LEDUC, Alta. — Innovation and efforts to improve lives for farm animals were recognized at the Alberta Farm Animal Care annual meeting.
The award of distinction for communication was presented to Alberta Beef Quality Starts Here, the non-profit organization that delivers the Verified Beef Production program. VBP is part of a national network established 14 years ago to train beef producers about animal care, biosecurity, food safety and stewardship to build consumer confidence.
“Many consumers are quite removed from primary agriculture and often lack an understanding of basic production practices and especially why and how we do them,” said Melissa Downing, provincial Alberta co-ordinator.
Read Also
Dry summer conditions can lead to poor water quality for livestock
Drought conditions in the Prairies has led to an decrease in water quality, and producers are being advised to closely monitor water quality for their animals.
The industry leadership award recognized Jackie Wepruk, head of the National Farm Animal Care Council, which has developed and updated farm animal codes of practice, and speaks on animal welfare issues. Animal Care Assessment Programs are also part of the mandate.
Wepruk began her career in animal welfare with AFAC and helped form NFACC. She admits she did not know much about farm animals but learned the importance of communication with various interest groups.
“It instilled in me the importance of listening to everyone’s stories and understanding where perceptions are coming from,” she said.
“This is a really exciting time to be involved in farm animal welfare.”
Researcher Dr. Merle Olson of Calgary received the innovation award.
A chemist and veterinarian, he has published 210 scientific papers and has 47 registered patents around the world. He left the University of Calgary to form Alberta Veterinary Laboratories where more than 30 animal health products for pain relief, parasite control and other veterinary treatments for multiple species are manufactured and sold.
“The work was based on the ranchers coming to me and saying we have to have a product for pain control for castration for cattle,” he said.
“My dream is every animal will receive pain control when it needs it,” he said.
