CCT120611

PLANT POSTS NOT GRASS • MOVING GENOMICS TO THE RANCH • A LITTLE BISON WITH THE BEEF

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June/July 2012 $3.00

THINK

PAIRED WHEN MOVING PAIRS

Dylan Biggs, Coronation, Alta.

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June/July 2012

Volume 75, No. 7

Established 1938 ISSN 1196-8923 Cattlemen Editorial: Editor: Gren Winslow 1666 Dublin Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3H 0H1 (204) 944-5753 Fax (204) 944-5416 Email: gren@fbcpublishing.com Field Editor: Debbie Furber Box 1168, Tisdale, SK S0E 1T0 (306) 873-4360 Fax (306) 873-4360 Email: debbie.furber@fbcpublishing.com

FEATURES Lightning kills...................................................................8 Moving genomic research

from the lab to the ranch.......................................

10

New holland tailors machines to livestock producers.............................................. 14 Think paired when moving pairs..................................... 16

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Try a little bison with the beef. ................................... 18

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Plant posts not grass..................................................... 26 Verified beef production................................................ 31 Departments

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COMMENT............................................... 4 NEWSMAKERS......................................... 6 NUTRITION............................................ 24 VET ADVICE.......................................... 28 STRAIGHT FROM THE HIP...................... 29 HOLISTIC RANCHING.............................. 30 CCA REPORTS...................................... 32 PRIME CUTS......................................... 34 RESEARCH............................................ 35 NEWS ROUNDUP................................... 36 PURELY PUREBRED............................... 40 THE MARKETS...................................... 43 MARKET TALK....................................... 45 SALES & EVENTS.................................. 46

“Congratulations to our June/July sur vey winner, Andrew Hoglund, Vernon, B.C. This month’s sur vey is on page 20.”

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Cattlemen / june/july 2012 3

c o m m e n t

by Gren Winslow

The greasy mirror A census resets our view of ourselves

T

he census was like a greasy mirror held up to our face on May 10, 2011. It gave us a better look at ourselves than we could get anywhere else, but it’s already a year out of date so the image is just a bit fuzzy.

So what did we see when we looked at our 2011 mirror?

For one thing we are smaller than we thought in terms of our breeding herd. Between census years, the number of cows and heifer replacements decreased by 22.3 per cent to 4.5 million head. Brian Perillat, the manager/senior analyst at Canfax says that’s about 10 per cent less than we thought we had so there will have to be a pretty major correction built into the mid-year inventory survey numbers taken in July.

The cattle population followed a similar downward trend from 15.7 million in 2006 to 12.7 million in 2011.

We’ve also grown smaller in terms of the number of people who are still in the business of raising cattle. We all know people who have sold out since 2006 but the number who are left is probably less than you might have thought.

The last census in 2006 found 110,000 farms raising beef cattle in Canada. The inventory survey taken on January 1, 2011 listed the number of cattle operations at 96,430. Now along comes the greasy mirror and we find that on May 10 of the same year we really had only 85,890 farms that were willing to tell the census taker that they still had cattle on the place.

Still, when you think about it, that may not be such a big surprise given the number of dispersals we saw this year and last. For the same reason I don’t think it is much of a gamble to say that the cattle producer population is even lower this year.

It was something of a surprise to me to see how evenly this depopulation has occurred in terms of herd size.

In 2006 1,043 people (0.9 per cent of the farms) accounted for 3.0 million head, or 19.5 per cent of the cattle. In 2011 the top 900 — the 1.0 per cent of operators who own 1,128 head or more — accounted for 2.7 million head, or 21.5 per cent of the total herd. So even at the top the numbers are down.

Now let’s pull our focus back and look at two groups, those with herds above and below 178 head. For the sake of argument I’m going to assume this is the commercial cut line. That is people with more than 178 head are basically making a good slice of their livelihood from cattle,

4 Cattlemen / June/july 2012

and those with smaller herds are mixed farms right down to the part-timers with 32 head or less.

• In 2006, 22,403 commercial operations or 20.4 per cent of the beef farms held 10.4 million head or 66 per cent of the cattle.

• In 2011, 17,800 of these larger producers, or 20.8 per cent of beef farms, owned 8.8 million head, or 69 per cent of the cattle.

Now the flip side: • In 2006, 87,498 farms with less than 178 head, or 79.6 per cent of beef farms raised 5.3 million head, or 34 per cent of the cattle.

• In 2011, 68,000 operations or 79.2 per cent of beef farms raised four million head or 31 per cent of the cattle.

You can see that the losses occurred pretty well across the board. There was a bit more concentration among the larger operations but on the whole the tough times were spread fairly evenly throughout the industry.

Not only are we smaller, we’re older which again is no surprise. Attendance at almost any farm meeting across the country would tell you that. But the census confirmed that the timeline on farmers continues to age in step with the general population, perhaps even more so. The average age of all farmers was 54 in 2011 versus 52 in 2006 and 50 in 2001.

Even more alarming is the steady decline in the number of farmers under 35. Back in ’91 nearly 20 per cent of farms were in this category but last year it was down to eight per cent. That is a worrisome trend.

We don’t have to look too far for the reason.

From 2005 to 2010 gross farm receipts for beef cattle dropped 24.8 per cent from $9.7 billion to $7.3 billion.

Only hogs fared worse.

Some of the young guys looked off the farm, and some probably turned to other farming ventures. Over the same time gross farm receipts from grain and oilseed crops rose by 49 per cent.

It may have seemed like a bother at the time but there is some value to be gained from taking an accurate snapshot of the country once every five years. It’s a way of resetting the clock on all those surveys taken each year by government and industry as they assess the health of the country, and argue over the policies that are needed to keep it all running smoothly.

With the debate over Growing Forward 2 reaching a head this year there couldn’t be a better time to have the real numbers available. www.canadiancattlemen.ca

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NEWSMAKERS In a terse announcement May 11 the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association (SCA) announced the immediate appointment of its policy analyst Craig Douglas as interim CEO in place of Keith Robertson who has held the job since N o v e m b e r, 2 0 0 9 .

Prior to joining the SCA last July Craig Craig Douglas worked as farmer service director at the Canadian Wheat Board following stints with the Keystone Agricultural Producers in Manitoba and the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association. Robertson who has a cattle operation near Perdue, Sask., came to the SCA from the Northwest Consolidated Beef Producers where he was the marketing manager. Before that his resumé covers a time as executive director of the Manitoba Cattle Producers Association, market analyst with Canfax and about 15 years in the feedlot business.

Alberta Premier Alison Redford’s returning cabinet includes her previous attorney general and justice minister, lawyer Verlyn Olson, as her new minister for agriculture and rural development. The MLA for Wetaskiwin-Camrose since 2008 takes over the agriculture file Verlyn Olson from Evan Berger who lost his seat in the April 23 election. Olson lives on an acreage near Armena, about 20 km northwest of Camrose. Before entering provincial politics, he was a partner in the Camrose law firm of Andreassen Olson Borth (now called Andreassen Borth).

Spruce Grove-St. Albert MLA and former agriculture minister Doug Horner, most recently deputy premier and Treasury Board president, was named finance minister and keeps the Treasury Board file.

The new Wildrose MP, Vulcan County farmer Ian Donovan, was named as the critic for agriculture and rural development. He won his first term as the MLA for the Little Bow riding in April by defeating Progressive Conservative candidate John Kolk.

6 CATTLEMEN / JUNE/JULY 2012

Ontario’s newly formed animal welfare group, Farm & Food Care elected its first executive last month.

The group was formed by the merger of the Ontario Farm Animal Council and AGCare (Agricultural Groups Concerned about Resources and the Environment). John Maaskant, a chicken producer and past chair of the Ontario Farm Animal Council was elected as the group’s first chairman.

Grain farmer Larry Lynn is vice-chairman while seed grower representative Joe Hickson and Grober Inc. representative Heather Copland round out the executive. Gerald Rollins of the Ontario Cattlemen’s Association represents the cattle industry on the new board of directors.

Many in the cattle industry were saddened last month by the passing of Dr. Roy Berg at the age of 85. Berg was a renowned University of Alberta livestock geneticist credited with revolutionizing the business by pioneering selective cross-breeding of cattle.

His hybrid breeding programs led to a 30-40 per cent increase in production, helping make Alberta a “world leader” in beef production, the university said in a release. Raised on a farm north of Brooks at Millicent, Alta., Berg came to the U of A as an assistant professor in 1955. He helped secure provincial funding for a beef cattle-breeding facility at Kinsella.

Berg’s research “proved very controversial, as the prevailing wisdom in the beef cattle industry at the time was to use purebred cattle,” the U of A said.

“Ranchers thought that by crossbreeding, we would ruin the herds.

Dr. Roy Berg

They used the word ‘mongrelized,’” Mick Price, a fellow U of A researcher, recalled. “They thought that once you mongrelized the breed, you’d never get back the beauty that was the Alberta herd and everybody would be ruined.”

Berg’s cross-breeding, however, modified the proportion of bone, fat and muscle and improved the growth rate in cattle, increasing productivity by 30 per cent or more.

He was inducted into the Alberta Agricultural Hall of Fame and the International Stockman’s Hall of Fame in 1989 and received the Alberta Centennial Medal in 2005.

Israel is the latest country to take the first steps toward granting market access for Canadian beef. Actually this would be a new market for the Canadian industry. Israel imported $370 million worth of beef products in 2010.

Cattle producers and employees of Livestock Marketers of Saskatchewan (LMS) wrapped up a three-month series of informational meetings at member markets earlier this month dealing with traceability and herd health. The half-day sessions gave local producers a chance to hear the latest news on traceability from representatives of the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and animal health topics from Merck Animal Health, one of the sponsors of the educational series.

It is worth noting that the University of Calgary faculty of veterinary medicine graduated its first class of students from the four-year doctor of veterinary medicine degree program last month. One of only five veterinary programs in Canada, the school offers a unique combination of practical and theoretical education with a strong emphasis on the professional and clinical skills. Instead of using a traditional on-campus teaching hospital, the students spend their fourth year in a series of practicums in dozens of veterinary practices around Alberta that make up the Distributed Veterinary Learning Community (DVLC). As with all vet classes these days only seven of the 30 graduates are male.

C www.canadiancattlemen.ca

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SAFETY

LIGHTNING KILLS … so protect yourself

F

inding livestock struck down by lightning is stressful to say the least but there is little you can do to protect cattle that are outdoors. You can save yourself, however, by hightailing it for a substantial building or an all-metal vehicle the minute you hear thunder rumbling in the distance.

Don’t bother counting the seconds between the flash and the clap of thunder. Both Environment Canada and the U.S. National Weather Service have tossed out that old 30-30 rule; the one that says 30 seconds or less puts the lightning less than six miles away.

The new rule is head indoors as soon as you hear thunder, and stay there for 30 minutes after you hear the last thunderclap. We now know that when you hear thunder, you are in a lightning zone, even if you don’t see any. Many deaths occur before the rainclouds arrive and after the storm has passed.

Here’s another tip: when it comes to lightning, there is no safe place outside when there is a thunderstorm, and nothing you can do will make it any safer.

Lightning strikes Lightning injures and kills through ground current, side flash, direct hit, contact with electrified objects, surface arcs, upward streamers and blunt-force trauma from shock waves.

Only three to five per cent of deaths and injuries are caused by direct 8 CATTLEMEN / JUNE/JULY 2012

strikes, according to Environment Canada, while 15 to 25 per cent occur when people contact objects carrying a charge from lightning.

Side flashes, when lightning hits an object and jumps up to two metres sideways to hit another object on its way to the ground, are blamed for another 20 to 30 per cent. The height of an object relative to its surroundings — not the material from which it is made — is what increases its odds of being hit by lightning.

Ground current accounts for 40 to 50 per cent of casualties, making it the leading cause. When lightning connects directly with the ground, the voltage is highest at the point of impact and decreases in rings around that point as the charge extends outward. It’s not uncommon for ground currents to travel 10 metres but they can move up to 30 metres.

Electrical current enters the body through any part contacting the ground. If both feet are exposed to equal voltage, the voltage can’t drive current through the body. The same is true when only one foot is on the ground at a time, as in walking or running. However, when one foot moves into an area of higher voltage than the other, the voltage will push the current through the body and, if strong enough, stop the heart on the way by.

Four-legged animals are even more susceptible to ground strikes because the odds are slim that all four feet will be in areas with the same voltage.

Surface arcs radiate from ground strikes, like spokes from a wheel hub, just above the ground.

Upward streamers are currents that grow upward from elevated objects on charged ground. If a downward bolt and upward streamer meet to complete the path from cloud to ground, other streamers in the area will still carry a charge large enough to cause injury or death to people. Streamers are responsible for 10 to 15 per cent of lightning casualties.

Plan to stay safe The expert advice is to talk with your family and employees about lightning safety and write out a plan that covers various scenarios at work and play built around these four points.

1. Learn life-saving skills.

Lightning kills by stopping the heart, but because the body doesn’t hold a charge, it is safe to handle someone who is struck by lightning. Take time to learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation and artificial respiration techniques in the event of an emergency.

2. Pay attention to weather forecasts.

Plan ahead to avoid getting caught outdoors in a thunderstorm. Don’t start any outdoor projects you can’t stop at a moment’s notice when thunderstorms are forecast. As soon as you Continued on page 9 www.canadiancattlemen.ca

Continued from page 8

hear thunder, get to a safe location. Remember, more people are struck before and after a thunderstorm than during one.

Hourly reports of lightning activity are available 24-7 on Environment Canada’s website. These reports are generated by the Canadian Lightning Detection Network, established in 1998 as part of the North American Lightning Detection Network, the largest lightning network in the world.

3. I dentify safe places and how long it takes to get to them.

Your first choice should be a substantial building that is wired, plumbed and grounded to the earth, says Peter Kimbell, a warning preparedness meteorologist with Environment Canada. At the farm, your house is best but a yard office, shop or barn of wood or metal construction would do if it is wired, plumbed and grounded. Small outbuildings, bins, tents, rocky overhangs and underground shelters without metal shields are not safe havens.

Shut the door and stay away from windows and doors.

Be aware that ground currents can travel through the rebar in reinforced concrete floors. It’s rare, but Kimbell says people exposed to rebar while doing repair work in a shop during a thunderstorm have been hit during ground strikes.

Contrary to popular belief, metal does not attract lightning. However, it is an excellent conductor and can carry the charge a long way. It is the metal wiring and plumbing in a building that protects you by diverting the charge to the walls and into the ground.

Avoid contact strikes by staying away from metal components or the fixtures and appliances connected to plumbing, wiring, telephone landlines and chimneys.

Never risk unplugging anything during a thunderstorm.

Battery-powered appliances, laptops running on battery power, and remote devices are safe, as are cordless phones and cellphones.

The second choice for a safe place is inside of an enclosed, metal-framed vehicle with the windows closed, says Kimbell. Rubber tires do not protect you from lightning — it is the metal framework surrounding you that keeps you safe. For that reason ATVs, motorbikes, golf carts and openair tractors offer no protection. Due to the upward streamer phenomenon, you would be safer on the ground than sitting in an open vehicle.

All-metal campers and stock trailers with wooden floors could be a last resort. They are safer than staying out in the open. Even in a safe vehicle avoid parking near trees, power poles and other tall objects.

Huddling up against or crawling under a building, vehicle or equipment of any type is extremely dangerous because it exposes you to contact hits, side flashes and ground currents. Stay away from fuel tanks.

Agriculture can take a serious lesson from outdoor sports and recreation, which is the activity with the fastest-rising rate of lightning casualties, followed by standing under trees.

Coaches have cleared the playing field only to be struck down when they went out to collect the equipment. Rushing around to put away farm equipment during a thunderstorm isn’t worth losing your life.

4. Desperate measures.

A practical understanding of how lightning strikes occur www.canadiancattlemen.ca

will be crucial to reducing the risk when there is no safe place nearby.

First, avoid being the tallest object or standing near the tallest object in the area, and minimize your contact with the ground, Kimbell explains.

Look for a ditch, a ravine or other low-lying area, away from trees, and crouch down making sure to keep your feet together. Watch for possible flash flooding.

Don’t lay down. That only increases your exposure to the ground.

If you’re in a forest with no low clearings in sight, seek out the lowest area of the forest, and crouch under the thickest growth on the smallest trees or bushes you can find.

Even though there is no proof that the crouching has saved lives, it may be your only option in an emergency.

