Ontario Beef - May 2022

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE BEEF FARMERS OF ONTARIO

BEEF ON T A R I O

COMMUNITY PASTURE RECEIVES ONTARIO ENVIRONMENTAL ACCOLADE • BFO ANNOUNCES NEW LEADERSHIP AT 60TH VIRTUAL ANNUAL MEETING • CONTEMPLATING CALVING SEASONS • MAY 2022

STUDY CONFIRMS BEEF FARMERS

NOT RECEIVING FAIR SHARE OF CONSUMER DOLLAR

Canadian Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement Number 0040007029

CORP CREEK FARM Bill and Jill Corp and Family OMEMEE, ON 705-799-4788 (Bill’s Cell) 705-772-9345 (Jill’s Cell) corpcreekfarm@hotmail.com Registered Breeding Stock

JDL CATTLE CO. & D&S LIVESTOCK David, Shirley, Josh & Jessica Lasby Justin, Jaimie Lasby & Family MULMUR, ON 519-943-4147 or 519-278-6819 jessica.lasby@hotmail.com Good-looking, Sound, Functional Cattle!

HIDDEN-VIEW POLLED HEREFORDS Joe and Karen Paszternak NORWOOD, ON 705-9573739 or 705-957-7470 karen.paszternak@gmail.com Cows and heifers for sale

LIAN MOR POLLED HEREFORD Wallace & Fern Pugh & Trevor & Amy Pugh MONO, ON Wally & Fern lianmor@sympatico.ca · 519-941-8515 Trevor & Amy tpugh27@yahoo.com · 519-939-7489 Breeding Stock Available

www.ontarioherefords.ca

O’SHEA FARMS Jamie and Mel O’Shea DENFIELD, ON 519-477-1238 osheafarms@hotmail.com Bulls and Females for sale WHISKEY LANE LIVESTOCK Herford 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

Dr. Lois Batty, – 705-328-4302 BILLY ELMHIRST | Indian River, ONPresident • 705-761-0896 • ircc@nexicom.net www.ontarioherefords.ca PRESIDENT JESSICA LASBY | Mulmur, ON • 519-939-0283 • ontarioherefordassociation@outlook.com SECRETARY MANAGER

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE BEEF FARMERS OF ONTARIO

BEEF ONTARIO

May 2022

Volume 63, Number 2

COMPLIMENTARY MEMBER-SUPPORTED PUBLICATION

CONTENTS 4

Ahead of the Heard

6

The Beef Beat

8

BFO Announces New Leadership at 60th Virtual Annual Meeting

10

Connecting with Consumers

12

Rural Ramble

14

Community Pasture Receives Ontario Environmental Accolade

16

LRIC Update

18

OMAFRA Update

22 Study Confirms Beef Farmers Not Receiving Fair Share of Consumer Dollar

8

28

25

Assessing the Merits of the Forage Rainfall Plan in Ontario

ON THE COVER

28

Contemplating Calving Seasons

30

The Rewards of Volunteering

32

CCA Update

34

Canada Beef Update

36

Insights

37

Farm and Food Care Update

There’s no question, the past few years have dealt Ontario beef farmers some serious blows. From declining margins and constant supply chain disruptions to dealing with a global pandemic, it’s only fair that beef farmers question why they aren’t getting their fair share as the price of beef soars at the grocery store. Our feature story in this issue of Ontario Beef highlights the market analysis study completed by Kevin Grier Market Analysis and Consulting Inc. who took a deep dive into market trends and analysis on cattle, packer and retail prices from 2016-2021.

38

Focus on Herd Health: Coccidiosis in Cattle

40

Ontario Licensed Dealers Listing

43

Market Information

49

Calendar of Events

50

Wellness on the Farm

Wishing all of our members a healthy grazing and growing season this spring and summer. Don’t miss out on submitting your photos for our August issue. Please send your summer-inspired photos by July 15 to be considered for the cover.

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

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 Jack Chaffe, BFO President info@ontariobeef.com • www.ontariobeef.com

My First 90 Days T

ransitioning into a new role can be exciting, humbling and daunting for many reasons. In my case, I was gratefully elected as BFO President in February, and I have been navigating the transition to my new leadership role over the last 90 days. I’ve come to understand the vulnerability that comes with establishing new relationships and the learning curve in understanding the duties and responsibilities of the BFO President. Thankfully, I was fortunate to serve the organization as vice president for the last two years under the helm of outgoing president, Rob Lipsett. My time with Rob and BFO over the last seven years have served me well, and I am looking forward to leading the organization and representing our members in the year ahead. On behalf of the BFO Board of Directors, we are extremely appreciative of Rob’s leadership over the last two years during such a difficult time for our sector and many alike.

As we wrapped up our 60th annual meeting, which you can read more about on page 8, my first 90 days began. In early March, I attended the Ontario Food Summit hosted by Ontario’s Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Lisa Thompson. I was joined by over 125 leaders from across the food supply chain to discuss food security and strategies to strengthen our food system, and increase the competitiveness of our agriculture products. Next, I attended the Ontario Feeder Finance Annual Meeting, which returned to an in-person event in Guelph. It was nice to enjoy some good company and discussion, and celebrate some good news for the Ontario Feeder Cattle Loan Guarantee Program. On February 23, the Government of Ontario announced an increase in the loan limits from $500,000 to $1 million for individual members and $1.5 million for corporate

BFO BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2022 Jack Chaffe (Feedlot Director) - President Phone: 519-301-3034 • Email: jdchaffe@quadro.net Craig McLaughlin (Eastern Director) - Vice-President Phone: 613-504-1863 Email: cmblackhorse@gmail.com Don Badour (Cow-Calf Director) Email: don.badour@ripnet.com Don Hargrave (Cow-Calf Director) Email: dchargrave@gmail.com Jason Leblond (Cow-Calf Director) Email: jsacres5@gmail.com Rob Lipsett (Background Director) Email: lipsettrob@yahoo.ca Joe Dickenson (Feedlot Director) Email: joe@dickensonfarms.com David Millsap (Feedlot Director) Email: davidwmillsap@gmail.com Jordan Miller (Northern Director) Email: b.jordan.miller@gmail.com Ron Stevenson (Southern Director) Email: ron@metzgervet.com Jason Reid (Director-At-Large) Email: reidridgefarm@tbaytel.net Kim Jo Bliss (Director-At-Large) Email: kimjobliss@gmail.com

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O N T A R I O B E E F • M AY 2 0 2 2

members. There’s no doubt this increase in the loan limits will help ensure financing limits keep pace with the price of cattle and in turn, maintain the program’s relevancy and benefits for our cattle feeding sector here in Ontario.

Later in the month, I traveled to Ottawa for the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association Annual Meeting where I was appointed co-chair of the Foreign Trade Committee with CCA Past President, Bob Lowe. I was also thankful to be invited to a couple of local association meetings in Lambton and Perth. It’s nice to see our associations resuming meetings and gatherings for discussions and much-needed fellowship.

We returned to the BFO office for our in-person board meetings beginning in March, and at that meeting we developed a more flexible meeting schedule to be more inclusive to all directors from across the province with respect to their travel time. We have moved to a combination of in-person and virtual meetings with some full days and some half days scheduled. I hope this flexibility will support our current directors and their time away from home, but also encourage others to think about joining the board.

More recently, we’ve had meetings with our partners in the Ontario Agriculture Sustainability Coalition (fruit and vegetables, grains, pork, sheep and veal), and with Minister Thompson and Premier Ford’s office to talk about our collective request for an increase to Ontario’s Risk Management Program (RMP) as we lead into the provincial election in June.

As we meet with local candidates, we continue to press that beef farmers are currently facing an unprecedented level of uncertainty,

BFO STAFF Executive Director Richard Horne • richard@ontariobeef.com Manager of Policy and Issues Thomas Brandstetter • thomas@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 Senior Producer Relations Specialist Jaclyn Horenberg • jaclyn@ontariobeef.com Producer Relations Specialist Robert McKinlay • robert@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

and risks that cannot be mitigated by good management alone.

Significant inflationary cost of inputs, trade and supply chain disruptions, increasing frequency of adverse weather events, and a level of market volatility we have never experienced are all contributing to a challenging environment to operate a thriving business. To remedy these risks, sustain our province’s beef capacity and promote new economic output, we need to see an increase in Ontario’s investment in RMP. Aside from our ask to increase the funding cap on RMP, we have four additional priorities we continue to advocate for on your behalf: 1. Commit to increase the cap on the Ontario Risk Management Program (RMP) by $100 million annually.

2. Commit to increase investment in programs that support meat processing capacity and infrastructure, and the training, recruitment, and retention of meat cutters and industrial butchers.

3. Commit to support mental health services and resources for farmers and agri-food workers.

4. Commit to preserve farmland through sound provincial land use policy that sees agricultural lands, including marginal lands used for livestock grazing and carbon sequestration, protected as the highest and best use of our province’s arable land.

5. Commit to conduct a review with the agriculture sector of farm inspection and enforcement practices employed under the Provincial Animal Welfare Services (PAWS) Act. As the election approaches, now is the time we really need the voice of our grassroots members. I would strongly encourage you to reach out to your local candidates and let them know how your

business is doing, and what type of support would be helpful to you and the broader beef sector. To assist in your discussions, we have developed a number of resources to help, which can be found on our website. We have an election toolkit, which outlines our priorities in detail, a “click and submit” tool to help you connect directly with your local candidates, and advice on how best to connect with your candidates. As always, the BFO staff are available to assist, so please don’t hesitate to reach out to the office.

I look forward to representing you and advocating for a healthy beef sector in Ontario. All the best for a bountiful growing and grazing season. OB

ON TAR IO BEEF • MAY 20 22

5

THE BEEF BEAT

By Darby Wheeler, BFO Policy Advisor darby@ontariobeef.com • www.ontariobeef.com

I

Addressing Large Animal Veterinary Access Issues in Ontario

t will come as no surprise to many producers that access to a large animal veterinarian continues to be a major concern in parts of the province, especially for producers in underserved areas in northern, southern and eastern Ontario. This is certainly not a new problem and is a result of several factors. To make matters worse, concerns around veterinary access go beyond food animal and rural mixed practices, but also companion animal practices, and it is an issue across Canada.

The veterinary shortage issue, more generally, has garnered further attention over the last couple years as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and increased burnout experienced by veterinarians in Canada.

Provincial governments in Canada have gone about addressing this issue differently with various initiatives that aim to support producers, veterinarians and vet technicians. As was highlighted in the February Beef Beat article, in January the federal and provincial governments jointly announced a $4 million dollar investment through the Livestock Veterinary Innovation Initiative to address the shortage of large animal veterinarians working in underserved areas. It provided costshare funding to veterinarians to improve virtual care options, expand telemedicine access and address issues with mobile clinics.

There have been a number of resolutions related to this issue put forward over recent years at our annual general meetings, and it continues to be a priority for BFO. To support and hopefully increase the number of food-animal veterinarians in Ontario, last year BFO approved two scholarships with the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) at the University of Guelph that will support students pursuing a career in large animal health and welfare, with a focus on beef cattle.

In this addition of Beef Beat, I wanted to share some of the work that has been done by the Veterinary Medicine and Beef Farming Sector Working Group. BFO has also been involved in this working group since 2020, which brought together BFO representatives, including producers from northern Ontario, the College of

Veterinarians, Ontario Veterinary Medical Association, Ontario Association of Veterinary Technicians, OVC, OMAFRA, and the Ontario Association of Bovine Practitioners. This working group has proved to be a great partnership, bringing together individuals and organizations with a common interest to address veterinarian access issues in Ontario.

The working group recently finalized its collaborative plan to address veterinarian access issues in Ontario that it hopes to implement over the coming years. The plan outlines a number of short-term and long-term objectives and tactics that fall under three overarching visions. Some objectives are already in motion while others are new. The three visions include: A Right-Sized Veterinary Profession, Cooperative Business Models for Delivery of Veterinary Medicine in Rural Ontario, and Promote Beef Herd Health and Production Programs through Veterinary and Producer Partnerships.

For the purpose of this article, I have provided a high-level outline below of the objectives and solutions under each vision.

The objectives and solutions under the vision for A Right-Sized Veterinary Profession include: Short-term objectives: 1. To optimize the full utilization of the veterinary team: understand and implement the full skill set across the veterinary team by developing tools and case studies; developing a business case on the successful use of RVTs; and continuing education for RVTs assuming roles in food animal practice.

2. To assure access to the skills of internationally educated veterinarians: Utilize existing licensure pathways that recognize focused scopes of practice and develop new assessment tools that assure the competence of veterinarians wishing to practice with food animals.

Continued on page 11.

SUNRISE ANGUS

Our focus is on using Canadian genetics with our bulls exhibiting good foot & leg structure, eye appeal, and nice fleshing ability.

We aim to produce seedstock that covers as many bases as possible and in turn helps our customer remain profitable.

In our cow herd, we put a lot of emphasis on fertility & longevity as well as good feet & udders.

Better cows make better bulls!

Joel & Irene Thomas 477285 3rd Line • Melancthon ON • L9V 1T5 519-925-5661 • sunriseangusfarm@outlook.com

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BFO Announces New Leadership at 60th Virtual Annual Meeting T

he BFO Board of Directors elected their new president and vice president in February at BFO’s 60th Annual General Meeting, which was broadcast from Toronto.

Jack Chaffe will lead the association in the year ahead as president with Craig McLaughlin serving as vice president. BFO Past President, Rob Lipsett, has stepped down from his leadership role but remains on the board this year to complete his final term as background director.

Embarking on his eighth year on the BFO Board, Chaffe has served on the board for seven years as a feedlot director. He and his family operate a fifth-generation farm near Mitchell, Ontario, and market over 2,500head of cattle per year through the Ontario Corn Fed Beef program.

2022 BFO Board of Directors

A look behind the scenes of the virtual meeting.

Thanks to all who helped to ensure the event ran smoothly for all delegates and speakers.

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O N T A R I O B E E F • M AY 2 0 2 2

“As president, I look forward to mapping a road to recovery as we begin to emerge from the shadow of the pandemic and its many effects on our sector and members,” shares Jack Chaffe, BFO President. “I look forward to working with my fellow directors in the year ahead to address pressing issues that were raised during our resolutions debate, such as processing capacity and skilled labour, enforcement of inspection processes and regulations, transparency in beef labelling and the effectiveness of the Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act to name a few.”

Craig McLaughlin from Renfrew County will enter his sixth year on the board as eastern director and will move to the position of vice president.

McLaughlin resides in Renfrew County where he operates a cow-calf and backgrounding operation.

Three directors were re-elected to the BFO Board of Directors by voting delegates. Returning to the board this year are Don Badour as cow-calf director, Joe Dickenson as feedlot director and Kim Jo Bliss as at-large director. Ron Stevenson was acclaimed to his position and returns as southern director.

BFO’s Board of Directors consists of 12 elected officials - three from the cow-calf sector, three from the feedlot sector, one from the backgrounder sector, one each representing the southern, northern and eastern regions of Ontario, and two elected at-large. Directors are elected for three-year terms on a rotating basis.

BFO Board of Directors and staff welcomed over 300 attendees virtually at this year’s AGM, including the Honourable Lisa Thompson, Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. In her address, Minister Thompson announced loan limits for the Feeder Cattle Loan Guarantee Program are increasing from $500,000 to $1 million for experienced individual co-op members and up to $1.5 million for experienced corporations that participate in feeder cattle co-operatives.

This is an important program that provides affordable and accessible financing options for many younger members who represent the future of our industry. An increase in the loan limits will help ensure financing limits keep pace with the price of cattle and in turn, maintain the program’s relevancy and benefits for Ontario’s cattle feeding sector.

Farmer mental health and wellness was also an important focus of this year’s 60th celebration. Kaleb Dahlgren, mental health advocate and Humboldt hockey crash survivor gave a very inspiring and humbling address to attendees. The new Farmer Wellness Initiative was also highlighted by both BFO and the Ontario Federation of Agriculture who sponsored Kaleb’s address.

The 2022 BFO Annual Report can be viewed on the BFO website or you can access a hard copy by contacting the office. OB

Ontario’s Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Lisa Thompson joined the board in Toronto to address the virtual attendees. From left to right, Craig McLaughlin, BFO Vice President; Jack Chaffe, BFO President; Minister Thompson; Rob Lipsett, BFO Past President and current director.

