Mission
The Avian Research Centre at The University of British Columbia will
focus on leading edge, basic and applied, avian research and will
provide an educational and learning environment within the University.
The Avian Research Centre will liaise with other Faculties and
educational institutions, industry, government, consumers and other
stakeholders, with the intent of building strong community relationships
and support.
Research Priorities
- increasing production and feed efficiency
- improving product quality and safety
- developing environmentally friendly waste management strategies
- assuring animal welfare and minimizing disease losses
- improving quality of breeding stocks and conservation of genetic
resources
- promoting research in avian species as indicators of
environmental health
Organizations and individuals living in Canada or in the United
States may donate cash, securities or equipment and receive tax relief.
If you are interested in helping establish this novel facility please
contact Dr. Kim Cheng at Kimberly.cheng@ubc.ca
or phone [604] 822-2480.
Background
Also review History
& Alumni: DEPARTMENT OF POULTRY SCIENCE (Formerly Department of
Poultry Husbandry), Faculty of Land and Food Systems
Avian Genetic Resources Conserved Through Novel Government
University Agreement
Poultry (which includes broiler, broiler breeder, layer, turkey,
waterfowl, and game birds), together with its allied sectors (feed,
equipment, processing, retail), is a major industry in Canada. In
British Columbia alone, the retail value of poultry products (not
including waterfowl and game birds) reached an estimated $850 million
in 2002, up from $400 million in 1992. This rapid growth and the
competitiveness of our industry in the global market will not be
sustained without additional scientifically Canadian based management
and production information.
In 1999, a meeting between Agriculture and Agri-Foods Canada (AAFC)
Pacific Agricultural Research Centre (PARC, Agassiz), the BC Ministry
of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries (BCMAFF), and The University of
British Columbia reviewed local poultry teaching, research and
extension facilities. By operating independently, neither UBC nor PARC had the critical mass of researchers required to maintain a
sustainable poultry research program. By pooling BCMAFF, AAFC, and UBC
poultry resources and by appointing two additional
researchers/teachers, a very strong group would be established to
support the sustained growth and development of the poultry industry
in BC and in Canada. This unique opportunity for a three-way
partnership was undertaken and the Avian Research Centre was
re-established. Two research programs, the Program for Alternative
Poultry and Ratites, and the Program for Environment and Ecology, were
approved in 2001 and 2003, respectively.
In 2005, AAFC - (PARC) and the University of British Columbia ’s
Faculty of Land and Food Systems (UBC) has signed a long term
collaborative research agreement that will play a leading role in the
conservation of avian genetic resources. This agreement in effect
merged the PARC poultry research program, which emphasizes animal
welfare, with the UBC research program, which emphasizes avian genetic
resource conservation and sustainable poultry production. This
agreement has enabled the formation of a novel and strong research
group for avian genetic resource conservation.
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