If you are on horseback, dismount and move away from your horse to minimize your height and contact with the ground.

Obviously you should avoid high ground, hilltops, hillsides, cliffs and riverbanks, or any kind of water body.

Tall, pointed, isolated objects, such as trees, towers and utility poles, don’t offer any fabled “cone of protection” so stay away from them. Same goes for augers, equipment, bins and windbreak fencing.

When hit, a wire fence can carry the charge for miles, as evidenced by photos of cattle found dead along fencelines.

If you are with a group of people, consider spreading out but stay within sight of each other. It increases the odds of someone getting struck, but could prevent multiple injuries and likely someone will be around to provide first aid if worse turns to worst.

More information on lightning safety and weather updates is available at www.ec.gc.ca, www.weatheroffice.gc.ca, and www.struckbylightning.org.

C — Debbie Furber Cattlemen / June/july 2012 9

BREEDING

MOVING GENOMIC RESEARCH FROM THE LAB TO THE RANCH…

D

on’t throw away that old straw of bull semen sitting in your AI tank — even if it is no longer viable for insemination purposes, the Canadian Cattle Genome Project wants it. It could become part of an international research effort that will ultimately lead to low-cost DNA tests to give beef and dairy producers important genetic information about the value of individual animals in their breeding programs.

The three-year project got underway last October with numerous Canadian and foreign sponsors on board, says project manager Disa BrownfieldWalker of Livestock Gentec at the University of Alberta (U of A). Genome Canada, Genome Alberta, the Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency, Western Economic Diversification Canada, along with two private companies, Beef Improvement Opportunities and Semex Alliance, are the major Canadian funding organizations.

Two researchers whose names are familiar in Canadian beef industry circles are heading up the international research team. Dr. Steve Miller 10 CATTLEMEN / JUNE/JULY 2012

of Livestock Gentec, with a joint appointment to the U of A and University of Guelph (U of G), is the lead investigator. Dr. Stephen Moore, formerly of the U of A and now with the University of Queensland, Australia, is the co-lead.

Sponsors from collaborating countries include the Australian Beef Cooperative Research Centre for Beef Genetics and Technology, New Zealand AgResearch, USDA, the Scottish Agricultural College and Teagasc each of which also have dedicated researchers to work on the project.

“These countries are conducting the research regardless of the Canadian Cattle Genome Project, however, the Canadian project does allow a large amount of data to be shared in the international community and gives everyone more data than they would be able to afford on their own,” Brownfield-Walker explains. “If everyone shares a bit of the cost and everyone benefits, it fosters other partnerships that go beyond a single project.”

The first step of the project is to chart the hierarchy of key breeds

in the Canadian herd. Canadian researchers have partnered with the Angus, Simmental, Gelbvieh, Charolais, Hereford, Limousin, Beefbooster and Holstein (Canadian Dairy Network) breed associations to identify the founding ancestors and animals that have had the most impact in each breed. The immediate need is for DNA samples from those key animals because the entire genome of approximately 300 founders, with at least 30 from each breed, will be sequenced.

The international partners will carry out additional sequencing and genotyping. For example, the USDA has agreed to provide 320-times genomic coverage, Australia will provide 160 and New Zealand, 25. However, most animals are sequenced two to five times to make sure there are no errors, therefore, the USDA’s 320 genome sequences will translate into 64 to 160 animals.

Technology to accomplish this feat has advanced by leaps and bounds considering that it was only a few Continued on page 12 www.canadiancattlemen.ca

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short years ago — 2009 — when an international team of 300 scientists from 25 countries, including Canada, completed a groundbreaking six-year project to unlock the complete genome of a bovine animal.

Canadian researchers were also involved with developing the bovine SNP50K (single nucleotide polymorphism 50,000) chip panel, which is widely used in the industry today. An SNP is an alteration of a single nucleotide in the DNA sequence. Every animal has many SNPs that combine to create its unique DNA pattern. These differences translate into each animal’s characteristics, including traits of interest to producers, such as feed intake, tenderness, growth and calving ease.

Another good example of the benefit of collaboration is Canada’s involvement in the 1000 Bull Genomes Project (www.1000bullgenomes.com). “If we provide the sequence from the 300 animals done through this project, we will get at least 700 additional sequences in return. That’s a lot of value considering that it costs approximately $2,500 to sequence an animal at five-times coverage,” Brownfield-Walker says.

Given the cost and that many founders of breeds in Canada are the same as those in other countries, the project will co-ordinate who sequences what in order to make the best use of resources, Miller explains. All of the sequencing and genotyping information from Canada will be available to the collaborating organizations in the other countries and vice versa.

Paul Stothard at the U of A, is heading up the bioinformatics aspect of the project with assistance from Guohui Lin. This involves determining how all data from sequencing and genotyping will be analyzed as well as facilitating the flow and sharing of data between parties.

Step two will be to move down each breed’s hierarchy pyramid, decreasing the density of the marker panel, but increasing the number of animals tested. Complete high-density (HD) genotyping using a 770K SNP chip panel will be carried out on 480 cattle from each breed. Another 500 cattle will be genotyped using a 50K SNP chip panel. Additional animals may be genotyped as necessary based on scientific merit and available resources.

12 Cattlemen / June/july 2012

“As the project progresses, approximately 10,000 samples from Canadian cattle alone will be needed, so if you have an AI bull used in Canada, we’re probably going to be interested,” Miller adds. DNA samples from current herds may be submitted as semen, blood, tissue or tail hair samples. All samples will be stored in the biobank at Delta Genomics, a new non-profit DNA service lab at the U of A, so samples that may not be used for this project will be available for future projects.

Steve Miller Without international collaboration it would be impossible to obtain the huge number of samples necessary to see step three through to fruition.

This involves developing mathematical algorithms to design accurate genomic prediction equations and imputation methods, which will be the foundation for tools to move the science from the lab to the ranch. This task will be led

by Flavio Schenkel at the U of G. Feed-use efficiency is the target trait being used to prove the imputation method, Miller says. It’s an economically important trait and one that is difficult to measure and predict with accuracy. As well, approximately 8,000 Canadian cattle from several breeds have already been genotyped as part of feed efficiency studies conducted by various university, government and bull-test groups. The data will be pooled into one big analysis and, hopefully, imputed to obtain HD genotype information. John Basarb with Alberta Agriculture at Lacombe is leading this aspect of the project.

An overarching study led by Ellen Goddard at the U of A will look at the economic, environmental, ethical, legal and social aspects of genomic applications in the cattle sector and will be based in part on consumer and producer opinions on the benefits of genotyping cattle.

In addition to co-ordinating the genotyping work, Livestock Gentec CEO Graham Plastow will head up the transfer of this information to the industry.

What you should see If the imputation method works for the feed-use efficiency trait it will be applied to other difficult-to-measure traits, such as fertility and longevity. Ultimately, producers should end up having access to less costly, low-density DNA panels that provide the same genetic information as costly high-density panels today.

The 50K SNP panel currently in use is not breed specific. At this low density, the prediction equation developed for specific traits would differ for each breed. Since imputation will give the equivalent of an HD reading, the equation will hold up across all breeds.

This project will give breeds the tools to do these imputations, thereby, adding accuracy to expected progeny differences and hastening genetic improvement in important traits in purebred and commercial herds.

As this high-density genetic data starts to appear it will also increase the likelihood of discovering the next step — causative mutations. A causative mutation is the SNP that is actually responsible for causing genetic difference in a trait, Miller explains.

The 50,000 SNP chips in the 50K panel are not causative mutations. However, because DNA gets passed from parents to offspring in big chunks, scientists know the causative SNP will be nearby and can confidently use the SNPs as markers for causative SNPs. With this in hand, scientists will be able to design very specific SNP chip panels for specific purposes, for example, identifying carcass traits in feedlot cattle so that they can be managed and marketed according to their genotypes to optimize profit.

Details about the project, including how to submit samples are available online at www.canadacow.ca, or by contacting Brownfield-Walker at 780-8684672 or email disa@ualberta.ca. C — Debbie Furber www.canadiancattlemen.ca

Cow/Calf Pairs • Display of Herd Bulls • Pen of Three Bulls Shown off halter in the Olds rodeo arena & judged from horseback

This free event is open to the public and concession booths are on site. If you would like to book a meal package, please call 1.888.836.7242 or register online at www.hereford.ca

Photo Courtesy of Paula Doenz

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

PHOTO CREDIT: NH

EQUIPMENT

The T6 Series tractors, which range from 90 to 120 PTO horsepower, are designed to be a good match for New Holland’s line of hay- and forage-making equipment.

NEW HOLLAND TAILORS MACHINES TO LIVESTOCK PRODUCERS By building on its reputation in haying technology

A

lthough New Holland has evolved into a full-line ag equipment manufacturer, the company originally made its mark in hay and forage tools. Building on that history, company executives say they’ve recently taken a long, hard look at the equipment needs of today’s livestock producers and developed a product line to exactly meet those requirements.

“New Holland is a full-line hay and forage company,” says Mike Cornman, NH’s segment leader for dairy and livestock. “That means New Holland has the broadest offering of the major manufacturers (in haying equipment).” The company intends to use that advantage to once again position itself as a leader in that segment of the industry.

To accomplish that, NH has put together a full product line with features designed specifically for hay and forage work. At a media event held at its North American headquarters in Pennsylvania in April, the company announced it has created a dedicated management team that will focus on tailoring and marketing that group of products specifically to dairy and livestock farmers. And that includes mid-range tractors, primarily the new T6 and economy TS6 models which are engineered to match its haying implements.

By building tractors specifically designed to meet the requirements of hay and forage production, NH management believes they are able to offer 14 CATTLEMEN / JUNE/JULY 2012

a more closely matched group of machines that work seamlessly and efficiently with each other. “These tractors compliment our hay and forage products,” adds Cornman. “Now bringing (tractors and haying implements) together makes for a stronger focus, not only from the customer but in how these products are developed.”

Cornman sees the T6 Series as NH’s primary hay and forage tractors. “It’s our flagship tractor line, if you will, in the livestock and dairy segment,” he says. And these machines include premium features the company thinks will appeal to most producers.

The six-model T6 range runs from 90 to 120 PTO horsepower and offers higher-end features, such as four transmission choices, including a 24 x 24 Dual Command with power shuttle and a 17 x 16 AutoShift with a top speed of 50 km/h for high-speed road travel Tractors in the T6 line are all powered by NH’s ECOBlue engines which use SCR (selective catalytic reduction) emissions technology. And they have the company’s latest electronic engine management system.

The four-model TS6 line starts at 90 PTO horsepower and tops out at 115. “The TS6 Series is a value tractor as opposed to our T6 Series, which is more of a higher-specification, premium tractor,” says Cornman.

The company calls the TS6 tractors its “lean and mean” line, and these machines retail at a significantly lower

price than their sister models in the T6 Series. But they still have features tailored to the needs of typical livestock operations. That includes a standard 8 x 8 synchronized transmission with mechanical shuttle, or the optional 16 x 8 DualPower version with hydraulic shuttle. The TS6 tractors can also be ordered with two-wheel drive and open-station platforms, which reduces their price tags even further.

NH has also broadened its implement line for 2012. Built in Norway, the new Mega Cutter mower conditioner is designed to cut 29 feet, six inches with each pass. The three components that make up the Mega Cutter mount on higher-horsepower tractors, like NH’s T7 and T8 Series. They not only offer wider cutting widths, but they make road transport much easier because they fold up, unlike traditional mower conditioners.

For the smaller-scale operator the company just introduced its Roll Belt 450 utility round baler that makes a 4 x 5-foot bale. “It’s designed for that small-acreage owner who’s making 500 to 1,000 bales each year,” explains Cornman.

In addition, the company launched the ProRotor hay rake series, with models available in three different configurations. “We’re continuing to look for opportunities to expand and strengthen our product offerings,” says Cornman.

For more information visit www.

C newholland.com.

— Scott Garvey www.canadiancattlemen.ca

HAYMAKER’S HANDBOOK In 1975, New Holland published the first edition of its HAYHANDBOOK, a practical guide intended to help farmers do a better job of putting up hay. The guidebook was revised in 1987, and last year the third edition was released. “New Holland partnered with Penn State University as well as getting input from the University of Wisconsin to refresh the information to reflect current trends and current information,” says Mike Cornman, NH’s segment leader for dairy and livestock.

The result is a 184-page book full of how-to information that both novice and longtime hay growers will find useful.

The handbook takes a complete look at hay and forage production, star ting with how to establish crops. From there, the following chapters provide tips to help maximize the value of hay by har vesting and packaging it ef ficiently.

The book even takes a look at forage-feeding practices for cattle, sheep and horses.

The HAYMAKER’S HANDBOOK can be ordered online at www. newholland.com or purchased from any New Holland dealer (part number 36145160). The online price is $14.77 plus shipping costs.

PHOTO CREDIT: SCOTT GARVEY

MAKER’S

A BEEF I AD

ANNUAL FORUM 2012

rt

lg a r y, A l b e

Canada Beef Inc.

Annual Forum 2012

a

Ca

You’re Invited!

C. N

CA N

H ANDBOOK : This 184-page manual is meant to be a practical how-to guide for farmers. It takes a look at all aspects of hay and forage production.

Join Canada Beef Inc.’s Board of Directors, staff and industry partners as we review our first year of business and the market in which we are working.

At the Annual Forum you will hear from our board, marketing team, partners and others on many topics including: • market development and research • opportunities at home and abroad • our plans for the coming year The Annual Forum is open to everyone. We hope you will join us as we plan for the future.

Thursday and Friday, September 20 - 21, 2012 Sheraton Cavalier, Calgary Alberta

September 20 - 21, 2012 Thursday, September 20, 2012 Experts from all sectors of the beef production cycle will provide insight into the business of Canadian beef during a full day of presentations and information sessions including plenty of time that evening to socialize over dinner in the hospitality suite.

Friday, September 21, 2012 Friday morning is the business portion of the Forum, including a review of the company’s performance and the election of the new Board of Directors.

For more information visit www.canadabeef.ca/producer

www.canadiancattlemen.ca

CATTLEMEN / JUNE/JULY 2012 15

HANDLING

THINK PAIRED WHEN MOVING PAIRS … If you want to avoid a wreck

I

t’s easy to slip into a “habit of problems” when moving cattle and one of the situations most prone to problems is moving a herd of cows that happen to have calves at foot.

Therein lies the rub. If you approach moving pairs the same way as you move a herd of dry cows or yearlings, you will be setting yourself up for problems, says Dylan Biggs of TK Ranch south of Coronation, Alta.

His family has been using low-stress cattle-handling techniques for 23 years and he has been sharing his insights and experiences with people from all sectors of the beef industry at clinics since 1995.

“Most of the time the problems start because calves lose track of their moms,” he explains. When that happens, a calf’s instinct is to want to go back to the comfortable place where the two were last together. While you are busy bringing the calf back to the group, other calves and cows may try to leave and you’ll soon have a wreck in the making.

Oftentimes, calves that can’t find their moms end up at the back of the line where the added pressure to keep up creates more of the same problems.

“So, my goal is to manage the move in a way that prevents the calves from wanting to run back,” Biggs says.

Think pairs. Start by getting them paired before you leave the pasture; keep them paired during the move; and 16 CATTLEMEN / JUNE/JULY 2012

make sure they stay paired once they arrive at the new pasture.

Admittedly, this all takes time — time that you may feel you don’t have until you look at it in hindsight. “It’s odd how reluctant I was and people in general are to take time to get paired, but when forced to clean up a wreck we are prepared to spend all the time it takes,” Biggs observes.

A general consideration that will help make for smooth going is to move pairs when the cows still have grass and are content where they are. Hungry cows are apt to take off for greener pastures without concern for their calves as soon as the gate opens.

“It’s easy to train cows to go through a gate, but if you always lead, tempt or entice cows with feed or new grass or train them to come to a call, and the calves don’t know what it’s all about, I can guarantee a wreck,” he says.

It’s also important that your cattle have been taught to drive. You must be able to calmly herd them using light pressure and proper position to control herd movement. Once cattle learn to respond to light pressure and proper position, they will easily respond with calm, natural herd movement and it takes very little pressure to start, slow, stall and turn them without agitating them.

The “habit of problems” starts with projecting last year’s wrecks on to this year’s moves instead of observing what’s

happening in the present. “It’s really difficult to be effective if you are thinking about the troubles of the past,” Biggs says. “It’s funny how we draw conclusions about an animal’s motivations without considering how we affect movement. Effective leaders are calm and confident and we can’t expect our animals to be calm and confident unless we are. Cows need to know that they can go along and we can go along together and it’s not an issue.”

