Aberdeen Angus World P.O. Box 177, Stavely, Alberta T0L 1Z0 Phone: (403)549-2234 Fax: (403)549-2207 email: office@angusworld.ca Internet Location: www.angusworld.ca
Volume 25 #3*
"Official Publication of the Canadian Angus Association" Dave Callaway Editor/Publisher
Jan Lee
Table of Contents Vision of Value . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Money That Matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Precision for Modern Cattle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Use Your Head When Considering Improvements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Finding Profit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Ag Prospects Looking Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Beef Lessons from Dairy Conceptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Government of Canada Investing to Grow Alberta Agriculture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Interior Provincial Exhibition Angus Show . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Provincial Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Canadian Junior Angus Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Canadian Junior Angus Ambassador . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Canadian Angus Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Events Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
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Our cover picture: by Kaitlynn Bolduc
"Aberdeen Angus World" is dedicated to the promotion, growth and improvement of Aberdeen Angus Cattle.
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Dave’s Desk
The old adage ‘Change is the only constant in life’ is certainly applicable to the weather that we experienced this past summer. Smoke was so thick sometimes it seemed apocalyptic, and lasted for days. For some the fires that caused that smoke were devastating. Ranch headquarters that have operated for a hundred years were gone in a matter of minutes. I have not seen any numbers on the loss of livestock, feed, pasture, fencing and equipment, but they will be high. It is one of those things that one hears about and feels sorry for
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those affected. But when you see the damage and know people who have been affected, it takes your emotions to a whole new level. To say the very least, weather has been very severe this summer. Drought and fires to flooding and hurricanes on a massive scale. There is a lot of re-building to do. Through all of the anguish of it, the compassionate side of people is clear. I guess in every dark cloud there is a silver lining. Sometimes with all the news we hear, we loose sight of the fact that there are good people out there doing good things. Unfortunately they are not the ones in the news. It may be lesson that we can take into our lives going forward. Maybe we don’t have to have a crisis to recognize that we should and actually need to get along with one another. Maybe we
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could assume the best of our colleagues. Maybe their success will contribute to your success. I guess I am getting a little preachy but some of the things that are going off the rails could be repaired by some compassion. On another note, there are many events happening this fall. Plan on taking in as many as you can . . . guarantee you’ll be better for it.
Dave Callaway
Intil next time . . .
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A risky decision starts two brothers on a 50-year journey towards producing better beef. When Dyce Bolduc purchased his first Angus cows, all market signals assured him it was a bad decision. It was 1967 and black cattle were sold at a discount in Canada, but the teenager wanted to pave his own way, even if other cattlemen were choosing differently. “Starting with Angus at that point in time didn’t look like a smart business decision but the cattle were so good as a young adult I knew they were winners, it was just a matter of time until other people realized it,” says Dyce. Together with brother David, he began to transition their parent’s purebred Shorthorn operation in Stavely, Alberta, to one with a darker hide. David decided to study animal science and genetics while Dyce went to live on a cattle ranch in Montana, USA, so they could learn more about the Angus breed and business. When the brothers sold an Angus bull calf for $7,500 out of their stall at Agribition in the 1970s, the decision to use Angus didn’t seem quite so silly anymore. Their parents had never sold a purebred Shorthorn for more than $4,000.
Small investments started to pay off big as the brothers purchased more Angus cattle. “Some of those original cows we bought turned into exceptional females,” says Dyce. “They were an $800 initial investment that began producing $10,000 to $12,000 bull calves.” This was the 1970s, long before the North American cattle herd was predominantly black and nearly 20 years before the Canadian beef grading system was introduced. However, guided by a vision few others could yet see, the Bolduc brothers knew they were on the right track. At the same time, Angus breeders in the U.S. saw the same advantages and created the Certified Angus Beef ® (CAB®) brand, the first specification-based and producer-owned beef brand designed to help drive demand for the high quality Angus cattle the Bolducs were investing in. Shifting gears As they became established Angus breeders, the brothers looked into their pastures and saw cattle that were competitive in the show ring, but not always ideal for
commercial customers. They saw a need for another transition that would look for more than phenotype, to evaluate cattle on their ability to perform and produce great beef. When the 1990s brought the quality beef grading system to Canada, the Bolducs’ vision to include carcass traits was ratified. Using every tool available, they developed “a science-based herd” that featured high-marbling sires and backed by carcass, ultrasound and genomic data. “We tried to move our program forward with science as quickly as we could,” says David. It just made sense to the sibling duo. Early adopters of technologies, they saw progress as part of their mission to provide both commercial customers and beef consumers with more value. “As a seedstock producer, it’s your responsibility to make those cattle that move on down through the beef production chain as valuable to every segment as they can possibly be,” says David. “The end result should be something that’s going to give consumers their money’s worth and increase demand for beef.”
Bolduc Family (l-r): Adeleen & Karis, Matt & Merit, David, Dyce, Adrianna, Kevin, Kaitlynn, Steven
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Value-based production That philosophy lifted their herd and paid off for their customers. Today, calves sired by Cudlobe Farm bulls sell at a premium, selling on the video auction the brothers created for customer cattle. Cudlobe genetics bring anywhere from $50 to $90 per calf above the market average as feedlots pay more for cattle they know will grade above average, as Cudlobe cattle so reliably do. In 2016, a group of Cudlobe-sired calves raised by Cross Cattle Company graded 16.5% Prime, 51.3% CAB (premium AAA) to total 97% AAA or better. Compared to the Canadian average that same week—1.3% Prime, 18.4% CAB and a total 55.4% AAA—it’s easy to see why cattle feeders bid premium prices for Cudlobe-sired calves. The gap between demand for high-quality beef in Canada and supply of cattle that can make the grade is wide, especially during the summer grilling season. A recent CANFAX report shows the difference in value between the below-average marbling AA grade and the AAA grade grew to historic levels for the summer of 2017. Spreads as high as $42 per hundredweight one week this summer show the premium value for AAA beef in 2017 is higher compared to the three-year average of an $11/cwt. spread for the same week. The Bolduc brothers and their customers work to capitalize on the premiums for high-quality beef by targeting the CAB brand. “The economic pull-through and ability to generate more income through the value chain is significant,” says David. “Essentially, this is about our customers getting more for their product while at the same time driving overall beef demand with a product like CAB.”
Vision for the Future Their ability to look beyond what’s happening in the market today has driven the Cudlobe Farm success. The brothers strive to pass on this mindset to customers by hosting a field day each August to highlight their program with an educational venue. This year’s featured speaker was CAB President John Stika, whose theme emphasized the connection between global consumer demand for premium beef and the value cattlemen receive for their calves. “Consumers have shown us time and time again that they are willing to pay more when the value proposition offers them more - as it does with CAB compared to commodity beef,” Stika said at the event. “Producers who align genetic decisions and herd management strategies with that demand signal will be the most likely winners moving forward. Canada is the largest market for CAB outside of the US, yet Canadian producers have only been able to supply enough quality cattle to roughly meet two-thirds of the demand that exists. That represents quite an opportunity for those willing to focus on quality.” His presentation confirmed what the Bolducs and their customer’s know, that the future of the Canadian beef industry relies on quality cattle production. “There’s a lot of room for growth of Certified Angus Beef here in Canada,” says David. “There needs to be more cattle harvested that can make the grade and the CAB specifications.” At the field day, the Canadian Angus Association also recognized Dyce for 50 years in the Angus business, presenting him with an award for his half-century raising a breed he loves. While the breed was not as favored when he started in 1967, the brothers have always been about doing things differently and looking beyond what’s popular, to do what is progressive and profitable.
This year will be the 18th Annual Cudlobe Farms bull sale and their 4th annual calf sale. As the brothers reflect on their 50 years, they express awe at the evolution of technology and the opportunities the breed has offered, but they’re even more excited for the future. “David and I both still feel pretty young and these 50 years have flown by,” says Dyce. “There’s been some really good times in the Angus business and just being a part of it, we’ve been able to travel all over the world and make great friends. It’s been an honor.” Their advice for young cattlemen is to develop great foresight, use new technologies as they become available and produce beef that leaves the end customer satisfied. “If anyone is in the business of marketing beef, they want to be marketing Angus,” says Dyce. “Certified Angus Beef is no doubt the reason, because it’s a quality product. There’s a lot of opportunity out there, the trick is to have more cattle that can meet the demand for quality.” - by Nicole Lane Erceg
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Money that Matters“ by Laura Conaway, Producer Communications Specialist, Certified Angus Beef CAB premiums grow, motivate higher quality beef production Quality cattle are so commonplace they’re no longer worth a reward, right? Wrong. The market still pays more for the best, even as supplies grow. USDA data for the first half of 2017 puts the average Certified Angus Beef ® (CAB®) brand grid premium at $4.73/cwt., on track to exceed $50 million for the year. CAB acceptance rates of nearly 30%, compared to typical historic rates of 17% to 18% may drive perceptions that market premiums have dried up. Numbers show that’s not the case. “Our tonnage keeps setting records this year with 10% or more greater supply, but the average reported premium to producers is almost a dime above last year’s first half,” says Paul Dykstra, beef cattle specialist for the brand. In fact, June 19th brought an all-time high for CAB premiums as USDA’s Mandatory Price Reporting showed one packer paid a record $14/cwt. It would be remiss not to acknowledge that a big-box retailer entered the premium Choice beef market this spring. While details of that product and specifications are unclear, there is little doubt the added demand contributed to higher premiums across the category. Those premiums fade seasonally going into summer, but they aren’t going away.
