Ontario Beef - December 2019

DECEMBER 2019

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE BEEF FARMERS OF ONTARIO

Cultivating Champions in the Beef Industry

Industry Leaders Explore Beef Export Opportunities in Asia 2020 Beef Industry Events Raising Awareness of the Risks of Winter Spreading Practical Advice Around Body Condition Scoring Are You Ready For It? Canadian Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement Number 0040007029

ON TA R IO BEEF • D EC EMB ER 20 19

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Ontario

HEREFORD ASSOCIATION

Ontario

HEREFORDASSOCIATION

contents

COMPLIMENTARY, MEMBER SUPPORTED PUBLICATION December 2019

Volume 60, Number 5

5 BFO Annual General Meeting 10 2020 Beef Industry Events 12 Research Validates Value of Two-Stage Weaning Keen to Understand Winter Nutrient Loss – 16 Farmers Raising Awareness of the Risks of Winter Spreading 20 21

Industry Leaders Explore Beef Export Opportunities in Asia Cultivating Champions in the Beef Industry

departments 4 Ahead of the Heard – by Joe Hill, BFO President 6 The Beef Beat – by Katherine Fox, Manager of Policy and Issues 8 Between You, Me and the Fence Post – by Jennifer Kyle, Editor, Ontario Beef 14 Rural Ramble – by Dan Ferguson, Manager of Producer Relations 18 Beef Brief – by Michele McAdoo, Executive Director, Brand & Communications, Canada Beef 25 OMAFRA Update – by James Byrne, Beef Cattle Specialist, OMAFRA 28 Where the Maple Leaf Flies – by Canadian Cattlemen’s Association 31 INSIGHTS – by Jasper Munro, Manager of Research and Innovation, AgSights 32 Vet on Call – by Katharine Found, DVM

ON THE COVER Winter has arrived and with it, we reflect on the past year and the opportunities that lay ahead in 2020. Ontario’s beef industry is facing challenges, but our farmers and BFO members are resilient and are sure to weather the trials through the coming winter.

Don’t miss out on submitting your photos for our February 2020 issue. Please send your winter inspired photos by January 10 to be considered for the cover.

Digital photos that are at least 300dpi are preferred and can be emailed to info@ontariobeef.com.

36 Market Information – by Jamie Gamble, Market Information Coordinator, BFO 41 Calendar of Events 42 Spotlight on Food & Farm Care Ontario – by Farm & Food Care Ontario ONTARIO BEEF • Beef Farmers of Ontario

130 Malcolm Road, Guelph, ON N1K 1B1 • Phone: 519-824-0334 • Toll Free (for Ontario callers only) 1-866-370-BEEF (2333) Fax: 519-824-9101 • info@ontariobeef.com EDITOR Jennifer Kyle CIRCULATION COORDINATOR Bethany Storey ADVERTISING MANAGER Cathy Lasby, Preferred Agri-Marketing Services Guelph, ON Phone: 519-763-8833 • Fax: 519-763-8833 pams@sentex.net DESIGN and LAYOUT Prism Studios Advertising and Design Inc. Guelph, ON PRODUCTION and PRINTING Beck’s Printing Services, Brantford, ON

PROVIDING A FORUM FOR THE ONTARIO BEEF INDUSTRY Ontario Beef is the official publication of the Beef Farmers of Ontario. Contents of this publication may be reproduced only by permission of the Editor and with credit acknowledged.

Opinions expressed herein are those of the author and/or editor and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Beef Farmers of Ontario. Publication of advertisements does not constitute endorsement or approval by Ontario Beef or the Beef Farmers of Ontario of products or services advertised.

Advertising deadlines are January 10, April 15, July 15, September 15 and November 15. The publisher reserves the right to refuse or cancel any advertising, including advertising that is inconsistent with BFO’s Sponsorship Policy, available at www.ontariobeef.com. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of material published, however no responsibility can be assumed for advertising not received in clear, type-written form.

C an adi an P u b l i c a t i o n s M a i l P r o d u c t S a l es A g r eem en t Nu m b er 0 0 4 0 0 0 7 0 2 9 POSTMASTER: Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Beef Farmers of Ontario, 130 Malcolm Road, Guelph, ON N1K 1B1

A h e a d o f t h e Heard • By Joe Hill, BFO President

info@ontariobeef.com • www.ontariobeef.com

2019: A Year of Challenges and Opportunities T

he fall of 2019 has been a pretty dark time for many producers.

The effect of limited processing capacity in Ontario, and really the entire northwest corner of North America, compounded with the shutdown of Ryding-Regency Meat Packers Ltd. has really damaged our feeding industry. Once again, feedlots are left holding cattle well beyond their intended harvest date, wasting feed and inefficiently putting on pounds that nobody wants. While the total volume of cattle that is backed up isn’t clear, it is still a cost to the system affecting our overall competitiveness, and a major stress on those directly affected.

Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO), the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) and Canada Meat Council were all thoroughly engaged in the Ryding-Regency issue. We were in regular contact with Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) officials, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and plant management from the start. One thing that I know for sure is that everyone involved knows how critical it is to maintain that BFO BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2019 Joe Hill (Feedlot Director) - President Phone: 519-843-3202 • Email: joe@roberthillfarm.ca Rob Lipsett (Background Director) - Vice-President Phone: 519-371-9850 • Email: lipsettrob@yahoo.ca Don Badour (Cow-Calf Director) Phone: 613-762-2161 • Email: don.badour@ripnet.com Jason Reid (Cow-Calf Director) Phone: 807-935-3224 • Email: reidridgefarm@tbaytel.net Craig McLaughlin (Cow-Calf Director) Phone: 613-646-7820 • Email: cmblackhorse@gmail.com Mert Schneider (Feedlot Director) Phone: 519-343-2849 • Email: nschneider@wightman.ca Jack Chaffe (Feedlot Director) Phone: 519-348-4607 • Email: jdchaffe@quadro.net Jason Leblond (Northern Director) Phone: 705-724-1887 • Email: jsacres5@gmail.com Dave Cavanagh (Eastern Director) Phone: 705-740-5212 • Email: homestead_herefords@msn.com Ron Stevenson (Southern Director) Phone: 519-887-6677 • Email: ron@metzgervet.com Dan Darling (Director-At-Large) Phone: 905-375-4019 • Email: dmdarling13@gmail.com Jordan Miller (Director-At-Large) Phone: 289-686-1124 • Email: b.jordan.miller@gmail.com

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capacity to process beef. BFO and CCA went so far as to secure one of North America’s leading meat hygiene experts to provide independent, third party advice to RydingRegency to help find the solution to get things running again. Unfortunately, RydingRegency’s licence has been canceled. For a full update, turn to page 27.

We have a new minority government in Ottawa, with a lot of work ahead of them. Media is making a big deal out of the Liberal party getting shut out of Alberta and Saskatchewan, but we need to remind them that they are also pretty much shut out of rural Ontario as well. Marie ClaudeBibeau has been returned as Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. Her six months in the portfolio before the election gives us some stability, but with little action from the Canadian Government for several months, the number of issues to deal with keeps growing, as does the urgency. The Ontario beef industry needs immediate action to address our processing shortage, and much greater equity from Business Risk Management programs. And we can’t forget the cloud of new transport regulations that looms on the horizon for early next year.

One positive event this fall was the implementation of our check-off increase on November 1. How is that positive? As producers, we made the decision to invest in our own industry, and our own future. We are working to expand markets for Ontario beef, both domestically and internationally.

We will continue to support Ontario brands to better serve our customer’s diverse tastes.

We are taking action to tell our story to consumers, to push back against the negative image that the anti-meat movement has been painting about beef production. We are engaging and empowering the next generation of producers. We are, where we can, taking control of our industry. These actions will outlast the challenges of the fall of 2019. Our fee increase has enabled us to invest in these areas without taking away from our government lobby and other activities and services. Regardless of the changes which will inevitably happen over the coming months and years, strong demand, public acceptance and stable succession will provide a strong foundation for our industry’s future. OB

BFO STAFF Executive Director Richard Horne • richard@ontariobeef.com Executive Assistant Cathy Golubienko • cathyg@ontariobeef.com Senior Advisor, Special Projects Dave Stewart dave@ontariobeef.com Manager of Policy and Issues Katherine Fox • k atherine@ontariobeef.com Senior Policy Advisor Angela Rouillard angela@ontariobeef.com Policy Advisor Jessica Schill jessica@ontariobeef.com Manager of Communications & Marketing LeaAnne Wuermli • leaanne@ontariobeef.com (on maternity leave) Senior Communications Specialist Jennifer Kyle • jennifer@ontariobeef.com Communications Coordinator Bethany Storey • bethany@ontariobeef.com Market Information Coordinator Jamie Gamble • markets@ontariobeef.com

Accountant Amber McIntyre • amber@ontariobeef.com Office Administrator Tammy Purdham • tammy@ontariobeef.com Manager of Producer Relations Dan Ferguson • dan@ontariobeef.com Producer Relations Specialist Jaclyn Horenberg • jaclyn@ontariobeef.com Check-Off Inspector Chris Millar • chrism@ontariobeef.com Provincial Supervisor, Ontario Feeder Cattle and Beef Breeder Co-op Programs Cheryl Russwurm • crfeederfin@wightman.ca Water Quality Specialist Chris Attema • chris@ontariobeef.com

BEEF FARMERS OF ONTARIO’S 58th ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

DELTA HOTELS BY MARRIOTT TORONTO AIRPORT & CONFERENCE CENTRE, 655 DIXON ROAD, TORONTO

Wednesday, February 19, 2020 9:00 a.m.

Welcome and Convene, Joe Hill, BFO President Elections to the 2020 BFO Board of Directors

10:30 a.m.

Morning Break

11:00 a.m.

Ontario Beef Marketing Update - Jim Clark, Committee CEO Consumer Engagement Update Review of 2019 Audited Financial Statements

12:00 p.m.

Lunch

1:00 p.m.

Reconvene Elections to the 2020 BFO Feedlot and Cow-Calf Committees Elections to the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association Ontario Mapleseed Pasture Award Presentation Debate on Resolutions

2:30 p.m.

Afternoon Break

2:50 p.m.

4:00 p.m.

Debate on Resolutions - Continued Adjourn

4:45 p.m.

5:30 p.m.

6:30 p.m.

Young Producer Networking Session Past Presidents Reception 2020 BFO ANNUAL BANQUET The Environmental Stewardship Award Presentation After Dinner Speaker: Tamar Haspel, Award-Winning Food & Science Journalist

Reconvene Annual Meeting Canadian Cattle Market Outlook

10:00 a.m.

Morning Break

10:20 a.m.

10:45 a.m.

11:15 a.m.

Canadian Cattlemen’s Association Update Debate on Resolutions (if required) Discussion Panel

12:00 p.m.

Lunch

1:00 p.m.

Debate on Resolutions (if required) BFO Board of Directors Q & A Session

In conjunction with the BFO Annual General Meeting February 18, 2020 7:00 - 10:00 p.m.

SPONSORED BY:

Visit www.ontariobeef.com for a full agenda.

Please note that the Cattlemen’s College is an optional program for the 2020 BFO Annual Meeting.

There is no registration required for this event.

Need Accommodations?

Request a room in the BFO block by calling 1.800.668.3656 no later than February 5, 2020

Young Producer Development Program Beef Farmers of Ontario invites young producers aged 19-40 to join key stakeholders within the Ontario beef industry at BFO’s Annual General Meeting. There will be opportunities for social networking, as well as a roundtable discussion session. Registration and one-night’s accommodation will be covered for 25 successful applicants.

Details available at www.ontariobeef.com.

Apply by January 20, 2020.

Thursday, February 20, 2020 9:00 a.m.

25th Annual Cattlemen’s College

Adjourn *Agenda is subject to change.

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The Beef Beat

• B y Katherine Fox, Manager of Policy and Issues katherine@ontariobeef.com • www.ontariobeef.com

Taking the Message to the People A

s I’m writing this, we’re in the midst of planning an exciting event at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto with Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, Farm & Food Care Ontario and Ontario Sheep Farmers.

The event will include a panel discussion with farmers, conservationists, researchers and retailers about the importance of agricultural grasslands in Ontario and the animals that graze them, including cattle and sheep, and how Ontario beef and lamb come from sustainable systems we can all feel really good about. And the best part is that we’re exiting the echo chamber and bringing almost 150 people from a mix of backgrounds to the event: Toronto media, dieticians, chefs, students, social media influencers and more.

Priority one for the event is to engage with people we don’t often get a chance to talk to about how Ontario beef and lamb come from local, sustainable and low greenhouse gas emission (GHG) systems. Our objective of this event (and most of our consumer engagement activities) is to make a compelling case that reducing meat consumption in Ontario would actually be detrimental to our environment, economy, and health of our communities and their citizens – such a compelling a case, ideally, that they then share that insight with other people, too.

Organization of the event began around the same time the City of Toronto signed on to

the Good Food Cities Declaration, along with multiple big cities from around the world like Los Angeles, London and Paris. The Good Food Cities Declaration is a commitment that these cities will try to reduce meat consumption and make more plant-based options in their cities, among other initiatives. While it hits close to home – imagining the City of Toronto shaping some of their decisions with the intent to reduce meat consumption – discussions about perceived costs and consequences of a diet that includes animal proteins is nothing new to us at BFO. I’ve lost count of how many documentaries, newspaper editorials, advertising campaigns and other pieces of media in the last year alone have dived into the debate on whether it’s okay for human health and the environment if people eat meat – in most cases with the commentary quite firmly on the side of no, it’s not okay. The overwhelming media coverage and pseudo-science on this topic probably gets under the skin of most people who find themselves reading Ontario Beef magazine, because we know what beef farms look like, how the land and animals are treated, and we see the role that animal protein and nutrition plays in the healthy lives of our loved ones.

And while I may have lost count of how many times I’ve seen an argument against beef for environmental or health reasons, none of us at BFO have stopped paying attention.

I don’t believe the general public’s attitude about beef is just about being able to sell beef in Ontario grocery stores. My personal opinion is that the very public debate happening in parts of North America and Europe right now

Merry Christmas to all our cattle friends!

Thank you to the folks that stopped by our display at the Royal Winter Fair AND A SPECIAL THANK YOU to the buyers of our cattle at the Royal Elite Sale.

SAVE THE DATE: MARCH 7, 2020 for our FINAL OPEN HOUSE Visitors Always Welcome

Holli and Brian Lee Janetville, ON

hmacsand@hotmail.com 6

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705-340-5944 Cell: 905-447-5173

about whether it’s “okay” to eat beef affects policies and decisions with our customers and our governments. So how can we be smart about a debate that often feels very… not smart?

