Spotlight on Speckle Park Fall 2024

SPECKLE PARK

Cover photo Andchris Fluer 45F

by Watson Land & Livestock Ltd.

Photo taken by Emily Watson of By Grace Livestock Photography.

SPECKLE PARK

SPOTLIGHT ON SPECKLE PARK TEAM

EDITOR & PUBLICATION MANAGER

Cayley Brown

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Keltey Whelan

SPOTLIGHT ON SPECKLE PARK PUBLICATION SCHEDULE

SPRING DEADLINE PUBLISHED Feb 15 March 1

FALL DEADLINE PUBLISHED Sept 15 Oct 1

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

MONA HOWE

Mona Howe is the owner and operator of Mo Angus, a ranch in Southeastern Alberta raising purebred and commercial Angus cattle, Quarter horses and Border Collie and Corgi dogs. She began freelance writing in 2018 in her spare time as an opportunity to share her passion for all aspects of the livestock industry.

CIARA MATTHEIS

Ciara lives in Central Alberta with her husband and two kids on their growing horse and cattle operation. Their family has a passion for raising quality, easy to manage livestock for both the equine and cattle industries. Ciara has been in the beef industry for over 20 years, starting out in BC 4-H and moving onto Olds College for post secondary education. Her career in the agricultural industry, thus far, has been in both a hands on and data management capacity. Her work with breed associations over the years has developed her passion for understanding genetic influence in some of the less researched areas for livestock such as temperament, climate adaptation, coat colour and more.

Premium pages will be priced upon request and sold first come, first served. If an ad is placed in both the Spring & Fall editions, a 15% discount will be applied to the second ad rate. For more information and to book space, contact Cayley at info@canadianspecklepark.ca

Spotlight on Speckle Park Mission

Our mission is to educate and inform our membership, to build enthusiasm and create community within the breed, whilst continuing to market and showcase the Speckle Park cattle to their maximum potential - with emphasis on the breed’s efficiency, longevity & quality beef production.

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

CSPA CORNER

Welcome to the 5th Edition of Spotlight on Speckle Park!

In June, we launched our first round of EPDs, which are now publicly available on the Speckle Park Registry. This has been a long time in the making and can eventually be a great asset. Please keep in mind that the current EPDs available on the registry are genomic-based, not data-based. Data will be inputted into the system as it is collected. The reliability of the EPDs is entirely dependent on the integrity of the breeders entering correct and accurate numbers. We ask that you enter ALL weaning and yearling weights, as well as any ultrasound data, into the registry.

As we head into fall harvest, we’re excited to share a few new initiatives that we have been working on:

After some very productive discussions at the AGM, we have been working to create more ways by which we can gain commercial relevance as a breed. The first of these is a new Marketplace page on the CSPA website. This page was created to give breeders another place to market their Speckle Park feeder cattle, and likewise, to give buyers a place to source a significant number of Speckle Park calves. I encourage members to utilize this new marketing tool to the fullest.

The second initiative we have been working on is Verified Speckle Park Tags. This idea was brought up at the AGM. Conversations with feedlots have revealed two main concerns when buying Speckle Park calves. One concern is the lack of

numbers readily available. Feedlots want to fill a large pen with a consistent group of calves. This can be solved by working with other breeders to put together larger groups of calves and/or by utilizing the Marketplace platform on our website.

The other main concern is the inconsistency when buying Speckle Park calves. We all know that if you cross a white Speckle Park bull with any breed, you’re going to get speckled calves. The issue with this is that those 50% Speckle Park calves are being kept as replacement females, which are then crossed with another breed, resulting in a 25% Speckle Park calf, then 12.5%, 6.25%, and so on, until you’re left with a Speckle Park-appearing calf that displays none of the breed’s carcass quality or feed conversion traits. Our goal is to create more consistency in the Speckle Park calves being marketed. This is why we will be launching Verified Speckle Park Tags. These panel tags will be available for purchase this fall through the CSPA Office. Bull buyers will be able to purchase tags when they use a registered Speckle Park bull, ensuring that all tagged calves are a minimum of 50% Speckle Park. Our hope is that buyers will have more confidence knowing that all calves are at least 50% Speckle Park, thus creating more demand for purebred bulls.

As we gear up for the fall show season, I would like to wish everyone a wonderful harvest and the best of luck with your female sales!

Peter Watson CSPA President

Bienvenue à la 5e édition de « Spotlight » sur Speckle Park !

En juin, nous avons lancé notre première série de EPD, qui sont maintenant accessibles au public dans le registre de Speckle Park. Cela a pris beaucoup de temps et peut éventuellement être un grand atout. Veuillez garder à l’esprit que les EPD actuellement disponibles dans le registre sont basées sur la génomique et non sur les données. Les données seront saisies dans le système au fur et à mesure de leur collecte. La fiabilité des EPD dépend entièrement de l’intégrité des éleveurs qui saisissent des chiffres corrects et précis. Nous vous demandons d’inscrire TOUS les poids au sevrage et à un an, ainsi que toutes les données échographiques, dans le registre.

À l’approche de la récolte d’automne, nous sommes ravis de partager quelques nouvelles initiatives sur lesquelles nous travaillons :

Après des discussions très productives lors de l’AGA, nous avons travaillé à créer d’autres moyens par lesquels nous pouvons acquérir une pertinence commerciale en tant que race. Le premier d’entre eux est une nouvelle page Marketplace sur le site Web de l’ACPS. Cette page a été créée pour donner aux éleveurs un autre endroit pour commercialiser leurs bovins d’engraissement Speckle Park, et de même, pour donner aux acheteurs un endroit où se procurer un nombre important de veaux Speckle Park. J’encourage les membres à utiliser au maximum ce nouvel outil de marketing.

La deuxième initiative sur laquelle nous travaillons est sur des étiquettes d’oreilles qui confirment la génétique Speckle Park des animaux. Cette idée a été soulevée lors de l’AGA. Les conversations avec les parcs d’engraissement ont révélé deux préoccupations principales en ce qui concerne l’achat de veaux Speckle Park. L’une des préoccupations est

le manque d’animaux facilement disponibles. Les parcs d’engraissement veulent remplir un grand enclos avec un groupe constant de veaux. Cela peut être résolu en travaillant avec d’autres éleveurs pour constituer de plus grands groupes de veaux et/ou en utilisant la plateforme Marketplace sur notre site Web.

L’autre principale préoccupation est l’incohérence lors de l’achat de veaux Speckle Park. Nous savons tous que si vous croisez un taureau Speckle Park blanc avec n’importe quelle race, vous obtiendrez des veaux mouchetés. Le problème, c’est que ces veaux à 50 % de sang Speckle Park sont gardés comme femelles de remplacement, qui sont ensuite croisées avec une autre race, ce qui donne un veau à 25 % Speckle Park, puis à 12,5 %, 6,25 %, et ainsi de suite, jusqu’à ce que vous vous retrouviez avec un veau ressemblant à un Speckle Park au niveau de la couleur, mais qui ne présente aucune des caractéristiques de qualité de la carcasse ou de conversion alimentaire de la race. Notre objectif est de créer plus d’uniformité dans les veaux Speckle Park commercialisés. C’est pourquoi nous lancerons les étiquettes « Verified Speckle Park ». Ces étiquettes seront disponibles à l’achat cet automne auprès du bureau de l’ACPS. Les acheteurs de taureaux pourront se les procurer lorsqu’ils utiliseront un taureau Speckle Park enregistré, identifiant les veaux qui sont garantis au moins 50 % de génétique Speckle Park. Nous espérons que les acheteurs auront plus confiance en sachant cette information par l’entremise de l’étiquette d’oreille, créant ainsi une plus grande demande pour les taureaux de race pure.

Alors que nous nous préparons pour la saison des expositions d’automne, j’aimerais souhaiter à tous une merveilleuse récolte et la meilleure des chances pour vos ventes de femelles !

Peter Watson Président ACSP

OF DIRECTORS

PRESIDENT

CO-CHAIR OF SHOW COMMITTEE

Peter Watson Branchton, ON · 519-242-0933 petemar162@gmail.com

VICE PRESIDENT

CHAIR OF THE COMMERCIAL & BREED IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE

Craig Brown Wetaskiwin, AB · 780-360-3276 maplelanestockfarm@gmail.com

DIRECTORS

Harv Fehr TREASURER Hague, SK · 306-290-6780 highmark.hf@gmail.com

Curtis McAleer

CO-CHAIR OF THE COMMERCIAL & BREED IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE Unity, SK · 306-228-3689 ctmcaleer@sasktel.net

Carla Ducherer

CO-CHAIR OF THE SHOW COMMITTEE Lashburn, SK · 780-870-4401 cducherer@hotmail.com

MEMBER AT LARGE

Vince Stenenson Shaunavon, SK · 306-297-7950 kerkainfarms@gmail.com

DIRECTOR/YOUTH PROGRAMS

Makenzie Olson Tisdale, SK · 305-921-3402 youth@canadianspecklepark.ca

OFFICE MANAGER’S REPORT

CSPA CORNER

Another fall show season is here, and we look forward to visiting with everyone in person over the next few months.

With the summer almost behind us, we hope this year was great a success through calving, pasture management and weaning. Cattle prices in Canada remain at a high and although the temperatures and precipitation were hit and miss throughout many regions, we hope it was a year of plentiful pastures and harvest for each of you.

Thank you to everyone who joined us in Manitoba this past June for our AGM and we look forward to planning our 2025 AGM to be hosted in the great province of Nova Scotia! Stay tuned for updates as we start making plans for next summer. This will be our first time heading further east than Ontario, and we are so excited that we have a great

group of breeders in the Maritimes welcoming us with open arms where we can expand from coast to coast.

As part of the open floor discussion held at our AGM, a recommendation was made for Speckle Park branded identification tags. We are in the final stages of making this a reality and will have herd management dangle tags available for sale this fall. There will be 2 options for tags to begin with: a 2 piece Allflex Cow Tag and a 1 piece Cow A-Tag. We look forward to helping our producers brand their product as the best beef in the business through our tag Identifier program. Keep an eye out for more information as it becomes available.

Ciara Mattheis Business Manager & Registrar Canadian Speckle Park Association

CANADIAN SPECKLE PARK ASSOCIATION

5160 Skyline Way NE Calgary, AB T2E 6V1

Hours of operation: Monday to Wednesday 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM

Tel: 403-453-9544

info@canadianspecklepark.ca

canadianspecklepark.ca

Une autre saison d’expositions d’automne est arrivée, et nous avons bien hâte de se rencontrer en personne au cours des prochains mois. L’été étant presque derrière nous, nous espérons que cette année a été un grand succès au niveau des vêlages, de la gestion des pâturages et du sevrage. Le prix du bœuf au Canada reste élevé et, bien que les températures et les précipitations aient été aléatoires dans de nombreuses régions, nous espérons que ce fut une année de pâturages et de récoltes abondants pour chacun d’entre vous.

Merci à tous ceux qui se sont joints à nous au Manitoba en juin dernier pour notre AGA et nous avons hâte de planifier la prochaine qui

aura lieu dans la belle province de la NouvelleÉcosse ! Restez à l’affût des mises à jour alors que nous commençons à faire des plans pour l’été 2025. Pour la première fois, nous nous dirigerons vers l’est, dépassant l’Ontario, où nous seront accueillis par un excellent groupe d’éleveurs des Maritimes, ceux-ci nous permettant d’être une association qui s’étend véritablement d’un océan à l’autre.