The fact is, there are still premiums and they’re still worthwhile,” Dykstra says. “CAB is leading the charge and there’s money to be made.” Predominantly black, Angus cattle eligible for CAB made up 67.5% of the fed-cattle supply in June, compared to just 63.5% a year ago. That’s certainly not evidence of oversupply or lack of demand, Dykstra says. “The record premiums for CAB occurred while the Choice-Select spread was trending extremely wide as well, creating a huge gap in price as we measure quality across Select, lower Choice and CAB.” “I’d say it’s driven by demand,” says John Nalivka. The president and owner of Oregon-based Sterling Marketing says while 2017 total beef production and harvest are up 4% and 6%, respectively, beef expenditures were down as recently as May. “That increase in available supply doesn’t carry much weight in the world of consumer preference,” he says. “When you break it down to what consumers want to buy, it narrows that supply quite a bit.” Demand is strong for well-marbled cuts, Nalivka says, but not for all beef: “As retail expenditures would suggest, demand exists for certain quality components of the entire beef supply.” That’s reason enough for producers to keep aiming for quality, selecting cattle that excel in carcass and growth.
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“Genetically, and from the standpoint of production, we’re good at raising cattle in this country,” Nalivka says. “Nobody else in the world can compete with us when it comes to grain-finished cattle.” People want a safe product that was raised with humane standards, he says. “They want to know that when they buy that $10 steak and have their friends over for a barbecue in the backyard, they’re not going to be disappointed. They don’t want any guesswork and there’s value in raising cattle that fit that,” Nalivka says. Hearing from feedyards and packers alike, he says, “It’s important to pay attention to what’s going on in the market.” Culling the bottom end of the U.S. cow herd led to a herd that can produce 80% or more Choice beef, which pressures Select numbers down. Yet, demand for quality supports the better grade, creating a wider Choice-Select spread as the two move in opposite directions. The price signals move down the chain as packers preferred buying only the higher quality cattle this spring, motivating feedyards to become pickier about which calves they purchase. “Feeders know what it’s going to take and therefore are more selective,” Nalivka says. “That’s where this whole thing goes full circle for the rancher because it tells you that you’re probably going to get paid for quality, particularly reputation feeder cattle that fit that demand between the feedlot and packer.” Still, ranchers must raise the cattle that fit their cost structure and intended market, he says. “You have to have the right cattle for the right market. We have a lot better herd for producing the kind of cattle consumers want and, when you realize there are still premiums out there, you are going to have to produce for that. I think the standard for getting the greatest value has been set and there’s no going back now.”
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Precision for Modern Cattle by Miranda Reiman, Producer Communications Director, Certified Angus Beef LLC 1. Breeding seasons are tighter. “We no longer need time to get the skeleton to grow. We no longer need time for things to average out,” Pritchard says. “Time solved a lot of problems with cows, but with quality-managed cattle today, we don’t have to fiddle around with that time.”
Robbi Pritchard Backgrounding today’s cattle on yesterday’s “prescription” can mean missed profit opportunities. “We can map to hit whatever target anybody wants us to hit,” says Robbi Pritchard, South Dakota State University animal scientist. “All we need to do is manage our stage of growth, oversee the implant, get the correct intake—and we start at ranch time.”
Kelly Bruns Ranches have differentiated their calves over the years, so it’s time to look at what each set of cattle needs before putting them in a routine program. Kelly Bruns, University of Nebraska west central research and Extension director, worked with Pritchard and his team to study the ideal. “Rather than have a prescription backgrounding diet for every set of calves that come in, can I strategically, or as Pritchard calls it, ‘precision’ background them to maximize my outputs?” Bruns asks. That’s the question brought on by an evolution in genetics and management.
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2. Growth genetics are the norm. When Pritchard started out decades ago, “very profitable” calves converted at 8.5:1 pounds (lb.) of feed to gain. “Growth potential is greater. The rules have changed,” he says. “If [calves] are coming out of 1,600-lb. cows, they probably don’t need any implants. The DNA is there. The implants just fill in for a lack of DNA.” 3. Marbling genetics have improved. “In the old days, bigger meant older. I had to let that frame grow. In the old days to get quality grade, they had to be older,” Pritchard says. “It used to be an adage that calf-feds couldn’t grade. That doesn’t exist anymore.” The first step is deciding to modify the growing program. That begs a question: “how?” Evaluate end goals and define quality grade and size targets, the animal scientists say. “The game gets played everywhere from weaning day to about 65% of their harvest weight,” Pritchard says. “That’s where you change the percent Choice, that’s where you change what they’ll weigh when they hit yield grade 4 (YG4). That’s the window.” Smaller to moderate-frame cattle need a more aggressive implanting program than the larger frames. It’s also important to consider final marketing method and quality grade potential, Bruns says. “If we choose to use an implant, are we matching the correct level of the implant, such as low, medium or high potency to what their rate of gain is?” he asks. “Going back to all our previous marbling work, if we use too high potency of an implant and don’t match it up with a high enough caloric diet, we could impede marbling.” When implanted, large-frame cattle run the risk of being heavyweight discounts in the packing plant. “Once you put implants in that kind of DNA, now all a sudden you have a $10,000 nitro-burning car that flames out. It’s not a good thing,” Pritchard says. That’s not all set on day one. “Even genetics in the same pool can change carcass weight by how we background them,” Bruns says.
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Researchers looked at targeted daily gains for backgrounding from 2 to 2.5 and 3 lb. The cattle finished on the same diet, for a similar number of days, to a consistent .5 inch of backfat. “The slower they grow during backgrounding, the more they eat during finishing,” Pritchard says, noting the 2 lb./day group finished with a 4.09 lb. average daily gain (ADG), compared to the fastest growing backgrounders at 3.58 lb. The middle group (2.5 lb.) only gave up a little in finishing to hit 3.9 lb. ADG. “All of this manipulation was happening during the backgrounding phase. That’s the trick,” he says. Hot carcass weight was highest, at 856 lb., for the slowest growing group in backgrounding, and then fell linearly to 846 lb. and 821 lb. for those cattle pushed hardest earlier. Marbling score, however, peaked at 587 on a 1,000-point scale with the middle rate of backgrounding while the 3-lb daily gainers in that phase slipped back to a 578-point marbling score. “We were putting too much flesh on them for the rates that they can accumulate intramuscular adipose during backgrounding. We got into the finishing phase,” Pritchard says. Bruns adds, “We met their genetic potential to maximize their marbling development and the rest just spills over into back fat.” Another important consideration is diet: Wheat and low-quality forage could be suitable only for commodity cattle. “They’re a very cost-effective way to background cattle, but it’s not the way you want to go if you’re going to need a premium carcass,” Pritchard says. The 5- to 8-month window is most critical. “If I rough them too much during backgrounding, I’m going to give up the marbling. I’ll get a bunch of carcass weight but I won’t get the marbling.” As a general rule, early weaning is best for large-framed cattle, and creep feeding “fits best just to fill in the nutritional gaps,” he says. Precision ag isn’t new, but precision backgrounding might be a change. “If you’re a corn farmer in your other life, you’re perfectly comfortable with that precision ag,” Pritchard says. “We can go that way in the cattle business and make big strides. Today the genetics are better; they’re going to help us a lot. Our growth enhancement tools are better, and we know a lot more about them.” It just might be time for a new prescription.