Those of us in agriculture have science on our side. Beef is one of the most efficient ways, calorie for calorie, to get protein and essential nutrients that people often don’t get enough of, including iron, zinc and B-vitamins.

We also know from Dr. Frank Mitloehner at the University of California that converting from an omnivore diet to a vegan diet for one year would reduce a person’s carbon footprint by only 0.7 tonnes – flying to Europe once produces twice that much carbon. Other good news is that the GHG footprint of Canadian beef is less than half of the global average.

And we’ve got plenty more information and research to back us up.

Besides the facts and science, we have other compelling points to make too. When it comes to a debate between being a vegan or omnivore for environmental or health reasons, I think we also have a strong case to make about processed food. A lot of “plant-based protein” is basically extremely processed soy with a bunch of other ingredients to create the desired texture and taste. There aren’t a lot of things that can be agreed upon by doctors, government, dieticians and the like, but concerns about eating heavily processed foods are widely shared.

Despite all the facts and science, I think one important piece of our messaging is simply that choice is good. Beef is an excellent protein choice that people can feel good about, and we’re not here to pick a big fight with the competition. We believe in what we do, and I think that attitude, served with a smile instead of a sharp retort, can help others feel good about Ontario beef too.

These are some of the guiding principles we consider when we’re having the inevitable conversation about the surge of plant-based protein at restaurants and grocery stores, and we also use them when we plan and execute our consumer engagement activities. You can see an update on some of those activities on page 8, and we’ll continue to provide updates on those activities in coming issues of Ontario Beef.

Happy winter everyone. OB

SOUND BEEF NUTRITION AND FARMERS FARMACY® PRODUCTS DELIVERED ACROSS ONTARIO.

1-877-625-4400 grandvalley.com

At Grand Valley Fortifiers, we’ve been building sound nutrition into each product we formulate for over 50 years.

Our full line of beef minerals, premixes, and supplements are available delivered across Ontario. You can also order and receive Farmers Faramcy® products on the same truck.

To learn more about our products and find out who your local GVF Beef Specialist is contact us at 1-877-625-4400.

Advanced Animal Nutrition for Improved Human Health

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Between You, Me and the Fence Post •

Working in a Resilient Industry I

t is December.

How on earth have we gotten to December so quickly? The year has been a whirlwind, to say the least, and a particularly tough one for our industry.

While every year has its highs and lows, it seems 2019 has been determined to test our resilience at every turn. We have spent the year dodging one punch after another – weather, cattle prices, export bans, trade disruptions, activist pressure, processing capacity, plant suspension, federal election, weather again, and most recently, the cancellation of Ryding-Regency’s licence. Like I said, one punch after another – we’re really starting to feel like Rocky vs Apollo Creed.

I would be remiss, however, if I didn’t point out that, despite a seemingly endless list of challenges, there has been some great stuff happening in Ontario’s beef industry.

The young producer program at the AGM was a huge success, and as a result, plans are underway to run it again and make it even better at the 2020 AGM. A great group of young people attended the Beef Youth Development program, and the bfoUP

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By Jennifer Kyle, BFO Senior Communications Specialist info@ontariobeef.com • www.ontariobeef.com

webinar series will run again this upcoming winter and spring with more great speakers and topics, so watch for details. All of these opportunities demonstrate that our youth are active and engaged in the industry – a great sign for the next generation.

Throughout the summer and fall, members, directors and staff attended a number of producer and industry meetings, and as January approaches we are ready to kick off the official winter “meeting season.” Regardless of how challenging the outlook may be at times, it is encouraging to see producers remain engaged in what is happening with the industry. All of these events serve to provide information, maintain open dialogue and invite everyone to be part of the solution to whatever problem arises. Be sure to save the date for your local association’s annual meeting (page 11) and we would also love to see you at the 58th BFO Annual General Meeting February 18-20, 2020 in Toronto.

Our staff team has been busy on the consumer engagement front as well. Our new public-facing “Ontario Beef” identity has been slowly working its way into the world and to date, has been very well received.

We’re working with new marketing agency partners to launch the Ontario Beef campaign and it’s starting to take shape, including a fantastic selection of great images of people enjoying beef, which is the result of a great collaboration with Canada Beef. Over the last year we have been building content that is now ready to go to market. BFO staff have enjoyed creating this project and we are excited to share it. Watch for it online this month and into the new year.

One of the biggest deliverables in our ambitious consumer engagement workplan saw the launch of the new Ontario Beef public-facing website. After many months of development and design, we are excited to share that www.ontbeef.ca is now LIVE! This website is designed to provide us with the ability to keep it up to date and fresh, so check back often to see what’s new. One of the most exciting features of the new site is a store locator – this is an interactive Google map search function that will direct consumers to stores, butcher shops and farmers that sell Ontario beef products. Our goal is to provide Ontario consumers with as many options for sourcing Ontario beef as possible. If you would like to be added to the locator, or you know somebody who would, please connect with me at the BFO office.

This is just a small snapshot of the good things that have been happening in the shadow of some of the 2019 challenges. It’s been a tough year, but even though things have been bleak, our industry has been hard at work encouraging the next generation, supporting our current members and promoting Ontario beef to consumers as an excellent protein choice.

Just like Rocky, our industry has shown the ability to take a punch and get back up. I have no doubt we will continue to pick ourselves up, work to find solutions and continue to fight for, and promote, our industry. Let’s not forget, it took until the end of the second movie, but – spoiler alert – Rocky won. And we will too. OB

GET TO KNOW US BETTER

canadaid.ca

CCIA

CANADIAN CATTLE IDENTIFICATION AGENCY

CLTS DATABASE Home for livestock traceability data; a first line of defence in the event of an emergency.

CCIA (Canadian Cattle Identification Agency) is led by a board of directors representing 16 livestock organizations across Canada, including: livestock producers, auction markets, livestock dealers, feedlots, veterinarians and processors.

WE’RE INDUSTRY As an industry led responsible administrator, our job is to provide information and tools to assist you.

TRACEABILITY TECHNOLOGY Cool features like the CLTS MOBO phone app, the 24/7 tag web store and our Resource Centre are a few of the things we do.

To learn more about how we are working towards traceability together,

visit www.canadaid.ca

info@canadaid.ca | 1-877-909-2333

2020 Beef In Industry Leaders Featured in 2020 Beef Symposium Lineup O

ntario beef producers mark your calendars for the annual Beef Symposium – hosted in conjunction with the FarmSmart Agricultural Conference on Saturday, January 18, 2020 at the University of Guelph’s Rozanski Hall. Beef Symposium is a stream within the FarmSmart Program and will feature a number of topics including winter-feeding strategies, unique grazing perspectives, a sustainable beef panel, genetic selection and facing today’s beef industry issues.

The event will feature speakers from across Canada. Dr. Bonnie Mallard, renowned University of Guelph professor is the keynote speaker, discussing the role biotechnology has on managing disease in livestock and how advancements in immunogenetics and biotechnologies can be utilized by producers.

Dr. Mallard is a professor of immunogenetics in the Department of Pathobiology at the Ontario Veterinary College. She has been recognized at national and international levels for her work on the High Immune Response Technology (HIR) for improving the health of cattle, including the Governor General’s Innovation Award. Dr. Mallard has been published extensively, with more than 100 full-length articles in reference journals, and has presented her work and findings at a variety of scientific and agricultural forums.

Registration for the FarmSmart Conference is available online by visiting farmsmartconference.com or by calling the OMAFRA contact centre at 1.877.424.1300.

Registration fees vary from $50 to $135 per person.

Interested in the program but distance is a factor? There is an opportunity to access the Beef Symposium program online through Webex. Groups can register for a fee of $200 per location. In past years, Webex locations have been offered in Thunder Bay, Algoma, New Liskeard and on Manitoulin Island. If you are interested in registering to participate in the Beef Symposium through WebEx, please contact Megan Van Shaik, OMAFRA Beef Specialist, megan.vanschaik@ontario.ca.

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2020 Beef Symposium Agenda January 18, 2020 Rozanski Hall, University of Guelph 9:00 a.m.

Winter Feeding Strategies to Reduce Feed Costs Dr. Katie Wood, Assistant Professor, University of Guelph This session will focus on winter feeding programs for cow-calf producers. Learn about strategies to maintain body condition, stretch forage supplies, optimize performance of your herd and manage input costs.

10:05 a.m.

Unique Grazing Perspective Graeme Finn, Southern Cross Livestock Graeme is an innovative grazer who uses his grazing program to support cattle performance, soil health and environmental sustainability. Learn about Graeme’s unique pasture management strategies addressing rejuvenation, fertility, grazing techniques and more.

11:10 a.m.

Sustainable Beef Panel: The Retailer’s Perspective Burmeesh Bhandal, Cargill; Jennifer Lambert, Loblaws; Monica Hadarits, CRSB; Christop Wand (moderator) Hear from sustainability experts on what their customers are looking for in beef.

How do sustainable beef claims resonate in Canada, and how can producers get involved?

12:15 p.m.

Enhancing Feedlot Health: From Pre-Wean to Finish Dr. Greg Dimmers, Metzger Veterinary Services A veterinarian’s insight on top health issues faced by Ontario’s feedlots and management considerations for improved cattle health, including practices to set calves up for success at the cow-calf level.

1:20 p.m. – LIVESTOCK KEYNOTE Breeding Livestock for Resilience Dr. Bonnie Mallard, Professor, University of Guelph In her keynote address, Dr. Bonnie Mallard will provide a farm to fork perspective on how biotechnology in animal breeding plays an important role in managing disease in livestock and contributes to economically and environmentally sustainable food production.

Hear about Dr. Mallard’s research across livestock species and how advancements in immunogenetics and related technologies lend to improved animal health, reduced antibiotic use, climate-adapted livestock management and breeding practices and improved economic sustainability for producers.

2:35 p.m.

Genetic Selection for Profit Panel Jamie O’Shea, BFO Cow-Calf Committee Chair, Moderator Panelists Brad Gilchrist (Semex), Katie Wilson (Gilbrae Farms) and Scott Cornish (EastGen) will discuss aspects of cattle breeding that increase performance and profitability within the sector with Q & A from the audience.

3:40 p.m.

Facing Beef Industry Issues Head-On Stina Nagel, Canadian Cattlemen’s Association Stina will discuss the issues the Canadian beef industry is facing, the importance of stakeholder engagement to further positive messaging, as well as strategies beef farmers themselves can utilize. OB

ndustry Events 2020 County and COUNTY Algoma

District Annual General Meetings

C

ounty and district annual general meetings are held across the province in January, and are an excellent opportunity for BFO members to meet with fellow farmers and neighbours, directors and BFO staff. BFO representatives provide a provincial update on current initiatives at each meeting, and these events also offer local associations the chance to bring forward resolutions to be debated by delegates at the AGM in February.

At each meeting, BFO members are eligible to vote for the representative and alternate representative to the Advisory Council, and select voting delegates to the BFO annual meeting in the county/district where the member resides. A producer is a member of BFO and may establish voting eligibility at their county/district annual meeting: a) By providing to the county/ district secretary at the meeting, proof that BFO check-off fees were deducted from cattle sold during the period January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2019.

OR b) By providing the county/district secretary at the meeting, proof that an annual membership fee was paid to BFO on or before December 31, 2019.

For more details on membership eligibility, please visit www.ontariobeef.com.

This listing is subject to change.

Visit www.ontariobeef.com for updates. OB

DATE Jan 8

TIME LOCATION 7:00 p.m. Bruce Station Community Hall, 109 Station Road, Bruce Mines

Brant

Jan 14 6:00 p.m. Best Western Brant Park Inn, 19 Holiday Drive, Brantford (6:00 p.m. registration, 6:30 p.m. dinner)

Bruce

Jan 15 10:30 a.m. Tara Royal Canadian Legion, 86 River Street, Tara (10:30 a.m. registration, 11:00 a.m. meeting)

Cochrane

Jan 11 12:00 p.m. Porquis Agricultural Hall, Main Street, Porquis Junction (lunch provided at noon)

Dufferin

Jan 14 7:00 p.m. Township of Amaranth Recreation Hall, 374028 6th Line, Amaranth

Dundas

Jan 14 7:00 p.m. The Gathering House, 2 Water Street, Chesterville Wooden Sticks Golf & Country Club, 40 Elgin Park Drive, Uxbridge Jan 17 6:00 p.m.

(6:00 p.m. social, 6:30 p.m. dinner, meeting to followed) Jan 7 6:00 p.m. Dunwich United Church, 274 Currie Road, Dutton (6:00 p.m. dinner, 7:00 p.m. meeting)

Durham Elgin Essex & Kent

Jan 14 6:30 p.m. Knights of Columbus Hall, 20, Dupuis Avenue, Tilbury (6:30 p.m. doors open, 7:00 p.m. dinner)

Frontenac

Jan 9

Glengarry

Jan 14 7:00 p.m. Alexandria Restaurant & Pizzeria, 127 Main Street South, Alexandria

Grenville

Haldimand

Jan 5 12:00 p.m. Spencercity Bar and Grill, 11 Spencer Street, Spencerville Grey County Ag. Services, 206 Toronto Street South, unit 3, Markdale Jan 16 6:00 p.m.

(6:00 p.m. dinner, 7:00 p.m. meeting) Jan 9 7:00 p.m. Shelly's Family Dining Restaurant, 1192 Kohler Road, Cayuga

Haliburton

Jan 16 6:00 p.m. Minden Community Centre, 55 Parkside Street, Minden

Grey

Hastings

7:30 p.m. Sydenham Public Library, 4412 Wheatley Street, Sydenham

Jan 15 6:30 p.m. White Hall – Tweed Fairgrounds, Tweed (6:30 p.m. dinner, meeting to follow)

Huron

Jan 15 6:00 p.m. Brussels Legion Hall, 620 Turnberry Street, Brussels (6:00 p.m. dinner, 7:00 p.m. meeting)

Kenora

Jan 17 5:00 p.m. Oxdrift Hall, 18946 17 Highway, Oxdrift

Lambton

Jan 8

Lanark & Ottawa Leeds Lennox & Addington Manitoulin Middlesex Muskoka/PS/Nip.

6:00 p.m. Wyoming Fairgrounds Building, 595 Main Street, Wyoming

Jan 11 10:00 a.m. Beckwith Hall, 1702 9th Line, Carleton Place, Beckwith Jan 18 2:00 p.m. Christ Church, 1 Elma Street, Athens Jan 8

7:00 p.m. Centreville Hall, 4504 County Road 4, Centreville

Jan 16 11:00 a.m. Spring Bay Community Hall, 92 Highway 542, Spring Bay Ailsa Craig Recreation Centre, 155 Annie Ada Shipley Street, Ailsa Craig Jan 16 6:00 p.m.

