What We’re Reading | Cow Patty Critters: A new guide on Canada’s faecal friends

By Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

There is more to a cow pat than meets the eye.

In Canada, an estimated 110 million dung pats (the weight of over 13,000 combines!) are deposited by cows every day. But what do we know about the community of insects, bacteria and other organisms that inhabit them? These critters are essential to a healthy pasture ecosystem, but information is scattered and difficult for producers and researchers to find.

Dr. Kevin Floate, an Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada scientist at the Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, is on the case and has developed the first comprehensive guide to discover and understand the faecal friends that provide big bug benefits.

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‘What We’re Reading‘ is a quick look at some of the issues and insights Alberta Beef Producers’ content creators and editors are reading to stay up-to-date, to broaden perspectives, and to explore issues relevant to the agriculture industry.