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About 130 beef cattle from the Nappan Research Farm were sold this spring, including 15 heifers that will contribute to breeding stock in Atlantic Canada.
The federal government announced cuts in January that will close the Cumberland County research farm and six others across the country.
A spokesperson for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada said in an emailed statement that animals not needed for select research activities continuing at the Nappan, N.S., farm this summer were sent to auction in April and May. The statement said the remaining cattle will be sold sometime this fall.
“This dispersal plan was specifically designed to provide opportunities for Maritime beef producers to access the desirable genetics of the herd,” the statement said.
‘Good breeding’
Scott Dixon, who owns S and S Dixon farm in Mates Corner, N.B., said he purchased several heifers in the spring and plans to breed them this summer.
“They were just nicer-looking animals type-wise. And they had good breeding behind them. And I just figured I’d pick them up when they were coming through,” Dixon said.
Dixon, who also owns the Atlantic Stockyards Ltd. livestock market near Truro, N.S., said about 15 heifers sold as breeding stock. He believes other buyers plan to incorporate them into their Atlantic Canadian operations.
Dixon said most of the research farm herd were feeder cattle, animals that are bought by feedlots to gain weight before slaughter. He said a couple of bulls were also sold in the spring.
“Even if they were going to keep [the bulls] at the research farm, they would have replaced them because the bulls had seen their day already,” he said.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada said culling or slaughter of the herd was never considered.
Remaining cows
However, the Independent MLA for Cumberland North has described what’s happening as a cull.
“If you choose not to call it a cull, that’s fine. But at the end of the day, it’s the outcome that matters,” Elizabeth Smith-McCrossin said in an interview.
As an example of what she calls poor decision-making by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Smith-McCrossin said cows will be a hard sell this fall if they are not bred before going to auction.
The department said the remaining herd includes cows and calves, and it does not plan to breed the cows before the fall sale.
“While it sounds absolutely reasonable that someone would purchase them this fall and keep them for breeding, the economics of that don’t make sense for a farmer, and that’s why they are more likely to go to slaughter,” said Smith-McCrossin.
Alana Hirtle, the Liberal MP for Cumberland-Colchester, accused Smith-McCrossin of spreading misinformation.
“My position on this since the closure was announced in January is that I am fighting to save the farm. I’m fighting to save the research that goes on there and to save the land as well. And as I’ve stated recently, until it’s over to me, it’s not over,” said Hirtle.
Smith-McCrossin, who also wants to see the closure decision reversed, presented the issue to the federal standing committee on agriculture earlier this year. In May, the committee recommended the federal government “preserve the unique and critical” work at the seven research farms slated for closure.
“I am a local representative trying to represent constituents who have lost their job because of the federal government’s decision, and I’m trying to represent the best interests of farmers and agriculture, which is important,” said Smith-McCrossin.
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