Business route tricky for inventor to navigate

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Published: November 28, 2002

Science can reveal new commercial possibilities, but it doesn’t provide

a business plan for a profitable company.

University of Saskatchewan researchers identified a genetic mutation

that signals an animal’s likelihood of producing AAA well-marbled beef.

But that information was published in a scientific journal and is

available to anyone.

Leigh Marquess and his colleagues at Quantum Genetics Inc. wanted to

use the information to build a business, but to do it, they needed a

way to use the information for a process that was exclusive to them.

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The decision was to develop it as a tool that would allow feedlots to

better manage their feeding programs.

Marquess said a beef animal’s growth, through weaning and into

background feeding, builds bone and muscle. At maturity, which is when

most cattle enter feedlots, the animal starts to build fat.

A quick test that identifies animals with the marbling gene gives the

feedlot a new tool.

“We now have an ability to manage the animal in the last phase of its

growth cycle,” Marquess said.

The ability to identify animals with the genetic potential to lay down

fat will give feedlot managers a new way to sort cattle and feed them

the appropriate diet and for the right amount of time to get the

optimum economic return.

“Today, we (feedlots) buy cattle on averages,” Marquess said. “That is

a major flaw, to buy on averages and sell on an individual basis. We

can now say, if we have to sell on an individual basis, let’s feed on

an individual basis, not feed for a pen average.”

This combination of genetic test and feeding program is the basis of

the patent Quantum has applied for.

But if Marquess’s plans play out as he hopes, the implications of the

technology will start to affect the cow-calf and purebred producer,

increasing demand for Quantum’s genetic testing.

“Ultimately, the feedlot will give a pricing signal to the guy raising

the calf and the guy raising the calf will give a pricing signal to the

bull guy.”

The company is working with several Alberta feedlots and continues to

gather data to prove the system works.

Marquess said multinational agribusinesses are interested in buying

Quantum, but he wants to keep control of the process.

“We had several offers, but I actually believe in it enough that we

haven’t bit on anything.”

While he expects to have a partner someday, he wants the technology

priced to be accessible to the average producer.

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