Feb 2015 charolais connection

Featuring progeny of: RGP Remington 101Y HTA Challenge 161Y HTA Scorpio 874U HTA Bravia 855U HTA Ice 19X HTA Bradack 137Y Winn Mans Quigley 539X C2 Zeplin 45Z HTA Conrad 248Z Polled Raven HTA Crown Prince Nobleman, plus more!

50+ Yearling Charolais Bulls Sell

HTA TABASCO 411B• BW 7.5% of dam HTA Ice x SVS Nobleman BW 5.1 WW 39 YW 83 TM 43 M 23 Adj 205 DW 761, Adj 365 DW 1484

Come early to choose your bull and join us for lunch

HTA EXPERTISE 432B • BW 5.9% of dam HTA Challenge x Rawes Aden BW 2.6 WW 51 YW 101 TM 48 M 23 Adj 205 DW 765, Adj 365 DW 1471

HTA MAXIMIZE 435B BW 5.3% of dam HTA Scorpio x Merit Cobb BW 2.3 WW 47 YW 93 TM 43 M 19 Adj 205 DW 669 Adj 365 DW 1389

HTA TOLEDO 448B BW 7.5% of dam RGP Remington x Merit Cobb BW 5.4 WW 60 YW 110 TM 43 M 13 Adj 205 DW 842 Adj 365 DW 1650

Visitors welcome anytime!

Stop by for an on-farm inspection of the bull pen.

www.htacharolais.com

Contact us for a free catalogue or more information.

Like us on Facebook PO Box 639, Rivers, MB R0K 1X0 T: 204-328-7704 • Shawn’s cell: call or text 204-724-8823 htacharolais@hotmail.com • Follow us on twitter @htacharolais Charolais Connection • February 2015

Sale Manager

306-584-7937 Helge By 306-536-4261 Candace By 306-536-3374 charolaisbanner@gmail.com 3

contents

The Charolais Connection 124 Shannon Road Regina, Saskatchewan S4S 5B1 Ph. (306) 546-3940 • Fax (306) 546-3942 Home Page: http://www.charolaisbanner.com Email: charolaisbanner@sasktel.net ISSN 0824-1767 Manager/Publisher Helge By Managing Editor Candace By charolaisbanner@gmail.com @ByCandace

F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 5 • V O L . X X X I I , N O . 1

From the Field......................................................................................8 Du champ ...........................................................................................10 Canadian Charolais Association .......................................................12

Production/Graphic Design Susan Penner charolais.susan@sasktel.net Web Design Dalyse Robertson pdmrobertson@gmail.com FIELDMEN: Alberta & British Columbia Craig Scott 5107 Shannon Drive, Olds, AB T4H 1X3 Res. (403) 507-2258 Fax (403) 507-2268 Cell (403) 651-9441 sbanner@telusplanet.net @craigscott222

De L’Association de Charolais Canadien ..........................................14 Profile – LZ Farms Inc.........................................................................21 Canadian Charolais Youth Association News..................................40 Power Tools........................................................................................44

Saskatchewan, Manitoba, USA & Eastern Canada

Responding to Consumers Critical for Growth ...............................48

Helge By 124 Shannon Rd., Regina, SK S4S 5B1 Office (306) 546-3940 Office Fax (306) 546-3942 Res. (306) 584-7937 Cell (306) 536-4261 charolaisbanner@gmail.com @CharolaisBanner

Herd Health – Common Young Calf Problems.................................50 Calendar of Events ............................................................................58 Index of Advertisers..........................................................................62

SUBSCRIPTIONS: $6.30 per year $16.80 – 3 years (Prices include 5% GST) The Charolais Connection is mailed to over 13,000 cattlemen nationwide. Those cattlemen include all purebred Charolais breeders, buyers of purebred Charolais bulls from the past six years and all subscribers to the Charolais Banner.

No material contained in the Charolais Connection may be reprinted without the permission of the Charolais Banner. The publishers reserve the right to refuse any advertisements.

The material produced in this publication is done so with the highest integrity, however, we assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. We are responsible for only the value of the advertisement.

Animals in the photographs in the Connection have not been altered by computer enhancement or mechanical methods according to the knowledge of the publisher.

on the cover…

4

Printed by Print West, Regina, Saskatchewan Publications Mail Agreement No. 40047726 Postage paid at Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada

Silver calves grazing the rugged South Saskatchewan River. Profile starts on page 21.

Postmaster: Please return undeliverable publications (covers only) to: Charolais Banner, 124 Shannon Road, Regina, Saskatchewan S4S 5B1, Canada.

Photo: Helge By Design: Susan Penner

Published by the Charolais Banner, Regina, SK (3 times per year - February, March and Fall)

Charolais Connection • February 2015

Charolais Connection • February 2015

5

Plan now to attend…

Rawes Ranches Ltd. 32nd Annual Performance Tested Charolais Bull Sale

Tuesday, February 17, 2015, at the ranch, Strome, AB.

On offer: 140 Two Year Olds Proven genetics Many ½ & ¾ brothers Single and Pair lots Internet bidding In house warranty program Video sale with bulls available for on-site viewing Personal guarantee

Catalogue and Bull Video Available online

www.rawesranches.com The Ranch where performance is no accident!

MYHRE LAND & CATTLE to DENBIE RANCH & GUESTS BULL SALE

HANS & MARY MYHRE T: 204-638-5664 C: 204-648-6416 hans@myhrefarm.com myhrelandandcattle.com @Myhre_Hans

6

John & Myrna Rawe 780-376-3598 Philip & Marie Harty 780-376-2241

FEBRUARY 14, 2015 • STE ROSE AUCTION MART, STE ROSE, MB 12 COMING TWO YR OLD VIRGIN CHAROLAIS BULLS Ranch raised, they are the kind we have been producing to use on our herd.

Well grown, not pushed, they will last.

Charolais Connection • February 2015

Charolais Connection • February 2015

7

POINTS TO PONDER

From the Field Helge By

Well here we are the middle of January and the beef market is still percolating along. December saw some pull backs in futures and fat cattle but the first part of January the fats were bouncing back. The feeder calf market although not quite as high as some points last fall, is still higher than anyone would have predicted one year ago. This past week I heard reports of 900 weights still bringing over $2,000. The markets have been a bit unpredictable but are staying strong.

One of the most interesting things I see in the beef market is that the consumers haven’t backed away from eating beef. This is encouraging on many levels. One, they enjoy eating beef and are willing to pay more for it; and two, all the promotion seems to be working on the health benefits of incorporating beef into a healthy diet.

I am including a short article from Kansas State University that I found interesting on Country of Origin labeling. Hopefully common sense will prevail before this causes more problems in our industry.

Research finds mandatory meat labels economically not worth the fight MANHATTAN — When you pick up a pound of meat from the grocery store, have you noticed the label indicating where the meat originated? According to new research, most shoppers have no idea the label exists — but that little label is causing a big stir among the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

In October 2014, the World Trade Organization ruled in favor of Canada and Mexico, finding that the mandated country-of-origin labels in the U.S. are not trade compliant and hurt business in nearby countries. The U.S. is appealing the decision. However, research from Kansas State University, in collaboration

8

with Oklahoma State University, finds that most consumers aren't willing to pay extra for the label.

"Less than one-third of the participants surveyed know that it is a law to label where the meat originates," said Glynn Tonsor, associate professor of agricultural economics at Kansas State University. "Effectively, producers lose and consumers lose because we have not observed an aggregate demand increase in response to that origin information."

The labels were implemented in 2009 to provide shoppers more information about the origin of their meat. In 2013, the labels were revised to provide more specifics about the origin, including where the animal was born, raised and slaughtered. Tonsor surveyed consumers in 2009 and in 2013 and found the same results: The majority of shoppers aren't interested in these labels.

"Time and time again, we find that food safety, price, freshness and taste tend to be attributes, regardless of the meat product we're talking about, that rank highly in importance and drive purchasing decisions," Tonsor said.

"Social issues like origin, environmental impact and sustainability matter to consumers, but do not drive purchasing decisions."

A decision on the appeal is expected in early 2015. In the meantime, country-of-origin labels are still being used.

The commercial bred cow and heifer market was excellent last fall with the fancy heifers going up over $4,000 in some cases. There is enthusiasm and optimism in the industry that we haven’t seen for decades. The purebred Charolais female sales were the same with the average price per lot doubling from the fall before.

We hope you enjoy this first issue of the spring with a great article on a Saskatchewan producer who is convinced using a Charolais bull on

Charolais Connection • February 2015

black cows is the only way to go.

Have a read and if you need extra issues to pass around, let us know, or it is available online at charolaisbanner.com right on the homepage.

Also in this issue you will see the advertising for many of the spring bull sales. What I have seen so far in the bull pens is as impressive as ever.

Lower birth weights, more performance, just what everyone wants. The Charolais breeders are doing a great job producing the type of bull that will work at all levels of the industry with no problems.

A common theme across the country last fall was the number of mature bulls going to market. Many auction markets had as many numbers as ever. With the good prices being received there were bulls selling for more money than when they were purchased and were used for a number of years. Combine that with the cost of wintering and semen testing and lots of producers shipped them and will replace them this spring with fresh new genetics. My point here is you can expect a very strong bull market. There will be lots of demand, especially as we see more producers switching to Charolais bulls to capitalize on the premium prices paid on the Charcross calves this past fall and winter. A $.10 premium and an added 20 to 50 lb. from crossbreeding adds up to a lot of money when you are starting at $3.00/lb. Who wouldn’t want an extra $100 plus per calf?

So as we get into the bull sales, if Craig Scott or I can be of any assistance, please don’t hesitate to give us a call. We are always happy to help in any way we can.

Until next time, Helge

Charolais Connection • February 2015

9

POINT A SURVEILLER

Du champ Helge By

Eh bien oui nous sommes déjà au milieu de janvier et le marché du bœuf est encore sous pression. En décembre les bovins gras ont eu tendance à la baisse mais en janvier ils sont revenus à la hausse. Le marché du veau d’embouche n’est pas aussi élevé que l’automne dernier, mais il est encore plus haut qu’on aurait pu prédire il y a un an. La semaine dernière j’ai vu des poids de 900 lbs rapporter plus de $2000.00. Les marchés sont imprévisibles mais sont restés forts.

Une des choses les plus intéressantes dans le marché de la viande, c’est que les consommateurs n’ont pas ralenti de manger du bœuf, c’est encourageant à plusieurs niveaux.Ils aiment manger du bœuf et sont prêts à payer pour cela et deuxièmement la promotion semble très bien fonctionner sur les bienfaits de la viande de bœuf pour une alimentation saine.

J’ai lu récemment un article de l’université du Kansas que j’ai trouvé très intéressant sur l’étiquetage du pays d’origine. Espérons que le grand bon sens prévaudra, pour éviter plus de problèmes dans notre industrie.

Une recherche sur l’étiquetage obligatoire n’en vaut pas cette lutte MANHATTAN : Lorsque vous achetez une livre de viande à l’épicerie avez-vous remarqué l’étiquette indiquant d’où venait la viande? Selon une nouvelle étude, la plupart des consommateurs n’ont aucune idée que ce label existe, mais ce petit label est à l’origine d’un grand débat entre les USA le CDN et le Mexique. En Octobre 2014 l’Organisation Mondiale du Commerce a statué en faveur du Canada et du Mexique estimant que les étiquettes des USA sur le pays d’origine ne sont pas conformes au commerce entre les pays voisins. Les USA font appel de la décision. Cependant la recherche de l’Université du Kansas en collaboration avec l’Université de l’Oklahoma constate 10

que la plupart des consommateurs ne sont pas disposés à payer un supplément pour l’étiquetage. Moins d’un tiers des participants interrogés savent que c’est une loi d’étiqueter la viande sur son pays d’origine a déclaré GlynnTonsor professeur d’économie agricole à l’Université du Kansas. En effet les producteurs et les consommateurs sont perdants, n’ayant observé aucune augmentation significative de la consommation, en réponse à cette information sur l’origine. Les étiquettes ont été mises en vigueur en 2009 pour fournir à leurs clients plus d’information sur l’origine de leur viande. En 2013, les étiquettes ont été revisées pour fournir plus de détails sur l’origine y compris lorsque l’animal est né, élevé et abattu.

TONSOR a sondé les consommateurs en 2009 et en 2013 pour toujours en venir aux mêmes résultats. La majorité des acheteurs ne sont pas intéressés par ces labels. Maintes et maintes fois nous constatons que ce qui est le plus important pour le consommateur, c’est la sécurité alimentaire, le prix, la fraîcheur, et le goût, quelque soit le produit dont nous parlons c’est ce qui conduit aux décisions d’achats, a déclaré TONSOR. Les questions sociales, comme l’origine, l’impact sur l’environnement et la durabilité importe peu aux consommateurs et ne conduisent pas à des décisions d’achat.

Une décision sur l’appel est attendue au début de 2015.Dans l’intervalle, les étiquettes du pays d’origine sont encore utilisées.

Le marché pour la vache et la taure commerciale était excellent l’automne dernier, tant qu’au pur-sang les prix allait jusqu’à $4000.00 dans certain cas. L’enthousiasme et l’optimisme dans l’industrie sont au plus haut niveau, nous n’avons pas vu cet engouement depuis des décennies.

Les femelles CHAROLAISES ont doublé de prix d’avec l’automne précédent.

Nous espérons que vous apprécierez ce premier numéro du Charolais Connection • February 2015

printemps avec un reportage sur un producteur de la Saskatchewan, qui est convaincu qu’utiliser un taureau charolais sur des vaches noires est la meilleure façon de faire. Bonne lecture, si vous avez des questions supplémentaires nous sommes disponibles en ligne au charolaisbanner.com à droite sur la page d’accueil. Également dans ce numéro vous verrez la publicité sur un grand nombre de ventes de taureaux. Ce que j’ai vu à date est vraiment impressionnant. Des poids inférieurs à la naissance et avec plus de performance, d’ailleurs c’est ce que les éleveurs veulent. Les éleveurs charolais font un excellent travail en produisant un type de taureau qui travaille à tous les niveaux dans l’industrie sans aucun problème.

