in the year that they eat ergot and beyond. They hope to provide better recommendations to bovine nutritionists with this information, which could lead to higher fertility rates in years after ergot contaminated crops. Results: A series of studies were conducted to characterize the low-level exposure of ergot on bull reproductive health and semen characteristics. The three studies involved an exposure of adult bulls to low levels of ergot. The results of these studies indicate that adult bulls can tolerate up to 2.2 mg ergot alkaloids / kg of Dry Matter Intake for 8-week period in the spring season without having health effects or any major deleterious effects on bull semen evaluation. It needs to be emphasized that feed supply to cows was highly controlled and these conclusions cannot yet be extended to the severe winter conditions in Saskatchewan without further testing. Further, Canadian standards need to be re-considered and revised in the light of this study.

2016-084: A field comparison of intranasal versus injectable BRD vaccination on beef calf titres, ADG, morbidity and mortality Researcher: Nathan Erickson Funding: $15,000 Beef producers have several vaccination choices when ensuring the health of their animals. However, concerns about efficacy have been raised, which is further complicated by various protocols recommended for each type of vaccine. Given new information available on the Bovine Viral Disease, these researchers wanted to compare live modified, nasal injectable protocols to traditional injectable vaccines and their protocols. Results: This study shows that vaccination with injectable/parental Bovine Viral Diarrhea vaccines in the face of high maternal antibodies does not result in a priming immune response and therefore, mucosal vaccination options should be pursued in the future. Mucosal vaccination of neonatal calves with BVD antigens will bypass the interference that maternal antibodies and will be more likely to prime calf immunity to BVD. There was no notable difference in weight gain for cow-calf producers, but it was assumed that there would more likely to be a difference in weight for the feedlot. At this time intranasal vaccines have a greater cost, though these costs might be worth it for a producer.

2011-088: Developing indices for early selection of profitable beef cow herds Researcher: Bart Lardner Funding: $45,000 Residual Feed Intake (RFI), which is the difference between actual feed intake and the expected feed requirements, has been proposed as an accurate measure of feed utilization as it accounts for differences in body size and growth rate. This project will explore factors which influence RFI so that it can be used as a tool to select breeding stock. Results: This project sought to find an easier way to determine whether a beef animal had lower residual feed intake. That is, could temperature be a predictor of lower feed intake but similar or higher weight gain than other animals? The researchers in this project used eye and cheek temperatures on sixty bulls for 14-16 days in the two years of the study. Average temperatures did not differ much across the low, medium, and high residual feed intake categories these bulls were placed in. However, the ambient temperature and the health of the animals could have affected these results. Results from similar projects, such as a 2015 project evaluating Bos Indicus cattle, noted a correlation between internal temperature and RFI.

a) Identify cost-effective agronomic strategies to increase feed grain energy yield per acre. b) Develop new feed grain varieties with improved feed grain energy yield per acre, nitrogen and water use efficiency. c) Identify, evaluate and calculate the cost-effectiveness of alternative / by-product energy feeds, considering impacts on animal performance, health, product quality, and nutrient management. d) Identify long-term efficient and cost-effective solutions to treat water not otherwise suitable for cattle to drink. e) Determine benefits of the forage by-products from newer, economically feasible crops in Saskatchewan. f) Develop cost-effective nutritional and other management strategies to effectively reduce the need for antimicrobials to control liver abscesses and other diseases. g) Develop a better understanding of the respiratory and gut microbiomes, their establishment and development in the neonate, and their relation to immunity and disease. h) Develop cost-effective non-antimicrobial feed products to prevent, treat and control disease.

2023-087: Early detection of toxic algae in agricultural dugouts Researcher: Andrew Cameron Funding: $50,000 Testing for microcystin, the toxin released by blue-green algae, can be expensive, and is a poor predictor of potential risk. While blue-green algae and its toxins can kill livestock, current costs are $40/test in a lab. Therefore, the suspicion of algal blooms often result in cattle moving from their water source. New technology could be developed that would lower this cost to $10/test, and can be used on farms. Some of the current work in Canada has be used on lakes, though conditions in farm dugouts are different, and calibration is needed. Dr. Cameron and his lab will develop an early warning system for microcystin in dugouts, and enable rapid testing in the field. Results: Waiting for research results.

2023-085: Sensitive detection, source tracking, and typing of viruses, bacteria, and antibiotic resistance through progression of BRD Researcher: Andrew Cameron Funding: $36,000 Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD) is a major cause of mortality in beef cattle, but it also causes a great deal of lameness, such as septic arthritis. While the leading BRD-related cause of septic arthritis are the Mycoplasma Bovis and Histophilus somni bacteria, the confirmation methods are weak, as tests don't show the bacteria strain type, and overlooks other bacteria and viruses present. Initial deep sequencing of bacteria and viruses present in cattle showed a large diversity in bacterial sequence types - even in healthy tissue. This work, therefore, would identify the causes of septic infections in feedlot cattle, inform the treatment, note antimicrobial resistance, and find the source of bacterial spread in the feedlot. Results: Waiting for research results.

2023-083: Identification of a novel, highly sensitive and specific biomarker for early and accurate pregnancy detection in cattle. Researcher: Karen Schwartzkopf-Genswein Funding: $36,000 While there are already ultrasounds and palpitation for pregnancy checking, as well as blood tests, these options take time, training, and result in prolonged cattle handling. The blood tests also have high false positive rates in addition to lab delays. As there is a great amount of variability, there is a space in the market for accurate chute-side tests. This project will identify metabolomic markers to detect early pregnancy, by gathering blood samples over 220 days from open and pregnant heifers. This will be the start of a longer project to better develop a chute-side pregnancy test. Results: Waiting for research results.

2023-079: Development of an efficacious Histophilus somni subunit vaccine for beef cattle Researcher: Jose Perez-Casal Funding: $37,000 Histophilus, part of the Bovine Respiratory Disease Complex, is responsible for 20-40% of all mortalities in fall and winter placed calves, creating losses exceeding $22M. This disease is hard to diagnose, and cattle are often found dead in their home pen without any previous clinical signs. Preventative treatment, developed in the early 70's are not effective. The new commercial vaccines have not been effective in controlled field trials n North America. In fact, they might exacerbate the disease. Even the prophylactic feed chlortetracycline no longer seems effective. This research would characterize various strains of Histophilus isolated from healthy cattle and fatal cases in AB, SK, and ON. The researchers will then perform genomic sequencing to assess differences in virulence etc. After purifying the antigens and refining an intravenous challenge model to find an optimum challenge dose, the antigens will be tested with 2 vaccine adjuvants on young beef steers. This will be followed by a proof-of-concept study. Results: Waiting for research results.

2023-078: Addressing high sulfate water for cattle and sheep Researcher: Gregory Penner Funding: $104,000 Saskatchewan has a lot of unsuitable water. Only 48.2% of water tested in the province are deemed fit for livestock given the current recommendations. However, there are a number of areas that could use the water if they had strategies to deal manage it. Further considerations are needed on water quality with feed-related and plant sulfur factors as well as water temperature and total dissolved solids. It is also suspected that significant portion of water might bypass the rumen, and therefore sulfates and sulfur from plants could be the primary risk for polio. This study will therefore study high sulfur and polio in eight heifers with high and low levels of sulfate. Water temperature, pH, feed intake and water intake will also be noted. Plant uptake of sulfur and selenium will also be studied. Heifers and (more cost-effective) lambs will also be studied to note the effect of various doses of copper on high-sulfate water. Results: Waiting for research results.

2023-009: Identification of Bacterial Enzymes Associated Beef Production Efficiency and Carcass Quality Researcher: Antonio Ruzzini Funding: $27,000 Research in the past decade has highlighted bacterial modification of bile acids in an animals' body, and how it affects the composition of its gastrointestinal microbiome and/or stimulating its immune system. As there are more methods to report on animal health, production efficiency and carcass quality using non-invasive methods, bile acid status is most often reported on. It could also be a potential biomarker. This study, which has previous success on bison, will note how bacteria modifies steroid products to determine how bacteria associated with beef feedlot cattle can modify acids. Those that correlate with average daily weight gain will be of particular interest. Results: Waiting for research results.

2023-003: Role of Serotonin in Acute Interstitial Pneumonia in Feedlot Cattle Researcher: Emily Snyder Funding: $19,400 Acute Interstitial Pneumonia causes 5.3% of mortalities in the feedlot, usually at the end of the feeding period - when a great deal of resources and costs have been spent. Despite a great deal of research in this area, conclusive answers have been elusive. Therefore, this researcher, Emily Synder, is reviewing methods used in human health to help better understand this disease and how it can be diagnosed. Normal serotonin levels, which is associated with gut health in humans, will be measured in finishing calves. They will then be compared to calves that are diagnosed with pneumonia. Further research can then study why this difference might occur, which could result in treatments to improve gut health. Results: Waiting on research results.

