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Beef-specific quarantine centre close to opening

Prior to 2003, Canadian beef genetics were in high demand around the world. That changed abruptly with the onset of the BSE crisis, when export markets for cattle semen and embryos evaporated.

Prior to 2003, Canadian beef genetics were in high demand around the world. That changed abruptly with the onset of the BSE crisis, when export markets for cattle semen and embryos evaporated.

Fast-forward a decade, and a Central Alberta company is taking an aggressive step toward rebuilding the beef industry’s capacity to supply the needs of breeders elsewhere.

Canadian Beef Sires has built a beef-specific quarantine centre north of Innisfail. All it needs now is approval from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, which Rick Katchuik, a veterinarian and principal owner of Canadian Beef Sires, expects any time.

“I’m close enough that our clients that wish to bring their bulls in before the next breeding season are having some of the preliminary veterinarian work done,” he said.

“Hopefully, by the first of January or so, they’ll be able to bring them in.”

Katchuik is also part-owner of Alberta Veterinary Center, which operates out of Burnt Lake Business Park, west of Red Deer. It provides specialized reproductive services for cattle and horses, and even has a mobile unit that collects and freezes semen, transfers embryos and performs reproductive assessments.

Katchuik said he heard from clients who were frustrated they had to wait up to six months to get their bulls into quarantine centres for testing prior to semen processing and export. Much of the backlog related to the fact that existing centres are focused on dairy cattle, not beef.

Prior to BSE, there were several quarantine centres that catered to beef cattle, said Katchuik.

“It was very vibrant,” he said of Western Canada’s beef genetics industry.

“This is one of the biggest places in the world for cattle genetics, prior to BSE.”

Canadian Beef Sires could be entering the market at just the right time, he said. Most export restrictions related to BSE have been removed, and the world is rediscovering the quality of Canadian beef genetics.

“It’s unfortunate we couldn’t promote them or sell them for that period of time, but it’s coming around.”

Canadian Beef Sires’ quarantine centre has space for 50 to 60 bulls, said Katchuik, and room for growth. In addition to isolation pens, it has a range of collection, lab and storage facilities.

“I think our storage capacity right now is about 200,000 doses.”

Bulls will typically be kept in quarantine for 60 to 90 days, depending on the testing requirements of the countries their semen is destined for.

“There may be anywhere from 500 to 20,000 doses of semen drawn off your average beef bull, depending on his value and what interest there is out there in the marketplace,” said Katchuik.

Canadian Beef Sires will also market semen for its clients, if requested, with sales staff, a catalogue and website dedicated to this function.

Katchuik said the response from clients has been positive.

“At least three or four times a week we’re getting interest from other people around Western Canada.

“We have bulls right now lined up in Manitoba; we have bulls lined up on Vancouver Island.”

hrichards@www.reddeeradvocate.com