Dans le cadre de la discussion ouverte qui s’est tenue lors de notre AGA, une recommandation a été formulée pour les étiquettes d’identification Speckle Park. Nous en sommes aux dernières étapes de la concrétisation de ce projet et nous

aurons des étiquettes de gestion de troupeau disponibles cet automne. Il y aura 2 options d’étiquettes pour commencer : une étiquette « Allflex » 2 pièces pour vache et une étiquette « Cow A-Tag » 1 pièce. Nous sommes ravis d’aider nos producteurs à présenter leur produit comme le meilleur bœuf de l’industrie grâce à notre programme d’identification. Gardez un œil sur plus d’informations dès qu’elles seront disponibles.

Ciara Mattheis

Directrice des affaires et registraire, Association canadienne Speckle Park

SPECKLE SPOTS

2024 AGM ROUNDUP

The 2024 CSPA Annual General Meeting, held in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, was a great success despite being a smaller group than usual. The event began at the beautiful Treherne Fairgrounds, where Wilcox Livestock and Hales Creek showcased a pen of bred heifers, five cow/calf pairs, and a heifer calf. A special thanks to Anthony Wilcox, Bea Janssens, and Cameron Dodds for their efforts in making this display possible.

After viewing the cattle and mingling, we gathered for a lunch sponsored by the Central Prairie Speckle Park Alliance (CPSPA). We extend our gratitude to CPSPA for their generous sponsorship!

Following lunch, we visited the Farmery Estate Brewery in Neepawa. This family-owned brewery uses its own barley and hops in the production of its products. We toured the brewery, got a behind-the-scenes look at the operation, and enjoyed many delicious samples.

On Saturday, we convened for the official meeting portion of our time together. The morning began with a presentation from Joseph Gardiner of Covers & Co., a Canadian cover crop and forage seed supplier. Thank you, Joe, for sharing your infectious energy, passion, and knowledge around helping farmers solve problems through plant diversity.

Throughout the day, we engaged in productive and impassioned discussions about advancing the Speckle Park breed and refining our marketing efforts. A special thank you to Barb Zerebeski for taking the minutes at this meeting.

The day concluded with a beautiful meal and wonderful company. We extend our thanks to the caterers at Canad Inns, and to Ciara Mattheis, Anthony Wilcox, and Janice Harasymchuk for organizing the AGM weekend. We also extend a big thank you to Phillip Watson for once again volunteering to auction off the National Junior Show belt buckles. Lastly, thank you to our AGM photographer, Emily Watson of By Grace Livestock Photography. We look forward to gathering for our 2025 AGM in the Maritimes.

CSPA BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR 2024-2025!

We are excited to introduce you to our new CSPA Board of Directors for 2024-2025!

Peter Watson

President & Co-Chair of the Show Committee

Craig Brown

Vice President & Chair of the Commercial & Breed Improvement Committee

Harv Fehr

Director & Treasurer

Curtis McAleer

Director & Co-Chair of the Commercial & Breed Improvement Committee

Carla Ducherer

Director & Co-Chair of the Show Committee

Makenzie Olson

Youth Director

Vince Stenenson

Member at Large

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our retiring President, Janice Harasymchuk, for her time, dedication, and visionary leadership as the CSPA President over the past few years. We also thank our former Member at Large, Art Pruim, for his analytical genius, time, and wisdom shared.

EU FROZEN GENETICS REGULATIONS UPDATE

from Dr. Rob Stables

The new EU rules have gone through some changes.  As it stands now (August 2024), we can only use EU Qualified semen.  This means it was produced in an EU qualified bull stud and the bull must test negative for IBR antibodies.  This generally disqualifies any bull that was vaccinated for IBR.  Due to the extra cost of collection, limited sales opportunities, and the IBR requirements, most breeders do not bother with EU qualification.  There are some rules around shipping of the semen from the stud or approved storage site.  There may be a need for additional blood work on the donor depending upon the situation.  It is imperative that any breeder wishing to collect embryos for the EU contact their embryo veterinarian directly regarding the exact protocols.  These new rules have been in effect since August 15, 2024, and all previously qualified embryos for the EU are no longer qualified for export to the EU.

MYOSTATIN EDUCATION

A Myostatin carrier is an animal that carries one copy of the gene and an affected animal carries two copies of the gene.

Animals carrying one copy of the Myostatin gene (shows as -1 on the end of the gene marker showing they tested positive for Myo) are eligible for registration and can be bred to any other carrier and/or non carrier animal.

Animals showing as affected (shows as -2 on the end of the gene marker showing they tested positive for Myo) are not eligible for registration in the association.

With these statistics, the possibility of breeding an affected animal out of two carriers is 1/4. However, the possibility of breeding a clean animal from this mating is also 1/4 and the likelihood that the calf is a carrier of Myo is 1/2.

You can absolutely breed a carrier to a carrier, but there is a 1 out of 4 chance that the calf will be ineligible for registration, so as a breeder, you need to understand that risk. There is also the inherent risk that if that calf is an affected animal, which means that there may be birthing difficulties as a result of the muscle overdevelopment associated with Myostatin.

SPECKLE SPOTS

WILD PRAIRIE SPECKLE PARK REPRESENTS THE BREED AT ALBERTA OPEN FARM DAY

In the words of Erin Murphy-Thompson:

“On August 17th we hosted Alberta Open Farm Day at our farm in Rosalind and showcased our Speckle Park cattle and beef! We took several wagon loads of people out to see our heifer pen and had some animals in the corrals so that folks could see the different colour patterns within the breed. One couple traveled from Red Deer specifically to see the Speckle Park cows.

We also booked a food truck for the day that served our farm raised beef, which we market under the banner of @thompsonfarmwp. They then also served the same at our local brewery.

Even out camping this week, we ran into people asking about the breed, after seeing our logo on our hoodies. Building breed recognition seems to be working, we have a lot of people asking for Speckle Park beef and buying our bulls for farm-to-table operations.”

In our March 2024 issue, Ranch Lougami should have been listed as having the Champion Bull at the 2023 Expo Boeuf with LOUGAMI KASA DE PAPEL 11K (his full brother was also Champion Bull in 2022).

This is the third consecutive year that Ranch Lougami claimed the Champion Bull title at Expo Boeuf.

Underhill SPECS was the Premier Breeder & Ranch Lougami was the Premier Exhibitor.

FIRST SPECKLE PARK SHOW IN PEI!

On August 17th, for the first time in history, the Speckle Park breed took center stage on the red clay at the PEI Provincial Exhibition Old Home Week. There were 18 purebred animals entered in the open show and five Speckle Park cross animals entered in the commercial show.  There were three exhibitors from Nova Scotia that made the trip over to attend the show and one from PEI.

Sponsorship for the show came from breeders across the country, which allowed for prizes to be awarded the champions and provided for a pizza party in the barn for all cattle exhibitors following the open show. The exhibitors from the other breeds really were grateful for the meal as there were 4-H and junior shows continuing on after the open show. The judges for the day were Belinda & David White from New Brunswick.

CHAMPION HIGHLIGHTS

(*see overall champion & reserve show photos in the Show Results section)

GRAND CHAMPION MALE

SPONSORS

Greenwood & Ivery Down Speckle Park

MartinStar Farm

Skyline Genetics

Highmark Farms

Underhill Specs

KFC Farms

Midway Farms

Red Rock Farm

INC Cattle Company

A sincere thank you to all our sponsors that made the show possible! Without their generosity, it would not be possible to host a show and create an interest in the Speckle Park breed in Atlantic Canada. All exhibitors commented on the number of questions they were getting about what breed of cattle they were exhibiting, where did they come from etc. which generated a lot of conversations with even some cattle breeders that had not seen the breed in person before.

GW/ID Loyalty 30L

RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION MALE

Red Rock King Louie 9L

GRAND CHAMPION FEMALE

JSP Jazzee 909J with Fortbrook Mustang Sally 4M at side

RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION FEMALE

KFC Hocus Pocus 9L

GET OF SIRE

Red Rock Farm (Sire US Man of War)

PROGENY OF DAM

Red Rock Farm (Dam INC Flagship 24G)

BREEDERS HERD

Red Rock Farm

PREMIER EXHIBITOR

Red Rock Farm

PREMIER BREEDER

Red Rock Farm

Premier Breeder and Exhibitor - Red Rock Speckle Park, Karla && Chris Victor

SPECKLE SPOTS

BCRC

Did you know that the Beef Cattle Research Council has hundreds of tools, resources and webinars available to cattle producers for FREE?

Coming into the fall months, most producers will likely already have their feed booked or in storage for the winter months. Are you looking for information on testing your feed for optimum efficiency this year? Or do you already have your feed results but don’t know what to do next? BCRC has a webpage that includes tools for evaluating feed test results, cost calculators and indicators to when supplementation should be considered using a variety of different factors and feed types. www. beefresearch.ca/feedtest

For those who love podcasts and will be traveling extensively throughout the show season, why not learn something new on a variety of fascinating topics surrounding Canadian beef! You can listen to the most popular content from BeefResearch.ca – on the go! Tune in every Tuesday as the Canadian Beef Cattle Podcast delivers straightforward insights, expert information, and a wealth of practical knowledge for Canadian beef producers.

FARM FORWARD EVENT AT FARMFAIR INTERNATIONAL

FARM FORWARD is a one-day conference designed specifically for young Canadian farmers looking to take their farm business to the next level. Learn how to grow efficiently and sustainably, while preserving time for family and friends. Hear about new trends in agriculture and sign-up for courses. Then stick around for the Supreme Cattle Show, Dallas Smith concert and a free ride to Cook Country Saloon.

Check out https://www.farmfairinternational.com/farm-forward to see how much learning, networking and fun is packed into this one day!

GLENBORO FAIR

Wraydiant Farms wants to thank the Glenboro Fair for inviting us to attend the fair to showcase the Speckle Park breed. We really enjoyed showcasing one of our Speckle Park cow/calf pairs as part of the animal displays and felt that we were very well received. There were many guests that showed interest in learning more about the breed and the children loved feeding them grass and weeds.

Lots of people were excited to hear about a Canadian breed that is hardy, feed efficient, easy calving, maternal and of course known for great tasting meat.

We look forward to attending next year and giving more insight to others about the breed.

Devryn & Deanna Wray, Wraydiant Farms Ltd. Binscarth, MB

Cow on display is PRAIRIE HILL BELINDA 52E (CWC 52E) with calf at side Wraydiant Minnie Mouse 52M

INAUGURAL TASTE TO BELIEVE DINNER SHOWCASES SPECKLE PARK BEEF

SASKATOON, SK — The Speckle Park Reserve group, in collaboration with Highmark Stock Farms, hosted the inaugural Taste To Believe Dinner Party on Thursday, July 25th, at the picturesque Champetre County facility just outside of Saskatoon. This groundbreaking event brought together individuals from all facets of the beef industry, including cattle feeders, chefs, butchers, and producers.