2021-093: Exploring the potential of including chicory in pasture for beef cattle Researcher: Aklilu Alemu Funded: $78,700 Chicory is a perennial, drought-tolerant (deep-rooting), herbaceous, high-yielding, multi-purpose crop found in natural grasslands of Europe, Australia, and North America. Winter-hardiness has been noted in parts of the US and Atlantic Canada, though little information collected in this part of North America and Canada for livestock industry. Considering that chicory also has been noted for its own NDF and high crude protein, good weight gain, nitrogen efficiency use, milk production, low methane and low parasite load compared to conventional grass-legume pasture, the SCA Board thought it was worth further investigating this forage. Dr. Aklilu Alemu from the Agriculture and Agri-Foods Research Station in Swift Current will note the yield and nutritional quality of forage chicory as fresh biomass and as hay at AAFC Swift Current and LFCE over the course of 3 years. He and his team will also study the grazing behavior of livestock on pasture, and their associated performance and nutrient use, as well as their parasite load and methane emissions. Plant survival is also quite important, so it will be assessed over four years, as well as chicory's association with soil health. An economic analysis will also be included, coupling forage establishment costs with animal performance and yield data over time. Results: Waiting for research results.

2020-113: Evaluation of animal variability in fibre digestion and strategies to improve forage use in beef cattle Researcher: Gabriel Rib Funding: $30,000 Increasing fiber digestibility can help reduce costs and increase beef sustainability. Even in feedlots, forages still account for 80% of the total feed. Earlier research projects have shown that cattle which had the highest ability to digest fibre also ate more, which could then in turn increase their average daily gain. This research project, led by the Beef Industry Research Chair Dr. Gabriel Riberio, will compare the growth performance of weaned cales with a higher ability to digest fibre. Calves with the highest and lowest fibre digestibility will be compared by evaluating their rumens. They will attempt to find biological markers, before confirming their hypothesis with a larger study. Results: Waiting for research results.

2020-106: Sulfate removal from agricultural ponds for improved cattle health: evaluating regional and local controls Researcher: Kerri Finlay Funding: $30,000 Previous research projects studying dugouts in Saskatchewan found that 1/ 4 had poor quality, while another 10% were unsuitable for livestock. This result could be show increasingly poor quality due to drought conditions. Past work, however, also noted that recharge ponds have lower sulfate levels, and respond differently to climate changes. Dr. Kerri Finlay and her research team will investigate how sulfates enter agriculture ponds and dugouts. This includes understanding how riparian and floating plants can mitigate or bioremediate water contaminants, as well as whether they can be planted for this purpose. Dugout dredging will also be evaluated. Finally, the team will conduct an economic evaluation to provide comprehensive recommendations for Saskatchewan producers. Results: Waiting for research results.

2019-126: Level of canola source fat in pregnant beef cow diets effects on cow and calf performance Researcher: Bart Lardner Funding: $50,000 Previous research has shown that canola fat was highly beneficial when in the beef cattle ration. This research will note the effects of canola fat on beef cows through the gestation period, and the effects on their calves throughout their lives, including slaughter. Results: Waiting for research results.

2019-121: Strategies to address mineral nutrition in the face of poor water quality Researcher: Gregory Penner Funding: $40,000 Sulfate toxicity is one of the most common forms of water toxicity in Western Canada. Ideally, sulfate levels should be kept below 1,000 parts per million, though recent research from the Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence have noted that the affects of sulfates in water are not clearly understood. In order to manage beef cattle health with sulfates in water, Dr. Penner and his team from across Saskatchewan and North America will evaluate an appropriate level of bismuth subsalicylate in a ration with various levels of sulfates in water in addition to other hydroxy trace minerals and injectable minerals. The costs and associated economic data will also be collected to help producers determine best practices moving forward. Results: Waiting for research results.

2019-116: Stocking density and feed bunk space as a risk factor for liver abscesses Researcher: Diego Moya Funding: $20,000 Liver abscesses continue to be an issue for beef producers. According to the National Beef Quality Audit in 2016, liver discounts were estimated at $20.98/head, with a total loss of $61.2 million to the industry. Dr. Diego Moya from the University of Saskatchewan will note how cattle behavior towards practices such as slick bunks affect how the cattle eat, and the effects on their livers. Results: Waiting for research results.

2019-115: Accelerated and targeted discovery of cellulases using high resolution meta-omes of multiple ruminant species Researcher: Leluo Guan Funding: $35,000 Bison can survive on more low-quality forages than cattle. Some evidence suggests the enzymes within the bison rumen allows this. Dr. Leluo Guan will determine if this is the case, and whether these enzymes can then be added as a feed ingredient for beef cattle. If this is possible, it could lower feed costs and continue to decrease the amount of greenhouse gas emissions from beef cattle. Results: Waiting for research results.

2019-005: The use of sensory additives to boost feed intake and immune function of newly arrived feedlot cattle Researcher: Diego Moya Funding: $49,777 This study will determine whether feed additives like cinnamon or sweeteners help newly arrived calves adjust to feedlot bunks. As calves travelling between farms, auction marts, and back can be stressed, causing potential illnesses. To reduce this possibility, calves will be provided cost-effective flavours along with standard diets and compared to those without the additives. Their body weight, stress levels, and health records will be compared to note any differences. The Research Committee and Board were interested in methods to reduce this stress on arrival, as cattle which turn to the feed bunks earlier are more likely to be healthy. Results: Waiting for research results.

2018-101: Proof of concept study for the delivery of a respiratory probiotic to feedlot cattle via the feed. Researcher: Dr Murray Jelinski Funding: $36,783 Methods to reduce the need for antibiotics are not only desired by consumers but are cost effective for producers. Probiotics have been useful in human health to reduce upper respiratory tract infections. This research will investigate if probiotics could also be top-dressed into feed so that cattle could inhale them nasally, to combat respiratory illnesses in feedlot calves. Results: Mycoplasma bovis (M. bovis), the bacteria, has been known to cause or significantly contribute to infections such as mastitis, arthritis, and pneumonia in cattle. It usually affects feedlot cattle later in the feeding period, compared to others that occur shortly after they arrive in the feedlot after weaning. Treating infections caused by Mycoplasma bovis are difficult because they are inherently resistant to multiple different classes of antibiotics. In addition, they are very adept at evading the immune system, allowing them cause chronic pneumonia. There are also no commercially available effective vaccines to prevent disease. Therefore, preventing or inhibiting this bacterium is essential to reducing infections. Dr. Murry Jelinski and his team from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine is investigating the use of probiotics as a method to reduce the prevalence or severity of M. bovis infections. There are several research questions that will need investigation before probiotics can become part of a veterinarian and producer toolbox, including whether they can colonize (or grow) in the same location as the M. bovis bacteria, and inhibit its growth. Also, whether there is an easy way to administer the probiotic. To ensure that the probiotic can easily be provided, Dr. Jelinski’s team screened 64 potential probiotic candidates, and found four that could potentially inhibit M. bovis, with one that had exceptional potential and was therefore used in the next part of the study. Using 60 calves (half as a control), the probiotic was added to the daily ration for 21 days. They found that the feeding method may be a viable method for providing the probiotics to target the nasal cavities. This is significant because M. bovis colonizes the nasal cavities, where it has direct access to the lungs. Inhibiting the nasal growth could lead to a reduction in pneumonia.

2018-099: Butyrate as a novel functional ingredient for feedlot cattle. Researcher: Greg Penner Funding: $34,500 Butyrate has shown to better control microbes which create methane and improve growth performance. However, these improvements have only been shown in younger animals. Dr. Penner and his fellow researchers believe that as an animal gets larger, the stomach (or rumen) might eliminate the affects of butyrate. Therefore, Penner will conduct a trial to determine if a rumen-proof dose could reach the small intestine, which could then allow better nutrient uptake, among other possibilities. Results: Waiting for research results.

2018-097: Use of high moisture corn products for finishing cattle and the corn stover for extensive grazing Researcher: Greg Penner Funding: $103,500 Practices that incorporate snaplage (corn silage that excludes the stalk and more of the leaf) has become common in other areas of North America, as it has a 10-25% greater yield than high moisture corn. The remnants of snaplage, the corn stover, could also be used for winter grazing. This research will compare snaplage to dry-rolled barley and dry-rolled flint corn, by noting its cost of production and feeding performance. Results: Waiting for research results.

2017-003: Addressing Livestock Water Security Through Sulphate Removal Using Bio-adsorbent Materials and Modified Forms Researcher: Lee Wilson Funding: $20,000 While the Canadian Water Quality Guidelines recommend a maximum sulphate concentration of 1,000 mg/L, many livestock producers in Saskatchewan have reported high levels of sulphates in their water. This has led to a deficiency of copper, zinc, iron, and manganese that in turn causes lower growth rates, infertility, a depressed immune response, and even death in very high concentrations. Some sulphate management practices, like adding copper to feed, can be a cost effective. However, these solutions are more adequate for feedlot cattle. Dr. Wilson’s team will create a prototype of a sulphate removal system that could also ultimately also remove phosphate as well. Results: Dr. Lee Wilson and his research team found more improvements on the modular design for removing sulfate from water in a manner that would not depend on high infrastructure and operational costs, and limited membrane fouling that would necessitate constant monitoring. Using chitosan-based materials, as well as other materials including flax seed gum, this column-based system is still at the laboratory scale. These researchers, which also include Dr. Lope Tabil and Mehdi Nemati, have tested their system in various conditions within their lab, and plan to have field tests on a farm in their next year of research.

