The Gelbvieh Guide Spring 2023

Canadian Board of Directors

PRESIDENT

Eddie Marsman

25032 Twp. RD 274

Red Deer County AB T0M 0V0 403-588-1400 eddie@hillsdowncontractingltd.onmicrosoft.com

VICE PRESIDENT

Bev Milne Box 1573 Fairview AB T0H 1L0 780-835-2645 milneranch@live.ca

PAST PRESIDENT

James Jasper Box 24

Hartney MB R0M 0X0 431-740-5443 jsjlivestock2007@gmail.com

DIRECTORS

Don Okell Box 627

Duchess AB T0J 0Z0 403-378-4898 jenty@eidnet.org

Cody Congdon Box 366

Bashaw AB T0B 0H0 403-350-5791 rockytopgelbvieh@hotmail.com

Kirk Hurlburt Box 3 Site 206 RR2 Saskatoon SK S7K 3J5 306-222-8210 hurlburtlivestock@sasktel.net

Duncan Pearson Box 589

Calmar AB T0C 0V0 780-220-5730 pearsongrainandcattle@gmail.com

Cody Girling

515 6th AVE

Dunmore AB T1B 0J9 403-928-1923 cgirling1983@gmail.com

Gelbvieh Association of AB/BC Reps

President

Darrell Hickman

RR #1 Sundre AB T0M 1X0 780-581-4510 darrell.ddhickman@gmail.com

Secretary Olivia Koziak RR #1 Star AB T0B 4E0 780-835-0264 koziaklandandcattle@gmail.com

ManSask Gelbvieh Association Reps

President

Ian Thackeray

Box 1002 Weyburn SK S4H 2L0 306-861-7687 tgfis@sasktel.net

Secretary

Cynthia Wirgau

Box 25 Narcisse MB R0C 2H0 204-278-3255 maplegrovegelbvieh@gmail.com

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The Gelbvieh Guide is mailed out to purchasers of Gelbvieh cattle when registration certificates are transfered; the seller of the animal for a registration certificate when you purchase a Gelbvieh animal.

To be added to our mailing list contact the CGA office. Domestic subscription is $26.25 and International subscription is $50.00.

Canadian Gelbvieh Association gelbvieh@gelbvieh.ca 403-250-8640

President’s Message

Time to introduce myself as your newly elected president of the Canadian Gelbvieh Association. My name is Eddie Marsman, most of you knew me as one half of Hillsdown Gelbvieh. As you are reading this, most of you will already be waist deep in calving season, but at the time of writing this, it’s right in between Christmas and New Year’s. So I’ll take a chance on being a bit late, but I would like to wish all the members a happy and prosperous New Year. May your pastures be green, moisture plentiful and your calves growing like weeds.

A few words about myself. What a rollercoaster year it has been for me. We had our herd dispersal in October of 2021. I would like to use this platform to thank everyone involved to make the sale a tremendous success. As most of you know, Wanda passed away on January 8th, 2022, and this sale certainly put a crown of achievement on her efforts over the years. After her passing, I had some time to reflect on how to proceed from here. All things being equal, that decision was actually very easy. It was time to start rebuilding the Hillsdown herd. I really love this breed, the breeders involved, and all the commercial breeders using Gelbvieh genetics to their full advantage.

The fall show and sale season got in full swing very quickly. I was able to take in a few events myself, including the junior show in Stettler, and what I saw made my heart swell with pride over this breed of cattle and the people involved. Both Farmfair and Agribition were outstanding events for the breed, along with a number of very successful sale events. What a great time to be

involved in Gelbvieh!

So with bull sale season coming up fast, I would recommend to sit down when you have a moment, sort through all the catalogs, and pick the bull that will propel your program forward. Don’t hesitate to contact the breeder of the bull of your consideration; they’ll be more than happy to answer any question you might have. Gelbvieh is a great breed of cattle, but it’s the people behind the breed that make this happen. Gelbvieh just happens to have an abundancy of tremendous breeders that would love to help you out purchasing your next herd sire.

Also, I would like to bring to your attention the ongoing work on the Female Foundation Project. Sarah already did a story on this, but it wouldn’t hurt to direct your attention toward this innovative project to get more insight and hard data on our breed. It’ll greatly benefit all breeders currently involved in the breed, and if you would like more information or to be a part of it, don’t hesitate to give Sarah or myself a call. We’ll be happy to answer any questions you might have.

In closing, I would like to express my gratitude in being your elected president, and on behalf of Sue and myself, have a great New Year, and hopefully our paths will cross at one of the many Gelbvieh events.

Eddie Marsman

50th anniversary celebration banquet, Regina SK

ManSask booth at Agribition celebrating the CGA’s 50th Anniversary

Office Report

Sarah Van Schothorst

The 50th anniversary celebrations came to a close with the celebratory banquet held during Agribition in Regina, SK. We were able to honour some of the 2022 Hall of Fame Inductees. CGA Fundraiser items including limited edition numbered history books and belt buckles were auctioned off. A fundraiser draw was held where participants could purchase tickets for the chance to win history book #50. The proceeds are going to CGA member Ron Whalen from O’Faelan farms to assist with rebuilding his opperation after it was devestated by hurricane Fiona. A total of $7900 was raised. We also honoured all of the past CGA presidents with wooden picture frames.

Thank you to the ManSask Association for their efforts in making this event a great success.

DNA turnaroud times have been longer than normal but now that the lab has caught up from the holiday delays, turnaround times are 21 days.

Over the past few months 1100 females have been enrolled in the Female Foundation project. The CGA has started the process of applying for funding with Livestock Gentec. Hopefully come fall we will have successfully recruited a PhD student and start data collection on farm. We will be hosting webinars as well, as soon as funding is secured and look forward to enrolling any other interested members. The main objectives for the project are as follows:

1. Examine different measures and methodologies of assessing docility

2. Examine the interrelationships of various traits, including docility on profit drivers such as mothering ability, calf survival, rebreeding success, longevity and carcass characteristics.

3. Develop an interrelationship matrix that can be used in the creation of a maternal selection index which includes the influence of docility.

The CGA also thanked and honoured Gail Anderson from Bar GR Gelbvieh, High Prairie AB for her contributions to the 50th Anniversary history book and presented her with Limited Edition #1 History book.

Hoping everyone has a successful calving season. Looking forward to the next 50 years of Gelbvieh in Canada.

Back L to R: Ian Thackeray, James Jasper, Darrell Hickman, Neil Overby, Aaron Birch

Front L to R: Greg Targerson, Lee Wirgau, Vern Davidson

CGA presidnet James Jasper presented Gail with her history book

Gelbvieh Association of AB/BC News

Darrell Hickman

I hope this finds everyone enjoying a reprieve from the weather, and some initial excitement with new calves potentially! The new year is always a time of excitement, and refreshed enthusiasm as the cycles start anew. Looking back, 2022 was definitely a memorable year! The incredible effort, engagement, and support shown by our breeders to celebrate the 50th Anniversary, the Fall shows and sales, and the National Junior Show were simply outstanding! I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their support in these ventures and showcasing our best foot forward! The upcoming months are a prime opportunity

to continue the showcase and capture a larger percent of the market share. I would encourage each of you, to make the effort to attend and view the sale bulls of fellow breeders either at home or at the sale itself. The ability to view the offering of new genetic opportunities with your own eyes is both exciting and humbling. The networking and support shown to others are a strength of this breed and something we need to continue for the next 50 years. I wish each of you a great start to 2023, and encourage you to engage, attend and support breed functions as much as possible!

GAABC Breeders of the Year

Congratulations to BNH Livestock, the GAABC purebred breeder of the year for 2022.

Left to Right: Lincoln, Kaden, Brad, Nicole, Austin, Colby Hollman

Congratulations to George Simpson, the GAABC commercial breeder of the year for 2022. Award being accepted by Darren Dunford (right) from Jessica Pearson and Darrell Hickman, GAABC president

ManSask Gelbvieh Association News

Cynthia Wirgau

It was great to get back to normalcy in 2022. The 50th Anniversary celebrations were held across Western Canada. The juniors were able to have a great summer show in Stettler, Alberta. Fairs and sales were back to having lots of participants.

The Association AGM was held in Moose Jaw on Dec 10, 2022. We would like to thank Dean Hurlburt for his time and effort while on the board. We would like to welcome Neil Overby to the board. Lots of discussion was held during the AGM , and we look forward to seeing some changes in the near future. Please feel free to get in touch with any director if you have any concerns, or want to be involved with a committee. Thank you to everyone that supported the fun auction!

The National Gelbvieh & Balancer show was held at Agribition. We saw just under 80 entries from 14 Exhibitors coming from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and Washington. We had 2 new exhibitors this year!

Thank you to Blair Bentz for being our barn boss. A pizza party after the show, once again hosted by the Man/Sask Gelbvieh Association was well attended and much appreciated! The sale had 9 lots and was held in conjunction with the banquet.

The Association would like to thank Overby Stock Farm for graciously donating a heifer this year. Tickets sales brought in $7170. The heifer was won by Maple Grove Gelbvieh. They then sold her with half profit going to Man Sask Gelbvieh, and half to the CGA. She sold to Thackeray Land & Cattle for $2100, then resold to Manns for $2250. A total of $11,520 brought in. Overby Stock Farm also hosted our field day this past summer. Thanks again Neil and Deanne for supper and tours.