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Use your Head When Considering Improvements by Miranda Reiman, Producer Communications Director, Certified Angus Beef LLC Many have bought or otherwise taken ownership of a “fixer-upper.” Maybe it wasn’t love at first sight, but you saw the potential and had a few ideas going in. That’s how it was when we bought an old farmhouse, then spent most of the last decade trying to update it. Progress seems slow, as everything takes cash. Even the simplest improvements, like a couple cans of paint and new flooring can easily stretch beyond $1,000 and I won’t even get into the budget for our complete kitchen remodel. When it comes to home improvements, you can’t make quick progress without a large investment. In the cattle business, there are lots of things that would fall into that category, like putting in a new line of feed bunks for backgrounding pens or expanding acreage. But not everything that increases profit takes a bank loan or dipping into reserves. Think about genetic selection and bull power. You’re going to invest in something to keep the calves coming each year, but the same money can fall short or supercharge progress in traits like carcass quality and feed efficiency.
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The difference mostly comes down to an outlay of a free resource: brain power. I suppose I’ve always known this. Pulling up to a ranch visit, I make no correlation between condition of outbuildings and expectations for the herd I’m about to see. A brand new pickup does not mean anything in terms of cattle genetics. But it became crystal clear this spring as I visited with a cattleman who had two and half times more premium Choice qualifying cattle in just three years’ time after taking over the family herd. Primes went from zero to 35% of the steer crop. “We did this all with $13 straws of semen,” he told me. Later the rancher remarked on his bargain-priced, used squeeze chute and how the heifer development pens also double for growing steers. The biggest expenditure came in the form of study. Researching the traits of value, consulting sire catalogs, visiting with those who had made the kind of progress he wanted to achieve.
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You have to make hay while the sun shines, and it’s easy to notice the shed that needs shingles or change the tractor oil on schedule while you put off that reading, thinking and debating for another day. You need to make it a priority on your to-do list. Sometimes the consulting and studying can show areas where you would be ahead to spend more money. Maybe a discount vaccination program costs you more than you’re saving. Maybe that cull salebarn bull set your genetic improvement back more than you thought. Improvement does not necessitate across-the-board increases in expenditures. Focused analysis can also show the places where you’re currently overspending. Maybe you could find a cheaper alternative feedstuff or a reliable, used piece of equipment instead of new. To make gains in performance or carcass quality, in mothering ability or calf health, or any number of areas you’re looking at, you may just have to schedule some time to study. Brain power could be your most valuable resource.
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Finding Profit by Miranda Reiman, Producer Communications Director, Certified Angus Beef LLC Feeding Quality Forum Opportunity. It’s there, but you may have to look a little harder for it. That’s what this year’s Feeding Quality Forum attendees learned during the day long meetings on August 29th in Omaha, Nebraska, and repeated in Garden City, Kansas, August 31st. AgResource Company kicked off the forum with market predictions. Its president, Dan Basse, told Omaha attendees, “Ag is not at its bottom yet, but I think the worst is over.” In the next few months, the analyst predicted fed cattle prices will hit bottom at $100 to $104 per hundredweight (cwt), but improve into the first quarter of 2018. USDA’s corn yield prediction at 169.5 bushels per acre (bu./acre) is more optimistic than Basse’s estimate of 165 bu./acre. Feeders might want to lock in feed costs now before there’s an incentive for a price increase, he said, noting $3.45 to $3.35 as an opportunity. “The strategy is to find grain now, extend coverage. Perhaps don't sell your cattle just yet if we're looking forward into 2018,” said Ben Buckner, the AgResource analyst who carried the company message to Garden City. Being proactive was a theme, as Doug Stanton, vice president of Where Food Comes From, talked about value-added opportunities. U.S. beef going into Chinese markets is a hot topic that the third-party verification provider—IMI Global is a subsidiary—has been fielding questions on lately. Traceable source of origin is the first step, Stanton said, along with no implants or beta agonists. Ranchers and cattle feeders wanting to target that market were advised to compare notes with potential buyers in advance.
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“If you want to get involved in China, you better be talking with your packer you’ll be marketing to and see what their requirements will be,” he said. Sharing information usually works for the good of all. That was the intention behind USDA’s Mandatory Price Reporting, first introduced in the late 1990s, said Iowa cattleman Ed Greiman. The feeder was drawing on his experience as chairman of the cattle marketing committee for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA). Today the 20% to 30% of cattle traded live and represented in the report sets the base price for the remaining 70% to 80% sold on grids and formulas. It’s not always an accurate reflection of all fed cattle offered for sale in a week’s time, Greiman said. “When you see that information, you don’t know what was being bought or how that trade was made,” he noted. Yet, increasing the number of cash trades isn’t feasible when feeders have invested in premium calves and need to market them as such. “CAB (the Certified Angus Beef ® brand) has done all this work to make sure the consumer wants the product, so we’ve got to produce more of them,” he said, suggesting cattlemen get involved in determining a new way to set base prices. But long before marketing, feeders have decisions to make that will affect profitability. It all starts with sourcing the right ones, said Justin Sexten, CAB’s director of supply development. “There are cattle you want to own, and probably some you want to buy at a discount,” he said, noting all the variation in feeder calf supplies.
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“There’s a lot of emphasis on flesh, precondition, where cattle come from—you name it—those each may account for $2 to $4 per hundredweight of the variation in cattle price,” he said. But genetics make up a bigger difference in final profit. “From a genetic perspective, there’s a $4 to $14 [/cwt.] difference out there from average genetics to exceptional,” he said, using an Angus example. Once those cattle are in the feedyard, performance becomes a big driver of profitability. Richard Zinn, University of California-Davis ruminant nutritionist, talked about how to increase that, predictably. “The single most important factor affecting animal performance is energy intake,” he said. “And the link between intake and growth is perhaps the most reliable concept in cattle feeding.” That allows for predicting accurate daily gains given gender, frame, weight and diet, Zinn said, adding these concepts are “nested in what we expect and how much results can vary before triggering alarm.” During lunch, Lee Borck accepted the FQF Industry Achievement Award. With the help of Tyson and Performance Food Group, the meal featured Certified Angus Beef ® brand strip loin roast from cattle fed at one of Borck’s Beef Marketing Group partner yards. More than 200 people attended the meetings, which were co-sponsored by Zoetis, Roto-Mix, IMI Global, Micronutrients, Feed-Lot Magazine and CAB.
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Ag Prospects Looking Up by Miranda Reiman, Producer Communications Director, Certified Angus Beef LLC Slow but sure improvement in rural economy.
Dan Basse It might not feel like a quick ascent, but agriculture will climb out of the slump affecting nearly all sectors in recent years. That ray of hope comes from AgResource Company. President Dan Basse spoke as part of the Feeding Quality Forum in Omaha, Nebraska, last month, while colleague Ben Buckner addressed the crowd in Garden City, Kansas. “Dairy is the only industry this year that will make more gross than the year before,” Basse said, noting it’s up $40 billion, compared to the beef sector, which will drop $7 or $8 billion. “Our revenues have fallen in half—name me another industry where net revenues have declined by 50% in a period of five years. That’s our story,” he said. Cyclical trends and export prospects provide a glimmer. “The world economies are improving at a pace faster than the U.S., but it is improving,” Buckner said. A surprising boon? “The best that’s happened in the last six months or so is the political chaos in Washington, D.C.” Government instability has caused a decrease in the value of the U.S. dollar, a positive to agriculture since it relies heavily on exports, he said. “That is putting pressure on producers overseas,” Basse said.
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All commodities have a bit of good news in store. “The United States will be a net exporter of crude oil by 2019,” Basse said. “This is a really big deal, the first time we’ve had a net export of energy going back to the 1940s.” The ethanol industry is starting to ramp up production, adding about a billion gallons of capacity to meet export demand. “It’s part of the reason I think you all in the cattle business need to be looking in the next few weeks of taking some feed-need coverage over the next nine months,” he said. Both analysts said it’s unlikely corn markets will go more bearish coming into harvest. They suggested USDA’s corn yield estimate of 169.5 bushels per acre (bu./acre) is high, because the equation overestimates corn ear weight, given the dry conditions in much of the upper Midwest. “We don’t think there’ll be a disaster; we just don’t think ear weight’s going to be this high,” Buckner said, noting a change from 169.5 bu/acre to 167 or 165 can cut 2.4 to 8 billion bushels off the total harvest. “It doesn’t get you exceedingly bullish on corn, but it does tell me that if corn makes it down to $3.45 to $3.35, I would definitely want to be a buyer down in that area,” Basse said. Longer-term, they expect a price increase. World stocks will decline over the next few years, but the U.S. will face increasing global competition as other countries make bigger improvements in yields. “The U.S. farmer is the very best. It’s hard to really add yield nationwide when you’re yielding 168, 175 [bu/acre],” Buckner said. Countries like Ukraine could increase 30% and Brazil by 50%, while the U.S. might reach a 4% improvement. Competition is still a factor in the beef sector, but it relies less heavily on global markets, they said. “Quarterly domestic use is really good, and this is the demand pull that I see in the beef market,” Basse said. “The quarterly per-capita disappearance is now the largest it’s been since 2008.”
