Alberta Livestock Expo kicked off Oct. 11

To the average urbanite, farming and agriculture might seem like a traditional industry, but as the Alberta Livestock

Expo will demonstrate the progress is never ending, and neither is the science.

Set to begin on this afternoon and wrap up Oct. 12, the expo, which includes the Innovation in Dairy Conference, will feature some of the latest technology in farming livestock. From developers creating products and equipment that can change day to day farming tasks, to genetics experts improving breeding, the 86 vendors will cover all things livestock from nose to tail, including veterinary nutrition.

For the first time, coinciding with the vendor expo is the Innovation in Dairy Conference which will focus on upcoming and developing scientific advancements in dairy farming. The conference will feature eight speakers over the two days covering an array of topics such as, ‘electronic cow behaviour monitoring’, and ‘the impact of genomic selection on artificial insemination in cattle.’

Organizer and business manager for the livestock expo and dairy conference, Chris Tokaruk, says sustainability and animal welfare are top priorities in agriculture right now.

“There are a lot of very passionate people in this industry, and I think it’s very common for people to want to find new and better ways to do things. It’s kind of the farmer mentality, adapting is just part of farm life.” Tokaruk says he hopes to add swine and cattle farming conferences in coming years.

Contrary to the event’s name, there will be no actual livestock in attendance.

The event is free to attend and will run 11 a.m .to 5 p.m. today and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday October 12 at the Agrifood Hub and Trade Centre.