Un thème commun à travers le pays l’automne dernier, combien de taureaux adultes iront au marché. De nombreux encans avaient des taureaux adultes plus que jamais.

Avec les prix qu’ils ont obtenus les éleveurs ont vendus leurs taureaux plus chers qu’ils avaient payés et qu’ils ont utilisés plusieurs années.

Combinez cela avec le coût d’hivernage et le test de semence plusieurs déciderons d’investir dans de la nouvelle génétique. À mon avis on peut s’attendre à un marché à la hausse car il y a une très forte demande, d’autant plus que ceux qui ont utilisé un taureau Charolais ont capitalisé sur les primes versées sur les veaux Charcross cet automne soit un $0.10 la livre, en plus avec un 20 à 50lbs de plus dû au croisement à $3.00 la lbs. Qui ne voudrait pas d’un $100.00 de plus par veau.

Alors que nous entrons dans la phase de ventes de taureaux si Craig et moi pouvons vous aider n’hésitez à nous contacter nous sommes toujours heureux de vous aider. À la prochaine, Helge

CTP 301B

Dbl Pld BW 71 lb.

CTP 317B

Pleasant Dawn MVP 316Y x JWX Buckle 1X BW -7.9 WW 46 YW 90 TM 51 CTP 235B

Dbl Pld BW 85 lb.

CTP 56B

Pleasant Dawn MVP 316Y x JWX Buckle 1X BW -5.3 WW 49 YW 94 TM 54

Cedarlea Grid Master 22Z x Pleasant Dawn Morgan 15S BW 1.3 WW 42 YW 85 TM 48

Dbl Pld BW 85 lb.

CTP 98B

Pleasant Dawn Capture 14Z x Diamond W Whiteman 43T BW -1.9 WW 42 YW 84 TM 42

TURNBULL CHAROLAIS

Bulls also for sale at the farm Polled, Tan, Red & White

Curtis & Nanette Turnbull Box 208, Pincher Creek, AB T0K 1W0 T 403-627-4535 C 403-627-6951 turnbullcharolais@platinum.ca

Dbl Pld BW 104 lb.

Dbl Pld BW 95 lb.

JWX Buckle 1X x LAE Revolver 502R BW -2 WW 37 YW 75 TM 42

Raising Quality Charolais in the Foothills of the Rockies

BAR J CHAROLAIS

A sample of our consignments to sell at STE. ROSE AUCTION MART on FEBRUARY 14th

Quality Charolais cattle since 1973

JXCR 53B

Smooth Polled

Sire: FFBB Cajun • Sire of Dam: Silver Buckle BW 102, 205 DW 747, 365 DW 1289

Jack & Gloria Robertson 204-843-2246 Cell 204-791-0091 Justin Robertson 204-871-3086 Amaranth, MB

JXCR 59B

Smooth polled

Sire: HBSF Zorro 1Z • Sire of Dam: Whitecap Domination 63T BW 100, 205 DW 705, 365 DW 1401

Charolais Connection • February 2015

11

FROM THE CANADIAN CHAROLAIS ASSOCIATION

CANADIAN CHAROLAIS ASSOCIATION 2320, 41st Avenue NE, Calgary, AB T2E 6W8 403.250.9242 F 403.291.9324 www.charolais.com @canCharolais www.facebook.com/cdncharolais PROVINCIAL REPRESENTATIVES: ALBERTA President: Lyle Bignell, Stettler Secretary: Kristina Prokuda, Glenevis SASKATCHEWAN President: Greg Gilliland, Carievale Secretary: Dave Blechinger, Rosetown MANITOBA President: Shawn Airey, Rivers Secretary: Rae Trimble, Portage la Prairie ONTARIO President: Brad Buchanan, Victoria Harbour Secretary: Doris Aitken, Mount Forest QUEBEC President: Mathieu Palerme, Gatineau Secretary: Laurent Jourdain, Saint-Hyacinthe MARITIMES President: Ricky Milton, Cornwall, PE Secretary: Jennifer MacDonald, St. Mary’s, Kent Co., NB STAFF: General Manager: MEL REEKIE Registry Manager: LOIS CHIVILO Registry: JUDY CUMMER French Membership: ANNE BRUNET CharolaisEnFrancais@gmail.com EXECUTIVE: PRESIDENT: BRENT SAUNDERS RR 3, Markdale, ON N0C 1H0 519.986.4165 C 519-372-6196 F 519.986.4273 email: saunders@bmts.com 1st VICE-PRESIDENT: BRIAN COUGHLIN RR3 1012 Snake River Line, Cobden, ON K0J 1K0 613.646.9741 C 613.312.0270 email: bh.cornerview@gmail.com 2nd VICE-PRES: ROD McLEOD 293113 Twp Rd 263, Rockyview County, AB T4A 0N5 403.932.4622 C 403.540.7986 F 403.250.8928 rodmcl@telus.net PAST PRESIDENT: WADE BECK Box 5, Lang, SK S0G 2W0 306.436.4564 C 306.436.7458 F 306.436.4553 email: wcbeck@sasktel.net DIRECTORS: RICKY MILTON 4558 Route 19, Nine Mile Creek, PEI C0A 1H2 902.675.3091 C 902.393.8699 email: rmilton@upei.ca BERNARD BEGIN 1630 Rg St-Martin, Ste-Marie, PQ G6E 3A8 418.387.7514 C 418.389.7181 F 418.387.5623 email: louberfarm@hotmail.com ANDRE STEPPLER Box 248, Miami, MB R0G 1H0 204.435.2463 C 204.750.1951 F 204-435-2021 steppleran@hotmail.com DARWIN ROSSO 78 325 4th Ave SW, Moose Jaw, SK S6H 5V2 306.693.2384 rosso.c@sasktel.net DORY GERRARD RR 2, Innisfail, AB T4G 1T7 403.227.5632 C 403.302.1016 F 403.227.2583 email: gerrardcattle@gmail.com TRAVIS FOOT Box 414, Esther, AB T0J 1H0 403.664.3167 C 403.664.0961 Travis@bigskyrealestate.ca

12

Breeding efficient Charolais beef cattle using genetic and genomic tools: An overview of the “Kinsella Project” Tom Lynch-Staunton, Director, Industry Relations, Livestock Gentec, Department of Agricultural Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta

About 150 km southeast of Edmonton in the town of Kinsella is a 12,000-acre beef cattle breeding facility, known as the University of Alberta Roy Berg Kinsella Research Ranch. The ranch runs approximately 750 cows; 125 of which are Charolais that are bred and raised yearly for the purpose of developing new tools in breed improvement.

Since the 1990s, Agriculture and AgriFood Canada (AAFC) and University of Alberta (UofA) researchers have worked with the Canadian Charolais Association (CCA) to improve the calculations used for Estimated Progeny Differences (EPDs) as a tool for animal selection and breed improvement. These traditional EPDs are dependent on production and carcass data, the collection of which takes years to calculate accurate EPDs for various traits.

AAFC Scientists and collaborators have been measuring feed efficiency traits and collecting carcass quality trait data on over 900 Charolais steers since 2001. DNA samples taken on these steers have been analyzed on the bovine 50K SNP chip, which has allowed us to predict EPDs at birth, or at a very young age. These “genomic EPDs” or “molecular breeding values” (MBVs) can be used to predict traits including those for feed efficiency or other traits that are expensive or difficult to measure. Currently, the prediction accuracy ranges from 0.37 to 0.64 depending on the trait and how related the animal is to the Kinsella herd. For example, if a calf was born in the Kinsella herd, it will have a higher accuracy genomic EPD, than a Charolais calf that is a distant cousin to the Kinsella herd animals.

The Charolais herd at Kinsella is now part of the 5-year “Kinsella breeding project” (2013-2018) which aims to demonstrate how cow feed efficiency and

the production of consistent quality beef can be improved using a combination of actual recorded data, genomics, and multi-trait selection indexes. This project is funded by Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency (ALMA) and Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC), and is led by a team of UofA and AAFC researchers as part of Livestock Gentec’s program at the UofA. The first goal of this project is to improve the accuracy of traditional EPDs by blending them with genomics to create more predictive “genomically enhanced EPDs” or “geEPDs” for the Charolais association and the industry. A potential shortcoming of using just genomics is that for increased accuracy the animal being tested has to be closely related to the population used to produce the prediction equations. Combining traditional EPDs with genomic EPDs you get geEPDs,which havehigher accuracy as compared to traditional EPDs. A higher accuracy means that a producer can have more confidence in the traits he or she is selecting for.

In addition, to make decent genomic predictions for traits, you need a large collection of phenotypes, or actual recorded data. Luckily, all of the Charolais offspring in this project will be feed intake tested on a Growsafe system to build upfield data needed to correlate with genomic markers. This is one of the only places in Canada where Charolais cattle are being tested and selected for feed efficiency.

Another major objective of the Kinsella project is to demonstrate how we can use many geEPDs for different traits to maximize productivity and profitability.

The trick is to select for a trait to improve, likefeed efficiency, but without sacrificing other important production traits. To demonstrate genetic improvement in the continued on page 16

Charolais Connection • February 2015

LOUB 713B 4TH GEN. PLD Mr Louber Superior 739W x Sparrows Sanchez 715T BW 4.1 WW 59 YW 113 M 22.4 TM 52 • 205 DW 908 lb.

Powerful herdsire, lots of muscle and nice eye appeal

b u o L 3B 71

LOUB 730B Dbl Pld LAE Juice Box 190Y x Sparrows Eldorado 361L BW 3.4 WW 55 YW 108 M 19.1 TM 47 • 205 DW 728 lb.

Helge will be in attendance on sale day Possibility of assistance for delivery everywhere in Canada

LOUB 615A 3rd Gen Pld BD Dec. 3, 2013 HTA Mantracker 958W x Sparrows Panama 826U BW 3 WW 42 YW 86 M 17.7 TM 39 • 205 DW 785 lb.

View the catalogue online in mid-February at www.louberfarm.com or view pictures and videos of more bulls

LOUB 712B Red Factor, 3rd Gen Pld SRK Canyon 2Y x JWX Silver Bullet 524W BW -1.5 WW 50 YW 102 M 19.1 TM 44 • 205 DW 756 lb.

Sale live on www.liveauctions.tv For information:

LOUBER FARM Bernard Bégin

LOUB 699B Dbl Pld LAE Juice Box 190Y x NBK Noel Cigar 9N BW 3.4 WW 50 YW 100 M 22.5 TM 48 • 205 DW 759 lb.

T: 418.387.7514 C: 418.389.7181 Kaven Bégin 418-386-0184 email: louberfarm@hotmail.com Charolais Connection • February 2015

LOUB 638A Dbl Pld BD Dec. 6, 2013 Tri-N Prefix Pld 54Y x Sparrowsw Eldorado 361L BW 2.7 WW 44 YW 90 M 23.2 TM 45 • 205 DW 723 lb.

13

DE L’ASSOCIATION DE CHAROLAIS CANADIEN

L’élevage de bovins Charolais efficaces à l’aide d’outils génétiques et génomiques : une vue d’ensemble du projet « Kinsella » Tom Lynch-Staunton, Director, Industry Relations, Livestock Gentec, Department of Agricultural Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta

Environ 150 km au sud-est d’Edmonton, dans la ville de Kinsella se trouve le centre de recherche connu sous le nom de Ranch d’élevage Roy Berg de l’Université de l’Alberta, contenant 12,000 acres. Le ranch compteaussi environ 750 vaches ; dont 125 sont des Charolais qui sont en production annuellement dans le but de développer de nouveaux outils d’amélioration de la race.

Depuis les années 1990, l’Agriculture et Agroalimentaire Canada (AAC) et les chercheurs de l’Université de l’Alberta (UofA) ont travaillé en collaboration avec l’Association Canadienne Charolais (ACC) afin d’améliorer les calculs utilisés pour les Écarts Prévus chez la Descendance (EPD), un outil de sélection animal et d’amélioration de la race. Ces valeurs traditionnelles d’EPD dépendent des données de production et de carcasse qui prennent des années de cueillette avant d’obtenir un EPD pour de divers caractères.

Les chercheurs d’AAC et les collaborateurs ont mesuré les traits d’efficacité alimentaire et ont récolté des données sur la qualité de carcasse sur plus de 900 Charolais depuis 2001.

Des échantillons d’ADN ont aussi été prélevés sur ces bovillons, puis ont été analysées sur la puce bovine SNP de 50K, ce qui nous a permis de prédire les valeurs EPD dès la naissance, ou à un très jeune âge. Ces « EPD génomique » ou « valeurs de reproduction moléculaire » (MBVs) peuvent être utilisés pour prédire les caractéristiques, y compris celles pour l’efficacité alimentaire ou d’autres traits qui sont dispendieux ou difficiles à mesurer. Actuellement, la précision de prédiction varie de 0,37 à 0,64 selon le 14

caractère et le niveau de parente de l’animal avec le troupeau de Kinsella.

Par exemple, si un veau est né dans le troupeau de Kinsella, il aura une répétabilité plus élevée pour ses EPDgénomiques, qu’un veau Charolais qui est un cousin lointain du troupeau Kinsella.

Le troupeau Charolais à Kinsella fait maintenant partie d’un projet étalé sur cinq ans (2013-2018) qui vise à démontrer comment l’efficacité alimentaire et la production de viande bovine de qualité constante peuvent être améliorées en utilisant une combinaison de données réelles, la génomique et desindicesde sélectionmulti-caractères. Ce projet est financé par l’Agence de l’Alberta « ALMA » et par le Conseil de recherche de bovins de boucherie (BCRC) et il est dirigé par une équipe de chercheurs de l’Université de l’Alberta et d’Agriculture Canada dans le cadre du programme pour les bovins Gentec à l’Université.

Le premier objectif de ce projet est d’améliorer l’exactitude des valeurs EPD traditionnels en les mélangeant avec la génomique. Le résultat servira à créer des EPD génomiquement rehaussés «geEPDs » pour l’association Charolais et pour l’industrie en générale. Une lacune potentielle de l’utilisation de la génomique seule, est que pour une précision accrue l’animal mis à l’essai doit être étroitement liée à la population utilisée pour produire les équations de prédiction. En combinant les EPD traditionnels avec la génomique, vous obtenez des geEPDs, qui ont une plus grande précision par rapport aux EPDtraditionnels. Une précision plus élevée signifie qu’un producteur peut avoir plus confiance Charolais Connection • February 2015

aux valeurs de prédiction de l’animal.

