Why is this research important for Alberta ag?
Gastrointestinal inflammation is common in feedlot and dairy cattle and it reduces energy available for growth and milk production, however, there is currently no non-invasive detection method for gastrointestinal inflammation, thus limiting the ability to treat it.
In human medicine, fecal calprotectin, a protein released during gastrointestinal inflammation, is measured in feces to indicate the degree of gastrointestinal inflammation occurring. This research aims to validate calprotectin as a marker of gastrointestinal inflammation in cattle.
What benefits can producers expect from this research?
Research will allow the creation of benchmark values of calprotectin that represent different degrees of inflammation and apply these values to research exploring the impact of gastrointestinal inflammation on cattle performance. By determining non-invasive measures of gastrointestinal inflammation, better management strategies can be created.
How will these research findings reach producers on-farm?
All findings will be shared with the scientific community as well as industry stakeholders. Articles will be published in peer-reviewed journals, as well as numerous posters and presentations will be delivered at scientific meetings.
Funded in part by the Government of Canada under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative.