Research

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Do less “famous” BRD bacteria contribute to antimicrobial resistance?

Background Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is the most costly and significant disease in North American ...

Started: 2025

Animal Health and Welfare Antimicrobials

COMPLETED

Exploring options to manage Mycoplasma bovis

While this project is very early stage drug discovery research, and will certainly not eliminate M. bovis infections immediately, it is exploring a new approach that potentially can improve the management of this bacteria in the future.

Started: 2021 | Completed: 2025

Animal Health and Welfare Antimicrobials

IN PROGRESS

Training immunity as an alternative to antibiotics

Several different approaches are being investigated to develop effective alternatives to antimicrobial products. One potential avenue is to stimulate or “train” immune cells to react to pathogens by exposing them to related bacteria that don’t cause disease.

Started: 2023

Animal Health and Welfare Antimicrobials

IN PROGRESS

How does antimicrobial resistance spread through the environment?

Given that the transmission of AMR is extremely complicated, and the ability of bacteria to assemble multiple AMR genes on a MGE, it is important to learn as much as we can about the potential spread of AMR throughout the environment.

Started: 2022

Antimicrobials

IN PROGRESS

Is there a relationship between extended grazing and calf immunity?

This project will provide more information on how maternal nutrition impacts calf health and performance, specifically under extended grazing systems.

Started: 2024

Animal Health and Welfare

IN PROGRESS

Rejuvenation of saline soils with saline tolerant forages

Boosting production on these marginal acres and reducing soil salinity would have positive impacts on soil quality and economic returns.

Started: 2025

Forage

IN PROGRESS

Improving vaccines for bovine respiratory disease

This project is one in a series that is using novel technologies to produce an effective, easy to administer mucosal vaccine against MH.

Started: 2023

Animal Health and Welfare

COMPLETED

Refining new diagnostics for BRD

New tests show promise for identifying genes in BRD-associated bacteria that can contribute to the development of more severe disease and challenges in BRD management.

Started: 2021 | Completed: 2024

Animal Health and Welfare

COMPLETED

Improving pain control during band castration – Part 2

A total of 96 calves were castrated either at one- or five-months of age. At each age, calves were divided into three castration protocols: regular bands with no pain control, regular bands with anesthetic injected into the scrotum, and the new bands with slow-release anesthetic.

Started: 2022 | Completed: 2024

Animal Health and Welfare

IN PROGRESS

Examining environmental stress in first-calf heifers

This project will contribute to the body of knowledge that attempts to explain individual animal differences in efficiency, and improved understanding of the impacts of environmental conditions on animal physiology, behaviour, and performance on first calf heifers, and their calves.

Started: 2024

Animal Health and Welfare Environment

IN PROGRESS

Improving legume establishment and seedling vigour

This project intends to investigate whether plant growth regulators can improve the establishment and seedling vigour of cicer milkvetch and Birdsfoot trefoil.

Started: 2024

Forage

IN PROGRESS

Goodbye Plastic? Evaluating a novel biological net wrap for Canada

It’s estimated that between 7,000 and 12,000 metric tons of ag plastics are generated on Alberta farms every year.

Started: 2024

Environment

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Alberta AgriSystems Living Lab

ABP is pleased to be leading a project that will benefit Alberta’s beef, forage, and cropping sectors through collaboration, innovation, and research.

In July 2022, The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Then Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, announced the expansion of Agricultural Climate Solutions – Living Labs program, including an initiative led by ABP.

Producer participants (beef, forage, cropping) in the AALL are working directly with researchers to co-develop beneficial management practices (BMPs) to improve productivity, profitability while having a positive impact on carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions.

Information from this project will help to ensure that climate focused policy solutions are practical and provide benefits for producers by providing data from real-world situations.

Key focus areas for BMP development include cropping systems and crop rotations, land use change/transitions, grazing management, livestock feeding, nutrient management, and optimizing carbon storage.
AALL is examining barriers and incentives to adoption, performing cost of production analyses, developing extension materials/events, facilitating peer to peer networking, learning and mentorship opportunities, and creating decision-making tools for producers.

Learn More - Visit agrisystemsll.ca

There’s lots of opportunity for producers if they’ve been thinking about trying something but are not sure where to start. That’s where our researchers and their expertise can really fine-tune that and set them up for success right out of the gate.

Karin Schmid, Beef Production and Extension Lead, Alberta Beef Producers

National Research Strategy

The Five-Year Canadian Beef Research and Technology Transfer Strategy aims to enhance national coordination of beef research priorities, funding, and technology transfer efforts. It focuses on increasing productivity, reducing production costs, and promoting sustainable practices to support industry competitiveness. The strategy also emphasizes improving beef quality and safety, while fostering innovation and environmental stewardship.

National Research Strategy

Beef Cattle Research Council

The Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC) is Canada’s national industry-led funding agency for beef, cattle and forage research. The BCRC’s mandate is to determine research and development priorities for the Canadian beef cattle industry and to administer Canadian Beef Cattle Check-Off funds allocated to research.

The BCRC hosts an incredible resource library, including free interactive calculators, and the latest in production research.

Visit the BCRC

Agriculture Funding Consortium

Alberta Beef Producers participates in the Agriculture Funding Consortium (AFC), which is a collaborative body of agricultural organizations. AFC provides coordinated funding for research and innovation in Western Canada’s agriculture and food industry. It aims to support sustainability, diversification, and long-term growth by stimulating private and public sector participation. Each member organization within the AFC establishes its own research priorities and investment mandates.

Agriculture Funding Consortium

Research

ABP's Research Committee encourages practical, applied research - enhancing the competitiveness of Alberta beef producers.

Do less “famous” BRD bacteria contribute to antimicrobial resistance?

Exploring options to manage Mycoplasma bovis

Training immunity as an alternative to antibiotics

How does antimicrobial resistance spread through the environment?

Is there a relationship between extended grazing and calf immunity?

Rejuvenation of saline soils with saline tolerant forages

Improving vaccines for bovine respiratory disease

Refining new diagnostics for BRD

Improving pain control during band castration – Part 2

Examining environmental stress in first-calf heifers

Improving legume establishment and seedling vigour

Goodbye Plastic? Evaluating a novel biological net wrap for Canada

Alberta AgriSystems Living Lab

National Research Strategy

Beef Cattle Research Council

Agriculture Funding Consortium