Cct140113 by Farm Business Communications

LATE WEANING · ICALVE · GENOMICS 101 · TIPS AND TALES

THE BEEF MAGAZINE

JANUARY 2014 $3.00

www.canadiancattlemen.ca

SPECIAL CALVING ISSUE

Four

Calving

Seasons per year

Dean and Darlene Green Thorsby, Alta.

Publications Mail Agreement Number 40069240

Hill 70 QuantoCk RanCH

“Barn Burnin’ Bull Sale”

Sat., Feb. 1, 2014

See our ad on Page 9

ht and be sure to mark the Rig date!

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SCG_075 Go Ad 2013_Canadian Cattle_Layout 1 2013-12-10 3:45 PM Page 1

VACCINATE FOR SCOURS WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT! Blood levels are highest two weeks post vaccination. Peak Colostral Antibody Development occurs 2-5 weeks before calving1

Initial vaccination 6-9 weeks before calving

First year booster 3-6 weeks before calving †

† First year doses should be at least 3 weeks apart

Annual booster 3-6 weeks before calving

Reference: 1. Morrow DA, editor. Current Therapy in Theriogenology: Diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of reproductive diseases in animals. Philadelphia (PA): WB Saunders; 1980:1143 pp.

When the time is right.

Calving

ScourGuard™ 4KC helps you to maximize colostrum quality when administered 3 to 6 weeks before birth. Go to timing-is-everything.ca for more details on how to maximize colostrum production.

Established 1938 ISSN 1196-8923 CATTLEMEN EDITORIAL Editor: Gren Winslow 1666 Dublin Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3H 0H1 (204) 944-5753 Fax (204) 944-5416 E-mail: gren@fbcpublishing.com

Contents CANADIAN CATTLEMEN · JANUARY 2014 · VOLUME 77, NO. 1

 CA LV I NG M A NAG E M E N T

Field Editor: Debbie Furber Box 1168, Tisdale, SK S0E 1T0 (306) 873-4360 Fax (306) 873-4360 E-mail: debbie.furber@fbcpublishing.com

Calving four times a year makes better use of their bulls, their labour and their facilities.

ADVERTISING SALES Deborah Wilson RR 1, Lousana, AB T0M 1K0 (403) 325-1695 Fax (403) 944-5562 E-mail: deb.wilson@fbcpublishing.com HEAD OFFICE 1666 Dublin Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3H 0H1 (204) 944-5765 Fax (204) 944-5562 Advertising Services Co-ordinator: Arlene Bomback (204) 944-5765 Fax (204) 944-5562 E-mail: ads@fbcpublishing.com Publisher: Lynda Tityk E-mail: lynda.tityk@fbcpublishing.com Associate Publisher/Editorial Director: John Morriss E-mail: john.morriss@fbcpublishing.com Production Director: Shawna Gibson E-mail: shawna@fbcpublishing.com Circulation Manager: Heather Anderson E-mail: heather@fbcpublishing.com President: Bob Willcox Glacier FarmMedia Email: bwillcox@farmmedia.com

FOUR CALVING SEASONS: PER YEAR  M A R K ET I NG

FEATURES

Contents of Cattlemen are copyrighted and may be reproduced only when written permission is obtained from the editor and proper credit is given to Cattlemen. Cattlemen and Canadian Cattlemen are Trade Marks of Farm Business Communications. Cattlemen is published monthly by Farm Business Communications. Head office: Winnipeg, Manitoba. Printed by Transcontinental LGMC. Cattlemen is printed with linseed oil-based inks. Subscription rates in Canada — $39 for one year, $58 for 2 years, $83 for 3 years (prices include GST). Manitoba residents add 8% PST. U.S. subscription rate — $35 (U.S. funds). Subscription rate outside Canada and U.S. — $55 per year. Single copies $3. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage. Publications Mail Agreement Number 40069240. Canadian Postmaster: Return undeliverable Canadian addresses (covers only) to: Circulation Dept., PO Box 9800, Winnipeg, MB R3C 3k7. U.S. Postmaster: Send address changes and undeliverable addresses (covers only) to: Circulation Dept., PO Box 9800, Winnipeg, MB R3C 3k7.

iCalve A new app for your iPhone

 CA LV I NG M A NAG E M E N T

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Our commitment to your privacy: At Farm Business Communications we have a firm commitment to protecting your privacy and security as our customer. Farm Business Communications will only collect personal information if it is required for the proper functioning of our business. As part of our commitment to enhance customer service, we may share this personal information with other strategic business partners. For more information regarding our Customer Information Privacy Policy, write to: Information Protection Officer, Farm Business Communications, 1666 Dublin Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3H 0H1. Occasionally we make our list of subscribers available to other reputable firms whose products and services might be of interest to you. If you would prefer not to receive such offers, please contact us at the address in the preceding paragraph, or call 1-800-665-1362.

Be prepared for calving season . . . . . . . . . 14 Four calving seasons: per year . . . . . . . . . . 18 Late weaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Fetal programming of beef cattle . . . . . . . 29 Plant-based veterinary vaccines. . . . . . . . 34 Calfhood vaccinations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 iCalve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Tips for calving at pasture . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 The advantages of calving at pasture . . . 54 Practical advice on scours prevention . .56 Are your cows in season? . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60 Verified Beef Production . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 1 Genomics 101 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64 Tips and Tales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66

DEPARTMENTS

Member

The editors and journalists who write, contribute and provide opinions to Canadian Cattlemen and Farm Business Communications attempt to provide accurate and useful opinions, information and analysis. However, the editors, journalists, Canadian Cattlemen and Farm Business Communications, cannot and do not guarantee the accuracy of the information contained in this publication and the editors as well as Canadian Cattlemen and Farm Business Communications assume no responsibility for any actions or decisions taken by any reader for this publication based on any and all information provided.

Tips for calving at pasture

Congratulations! To our January survey winner, Brian Hill, Glenboro, Man. This month’s survey is on page 74. Cover Photo: Our photo comes from the Green family.

Comment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Newsmakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Our History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Nutrition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Holistic Ranching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Research on the Record . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Vet Advice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Prime Cuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 CCA Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Straight from the Hip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 News Roundup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Purely Purebred . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Market Talk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 The Markets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Sales and Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 C AT T L E M E N · J A N UA RY 2 0 1 4

Canadian Hereford Association • 5160 Skyline Way NE, Calgary, AB T2E 6V1 • 1-888-836-7242 • herefords@hereford.ca

 COMMEN T

By Gren Winslow

Big Ideas

The Straw man strategy is handed to industry

ince January is always a time for looking forward toward the new year, it’s not surprising that there has been a lot of energy going into crystal ball gazing for the Canadian beef industry in the past couple months. In late November the so-called Straw man strategy for the Canadian beef industry was unveiled in a Calgary hotel room. Then in early December cattle industry leaders from the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, Canada Beef Inc., the National Cattle Feeders Association, Canada Beef Breeds Council, Beef Cattle Research Council and several provincial associations gathered for a national strategic planning session to work on their own long-range national beef plan. The final Straw man report was to be handed off to the industry by the end of December, after this issue went to press. At that point the three men who got this ball rolling a year ago, Alberta producers Dave Andrews and John Kolk with AdFarm founder Kim McConnell, plan to step to the sidelines. They started this exercise in 2012 with the belief that the entire beef chain from producers to retailers had to be involved to make the Canadian Beef Advantage brand the product of choice at home and in targeted foreign markets. They spent much of last year surveying and nudging industry leaders to work with them to build a national plan. One measure of their impact is reflected in who has now joined the three straw men on the steering committee; Ken Clark of Overwaitea Food Group, Dennis Laycraft of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, Rob Meijer of Canada Beef Inc., Willie van Solkema of JBS Canada and Bryan Walton of the National Cattle Feeders Association. Other industry leaders have been working on committees to develop the main planks of this plan. Every industry needs data to stay competitive and this plan calls for a computerized network accessible to all but with rules to protect confidential information. The committee recommended the BIXS2 system since it accommodates all the basic carcass and production data and makes room for protocols like drugs use and welfare characteristics. Producers would have to enrol two million calves per year to create a serviceable database for the entire food chain. Most industry leaders at the Calgary meeting supported the need for such as system but only 69 per cent endorsed the BIXS system. Only seven per cent thought it should be mandatory, but another 22 per cent allowed it may someday have to become mandatory to get the enrolment they need. About half thought some sort of incentive would be needed to get the numbers up. A full

C at t l e m e n · j a n ua ry 2 0 1 4

80 per cent at an earlier meeting in Guelph, Ont. supported mandatory use of the information highway. The Straw man plan recommends performance measurements for production, industry synergy, competitive comparisons with the U.S. and Australia, sustainability and consumer satisfaction that would be used to track how the plan is performing. Those results would be reported back to the industry at least once a year at an open meeting. The strategy also calls on retailers to supply feedback information to the industry at this annual meeting to see if the industry is meeting the needs of the sector. It also calls for more funding of the industry’s marketing, promotion and research through Canada Beef Inc. by all industry players.

“ For now it looks like you may have a national plan for beef but it’s still unclear who will be heading it up.”

Nearly 80 per cent at the Calgary meeting believed the packers should pay a levy to Canada Beef. Views on that would probably vary with another audience. For one thing packers and exporters already cost share some marketing programs with Canada Beef in addition to their own marketing costs. When asked to raise the national $1checkoff on cattle only 29 per cent favoured the status quo, 23 per cent supported moving it to $2 and 35 per cent were for more than $2 per head. A number of producers were in the room, including some of the largest feedlots in the country, but this was still probably not the best gathering to gain a producer consensus on national checkoffs. Finally the Staw man plan calls for the industry to speak with one voice in carrying out this plan and it recommends the creation of a Council of Beef Leaders to be that voice. It wouldn’t be a new organization but rather a council of 12 senior people; two each from the same national groups shown above that are working on their own plan, plus one each from both major packers and a regional packer/processor with an independent chairman. About 95 per cent of the room favoured having one voice but only 60 per cent supported the council. For now it looks like you may have a national plan for beef but it’s still unclear who will be heading it up c

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 THE INDUST RY

NewsMakers Greg Bowie, Bob Lowe and John Buckley

Greg Bowie of Ponoka is the new chair of the Alberta Beef Producers. Joining him on the executive are vice-chair Bob Lowe of Nanton, finance chair John Buckley of Cochrane and past chair Doug Sawyer of Pine Lake. The remaining newly elected 2014 board of directors are: Rick Friesen, Vauxhall; Cecilie Fleming, Granum; Brian Edge, Cochrane; Judy Fenton, Irma; Rob Somerville, Endiang; Chris Simpson, Bentley; Ted Ford, Fawcett; Brian Chomlak, Beauvallon: Roland Cailliau, Valleyview; Mark Francis, Taber; Howard Bekkering, Vauxhall; Larry Delver, Calgary and Tim Smith, Coronation. The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) general manager Rob McNabb is the 2013 recipient of the Carl Block Award. The award recognizes McNabb’s contributions to the beef cattle industry and animal agriculture. Since joining the CCA in 1998, he has been involved in implementing initiatives in the area of animal health and welfare, food safety, traceability, biosecurity and disease control. The award is presented in memory of the late Carl Block, a south Saskatchewan cattleman who was the first chair of the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency, a director of the CCA, president of the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association and inaugural chairman of the Canadian Animal Health Coalition. The Canadian Forage and Grassland Association (CFGA) recently recognized the work of Dr. Gilles Bélanger on improving the productivity and adaptation of forages in Eastern Gilles Bélanger Canada by naming him the recipient of the 2013 CFGA Leadership Award. He was presented with the award last month at the CFGA conference in Olds, Alta. Bélanger, a research scientist with Agri-

C a t t l e m e n · J AN U A R Y 2 0 1 4

culture and Agri-Food Canada, was instrumental in developing cropping practices to increase the level of non-structural carbohydrates in forage crops to improve digestibility while maintaining yield and persistence. He developed the first model of growth and nutritive value of timothy, and plant-based diagnostic tools for phosphorus and nitrogen in forage grasses. Michael Latimer of the Canadian Beef Breeds Council was recently appointed to the board of directors of the Canadian Animal Health Coalition, which is an informal collection of organizations with an interest in animal health issues. Among other things the CAHC has been involved in developing the national Johne’s disease control program and the West Hawk Lake zoning project.

The Manitoba Forage Council has taken on a new look, a new name and new staff. The council has been renamed the Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association (MFGA), and taken on a new logo to help rebrand its image. Wanda McFadyen has been hired as the new executive director. She brings an extensive background in working for farm groups that include the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba, Manitoba Beef Producers, Farm Stewardship Association of Manitoba and the Manitoba Farm Animal Council. Duncan Morrison, a Winnipeg-based marketing consultant, has been hired as the MFGA’s outreach co-ordinator. Bonnie Glasman of M & J Farms Simmentals and Angus at Russell, Man., and former board member of the Canadian Simmental Association recently went to work with the Assiniboine Regional Health Authority as a registered nurse, according to her LinkedIn profile.

Lorie Jocius was recently honoured as the 2013 Canadian Agri-Marketing Association’s Agri-Marketer of the Year in recognition of her work on the 20th anniversary of the Lorie Jocius Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show in Ontario. Her husband, the late Ginty Jocius, was the founder of the outdoor farm show and CAMA’s Agri-Marketer of the Year in 1995. The RCMP is asking for the public’s help in locating more than 600 head of cattle related to an ongoing criminal investigation into thefts and fraud by Timothy William Flad, 47, of Brownsville, Alta. Flad was convicted on Sept. 5 of cattle theft over $5,000 for selling financed cattle without notifying the lender. He was sentenced to one year probation plus 100 hours of community service and ordered to pay $12,000 to the lender for the 40 head he sold illegally. Flad had previously been convicted at trial in Wainwright, Alta. of breaching his judicial release conditions relating to the charge of theft of cattle. He was sentenced on Sept. 10 and given a fine of $3,500, and two years probation with conditions. Another 600 head are still unaccounted for and the RCMP is asking anyone who purchased cattle from Flad to call their local RCMP detachment or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477. GrowSafe Systems of Airdrie, Alta., was one of five recipients of the Information Technology Association of Canada’s prestigious 2013 Ingenious Awards in late November. GrowSafe produces feeding systems for research that measure the intake of cattle under normal feeding conditions. The company won the small/medium private category in the annual competition. The University of Calgary faculty of veterinary medicine has named Dr. Elizabeth Homerosky as the first recipient of the Simpson Ranch Fellowship in Beef Cattle Health. The goal of the fellowship is to provide a postDVM program that will prepare the recipient Continued on page 10

www.canadiancattlemen.ca

Project12_Layout 1 12/13/13 2:02 PM Page 1

News Makers Continued from page 8

for an academic career in beef cattle health or a professional position supporting the beef industry. The professional training will involve hands-on training with veterinary practices, government, industry organizations, and advanced producers. The graduate program will include research in beef cattle health. Dr. Homerosky was raised on a cow-calf operation and received a doctor of veterinary medicine degree from Ohio State University in 2012.

Fred (l) and Sean McGrath of Round Rock Ranching.

Vermilion, Alta. Sean McGrath, and his wife Tanya with their three kids, works in partnership with his father Fred, and his wife Anne. Sean is also a genetics consultant to a range of clients and an occasional contributor to this magazine. With an 80 per cent native land base Sean picks breeds that fit the land rather than trying to force the land to produce for the cattle. The emphasis on timing of grazing is what they attribute to the success of the ranch. Employing various winter grazing techniques like swath and bale grazing has

Professor Rob Gordon has been reappointed dean of the Ontario Agricultural College (OAC) for a five-year term. The McGrath family of Round Rock Ranching was named Alberta’s 2014 Environmental Stewardship Award (ESA) recipient at the annual meeting of the Alberta Beef Producers last month in Calgary. Round Rock is a fifth-generation cow-calf operation near

Letters

“When my pen riders pull cattle, I want them to have a fast acting treatment that’s cost-effective.”

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Congratulations

First of all congratulations on the 75th anniversary of your magazine. As you know I have been a subscriber forever. I really enjoyed reading the historical articles. The articles since 1965 are especially interesting. I first got involved in the industry in 1963 as a buyer with Canada Packers. Refreshing me with the changes that have taken place since then was most interesting. In my opinion we are going to see more changes in the industry in the next five to 10 years than we have seen in the last 50 years that I have been involved. In the meantime I would like to thank you and your magazine for your contribution to the betterment of the industry. Harvey Dann,Winnipeg, Man. you Need water

Ask your veterinarian why ZACTRAN is ideal for cattle in your feedlot.

1. Giguère S, Huang R, Malinski TJ, Dorr PM, Tessman RK & Somerville BA. Disposition of gamithromycin in plasma, pulmonary epithelial lining fluid, bronchoalveolar cells, and lung tissue in cattle. Am. J. Vet. Res. 72(3): 326-330 (2011). 2. Based on label claims. ZACTRAN ® is a registered trademark of Merial Limited. © 2014 Merial Canada Inc. All rights reserved. ZACT-13-7558-JAD-E

worked to reduce fuel, time and money. He works closely with groups like Alternative Land Use Services and Cows and Fish to provide environmental and educational benefits for their operation that can be shared with the public. Because of the projects done with these groups thriving riparian areas are providing wildlife habitats, carbon sequestration and biodiversity preservation. “From a bigger picture across our whole ranch… should our kids choose to ranch, I would like to see our place in better condition than it is today,” says Sean. c

I wish to correct one of Don Campbell’s statements from his September “Holistic Ranching” column. He incorrectly states that there has been a paradigm shift in that one does not have to provide water for beef cattle in western Canadian winters. The reality is some people let their cattle survive by eating snow. Most cattlemen care more about their animals and recognize the value of providing water for them. Kenn Wood D.V.M., Ebenezer, Sask.

C a t t l e m e n · J AN U A R Y 2 0 1 4

3515 Zactran Therapeutics-CndCttl.indd 1

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We sell and deliver for free, hundreds of bulls all across canada. Here's what our customers say... "The sight unseen purchase program you offer, coupled with a rock solid reputation unquestioned convenience and a large battery of quality affordable sale bulls has again made bull buying from your ranch a pleasure.. Thank again." — J. Comrie MB. "Our ranch has been using M.C. Quantock Livestock bulls for over 10 years. We presently have over 50 Red Angus, Super Baldies and Black Super Baldies in our pen. We have had great success calving from April 5 to May 20. Our Black Baldie calves sold September 16 at Dawson Creek averaging 400 lbs. at $2 per lb. We could have sold more if we had them. Thanks Mac and family, your great line of bulls makes a difference in our herd." — N. Cambell and Sons, AB. "Pleased with the RA bulls, good shape when they arrived and at the end of a dry summer in MB. remained in good condition" — K. & G. Archibald MB. "The bulls always do good and any problems I've had were solved immediately. Bull loaned free of charge. Keep up the great service. Thanks." — J. Sykes MB. "Excellent service, the only place we buy our bulls. Small birth weight calves excellent growth. Our calves are weaning steadily heavier in the last 5 years, better replacement heifers, better genetics." — D. & G. Lyons AB. "The Bulls, the sale, the service is second to none. Buying from M.C. Quantock for the past three years

has been a huge stepping stone for the ranch. It is always a pleasure to deal with you." — J.V. Ranch, MB. "Sight Unseen is a good program Mac. No need to sit at auctions wasting time... all the bulls have performed very well over the years." — Powder Canyon Ranch BC. "Great bulls with solid backgrounds from a real cattleman that I can trust" — F. Kehler MB. "I had a bull that wasn't up to my expectations and Mac took it back, It was dealt with as promptly as possible. I was very satisfied." — L. Lowen BC. "Both bulls I have purchased are good tempered and easy to work with, good solid bulls." — N. Berkholtz AB. "We appreciate the good selection of bulls that have been purchased for us sight unseen. When there was a problem with a bull you took care of it right away. Delivery arrangements have always worked well." — D. Gerber ONT. "No room for improvement Mac. Many years of great cattle and great service... hoping for many more." — M. Morkin AB. "Service was great, bulls are what we wanted, Sight Unseen is an easy program to use to buy bulls when you are busy." — S. Mulligan AB.

... 10,000 + Bulls... 45 Sales... Stability and longevity...unequalled... There is still time. Call Mac today... 1-800-561-BULL (2855) email: mcquantock@hotmail.com

 OUR HISTO RY

THEY RODE AWAY TOGETHER Abstracted from an article by P.J. Perrin of Kyle, Sask., in the December 1946 issue of Canadian Cattlemen.

ossibly a little odd, but no doubt the way they would wish to go after being close friends for so many snows, Geo. G. Smith and Geo. L. Valentine, two of southern Saskatchewan’s old-time stockmen, passed on this spring only a very few weeks apart. For a brief time they lay in the same hospital, when on April 10 Smith passed away. Until this time Valentine was battling for his life with a will but on hearing of Smith’s death, the shock was great and he definitely gave up, to pass away on May 22. These men were two of nature’s fine children. Little did they expect of her other than what they got. Taking hard winters and dry summers as they came, always striving with the pioneer’s independence to reap from

Mother Earth what nature gave them when grass or crops were bountiful. They looked to no government or individual for undue assistance, sooner would they give assistance to someone else. Although men like these attended church seldom, their ideals were of the highest standard, and in their way their religion was sincere. When writing of these pioneers I cannot help but connect them with the wonderful little verse penned by the cowboy artist, the late C.M. Russell. “Nature holds his Bible, with pages open wide. He questions not her miracles, ’tis done, he’s satisfied.” Only recently a friend of mine told me that years ago he asked Smith for a $2 loan. Smith wrote the cheque and handed it to him, made out for $50. Mr. Smith came from Yorkshire in 1884 and in 1889 got on with the 76 Ranch. From 1892 to ’95 he was one of the push on the Gull Lake ranch. After that he started out for

the river on his own hook. There he ranched and farmed until his death. Besides caring for his own affairs, Smith proved popular in the community, serving as reeve in the Saskatchewan Landing Municipality for many years. Mr. Valentine was born in Kincardine, Scotland and came to Canada in 1886, coming west in ’89. He did not settle permanently until 1902 northwest of Swift Current near the river. In 1923 when a community pasture was made of the Matador Ranch, Valentine because its first manager; he served in that capacity until being superannuated in 1939. I believe to a great extent the forming of many community pastures today could be largely due to the success the Matador proved to be for serving a community years ago. That success was largely due to the foresight and management of Mr. Valentine along with the co-operation of Dr. F.H. Auld, deputy minister of agriculture for Saskatchewan. c

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BE READY.

 calving h ea lt h

By Ron Clarke, DVM

Be prepared for calving season

he busiest and most important time for producers is just around the corner. A successful calving season is an important kickoff for the year. Without a live, healthy calf at foot, the production year for a brood cow unravels. As with most things, planning ahead makes calving season go better and as calving season goes, so does annual herd productivity and profit. Looking back, healthy calves beside every cow symbolize sound decisions around breeding, nutrition, and health management. Looking forward, calving season is a time to evaluate the cow herd and set it up for success through the next breeding season. Careful observation and keeping good notes through calving season captures information that is otherwise lost when memory is blunted by workload and lack of sleep. Have a notebook in your pocket and use it. Entries about calving difficulty, cow temperament, health issues, ideas for next year become reminders for improvement. Excessive birth weights and calving difficulties should be negligible if homework from one year to the next is completed. Notes will help assess whether or not assistance with calving cases was appropriate and if intervention was applied in a timely manner and handled using the right tools. It’s important for cows to maintain a body condition score (BCS) between 2.5 and 3.0 during the final trimester of pregnancy. Beginning now, body condition scores can be used to objectively judge nutritional status of the herd. Protein and energy intake can be adjusted as necessary. Good body condition promotes easier calving and higher-quality colostrum. To obtain optimum post-calving fertility, mature cows should calve with a body condition score of 2.5 to 3.0 and maintain it through the breeding season. Flushing, the practice of increasing energy levels for a couple of weeks before breeding season, will not enhance post-calving reproduction in thin cows (BCS 1.5 or less), but will improve the quantity of milk as cows start lactating. Research shows a five to 25 per cent reduction in adjusted 205-day weaning weight of calves from dams with body condition scores less than 2.0 at calving, or from nursing cows that lose condition after calving.

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A clean environment can help calves resist disease even when they are stressed by cold weather.