2016-086: Optimizing ruminal fermentation using silage and cereal grain inclusion strategies for backgrounding and finishing steers Researcher: Greg Penner Funding: $81,714 Backgrounding and finishing operations in Saskatchewan have several feeding options for their calves. Increasingly, corn grain and corn silage has become another option. However, there are different levels of starch and protein in these grains, which in turn have varying affects on rumen fermentation. This project is studying corn and barley so that producers understand the effects of cereal silage and cereal grain feeding strategies in terms of growth performance, feed conversion, rumen fermentation, and nutrient digestibility. Economic outcomes will also be analyzed to help producers increase their profitability. Results: Waiting for research results.

2016-006: Performance, Environmental and Economic Benefits of BioChar Supplementation in Beef Cattle Grazing Systems. Researcher: Bart Lardner Funding: $72,000 Biochar is a form of activated charcoal has potential to reduce methane emissions in ruminants. It has also been shown to improve manure composition. While it has shown early promise, the mechanisms involved are not well understood. This project will determine if, and at what level, biochar reduces greatest amount of emissions in grazing cattle, while also measuring the performance, dry matter intake, an economic effect of grazing cows while consuming this additive. Results: Waiting for research results.

2016-004: Performance and Characterization of Low-lignin Alfalfa in Monoculture and Binary Mixtures Researcher: Bart Lardner Funding: $15,000 Lignin in alfalfa provides strength and rigidity so that they plan can stand upright. However, as the alfalfa plant matures, the lignin also increases in its cell walls. This leads to a decrease in feeding value, even though it only comprises 7-8% of the plant as it binds with other fiber components. Therefore, varieties such as Hi-Gest alfalfa, which was bred with a reduced amount of lignin, has shown to have improved fibre digestibility and feed intake. As this variety was developed outside Saskatchewan, the objective of this study was to determine the forage value of Hi Gest for beef cattle when compared to convential alfalfa in monoculture and binary mixtures at differing maturity stages in black and brown soils zones. Results: In order to evaluate the new low-lignin alfalfa Hi-Gest 360 in Saskatchewan, it was grown (1) in a monoculture and (2) with AC Success hybrid bromegrass on sites near Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and Lanigan, Saskatchewan. AC Grazeland, one of the most adapted alfalfa grown in western Canada was used to compare against Hi-Gest 360. This research confirmed that there is an advantage for producers using the low-lignin alfalfa Hi-Gest. The improved quality may lengthen potential harvest periods to two weeks, resulting in fewer cuttings in a growing season yet gaining higher forage quality with the same tonnage, therefore lowering harvest costs. Hi-Gest 360 established well, showed good nutritive value, though the stand establishment costs were higher for Hi-Gest 360. As more seed becomes available, it is expected that those costs would decrease. View more info.

2015-114: Evaluating Core Body Temperature as an Indicator of Feed Efficiency Profile and Nutrient Status of Beef Cattle Fed Forage Diets Researcher: Bart Lardner Funding: $10,000 A great amount of research has been conducted to allow producers to benefit from Residual Feed Intake (RFI). The measure, which allows producers to choose cows and bulls that can gain more weight per pound consumed, is challenging to undertake as it is costly to measure feed intake, and pasture intake has been out-of-reach. This project hopes to provide a more effective and efficient measure to determine feed efficiency: core body temperature. Results: While previous research projects studying body temperature and its relation to residual feed intake were unsuccessful, there was speculation that including the rumen temperature or rectal temperature would control for varying climate conditions. These two temperatures, along with lying behavior, increased RFI prediction. These preliminary study results therefore suggest that core body temperature (i.e., rumen temperature) can be used as an indirect method to identify feed efficient animals in forage-based systems. View more info.

2015-113: Evaluation of New Triticale Varieties in Beef Cattle Backgrounding Programs Researcher: Bart Lardner Funded: $10,000 A great amount of research has been conducted to allow producers to benefit from Residual Feed Intake (RFI). The measure, which allows producers to choose cows and bulls that can gain more weight per pound consumed, is challenging to undertake as it is costly to measure feed intake, and pasture intake has been out-of-reach. This project hopes to provide a more effective and efficient measure to determine feed efficiency: core body temperature. Results: While previous research projects studying body temperature and its relation to residual feed intake were unsuccessful, there was speculation that including the rumen temperature or rectal temperature would control for varying climate conditions. These two temperatures, along with lying behavior, increased RFI prediction. These preliminary study results therefore suggest that core body temperature (i.e., rumen temperature) can be used as an indirect method to identify feed efficient animals in forage-based systems. View more info. Read article in Canadian Cattlemen.

a) Investigate the role of forage management in maintaining a healthy environment, as it pertains to wildlife, soil health, economic viability, public health, and animal condition. b) Quantify factors impacting the rate and extent of carbon sequestration in tame and native pastures within ecosystems and soils in Saskatchewan. c) Quantify the impacts of native and tame pasture management on water use, cycles and watersheds across Canada. d) Reduction of the amount of single use plastics, or suitable recycling programs for single use plastics, especially net wrap. Ideal potential uses include fence posts and other agricultural uses.

2023-005: Livestock Re-Integration in Cropping Systems for Soil Health Improvement Researcher: Maryse Bourgault Funding: $75,000 A key tenant of holistic management is the building of soil organic matter, as it has benefits which include soil moisture retention, improved nutrient cycling, and crop productivity. Integrating livestock is a key recommendation to make this improvement, though the previous recommendations to do this are based on semi-arid landscapes, which do not have adequate information on type of grazing plan needed. Short grazing durations of 7-14 days, as shown in a Northern Montana study, might be adequate, though more information is needed to identify the range and magnitude of potential trade-offs in yield, soil health, water use, and profitability over time. Dr. Maryse Bourgault will also study intercropping, cover crops, winter broadleaves, and other alternative systems while working with a multidisciplinary team. Results: Waiting for research results.

2023-001: Straw Harvesting Strategies to Provide Feedstock While Maintaining Soil and Environmental Quality Researcher: Jeff Schoenau Funding: $21,000 During times of drought, beef and other livestock producers depend on various sources of feed such as straw to fill out their rations. However, it has been difficult to place a value on straw, as is also a source of nutrients for the soil. In addition, a large accumulation of straw in some cooler or lower-lying areas could inhibit the seedling emergence. This research project will note how straw removal effects crop yield, nutrient update and removal, soil carbon, microbial biomass, water infiltration and storage, soil temperature among other measurements to determine the most effective practices and their associated costs moving forward. Results: Waiting for research results.

2020 -103: Assessing the Impacts of Forages on GHG Sequestration in Saskatchewan Crop Rotations Researcher: Stuart Smyth Funding: $25,000 Agriculture producers have adopted a number of practices that have carbon sequestration over the past 20 years and beyond. Common practices regarding livestock have existed far longer. However, the environmental benefits of agriculture practices have not been well document. This research will expand on a survey initially conducted in 2007 to understand how forages fit into the crop rotation, and to note or quantify their carbon sequestration benefits. Through additional surveys, workshops, and focus groups, Dr. Stuart Smyth will note how forages are utilized in the crop rotation. Land management, weed control and comparisons to rotations prior to 1995 will be made. It will also gather insights into forage input costs for conversion from crop production. Results: Waiting for research results.

2017-148: Dugout management for improved water quality Researcher: Kerri Finlay Funding: $45,043 Could farms and ranches construct and better manage their dugouts to limit blue-green algae (cyanobacteria), toxins, salinity, sulfates, and nitrates? As cattle have been shown to increase their weights and body condition through better water, and as there have been significant herd health problems even leading to death in the past year alone, these improvements could greatly improve your herd health. Samples from dugouts throughout Saskatchewan will evaluate the relationship between dugout characteristics and water quality. The researchers will report their findings to cattle producers after their research is complete in 2019. Results: Waiting for research results.

2016-192: Solute and moisture fluxes below small watershed amended with feedlot manure. Researcher: Terry Fonstad Funding: $12,265 This research intends to provide insights into the dynamics of soil moisture below fields that have had manure applications. It intends to measure the seepage rates and chemistry changes in the near surface and subsurface to understand the mitigation of nitrate and phosphorus from manure. Results: Waiting for research results.

2016-191: Improved manure utilization methods for feedlots in Saskatchewan Researcher: Terry Fonstad Funding: $24,531 There are several different methods to dispose of manure from a feedlot. Stockpiling manure allows yards to be cleaned as needed without spreading it and is less likely to pollute the local environment. However, the usefulness of stockpiled manure diminishes at as much as 40% of total manure nitrogen can be lost. In addition, years with heavy precipitation can also lead to losses of potassium and sodium can be lost. Also, the time and management of these piles might offset costs saved by not using mechanical spreading equipment. Results: Waiting for research results.