Start paired So, how do you start a move without standing at the gate shaking a pail of oats or letting out a few good, long co-boss-y calls?

Try simply showing up at the pasture and slowly initiating the move by pressuring a few cows to get up and start calling their calves. It won’t take much pressure — think about how little pressure it takes to cause pairs to move when you approach them ever so quietly to tag calves.

You want to create just a bit of movement, not enough to cause the entire herd to start moving away. Other cows will respond to the behaviour of their herdmates and start looking for their own calves.

Management-wise it’s a lot easier to get paired up if you arrive at the pasture when you know the calves will be nursing, Biggs suggests. A short time after sunrise is always a sure bet, but www.canadiancattlemen.ca

let them finish nursing so they won’t be trying to stop and nurse along the way.

You’ll know you’re paired up and ready to start moving when there is no more bawling. Plan on this step taking up to 45 minutes.

Stay paired Keeping the pairs together can be challenging especially if it’s a long move or there are obstacles such as gates, roads, railway tracks, creeks or bushes.

It’s important that the lead and back riders continually monitor movement and have a way of communicating with each other if they sense the pairs are falling apart. In that case, stall the front of the herd, which will ideally stall the whole herd, and give them time to pair up again. When stalling, be careful not to turn the front end around because this will stir things up resulting in more pairs being separated.

The best way to move pairs through a gate is to have them strung out.

“Think about pairs moving on their own accord. They will be paired and moving along in single file,” Biggs explains. “If you give them time to pair up and let them string out nicely on the way to the gate, then push them into a ball to go through, how paired up will they be after that?”

You are good to keep going if there’s no bawling once they are through the gate. If you notice a bunch of calves at the back without mothers, it’s best to take the time to stall the herd and let them pair up again.

Baby calves will often balk at gates simply because they don’t know about gates, Biggs adds.

Even if they’ve never had a bad experience near a gate or fence, the appearance of an open section in the fence or moving between two posts can be enough to make them balk. Let them think about it.

People are often way too pushy with baby calves at the gate. It’s better to block them from leaving and let the herd movement draw them through the gate rather than trying to push them through. If you are going to pressure them, pressure very lightly from their side into the hip.

Normally, you’d want the pairs strung out a quarter- or half-mile depending on the terrain and number of pairs. On TK Ranch with open range, the Biggs just let them move and guide the direction, however, many producers at clinics have reasons why www.canadiancattlemen.ca

they can’t string out too far or hold up to re-pair.

Crossing a busy road or moving out of a pasture onto a road flanked by open crop are two common scenarios.

In these types of situations, make sure they are paired before moving onto the road or across an obstacle. Tightening up to two or three pairs wide may make it easier to keep them out of the crop or to cross a road in shorter time, but start tightening up well before you reach that point. If you hear bawling, stop at the first safe location to pair up again.

Then there are the “bunch quitters” — the cows that take off without their calves. “She’s telling you she doesn’t trust you because you are putting more pressure on her than she can take,” Biggs explains. “You may see it differently, but her opinion is way more important than yours! If you want her to be calm enough to think about her calf and follow in line with the natural herd movement, back off to relieve the pressure and let her move on her own time.”

End paired When you arrive at the new pasture all paired up and strung out, the cows are going to want to graze. The calves that get left behind will hang around near the gate, but soon they’ll pop back through looking for mom.

Avoid this frustrating situation by spending 30 minutes or so to make sure everyone is paired before you leave. Once all of the pairs are through the gate, stall the herd movement so they don’t get too spread out and hold them near the gate until they are paired, nursing, settled and there’s no more bawling. Rest assured that you won’t come back to bawling cows and calves on opposite sides of the fence.

These principles are the same whether you are moving pairs on horseback, foot or quad: use light pressure and proper position to drive the cattle, remain calm and confident, and start paired, stay paired and end paired.

Moving newborn pairs every five to seven days is all part of the routine of calving on pasture at TK Ranch.

Even day-old pairs can easily move a mile given natural movement. The calves’ response to your movement will change from week to week and by the time they are two months old, you should be able to trail pairs very easily.

After weaning, give the calves a day

or two to get used to being on their own and they can just as easily be herded because they have already learned what it’s all about from their moms.

Unintended consequences “Many herds are unintentionally taught that it’s uncomfortable to be where we want them to be,” Biggs adds. An example is animals that move along nicely, but balk every time they get to a certain spot — perhaps a creek, the tracks or the corrals. The reason is because people tend to overpressure them for fear of losing control that far along or that close to the end.

Likewise, many herds are unintentionally trained to run once they get onto a road because people increase pressure to keep them moving in order to prevent them from grazing along the way.

The same issue comes into play when moving pairs out of a calving area into a nursery area. When too much pressure is put on the cow, she is apt to take off without her calf.

Newborn calves don’t respond to pressure — you know that because the more you push on a calf’s back end to get it to move, the more it pushes back. So, you bring the cow and calf back together, then put the pressure on again to get them through the gate. In a moment you’re back to Square 1.

“Inadvertently, you are training them not to want to be paired when you are around because of the pressure you put on them when they are together,” Biggs explains. “It takes time and practice to learn how much pressure to apply so that a cow will calmly take the calf along.”

It’s OK to practise your herding skills even if you have no particular place to go. You won’t be teaching the animals bad habits! If the herd isn’t used to being driven, Biggs says a good first goal is to slowly get a few cows up, give them time to pick up their calves, calmly move them off as pairs for a short distance, stop them and let them settle as pairs before leaving. If they are upset, then you know you haven’t done a good job. It’s a good sign if everyone is calm when you are done.

For more information visit www. tkranch.com . Clinics are slated for Pouce Coupe, B.C., June 23-24 (contact Chris Thompson, 250-789-6885), and Brooks, Alta., August 25, (contact Neal Wilson, 403-793-2544).

C — Debbie Furber Cattlemen / June/july 2012 17

MANAGEMENT

TRY A LITTLE BISON WITH THE BEEF

N

These bison/beef ranchers claim there’s plenty of upside in the other bovine

orth America has a native product unique to the rest of the world that continues to gain momentum with consumers — bison. It’s also a product that beef producers are in a position to capitalize on now as the bison sector looks forward to steady growth.

Having survived the collapse of breeding stock prices in the wake of BSE to enjoy a year of record-high prices, the industry has gained a solid footing and is definitely here to stay, says Canadian Bison Association (CBA) president Mark Silzer.

Looking to diversify their grain operation near Humboldt, Sask., Silzer and some partners introduced bison to the farm in 1994. “We saw tremendous growth potential for bison meat around the world and in niche markets. The 1990s was the breeding stock phase, but now the meat product is driving the market — people know it’s there and want it,” Silzer explains.

“The bison industry could keep growing and never catch up, considering that there is virtually no production outside of North America, except for a few herds in Europe and Australia.”

In southeastern Saskatchewan near Sedley, Bernard and Trish Ferner brought bison on to their century-old cattle ranch in 2000. “Like grain farmers diversifying from wheat and barley into canola and lentils, it’s the same with bison and cattle. It’s one way of diversifying into different markets to spread out risk,” says Ferner.

They also used bison as a way to add more cows without having to expand the corrals or increase their workload. Bison could calve on pasture starting mid-April, leaving the corral facilities available for the beef cows calving in March.

Initially, they built a substantial page wire fence around their first bison pasture, but found adding a top strand of barbed wire on seven-foot posts was sufficient to renovate their existing four18 CATTLEMEN / JUNE/JULY 2012

strand barbed wire cattle fences as long as the fence was properly maintained.

Adding one strand of electric wire extending inward from the barbed wire can be useful in some situations. The one place you don’t want to scrimp is on the handling facility, says Ferner, noting that a heavy-duty bison squeeze can also be used for the cattle.

Rockwood Bison Ranch near Stonewall, Man., managed by Len and Sascha Epp, did it the other way round.

Six years ago, owner, Bo Wohlers, added a herd of Angus beef cows to the bison operation established in 1991.

The facilities were built for bison so they were more than adequate for beef cows, but Epp noticed differences between cattle and bison when it came to handling the animals. Bison, for example, appear to remember the turns and curves in their indoor handling facility from year to year and don’t hesitate to move through the system, whereas the cattle are much more hesitant.

Epp says it helps to give bison pairs a trial run through the handling facility with the headgate open before wean-

ing to familiarize the calves with the routine. When sorting day rolls around, the big thing is to keep everything calm.

The wild nature of bison was the Ferners’ greatest worry when they first looked into purchasing a few heifers.

In fact, they went to three sales and came home empty handed for that very reason, Trish recalls. For those who feel leery, they suggest starting with a handful of bison to watch their body language and learn about their behaviour.

“I don’t fear the animals, but you have to have respect for them,” Bernard explains. For example, he is extra cautious when entering a pasture during calving season because bison cows’ natural instinct to protect their young makes them extremely aggressive. Dry cows are usually OK with having people in closer proximity, but he always has the truck or tractor close by when removing the strings from bales.

The first lesson the Ferners learned was that bison can’t be rushed. Now, they plan out their handling day at Continued on page 20 www.canadiancattlemen.ca

The Livestock Centre daily schedule 10 am to noon: Cattle Chute demonstrations 1 pm: Seminar Title: Working Together to Advance Traceability Description: Updates on the traceability program – including: •PID in Canada, •The national tag retention trial underway, •RFID tag and reader technology, and •The Cattle Implementation Plan.

Presented by Kevin Smith Producer Support Rep South/East Sask.

Canadian Cattle Identification Agency 2 pm: Seminar Title: Improved Profitability through Livestock Management.

This presentation will show producers how to maximize returns within their herds by better managing those herds and providing alternative marketing opportunities.

Presented by Jen Gutfriend Livestock Advisor 3 pm: Seminar (Friday only) Title: Future of the PFRA Presented by Alan Parkinson Senior Advisor Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Agri-Environmental Adaptation and Practice Change Directorate 3 pm-5 pm: Cattle chute demonstrations

C e l e b r at i n g A Production of

35years

of progress

www.myfarmshow.com

June 20 - 22, 2012

Evraz Place, Regina, SK, Canada

Continued from page 18

weaning in February ahead of time and always make sure there is an escape route — the same as with cattle. “That’s been a good thing all around because I tended to get complacent working with cattle, and I’ve learned to be a lot more patient with the cattle, too,” he adds.

The Ferners note that, on the whole, bison are handled more today and are calmer than in the early years, as evidenced by the sales at Agribition. Back in the day, people bid on an empty ring because the animals would be too stressed if left in the ring. Today, bison sales proceed the same as cattle sales without incident.

Both ranches keep their bison and beef operations separate from one another for ease of management. Epp generally rotates the bison through pastures, moving them every second week and often giving the beef herd first dibs on a pasture, then letting the bison clean up. He finds bison will do OK on lush pasture, but prefer stemmier, hard grass. Calves wean off around 475 to

500 pounds, but weights can drop by as much as 75 pounds in years when there’s nothing but lush grass.

“Bison are curious creatures, always on the move, so moving from pasture to pasture isn’t normally a problem,” Epp says. If there are stragglers, he leaves the gate open and lets them wander in on their own time. Another strategy that works well in winter is to put feed bales where you want the bison to end up.

A pair of binoculars is the only special equipment you’ll use during calving season. Calving problems are rare, but when something does go wrong, most bison producers choose to let Mother Nature take her course rather than risking their lives trying to help, Epp explains.

His first line of defence against disease is to take care to purchase stock from healthy herds. Control of internal and external parasites is the main concern. Mature animals receive Ivomec at weaning in the fall and get a followup with Safeguard pellets mixed with grain at the end of June and three weeks later. The calves are treated

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

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with Ivomec at weaning when they are weighed and tagged with their traceability ID tags. Most bison herds are handled only once a year at weaning.

This health-care regime is simpler and less costly than the typical program for beef cows and calves.

Epp has never seen a case of either foot rot or bloat in bison, even when grazing forage that is 80 per cent alfalfa or in calves weaned straight on to a ration containing barley and oats.

They seem to take in only what they need, which translates to a saving on feed over the course of the year. He estimates that bison eat on average 20 to 25 per cent less feed than beef cattle.

“The bison are really low maintenance from April to November when the calves are weaned,” he says. The bison cows then go to the wintering field where they are fed good-quality hay and have natural shelter. Epp doesn’t feed grain until about a month before he wants the herd to start cycling, at which time they receive four to five pounds of screening pellets per head every second day. The beef cows

Regular Columns News Roundup Purely Purebred The Markets

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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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winter on good-quality hay bales in another field with access to a sheltered facility and water in the corral area. While lots of the beef cows prefer to eat snow, bison will always go to water if it’s available.

The beef calves are backgrounded to 700 to 800 pounds on a total mixed ration in typical feedlot pens. The bison calves go into feeding pens where they receive hay and grain to finish at 1,000 to 1,100 pounds by 18 to 22 months and dress out around 61 per cent.

The Epps have a long-standing business relationship with the New Rockford co-op plant in North Dakota that pays on a hot hanging carcass weight basis. There are processing plants in Canada as well. Some producers prefer to sell the calves at weaning either to other farms or to field lots set up exclusively to finish and market bison.

Both the Epps and the Ferners feel the advantages of twinning beef with bison on their ranches far outweigh any drawbacks. The startup cost is the greatest challenge for new entrants, but that is offset in the longer term by the reduced labour and longevity of the bison cows.

Trish Ferner, who is secretary-treasurer of the Many Bone Bison Co-op, admits many producers have difficulty finding lenders when bison are the only collateral. The Many Bone co-op was set up to offer low-interest feeder and breeder loans to bison producers and now serves all of Saskatchewan.

Silzer says bison producers are eligible for support programs available to beef producers. The CBA began lobbying for equal consideration in the wake of the BSE border closures. Their current focus is the free trade agreement with Europe and encouraging Ottawa to include bison along with beef when access is negotiated to foreign markets.

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The opportunity Canada is a big player in the global bison business, with exports markets mainly in Europe and the Middle East. As with cattle export sales of live animals for slaughter are to the U.S. During the 2006 census Canadians reported 200,000 bison on 1,900 farms. The U.S. reported the same number on 4,500 farms in 2007. Given the amount of consolidation that has gone on in the past five years it was not too surprising that the 2011 census revealed 125,142 head of bison on 1,211 farms.

It remains a niche market. A half-day of beef slaughter in North America is equal to the average annual bison output.

But CBA executive director Terry Kremeniuk feels that merely reflects the half-full outlook for an industry with plenty of growth potential. “What we need is for cowcalf producers to expand the plant. But herd expansion to increase market supply will rely on maintaining the current profit level,” he says.

Grade A finished bulls peaked at $4 per pound hot hanging carcass weight (HHW) in the summer of 2011 and ranged from $3.65 to $3.90 since then. Prices have tracked up pretty steady since bottoming out at $1.25 per pound in 2003, down from the pre-BSE peak of $3 in 1999.

“Now, the industry has marketing expertise it didn’t have 10 years ago and demand is far exceeding supply,” says Silzer. “At these price levels for bison, it is profitable and sustainable.”

For more details visit www.canadianbison.ca or call the CBA office in Regina at 306-522-4766.

C — Debbie Furber www.canadiancattlemen.ca

Cattlemen / June/july 2012 21

MANAGEMENT

MAKING THE MOST WITH WHAT YOU HAVE

W

This family survived BSE by cutting and selling grass-fed beef direct to consumers

hen Adolf Gut left the family farm in Switzerland at the customary age of 14 years to pursue his training and a career as a butcher, he couldn’t have imagined that his desire to eventually own a farm of his own would take him all the way to Seddons Corner, near Beausejour, Man. He and his wife, Sandra, also from Switzerland, actually met in Canada. Adolf grew up on a farm and had spent some time on a dairy farm in Alberta and was working as a butcher. Sandra had also spent some time working on a dairy farm in Manitoba. After their wedding in their home country, they returned to Canada and purchased the section of land the family has called home for the past 16 years.

That same drive and determination on which the farm was founded has not only kept the farm afloat while raising four children through extremely challenging times in the beef industry, but it recently earned them recognition as one of Manitoba’s 2011 graziers-of-the-year.

The Guts have proved to be diligent beef producers with the ability to recognize the potential and, oftentimes, the need for change as well as to learn the skills required to effectively accomplish their goals.