En outre, pour faire des prédictions génomiques adéquates pour des caractères, vous avez besoin d’une grande récolte de phénotypes, ou des données réelles. Heureusement, tous les descendants Charolais dans ce projet, sontévalués pour la consommation alimentaire par le système Growsafe pour accumuler l’information nécessaire pour la corrélation avec les marqueurs génomiques. C’est l’un des seuls endroits au Canada où les bovins Charolais sont actuellement testés et sélectionnés pour l’efficacité alimentaire.

Un autre objectif important du projet Kinsella est de démontrer comment nous pouvons utiliser les geEPDs pour de nombreux caractères différents afin de maximiser la productivité et la rentabilité. Le truc est de sélectionner pour un trait d’amélioration en particulier, comme l’indice de consommation, mais sans sacrifier d’autres caractéristiques de production importantes. Pour démontrer l’amélioration génétique du troupeau Charolais de Kinsella à l’aide de geEPDs, nous avons développé un indice de rentabilité d’engraissement (FPI). Cet indice fournit une valeur avec un seul chiffre qui représente multiples caractères influençant la rentabilité, comme le gain journalier à l’engraissement, l’efficacité alimentaire, le score de persillage, le rendement en viande maigre, épaisseurmoyenne de grasde carcasse et le poids de carcasse chaude.

L’indice« FPI » permet le classement des animaux basé sur plusieurs caractères différents avec une approche équilibrée. Il serait très long et difficile de trouver les meilleurs

continued on page 16

Charolais Connection • February 2015

15

FROM THE CANADIAN CHAROLAIS ASSOCIATION, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12 Kinsella Charolais herd using geEPDs a “feedlot profitability index” (FPI) was developed. The FPI provides a single value from multiple traits that influence profitability, such as feedlot average daily gain (ADG), residual feed intake (RFI), carcass marbling score (CMAR), lean meat yield (LMY), carcass average back fat thickness (AFAT), and hot carcass weight (HCW). The FPI allows the ranking of animals based on many different traits in a balanced approach. Without it, it would be very difficult and time consuming to figure out the best terminal animals from a number of individual traits. This index should allow for the improvement in feed efficiency of the Kinsella herd without sacrificing other economically important traits.

The Kinsella project will determine if using genomics can improve the Kinsella Charolais cattle more than using traditional EPDs for RFI and carcass merit traits alone. The selection tools developed will allow CCA

members to estimate EPDs for feed efficiency, carcass, and other traits in their young calves based solely on DNA profiles.The CCA continues to collaborate with AAFC, Livestock Gentec, and others in the pursuit of the optimal Charolais cow and bull. By taking advantage of existing EPDs and combining them with new and innovative technologies like genomics and selection indexes, producers will be able to better select the best animals for their operation. As the research progresses and the CCA incorporates genomics and added data into the evaluation, producers will begin to see EPD accuracies on young animals go up, as well as the incorporation of additional traits like RFI. Selecting animals that produce long living and healthy replacement heifers, as well as fast growing and efficient feedlot animals, while also improving carcass traits will mean more cost savings and dollars in the pocket of producers. Choosing optimal breeding animals is the first step to a viable and

efficient cowherd, and the Canadian Charolais is on a path to do just that.

Article written by Michael Vinsky, MSc, AAFC Research Assistant in Beef Genomics, Tom Lynch-Staunton, Director of Industry Relations at Livestock Gentec, the animal genetics and genomics program at the University of Alberta, and Dawn Trautman, Technology Translator for Delta Genomics Centre.

PUBLICATIONS: F. Mao, L. Chen, M. Vinsky, E. Okine, Z. Wang, J. Basarab, D. H. Crews Jr., C. Li. 2013.

Phenotypic and genetic relationships of feed efficiency with growth performance, ultrasound and carcass merit traits in Angus and Charolais steers. Journal of Animal Science. 91:2067-2076.

L. Chen, F. Schenkel, M. Vinsky, D. H. Crews Jr, C. Li. 2013. Accuracy of predicting genomic breeding values for residual feed intake in Angus and Charolais beef cattle. Journal of Animal Science . 91:4669-4678.

L. Chen, M. Vinsky and C. Li, 2014.

Accuracy of predicting genomic breeding values for carcass merit traits in Angus and Charolais beef cattle. Animal Genetics. Accepted September 12th, 2014.

DE L’ASSOCIATION DE CHAROLAIS CANADIEN, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14 animaux d’engraissement sans cet outil. Cet indice devrait permettre l’amélioration de l’efficacité alimentaire du troupeau Kinsella sans sacrifier d’autres traits économiquement importants.

Le projet de Kinsella déterminera si la génomique peut améliorer leurs bovins Charolais plus rapidement que l’utilisation des d’EPD traditionnels seuls. Les outils de sélection, une fois mis au point, permettront aux membres de l’Association Canadienne Charolais d’estimer les valeurs EPD pour l’efficacité alimentaire, la qualité de carcasse et d’autres caractères dès la naissance de leurs veaux. Ceci sera basé uniquement sur les profils d’un test d’ADN. L’ACC continue sa collaboration avec Agriculture Canada, Gentec et d’autres parties envers la poursuite de la vache et du taureau Charolais optimaux. En tirant parti des EPD existants et en les combinant avec les nouvelles 16

technologies innovatrices telleque la génomique et les indices de sélection, les producteurs seront en mesure de mieux sélectionner les meilleurs animaux pour leur élevage. Au fur et à mesure que les progrès de la recherche et quel’association intègre la partie génomique, les producteurs commenceront à voir la répétabilité des EPD s’élever chez leurs jeunes animaux, ainsi que l’incorporation de nouveaux caractères, tel que l’efficacité alimentaire.

Sélectionner des animaux qui produisent pendant longtemps des génisses de remplacement qui gardent une bonne santé, ainsi que des animaux de parc d’engraissement qui font un gain rapide et efficace, tout en améliorant les caractéristiques de carcasse signifiera une grande épargne pour les producteurs. Choisir des animaux reproducteurs optimaux est la première étape envers un troupeau viable et efficace, et le Charolais canadien est sur la voie pour le faire.

Charolais Connection • February 2015

Article écrit par Michael Vinsky, MSc, AAC adjoint à la recherche en génomique de bovin, Tom Lynch-Staunton, directeur des relations avec l’industrie Gentec, la génétique animale et le programme de génomique de l’Université de l’Alberta et Dawn Trautman, traducteur de la technologie pour Centre de génomique de Delta.

PUBLICATIONS: F. Mao, L. Chen, M. Vinsky, E. Okine, Z. Wang, J. Basarab, D. H. Crews Jr., C. Li. 2013.

Phenotypic and genetic relationships of feed efficiency with growth performance, ultrasound and carcass merit traits in Angus and Charolais steers. Journal of Animal Science. 91:2067-2076.

L. Chen, F. Schenkel, M. Vinsky, D. H. Crews Jr, C. Li. 2013. Accuracy of predicting genomic breeding values for residual feed intake in Angus and Charolais beef cattle.

Journal of Animal Science . 91:4669-4678.

L. Chen, M. Vinsky and C. Li, 2014.

Accuracy of predicting genomic breeding values for carcass merit traits in Angus and Charolais beef cattle. Animal Genetics.

Accepted September 12th, 2014.

Charolais Connection • February 2015

17

PH 27A

PH 153A ONE

Outcross pedigree with quality and style Keys Ten-Acious x LT Western Spur

LT Persona x JDF Blue Boy

STOPG

SHOPPIN

PH 129A Great carcass numbers Key’s Wishbone x JSR Trophy

PH 98A Loads of muscle and marbling • Outcross Pedigree PH Banner 107X x Maungahina Towkay T13

SELLING

VIEW CATALOGUE ONLINE innisfailauctionmarket.com

112 BULLS

63 TWO YEAR OLD CHAROLAIS 10 BROKE RANCH HORSES

23 RED & BLACK SIMMENTALS 26 RED & BLACK ANGUS

First sons of the $20,000 Crowfoot Rebel sell RANCH HORSES

SIMMENTAL

P&H Ranching Co. Ltd. Corrine Parsonage – 403-227-2348/403-396-9694 Phil Hofer – 403-597-6337 18

RED ANGUS

Circle G Simmentals & Angus Garth Cutler – 403-304-0896 Lacombe, AB • circleg@telus.net

Charolais Connection • February 2015

BLACK ANGUS

Alkali Lake Angus Adam Schierman – 403-348-1476 alkali_lake_farms@hotmail.com

MLR 366A • These two year olds will cover a lot of cows

MLC 3190A • Definite Herdsire Prospect

MLR 368A • Length & Performance BPR 309A • Hip and top in this stylish bull

Contact us for more information or a catalogue or view it online at www.bylivestock.com

MAPLE LEAF CHAROLAIS George Stewart • 780-352-4817 Tom & Carey Stewart & family 780-352-5902 • Cell 780-312-4245 RR 1, Falun, AB T0C 1H0 mapleleafchar@xplornet.com BPR 305A • 3rd Gen Polled & Full French

“Raising Full French since 1966”

Charolais Connection • February 2015

Sale Manager

306-584-7937 Helge By 306-536-4261 Candace By 306-536-3374 charolaisbanner@gmail.com

19

Available Thick, meaty, growthy, calving ease bulls and they happen to be Homozygous Polled

Revolver

Sons and grandsons of HICKS REVOLVER 14R

Zealander

Brothers and bulls with the same bloodlines as the 2014 Canadian National and Agribition Reserve Senior Champion Bull, HICKS ZEALANDER 44Z

Go to www.hickscharolais.com and look under Bulls for Sale.

Bulls also at Kenilworth Bull Test.

We now have the ďŹ rst tested, totally homozygous polled Charolais herd in the world, with 60 females to calve this spring.

Bryan Hicks 519-766-2816 bryan@vetclinics.ca 8156 Line 4, Arthur, ON Canada Located 1 hour west of the Toronto International Airport

Visitors always welcome, please call ahead 20

Charolais Connection • February 2015

Profile ~ LZ Farms Inc. Will Lowe has come home to raise cattle after being away for twenty years. It is quite a change, but by taking advantage of lessons learned in his work experience, the future looks bright for LZ Farms Inc. Will’s dad grew up on the Matador Ranch, near Kyle, Saskatchewan. It is an area steeped in entrenched ranching traditions that are not easily changed. He is the only one in the area using Charolais bulls on black cows as the area tends to be straight Angus. “Lots of guys will cross red cows to Charolais, but crossing on blacks is still not done. Some wonder what you’re doing and some have opened their eyes and started quizzing me. I tell them that crossbreeding is free money. These guys selling black calves aren’t getting paid the premiums through the Certified Angus Beef programs, it’s a mindset they have to change.

They are doing things the way they have always been done. Most of them are just selling calves.”

“We went to Charcross because they just feed better. In the seven years I worked for Cargill I’ve seen a lot of fat cattle, I bought upwards of

Candace By 450,000 head of cattle. When I started with Cargill in 1999, they were feeding 70-80,000 head/year. We had a bunch of cattle from Koch Ranch in Montana to finish and they were all smokies. The smokey heifers beat out

“These guys selling black calves aren’t getting paid the premiums through the Certified Angus Beef programs.”

80% of the other steers in average daily gain and the conversion rates were above average. The smokey steers were the top of everything.

This wasn’t a test of just 50 head, we fed around 1500 steers and 1400 heifers. The steers were 1400 pounds and the heifers were 1325 pounds.

The Angus calves at the same time were easily 100 pounds lighter. The smokies yielded 2-2.5% better. I spent time with some American buyers and Charolais Connection • February 2015

the smokies were their favorites.

They were even more accepted than the tans.”

Northwest Consolidated Beef was started in 2006 and originally had some big feeders on the board. They hired Will right from Cargill. It was modelled on a Texas group that was an amalgamation of smaller feeders who put together larger packages to offer to the packers. They tried to have a stronger influence on the market by marketing together. Here they just couldn’t get it big enough.

The cash market is really a lot smaller than it has been. It was to provide a legitimate cash market, but here everything is going contract now. In the first few weeks of employment they went to Texas and made a deal on a computer system and started to work towards building the model in Canada. Will left in 2011 and the program ended in about 2012, as the number of cattle they had to work with here just wasn’t viable.

“Cindy’s dad was ready to retire three years ago, but now he’s talking about the next four years. We got in at the right time. We paid in the low $1300 range for most of our herd. The 21

“The smokey heifers beat out 80% of the other steers in average daily gain and the conversion rates were above average. The smokey steers were the top of everything.” top we paid was $1600 and we have a young herd. Most are only 3rd calvers or younger. Land prices really jumped here and we decided cows were the way to go.”

In 2011 he started buying cows and it is the first time in almost thirty years the farm has seen cattle. He started by buying bred replacements at Hillcrest Farms in Coronach, Saskatchewan, and buys 20-30 each year that are Peak Dot sired. He picked up 40 out of Kevin Wood’s Swift Current dispersal and regrets not buying more. That first year our calves were straight Angus. The second year things were quite a bit different when we used Charolais bulls. The numbers are even more impressive if you split the steers from

the heifers. “We can count on our Charcross calves being 20-30 pounds more and our calves are born a month later.”

“When talking to straight Angus breeders, the common questions are still the same. Aren’t the calves dopey when they are born? Don’t you get rattails? What about calving ease?

These are all traditional stereotypes that go back twenty years. I haven’t had one rattail in the two years I have been crossbreeding and I have 60 Simmental influenced cows. In the 160 cows I calved, we helped one backwards calf; I had one dead calf that I missed on a night check and I helped one with a foot backwards.

When I buy bulls, calving ease is the first thing I look at. I like to have an 90% or better CE EPD because I work alone. It just makes it easier and I don’t have to worry at all. Then I select for weaning weight and yearling weight. Now I run eight bulls, about 25 cows per bull. I try to buy my bulls from few breeders in an attempt to keep my numbers as close or uniform as possible.”

