Ontario Beef - August 2020 by Ontario Beef Magazine

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE BEEF FARMERS OF ONTARIO

BEEF ON T A R I O

FALL STOCKER SALES • FARMERS SUPPORT LOCAL COMMUNITIES • POLICY IN THE TIME OF COVID • IMPROVING FEED EFFICIENCIES • AUGUST 2020

Rising to the

COVID Challenge

Canadian Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement Number 0040007029

PLANNING FOR OUR FUTURE

The Ontario Hereford Association is a proud supporter of Junior events within the Ontario Junior Hereford Association, the Canadian Junior Hereford Association and 4H Ontario. HEREFORD CATTLE meeting and exceeding the challenges in today’s changing world. Sept. 18: Genetic Designs XVI - River Valley Polled Herefords • Sept. 19: Source for Success XIX - Elm Lodge Polled Herefords Sept. 20: Autumn Alliance 2020 - Medonte Highlands Polled Herefords Hereford & Hereford-Influence Stocker Sales – Cookstown - Thursday, Oct. 8 • Brussels - Friday, Oct. 23 OTHER FALL STOCKER CALF SALES David Carson Farms & Auctions - Monday, Oct. 26 • Denfield Livestock Exchange - Every 2nd week starting Sept. 26 to Dec. 5 CORP CREEK FARM Bill and Jill Corp and Family OMEMEE, ON 705-799-7488 (Bill’s cell) 705-772-9345 (Jill’s cell) corpcreekfarm@hotmail.com Registered Breeding Stock HIDDEN-VIEW POLLED HEREFORDS Joe & Karen Paszternak NORWOOD, ON 705-957-3739 or 705-957-7470 karen.paszternak@gmail.com Cows & heifers for sale

www.ontarioherefords.ca

WHISKEY LANE LIVESTOCK Hereford and Angus Scott, Paula, Jason and Shelby Cornish INDIAN RIVER, ON 705-295-2925 705-878-3248 (Scott’s cell) 705-341-3220 (Paula’s cell) wll@nexicom.net Visitors Always Welcome

LIAN MOR POLLED HEREFORDS Wallace & Fern Pugh & Trevor & Amy Pugh MONO, ON Wally &Fern lianmor@sympatico.ca • 519-941-8515 Trevor & Amy tpugh27@yahoo.com • 519-939-7486 Breeding stock available O’SHEA FARMS Jamie and Mel O’Shea DENFIELD, ON 519-477-1238 osheafarms@hotmail.com Bulls & Females for Sale

Lois Batty,ON President – 705-328-4302 KAREN PASZTERNAK Dr. | Norwood, • 705-957-3739 • karen.paszternak@gmail.com www.ontarioherefords.ca PRESIDENT JILL AND BILL CORP | Omemee, ON • 705-772-9345 • ontarioherefordassociation@outlook.com SECRETARY MANAGER

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE BEEF FARMERS OF ONTARIO

BEEF ONTARIO

August 2020

Volume 61, Number 3

COMPLIMENTARY MEMBER SUPPORTED PUBLICATION

CONTENTS 4

Ahead of the Heard

The Beef Beat

Connecting with Consumers

Between You, Me and the Fence Post

10 Calculating Success 11 Wellness on the Farm

12 OMAFRA Update 17 Farm & Food Care Ontario Update 18 New Research to Better Understand M. bovis Disease Development in Cattle 20 Ontario Beef Farmers Support Local Communities During Crisis 24 Focus on Herd Health 26 AgSights Update 30 Fall Stocker Sales 32 Market Information 36 Calendar of Events 38 Young Leaders Represent Ontario

ON THE COVER Once again, the beef industry demonstrates resilience as we navigate COVID-19. The ongoing pandemic situation has seen our food value chain rise to every challenge thrown at us – including drought conditions, fluctuating market prices, new communications technology, physical distancing, risk management programs and policy development. As a result, many producers are taking a look at their operations from a new perspective and in this issue of Ontario Beef you’ll find information on calculating profitability, a new herd selection tool and tips for improving feed efficiency in feedlots. You’ll also read about the generosity of our county associations who rose to the challenge of feeding their neighbours amid the uncertainty of the pandemic. Together we’ll continue to rise and take pride in being part of such a strong industry. Don’t miss out on submitting your photos for our October 2020 issue. Please send your summer inspired photos by September 15 to be considered for the cover. Digital photos that are at least 300dpi are preferred and can be emailed to info@ontariobeef.com.

ONTARIO BEEF • Beef Farmers of Ontario 130 Malcolm Road, Guelph, ON N1K 1B1 • Phone: 519-824-0334 • Toll Free (for Ontario callers only) 1-866-370-BEEF (2333) Fax: 519-824-9101 • info@ontariobeef.com EDITOR Jennifer Kyle CIRCULATION COORDINATOR Bethany Storey ADVERTISING MANAGER Cathy Lasby, Preferred Agri-Marketing Services Guelph, ON Phone: 519-763-8833 • Fax: 519-763-8833 pams@sentex.net DESIGN and LAYOUT Prism Studios Advertising and Design Inc. Guelph, ON PRODUCTION and PRINTING Beck’s Printing Services, Brantford, ON

