Cattle Country - December 2023

PUBLISHED BY MANITOBA BEEF PRODUCERS

DECEMBER 2023

CE 1998 SIN

"Guess it's time to move the cows home." (Photo credit: Trevor Nolan/Operator of Nolan Stock Farms)

Highlights from Cow-Calf Study to be Presented at Beef & Forage Production Conference Manitoba’s beef producers will get a sneak peek at some of the findings from the Canadian Cow-Calf Health and Productivity Enhancement Network that has been looking at collecting production data and biological samples from herds across Canada over the past five years.

The project, which followed on from a prior five-year cow-calf study conducted across just western Canada, aimed to create a benchmark for what is happening with Canada’s cow-calf herds in term of things such as production performance, management practices, antimicrobial resistance and disease levels.

“The benefit of this research is that we find out what is normal that gives producers something to compare

their own production against,” says Dr. John Campbell of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, who will present some of highlights from the project during his keynote address at the Manitoba Beef and Forage Production Conference in Brandon on December 12-13th.

There have also been a few surprises, such as the fact that copper deficiency is common in many herds across the country.

“Almost two-thirds of the cows we sampled had less than adequate copper levels in their blood, which is an issue from a nutritional point of view,” Campbell says.

“It’s one example where we were able to identify an issue that many producers might not be aware of, and go on to see how better to manage it.”

Campbell will also give an overview of other

research work looking at levels for infectious diseases such as Johne’s disease, Bovine Leukosis virus, Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD) and leptospirosis, as well as information about vaccine and antimicrobial use and animal welfare practices.

“I think we have a good idea of what producers are doing in regards to these practices and can show that most of them are doing a good job,” Campbell says.

To see the full agenda of speakers and to register for the conference, please visit https://www.mbfi.ca/ conference .

Manitoba Beef Producers is proud to be a supporter of this event.

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BY: ANGELA LOVELL

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CATTLE COUNTRY December 2023

Before We Jump Into 2024, a Look Back at Some of the Highlights of the Past Year As we look forward into the colder winter months ahead, we have the opportunity to look back on the past year and use some of those colder, much longer evenings to plan for the year ahead. 2023 has been an incredibly varied year, where it seemed like producers all across western Canada described weather conditions as very localized, with lots of extremes— one neighbour catching every rainstorm and the other neighbour a few miles away desperate for rain.

We’ve seen significant market price increases creating optimism ‒ especially among young producers, which is much needed and a great thing to see. This was evident through some of the fall MBP district meetings, where everyone commented how nice it was to see some new faces in the crowd, bringing forth great discussion.

This year also saw the announcement of the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (S-CAP) programming, making some cost-shared beneficial management practice funding available to producers.

There are also a number of different funding support options available to producers looking to make upgrades to their operations, such as through local watershed districts or Manitoba Habitat Conservancy (formerly known as the Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation).

We will continue to advocate for more funding opportunities or slight modifications to existing programs as needed to meet the needs of the beef industry.

As we see some younger producers entering into, or coming back to, the cattle business, that comes with the need for support for infrastructure development and upgrades in certain areas. There are a number of older

Other areas of focus going forward continue to be making improvements to forage and pasture insurance in order to have it become more comparable to what is available for crop insurance.

Another topic that was discussed a lot throughout district meetings is trying to find a way to for Manitoba to have a specialized policing enforcement tool in place, such as the specific livestock enforcement roles within the RCMP we see in our neighbouring western provinces. This would be a great resource when there are issues with any types of suspected fraud, theft or non-payment related to cattle. Ideally there would be an RCMP officer resource in Manitoba specifically tasked with helping to investigate and enforce these issues, who also has somewhat of an understanding of how our cattle industry works and livestock knowledge in general, along with having their time dedicated to addressing these types of issues.

As we get to this stage of the year, where cattle get settled into their winter accommodations and we begin to get into our rhythms of daily chores, it is nice to take these opportunities to review everything that has happened in the last year and to identify opportunities for potential changes and improvements going forward.

It is nice to be looking back upon a year of favourable prices and without widespread weather issues making feed prices too expensive. I hope that everyone gets some quiet days over the holidays to spend with family and friends and a happy, healthy and prosperous year ahead.

MATTHEW ATKINSON President’s Column

corrals and handling systems around the country that are due for upgrades for both personal and livestock health and safety reasons.

One big positive development we saw on the advocacy front that will be coming into effect January 1, 2024, is some very beneficial changes to the provincial Agricultural Crown Lands Leasing Program. I realize these don’t include everything that everyone had hoped for, but the modifications are a very big step in the right direction. It took an incredible amount of time and effort from so many different folks, with extensive engagement with the Minister of Agriculture and government staff to reinforce the need for changes to make the program responsive to lease holders’ needs.

We have certainly seen the past year bring an increase in wildlife interactions with cattle throughout Manitoba. Many folks who had never experienced any predation issues in the past are seeing losses for the first time, along with increased levels of negative interactions in other areas. Additionally, there are the frustrations in decreased weight gains, lower herd conception rates and often other types of wildlife-related damages, such as broken fences and damage to crops and bales. This is an issue that has taken quite a lot of MBP’s time in the past and probably will take even more going forward.

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DISTRICT 1

ALFRED EPP

Calving Enclosures

DISTRICT 5

STEVEN MANNS

Boissevain-Morton, Brenda-Waskada, Grassland, Cornwallis, Elton, Norfolk-Treherne, Deloraine-Winchester, and Two Borders North Norfolk, Oakland-Wawanesa, Glenboro-South Cypress, and Victoria

DISTRICT 2

NANCY HOWATT SECRETARY

Argyle, Cartwright-Roblin, KillarneyTurtle Mountain, Lorne, Louise, Pembina, and Prairie Lakes

DISTRICT 6 VACANT

Pipestone, Riverdale, Sifton, Souris-Glenwood, Wallace-Woodworth, and Whitehead

DISTRICT 3

DISTRICT 7

Cartier, Dufferin, Grey, MacDonald, Portage la Prairie, Rhineland, Roland, Stanley, Thompson, Montcalm, Morris, and Ritchot

Ellice-Archie, Hamiota, Prairie-View, Riding Mountain West, Rossburn, Russell-Binscarth, and Yellowhead

DISTRICT 4

MATTHEW ATKINSON

ANDRE STEPPLER

BYRON FALK

TYLER FULTON PAST PRESIDENT

DISTRICT 8

Clanwilliam-Erickson, Glenella-Lansdowne, De Salaberry, Emerson-Franklin, Hanover, Harrison-Park, Minto-Odanah, Oakview, La Broquerie, Piney and Stuartburn, Montcalm, North Cypress-Langford, Rosedale, Morris, Ritchot, Springfield, Ste. Anne, Taché, and West Lake-Gladstone R.M. of Piney and Reynolds

Each year MBP offers six $1,000 scholarships to members, or the children of members, who are attending university, college or other post-secondary institutions or pursuing trades training. Applicants are asked to submit a 600 word essay on what the beef industry means to them, their family, community and Manitoba at large. They are also asked to include the reasons they enjoy being involved in agriculture.

The six recipients of the MBP bursaries for 2023 are: • Emma Fox • Garrett Turner • Oksana Iwanchysko • Kiara Gillis • Kadence Carels • Julia McIntyre Three of their essays are in this edition, and the rest were in the November Cattle Country.

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DISTRICT 9

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Alexander, Brokenhead, East St. Paul, Lac Du Bonnet, Rockwood, Rosser, St. Andrews, St. Clements, St. Francois Xavier, West St. Paul, Whitemouth, Woodlands, LGD of Pinawa, Reynolds, Springfield, Ste. Anne, and Taché

DISTRICT 13

DISTRICT 14

MARY PAZIUK

Dauphin, Ethelbert, Gilbert Plains, Grandview, Roblin and Mossey River

DISTRICT 10

MIKE DUGUID

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Minitonas-Bowsman, Mountain, and Swan Valley West

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Coldwell, Grahamdale, St. Laurent, and West Interlake

DISTRICT 12

MARK GOOD TREASURER

Alonsa, Lakeshore, McCreary, and Ste. Rose

Carson Callum

POLICY ANALYST Maureen Cousins

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Deb Walger

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CATTLE COUNTRY December 2023

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‘Tis the Season for Sector Meetings and Continued Advocacy on Issues CARSON CALLUM

General Manager’s Column

ways to improve resources for the Problem Predator Removal Program, so that those problem predators causing issues on farm can be removed in a timely and efficient manner.

As we wrap up 2023, I am hoping the price outlook stays strong and producers are starting off the winter months on a good footing. As I write this, the weather hasn’t quite taken a turn for the worse yet, but knowing Manitoba, it’s coming. If you feel open to it, we would appreciate producers sending in holiday photos that we can share on our social media accounts.

There are lots of things are happening in early 2024. Please consider attending our Annual General Meeting set for February 8-9, 2024 at the Victoria Inn in Brandon. Shaun Haney, the founder of RealAgriculture. com, an agriculturally-focused website will be our keynote speaker, providing insights into what is happening in agriculture. There will also be industry knowledge sessions, resolutions debate, an update on the markets, our ever-popular beef banquet the evening of February 8, and more. Stay tuned for further AGM details in the weeks ahead.

Here is to healthy and prosperous 2024!