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If trade with China really ramps up, Basse said, “I could get really bullish on the demand side of cattle sometime during the first quarter of next year.” He doesn’t expect China to lift any requirements on U.S. beef. “They like to have a lever on trade,” he said, but it probably also represents an over-arching trend in food production. “I think that’s the way agriculture is going, in terms of producing what the market is demanding. I don’t think that’s all bad because it gives consumers choice.” But before that trade can bolster the market, the larger beef harvest numbers in recent months and earlier-than-usual placements due to drought will continue to pressure prices in the fourth quarter. AgResource predicts a bottom of $100 to $104 per hundredweight (cwt.) for fed cattle prices. “I do believe we’ll see good exports again going forward,” Basse said. “The price structure of cattle has done its job in terms of building the demand down the road.” Other hurdles remain. Ag lending is down, and competing proteins continue to expand. Pork production will increase by 2% to 3% in 2018, Basse said: “Look over your shoulder, because there’s going to be plenty of pork on the doorstep of the United States.” Things are looking up, but it may take a few years to feel across-the-board recovery. “The markets are an ocean freighter, slow to move,” Buckner said. “We’re starting to steer them in the right direction and perhaps we are through the trough of this bear.” The meetings, co-sponsored by Zoetis, Roto-Mix, IMI Global, Micronutrients, Feed-Lot Magazine and Certified Angus Beef LLC, drew cattle feeders and allied industry from Nebraska, Kansas and several surrounding states.
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Beef Lessons from Dairy Conceptions Justin Sexten, Ph.D. - Director, Supply Development, Certified Angus Beef You’ve heard that the key to beef quality could lie in making sure a calf never has a bad day. A paper in the Journal of Dairy Science adds validity—and before you quit reading because the work didn’t come from the beef side, think for a minute about the dairy cow. She’s a model of uniform genetics and focused selection with little nutritional limit to gene expression. She can serve as a great model to evaluate environment for all cows, independent of genetics and nutritional resources. Contrast that to the beef cow with variable genetics selected for multiple traits and often limited by her nutritional environment. These diverse conditions are why the debate rages on about ideal cow size and milk production level. The dairy researchers in Florida and Colorado set out to see how the season of a heifer’s conception influences her later productive life. As you look at a pen of replacement beef heifers and judge their genetics, individual performance and disposition, this dairy study adds another variable. We often evaluate the expression of traits without considering the cause of the expression, but this work highlights the environment’s role. This fall, many of you will look at that heifer pen and try to decide whether to keep or cull some late-born female. We know the early-born heifer is more productive over a lifetime, but now we see that could be partly because she was conceived during a time of less environmental stress. Dairy Herd Improvement Association records across 12 years on more than 667,000 lactations were used to evaluate the influence
of season of conception on subsequent productivity. This could make you think about “fetal programming” or gestational nutrition and the importance of maternal diet on quality—but laying that aside, this research demonstrates that the season and environmental conditions at conception will influence milk production, reproductive efficiency and herd longevity. These dairy scientists concluded that cows conceived during the summer heat (July to September) were less productive than those conceived in the winter (December to February). Heifers conceived during the winters were younger at first calving by 9 days. In a beef production system, shortening days to first calving may not be possible due to group management, but this data suggests the dairy heifers conceived during cooler temperatures were either earlier to puberty or more reproductively efficient. The “cool heifers” not only calved sooner but also returned to estrus after their first calf earlier than those conceived during summer. Interval to first re-breeding were 6 and 4 days shorter after the first and second calf, respectively, but season of conception didn’t affect reproductive performance of older cows. Quicker returns to estrus following calving translated into a comparable reduction in days to conception for first- and second-calf heifers. These reproductive benefits were realized despite a 3.5% increase in first-lactation milk production by heifers conceived in winter. That increase moderated as heifers aged, but the second- and third-parity cows conceived in the winter produced about 1% more milk throughout lactation.
Heifers conceived in winter were 1.15 times more likely to make it to the second calving and not be culled for reproductive failure. Remember, that’s in addition to greater milk production. How can we incorporate this into a beef production system where local environment and the goal of a set calving season drive decisions? Gone now is the chance to modify the 2017 breeding plan to avoid the worst summer heat, but the decision on whether to retain a heifer conceived during last summer’s heat is imminent. To review, beef cattle research showed many years ago that heifers born early in the calving season are more productive. Years later and thanks to our colleagues in dairy science, we discover productivity may be related to the timing of weather not only at birth but at conception. We continue to learn more each day about how the environment influences the genetic framework we develop. While we may not understand how it can influence each gene, we do know that overcoming a genetic deficit is a challenge. Now that you have something else to think about when building your herd, keep in mind that simple approach to beating average quality: do all you can to ensure each calf never has a bad day.
Government of Canada Investing to Grow Alberta Agriculture Calgary, AB – Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada A strong and competitive agriculture sector is vital to Canada’s prosperity; creating good jobs, growing the middle class, and bringing high-quality products to the tables of Canadian consumers. Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities and Member of Parliament for Calgary Centre, Kent Hehr, on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lawrence MacAulay, was in Calgary today to announce our Government is investing $4.4 million to help farmers stay on the cutting edge of innovation, expand markets and manage their business riskAs part of this investment, our Government has committed $2.2 million to projects that will Page 26
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help support the world-class cattle industry in Alberta and across Canada. Projects include: • $839,485 for the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association to explore the use of remote sensing as a tool to insure forage crops. • $901,240 to help the Alberta Beef Producers develop satellite data to help improve forage insurance. • $255,000 to help the Canadian Angus Association develop tools that will improve better breeding cattle.
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• 205,500 for the National Cattle Feeders Association to develop and implement a national feedlot animal care assessment program.The remaining funds, just over $2.2 million, will support a number of innovative projects that will help market development, emergency planning, competitive pricing, animal care assessments and farm software development. These investments are part of our Government’s plan to grow the economy in a way that works for the middle class and those working hard to join it.
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Interior Provincial Exhibition Angus Show Judge: Riley LaFrenz Junior Heifer Calf Class 1) PM Blossom 83’17 (SAV Bismarck 5682) Poplar Meadows Angus, Houston, BC 2) PM Princess 110’17 (May-Way Breakout 1310) Poplar Meadows Angus, Houston, BC Senior Heifer Calf Class 1) Harvest Blackbird Jo Jo 209E (OCC Doctor 940D) Harvest Angus, Prince George, BC2) Lorenz Caroline 6E (Mogck Bullseye) Lorenz Angus Farms, Red Deer County, AB 3) Harvest Belle 202E (Vision Unanamous 1418) Harvest Angus, Prince George, BC Yearling Heifer Class 1) PM Polly 85’16 (EXAR Denver 200B) Poplar Meadows Angus, Houston, BC 2) PM Polly 94’16 (Basin Payweight 107S) Poplar Meadows Angus, Houston, BC 3) Lorenz Caroline 10D (Mogck Bullseye) Lorenz Angus Farms, Red Deer County, AB Two Year Old Cow/Calf Class 1)Running Steady Gypsy 30C (Sankeys Justified 101) Justamere Farms & Running Steady Ranch, Lloydminster, SK 2) Harvest Blackbird Jo Jo 3C (RB Tour of Duty 177) Harvest Angus, Prince George, BC 3) Lorenz Caroline 39C (HF Prowler 43U) Lorenz Angus Farms, Red Deer County, AB
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Mature Cow/Calf Class 1) PM Princene 45’14 (BVC Jack Daniels B118) Poplar Meadows Angus, Houston, BC Grand Champion Female Running Steady Gypsy 30C Reserve Champion Female PM Princene 45’14 Junior Bull Calf Class 1) PM Breakaway 58’17 (May-Way Breakout 1310) Poplar Meadows Angus, Houston, BC Senior Bull Calf Class 1) PM Executive Decision 5’17 (Bar EL Natural Law 52Y) Poplar Meadows Angus, Houston, BC 2) Red C.D. Fireball 128E (Red Shiloh Cannon Fire 8C)C.D. Land & Cattle, Taber, AB 3) Harvest Scale Crusher 240E (EXAR Blue Chip 1877B) Harvest Angus, Prince George, BC Yearling Bull Class 1) Justamere 40 M.A.G.A. 105D (EXAR Pay Stub 40 5S) Justamere Farms & Running Steady Ranch, Lloydminster, SK
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Two Year Old Bull Class 1) PM Journey 522 (MSF Journey) Poplat Meadows Angus, Houston, BC 2) Lorenz Unified 17C (Peak Dot Unanimous 730A) Lorenz Angus Farms, Red Deer County, AB 3) Justamere South Dakota 833C (Mohnen South Dakota 402) Justamere Farms, Lloydminster, SK & Still Meadows Farm, Langley, BC (5 in class) Grand Champion Bull PM Journey 522 Reserve Champion Bull Lorenz Unified 17C Breeder’s Herd 1) Poplar Meadows Angus, Houston, BC 2) Lorenz Angus Farm, Red Deer County, AB Get of Sire 1) Poplar Meadows Angus, Houston, BC Progeny of Dam 1) Poplar Meadows Angus, Houston, BC 2) Lorenz Angus Farm, Red Deer County, AB Premier Breeder & Exhibitor Poplar Meadows Angus, Houston, BC
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British Columbia Angus Association
Oh man, it’s been a wild spring and summer. If you were a little faint at heart, you would have had a really hard time. A wet spring with a dry summer made fires in the region a real reality. My heart goes out to all those reanchers affected by the wildfires in BC. It really goes to show the resiliency of the people in this industry to go and rise above the ashes. Hats off to all the folks that have offered and given to those affected
by the fires.The displays of human compassion and goodwill has been overwhelming on the Angus front. There have been several summer show that have taken place this year and attendance has been strong at all of them. BC breeders have jumped out and have displayed some great cattle this year.Congratulations to those that have done well. BC Angus held its AGM in Armstrong during the IPE show week. Elections were held for your BC Angus Association. We had some new faces which is always nice to see. This year we had to do nominations for a new National Director because our good friend Lorraine Sanford’s term is up for National Director. Thank you to Lorraine for representing BC over the years with knowledge and passion for the cattle industry. Her shoes will be hard to fill. The four people were nominated for this position were John Appleby, Jim Moon, Tanya Belsham and Tow DeWaal. I trust that the breeders in BC will have a hard time deciding who the next National Director
Alberta Angus Association
With this being my final report as President I wanted to thank our Secretary Denise as well as the board members I've had the opportunity to work with
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Cattleman's Social where all breeders from all breeds can come together for a celebratory evening that provides the opportunity to swap stories and also to bid on some practical use equipment as well as hand crafted art. If you would like to donate items ton bid on for either event please feel free to contact a board member. These fundraisers allow us the opportunity to provide more services to the membership and our junior and commercial programming initiatives. Come out for two great events! Thanks again for allowing me to lead our membership and I look forward to finishing out my term as Past President and working with our new Board and Executive. Safe and Prosperous Fall to everyone!