(6:00 p.m. trade show, 7:00 p.m. dinner, meeting to follow) Jan 18 9:30 a.m. Magnetawan Friendship Centre, 73 Albert Street, Magnetawan

Niagara

Jan 13 7:00 p.m. Vineland Research & Innovation Centre, 4890 Victoria Avenue N., Rittenhouse Hall, Lincoln

Norfolk

Jan 14 7:00 p.m. University of Guelph Research Station, 1283 Blueline Road, Simcoe Alnwick Civic Centre, 9059 County Road 45, Roseneath Jan 9 6:00 p.m.

(6:00 p.m. tradeshow, 7:00 p.m. dinner, meeting to follow) Jan 16 6:30 p.m. Unifor Hall, 126 Beale Street, Woodstock

Northumberland Oxford Peel/Halton Perth Peterborough Prescott Prince Edward Rainy River

Jan 16 10:00 a.m. Halton Regional Police Station, 217 Guelph Street, Georgetown Jan 15 6:00 p.m. Brodhagen Hall, 6708 Perth Line 44, Brodhagen Jan 7

7:00 p.m. Douro Community Centre, 2893 Highway 28, Peterborough

Jan 11 10:00 a.m. Restaurant Le Chardo, 374 St. Philippe Street, Alfred Friendship United Church Hall, 2765 County Road 5, Demorestville Jan 7 7:00 p.m.

(7:00 p.m. meeting – no pot luck this year) Jan 16 7:00 p.m. Stratton – location not confirmed

Renfrew

Jan 16 7:30 p.m. Cobden Agricultural Hall, Cobden

Russell

Jan 16 7:30 p.m. 4762 Rockdale Road, Navan

Simcoe

Jan 16 7:00 p.m. Edgar Community Hall, 1167 Old Barrie Road West, Oro-Medonte

Stormont

Jan 11 9:00 a.m. Cornwall Township Lions Club, 17413 McPhail Road, Bonville Clarion Hotel, Worthington North Room, 117 Elm Street, Sudbury Jan 18 9:30 a.m.

(9:30 a.m. registration begins, 10:00 a.m. meeting) Le Grand Boulevard Restaurant, 12 10th Street, Earlton Jan 11 5:30 p.m.

(5:30 p.m. social, 6:00 p.m. dinner, 7:00 p.m. meeting) Jan 15 7:00 p.m. Murillo Hall, 4569 Oliver Road, Murillo

Sudbury/West Nip. Temiskaming Thunder Bay Victoria

Jan 13 7:00 p.m. Fenelon Township Community Centre, 2255 Elm Tree Road, Cambray

Waterloo

Jan 14 10:00 a.m. Linwood Community Centre, 5279 Ament Line, Linwood

Wellington

Jan 17

5:00 p.m. Alma Bible Chapel, Alma (5:00 p.m. registration & trade show, 5:45 p.m. dinner, meeting to follow)

Wentworth

Jan 7

8:00 p.m. Ancaster Fairgrounds, 630 Trinity Road South, Jerseyville

York

Jan 8

9:30 a.m. Mount Albert Lion's Hall, 5057 Mount Albert Road, Mount Albert (9:30 a.m. coffee, 10:00 a.m. meeting)

ON TA R IO BEEF • D EC EMB ER 20 19

11

Research Validates Value of Two-Stage Weaning

By Lilian Schaer, Livestock Research Innovation Corporation

A

recently completed University of Guelph study has re-confirmed previously reported benefits of two-stage weaning of beef calves.

The method involves first removing milk from the calf’s diet by outfitting calves with a nose flap to prevent nursing while it is still with its mother, and then subsequently separating mother and offspring a few days later, which reduces distress on both animals.

In fact, the University of Guelph’s beef research facilities at Elora, Ont. adopted this as their standard weaning practice once staff noted how quiet the cattle were during weaning when using this method.

The study, led by Dr. Derek Haley, professor of applied animal behaviour and animal welfare in the Department of Population Medicine at the Ontario Veterinary College, was designed to find out what effect, if any, creep feeding calves at weaning has on both their transition and subsequent growth.

“Ideal would have been a longer period of adaptation to the creep feeder – the cows were coming off pasture and had a short turn around before the study started,” he explained. “That was an important shortfall.”

The two-year project included 16 animals that went through two-stage weaning and 32 control animals that were weaned in the conventional manner. Calf weights and behaviour were recorded before and after the separation of cows and calves.

After separation in previous studies, without creep feed, two-stage calves vocalized 96.6 per cent less and spent less time walking and more time eating and resting than control calves. Those calves did have lower gain rates than the conventionally weaned calves when they stopped nursing, but higher rates in the seven days after separation from the cows.

Trial Separation

Overall, in terms of their behavioural responses, calves weaned in two stages were less distressed than those weaned in the conventional manner, but calf average daily gains were similar for both weaning methods.

That is why there is an interest in using methods such as creep feeding.

According to Haley, the benefits of twostage weaning for producers are really clear: reduced stress on cows and calves. And although there was no evidence of benefit from using creep feeding with the two-stage weaning method, this study did show that

Haley’s trial found no evidence of improved weight gain, but he did note that the relatively small number of animals in the study made it difficult to draw highly conclusive results about weight gain, although there were some differences in individual behaviours.

As well, due to the range of beef projects underway at Guelph’s Elora Research Station at the time of the study, the animals only had a short turn-around time with exposure to creep feed before Haley’s study started.

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Reduced Stress

there is no negative impact from doing so, he added. To date across a series of studies, the results are mixed about whether weight gain is improved by this method.

“The creep feeder is a confined feeding space and if they’re wearing a nose flap, we were curious about whether they might be hesitant to approach the feeder if they bump the nose flap? We had been wondering about that,” he added. “Creep feeding is not the convention, but I think it is considered best practice.”

This project was funded by Beef Farmers of Ontario and the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance. Previously known as the OMAFRA-U of G Partnership, the alliance is a collaboration between the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the University of Guelph.

Haley is hoping to continue research into two-stage weaning with new work that will look at calf health and respiratory disease in both weaning methods to understand whether weaning method has an impact on their future health.

Anecdotally, farmers have been reporting that two-stage calves are healthier – less susceptible to illness – and should it be possible to prove this scientifically, it could hold promise for an industry that is looking for alternatives to antibiotic use. OB This article is provided by Livestock Research Innovation Corporation as part of LRIC’s ongoing efforts to report on Canadian livestock research developments and outcomes.

WHAT A CELEBRATION, WHAT A BREED, WHAT A FUTURE

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3 RIDGE FARMS Jon Bell 217294 Conc. 3 Owen Sound, ON N4K 5N5 519-378-4006 roundbale14@hotmail.com ALBERTVIEW LIMOUSIN FARMS Jim and Karen Roffey and Family Walter Stothers 5735 Doane Rd., Mount Albert, Ont. L0G 1M0 Contact Jim Roffey: 905-473-2713 BEE ZEE ACRES Mary Anne & Bill Zwambag RR #4, Glencoe, ON N0L 1M0 519-287-3219 CLARK CATTLE CO. David Clark 2280 McCullough Rd. Port Hope, ON L1A 3V7 905-786-2304 clarkcattle1@hotmail.ca

KOYLE FARMS LIMOUSIN Dwight & Catherine Koyle 33429 6th Line, RR#3 Iona Station, ON N0L 1P0 519-764-2697 • cdkoyle@gtn.net AFTER HOURS LIMOUSINS Rob & Erin Weppler 117078 Grey Rd. 3 , Tara, ON 519-375-6108 Rob@gbtel.ca LAKESIDE FARM Wayne and Nancy Lawrence 263657 Southgate Rd. 26 RR#4 Durham, ON N0G 1R0 519-369-2806 POSTHAVEN LIMOUSIN John and Ena Post #7396 Sideroad #20, RR #2, Alma, Ontario N0B 1A0 519-846-9320 ejpost@posthavenlimousin.com

DARLING FARMS 4172 County Rd 25 Castleton, ON K0K 1M0 905-375-4019 dmdarling13@gmail.com GIBSON FARMS Dave and Emily Gibson 2148 Concession 4, RR1, Ripley Ontario N0G2R0 Dave-519-357-6174 Emily 519-440-9907 HAYSTACK ACRES John & Michelle McLean 3114 Walker Road, RR#2 Harrow, ON N0R 1G0 519-738-0453 haystacklimousin@yahoo.ca HILLSIDE FARMS Ray and Stacie Stanton 4250 King Road, King City, ON, L7B 1K4 416-505-0707 rays@londonproperty.ca

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Check out our Website for LimoNews: www.ontariolimousin.com ON TA R IO BEEF • D EC EMB ER 20 19

13

Rural Ramble

• B y Dan Ferguson, Manager of Producer Relations dan@ontariobeef.com • www.ontariobeef.com

Never Winter Ready E

very fall, it seems that those of us who are immersed in day-to-day production activities on the farm get caught by how fast old man winter creeps up. Weather forecasts do not seriously reflect the seasonal urgency of winter preparedness on a farm. We count on next week, when temperatures will surely mellow, sun will shine again and we will get that second chance to prepare for a long winter ahead.

But this year caught me further behind than normal. Early November snow and minus 20 degrees was a rude awakening to the fact that any further summertime swims or provincial park picnics were not going to happen this year. Minus 20 degree

temperatures and 20 centimetres of snow in the first week of November is definitely no picnic. November on our farm looks like firewood is still in the tree, corn is still on the cob, and soybeans are still 30 per cent in the pod in the field, and on the books. Cows and calves are still on the snowcovered pastures, bales still randomly puncture the hayfields, and many assorted tools, extension cords and garden hoses lay where they were last used, waiting for proper winter retirement. None of these tasks are easy once temperatures dip low and the snow deepens.

For those of us that weren’t prepared, getting ready for winter became a game of hide and seek, camouflaged by a blanket of white.

Here in Oak Heights, our house awaits a furnace upgrade – from our 52-year-old Gurney oil-fired dinosaur to a sleek new ultraefficient propane THE GLEN ISLAY KIND system. We tore out the old system back in balmy September, but the wait time on a Torpedo tank installation is long, No One Ever Regretted Buying Quality. and as of November Visitors Welcome we are still on a list.

DON & JEANNETTE CURRIE Thanks to global R R # 1, Nottawa, Ontario L0M 1P0 Phone/Fax: 705-445-1526 warming, I felt no Cell: 705-715-2234 • Email: doncurrie@glenislay.com urgency to complete

Seasons Greetings

and Best Wishes for a prosperous New Year

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the transformation until November, but I do regret that timeline now. With old Gurney awaiting the recycle scrap metal bin, we have temporarily relied on the kitchen wood stove to warm the cockles of our country home. Blankets, comforters and down filled wardrobes have helped bridge the transition, but none are a comfort to marital bliss. “This should have been done back in September” runs through my mind on repeated occasions.

As for the cattle, extended summer grazing of late-seeded oats into October was a foresight and has helped keep the condition on the spring calves while they still draw on momma’s supplemental mammary supply.

Easing weaning stress and augmenting the weight gain post-processing keeps those calves moving forward so they are better prepared for the feeders. Thankfully their appetite for the wet-wrapped pea and oat mixture has been strong and has helped keep the bloom and shine on those calves, making the transition to the winter feed yard as seamless as possible.

The cow herd will then get their muchdeserved rest for four months until the calving season starts again, when we can look forward to a green and warm spring forecast and another hopeful year of sunshine and rainbows. Maybe then I’ll be able to find my garden hose, extension cords and assorted tools that old man winter tried to hide from me. I’m never winter ready! OB

ON TA R IO BEEF • D EC EMB ER 20 19

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Farmers Keen to Better Understand Winter Nutrient Loss, Project Results Show Proactive Initiative Raising Awareness of the Risks of Winter Spreading

By Lilian Schaer

M

any farmers will remember the fall of 2018 for wet weather that delayed harvest and made getting field work done a challenge.

But despite those tough circumstances, the Timing Matters: Peer to Peer pilot project monitoring nutrient application on frozen or snow-covered ground in the Lake Erie watershed last year reported relatively few such occurrences.

“The weather was definitely a challenge last fall with many fields too wet to get into, so we view this as a positive sign,” says pork producer Mike Mitchell, chair of the project committee.

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Nutrient Loss As part of the pilot, reports of winter nutrient application incidents in the Lake Erie basin last winter were provided to the respective commodity organization that assigned a fellow farmer to contact the producer in question to have a conversation about nutrient management.

“Farmers understand the risk of nutrient loss in spring melt water and want to do the right thing, the vast majority of producers we talk to know there is an issue with it (winter spreading),” says Mitchell.

The project is part of proactive efforts

by Ontario’s livestock commodity groups, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), Farm & Food Care Ontario and other organizations to raise awareness of the risks to water quality from

manure application on frozen and snow covered ground.

Applying manure to fields at the right time means nutrients stay in the soil instead of entering water courses where they can have a negative impact on the environment. Winter rain and thaw events occur more often than generally thought, according to recent OMAFRA research, and when soils are frozen, there is no capacity for water to enter the ground and any nutrients on the surface risk being washed away.

According to the pilot project results, farmers most likely to spread manure in the winter have a shortage of manure storage or were affected by the late, wet fall and were unable to empty liquid manure tanks before the ground froze.

Others feel there is less risk of soil compaction when manure – whether solid or liquid – is taken out in the winter or want to get the job out of the way before the busy spring planting season gets underway. This perspective doesn’t account for the extremely high risk that nutrients applied late in the winter will be washed away by winter rains or spring melt waters.

Timing Matters This winter, the Timing Matters: Peer to Peer committee is ramping up efforts to raise awareness and understanding about the risks of nutrient loss and what actions farmers can take to avoid having to spread manure on frozen or snow covered ground.

“Our goal is to promote better manure management, equipment and year-round planning to reduce the likelihood of nutrient loss to spring melt waters and late winter rains,” says Project Manager Bruce Kelly of Farm & Food Care Ontario.

For farmers who do find themselves with full manure storages during the winter months, OMAFRA Field Crop Sustainability Specialist Christine Brown has a few tips on how to minimize the impact of application:

• Consider renting alternative storage from a neighbour or, for solid manure, temporary field storages away from water sources and tile locations.

• If shortage of storage is a perennial problem, plan ahead to determine best locations for application. Where possible, apply in early winter as research has shown this poses less environmental risk than application later in the winter.