2022 CARRIED RESOLUTIONS 22-01 – MEAT TRAINING BURSARY 22-02 – BUTCHERY AS A SKILLED TRADE 22-03 – ABATTOIR FUNDING ASSISTANCE AND APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS 22-04 – ABATTOIR FUNDING 22-05 – COMPROMISED CATTLE 22-06 – FEEDER FINANCE EAR NOTCHING 22-07 – WILD PARSNIP 22-08 – STANDARDIZED ENFORCEMENT PROCESS AT AUCTION FACILITIES 22-09 – GOVERNMENT INSPECTOR PROCESS 22-10 – NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT ACT 22-11 – DEADSTOCK SERVICE DISRUPTION 22-12 – DEADSTOCK END PRODUCT USE 22-13 – TRANSPARENCY AND HONESTY IN BEEF LABELING AND MARKETING CLAIMS 22-14 – MEAT RESOURCES FOR RETAILERS 22-15 – PLANT BASED PROTEIN CO. USING MEAT & BEEF TERMINOLOGY ON PACKAGING & ADVERTING 21-16 – PAWS INSPECTOR TRAINING 22-17 – COMMUNICATION WITH LOCAL BOARDS REGARDING PAWS INVESTIGATIONS 22-18 – REVIEW OF PAWS ACT 22-19 – VET APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM 22-20 – TRANSFER OF DOCUMENTATION 22-21 – BEEF CATTLE MARKETING ACT

Thank you to the many loyal and valuable sponsors who continue to support Ontario’s beef industry and farmers.

ON TAR IO BEEF • MAY 20 22

9

CONNECTING WITH CONSUMERS Consumer Engagement Update

By Jennifer Kyle, Manager of Public Engagement and Digital Strategy jennifer@ontariobeef.com • www.ontbeef.com

S

o, what have we been up to through the end of 2021 and in the first quarter of 2022? We’ve been busy! From social media campaigns and podcast advertising to AgScape partnership and traditional public relations campaigns, we have been working hard to connect with folks through a number of avenues to get the good news about Ontario beef and beef farming out to the people of Ontario.

Enjoy Some Local Flavour Campaign After another successful summer BBQ campaign, our fall iteration kicked off in mid-November. This campaign, Enjoy Some Local Flavour, saw us partner with five different Ontario food and beverage brands to do some crosspromotion and get folks thinking about creative ways to dress up their beef.

Beef in the Classroom Over the past year, we have continued to strengthen our relationship with AgScape to work on getting our beef messaging in front of students. As part of this, we worked with the AgScape team to create three curriculum-linked resources for grades 7-12.

Touching on various subject areas from health and physical education to social studies, science, careers, and technology, these resources aim to provide an overview of the practices involved in the production of beef in Ontario from farm to table.

The resource, An Exploration of Beef Farming in Ontario, was launched during Ontario Agriculture Week in October and AgScape has since had well over 250 requests for the resource.

In addition to the resource, we have increased our overall support for AgScape to help enhance their Teacher Ambassador Program and translate their offerings for use in the French language and French Immersion classrooms.

We will continue to work closely with AgScape to help them deliver on their mandate to bring accurate and balanced information about farming and food production to classrooms across the province.

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Environmental PR Campaign In September, we kicked off a traditional public relations campaign aimed specifically at getting more good news stories into the media about beef and beef farming’s positive impacts on the environment.

The campaign was very successful achieving 152 pieces of media coverage and 42.1 million impressions from September 2021 through March 2022. In addition to the earned media, we also ran two sponsored pieces with MacLean’s magazine in late December and the Toronto Star in early January, with a third planned for Toronto Life this spring.

One of the biggest highlights of the campaign was landing an op-ed piece in the Financial Post in early March.

This article, equates to “PR Gold” as it is incredibly rare to get an op-ed picked up by a major, daily paper. The piece was picked up by the Financial Post, syndicated by 87 outlets and its parent paper, The National Post, also chose to run it in their print edition that same day. That op-ed alone garnered over 15 million impressions.

The PR campaign would not have been possible without a number of producers and industry partners who have generously lent their time and expertise to accommodate these media requests. We wish to extend a huge thank you to all of the folks who have served as our spokespeople over the past several months. OB

Continued from page 6. – The

Beef Beat

Long-term objectives: 1. To assure access to the skills of internationally educated veterinarians: feasibility and business planning for expanded DVM and RVT training; feasibility of different education and training models; and consider an admission strategy that favours applicants wishing to work in underserviced areas, with a strong mentorship program.

2. To expand domestic DVM and RVT training, with the goal of graduating more rural mixed animal veterinary professionals with a strong connection to underserviced regions and an emphasis on team-based care: identify incentives to support students and new graduates in making a long-term choice for rural food animal practice; pros and cons of incentive programs in other jurisdictions; and identify funding and partners to support a long-term strategy.

The objectives and solutions under the vision of Cooperative Business Models for Delivery of Veterinary Medicine in Rural Ontario include: 1. To maintain and expand business sustainability incentives for veterinary medicine that promote full spectrum production management services: review existing funding/support programs and identify existing resources that veterinary practices of all sizes can leverage.

2. To create cooperative veterinary practice models that promote shared services (i.e., human resources, equipment, infrastructure, etc.) for large animals in underserviced communities to ensure the sustainability of veterinary services and the access to veterinary care by producers: develop cooperative business models for veterinary practices; identify interested practices in piloting cooperative models; and seek funding to support implementation.

The objectives under the vision of Promote Beef Herd Health and Production Programs through Veterinary and Producer Partnerships include: 1. To create multi-level incentives that promote quality assurance and producer education on progressive herd health: seek partners to explore and identify incentive opportunities that optimize herd health and welfare; and seek partners and funding to support a long-term strategy.

2. To create research interest in beef herd health and promote channels for knowledge transfer: promotion of Beef at Guelph for production management and herd health practices for producers and veterinarians; and linking of producers, veterinary professionals and industry in seeking funding that supports research in production management.

3. To create and promote mentorship programs that support the herd health “family”– producer, veterinary team, on-farm team, etc.: identify and review existing mentorship programs; seek partners to champion mentorship opportunities; and seek funding and partners to support program development.

The purpose of developing this plan was to create a holistic approach to addressing veterinarian access issues in Ontario that takes into consideration the multiple factors at play. Many of the objectives and solutions outlined will likely not only help address issues faced by many of Ontario’s beef farmers and the veterinary practices they work with, but other commodities as well. Moving forward, members of the working group will be discussing how best to implement the solutions identified.

If you are interested in discussing or learning more about the efforts to address veterinarian access issues in Ontario outlined above, feel free to connect with me. OB

“

Record Keeping Made Simple Anytime. Anywhere.

ON TAR IO BEEF • MAY 20 22

11

RURAL RAMBLE

By Jaclyn Horenberg, Senior Producer Relations Specialist jaclyn@ontariobeef.com • www.ontariobeef.com

On the Road Again, Finally!

A

s the world begins to open up, it is wonderful to see so many

VBP+ program, please reach out to me or Dan Ferguson. For feedlot

smiling faces in-person! I have been so impressed by the

producers, if you are interested in the learning more about the

willingness of our members to adapt to virtual meetings and events.

Ontario Corn Fed Beef Quality Assurance program, please reach out

We appreciate that so much, but we are all looking forward to

to John Baker.

events where there is no need to say ‘you’re on mute’!

We hope that you have enjoyed our Rural Ramble on the Road video series. The producer engagement team will continue to create

We are excited to announce that we have three in-person events planned for this summer that will feature farm tours, speaker sessions, and social time. Please save the date for these events.

these videos that feature hot topics and innovation of producers. All videos can be found on BFO’s YouTube channel.

With the extension of the Ontario Beef Quality Assurance Rebate Incentive Program, which offers a 75 per cent rebate on VBP+ audit fees, we have been busy offering VBP+ training webinars and arranging audits. If you are interested in learning more about the

Feedlot Management School Wednesday, June 29th - Thursday, June 30th Middlesex and Oxford County Featuring four progressive feedlot tours, with engaging sessions in feedlot health, cattle comfort, use of technology, financial risk management and feedlot benchmarking.

SILVER SPRINGS FARMS Simmental • Red Angus • F1 Crosses Bred Heifers Available

Ontario Beef Youth Alliance (OBYA) Tour Friday, August 5th – Saturday, August 6th Hastings and Prince Edward County This event will feature farm tours that showcase cow-calf, backgrounding, feedlot and birth-to-beef operations, along with a great opportunity to network with other young producers. Open to all OBYA subscribers.

Cow-Calf Management School Friday, August 26th – Saturday, August 27th Simcoe County Join us for farm tours of commercial and purebred cowcalf producers across Simcoe County. This event will provide an opportunity to learn from other cow-calf producers, along with a tour of a feedlot to understand the attributes that lead to calves performing well throughout the feeding period.

Stay tuned for more event details and how to register by

Breeders of Quality Cattle James, Joan and Robert McKinlay R R # 1, Ravenna, Ontario N0H 2E0 Phone: 519-599-6236 • jmckinlay@bmts.com OR Cell – Robert: 226-668-0775 • Joan: 226-668-1069

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O N T A R I O B E E F • M AY 2 0 2 2

visiting BFO’s website or our social channels. We hope that you can join us! OB

CONCERNED ABOUT TAG RETENTION?

WE ARE LISTENING Photo courtesy of Canadian Gelbvieh Association

canadaid.ca

CCIA

CANADIAN CATTLE IDENTIFICATION AGENCY

IMPROVED TAGS = BETTER RETENTION SHEARWELL RFID — An innovative one-piece wrap-around beef tag, the first of its kind. The HDX microchip technoology is overmolded in a plastic housing so readability and read range of the transponder are never compromised.

DESTRON DMR RFID — Upgraded version of the Destron eTag. Improvements include a fully molded outer tag housing for better durability and water resistance with an enhanced locking mechanism for greater retention.

ALLFLEX - Is continually striving for the improvement of their product and the new design and manufacturing methodology for their male tag stud is in response to tag retention issues reported by producers.

MORE RESEARCH = BETTER RETENTION Tag retention is important to a successful traceability system and the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (CCIA) has done our research.

Ongoing tag testing trials, intensive research and direct producer feedback on their experiences have resulted in manufacturers improving their tag offerings. To learn more about CCIA’s research activities visit https://www.canadaid.ca/traceability/research/

BEST PRACTICES = BETTER RETENTION Better tag application practices mean better tag retention.

Always use the manufacturer recommended applicator with the tag and follow placement guidelines.

Check out our new and improved tag offerings at tags.canadaid.ca or contact us directly at info@canadaid.ca | 1-877-909-2333

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CCIA

CANADIAN CATTLE IDENTIFICATION AGENCY

ON TAR IO BEEF • MAY 20 22

13

Community Pasture Receives Ontario Environmental Accolade

By Lee Hart for CCA Action News and BFO Staff

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FO is pleased to announce the Grey-Dufferin Community Pasture as the 2022 recipient of The Environmental Stewardship Award (TESA). The award is sponsored by the RBC Royal Bank and was announced at BFO’s 60th Annual General Meeting, which was held virtually in February.

Located near the village of Dundalk in Grey County, the Grey-Dufferin Community Pasture has developed strong, sustainable farming practices to ensure the productivity of their members’ cattle, as well as to ensure the health and fertility of the land they share.

This community pasture has demonstrated their environmental stewardship through their commitment to grazing management, willingness to support research and project development, and dedication to preserving Ontario’s pasturelands.

“The award is a tribute to the foresight of the board of directors who over the years have recognized not only the value, but their responsibility to apply proper management practices,” says Mike Swidersky, manager of the community pasture located in an area known as the Dundalk Highlands. “It demonstrates that proper environmental stewardship and improved beef production can complement each other.”

The 700-acre community pasture, that includes about 100 acres of creeks and riparian areas, was established in 1979 following the amalgamation of several smaller farms. It is the largest block of pastureland in Grey and Dufferin Counties.

Operated under a rotational grazing system since 1980, the whole management strategy has evolved and intensified over the years recognizing the need to protect sensitive wetlands and riparian areas, along with applying proper grazing and forage management practices.

Those practices have protected and enhanced wildlife habitat, while at the same time improving forage production, which has supported increased beef production.

“Over the decades the farm has been able to gradually increase its cattle numbers, from a couple hundred head in the early 1980s to 600 head of steers and heifers today,” says Swidersky. “Throughout the years, the management of the grazing has evolved from having four different smaller groups of cattle which were moved every seven to 14 days to now, where there are two larger groups which are divided into smaller fields with temporary fence and moved every two days. The plan is to allow 45 to 50 days rest on a 120-day grazing season.”

The community pasture is part of the Dundalk Highlands, which is known for its fertile flat landscape with cool temperatures and high

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elevations. The area is the start of several of southern Ontario’s watersheds. The riparian area within the community pasture includes a spring fed creek/municipal drain that runs through the center of most of the farm. The farm also has a sizable land area, which is low land that contains black muck soil and is prone to flooding.

The rest of the land is mostly flat, open land with treed sections throughout.

Proper grazing and forage management has been a priority for community pasture patrons from the start.

In the early 1980s the farm sold saw logs and firewood from its woodlot to fund the fencing and cross fencing projects. That project also included exclusion fence to keep the cattle out of the creek and other sensitive riparian areas.

In the early years, the community pasture’s board of directors made it a priority to provide livestock with clean water through an off-site watering system. With the help of some government programs there were several kilometers of buried and surface water lines installed.

At the same time, there were also seven different watering points developed. These consisted of cement water troughs that were placed on gravel, cement or recycled asphalt shingles bases.

The whole watering system is based around the water drawn from a 100-foot drilled well. “We are extremely fortunate to have a reliable source of high-quality water,” says Swidersky. “The well consistently maintains a water level 15 feet from the top.”

After many years of investment, the water system is still going strong with most of the trough set ups still being used today. Swidersky says the troughs and bases have proven to be extremely important especially with large groups of cattle in years with excess rainfall. In recent years, there have been additional watering points set up in response to the tweaks of the ever-evolving grazing system.

Along with fencing to exclude cattle from the waterways, GreyDufferin Community Pasture has also been proactive in protecting its watercourses by installing environmentally friendly low-level water crossing structures and culvert systems. This allows both cattle and equipment to cross the watercourses without disturbing the creek beds.

Being in a higher rainfall area, Swidersky says the Grey-Dufferin Community Pasture generally has to be managed for wetter growing conditions as opposed to dryer conditions, although some year’s lack of moisture is a concern, too.

Weather and moisture variability requires the management plan to be flexible and adaptive to growing conditions. While proper fertility has been important over the years to maintain and improve forage production, the community pasture did make an important change a few years ago to enhance environmental stewardship.

For many years nitrogen fertilizer was applied to provide nutrients to forage crops. Swidersky says over time it became apparent that there were problems with this strategy both economically and environmentally.

“In wet years it was difficult to get application equipment on to the farm to apply the product,” he says. “There was also the danger of leaching nitrogen into the nearby creeks. This was a cost to the dollars invested, grass and animal performance, as well as the possible loss of

the product into the nearby creeks. In the dry years it was a struggle to see a return on investment on the fertilizer applied.”

As an alternative to applied nitrogen fertilizer, the community pasture for the past five years has been applying a purchased municipal compost product to forage crops.

“This product, with high nutrient value, has shown impressive results,” says Swidersky. The compost has been applied to one third of the farm each year, so regardless of the weather (hot, cold, wet, dry) the results will be seen at a steady pace throughout the years. Another result of using the compost is the grass is taller and thicker, with a more diversified mix of grass species and legumes throughout the year.

Use of compost also eliminates the risk of nitrogen loss and environmental impacts.

Swidersky, who has been pasture manager for the past 10 years, says it is an ongoing challenge to manage the Grey-Dufferin Community Pasture under variable weather conditions.

“It is very common to have both very wet or very dry conditions in the same year,” he says. With low-lying areas of pasture prone to flooding during high rain events, as well as wooded areas that can be wet and springy and slow to warm up and start growing in the spring, grazing plans need to be flexible.

“If these areas aren’t grazed with caution or at the wrong time, severe damage can occur,” he says. “It has become a standard operating procedure to skip or defer grazing these sensitive areas if conditions are not suitable. Since this strategy was adopted, the sensitive areas have begun to thrive. In sites where very little grass would grow, now these

areas produce almost as much forage as the high open areas that have been intensively managed.”

From the conception of the Grey-Dufferin Community Pasture, it has always been a priority to encourage research and education, that includes local annual farm tours and by cooperating in research projects with government, academia, and private environment groups.

Throughout the years there have been research projects involving rotational grazing, pollinators, forage utilization, grassland birds, and parasites to name a few.

“Grey-Dufferin Community Pasture is very proud to be stewards of one of the largest areas of grasslands and pasture in both Dufferin and Grey Counties,” says Swidersky. “This property not only provides feed for cattle it provides a habitat for many species of birds, mammals and amphibians. Some key environmental goals the board of directors have identified are to build soil organic matter with the use of compost and grazing management.”

“It is believed that the more resilient, more productive and diversified the grasslands, lowlands, and wooded areas on the Grey-Dufferin Community Pasture are, the better the cattle’s health will be, as well as the habitat for the wildlife that call the pasture home.” OB BFO is currently accepting and welcoming nominations for the 2023 Environmental Stewardship Award. The application/nominations form can be found on the BFO website under Services/Awards, or you can contact Bethany Storey at the BFO office for more details.