This year the Association sponsored various junior events including Manitoba Youth Beef Roundup, Saskatoon Beef Expo, Yorkton Spring Steer & Heifer show, Ogema Spring Classic, Swift Current Junior Stockmen’s Livestock Show and the National Junior show in Stettler. 36 tokens were also distributed to 4-H members showcasing Gelbvieh animals. They received a hoodie with “I love my Gelbvieh” on the back. Junior Activities were held at Agribition. There were 18 participants participating in Art, Showmanship, Team Grooming, and Junior Beef Extreme. Congratulations to all Juniors and Thank you to Davidson Gelbvieh and Bar GR Gelbvieh for your donation.

Wishing you all the best in the New Year!! Good luck with calving and your upcoming bull sales.

Left to Right: Maureen Tubman, Eileen Davidson, Ryan Zalinko, Vice President Braylen Blake, Secretary/Treasurer Cynthia Wirgau, President Ian Thackeray. Missing Neil Overby and Brett Spray

ManSask Breeders of the Year

This year we had 42 members and 7 entries in the Sweetheart Gelbvieh Classic.

Exhibitors were Ledgerwood Gelbvieh, Davidson Gelbvieh, Maple Grove Gelbvieh, Fladeland Livestock, Hurlburt Livestock, Thackeray Land & Cattle, and Goodview Gelbvieh.

Members voted during the show. The final member drawn Braylen Blake selected the entry from Ledgerwood Gelbvieh JLSL Ledgerwood Kadance 216K before the Champion Female Drive. Ledgerwood went home with $11,970.

The People’s Choice entry from Hurlburt Livestock HL Miss Kelsey 207K won $1330.

There were 6 drawdown prizes donated by Man Sask Gelbvieh Assoc and Canadian Gelbvieh Association.

Thank you to everyone that participated and Leigh Ann Hurlburt and Jackie Zalinko for tabulating points.

Congratulations to JSJ Livestock, the ManSask Purebred breeder of the year in 2022.

Left to Right: Shayla, Louelle, James, and Aidan Jasper

Congratulations to Harvey and Sharon Hlevka, the ManSask Commercial breeder of the year in 2022.

CBBC Report: Elevating the Importance of Genetics in Beef Production

Sandy Russell, CEO

2022 was an extremely busy and exciting year for the Canadian Beef Breeds Council as we worked to focus on our key priorities for the organization and ultimately drive value for our members by advancing the importance of genetics within the Canadian beef industry. We were thrilled to see a large number of our members, industry partners and stakeholders gather for our Annual General Meeting on November 28 at Canadian Western Agribition in Regina where we were able to reflect on the progress that had been made and look forward to the opportunities that lie ahead.

At our 2021 Annual General Meeting we outlined four key priority areas for CBBC. Those priorities were:

1. Strengthening the financial standing of CBBC long term;

2. Advancing membership value and growth;

3. Elevating industry engagement; and

4. Driving the Canadian Beef Improvement Network (CBIN)

We have worked hard to deliver tangible results in relation to these key priority areas and were pleased to report our achievements in relation to these priorities and acknowledged the work that still lies ahead. Along with the traditional reports, we were able to showcase the progress made on the CBIN initiative and have Dr. Steve Miller, Director of AGBU from Australia provide a thought-provoking presentation reminding us of the value of genetics in beef cattle production to a large room of CBBC members and industry stakeholders.

During the AGM the CBBC members also confirmed their support for the current focus of our leadership on the aforementioned priorities and the work being done to achieve results for the membership by re-electing the Board of Directors for 2023. As a result, we are pleased to report that our 2023 CBBC Board of Directors are as follows: David Sibbald - Chair, Marlin Leblanc – Co-Vice Chair, Shawn Wilson – Co-Vice Chair, Kevin Blair, Ken Friesen, Amanda Matthews, Graham McLean, Rod McLeod, Hal Nixdorff, Scott Severtson, Dennis Serhienko, and Brett Wildman.

Throughout the past year these directors have provided invaluable direction and considerable time to achieving the vision of CBBC and its initiatives. I look forward to continuing to work with this diverse group of leaders in the industry to achieve further outcomes for our members and continue to elevate the recognition of the role that genetic advancement plays in the overall success of the Canadian beef industry.

Throughout the past year, the CBIN initiative has been the focus of much of our work and continues to advance rapidly. As we have outlined on several occasions, the following four-step development plan for CBIN remains our overarching goal:

1. Build the Data Foundation: Build an operational system

that will standardize data collection amongst participating Breed Associations;

2. Facilitate Data Linkages: Develop a cross-sector genetic data hub that will facilitate linkages of genetic data to traditional production metric;

3. Translate Data: Create the analytical resources to assist in the translation of genetic data into informed decisions that allow increased value capture from conception to consumption;

4. Drive Adoption: Advance the understanding of the value of genetic data incorporation and resource utilization across the entire beef production system. With this broad vision in mind, we will be able to provide genetic information and analytical tools that will help capture the full value of genetics across the entire beef production chain.

Those in attendance at our AGM were able to see first-hand the new registry portal that is being developed. The new system was met with very positive feedback, much excitement for what has been accomplished through the collaborative effort and hard work of many and anticipation for the opportunities that the system will provide for our members. With the first stage of development advancing, we are shifting our focus to facilitating the data linkages that will truly capture value across the entire industry. The leadership from within our CBIN Advisory Panel, along with our CBBC Board of Directors continues to drive for success through focused advancements in CBIN. While we know the task ahead is large and there will be bumps in the road along the way, collectively we continue to make strides forward in achieving that broad vision.

Often it feels as though there isn’t much we can control in the beef industry but with the right information and resources there are things within our control that will generate increased value within our individual businesses and at the broader industry level. Genetic selection decisions are one of those things. The importance of genetics in the beef business has often been minimized or even forgotten altogether at times but CBBC has worked hard recently to shift the conversation and raise the awareness of the value that genetics offers to our industry. While changes and advancements seldom occur overnight, we hope you have started to see some of the fruits of our labour with genetics being discussed around more tables and being part of the solutions for success in the Canadian beef industry. The seedstock sector has a large role to play in driving value in beef production and through the collaborative effort of CBIN we are collectively building the resources to allow the Canadian beef industry to fully capture the value of genetics. The work ahead is substantial but so too are the opportunities. CBBC members, stakeholders and members believe the reward is worth the investment.

In honour of the Canadian Gelbvieh Association 50th anniversary, 14 Gelbvieh members, past or present, were inducted into the Hall of Fame; Bar GR Gelbvieh (Ron & Gail Anderson), Chautauqua Farms (Bruce & Lucille Akitt), Gold Dust Gelbvieh (Steve & Vera Denecky), Fred Gust, Byron Palmer, Cliff Suntjens, Twin Star Cattle Co. (Kurt & Frances Walz), Whiskey Hill Gelbvieh (Bill & Kaye James), Triangle T Gelbvieh (Greg Targerson), Harvey McLachlan, Thistledown Farm (Jim Irwin), Mountain View Farms (Doug Anderson), Pandiana Farms (Diane Panrucker), and Bax Slemp.

The last presentations honouring the inductees were made at the 50th anniversary celebratory banquet during Agribition in Regina SK.

Triangle T Gelbvieh, Greg Targerson

Greg was involved in the Gelbvieh breed in the early years using semen from early import bulls. Throughout the 1970’s and 1980’s Greg had many Grand Champions at both Farmfair and Agribition. He mainly marketed his animals through private treaty until he partnered up with Davidsons Gelbvieh from 1990 to 1997. He then had his own Triangle T Gelbvieh Production sale until 2002. In 1997 the CGA introduced the Dams of Distinction award. HCG Triangle T Miss 46W was one of the two cows who were given this award the first year. Greg served on the CGA board from 1992 to 1998 inclusive and was president of the CGA in 1997. Greg was chairman of the World Gelbvieh Conference committee in 1996. Greg also served on the ManSask board for many years. In 1987 Greg was quoted in the World of Beef saying “The dual purpose nature is a strong asset for Gelbvieh. They are fairly easy keeping animals as well as showing sound maternal and carcass characteristics, but the docile temperament is their best trait.”

Chautauqua Farms, Bruce & Lucille Akitt

Bruce and Lucille Akitt, from Chautauqua Farms ran their Gelbvieh operation near High River AB. With herd letters BJL they registered 238 animals starting in 1976 until 1999. They started out using artificial insemination with semen from early import bulls and continued growing the herd by purchasing percentage and purebred females. Bruce and Lucille were instrumental in promoting the Gelbvieh breed in Alberta at the Calgary Stampede, Calgary Round-up, and Farmfair. They represented the Alberta Gelbvieh producers at the Iowa State fair as part of Alberta Agriculture promotional program. Bruce and Lucille organized Gelbvieh days at the High River Fall fair. In 1977 Bruce was elected on the GAA board as the 4-H chairman and he became president in 1978-1980. He was on the board again in 1984 and 1985 as treasurer. Bruce went on the board again for another two year term in 1993. Sadly Bruce passed away unexpectedly in 2020 at the age of 72. Lucille has downsized the herd but still uses Gelbvieh bulls to this day.