First-calf heifers should have a BCS of 3.0 to 3.5 before calving. Nutritional requirements for heifers need to take into consideration: continued growth, lactation and preparation for rebreeding. After calving, heifers won’t add body condition so it is important they are in optimum condition at the time of calving. The third trimester is time for producers to review vaccination protocols with their veterinarian. The timing of vaccination and choice of vaccines is critical. Have a plan to manage cows onto and off of calving grounds. Calves from heifers face a greater risk of getting sick because heifers produce smaller amounts of lowerquality colostrum. As well, heifers have poorer mothering skills and are more likely to experience calving difficulty. Deal with these problems at the start of the calving season when things are the cleanest and the least harried. Consider calving grounds as a controlled environment by limiting exposure to disease-causing organisms. Besides reducing the pathogen load, overcrowding, cold and dampness definitely affect the ability of calves to resist disease. Simple things like keeping the udders of nursing cows clean and the calf ’s environment dry and com-

fortable are important first steps in controlling scours. The risk of developing disease is a function of challenge (dose of pathogens) and length of exposure. Crowded conditions increase the risk of disease on both counts and why the risk of getting scours and respiratory infections increases as calving season progresses. The most important source of infectious organisms for calves is the adult cow. Most of the important pathogens for calves are normal inhabitants of the adult gut and the number of harmful bacteria, viruses and protozoa shed into the environment by cows increases exponentially during the calving season. Sick calves become additional multipliers to the countless billions of infectious organisms that blanket the calving environment. The multiplier effect means calves born later in the calving season are at greater risk for disease, or death. In consideration of the growing risk as calving season progresses, the Nebraska Sand Hills Calving System offers a basic, yet important management option. In summary, the Sand Hills system effectively neutralizes extended contact between Continued on page 16

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T 29

LEWIS FARMS

Annual Bull Sale - 1:00 pm Feb. 22, 2014 A

EWIS 336

LFE RS L

Yearling Simmental

Extra Age Simmental

40 Angus Yearlings

ADVANCE X TO P GUN LFE BS LEWIS

IS 365A

EW LFE BS L

Yearling Simmental EDGE OTTLE X FULL THR WIS 519A

LFE FS LE

Yearling Simmental E

3118Z

Extra Age Simmental RANCHER X DR EA

M ON

Bulls Fertility & Semen Tested

Volume Discounts

X JUSTIC

LFE FS LEWIS

572Z

Extra Age Simmental AVALANCHE X SH

ERLOCK

RED LFE LEWIS

EWIS 814

LFE BA L

3030Z

120 Extra Age

14N TEEN X 5 SPRINGS

RAMADA

LFE RS LEWIS

SELLING: 140 Simmental Yearlings

826Z

Many Bulls Homozygous Polled Angus OR HARVEST

TOR X INNOVA

Angus

BIG SKY X DSG

N KING

Website: www.lewisfarms.ca Office Email: info@lewisfarms.ca Ken & Corrie Email: corrie@lewisfarms.ca Ken Lewis: 780-818-3829 Kyle Lewis: 780-220-9188 Jordan Buba: 780-818-4047 Fullblood Bull Contact - Leonard Mark: 780-336-5424 Office Ph.: 780-962-5050 Fax: 780-962-2467

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source of infection if they double as hospital pens for treating sick calves or cows. Producers should also try to avoid places like auction markets while cows are calving at the ranch. Be prepared to administer first aid as needed. Ensure first aid kits are readily available. Kits need to include a calf jack, obstetric chains, latex gloves, obstetrical sleeves, disinfectant soaps, esophageal feeders, clean syringes and needles. Access to appropriate antimicrobials, electrolytes and good lighting is important. Posted biosecurity protocols help inform staff and visitors about managing sick animals. Colostrum control is a critical function through calving season. A calf needs to consume at least five per cent of its body weight in colostrum (i.e. a minimum of two litres for a 45-kg calf) within a few hours of birth. Calves that have failed to nurse within three hours should be given colostrum by esophageal feeder. A variety of commercial colostrum supplements can be purchased at veterinary clinics, farm supply stores and feed dealers when colostrum supplies are low. Do the dishes. Supplemental colostrum and electrolytes given to scouring calves

calves and bugs by: 1) segregating calves by age to prevent direct and indirect transmission of pathogens from older to younger calves, and 2) scheduled movement of pregnant cows to clean calving areas to minimize environmental contamination and contact time between calves and the larger portion of the cow herd. The primary objective is to mimic starting conditions of the calving season each week by having new calves dropped in uncontaminated areas, free of older, infected calves. Start clean; stay clean. Preventing scours is a matter of controlling pathogen numbers and maintaining resistance at a level higher than the risk of infection. It’s a delicate balance. Temperature and moisture play a role. Mud and snow favour the buildup of pathogens. Cold can be a stressor that impairs the ability of calves to resist disease. Biosecurity in a sewer isn’t achievable. Many cow-calf operations have a nurse area for newborn calves, a place to dry them off, administer colostrum and maybe apply tags as needed. These same areas become a

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Treat them with ZACTRAN .

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1. Giguère S, Huang R, Malinski TJ, Dorr PM, Tessman RK & Somerville BA. Disposition of gamithromycin in plasma, pulmonary epithelial lining fluid, bronchoalveolar cells, and lung tissue in cattle. Am. J. Vet. Res. 72(3): 326-330 (2011). 2. Based on label claims. ZACTRAN® is a registered trademark of Merial Limited. © 2014 Merial Canada Inc. All rights reserved. ZACT-13-7560-JAD-E

will be much more effective if clean bottles, nipples and tubes are used. After each use, wash utensils using hot water (at least 50 C or 120 F) and bleach, or other sanitizing agents recommended by your veterinarian. Dry them properly. By the time calving season rolls around there should be few surprises about last year’s breeding program. The start and end of calving season should match the start and end of a controlled breeding season. If the calving period stretches beyond two to three heat cycles, if there is an unexpected number of open cows, or the distribution of calves born is erratic bulls should be checked and common reproductive diseases like those caused by Campylobacter and Tritrichomonas ruled out. Knowing what to expect helps. Traumatic injuries in calves are common. Crowded conditions increase the risk of calves being stepped on or crushed. Physical hazards like protruding nails, broken posts, loose wire, standing water and exposed electrical wires create danger zones for young calves. Barns are a common storage site for partially used containers of toxic pesticides or carelessly discarded batteries, a frequent source of lead poisoning for the inquisitive calf. Calving grounds should be examined for potential hazards every year. Gut infections, joint infections, intestinal accidents (including abomasal ulcers and rectal prolapse), navel infection, respiratory diseases (pneumonia, necrotic laryngitis, aspiration pneumonia), neurologic conditions (brain infections, selenium deficiency, trauma) and sudden death round out the syndromes that represent over 90 per cent of conditions observed in young calves. Calves should be evaluated frequently during the first several hours after being born. Lack of vigour and unresponsiveness are cardinal signs of problems. Minimizing the risk of infectious disease in the young calf is still the biggest challenge for most cow-calf producers, while non-infectious problems cause most of the losses in the first two to three days. Things like dystocia, hypothermia (low body temperature) and hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) increase the risk of calf death from infectious disease four- to eightfold. Acquired infections after birth are primarily a numbers game. Even the strongest calf can succumb to infections in a crowded, dirty calving environment. The inventory of “bad bugs” steadily increases during the span of a calving season unless care is taken to create space and clean ground. c

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3515 Zactran Metaphylazis-CndCttl.indd 1

Client: Merial Project: Zactran Metaphylazis Ad Date: Jan 2014

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12/10/2013 10:09:10 AM

 CALVING M A NAG E M E N T

By Debbie Furber

FOUR CALVING SEASONS:

PER YEAR

ne glance at Dean and Charlene Green’s cattle facilities lets you know they’re in the beef business for the long run. The solid construction of the pipe-rail corrals, roomy metal cow shelters, separate calf shelters and sizable calving barn lend an air of permanency that runs as deep as their family roots in the Thorsby area of westcentral Alberta. Dean tells of how his Washington ancestors in 1924 travelled by covered wagon chasing cattle up from Idaho to establish the bridle-bit brand he uses to this day. He speaks with equal enthusiasm about the future in beef for their children, the fifth generation to be involved in agriculture, Lisa, 20, Brandon, 18, and Lance, 15. He was about that age when he started managing the family farm back in the early ’80s with 14 cows, 10 sheep, pasture, hay and cropland. Never having had an inclination to grain farm, the cropland always has been rented out while they concentrated on building the livestock side to today’s 300 cows and 50 sheep, some of which trace back to the original lines. Green says the most significant change

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Spreads out the labour for the family and the bulls

during their time has probably been the evolution to four distinct calving seasons from the family’s traditional January through March time slot. Like many others, they started holding on to cows when prices bottomed out after BSE, but rather than adding to the bull battery as the herd eventually doubled in size, they put the bulls they had to better use by splitting the calving season. Today, the new year still ushers in the first calving run through to the end of February. The barn gets a thorough cleaning and the sheep move in from their winter pasture for lambing through March. A small group calves out on pasture for a month starting April 15 and then they’re back in the thick of things from August 1 to September 25 with a larger group calving on pasture and end the year with a three-week calving period starting November 20. The bulls are pulled promptly at the end of each breeding period to establish the calving time frames. “Now, we are culling heavier and keeping more of our own heifers for replacements, but we’ll stay with the split calving seasons because we found it works for us,” Green says. It works bull-wise because they actually

need only three bulls in service to maintain a 1:30 bull-to-cow ratio for each of the three main cow groups, versus at least 10 if they were to run all of the cows together. They keep six bulls on hand, giving them enough bull power to be able to switch out any that seem groggy during breeding periods before they tire out, Green explains. From June through August the bulls are rented to neighbours who have very small herds allowing ample time for them to fatten up for the fall breeding seasons. The bonus of having alternate summer homes for the bulls is that there’s no worry of bull fights with the neighbours’ bulls in the adjacent pasture. Frequently monitoring bull condition and jotting down observations gives him a calving date for most cows. The heifers are bred Angus in a separate breeding pen to calve at the same times as the cow groups. All of the females are one-iron cattle with replacements retained from and for each specific calving group. Only once in a while does a really good cow get one second chance by moving into a later calving group. Having four calving seasons also works Continued on page 20

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E FR

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time-wise for the family because it splits up the workload. It’s always breeding season, calving season or weaning time, but in smaller doses with about 100 females in each of the three main groups. The barn is large enough to accommodate 20 cows and is set up with a maternity pen and 10x10-foot holding pens if needed. Their rule of thumb for winter calving is to calve outside when the temperature is above zero and move them in for calving when it dips below zero. “If water freezes at zero, I figure it’s freezing for a wet calf, too. We just make sure the calf is completely dry and then there’s no problem putting them outside in cold temperatures,” Green says. Each corral is numbered and named with well-bedded calf shelters and a cow shelter (35x40) for protection and room enough to move around with the bale shredder. After 50 pairs have been moved into a corral, it’s closed out and they start a new corral for another 50 pairs. All of the large corrals for pairs and smaller corrals for other classes of cattle are now the pipe-rail style with rails welded to metal posts set in the ground — four rails high for the wintering pens and six rails high for working pens. His dad built the first one and they’ve gradually added to the system through the years because they found the fences to be strong, durable and low maintenance. Basically, all that’s needed is a new coat of paint every 10 years or so. A side benefit they’ve really noticed by managing the herd in smaller groups and daily feeding is that it’s much easier to watch the calves for health problems. “It’s hard to see every calf every day in a group of 300. This way, I go in with the shredder, then walk around to see that all of the calves get up. When it’s cold, they’ll run out, nurse a bit and scoot back to the shelter. Any that don’t, get a second look,” Green says. It’s a similar routine for the August and April groups calving on pasture close to the yard where there’s a working corral should a cow need help or to hold a pair that needs extra time to bond. They limit the calving area to 40 acres to keep the grass trimmed down so it’s easy to see all of the calves at feeding time. They like a grass mix of orchardgrass, timothy, brome with some alsike clover for their hayfields and pasture land and rent additional pasture as needed to avoid overgrazing by managing the stocking density on

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Dean and Charlene Green and children Lance, Lisa and Brandon handle most of the chores.

each pasture for the grazing season. They’ll trail cattle to pastures within five miles of the yard. Beyond that they go by truck. They are proud of their calf survival rate, consistently around 100 per cent when death losses and twins are balanced off. Twinning is fairly common in their Simmental-Red Angus herd, Charlene says. If at all possible, they try to avoid leaving a cow to raise two calves because it takes down the cow too much. She has tried every trick in the book to adopt calves onto cows that have lost their own calves and now has it down to a oneday event by using duct tape to attach the rump hide and tail of the dead calf onto the calf to be adopted. The small hide works just as well as a full hide and duct tape works much better to keep it in place than trying to tie it on, she explains. Split calving also spreads marketing risk. The August-September-born calves are sold into the grasser market in May or June and the November-December calves can be sold into the same market or held for grassing on the farm. They like to sell the JanuaryFebruary-born calves early in the fall calf run around late August or early September if market conditions are right and the springborn calves are held over until the new year. The Greens are staunch supporters of the

auction market system because of the competitive bidding and because they’d never want to see the industry lose this service as a marketing option. “This year calf prices were the highest we’ve ever received and you sure appreciate the good times that much more if you’ve gone through the hard times,” Green says. Cattle politics and prices aside, the good times have far outnumbered the tough times raising their family on the farm. Between the cattle and sheep enterprises, both he and Charlene have been able to work year round on the farm, which has let them participate fully in school, church and community activities with the kids. On the flip side, the kids have always been good at knowing what jobs need to be done and taking care of them, Green says, adding that both grandfathers reside nearby and enjoy lending a hand. The grandpas and whatever kids are available haul 90 per cent of the feed home. Sometimes there’s a steady caravan of three generations travelling the road one way or another. The Greens feel that mid-size is the right size for them. They don’t see an expansion in their future unless any of the kids decide to make cattle a career and want to get bigger, in which case that would be their own deal and they’d be happy to help out. c

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ULRICH H

Specializing in Light Birthweights with Great Performance plus Remarkable Cows!

ALNK 114L

Watch for progeny from these & other fine sires in our

8th Annual Bull & Heifer Sale

Tuesday

Feb 25th , 2014

Balog Auction • Lethbridge, AB • 1:00 PM Lunch 11:30 AM • Sale day phone: (403) 320-1980

AGA 46E BRITISHER ET 2U C02925141

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Sale includes excellent set of Long Yearlings by ALNK 2U

No bulls sell in Medicine Hat or Calgary. All our best bulls are in this sale!

ULRICH HEREFORD RANCH INC Box 843, Claresholm, Alberta T0L 0T0 From Claresholm: 8 mi (12.8 km)E, 4 mi (6.4 km) N & 1/4 mile E

Peter Ulrich cell (403) 625-1036 peter@ulrichherefords.com fax: (403) 625-2399 Hans Ulrich (403) 625-2237 www.ulrichherefords.com

Giving forage and grassland their due First of a regular series of columns by the Canadian Forage & Grassland Association What crop has the largest acreage in Canada? The usual answer is "wheat," which in 2012 was seeded on about 20 million acres. But cultivated forages made up 33 million acres, and more than 36 million acres were in native or unimproved pastures and rangeland. According to a National Forage and Grassland Assessment in 2012, those acres were responsible for economic activity of $5.09 billion in 2011, following only wheat at $5.2 billion and canola at $7.3 billion. The forage industry is also the foundation of the dairy and beef industries, which together contribute $11 billion in direct value to Canadian farmers and generate over $50 billion in economic activity. In other words, forage and grassland are big business, but they're not always recognized as big business, even in the agricultural community. Five years ago, a group of individuals from across the country met to discuss how to change that by forming a national organization to represent the forage and grassland sector, and the Canadian Forage & Grassland Association was incorporated in December 2009. We represent a broad spectrum of the industry, including domestic forage and grassland producers and forage product exporters.

Canadian Forage & grassland assoCiation www.canadianfga.ca Ph: 780-430-3020

Our first task was to commission the National Forage and Grassland Assessment, which confirmed what we suspected about the value of the industry. It also confirmed that despite the importance of forage and grassland, it is getting far less research support compared to other crops. Our next task was to create a forage and grassland research strategy. We are especially concerned about the decline of public forage and grassland research, and our research advocacy group is developing and implementing an action plan to address these concerns. We have also worked with the Beef Value Chain Round Table and the Beef Cattle Research Council on the Beef Industry Research Strategy to increase investment in forage breeding and productivity research. We also have been striving to increase awareness of the value of forage and grassland to our environment. The CFGA believes that independent forage variety performance testing is important, and we are providing input into the development and implementation of a national testing strategy. The proposed changes to the Seed Act would end merit testing as a requirement for the registration of forage varieties, and could come into effect in late 2013. If merit testing were no

longer required, registration trials would not be conducted. If this system is not replaced with another, there will be no independent, unbiased data available to compare varieties. The CFGA has developed two surveys for the industry and end-users, and this information will be used to develop a performance testing strategy. The export sector is an important component of the CFGA and we are working with members exporting to the U.S. and overseas to develop market protocols. Activities have included hosting a visit from a Chinese group interested in Canadian timothy as well as addressing issues in the alfalfa protocol for export to China. As our membership base continues to expand, the CFGA faces an increasing number of requests to address challenges and opportunities in the forage and grassland sector. But without a checkoff, CFGA depends on the development of creative arrangements with stakeholders, and partnerships are a major priority. Our sold-out national conference in Olds, Alta. in December illustrates the level of enthusiasm within our industry, and we are looking forward to working with Ron Pidskalny, our new CFGA executive director.

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 CALVING M A NAG E M E N T

By Heather Smith Thomas

LATE WEANING Wintering calves with their mothers

ne of the highest input costs when raising cattle is winter feeding. Some ranchers are shaving winter feed costs and labour by wintering their summer-born calves with the cows and not weaning the calves until spring. Dr. Joseph Stookey, a professor of animal behaviour at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon, has a cow herd of his own and for many years has been leaving the calves on the cows until spring. “Dairy cattle perform best in their next lactation if they are dry for about 45 to 60 days prior to calving again. If dairy cows only need to be dry for that short length of time, why not beef cows? I normally wean my calves less than 60 days before the cows’ first possible calving date, if the cows are in good condition,” he says. “My cattle are usually overconditioned — sometimes embarrassingly fat! If I were to wean their calves at a more conventional age of 6.5 to seven months of age, it would simply give the cows more time to get fatter. However, if my cows were to become too ‘pulled down’ in weight from lactation I would probably wean their calves sooner.” Leaving calves with cows through winter works best with moderate-milking cows, and not so well with heavy-milking cows that take more nutrition for lactation. “The evolutionary function of milk produced by mammals is to supplement their young until the young can consume ‘adult food.’ Why wean calves prior to them being able to live completely off forages? I don’t see the purpose of weaning them early, if

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it means I have to supplement their diet with more energy and protein to keep them growing. That’s what the milk does for them,” says Stookey. “It is easier to supplement calves through winter using their mother’s milk, than to supplement them with grain. As the calf ages, it becomes more adapted to consuming adult food. The natural lactation curve matches the needs of the growing calf; the closer the calf gets to adulthood (and the closer the cow gets to the next calf being born) the less milk is produced. Obviously you need to feed forages that have adequate nutritional value for the cow to maintain good body condition during lactation. Some poor-quality forages make it impossible for heavy-milking cows to maintain body condition,” he says. Before domestication or selective breeding, cows gave a moderate amount of milk and fed their calves through winter without problems. “By selecting for heavier weaning weights in beef cattle we have indirectly selected for heavier milking cows. Such cows become too thin on range pasture if lactation continues very long into winter. I want cows that ‘save’ some nutrients for themselves without getting too thin during lactation, so I am not pushing for heavier weaning weights and heavier milking cows. With my cows, weaning time can be delayed until spring, but that’s not true for all beef cows. “I like being able to manage the herd together through winter. It makes life simpler for me, with one group to feed. Some producers think they have to wean their calves before winter or udders will freeze and

Dr. Joseph Stookey

be damaged, but there are plenty of fall-calving herds to disprove this idea,” says Stookey. His cows calve in April and May. “Perhaps that helps me justify leaving calves on the cows well into winter, but I think I would aim for just a 60-day dry-off regardless of calving season. It’s not the calving date that made me consider leaving calves on the cows that long,” he says. Some of his calves are weaned naturally, before he uses a two-stage weaning program with nose flaps, which he begins about 60 days before calving. “The naturally weaned calves have the least amount of stress possible for weaning,” says Stookey. Many people seem to think that declining quality of pastures in late fall means they need to supplement the cow to support lactation if she is still nursing a calf. “But in reality, as the quality of forage declines, the milk curve is winding down at the same time the calf is gaining ability to handle forage with a fully functioning rumen. You don’t have to supplement cows near the end of lactation,” he explains. “Nutritionists say it is inefficient to feed a cow so she can convert the nutrients to milk, when you could feed the calf directly. If you feed a cow grain so she can milk better, then yes, it’s more efficient to just feed the calf grain. But I don’t feed grain to my cows or my calves. I expect both of them to utilize the forage in front of them (grass or hay). If you keep good grass or decent hay in front of them, they will stay in good condition,” he says. “I am convinced that it’s easier to keep Continued on page 26

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Anderson Family Herefords!!

32nd Annual Production Sale - February 18, 2014 At the Balog Cow Palace, Lethbridge, AB 1:00PM (MST)

Selling: 60-65 Two Year Old Bulls

Lot 202Z

Lot 260Z

Lot 10Z

Lot 106Z

Lot 235Z

Lot 7Z

Lot 12Z

Lot 51Z

Hereford Advantage The Anderson Hereford Advantage

Cross Bred Advantage - Heterosis pays, Hereford Heterosis pays extra with feedlot desired steers AND maternally desirable females. Lower Feed Costs - Hereford X cows forage longer, and maintain condition better. Hereford and Hereford X Feeder calves have better feed conversion. Better Temperament - Cattle that bounce off the fences or chase you over them are not needed. Longevity - Nothing outlasts a Hereford Bull or Hereford X Cow.

This will lower your bull replacement cost and the need to keep as many heifers.

Outstanding Cowherd - We demand our cows work have time for us, not us for them. Like you, we for poor udders, poor feet, poor performance or poor dispositions. We cull hard. Value, Quality & Quantity - We only sell 55 to 65 of the top bulls out of the 370+ Registered Females we breed each year, that is only 30 -35% of the bull calves born. Our bulls are only offered in our

Production Sale, so ALL the best are here.

Ranch Raised for Ranch Conditions - We have never chased fads or lost sight of what makes a rancher money. We breed for calving ease, mothering ability, easy fleshing, soundness, fertility, longevity, natural thickness and carcass traits.

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Free delivery within 300 miles OR take your bull sale day for a $100/head credit. Sight Unseen program, visit with us about your needs and we guarantee the best possible bull for the best possible price. If you don’t like him we keep him. For More Information or a Catalog Please Contact Us

ANDERSON FAMILY HEREFORDS Box 89, Aetna, AB Canada T0K 1Y0 DARRYL ANDERSON (403) 653-1385 • CELL (403) 653-7804 TOLL FREE 1-866-818-6020 • FAX (403) 653-3420 FLOYD 403-653-1686 • SALE BARN (403) 320-1980

EMAIL: darryla13@gmail.com

OUR SUCCESS DEPENDS ON YOUR SUCCESS SO WE FOLLOW UP ON EVERY ANIMAL!!