• Choose the flattest fields possible that are the furthest away from water courses and surface inlets and have the most amount of crop residue or cover.

• Avoid application in areas of fields where water runs or ponds during spring melt.

• Keep application rates low.

• Monitor fields where nutrients have been applied and be ready to implement a contingency plan if needed.

More information about manure stewardship is at www.farmfoodcareon.org/timing-matters and Timing Matters: Peer to Peer representatives will be at numerous events over the winter months, including FarmSmart in Guelph on January 18, 2020. OB

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ON TA R IO BEEF • D EC EMB ER 20 19

17

Beef Brief

•B y Michele McAdoo, Executive Director, Brand & Communications, Canada Beef

Canada Beef Promotional Events and Activities T

he Canada Beef team works hard all year round to promote Canadian beef domestically and around the world. Here are some highlights of our promotional events and activities, including several programs hosted in partnership with Beef Farmers of Ontario.

Grocery Innovations Canada Show Grocery Innovations Canada (GIC) is an annual event, organized by the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers. This year’s two-day event took place in Toronto and included a trade show with 500 booths and more than 10,000 visitors.

The Canadian Beef and Veal pavilion featured beef and veal suppliers, including representatives from Beef Farmers of Ontario, Artisan Farms (Markdale, Ont.) and Quebec’s Montpak. Canada Beef supported these participants with cooking services, enabling each group to offer samples of their unique beef brands.

Bob and Katie Wilson of Gilbrea Farm (Hillsburgh, Ont.) volunteered their time to answer questions on cattle farming and

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production. Canada Beef won the Grocery Innovation’s 2019 Best Multi Booth Award.

Congratulations to the Canada Beef team for bringing the industry together and showcasing unique brands and innovation!

The Canadian Beef Experience with Sobeys Wholesale and Gilbrea Farm Members from Sobeys Wholesale were invited to a Canadian Beef Experience session.

The first day focused on Canadian beef brand pillars, consumer trends and a review of quality AA and AAA grades. The second day included a tour of an Ontario harvesting facility followed by a visit to a local cow-calf operation, Gilbrea Farm located in Hillsburgh, Ont. Owners Bob and Katie Wilson hosted the tour and answered questions about cattle management and the impact cattle production has on the environment.

“I hope our guests take away that our cattle are raised with care, they aren’t just livestock to us,” says Katie.

The purpose of the initiative was to clarify many of the misconceptions around cattle production in Canada. Canada Beef extends big thank you to the Wilson’s for hosting the tour and recognizing the value in connecting retailers with farmers.

The Gilbrea Farm tour was filmed and you can see the video at www.youtube.com. user.loveCDNbeef – look for Beef Farming in Ontario under playlist Canadian Beef Farmers and Ranchers.

Anuga – Featuring Canada Beef and Veal and Ontario Corn Fed Beef Anuga is the world’s largest trade fair for food and beverages. With more than 170,000 trade visitors from 201 countries and 7,500 exhibitors from 106 countries, the 2019 show in Cologne, Germany set new records.

Canada Beef representatives, along with John Baker from the Ontario Corn Fed Beef program, supported Canadian beef producers and value-chain members in emerging market development in the Euopean Union.

Participating in the Agriculture and AgriFood Canada Pavilion, the show provided the opportunity to showcase Canadian beef products and educate potential buyers.

Canada Beef Booth at Sysco Canada ‘Foodie’ National Summit Sysco is one of Canada’s largest foodservice distributors and its annual summit in Toronto, Ont. brings restauranteurs, Sysco marketing associates and centre-ofthe-plate specialists from across the country together for a tradeshow-style event. Sysco’s boxed beef brands include Butcher’s Block, Butcher’s Block Reserve Angus, Ranch and Grill and Fire River Farms Ground Beef, and are sourced almost exclusively from Canadian beef.

Compass Group Chef Ideation Session More than 20 regional and executive chefs from Compass Group Canada attended a strategic menu-engineering session at Sysco in Woodstock, Ont. Canada Beef was invited to address the group to provide education and industry perspective on ‘hot topics’ facing the Canadian beef industry.

Team Koe Visit Canadian Beef Farmers Chris and Stacey Israelson Canada Beef partnered with Team Kevin Koe for the 2019/20 curling season.

In summer 2019, Canada Beef created a number of videos featuring Team Koe visiting Canadian beef farmers’ Chris and Stacey Israelson’s ranch in Didsbury, Alta.

The videos focused on answering typical questions received from consumers through website and social media platforms. The team also talked about their love of Canadian beef, the role beef plays in fueling an athlete’s active lifestyle and honouring the relationship of curling and rural communities across Canada. To view these videos, go to www.youtube.com.user.loveCDNbeef – look for Curling with Beef under playlists.

Marketing Activities Canada Beef developed the Loblaws Community Kitchen fall cooking class series – Healthy Plates Healthy Patterns: How to Put Canada’s New Food Guide into Practice.

The program was launched in 57 Loblaws locations, and 60 Loblaws dietitians and 1,140 consumers attended the official launch earlier this year.

Public Trust Program To highlight the ecoservice benefits that Canadian cattle provide, a series of four videos were developed for LoveCDNbeef and are featured on www.canadabeef.ca under the Why Canadian Beef tab. Birds Canada is the identifier on the video clips with narration provided by Dr. Christian Artuso.

Japan and Korea Export Markets Canada Beef International Inc. (CBII) Japan partnered with Satoh Co., a major food distribution company in the Tohoku region, to present Canadian beef at Satoh’s private tradeshow.

CBII Japan partnered with Global Vision Inc. (GV), CBII’s strategic distribution partner, to deliver a Canadian beef educational seminar to wholesaler Nakajo Meat (a GV key customer). OB

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ON TA R IO BEEF • D EC EMB ER 20 19

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Industry Leaders Explore Beef Export Opportunities in Asia E arlier this fall, BFO and representatives from Ontario’s pork and grain sectors joined Ontario’s Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Ernie Hardeman and Raymond Cho, Minister of Seniors and Accessibility on an agricultural trade mission to South Korea and Japan.

BFO Executive Director Richard Horne, and Vice-President Rob Lipsett, along with John Baker, Director of Ontario Beef Market Development, participated in the mission to represent the Ontario beef industry.

The trade mission provided an excellent opportunity to promote Ontario beef and flagship brands like Ontario Corn Fed Beef in two high-value export markets, while fostering relationships with key market contacts in the region.

Participants reported that it was clear from the stakeholder discussions that the Ontario beef brand story resonates with consumers in South Korea and Japan.

There are significant growth opportunities for Ontario beef within these regions.

For example, Canadian beef exports to Japan and Korea have increased by 52 per cent and 70 per cent respectively, year over year. Ontario beef exports have grown by more than 177 per cent in Japan

alone since 2015, when the Ontario Corn Fed Beef program began the first targeted marketing strategy for a unique brand of Ontario beef in Asia.

The mission was an important reminder of the need to diversify and expand the presence of Ontario beef BFO General Manager Richard Horne participated in the agricultural in key export trade mission to South Korea and Japan in fall 2019.

Objectives of the global market markets, given development pillar include: the escalating trade disruptions and • E

xpanding the penetration of Ontario barriers the beef sector is and has faced beef brands in key exports markets in markets in China, Saudi Arabia, United • Developing new Ontario beef brands for States and the European Union. key export markets During the Japanese tour, BFO was • D

eveloping promotional programs to pleased to take part in the collaborative drive the volume and value of Ontario signing agreement between Ontario Corn beef in key export markets Fed Beef and Kinsho Supermarkets. This The trade mission was capped off agreement will assist in the growth of by an Ontario beef reception at the Ontario Corn Fed Beef product presence in Canadian Embassy in Tokyo. More than Kinsho stores throughout Japan.

100 beef importers, retailers and food The trade service representatives attended the event mission provided where Ontario beef and pork products significant were served. opportunities Minister Hardeman led the agri-food to align with portion of the mission to reinforce the the goals and Ontario government’s Open for Business objectives of the approach to promote increased trade and global market economic opportunity between Ontario development and South Korea and Japan. pillar of the BFO thanks Minister Hardeman and new Ontario the Province of Ontario for spearheading Beef Marketing the mission. A portion of the funding for Strategy that was the trade mission was provided by the launched jointly Canadian Agricultural Partnership – a fivewith the Ontario year, $3-billion commitment by federal, Cattle Feeders’ provincial and territorial governments that Association Ernie Hardeman, Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural supports the country’s agri-food and agriearlier in 2019.

Affairs, serves Ontario beef to Asian consumers. products sectors. OB 20

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Cultivating Champions in the Beef Industry A Look at Ontario’s Post-Secondary Agricultural Opportunities

By Jessica Schill, BFO Policy Advisor

F

arming is a unique industry where some learn before they can even begin to walk. For many, farming is not just a career, but a way of life. Agriculture becomes a lifestyle, not a sector, and feeding others is a top priority. It’s hard to imagine how a college or university program could teach this passion and inherited skills. The truth is, a college diploma or university degree isn’t likely to teach a lifestyle in a few short years, but it might open more doors for a graduate.

A post-secondary education can offer young agricultural enthusiasts career opportunities within the agri-food sector, the development of essential interpersonal and professional skills, industry network connections, and new and innovative ideas for youth interested in returning to the family farm. In addition, enrolling in an agricultural-related college or university program allows those who don’t come from a farming background the ability to explore and understand the opportunities available within our industry. The benefits stretch far beyond the individual. More students studying agriculture will help fill the gaps in the current labour demand. These job opportunities range from on-farm management and activities to food processing, transportation, sales, communications, research, business management, nutrition advisor and financial planning. Our youth and young producers are the future of the agri-food sector and will bring fresh ideas and approaches to build a strong, innovative sector.

As application deadlines for postsecondary education approaches, Ontario Beef has compiled a list of college diploma and university undergraduate degree programs committed to preparing students for a career in the agri-food sector. We hope this research helps the next generation of beef farmers and agri-food professionals find a program that fits their future aspirations.

Ontario Post-Secondary Agri-Food Education Programs Algonquin College (Perth Campus) – Business – Agriculture The two-year Business – Agriculture Ontario College Diploma program combines agriculture with business and management training, providing students with the skills necessary to successfully operate a farm or provide agri-business services. In this program, students develop fundamental research, financial evaluation and technology skills needed to inform business decisions.

This program offers a paid cooperative (co-op) education work term, encouraging students to gain industry connections and experiences.

Within the program, the Livestock Business Operations course provides an opportunity for students to learn the affect of health and breeding on production efficiency. The Animal Health and Nutrition course highlights the anatomy, nutritional requirements and general health complications encountered in livestock production.

Employment opportunities following graduation include equipment sales, bank and accounting services, feed supply and animal care support. This program is ideal for students who are well-organized, teamoriented, interested in a hands-on approach to learning and are dedicated to food safety and sustainability. For more information visit www.algonquincollege.com/perth/program/ business-agriculture.

University of Guelph (Guelph Campus) – B.Sc. in Agriculture This four-year Bachelor of Science in Agriculture degree offers three majors: Animal Science, Honours Agriculture, and Crop, Horticulture and Turfgrass. This degree program is designed to provide fundamental education in the science of agriculture and includes experiential learning opportunities such as studying abroad, international

exchange programs, practicums and research opportunities. In the Animal Science major, stress is placed on how the environment affects productivity, how physiology affects reproduction, and how to improve food quality, production and performance through animal breeding and good nutrition. Courses included in the Animal Science major include Principles of Animal Care and Welfare, Structure of Farm Animals, and Agricultural Animal Physiology. The Honours Agriculture major stream focuses on agri-food business, animal and plant production, land stewardship and sustainability. Some courses offered in the Honours Agriculture major include Operations Management, Managed Grasslands, Agricultural Communications and Critical Analysis of Animal Science.

Potential career opportunities after graduation include livestock nutritionist, marketing coordinator, agronomist, market researcher, government advisor and agricultural technologist.

Visit www.uoguelph.ca/oac/future-students/ bachelor-science-agriculture for more information.

University of Guelph (Guelph Campus) – B.Sc. in Animal Biology The four-year Bachelor of Science in Animal Biology degree emphasizes the science underlying the practical husbandry of animals, primarily those used for food production. Students will acquire a broad overview of animal production systems and a detailed understanding of how these rely increasingly on our emerging knowledge in genetics, molecular biology, reproductive technology, nutrition, environmental physiology, behaviour and welfare. Unique courses within the program include Structure of Farm Animals, Agricultural Animal Physiology, Animal Reproduction, Principles of Animal Care and Welfare, and Animal Disorders. Elective course opportunities include Beef Cattle Nutrition and Animal Breeding Methods.

Continued on page 22.

ON TA R IO BEEF • D EC EMB ER 20 19

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Continued from page 21. – Cultivating

Champions in the Beef Industry

Career opportunity areas following graduation include animal biosciences, veterinarian science, nutrition, and animal behaviour. Learn more at www.uoguelph.ca/ oac/future-students/animal-biology.

University of Guelph (Guelph Campus) – Hons. B.A. in Food, Agriculture and Resource Economics A four-year Honours Bachelor of Arts in Food, Agriculture and Resource Economics degree equips students with the analytical knowledge and skills required to effectively deal with emerging issues in food, agriculture and resource management. Three streams are offered in this program: Food and Agribusiness Management, International Development Economics and Resource Economics. This program prepares students for careers as economic analysts in agri-food sector and public agencies.

The program provides background for students planning to pursue graduate work in agricultural and resource economics. For students planning to return to a farming operation, the program offers farm management and agricultural science training.

This program heavily emphasizes teamwork, leadership and communication skills. For more information visit www.uoguelph.ca/oac/ future-students/food-agricultural-resourceeconomics.

University of Guelph (Guelph Campus) – B.Comm. in Food and Agricultural Business The University of Guelph’s four-year Bachelor of Commerce in Food and Agriculture Business degree helps students develop the management skills needed to succeed in today’s agribusiness industry. Students will explore all areas of management including accounting, economics, finance, marketing, production, organizational behaviour, policy planning and implementation. This program is fully accredited by the Agricultural Institute of Canada and offers co-op opportunities. Courses offered within this program include Agri-food Markets and Policy, Food and Agri Marketing Management, and World Agriculture, Food Security and Economic Development.

Potential career opportunity areas for graduates include account management, agricultural business finance, commodity trading, and policy analysis and advising.

Check out the program website at www.uoguelph.ca/fare/Bachelor-CommerceFood-Agricultural-Business.

