Ontario Beef - February 2021

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE BEEF FARMERS OF ONTARIO

BEEF ON T A R I O

ADVOCATING FOR DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION IN THE AGRI-FOOD SECTOR • HOLDING FINISHING CATTLE ON FEED • CALVING SEASON IS UPON US • FEBRUARY 2021

HOW TO TALK ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL VALUE OF

ONTARIO BEEF PRODUCTION

Canadian Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement Number 0040007029

WHEN YOU PICK A

HEREFORD BULL YOU WILL ACHIEVE THE

WHITE FACE ADVANTAGE

• Hereford bulls compare to other beef breed heifer bulls in calving ease • Hereford-sired feedlot steers had better weaning weights, better daily gains and better feed conversion compared to other beef sires due to lower treatment requirement rates, higher grades and docility • Due to longevity and fertility of Hereford-sired females, in comparison to other beef sired females, there have been documented cases of a 20% less replacement females in herds over a 10 year period

Please contact the OHA office for your free copy of the OHA News and the new Ontario Breeders Directory. The next edition of the OHA News will have information about our virtual AGM.

HEREFORD BULLS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY

GET THE JOB DONE CORP CREEK FARM Bill and Jill Corp and Family OMEMEE, ON 705-799-7488 (Bill’s cell) 705-772-9345 (Jill’s cell) corpcreekfarm@hotmail.com Registered Breeding Stock HIDDEN-VIEW POLLED HEREFORDS Joe & Karen Paszternak NORWOOD, ON 705-957-3739 or 705-957-7470 karen.paszternak@gmail.com Cows & heifers for sale

www.ontarioherefords.ca

WHISKEY LANE LIVESTOCK Hereford and Angus Scott, Paula, Jason and Shelby Cornish INDIAN RIVER, ON 705-295-2925 705-878-3248 (Scott’s cell) 705-341-3220 (Paula’s cell) wll@nexicom.net Visitors Always Welcome

LIAN MOR POLLED HEREFORDS Wallace & Fern Pugh & Trevor & Amy Pugh MONO, ON Wally &Fern lianmor@sympatico.ca • 519-941-8515 Trevor & Amy tpugh27@yahoo.com • 519-939-7486 Breeding stock available O’SHEA FARMS Jamie and Mel O’Shea DENFIELD, ON 519-477-1238 osheafarms@hotmail.com Bulls & Females for Sale

Lois Batty,ON President – 705-328-4302 KAREN PASZTERNAK Dr. | Norwood, • 705-957-3739 • karen.paszternak@gmail.com www.ontarioherefords.ca PRESIDENT JILL AND BILL CORP | Omemee, ON • 705-772-9345 • ontarioherefordassociation@outlook.com SECRETARY MANAGER

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE BEEF FARMERS OF ONTARIO

BEEF ONTARIO

February 2021

Volume 62, Number 1

COMPLIMENTARY MEMBER-SUPPORTED PUBLICATION

CONTENTS 4

Ahead of the Heard

6

The Beef Beat

8

Between You, Me and the Fence Post

28

10 Rural Ramble 12 Advocating for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in the Agri-Food Sector 14 Providing Opportunities for Employers and Job Seekers 18 Stan Eby Inducted Into Ontario Hall of Fame 20 AgSights Update 22 Frozen Ground and Nutrients Don’t Get Along

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24 Sharecost Innovation Awards Announced

ON THE COVER

26 Farm and Food Care Update

For some, this is the most wonderful time of year, yet potentially the most exhausting, with the 2021 calf crop arriving on farms all across the province. In this issue of Ontario Beef, we are pleased to resume our Vet on Call series, which you will find on page 44 and focuses on calving recommendations this month. You will also find an important summary of our environmental benefits of grasslands research project that was completed last year.

28 How to Talk About the Environmental Value of Ontario Beef Production 30 OMAFRA Update 32 CCA Update 36 Canada Beef Update 40 Research Update 44 Vet on Call 48 Market Information

Cover photo credit: Mel O’Shea, BarnGirls Photography Don’t miss out on submitting your photos for our May 2021 issue. Please send your spring-inspired photos by April 15 to be considered for the cover.

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

52 Calendar of Events 54 Wellness on the Farm 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 LeaAnne Wurmli 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

AHEAD OF THE HEARD

By Rob Lipsett, BFO President info@ontariobeef.com • www.ontariobeef.com

Leading Through Uncertainty W

e’ve just wrapped up a busy month of virtual local association annual general meetings (AGMs), and as I write this, we are well into planning BFO’s 2021 virtual AGM, appropriately themed “Leading Through Uncertainty”, which will take place on February 17 and 18.

Our theme reflects the past year-and-a-half of uncertainty navigating the lack of processing capacity, enduring a global pandemic, struggling with the temporary closure of eastern Canada’s largest federal processing plant, and addressing many policy issues in between.

My fellow directors and I have done our best to provide leadership throughout such a tumultuous time in history. We have increased regular communications with our local associations and members, and have worked closely with government and the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association to push for needed changes to business risk management programs for our members and support programs for the processing sector. Other priorities have included vaccine prioritization for meat processing workers and the agri-food sector as a whole, changes to our SRM removal requirements, lowering Canada’s BSE risk status, and addressing trade issues affecting our competitiveness under the CETA deal, as well as with the U.K. and South Korea.

Speaking of the processing sector, I would be remiss if I didn’t share the unfortunate events that affected our sector and concluded 2020. Thankfully for our processing partners, plant workers and producers, we didn’t experience a plant shutdown or slowdown as a result of a COVID-19 outbreak for much of 2020. But as you likely know, a number of positive COVID-19 cases among plant workers at Cargill Meat Solutions in Guelph was reported in early December, which resulted in a slowdown in production and ultimately BFO BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2020 Rob Lipsett (Background Director) - President Phone: 519-375-2080 • Email: lipsettrob@yahoo.ca Jack Chaffe (Feedlot Director) - Vice-President Phone: 519-301-3034 • Email: jdchaffe@quadro.net Don Badour (Cow-Calf Director) Email: don.badour@ripnet.com Jason Reid (Cow-Calf Director) Email: reidridgefarm@tbaytel.net Don Hargrave (Cow-Calf Director) Email: dchargrave@gmail.com Joe Dickenson (Feedlot Director) Email: joe@dickensonfarms.com David Millsap (Feedlot Director) Email: davidwmillsap@gmail.com Jason Leblond (Northern Director) Email: jsacres5@gmail.com Craig McLaughlin (Eastern Director) Email: cmblackhorse@gmail.com Ron Stevenson (Southern Director) Email: ron@metzgervet.com Jordan Miller (Director-At-Large) Email: b.jordan.miller@gmail.com Vacant (Director-At-Large)

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O N T A R I O B E E F • F E BRUARY 2 0 2 1

the temporary closure of the plant on December 16. Some of our other smaller provincial facilities also experienced COVID-related slowdowns, which put further pressure on our market. In response, BFO immediately requested that government activate the set-aside program for Ontario farmers. The Beef Emergency Feed Maintenance Initiative, known by industry as the Ontario Beef Cattle SetAside Program, was launched by Agricorp with the first intake for applications on December 21.

The program was created jointly by industry and government to provide market coordination to help ensure cattle get processed in priority order when capacity becomes available and spread out surges in supply caused by market disruptions like plant closures. The program, which offered producers a payment to help offset additional feed costs, was available in late December into early January through three intake periods.

By early January, Cargill Meat Solutions had re-opened and has since (at the time of writing) returned to operating at full capacity.

Ensuring their employees can work safely continues to be Cargill’s number one priority.

When the Beef Emergency Feed Maintenance Initiative was announced in 2020, the funding envelope of $5 million was only allocated to the 2020/21 government fiscal year (April 2020 to March 2021). As such, the last intake for the program was offered in early January.

To address this shortfall, we have been working to ensure future intakes for the program are available to our members if another processing shutdown or slowdown occurs due to COVID-19 this year.

BFO STAFF Executive Director Richard Horne • richard@ontariobeef.com Manager of Policy and Issues Katherine Fox • k atherine@ontariobeef.com Policy Advisor Darby Wheeler • darby@ontariobeef.com Policy Advisor Evan Chaffe • evan@ontariobeef.com Director of Communications LeaAnne Wurmli • leaanne@ontariobeef.com Manager of Public Engagement and Digital Strategy Jennifer Kyle • jennifer@ontariobeef.com Communications Specialist Bethany Storey • bethany@ontariobeef.com Market Information Coordinator Jamie Gamble • markets@ontariobeef.com

Accountant Amber McIntyre • amber@ontariobeef.com Office Manager 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

I met with Minister Hardeman’s office in mid-January to discuss our request to extend the Beef Emergency Feed Maintenance Initiative into the next government fiscal year. Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, National Cattle Feeders’ Association, Alberta Beef Producers and the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association have also been lobbying for the same extension to address further COVID-19 shocks at processing.

On a positive note, we were pleased to hear the Government of Ontario’s announcement last month that frontline essential workers, including in food processing, will be eligible to receive vaccines as part of phase two of the Ontario immunization program.

In late December, BFO and the Ontario Cattle Feeders’ Association, along with the Canadian Meat Council, Meat and Poultry Ontario, Food and Beverage Ontario, Ontario Pork, Ontario Sheep Farmers, Veal Farmers of Ontario and the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, called upon government to recognize that meat processing workers and inspectors must continue to be deemed as a critical essential service, in addition to others involved in supporting Ontario’s agri-food supply chains. We requested workers in

the meat production and processing sectors, including meat and animal inspectors, be prioritized to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

Aside from dealing with the immediate crisis and temporary closure of Cargill in Guelph, we continue to press for processing sector support within our industry from both the federal and provincial governments. We submitted comments during the Fall 2020 Budget Consultation that outlined the need for support for Ontario’s meat processing sector through a proposed “Beef Processing Infrastructure Fund”.

The creation of this proposed fund would support large projects that would increase processing capacity using a combination of no-interest loans, non-repayable loans and costshare funding.

One thing for certain is that the challenges of 2020 seem to be continuing into the new year. But with a few months of experience under our belts, we are prepared to pivot, shift, adapt (enter your own appropriate buzzword here) to represent, advocate and provide leadership for our members and industry. I trust we will get through this chapter and I have my sights on better days ahead. OB

ON TAR IO BEEF • FEBR U A RY 2021

5

THE BEEF BEAT

By Evan Chaffe, BFO Policy Advisor evan@ontariobeef.com • www.ontariobeef.com

Snapshot of BFO’s Lobby Priorities Moving into 2021 A

s the challenging year of 2020 is left behind and we enter 2021, we are all hoping for a bounce-back year in the cattle industry and a return to normal everyday life. Agriculture can and will be a leader moving forward from the events of 2020. BFO has outlined key issues, both provincially and federally, that we feel need to be addressed by both governments.

COVID-19 is part of multiple issues BFO is looking to tackle over the coming months. First off is extending the Agri-Recovery Beef Emergency Feed Maintenance Initiative (Beef Cattle Set-Aside Program) out to the fall of 2021 in case of future complications to the supply chain. The challenge here is the program ends with the federal government’s fiscal year-end on March 31st. BFO is working with the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) and other counterparts, such as Alberta Beef Producers and Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association,

to advocate for an extension of the program. At this time, this is not a request for additional funding, just an extension on the current timeframe with the pre-allocated funds.

As Canada and the world eventually move out of the pandemic, we want the beef industry able to take full advantage of any potential markets. That’s why BFO and CCA have been advocating for harmonization of Canada’s specified risk materials (SRM) removal regulations with those of the United States. Our current regulations put the Canadian beef industry at a significant disadvantage to our neighbours to the south on over-thirty-month cattle.

We are currently waiting for the World Organization for Animal Health’s decision on Canada’s BSE risk status, which is expected in May this year. Upgrading Canada’s BSE risk status will help open up trade with South Korea because it will eliminate one of the most considerable trade barriers stopping Canadian beef from being exported to South Korea. Another benefit to this change in status is that it will allow more Ontario cattle to move south into the United States since they will not have to segregate Canadian cattle in processing plants that export to South Korea.

Over this last year, the necessity of business risk management (BRM) programs has been very apparent. With our federal and provincial counterparts, we keep advocating for enhancements to the current suite of BRM programs. BFO was pleased to see that the federal Agriculture and Agri-Food Committee’s recent BRM report had the following recommendations: • Remove the reference margin limit under AgriStability • Increase the trigger level for AgriStability program payments • Remove or increase the AgriStability payment cap • Increase the interest-free portion of the Advance Payments Program

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O N T A R I O B E E F • F E BRUARY 2 0 2 1

• Increase the overall cash advance limit under the Advance Payments Program The Ontario government, along with multiple other provinces, supports these recommendations. However, a few provinces are unwilling to commit to these changes, which will likely hold up their implementation.

In late January, Minister Bibeau came out with the federal government’s offer to remove the reference margin limit and increase the compensation rate from 70 percent to 80 percent. This is promising news to BFO, but if a deal is not struck between the provinces and the federal government, we will then prioritize lobbying the Ontario government to invest the money that was earmarked for the Agri-Stability changes into the Ontario Risk Management Program (RMP).

We still have a laundry list of requests at the federal level, and BFO will take advantage of any opportunities to bring those forward to our elected officials. Some of those issues include labeling restrictions on plant-based proteins, the new livestock transportation regulations, and the lack of infrastructure in northern Ontario to handle the increased volume resulting from the new transport regulations.

Provincially, there are many issues that BFO will be focusing on over the next year to keep improving the industry. First off, BFO is following the COVID-19 vaccine rollout very closely and is advocating to the government the importance of making essential workers inside the agri-food industry, including beef producers, eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible. BFO, along with eight other agri-food organizations, sent a letter to Minister Elliot, Minister Hardeman and Solicitor General Jones in December communicating our request.

BFO was pleased to hear from the provincial government that food processing workers would be classified as essential workers and a priority population for phase two of the provincial COVID-19 vaccine strategy. This announcement should help ensure stability in the supply chain and, in turn, provide some stability to the beef industry.