2016-190: Pen surface soil performance of various soils during the first two cycles of cattle at a feedlot in Saskatchewan Researcher: Terry Fonstad Funding: $22,998 Different types of soil not only lead to increased leaching, but also increased costs as pens containing water have shown to need 50% higher cattle maintenance. Three different types of onsite soils will be used in six pens throughout different seasons. Results: Waiting for research results.

a) Develop new annual and perennial grass, grain, and legume varieties with improved stand longevity, quality, yield, salinity tolerance, and adaptability (e.g. flood and drought resistance) through traditional and/or advanced plant breeding techniques. b) Quantify varietal and species differences in the ability of grasses, legumes and annual forages to maintain nutritional quality throughout the grazing season and in extended stockpiled or swath grazing systems to help inform producers’ seed selection decisions. c) Investigate and refine regionally appropriate methods of combining native, tame (annual and perennial) species and extended winter grazing practices to lengthen the grazing season and reduce winter feeding costs, while meeting animal requirements. d) Identify and develop methods to control noxious weeds throughout the province, including but not limited to leafy spurge, burdock, absinthe, and scentless chamomile.  e) Determine economic benefits of cover cropping and intercropping throughout different regions of Saskatchewan. f) Develop and/or expand feed and forage qualities within common crops in western Canada. g) Quantify the link between forage type and its genetic quality/quantity. h) Note feed quality to weight conversion, in a herd of cattle on pasture.

2024-081: Screening and field evaluation of Intermediate wheatgrass pre-release germplasm with enhanced tolerance to salinity. Researcher: Sean Asselin Funding: $29,375 Intermediate wheatgrass (IWG) is palatable for all classes of livestock, and good on pasture as hay and late-season stockpile grazing. However, there haven't been new cultivars in over 40 years. IWG is comparable with Saltlander on moderately saline soils, but without a higher price tag for its seed. It also has a greater seed yield, which is likely to continue in new varieties. Continuing on a previously funded project, this research will screen open-pollinated populations of IWG for salinity tolerance. It will then conduct real-world field tests to note seed and biomass yields, forage quality traits, winter survivability, and salt accumulation. Results: Waiting for research results.

2024-080: Advancing climate change resilience in alfalfa to enhance the profitability and sustainability of beef and dairy production Researcher: Stacy Singer Funding: $34,650 While alfalfa is widely grown, it is still affected by drought, salinization, and flooding. Alfalfa is also difficult to breed due to its reproductive behavior, high levels of genetic variation, and environmental interactions. Employing complimentary molecular breeding techniques would enhance effectiveness and pace. Efforts to improve breeding are hampered due to a lack of knowing the mechanisms of how plants sense, react, and adapt to environmental pressures. The researchers will assess drought, salinity, and waterlogging properties in gene edited alfalfa populations to understand the roles of 2 specific genes. They will then carry out an in depth analysis of the edited populations to better understand their mechanisms and gather RNA-sequencing data for future breeding research. That will be followed by small-scale field trials to assess performance and to prepare for larger-scale field trials. Results: Waiting for research results.

2023-084: Pelleting tannin-rich legumes for dual benefits Researcher: Aklilu Alemu Funding: $20,240 Pelleting hasn't been widely investigated for tannin-rich legumes, even though it can be a source of protein and minimize the environmental impacts of the beef sector. Condensed tannin-containing legumes reduces the risk of bloat, improves nitrogen efficiency and provides protein. Furthermore, breeding programs have led to the release of purple prairie clover and sainfoin varieties more suited to western Canadian conditions, with higher concentrations of condensed tannins. This project will evaluate the impacts of pelleting on condensed tannin profile as well as nutritional quality of pelleted tannin-rich legumes, comparing pelleted and unpelleted forages. Results: Waiting for research results.

2023-081: Integrated Breeding Approaches to Enhance Grain and Forage Yield and Quality of the Triticale Crop for Western Canada Researcher: Mazen Aljarrah Funding: $33,750 More varieties of feed provide producers with more opportunities to vary their cattle nutrition, their soil fertility, and the costs. The next generation of triticale varieties endeavours to have higher grain and forage yields, more climate resistance, disease resistance, and more adapted to prairie conditions. These researchers will also breed triticale to be awnless, and more resistant to ergot in particular. Results: Waiting for research results.

2023-077: Impact of woody plant encroachment on pasture productivity Researcher: Eric Lamb Funding: $41,454 Woody plant cover, which displaces grasses and reduces range carrying capacity, has increased in the last 50-80 years. Noting the amount of this displacement can help grassland managers and other professionals to understand and target their management approaches. This research will focus on four provincial pastures in the Aspen Parkland and the Mixed Grassland. Using on-the-ground data, landsat images and potentially aerial imagery, changes over time will be noted. Each pasture will be provided high-resolution digital maps so that pastures managers can target areas for control measures. It will also work through best practices so that other pastures can be studied in the future. Results: Waiting for research results.

2023-076: Identifying Seeding Rates for Mixed Species Forages and Sod-seeded Pasture Rejuvenation to Improve Livestock Production Researcher: Breeanna Kelln Funding: $16,800 Rejuvenating pasture is an essential management practice to improve forage capacity and reduce feeding costs per acre. Currently, there are no recommended seeding rates for mixed species blends or sod-seeded forages. Additionally, forage species are not evaluated for their ability to persist in existing pasture stands or in mixed species blends. This project will note optimal seeding rates in a greenhouse of cicer milkvetch, sainfoin, and alfalfa when seeded in a binary mixture with meadow bromegrass at 50% of provincial recommended rate. They will also use 6 seeding rates between 0.5 to 3X the recommended seeding rates for monoculture legumes, and analyze the results. Further field testing will see 2-year field plots with existing meadow brome, which will study seedling mortality, winter survival, forage yield, at 3 times during the growing season, and nutritive quality, among others. As cost of production is always important, the costs comparing various seeding rates will be noted. Results: Waiting for research results.

2023-007: Genetic, Genomic, and Agronomic Approaches to Improve a Non-Bloat Legume – Cicer Milkvetch Productivity and Adoption in Western Canada Researcher: Bill Biligetu Funding: $74,500 Cicer milkvetch is a useful grazing legume to include in pasture stands, as it does not cause frothy bloat, can tolerate intensive grazing, regrows rapidly, tolerates frost, a and has higher digestibility than alfalfa. However, the plant traditionally has poor stand establishment due to hard seeds and weak seedling growth. It is only after the initial few years of establishment, when it becomes much more prevalent. To better understand the problem of establishing cicer milkvetch, Dr. Bill Biligetu will develop a high quality genome so that local adapted populations can be bred. They will find the genetic relatedness of the germplasm, note which molecular markers are associated with seed germination and seedling vigour, and test their growth with other legumes. Results: Waiting for research results.

2023-002: Combined herbicide and fertilizer application for absinth control. Researcher: Jonathan Bennett Funding: $35,500 Absinth is a difficult invasive species, as its toxins cannot be detected in feed tests, and it is spreading rapidly throughout the prairies through non-agricultural routes. The available herbicides for absinth are expensive, and often result in losses of legume in the stand. Instead, the use of 2,4-D combined with other management practices could reduce absinth, as these practices have helped to control pasture sage and spotted knapweed. To complete this work, Dr. Jon Bennett will determine if fertilizer can work with herbicides in a cost effective manner, and improve legume regrowth. He will also determine if a short rest from grazing following herbicides can increase legume recovery. Results: Waiting on research results.

2021-100: Including native forages in mixture to enhance late season forage quality and carbon sequestration Researcher: Jonathan Bennett Funding: $50,500 Both tame and native grasses can hold benefits for Saskatchewan grasslands, though there is not enough information for producers who would like to grow them together in a stand. Western and northern wheatgrass produce forage yields and forage quality similar to - or better than - many common tame grasses when grown in binary moisture with tame legume species. Establishing these native species can be difficult, especially given high seed costs. However, native species do have advantages. Little bluestem is a perennial warm season grass and that can perform well in mixtures with western wheatgrass. Other species, such as Canada milkvetch, has been shown to outperform alfalfa in forage production and digestibility in some studies. There are reasons tame and native mixtures have not been emphasized in the past, likely due to tame grasses growing earlier than native grasses, giving them a better advantage. Harvest intervals might also play a large role in the success of various stands. This project, based at the Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence and then the Agriculture and Agri-Foods Research Station at Swift Current, will identify mixes with native and tame species that maximize the growing season, compare early season one cut systems to an early season two cut system, and note environmental benefits (i.e., carbon sequestration and nutrient retention.) As feed costs are the highest costs on farms and ranches, the economic value of these stands is critical. This research team will note changes in production and hay prices between wet and dry years and find the most economically viable tame and native species mixture. Results: Waiting for research results.

2021-099: Evaluation of polycrop mixtures for swath grazing, soil health and economics Researcher: Aklilu Alemu Funding: $50,000 Polycrop mixtures have become a popular part of many discussions at beef and forage conferences and events. Producers already extend the grazing season by swath grazing polycrop mixtures late in the year, and some have tested polycrop blends in their annual forage crops. Proponents have noted that polycrop mixtures improved biomass yields, forage quality, soil fertility weed control and utilization of sunlight water and nutrients in other studies. This research would provide detailed evaluations on forage growth and nutritional quality, grazing animal performance and behavior, soil physical and chemical properties, and system economics. Dr. Aklilu Alemu and his team will complete this work at the Agriculture and Agri-Foods Research Station in Swift Current and at the Livestock and Forage Center of Excellence near Clavet. A simple polycrop mixture will be compared to a complex polycrop mixture with 8 species. Both will be grown alongside a control, with only forage oats. Results: Waiting for research results.