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University of Guelph (Ridgetown Campus) – Associate Diploma in Agriculture As part of University of Guelph and the Ontario Agricultural College, the Ridgetown Campus offers a two-year Associate Diploma in Agriculture. This program combines practical experiences with the technical and scientific skills required to successfully operate or work on a farm or in an agribusiness. This program focuses on industry issues and research solutions through classroom learning and laboratory sessions, and includes the opportunity to complete the Grower Pesticide Safety Course and exam. The Livestock Systems course provides students with an overall understanding of the livestock industry, focusing on major production issues and future challenges.

The Beef Production course analyzes cowcalf and feedlot operations, specifically aspects of crossbreeding, pure breeding, herd management, meat quality, marketing, ration formulation and health protection.

Graduates of this program pursue careers in finance management, commodity marketing, feed sales management, large herd management, livestock farm management, nutrient management, research and primary production. Visit the program website to learn more at www.ridgetownc.com/future/ programs_dagr.cfm.

La Cité (Ottawa Campus) – Food Processing and Quality Assurance The two-year Food Processing and Quality Assurance Ontario College Diploma program provides graduates with the skills to plan, develop, innovate and implement food processing and marketing procedures.

Graduates from this program are distinguished by formal integration of entrepreneurship, initiative, creativity, commitment and bilingual capacity. In the final semester of the program, students will complete a 160hour co-op placement, providing on-the-job skills training. Courses offered in the program include Principles of Food Processing, Food Microbiology, Operations Management, and Processing of Meat Products.

Potential career opportunities following graduation include quality assurance manager, sales representative, government agent, production technician or supervisor.

For more information visit www.collegelacite. ca/programmes/51714.htm.

La Cité (Ottawa Campus) – Agricultural Practices The one-year Agricultural Practices Certificate of Ontario College Studies provides basic training in agriculture and arms graduates with the capacity to adapt to the many technological, social and economic changes in today’s agri-food sector. Students enrolled in the program are given the opportunity to complete the Grower Pesticide Safety Course and exam, and Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) training. The Animal Production course offered within the program will equip students to assess the health of animals and make recommendations for improvement.

This program forms the core curriculum of the first year of the Agricultural Technical Diploma program at La Cité. Learn more at www.collegelacite.ca/programmes/41679.htm.

La Cité (Ottawa Campus) – Agricultural Techniques – Animal Production and Field Crops La Cité’s two-year Agricultural Techniques – Animal Production and Field Crops Ontario College Diploma program provides training in farm business management. The program’s curriculum follows emerging industry trends such as new technologies and advancing management practices and includes a coop opportunity. The program provides opportunities for the students to complete the Grower Pesticide Safety Course and exam, and complete WHMIS training, and offers farm succession planning support for young producers. Graduates have the capacity to adapt to the many technological, social and economic changes in today’s agri-food sector. The first year of La Cité’s Agricultural Technology Diploma program forms a common core with the Farm Practices Certificate Program, allowing graduates of this certificate program to access the second year of the Diploma Program directly to continue their studies. Courses offered specific to the livestock sector include Animal Production, Animal Production Techniques and Field Crops, Marketing of Agri-food Products, and Infrastructure and Buildings for Animal Production and Field Crops.

Career opportunities include farm manager/owner, agricultural technician, inseminator, financial advisor, animal feed advisor, machinery and equipment sales representative, and credit specialist. Check out the program website at www.collegelacite.ca/ programmes/51680.htm.

Trent University (Peterborough Campus) – Honours B.Sc. or Honours B.A. in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Trent University’s four-year Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems degree offers two streams: Honours Bachelor of Science or Honours Bachelor of Arts. The Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems degree program focuses on the science of agricultural production and food consumption. Students gain a comprehensive and scientific perspective on the ecological, biological and environmental dimensions of agricultural systems. Specific topics highlighted within the program include human nutrition, food science, nutrient management and climate change. Graduates have the ability to engage in conversations regarding animal rights, risks to food security, demand for food production and global food trade. The Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems examines the political, social and environmental dimensions of agricultural production. Graduates develop a foundation for the relationship between agriculture and food, agriculture and community economic development, food consumption and distribution and indigenous perspectives on food.

Careers are available in a wide range of areas, including organic farming, agro-tourism, land-use consulting, agricultural research, nutrient management planning and advising, soil and water analysis and international agricultural development. Visit the program website at www.trentu.ca/agriculture.

Fanshawe College – Butchery Basics Fanshawe College’s Butchery Basics program is done on a course-by-course basis, providing students with a Declaration of Academic Achievement once completed.

Through a blend of butchering and cooking, students develop knife skills and learn how to butcher traditional and specialty cuts of meat from a wide variety of animals, including beef, lamb, pork, poultry, fish and game. Beef butchery basics is a mandatory course within the program. For more information visit www.fanshawec.ca/pt/btb1-butchery-basics.

butchery industry through practical, hands-on learning labs and classroom delivered theory.

The program is extremely beneficial for those interested in farm-to-table practices.

The certificate program allows students to transition smoothly to the Retail Meat Cutter Apprenticeship or gain an additional Ontario College Certificate in culinary skills. Students will take courses in meat science, meat cookery, business foundations and hospitality.

Career opportunities include retail, wholesale, industrial butchers and meat cutters. For more information visit www.fanshawec.ca/programs/pbt1professional-butchery-techniques-20202021/ next#group_overview.

Collége Boréal (Sudbury Campus) – Agricultural Techniques This five-semester Ontario College Diploma program provides students with basic training in agriculture and farm business management.

The program curriculum follows new industry trends and the varying methods of farm operation management. Students can choose two streams: the plant profile or the animal profile. Graduates of this program acquire skills necessary to adapt to technological, social and economic changes in the agri-food sector.

Career opportunities include technical advisor, farm manager/ owner, and inseminator. Learn more at www.collegeboreal.ca/programmes/ techniques-agricoles.

Agricultural Career and Educational Profiles Jasper Munro, B.Sc.(Agr.), M.Sc. Munro was raised on a beef and grains farm in Bruce County. Interested in what the University of Guelph had to offer, he applied to three different undergraduate programs, eventually accepting his offer for the Bachelor

Fanshawe College (London Downtown Campus) – Professional Butchery Techniques This full-time, 30-week Ontario College Certificate program teaches the specialized, in-demand trade of meat cutting and prepares students to work in the growing

BFO PROMOTES EDUCATION AND CAREERS IN THE BEEF INDUSTRY

Interested in bringing more information about Ontario’s beef industry to the classroom, lecture hall, lab or residence? BFO can help. We’re promoting education and careers in Ontario’s agri-food industry, especially those related to the future of our beef sector.

BFO staff are happy to provide a presentation about our organization and the industry to students and faculty. To schedule a presentation, please contact BFO. In addition, the Beef Farmers of Ontario Resource Guide: The Dorm Edition is a great tool to spark learning and discussion. This resource contains valuable information about beef quality, sustainability, nutrition, hormone and antibiotic use, greenhouse gas emissions, gross sales, cattle care and handling, risk management, succession planning and direct marketing. To get your copy, contact Bethany Storey, Communications Coordinator at the BFO office: bethany@ontariobeef.com or 519.824.0334 ext. 224. of Science in Agriculture degree. Munro majored in Animal Science and minored in Business Administration, with an interest in becoming a veterinarian. However, in 2014 his career goals changed when he became very interested in beef cattle research.

“The world of veterinarian medicine appeared to be changing, moving away from on-farm consulting to pharmacy and phone consulting,” says Munro. “Research allowed me to play a different role in helping farmers improve our industry.” After his time at the U of G, Munro did a Master of Science at Dalhousie University where he focused on beef cattle physiology. Munro currently works at AgSights as the Manager of Research and Innovation. Munro notes that, “networking and connections set the University of Guelph apart.” He encourages prospective students to take advantage of networking opportunities and events happening both within and outside of the Ontario Agricultural College.

That was his approach, and he’s proud to say he built lasting connections across the agrifood industry during his time at the U of G. Continued on page 24.

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Continued from page 23. – Cultivating

Champions in the Beef Industry

David Beresford, B.Sc., B.Ed., Ph.D. Beresford is a third-year entomology course professor in Trent University’s Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems program with a passion for studying and controlling the fly populations on beef and dairy farms. Within Beresford’s course, students are taught to model stable fly pest populations using matrix models and examine different control methods. The course specifically emphasizes beef and dairy cattle pests. “We do a very good job of teaching students from both rural and urban backgrounds about agriculture as a system through the Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems program,” says Beresford.

The program courses offer a variety of farms visits and students have access to an experimental farm and garden. “A threat to modern farming is the misunderstanding that can arise if people have no first-hand experience of farms and farming, especially with livestock,” says Beresford. “It can be more work and more expensive to have farm visits on local farms, but the removal of misinformation and false notions are invaluable results of these farm visits.” In the fall of 2018, Beresford accompanied more than 100 students on a beef farm visit where they learned about rotational grazing, barn construction, rail fences, nutrition, waste reduction and infrastructure management.

Key messages from the trip included the importance of animal health and welfare, the industry’s contribution to the economy and the relationship beef farmers have with the landscape and surrounding wildlife.

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Sarah Height, Agriculture – Business Class of 2021 Height was raised, and currently works, on her family farm outside of Durham, Ont., caring for their shorthorn and commercial beef cattle herd and various exotic animals.

She is the third generation in her family to show beef cattle, traveling across Canada and the U.S. to compete. Height is currently enrolled in the Algonquin College Business – Agriculture program and expects to graduate in the spring of 2021. While applying to colleges, she found Algonquin’s program most appealing because of the program’s focus on marketing, accounting and management.

Currently, Height is the class representative for the 2021 cohort, where her responsibilities include discussing the direction of the program with faculty and advocating for the learning needs of her classmates.

Highlights of the program for Height include the small class sizes, personability of faculty, ag-experience week and she notes the willingness of faculty to meet with students.

Height enjoyed a class trip to a 1,000 head feedlot operation close to the school. Her favourite class is communications. “A good set of communication skills is required to succeed within the beef industry,” says Height. Following her completion of the program, she would like to manage her family operation and expand their current herd size.

She also sees herself managing agricultural accounts for a bank or financial institution.

Jordan Burns, Associate Diploma in Agriculture Class of 2020 Burns was raised in Arthur, Ont. and spent most of his time growing up on his uncle’s cow-calf farm. Interested in beef cattle at a young age, he started showing cattle with the local 4-H club and later at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. His uncle’s herd had expanded from commercial cattle to purebred Simmentals, and in 2016 Burns purchased his first heifer. In late 2017, he was considering where to apply to colleges, and was thinking about going outside of the province. At the time, Burns attended a farm tour where he learned about crop rotation and pasture management, and when the farm owner noted that his passion for farming was sparked at the University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus, Burns narrowed in on the opportunity to attend classes there.

As a member of the graduating class of 2020, Burns has met other individuals interested in agriculture from across the province and the country. He enjoys the hands-on learning opportunities offered in the barns, labs and fields. “The teachers are there during class time and afterwards to help you succeed and make connections,” he says. Burns describes his favourites classes as Beef Productions and Corn and Oilseeds because they are hands-on orientated and offer the most for his learning interests. “The program provides the science and justification for why we do things on-farm,” says Burns.

Following graduation, he hopes to pursue custom application, equipment operation or agronomy employment opportunities. OB

OMAFRA Update

•B y James Byrne, Beef Cattle Specialist, OMAFRA www.omafra.on.ca

Practical Advice Around Body Condition Scoring T

he 2018 Ontario CowCalf Production Survey showed that only 26 per cent of provincial cow-calf producers surveyed regularly body condition score their female breeding animals. Results from the benchmarking study on beef production in northern Ontario and northern Quebec showed that 39 per cent of beef producers in northern Ontario body condition score their beef cows. The benefits of body condition scoring are widely understood and aren’t new, novel or earth shattering.

This basic practice is an important one that pays off, but is widely underutilized in Ontario.

University of Guelph research has demonstrated that beef cows maintained at a body condition score of 3 rebreed up to 30 days earlier compared to thin cows and can add up to 42 pounds in calf weaning weight. Cows at an ideal body condition have also shown to have pregnancy rates double those of cows in poor condition, higher milk production, fewer cases of abortion and stillbirth, healthier calves and fewer instances of calving problems. Body scoring your cow herd can also lead to feed cost savings by only targeting expensive feed grains and high-quality forages to those cows that need

it. This can also prevent overfeeding cows in good condition, which can lead to its own set of problems.

Feeding Groups For most spring-calving beef herds, late fall and early winter is an ideal time to body condition score your cows. Ideally you want your cows coming off grass in good condition, so you don’t have to spend extra money in winter feeding costs bringing them up to Continued on page 26.

May your days be

Get the Numbers Most producers are aware body conditioning scoring is a low-cost, handson method of determining the amount of condition (fat cover) on a beef cow.

Using a physical hands-on method is important, as visual assessment is very unreliable due to hair cover and colour. In Canada, cattle are scored on a scale of 1-5 with a body condition score of 3 being ideal, less than 2.5 being considered thin and greater than 3.5 being considered fat. Understanding the body condition score of your cows enables you to confidently select cows identified as thin for extra feeding to bring them to the target body condition score (3).

M & B erry

right

Happy holidays from the Ontario Angus Association

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Continued from page 25. – Practical

Advice Around Body Condition Scoring

adequate condition for calving. In addition to body condition scoring the individual animal, it’s also important to look at the herd as a whole. If there are only a small number of thin cows, then it’s more likely those cows do not fit the given environment or herd management system. If there are a lot of thin cows in the group, this could indicate that there is insufficient feed available for the herd or that forage quality is poor.

Where thin cows are identified, the only practical solution to getting those animals back to an ideal body condition is to separate them into their own group and feed accordingly. To make it easier to create groups, thin cows could be grouped with first-calf cows because the objective for both is weight gain, where their diets can be similar. This can reduce the number of groups that needs to be created and make feeding less complicated and labour intensive.

However, more experienced cows may still be too bossy at the bunk and prove to be a problem when grouped with heifers. If this happens, be sure to group heifers separately from the cows, and consider grouping older cows separately as well.

Balancing Nutrition The most economical way to put weight, or condition, on thin cows is through extended grazing. Providing weather and ground conditions are conducive, extended grazing methods such as stockpile grazing, grazing on corn stubble or grazing cover crops can help thin cows regain a significant amount of weight without the need for additional, often costly, feed supplementation. Feeding high quality forage on its own, however, will not likely achieve the weight gains necessary to increase body condition to the desired level.

Forages are still a popular option though, because when higher quality forage is available, it reduces the need to purchase higher cost grain.