Carson

competitiveness to trade issues. One specific issue related to trade is Bill C-282 ‒ An Act to Amend the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act (Supply Management). This bill intends to remove the supply-managed sector from the table at future trade negotiations. As a sector that relies heavily on trade, the beef industry is deeply concerned with the precedent this sets and the potential ramifications for our sector in future trade deals. Not tying the hands of trade officials before they get to the negotiating table is something we have stressed with those in Ottawa. I thank all Members of Parliament, Senators, and staff that took the time to hear from the feeding sector, as it is such a major driver of the country’s GDP. This month we will be submitting the final report for the livestock predation prevention pilot project that we conducted in partnership with Manitoba Sheep Association and Manitoba Agriculture. This project was able to determine some viable risk mitigation practice options for producers to implement to help reduce predation SERVICES risks on farms. We encourage producers to Lois McRae & Joyce Gordon check out some extension resources coming RR 1 B ox 5 7 from this project that are available on our Brandon, Manitoba R7A 5Y1 website. However, MBP fully understands h: 204-728-3058 that there is no simple solution that considc: 204-573-5192 ers many factors such as producer impacts f: 204-727-7744 as well as social opinions. MBP plans to marmacfarms1@gmail.com work with the provincial government and LIVESTOCK INSURANCE other industry stakeholders (such as the specializing in livestock insurance for over 45 years Manitoba Trappers Association) to seek

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PRODUCTION |

Happy holidays to producers and industry colleagues, Christmas season is one of my favourite times of the year. It’s a time where we can all slow down and reflect on the ups and downs of the year leading up to it.

However, December is also a very busy season in terms of industry meetings and conferences being held before the end of calendar year, so my calendar is always full.

I am happy to be a part of many great meetings in what I call the “Christmas Rush”. For example, I am looking forward to things like the inaugural Manitoba Beef and Forage Production Conference taking place December 12-13 at the Victoria Inn in Brandon for example. MBP is pleased to be one of the supporters of this event. We also supported the recent Manitoba Forage & Grassland Association Regenerative Ag Conference, which was quite informative. I greatly look forward to engaging with the newly-elected MLAs in the coming weeks as well.

Over the past few weeks, my colleagues and I have been enjoying traveling around the province attending the in-person MBP district meetings. Now that we have wrapped all of those up, I must say I am very impressed with the turnout this year. There was great attendance and engagement at the meetings. Many topics were raised, with the main issues being focused on predation challenges and crime issues. The district meetings give us a great way to check the pulse in the sector, over and above all the input each director provides at our monthly board meetings. Thank you for all who attended, sponsored, and added great points to the discussions to allow us to focus on the important issues in the sector.

At the start of November, I was able to take part in our annual fall fly-in to Ottawa with the National Cattle Feeders Association. These engagement opportunities are a great way to get in front of decision makers in Ottawa and press them on industry issues.

The main topics discussed ranged from industry

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CATTLE COUNTRY December 2023

MBP Scholarship Recipients JULIA MCINTYRE I grew up on our family farm two miles west of Elphinstone, Manitoba. I have always been involved on the farm from putting the crop in, to maintaining the crop, to putting the crop in the bin.

I enjoy being outside and around the cattle most. I have been around everything from calving, to castrating, to finishing off the steer. I have always known that no matter what I do I want to end up back on our family farm.

This fall I went out to Lakeland College, Vermillion Alberta to check out some of their programs. I decided to apply for the Animal Science Beef Major as I want to continue to have cattle on the family farm. I am passionate about agriculture in Canada, especially beef since Canada has one of the healthiest and most productive cattle herds in the world. I enjoy being outside and around animals.

BY KIARA GILLIS For my family, raising cattle is not only a source of income, but is also one of our main food sources.

We were taught that the cattle should be fed before the farmer and that recreation is secondary to the needs of the cattle ‒ as they provide for us. As a younger child on the farm, I helped bottle feed calves whose moms didn’t accept them. As soon as I was old enough, I was taught to help with morning chores ‒ feeding and bedding in the corrals. Farming truly is a family effort requiring the cooperation and patience of every member to achieve success.

The cattle industry is of utmost importance to rural communities and Manitoba as a whole. Today’s generation is much more concerned with the source of their food and the “Shop Local” movement has never been stronger. The Manitoba cattle industry fills that demand. Farm families also contribute to both the local and provincial economy with their own commitment to locally sourced products and services.

Being involved in agriculture has provided a wonderful childhood for me. The benefits of rural living

KADENCE CARELS The beef industry is such an important industry in Manitoba. There are many cattle farms around my area, many families who depend on cattle as a resource, and many communities who rely on farmers to keep producing cattle.

Manitoba has many beef producers, and I have come to realize that more and more recently. Getting more involved in going to auctions, bull sales, and even just helping sort cattle has shown me how much work and dedication Manitobans put into their beef cattle and farms. It takes a lot of long days and long nights to keep everything running as smoothly as possible, and we have to give all of the cattle producers much more credit for what they do.

Driving around and seeing all the farms who help feed our province and country is especially heartwarming. I have grown up on a farm and have learned so much over the years about how we can help fellow Manitobans keep beef on the table whenever they need it.

Ever since I was little, my family has always had beef cows; mainly Angus cattle, but we have expanded our herd to have many variations of breeds. It wasn’t always only beef cows though, we used

I love being involved in the farm as much as I can. I got accepted into the college’s beef program within 10 days of applying. My grade 12 average is 92%. Currently* I am finishing all my high school sciences this semester while working as a student at Shur Gro Farm Services in Shoal Lake throughout the semester and summer until I start at Lakeland in September. (*Note: MBP Scholarship applications were received until June 2023, so Julia was finishing high school when she applied.)

I will be doing a variety of different tasks from working in the fertilizer plant to going around to the fields doing soil testing. I also have both pre-calculus and applied math.

I think I would be best fitted for this scholarship as I truly have worked hard and put in my time to maintain good grades while still being part of the family farm and being involved in the community.

The beef industry is a vital part of Manitoba’s economy,

and it plays an essential role in the lives of many families and communities. For my family, beef is a staple food that we enjoy regularly. The McIntyre family has been involved in the cattle industry for 70 years. My dad had feeders from 1984 until 2009 when he started custom feeding Quintaine’s cow calf pairs out of Brandon on our pasture. We appreciate the quality and taste of locally raised beef, and we know that it’s a healthy protein source that provides many essential nutrients. The beef industry also provides many jobs in my community.

Farmers, ranchers, and meat processors all work hard to produce and distribute high-quality beef products. These jobs help to support families and contribute to the local economy. In addition to the economic benefits, the beef industry is also an important part of Manitoba’s culture and heritage.

Many families have been raising cattle for generations, and they take pride in the work that they do. Beef is a symbol of strength and resilience, and it represents the hard work and dedication of Manitoba’s farmers and ranchers. Overall, the beef industry is an important part of my family’s life, my community, and Manitoba. It provides us with delicious and nutritious food, supports our local economy, and represents our culture and heritage.

are many ‒ from the freedom to explore and the fresh air to the smaller class sizes and supportive small-town community. I’ve enjoyed the flexibility of not having parents working a regular 9-5 Monday to Friday job and have been taught the value of hard work. I’ve learned lessons in life cycles, how to grow my own food, and good business sense. I can’t imagine having grown up in any other environment.

I’ve chosen a career in health care because I care about people and want to contribute to the well-being of my community. Health care services are essential in every community, so this career choice allows the possibility of returning to rural Manitoba and serving the hard-working farmers in the cattle industry.

In conclusion, farm life will always be important to me, and I hope that someday I can pass on these life lessons and opportunities to my own children so then they can learn how important farmers are to Manitoba and the rest of the world. The opportunities and possibilities living on and helping around the farm are endless and I will continue to use and appreciate what it has given me.

to own a dairy, but had made the decision to sell it in fall of 2020. However, with endings come new beginnings. Once the dairy was sold, we focused on expanding our beef herd. It gives me such a rush to see new cows added to our group and it makes me feel so good about myself knowing that we are able to feed them and keep them healthy so that we can hopefully have many babies in May. Then, when the time comes, we sell. This process is so important because it can expand the numbers of cattle and beef going out into the world, and it can help so many families. It is also important for the farmers because it is a huge source of income that many depend on.

My family has always loved farming and has always been farmers. Having cattle and working in

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the field brings us closer together. Most jobs on the farm are not one-person jobs, and when everyone gets to help out, it is lots of fun and we get the job done efficiently! Once the day is over, we all have supper together and one of the main types of meat that we use to cook with is beef.

I am sure that the meals of many families have beef incorporated into them. Beef is such a widely-used product, and it is important for many communities. In my small community, we have farmers who sell the beef, meat shops who process and pack the beef, grocery stores who sell the beef, and restaurants who buy and cook the beef for others to enjoy.

People in my community profit from beef as well as enjoy eating it on a daily basis. And having that form of protein is key to keeping happy and healthy communities.

Beef is an important product for families, communities, and for Manitoba.

People rely on beef for food and for money, and this industry needs to keep going so that everyone can profit in some way.

Being from a beef producer family, my knowledge has grown more and more over the years. I have learned that beef producing is vital so that we can all keep helping each other out, and I plan on continuing with that process.

CATTLE COUNTRY December 2023

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Resolutions Arising from 2023 Fall Manitoba Beef Producers District Meetings Four resolutions for debate at Manitoba Beef Producers’ 45th Annual General Meeting came forward from MBP’s fall district meetings which were held in even-numbered districts where director elections were required.

Additionally, one resolution is being brought forward by MBP’s board of directors for consideration.

Resolutions will be debated at MBP’s 45th AGM which is taking place February 8-9, 2024 at the Victoria Inn Hotel & Conference Centre at 3550 Victoria Avenue in Brandon.

MBP’s board of directors is also accepting in writing suggested late resolutions for potential debate at the AGM. Details on how to submit those can be found in this article after the list of resolutions arising from the district meetings and MBP’s board of directors.

