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Agricultural Research and Innovation in Alberta

ideasideas

Shining the

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reach&discover

Issue 1 • Fall 2003

Agricultural Research and Innovation in Alberta

www.aari.ab.ca

www.avacltd.com

www.climatechangecentral.com

www.acidf.ca

www.alidf.ca

www.agfoodcouncil.com

Alberta is all about innovation. Albertans have always been

forward thinkers and Reach & Discover captures a new wave of

leaders in agricultural research and development.

Science is making the most of food, fi bre, and bioresources,

in ways that change daily lives. So, as Alberta REACHes to

add value to agriculture and DISCOVERs wonderful new uses

for agricultural resources, we invite you to join us for an

exploration of the exciting world of research and development.

Reach & Discover is brought to you by the members of Alberta

Agriculture Funding Consortium. The Consortium provides an

innovative approach to coordinating agricultural research and

development funding and aligning projects with industry-wide

goals. Each member organization retains its own identity and

funds a range of projects in its target area – but also gains

effi ciencies from sharing a single approach to application and

joint-funding opportunities.

We welcome reprints, with acknowledgement, of Reach & Discover stories.

fall co

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Members of the Alberta Agriculture Funding Consortium

Smart about Science.............................................................................. page 2Seven of Alberta’s major agricultural research and development funding groups have formed a strategic partnership to support an innovative, sustainable, and world-class agricultural industry in the province. It is a model for effective research and development funding that is drawing attention from across the country.

Better Oats, Better for You..................................................................... page 4Given the potential of oats to improve our health, this crop deserves more of our attention.

Progressive Stewardship....................................................................... page 6The Alberta Environmental Farm Plan unites like-minded producers who, collectively, are set to make a big impact on conserving the health of Alberta’s rolling hills and waterways.

Piecing Together the Puzzle ............................................................................. page 8Knowledge gaps in the environmental management puzzle exist, but they are getting smaller – thanks to projects funded by members of Alberta’s Agriculture Funding Consortium.

An Ounce of Prevention .......................................................................page 10It’s impossible to over-estimate the importance of food safety. Research is fi nding ways to ensure Alberta meat is free from pathogen contamination.

Alberta Potatoes: More Than Meets the Eye .......................................page 12Research has improved potatoes. And now, The Little Potato Company that could – does.

Black Belt in Research ..........................................................................page 14A scientist who uses his hobby to focus his thinking in the lab is making a real difference in our knowledge about infection.

Plastic Panacea .....................................................................................page 18The promise of bioplastics enhances Alberta’s drive to increase the value-added segment of the agricultural industry.

Studying Swine.....................................................................................page 20Edmonton isn’t normally considered a hotbed of hog production, but world-class swine R&D is taking place right in the middle of the city – at the leading-edge Swine Research and Technology Centre.

Galloping Towards a Fertile Future ............................................................ page 22Humans and horses have always shared a close working partnership, and now, with advancements in equine reproductive research, our pony pals may be helping us with health concerns as well.

Bull’s Eye: Targeting the Message ........................................................page 24With the prospect of dramatically increasing the effi ciency of the beef industry, it is important for scientists to not only conduct research but also share the fi ndings.

Words of Wisdom ..................................................................................page 28Words of Wisdom provides the perspective of those involved in the sector. In this issue, an industry leader shares his views on the importance of agricultural research.

ntents

01fall 2003

One

potato,

two potatoes,

three potatoes, four

...there are new ways to

think about potatoes.

Aberta Potatoes

More than

Meets the Eye

12reach&discover

“We’re changing the image of the potato,”

says Tim Darragh, Field Production Manager of

The Little Potato Company Ltd.

His proclamation is more than just a

marketing pitch. Research is not only changing

consumers’ perceptions of the potato as more

than just another side dish, it’s changing the

perception of Alberta as being more than

just another potato provider. New specialty

products are making potatoes easier to

cook and rejuvenating them as a convenient

household staple.

Research developments have allowed potato

acreage to jump by 85.3% since 1996 and

production to jump up to an average of

400,000 metric tonnes per year. Today, Statistics

Canada reports that 19% of the potatoes

produced in Canada now come from Alberta.

It’s proved to be win-win-win for producers,

processors, and consumers. Research into

better disease resistance, in addition to more

convenient sizes and attractive colours are

all leading to

Alberta-born

potatoes and potato

products that are more

attractive and marketable to

the consuming public around the world.

This tremendous growth has attracted a lot of

business to the province, including two new

potato processing plants: McCain in 1999, and

Lamb Weston in 2000. It’s also encouraging

the expansion of existing facilities, like Old

Dutch, Hostess FritoLay, Vauxhall Foods, and

Maple Leaf Potatoes (which has been in

the province for 35 years). And it’s resulted

in the emergence of niche processors, like

Edmonton’s The Little Potato Company Ltd.

Today, more than 10 million pounds of spuds

are handled in The Little Potato Company’s

30,000 square foot processing facility. Their

success is due to their ability to have a steady

supply of small-sized potatoes (about one-inch

in size) that are sold as a convenience food

that can be quickly prepared at home. The

packaged, meal-sized potatoes don’t have to

be washed or peeled,

and can be cooked

in only 15 minutes,

making them a hit with

consumers who had once

abandoned larger, slow-cooking potatoes in

favour of rice or pasta.

“Traditionally, growing potatoes has always

been about trying to produce a big potato,”

says Darragh. “Essentially, what we’ve had

to focus on is doing the exact opposite. And

that’s actually pretty diffi cult.”

Using existing varieties, the only way to have

a crop of small-sized potatoes was to harvest

them early, which sacrifi ced quality and yield.

To combat the problem, The Little Potato

Company has worked with Agriculture &

Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) researchers to

develop population dynamics systems.

“In other words, we’ve spent a lot of time

trying to get the optimum planting density, or

number in the hill, so we’re basically crowding

the potatoes in order to keep the potatoes

Did you know?

Today, Alberta’s potato processing plants

process between 500 and 600 thousand

tonnes of raw potatoes with an estimated

value of between $350 million and $400

million annually.

There are now more potato acres grown

in Western Canada than Eastern Canada.

Estimates place potato production in Alberta

alone at about 400,000 metric tonnes per

year. Much of that is because of research

that allows both producers and processing

companies to fl ourish.

Since 1996, potato acreage in Alberta has

grown by 85.3%.

Over 50% of potatoes grown in Canada are

processed; mostly into french fries. Canada’s

overall frozen french fry production is over

one million tonnes, largely due to expansion

in Alberta.

Source: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 2001-2002 Canadian Potato – Situation and Trends

13fall 2003

themselves small without having small yields,”

says Darragh.

They’ve also found ways to incorporate

varieties that are more conducive to growing

small potatoes. “We’ve incorporated some

old European varieties into the breeding

system that have a higher set under the

hill,” says Darragh. “For instance, one of our

current varieties might set 10 under a hill, but

a European variety like Bintje sets 20 under

the hill.”

Research into controlling a potato’s size

hasn’t just benefi ted niche processors like The

Little Potato Company. Michele Konschuh,

Potato Research Agronomist with the Crop

Diversifi cation Centre in Brooks, has also been

working with the team at AAFC’s Lethbridge

Research Station to develop a potato suitable

to make small wedge-cut home fries, with the

peel, for Maple Leaf Potatoes.

Developing new specifi c-sized varieties for

specialty french fries or chipping can take

years but Konschuh is also conducting trials

to evaluate a growth regulator for potatoes.

“Ideally, some french fry processors want a

potato that’s about 6 to 10 ounces in size,”

says Konschuh.

The regulator is applied and keeps the potato

an optimal size, resulting in nice, marketable

french fries and chipping potatoes that

are neither too small nor too big for the

processors to handle.

Research is not only leading to potatoes

that make processing more effi cient, it’s

also ensuring a steady supply of quality

potatoes year round. Although researchers

would love to fi nd a way to control Mother

Nature so potatoes could be grown all year,

the growing season for potatoes in Alberta

is limited to only four short months. A few

varieties have been developed that can

be harvested in August to spread out the

workload, but the vast majority are harvested

in September or October.

“There’s an old adage that once it’s out of

the ground, we can’t improve it, but we can

always help maintain it. So, we’re working

on developing varieties that store longer and

keep their colour and appeal longer, and

aren’t prone to disease while in storage,”

says Konschuh.

Dr. Dermot Lynch of AAFC’s Lethbridge

Research Centre has been researching the

affects of storing processing potatoes at

lower temperatures to reduce the risk of post-

harvest diseases like fusarium dry rot that can

devastate a potato crop while in storage.

“We’ve found that storing processing

potatoes at 5 degrees versus 10 degrees

reduces pathogen activity,” explains Lynch.

“If we can lower pathogen activity in this

manner, while maintaining processing

quality, then we can reduce the risk of

storage disease as well as the need for

fungicides and chemical sprout inhibitors.

This would be a major benefi t to both the

french fry and chip processing industries.”

In addition to fi nding good storage techniques

that prevent disease, research is also underway

to develop potatoes that are immune to

pests and diseases in the fi eld. This not only

alleviates consumer concerns about pesticides,

it also alleviates pressure on producers, who

spend huge dollars on inputs to grow and

maintain healthy potatoes for processing.

Using molecular technology to probe the

genetics of a wild Mexican potato species,

Lynch and his colleagues have discovered

high levels of resistance to late blight disease

and the Colorado potato beetle. Late blight

is the number one disease in potatoes while

the Colorado potato beetle is the number

one insect problem of potatoes worldwide.

These problems cost Alberta’s potato growers

roughly $20 million annually for fungicide

and insecticide control, and not having to

apply chemical in the fi rst place could lead

to a signifi cant cost savings for producers,

processors, and consumers all over the world.

With all the research going on in the province,

it’s no wonder Alberta’s processing business is

booming. Today, Alberta’s potato processing

plants process between 500 and 600 thousand

tonnes of raw potatoes with an estimated

value of between $350 million and $400

million annually. And there’s a lot of potential

for growth on the horizon, thanks to the work

of researchers across the province.

“I don’t think any of this would be possible

without the great producers here,” admits

Konschuh. “Alberta is home to an incredibly

forward-thinking group of farmers. They’re

open to new ideas, they listen and they work

together. They encourage us, and they put

their money where their mouths are. They let

us dabble with their crops – their livelihood.”

“The next wave could include other

value-added properties,” says Lynch. “For

instance, developing potatoes for diabetics,

since diabetics currently can’t eat potatoes

because the starch breaks down into sugar

too quickly.”

Other new developments will also likely

include more colour pigmentation, potatoes

in a rainbow of colours for more visual appeal

on store shelves and dinner plates. In fact, The

Little Potato Company has already introduced

blue potatoes for that visual appeal. “A lot

of it will be driven by what consumers want,”

says Darragh. “It’s like a treadmill. You have to

keep running to keep standing.”

An Ounce of Prevention

An ounce of prevention is said to be worth

a pound of cure. Researcher Dr. Colin Gill is

looking at ways to safeguard Alberta meat

products and provide consumers with peace

of mind.

10reach&discover

When was the last time you looked in the fridge and wondered,

“What’s this growing in here?”. It may be the colourful green,

white, and black patterns of mold on food that’s been left too long.

Or maybe it’s last year’s Science Fair project. These problems are self-

infl icted, caused by questionable handling and storage of food in

the home, but we have every reason to believe the food we bring

home is perfectly safe – don’t we?