The amount of supplementation required will depend on the quality of forage available, the current body condition of the animal,

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the target body condition at calving and days to calving. This makes forage testing a very important component to determine what level of protein and energy supplementation must be fed to thinner cows to achieve an ideal target body condition score. Forage testing is relatively inexpensive and, working with your nutritionist, helps you economically balance the feed requirements for your whole herd, while meeting the requirements for each group.

summer period, and are at risk of failing to regain their weight post weaning in the fall.

Such animals, provided they return to a good body condition prior to their second calving, should not be any different in their body condition when compared to mature cows in the herd.

Body condition scoring is a very beneficial, simple practice that pays through targeted feeding.

Problem Solving The identity of thin cows should be recorded. If the same mature cows consistently appear thin each year, despite being managed the same as the rest of the herd who are in good condition, it could indicate that there is a genetic component to their weight loss. A disease component, like Johne’s should also be considered. Such cows should become part of the discussion around your breeding decisions as these cows are more expensive to feed over the winter period compared to other cows in the herd that don’t lose weight under the same environment and management practice. Animals most likely to appear thin at the start of the winterfeeding period are three-year-old gestating heifers. These animals are more vulnerable to losing body condition suckling a calf over the

Once body condition scoring has been completed and animals have been divided into their groups, closely monitor all animals, particularly those cows that start out in the good condition group. Variability between cows, changes in forage as the winter progresses and changes in the environment can cause some cows that start out in good condition to lose condition. In this situation, the newly-identified thinner cows should be moved to the thin cow group for extra feeding. The earlier the condition loss can be identified, the easier and more cost efficient it is to return those animals to good body condition.

Body condition scoring is a very beneficial, simple practice that pays through targeted feeding of those animals that need extra feeding and a reduction in the negative consequences of having cows calving in poor condition. OB

Ryding-Regency Meat Packers Licence Cancellation E ffective December 2, 2019, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) cancelled the Safe Food for Canadians (SFC) licence #3WYHVFPD (Est. 99) of RydingRegency Meat Packers Ltd. According to CFIA, the licence was cancelled in accordance with the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations, because the licence holders failed to comply with Section 15 of the act relating to E. coli lab results, which prohibits a licence holder from providing false or misleading information or statements to the CFIA. CFIA initiated a food safety investigation in September 2019 as soon as it was determined that some products were potentially contaminated. As products were recalled, the CFIA notified the public by posting recall information on the Agency’s website and issuing Food Recall Warnings when required. The food safety

investigation related to these suspensions has now concluded and no additional recalls are expected. No known illnesses or deaths have been attributed to the recalls.

Notice of this cancellation is a major blow for the beef sector in Ontario. Beef farmers in Eastern Canada are already faced with a serious processing capacity and competitiveness issue. The cancellation of Ryding-Regency’s licence is a further hit on a sector that is already faced with too few processors to ensure a competitive, healthy market.

BFO continues to work closely with Canadian Cattlemen’s Association and other partners to request immediate government

action to aid in resolving the mounting threats facing Ontario’s beef farmers from the lack of processing capacity in Eastern Canada. BFO encourages all members to contact their MP to let them know how the current climate is impacting their farm businesses. Please contact the BFO office if you or your local county association require assistance with your communications with government. OB

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Where the Maple Leaf Flies: National Update

CCA Action News www.cattle.ca

Canadian Beef Trade to China Resumes Effective November 5, 2019 the CCA learned Canadian beef and pork export certificates to China would resume.

“The Canadian beef industry looks forward to the resumption of trade and continuing to build the long-standing Canada-China trade relationship,” says Bob Lowe, vice president and chair of the CCA Foreign Trade committee. The CCA thanks the Governments of Canada and China for their work in resolving the issue.

Export certificates for Canadian meat were halted on June 25, 2019 due to the discovery of non-compliant pork claiming to be Canadian. Since June, CCA has been actively engaged in discussions with government officials to help assure China of the safety of Canadian beef in order to resume access as soon as possible. The Government of Canada completed an investigation and submitted an Action Plan that has led to the re-establishment of exports to China, and all establishments eligible to export as of June 25, 2019, are once again eligible.

Shipments of Canadian beef to China represented 2.6 per cent of Canada’s total beef exports last year. In 2018, Canadian beef exports to Mainland China were up 19 per cent in volume and 15 per cent in value at 10,300 tonnes valued at $97 million. In the first half of 2019 exports to China were up 299 per cent in volume and 271 per

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cent in value at 11,315 tonnes valued at $96 million.

The CCA and other industry stakeholders visited China in November to continue to build on the Canada-China trade relationship.

Canada’s Beef Sector Comments on Federal Election 2019 Results CCA congratulates all federal parties and the dedicated volunteers and staff on a hard-fought election campaign.

Canada has a new Liberal minority government: 157 seats for Liberal Party of Canada, 121 seats for Conservative Party of Canada, 24 seats for New Democrat Party of Canada, 32 seats for Bloc Quebecois, 3 seats for Green Party of Canada and one seat to Independent Jody Wilson-Raybould. As an organization, CCA does not take a position on any one party and we look forward to working with parliamentarians from all parties to focus on the priorities of Canada’s beef sector.

During the election, CCA reached out to each party through an election survey and found, at minimum, alignment on a few policy objectives including, trade, labour, BRM and regulatory burdens.

Producers who have not had a chance to read the parties’ full responses are encouraged to do so on the CCA website, www.cattle. ca. CCA staff and elected officials will

strategically meet with re-elected MPs who know our issues well, as well as with new MPs – both rural and urban – to ensure that key decision makers are aware of the beef sector’s positive contribution to Canada on the economic, environment and social fronts.

Now that the campaign has concluded, CCA looks forward to the naming of new Cabinet Ministers, Parliamentary Committee assignments, and setting up meetings with

parliamentarians as soon as possible to make progress on issues that matter to beef producers. Before the campaign, CCA put together a federal election document, highlighting priorities of Canada’s beef sector. We look forward to working with all MPs to pursue these recommendations through the 43rd Parliament.

Canadian Environmental Policy: A Hot Topic on Parliament Hill Environment and environmental policy continue to be hot topics of discussion in both public and political forums.

Environmental sustainability is of the utmost priority to the CCA and the producers it represents, however it is imperative that any regulatory decisions are made based on current research and are applicable in a Canadian context.

The CCA continues to monitor the Government of Canada, a signatory to the Paris Agreement under the United Nations

Framework Convention on Climate Change, and specifically Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), relative to any potential policy directions related to climate change that could have negative impacts on our industry. In its submission to the ECCC’s Federal Sustainable Development Strategy for Canada, CCA called for supporting the development and implementation of tools that incentivize greenhouse gas emissions reductions and does not support strategies that add costs to food production or negatively impact the competitiveness of the Canadian beef industry. Also, that government focus on supporting the development of sound scientific research and extension, and ensure the public has science-based information regarding beef production in the Canadian context.

The CCA has updated its Beef Industry’s Strategies for Reducing Greenhouse Gases document, which can be found on the CCA website at www.cattle.ca. In line with CCA

policy to encourage the development of ecological goods and services incentivesbased programs, the CCA has supported project funding applications for several projects related to the potential to recognize carbon sequestered on the 44 million acres of native grasslands and pasture lands

managed by beef producers across Canada.

The environmental value of the lands under the stewardship of Canadian beef producers must be recognized, and we hope that by supporting these projects, these lands will remain intact and in the hands of expert producers for generations to come. OB

Changes to OBCFPP Licenced Dealers List Now Licenced

No Longer Licenced

Country Dealer 10763381 Canada Inc., o/a Pine Ridge Meat Packers 28 Davey Street Ajax, ON L1Z 1L2

Country Dealer Rowe Farm Meats Ltd. 105 Roncesvalles Ave. Toronto, ON M6R 2K9

The entire OBCFPP list can be found on the OMAFRA website at http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/food/ inspection/fpu/fpu_lists.htm Or For more information: Toll Free: 1-888-466-2372 ext. 64230 Local: (519) 826-4230 E-mail: foodinspection@ontario.ca OB

Wishing all of our buyers, members and fellow cattlemen

a Merry Christmas and Happy 2020!

Eastern Canadian Galloway Association

For additional information, please visit our website: www.easterncanadiangalloway.ca

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Processing Capacity in Eastern Canada is Nearing Crisis Level B eef Farmers of Ontario (BFO) is calling for the federal agriculture Minister’s urgent attention to the increasing hardship beef farmers in the province are experiencing due to the increasingly limited processing capacity in Ontario and across Eastern Canada. Periods of backlog in processing are becoming more frequent and severe, requiring farmers to feed cattle at increased cost for longer periods while they seek alternative arrangements with other processing plants that are already running at or above capacity. The recent prolonged suspension of Ryding-Regency Meat Packers, and subsequent CFIA cancellation of the licence of one of the largest beef and veal processors in Eastern Canada, by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency began in September has only amplified the seriousness of the current situation.

Beef farming is carried out in every county and district in Ontario and is vitally important to the well-being and growth of families, businesses and communities across the province, both rural and urban.

The Ontario beef industry is an important economic driver of Ontario’s agri-food sector, contributing $2.69 billion to Ontario’s GDP on an annual basis. Gross sales from the sector exceed $13 billion annually and sustain more than 61,000 jobs and there is significant opportunity to build on these contributions.

Despite the opportunities that exist for beef farmers to thrive and prosper, limited processing capacity in Ontario, and across Eastern Canada, along with depressed market prices are threatening the viability of beef farming in the province.

The BFO Board of Directors has issued a call to action to its grassroots membership to help obtain the attention of government in order to avoid a collapse in the province’s beef industry. Hearing from individual farmers about how these challenges are impacting their own operations really makes a difference when seeking the assistance of Members of Parliament (MPs) to move

VANCISE CATTLE COMPANY

&

government to action. We need MPs to carry the message of their beef industry constituents to Parliament Hill to work with the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau in her continued role as federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the government in addressing the processing capacity issue in Eastern Canada before the wellbeing of farmers and their livestock become a casualty of inaction.

For further information or assistance in reaching out to MPs, beef producers are encouraged to be in touch with the BFO office. OB

WALNUT DRIVE FARMS

RED ANGUS POLLED HEREFORDS Would like to Thank all those who supported our program this past year!

Private Treaty Bull Sale at the Farm March 21, 2020 Watch for further Details John Vancise Jr 705 351 2442 johnvancise4@hotmail.com Stayner, ON

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By Jasper Munro, AgSights Manager of Research and Innovation jmunro@agsisghts.com • www.agsights.com

VO LU M E 1 2 • I SSUE 5

The Hand That Feeds

Insights

H

ow often does someone try to sell you something you don’t need? For instance, you walk into an appliance store and a sales rep asks how they can help. They are trying to understand what led you into the store to look for a new appliance, matching this information with an appliance that best meets your needs.

But sometimes we come across a sales rep who begins by rhyming off the features and benefits of every washer, dryer and fridge in the warehouse without first listening to you, the customer.

Switch to agriculture where, as farmers and processors we are also the sales rep for our products. Growth in organic, raised without antibiotics and local markets have made it clear our customers want a greater connection with their food. In the past we helped customers better connect with their food by “telling our story.” Like the appliance sales rep, we were selling the features of our product. However, we must be careful to not only sell but also to listen and adapt. Farmers and processors have a passion and connection to their products that is greater than connections in any other industry. Farming isn’t a job, it is a lifestyle, so it can be difficult not to take offense to the comments and demands from our customers, while also making the necessary changes to our operation to meet these demands. The phrase “the customer is always right” can be difficult to accept in an industry where the customer is so disconnected from the product.

The good news is that change has begun.

Our industry has taken a strategic and proactive approach to this demand for a greater customer-food connection through the use of verification programs such as Certified Organic or Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef’s

(CRSB) Certified Sustainable Beef. These are examples of verification programs that have set their requirements by listening to the needs of our customers. In doing so, they encourage and require proper tracking of traceability, antimicrobial use, biosecurity and animal welfare and provide our customers with an accurate story of how their food was produced.

With commitments from large retailers such as Loblaws, McDonalds and Cargill, it is clear that this demand for information and greater food connections is here to stay. Supply managed industries have been proactive to meet this demand for more information through enforcement of mandatory industry verification programs such as ProAction. The beef industry may see itself as fortunate to have voluntary verification programs, but we must be quick to respond and join them, otherwise we may begin losing our market share. Programs such as Go360|bioTrack make it easy to join verification programs by helping to record performance, movement and health records required. These are also records that are used in reporans of our customers, they are central to the success of our businesses. We live in an industry with a direct connection to our product so we must also listen and adapt, respect and thank our customers as they truly are the hands that feed us.

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Vet on Call

• By Dr. Katharine Found, DVM

Are You Ready For It? F

arming is a perfect example of why you always need to expect the unexpected, this is especially true in emergencies.

Any emergency situation immediately sends panic through your system, but the more organized you are, the better you will be able to tackle an emergency head on – no matter what farm life throws at you!

Medical Emergencies Medical emergencies can be the easiest to plan and prepare for. That’s good, because it will likely be the most common type of emergency you face on your farm. Whether it’s a sick animal or an injury, an animal first aid and emergency kit is an essential part of your farm’s emergency preparedness.

Dedicate a container or cupboard to store your emergency medical supplies. Ensure it is large enough to hold everything in a neat and tidy manner, and label all containers, drawers or compartments to ensure all items have a home and everyone can find them quickly when needed.

The contents of your emergency kit should be specific to your farm. Speak to your veterinarian for help creating the best kit for your situation. Here is a list of common items you will most likely need: • Rectal thermometer – the presence or absence of a fever will allow you to narrow your list of differential diagnosis and allow you to treat an animal appropriately.

• Antibiotics – keep at least one on hand for use treating common bacterial infections on your farm.

• NSAID – a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug is used to effectively treat pain and inflammation in animals to speed up the healing process.

• Powdered colostrum product and powdered electrolyte solution – these are handy for administering to newborn and sick calves.

• A nti-bloat medication – for oral administration for treatment of frothy bloat.

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O N T A R I O B E E F • DE CE M BE R 2 0 1 9

• Quick medical notes – laminated cue cards with reference information that should include normal temperature, heart rate and respiratory rates for cattle, veterinarianapproved treatment protocols for common diseases, signs and symptoms of the diseases, medications, dosages, routes of administration and withdrawal times.

• Needles and syringes – have a variety of sizes of needles and syringes available, based on preference and the dosage of commonly administered medication. Ensure you are using a new needle with each administration.

Syringes should only be reused if they have been washed and will be handling the same medication again to prevent drug residue contamination.