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them in good condition (and takes less energy) than to let them sink to a poor body condition and then try to build them back up. Feeding calves grain — any time in their young lives — retards their ability to become a full-fledged ruminant, able to fully utilize and thrive on forages.” The important thing is to make sure cows are adequately fed (enough quantity and quality of forage) if a person leaves the calves on them through winter. “The majority of cattle cases of neglect and abuse investigated in Canada by the SPCA include cow herds that have not yet weaned their calves. And contrary to what many producers believe, creep feeding calves does not ‘reduce the pressure’ on the cows. A calf will drink and take all the milk a cow will produce, regardless of whether he’s on creep feed or not.” Leaving calves on the cows through winter will only work if the cows have adequate feed and are not genetically programmed for heavy milk production. LATE WEANING IN NORTH DAKOTA

Ken Miller has been bale grazing cow-calf pairs through winter for the past five years on his ranch in central North Dakota (25 miles south of Bismarck). “The fields I’m doing it on were originally poor cropland with a lot of bare ground,” he says. He is improving the soil with the aftermath of bale grazing plus the nutrients from the cattle manure and urine. “I feed some high-quality hay along with some rank, coarse hay,” he says. The cattle eat some of the poorer-quality hay to add fibre to their diet to balance the good hay. They trample and bed on the rest, putting more organic matter and carbon on the ground. “We are more than doubling pasture production, and we’ve cut our winter feeding costs. I burn less than 100 gallons of diesel fuel in my tractor, to feed 100 pairs. Some people think that when it is cold the calves won’t perform very well, wintered with their mothers on hay, but they do quite well — and our winters can be very harsh. We wean in late March. Since we don’t calve until late May/early June the cows have adequate time to recover,” he says. When the calves are weaned, he feeds them separate from the cows for about a month, still bale grazing. He trails the cows home, leaving several older cows with the calves. He then puts the calves back with the

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cows again so everything can be run as one herd, saving time and labour. “There is no stress weaning at that age. The calves are about 10 months old and don’t miss their mothers at all,” he says. Some have already been weaned by the cows. “I run them as yearlings, to sell in August or September. We are currently working into smaller-framed animals that are more efficient and keep some until two-year-olds, to finish on grass,” says Miller. Wintering calves with their mothers, there is no sickness, compared to weaning in the fall. “We used to give pre-weaning shots, but we don’t need to do that anymore. We use a mineral program in the winter, but that’s the only supplementing,” he says. The cattle graze as long as possible and when grass gets covered with snow they start bale grazing. “We usually graze into the first part of January. We used to feed five to 5-1/2 months, and now we’re down to about four months of feeding, even in bad winters.” Miller says you can’t do this if you calve early, like February. “Calving in May our cows don’t have to be in top shape through winter. Even if they’ve lost some body condition by the time you wean the calves, the cows fatten up by calving time.” Weaning the calves at a younger age generally results in more sickness. “I prefer to leave them on the cows. That way the calves learn from their mothers how to graze through the snow. Calving in May/June limits a person to selling light calves if you market them in November. But if you leave them on the cows and run them on grass the next year to sell in August or September they are a good weight and you don’t have much feed investment in them,” he says. “We used to calve February/March, wean in late October and background them, to sell in January/February at 800 pounds. But we had a lot of feed and fuel invested in them,” Miller says. “It’s amazing how easy our calving is, out on pasture, and we have less sickness in baby calves. With the bad weather we had last spring, ranchers who calved in March and April were worn out checking cows and dealing with sickness.” He prefers to calve when it’s warmer, and let the cows take care of the calves through their first winter. The replacement heifers wintered this way with their mothers make better cows; they are more ambitious to travel around finding something to eat rather than waiting for a feed truck every day in the winter. c

Following nature The calf develops a more efficient rumen if he can nurse his mother until he is about 10 months old, according to Gearld Fry, a stockman in Arkansas who has studied cattle nutrition and genetics for many years. Mother Nature programmed cattle, like bison, to spend the first winter with their mothers. “You cannot winter a calf and do as much for him as what his mother can do. Even at the expense of the cow’s body condition, you are still better off to let her feed that calf. If she isn’t calving again until May or June, it doesn’t matter if she loses 200 to 300 pounds from her summer weight. If she has 45 days of green grass before she calves again, she will put on enough body condition to have a healthy calf and breed back within about 85 days after calving,” he explains. “Whether a cow is on stockpiled grass or hay, it contains all its micronutrients but has very little actual energy. It doesn’t take much energy, however, for a cow to produce butterfat; all she needs is adequate digestible fibre.” Her rumen creates energy during the breakdown of fibre. “In the lactating cow during dead of winter, 75 per cent of the fluid produced by her udder is butterfat,” he explains. She is giving less volume than she would on green grass, but the quality is very high. “Bison are the most closely related wild animal (to cattle) we have today. They have their babies in April/May, and breed back quickly. Two cycles is all nature gives them. Their estrus cycles along with the bulls’ testosterone production and peak fertility, is tied to season of the year.” By contrast domestic cattle have been selectively bred for certain desired traits; they have been gradually changed for several thousand years, and will breed (and calve) year round. “Cattle are ruminants with a nine-month gestation, like bison. If we imitate nature and calve during April and May, and let the calf stay at mother’s side through winter, all she needs is 45 days to dry off and prepare for the next calf with adequate colostrum, and then breed back,” says Fry.

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 Nutriti o n

By John McKinnon

Feed the Rumen First: Part 2

ast month we discussed the dynamics of rumen fermentation and the contribution that rumen microbes, particularly bacteria make to the nutrition of cattle. For those of you who missed that column, I will summarize by stating that achieving a desired level of performance whether we are dealing with a bred cow or a finishing steer depends to a large extent on how your feeding program promotes a healthy and active rumen microbial population. When feeding cattle for different stages of production (i.e. maintenance, lactation, pregnancy and/or growth), our goal is to target the right quantity and combination of feeds that meet the animal’s nutrient requirements. One of the first steps in achieving this goal is promoting bacterial growth and fermentation activity by supplying a ration balanced for fermentable energy and protein. There are, however, several examples where feeds may appear to supply appropriate fermentable nutrients but due to a mismatch of either available carbohydrate or protein, fail to support rumen fermentation and as a result, performance suffers. As an example, consider a group of bred cows grazing mature forage in the late fall/early winter. Even though there is often an adequate supply of grass, it is not uncommon for these animals to lose weight. One of the reasons for the poor performance under these conditions is that the grass is low in rumen degradable protein. This leads to poor bacterial growth and as a result, rumen fibre digestibility is reduced, leading to reduced dry matter intake and ultimately weight loss. Feeding corn-based diets is a second example where an imbalance of rumen fermentable energy and protein can exist. Corn grain is high in energy but relatively low in protein. Further, corn protein has a higher rumen bypass value than other cereal grains. As a result, most corn-based finishing rations require protein supplementation. However, due to the high bypass value of corn protein, one needs to consider the rumen degradability of the supplement if one wants to ensure that rumen bacterial needs are met. With corn-based diets urea is often used as a supplement as it is a rapidly degradable, inexpensive source of nitrogen (i.e. ammonia) that rumen bacteria can use to synthesize amino acids (and ultimately protein). These examples illustrate that when the diet is short on degradable protein; supplementation not only enhances bacterial protein synthesis, but also helps to optimize rumen fermentation of energy yielding carbohydrates such as starch and cellulose. This concept of matching rumen available energy and protein forms

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the basis of modern approaches to feed analysis and ration formulation. It was not that long ago that when a feed was tested, the report provided basic values for dry matter, crude protein, crude fibre and perhaps energy content. As our understanding of rumen fermentation has progressed, so has the level of detail provided by our commercial feed test laboratories. For example, modern approaches to feed protein analysis provides knowledge as to how much protein is soluble in the rumen fluid and thus readily available to rumen bacteria, how much is slowly degraded, the extent of rumen protein degradability (i.e. rumen degradable versus undegradable protein) as well as how much of the protein is unavailable to both the rumen and the animal. An example of the latter is the protein in heated silage, which often is very indigestible. Similar changes have occurred with respect to forage fibre analysis. Instead of the single crude fibre measurement of the past, today we measure both acid and neutral detergent fibre content. Acid detergent fibre is comprised of cellulose and lignin and can be used to predict forage digestible energy content. Neutral detergent fibre (NDF) represents the structural carbohydrate that is found in the plant cell wall and consists of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. Nutritionists, particularly those who work with dairy cattle, pay close attention to NDF intake as it can negatively influence total dry matter intake. While NDF intake is still an important factor to consider, today many laboratories offer tests for determining NDF digestibility (i.e. 30- or 48-hour NDF digestibility). Such testing provides an estimate of digestible as well as the indigestible NDF content of a feed. Researchers from Cornell University (M.L. Thonney and D.E. Hogue, 2013 Cornell Nutrition Conference) suggest that dry matter intake is negatively related to forage indigestible NDF content. These researchers are proposing that by regulating the indigestible NDF content of a diet, you can more accurately regulate dry matter intake, and that by balancing the degradable NDF fraction in the diet with the non-structural carbohydrate supply (i.e. starch) it is possible to more accurately regulate performance. While many of these concepts seem academic in nature, they are the basic principles that will dictate how we formulate rations and feed cattle in the future. Understanding the rumen and how we can formulate diets to optimize rumen fermentation and microbial protein synthesis will be keys to extracting maximum value from our rations and in keeping the beef industry competitive with other protein sources. In closing, I would like to wish all readers a “Happy and Healthy New Year!” c

John McKinnon is a beef cattle nutritionist at the University of Saskatchewan

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 calving m a nag e m e n t

By Tom Hamilton

Fetal Programming of Beef Cattle Fetal Programming Effect

Earlygestation nutrition

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Weaning

Post-weaning and Adult

Gestation The Principle of Fetal Programming

eef improvement programs have traditionally focused on genetic selection. Recent advances in genomics has accelerated selection by allowing us to identify key differences in the DNA of an individual animal’s DNA sequence. Wow! — being able to “look” right into an animal’s DNA. You’d think that there can’t be much left to discover in the field of genetics. But as we understand more of the science, additional complicating factors are coming to light. The standard view of how an animal’s performance is determined takes into account two main factors: its genetic makeup and the environment it is in, including nutrition, housing, climate, disease etc. The expression of the animal’s genes, interacting with its environment results in its performance for each trait. For beef cattle production, the traits we are interested in include birth weight, growth rate, feed efficiency, carcass attributes and fertility, among others. But we are finding out that the expression of those genes is highly variable. One of the foundation principles of modern genetics is that an animal’s genes set its ultimate potential to perform in any given environment. For example, a feedlot steer on a given plane of nutrition can perform up to a maximum level set by its genetic makeup. If its environment during the feeding period is optimum (including health status, adequate bedding and space, freedom from stress etc.) then the steer’s performance will only be limited by its genetic potential. And since genetic www.canadiancattlemen.ca

makeup is determined at conception, its future potential is set “in stone,” and would only be affected by the environment at the time the trait was expressed. Or is it? Fetal Programming

Recent research shows that the future performance of an animal can be affected by the maternal environment of the fetus during its early development. And this may occur even though traits expressed by the newborn animal, such as birth weight, are unaffected! This concept is called fetal programming, and has important implications for beef production systems. For example, the weight and body condition of pregnant cows, which affects fetal nutrition, is dramatically impacted by the plane of nutrition. This plane can vary from year to year on the same farm, depending on the growing and harvesting conditions for the forages which make up the majority of most beef cow diets. As well, the seasonality of the beef cow production cycle sees major diet changes, as many cows transition from grazing to stored feeds during early gestation. The need for additional dietary feed energy as temperatures decline from fall into winter further complicates things. The end result is that pregnant cows often undergo significant changes in body weight and fat level during the course of gestation, and these changes can vary from year to year. While we know that major changes in the level of energy and protein in the diet of cows in late gestation can affect the birth weight, vigour, and health status of the newborn calf, new research is

finding that, contrary to the traditional view, cow nutrition in early gestation may have an impact on traits exhibited much later in the calf’s life. And, in addition, dietary differences in late gestation which are not large enough to affect the neonatal calf may exert an influence much later in the animal’s life. A Nebraska study looked at the effect of protein supplementation of grazing lategestation cows on the performance of their heifer progeny. Heifer calf birth weights were the same for supplemented and unsupplemented groups, showing that the difference in nutrient supply was not great enough to have an impact on fetal growth. However, the heifer calves from supplemented dams had greater weaning weights, prebreeding weight, weight at pregnancy check and, most importantly, better pregnancy rate. This pregnancy rate difference was quite large, with heifers from non-supplemented dams at 80 per cent while heifers from supplemented dams were 93 per cent. And the heifers from supplemented dams had a 28 per cent advantage in the number of calves born in the first 21 days of the calving season. All this occurred even though postweaning gain and feed intake were the same for both groups of heifers. So in this study, a fetus developed in a uterine environment which benefited from additional protein exhibited a major economic advantage a year and a half after being born, although no differences were apparent when they were newborn calves! Continued on page 30

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A long-term study in Montana provided two diets classed as either marginal or adequate to pregnant cows. These cows were winter grazing (Dec.-Mar.) and supplemented with various harvested feeds. Heifer calves from these cows were then developed at two dietary levels during a 140-day period after weaning, giving a total of four management groups. The high-level diet was fed to appetite and resulted in a heifer growth rate of 1.5 lbs. per day. The low-level diet was fed at 80 per cent of appetite and gave a growth rate of 1.15 lbs. per day. In the winter after their first breeding season, each feeding group was main-

tained, with restricted heifers fed the marginal diet after they became cows and the full-feed heifers placed on the adequate winter diet. The performance of heifers through their first breeding season showed the expected effects of post-weaning diet on growth, carcass and reproductive performance (higher-growthrate heifers had superior performance), but there were no effects from the nutritional treatment the dams had been on. However, female progeny from the dams fed the lower-quality diet had heavier body weights at five years of age, whether they were placed on the high or low level postweaning and winter diet. Female progeny from dams on the high-quality diet, that

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were themselves fed the low-quality diet had the lightest body weight and lowest condition score at five years of age. And the females from the dams fed the lowerquality diet and then fed on the lower nutritional plane during development and the following winters had significantly lighter birth weight progeny than all other groups, although they also had the second-highest body weights at five years of age. Something about being nutrient restricted as fetuses carried forward to their performance as adults, independent of how they were fed after weaning. And females from high-level dams that went on to a restricted diet had a lower body condition score at five years than all other dietary combinations. What about feedlot performance from progeny of nutritionally restricted dams? When researchers from Ohio (Underwood et al.) put pregnant cows on native or improved pasture they found no difference in the birth weight of male calves but the steers from improved pasture dams had greater weaning weights, feedlot gain, carcass weight and fat level. These and other results have stimulated scientists to take a closer look at the possible mechanisms behind fetal programming. Although 75 per cent of fetal growth occurs during the last two months of gestation, and we have generally focused attention on cow nutrition during this phase, the early nutrition of the fetus seems to be important in influencing performance far into the future. This is likely associated with the early development of the placenta, especially the degree of blood vessel development. Although most of the fetal mass is deposited late in gestation, critical aspects of development such as the differentiation of cells and the start of organ formation are occurring at a much earlier time. This makes nutrition of the dam early in gestation much more important than previously thought, and runs contrary to our tradition of treating these early-gestation cows as having minimal nutrient requirements. While our understanding of fetal programming in beef cattle is only at a rudimentary level, it looks like a promising area. Hopefully, we will eventually be able to recommend feeding strategies for pregnant beef cows which takes into account the effect of fetal programming on the future performance of both feedlot animals and females that are retained in the breeding herd. c Tom Hamilton is the program lead for beef production systems with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food.

www.canadiancattlemen.ca 2013-12-09 1:39 PM

 Holistic R a nc hi ng

By Don Campbell

Planning for 2014

his article will be out in January. For most of us the winter months are the slowest work-wise. This might be an ideal time to do some strategic planning for 2014. Rest assured that thinking and planning will pay more than working. Many jobs can be delegated or hired out. Thinking and planning require that we do the hard work. One of the tools we use to aid our planning in H M is referred to as the weak link test. The idea comes from imagining that your pickup is stuck. The neighbour shows up with his big four-wheel drive and a rusty old chain. No matter how old or weak the chain; if it breaks, it will only break in one place. The same is true of our businesses. If we are unprofitable or even worse if our business fails, it will be because we are weak in one area. Knowing where we are weak will allow us to take remedial action. There are three basic steps to any business. In agriculture these can be defined as growing, harvesting and marketing. Growing refers to capturing solar energy. This is the first and the  thr ee bas i c st e ps

Growing

Harvesting

Marketing

most basic step in agriculture. The question is: Am I capturing adequate solar energy on my land? Solar energy is the basis of all wealth. If we want a profitable and sustainable business it is essential that we capture as much of it as possible. Capturing solar energy requires a healthy ecosystem. The building blocks are energy flow, water cycle, mineral cycle and succession. All four are closely related. When we improve or damage one we tend to improve or damage all four at the same time. We want to have a high energy flow. This requires tight plant spacing, wide-leafed plants and a great diversity of plants. An effective water cycle requires that there is no bare ground and that the soil is porous and high in organic matter. An effective mineral cycle requires that minerals cycle rapidly from the cow pies back into the soil for the next flush of plant growth. This requires soil that is covered and has as many organisms as possible living in it to improve nutrient cycling. Succession is a natural-occurring process. It implies that one series of plants prepares the way for the next series. Our management can influence this cycle. The goal will be greater plant diversity to provide improved nutrition for our animals and a more stable productive growth. Harvesting refers to converting what we have produced into something that is salable. In simple terms do we have enough livestock to consume the amount of forage we are producing? For most of us this isn’t a problem as we often tend to run our stocking rate to the maximum. However, I have seen this become a problem when someone does a good job of improving their growing link and then forgets to increase their harvesting link to utilize the extra growth.

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Other things that would fall in this category would be conception rates, weaning percentage, death loss, low gross profit etc. Marketing refers to selling what we have produced at a price that allows us to be profitable. Things we might consider here include market information, knowing our cattle, timing of marketing at the calf, yearling or long yearling stage, market flexibility, shrink etc. Now that we have the three links defined it is essential that we analyze our business and identify our weak link. It is unproductive to concentrate on what we enjoy most or what we do best. We need to strengthen our weak link to make our business profitable and sustainable. This idea has no value unless you apply it to your business. So stop and reflect: What would benefit your business the most? Would it be: more grass, better product conversion or better marketing? Pick the one you feel is weakest. With the weak link identified you are now ready to move on. Just before we do that, it is important to remember that we need to do this exercise yearly. When you identify the weak link and take action to correct it your weak link will likely change in the next year. Now that we know our weak link we can use this knowledge to help us spend our money more wisely. We will sort our expenses into three categories based on our weak link. W: Wealth Generating. These expenses will strengthen our weak link. This money is an investment in our business. The more we spend here the better off we will be. I: Inescapable. These are expenses that we are required to pay either legally or morally. Think of these as death and taxes. They must be paid and the amount is constant. This will be a set amount of money so we can put that amount aside when we do our planning. We will not spend time trying to reduce these expenses. M: Maintenance. Theses are all the expenses that are not “W” or “I” expenses. This is where it gets interesting. The question is how can we reduce or eliminate these so we can invest more money in our “W” expenses? One of the worst things we could do is to reduce all our expenses by an equal percentage. If growing is our weak link our list of helpful “W” expenses might include: fencing (permanent or temporary), winter feeding on the land (bale grazing), water development etc. If our weak link is harvesting the “W” expenses might include more animals, an extended grazing season, custom grazing etc. If our weak link is marketing “W” expenses might include: purchasing a scale, or investments in better market information and better financial planning, marketing at a different time or selling animals at a different age. Our “I” expenses would likely stay constant even though our weak link changes. “M” expenses would change as our weak link changes. The weak link test and the sorting of our expenses can help us spend our money more wisely. I wish you success in creating a profitable 2014. Remember it won’t just happen. You need to plan for it. Happy trails. c Don Campbell ranches with his family at Meadow Lake, Sask., and teaches Holistic Management courses. He can be reached at 306-2366088 or doncampbell@sasktel.net.

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 RESEARC H

By Ursula Hiratsuka

PLANT-BASED VETERINARY VACCINES Plenty of challenges remain but researchers now have the pieces in place to someday vaccinate at the feed trough

workshop sponsored by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Canadian Society of Microbiologists (CSM) on the application of plant-based immunotherapeutics and vaccines in veterinary medicine was held recently in London, Ont. The event was organized by Agriculture and AgriFood Canada research scientists Rima Menassa and Ed Topp and was attended by over 40 experts from nine countries, representing research, regulatory, and commercial communities. The key to the success of a vaccine is in its formulation and delivery. Traditionally, most cattle vaccines have been administered by injection, either intramuscularly or subcutaneously. The animals need to be confined and the vaccination often needs to be repeated. Needles raise the possibility of contamination and other safety issues including their disposal. Also, the costs of some vaccines are high. Beyond all that, systemic vaccination is somewhat ineffective at eliciting protective immunity in the gut. Combined, these factors have been viewed as impediments to the increased use of vaccines by the cattle industry. For example, Econiche, a vaccine that reduces the shedding of 0157:H7 by cattle, has achieved less than a five per cent market penetration in Canada. Partly it may be the cost, at $3 per dose, and partly the inconvenience of having to give multiple injections. Scientists and producers have long thought there must be a better way of pro-

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tecting the herd. Since over 90 per cent of pathogens enter and initiate infection at mucosal surfaces such as the gut, the best target for an effective vaccine for these pathogens may be the mucosal surface itself since it would reduce a pathogen’s ability to become established and replicate. It would be most desirable if a vaccine could elicit a mucosal immune response through contact with either the respiratory tract, GI tract or rectum. Getting a vaccine to these tissues is the challenge. Nasal spray is one method. It is not a new process. Around 1000 AD the son of a Chinese statesman is said to have been inoculated against smallpox, probably by having powder from pulverized smallpox scabs blown into his nostril. Currently, nasal sprays are available for diseases such as IBR and PI3 in cattle. The oral route is another way of targeting the mucosal layers of the gut. However, oral vaccines must avoid acidic and enzymatic denaturation before they reach the target tissue, and it is desirable that they be readily taken up by intestinal epithelium. Vaccine effectiveness also depends on the formulation of the adjuvants and carriers that enhance and modulate the immune response to the antigen and deliver the vaccine to specific areas or facilitate uptake by the mucosal tissues. Vaccine production costs are traditionally high, because you must produce, extract, purify, store, and transport the product. Until 25 years ago, vaccines were made largely of whole live or attenuated pathogens, usually cultured in host animals or cell cultures.

With advances in biotechnology, the production of subunit vaccines became feasible and expanded the range of target diseases. Instead of propagating whole pathogens, genes that encode single antigens can now be expressed in various host organisms. These subunit vaccines provoke specific immune responses, while eliminating the possible risk of infection associated with the use of attenuated intact pathogens. VACCINES FROM PLANTS

Molecular farming using plants is an inexpensive and efficacious way to produce subunit vaccines for bacterial or viral pathogens. The plant can be directed to produce these proteins in its seeds, the leaves or even the chloroplasts (organelles responsible for capturing energy for the plant from the sun). In one study, expression of a foreign lytic protein in chloroplasts resulted in more than 70 per cent of the total soluble protein in the plant consisting of a bacteriophage lysine, the expressed target protein. In another, safflower seeds produced seven grams of recombinant subunit protein per kilogram of seed. Plants expressing certain recombinant proteins could be used to produce and, possibly, deliver edible oral vaccines. Plants provide advantages over microbes and mammalian cells because they are highly scalable, inexpensive to grow, and do not produce endotoxins or support the replication of human viruses. Thus they are generally regarded as “safe.” The plant biomass can also function as a shelter-vehicle to deliver the vaccine by delaying degradation in the gut. Other plant components may

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research

also act as adjuvants, as many adjuvants in existing vaccines are of plant origin. The initial work in plastid transformation used green algae. In higher plant species, tobacco, tomato, alfalfa and lettuce have been used successfully to produce biopharmaceuticals. Other research is using storage organelles to accumulate and encapsulate recombinant proteins. Seeds are naturally adapted for the storage of proteins in a stable and accessible form. Recombinant proteins expressed in mature seeds do not lose activity even when stored for several years. In addition, seeds are small so the protein is concentrated and easy to process. So far recombinant proteins have been produced in barley, maize, pea, safflower, soybean, and wheat seeds. However, even though molecular farming of plants promises high yields of vaccine proteins, there are still challenges with administration. The antigen still needs to be stable and resistant to degradation in the digestive system. There must be an assured immune response to the target protein, which can be hampered by other non-target proteins in plants that may also elicit an immune response. Furthermore, genetically modified plants are subjected to rigorous regulatory oversight. Turning these plants into feed presents other problems. It cannot be made into silage as the protein is broken down during ensiling. It can’t be stored wet because of spoilage. To feed it fresh it must be harvested daily. Drying, steam rolling, pelleting or extrusion may affect the structure and thus the immunogenic properties of the target protein. These are the challenges facing AAFC researchers as they attempt to develop plant-based vaccines against bacterial diseases, including zoonotic diseases such as E. coli 0157:H7 and related VTEC. At Lethbridge, Drs. McAllister, Stanford and Selinger have collected standard E. coli 0157 and E. coli 0157:H7 super-shedder isolates and are using whole genome comparative analyses to try to identify suitable antigen targets. These targets will make ideal protein candidates for plant-based vaccines that are specific against the E. coli 0157 responsible for the super-shedding phenomenon. At AAFC London, Dr. Menassa, a plant transformation specialist, and her team have already developed several approaches for high-level expression of recombinant proteins. They will take the antigenic proteins provided by the Lethbridge group, as www.canadiancattlemen.ca

well as other proteins, clone them, and test their expression in tobacco. These plantexpressed proteins will then be purified and tested for immunogenicity and protective effects on model animal species. The long-term goal is to produce lowcost plant-based vaccines that are as easy to administer as putting out some feed. Although it will take some time before we reach that point, all the pieces that we need to make this happen already exist.