Sarah Van Schothorst

Greg Targerson (left) and Lucille Akitt (right) receiving their honour roll award, a 50th anniversary set of steak knives from CGA president James Jasper

Mountain View Farms (Doug & Bernice Anderson)

Doug Anderson from Mountain View Farms was on the first CGA board in 1973-1974 and served again in 19941995. His son Bruce was also on the board from 1989 to 1991 and was the director in charge of the Gelbvieh Guide. With his family they built up their purebred Gelbvieh herd through AI and early embryo transfer. They imported a couple of females, Burka and Frater’s Golden Lady, directly from Germany. From 1979 to 1994 the Anderson family had many show successes at Farmfair, Agribition, The American Royal in Kansas City, Western Stock Show in Denver, Black Hills Stock Show, Iowa Beef Expo. Doug also had many top bulls at the Manitoba test centre. Over the years they tried to produce cattle that were in demand at the time but performance was always an important focus. By 1995 Mountain View Farms had been raising Gelbvieh for over 20 years but they made the difficult decision to disperse their herd and focus on their purebred Angus herd that they had been raising for over 60 years. The CGA would like to thank Austen for coming to the banquet and accepting the award in honour of his grandfather.

Complete histories for all of our hall of fame inductees are in the Canadian Gelbvieh Association 50th anniversary history book. We have also highlighted all of the previous inductees in this book.

Austen Anderson (right) accepting the honour roll award in honour of his grandfather Doug Anderson from CGA president James Jasper

Junior Scholarship Application

A previous scholarship recipient Avary Hickman (left) with a future junior; her cousin Sophia Koziak

Alleviating the Common Pitfalls of Semen Evaluating

Roy Lewis, DVM

In the past 40 plus years semen evaluating bulls I have come across many tricks of the trade to make this procedure run very smoothly. This article will hopefully give your local veterinarian as well as purebred breeders and commercial cattleman some tips to use at semen checking time.

Every situation is different and every set of bulls somewhat unique so most of these points involve commonsense and casual observations I have made over the years.

A common dilemma is bulls, which are hard to stimulate and collect an adequate semen sample from. More often than not the rectal probe is too small and there is not enough contact made between the probe and the urethral muscles. This is especially true in very large herd bulls. You can increase contact by lifting up on the back of the probe as the bull is being stimulated. This pushes down the front of the probe increasing the contact and initiates better stimulation. The percentage, which will protrude, also increases. This is very important as visualization of the penis detects problems such as warts, cuts or frenulum’s (tie backs) and these conditions can then be addressed. There are still a very small percentage of bulls refractory to the electro ejaculator. Bulls still unable to be stimulated it may be worth it to put the effort into another collection technique. This would involve having the bull breed a cow in heat with your veterinarian present. The cow can then be run in and the semen sucked out of her vagina using a sterile pipette and examined. This semen will be mixed with the cows vaginal mucous so the motility will be slowed a bit when your veterinarian examines it. Generally if a bull is hard to collect or refractory to the electro ejaculator this problem will repeat itself in subsequent years so mark that down on the semen form.

Bulls going down in the chute is a common problem especially with real quiet show type bulls so often leaving their heads free with not much squeeze restraint put on them may help in this regard. Tieing their head up with a halter may also accomplish keeping them up. A bar or post placed behind the bull is enough to keep them ahead and often the bulls will stay up long enough to collect a sample. This is especially true of large herd bulls. Confinement in a sturdy alley may be easier than trying to hold their heads in a headcatch.

Dayspring Cattle Co., Lacombe County, AB

As a safety with mature bulls, I will often have a bar behind them in case they get their head free. In hydraulic chutes I leave the back door slightly closed so if they pull their head free, they wont back over me. I find certain breeds such as Angus & Simmental to be very easy to stimulate and one must watch to not overstimulate them or do it too quickly. The ejaculators with automatic programs may need to be put on manual so the stimulation can be gradually increased. This is where observing and using ones experience will yield great benefits on the successful collection of a semen sample. If bulls don’t protrude their penis they are difficult to stimulate. However many of these bulls will ejaculate in the sheath and the semen can be milked out by ending stimulation and massaging the sheath and collecting the semen when it runs out. These bulls will have to be observed at their first breeding to make sure there is no physical impairment to the penis extending or your vet may tranquilize them to make sure they will protrude the penis.

On rare occasions bulls will consistently urinate in the sample. These bulls I have found with some rest (say one hour) followed by quick stimulation will often result in a successful collection. Again the bulls, which are urinators, will often repeat this same trick in subsequent years as well so mark it down on the semen test form.

Stagnant semen (high percentage of dead sperm) can be present in bulls in winter and at other times when they are not actively ejaculating. In pens of bulls it is definitely more common in the more mature bulls. With pecking order the most dominant bulls and least dominant bulls seem to have the greatest incidence of this condition. My theory is the most dominant bulls have nothing to prove so don’t ride and the least dominant bulls are the ones being ridden. In each case ejaculation does not occur and the semen becomes stagnant and dead. These bulls may need to be ejaculated two to three times in succession to get this old semen out of their system. Subsequent sample quality should improve drastically if this was the only problem. Veterinarians can often tell by the type of morphologic defects (sperm cell defects) if the sample is stagnant or not but have to retest if the defects are too high. A good management procedure is to have cycling cows close by before semen testing, as this will get the bulls active.

Because of the very minute amount of electricity required to stimulate bulls any disruption in this low current flow will cause the stimulation process to fail.

It is very important that the equipment be maintained and the electrical ends be replaced as they become worn. The contact points must be cleaned and a smooth stimulation will result.

Semen collection is as much an art as a science. An experienced veterinarian will use all this knowledge to insure as successful an evaluation as possible. Bulls will still fail because they should but we want to insure that no outside forces will make a fair evaluation impossible. Certain failure issues warrant a retest especially if the main complaint was stagnant semen. Work closely with your veterinarian to make sure this years semen evalation goes smoothly and never hesitate to look ahead for the weather report.

Ron Sebastian Pulls the CGA to the end of the 50th Anniversary in 2022

The Canadian Gelbvieh Association was proud to sponsor Ron Sebastian and his team Cap and Jeff from Lumsden, SK in the heavy horse pull competition at Canadian Western Agribition, Regina SK in November 2022.

Ron and his wife Marg are first generation farmers that got their start in Lumsden, SK with the purchase of their first quarter in 1973. Together they raised their three children Ryan, Janine, and Gina working hard to expand their operation to what it is today paying as they went. For many years Marg worked in the city as a telephone operator or running the cash office at Sears. Ron always worked on the farm and they coordinated their jobs so that one of them could look after the kids during the day.

Ron and Marg have 250 to 350 commercial cows that they run on 22 quarters of pasture land spread out up to 80 miles away from home. The cow herd is made up of Gelbvieh cross and Simmental cross females on a Hereford base. Most of the cows have the white face. He likes to get the brockle face cows and as many goggle eyes as he can. Ron explained “I like the udder formation, milking ability, and moderate frame size that the Gelbvieh breed brings.” Ron trys to keep his average cow size at 1450lbs ranging from 1400lbs to 1500lbs. He breeds his females to Charolais bulls to get buckskin calves that have been getting a market premium. As he starts to slow down he has been trying to keep the herd down at 250 head.

Sarah Van Schothorst, BSc

It was Ron’s love and interest in horses that got him started in heavy horse pulling. For 40 years Ron bred 80 draft mares. In an effort to slow down he doesn’t breed horses anymore. He gets 3 year old horses that are broke to drive and then he trains them to pull. Ron said “It takes a knack to get horses to pull, especially heavy pulls”. Presently Ron has 12 horses, 5 teams that he works. Ron starts training the horses in March and they work every day until November. Working 5 teams, each team gets a day off every 5th day, Every day each team pulls 5 miles with 1500lbs to 1800lbs behind them. These horses have to fit into weight classes so all feed is weighed out to each horse except for the heavy weight teams. They can eat as much as they want because they like to keep them big.

Ron is most proud of his 19 banners won at the Calgary Stampede. When Farmfair International was running their heavy horse pull competition, Ron won many banners there. There has been talk that the competition will come back in 2023 and Ron hopes it will saying “It was a great pull and we were always well treated”. Ron has also won many banners at Agribition and the past two years he has won all three weight classes by a full pull. This means that his teams were able to pull one more full load than anybody else. This is a great achievement.

Ron explained that it is getting harder to compete. The competitor gets half of the sponsorship at Agribition and $1200 for each class win. It costs $250 to enter and half of their winnings goes to Stars. Ron explained at 77 he is starting to slow down and it is getting harder and harder to find good help. After having an ad in the paper for over three months he hasn’t been able to find reliable help at home. He hopes to continue competing in the heavy horse pulls and says “The key is to be a die hard old man with nothing much to do except look after the cows and a will to want to win.”

Ron’s son Ryan and two grandchildren Clay and Hoyt are interested and passionate about the farm as well but everyone has their own businesses and jobs preventing them from taking over. He and his wife Marg started the farm together and Ron hopes that they leave together.