• First aid tools – including exam gloves, gauze pads, vet wrap and bandage scissors to ensure you can perform basic first aid for simple cuts and wounds.

• Betadine soap and Isopropyl Alcohol – for cleaning wounds and disinfecting equipment.

• Clean, dry towels.

• Scalpels, baling gun, esophageal tube feeder.

• Emergency contacts – including a list of names and phone numbers (home, office and cell) of anyone who should be contacted to assist with a medical emergency. This could include producers, farm managers, neighbours and your veterinarian.

Being prepared for an emergency also requires handling systems are kept clean, in proper working order and are accessible. This will be helpful to ensure that, in the case of a medical emergency, you are treating an animal safely and efficiently.

Be sure to go through your emergency kit at least every six months and replenish and replace items as required so the kit remains well stocked and ready for the next emergency. Pay close attention to expiry dates on all products (all medications, including the soap and alcohol) and replace expired items as needed.

Environmental Emergencies These types of emergencies are, thankfully, less common. Unfortunately, environmental emergencies are often more devastating, both physically and emotionally when they occur, making it important to have a plan to address them if they happen. For these types of emergencies, written plans are essential to ensure everyone is aware of the procedures, and ensure important steps are not missed when stress levels are high.

Conversations surrounding these emergencies may be difficult, not only emotionally, but also practically, as you can never prepare for every specific detail. But you will rest easier at night knowing there is a plan in place for the broader picture.

Continued on page 34.

Continued from page 32. – Vet

on Call

Power Outages All farms should have a written procedure for when and how a farm team should proceed in the event of a power outage. The plan should detail how long the power can be off before a back up source of power is hooked up. It should also state how this plan should change based on weather and temperature (inside the barn and the external environment). Finally, the plan should have a written step-by-step procedure on how to hook up the back up power system.

Fire Just like practicing a fire safety drill in your home, you should have one prepared for your farm too. Ensure working fire extinguishers are located around the farm and create a map to identify all buildings, their contents and any flammable structures or materials. Discuss a plan to remove animals from the barn, if safe to do so, but reiterate how human safety is always the number one priority. Be sure to designate a meeting area for all family and farm team members to go during the emergency so that everyone can be accounted for.

Extreme Weather Ice storms, winter storms, high winds – talk about the possible outcomes of these and other storms or extreme weather incidents.

Discuss how these events might impact the day to day running of your farm. How would animals be fed or watered if it’s unsafe for vehicles to enter the farm for an extended period of time? Are there another locations where animals could be moved to in the event of major structural damage to barns?

Transportation Accidents Who would you call if your trailer was in an accident on the highway? Consider all scenarios like: 1.

Cattle are still on the trailer, safe and unharmed.

2. Cattle are still on the trailer, but the trailer has sustained significant damage and cattle health and safety is compromised.

3. Cattle are no longer on the trailer.

Do your local emergency response professionals have training with large animal emergencies? Could you find quick access to a portable cattle handling system? If you use a commercial livestock hauler, does that company have an action plan in place for your animals? Discuss these scenarios and possible outcomes with your farm team and set a plan.

Mass Slaughter or Euthanasia It’s a tough question, but if a disaster results in a large number of your animals needing to be slaughtered or euthanized immediately, how would this be done? Discuss euthanasia options with your veterinarian as well as how deadstock would be handled.

Have a list of slaughter facilities, with contact numbers in your geographical area on hand, that you would be able to quickly contact at the time, just in case. Research to see if there are provincial resources through OMAFRA or BFO that could offer assistance in this type of emergency.

Plan Ahead Creating a plan for these types of emergencies is a dubious task. It’s tough to consider something like this ever happening to you, and hopefully it never does. But as the baseball great, Yogi Berra, said, “if you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else.”

If you do find yourself faced with an emergency you will be thankful for the plans set in place, because you will know where you are going, what to do and who to call.

Your plans will ensure you can do the best for yourself, your animals and your farm, not matter what emergency situation you face. OB

BFO Welcomes Proposed Security from Trespass and Protecting Food Safety Act T he Ontario government introduced the Security from Trespass and Protecting Food Safety Act on December 2, 2019. BFO looks forward to engaging with Minister Hardeman and government throughout the upcoming stages of the bill’s review through the House.

The proposed legislation, if passed, will better protect farmers, their animals, livestock transporters and the province’s food supply. It would also require explicit prior consent to access an animal protection zone on a farm or food processing facility. Animal protection zones include animal enclosures, areas marked with signs in accordance with regulations and other areas on the property the Minister

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O N T A R I O B E E F • DE CE M BE R 2 0 1 9

may prescribe. Under the proposed legislation, consent would be invalid if it was obtained under duress or false pretenses. Additionally, the proposed legislation would expand the limitation period in which charges may be laid from a current six months (under the existing Trespass to Property Act) to two years from the day of the offence or two years from the day when evidence of the offence was uncovered.

The proposed legislation would also address the safety risks of people interfering with livestock in transport by prohibiting stopping, hindering, obstructing or interfering with a motor vehicle transporting farm animals, and prohibiting interacting with

farm animals being transported without explicit prior consent.

The new act is expected to keep farmers and agri-food workers safe, increase safety around livestock transport trucks and make the process easier to prosecute trespassers.

BFO welcomes the support provided to Ontario’s livestock sector through this act.

BFO, along with other livestock commodity organizations have been actively involved in the consultation process as part of the development of this legislation. BFO looks forward to continued work with the Ontario government and industry partners on forthcoming regulations related to the act. OB

Auction Markets’ Holiday Sales Schedule 2019 The Beef Farmers of Ontario office will close at noon on Dec 24th and will be closed Dec 25, 26 & 27th. The office will also close at noon on Dec 31st and will re-open on Jan, 2nd, 2020.

Aylmer Stockyards Inc.

Dec 18 - Regular Sale & Stocker Sale Dec 25 - Closed, no sale Jan 1/20 - Regular Sale

Ontario Livestock Exchange Inc.

Brussels Livestock

Dec 24 - Fed Cattle & Cow Sale Dec 25-26 - Closed, no sales Dec 27 - Stocker Sale Dec 31 - Fed Cattle & Cow Sale Jan1/20 - Closed, no Sale Jan 2/20 - Regular Veal, Lamb & Goat Sale

Ontario Stockyards Inc. Dec 23 - Regular Sale - Veal, Lambs, Goats, Sheep &

Community Livestock Exchange Hoards Station

Dec 17 - Regular Sale Dec 24 - Closed, no sale Dec 31 - Closed, no sale Jan 1/20 - Closed Jan 7/20 - Regular Schedule Resumes

Ottawa Livestock Exchange/ Embrun Livestock

Dec 23 - Embrun Regular Sale Dec 24 - Open Dec 25-27 - Closed Dec 30 - Embrun - Regular Sale Dec 31 - Open Jan1/20 - Closed Jan 2/20 - Regular schedule resumes

Denfield Livestock Exchange

Dec 17 - Regular Sale Dec 24 - Closed, no sale Dec 31 - Closed, no sale Jan 7/20 - Regular schedule resumes

Renfrew Pontiac Livestock

Dec 17 - Regular Sale Dec 24 - Closed, no sale Dec 31 - Closed, no sale Jan 7/20 - Regular schedule resumes

Kawartha Lakes Community Sale Barn Inc.

Dec 21 - Regular Sale Dec 28 - Regular Sale Jan 4/20 - Regular Sale

Temiskaming Livestock Dec 16 - Regular Sale Dec 23 - Closed, no sale Exchange

Keady Livestock Market Ltd.

Dec 17- Regular Sale - Last sale of 2019 Dec 18/19 - Jan 13/20 - Closed Jan 14/20 - First sale of 2020 @ 10:00 a.m.

Sale every other week at 10:00 a.m. until April 7th @ 9:00 a.m. regular schedule resumes

Vankleek Hill Livestock Exchange Ltd.

Maple Hill Auction Market

Closed for the holiday season. Sales will resume in the New Year. For more information, call 519-506-1400.

Dec 24 - Regular Tuesday Sale Dec 25 - Closed, no sale Dec 26 - Closed, no sale, barn receiving after 3:00 p.m.

Dec 27 (Friday) - Regular Thursday sale to be held Dec 28 - Regular Monthly Horse Sale Dec 29 - Closed Dec 30 - Closed, barn receiving after 3:00 p.m.

Dec 31 - Regular Tuesday Sale Jan 1/20 - Closed, no sale Jan 2/20 - Regular schedule resumes any arrivals will be sold (stockers, fed cattle, cows) Dec 24-29 - Closed Dec 30 - Fed Cattle/Cows/ Bulls/Stockers, Veal, Lambs Goats & Sheep Dec 31-Jan 5/20 - Closed Jan 6/20 - Regular schedule resumes

Dec 30 - Closed, no sale Jan 6/20 - Regular schedule resumes Dec 23 - Regular Sale Dec 25 - Closed, no sale Dec 30 - Regular Sale Jan 1/20 - Closed, no sale Jan 6/20 - Regular schedule resumes

Wishing you and yours a very happy and safe holiday season!

ON TA R IO BEEF • D EC EMB ER 20 19

35

Market Information

T

he fed cattle market has been quite challenging in 2019, especially since September with the suspension of the RydingRegency licence. Cattle on farms are starting to back up and frustration is growing. We typically start to see fed cattle prices improve this time of year, but that has not been the case this year. The licence suspension occurred on September 20, 2019, which on our graphs is week 39. Since that time, prices on the rail have been holding fully steady from $232-$235 dressed on average. At time of reporting, November 20, rail prices are down $8.50 on average from the same time in 2018 and $6.50 below November 20, 2017. The estimated breakeven price for cattle November 20, 2019 is sitting at $251 cwt which is higher than the actual fed cattle price by $15.50 cwt. Looking forward, breakeven prices in the new year are anywhere from $250-$273 cwt in the first quarter of 2020.

Fed cattle processing volumes for the first half of the year were above volumes from one year ago, but August and September saw volumes lower than 2018, 2017 and the five-year average for that time frame. In October, volumes picked up again with processed steers up from 2017 and the five-year average, but still below 2018 numbers, even with one plant not

•B y Jamie Gamble, BFO Market Information Coordinator markets@ontariobeef.com • www.ontariobeef.com

running during October. The same goes for the heifers, volumes increased in October 2019, above 2017 numbers but still below 2018 and the five-year average. Overall, for 2019 federal and provincial processing volumes, including cows, are sitting at 552,814 head as of October 31, 2019, down 3.4% from the same time in 2018, but 2.6% more than October 1, 2017. The suspension of Ryding-Regency has reduced Ontario capacity by 1,500 head per week. Although other packers have been increasing their volumes, there are still good numbers of cattle sitting on farms waiting and getting heavier. With that said, carcass weights in Ontario are right in line with the last two years and just slightly above the five-year average. Weights in November could tell a different story.

Boxed beef prices have been very strong which has encouraged packers to keep processing volumes running at a good pace.

Canadian boxed beef prices are currently stronger than both 2018, 2017 and the five-year average, however prices are below the U.S. equivalent. That fact, along with the weaker Canadian dollar, has supported exports of beef to the U.S., which is up by 8% as of September 30 from last year at this time. Imports of boxed beef from the U.S. are down 11% from last year at the same time.

As of October 31, 2019, there have been 102,456 cows sold through auction markets, up 6.5% from the same time in 2018 and 20.3% more than by October 31, 2017. Exports of cows to the U.S. through

The information provided on this graph is based on weighted averages for actual data collected.

Input costs are a guideline only and will vary from producer to producer. BFO does not take any responsibility and accepts no legal liability arising from or connected to damages or losses experienced by producers when using this information. This is to be used at your own risk.

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O N T A R I O B E E F • DE CE M BE R 2 0 1 9

Ontario ports as of October 31, 2019 total 23,769 head, down 8.8% from the same time last year, up 1.9% from October 31, 2017 and 22.6% lower than the five-year average. Lower exports along with larger volumes coming to market have not been price supportive this year. The first quarter of 2019 prices for cows were well below 2018, 2017 and the five-year average but, from April to June, prices were steady to last year. Prices are declining sharply, but this is also seasonal, as is the volume coming to market. Since week 39, the suspension of Ryding-Regency, cow prices have declined rapidly as volumes increased.

The larger volumes of cull cows have come at a time of reduced packing capacity and weaker demand.

Ontario auction markets have sold 207,888 stocker and feeder cattle in 2019 as of October 31. This is the largest yearto-date volume since 2014. The market has been under some pressure the last couple of months as feedlots struggle to move fed cattle, leaving pens full and demand for replacements lighter. Since September, prices have been below a year ago and 2017, as well as the five-year average. At time of reporting the replacements are steady to slightly higher in some categories, than 2018, while others are steady to lower.

All classes continue to trade easier than 2017 and the five-year average. Higher feed prices and availability/price of hay in some areas of Ontario, have put added pressure on the feeder cattle market. OB

Continued on page 38.

ON TA R IO BEEF • D EC EMB ER 20 19

37

Continued from page 37. – Market

38

Info

O N T A R I O B E E F • DE CE M BE R 2 0 1 9

BEEF EXPORTS - CANADA

United States

Mexico

Jan. 1 - Sept. 30

Jan. 1 - Sept. 30

Total

239,231 tonnes

10,476 tonnes

Japan

China

Jan. 1 - Sept. 30

Jan. 1 - Sept. 30

37,652 tonnes

11,475 tonnes

Total

The Beef Supply at a Glance Report notes: “China has resumed imports of Canadian meat products as of November 5, 2019 following the suspension on June 25, 2019 however the Statistics Canada trade data has reported beef exports to China during this period.

AAFC is working with the Canada Border Services Agency to review these transactions. It is possible that some shipments intended to be exported were entered into the Canadian Automated Export Declaration system, but were not cancelled when the border closed.

Corrections (if required) will take some time.”

BEEF PRODUCTION - CANADA

Jan. 1 - Nov. 9, 2019

Last Year Same Time

% Change

Fed

916,949 tonnes

853,706 tonnes

+7%

Non-fed

147,612 tonnes

147,164 tonnes

+0%

BEEF IMPORTS - CANADA

Jan. 1 - Nov. 9, 2019

Last Year Same Time % Change

US

92,964 tonnes

104,842 tonnes

Non-NAFTA

30,708 tonnes

43,536 tonnes

-29%

EU-28 (beef/veal total) 4,596 tonnes

1,830 tonnes

+151%

157,907 tonnes

-14%

Total

135,104 tonnes

-11%

LIVE CATTLE - CANADA IMPORTS

EXPORTS

EXPORTS

Jan. 1 - Sept. 30

Jan. 1 - Nov. 2, 2019

% Change

Slaughter steers & heifers 389,862

+21%

Purebred

3,706

Non-Purebred 154,078 Feeder steers & heifers

174,26

+1%

38,744

-1%

Cows & bulls

LIVE CATTLE EXPORTS - ONTARIO

Week ending Oct. 26, ‘19 Week ending Oct. 19, ‘19 Year to Date

Total to US.