As society becomes more comfortable with GM feeds, the creation of transgenic plants with specific health-promoting properties becomes a very real possibility. c Ursula Hiratsuka is a freelance technical and scientific writer, with a background in medicine and biological sciences. For further information contact Tim McAllister: tim. mcallister@agr.gc.ca.

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 calving h ea lt h

By Heather Smith Thomas

It’s important to set up a plan with your veterinarian based on past diseases in your herd.

Calfhood Vaccinations

ewborn calves gain temporary (passive) immunity against disease when they ingest colostrum from the dam — since this “first milk” contains maternal antibodies. After a few weeks or months this temporary protection begins to wane, however, and calves must build their own immunities. Vaccinating calves at the proper time can help protect them until weaning. Vaccinating them too soon, however, may not stimulate much immune response. If the calf still has maternal antibodies in its system, these tend to interfere with building its own immunities. Thus the big question is when to vaccinate, and with what, for optimum immunity response in the calf. Dr. Steve Hendrick, an associate professor of Large Animal Clinical Sciences at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon, says the first step is to discuss a herd health program with your own veterinarian, but there are some general guidelines that may be helpful. “Here in Western Canada we advise a lot of our clients to use a BVD vaccine, and it’s usually a 5-way modified live virus vaccine. This, along with a clostridial vaccine, is probably most important for calves. Regarding clostridial products, I commonly

C a t t l e m e n · J AN U A R Y 2 0 1 4

use a 9-way vaccine covering nine different clostridial diseases,” he says. There are additional vaccines that are important for calves in some regions. “On ranches that have a lot of summer pasture pneumonia, some veterinarians are advocating the use of a vaccine against Mannheimia (what we used to call Pasteurella haemolytica) or Histophilosis. I don’t routinely recommend this, but I do have herds that have problems with these bacterial infections. History often repeats itself. If a herd has had a problem in the past, it’s probably a good idea to add this vaccine to prevent problems in the future,” says Hendrick. The big debate is when to give calves these vaccinations. “The majority of my clients are still vaccinating their calves at about one to two months of age, when they are branded. There are some situations, however, where the calves are born later in the season, out on grass — in May and June — and the ranchers found it was so hot and dry in July when they tried to bring them in for vaccinating, that we started vaccinating the calves at birth instead. The stress of trying to vaccinate them in July was too much,” he says. “In a couple of herds we switched, and now give their vaccinations at birth. This isn’t ideal; it wouldn’t be my first choice. But

faced with the decision of whether to vaccinate at birth or not giving any vaccines, we chose to vaccinate the calves at birth. I can’t honestly say we’ve had worse results. We don’t know whether this means the calves didn’t have enough of a challenge these last few years, or that the vaccine is helping.” He also talked to some of the drug company technical services veterinarians about using clostridial vaccines early. “Even though it says on the label to not give this before one month of age, I don’t think we’ve seen more reactions to the vaccine in the very young calves. We also haven’t lost calves to blackleg or some of the other common clostridial diseases, so I feel comfortable giving the clostridial vaccination at birth, as well. The cow herds have been vaccinated and boostered on a regular basis, so their calves may also be getting good protection (at least temporarily) from colostrum,” says Hendrick. “The herds that I know of that are using a Pasteurella and Histophilosis vaccine seem to be doing all right. Novartis, for instance, has done quite a bit of research with their product and have found that it is efficacious when given at birth. They have good data now for recommending its use in young calves,” he says. The best age for giving BVD and IBR vac-

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CALVING HEALTH

cines is still debatable. “From what I’ve seen in the literature, if you vaccinate calves that have high levels of maternal antibodies from colostrum, the thought has always been that those antibodies will basically mop up the antigen in the vaccine and the animal won’t develop a good response,” says Hendrick. However, there are two types of immunity. “One is cell mediated; there are some immune cells that are very non-specific and they clean up whatever foreign material they see. This is the first part of the immune system that develops and is very important for most of the diseases the calf faces. We believe there is probably an increase in this type of immunity with early vaccination, even though we might not see a big increase in titres or antibody response. That’s more secondary. We feel that even if these calves do get exposed to the disease, they at least have good cell-mediated immunity from the vaccine. We feel this is very important for some of the viral infections anyway. This is why I feel OK about switching a couple of these herds to vaccinating at a younger age. If the calves are being branded at a later age, however, I still recommend vaccinating at branding time,” he says. It is important to work with your veterinarian, and come up with a plan based on what has worked in the past for your herd, and what diseases you have in the herd. “We see some baby calf pneumonia that probably isn’t Pasteurella. It’s probably BRSV or some other virus, rather than bacterial. If you’ve worked with your veterinarian and made a diagnosis, you can be more specific about which vaccine you choose,” he explains. There is an intranasal vaccine and it may work in some herds. The logic behind it makes sense; you are stimulating local immunity in the nasal passages, where the virus would normally enter. “You are basically stopping this entry, or minimizing the viruse’s ability to get into the body and set up an infection. It’s almost one step earlier than giving the vaccine under the skin, to be absorbed by the body. In that scenario the virus gets into the nose and goes on into the body before the generalized immune response can attack the virus,” he says. “Some ranchers swear by the intranasal vaccine and say it has worked very well for them, and others have used it and don’t think it has helped much. I think it comes down to what the calves are being exposed to. If the disease is bacterial rather than viral, the viral product won’t help,” says Hendrick. You have to know your enemy, in order to choose the right weapon.

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This is why you need to work with your veterinarian and get some diagnostics on what is causing disease in your particular herd. Then you are better able to select the appropriate vaccines, rather than just using what your neighbour uses, or going by what you read in advertisements for certain products. “In general, however, the core vaccines for any herd would be at least a BVD vaccine and clostridial vaccine. We need to protect the calves from what’s out there, and it can be a challenge to get them safely through the first months of life and keep them healthy through weaning age,” he says. Summer pneumonia can be a difficult challenge, however, for some ranchers. There is some research currently being done on this, but we still don’t know all the answers. “I sat in on the American Bovine Practitioners annual meeting in Milwaukee, Wisconsin this fall and listened to some of the researchers presenting their projects. Summer pneumonia is such a broad diagnosis; it could be viral, bacterial or a combination of both. It may also be triggered by dust, being moved out to pastures, and there may be different contributing/predisposing factors for each

herd. It is a huge challenge to come up with clear and concise recommendations.” Effective preventive measures must be herd specific. “If we could recognize a few key patterns, and then see these types of risk factors in a herd, we might be able to recommend some things to try,” he says. Different ranches are calving at different times — anywhere from January to June, and also some fall-calving herds. This makes it much more difficult to make generalized recommendations for calfhood vaccination programs, so it pays to work with your vet to develop a program to fit your own herd. Other management factors are equally important. “It’s great to vaccinate the cows ahead of calving to make sure they have a high level of antibodies in colostrum, but if the cow doesn’t have a good bag or isn’t a good mother and the calf can’t nurse, he is not protected. The environment and the weather can also play a big role.” If you get a cold, damp spring, it may also be difficult for calves to have optimal conditions for staying healthy. Keeping calves healthy is not always easy because there can be so many factors involved. c

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C AT T L E M E N · J A N UA RY 2 0 1 4

 researc h o n t h e r eco r d

By Reynold Bergen

BUG SPRAY FOR BEEF?

he last two research columns have been about technologies and best practices that large and small beef packers can adopt to avoid bacterial contamination during dressing of beef carcasses, and to avoid bacterial (re)contamination of beef cuts and trim during further processing. Ground beef is more of a food safety risk than other cuts, for reasons discussed in last month’s column. As a result, Dr. Colin Gill, Xianqin Yang, Madhu Badoni and Mohamed Youssef of AAFC’s Lacombe Research Station have studied whether lactic acid sprays can combat E. coli in beef trim. This research was funded under the Beef Science Cluster and published in 2012 and 2013 (Food Control 25:717-722 and 34:13-16). Lactic acid is a natural compound. It is responsible for the sour flavour of yogurt and sourdough bread. The body also produces lactic acid; this is what makes muscles “burn” during intense work or exercise. It also has antibacterial properties. However, some types of E. coli (e.g. E. coli 0157:H7) can be acid tolerant. If lactic acid kills harmless bacteria but not E. coli 0157:H7, then E. coli 0157:H7 will have no other competitors, and could grow and multiply unchecked. That could mean that an acid treatment meant to improve beef safety could actually backfire and make it less safe. In addition, the researchers needed to determine what lactic acid concentrations and spray volumes would be most effective. What they did: This research was done under controlled lab conditions. The researchers inoculated muscle, fat and membrane-covered meat surfaces of beef trim with high (100,000 cells per 10 cm2 of trim), medium (10 cells per 10 cm2) or low (one cell per 10 cm2) levels of E. coli (including acid-adapted E. coli 0157:H7). The trim was then sprayed with water containing zero, 2.0 or 5.0 per cent lactic acid. Two different spray volumes were used (0.02 ml or 0.5 ml per cm2). Numbers of bacteria that survived were counted. What they learned: Acid tolerance of E. coli: Lactic acid was just as effective against E. coli 0157:H7 as against harmless E. coli. This was somewhat unexpected. But remember, packing plants routinely apply acid sprays to carcasses after evisceration. So the E. coli that survive that process are already somewhat acid tolerant, whether they are E. coli 0157:H7 or not. Lactic acid concentration: Generally, the 5.0 per cent lactic acid solution killed more E. coli than the 2.0 per cent solution. Water alone was least effective. The differences were smaller than expected, though. Proteins and

C a t t l e m e n · J AN U A R Y 2 0 1 4

other naturally occurring compounds in the beef may have buffered and inactivated some of the acid. Spray volume: Higher spray volumes were more effective than low volumes in trim samples that were inoculated with large numbers of E. coli. But the volume of spray used didn’t matter very much in trim samples that had been inoculated with small numbers of E. coli. Meat surface: Spray treatments eliminated E. coli from meat surfaces covered with a shiny, smooth membrane of connective tissue more effectively than from fat-covered surfaces or cut muscle surfaces. The fat and muscle surfaces have microscopic cuts and cracks where bacteria can hide and be protected from the acid sprays. This partly explains why larger acid volumes were only more effective in trim samples that had high levels of E. coli. When a lot of bacteria are present, many are on the surface and can be washed off completely, but the bacteria hiding in the cracks will be protected from the acid. When very few bacteria are present, the ones on the surface will still be washed off, but not the ones in the cracks. So the numbers of bacteria hiding in the cracks that survive the spray treatment may be roughly the same regardless of the initial degree of surface contamination. What it means: Lactic acid sprays may improve the safety of beef trim produced by processing plants with high levels of E. coli contamination. But modern packing plants are already capable of producing beef trim with extremely low levels of E. coli. Beef-processing facilities that have introduced and maintain effective pathogen interventions to prevent microbial contamination of the carcass before, during and after dressing, and that regularly and thoroughly clean conveyor belts and other fixed equipment, knives, gloves, and workers’ hands will probably not benefit from spraying lactic acid onto beef trim. Other recently completed cluster research indicates that irradiation is a much more effective tool to combat E. coli in beef trim. Visit www.beefresearch.ca for more information about Beef Cattle Research Council activities funded through the National Checkoff. The Beef Research Cluster is funded by the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada to advance research and technology transfer supporting the Canadian beef industry’s vision to be recognized as a preferred supplier of healthy, high-quality beef, cattle and genetics. c Reynold Bergen is the science director of the Beef Cattle Research Council.

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 CALVING T EC H NO LO GY

By Peg Strankman

iCALVE

A new app for your iPhone

o what does a guy with a ranch, a young family, multiple commitments to his community and industry organizations, do in his spare time? Well, he creates an app to take care of his calving records of course. Jake Meyer, with his family, operates a ranch in southern Alberta near Welling and has the only calving app on the world market developed by a Canadian rancher. Now that is Canadian innovation at its finest. The way Meyer tells the story, last calving season while he was juggling his calving book and finding a pen, the book went into the mud. It wasn’t the first time. Irritation encouraged the thought that there must be a better way. There’s an app for everything. Isn’t that what they say? So back in the house Meyer went searching for a record-keeping app for his iPhone. Hmmmm… interesting, Meyer thought when he could not find one. He confesses it took a bit more research and discussion to convince the cattle boss (his wife, Tanya) this was a good idea to invest money in. Meyer has a business background, so first thing he did was to work through a business plan. After about 30 pages he was convinced he had a great idea. Then he says the work began on all the practical aspects like design and coding and redesign and more thinking about how to make it all work. Meyer used his friend network as a sounding board. One friend helped him work through the necessary thinking on the coding this app was going to need. The practical decision was made that they would work with developers in India. Meyer says it took a while to find the company he was comfortable with and that took more than a few emails and phone calls. “Sending that first cheque was a bit of a leap of faith, Meyer says. But all in all it was a very positive experience. We could not have done it if we would have paid North American programming prices.” One area he just could not work out with the app designer in India was the screen design. Then Meyer thought about a friend who was a fabrication draftsman with access to a 3D drafting program. A little bit of creative process and voila, the buttons on the app screen took on just the look Meyer had envisioned. “And after a year or so… iCalve was born,” says Meyer.

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iCalve is easily accessible, just head to the iTunes app store and type in iCalve. (You won’t find it on the Apple App Store.) The first time you open it you will be asked if you want to back up your records to iCloud. If that’s your choice then the app will automatically back up to iCloud. Meyer says he prefers that to storing the records on the phone just in case you try washing your phone or somehow drop it in the north 40. The home screen shows six major buttons; Calf Records, Doctor Records, Cull Cow List, Death Loss, Gestation Calendar and Export Records. Opening Calf Records shows all the information areas you would expect to see in a paper calving book. There’s space for each individual calf number, sex, weight, the cow number, calving ease and a space to write in any specific notes about the calf and its circumstances you might keep track of. There’s a spot for when the vet was out for pregnancy checking and for other information about your cow inventory. This information is recorded with the Tag ID for that animal. There’s also a Herd Data button that takes you to a screen where the format layout makes it easy to enter details such as when the bulls were turned in and when they were taken out. Meyer says he thought for quite a while about the screen setup. He was envisioning how to set the screens up so it is easy to move back and forth. Another feature Meyer is finding very useful for his operation is the option to print off the records in a PDF format. When you print off the calving records you’ll find a space to put in the CCIA tag sticker. You can then photocopy those pages for a potential buyer. Meyer launched the app for iPhone and iPad on iTunes Store last November. The cost is $9.99. Almost immediately he had buyers from the U.K. and the orders from Canada started to roll in. “We’re working on an Android version now,” says Meyer. There have already been questions about when that will be available. There seems to be a lot of cattlemen keen to try out new ways of managing their records!” Meyer believes this type of technology is just the tip of the iceberg. “As cattlemen think more about how to use new technology more apps of this type will show up making record-keeping easier and easier,” he says. c

Meyer has the only calving app developed by a Canadian rancher on the market today.

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 vet aDv i c e

Will we ever learn?

ur family moved recently. During the tedium of moving and editing files, a copy of an article I wrote 10 years ago fell from a bundle of papers. “Ginny’s Sick” stared at me from the floor and brought back a flood of memories: a grandchild in Stollery Children’s Hospital on the end of a transfusion catheter carrying blood and platelets; a four-year-old on the verge of hemolytic uremic syndrome; her third trip to the emergency ward writhing in discomfort from cramps attributed to simple gastroenteritis; and the firm insistence by an old veterinarian to a young intern that they must consider things like E. coli 0157:H7. At the time, I tried to inject logic into why things happen to innocent people and why the modern world hasn’t progressed enough to do the simple things capable of preventing needless suffering — especially why producers and retailers still sell dairy products made from unpasteurized milk with no warning about the potential danger of doing so. Small samples of Gouda cheese harbouring minuscule numbers of E. coli 0157:H7 dispensed from a farmers’ market sickened 11 people, two seriously. Finding the article, now 10 years old, seemed surreal in light of the ongoing investigation into another case of E. coli 0157:H7 from unpasteurized cheese products. This time a person dies and 20 others are sickened by cheese sold from a family-run dairy operation outside Salmon Arm, British Columbia. Affected products had been sold at the manufacturer’s outlet, at retail stores in Alberta and British Columbia and through the Internet. People started to get sick in July, with the majority of those infected showing symptoms in late August and early September. Of the 28 victims affected in B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Quebec, four people were hospitalized; one person died. Despite the company’s expressed concern and sorrow for those affected by the outbreak, the fact remains: there are still companies in Canada and the U.S. producing cheese from unpasteurized milk. The practice contradicts all measures of responsible and safe production of food. While unpasteurized (“raw”) milk by itself is prohibited from commercial sale in Canada, sales of cheese made from raw milk are allowed. To date, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and more recently, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) support the fact that such cheeses are safe because they are “manufactured and produced in a way that helps eliminate harmful bacteria that may be present” in the milk. Specifically, raw-milk cheeses sold in Canada are subject to Health Canada requirements that they first be stored for 60 days at temperatures of 2 C or above. According to a video posted by the company involved in the most recent rash of illnesses, mild cheeses are stored for two months, medium cheeses for four months and aged cheeses for 12 to 24 months. According to CFIA, it’s “generally considered safe” to eat raw-milk cheese, but goes on to say it can cause “serious health effects” for children, older adults, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems and that people in those risk groups should avoid eating raw-milk cheeses.

C a t t l e m e n · J AN U A R Y 2 0 1 4

How many people take the time to ensure the cheese they are buying or being offered as a sample on the end of a toothpick at a farmers’ market is pasteurized by reading the label or asking the seller? How many consumers realize that beyond severe stomach cramps, diarrhea and vomiting, up to 10 per cent of E. coli 0157:H7 victims develop hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), and acute renal failure, which can be fatal. Health officials have now closed their investigation into the B.C. E. coli outbreak linked to raw-milk cheese. The company has resumed selling “unaffected” products and bills what it sells as being made from milk from the farm’s grass-fed cows. In the aftermath of a tragedy that could have been prevented, have products produced from raw milk redeemed themselves as safe food? Have consumers been made to feel safer, or do they know the questions that need to be asked when food offered for sale comes with risk? History contradicts those who purport the affirmative. Providing or offering for sale raw-milk products runs contradictory to modern agriculture’s goal of supplying safe food to an informed public. A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published in February 2012 indicated that when weighted for consumption the rate of outbreaks caused by raw milk and products made from it may be 150 times greater than outbreaks linked to pasteurized milk. The CDC study reviewed dairy product outbreaks from 1993 to 2006 in all 50 states. Outbreaks of diseases linked to raw-milk products were more frequent and more severe in people younger than age 20. The rate of hospitalizations was 13 times higher in outbreaks associated with unpasteurized products compared to those associated with products that were pasteurized. There is a broad scientific consensus that raw milk is not as safe as milk that is pasteurized. There have been dozens of foodborne illness outbreaks in recent years with many hundreds of people seriously ill and some deaths clearly attributable to ingesting raw milk and raw-milk cheese even though cheese from unpasteurized milk is less risky if given time to cure. The skill and reputation of cheese makers does not eliminate risk. There is no legal requirement to label raw-milk cheese, so most retailers are uninformed, and so are consumers. This, perhaps, lies at the heart of the debate. If Canada made labelling of rawmilk cheese mandatory, consumers could make informed choices. For those in pursuit of raw-milk cheese for whatever benefit they evoke and for those wishing to eliminate the risk of cheese made with unpasteurized milk the way forward would be much clearer. Consumers are entitled to know that some cheese is safer than others. c Dr. Ron Clarke prepares this column on behalf of the Western Canadian Association of Bovine Practitioners. Suggestions for future articles can be sent to Canadian Cattlemen (gren@fbcpublishing.com) or WCABP (info@wcabp.com).

www.canadiancattlemen.ca

Year Old

Black Angus Bull Sale

FEBRUARY 6, 2014

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 prime cuts

By Steve Kay

Leadership and unity

odest beginnings can lead to great success stories. Such is the history of Country Natural Beef. The group comprises of 120 ranching families in 12 states and harvests 50,000 grain-fed cattle per year. It sells its beef to leading restaurant and retail chains, notably Whole Foods Market and Chipotle. Yet CNB began as small as you can be. Ranchers Doc and Connie Hatfield had long known there had to be a better way to deliver the naturally raised beef products they thought consumers wanted, and a better way for ranchers to remain economically and environmentally sustainable. So they moved their ranch from Montana to eastern Oregon and in 1984 began conducting consumer research in Oregon cities. By 1986, they had founded Oregon Country Beef (later to be called CNB) with 13 other ranching families. The venture called for little financial commitment from each ranch. This was a good thing considering how financially strapped they were back then, says CNB. Each participant chipped in a few head of calves to get things moving and for the first few years the co-op produced three head each week. Today, CNB is one of the U.S.’s largest natural beef producers. Several elements led to CNB’s success. The most important was strong leadership and unity. The Hatfields spent several years convincing their neighbours that the only way each could survive was to join together. Another element was that Connie relentlessly canvassed consumers to see if there was a market for high-quality, natural beef. Yet another element was that the group from the start worked closely with feedlots and beef processors, the essential links in translating live animals into salable beef. The group also told the story about its beef in great detail and established a uniquely personal link between the ranchers and consumers. I recently spent a day with Quebec cattle feeders at their annual conference in Drummondville. They asked me to speak about the North American and global beef market. But what they were most interested in was how the Quebec beef industry could take advantage of Canada’s new free trade agreement with the European Union. The FTA gives Canada a duty-free quota of 65,000 metric tons of beef per year. I told them how beef demand remains key to all in the industry. I noted how North American cattle numbers have declined by 10.4 million head in four years and that the U.S. beef herd won’t expand until 2015 at the earliest. I also noted how Quebec’s beef cow numbers have fallen in recent years (to 176,900 head on July 1 last year). With this in mind, I suggested that the Quebec industry needed to develop a strategy for the future that involves the smallest to the largest cow-calf producer and feeder. The EU quota looks promising on paper, I told them. But it requires having a processing plant that is EU certified and remains that way. The EU in the past has been fickle about granting and then abruptly withdrawing such certification (which happened to the former XL Foods in Calgary). The EU also requires that all beef be from cattle that are not implanted nor fed beta-agonists. So why not produce such beef but aim it at the local market? Surely there are enough restaurant and retail outlets in Montreal, Quebec City and other places that want high quality, natural beef. Then there’s Whole Foods in the northeast just south of the border. But none of this will occur unless there is a unity and a common goal. Maybe Quebec can use CNB as an example of what can be achieved. c

C at t l e m e n · j a n ua ry 2 0 1 4

A North American view of the meat industry. Steve Kay is publisher and editor of Cattle Buyers Weekly.