ANGUS BULLS FOR SALE Semen Tested Performance Tested Delivery Available FOR DETAILS CALL Allan: 519-375-5541 • Jarrett: 519-374-5516 • Don: 519-375-1500 harprey@gmail.com • 307483 Centre Line A, Proton Station, ON, N0C 1L0 ON TAR IO BEEF • MAY 20 22

15

RESEARCH UPDATE Reporting on What Matters

The need for balance in the livestock sector

By Lilian Schaer for the Livestock Research Innovation Corporation

A

statement many people in the agriculture sector have heard a lot in recent years is “you have to tell your story, or someone will tell it for you.”

When it comes to climate change, greenhouse gas emissions and the environment, the livestock story is definitely being told – but much as they might try, it’s not by the industry itself.

The frequency of media articles pointing the finger squarely at livestock when it comes to climate change and greenhouse gas emissions with headlines like “Cows are the new coal” is increasing and that coverage is far from balanced. In fact, much of it suggests the solution is minimizing or even getting rid of livestock production altogether.

There’s no doubt that livestock production contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, but it also produces highly nutritious food and supports carbon sequestration and biodiversity – and its byproducts are widely used in many products, industries, and regions around the world.

The industry has definitely made environmental progress and individual sectors are trying hard to publicize that progress and tell the livestock sustainability story, but like with so many issues, it’s hard for good news to grab a fair share of media, government or public attention.

Livestock Research Innovation Corporation (LRIC) has begun promoting the need for a balanced look at the livestock industry as a whole to underline its importance to Ontario’s food security,

GLEN ISLAY MAGGIE 27E

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DON & JEANNETTE CURRIE 2234 Conc. 11, R R #1, Nottawa, Ontario L0M 1P0 Phone/Fax: 705-445-1526 Cell: 705-715-2234 • Email: doncurrie@glenislay.com

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O N T A R I O B E E F • M AY 2 0 2 2

environment and economy, and documenting and sharing that information.

That’s particularly important today, believes LRIC CEO Mike McMorris, because although livestock farmers see themselves as beef, chicken or dairy farmers, the broader public doesn’t make that distinction by commodity.

“Issues like climate change or greenhouse gas emissions impact the entire sector and are bigger than a single commodity organization and we need to remember that the public doesn’t see us the way we do,” McMorris says, adding that’s why LRIC has been spearheading greater collaboration across the industry to encourage a livestock approach.

Ian Ross, President and CEO of nutrition company Grand Valley Fortifiers, also believes it’s time for more unified, balanced messaging.

As Chair of LRIC’s Emerging Issues Committee, he’s tasked with keeping an eye out for trends and developments that have the potential to impact the future of the entire livestock sector.

“As an industry, we need to work together, stop competing with each other on protein consumption and talk about the importance of livestock in the ecosystem and in the context of food security,” he says. “We have common business and industry risks, and there are a lot of major forces at play here that are moving against all of us, so let’s work on those challenges together.”

And that includes looking before and beyond the farm gate. For example, what livestock and poultry are fed plays a critical role in the industry’s carbon footprint, making the feed and nutrition sector a key part of any impactful solutions.

With the input of its member organizations, LRIC has been leading the development of an Ontario Livestock Declaration that could serve as a unifying rallying cry to greater collaboration and more cohesive messaging around the important role of the livestock sector to the environment, the economy and society as a whole.

A balanced message about the sustainability of the livestock sector could include items like greenhouse gas emissions per serving of balanced protein; responsible animal care and One Health considerations; impact on soil health, biodiversity, and the environment; and domestic food security, to name just a few.

Reporting on improvements the sector has made or is continuing to make in these areas will play an important role in supporting that balanced messaging. Many individual sectors are already being proactive in dealing with many of these topics and are individually reporting on them, but the key to making the results resonate will lie with a collective approach, believes McMorris.

“A comprehensive livestock report card of sorts, which pulls together all of our sector-specific information and achievements into easy-to-understand statements of the industry’s importance and of the progress we’re making in sustainability would be powerful,” he says.

That includes to government, which both McMorris and Ross suggest needs to know that the livestock sector is a vital contributor to the economy and domestic food production while taking action on environmental issues.

“A lot of one-sided science is trying to indicate that the best thing for the world is to get rid of all livestock, but there is collateral damage when things aren’t thought through,” Ross says. “There is no way that any individual producers or sectors for that matter can influence this, so let’s work together to communicate the importance of our industry.” OB This article is provided by Livestock Research Innovation Corporation as part of LRIC’s ongoing efforts to report on research developments and outcomes, and issues affecting the Canadian livestock industry.

The Genetic Advantage

Because of their balanced profile of calving ease, growth and carcass quality, Canadian Angus cattle work well in both purebred and commercial operations. Use Angus bulls to make top performing feedlot steers and beautiful replacement females.

Visit the Ontario Angus Association website for more information:

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Contact any of the breeders below to arrange for your private viewing of cattle for sale.

Fallis Land and Cattle

Loval Farms

Mike, Lisa and Cole Fallis 1273 6th Line Selwyn, ON K9J 6X5 705-740-4878 sunsetacres@nexicom.net

Scott & Sandra Honey 127 Honey Road Warkworth, ON K0K 3K0 705-924-3809 lovalfarms@gmail.com

Gilchrist Farms

Maple Line Farm

Brad & Kristie Gilchrist 1269 Grey Ox Ave RR#5 Lucknow, ON N0G 2H0 519-440-6720 brad@gilchristfarms.com

Glen Islay Angus

Don Currie 2234 Conc 11 Nottawa, ON L0M1P0 705-715-2234 doncurrie@glenislay.com

Harprey Farms

Allan Hargrave/Don Hargrave 307483 Centre Line A Proton Station, ON N0C 1L0 Allan 519-375-5541 Don 519-375-1500 harprey@gmail.com

SCOMAC Livestock

Scott, Paula, Jason & Shelby Cornish 2295 Hwy 7 Indian River, ON K0L 2B0 705-341-3220 wll@nexicom.net

Silver Springs Farm

Darcy & Courtney McMorris 573333 Boot Jack Ranch Road Priceville, ON N0C 1K0 226-203-4506 windcroftfarms@gmail.com

Ian & Tim Rudkin 3320 Bradburn Road Blackstock, On L0B 1B0 Ian 905-718-5331 Tim 905-213-6518 maplelinefarm@hotmail.com

James, Joan and Robert McKinlay 609027 12th Sideroad RR#1 Ravenna, ON N0H 2E0 519-599-6236 jmckinlay@bmts.com

Meadow Bridge Angus

Tullamore Farms

JJ Deslippe 922580 Rd 92 RR # 4 St Mary’s, ON N4X 1C7 519-275-1739 deslippe@quadro.net

Rob Roy Angus

Don & Betty McNalty 634514 Road 63 RR#2 Singhampton, ON N0C 1M0 705-446-4740 robroyangus@gmail.com

Whiskey Lane Livestock

Scott & Elizabeth MacDonald 4169 Highway # 6 Hagersville, ON N0A 1H0 Scott 519-820-1272 Elizabeth 226-971-0015 scomaclivestock@gmail.com

Bill & Sylvia Jackson 12201 Torbram Rd Caledon, ON L7C 2T4 Home 905-843-1236 Cell 647-990-2697 tullamore.angus@gmail.com

Upper Glen Angus

Rick Stull 12249 8th Line Georgetown, ON L7G 4S4 905-703-0503 rickstull93@gmail.com

Windcroft Farms

Whitney Black Angus

Karen & Marty Whitney 51 Balsam Rd Ramara, ON L3V 0K8 705-326-9272 mwhitney@whitneyblackangus.com

Worth-Mor Cattle

Kyle, Rachel, Jordyn and Mason Petherick 950 County Rd 8 Campbellford, ON K0L 1L0 705-768-3560 worth-mor@hotmail.com

ON TAR IO BEEF • MAY 20 22

17

OMAFRA UPDATE

Bunk Management and Newly Received Cattle

By Megan Van Schaik, Beef Cattle Specialist, OMAFRA

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unk management as a strategy requires time and the attention of feedlot operators but when executed effectively, bunk management practices can pay dividends in the form of improved efficiencies and cattle performance. ‘Bunk management’ is essentially matching feed deliveries with feed intakes to optimize performance, but in practice there are many aspects of bunk management that lend to better health and performance in cattle. Good bunk management practices help to address differing risks along the feeding continuum for feedlot cattle.

During the finishing phase where cattle are typically fed a highgrain ration, any disturbance in feed intake can result in cattle “stalling out”. At this stage, bunk management plays a role in keeping cattle consistently on feed, reducing risk of digestive disorders, achieving desired gains, and reducing feed waste. A 2020 bunk management project jointly coordinated by the Ontario Corn Fed Beef Program (OCFBP) and OMAFRA demonstrated the impacts of bunk management on feeding behaviour in finishing cattle. This work highlighted the importance of understanding the length of time the feed bunk is empty, consistency in daily feeding activities, assessing bunk scores (feed disappearance) and pushing up feed as bunk design necessitates.

Figure 1 provides an example of the impact of feeding activities on feeding behaviour in finishing cattle while Figure 2 demonstrates the consistency of feeding behaviour over the course of a number of days where the bunk is managed effectively for finishing cattle. A more detailed overview of study outcomes can be found in Ontario Beef (August 2021) and Virtual Beef (Spring Edition 2021).

maintaining intakes are markers of a successful receiving program.

Newly received cattle come with a distinct set of challenges: these cattle are transitioning to a new ration (where the previous ration may or may not be known to the feedlot operator), are adapting to a new environment, and have recently experienced some level of stress during transportation and commingling. If they are lighter calves, they also may have been recently weaned and are unfamiliar with a feed bunk.

Every group of cattle arriving at the feedlot is unique, including their feed intake patterns when they arrive at the feedlot. Environmental conditions and preconditioning programs prior to cattle arriving at the feedlot play a big role in determining how incoming cattle will adapt to the feedlot. When coupled with a good health program and setting up pens with plenty of fresh bedding and drinking water, bunk management strategies can help mitigate risks of setbacks when getting cattle started on feed.

Bunk Management Strategies for Newly Received Cattle As part of continued bunk management work coordinated by the OCFBP and OMAFRA in 2021, bunk management strategies applied to newly received cattle and associated cattle behaviours were tracked on participating Ontario feedlots. The starting weights of these cattle ranged between 725-1000 lbs. Some common practices between feedlot participants that lead to desired feeding outcomes are described below.

Attentiveness to the bunk – avoiding long periods of empty bunks We often discuss consistency in timing of feeding as being one of the tenets of good bunk management. Scheduling feed deliveries

Figure 1. Feeding behaviour and bunk score over time, where time “0” is midnight.

Figure 3a. Feeding behaviour and feed disappearance one day following cattle arrival at the feedlot, arriving from drought pasture.

Figure 2. Number of cattle at the feed bunk (expressed as a percent of the capacity of the feed bunk) over three days (each line representing a different day). Time “0” represents time of morning feeding.

Bunk management is also an important management strategy for newly received cattle. Getting cattle onto feed when they arrive and 18

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Figure 3b. Trail cam images showing the rapid feed disappearance for this group of newly received cattle. The image on the left shows the bunk with full feed after morning feeding and the image on the right shows feed depleted within a few hours.

during the shoulders of the day allows for other farm activities or off-farm work to be completed, however these feed delivery times also match the biphasic feeding behaviours of cattle, where cattle naturally tend to increase their feeding activity early-mid morning and later afternoon. Cattle are creatures of habit and therefore consistency in feeding is key. Having routine feeding times also allows for more accurate and effective assessment of dry matter intake (i.e. ‘reading bunks’), particularly in slick-bunk programs where the goal is to feed cattle to appetite without running empty bunks for too long (more than 1-2 hours before next feeding).

Because every group of cattle coming into the feedlot have unique needs, feed deliveries may need to be adjusted for newly received cattle as they get settled into the feedlot. A prime example of this is cattle coming off depleted pasture and into the feedlot with little ‘gut fill’. This was demonstrated nicely at one of the participating feedlots.

The dry matter intake of this group of cattle was much higher than anticipated which necessitated additional feed deliveries to keep cattle on feed (see Figure 3a-b).

Careful observation of the feed bunk throughout the first days after receiving was critical to keep feed in front of cattle. Smaller, more frequent feedings while cattle adjusted to the feedlot helped to strike a critical balance between under and over-feeding in this scenario.

Heightened awareness and frequent assessment of cattle feeding behaviour in the first couple of days after receiving is a best practice in any feeding situation so that adjustments in feeding activities can be made according to the unique behaviours of each group of cattle.

Starting cattle on a high roughage ration with step-up transitions Participating feedlots either started cattle on dry hay and transitioned cattle to a high-roughage TMR or started cattle on a

Figure 4. Typical forage levels in diets of newly received cattle, as reported by Ontario feed industry professionals (ON Beef Feedlot Feed Industry Survey 2021).

high-roughage TMR. The benefit of offering cattle dry hay and/or a high-roughage TMR upon arrival is that it attracts cattle to the bunk and encourages feed intake. A high roughage ration provides ‘gut fill’ to prevent hungry, newly received cattle from gorging at the bunk. Younger cattle may not yet be adjusted to fermented feeds and offering a long-stemmed dry hay while slowly introducing the starter ration helps them to transition to fermented feeds. Feeding a high-grain ration at this stage can lead to digestive upsets and offfeed occurrences, whereas a step-up approach starting with a dry hay or high forage ration can help achieve a smooth transition to higher starch levels in the feed as well as a steady climb in intakes.

Working with a nutritionist is necessary to formulate appropriate receiving rations with adequate forage inclusion. Figure 4 shows typical forage levels in diets of newly received cattle, as reported by Ontario feed industry professionals (ON Beef Feedlot Feed Industry Survey 2021). Physically effective fibre levels of the ration can also be measured using the per cent (%) NDF from your feed analysis and a Penn State Particle Separator, where the top two sieves of the shaker box are used for calculating the physically effective factor (pef) for feedlot rations. Physically effective NDF (peNDF) is calculated by multiplying pef by % NDF. The peNDF of the starter rations in the farms profiled in this project ranged from 26-30 per cent. By comparison, previous benchmarking work in Ontario (Wood and Van Schaik, 2018) showed the average peNDF for finishing rations was 7.9 per cent, which is too low to ensure rumen health.

How dry hay is provided to newly received cattle depends on pen infrastructure and feeding capabilities. Some cattle feeders will use the feed bunk for both dry hay delivery as well as for introducing the starter ration, while others will use a separate manager to offer cattle free-choice hay and transition cattle from dry hay to a TMR. Figures

Figure 5a. Feeding behaviour one day after cattle at the feedlot, where the orange bars represent cattle feeding at the hay manger and the blue bars represent cattle feeding at the TMR feed bunk. The first TMR offering occurred at approximately 9:15 a.m. on day one.

Continued on page 20.

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19

Continued from page 19. – OMAFRA

Update

5a-c and 6 show the evolution of feeding behaviour when cattle are offered dry hay in feeders (orange bars) and TMR in a feed bunk (blue bars). Interestingly, cattle explored the main TMR feed bunk before the first TMR feeding on day one (relative to arrival), and between day one and day three there is a visible transition from predominantly dry hayfeeding to predominantly TMR-feeding.

Figure 6. Trail camera images showing dry hay feeding from hay mangers (left) for the first 24 hours after receiving and cattle transitioning from dry hay feeding to TMR feeding at the feed bunk (right).

Figure 5b. Feeding behaviour two days after cattle arrived at the feedlot, where the orange bars represent cattle feeding at the hay manger and the blue bars represent cattle feeding at the TMR feed bunk.

Figure 5c. Feeding behaviour three days after cattle arrived at the feedlot, where the orange bars represent cattle feeding at the hay manger and the blue bars represent cattle feeding at the TMR feed bunk.

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Other best practices that cattle feeders applied as part of their receiving program included: • Limiting the time during which bunks were empty as part of slick bunk management • Practicing consistent feeding times when cattle became adjusted to the feedlot •A dopting two times a day feeding when cattle became adjusted to the feedlot • Allowing bunk access to cattle at all times Receiving new cattle can be one of the most challenging phases in the feeding period. Getting cattle onto feed and maintaining intake is an important aspect of a receiving program and the implementation of best management practices associated with feeding is a determining factor for success. Maintaining gut health plays a role in the overall health and performance of newly received cattle, particularly when cattle are vulnerable to respiratory health issues and other challenges to the immune system. Core bunk management practices for newly received cattle, including frequent bunk checks, getting cattle started on a high roughage ration, gradually stepping-up starch levels in the ration, and applying consistency in feeding practices while limiting the duration of empty bunks set cattle up for success during the receiving phase and beyond.

The author of this article would like to express appreciation to participating farms and acknowledge the work and input from contributing project members, including Christoph Wand (Livestock Sustainability Specialist, OMAFRA), Brent Cavell (Quality Assurance Manager; Ontario Corn Fed Beef Program), and livestock summer students Andrew McDonald, Kathryn Kroeze, Madeline McLennan, and Sedley Benitz. OB

WHY

SHORTHORNS?

Jeff and Samantha Roney operate Bennington Hills Farm just east of Grand Valley.