Even with all the regulations we have on food handling and

processing there is the chance that there are bacteria growing on

that package of raw meat in the fridge. And some of these bacteria

may well be the dangerous pathogens of Escherichia coli (E. coli) or

Salmonella. Assuming that people recognize their own responsibility

for food safety in the home by taking the proper precautions

when dealing with raw meat to avoid the possibility of pathogen

contamination, the question becomes, “What safeguards are in place

to protect the meat before it reaches the supermarket shelves?”.

Food Process Controls

In Canada, as well as internationally, food products are subject to a

series of regulations and process controls, applied at every step from

the food’s raw state until it reaches the consumer’s hands. Since the

1920s, process controls have been used as a way of guaranteeing

the quality and safety of the end product. The basis is that the end

product can only be guaranteed if the materials that went into it,

and the subsequent processes used, are well known and understood.

The Hazard Analysis: Critical Control Point system (HACCP, commonly

pronounced “ha-sip”) recently emerged as an international practice,

designed to help commercial agencies guarantee the safety

and quality of raw products, such as meat, through analysis and

prevention of food safety hazards before they occur.

The canning process is a good example of the application of the

Critical Control Points approach. Canned products are considered

safe provided two things occur: the can is completely sealed, and

it is heated to a temperature that kills all of the bacteria in the

food. In this example, both the sealing and heating of the can

are considered critical points; the potential hazards can either be

controlled or eliminated. If the contents of the can are sampled at

the critical point of heating, researchers can determine what effect

the process has had on the food’s microbiology. This allows them

to determine if there is any chance of disease contamination based

on what has happened to the bacteria present. The HACCP system

provides another control for the quality and safety of the food in

commercial systems.

Applying HACCP Principles

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada researcher Dr. Colin Gill

believes HACCP will be effective only if it is based on appropriate

microbiological data. Gill and his team work with small samples of

meat, and they are interested in the points in the various stages of

processing at which pathogenic bacteria are added to or removed

from it. With the testing of meat and the high regulation of the

processing procedures, it is possible to develop an understanding of

what has happened to the product, in terms of the microbiology, up

until the point of sampling.

The researchers look at the bacteria to determine what is happening

to the microbiology and assess whether or not the pathogens

may be present in the sample, with a low number indicating that

the pathogens are infrequent and therefore the product is safe

for consumption. Gill points out that this research provides the

commercial sector with a better chance of product control.

Each sample contains a variety of bacteria. It is important to

keep in mind that not all E. coli bacteria are harmful; in fact

most mammals, including humans, have the bacteria already

present in their gut. Some are indicator bacteria for pathogens,

some are harmless forms of E. coli and others may be dangerous

pathogens such as E. coli 0157H. Such testing allows food to be

kept safe.

Safe Food for Confi dent Consumers

E. coli research in Alberta, funded in part by Alberta Agricultural

Research Institute and Alberta Livestock Industry Development

Fund Ltd., is aimed primarily at improving and aiding the

commercial meat processing industry, thus improving the

industry in signifi cant ways. As Gill points out, “The goal of our

research is to ensure public health and increase market quality of

meat products.”

The extra control on raw products leads to healthier and higher

quality products for consumers. Further, world-class food safety

processes help to settle the minds of Canadian and international

consumers alike. This in itself may help in the boosting of

Alberta’s economy by helping to rebuild Canada’s reputation

in the international beef market. The research that Gill and his

team are doing is essential to keeping Canada’s meat industry

competitive and effective by recovering and expanding our share

of the world market.

Most importantly, Gill’s research is also all about the health and

safety of the general public. So, thanks to research, the answer is

yes – we do have every reason to be confi dent that the food we

buy is both delicious and safe.

“The goal of our

research is to

ensure public

health and increase

market quality of

meat products.”

- Dr. Colin Gill, AAFC

Canada’s Food Safety Initiatives at a Glance

• Canada’s objective is to be the world leader in food safety,

innovation, and environmentally responsible production and to be

the best at meeting the needs of consumers at home and abroad.

• The On-Farm Food Safety Recognition Program (OFFSRP) was

formally announced by the Honourable Minister Lyle Vanclief

in June 2002 as part of the Agriculture Policy Framework (APF).

Industry-developed OFFS programs and government recognition

of these programs will enhance Canada’s domestic and

international reputation as a leader in food safety and quality.

This, in turn, could mean expanded markets for Canadian products.

• The Food Safety Enhancement Program (FSEP) is the Canadian Food

Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) approach to encourage and support the

development, implementation, and maintenance of the U.S. Food

and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Hazard Analysis: Critical Control

Point (HACCP) systems in all federally registered establishments of

the meat, dairy, honey, maple syrup, processed fruit and vegetable,

shell egg, processed egg, and poultry hatchery sectors.

• Under the APF, separate farm and off-farm programs will provide

fi nancial assistance for adopting HACCP principles on farms and

in food processing plants, including provincially-inspected meat

and dairy processors, avoiding issues in the fi rst place rather than

inspecting them afterward.

• The FDA’s HACCP is a U.S. National Food Safety initiative designed

to provide a systematic approach to the identifi cation, evaluation,

and control of food safety hazards. The program was designed in

the early 1970s for keeping food safe in outer space. The current

HACCP is designed for use in all segments of the food industry

from growing, harvesting, processing, manufacturing, distributing,

and merchandising to preparing food for consumption. The

HACCP addresses food safety through the analysis

and control of biological, chemical, and physical

hazards from raw material production,

procurement and handling, to

manufacturing, distribution and

consumption of the fi nished

product.

11fall 2003

04

Your mother knew what she was talking about – you should eat your oatmeal. And now research

is showing that oats have more health benefi ts than even mom could have guessed.

Better Oats,Better for You

If there was a food that could reduce

cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure,

decrease risk of diabetes, and increase

your body’s immune response, you

would eat it wouldn’t you? Would you

be surprised to discover that oats have

been identifi ed as a food source that

can deliver all of these health benefi ts?

It is precisely because of the demand for

healthier foods that Alberta has focused

some of its research resources on oats.

Oats have always had a reputation as

a healthy and versatile food, but now

researchers funded by the Alberta Crop

Industry Development Fund Ltd. (ACIDF)

are looking at innovative ways to improve

nutritional and quality characteristics that

could generate completely new uses for

the traditional crop. Oats are a source of

many important nutritional components

that can really have a positive impact

on human health. “Often, oats are

considered lower quality food compared

to other crops – that’s unfortunate. We

are working to change that,” says Doug

Walkey, Executive Director of ACIDF.

Despite the health benefi ts of the crop,

the best oats typically go to horse feed.

Horse owners want white, plump, well-

shaped oats and pay for it. The second

grade oats go to human consumption,

primarily into breakfast cereals. The

lowest grade oats end up in the

feed market.

“The oat industry is an interesting one.

Typically, oats are planted as a second

choice crop. They are planted last in

comparison to other crops, but to get the

most of it, they should be considered the

same as other crops and get the same

attention,” says Walkey.

Driving downstream benefi ts from the

crop is important in achieving maximum

returns from oats, so ACIDF-funded

research on oats is focused on value-

added benefi ts and new food uses.

The fi rst project focuses on the value-

added benefi ts of extracting beta

glucans from oats, and using them as

food amendments/additives. “It’s about

the custom formulation of foods and

increasing fi bre in low fi bre foods,”

adds Walkey.

Beta Glucans

Dr. Thava Vasanthan is a University

of Alberta researcher investigating

beta glucans. His research covers three

areas: development of cost effi cient

technologies for beta glucan extraction

from oats and barley, the use of beta

glucans as a food additive, and the

food and non-food applications for the

by-product, after the beta glucan is

removed. If successful, this research would

demonstrate that oats and barley could

be used as a commercially viable source

of beta glucans, while possibly improving

the feed quality of the by-product.

Why look at beta glucans? Beta glucans

are a soluble fi bre that has been shown

to have several health benefi ts, including

lowering cholesterol, regulating glucose,

and stimulating the immune system.

Good sources of beta glucans include

oats, barley, yeast, bacteria, and some

fungi. Many studies have shown the

positive health benefi ts of increasing

Inside Oats

Components of oats with specifi c

health benefi ts include:

• Beta Glucans – reduces

cholesterol, regulates

glucose levels,

stimulates immune

response, reduces

heart disease,

reduces risk of Type

2 Diabetes.

• Tocopherols

– inactivates free

radicals and other

harmful compounds, thus

reducing risk of heart disease

and cancer, and possibly slowing

cellular aging.

• Phenolics – similar benefi ts to Tocopherols.

• Phytosterols – reduces cholesterol, reduces risk of cardiovascular disease, reduces risk of

colon, breast, and prostate cancers.

reach&discover

the level of beta glucans in the diet,

to the point where the Food and Drug

Administration in the U.S. has allowed

food makers using whole oat products to

claim that products containing at least

0.75 grams of soluble fi bre per serving

reduce the risk of heart disease by

reducing levels of cholesterol.

In order for oat beta glucans to be

used more widely, viable methods of

extracting them from whole oats must be

developed. Vasanthan, in collaboration

with Dr. Feral Temelli, is applying new

patented technology to the fractionation

of oats in order to separate the beta

glucans. Creating a reliable, high quality

product is very important in developing

food additives.

Once the beta glucans have been

extracted, Vasanthan and Temelli are

investigating using this oat product as a

food additive to increase the fi bre levels

of low fi bre foods. The key is determining

if the health benefi ts of beta glucans

in oats can be transferred to other

foods that would not normally contain

suffi cient levels of soluble fi bre.

An interesting side benefit of Vasanthan

and Temelli’s work is that the remaining

oat product, after the removal of the

beta glucans, may be a more efficient

feed product. So an additional aspect

of the project is a feeding trial to

investigate the possible benefits of

feeding oats post-beta glucan-removal.

“Some feel that with the reduced fibre

content, the material may actually

be higher in feed energy,” notes

Walkey. This demonstrates an excellent

opportunity to drive value right through

the chain. From developing production

technology for a new food additive

to finding a beneficial use for the by-

products, it should all translate into

more value.

More than Just Oatmeal

Until his untimely death this summer,

Dr. Solomon Kibite was an oat breeder

with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

in Lacombe, focused on making better

food oats. He described his work this way:

“Traditionally, oats have been used for

breakfast cereals and muffi ns. We are

trying to fi nd new uses for oats in pasta

and noodles as well as improve nutrition

through increased antioxidant levels.”

Thus, a focus for his breeding program

was increasing the levels of antioxidants

in improved oat varieties.

There has been a lot of work on

increasing antioxidants in oats in

China, making Chinese varieties more

nutritious. He explained that the goal is

to develop improved oat varieties with

higher antioxidant levels that would be

successful in Alberta. Since there is no

industry accepted level yet, part of the

work is to establish how high increased

levels of antioxidants need to be.

Antioxidants are compounds that clean

free radicals and other unstable chemical

compounds from cells. Damage by free

radicals has been implicated in aging,

heart disease, and cancer; thus the ability

of antioxidants to protect the body from

damage by free radicals might help

reduce the risks associated with these

conditions. Oats contain two types of

antioxidants, tocopherols (better known

as Vitamin E) and phenolic compounds.

The phenolic antioxidants are different

compounds but function in a similar

fashion to tocopherols.