One of the largest issues facing the Ontario industry is limited processing capacity, which hampers industry expansion and drives down the Ontario fed cattle price. BFO is working to address processing capacity issues in multiple ways, including our request for a processing infrastructure fund that would help expand existing plants and coolers to allow for larger flows of cattle. We are also looking at ways to increase skilled laborers in processing plants, as we know this is one of the critical issues holding back processing capacity in the smaller plants.

In 2020, Ontario’s provincial plants were running 20 percent over 2019’s volume and 18 percent over the five-year average’s volume.

Furthermore, there is high demand for provincial abattoirs, since most reports have these plants booking four to seven months in advance.

With such high volumes and demand, BFO believes addressing our processing capacity issues will help move Ontario’s economy and industry forward into the future.

BFO appreciates the work the provincial government has done on the BRM file, primarily the $50 million funding increase to the RMP a year before it was promised. The $50 million added to the program in 2020 was especially welcome due to the volatile state of the market during the pandemic. That being said, BFO believes a fully funded RMP would be beneficial for economic growth in our province as the Ontario beef sector provides close to a three to one net return on economic activity.

There are multiple other provincial priorities on BFO’s radar, including amendments to the Beef Cattle Marketing Act that would trigger a check-off event on packer-owned cattle at harvest, a bi-lateral trade agreement with Quebec to allow the sale of provincially inspected meat across the border, and increasing community pastureland in the province.

These priorities are always subject to change, especially in the ever-changing environment that the beef industry operates. OB

ON TAR IO BEEF • FEBR U A RY 2021

7

BETWEEN YOU, ME AND THE FENCE POST

By LeaAnne Wurmli, BFO Director of Communications leaanne@ontariobeef.com • www.ontariobeef.com

Stay Connected with BFO F

inding effective ways to communicate with our members and industry partners is an evolving feat. With so much information for farmers to absorb, our communications team continues to brainstorm ways we can ensure our information sifts to the top of the pile. As we begin a new year, I thought it would be appropriate to remind our members of how we traditionally communicate industry updates, market information and important news relating to the beef sector.

However, we are always looking for new ways to reach you and all of our members.

bfoUP Webinars

Ontario Beef Magazine

BFO provides a timely market reporting service for our members and industry stakeholders. Information is provided primarily by Ontario beef farmers, auction markets, the DTN service and Canfax. There are a number of ways to access this popular information. Please contact our Market Information Coordinator, Jamie Gamble, by email at jamie@ ontariobeef.com or by phone at the BFO office if you are interested in being added to our distribution lists.

Ontario Beef magazine is the official publication of BFO. It is issued five times per year in February, May, August, October and December to over 16,000 beef farmers. Ontario Beef covers topics of interest in the beef industry, including research, producer profiles, policy issues, market information and industry updates. A complimentary copy of the magazine is sent to all of our active members.

Bull-etin Board E-Newsletter

The BFO Bull-etin Board e-newsletter is issued every Friday afternoon to its subscribers. The e-newsletter captures the headlines of the week, news releases, upcoming events and weekly market information. If you would like to receive the Bull-etin Board in your inbox, visit the homepage of ontariobeef.com and click “sign up for our newsletter”. We also encourage you to share event information with us to post in the Bull-etin Board and on our website. Please submit information online or by emailing Beth Storey at bethany@ontariobeef.com.

BFO Website

Our website is home to a wide variety of industry, market, policy, producer and communications information. We also continue to post updates on resolutions and progress on various files. We hope you take the time to visit our site and become familiar with the information that is provided. If you are having difficulty locating something, let us know and we will be happy to point you in the right direction!

Social Media

For those on social media, we encourage you to follow, like and engage with us on our BFO social media channels. You can find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

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O N T A R I O B E E F • F E BRUARY 2 0 2 1

BFO will be hosting webinars throughout the winter and spring of 2021 for beef farmers and industry members. These webinars are a great way to hear the experience and ideas of industry leaders from the convenience of your own home. Those participating live also have the opportunity to ask questions and interact with other attendees. All bfoUP webinars are recorded and available online after the session.

Market Information

Website – Extensive market information can be found on the BFO website. Noon reports, daily reports, weekly reports, individual auction market reports and much more can all be accessed under “Market Information”. Statistical information can be found under “Industry – Statistics”. If the statistics you are looking for are not available, contact Jamie for further information.

Email – Daily and weekly reports are distributed at the end of every day by email.

Fax – Daily and weekly reports can also be faxed.

Mail – For those members without online access, we provide the weekly reports by mail.

Phone – The market information can also be accessed by phone with two pre-recorded reports updated daily. Call our office at 1.866.370.2333 and ask for ext. 301 for the noon report (updated by 12:30 pm daily) or ask for ext. 300 for the daily report (updated by 4:30 pm daily).

We continuously do our best to communicate with our members as effectively as possible, while understanding there is always room for improvement. Let us know how we are doing! If you have suggestions and ideas on how we can better reach our members, please let us know. We want to make sure we are providing you with the information you need in a format that works for you! OB

RURAL RAMBLE

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

A Fixer Upper F

or a year now, everything we read or watch reminds us of how much things have changed. It’s a new world out there. We have all heard it and for sure seen it a thousand times on the news updates.

But I’m here to tell you that not much has changed on Ferguson Road.

With a 1908 barn, an even older house, and habits that are stuck in the past, we still have the same challenges we did before the new world arrived.

As I write this, we have just gone through “Blue Monday”. A morning that had me waking up extra early, wondering why they call it that. I started some house chores to ease my wife’s morning routine on her way to a frontline hospital day shift. I filled up a sink of sudsy water to wash last night’s dinner dishes. I notice there is no steam, little suds, and no hot water. Down into the heritage dirt floor basement I go to check on my trusty Cascade 40 water heater.

No percolating sound from the top or bottom element. Uh oh. What

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O N T A R I O B E E F • F E BRUARY 2 0 2 1

a dreaded job it is to drain the tank and remove both elements, especially the bottom one that will be buried in calcium deposits from our hard well water. A Shop-Vac with a cobbled-up reducer hose on the suck line will do the trick as it did four years ago, I hope. But now we add a curbside pick-up dynamic to source the proper replacement element, which I will have a hard time describing to the online purchase system. I usually take the old one into the plumbing aisle to be sure I’ve got the right one. Today’s quick fix involves replacing a fuse, but the element replacement job waits for me in the dirt floor basement for a cold day in mid-January. Cold showers in mid-winter are never conducive to domestic bliss.

The next encounter for the morning involves our throne in our one and only bathroom. I’m proud to say that bathroom was added to our house the year I was born, a very modern amenity. Our throne is a Glacier Bay 6 GPF, but today I’m not proud because the float on the internal mast is sticking with calcium build up from our hard well water and that is preventing it from refilling. My cobble fix for that plumbing nightmare is a five-gallon pail of water placed in adjacent bathtub and a removal of the tank lid. Simply pour in required amount of water and the flush works fine. This solution is also not a domestic bliss fix, but we are used to it as our hydro was out last fall for four days. We used the pail flush system then when no pressure pumps were priming the system.

And the final blue day moment occurred later in the day after an exciting “bobble head” Zoom meeting with the folks from the county.

My cell phone was in red zone battery alert mode so I plugged in the charge cord and turned on some distracting CSI television show. I realized Fluffy, my favourite feline, wasn’t curled up in her usual cat nap spot. I heard a funny noise coming from the kitchen and there she sat on the high chair under the receptacle chewing her way through the one and only charge cord. Neither the phone nor the cat was getting the charge they deserved. Fluffy went reluctantly out into the evening snow with some gentle encouragement. A fitting end to the aptly named “Blue Monday”.

Our farm and family dilemmas remind us that normal challenges are part of our daily lives. But combining these character-building episodes with the additional health concerns of our current situation can seem discouraging. Lean on friends, family and coworkers and you will find they too have additional mental loads to deal with. A wise man told me “good stories only happen to those who can tell them”.

When I share these stories with my friends and neighbours, I can feel the support, and hopefully as you read this series of hurdles, you too can feel a little better about any blue days you’ve had. OB

BFO Supports All Members of Our Community Advocating for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in the Agri-Food Sector

B

FO joins with those in our community commit to working with these groups who are calling for an end to systemic on contentious issues such as allowing racism, as well as discrimination and agriculture use on Crown land. prejudice based on sexual orientation, • BFO is committed to advocating for MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY. gender, religion and ability (visible and more diversity, equity and inclusion in The Ontario beef industry is an ally against discrimination based on race, sexual orientation, invisible), and linguistic discrimination. gender, religion, and ability (visible and invisible), as well as linguistic discrimination. We agriculture. recognize that we are not always a diverse industry, but we believe in fighting racism and BFO is committed to advocating for discrimination in all its forms. These are the ways in which we are committed.

• BFO is committed to education within diversity, equity and inclusion within • BFO is committed to listening and learning and speaking up against prejudice our industry, including educating the beef industry and the broader agriand discriminatory language, behaviour and actions. our membership on racism and other food sector, and fighting racism and • BFO is committed to increased understanding of how policies and programs related to agriculture affect Indigenous peoples. We commit to working with these groups prejudice as well as promoting diversity discrimination in all its forms. on contentious issues such as allowing agriculture use on Crown land. and allyship.

Our commitment comes after many • BFO is committed to advocating for more diversity, equity and inclusion in agriculture. discussions at the board level over the • BFO is committed to ensuring our • BFO is committed to education within our industry, including educating our membership on racism and other prejudice as well as promoting diversity and allyship. past several months with respect to actions are not just self-serving, • BFO is committed to ensuring our actions are not just self-serving, including promoting and the lack of agricultural voices speaking including promoting and using BIPOCusing BIPOC-owned businesses, as well as developing more diverse and authentic recipes up against racial inequality and that appeal to and celebrate our diverse communities. owned businesses, as well as developing discrimination. There were concerns raised • BFO is committed to working in collaboration with other groups and individuals who more diverse and authentic recipes that are more knowledgeable than us on fighting discrimination. that agriculture will be left behind and appeal to and celebrate our diverse • BFO is committed to evolving our commitments as we learn. out of touch with our consumers if our communities. voices aren’t used to speak up on these • BFO is committed to working in important social issues. collaboration with other groups and We recognize the beef sector is not individuals who are more knowledgeable always a diverse industry, particularly at than us on fighting discrimination. the farmer and association level. Further • BFO is committed to evolving our along our supply chain, however, there commitments as we learn. is a great amount of diversity among the people dedicated to ensuring our product BFO will also continue to strongly makes it to the tables of consumers. Likewise, our consumers are support community organizations like Feed Ontario, AgScape and another integral and incredibly diverse group from all walks of life.

4-H that we know provide important service, support, education and We feel it is important to be a voice, build bridges, listen, learn, and programing to diverse communities all across the province. support all members of our community.

The BFO Board of Directors and staff are actively looking at our The result of our discussions, research and reflection is a statement own organization and current activities to see where we can do better of values that has taken us time to build and to ensure we got it right, and how we can weave education and advocacy around diversity, recognizing and acknowledging this commitment is not a one-time equity and inclusion into existing activities and programing. We are thing. It is a starting point for what needs to be a continually evolving also looking at other ideas, initiatives, organizations or activities to conversation and effort, and ultimately a culture shift within the support or partner on to put our commitment into action. BFO’s full industry. These are more than just words on a page; they represent statement of values on diversity, equity and inclusion can be found on alignment and a commitment to future action at our highest level. the BFO website, and the page will be updated and built upon as we Recognizing the need to develop from within, we are focusing on learn, evolve, and put our words into action. advocacy and education within the organization and its activities and As we listen and learn, our commitments and actions will continue among our membership. There are a number of ways in which we are to develop over time as we work to evolve the culture within the beef committed to development, including but not limited to the following: industry and broader agri-food sector to be more welcoming to and supportive of all members of our communities. In the meantime, if you • BFO is committed to listening and learning and speaking up against have questions or if you have thoughts or ideas on actions to consider prejudice and discriminatory language, behaviour and actions. or areas for improvement, please connect with us. OB • BFO is committed to increased understanding of how policies and programs related to agriculture affect Indigenous peoples. We

WE SUPPORT ALL

RED ANGUS BULLS AVAILABLE PRIVATE TREATY OTHER SIRE GROUPS

Red Spur Gravity 2507C • Red SSS Gravity 296E Red SSS Joe Cool 441S • Red Vancise Umpire 201B

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For further Information, contact: VANCISE CATTLE COMPANY INC. • Red Angus

VANCISE CATTLE COMPANY INC. • John Vancise Jr. • 705 351 2442 • johnvancise4@hotmail.com • Stayner, ON 12

O N T A R I O B E E F • F E BRUARY 2 0 2 1

Bull Sale Sunday, 2:00 PM

21 March 2021

at the farM, IndIan rIver, On

ON OffeR : 25 full french Two-Year Old & Yearling Bulls 10 full french Long Yearling & Yearling Open Heifers Choice of 20 - You take one, I keep one

elite Till progeny

MLCC 311H

MLCC 28H

MLCC 680H

Calving ease, low birth weight, heifer bulls, unassisted out of first calf heifers by M&L Castor 102D

MLCC 832H BW 87 lb

MLCC 113G BW 85 lb

MLCC 241G One of 6 polled bulls selling. thick with moderate BW.

MLCC 940H very thick son of CWW double take 291d.

MLCC 289H BW 83 lb elite heifer

MLCC 94G fall born hisman with length, thickness, structure and milk.

Come to view the offering anytime and view the catalogue and videos online at www.mlcattleco.com Sale will be broadcast live

Roger Maloney and Helen Lynett 2420 Jermyn Line, Indian River, ON K0L 2B0 705.295.6439 • C 705.761.7316 roger@mlcattleco.com

ON TAR IO BEEF • FEBR U A RY 2021

13

Providing Opportunities for Employers and Job Seekers Feeding Your Future Initiative Led by OFA

C

areer opportunities in agriculture are increasing, and changing in-demand skills are shaping the next generation. An additional strain has been placed on the farming and agri-food sector this year, especially in terms of the labour gap. OFA’s “Feeding Your Future” project provides opportunities to not only connect Ontario employers and job seekers, but also provide effective training opportunities.

Services include job postings, virtual career fairs, webinars and shortterm training. Employers of farm and agri-food businesses receive quick and easy access to services to find the right employee to suit their operation. These services also cater to the needs of youth, to get connected with jobs in agriculture and prepare for working in a farm environment. The virtual career fairs have wrapped up for the year, reaching over 1,500 job seekers and 200 employers with over 800 available jobs. Mark your calendar for March 11, 2021, for our next event.