They have 20 purebred Shorthorn mother cows and operate a cow-calf to grass finished operation, and direct market through the Orangeville farmers market.

With his no-till ‘Gabe Brown’ style cash crop, cover crop, pasture land rotation system, Jeff says “I haven’t found a breed that does it better”. This is in part based on Jeff ’s experience custom grazing some other British bred cattle as well as some Exotic bred cattle alongside his own Shorthorns. Jeff has purchased Shorthorn bulls from three different Ontario breeders, “... the shorthorn bull genetics are high quality, and moving in the right direction... the calves are consistent, cookie cutter calves that just keep getting better and better.” Jeff really appreciates the shorthorn cows’ maternal characteristics, calving ease, and quietness. He runs 50 ewes with lambs on pasture in one herd with the cattle, and the shorthorn mother cows pull double-duty as the only protection for the sheep. When the ground is frozen, cattle trek out to stockpile, cover crops, corn stalks, or bale grazing. “Fitting into a cash crop system, Shorthorn is the perfect cow for it”, says Jeff.

David Banbury, President - 519-513-3962 email: drbanbury@gmail.com

Follow us on Facebook and check our website for current news at

www.ontarioshorthorns.com ON TAR IO BEEF • MAY 20 22

21

Study Confirms Beef Farmers Not Receiving Fair Share of Consumer Dollar

By Jeanine Moyer

T

here’s no question, the past few years have dealt Ontario beef farmers some serious blows. From declining margins and constant supply chain disruptions to dealing with a global pandemic, it’s only fair that beef farmers question why they aren’t getting their fair share as the price of beef soars at the grocery store.

“These challenges didn’t start with the COVID-19 pandemic,” explains Richard Horne, BFO Executive Director. “Our industry has been dealing with stagnant returns and rising production costs for some time now. That’s why BFO commissioned an assessment of implications and reasons behind beef sector pricing, beginning in 2016 through to 2021.”

The report, Ontario Beef and Cattle Pricing 2016-2021, An Examination of Price and Margin Trends in the Ontario Cattle and Beef Industry, was finalized in early 2022. “Understanding the relationship between farm, packer and retail pricing will assist BFO in supporting the needs of our members through policy and program development,” says Horne.

The report is already being used to support the need for increased risk management coverage from federal and provincial governments and for on-farm risk mitigation strategies to ensure beef farms can remain financially viable. Horne explains the results also provide updated information on the current dynamics of the beef market, “which is particularly helpful for BFO when responding to media and government requests and inquiries about the relationship between the price and margins of beef along the food value chain.”

Here’s a look at the North American cattle market from 20162022 and the outcomes of the report: Ontario Beef and Cattle Pricing 2016-2021, An Examination of Price and Margin Trends in the Ontario Cattle and Beef Industry. The report is an in-depth study of the Ontario market, but also accounts for activities and trends across North America.

The study followed three objectives to complete the evaluation: 1. Construct monthly price series data sets for retail, packing, feeding and cow-calf sectors of the industry in Ontario from 2016 to 2021.

2. Assemble an Ontario beef-cattle price spread model like the USDA Meat Price Spread data set.

3. Examine margins through the chain in Ontario.

In recent years, extraordinary events caused lower cattle prices and fantastic margins for packers

A Series of Extraordinary Events As beef prices soared over the past two years, consumers and media have been questioning why beef is so expensive. The answer is hard to explain and requires an in-depth look at industry dynamics and the pricing spread across the beef supply chain – starting at the farm gate, through to the processor and retailer. Kevin Grier Market Analysis and Consulting Inc. was commissioned to help BFO examine the price and margin trends from 2016-2021 to evaluate why producers appear to have deteriorating market power at a time when demand for beef was at an all-time high, retail prices climbed and packing plants were profiting.

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~ Kevin Grier, Kevin Grier Market Analysis and Consulting Inc. “Historically there’s been a strong correlation between cattle and retail beef prices and the related profit margins along the supply chain, but in recent years, extraordinary events caused lower cattle prices and fantastic margins for packers,” says Kevin Grier, market analyst. “The result is a poor correlation, and to explain why, we need to look at the market context.”

According to Grier, the supply of beef cattle in North America was abundant throughout the timeframe of the study. For example, the market entered 2019 with a large supply of steers and heifers, but the problem was that processing capacity wasn’t keeping up. This was due to capacity cut backs the industry saw across North America from about 2010-2016, when many plants closed or large processors reduced capacity. “So, when we look at the early years of the study, the market was in a period of high supply with constrained capacity that meant producers didn’t have much leverage when it came to the final sale price of their beef,” he explains.

Given the much slower rate of increase of farm prices compared to retail and packer, there is no basis to say that farm prices are the cause of high retail prices at the grocery store.

An unfortunate fire at a Tyson Foods beef packing plant in 2019 sent ripple effects throughout the North American beef market, further reducing capacity. The plant, located in Holcomb, Kansas was harvesting approximately 6,000 head per day, accounting for 5-6 per cent of the weekly U.S. fed cattle processing totals. Grier says the plant was down for at least half a year and had ramifications for the industry going into 2020.

The events of 2020 need no explanation. The COVID-19 pandemic caused some of the most volatile market shifts in global commodity markets in recent history, and further reductions to processing capacity as a result of staffing shortages at the plants. Producers found themselves left to cope with the stress of the pandemic, increasing production costs, restricted processing options, and in some cases, profit losses. And consumers started questioning why beef prices were becoming so expensive at the retail level.

“What was really happening was a shift in Ontario beef packer margins, from normal levels in 2016-2018 to very profitable in 2019 and to exceptional profitability in 2020-2021,” explains Grier, noting that the extraordinary estimated margins were enjoyed by packers across North America, not just in Ontario. “But despite the rising cost and demand in beef, the retailers weren’t able to fully pass along the beef cut-out costs. Instead, retailer margins started shrinking.”

While 2021 saw the greatest consumer demand for beef in roughly thirty years, processing capacity was still backlogged as a result of events of the previous year. And continued staffing shortages throughout 2021 compounded the problem.

“The results of these extraordinary events in recent years have directly impacted cattle pricing,” notes Grier. “High demand for the limited processing capacity increased packer margins in the last half of 2020, the consumer cost for beef climbed and prices for fed cattle declined for producers. In other words, everything that could go right happened and packers enjoyed fantastic margins.”

The report analyzed industry events, market pricing, margins and the resulting impact to each player throughout the beef value chain. According to Grier, “the good news is that cattle numbers are declining and more processing capacity is coming to the marketplace, so that means the leverage over the market will change and hopefully in favour of producers.”

Understanding Beef Prices and Market Trends “This study confirms our assumption that, despite rising consumer prices at retail and strong consumer demand for Ontario beef products, the beef farmers share of the consumer dollar has decreased over time,” says Horne, noting this is not an Ontario-specific issue and the results can be applied across the North American beef supply chain.

Ontario cattle prices

As part of the report, Grier evaluated Ontario cattle prices between 2016 and 2021. The conclusion was that, for each of the calves, yearlings and fed cattle, pricing hasn’t changed. The overall price differential from beginning to end of the study period was lower, but the key takeaway was the flat, or horizontal price movement.

This graph summarizes the trends and movement of monthly fed steer prices in Ontario from 2016 through 2021. Key points – average value: $249, 2021 average versus 2016 average: +2.7%, 2021 average versus 2018 average: +5.2%.

Ontario beef packer prices

To examine the margins and value at the packer level, cut-out prices were used. The cut-out is the weighted average value of all the beef cuts and products sold by packers. The loss of Canadian wholesale boxed beef price reporting at the beginning of the pandemic has reduced price transparency in the beef supply chain, so for the purpose of this project, the USDA weekly cut-out was used as a proxy for the Ontario packer cutout value.

The results showed Ontario beef packer cut-out prices increased by 27% over the research period.

This chart summarizes the trends and movement of monthly average of AAA/AA representative beef cut-out prices in Ontario from 2016 through 2021. Key points – average value: $290, 2021 average versus 2016 average: +27%, 2021 average versus 2018 average: +25%.

Ontario beef retail prices

To evaluate Ontario beef retail prices, the study used Statistics Canada’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) that is generated for Canada, all provinces and some cities. The CPI is generated by surveying prices of a representative basket of typical consumer purchases, including more than 100 food product categories. Included in the meat category for all of Canada are six cuts of beef including: round steak, striploin steak, prime rib roast, blade roast, stewing beef and ground beef.

This research looked at a representative retail beef price for Ontario, starting with the Canadian average retail beef value in 2016, through to 2021. The results showed that, while there was initial volatility of retail beef prices in 2016-2017, there was an explosion in prices in early 2020, followed by another surge in prices in 2021 that was caused by soaring prices at the packer level, largely due to consumer demand. The results show an increase of 10% in Ontario beef retail prices between 2016 and 2021.

Continued on page 24.

ON TAR IO BEEF • MAY 20 22

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Continued from page 23. – Study

Confirms Beef Farmers Not Receiving Fair Share of Consumer Dollar

TAKING ACTION “The study results illustrate the importance of robust business risk management programming and its impact on the financial stability of our members,” says Horne, outlining BFO’s action plan to leverage the market analysis information to advocate for changes for BFO members.

This graph summarizes the trends and movement of monthly average of retail beef prices in Ontario from 2016 through 2021 (through November, latest month). Key points – average value: $20.84, 2021 average versus 2016 average: +10%, 2021 average versus 2018 average: +10%.

Evaluating pricing relationships

Ontario cattle feeder margins were poor over the research period.

Margins on feeding yearlings were very negative in 2016 and recovered briefly in 2017. From that point, cattle feeding margins remained in a serious loss position. Given the much slower rate of increase of farm prices compared to retail and packer, there is no basis to say that farm prices are the cause of high retail prices at the grocery store. The study also shows that at the same time, there were obvious reasons for high packer prices related to both market supply and demand, along with extraordinary events.

The research shows the packer cut-out had the biggest increase in prices over the research period. Looking back, there was a very close relationship between the cut-out and the fed cattle price from 2010 to 2017. By contrast, from 2018 through 2021 there is a greater gap between the two price levels, illustrating the difference between the farm gate and boxed beef price.

“There were no surprises in the results of this research,” says Grier.

“We all know demand for beef was high and cattle prices were low.

The study confirms that producers aren’t getting their share of the consumer dollar and quantifies the impact of the pandemic, supply chain disruptions and fluctuations in pricing.”

The Ontario farm share, or producer profits of the retail beef value declined from 41 – 30% from 2016-2021. During that same time period, the packer share increased from 51 – 59%, while the retail share declined from 8% to just 2%. It’s clear that retailers have not been fully passing along the increased beef cut-outs costs to consumers. Instead, retailer margins on beef have likely been shrinking. OB

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O N T A R I O B E E F • M AY 2 0 2 2

First on the list, and already in action, is BFO’s support of the Canadian cattle sector’s request to the federal government to mandate boxed beef price reporting in Canada. “BFO has also advocated for a published farm to retail meat price spread report that would publish the share of the consumer dollar across players in the beef supply chain, similar to what is provided in the U.S. by the USDA,” says Horne.

Next up, is to work with CCA and other counterparts across Canada to identify mechanisms to improve price transparency and information flow up and down the beef supply chain to allow beef farmers to make more informed marketing decisions, and to support government policy and industry services and programs.

“BFO continues to address concerns about the rising cost of beef at the retail level and clarify that these costs are not reflected at the farm gate. While it’s great to see strong demand for Ontario beef, we look forward to a time when everyone along the supply chain can equally benefit,” says Horne.

Assessing the Merits of the Forage Rainfall Plan in Ontario

By Richard Horne, BFO Executive Director

F

orage insurance has been the subject of much discussion within the livestock sector for many years. While the forage insurance name suggests insurance for forage production the majority of program options in Canada are based on too much or too little rainfall. In Ontario, the program is known as the Forage Rainfall Plan, which offers coverage for both insufficient and excess rainfall.

The livestock sector across Canada has been advocating for improved forage insurance for years, with many calls from farm groups for the development of yield-based insurance programs similar to what is available for many crop sector commodities. However, rainfall-based programs currently provide the only subsidized form of forage production risk management available to livestock producers in Ontario.

We have all heard or experienced years where no payments, or insufficient payments were generated in what would otherwise be deemed a drought year. The distance from rainfall stations to insured farms is another shortcoming, as is the fact that due to program mechanics farm operations may be penalized for rainfall received at the begging or end of the insurable period, typically after or immediately before drought conditions have emerged. There is also role that heat and humidity play in the forage growth cycle, which is not captured under the current rainfall-based program, limiting the program’s responsiveness to on-farm drought conditions.

When I hear producers and farm organizations discuss the rainfall programs across the country, I often hear comparisons to gambling at a casino. The timing and amount of rain on any particular day within the insurable period can mean the difference between a payment or no payment, or the amount of payment that is calculated. Further, many would argue that whether a payment is triggered or not has little correlation to actual forage and pasture conditions observer onfarm. These are fair points.

Despite available coverage and relatively affordable enrollment costs the uptake across the country has and continues to be low.

Between 15-20% of all forage acres are insured under forage insurance plans in Canada, compared to roughly 70% for annual crops under crop insurance. In Ontario, forage insurance uptake is closer to 10%. When you look at the program payment data for the insufficient rainfall stream you can understand why. From 2012-2021, 38% of annual Ontario forage insurance policies triggered claims on average, with average payments over that period amounting to $5,775. While averages may not be the most appropriate measure of a program’s effectiveness given the size of the province and weather variety, you would expect to see higher trigger rates over the period given the frequency of droughts in the last decade.

However, when you isolate the recent drought years over the 2012-2021 period, identified as the years 2012, 2016, 2018, 2020 and 2021, claims and trigger rates improve dramatically. In the identified “drought” years, where lack of rainfall was persistent and widespread across Ontario or large regions of Ontario, trigger rates averaged 63% across all policies generating average program payouts of $8,352.

From an income and business stability perspective, uninsured livestock producers are more vulnerable to weather-related disasters than the insured grain sector. Given the low uptake in forage insurance plans, governments have responded to weatherrelated disasters like droughts or floods through the AgriRecovery disaster assistance program. However, these responses are typically insufficient, unpredictable, and untimely. Within Ontario, none of the aforementioned drought years generated much drought relief support from federal or provincial governments with the exception of 2021, which was historic in terms of scope and severity across Northwestern Ontario, the Prairies, and B.C. Program deficiencies aside, recent program statistics do provide support for the argument that trigger rates and payments under forage insurance do improve in drought years, and that the program has some level of responsiveness to drought events.

While much of this article has focused on the insufficient rainfall plan, there is also coverage available for excess rainfall. Under the Ontario Forage Rainfall Plan, the following options are available to help protect your established forage: 1) Insufficient rainfall during May, June, July and August. If the measured rainfall at the station(s) you choose during the insured period is less than 85% of the long-term average rainfall for your area, a claim may be paid.

2) Excess rainfall during first cut. If you get rainfall when you are hoping to harvest, you may have lower quality hay. Or if you have to wait to harvest you will lose nutritional quality due to overmaturity. If this happens, your claim payment will help offset additional costs or losses due to rainfall.

You can apply for one or both options. Total claims for both options cannot exceed the chosen insured value of the forage grown.

With the 2022 growing season beginning, I would encourage you to assess the merits of the Ontario Forage Rainfall Plan and to discuss your forage insurance needs and any program questions you may have with an Agricorp advisor. One mistake producers often make when selecting forage insurance coverage is undervaluing their forage acres. On the one hand this results in lower premium costs but on the other hand it reduces coverage, the odds of triggering and the size of payments. Be sure to discuss forage valuation with an Agricorp advisor to ensure you have sufficient coverage. While the deadline to enroll in this year’s program is May 16, if you aren’t in the program, I hope this provides some food for thought for future years.

Lastly, I would also like to mention that BFO continues to work with CCA and the other provinces on the development of a yieldbased forage insurance product that would utilize satellite technology to determine forage growth throughout the growing season. We are in the final year of trials with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada to test this technology, and a national working group has also been established to work on program development. OB

ON TAR IO BEEF • MAY 20 22

25

IT TAKES A

LIMOUSIN BULL Be sure to purchase your PINK CCIA tags for your consignments to the Fall Limousin PINK SALES: Make Plans to Buy and Sell at these Limousin Influence Stock Sales

AND at these Limousin Influenced Female Sale

David Carson Farms and Auctions Service Listowel, Ontario Monday October 24, 2022

David Carson Farms and Auctions Service Listowel, Ontario Saturday November 19, 2022

Cargill Auction Market Cargill, Ontario Friday October 28, 2022

Eastern Showcase Limousin Sale Maple Hill Auctions Hanover, Ontario December 10, 2022

Contact any of these Breeders to arrange for a private viewing of Cattle For Sale.

