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< Back 2021-094: Genomic analysis of alfalfa for the development of drought and salt tolerant germplasm for breeding programs Researcher: Andrew Sharpe Funding $95,000 Project Description: Alfalfa is the most important forage crop due to high yield and nutritional quality. While many note the importance of developing more alfalfa varieties, especially for salt and drought tolerance, the conventional approach of recurrent selection is time consuming and labour intensive. Also, salt and drought tolerance mechanisms in alfalfa are poorly understood due to lack of genomic resources and because alfalfa needs long-read sequencing to understand its structural variants. This project will develop new genomic resources to understand the salt and drought tolerance mechanisms in alfalfa and will also be used for association and linkage mapping studies to develop breeding tools for the creation of salt and drought tolerant cultivars/varieties. To do so, existing, and new assemblies will be used to establish a resource that will help to understand alfalfa genome evolution for breeding purposes. The research team, lead by Dr. Andrew Sharpe of the Global Institute of Food Security, will analyze genetic structures and relationships, heterozygosity, and genetic distance using various population genetic analysis tools. To do this, they will use 10 plants, yielding genotypes for 960 plants by mapping them against the newly developed reference genomes. After screening plants and the using advanced physiological phenotyping facility for drought trait screening and phenotyping for salt tolerance, they hope to identify superior parents and develop newer, superior varieties. Results: Waiting for research results.

< Back Another dry year could put some Saskatchewan ranchers out of business Jul 7, 2023 Another dry year could put some Saskatchewan ranchers out of business WESTERN PRODUCER — The Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association says this year’s dry conditions will likely force more producers to sell animals and reduce their herds, further shrinking the national cattle inventory that has seen a decade-long decline. The organization is looking for assistance to help stem the trend. SCA chair Keith Day said producers in many areas of the province will struggle to grow enough of their own feed and will be unable to bring feed in because the dry conditions have pushed feed prices up. That could cause some ranchers to get out of the business rather than struggling to get through another dry year. “The further north you go from the Number 1 highway — especially on the west-central part of Saskatchewan — it’s just looking terrible and it’s getting worse every day,” said Day. Hay crops might be better this year than last, but they will still be below average, he added. “The green feed crops — anything that isn’t under irrigation in this (south-central) area here — are really not going to amount to anything. They’re a disaster already,” said Day. “The crops are horrible. There is going to be a shortage of water in places. And even though those spots are smaller than they were, it’s still a disaster,” said Day. Some areas have seen good conditions develop but it’s spotty, with some crops doing all right, but fields nearby parched. Meanwhile, the market fundamentals of North America’s cattle industry are improving as supply dwindles while demand remains consistent. “For younger producers, it looks hopeful with the price of cattle. The demand for beef is strong and, going forward, the industry looks like it is worth staying in,” said Day. “But for older producers, and some of these guys are looking at their fourth or fifth year of drought with their grass and feed in short supply, they’ve run out of options.” Day said he hopes farmers with drought-diminished crops consider turning their fields over for feed. “Just keep livestock producers in mind when you are wondering what to do with your crops,” said Day. “Another week of plus-30 temperatures and no moisture is going to change a lot of things.” In 2021, the Saskatchewan government changed its provincial agricultural insurance to make it easier to for low-yield crops to be used as livestock feed. Day said producers interested in using their crops for feed should reach out to the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association for more information. Saskatchewan has seen its cattle numbers drop by nearly 20 percent in the past two years with the province hosting the second-largest beef herd in Canada behind Alberta. Previous Next

< Back 2019-114: A screen for drugs that reveal Mycoplasma bovis to the bovine immune system Researcher: Antonio Ruzzini Funding: $24,200 A successful treatment for Mycoplasma Bovis has evaded us for some time. This novel research, led by Dr. Tony Ruzzini, will study proteins released from the bacterial membrane of this disease, and use available drugs to determine if they can disrupt them, essentially removing the "cloak" that makes its treatment so difficult. Results Waiting for research results.