Guests enjoyed an exquisite evening with five entrées featuring unique cuts of Speckle Park beef, each prepared to highlight the exceptional quality and flavor of this premium Canadian product. The event received overwhelmingly positive reviews, with attendees praising the taste and tenderness of the beef.

The success of the Taste To Believe Dinner Party marks a significant milestone in promoting Speckle Park beef. The organizers hope this event will serve as a template for similar gatherings across the country, fostering greater appreciation and demand for this unique breed. The enthusiasm and momentum for Speckle Park beef continue to grow, positioning it as a standout choice in the Canadian beef market.

*full story on page 26

BRAND

Written by Mona Howe

BUILDING A BREED BUILDING A

When the three partners set out on their mission to develop SpecklePark Reserve, their vision was much broader than creating just another branded beef program. That vision encompassed building up the entire Speckle Park breed. In fact, the project was born with the goal of securing, not only the future of Speckle Park cattle in the industry but also greater marketing opportunities for those who raise them.

The idea for the program grew out of intense conversation between Vince Stevenson of Ker-Kain Farms, Rob and Janice Harasymchuk of INC Cattle Company and Ken Friesen of KFC Farms on how to level the playing field for this great breed they are all so passionate about. After much discussion they determined the process would be to acquire and feed the cattle, collect the carcass data and market the product in a way that each segment of the supply chain would recognize the superior attributes and characteristic of

the Speckle Park breed. A proving ground, if you will, to show the world what these three Speckle Park breeders already knew was so special about this breed including above average marbling, less days needed on feed and desirable muscle sizes attractive to the food service sector.

Vince Stevenson, who owns and operates Ker-Kain Farms along with his wife Jillian and son Kain, has been a key driver in developing the SpecklePark Reserve program. His experience owning and operating Ranchhouse Meats, a butcher shop and meat counter, gave him a unique frame of reference when embarking on this project. His firsthand exposure to Speckle Park carcasses at the shop, along with more than 35 years of experience raising cattle of his own are just a couple things that led him to get involved with the breed initially.

Speckle Park Reserve

“For all facets of the business; the cow/calf side, the finishing side and the meat side, Speckle Park was the way I wanted to go.”

“A friend of mine told me about Speckle Park winning the carcass competition at the Calgary Stampede. After hearing about this, I found six head of Speckle Park online, bought those feeder cattle and fed them out. The carcasses were excellent, well marbled and consistent,” Stevenson recalls. “I had been using some other breeds that I grew up with, and they were inconsistent at best. Anyways, I tried these and really liked them,” he continued.

From there he went and bought a group of Speckle Park bred heifers in hopes of maintaining a consistent supply of these cattle for the butcher shop. When those six heifers all calved in a spring storm, brought in 6 live calves, bred back right away to calve the next spring and stayed in top condition throughout the winter months, he was hooked on using this new breed in a big way.

“I was raised, first and foremost, to be a cow/calf producer but then I got into the butcher shop business, so I had to look at the cattle a little bit differently. From there, I just knew, for all facets of the business; the cow/calf side, the finishing side and the meat side, Speckle Park was the way I wanted to go,” he explained, “They were the best all round breed that I’d ever had anything to do with.”

Fast forward 10 years from those initial experiences Stevenson had with Speckle Parks, to the present. “I’d been watching Speckle Park calves sell in the

auction marts and they were selling at a big-time discount,” he noted. It was at that point he knew somehow, something needed to change. After sharing his concerns with some other Speckle Park breeders, Stevenson found that he wasn’t the only one looking for ways to address the challenges the breed was facing. Purebred Speckle Park breeders Rob and Janice Harasymchuk and Ken Friesen were also convinced that the breed’s potential was being overlooked throughout the supply chain and commercial cattlemen using Speckle Park genetics were leaving too many dollars on the table.

“It was obvious we weren’t getting our fair market share because of the cattle’s coloring. We saw the need to do something to promote the breed and product through some means that proved what the Speckle Park carcass had to offer the industry,” expressed Rob. This sparked a great deal of conversation between the three parties on what was the best path forward. The idea for SpecklePark Reserve, as Janice says, “really developed from a series of discussions between the three of us,” refencing INC, KFC and KerKain Farms. A year and half later, their plans were set in motion.

With the idea of a branded beef program as the vehicle, the trio set about developing the framework for how it would accomplish the necessary objectives of highlighting what the breed had to offer. The nuts and bolts, if you will. The initial step was to source the feeder cattle, both steers and heifers, and get them into a feedlot. When buying cattle, their aim was to source animals with at least 50% Speckle Park genetics. Bull customers of

Founding Members Janice Harasymbuk, Ken Friesen and Vince Stevenson

“It was obvious we weren’t getting our fair market share because of the cattle’s coloring. We saw the need to do something to promote the breed and product through some means that proved what the Speckle Park carcass had to offer the industry.”

INC Cattle Company and KFC Farms were a natural fit.

Rob and Janice Harasymchuk of INC Cattle Company added four Speckle Park heifers to their long-time herd about 10 years ago. They fast tracked their program using AI and embryo transfer as well as through purchasing top Speckle Park genetics from other herds. Today, INC is one of the top breeders in the country, if not the world, running over 300 head of Speckle Park cows. That, of course, has led them to build an extensive client base of bull customers. This customer base, they felt, was the perfect jumping off point for sourcing feeder cattle for the SpecklePark Reserve program

Ken Freisen, having been in the cattle business for over 20 years and purebred Speckle Park breed for the last 15, also had a thriving client list to source feeder calves from. As Janice, who was President of the Canadian Speckle Park Association at the time, tells us, “We knew we had to help our breeders and their bull buyers get a fair shake, and getting their calves into this program would allow us to start doing that.”

Boyd Stuart, long-time marketing rep with Northern Livestock Sales out of Prince Alberta, Saskatchewan, admits that the patterned cattle often get docked at the market, even though the quality is there, and agrees that

this program will help spread the right message. Last fall the group purchased anywhere from 6 to 200 head at a time from 15 different producers across Canada in order to reach their total of nearly 1,000 head of feeder cattle to kick off the program.

The feedlot situation was critical as the cattle would be finished without added hormones that are normally used on over 90 percent of cattle in custom feedlots. Not only that, but the numbers were also relatively small compared to what most lots were accustomed to dealing with. In addition, the lots had to be willing to deal with a variety of classes of cattle being fed as a group, as Vince mentioned, “We wanted to buy a little of everything; the good, the bad and even some of the ugly cattle of the breed.” The group felt that these steps were necessary to accurately represent what the breed is currently offering the market and to be able to do the necessary comparisons. All parties agreed that both Red Coat Cattle Feeders near Hazenmore, Saskatchewan and Highway 21 Feeders near Acme, Alberta were the perfect fit for the project. “We never anticipated that we would be finishing cattle in a feedlot but here we are today,” noted Rob.

“I’m not a feedlot guy and had a lot of questions that needed answering,” Vince stated. “We can’t thank these feedlot managers enough for finding space for the cattle and guiding us along in this process as we’ve figured out what to do and what we could do better moving forward,” he went on to add. Being able to put their trust in the feedlots gave each of the stakeholders added peace of mind when it came to having the cattle fed and finished properly. Kevin Ainsworth, manager at Red Coat Cattle Feeders, shared his perspective, noting that the Speckle Park cattle have a great deal of potential given their ability to consistently grade well and finish with fewer days on feed, along with initial numbers pointing towards better than average feed conversion rates. Scott Brady of Highway 21 Feeders reiterated that these cattle were topping both gain and grade, two things that typically don’t go together.

While the

the

carcass

group was confident in

quality,

they have been pleasantly surprised by the data that has come back from Cargill thus far; over 95 percent grading AAA or prime with yields of 60 plus percent.

“These Speckle Park carcasses consistently have a very desirable balance of even muscle sizes, especially the loin eye size of the ribeye and striploin.”

Other positive attributes aside, the Speckle Park carcass is one area the breed appears to really stand out. While the group was confident in the carcass quality, they have been pleasantly surprised by the data that has come back from Cargill thus far; over 95 percent grading AAA or prime with yields of 60 plus percent. With more than 700 head of cattle on feed having been processed to date, these numbers are very encouraging.

“We believed the numbers would be up there well above the industry average, but now we actually have the data to say, okay, it’s everything we’ve always believed,” agreed Rob and Janice. This high quality and accurate data from a federally graded facility is the proof the group felt was required to share with other Speckle Park breeders and to help reach the level of credibility the breed deserves within the industry. As purebred breeders Ken, Rob and Janice know genetics play a significant roll in meat quality, that’s something the data is proving and something they are excited to share with other Speckle Park breeders and the cattle industry at large.

Gaining the approval of the retail meat and food service sectors was another key aspect of the SpecklePark Reserve venture. One thing that Ken Freisen of KFC farms noted about the more moderate carcass size characteristic of the breed, was muscle sizing more desirable to the food service sector. This was confirmed by Trent Enns, owner of Smoke Haus Meats of Martensville Saskatchewan and former meat inspector for Alberta Agriculture, who said “These Speckle Park carcasses consistently have a very desirable balance of even muscle sizes, especially the loin eye size of the ribeye and striploin.” He went on to say that, in his ample experience working with Speckle Park carcasses, he has found the meat to typically be very well marbled, providing the consumer with a tender, juicy eating experience that keeps them coming back. “If people eat it, they will like it and keep coming back for more,” reiterated Ens who first encountered the breed back in the late 90’s during his time as a meat inspector.

Building trust within the industry and getting their information into the right hands was another detail that could not be overlooked. An innovative 5-star event, dubbed ‘Taste to Believe’ by current CSPA Vice President and Chairperson of the CSPA Commercial

Committee, Craig Brown, was established to help convey their message. The idea behind this event was to, not only share their important data with industry partners such as cattle feeders, order buyers butcher shops and food service providers, but for these people to taste the Speckle Park difference for themselves. They wanted to let the superior eating experience of the beef speak for itself. Read more on the Taste to Believe dinner in the sidebar following this article.

The initial load of steers that was purchased and unloaded at INC Cattle Company

When embarking on this venture the trio knew it wouldn’t be an easy task to get this project rolling but were confident that, with the right mix of like-minded individuals, they could most certainly make it happen. The three parties agreed that the success the brand has had to this point can be attributed to a couple of key factors. First and foremost, it has been their willingness to take some big risks, contributing massive amounts of time and effort, that has brought SpecklePark Reserve to where it is today.

“We’re all very hands on. There’s cow shit on our boots and dirt under our fingernails,” illustrates Rob. The prior business background each of the team members possess has, no doubt, been a critical component as well. “All of us owned different businesses outside of the cattle world, too. I don’t want to say we are experts, but we had lots of knowledge and different experience in different areas to pull from,” shares Janice. Last but by no means least, Vince credits bringing the right people on board to help them

with things like feeding, marketing and media as having a significant impact and knows it will continue to be pivotal in moving forward.

“One of the smartest things we did was get smart people to help us,” affirmed Rob.