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

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

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

HILLSIDE FARMS Ray and Stacie Stanton 4250 King Road, King City, ON, L7B 1K4 416-505-0707 rays@londonproperty.ca

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

LOYAL LINE LIMOUSIN Brent and Vicky Black 82509 Loyal Line Goderich, Ontario N7A 3Y3 Cell: 519-955-1234 brentblack204@hotmail.com

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

AFTER HOURS LIMOUSINS Rob & Erin Weppler 117078 Grey Rd. 3 , Tara, ON 519-375-6108 Rob@gbtel.ca

BEE ZEE ACRES The Zwambag’s 4140 Glendon Drive, Glencoe, ON N0L 1M0 Bill: 519-494-9613 Matt: 519-870-3219

SPARE TIME LIVESTOCK Don & Donna Scott & family Oxford Mills, ON Don: 613-913-1579 Laura: 613-316-8728 sparetimelivestock@gmail.com

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

BROWN EDEN LIMOUSIN Neil & Suzanne Brown 768 Zion Road Little Britain, ON, K0M 2C0 705-768-1605 nsbrown@bell.net

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O N T A R I O B E E F • M AY 2 0 2 2

TO CREATE

PROFITABLE PASTURES LIKE THESE

BUY YOUR

LIMOUSIN BULL TODAY Please join us for the Ontario Limousin Association Annual Meeting and Junior Show, July 30th at David Carson Farms and Auctions, Listowel

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 SELBY GENETICS 1762 County Rd. 11 Selby ON KOK2ZO 613 388 9286 rick.steggles@bell.net

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

POSTHAVEN LIMOUSIN John and Ena Post #7396 Sideroad #20, RR #2, Alma, Ontario N0B 1A0 519-846-9320 ejpost@posthavenlimousin.com

SMART LIMOUSIN Garry and Sheila Smart 137606 Grey Road 12 RR#2, Meaford, ON N4L 1W6 519-538-4877 www.smartlimousin.com

HIP LIMOUSIN Denver Cassidy Tweed, Ontario K0k3j0 613-84-81381

WINDY GABLES LIMOUSIN Bryce & Nathan Allen RR #4, Warkworth, ON K0K 3K0 705-924-2583

Check out our Website for LimoNews: www.ontariolimousin.com

YOUNG LIMO FARMS JIM AND JOE YOUNG 601 Tara Road Ennismore ON 705 755 6820 ANNA & ELISABETH STUDER 44390 Glenannon Rd Clifford, ON N0G 1M0 519 327-4489 anel.studer@gmail.com

Ontario Limousin Association

Chad Homer, President • Phone: 519-339-9659 ON TAR IO BEEF • MAY 20 22

27

Contemplating Calving Seasons By the Beef Cattle Research Council

T

here are many interconnected variables that affect, or are affected by, the calving season. Considerations such as infrastructure and facilities to remove and house bulls following a defined breeding season, herd size, regional market prices, targeted weaning time, and labour availability are a few factors that impact a calving period.

These producers did their homework and planned ahead before shifting their calving seasons in order to meet the needs of their particular farms and families.

Shorten Calving Period from Twelve to Six Weeks Six years ago, Spencer Yeo who now farms in Nova Scotia had a large calving window, with the bull in year-round. About 60 per cent of his herd calved during a 12-week timeframe but there were always stragglers which meant a lot of extra nights checking cows. Yeo had a small herd and was selling calves direct from the farmyard. With a mix of weights and smaller calves pulling the average price down, he saw an opportunity for change.

Yeo aimed to transition to a six-week calving window to help with time management as he also works off-farm full-time. He chose to aim for February calving because it is typically a little warmer then, in his region. It is also a time of year when he has the most free-time, and it was when the majority of his cows were already calving so he was working with the herd versus against them.

The transition occurred within a single year with the breeding season shortened to May 1 through mid-June. Preg checking occurred in August and any open females were sold. This worked well as cull cow prices were seasonally higher in August versus later in the fall, which resulted in extra income. Bull management includes the option of leasing out for a few months or selling after the breeding season.

Yeo replaces the bull every two years, so only has to deal with a bull in the off-season every other year.

There were concerns about having a significant number of open females in the transition year, but surprisingly conception rate was high. Leading up to breeding season, the cows were on a high plane of nutrition to support conception. Spencer noted, “If you are going to adjust your calving window, you need to make sure your cows are in good shape to do it successfully.”

Spencer Yeo Infrastructure is another important consideration. In Nova Scotia, snow and freezing rain is common, so producers need to have a bedding pack under a roof and space may be a limiting factor. Spencer had the facilities to do this but recognizes that others might not choose a February calving window based on existing facilities.

In moving to a six-week calving season, Spencer noted that it was relatively easy to identify those cows that weren’t pulling their weight.

With the goal of having a cow calve every 12 months, versus every 14 months or longer, it became very evident which females were meeting that objective. With a longer calving season it is harder to identify those cows that are not generating the same income as the rest.

Also, with the tight calving window, Yeo has a more uniform group of calves at sale time, making it less likely to be docked on price.

From a labour standpoint, calving at Yeo’s farm is now an intense six-weeks, but then it is done. Yeo notes that this provides the opportunity for vacations and time away from the farm as he is no longer staying home waiting for that one last cow to calve. Recognizing that quality of life is important, he also says there are no more late-night barn checks.

Overall, the transition to a shortened calving period has accomplished everything that he set out to do. Spencer encourages producers to keep an open mind, including taking a look at where they are now to see if adjusting their calving window is something that could work for them.

A Shift from Winter to Fall Calving Don Badour 28

O N T A R I O B E E F • M AY 2 0 2 2

Almost a decade ago, Don Badour and his family were calving from January 1 through February with a tight

60-day calving window, based on a March 20 to mid-May breeding season. Family labour was available which meant regular checks could be done throughout the day and night. As labour availability decreased and the opportunity to purchase another farm came up, the family decided to switch to fall calving from August 20 to the end of September with the breeding season starting November 14. The calving window stayed the same at 60 days.

The Badours had originally planned to shift the herd in thirds, holding back breeding of onethird of the herd for six months to result in the whole herd shifted over three years. After the first year, they realized fall calving was much easier and that they did not have enough labour for two calving seasons, so they switched the rest of the herd in year two.

Their cows were always wintered outside with access to shelter and that has remained the same. This is one of the driving reasons why they aim to be finished calving by the end of September. Calves that are any younger are much harder to manage through the winter.

Their calves overwinter well in this management system and are an example that wintering calves outside in this region is possible.

The Badours’ main motivation for switching their calving season was to reduce labour. While winter calving, they were doing night checks and that workload has been eliminated with fall calving. Donald says, “You couldn’t pay me to go back to winter calving. It has been so much easier. Labour-wise, we went from checking every two hours to checking once per day and twice a day on heifers.”

Herd health overall has improved since the transition. Weather fluctuations with January calving often resulted in increased calf illness and higher treatment rates. In the 15 years since switching to fall calving, there have been no incidences of scours in the herd.

During the first couple of years following transition to fall calving, lower conception rates made the Badours realize that they needed to change their winter-feeding practices. With January calves, sold mid-September, they had utilized low quality hay going into the fall.

That was no longer feasible as they recognized the need to provide good quality feed during breeding season which had shifted to midNovember. It took some alterations and it was a bigger adjustment for older cows, while the younger females adapted to the change more easily. Overall, it took three years before they were happy with the performance.

Calving difficulties were reduced, as cows calving on pasture were in good body condition. However, if there was a difficulty it became a challenge due to a lack of pasture handling facilities.

Management of pastures became a consideration as well. This ended up being well-timed with the purchase of land that included more open fields (less rough ground and bush) allowing easier monitoring of cows and processing of newborn calves every day. Since calving on pasture, predators have been more of an issue which adds to the increased need for closer monitoring of newborns.

Fill Your Fields With

GALLOWAYS

Secretary • Ciaran Yool 905-807-8185 • ciaranyool@gmail.com

www.easterncanadiangalloway.ca Fall calving has resulted in increased feed consumption (12-13 bales per cow) as compared to winter calving (10 bales per cow). This increase is due to peak lactation occurring during the winter months rather than in spring and early summer when cows are grazing. Over the last year Badour found that corn silage worked well for fall calving cows when lactating through the winter months, as it supported more production. Weaning weights were 52 pounds heavier and cows came through the production cycle in very good body condition.

One major change for this operation was developing new relationships and finding buyers in a very different market selling slightly younger calves during the first week of May. However, prices are seasonally strong in that time period and, while weaning weights were down in first year, returns per calf were greater due to the higher price per pound. Calves are currently selling at 550 pounds and Badour is very happy with the result. OB

ON TAR IO BEEF • MAY 20 22

29

The Rewards of Volunteering

By YCC delegates and complied by YCC President, Carley Henniger

U

ndeniably, day-to-day life requires a lot of our attention and energy. Some days we are thriving, and other days heading to the grocery store can feel like the breaking point. In a world where we are constantly being spread thin over different directions, you may feel it would be hard to dedicate time to volunteer and get involved in one more thing. But we need to make time for things that are important and matter to us.

Young people, in particular, are in over-drive trying to live up to expectations and are having to choose how they spend their time wisely. One of the most important things to prioritize is yourself but, often focusing on yourself can have significant benefits to others as well. When you take time to pursue something that interests you, it can lead to a lot of opportunities.

Any industry, organization or club started off with a group of people thinking to themselves, “I have something that I am interested in and I wonder if there are others who feel the same way?”, and they took a step forward. You may feel underqualified or too far removed from something to get involved, but so long as you are intentional in pursuing your interest, everything else can be learned. The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association’s (CCA) Young Cattlemen’s Council (YCC) is made up of young people who considered these thoughts before getting involved. We know that initially it can be extremely uncomfortable getting involved in something without knowing the outcome, but we guarantee it can be one of the most rewarding experiences you will have.

Before getting involved, reflect on what matters most to you, and what it is that you would like to do, develop and achieve. Our group Will Stoneman 587.873.7257 Brian Whitwell 905.768.5148 k.whitwell@hotmail.com

for example, is made up of young people who wanted to serve the cattle industry and gain skills to serve on a board of directors and advocate for the cattle industry.

So, how can you start to serve the industry you are passionate about? YCC delegates have some input on how to take the first step. Susan Hamilton (YCC Atlantic Delegate) did not grow up on a beef farm, but it was something that she wanted to learn more about. She began looking for industry events, workshops, field days and conferences to start meeting people. Martin Clausen (YCC Vice President and Alberta Delegate) suggests young people ask a farmer for a tour of their operation or attend a cattle sale in your area to network with likeminded people. You even can call upon your provincial beef producer or breed associations and ask questions or for potential opportunities to get involved in the industry.

Jessica Sperber (former YCC member from Alberta) offers advice in stating that, “You may find that your passion for the industry will lead you in the conversations and interactions that you have with others. Write down on a piece of paper the reasons why you feel uncomfortable with getting involved, and then brainstorm ways in which to overcome those reasons. Some people are uncomfortable in a crowd setting because they feel their knowledge of the industry is not sufficient compared to others. If that pertains to you, realize that the majority of the people that you interact with in the industry are wanting you to succeed! Don’t be afraid to ask questions, they would be happy to answer and you will meet a lot of like-minded individuals, and they will help you to grow and succeed.”

Why Should I Get Involved?

Offering Registered Yearling Angus bulls; AgSight Performance Tested Select Registered & Commercial Replacement Heifers available Growth, Carcass Merit, Calving Ease and Maternal Performance are the foundations of our program.

Visitors always welcome!

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O N T A R I O B E E F • M AY 2 0 2 2

What is in it for me? Acts of service should be rewarding, not done begrudgingly. One of the great things about volunteering and getting involved, is that there is always an opportunity and all kinds of ways to serve if you are struggling to find the time or find gratification in what you are doing. But once you decide you would be interested in getting involved, an entire suite of benefits become available to you.

The agriculture industry is incredibly special in that it not only helps you gain experience for your career, but it is an opportunity to join a community and create relationships that will create value to your life as a whole.

One of the greatest outcomes of reaching out and getting involved is the value of mentorship. If you are ever looking for guidance or encouragement, the networking opportunities that you gain can have an immense impact. It is important when you are a young person to have someone in your life you can look up to who can give you perspective on the challenges you are facing and encourage you towards your potential. “I didn’t grow up in agriculture, but decided to expand my interest and jump in with both feet. Something that

has made a huge impact on my time in the industry has been mentorship,” says Carley Henniger (YCC President from B.C.). “I am incredibly fortunate to have Bob Lowe of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association as a mentor. He has shown me how diverse the cattle industry is and how I can find my place in it.

He made it clear that my interests matter to him and has pointed me in the right directions to excel in both my career and my personal life.”

Another benefit of getting involved is having a voice for other young people around you. The beef industry is constantly improving, growing and adapting. Participating is a great opportunity to direct things in the way you believe would make a stronger industry.

Chances are, you already have so many valuable qualities and amazing things to contribute due to your own personal knowledge and unique experiences. Young people who participate in industry organizations can also expect to gain valuable life skills such as critical thinking, professionalism, how to interact and collaborate with different people, establish relationships and network, and have the opportunity to constantly be learning something new. “I am proud to be a part of this community as I feel very welcomed to be a part of the industry.

This industry is as much of a people-industry as it is a beef industry,” says Holly Sparrow, YCC Past President from Saskatchewan. “Going to conferences, meetings, and events in the industry has always been valuable time spent as I know I will be coming home with another idea for the ranch. People are so willing to help one another out, and bring ideas to the table. What’s better than talking about cows with someone who also shares the same passion?”

industry leaders, thank you for setting an example for us to follow and offering your advice and guidance. This industry is made up of all kinds of people from all different walks of life, but so long as we continue to care about our community, we will move forward together.

If you are considering getting involved, or simply want to talk to other young people in our industry, all of our delegates are more than happy to speak with you. You can get to know each of us on the YCC Meet the Executive page on our website at www. youngcattlemenscouncil.com and can reach out to the CCA Youth Leadership Coordinator, Jessica Radau at radauj@cattle.ca. OB

Quality Bulls to Meet Today’s Industry Demands

How Do We Work Together?

Agriculture as a whole is not just an industry, it is a way of lifeeveryone has to have a spot at the table.

Those of us who are already involved in the industry need to move forward with “the door is open, come as you are” type approach in welcoming people to join us. Some people, particularly young people, often feel unwelcome and intimidated getting involved. But it is also imperative to note that the older generation of farmers and those already involved are eager to include youth opinion and are looking for ways to engage new people. So, how can we connect the two?

Those of us involved can help bridge gaps by inviting young people to sit in on meetings and observe or invite them to join us for a farm tour, or simply ask for their opinion on something and engage in conversation. Being open about our needs as an industry and our successes and challenges may help us to create meaningful relationships and attract people with new ideas and a keen attitude to contribute.

To our fellow young people, please take heart that you are important and valuable and have so much to offer. You are welcome here, and we hope that you will consider serving with us. To our

THANK YOU to everyone who made our Annual Tag Sale very successful!!

Visitors always welcome to come select your next herd bull.

Jamie, Mel & Blake O’Shea Denfield, ON

519-477-1238

osheafarms@hotmail.com ON TAR IO BEEF • MAY 20 22

31

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

National Update

In conjunction with our AGM, delegates of the CCA’s Young Cattlemen’s Council, Since our last update in February, there along with a couple participants of the have been many notable developments at the CCA’s Cattlemen’s Young Leaders Mentorship Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) and Program, met with various Parliamentarians in the broader industry.

Ottawa on March 22 to discuss opportunities At our 2022 Annual General Meeting (AGM) and challenges of importance to the next at the end of March in Ottawa, the CCA Board generation of Canada’s beef industry. of Directors elected our new leadership team Priorities discussed included the important and through productive discussions, set our role beef farmers and ranchers play in the priorities for next year. Reg Schellenberg climate change solution, the importance of (SK) and Nathan Phinney (NB) were elected business risk management programs for young president and vice president, respectively for producers and achieving a long-term ambitious 2022-23. Schellenberg takes the reins from free trade agreement with the United Kingdom Bob Lowe, who will stay on the CCA Board that resolves existing trade limiting factors. as past president and chair of the public and CCA continues to actively monitor progress stakeholder engagement program for the next on the negotiations for the Next Policy two years.

Framework (NPF). Federal, provincial and CCA also welcomed Doug Roxburg (AB), territorial (FPT) governments are in the latter Melissa Downing (AB), Brad Ozadczuk (AB), stages of stakeholder consultations as they Philip Lynn (SK), and Jason Leblond (ON) as finalize their negotiations on the next, fivenewly elected board members on March 25. year framework which will be implemented on Reg Schellenberg, CCA President The CCA Board wishes to thank the following April 1, 2023. Officials are hoping to present retiring board members for their time and a draft multilateral framework agreement to contributions to the organization and Canada’s ministers of agriculture for their consideration beef industry: David Haywood-Farmer (BC), at the FPT meeting in July 2022.

Charlie Christie (AB), Doug Sawyer (AB), Kelly The agreement will address the priorities Smith-Fraser (AB), Pat Hayes (SK), and Rob that ministers outlined in the 2021 “Guelph Lipsett (ON).