Starting out as a traditional mixed farm with 46 cows calving in February, they soon realized that the soil was better suited to raising cattle than crops. As they worked toward sowing it down to a mix of timothy, orchard grass, brome grass and clovers, the herd grew to 90 head calving in May and June. No sooner had the conversion been accomplished than BSE knocked the bottom out of export markets for Canadian beef and cattle.

Within two years, they had reinvented their farm as Alpenrock Meat and Custom Cutting with an on-farm butcher shop to direct market their own beef. “Alpen” is the Swiss name for the Alps where Adolf was raised and “rock” seemed fitting because of the similarities between the rocky landscapes in their native and new countries.

Establishing the meat shop set the wheels in motion for a switch from finishing their calves on a grain-based ration to finishing them on grass, which in turn brought about changes in their cow herd and grazing system to improve the efficiencies of managing two production streams.

They began downsizing their breeding herd to the current 50 head to better match their forage resources to the needs of the cow-calf operation and the grass-fed beef enterprise,

22 CATTLEMEN / JUNE/JULY 2012

Adolf and Sandra Gut as well as to balance the demand for their grass-fed beef with their need for replacement females.

“Now, we market most of our own calves through the butcher shop, says Adolf. Word of mouth — that being “the good stuff that travels fast” — has been their only advertising in building up a customer base within an hour’s radius of their farm, which includes the city of Winnipeg. Alpenrock now processes approximately 200 animals a year on the custom-cutting side of the business.

“We work with what we have to try to give them the best grass and manage the butcher stock in a separate group so there is no competition with the cows for feed, but genetics is the big thing when it comes to finishing calves on grass,” he says.

The original herd of Simmental-Red Angus cows now has substantial Limousin influence through the use of Limousin bulls to produce moderate-framed crossbred calves that finish out at two years of age in their forage-based system. Noting that smaller-framed animals finish faster on grass than larger-framed animals, they have recently introduced Angus genetics to reduce the frame size another notch. So far, they are pleased with the results of the Angus bull’s first calf crop in 2011.

They graze 12 permanent paddocks that can be crosswww.canadiancattlemen.ca

fenced as needed to provide the cowcalf group and the yearling group with two to five days of grazing at a time in separate rotations.

The winter bale-grazing system is designed so that the electric wire is moved once a week, conveniently timed for the weekend when the boys are home to do the chore, which involves removing the twine from the weekly allotment of bales.

He learned the hard way that a successful grazing system starts with a quality fencer and proper placement of the ground rods. “The best thing to do is to take a fencing clinic first and build the system from the grounds up, one step at a time,” Adolf says. “It made a huge difference after I took the clinic.”

Another training course that paid off in spades was the Bud Williams low-stress handling clinic.

No hollering, and taking time to work with the cows rather than trying to force them to move have become the golden rules of thumb on the Gut farm. Now, working cattle is an enjoyable experience versus the stressful chore it once was, especially for himself, he admits.

They are thankful, too, that the children have been able to learn the techniques right from Day 1 helping with the cattle.

Your reaction when things go wrong is equally as important as your actions when everything goes right.

It’s imperative to remain calm if an animal does take off. Just park the rest of the group and bring it back. It may not seem all that simple when you are in the midst of dealing with it, but he can attest to the effectiveness of this technique. One cow tested him three times and after bringing her back to the group as many times, she has never tried it again.

Kristen Bouchard, a farm production extension specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, made special note of the cattle’s quiet disposition when she visited the Guts to collect information about their operation for the grazierof-the-year program.

Regardless of the quiet nature of their cattle, for safety’s sake they always work in pairs. He may check the cattle on his own, but when it comes to working with them for any reason, even tagging a newborn, they do it together. Any cows that give them problems are sorted out through the butcher shop, he adds. www.canadiancattlemen.ca

Calving begins in mid-May, preferably on fresh pasture if the weather co-operates and the grass is ready to be grazed. As part of their herd health program, the pairs and replacement heifers are brought in to be vaccinated with a modified-live vaccine against bovine viral diarrhea prior to bull turnout at the beginning of August for the 40- to 50-day breeding season. A couple of months after the bulls have been pulled, the cows are preg checked and the opens are sorted off through the butcher shop.

The calves are weaned at the beginning of November and make up a third group for bale grazing from December through May. Feed analyses on the hay bales allows them to be placed in such a way that the cow group, the yearling group and the calf group each receive balanced diets.

In the wintertime, all of the cattle have free access to a water trough with a floating heater located in the yard.

An above-ground pipeline carries water to eight of the paddocks for the young

stock during the summer grazing season. The cows water from a portable trough filled by gravity flow from a 1,500-gallon water tank mounted on an old truck, which is filled from a creek running through the pasture.

The combination of portable electric fencing and above-ground watering systems offers a lot of flexibility to deal with variable situations throughout the year and from year to year.

All in all, the Guts are very satisfied with the direction in which they have taken their farm and the product they are able to offer consumers.

Locating their meat shop on the farm has its advantages in that they have been able to spend more time with their children, ages 12 through 16, which was the main reason why Adolf gave up his long-distance trucking job to establish the business in the first place.

In retrospect, he’d say the greatest challenge was taking that first leap from working for someone else to owning their own farm.

C — Debbie Furber

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Cattlemen / june/july 2012 23

N u t r i t i o n

by John McKinnon John.mckinnon@usask.ca

Silage additives — will the confusion ever stop?

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

Y

es, it is only June and you likely have not even started cutting hay, however silage season is on the horizon and it is never too early to start thinking about the steps you need to take to make this season a success. I discussed in the August, 2011 issue of Cattleman Magazine the basic concepts of putting up high-quality cereal or grass silage so I will not repeat myself. What I would like to focus on this month is the subject of silage additives. A confusing topic at best!

There are a great number of products on the market and all have different claims. The two groups I will discuss are fermentation inhibitors and stimulants. Fermentation stimulants are designed to enhance the anaerobic fermentation phase of the ensiling process resulting in greater lactic acid (LA) production and a faster and more complete preservation of the forage. The second group of additives works by inhibiting microbial growth and thus prevent the production of unfavourable fermentation products.

Fermentation inhibitors range from strong mineral acids (i.e. hydrochloric acid) which stop all microbial activity by rapidly reducing the pH of the forage, to organic acids such as propionic acid. These latter products are more selective in the type of microbial organisms they inhibit. For example, propionic acid or its salt (ammonium propionate) inhibit the undesirable activity of aerobic bacteria, yeasts and moulds. This can improve the aerobic stability of the forage during the first few critical days following ensiling as well as at feed-out. Anhydrous ammonia applied to corn silage at ensiling can have similar effects with the added benefit of increasing crude protein content of the silage. This class of additives is typically used when there are known issues with the forage (i.e. very high moisture, low watersoluble carbohydrate content). The majority of these compounds are very hard to work with, so caution is recommended.

Fermentation stimulants include plant products such as molasses that provide a source of fermentable carbohydrate to facilitate fermentation. Molasses can be used when ensiling high-moisture or immature forages where water-soluble carbohydrate content is limited.

The Alberta Silage Manual suggests applying 20 to 50 kg of molasses per tonne of forage.

Also within this group is a range of products known as microbial inoculants. This is where things get really interesting! Inoculants containing LA-producing bacteria can be added to forage at

24 Cattlemen / June/july 2012

ensiling to increase the number of desirable bacteria in the forage. Examples of added LA-producing bacteria include Lactobacillus planetarium, Enterococcus faecium and Pediocosscus acidilactici. The intent is to augment numbers of naturally occurring LA bacteria present on the forage with these added species in order to increase LA production and thus enhance and shorten the ensiling process. By so doing, they should help preserve forage dry matter, improve silage quality and ultimately reduce the cost of gain. The issue however is that many of these products are not proven through research and those that have been studied often show conflicting results.

So why the confusion? It stands to reason that in order for these inoculants to be effective, at least one of the critical steps in silage production must be limiting (i.e. reduced numbers of naturally occurring LA-producing bacteria or low water-soluble carbohydrate content). However, often the opposite is true when you are putting up barley or corn silage, particularly when put up at the correct stage of maturity. Thus it should not be surprising that when barley or corn silage is put up correctly; there is little benefit from a silage additive. In situations where we anticipate issues with ensiling such as high-moisture forage or advanced maturity then the use of these products is good insurance at relatively little cost. To illustrate, a 2011 study in the Canadian Journal of Animal Science by Dr. Tim McAllister and co-workers from AAFC Lethbridge looked at the addition of the three LA-producing bacteria mentioned above to either corn or barley silage. With corn there was very little benefit of the inoculant, however, when applied to barley harvested somewhat mature (45 per cent DM), fermentation characteristics such as pH and lactate concentration were improved, however, there was little benefit on steer growth.

So what is the answer! First and foremost your best approach to production of high-quality silage is to pay attention to proper silage-making principles including cutting at the right stage of maturity, chopping to correct particle size, packing the pit well and covering with plastic! If you know you will have issues with any of these, then an appropriate silage additive is a good preventive measure that can pay off in terms of improved silage quality and/or animal performance. How do you find the right product? Talk with your feed company or seed dealer and find a product that is right for the forage you are ensiling and ideally one backed by research. www.canadiancattlemen.ca

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GRAZING

PLANT POSTS NOT GRASS That is the first step to improve pasture production

A

t almost every seminar or school I teach about grass management, I get the question about pasture rejuvenation. “What grass seed should we plant to improve our pastures?” Of course this is because our industry is trained and addicted to treating symptoms.

It is easier to apply a band-aid fix to a problem than it is to spend the time and energy to properly prevent it in the first place. Don’t get me wrong. You need seed to re-establish a pasture. But let’s break it down and separate the problem from the symptom.

The symptom is we have no grass on our old pasture. Maybe we have a bunch of weeds we need to deal with because the county is after us? By reseeding this pasture, we might improve the production on it for a few years… but at what cost? Is it economical to put all these labour and equipment costs into a pasture to have it produce for five years before it goes back to a similar state?

If we do not address the problem, the symptoms will reappear.

26 CATTLEMEN / JUNE/JULY 2012

The problem is the pasture is overgrazed. To fix the problem, we need to stop overgrazing by implementing an intensive cell-grazing plan. But, you say your stocking rate is very low and lots of plants have the time to mature,

If you allow animals to take a second bite off a plant before the root reserves have time to replenish, you are overgrazing so there is no way you are overgrazing.

Sorry, if you continuous graze you are overgrazing.

Maybe you are overgrazing all the best plants and undergrazing the rest.

By definition, overgrazing is only a

measurement of time, nothing else. It does not matter how many animals or how many acres you use. If you allow animals to take a second bite off a plant before the root reserves have time to replenish, you are overgrazing. Now, this second bite can occur because your graze period is too long or because your rest period is too short. The length of both your graze period and your rest period depends on your environment, your pasture condition and your season.

Your area, and conditions may be different than mine, but the concepts are the same.

Let’s review the concepts first. The graze period is the length of time your animals are on a piece of pasture. Our goal with intensive cell grazing is to have our graze period short enough to stop the second bite.

This means that the animals have to be removed from the paddock before the plants are able to put up another leaf after the first bite. Now this depends on your environment. www.canadiancattlemen.ca

This second bite could occur after only a few days in the fast growing season. If the plants use up all their stored energy from the roots to put up that new leaf, the root reserves will be empty when the second bite occurs and the plant will be hurt.

Rest period is the amount of time between graze periods. This is also important to maintain a healthy, profitable pasture. Adequate rest has to be given to ensure the root reserves have been replenished before the plants are allowed to be grazed for a second time. Now, depending on your environment and season, this could be anywhere from 25 days to 365 days. Both the rest period and the graze period have to work together. You can’t just fix one and not the other. It all comes down to the timing, depending on the health of the root reserves. We are managing for the roots, not the tops of the plants.

Stock density is the number of animal units on a piece of land at a specific point in time. It is measured in Animal Days per Acre. This is not to be confused with a stocking rate, which is the number of animals you have on a pasture for the season. The benefit to a higher stock density is improved plant utilization and better manure distribution.

If you have good plant utilization, every plant is either bitten or stepped on or damaged in some way. This allows for an even playing field for every plant when it comes time to regrow. The higher the stock density, the better your manure distribution and the better your nutrient recycling will be.

Last but not least is animal impact. This refers to the physical stimulation on the land by the animal’s hooves.

Animal impact can help with new seedling development, improve nutrient recycling and breaking up capped soil.

Positive animal impact can result in tremendous improvement to the land as the cattle will step a lot of litter into the ground. Many people see this as a “waste” of grass but it can be surprising what trampling can do to improve the water-holding capacity and the fertility of the land.

Most of the animal impact I see around the countryside is the negative type. This is caused by animals being allowed on the same piece of ground for too long. Alleyways and watering sites usually show negative animal impact. Our goal with intensive cell grazing is to have as little negative animal impact as possible, and maintain positive animal impact out on our pastures.

So what do we plant? Our symptom was that we have poor pastures. To address the symptom by reseeding, we are only temporarily improving the production at a high cost.

What is our problem? The pastures are overgrazed. The way to deal with this is to plant some posts. Set up some cross-fencing so you can manage the grazing. Manage your pastures with an intensive cell-grazing plan. This is a longterm solution to the problem instead of a quick fix.

Now by all means, if you have addressed the problem and you still want to deal with the symptoms, go ahead but only if it is economical for you. Do what you have to do on your farm to make it profitable, just deal with problems, not symptoms. Best wishes.

C — Steve Kenyon Steve Kenyon runs Greener Pastures Ranching Ltd. in Busby, Alta., www.greenerpasturesranching.com, 780-307-6500, email skenyon@ greenerpasturesranching.com. www.canadiancattlemen.ca

Cattlemen / June/july 2012 27

VET ADVICE

Uncertainty rides the wind

T

he unholy alliance between viruses and insect vectors like midges has become a signature of emerging diseases around the world. Culicoides, among the most abundant of bloodsucking insects, occur throughout most of the inhabited world. The tiny fly known as the biting midge, or nosee-um because of its diminutive size (one to four mm in length), are far more than just a human and animal irritant. Culicoides transmit a great number of assorted pathogens affecting both wild and domestic animals, and humans. Of prime importance are the 50-some viruses known as arboviruses that midges carry and transmit; a constant source of emerging and re-emerging disease in humans and domestic livestock as the tiny fly is blown around the world in search of a blood meal.

Diseases borne by Culicoides have become central figures in the waves of major disease outbreaks in the Mediterranean Basin and Europe that are having a serious impact on livestock industries. Closer to home, Culicoides play a role in the dynamics of bluetongue virus, and a secondary role in the spread of West Nile virus across North America, are directly linked to epidemics of hemorrhagic disease in deer and will unquestionably be a factor in the introduction of other viruses lurking at our borders.

North American livestock populations are vulnerable on many fronts. Risks increase in the face of environmental change that enhances adaptation of new Culicoides species to North American environs.

Diseases from sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East to Europe have been associated with the distribution of Culicoides as they ride the wind.

Several Northern European countries reported bluetongue outbreaks for the first time in August 2006. The disease was rapidly and widely disseminated with outbreaks in France and in the U.K. through 2007 and 2008.

The virus involved was shown to be the BTV-serotype 8, a form not previously reported in Europe and which prior to the present epidemic has only occurred in Africa, Central America, Malaysia and India. Probabilities are high that infected midges carried by wind were associated with the European incursions of bluetongue. The same could be said about the introduction of bluetongue in domestic livestock, and epizootic hemorrhagic disease in deer throughout the Okanagan Valley of southern British Columbia from the U.S. in the 1980s.

Midges harvested at altitudes of over two kilometres (km) carry animal pathogens. The temperatures and relative humidity typically found at altitudes of one km are most agreeable to the survival and spread of Culicoides over long distances. Environmental change that triggers the shift in climatic conditions around the world only enhances the chance of midge survival and, ultimately, the international hopscotching of viral pathogens.

And what might the future hold?

We need only look as far as the Schmallenberg virus outbreak that took Northern Europe by surprise; a disease directly linked to emergence of a new virus and its

28 CATTLEMEN / JUNE/JULY 2012

adaptation to Culicoides as a vector in the virus’s march across Europe.

In September 2011, an unidentified disease in cattle was reported in Germany and the Netherlands. Initially, clinical signs included fever, decreased milk production, and diarrhea. In the months that followed, animals that recovered from initial symptoms showed higher rates of abortions and birth defects in calves. The virus then jumped species with the result that the majority of cases now appear in sheep and goats.