In partnership with AgCareers.com, several webinars were held to provide employers with information on targeting the ideal worker, rules and regulations, how to educate and train employees new to agriculture, and how to create a welcoming workplace culture by supporting mental health and positive recognition. It is important for farm employers to understand the expectations of incoming employees. Employees expect open communication and transparency, an open learning and skill-building environment, as well as training to support physical and mental health, according to Jennifer Wright, speaker on the “Crafting Effective Job Descriptions” webinar. To retain qualified workers, it is important to view these desires in a positive way, be open to new ideas, and appreciate that job seekers want to find a workplace that is rewarding and supportive.

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O N T A R I O B E E F • F E BRUARY 2 0 2 1

Onboarding is another important learning opportunity for new hires. Dairy farmers Rose Keunan and Jayne Dietrich spoke candidly about their experiences during the webinar “Retaining Your Farming Team Members in a Competitive Labour Market”. Both employers are very thorough during the hiring and training process, and make an effort to value employees, provide learning opportunities, and maintain open communication to address all concerns or questions. Employers should make their expectations clear, but employee needs should be respected as well.

Webinars have also been targeted toward job seekers with insight on career options, how to stand out as an applicant, basic workplace safety, and the importance of having an approachable personality with a strong willingness to learn new skills. In the “Ask the Agri-Food Employer” webinar, panelist Jodie Roelands explained that she hires based on the personality of an individual, rather than the complete skill set. Good character cannot be taught, unlike many workplace skills. Job seekers are also encouraged to recognize the unique set of skills that can be developed on farm and are highly transferable to any other job. All the webinars were recorded and are available on the website to view on demand.

“A Focus on Livestock” video series has recently been launched in partnership with Beef Farmers of Ontario and the South-Central Ontario Region Economic Development Corporation. The videos were filmed with local beef farmers to provide short training opportunities for new employees in this sector.

In early 2021, an exciting new training program will be launched called the “Ontario Agriculture Worker Safety and Awareness Certificate”. The program was developed in collaboration with the University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus. This certification consists of a series of online training modules to help agricultural workers stay safe and be aware of how a farm operates. The program is meant to provide timely training to help employers who have recently hired new employees, or for job seekers looking to enhance their resumes. While this certification does not replace hands-on, in-person learning, it is an opportunity to learn basic awareness and health and safety. An additional benefit to this training is the easy online format and low cost. For a limited time, the program will be offered at a discounted rate.

Keeping a strong and reliable food system is even more critical during COVID-19. If you are looking for workers, training or employment opportunities, take advantage of these services during the pandemic and beyond. For more information about these services, please visit the website at feedingyourfuture.ca. For job postings, contact feedyourfuture@agcareers.com or call 1.877.438.5729, ext. 4.

You can also follow this initiative on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. OB

Meat Processing Essential Workers Eligible to Receive COVID-19 Vaccine in Phase Two A

s announced in mid-January by Premier Doug Ford, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Christine Elliott, Solicitor General Sylvia

Jones, and Chair of the COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Task Force General Rick Hillier, frontline essential workers, including in food processing, will be eligible to receive vaccines as part of phase two of the Ontario immunization program.

In late December, BFO and the Ontario Cattle Feeders’ Association, along with the Canadian Meat Council, Meat and Poultry Ontario, Food and Beverage Ontario, Ontario Pork, Ontario Sheep Farmers, Veal Farmers of Ontario and the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, called upon government to recognize that meat processing workers and inspectors must continue to be deemed as a critical essential service, in addition to others involved in supporting Ontario’s agri-food supply chains. We requested that workers in the meat production and processing sectors, including meat and animal inspectors, be prioritized to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

“We are extremely appreciative of the response and actions taken by the Government of Ontario and the COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Task Force to prioritize front line essential workers and their access to vaccines in the fight against COVID-19,” says Rob Lipsett, BFO President. “We recognize first responders, healthcare workers and those in long-term care must be prioritized in terms of first access to vaccines. However, we are thankful meat processing essential workers have been identified as a priority for phase two of the vaccination rollout.”

The agriculture sector was one of the first sectors to be severely affected by the pandemic and has made significant investments to implement mitigation and control measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 throughout the livestock and meat production supply chain.

“Prioritizing workers in meat production and inspection to receive early immunization of the COVID-19 vaccine will help reduce and/ or mitigate further disruptions in the meat supply chain, reduce implications for farmers, and protect the welfare of animals and security of our food supply,” shares Mike Conlin, President of the Ontario Cattle Feeders’ Association. OB

ON TAR IO BEEF • FEBR U A RY 2021

15

MARCH 20, 2021 7:00PM CLOSEOUT

Online only

Selling 12 big stout polled coming two year olds.

Bulls available for viewing anytime at the farm.

Call to request a catalog.

David Clark

CLARK CATTLE

2280 McCullough road Port Hope, ON, L1A 3V7 Cell: 905-449-0149 16

O N T A R I O B E E F • F E BRUARY 2 0 2 1

Se lling O NL N L I N E O NL NLY

MARCH 20, 2021 at th e

FULLY LOADED BULL SALE NLL 1H

RPY PAYNE’S CRACKER 17E x REVOLUTION’S CITY GIRL

NLL 16H

DC EVINRUDE 56E x RWK TINA TURNER

NLL 5H

RPY PAYNES CRACKER 17E x B BAR FOXTROT 55D

NLL 12H

WULFS APOSTLE T343A x NEW LIFE FARRAH

SALE ONLINE AT

www.dvauction.com

NLL 7H

DC EVINRUDE 56E x IVY'S AWFULLY TENDER 9A

NLL 8H

BIRUBI JUPITA J15 x CLARKS COOKIE

NLL 17H

BIRUBI JUPITA J15 x Y2K UMBERLINA 879U

NLL 39G

GREENWOOD ELECTRIC IMPACT ET x REVOLUTION’S COUNTRY GIRL

Please stop by the farm to view the bulls at anytime, or give us a call for more information.

WATCH FOR VIDEOS ONLINE PRIOR TO THE SALE

NLL 11H

RPY PAYNES DILLINGER 43D x IVY'S BIANCA HTZ 17B

NLL 19H

DC EVINRUDE 56E x EXE SHEENA

NLL 38G

ROMN CADILLAC JACK 101C x IVY'S BIANCA HTZ 17B

NLL 40G

RPY PAYNES DILLINGER 43D x TMF MISSY 45Y

GARY, JUSTIN & MELISSA BURGESS  261269 Concession 18, Hanover, ON  519-270-5415  new.life.limousin@gmail.com

BFO Past President Stan Eby Inducted into the Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame I

n 2021, seven agricultural leaders will be inducted into the Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame. Their backgrounds range from general farm organization, beef industry and industry tribunal leadership to agricultural extension, agricultural law, and improvements to animal welfare, horticultural and agronomy.

Stan Eby, Roger George, Herbert Norry, Delbert O’Brien, the late Terry O’Connor, Dr. Peter Sikkema and the late Doug Williams have all been selected by the Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame Association (OAHF) as worthy candidates based on their life-long contributions to Ontario’s agriculture.

Stan Eby, nominated by the Beef Farmers of Ontario, is a forwardthinking beef farmer from Kincardine who led both the Ontario Cattlemen’s Association (now Beef Farmers of Ontario) and the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA). During his tenure, the industry went through two significant upheavals, the Walkerton water crisis and BSE. During Walkerton, Eby, as both a local farmer and industry leader, conducted hundreds of meetings and interviews about the environmental sustainability of the beef industry. With borders closed to Canadian product because of BSE, Eby’s leadership helped CCA develop a plan to reposition the Canadian beef cattle industry, which included expansion of processing facilities, development of set-aside programs and other work to provide stability to the industry.

Eby also made many trips to the U.S. to work with counterparts on reopening borders to trade.

The seven inductees will be recognized in a virtual induction ceremony on June 13, bringing the total to 240. At the same ceremony, the four inductees from 2020 will be recognized including the late John Curtis, Dianne Harkin, (William) Brian Little and the late (William) Murray Mills. The 2020 ceremony was cancelled due to COVID-19.

To qualify for this prestigious recognition, inductees must have demonstrated visionary leadership, innovation and entrepreneurship, and also have left a lasting legacy to the advancement of agriculture in Ontario.

The OAHF received more submissions in 2020 than it had received for many years, with nomination packages reviewed by the Board of Directors at its December meeting. Dr. Deb Stark, President of OAHF noted, “The caliber of the nominations this year was exceptional. We appreciated the work that had been put into them by their nominating organizations. It was a tough decision to choose the seven but we’re confident that their contributions are worthy and they have all contributed greatly to the industry we’re all so proud of.”

The 2021 virtual induction ceremony will take place on Sunday, June 13, 2021. Tickets are free and are available on the Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame’s website at www.oahf.on.ca. OB

Great selection of home tested YEARLING and TWO YEAR OLD BULLS available at the farm.

Miller Land & Livestock George, Dianne, Dwayne & Ashley Miller 406 Conc. 6, RR 1, Jarvis, ON N0A 1J0 SPARROW’S SOLOMON 632D

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O N T A R I O B E E F • F E BRUARY 2 0 2 1

519-587-2755 • Cell: 519-429-5902 www.millerlandandlivestock.ca Charolais Cattle • Hay • Straw • Feedlot

Interested in what Canada Beef is doing?

Sign up for the Canada Beef Performs e-newsletter.

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— Stay up-to-date on export market trends and statistics.

— Learn about successful promotions and effective resources.

— Find out what’s happening at the meat case and on the menu for Canadian beef.

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— Check out upcoming events at home and around the world.

“The Canada Beef newsletter is a great way to stay connected; it also shows me how my check-off dollars are being used.”

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ON TAR IO BEEF • FEBR U A RY 2021

19

AGSIGHTS UPDATE Together We Are Better

By Betty-Jo Almond, AgSights General Manager balmond@agsisghts.com • www.agsights.com

H

appy new year. Each new year starts with opportunities for change and renewed goals for a bright year. In hindsight, 2020 was a year for all of us to reconnect to our local communities and support each other through one of the toughest years yet. Great things are on the horizon for all of us as we continue to support each other through a year of transformation. 2021 can be the year we move beyond COVID-19 and into a new norm.

What that norm will look like is up to you.

Technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and a renewed focus on collaboration are leading us into the next evolution of change. The health industry is looking at ways to use AI to minimize the spread of COVID-19. Scientific journals are demonstrating that AI can help with proper screening for early detection, tracking and diagnosis of the infection. AI is not new, but current applications are making it a viable option to support decision-making.

Do you have a phone that uses your face to unlock it? That is an application of AI that is part of your daily routine. Now imagine using similar technologies to assess cattle and body condition, capture feet and leg scores, and identify which cow you are looking

JPD

ANGUS

Breeding for Cow Families Purebred black Angus yearling bulls and heifers for sale by private treaty.

Backed by superior genetics selected for phenotype,calving ease, growth and performance as well as carcass merit.

Please feel free to give us a call to arrange a socially distanced farm visit or to discuss your needs and obtain a list of our offering.

Michaela’s cell: 705-720-0085 michaela.jpdangus@gmail.com

Lori’s cell: 705-720-0829 Lori, Darryl, Evan, Owen and Nolan Chalmers, Michaela and Chris Stoneman

lorijchalmers@gmail.com

Located just north of Barrie off of Hwy 400 in Oro-Medonte.

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at. AI will continue to evolve, but I would like to suggest that facial recognition in livestock is game-changing for the industry. Gone will be the days when you spend time trying to figure out who that cow is.

The technology you use to keep connected with family and friends has a whole new role in your daily routine.

The beef industry did not slow down in the past year. Opportunities like Canadian Beef Innovation Network (CBIN) will continue to grow beyond industry leaders in 2021 to create opportunities for beef producers across our beautiful country. This initiative has been led by breed associations, the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, sector representatives, processors and retailers. Sandy Russell has been one of the many champions of this initiative and is now the Director of Business Development for CBIN. Sandy will be speaking at AgSights’ annual general meeting this year on the “Five Ws” of CBIN. The goal is to bring together opportunities to better understand and use genetic selection tools to further your operation. As we compete with other proteins, we need to harness the ability to optimize and simplify our approach using genetic improvement to enhance the quality and efficiency of producing beef. As an industry, CBIN and overall genetic improvement will advance sustainability and help address consumers’ environmental concerns with respect to beef production. Local support is great and has really been a focus in 2020. Collaborations like CBIN help all our local markets produce beef with consistency and efficiency in mind.

My family developed a new saying over the holidays: “Together we are better”. Whether we are supporting our local community or supporting a greater collaboration that moves our industry forward, 2020 is proof that “together we are better”. Together we can see the other side of a pandemic and help our local businesses succeed. To learn more about CBIN and AgSights, feel free to contact us. Agsights has always believed that collaboration is key. Together we can bring more value to beef producers. OB

ROLLIN’ ACRES -WHISKEY HOLLOW

11TH ANNUAL

CHAROLAIS BULL SALE

YOUR SOURCE FOR FULL FRENCH & FRENCH INFLUENCE CHAROLAIS

MAPLE HILL AUCTIONS | HANOVER, ON | 2pm

THIRD SATURDAY OF MARCH Chester & Karla Tupling ROLLIN’ ACRES | 705-627-0672 Gord & Shauneen Tomlinson WHISKEY HOLLOW | 705-9t31-5436 Carl Wright AUCTIONEER | 519-369-7489

ON TAR IO BEEF • FEBR U A RY 2021

21

Frozen Ground and Nutrients Don’t Get Along Why you should avoid spreading in the winter and what you can do about it

By Lilian Schaer for Farm & Food Care Ontario

T

here are various reasons farmers apply manure in the winter.

Lack of storage or an attempt to avoid soil compaction caused by heavy equipment are two common motivators for a practice that has negative impacts on the environment while also attracting added scrutiny to farmers and farming methods.

As we learn more about nutrient losses and how phosphorus moves in the environment, it has become abundantly clear that frozen ground and nutrient application don’t get along.