Looking forward, the SpecklePark Reserve group sees immense opportunity for growth. When asked about their vision for the future of the program, Janice said,

“In the next five to ten years, we’d like to see it grow by 500%. And that’s realistic. So right now, if we have a thousand animals on feed, we’re looking at feeding around 5,000 head annually.” With the amount of interest they have had from producers, sourcing those number won’t be a problem. Growth like this doesn’t come without challenges. One hurdle the group continues to face is continuing to make people aware of the breed and all the good it has to offer. However, with increased volumes on the horizon and the collection of more valuable data, the future of the brand and most importantly, the future of the breed, certainly looks strong.

“In the next five to ten years, we’d like to see it grow by 500%. And that’s realistic. So right now, if we have a thousand animals on feed, we’re looking at feeding around 5,000 head annually.”

Birthdate: February 27, 2024

Birthweight: 74lbs

Genetic Conditions: Homo Black, Homo Polled, Myostatin Non-Carrier

Sire:

The Donation Heifer will be auctioned off at the beginning of the CWA NATIONAL SPECKLE PARK SALE by Dutch Auction Raffle at $50 per ticket. After the sale is completed, we will have the draw for the Donation Heifer. How to participate: Attend in person & buy your tickets at the auction. Buy online through DLMS.ca during the sale. Contact either of the following members to have tickets purchased on your behalf: Alivia Ainslie (Fundraising Chairperson) ~ 306-215-7889 ~ alivia.d.a@icloud.com Makenzie Olson (Junior Program Advisor) ~ 306-921-3402 ~ youth@canadianspecklepark.ca

Tasting Truly Is BELIEVING

Written by Mona Howe

As the old adage goes, seeing is believing, and that is certainly true when evaluating meat quality. But anyone who has tasted the premium beef that is prepared to perfection knows that it is the taste, and taste alone, that keeps you coming back for more. The folks behind the Taste to Believe event were counting on it!

“I would describe the marbling, the color, the flavor, the texture, the beefy aroma of the meat while cooking as very flamboyant, very exceptional. The beef is just spectacular.”

The idea for the dinner grew out of real, honest discussion between passionate breeders around how to paint the true picture of the Speckle Park breed to the rest of the beef industry. “We decided, let’s prove what we’re talking about,” recounted Rob Harasymchuk who helped spearhead the event. From there, Rob’s wife Janice along with Harv and Fran Fehr of Highmark Stock Farms took charge of putting together the specifics of the affair. Not a single detail, from the venue to the invitations to the menu was overlooked, ensuring this would be a very high-quality event. Because, as Rob so accurately stated, “You only get one chance to make the right first impression.”

Champêtre County, a picturesque resort with the perfect country setting,

was selected as the ideal location. The next task was nailing down a chef befitting of the occasion. One simply can’t have a 5-star meal showcasing the best of the breed without a chef that knows his way around beef. Enter Red Seal chef Derek Martens, whose impressive resume boasting 40 plus years of experience in food service more than qualified him for the task at hand. Derek prepared a tasting menu featuring five different cuts of beef including a Swedish meatball with ground beef, a beef bourguignon with stew meat, a braised short rib, a grilled tenderloin and a thick-cut ribeye, with each dish designed to highlight the natural flavor of the meat.

The two steers destined for the meal were hand selected from the SpecklePark Reserve pen at Red Coat Feeders by Rob himself and processed by Trent Enns at Smoke Haus Meats. The date for the event was set based on a 21-day dry age of the beef to ensure the best possible eating experience.

Regarding the beef, chef Derek said the following, “I’ll admit, before signing on for this event I never even knew the Speckle Park breed existed. However, I would describe the marbling, the color, the flavor, the texture, the beefy aroma of the meat while cooking as very flamboyant, very exceptional. The beef is just spectacular.”

With a relatively short guest list of only 60 people, the invites were done strategically. “It was important to have a cross section from all facets of the beef industry, including butcher shop owners, restaurant owners, cattle

It’s safe to say that the success of the event exceeded all expectations.

buyers, auctioneers, cattle feeders, the media and breeders,” explained Janice.

Facilitating the event was Canadian Speckle Park Association Marketing and Promotions manager, Cayley Brown, who spoke about the breed, shared some of the recent data gathered and ensured the evening flowed smoothly for the guests.

“You couldn’t have asked for a better atmosphere with the way it was set up to have these people from different parts of the industry sit together, talk to one another and learn from one another all while experiencing the product itself,” conveyed Rob.

“In the end, that was our goal, to empower other people, giving them an easy way to share the product, to share the story,”

It’s safe to say that the success of the event exceeded all expectations. The overwhelmingly positive feedback from those in attendance coupled with the gratitude from a fellow breeders made it a very humbling and rewarding experience, agreed both Rob and Janice.

The best part, though, is that this inaugural event is only the start of bigger things to come. During the organizing process Janice simultaneously developed a template so that this exceptional experience could easily be replicated, designed so that someone could duplicate this anywhere.

“It gives other breeders the opportunity to do what we did. In the end, that was our goal, to empower other people, giving them an easy way to share the product, to share the story,” acknowledged Rob. As Janice also pointed out, this type of event can be hosted by anyone in the supply chain, “Some of our clients with butcher shops have since hosted their own similar events on a smaller scale with phenomenal feedback.”

It is events like these that will help the breed continue to gain traction in the marketplace, furthering the demand for this premium product that is Speckle Park beef.

For more information about the SpecklePark Reserve or to work with the group, please contact Vince Stevenson at (306)297-7950 or go to www.speckleparkreserve.ca

Testimonials

from

Taste To Believe Dinner

It was fantastic to see the culmination of all your hard work and efforts with this project and the breed. Loved the dishes! Delicious.

This event was phenomenal, and I can’t think of a single thing that I would change. Surprisingly to me, I think the tenderloin was my favourite, but everything was amazing! Mouthwatering good! Thanks for hosting such an amazing event!

Tonight’s service was excellent. The food was outstanding. Thank you very much for this special night. Every bit was memorable.

IDEA EXHANGE

RECORD KEEPING

THE BACKBONE OF PUREBRED CATTLE HERD MANAGEMENT

Record keeping, data collection, and information sharing are not often the hottest topics of conversation among cattle breeders. Too often, they are perceived as time-consuming, difficult to organize, and of uncertain value. However, this edition of the Idea Exchange aims to change that perception. We hope to provide you with practical tips, sound reasoning, and positive motivation to enhance how you record and utilize information about your herd.

Effective record-keeping practices can be summed up with the terms: Needing-Proceeding & Leading. There is a critical need to keep detailed records on calving, parentage, health protocols, performance, and breeding groups. To proceed effectively, these records should be reviewed regularly to identify positive trends and areas of concern. This review process supports informed decision-making and goal-setting. For example - there may be additional aspects/levels of information to be added into the program. By maintaining and analyzing accurate records, breeders are better equipped to lead their herds toward a more prosperous and productive future. Consistent information gathering also opens sharing opportunities to improve the breed overall.

Setting up manageable recording routines and dedicating time to maintain them are crucial first steps. Most farms and ranches operate with a team, and within even a small team, there is usually one person who finds the task of recording information more engaging and is willing to go the extra mile. It’s important that everyone on the team values this person’s role and adapts to the routines they establish.

Utilizing recorded information requires a dedicated approach. Identifying positives, difficulties, and changes over time is not always easy, but it is essential. This process should foster discussions that lead to informed decision-making and a unified focus. In the best-case scenario, it will be efficient and productive, fostering a sense of confident determination toward the future.

We hope this edition of the Idea Exchange inspires you to embrace record keeping as a vital component of herd management. By doing so, you will not only improve your own operation but also contribute to the advancement of the breed as a whole.

INPUT from Industry Professional s & Fellow Breeders >>

JORDON UNDERHILL UNDERHILL SPECS

The old saying “data is knowledge” still stands today and will stand into the future. In these modern times, any successful business needs to have laser focus. Yes, farming is a beautiful way of life, but it also has to be about business to be sustainable and to provide for your family. Let’s not hide behind the word “profitability.” Everyone in the chain needs to turn a profit, or you’re quickly out of business. Recording, tracking, and analyzing data allows you to genetically and financially improve your business. At Underhill SPECS, we use a combination of Excel spreadsheets and CattleMax software to guide us and those who work within our farm business.

TRACEY DURIEZ FOSTER DESERT ACRES

For us, data is much more than genetic tests and EPDs. The primary data we track includes:

• Average weaning weight per cow per year

• Total lifetime profitability per cow

• Daughters/sons in production per cow

• Notes on type improvements required per cow for sire matching

• Udder scores on every cow (1-5) during the first week of each lactation

• Genetic testing per cow

• Total cost of production per cow, herd bulls, and young stock

When 4-H tours come through our barn, I say, “Know your costs.” If you don’t know your costs, you will never actually know if you are turning any profit or not. Modern farmers need to think like both farmers and CEOs of their operations.

TRACY HERBERT EXTENSION AND COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, BEEF CATTLE RESEARCH COUNCIL

A good record-keeping system helps take the guesswork out of management decisions. By recording accurate and up-to-date information, you can make better decisions, turn information into actions, and achieve goals like becoming more efficient and profitable. The Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC), funded by a portion of your Canadian Beef Cattle Check-Off, offers free record-keeping courses for beef producers working to strengthen their farm record-keeping and analysis skills. Visit www.beefresearch.ca/courses for more information.

At Desert Acres Speckle Park, our approach to data and record-keeping has evolved almost yearly, reflecting the ongoing addition of various tools. While complex, they have significantly contributed to the smooth running and enhanced performance of our breeding operation. When I first started my purebred herd, it was small and easily managed with just a handwritten calving book. Today, I’ve incorporated multiple digital sheets on my computer as well as a yearly binder.

In my first couple of years, I quickly realized that obtaining results from the three major genetic tests would save me both heartache and money by allowing me to make more informed breeding decisions. Since then, I’ve added genetic testing for leptin and other herd improvements through Q-Select from Quantum Genetix and more recently, the Neogen Igenity program. These tools have been invaluable in achieving the results I aim for.

While there isn’t a genetic test for scurs yet, I continue to manually record scur occurrences in my individual cattle records, especially when they appear in the offspring of females who don’t visually present them. Other characteristics, like udder and hoof scores, are also documented by hand. I haven’t incorporated scans into my program yet, as that service is not readily available in my area.

Our system is always evolving. In my view, the more information I have, the better breeding decisions I can make. However, it’s important to remember that, in the end, Mother Nature always has the final say.

*Start Young

Building enthusiasm for keeping and using records can start at an early age and develop into a valuable skill. Whether it’s tracking daily weather, sports statistics, or family surveys, an interest in collecting and using information can be sparked early on.

For our youngest CSPA Junior Association members, starting with simple records like color patterns or male/female calving numbers is a great first step. Older members may advance to recording birthdates, sires/dams, and other critical data points. Setting up an easy and enjoyable system, whether it’s a notebook, calving book, or digital tool, is key. Encourage discussions about observations and how information can inform decision-making as they continue to grow in the breed.

KEVIN RIOUX WAR GENETICS

What makes great cattle? That probably depends on who you’re talking to, but we believe if you can’t measure it, then it’s very difficult to improve any specific trait. We need to get better at collecting more data at key moments without negatively impacting the animal’s natural progression.