Statement”. These include Building Sector Over the course of the AGM, the key Capacity, Growth and Competitiveness, Climate priorities discussed included the importance Change and Environment, Science, Research of establishing a national Foot and Mouth and Innovation, Market Development and Disease (FMD) vaccine bank, making further Trade, Resiliency and Public Trust. enhancements to business risk management Measures to tackle climate change are an programs, continuing to tell our sustainability important consideration in the NPF and were story to Canadians and policymakers, the the focus of an April 13, consultation session importance of increasing government lead by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. core funding for research, and enhancing Representatives from the Canadian Cattlemen’s international trade market access through Association and Beef Farmers of Ontario new free trade agreements, while removing participated. technical barriers in current agreements.

The beef sector understands the importance The Federal Minister for Agriculture and of addressing environmental concerns.

Agri-Food, Marie-Claude Bibeau, joined CCA’s However, this cannot come at the expense of Board Members by video conference on March a sound, equitable business risk management 24 for a productive discussion regarding key suite or research programming that address priorities for Canada’s cattle industry. CCA producer priorities. In addition, there is an Nathan Phinney, CCA Vice President Board Members reiterated the importance ongoing need to enhance export market of negotiating a free trade agreement with access and ensure Canada has the capacity to the United Kingdom that ensures equal market access for both beef quickly respond to a foreign animal disease outbreak. CCA will ensure industries, being prepared for the potential animal health outbreaks that officials continue to keep these in mind as they conclude the by establishing a national FMD vaccine bank and exploring further development of the framework agreement. opportunities to enhance business risk management programs. Young In recognition of Earth Day on April 22, Public and Stakeholder Cattlemen’s Council President, Carley Henniger, also discussed the Engagement was proud to launch its newest documentary titled importance of increased government core funding to support the “Too Close to Home”. With the rise of devastating and intense fire research priorities of the Canadian beef industry. events across Canada, it is clear that wildfire mitigation strategies are urgently needed.

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YCC Representatives meet with Senator Black After witnessing firsthand how grazing can impact fire behaviour, ranchers, researchers, and municipalities have come together to collaborate on a series of pilot projects in British Columbia utilizing cattle to reduce fire risk adjacent to urban communities. Grass feeds fires, but it can also feed cattle.

To learn more about how we can fight fires while feeding cows and to watch the documentary, please visit www.tooclosetohome.ca.

On the environment front, CCA is monitoring developments concerning the proposed addition of the Pileated Woodpecker (PWP) to the Schedule 1 List of the Migratory Birds Regulations (MBR) under the Migratory Birds Convention Act and the implications for landowners and beef producers residing in treed/forested regions of Canada where this bird may nest.

The proposed listing comes with extreme surveillance, reporting and monitoring requirements related to PWR nesting cavities. CCA has joined with several agriculture, resource and utilities organizations in calling for the federal government to remove the PWP from the proposed addition to the MBR schedule 1 list. There is a need for more thorough and transparent consultations on this matter with sectoral stakeholders as well as workable compliance mechanisms for all our sectors.

Look for more updates on CCA initiatives and industry developments in the next issue. OB

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33

CANADA BEEF UPDATE Our Commitment to Sustainability

By Gina Teel, Manager, Stakeholder Communications, Canada Beef

B

roadening consumer awareness about the Canadian cattle industry’s commitment to sustainability has been a priority for Canada Beef initiatives this spring.

Following a successful consumer facing public awareness campaign in several Greater Toronto Area (GTA) newspapers in February, Canada Beef’s Public and Stakeholder Engagement (PSE) program will run a second campaign in June to promote further understanding about the beef industry’s commitment to sustainability among a key urban audience.

The June promotion will once again appear in a special section called Global Heroes, which features stories on individuals and industries making positive contributions to their communities. Canada Beef’s earlier contribution featured Dean and Catherine Manning, who received the 2021 The Environmental Stewardship Award (TESA) from the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association. The Mannings and their farm in Falmouth, Nova Scotia, are outstanding examples of the stewardship ethic and commitment of the beef industry. A secondary message focused on the healthfulness of beef, and featured a call to action to visit www.raisingcdnbeef.ca to learn more about the beef industry’s commitment to stewardship.

Michael Young

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Total circulation for the advertorial was more than 1.3 million readers, with a similar outcome anticipated for the upcoming feature.

The role of cattle in wildfire mitigation strategies is also getting some well-deserved attention, due to PSE’s latest short documentary, Too Close to Home. Launched during Earth Day (April 22) week, the documentary examines the grazing-based strategies used to reduce fire risk adjacent to urban communities in B.C. The Too Close to Home online event featured a panel discussion with representatives from the B.C. Cattlemen’s Association (BCCA), the Government of B.C. and a local rancher involved in the project.

Speaking of B.C., registration for the Canadian Beef Industry Conference (CBIC) 2022 opens on May 4. CBIC 2022 will be in-person and will take place at the Penticton Trade & Convention Centre August 16-18, 2022. Canada Beef looks forward to an action-packed conference, co-hosted by BCCA. Demand for Canada Beef’s innovative point of purchase (POP) toolkits to help small and independent retailers implement the first phase of the Canadian Beef Information Gateway (Gateway) has been growing.

To date, 90 retail clients representing nearly 200 store locations have ordered the kits from the Gateway Retail Order Centre. The kits support the initial Canadian beef branded edition of the Gateway designed for local retailers and those looking for quick-to-implement solutions.

Canada Beef was pleased to provide Gateway implementation support to Ontario-based Denninger’s Foods of the World. Denninger’s was one of the first retailers with multiple locations to participate in the launch of the initial phase of the Gateway. The specialty food producer and retailer has five retail locations, one manufacturing plant and a warehouse in Southern Ontario.

Nick Chirichella, director, channel marketing at Canada Beef visited Denninger’s retail locations during the launch and had the opportunity to visit with shoppers. There was much positive feedback about the Gateway’s ease of use, recipe videos and nutritional information.

“The recipes and cooking instructions are great, I like Denninger’s because they sell high-quality meat and the recommended cooking times and temperatures will ensure I get great results,” said one customer.

The Canada Beef developed POP items are assembled into four kits and are available free of charge to retailers. The scannable codes on the POP items link to the Gateway platform’s information for specific beef cuts and related recipes, instructional videos, cooking methods, nutrition information, and more to support an outstanding beef experience.

Canada Beef’s efforts to promote skills training for industry and excellence in butchery received a welcome boost recently.

Michael Young, president of Canada Beef, will be among the international judges to preside over the 2022 World Butchers’ Challenge (WBC), also known as ‘The Greatest Butchery Event on Earth.’ Young will represent Canada at the WBC and the World Champion Butcher Apprentice and Young Butcher Competitions in Sacramento, California, September 2-3.

Young, an experienced competition judge and long-time proponent of skills training focused on excellence in butchery, is looking forward to giving back to the profession at the competition.

“Craft-butcher competitions are an excellent way for Canada Beef to support and promote the quality of Canadian beef and veal and the skills and creativity of Canadian butchers when they compete on the global stage,” he said.

Canada Beef’s Health and Nutrition team has been busy developing resources that broaden awareness of beef nutrition.

Karine Rekunyk, director health and nutrition, Canada Beef, monitors newly released nutrition studies focused on red meat in the diet. The team reviews these studies on an ongoing basis and identifies topics and findings that are of interest to the public, the media and to Canada Beef.

The team reviews the research, distills and organizes it, and find the pieces that are relevant to Canada Beef. This ensures quick access to the information when responding to issues in the media, and findings that will influence and impact the work done by Canada Beef.

Canada Beef uses the information to create research summaries, to update its Health and Nutrition Fact Sheet and to inform position papers that provide intelligence to organizations involved in policy work. The resources are located on the ThinkBeef.ca website. OB

RFID Tag Supply Update L

ike many ongoing supply chain disruptions across all sectors, supply chain issues continue to affect the availability of livestock identification devices. A reminder to all producers to consider adjusting your tag ordering habits in the short-term to ensure you have tags when you need them. As always, producers can purchase tags through a CCIA authorized tag dealer in Ontario (as of midMarch, there were over 100,000 tags in inventory), or you can purchase directly from the CCIA webstore. If you purchase directly from CCIA, it is important to remember to place your order even if your selected products show as ‘Back Order”. By placing your order, you will secure your place in the queue, and it will be filled in sequence as soon as there is availability.

It’s also important to note that you can’t share tags with your neighbour if you are short a tag or two. When producers purchase their tags through their CCIA authorized tag dealer or CCIA webstore, the tags are registered by producer name. This ensures all cattle can be traced back to their farm of origin, should the need arise. OB

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ON TAR IO BEEF • MAY 20 22

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AGSIGHTS UPDATE A ‘Hot’ Topic

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

A

recent workshop focused on best management practices (BMPs) that can reduce methane emissions for Ontario’s beef and dairy sectors. The standard practices of manure management, rotational grazing, feed additives, and others were mentioned. The list of methane reducing BMPs is exhaustive. However, the greater question isn’t which BMPs are ‘best’, but which will have the greatest adoption and impact within Ontario’s industries.

A common point was that no single BMP is the solution and that a ‘Systems Approach’ is needed to see the greatest impact. A ‘Systems Approach’ is the concept that a farm is a complex system consisting of inputs, outputs, processes, and feedback that are dependent on each other. In short, the best approach is a suite of BMPs that beneficially impact multiple areas of the ’beef system’. Depending on your operation, implementing multiple BMPs can require significant infrastructure/financial investment. So here we focus on low-cost, and easy to implement methane reduction BMPs that also increase productivity and efficiency.

(1) C ull less efficient cows. The direct measurement of feed efficiency is expensive, but we can still make improvements through indicators. Calf Weaning Weight/Cow Mature Weight is an indicator of cow efficiency. If we increase this measure through the selection of more productive cows, that wean heavier calves without increasing their mature weight, then those calves have the potential to reach market weight faster, reducing methane emissions1. If we increase this measure through selection of lower weight cows, calf weaning weight may not increase, but efficiency increases as inputs required for mature cows decrease, reducing methane emissions.

(2) C ull low fertility cows. Cows that require multiple services to breed lengthen the calving season. This reduces the productivity of the calf crop, and these late calving cows require greater inputs until

they are confirmed pregnant, both increasing methane emissions.

Culling late calving cows and selecting the daughters of first service cows will narrow your calving season, lower production costs, and reduce methane emissions.

(3) Increase calf birth weight. A heavy focus on low birth weight hinders the productivity and efficiency of the beef system. The importance of live calves on the ground is clear but when we can still achieve this without impacting productivity and efficiency.

Calving ease is a trait available on any bull or female that receive EPDs (or ABCs), a measure that considers overall ability for the progeny of that animal to calve unassisted. Unassisted births lower labour cost and still ensures live calves. We can select sires with larger birth weights if we focus on calving ease and consider the mature weights and other metrics of our cow herd. Larger birth weights give calves a head start to a more productive and efficient beef system, reducing methane emissions.

The methane emission BMPs covered here differ from the standard BMPs of manure management, rotational grazing, and feed additives.

These standard BMPs remain important and necessary overtime but we can start with the low hanging fruit. By using tools such as bioTrack and AgSights Genetic Evaluations (ABCs) a cow-calf producer can tweak their management strategies, and animal selection criteria to improve cow efficiency, cow fertility, and calf birth weight, as part of their overall breeding objectives. Measures that not only reduce methane emissions but also improve productivity, while lowering production costs. Methane emissions from livestock remain a key concern for consumers, and future product demand. As government and industry stakeholders consider programs and initiatives that promote methane reducing BMPs, producers can be proactive by making minor changes to their management and selection decisions.

Changes that also improve their bottom line. OB

New Program to Connect Farmers to Available Processing A

s a farmer, do you find it difficult to book processing space? Do you want to contribute to an online tool that can make it easier to find available processors offering the services you need when you need them? As a meat processor, do you find yourself spending a lot of time booking processing time with your clients? Do you want to participate and contribute to a solution that helps you and your clients schedule and receive reminders to efficiently use the skilled labour to process animals?

Meat & Poultry Ontario (MPO) is working together with AgSights to provide a centralized online booking system for Ontario abattoirs called Processor Links. This system will enable farmers to book appointments online for livestock processing, which will improve booking visibility, accessibility, and reduce manual administrative tasks.

MPO and AgSights are currently looking to speak with producers who have recently had or are currently having difficulty 36

O N T A R I O B E E F • M AY 2 0 2 2

finding processing appointments. They will be able to provide administrative support to match them with an abattoir that aligns with their processing needs, while also gathering information for a long-term solution to this industry-wide challenge.

If you are interested in this program, please email processorlinks@agsights.com or complete an intake form (agsights.com/what-is-processor-links/), which can be found at the bottom of the webpage. OB

FARM & FOOD CARE ONTARIO

FFCO Conference Full of Good News

By Amber Anderson, Communications Manager, Farm & Food Care Ontario

O

n April 13, famers, processors and agriculture business representatives gathered in in Elora for the first time since 2019 to participate in Farm & Food Care Ontario’s (FFCO) 2022 annual conference.

Participants also joined FFCO virtually from across the province to listen to speakers like “Farmer Tim” and comedian Bill Carr. A panel discussion on how small businesses have adapted to uncertainty in a pandemic environment featured Mike Buis of Buis Beef, as well as others who talked about the challenges their small businesses faced.

FFCO also received good news from Ontario’s Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Lisa Thompson, who announced a funding agreement of up to $547,200 to support FFCO outreach initiatives over the next three years. BFO generously provided a letter of support for the funding application.

The new funding will be put towards supporting five of the organization’s activities, all designed to raise awareness and appreciation of Ontario farmers and food producers. The funding will support: • FFCO’s Breakfast on/from the Farm events which provide a unique and personal experience for non-farming Ontarians to visit and explore agriculture with working farmers each year; • Farm tours for culinary students which allow them to learn about the raising livestock and horticultural products they prepare in the kitchen; • The Garden in a Box program that connects home gardeners with Ontario farmers; • Numerous digital consumer outreach activities including virtual field trips highlighting the diversity of farms and food processing facilities to consumers; and • Interviews, photography and videography work showcasing the critical work that seasonal agricultural workers and temporary foreign workers do in Ontario for the More than a Migrant Worker initiative.

“Ensuring Ontarians have the facts on where their food comes from, how it grows, and how it is made is key to growing the next generation of leaders for Ontario’s agri-food sector,” said Lisa Thompson, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. “This important investment will empower Farm and Food Care Ontario to deliver these critical programs.”

As a registered charity, Farm & Food Care Ontario’s funding largely comes from farmers, farm organizations like Beef Farmers of Ontario, agribusinesses and others through memberships and Minister Thompson makes funding program partnerships. The announcement at FFCO’s annual conference. funding is the first Farm & Food Care has received from the provincial government for public trust work and will support these initiatives until 2025.

FFCO Develops Trucking Emergencies Guide As part of FFCO’s ongoing livestock emergency training work, a Livestock Transportation Emergencies Information Manual has been developed and is now available at www.farmfoodcare.org/livestockemergencies/. The manual includes step-by-step instructions for drivers of livestock trucks and is an excellent way for farmers to have information they need on hand in case of an emergency.

FFCO is continuing to partner with local organizations to provide Livestock Emergency Training for first responders across the province.

The course is delivered by FFCO and large animal rescue expert Victor MacPherson. The course is designed for first responders and emergency personnel and covers factors that are important to the decision-making processes for accidents involving livestock trailers, including trailer design and the implications for extrication points, animal behavior, laws and regulations, euthanasia protocols, and how to develop response teams. Limited funding is available to support departments wanting to offer the training online.

Food & Farming Champion Award The Food & Farming Champion Award for 2022 has been presented to long-time 4-H volunteer and agricultural advocate, John Drummond. The Champion Award has been presented annually, since 1999, in recognition of an individual or group’s significant commitment to public outreach and support for Ontario’s farming community.

Drummond was nominated by Anne and Kevin Snyder of Snyder Heritage Farms with letters of support submitted by colleague Angela Fairfield and by Christine Oldfield, Executive Director of 4-H Ontario. His award was John Drummond presented with the Food & presented by the Hon. Rob Farming Champion Award Black and FFCO Vice Chair Crispin Colvin.

“Recognizing leaders in championing agriculture in Ontario is an important way for the community to say thank you for all the work these leaders do,” said Colvin. “Each year we honour someone who has taken an active role in getting the message out about agriculture, and John fits that description exactly.”

“John Drummond is a legend within the 4-H community, both locally and across the province. His commitment to young people and volunteers in the 4-H program is extraordinary,” stated Black. “He is a wonderful ambassador for 4-H and our agricultural sector here in Ontario.”