And that means farmers should avoid applying manure, whether solid or liquid, on frozen or snow-covered ground wherever and whenever possible.

Here’s why.

Manure is rich in nutrients and micronutrients that are important for healthy crop growth. It can also help build underground biodiversity and add structure that will improve the water-holding capacity of soil, especially when used together with cover crops, minimum-till or no-till, and other practices that boost soil health.

Manure applications can always be susceptible to run-off and nutrient loss, but winter manure applications in particular are prone to nutrient losses. That’s because after freeze-thaw events, air pockets in the soil that have filled with water can refreeze to form an impervious, concrete-like layer. That means water from melting snow combined with winter or early spring rains isn’t absorbed into the soil; instead, it

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O N T A R I O B E E F • F E BRUARY 2 0 2 1

carries manure and nutrients across this impervious layer and off the field into water courses.

Phosphate can move off the field dissolved in water or attached to eroding soil particles and flow into lakes, streams and water ways where it can promote algae growth. As algae die and decompose, they use up available oxygen in the water, which affects aquatic life.

Research has shown there’s a higher risk that manure from winter application will move during spring thaw. In fact, 60 to 80 percent of sediment and phosphorus loading occurs between November and April, and surface runoff accounts for about 80 percent of dissolved phosphorus loss.

It’s important to remember that both solid and liquid manure can run off, and even though solid manure might still be visible in the field after application, some nutrients will still dissolve and find their way into waterways.

So, what to do?

Build additional storage. Make sure your farm has adequate manure storage capacity for the size of your herd or flock, including a contingency in case a wet fall or delayed harvest make it difficult to get all the manure out before winter.

Cover existing storages. Extend the holding capacity of your existing manure storage by putting a roof over to keep out rainwater.

Calculations by Christine Brown, Field Crop Sustainability Specialist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs show, for example, that a 115-head dairy barn with a 12’ x 145’ circular liquid manure tank can store up to 121 extra days of manure if it is covered.

Add temporary storage. For solid manure, temporary storage in-field is one approved solution when barn storage is limited for bedded-pack manure from cow or heifer barns, or even calf hutches.

The key is identifying the best location that will have minimal impact on water and neighbouring properties.

Make a deal. Look at your excess manure as a resource that can help reduce commercial fertilizer costs and consider selling it to other farmers in your area without livestock.

Rotate crops. Adding an extra crop to your rotation is one way to have additional options for spreading manure over the course of the year. Wheat is one of the easiest crops to add for expanded manure management options, but winter barley, winter canola or even hybrid rye are also options for consideration.

Use technology. Manure application technology is continually evolving, making it easier to apply manure into crops during the growing season. Not only does this take the pressure off during spring and fall, but it offers yield-boosting potential too.

Using manure is a sustainable agricultural practice but it’s important to manage it responsibly in order to minimize environmental impact, so timing really does matter. More information about all of these topics is available at www.farmfoodcareon.org/timing-matters. OB This article is provided by Farm & Food Care Ontario as part of the Timing Matters project. It was funded by the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a five-year federal-provincial-territorial initiative.

Get the Advantage

Member Services Manager: Ashton Colvin Cell: (519) 357-6775 memberservices.osa@gmail.com

ON TAR IO BEEF • FEBR U A RY 2021

23

Connecting Communities Through Innovative Strategies During the Pandemic Sharecost Innovation Awards Announced

By Bethany Storey, BFO Communications Specialist

T

he Sharecost Program, administered each year by BFO, continues to be a well-utilized program with the majority of local associations participating. In support of producer and consumer initiatives, 26 participating associations took part in 2020, receiving a total return to the local level of just under $62,100. Each year, counties and districts put forth time, effort and commitment in supporting local initiatives and programs to promote and raise awareness for the beef industry. In November of 2020, final applications were submitted, including invoices and record of payment for each activity. In return, BFO provides a cost-share of 80%, up to a maximum of $2,500 for consumer initiatives and $2,500 for producer initiatives, with a total maximum return of $5,000 per local association. Qualifying producer applications included drive-thru bus tours and educational workshops, while consumer activities included local beef promotions and drivethru BBQ’s.

As an additional component of the BFO Sharecost Program, local associations were encouraged to send submissions for the BFO Sharecost Innovation Award. Associations may submit an application for either a consumer or producer project that the county/district is especially proud of. The award is presented based on leadership,

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O N T A R I O B E E F • F E BRUARY 2 0 2 1

innovation, creativity and success of execution. While the pandemic this past year certainly limited a number of projects many of our associations would support or plan, COVID-19 also resulted in new and innovative ideas being developed. These programs and projects demonstrated our Ontario beef farmers’ support for their communities and their industry. We congratulate all the exceptional entries that took the time to get involved in their local community, dedicating their time to these projects. The first-place winner is awarded $500, while second place receives $250 and third place receives $100.

In 2020, BFO was pleased to receive five innovative entries from Lambton, Prince Edward, Rainy River, Peterborough and Ottawa. It was a great group of entries, making it difficult to select only three from this outstanding group of counties/districts.

Congratulations to our 2020 winners: Lambton Cattlemen’s Association, Prince Edward Cattlemen’s Association and Rainy River Cattlemen’s Association!

First Place – Social Connection

Despite the restrictions in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Lambton Cattlemen’s Association still knew the importance of farmers

connecting and sharing their ideas and knowledge of their operation with other producers. With that in mind, they developed the Lambton County Mystery Beef Tour. Attracting 75 local and out-of-county participants, the event was set up in a way that made it possible to tour three Lambton county beef operations. The 75 participants were divided into appropriately sized groups for visiting the farms, where they would follow a designated leader to each farm before learning more.

Many updated COVID-19 restrictions had to be implemented, as they were altered the day before the event occurred. The organizers, however, were able to connect with all the attendees, producers hosting the farms, and others involved to make the event a success with positive feedback from participants. It was a much-needed program for many who needed some social contact during 2020.

Second Place – Drive-Thru Education

As many of our producers are aware, local fairs and agricultural events had to be cancelled this summer and fall due to the pandemic.

These events are generally an important way for agricultural associations to share information and education with the general public and those interested in learning more about agriculture.

Prince Edward Cattlemen’s Association did not let these cancellations stop them! Working with the Prince Edward Agricultural Society, it was their goal this year to think “outside the box” to support agriculture, community and youth programs. With the support of their municipality and public health agency, they formulated a plan to host a drive-thru event in October on the Picton Fairgrounds racetrack. Prince Edward County Cattlemen’s Association participated in this safari-type drive-thru by setting up a movie theatre in the cattle show ring and presenting pictures taken over 12 years of the

steer show with an auctioneer soundtrack in the background.

A pen was also set up with a cow and calf to ensure a live display. As a bonus, the Prince Edward Cattlemen’s display for the Fall Drive-Thru Event was judged and chosen as the winner!

More than 800 vehicles chose to participate in this successful event, and it was an excellent chance to showcase the history of showing cattle in the local community, as well as how beef farmers promote local agriculture!

Third Place – Safety First!

The third-place winner of this year’s Innovation Award is Rainy River Cattlemen’s Association, promoting the safety of their sales barn staff and buyers, as well as highlighting the sales barn itself!

Recognizing that masks are a vital clothing requirement for everyone at this point, Rainy River Cattlemen’s Association decided to make them personal, branding the masks with their local sales barn name!

Congratulations to all 2020 winners and entrants. BFO looks forward to receiving more fantastic and innovative entries from our 2021 Sharecost applications. OB

BELTED GALLOWAY

GALLOWAY

Photo courtesy of Glenfiddich Galloways

Photo courtesy of Echo Valley Farm

For bull or semen inquiries, please contact the Secretary.

The Eastern Canadian Galloway Association

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

ON TAR IO BEEF • FEBR U A RY 2021

25

FARM & FOOD CARE ONTARIO Faces Behind Food

By Madeline Rodrigue, Communications Manager, Farm & Food Care Ontario

F

or 15 years, Farm & Food Care produced the award-winning “Faces of Farming” calendar featuring the stories and photos of farmers and farm families across Ontario. At the time it was developed, many organizations chose to tell the stories of products versus the farmers producing them, so the campaign was different than others Blair Williamson in agriculture. The calendar was mailed each year to politicians, media and retail outlets across the province asking them to display it as support for Ontario’s farmers.

The project was successful, but as times changed, many people stopped using traditional calendars, instead relying instead on digital devices. As such, it was time to replace the calendar with a more digitally focused campaign: “Faces Behind Food”, which is housed on Instagram and Facebook.

Content is generated through the Farm & Food Care teams in Ontario, Saskatchewan and Prince Edward Island, with additional photos and interviews sourced from commodity and farm organizations across Canada.

Diversity is of singular importance for this project. Since its launch in 2019, the campaign has had two posts per week, published in French and English, featuring people from across the country and in every

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O N T A R I O B E E F • F E BRUARY 2 0 2 1

Grace Kuhl

Mike Buis

aspect of food production, from farmers, nutritionists and transporters to chefs, researchers and food processors. The project shows the diversity of those working across the industry, from new immigrants obtaining employment in food manufacturing to Indigenous farmers growing the same crops their ancestors did for ceremonial purposes.

The project also provides a forum to focus on some of the important topics in agriculture, including profiles of livestock transporters, seasonal agricultural workers, and farmers dealing with challenge such as blindness or autism.

In 2020, a total of 104 profiles were featured from across Canada.

The campaign continues to feature beef farmers in regular rotation, including the Buis family from Chatham, the Badour family from Lanark, Blair Williamson from Lambton, Kim Jo Bliss from Rainy River, the team at Keady auctions, and several 4-H beef club members interviewed at the 2019 Royal Agricultural Winter Fair.

Faces Behind Food also received recognition at the best of Canadian Agri-Marketing Association awards in November with a Certificate of Merit in the category “Social Media Campaign Directed at the General Public”.

Anyone interested in sharing their story through this campaign should reach out to info@farmfoodcare.org

Livestock Emergency and Farm Fire Awareness Projects

As COVID-19 realities landed early in 2020, Farm & Food Care Ontario (FFCO) was faced with some challenging but necessary decisions to cancel all planned physical events for the year or to reimagine programs that it had traditionally offered.

One such example is FFCO’s Livestock Emergency Training program.

FFCO’s Livestock Emergency Training courses were offered virtually in 2020, and are designed to give first responders a better understanding of animal behavior and management during livestock emergencies, such as truck rollovers.

Transport accidents involving livestock trailers present unique challenges for first responders. Experience has shown that responders with livestock emergency training can more confidently respond to these situations in an organized and safe manner, while minimizing the overall time spent on scene. The course covers trailer design, implications for extrication points, animal behaviour, laws and regulations, euthanasia protocols, and how to develop response teams.

The course is delivered by large animal rescue expert Victor MacPherson.

60 first responders from across Ontario, plus veterinarians and other livestock stakeholders, were trained in 2020 through four online workshops. FFCO has also filmed two instructional videos detailing the mechanics of livestock trailers and proper extrication techniques to supplement the course for 2021.

For more information or to enquire about a custom session please email info@farmfoodcare.org. OB

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www.ontarioshorthorns.com ON TAR IO BEEF • FEBR U A RY 2021

27

How to Talk About the Environmental Value of Ontario Beef Production A Project Summary and Update

By Katherine Fox, BFO Manager of Policy and Issues

I

think it’s fair to say we all want Ontario beef to be viewed by consumers as a high-quality product that is produced without harm to the environment. In fact, it would be great if we could go so far as convincing consumers it’s produced with net benefits to the environment. If we want to differentiate Ontario beef from other protein choices in the marketplace and get more value from our highquality product, then we need to deliver on what many customers are asking for: transparent information about how Ontario beef is produced and its impacts on the environment.

And here’s something that will probably come as a shock to no one: the public’s perception of beef’s environmental footprint is, in a word, negative. The hurdle the Canadian beef industry faces in overcoming these negative perceptions is imposing, and it will require collaboration with national partners like Canada Beef, the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, Canadian Cattlemen’s Association and the Beef Cattle Research Council, amongst others. But we, the Ontario beef industry, can also do some more focused communication with Ontarians, the largest consumer audience in the country, about Ontario beef specifically and its environmental impacts. We alone can’t tell the global or even national story of beef and its impacts on the environment, but we can do a better job talking about our local product, Ontario beef.

Though beef is often seen as having extremely negative environmental impacts, there is science to the contrary. There is a decent body of research and knowledge (mostly from other parts of Canada or elsewhere in the world) that we can use to combat the negative perception of beef’s impact on the environment. However, the statistics and tidbits from this research can at times be vague or generalized in a way that doesn’t resonate or sound as relevant when we’re trying to talk about Ontario beef specifically and its environmental impacts in our own backyard. This gives us an opening – an opportunity, if you will – to tell local stories about our local product to our local consumers.

Consumer research conducted by BFO over the past couple years has shown us there is extremely low awareness of any existing messaging or supporting facts regarding the environmental value of beef production and associated grasslands. When presented with the information, consumers tend to be skeptical if it’s not communicated clearly, or if it comes directly from the beef industry with no obvious or credible sources. But this same consumer research has also shown us that many consumers are receptive to credible and transparent information on a subject when it is presented in the right way.

Without communicating its environmental value, Ontario beef will continue to be perceived by many consumers as environmentally harmful. It is up to us to prove to consumers they don’t need to “feel guilty” (as per participants in recent BFO focus groups) about eating beef. No one else will do that job for us, and so BFO designed a project that would help us gather, assess and communicate existing research that supports our side of the story.

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The “Environmental Value of Ontario Beef Production and Agricultural Grasslands” Project This project, called “Environmental Value of Ontario Beef Production and Agricultural Grasslands”, was recently completed, and was funded in part through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (the Partnership), a federal-provincial-territorial initiative. Ontario Sheep Farmers partnered with BFO for a portion of the project.

Grasslands, more specifically pastures and hayfields in the Ontario context, are an important environmental feature in our province in the same way as forests and wetlands. The aim of the project was to find and communicate credible and relevant research supporting this claim and find the right ways to communicate it to Ontario consumers.

There were two phases to the project. First, a literature review and gap analysis of the existing research relevant to Ontario’s climate, beef production systems, soil types, wildlife, etc. Second, a communications strategy that lays out the foundation for marketing materials and messages, resources, and other communication assets.

