Reading Time: 7 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – In the 2020 Western Hockey League bantam draft, the Regina Pats had the first overall pick. They selected Connor Bedard. It was an easy pick and a good one. Bedard recorded 100 points in the 2021-22 WHL season and 143 points last year. In June, the Chicago Blackhawks selected Bedard with the […] Read more
Genome selection finds next canola superstars
Sequencing the canola genome in 2014 paved the way for researchers to be more precise when developing new varieties
Researchers want producers to plant more peas
Four-year project attempts to eliminate barriers to growing the crop
Reading Time: 3 minutes Peas are a powerhouse. Not only do they sport a low carbon footprint and contain a high amount of protein, they come with their own nitrogen. So why aren’t more producers planting them? The biggest reason is the risk of root rot, a disease of peas that can infect the soil for years. But what […] Read more
Where are the Canadian genome-editing startups?
Looser regulations give the U.S. an edge in GE product development, but Canadians are working on gene editing, too
Reading Time: 4 minutes Genome editing has made some major strides in the past year. Minnesota-based Calyxt struck a deal with a processor to make oil from its GE soybeans, in which the genes responsible for trans fats have been ‘turned off.’ And SU Canola (a sulfonyurea herbicide-resistant variety) was given its Canadian commercial release a year ago by […] Read more
Edmonton’s Delta Genomics sold to U.S. company
Newly named Neogen Canada focuses on the use and application of genomic data, says company
Reading Time: 2 minutes Edmonton’s Delta Genomics has been sold to Neogen Corporation, an American company with locations in the U.S., Scotland, Brazil, and Australia. “The biggest visible change will be the logo,” Michelle Miller, Delta’s CEO who is now general manager of Neogen Canada, said in an e-newsletter from Livestock Genetic. “Even though the testing will be done […] Read more
‘Wood’ you know what kind of bison that is? It’s plain difficult
Woods and plains bison are impossible to tell apart, but a new genomics test will settle that question
Reading Time: 3 minutes Can you tell the difference between a wood bison and a plains bison? Most people can’t — which is partly why Delta Genomics and a team of collaborators are developing a genomics test that will be able to distinguish the two. “The biggest difference is that wood bison — their natural habitat is restricted to […] Read more
Single-trait selection can be too much of a good thing
Dairy and beef cattle are amazingly adaptive, but problems arise when we breed for just one trait
Reading Time: 3 minutes As I have travelled the world I have had the privilege of seeing many different breeds of cattle. They come in every colour and shape, from the stocky Belgium Blue to the sleek Zebu. Some cattle can be found on streets eating food waste; others are beasts of burden working fields and transporting goods; the […] Read more
Genomics research funding on offer
Reading Time: < 1 minute Genome Alberta is partnering with Alberta Agriculture on the Alberta Applied Agricultural Genomics Program. The program will provide funding for genomics-based research projects up to $250,000 over a period of two years. Research proposals participating in larger national or international efforts are strongly encouraged. For example, understanding stress response of crops at the genomic level […] Read more
Big or small, data makes all the difference, says veteran cattleman
Doug Wray is a well-known intensive grazing expert but he’s also an advocate of using genomics to push herd performance
Reading Time: 3 minutes If you want to make more money on your ranch, get more data. “You can’t manage what you don’t measure,” Irricana cattleman Doug Wray said at the recent Livestock Gentec conference. “We measure a lot of things. To have a successful ranching operation, you have to manage the resources you have. Every ranch is different.” […] Read more
Genomics testing now available for commercial herds
Knowing more about your cattle’s DNA can help you make better decisions, says non-profit developer of test
Reading Time: 3 minutes Delta Genomics has released a new genomics tool that will help commercial cattle producers determine breed composition and fertility of their cattle. EnVigour HX, which was released in February, allows producers of crossbred cattle to tap into the power of genomics, said Michelle Miller, chief executive officer of the not-for-profit genomics service division of Livestock Gentec. […] Read more
Crop research partnership maps two lentil genomes
A partnership between University of Saskatchewan (U of S) crop scientists and genomic big data company NRGene of Israel has successfully sequenced two wild lentil genomes—the largest legume genomes ever assembled. In a Nov. 8 news release, the U of S said the research was part of the $7.9-million Genome Canada-funded “Application of Genomics to […] Read more
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