Resolutions Arising From District Meetings District 10 – Arborg, Oct. 19 10.1 Whereas the use of risk mitigation practices, such as those tested during the Livestock Predation Prevent Pilot Project funded by the Manitoba government, Manitoba Beef Producers and the Manitoba Sheep Association, can be valuable tools in helping to reduce the potential for negative interactions between livestock and problem predators; and, Whereas the conditions of the Wildlife Damage Compensation for Livestock Predation Program state that Manitoba producers are “expected to use the prevention programs that are available and monitor their livestock to ensure their safety”, and Whereas the targeted removal of problem predators by personnel such as trappers may at times be required to help protect the safety of livestock; and Whereas such removal may be done through mechanisms such as the Problem Predator Removal Program which producers can access when they have an eligible claim through the compensation program.

Be it resolved to recommend that Manitoba Beef Producers advocate with governments to provide continued cost-shared financial assistance to producers to implement risk mitigation practices aimed at reducing the potential for negative interactions between livestock and problem predators; and Be it further resolved to recommend that Manitoba Beef Producers continue to seek improvements to the Problem Predator Removal Program to help ensure that it has the needed resources to respond in a timely and responsive manner in cases where targeted removal of problem predators is required.

District 14 – Swan River, Nov. 1 14.1 Whereas some Manitoba cattle herds are being subjected to testing for bovine tuberculosis as a result of a Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) traceout related to the discovery of bovine TB in a herd in Saskatchewan; and Whereas affected producers incur expenses to muster their animals for bovine TB testing and are not reimbursed by government for these costs; and Whereas producers going through the testing process may also face unexpected costs, such as having to feed cattle for an extended period of time while awaiting bovine TB test results.

Be it resolved to recommend that Manitoba Beef Producers lobby governments to provide a per head mustering fee to help offset the costs being incurred

by Manitoba producers required to muster animals for bovine TB; and, Be it further resolved to recommend that MBP lobby governments to provide feed assistance for Manitoba beef producers going through the bovine TB testing process. ***14.2 Whereas the use of risk mitigation practices, such as those tested during the Livestock Predation Prevent Pilot Project funded by the Manitoba government, Manitoba Beef Producers and the Manitoba Sheep Association, can be valuable tools in helping to reduce the potential for negative interactions between livestock and problem predators; and, Whereas the conditions of the Wildlife Damage Compensation for Livestock Predation Program state that Manitoba producers are “expected to use the prevention programs that are available and monitor their livestock to ensure their safety”, and

Whereas the targeted removal of problem predators by personnel such as trappers may at times be required to help protect the safety of livestock; and Whereas such removal may be done through mechanisms such as the Problem Predator Removal Program which producers can access when they have an eligible claim through the compensation program.

Be it resolved to recommend that Manitoba Beef Producers advocate with governments to provide continued cost-shared financial assistance to producers to implement risk mitigation practices aimed at reducing the potential for negative interactions between livestock and problem predators; and Be it further resolved to recommend that Manitoba Beef Producers continue to seek improvements to the Problem Predator Removal Program to help ensure that it has the needed resources to respond in a timely and responsive manner in cases where targeted removal of problem predators is required. ***This resolution is identical to the one carried in District 10.

District 8 – Neepawa, Nov. 2 8.1 Whereas through the Hunter-Killed or Injured Livestock Regulation under Manitoba’s Wildlife Act, livestock producers may be eligible for compensation for livestock killed or injured by another person during an open big game season; and Whereas this ability to potentially access compensation does not exist for livestock killed or injured by another person outside of the big game hunting season, which can create financial hardship for producers.

Be it resolved to recommend that Manitoba Beef Producers advocate with the Province of Manitoba to provide compensation for livestock killed or injured by another person outside an open big game season.

Resolution Arising From MBP’s Board of Directors MBP’s board of directors is also bringing forward the following resolution for consideration by the members.

MBP Board 1. Whereas there can be several types of adverse events involving livestock in Manitoba, including theft, fraud, animals getting lost, or animals being endangered, injured or killed by accidental or deliberate human activities, and it is sometimes difficult to access police or other resources to investigate and resolve situations like these; and Whereas with changing federal government traceability and movement reporting requirements to help with disease investigations and other regulatory matters there is a need to have an effective, cost-effective traceability system that does not place undue burden on all members of the beef value chain, including primary producers; and Whereas having a requirement for mandatory livestock inspection has been debated several times in Manitoba, with beef producers having a split opinion on it; and Whereas it may be possible to potentially offer expanded livestock inspection services in Manitoba via a third party for producers who wish to voluntarily pay for it; and Whereas other provinces have benefited from having dedicated RCMP officers who can assist with investigating livestock-related crime.

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Be it resolved to recommend that Manitoba Beef Producers continue to work with industry partners on the potential development of a traceability app for cattle operations to help with needed information sharing, such as transfer of care records, manifests, movement reporting, etc.; and Be it resolved to recommend that Manitoba Beef Producers work with the new provincial government about the potential to create a Livestock Investigations Unit or another mechanism aimed at reducing local livestock-related crime.

Submitting a Late Resolution Late resolutions will be accepted for consideration until 9 a.m. Friday, January 26, 2024. If the resolution is deemed to be in order by MBP’s Resolutions Committee it will be considered for debate at the end of the regular resolutions session, time permitting. In consultation with the resolution’s author, proposed resolutions may be subject to editing by MBP for clarity and to ensure consistency of formatting across all resolutions.

Please note: If the resolution covers off matters on which MBP is already conducting advocacy work, it may be deemed to be redundant and not taken forward for debate so as to ensure there is time to debate resolutions on emerging matters. As well, it is also important that proposed resolutions deal with something that is potentially achievable and clearly state the actions you are asking MBP to consider taking.

Send late resolutions to info@mbbeef.ca to the attention of General Manager Carson Callum and Policy Analyst Maureen Cousins. Or, you may fax them to 1-204-774-3264 or mail them to 220-530 Century Street, Winnipeg MB R3H 0Y4. All resolutions for debate will be posted on MBP’s website at www.mbbeef.ca to help ensure Manitoba’s beef producers are aware of them in advance of the AGM. A sample resolution template can be found on MBP’s website at https://mbbeef.ca/events/mbp-falldistrict-meetings/.

We look forward to your participation and ask that you register in advance for the 45th AGM. For more details visit: www.mbbeef.ca/events

As a reminder, voting on MBP resolutions is restricted to producers who are members in accordance with MBP’s bylaws.

As per the Section 1(1) (b) of the bylaws, membership refers to “Every person who is determined by the Board of Directors to be actively engaged in the raising of cattle in Manitoba, and who pays all fees to the Association in the manner and in the amount imposed on sellers of cattle pursuant to regulations made by the Board of Directors from time to time.”

What does this mean? It means that if you have requested a refund in the last 12 months you have not paid all fees to the association as set out by the regulations and are not considered a member in good standing.

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CATTLE COUNTRY December 2023

Electric Vehicles are Coming to the Farm

BY ANGELA LOVELL The electric vehicle (EV) industry has grown by double or triple over the last five years, says Manitoba Electric Vehicle Association (ManitobaEV) president, James Hart, although most of that growth has been in the urban, residential market.

Statistics Canada recently released data that shows Manitobans registered 1,496 all-electric EVs and 9,261 hybrid EVs in 2022, up from 118 and 4,420 respectively in 2017. While most were light vehicles such as passenger cars, SUVs and crossovers, ownership of hybrid-electric pick-up trucks, which have been on the market for a number of years, has grown steadily, with 331 registered in Manitoba in 2021 compared with 28 in 2017.

But EVs for rural and agricultural use may soon catch up with major manufacturers launching or planning to launch electric trucks better suited to the rigors of the farm.

“We are in the beginning stages of electrifying the rural/farming industry,” Hart says.

Ford already offers an all-electric model of its best-selling F150 – the F150 Lightning – and Tesla has announced it will bring its long-awaited Cybertruck to the market in November, although Chevrolet recently said the electric versions of its Sierra and Silverado models will be delayed by a couple of years.

The biggest questions ManitobaEV gets from potential EV customers is about range, especially in the winter time and/or while towing and availability of charging stations, which are increasing in rural towns but are still nowhere near as plentiful as they are in larger urban centres.

“These are all issues that people with gas vehicles have also, they just don’t notice it as much,” Hart says.

“When you have a gas vehicle and you are towing a camper or boat you are still getting a range loss, it’s just that there are 30 different gas station choices and you just pull in and fill up again.”

The range of EVs varies widely by make and model and can be anywhere over 500 kms per charge, but MEVA says that many new production EVs have a range of at least 200 kms and can be charged at any ordinary 120v electrical outlet. (See sidebar: Charging an EV: The basics) Some sources suggest there may be a 50 per cent drop in range in winter across the Prairies but Hart says in his experience it’s closer to 20 to 30 per cent.

For beef producers that may be looking at an EV for the farm though, it’s more important to consider the application for the vehicle.

“In the winter time [beef producers] are probably not doing a lot of hauling of cattle to auction, they are mostly around the farm and if they are hauling bales it’s usually with a semi-truck,” Hart says. “Farmers also usually have a lot of power around the farm, so charging is one of those things that a lot of people are concerned about but once you start using it, especially around the farm, you are not going to be worried as much because there are plug-ins usually all over.”

Another big question is how long will the battery last, which is about the only thing on an EV that could potentially need replacing (apart from tires and brakes).

EV batteries currently could cost anywhere from $7,000 to more than $10,000 to replace. The good news is it’s not something the average EV owner needs to worry about for about 20 years.

“We have some very technical people in our association who have done all the math and have figured you have got about 15 to 20 year life on the battery,” Hart says. “And what is considered dead is a battery at 70 per cent, which, around the farm, 70 per cent of a 300-mile range is still quite doable. As well, when we look 20 years out at what the battery costs will be, it’s going to be quite a bit lower than it is now.”