Traits like calving ease, scrotal size, and weaning weight are the most improved in many breeds because they are easy to measure, keep records on, and compare data. The challenge is measuring other important traits without making the process cumbersome. For example, factors like milk production and fertility are also influenced by nutrition and good reproductive programs. So, without clear and accurate records, it’s difficult to capture the true genetic potential of these traits.

At WAR Genetics, we’re committed to improving our recordkeeping efforts. With the proper data, you can make great cattle, not just good cattle, in the same amount of time.

BEST TOOLS & APPS FOR CANADIAN PUREBRED CATTLE RECORD KEEPING

1. CattleMax

Widely used by Canadian breeders, CattleMax offers cloud-based herd management that includes features like tracking calving, breeding, and health records. This app is also compatible with CCIA (Canadian Cattle Identification Agency) tags.

2. Herdly

Herdly, a mobile app, helps breeders track breeding, health, and performance records in the field. It works offline, which is useful for ranchers in remote areas without internet access. It’s known for its simple design and ease of use.

3. AgSights

Based in Canada, AgSights provides a robust solution for genetic evaluations, data collection, and herd management. Its integration with Canadian systems and local support makes it ideal for breeders looking to improve their herd’s genetics while staying compliant with national standards.

4. Performance Beef

This app is widely used for tracking feed performance and herd health. While some feed services may vary depending on location, Canadian breeders can still benefit from its features like real-time weight gain tracking and cost analysis.

5. Google Sheets or Excel

Spreadsheet tools are highly customizable for purebred breeders who prefer flexibility. Many breeders use Google Sheets or Excel to track calving, breeding, financial data, and performance, adapting the software to their specific needs.

6. BCI Cattle Tracker

While developed in the U.S., BCI Cattle Tracker is available in Canada and useful for managing cow-calf operations. It helps with tracking calving, vaccination schedules, and breeding data.

7. iLivestock

This mobile app is useful for tracking individual cattle records, including health and breeding data. It’s popular among Canadian ranchers who need a mobile-friendly solution for data collection on the go.

8. Cattle Krush

Cattle Krush is a decision-making app that helps breeders track market trends, feeding costs, and performance records. Though it’s more tailored toward commercial operations, its market analysis and breeding tools are useful for purebred breeders aiming to maximize profitability.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to this edition of the Idea Exchange!

SHOW RESULTS SASKATCHEWAN BEEF EXPO

CHAMPION SPECKLE PARK FEMALE

RESERVE

April

ISLAND BEEF SPRING SHOW

RESERVE

April 27-28, 2024

Judge

CARIBOO CLASSIC

CHAMPION SPECKLE PARK STEER

May 31 – June 2, 2024

Judge Garret Liebreich

William’s Lake, British Columbia

Photographer Alysha Eileen Photography

CHAMPION SPECKLE PARK FEMALE

June 22, 2024

Lindell Beach, British Columbia

Judge Carole Gillis

Photographer Donna Allen

VALLEY 4-H BEEF ACHIEVEMENT DAY

CHAMPION CARCASS STEER McKenna Webster

CHAMPION HEIFER

US Tennessee Orange

Mirrah Webster

Mirrah Webster

Mirrah Webster

NATIONAL JUNIOR SPECKLE PARK SHOW

Tailor

NIPAWIN EXHIBITION

July 15-17, 2024 Nipawin, Saskatchewan

Judges Corey & Emma Lees Photographer N/A

ALL BREEDS CHAMPION TWO YEAR OLD FEMALE & RESERVE OVERALL FEMALE

Willow Lane Klassy Girl 7K with calf at side Willow Lane Miss Priss 18M Willow Lane Land & Livestock

SHOW RESULTS

PRINCE ALBERT

CHAMPION SPECKLE PARK FEMALE & Reserve Champion All Breeds Heifer in the PAEX Little Lady Classic Bred Heifer Jackpot

Colgan’s Lazar Lily 104L

Colgan’s Cattle Company & Lazar Livestock

CHAMPION SPECKLE PARK BULL

July 31 – August 3, 2024

Prince Alberta, Saskatchewan

RESERVE CHAMPION

SPECKLE PARK FEMALE

Willow Lane Klassy Girl 7K with calf at side Willow Lane Miss Priss 18M Willow Lane Land & Livestock

RESERVE CHAMPION

SPECKLE PARK BULL

Judge Katie Songer Photographer Showchampions

Calico Creek Level Up 218L Landon Spokowski

INC Valley Of The Kings 6K INC Cattle Co.

CHILIWACK FAIR

August 9-11, 2024 Chiliwack British Columbia

Judge Tyler Smyth Photographer Donna Allen

CHAMPION SPECKLE PARK FEMALE

calf

CHAMPION SPECKLE PARK STEER

4-H SASKATCHEWAN

PROVINCIAL

August 11, 2024 Melfort, Saskatchewan

Judge Kurtis Reid Photographer Paige Warner Mutimedia

RESERVE OVERALL CHAMPION FEMALE & CHAMPION TWO YEAR OLD FEMALE

Willow Lane Klassy Girl 7K with calf at side Willow Lane Miss Priss 18M Willow Lane Land & Livestock

SHOW

Mirrah Webster

Marblen Kiara with

at side Mirrenna Maverick Mirrah Webster

OLD HOME WEEK SHOW RESULTS

August 17, 2024

Charlottetown, PEI

Judge Belinda & David White

Photographer David Ross

CHAMPION SPECKLE PARK FEMALE

JSP Jazzee 909J with calf at side Fortbrook Mustang Sally 4M

CHAMPION SPECKLE PARK BULL

GW/ID Loyalty 30L

RESERVE CHAMPION SPECKLE PARK FEMALE

KFC Hocus Pocus 9L

RESERVE CHAMPION SPECKLE PARK BULL

9L

Red Rock King Louie

August 24, 2024 Barrie, Ontario

Judge Lee and Dawn Wilson

Photographer Sam Buschbeck Photography

BARRIE FAIR

CHAMPION SPECKLE PARK FEMALE

Watson Leopard Trillium 7J with calf at side Watson Stetson Theona 27M Watson Land & Livestock Ltd.

RESERVE CHAMPION SPECKLE PARK FEMALE

Watson Stetson Parade 48L Watson Land & Livestock Ltd.

RESERVE CHAMPION SPECKLE PARK BULL

Wolf Lake Lancaster 42L Watson Land & Livestock Ltd.

JSF Air Force 22K

Watson Land & Livestock Ltd.

CHAMPION SPECKLE PARK BULL

SHOW RESULTS

CUMBERLAND CO EX

August 31, 2024 Oxford, Nova Scotia

Judge Peter Frijters

Photographer Jennifer Clarke Photography

CHAMPION SPECKLE PARK FEMALE

Watson Stetson Hailey 5L Mid Way Farms

CHAMPION SPECKLE PARK BULL

GW/ID Loyalty 30L Mid Way Farms

RESERVE CHAMPION SPECKLE PARK FEMALE

Fortbrook Mustang Sally 4M Fortbrook Farms

RESERVE CHAMPION SPECKLE PARK BULL

Fortbrook Maritimer 3M Fortbrook Farms

PARIS FAIR

CHAMPION SPECKLE PARK FEMALE

Watson Stetson Sienna 14K with calf at side Watson Airforce Seattle 25M Watson Land & Livestock Ltd.

RESERVE CHAMPION

PARK FEMALE

Watson Land & Livestock Ltd. JSF

Watson Land & Livestock Ltd.

Judge Dwayne Martin Photographer By Grace Livestock Photography

SHOW RESULTS

NB EX BEEF SHOW

September 6-8, 2024 Fredericton, NB

Judge Scott and Emily Matthews Photographer Sam Buschbeck (with exception of Reserve Bull photo)

CHAMPION SPECKLE PARK FEMALE

RESERVE CHAMPION SPECKLE PARK FEMALE

Watson Stetson Hailey 5L Mid Way Farms

KFC Hocus Pocus 9L Mid Way Farms

RESERVE CHAMPION SPECKLE PARK BULL

Fortbrook Maritimer 3M

PROVINCIAL WINTER FAIR

SHOW RESULTS LINDSAY FAIR

CHAMPION SPECKLE PARK FEMALE

Cougar Radiant 15M

CHAMPION SPECKLE PARK BULL

2M

September 20, 2024 Lindsay, Ontario

RESERVE CHAMPION

SPECKLE PARK FEMALE

Watson Leopard Trillium 7J with calf at side Watson

Airforce Seattle 25M Watson Land and Livestock Ltd.

RESERVE CHAMPION

SPECKLE PARK BULL

JSF Air Force 22K

Watson

Watson Land and Livestock Ltd.

Judges Bob Goble

Photographer Innovation Media

Watson Cougar Lowell

Watson Land and Livestock Ltd.

Watson Land and Livestock Ltd.

EPIGENETICS the phenomenon of

Written by Ciara Mattheis

Epigenetics, in literal translation, means “on top of genetics.” It deals with gene expression and genetic traits being presented both within and across generations due to external factors, without direct mutations in the DNA sequences.

What does this mean to me, you might ask? It means that you can more fully express the genetics you already possess in the years to come through management practices, balanced nutrition, and environmental factors that accentuate desirable traits to maximize the value and quality of your cattle.

The first time I heard about epigenetics, I wasn’t convinced it was a real thing. How do you wrap your head around the fact that genetics are

not set in stone, as we were always taught, but that environment and experiences can actually affect the expression of genes and determine which ones are more prevalent? I was instantly hooked and needed to know more. The research is fascinating and certainly worth taking note of for the knowledge, experience, and opportunity to present the best genetics possible in the livestock produced on your farm or ranch.

You can more fully express the genetics you already possess in the years to come through management practices, balanced nutrition, and environmental factors

During the developmental process, both prior to birth and early in life during rapid development, the DNA that makes up our genes accumulates chemical markers that bind to the polynucleotide chains. These markers determine how much or how little of a specific gene is expressed. This collection of chemical markers is known as the “epigenome.”

The health and welfare of your breeding stock are therefore essential to producing the best possible offspring. Fetal and early life experiences, such as malnutrition, exposure to toxins, and high stress before birth or during early development, are not forgotten but instead built into the architecture of the developing brain through the epigenome. This can impair certain aspects of optimal or full potential development in the calf as it grows. The bull and cow each provide half of the calf’s genetics, but the cow has 283 days of additional influence before birth, along with several months during critical development after birth.

Epigenetics and linear measurement tools should be at the top of any progressive breeding program

Steve Campbell is an extremely intelligent man who has built a modernday program to help producers “make your herd’s genetic code fit your zip code.” If ever given the opportunity, his presentations are an absolute pleasure to attend and will leave you excited and energized to go home and implement some of the practices learned. Steve introduced the cattle world to the idea of the “Red Solo Cup Cow.” These cows have a big belly and a wide, angled slope from hook to pins, which assists in optimal digestion of feed intake and easier calving. To learn more, I encourage you to visit taylormadecattle.com and watch some of his recorded videos that explain the benefits of having cows that work for you to maximize the genetic potential of your herd.

Prior to the current scientific research being conducted in some of the most respected labs and institutions internationally, cattle biologists noted this phenomenon in the 1960s and 1970s. Dr. Jan Bonsma of South Africa noted in many of his research papers that efforts to breed larger cattle in environments where smaller-framed cattle had previously thrived led to a genetic decline. Cattle efficiency, quality, and the taste and texture of the meat reached an all-time low.