Disease caused by the Schmallenberg virus has touched about 3,000 European farms. Among the eight countries known to be infected — Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, France, U.K., Italy, Luxembourg and Spain — the most severely affected countries are Germany and France with about 1,100 infected farms each.

The virus breached the English Channel and is now established in the U.K. Genetic material recovered directly from environmental samples identified a novel virus previously undetected in Europe. The Schmallenberg virus is closely related to similar viruses circulating and widely distributed in Asia, Africa, and Oceania. Transmission occurs predominantly through biting midges. Because of the origin of the first positive samples, the virus was provisionally named Schmallenberg virus (SBV).

Considering the total number of cattle and sheep establishments in affected countries, the scientific regulatory authorities consider SBV a low impact disease.

Despite being classified as a minor disease, symptoms like fever and diarrhea in dairy cattle has turned SBV infection into an overblown trade nightmare for the European Union as countries imposed trade restrictions in response to a misunderstood disease that quickly spread well beyond its original infection zone. The lack of information on control and eradication is causing serious concern among trade partners. In the business of livestock export, the real enemy is an unpredictable response by customers to the unknown. Even though OIE says SBV can’t be transmitted through meat and milk, and the likelihood of transmission through embryos and semen is low, bans have included beef, live cattle, goats and sheep and semen. Russia extended the livestock ban to pigs from Eastern Europe effectively quashing a market representing 188 million euros in 2011. A study conducted by the Robert Koch Institute has shown that the new virus hasn’t led to infection in people in contact with large amounts of the virus.

The EU is bracing itself for another round of the disease through the summer and fall of 2012 following the peak of midge activity, uncertain of where it might spread.

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

STRAIGHT FROM THE HIP

F

Food fraud

ood fraud is something that Beef or a false past due date on a package, but when it rarely crosses our minds as we comes to mislabelling — the verdict is guilty as charged. check cattle or cruise the groCommon examples are using trade names such as Florida cery aisle. It seems a sinister Orange Juice on product imported from China, using a activity — one that belongs in a dark descriptive such as cold pressed virgin olive oil when the alley — somewhere else. But a little product is indeed a mixture of other oils or declaring an research reveals a case that is rather ingredient such as milk or honey when it has not been shocking. Not only is fraud one of the used. In North America the seven leading foods subject to most discussed issues in the food and fraud are milk, honey, olive oil, saffron, apple juice, coffee food inspection sectors, meat is on the and orange juice. In coffee for example, charging for one most wanted list in terms of offences. grade of coffee when it is another is a common activity.

Food fraud is the deliberate deception of a consumer.

The fraudulent activity in saffron, the world’s most expenThere are many types of fraud but the most prevalent sive spice, has been an issue for 600 years. Milk is used according to the Food Standards Agency in the U.K., are where it should not be or cow’s milk is labelled as goat’s the recycling of animal byproducts back into the food milk to garner the premium and juice is often from China, chain and the packing and selling of poultry and beef relabelled as North American. that does not have a known origin. As an example from Misleading the consumer on the authenticity of food is the poultry industry, there recently was a case in Canada serious business and technology is the only way to deterwhere a company was selling “local” eggs to a retailer. mine the level of fraudulence. Today, food mapping, specOn investigation, it was found that this egg producer troscopic and biological fingerprinting methods are used did not own a chicken. The eggs were from an unknown to verify food. In Canada, an internal tracking system source and the deception was in the origin of the product. that would combat food fraud has been developed by a We only have to review professor at the University of the events of the past year Saskatchewan and the CFIA to fully appreciate how food is getting tough with food Not only is fraud one of the fraud can cripple an industry. companies and importers Lean finely textured beef had that break the rules. This is most discussed issues in been produced by Beef Prodimportant work for the proucts Inc. for years. The proportion of global food fraud the food and food inspection duction of LFTB, also known is 10 per cent. Director of sectors, meat is on the most as Pink Slime, did not conthe Packaging for Food and stitute a crime but the fraud Protection Initiative wanted list in terms of offences Product was in the fact that it was not at Michigan State University, claimed on any label. Yes, it John Spink, estimates the was a 100 per cent beef product but it was a beef product cost of food fraud to the American food industry at $49 washed in ammonium hydroxide and that became a difbillion. That may be a huge economic draw but the risk to ferentiation. This was offensive not only to the public but human health is even greater. “Adulteration of food prodto meat buyers and retailers as well. As one meat buyer ucts, either through mislabelling, ingredient substitution blogged, “As a meat buyer/processor I don’t question the or dilution with a less expensive ingredient is a growing safety — I question the value placed on this when added concern for Canadian consumers,” says Nicholas Low of to my grinds without my knowledge and at a percentage the University of Guelph. that is apparently top secret. This is not what I paid for.”

In many respects it is the perfect crime, to alter or misIn addition to a decrease in American ground beef sales label food. Consumers often do not know and cannot tell. the cost of mislabelling was the shutdown of three BPI The food may look good and taste familiar and despite plants, over 600 jobs and 89 executive positions. many shortcuts in its production, cost the same or more In North America, the Al Capone of fraud is a beef than the real deal. We need to talk about this with our product — Kobe Beef to be exact. Under Japanese law, processors, manufacturers, importers and exporters and Kobe Beef can only come from Hyogo prefecture where our retail industry. It’s not enough to be a quick draw in Kobe is the capital city. The name refers to beef cuts from the gunfight; we need to prevent the standoff by ensuring the Tajima-ushi breed of Wagyu cattle. When you go out there is zero tolerance for food fraud in Canada. for a Japanese Kobe steak in Ontario or Calgary what — Brenda Schoepp you are eating is a Canadian Wagyu or Wagyu-cross and not Kobe Beef. The product may be internationally Brenda Schoepp is a market analyst and the owner and defined as Canadian Wagyu or might be named Canadian author of BEEFLINK, a national beef cattle market newsletter.

Kobe but is at technical fault when referred to as Japanese A professional speaker and industry market and research consultant, she ranches near Rimbey, Alta. Contact her at brenda.

Kobe Beef. We do not import Kobe Beef. schoepp@cciwireless.ca or visit www.brendaschoepp.com.

The jury may still be out on a decision when it comes All rights reserved 2012. to where something comes from such as the case for Kobe

www.canadiancattlemen.ca

CATTLEMEN / JUNE/JULY 2012 29

HOLISTIC RANCHING

I

Increasing profit

f you are in the cattle business to Salt and mineral: ..………………...……………….……........$20 Death loss on cows: $1,000 X 1.5………………..……......$15 make a living increasing profit is Marketing and trucking:.…….……………………….......…..$35 likely one of your goals. I think Vet: ……………………………………………………...............$20 that increasing profit is often Total variable expenses: .................................................$380 confused with increasing production.

Gross profit is income minus variable expense: Profit is determined not by the level $733 – $380 = $353 of production but by the difference between the cost of production and The gross profit of $353 per cow has to cover the income. The last statement seems so overhead costs of the operation. These are all those obvious that I almost hesitate to write costs not directly related to the level of production. it out. Yet in today’s world due to advertising and peer For this example I will use overhead costs of $250 per pressure production often becomes the goal. cow. This means that each cow will produce a profit of Last month we talked about planned grazing and $153. I would suggest that this is a true profit. It rephow proper grazing can improve the fertility of your resents a return on our investment and a return to our land resulting in more grass, lower costs and more profit. management.

To encourage you to think about improving your land I When our grass production increases we can use the will try and show what happens as our land improves. increased grass to graze longer and improve our gross To begin we need to cover some basics. For many profit per cow or we can increase our cow numbers. of us this will require a shift in our thinking. I know Which one is the best choice likely depends on our gross that the biggest improvements on my ranch have come profit. If it is low (under $300) we will likely benefit from a paradigm that says “cows are a powerful tool for from improving our gross profit before we increase numimproving our land,” which allowed us to change our bers. When the gross profit is higher increasing numbers management. is likely the best option.

Many people have improved their grazing manageThe following chart shows what happens as cow ment and are enjoying the benefits of healthier land numbers increase. In this example we are using a ranch and more production from a set land with 100 cows. The gross profit base. The second major improveis $353 per cow. The overhead is ment comes from wintering on the $250 per cow. The starting profit is A 25 per cent land. The manure, urine and residual $103 per cow. The ranch profit is feed left behind create a powerful $10,300. As cow numbers increase increase in grass tool to improve your land. the overheads per cow decrease and cow numbers If you believe these ideas are and the profit per cow increases. sound read on. If you don’t you The ranch profit increases drasincreases profi t by 1.9 might as well turn the page. tically. A 25 per cent increase in Gross profit is one of the tools grass and cow numbers increases times; doubling grass we can use to analyze our busiprofit by 1.9 times. A doubling of and cows increases ness. The formula for gross profit grass and cows increases profit 4.4 is: income minus variable expenses times. Is there anything else that profit 4.4 times equals gross profit. Gross profit you could do in your business that analysis is based on sorting our expenses into varihas this potential to increase profits? I don’t think so. able and overhead categories. A variable expense is an Not only will your profits increase but you will also expense that is directly tied to the level of production. improve the sustainability of your operation.

Variable expenses increase as the level of production What’s stopping you from making these types of increases. Overhead expenses are not directly related changes? to the level of production. They remain constant even # of cows 100 125 150 175 200 when production increases. Here is an example of a Gross Profit/cow $353 $353 $353 $353 $353 gross profit for a cow-calf operation. For this to make Overheads $250 $200 $167 $143 $125 sense you need to put your numbers into the formulas.

Profit/cow $103 $153 $187 $210 $228 Income: Average weaning weight X price per pound X weaning % Steer calf: 450 lb. X $2.00 X 90% = $810 Heifer calf: 405 lb. X $1.80 X 90% = $656 If our calf crop is half steers and half heifers our income per cow is: ($810 + $656) / 2 = $733 Variable expenses: Winter feed: 200 days X 40 lb. X $.03..............................$240 Depreciation: $1,000 minus 1,300 lb. X $0.65 X cull %..........$15 (value of a young cow minus cull value of cow X cull% of 10%) Breeding:……………………………………………….............$35

30 CATTLEMEN / JUNE/JULY 2012

Profit/ranch $10,300 $19,125 $27,950 $36,775 $45,600 Profit increase: 1.9 2.7 3.6 4.4

Good management pays. I wish you success at building a profitable and sustainable business.

Happy Trails — Don Campbell

Don Campbell ranches with his family at Meadow Lake, Sask., and teaches Holistic Management courses. He can be reached at 306-236-6088 or doncampbell@sasktel.net.

www.canadiancattlemen.ca

BUILDING TRUST IN CANADIAN BEEF

Using drugs responsibly is key to beef industry future Know the right approaches and use your veterinarian Beef producers know there are certain things you shouldn’t mess around with.

As a leading veterinary educator Dr. Trisha Dowling has a strong suggestion for what should be at the top of that list: responsible drug use.

“If there is one area producers should not take lightly, this is it,” says Dowling, a professor of veterinary clinical pharmacology at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan. “How drugs are absorbed, distributed throughout the animal’s body and ultimately eliminated by the liver or kidneys is very complex.”

Today, on-farm food safety is under the microscope of the public like never before, she says. Consumers are very concerned about drug residues in food. Any problem with that can quickly damage a producer’s reputation as a supplier and the reputation of Canada’s beef industry as a whole. At the same time, animal health management in beef production is increasingly sophisticated.

Recognize the consequences. The Verified Beef Production (VBP) program re-enforces principles such as minimizing the use of drugs to preserve effectiveness, while still maintaining animal care, and using veterinary advice.

Dowling says both of the principles are critical. “Through improved technology, all food products including beef are being examined for residues with

increased vigilance. In addition, as a producer you’re not doing yourself any favours because you risk health issues and efficiency issues.”

Be clear on withdrawal times. Studies on the common causes of residue violations show failure to observe sufficient withdrawal periods is by far the greatest problem, says Dowling. Producers need to record drug use by individual animal or group, along with the withdrawal time. That is the days or hours noted under the “Warning” section on the drug label or package insert. This label information is critical, but the disease state of individual animals also affects the disposition of a drug — this is where a veterinarian’s advice is important.

Veterinarians have the knowledge to assess how the disease being treated may affect drug elimination, and recommend extending the label withdrawal times to ensure that drug residues are not detected.

Institute responsible extra label use.

It’s sometimes loosely called “off label” but the correct term is extra label. It’s important producers understand the specific definition, says Dowling. Extra label use includes administration of a drug to a species for which there is no specific approval; by a non-approved route, of a non-approved dose or frequency; or for a disease not listed on the label. “Extra label drug use in particular is very com-

View animal health product labels from the Canadian compendium, or online at www.verifiedbeef.org by scrolling down to Quick Links-Veterinar y Products. plex and not things you want to freelance with,” says Dowling. Producers should have a veterinary prescription for extra label use with an appropriate withdrawal recommendation.

Veterinarians have access to a database on residue information called the global Food Animal Residue Avoidance Databank (gFARAD). The Canadian component is managed by the Western College of Veterinary Medicine and the Ontario Veterinary College.

The gFARAD resource was developed in response to veterinarians’ need for information on residue depletion times following extra label drug administration, says Dowling, who is one of the Canadian directors. “The philosophy behind this databank was to have information about residue avoidance from all sources readily available at one point for interpretation and dissemination to veterinarians. It’s an excellent resource.”

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RALGRO Canadian Cattleman QSH.indd 1

12-01-25 14:17

C C A

M Martin Unrau is president of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association

r e p o r t s

ay has been a busy month all around, with the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) hard at work at home and abroad serving the interests of Canada’s beef cattle producers.

CCA representatives attended the World Trade Organization (WTO) Appeal hearing on U.S. country-of-origin labelling (COOL) in Geneva, Switzerland. This enabled the CCA and its Washington, D.C.-based legal counsel to engage in the final preparatory meetings of the Government of Canada legal team as well as to assist in answering industry-specific questions that arose during the hearing. The Appellate Body’s ruling is expected this summer and we will be watching that decision closely.

At home, we have been very involved in discussions about the Budget 2012 cutbacks at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and their impact on Canada’s beef cattle industry. The details are still being worked out but even at this stage it is clear that there will be an impact to the Growing Forward II programming that will come into effect on March 31, 2013.

It is imperative that the provinces embrace their role in this important process now so the industry can move forward in a proactive manner.

The reality is that there will be cuts to some programming. The CCA is looking at where the cuts it finds acceptable could take place and how best to deal with the resulting shortfalls in some areas and address them in a positive manner.

A good example of this is the Community Pasture Program. Pastures will be transitioned out of federal management over a six-year period, with 10 pastures phased out next year.

The process will continue until the final divestiture in 2018.

Discussions are underway between the Government of Canada and the affected provincial governments about the process. The CCA is working to ensure that the community pasture land base remains committed to agriculture and livestock in particular, due to the demonstrated economic benefit and positive environmental impacts that the pastures have.

Safeguarding critical infrastructure like the community pastures is important. In this case, it will be prudent for the Government of Canada and the provinces to establish guidelines that recognize the inherent benefit of these pastures to the livestock sector, environment sustainability and wildlife habitat, and ensure their traditional use and management continues.

Research and innovation is another area where the benefit to the industry, and Canada’s competitiveness as a whole, is clearly demonstrated. In general, research provides a 6:1 return on investment. This return is even higher when producer investments are considered. Canada’s beef industry understands this implicitly and as a result

32 Cattlemen / June/july 2012

by Martin Unrau

has more than doubled its checkoff allocations to research over the last several years. However, industry funding alone can’t solve the capacity and programming pressures impacting Canada’s beef research community.

Public funding has a major role to play in ensuring that applied and long-term research continues. Fundamentally, the industry’s ability to compete with other protein sources domestically and internationally is dependent on research to improve feed efficiency, improve feed, forage and grassland productivity, reduce animal health and welfare concerns, and ensure food safety.

In addition to the need for research dollars, government research program parameters need to be redesigned in order to produce more comprehensive research outcomes. Although currently designed as five-year programs, in reality delays and/or gaps in program delivery under previous programs like APF and Growing Forward have resulted in a three-year funding cycle with twoyear funding gaps, which is untenable.

Long-term, predictable research funding commitments from government and industry are required to move beyond the current funding cycle and maintain and deliver a strong research program.