The Canadian Gelbvieh Association would like to congratulate Ron on his win at Agribition and we hope to see him in years to come at the Agricultural events at the heavy horse pull.

“I really like the udder structure, milking ability, and moderate frame size that the Gelbvieh breed brings”

GROUP WORK

By Sean McGrath, PAg

One of the most common concerns I answer regarding genetic evaluation is that cattle are unfairly compared with the neighbouring ranch. In other words, cattle at my ranch may not have the advantages of those cattle that are managed elsewhere, and thus the comparisons are not valid or disadvantage my herd in some way. This concern represents a fundamental misunderstanding of how the genetic evaluation works.

Let’s start at the beginning. Every animal is the result of their genetics interacting with the environment. The result is a phenotype or something we can measure about the animal. For example, if calves are fed a growing ration (environment) they will express their genetics through growth and at a point in time we can weigh/measure the calves. The weights are an example of a phenotype. If each animal is a combination of environment interacting with genetics and we are interested in the genetic component of the animal, then it is extremely important that we only directly compare animals from the same environment to tease out the genetic component.

In other words, we only ever compare animals from the same environment. This means animals that are roughly the same age, the same sex, the same herd and the same management group. As well, at later stages of life animals must have the same prior management. In a genetic evaluation, animals NEVER have their phenotypes directly compared across herds.

Let’s use a simplified example to explain:

Herd

Calf H 1 F 85 3 1 600 3

Calf I 2 F 90 4 1 650 4

We will assume that all of these calves are born in a herd between January 1st and the end of February, so are roughly the same age. We can see that the breeder designated them as management group 1 except for Calf F and I. These may have been calves from cows he bought that were managed differently before they got home. If we look at the Birth Contemporary Group (BCG) column we can see that these calves are not compared with any other calves. Male calves in Contemporary Group 1 are directly compared and Female Calves in Contemporary Group 3 are directly compared. The breeder then ran all the calves together over the summer and weaned them on the same day, identifying them as being managed together in Management Group 1. If we look at the Weaning Contemporary Group (WCG) column we can see that the divisions from birth, followed the calves through to weaning. A basic rule of thumb is that contemporary groups will only remain the same size or get smaller as animals grow, simply due to

the fact that some cattle will fall out and prior management impacts the contemporary group. Note that there are no cattle from any other herd entering the comparisons at any time. Once the comparisons are made and we can determine the genetic differences between animals in the contemporary group, we can then use the pedigree ties to make genetic comparisons between herds. These are NOT phenotypic comparisons, only genetic comparisons. In other words, we remove the environmental effects, leaving only genetic differences, and then compare the genetic differences between cattle.

There is a lot more math behind the scenes to make the extraction of these genetic differences extremely accurate. A simplified example below shows why it is so important to take this step to sort cattle. In this example, we see a subset of bull calves for 2 herds that are each in a contemporary group in their respective herds.

Davidson Gelbvieh, Ponteix SK

Herd 1 and Herd 2 Performance and Pedigree Information

Herd 1 WW CG1 DEV Sire Herd 2 WW CG1 DEV Sire

A 500 -100 Bull 1 V 850 100 Bull 3

B 550 -50 Bull 1 W 800 50 Bull 3

C 600 0 Bull 2 X 750 0 Bull 4

D 650 50 Bull 2 Y 700 -50 Bull 4

E 700 100 Bull 3 Z 650 -100 Bull 4 AVG 600 AVG 750

Avg WW Bull 1 525

Bull 2 625

Bull 3 783

Bull 4 700

This is a good example of 2 herds that are managed differently. Herd 2 has a 150 pound weaning weight advantage over Herd 1 (750 vs 600). We can also see that Bull 3 (maybe an AI sire?) has been used across both herds.

If we look at average weaning weight performance of sires we would say that Bull 4 is superior to Bulls 1 and 2. Ranking the bulls in order of heaviest to lightest calves we would sort them 3, 4, 2, 1. Because of environmental differences between herds, this traditional approach is actually misleading and is one of the reasons we need EPD.

Avg WW Avg Dev

Bull 1 525 -75 Bull 2 625 25

Bull 3 783 83 Bull 4 700 -50

When we extract the genetic differences between cattle by using comparisons within contemporary groups, we see a very different picture. The deviation (Dev) or difference from average within the contemporary group allows us to make a more accurate comparison outside of the influence of management. Now we would sort the highest to lowest growth bulls 3, 2, 4, 1.

As previously mentioned, this is a vastly oversimplified example, but it does make the point about why we need to make accurate comparisons WITHIN contemporary groups and why we don’t compare phenotypes directly across herds or even groups within herd. Hopefully the example starts to illuminate some of the power of EPD in selection over simply using adjusted weights, ranks and indexes to compare cattle. By using contemporary groups to compare animals and extract the genetic component of differences between animals, we can use the pedigree web to truly explore the differences in genetic value between individuals.

Rules for Management Groups

1. Calves should be identified in different management groups if they have been managed in an environment that will impact their relative performance

2. Calves that are managed in the same way should be identified as being in the same management group

3. It is EXTREMELY important to report on all calves in a management group. This allows for accurate comparisons to determine the relative genetic merit of animals within the resulting contemporary group.

Contemporary Groups

Gelbvieh assigns contemporary groups to animals that are:

Born in the same herd

Same Sex

Born in the same season

In the same management group

For Weaning and Yearling Weight: Weighed on the same day

In the same management group

Same prior management (Weaning must be grouped at birth, Yearling must be grouped at birth and weaning)

Gelbvieh Member Awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal In Saskatchewan

In December, Tara Davidson was invited to receive the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal (Saskatchewan) at a ceremony in Regina.

Tara said “While it was a welcome honour, it was unexpected”. At this particular ceremony, several medals were awarded for service in agriculture. Tara was in the company of industry leaders, agricultural journalists, volunteers, researchers, and academics, most of whom were nominated by Saskatchewan’s Minister of Agriculture, the honorable David Marit.

Mentorship programs have become valued opportunities in agriculture and Tara has been involved as both a participant and a mentor. She was lucky to participate in the Canadian Cattle Young Leaders 2011 program with mentor Sandy Russell. She has shifted into a mentor role for several young agricultural enthusiasts in different programs, including the CWA Next Gen Mentorship program, the Canadian Cattle Young Leaders program, and the Saskatchewan Angus mentorship program. These experiences have helped her to broaden her awareness of the challenges that impact young pro-

ducers and ag professionals in the agriculture industry.

Tara is currently a member of Saskatchewan’s Agriculture Development Fund committee, and chair of the livestock and forage sub-committee. Her passion for scientific research and extension for beef and forage producers has been helpful in her role on this committee.

These experiences, and many other volunteer roles, have encouraged Tara to be a vocal advocate for the need for mindful government policy that supports beef, forage, and grassland sectors in a way that is equitable to other commodities.

Beef production is a key part of the economy, and it also plays a vital role in environmental management through the critical ecosystem services that forage and grasslands provide, such as carbon storage, wildlife habitat, and water conservation. The beef industry also has the opportunity – and sometimes responsibility - to make use of unwanted processing and crop by-products.

One contribution that Tara felt made an impact was from this past summer when she was invited to address the federal, provincial, and territorial agriculture ministers at a meeting hosted in Saskatoon. The FPT meeting set the stage for the negotiation of a provincial-federal agriculture funding framework for the next several years, including business risk management. Tara said “It was an honour and responsibility to represent beef and forage farmers in five slides and seven minutes. I shared the challenges and joys of growing food to feed other families while trying to raise our own”.

Tara has always been interested in agriculture and grew up on a crop, hay, and cattle operation near Meyronne, SK. She followed in her parent’s footsteps and received a BSA at the College of Agriculture at the University of Saskatchewan. Her interests in beef, forage and rangeland management have provided her with experience working in water security with the province, rangeland management with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, and native prairie conservation at a not-for-profit environmental NGO. Tara continues to do freelance writing and project management for different beef, forage, and grassland management organizations. She also maintains a personal blog on their website at lonesomedoveranch.ca.

Tara explained “Anyone who volunteers knows the time commitment that comes with chairing meetings and being an effective board member. I am grateful to Ross and our kids Ash, Cameron, Jaime, and Flynn, and to my in-laws Vernon and Eileen, for being patient and filling in the gaps when I am away with other commitments.”

L to R: Cameron, Ash, Flynn, Ross, Jaime, Tara Davidson

“It was an honour and responsibility to represent beef and forage farmers in five slides and seven minutes. I shared the challenges and joys of growing food to feed other families while trying to raise our own”

Farmfair International Edmonton 2022

It was a sad day when Edmonton lost the Canadian Finals Rodeo after 44 years as it attracted a lot of ranchers to Northlands Farmfair. After that, Farmfair struggled and then COVID reared its ugly head. But in 2021 Farmfair International returned with over $300,000.00 in prize money and scholarships sponsored by Explore Edmonton to become Canada’s richest Cattle Show and richest Supreme Show ($110,000.00 in prize money).