“Ellie was in 4-H for the first time last year and won her class with a smokey steer. Three kids in the Kyle club collected ultrasound data on their steers. The other two were straight Angus. Ellie’s had a LMY of 64.5 versus just under 60 and just

Lowe family: Hailey, Will, Marshall, Cindy, Walker and Ellie Lowe

22

Charolais Connection • February 2015

“I haven’t had one rattail in the two years I have been crossbreeding and I have 60 Simmental influenced cows.” over 56. That is a lean meat yield advantage of 4.5-8% and the marbling was still very good at 4.8.

We didn’t start feeding Ellie’s steer a grain ration until the first of January and the other two steers started getting grain in November.”

“I am new in the business, this is only my third year. I have been close to twenty years out of school. I watch leading people in the industry and try to incorporate what they are doing well. Some people just get stuck in what they are doing. I bale graze, and just started because we watched others. No one does it here.

We fed two times as many cattle at home and put 100 less hours on the tractor. I put out enough feed for a week and the workload is way less. I am starting to get some questions in the community about it.”

“In 2013, I started bale grazing on the 10th of December but I am hoping to start a little later. The cattle didn’t waste very much. I am a firm believer in it. The land where I bale grazed was so improved last year. I was going to break the quarter I fed on, but now I don’t have to. Where there was sage, it was choked right out and there was more edible growth.

We put out enough for 7-10 days at the most, so there is very little waste.”

“We have enough hay of our own and may have some to sell this year.

Two local guys wanted me to bale theirs, so I have a lot. I bought land in 2005 and 2006 as crop land and seeded it for hay and it is really productive. We winter the cows, for the most part, on hay land until mid March to get them ready for calving.

I put up portable panels for bale continued on page 24

ON OFFER: 10 Two Year Old & 32 Yearling Charolais Bulls 29 Black Angus Yearling Bulls RGP CROSSFIRE 25B Volume, hair & performance in this 3rd Gen Polled, HTA Countdown son

12 Red Angus Yearling Bulls

HTA VERMONT 510B Loads of shape in this 4th Gen Polled, HTA Vegas son, out of a no miss Cigar daughter

9 Open Angus Heifers Join us for lunch sponsored by

HVA REALTOR 1010B Length, hip and top in this 4th Gen Polled, son of our Rhapsody bull, Merit 8789U

From hard working operations that make their living in Agriculture

HVA VERDEEN 166B A 4th Gen Polled, HTA Vegas out of a Rhapsody female

Call us for more information or a catalogue

NRA GRIT 34B Powerful and in the top 8% for Weaning, Yearling & Milk

View the catalogue and video online at www.bylivestock.com Sale Manager

RED NRA LAST CALL 88B Herdsire prospect that puts it all together

NIELSON LAND & CATTLE CO. Box 17, Bladworth, SK S0G 0J0 Bob & Monette Palmer Tel 306-567-5460 Velon & Leah Herback Tel 306-567-5545 • Cell 306-567-7033 l.herback@sasktel.net

Tel 306-584-7937 Helge By 306-536-4261 Candace By 306-536-3374 charolaisbanner@gmail.com www.bylivestock.com

Charolais Connection • February 2015

Larry & Laurie Nielson • Box 357, Craik, SK S0G 0V0 Tel 306-734-5145 • Cell 306-567-7493 nielson@xplornet.ca Brendon & Jenna Ehrhardt Tel 306-734-2750 • Cell 306-734-7494

23

Rugged terrain along the South Saskatchewan river

grazing in the center of two quarters.

I used our older straw bales this year for wind. During calving we use a shed for spring storm protection, but usually they will be confined to an 80 acre field.”

He puts some creep out (straight oats) when he brings them home until he starts feeding. It is CDC Super Oat, a newer variety developed at the University with low lignin hull and high oil groat, so it’s higher fat. It gives 10% more gain and the feed conversions are better as proven in their backgrounding. He creeps the cows and bulls and keeps the slides down so they just get enough to be in good condition.

“We creep the calves 4-6 weeks before we wean on November first.

Next year we hope to wean with nose paddles. From what I read from guys that are weaning that way or fenceline weaning, it seems the calves go through less stress and they go on feed so much easier. It is even more important if you are doing your own backgrounding, which we do.”

“I implant all of the cattle as well.

For me, it’s just a no brainer from my feedlot background. I spend a dollar and get 15 to 20 pounds back, that is just a huge return on the investment.

This year, it is even a bigger economic no brainer.”

continued on page 28

24

Charolais Connection • February 2015

Charolais Connection • February 2015

25

PRO-CHAR CHAROLAIS Sunday, MARCH 1, 2014 • 1:30 PM • At the Farm, Glenevis, AB PROK 1B • KINGSTON x ROYAL PRIME

HRJ 411B • KINGSTON x RED TAZ

R IFE L E H UL B

ACA SELECT CHAMPION • AGRIBITION CLASS WINNER

PROK 7B • KINGSTON x CHINOOK

PROK 11B • FORTY CREEK x LAREDO

PROK 27B • ROADSTER x MERLOT

PROK 43B • KINGSTON x MARSHALL

PROK 44B • KINGSTON x MAXIM

PROK 47B • KINGSTON x BUDWEISER

JOHNSON CHAROLAIS • Herb & Brenda Johnson, Stephen Johnson

Guest Consignors

Barrhead AB • stephen.johnson07@yahoo.ca • 780-674-5957

TRIANGLE STOCK FARM • Vance, Michele, Cheyenne and Colbey Klepper Stony Plain, AB • 780-968-2354 • tsf@trianglestockfarm.com

Contact us for a catalogue or view the catalogue and bull videos online at www.prochar.ca 26

Charolais Connection • February 2015

4TH ANNUAL BULL SALE PROK 111B • KINGSTON x MONGO

PROK 104B • KINGSTON x PROGRAM

HRJ 447B • SONNY x RED ROCKET

PROK 25B • SANDSTONE x SOLID

HRJ 458B • DOUBLE TREE x CIDER

Offering: 46 10 1 12

HE I BU FER LL

Yearlings Two Year Olds Proven Herd Bull Simmental Yearlings

PROK 98B • KINGSTON x SEMINOLE

PROK 99B • KINGSTON x SONNY 603S

¼ FR EN CH

R IFE HE ULL B TSF 6B • DUECE x RED 500

HE I BU FER LL

TSF 20B • SURE BET x RANCH HAND

David & Kristina Prokuda Box 275, Glenevis, AB T0E 0X0

C: 780.932.1654 prochar@xplornet.ca • www.prochar.ca

Like us on Facebook!

Charolais Connection • February 2015

27

Will watching the Friday morning TEAM sale

“We castrate at weaning time by banding in the fall. We tag in the spring but with seeding we just don’t have time to band. Nothing backed off feed at all, it didn’t seem to set them back.”

“On the lowest ration at the feed lot, a 20 ration, they gained 2.68 and our total cost was just under $.81.

That includes everything – bedding, death loss, etc. When NSA does a benchmark comparison they include a lot of cattle and our cost of gain was $.07 better across the board.”

“We had an April 24th steer calf that weaned at 828 on December first in 2013 and went to an Ontario feedlot at 1224 lb. on April 1st, out of a 1450 lb. cow. The cows keep their shape really well. The heifers bloom so much in the feedlot. Charcross had a ten cent premium over the straight bred at the same weight this past fall. Last year it

was only a 4-5 cent difference.”

“I might keep a few silvers. Ellie really wanted to keep a silver heifer, so we have one. To keep producing

“Charcross had a ten cent premium over the straight bred at the same weight this past fall.” silvers we will have to go back to a black bull, I don’t really want to do it.

From a pasture management standpoint, we just can’t do it. When you look at what it really costs to keep a replacement, and what it costs

you to not get any income from them for 18 months, I don’t think people really think about the economics of it when they keep their own heifers. We try to buy the best replacements we can and not think about price.

Replacements cost $1300-1400 most years. For the most part we have been happy with what we have purchased.

A few of them get a little bigger than we like to keep. We like our cowherd to be 1400-1450 pounds. Even the little bigger cows are still efficient.

There is probably a twenty pound difference on the weaning weight of some of these calves.”

“We cull about 10% of our replacement heifers for udders and feet. If there is any foot rot, even if they are treated and recover fully, they are culled. I also cull hard for temperament. If they have smaller calves, they also get culled as long as continued on page 30

28

Charolais Connection • February 2015

LAE BOOMERANG 448A Sparrows Landmark x SVS Nobleman BW 110 lb.

205 DW 805 lb.

365 DW 1365 lb.

LAE BONFIRE 423B Merit Roundup x Sparrows Landmark BW 105 lb., 205 DW 841 lb., 365 DW 1591 lb.

Reserve Senior Champion Bull Calf at Agribition 2014 Full Brother to CCYA 2014 Grand Champion Female

LAE BOSTON 474A Winn Mans Saginaw x Sparrows Landmark BW 105 lb.

205 DW 739 lb.

365 DW 1528 lb.

LAE OKLAHOMA 432B Sparrows Landmark x LT Bluegrass BW 95 lb.

205 DW 813 lb.

365 DW 1352 lb.

LAE BUTTE 453B Winn Mans Saginaw x Sparrows Landmark BW 82 lbs. 205 DW 761 lbs. 365 DW 1508 lbs.

Layne & Paula Evans

SELLING 50 BULLS

Shae-Lynn, Shelby & Calina Box 390, Kenaston, SK S0G 2N0

40 Yearlings and 10 Two-Year-Olds • Delivery Available • Free Board until May 1 • All bulls semen tested prior to the sale

T: 306-252-2246 C: 306-561-7147 C: 306-561-7126 e: lpevans@sasktel.net View the catalogue online at

www.horseshoeecharolais.com A SAMPLING OF OUR 2 YEAR OLD BULLS

LAE BANNER 469B LAE BANDWAGON 428B Merit Roundup x Sparrows Cossack Sparrows Landmark x Moore’s Legacy BW 90 lb., 205 DW 711 lb., 365 DW 1380 lbs. BW 112 lb., 205 DW 764 lb., 365 DW 1553 lb.

Charolais Connection • February 2015

LAE ABERCROMBIE 3135A Sparrows Landmark x Sparrows Eldorado BW 107 lb.

29

Ellie with Carol Pittman, her 4-H leader

it isn’t caused by a late calving date.

If they have a bad calf the first year, I will give them the second year. If it doesn’t change the second year, they are gone.”

As we tour out to look at the calves, we drive by the golf course at Saskatchewan Landing and Will comments the grasskeeper should have been a cattleman, his grass management is so superb.

The cost of pasture has gone up in the area in recent years and Will rents

his. He says, “I would rather have the cows than buy land, the cattle are what make the money. Even if you own your own land, you have to include the cost of the land like a rental fee, in with your production costs or you are fooling yourself to think it is less. You could be renting it out for the same or equivalent as what you would pay. In this area we can run one cow on about 15 acres. At Dundurn, I can run 127 pairs on two quarters of land for 91 days and it

isn’t overgrazed. You wouldn’t get away with that here in a normal year.

You would maybe get one month and that would be pushing the limits of your grass.”

“Finding land to rent hasn’t been a problem. I have had more people offer me grass. The increased availability is probably because there are less people grassing yearlings as previous years, that and the overall decrease in cow numbers. There is certain land that just isn’t useful for anything else. Uneducated consumers think that cattle are born in a feedlot and live confined all of their life. They think they should be on grass all year. What they don’t understand is there is a lot of land here that would have absolutely no other use if we didn’t graze cattle on it. They also don’t understand that we have winter and it would not be in the best interest of the livestock to grass them year round. I also like renting pasture as I don’t have time to fix fence and it isn’t my responsibility.”

They start calving on April 10 and run a 60 day calving period. They just don’t have the facilities to pull the bulls when they would like. They would like to get up to 220 cows and they rent all of their grass. “Water is the issue, once we get past that, we can get a bit bigger. 250 would be the maximum we could run unless I get continued on page 32

30

Charolais Connection • February 2015

SKW 8B

SKW 19B

83U x Vision Champion Pen of Bulls Agribiton 2014

SKW 21B

83U x Bold Edition Champion Pen of Bulls Agribition 2014

SKW 122B 83U x Junction

83U x New Trend

SKW 12B

SKW 102B Roundup x Alcatraz

SKW 15B

Land Baron x Red Smoke

SKW 50B Ledger x 83U

Ledger x Roundup

Stephen & Kristin Wielgosz • Yellow Creek, SK

T 306.279.2033 C 306.279.7709 wielgoszsk@gmail.com Follow us on twitter! @Wielgoszsk Located just over an hour northeast of Saskatoon

Charolais Connection • February 2015

31

help. I would like to get up to 250 calves because it is easier to package them for sale. ” “We marketed the heavy end of our steers on TEAM (the electronic auction mart). The heavy steers went to Ontario and the light steers and heifers went to southern Alberta out of Swift Current in 2013. The heavy steers averaged 988 lb. The steers and heifers weighed together that fall and weaned at 500 pounds. Will keeps up on the markets, when we arrived to do the interview he was watching the TEAM sale that morning. He usually watches the sale on Friday mornings.

“I have had some guys say they would never sell direct on TEAM because they take a pencil shrink. I challenge them to take the weight of their calves at home and calculate their actual pay weight. They would be shocked to know that if you took a 3-4% on those calves, it would actually be saving you 2% by hauling them to market. I put it out there and let the guys decide for themselves, I don’t try to convince anybody of anything. I work about one day a week with TEAM/Porter & Maclean Livestock and like that it keeps me involved in that side of the industry. I

32

“We raise beef for the consumer and we need to educate the consumer about what the industry is about.” try to stay close to home.”

“I have seen a lot over the years in the industry and there are things that need to be addressed. I am on the Saskatchewan Cattle Feeders board.

We are a beef industry not a cattle business. We raise beef for the consumer and we need to educate the consumer about what the industry is about. The A&W stuff needs to be addressed to dispel some of the myths and balance that opinion with the views of the cattlemen. I would really like to see some of the people come out and see how we do things.

