Technology Access Centre for Livestock Production

奥尔兹学院牲畜饲料效率中心的重点是通过提供提高竞争力的新技术来满足加拿大畜牧业的需求。工业界面临着越来越大的压力，要求在改善动物健康和福利以及食品安全的同时尽量减少对环境的影响。以可持续的方式改善加拿大牲畜的最佳方法之一是提高饲料效率，这也将减少农业生产的环境足迹。对土地、饲料和水资源的积极影响以及降低生产者的成本将是巨大的，并在饲料效率高的动物的后代中累积。为支持以饲料效率和动物健康为重点的生产力提高，将提供以下研究和创新服务：1）专门的饲料效率测试，2）数据解释，3）胴体分析，4）行为评估，5）早期疾病检测，6）品种变异，7）饲料效率与其他经济相关性状的相关性，以及8）动物健康和福利。自2002年以来，奥尔兹学院一直与畜牧生产者合作，使用Growsafe技术进行饲料效率测试。我们有机会通过技术演示和知识传播，帮助生产者了解这些联系并解释数据，从而做出基于证据的决策和明智的育种目标。生产者和工业协会可以利用的应用研究和专门知识之间的联系，提高了整个工业的能力，以应付新的挑战和加强环境管理，同时保持竞争力和生产力。

The Olds College Centre for Feed Efficiency in Livestock is focused on meeting the needs of the Canadian livestock industry by providing access to new technologies that increase competitiveness. Industry is faced with increased pressure to minimize environmental impacts while improving animal health and welfare, and food safety. One of the best ways to improve Canadian livestock in a sustainable manner is by increasing feed efficiency which will also reduce the environmental footprint of agricultural production. The positive impact on land, feed, and water resources, as well as reducing costs to the producer would be substantial and cumulative over subsequent generations of feed efficient animals. The following research and innovation services will be provided in support of enhanced productivity focused on feed efficiency and animal health: 1) specialized feed efficiency testing, 2) data interpretation, 3) carcass analysis, 4) behavioral assessment, 5) early disease detection, 6) breed variation, 7) correlation of feed efficiency with other economically relevant traits, and 8) animal health and welfare. Olds College has been engaged with livestock producers since 2002 in feed efficiency testing using Growsafe technology. We have the opportunity to help producers understand the connections and interpret the data to make evidence based decisions and informed breeding goals through technology demonstration and knowledge dissemination. The connection of applied research and expertise, made accessible to producers and industry associations, enhances the ability of the industry as a whole to meet new challenges and greater environmental stewardship while remaining competitive and productive.