has at least 50% male or female Angus influence. The Angus tag meets all the requirements that every other RFID tag does plus if the carcass meets specs it could also be eligible to enter the existing Branded Angus Beef market where demand from the companies like McDonald’s, WalMart, Loblaws, Swiss Chalet and other branded beef programs currently outstrips supply – this to me does not seem like a complex decision. This does not even have to be about Angus unless you want it to be. To me it just makes good business/marketing sense for any animal that can meet the requirement and possibly add value to that carcass. Until recently CAB – Certified Angus Beef (US program owned by the American Black Angus Association) was the primary and highly successful branded Angus Beef program and black hided cattle were the only cattle eligible. The CAA Angus tag now opens a brand new door to a branded Angus Beef program without the requirement to be black in color. I see no valid reason why producers would not jump all over this opportunity for many crossbred calves throughout the beef industry. These tags are competitively priced and readily available in person or mailed right to your mailbox a lot quicker than you can imagine. All of the above also ties in nicely once you are registered with VBP Plus and BIXS to enable verification of Traceability along the chain from the pasture to the packer to the plate. If your operation is signed up with BIXS and VBP verified, then the feedlot that feeds your cattle is also VBP verified followed by slaughter at a Verified packing plant then that tag owner would be eligible for a credit that has a value for taking the time to get signed up for these programs that are all part of Canadian Beef Traceability and the future of markets in OUR industry. Yes it is OUR BEEF INDUSTRY and now it is OUR turn as producers to step up and help our own industry and do what is required to put in place properly tagged animals for the markets that already exist – I would suggest if Canadian producers are not willing to take the steps the industry requires to provide the product to fill these already existing markets those that supply the markets will eventually source it somewhere else. There is a huge shortfall of tagged calves that reach the kill floor with pasture to plate traceability intact as well as Angus tagged calves for the current branded programs. We all have to tag them so why not tag them Angus if your calves meet the requirements. Producers the ball is in our court! There is an opportunity staring us right square in the eye so let’s not miss it. CAA Business Development Representative Bob Toner will be in attendance to answer any questions sale day and he will have CAA RFID tags with him. Now that I have taken up all your time with the above I will keep it short. These bulls in the WRAZ offering come from a very sound group of females. Culling of the herd has been ruthless for the past ten years to the point that I am very confident to say the foot and udder quality is very high within the herd so I will not be repeating
Cornerstone Bull & Female Sale
this in my footnotes. The sires are very fertile and strong footed with lots of hair and capacity. Sire selection depends heavily on a very strong female with a proven production record. We hope to see you sale day and you are invited to join us Saturday April 7 for our annual open house/customer appreciation day. This is a great opportunity to see the whole program and evaluate the bulls ahead of time. Come any time after 1 PM and stay as long as you like. We would be pleased to show you our program as well as welcome you to some good old fashion WRAZ hospitality. WRAZ follows a whole herd health program under the advice of Dr. Henry McCarthy of Wawota Veterinary Service. The females are vaccinated following the BoviGold protocol that will ensure Fetal Protection from BVD as well as a BVD free herd status. The bulls are vaccinated with BoviGold One-shot and Ultrabac 7 in spring followed by a booster in the fall roughly 3 weeks before weaning. Dr. Henry McCarthy also does our Breeding Soundness Evaluations and unless otherwise stated the bulls will have passed a semen test prior to sale day. Please do not hesitate to call me pretty much any time if you would like assistance selecting a bull. We also have quality commercial females on offer – once again quality open females and new this year a few commercial pairs. Take care! Phil
“The program you can count on”
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Phil & Lana Birnie & Family Box 461, Wawota, SK S0G 5A0 T 306-739-2988 • C 306-577-7440 wraz@sasktel.net Gordon Murray T 306-739-2177 • C 306-646-7980