The literature review, which Ontario Sheep Farmers partnered on, was focused on the value of grasslands used for ruminant livestock (pasture and forages) and associated ecosystem goods and services.

The areas covered were biodiversity (including grassland birds, pollinators and soil biodiversity) and carbon sequestration and storage.

It provided us with a summary of the existing peer-reviewed research that is relevant or about Ontario, and also laid out the research gaps where information is lacking and it will be challenging to make credible claims specific to Ontario beef.

The literature review was conducted by Raphael Ayambire and Dr. Jeremy Pittman of University of Waterloo, and it highlighted the direct correlation between our province’s shrinking grasslands – land that is an essential part of producing beef – and environmental outcomes.

The report opens with this: “Ontario’s agricultural grasslands – the land used for forage production and pasture – are part of the solution to climate change, biodiversity loss, and soil degradation, yet they are often overlooked. For several decades, Ontario has consistently lost significant proportions of its agricultural grasslands.” Indeed, from 2006 to 2016, corn acreage in Ontario increased by 27 percent and soy acreage increased by almost 23 percent, while pastureland shrank by 30 percent and hay acreage shrank by almost 33 percent. The loss of grasslands has led to a loss of their associated environmental benefits.

There’s too much in the report for me to summarize it all here, but here are some of my favourite tidbits that I think Ontario consumers may be interested to learn. 1) At least 13 out of 18 bumble bees in Ontario are considered species in decline, but hayfields and pastures can provide important habitats for their nesting and overwintering.

2) The decline in grasslands in Ontario is directly connected to the decline in endangered bird species such as the bobolink and eastern meadowlark. When we have grasslands managed by farmers, they’re

producing high-quality protein while also saving these birds. 3) While most emphasis has been placed on trees and forests for carbon sequestration (and yes, they are vital), the role that grasslands play is also important. Tame pastures and hayfields store significant amounts of carbon, especially when compared to crop fields. The higher soil carbon stock within pastureland, for example, is due to the continuous fertilization of the soil by animal residue and the diverse and perennial pasture roots.

As for those research gaps? The report found that they exist in every subject area, but there are some substantial questions we know are the most important as we consider how to communicate with consumers about issues like climate change. Examples of some of the most pressing research gaps in Ontario are the need for field studies to quantify the carbon sequestered and stored in tame grasses, as well as modeling or simulation studies to provide estimates of the total amount of carbon sequestered and stored in all of Ontario’s agricultural grasslands.

Phase two of the project was the communications strategy, which has helped us make research-based, engaging and illustrative statements on the environmental stewardship of Ontario’s beef farmers and the ecosystem goods and services provided by their farms to Ontario consumers. One of the most interesting parts of the communications strategy is our “key messages”, which lay out exactly what we’d most like to say to consumers in plain language, so long as we have the research to back those messages up. I like to think of this as our menu of messages, though some may belong on more of a wish list, as they still need more research to provide needed credibility to our claims.

Some assets we’ve developed as a result of the project include an “all about the environment” factsheet, three social media videos about the importance of grasslands, and a newly created section on the ontbeef.ca website about the environment. These resources complement the existing environmental stewardship videos we develop each year that profile Ontario winners of The Environmental Stewardship Award. The factsheet will be available for producers to use with their own customers or in their own communities, either in hardcopy or digitally, very soon. You can see more of how we’re talking to consumers about Ontario beef, including its environmental footprint, on the ontbeef.ca website and Ontario Beef social media.

Ultimately, we want our fellow Ontarians to know the beef raised here isn’t only not destroying the environment, but in many cases is actually beneficial for the environment. A key part of the message we hope to communicate to Ontario consumers is that beef cattle in Ontario spend the first parts of their lives on pasture, and then they often spend time in feedlots where resources are used as efficiently as possible, which reduces beef’s GHG footprint. This combination of pasture and feedlot, which is typical in Ontario, plus all the forage production for feeding cattle, combines the resource efficiency of feedlots with the environmental benefits that come from pasture and other forms of tame grasslands. It’s a food production system that Ontario consumers can feel good about.

If you’re interested in more information about the project, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the BFO office. OB

ON TAR IO BEEF • FEBR U A RY 2021

29

OMAFRA UPDATE Holding Finishing Cattle on Feed

By Megan Van Schaik, Beef Cattle Specialist, OMAFRA • www.omafra.on.ca and Dr. Katie Wood, Assistant Professor, University of Guelph

T

he objective of any finishing program for feedlot cattle is to optimize gain and feed efficiency throughout the finishing period while maintaining cattle health. Although cattle are getting heavier, carcass grades have also improved. Many producers target market weights to optimize carcass value, relative to time on feed and associated animal performance and efficiency. Over-finishing can greatly increase the risk of poor cattle health, and cause cattle to go “stale” with plateauing rates of gain.

However, market disruptions can quickly derail marketing and feeding plans. COVID-19 has caused disruptions to the packing industry and the impacts have been felt by the cattle industry.

These abrupt disruptions to the market may require cattle feeders to hold cattle longer than expected. Fortunately, it is possible to slow growth in ruminant species through altering forage inclusion rates and formulating rations with lower energy densities or through limit-feeding of existing rations. For significant and extended market disruption, more drastic changes in a feeding program are necessary.

How can your feeding program be adjusted to avoid significant overfinishing of cattle?

Feeding Considerations for Holding Cattle Under normal circumstances, an important aspect of planning a feeding program is understanding your target endpoints, i.e. when fed cattle will be shipped to slaughter or market, and target rates of gain.

The law of diminishing returns on feed efficiency in fed cattle occurs when cattle are fed beyond optimal weights. Understanding your target endpoints is important to achieving efficiencies and avoiding packer discounts for over-finished cattle. It is then possible to calculate target average daily gain and formulate rations accordingly. This becomes more challenging when there are abrupt market disruptions and uncertainty around when your cattle can be marketed. While holding cattle is undesirable from a financial perspective, there are a number of

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O N T A R I O B E E F • F E BRUARY 2 0 2 1

considerations that need to be taken into account when it is necessary to hold cattle during market disruptions to slow rate of gain, prevent digestive upsets, and keep carcass size reasonable.

How much should gain be slowed?

With uncertainty in the timing of marketing fed cattle and the resulting difficulty in targeting end points, it becomes challenging to determine how much rate of gain should be slowed. The adjustments made to feeding programs to slow rate of gain will depend on a number of factors including stage of production, implant programs, and availability of feedstuffs. The goal should be to always maintain some gain (where possible >2 lbs/day), as true maintenance rations (where there is zero weight gain) can greatly affect future growth and carcass traits and therefore only be implemented as a last resort.

Keep in mind that disruptions in the packing sector can potentially cause longer-term cattle backlogs, and cattle feeders at any stage in production should be prepared to modify feeding programs according to market conditions. There is more flexibility in feeding programs for newly placed cattle that still have room for gain, whereas cattle approaching market weight have fewer options.

In addition, holding heavy cattle on feed comes with increased risk of digestive upsets where adjustments aren’t made to the ration, as prolonged feeding periods of high-concentrate rations increase risk of acidosis and related conditions including liver abscesses and founder.

Consider ration changes and implement feeding strategies to reduce fluctuating patterns of dry matter intake and maintain gut health.

Roughage – a mechanism for slowing gain The objective of this approach is to reduce dietary energy levels to slow rate of gain. Although it is best practice to make gradual changes when increasing energy in the ration, when stepping cattle down, these gradual transitions are less critical and can be made more abruptly.

While most finishing rations will include at least some roughage for scratch factor (usually 7-15% DM basis), increasing this by about 10% (DM basis), will generally reduce average daily gain by about ¾ lbs per day. Roughage in feedlot rations can include corn silage, haylage, dry hay and straw. Keep in mind that corn silage contains about 40% grain, so when increasing corn silage in the “step-down” ration the changes can be made at more than 10% further inclusion rate. Another approach may be to put cattle back on one of the earlier steps of a step-up ration used to adjust cattle to a high-grain ratio. Depending on the step-up program, the lower steps of a step-up ration will typically contain higher inclusions of fibre, suitable to slow growth by about 0.5-1 lbs per day.

Feedlot operators typically grow, harvest and store enough roughage to meet the demands of their feeding program for the year.

When increasing inclusion rates of forage in the ration, the amount of stored forage and the cost of purchased forage must be considered for any ration scenario. Keep in mind that alternative ingredients that are low-energy and high-fibre, such as oat hulls and soybean hulls, are also effective in reducing the energy density of the rations, but have less capacity for “rumen fill”.

Feedlot operators with self-feeders and corn- and supplementbased rations are limited in their ability to offer forage through typical feed delivery approaches, and may need to consider alternatives to offer forages and high-fibre ingredients to slow growth.

Limit feeding as an approach for controlling gain If cattle are heavy (> about 1600 lbs) and close to target market weight, or if forages are not available, limiting feeding may be a good option to slow gain. Limiting feeding is a means to reduce feed waste, especially when availability of additional roughage is limited. However, this strategy requires a “proceed with caution” disclaimer because it requires excellent management and will only work effectively in situations where there is adequate bunk space (i.e. at least 18”/head) and there is limited aggression at the feed bunk. This strategy works best for foreseeable short-term market disruptions, and is less ideal as a longer-term solution. If limited feeding is poorly managed, yo-yo feed consumption patterns, changes to uniformity in cattle finish, and digestive upsets are possible.

•C onsider impacts of grain grind size. Grain grind size is another factor that influences risk of digestive upsets, as finely ground grain increases risk of digestive upsets, particularly in finishing rations.

Keep in mind that the risk of acidotic episodes also increases when small cereals, such as wheat, are fed.

• Budget for transition time when ramping energy density in the ration back up. If markets dictate another change in course of your feeding program such that energy density is increased again, reimplement best practices when increasing energy density of the ration, including gradual changes and monitoring intakes.

Other considerations •R e-evaluate your implant program. Outcomes of feeding programs will depend on the implant program used, where implants are used.

It may be necessary to scale back implant programs to reduce rate of gain.

It is possible to slow growth in feedlot cattle during market disruptions by reducing energy density in the ration. While it is generally not profitable to hold cattle on feed past optimal endpoints, there are strategies that can be adopted to reduce the impacts of holding cattle on carcass quality, cattle health and cost of production.

Work closely with your nutritionist to balance maintenance rations that are suitable for your cattle and according to market conditions. OB

•M aintain best practices around bunk management. Sound bunk management practices help keep cattle on feed, maintain uniformity in lots, and reduce digestive health issues, especially in finishing cattle being held on feed.

ON TAR IO BEEF • FEBR U A RY 2021

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CCA UPDATE National News Submitted by CCA Staff www.cattle.ca

Ontario Young Leaders’ Mentors Each year, 16 Cattlemen’s Young Leaders (CYL) mentorship program participants are paired with a hand-picked industry leader in their specific area of interest for a nine-month mentorship tailored for professional and personal growth within the Canadian beef industry.

There are two CYL mentorship pairings taking place in Ontario this year. Mentee Grace Kuhl lives in Keady, Ontario where she farms with her family. The Kuhl family also owns and operates a multi-generation livestock auction business alongside their cow herd. Grace currently works in product marketing and sales development for Purina in beef, as well as in sales development with Sharpe Farm Supplies. During her time in the CYL program, she’s excited to expand her network with fellow young beef enthusiasts and industry leaders, while developing her skills through a mentorship focused on agricultural communications and marketing. To help her explore and achieve these goals is a mentor with over 25 years’

works for Brewster Consulting Services, which specializes in grape and tender fruit production, while continuing to be involved in her family’s cattle operation. She’s looking forward to peer networking opportunities with other CYLs, and has chosen to pursue a mentorship focused on industry policy. Charlene’s CYL mentor is Matt Bowman, who operates a mixed farm in the Temiskaming District of Ontario.

Matt has been actively involved in the beef industry over the years and is a past president of Beef Farmers of Ontario. He continues to give back to the industry through his current work serving on the CCA Board of Directors and sitting as chair of the Beef Cattle Research Council, representing Ontario. Matt believes there is large value in staying current with industry trends and new innovations in order to remain competitive and sustainable in the industry.

CYL Program Now Accepting Applications for 2021 Young people looking to advance their careers in the Canadian

experience in earning trust in food and farming in Canada, Crystal Mackay.

beef industry through unique mentorship, networking and travel

Crystal has served as the founding CEO

opportunities can now apply for the CYL mentorship program. The

of Farm & Food Care, the Canadian

CCA’s CYL Program is a national initiative designed to equip young

Centre for Food Integrity, and most

people ages 18 to 35 with the skills they need to further the success of

recently her own company, Loft32.

the Canadian beef industry. Established in 2010, the program has seen

She’s a dynamic presenter and trainer,

over 120 graduates paired with a mentor to help propel their careers in

having delivered presentations and

their specific area of interest within the beef cattle sector.

Each year, applications are open from the beginning of January

workshops around the world, and has the proven ability to share a vision,

to the end of March, when 24 semi-finalists are then selected from

encourage others to get on board, and

an impressive pool of applicants from across the country involved in

work to make it happen.

Kuhl Mentor, Crystal Mackay

Mentee Charlene Yungblut was

various parts of the beef industry such as cow-calf production, feedlot production, research, post-secondary studies, finance, communications

raised on a small commercial cow-calf farm in Thorold, Ontario, where

and more. Semi-finalists are invited to compete in the annual CYL

she developed a passion for agriculture, specifically livestock. She

selections event held in conjunction with the Canadian Beef Industry Conference. Participants are judged in roundtable discussions centred around timely industry topics. From this event, 16 program participants are chosen to participate in the program and are paired with a handpicked industry leader for a nine-month mentorship opportunity in the participant’s specified area of interest in the beef industry. Participants also receive $2,000 to use towards learning opportunities of their choosing. Along with industry networking opportunities, participants often form strong relationships within their peer group in the program who are equally passionate about the success of the Canadian beef industry and serve as meaningful contacts and friendships for years to come.

Yungblut Mentor, Matt Bowman

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O N T A R I O B E E F • F E BRUARY 2 0 2 1

Continued on page 34.