2021-097: Genomic characterization of the Prairie forage crop hybrid wheatgrass (Elymus hoffmanni) and its parental ancestors Researcher: Andrew Sharpe Funding: $90,000 As you drive through certain parts of the province, you might notice white soil on which few crops are able to grow. Salinity maps of Saskatchewan from the 1980's show that much of the province had a moderate level of salinity. In order to retain value on these soils, hybrid wheatgrasses have been developed to grow on these areas. They have played a key role in the reclamation of salinized soils. However, there is still a great deal of variation in salinity and drought tolerance. This research project, lead by Andrew Sharpe at the Global Institute of Food Security and Bill Biligetu at the University of Saskatchewan College of Agriculture, will create a foundational genomic resource for wheatgrass and quack grass, with the intent of creating a cross that is more saline and drought tolerant. While it might seem unusual to cross wheatgrass with quack grass, these crosses have already been successful throughout the world because it tolerates a variety of soils, stresses, and fungal pathogens. It has been crossed with wheat in the past to create resistant lines. Crossing wheatgrass with quack grass might also help a hybrid dominate over downy brome or foxtail barley. This research will also generate a foundational genomic platform for hybrid wheatgrass - something that is not currently available. It will also decrease the amount of time to generate new cultivars compare to traditional breeding programs. Results: Waiting for research results.

2021-096: A critical review of best management practices for pasture rejuvenation Researcher: Greg Penner Funding: $6600 Saskatchewan is comprised of many different soils, different climates, and different ecosystems. A noted beneficial practice in Southwest Saskatchewan will not necessarily benefit producers near Melfort or Nipawin. There have been many research and demonstration projects highlighting how forages can be rejuvenated throughout the past few decades, but due to varying weather conditions, and the different influences each region can have on forages and grasslands, general or even specific advice is hard to provide. This research project will gather previous work conducted throughout the province on practices affecting the success of pasture rejuvenation strategies and weigh their results on their statistical power. That is, how likely the same practice will produce the same results when repeated. It will also consider the soil zone, original pasture composition, and rejuvenation methods so that fact sheets and other extension material are shared within the beef and forage network, and with agrologists throughout the province. Results: Waiting for research results.

2021-094: Genomic analysis of alfalfa for the development of drought and salt tolerant germplasm for breeding programs Researcher: Andrew Sharpe Funding $95,000 Alfalfa is the most important forage crop due to high yield and nutritional quality. While many note the importance of developing more alfalfa varieties, especially for salt and drought tolerance, the conventional approach of recurrent selection is time consuming and labour intensive. Also, salt and drought tolerance mechanisms in alfalfa are poorly understood due to lack of genomic resources and because alfalfa needs long-read sequencing to understand its structural variants. This project will develop new genomic resources to understand the salt and drought tolerance mechanisms in alfalfa and will also be used for association and linkage mapping studies to develop breeding tools for the creation of salt and drought tolerant cultivars/varieties. To do so, existing, and new assemblies will be used to establish a resource that will help to understand alfalfa genome evolution for breeding purposes. The research team, lead by Dr. Andrew Sharpe of the Global Institute of Food Security, will analyze genetic structures and relationships, heterozygosity, and genetic distance using various population genetic analysis tools. To do this, they will use 10 plants, yielding genotypes for 960 plants by mapping them against the newly developed reference genomes. After screening plants and the using advanced physiological phenotyping facility for drought trait screening and phenotyping for salt tolerance, they hope to identify superior parents and develop newer, superior varieties. Results: Waiting for research results.

2021-089: Whole genome sequencing of sainfoin: an invaluable resource for a future of sustainable beef and dairy production systems Researcher: Stacy Singer Funding: $15,000 As genomic sequencing has been used for a variety of other projects, its cost has been reduced. This has given way to sequencing genomes for various plant species, but this work has yet to be completed on sainfoin. Sainfoin is a legume with bloat-reducing condensed tannins, and has high nutritive value, palatability, and digestibility. However, it is under utilized likely to its low dry matter yield, persistence, and regrowth. This research, lead by Stacy Singer, would become a vital foundation for economically important traits while improving the precise repetition of these genes. DNA will be extracted from the young leaf tissue of an AAC Mountainview Sainfoin plant for the completion of short and long read DNA sequencing. After its analysis, it will help set the stage for future sainfoin breeding program. Results: Waiting for research results.

2020-114: Identifying new diversity and developing genomic resources for bromegrass (Bromus spp.) forage crop breeding Researcher: Andrew Sharpe Funding: $40,000 Bromegrass plays a large role in the grasslands spread throughout Saskatchewan and North America. It produces high forage yields in short growing seasons that are ideal for grass and haying. While researchers such as Bruce Coulman and others throughout Canada and the US have bred various types of bromegrass, there is a lot of genetic complexity in the type of plant that has made breeding complex and slowed additional work. Dr. Sharpe and Dr. Biligetu are working together to use the Oxford Nanopore Technology to provide plant breeding advancements that have assisted canola, barley, and durum crops. They will use seeds from the U of S as well as the USDA to better understand and characterize genetics and the cellular structures of bromegrass. They will then create a foundational high-quality reference genomic resource for future bromegrass breeding. This will then help them develop more breeding populations by creating novel crosses to widen the genetic diversity of breeding material. This, in turn, will enable future bromegrass breeders across the world to focus on breeding that will tolerate more stresses, such as drought or saline conditions, while also increasing yields. Results: Waiting for research results.

2020-112: Development of salt tolerant alfalfa cultivar adapted to western Canada Researcher: Bill Biligetu Funding: $35,000 Alfalfa growth under saline conditions is limited. Given that there are more than 10 million hectares of saline soil in North America, investing in varieties that have greater tolerance would provide more options for producers across the continent. However, studying salt tolerance and waterlogging in the has been complicated. Different soil properties, seasonal variation in rainfall, and other have made creating varieties difficult. Advances such as molecular markers have had promise, but the results have not been validated in the breeding population. Dr. Bill Biligetu has already used the Synchrotron to do basic research studies to note salt tolerance in alfalfa. He and his research team will continue to breed salt tolerant alfalfa lines, and evaluate for winterkill, water logging tolerance and agronomic performance. They will then genotype the most promising lines, in order to discover salt tolerant genes in the plants. They will then evaluate the most promising lines in the AAFC Salt Labs. Results: Waiting for research results.

2020-110: Collaborative testing and development of forage barley varieties for western Canada Researcher: Yadeta Kabeta ​ Dr. Yadeta Kabeta and his team have already developed 6 new varieties that have improved forage biomass yield and forage quality in the past 5 years, compared to Cowboy and Maverick. However, they still have a goal to address lodging and the 25% of the plant biomass that is indigestible by livestock. They intend to provide newer varieties with higher forage yield and fodder quality. Evaluation of barley lines will be evaluated in different soil zones across Western Canada with 5 common check cultivars. They will assess the forage and yield quality of all of these lines, as well as their nutritive value, to determine the average daily gain a backgrounding animal would achieve. This research team hopes to release one or more of its best lines for commercial cultivation. Results: Waiting for research results.

2020-108: Identifying mycorrhizal fungi to enhance field crop and forage salinity tolerance Researcher: Jonathan Bennett Funding; $20,000 Mycorrizal fungi allows for better nutrient uptake in plants, through a symbiotic relationship with plant roots that takes advantage of the larger reach of fungi within the soil. While you might have purchased soil that contained mycorrizal fungi, it's important to note mycorrhizal fungi have unique ecologies adapted to regional conditions, and much more varied that those on the market. As some mycorrizal fungi could have adapted in saline soil conditions, Dr. Jon Bennett will mycorrhizal fungi that increase salinity tolerance in plants. He will collect soil samples from saline areas in different soil zones to isolate and culture, then create conditions to create more mycorrhizal fungi spores and growth. Finally, mycorrhizal fungi in saline soils will be compared to marketed fungi. Various crops will be tested to evaluated whether they grow better with the collected mycorrizal fungi than commercial mycorrhizal inoculants in saline soils. Results: Waiting for research results.

2020-105: Identification of genetic factors contributing to abiotic stress tolerance in intermediate wheatgrass Researcher: Sean Asselin Funding: $17,000 Intermediate Wheatgrass is a preferred feed for livestock, which is also drought resistant and can more easily adapt in sandy soils. However, new cultivars have not been bred at AAFC Swift Current for decades. New breeding technologies which take advantage of genome mapping techniques have made an intermediate wheatgrass breeding program more advantageous. Sean Asselin and his research team will ID and validate sources of drought/salt tolerance in intermediate wheatgrass. They will then map the genes of wheatgrass with improved tolerance and identify parts of that genome that shows significant association with drought tolerance. Results: Waiting for research results.

2019-125: Investigating the role of copper fertility in ergot infestation of forage crops Researcher: Jillian Bainard Funding: $12,500 Mitigating ergot in wet years would significantly improve the value of grain and ensure a reliable source of feed for our animals. This study hypothesizes that addressing a copper deficiency in soils might lead to a shorter period of forte opening on plants, which would then decrease ergot contamination. Dr. Jillian Bainard will collect soils with different levels of known copper deficiency and then contaminate the previously sterile soils with ergot. After measuring the impact of ergot on these plants, the research hopes it might provide another tool for producers throughout this part of the country. Results: Waiting for research results.

