Canadian researchers tout live animal BSE test Wednesday, February 4, 2009 © AgMedia Inc.by TREENA HEINUniversity of Calgary scientists say they have found a way to test for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in live animals using a simple blood test.Lianne Appleby, a spokesperson with the Ontario Cattlemen’s Association says the test might increase access to some foreign markets and reduce processing costs, if it were eventually developed and approved. “But, a live test without the resulting reduction in packing plant costs and age discounts would not be of benefit to our producers.”Appleby also points out that, “While at OCA we do believe in the merits of exploring new technologies, we have to be mindful that this live test is neither proven nor approved right now.”The researchers say their live test could detect BSE in cattle and chronic wasting disease in elk at least six months before clinical signs of disease are displayed, a development which could potentially lead to revolutionary changes in beef inspection protocols worldwide.Once marketed, this test would provide an alternative to the current method of post-mortem diagnosis, which uses brain tissue samples from dead animals.Canadian Cattlemen's Association spokesperson Rob McNabb says the cattle industry is "cautiously optimistic" about the test. “The concept of a live animal test for prion disease is certainly not new. Some of them have been halted because false positives were a concern.”He says the undertaking has potential. But unless it’s “extremely accurate” in terms of false positives or negatives, “we won’t have really achieved our ultimate objective – demonstrating the eradication of the disease and lifting the current regulatory requirements, such as the enhanced feed ban and removal and disposal of specified risk materials.”This new live-animal blood test builds on studies conducted by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, the Federal Research Institute for Animal Health and the University of Gottinghen, Germany. BF Behind the Lines - February 2009 Gap looms between Bank of Canada rate and what you pay at the bank
New board members for Ontario Pork Friday, April 25, 2025 Ontario Pork, an association representing the 1,898 pork farms that market 5.9 million hogs in the province, has announced its new board lineup for 2025. As a Guelph, Ontario-headquartered organization, Ontario Pork is engaged in the areas of research, government representation,... Read this article online
A Chicken’s Dream: The Perfect Home for Our Feathery Friends! Friday, April 25, 2025 BY: Zahra Sadiq Do you raise chickens on your farm for personal, friends and family use? Don’t you think your feathery friends deserve to live in style? If so, look no further, Roost & Root have plenty of chicken coop models to choose from that you and your chickens will... Read this article online
Sheep farmers win Ontario’s Outstanding Young Farmers Thursday, April 24, 2025 Sheep farmers and wool producers from Wallenstein, Ont. are Ontario’s Outstanding Young Farmers for 2025. “It’s great to be recognized by your peers in the industry with an award like that,” Ryan Schill told Farms.com. “When we started the sheep farm, there were people questioning us... Read this article online
Ontario ag connections in the NHL playoffs Tuesday, April 22, 2025 The 2025 NHL playoffs are underway, and some of hockey’s biggest names got their start on an Ontario farm or have invested in agriculture since becoming professional athletes. Farms.com went through each of the 16 playoff team rosters to uncover which players have a connection to... Read this article online
New Alcohol Trade Freedom in Ontario Thursday, April 17, 2025 The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) has welcomed Ontario’s bold step in eliminating trade barriers and allowing direct alcohol sales to consumers. This new legislation aims to ease internal trade across provinces and support small businesses. One of the key changes... Read this article online