Gelbvieh’s 50th Anniversary Show was a great success with 16 breeders and 57 animals from Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan vying for $20,000.00 in prize money donated by Explore Edmonton as well as an additional $9000.00 in prizes. Show organizer Keri Labrenze (Hilltop Gelbvieh) is optimistic that more Gelbvieh breeders will participate once they realize just how much real prize money is available i.e. $1000.00 per class along with door prize draws for each class (a name is drawn from all entered in the class for some very generous prizes ranging from $50.00 to $2000.00).

The judges were Kyle and Jocelyn O’Neill from Innisfail who raise purebred Charolais, Simmental and Angus cattle. The clerk was Olivia Koziak (Koziak Land & Cattle) and Farmfair supplied announcers from CFCW! Bev Milne (Milne’s Gelbvieh) kept the cattle moving around the ring while whipper uppers Tom Kulak (Hilltop Gelbvieh) and Dan Nielsen (Dayspring Cattle) got the cattle to the show ring. Banners and ribbons were handed out by Mira Labrenz wearing an awesome vintage Gelbvieh jacket. A Pizza Party complete with absolutely stunning 50th Anniversary Cupcakes delivered by Jonus Cattle Co. provided by the GAABC was enjoyed as part of the celebration after the show. Gelbvieh was represented in the Alberta Supreme Show with Grand Champion Bull, RWG Horse Power 0311, exhibited by Royal WesternFemale. Grand Champion female BNH Forever Dreamin 25F and calf at side, exhibited by BNH LIvestock represented the females.

In 2023 Farmfair International is from November 8-11. It hosts the Alberta Supreme Show, Bull Pen Show, Prospect Steer and Heifer Show (percentage and calendar calves), Purebred Beef Shows, UFA Junior Futurity and Ultimate Legends (purebred heifer and bull calves compete to be the best of all breeds) as well as the ‘Champion of the World’ Competition. See you there

as an exhibitor or a spectator.

In 2024 Farmfair celebrates its 50th Anniversary and the director, Leah Jones, has made a commitment to continue the Inbound Buyers Program. Since the inception of the program in 2010 Farmfair International has contributed to millions of dollars in cattle and genetics sales across 13 breeds to 13 countries.

Photo credit: Malory Parrish

Farmfair International

November 10, 2022 Edmonton, AB

Balancer/Percentage Junior Heifer calf

Champion JM Koryn 3K

Jace Cattle Co., Cherryville BC

Reserve TRS Dimples 48K

Tangle Ridge Ranch, Thorsby AB

Balancer/Percentage Senior Heifer calf

Champion STON Miss Sue 3K

Stone Gate Farm, Sundre AB Reserve Dusty Rose Treasure 280K Dusty Rose Cattle Co., Dapp AB

Balancer/Percentage Bred Heifer

Champion SLC Xanadu 77J (Grand Reserve)

Severtson Land & Cattle, Red Deer County AB

Reserve BNH Diamond Jewel 29J

BNH Livestock, Red Deer County AB

Balancer/Percentage 2 Year Old Cow/Calf Pair

Champion RWG Ella 0451 (Grand Champion)

Severtson Land & Cattle, Red Deer County AB

Balancer/Percentage Mature Cow/Calf Pair

Champion STON Miss Paradee 17G Stone Gate Farm, Sundre AB

Balancer/Percentage Junior Bull Calf

Champion STON Boone Pickens 15K (Grand Champion) Stone Gate Farm, Sundre AB

Reserve BNH Dirt Road Anthem 12K ET (Grand Reserve) BNH Livestock, Red Deer County AB

Balancer/Percentage Yearling Bull

Champion Dusty Rose Deuce 208J Dusty Rose Cattle Co., Dapp AB

Purebred Junior Heifer Calf

Champion RWG Kitty’s Back 2449 (Grand Reserve)

Royal Western Gelbvieh, Red Deer County AB Reserve STON Gayle 13K ET

Stone Gate Farm, Sundre AB

Purebred Senior Heifer Calf

Champion DVE Davidson Ms Optimist 6K

Davidson Gelbvieh, Ponteix SK Reserve AWB Twin View Sugar 8K ET

Twin View Livestock, Parkbeg SK

Purebred Bred Heifer

Champion AWB Twin View Gracie Gayle 118J

Twin View Livestock, Parkbeg SK Reserve STON Secret Maid 13J ET

Stone Gate Farm, Sundre AB

Purebred 2 Year Old Cow/Calf Pair

Champion RWG Black Cat 0476

Royal Western Gelbvieh, Red Deer County, AB Reserve AWB Twin View Gracie Gayle 74H

Twin View Livestock, Parkbeg SK

Purebred Mature Cow/Calf Pair

Champion BNH Forever Dreamin 25F (Grand Champion)

BNH Livestock, Red Deer County, AB Reserve RWG Kitty’s Glow 9423 ET

Royal Western Gelbvieh, Red Deer County, AB

Purebred Junior Bull Calf

Champion BNH Dream Katcher 1K

BNH Livestock, Red Deer County AB Reserve AWB Twin View Ragnar 111K

Twin View Livestock, Parkbeg SK

Purebred Senior Bull Calf

Champion AWB Twin View Bold Ruler 20K (Grand Reserve)

Twin View Livestock, Parkbeg SK Reserve MD Memphis 141K

MacDonell Farms, Chipman AB

Purebred Yearling Bull

Champion RWG Just To Cool 1416 ET

Royal Western Gelbvieh, Red Deer County AB Reserve JNA Gung Ho 623J

Pearson Farms, Calmar AB

Purbred Mature Bull

Champion RWG Horse Power 0311 (Grand Champion)

Royal Western Gelbvieh, Red Deer County AB Reserve DVE Davidson Optimist 118H

Davidson Gelbvieh, Ponteix SK

BNH

RWG Kitty’s Back 2449

RWG Horse Power 0311

AWB

Twin View Livestock, Parkbeg SK

Canadian Western Agribition

Regina 2022

Agribition’s 51st show had record setting numbers and a significant return of International Guests through their Incoming Buyers Program. Their website has an entire section devoted to International visitors and how to apply for funding. This also applies to American buyers. Certain hotels in Regina along with the Ford and Chevrolet dealers provide a free courtesy transport service to the CWA grounds and back to the hotel on a daily basis from 7:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. This includes being picked up at the airport upon your arrival and being taken to your hotel. In 2023 Agribition takes place from November 20-25 so start making plans early to visit as international funding is available on a first-come, first-serve basis and repeat applicants are a possibility. Please go to their web site for full details. The Gelbvieh breed this year boasted just under 80 head of cattle in the Purebred and Balancer/Percentage Show and 23 owners were represented from as far away as Ontario and Washington State U.S. The 15 Exhibitors included: Braylen Blake Gelbvieh, Davidson Gelbvieh, Diamond Z Gelbvieh, Fladeland Livestock, Goodview Gelbvieh, Hurlburt Livestock, JSJ Livestock, Ledgerwood Gelbvieh, Lonesome Dove Ranch, Maple Grove Gelbvieh, Overby Stock Farm, Royal Western Gelbvieh, Thackeray Land & Cattle, Triple S Cattle Company, and Twin View Livestock. Judges Layne and Paula Evans of Kenaston SK from Horseshoe E Charolais had a busy day judging the largest Gelbvieh show to take place in several years. An interesting event that started with the 50th Anniverary of Agribition last year was a wet bar provided free for one hour to both of the Grand Champions. For sure a lot of Vodka Paralyzers (Agribition’s official drink) passed the lips of Gelbvieh enthusiasts. Exhibitors may also take part in the President’s Classic which is a bull calf jackpot where 3 judges select the top bull calf in each breed and then they bring the Champions back in to select the ‘President’. The First Lady Classic is where 4 judges select the top yearling heifer in each breed and then bring back the Champions to select the ‘First’ Lady. Show organizers Cynthia Wirgau, Ian Thackeray and Eileen Davidson did an amazing job of providing a great show for the 50th Anniversary and its larger than normal audience. Blair Bentz was the barn boss. Lee Wirgau and Gail Anderson clerked the show while Ryan Hurlburt did the announcing. Shari Leachman and Levi Hamilton were the ring persons while Kirk Hurlburt, Darrel Hickman and David Hamilton kept the cattle moving from the barn to the

show ring. Joe Ness and Brenda Faubion handed out the hides, ribbons and prizes. Gail & Ron Anderson and Merv Tuplin manned the Gelbvieh Booth and kept the coffee flowing. Cynthia created an amazing DVD for interested people to watch which really enhanced the table display and created a lot of interest. Pizza was supplied by the ManSask Association after the show. The grand finale is the Beef Supreme presented by CN where the best of the best from major livestock shows across North America join Agribition’s Grand Champion Bulls and Females to compete for the Supreme Champion title. Seventy-one champions from Alberta, British Columbia, Kentucky U.S., Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, and Washington State U.S., paraded in front of the packed stands and a panel of 5 judges from around the world. Seven Gelbvieh winners represented our breed and the first one to walk into the ring was JLSL Ledgerwood Kadence 216K exhibited by Ledgerwood Gelbvieh in Washington. She is now owned by Sweetheart Classic draw winner Braylen Blake from Glentworth, SK. She was Grand Champion Female at the Northern International Livestock Exposition in Billings Montana and Reserve Champion female at Agribition. The Grand Champion Female at Manitoba AgEX, AWB Twin View Baha 1H ET with bull calf at side, AWB Twin View Classic 78K is owned by Twin View Livestock SK and Classic Cattle Co. ON. Twin View Classic was entered into the GAA/BC Bull Futurity the previous weekend in Alberta. The draw winners, Alexander and Kaylin Schultz from AKS Gelbvieh, Hay Lakes AB selected him to be their herd sire. The Grand Champion Female at Agribition, RWG Black Cat 0476 with her calf at side, RWG Black Cat 2512 proudly represented Royal Western Gelbvieh AB. The Grand Champion Bull from the NILE show in Montana, JLSL Jigsaw 128J owned by Ledgerwood Gelbvieh and High Desert Cattle Co. was the first of the Gelbvieh Bulls to make an appearance. AWB Twin View Bold Ruler 20K ET was Grand Champion at the Manitoba AgEX as well as Reserve Champion Bull at Farmfair and Bull Calf Champion at Agribition. Royal Western Gelbvieh’s two-year-old bull was Grand Champion Bull at Farmfair and Reserve Champion at Agribition! The final bull to represent our breed owned by Fladeland Livestock was Fladeland Hawkeye 2H who was Grand Champion at Agribition and is a qualifier in the 2022 ORB (Other Registered Breed) Champion of the World Competition.