by Patrick Holland ~ President, Maritime Angus Association
events since you’ve last heard from the Maritimes including the Maritime Beef Test Station bull sale which saw black and red Angus top the sale in both averages and high sellers; the annual Field Day and Junior Show held this year at Dale and Linda Lackie’s farm in Southfield, NB; and two of our three Gold Shows in Charlottetown, PE and Truro, NS with the third one scheduled to take place in Sussex, NB in September. At the Field Day held in June we had the opportunity to honour some members who have made a significant impact in our breed in the Maritimes including Honorary President Les Cail (Cailsmere Angus), Commercial Breeder of the Year Bev McMurtrie (Krista), and our scholarship winner Ella Wood. We were pleased to have 13 junior members participate in the show the next day for judge Brett Wildman. The winner of the Dick Turner trophy for champion yearling heifer was Jarrett Bacon
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will be with four oustanding candidates putting their names in the hat. The BC Angus Board will have meetings in October to continue plans for next year’s Canadian Angus AGM on Vancouver Island. More on that to come latter. Also in October there will be 2 outstanding female auctions with about 8 to 10 different breeders selling cattle. I am sure that anyone who is looking to add new females into their programs will have a great selection. This is the business I love and I believe there is lots of room for breeders of all sizes and different ideas. I do not believe we should be scared of competition. We should embrace it. I hope everyone has success in the show ring and in their sales. I sure everyone to know and hear about them. I sure don’t have to get on the phone with the CEO of CAA and complain about breeder favoritism. I my friend don’t need him to compete.
by Greg Pugh ~ President, Alberta Angus Association
through the years for putting forth some great initiatives to further advance and represent the Angus breed. I'm very proud to have had this opportunity to represent an outstanding membership within our provinces borders. We have some exciting new initiatives at our Gold Shows this fall at both Olds Fall Classic as well as at the National Show at Farmfair International in Edmonton. At Olds we are having a social that will consist of a Casino being the focal point of the evening. Come out for some visiting and fellowship as well as the opportunity to have some fun at the Casino with an opportunity to bid on some great prizes with your winnings! At Farmfair an equally exciting event will unfold after the completion of the National Show where we will have a
Maritime Angus Association
Greetings from the Maritimes, and please accept my apologies for not submitting a report for the last issue of Angus World. There have been quite a few
by Tom deWaal ~ President, BC Angus Association
with NicNat Skittles 20D and the winner of the Harriet Oulton trophy for champion showperson was Nicole Booth. With fall upon us there is some optimism in the Maritime beef industry. The recent success of the federally inspected Atlantic Beef Products plant in Borden, PE along with the announcement of the Maritime Beef Strategy this spring to try and grow the cow herd by 20,000 head over the next 10 years have created a bit of a buzz here in the Maritimes. Angus breeders are well positioned to benefit from this expansion of the Maritime herd, and increased participation in the Green Tag program should help to establish branded programs out of ABP in Borden. Hopefully producers will begin to see the benefits of this excitement at the Angus in Action sale this coming October 21st in Nappan, NS. Take care, Patrick Holland
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Saskatchewan Angus Association
Summer has come and gone in the blink of an eye even though for many it has seemed that the hot, dry weather would never end. Despite a major lack of rain for the majority of the province some have faired better than others for pasture and feed supplies. Most people are surprised at the quality of the crop being harvested this fall. Lloydminster has been a happening place this year for Angus activity. Showdown was first on the list this summer in the border city. A record number of junior members and cattle participated in the show. Thank you to the breeders that supported this event! Your attendance, sponsorship and volunteer hours are an extremely important part of encouraging and securing the future of our breed.
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by Michael Wheeler ~ President, Saskatchewan Angus Association
August saw our annual Saskatchewan Angus summer tour visit the north west with tours over two days in the Lloydminster area. The popularity of the tour grows every summer and breeders enjoy the hospitality and fellowship that accompanies the great herds of Angus cattle. The hosts of the tour enjoy a tremendous marketing opportunity where in a matter of hours hundreds of prospective buyers are in your pastures. We will be looking for hosts for the 2018 tour soon so feel free to contact us with questions or to reserve your spot. This summer also saw the 2017-2018 mentorship program fill up. Due to the funding for this program being provided under the Growing Forward 2 framework, which expires in March 2018, we had to move the program earlier this time to finish the program under the deadlines. That has meant we have had two groups of mentees participating in the program this summer. The new mentees in the program are Jessica Hextall, Coreen Langford, Eric Yewsuk, Katie Wright and Brandon Hertz. They are being mentored by Barry Young, Keith Kaufman, Shane Castle, Tom DeWaal and Michael Wheeler. Thank you to the participants in this program for realising the value and opportunity it presents.
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Something new this fall that demands the attention of every Angus breeder is the strategic planning process being undertaken by the Canadian Angus Association. One session will be held in Regina on October 11th and one in Lloydminster on October 18th. These regional engagement sessions are your opportunity to voice your vision for Canadian Angus in the future. Last fall we had a dramatic increase in member engagement during the roll out of the ACE program and I hope that trend continues into this fall. Remember this; the world is run by those who show up! You will want to make note of our upcoming Gold Shows. The Gold & Junior Show will again be held in conjunction with Lloydminster Stockade Roundup November 1-4. Our second show will of course be held at Agribition in Regina November 20-25, which is the premier livestock show and gathering place in Canada. We hope to see you there. We will be hosting more Breeder Information Sessions this fall and winter as well. Please watch for dates and locations in the coming weeks.