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Vernon & Eileen Davidson 306-625-3755 davidsongelbvieh@sasktel.net www.davidsongelbvieh.com Tara & Ross Davidson & Family Keriness Cattle Company Ltd. 306-625-3513 Kert Ness - 403-860-4634 lonesomedoveranch@sasktel.net kertness@shaw.ca www.davidsonlonesomedoveranch.com Joe Ness - 403-852-7332 Airdrie, AB Gelbvieh Stock Exchange Sale Group jonus@telus.blackberry.net Don Okell - 403-793-4549 jenty@eidnet.org V&V Farms www.jentygelbviehs.com Vern & Vivienne Pancoast Gary or Nolan Pahl - 403-977-2057 403-548-6678 garypahl@shockware.com Redcliff, AB www.towerviewranch.com vvfarms@xplornet.com Wade Watson - 403-528-7456 wjw@cciwireless.ca www.watsoncattle.ca

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Darrell & Leila Hickman 780-581-0077 Vermilion, AB darrell.hickman@lakelandcollege.ca

Dave Hrebeniuk - 306-865-6603 Darcy, Renee, Colt & Kenzie Hrebeniuk - 306-865-7859 Hudson Bay, SK firriver@xplornet.com www.gelbviehworld.com

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 calving m a nag e m e n t

By Angela Lovell

Tips for Calving at Pasture

hen producers calve will depend on a number of factors including the availability of grass in the spring and local geography. A producer in southern Saskatchewan may be able to begin grazing on stockpiled grass and calve in April, whereas another producer in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Alberta may choose to push calving back to June 1. Whenever or wherever calving takes place, there are a number of considerations that are similar in most pasture calving and rotationally grazed production systems. Genetics

Choosing bulls and cows that are suited to pasture calving is something all producers agree is vital to minimizing problems. Mediumframe, deep-bodied, low-maintenance cows are preferred, with good maternal instincts and good udders with size and placement of teats that make it easy for the calves to reach them. A low milking cow is a better fit for pasture calving and is a big reason that Myna Cryderman, a beef producer near Boissevain, Man. sticks with Angus. “There is a lot of nutrition in the grass when they are calving and I used to have Simmental in the herd when I started this and I lost them all because they’d produce too much milk and we’d lose them because their bag would break down. The Angus cows have tighter bags and don’t seem to produce an excessive amount of milk right when they first calve on grass.” “You need a cow that works well through the winter too so she’s got to be able to maintain her condition and go out and work for her feed in the wintertime,” says Aaron Ivey, a cattle producer from Ituna in central Saskatchewan, who also has an Angus-based herd. “We’re looking for that low-input-type cow.” Chuck Toney, who raises cattle northwest of Gull Lake, Sask., accommodates different genetics in his 500-plus head of mainly Black Angus crosses by separating them into two herds. “We have a maternal herd which we select for maternal traits. We want a moderate cow size and good feet, legs and udders,” he says. “Then we have a terminal herd with cows that we would rather not have replacement females out of and we’re breeding them with Charolais right now to get the hybrid vigour and the extra pounds on the calves.” Handling

Cows and calves at pasture still need to be handled from time to time for essential procedures such as ear tagging, castration and vaccinations for things like blackleg. “You are still going to do things like vaccinations at the same production stage but it’s going to be at a different time of year,” says Wayne Tomlinson, extension veterinarian with Manitoba Agriculture, Food & Rural Development. “We recommend blackleg vaccinations at six weeks of age. If the calves are born in the middle of June that puts them into late July. Can you catch those calves and give them a blackleg shot at that time of year? There are all these little things to keep in mind because you still need to do those procedures.” Cryderman tags and castrates her calves as soon as they are up on their feet, dried off and started to nurse. Like many Manitoba producers she uses a castrating ring and has discovered a handy method to make sure testicles aren’t missed. “If you take a high-tensile wire,

C a t t l e m e n · J AN U A R Y 2 0 1 4

Moving to pasture calving means more than a change of breeding season.

you can make sort of a bobby pin out of it and you can pull the testicles down and slide that on so they don’t slip back inside,” she says. “A lot of buyers worry that when calves are ringed sometimes one of the testicles is missed because they can fall back inside. This method really helps when they’re squirming around and you don’t have them contained out in the open.” Keeping a handle on which calves belong to which cow, especially if a cow has twins and abandons one, can be challenging but should be easier the more often they’re checked. “The cows are fed and checked once per day and new calves are tagged and recorded,” says Karmen McNabb, who raises cattle in the Cypress Hills area of Saskatchewan. “As the calves are born, pairs are sorted off and moved out to another paddock to give the rest more room. Halfway through, the remaining group is moved to a second clean 60-acre piece.” McNabb also has a calf cart that she uses to transport any calves that need attention — and sometimes dead calves — to the yard. “The cows just follow along after the cart,” she adds. Planning and feeding

The nutritional needs of cow and calf can get moved around with later calving, which could mean weaning in the colder months when no pasture is available. Planning to ensure there is enough supplemental feed available to take the animals through until the grass is growing again is essential and may require some changes to existing grazing management. The important thing to remember is everyone’s system will be different because of different factors. John Cross of a7 Ranche in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains near Nanton, Alberta has around 750 calves at pasture in June. The herd is split into three with first- and second-calf heifers in one group, older cows in the second and yearlings in the third. All have a grazing plan developed under a holistic management planning process. “You must have a good grazing plan as a base,” he says. “I have used a (holistic planning method) for over 20 years now and it’s not a rigid process, it’s very fluid and that provides base information for what’s happening out there and it’s very flexible. If something hapContinued on page 52

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ca lv i ng m a nag e m e n t

Continued from page 50

pens you go and erase all the pencil marks and do it again. About once a month we end up changing something.” Toney, who farms with his brother and father, says they changed their whole grazing plan when they expanded the herd and doubled the land base in 2008. “We really had to step back and evaluate when we went from 360 head to 525,” he says. “We decided to change our grazing plan and extended our grazing season. We got some sandy land which has a lot of topography and brush and we started doing more winter grazing which saves us a lot of feed cost and keeps the cows out on pasture a lot longer.” He will graze as long as possible into the winter and then feeds out on the pastures with tub ground hay and silage feed bunks, which fits well into his operation because the farm has always grown silage crops and has the equipment to produce it. He lets the grass establish well before turning out the cattle, generally at the beginning of May and doesn’t worry if he has to feed a

few extra days in the spring because of cold or dry conditions as that generally gives him more grazing at the end of the season. Toney’s system is set up so that 75 to 80 per cent of the calves are born in the first 21-day cycle of calving on a 65-acre grass paddock, whilst he’s busy preparing for seeding and doing other essential jobs in his workshop. Once calving slows down he moves the herd to another 40 acres closer to the yard. Most producers still supply minerals to the cattle. “We don’t put up or buy any hay but I do supplement mineral in the wintertime because I calve in June and wean in February and those lactating cows need nutrition,” says Cross. “For a cow-calf pair through the winter it’s 40 to 60 cents per pair per day on supplemental mineral.” On the other end of things with the bred cows, the fact that they are not as far along in their pregnancy means they can cost a lot less to feed through the winter months, says Cryderman. “They can go on a much lower-protein diet, even some straw, because when they are not close to calving their nutritional needs are less,” she says.

Shelter and Water

Even though calving at pasture in the spring should mean not having to worry about cold weather, snowstorms in May are not unheard of. Conversely, temperatures can suddenly turn extremely hot, even in early spring and prolonged periods of wet, windy conditions can make the need for shelter a must, whether it’s natural bush or temporary windbreaks. A large amount of bushland, however, can also present some risks, says Tomlinson. “If you’ve got large bush a cow could potentially hide in it and so can predators,” he says. Cryderman uses natural bush in some of the pastures and also a temporary portable shelter that can be placed over an individual calf if unexpected bad weather comes. “It’s really just a bale feeder with tarps on it and it can be used to protect a newborn calf if the weather suddenly turns bad,” she says. Toney has portable windbreaks and has set up a maternity pen in part of an old dairy barn he moved in from a local Hutterite colony in case he needs to assist in the field. The advantage to spring calving at pas-

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C a t t l e m e n · J AN U A R Y 2 0 1 4

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calving management

ture is that often natural water sources are already available, but the distance cows travel to drink should be minimized, especially when they have newborn calves, says Cryderman. She installed a shallow burial pasture pipeline with risers in every paddock that is fed from a well at the yard site because she found having water closer to hand reduced her losses to predators. “Newborn calves will just lie down and when the mothers will go for water they’re left alone,” she says. “We had some bad coyotes around here for a while, but now we have the water in sight of where the calves are, and we haven’t lost a calf (to predators) for a while.” Marketing

A major consideration when calving in April or May is marketing. Calves will generally be smaller in the fall and so a producer must decide whether or not he or she will sell smaller calves into the market or feed them through the winter and sell them the following fall. Cross calves at pasture from June 1 and recommends the latter. His calves are

weaned in February and sold the next September or later as grass-finished animals. “I would certainly recommend (keeping the calves through the winter) because of the increase in value on those calves,” he says. “You are basically calving light and then getting the cow to winter the calf. If you move calving back and expect to wean at the same time of the year as you always have your income is going to go way down.” “We’ve gone to a yearling grasser program in our operations,” says Ivey. “A lot of them aren’t quite big enough yet to be weaned in the fall, so we take the calves through the winter and put them back on grass and sell them when they’re off grass the following fall.” Cryderman sells into the February market rather than the fall run. “The calves are just as big and we usually get more for them in February than we would have gotten if we had the same weight of calf at the end of October,” she says. “And I think the market has changed too. There’s a big market for grass cattle, so that’s the market we’re selling into and buyers in that market are willing to pay more for those calves.”

The people

It seems calving at pasture is part of a rotational grazing system and often a grass-fed beef operation, although not for all. As such it’s often the human element, whether for planning or moving the cattle that’s important. It certainly is for Cross. “We move our cattle about every three days but during calving one of the most important things for us is good stockmanship,” he says. “You need somebody who understands the herd and understands how to move them calmly, gently and slowly. They’re not moved so much as drifted, gates are quietly opened and they may be spread over three or four different pastures when they are calving heavy, it’s not like moving a bunch of yearlings.” Flexibility

Having a flexible system that you can change and tweak as needed is probably the best way to ensure that calving at pasture makes sense in your operation, says Ivey. “You have got to have a lot of flexibility in whatever system you’ve got because for us, our feed quality can vary tremendously so we have to adjust for that,” he says. c

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C a t t l e m e n · J AN U A R Y 2 0 1 4

 CALVING M A NAG E M E N T

By Angela Lovell

THE ADVANTAGES OF CALVING AT PASTURE

ost cattle producers cite reduced labour and input costs, milder weather, fewer birth problems and better calf health as the main reasons for choosing to calve at pasture in the spring. Karmen and Jason McNabb calve 400 Hereford/Red Angus-cross cows beginning the third week of April on a 60-acre native pasture in the Cypress Hills of Saskatchewan. The McNabbs says their goal is to have 95 per cent live calves on the ground and most years they meet that goal. “The lower labour requirement and fewer facilities needed make it worthwhile,” says Karmen. “We do not have hired help and are also seeding some land in the spring so it’s important the cows can (calve) on their own.” Calving in May generally means that producers don’t have to worry about calves chilling or freezing their ears. It’s a lot less stress and strain on the producer too. “When I was calving in January I was a walking zombie,” says Myna Cryderman, a cattle producer near Boissevain, Man. who switched to spring calving many years ago. “Now it’s a joy to go out and see there’s a new baby calf and it seems more natural. Animals are supposed to calve in May/June when the weather is good. Whenever you go against nature it costs you a lot in time, money and work.” You are also matching the highest nutritional needs of the lactating cows to peak forage production, says Cryderman. “You

C AT T L E M E N · J A N UA RY 2 0 1 4

are matching their nutritive needs to when the land is producing the most forage so you’re not feeding them as much hay, which costs money to harvest,” she says. “You’re cutting your cost down on feed and they are also healthier.” As animals are spread farther apart they tend to have less contagious diseases. “A lot of diseases tend to be diseases of confinement,” says Wayne Tomlinson, extension veterinarian for Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Development. “As we crowd animals together, we get more pneumonia and scours.” Aaron Ivey, a producer from Ituna, Sask., has rarely had to treat his calves for any sickness for over a decade, since he set up his pasture calving system. “Overall you get a more vigorous calf and he kind of hits the ground running,” he says. Advantages of pasture calving definitely include lower costs. “We believe that there has been an economic advantage,” says Lawrence and Christine Amon of Poplar Bluff Ranch, northwest of Shaunavon, Saskatchewan, who have been pasture calving for 15 years. “We have less corralcleaning expenses, less feeding and bedding expenses, less doctoring expenses, the calves are not set back from the cold or germs when they are born, the cows are in good shape, and our calves are not many pounds lighter in the fall compared to some that calve earlier.” Cows that calve at pasture also benefit from better nutrition that leads to improved

rebreeding. “Cows cycle and rebreed better if they are on a rising plane of nutrition,” says Tomlinson. “If you are calving in May and June and you turn them out onto nice green pasture, they are getting better nutrition, so they often will rebreed quite nicely through that system.” One of the biggest things about calving in the field is to be as prepared as you would be if you were calving in the corral. “Assume all the problems that you have in winter calving can happen on pasture,” says Tomlinson. “It’s more natural to calve in the spring and things tend to roll along a lot nicer but you can still get trouble. You’ll need a way to catch the cow and get her in if she doesn’t accept her calf or she’s having trouble calving. It’s good to be prepared to deal with that and also consider how you will deal with ear tagging, castration, dehorning and those sort of things. With open wounds you need to be aware that there are flies out there at that time of year that can cause you some issues too.” It’s important to realize, though, that calving at pasture isn’t just plunking the cows out in a field and letting nature take its course; it’s about developing a whole grazing and production system of which calving at pasture is a part. “You can’t say, well I’ll just change it to pasture calving now and everything else will be the same, you have to ask, is it going to fit into a system that you’re using,” says Ivey. “For us pasture calving is part of our whole system and part of how we manage and graze and everything else.” c

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 calving h ea lt h

By Roy Lewis DVM

Practical advice on Scours Prevention

few changes in scours prevention or colostrum management can make a huge difference in preventing that first case that quickly spreads to your other calves. This is even more critical today when herds are larger and labour is scarce. By increasing biosecurity around the farm a lot of these infectious diseases can at least be minimized if not prevented. We all know how critical colostrum uptake is in the first six hours of life and that the quality must be there. Good nutrition and proper vaccination of the cow herd boosts colostral immunity. If in doubt, especially with heifers, colostral immunity can be checked by a colostrometer. Essentially it measures the thickness of the colostrum milk to predict its immunoglobulin levels. It is pretty much accepted now that dairy colostrum is not the best supplement as diseases such as Johne’s can be brought onto your premises in the colostrum. Best to save and freeze some from a good milking cow in your own herd, or have several bags of the good-quality colostrum products (such as Headstart) on hand. These products are manufactured in such a way that infectious diseases transmission should be stopped or at least greatly minimized. However, cleanliness when giving it is imperative so I always insist producers start with a new esophageal feeder every spring and use it only on newborn calves. Use a different one to drench sick calves (and label them accordingly) then disinfect the tube each time it is used and wash all your equipment as often as you can. Watch slow calves, harder pulls, backward calves, premature calves to be sure they have sucked. At my home farm the rule is if a cow is assisted and in the calving chute she is milked and the calf is given at least some colostrum to get if off to a good start. Cows with blocked teats, plugged teats or just poor milkers can be identified and marked for culling. Udder conformation should be closely watched when selecting heifers. When you have cows with low-slung bags or large teats plan to supplement their calves with colostrum or adopt them to another cow when the opportunity arrives. Calves off wild cows are always at risk of inadequate colostrum

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Your biosecurity plan to protect this calf should be geared to preventing that first case of scours.

uptake too. If you suspect a calf is slow to nurse, put some tattoo ink above his nose and check his dam to see if he is attempting to suck. There is no harm in supplementing a calf with a bag of a colostrum substitute if you believe its colostrum uptake has been somewhat deficient. The time to make that decision is in the first few hours of life. If there is any doubt, a blood test can be taken and your veterinarian can check the total protein. I use the scale that above 6 is adequate, 5 to 6 is borderline and below 5 is inadequate. Below 5 is not an absolute guarantee the calf will get sick but I would isolate it to be safe. Many studies have been done over the years and inadequate colostral uptake leads to increased respiratory disease in the feedlot so this critical process essentially affects a calf for the rest of its life. If in doubt have the colostrum checked with a colostrometer or blood test. The next plank in a scours prevention strategy is to bolster the benefits of colostrum with adherence to strict biosecurity strategies and scours vaccination. As the number of calving cows increases the likelihood of scours cropping up late in the calving period is enhanced. When that happens today your veterinarian will try to pinpoint the exact organism causing the problem

and recommend changes to help prevent a reoccurrence next year and slow down the spread in the current year. Management changes involve using areas cleaned of manure with no recent cattle introductions. Cow-calf pairs should have plenty of room (at least 2,000 sq. ft. per pair) and ideally if about every 50 pairs are segregated any outbreak can be contained within that group. Watch you don’t spread it from pen to pen on equipment tires, boots, treatment equipment or more frequently, your clothes, hands and coveralls. Wash your coveralls frequently and really get in the habit of using boot dips and handwashing especially around the calving barns. Use obstetrical gloves and washable calving suits when assisting with calf deliveries. The calving jack and other equipment should be washed up before being put away. The maternity area and holding pens are also potential sources of infection and need to be cleaned thoroughly before the calving season begins. Use lots of clean straw bedding in these areas and change it frequently. The best principal is to treat, feed or bed down any sick calves last in your rounds but isolate them with their mothers as soon as possible. Imagine the scours organisms are being passed in the manure but also contaminate the calves’ hair and the area

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calving health

around each calf. That is also a good area to use a boot dip. Use Virkon disinfectant and replenish it whenever there is too much soiling. You want to create the mindset of reducing the spread of organisms as much as possible to prevent any new cases. Start with these biosecurity principles right at the start of calving. Preventing that very first case is key. Best to use a different set of coveralls to work with sick calves. Antibiotics are not a placebo for scours treatment. Most scour cases trace back to a virus or protozoa organism, so antibiotics are really used to prevent secondary bacterial infections. Scours vaccination of the cows is imperative to my mind especially in large herds

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where contamination builds up over the calving season. There are some scours diagnosed as clostridial in nature and one scours vaccine does contain some clostridial protection (clostridium perfringens Type C) but many herds make sure the clostridial (blackleg shots) are up to date on their cows as well. One of the most important things is to get a proper diagnosis on a scours case by an experienced veterinarian. There is one very good on-site test for rota and corona virus, E. coli K99 and cryptosporidiosis from Biovet (www.biovet.ca). Coccidiosis can be diagnosed from a fecal flotation and cryptosporidiosis from an acid-fast stain. If a specific diagnosis is made this greatly increases the odds of prevention in the

future. Your veterinarian is really the one to talk to on both prevention and appropriate treatments. The principles of fluid hydration isolation and disinfection are pretty much the same for most normal causes of scours but specific treatments with medication may be considerably different. Once a specific diagnosis is made treatment recommendations as well as prevention for the following group of calves can be instituted. This may in some cases involve thorough disinfection, cleaning and moving the calving area. It may seem like lots of work but anything that breaks the transmission cycle of scours is definitely worth it. Remember, you want to avoid that first case. Good luck. c

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 CCA repo rts

By Martin Unrau

Momentum building

he new year begins with a sense of building momentum in the Canadian cattle industry. The last few months of 2013 were filled with progress on the market access and trade liberalization front. October’s announcement of an agreement in principle for a Canada-EU Comprehensive and Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) deal was followed in December by the eleventh hour “Bali Package” at the 9th World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference held in Bali, Indonesia. Both of these announcements are significant as they come after years of often frustrating negotiations. The CETA deal gives Canadian producers access to a lucrative market for their beef. The Bali Package marks the first time new multilateral rules and trade liberalization have been agreed to since the Uruguay Round agreements were brought into force and the WTO was created in 1995. This is a truly remarkable feat and hopefully a sign of things to come. Indeed it would be beneficial if this spirit of co-operation infiltrated all of the market access files the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) continues to work on. The CCA welcomes the Bali Package as it contains a number of new agreements, including one on trade facilitation, another on disciplines in the administration of tariff rate quotas and another on elimination of export subsidies in agriculture. Trade facilitation will place new disciplines on customs procedures that can often restrict the international movement of goods. This is all good news for the beef trade, which is often impacted by duplication of import inspections, paperwork, and onerous service and user fees, among other issues that would be governed by this package. CCA is also aware of situations where administration of duty-free quotas has become a barrier, so these are very positive developments. With the Bali Package, WTO members have proved that they can overcome differences to produce a negotiated result. The CCA hopes the WTO can now move on to other important items that distort international agriculture production and trade such as market access and domestic support. There is renewed optimism around progress towards a Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement (FTA). During the Bali conference, Korea announced an agreement with Australia. Korea has been floating publicly its interest in joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). To join the TPP, Korea will have to be accepted by all of the existing partners, a list which includes Canada, Australia and New Zealand. We believe Korea may now be highly motivated to conclude bilateral agreements with Canada and New Zealand in order to pave its way into the TPP. Our view is that we should seize the opportunity to secure favourable access for Canadian beef into that important market.

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International Trade Minister Ed Fast and Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz met with the Korean trade minister at the Bali conference. This is the second meeting in as many months between Canada and Korea. Canadian negotiators were in Seoul, South Korea from November 25-29 for the first full negotiating round for a CanadaKorea FTA since last year. The CCA urges the Government of Canada to quickly conclude an FTA with Korea so that Canadian beef can continue to compete in that market. Canadian beef regained access to Korea in January 2012 following a nearly nine-year BSE prohibition. When the Korea-U.S. FTA (KORUS) came into effect less than two months later, it put Canadian beef at an immediate tariff disadvantage to U.S. beef. Under KORUS the Korean tariff on U.S. beef imports is decreasing by 2.7 percentage points per year until U.S. beef is duty free in 2026. Canadian beef (as well as Australian and New Zealand beef) will remain subject to the full 40 per cent tariff when entering Korea until Canada and Korea reach an agreement to improve access. Prior to BSE, Korea was Canada’s fourth-largest export market, with 14,400 tonnes of Canadian beef valued at nearly $50 million exported to Korea in 2002. Canadian beef access was restored to Korea in January 2012 and the first shipments resumed in May 2012. Total shipments for the eight months of 2012 were just over 2,000 tonnes with a value of just under $10 million. Almost all the shipments in 2012 were frozen beef. Monthly shipments throughout 2013 have steadily declined. CCA director of government and international relations, John Masswohl, attended the Bali WTO Ministerial Conference as well as the Cairns Group Farm Leaders’ meeting that preceded it. There, he was able to confer throughout the week with Minister Fast and Minister Ritz and express the CCA’s support for the opening of international markets. Also in December, the federal government announced a new bill that will update the cash advance program, known formally as the Advance Payments Program (APP). We have seen cattle producers across the country using the Advance Payments Program. Cash flow management often forces producers to sell some production at less than optimal times. This program gives a bit of added marketing flexibility. While everything is in the preliminary stage for a new bill this looks like a promising update to a good program. Adding breeding stock sounds like a good addition and we are interested in learning more about that and all the proposed changes. We look forward to participating in the legislative and regulatory processes in the coming year. c

Martin Unrau is president of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association

www.canadiancattlemen.ca

 calving m a nag e m e n t

By Steve Kenyon

Are your cows in season?

t’s a never-ending debate. What is the best time to calve? Spring? Summer? Fall? Or winter? How do we decide when is the best time? If you have ever followed my articles or heard me speak at a conference, you will know that any production practice is only right if it can pass a few tests. First test is economics. Can it make a profit? The second test is finances. Can I afford to cash flow the practice? Third, does it match my human resource needs? That could mean having adequate labour or it might not meet the goals of the business. Only after all three tests are passed, will I implement a production practice on my ranch. I like to copy nature. Let me explain in very simple terms, how nature tries to match the season to the biological cycle of the animals. Nature provides the nutrition the cow will need and she needs it for 12 months. Where I live, we have four very different seasons. Summer can get hot (+35 C) and winter can get cold (-45 C). Spring and fall seem to blend in between these with the occasional storm or hot spell intermixed. As the temperature drops, the energy requirement goes up for the cow. She needs more food to help keep her warm. All other factors removed, that would translate into a higher cost to feed that cow because of the cold weather. Simply put, the most expensive time to feed that cow is during the winter, which by definition is from December 21 to March 20. Summer, therefore, would be the cheapest time to feed that same cow, June 21 to September 22. Let’s also set the record straight. Spring calving is in spring; March 20 to June 21. Fall calving would be from September 22 to December 21. Let’s look at the biological cycle of the cow. When a cow is bred, she begins her first trimester. At this time she has a small fetus growing inside her which does not need a lot of extra nutrition at this point. However, she will usually have a calf by her side which requires a fair bit of milk production. Therefore she requires higher nutrition. This trimester would be from day one to day 98. The second trimester starts at about the time we would wean that calf; at about day 98. This would assume we are weaning at 180 days of age. If the calf is weaned, the nutritional requirements of the cow will drop quite a bit. We still have a small fetus inside the cow but not a lot of extra nutrition required at this point. Our requirements are therefore quite low. This trimester is from day 99 to 188. The cow’s third trimester starts at about day 189 and ends at calving which is approximately day 282. During this period the fetus is growing quite rapidly so the cow’s nutritional requirements increase but there is no milk production at this time as last year’s calf is weaned. After calving we hit the cow’s return-to-estrus period from day 283 to 365. There is a new calf suckling so the cow’s requirements increase due to the high milk production. On top of this, the cow needs to get her reproductive system back in shape ready to rebreed. This also takes additional nutrition. Therefore, this is the time period of her cycle that requires the highest nutrition. So what I pull from comparing these seasonal cycles; the least nutrition needed for the cow is during the second trimester. It makes sense to me that nature matches the second trimester up with the cold winter period. This is the lowest nutritional time for the cow

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Cow Whee e l Th

and the season with the lowest nutrient value of the forage. In terms of dollars and cents to us this means that during the most expensive time to feed a cow she would require the least amount of feed. On the other end, her highest nutritional requirement is her return to estrus which is matched up with the best forage available during the year at the lowest cost. This of course would be summertime. So what does this all mean? It means nature already has this figured out. The ideal time to have a baby in nature is at the beginning of summer; around June 21. For the cow, this would put her breeding date in early September. Does this pass my tests? Well if we are trying to pass the economic and financial tests, as long as the feed cost savings increase the margin, I’d say yes. There are far too many variables in every operation for me to say one way is better or worse in this article, but the answer will be in the margin. There are a number of other benefits that I could argue such as reduced death losses. This means we require lower overhead costs as a calving barn is not required. As for human resources, it does lower the labour requirements as compared to winter calving. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying you should move your calving date if you do not calve in the summer. This is just how nature works and it is good to understand why wildlife breed for this period. I actually push this back a little on my ranch as I like to calve in May which allows me to also match my calving with my pasture rotations better. I still however, get to benefit from a lot of the nutritional advantages I have described above. You need to be able to figure out if your management passes all the tests to make sure your business is profitable and fits in with your lifestyle goals. c Steve Kenyon runs Greener Pastures Ranching Ltd. in Busby, Alta., www.greenerpasturesranching.com, 780-307-6500, email skenyon@ greenerpasturesranching.com.

