While one doctor claims his E. coli vaccine could have possibly prevented the X-L Foods outbreak, another doctor is voicing her concern over the treatment.

Dr. Brett Findlay says his vaccine prevents the bacteria from multiplying in a cow's guts and drops the bacterial load in an animal by 99 per cent.  However, Dr. Joyce Van Donkersgoed says its an unpractical and under-tested vaccine that may have little effect on what ends up on your plate.

On Saturday, more than 200 farmers are set to help break a world record for the most combines in the same field harvesting at the same time.

The event, organized by Harvest For Kids, is taking place at a field about 25 kilometres north of Saskatoon on Highway 12, near the Barn Playhouse.

The previous world record set this summer in Ireland is 208 combines, but Dekek Unrau, director of Harvest For Kids, hopes to shatter that.

"On the field, we have room for 249 (combines) total, so there is definitely room for anybody that wants to join," he said.

A vaccine for cattle could possibly have prevented the X-L Food E. coli outbreak, but it's not being used.

Dr. Brett Findlay is the B.C. microbiologist who created a vaccine for E. coli. He says the vaccine prevents the bacteria from multiplying in a cow's guts and drops the bacterial load in an animal by 99 per cent.

Findlay says there's no incentive for beef producers to use it.

E. COLI CASES LINKED TO XL FOODS

UPDATED: Eleven cases of E. coli infection in Canada have been linked to the recall of beef from XL Foods, as of Oct. 9. However, there are other ways one can become infected.

E. COLI CASES IN SASKATCHEWAN

In response to growing concerns over a growing recall list of beef from XL Foods, Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz spoke to media at a Canadian Food Inspection Agency lab in Calgary to assure the public their food is safe.

Saskatchewan's ranchers are feeling the pinch from the widespread beef recall.

Prices are dropping and with the Brooks, Alta., processing plant temporarily closed, the cattlemen may have to send the herd to other plants

Already culled cows have dropped about 15 cents per pound. Mark Elford with the Saskatchewan Cattlemen's Association says they'll also have to consider other processing plants.

“Either another smaller facility in Canada or probably it would be in the United States,” said Elford.

Small ranchers, environmental groups and First Nation chiefs are concerned that natural grasslands in the province could end up in the hands of foreign investors.

"To sell it to a select few number of people when there are many interests seems a bit hasty," said Carl Neggers, former director of the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration.

He and former FSIN Chief Roland Crowe have developed a business plan that would see First Nations take over the discontinued Community Pasture Program.

The bacon will continue to sizzle in Saskatchewan.

Despite a warning out from Britain’s National Pig Association Tuesday about worldwide bacon and pork shortage, Agriculture Minister Lyle Stewart doesn’t expect that to happen in the province.

“No, I don’t think so,” said Stewart, when asked whether Saskatchewan would see a bacon shortage.

“It’s very disappointing with what’s happened with Big Sky pork.”

Veterinary students had the chance to show off their work at Vetavision, an annual open house of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) in Saskatoon.

"It's hard not to love these girls," said Shirley Chu, a fourth-year student at the WCVM, about a couple of Holstein Friesian cows under her watch for the day.

Chu and event organizer Angela Le are both in their last year of the Doctorate of Veterniary Medicine program and led tours through the college on Sunday.

A Saskatchewan farmer is overwhelmed by the generosity of his neighbours after he became too sick to harvest this year's crops.

Jack Hamm farms 1,000 acres just west of Herbert, near Swift Current. After contracting West Nile, he couldn’t get out on his fields to bring in the peas, lentils and wheat, but one of his friends offered to help.

"He just said that he would help me combine the peas for starters because that was the ripest crop and maybe the most critical to get harvested. He just mentioned it to a few more of our friends and neighbours," Hamm said.