Drs. Kevin Swallow of Alberta Agriculture,

Food and Rural Development’s Food

Processing Development Centre, and Bin

Xiao Fu of Canadian International Grains

Institute are working with material from

Kibite’s breeding program to investigate

the use of oats in making pasta and

noodles. Swallow is enthusiastic about

the opportunity to take a product, in this

case oats, and develop it into something

never before utilized in Canada. He

applauds Kibite’s vision. “He could see the

versatility of a traditional grain and use

it for novel applications,” he says. “The

health benefi ts to be gained from oats is

the major attribute of Dr. Kibite’s work.”

By modifying certain quality characteristics,

the improved oats could become a new

ingredient in the growing pasta/noodle

market. This would create a unique new

market for the use of oats and oat products

that would offer a more nutritious product

to the consumer, making oats more than

just a breakfast food.

So the next time only oatmeal leaps to

mind when considering oats, think of a

world of possibilities. From specialized

noodles and pasta to extracted beta

glucans, oats have the potential to

positively affect our health.

Dr. Solomon Kibite Remembered

Dr. Solomon Kibite, an oat breeder with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) in Lacombe,

passed away suddenly on August 20, 2003 at the age of 54. Before his untimely death, Dr. Kibite

focused his research energy on barley, oats, and wheat, developing 13 different varieties as well as

many other lines that are used in breeding programs internationally. Since 1995, he concentrated

exclusively on oats. AC Morgan, a variety he developed, is the highest yielding and most widely

grown oat variety on the western prairies.

Kibite was studying the special characteristics of oats and fi nding new food uses for the crop as

well as applications in the cosmetics and nutraceuticals industries. His current work will be completed to ensure the new lines get out.

Heavily involved in the international plant breeding community, Kibite published many papers on cereal breeding and genetics. He offered plant

breeding courses in China, conducted extensive collaborative research with scientists across Canada and the United States, and was a respected

member of the Executive Committee of the International Oat Conference and Chair of the American Oat Workers’ Conference.

“Everyone was surprised by the amount of collaboration he was able to achieve,” says Dr. George Clayton, a colleague and friend at AAFC. “He

was very quiet and unassuming, and never bragged, but he was a great leader; very generous, very kind, and very respectful of everybody in the

offi ce. He will be greatly missed.”

05fall 2003

University of Calgary biological sciences

professor Dr. Andre Buret pits himself against the

microorganisms that wreak havoc in the guts and

lungs. Find out who’s winning.

Black BeltIn Research

14reach&discover

When Dr. Andre Buret fi rst moved to

Canada, it wasn’t enough for him to simply

settle into a new country and focus solely

on the challenges that it entails. He also

decided he wanted to pick up another

extra-curricular activity: karate. Along

with its physical aspect, karate bestows on

its devotees a mental focus – something

that Buret says defi nitely helps him in his

work as one of Alberta’s most innovative

biological research scientists.

“I started it then and have been with it for

18 years,” confi rms Buret, a professor at the

University of Calgary, about karate. “I had

done a lot of sports before in Switzerland,

and martial arts is one thing I knew nothing

about. I was curious about it.”

“I have now reached the rank of instructor

(shidoin, third degree) and help teach

with a club here,” he adds. “And that’s a

good thing, because, besides its physical

component, karate has a very important

psychological aspect to it that’s very useful

to me and my profession, and in life.”

If it does have that kind of impact, perhaps

the people and livestock that Buret helps

through his research should also be

thankful for the benefi ts of karate. Because

as an Associate Professor in both the

Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty

of Science, and the Mucosal Infl ammation

Research Group (MIRG), Department of

Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty

of Medicine, Buret is able to effect real

change. His principal interest is in the study

of infections – primarily in the intestine,

lungs, and eyes. He is devoted to fi nding

out how these organs respond to disease.

Once that is determined, Buret searches for

ways to “actually bend the development

of clinical symptoms,” as well as develop

therapies. Diseases are often the direct

result of infi ltration by microbes, but Buret

would like to determine whether a host’s

own immune responses can also be a trigger

for disease, regardless of the involvement of

any microbes.

The disease that currently commands the

bulk of Buret’s attention? Gastrointestinal

disease, which, amazingly, is responsible

for the death of more than fi ve million of

the world’s children under the age of fi ve

every year.

One of Buret’s most signifi cant

accomplishments to date is his contribution

to the development of a “silver bullet”,

as he puts it, to combat such intestinal

abnormalities. Derived from a protein

found in milk, Buret and his collaborators

are now working to get this potentially

gut-altering, life-affi rming product to

market. They are attempting to do so

through a company they spun off from the

University of Calgary for the purpose of

commercializing the drug.

“One of my other jobs is to help run that

company,” acknowledges Buret of AB

BioPharma Inc., where he sits on the Board

of Directors. “We’re at a stage where we

already have a successful pilot

clinical trial. I hope that in the

next fi ve years we would

be able to launch our

fi rst product.”

Ross Bricker, Vice-

President,

Investment with

AVAC Ltd., a value-

added agriculture

investment company,

shares Buret’s optimism.

In fact, AVAC as a whole is so

pleased with the professor’s fi ght

against gastrointestinal disorders

it has fi nanced the battle to the tune

of $1.25 million in total investment in

AB BioPharma Inc. – making AVAC the

company’s biggest investor.

“(The investment) speaks to our level

of interest in the opportunity, and our

expectations for its success,” says Bricker.

“What’s so interesting to us about the

project is the presence of a world-class

group of researchers who have identifi ed

a product that has signifi cant benefi ts

to both human and animal health,

both for prevention and treatment; a

market demand that’s substantial; and a

management team that’s solid. They’re

moving forward quite quickly in terms

of attracting the additional investment

required to successfully launch the product

in the market. So it’s a good project all the

way around.”

It’s simply a bonus that the man leading

the project is as sunny as he is, adds Bricker.

“He’s an upbeat individual and he tends

to bring up the level of interest in people

around him. You enjoy being around him,”

he says of Buret.

Malabsorption Syndrome

Buret began his work in this area by fi rst

concentrating on malabsorption syndrome.

When the body is absorbing liquids

properly, there is a membrane that plunges

fi nger-shaped microvilli – little hair-like

structures – into the intestinal tube,

thereby increasing the absorption area

of the intestine. Buret, however, noticed

that when affected by microbial infections

or disorders such as Crohn’s disease, food

allergies, and celiac disease, the epithelial

cells of the small intestine undergo

signifi cant changes.

“What we have found is that in a number

of diseases you have an enormous loss, or

shortening, of these microvilli. They just

get shorter and stubbier,” says Buret. “As

if the cell would pull these fi ngers back

in and say, ‘oh, there is nasty material

out there, let’s not expose ourselves

too much to that.’ But as they do

that, they also, of course, can

absorb much less, and you

have malabsorption.”

Through observation,

Drs. Grant Gall

and Jim Hardin,

two of Buret’s

current

collaborators

on this

technology,

eventually

realized that

there is a

product that

“It’s not an antibiotic, not a hormone, and because of

that, all of a sudden, it has tickled a lot of interest.”

- Dr. Andre Buret, University of Calgary 15fall 2003

Bricker sees the technology as

being able to be used on “a

day-to-day basis”, with

tourists, for example,

having the option to

“pop a pill” in any

country where they

might otherwise be exposed

to gastrointestinal problems.

actually manages to reverse this process.

Not only that, but as his team did more

studies, they also discovered that if this

product was given to an experimental

animal that was subsequently infected

with E. coli bacterium, the E. coli could

not stick to the intestine. To quote an info

sheet that describes Buret’s work: “If the

bacteria don’t stick, then they won’t make

you sick.”

“Basically, the product protects the

intestinal surface from infection,” says

Buret. “So not only have we shown that

it works on an ongoing infection, but we

have since shown that it works if you give

it before the establishment of infection. It

works in the stomach, it works on viruses,

bacteria, and parasites, and it works in a

number of animal species.”

At present, Buret and his team have

established 16 patents worldwide on

the usage of this product. Along with

the establishment of, and investment in,

its marketing company, Buret has other

reasons to be excited about this product.

“It’s not an antibiotic, not a hormone, and

because of that, all of a sudden, it has

tickled a lot of interest,” says Buret. “There

is a lot of discussion in the agricultural

industry about the use of antibiotics,

and crossover of antibiotic resistance

to humans, and so forth. Perhaps if

someone could use this as an approach,

you could replace antibiotic usage in the

agricultural industry.”

In humans, the possibility exists that this

could be the answer to many common

gastrointestinal disorders, such as diarrhea.

Once completely manifested, Bricker sees

the technology as being able to be used

on “a day-to-day basis”, with tourists, for

example, having the option to “pop a pill”

in any country where they might otherwise

be exposed to gastrointestinal problems.

In livestock, both the product’s

preventative and therapeutic benefi ts

are highlighted once again. “There are a

number of diseases in domestic livestock

that involve gut problems,” says Bricker.

“The way this product works is it affects

the permeability of the gut to invasion

by bacteria and viruses. Any time these

animals are being moved, or being

weaned, they’re at risk for

bacterial or viral infections.”

“This is a product

that can help to

improve the

resistance of

the individual

animal to

infection

and, secondly, can also be used as a

supporting therapy for treatment of those

animals if and when they become ill. So it

affects both sides,” Bricker says.

Given the potential wide-sweeping markets

this product may have, Buret is considering

all options, including the product’s fi nal

physical form. “It will be delivered orally,

so you will have to eat it. In this way, it can

take any shape or form. Whether it’s (for)

a puppy dog, or your grandmother, the

shape is going to change,” laughs Buret.

Infl ammation

A force in the study of gastrointestinal

disease, Buret is also a black belt when

it comes to combating pulmonary

diseases (those which affect the lungs)

– particularly in his dedication to better

understanding infl ammation, which is

the body’s own response to coping with

foreign invaders. However, infl ammation

can become an “exaggerated and

deregulated” host response, making it

detrimental. Buret set about to determine

the extent to which infl ammation might

be reduced through reinforcement of

apoptosis in neutrophils – apoptosis, also

known as “programmed cell death”, and

neutrophils referring to those immune

cells that the body releases in response to

bacterial infection.

“One of the things that has come out

recently is (the observation that in)

infectious diseases, like pneumonia, what

really kills the host is not the bacteria that

infect the lungs, but your immune cells

16reach&discover

that accumulate in the lung in response,”

says Buret.

“One of the mechanisms whereby these

neutrophils attack and kill bacteria is

through the release of a number of

toxic compounds, including acids similar

to commercial bleach. In that process,

not only are the bacteria going to be in

contact with this material, but also your

own pulmonary linings. Ultimately, that

exaggerated infl ammation eventually

destroys the lung, pulmonary failure

ensues, and then, ultimately, death.”

Working backwards from this point – in

an effort to answer the question “can this

process be curbed?” – Buret hypothesized

that perhaps there are already products in

existence that work to limit infl ammation,

but it’s just that no one has realized it yet.

His hypothesis was right. He found just

such a product in the drug tilmicosin,

which is manufactured by Elanco, a division

of Eli Lilly. The advantage was fi nding a

product to study that was also “clinically

signifi cant and relevant for society.”

Tilmicosin is used to treat shipping fever,

a condition that occurs in cattle during

periods of high stress – like the move from

farm to feedlot. In healthy cows there is a

bacterium that usually resides in the upper

respiratory tract. When the animals are

under duress, these microbes can spread

more than they should, and infi ltrate

the lower respiratory tract. After that

happens, death can occur within 48 hours.