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BUILDING TRUST IN CANADIAN BEEF

teaching responsible use of antibiotics A VBP workshop can refresh your knowledge of the proper approach

Most beef producers have heard the standard messages around responsible antibiotic use in the cattle industry. Do the right things and be able to prove we are doing them. Feedback from industry shows there are still times where producers could benefit from having and following clear, proper drug treatment protocols. And a refresher course in the reasons and importance of following those is often a good idea.

 VBP Provincial contacts Alberta — Eileen Leslie 1-866-242-7404 eileen@beefsafety.ab.ca Saskatchewan — Coy Schellenberg 306-859-9110 office@saskvbp.ca Manitoba — Betty Green 204-372-6492 betty.green@email.com British Columbia — Annette Moore 1-866-398-2848 VBP@cattlemen.bc.ca

Know core principles

Building Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) is precisely why the Verified Beef Production (VBP) program was developed by producers and the industry. The “Guidelines on the prudent use of Antimicrobial Drugs in Animals” document is simple, straightforward advice based on guidelines of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association. Consumers and the general public are increasingly concerned about drug use and antimicrobial resistance. While the beef industry is only one player in this whole area of drug use, we must be prepared to do our part. The goal is simply to minimize the use of drugs to preserve effectiveness while maintaining animal care. Overuse of drugs can contribute to resistance in your herd which may have implications for herd health down the road. Our industry uses veterinarians as advisers for a reason. They are educated in proper drug use. The target strategy is to use drugs for the shortest time period required. Antimicrobials that specifically target the

Ontario — Dan Ferguson 905-375-8551 dan@ontariobeef.com Quebec — Nathalie Côté 450-679-0530 poste 8460 ncote@upa.qc.ca Get a copy of the VBP pocket book from your provincial co-ordinator.

pathogen are favoured over broad-spectrum drugs, and the need for drugs should be regularly assessed. Review your records and ask your veterinarian if any changes should be made. Keeping track of what you do is key to assessing success. VBP training can help

The VBP workshop can help. Many of the practices in the VBP manual are related to the prudent use of animal health products. The most important of these is adhering to label directions. Next most important is keeping records to manage it. Consider becoming involved in the VBP

Atlantic provinces — Amanda Tweedy 902-368-2229 vbp@peicattleproducers.com

program. The first step is participating in a workshop or taking the online version of this. That effort demonstrates your interest in responsible drug use. The collective participation is important for our beef industry dealing with policy and market access issues. VBP workshops are about two hours in length and are available across the country. Alternatively, the online version is easy to complete using dial-up Internet access. For either option, contact the VBP representative in your area from the list above. Your operation and your industry will benefit.

DEVELOPED BY PRODUCERS. DEVELOPED FOR CONSUMERS

One implant. That’s it. You’re done! Avoid the inconvenience and stress of re-implanting. Do it right. Do it once. Merck Animal Health, operating in Canada as Intervet Canada Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Whitehouse Station, NJ, USA. MERCK is a trademark of Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Whitehouse Station, NJ, USA. Copyright © 2011 Intervet International B.V., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Whitehouse Station, NJ, USA. All rights reserved.

For more information, talk to your veterinarian or call our technical service at 1-866-683-7838.

® Registered trademark of Intervet International B.V. Used under license.

REV-XS Canadian Cattlemen QSHere.indd 1

13-07-24 14:49

 straigh t f ro m t h e h i p

By Brenda Schoepp

2014 GAME CHANGERS FOR BEEF

hile the beef industry has been focused on fighting for its COOL rights and attempting to pull together an overall strategy, there are things happening outside of the circle that could be game changers for the industry. Australia and Indonesia had only just gotten their playground rules settled when an alleged spying incident spurred Indonesia to look further afield for beef imports. After their disastrous attempt at beef sovereignty, the Indonesian government retracted and is looking for strong import ties. The game changer here is that Indonesia is considering buying from regions within countries for beef. In short that means that although a country may have a disease status, they are willing to go into a disease-free region within that country and buy beef from that region. They are currently considering India, the world’s largest producer of beef to procure product. This has a dramatic effect on Australia with whom they annually import more than 500,000 head of live cattle and 70,000 tonnes of beef. Beef is produced on 57 per cent of all Australian farms and any loss in the largest live and beef market, that being Indonesia, forces Australia back to the marketing table and that may have an impact on Canada. Setting precedent by going into disease-free zones will be a game changer on the trade table. Australian beef does come into Canada and it does not all go into A&W burgers. The fact that a global program now feeds a national chain in Canada as highlighted in the A&W Our Beef campaign indicates that there is more of this to come. Even though it was a shocker to the old Canadian way of thinking the marketing move was brilliant in capturing market share and outmanoeuvering the competition. Look for more contracts in food service and retail that are global in context as the competition heats up. Competition is healthy but severely lacking on the export front. Food processing in Canada, especially in value-added meats is dwindling and adding pressure to our $6-billion processed food trade deficit. There are two points within the food-processing arena to address. First, we fall short on processed meats but more importantly, we no longer have a fed-cattle value that is based on live exports which takes Canadians further away from the board price. With the roadblocks caused by COOL and the refusal of cattle fed beta-agonists, we now have a dependency on value adding to product. The game changer is the potentially permanently wide basis on live fed cattle and the loss of food processing to add value. When it comes to the value of beef product it is important to note that China is not the only game in town and may actually be the least profitable export market. On a per-kilogram basis the value of beef to China is $5.93 less than the value of exports to the EU. (Exports to the U.S. on a per-kilogram basis are $3.50 less in value that exports to Europe.) CETA could change the game in Canada’s favour

C at t l e m e n · j a n ua ry 2 0 1 4

yet in pursuing trade agreements there will be continued pressure on the dairy industry, which may result in additional spent cows and dairy calves in the system. Regardless, the landscape has shifted and will continue to evolve leaving the Canadian industry with an opportunity of sending processed beef into value-driven markets. Consumer tolerance is getting thin and the move by Cargill to ban cattle fed Zilmax is just the starting point. Ask yourself this — why is it that we punish an athlete when taking muscle-enhancing drugs and allow the same principle to be applied to the production of food? This is a game changer for the industry and the transparency of production practices will dictate the outcome. Social licence will move to the top of the list and dominate auditable production practices. Society as a whole has been far removed from agriculture and few Canadians in densely populated centres are born here. Today, more than 50 per cent of Toronto’s population is foreign born and Toronto, like many major cities has developed its own food policy. Ontario Premier Wynne recently urged manufacturing workers to seek out jobs and opportunities in food processing. Today, nearly 70 Canadian cities and municipalities have developed a food systems approach to economic development or a firm food policy. The density of the voters and the fact that they have cemented core beliefs in regional food policy will be a game changer for the Canadian beef industry. Future food policy and related job opportunities will be dictated strongly through urban centres. The foundation of the beef industry is grain and the value of the fifth quarter (the credit value). From a production point of view, feeding cattle is about adding value to grain. From a processing point of view it is about capturing the credit value. The challenge for the beef industry is to partner or add value to those key areas without compromising their social licence while capturing the greatest value market. This takes some thought outside the current discussions and most certainly challenges the status quo. Who will it be that leads us through the shifting landscape? The absence of youth on farms, urbanization and smaller farm families may result in further consolidation resulting in a small, transparent consultation table that reflects countries and cultures. The game has changed. c Brenda Schoepp is a Nuffield Scholar who travels extensively exploring agriculture and meeting the people, who feed, clothe and educate our world. A motivating speaker and mentor she works with young entrepreneurs across Canada and is the founder of Women in Search of Excellence. She can be contacted through her website www.brendaschoepp.com. All rights reserved. Brenda Schoepp 2013

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calving b r e e d i ng

By Sean McGrath

Genomics 101

enomics is a word we have been hearing quite a bit of in the press and has been reported in this magazine more than once. Basically genomics is the study of the DNA of an animal and how it is passed down through generations. In the case of cattle this DNA is contained in 60 chromosomes. Each time a calf is conceived the sire passes on 30 chromosomes and the dam contributes the same. During this process, we cannot be sure which chromosomes are passed on and to further complicate matters the DNA is mixed and matched during the process as well. In essence each sire and dam passes on parts of chromosomes that are re-sorted into a complete genetic unit. This process involves nearly three billion base pairs of DNA for each cow. So the real question is what DNA did an animal get and what does it pass on? The way we have selected cattle in the past has been through “like begets like.” In other words we look at a cow and decide we like her and hope she reproduces herself. Breed associations started adding precision to this process around 200 years ago by tracking pedigree. By knowing what family a cow comes from we can make a better rough estimate of the characteristics that cow may contain in her DNA. Roughly 50 years ago we started formally collecting weights and measures on cattle. By knowing the family tree and closely tracking differences, determining differences between the DNA content of animals became more precise. With the addition of analytical mathematics to logically examine the data and the pedigree of

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the animals, EPD provide an even more accurate insight into the DNA content of potential breeding stock. With new DNA technology it has now become possible to examine the DNA of the animal directly to obtain clues and information about what is contained in those three billion base pairs. DNA consists of four specific units called nucleotides which we can label as A, T, G and C. A always matches up with a T and C with a G and these are what we mean by “base pairs.” If one of these matches such as an AT is replaced with a GC in the string of DNA it can result in a difference in the instructions for building the animal. This single change is called a single nucleotide polymorphism or SNP (SNIP); basically translated as a change in one DNA pair. Many changes don’t result in any difference in an animal, but some of these changes can result in significant differences. By looking at data and pedigree information, we can find SNP markers that indicate where these changes occur and if they are impacting traits in the animal. SNP markers are fairly evenly distributed across the DNA of an animal, similar to road signs or mile markers on the highway. By themselves they do not mean much, other than to give us a frame of reference where we are on the genetic map. By looking at the mile markers in conjunction with data and pedigree we can find which pieces of DNA or which mile markers we are at when specific events occur. Perhaps every time we run across a record from cows that are 15 years old and still in the herd, markers 1a and 7a are present. Heifers that are open consistently show marker 1b and 7b. These could then be candidates to test for

“ Genomic technology gives a tremendous jump to beef cattle breeding.” Sean McGrath Vermilion, Alta.

the possibility of longevity in a population of cattle. These markers are contained on chips or panels which basically contain markers for anywhere from 100 to nearly one million SNPs. Companies that build panels essentially paste the SNP markers onto special plates. A 50K panel has roughly 50,000 markers stuck to it, and a 770K panel has 770,000 and so on. The machinery to read each type of plate is a little bigger than a countertop microwave and pretty comparable to the cost of a new combine.

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calving breeding

As the number of markers increases so does the cost, but it provides more in-depth testing, since the mile markers are closer together. The process of finding these informative SNPs and documenting the effect each one explains is called “training” the panel. It is extremely important to recognize that while an informative SNP can be the actual change or mutation in the gene that is causing the trait to change, in many cases the SNP is just a road marker that is close to or associated with the phenotypic difference. It is equally important to realize that because DNA creates differences between animals, different populations may have different SNPs that show differences. In other words, when we look at an Angus compared to a Hereford or a Charolais we can see visible differences caused by differences in DNA. Because there are differences in the DNA, a panel developed on an Angus population may not give us any insight into a Hereford, Charolais or crossbred population. Another important realization is that it is impossible for any farmer or rancher to interpret 750,000 pieces of DNA information.

So how do we make this stuff useful? In order to assess various traits, the DNA results are actually used in the calculation of EPD. EPD describe differences in expected progeny performance using math and logic applied to pedigree and performance information to determine what relative DNA is present in the animal. By directly measuring some of the animal’s DNA and adding that into the equation we can increase the accuracy of our prediction substantially. In other words, we normally have to use pedigree information and the animal’s own performance and then wait and measure performance in calves in order to more accurately determine what DNA the animal contains and will pass on. By measuring the DNA directly we can obtain a good bit of that information at a very early age. Some of the work to date has provided added information from DNA markers equivalent to 15 to 25 calves, depending upon the trait. Increasing the accuracy of selection and doing so at an early age allows us to shave years off of generation intervals and make fewer mistakes within a breeding program, however, because we can move so much

more quickly it is vital we make sure that we know our breeding objectives. One of the ongoing challenges will be to obtain meaningful data on phenotypes that can be used in continuing to train panels and investigate new traits such as disease resistance or fatty acid profiles in beef. Because the three billion base pairs are continually rearranging and transforming themselves, it is important to re-evaluate or train the DNA panels every so often. This can only be done with data such as weights and measurements on the animal and DNA samples. Collecting data actually gets more important with the advent of DNA. There are many other applications of the technology such as parentage. The ability of genomic technology to assess hard-to-measure traits such as feed efficiency or longevity early in life gives a tremendous jump to beef cattle breeding, a jump substantial enough that this author believes the technology is here to stay. c Sean McGrath is a rancher from Vermilion, Alta., with an extensive background in genetic evaluation.

Guest Consignor Saddleridge Charolais

Feb 25, 2014 at 1:00 pm Bow Slope Shipping Association Brooks, AB

Selling: Yearling, Two Year Old Simmental & Charolais Bulls

Charolais

Rainalta Simmentals & Charolais Bill Swenson 403.362.0854

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Red Simmental

Black Simmental

Brian Bouchard Sales Manager 403.813.7999 C a t t l e m e n · J AN U A R Y 2 0 1 4

 THE INDUSTRY

Calving Tips & Tales King-size teat spray

Mom and Pet I am writing to tell you a story about a special woman and a remarkable cow. My mom’s name was Loretta Jean and for the 64 years that she lived she almost always had cattle. Her pride and joy was her favourite cow named Pet, a Charolais-Tarentaise cross. Pet was born in 1995 and that fall Mom kept back a bunch of heifers including Pet who quickly became the lead cow, always bringing the herd in for some grain and making sure that she got a scratch from Mom before leaving the barnyard. In this cow’s 18 years of life she has only been open once, in 2009, the year Mom became ill. My mom sold her herd in February of 2009 but kept Pet and one open heifer back. The heifer was supposed to be for beef. When I asked what she was going to do with Pet she said that she could take a break, enjoy the summer and live out her days on the farm because she had been such a great cow. No slaughterhouse for her. As it turned out, Mom’s neighbours needed pasture that summer for their few heifers and a bull, so Mom offered her pasture to them. On July 4, Mom’s 64th birthday, the neighbours bull bred Pet. I know because Mom marked it on her calendar. 2009 was a year of drought here in the

C a t t l e m e n · J AN U A R Y 2 0 1 4

Peace River Country. The dugouts were dry and the grass dead by August 5, and life as our family knew it was over. Even in the hospital Mom would ask me to check on Pet, make sure she had salt, etc. My husband Jack went with the stock trailer to pick up Pet and the heifer. He was concerned that he wouldn’t be able to get them in and loaded without help as the heifer was a little spooky. Leave it to Pet to show her how it’s done. He backed the trailer up to the corral and opened the door, and in climbed Pet, the heifer right behind her. It was like she knew Mom wasn’t coming back. He brought them home and put them in with our herd. I promised Mom that I would take care of Pet. My mom, my hero, passed away Sept. 20, 2009. Early in 2010 Jack was checking cows in the morning and came back to the house with a tear in his eye. He said, “You’ll never believe it but Pet has a beautiful heifer calf. She made Maudie (Mom) proud.” So Pet’s daughter ended up with the name Little Maudie. Pet gave us two more heifer calves to add to her legacy and this spring had a big bull calf. Her bag is good, her feet are good, never been trimmed, never had to pull a calf or assist her in any way and she is still a solid cow after 18 years. Lynette Paice Hines Creek, Alta.

My tip is for ranchers who live in snow or dry wind country who have cattle that get chapped teats and won’t let their calves nurse. Take the fire extinguisher off their baler and fill it with canola oil either raw or refined from the grocery store. Go check their cows right after feeding and spray any cows high on their udders from behind that are not letting their calves nurse. When they walk the oil will get on their legs and rub on their udders and teats. Works great on most cows. You don’t have to bring them in to treat them. The sprayer will spray 15 feet or so. Remember to stay back far enough so you don’t get kicked. A 16-litre jug of canola oil from the grocery store costs about $26. Once you get the hang of it, it will treat a lot of cows. You don’t have to pressure your tank up all the way to get it to spray 15 ft. or so. Jack Woolford Cardston, Alta.

Ferocious fostering In 2013 a cow had a stillborn calf which she watched over faithfully trying to make it get up and go with her, all to no avail. The next day another cow had twins so I took the stronger one over and replaced the dead calf. The first cow came roaring back, began licking the twin, had it up nursing in minutes and has looked after it ever since. The cow has kept a wary eye on me ever since, as if it was my fault “her” calf took so long to get up. In fact I had to put them in the corral to tag “her” calf! Loren Rodvang Coronation, Alta.

hi honey While calving in cold weather colostrum can be like gold and anything you can do to save some calves is worth doing. When we find a new calf that hasn’t sucked yet and it doesn’t look hopeful, I take three to five ccs of honey, rub some around inside its mouth then put the rest Continued on page 68

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Wednesday, February 19, 2014 10:00 - 4:00 pm Pre-Conference Sessions | Hosted by ACFA - Employee Retention & Recruiting Strategies - Genomics @ the Feedlot: Money Maker or Time Waster? 6:30pm Tradeshow Welcome Reception & Fun Night - A Night at the Races! Sponsored by Alltech

Welcome to the 2014 Alberta Beef Industry Conference! This year’s conference theme is Creating Shared Value, Our Social Licence to Operate and it is a reflection on the beef industry’s commitment to animal care, animal health and the environment. The session topics will reflect how each facet of the beef industry provides leadership in the areas of safety, health and environmental stewardship. If you have any questions, please contact the Alberta Cattle Feeders’ Association at 403-250-2509 or me directly at 403-9902792.. Thank you and we look forward to seeing you there! Stacy Byer Conference Coordinator

Thursday, February 20, 2014 9:00 - 10:00am Opening Ceremonies & Keynote Address 10:00 - 10:30am Tradeshow Coffee Break 10:30 - 11:00am Risk & Reward: A Currency Market Outlook & Best Practices for Hedging 11:00 - Noon Animal Care: Today & Tomorrow - Beef Code of Practice - Canadian Feedlot Animal Care Assessment Program Noon Tradeshow Luncheon 1:00 - 2:00pm The Real Story on Antimicrobial Resistance 2:00 - 2:30pm Farm Safety 2:30 - 3:00pm Tradeshow Coffee Break 3:00 - 4:30pm Sustainability Roundtable 5:30 - 6:30pm Tradeshow Cocktail Reception 6:30 - 9:00pm Taste of Alberta - Tuscany Ballroom Friday, February 21, 2014 8:00 - 8:30am Natural Resources Conservation Board & You 8:30 - 9:30am Agricultural Water Use in Alberta 9:30 - 10:30am Weather Forecast & Predictions 10:30 - 11:00am Tradeshow Coffee Break 11:00 - Noon Global Cattle Market Outlook Noon Conference Ends PLEASE NOTE: THE SCHEDULE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

Attention Exhibitors! The Alberta Beef Industry Conference is the largest conference of its kind in Canada, and it remains a fantastic opportunity to connect with an influential purchasing group, consuming millions of dollars in goods and services each year. The 2014 ABIC will put your firm in front of potential clients and set the stage for strong dialogue between you and the attendees. For more information visit us online at www.abiconference.ca

Calving

Tips & Tales Continued from page 66

in. It will be absorbed through the tongue and mouth lining into the bloodstream. The taste and the energy it gives wakes them up, and loosens up that clamped tight mouth. Most will get up and suck. If not, I then try and get them to suck a cup or less of colostrum and usually that will do it. It’s always better to get the calf sucking than to use a tube or esophageal feeder as they learn nothing and it seems to weaken them for a short time. When we find a newborn that has to be brought in and warmed we again use the honey. It gets them up in half the time and they will then suck from a bottle. Another tip is to always watch calves born in wet weather for E. coli. A calf that has sucked and seems OK can stop sucking. Give it five ccs of an injectable tetracycline. The liver absorbs some and releases it into the stomach. The calf should return to sucking in a few hours. Any calf that is treated for scours gets the regular antibiotic and fluid treatment plus a tablespoon of slippery elm powder mixed as a slurry or in the fluids. It helps protect the stomach lining and regulates both scouring and constipation. The last tip is to have a shelter or two in the calving area where you can lock a mother and newborn in. You may need a few panels in front to help catch the cow with. Keep a clean bed and some feed inside. Put them in and go back to sleep. Ken and Donna Ettinger Czar, Alta.

Past experience I ran a cow-calf herd (for 45 years) and calved out in late March. I found that by feeding my herd in the late afternoon and just before dark, that my calves were born during the daytime hours. Once the cows started calving I would make a new bedding grounds for them and not have them use their previous bedding grounds. In this way I prevented scour problems. A calf should start breathing in 30 seconds of birth and be up within about 15 minutes. If it doesn’t you should intervene. I did have a calf once that did not shed the membrane and I could not tear it open so

C at t l e m e n · j a n ua ry 2 0 1 4

I had to use my knife to cut it open. On another occasion I had to pull away mucus from the nose and open the mouth so the calf could start breathing. A couple of times I also had to grab the back legs and hold the calf upside down for a minute to facilitate breathing. Robert Tannahill Battleford, Sask.

Five tips Buy an older Ford pickup with cloth seats. If you have a calf in cooler weather that could use a little warming put the calf on the seat with the heater on high for two hours. You will not believe how it brings the calf around. Keep your best feed for two weeks before calving. Have some small bales of second-cut alfalfa handy. If you have a cow that doesn’t want her calf put a little on the calf. This seems to work. Use lots of bedding. Calve on level ground and move locations after calving. Doddrick Greenwood Viking, Alta.