Gerald Fry studied many of these teachings from Bonsma and other renowned researchers. He was inspired to spend much of his career in the mid-1990s working across the USA to help cattlemen get “back to the basics” of ranching and create a more symbiotic relationship between cattle and the land they lived and produced on. Remembering Dr. Bonsma’s teachings on how cattle naturally adapted to their environment, Mr. Fry began searching for the proper genetics for moderately framed

cattle with good intramuscular fat and the ability to consistently reproduce offspring equal to or better than their sire and dam.

A story shared by Steve Campbell on his website about Burl Winchester, who reintroduced linear measurement back into North America, shows that epigenetics and linear measurement tools should be at the top of any progressive breeding program. These tools can help select for the traits you want your cattle to exhibit, especially as a seedstock producer. We, too, can use this tool in developing the cattle that populate our pastures to breed for a more efficient cow on grass.

“Burl Winchester was a curious man from a curious family. He grew up on a very poor farm outside of Clovis, New Mexico, where he and his brothers took care of the family livestock. As I remember the story, when they were raising 4H sheep in the 1930s, they decided to start measuring them and recording the measurements in a little notebook. They found strong correlations between many of the traits and started organizing them around the edges of the pages (for each animal) so they could easily compare the measurements to the general condition of different individuals. This led to making the marks on 3 x 5 cards instead of notebook pages so they could easily sort the cards by different traits and compare that to what they were seeing when they looked at the animals. This was the genesis of the spectrofan© cards that are still used today.

Burl extended the use of these cards to cattle and became easily convinced that by selecting and culling based on traits that correlated with results such as grade of meat cuts in carcasses, mothering ability, and winter survivability, one could easily build a herd of very high quality (however one defined that) within just a few generations. By selecting herd bulls and breeding females to meet one’s criteria, the results were demonstrated repeatedly to be dramatic and unquestionable.” –Steve Campbell

Epigenetic changes play a role in determining which genes are turned off or on and influence the proteins produced within specific cells. Some of these modified traits can also be inherited across generations. This is why we want to bring forward the most desired traits by facilitating proper diet and exposure to environmental factors and stressors in which we wish these cattle to thrive. I encourage you to take some time to consider the epigenetic repercussions, both good and bad, in your practices and to look for ways to encourage the traits you desire in your cattle and how you can get there.

Epigenetic changes play a role in determining which genes are turned off or on and influence the proteins produced within specific cells. Some of these modified traits can also be inherited

across generations.

YOUTH SPOTLIGHT

Hello everyone! The juniors have been busy since my last report.In April 2024, online elections were held to form the first-ever Canadian Junior Speckle Park Board of Directors. The directors were elected by region based on member demographics: 2 Eastern Directors, 2 Central Directors, 1 Alberta Director and 1 B.C. Director. The board also had the power to appoint a Member At Large for the term. All positions are 2-year terms.

With summer shows wrapping up and the fall run now starting, I would like to remind juniors of the NEW Canadian Speckle Park Junior Point Shows Program. This program aims to encourage youth participation, recognize excellence, and promote the Speckle Park breed.

Awards include:

• Purebred Show Heifer of the year

• Speckle Park Influence Show Heifer of the year

• Purebred or Speckle Park Influence Show Steer of the year

• Showmanship Champion of the year

More information can be found under the ‘Youth’ tab on the Canadian Speckle Park Association website.

The Youth Stockperson of Excellence Award will once again be presented this year at Canadian Western Agribition, sponsored by Underhill SPECS. While attending shows this fall, keep an eye

out for junior members who exemplify the following criteria:

• Display a passion and advocacy for the breed

• Breed involvement

• A positive attitude

• A social media presence in terms of spreading a positive outlook on the Speckle Park breed to a greater audience leading up to and at CWA

• An overall ideal representative for the Speckle Park breed

Nominations and voting will take place among exhibitors at Canadian Western Agribition.

Bursary applications are OPEN! New this year, we will be announcing our bursary winners during our banquet at Canadian Western Agribition. Due to this, the submission deadline has been moved up to November 1, 2024. There are four bursaries available across two age groups:

Senior (17-21)

• $500

• $250

Junior (6-16)

• $500

• $250

The bursary application form can be found on the Canadian Speckle Park Association website, under the ‘Youth’ tab.

4-H award submissions are now closed. We accepted applications for 4-H awards from March 1, 2024, through September 30, 2024. These awards recognize 4-H members exhibiting Speckle Park or Speckle Park Influence projects at their local Achievement Days and beyond. In 2024 we proudly sent out over 140 awards to more than 65 clubs across Canada.

As always, I’m happy to answer any question or hear your suggestions, so feel free to reach out anytime!

Thank You,

Makenzie Olson CSPA Youth Director

Bonjour à tous! Les juniors ont été occupés depuis mon dernier rapport. En avril 2024, des élections en ligne ont eu lieu pour former le tout premier conseil d’administration du Speckle Park junior canadien. Les administrateurs ont été élus par région en fonction de la démographie des membres : 2 directeurs de l’Est, 2 directeurs du centre du Canada, 1 directeur de l’Alberta et 1 directeur de la Colombie-Britannique. Le conseil avait également le pouvoir d’ajouter un autre directeur de leur choix. Tous les postes sont d’une durée de 2 ans.

Alors que les expositions estivales se terminent et que la tournée d’automne commence maintenant, j’aimerais rappeler aux juniors le NOUVEAU système de points Speckle Park pour les expositions canadiennes. Ce programme vise à encourager la participation des jeunes, à reconnaître l’excellence et à promouvoir la race Speckle Park. Les prix comprennent :

• Génisse pur-sang de l’année

• Génisse d’influence de Speckle Park de l’année

• Bovillon pur-sang ou d’influence Speckle Park de l’année

• Conducteur de l’année (Showmanship)

Plus d’informations se trouvent sous l’onglet « Youth » sur le site Web de l’Association canadienne de Speckle Park.

Le prix d’excellence reconnaissant un jeune éleveur exceptionnel sera encore une fois remis cette année à l’Agribition, commandité par Underhill SPECS. Lorsque vous assisterez à des expositions cet automne, gardez un œil sur les membres juniors qui illustrent les critères suivants :

• Montrer une passion et une affinité à plaidoyer la race

• Implication dans la race

• Une attitude positive

• Une présence sur les médias sociaux pour diffuser une vision positive de la race Speckle Park auprès d’un public plus large avant durant l’Agribition.

Les nominations et le vote auront lieu parmi les exposants durant l’Agribition.

Les demandes de bourses sont OUVERTES ! Nouveauté cette année, nous annoncerons les lauréats de nos bourses lors de notre banquet à la Canadian Western Agribition. Pour cette raison, la date limite de soumission a été avancée au 1er novembre 2024. Quatre bourses sont offertes à deux groupes d’âge :

Senior (entre17-21 ans)

• $500

• $250

Junior (6-16 ans)

• $500

• $250

Le formulaire de demande de bourse se trouve sur le site Web de l’Association canadienne du parc Speckle, sous l’onglet « Youth ».

La période est maintenant fermée pour les candidatures aux prix des 4-H. Nous avons accepté les candidatures du 1er mars 2024 au 30 septembre 2024. Ces prix récompensent les membres 4-H qui exposent des projets Speckle Park ou d’influence Speckle Park lors de leurs journées de réalisation locales et au-delà. En 2024, nous avons fièrement décerné plus de 140 prix à plus de 65 clubs à travers le Canada.

Comme toujours, je suis heureuse de répondre à toutes vos questions ou d’entendre vos suggestions, alors n’hésitez pas à me contacter à tout moment !

Merci, Makenzie Olson, directrice des programmes junior Speckle Park

YOUTH SPOTLIGHT

WELCOME TO THE CANADIAN SPECKLE PARK JUNIOR BOARD!

Hello everyone!

I am honoured to be the 2024 CJSPA President. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the Junior Board this year as we learn to navigate the ins and outs of a brand-new Junior Association. I would like to thank our wonderful Youth Director, Mackenzie Olsen, for mentoring and working with us all in this new venture.

Something very exciting for 2024 is the generous donation from Carla Ducherer of Carmark Cattle Company. Carla has generously donated a heifer calf to be sold at Agribition and all of the proceeds will go toward the Junior Association. The calf will be auctioned off by Dutch Auction at CWA. Check her out on our Facebook pageCanadian Junior Speckle Park Association and stay tuned for more details!

I would like to encourage juniors to take full advantage of the opportunities available. Check out the “Youth” tab on the CSPA website and be sure to follow us on Facebook. We’ve got some fun activities in store for those who are in attendance at Agribition in November. We hope to see you there!

1

6

7 Junior Member at Large

NATIONAL JUNIOR SHOW

Thank you to everyone who has made our 2024 National Junior Show a success!

Belt Buckle Sponsors:

Covers & Co.

River Hill Farm

Carmark Cattle

Highmark Stock Farm

INC Cattle Co.

Banner Sponsors:

Johner Stock Farm

Maple Lane Stock Farm

Codiak Acres

KFC Farms

Willow Lane Land & Cattle Ltd.

Desert Acres

Andchris Farms

Windy Valley Cattle Company

Hanging Heart Speckle Park, Leigh & Anita McKain

Mirrenna Farms

We truly appreciate your support.

We are proud of the juniors who represented the breed at this year’s Junior National Speckle Park Show/ Summer Synergy!

From left to right: Austin Cartwright, Luke Brundige, Mason Zwicker, Mirrah Webster, McKenna Webster, Kay-Lee Zbudovski, Lily Brundige, Melody Brundige, Blake Breuer and in front holding the Champion Heifer, Riley Breuer.

YOUTH SPOTLIGHT

MARITIMES YOUTH SHOW

Congratulations to all the junior Speckle Park participants who took part in the first CSPA junior show of it’s kind in the Maritimes, organized by Susan Collins. It was a very successful show – the first of many to come.

Thank you to all our sponsors and the people who helped make this happen for the kids. Thank you to judge Candace Black, our announcer Kimberly Bacon, ring person Margaret Wheaton, and Andy Carter at the gate organizing all the cattle.

Results were as follows

Pee Wee Division Showmanship - 4 way tie for 1st

1) Mia Oulton (age 4)

1) Heather Oulton (age 6)

1) Willow Hunter (age 5)

1) Kailee Adshade (4)

Junior Division Showmanship

1) Raya Dowe

2) Sydney Carter

3) Ari Dowe

Senior Division Showmanship

1) Belle Carter

2) Logan Taylor

3) Bree Hicks

Overall Grand Champion Showman

Belle Carter

Overall Reserve Grand Champion Showman

Raya Dowe

Photo Competition (judged by Jennifer Clarke)

1) Addy Heart

2) Katie Carrr

3) Belle Carter

Quiz (all answers could be found on the CSPA website)

1) Belle Carter

2) Bree Hicks

3) Olivia Taylor

Heifer Calf Conformation

1) Ari Dowe with Fortbrook Mustang Sally

2) Bree Hicks with ASC Money’s Worth

Yearling Heifer Conformation - 1st split

1) Raya Dowe with DAM Dots Live It Up

2) Katie Carr with Watson Fouble Up Junebug

3) Logan Taylor with Robvale Leading Lady

Yearling Heifer Conformation - 2nd split

1) Sydney Carter with Watson Stetson Hailey

2) Belle Carter with KFC Hocus Pocus

3) Olivia Taylor with Avonview LB

OVERALL GRAND CHAMPION FEMALE

Sydney Carter with Watson Stetson Hailey

OVERALL RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION FEMALE

Ari Dowe with Fortbrook Mustang Sally

CHAMPION AGGREGATE Belle Carter with KFC Hocus Pocus

Susan Carter with granddaughter Maggie and Watson Stetson Hailey

On left: Raya Dow, Reserve Showperson and on right: Belle Carter, Champion Showperson

Juniors in attendance

4-H & SHOW RING SPOTLIGHT

left to right:

Ty Bowzaylo, Intermediate 4-H Member

Steer’s Name: Steele

Ty’s Steer was the highest selling steer for the day at almost $8,000.

