Alberta to consult public about nuclear power, premier says
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CBC
6 minutes ago
- CBC
Udderly relaxed: How massaging newborn calves might make them heavier, healthier
When calving season rolls around, cattle rancher Karyn Neilson doubles as a masseuse. She gives every other newborn calf on her central Alberta farm a one-minute, head-to-hoof massage — hoping it'll be the start of a healthier and more profitable herd. "We do that to imitate what its mother will do and create a positive bond with the animal," said Neilson, co-owner of Neilson Beef in Stettler, Alta. "In future interactions we have with it, it won't be viewing us as a predator. It has a positive interaction with us and then it's just easier to handle and such in the future." Using gentle but firm pressure, she starts the spa treatment at the top of the calf's head before moving down their backs and legs, while keeping an eye on their tail. "When you can hit a spot where their tails wag, you can tell you're making them extra happy." Neilson has done this to hundreds of newborn calves in the last five years, as part of a research study with Olds College. They're looking to see if using this technique in the first week of life — a critical period of brain development — can reduce the calves' stress, make them healthier and heavier, and ultimately help beef producers make more money. 47-pound weight gain Lead researcher Désirée Gellatly compares the technique, known more formally as tactile stimulation, to skin-to-skin contact with newborn human babies. "The first time [producers] interact with the beef calf is normally averse — it's to do ear tagging, it's to do shots, it's to do castration. We are trying to see if with one minute of gentle touch at the time of processing the calf, we can switch how the calf perceives us," said Gellatly, research scientist for Olds College's Technology Access Centre for Livestock Production. Inspired by a similar study she worked on with dairy calves in Brazil, she's also hoping to improve calves' health. Between Neilson Beef and another cattle ranch in southern Alberta, Gellatly is set to analyze data from roughly 900 animals next month. She said the initial pilot study, conducted over two years starting in 2020, showed some positive signs. "We found in the first year that animals that received the massage were 47 pounds heavier than animals that did not receive the massage," she said. "In the second year, we found they were about 20 pounds heavier than animals that did not receive the massage." This year, the researchers and producers are conducting DNA testing to rule out whether the sire's genetics are contributing to the weight differences. Gellatly and her research team plan to submit their scientific paper in the next couple of months. "The goal is that producers start doing this not only because it can improve the profitability, but because it's the right thing to do, right? We are taking care of these animals. We are using these animals. So I think it's fair with them that we treat them right." $150 a minute With nearly 15,000 followers on TikTok, sharing this novel approach has been met with some skepticism by other producers. But for Lance Neilson, Karyn's husband, the extra time spent is worth it. "Right now, a calf is worth, say, about $5 a pound when you wean them from their mother. So if you're getting an extra 30 lbs., we're talking $150 for a minute of work," he said. "$150 a minute — that's a pretty good payday for you." He said massages alone aren't magic, but the bond formed sets the stage to layer on other low-stress handling techniques throughout the cows' lives. The Neilsons say it has also reduced their stress. "We are calmer. The cows are calmer…. We don't groan if we have to go to do cows like maybe we did five or six years ago," said Karyn. Low-stress handling Near Nanton, Alta., John Smith and Laura Laing of Platteau Cattle Co. — winners of this year's environmental stewardship award from Alberta Beef Producers — also joined the study two years ago, in a relentless pursuit of improving their cattle's welfare. They said they receive similar pushback, but also a lot of comments from curious folks. They say the credibility is ultimately in the research. "There's a lot of factors and some of those things are really hard to account for. But I know from boots on the ground, what we see is … something good happens when you do it. And I think any producer, if they took the time, the 60 seconds, they would feel the same thing that we feel," said Smith. Laing said the biggest challenge they face is not massaging all of the cows because they're still in the study and need a control group. That's going to change once the data collection stage is over. "We're just going to massage every calf," said Smith.
CBC
6 minutes ago
- CBC
Laurier football coach preps for 60th blood donation to honour his mom
It started as an excuse to get out of school. Zach Scotto was a student at Saugeen District Senior School in Port Elgin when he saw the poster for a blood donation clinic. He thought it sounded like a fun way to get out of class, hang out with friends and get a snack. But while he was there, seeing the vials and the items needed for blood taking, Scotto says he remembered his mother, Loraine, who died of cancer when he was eight. She had battled cancer, gone through chemotherapy, and was in remission when she became sick again. "Memories started kind of flooding back, seeing like on the counter in the hospital, like all the vials of blood and having my blood drawn," he said. He says he remembers his mom needing blood during her treatment and he realized giving blood was a way to give back and honour his mom. "It didn't start really as like, I'm going to do this for my mom, but it really became such an easy way to honour her and potentially help others," Scotto said. '60 is pretty cool' Now, the Wilfrid Laurier University Golden Hawks football coach is preparing for his 60th donation on Aug. 6. "The 50th was a big deal, 60 is is pretty cool," Scotto said, although he admitted there are other donors who "overshadow" him with closer to, or over, 100 donations. When he shows up for his next donation, the staff and volunteers at the Waterloo clinic where he goes will be happy to see his smiling face. Ravneet Panglia, the community development manager for the Kitchener-Waterloo area of Canadian Blood Services, called his donation "an incredible milestone." "We are grateful for his dedication. Each of his donations is a lifesaving act of generosity for many patients, and he inspires others to experience what they get when they give, too," Pangila said. "We need more people like Zach who walk away with that rewarding post-donation feeling that comes with helping others." Scotto says he knows people hear the ads asking them to donate but may not realize just how important it is. But I'm not sure people are really aware unless you've seen it, whether it's in emergency situations and in labour situations and pregnancy situations, or in cancer situations. There are situations daily in hospitals and emergency situations that need blood. And it's not like you can just go on Amazon and order that," he said. He said the reward is also more than the juice and cookies you can get after the donation.