We also need to do a better job of attracting and retaining talented researchers; chronic funding cuts make it increasingly difficult to maintain critical research capacity. The CCA is working to ensure these important issues are addressed in the second Beef Cattle Industry Science Cluster, including promoting a strategy that would see an April 1, 2013 start date under Growing Forward II. AgriStability is another area in need of program delivery improvements. Timeliness of delivery is an issue in all the Business Risk Management programs. AgriRecovery is supposed to help producers rebuild and recover. The one-year anniversary of the flooding in Manitoba serves as a poignant reminder of the core purpose of that program and is a good time to take stock of what is working for producers and what isn’t.

In Manitoba, there is still land that is under water and too wet to reseed or to put cattle on.

Producers need clarity on what triggers AgriRecovery, clarity on what AgriRecovery will deliver in times of disaster and commitments from governments to act in a timely fashion following the triggering of AgriRecovery. This clarity and commitment would help all producers to recover from weather-caused disasters and from other causes including border closures. The CCA is committed to finding workable solutions to these issues.

The Canadian cattle industry is in a good position economically today and in my view, now is the time to invest in a long-term vision and ensure that these programs are there in the future and not just for today. www.canadiancattlemen.ca

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P r i m e

A North American view of the meat industry.

Steve Kay is publisher and editor of Cattle Buyers Weekly

c u t s

by Steve Kay

A terrible price

A

mericans are buying more and more 500 million pounds of LFTB annually from 1.6 ground beef. It now accounts for more billion pounds of fatty trimmings, or 9.6 million than half of all beef consumed in the pounds per week. It is now producing about U.S. People still crave the taste of beef two million pounds per week. and ground beef satisfies this at an affordable The LFTB furor also cost the industry by price, even though retail ground beef prices keep damaging retail ground beef sales during March. going up. It is also beef’s most versatile product.

Several large chains told me their ground beef Everyone I know has a favourite recipe for meat sales fell four to five per cent in volume. Sales of loaf, chili or spaghetti sauce.

93 per cent lean ground beef declined the most Sales of everything from retail fresh ground because of the lack of availability. Retailers say beef to hamburgers have grown in recent years. consumers were forced to buy fatter ground beef.

That’s despite per capita beef supplies (what’s Beef processors also confirmed the furor’s actually eaten) falling from 59.6 pounds to an impact on ground beef sales. There was an expected 55.4 pounds this year. This decline is immediate downward shift in ground beef and simply due to what’s availoverall beef demand, Tyson able not preference. But Foods’ COO Jim Lochner it’s clear that record-high told me. Tyson saw a $120 retail beef prices are forc- Record-high beef prices decline in the value of a ing Americans to eat more carcass from the first week hamburgers and ground are forcing Americans of March to the first week beef. This trend will conof April, partly due to the tinue for the foreseeable to eat more hamburgers furor. future.

BPI’s decision to keep and ground beef, which All this makes the media three of its four plants destruction of lean finely makes the media closed will also affect the textured beef all the more three communities where impactful on the entire U.S. destruction of lean finely the plants operated. Addindustry and not just its textured beef all the ing in up to 2,000 jobs maker, Beef Products, Inc. nationally that might be Here are some of the losses more impactful affected, nearly $90 milto date. The price of fatty lion in payroll is lost, says trimmings (50CL) from fed steers and heifan Iowa State University study. The 300 million ers fell from $100 per cwt in late February pounds of LFTB that would have been produced to $50 by early April. The price subsequently through the end of 2012 was worth $273 milrebounded but slumped again in early May. lion in added value to the agricultural economy, Prior to the LFTB furor, analysts had expected says the study by economics professors Dermot the price of 50CL to be well above $100 by Hayes and Daniel Otto. Through economic now because of grilling season demand. multiplier effects, there is an additional $300 At the same time, the price of lean domestic million in lost sales to the rest of the economy. trimmings (90CL), which come mostly from The loss of LFTB also increases retail ground cull cows, steadily increased. These prices averbeef prices by $0.06 per pound or by 1.6 per aged $219 per cwt the last week of February cent, says the study. What a terrible and unwarbut by mid-May were close to $229. This was ranted price to pay for such a scurrilous story. partly due to a decline in beef cow slaughter so far this year but primarily because of the loss of Cattle Buyers Weekly covers the North American meat much of the normal volumes of LFTB and finely and livestock industry. For subscription information, textured beef (made by Cargill). BPI is now uticontact Steve Kay at P.O. Box 2533, Petaluma, Calif. 94953, or at 707-765-1725, or go to www. lizing less than 25 per cent of its LFTB processcattlebuyersweekly.com. ing capacity. At its peak, it produced more than

34 Cattlemen / June/july 2012

www.canadiancattlemen.ca

RESEARCH

Environmental Goods and Services

T

he federal government’s Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development is studying the development of a National Conservation Plan for Canada. In its first week of hearings on the National Conservation Plan, the Standing Committee heard from a diverse range of interests, including First Nations, fish and wildlife conservation groups, guides and outfitters, the petroleum industry and Ecojustice Canada. Lynn Grant, who hails from Val Marie, Saskatchewan, and chairs the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association’s Environment Committee, provided testimony to the committee on May 17. Lynn’s testimony made three main points.

Firstly, research and knowledge transfer are critical. A growing global population will need more food.

Improving the productivity of our existing cropland will conserve natural ecosystems by reducing the need to convert tame and sensitive native grasslands to cropland.

Technology transfer and extension are also important to make sure that producers are aware of grazing management practices that simultaneously benefit grassland productivity and the environment.

Recognition, not regulation: Recognizing and rewarding producers who manage grasslands appropriately will produce positive impacts on the working landscape.

The regulatory approach taken by the Species at Risk Act and the Migratory Birds Convention Act does not encourage ranchers to have species at risk on their land.

Species at risk need to be an asset to everyone, especially the rancher who is maintaining their habitat.

Collaboration is critical. Collaborating with primary producers to identify common goals and objectives is the key to achieving successful and sustainable conservation outcomes.

A major underlying issue is the concept of “Ecological Goods and Services.” The Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada publication MANAGEMENT OF CANADIAN PRAIRIE RANGELAND says that ecological goods and services are derived from the ecological functions of healthy ecosystems.

As cattle producers know, grasslands need to be well managed to ensure long-term forage, herd and financial sustainability. However, the management practices that optimize long-term grassland productivity also maintain a healthy grassland ecosystem, and this provides ecological goods and services to society in general. A number of ecological goods and services are provided by healthy grasslands.

Biodiversity is the most obvious ecological benefit provided by the cattle industry. The variety of plant, animal, and bird species making their homes in a grassland environment is clearly higher than what is found on annual cropland. In fact, Grasslands National Park in southern Saskatchewan reintroduced cattle 20 years after excluding this major grazer from the park after studies showed that biodiversity declined without a major grazer on the landscape.

www.canadiancattlemen.ca

Watersheds benefit from well-managed grasslands in a number of ways. Plant material on the soil surface acts like a sponge to absorb rain and meltwater, which is released slowly throughout the year. Grass cover also slows the rate of surface run-off and keeps sediment out of streams. The improved water quality that results is important for fish and other downstream users.

Grazing practices that protect riparian areas (shorelines, etc.) benefit overall forage productivity as well as ecosystem health.

Air quality benefits from well-managed grasslands, though this takes place underground and out of sight.

Humans breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide. Plants do the opposite, taking in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The carbon is converted into plant sugars and fibre, and oxygen is released back into the atmosphere. Grasses start growing from the ground up every year, so much of their structure and energy is stored underground in the roots. Even if the plant dies, rots or burns, most of the carbon remains underground. This makes forages an excellent carbon sink. Well-managed natural grasslands sequester more carbon in the soil than cropland or forested vegetation.

Soil quality benefits from the increased organic matter stored in the roots of healthy grasslands, and grass cover also minimizes soil erosion due to wind or rain.

In addition to nutritious, high-quality beef, Canada’s cattlemen produce ecological goods and services that benefit all Canadians. It’s easy to see that we can easily list and describe many of these individual benefits. But no one has assembled all of these pieces into a complete picture that fully describes how Canadian society benefits from the overall environmental benefits generated

by Canada’s forage-beef sector.

One of the Beef Cattle Research Council’s target research outcomes under the next Beef Science Cluster is to quantify the environmental and socio-economic benefits of the forage-beef sector in Canada, including how optimal environmental production practices such as appropriate stocking rates, riparian area protection, etc. contribute to these benefits. The beef industry is often portrayed as an environmental menace, but we have many good stories to tell. This research should help Canada’s beef industry to be recognized for the positive contributions it makes to conserving Canada’s natural grassland ecosystems.

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.

— Reynold Bergen Reynold Bergen is the science director for the Beef Cattle Research Council. A portion of the national checkoff is directed to the BCRC to fund research and development activities to improve the competitiveness and sustainability of Canada’s beef industry.

CATTLEMEN / JUNE/JULY 2012 35

NEWS ROUNDUP HEALTH IT PAYS TO CONTROL PAIN IN YOUR CALVES If you want to make some extra money at weaning Swift Current, Sask. vet, Ryan Ridgway advises you to make their spring as painless and stress free as possible.

“What we do in the spring has huge impacts on how our cattle do in the fall,” he says. “First, how much our cattle eat is related to their body weight.

Therefore, we want to keep them gaining as much as we can as calves. Any weight loss early in life snowballs as the calves get older because they can’t eat as much. Secondly, vaccinations rely on the immune system’s memory of previous exposure to maximize protection.

Vaccinating our calves in the spring for blackleg and pneumonia not only protects our calves through the summer but leads to a better response when they are vaccinated before weaning.”

For many ranches, spring turnout means ear tagging, vaccinating, possibly branding and castrating. Even if all you do is ear tag and vaccinate, the stress of handling the calves and the vaccine stimulating the immune system can lead to weight loss over the next couple of days because of reduced appetite. For those who brand, ear tag and castrate at the same time, the weight loss is even more pronounced because the calves eat less for a longer period after. Recent studies have shown that by adding on pain control, calves can be up to 60 pounds heavier at weaning depending on the procedures performed in the spring.

Pain relief If you’ve ever taken an Aspirin, Advil or Tylenol, you’ve taken nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). “These drugs have a twofold benefit in our cattle. Not only do they keep them feeling better and eating but they also minimize damage from their own body’s inflammation, lessening the severity of the disease,” says Ridgway.

Have you ever noticed how every disease seems to have similar symptoms such as fever, pain, swelling, loss of appetite? Most of what makes our cattle sick is actually their own immune system when it is triggered by an infection. “If we minimize the amount of 36 CATTLEMEN / JUNE/JULY 2012

inflammation, we reduce the amount of scarring and damage to normal tissue as the immune system tries to kill off the infection.”

There are a few types of effective NSAIDs on the market today for cattle. The following are commonly used with great success: Anafen, Flunizine (Banamine), Metacam.

One thing to remember when adding anti-inflammatory drugs is that they don’t replace antibiotics. They reduce inflammation and pain but have no effect on the bacteria.

In this way NSAIDs can help ease the stress of castration, vaccinations, illness including pneumonia, navel ill and scours (with other therapies), lameness, dehorning and ear tagging.

“In many instances, our calves are experiencing a combination of these painful procedures which added together stress the calves and lower their immune system. This is why we commonly see sick animals right after vaccinating them,” he says. Stress reduces an animal’s ability to respond to vaccinations and subsequently, the calves are at a higher risk of a disease outbreak even though they were vaccinated.

CONSUMERS FINDING COMMON GROUND WITH CONSUMERS It can be difficult to have a conversation about agriculture with people who aren’t connected to the industry other than consuming its products — and that’s a good starting point to strike up a conversation with someone about how and why you do what you do every day as a farmer or rancher growing food.

Bill Zucker, a communications consultant to the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) and a lead trainer with USFRA’s Conversations with EASE program, says recognizing those everyday opportunities to reach out to consumers is one of the biggest challenges for farmers and ranchers.

It’s just not part of their nature to chat about those kinds of things.

“The pitfall, if you will, that they see in getting into a conversation with someone who doesn’t understand agriculture is their gut instinct that it will end up in a tough conversation and that they will get defensive,” Zucker

explains. “But, really it is an opportunity. Even if we don’t agree, we have to get to a point of understanding, then figuratively or literally, take them on to the farm to see all of the things we do.

People don’t really understand all of what farmers and ranchers do to continue to improve in producing food.”

To fill that void, the USFRA was formed last year by numerous national and state farmer- and rancher-led groups to give producers in any type of production system a voice and a way to take the lead in the public conversation about food.

Zucker shares some tips from the Conversation with EASE program that will help guide you to a positive outcome, that being a productive conversation that leaves participants with a better understanding of one another’s concerns.

EASE stands for engage, acknowledge, share and earn trust. This approach promotes understanding by encouraging conversation rather than by delivering packaged messages or debating beliefs and facts. All points of view are welcome.

“It can be very difficult for farmers and ranchers to not take comments personally when agriculture is their family’s livelihood and maybe has been for generations,” he says. “It’s important to realize that consumers take food very personally, too, because it sustains their families. Maybe that is the common ground to make personal conversations about food work to everyone’s advantage.”

So, go ahead — strike up a conversation with the intention of further engaging a person in a discussion about food. If you don’t know the person, look for an easy connection for starters and to gauge whether he or she has the time or interest in chatting with you.

Listen carefully and try to steer the conversation around the person’s concerns rather than points you’d like to make. In the long run, this approach will help you get a better handle on what consumers really do have on their minds.

Concerns are never right or wrong, so keep an open mind. Remember that many consumers know very little about how products end up on the shelf at the store and that their concerns aren’t necessarily intended as a criticism of farmers and ranchers.

Next, acknowledge the concerns www.canadiancattlemen.ca

using a “gateway message.” This is a type of message that provides direction for a conversation rather than a message that attempts to answer a question. A gateway message about how you manage to use fewer resources (land, water, fuel or feed, for example) and have been able to continue to produce healthful food, will resonate with consumers and address many concerns.

You could simply state that you understand why the person is concerned, acknowledge that there is always room for improvement, and go on to share meaningful examples of how you are always trying to improve on your operation.

Hold back from spewing out facts alone that could give the impression you are dismissing the concern and quickly dead end the conversation. Everyone has his or her own set of facts about issues, so avoid getting drawn into a debate about whose beliefs or facts are correct. Never profess to be 100 per cent correct or that everything all producers do is 100 per cent perfect.

Whatever it takes, turn off your defences and approach every conversation, even the ones that feel like an attack, as an opportunity to share your story. The ultimate goal of the con-

versation — earning trust — is within reach if you have effectively used the stepping stones of engagement, acknowledgment and sharing.

For more information about USFRA’s programs, including the Food Dialogues online forum, visit www. usfraonline.org.

WELFARE NEW BEEF CODE STILL A YEAR AWAY An update of the “Recommended Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Beef Cattle” (beef code) that began in the fall of 2010 is well underway and on track for completion by the spring of 2013.

Codes of practice are national guidelines that promote sound management and welfare practices through recommendations and requirements for animal husbandry. Traditionally, codes have been used for educational and reference purposes by producers, regulators and animal care assessment programs.

The code development committee (CDC) working on the update wants

your input. Specifically they want to know whether you feel the beef code should be used for other purposes, such as the basis for a program to show customers how cattle are raised in Canada, or by regulators and law enforcement as a minimum standard of practice for the industry. This is one of seven very general questions in an online survey posted on the National Farm Animal Care Council’s (NFACC) website for the purpose of gathering opinions from all industry stakeholders. The survey takes about 10 minutes to complete and is open until the end of October.

The original beef code was developed in the 1980s in consultation with provincial cattle organizations and hasn’t been updated since it was first published in 1991. Since then, a formal process has been established to update the national codes for 13 species and transportation. It has been suggested they should be reviewed regularly to be sure they stay current with government policy, regulations, industry practices and the latest research.

Currently an update is initiated by industry groups — in this case the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association Continued on page 38

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NEWS ROUNDUP Continued from page 37

— through the NFACC, which is the umbrella organization for the provincial farm animal care councils. The dairy code was updated in 2009. The current 2010 to 2013 updates cover beef cattle, equine, pigs, sheep, farmed fox and mink with funding from AgriFlexibility.

The process gets underway with the industry group recommending members for the CDC and national veterinary and research associations making recommendations to NFACC for members of the scientific committee (SC).

