A vaccine to control the spread of E. coli bacteria from cattle to people is now on the market. It is designed as a vaccine for food safety instead of one meant to improve animal health, said Lorne Babiuk of the University of Alberta. This latest vaccine reduces the amount of E. coli 0157:H7 bacteria […] Read more
Barbara Duckworth
Stories by Barbara Duckworth
Introducing medicines takes time
Getting new and improved medications on the market for animals and people is a slow process, made even slower when biotechnology is involved. It is a case of the science moving ahead of the regulations. “Many of these approaches do not have a regulatory framework to handle the approvals,” said Tim McAlister of Agriculture Canada. […] Read more
BRD main feedlot enemy
Bovine respiratory disease is a complex syndrome accounting for up to 75 percent of the illnesses seen in a feedlot. Research trials completed earlier this year reclassified the bacteria responsible for shipping fever that costs the beef industry millions in prevention, treatment, decline in animal productivity and deaths. “About 45 to 55 percent of all […] Read more
Power line sent back to start
A controversial proposal to run a power line from Edmonton to Calgary must go back to the drawing board after the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board scrapped the application Sept. 30. The plan would have seen a 500 kilovolt transmission line run down the west side of the province. Its location and size alarmed landowners […] Read more
Biotechnology low on public’s radar
The average person appears less concerned about biotechnology and more concerned about how their food is handled and prepared. Danielle Schor of the International Food Information Council told the ag biotech conference that this is the 10th time the private food research group from Washington, D.C., has included biotechnology questions in food attitude surveys. However, […] Read more
Better crops key for Africa
Getting bioengineered crops into the hands of third world farmers does more to boost local food production and relieve poverty than delivering foreign aid. “Food imports do not necessarily help the poor. An excess of food aid can literally kill the farmers and the local economy,” said biotechnology researcher Channapatna Prakash of Tuskegee University in […] Read more
Feds OK beef funding
The federal government has renewed funding to promote Canadian beef exports to Asia and Mexico. The $1.5 million announcement from agriculture minister Gerry Ritz Sept. 21 was confirmation of existing money that the Canada Beef Export Federation uses for promotions such as trade shows, food fairs and seminars, said Kee Jim, vice-president of the federation’s […] Read more
Take advantage of BSE lesson: CFIA
Canada has learned hard lessons after living with BSE and its trade repercussions, says the country’s chief veterinary officer. “Full recovery obviously depends on how well we assimilate and apply the lessons learned from the last four years,” Brian Evans of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency told the Canada Beef Export Federation’s annual meeting held […] Read more
Johne’s link with Crohn’s unproven
A possible connection between Johne’s disease in cattle and Crohn’s disease in humans remains unproven. Johne’s disease is caused by the bacteria mycobacterium paratuberculosis (MAP) that affects the intestines of cattle, sheep and goats. The animals cannot absorb nutrients properly, develop diarrhea and slowly waste away. Finding a connection between the bacterium in animals and […] Read more
Officials prepare for beef exports
Canadian officials plan to have export paperwork ready three weeks before the U.S. border opens to older Canadian cattle on Nov. 19. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency started meetings in the United States last week after regulations known as Rule 2, which will allow imports of older Canadian cattle into the U.S., were published in […] Read more
