Ag Notes

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Published: February 20, 2020

Musician receives 4-H Canada award

Canadian country music artist Gord Bamford will receive 4-H Canada’s Distinguished Alumni Award at the annual 4-H Canada Leadership Awards in Ottawa this month.

Bamford has 26 Canadian Country Music Association awards, several Juno nominations, and two CMA Global Country Artist awards.

As well, the Gord Bamford Foundation has generated more than $4 million for charities.

The foundation annually supports 10 to 15 charities that focus on Canadian communities and children.

Bamford credits his participation in his local 4-H club for his strong sense of commitment.

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Supported by Glacier FarmMedia, the 4-H Canada Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes the outstanding leadership and contributions of 4-H alumni to their communities.

U of S livestock research funded

Twenty University of Saskatchewan projects have been awarded nearly $7 million through a joint federal-provincial government funding program to advance cattle, swine, and poultry research.

Investment from the province’s Agriculture Development Fund, supplemented by contributions from industry partners, will help researchers improve health and safety for animals and reduce the environmental impact of livestock farming.

The funding includes $3.2 million in the U of S Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence, which will complete seven of the 20 U of S research projects.

Projects involving U of S animal health research include:

  • Developing a universal vaccine for influenza A in swine.
  • Tracking antimicrobial resistant E. coli in chickens.
  • Testing for Salmonella dublin in dairy herds.

Examples of livestock research projects with potential to reduce environmental impact include:

  • Using pea starch for swine feed.
  • Hybrid fall rye as a new forage source for beef cattle.
  • Strategies to address mineral nutrition in the face of poor water quality.
  • Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from cattle feedlots.

Dairy Commission appointments made

Jennifer Hayes has been re-appointed as commissioner and Robert Ingratta has been appointed chair of the Canadian Dairy Commission.

Hayes has held the position of commissioner of the CDC since 2017.

Ingratta’s recent professional experience includes being the chief executive officer of the British Columbia Milk Marketing Board for six years.

Beef research targets profitability

A five-year research program has received $2.35 from the federal government and the Beef Cattle Research Council to advance beef cattle health and productivity.

University of Saskatchewan veterinary researcher Dr. Cheryl Waldner will undertake the program, which is aimed at sustaining the profitability and competitiveness of Canada’s $17-billion-a-year beef industry.

The $750,000 award from the federal Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council is matched by $750,000 in producer check-off funding from the BCRC.

The U of S is contributing $850,000.

Waldner will work with the industry to address priorities of Canada’s beef industry, such as improved herd health, expanded surveillance of antibiotic use and resistance and increased uptake of best practices for herd management.

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