Both will consider priority welfare issues and then finalize a list of issues that would benefit the most from a review of the scientific literature. The key issues for the current beef code update include: • painful procedures (methods and age for branding, castration and dehorning); • feedlot health and morbidity (lameness, respiratory and nutritional diseases);

BREEDING ACROSS BREED EPD FACTORS RELEASED Researchers at the Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Centre at Clay Centre and Lincoln, Nebraska recently updated their across breed adjustment factors for 18 breeds.

An EPD is adjusted to the Angus base by adding the corresponding across breed factor for birth weight, weaning

• environmental and housing conditions (the effect of mud, acceptable shelter, extreme weather); • weaning strategies.

As of March, the SC had completed the required scientific reviews and submitted its reports to the CDC for comment before sending the final report on for peer review. The final draft is submitted to the NFACC who make it available for a 60-day public comment period. The CDC takes the feedback into consideration when making the final revisions before submitting the updated code to the NFACC for publication.

Members of the CDC for the beef code update include: code secretary Allison Taylor; producers Ian McKillop (chair), Kim Hextall, John Schooten, Alain Juneau, Robert Acton; transporter, Randy Scott; veterinarian, John Campbell; animal welfare organization rep, Geoff Urton; animal regulatory enforcement, Morris Airey; processor, Mike Siemens; Agriculture Canada and/or CFIA rep, Genevieve Benard; provincial rep, Melinda German; technical and industry liaison, Ryder Lee; and research/academic representatives, Joe Stookey and Karen SchwartzkopfGenswein. weight, yearling weight, maternal milk, marbling score, rib-eye area, and fat thickness.

The researchers say it is critical that the adjustment be applied only to spring 2012 EPDs. Older or newer EPD may be computed on a different base and could produce misleading results.

The full report is published in the proceedings of the 2012 Beef Improvement Federation meeting in Houston, Texas found at www.bifconference. com/.

Adjustment factors to add to EPDs of 18 different breeds to estimate across breed EPDs Breed Angus Hereford Red Angus Shorthorn South Devon Beefmaster Brahman Brangus Santa Gertrudis Braunvieh Charolais Chiangus Gelbvieh Limousin Maine-Anjou Salers Simmental Tarentaise

Birth weight 0.0 2.7 2.4 6.0 4.2 6.7 11.1 3.7 7.4 1.2 8.6 3.3 4.0 3.8 4.1 1.8 5.2 1.7

Weaning weight 0.0 -2.8 -0.6 15.7 3.2 35.3 42.5 13.0 37.7 -19.2 40.1 -14.9 5.7 -0.9 -13.0 -3.1 24.9 33.1

38 CATTLEMEN / JUNE/JULY 2012

Yearling weight 0.0 -20.1 -12.0 39.4 -6.3 32.5 4.8 13.5 33.9 -38.5 46.8 -31.3 -13.5 -34.7 -34.5 -14.3 22.4 21.2

Maternal milk 0.0 -16.7 -3.1 17.9 -2.3 7.8 22.4 6.8 -0.67 -0.4 5.7 -0.42 13.6 -9.2 -4.7 2.4 19.8 23.4

Marbling score 0.0 -0.34 0.03 -0.14 0.05 — — — -0.19 -0.67 -0.46 0.40 — -0.70 -0.79 -0.11 -0.55 —

Rib-eye area 0.00 -0.11 -0.10 0.17 0.15 — — — -0.115 0.23 0.92 -0.157 — 1.07 0.88 0.75 0.92 —

Fat thickness 0.000 -0.053 -0.034 -0.148 -0.111 — — — — -0.095 -0.222 — — — -0.210 -0.210 -0.215 —

The beef cattle scientist committee members are: co-chairs SchwartzkopfGenswein and Stookey, John Campbell, Janice Berg, Darek Haley, Ed Pajor and research writer Nicole Fenwick.

Progress reports on meetings to date along with the survey and how to receive updates on the process are available at www.nfacc.ca.

FEED OATS, TRITICALE AND CORN COMPARED FOR WINTER GRAZING A recent swath-grazing comparison of oats, triticale and corn demonstrated that triticale may be the most cost-effective option.

The 2011 side-by-side, field-scale trial was conducted on the farm of Chris and Hannah Bowman, Sturgeon River Stock Farm near Onoway, Alta.

The trial compared oats and triticale for swath grazing on their farm. Corn seeded on a bordering field was not part of the original comparison, but due to its proximity it was added.

The field had a history of being swath grazed as it has access to water.

It had a high level of soil test nutrients, particularly phosphorus, potash and nitrogen. The adjacent cornfield had less history of being grazed and, as such, lower soil-based nutrients.

Tyndal triticale was seeded May 31 and common Mustang oats on June 22 side by side with a 5-28-0-39 at 55 lb./ac. The Roundup Ready corn was seeded on May 21 with a dry and liquid fertilizer. No insecticides or fungicides were required.

The triticale was swathed September 21 at mid-dough stage and the oats a week later at the late-milk/earlydough stage. The corn was grazed standing.

After swathing, the fields were divided up into smaller units with electric fence suitable for grazing 220 cows.

“The protein and energy content in both the oats and triticale swath grazing was more than adequate for wintering pregnant beef cows,” notes Barry Yaremcio, beef and forage specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development in Stettler.

“The oats, with the higher energy content of 71.4 per cent would allow the cows to have higher average daily gains and more energy available to withstand cold and wind stress than the triticale. At -20 C, with a 10 km wind, the cows could gain anywhere www.canadiancattlemen.ca

12/6/07

from 2.3 to three pounds per day.

Under the same conditions, the pregnant cows fed the triticale (65.4 per cent TDN), would gain between 1.6 and 2.3 pounds per day.” The corn was not tested.

For the triticale, grazing commenced on December 6, 2011, and finished on January 1, 2012, which was 27 days on 21.4 acres. The triticale provided 5,940 grazing days (cows x days of grazing) at a cost per day of $0.43. Supplemental hay was provided with the triticale and brought the cost per day up to $0.54.

The cost per day considers all the input costs, including land costs. Total cost per acre for the triticale piece was $119.22.

For the oats, the total cost per acre 11:09 AM Page 1 was $118.12 and with 3,300 grazing days (220 beef cows for 15 days on 15.5 acres), the cost per day came to $0.56. Supplemental hay was also provided with the oat swaths, bringing

the total cost per head up to $0.65.

Oats were grazed from November 21, 2011 to December 5, 2011.

The corn came to a total cost of $1.41 per day, more than twice the cost of swath grazing oats. Seed and fertilizer costs were higher for corn, due to the low soil test levels. As well, growing conditions for corn in 2011 were not ideal with a cold, wet spring, thus reducing yield and number of grazing days. Overall the triticale provided the lowest cost per day at $0.54.

“There were some very interesting results when you punch in all the numbers,” says Chris Bowman. “I’m not sure if I will be growing corn again.” C

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purely purebred Suggestions are always welcome.

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in the late ’70s and ’80s. In fact one is still around cattle sales today. Who are they?

beef sector. For more information or to enter the tournament visit www. tbarinvitational.com/.

◆ Melanie Reekie has joined the Cana-

◆ The Canadian Limousin Associa-

dian Charolais Association (CCA) as the manager of the registry department and office manager. Judy Cummer will remain in her usual capacity until the end of the year, when she will step down from her current role to spend more time with her husband. She will continue to be available part time in 2013 to assist Melanie as needed.

◆ A portion of the Charolais association’s offices have been leased to another tenant, but the association retains a substantial portion of the building. ◆ Canadian Cattlemen’s Association ◆ The May issue featured Wayne Bur-

gess as a young man relaxing with a Limousin show heifer, in 1984 at Goldenview Limousin.

◆ Orrin Hart of Willabar Ranch in

Claresholm correctly identified Glen Good and Ken Cox in our April issue.

Orrin writes that, “for some reason the Dr. tells me I’m not to ride horses or climb windmills anymore so I am pretty much unemployed.

◆ The two gentlemen in this month’s picture were well known in Alberta

40 Cattlemen / June/july 2012

president Martin Unrau was among the Canadian beef industry representatives to take part in a special panel discussion at the Cattlemen’s Young Leaders spring forum where this year’s 16 final recipients were selected.

He said a large part of the future of the beef industry belongs to today’s youth. “It is so rewarding to see the level of interest and enthusiasm these young people have for the industry,” Unrau said.

The 2012 CYL mentorship recipients are: British Columbia: Cole Bailey and Erika Strand; Alberta: Amy Mayner, Ashley Shannon, Brodie Haugan, Jakob Meyer, Joanne Solverson, Micheal Nadeau, Travis Ebens, and Tyson Lowe; Saskatchewan: Eric Buyer, Jeffery Yorga, and Ryan Hurlburt; and Ontario: Kimberly McCaw, Kerry Hyatt and Katie Wood.

◆ The fifth annual T Bar Invitational golf tournament will be held at Dakota Dunes Golf Links June 19 and 20. The T Bar Invitational was formed to help raise funds for young breeders of cattle across Canada. In the last four years, this well-supported event has raised nearly $150,000 in support of the more than 2,000 members of the national junior associations. Once again in 2012, 10 per cent of the proceeds will be donated to the Canadian Western Agribition Junior Beef Extreme for the development and awareness of youth in the

tion is inviting its members to attend a full day of Limousin events July 13, 2012, in Olds, Alta., kicking off with the association’s annual meeting in the Evergreen Hall at 9 a.m. A light lunch will be offered. At 1 p.m., the National Junior Limousin Conference conformation show will be held at the Olds Agricultural Society. This year’s Junior Conference is being held in conjunction with Summer Synergy, the all-breeds youth event at Olds during the same week. To enter the conference, go to http://www.summersynergy.ca/entries.

◆ In keeping with the Limousin theme this issue in my column, here is our Canadian Cattle Genome Project — Bull of the Month. The Canadian Cattle Genome Project is focused on bringing cost-effective genomics (DNA) tools to Canada’s beef producers to improve producer profitability and efficiencies in beef production. We are gathering samples from animals that have the greatest genetic influence on Canadian cattle herds for DNA sequencing and genotyping. Over the next few months we will highSTAMPEDE

By Jerry Palen

“It’s another 4-H calf teaching Elmo how to lead.” www.canadiancattlemen.ca

GREENER PASTURES

light bulls included in the project that helped establish their respective breeds in Canada.

This month’s profile is a Limousin bull named “Seven Forty Seven.”

Seven Forty Seven was a worldrenowned Grand Champion bull (Iowa state fair, 1980) and is one of the key founders of the Canadian Limousin herd. Sired by the French bull Espoir De Carnival and Fadette, he was born in 1978 in the U.S. Eventually purchased by the Worrell Land and Cattle Co. (Charlottesville, Virginia), Seven Forty Seven created a dynasty of stylish and highly muscled Limousin bulls that provided the Worrell Land and Cattle Co. with several years of remarkable cattle sales.

His impressive EPDs made him a fine example of the Limousin breed which offer high meat yield, excellent feed efficiency and produce a lean, tender product.

Next month we will feature another bull from a different breed that is involved in the Canadian Cattle Genome Project.

For more information on the project see our article in this month’s issue and visit the website at www.canadacow.ca.

If you have samples of influential bulls that you would like to donate to the project please contact Disa Brownfield, project manager at disa@ualberta.ca or Steve Miller, project leader at miller@ uoguelph.ca.

◆ The Canadian Charolais Youth

Association conference and show will be held in Olds, Alta., July 9 to 13.

Conference registration forms will be available in the Charolais Banner or through the CCYA website. This year’s conference will be an amazing opportunity for youth to participate in all the educational and fun activities associated with the annual conference, plus participate in Summer Synergy. Youth need to register for Synergy online at www.summersynergy.ca and participate in Synergy’s individual marketwww.canadiancattlemen.ca

ing component in order to qualify for scholarship awards.

◆ Beef production specialist, Karin

Schmid, attended the 44th Beef Improvement Federation Research Symposium and Annual Meeting in Houston, Texas April 18 to April 21.

About 400 people were in attendance to discuss and learn about various topics, including: cow size, efficiency and complementarity, fitting cattle to the production environment, economically relevant traits for cow-calf production, a review of the most recent U.S. National Beef Quality Audit results, epigenetics and the role of gestational environment on future progeny performance.

A number of smaller committee meetings investigated areas of research such as: advancements in cow herd efficiency, advancements in beef cattle selection, advancements in emerging technologies, advancements in producer applications, a live animal, carcass and endpoint session, and advancements in Continued on page 42

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Association (YCSA) at the American Junior Simmental Association National Classic July 7-13 in Lima, Ohio.

Both Heather and Tanner have been involved with the Simmental breed from a young age and continue to be actively involved with the YCSA.

Continued from page 41

genetic prediction. This was an excellent venue to network with researchers from many different fields, as well as seedstock and commercial producers all interested in beef cattle research, selection and improvement. Summaries from all of the sessions are available at www.bifconference.com.

◆ Longtime repeat buyers, new buy-

ers and an awesome cattle market fuelled the best sale yet for Davidson Gelbvieh and Lonesome Dove Ranch as they hosted their 23rd Annual Bull Sale at the Heartland Livestock Yards in Swift Current. When the final hammer fell Davidson Gelbvieh and Lonesome Dove Ranch sold 75 purebred Gelbvieh bulls for an average of $5,432. This longtime sale event hosted a capacity crowd with bulls selling in everyone’s price range.

Plans are underway for the 24th Davidson Gelbvieh and Lonesome Dove Ranch Annual Bull Sale to be held at a new facility in 2013 at their bull yards on the ranch in the Ponteix and Cadillac area on Saturday, March 2, 2013.

◆ Heather Creamer of Amherst, Nova Scotia and Tanner Oborowsky of Grandora, Sask., will represent the Canadian Simmental Association and the Young Canadian Simmental

sales Hill 70 Quantock Ranch “Barn Burnin’ Bull Sale” February 4, 2012 Hereford bulls, av. $4,330 Charolais two-year-olds, av. $4,970 Charolais yearlings, av. $4,030 Black Angus two-year-olds, av. $4,135 Black Angus yearlings, av. $2,900 Black Angus Simmental yearlings, av. $3,850 Red Angus Simmental, av. $4,300 Red Angus two-year-olds, av. $5,000 Red Angus yearlings, av. $4,200 336 Bulls, av. $4,255 48 Bred females, av. $1,945 15 Open heifer calves, av. $1,025

that bull sales averaged $2,648 in 1982, $2,396 in 1992, $3,114 in 2002 and for 2012 the reported bull sales averaged $4,435. That is terrific news for anyone in the cattle industry.

◆ Well the Canadian Gelbvieh Asso-

ciation has officially changed its address. The office’s new home is in the Canadian Hereford Association building at 5160 Skyline Way NE Calgary, Alta. T2E 6V1. Three breed associations now make their home in the CHA building.

C

STAMPEDE

By Jerry Palen

◆ We all know that bull sales have

been fantastic this year, but the C harolais B anner had a detailed report in the May issue which really opened my eyes. The Banner reported the averages for 2012 are up $1,000 overall from 2011, and in some cases over $2,000 more. Their stats show

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The markets cass weights during the year yet they were still averaging 867 pounds at mid-month, 37 pounds larger than the same week last year.

Feeder Cattle

Market Summary debbie mcmillin Fed Cattle Fed prices were pressured at the start of May by a larger feedlot carryover, reduced slaughter numbers and large carcass weights down to $109.29 per cwt, $7.25 below the spring high set in March. But by midMay rising futures, a softer Canadian dollar and growing interest from U.S. buyers pushed fed prices to $112.22 per cwt, up $2.93 from the start of the month and $10.63 ahead of last year.

May is usually the narrowest cashto-cash-basis month for fed cattle, however this year it was running 14.14 under the U.S. cash compared to -3.75 in the same week last year.

After three months of marketings outpacing placements the Canfax May 1 cattle-on-feed total was down seven per cent from last year at 927,664 head. Looking further back the May 1, 2012 cattle-on-feed inventory is the second smallest in the history of this report right behind 2008 which was a year of large feeder exports. Placements in April totalled 108,372 head, down 25 per cent from last year and 30 per cent smaller than 2010. In fact April placements were the smallest since the report began in 2000. The smaller placements reflect the small calf crop, increased heifer retention as well as larger exports relative to the last few years.

Live fed-cattle exports at 155,255 head were down six per cent from a year ago. Fed-steer slaughter to midMay was unchanged for a year ago but heifer slaughter was down four per cent. Steer carcass weights continued to set records in 2012 even though the weights took a sharp drop from the 880-pound weekly average at the end of April. Typically the end of May sees some of the lightest carwww.canadiancattlemen.ca

In many areas feeder cattle sales have seen a seasonal slowdown. Much of the remaining volume is made up of heifers as producers take a close look at what will make the cut and what will be cash flowed.