Battery life is also not correlated to the number of kilometres driven like the life of a gas or diesel engine is.

What matters to battery life is how you charge it.

“Most EVs are happiest when you charge them to 80 per cent but there have also been new studies out that says that matters a little bit but it might only make a year or two difference to the life of the battery,” Hart says.

“Studies have also shown that cold weather is better for the battery than heat.”

One thing that could be of interest to farmers, who can tend to be more mechanically inclined than the

average person, is the possibility of converting an existing gas vehicle to electric.

“Farmers are extremely resourceful and they could do it fairly inexpensively,’ Hart says.

“We have members who have converted vehicles using old forklift batteries, so the cost is how you want to do it and how far you are willing to go. If you are a farmer that only has a couple of hundred acres or you don’t have a massive distance to go, or that you only use around the farm in the summer, then maybe it works.”

Lots of potential for EVs on the farm While the larger automakers are focused on the consumer EV market, some smaller companies are developing innovative technologies and designing EVs for other uses. One of them, Edison Motors of Merritt, British Columbia has designed and built the world’s first heavy vocational electric truck for use in the logging industry. The company offers its L series heavy haul semi-truck in all-electric or electric-diesel hybrid model that have an onboard generator to recharge the vehicle as it drives and also captures the energy produced from braking to get the truck moving again.

Manitoba Beef Producers President Matthew Atkinson sees potential for development of EVs for some specific uses on beef operations, such as feed trucks.

“A feed truck would be the perfect fit for this kind of technology because we have to park them in a shop so everything is not frozen up, then we start them up and take them outside, and whatever the horsepower of that vehicle is, that’s what we use to run the mixer boxes and so on, where those only need about a small, 10 HP drive motor to operate,” he says. “There’s potential for innovation of a quieter, more efficient feed vehicle with fewer moving parts.”

Any vehicle that can offer fewer moving parts to break is music to any farmer’s ears, and while EVs can offer multiple benefits for farmers depending on the situation and applications, reliability is likely one of the biggest.

“You can wake up with it being all ready to go, you don’t have to run to a gas station to fill up and there are less things to break,” Hart says.

That’s especially important to farmers who aren’t always driving the best terrain and can’t afford downtime.

“With the F150 Lightning you have the ability to take a welder or a piece of equipment out and they have onboard power so instead of bringing a generator with you, you are pretty much driving the generator,” Hart says.

A new F150 Lightning is not a cheap vehicle. They can run anywhere from $72,000 to more than $100,000 for a 2023 model. But, as more EVs come to market there are going to be more and more used models at a more affordable price range in the future, and buyers don’t have to be as concerned about the vehicle history as they do with a gas vehicle.

“With an EV you don’t generally have to worry whether the last owner abused it – you have to look at tires and brakes and that’s it,” Hart says.

A few emerging issues While many governments in the western world are throwing out deadlines for full electrification of vehicles on their roads, there is still a lot of infrastructure that will have to be built before that goal can be met. Many jurisdictions (including Manitoba) offer incentives towards the purchase of an EV or subsidies for upgrading power systems in residences, apartment or office buildings to accommodate EV chargers, so whether there will be some incentives for farms in the future, no one knows.

Meanwhile, there is also a question about who will pay for the upkeep of Manitoba’s roads, something that is currently partially funded through a tax on fuel.

“The current model is EVs are paying nothing for the roads they are driving on so the gas vehicles are paying for the electrics to be there, and we need to update

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Photo credit: Connie Blixhaven

that model,” Atkinson says. “If the goal is to have a high per centage of EVs on the roads, we need to build into that a provision by which they pay for the roads they use.”

When things go wrong EV technology and design is constantly evolving, which can make it tricky for first responders when they attend a vehicle accident because there isn’t a standard procedure for dealing with things such as how to immobilize the vehicle, or where it is safe to cut into the interior to extricate an occupant.

“Each make and model of EV is different and its design can change half way through a build, so it’s hard to know how each vehicle will respond to a crash,” says volunteer firefighter Clint Seward of the Darlingford Fire Department.

A Tesla, for example, will flash its hazard lights faster than normal to indicate it has been hit, disables its 1000-volt battery and drops the side windows a few inches because the doors lock when its windows are fully closed, which means a first responder could not gain access to the occupant.

“But the way a vehicle behaves right now doesn’t mean it’s how it will behave next year,” Seward says.

“Or that a Ford 150-Lighting pickup truck will behave like a Tesla model X SUV behaves. We don’t know what we are dealing with because we don’t have 50 years of experience with it.”

Clint and his colleagues recently took an EV Safety for First Responders course and are starting to use apps to provide the information they need to deal with each different EV model. It’s vital training when they are dealing with vehicles that can contain up to 1000-volt lithium-ion batteries that, once they catch fire, cannot be extinguished with water and will continue to burn until spent.

Not all accidents lead to a battery compartment fire but it the compartment is breached it can lead to what’s called a thermal runaway where one battery gets too hot, catches fire and then ignites the next and the next in the group. That can even happen hours later once the vehicle has been taken to the towing compound.

“They do have a 12v power control system like a normal car and if you disable that it takes away the ability for the 500-volt or 1000-volt batteries to operate,” Seward says. “But we are only just learning about all this.”

Owning an EV on the farm – what’s it like?

Connie Blixhavn and her husband Bruce own two EVs: An F150 Lightning pickup truck and a Mach-E Mustang. The vehicles check a lot of boxes for them personally and for the farm they operate near Killarney.

When an all-electric version of the Mach-E Mustang was released a couple of years ago, Connie took the opportunity to own her dream car while also doing her part to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

And about a year later, when it came time to buy a new farm truck, the couple had done a lot of research into the F150 and the math about how much money they could save in the long term from eliminating fuel and most maintenance costs.

“When my husband and son figured out how much I had saved on gas over the year that I’d had the car, it was a no-brainer with regards to the truck,” Connie says.

CATTLE COUNTRY December 2023 Range and maintenance not issues Despite some initial skepticism about the range of the vehicles, so far, they haven’t experienced any major drawbacks, even though they live 100 kms away from the nearest charging station at Brandon.

“We’ve never had any issues with the car at all, never got stranded and haven’t run out of range,” Connie says.

And the no-maintenance claims that EV manufacturers make? Too good to be true? Maybe, but they are, almost. The Blixhavns have spent nothing on maintenance over the past couple of years despite putting 20,000 kms on each of their electric vehicles.

“There has been nothing, and apart from tires when they are needed and changing the cabin filter when we get to 30,000 km, those are the only things that need to be done,” Connie says.

Powerful enough for the farm A regular F150 is known for being a workhorse, and the Lightning is no exception. The Blixhavns have done plenty of hauling and towing around the farm. They can haul the slip tank out to other vehicles with seed or fertilizer bags piled high in the box and there are never any issues with power.

“People say it won’t tow big loads, well it’s an F150.

A regular F150 won’t tow a huge load either, 10,000 lbs is what it’s rated for,” Connie says. “But my husband has found that the electric motor is so powerful, you don’t even know you’re towing anything or that you have a load, it doesn’t grind or choke. The only issue is the range, it does reduce the range, but you also need to be aware of your speed too. If you’re going to be heavy on your accelerator it will reduce the range, but it’s the same as driving a gas vehicle; you are going to burn more gas.

We just drive between farms so if you have a charger at any of the farms, you just plug in and you’re good to go.”

Other costs to consider While the initial cost to purchase an EV is obviously higher than a gas vehicle (although prices are coming down and there are some used models coming to market that are cheaper), another expense to consider is the cost to install chargers.

The Blixhavns hired an electrician to install chargers for the car and truck, at a cost of around $600 per charger, but it could cost more in an older home if the electrical system needs upgrading. Although they have electrical outlets around the farm for grain drying and other tasks, they are looking at installing some faster level 2 chargers around the farm so they can plug the truck in to charge while they are working out in the fields on equipment.

Resilient in Manitoba winters The EVs have also proven themselves to be incredibly reliable through Manitoba winters.

“I take my granddaughter to Hartney which is 100 km away to skate, and it’s minus-30, the car sits outside

for three hours while she’s skating, we come out, start it, and there’s no issues with starting, not like a diesel vehicle or a gas vehicle,” Connie says. “We’ve got lots of heat and we usually have about 80 km left by the time we get home.”

Colder weather does reduce the range of EVs. The Mach-E’s range is around 430 kms in the summer, but once the temperature dips below 12 degrees it starts to reduce, but the lowest range Connie has seen is 230 kms and that was on a minus-40 day.

Charging a bit of a learning curve Ninety-five per cent of the Blixhavns’ charging is done at home and for their longer trips they just have to do a little forward planning.

“Every car has an app that tells you where the next charging station is, and then there are apps like PlugShare that tell you if that one’s working or not,” Connie says, adding the cost to charge is reasonable.

“The last trip I took to Winnipeg, I charged up to 80 per cent at the flo station at Canadian Tire and it was $14.85, and that got me home, and I had 26 km left in my vehicle when I got home,” she says. “But it’s a lot cheaper to charge at home.”

Connie’s Mustang takes around seven hours to charge on the level 2 charger in their garage, while the truck takes around 10 hours, so they simply leave them plugged in overnight. To top up to 80 per cent at a level 3 fast charger takes around 35 to 45 minutes depending on the kWh of the charger.