Agribition

National Gelbvieh Show

November 30, 2022 Regina SK

Balancer/Percentage Heifer calf

Champion BBG Deja 3K

Braylen Blake Gelbvieh, Glentworth SK

Reserve ZAL Diamond Z Keep On Dreamin’ 17K

Diamond Z Livestock, Rouleau SK

Balancer/Percentage Bred Heifer

Champion Fir River Biene 800J (Grand Reserve)

Thackeray Land & Cattle & Katelyn Thackeray, Weyburn SK

Balancer/Percentage 2 Year Old Cow/Calf Pair

Champion BBG Deanna 2H (Grand Champion)

Braylen Blake Gelbvieh, Glentworth SK

Balancer/Percentage Mature Cow/Calf Pair

Champion HL Miss Fayet 11F

Maple Grove Gelbvieh, Narcisse MB

Balancer/Percentage Bull Calf

Champion BBG Tyson 1K (Grand Reserve)

Braylen Blake Gelbvieh, Glentworth SK

Balancer/Percentage Yearling Bull

Champion OSF Evolve 2J (Grand Champion)

Overby Stock Farm, Ste. Rose Du Lac MB

Reserve OSF Strut 15J

Overby Stock Farm, Ste. Rose Du Lac MB

Purebred Junior Heifer Calf

Champion HL Miss Kelsey 207K

Hurlburt Livestock, Saskatoon SK

Reserve RWG Kitty 2445

Royal Western Gelbvieh, Red Deer County AB

Purebred Senior Heifer Calf

Champion JLSL Ledgerwood Kadence 216K (Grand Reserve)

Ledgerwood Gelbvieh, Clarkston WA USA Reserve Goodview Maureen 234K

Goodview Gelbvieh, Punnichy SK

Purebred Bred Heifer

Champion AWB Twin View Gracie Gayle 118J

Twin View Livestock, Parkbeg SK

Reserve Fladeland Jewel 10J

Fladeland Livestock, Gladmar SK

Purebred 2 Year Old Cow/Calf Pair

Champion RWG Black Cat 0476 (Grand Champion)

Royal Western Gelbvieh, Red Deer County AB Reserve Fladeland Habit 58H

Fladeland Livestock, Gladmar SK

Purebred Mature Cow/Calf Pair

Champion RWG Kitty’s Glow 9423 ET

Royal Western Gelbvieh, Red Deer County AB Reserve Fladeland Firebird 11F

Fladeland Livestock, Gladmar SK

Purebred Junior Bull Calf

Champion AWB Twin View Ragnar 111K

Twin View Livestock, Parkbeg SK Reserve RWGW K/O 2440

Royal Western Gelbvieh, Red Deer County AB

Purebred Senior Bull Calf

Champion AWB Twin View Bold Ruler 20K ET

Twin View Livestock, Parkbeg SK Reserve AWB Twin View Classic 78K

Twin View Livestock, Parkbeg SK

Purebred Yearling Bull

Champion DVE Davidson Kramer 46J

Davidson Gelbvieh, Ponteix SK

Reserve JLSL Jigsaw 128J

Ledgerwood Gelbvieh, Clarkston WA USA

Purbred Mature Bull

Champion Fladeland Hawkeye 2H (Grand Champion)

Fladeland Livestock, Gladmar SK

Reserve RWG Horse Power 0311 (Grand Reserve)

Royal Western Gelbvieh, Red Deer County AB

RWG

Royal

Fladeland Hawkeye 2H

RWG

Black Cat 0476 Royal Western Gelbvieh, Red Deer County AB

JLSL Ledgerwood Kadence 216K

Ledgerwood Gelbvieh, Clarkston WA USA

Fladeland Livestock, Gladmar SK

Horse Power 0311

Western Gelbvieh, Red Deer County AB

October 28, 2022 Brandon MB

Purebred Heifer Calf

Champion AWB Twin View Sugar 8K ET

Twin View Livestock, Parkbeg SK

Reserve MGF Hallelujah Lenore 74K Maple Grove Gelbvieh, Narcisse MB

Purebred Junior Female

Champion AWB Twin View Gracie Gayle 118J (Grand Reserve) Twin View Livestock, Parkbeg SK

Reserve JSJ Josephine 7J JSJ Livestock, Hartney MB

Purebred Senior Female

Champion AWB Twin View Baha 1H ET (Grand Champion)

Twin View Livestock, Parkbeg SK

Reserve JOE I Like Donuts 460D Thackeray Land & Cattle, Weyburn SK

Purebred Bull Calf

Champion AWB Twin View Bold Ruler 20K ET (Grand Champion) Twin View Livestock, Parkbeg SK

Reserve AWB Twin View Classic 78K Twin View Livestock, Parkbeg SK

Manitoba AG EX established in 1974 is the largest AllBreeds Cattle Show in Manitoba and attracts exhibitors from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. Twenty-one head of Gelbvieh competed from Maple Grove Gelbvieh MB, Twinview Livestock SK, Overby Stock Farm MB, Thackeray Land & Cattle SK, and JSJ Livestock MB.

What better way to celebrate Gelbvieh’s 50th Anniversary than to be visited by the Manitoba Agriculture Minister Derek Johnson. Thank you for taking the time to visit Mr. Johnson. AgEX had procured Katie Songer from Alberta as a Judge. She is a third-generation cattle breeder whose cowherd consists of purebred Herefords, Shorthorns and commercial club-calf producing females. Cynthia Wirgau (Maple Grove) and Shayla Jasper (JSJ) as show organizers set up the booth to help celebrate the anniversary and made sure that the coffee pot was always full, as well as organizing Pizza for after the show! James Jasper (JSJ) was barn boss. On October 28 Wayne Selin (Selin’s Gelbvieh SK) was ringman while his wife Lois Selin handed out the ribbons and prizes. David Doyle was whipper upper; Shayla Jasper was show clerk and Dave Mooney announced the show! The Grand Champion Gelbvieh Bull, AWB Twin View Bold Ruler 20K ET (Twin View SK), won the hide banner sponsored by A & G Richardson while Reserve Champion Bull JSJ Journey 52J (JSJ MB) won a table sponsored by Selin’s Gelbvieh. Grand Champion Female, AWB Twin View Baha 1H ET (Twin View SK) won the hide banner sponsored by Maple Grove Gelbvieh and Reserve Champion Female, AWB Twin View Gracie Gayle 118J (Twin View SK) took home a table sponsored by Triple S Cattle Company SK.

In the Balancer/Percentage Show the Grand Champion Female was HL Miss Fayet 17F, Maple Grove MB and OSF Strut 15J from Overby Stock Farm MB won Grand Champion Bull.

Thank you to the sponsors for the prizes including Maple Grove Gelbvieh MB, A & G Richardson MB, Selin Gelbvieh SK, Triple S Cattle Company SK, Fir River Live-

stock SK, Thackeray Land & Cattle SK, Prairie Gelbvieh Alliance SK, Lonesome Dove Ranch SK, & JSJ Livestock MB. A special thank you to JSJ Livestock for helping to make this show happen.

Three Juniors competed in the Gelbvieh Junior Show where Hillary Sauder won Grand Champion with AWB Twin View Gracie Gayle 118J and Aiden Jasper won Reserve with JSJ Juicy 54J. Louelle Jasper placed third with JSJ Josephine 7J. In the All-Breeds Showmanship Competition, Hillary Sauder earned Reserve Champion with AWB Twin View Gracie Gayle 118J. Manitoba AG EX hosts the Little Lady Classic, Jackpot Bull Show, and Junior Show and Showmanship. The champions from all shows compete in the Supreme Breed Extravaganza. The winners go on to the Canadian Western Agribition held in Regina, Saskatchewan. AG EX celebrates its 50thAnniversary from October 25-28 in 2023. Gelbvieh breeders please get out and support this great event.