2019-124: Barley Lodging – Getting to the Root of the Problem Researchers: Aaron Beatie & Allan Feutado Funding: $25,000 An average of $6.6 million acres has been seeded into barley each year since 2010. However, lodging is still a significant problem with this crop. While seeding rate, seeding date, and nitrogen application has tempered this issue, genetic resistance has not been a great focus. While stem strength is important, the value of the root system architecture is as well. Developing upon international research showing the value of root system architecture in other plants, this project will assess malt and feed barley varieties to associate root structure difference to lodging observed in the field. Results: Waiting for research results.

2019-123: Development of forage wheat lines with high biomass yield and high quality Researcher: Bill Biligetu Funding: $30,000 Until recently, annual forage wheat was subject to a different regulatory procedure than barley, oats, and triticale. Now that this has changed, there is greater interest in forage wheat varieties as it is more drought resistant than barley and could be more applicable in drier areas of Saskatchewan. This research will evaluate advanced breeding lines based on work recently funded by the Alberta Beef Producers. Dr. Biligetu and his team will compare the new crosses to forage oats and barley, and then note its silage production potential. Results: Waiting for research results.

2019-122: Development of meadow brome and cicer milkvetch varieties for stockpiled grazing in western Canada Researcher: Bill Biligetu Funding: $50,000 Meadow brome has been a very suitable fast-growing grass for late season stockpiling, high forage yield in mid-June, and a higher early spring growth than smooth bromegrass. Cicer milkvetch is a non-bloat legume that maintains its forage quality throughout the growing season. This study will select germplasms that perform greater in late season in terms of forage yield and forage quality for stockpiling purposes. As feeding costs account for 60% of total cost production for beef cattle, lengthening the grazing season can reduce costs for farmers and ranchers in Saskatchewan. Results: As there are now different regulations in place for forage wheat, this research team has worked to develop high-yielding forage wheat lines. They first evaluated 16 new breeding lines at four sites for 2 years (2020 and 2021), so that they could note each line's agronomic traits and nutritive value. Then, they compared the most promising varieties with a well-used forage barley line (Maverick) and a well-used forage oat line (Haymaker). In their promising results, they showed that their awnless, high yielding forage wheat variety had a higher lodging resistance and a higher yield their the forage barley and forage oat varieties. They also had a medium to high resistance for disease. New promising forage varieties are also now in development from this work.

2019-120: Developing hybrid bromegrass with improved neutral detergent fiber digestibility Researcher: Gregory Penner Funding: $25,000 Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF) is a part of a plant's structural components, specifically the cell walls. Generally, high NDF denotes lower digestibility. Drs. Greg Penner and Bill Biligetu have been investigating hybrid bromegrass populations which have a higher NDF digestibility, which resulted in a 4.6% increase in digestibility. This research project hopes to expand this to 10%, while retaining or improving other agronomic traits. Results: Waiting for research results.

2019-119: Field evaluation of one catalytic seed treatment inducing multiple agronomic responses in forage crops. Optimization of a novel catalytic seed treatment inducing higher germination rates and nodulation in Cicer milkvetch cultivars. Researcher: Karen Tanino Funding: $30,000 Cicer milkvetch is difficult to establish in any areas of Saskatchewan. The seed is also comparatively expensive. However, once this crop has established, this non-bloat legume has demonstrated long term stand health. Previous research has indicated that soaking the seeds in a catalytic solution allows for much greater germination and root growth, with nodulation. This research will concentrate on cicer milkvetch to determine the best dose for these seeds, and then conduct field trials. Results: Instead of an inoculant, this work would use a catalytic seed treatment that could increase germination, especially under cool temperatures in spring while also increasing root and shoot growth. Dr. Karen Tanino expanded her previous work on the catalytic seed treatment beyond germination in petri plates to work that also studied cicer milkvetch growth in a soilless media int he phytotron as well as in the field. Oxley II seed was used in this process, in which the seed was soaked at several doses under a cooler temperature (10°C) and a warmer temperature (23°C). The most optimal doses were then evaluated in the College of Agriculture's phytotron at the University of Saskatchewan at the same temperatures. Finally, the field trial started with the best results from the previous studies. The researchers found that the catalytic seed treatment was notable at 23°C, but not effective at 10°C. Root growth and nodulation was significantly increased at the 1200% dose under lab and phytotron conditions, but it didn't translate into the field study. There were also significant differences based on the year. The research team plants to develop a field soil system in pots under a controlled environment to better understand the significance of these differences. They then hope to plan the treated Cicer milkvetch seed into fields in with black soil, evaluate fertility needs, and note the interaction with inoculated for enhanced nodulation. View more info.

2019-117: Developing Target Yield Nitrogen Fertilizer Recommendations for Irrigated Silage and Grain Corn Researcher: Garry Hnatowich Funding: $35,000 Corn silage and corn grazing has increasingly become a greater feed choice for Saskatchewan producers. However, the fertilizer recommendations in Saskatchewan are based on other regions. As this type of information is very region specific, Garry Hnatowich of the Irrigation Crop Diversification Corporation will establish corn on irrigated and dryland sites, an provide nitrogen fertilizer at various rates. They play to assess spring soil nutrients, plant biomass, emergence, days to tassel, and other measurements to provide more guidance for producers as they consider their crop in the future. Results: Waiting for research results.

2019-003: Plant-soil interactions and stand decline in alfalfa: Mechanisms and potential mitigation strategies Researcher: Jonathan Bennet Funding; $55,936 Plant mixes and polycultures have gained increasing interest from producers over the past several years. Many producers are also interested in how to maintain a healthy stand, and are curious as to whether winterkill and overgrazing are the only definitive reasons why some stands don’t persist. Jonathan Bennett, a plant scientist from the University of Saskatchewan, will work to understand how a single crop stand and how multiple plants in a crop stand age, as well as their influences on soil microbes and it’s productivity. As alfalfa suffers from multiple root diseases with unknown causes, the SCA Board was interested in potential solutions this research might bring. Results: In order to understand legume decline over time in plant stands, this team sampled soil microbiome in 24 alfalfa monocultures and alfalfa-grass mixtures that were between one and six years old. They had four alfalfa varieties, and included six other forage species (sainfoin, red clover, American vetch, purple prairie clover, crested wheatgrass, and northern wheatgrass). They found that some alfalfa varieties, namely Brett Young 3010, can take advantage of older pasture soils - that variety increased its growth by 36% due to the presence of specific arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the soil. Sainfoin grew 35% better in grass-alfalfa mixtures than in sterile soil, likely due to the presence of certain beneficial bacteria in those soils (not rhizobia). Conversely, red clover grew better and had more nodules in alfalfa seed production soils suggesting that it can take advantage of alfalfa associated rhizobia in those fields but doesn’t do as well if those rhizobia are diluted, as in mixed stands. Combined this suggests that certain alfalfa varieties and sainfoin may be better choices for rejuvenating pasture than red clover because they are helped by the microbiome in these fields. Native plant species did poorly when inoculated with microbes from weedy fields, likely due to shared pathogens, suggesting that if you are seeding native species, pre-seeding weed management may be critical. However, more tests are underway or in the planning stages.

2018-140: Forage & grazing potential of hybrid fall rye Researcher: Vern Baron Funding: $48,776 Planting fall rye earlier increases yield, grazing time, and carrying capacity. However, planting too early or late can reduce winter hardiness. No research to date has been conducted on planting date, spring/fall grazing effects on forage potential when harvested for silage or green feed. The ultimate goal of this project is to develop a duel purpose grazing/forage for silage winter cereal with a forage quality similar to barley at the dough stage. Results: Waiting for research results.

2018-134: Simple strategies to reduce impacts of ergot alkaloids on beef cattle Researcher: Kim Stanford Funding: $23,646 Very little information is available regarding the impacts of cereal ergot alkaloids, and the different types of ergot throughout Saskatchewan and Alberta. There is also speculation that storage and pelleting at high temperatures might decrease their toxicity. Therefore, the cost of storing and pelleting, as well as their effects on cattle, will be studied. Results: To get a representative sample of various types of ergot, fifteen samples were gathered. Five of those samples were then heated for ten minutes, before being mixed with barley chop and canola meal and pelleted. To test whether the pellets would increase of decrease the physiological effects of ergot in cattle, 48 backgrounding Angus-cross steers were fed either these pellets, a mash which also included ergot, or pellets/mash which did not have ergot. The research team found that while some of the problematic epimers which cause harmful effects on cattle increased, the negative physiological effects on the cattle did not increase. The researchers suspect that the level of ergot in the study, 1ppm, was too low to generate a reaction in the cattle, and therefore the allowable limit for ergot in feed might be too restrictive. View more info.

