Agriculture & Agri-food

Genetic improvement can help cattle producers meet growing production demand through the revolutionary advances made possible by completion of the bovine genome sequence. This project aims to deliver genomic technology to Canada’s beef breeders that will enable them to substantially increase their rates of genetic improvement, a key determinant of producer profitability and product quality. […]

Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a major food borne human pathogen causing disease worldwide. Cattle have been recognized as the primary reservoir for this pathogen. Healthy cattle (non-shedders) transiently host E. coli O157:H7 in their gastrointestinal tract, with the bacteria mainly residing in the rectum of the large intestine. Transmission of this pathogen among cattle and

Comminuted meat products such as ground beef can contain meat from many animals making it difficult to identify the specific origin of products through the production chain. This project seeks to utilize the power of genomics to employ DNA verification mechanisms to trace animal origination in comminuted meat products. Project success could result in a

Sow longevity (lifetime production) and efficiency are two of the most important economic drivers of profitability for pork producers. Genetic improvement of sow feed intake, efficiency and longevity is possible due to the development of genomic tools like the 60K Porcine single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) chip, opening new opportunities to examine the underlying genetics for

Traditional genetic approaches have been effectively used by the swine industry to enhance traits such as meat production, leanness, and reproductive traits. However, little progress has been made on improving animal health by selective breeding despite susceptibility to specific pathogens having a significant genetic component. Genomics offers the potential to identify new tools that can

The next wave of technology available to livestock producers, including beef producers, is genomics. This new technology allows us to estimate genetic merit for existing traits earlier in life; for new traits; and more accurately for traits that we currently evaluate. This project will develop a new approach to beef cattle selection, one that allows

The beef industry represents the single largest contribution to farm cash receipts in Canada; Alberta being the largest beef producing province (cow/calf, feedlot, and packing). Therefore, effective tools to improve the competitive position of the beef industry will be of direct benefit to Alberta and Canada at large. This project seeks to improve beef quality

The overall goal of this research proposal is to identify molecular biomarkers that are associated with the early prediction, diagnosis, and monitoring of major metabolic and infectious diseases of dairy cattle. Dairy cows are commonly afflicted with a variety of debilitating conditions such as mastitis (udder infection), metritis (uterine infection), laminitis, infertility, ketosis, milk fever,

This project seeks to investigate the potential role of non-coding RNAs, including microRNAs (miRNA), in the control of zoonotic infections in pigs (Salmonella) and cattle (E. coli 0157:H7). MicroRNAs have been shown to control several aspects of human/mouse immune responses but have been poorly investigated in livestock immunity. The long-term goal of the project is

Mannheimia haemolytica is an important bacterial pathogen associated with bovine respiratory disease (BRD) in cattle. The economic losses it generates surpass those incurred by all other diseases of cattle combined, arising from production losses, treatment costs and mortalities. The most widely used method to control BRD is antibiotic administration. However, concerns regarding the use of antibiotics