OSF Strut 15J, Champion Balancer Bull

Overby Stock Farm, Ste. Rose Du Lac MB

Sale Results

Function & Finesse Female Sale 4.0

October 14, 2022 at Twin View Livestock, Parkbeg SK

Averaged

Open Females $5934

Bred Females $7167

Embryos $1,000 Flush sold for $7500

High seller AWB 20J High seller BLB 129J

There was nice weather and a big crowd for the 4th Function and Finesse Female Sale. Top genetics from the Gelbvieh breed were on offer from Twin View Livestock, Goodview Gelbvieh, JSJ Livestock, Keriness/Jonus Cattle, Last Mountain Livestock, Triple S Cattle Co., Ledgerwood Gelbvieh, RPS Gelbvieh and Diamond Z Livestock. Bidders were active in person, online and on the phone. Genetics sold to Canada, the United States and Australia. The lead off female was lot 20 BLB GOODVIEW MAUREEN 129J who sold for $11,000 to Rocking Arrow Gelbvieh and RPS Gelbvieh. Also selling for $11,000 was lot 32 AWB TWIN VIEW BAHA 20J ET to Hillsdown Gelbvieh. Lot 19 BLB GOODVIEW WINNIE 108J sold for $9,250 to Last Mountain Livestock. Lot 3 the extra age fall born female JSJ JULIETTE 80J sold for $8,000 to Keriness Cattle Company. Parker Mann of PTM Livestock purchased four females including two of the high selling heifer calves. He chose Lot 15 JLSL LEDGERWOOD STELLA ROSE 210K and Lot 16 AWB TWIN VIEW ESSENCE 89K each for $8,000. Keriness Cattle purchased LML EMMA 31K for $8,000. Lot 13 AWB TWIN VIEW RAINBOW 110K was purchased for $8,000 by Kelsey Schmitz. The opportunity to flush AWB TWIN VIEW BAHA 1H ET was purchased by Guymon Livestock for $7,500. The Function and Finesse Sale group would like to invite everyone to Function and Finesse 5.0 being planned for October 13th 2023.

Gelbvieh Wish List Sale

November 19, 2022 at Stettler AG Grounds, Stettler AB

High Selling Pick of the Calves, consigned by Towerview Ranch, was sold to Triple S Cattle Company for $4,000.

High Selling Bred Heifer, consigned by Keriness Cattle, was sold to Davidson Gelbvieh for $7,000.

Averaged

1 Pick of the calves $4,000

11 Bred Heifers $4,686 26 Heifer Calves $4596

High Selling Heifer Calf, consigned by Jen-Ty Gelbvieh, was sold to Hillsdown Gelbvieh for $12,000.

This year at the Wish List Sale, we had a record number of consignments at 37 lots selling on sale day. The stands were packed with Gelbvieh enthusiasts there to take in our strong group of females. We had a fantastic heifer calf donated by Brittain Farms as our donation heifer this year. She raised over $12,000 for the Gelbvieh Association of AB/BC and was won by Cowlick Ranch. Congratulations go out to all the consignors and buyers on a successful sale!

2022 National Gelbvieh Sale

The 2022 Gelbvieh Gala 50th Anniversary Sale was held in conjunction with the Canadian Gelbvieh Association’s 50th Anniversary banquet. The Auctioneer was Ryan Hurlburt, and the Ringmen were Dory Gerrard and Will Rosso. There were 9 lots in the sale which included 6 open heifers, one herd pick of heifer calves, one right to flush any female, and an embryo package. Combining with the banquet there were more than a 100 people in attendance and many viewing online with DLMS. Consignors were from Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. 9 lots grossed $52,350. The Sweetheart Champion & Junior Heifer Calf Champion, HL Miss Kelsey 207K sold to Foursquare Farms of Carstairs for $10,000. The Pick of Fir River Livestock’s 2022 heifers, sold to Severtson Land & Cattle and Hurlburt Livestock for $9,250. Tickets for the Donation heifer from Overby Stock Farm for the ManSask Gelbvieh Association were auctioned off as a fundraiser. Thank you to the dedicated consignors of the sale and all the buyers.

December 1, 2022, Royal Executive Hotel, Regina SK

2022 Prairie Gelbvieh Alliance

December 10, 2022, Grant Hall Hotel, Moose Jaw SK Auctioneer: Mike Fleury, Aberdeen, SK

The 21st edition of the Prairie Gelbvieh Alliance Sale weekend will be one of the great Gelbvieh events for 2022. The weekend started with the presale social Friday evening at the Grant Hall. Saturday began with livestock viewing at the Moose Jaw Exhibition during the day and the steak supper and sale at the Grant Hall that evening. The sale offering was a very strong one; here are some of the highlights.

Lot 20 consigned by Foursquare Farms. A daughter off of Right Combination and a JRI Powerstroke dam. Jossie 80J had lots of admirers. This high volume female will sure look great in her new owner’s pasture at Fir River Livestock, Hudson Bay, SK. She sold for $7,250.

Lot 7- HL Miss Leila 29K was a very stylish heifer, long bodied with that special presence, sired by SLC Viper 59G one of the most exciting red Gelbvieh bulls in Canada. Leila 29K will enjoy her new home at Unger Land and Livestock, Olds, AB. She sold for $6,500.

Lot 17 – This powerful daughter off of DDN Fabian consigned by Selin Gelbvieh had lots of volume and is certainly going to make a front pasture type female with her Red Carpet 5J calf this spring. When the bidding finished her new owner paid $6,000 going to Kevin Lang.

Lot 22 – Foursquare Ms Electric 95J consigned by Foursquare Farms is definitely an eye catcher. She has a unique pedigree and a strong set of EPD’s with looks to match. This female will be a standout for her new owner Cam Seidle, Rocking Arrow Gelbvieh, Medstead, SK. Her purchase price was $ 6,000.

Lot 25 – A semen pack on HL SLC Hector 1H consigned by Fir River Livestock. This dark big ribbed extremely tidy fronted herdsire will definitely be a breed changer. Two semen packs were sold. One selling to Thackeray Land & Cattle along with Severtson Land & Cattle and Hurlburt Livestock for $3,250. The other sold to Foursquare Farms for $3,000. The Prairie Gelbvieh Alliance would like to thank all of the bidders and buyers along with all those that attended both in person and online.

The Gathering

The Gathering once again was headlined with multiple elite genetic offerings. Leading off was SLC Lisa 213D a beautiful Roadie 81T daughter selling for $54,000.00 to Coles Bend Cattle, KY and Hurlburt Livestock, SK. Her stunning heifer calf sold to Royal Western Gelbvieh for $11,000.00.

The other lead off pair was RWG Kitty’s Glow 9423 ET selling 1/2 embryo interest for $13,000.00 to Severtson Land & Cattle and her heifer calf RWG Kitty 2442, a Horse Power 0311 daughter, selling for $24,000.00 for full possession and 1/2 embryo interest to Galen Geidel, IA

The lead off high selling bred heifer was DDN Jada 128J, a JRI Secretariat 285E78 daughter. Purchased by Goodview Gelbvieh for $10,000.00

SLC Ella 54K, a powerhouse BA75 Peaky Blinder 38G, commanded $11,000.00 selling to Canadian Donors. The sale average was $8781.00 thank you to all the bidders and buyers over the past 6 years.

New Years Resolution

This marked the first time Gelbvieh genetics were offered though this prestigious event. Gelbvieh make a huge splash and showcase how big of an impact we have in the beef industry. Pick of the herd flush offered by Goodview Gelbvieh sold for $8000.00 to Fir River Livestock & Royal Western Gelbvieh. Pick of the Nelson Gelbvieh females sold for $18,000.00 to Prairie Hills Gelbvieh, ND. Right to flush the 2022 National champion female RWG Black Cat 0476 sold to Fir River Livestock for $5500.00. Right to flush the famous RWG Kitty’s Dream 6526 sold to Larson’s Lost River Livestock, MN for $11,000.00. Right to flush SLC Parkland 31E consigned by Pin to Point Gelbvieh sold to Craig Guymon, UT for $5500.00 with her RWG Grand Plan 9420 embryos selling for $1200.00 per embryo to Rocky Top Gelbvieh. Ivers Cattle Company offered the right to flush on the JRI MS On Cue 214B5 flawless Outback 142X daughter for $7000.0 purchased by Fir River Livestock & Royal Western Gelbvieh. The semen offering was highlighted by the immortal SLC Outback 142X selling for $451.00 per straw to Green Acres Cattle Co. The RWG Exact Combination 7409 semen was purchased by Triple S Cattle, Green Acres Cattle Co & High Country Acres. The RWG Seminole Wind 9430 ET semen was purchased by RPS Gelbvieh, Koziak Land & Cattle, Triple S Cattle. Thank you to all the bidders and buyers we look forward to the 2023 NYR sale being even more of a breed highlight.

December 11, 2022, Severtson Land & Cattle Sale Facility, Red Deer County AB

December 31, 2022, Fantasyland Hotel, Edmonton AB & Online

JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENTS

“The Cow Crew” Parker Mann, Amber Spray & Anna Wielgosz Youth Team Grooming event hosted by Agribition, Regina SK

Please send in any junior achievements by the content deadline of the given Gelbvieh Guide issue. The CGA is proud to showcase all junior achievements and sucesses including Gelbvieh and Gelbvieh influenced 4-H projects.