CBC
6 minutes ago
- CBC
Edmonton blood bank continues to pose contamination risks, Health Canada cautions
Social Sharing More than two years after Health Canada warned that blood specimens stored at a private clinic in Edmonton could pose serious health risks, officials say the business has failed to address any sanitation concerns. The Canadian Cord Blood bioRepository promises parents the chance to safeguard the stem cells contained in their baby's umbilical cord, as a form of safekeeping for future medical treatments. But the operation, in a northwest Edmonton industrial plaza, has been mired in safety issues. A public advisory, issued by Health Canada in November 2023, cautioned customers that the facility was unsafe. In a statement to CBC News, Health Canada said the warning still stands. The clinic remains prohibited by law from collecting, processing, testing, or storing new cord blood and from accepting new patients. The company has not responded to requests for comment. Financial frustration CBC News has heard from multiple clients of the clinic who say they are caught in financial limbo, forced to pay ongoing storage fees for stem cells that may be contaminated or dangerously degraded. Calgary couple Carly and Ben Seligman said they preserved their children's umbilical cord blood at the facility, but said they no longer trust the specimens are safe or viable. "It's quite frustrating from a financial perspective," Carly Seligman said. "And it's very disappointing too in terms of the medical doors we were hoping to open in the event they were ever needed." Stem cells from umbilical cord blood, collected at birth, can be used to treat a variety of medical issues, including blood and immune disorders, and are preserved through cryopreservation. The Seligmans continue to receive storage invoices for the cord blood of their two children, now aged 10 and 13, but have stopped paying. The facility charges around $900 in processing for each specimen, and roughly $120 per year after that in annual fees. "We just have to hope that there's not going to be any need in the future for these stem cells, for either of our children, because if there is a need, we feel like we've got to write them off," Ben Seligman said. "In many respects, that feels pretty awful." According to Health Canada, the issues date back to 2014 and have left every sample in the clinic at risk of contamination and the transmission of infectious diseases. In a statement to CBC News, Health Canada says the repository has failed to provide any evidence that the issues have been addressed. Clients should not use blood from the clinic unless it has been tested by a qualified third party, officials warned. Failed inspection Issues uncovered during the inspection in March 2023 include processing, testing, and storing cord blood in an unclean environment, with inadequate measures to monitor temperature and humidity. Health Canada also found issues related to a lack of qualified personnel, uncalibrated equipment, poor record-keeping and misleading advertising. Officials said the public warning was issued due to concerns that the clinic had failed to inform its customers of the failed inspection. When investigators first stepped in, cord blood from about 800 clients was stored on site. Health Canada officials said the clinic has confirmed that it is no longer accepting new customers. The agency said it has no plans for further enforcement unless additional complaints come to light. The Seligmans said they are concerned about a lack of transparency from the company and follow-up enforcement. Carly Seligman said Health Canada should conduct additional inspections and do more to inform the public of the ongoing risk. "We would feel better if we knew that other potentially-affected people were all fully aware of the situation so they could just make informed decisions." 'A cautionary tale' Timothy Caulfield, a health law expert at the University of Alberta, said the case demonstrates the need for stronger regulation of the industry. Caufield, who has researched private cord blood clinics across Canada, said the case illustrates some of the common problems within the industry — overhyped marketing and misrepresentation about products that seem scientifically promising. Private cord blood clinics often make overstated claims about the potential benefits of cord blood, preying on the medical fears of expectant parents, he said. "These entities are exploiting the excitement around stem cells to create a product that seems like it's essential. When the reality is, the science is far from there," he said. "The chance that you're actually going to need these samples is very, very small." Caufield called for more robust regulation and enforcement. He said Health Canada has limited resources to conduct proactive inspections but must do more to combat health misinformation and regulate private medical industries, Caufield said. "This story really has emerged as a cautionary tale about the nature of this industry," he said. "It really exploits parents at a very vulnerable time."
