In 2014, the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture consulted with leaders in the livestock and forage industries and those at the University of Saskatchewan on the future of research and training in the province in support of industry and the provincial economy. The Livestock and Forage Steering Committee was struck with the mandate to review research, training and outreach capacity of the livestock and forage facilities within the province.

Previously, livestock and forage research in Saskatchewan had been conducted in separate facilities, operating independently and geographically dispersed:

  • Western Beef Development Centre was located at the USask-owned Termuende Ranch, near Lanigan, Sask., but funded mainly by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture. It was operated by the Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute (PAMI) from 2005 to 2018. Click here to read more about Termuende's history. We continue to use the Termuende land for summer pasture.
  • The USask Beef Cattle Research Unit was located on land along the banks of the South Saskatchewan River and within the limits of the City of Saskatoon. Built in the 1950s and owned by the university, the university needed to relocate the aging feedlot. It was decommissioned during the spring and summer of 2018.
  • The Goodale Farm, located southeast of Saskatoon and owned by the university, was primarily serving the needs of researchers and students at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine. It was in need of upgrades. 

The first animals arrived at the feedlot of the new Beef Cattle Research and Teaching Unit in July 2018 and the first research trial began in August 2018.

The first calves were born at the new Forage Cow-Calf Research and Teaching Unit in the spring of 2020.

We celebrated our grand opening on Oct. 9, 2018, with representatives from the federal and provincial governments, the university and a variety of industry groups. Read more.

LFCE Steering Committee

The Livestock and Forage Steering Committee, a group of diverse individuals representing industry, government and university, was struck by Lyle Stewart, Saskatchewan's former Minister of Agriculture, in 2014.

This group met 30 times over a four-year period with the last time being a joint meeting with the Strategic Advisory Board on July 10, 2018. The committee’s purpose was to provide insight into the vision and governance structure for the Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence as well as to promote the centre and raise funds for the capital build. The committee was dissolved by Minister Stewart in August 2018. For some of the members, their work is not done; three of the individuals were appointed to the inaugural Strategic Advisory Board.

We thank these individuals for their efforts in laying a firm foundation for the LFCE:

Committee co-chairs

  • Aaron Ivey, chair, Saskatchewan Forage Network
  • Dr. Ernie Barber (PhD), special consultant to the provost, USask

Committee members

  • Andrea Brocklebank, executive director, Beef Cattle Research Council
  • Janice Bruynooghe, coordinator, Saskatchewan Forage Network
  • Dr. Mary Buhr (PhD), dean, College of Agriculture and Bioresources, USask
  • Dr. Doug Freeman, dean, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, USask
  • William Greuel, assistant deputy minister, Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture
  • Abdul Jalil, assistant deputy minister, Western Economic Diversification, Government of Canada
  • Ryder Lee, chief executive officer, Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association
  • Chad MacPherson, executive director, Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association
  • Murray McGillivray, cattleman and adviser
  • Tim Oleksyn, chair, Western Beef Development Centre/Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute
  • Michael Spratt, Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association
  • Dr. Elisabeth Snead, associate dean of research, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, USask
  • Dr. Bob Tyler (PhD), associate dean of research, College of Agriculture and Bioresources, USask