Jase Bartley, Junior 4-H Member Steer’s Name: Mac

Jase placed 2nd in inter club and 8th overall in the district.

Marissa Yowney, Senior 4-H Member Steer’s Name: Otis  Marissa placed 1st in inter club and 3rd overall for her steer in the district.

taken by Jess K Photography

ATHABASCA 4-H DISTRICT ACHIEVEMENT DAY 3 Speckle Park steers shown

BIG RIVER 4-H BEEF CLUB

Kassidy Vaadeland

Timber Vaadeland

Alixandra Vaadeland

Cole Grimard

Gauge Vaadeland

Marissa Yowney

Photos

Ty Bowzaylo

Jase Bartley

YOUTH SPOTLIGHT

BEAVER RIVER 4-H BEEF CLUB

Lily Brundige - Champion Cow/Calf, 2-Year-Old

Melody Brundige - Reserve Champion Cow/Calf, 2-Year-Old

Katie Thomson

Melody Brundige

Rhett Thomson

Arielle Thiessen

Melody Brundige

Lily Brundige - Reserve Champion Heifer

Luke Brundige - Reserve Champion Steer

Arielle Thiessen

Carson Thiessen

COWICHAN

4-H BEEF CLUB

FORT SASKATCHEWAN

4-H BEEF CLUB

LAKEDELL

4-H BEEF CLUB

MANKOTA

4-H BEEF CLUB

Brookelyn Buck - Cow/Calf Pair

Brookelyn Buck - Steer

Emily Collins

Hunter Lochart

Alexa Edwards

Kaycee Schwerdt

Kayle Schwerdt

Kyler Schwerdt

YOUTH SPOTLIGHT

T & M 4-H BEEF CLUB

TISDALE 4-H BEEF CLUB

TOPLINE 4-H BEEF CLUB

THREE HILLS GHOSTPINE 4-H BEEF CLUB

WHITEWOOD 4-H BEEF CLUB

Kort Hillmer

Kaylea Hillmer

Brantley Horn

Reid Beutler

Ally Banks

Austin Olson - Cow

Austin Olson - Steer

Makenzie Olson - Cow

YORKTON SPRING STEER & HEIFER SHOW

Congratulations to Jaylynn Lynch who placed first in her class and did a phenomenal job exhibiting her heifer X-TREME’S Lady’s Bird 21L at the Yorkton Spring Steer & Heifer Show!

66TH ANNUAL WILLIAMS LAKE SHOW & SALE

Jocelynn Johson showed her Speckle Park heifer, “Queens Kitana”, purchased from Leigh and Anita McKain, at the 66th Annual Williams Lake Show & Sale and stood in first place in the purebred Speckle Park breed class. Jocelynn has been a member of the Rose Lake/Miocene 4-H club for the past 6 years.

NOVA SCOTIA PROVINCIAL 4-H SHOW

Overall Grand Champion Showperson Belle Carter with heifer KFC Hocus Pocus 9L at the Nova Scotia Provincial 4-H Show where she qualified for the Royal Winter Fair National Junior Beef Heifer Show. Congratulations Belle!

Congratulations to Raya Dowe for exhibiting the Overall Grand Champion Steer at the Nova Scotia Provincial 4-H Show!

MAYERTHORPE JUNIOR BEEF SHOW

Rebecca Lane with Wolf Lake Sunrise 60L

YOUTH SPOTLIGHT

MARA, ELLI, AND FLINT VOGEL

EAST GEN 2024

Speckles take centre stage at East Gen 2024, held in Truro, Nova Scotia. Belle Carter, with her heifer, “Watson Stetson Hailey 5L”, was Reserve Champion Senior Showperson and went on to be named Overall Reserve Champion Showperson. This dynamic duo rose to the top in a class of 15 other purebred and commercial cattle. Congratulations Belle!

Mara Vogel with Market Steer Joe Dirt, Yorkton 4-H Regional Show & Sale

Mara Vogel with Grand Champion Market Steer Joe Dirt, Springside 4-H Beef Club

Flint Vogel with Legacy Hope

Elli Vogel with Market Steer Randy, Yorkton 4-H Regional Show & Sale

Flint Vogel with Market Steer Maximum Overdrive, Yorkton 4-H Regional Show & Sale

Mara Vogel - Reserve Showmanship, Yorkton 4-H Regional Show & Sale

Elli Vogel with Reserve Champion Heifer, Legacy Sadie, Springside 4-H Beef Club

Elli Vogel - Reserve Showmanship, Yorkton 4-H Regional Show & Sale

Elli Vogel with Legacy Sadie

McKenna Webster with US Platoon

Regan Lenton

Harvest Howes

Mirrah Webster with US Tennessee Orange

SALE RESULTS

MARCH

MARCH MADNESS 2024 FROZEN GENETICS FARM GATE TIMED AUCTION

Total Speckle Park Lots 4

Sales Gross Frozen Lots $1,900

X-TREME SPECKLE PARK TWO YEAR OLD BULL AND BRED HEIFER SALE FARM GATE TIMED AUCTION

Total head sold 8

Sales Gross Live Lots $77,000

Sales Average Live Lots $4,278

INTEGRITY SPECKLE PARK 5TH ANNUAL SALE FARM GATE TIMED AUCTION

Total head sold 16

Sales Gross Live Lots $80,152

Sales Average Live Lots $5,010

Sales Gross Frozen Lots $3,600

SUMMIT 3 SPECKLE PARK SALE FARM GATE TIMED AUCTION

Total head sold 31

Sales Gross Live Lots $197,050

Sales Average Live Lots $6,356

APRIL

KFC SPECKLE PARK BULL SALE FARM GATE TIMED AUCTION

Total head sold 20

Sales Gross Live Lots $117,700

Sales Average Live Lots $5,885

MOMENTUM SPECKLE PARK AND ANGUS BULL & FEMALE SALE

Total Speckle Parkehad sold 25

Sales Gross Speckle Park Live Lots $140,650

Sales Average Speckle Park Live Lots $5,626

Sales Gross Speckle Park Frozen Lots $7,725

SUPREME SPECKLE PARK BULL & FEMALE SALE

Total head sold 23

Sales Gross Live Lots $107,500

Sales Average Live Lots $4,674

Sales Gross Frozen Lots $14,200

LEADING EDGE SPECKLE PARK BULL & FEMALE SALE

Total Speckle Parkehad sold 29

Sales Gross Speckle Park Live Lots $188,350

Sales Average Speckle Park Live Lots $6,495

Sales Gross Speckle Park Frozen Lots $4,775

UNDERHILL SPECS FUTURE FORWARD SPECKLE PARK SALE

Total head sold 17

Sales Gross Live Lots $90,250

Sales Average Live Lots $5,309

Sales Gross Frozen Lots $17,450

The Canadian Beef Information Network Update ADVANCING CANADIAN BEEF

The Canadian Beef Information Network (CBIN) aims to drive innovation in the beef industry, ensuring that Canada remains at the forefront of producing high-quality beef. As an initiative of the Canadian Beef Breeds Council (CBBC), CBIN is dedicated to extending and expanding the use of quantitative and molecular genetics technologies to support a broader set of selection and operational decisions faced by producers across sectors.

This update will highlight a few early program milestones and highlight key program themes as the CBIN staff work towards a phased launch of an enhanced program platform and toolset in the coming months.

EXPANDING GENETIC TECHNOLOGIES FOR BETTER BREEDING DECISIONS

One of the core objectives of CBIN is to harness the power of genetic technologies to improve the breeding of beef cattle. This year, CBIN has undertaken a series of program activities to integrate advanced quantitative and molecular genetics tools into its data products and services.

These tools include a genomics data warehousing and analysis toolset, tools to manage identity linkage across sectors and settings, and an extensible compute and analytics ecosystem to support development and deployment of new and novel genetics reporting and decision support tools.

As part of a bigger ecosystem, we believe that curating a set of tools and resources to manage, analyze, and report on genetic information will enable producers to make more informed breeding decisions, ultimately leading to healthier and more productive cattle.

One of the early focus areas of CBIN is to try to extend access to genomics and genetic analysis outputs across sectors including commercial, feeding, and packing sectors. We believe that by designing systems

to support decision makers outside of the traditional purebred centric genetic evaluation user pool, we can broker improved data sharing relationships, and through those gain access to information on seedstock performance in commercial, feeding, and packing settings.

We believe that the next big wave of genetic advancement of the Canadian Beef population will be driven by data and analytics and these analyses will be informed by data captured on animals under true commercial production settings.

DATA PRODUCTS TAILORED TO PRODUCER NEEDS

The CBIN program has a commitment to support producer decisionmaking through creation and sharing of a wide range of data products. These products are intended to be user-friendly, ensuring that producers at all levels of familiarity can benefit from the information provided.

In the coming months, CBIN will launch a set of tools aimed at supporting the integration of production data from various industry segments. Initially these tools will allow producers to submit data on events and measures specific to their sector, and as data volumes allow, CBIN will develop a set of extended genomics informed reports and decision support tools for each sector.

By consolidating this information into a single platform and with the support of genomic technologies to understand the relationships between individual animals across production settings, CBIN hopes to make it easier for producers to identify trends, address challenges, and capitalize on opportunities.

COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS TO ENHANCE DATA COLLECTION AND SHARING

The success of CBIN’s initiatives is largely dependent on the quality and quantity of data collected from producers. Recognizing this, CBIN has intensified its efforts to foster collaboration across the industry. This includes partnerships with breed associations, research institutions, and technology providers to ensure that data collection is as comprehensive and accurate as possible.

As the global demand for sustainably produced beef continues to grow, CBIN remains committed to helping Canadian producers meet these expectations. The integration of advanced genetics and data-driven decision-

making processes plays a crucial role in achieving this goal. By enabling producers to select cattle that are more efficient in converting feed into high-quality beef, CBIN supports the industry’s efforts to reduce its environmental footprint.

SUSTAINABILITY AT THE FOREFRONT

Moreover, the emphasis on animal health and welfare, as part of CBIN’s genetic improvement programs, contributes to the long-term sustainability of beef production in Canada. Healthier animals require fewer resources and are more resilient to the challenges posed by climate change, making them better suited to the demands of the future.

