The growth performance of beef calves may be improved using prenatal supplementation of canola in cows
Researchers from USask found that canola-fat based pellet supplementation in the diet of beef cows led to greater growth of their calves from birth to slaughter. This may be due to the permanent alteration in the expression of a gene that is responsible for growth and muscle development. The aim of this project is to determine an optimal level of canola-fat inclusion in the prenatal diet that optimizes calf growth. Understanding the biological and epigenetic pathways that underlie connections between prenatal nutrition and postnatal growth and development can lead to increased predictability of calf performance and novel strategies to improve postnatal growth.
Download the full project summary here.
For more information on this project, please contact Livestock Gentec:
Phone: 780.248.1740
lsgentec@ualberta.ca
Institution: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Primary Investigator: Carolyn Fitzsimmons
Co-Primary Investigator: Bart Lardner (USaskatchewan)
Term: 2021 - 2026
Funding: $137,000 from BCRC