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Lakeland College Applied Research and our student-managed farm (SMF) are collaborating in a metabolomic technology project with Alberta Agriculture & Forestry and partners.

The project is testing for metabolites indicative of the pregnancy status and litter size of sheep. By determining if particular metabolites present in sheep carrying single vs multiples, the project will potentially enable producers to manage nutritional requirements of their flock and improve the survival rate during lambing. In its latter phases the project aims to develop a pregnancy diagnostics kit that will be an upgrade to ultrasound in its accessibility and accuracy.

The Lakeland College Applied Research team brought in Lakeland College's SMF sheep unit's flock of ewes for the 3 step blood testing process. The individually identified and tagged herd had veils and labels prepared for a blood sample of each ewe. The blood was drawn and spun down to a serum in a centrifuge then snap frozen and transported to the University of Alberta Metabolomics Innovation Centre for analysis.

The lab analysis will test the hypothesis of suspected groupings in the data that will indicate Metabolites will be different in animals of single and multiple pregnancy.

The project is funded by the Industry Development fund of Alberta Agriculture and Forestry and includes the following collaborators Alberta Lamb Producers, Canadian Sheep Breeders Association, Ontario Sheep Marketing Agency, University of Alberta, University of Guelph and Université Laval.

Lakeland College Applied Research team and our student managed farm are proud to collaborate with our facilities, herd and staff expertise. This and other research projects and their activities help enable Lakeland College to provide our students educational and experience opportunities at the forefront of Canada's agricultural industry.


Dr Susan Markus - Research Scientist - Alberta Agriculture and Forestry - Stettler Office.
Patty Manum - AHT Alberta Agriculture and Forestry -
Karen Wickerson- AHT Alberta Agriculture and Forestry -
Dr Obioha Duranna - Lakeland College Livestock Research Scientist

Project Collaborators:
Alberta Ag and Forestry
Alberta Lamb Producers
University of Alberta
Canadian Sheep Breeders Association,
Ontario Sheep Marketing Agency.
University of Guelph
Université Laval,