Supplementing Cattle Diets with Canola Seed Pellets

Sep 13, 2023

A research project looked into if canola seed pellets can be used as a dietary supplement for pregnant cows to improve their health and the health of their calves, a Sept. 12 news release said.

University of Saskatchewan graduate student Erika Cornand and her supervisor Bart Lardner used research facilities located at the USask Livestock and Forage Excellence Centre (LFCE) in Clavet, Sask. to monitor 72 cows over the past two years during their pregnancies.

The release noted the groups of cattle were randomly chosen to receive differing amounts of the canola supplement at the same stage in their pregnancies. One group received no extra fat supplement, while the other two groups received 150 and 300 grams of fat per day, respectively. Body weight of the cows and the quality and volume of milk produced after calving was recorded throughout the study to track the effects of the additional fat supplement.

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Video: Methionine Requirements for Lactating Sows - Cierra Kozole

In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Cierra Kozole, PhD candidate in Swine Nutrition at the University of Guelph, explains how methionine supports lactating sows beyond milk protein synthesis. She discusses updated requirement estimates, source comparisons, methylation demand, and why modern sow genetics may require more precise amino acid strategies. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Methionine supports protein synthesis while also serving critical functions through methylation pathways that influence multiple biological processes."

Meet the guest: Cierra Kozole / cierra-kozole-772b64253 is a PhD candidate in Swine Nutrition at the University of Guelph in Canada. Her doctoral research focuses on refining estimates of methionine requirements for primiparous lactating sows, including evaluating methionine sources, nutrient partitioning, methylation reactions, and the links among amino acid supply, milk production, and sow protein retention. Learn more from Cierra Kozole on The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, available on all major platforms.