PROVIDING A FORUM FOR THE ONTARIO BEEF INDUSTRY Ontario Beef is the official publication of the Beef Farmers of Ontario. Contents of this publication may be reproduced only by permission of the Editor and with credit acknowledged. Opinions expressed herein are those of the author and/or editor and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Beef Farmers of Ontario. Publication of advertisements does not constitute endorsement or approval by Ontario Beef or the Beef Farmers of Ontario of products or services advertised. Advertising deadlines are January 10, April 15, July 15, September 15 and November 15. The publisher reserves the right to refuse or cancel any advertising, including advertising that is inconsistent with BFO’s Sponsorship Policy, available at www.ontariobeef.com. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of material published, however no responsibility can be assumed for advertising not received in clear, type-written form. C an adi an P u b l i c a t i o n s M a i l P r o d u c t S a l es A g r eem en t Nu m b er 0 0 4 0 0 0 7 0 2 9 POSTMASTER: Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Beef Farmers of Ontario, 130 Malcolm Road, Guelph, ON N1K 1B1

AHEAD OF THE HEARD By Rob Lipsett, BFO President info@ontariobeef.com • www.ontariobeef.com

Industry and Government Rises to the COVID-19 Challenge

ith the amount of chaos that has transpired in the last few months, sometimes it feels like I have been your BFO president for a decade rather than just six months. COVID-19 has certainly had a funny effect on the perception of time! Nonetheless, we have been working hard on your behalf and I am pleased to share an update on some of those efforts. Starting off with a recent “win”, we were very happy with the announcement, made by Premier Ford and Minister Hardeman, that the provincial government will provide an additional $50 million investment into the Ontario Risk Management Program (RMP). This investment was something BFO, along with other commodity groups, have been aggressively pushing for. Premier Ford had also campaigned on the inability of RMP to meet the needs of the farmers and the need for additional investment, so it was great to hear the government will make good on that promise. The announcement will provide much needed support for this vital, yet critically underfunded program at a time when farms are struggling with COVID-19 related market uncertainty and losses. But our work doesn’t end there. We look forward to continued discussions with the province on ways to further strengthen this important program to ensure stability and sustainability for our sector. In June, we welcomed an announcement by federal and provincial ministers regarding the creation of a cattle set-aside program for Ontario that will allocate $5 million to the beef sector to help manage potential backlogs in processing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. BFO has submitted recommendations on the draft program guidelines that must be reviewed by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. As I write this, the program details have not been finalized. Set-aside programs provide market coordination and help ensure cattle get processed in priority order when capacity becomes available. These programs help spread out surges in supply caused by market disruptions like border or plant closures, as we’ve seen during COVID-19. By holding cattle back and managing inventories, BFO BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2020 Rob Lipsett (Background Director) - President Phone: 519-371-9850 • Email: lipsettrob@yahoo.ca Jack Chaffe (Feedlot Director) - Vice-President Phone: 519-348-4607 • Email: jdchaffe@quadro.net Don Badour (Cow-Calf Director) Phone: 613-762-2161 • Email: don.badour@ripnet.com Jason Reid (Cow-Calf Director) Phone: 807-935-3224 • Email: reidridgefarm@tbaytel.net Don Hargrave (Cow-Calf Director) Phone: 519-375-1500 • Email: dchargrave@gmail.com Joe Dickenson (Feedlot Director) Phone: 519-312-0454 • Email: joe@dickensonfarms.com David Millsap (Feedlot Director) Phone: 705-828-2762 • Email: davidwmillsap@gmail.com Jason Leblond (Northern Director) Phone: 705-724-1887 • Email: jsacres5@gmail.com Craig McLaughlin (Eastern Director) Phone: 613-646-7820 • Email: cmblackhorse@gmail.com Ron Stevenson (Southern Director) Phone: 519-887-6677 • Email: ron@metzgervet.com Dan Darling (Director-At-Large) Phone: 905-375-4019 • Email: dmdarling13@gmail.com Jordan Miller (Director-At-Large) Phone: 289-686-1124 • Email: b.jordan.miller@gmail.com

O N T A R I O B E E F • AUGUS T 2 0 2 0

supplies of cattle can be managed better. The set-aside program is an important contingency tool in the event of backlogs due to COVID-19. This funding may not be used if we escape a pandemic-induced disruption or processing backlog in Ontario, but we will share details with members when they are finalized. BFO has also requested enhancements to the AgriStability program to provide additional risk management support for producers. I recently appeared before both the House of Commons Industry Committee and the Agriculture Committee to promote these much-needed changes. We continue to push for these enhancements in concert with the provincial government, CCA and the Ontario Agriculture Sustainability Coalition that includes Grain Farmers of Ontario, Veal Farmers of Ontario, Ontario Sheep Farmers and Ontario Pork. The Ontario Federation of Agriculture and the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association are also engaged in advocacy work to promote AgriStability enhancements, plus a number of other national farm organizations. As much as we have appreciated everyone’s acceptance of our Zoom calls and meetings, we are looking forward to a time when we can gather in person. We hope we will be able to hold regional fall meetings in person, as long as government and public health rules and guidelines allow us to do so safely. We will communicate the plans and dates for these meetings closer to the time when we know what is feasible. Likewise, we hope to be able to hold our AGM in February 2021 in Toronto as we normally do. However, given the uncertainty of the times, we have started to look into some contingency options should the gathering limits and other restrictions prevent us from holding the meeting in person. We will keep you all up to date on these plans as details are finalized. For now, I wish you all well as we head into the busy fall season. Stay healthy, stay safe, and I look forward to connecting with you in person as soon as we can! OB

BFO STAFF Executive Director Richard Horne • richard@ontariobeef.com Manager of Policy and Issues Katherine Fox • k atherine@ontariobeef.com Policy Advisor Darby Wheeler • darby@ontariobeef.com Policy Advisor Evan Chaffe • evan@ontariobeef.com Manager of Communications & Marketing LeaAnne Wuermli • leaanne@ontariobeef.com Senior Communications Specialist Jennifer Kyle • jennifer@ontariobeef.com Communications Coordinator Bethany Storey • bethany@ontariobeef.com Market Information Coordinator Jamie Gamble • markets@ontariobeef.com