Life lesson

In spring 2008 I went out to check our bred heifers at about 5:30 p.m. I rode out into the pasture and saw from a distance a black heifer off by herself and lying down. As I get closer she jumps up and starts to walk off. I see some feet showing and can tell they are the front ones so I let her go. I think to myself that I will let her settle down and continue to calve and I will check on her again in an hour. So I go home for supper. My wife had to take my daughter into town for soccer so I brought my fouryear-old son with me to go check on this heifer. He sits in front of me on my good horse Dude and off we go. We get close to the heifer and she still has feet showing. Crap!!! We and Dude get around the heifer and start easing her towards the corrals where we can have a look. We get her into the pens and up to the headgate with very little stress. I set my boy up beside the squeeze and I strip down to my waist to check things out. April evenings are not real cold but not real warm yet either. I put an arm in and feel two front feet a head and another front foot. Crap!!! I push the other foot back, run and get the chains and start to pull. I get the calf halfway out and things stop. I am standing behind this girl trying to twist this calf, so I

can rotate the hips and try to get it out. Now I’m starting to get tired and anxious and not having much luck and a little voice says, “Don’t quit Daddy, don’t quit.” Encouraged I try one more time… pop, and out this guy comes… course he’s not breathing, so I pump a leg and clean his nose and try CPR and this calf is still dead. Crap!!! Well I better try and see what is attached to the other front leg so back in I go, get the legs and head into position and pull. Out comes another calf, just big, just as black and just as dead. My family has been ranching on this same location since 1911. My widowed great-grandmother emigrated with her son and four daughters from Sweden to homestead in a new and unknown land. At that time I don’t imagine they had a whole lot of “quit” in their vocabulary either. My wife and family were able to move back to the ranch in 2004. We do not have enough land and livestock to survive solely on agriculture income as my ancestors did, but let me tell you, with the time and finance invested this is no hobby farm. I can also guarantee we take our responsibility as stewards of our land and cattle just as serious as any operation in North America. Since that spring day I have often reminded my son of those words he spoke. During the times when he was tired of trying to learn to skate, ski, read, spell, or build his Lego Star Wars spaceships. We don’t quit. Hard work and practice will get us through just about anything life throws our way. This was a life lesson that was worth every bit of the price of those two calves. Would I trade the time I had with my boy, my good horse Dude and a beautiful spring evening? Not a chance! Would I change the outcome of that evening? Once again another life lesson, we don’t always get to decide how things turn out. Maybe that’s why I decided to tell this story. The reason I am checking heifers at 5 o’clock and not knowing how long this heifer had been trying to calve is because I have a fulltime job in town and don’t have the ability to be in two places at once. The reason I have a job in town is because North Americans feel that having something affordable to eat is a right not a luxury. Therefore the entire food chain has to operate as efficiently and with as razor-sharp margins as possible. This means that quite often there is very little profit left at the end of the day whether you are a cow-calf operator, feedlot operator, beef processor or retailer.

www.canadiancattlemen.ca

calving tips & tales

I don’t think people realize that when some journalist coins the term “pink slime” and causes an urban panic about food safety and drives down the price of beef, that they are not “… outing… some … evil corporate giant…” They are essentially having the same effect on my margins as me losing one, or two, or three calves at calving time, except I don’t get the opportunity to be responsible for this loss. We ranch because it is who we are and where we came from and most days I really enjoy it. Having said that I must agree with an article I read on Beef Daily that asks the question, “Why do farmers feed the world and then take a second job to feed their families?” Maybe this story will change someone’s mind about what ranching is all about and maybe it won’t but I’m tired of having someone else decide my family’s future in agriculture. “Don’t quit Daddy, don’t quit.” Jody Tondell Melfort, Sask. (This was written in response to Brenda Schoepp’s, March 29, 2013 column, You Are The Story.)

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C at t l e m e n · j a n ua ry 2 0 1 4

 TH E IN DUST RY

NewsRoundup

seedstock

The Yards a hit at CWA

The promised addition of heat and some extra lighting gave a commercial tone to the alleyway called The Yards at Canadian Western Agribition (CWA) but it was beef producers who snapped up the new 18 display spots available for the first time this year, giving fresh life to the Stockman’s Exchange, the former commercial cattle barn. “The concept behind The Yards is to create a farm- or home-like hospitality where sellers and potential buyers can sit down and have a relaxing one-on-one or group conversation on a personal level in a quiet spot,” explains Blake MacMillan, co-chair of CWA’s commercial cattle committee. “I’d say all of the producers nailed it with their displays in what we were trying to produce by personalizing the atmosphere. A focus group of directors and producers was organized a year ago to test producer opinion and establish new goals for the building. Three goals came to the top: have the barn full of cattle, full of people and create more opportunities for commerce. Overall, we are very pleased with the results,” says MacMillan. “Without a doubt, The Yards did attract more people to the building. The heat and light made it a lot more inviting and the displays were more welcoming than just pens of cattle. When people walked through the door, they felt invited to be there.”

C a t t l e m e n · J AN U A R Y 2 0 1 4

The basic idea of offering 20x20-foot pens where anything goes in showcasing cattle not entered in any competitions was adopted from the Denver show where the same formula turned The Yards into an expansive outdoor area bustling with commercial activity. When the committee gets together to assess the needs for next year an expansion of the area will likely rank high on the list of topics considering the waiting list for next year’s show is still growing. Blair and Stephanie McIntosh of McIntosh Livestock at Maymont, Sask., who took home supreme championship honours for their pen of three Simmental bulls, say they will be back next year. That wasn’t his tune after showing bulls in the commercial show for the first time on the heels of winter’s first blizzard in 2012, when relatively few visitors braved the cold, dim conditions in the commercial barn to venture past their pen at the end of Bull Pen Alley. McIntosh was pleased that the show committee acted on most if not all of the suggestions for improvements coming from the focus group and producer survey. He especially liked how The Yards and Bull Pen Alley were arranged to pull visitors down one alley and back up the other without having to open and close gates. This way, they had a chance to catch people coming and going with their pen of bulls in Bull Pen Alley and in The Yards, where they got together with three other producers to organize a display

of the types of bulls that will be on offer at the annual Kuntz-Stoughton-McIntosh-SAJ bull sale in March at Lloydminster. McIntosh says Bull Pen Alley sported a new look and feel as well, with islands of four pens so visitors could easily view bulls from every angle even when the producer was busy with others at the front of the pen. Clipping was an option for the first time this year. Dale, Shelley and Erika Easton of Eastondale Angus near Wawota, Sask., are regular exhibitors at CWA. As such they know all too well about the time and labour demands of being in the purebred barns for the full week. This year they limited their seedstock entries to two animals and tested the waters in The Yards with a display of two bull calves representative of the bulls they will have on offer at their bull sale this spring. “I felt I had to change how I marketed cattle and had looked at the commercial barn in the past because it’s only a three-day commitment, but the atmosphere wasn’t conducive to promoting our cattle. We know the importance of being visible in the marketplace and this opportunity (The Yards) appealed to us because they made some nice changes with the heat and light. With the display we can market our whole program in a relaxed surrounding because there is no competition,” Dale explains. It’s a nice fit with the family’s philosophy of showing honest, real-world catContinued on page 72

www.canadiancattlemen.ca

Western Canadian Holistic Management

FEBRUARY 10 - 11, 2014

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News Roundup Continued from page 70

tle and taking the time to meet with customers, discuss their program and hear about what other producers are doing. They feel people are very open to different ways of looking at cattle at Agribition and definitely plan to return to The Yards next year. Glenn,Wendy and Wyatt Ching of Borderland Cattle Co. near Rockglen, Sask., have never been keen on going the show route with their Angus and Charolais stock, though they have entered animals in Bull Pen Alley a couple of times in the past. “In The Yards, we can display the animals the way we want to and set up a presentation of what our whole operation is about. We chose to display the female side instead of bulls because the female side is the foundation of our operation,” says Glenn, who serves as barn boss for The Yards and Bull Pen Alley. Overall, they appreciated the relaxed setting where people could visit over a cup of coffee, take time to look through photos, watch videos of cattle on the farm, read through other information producers offered at their displays and, in general, make connections for future business. In addition to the improvements in the Stock Exchange building, the adjoining Stockman’s Arena received a new floor, while the Canada Centre benefited from a complete roof repair and lighting upgrades. The improvements, totalling more than $1.1 million, are the

C a t t l e m e n · J AN U A R Y 2 0 1 4

www.canadiancattlemen.ca

N EWS ROUNDUP

first of many to come as CWA continues to work with the City of Regina, Evraz Place, the Hotel Association and RROC (Tourism Regina) on a long-term solution to the infrastructure problems in the livestock barns, says Marty Seymour, CEO of CWA. Two of the barns in the string have been closed for public use since 2012 and converted to storage for Evraz Place. “CWA is committed to being world class,” says Seymour. “The report on the long-term plan will be presented to city council upon its completion. As for CWA, the organization will continue to invest its operating profits into improvements for the livestock facilities. Further investments in heat and lights in the Stock Exchange and improvements to the Winter Fair building are the next priority.”

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The Beef Advocacy Canada training program may be just the thing for you if you need a boost of confidence to become a vocal advocate of the beef industry. This new online course developed by Canada Beef Inc. and the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association will be ready to roll out early in the new year after a pilot run that started in December. “The goal of this program is to empower advocates for the beef industry; those people who make their living by and build their lives on bringing beef to the world’s table,” explains Canada Beef’s director of industry communications, Annmarie Pedersen. “Being an advocate for the industry involves sharing what they know and Continued on page 74

CATTLEX offers a complete Order-Buying service and covers all Manitoba and Eastern Saskatchewan Auction Marts. CATTLEX buys ALL classes of cattle direct from producers. CATTLEX is interested in purchasing large or small consignments of Feeder Cattle, Finished Cattle, Cows and Bulls. For more information and pricing, contact any of the Cattlex buyers: Andy Drake 204-764-2471 or 204-867-0099 Jay Jackson 204-223-4006

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C a t t l e m e n · J AN U A R Y 2 0 1 4

Stewart Cattle Co. & Guests

6th Annual Black Angus Bull Sale 40 Black Angus Bulls & 8 Simmental x Angus Bulls 12 Registered Black Angus Replacement Heifers

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News Roundup Continued from page 73

what they do, and understanding and sharing the process in the rest of the industry. Canadian beef advocates will be talking about the Canadian beef industry from a place of credibility and knowledge. They will be talking from inside the Canadian beef industry.” The concept of offering training to help people become advocates comes from the American beef ambassador program called Masters of Beef Advocacy. “There are many people talking about the Canadian beef industry, about how cattle are raised and beef is produced. We felt that the time is right to create a program with Canadian content to help producers so they have tools to share the Canadian beef story with confidence to get the positive messages out,” Annmarie Pedersen Pedersen says. “People are at least three generations removed from the farm, so we hope to shrink that gap and also to reach the many new Canadian citizens who may not be familiar with the way food is produced in Canada.” The first level of training covers gate-to-plate production details and is for anyone from any sector of the beef value chain or the general public looking for information. There’s a quiz at the end of

Answer our survey — and have a go at winning one of our caps

We have a goal to be the best beef cattle magazine in the business. But we need your help. If you could just fill in this survey and return it to me, you would be helping us set the future editorial direction for Canadian Cattlemen. All you have to do is tell me what you like about the magazine, and what you

We’d appreciate it if you could tell us a little about yourself. It makes it easier for us to keep your main interests in focus  I’m ranching or farming Enterprise Total beef cattle Yearlings on feed/pasture Registered cows Fed cattle (sold yearly) Commercial cows Horses Calves on feed/pasture Other livestock

# of head

 I no longer take an active part in farming If not an owner/operator of a farm, are you:

 In agribusiness (bank, elevator, ag supplies, etc.)  Other (please specify) ____________________ My approximate age is:  a) Under 35  b) 36 to 44  d) 55 to 64  e) 65 or over

 c) 45 to 54

C a t t l e m e n · J AN U A R Y 2 0 1 4

don’t like. There’s also some space for you to tell us what you would like to see in future issues. ClIp And enClose your mAIlIng lABel. each month, we will draw one name from all the surveys sent in and send that person a Cattlemen cap. It could be you!

What do you think of: On a scale of 1 to 5, how do you and your family like these features? 5 – I always watch for it; let’s see more of it 4 – I regularly read it and like it 3 – I usually read it 2 – There are things I’d rather read 1 – I don’t want it; get rid of it Regular Columns 5 4 3

Regular Columns News Roundup Purely Purebred The Markets

Market Talk Sales and Events

2 1 Nutrition Comment Research Special features 5 4 3 2 1 Newsmakers Letters Calving Issue (Jan.) CCA Reports Custom Feedlot Guide (Sep.) Prime Cuts Stock Buyers’ Guide (Aug.) Straight From The Hip Animal Health Special (Sep.) Holistic Ranching Beef Watch (May & Nov.) What would you like to see? __________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ How much time do you and your family spend reading 1666 Dublin Avenue Canadian Cattlemen?  Under 2 hours  Over 2 hours Winnipeg, Man. R3H 0H1

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N EWS ROUNDUP

each chapter and a score of 80 per cent is required before moving on. Participants can work through the material at their own pace or complete the entire level in a day if they so choose. People from any part of the beef value chain interested in publicly sharing the beef story either by just talking with consumers at various venues in their communities and doing media interviews may enrol in the second level after attaining 80 per cent on all of the level-one quizzes. Level two is geared toward providing up-to-date information on important issues, such as animal welfare, beef’s effect on the environment and food safety. “There is more of a registration process for level two because we want people who are sincerely interested in forwarding the beef industry’s agenda in a positive way,” Pedersen explains. “These will be people who are engaged in the beef industry and have strong knowledge of at least one aspect of the industry. The program will help them get a more rounded view of other aspects.” It is anticipated that there will be two graduation events each year, possibly at the CCA annual meeting in March and the Canada Beef annual meeting in September, where people who have completed level two will receive special media training. From then on it’s a continual engagement process with graduates receiving regular updates from Canada Beef, the CCA and industry partners on the latest developments and research findings so that they are in the pipeline and available as media contacts when news stories break. Grads will also have access to ready-to-go presentations and other support material on the website. Continued on page 76

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News Roundup Continued from page 75

The website, www.beefadvocacycanada. ca, will be launched with the program.

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the CCIA database will be contacted by Saskatchewan Agriculture to confirm their information and issued a new PID number. Producers can register online at www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca/PID or by contacting the SMA. Once the Saskatchewan database is sufficiently populated, the CCIA database for Saskatchewan PID will be shut down and the registrations and associated numbers in the CCIA database will no longer be valid. Brand inspection

With premise ID in hand the province then handed its brand inspection service over to a non-profit corporation, Livestock Services of Saskatchewan (LSS) Corp., effective January 1. LSS Corp. is owned and operated by the five main livestock producer groups requiring inspection services, the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association, Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association, Saskatchewan Cattle Feeders Association, Saskatchewan Horse Federation and Livestock Marketers of Saskatchewan An advisory committee appointed by Agriculture Minister Lyle Stewart to examine industry-led delivery options for brand inspection recommended the LSS model which is patterned after private brand inspection agencies in B.C. and Alberta. “This is an important service and, as producers and industry are the primary users of brand inspection, it makes sense to transfer it to livestock organizations,” Stewart said in a release. The province will continue to be responsible for legislation governing livestock inspection. Ministry staff responsible for livestock inspection services will move to the new organization. c

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 NEWS AB OUT YOU

By Deb Wilson

PurelyPurebred n Michael Latimer, CEO of Canadian Beef Breeds Council (CBBC), attended the “Straw Man” meeting (along with a few CBBC members). About 135 people attended to discuss ways of improving our beef production system. One recommendation was to develop a “Council of Beef Leaders.” This group will consist of one staff and one board member from Canadian Cattlemen Association, National Cattle Feeders Association, Canada Beef and the Canadian Beef Breeds Council. It will also have three packers (two large + one mid-size) and possibly a representative from the retailers. This is an important step in CBBC being recognized as an industry leader. Roberta Anderson, Reed Andrew

n Roberta (Bobbi) Anderson of Bethune, Sask., is the recipient of the first Barry Andrew Family Scholarship, a $1,500 award to be presented annually to a postsecondary student who has participated in Canadian Western Ag r ibition (CWA). Roberta will complete her degree in agriculture at the University of Saskatchewan (U of S) this year. Her 12-year involvement with Agribition has included many 4-H activities and volunteer positions. Reed Andrew, CWA president and son of the late Barry Andrew, says the family is proud their late father, a longtime Agribition supporter on many fronts, could give back to agriculture by helping young people become leaders. Every year since it was established in 1994, the CWA Scholarship Fund supported by private donations from CWA auctions and the grounds crew has offered $1,500 awards to post-secondary students who exhibited at the show. The 2013 recipients are: Jeremy Andrew, Regina, Sask., a U of S agriculture business student, who has been involved with CWA for 13 years participating in 4-H events, showing cattle with his family, and as a volunteer; Megan Bergsveinson, Alameda, Sask., in her second year of agriculture at the U of S who competed in youth events and exhibited with Greyburn Angus Farms; Justin Kristjansson, Forrest, Man., a firstyear veterinary medicine student at the U of

n The Gelbvieh Association of Alberta/ B.C. hosted the annual Wish List Sale Weekend on Nov. 29 and 30, at Westerner Park in Red Deer, Alta. The popular sale averaged $3,814, with buyers from the four western provinces and many U.S. states. As part of this gathering it also held its annual meeting on November 30, and hosted the first annual Canada People’s Choice Gelbvieh Bull Futurity. There were 28 bulls entered in the futurity with 60 members voting for their favourite bull at ring side and online. Winning the People’s Choice award was FLAD Fladeland DJW Rock M Sock M 202A, a son of BLB Goodview PLD The Rock 7A, exhibited by Fladeland Livestock, Gladmar, Sask. A draw-down system determined the winner of the bull. Dayspring Cattle of Sylvan Lake, Alta., was the winner. Each member of the futurity received 10 straws of semen on the Champion bull.

C a t t l e m e n · J ANA R Y 2 0 1 4

Email: deb.wilson@ fbcpublishing.com

S, who has been participating in beef shows for three years.

n Angela Senger has recently joined the Canadian Simmental Association (CSA) staff as office assistant/receptionist. Angela grew up on a cattle farm east of Calgary where they raised predominantly Simmental-based commercial cattle. She completed the Olds College equine science business management program and upon graduation moved back to the family farm to pursue her love of horses and agriculture. “I am very excited to become a part of the CSA team and look forward to creating relationships with its staff and members alike,” says Angela.

Suggestions are always welcome. My phone number is 403-325-1695

n Organizers of Canadian Western Agribition, which ended on Saturday, November 16, are hailing the 43rd edition a resounding success. This year, the show attracted 127,000 visitors, up more than three per cent from last year’s attendance. According to Reed Andrew, president of CWA, the show’s success can be attributed to the enhancement of many different areas. “Free admission on Monday combined with an expanded trade show, live stage entertainment and a family atmosphere contributed to the success of this year’s show.” The agriculture show’s world-class reputation drew over 800 international guests from more than 65 countries. “Demand for Canadian livestock genetics is very high around the world, and we saw evidence of that at this year’s show,” said Marty Seymour, CEO of CWA. “We hosted buyers from many countries including Australia, China, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.” In addition to its reputation as the largest livestock show in Canada CWA is a major economic engine for the province and the STAMPEDE

By Gerry Palen

“Told you to stay out of the kitchen.”

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PURELY PUREBRED

city of Regina.The net benefit of the show exceeds $37 million to the province, $20 million of which directly impacts Regina. “This is something we can all be proud of,” said Seymour. nAfter Payne Livestock won the Supreme Championship at the Lloydminster Stockade Round-Up with RPY Payne Derby 46Z, Derby went on to place in the top five in the Supreme at Farmfair and in the top 10 in the RBC Supreme Challenge at Agribition. Last but not least, Derby was the highest-selling animal at Agribition across all breed sales, selling for $31,000 to Highland Stock Farms. RPY Payne Derby 46Z was also crowned the 2013 Masterfeeds Show Bull of the Year. n The 2013 Black Angus Show Bull of the Year receiving champion aggregate status is HF Thunderbird 146Y, owned by Tanya Belsham of Houston, B.C.; and Hamilton Farms of Cochrane, Alta. The reserve aggregate champion for Black Angus Show Bull of the Year was awarded to Remitall F Prospector 110Z, owned by Willow Springs Angus Ltd. of Westbridge, B.C.; and Remitall Farms Inc. of Olds, Alta. Runner-up aggregate champion for Black Angus Show Bull of the Year went to Kemp Brothers All the Way 8A, owned by Kemp Brothers of Blackstock, Ont. The 2013 Black Angus Show Female of the Year receiving champion aggregate status is DMM Blackcap Essence 7Y with heifer calf at side DMM TR Lady Essence 13A, owned by Lee and Dawn Wilson of Bashaw, Alta. The reserve aggregate champion for Black Angus Show Female of the Year went to Soo Line Annie K 1094 with heifer calf at side EF VOS Annie K 16A, owned by Sean Enright and Barry Enright of Renfrew, Ont. Runner-up aggregate champion for Black Angus Show Female of the Year went to Remitall F Karma 102W with bull calf at side Remitall F Rage 9A, owned by Remitall Farms Inc. of Olds, Alta. n The 2013 Red Angus Show Bull of the Year receiving champion aggregate status is Red Wilbar Longitude 646Y, owned by Wilbar Farms of Dundurn, Sask.; and Redrich Farms of Forestburg, Alta. The reserve aggregate champion for Red Angus Show Bull of the Year went to Red T-K Recoil 72Y owned by Kevin Dorrance of Wawota, Sask.; Dwayne Emery of Camp Creek, Alta.; and Dave and Rhonda Bablitz of Cherhill, Alta. Runner-up aggregate champion for

Red Angus Show Bull of the Year went to Red Mar Mac Initiative 31Z, owned by Mar Mac Farms of Brandon, Man. n 4-H Canada and Bayer CropScience produced a new video that highlights the accomplishments of the global 4-H Youth Ag-Summit held this past August in Calgary as part of 4-H Canada’s 100th anniversary celebrations. It attracted 118 young delegates (18-25) from 24 different

countries to discuss how their generation can overcome the challenges of feeding a growing world population of over seven billion people. Under the theme of “Feeding a Hungry Planet,” they tackled topics such as food waste, climate change, the growing human footprint, consumer awareness of agricultural practices and farming efficiencies. Continued on page 80

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C a t t l e m e n · J AN U A R Y 2 0 1 4

PU R E LY PU R E B R E D

Continued from page 79

n The 2013 Red Angus Show Female of the Year receiving champion aggregate status is Red Mar Mac Lady Trooper 114Z, owned by Mar Mac Farms of Brandon, Man. The reserve aggregate champion for Red Angus Show Female of the Year went to Red Lazy MC Lady 17Y with bull calf at side Red Lazy MC Rope Burn 104A, owned by Laurie Morasch of Bassano, Alta. Runner-up aggregate champion for Red Angus Show Female of the Year went to Red Ter-ron Rebecca 73Z, owned by Dave and Rhonda Bablitz of Cherhill, Alta. n Cattlemen’s Young Leaders: — Carla Schmitt Arborfield, Sask. Mentor: Johanne Ross Carla Schmitt holds a degree in agriculture from the University of Saskatchewan. She grew up on a mixed family farming operation of cattle and grain near Arborfield, Sask. where she developed a keen interest in agriculture. Throughout that time she was actively involved in various community organizations and the local 4-H Beef Club for 12 years. She currently stays involved and gives back to the program by serving as Carla Schmitt the general leader of the club. She has shown cattle throughout Western Canada and travelled to shows and events organized by junior breed associations. In 2012 she was elected to the Canadian Western Agribition board of directors and currently is the team leader for the education area of the show. Carla currently works for Spring Creek Land and Cattle Consulting as a project coordinator. Mentor Johanne Ross is the executive director of Agriculture in the Classroom — Manitoba Inc. (AITC-M), a position she has held since 2000. Johanne has her bachelor of science in agriculture from the University of Manitoba. She grew up in Brandon and Winnipeg, but knew that she wanted to “go country” as she embarked on the agriculture program. During her time completing her four-year degree, Johanne worked during the summer in the crop protection industry in sales and research as well as the grain and livestock feed industries. With her husband Barry

C at t l e m e n · o c t o b e r 2 0 1 3

and three sons; she operates a mixed farm north of Minnedosa, Man. Through management of AITC-M she has been able to work with thousands of educators, students and volunteers to increase agriculture awareness in young people. She is presently acting as lead with her AITC colleagues across the country to develop a national AITC Canada framework. — Lance Leachman, Maidstone, Sask. Mentor: David Bolduc Lance Leachman grew up and lives at Big Gully Farm near Maidstone, Sask. He attended Dodge City Community College in Dodge City, Kansas, where he was on the livestock judging team and obtained an associate of arts degree in agriculture. After two years, Lance transferred to Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas and earned a Lance Leachman bachelor of sciences degree in animal sciences and industry. He was a member of the 2006 Reserve National Champion Livestock Judging Team and named an All-American. Following graduation, Lance attended Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va. acquiring a master of sciences degree in animal breeding and genetics. At Virginia Tech, he coached the Livestock Judging Team and served as a graduate teaching assistant for animal genetics and livestock evaluation. Big Gully Farm, Lance’s home operation, includes 160 breeding-age purebred horned and polled Hereford females. Artificial insemination, embryo transfer, carcass ultrasound, ultrasound pregnancy testing, estrus synchronization, expected progeny differences and performance data are all critical tools Lance utilizes. Their cattle are exhibited at Canadian Western Agribition and merchandised each fall through an Internet sale. Mentor David Bolduc is an Angus breeder from Stavely, Alta. David and his family, as well as his brother Dyce and his family, operate Cudlobe Farms. It is a mixed farm with 2,000 acres of cereals, and 500 Angus mother cows. His family has raised purebred livestock since 1898 in Alberta. David received his B.Sc. in animal science from the University of Alberta in 1976. Cudlobe Farms has used genomics extensively in managing and marketing their seed stock operation. Cudlobe

Angus was inducted into the Alberta Angus Hall of Fame in 2010. David is the past president of the Canadian Angus Association and is the current president of the Canadian Beef Breeds Council. He represents them on the Livestock Gentec advisory board and is their representative on the board of directors of the Beef Improvement Federation. David feels the importance of the seed stock industry to “Canada’s Beef Advantage” needs to be emphasized. As well, young seed stock producers in Canada need to understand and utilize emerging technology in Beef Improvement. — Meghan Black, Bloomfield, N.B. Mentor: Dennis Serhienko Meghan is a 22 year old from Bloomfield, New Brunswick where she grew up on her family’s cow-calf operation. She currently attends Dalhousie faculty of agriculture where she’s majoring in animal science and minoring in plant science. At a young age, Meghan got involved in the 4-H program and was very active in many different projects, especially beef where Meghan Black she had the opportunity to exhibit her family’s cattle at different shows around the Maritimes and across Canada. In 2007, she became heavily involved with the Canadian Junior Hereford Association where she sat on the National Council for several years. She had the pleasure of attending several Junior National Shows across Canada and was a part of many projects the association offers its junior members, such as Heifer Lottery and the calendar project. In 2012, she was elected as president of the Maritime and the National Junior Hereford Association. In 2012 she was also the Canadian Junior Representative at the World Hereford Conference held in Olds, Alberta. Mentor Dennis Serhienko, is the beef sire analyst for the Semex Alliance where he is responsible for the procurement of beef sires to fill the needs and demands for both the domestic and international marketplace. The demands of this position require Dennis to have a strong understanding of the current requirements of both the seed stock and commercial cattle industry on a global level as well as insight into future trends within the industry.