“One thing that is recommended is that at a level 3 charger, only charge to 80 per cent,” she says. “It’s harder on the battery and slows down your charging speed after 80 per cent because it’s trying to protect the battery. I’ve only fast charged four times in the two years that I’ve had the car and I have never had to wait to use a charger, although I suppose that could change once more people start buying EVs.” There are a few intricacies to learn about charging though, which is why Connie recommends connecting with the Manitoba Electric Vehicle Association (MEVA) before making a decision about purchasing an EV. “Before I got my car, I joined MEVA and that was extremely helpful because these people have been driving electric cars for 10 or 12 years and they know all the ins and outs,” she says. “I learned a lot of tricks such as, if your charge is getting low, and you are worried you’re not going to make it home, just slow down to conserve your battery and turn off your heater and radio and whatnot if you get really low.”

Connie says they will never go back to a gas vehicle, and not just because of the cost savings and the environmental benefits.

“The ride, even with the F150, is unbelievable compared to the other trucks. Because the battery is so heavy, it hugs the road really well,” she says.

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A Portable Generator for When the Power Goes Out As any farmer knows, power outages are a fact of life when you live out in a rural area, but that’s where an EV like the F150 Lightning can keep the chill off and the coffee brewed.

When Jeremy Blixhavn’s power went out at the farm, he whipped into town to pick up his mom and dad’s F-150 Lightning electric truck and was able to plug into it essential items like his electric fireplace, coffee maker, fridge, computer and internet. The devices were plugged in for about seven hours until the power came back on and used only 11 per cent of the vehicle’s charge.

“The truck was fully charged and we have been told that it could likely have run those devices for around three days before needing to be recharged,” says Connie Blixhavn. “It was something we never thought about until the lights went out.”

Charging an EV: The basics There are three basic levels of EV chargers that charge at different speeds and provide different levels of range. Paid charging stations in towns and cities offer level 2 or 3 chargers.

Level 1 chargers are included with EVs and can be plugged into a standard 120v outlet at a residence or workplace and will add about seven to nine kms of range per hour of charging. These chargers are best suited for people that have short daily commutes.

Level 2 chargers use a 240v outlet (similar to the type that a kitchen stove uses). They can add around 30 kms of range per hour of charging.

These chargers can be installed in a home by a licenced electrician.

Level 3 chargers called DC fast-chargers, as the name implies provide the fastest charge with the longest range per hour of charge (up to 250 kms). They can charge an EV’s battery to 80 per cent (the recommended level for each charge) in as little as 30 minutes depending on the battery size and the amount of charge it had left before charging). But not all EV models can be charged with a level 3 charger so it’s best to check before purchasing.

What does it cost to charge an EV? Charging an EV at home overnight is the most convenient and cheapest way, and even using the slowest 120v outlet it should produce about 65 kms of range by the morning in the summer. Using a 240v outlet will at least triple that range.

ManitobaEV has figured out that what Manitobans pay for electricity to charge an EV will be more than offset by savings on gas. There are calculators online that can help EV owners calculate their annual gas savings like this one at Take Charge (https://takechargenl.ca/evs/ fuel-savings-calculator/) As an example, the driver of a 2015 Chevy Cruze (like the writer of this article) would save $2,111 in gas savings a year if driving 20,000 kms/ year at current electricity and gas prices (0.09455 kw/h and $1.54/litre).

Although it’s possible to find free public charging stations, most that are located in businesses will charge at a per minute rate. Petro Canada, as an example, offers a network of fast charge stations from coast to coast and charges 50 cents per minute, but charges vary depending on local electricity rates.

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CATTLE COUNTRY December 2023

How do Canadians Feel About Beef?

Public Perception Research Results How do Canadians feel about beef - the product, the industry, its people, and its practices? All of this was revealed in the latest public perception research from Public and Stakeholder Engagement (PSE), a national check-off funded program jointly delivered by Canada Beef and the Canadian Cattle Association.

Survey Specifics The public perception research is conducted every three years to determine must-win audiences, key messages that improve sentiment and other vital information for public outreach. With PSE just coming into five years of being a fully-funded program, this was the second research conducted. There were 2,300 participants included in the survey who were a representative sample of Canadians by age, gender religion, education, location, etc.

Beef – The Product Canadians love our product. Impressions are extremely favorable for loving the taste (90%), thinking of beef as high-quality food (89%) and saying beef is healthy (84%). In fact, beef is seen as having the highest nutritional value amongst all animal proteins, followed closely by chicken. However, beef is also perceived as having the largest environmental impact of all proteins and is tied for the most expensive with fish/seafood.

A large majority of people (86%) say they consume beef at least occasionally. About one quarter of Canadians feel they should eat less beef and state cost and environmental concerns the main reasons. The majority (64%) of Canadians say they should eat about as much beef as they do now and 13% say they should be eating more beef.

Impressively, 28% of Gen Z respondents (born between 1997 and 2013) indicate they would like to eat more meat overall.

When asked about eliminating animal-based protein complete-

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ly, a strong majority of Canadians (83%) say it would be difficult, including Gen Z. Beef – The Industry Canadians feel most positive about the industry’s ability to produce high-quality food (73% good or excellent) and contribute positively to the economy (68%).

Canadians are less sure about the industry’s practices with just over half believing the industry humanely treats animals (52%) and makes sincere efforts to limit environmental impact (52%).

Most Canadians say the industry is headed in the right direction, and while about one third say they’re unsure about the direction of the industry, a lack of positive impressions can mean uncertainty or a lack of knowledge, not negativity. Beef farmers and ranchers are seen positively by 70% of Canadians, and this number has increased by 2% since the survey was done three years ago.

How do Manitobans feel about beef?

Results from Saskatchewan and Manitoba were grouped together to be representative of the Canadian population by region. Relative to the average Canadian: • SK/MB residents have the second most positive view of the Canadian cattle industry, as well as the second highest degree of knowledge on how cattle are raised in Canada, both after AB residents.

• SK/MB residents eat the most meat along with residents of Alberta. SK/MB has the lowest percentage (14%) of residents who say they should be eating less meat than they do now.

• Of all regions, SK/MB residents feel the most confident (68%) that the Canadian beef industry is headed in the right direction.

Consumer Interest and Communications Preferences Canadians are very curious about where their food comes from, with 94% wanting to know more (36% say they are really curious - with a majority being urban and young Canadians). However, consumers are not necessarily seeking out this information on their own or

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know where to do so from sources they trust.

So, how do we reach Canadians that are interested in learning more about how beef cattle are raised? Most Canadians get their information about food from grocery stores, documentaries and farmer’s markets but the #1 preferred source of information on where their food comes come is farmers and ranchers themselves. Of everyone involved in the food system, it is farmers and ranchers that are most trusted; a fact that is supported in other national surveys as well. The second most trusted stakeholder is groups representing farmers, demonstrating trust comes from the ground up.

There is a clear market for content on social media from beef producers with a high level of engagement.

Canadians like to consume content that is in short-video or photo format. They also prefer content focused on entertainment, daily life, and food, with some variation amongst generations. While only 16% seek out content about where their food comes from on social media, 62% say they would engage with the content if they came across it, highlighting the importance of meeting the consumer where they’re at.

The results show that the majority of Canadians love and support Canadian beef and want to know more.

Canadians want to hear directly from the source and groups that represent them, highlighting the importance for producers to actively engage in public outreach. It is also why PSE highlights farmers and ranchers in documentaries, social media content and with influencer outreach to amplify the reach and leverage that trust from Canadians.

Further questions? Please contact Amie Peck, Stakeholder Engagement Manager at pecka@cattle.ca Public and Stakeholder Engagement is a national check-off funded program that works to build public trust in the way beef cattle are raised in Canada.

Half-page and full-page advertising opportunities also available.

Contact Jennifer for more information.

1-800-772-0458 www.mbbeef.ca

CATTLE COUNTRY December 2023

9

Bottom Line: 2023 Has Been an Exciting Year in the Cattle Industry December has arrived. Cattle producers will have weaned the early calves and preg-testing will be in full swing. Depending on the region of the province and the summer pasture conditions, the percentage of open cows will vary. The normal rate of open cows is 5% to 8%. However, early reports are suggesting that this year the rates could be 10% to 16% in Manitoba. The good news is that the cull cows have not seen the seasonal price decline that we normally see in November. The cull cow price is strong, giving producers a reasonable trade in value to purchase replacement cows. The other good news for the producers wanting to purchase bred cows is that there is a very good selection of legitimate bred cows available for sale in Manitoba and eastern Saskatchewan this fall.

There are a lot of producers who are exiting the industry this year. The result is a large number of dispersal herds up for sale at the local auction markets. These producers have been thinking of selling out for the past few years and hope to take advantage of the strong calf prices, good cull cow prices and a better feed situation than in past years. They have made peace with the taxman and are fearful that today’s bullish cattle market

RICK WRIGHT The Bottom Line

will not last.

On the purchasing side, it looks like producers are not retaining heifers this fall and are opting to buy good quality young bred cows. The price they will have to pay will depend on the age, condition, calving time, quality, and the reputation of the seller. I expect that the good top-end bred cows will sell from $2,300 to $2,750. There will be lots of middle-aged, good-producing cows in the $1,800 to $2,200 range. Small consignments of cows that are not from a herd dispersal will probably sell from the daily cull price per pound to $150 over.

I personally think that bred cows are a good investment this fall. If you have the pasture and the feed to winter them through, now is the time to rebuild your herd and get those pastures filled to a sustainable carrying capacity. I firmly believe that the calf prices that we

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are enjoying today will be around for the next few years.

As long as we don’t have a drought or a border closure, the beef cattle market looks very bullish. I also think that there will be fewer quality bred cows to sell next year and moving forward. From speaking with producers, it seems that many are cautious about the market and would prefer to see another year of today’s calf prices before they commit to rebuilding or expanding their herds. Next year, some will retain or buy heifers and others will look for dispersal cows which may be hard to find. I also expect the bred cow and heifer prices to be higher in 2024 and 2025 than they will be at the end of 2023. The limiting factor to any expansion of the Manitoba cow herd will be the availability of quality pasture. A number of producers have expressed the desire to expand but there is no pastureland available in their area to purchase or rent at a sustainable rate.