Accountant Amber McIntyre • amber@ontariobeef.com Office Administrator Tammy Purdham • tammy@ontariobeef.com Manager of Producer Relations Dan Ferguson • dan@ontariobeef.com Producer Relations Specialist Jaclyn Horenberg • jaclyn@ontariobeef.com Check-Off Inspector Chris Millar • chrism@ontariobeef.com Provincial Supervisor, Ontario Feeder Cattle and Beef Breeder Co-op Programs Cheryl Russwurm • crfeederfin@wightman.ca Water Quality Specialist Chris Attema • chris@ontariobeef.com

qua li ty fu ll f re n c h c h aro l ais AI sires include PCFL Maximilian 106G, Hisman, Till and Impair

walking the pastures

CWW Double Take 291D High selling bull in the Wilkie Charolais 2018 Bull Sale Added performance, maternal strength, great temperament and larger scrotals

CarD exoTiC PolleD 56D High selling bull in the 2018 St. Martin Test Station Sale Top 1% for REA & LMY while still providing calving ease and low birth weights

SCF FernanDo 435F High selling bull in the 2018 Stephen Charolais bull sale. Top 2% for REA & LMY combined with exceptional length

M&l CaSTor 102D Combining calving ease with maternal strength, correct conformation and great temperament

Some Full French females carrying the get and service to these bulls are available privately this fall. Sons of these will also sell in our annual bull sale next spring. Thanks to everyone who has shown interest in our program and purchased in the past. Stop by or give us a call, we love to talk cattle.

Roger Maloney and Helen Lynett 2420 Jermyn Line, Indian River, ON K0L 2B0 705.295.6439 â&#x20AC;˘ Roger 705.761.7316 roger@mlcattleco.com www.mlcattleco.com

ON TA R IO BEEF â&#x20AC;˘ AU GU ST 2020

THE BEEF BEAT By Katherine Fox, BFO Manager of Policy and Issues katherine@ontariobeef.com • www.ontariobeef.com

Policy in the Time of COVID I

won’t lie – 2020 has been busy and has not gone according to plan. Of my years spent at BFO, every day has been different, but it’s never been like this. Regularly scheduled work for BFO’s policy team typically means we steadily work on resolutions and emerging issues that come and (sometimes) go. Projects are managed over a set timeline, and regulatory and legislative issues and proposals from government often have a bit of a rhythm. This year, COVID-19 took over our regularly scheduled programming and every day has been an adventure of “what will happen today?” and “is this the day I beat my record for most videoconference meetings?”. But the wheel of time has carried us all the way into the middle of 2020, and COVID-19 has become the setting in which we carry on with the work that is familiar to the policy team at BFO: addressing regulatory and legislative proposals, responding to resolutions, managing projects, advocating to government and handling emerging issues. The provincial government has also gotten back into the groove a bit, with proposals and consultations picking up again and projects finding new timelines. Here’s a round-up of the behind-the-scenes policy work at BFO these days.

Security from Trespass and Protecting Food Safety Act Bill 156, the Security from Trespass and Protecting Food Safety Act, was voted on and passed in the Ontario Legislature in June. This new legislation will better protect farmers, their animals, livestock transporters, and the province’s food supply from trespassers and extreme animal rights activists. Over the past several months, BFO and other livestock and agriculture organizations have been actively involved in the consultation process as part of the development of this proposed legislation, including making a presentation to Ontario’s Standing Committee on General Government. Next steps for the act include developing the accompanying regulation over the next few months.

Nutrient Management Act We continue to work on reducing the administrative burden associated with the Nutrient Management Act, especially the fiveyear renewal requirement for nutrient management plans. BFO and other agriculture and livestock organizations have discussed this issue with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and Ministry of the Environment and Conservation and Parks staff through the relatively new “Nutrient Management Efficiency and Continuous Improvement Discussion Forum”. This group has also been

O N T A R I O B E E F • AUGUS T 2 0 2 0

working on ways to make annual nutrient management updates and recordkeeping more efficient.

AGM Resolutions We’re at about the halfway point for responding to resolutions that were passed at BFO’s AGM in February. You can find responses to this year’s resolutions on BFO’s website at www.ontariobeef.com/policy-issues/resolution-responses.aspx. Here you’ll find information on issues like updating Canada’s BSE risk status (our application is in and a response is expected spring 2021), processing capacity challenges, outreach to students about beef and its environmental impacts, funding for Ontario’s Risk Management Program (RMP) and more.

Risk Management Program Speaking of the RMP, we had a good day in July when the provincial government announced an additional $50 million for the program, bringing total annual funds to $150 million. I think we’re all acutely aware of how long we’ve been asking for more support for the RMP, and persistence in our grassroots lobby efforts paid off. Thank you to everyone who has ever spoken to their MPP about the importance of this program. BFO appreciates the provincial government’s acknowledgement of our calls for additional support in the RMP, but we, of course, always have more work to do. This is a hard time in Ontario’s beef industry, and we’re going to need more wins. We continue to push for improvements to the federal suite of business risk management programs, and movement towards removing interprovincial trade barriers. And now that our application to update Canada’s BSE risk status is in, we have work to do on amending specified risk material (SRM) removal regulations both federally and provincially to put us on a more level playing field with the U.S. and lower costs at federal and provincial plants. While we continue forward with the usual business of BFO’s policy team, COVID-19 related issues persist. Government-funded programs meant to support businesses during the pandemic have fallen short for the agriculture sector in many ways. Working with CCA and other groups, BFO continues to push our federal government for improvements to make programs more accessible and useful to beef producers. As always, don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have questions or issues you want to bring to our attention. All the best as we continue on in this time of COVID-19. OB