However, one single injection of tilmicosin

to an infected animal and it walks away,

says Buret. “The reason why it works – and

that’s the mechanism we have discovered

– is because this antibiotic has the

capability of telling these infl ammatory

cells, the neutrophils, that as soon as they

are in contact with the drug, they are to

be switched on to die by suicide, instead

of exploding on site (otherwise known as

necrosis),” says Buret.

“They still do their job – they use their

two to three-day life span to go to the

lung, kill the microbes, and migrate the

way they should – but then instead of

exploding on site and releasing all that

acid and other noxious compounds, they

implode. They keep their membranes

around themselves and are cleaned up by

surrounding cells, which ingest them, and

destroy them internally. In that fashion, you

curb infl ammation.”

Buret suggests that this process of

“reprogramming” cell death could become

a new mode of action for other antibiotics.

The rationale is that not only will antibiotics

be benefi cial when they kill bacteria, but

with diseases like these, they may even be

better if they can curb infl ammation via this

mechanism.

“Obviously, the company (Elanco) is

interested for other reasons. (This research)

will have marketing benefi ts, absolutely,”

says Buret, who says Elanco has become

a major investor in his pulmonary work

for this reason. “This said, it is a very new

theory, and as such, it is very controversial.

But there are some groups, including one in

Germany, who have become very interested

in this, and have since reproduced the

observation. So it’s slowly getting out

there.”

Coming From a Different Angle

Buret discovered the hidden benefi ts of

tilmicosin by coming at a situation from

a different angle. He applies the same

technique to his teaching, and encourages

the same kind of thinking in his students.

Nowhere is his innovation more evident in

the classroom than in his launching of the

Principles of Parasitology course at both the

University of Calgary and the University of

Alberta in 1996. That’s right – through the

magic of video-conferencing, Buret and his

counterparts in Edmonton, either Dr. Mike

Belosevic or Dr. Al Shostak, can teach two

classes of undergrads at the same time.

“The course may be directed, or principally

lectured, from one site. But the other prof at

the other site intervenes,” describes Buret.

We really try to put a lot of humour into it.”

The formula works, as evidenced by Buret

being the fi rst non-University of Alberta

professor to receive its Unit Teaching

Award, which he won in 2001 along with

Belosevic and Shostak. This year, Buret

was also honoured at his home university,

receiving the University of Calgary’s

Graduate Students’ Association Teaching

Excellence Award for 2003. The recent

teaching awards are a fi tting “closing of the

circle” to a career that began, and will likely

end, in education.

“In Switzerland, before completing a

biology degree, I did, in fact, complete a

teaching diploma at the elementary school

level and taught at that level for fi ve years,”

says Buret, his deep voice highlighted

by a French accent that has never fully

disappeared. “As time went by, basically,

the target audience changed. I’ve been

lucky enough to teach kids from Grade one

all the way to post-doctoral fellows, and

that’s very rewarding.”

It would seem that for this researcher

and teacher, a black belt is a level of

achievement that applies to more

than karate.

Black B

elt in Research

...

“Basically, the product protects the intestinal

surface from infection. If the bacteria don’t

stick, then they won’t make you sick.”

- Dr. Andre Buret, University of Calgary

17fall 2003

Young bulls are expected to grow big and strong – as quickly as

possible. A study to sort out which animals develop

the fastest and sharing this information with

breeders could improve the Alberta beef

herd and save the industry hundreds of

millions of dollars.

Bull’s Eye Targeting the Message

24reach&discover

25

If someone could show you how to save

more than half a billion dollars, you

would probably listen. Yet even with an

incentive to hear about new research, it

isn’t always an easy job to make people

aware of the latest developments. That

is why there is a fi rm commitment to

technology transfer among agricultural

research scientists. They work hard to

make sure that their fi ndings result in

concrete savings – or innovations.

A great example is the work of Dr. John

Basarab, a research scientist with Alberta

Agriculture, Food and Rural Development

and a member of the Western Forage

Beef Group. His fi ndings have the

potential to save cattle producers over

$100 per year in feed costs per head.

Consider that there are over six million

cattle in Alberta alone and that adds up

pretty quickly.

Basarab has been working to identify

animals that have a natural genetic

advantage for gaining weight with less

feed. Many cattle will take six to seven

pounds of feed to put on one pound of

weight; dropping that to fi ve pounds of

feed could make a real difference to all

cattle producers.

Believing that genetics has a large role

to play in the difference in weight gain,

Basarab created a study that isolated the

factors involved to focus on selecting

animals that had a natural predisposition

to be effi cient eaters. He created a

study at Olds College and the Lacombe

Research Centre involving 148

bull calves of various breeds.

Each animal wore an ear

tag with an identifying

code, and using technology

created by GrowSafe Systems

in Airdrie, computers were able

to accurately measure what each bull

ate. This minimized the effects of other

variables such as feed differences,

weather, housing, and inaccurate feed

measurements, to focus in on the

effi ciency of individual bulls. Ultimately,

the results were compared to assess the

net feed intake of each animal.

Quite simply, net feed intake is the

difference between an animal’s

actual feed intake and its

expected feed requirements for

maintenance and growth. The

variation is quite signifi cant.

In one of the trials, the most

effi cient bull ate $45.69 less feed

over a 120-day trial compared to the

least effi cient bull. Multiply that out over

the course of a year and the size of a

herd and it really adds up.

“This is a very large initiative, right

from farmers to genetic marker work

with the University of Alberta to speed

the selection process even further,”

explains Basarab. Net feed efficiency

can be used to select cattle that are

more feed efficient, without affecting

body size and growth rate, or adversely

affecting meat characteristics like

marbling and grade. Overall, the impact

on the industry could be high from

both a dollar and cents perspective and

an environmental one. The benefits of

selecting breeding cattle based on their

net feed efficiency could include:

• improved competitiveness,

• increased value of Canada’s genetic stock,

• potential reductions in methane

emissions due to better feed

conversion, and

• reduced manure production.

Basarab and his research team,

including Neil French at Olds College,

are working hard to translate their

findings into meaningful action for beef

breeders and into useful information

for cattle producers.

Add this to Basarab’s work on achieving

top beef grades,

and he has a chance

to make a real difference to farmers’

bottom lines. For example, his research

found that yearling heifer calves placed

on pasture for 105 days, on extended

grazing for another 45 days, and

then on a finishing diet for 120 days,

consistently resulted in carcasses that

graded 75-80% AAA, the highest grade

possible. In contrast, omitting the 45

days grazing resulted in only 35-40%

grading AAA. This has the potential to

increase the value of each animal at

point of sale.

So Basarab is one scientist who has lots

of news to share with producers. His

fi ndings on net feed effi ciency, as well

as feeding practices, could see farmers

winning both ways: saving feed costs

and getting a better dollar for producing

a higher grade of meat. Getting these

messages into the hands of farmers who

put them into practice is essential to

turning these fi ndings from theory into

an economic boom. That’s why there

has to be a plan in place to target the

messages to the right people.

Taking Aim

Funders, including the members of the

Alberta Agriculture Funding Consortium,

actively encourage scientists to develop

“This is a very large

initiative, right from

farmers to genetic

marker work with the

University of Alberta

to speed the selection

process even further.”

- Dr. John Basarab, AAFRD

fall 2003

plans to communicate research fi ndings.

“It is actually part of the funding

application process to prepare a plan

for extension and technology transfer,”

explains Freda Molenkamp of the Alberta

Agricultural Research Institute. “We

know that knowledge only really has

meaning if it is shared.”

With such support for good

communications initiatives, Basarab has

taken a proactive approach. Working

together with Pat Ramsey, a Beef

Specialist with Alberta Agriculture, Food

and Rural Development, the two have

made an unbeatable team in getting out

the message about these fi ndings.

Starting with identifying the right

audiences, Ramsey and Basarab have

focused on working with the Alberta

Breed Associations and the breed

improvement coordinators to get

information into the hands of the seed

stock industry (the gene breeders of

purebred bulls). For more than a year,

there has been consistent contact,

including visits, events at Olds College,

and monthly Internet reports to

interested groups.

These initial steps are only one part of

the long-term plan Basarab and Ramsey

have developed. Basarab describes it

as an extension plan which is rather

like planning for commercialization of

applied research. In the end, it is all

about converting research into practice.

As the work progressed, more was

done to get the story directly to

beef producers. A number of media

interviews were conducted, including

television, newspaper, and magazines.

Ramsey has also been a keynote speaker

at several conferences within Alberta

and even in the U.S. As well, Basarab

continues to raise the profile of their

findings by presenting papers and

technical articles at events like the

meeting of the Canadian Society of

Animal Science.

The duo has also made good use of

the Internet, not only sending reports

to participating breed groups, but

also launching a web site for the feed

effi ciency tests. “The results went almost

immediately to producers,” explains

Basarab, who takes pride in the work

done to date and intends to continue the

process. Plus, the efforts are paying off

as everyone from fellow scientists to 4-H

kids learns about the work.

Among the successes was an article

published in the Western Producer

last winter. The story highlighting the

importance of net feed effi ciency, raised

the profi le of the research right across

the Prairies. The article also quoted

rancher Doug Havens of Madden, Alberta

about the signifi cance of the fi ndings

to his own operation. “When hay is 12

cents a pound, that’s when you start

thinking effi ciency.” Talking about his

own operation, he explained the need

for a good tool to help him purchase the

right animals.

Right on Target

Havens is not alone. Other Alberta

producers appreciate the research and

the effort to make it available to the

people who will implement it. Basarab

and Ramsey have both spent a great deal

of time working with the various beef

breeds organizations to translate this

into the development of good seed stock.

Asked to volunteer in the study, Alan

Marshall of Future Farms in Innisfail,

Alberta was very interested. Marshall

sells Charolais breeding stock in addition

to operating a feedlot, and he could see

the effects of genetics without being

able to scientifi cally prove it. In his own

operation, he observed that when he

penned calves from different breeders,

he could see signifi cant gain differences.

“I could have four pens of calves and

have a 60% variation on effi ciency,” he

points out.

With this kind of anecdotal evidence, he

wasn’t surprised to see more concrete

results coming out of Basarab’s work. The

most important fi nding to Marshall is

the fact that Basarab was able to isolate

the variables of weight gain to focus on

genetics. This should be the foundation

for future breeding decisions.

“It is actually part of the funding application process to prepare a plan

for extension and technology transfer. We know that knowledge only

really has meaning if it is shared.”

- Freda Molenkamp, AARI

26reach&discover

Fellow seed stock producer, Grant

Hirsche of Hirsche Herefords agrees.

He also believes good genetics are the

foundation to improving the industry and

has assisted the study, providing young

bulls from his High River farm to track

and sire. Basarab’s wisdom in working

right from the start of a young bull’s life

is important. Certainly fi nding out an

animal is more effi cient just as it is being

fi nished and is about to head to market

won’t do much to improve the overall

genetics of the Alberta herd. Hirsche is

quick to note that starting with young

seed stock has been an essential leaping

off point.

For Hirsche, it has also become a bit

of a hobby. “I’ve followed these bulls

through every month: followed what

they’ve gained; what’s happened on

marbling; and how Herefords are going

against other breeds,” he says. He credits

the scientists with providing the results

regularly on the Internet and through

seminars. “I think the information (on the

study) is very accessible,” he observes.