Chase Loren Grand Champion Female Chipman 4-H Beef Club, AB

Chase Loren Grand Champion Steer Chipman 4-H Beef Club, AB

Chase Loren Reserve Champion Heifer Chipman 4-H Beef Club, AB

Chase Loren Reserve Grand Champion Female Chipman 4-H Beef Club, AB

Keegan Little LCF Oreo 7K Medicine Hat Pen Show, AB

Raleigh Little

LLC Head Over Boots 4K Medicine Hat Pen Show, AB

Raleigh Little TVR Lady Yvonne 11J Medicine Hat Pen Show, AB

Raleigh Little TVR Lady Yvonne 11J

Grand Champion Female at Abbey/ Lancer 4-H beef Club show, SK

Raleigh Little

TVR Lady Yvonne 11J

Grand Champion Gelbvieh Heifer Swift Current Frontier Days, SK

Amber Spray (right)

Junior 2nd runner up at the Canadian Young Speakers for Agriculture Competition at The Royal, Toronto ON

Rebecca Spray

Pee Wee Champion Showmanship at Agribition, SK

Rising Stars at Agribition

The CGA 50th Anniversary Celebration started off in Stettler with the GAA/BC hosting an absolutely spectacular Junior National Gelbvieh Show from July 21-24, 2022 that even had sessions for the wee ones to acquaint them with cattle. A new CJGA board was formed and the next show will now be organized by the CJGA and its adult advisors (Jessica Pearson and Braylen Blake) in Swift Current SK from July 27-29, 2023.

In December the ManSask organizing committee added a Showmanship and Team Grooming component to their National Show to supplement the Junior events provided by Agribition. It took place in the John Deere arena and was judged by Tracy Wilcox from Treherne, MB. There were 3 PeeWees, 6 Juniors and 3 Seniors who took part in this competition. In the PeeWee division the Champion was Rebecca Spray & Reserve was Hailey Spray. The Junior Champion was Shelby Horn & Reserve was Cam Davidson and the Senior Division saw Wayce Hollman as Champion and Levi Hamilton as Reserve. Davidson Gelbvieh SK donated chairs to the Champions and Combs to the Reserve Champions.

The Fitting and Grooming competition took place in the stalls with Dylan Thackeray and Shelby Robinson judging this exciting timed event. There were 13 participants divided into 4 teams. The Champions in this event were: Dawson Fladeland, Chase Hollman and Jaime Davidson and the Reserve Champions were Wacey Hollman, Brandon Fladeland and Hailey Spray. Davidson Gelbvieh sponsored the prizes of mini tool sets for the Champions and Grooming Trays for Reserve.

‘Setting up for the judge’

‘Question period’

‘Parading around the Show Ring’

‘Champions busy fitting their heifer’ ‘Reserve Champions’ ‘Finishing Touches’

‘Smile for the Shutterbug’

Bar

Some of the juniors with their medallions

Line up in the

Grooming at Agribition

On November 28 Agribition hosted a Youth Team Grooming Competition with Matt Criddle, Coaldale AB as the judge. In the Seniors (16-21 years) Dawson & Rylan Fladeland competed along with Eric Fettes. In the Intemediate Division (13-15 years), ‘The Cow Crew’ comprised of Amber Spray, Parker Mann and Anna Wielgosz competed while Brayden Fladeland competed as part of the Gladmar Team. Team North and South in the Junior Division (612 years) had Ash and Cameron Davidson competing along with Hollis Fawcett.

Agribition also hosted a Youth Showmanship Competition judged by Ashton and Kendra Hewson of Unity SK. Jaime Davidson, Cameron Davidson and Ash Davidson from Lonesome Dove Ranch in Ponteix SK all competed in the Junior Division (9-12 years). Amber Spray from Triple S Cattle Company in Preeceville, SK competed in the Intermediate Division (13-15 years). Hillary Sauder from Windy Willow Farms in Hodgeville SK was a finalist in the Senior Division (16-21 years).

The culmination of the Junior Events is the BMO (Bank of Montreal) Canadian Junior Beef Extreme which took place on December 3 in the morning. Judges Craig and Trish Wilgenbusch of Halbrite SK and announcer Glen Gabel of Regina SK had the daunting task of going through 179 females in two classes (calves and bred heifers of each individual breed) in order to select Grand Champion and Reserve Champion (10 purebred breeds as well as a commercial class) plus one class of any purebred breed 2-year-old female with calf at side. Eventually all of the Champions were brought into the show ring to select the Extreme Champion and Extreme Reserve Champion.

In the Gelbvieh Class, the female born in 2022, RWG Kitty’s Back 2449, with Junior Exhibitor Keston Hollman Red Deer County AB at the halter placed first and RWG Kitty 2445 placed second shown by Chayse Hollman. The female born in 2021 was won by Fladeland Jewel 10J with Brayden Fladeland, Gladmar SK at the halter. DRT Lonesome I Decide 43J shown & co-owned by Cameron Davidson, Ponteix SK placed second. Banners and Cash prizes were given out sponsored by BMO.

The Art Project was a special event to commemorate the 50th Anniversary and judge, Gail Anderson, selected the winners - Jaime Davidson’s Shadow Box for the Junior Division and Amber Spray’s pencil drawing of a Gelbvieh calf for the Senior Division. They received coolers from Davidson Gelbvieh.

Jaime Davidson

Amber Spray

All entries on Display

GR Gelbvieh AB donated special commemorative medallions to every Junior member as a beautiful keepsake for the 50th Anniversary!

Team

Grand Champion Gelbvieh Female Fladeland Jewel 10J owned by Fladeland Livestock and Junior Exibitor Brayden Fladeland

Reserve Grand Champion Gelbvieh Female RWG Kitty’s Back 2449 owned by Royal Western Gelbvieh and Junior Exibitor Keston Hollman

Congratulations to Junior Exhibitors Ryan Fladeland, Dawson Fladeland, Jamie Davidson, Ash Davidson, Aidan Jasper, Mason Thackeray and Amber Spray who also competed in this prestigious event!

Reserve Grand Champion Gelbvieh Female

DRT Lonesome I Decide 43J owned by Lonesome Dove Gelbvieh and Junior exhibitor Cameron Davidson

Final 4 Gelbvieh Champions at the BMO Junior Beef Extreme

February 11th - Prairie Hills Gelbvieh Bull Sale, At the Ranch, North of Dickinson, North Dakota USA

February 14th - Draft Picks Annual Bull Sale, At Royal Western Gelbvieh, Red Deer County AB

February 18th - Thackeray Land & Cattle Bull & Commercial Female Sale, Goodwater Hall, Goodwater SK

February 22nd - Milne’s Gelbvieh 30th Annual Bull Sale, Private Treaty Barn Auction at the Ranch, Fairview AB

February 25th - Foursquare Farms Bull Sale, Olds Auction Mart, Olds AB

March 3rd - Davidson Gelbvieh & Lonesome Dove Ranch 34th Annual Bull Sale, At the Ranch, Ponteix SK

March 3rd & 4th - JSJ Livestock Online Bull Sale, DLMS Farmgate Timed Auction

March 4th & 5th - The Associates Online Bull Sale, consignor Jace Cattle Co., DLMS Farmgate Timed Auction

March 6th - Severtson Land & Cattle 30th Annual Bull Sale, At the ranch, Red Deer County AB

March 7th - Jen-Ty Gelbvieh Annual Bull Sale, Medicine Hat Feed Company, Medicine Hat AB & Online with LiveAuctions.TV

March 10th & 11th - Gelbvieh Advantage Bull Sale, Brittain Farms & BNH Livestock, DLMS Farmgate Timed Auction

March 15th - Fladeland Livestock & Twin View Livestock Bull Sale, Johnstone Auction Mart, Moose Jaw SK

March 16th & 17th - Common Ground Gelbvieh Bull Sale, Olds Auction Mart & Online through Rosehill Auction Services Ltd., Olds AB

March 19th & 20th - Towerview Ranch Online Bull Sale, DLMS Farmgate Timed Auction

March 24th - Sunville Simmental/Overby Stock Farm Bull Sale, McCreary MB

March 24th & 25th - Nelson Gelbvieh & Pin To Point Gelbvieh Online Bull Sale, DLMS Farmgate Timed Auction

March 26th - Yorkton Best of the Breeds Bull Sale, consignor Goodview Gelbvieh, Yorkton SK

May 1st - Ad booking deadline for Summer 2023 Gelbvieh Guide

May 15th - Content & Camera Ready AD deadline Summer 2023 Gelbvieh Guide

July 3rd to 6th - Breed Improvement Symposium, Calgary AB

July 15 - Junior Scholarship Application Deadline

July 27th to 29th - Canadian National Junior Gelbvieh Show, Swift Current SK

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Photo Contest

Congratulations 2022 Winners

Herd Winner - AKS Gelbvieh, Hay Lakes AB

Artistic Winner - JML Farms, Lamont AB

Bull Winner - Dayspring Cattle Co., Lacombe County AB Cow/Calf Winner - JSJ Livestock, Hartney MB