CONNECTING WITH CONSUMERS (Ontario) Beefing Up Social Media By Jennifer Kyle, BFO Senior Communications Specialist

of our audience to follow along and share their own recipes and photos. This has also extended to the people who know Ontario beef the best, which is of course, all of you. Thanks to those who have been playing along, and stay tuned this month to see which of our four burger masters will be named the champion! Once the burger battle wraps up, we will set to work on our second campaign for the year focused on butchers, and we will be putting money behind the promotion of the store locator feature on the Ontario Beef website. We are currently working on giving the page a facelift and while the campaign runs, we will monitor the traffic driven to the locator to get a sense of how it is being used. If you or someone you know would like to be added to the locator, please contact Jennifer at the office. This a great opportunity to take advantage of the increased website traffic! We know that sometimes it is hard to understand the impact of the work Ontario Beef is doing when our efforts are not splashed across every tv, computer, billboard and bus in the province the way some of our other commodity friendsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; efforts are. There is that level of â&#x20AC;&#x153;I need to see it to believe itâ&#x20AC;? we can appreciate. As we have said many times, our efforts are very targeted to ensure our money is going towards putting our messaging in front of those potential customers. We are excited about the work we are doing and we love to show it off. Be sure to follow us on social media and visit the ontbeef.ca website regularly to see what we are up to. OB

hile many BFO activities are in limbo as we wait out COVID-19, the consumer engagement strategy continues to roll along. At the beginning of June, we received our bi-monthly social media report. This covered the period of April and May, and the results were impressive. Throughout April and May, we reached more than 1.4 million unique users on our social channels. This is up from 667,000 in the previous two months. Our content received more than 98,000 engagements, and we drove over 7,000 website visits â&#x20AC;&#x201C; up from 2,600 in the previous report. Overall, our April and May efforts delivered an efficient â&#x20AC;&#x153;cost per clickâ&#x20AC;? of $2.26 (vs. $3.10 from February and March, and $11.58 during the initial Gather Round campaign in December 2019). What this tells us is, most importantly, our content is resonating well with our target audiences. It also tells us the very intentional focus of our dollars is paying off. June saw the kick-off of our first official promotional campaign â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the Ontario Beef Burger Battle. As the name suggests this campaign was to get people excited about grilling with Ontario beef. We enlisted the talents of five well-known social media and food influencers to serve as the host and our four competing â&#x20AC;&#x153;Burger Mastersâ&#x20AC;? each battling it out to have their take on the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ultimate Ontario Beef Burgerâ&#x20AC;? declared the champion. We created a hub for the battle on our website that houses the videos and recipes from each of our four burger masters. There has also been a sub-campaign happening simultaneously to engage the rest

Record Keeping Made Simple Anytime. Anywhere. www.agsights.com

1.855.246.2333

ON TA R IO BEEF â&#x20AC;˘ AU GU ST 2020

BETWEEN YOU, ME AND THE FENCE POST By Jennifer Kyle, BFO Senior Communications Specialist info@ontariobeef.com • www.ontariobeef.com

Zoom…Zoom…Zoom W

hen the world shut down in March due to COVID-19, I don’t think anyone anticipated we would still be living in a quasilocked down reality in August. Most of us have adjusted the best we can to the new ‘normal’, some are ready to see 2020 in the rear-view mirror, and others may feel like the cow in this photo eying up a No Exit sign as if to say, will we ever escape 2020? While “stage 3” has included easing some of the restrictions, we still find ourselves unable to gather in person in any significant or “normal” way. And when we do gather, the numbers are limited and the physical distance and masking rules apply, so in many ways, it’s still logistically easier and less stressful to gather virtually when we can. With this in mind, I want to take a moment to say thank you to all of you for bearing with us as we navigate technology to find ways to bring everyone together when we can’t actually be together. Many of you have participated in countless Zoom calls and meetings over the past many months, and we appreciate your patience and efforts to familiarize yourselves with the technology. Whether you have figured things out on your own, or used your household’s resident “techie”, you

O N T A R I O B E E F • AUGUS T 2 0 2 0

Photo credit: Molly Taylor

have all managed to connect and engage. Admittedly, it makes me a little proud to see all the farmer faces “Zooming” like pros when prior to March, most had never heard of Zoom let alone used it! We are continually trying to find ways to bring people together when we can. We ran the annual Summer Advisory Council Meeting virtually in July. In addition to the business portion of the meeting, that event would typically include meals together, socializing and farm tours. Sadly, this was not possible this year. Rather than completely scrapping the social part of the meeting, we decided it would be nice to still provide a keynote speaker and open that up to anyone who wanted to join. We invited Lesley Kelly, creator of the popular blog High Heels and Canola Fields and co-founder of the Do More Agriculture Foundation, to talk about breaking the barriers surrounding mental health in the agricultural community and how having one conversation can save a life. Lesley is a passionate advocate for mental wellness in agriculture, and gave a dynamic and inspiring presentation that was very well-received. The intention of the event was to expand our existing Wellness on the Farm initiatives and to really further the conversation around mental health. The presentation was recorded, and while we aren’t able to post the video publicly, we are able to make it available privately for members who would like to watch it. Please let me know if you are interested. As we have watched event after event pull the plug, it feels like 2020 has effectively been canceled. However, many of these event organizers have pivoted quickly and are making strides towards having virtual offerings in place of their in-person events. BFO has been approached by a number of these groups and is working on providing new and existing materials, videos and resources to support these efforts where we can. There are some great plans evolving, particularly in the area of ag education, and we are pleased to be a part. The rest of 2020 may look different, but it’s certainly not canceled, so stay tuned for information about these virtual events and programs. I would love to wave a magic wand and have everything go back to normal, but sadly, magic powers are not part of my skillset. The reality is, we aren’t quite out of the Zoom and virtual woods just yet. There may still be a few Zoom meetings in your future. We appreciate your continued patience and virtual engagement, and we look forward to being able to connect in-person when it is safe for us all to do so! OB