With an agriculture industry career that has spanned decades, Drummond is a dairy feed specialist for Floradale Feed Mill Ltd. and a renowned, 37-year leader in Waterloo Region 4-H and in clubs across the province. Since the spring of 2020, Drummond has been a driving force keeping the 4-H program running and helping clubs adapt to running online. OB ON TAR IO BEEF • MAY 20 22

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FOCUS ON HERD HEALTH

By Jacques Van Zyl, DVM, Metzger Veterinary Services

Coccidiosis in Cattle T

his time of year, many producers are feeling the frustrations of Coccidiosis in their calves. Coccidiosis is a common term used to describe an infection by the parasite Coccidia. Coccidia belongs to a group of parasites called protozoa. There are a few other parasites that belong to the same family as Coccidia, but when producers talk about Coccidiosis in their calves, they are generally referring to the genus Eimeria.

There are many different species of Eimeria, but in cattle Eimeria zuernii and Eimeria bovis cause the most issues on-farm. Eimeria species are host specific, meaning that species that infect goats do not infect sheep or cattle and vice versa. For the remainder of this article when referring to Coccidia, I will be referring to the Eimeria species that infect cattle.

In order to adequately discuss prevention and treatment, we must first understand how Coccidia is spread and how it causes damage to cattle. The life cycle of Coccidia can be complex, but generally speaking, may be broken down into three different stages.

The first stage occurs in the environment. Coccidia cysts, called oocysts, are passed in the feces of cattle into the environment where they must first become activated to be able to infect other cattle. This process of becoming infective is called sporulation. This can take between two to four days depending on the environmental conditions it encounters. Warm, moist conditions help speed up this process and help the survival of Coccidia in the environment.

Cattle ingest the Coccidia through consuming feed or water that is contaminated with feces, or by licking areas that have been contaminated with feces. If sporulated Coccidia are ingested, the next stage of the life cycle begins.

In the second phase, ingested Coccidia make their way to the lower portion of the small intestines and into the large intestines.

Here they invade the cells lining the gut. Once inside these intestinal cells, called enterocytes, they start to divide into multiple copies of themselves. These replicate, cause the enterocyte to rupture, and spread throughout the lower gut so that they can invade more enterocytes and repeat the process. By doing so, they are causing damage to the lining of the gut and multiplying into extremely large numbers. As more cycles occur, Coccidia numbers increase rapidly, leading to increased damage to the intestines. This process is continued for a predetermined number of cycles until they enter the final phase.

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O N T A R I O B E E F • M AY 2 0 2 2

The final phase is where Coccidia develop into male or female versions that can mate and produce oocysts that are passed into the environment and start the cycle over. These oocysts are extremely hardy and, in favorable conditions, can survive up to a year in the environment. The cycle of ingestion, infection and shedding varies between Eimeria species but is generally around three weeks. Because of the timing of this life cycle, scours in the first few weeks of a calf’s life are typically not due to Coccidiosis.

There are a few important aspects of the life cycle to take away.

First is that the Coccidia go through a set number of cycles in the animal’s intestines before being passed back into the environment in feces. Because of this, the amount of Coccidia that the animal initially ingests plays an important role in determining if the animal will get sick. The second important takeaway is that after the life cycle is completed, unless more oocysts are consumed, there are no infective stages of the parasite that stay behind in the gut.

As a result, the infections are typically self-limiting. Lastly, it is the rupturing of the calf’s intestinal cells that cause the clinical signs we typically see. However, if we think back to the life cycle, the most damage occurs when there are greater Coccidia numbers, which is when they are nearing the end of their life cycle.

Therefore, by the time we start to see an animal become ill, the life cycle of the Coccidia is almost over.

Clinical signs vary between animals and can depend on several factors. Some of these factors include the species of Eimeria the animal is infected with, stress, diet, climate, crowding and exposure to other diseases. The clinical signs that we see are associated with the rupture and loss of the cells lining the gut. The most common symptom is typically diarrhea, which may also have some blood in it. Clinical signs can also include dehydration due to fluid loss, decreased appetite, and weight loss. Mortality depends on a few factors and is generally around 7-20 per cent. Economic losses are associated with the mortality, decreased gain and treatment costs associated with the disease.

Eimeria are found on every farm so infection of young, naive calves is common. The risk of infection occurs soon after birth and increases until about 3 months of age. The majority of cases occur when the animal is less than 12 months old. Once the infection is cleared, animals develop partial immunity. The immunity is specific to the species of Coccidia the calf was infected with, so animals

can be prone to Coccidiosis several times in their life, mostly at a young age. Older animals that have partial immunity excrete only a small number of oocysts and this is usually the source of infection for the younger calves. It is the younger calves that magnify the amount of Coccidia in the environment and can shed up to one million oocysts per gram of feces.

Definitively diagnosing Coccidiosis requires collecting and analyzing a fecal sample and correlating those results with the clinical signs you are seeing in your calves. Simply identifying Coccidia on a fecal exam does not warrant treatment. If confirmed, you can assume that every animal in the group has been exposed, so there is benefit in trying to prevent clinical Coccidiosis in those animals who are not yet showing clinical signs.

Prevention is aimed at environmental management. The amount of Coccidial oocysts ingested is a large contributor to the disease.

Coccidia is a very hardy parasite that can survive for prolonged periods of time in the environment. Areas with deep wet pockets of bedding are great environments to harbor Coccidia and allow for them to become infective. Cleaning out old bedding and allowing prolonged (>4 hours) exposure to UV light and drying is an effective way to decrease the number of oocysts in the environment. If going through an outbreak, separating infected calves is important as they are the ones shedding the greatest numbers back into the environment to re-infect other naive animals.

There are a few products that are used when dealing with Coccidia and these can be divided into Coccidiostats which prevent division at certain Coccidial stages, or Coccidiocides, which kill certain Coccidial stages. Coccidiostats include Amprolium, Decoquinate and certain Sulfonamide drugs. Toltrazuril, Monensin, Lasolacid and Salinomycin are considered Coccidiocides.

If you find yourself with Coccidiosis in your calves, treating at that stage is of limited utility. As previously discussed, by the time we are seeing diarrhea, the life cycle is almost complete. It is the damage to the gut lining that causes the clinical signs and initiating treatment at this stage cannot undo the damage to the gut lining, although supportive therapy may be necessary to limit mortality. Attention should be directed towards prevention in non-clinical animals. With and without treatment, animals will need time to recover and can suffer from prolonged diarrhea from the damage in the gut. Animals that recover from severe infection may become chronic poor doers because of permanent scarring in the gut. Therefore, the focus should be directed to preventing infection in asymptomatic calves.

This article is not intended to provide you with specific treatment or prevention protocols. If you are concerned about Coccidia in your herd, utilize the time before calving to discuss options with your veterinarian. Certain environmental or management changes may help prevent infection on your farm, to avoid costly medical intervention. Your herd veterinarian can help develop a prevention and/or treatment strategy that will be successful and sustainable in your operation. OB

ON TAR IO BEEF • MAY 20 22

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Ontario Beef Cattle Financial Protection Program Licensed Dealers Listing Reported as of April 22, 2022 DEALER TYPE Association Country Dealer Abattoir Abattoir Abattoir Country Dealer Country Dealer Country Dealer Auction Market Country Dealer Abattoir Country Dealer Country Dealer Meat Packer Auction Market Country Dealer Country Dealer Auction Market Meat Packer Meat Packer Meat Packer Country Dealer Country Dealer Country Dealer Country Dealer Country Dealer Country Dealer Auction Market Auction Market Country Dealer Auction Market Country Dealer Country Dealer Meat Packer Country Dealer Country Dealer Abattoir Auction Market Abattoir Country Dealer Country Dealer Abattoir Association Country Dealer

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NAME Al Madina Halal Meat Packers Alan Stirling Algoma Co-Operative Livestock Sales Alwalaa Halal Meat Alzahraa Halal Meat Inc. Anderson, Stephen ANS Livestock Aylmer Livestock Aylmer Stockyards Inc. Bateman, Harold Bentinck Packers Limited Besner, Donald Bill Wight Livestock Bruno’s Meat Distribution Ltd. Brussels Livestock Butch Clare Livestock C.R.P. Theoret Farm and Livestock Services Ltd. Cargill Auction Market Inc. Cargill Ltd. Cargill Meat Solution Corporation Champlain Beef Co. Inc. Chris Rots Enterprises Claessens Livestock Inc. Clarence Poortinga Livestock Inc. Clark Bros. Canadian Livestock Inc. Cochrane, Ernest Couperus, Bram D.H. Hickson Limited David Carson Farms & Auction Services Ltd. Deklein Livestock Denfield Livestock Exchange Inc. Dewetering, Frank Dickson, Steve Dominion Meat Packers Limited Don Sholdice Livestock Donald Thompson Farm Dufferin County Meats Inc. Embrun Livestock Exchange Ltd. Field Gate Organic Processing Ltd. Glavin, Donald Glenview Livestock Ltd. Gord’s Abattoir Inc. Grey Bruce Livestock Co-Operative Ltd. Grof Livestock

O N T A R I O B E E F • M AY 2 0 2 2

CITY

PHONE

DEALER TYPE

Brinston

416 400-6814

Auction Market

Little Britain

705 786-2993

Iron Bridge

705 842-2249

Scarborough Scarborough Chesley Kingston Springfield Aylmer Tweed Hanover Vankleek Hill Nanticoke

416 285-0778 416 701-1590 519 375-5692 613 544-3038 519 808-0904 519 765-2672 613 478-6443 519 364-3538 613 678-6421 289 439-2200

Country Dealer Country Dealer Country Dealer

Puslinch

647 228-0902

Brussels Burford

519 887-6461 519 458-4318

Auction Market

Moose Creek

613 538-6455

Auction Market

Cargill

519 366-2214

Guelph

519 823-5200

Witchita, KS

316 291-2575

Country Dealer Country Dealer Country Dealer Abattoir Abattoir Country Dealer Meat Packer Country Dealer

Country Dealer Country Dealer Country Dealer Country Dealer

Whitehall, NY Odessa St-Simon, PQ

518 499-1895 613 561-5065 450 501-7986

Brussels

519 887-9747

Dutton

519 282-0632

Bethany Toledo Campbellford

905 434-9285 613 275-1412 705 653-3660

Listowel

519 291-2049

Mossley

519 269-3548

Denfield

519 666-1140

Sebringville Joyceville

519 393-6822 613 484-1342

Toronto

416 762-7281

Brussels Trout Creek

519 357-5135 705 494-0973

Amaranth

519 939-8068

Abattoir

Greely

613 821-2634

Abattoir

Zurich

519 228-7717

Abattoir

Lucan Wallenstein Leamington

519 878-0083 519 698-2248 519 326-2503

Owen Sound

519 375-2938

Lindsay

705 878-3171

Meat Packer Country Dealer Country Dealer Auction Market Abattoir Abattoir Country Dealer Country Dealer Auction Market Country Dealer Country Dealer Country Dealer Country Dealer Country Dealer Meat Packer Abattoir

Abattoir Abattoir Abattoir

NAME Hagersville Auction Centre Hamilton Livestock Inc. Hamilton, Allan F. Hank Dekoning Limited Henry Poortinga Livestock Ltd. Hensall Cattle Co. Hewitt’s Livestock Highland Packers Limited J & J Meat Distributing Inc. Jador Beef JBS USA L.L.C. Jeff McSherry Livestock Farms Kawartha Lakes Community Sale Barn Inc. Keady Livestock Market Limited Keating, Glenn Kevin Barker Auctions Ltd. Kevin Dickson Livestock Kevin McArthur Livestock Kinder Foods Lalonde, Jonathan Laverty Trucking Listowel Livestock Ltd L’orignal Packing Ltd. Louro Bros. Meats Ltd. M & M Livestock Mangan Team Farms Maple Hill Auctions Ltd. Mar-Dale Transport (1985) Ltd. Mario Maciocia Et Fils Ltee Martin, Eldon M. McCall Livestock Menard & Fils Livestock Inc. Meyer Natural Foods Miedema’s Country Meats Miedema’s Meat Market Ltd. Millgrove Packers Limited Mister Greek Meat Market Newmarket Meat Packers Limited Northern Meat Packers & Abattoir Ltd. Norwich Packers Ltd.

CITY

PHONE

Hagersville

905 768-5601

Almonte Almonte Port Dover

613 769-3545 613 257-4594 519 583-0115

Hensall

519 671-2549

Hensall Jasper

519 263-2619 613 283-4637

Stoney Creek

905 662-8396

Toronto

905 859-1540

Chesley Greeley, CO

519-363-5090 970 506-8349

Teulon, MB

204 886-2614

Woodville

705 439-4444

Tara

519 934-2339

Norwood

705 772-8500

Woodville

705 328-1478

Joyceville

613 532-5527

Mono

519 942-0264

Mount Forest Val-Des-Monts, QC Mono Listowel L’orignal Ayr Goodwood Seeley’s Bay Walkerton

519 323-3350 613 677-2481 519 942-5356 519 291-2200 613 675-4612 519 632-7364 905 852-3812 613 561-2912 519 506-1400

Floradale

519 669-3392

La Presentation, PQ

450 796-3354

Wallenstein Brussels

519 588-2653 519 887-9571

Embrun

613 859-5073

Loveland, CO

970 292-5546

Exeter

519 235-4978

Embro

519 475-4010

Waterdown

905 689-6184

Toronto

416 469-0733

Newmarket

905 836-7001

Trout Creek

705 477-3800

Norwich

519 468-3617

DEALER TYPE Country Dealer Abattoir Auction Market Auction Market Auction Market Country Dealer Abattoir Auction Market Meat Packer Country Dealer Abattoir Association Abattoir Association Auction Market Country Dealer Meat Packer Country Dealer Abattoir Country Dealer Country Dealer Country Dealer Country Dealer Meat Packer Meat Packer Abattoir Country Dealer Country Dealer Auction Market

NAME Omer Poirier Livestock Inc. Ontario Halal Meat Packers Ontario Livestock Exchange Inc. Ontario Stockyards Inc. Ottawa Livestock Exchange P.D. Dale Enterprises Ltd. Paradise Farms Parks Livestock of Canada, L.P. Pine Ridge Meat Packers Pratten, Kevin Quinn’s Meats Rainy River Cattlemen’s Assoc Ralph Bos Meats Ltd. Renfrew Agricultural Society Renfrew-Pontiac Livestock Ltd. Robert Rubino Trucking Ltd. SA Halal Meat Inc. Sauder Transport L.T.D. Savage Abattoir Schaus Land and Cattle Co. Ltd. Sedore Farms Snyder Livestock South East Livestock Ltd. St. Ann’s Foods Inc. St. Helen’s Meat Packers Ltd. Stayner Meat Packers Ltd. Sunny Miroca Farms Tebo Livestock Temiskaming Livestock Exchange 1992

CITY

PHONE

DEALER TYPE

Alexandria

613 525-3020

Country Dealer

Milton

905 875-0270

Waterloo

519 884-2082

Cookstown

705 458-4000

Greely

613 821-2634

Hanover Toronto

519 364-6205 416 449-5994

Milverton

519 595-8555

Abattoir Country Dealer Country Dealer Country Dealer Abattoir Abattoir Meat Packer Abattoir Abattoir Country Dealer

Ajax London Yarker

647 339-8977 519 643-8564 613 377-6430

Emo

807 483-5354

Strathroy

519 245-1574

Renfrew

613 432-5331

Cobden

613 646-7335

Porcupine

705 266-4076

Fairview, NJ Arthur St-Albert

201-918-1575 519 848-5771 613 987-2070

Elmwood

519 363-3516

Phelpston Beachburg Steinbach Etobicoke

705 322-8159 613 582-3584 204 694-7857 416 742-4272

Toronto

416 769-1788

Stayner

705 428-3006

Gananoque Tweed

613 382-7324 613 849-8968

New Liskeard

705 647-5415

Auction Market Country Dealer Abattoir Abattoir Abattoir Abattoir Meat Packer Country Dealer Country Dealer Country Dealer Country Dealer Country Dealer Country Dealer

NAME Thames Sales Yard Limited The Beef Way (1997) Titan Livestock Inc. Todd Dickson Livestock Toll Gate Farm Townsend Butchers Inc. Tremblay, Lucien Tru Harvest Meats Inc. University Of Guelph V.G. Meats Vanbenthem, John Vankleek Hill Livestock Exchange Ltd. Vernla Livestock Inc. Walkerton Meat Market Wallace Beef Inc. Weiland Meats Ltd. Weltin Meat Packing Inc. White Veal Meat Packers Ltd. William Haalstra Livestock Willowtree Farm Wm. D. McComb Inc. Wood, Bill Woodrow, Neil Wright Livestock

CITY

PHONE

Thamesville

519 692-3804

Kincardine Edmonton, AB Kingston Mountain Simcoe St. Chrysostome Toronto Guelph Simcoe Hagersville

519 396-2257 780 487-8769 613 449-9750 613 989-3139 519 426-6750 450 826-0448 416 742-4272 519 824-4120 519 426-2000 905 920-9339

Vankleek Hill

450 826-0448

Wallenstein Walkerton Glenburnie Petrolia Minden City

519 699-5921 519 881-0781 613 536-6379 519 882-1215 989 864-8328

Cookstown

705 458-0707

Dunnville

905 774-1739

Port Perry Cambridge Lyndhurst Courtice Jasper

905 985-4973 519 658-3129 613 540-4074 905 404-4526 613 275-2771

The OBCFPP list is updated regularly and can be found on the Agricorp website. OB

Beef Cattle Financial Protection Program O

ntario’s Beef Cattle Financial Protection Program provides financial protection to beef cattle sellers when a licensed dealer defaults on payment. Administration of the program is funded by the Government of Ontario.