2,628

2,108

104,450

Steers, Heifers, Cows 2,276

1,885

92,139

223

12,311

Bulls

352

ON TA R IO BEEF • D EC EMB ER 20 19

39

CHECK-OFF DEDUCTION REMITTANCE FORM Every cattle seller (including sales by private treaty) is required under Regulation 54 of the Beef Cattle Marketing Act (BCMA) to pay a $4.50 per head Ontario license fee and a $1.00 per head national levy, for a total of a $5.50 per head check-off. Breeding stock, cull dairy cows, and beef calves are included. Exemptions exist only for cattle sold for the production of milk and veal. Fees are payable by the 15th of the month following deduction. Please note: Licenced Livestock Dealers who sell cattle within seven business days of having purchased them may apply for a rebate with proper documentation.

Firm or Individual Producer Reporting

Forward cheque payable to the Beef Farmers of Ontario with this report. Please retain one copy for your files.

HST Registration No: Period Covered by this Report: a) Number of Head Sold:

Finished:

Stocker:

Breeding Stock Females:

Culls:

Breeding Stock Bulls:

Calves:

I declare that this information represents a true and accurate statement of check-off deductions required to be made under Regulation 54 of the BCMA and the Canadian Beef Cattle Research Market Development and Promotion Agency.

b) Total BFO Check-off ($5.50xa)

Date:

c) HST on BFO Check-off (bx13%)

Signature:

d) Total Amount Owing (b+c)

Print Name: Address:

Mail to: Beef Farmers of Ontario 130 Malcolm Road Guelph, Ontario N1K 1B1

HST# R107797128

!

BEEF BUSINESS LEADERS HOLISTIC MANAGEMENT ONTARIO Whole Farm Planning Courses Healthy Land...Healthy Profits Tony & Fran McQuail, Cert. Educators 519-528-2493 www.meetingplaceorganicfarm.ca/holistic Sold ario nt in O

Livestock Watering for All Seasons “Qualifies for Environmental Farm Plan Grants”

Since 1973

GENETICS

Quality Proven Fleckvieh Simmental Breeding Stock

Bulls and Heifers FOR SALE. DNA verified for carcass and feed efficiency.

Ross & Betty Small & Family R.R.#3 Harriston ON N0G 1Z0

Tel: 519-338-2077 • 1-800-461-3504 • Email: doraleegenetics1@sonicwaves.ca See our new website: www.doraleegenetics.com

R.R #5 HOARDS STATION Campbellford, Ontario SALE BARN Dave DeNure 705-653-3660 • Auction Sale Since 1949 • Sale Every Tuesday 12 p.m.

• Three Rings – Beef, Dairy, Pigs • Quinte Cattlemen’s Stocker Sales • Spring and Fall Member of O.L.A.M.A

40

O N T A R I O B E E F • DE CE M BE R 2 0 1 9

Plaunt’s Farm Service

Doug Plaunt • 705-328-5794 • dgplaunt@gmail.com 160 Cricket Hollow Rd. • RR#2 • Little Britain, ON • K0M 2C0

Semen Available!

Bob Wilson 519-855-4990 bob@leachman.com Leachman Cattle Co. in Canada

Calendar of Events December 7, 2019 - Mooving Forward Shorthorn Sale, Campbellford

March 6, 2020 - M&L Cattle Company Spring Bull and Female Sale, Indian River

December 19, 2019 - Colours of Autumn Limousin Sale, Cookstown.

March 7, 2020 - Hollee Limousin Final Open House, Janetville

December 28, 2019 - Fallsview Production Sale, Niagara Falls January 9,10,11, 2020 - 22nd Annual Beef Industry Convention, London January 18, 2020 - 2020 Beef Symposium, University of Guelph, Guelph

BEEF FARMERS OF ONTARIO PRIVACY STATEMENT

The Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO) is committed to protecting the privacy and security of producers’ personal information in compliance with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).

Subscribers to Ontario Beef magazine, the official publication of the Beef Farmers of Ontario, do so on a voluntary basis. By subscribing, subscribers are consenting to have their contact information used for the purposes of receiving the magazine and developing an BFO mailing list.

This mailing list will be used for the distribution of the BFO magazine.

The BFO will not sell, trade or otherwise share its Ontario Beef mailing list under any circumstances. A service may be provided whereby items are submitted to the BFO and mailed internally with the magazine but all materials must be approved by and acceptable to the BFO. In rare instances where external, non-commercial organizations, like the provincial or federal government, wish to use the Ontario Beef mailing list to distribute information, the government must provide their mailing materials in a finished format to BFO and/or its mailing house.

BFO will then coordinate the mailing, at the requesting organization’s cost, thus maintaining confidentiality of the list. In cases where the BFO may commission a mailing, the company providing the service is required to sign a mandatory confidentiality agreement.

Subscribers to the Ontario Beef mailing list who wish to have their names removed, should call 519-824-0334 or email bethany@ontariobeef.com. Please allow 15 business days to allow us to update our records accordingly.

BFO’s complete privacy statement, covering areas of information including the electronic update system, Website, membership list and market information can be viewed on its Website at http://www.ontariobeef.com/privacy.asp

March 21 - Vancise Cattle Company and Walnut Drive Farms –Red Angus and Hereford Private Treaty Bull Sale, Stayner April 3-4, 2020 - Annual Meeting, Ontario Hereford Association, Peterborough

February 19-20, 2020 - Beef Farmers of Ontario Annual General Meeting, Toronto

Maple Haven

Garry & Sheila Smart

Quality Belgian Blue Cattle

Bred for Calving Ease BREEDER BULLS FOR SALE

“Industry Accepted since 1978”

Sharon & Joe Daniel Tina & Ben Daniel

Breeding Stock Available at All Times.

Tel: 519-423-6722 • Cell: 519-421-4393 • RR#5 Ingersoll, ON N5C 3J8

North AmericAN LiNcoLN red AssociAtioN Looking for Easy fleshing, Dark red, and a Great temperament? Try a Lincoln Red.

www.lincolnred.org

M ille r Land & L ive st ock

Sunny Meadows Charolais

Selling progressive quality genetics since 1975 ~ polled with French influence.

Tel: 705-887-5142 Fax: 705-887-2341

Andy Millar

109 Bulmer’s Rd. R.R.#2 Fenelon Falls ON K0M 1N0

SUNRISE ANGUS (since 1995)

We source Canadian genetics to produce quality breeding stock.

Charolais Bulls, Hay, Straw, Feedlot George & Dianne, Dwayne, Ashley and Cowal Miller

Joel & Irene Thomas 477285 3rd Line Melancthon ON L9V 1T5 Phone: 519 925 5661• Cell: 519 940 1258 Email: sunriseangus@xplornet.ca

RR 1, Jarvis, ON N0A 1J0

Ph (519) 587-2755

137606 Grey Rd. 12, RR # 2, Meaford, Ontario N4L 1W6 Phone: 519-538-4877 Cell: 519-372-7459 smartlimo@bmts.com www.smartlimousin.com

Cell (519) 429-5902

Commercial Angus Purebred Red Angus Purebred Black Angus Purebred Hereford

The Seed Family- Greg: 705-648-4274

Greg Wilson 519-590-2348 • Dennis Robinson 519-892-3316

seesonranch@outlook.com 845040 Morrow Rd, New Liskeard Ontario, P0J 1P0

Silver Springs Farms James & Joan McKinlay R.R. 1, Ravenna, Ontario N0H 2E0 Tel: 519-599-6236 jmckinlay@bmts.com

Breeders of Quality Cattle Simmental • Red Angus • F1 Crosses

P: 519-760-0892 E: uspecs@roievents.ca FB: UNDERHILL SPECS

Performance live/frozen genetics available!

Wright’s R.R#1, #402144 Hanover, ON N4N 3B8 Tel: 519-369-3658

Carl Wright Cell: 519-369-7489 Ben Wright Cell: 519-374-3335 Laurie Wright Ofc: 519-369-3658

ON TA R IO BEEF • D EC EMB ER 20 19

41

Spotlight on Feeding a Sustainable Toronto Event Draws Farmers and Foodies Alike

VOLUME 8 • ISSUE 5

By Kelly Daynard, Farm & Food Care Ontario

B

eef and sheep farmers from across Ontario joined 100 Toronto chefs, bloggers, registered dietitians, cookbook authors, professional home economists and other food influencers recently for a unique program hosted at the Royal Ontario Museum.

The event, entitled “Feeding a Sustainable Toronto” was designed to explore the topic of farm animals and environmental sustainability, focusing specifically on the role that grazing animals, like beef and sheep, play in a healthy ecosystem.

The evening was organized in a partnership between Beef Farmers of Ontario, Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, Canada Beef, Ontario Sheep Farmers and Farm & Food Care Ontario.

Leading off the evening’s program was a screening of the newly released short documentary, Guardians of the Grasslands.

Produced by Ducks Unlimited Canada and the Nature Conservancy of Canada, the piece explores the current state of one of the world’s most endangered ecosystems, the Great Plains grasslands, and the role that cattle play in its survival.

Bringing it closer to home, beef farmer Paul Brown of Kawartha Lakes, who shared Master of Ceremony duties with Farm & Food Care’s Kelly Daynard, noted that grasslands are key to Ontario’s landscape as well. Said Brown, “the thin soils in many parts of the province are protected by the grasses that are used for grazing. It’s also estimated that grasslands are home to more than 1,000 species of animals and insects across this country.” Two videos showcasing Ontario farmers Steve Sickle and Sandra Vos, past winners of The Environmental Stewardship Award, were shown as examples of work being done locally to protect wetlands, woodlots and wildlife.

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O N T A R I O B E E F • DE CE M BE R 2 0 1 9

(From left) Masters of Ceremony Paul Brown and Kelly Daynard join panelists Bob McLean, Carrie Woolley, Paul Thoroughgood, Jennifer Lambert and Cory Van Groningen.

The event then moved into a panel discussion featuring Norfolk sheep farmer Carrie Woolley, Haldimand/Norfolk beef farmer Cory Van Groningen, environmental consultant Bob McLean, Ducks Unlimited’s Paul Thoroughgood and Jennifer Lambert, senior manager of sustainability at Loblaw Companies. Panelists engaged in a lively discussion answering questions posed by the audience about climate change, grassland benefits, the role retailers play in sustainability, food labelling and protein choices available to Ontario consumers.

Extending the reach of the evening was the use of social media. The #GuardiansoftheGrassland hashtag generated 286 impressions and a unique potential reach of 113,982 on social media throughout the four-hour event.

Mention was also made of the City of Toronto’s recent implementation of the Good Food Cities Declaration with farmers expressing hope that the city will reach out to the agricultural community to be part of the

discussion and solution in feeding the province with as much local food options as possible.

In asking a question about protein choices, one recent university nutrition graduate said that her university education “vilified” eating meat and emphasized the fact that plant-based protein choices were more environmentally friendly. Attending this event, she noted, made her realize that she has much more to learn on the issue.

Wrapping up, Brown said, “reducing consumption of meat, despite headlines to the contrary, won’t significantly impact climate change and more importantly, doesn’t take into consideration the many benefits that livestock can have for the environment.”

The event ended with a reception featuring Ontario foods and drinks giving attendees the opportunity to pose questions to the farmers and industry experts in attendance.

To learn more about the Guardians of the Grasslands documentary, visit guardiansofthegrasslands.ca.

GET THE

CHAROLAIS ADVANTAGE More pounds + more dollars = MORE PROFIT

Daily Market Reports from Beef Farmers of Ontario.

“I get calls every week asking how many Charolais calves I am expecting for our feeder sale. The Charolais and Charolais influenced cattle sell themselves and put more dollars in the producers’ pockets”. ~ Ab Carrol, Ontario Stockyards Inc.

Check out www.ontariocharolais.com OR contact our secretary Doris Aitken at 519–323–2538

Hosted by Ontario Cattle Feeders’ Association and Ontario Corn Fed Beef

Once again, the Ontario Cattle Feeders’ Association and the staff of the Best Western Plus Lamplighter Inn & Conference Centre are pleased to offer our Industry Partners, Associations and all Stakeholders opportunities to share, learn and socialize at this beautiful venue.

As one of the leading agricultural information sessions in Ontario and Canada, the OCFA is committed to meeting everyone’s expectations once again. We feel this venue is a perfect fit for us, as well as for our attendees and their families.

You, and the organizations you represent, are the future of the beef industry and your active participation is key to the success of this Convention.

For more information and to register, please go to: www.beefindustryconvention.com or call 519-686-6226.

AGENDA

Friday, January 10, 2020

8:00am - Registration, Coffee, Exhibitors Hall Opening 9:00am - Morning Session Speakers 12:00pm - Lunch 1:00pm - Afternoon Session Speakers – re-convene 4:30pm - Wrap up, Trade Show 5:30pm - Exhibitor Networking and Cocktails 6:00pm - Banquet 8:00pm - Live Auction, Sponsored Reception

Thursday, January 9, 2020

4:00pm - Exhibitors Hall opening 5:30pm - Ontario Corn Fed Beef Welcome Reception/Supper 7:00pm - Merck Sponsored Speakers 9:00pm - “Merck After Work” Sponsored Reception Note: Times are approximate and subject to change.

Saturday, January 11, 2020 8:00am – Exhibitors Hall Opening Sponsor Breakfast

FEES

(including 13% HST) Complete Registration Package $200.00 (includes all meals, breaks and convention handouts) Thursday Supper

$30.00

Friday Sessions and Lunch Only

$75.00

Friday Banquet Only

$85.00

Saturday Sponsor Breakfast

$ N/C

ACCOMMODATIONS Best Western Plus Lamplighter Inn & Conference Centre

591 Wellington Rd. S., London, ON N6C 4R3 Tel: 519-681-7151 • Fax: 519-681-3271 www.lamplighterinn.ca

Reservations are to be made on an individual call-in basis. Assorted Room Types - $129.00 or $139.00 plus applicable taxes. A block of 150 bedrooms have been set aside for this event. Room rates vary depending on location. Rooms not reserved prior to December 27, 2019 will be released and subject to availability.

Please go to

beefindustryconvention.com to register online or please call 519.686.6226 fax 519.686.6227