Most importantly, he can see its

potential to make a real difference for

Alberta farmers. Noting gain variations

of 20-40%, Hirsche believes, “It is an

outstanding program and a great idea.

Bottom line, we’re trying to get cattle

efficiency just like every industry is

trying to find ways to do things better

and cheaper.” That’s going to have to

come right from the start with the seed

stock industry.

As well as working with beef breed

groups, the research team has been able

to create a “score” on feed effi ciency to

help cattle buyers more easily understand

whether an animal has the desirable

genetics. Simply a formula, it is the

difference between an animal’s actual

feed intake and its anticipated feed

requirements. If it was expected to eat 30

pounds of feed and only ate 25 pounds

but still achieved the same growth, it

would score -5. In this case scoring a

negative number is actually a good thing.

In effect, it represents a potential drop in

feed costs.

The easy to understand scoring system

helps producers put the net efficiency

factor into their buying decision. There

are many elements to this equation,

including traditional factors such as the

Record of Performance and, of course,

price. Now farmers can also consider

how much it will cost to get that animal

to market.

Yet, with agriculture, it’s just not that

simple. Marshall points out that the

net feed effi ciency fi ndings are really

important in a feedlot setting, but for

animals in a herd other traits may be

more important, including hardiness and

ability to survive on straw stacks.

Marshall also notes that it takes some

adjusting to get used to the net negative

number. “You need to understand

more than the print out – you need to

understand the score,” he counsels

other producers. Still, he believes

auctions already demonstrate the

fact that producers are trying to

measure the benefi ts of genetics,

with signifi cant variations in the

price per pound for good stock.

Now they will have the benefi t of

a tool to better inform

those decisions.

More importantly, before that

calf ever gets to auction, seed

stock producers are working

with Ramsey and Basarab to

screen for good parents that will

increase net feed effi ciency in

their offspring. Those offspring,

and continued good breeding

thereafter, has the potential to save

cattle producers millions – half a billion

or more – in feed costs. That improves

beef economics all the way to the

grocery store shelf. So it’s no wonder that

Basarab and Ramsey are fi nding their

message right on target.

Bu

ll’s Eye - Targetin

g th

e Messag

e...

Did you know?“It is an outstanding program and a great idea.

Bottom line, we’re trying to get cattle effi ciency

just like every industry is trying to fi nd ways to do

things better and cheaper.”

- Grant Hirsche, Hirsche Herefords

• As of July 1, 2003, there were

6,050,000 cattle and calves

in Alberta.

• Feed and pasture represent

more than 60% of the variable

production costs of a pound

of beef.

For Results...

Visit the web for all the results at

www.nucleus.com/~highwood/

feedtest/index.htm.

27fall 2003

Galloping Towards a Fertile Future

Horses have provided us with transportation,

ploughed our fi elds, carried our heavy loads, and

now equine reproduction research has shown that

horses may again help humans – in a totally new way.

Home to about 35% of Canada’s horses, Alberta is a major

player in the world of horse production. “The main occupation

for a horse in Western Canada is as a broodmare, whether

this is for the production of estrogen for medicine or the

production of performance horses that are seen at Spruce

Meadows or the Calgary Stampede,” Dr. Claire Card explains.

And through her advanced research on assisted reproduction in

horses, Card is on the cutting edge of this industry.

A Professor at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine

(WCVM) in Saskatoon, Card is interested in reproduction of

many species but has a special interest, and a diverse background

of research experience, in reproduction of horses. Her work on

assisted reproduction – largely funded by the members of the

Alberta Agriculture Funding Consortium – has two main areas of

investigation: frozen semen and embryo transfer.

“We are the fi rst group to look at how hormonal

manipulation affects ovarian and uterine tissues and examine

if that can help us predict many things, including whether a

horse is going to have a fertile ovulation, when she is going

to ovulate, and if the uterus is healthy or diseased,” says Card.

For this research, advanced techniques are used involving

computer-assisted ultrasound image analysis. Because a

computer can identify 256 shades of grey vs. only 8-12 with the

human eye, more information is obtained from the ultrasound

images by digitizing and then analyzing selected areas of

reproductive tissues such as the uterus or ovaries. Changes

in the pixel elements, which are the building blocks of the

ultrasound image, are evaluated in the reproductive tissues

and related back to hormonal levels and physiological events.

“Findings show ultrasound image analysis to be a very useful

tool in breeding management. We can now make specifi c

recommendations for individuals working in reproductive

management, specifi cally in hormonal manipulation, based on

these studies,” explains Card. Hormonal manipulation involves

injecting hormones to induce the egg to leave the ovary, thus

actually shortening the period when the mare is receptive from

a natural six-day cycle to a two-day cycle.

Different treatments affect the amount of estrogen the

mares produce. Estrogen is the main steroid hormone that

initiates the softening of the ovarian and uterine tissues and

accumulation of mucus in these tissues. “Understanding this

physiology and how the treatments affect it can aid in sorting

out which mares are and aren’t responding to the treatment,

so that we can optimize their ability to conceive,” says Card.

When using assisted reproduction, such as breeding mares

with cooled, transported semen, using on-farm artifi cial

insemination, or using frozen semen, shortening the estrous

period has defi nite benefi ts. “With a short window of two

vs. six days you are more likely to have 85-90% of the mares 22reach&discover

responding when they are treated and

insemination may be timed to increase the

chance of conception. Pinpointing ovulation

with a natural cycle is much more labour

intensive, requires many more examinations,

and can be much more expensive for the

producer,” says Card.

Spreading the Seed

Unlike cattle, achieving conception in mares

using frozen semen has incredibly low

success rates. Card’s work with frozen semen

is moving towards discovering why the

pregnancy rates are lower when using frozen

semen vs. cooled semen (which can survive

for about 48 hours). Frozen semen can have a

success rate of somewhere between 20-40%

while cooled boosts this rate up to around

50-55% (only about a 5% difference than

on-farm conception). Cooled semen offers

tremendous economic benefi ts to producers

because it allows them to access genetics

from all over the country without having

to truck their mares to conceive on-farm.

“Improving the pregnancy rates with frozen

semen offers even more benefi ts to the

breeding industry as this semen is viable in

perpetuity, allowing genetics to be preserved

for hundreds of years,” explains Card.

“Since the horse sperm cell is much smaller

than in bulls and boars, the protocols

for these animals are simply not suitable

for horses,” says Card. In her search for

discovering new ways to keep the little

swimmers viable, Card has been examining

two cryopreservatives, the standard

glycerol, and a relatively new preservative,

dimethylformamide.

Card’s research in frozen semen has become

even more critical to the breeding industry:

both the American Quarter Horse Association

and the American Paint Horse Association,

which comprise the bulk of the horse

population, recently approved frozen semen.

These changes to the guidelines of the breed

associations now make it possible to register

a foal conceived using artifi cial insemination.

Perpetuating Greatness

The American Quarter Horse Association has

also decided that, in the future, breeders

will not be restricted to registering only one

foal from embryo transfer per mare per year.

“You might have had one of the top 10 mares

in North America for cutting or reining and

previously you would only have been able to

register her natural foal and one foal from

embryo transfer. Because their pregnancy is so

long (11 months), having 10 foals in a mare’s

lifetime is pretty exceptional. That exceptional

mare’s impact on the breed is pretty

minimized,” Card explains. The change means

Card’s work will have even more impact.

Current methods of embryo transfer

are very ineffi cient, especially since only

half of the good embryos transferred

result in a pregnancy. Since there are no

commercial agents that induce ovarian super

stimulation, Card is investigating the use

of equine follicle stimulating hormone (a

product being developed commercially) as a

means of getting more than a single embryo

per recovery. “This hormone has shown to

increase the number of embryo recoveries

to 10-15 per year from about fi ve, basically

doubling the number of foals. It is a much

more affordable alternative and it allows

exceptional mares to make a bigger impact

on their breed,” says Card.

Horses Helping Humans

This research offers tremendous benefi ts for

the horse breeding industry, which plays such

an important role in Alberta’s economy. “We

are looking to devise methods that are easier

and more affordable for the producers.

By looking at enough horses, using these

different assisted reproduction techniques,

we can stay on the cutting edge of this new

technology and help them develop the most

effective protocols for use,” says Card.

Not only does Card recognize the benefi ts

for the horse industry, but she also sees this

research as a very important opportunity

to use as a model for human health issues.

“Most human reproductive technology,

such as artifi cial insemination and super

ovulation, was fi rst pioneered with cattle

and horses,” explains Card. “We are also

noticing similarities between the problems

that can occur in mares and humans when

their ovaries are over-stimulated. We can

now investigate further into why this is

happening to mares, and try to devise

methods to carry the fi ndings over to help

humans.” Some of her work also holds

tremendous potential for humans by

detecting genetic defects that are carried on

certain chromosomes, with the possibility of

avoiding these problems.

The support of the Funding Consortium

is signifi cant for Card, who recognizes

that funding for equine research is hard

to come by. Ultimately, Card hopes to see

improvements to both horse and human

health as a result of her research, bringing

literal meaning to the age-old adage:

“healthy as a horse”!

Did you know?Alberta is home to 35% of

Canada’s equine population.

This year Spruce Meadows was voted

to be the number one show jumping

venue in the world.

Each year, the Calgary Stampede

draws about 1.2 million people and

generates about $150 million dollars

in tourism to the Alberta economy.

There are more horse owners in

Canada (approximately 110,000) than

beef cattle owners (about 100,000).

Research at the WCVM is solving reproduction riddles in the equine industry with

far-reaching implications.

23fall 2003

Piec

ing

Tog

eth

er t

he

Puzz

le

Imagine sitting at a table with 1,000 puzzle pieces scattered in front of you. You’re eager to

get started on creating the scene depicted on the cover of the … wait a minute! Someone

has asked you to put this scene together without a full picture to use as a guide. This is what

Darcy Fitzgerald, General Manager of the Alberta Livestock Industry Development Fund

(ALIDF), likens some facets of research and development to: moving forward with no real

guide or roadmap.

“In this case, the picture is the environmental aspect of livestock production,” explains

Fitzgerald. “We want to make the picture or roadmap fi rst, and identify the pieces of the

puzzle we’re missing. Then each group can take their pieces – land, water, or air – and start

creating a complete picture.” This image becomes a guide that all interested parties can

follow along towards the common outlined goals.

The ALIDF, made up of nine livestock industry signatories and a member of the Alberta

Agriculture Funding Consortium, looks for projects that address specifi c livestock industry

concerns or provide solutions for overarching issues. When deciding on projects to fund,

weight is given to both short and long-term needs as related to the potential impacts of

livestock production on the environment.

“Livestock production leaves its fi ngerprint on the landscape in a number of ways, just like

other agriculture or human activities. We want to create a strong knowledge base on topics

such as manure management, odour management, and phosphorus loading capacity,”

Fitzgerald says. In addressing these topics, all Albertans benefi t and the direction for the

future is made a little clearer.

All About Manure

There exist two schools of thought regarding manure: a) it is a waste to be disposed of,

or b) a resource to be exploited. Whichever opinion you hold won’t change the fact that

manure is created and needs some attention. ALIDF has funded a literature review of

manure management research and facts to provide a consolidated knowledge base. “The

rationale behind this lit review is to identify what we know and do not know. It highlights

Imagine an Alberta

landscape that is not

only clean, green, and lush, but

also glittering with a profi table and

fl ourishing livestock industry. A number

of research and development projects are

helping to fi t the pieces of that landscape together.