LOOKING AHEAD

The Canadian Beef Information Network continues to evolve, driven by the needs of producers and the broader industry. The latest program updates come at an exciting time where work on the first phase of the CBIN portal is nearing completion, early breed association integration work is well underway, data endpoints and preliminary data products are mapped out and under development.

Over the coming months, the program will be extending invites to an increasing set of stakeholders to explore how best to support the broad set of data tools and decision support needs across the industry.

EMPTY SADDLES

Michel Gagné

Since the early 1970s, Michel was a true enthusiast of beef cattle breeding, a passion passed down by his inspiring father. Although trained as an agronomist, Michel chose to excel in the livestock industry, becoming a cattle breeder, purebred exhibitor at all levels of cattle shows, and owner of a bull testing station. His career in the purebred cattle world began with the Polled Hereford breed. Over the span of 50 years, he succeeded in enhancing genetic performance across all the breeds he worked with. In 1985, he became the first and youngest francophone president of the Canadian Hereford Association—a position of great pride. Michel also bred Charolais, Angus, Wagyu, and, most recently, ventured into the Speckle Park breed. He often said he regretted missing “10 good years” breeding Speckle Park, wishing he had more time to spend in the breed.

Michel fought kidney cancer over the last decade, always holding onto hope of healing. His passion for cattle never wavered, and he continued working on the farm almost until the very end, his last task being completed on April 7th. He passed away on April 28th.

Michel was often ahead of his time. When he served as president of the Hereford Association, he wanted to run an ad in Cattleman’s magazine featuring a Hereford cow and a Charolais-cross calf. At that time, in 1985, owning two breeds of cattle was very rare, and no one supported the idea. However, 12 years later, an ad campaign was launched exactly as he had envisioned. Changing the status quo was one of Michel’s passions.

In 2010, in collaboration with two other breeders, Jeannot and Guy, Michel ventured into Wagyu cattle in Quebec—a breed virtually unknown there at the time. Eventually, their paths diverged, which was heartbreaking for him. During that time, Michel also ran a small meat kiosk on the farm and began artificial insemination using one of the most well-marbled bulls in the USA, though it took some time for people to appreciate the importance of marbling.

A special thanks goes out to his friends Jacques and Guy, who continued pursuing Michel’s dreams when he had to slow down due to his illness. In 2017, Michel asked his friend Jacques, with whom he had formed a close friendship and who frequently attended Agribition, to take a closer look at Speckle Park cattle. Michel was immediately impressed by the breed’s appearance and their gentle, easygoing behavior. Thanks to Jacques and Phil, they, along with two other breeders, began investing in the Speckle Park breed the following year. Through the years, Michel was immensely grateful to all his partners in the cattle business, who became dear friends. He was also deeply appreciative of his parents, wife, and daughters. Ultimately, Michel had found a breed that perfectly reflected his career—beautiful, bold, and a blend of three breeds. As he put it, it was a “very beautiful adventure.”

Smiling and perseverant, Michel truly enjoyed life. His extensive knowledge, outspoken nature, and sense of humor made for engaging conversations. Anyone who knew him can attest to how fun he was to be around. His many qualities even

led him to run for federal office. He also had an immense passion for pop music.

Above all, Michel was a loving father, husband, and friend. He will be deeply missed.

Michel, we love you forever and are so proud of who you were and all you accomplished. We will keep you alive in our hearts and memories.

- Your family

To the funniest storyteller dad I could ever dream to have, love you Dad.

- Léa

Thank you, Dad, for your dedicated passion for cattle and for teaching me that there’s good in all breeds. The challenge is always finding balance between elements. Love you always. You will be missed.

- Sophie-Anne

My dear husband, I love you so much. Thank you for the marvelous life we shared together.

- Ginette

Michel était un véritable passionné d’élevage de bovins de boucherie, depuis le début des années 70, passion transmise par son père, qui lui a été très inspirant. En effet, Michel, agronome de formation, avait choisi de briller dans le secteur de l’élevage en tant qu’éleveur, exposant pur-sang et propriétaire d’une station d’épreuve de taureaux reproducteurs. Il a réussi pendant 50 ans à atteindre de meilleures performances génétiques dans toutes les races dans lesquelles il a été impliqué, en démarrant avec le Hereford sans cornes. En 1985, il était fier d’être le plus jeune et le seul président francophone de l’Association Hereford du Canada. Il s’est également illustré dans le Charolais, l’Angus et le Wagyu, mais le dernier mais non le moindre pour lui était indéniablement le Speckle Park. Il a même déclaré qu’il lui aura manqué 10 bonnes années avec le Speckle Park, souhaitant vivre un peu plus longtemps pour le faire. Pour vous montrer à quel point il était passionné, il a lutté contre le cancer du rein toute la dernière décennie et a toujours eu l’espoir de guérir, il a continué à faire le train presque jusqu’à la fin, le dernier étant le 7 avril, puisqu’il est décédé le 28 avril.

Michel était souvent en avance sur son temps. Lorsqu’il était président de l’Association Hereford, il souhaitait publier une annonce dans le magazine Cattleman avec une vache Hereford et un veau Charolais. Personne n’était d’accord, car à cette époque, en 1985, on ne pouvait pas posséder 2 races en tant qu’éleveur. Puis, 12 ans plus tard, il y a eu exactement cette annonce, comme il l’avait souhaité. Changer les choses était une de ses passions. Puis, en 2010, en collaboration avec 2 autres éleveurs, Jeannot et Guy, il se lance dans le Wagyu au Québec. À cette époque, personne

neconnaissait cela au Québec. Jusqu’à ce que le temps les amène à emprunter des chemins différents, ce qui a été éprouvant pour lui. Entre-temps, il tenait un petit kiosque de vente de viande situé sur la ferme et commençait à faire de l’insémination avec le taureau le plus persillé des États-Unis, même s’il savait qu’il lui fallait du temps pour faire comprendre aux gens que c’était tellement mieux avec du persillage.

Un merci spécial à ses amis Jacques et Guy qui ont poursuivi ses rêves, car il a dû ralentir les choses à cause du cancer qui s’aggravait. En 2017, il a dit à Jacques, avec qui il a développé une précieuse amitié et qui va souvent à l’Agribition, de regarder de plus près le Speckle Park, puisque c’est une race qui l’impressionne beaucoup du premier regard, qu’ils avaient l’air doux avec un bon comportement. Un merci spécial à Jacques et Phil puisque l’année suivante, à 3 éleveurs différents, ils ont commencé à investir dans la race Speckle Park. À travers les années, il était très reconnaissant envers tous ses partenaires dans le secteur du bétail, car ils sont devenus de véritables amis. Il était également reconnaissant envers ses parents, sa femme et ses filles. Enfin, il a eu un véritable coup de coeur pour la race Speckle Park qui était exactement à l’image de sa carrière, super belle, audacieuse entre autres par le mélange de leurs trois races. Pour reprendre ses mots exacts, il a dit que c’était une très belle aventure.

Souriant, persévérant, il aimait tellement la vie. Il avait de solides connaissances, un franc-parler et un sens de l’humour qui ont donné lieu à des conversations très intéressantes. Tous ceux qui l’ont connu savent à quel point il était amusant. Toutes ses qualités l’ont même amené à se porter candidat pour des investitures fédérales ! Il avait aussi une immense passion pour la musique pop.

David Brownridge

We send our heartfelt condolences to David Brownridge’s family and friends. We honour and appreciate the energy and enthusiasm David brought to the CSPA community and the Speckle Park breed at large.

David Joseph Brownridge, passed away peacefully at home April 21, 2024 in Amaranth, Ontario. Born to parents Joseph and Jean Brownridge (Garbutt) on December 17, 1955 in Brampton, Ontario. He was an active member of the local agricultural community for the last 38 years.

In May 1981 David married Edith Jean Brush and together they raised their 3 children, Stephanie, Scott and Jeffrey. In 2021 they welcomed their beautiful granddaughter Lillian who was apple of Grandpa’s eye. Together they enjoyed a successful farminglifestyle. He loved when the whole family would get together and have a BBQ or any excuse for a party.

Sadly in the summer of 2023 David was given the devastating news he had cancer. He did not let this slow him down as he continued the daily activities at home

De plus, il a été un père, un mari et un ami au grand cœur. Il nous manquera beaucoup. Nous t’aimons Michel pour toujours et nous sommes si fiers de toi pour tout ce que tu as été et pour tout ce que tu as accompli. Nous te gardons vivant dans nos cœurs et nos souvenirs. - Ta famille.

Au papa conteur le plus drôle que j’aurais pu espérer avoir, je t’aime papa. - Léa

Merci Papa pour ta passion dévouée et pour m’avoir appris qu’il y a des qualités en chaque race et que le défi est de toujours trouver l’équilibre entre les éléments. Je t’aime pour toujours. Tu vas nous manquer. - Sophie-Anne

Mon cher époux, je t’aime tellement, merci pour la merveilleuse vie que nous avons partagée tous ensemble. - Ginette

and participated in local events. He was thrilled when the International Plowing Match came to Amaranth Township and volunteered throughout the week. David proudly attended the Royal Winter Fair in November where two of his beloved Speckle Park heifers, Lucie and Locomotion were shown.

Predeceased by his parents and brother-in-law, David Lowe. His legacy lives on through his loving family, wife Edith; children Stephanie, her partner Ellis and Lily, Scott and Jeffrey; his sisters Jenny May Lowe, Arlene Muckart and Dave Sparrow and Dianne and Barry Richardson. He will be remembered by his many nieces and nephews as well as the countless friends and neighbours of the local agricultural community and the Canadian Speckle Park Association.

ADVERTISERS INDEX

American Speckle Park Assocation

Beisview Speckle Park

Big Chill Speckle Park Sale 35

Carmack Cattle 25, 28

Canadian Western Agribition National Speckle Park Sale 24

Canadian Junior Speckle Park Assocation 25

Desert Acres 69

Fall Feature Purebred Female Speckle Park Sale 12

GrahamCreekRanch 68

Green Hills Livestock 76

Gunn Lake Speckle Park 74

Hales Creek Farm 30

Herbert Land & Cattle Co. 34

Highmark Stock Farm 35, 69, 76

INC Cattle Company 3, 25, 76

Integrity Speckle Park Bull Sale 29

Johner Stock Farm 74

KFC Farms 25, 75

Leading Edge Speckle Park Sale 76 Long Ash Speckle Park 74

Mallet River Speckle Park 12

Maidstone, SK

David & Arlinda Johner

P: 306-893-2714 C: 780-205-4630 jsf3@sasktel.net

Justin & Amber & Family P: 306-893-2667 C: 306-248-1305 johnerbulls@gmail.com www.johnerstockfarm.net

Martinstar Farms 7, 12

MarGen Speckle Park 7

McAleerRanching 29

Ravenworth Cattle 2

Red Rock 68

River Hill Farm 3

Samtia Speckle Park 65

Skye Line Cattle 49

Trestle Creek Cattle Co. 12, 71

Underhill Specs 13

Watson Land & Livestock Ltd. 51

Wild Prairie Speckle Park 69

Willow Lane Speckle Park 74

WindyValleyCattleCompany 46

Wolf Lake Speckle Park 28, 29

Wraydiant Farms 74 X-Treme Speckle Park 57