Get the Advantage

Performance.Pounds.Profit. Fall 2020 Sales

Stay Connected with OSA!

Member Services Manager: Ashton Colvin Cell: (519) 357-6775 memberservices.osa@gmail.com

Calculating Success By Robert McKinlay, BFO Producer Relations Liaison • www.ontariobeef.com

ntario beef producers can take control of their operation’s profitability this year. Instead of fearing what might come, you can plan how to manage it. This year, fluctuating hay prices due to drought and an unpredictable market place are complicating decisions. As a result, producers may be purchasing more feed, using different feed sources or contemplating a herd reduction. The Ontario profitability calculator offered by the Beef Farmers of Ontario on their website, ontariobeef.com, can give producers a structure to evaluate these decisions. Profitability is gross income minus cost of production. With gross income varying from year to year, profitability assurance can be accomplished by minimizing your cost of production. To do this, it’s important to fully understand where costs are incurred on an operation.

Adding up the Numbers The complexity of most operations can cloud the ability to identify areas of improvement. The Beef Farmers of Ontario profitability calculator helps producers who want to improve their bottom line. It is a step-by-step tool for producers to follow, inputting their herd information and historical marketing information. Producers can then input their operation’s feed, bedding, fuel and veterinary costs. Producers can add in their cow herd size, number of culls, mortalities, replacements purchased and bulls. With this information, they are able to calculate gross income of an operation by outlining past marketing experience. Herd replacement costs are then calculated into the operation’s cost of production.

Crunching the Cost When feed costs are input for an operation, producers are encouraged to look at their farm as two businesses – one business is responsible for the production of all the feed and the second business owns the cattle, purchasing the feed from the first business at market value to feed the cattle. Business one sells the feed to business two at market value. This ensures that the value of inputs to an operation isn’t discounted. 10

O N T A R I O B E E F • AUGUS T 2 0 2 0

Operating costs include all day-to-day costs that are commonly overlooked. Expenses like fuel, utilities, veterinary, breeding, custom work and insurance expenses are all taken into account when determining cost of production. This part of the profitability calculator forces producers to dig out their books and review operating costs that are typically ignored in budgets. The summary page of the profitability calculator provides producers with an overview of the financial situation of their operation and breaks down various contributing factors to both farm profit and expense. Producers can then compare the different aspects of the operation to identify areas of improvement and areas of success.

Applying the Information The profitability calculator is important for emerging and existing beef operations. The data generated by this tool can forecast an operation’s profitability for the upcoming year. This provides producers with the ability to identify financial issues before they occur, helping producers avoid problems by making management changes. The program also generates breakeven prices per pound for calves sold so producers can properly market their livestock. For those interested in adopting new management practices, they can model a financial year under the new practice. This function allows producers to make informed decisions on new technology and expansion methods they may be considering. The online tool also forecasts predicted profitability of an operation when cost of production (COP) increases or decreases by five per cent and when sale price increases or decreases by five per cent. This is especially important to producers during volatile markets. You can adjust desired management styles to reduce cost of production to reduce losses. This also provides the opportunity to analyze an operation’s profitability under worst-case and best-case situations. If producers have to purchase feed, the profitability calculator can analyze an operation’s capability to remain profitable during drought conditions. Producers can establish a maximum price they are able to pay for feed based on their historical market data. They can also identify other large expenses that can help lower overall input costs despite increased feed costs. As a young producer myself, this tool has been extremely helpful in making financial decisions about herd expansion and marketing. Our family’s operation has also used this program to identify our bottom line when marketing commercial calves and breeding stock. No matter the size of the operation, the profitability calculator offers a way to track expenses and make informed financial decisions. OB

WELLNESS ON THE FARM By Jessica Schill, RN MPH

Keep Cool and Stay Safe!

onversations during breakfast might sound something like this right now: “It’s another hot one out there today, the high is record breaking again and the humidity seems to be unbearable. We should be planning for second or third cut. Wheat harvest is happening now and we will need to make some space for straw in the barn. It was about 45 degrees in the barn yesterday.” We work so diligently to ensure the health and safety of our herds during heat waves and dry spells, but often forget the importance of maintaining our own health during extreme heat in the summer months. Extended exposure to heat can cause several physiological conditions including heat rashes, heat edema, heat cramps, heat exhaustion, heat stroke and hyperthermia. Prolonged exposure to extremes in heat can make previously diagnosed chronic conditions worse, such as metabolic, cardiovascular, respiratory and cerebrovascular diseases. Some medications pose additional health risks when there is exposure to extreme heat or the sun. That’s why it is extremely important that as we gear up to spend prolonged time outdoors and in the summer heat, that we take proper precautions to protect our health. Here are some steps for you, your employees, neighbours and family to keep cool during the summer and early fall months. • Check the weather – always check your local forecast to make sure you know when to take extra precautions while outside. • Dress appropriately – wear loose fitted and light-coloured clothing. Having sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat also helps protect you during extreme heat waves.

