C A N A D I A N
H E R E F O R D
D I G E S T
hereford horizons
By Jacob Onyschuk As we move into the second half of the year, with the fall shows and production sales coming our way, I want first, to look back on the start of this year and the busy bull selling season. From early February to late April, I attended bull sales with a bit more experience than I did in my first year. I survived the elements with a trusty heated jacket and travelled with many layers, knowing how unpredictable the weather can be and that power outages are sometimes part of that reality. Bull sales were largely good. But some struggle was apparent and those struggles seem to signal the beginnings of a flooded market, common across the industry. The decision to keep bulls is done well in advance of any market signal. But when sales go well, breeders can be tempted to keep back a few extra bulls for the following season. When multiple breeders decide to do the same, bulls on the market can quickly surpass the number of cows needing their service. What also happens is that the more breeders focus on selling additional bulls, the more the overall bull quality hurts and the more price averages are dragged down. The success of bull sales in
This past bull sale season, I noticed that the breeders who kept their bull numbers stable were those who had some of the most successful sales to attend. When you produce a consistent quantity with increasing quality, it becomes natural for the demand of your product to increase. other breeds also contributes to the same cycle, flooding the market in which demand hasn’t changed, diminishing overall average bull values as a result. The Canadian cowherd, as a whole, is not growing. While our cowherd has not shrunk in the past three years, neither has it grown. This is just food for thought. A relatively stagnant cowherd suggests that the number of bulls needed, yearto-year, isn’t going to increase too significantly. More bulls on the market is great for bargain hunters but not great for the breed or the industry. This past bull sale season, I noticed that the breeders who kept their bull numbers stable were those who had some of the most successful sales to attend. When you produce a consistent quantity with increasing quality, it becomes natural for the demand of your product to increase. 26
DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, THE CANADIAN HEREFORD ASSOCIATION
Now with an eye on the upcoming fall show season, let’s focus on promotion. Before the October issue of the Canadian Hereford Digest comes out in the mail, the deadline to enter many of the major fall shows will have passed. But I’d like to emphasize the importance of getting out to these shows as a way of being seen by fellow breeders and commercial cattlemen alike, to demonstrate the breed’s strengths and positive changes from year to year. I believe there is power in numbers and there are a lot of good things happening in the Hereford world these days. If you would like to learn more about promoting your herd differently, feel free to reach out and we can discuss what opportunities there are and how you can capitalize on them. Growing your operation and making the Hereford breed even more prominent in commercial operations is my goal. I have enjoyed meeting people over the last year and look forward to making more connections for those wanting to introduce or re-introduce Herefords into their herds. As always, your comments are welcomed. I am just a phone call away. Until next time…