By Alice McFarlane

Livestock and forage research receives funding

Jan 27, 2021 | 5:20 PM

MELFORT, Sask. – Livestock and forage research projects will receive $7.5 million from the federal and provincial governments and supporting partners.

Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister David Marit said $4.1 million will go to 24 livestock and forage-related research and roughly $3.5 million is for operational funding for the Prairie Swine Centre and the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) at the University of Saskatchewan (USask).

“This year’s projects will explore topics such as water quality, cost of production, diagnostics supports, animal health, forage production, quality and breeding,” Marit said.

In one project Dr. Murray Jelinski, a professor with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon, Sask. will use watering bowls to study antimicrobial resistance.

Kathy Larson with the University of Saskatchewan will lead a project that will examine how cow/calf producers are using production and financial data to make management decisions on their operations.

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University of Regina associate professor Dr. Kerri Finlay received just over $279,000 for a project looking at sulfate removal from agricultural ponds for improved cattle health.

“As climate change and human activities alter the movement of water across the prairie landscape, it is imperative that we be able to predict and mitigate the impacts on water quality,” Finlay said. “We hope this research will provide tangible solutions to an increasingly problematic water quality issue for cattle farmers.”

Saskatchewan Alfalfa Seed Producers Development Commission is a new industry partner this year. Director of Research Wayne Goerzen said this research will benefit producers across the prairies.

“Saskatchewan alfalfa seed producers are pleased to be able to participate in the co-funding of important forage research projects, including development of a salt-tolerant alfalfa cultivar adapted to western Canada,” Goerzen said.

Other organizations involved include the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association, Saskatchewan Forage Seed Development Commission, SaskMilk and Alberta Milk.

Dr. Denise Stilling an associate professor in the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science with the University of Regina received $150,000.

Her research will help to address the environmental impact of single-use plastics by exploring how cereal and flax straw can be used to make decomposable drinking straws, stir sticks, container sleeves and medical devices, such as temporary drainage stents.

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alice.mcfarlane@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @AliceMcF