Annual Report | Beef Cattle Research Council

The Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC) is Canada’s industry-led funding agency for beef, cattle and forage research and extension. The BCRC is directed by a committee of 16 beef producers from across the country including six producers from Alberta. It is funded primarily through the research allocation of the Canadian Beef Cattle Check-Off. 

In 2023/24, the BCRC received on average $0.67 (unaudited) of every $2.50 of the Canadian Beef Cattle Check-Off collected by the provinces.  

This funding was leveraged under the Beef Science Cluster program with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) Canadian Agricultural Partnership funding, where industry contributed 42 per cent ($1.50 million) and AAFC contributed 58 per cent ($2.05 million) in 2023/24.  

In addition, the BCRC leveraged the Canadian Beef Cattle Check-Off for an additional $3.9 million in research funding and $247,000 in-kind from government and industry partners through initiatives outside of the Beef Science Cluster. 

Beef Science Cluster IV

Beef Cluster IV, titled ‘Canada’s Beef and Forage Cluster: Driving environmental, economic, and social sustainability’, focuses on driving the growth of Canada’s beef industry and the overall economy by sustainably advancing Canadian beef and forage production while reducing the industry’s environmental footprint. Twenty-three projects were approved for a total Cluster size of $21.7 million ($9.6 million from industry and $12.1 million from AAFC) and completed their first year in March 2024.  

Funding is allocated to 23 projects from April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2028. All projects are focused on three centralized themes: economic growth and development, climate change and environment, and sector resilience and societal challenge. 

Cluster IV project objectives include:  

• improved diagnostics and vaccines to manage production-limiting diseases in cattle,  

• development of new forages that have the potential to thrive across Canada,  

• improvement of food safety technologies in beef processing facilities to reduce the use of water and energy, and  

• development of practical, science-based resources and economic decision-making tools to support the Canadian beef industry. 

Producer Resources and Engagement

The BCRC developed several new resources in 2023/24 including 49 timely posts, 44 research summary factsheets, 12 monthly e-newsletters, 12 articles for the Canadian Cattlemen – The Beef Magazine, several infographics, an interactive replacement heifer costs calculator, five videos, and three webinars. Two new topic webpages were developed covering Biosecurity and Foot and Mouth Disease to provide practical, science-based information on disease prevention and mitigation. The Canadian Beef Cattle BCRC Podcast
launched in early 2024 to provide audio versions of popular, seasonally relevant content. BCRC is also proud to share content featured on BeefResearch.ca to more than 9,000 email subscribers and over 32,000 combined followers on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.

In 2023, the BCRC debuted the Regional Extension Activities funding, which funded several projects across Alberta, including seminars on remote drug delivery, animal health, genetics and water quality.

Proof of Concept Projects Inform Research Investment

The BCRC funds short-term projects in a proof-of-concept or clinical trial format to validate the feasibility of pursuing larger, more defined projects in that area. Proof of Concept (POC) projects are funded by the Canadian Cattle Beef Check-Off with some leveraged with government and/or industry partner funding.

A POC project led by Dr. Nilusha Malmuthuge at AAFC Lethbridge examined the effects of good vaccine practices on priming the immune responses of calves after vaccination. While the impact of good vaccine practices varied by pathogen, shorter mixing time and storing the mixed vaccine in a cooler increased the number of immune-primed calves against BVDV. The booster vaccination prior to weaning was essential for provoking an immune response in weaned beef calves.

Project Spotlight: Avermectin and Tetracycline Effects on the Microbiome

Avermectin products used for parasite control (including Ivomec, Bimectic, Bovimectin, Ivermectin, Solmectin, Dectomax, Eprinex, and LongRange) are part of the macrolide family. To this point, avermectins have not been studied for contribution to antimicrobial resistance.

Dr. Tim McAllister and Dr. Rahat Zaheer from AAFC Lethbridge studied 200 rumen and 200 fecal samples for the effects of avermectin product LongRange (eprinomectin) and tetracycline on the rumen microbiome, dung-feeding insects and soil microbiome.

None of the treatments of LongRange®, tetracycline, or the combination of LongRange® and tetracycline affected the diversity or composition of rumen or fecal microbial communities. An increase (not significant) in tetracycline resistance genes was observed in cattle treated with tetracycline.

Based on the results of this study, producers can continue to use LongRange® and tetracyclines without significantly altering the rumen microbiome. In addition, LongRange®
alone does not appear to contribute to the development of macrolide resistance.

Researcher Spotlight: Erick da Silva Santos

Researcher Dr. Erick da Silva Santos was hired at the University of Alberta for the Assistant Professor of Forage Production and Management Science. Start-up funding from the BCRC and ABP contributed to his timely hiring and has increased the forage research capacity in Alberta. Dr. Santos participated in the BCRC Researcher Mentorship program in 2022-2023. He was mentored by Karin Schmid, Beef Production and Extension Lead at Alberta Beef Producers and Sean McGrath, consultant and owner of Ranching Systems.

This article was submitted for Alberta Beef Producers’ 2024 Annual Report. You can also check out the Beef Cattle Research Council’s 2023-2024 Year in Review, which further explores the BCRC’s key activities and outcomes from the past fiscal year.