It’s more than making a buck. The cattle people I know, like and care

Charolais Connection • February 2015

about animals more than anyone. We can’t always be in reaction mode, we need to be out front and promote and advocate for the industry. The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association Ag Advocate program is important.

Things have been taken so out of context.”

Will’s wife, Cindy teaches at Swift Current Composite. Their four children are involved in hockey, soccer and swimming. Ellie (10) was in her first year of 4-H in 2014 and Hailey (9) will be in 4-H this year.

Marshall is six and Walker is four, so there will be many busy years ahead.

Touring the five miles of waterfront pasture at the Saskatchewan Landing showed the rugged beauty of the prairies. It is home to wild flowers, saskatoons, choke cherries, deer, coyotes and many birds including golden eagles.

“We mostly try to use horses when we can to work cattle. At Dundurn we can use quads because it is so flat, but here at home, we have to use horses to get them from some of the areas.”

It is definitely land meant for grazing and Will has the passion and interest in learning to keep it profitable.

Charolais Connection • February 2015

33

CHAROLAIS: 43 Yearlings • 1 Two Year Old RED ANGUS: 12 Yearlings • 1 Two Year Old • Sound Genetics • Ultrasound Data • Will keep until June 1

34

MCTAVISH SUMMIT 21B • Dbl Pld SVY Monument Pld x Gilliland Diago BW 1.9 WW 54 YW 99 M 25.8 TM 53 BW 107, Adj 205 DW 859, Adj 365 DW 1464

MCTAVISH IRONHIDE 31B • Dbl Pld SVY Monument Pld 159Y x Whitecap Laredo BW 2.1 WW 61 YW 104 M 26.8 TM 58 BW 101, Adj 205 DW 935, Adj 365 DW 1580

MCTAVISH HALLELUJAH 79B • 4th Gen Pld Pleasant Dawn Magnum x Gilliland Diago BW 2.9 WW 63 YW 119 M 25.6 TM 57 BW 104, Adj 205 DW 946, Adj 365 DW 1551

MCTAVISH TRUE NORTH 113B • Dbl Pld SVY Monument Pld x Pleasant Dawn Magnum BW 1.2 WW 60 YW 106 M 30 TM 60 BW 105, Adj 205 DW 972, Adj 365 DW 1604

RED MCTAVISH OUTBACK 18B Red JJL Paycheck x Red DAK Santiago BW .1 WW 45 YW 71 M 19 TM 42 CE 1.7 • BW 91, Adj 205 DW 714, Adj 365 DW1371

RED MCTAVISH MOTIVE 29B Red T-K Fortune Hunter x Red JJL Paycheck BW -.7 WW 57 YW 95 M 16 TM 45 CE 1.5 BW 80, Adj 205 DW 707, Adj 365 DW 1418

Charolais Connection • February 2015

MCTAVISH ENDEAVOR 76B 3rd Gen Pld • Merit 9874W x Rolling D Design BW 1.8 WW 43 YW 89 M 23.5 TM 45 BW 104, Adj 205 DW 848, Adj 365 DW 1419

MCTAVISH DURAMAX 97B 3rd Gen Pld • Pleasant Dawn Magnum x MNE Park Model BW 2.5 WW 50 YW 91 M 22.6 TM 47 BW 104, Adj 205 DW 635, Adj 365 DW 1267

MCTAVISH INFERNO 8B 3rd Gen Pld • Merit 9874W x Rolling D Design BW 1.4 WW 34 YW 73 M 20.7 TM 38 BW 100, Adj 205 DW 705, Adj 306 DW 1303

See the catalogue & videos online at www.mctavishcharolais.com

CHARLA MOORE FARMS’ CONSIGNMENTS Three of the 6 Yearlings on offer in the McTavish Bull Sale

DAM 2B – 3rd Gen. Polled BW 86, 205 DW 685 BW 0.9 WW 38 YW67 M 20.2 TM 39 Wyoming Wind 4020 P x Harvie Ontime ET 304U Powerful and extremely quiet

DAM 9B – Red Factor DAM 15B – Double Pld, Red Factor BW 92, 205 DW 617 BW 102, 205 DW 686 BW -.7 WW 35 YW 73 M 21.6 TM 39 BW 1.8 WW 43 YW 88 M 24.6 TM 46 JWX Private Ryan 505U x KBK Locomotive 6L JWX Private Ryan 505U x Charla Moore Smooth 17S Long bodied, big hipped and will calve like a dream Deep bodied, strong topped, great hair coat and out of a top producer

CHARLA MOORE FARMS

Box 116, Redvers, SK S0C 2H0

Doug & Sharon Moore 306-452-3708 Jordan Moore 306-452-8454

Charolais Connection • February 2015

35

BMA 10B • Polled • TR PZC MR TURTON x SVY FREEDOM BD Jan 3 • CE 50 BW 3.8 WW 45 YW 81 MILK 18.5 TM 41

JBF 20B • Polled • TR PZC MR TURTON x EATONS LEADER 2233Pz BD Jan 6 • CE 72 BW 1.1 WW 52 YW 89 MILK 16.3 TM 42

BRIDOR CHAROLAIS Brian Aitken 519-323-2538 Cell 519-323-7036 bridorcharolais@yahoo.com www.bridorcharolais.com

SUNRISE CHAROLAIS Jim Baker 705-428-3205 Cell 705-888-5061 jsbaker3205@gmail.com www.sunrisecharolais.com

ECHO SPRING CHAROLAIS Doug Briggs 705-487-5840 Cell 705-345-0157 briggserin@hotmail.com esbriggs@csolve.net ESC 123B • Full French • PCFL CHIEFTON 25X x PCFL SAN ANTONIO BD Jan 28 • CE 15 BW 5.9 WW 41 YW 76 MILK 18.9 TM 39 36

Catalogue and Video available by request, or view the catalogue online at www.charolaisbanner.com

Charolais Connection • February 2015

Charolais Connection • February 2015

37

BUY FROM A PROVEN PERFORMANCE PROGRAM We provide Birth Weights, Adjusted Weaning and Yearling Weights, A.D.G. on feed... plus EPD’s (check our EPD’s against the breed averages!)

Pleasant Dawn performance bulls will give you more pounds, more dollars and more profit! Remember…you still get paid for your calves by the pound!

Our family has been supplying quality herdbulls to the beef industry for over 30 years. Our selection goals are geared to get you the best bull possible for your program.

TLJ 204B

WE STRESS: •

Top notch Ledger son BW -3.6 WW 45 YW 78 M 23 TM 45

CALVING EASE • MATERNAL STRENGTH SOUNDNESS • PERFORMANCE

• STRUCTURAL

Our goal... Customer Satisfaction

HTK 12B

TLJ 854B Very thick, hairy, tan Bud calf BW -3.8 WW 48 YW 90 M 15.6 TM 40

A very smooth, deep ribbed Bluegrass BW -1.7 WW 47 YW 89 M 20 TM 44

TLJ 21B Thick, hairy, calving ease, performance Bud son BW -2.3 WW 52 YW 94 M 14 TM 40

38

TLJ 104B A Ledger with great feet and testicles BW -3.5 WW 52 YW 88 M 20 TM 40

Charolais Connection • February 2015

TLJ 132B Hair and length BW .8 WW 53 YW 98 M 16 TM 43

ZWB 34B

TLJ 532B

Lots of quarter, nuts and guts BW -2.4 WW 49 YW 83 M 20 TM 45

TLJ 689B

Extremely long spined with a big quarter BW -.8 WW 50 YW 95 M 16 TM 41

Young curve bender BW -2.6 WW 49 YW 89 M 19 TM 43

RKJ 216B Maternal brother to Chisum, great nuts and calving ease BW -2.4 WW 48 YW 91 M 28 TM 52

RKJ 530B Very thick, deep ribbed, big nutted, hairy Bud calf BW 1.3 WW 54 YW 96 M 19 TM 46

TLJ 604B Hairy, deep ribbed, calving ease Specialist BW -3.4 WW 41 YW 77 M 20 TM 41

Our yearling bulls are fed a growing ration to insure their healthy development while maintaining sound feet and legs.

RKJ 19B

DELIVERY AVAILABLE Bulls can be kept until May 1 at no charge

Smooth polled, well muscled Crossfire son BW 2.5 WW 47 YW 85 M 22 TM 46

View catalogue at www.pleasantdawn.com Call today for a catalogue or for more information: Tully & Arlene, Trent & Ashley, Kevin Hatch Box 40, Oak Lake, MB R0M 1P0 Tully T: 204-855-2402 Cell 204-748-7595 Trent 204-855-3078 Cell 204-721-3078 tahatch@rfnow.com Charolais Connection • February 2015

Sale Manager: 306-584-7937 Helge By 306-536-4261 Candace By 306-536-3374 charolaisbanner@gmail.com www.bylivestock.com 39

CANADIAN CHAROLAIS YOUTH ASSOCIATION NEWS

Changing Things Up Megan McLeod

Taking a look at 2014 in review, I think it can be said that it was a successful year for not only the CCYA, but for the Charolais breed as a whole. This past year, the CCYA has had some amazing moments, with another fantastic National Conference in Manitoba, the launch of our brand new website, as well as amazing support from our breeders with the semen auction, and this is just to name a few! Having recently met in Saskatoon in early January for the annual winter meeting, your CCYA National Board has made some changes, introduced some new ideas and spent a lot of time contemplating how we, as a board, can make improvements and changes that will better the breed and the youth that

we represent.

Once again, it is that time of year again for our Genetics Program to get underway. Unlike most years where the National Board has selected a small group of bulls for the applicants to choose from, this year we decided to make a change and are opening the program to encompass all Charolais sires listed in the Genex and Semex catalogues that are Canadian Qualified. The application deadline is Sunday, February 15th and then shortly after we will randomly draw names for the winners. The application form can be found on the CCYA website, along with details about our many other programs like the Purchase Incentive Program, the Buy & Show Program, as well as the Essay Contest. Our Essay Contest deadline this year is June 1st, and the CCYA Board has

come up with another great topic for the youth to write about. All the information, as well as the application form, have been posted on the new and improved website for anyone who wants to get an early start on their essay!

2015 is shaping up to be another fantastic year for the CCYA, with the great programs we are running, and with what is being anticipated as a great National Conference this summer in Yorkton, Saskatchewan! From the CCYA, I wish everyone the best of luck with the calving season, as well as the coming spring show circuit, and I can’t wait to see everyone in July at the Yorkton Conference!

CCYA NATIONAL BOARD charolaisyouth@gmail.com President: Sarah Weinbender sarah.weinbender@gmail.com Vice-President: Shae-Lynn Evans evans32s@uregina.ca Treasurer: Courtney Black petunia-101@hotmail.com Secretary: Tomina Jackson tomi_j_@hotmail.com Director: Luke Marshall lsm742@mail.usask.ca Director: Megan McLeod rmeganmcleod@rvschools.ab.ca Director: Wyatt Ching gw.ching@sasktel.net Director: Rachael Verwey verweyr@myumanitoba.ca 2015 CCYA Conference & Show Exec.

President: Sarah Weinbender sarah.weinbender@gmail.com Vice-President: Wyatt Ching jppreston223@gmail.com Sec-Treas: Laura Weinbender CCYA Provincial Advisors SK: Suzanne Smyth suzannetylersmyth@gmail.com ON: Billie-Jo Saunders dbjsaunders@gmail.com MB: Donna Jackson Jackson7@mymts.net AB: Kasey Phillips kphillips@mcsnet.ca Youth Coordinator: Kirstin Sparrow kp.sparrow@hotmail.com

40

Charolais Connection • February 2015

52 BULLS

DIAMOND W CHAROLAIS & RED ANGUS

Our bulls will work for you:

13th Annual Thursday, March 19, 2015 • 1:30 PM Bull Sale VALLEY LIVESTOCK SALES, MINITONAS, MB

• Big, solid bulls that can cover pastures • Lot of Hair – Full of Meat • Big Testicles, Good Feet, Easy Fleshing • Structurally sound • Performance Tested • Semen Tested, Measured and Ready to Work!

Selling:

CHAROLAIS 40 Yearlings RED ANGUS 7 Yearlings • 5 Two Year Olds

Featuring sons of these herdsires Sparrows Bolivar 121S “Mr Consistency” is this polled, son of Durango. Solid performance sons and great working daughters.

Sparrows Chitek 930W Impressive, polled son of Latoro. His sons are sound with great dispositions.