The Manitoba feeder cattle market continues to be very strong as we close out 2023. The market saw a sharp lower adjustment after the on-feed report in October; the futures dropped significantly, recovered slightly, and were volatile for a few weeks. I was surprised that the USDA was so far out on their predictions when they had all the data. It was no secret that most of the USA was suffering from drought and that cattle were placed on feed lighter and earlier than usual. Six per cent more cattle than the actual number were reported on feed.

This shook the confidence of the investors in the futures market. The futures dropped, and the feedlots lost some of their leverage when negotiating fed-cattle contracts, and this all resulted in the drop in the cattle prices.

Demand from Ontario, Quebec and Alberta has kept the Manitoba calves five to eight cents higher than the rest of western Canada. At the end of October, the Manitoba auction markets had sold 245,000 cattle, up nearly 20% from 2022. 300 to 550-pound steers averaged $148.00 higher than last year. 500 to 700-pound steers were $112.00 higher than last year. 700-pound to 900-pound steers were approximately 94 cents per pound higher. Heifers under 600 pounds were $113.00 higher than last year with the heifers over 600 pounds selling at 82 cents higher than last October.

2023 has been an exciting year to be in the cattle industry. With the strong cattle prices comes a higher risk for those feedlots that are purchasing. Risk management has been a common theme in cattle conversations. That trend will continue. The shortage of cattle and moderate corn prices are favourable for the cattle industry for 2024. My only concern is consumer resistance to the domestic beef prices in the store. Export demand has kept the prices strong. Are we on the verge of beef becoming a luxury food like lobster - something only the wealthy can afford? If that is a possibility, we won’t need as many cows as we have now. Something to think about while you eat your way through the Christmas turkey.

Here’s looking forward to a prosperous 2024.

@ManitobaBeef Manitoba Beef Producers www.truenorthfoods.ca | trever.frattinger@truenorthfoods.ca | 306-536-6193 www.mbbeef.ca

ManitobaBeef

10 CATTLE COUNTRY December 2023

StockTalk Q&A Feature Brought to you by Manitoba Agriculture Elizabeth Nernberg Livestock Specialist Manitoba Agriculture

elizabeth.nernberg@gov.mb.ca Question: Can I feed straw to my herd bulls this winter? Anything else I need to keep in mind?

Answer: It is great that you’re asking about bull rations, as this group of animals in the beef herd can be neglected and forgotten, yet they are SO important. Although in number they make up a small percentage of the herd, remember they are 50 per cent responsible for getting that cow bred and 50 per cent responsible for the genetics of that calf!

Straw can make up part of a balanced bull ration if they are in good condition.

Let’s take a closer look at using body condition score to help determine what to feed your herd bulls this winter.

Body condition plays an important role in the performance of your bull. Reduced performance not only happens in under-conditioned bulls, but also in over-conditioned bulls, resulting in open cows and lost revenue. Overfeeding bulls can cause soundness problems and hinder fertility as fat deposits result in impaired cooling of the testes, which reduces sperm production and increases sperm abnormalities.

Did you know that bulls could lose 100-200 lbs. during the breeding season?

What condition are your bulls in when coming into the winter? Have they maintained their condition, or do they need to improve their condition? Body condition score of the bulls should be at its highest just before breeding, and ideally at 3 to 3.5, on a five-point scale.

When required to put condition on a bull, start early as it is easier to put gain on before the colder weather. If they need to gain a ½ point during a 210-day winter-feeding period, the ration will need to provide a pound of average daily gain.

There are several ways of achieving this, depending on the feedstuffs available to you. Please see the following table for some sample rations formulated with CowBytes.

Keep in mind that the parameters used were for a 2,500 lb. bull with a daytime average temperature of -15 degrees Celsius. The rations will also require the addition of salt, minerals and vitamins to be balanced.

Feed testing should be the first step when balancing a ration. Special attention should be paid to copper, zinc and manganese as these trace minerals are important for fertility. Also note that Vitamin A requirements are higher in bulls as it is necessary for optimum semen production. It is often necessary to supplement beyond levels included in mineral.

Maintenance

Gain 0.5 BCS

Gain 1.0 BCS

40 lbs. Alfalfa Grass Hay 12 lbs. Barley Straw

55 lbs. Alfalfa Grass Hay

50 lbs. of Alfalfa Grass Hay 10 lbs. Barley

65 lbs Corn Silage 25 lbs Barley Straw

80 lbs Corn Silage 21 lbs Barley Straw

110 lbs Corn Silage 10 lbs Barley Straw

Ensure your bulls have access to sufficient amounts of good quality water as this important required nutrient is often overlooked. If they are not drinking enough water, they will not be eating enough.

Besides providing proper nutrition for overwintering your bulls, adequate shelter is required. If feeding bulls in big pastures, windbreaks and bedding will help prevent scrotal frostbite from cold temperatures and windchill. When wintering bulls in pens, many have experienced the destructive nature of these powerful animals.

Using an electric wire offset from the pen can often prevent them from destroying the infrastructure.

As you finalize your winter-feeding plans, don’t forget the bulls!

Share Your Voice In the next issue of Cattle Country, a Manitoba Agriculture forage or livestock specialist will answer a selected question. Send your questions to Elizabeth.Nernberg@gov.mb.ca.

StockTalk for Cattle Country is brought to you by Manitoba Agriculture.

We encourage you to email your questions to our department’s forage and livestock team. We are here to help make your cattle operation successful.

Contact us today.

Andrea Bertholet

Killarney

204-851-6087

Andrea.Bertholet@gov.mb.ca

Kristen Bouchard-Teasdale Beausejour 431-337-1688 Kristen.BouchardTeasdale@gov.mb.ca Shawn Cabak

Portage

204-239-3353

Shawn.Cabak@gov.mb.ca

Pam Iwanchysko

Dauphin

204-648-3965

Pamela.Iwanchysko@gov.mb.ca

Cindy Jack

Arborg

204-768-0534

Cindy.Jack@gov.mb.ca

Juanita Kopp

Beausejour 204-825-4302

Juanita.Kopp@gov.mb.ca

Elizabeth Nernberg

Roblin

204-247-0087

Elizabeth.Nernberg@gov.mb.ca

WHAT’S COOKING AT CANADA BEEF? Learn about Canada Beef’s marketing activities at home and around the world, funded by your check-off dollars.

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www.mbbeef.ca CBP_Manitoba_9.63x7.75_2023.indd 1

2023-11-02 9:42 AM

CATTLE COUNTRY December 2023 11

Common Ticks and Why They Can be a Problem

BY CASANDRA MADDEN, DANIE WOOD, AND KATERYN ROCHON, DEPARTMENT OF ENTOMOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA. WRITTEN FOR THE NATIONAL CENTRE FOR LIVESTOCK AND THE ENVIRONMENT Ticks have always been a fact of life in southern Manitoba, but over the last fifty years, ticks have made their way hundreds of kilometres north of where they were usually found. Ticks can pose a threat to people and animals as they must feed on blood to develop, and they can transmit bacteria or viruses while doing so.

Ticks in Manitoba The two most common ticks in Manitoba are American dog ticks (also known as wood ticks) and blacklegged ticks (also known as deer ticks).

American dog ticks can transmit bovine anaplasmosis in cattle and bison by feeding on an infected animal and then moving to an uninfected animal and feeding on it. Because the bacteria that causes bovine anaplasmosis is in the blood, it can also be transmitted between animals by horse fly bites and by using blood-contaminated equipment without cleaning between animals. Blacklegged ticks are a more recent addition to the Manitoba fauna, and they can transmit pathogens that cause Lyme disease, human granulocytic anaplasmosis, and babesiosis, which can affect humans and horses.

Adult American dog ticks are out looking for blood starting in May, peaking in June, but will be active until the end of summer. They like more open spaces with grasses and shrubs and more space between the trees where the sun can shine through.

Blacklegged ticks, on the other hand, dry out more quickly and are typically found in areas with dense vegetation and higher humidity, forested areas with more leaf litter and less sun. Adult ticks will be looking for hosts to feed on as soon as the snow melts in April through May and into June. However, that is not the end of them!

In June, we also see young blacklegged ticks, called nymphs, looking for blood. These immature ticks, about the size of a poppy seed can transmit bacteria and parasites just like the adults do. Then, a new generation of adults come out to feed in the fall, starting in late September, through October until there is snow on the ground. The

adult ticks that do not find a host in the fall overwinter in leaf litter under the snow and are the ones that come out to try again once the snow melts. Understanding the risk these ticks can pose to cattle, horses, and humans may lead to prioritization of tick management strategies.

Ticks and your pasture To reduce the chances of tick bites, we need to know where the ticks are more likely to be and when they are more likely to be there. We know ticks tend to prefer certain habitats that make it easier for them to survive and find hosts to feed on, and pastures can offer some of these preferred habitats. That means there is a greater risk of exposure to ticks for animals grazing in those pastures, and to people working with those animals. University of Manitoba graduate students Casandra Madden and Danie Wood are looking at ticks on pastures more closely and are trying to identify what features could increase the risk of tick bites on a pasture.

Their preliminary results seem to indicate that pastures that are less managed and have diverse vegetation provide ample grounds for small mammals that immature ticks can feed on. Areas where vegetation grows a bit longer, including sections with more trees, fence lines, or the edges of well-travelled paths and sloughs, all provide higher humidity that the ticks need to survive. It is in these areas where ticks can climb on to get on larger hosts like cattle, horses, and people.