Feeder markets have been pressured in recent weeks by a soft fedcattle market, red ink at the feedlots facing higher feed costs and concerns about upcoming break-evens levels.

Alberta 550 steers dropped more than $15 since February to average $170 in mid-May, which is still $19.50 above the same week last year.

Heavy feeders also slipped lower despite very light volumes. Since the start of March 850-weight steers have lost $12.20 down to $131.50 per cwt at mid-month.

The 850-lb. basis remains wide at -20.01 per cwt. The same week last year it was at -5.14, although the fiveyear average is closer to -14.00.

Cumulative feeder cattle exports at the start of May totalled 71,887, up 74 per cent from the same time frame last year, and continued to expand in recent weeks. The first week of May showed an improvement of 22 per cent when compared to the week previous.

Deb’s Outlook Fed Cattle Near term, packers seem to be focused on securing enough inventory to fill the spring demand and concern that feedlots are fairly current. Moving into June the seasonal tendency is for movement to slow just as inventory builds.

While North American numbers are smaller, front-end supplies of cattle in the coming month are expected to be seasonally large which in turn will hold fed cattle somewhat steady to softer. Another factor is the ample supplies of U.S. pork at lower prices that will cap beef prices for the time being.

Feeder Cattle Higher break-evens and feedlot losses will continue to pressure feeder markets moving forward.

Producers still looking for quality replacement females will offer premiums, however, most grass cattle orders have been filled. Meanwhile the softer Canadian dollar is supportive as more interest from the south puts a floor on the Canadian feeder market. Feeder supplies will also be small over the next few months so the competition for local feedlot replacements and export demand should support prices at current levels.

Non-fed Cattle

Non-Fed Cattle

Excellent demand for trim continues to support non-fed cattle prices.

D1,2 and D3 cow prices rallied in the past several weeks to the highest levels seen so far in 2012. The week ending May 18 saw Alberta D1,2 cows at $79.70 per cwt $5.48 better than the same week in 2011 and nearly $20 above 2010. Butcher bull demand and prices are good as domestic kill numbers to date are down 26 per cent when compared to a year ago. The current average slaughter bull price at press time was $90.56 per cwt.

In recent years cull cow prices have softened heading into early summer following a late-spring peak, however the support for D1,2 cow and leaner D3s remains intact. Good demand for trim and grinding meat will continue, as well as U.S. interest due to the softer dollar. Limited availability continues to be the story due to a smaller North American cow herd and some seasonal support. Look for prices to be sideways to firm over the next few months while most of the cow herd is out on grass with calves at side.

— Debbie McMillin

Debbie McMillin is a market analyst who ranches at Hanna, Alta.

More markets➤ Cattlemen / june/july 2012 43

Break-even Prices on A-Grade Steers 130

ALBERTA

170

110

90 80

Steer Calves (500-600 lb.)

180

120

100

Market Prices

190

160

western Market Summary

150 140

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

130

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

95

145

ONTARIO

135

D1,2 Cows

85

125

75

115

65

105

55

95 85 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

2012

Canfax weighted average price on A-Grade steers

45

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

Ontario 2011 Market Ontario prices based on a 50/50 east/west mix Summary O ntario

2012

2011

A lberta

Break-even price

2012

for steers on date sold

2012

2011

Kevin Grier2011

Market Summary (to May 12)

May 2012 prices* Alber ta Yearling steers (850 lb.)............... $131.88/cwt Barley................................................. 5.55/bu.

Barley silage..................................... 69.38/ton Cost of gain (feed)........................... 74.34/cwt Cost of gain (all costs)..................... 98.96/cwt Fed steers...................................... 110.52/cwt Break-even (September 2012)........ 120.08/cwt Ontario Yearling steers (850 lb.)............... $137.60/cwt Corn silage....................................... 49.44/ton Grain corn........................................... 5.93/bu.

Cost of gain (feed)........................... 89.54/cwt Cost of gain (all costs)................... 114.87/cwt Fed steers...................................... 112.64/cwt Break-even (November 2012)......... 128.19/cwt *Mid-month to mid-month prices Breakevens East: end wt 1,450, 183 days West end wt 1,325 lb., 125 days

44 Cattlemen / june/july 2012

2012 Total Canadian federally inspected slaughter............. 1,023,770 Average steer carcass weight............................................ 880 lb.

Total U.S. slaughter.................................................... 11,567,000

2011 1,039,788 848 lb.

12,166,000

Trade Summary EXPORTS 2012 Fed cattle to U.S. (to May 5).......................................... 155,255 Feeder cattle and calves to U.S. (to May 5)..................... 71,887 Dressed beef to U.S. (to March)........................... 140.94 mil.lbs Total dressed beef (to March)............................... 182.16 mil.lbs

2011 164,784 41,219 125.41 mil.lbs 170.78 mil.lbs

IMPORTS 2012 Slaughter cattle from U.S. (to March) ....................................... 0 *Dressed beef from U.S. (to March)....................... 75.66 mil.lbs *Dressed beef from Australia (to March)................... 6.98 mil.lbs *Dressed beef from New Zealand (to March)............. 19.33 mil.lbs *Dressed beef from Uruguay (to March).................. 7.67 mil.lbs

2011 0 73.19 mil.lbs 2.63 mil.lbs 15.77 mil.lbs 4.62 mil.lbs

Canadian Grades (to May 12) % of A grades AAA AA A Prime Total

EAST WEST

+59% 19.8 25.6 1.3 0.2 46.9 Total graded 211,375 758,695

Yield –53% Total 13.5 57.6 2.8 38.2 0.0 1.4 0.6 1.2 16.9 Total A grade 98.4% Total ungraded % carcass basis 53,660 59.3% 40 82.3%

54-58% 24.3 9.8 0.1 0.4 34.6

Only federally inspected plants

www.canadiancattlemen.ca

market talk with Gerald Klassen

Feed grain outlook

C

ash barley values in southern Alberta reached up to $265 per mt in early May as the market contended with a historically low carry-out for the 2011-12 crop year. While the old-crop fundamentals are relatively tight, it appears that acreage will be up approximately 23 per cent this spring which should cause prices to come under pressure in late summer. The U.S. corn market is in a very similar environment with tight old-crop stocks and record-large acreage in 2012. I’ve received many calls from producers in regards to the feed grain outlook.

This is always a good time to discuss the upcoming fundamentals and some factors affecting the price structure over the next six months.

First off, it is important to note that Statistics Canada estimated barley stocks as of March 31 at 3.14 million mt, down 0.5 million mt from last year. Stocks are tighter than year-ago levels and the market is currently functioning to ration demand. The large unseeded area in Western Canada has caused domestic feed grain prices to trade at a premium to world values. High-quality milling wheat is moving into the domestic feed market and barley prices are now premium to DDGS which will result in larger imports. Cattle-on-feed numbers decline in the summer months but the barley market will stay firm until new-crop supplies come on the market.

Statisitics Canada estimated barley acres at 8.0 million; using an average yield of 60 bushels per acre would result in a crop size of 9.2 million mt, up from 7.8 million mt last year. Given the larger production, the market will function to encourage demand during the harvest period. This will require domestic feed prices to trade at discount to world values to encourage offshore movement. On the supplyand-demand table, exports are projected at 1.5 million mt.

Currently, we need to see a $50 to $80 drop in domestic prices in northern Alberta and northern Saskatchewan to

be competitive on the world market. I’m expecting for very similar domestic demand as last year which will result in a carry-out of 1.6 million mt, up from the 2011-12 projection of 1.2 million mt.

Production of western Canadian winter wheat has potential to come in near two million mt, compared to 0.8 million mt last year. Most of this winter wheat will move into the domestic market pressuring all feed grain values in August.

The U.S. corn market has likely put in the highs for the crop year. The USDA increased the 2011-12 carry-out to 851 million bushels on their May report due to increased wheat feeding in the Southern Plains. U.S. hard red winter wheat has traded competitively into feed rations throughout the spring. Upcoming yields in Kansas and Oklahoma are expected to be the highest in a decade and the harvest will start three weeks sooner than normal. We will also see one billion bushels of U.S. corn harvested in August given the earlier seeding dates. U.S. cattle-on-feed numbers will also drop by approximately 14 per cent from May to August. All these factors will weigh on corn over the next couple months.

Given the large inverse in the market, farmers are encouraged to sell all their old-crop stocks which usually results in a surge of deliveries after the seeding period.

The USDA estimated corn acres at 95.9 million, up from 91.9 million in 2011 which was not a surprise to the market. However, the USDA also used an above trend line yield of 166 bushels per acre when forecasting production of 14.8 billion bushels, up from 12.4 billion bushels in 2011.

They are counting on perfect conditions across all regions of the U.S. to achieve this record-high yield. It is important to note that corn for ethanol production is expected to be the same next year but large domestic feed usage and exports.

Similar to barley, the corn market will function to encourage demand during the fall period.

Western Canadian barley prices are expected to slowly grind lower over the Supply and disposition of Canadian barley (’000 tonnes) next couple months and then come under 10-year StatsCan Estimate Estimated severe pressure at harvest. Larger barley, 09/10 07/08 08/09 average 10/11 11/12 12/13 wheat and corn production will weigh Acres seeded 10,865 9,357 8,663 11,067 6,911 6,472 7,967 on the North American feed grain comAcres harvested 9,879 8,521 7,209 9,381 5,899 5,843 7,011 plex. In past years, feedlot operators expeYield (bu./ac.)

51.10 62.50 60.60 55 59.21 61.00 60.00 rienced the lowest feed grain prices for SUPPLY the crop year at harvest. However, given Opening stocks Aug. 1 1,494 1,626 2,844 2,368 2,583 1,441 1,236 the larger production, the futures spreads Production 10,984 11,781 9,517 11,141 7,605 7,755 9,159 should move to full carry and there will be Imports 58 42 42 76 42 40 40 no need for forward purchases. December TOTAL SUPPLY 12,536 13,449 12,403 13,585 10,230 9,236 10,434 corn futures have potential to dip under USE $4.50 per bushel at harvest but we will see Exports 2,924 1,495 1,301 1,538 1,272 900 1,500 volatility throughout the summer.

Seed 331 309 256 372 233 280 280

Human food/industrial/1 Feed-waste-dockage

1,051 6,604 10,910 1,626

1,015 7,731 10,550 2,899

954 7,309 9,820 2,583

TOTAL USE TOTAL CARRY-OVER 1/includes barley processed domestically and then exported as malt

www.canadiancattlemen.ca

981 8,346 11,237 2,348

902 6,382 8,789 1,441

1,020 5,800 8,000 1,236

1,200 5,900 8,880 1,554

Gerald Klassen analyses markets in Winnipeg and also maintains an interest in the family feedlot in southern Alberta. He can be reached at jkci@mymts.net or 204-287-8268.

Cattlemen / june/july 2012 45

SALES AND EVENTS EVENTS

26—Western Beef Development Centre Field Day, Termuende Research Ranch, Lanigan, Sask.

June

July

12—Alberta Cattle Feeders Golf Tournament, Paradise Canyon, Lethbridge, Alta.

14-15—UCVM Beef Cattle Conference, Coast Plaza Hotel, Calgary, Alta., www.vet.ucalgary.ca/beef2012 14-16—Canadian Angus Association Annual Meeting, Lethbridge Lodge, Lethbridge, Alta.

20-22—Canada’s Farm Progress Show, Evraz Place, Regina, Sask., www.myfarmshow. com 23—Youth Agriculture Conference — Ag Youth Engagement Foundation, Olds College Campus, Olds, Alta.

AD INDEX Page AGCO-Hesston 7 Agricultural Youth Engagement Foundation 23 Agrowplow Canada 39 Bar T5 Agra Services 42 Beef Improvement Ontario 39 Buhler Manufacturing IBC Canada Beef Inc. 15 Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show 25 Canadian Angus Assoc.

IFC Canadian Charolais Assoc.

OBC Canadian Hereford Assoc.

13, 39 Canadian Limousin Assoc.

39 Canadian Red Angus Promotion Society 39 Canadian Shorthorn Assoc.

39 Canadian Simmental Assoc.

39 Canadian Welsh Black Society 39 Direct Livestock Marketing 27 Double D Custom Hats 42 Farm Credit Canada 5 Frontier Western Shop 42 Greener Pastures 41 Home Quarter Mercantile & Pie Shoppe 42 International Livestock Congress 11 International Stock Foods 39 Lakeland Group/Northstar 8 a-p Matchmakers Select 39 Merck Animal Health 31 Norheim Ranching 39 Real Industries 21 Red Brand Fence 41 Southern Alberta Livestock 27 Spring Creek 21 Tru-Test Inc. 37 Western Canada’s Farm Progress Show 19 Xplornet 33

6-15—Calgary Stampede, Stampede Park, Calgary, Alta.

7-15—Summer Synergy 2012, Olds Ag Society, Olds, Alta., www.summersynergy.ca • 7-10—Provincial 4-H Beef Heifer Show • 10-13—Alberta Jr. Angus, Charolais, Gelbvieh, Hereford, Limousin, Shorthorn, Simmental and all other breeds — featuring the Canadian Charolais Youth Conference and Show — featuring the National Junior Limousin Conference • 10-13—Provincial 4-H Dairy Show • 10-13—Provincial 4-H Sheep Show 8-25—2012 World Hereford Conference, Olds Ag Society, Olds, Alta.

11-13—National Junior Limousin Conference, Olds Ag Society, Olds, Alta.

11-13—Canadian Limousin Annual General Meeting, Olds Ag Society, Olds, Alta.

13—Canadian Limousin Association AGM, Ramada Inn, Olds, Alta.

13—National Jr. Limousin Conference, Olds, Alta.

14—Greener Pastures Walk — Family Event, Busby, Alta.

14-15—Calgary Stampede Synergy Event 19-21—Canadian National Shorthorn and Jr. Angus Shows, Lindsay Exhibition, Lindsay, Ont. 27-29—Saskatchewan Limousin Association 40th Anniversary, Manitou Beach, Watrous, Sask.

28—Davidson Gelbvieh & Lonesome Dove Customer Appreciation Day, at the ranch, Ponteix, Sask.

August

14-17—Canadian Cattlemen’s Association Semi-annual Meeting, Deerfoot Inn & Casino, Calgary, Alta.

15—Beef 2012 — International Livestock Congress, Deerfoot Inn & Casino, Calgary, Alta.

20—Cattlewomen for the Cure Golf Tournament, Cottonwood Coulee, Medicine Hat, Alta., www.cattlewomenforthecure.com 23-24—Young Canadian Simmentalers National Classic Events and Show, Truro, Nova Scotia

23-25—Canadian Simmental Association AGM, Truro, Nova Scotia 23-25—Maritime Classic Show, Truro, Nova Scotia

September

11-13—Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show, Canada’s Outdoor Park, Woodstock, Ont. 19—Canada Beef Annual General Meeting and Forum, Sheraton Cavalier, Calgary, Alta.

19-23—Lindsay Exhibition Fall Fair, Lindsay Exhibition, Lindsay, Ont.

November

1-3—34th Stockade Roundup, Lloydminster Exhibition, Lloydminster, Alta.

1-4—Manitoba Livestock Expo, Keystone Centre, Brandon, Man. 2-11—Royal Winter Fair, Direct Energy Centre, Toronto, Ont. 3-11—Canadian Finals Rodeo, Expo Centre, Edmonton, Alta., www.canadianfinalsrodeo.com 5-10—Farmfair International, Rexall Place, Edmonton, Alta., www.farmfair.ca 7-10—Agri-trade, Westerner Park, Red Deer, Alta., www.agri-trade.com 7-10—Saskatoon Fall Fair, Prairieland Park, Saskatoon, Sask., www.saskatoonex.com 15—Best of Canadian Agri-marketing Association Awards, Saskatoon, Sask., www. bestofcama.com, www.cama.org 19-24—Canadian Western Agribition, Evraz Place, Regina, Sask., www.agribition.com

January 2013

3-22—107th National Western Stock Show, National Western Complex, Denver, Colorado 23-25—Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference, Saskatoon Inn, Saskatoon, Sask.

February

7-8—Manitoba Beef Producers AGM, Victoria Inn, Brandon, Man.  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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46 CATTLEMEN / JUNE/JULY 2012

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