The University of Calgary has been gifted a ranch near Cochrane for their Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.

W.A. Ranches, donated by Jack Anderson and his daughter Wynne Chisholm, owns roughly 1000 head of cattle and 19,000 acres with a total value of $44 million.

The University says, Anderson and Chisholm’s gift of the ranch is in addition to their $5 million donation back in 2014, which established the Anderson-Chisholm Chair in Animal Care and Welfare at U of C held by Dr. Ed Pajor.

Pajor, who is also the future Director of the working ranch, says the ranch will be used for teaching, research, outreach and community engagement.

"With this type of donation, with the size of the ranch that's being given, we can ask questions which are much more complicated. Questions such as interactions between, for example, ranching, water quality and human health, what are the links between those things. Things like cattle and wildlife interactions, and implications for policy."

He says their industry outreach for the ranch will include workshops for producers, and their community engagement will look to connect urban high school students with agriculture.

Pajor adds, there was no family members interested in taking over W.A. Ranches and the family recognized the university's research needs as the U of C didn't have their own research herd prior to the donation.

"It was a complete surprise when I received a phone call from Wynne," Pajor says. "She said she had a big idea and I almost fell out of my chair."

He adds, this donation puts their Faculty of Veterinary Medicine on the map.

"This takes us to a completely different level. It takes us to a level where we will become a centre of excellence in beef cattle health and welfare research, and a world leader in that area."

Pajor says, the University will take possession of the ranch by the end of November.

 

Send your news tips, story ideas and comments to jgiles@goldenwestradio.com