08reach&discover

09

research gaps and is therefore a great tool

for researchers and funders alike, to help

decide on potential projects or an existing

project’s direction,” says Barb Shackel-

Hardman, Leader of the Environmental

Practices Unit of Alberta Agriculture, Food

and Rural Development (AAFRD).

From the literature review, things like

fact sheets or information for news

articles can be easily generated. The

intention is to have a good snapshot of

manure management information from

Alberta, across Canada, and beyond. “This

consolidation means that dollars won’t

be spent on duplicated research and that

once research is completed, results can

be targeted and applied more quickly,”

Shackel-Hardman adds.

In a few months time, the review will be

completed and available as an impressive,

500-page public document. “There will be

an executive summary put together as a

synopsis. We don’t expect many people will

want to read the entire review from cover

to cover,” she admits. The fi nal version

should be viewed as a living document

which will hopefully attract continuous

input and updating from experts around

the world.

Neighbour Relations

Our sense of smell may not be so highly

developed as that of a dog, but stand

downwind of a large hog production

facility on a windy day and it can seem

pretty close. The odour piece of the puzzle

is being approached from two different

angles. Ike Edeogu, with the Agriculture

Engineering Branch of AAFRD, is leading

research evaluating fi ve different odour

abatement techniques.

Edeogu’s project is looking at a total of

fi ve odour management technologies. His

team is working on biofi ltration systems:

the process of pushing air through a

damp, biological media, such as wood

mulch or a compost mixture, and allowing

the microbes present to munch on the

odour-producing components of the air.

The exhausted air comes out smelling

more like a carpenter’s shop than a hog

barn. “Oil sprinkling in the barns and diet

manipulation are two other technologies to

reduce odour at the production site. We are

also evaluating the odour emanating from

application of composted manure vs. fresh,

and the effect of a composting additive,”

explains Edeogu.

The immediate and profound benefi ts of

abating odour come with lots of work,

Edeogu warns. But anyone who lives

downwind is sure to see the value in the

successful completion of his research, and

the subsequent transfer of new practices

to hog producers. He adds that as results

are generated in his research there is a

strong communications committee ready

to quickly relay his research fi ndings

to producers.

A second odour related project, headed by

Dr. John Feddes, Professor at the University

of Alberta, is researching the science of

measuring odour and quantifying the

components that create livestock odour. The

work of both Feddes and Edoegu is closely

linked as they search for solutions to the

age-old issue surrounding odour nuisance.

Dr. Joyce Van Donkersgoed, Environmental

Co-ordinator for Alberta Cattle Feeders

Association and Alberta Pork, is part of

a large collaboration working towards

creating a strategy for evaluating

the effects of odour on not only the

barn workers’ health, but also on the

neighbours’ health as well. “Last fall, we

had a workshop to determine what the

questions were that needed answers, and

now have ongoing research collecting data

for this project,” she explains. “We hope

to have a Strategic Plan in place this fall to

tackle this issue.”

Staying Ahead of the Curve

Research shouldn’t only react to

neighbours’ noses, and a good example of

some proactive nosing about is a project

looking into phosphorus (P) limits in

Alberta’s soil. Currently, Alberta’s nutrient

management regulations are based on

nitrogen limits for the soil. For now, it’s

working, but there is growing pressure to

address concerns related to soil phosphorus

limits as well.

Barry Olson, Soil and Water Research

Scientist with AAFRD, along with the

Alberta Phosphorus Limits Research Team,

is moving forward from an initial model

to predict phosphorus mobility. The Team

has taken the completed work and moved

it to what Olson calls “micro watersheds”

– eight sites around the province where

the prediction model is being tested.

These sites differ in either being manured,

non-manured, or simply grassland, and

measurements are taken regarding P

levels in soil and its movement in runoff

water. The three-year study hopes to

develop better understanding of the

interaction of phosphorus in Alberta’s

agriculture soils, to further protect surface

water. Olson says one day this information

may be used as the basis for new nutrient

management regulations.

Part of the overall initiative on phosphorus

will also include work on the economic

impact changes to existing farm practices,

if needed, could mean to producers. “This

economic aspect of the research is often

left out of the equation when dealing

strictly with the science; however, it is a

critical component to the approach Alberta

is taking in addressing the phosphorus

issue,” says Brent Paterson, Head of the

Irrigation Branch at AAFRD and Chair of the

Phosphorus Limits Study.

Every project on environmental

management research the Agriculture

Funding Consortium is funding fi ts together

with a larger idea or goal. A crucial,

overarching goal is for the industry to

operate in an environmentally sustainable

manner; managing to the best of their

ability the quality of the air, soil, and water.

With this picture in mind, the Consortium

works with the agriculture industry and

research providers in piecing together the

puzzle of environmental management.

“We want to create

a strong knowledge

base on topics

such as manure

management, odour

management, and

phosphorus loading

capacity.”

- Darcy Fitzgerald, ALIDF

fall 2003

Plas

tic

Pan

acea

“Find new uses for the product” – that’s one of the basic tenets of marketing. With

the effort that’s going into fi nding new ways to use plant material from agricultural

production, food products may soon become only one of the end uses for what we

grow. Bioplastics is almost certain to be another.

Garbage bags may often be green, but Dr. Suresh Narine wants to make them green in ways

more than just colour. The potential to turn Canadian oilseeds into biodegradable polymers

could mean that garbage bags and other plastics may soon come from green prairie fi elds

and be “green”, as in environmentally friendly too. With the world becoming increasingly

aware of the need for conservation and sustainability, the time is ripe for developing

an industry that will provide everyday necessities while reducing the demand on petro-

chemicals. Bioplastics – plastics made from chemicals derived from agricultural products

rather than fossil fuels – offer just such an opportunity.

“In Alberta, so much of our economic activity in the materials and plastics area focuses on

petroleum derivatives,” says Narine, Associate Professor at the University of Alberta. “As well,

so much of our agricultural value is shipped out of the province as commodities. Through this

type of research, these two seemingly isolated facts can result in the greening of the plastics

and materials industry, and the diversifi cation and elevation up the value chain for the

agricultural industry.”

The methods to produce bioplastics vary: chemical modifi cation of

agricultural feedstock (meaning the raw materials supplied to a

process); fermentation of feedstock; or genetic engineering of

plastic-producing traits right into the plants themselves.

Narine, who is a physicist, is a crucial member of a team

of experts working together to look at the whole

concept, from plant breeding right through

to marketing, and are excited about the

profound effect such research could have

on everyday life – creating a renewable

resource and reducing landfi ll.

There is much to be done, but

the benefi ts to Albertans and to

agriculture are clear. For a start,

farmers could have access to lucrative

new markets, and increased demand

for canola and fl ax will boost

prices. Further, making Alberta

a world leader in the production

of biodegradable polymers from

renewable agricultural oilseeds

will result in an increased ability to

attract researchers and other highly

skilled personnel from within and

outside Canada. Of course, success

will further increase Alberta’s

competitiveness in attracting and

retaining processing companies.

“The Alberta Bioplastics Network

(ABN) was formed to engage in

activities to promote the use of

Alberta’s agricultural commodities

as feedstock for the production of

specialty chemicals and polymers,”

according to Narine. He serves as

the Director of the ABN, which 18reach&discover

is a multi-institutional research network.

Narine explains that there are, in fact,

four principal areas of Network activity:

fundamental science; scale-up; marketing

and investment; and policy, regulations, and

environmental impact.

Dr. Randy Weselake, a bio-chemist at the

University of Lethbridge, is one of the

scientists working with Narine and others

on a project to investigate the feasibility of

using fl ax to produce bioplastics. His task

has to do with the molecular genetic aspect

and analysis of changes in seed biochemistry.

Weselake’s background includes extensive

work on oil formations in genetically

modifi ed canola and fl ax, and he is quick

to point out the advantages of fl ax in a

project like this. “Flax is ideal for working on

modifi cations,” he says. “It doesn’t outcrop

readily, so it’s easy to isolate. And it already

has a track record as an industrial crop – it’s

been used for years to make linseed oil

and linoleum for example.” With Canada a

world leader in fl ax production, any genetic

modifi cation that increases its suitability for

biopolymer production is a worthwhile goal.

“The long-term market for petro-chemical

alternatives such as biolubricants, biodiesel

fuel, and bioplastics can be made more

effi cient through modifi cations in seed oil

metabolism,” Weselake claims.

Narine and Weselake share research interests

with scientists across Canada. In fact, the

Green Chemistry Network was formed to

encourage and enable dialogue between

people working to develop new chemical

processes that use renewable materials

and do not pollute, thus protecting the

environment – green chemistry. The two

men represent Alberta on the national

network, which is gaining momentum.

John Christiensen heads up a new program

designed to assist with strategic direction

in bioproduct research and development.

A major thrust of Bioproducts Alberta is

to identify barriers which interfere with

the advancement of the bioproducts

industry, such as access to capital and access

to markets, and to develop strategies to

overcome them. Christiensen also intends

to ensure that the industry perspective on

priorities is considered.

A veteran of both the industry and research

sectors, Christiensen has been involved in

bioproducts for more than a decade. “Plants

have more chemicals than petroleum-based

products,” he notes, “and that increases the

possibilities.” He says there’s a sizable market

looming for biocomposites, driven by the

need for recyclable, biodegradable products,

and that bioplastics are key, making it an

exciting R&D area. Christiensen believes

that it’s important to keep research focused

on industry needs: decreasing the cost of

products while increasing performance.

Citing the auto industry as an example,

Christiensen explains that the European

Union mandate for greater use of renewable

materials has that industry searching for

products that meet the biodegradable/

recyclable criteria while still offering good

performance and less weight.

“Germany is leading in this area, while work

in Canada is relatively new,” Christiensen

says, adding that Alberta’s bioplastics R&D is

probably the most advanced in this country.

“The biggest challenge with plastics is what to

do with them when their product life is over,

an issue that’s not going away,” Christiensen

explains. “There are more opportunities for

renewability within bioplastics, and a lot of

different options now exist.”

Ed Phillipchuk, Unit Leader for Alberta

Agriculture, Food and Rural Development’s

Agri-Industrial Development Unit, agrees

that the involvement of industry is critical

to the commercialization of R&D activities.

Phillipchuk’s group is focused on domestic

and international business and market

development and they provide market

research assistance from concept to

commercialization. Two major challenges will

have to be overcome before bioplastics will

be a market success: cost and functionality.

While customers may be willing to pay

slightly more for a product they believe has

additional value, i.e. less of an environmental

footprint, it is essential that the cost of

producing plastics from agricultural sources

is competitive with traditional methods, and

that the end products have comparable or

enhanced attributes.

The possibilities for bioplastic products are

endless, matching the gamut of uses for

traditional plastics. Narine explains that

end uses depend on the type of agricultural

plastics being produced. Already a number

are being used in the food packaging

industry. “The impact on ordinary everyday

life is that potentially very soon, farmers will

think nothing of growing crops to produce

plastics, and consumers will grow accustomed

to everything from car panels, toys and

packaging, to I.V. tubes and catheters, to

colostomy bags being made from material

which derives from agriculture,” says Narine.