2018-133: Improving lipid content in vegetative tissue to increase the nutritive value of herbaceous legume forages Researcher: Surya Acharya Funding: $24,990 While alfalfa is an important feed source for many producers throughout the province, it is not a good source for fat or lipids, and bloat is commonly a risk. This research will use a technique to alter the genes of the alfalfa and sainfoin plant to increase the oil content, and to increase protein digestibility. It might also reduce the cost of adding oils to a ration, which also decreasing the amount of methane from cattle. Results: The researchers have found that they can increase the fat, or lipid content in alfalfa and sainfoin, and they will be continuing this research in the next three years to select for even higher rates of fat content. Using a chemical mutagenesis, Drs. Acharya, Singer, and Chen altered the fat content, and have now entered their third cycle of selection in alfalfa and sainfoin populations. They found that the level of fat/lipids has increased by 20% in alfalfa and 80% in alfalfa. Their ultimate goal is to increase the lipids in these plants to 5%. The next steps are already underway. View more info.

2018-105: Enhancing seed and biomass production and drought tolerance of plains rough fescue using novel seed treatments Researcher: Yuguang Bai Funding: $34,500 Plains rough fescue is ideal for late season grazing, and it is a native species grass. However, the seed production of these plants are low, which makes planting them unaffordable. This research investigates methods to have better seed yield and biomass production. Results: Waiting for research results.

2018-098: Barley Forage Co-op at Melfort Researcher: Pat Juskiw Funding: $17,250 Feeding cattle is the most cost-intensive part of raising cattle in Saskatchewan. Therefore, methods to reduce this cost are of great importance. This research will determine the barley carrying capacity, average daily gain for backgrounding calves, disease resistance, yield, and quality for the Western Canada Forage Barley Registration Trail. Forage barley researchers hope to reduce costs by $0.18/day, increase carrying capacity by 432 cow-days per hectare and increase ADG by 1 lb per calf per day, among other goals. Results: Waiting for research results.

2018-057: Effects of annual and perennial forage systems on plant, water, soil and economic parameters, grazing animal performance, health and preference dynamic Researcher: Bart Lardner Funding: $24,000 New and novel grazing practices have different economic and agronomic benefits than some of the conventional methods used in the province. This study intends to study the trade-offs between these practices, noting animal performance, grazing behavior, forage persistence, soil quality, greenhouse gas emissions, and carbon sequestration. Costs are also a concern, as perennial forages can have lower costs associated with them, but a healthy yield is still important. Results: Waiting for research results.

2018-018: Monitoring of forage recovery following the October 2017 Burstall fires Researcher: Eric Lamb Funding: $21,505 The fires in southwest Saskatchewan and south east Alberta were devastating to producers and their herds last year. Beyond the work completed by a number of organizations to immediately assist producers in this area, concern was also raised about appropriate compensation while herds needed feed. This research helps investigate accurate recovery periods and best management practices to regenerate the stand and lower the spread of invasive species. Results: Forage productivity in 2018 was substantially reduced on burned native rangelands relative to unburned rangelands. Tame sites showed lesser fire impacts. Plant community composition was similar between burned and unburned sites, and few weedy species were observed. The lack of plant community composition effects from the fire suggests that forage recovery will primarily be driven by litter layer recovery, and consequent effects on soil moisture. Recovery in 2019 and 2020 has progressed smoothly, however deficits in productivity and litter recovery are still evident. View more info.

2017-144: Development of best management practices for residue and fertility management of annual polyculture Researcher: Jillian Bainard Funding: $50,000 Reducing inputs and increasing soil health provides a win-win scenario for producers. Annual polycrop mixtures could more closely mimic the natural ecosystem, which is thought to reduce inputs, improve soil, suppress weeds, increase yield, increase C sequestrations, etc. This study will investigate the effect of annual polyculture residue and fertility management on forage production/quality, soil health, & productivity. Three different polycrop mixtures suitable for each region, rotated with cereal crops, will be evaluated in field trials at Melfort and Swift Current Results: The purpose of this study was to develop best management practices for the incorporation of diverse annual forage crop mixtures (polycultures) into cropping rotations, to note the annual polycrop residue, nitrogen fertility, soil health, and production productivity. Three diverse annual forage mixtures were used: a "balanced mix" (equal proportions of oats, barley, peas, hairy vetch, Groundhog Radish, and Hunter hybrid brassica), a "nitrogen fixing mix" (peas, hairy vetch, Berseem clover), and a "weed control mix" (oats, peas Groundhog radish, Hunter hybrid brassica, Winfred hybrid brassica). They were grown under three fertilizer rates and with three residue amounts. During the 2018 growing season, near Swift Current, Saskatchewan, the balanced mix produced the produced the highest biomass, and the balanced and weed control mixes performed similarly for weed control while the N-fixing mix had the most weeds. Forage quality was similar between the mixtures but the higher inclusion of legumes resulted in lower fiber and increased protein. Prior to seeding in spring 2019, soil moisture was highest under 100% residue for all cropping treatments, showing some bene to having the ground covered through the fall and winter. Spring soil nitrous oxide was significantly greater under the treatments that received more fertilizer and residue. In spring 2019, a wheat monoculture was seeded over all plots, and there were significant effects of the previous treatments on the productivity of the wheat crop. Higher wheat yields were found with higher fertilizer and residue rates. Following the wheat harvest, the researchers, they could still observe impacts of the 2018 crop on the soil, particularly as the N-fixing plots had higher soil moisture, higher nitrogen, nitrate, and organic carbon. In 2020, a pea monoculture was seeded over all the plots. Pea yield was lowest on the N fixing plots, indicating concerns with seeding legumes too soon after a polyculture that includes a high proportion of legumes, likely due to pathogen buildup. Interestingly, in 2020 the weeds were highest in the plots that had the most weeds in 2018 even though this effect was not observed in 2019. These impacts on the weed seed bank became evident once a less competitive crop was grown (peas vs. wheat). In fall 2020, following the second annual crop rotation of a pea crop, no soil factors were significant any longer, suggesting that the soil nutrient dynamics following a forage polyculture might be short-lived in a semi-arid system of Swift Current. View video presentation.

2017-143: Evaluation of forage Galega as a new forage legume in pure and grass-legume mixed stands in Saskatchewan Researcher: Bill Biligetu Funding: $34,500 Galega Is a winter hardy legume cultivated in northern Ontario and is comparable to alfalfa. It grows earlier in the spring and matures faster. However, limited information is available on its persistence in Western Canada, its alkaloid levels, and bloat incidence (though what is available indicates that is lower than alfalfa). This project will compare galega to alfalfa, sainfoin and cicer milkvetch in Melfort, Swift Current, and Saskatoon. Results: Waiting for research results.

2017-142: Fungal suppression as a means to increase range health following leafy spurge invasion Researcher: Jonathan Bennett Funding: $57,440 Leafy spurge has plagued North America since the 1800’s, though methods to efficiently and effectively eliminate this invasive species has been difficult to find. This weed can reduce the carrying capacity of a pasture to near zero. This new researcher from the University of Saskatchewan proposes the use of a fungicide to attack fungi that are commonly noted alongside leafy spurge, without affecting other beneficial plants. Results: Small experiments were spread across Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, Elbow, North Battleford, and Weyburn, where researchers applied a fungicide to suppress the symbiotic fungi (Senator®) and combined that with herbicide (2,4-D) or mowing. While using fungicide or herbicide alone did yield some improvements, using both reduced spurge by 70% and increased grass by 40%. There are some considerations moving forward. First, using fungicide did reduce the phosphorus content of the grass plants. The researchers applied the fungicide frequently during the growing season, so appropriate levels that are practical for producers need to be identified. The researchers would like to further consider the effects of fungicide in a native prairie ecosystem, as there was a reduction in native species and broadleaf plants, and an increase in tame species. View technical presentation. View news story.

2017-141: Evaluating steam-flaking of barley to improve feed efficiency for finishing beef cattle Researcher: Greg Penner Funding: $66,000 Feed for cattle has evolved over the past 50 years, and new innovations in this area are increasingly common. Animal health is a priority while investigating these changes, as are financial considerations. The researchers in this study compare temper-rolling, dry-rolling, and steam-flaking barley in a series of studies, including those in small pens, to determine growth performance, feed efficiency, and carcass characteristics. Results: Waiting for research results.

2017-092: Developing forage barley and triticale varieties with high whole plant biomass and enhanced nutritive value AND Increasing the yield threshold and enhancing the ideotype and quality of barley cultivars for feed in Western Canada Researchers: Yadeta Kabeta & Flavio Capettini Funding: $45,000 Beef producers grow barley not only to feed their cattle, but in the hope that they can attain high quality malt barley as well. This project is meant to increase the prevalence of malt barley, and also to increase yield and lodging resistance, to benefit producers who aren’t able to attain malt quality status. It also plans to further develop barley and triticale for forage production, to increase biomass yield by 15%, to improve greenfeed & swath grazing production, and to expand the window for silage harvest. To increase consumption, they also plan to incorporate palatability. Results: Waiting for research results.

