The Technology Access Centre for Livestock Production (TACLP) uses its resources — which include a 1,000-head capacity feedlot, commercial cow/calf herd, Purebred Red Angus herd, sheep flock, and broadacre native and tame pasture — to demonstrate and optimize technologies with potential to improve animal health and welfare, increase production efficiency, and enhance environmental sustainability.
A comprehensive two-year study was conducted by the TACLP at Neilson Beef in Stettler, Alta, investigating reproductive efficiency and alleviating stress in beef heifers.
Rotational grazing practices help on-farm sustainability by enhancing pasture productivity and soil health (and preventing overgrazing) which increases carbon sequestration — leading to potential carbon credits for producers.
In September 2023, Environmental Stewardship researchers performed end of season sampling on the 55 floating islands deployed on two feedlot ponds near Linden, Alta.
The TACLP is conducting a research project to identify and quantify a panel of predictive blood biomarkers for feed efficiency and sheep parasite infection using genomics and metabolomics technologies.
In beef cattle production, feed costs constitute a substantial portion of expenses accounting for up to 70 per cent of the total operational costs.
Rotational grazing systems can help maximize soil health and pasture productivity, but are hard to implement due to labour shortages and infrastructure costs.