It would appear that creating new uses for

the product is a world of virtually limitless

possibilities and signifi cant benefi ts, so in a

few years that garbage bag may be greener

than you think.

Did you know?• The world consumes about 140

million tons of plastic every year.

• Annual consumption of fossil fuels

for primary processing of plastics is

about 150 million tons.

• In most homes upwards of 75%

of contents are made of plastic

materials.

“…potentially very soon, farmers will think

nothing of growing crops to produce plastics.”

- Dr. Suresh Narine, University of Alberta

19fall 2003

Progressive Stewardship

Environmental Farm Plans are enabling

producers to take proactive steps to ensure

stewardship of their land and surrounding

environment. This ever-growing group of

producers is banding together to make a

difference in water conservation, agricultural

sustainability, and environmental management.

If only one producer made an effort to conserve water and

energy and downplay their impact on the surrounding

environment, no one would take notice. No far-reaching

effects would be felt, and that one attempt at conservation

would be largely in vain. But what if a whole group with

a vision of stewardship, conservation, and sustainability

could band together under one name – could they make a

difference? Following the lead of Ontario, that’s just what the

developers of the Alberta Environmental Farm Plan have done,

and so far, this fresh look at planning for the future has been

well received by Alberta producers.

The Alberta Environmental Farm Plan (AEFP), launched

in February of 2003, is a non-profi t company geared to

guiding producers through an environmental assessment of

opportunities and risks on their operations. This assessment,

once completed, is an environmental farm plan – a

voluntary, confi dential road map to mitigate risks and make

the most of opportunities.

Creating a Plan

The process of creating an environmental farm plan is

relatively simple, though in-depth. AEFP hosts two half-day

workshops hosted by trained facilitators of the program.

The fi rst workshop provides an introduction to the program,

discusses the concept of self-assessment, and provides the

principles by which a plan is formulated. Producers receive a

comprehensive binder complete with 23 modules on various

topics, and delve into the creation of their plan. Facilitators are

there to assist producers in establishing the base of their plan

and pinning down factors unique to each individual operation.

John Kolk is the Chairman of AEFP, and he explains that the

process of moving producers through the system has been

working well. “We started with a pilot test involving 70

producers. We got some much needed feedback, and have

since had 150 producers complete the second workshop.” The

second workshop follows one to three weeks after the fi rst,

giving the producer time to complete all modules.

“The second workshop is held to open up discussions on

mitigation strategies, answer questions, and provide feedback

on the program,” says Kolk. Producers will then have a

chance to fi nalize their plans on their own time and hand

in their completed workbook to their facilitator. Finally, the

plan is subjected to a peer review, and once approved the

plan becomes a powerful tool implementing the required

environmental stewardship strategies.

Although words like “mitigation strategies” may sound like 06reach&discover

they refer to major overhauls of existing

systems, Kolk says that, in all honesty, many

of the improvements made are small, but

important nonetheless.

“Many times producers have said that what

they’ve included in their plans were items

on their ‘To Do’ list for quite some time.

This program was the push to get them to

act.” He says that a common area of focus

is water quality and conservation, and

improvements range from repairing riparian

zones to spending $6 on an anti-back fl ow

protector. “The plan focuses on the big

picture, but we don’t want to downplay

how important spending the few dollars

on a padlock for the chemical shed is to

keeping your family safe,” notes Kolk.

An environmental farm plan is just that; a

tool to create awareness of simple ways to

decrease risks to producers, their families,

their neighbours, and ultimately the

environment. The workshops have an added

benefi t of linking producers with technical

expertise to handle the larger projects,

like building up wells or fencing off and

protecting sensitive riparian zones.

On-farm Effects

From a producer’s standpoint, Kolk points

out that on his own operation he’s certainly

become more aware of his surroundings

and his family’s potential to reduce

Alberta’s energy and water use. “Going

through this plan really made me stop and

think; if I save fi ve gallons of water twice a

day and then all of my neighbours do the

same, I’ve made a real difference. And if

all of us who are making these changes do

so under AEFP, we’ve marked ourselves as

a group that are stewards of the Alberta

landscape,” Kolk remarks.

The Research Connection

What the environmental farm plans mean to

Alberta is two-fold. The changes producers

make will add up to cleaner water,

conservation of the soil, and decreased

energy demands. The awareness these plans

have created goes a long way in educating

decision makers, and could mean clearing

of forests and draining of wetlands only

when or if an environmental risk assessment

proved it would be a sustainable practice.

Research into environmental management

will benefi t as well. As the number of

producers creating plans grows, so too

will the demand for more result-driven

research. Producers will have more contact

with the technical experts who are looking

into new and innovative approaches to

sustainable agriculture practices, and will

be able to identify gaps and suggest what

questions they want answered based on

real life experiences.

It is important to note that environmental

farm plans contain much of the information

they do because of past research, and the

intent is to constantly be incorporating new

research fi ndings as they become available.

Work is being done in Alberta regarding

best management practices and cost/benefi t

analysis, as well as extensive research into

odour control technologies, water quality

issues, and soil phosphorous capacities;

all topics that have immediate and future

implications as part of environmental plans.

Kolk sums up environmental farm plans

best – this is a program that combines

facets of adult education with the tools

and the processes to satisfy producers’

desire for stewardship, connecting the

information available with the people who

can make a difference.

“Alberta’s agricultural industry is not the

only benefactor. All Albertans benefi t from

the EFP through increased awareness and

implementation of environmental issues

and management practices. Some of these

benefi ts include cleaner water, better care and

management of livestock, reduced impacts on

the environment, increased public confi dence

in our food supply, and improved confi dence

for local and international consumers &

investors,” adds Judy Balombin, Agri-Industry

Development Offi cer with the Agriculture and

Food Council - CARD Program.

Kolk is heartened by the reception the farm

plans have received. “We have quite a few

producers who are waiting on their peer

review, and they’re excited about moving

forward. There is an overall feeling of

satisfaction once you’ve taken those fi rst

steps in joining ranks and pushing forward

towards a common goal: a more sustainable

and environmentally sound Alberta.”

A Little Goes a Long Way…

If every producer saves just fi ve

gallons of water twice a day,

multiplied by 365 days per year it

equals 3,650 gallons. Expand that

to include the approximately 53,000

producers in the province and, in one

year, you’ve saved over 193 million

gallons of water – enough to fi ll 214

Olympic-sized swimming pools!

Working Together

The AEFP initiative got its start

back in April of 2002, when a

team of industry and government

stakeholders got together to

collaborate on a proactive approach

to mitigating the impact of farms

on the environment. The program is

funded by the Agriculture and Food

Council of Alberta - CARD Program,

the Agriculture Environmental

Stewardship Initiative, Alberta

Environmentally Sustainable

Agriculture Council, and Alberta

Agriculture, Food and Rural

Development. CARD is a granting

agency for agricultural initiatives

that benefi t Alberta’s agricultural

industry as a whole.

“Many times producers have said that what

they’ve included in their plans were items on their

‘To Do’ list for quite some time. This program was

the push to get them to act.”

- John Kolk, AEFP

07fall 2003

02

Where would you rather have top scientists

– in the lab – or in the hunt for funding

dollars? The goal of the Alberta Agriculture

Funding Consortium, comprised of seven

major agricultural funding groups, is to

increase the effi ciency of applying for

funding and also to ensure the outcomes are

consistent with the goals of the industry.

The partnership primarily includes public

funding bodies. It is designed to improve

all aspects of research funding, through

coordinated planning and activity and

effi cient use of expertise and resources, says

Freda Molenkamp of Alberta Agricultural

Research Institute, which has spearheaded

this joint venture.

“This type of partnership is essential

in today’s research environment,” says

Molenkamp. “There are more research

activities and more funding organizations

than ever before, and it only makes sense for

us to work together to avoid duplication and

make the best use of public dollars. Using our

collective knowledge and resources, we can

coordinate our efforts into a broader vision

that allows us to accomplish far more than

we ever could individually.”

In addition to AARI, the partnership includes

three industry development funds – the

Alberta Crop Industry Development Fund

Ltd. (ACIDF), the Alberta Livestock Industry

Development Fund Ltd. (ALIDF), and the

Diversifi ed Livestock Fund of Alberta (DLFOA)

– along with the Agriculture and Food

Council of Alberta (AFC) - CARD Program,

AVAC Ltd., and, most recently, Climate

Change Central. These groups allocated a

total of $10 million to agricultural research

projects in 2003.

“Together, the groups around the table

represent a broad cross-section of stakeholders

and industry sectors,” says Darcy Fitzgerald,

General Manager of ALIDF. “This gives us

a big picture view of the overall priorities

and where our individual needs fi t in that

puzzle. From this, we can look for ways to

complement each other and lay out a long-

term game plan to meet our collective goals.”

The partnership is an informal one that

preserves the autonomy of the individual

funding organizations and their mandates.

The organizations share the workload of

evaluating research funding applications and

participate in round table discussions to co-

ordinate their funding activity.

“It’s a very practical process,” says Neal

Oberg, a Forestburg producer and Co-

Chair of AARI’s Board of Directors. “Each

group comes to the table with its own

unique mandate and priorities, and each

is accountable to its own board and makes

its own funding decisions. But we look for

logical ways to work together, to improve

the overall effi ciency and effectiveness of

our efforts.”

One Window

An obvious benefi t is avoiding duplication,

according to Doug Walkey, General Manager

of ACIDF. The three industry development

funds began in 2001. Rather than each

developing their own application and

Seven of Alberta’s major agricultural research

funding groups have formed a strategic partnership

to support an innovative, sustainable, and world-

class agricultural industry in the province. It is

a model for effective research funding that is

drawing attention from across the country.

Smart aboutScience

reach&discover

funding mechanisms from scratch, these

funds were able to build on what AARI

already had in place and share collectively

in the process. “It was a process of learning

from what had worked in the past, and

developing that into something that works

for all of us,” adds Walkey.

The partnership encourages sharing of

research and development applications and

joint funding of projects. As a result, more

projects get funded, and they are chosen

with a broader vision of how the outcomes

will benefi t agriculture in Alberta. In fact,

the Consortium often holds strategy sessions

on key topics with scientists, producers, and

end-users to make certain goals are well

articulated and projects fi t into the broader

provincial strategy.

“There’s no question that the more

horsepower you have around the table, the

better the decisions that are going to be

made. And the different perspectives that

our groups bring to the table are highly

valued,” says Ross Bricker of AVAC Ltd.

“We can look at a proposal in the context

of every point on the continuum from

primary agriculture to value-added market

opportunities. So there’s less likelihood that

good projects will slip through the cracks.”

The round table allows smaller funders

to see more projects, and extend their

infl uence by communicating with larger

groups and pursuing joint funding

opportunities, says Bill Buchta, General

Manager of DLFOA. “We’re a small group,

with small funds, and there’s no way we can

fund some of the larger projects alone. But

by collaborating with other organizations,

there’s opportunity for us to get some fairly

big projects funded.”

The approach is so successful it has

attracted national attention. Featured at

a conference in Ottawa on better ways to

sustain agricultural research, the Alberta

Consortium is being held up as a model by

policy makers. Most importantly though,

the approach does help keep scientists

focused on research. The Consortium

offers real benefi ts to research funding

applicants, explains Ken McCormack of the

Agriculture and Food Council (AFC) - CARD

Program. The funding organizations have

worked towards a one window process

for applications, which simplifi es the

workload for applicants and ensures their

proposal will get wide exposure to funding

opportunities. “Our research applicants

have voiced considerable approval for the

Consortium process,” explains McCormack.