2016-187: Selection of clonal propagated alfalfa and sainfoin plants under grass or legume competition Researcher: Bill Biligetu Funding: $20,700 Sainfoin and alfalfa provide better health to agricultural soils. Sainfoin, in particular, is a non-bloating type of legume that can increase protein absorption. However, growth of sainfoin decreased in the ‘60s and ‘70’s due to its inability to grow in mixed forage stands. Dr. Biligetu and his research team have pro-posed a research plan that will help both alfalfa and sainfoin strains thrive. This team will breed alfalfa and sainfoin plants then then transplant them in a meadow brome stand. Those plants that show superior genotypes will be intercrossed and evaluated for yield and quality. As a result, there will be an advanced breeding line for alfalfa and sainfoin than can contribute to a healthier forage soil as well as healthier and more efficient cattle herds. Results: Waiting for research results.

2014-212: Validating the Stage of Maturity At Harvest for Oat and Barley for Swath Grazing Researcher: Bart Lardner Funded: $9,000 Number of years: 3 The goal of this research was to undertake field-scale studies to evaluate the effects of delaying barley, oat and triticale maturity-at-harvest on digestible nutrient yield, forage utilization and subsequent animal performance over multiple years Results: Three 16 hectare fields were seeded to either barley, oat, or triticale. Each forage was cut at an early stage and a late stage. Forage yield, crude protein, and total digestible nutrients were measured for each of the harvested crops. One hundred and twenty Angus cows were separated into one of 6 replicated treatments to measure their growth and the related feed cost. The cost ranged from $1.16/cow/d for late harvest triticale to $2.43/cow/d for early harvest oat. There was a 14% increase in Dry Matter Intake (DMI) on barley hard dough. Grazing triticale hard dough forage resulted in a 54% increase in animal grazing days compared to grazing barley soft dough paddocks. ows managed in hard dough triticale (second lowest cost) system paddocks had two-fold lower (P = 0.05) system costs ($1.50 vs $4.55/cow/d), compared to cows grazing the barley hard dough crop (highest cost). Research Courtney O'Keefe noted that "The results of this study suggest that harvesting whole crop annuals at a later harvest maturity may improve yield and reduce costs without negative effects on animal performance." View more info.

2013-162: New Forage Legumes for Sustainable Summer Pastures Researcher: Paul Jefferson/Bart Lardner Funded: $10,000 Number of years: 4 Producers have reported that "cool season" grasses do not producer as well in the summer as they do in the spring, while some research suggests that native prairie clovers are adapted to warm season growth in the summer. This project notes combinations of newer varieties of forage like sainfoin, purple or white prairie clover, yellowhead alfalfa etc, that have high tannins. Finding high forage production throughout the growing season reduces feeding and forage costs, so the researchers plan to evaluate yield, forage quality, legume persistence, and beef cattle gain. Results: Various mixtures of legumes and grasses were evaluated on sites near Swift Current and Lanigan through two experiments. The first experiment noted the effects of July and September harvest dates, while the second experiment evaluated how these various binary mixtures performed with regards to yield, quality, palatability, animal performance, and profitability. While there were different agro-climatic conditions, all of these mixtures were profitable for late summer and fall grazing. The legumes studied included various sainfoin, alfalfa, vetch, and clover varieties. The grasses studied included various wildrye and bromegrass varieties. Weather conditions, including precipitation, did create differences between the Swift Current and Lanigan results. Native clover species were found to have lower protein levels, making them less recommended for fall stockpiling. View more info.

2012-240: Nutritional evaluation of barley forages for silage Researcher: John McKinnon Funded: $46,000 Number of years: 3 When providing a sample of barley forage grown for silage, producers expect quality standard information so that they can plan their feed rations. However, some aspects of barley forage quality can vary based on environment, maturity, and varietal differences. These variances can cause a difference of a third of a pound per day, resulting in considerably different costs. Results: This research confirmed that barley varieties vary in nutrient content and digestibility of structural carbohydrates including neutral detergent fiber (NDF) fraction. While these variations did not affect finishing cattle to a large degree, backgrounding cattle had more forage/silage in their diets, and therefore exhibited different results. CDC Cowboy, with a potential for higher NDF digestibility exhibited poor performance. This may have resulted from its higher NDF content leading to lower dietary energy content, or to the fact that differences in NDF digestibility in the silages grown at the U of S in year two were not as great as found in the survey conducted in year 1. However, this higher NDF content did minimize issues with digestive disturbances in the backgrounding phase. View more info.

a) Develop methods to more easily distribute water to cattle in remote areas. b) Create technology that would cost-effectively improve poor water quality to livestock. c) Create management plans or products that would ease transitions for cattle into newer areas such as feedlots and backgrounding areas. d) Develop methods to easily track the Body Condition Score and/or the ratio between cow to calf weight, in order to target best feeding conditions for both. e) Develop and process methods to quickly assess feed quality on farms or at local extension branches. f) Develop a durable, reliable cattle tracing system and vaccination system for in-field and rough conditions. g) Create a program that can help easily compare, in real time, how your herd compares with the health and statistics of herds in previous years, or of neighbouring herds. Also, comparing an individual animal performance and health in comparison to the rest of the herd. h) Track the number of times a cow has been bred throughout the breeding season, and by which bull. i) Create an easy to use or passive scale for a cattle herd to easily track their weight and health.

2023-086: Evaluation and validation of the degradation of Nature's Net Wrap Researcher: Larry Ruud Funding: $50,000 Cattle producers have reported deaths in their herd from consuming bale twine and net wrap. Agriculture producers use approximately 2,600 tonnes of net wrap each year, though there are various pressures to reduce this plastic consumption. Nature's Net Wrap is made of bio-polymers which degrade in the environment over time. The purpose of this project is to evaluate the integrity of the net wrap to stand up to environmental conditions for bale integrity for transport and storage for a determined length of time. They will also note the time required for the net wrap to break down in varying climatic zones and determine any eco-toxicities left by the residue. The long-term goal is to have a net wrap that will not create more waste on farms or municipalities, while also having a consumable product that will not harm cattle. Results: Waiting for research results.

2023-010: Exploring Value Added Material and Products from Agricultural Waste Streams for Circular Economies Researcher: Denise Stilling Funding: $5,400 Plastic waste is often contaminated by rotting grain and other organics, rendering them difficult or impossible to recycle. This has resulted in a 2256 tonnes of grain bags entering the waste system - a 44% increase from 2018. Landfill fees could put pressure on producers who have slim economic margins. Denise Stilling from the University of Regina will investigate methods to recycle contaminated agriculture plastic waste by considering processes that will use these contaminates to increase the strength of the recycled materials. Results: Waiting for research results.

2021-092: Benchmarking imaging and sensor technologies for capturing novel phenotypes to improve sustainability of the beef industry Researcher: Jaswant Singh Funding: $39,500 A major impediment to implementing phenotyping in the beef industry is the cost and difficulty of capturing the phenotypic info, especially regarding fertility, feed efficiency, disease susceptibility, welfare related traits, environmental footprint, and carcass/beef quality. Many are multi-variate and have unknown heritability. Current methods are inefficient and labour intensive as they require animal handling and multiple trips through the shoot. This project will examine technologies to monitor cattle performance remotely by validating the information using the current "gold standard" measurements. This includes activity monitors, feed bunk and water proximity sensors, GIS/GPS data, 3D imaging, and other tech to describe animal behavior, puberty/breeding predictions, disease predilection, resilience, and other physical attributes over the course of three years. The study will include an initial study at the Livestock and Forage Center of Excellence using 75-100 yearling heifers, 100 pregnant heifers, 200 multiparous cows, and 15-20 bulls. Similar work will be verified on 700 cow/calf pairs at the University of Alberta in a tandem study. The researchers will also note the cost of purchasing and operating the necessary equipment for this work, to complete an economic analysis. Results: Waiting for research results.

2021-091: Smart Farming to Optimize Productivity - How to Put Your Data to Use Researcher: Terry Fonstad Funding: $36,000.00 There are vast amounts of environmental and crop performance data, using cameras, human observations, and sensors. It can be difficult to understand the health and productivity of your animals and land when the data programs and equipment do not interact with each other, leaving the producer to dive into various platforms and information sources to piece it together. Integrating the data into an application/dashboard with increased functionality can improve efficiency and productivity, as it is more easily gathered and interpreted. Dr. Terry Fonstad will create this platform to meaningfully apply the application of smart farming and the Internet of Things to Ag in Saskatchewan using the existing wireless sensor networks at the Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence and SaskTel. He and his team will also add analytics tools to test, develop, and commercialize new opportunities. Throughout this process, they will also engage with farm managers, researchers, and industry to ensure the effectiveness of the dashboard as it develops. Results: Waiting for research results.

2012-118: Mobile Technology Strategies and App Development to Provide Industry with Canadian Cattle Market Information Researcher: CANFAX Funded: $8,000 Market information is a valuable tool for beef producers throughout the year. Having up-to-date and accurate futures prices on live and fed calves, as well as the Canadian dollar and corn help producers plan ahead. Results: CanFax has worked to provide cattle market information for Canadian producers. This project has ensured that farmers and ranchers have access to this information through their computers and phones. This work originally developed an app for Apple smart phones. After a great deal of promotion through various media channels, there were 900 downloads in the first 2.5 months after its launch. However, supporting this app required annual costs. The financial resources to do so were not readily available. With additional support from the Government of Alberta, CanFax created an online site which provides the same cattle market information. The market information is connected to the CME, and needs only annual updating without further financial resources. Visit CanFax.