U of S opens new cattle research centre

Oct 10, 2018

The Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence spans over 4,000 acres

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

The University of Saskatchewan cut the ribbon on a new cattle research facility yesterday.

The $38-million Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence is designed to bring researchers and industry representatives together in one space.

“As challenges come about, we have the research capacities to be able to overcome those challenges and be able to maintain the competitiveness of the industry,” Aaron Ivey, a producer from Ituna, Sask., who served as a committee co-chair, said yesterday to Global News.

The facility includes a 1,500-head feedlot, a 24-stall metabolism barn and a cattle handling area with a hydraulic chute system.

And covering a total of more than 4,000 acres between locations in Clavet and Saskatoon, Sask., the centre is Canada’s largest cattle and forage research space.

Scientists will study everything from animal biology to feed selection.

Producers have wanted a better understanding of forages for a long time, said Bill Jameson, past president of the Saskatchewan Cattle Feeders Association.

“Opening the research centre is a big deal for our industry,” he told Farms.com today. “We’ve been severely lacking research in forages, so this is a long time coming.

“If the researchers can look at better forages for this part of the country, that would be a big win. We also need information on better crossbreeding mixes and better grass mixes to give the cows increased nutrition.”

University of Saskatchewan photo

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