“The opportunity to provide a single

application on proposed projects that might

appeal to multiple funding agencies is a

signifi cant time saver. Also, by accessing

a process that involves combined due

diligence by funding partners, the possibility

of success is greater for project applications

that meet the priorities and eligibility

criteria of each of the funds.”

In the end, that’s what it’s all about – using

strategies to make the processes, goals, and

accountability better, so researchers can

work their magic for Alberta.

03

The one window approach of

the Alberta Agriculture Funding

Consortium makes it more

effi cient for researchers to apply

for grants. Shared applications,

simpler forms, and clear direction,

plus fewer meetings are among

the advantages.

“Our research

applicants have voiced

considerable approval

for the Consortium

process.”- Ken McCormack,

AFC - CARD Program

fall 2003

The University of Alberta’s Swine Research and Technology Centre is improving hog production in

Western Canada. With researchers studying everything from swine reproduction to odour reduction

and nutrition, the work coming out of the Centre is fi rst-class.

If good fences make good neighbours, then Dr. John Feddes is hoping that good odour

research will also improve that relationship. Feddes, a Professor of Animal Housing at

the University of Alberta, is researching odour reduction in hog operations at the Swine

Research and Technology Centre (SRTC) in an effort to help better plan their location.

“We want production sites or confi ned feeding operations, and we need happy

neighbours,” says Feddes. To that end, his research is looking to fi nd a more science-based

approach to determine the optimal distance between production sites and communities.

Currently, these sorts of judgment calls are made based on experience. “We want to base it

on science, because if we know odour emission rates from different sources like the barn or

manure storage facilities, we can predict what odour concentration will be downwind.”

At the SRTC, Feddes uses manure from about 80 feeder pigs to obtain odour emission rates.

By using a measuring device and fl oating it over the manure surface, he can measure odour

units per second. The goal is to fi nd out if there is any variation in the amount of odour and

greenhouse gases emitted, depending on diet. One of the studies is focused on varying the

levels of protein in the diet, while another project varies the amount of sulphur. “Right now

the thinking is we’re overfeeding sulphur-containing amino acids, so we might have to back

that off or use alternatives,” says Feddes.

After varying the pigs’ diet, Feddes tests the barn air for ammonia or hydrogen sulfi de

– gases commonly found in pig barns. He also tests the air outside the barn coming from

the ventilation system. The work may reduce odour by modifying pig diets and will certainly

lend science to the discussion of barn smells.

Besides Feddes’ study on odour management, the 5,000 square metre Edmonton Centre is

home to other interesting projects. Dr. Ron Ball and his team are focused on swine nutrition.

One aspect of their research is improving the quality of pork products and increasing

Studyingwin

e

20reach&discover

the pig’s resistance to disease through

improved nutrition. Increased disease

resistance is expected to reduce antibiotic

use and improve the pig’s response to

vaccines – further enhancing the safety

profi le of pork products. As well, reduced

antibiotic use would reduce the cost of

pig production, keeping more money in

producers’ pockets.

Dr. George Foxcroft, the Academic Leader

of SRTC, is also the leader of the Swine

Reproduction Development program.

Given the competitiveness of the hog

industry, Foxcroft is striving to keep

Canadian hog producers in business.

“Compared to other animal industries,

the swine industry operates in a totally

open global market – there’s no subsidy or

market protection – it’s a tough industry,”

says Foxcroft. “We’re really looking to

make our Canadian production the most

effi cient in the world, and I believe that

with the technology we’re offering, within

fi ve years our producers will be the world’s

most technically advanced in breeding

herd management.”

Foxcroft and Dr. Walter Dixon are focused

on swine reproduction and development,

aiming to improve animal effi ciency

and welfare. The team is working on

increasing the number of offspring a

sow has in a year. Considering the effects

of nutrition management, they are

developing an optimal nutrition program

that will prevent embryonic loss – the

number of eggs that are fertilized but fail

to develop. Foxcroft says the goal is to

improve breeding herd effi ciency by 20%

in the next fi ve years – a major economic

achievement for the swine industry.

And being more effi cient is also good for

sow welfare. The work on the nutritional

side is demonstrating that size and protein

mass are more important than fatness in a

breeding sow. Foxcroft believes the right

body condition will allow sows to be more

comfortable in barns.

To test this hypothesis, the team at the

Swine Research and Technology Centre is

collaborating with the Prairie Swine Centre

in Saskatchewan. They are studying animals

for approximately three years to prove

that nutrition management from the start

has improved the life of the animal by

increasing and improving its health along

with its reproductive ability.

A new study that Feddes and Dr. John

Church, an animal welfare specialist

with Alberta Agriculture, Food & Rural

Development, have received funding for is

also focused on the welfare of sows. The

two-year project looks into the welfare of

gestating sows with regard to alternative

housing systems. There’s a trend in some

other countries to have all gestation sows in

a free range system.

Feddes says there are a number of options

to the traditional stall where the gestation

sow spends her time. There are free access

stalls, where the animal can get out and

live communally and then go back to the

stall to feed; an electronic sow feeding

system where the sows are kept in one large

group, but they each wear transponders

that measure how much they eat at the

electronic sow feeder to ensure everybody

gets their fair share; and a system where

sows live in the stall but can also live

communally with other sows, and sleep on

a mezzanine above the stall. “It’s important

to fi rst fi nd out what the sow really needs.

If alternatives are required, they have to be

practical and effective,” adds Church.

Jay Willis, Manager of the SRTC, expects

the Centre will be making an even greater

contribution to agriculture in the years

ahead. “I’m hoping that with the recent

discussions with Alberta Agriculture and

some recent staff additions, we’ll be doing

more hands-on practical research as well as

pure science,” says Willis. “I’m hoping that

as we move along over the next few years

we’re going to be considered much more of

a resource centre to the industry in terms of

being able to provide good information that

can be put to quick use in barns.”

Dr. Harold Gonyou, research scientist at

the Prairie Swine Centre, was part of the

consultations that took place prior to the

building of the SRTC. He says the facilities

are top of the line. “It’s great for pork

producers in Western Canada to have such

a good facility at the University of Alberta,”

says Gonyou. “It’s an excellent thing. In that

sense we’re (both research centres) serving

the same goals of our constituencies:

providing quality research.”

“...I believe that with

the technology we’re

offering, within fi ve

years our producers

will be the world’s

most technically

advanced in breeding

herd management.”

- Dr. George Foxcroft, SRTC

Not Just for Research

The Alberta Pork Industry Interpretive Centre at the Swine Research and Technology Centre is a great way for children to learn more

about the hog industry. This display area is geared towards children in Grades 4 to 6. With accessible information and interactive,

hands-on displays, children will have all their questions about pigs answered. They’ll even get to take a peek at the research, with

windows looking into the farrowing and gestation rooms. Opened at the end of September, Bill Mullen of Alberta Pork says the

Pig Science Centre is meant to bring agriculture to an urban audience. “Years ago we all had a grandfather or uncle involved in

agriculture, someone that connected us to the farm – but that’s not the case anymore. So in order to introduce agriculture to the

urban audience we developed the Centre at the University, where it’s convenient for the urban audience.” The Centre is open by

appointment only and is free of charge. To book an appointment, call (780) 474-8288. 21fall 2003

Wo

rds o

f Wisd

om Neal Oberg

Why is Agricultural Research Important?

28reach&discover

Is it important to Albertans, Canadians, or

our global community, one may ask? To

people, to commerce, to the air we breathe,

to the land that sustains us, to the water

that enables life as we know it? Which is

most important? Which is least important?

Which could we do without? Probably all

questions we would rather not answer - but

if such becomes necessary, where do these

answers come from?

When I was born, a good crop of wheat

yielded 20 bushels per acre. During high

school, 30 bushels per acre was a “bumper”

crop. Now I am a father and a grandfather,

and 40 bushels per acre is a crop failure.

How could this happen? Is this normal

and reasonable? Agricultural research

discovered and developed wheat varieties

that yielded more, died less, milled better,

tasted better, and grew faster. Production

rose, but it is imperative to understand

what really happened.

Farmers earned more and they bought more

as the supply of “things to buy” increased.

People moved off farm to produce non-

food items demanded by a growing

economy. A world trade in wheat evolved.

Non-food production and trade fl ourished

into a complex economy characterized by

interdependence and fi rst world affl uence.

Wheat started this, and so did corn, barley,

soybeans, canola, beef cattle, dairy cattle,

pigs, chickens, sheep, horses, peaches,

raspberries, cherries, potatoes, carrots, peas,

… the list is long.

This is but a simple illustration discussing

the essence of how our current lifestyle was

achieved, a lifestyle and standard of living

initiated through successful and sustained

agricultural research. Clearly, the result of all

this activity is not production per se; however

– it is value!

Acceptance of value as an outcome of

science brings new excitement and limitless

potential to agricultural research. It brings

new and wonderful contributions to life,

and has vaulted agricultural research into a

“science of life”. Modern living is complex.

We expect energy to warm us, to transport

us, to fi nance our economy. We expect

forestry to provide fi bre for us to live and

work in. We ask medicine for healthy

living, to fi x us when we are ill, to extend

life into years previously not accessible.

Well! Agriculture produces energy from

biomass. Agriculture produces trees for fi bre.

Agriculture produces vaccines and nutrition

from plants. This is only the beginning!

Back to our question of what is important.

Agriculture provides the common thread to

life as we know it. Research makes this thread

stronger and longer. It makes our world a

better place to live that longer life.

Acknowledgment of value as a real and

tangible outcome widens our horizons for

research activity. Knowledge and innovation

in agriculture is much more than production

and quantity. Barley has a component that

offers signifi cant advantage for human health.

Canola offers an opportunity for production

of plastics – a valuable, sustainable biomaterial

made possible through polymer research.

Enzyme research is expanding our knowledge

of the rumen of cattle for natural production

of a wide range of things from anti-cancer

nutrition to fi bre processing. These are actual

products with potential for commercialization

and of course, bottom-line profi t. Other

aspects of agricultural research offer value of a

different kind.

Nanotechnology, for example, is a “platform

technology” enabling subsequent things to

happen. It is not necessarily a balance sheet

item in and of itself, but its ability to enable

and enhance follow-up scientifi c discovery and

development is monumental. Fractionation

technology is another such example. These are

major science advancements through research

that will literally revolutionize our ways of

doing things and enhance our standard of

living and quality of life.

Agricultural research touches all of us

in another way that is perhaps the most

important, but unfortunately all-too-often

taken for granted. Clean water is not a God-

given right. It is a resource placed into our

care for our use and our preservation. Water-

related agricultural research carries benefi t to

all sectors with a value to the public good that

is far-reaching. Clean air is the same. Neither

are enhanced or preserved by accident.

Our R&D system is effi cient, effective and far-

reaching. Many of us are now two or more

generations removed from the farm, but we

are never removed from food, from health,

from life itself. Research into agriculture is all

of these things. It is our quiet security.

Neal Oberg is a prominent Alberta producer

and industry leader. He also sits on the Boards

of the Alberta Science and Research Authority

and AVAC Ltd. As well, he is co-chair on the

Alberta Agricultural Research Institute Board.

This is the fi rst in a series of rotating editorials

that captures Words of Wisdom from people

in the sector.