Dr. Bart Lardner recognized with Canadian Beef Industry Award for decades of research

Dr. Bart Lardner’s more than two decades of applied research in beef cattle management and forage production has been recognized with him being awarded the 2026 Canadian Beef Industry Award for Outstanding Research and Innovation. Not only has Lardner made inroads into research that has contributed to the advancement of everyday practices on Western Canadian farms and ranches when it comes to winter grazing, bale feeding, water quality, and heifer development, but he is also highly recognized for teaching and mentoring future researchers, leading an active graduate program. A professor and researcher at the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Agriculture and Bioresources, Lardner is the current Ministry of Agriculture Strategic Research Program Chair in Cow-Calf and Forage Systems. His work focuses on the management and nutritional requirements of cow-calf, replacement heifers, and feeder animals, with an emphasis on lowering production costs while maintaining profitability. “Dr. Lardner’s research has helped producers reduce costs while maintaining performance and profitability,” says Dean Manning, chair of the Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC). “Committing to ensure beef producers see value from research investment while supporting the next generation is greatly respected and appreciated.” Among Lardner’s research contributions are water quality studies that showed up to nine per cent higher weight gains, work validating delayed swathing for winter grazing that increased yield and added 30 grazing days, and heifer development research showing breeding at 55 per cent of mature weight maintains fertility while saving $60 per head. After 20 years as senior research scientist at the Western Beef Development Centre, Lardner moved his research program to the University of Saskatchewan’s Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence. Alongside his research, Lardner has supervised more than 25 graduate students and numerous undergraduate students. He has also delivered more than 400 invited presentations throughout Western Canada and the northern United States and travelled internationally to share his research on cow-calf nutrition and forage and pasture management. The award, established in 2015, is presented by the BCRC on behalf of Canada’s beef industry.