Spurge-grazed meat
Agriculture Canada’s Brandon research centre recently set up a panel to see if grazing sheep on leafy spurge affected the taste of the meat.
Eight mature ewes, four from a bluegrass pasture and four from pastures consisting of bluegrass and spurge, were used in the test. All animals were from the same flock and were selected for similar body weight and condition.
Tests consisted of three components: Chemical composition, shear test and taste panel. The chemical composition of meat from both groups showed virtually identical levels of protein.
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Total fat content was lower in animals from the spurge pastures. There was less marbling (fat deposits within the meat.) Most fat was deposited externally.
The shear test, which measures tenderness, showed similar results for both groups.
Spurge smell
Odor tests which simulate odors during cooking revealed that fat from the animals with spurge in their diet produced a definitely stronger odor.
Eight individuals on the panel evaluated selected cuts for tenderness, juiciness, flavor and overall acceptance.
Results for both groups were very similar. The meat from the animals with spurge in their diet rated slightly higher for tenderness and flavor and marginally lower for juiciness. The overall score for both groups was identical.
The results indicate spurge in an animal’s diet does not adversely affect meat quality. Stronger fat odors that may occur during cooking can be reduced by trimming the external fat before cooking.
Due to the sample size used in these tests, results should only be considered as indicators of trends.
These initial findings will be useful in identifying follow-up research necessary to confirm these results.
– Agriculture Canada,
Manitoba Agriculture
Rhubarb as herbicide?
An interesting mix of plants is growing in trial plots at the Northeast Demonstration Farm about 10 kilometres north of Tisdale, Sask. Although most of the plants are commonplace, their potential uses are not.
Tansy, for example is found along roadsides and in pastures and waste sites across Saskatchewan. Some people call it the “ant plant” because it seems to keep ants out of farm yards, said Roy Button, soils and crops agrologist with Saskatchewan Agriculture in Tisdale.
“A large plot containing 10 varieties of tansy has been started at the demonstration farm because it’s believed this plant has the potential to be used as an insecticide for the control of pests on horticultural field crops or greenhouses,” said Button.
“The horticulture department at the University of Saskatchewan will be evaluating the levels of active ingredients in the different tansy types to determine if they can be effectively used for this purpose.”
Rhubarb extracts
Three varieties of rhubarb – Canadian red, valentine and German wine – are also being grown at the demonstration farm.
Button says extracts from the rhubarb leaves have potential as both a herbicide and insecticide.
If these extracts prove effective, the horticulture department will be performing preliminary work to try and identify the responsible compounds.
– Saskatchewan Agriculture