BlackBern e WhiteWater e kirlene

charolais Bull sale Saturday, March 13th, 2021 1:30 PM, Renfrew Pontiac Livestock, Cobden, ON

Offering 26 YEaRLingS

2 LOng YEaRLingS

KBF 61G

KBF 20H

Turnbull’s Equipped 216E x LT Sundance 2251 Pld

SCX Triumph 50B x RPJ Pistol 129Y

KAB 3H

HPF 13H

SOS Chuckwagon 54C x Pleasant Dawn Marshall 25U

Auctioneers: Stewart James 613-445-3269 Stewart James Jr. 613-222-2815 (bilingual)

WCR Commissioner 593P x MVY Xplorer 21X

Sale broadcast by

View catalogue & videos online at charolaisbanner.com in early February

WhiteWater Livestock

Keith, Karen & Tyson Black H 613-646-2673 C 613-570-8464 Forester’s Falls, ON • blackbern@hotmail.com Blackbern Farm

Kirby & Arlene Hakkesteegt and family Kirby 613-848-6917 Angela 613-922-4671 Brighton, ON • kirbyh@lks.net Kirlene Cattle • @kirlenecattle

Kurtis & Chelsea Black C 613-585-3873 • Haley Station, ON whitewaterlivestock@gmail.com www.whitewaterlivestock.com WhiteWater Livestock • @kurtisblack_1

ON TAR IO BEEF • FEBR U A RY 2021

33

Continued from page 32. –CCA

Update

To learn more, visit the CCA website at

nomination to be more inclusive of certain regions of the country. In

www.cattlemensyoungleaders.com. Applications for the 2021-22

addition, the application form is being updated and translated into

program year are open until March 31, 2021.

French. These enhancements will be complete in the first quarter

CCA Marks TESA Silver Anniversary Since 1996, CCA has presented the Environmental Stewardship Award (TESA) annually at the national level to recognize cattle producers’ leadership in conservation. Nominees and applicants are selected provincially or regionally based on their stewardship practices, accomplishments and goals, and are then eligible to vie for TESA. To mark 2021 as the 25th anniversary of TESA and to increase

of 2021. Presently, the 2021 TESA will be presented live during the Canadian Beef Industry Conference scheduled for Penticton, BC, August 17-19. If COVID-19 restrictions are still in place barring a live presentation, then, as was the case in 2020, a virtual awards ceremony will take place.

CRSB Virtual Semi-Annual Meeting Save the date for the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable

the profile of this important award, the CCA in conjunction with its

Beef’s virtual semi-annual meeting April 13 and 14, 2021. Typically,

Public and Stakeholder Engagement team are enhancing the MNP-

CRSB gathers for committee and council meetings, as well as great

sponsored program. The ultimate goal is to profile the significant

discussion and fellowship to help advance our sustainability work

stewardship activities of Canada’s beef cattle producers as well as the

in Canada.

environmental benefits of beef cattle production in the Canadian context.

With continued uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic and travel restrictions, the meeting will be held virtually. Details to follow.

Enhancements include a revised and expanded communication strategy, alignment with conservation groups as foundational

Visit the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef website at crsb.ca for more information OB

champions of the award, expanding and modifying the judging structure and process, and revisions to the eligibility for producer

“

Record keeping made simple.

Anywhere. Anytime.

34

O N T A R I O B E E F • F E BRUARY 2 0 2 1

BULL SALE One sale day, three powerful sire groups…

Cornerview Hayden 15H Sired by LT Affinity 6221 PLD BW: 80 lbs YW: 1275 EPDs: BW -2.3 WW 41 YW 80 M 23

March 27, 2021 1:30 pm at the farm Set up a date ahead of sale day to view the bulls See the catalogue online at cornerviewcharolais.com View the sale / bid online or bid by phone

Cornerview Hotshot 27H Sired by Cornerview Express 2E BW: 98 lbs YW: 1414 EPDs: BW 2.9 WW 46 YW 85 M 20

Cornerview Hugo 31H Sired by Sparrow Chicago 724E BW: 89 lbs YW: 1,526 EPDs: BW -0.4 WW 46 YW 89 M 22

1012 Snake River Line, Cobden, ON Brian Coughlin 613-312-0270 | Brett Coughlin 613-312-1378

ON TAR IO BEEF • FEBR U A RY 2021

35

CANADA BEEF UPDATE

Canadian Beef Partners Launch Campaign Highlighting University Chefs and Beef Farmers

By Michele McAdoo, Executive Director, Brand & Communications, Canada Beef

“A

cross the country, college and university chefs feed thousands and thousands of students every day. For chefs and students, it is all about nutrition, affordability and taste—students say the reputation of an institution’s foodservice influences their decision to apply for admission. This has resulted in institutions hiring some of the most skilled chefs around.” This comes from an article in the Toronto Star.

The 2020 school year looked very different from past years and school chefs had to pivot within their role. Recognizing an opportunity, the team at Star Metroland (a group of digital and print publications across Canada) presented an interesting proposition to highlight some of Canada’s college and university chefs along with Canadian beef farmers and ranchers. Canada Beef teamed up with the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association’s Public and Stakeholder Engagement team and the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef on this digital and social media project.

The “Cooking by Degrees” campaign, published in the Star Metroland family of newspapers, featured recipes submitted by university and college chefs that highlighted their favourite Canadian beef cut. In the articles, chefs talk about how they develop their menu items and include Canadian beef on their menus. The 16 recipes are an interesting mix of different cuts of beef.

To add a unique perspective, well-known agriculture reporter and Guelph University Professor Owen Roberts interviewed Canadian beef producers across Canada to round out each article and provide readers with fresh insight on the farmers who raise and grow their food. These beef producer articles focused on the sustainability of beef farming, educating readers on how beef farmers care for their animals and the environment.

“This was a unique opportunity to showcase the on-the-ground story of Canadian beef, a global leader in sustainable beef production, with Canadian consumers,” says Andrea White, Community Engagement and Marketing Manager for the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef. “We were able to highlight the important connection between the farmers and ranchers dedicated to raising local Canadian food responsibly with the [verified] sustainable practices increasingly demanded by Canadian consumers.”

Amie Peck, Stakeholder Engagement Manager for the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, notes that “alongside these farmer profiles are the chefs who elevate that food into delicious, innovative experiences that we can re-create from the comfort of our homes. It was exciting to see the passion for raising Canadian beef cattle through the eyes of farmers and ranchers, which is so important for building public trust, align with the passion of these chefs in delivering delicious eating experiences.”

Maryjo and Rob Tait of Celtic Ridge Farms near Dutton, Ontario, were interviewed for the feature. The Tait family raises 120 beef cows and calves on their 200-acre farm. One way they sustain their operation financially is by selling most of their beef through their own meat shop. On-farm sales soared when the pandemic struck, replacing the huge market they lost when restaurants were forced to closed.

“Many people hadn’t thought of buying beef from a farm before,” says Maryjo, “but when it became harder to get it in a grocery store, they started taking a real interest in where their food comes from and looked for other trusted places they could get it, like from beef farmers.”

Continued on page 38.

“Industry Accepted since 1978”

BULLS & HEIFERS FOR SALE

23RD ANNUAL OPEN HOUSE AND PRIVATE TREATY SALE Saturday, April 3rd, 2021 10:00am to 5:00pm • At the Farm

We are offering an outstanding group of bulls and open and bred females from the limousin industry’s leading sires. You are welcome to contact us prior to the Sale to arrange a Private Viewing or to discuss the Sale Offering. Follow us on FaceBook (smartlimousin) and our website for videos and catalogue.

Garry & Sheila Smart

137606 Grey Rd. 12, RR#2 • Meaford, Ontario N4L 1W6 • Phone/Fax: 519-538-4877 Cell: 519-372-7459 • smartlimo@bmts.com • www.smartlimousin.com 36

O N T A R I O B E E F • F E BRUARY 2 0 2 1

LIMOUSIN

START PLANNING FOR THIS YEARS BREEDING SEASON Make LIMOUSIN your sire choice for:

Calving Ease, New Calf Vigor, Birth-to-Weaning Gain, Lean Meat Yield and Efficiency

Please contact the Breeders listed for your Limousin Bulls and Females.

3 RIDGE FARMS Jon Bell 217294 Conc. 3 Owen Sound, ON N4K 5N5 519-378-4006 roundbale14@hotmail.com

CROWN HILL ACRES Craig and Michelle Kennedy 258 Sturgeon Rd. Omemee, ON K0L 2W0 705-741-6700 crownhillacres@gmail.com

ARCON CATTLE CO Art Thompson, Jim & Connor Wiley 5174 Concession Road 4 Everett, ON L0M 1J0 Art 705-434-8582 Jim 705-734-7379 arconcattleco@gmail.com

DARLING FARMS 4172 County Rd 25 Castleton, ON K0K 1M0 905-375-4019 dmdarling13@gmail.com

BEE ZEE ACRES Mary Anne & Bill Zwambag RR #4, Glencoe, ON N0L 1M0 519-287-3219

GIBSON FARMS Dave and Emily Gibson 2148 Concession 4, RR1, Ripley Ontario N0G2R0 Dave-519-357-6174 Emily 519-440-9907

CLARK CATTLE CO. David Clark 2280 McCullough Rd. Port Hope, ON L1A 3V7 905-449-0149 clarkcattle1@hotmail.ca

HILLSIDE FARMS Ray and Stacie Stanton 4250 King Road, King City, ON, L7B 1K4 416-505-0707 rays@londonproperty.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 PINCH HILL LIMOUSIN Paul, Brandon & Chad Homer Stittsville, Ontario 519-339-9659 or 613-987-0822 pinchhill@gmail.com POSTHAVEN LIMOUSIN John and Ena Post #7396 Sideroad #20, RR #2, Alma, Ontario N0B 1A0 519-846-9320 ejpost@posthavenlimousin.com

Ontario Limousin Association

Chad Homer, President • Phone: 519-339-9659

RAIL LINE FARMS Paul and Brad MacIntyre 221 Bruce County Rd. 1 RR #3, Lucknow, ON N0G 2H0 519-528-2423 pcmacintyre@hurontel.on.ca NEW LIFE LIMOUSIN Justin and Melissa Burgess 261269 Conc. 18 Hanover, ON N4N 3B8 519-270-5415 New.life.limousin@gmail.com SMART LIMOUSIN Garry and Sheila Smart 137606 Grey Road 12 RR#2, Meaford, ON N4L 1W6 519-538-4877 www.smartlimousin.com WINDY GABLES LIMOUSIN Bryce & Nathan Allen RR #4, Warkworth, ON K0K 3K0 705-924-2583

Check out our Website for LimoNews: www.ontariolimousin.com ON TAR IO BEEF • FEBR U A RY 2021

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Continued from page 36. –Canada

Beef Update

Also interviewed was VG Meats, a family operation run by brothers Kevin, Cory, Chad and Kyle Van Groningen and their families near Stoney Creek, Ontario. Since 2014, the Van Groningens have practiced what’s called regenerative agriculture. It’s a growing sustainability movement in agriculture, based on eco-friendly farming and grazing practices that rebuild the soil.

“Better soil means our pastures have more vibrant grass with deeper, stronger roots. As a result, our cattle can stay on the pasture longer into the fall, and don’t need to be fed expensive hay sooner than necessary,” says Kevin Van Groningen. “Ultimately, that helps keep the price of beef in check for consumers.”

The Cooking by Degrees online campaign launched December 2, 2020, running for 16 weeks. It will live permanently on the Cooking

by Degrees page on thestar.com website, which has a large readership in urban centres across Canada. The opportunity to share information about Canadian beef and the producers who provide it was a perfect fit for this audience.

Each partner created digital ads to enhance the articles through strong call-to-action topics to drive readers to click for further information. Canada Beef also wrote survey questions to further engage readers with the website content. Preliminary results show that the campaign has already received over 10,000 page views. Readers are spending a higher-than-average amount time on the site (around three minutes compared to the average of two minutes), which indicates they are reading the articles. The digital ads are performing about

two-and-a-half times better than other sponsored content ads, with a click-through rate of 6.4 percent.

This campaign is successful on a number of levels. The articles provide interesting information about beef cuts and recipes, and also share beef producer stories that highlight their sustainability efforts.

The digital ads drive readers to learn more about the industry and about preparing beef. Given the outstanding results, the campaign has really resonated with readers. OB

!

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

38

O N T A R I O B E E F • F E BRUARY 2 0 2 1

Address:

HST# R107797128

THERE IS NO BETTER TIME TO ADD A

CHAROLAIS BULL TO YOUR PROGRAM

Check the

ONTARIO CHAROLAIS FACEBOOK/TWITTER AND WEBSITE for a full listing of auction and private treaty Bull Sales.

Ontario Charolais Association

@OnCharolais

Check out www.ontariocharolais.com OR contact our secretary Doris Aitken at 519–323–2538 ON TAR IO BEEF • FEBR U A RY 2021

39

RESEARCH UPDATE Automated Beef Processing - How Close Are We?

By Lilian Schaer, Livestock Research Innovation Corporation

L

abour challenges have been an ongoing issue for meat processors for many years, and not just in Canada. Worker shortages have always underlined the need for more automation to lessen dependence on a human workforce.

And then came COVID-19, which has unleashed its fury on meat processing facilities across the globe repeatedly since the early days of the pandemic, further underscoring the importance of increasing automation.

In Canada, Cargill’s beef processing plant in High River, Alberta was hit hard by COVID-19 last spring with what, at the time, was one of the largest outbreaks in North America. The plant, which together with the JBS plant in nearby Brooks accounts for 70 percent of Canada’s beef production, was shut down temporarily in April, causing processing backlogs for beef producers. In December, the pandemic’s second wave struck Cargill’s plant in Guelph, also resulting in a shut-down.

“Automation would be a dream in processing, especially if you could automate certain simple yet very repetitive tasks. It would free up a worker to take on a different job that would be more challenging and add more value to the carcass,” says Dr. Reynold Bergen, Science Director at the Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC).

Some automation already exists in beef processing in Canada, such as the new boxed beef plant Cargill opened in High River several years ago. The facility is highly automated with conveyor belts, integrated bar code scanners, and robotic forklifts, notes Bergen, and illustrates the industry’s willingness to adopt cost-effective solutions.