How to manage ticks on your farm It is not practical to apply “backyard” tick management practices like mowing the lawn, removing ground cover plants, or aiming for the complete exclusion of wild hosts (deer, rodents, birds) from grazing pastures. However, by knowing when and where there is more tick activity, we can target those areas more effectively, try to reduce interactions with ticks, and check for them.

To start, clean up dead plant material such as leaf litter and reduce long vegetation around troughs, watering holes, or other structures cattle and horses visit frequently.

Keep the dead plant material in direct sunlight and allow the ground to dry out. This lack of humidity will reduce the number of ticks that survive and the area will be less attractive to small mammals.

If possible, keep the vegetation low at the edges of paths well-traveled by livestock – and producers. When planning out grazing, consider keeping animals away from treed areas until peak tick activity has passed. Managing where the cattle and horses graze can reduce the contact between ticks and their potential hosts.

And let’s not forget to check ourselves for ticks! While American dog ticks are mostly just annoying for us, blacklegged ticks can transmit infections to humans, and can severely affect the well-being of the farm. While working on and around pastures, moving animals or fixing fences, protection and awareness are key. Wearing light colour clothing helps spot ticks crawling up. Fully tucking shirts into pants and pants into socks will keep ticks on top of the clothes and away from the skin. In addition, wearing a repellent containing DEET, icaridin or picaridin will keep ticks away.

Learn more about the ticks you find What if you find a tick and you are unsure what it is? Take a few pictures and submit them to eTick. eTick is a Canada-wide public platform for image-based tick identification. Users can submit a picture of a tick through the website (www.etick.ca) or the eTick phone app and get an identification within 24 hours, along with any relevant tick-borne disease information. You can download eTick from the QR code below. There may be snow on the ground, but the ticks are there, waiting for spring and their next meal. Keep them in mind and be ready.

What’s next? Volunteers needed for research project The University of Manitoba Veterinary Entomology lab continues to work on bovine anaplasmosis in ticks and horse flies. We are looking for volunteers to participate in our new research project funded by the Beef Cattle Research Council. We are looking for producers who will let us take ticks, flies, and cattle blood samples, and participate in an online survey to document husbandry practices. Our goal is to use the blood samples to develop a simple test that can detect infected animals quickly and get a better grasp on the risk factors for bovine anaplasmosis, including where anaplasmosis occurs and what management practices increase or reduce the risk of transmission.

To get more information on how you can help fight the spread of bovine anaplasmosis, contact: Dr. Shaun Dergousoff (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada – Lethbridge shaun.dergousoff@agr.gc.ca) or Dr. Kateryn Rochon (University of Manitoba kateryn.rochon@umanitoba.ca)

www.mbbeef.ca

12 CATTLE COUNTRY December 2023

Building Skills and Community 2023 Manitoba Youth Beef Round-Up Participants. Photo Credit: Prairie Pistol Designs

BY: DR. MARY-JANE ORR, MBFI GENERAL MANAGER in the Judging Clinic and show competitions, giving the event a success. The 2023 volunteer organizing comThe future of the cattle industry is in good hands with a foundation built on experiential learning for youth development. There are many opportunities for the next generation of cattle producers to learn skills and build confidence, often starting by helping on family farms, joining local beef clubs, and participating in 4H Manitoba programs, volunteering, or by taking advantage of regional events.

As the general manager for Manitoba Beef & Forage Initiatives (MBFI), I have the privilege of meeting producers and upcoming youth across the province. I am thankful for the opportunity to continually learn about the diverse aspects of beef cattle production and to everyone that shares their perspectives and insights. For example, this summer the 16th Annual Manitoba Youth Beef Round-Up (MYBR), held annually in Neepawa, was a fantastic experience for myself and for the 71 enthusiastic Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Ontario junior cattle producers.

The Manitoba Youth Beef Round-Up (MYBR) brings together youth between the ages of 5 and 25 involved in cattle production of all breeds in commercial or purebred operations. Round-Up has developed over the years to be an all-around event to promote and educate youth, combining individual and team competitions with hands-on activities covering a wide range of educational topics. In addition to age-appropriate workshops, feature events also include team grooming, showmanship, grand aggregate prizes, and MYBR Agribition Judging Team. Participants are also invited to submit art, photography, graphic design, and scrapbook entries for competition, and 2023 judges had no easy task evaluating the huge number of diverse entries.

Each year Round-Up participants are building their skills through active participation and team building with more experienced members supporting newcomers. In 2023, 31 new members attended for the first time and some of whom had the opportunity to learn with other participant’s livestock entered in the show. The days are packed with chores tending to livestock. Team building is an important aspect of the weekend, kicking off with an Ag Challenge mixer to having a blast with a Cook-Off competition complete with costume themes.

Topics for 2023 Friday and Saturday workshops included learning about herd health and calving with Dr. Grayson Ross using Clover the cow dystocia model (4H MB), nutrition and forage quality with Terry Fehr of Trouw Nutrition, and showmanship skills with Naomi Best. One highlight was the pee-wee’s practicing their rope skills for tying out livestock.

Sunday brought it all together in showmanship classes and cattle show. The 2023 judges Owen Legaarden and Darren Ippolito did an outstanding job

participants many pointers to help them in developing life-long skills. A full listing of show results can be found on the MYBR website https://mbyouthbeefroundup. weebly.com/results Each year Round-Up is a weekend filled with friendships, learning, skill building, and community.

Round-Up would not be possible without the commitment and dedication of sponsors, parents, youth, judges, volunteers, and the committee members to make the

mittee included: Co-Chairs Lois McRae, Laura Horner, and Jake Rawluk, with members Rilla Hunter, Jackie Cavers, Blair McRae, Dalyse Robertson, Megan Kemp, Samantha Koroscil, Albert and Michelle Rimke, Emma Harms, Alice Rooke, Kerri Hinsburg, Mary-Jane Orr, and Lana Kraus.

For more information on Round-Up for 2024 please check the website https://mbyouthbeefroundup.weebly.com or Facebook page @ManitobaYouthBeefRoundUp

Manitoba Beef and Forage Production Conference

You’re invited to Working On the Farm with Hands-On Science!

Manitoba BeefDecember and Forage 12 & 13,Production 2023 Conference Victoria Inn, Brandon Manitoba

Manitoba Agriculture, Manitoba Beef & Forage Initiatives and Manitoba Beef Producers

You’re invited to Working Ontothe Farm Hands-On invite you attend this with inaugural event. Science!

December Conference presentations include: 12 & 13, 2023 Brandon Manitoba Smart Farm Technology – Victoria Dr. SusanInn, Markus, Livestock Research Scientist, Lakeland College Manitoba Cow-Calf Beef & Forage InitiativesNetwork and Manitoba KeyManitoba FindingsAgriculture, from the Canadian Surveillance – Dr. Beef John Producers Campbell, Western inviteUniversity you to attend this inaugural event.

College of Veterinary Medicine, of Saskatchewan

Setting Up apresentations Grazing Plan - include: Anneliese Walker, a Grazing Success mentor for MaiaGrazing, a marketConference leading grazing management software solution.

Smart Farm Technology – Dr. Susan Markus, Livestock Research Scientist, Lakeland College

Key Findings topics from the include: Canadian Cow-Calf Surveillance Network – Dr. John Campbell, Western Breakout College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan

Pasture Rejuvenation; Using Implants in Beef Production; Calving Troubleshooting; Intercropping for Forage Production; Farm Transition; Beef Nutrition and more…

Setting Up a Grazing Plan - Anneliese Walker, a Grazing Success mentor for MaiaGrazing, a market-

leading grazing management software solution.

Each breakout technical presentation will be paired with a producer presentation to show how the science be applied on farm.

Breakoutcan topics include:

Pasture Rejuvenation; Using Implants in Beef Production; Calving Troubleshooting; Intercropping for And an evening Banquet featuring Lewellyn – Author, farmer and mental health advocate, a Forage Production; Farm Transition; Beef NutritionMelnyk and more…

journalist by trade and a farmer by choice.

Each breakout technical presentation will be paired with a producer presentation to show how the science can be applied details on farm. and to register click the link below.

For conference

Manitoba Beef andfeaturing ForageLewellyn Production Conference – Program Registration And an evening Banquet Melnyk – Author, farmer and mentaland health advocate, a journalist by trade and a farmer by choice.

For more information contact: 1-844-769-6224, agriculture@gov.mb.ca

For conference details and to register click the link below.

Manitoba Beef and Forage Production Conference – Program and Registration For more information contact: 1-844-769-6224, agriculture@gov.mb.ca

www.mbbeef.ca

CATTLE COUNTRY December 2023 13

ItItpays to be sustainable pays to be sustainable The Sustainability Incentive Program rewards The Sustainability Incentive Program rewards eligible FCC customers who are Canadian eligible FCC customers who are Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB) Certified.

Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB) Certified.

The Sustainability Incentive Program rewards Not CRSB Certified yet? With cash incentives, Not CRSBcustomers Certified yet? cash incentives, eligible whoWith are there’sFCC never been a better timeCanadian for beef there’s never been a better time for rewards beef Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB) Certified.

The Sustainability Incentive Program producers to get started. producers get started. eligible FCC to customers who are Canadian Not CRSB Certified yet? With cash incentives, Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB) Certified. there’s never been a better time for beef producers get started.

Not CRSBtoCertified yet? With cash incentives, there’s never been a better time for beef producers to get started.

It pays to be sustainable It pays to be sustainable

Learn more at fcc.ca/SustainabilityPrograms Learn more at fcc.ca/SustainabilityPrograms

45

Learn more at fcc.ca/SustainabilityPrograms

TH

AGM

Learn more at fcc.ca/SustainabilityPrograms

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

SAVE the date

register at FEBRUARY 8-9, 2024 mbbeef.ca

Victoria Inn Hotel & Convention Centre | Brandon, MB www.mbbeef.ca

14 CATTLE COUNTRY December 2023

TRACING BACK A

QUARTER

OF LIVESTOCK IDENTIFICATION

CENTURY

For Industry

BY INDUSTRY

A lot has changed since the CCIA was founded 25 years ago, from our corporate logo to our new offices and National Distribution Centre in Calgary.

