WE ARE NOW ON SUMMER HOURS: OPEN Monday to Friday - 8:30 am to 4:00 pm
WE ARE NOW ON SUMMER HOURS: OPEN Monday to Friday - 8:30 am to 4:00 pm
Blue Rock Animal Nutrition was established in spring 2013 by Lee Eddy and Kristen Ritson-Bennett, both ruminant nutritionists. Kristen and Lee purchased the Innisfail Minerals plant (formerly the Old Hereford Test Center) where significant changes were made to the manufacturing facility to increase efficiency and manufacture a top quality product that is required for the industry. Blue Rock has been serving the Cow-Calf industry since 1998. Due to a demand in
Our vision is to be the preferred nutrition consulting service available to cow-calf producers in Western Canada. We establish strong relationships with individual operations to develop effective and sustainable nutrition programs that are specific to their operation.
Our passion is the cattle industry. We work with innovative producers to fine tune their operation to make them more productive, sustainable and profitable. Our professional and experienced nutritionists can assist in building a robust and feasible nutrition program that will work for you. If there is one thing that is constant with farming and ranching, it's change. We are there to help you adapt your program to weather challenges, feed availability and market conditions.
Lee grew up in Nanton, AB but now resides a few miles from Markerville, AB. He has been involved with the agriculture industry for a number of years. He graduated from the University of Alberta with a B.Sc. in agriculture majoring in Soil Science, Animal Science and Economics. He started his career in the industry working with Feed-Rite in Linden, AB and then took a position with Hoffmann-la Roche on the animal nutrition side for the next 10 years.
Lee wanted to work more closely with the primary producer, so in 1998, Lee formed Blue Rock Minerals. He has been working with Alberta producers developing custom mineral premixes and providing nutrition consultation ever since. Lee has been involved in significant nutrition research in the industry and University of Alberta. This research was primarily looking at vitamin E and calf immunity, vitamin E for meat preservation, biotin for hoof health and folic acid research in swine nutrition. Currently Lee is working with the University of Lethbridge and Alberta Agriculture on a BioChar project. This is an exciting and potentially groundbreaking development in beef cattle nutrition and sustainability.
Lee has both spoke on and published many articles about cattle nutrition and is incredibly knowledgeable in the field. He is always looking for a research project to help propel our industry into greater profitability.
Kristen originates from a purebred Simmental operation near Markerville, AB. She graduated from the University of Saskatchewan in 2010 with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture majoring in animal science and nutrition. Kristen has broad knowledge of agriculture systems from the EU, Australia and New Zealand having traveled and worked in the ag sector in those countries. Kristen’s nutrition focus has been on reproductive success of first and second calf heifers, grazing management, cow-calf management and small ruminant nutrition.
Kristen's husband Dr. Andrew Ritson-Bennett locally practices veterinary medicine and the two of them often collaborate. They also have a small sheep operation west of Innisfail, AB where they are raising their 3 children.
Kristen has been working with Lee Eddy since 2013. You will find Kristen very knowledgeable and practical about cattle production and nutrition. She is passionate about the agriculture industry in Western Canada and is driven to ensure producers are meeting their operations nutrition needs and goals. Kristen has previously served on the Grey Wooded Forage Association board, participated and served in an advisory capacity for a project with the Success for Women in Agri-Food (AFC) and is involved with local community groups, provincial forage and agriculture associations.
Courtney joined Blue Rock in the fall of 2017. Courtney was raised in the Rockyford, AB area and has now settled a few miles south of Delburne, AB. She graduated from the University of Saskatchewan in 2015 with a B.Sc. in Agriculture majoring in Animal Science. Following her B.Sc. degree she decided to broaden her knowledge and pursue a M.Sc. degree majoring in ruminant nutrition at the University of Saskatchewan which she defended in the summer of 2021. Her research focused on extensive grazing systems for beef cattle, particularly swathgrazing.
A combination of growing up around cattle and her education has allowed Courtney to gain a logical and practical approach to cattle nutrition and cow-calf management. She is dedicated to the agriculture industry and wants to ensure producers are meeting their production goals while being mindful of making nutritionally sound decisions for their operations.
Courtney is continuing to build on her knowledge around grazing management and on top of new and exciting developments in the field of cattle nutrition that can be applied to innovative and cutting edge operations.
Abby-Ann joined the Blue Rock team in 2020 as an administrative/technical assistant. We are very pleased to announce that in fall 2021 Abby-Ann moved into the Role of Ruminant Nutritionist.
Abby-Ann graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelors degree in Animal Health in 2015, and went on to complete a Master's degree in Denmark and the Netherlands in Animal Nutrition, specializing in ruminants.
Following this, Abby worked as a project manager/research associate at the University of Lethbridge running a research trial testing Biochar as a feed supplement in beef cattle.
Abby grew up on a small farm in the Manning, AB area and now calls Innisfail home.
She is passionate about using her knowledge to help producers find practical and effective solutions to meet their nutrition goals.
Jolene Noble joined the Blue Rock team in 2020 as an Account Manager servicing our Peace Country clients.
Jolene was raised on a cow/calf and grain operation near Manning in northern Alberta. She obtained a B. Sc. in Agriculture from the University of Alberta. Following graduation, Jolene started her career at the Canadian Cattlemen's Association focusing on youth development and agriculture advocacy. She then worked for the Alberta crop commissions on the development of a sustainability protocol for the Alberta grain industry. Since then, Jolene has returned to the family farm, Jackknife Creek Land & Cattle, where she works with her parents and brother. In addition to their grain and cow/calf enterprises, Jackknife Creek also retails Union Forage seed to producers in the Peace country and has a direct to consumer beef business.
Jolene has exceptional knowledge on the agronomy side, and always has tips to help improve cattle operations. Working and living both side of the agriculture equation, she bring a viewpoint that is both practical and easily adaptable to the operations she is working for.
Nora Paulovich joined the Blue Rock team in the fall of 2021 as Technical Support and Account Manager for the Peace Region in North Western Alberta. Her experience in the agriculture sector is second to none. She brings a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to our team.
Nora Paulovich graduated from the University of Alberta with a B.Sc. degree in Agriculture. Following graduation, she worked as a Land Resource Agrologist for the Public Lands Division and also as a District Agriculturist with Alberta Agriculture, all in the Peace Region.
For the last 15 years Nora has managed the North Peace Applied Research Association (an agricultural research and extension nonprofit group) and has recently retired. Nora will continue as chair of the Western Canada Conference on Soil Health & Grazing. She currently farms together with her husband and their grown children near Manning. They run a mixed farm, cropping cereals, oilseeds, pulses and forage seed along with a cow-calf operation. They also have a beef freezer trade business and sell forage seed, livestock mineral and fencing supplies.
4-H has always been a big part of Nora’s life, she was inducted into the 4-H Hall of Fame in 2019 and is a director on the new 4-H Alberta board. Nora is involved in her community by volunteering with her church, local agricultural society and 4-H.
We have the pleasure of working with some outstanding individuals here at Blue Rock. Cliff Miller is the Plant Manager. He is the one keeping production and logistics moving in the right direction. Pat Howard is our office manager, she takes care of all things administrative. Please feel free to stop by and meet these wonderful people who work behind the scenes on a daily basis to help keep Blue Rock running smooth.