Commercial Consultant:

Orland, Ivan & Ethel Walker Box 235, Hudson Bay, SK S0E 0Y0 T 306-865-3953 C 306-865-6539 diamondw@sasktel.net

SALE MANAGER:

306-584-7937 Helge By 306-536-4261 Candace By 306-536-3374 charolaisbanner@gmail.com

Clayton Hawreluik, Heartland Livestock, Yorkton, SK 306-621-3824 (cell)

Valley Livestock Sales: Randy Hart, 204-734-8624 (cell)

View the catalogue online at www.bylivestock

YOUR SOURCE FOR CONVENIENT PERFORMANCE

HUNTER CHAROLAIS BULL SALE Thursday, April 2, 2015, 1:30 p.m. DST • At the farm, Roblin, MB 40 Yearling Bulls • 5 Two Year Old Bulls • Most are Polled • Some Red Factor

HC 477B • 4th Gen. Pld Elder’s Zeus 22Z X MXS MONTANA 718T Volume & Thickness

HC 409B • Polled JWX Silver Bullet 524W X Sparrows Sanchez 715T Calving Ease and Meat

Complete Performance Data Available Bulls can be viewed any time

HC 439B • Red Factor, 3rd Gen. Pld SRK Canyon 2Y X Sparrows Alcatraz 18N Calving Ease with Big Performance

HUNTER CHAROLAIS A Charolais family operation for over 30 years

306-584-7937 Helge By 306-536-4261 Candace By 306-536-3374

T: 204-937-2531 Doug: 204-937-7737 Michael: 204-247-0301

charolaisbanner@gmail.com

View the catalogue & video online at www.huntercharolais.com

Doug & Marianne, Michael, Jim & Amy Hunter • Box 569, Roblin, MB R0L 1P0

Charolais Connection • February 2015

41

DBLG 129B • Sunrise Sunburst x ACC I Am Legend BW 80 WW 705 YW 1275 CE 90 BW -.2 WW 39 YW 78 M 21.7 TM 41

DBLG 198B • DCR MRU148 GameChanger Z173 x Pleasant Dawn Mustang • BW 87 WW 650 Adj 365 1400 CE 75 BW .2 WW 38 YW 72 M 17.9 TM 37

DBLG 121B • HBSF Specialist x Bar J Saviour BW 104 WW 800 YW 1375 CE 62 BW 4 WW 46 YW 86 M 18.3 TM 42

RGCG 417B • HBSF Specialist x SVS Mastercard BW 109 WW 875 YW 1420 CE 76 BW 3.3 WW 48 YW 87 M 18.1 TM 42

RGCG 418B • KCH Red Label x SRK Red Man BW 96 WW 825 YW 1395 CE 73 BW 1.2 WW 42 YW 87 M 19.8 TM 41

DBLG 141B • SOS Revenge Pld x WCR Prime Cut BW 96 WW 805 YW 1400 CE 87 BW .3 WW 43 YW 88 M 19.5 TM 41 Sale Manager

Greg & Dayna Gilliland 306.928.4841 Ron & Jackie Gilliland 306.928.2118 Box 254, Carievale, SK S0C 0P0

306.584.7937 Helge By 306.534.4261 Candace By 306-536-3374 charolaisbanner@gmail.com

For more information or a catalogue contact us, or view the the catalogue online at www.bylivestock.com 42

Charolais Connection • February 2015

Allan Hutton Darrell Thompson Derek East Don Mantei Donnie Swistun Doug & Les Cooney

Greg Riddell Herb Dietz Kerry Murray, MB Kevin Brigden Kirby Farms Land & Cattle

Kirby Holen, ND Layne Lamport Lee Goertz Mel Patton Nick Dietz

Parry Peet PFRA Phil Hickey, ON Phillips Farms Purpose Farms Inc., AB

Ralph White Randy Logue Scott Farms Ltd. Tyler Thompson Young’s Ranching Ltd.

Thanks also to our Female Buyers at the 2014 No Borders Sale: Brimner Cattle Co., Keith Hagen and Scarth Cattle Co.

HBSF Specialist 108U

GBROS Governor 624Y

Sunny Ridge Stock Farm offers Purebred Charolais & French Influence bulls at the

15TH ANNUAL CATTLEMANS CLASSIC MULTI BREED BULL SALE

SELLS IN GILLILAND BROS. BULL SALE Hair, hip, volume – he puts it all together

April 4, 2015 • 1:00 pm • Heartland Livestock, Virden, MB

SRS 6A JR SUPER CADET x STEPPLER KABOOM 60Y

SCARTH RED BUCK 233B Double Red, Polled/s Outcross, Red Factor pedigree Red Buckle x Merit 77K Sire is a red Silver Buckle son

Sunny Ridge Stock Farm Ken & Vonda Hopcraft • RR #1, Box 5, Wawanesa, MB R0K 2G0 Res 204-824-2115 • Ken cell 204-725-6213 Adam cell 204-761-3313 • khopcraft@mynetset.ca

Dam at 8 years of age

Rob & Lisa Gilliland Ashton, Andi & Abbi Box 1558, Virden, MB R0M 2C0 T 204-748-2000 C 204-748-5999 onebigeye14@gmail.com

Registered Charolais. Full French. French Influence Charolais Connection • February 2015

43

Power Tools Temple Grandin on Breeding Trends and Cattle Handling Heather Hamilton-Maude, Hereford America Note from the editor: Reprinted, with permission, from Hereford America, September 2014. Originally published with the headline, Management and facilities – The “magic” combination for cattle handling.

Dr. Temple Grandin spoke on July 1st in Rapid City, South Dakota, USA. Her presentation was hosted by South Dakota Farmers Union and SD Extension. Grandin is an American doctor of animal science, a bestselling author, an autistic activist and a consultant to the livestock industry on animal behaviour and handling facilities. Her message makes a lot of common sense, suggesting a balanced approach to cattle breeding and handling.

“Facilities are only half the equation. The other half is the behavior and management side of livestock handling. Too often people want the magic thing that will solve all their problems rather than looking at management,” began renowned livestock handler Temple Grandin, during her presentation in Rapid City on July 1.

Grandin went on to discuss several factors from both the facility and management perspectives that can impact livestock handling, and be improved upon in practically every situation.

“A big concern I have in genetic selection is we’re just going crazy – we have genomic EPDs and we can analyze data. Now you have power tools to make genetic selections more quickly, but you have to be careful with power tools because you can cut your hand off a lot faster with a circular saw than with a hand saw,” noted Grandin.

The biggest issue she has seen in recent years as a result of an increase in genetic selection data is a reduction in phenotypic appraisal of cattle, resulting in an upswing of foot and leg problems.

“Some say we don’t have to visually appraise cattle, but we still need to do that. Cattle need to walk and if someone said 10-20 years ago that we were going to get conformation lameness problems in 44

cattle I would have said “bull”, but it’s happening. Recently, in a pen of all natural cattle, 10 percent were coming off the truck lame after a nice, one-hour ride to the packing plant.

They came out of a nice, dry lot. It wasn’t footrot. It was a conformation issue. Be careful with those things,” she stated.

Single-trait selection is another issue within management that results in bigger-picture problems according to Grandin, with docility being among the most concerning.

“Selecting for temperament is a good thing, but when we go overboard we get into trouble and become worried about losing traits like mothering and foraging ability,” she stated.

“Let’s look at the history of a breed. What are Salers for? They were originally a dairy cow raised in France who could get out and forage on the really rough and rugged hills.

Charolais Connection • February 2015

They were in close association with people twice a day and weren’t being exposed to much novelty, so we never saw their temperament. Their genetic difference is getting out and up hills. Flatlander cattle won’t go up hills like a Saler will, and the Saler is a tough mama. This is where there are trade-offs. If you’re dealing with wolves, the Saler will fight. The Holstein would just say the wolf can have her calf – she’ll give it to him.

The animal that might be the best animal to fight off wolves might be the worst animal in the feedyard – don’t over select for any single trait,” she reiterated.

Grandin noted that an animal’s genetic temperament will show itself the first time it encounters something new or novel. However, that isn’t to say that positive reinforcement can’t go a long way in improving even a nervous animal’s ability to handle something new. continued on page 46

Winn Mans 1414A

Winn Mans Marquez son (Lanza) 6 Marquez sell!

Winn Mans 662A

NATURALLY MUSCLED

Our bulls are developed in the “real world” on mom’s milk and grass with NO CREEP! They went on stockpiled grass as yearlings in April, brought home in November and are being fed a gentle TMR. They are built to last by “common sense” cattlemen.

MD Ontop son • 14 Ontops sell!

Winn Mans 635A

BORN EASY, WEAN BIG

Our roots are deep in the commercial cow-calf business. In 2015 we’ll calve over 800 cows on grass and background the calves, so we realize how important it is for our bulls to sire calves that are born easy, wean big, have great feed conversion and look the part in the sale ring.

MORE BULL FOR YOUR BUCK

We are the only Charolais sale in Manitoba that offers this volume of 2 year old bulls.

These guys were specially selected for this sale and were never before offered for purchase! Get more cows covered with these older bulls and forget the hassle of babysitting those frustrating yearlings.

BHD Stout son • 14 Stouts sell!

Special Lot! Selling choice of our entire purebred cowherd

Winn Mans 244A

Sparrows Birmingham son 15 Birminghams sell!

Over 150 cows to choose from!

Longest running One-Iron Charolais Bull Sale in Manitoba To receive a free detailed catalogue call, email or text:

JEFF, ASHLEY & KASSI BEYAK Ph: 204.656.4991 Cell: 204.648.6443

KEVIN & SHERRY BEYAK and Sons Box 487, Winnipegosis, MB R0L 2G0 Ph: 204.656.4689 • beyak@hotmail.ca

Charolais Connection • February 2015

SALES CONSULTANTS Kim Crandall 204.657.2267 Myles Masson 204.447.2266

45

“An animal is a sensory based thing that remembers things in pictures. A man on a horse is a different picture than a man on a four-wheeler or a man on the ground.

You should train your animals to tolerate a certain amount of different things before they ever leave your ranch. If you work them on horseback and they meet their first person on foot you will have a huge flight zone – that’s dangerous in small pens at a sale barn or feedyard,” she explained.

Taking the time to make a new experience a positive one is a great way to ensure an animal has a positive picture locked in their mind, and will be easier to work in that scenario in the future continued Grandin.

“There is a lot of interest in taking your young heifers and acclimating them to the corral by walking them through the chute and then feeding them something nice.

“Also, no dogs in the corral! A dog will train your cattle to kick, or shoot like a rocket ship into the lead-up alley. If you own a Blue Heeler, he needs to be put in the house while you work cattle in the corral,” she stated as prime examples of how to make first experiences more positive.

Not yelling or making sudden movements were also mentioned, and Grandin said if people feel like they’re hearing the same ol’ thing, they are. “I keep saying some of these things because people are still not doing them,” she noted.

Staying calm in the back pen, not overloading that pen, and using following behavior were other suggestions that Grandin provided to help keep cattle relaxed all the way through the squeeze chute.

“Wait until the single-file alley is half empty, then bring the next group up and they go right in. If you bring them up when the alley is full, they will all turn around. A basic animal behavior principle is that cattle want to go back to where they came from and bad timing just makes them want to go to where they came from more, to a previous safe place,” Grandin explained, adding that making a 46

single-file alley long enough to hold more than two head will also aid in loading it, using “following behavior”.

While proper management and facilities help, Grandin also noted that the animal’s sensory memory is incredibly specific. Exposure to one situation in a positive fashion will not necessarily transfer to another.

“Selecting for temperament is a good thing, but when we go overboard we get into trouble…”

“They can be tame in one situation and horrible somewhere else. People who hand feed or feed range cubes – those cows have a low flight zone when that’s happening. It’s the first time they see something novel, loud, and sudden that they show their genetics. However, animals that have never seen new things are more likely to become agitated at places like auctions, and that’s even more important with genetically flighty animals,” she said. She also commented on the fact that while not a “fix-all,” exposure to different working methods, situations and

Charolais Connection • February 2015

items does generally help when novelty arises.

To determine how well a set of cattle, people and facilities works together in a low stress fashion, Grandin suggested recording handling measurements.

“You can only manage the things you measure. My idea with that is to get rid of the crazy. Five percent or less should vocalize in the chute and 10 percent or less should be moved with an electric prod. If you record that, you can see if you’re getting better or worse over time,” explained Grandin. Additional points that can be measured, according to Grandin, are the percentage of cattle that fall and the speed at which they exit the chute.

Why take the time to measure? If the desire to improve handling and make each cattle working experience easier on the livestock and humans isn’t enough, Grandin suggested looking at the bottom line.

“Research shows that animals that zoom out of the squeeze chute gain less weight, and so do those that throw a fit in the chute. Quiet cattle gain more weight. Research also shows that things like acclimating heifers to handling situations will result in better conception rates. It’s not complicated or unaffordable, and while things have gotten a lot better in the industry, we can still improve,” Grandin concluded.

GRANTS IMPRESSIVE 39X

SPARROWS TERRACE 110Y

DBAR SURVIVOR 220M x PLEASANT DAWN PAM 214J BW 1.7 WW 41 YW 82 TM 58

WINN MANS LANZA 610S x SPARROWS CERVEZA 106S BW 6 WW 58 YW 126 TM 58

HARVIE Red Vinaza 48Y

WHITE LAKE COLONY Jerry Hofer 403-824-3507 ext. 238 Cell 403-332-2261

WINN MANS VINAZA 815U x HARVIE HIGH TIMES 2T BW 2.3 WW 51 YW 99 TM 49

Charolais Connection • February 2015

47

INDUSTRY NEWS

Responding to Consumers Critical for Growth of Cattle Industry Ted Power, President, ViewTrak Technologies Inc.

Livestock producers all over the world understand the positive impact tracking and sharing of animal data can have on the marketplace. They know due to recent “food scares,” consumers want to know the food they feed their families is safe. They want to know where it comes from, how it was raised, and what chemicals or drugs were used to create it.

Not all farmers and ranchers are on board with the trend. Even though the use of RFID ear tags to identify cattle is mandatory, in some areas of Western Canada, where most of the cattle herd exists, compliance ranges near 50%. As a result, the cattle industry is failing to take advantage of growth opportunities by giving consumers what they want: reliable information about the history of their beef.

To increase profits, improve the world perception of the quality of our beef, and expand markets, the movement toward industry-wide traceability must be taken seriously.

We have all heard it many times before.

We live in a global market and we must do what the world market demands.

This is why the beef industry must learn something from Canada’s pork and lamb producers.

Canada’s pork and lamb producers are driving traceability because they know it’s in their best interests. They’re the ones with the most to gain – or lose.

True traceability provides greater security for the producer and fairer prices for their products. Without grading and tracking guidelines, prices can be subjective – and that puts the producer at a disadvantage.

Canada’s pork industry is one of the few in the world to offer a nationwide traceability system – PigTrace – a system that was developed to respond to consumer demand for verifiable pork products and 48

provides producers with a competitive marketing advantage.

PigTrace also helps protect against market disruptions caused by food safety or animal health issues. The Canadian Lamb Producers Cooperative is also creating a system for true traceability of meat from the farm, through processing, to the retailer, right to the consumers’ plates. The system, along with a new electronic grading system, will allow the lamb industry to compete in international markets and increase farm cash receipts, every farmer and rancher’s goal.

That’s great news for the lamb and pork folks, but what does it mean for cattle producers?

Despite the size and significance of the cattle industry, true traceability throughout the supply chain is still a distant dream. Without it, the industry is missing out on an enormous opportunity for growth that the pork industry has already seized and the lamb producers will be unveiling soon.

For Canadian cattle, the multibillion dollar world export market will remain largely beyond reach without consistent and reliable traceability. As technology leaders, we can see the cattle industry needs an integrated information exchange system (like the pork and lamb producers) so that true traceability will be a reality from the farm to the plate. To work, tracking has to flow throughout the supply chain—from lineage, to history of care, to production, and processing—to provide fast, credible, accurate, and consistent data to everyone.