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PURELY PUREBRED

As part of his role within Semex, Dennis is also the beef program manager for Westgen (Semex Alliance partner) where he manages the sales, inventories and sales representatives for Western Canada. As an evaluator of livestock, Dennis has judged many major shows including Canadian Western Agribition, Toronto Royal, Denver National Western, Kansas City American Royal and Edmonton Farm Fair. Dennis, along with his wife Lissa and daughters Katie and Cassidy, operate Serhienko/Voegeli Cattle Co., a purebred Charolais operation that has produced numerous influential sires within the Charolais industry as well as many champions throughout North America. — Carollyne Kehler, Steinbach, Man. Mentor: Betty Green Carollyne was born, raised and lives in Steinbach, an agricultural town in southeast Manitoba. She and her husband raise ranchbred quarter-horses and compete with them at rodeos throughout the year. They recently finished building their house and fencing for the horses and plan to expand

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their ranch in order to have a cow-calf operation with Angus-Simmental-cross cattle. Carollyne gained an appreciation and a pride in the agriculture industry through her seven years of 4-H, Carollyne Kehler while helping out on her family’s dairy farm. She was also a member and president of the University of Manitoba Stockman’s Club during her undergrad years. Carollyne received her animal science degree at the University of Manitoba in 2012, winning numerous awards including the Lieutenant-Governor’s Gold Medal. She is currently working on her master’s of science in animal science at the University of Manitoba. Her project is part of a largescale commercial cattle transport study. She is studying the effect of Canadian winter transport conditions on animal health, welfare and carcass condition in market cattle and cull cows. The information garnered from this study will be used to develop and

support best management strategies for beef cattle transport. Mentor Betty Green has over 30 years of leadership in areas of education, agriculture and rural development. She believes in rolling up her sleeves and getting involved in the work, whether that is at ranch, or at the provincial or the national level of organizations. Perhaps one of the most challenging roles was her term as president of the Manitoba Cattle Producers’ Association in 2003. Betty has been active in the policy development and operations of many groups but her passion is in areas of research and development for future initiatives. Currently Betty is the provincial co-ordinator of the Verified Beef Production Program in Manitoba, vice-chair of the Prairie Improvement Network and chair of the Zone Canada Initiative. She is also a partner in the G7 Ranch in Fisher Branch, Man. with her husband and son. They run about 10,000 acres and a 1,000cow beef herd along with a backgrounder feedlot and a small full-blood Simmental herd. c

C a t t l e m e n · J AN U A R Y 2 0 1 4

 market ta l k

By Gerald Klassen

Beef Demand Looking Forward

ommon market talk regarding the cattle market has to do with cattle inventories and beef production. We all hear about how the calf crop is at historically low levels and the cow herd is shrinking, and yet prices fail to make fresh highs. The reason, which most coffee shop analysts fail to look at, is demand. Statistics Canada and the USDA do an excellent job of counting cattle but demand is the hardest part of the price equation to forecast. Even when beef production is shrinking, a commodity is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. The cattle market is unique in that beef is considered a semi-staple food item. There are products such as ground beef and certain cuts that are consumed regularly by the average North American consumer but a $20-per-pound beef tenderloin is only bought by people in a select income range. In lower-income parts of a city, high-quality cuts are either ground up after a certain amount of time in an effort to move product off the shelf or carried in very limited quantities. Similarly, higher-end restaurants serving quality beef products tend to be visited by a select group of consumers. Growing up on the farm, I ate all types of beef regularly but it was only after studying the beef market that I realized my diet was that of a high-income individual living in the city. I was actually forced to eat excellent-quality steaks because as a teenager I preferred hamburgers. I think most farm children can relate. We all have our preferences yet we don’t realize how fortunate we were compared to school kids living in the city. I’ve discussed beef demand in previous issues but I felt this would be a good time to revisit the subject and provide an idea of how consumption patterns will develop over the next year. This will ultimately dictate the price of fed cattle and influence values of the feeder market. Beef demand is highly correlated with income levels of the average North American consumer. This is the largest factor influencing beef consumption. Looking at recent statistics, the U.S. unemployment rate has dropped to a five-year low of seven per cent, which is a positive signal. U.S. third-quarter GDP was reported at 3.6 per cent from July through September and fourth-quarter GDP should also reach three per cent. This is important because two-thirds of GDP is related to consumer spending and a one per cent increase in consumer spending equates to nearly one per cent increase in beef demand. Looking forward, first- and second-quarter GDP for 2014 is projected at 2.5 per cent. This is largely due to a slowdown in spending in January and February. In March, consumers generally start to increase consumption through holidays such as spring break and generally eat out more when the weather turns warmer. This is particularly important for full-service restaurant spending as there is a very strong seasonal tendency for spending to increase in March. I’ve attached a chart of U.S Full Service Restaurant Spending to September 2013. A chart of U.S. grocery store spending would look very similar except the amount spent would be twice as much. Notice the increase in December and then the sharp drop in January and February. Spending increases in March and then slowly starts to

C a t t l e m e n · J AN U A R Y 2 0 1 4

decline into the fall period most years. Away from home food spending in September was up 2.9 per cent over 2012 and October was up a meagre 1.3 per cent over last year. If GDP is projected to rise by 2.5 per cent in the first and second quarter of 2014, we can project that U.S. full service restaurant spending will increase by 1.8 per cent since consumer spending is 70 per cent of GDP in most quarters. Another factor to consider is the substitute meats of pork and poultry. It takes about one year to increase poultry production and 1.8 years to increase pork production but a solid three years to increase beef production. U.S. poultry production will reach record levels in 2013 and again in 2014. Poultry is the cheapest source of protein in the U.S. and the income-constrained consumer will choose poultry over beef, if price is the only factor. At the time of writing this article, fed cattle in Alberta were trading at $126 per cwt while December live cattle futures were at $132. April futures were at $134 and June was at $129. Without taking into account the Canadian dollar, the market is factoring in the strong demand in late March and April but slower demand in June. Keep in mind beef production also increases in the second quarter. Depending on the weight of feeder cattle, the price of replacements are fed-cattle values in the deferred positions such as five to eight months forward. One can draw many conclusions from all this. For example, if feeder cattle prices are historically high in March due to current strength in fed cattle, don’t expect the feeders to hold up but rather come under pressure because beef demand will decrease into the summer. Using the GDP projections and looking at the seasonal patterns in beef demand, cattle producers can have a better idea of their hedging strategies or marketing program. c Gerald Klassen analyses markets in Winnipeg and also maintains an interest in the family feedlot in southern Alberta. He can be reached at gklassen7@hotmail.com.  U. S. Fu l l S e rv i c e R estaur a n t Spending 22,000 21,000 20,000 19,000 18,000 17,000 16,000 15,000 14,000 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

(millions of dollars)

2013

2012

2011

2010

www.canadiancattlemen.ca

 Market Su mma ry

By Debbie McMillin

TheMarkets Fed Cattle Fed-cattle prices have been solid throughout the fall supported by seasonally increased demand, strong live cattle futures, a weaker Canadian dollar and tight supplies of market-ready cattle. At the start of December fed steers averaged $127.40/cwt, $8.80 more than the same time last year. For the last eight weeks, ending in the first week of December, fed steers sold for more than $120. On the downside, the cash-to-cash basis was wider than in recent years as the industry got ready for the new COOL rule that came into effect in late November. The fed basis during the first week of December averaged -14.74/cwt versus the five-year average of $8.30/cwt under the U.S. The November 1 cattle-on-feed report for Alberta and Saskatchewan was up 15 per cent over last year at 887, 037 head. Fall run volumes were large through October and while exports were large the reduced cost of gain encouraged western feedlots to place calves directly on feed. Placement

totals in October were 22 per cent larger than a year ago at 300,653 head. Fed-steer slaughter to the third week in November was down two per cent at 1,237,927 head while heifer slaughter was off by seven per cent at 708,308 head. Fed-cattle exports dropped significantly in recent weeks as the November changes to COOL limited the number of buyers for slaughter cattle in the U.S. Annual fed-cattle exports totalled 319,857 head by November 23, 17 per cent smaller than a year ago.

Feeder Cattle The fall run into December gained strength from the strong overall cattle market, the lower Canadian dollar and lower feed costs as well as good demand for feeder cattle both here and in the U.S. The one limitation in this market is the extremely wide basis brought on by the uncertainty over COOL which held the market back from potentially reaching new highs. Following the high of $169/cwt set in late October

 DE B’S OUTLOOK Fed Cattle Cattle are being pulled forward which will keep numbers current and give some leverage to feedlots as they market their fed cattle. The low Canadian dollar continues to be supportive of the Canadian fed market. Seasonally prices usually pull back slightly after the holidays as consumers look to clean up their holiday expenses at the start of the year. Prices may soften through January but should trend higher as we move further into the first quarter. Feeder Cattle Fall-run volumes tapered off toward Christmas so we can expect a strong feeder market to ring in the new year with supplies tightening, the dollar down and heavy grain crops that have significantly lowered the cost of gain. In

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addition deferred live cattle futures still allow for profitable risk management strategies to be implemented. COOL is still a wild card with the feeders and the basis level will likely remain above yearago levels while this uncertainty remains in the market. Non-fed cattle The demand for grinding and trim meats remains strong and given the aggressive marketing of cows that took place in 2013 the supply of culls will be smaller as we start 2014. Export demand should continue to put a solid floor under the cow market as both Canada and the U.S. are poised to consolidate and enter a growth phase in the cattle cycle, which will further limit the supply of slaughter cows. Non-fed cattle prices should be stronger moving through the first quarter of 2014.

increasing volumes pressured 550-pound feeders lower through November to $162 by the first week of December. Heavy 850 feeder steers followed a similar trend with prices reaching new highs in October at $148.50/cwt, then dipping to an average $143 by early December. In the first week of December the 850-lb. feeder basis was -30.89/cwt, versus the five-year average of -$12.36/cwt. Feeder exports that were running well ahead of last year’s pace for much of 2013 picked up significantly in November to meet the future demands of U.S. plants that were planning to process Canadian-born cattle raised in the U.S. under the new labelling rule. Up to the third week of November feeder exports were 273,280 head, an increase of 113 per cent over last year.

Non-Fed Cattle Strength appeared in the cow markets after mid-November when the bottom seemed to be set at $69.20/cwt. Cow numbers always increase in the fall but this fall they got a boost when a significant number of bred cows sales saw more sellers than buyers. The first week of December D1,2 cows edged back to $70.30/cwt on consistent demand at home and in the U.S. Exports climbed to nearly 9,000 head per week bumping export shipments for the year to 264,624 head at the end of November, or 160 per cent of last year. Bull exports were running 53 per cent above last year with 66,715 head shipped by the end of November. As a result butcher bull prices came under pressure, averaging $79.93/cwt by the end of the first week in December. That was still nearly $6 over the same week in 2012 but it marked the first time since February that bulls traded under $79/cwt. c Debbie McMillin is a market analyst who ranches at Hanna, Alta.

More markets 

C a t t l e m e n · J AN U A R Y 2 0 1 4 83

M A R K ETS

Break-even Prices on A-Grade Steers

Market Prices

140

190

ALBERTA

130

170

120

160

110

150

100 90 155 145

Steer Calves (500-600 lb.)

180

140 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

ONTARIO

135

130

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

D1,2 Cows

85 75

125

115

105 95 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Canfax weighted average price on A-Grade steers

Break-even price for steers on date sold

2013 2012

2014 2013

December 2013 prices* Alberta Yearling steers (850 lb.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $141.63/cwt Barley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.02/bu. Barley silage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50.25/ton Cost of gain (feed) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61.94/cwt Cost of gain (all costs) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89.94/cwt Fed steers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125.91/cwt Break-even (May 2014) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121.32/cwt Ontario Yearling steers (850 lb.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $151.15/cwt Corn silage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36.32/ton Grain corn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.29/bu. Cost of gain (feed) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67.38/cwt Cost of gain (all costs) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92.84/cwt Fed steers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121.69/cwt Break-even (June 2014) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127.02/cwt *Mid-month to mid-month prices Breakevens East: end wt 1,450, 183 days West end wt 1,325 lb., 125 days

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Ontario

Alberta

2013 2012

Ontario prices based on a 50/50 east/west mix

Market Summary (to December 7) 2013

2012

Total Canadian federally inspected slaughter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,454,622. . . . . . . . . 2,490,484 Average steer carcass weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 876 lb.. . . . . . . . . . . . 879 lb. Total U.S. slaughter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30,056,000. . . . . . . 30,588,000

Trade Summary Exports 2013 2012 Fed cattle to U.S. (to November 30). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324,418.. . . . . . . . . . 392,492 Feeder cattle and calves to U.S. (to November 30) . . . . . . . . . 285,480.. . . . . . . . . . .130,632 Dressed beef to U.S. (to October). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363.86 mil.lbs.. . . . 390.65 mil.lbs Total dressed beef (to October). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 514.61 mil.lbs.. . . . . 527.94 mil.lbs 2013 IMPORTS 2012 Slaughter cattle from U.S. (to October) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 *Dressed beef from U.S. (to October) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313.10 mil.lbs. . . . . . 299.74 mil.lbs *Dressed beef from Australia (to October) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30.71 mil.lbs. . . . . . . 23.18 mil.lbs *Dressed beef from New Zealand (to October) . . . . . . . . 30.99 mil.lbs. . . . . . . 41.25 mil.lbs *Dressed beef from Uruguay (to October) . . . . . . . . . . . . 25.95 mil.lbs. . . . . . . 21.30 mil.lbs Canadian Grades (to December 7, 2013) % of A grades +59% 54-58% AAA 20.3 21.8 AA 27.5 9.3 A 1.9 0.1 Prime 0.2 0.5 Total 31.7 49.9 EAST WEST

Total graded 564,508 1,864,547

Yield â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 53% Total 12.8 54.9 2.6 39.4 0.0 2.0 0.9 1.6 16.3 Total A grade 97.9%

Total ungraded 25,567 162

% carcass basis 80.0% 87.0% Only federally inspected plants

C a t t l e m e n Âˇ J AN U A R Y 2 0 1 4

www.canadiancattlemen.ca

 GOINGS ON

Sales&Events Events

January

22-24 S askatchewan Beef Industry Conference, Saskatoon Inn, Saskatoon, Sask.

February 4-5

Manitoba Beef Producers 35th Annual

 ADVERTISE R IN D EX Page 35 Advanced Agri Direct Alberta Cattle Breeders Assoc. 59 Alberta Cattle Feeders 67 Allen Leigh Security 77 Anchor D Ranch 63 Anderson Family Herefords 25 Beefbooster 19 31 Belvin Angus Braun Ranch 75 12 Canadian Agri Blend Canadian Angus Assoc. 76 Canadian Charolais Assoc. OBC 22 Canadian Forage Assoc. Canadian Gelbvieh Assoc. 48, 49 4, 5 Canadian Hereford Assoc. 36, 37 Canadian Limousin Assoc. 57 Canadian Shorthorn Assoc. 17 Canadian Simmental Assoc. Canadian Young Farmers 12 Case-IH 13 73 Cattlex Farms Ltd. Chapman Cattle Company 69 Davidson Gelbvieh 27 DLMS 72 Farm Credit Canada 30 Frost Free Nose Pumps 77 Greener Pastures 69 Harvie Ranching 9 Hi-Hog Farm & Ranch Equipment 76 Hill 70 Quantock Ranch 7 International Stock Food 76 77 Irvine Tack & Trailer Lakeland Group 29 a-p Lazy RC Ranch Ltd. 55 Lewis Farms Ltd. 15 75 LLB Angus Mader Ranches 81 MC Quantock Livestock 11 McMillen Ranching Ltd. 43 Mel Stewart Holdings 76 61 Merck Animal Health Merial 10, 16 51 MJT Cattle Co. Ltd. New Holland 23 North American Lincoln Red 76 Ole Farms 73 Plain Jans 76 Rainalta Simmentals 65 Rawes Ranches 79 Reese Cattle Co. 75 39 Ridley Block Ops/Crystalyx Riverside Welding 76 76 Salers Assoc. of Canada Simmental Summit Bull Sale 33 Soderglen Ranch 86, IBC 41 Spring Creek Simmentals Stauffer Ranches 47 Stewart Cattle Co. 74 Tru-Test Inc. 72 Ulrich Hereford Ranch 21 Western Canadian Holistics 71 Zoetis Animal Health IFC, 44, 45

www.canadiancattlemen.ca

General Meeting, Victoria Inn, Brandon, Man. 4-7 U.S. Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Tradeshow, Nashville, Tennessee 19-21 Alberta Beef Industry Conference, Sheraton Hotel, Red Deer, Alta. 26-28 Ag Expo, Exhibition Park, Lethbridge, Alta.

March

26-27 Alberta Farm Animal Care — 2014 Livestock Care Conference, Four Points Sheraton-South, Edmonton, Alta. 28-29 New Brunswick Spring Beef Conference, Crowne Plaza, Moncton, N.B., www.bovinsnbcattle.ca 29-31 Farm and Ranch Show, Expo Centre, Edmonton, Alta.

April

28-29 Advancing Women — Women in Ag Conference, Deerfoot Inn & Casino, Life Skills for Leadership, www.advancingwomenconference.ca

June

18-20 C anada’s Farm Progress Show, Evraz Place, Regina, Sask. 18-21 Beef Improvement Federation Symposium, Cornhusker Marriot, Lincoln, Nebraska 22-26 World Congress on Conservation Agriculture, Winnipeg Convention Centre, Winnipeg, Man.

July

16 17 18

22 24

25 27

March 1

1 3 4

I nternational Livestock Congress 2014, Deerfoot Inn, Calgary, Alta. 24-26 Canadian Junior Limousin Conference, Saskatoon, Sask. 25-27 2014 Canadian Simmental Association Annual General Meeting, Elkhorn Resort, Riding Mountain National Park, Man.

Sales

January

C Quantock “Canada’s Bulls” Bull Sale M — 450 bulls, Lloydminster Exhibition, Lloydminster, Sask. Lazy S Ranch Bull Power 2014 Sale, at the ranch, Mayerthorpe, Alta.

7 10

17 19 22

February 1

3 7 7 8 8 13

ill 70 Quantock “Barn Burnin Bull Sale,” H at the ranch, Lloydminster, Sask. Lazy RC Ranch Long Yearling Bull Sale, at the ranch, Beechy, Sask. Anchor D Ranch Simmental Bull Sale, at the ranch, Rimbey, Alta. Stauffer Ranches — 2-yr.-old Black Angus Bull Sale, Fort MacLeod Auction, Fort MacLeod, Alta. Soderglen Ranches Ltd. 2014 Select Bull Sale, at the ranch, Airdrie, Alta. Back to the Basics Bull Sale — Black Angus and Hereford, at the ranch, Edgerton, Alta. Chapman Bull Sale – Red and Black Angus, Stettler Auction Mart, Stettler, Alta.

2 5th Annual Mader Ranches Bull Power Sale, at the farm, Carstairs, Alta. Bonchuk Farms Bull Sale, Heartland Livestock, Virden, Man. Ole Farms 9th Annual Family Day Sale, at the farm, Athabasca, Alta. Rawes Ranches Charolais Bull Sale — 125 bulls, at the ranch, Strome, Alta. Anderson Family Herefords, Balog Cow Palace, Lethbridge, Alta. Lewis Farms Bull Sales, at the farm, Spruce Grove, Alta. 2nd Annual Simmental Bull Summit, Beechinor Bros., High Country Cattle Services, Double R Farms, Beechinor Sale Barn, Bentley, Alta. Rainalta Bull Sale, Bow Slope Shipping, Brooks, Atla. Stewart Cattle Co and Guests Bull Sale, 40 Black Angus Bulls, 12 PB Black Angus heifers, 10 Simm X Angus Bulls, Beautiful Plains Ag Society, Neepawa, Man. Early Sunset Ranch — Bull Sale, at the ranch, Edam, Sask. avidson Gelbvieh & Lonesome Dove D Ranch 25th Anniversary, Bull Yards, Ponteix, Sask. High Country Bull Sale 40th Bull Sale, Horse Pavilion, Pincher Creek, Alta. Pride of the Prairies Bull Sale, Lloydminster Exhibition, Lloydminster, Sask. Belvin Angus Bull Sale, at the farm, Innisfail, Alta. In Pursuit of Perfection Bull Sale — Spring Creek Simmentals, at the farm, Moosomin, Sask. Sparrow Farms Bull Sale — Charolais bulls, at the farm, Vanscoy, Sask. Harvie Ranching Bull Sale — Polled Hereford, Charolais, Simmental, at the ranch, Olds, Alta. Reese Cattle Company — Charolais bulls, Innisfail Auction Mart, Innisfail, Alta. Prime Limousin Club Bull Sale, Westlock Ag Barn, Westlock, Alta. Blades Angus Bull Sale, VJV Foothills Auction, Stavely, Alta. Spruceview Angus Bull Sale, at the ranch, Killam, Alta. Prairie Grass Red Angus 24th Bull Sale, Red Rock Angus and Beiseker Red Angus, Thorlackson Feedyards, Airdrie, Alta.

April 2

8 19

eak Dot Ranch Bull and Female Sale, P at the ranch, Wood Mountain, Sask. Rodgers Red Angus Bull Sale, Perlich Bothers Auction, Lethbridge, Alta. Shortgrass Angus Bull and Female Sale, at the ranch, Aneroid, Sask. c

 Event listings are a free service to industry.  Sale listings are for our advertisers. Your contact is Deborah Wilson at 403-325-1695 or deb.wilson@fbcpublishing.com

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