< Back 2018-098: Barley Forage Co-op at Melfort Researcher: Pat Juskiw Funding: $17,250 Project Description: Feeding cattle is the most cost-intensive part of raising cattle in Saskatchewan. Therefore, methods to reduce this cost are of great importance. This research will determine the barley carrying capacity, average daily gain for backgrounding calves, disease resistance, yield, and quality for the Western Canada Forage Barley Registration Trail. Forage barley researchers hope to reduce costs by $0.18/day, increase carrying capacity by 432 cow-days per hectare and increase ADG by 1 lb per calf per day, among other goals. Results: Waiting for research results.

< Back 2020-113: Evaluation of animal variability in fibre digestion and strategies to improve forage use in beef cattle Researcher: Gabriel Rib Funding: $30,000 Increasing fiber digestibility can help reduce costs and increase beef sustainability. Even in feedlots, forages still account for 80% of the total feed. Earlier research projects have shown that cattle which had the highest ability to digest fibre also ate more, which could then in turn increase their average daily gain. This research project, led by the Beef Industry Research Chair Dr. Gabriel Riberio, will compare the growth performance of weaned cales with a higher ability to digest fibre. Calves with the highest and lowest fibre digestibility will be compared by evaluating their rumens. They will attempt to find biological markers, before confirming their hypothesis with a larger study. Results: Waiting for research results.

< Back Rouladen Ingredients • 3 pounds beef top round steak (1/2 inch thick) • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1/4 teaspoon pepper • 6 bacon strips • 3 whole dill pickles, halved lengthwise • 2 tablespoons canola oil • 2 cups water • 1 medium onion, chopped • 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley • 2 teaspoons beef bouillon granules, optional • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour • 1/2 cup cold water • 1/2 teaspoon browning sauce, optional Steps • Cut steak into six serving-size pieces; pound to 1/4-in. thickness. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place a bacon strip down the center of each piece; arrange a pickle half on one edge. Roll up and secure with a toothpick. • In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Brown beef on all sides. Add the water, onion, parsley and bouillon if desired. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until meat is tender. Remove to a serving platter and keep warm. • For gravy, skim fat from drippings. Combine the flour, water and browning sauce if desired; stir into drippings. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve with beef. Previous Next

< Back 20211032 - Growing fodder as an alternative feed Account: Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association Total Funds Requested: $14,900 Funded: Yes Amount: $3,000 Objectives: Determine whether there is any benefit to growing fodder on livestock operations versus conventional feeding methods by analyzing its potential production, nutritional, and economic benefit Why is this Important? 1) Farm in Saskatchewan have said they "drought-proofed" their farm 2) hydroponically grown barley improved milk yield by 8.7% compared to corn silage 3) Could improve metabolized energy 4) Can reduce anti-nutritional factors on low-quality feeds such as phytic acid 5) Could allow producers to reallocate land 6) Economics of production need to be analyzed Methodology: 1) Compare treatment group, fed fodder daily on top of typical ration. 2) Compared to cattle in control group, planned on siliar diet with grain in place of fodder. 3) Assess average daily gain, feed efficiency, nutrient content of rations, cost of production, and feed quality. Questions to consider: Notes: We are administrating this project. Putting some funding in it would likely help as well. This was discussed at a Board meeting as well. Summary: Moisture conditions are quite variable throughout Saskatchewan, though the needs of feed for our cattle herds remain consistent. The project demonstrates the use of a fodder growing system that would "drought-proof" farms and ranches through the use of hydroponically grown barley, and compares it to conventional feeding methods. Previous Next