Integration is the only way to provide the kind of high quality and credible information consumers demand— and producers need.

And we have no time to waste. It’s only a matter of time before all Charolais Connection • February 2015

retailers demand the full history of birth and care from producers through to processors and packers.

A&W and Loblaws are already advertising heavily about the traceability of their products and getting premium pricing for them.

Costco sells grass fed, hormone free beef for 50% more than regular beef.

McDonald’s, Canada’s largest retailer of beef recently announced it has chosen Canada, over Australia and Europe, to launch a pilot project to meet their end goal of serving only “sustainable beef” across their entire global empire. The more information we can provide about cattle genetics, feed management, and medical treatment to consumers, the more in demand Canadian cattle will be and the more profitable everyone will become.

Traceability provides for the kind of collaborative economics that is vital for the industry’s long-term sustainability and growth. Boosting revenues and profitability is a direct result of traceability and improved beef quality. It’s as simple, and as complicated, as that.

As President of a technology company, I can tell you that the value of technology grows exponentially when used cooperatively among all the members of the sector, for the benefit of all members of the sector.

For an industry known for its independence and rugged individualism, maybe it’s time to start acting more like sheep.

ViewTrak is the most widely used tracking and trading software in North America, supporting over 50 million head of livestock worldwide annually, and helping producers respond to growing industry and consumer demand for high quality, safe, and responsibly produced products. ViewTrak produces China’s number one pork grading tool and is a partner in the Canadian Lamb Cooperative Grading Program.

McKEARY CHAROLAIS TRADITION BULL SALE

22 Yearling Bulls 15 Two Year Old

March 18, 2015 Wednesday, 2:00 p.m.

5 Yearling Bulls

McKEARY CHAROLAIS offering:

Bulls

PRAIRIE COVE CHAROLAIS offering:

Bow Slope Shipping Association, Brooks, AB For more information or catalogues, call Chad at 403-501-9760

ASHBACHER ANGUS offering:

McKEARY CHAROLAIS

25 Two Year Old Red & Black Angus Bulls

Box 10, Compeer, AB T0C 1A0 Ray & MaryAnn McKeary 306-834-2938 Lynn & Dallas Cairns Karen & Chad Bouchard 403-501-9760

ON OFFER: 55 BULLS • 30 YEARLING CHAROLAIS BULLS • 20 TWO YEAR OLD FRENCH CHAROLAIS BULLS • 5 YEARLING SHORTHORN BULLS BLC 53B • HC Zodiak son

BUFFALO LAKE CHAROLAIS

WILKIE RANCH

Lyle & Wendy Bignell 403-742-6792 cell 403-740-4968 lylebignell@hotmail.com Kendall & Shirley Bignell 403-742-4709 cell 403-742-9608

Don & Wanda Wilkie 403-876-2596 cell 403-740-5727 donwan@xplornet.ca Clint & Erin Wilkie 403-876-2548 cell 403-740-5794 Casey Wilkie 403-876-2138 cell 403-741-5799

Please feel free to visit and look at the bulls on the farm anytime. See you sale day.

Charolais Connection • February 2015

49

HERD HEALTH

Common Young Calf Problems Roy Lewis, DVM

Veterinarians are called every calving season to examine calves with a multitude of problems. Some are herd management related but many are individual problems of no concern to the rest of the herd. Most cases fall into a few broad categories.

Each category has a much different treatment regime. This article will break out these different categories and hopefully make it easier to determine the course of treatment.

With calves, clinically we need to differentiate between whether the condition involves the lungs (pneumonia), intestines (scours), navel (Omphalophlebitis) or involves a multitude of miscellaneous conditions.

The two main diseases, scours and pneumonia, are often treated much differently and may not be as easy to tell apart as one thinks. Scours may initially present as a very dopey heavy breathing calf. The calf may be quite acidotic and is attempting to blow off the acid through an increased respiratory rate fooling you that he has pneumonia. A calf born selenium deficient may have heart issues if the heart muscle is affected.

The lungs will start to fill with fluid because of the heart failure and again respiratory rate will be increased.

While specific antibiotics have been developed for pneumonia they often are not the same ones we use to treat scours. Also the best initial treatment for scours is to give replacement fluids as the dehydration is what kills the calf. Many causes of scours are viral in nature against which antibiotics don’t work. You can see making the distinction between which organ system is involved can be a difficult one and one your veterinarian may even struggle with at times.

With pneumonia there are very good antibiotics available, many of which are very long lasting. Some producers having numerous pneumonia cases with some 50

confirmed deaths in the spring, have gone to metaphylactic antibiotics at birth or shortly thereafter to minimize the pneumonia cases. Stats tell us 75-80% of deaths on the ranches occur in the first 21 days of life so this is the time to be ever vigilant.

As mentioned numerous other times before, we can never stress enough the importance of good quality colostrum in giving calves a head start in life.

Their ability to fight off disease challenges is much greater. Many cases of pneumonia, scours and septicemias (blood born infections) can be attributed to not receiving adequate colostrum so try to ensure the colostrum is received in the first six hours of life and preferably in the first two. Extra time spent at calving season insuring adequate colostral uptake will save time money and deaths later in life. If in doubt on colostral uptake don’t hesitate to give frozen colostrum or good quality colostral products like “headstart”.

The navel area is another area to pay close attention to as it is a common source for entry of infectious organisms into the body.

Again we need adequate colostral uptake. Watch the area for signs of swelling and an arched back and tucked up calf. If you palpate the navel area and it is painful that is a telltale sign infection is present.

Backwards calves or those derived by c-section have their navels rip off short and are much more susceptible to navel infection. At our clinic any calves born by c-section has the navel purposely separated by hand further down the cord so the calf has a decently long navel shroud when it is born. Some producers, if they have a problem, will even give metaphylactic antibiotics at birth under the supervision of their veterinarian to counteract navel ill. If the navel spreads internally it has a good chance of landing in the joints and a severe arthritis ensues. Make sure and differentiate between navel Charolais Connection • February 2015

infection and a simple hernia which may require surgery.

Lame calves are another common condition with young calves. Again you need to differentiate whether it is arthritis from a navel infection, trauma causing a sprain strain or trauma causing a broken leg. Each condition requires different treatment. The navel infection must be treated with drugs, which will get into the joints, the sprains are usually just left to convalesce and the broken legs need immediate attention by your veterinarian. If breaks are caught soon enough and are lower on the legs the prognosis and chances for recovery are very good. The lower the break the better. Young calves that are growing heal fast and put down bone very quickly so in three to four weeks we often have a complete recovery. Calves commonly will get stepped on by cows in heat so having creep areas where they can separate themselves from the cow herd will pay dividends in fewer calf injuries.

Creep areas are also very good at getting calves started on creep feed so preventatives for coccidiosis such as deccox can be added to the feed.

Calves are naturally inquisitive so products such as diatomaceous earth give calves something to lick on rather than dirt, roughage and stagnant water where their odds of picking up something harmful is much greater. Cryptosporidiosis another diarrhea disease of calves’ spreads very similar to coocidiosis so management changes to prevent one may help in prevention of the other.

Talk to your veterinarian about prevention for these two diseases especially if they have been previously diagnosed on your farm.

Older calves become stronger and more resistant to picking up the common calf hood diseases such as scours or pneumonia. The four to eight week age is where the intestinal accidents and stomach ulcers develop. These conditions were gone continued on page 51

HERD HEALTH, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 50 into detail in a previous article but suffice it to say, they are generally individual fluke type cases. It is probably most important to have a postmortem done on sudden deaths to rule out infectious causes which could spread to other herd mates. Otherwise you can rest assured if it was one of these fluke intestinal conditions you really have no control over.

This spring try to differentiate these different categories of problems with young calves. You will then be treating the right problem and your success rate will improve and if contagious, possible steps can be taken for prevention of further cases. Always check with your veterinarian to make sure you are diagnosing things properly and this will keep you abreast of new treatments and/or management practices.

NEW LOCATION BEST OF THE BREEDS BULL SALE Sunday, March 29th, 2015 Heartland Livestock,Yorkton, SK

Harcourt Charolais 306-383-2346 Dog Patch Acres 306-287-4008 Charolais Connection • February 2015

51

Services

Your ad should be here.

306.546.3940 52

Charolais Connection • February 2015

Alberta Breeders

Kasey, Arlana, Kord & Peri Phillips Box 420, Waskatenau, AB T0A 3P0

T 780.358.2360 • C 780.656.6400 • kphillips@mcsnet.ca KREATING KONFIDENCE

Charolais Connection • February 2015

53

British Columbia Breeders

Manitoba Breeders

Caught You Looking!

Your ad should be here.

306.546.3940 54

Charolais Connection • February 2015

Ontario Breeders

Charolais Connection • February 2015

55

Saskatchewan Breeders

Quebec Breeders

56

Charolais Connection • February 2015

USA Breeders

Charolais Connection • February 2015

57

IMPORTANT ACTIVITIES IN OUR INDUSTRY

Calendar of Events February 7 Hill 70 Quantock Ranch “Barn Burnin’ Bull Sale”, 12 noon, at the ranch, Lloydminster, AB/SK February 14 Myrhe Land & Cattle Co. Bull Sale (Denbie Ranch & Guests) Ste. Rose du Lac, MB February 16 Tip the Scale Angus & Charolais Bull Sale, 1:00 p.m., Vikse Family Farm, Donalda, AB February 17 Rawes Ranches Ltd. 32nd Annual Performance Tested Charolais Bull Sale, 1:00 p.m., at the ranch, Strome, AB February 18 McLeod Livestock & Kay-R Land & Cattle Bull Sale, 1:00 p.m., Olds (AB), Cow Palace February 21 P&H Ranching 3rd Annual Bull Sale, 2:00 p.m., Innisfail (AB) Auction Mart

February 21 Saint-Martin (QC) Test Station Sale February 24 Rainalta Simmental & Charolais & Guests 21st Annual Bull Sale, 1:00 p.m., Bow Slope Shipping, Brooks, AB February 25 Beck Farms & McCoy Cattle Co. Bull Sale, 1:00 p.m., at Beck Farms, Milestone, SK February 27 Maple Leaf Charolais Annual Bull Sale, 1:00 p.m., Ponoka (AB) Ag Events Centre February 27 HEJ Charolais Bull Sale, 1:00 p.m., Innisfail (AB) Auction Mart March 1 Pro-Char Charolais 4th Annual Bull Sale, 1:00 p.m., at the farm, Glenevis, AB March 2 Palmer Charolais with Nielson Land & Cattle Co. 4th Annual Bull Sale, 1:30 p.m., at the Palmer farm, Bladworth, SK

March 6 South Central Charolais Breeders Bull Sale, 1:00 p.m., Innisfail (AB) Auction Mart March 7 Wrangler Made 3rd Annual Bull Sale, 1:00 p.m., Sekura-Triple J Livestock, Westlock, AB March 7 Chomiak Charolais 11th Annual Bull & Female Sale, 1:00 p.m., Viking (AB) Auction Market March 7 High Country Bull Sale, 1:00 p.m., Pincher Creek (AB) Ag Grounds March 7 Ferme Louber Annual Bull Sale, 1:00 p.m., at the farm, Ste-Marie de Beauce, QC March 8-9 96th Pride of the Prairies Bull Show & Sale, Lloydminster (SK) Exhibition Grounds

For Sale by Private Treaty at the Ranch SONS of these two POWERFUL HERDSIRES

PH ORIGINAL 1Y LT Original 8310P x LKPR Challenger 208W BW .2 WW 46 YW 89 TM 43

PH WYOMING WIND 54W LKPR Challenger 208W x SVC Heza Target Power 25E BW 2.4 WW 44 YW 80 TM 45

LITTLE VALLEY VIEW RANCH Tip, Betty & Debbie Henderson • RR 1, Forestburg, AB T0B 1N0 • 780-582-2254 58

Charolais Connection • February 2015

March 10 McTavish Charolais 4th Annual Charolais & Red Angus Bull Sale, 1:00 p.m., at the farm, Moosomin, SK March 10 Valley Charolais Bull Sale, 12:30 p.m., BC Livestock Co-op, Kamloops, BC March 10 Harvie Ranching Bull Sale, at the ranch, Olds, AB March 11 Built Right Bull Sale, 1:00 p.m., Provost (AB) Livestock Exchange March 12 Footprint Farms Charolais Power Bull Sale, 1:00 p.m., Dryland Cattle Trading Corp., Veteran, AB March 13 A. Sparrow Farms Bull Sale, 2:00 p.m., at the farm, Vanscoy, SK March 13 Neilson Cattle Co. 25th Annual Bull Sale, at the farm, Willowbrook, SK March 13 11th Annual Northern Classic Bull Sale, Grand Prairie, AB

March 14 Horseshoe E Charolais Annual Bull Sale, 2:00 p.m., Johnstone Auction Mart, Moose Jaw, SK March 14 Vente Synergie, 12:30 p.m., SteSophie de Levard, QC March 17 Gilliland Bros. Charolais Bull Sale, 1:00 p.m., at the farm, Carievale, SK March 18 McKeary Charolais Bull Sale, 1:00 p.m., Bow Slope Shipping, Brooks, AB March 19 13th Annual Diamond W Charolais, Red & Black Angus Bull Sale, 1:00 p.m., Minitonas, MB March 19 Buffalo Lake Charolais and Shorthorns Bull Sale, 1:00 p.m., Stettler (AB) Auction Mart March 20 12th Annual Family Tradition Bull Sale, 2:00 p.m., at Rolling D Charolais, Dropmore, MB Charolais Connection • February 2015

March 20 Reese Cattle Co. Bull Sale, 1:00 p.m., Innisfail (AB) Auction Mart March 21 Pleasant Dawn Charolais 13th Annual Bull Sale, 2:00 p.m., Heartland Livestock, Virden, MB March 21 Sandan Charolais Bull Sale, 1:00 p.m., at the farm, Erskine, AB March 21 Ferme Palerme Charolais Bull Sale, Vinoy Test Station, 1:00 p.m., at Ferme Gagnon, Cheneville, QC March 21 Northern Impact II Charolais Bull Sale, 1:00 p.m., North Central Livestock, Clyde, AB March 21 Rollin’ Acres/Patton/Whiskey Hollow & Guests 5th Annual Bull Sale, 2:00 p.m., Maple Hill Auctions, Hanover, ON March 23 White is Right Bull Sale, Balog Auction Mart, Lethbridge, AB 59