Manitoba Angus Association
by Larissa Hamilton ~ President, Manitoba Angus Association
Highlights for Manitoba Angus - June 8-11, 2017 - Had a very successful attendance for the National Angus Convention held in Brandon, MB - June 30th - Arlene Kirkpatrick retires from 18 years of being MAA Secretary/ Treasurer - July 1st - Manitoba Angus Association hires new Secretary/ Treasurer - Mandi Fewings from Pierson, MB
Ontario Angus Association
Well it has been quite a challenging spring and summer here in Ontario for many of us with the excessive rainfall we have had. Making dry hay was
- July 9th - Summer Gold Show held in Carberry, MB - July 29th - Summer Pasture Tour hosted by Edie Creek Angus - Dugald, MB - Oct 26th - Manitoba Fall Gold Show at Ag Ex in Brandon, MB - Nov 4th - AGM to be held in Neepawa, MB - Dec 2nd - Keystone Klassic Sale in Brandon, MB
by Andy Fraser ~ Past-President, Ontario Angus Association
just in plain terms no fun! Pastures on the other hand were in abundance. Despite our weather here, our thoughts are with our fellow Angus breeders in the western provinces, and south of the border with drought, wildfires, and floods. Our fall fairs are well under way now and we have seen some good turn outs of Angus numbers at the shows. We have had a couple point shows take place thus far, and as I write this, we are only a couple days away from our Ontario Angus Preview Gold Show as well as a Junior Show that will be held prior. Our Juniors are also getting plans under way for the Canadian Junior Angus Showdown which we are looking forward to hosting again in 2018 here in Ontario. We are proud of the leadership our Juniors are taking. There have been a
couple production sales so far in early September which saw tremendous sale averages. There are a few more great sales to go yet including the Royal Elite Sale with some outstanding consignments in all the sales to come yet. Our summer field day was hosted by Mike Fallis and his family in the Peterborough area which saw a great turn out of members as well as juniors. We had a junior show, as well as a judging clinic which is always good to stimulate conversation. Thanks as well to Brian Good on coming to this event to speak on marketing. With that I want to wish everyone the best of luck with your fall sales and shows.
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Canadian Junior Angus Association
Hello Juniors and fellow Angus breeders, July 20-22, the CJA was in Lloydminster, Saskatchewan for Showdown 2017. The event was a tremendous success, being the largest Showdown to date. Thank you to all of our participants, sponsors and volunteers! During the show the Board welcomed Robert Geis as a new Alberta Director and we would like to thank Brooke Bablitz for her time on the Board. In 2018, Showdown will be held in Barrie, Ontario. Once again there are travel bursaries and trucking assistance available to
Juniors who wish to attend so make plans to join us there July 19-21. GOAL Conference will be held in Winnipeg, Manitoba. GOAL stands for "Guiding Outstanding Angus Leaders", and the conference provides very valuable knowledge and networking opportunities for juniors. Components of the Foundation Legacy Scholarship take place at GOAL. If you are over the age of 18 and plan to pursue a post-secondary education make sure to get your application in by January 15th. A heifer voucher will also be given out at GOAL. More details about the conference will be available on the CJA website and Facebook page later this fall.
Canadian Junior Angus Ambassador
My grandpa has always advocated that the best education is found outside the classroom and I couldn’t agree more because that is a huge aspect of being the Ambassador. I’m positively ecstatic to begin planning for the fall shows I’ll be attending, as well as other events further in the future. I had the opportunity to begin my travels in Brandon, Manitoba for National Convention where I was named Ambassador for the year and also where the Building the Legacy Sale 6 shattered records. Not long after that I headed off to Scotland to the World Angus Forum as I was previously chosen for Team Canada back in February. There is truly not a sufficient amount of words to describe the experience, however I will preach that it was the trip of a lifetime and I am incredibly grateful for all the wonderful people I met through the forum. Over the Page 38
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Raina Syrynk ~ President, Canadian Junior Angus Association
Macy Liebreich ~ Robert C. McHaffie Junior Ambassador
course of two weeks my team of four participated with the eight other youth teams. We competed in everything from judging and grooming to speeches and JCB equipment challenges. I believe as a whole all the members of the youth competition grew closer with one another as the competition neared the end. I also would like to highlight that all the Canadian competitors had become a sort of family during our time spent in Scotland and I am sure our friendships will endure time. It is crucial to note that without the generosity of donors, bidders, buyers, and organizers of the Building the Legacy Sale my trip wouldn’t have been possible, so I am forever thankful for the support the industry has for our juniors. My first official ambassador trip took place at Lloydminster, Saskatchewan for Showdown. The show was a huge success, being the largest Showdown to date! Keep in mind that if you weren’t able to attend this year there are travel bursaries available to assist you in getting to the next one. Shortly after Showdown I headed to Calgary for the second annual Canadian Beef Industry Conference (CBIC). I had the pleasure of listening to numerous influential industry leaders as well as to a motivational speech by Jon Montgomery, an Olympic Gold Medalist. CBIC was an enriching experience
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This fall the CJA donation heifer will be sold by Dutch auction at Canadian Western Agribition in the Masterpiece Sale. A big thank you to Nu-Horizon for donating the heifer this year, and to everyone who participates. The funds raised from the heifer go directly into the CJA scholarship fund. Other CJA opportunities to keep in mind include self-directed travel bursaries, various scholarships, the CAF Robert C. McHaffie Ambassador Competition, the Junior Stockman Award, and opportunities to attend Red Round Up and LEAD. Information about these can be found on the CJA website or Facebook page. Thank you to the supporters of the CJA and CAF who make these opportunities possible!
with an abundance of information, inspiration, and innovations shared. I highly recommend attending this conference because it allows our industry to become more connected and it is a great opportunity as a junior to begin to become more involved within the bigger picture of our business. Currently, I am looking forward to the fall shows I will be attending that include Expo Boeuf, Farm Fair, and Agribition - hopefully you feel free to visit or reach out to me while I am there. With that I wish you all luck with the upcoming shows as well as encourage you to reach out to me or any of the Junior National or Provincial Board members if you have questions or comments on any junior events or opportunities such as travel bursaries, scholarships, and competitions. Regards, Macy Liebreich
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Canadian Angus Foundation Message Cecilie Fleming, Canadian Angus Foundation Chair
Thank you to all who support the Canadian Angus Foundation (CAF) throughout the year. Our Building a Legacy fundraising sales and your generous donations have allowed the Canadian Angus Foundation to invest in our Angus future. Whether you donate genetics, items or experiences, purchased at the sales or outright donate to the Foundation we are creating “Angus Seeds”. With these seeds we can scatter them about our Angus youth and Angus breeders and watch our Angus breed flourish. At Convention in June we selected a new Robert C. McAffie Junior Ambassador, Macy Liebreich of Radville, SK. Macy takes over from Michaela Chalmers and she looks forward to meeting many new Angus enthusiasts in her year as Ambassador. Please take the time to visit with her at various shows and industry events as she represents our Association and our youth. The Dick Turner Scholarship winner was announced as Meghan McGillivray of Kamloops, BC along with the Outstanding Young Angus Breeder Austen Anderson, Swan River, MB and the Junior Angus Stockman Devon Donald of Rossendale, MB. Watch for up-coming episodes of AC-TV on both Austen and Devon.
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The Foundation is pleased to offer many other opportunities for our Junior and young Angus breeders for travel and educational experiences. We assisted members with travel bursaries to Showdown in Lloydminster, along with prize money for the show, and in the spring and summer provided two international self-directed bursaries for travel in the States and the U.K. Information on these and the many other programs offered by the Foundation are posted on our web-site. Twelve Canadian Angus youth headed to Edinburgh, Scotland, this past June to attend the World Angus Forum (WAF) thanks to the Canadian Angus Foundation. The 2017 WAF youth program included a trip to the Royal Highland Show, stock judging, attendance at the Forum Conference, agri-skills competitions and activities, farm visits, tours with the WAF delegates, a visit to Scotbeef and the competition finale. The youth who earned their way through selection process were: Team Canada, Aspire: Meghan McGillivray, Kamloops, BC; Cole Dodgson, Sangudo, AB; Macy Liebreich, Radville, SK; Kelly Somerville, Mountain, ON; Team Canada, Believe: Michaela Chalmers, Oro-Medonte, ON; Travis Hunter, Didsbury, AB; Wade Olynyk, Goodeve, SK; Kelsey Ribey, Paisley, ON; Team Canada, Courage: Katie Wright, Melfort, SK; Maguire Blair, Drake, SK; Bailey Dietrich, Forestburg, AB; and Raina Syrnyk of Ethelbert, MB. While competing at the WAF Youth Competitions Travis Hunter of Didsbury, AB was the Individual Champion and Team Canada Believe comprised of Michaela Chalmers, Travis Hunter, Wade Olynyk and Kelsey Ribey tied with Team Australia Red for third place. • Team Canada Aspire placed first in the fitting• Katie Wright won top overall individual in the fitting competition • Michaela Chalmers won Reserve Champion Showman • Travis Hunter placed second and Macy Liebreich placed third in the individual
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speaking competition. We would like to thank the youth for representing Canada so well. There have been lifelong international friendships created that will bear fruit in the future. Another mandate of the CAF is to preserve our Angus History and this past summer we again had two summer interns do a fantastic job, Megan McLeod and Kiani Evans. They sorted, scanned, catalogued, bagged and boxed our collection of breed magazines: Angus News, Angus Times, Angus Recorder, and Angus World. They also scanned and sorted the Angus Journals and Angus Reviews in our collection. A reference library has been created in the Red Room and they painstakingly sorted through mountains of old promotional material, magazines, cards, sale catalogues and various Association documents that are now catalogued for future reference. A software program (Proficio) was purchased to record what is in our archives and adding to this database will continue to be a work in progress. The interns also gathered digital images of all Robert C. McHaffie Junior Ambassadors to create a display. Check out the CAA Blog on the web-site – there are a number of photos and posts there by the girls on the things they worked on over the summer. We are truly grateful for all that was done by Megan and Kiani to preserve our Angus history. You can also help preserve our history as we create a Canadian Angus History book - we need your Angus story. We want all breeders - big or small, old or new. All Angus breeders are pieces of thread that bind our Angus fabric and history together. We are stronger together so get motivated and send in your history before it is too late!! Remember that the earlier you submit, the more chances you have at some of the great incentive draws we are having each month. You can go to the web-site or contact the office to get more details.
