USask awarded $5.2 million for innovative research projects
25 projects to be funded in total
30 January 2023
2 minute read
By: Early detection of infectious diseases in chickens and developing regional influenza vaccines for pigs are among 28 innovative livestock and forage research projects at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) to be awarded a total of $5.2 million in new funding, according to a press release from the university.
The money comes from Saskatchewan’s Agriculture Development Fund (ADF), a program jointly funded by the provincial and federal governments.
In all, 25 USask researchers were awarded funding for projects that range from using artificial intelligence to monitor the well-being of pigs to developing vaccines to control diseases such as foot rot in cattle, to controlling microbial diseases in bees and maximizing the use of wheat straw in the diet of beef cattle. Five of these projects, totalling $863,000, are at the USask-owned Prairie Swine Centre.
“This major investment by our federal and provincial governments and industry partners ensures the continued advancement of leading-edge research by USask scientists in the areas of livestock well-being and health, production efficiency, and agricultural technology,” said USask Vice-President Research Baljit Singh.
“We greatly appreciate this support for research that is contributing to global food security, and to enhancing the economy of Saskatchewan and Canada by developing value-added products, increasing exports, and training of highly skilled professionals.”
Industry co-funders of the USask projects are: SaskMilk; Alberta Milk; Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association; Saskatchewan Forage Seed Development Commission; Saskatchewan Alfalfa Seed Producers Development Commission; Results Driven Agriculture Research; and the Saskatchewan Canola Development Commission.