The ministry licenses all beef cattle dealers (including country dealers, abattoirs, auction markets, associations and meat packers).

To be eligible for protection, beef farmers must sell their animals to a licensed dealer and pay a check-off fee on each sale. The fees are deposited into a fund.

While many businesses continue to face disruptions, the rules and regulations regarding the licensing of cattle dealers and the purchase of beef cattle under the Livestock and Livestock Products Act are still in force.

Two types of claims can be made against the fund: • Cattle sellers may make a claim if a licensed dealer defaults on payment. Compensation is 95 per cent on approved claims. Sellers

making a claim must apply to the Livestock Financial Protection Board (LFBP) within 30 days of the day of sale. Sellers may also make a claim if a dealer has ceased operation or if a dealer’s assets were placed under a trustee or receiver.

• Licensed dealers may make a claim if a producer defaults on payment. Compensation is 85 per cent, up to a maximum of $125,000. There is no compensation for claims less than $5,000.

The LFPB manages the fund and determines if a claim should be paid.

Agricorp supports the ministry in licensing dealers, collects the check-off fees and supports the LFPB, and OMAFRA manages program policy, licensing decisions, investigations and enforcement.

For information on how to obtain a dealer license or to make a claim, contact Agricorp at 1-888-247-4999. OB

ON TAR IO BEEF • MAY 20 22

41

Adding Value to

Ontario Beef Through

Quality Assurance

Steps to become VBP+ Certified:

s T e P s T e P

AUDIT PREP During the training webinar, you will learn about the audit requirements. Operations must have at least six months of records for cow-calf producers and three months of records for feedlots.

s T e P

ON-FARM AUDIT Schedule an on-farm audit with a trained auditor coordinated through the national office.

Complete any Corrective Action Requests from the audit to successfully become a VBP+ Certified operation.

s T e P

1 2 3 4

TRAINING Currently offered as a free, live webinar.

Please email jaclyn@ontariobeef.ca for upcoming training dates.

MAINTAIN ACTIVE VBP+ STATUS Complete yearly record requirements to ensure that you are still in compliance with the program.

On-farm audits are completed once every five years.

Ontario feedlots also have the option to be certified under the Ontario Corn Fed Beef Quality Assurance Program through the completion of training, assessments and an on-farm audit.

For more information on the OCFBQA, please contact

John Baker

Audit Level LeveL LeveL LeveL

1 2 3

O N T A R I O B E E F • M AY 2 0 2 2

ON QA Rebate

• COW-CALf • SHORT-TERM BACKGROUNDING

$1,250

$937

• BACKGROUNDING (MORE THAN 4 MONTHS) • FINISHING

$1,750

$1,312

$2,000

$1,500

(4 MONTHS OR LESS)

• COMBINED COW-CALF AND

BACKGROUNDING (more than 4 months)

• COW-CALF TO FINISH

* Ontario's QA Rebate Incentive of 75% of the VBP+ audit cost is available until December 31, 2021 on a first-come, first-served basis. Funding for this program is provided by the Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO) and the Joint Marketing Committee (JMC), a partnership between BFO and the Ontario Cattle Feeders’ Association.

john@ontariocornfedbeef.com Dan Ferguson dan@ontariobeef.com 42

Audit Cost

Operation Type

Jaclyn Horenberg jaclyn@ontariobeef.com

MARKET INFORMATION UPDATE

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

S

tatistics Canada released the January 1st Cattle Inventory in March and looking at Ontario numbers, fed steers on Ontario farms as of Jan 1, 2022 total 250,800 head, up 2.93% from Jan 1, 2021 and 2.3% more than in 2020. However, steer volumes on Jan 1, 2022 are the third lowest since 2014. Heifer volumes held fully steady to last January at 142,000 head, and were up 12.3% from Jan 1, 2020. 2021 and 2022 volumes are the highest since 2012. Beef cow volumes reported on Ontario farms continue to decline with the Jan 1, 2022 volume at 234,600 head, down 2.6% from 2021 and 5.8% below Jan 1, 2020. The Jan 1, 2022 volume of beef cows is the lowest January 1st inventory since 1951.

Replacement heifer volumes on Ontario farms as of Jan 1, 2022 total 42,500 up 5.2% from 2021 and 1% more than in 2020. The Jan 1, 2022 volume is the highest January 1st inventory since 2016 and is the fourth largest January 1st volume in this data set of 15 years. The Ontario inventory of calves under one year of age as of Jan 1, 2022 is reported at 458,700 head, up 5.1% from Jan 1, 2021 and 11% more than 2020 and is the largest January 1st inventory since 2013.

Ontario provincial processing volumes for fed cattle, cows and bulls as of Feb 28th total 14,432 head up 1.2% from 2021 and up 23.7% from 2020. In that mix, steers are up 6.4% from 2021, heifers fully steady, cull cows down 4.3% and bulls down 12.3% from last year. At federally inspected plants volumes processed as of April 15, 2022 are at 172,454 head up 2.3% from the same time in 2021 and 6.6% above April 15, 2020. The federal processing volume year-to-date (April 15, 2022) is the second largest in this ten-year data set. The volume of steers processed federally are up 1.15% from April 15, 2021 with heifers down 13.7% compared to 2021. Cull cow volumes as of April 15, 2022 are up 23.3% from the same time in 2021. Although cull cow volumes were very high to start the year, the numbers have dropped considerably from the end of March with weekly processing volumes now in line with the last two years at this time.

Exports of live cattle to the U.S. through Ontario ports are down considerably this year compared to the last few years. As of Feb 28, 2022 there has been a total of 389 fed steers exported down 72% from last year at this time, fed heifers total 2,886 head down 27% and cows total 7,958 head down 35% from the same time last year. The lighter cow exports to the U.S. have contributed to more cull cows being processed in Ontario.

At time of reporting mid April, the cash cattle trade in Ontario has been steady at $290.00 dressed for steers for 16 straight

weeks, with heifers $289-290 dressed. High feed costs have kept cattle current with weights below average for this time of year.

Cull cows are seeing lighter volumes come to market on the dairy breeds while beef cow numbers have increased over last year.

Recent cow prices are very strong and have not been this high since the fall of 2015.

As of April 16, there were 51,013 stocker and feeder cattle sold through Ontario auction markets year to date, which is down 13.2% from April 16, 2021, down 7% from 2020, down 1.5% from 2019 but 5.5% more than April 16, 2018. At time of reporting the spring stocker sales are about to ramp up. On the graphs included, please note that April values are from April 1-15 due to reporting deadlines. Heavier stocker steers and heifers over 900 pounds have had a stronger first quarter compared to previous years but values have declined from the January high. Heifers 700-900 pounds are also above the last two years and the five-year average. Lighter weights have been steady to stronger than 2021 for most categories and all classes of cattle are stronger than the five-year average.

The market information section of our website can help you keep an eye on current market prices. For those without technology, BFO provides a tapeline which is updated twice a day with the day’s auction market sale reports, railgrade prices, cattle futures and the Alberta and U.S. markets. This can be accessed toll free at 1-866-370-2333 or locally at 519-824-0334. Just dial extension 301 for the noon report and 300 for the night report or the rail report. Daily and weekly reports are available on the BFO website under Market Info at www.ontariobeef.com or via email or fax. The weekly report is available by regular mail for those without access to the internet. OB

Continued on page 44.

ON TAR IO BEEF • MAY 20 22

43

Continued from page 43. – Market

44

Info

O N T A R I O B E E F • M AY 2 0 2 2

Continued on page 46.

ON TAR IO BEEF • MAY 20 22

45

Continued from page 45. – Market

46

Info

O N T A R I O B E E F • M AY 2 0 2 2

BEEF EXPORTS - CANADA

United States

Mexico

Jan. 1 - Feb. 28, ‘22 % Change

Total

54,762 tonnes +13% tonnes

Jan. 1 - Feb. 28, ‘22 % Change

Japan

Jan. 1 - Feb. 28, ‘22

Total

4,454 tonnes

10,145 tonnes

+6%

China Jan. 1 - Feb. 28, ‘22

+25%

2,428 tonnes

+36%

BEEF PRODUCTION - CANADA

Jan. 1 - Apr. 9 ‘22

Last Year Same Time

Fed

307,748 tonnes

295,498 tonnes

% Change +4%

Non-fed

46,210 tonnes

44,143 tonnes

+5%

BEEF IMPORTS - CANADA

Jan. 1 - Apr. 9, ‘22

Last Year Same Time

% Change

US

26,672 tonnes

27,594 tonnes

-3%

Non-NAFTA

8,462 tonnes

14,838 tonnes

-43%

EU-28 (beef/veal total) 3,656 tonnes

3,836 tonnes

-5%

48,770 tonnes

-13%

Total

42,465 tonnes

LIVE CATTLE - CANADA IMPORTS

EXPORTS

Jan. 1 - Feb. 28, ‘22

Jan. 1 - Apr. 2, ‘22

EXPORTS % Change

Purebred

1,069

Slaughter steers, heifers & cows 138,861 +10%

Non-Purebred

33,996

Feeder steers & heifers

Bulls

81,997 +349% 7,108

+1%

LIVE CATTLE EXPORTS - ONTARIO

Week ending Mar. 26, ‘22 Week ending Mar. 19, ‘22 Year to Date

Total to US.

1,979

1,860

25,617

Steers, Heifers, Cows 1,883

1,756

24,524

104

1,093

Bulls

96

ON TAR IO BEEF • MAY 20 22

47

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:

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.

Stocker:

Breeding Stock Females:

Culls:

Breeding Stock Bulls:

Calves:

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

Date:

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

Signature:

d) Total Amount Owing (b+c)

Print Name: Address:

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

HST# R107797128

!

BEEF BUSINESS LEADERS Martin BOOMER Owen 4550 Ament Line

CREEK LIVESTOCK

Wallenstein Ont. N0B 2S0 C. 519-501-2207 E. owenmartin4550@gmail.com

Purebred Red & Black Simmentals

Since 1973

GENETICS

Quality Proven Fleckvieh Simmental Breeding Stock

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

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

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

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

Daryl and Connie Clarke and Family 342 Chatham Street South, Blenheim, Ontario N0P 1A0 Herdsman and Marketing Manager Hugh M. Ross: 519-365-4026 hugh.clarkeffi@gmail.com

www.clarkefarmilyfarminc.com

Advertise in

BEEF BUSINESS LEADERS Very reasonable rates! Deadline for August 2022 issue is July 15.

Call 519-763-8833 for information 48

O N T A R I O B E E F • M AY 2 0 2 2

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

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

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

Mi ller Land & Li vestock

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

Advertise in

BEEF BUSINESS LEADERS Very reasonable rates! Deadline for August 2022 issue is July 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

CALENDAR

Ontario Beef Industry Events June 29 – Feedlot Management School, Middlesex and Oxford Counties. Visit www.ontariobeef.com for details July 26 -30 – Canadian Junior Hereford Bonanza, Lindsay July 27-30 – Canadian Charolais Youth Association Conference and Show, Renfrew July 30 – Ontario Limousin Association Annual Meeting and Junior Show, Listowel August 5-6 – Ontario Beef Youth Alliance Tour, Hastings and Prince Edward Counties. Visit www.ontariobeef.com for details August 16-18 – Canadian Beef Industry Conference, Penticton, B.C. August 26-27 – Cow-Calf Management School, Simcoe County. Visit www.ontariobeef.com for details

September 13-15 – Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show, Woodstock September 20-24 – International Plowing Match and Rural Expo, Kemptville October 1 – National Blonde d’Aquitaine Show, Markham October 22 – 22nd Annual “Cream of the Crop” Blonde d’Aquitaine Sale, Hoard’s Station October 24 – Limousin Influence Stocker Sale, Listowel October 28 – Limousin Influence Stocker Sale, Cargill November 4-13 – 100th Anniversary, Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, Toronto November 19 – Limousin Influence Female Sale, Listowel December 10 – Eastern Showcase Limousin Sale, Hanover

SILVERTIP

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

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

322 Burt Road St. George, Ontario N0E 1N0

Embryos and Live Cattle for sale.

Pete Coleman

Garry & Sheila Smart

Brantford, ON

Where Quality Counts

Cell: 519-865-3453 pete.bridgeview@gmail.com www.qualityseeds.ca

8400 Huntington Road, Vaughan, ON 1-877-856-SEED (7333) • Fax: 905-856-7509

“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.

8669 Concession 6 Listowel, ON N4W 3G8

Gates, Hutches, Fencing, Scales, Chutes & More

sales@steelheadag.com • 519-266-6877 • www.steelheadag.com

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

Sunny Meadows Charolais

SPECKLE PARK

HUGH MACNEIL

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

Andy Millar

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

SUNRISE ANGUS (since 1995)

Purebred Black Angus Cattle

Bulls and females sold private treaty Consigning to Bluewater Angus Sale in October

Joel & Irene Thomas • 477285 3rd Line Melancthon ON L9V 1T5

Phone: 519 925 5661• Cell: 519 940 1258 Email: sunriseangusfarm@outlook.com

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

Performance live/frozen genetics available!

WAYDAMAR SIMMENTALS

Advertise in

BEEF BUSINESS LEADERS Very reasonable rates!

Deadline for August 2022 issue is July 15.

Call 519-763-8833 for information

Simmental Bulls is our Business & Heifers that can Produce them

Black & Reds • Performance • Ultrasound Tested

Contact: Dave: 519-375-0122 Josh: 519-362-5373 • Grant: 519-387-0429

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 • MAY 20 22

49

WELLNESS ON THE FARM By the Ontario Federation of Agriculture

Add Mental Wellness to Your Growing Season Checklist T

he disappearance of snow and arrival of spring showers triggers the countdown for the 2022 growing season. Many of us have spent the winter months waiting in anticipation as we ordered inputs, prepared for calving and ensured that equipment is ready for when mother nature gives the green light.

Farm life is busy and as we juggle its daily demands, we often forget that the farm’s most precious resource is the people behind it.

Always remember, you and your team are your farm’s most valuable assets.

As farmers, we automatically assess our livestock and evaluate if they have over-wintered well or need additional support. It is second nature to regularly monitor them for physical or mental changes, and to check for equipment that requires maintenance, but the people involved in the farm can benefit from maintenance and check-ins, too.

Check in with yourself, loved ones and those in your community.

It is important to take the time to do a self-assessment of how you are both physically, mentally and look out for others. Asking yourself a few simple questions can help you better understand your current state of mind. For example, how have you and your loved ones fared this winter? Are you optimistic for the future or running low on hope, optimism and energy? Are you looking forward to planting season or feeling overwhelmed with the unpredictability of weather, increasing costs and potential market volatility?

Farmers are resilient, but it is important to recognize when you or someone you know needs help. In the Know training can help in identifying stress, depression, anxiety, substance misuse and empower you to start conversations around mental 50

O N T A R I O B E E F • M AY 2 0 2 2

well-being. The facilitators provide a four-hour mental health literacy workshop tailored to farmers and producers. With support from OFA, the Canadian Mental Health Association – Ontario branches offer this training across the province in rural and agricultural communities. The In the Know training is meant for all farmers, producers and persons who often interact with the agriculture sector. Family members, peers, veterinarians, breeders, farm input providers, financial advisors, accountants and community members are all encouraged to complete the course.

For more individual support, the Farmer Wellness Initiative offers farmers across Ontario and members of their household access to free counselling sessions with a mental health professional. These mental health professionals have received training to understand the unique needs of Ontario farmers. Accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, in English and French, farmers can call 1-866-267-6255 to speak to a counsellor. This project is provided with funding by the governments of Canada and Ontario, including support from the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a five-year federal-provincialterritorial initiative.

Remember, we’re all in this together. Lean on your community and band together to help each other through. Check in on your neighbours, friends and loved ones to see how they’re doing. A phone call or visit can make the world of a difference to someone who needs a helping hand or listening ear. We cannot control the mother nature, markets, or increasing input costs, but we can control how we show up for ourselves and each other.

Team OFA wishes you all a bountiful and safe 2022 growing season. OB

CHAROLAIS FOR YEAR-ROUND ECONOMIC ADVANTAGES CHOOSE

SPRING... SUMMER... FALL... WINTER...

You can depend on CHAROLAIS to add More Pounds, Add More Dollars

Plan to attend the Canadian Charolais Youth Association Conference and Show, Renfrew, Ontario July 27 to 30. For more information, please Visit youth.charolais.com.

Check the

ONTARIO CHAROLAIS FACEBOOK/TWITTER AND WEBSITE for the latest Charolais News and Events Listings.

Ontario Charolais Association

@OnCharolais

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

August 16-18, 2022

Penticton Trade and Convention Centre Penticton, British Columbia IN PERSON

Register Today!