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RTHE ED ANGUS COW MAKERS
CATTLE CO.
Progressive Performance... Optimum Maternalism! CANADIAN RED ANGUS PROMOTION SOCIETY 780.678.9069 - www.redangus.ca - office@ www.redangus.ca
Mile 11 on #2 Highway South of Dawson Creek
PUREBRED BLACK ANGUS P.O. Box 132, Steve Aylward (250)786-5031 Dawson Creek, BC V1G 4G3 Dale Aylward (250)786-5478 bzaylward@gmail.com
R.R. #2, New Norway, AB T0B 3L0
Don Raffan AUCTIONEER
Bus (250)546-9420 / Cellular (250)558-6789 Comp. 19, Larkin Site, RR 3, Armstrong, BC V0E 1B0
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Aberl ynn A ng us Marie Bradshaw Gordon Bradshaw 5343-39st Close R.R. #3, Site 3, Box 6 Innisfail, AB T4G 1T8 Innisfail, AB T4G 1G1 (403)227-0354 (403)227-5431 “Quality you can see. Breeding you can trust.”
Sealin Creek Ranch
Pioneer Red Angus Breeder
Bryan & Sherry Mackenzie
P.O. Box 122, Pincher Creek, Alberta T0K 1W0 Phone: (403)627-5676 / Fax:(403)627-4653 / brylor@telusplanet.net
Registered Angus
Jay & Lenore Davis Box 184, Acme, Alberta T0M 0A0 (403) 546-2299
Box 59, Monte Lake, BC V0E 2N0 (250)375-2268
Owners: Peter & Francesca Cox
ACHER ANG B US SH Darrel & Wendy Ashbacher & Family
P.O. Box 99, Halkirk, Alberta T0C 1M0
Ph: (403)884-2181 Fax: (403)884-2381
Managed by: Christy Elliot
ch
ring w Sp s Ran illo
W
S E C T I O N
Dan & Janette Speller
A
C A R D
Re us gister ed Black Ang
Tel: (250)446-2269 Fax: (250)764-0537
22km Christian Valley Westbridge, British Columbia
Count Ridge Stock Farm ITY
QUAL RED S ANGU
BLIND CREEK ANGUS Page 42
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Wayne and Peggy Robinson
Box 36 Mossleigh, Alberta T0L 1P0 Phone (403) 934-4083
GEORGE BAXTER (403)641-2205 P.O. BOX 576, BASSANO, ALBERTA T0J 0B0
Owners:
Flint & Flint (780)855-2181
New Norway, AB
LINDON ANGUS F ARMS
FARMS
Lindsay & Donna Penosky & Family
" Our Greatest Asset - Quality Angus"
Robert & Gail Hamilton
P.O. Box 37, Botha, AB T0C 0N0 Phone: (403)742-4337 ● Fax: (403)742-4341
Box 11, Site 15, R.R.# 2, Cochrane, Alberta T4C 1A2 (403) 932-5980 ~ hamiltonfarms.ca
Diamond Willow Ranch Registered Black Angus
Ted & Marci McPeak (403)948-3085
RR #1, Stn. Mn., Airdrie, AB T4B 2A3 From Airdrie Overpass on SH 567, 10km W., 5km N., on SH 772
Lee & Laura Brown
Box 217, Erskine, AB T0C 1G0 Ph: (403) 742-4226 Fax (403) 742-2962
CATTLE C
VRegistered
JWJ
Angus
W V
30th Annual Bull & Female Sale March 12/16
Roy & Cindy Bjorklund
O
- Breeders of Quality Performance Tested Angus -
P.O. Box 2044, Fairview, Alberta T0H 1L0 (780)835-3530
Wayne Branden & Jane Morrow
Phone: (780)674-2335 ~ Cell: (780)305-4813 ~ Fax: (780)674-4398 P.O. Box 11, Camp Creek, AB T0G 0L0 - jwcattle@telusplanet.net
LA
ORENZ NGUS
Richard & Joyce Lorenz
(403)728-3285 R.R. #1, Markerville, Alberta T0M 1M0
LAKEFORD ANGUS
Dwayne & Joanne Emery (780) 674-4410 REGISTERED ANGUS P.O. Box 31, Camp Creek, Alberta T0G 0L0
Dave & Jean Prichard 780-385-2226 Dan & Shelley Prichard Ph/Fax: 780-385-2298 lakeford@telusplanet.net Killam, Alberta Doug Noad 403-660-8371
“Visitor’s Welcome”
MINBURN ANGUS
Breeding 150 Functional Black Angus Females Since 1945
Ron & Laurie Hunter & family “Quality Registered & Commercial Stock”
RR 2 Didsbury, AB T0M 0W0
Danny & Conna Warrilow Bill & Barbara Warrilow Ph/Fax: (780) 593-2205 (780) 593-2208 P.O. BOX 39, MINBURN, ALBERTA T0B 3B0
(403)335-9112
F RR A N C H BAR
“RANCH RAISED BALANCED PERFORMANCE CATTLE” Angus
Murray and Gloria Fraser 403-787-2341
Box 32, Hussar, Alberta TOJ 1SO
Horned Hereford
Cam and Kim Fraser 403-787-2165
Fleming Stock Farms
Box 1, Granum, Alberta T0L 1A0 Ph: 403/687-2288 Fax: 403/687-2088 flemingangus@xplornet.com
Duncan, Cecilie, Cooper & Ricki Fleming “Quality goes in before the name goes on”
LEEUWENBURGH ANGUS REGISTERED RED & BLACK ANGUS
Willard Leeuwenburgh Home: 403-381-3191 Cell: 403-382-1990 Fax: 403-381-9093
Jack Leeuwenburgh Home: 403-327-9618 Cell: 403-330-6123 Fax: 403-327-9629
Box 25, Lethbridge, AB T1J 3Y3 leeuwenburghredangus@telusplanet.net
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Registered & Commercial Red Angus
B
C A R D
OW HBILLS RANC B N I H RA V
THISTLE RIDGE RANCH
WARREN BECK
Ben & Carol Tams
Box 610, Delburne, Alberta T0M 0V0 (403)749-2953 email: wrbeck120@gmail.com
P.O. Box 4205, Taber, Alberta T1G 2C7 Phone/Fax: (403)223-4118
S E C T I O N
Red
SPRUCE VIEW ANGUS RANCH
TR
IPLE
Lassiter Brothers
X Angus
Box 763, Bassano, Alberta T0J 0B0 Ph: 403/641-4467 ~ Fax:403/6412355 xxxangus@telusplanet.net
Spring Bull Sale ● Female (Private Treaty) ● Embryos Using A.I. program & Embryo transfer to raise well balanced cattle.
Wayne Grant
Stauffer Ranches P.O. Box 174, Killam, Alberta (780)385-2216
S
Stacey & Michel Stauffer
V
Ring 403.627.2511 Fax 403.627.2650 Box 2377, Pincher Creek, Alberta T0K 1W0
RIVERBEND FARM LTD. Bud, Barb & John McBride Box 51, Benalto, Alberta T0M 0H0 Phone: (403)746-2555 / Phone/Fax: (403)746-2630
Stoneydale BLACK ANGUS
Ken & Sharon Chitwood
Ph:(403)948-3094 Fax: (403)948-6329 R.R. #2, Airdrie, AB T4B 2A4
Premium Quality Since 1972
Glen, Dale, Wayne & Terry Elliott
Ph/Fax: (403)832-3774 l Ph: (403)832-3112 P.O. Box 113 Seven Persons, AB T0K 1Z0
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W
m
Park F w ar o ill Purebred Black Angus since 1920
Jim & Betty Richardson (403)224-3286
Box 32, Bowden, AB T0M 0K0
Double AA Angus Bill Dillabaugh
P.O. Box 91, Coleville, SK S0L 0K0 (306) 965-2554
C A R D
Annual Rancher’s Choice Spring Bull Sale
D TO BRE HAT’S T D E BRE THE
(306) 567-4702
Ranches Inc.
