| The purpose of the Beef Cattle Research
Council (BCRC) is to
determine research and development priorities for the beef
cattle industry, and to administrate the research funding
allocation of the National Check-off. The BCRC sponsors
research and technology development and adoption in
support of the vision of the Canadian beef industry to have
high quality Canadian beef products recognized as the most
outstanding by Canadian and world customers.
The Beef Cattle Research Council’s fall meeting was held on
November 30th, 2006. At that time, the Council reviewed
their current research priorities and set the research
priorities
for the 2007 Call for Proposals. The Council will continue
to implement the comprehensive research strategy it
developed
based on the research priorities that were identified in
the 2005 Priority Setting Workshop. The Council has also
agreed to implement an enhanced communication strategy
to more broadly disseminate and distribute research results
to industry participants.
Projects Funded by BCRC in 2006:
- Seasonal Activity of Wood Ticks, Dermacentor
andersoni, a Vector of Bovine Anaplasmosis
- Distribution and Genotyping of Lineages in E.coli
O157:H7 Isolates from Cattle and their Environment
in Alberta
- Best Management Practices for the Prevention and Control
of Johne’s Disease in Western Canadian Beef Herds
- Pathogenesis and Control of Mycobacterium avium
subspecies paratuberculosis
- Factors Affecting Viability, Survival, Dormancy and Culturability of the Mycobacterium paratuberculosis
Bacterium
- Recombinant Bovine C3d as an Adjuvant to Facilitate
Early Calfhood Vaccination
- Development of a Longitudinal Antimicrobial Resistance
and Antimicrobial Use Surveillance Program for the
Feedlot Sector in Western Canada
The key priorities emerging from the November, 2006 BCRC
priority setting meeting and areas of greatest interest for
the 2007 Call for Proposals are highlighted below:
- Ruminant:Human Interface
Research is required to address issues such as zoonotic diseases, enhanced nutritional attributes
of beef and environmental stewardship.
- Enhance Consumer Confidence in Beef
Current challenges to the beef industry have arisen
from the need for disposal of specified risk materials
from cattle after slaughter and from animal
mortalities on farms and feedlots. There is a need
for research that addresses this challenge and
ensures safe handling practices and environmental
safeguards.
- Improve Profit Margins for Those Involved in
Primary Production
The cost of feeding cattle in Canada is being
impacted by both the change in relative feed
costs in Canada as compared to the US and
the rapid expansion in the production of biofuels
in North America. Research is required to
address different aspects of this issue from the
utilization and environmental impact of feeding
cattle significant amounts of distillers’ grains to
maintaining competitive costs of feeding cattle
in Canada, in general.
Overall BCRC Objective and Goals as set in the 2005
Priority Setting Workshop
A. Ruminant:Human Interface
Zoonotic and Other Diseases
- Epidemiology, rapid diagnosis, surveillance,
and prevention
- Transmission between humans and animals
Ruminant (Microbe) Utilization
- Bio product synthesis
- Nutrition and human health linkages
Environmental stewardship
- Water quality and safety
- Manure management and utilization
B. Enhance Consumer Confidence in Beef
Food safety assurance through the food continuum
- Antimicrobial resistance
- Reduction of hazards and risk
Production of high quality and consistent beef products
- Tenderness, palatability, and consistency
- Whole carcass utilization and product development
C. Improve Profit Margins for Those Involved in
Primary Production
Economics of beef production
- Reduce production and transaction costs
- Differentiated production systems and product
attributes
Production Efficiency
- Genetic improvements and technologies
- Feed efficiency, utilization of forages and
alternative feed resources
D. Improved Knowledge of Food-Borne Illnesses
- Prevalence of food-borne pathogens
- Transmission between animals, domestic and
wild animal species and humans
- Management and control of pathogens
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