Mustard growers are looking for additional uses for their crop, especially the meal.

The condiment market is relatively stable and does not vary greatly from year-to-year.

The Saskatchewan Mustard Development Commission (SaskMustard) is funding research studies on use as a bedding ingredient for livestock.

Dr. Denise Beaulieu at the Prairie Swine Centre near Saskatoon is doing a study on applying mustard meal in farrowing pens to reduce disease.

“Mustard is a fumigant,” said Rick Mitzel, executive director at SaskMustard. “It works at killing some of those bacteria.

Hog producers are watching the research with interest.

“Back in the 1980’s, there was some work done on it. Then cheaper antibiotics kind of took over. Now, with the way the market is (looking at) antibiotics, they want to switch to something more friendly and that would be mustard,” Mitzel said.

It is a similar story for dairy cattle and research is occurring in that area as well.

“You want to keep the pens clean for the dairy cattle because they need to lay down and relax. You want to make sure they are laying in a safe clean environment so there aren’t any issues with their udders and getting disease in there.”

Long term, Mitzel is hoping mustard can get into the lucrative pet food nutrition market.

“We are working with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan. There may be a study for dogs and the focus would be gut health. The fumigant property in mustard would help in that area.”

Money for the mustard research comes from several sources, including the producer checkoff and the Agriculture Development Fund.