March 23 North West Bull Sale, 1:00 p.m., Kramer’s Big Bid Barn, North Battleford, SK March 24 Steppler Farms 4th Annual Bull Sale, 1:00 p.m., at the farm, Miami, MB March 25 HTA Charolais & Guests Bull Sale, 1:00 p.m., Beautiful Plains Ag Complex, Neepawa, MB March 25 Transcon’s 20th Annual Advantage Bull Sale, 1:00 p.m., Saskatoon (SK) Livestock Sales March 26 Elder Charolais 5th Annual Bull Sale, 1:00 p.m., at the farm, Coronach, SK March 27 Winn Man Farms 14th Annual Bull Sale, 2:00 p.m., at the farm, Winnipegosis, MB March 27 Thistle Ridge Ranch Bull Sale, Taber Agriplex, AB

60

March 27 K-Cow Ranch Family Bull Sale, at the ranch, Elk Point, AB March 28 Tee M Jay Charolais Bull Sale, 1:00 p.m., Ashern (MB) Auction Mart March 28 Impact Angus & Charolais Bull & Female Sale, 1:00 p.m., Saskatoon (SK) Livestock Sales March 28 PIC Bull Sale, 1:00 p.m., Carson Sales Arena, Listowel, ON March 28 Borderland Cattle Company Bull Sale, 1:30 p.m, at the ranch, Rockglen, SK March 28 4th Annual High Point Charolais Breeders Bull Sale, 6:00 p.m., Carmarthen Lake Farms, Singhampton, ON March 28 Quebec Select Bull Sale, Ferme A.R.F. Champagne, St-Sylvestre, QC

Charolais Connection • February 2015

March 28 Benchmark Charolais Bull Sale, 1:30 p.m., Renfrew Pontiac Livestock Facility, Cobden, ON March 28 JTA Diamond Bull Sale, 1:00 p.m., at the farm, Courval, SK March 28 Source for Success Bull Sale, Elmlodge Herefords, Indian River, ON March 29 Best of the Breeds Bull Sale, 2:00 p.m., Heartland Livestock, Yorkton, SK March 31 Prairie Distinction Charolais Bull Sale, 1:00 p.m., Beautiful Plains Ag Complex, Neepawa, MB April 1 White Cap/Rosso Charolais & Howe Red Angus Bull Sale, 1:00 p.m., at White Cap Charolais, Moose Jaw, SK April 1 Chopper K & Guests Bull Sale, 1:00 p.m., Alameda (SK) Auction Mart

April 2 Hunter Charolais Bull Sale, 1:30 p.m., DST, at the farm, Roblin, MB April 2 Desertland Cattle Co. Charolais Bull Sale, Dryland Trading Corp., Veteran, AB April 4 Cattleman’s Classic Multi-Breed Bull Sale, 1:00 p.m., Heartland Livestock, Virden, MB April 4 Vermilion Charolais Group 29th Annual Bull Sale, 1:00 p.m., Nilsson Bros. Livestock Exchange, Vermilion, AB April 4 Maritime Bull Test Station Sale, at the test station, Nappan, NS April 4 N.E. Source Bull Sale, 1:30 p.m., Edwards Livestock Centre, Tisdale, SK April 4 Saunders Charolais 10th Annual Bull Sale, 2:00 p.m., Keady (ON) Livestock Market

April 6 Wilgenbusch Charolais 12th Annual North of the 49th Bull Sale, 1:00 p.m., at the farm, Halbrite, SK April 7 Cedarlea Charolais & Windy Willows Angus Bull Sale, 1:00 p.m., Windy Willows Farm, Hodgeville, SK April 8 Mutrie Farms/Bar H Charolais Bull Sale, 1:00 p.m., Candiac (SK) Auction Market April 9 9th Annual Size Matters Bull Sale, 1:30 p.m., at Sliding Hills Charolais, Canora, SK April 11 Branding the Best Bull Sale, 1:00 p.m., Spiritwood (SK) Stockyards April 11 Eastern Select Bull & Female Sale, 1:00 p.m., Hoards Station Sale Barn, Campbellford, ON April 11 Saint-Hyacinthe (QC) Test Station Sale

Charolais Connection • February 2015

April 13 10th Annual Select Genetics Bull Sale, 1:00 p.m., Heartland Livestock, Swift Current, SK April 14 Top Cut Bull Sale, 2:00 p.m., Stockman’s Weigh Co., Mankota, SK April 18 Cornerstone Bull & Female Sale, 1:30 p.m., Whitewood (SK) Auction Mart April 18 Cedardale Charolais 12th Annual Bull & Select Female Sale, 1:00 p.m., at the farm, Nestleton, ON April 18 Lindskov-Thiel Bull Sale, at the ranch, Isabel, SD June 11 – 13 Canadian Charolais Association Annual General Meeting, Brandon, MB June 22 – 30 World Charolais Technical Conference, Saskatchewan & Alberta July 22 – 25 Canadian Charolais Youth Association Conference & Show, Yorkton (SK) Exhibition Grounds 61

LOOKING TO FIND SOMEONE?

Advertisers Index Alkali Lake Angus ......................................18 Amabec Charolais ......................................55 Anchor J Charolais ......................................53 Annuroc Charolais ......................................55 B Bar D Charolais ........................................55 Baker Charolais ..........................................55 Bar H Charolais............................................56 Bar J Charolais ............................................11 Bar Punch Ranch ........................................53 Beck Farms ............................................56,IBC Be-Rich Farms ..............................................53 Blackbern Charolais ....................................55 Bouchard Livestock International ..............59 Bo-Jan Enterprises ......................................56 Bova-Tech Ltd. ............................................52 Bow Valley Genetics Ltd. ............................52 Bricney Stock Farms ....................................56 Bridor Charolais ....................................36,55 Brimner Cattle Company ............................56 Buffalo Lake Charolais ..........................49,53

By Livestock ............3,7,19,23,34,35,38,39,41, ........................................................42,43,OBC Carey, Brent ................................................52 Cattle Creek Ranching ................................51 Cedardale Charolais....................................55 Cedarlea Farms..............................................7 Charla Moore Farms ..............................35,56 Char-Maine Ranching ................................53 Charolais Journal ........................................52 Charworth Charolais Farms ..................53,60 Chomiak Charolais ................................25,53 Circle Cee Charolais Farms..........................53 Circle G Simmentals & Angus ....................18 Cougar Hill Ranch ......................................56 Creek’s Edge Land & Cattle Co. ............31,56 C2 Charolais ................................................54 Davis-Rairdan ..............................................52 Defoort Stock Farm ....................................54 Diamond W Charolais............................41,56 Dog Patch Acres ..........................................51 Dorran, Ryan ..............................................52 Double L Ranch ..........................................53 Double P Stock Farms ................................54 Dubuc Charolais ..........................................56 Dudgeon-Snobelen Land & Cattle ............55 Eaton Charolais ..........................................57 Echo Spring Charolais ................................36 Elder Charolais Farms ................................56 Ericson Livestock Services ..........................52 Ferme Palerme ............................................56 Fischer Charolais ........................................53 Fleury, Michael ............................................52 Foat Valley Stock Farm ..............................53 Footprint Farms ....................................37,53 4-G Charolais Ranch....................................56 Future Farms ..........................................53,60

62

Gerrard Cattle Co. ......................................53 Gilliland Bros. Charolais....................42,43,56 Gold Bar Livestock ....................................33 Good Anchor Charolais ..............................53 GRP Ltd. ......................................................52 H.S. Knill Company Ltd. ..............................52 Happy Haven Charolais ..............................54 Harcourt Charolais ......................................51 Hard Rock Land & Cattle Co.......................54 Harvie Ranching ........................................53 HEJ Charolais ........................................17,53 Hicks Charolais ......................................20,55 High Bluff Stock Farm..............................5,54 Holk Charolais ............................................53 Horseshoe E Charolais ..........................29,56 HTA Charolais Farm ................................3,54 Hunter Charolais ..................................41,54 JMB Charolais ............................................54 Johnson Charolais ..................................26,27 Johnstone Auction......................................52 Jordan River Charolais ................................56 Kaiser Charolais Farm ................................53 Kanewischer, Jerry ......................................52 Kay-R Land & Cattle Ltd. ........................9,53 KCH Charolais..............................................54 Kirlene Cattle ..............................................55 La Ferme Patry de Weedon ........................56 Land O’ Lakes Charolais..............................55 Langstaff Charolais ....................................55 Laurel Creek Ranch ....................................56 Leemar Charolais ........................................53 LEJ Charolais................................................54 Lindskov-Thiel Charolais Ranch..................57 Little Valley View Ranch ............................58 Louber Farm ................................................13 M & L Cattle Co. ..........................................55 Mack’s Charolais..........................................55 Maple Leaf Charolais ............................19,53 Martens Cattle Co. ................................57,61 Martens Charolais ......................................54 McAvoy Charolais Farm ..............................57 McKay Charolais..........................................54 McKeary Charolais ................................49,53 McLeod Livestock ....................................9,52 McTavish Charolais............................34,35,57 Medonte Charolais ....................................55 Miller Land & Livestock ..............................55 Murphy Livestock........................................53 Mutrie Farms ..............................................57 Myhre Land and Cattle............................6,55 Nahachewsky Charolais ..............................57 Neilson Cattle Co. ......................................51 Nielson Land & Cattle ................................23 Norheim Ranching ......................................52 P & H Ranching Co. ................................18,53 Packer Charolais..........................................55

Charolais Connection • February 2015

Palmer Charolais ....................................23,57 Parklane Charolais ......................................54 Patton Charolais ....................................33,55 Phillips Farms ..............................................57 Pleasant Dawn Charolais ..................38,39,55 Poley, Chris ..................................................52 Potter Charolais ..........................................55 Prairie Cove Consulting ..............................52 Prairie Gold Charolais ................................57 Prairie View Charolais ................................55 Pro-Char Charolais ............................26,27,54 Qualman Charolais ....................................57 RainaltaSimmentals & Charolais ................59 Rawes Ranches ........................................6,54 Rebuild with Steel ......................................52 Reese Cattle Company................................40 Reykdal Farms Charolais ............................55 Rollin’ Acres Charolais ..........................33,56 Royale Charolais..........................................56 RRTS Charolais ............................................54 Saddleridge Charolais ................................54 Sandan Charolais Farms..............................54 Saunders Charolais......................................56 Scarth Cattle Co. ....................................43,55 Serhienko/Voegeli Cattle Co. ....................57 Sharodon Farms ..........................................56 Skeels, Danny ..............................................52 Sliding Hills Charolais ................................57 A. Sparrow Farms ......................................IFC Spruceview Charolais..................................54 Stephen Charolais Farm..............................57 Steppler Farms Ltd. ....................................55 Stock, Mark ................................................52 Stockmen’s Insurance..................................52 Sunny Ridge Stock Farm ............................43 Sunrise Charolais....................................36,56 T Bar C Cattle Co. Ltd. ................17,51,57,IBC Temple Farms ..............................................57 Thistle Ridge Ranch ....................................54 Transcon Livestock Corp. ............................52 Triangle Stock Farm ..............................26,27 Tri-N Charolais ............................................55 Turnbull Charolais..................................11,54 Vikse Family Farm ......................................15 Western Litho..............................................53 Whiskey Hollow Cattle Company ........33,56 White Cap Charolais ..................................57 White Lake Colony......................................47 WhiteWater Livestock ................................56 Wilgenbusch Charolais ......................57,OBC Wilkie Ranch ..........................................49,54 Winn Man Farms ........................................45 Winters Charolais........................................56 Wrangler Charolais ....................................54

On Offer: 100 Yearling Bulls and 20 Two Year Olds Contact us for more information or a catalogue. View the catalogue & videos online at www.wilgenbuschcharolais.com

JWX 2B Dbl Pld • LAE Juice Box x Lang’s Red Soldier CE 84 BW 1.2 WW 60 YW 113 M 23 TM 53 BW 95, 205 DW 833, 365 DW 1585

JWX 851B Polled • HTA Thor x MVX Cougarhill Hank CE 24 BW 6 WW 50 YW 91 M 21.6 TM 47 BW 112, 205 DW 823, 365 DW 1420

Bigger and better than ever is this year’s offering of white and red factor bulls • Semen Tested • Ultrasound Data • Leptin Tested • All Bulls Guaranteed

JWX 613B Dbl Pld • LAE Juice Box x CS Pld Junction CE 55 BW 3.2 WW 57 YW 118 M 25.1 TM 54 BW 101, 205 DW 806, 365 DW 1481

Plan to join us on Sunday, April 5th: 1:00-5:00 PM – Bull Viewing 5:30 PM – Prime Rib Supper and Social

Will keep bulls for FREE until you need them in the pasture.

Delivery & terms Available – Contact Us.

JWX 65B 3rd Gen Pld • Gerrard Pastor x CSS Sir Navigator CE 46 BW 4.4 WW 52 YW 94 M 20.6 TM 47 BW 98, 205 DW 756, 365 DW 1434

JWX 805B 3rd Gen Pld • Elder’s Zeus x SVY Ad Invincible CE 82 BW 1.4 WW 46 YW 79 M 20 TM 43 BW 94, 205 DW 746, 365 DW 1437

John & Brenda 306-458-2688 C 306-458-7873 wilgenbusch@sasktel.net Craig & Tricia 306-458-7482 ctwilgenbusch@hotmail.com www.wilgenbuschcharolais.com @WilgenbuschChar

JWX 1051B Polled • TR Mr Do It All x JWX Silver Buckle CE 64 BW 2.7 WW 50 YW 92 M 19.8 TM 45 BW 99, 205 DW 900, 365 DW 1506

Sale Manager

306-584-7937 Helge By 306-536-4261 Candace By 306-536-3374 charolaisbanner@gmail.com www.bylivestock.com