• Pack lots of cool drinks – if you are heading to the barn or the field, make sure your vehicle or lunch box is filled with cool drinks, especially water. Pack drinks with electrolytes, like sports drinks or juices too. If you struggle with drinking enough water, try flavouring your water or add more fruits and vegetables into your diet to increase hydration. • Take breaks – add extra breaks in your daily routine. Move to a shaded or cool area, remove your gear and drink lots of fluids to allow your body time to cool before entering the heat again. • Be flexible – if you can, move activities that were planned for the hottest part of the day to early morning or the evening to prevent excessive heat exposure. • Watch for symptoms – if you start experiencing dizziness, nausea, vomiting, a headache, rapid breathing, a racing heartrate, extreme thirst or changes in behaviour, move to a cool place and drink fluids immediately. If you are with someone who is confused, has lost consciousness, or has stopped sweating, call 9-1-1 immediately. Heat stroke is a serious health concern. We wish you all the best during the remainder of the summer months and the harvest season. We hope everyone finds some time to spend with family and friends. Stay cool and stay safe! OB

ON TA R IO BEEF • AU GU ST 2020

OMAFRA UPDATE

Improving Efficiencies in a Feedlot Feeding Program By Megan Van Schaik, Beef Cattle Specialist, OMAFRA and Dr. Katie Wood, Associate Professor, University of Guelph www.omafra.on.ca

ooking for production efficiency opportunities on-farm is an important aspect of improving your bottom line. Tight profit margins often prompt an assessment of efficiencies that can be made on the farm. Since feed inputs represent a significant share of input costs for a feedlot, it’s a logical approach to look to feeding strategies to take stock of potential areas for improved efficiencies. Measuring feed to gain (F:G) is the most common approach to assessing feed conversion. When feed efficiency is discussed, the focus often tends to be on aspects of the ration that help improve feed efficiency and the genetic merit of cattle in converting feed into pounds of gain. These ration attributes are very important, and include composition of the ration (ingredients), grain processing, additives and growth promotants. In this article, we’ll cover some practical feeding aspects often left on the edge of discussions about improving efficiencies in a feeding program. These are aspects that should not be overlooked when fine-tuning production efficiencies to help increase profitability on your farm.

Assessing Your Feed Storage Approach In some cases, there can be considerable feed waste before the feed even reaches the feed bunk. As with any stored forage, the presence of oxygen can lead to decomposition of the silage by aerobic organisms, leading to dry matter losses. In a bunker silo, this can be a result of poor packing, insufficient cover on the silage pile, oxygen exposure or water seeping at the walls, or mismanagement of the face of the pile. Packing to achieve a bulk density of at least 45 lb. feed/cubic feet reduces exposure of feed to oxygen. Managing feed-out from a bunker or tower silo is also important for reducing dry matter losses. Recommended removal rates are four inches/day in the summer and three inches/day in the winter. This must be balanced with removing just enough feed for feeding as dry matter losses occur when silage is exposed to oxygen. A disturbed or rough face surface can result in dry matter losses in the range of one to three per cent. Although dry commodities are not as prone to spoilage, exposure to the elements can result in losses. Storing dry commodities in bins, commodity sheds, bags, etc. helps reduce exposure to moisture and prevent spoilage and losses. It’s also important to protect feed commodities from rodent or other wildlife damage. With any feed ingredient, shrink can also occur where feed trucks are overfilled and particles are lost to the wind. Protective shelters and coverings over conveyors and feed loading areas can prevent wind losses.

Feed Testing Making assumptions about the nutritional value of feedstuffs is costly because they can result in either over- or under-feeding nutrients to cattle. Work with your feed advisor to test homegrown and purchased feedstuffs for more accurate ration balancing. The introduction of near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) 12

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technology has helped reduce the costs of feed testing. Purchased ingredients may come with a certificate of analysis or guaranteed analysis that could help reduce feed testing costs. A small financial investment in feed testing can save thousands of dollars through precision in ration balancing over the course of the feeding period.

Mixing Consistency The objective with a TMR (total mixed ration) is to promote uniformity in the feed mix so that every mouthful is consistent. Providing a consistent ration can help improve feed efficiency and reduce digestive upsets. A mixer test can help determine if a uniform mix is being achieved. A mixer test typically involves taking a series of approximately 10 samples at equal intervals from the bunk, fresh after feed delivery or directly from where feed is dispensed as the feed truck or mixer empties out. A substrate (often a mineral) is tested in all the samples to determine how uniform the mix is. Once analyzed, the results can be used to determine if the mixing is adequate. Mixer tests should be done routinely to ensure consistency in feeding, and especially with any significant changes to the ration, after adjustments to equipment are made or new equipment is installed. A mixer test should reflect your typical mixing routine (mixing time, order ingredients are added to the TMR, batch size, etc.).