< Back 2018-133: Improving lipid content in vegetative tissue to increase the nutritive value of herbaceous legume forages Researcher: Surya Acharya Funding: $24,990 Project Description: While alfalfa is an important feed source for many producers throughout the province, it is not a good source for fat or lipids, and bloat is commonly a risk. This research will use a technique to alter the genes of the alfalfa and sainfoin plant to increase the oil content, and to increase protein digestibility. It might also reduce the cost of adding oils to a ration, which also decreasing the amount of methane from cattle. Results: The researchers have found that they can increase the fat, or lipid content in alfalfa and sainfoin, and they will be continuing this research in the next three years to select for even higher rates of fat content. Using a chemical mutagenesis, Drs. Acharya, Singer, and Chen altered the fat content, and have now entered their third cycle of selection in alfalfa and sainfoin populations. They found that the level of fat/lipids has increased by 20% in alfalfa and 80% in alfalfa. Their ultimate goal is to increase the lipids in these plants to 5%. The next steps are already underway. More information on that project can be found here: https://www.beefresearch.ca/factsheet.cfm/enhancement-of-total-lipid-contentcomposition-in-non-gmo-alfalfa-and-sainfoin-for-improved-energy-density-and-reduced-methane-emissions-282

< Back 2019-116: Stocking density and feed bunk space as a risk factor for liver abscesses Researcher: Diego Moya Funding: $20,000 Liver abscesses continue to be an issue for beef producers. According to the National Beef Quality Audit in 2016, liver discounts were estimated at $20.98/head, with a total loss of $61.2 million to the industry. Dr. Diego Moya from the University of Saskatchewan will note how cattle behavior towards practices such as slick bunks affect how the cattle eat, and the effects on their livers. Results: Waiting for research results.

< Back 2018-136: Use of bacteriophage-derived lysins in combatting multi-drug resistant (MDR) pathogens that cause bovine respiratory disease (BRD) Researcher: Dongyan Niu Funding: $45,774 1) Engineer a part of the bacteriophage (bacteria-killing viruses) to specifically a􀄴ack the most drug-resistant pathogens. 2)Antimicrobial resistance is increasing, and it is difficult to treat some bacteria common in bovine respiratory disease. 2) There has been success in mice and humans. Results Waiting for research results.

< Back 2020-109: Using watering bowls to monitor the respiratory bacterial resistome in cattle by location and time within the feedlot Researcher: Murray Jelinski Funding: $22,500 Antimicrobial resistance is an increasingly alarming risk. Treatments for sick cattle, without knowing for certain what is causing their illness, increases resistance on farms, which then necessitates a search for other more useful drugs. It could also lead to greater beef mortality. Easy, cost-effective Results Waiting for research results.

< Back 2019-003: Plant-soil interactions and stand decline in alfalfa: Mechanisms and potential mitigation strategies Researcher: Jonathan Bennet Funding; $55,936 Project Description: Plant mixes and polycultures have gained increasing interest from producers over the past several years. Many producers are also interested in how to maintain a healthy stand, and are curious as to whether winterkill and overgrazing are the only definitive reasons why some stands don’t persist. Jonathan Bennett, a plant scientist from the University of Saskatchewan, will work to understand how a single crop stand and how multiple plants in a crop stand age, as well as their influences on soil microbes and it’s productivity. As alfalfa suffers from multiple root diseases with unknown causes, the SCA Board was interested in potential solutions this research might bring. Results: In order to understand legume decline over time in plant stands, this team sampled soil microbiome in 24 alfalfa monocultures and alfalfa-grass mixtures that were between one and six years old. They had four alfalfa varieties, and included six other forage species (sainfoin, red clover, American vetch, purple prairie clover, crested wheatgrass, and northern wheatgrass). They found that some alfalfa varieties, namely Brett Young 3010, can take advantage of older pasture soils - that variety increased its growth by 36% due to the presence of specific arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the soil. Sainfoin grew 35% better in grass-alfalfa mixtures than in sterile soil, likely due to the presence of certain beneficial bacteria in those soils (not rhizobia). Conversely, red clover grew better and had more nodules in alfalfa seed production soils suggesting that it can take advantage of alfalfa associated rhizobia in those fields but doesn’t do as well if those rhizobia are diluted, as in mixed stands. Combined this suggests that certain alfalfa varieties and sainfoin may be better choices for rejuvenating pasture than red clover because they are helped by the microbiome in these fields. Native plant species did poorly when inoculated with microbes from weedy fields, likely due to shared pathogens, suggesting that if you are seeding native species, pre-seeding weed management may be critical. However, more tests are underway or in the planning stages.