Other areas of processing could be automated through the use of imaging technology to help with inspection and grading. Instead of having a meat inspector inside the plant to visually inspect each animal for potential health issues, for example, imaging technology could allow that activity to be moved off site.

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O N T A R I O B E E F • F E BRUARY 2 0 2 1

“COVID is the impetus to look into this; the more we can get people out of the plant, there would be benefits with respect to COVID-19,” said Bergen, adding BCRC has been supporting imaging research.

But although automating processing could possibly solve a variety of issues, it hasn’t reached widespread implementation yet. According to Bergen, there are unique challenges with adopting widescale automation in meat processing that make it more complicated than automating other types of processing, for example.

Cattle are not uniform in height, size and weight, making it harder for a robot to repetitively perform the same action quickly and accurately on each carcass, although this is a task that artificial intelligence could help address. Genetics could help produce more uniform animals, but unlike poultry or pigs, most beef cattle are not raised indoors, so different environments and Canada’s seasonal production system will naturally result in greater variability across animals.

Another consideration is that electronics don’t like the cold, wet environments prone to condensation found inside processing facilities.

This could create a lot of instability in the automated systems, leading to costly downtime and delays. And finally, it can be challenging and expensive to retrofit existing processing facilities, which are often very tightly designed to optimize available space.

As technology evolves, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, the feasibility of more widespread automation in beef processing will improve, provided it is cost-effective, Bergen believes.

However, automation technology will also bring its own set of challenges that will need consideration. A malfunctioning robot can cause a whole line to come to a halt until replacement parts and specialized technicians can complete a repair, whereas an employee can call in sick without the same implications.

Although some Canadian and U.S. processing plants are working on automating various aspects of processing, there are some plants in other countries that are already much further down the path of automation, particularly on livestock species smaller than cattle like pigs and sheep.

Probably the leading example is Europe’s largest pork processing facility, located in Horsens, Denmark and owned by Danish Crown. Much of the actual kill process is automated, requiring minimal worker input, and six different robots handle the steps from measuring each carcass to organ removal and various stages of splitting.

New Zealand-based Scott Technologies has developed so-called robot butchers. Automated arms hold onto carcasses while other arms perform automated cutting tasks, with one dozen robots able to process 600 lamb carcasses an hour. OB

Cattle Movement Record T

he amended Health of Animals Regulations, Part XII Humane Transport, came into force a year ago on February 20, 2020. As stated in the regulations, producers and transporters are required to maintain records of livestock movement.

As a reminder, BFO, with help from the Ontario Livestock Transportation Association and the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, created an electronic record of livestock movement that can be accessed and used by beef farmers through BFO’s website under “Services – Transport Information”.

In addition, a number of transportationrelated resources are housed on the BFO website.

These resources include links to the legislation and interpretive guidance, and a number of brochures and infographics on assessing fitness for transport and the enforcement approach. OB

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ON TAR IO BEEF • FEBR U A RY 2021

41

ONTARIO BEEF MARKET DEVELOPMENT

By John Baker, Director of the Ontario Beef Market Development Program john@ontariobeef.com • www.ontariobeef.com

Grand Opening of TruHarvest Meats T

ruHarvest Meats, a Canadian-owned and -operated beef and veal harvesting facility in Toronto will begin operations in early March 2021.

The proud new owner of the facility is Eugen Burgin and his family, who also operate Eusi Farms, a sugar beet, cattle-feeding and grain operation in southwestern Ontario.

“Our commitment as a producer-owned operation is to support the Ontario beef Industry,” says Burgin. “As such, we are proud to be opening the newly renovated former Ryding-Regency facility as our newest venture, TruHarvest Meats.”

Working towards a fully integrated model, the Burgins are striving for the highest standards and quality for Ontario-raised beef to be harvested for Canadians, by Canadians.

“We will offer valued programs, such as no-added-hormones and antibiotic-free cattle, and also be committed to local programs, such as Ontario Corn Fed Beef,” says Burgin.

The operation is a federally inspected CFIA-approved facility operating with an approved HACCP program.

TruHarvest Meats is committed to helping secure the Ontario food supply and to supporting local farmers.

“We are committed to the highest safety standards for both our employees and our product. We comply with all regulatory requirements and take our commitments to animal welfare and food safety very seriously,” added Burgin. “As a medium-size packer, we are committed to high quality products and a high level of service.”

Canadian Angus Bulls The Genetic Advantage Canadian Angus cattle present a balanced genetic profile in terms of calving ease, growth, and quality carcass merit. They are versatile animals that work well in both purebred and crossbreeding programs.

Angus steers earn top prices and achieve consistent, high performance in the feedlot. Angus bulls can be used in crossbreeding programs to contribute low birth weights, valuable maternal traits and moderate frame size to replacement heifers.

Canadian Angus Rancher Endorsed and RFID Indicator programs offer quality assurances and endorsements for Canadian Angus genetics.

Contact the Ontario Angus Association, your source for local Angus bulls bulls and information on Canadian Angus programs: www.ontarioangus.com

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O N T A R I O B E E F • F E BRUARY 2 0 2 1

Left to Right: Tobias Burgin; Eugene Burgin; Chuck Oulton, Plant Manager

The plant will work towards a capacity of 1,600 head per week, making it one of the larger facilities in Ontario.

TruHarvest Meats will act as one of the largest true ritual harvesting facilities in Canada, able to produce both Kosher and Halal beef and veal. The new operation will create new jobs that will employee approximately 220 people.

Distribution will be focused on central Canada, but will expand into specialized markets that call for high quality Canadian beef such as the U.S., China, Middle East, and Europe.

The ANNUAL

“We take pride in the solid relationships with our hard working and valued producers in addition to our invaluable customers, big and small,” shared Burgin.

Both the Burgin family and the management team at TruHarvest Meats are proud and excited to be starting such an important and vital venture at such a remarkable time.

Producers who are interested in supplying cattle to the new facility can contact Tony Chaffe at (519) 955-3286 Watch for their website coming soon: www.TruHarvestmeats.com OB

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Bridor Hustler 17H BW: 80lbs • YW:1113lbs Sire: HRJ Maverick 556C Dam: Bridor Flora (Moyer’s Danny Boy)

We invite you to come pick your NEW HERD SIRE TODAY. Take them home today or we will feed, semen test and guarantee them & will delivery in May. Jim Baker (705) 888-5061 Samm Houghton (705) 351-8504

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Brian Aitken (519) 323-7036 Evan Moyer (519) 993-5010 ON TAR IO BEEF • FEBR U A RY 2021

43

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year Calving Season is Upon Us

By Jacques van Zyl, DVM, Metzger Veterinary Services

C

alving season is upon us, with many producers already having enjoyed the brisk winter air at 2:00 am while pulling a calf.

Most producers are well versed in the procedure, but a brief refresher can be beneficial.

Calving is initiated when the stress hormone, cortisol, is released from the calf inside the uterus. One of the signals for cortisol production by the calf is the pressure it’s feeling inside the cow’s uterus. When the fetus reaches a size where the placenta can no longer supply enough nutrients and the pressure exceeds a certain

threshold, it secretes cortisol that initiates a long cascade of events, eventually leading to the expulsion of the calf (if all goes according to plan). The whole process of parturition (the action of giving birth) is broken into three different stages: Stage 1: Dilation of the cervix, which ends with the breaking of the water bag. When a cow or heifer is in stage one, they typically appear restless, have a decreased appetite, separate from the rest of the group, and swish their tail. Stage one typically lasts between two to six hours.

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O N T A R I O B E E F • F E BRUARY 2 0 2 1

Stage 2: This is what we typically think of as active labor. It involves forceful uterine contractions that end with the expulsion of the fetus. This stage is more easily detectable due to the forceful abdominal contractions.

Typically, stage two lasts between 30-60 minutes if everything proceeds normally.

Stage 3: The last stage of parturition is the passage of the afterbirth (placenta). These uterine contractions are milder than those noted in stage two. Failing to pass the afterbirth within 24 hours post calving is considered a retained placenta.

Unfortunately, Murphy’s law tells us that if something can go wrong, it will. The term dystocia is broadly defined as difficulty during labor. Unfortunately, problems can arise at any of the three stages of giving birth.

Failure of the cervix to dilate can halt the progression of stage one. Malpresentations, torsions, or calves that are too large to fit through the pelvic canal can cause issues in stage two. Retained placentas or prolapses can plague stage 3.

If your farm is having problems this season, the first step in identifying what the problems are is accurate recordkeeping. This will allow you to identify where the problems are arising and compare to previous calving seasons. Having accurate data on your herd’s dystocia rate, stillbirth rate and problem cattle will help you (and your veterinarian) make management decisions for future years.

When last investigated, Ontario’s median herd dystocia rate was 5.8 percent, with the median stillbirth rate around 2.8 percent.

Stillbirths are classified as calves born dead

or those that die during the first 24 hours of life. When looking at the factors that come into play, some are intuitive.

The size of the calf is a very important determinant in whether dystocia will occur. Even though larger breed cattle have larger pelvic canals, their pelvic size fails to compensate for the larger calf size. Other factors associated with dystocia include if they are primiparous (first calvers), if it’s a bull calf (tend to be larger), and whether the cow has previously required calving assistance. Once calving assistance is required, it greatly increases the probability that it will be required for future calvings as well. Interestingly, maintaining heifers in separate

*NEW for 2021* First-Come, First-Serve Basis

groups from cows for longer periods prior to calving can lower the rate of assistance that is required. This is thought to be due to better heifer nutrition and less competition with cows.

Continued on page 46.

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Reed & Jane Crawford Reed Cell:519-857-7333 Jane Cell:519-317-5263

riverpointcc@hotmail.com www.riverpointcattlecompany.com

All bulls will have Complete Breeding Soundness Examinations performed (Semen Test, Scrotal Measurement & Examination).

Horn/Polled tests & Homo Black tests are done on Simmentals. Free board on bulls until May 15th. Don’t hesitate, contact us to view the bulls.

For Shorthorns Contact: Gord Crawford 519-870-2396

Other inquiries: Rex Crawford 519-940-1748 All information can be viewed at: www.riverpointcattlecompany.com ON TAR IO BEEF • FEBR U A RY 2021

45

Continued from page 45. – It’s

the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

During your calving season, knowing when to intervene or call a veterinarian can influence the outcome. The longer the dystocia goes on, the greater the chance of mortality for the calf. An initial examination of the animal can help determine if assistance will be needed sooner. When performing an examination, ensure that you wear clean rectal sleeves with lots of lubrication. Consider the different stages of labor and potential problems that can arise at each stage. Check to see if the cervix has dilated. Has the bag ruptured? Does the calf feel like it’s in an appropriate position?

Can you see feet? How large is the calf? Is the calf alive? Can you feel twins?

If everything appears normal, we want to see progression every 30 minutes. If you identify a problem, early intervention will lead to the best outcome. If you are unsure of how to proceed or you run into trouble, it is always best to call your veterinarian for assistance. Keep in mind that your veterinarian may be an hour or more away at another call, making it even more important to detect as early as possible if assistance will be needed. It was previously thought that administering oxytocin could help with uterine contractions to push the calf out. However, oxytocin is not always beneficial because the most common cause of dystocia is that the calf is too large to fit through the birth canal, or there is a malpresentation, in which cases stronger contractions won’t help the situation.

If you find that you need to manipulate the calf’s limb, cupping the hoof with your hand can help prevent tearing of the uterus.

Gentle manipulation is a must. If you believe the calf will fit through the pelvic canal, we want to use the rule of three. This means we must have three things before we begin pulling: both front limbs and the head (if the calf is coming nose first), or both hindlimbs and the tail (if the calf is backwards).

A cow can exert around 75kg of force when calving naturally.

Two people can apply approximately 150kg of force and a calf jack can apply upwards of 400kgs of force. Care must be taken to identify whether the calf will fit through the pelvic canal, as larger calf size has been associated with increased risk of limb fractures with assisted delivery, and can also predispose to prolapses. Use gravity to your advantage by delivering the calf with the cow standing (if possible) and pulling in a downward arc. Walking the calf through the birth canal with one shoulder in front of the other is less bulky than if both shoulders pass through at the same time.

Lastly, as the calf passes through the canal, rotating 45 to 90 degrees can help prevent the hips locking in the cow’s pelvis. Speak to your veterinarian to come up with a protocol to determine if antibiotics and anti-inflammatories should be administered to the cow after calving as it can help with her recovery.

Calving is a very stressful but rewarding time for both producers and their animals. Work with your veterinarian to help develop a protocol that can guide you when problems arise. Be sure to clearly identify when it’s best to call for assistance. With so many factors that are out of our control, being prepared can help your calving season run a little more smoothly. OB 1. Ferguson JG, Dehghani S, Petrali EH. Fractures of the femur in newborn calves. Can Vet J. 1990;31(4):289-291.

2. Hiew, M. W., Baird, A. N., & Constable, P. D. (2018). Clinical signs and outcomes of beef cattle undergoing cesarean section because of dystocia.

Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 252(7), 864-872.

3. Jackson, P. G. (1995). Handbook of veterinary obstetrics. WB Saunders.

4. McDermott, J. J., Allen, O. B., Martin, S. W. and Alves, D. M. 1992. Patterns of Stillbirth and Dystocia in Ontario Cow-Calf Herds. Can J Vet Res 56: 47-55.

5. Pearson, J. M., Thomsen, C., Kusler, A., Pajor, E. A., Gurdita, A., Ungrin, M. D., & Windeyer, M. C. (2020). Quantifying the Forces Applied During Manually and Mechanically Assisted Calvings in Beef Cattle. Frontiers in veterinary science, 7, 459. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2020.00459

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O N T A R I O B E E F • F E BRUARY 2 0 2 1

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ON TAR IO BEEF • FEBR U A RY 2021

47

MARKET INFORMATION UPDATE

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

T

he Ontario railgrade market struggled in 2020 with the annual average price at $241.06 cwt, down $4.50 cwt from 2019 and the lowest annual average price in the last seven years. Prices started out the year trading lower than the previous two years and the five-year average until May 2020, where prices started to improve slightly.