Bunk Management Improper bunk management can result in digestive orders, erratic dry matter intake and poor performance. Poor bunk management can reduce dry matter intake and average daily gain by up to 10 - 15 per cent. Feedlot operators should pay close attention to what their cattle are telling them through the feed bunk by adjusting rations daily and responding to potential health or performance issues. Researchers from South Dakota State University have developed a four-point bunk scoring system to assist feedlot operators in consistently and objectively monitoring intake (Table 1). Table 1. Four-Point Bunk Scoring System Score

Description

No feed remaining

Scattered feed remaining, most of the bottom of the bunk is exposed

Thin uniform layer of feed remaining (~one corn kernel deep)

25-50% of feed remaining

Greater than 50% of feed remaining with crown thoroughly disturbed

Feed is generally untouched, crown of feed from previous feed still noticeable

Adapted from Pritchard, R. South Dakota State University

This scoring system helps operators estimate actual dry mater intake (DMI) rather than relying solely on feed delivery records. Recording and graphing this data allows the operator to visually see trends in dry matter intake over a feeding period. While bunk management varies from operator to operator (i.e. slick bunk vs. some feed remaining), the success in bunk management is anchored in consistency and diligence in monitoring. This consistency is important in: • T iming of feeding (for best results, within 15 minutes of scheduled feeding time daily) • Timing of feed calls before first feeding • Personnel making the feed call • Feed mixing order and mixing time Since ruminal pH is influenced by rate of feed digestion, bunk management must consider factors that influence ruminal pH, like forage to concentrate ratio, grain source and processing method, and feeding frequency.

Reducing Environmental Stress Exposure to environmental elements can reduce performance and increase energy requirements and dry matter demand. Keeping pens and scrape alleys clean will help minimize energy losses associated with cattle walking through deep manure or mud in open lots. Reducing barriers to get to the bunk, like deep manure or mud will also help encourage feed intake.

Record Keeping

Fecal Testing Testing on the back end is another means of evaluating your feeding program. Monitoring starch digestion in feedlot cattle is an important aspect of assessing feed utilization efficiency, managing input costs, and gaining a better understanding of cattle performance and health. A fecal starch analysis is an effective tool for monitoring starch digestion. It provides a measure of the concentration of undigested starch and this unutilized starch represents a direct cost to the feedlot operator. Researchers have found that an increase in one per cent fecal starch results in a 0.162 Mcal reduction in net energy for maintenance (NEm) in cereal grains. A fecal starch analysis can provide important insight into feed utilization efficiency and high values should prompt a review of areas where improvements can be made. A fecal starch evaluation can also be used as an indicator of the impact of grain processing on total tract starch digestion when grain is the primary or only source of starch in the ration. Most commercial labs offer fecal starch analysis, either by NIRS or wet chemistry. Ideally, fecal starch levels should be as low as possible, but a fecal starch value of greater than 13 per cent suggests that changes need to be made to increase feed utilization efficiency.

It cannot be overstated – record keeping is an important monitoring tool to understand where inefficiencies lie and identify opportunities to increase profitability. This is true for any business for both production and financial variables. Record keeping is the backbone of any certification program, but is also critical to sound planning, benchmarking, and decision making for a feedlot. Although each feed has a unique set of conditions, there are several practices that can help improve feed margins on-farm, and these practices can be easily adopted by any feedlot. Reducing waste, testing feed and fecal samples for improved ration balancing, bunk management, reducing environmental stress, and sound record keeping are a selection of factors that could improve feed margins. OB

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ON TA R IO BEEF • AU GU ST 2020

RURAL RAMBLE By Dan Ferguson, Manager of Producer Relations dan@ontariobeef.com • www.ontariobeef.com

To Mask or Not to Mask – There is No Question W

e live on main roads, side roads, unimproved roads and a few dead ends, but generally we live in isolation. Our days take us from the house to the barn, to the tractor to the field, and not much is different in that world. The daily news has been scary, and the message to STAY HOME allows us to stay at work with our farming businesses. Mail gets delivered, calls come in, email and the internet keep us connected with little change to our routine – until we have to go to town. Parts, supplies, banking, post office, repairs – but no socializing. Not all our needs can be converted to online. So, we venture out and find out how much has changed with a trip to town. This was me at the Warkworth farm store, Went for feed, fencing, the Canada flag and nothing more. I called ahead and had my products set on the dock, As new rules make it tricky to look after our stock. These line ups and spacing and dots on the floor, Takes the joy out of trips to the local farm store. Like numbers, not humans we line up for service, And wonder what wrong we all did to deserve this. Small town businesses have had to adapt and it has put a lot of pressure and anxiety on their staff. Whether they use stacks of shaving bags, cases of oil, or cases of beer, the retail outlets have been very creative and thrifty in setting up barriers to ensure the six-foot physical distancing rule is respected. And then the mask rule came into effect. Another thing to remember when grabbing the truck keys, phone and wallet. No mask, no service is the new code. As I arrived to pick up feed and realized I had left it at home, I gingerly backed in to the feed dock for pick up when the lad in the mill yells at me like a police officer to, “STAY IN THE TRUCK, DON’T GET OUT.” So much for a chat about the weather, market prices, Trudeau or Trump. Just get your stuff and get out. A trip to town has always been therapy for me, but now that is gone, along with all the enlightening conversation (gossip). Trips to the larger centres are just as awkward. I went on the hardware store’s website to order a son’s birthday gift, chose the Cobourg location, found my item and added it to a shopping cart which I didn’t need because I only wanted the one thing, but could not arrange curbside, prepaid pick up. Then I found out that this store doesn’t stock the online product assortment on the website. I had to phone the store. They alternatively had other products that I settled for, then I found out curbside isn’t always same day because staffing

