Government research funding for Saskatchewan forage and livestock projects will drop slightly this year.
However, more of the funds are directed at forage projects, and industry is kicking in money for some of them.
Saskatchewan agriculture minister Lyle Stewart announced last week that the federal and provincial governments would spend nearly $3.8 million on 30 projects through the Agriculture Development Fund (ADF).
Last year they offered $4.2 million for 27 projects.
Industry organizations such as Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF), SaskMilk and SaskPork are contributing $1.2 million to push the total to $5 million.
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“Research helps us to be able to raise livestock more efficiently and more profitably and just better in terms of our treatment of the livestock,” Stewart told reporters at the Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference.
“Of course, forage plays a huge role in that. It’s all very important to the industry, and our growth and advancement in the livestock industry in this province is very much based on research.”
Forage projects will receive $1.3 million of the government money, including funding to develop later maturing crested wheatgrass with better nutritional value. That project will be funded by ADF, WGRF and the Saskatchewan Forage Network.
Another project will determine best management practices for establishing saline forages, particularly AC Saltlander.
On the beef side, $925,000 will be spent on projects such as establishing carinata meal as a new protein supplement for cattle, continuing work on dealing with ergot poisoning and assessing bull potential through DNA genotyping.
Hog projects will look at redesigning ventilation systems in sow barns, controlling porcine epidemic diarrhea and monitoring influenza A viruses.
Other projects to be undertaken this year include developing an oral vaccine for chronic wasting disease, options for recycling agricultural plastic and mitigating emissions from livestock operations.
Most of the money is going to the University of Saskatchewan, at $1.475 million, followed by the Western Beef Development Centre-Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute at slightly more than $1 million. Other recipients are the U of S’s Western College of Veterinary Medicine, the Vaccine Infectious Disease Organization, Agriculture Canada and the Prairie Swine Centre.
Industry leaders welcomed the announcement, saying research investments provide clear benefits for producers.
karen.briere@producer.com