But one thing hasn’t – our commitment to

delivering a world-class traceability and ID program that Canada’s livestock industry can be proud of.

To learn more about our history and our role as a Responsible Administrator, visit canadaid.ca

Lock-in Floor Price on Purchased Cattle Lock-in Price on Purchased Cattle Purchase Floor Your Livestock Price Insurance Policy Today Purchase Your Livestock Price Insurance Policy Today

The time is now to purchase your Livestock Price Insurance policy and secure a market floor price on your cattle. Producers can choose from a wide range of coverage and policy lengths. If the cash market at the time of settlement is higher, producers can The time is now to purchase your Livestock Price Insurance policy and secure a market floor price on your cattle. Producers can take advantage of those market prices. If the cash market is lower at the time of settlement, producers can count on Livestock choose from a wide range of coverage and policy lengths. If the cash market at the time of settlement is higher, producers can Price Insurance to pay them the difference. take advantage of those market prices. If the cash market is lower at the time of settlement, producers can count on Livestock Policy settlements are available from 3 p.m. to 12 a.m. (CST).

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www.mbbeef.ca MASC Livestock Price Insurance (LPI) FALL 2023 ad Size: 9.63”wide x 7.75”deep (half page) MASC Livestock Price Insurance (LPI) FALL 2023 ad

CATTLE COUNTRY December 2023 15

Merry Bright ND A

Commitment to the land, water, air, and wildlife is a prerequisite to raising healthy cattle.

Sustainability is not a buzzword... it’s a way of life.

For more information or to apply please visit

The board and staff at MBP wish our producers and their families a safe and happy holiday season!

Photo credit: Jenna Loveridge

www.mbbeef.ca

The office will be closed December 25-29 with normal hours resuming at 8:30am on January 3, 2024.

raise the bar on raising beef TESA NOMINATION & APPLICATION PACKAGE

In Loving Memory…

Cory Nolan

Since 1996, The Environmental Stewardship Award (TESA) has been awarded annually at the provincial and national level to recognize cattle producers’ leadership in conservation. Nominees and applicants are selected based on their stewardship practices, accomplishments and goals.

ELIGIBILITY

PROVINCIAL AWARD

All beef cattle operations in Canada are eligible to apply. Producers can either be nominated by an individual or organization or apply themselves through their provincial or regional cattle organization(s). All methods are equally encouraged.

Where provinces or regions have annual stewardship awards, nominees and applicants compete for awards based on their province or region of residence. Where provincial or regional organization(s) do not present an annual award, they can select a nominee who has engaged in significant environmental stewardship activities on their farm or ranch. Past nominees are encouraged to resubmit their application.

Previous recipients may not reapply.

Provincial recipients are announced at their respective provincial cattle association’s annual general meeting. All provincial award recipients then move forward to compete at the national level.

NATIONAL AWARD The national TESA recipient is announced during the Canadian Beef Industry Conference (CBIC). All provincial recipients are awarded an all-expense paid trip for two to attend CBIC and the CCA Semi-Annual Meeting that is held in different locations across Canada in August of each year. The national TESA recipient is also awarded a belt buckle and certificate.

Applications due to Manitoba Beef Producers by December 8.

I

t is with deep sadness and heavy hearts that we have had to say our earthly goodbye to a dear member of the Hamiota Feedlot family. Cory began working with us in 2008. His passion for cattle and the industry led him to make countless contributions to our operation. His commitment, character and devotion meant that he was always there. He devoted himself by always showing up, no matter what - with his leadership and problem-solving skills, through every hurdle, challenge, and solution. He taught us all so much and he can never be replaced. But it was the motivation of his heart that made him ‘family’ to each and every one of us at the feedlot (past and present) – his genuinely good heart, his cleverly sarcastic humour (which got us through the toughest of days) and his sincere ‘presence’ in our lives. We are heartbroken and grieving.

Cory, we will keep putting one foot in front of the other, like you always have, but we will walk with a limp without you.

We express our deepest sympathies to his family and all of his friends, and remind us all to keep reaching for the bar that he set when it came to being the kind of person who entered in, so sincerely, that he left an imprint on every heart.

We will miss you more than words can express. But because of the eternal promises of Jesus, we confidently say… ‘Till we meet again, our dear Cory’… ~ Your family at Hamiota Feedlot Hamiota, Manitoba (204) 764 2449 audrey@hamiotafeedlot.com

ord er a t can ada id.c 877a 909 -233 3

Merry Christmas WISHING EVERYONE A SAFE & HAPPY HOLIDAYS

President: Donovan Hickson 204-570-1862 Secretary: Sandra Brigden 403-638-7741sandra.mbsimmental@gmail.com

watch our website for all the Manitoba Simmental Bull sales

www.mbsimmental.com www.mbbeef.ca

16 CATTLE COUNTRY December 2023

EXCEPTIONAL LIVESTOCK H ealtH Manage M e nt

334 Park Avenue

BRANDON MB 204-727-7807

807 45th St N

LETHBRIDGE AB 403-380-6650

Beef Meets Breakfast For a Satisfying Meal BY: ANNA BORYS, MBP FOOD EXPERT I’ve been wanting to create a breakfast recipe for a while, but have been putting it off, because I’ll admit it’s not really the easiest pairing. I mean, word on the street is you can throw a fried egg next to a steak, or put a waffle underneath a piece of fried chicken and call it breakfast. It’s also just as appropriate to take breakfast food and manipulate it to how you like it. One of my culinary instructors always said, “recipes are just guidelines.” So, there are no hard lines or rules when it comes to cooking.

This beef breakfast sausage recipe is an easy and versatile option. Because this recipe was too simple (almost even a cop out!), I also created a Breakfast Egg Bite recipe using the sausage recipe. As mentioned in last month’s issue, I love making fresh sausage. I cube up meat, toss it with a blend of salt and spices, then put it through my meat grinder attachment on my stand mixer. I use it for a few applications on a regular basis like soup, taco filling, or meatballs. It’s such an easy way to tailor your sausage to exactly how you like it, veering

slightly outside those guidelines. You can change your fat content, or protein blend. Switch up the spices to create new flavour profiles (like spicy chorizo or Italian sausage). Sometimes I’ll even add inclusions like beans or vegetables for added nutrition. My one rule of thumb I live by is the 1% salt rule. Example, if you’re using 2 lbs. of meat (about 900 g), then I’ll use about 9 g of salt.

If you don’t have a grinder, no problem. This sausage recipe uses a blend of ground beef and ground pork (of course you can use 100% beef) and a stand mixer with paddle attachment.

I love meal prepping convenience meals, especially breakfast options when I’m running out the door in the morning. It’s so easy to leave the house without eating, which is why I love these. I can pull them from the freezer, zap them in the microwave while I get ready and have a nutritious, (gluten free!), protein-packed breakfast to get my day started. Other grab-and-go meal ideas using this sausage are breakfast burritos, or as patties in breakfast sandwiches.

Enjoy!

Photo credit: Anna Borys

Breakfast Sausage Egg Bites (Yields 1lb of sausage, and 12 egg bites) Breakfast Sausage: ½ lb – Lean Ground Beef ½ lb – Ground Pork 1 tsp – Poultry Seasoning 1 tsp – Kosher Salt ¼ tsp – Black Pepper, fine ground ¼ tsp – Onion Powder ¼ tsp – Garlic Powder ¼ tsp – Crushed Chili Flakes Egg Bites: 12 – Large Eggs ½ tsp – Kosher Salt ¼ tsp – Black Pepper 1 Cup – Cheddar Cheese, grated ¾ Cup – Breakfast Sausage, browned ½ Red Onion, small dice, sauteed 1/3 Cup, Spinach, cooked and chopped fine

METHOD BREAKFAST SAUSAGE:

- WETLAND CONSERVATION

1. Add all ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Mix on medium low speed for about 30-45 seconds until well combined. Use half the mixture for the Egg Bite recipe, and package and freeze the remaining sausage for other uses.

- SHELTERBELTS

METHOD EGG BITES:

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www.mbbeef.ca

1. Set oven to 325°F. Spray a muffin tin and place inside a large high sided roasting pan. Boil 1 litre of water. (This will be used to create a water bath).

2. Using a blender, blend together eggs, salt and black pepper until completely combined and they are not streaky with egg white. Transfer the eggs to pourable container.

3. In the muffin tin, divide the sauteed onion, cooked spinach, browned sausage, and cheddar cheese evenly, careful not to fill the cups too full. They should be about ½ - ¾ loosely filled.

4. Pour the egg mixture into each muffin cup until liquid just reaches the rim or slightly under.

5. Pour the boiling water into the roasting pan until it comes up about ½ - way up the sides of the muffin tin.

6. Carefully place in the pre-heated oven and bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

7. Remove from oven and lift muffin tin from water bath. Use a paring knife, loosen each egg bite from the edges to carefully lift out and transfer to a cooling rack.

8. Egg bites can either be enjoyed immediately while hot or can be stored in a sealed container in fridge or freezer to be reheated later.

Note: One 142 g container of fresh baby spinach will yield about 1/3-1/2 Cup of spinach once cooked. Enough for 1 recipe of egg bites. (That’s a lotta spinach!) Other Filling Options: Sauteed Bell Peppers, Green Onion, Bacon, Sauteed Mushrooms, Chopped Sundried Tomatoes, Feta, Sauteed Kale