Sustainable Beef Systems Research Group

University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada

A collaborative group of researchers and graduate students at the University of Saskatchewan focussed on beef cattle raised in an environmentally sustainable system.

Homepage Table of Contents

Research Areas and Extension Publications Researchers Calendar of Events Western Canada Feedlot Management School Saskatchewan Beef Symposium Next Seminar Research Facilities Research Funding Graduate Studies Graduate Students Links to Other Beef Cattle Related Sites connected with the U of S Links to Diagnostic Testing Services

This webpage was last updated on March 11, 2010 by Melissa Zink (melissa.zink@usask.ca) The linked pages in this series may have been updated more recently however.

The Sustainable Beef Cattle Systems Research Group includes faculty from the College of Agriculture, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, College of Engineering and the Western Beef Development Centre. This research group focuses on beef cattle raised in an environmentally sustainable system. The research on beef cattle covers breeding/genetics, reproduction, health, feeding/nutrition, behaviour, welfare, meat quality, economics, and environmentally sustainable production systems. There are studies in basic and applied science with a strong focus on outreach and commercialization.

Most members of this group have shared research funding and co-authored publications over the past ten years. Some of the members are faculty who have joined the University since then and added new perspective to beef research. All of us consider beef cattle the main animal we study, but several also study other species or other agricultural systems.

Research Areas

• Health
• The spread and prevention of disease in beef cattle populations and the possible risks to human health of some diseases.
• The use of antimicrobials in the beef industry and their effects on the environment and human health.
• Nutrition
• The nutrition of beef cattle from the cow and calf on pasture to finishing
• Wheat-based Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles for Growing and Finishing Cattle
• Effect of Winter Feeding Systems on Beef Cow Performance and Feed Site Soil Nutrients
• Genetics
• Hunting down genes - Cattlemen - August 2008
• The genetics of beef cattle involving identification of superior alleles for selection to the sorting of cattle in feedlots by genotype.
• Genes for Cowboys An online review of inheritance patterns of important beneficial traits and disorders in cattle
• Reproduction
• Applied reproduction of beef cattle including the fertility of the bull and cow.
• Sperm, embryos and ova as cryopreserved products sold by the cattle industry.
• Behavior
• Beef cattle behaviour and welfare
• Grazing
• The role of beef cattle as grazers in an ecological use of grassland resources.
• Environment
• Environmental effects of the oil industry on cattle health and production
• Systems approach to the use of land and water for cow/calf production
• Environmental impact of intensive beef cattle production systems
• Beef
• Quality, processing and value added product development from young and mature cattle
• Economics
• Competitiveness and economics of the beef industry in Saskatchewan

Researchers

Calendar of Events

Western Canada Feedlot Management School 2009
July 28 - 31, 2009
University of Saskatchewan
Saskatoon, SK

Saskatchewan Beef Symposium, A Workshop for Cow/Calf Producers was held in February of 2006 and 2007 in Saskatoon at the Travelodge Hotel. It was educational and enjoyable for beef producers and researchers alike!

Seminars 2009

"Differences in absorption and metabolism of short-chain fatty acids and the susceptibility to ruminal acidosis". Dr. Greg Penner. Thursday, December 17, 2009, 12:30 pm, Room 2105 WCVM.

"The Impact of Global Climate Change, Utilization of Genetic Resources Management and the Livestock Sector Development on Human Nutrition and Health in Developing Countries", Dr. Yves Plante, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Thursday, September 17, 2009, Room 2115 WCVM.

"Fetal Programming and Epigenetics in Cattle - Effect of nutrition during gestation on the development of the fetus, calf and adult progeny.", Dr. Viv Perry, University of Queensland, Australia. Tuesday, August 25, 2009, Room 2115 WCVM.

Past Seminars

"New Technology, No Industry, No Problem", Leigh Marquess, Quantum Genetics, Saskatoon, SK. Thursday, February 26, 2009, 12:30, Room 2115 WCVM.

"Everything I Know - I Learned From a Cow", Dr. Duane McCartney, Forage & Grazing Consultant, Lacombe, AB. Thursday, January 22, 2009, 12:30, Room 2115 WCVM.

"2008 Saskatchewan Beef Cattle Industry Update" by Grant Zalinko, PAg, Thursday, October 23, 2008, 12:30, Room 2115 WCVM.

"Addressing the Welfare Concerns Associated With Electroejaculation in Bulls" by Dr. Colin Palmer, Thursday, May 15, 2008, 12:30, Room 2115 WCVM.

"Beef Production: Stockers in the US and Cow-Calf in Saskatchewan" by Dr. Karen Taylor, Thursday, April 17, 2008, 12:30 Room 2115 WCVM.

"Recent Research in Beef Genetics" by Dr. Fiona Buchanan and Dr. Sheila Schmutz, Thursday, March 20, 2008, 12:30 Room 2105 WCVM.

"The Adventures of a Wandering Behaviourist on Sabbatical Leave in New Zealand" by Dr. Joseph Stookey, Thursday, February 22, 2007, 12:30 Room 2115 WCVM.

"The Western Canada Beef Productivity Study - An on-farm investigation of cow-calf herds in Alberta and Saskatchewan " by Dr. Cheryl Waldner, Thursday, January 25, 2007, 12:30 Room 2115 WCVM

Research Facilities

Existing U of S research facilities include:

• The U of S Beef Cattle Research Unit (700 cattle in 40 pens) in Saskatoon
• Goodale Farm (2000 acres, 150 cow herd -note also used for game ranching studies) south of Saskatoon
• Termuende Farm (1760 acres of pasture, 250 cow herd) near Lanigan,
• The U of S Metabolism Barn (20 cattle)
• The U of S Bull Barn (facility for handling 20 bulls during reproductive research)
• Well equipped meat processing pilot plant

Additional information about our research facilties can be found on a separate page.

We are also thankful to the numerous cow/calf ranches and feeding operations throughout Saskatchewan which cooperate with SBSC members

Research Funding

We gratefully acknowledge funding from a wide variety of agencies, producer groups and industries. Details about our research funding can be found on a separate page. We are especially indebted to the Saskatchewan Agriculture Development Fund which has funded all of us at one time in our careers and continues to provide ongoing support to many of us.

Graduate Studies

Since 1995, 14 M.V.Sc, 68 M.Sc., 16 Ph.D. students have been or are currently supervised by members of this group. 3 Post Doctoral Fellows and 2 Research Associates have worked under the supervision of members.

Details about our Graduate Students can be found on a separate page.

Links to Other Beef Cattle Related Sites conncected with the U of S

Links to Diagnostic Testing Services

• BovCan Lab, Saskatchewan Research Council, Innovation Place, Saskatoon, SK Canada (306)933-7273 Dr. Yves Plante
• Quantum Genetics
8 - 410 Downey Road, Innovation Place, Saskatoon, SK Canada S7N 4N1 306-956-2071 Fax: 306-956-2066

for further information contact: Melissa Zink, Webmaster