Cow-Calf Surveillance Network goes national

As you know, the Canadian Beef Cattle Check-Off has increased from $1 to $2.50 per head in most provinces, with approximately 75 cents allocated to the Beef Cattle Research Council.

Thanks to the increased Canadian Beef Cattle Check-Off, the western Canadian cow-calf surveillance network initiative is being expanded to a coast-to-coast Canadian Cow-Calf Surveillance Network under the 2018-23 Beef Science Cluster. This will gather valuable information from farms and ranches across the county to identify promising opportunities and potential research needs that overcome challenges and improve industry competitiveness.

Canada’s National Beef Strategy outlined why the Check-Off increase was needed, and how it would be invested. One goal laid out in the strategy was a 15% increase in cutout value, partly through increased public understanding of beef industry animal husbandry practices and communicating the role of responsible antibiotic stewardship practices. The surveillance network provides the opportunity to collect this information.

Learn more about the Cow-Calf Surveillance Network here.

DID YOU KNOW: A recent Western Canadian Cow-Calf Survey showed that most Canadian herds use medically important antibiotics (MIA), but very few animals were treated with them. The results indicate that producers participating in the survey used MIAs selectively.

Learn more about antibiotics, antimicrobial resistance and upcoming regulatory changes here.

By Tayla Fraser October 2, 2018

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