R ED ANG US
D REE SSB CRO
Jon & Shelly Fox
Doug & Lynn McIvor
P.O. Box 320 Lloydminster, SK S9V 0Y2 www.justamereranches.com
Box 688, Davidson, SK S0G 1A0
Phone: 306-825-9702 Fax: 306-825-9782 Res: 306-825-9624 Email: justamere@sasktel.net
Jim & Peggy Grant P.O. Box 220, Edam, SK S0M 0V0 (306)397-2541
D CATTLE CREEK
F
RANCHING LTD. David Flundra
Purebred Red Angus Bulls, Females & Commercial Cattle
P.O. Box 1453, Medicine Hat, AB T1A 7N4
16 km east of Walsh, Alberta
Tel: (306)662-2449 Fax: (306)662-2556
Cell: (403)502-4776 cattle.creek@xplornet.com
Flying K Ranch Registered Red Angus Since 1972
Brian & Christine Hanel Box 1902, Swift Current, SK S9H 4M6 (306)773-6313 email: chanel@t2.net
Donna Hanel
R.R. #1, Wymark, SK S0N 2Y0 Ph/Fax: (306)773-6984
10 miles south of Swift Current on Hwy #4 & 8 miles west
Wes & Kim Olynyk (306)876-4420 Irene Olynyk (306)876-4400 Annual Bull Sale First Saturday in April Box 192, Goodeve, SK S0A 1C0
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NBERRY CREE A K ANGUS CR
David & Jeanette Neufeld 204/534-2380
Box 171, Boissevain Manitoba R0K 0E0
ANGUS
Ian Gross
P.O. Box 29, Rush Lake, Saskatchewan S0H 3S0 ● (306)773-6873
Z RED ANGU A R Phil Birnie S W Box 461, Wawota, SK S0G 5A0
C A R D S E C T I O N
Ph: 306/739-2988 ~ Fax: 306/739-2137 ~ Cell: 306/577-7440 email: wraz@sasktel.net Red Angus Bulls & Females For Sale ~ Commercial Heifers “Raising Quality Cattle To Work For You”
Herdsman: Gordon Murray 306/739-2177 - cell: 306/646-7980
Y YOUNG DALE D
ANGUS FARM
Keith, Linda & Stacey Kaufmann 306/454-2730
Barry & Marj Young & Family
Shane, Alexis,
Keaton, Kamrie, Kohen Registered & Korbyn Kaufmann 306/454-2688 Red & Black Angus www.southviewranch.com P.O. Box 130, Ceylon, SK S0C 0T0 ● Fax: (306)454-2643 ● svr@sasktel.net
SPLENDORVIEW ANGUS FARM
Box 28, Carievale, SK S0C 0P0 (306) 928-4810 youngdaleangus@xplornet.com
John Gottfried & Family
P.O. Box 183, Luseland, SK S0L 2A0
(306) 834-2844
Luseland - .5 mile W, 12 Miles S & .25 mile W. Kerrobert - 12 miles W, Hwy# 51, .5 mile N, .25 mile W
WRed il-Sel Angus
Black & Red Angus
Bruce, Ione Austen & Breanna Anderson
BROOKMORE ANGUS
204.734.2073 - 204.734.0730 Comp 2 R.R.# 2, Swan River, MB R0L 1Z0 www.andersoncattle.ca - andersoncattle@inethome.ca
Est: 1980
Doreen 306/642-3081 306/642-3448 Fax Corbin, Lynette, Cole & Conner 306/263-4407 The Selody’s ~ P.O Box 266, Assiniboia, SK S0H 0B0
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Quality Angus Cattle
Visitors Always Welcome
Barb Hart
General Delivery, Brookdale, Manitoba R0K 0G0 (204) 476-2607
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H “T
E
CE UR SO
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Don & Jeannette Currie
R.R. #1, Nottawa, Ontario L0M 1P0 Ph/Fax: (705)445-1526
Rideau Angus (613)258-2762 Farm R.R. #4, Kemptville, ON K0G 1J0 D & C Cattle Co Doug & Carolyn Milne-Smith
T ULL AM ORE FA R M S
BILL & SYLVIA JACKSON
12201 TORBRAM RD, CALEDON. ONTARIO L7C 2T4 * (905)843-1236
Rob & Sandy Foubert
613/258-1062 rfoubert@dct.ca 4373 Rideau River Road, Kemptville, ON K0G 1J0
Events Calendar October 7 Shades of Autumn Sale Houston, BC October 14 Brylor ‘Tradition with a Vision’ Sale Pincher Creek, AB October 14 British Columbia Elite Angus Sale Prince George, BC October 14 Blue Water Angus Sale Hanover, ON October 20 - 21 Red Roundup Red Deer, AB October 25 Chinook Classic Sale Taber, AB November 1 - 4 Saskatchewan Angus Gold Show Lloydminster, SK November 3 Bar 4A Dispersal Sale Innisfail, AB November 4 Nelson Hirsche Purebreds Sale Del Bonita, AB
November 4 Manitoba Angus Annual General Meeting Neepawa, MB November 5 Royal Agricultural Winter Fair Angus Show Toronto, ON November 8 - 9 Northlands Farmfair & Beeftech Edmonton, AB November 22 Masterpiece Sale Regina, SK November 23 Agribition Angus Shows Regina, SK November 24 Power and Perfection Sale Regina, SK December 2 Gemvale Red Angus Dispersal Dawson Creek, BC December 2 British Connection Bull Sale Lethbridge, AB December 2 Manitoba Angus Keystone Klassic Sale
Brandon, MB December 4 Frontline Female Sale Moose Jaw, SK December 6 Cudlobe Angus Bull Sale Stavely, AB December 7 Genetic Focus Sale Regina, SK December 8 66 Ranch Fall Bull & Female Sale Fort Macleod, AB December 8 Touch of Class Sale Saskatoon, SK December 9 Atlasta Angus Bull & Seriously Black Sale Sylvan Lake, AB December 9 Pride of the Prairies Sale Saskatoon, SK December 9 Mulberry Mayheim Sale Saskatoon, SK December 9
Pride of the Prairies Sale Saskatoon, SK December 14 Form & Function Sale Lloyminster, SK December 16 Angus Collection Sale Olds, AB
Harvest Angus ................................. 15 Heart of the Valley Angus ................ 15 Johnston Angus ................................. 4 JPM Farms ...................................... 24 JT Livestock ..................................... 23 Kenray Red Angus ............................ 8 Lorenz Angus .................................... 11 Marberly Angus ............................. 23 Masterpiece Sale ................................ 25 Merit Cattle Co ............................. IBC Mulberry Mayheim Sale ................... 29
Nelson Hirsche Purebreds ................ 19 Northlands Agriculture ............... 36, 37 Ole Farms ....................................... 18 Poplar Meadows Angus .................... 23 Red Moon Angus ............................ 23 Schochaneetqua Angus .................... 15 Southern Alberta Angus Club ......... 30 Touch of Class Sale ............................ 28 Willie Waldner Panels ....................... 4 WRAZ Red Angus ........................ 8 ,9
2018 March 16 - 18 Cody Sibbald Legacy Classic Medicine Hat, AB March 28 Hamilton Farms Bull & Female Sale Cochrane, AB April 7 66 Ranch 7th Annual Bull Sale Fort Macleod, AB
Ad Index 66 Ranches ...................................... 12 Atlasta Angus ................................ 4, 17 Bar 4A Cattle Co ............................. 33 Belvin Angus .............................. OBC BJ Cattle Co ..................................... 35 Blairs.Ag Cattle Co ......................... 13 Blast Angus ................................................ 23 British Columbia Elite Angus Sale ........ 15 British Connection Bull Sale ............ 35 Brylor Ranch ................................. IFC Castlerock Marketing ...................... 21
Canyon Tree Farms .......................... 23 Chinook Classic Sale ......................... 30 Cody Sibbald Legacy Classic ............ 39 Cudlobe Angus ............................. 1, 40 Form & Function Sale ..................... 31 Fraser Farms .................................... 16 Frontline Sale ..................................... 27 Gemvale Stock Farm ........................ 32 Glen Islay Angus ............................... 5 Glennie Brothers Angus .................. 20 Hamilton Farms ............................... 3
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