A $2.2 million federal grant to the Canadian Livestock Genetics Association will promote international sales of purebred breeding stock.
The grant for cattle and small ruminants like sheep should help Canada regain lost markets throughout the world especially at a time when dairy cattle are in short supply, said Rick McRonald, manager of the association.
“We’re starting to see some success but we need to continue to get more markets open,” he said.
“This money is going to help us to open those markets and demonstrate the quality to other countries,” he said.
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The money can be used to promote breeding stock as well as provide education and training to potential importers on the use of embryos, semen and live animals. Some money is also set aside to lobby for trade barrier removal.
More countries are slowly resuming live trade with Canada in breeding stock since borders slammed shut in May 2003 because of BSE.
Former importers like Russia are looking for more live dairy and beef cattle to rebuild herds. In a recent sale about 1,400 Holsteins were shipped in seven planes to Kazakhstan.
The dairy market looks most promising because milk consumption is increasing around the world.
North Africa, the Middle East, India, China and South America are in expansion mode and all milk breeds are required.
In pre-BSE days, Canada was a major supplier of dairy heifers, exporting about 100,000 head per year. When the borders closed, heifer rearing was curtailed here because there was no need for extra milk or more cattle in the domestic market. Canada must now rebuild its supply of breeding animals to answer the renewed demand.
