Meristem: Beef Science

Profit-boosting feeding techniques, cost-saving management systems and innovative technologies to improve beef's market value are just a few of many research advances producers can hear about first hand at the National Beef Science Seminar, Nov. 15-17, 2004, in Calgary.

The Seminar, themed "Eye on the future," will feature results from one of the largest beef research funds in the country - the Canada Alberta Beef Industry Development Fund (CABIDF).

CABIDF has funded over $16 million in research in recent years, in the areas of animal health, forage and cow-calf production, feedlot production, intellectual resources, manure management and beef marketability.

"The Seminar is a great chance for producers to get a quick overview of some of the major research advances in these areas," says Dr. Tim McAllister, beef scientist Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. "CABIDF-funded research has produced a lot of practical information that will help producers make immediate improvements to their operations. It has also produced a lot of knowledge that lays the groundwork for a strong future for the industry."

The National Beef Science Seminar was designed to celebrate the best developments in beef science in Canada, says McAllister. It offers a broad range of sessions that focus on research results and how they will benefit the industry.

The two-day seminar begins with a reception and on site registration the evening of Monday, Nov. 15, from 7 to 9 p.m. The first session, "Key advances in beef science" kicks off Tuesday morning, with discussions on antibiotic resistance, boosting net feed efficiency and managing pathogenic bacteria in feedlot cattle. The following session, on "Key advances in beef health," features components on improved vaccine regimes using DNA, controlling giardiasis and cryptosporidiosis, improved sick animal detection and biocontrol of E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella typhimurium DT104 using phage therapy.

A third Tuesday session, on "Advances in cow-calf production," examines alternative fall and winter feeding systems for beef cows, and perennial cereal rye as an alternative to barley silage. The day finishes with a banquet and a talk by featured speaker, climatologist Dr. Tim Ball.

Wednesday begins with a session on "Advances in beef quality and marketing," which covers the development of innovative new beef products, the role of the carcass breaking process in beef contamination and the potential for enhancing beef's health value with conjugated linoleic acid. This session also examines strategic protein supplementation of diets for feedlot cattle and beef cows, management practices to control atypical interstitial pneumonia (AIP) and looks at net feed efficiency differences in young cattle corrected for differences in body composition.

Wednesday afternoon focuses on "Advances in the environmental sustainability of beef cattle production," with talks on phosphorus mobility, composting, odour reduction and protecting water quality.

"We encourage producers to register early and take advantage of the discounted early-bird registration," says Gene Rawe of Alberta Beef Producers. Early-bird registration is $75. After November 7, 2004, the price goes up to $100. Extra banquet tickets are also available for purchase.

Program details and advance registration information is available through the Alberta Beef Producers Web site at www.albertabeef.org, or by contacting Alberta Beef Producers at phone (403) 275-4400, fax (403) 274-0007 or e-mail: abpfeedback@albertabeef.org. A block of rooms has been reserved at the Sheraton Cavalier Hotel in Calgary.

CABIDF is a joint fund co-founded by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development. The $16.4 million fund, which wraps up at the end of this year, has funded over 50 projects in six major categories that cover a broad range of beef production. The Fund was administered by Alberta Beef Producers.

Reprintable with credit. This article is available for reprint, with acknowledgement of the source: Canada Alberta Beef Industry Development Fund (CABIDF). CABIDF research reports

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Advances in beef research highlight National Beef Science Seminar