Over the summer months, trade was steady to 2019 and the five-year average. However, in August, the market declined rapidly and did not recover for the remainder of the year. The feedlot sector suffered losses throughout all of 2020. Due to the pandemic and processing disruptions in the U.S and Alberta in the spring, Ontario traded on a strong basis in comparison. This doesn’t mean the market was good, just that it was stronger than the west and the south. In December the temporary idling of two Ontario packers due to COVID put further stress on the already suffering market in Ontario. Meanwhile in December, Alberta saw an improvement in prices resulting in Alberta now trading on a positive basis to Ontario, but Ontario is still stronger than the U.S. Processing volumes in Ontario have declined from last year, keeping in mind the September 2019 closure of the Regency plant, which processed approximately 10% of Ontario’s volumes. As of November 30, 2020, 609,342 fed steers, heifers and cull cows were processed in Ontario at federal and provincial plants. This is down 4.7% from 2019 and 3.2% below the same time in 2018, but fully steady to higher than volumes recorded from 2011-2016 as shown in the graph. In the fall of 2020, carcass weights Canada-wide reached new highs as a result of the western plant shutdowns in the spring. Ontario weights have been basically steady to 10 lbs lighter than 2019, but in the last week of December weights jumped considerably and are expected to continue large for the first part of 2021 due to the processing disruptions.

Fed cattle exports to the U.S. through Ontario ports for the period ending November 30, 2020, were at 5,062 for steers and 20,958 for heifers, down 11.8% and 25% respectively from November 2019. Cull cow export volumes of 55,572 as of November 30, were up 35.2% from the same time in 2019. The stronger Canadian dollar along with backlogs of American-fed cattle have kept U.S. demand weaker for Ontario-fed cattle. Demand for cull cows continues strong.

The price of corn and feed has increased considerably in the second half of 2020. Prices did start 2020 much higher than previous years,

48

O N T A R I O B E E F • F E BRUARY 2 0 2 1

but leveled out over the summer months. In December 2020 and moving forward into January 2021, feed prices continue to climb putting even further pressure on an already hurting sector.

The volume of cull and fed cows sold through Ontario auction markets in 2020 was higher the first quarter of 2020 but returned to more normal levels after April 2020. Overall volumes were basically steady to 2019 but around 5,000 more sold in 2020 than in 2018.

2021 is starting out with weekly volumes even greater than the same time in 2020, with the larger percentage of cows sold being dairy breeds. Prices for cull cows in 2020 were steady to slightly stronger than 2019 and definitely stronger than 2018, but below the five-year average. In December 2020 prices declined sharply due to the reduced Canadian demand and production levels as a result of COVID-19 temporary plant shutdowns.

Stocker and feeder cattle volumes sold through Ontario auction markets in 2020 totaled 244,302 head, down 5.5% from 2019 but fully steady to 2018 volumes. Prices for all weights and classes of stocker and feeder cattle were strong for most of 2020, with heifers in good demand with prices steady to higher than the five-year average and the past two years in the early fall. Steers traded at prices stronger than the previous two years for most of 2020, but after September prices started to trend lower as feed prices creeped higher.

By December 2020, all categories were under pressure as feedlots had little demand for replacements until pen spaces started to free up.

Rising costs of feed continue to pressure feeders lower as we head into 2021 with very light volumes. OB

Continued on page 50.

ON TAR IO BEEF • FEBR U A RY 2021

49

Continued from page 49. – Market

50

Info

O N T A R I O B E E F • F E BRUARY 2 0 2 1

BEEF EXPORTS - CANADA

United States

Jan. 1 - Oct. 31 % Change

Total 256,929 tonnes

Mexico

-4%

Japan

Jan. 1 -Oct. 31

Total

36,734 tonnes

Jan. 1 - Oct. 31

% Change

10,710 tonnes

-23%

China Jan. 1 - Oct. 31

-14%

8,309 tonnes

-28%

BEEF PRODUCTION - CANADA

Jan. 1 - Dec. 26, 2020 Last Year Same Time

Fed

1,0512,939 tonnes

1,052,697 tonnes

% Change 0%

Non-fed

138,404 tonnes

174,237 tonnes

-21%%

BEEF IMPORTS - CANADA

Jan. 1 - Dec. 26, 2020

Last Year Same Time % Change

US

111,389 tonnes

108,210 tonnes

Non-NAFTA

51,996 tonnes

39,642 tonnes

+31%

EU-28 (beef/veal total) 15,176 tonnes

4,389 tonnes

+246%

160,886 tonnes

+18%

Total

190,318 tonnes

+3%

LIVE CATTLE - CANADA IMPORTS

EXPORTS

EXPORTS

Jan. 1 - Oct. 31

Jan. 1 - Dec. 19, 2020

% Change

Slaughter steers & heifers 484,803

+2%

Purebred

3,730

Non-Purebred 210,576 Feeder steers & heifers

116,963

-37%

41,858

-11%

Cows & bulls

LIVE CATTLE EXPORTS - ONTARIO

Week ending Dec. 26, ‘20 Week ending Dec. 19, ‘20 Year to Date

Total to US.

2,032

3,702

127,554

Steers, Heifers, Cows 1,863

3,522

114,382

180

13,172

Bulls

169

ON TAR IO BEEF • FEBR U A RY 2021

51

CALENDAR

Ontario Beef Industry Events March 6 and 13 - Maternally Charged Shorthorn Bull Open House and Sale, Fergus

March 28 - Charsha Hereford Farms, Darling Limousin Farms and Worth-Mor Angus Farms Open House and Private Treaty Bull Sale, Castleton

March 13 - Blackbern, Whitewater, Kirlene Charolais Bull Sale, Cobden March 20 - Rollin’ Acres and Whiskey Hollow 11th Annual Charolais Bull Sale, Hanover March 20 - Fully Loaded Limousin Bull Sale, ONLINE

April 3 - Source for Quality Simmental, Angus and Hereford Bull Sale, Indian River April 3 - Saunders Charolais 16th Annual Bull Sale, ONLINE April 3 - 23rd Annual Smart Limousin Open House and Private Treaty Sale, Meaford

March 21 - M&L Cattle Company Charolais Bull and Female Sale, Indian River

April 11 - O’Shea Farms and Vintage Herefords Tag Sale

March 22-23 - Grain Farmers of Ontario Virtual March Classic, Visit the GFO website for registration details.

March 27 - Cornerview Charolais Bull Sale, Cobden

April 17 - Cedardale Charolais 18th Annual Bull Sale, Nestleton August 17-19 - Canadian Beef Industry Conference, Penticton, BC

Due to COVID-19, many beef farmers have chosen to have online and private sales. Please be sure to check out their ads in this edition of Ontario Beef.

BEEF BUSINESS LEADERS HAMMER MILLS FOR RENT Call today for all your feed processing needs.

R.R #5 HOARDS STATION Campbellford, Ontario SALE BARN Dave DeNure 705-653-3660 BLUE MOUNTAINS FARM

BAR 5 STOCK FARMS

AgRig • Moorefield, Ontario • Ed Koster Jr. • 519-501-3624

Ron Sr. & Carla Nolan (905) 330-5299

Greg Nolan (416) 616-8834

NOLAN ANGUS FARMS

WHITTON-BROOK FARMS

Ron Jr. & Mike Nolan (416) 993-3218 / (519) 803-0555 WWW.BAR5.COM OFFICE: (519) 986-1330

• 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

Mitch & Brooke Whitton (647) 297-1517 WWW.ARTISANFARMS.CA

OFFICE: (905) 670-3450

636077 EUPHRASIA-HOLLAND TOWNLINE RR #3 MARKDALE, ON, N0C 1H0

Seeking Ontario Beef!

Fats & stockers for premium beef programs throughout Ontario!

Bar 5 Stock Farms

Brad Curran

Ron Sr. & Carla Nolan Mobile: (905) 330-5299 Office: (519) 986-1330

bradc@artisanfarms.ca

519 357 7600

CALL BRAD TODAY! P 905.670.3450 |

ArtisanFarms.ca | Info@ArtisanFarms.ca

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BEEF BUSINESS LEADERS Very reasonable rates! Deadline for May 2021 issue is April 15.

Call 519-763-8833 for information

www.bar5.com

BOOMER

CREEK LIVESTOCK

636077 Euphrasia-Holland Townline RR #3 Markdale, ON, N0C 1H0

Owen Martin 4550 Ament Line Wallenstein Ont. N0B 2S0 C. 519-501-2207 E. owenmartin4550@gmail.com

Purebred Red & Black Simmentals

M i ller La n d & Li vesto c k

Charolais Bulls, Hay, Straw, Feedlot George & Dianne, Dwayne, Ashley and Cowal Miller RR 1, Jarvis, ON N0A 1J0

Ph (519) 587-2755

Cell (519) 429-5902

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BEEF BUSINESS LEADERS Very reasonable rates! Deadline for May 2021 issue is April 15.

Call 519-763-8833 for information 52

O N T A R I O B E E F • F E BRUARY 2 0 2 1

Changes to OBCFPP Licenced Dealers List No Longer Licenced Beretta Farms Cattle LP o/a One Earth Farms Corp., Etobicoke, Ont. Holstock Harriston, Ont. Reiche Meat Products Ltd., Pembroke, Ont.

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

The entire OBCFPP list can be found on the OMAFRA website at 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

Horner Construction Tara, Ont.

Garry & Sheila Smart

“Industry Accepted since 1978”

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

Breeding Stock Available at All Times.

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BEEF BUSINESS LEADERS Very reasonable rates!

Deadline for May 2021 issue is April 15.

Call 519-763-8833 for information

ONTARIO MAINE-ANJOU ASSOCIATION

Q: Where’s the Beef?

A: It’s in MAINE-ANJOU Offspring

We have both Red and Black Breeding Stock AVAILABLE to help improve your Weaning Weights and Carcass Quality.

Contact: OMAA Secretary: Jenna Perry 613-449-1719 or Facebook

jennalperry07@gmail.com

Sunny Meadows Charolais

Commercial Angus Purebred Red Angus Purebred Black Angus Purebred Hereford

The Seed Family- Greg: 705-648-4274 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

SILVERTIP

Andy Millar

109 Bulmer’s Rd. • R.R.#2 Fenelon Falls • ON K0M 1N0 • Tel: 705-887-5142

SUNRISE ANGUS (since 1995)

We source Canadian genetics to produce quality breeding stock.

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

SPECKLE PARK

HUGH MACNEIL

519-861-2722 hugh.macneil@outlook.com

322 Burt Road St. George, Ontario N0E 1N0

Embryos and Live Cattle for sale.

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BEEF BUSINESS LEADERS Very reasonable rates! Deadline for May 2021 issue is April 15.

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CHAROLAIS BULLS FOR SALE • Double Polled • Low Birth weights • Quiet Disposition • Well grown and ready to go to work

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 TAR IO BEEF • FEBR U A RY 2021

53

WELLNESS ON THE FARM

By Darby Wheeler, BFO Policy Advisor

Step Back and Reflect 2

021 has finally arrived, and for some the new year has brought on new goals and resolutions to tackle moving forward. On the other hand, setting new goals and the symbolism of ringing in the new year might have felt slightly less significant, what with the pandemic carrying over into 2021, the most recent “stay at home order”, and the various other concerns in our lives that have carried over to the new year. Nonetheless and despite what’s going on around us, the start of a new year can be a good opportunity to reflect and think about how we can better manage the stressors in our life. This edition of Wellness on the Farm is going to focus on some “classic” mental health tools, some of which you may already be familiar with. However, there is no time like the new year to start fresh!

As we know, farming is a year-round job and it does not play by the 9 to 5, Monday to Friday rules, and so it can be easy to get carried away with the non-stop work that’s involved. Remembering the importance of maintaining a work-life balance will go a long way in relieving stress. Of course, establishing the proper balance can mean something different to each person, and determining that balance will be impacted by a variety of factors in our life. Understanding our limits is important and trying to find something outside of our work to preoccupy our time can be very beneficial. Simply reflecting on the question, “can this wait until tomorrow?” can be a good tool to address work-life balance. These are further questions to consider when addressing work-life balance: • What areas of your life do you want to spend more time focusing on?

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O N T A R I O B E E F • F E BRUARY 2 0 2 1

• Are you supported in and outside your work?

• Do you feel like you have absolutely no time to give?

Another piece of advice is to try to stay positive and take the time to stop and look around at what we have. Doing this can be difficult at times, as it can be easier to focus on the negative or on our seemingly never-ending to-do lists. In such instances, we have to remember that we have someone or something to be grateful for and that staying positive can help you push through the difficult times.

Farmers and others in the agriculture sector have a lot to be proud of, and remembering to celebrate the positives can put things in perspective.

In addition to the above advice, there are many simple things we can do to cope with anxiety and stress. These include: • Engaging in physical activity • Getting a good night’s sleep and recharging after a long day • Remembering to take small breaks • Staying connected with friends and family • LAUGHING Although we’re starting to see some light at the end of the pandemic tunnel, we will need to continue to find ways to manage stress and build resiliency skills as we move forward in 2021 (which is eerily giving us a similar vibe to how most of 2020 fared). For more information on wellness and mental health, please visit the Wellness on the Farm webpage on the BFO website. OB

Saunders Charolais 16th Annual Bull Sale ONLINE Saturday April 3, 2021 Selling 30 Charolais Bulls 5 Simmental Bulls Catalogue & Videos can be viewed online at www.dvauction.com Sarah Buchanan 306-681-5340 sarah@goldenthread.ca For More Information on Charolais Bulls Brent Saunders c: 519-372-6196 e: saunders@bmts.com

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is har a l ro ns C a h ai C Blue Mountains Charolais s unt r Harvie & John Reekie e c: 519-374-7108 nd Mo u c: 519-373-7643 fe SaBlue sa l a le oc a l t t S es l ren l r u u g u ll c B h a t l ** i a t w n 21 0 e 2 E , m 11 AT il 3 D m m i ion LE , Apr .

S .co A n S ay e dit .m ctio n p d 0 u O -E tur 2:0 dva ’ a s S e w. r w u w t @ u e F n nli Darrell Saunders c: 519-373-6788 e: dbjsaunders@gmail.com

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For More Information on Simmental Bulls Todd Campbell c: 519-379-7565 e: tcampbell@rbafinancial.com

Auctioneer: Scott Kuhl Keady Livestock Market 519-477-2339 Follow us on Facebook for the latest updates

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