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
Ontario Basketball and Dairy Farmers of Ontario expand partnership into 2025 Thursday, April 3, 2025 Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO) and the Ontario Basketball Association (OBA) have extended their partnership into 2025. With this agreement, DFO will be the presenting partner of the and support Team Ontario. “Dairy Farmers of Ontario is delighted to continue its partnership... Read this article online
Agritourism operators meet with Ontario’s Tourism Minister Thursday, April 3, 2025 On April 2, 2025, members of Ontario’s agritourism sector met with the province’s Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming, the Hon. Stan Cho to discuss what is one of the fastest growing and popular sectors in tourism. Niagara West MPP Sam Oosterhoff, Associate Minister of Energy-Intensive... Read this article online
U of G Students win Branded Farms.com Chairs Thursday, April 3, 2025 Farms.com was pleased to support the University of Guelph’s annual College Royal which was held March 15th & 16th, 2025 – it was the 101st edition. Every March, the University of Guelph hosts College Royal, the largest university open house event in North America. This annual... Read this article online
Lynmark Farms named Master Breeder for 2025 Wednesday, April 2, 2025 The Canadian Milking Shorthorn Society has announced that Lynmark Farms has been named as a herd for 2025. Lynmark Farms is owned and operated by Tim Shearer and Irene Vietinghoff of Norwood, Ontario. They are the third Milking Shorthorn herd to be recognized as a since this... Read this article online
John Deere collaborates with Dovetail Workwear Wednesday, April 2, 2025 Built by, for, and with women, Dovetail Workwear is teaming with John Deere ( Deere & Company) to develop a collection of apparel and gear specifically designed to address the needs of women in the agricultural industry. The companies said there’s a shared commitment to celebrating... Read this article online