O N T A R I O B E E F • AUGUS T 2 0 2 0

Photo credit: Molly Taylor

levels are COVID-19 restricted. So the sales person advised me to come in and conventionally pick up and pay for the product like old times, and wear your mask. Then I thought I would bring home a take out from East Side Mario’s, my go to for comfort food. I called the number and commenced the order process through a phone centre somewhere in the world. I was sitting in my truck right outside the restaurant. That was a challenge, but I rose to the challenge and Visa’d the purchase. I was even able to arrange a pick up time at curb side for the Cobourg site. The order confirmation came up on my modern BlackBerry but I couldn’t open the link to fill in vehicle info for curbside recognition (I was supposed to pick a picture to prove I wasn’t a robot, but BlackBerry tech lags I guess). So I gingerly approached the establishment, moving ahead of the six-foot markers and budded into the line ahead of the others waiting for patio access, with my mask well secured to request my take out. With mask and language issues, my meal had a Don sticker on it and not Dan, so it took a couple trips in and out for staff to get the right order. But I did persevere and got my son his birthday gift, and a fancy take out meal for domestic bliss. And though wearing that mask seems more important than bringing the Visa card, we do our best. Each day brings new COVID-19 challenges, but we will all get through this. OB

ON TA R IO BEEF â&#x20AC;¢ AU GU ST 2020

RESEARCH UPDATE Ten New Beef Research Projects Receive BFO Funding Support By Lilian Schaer, Livestock Research Innovation Corporation

en new research projects have just been approved to receive funding from Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO). All projects are at the University of Guelph except one that is funded at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan. Two projects are co-funded with Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO). Professor Erica Pensini of the Department of Engineering is heading up one of the joint DFO projects where she’s looking into the development of bale and silage wrap from inexpensive yet robust biomaterials in the first project she’s had funded through BFO. “Plastics used on farm often can’t be recycled easily, especially if they’re dirty or contaminated with other substances,” notes Katherine Fox, Manager of Policy and Issues at BFO. “This project is looking at biodegradable bale wrap for options in how we can better dispose of or recycle single use plastic from farm use.” Professor Ron Johnson from the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the Ontario Veterinary College is leading the other project cofunded by DFO, a food safety study examining withdrawal times for dexamethasone in dairy and beef cattle. University of Saskatchewan’s Professor Cheryl Waldner received funding from BFO towards her work in detecting antimicrobialresistant bacterial pathogens that cause bovine respiratory disease. Waldner is with the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences and is the NSERC/Beef Cattle Research Council Industrial Research We are a 12,500 head capacity Chair in One Health backgrounding and ﬁnishing custom and ProductionLimiting Diseases. feedlot in Hamiota, Manitoba! Also of note is a • Central location, perfect for new project focused on transport regulations. an alternative hide • Destinations and/or slaughter plants East and disposal strategy for Ontario processors. West attainable without unnecessary stops This work is headed while adhering to regularory guidelines. up by Brandon • For Ontario customers this means no Gilroyed from the dropping cattle in Thunder Bay! University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus. PEN SIZES AVAILABLE: “There are limited 125 AND 250 HEAD EACH options for hide Please give us a call to discuss your speciﬁc disposal in Ontario,” needs - we look forward to serving you! said Fox, adding ASK FOR LARRY OR LINDSAY that Gilroyed will be investigating a 204-764-2449 or 204-729-6423 process to dissolve hides using ambient Hamiota, Manitoba alkaline hydrolysis.

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O N T A R I O B E E F • AUGUS T 2 0 2 0

BFO received 28 letters of intent and requested full proposals from 12 researchers before making its funding decisions. The organization’s research priorities cover 10 major theme areas: animal health, animal welfare, environment, economics, food safety, genetics and reproduction, market research, nutrition and feeding systems, production systems, and product quality. The organization has $200,000 in available research funds per year for three years with the discretion to fund ad hoc projects as needed outside of the annual call for research proposals. “Research is a crucial part of our industry‘s efforts to identify better, more efficient and more sustainable methods of raising cattle and producing high-quality beef,” says BFO President Rob Lipsett. “Committing to research projects benefits farmers and consumers alike, and is important to help drive competitiveness and innovation in our industry. We are looking forward to the findings of each of the projects we have chosen to support.” According to Fox, COVID-19 may impact the start of some of the projects newly approved for funding. Summer student numbers are down this year as a result of the pandemic and accommodations for physical distancing can reduce work capacity and research progress. BFO works closely with Livestock Research Innovation Corporation (LRIC) to manage its research program, including the call for proposals process and funding administration. LRIC also helped BFO develop the Research Investment Strategy which helps guide funding decisions by the BFO research committee. This collaborative approach limits duplication of research efforts and helps ensure a sound return on the sector’s research investment. Other projects funded by BFO this year: • Understanding how bovine respiratory disease risk factors promote development of pneumonia as a strategy to develop new ways to prevent disease – Professor Jeff Caswell, Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College • Pain control using various dosing regimens of oral meloxicam for band castration in newborn beef calves – Professor Jessica Gordon, Department of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College • Antimicrobial use and resistance in Ontario cow-calf herds – establishing a baseline for antimicrobial stewardship – Professor Jessica Gordon, Department of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College • Effects of pasture management strategies on carbon sequestration, soil health and forage productivity of optimizing cow-calf performance using sustainable production practices – Professor Ira Mandell, Department of Animal Biosciences • Individual variation and repeatability of fibre digestibility, gas emissions and feed efficiency in beef heifers – Professor Katie Wood, Department of Animal Biosciences More information about BFO’s research funding is available at www.ontariobeef.com/research/overview.aspx. OB

FARM & FOOD CARE ONTARIO

Meeting Online Interest in Ontario Farms By Kelly Daynard, Executive Director, Farm & Food Care Ontario

raditionally, Farm & Food Care Ontario (FFCO) hosts a number of public outreach activities in a year. These include Breakfast on the Farm events, Local Food Week and Ontario Agriculture Week activities, and tours out of Toronto and Ottawa for food influencers. However, with all outreach activities cancelled for the remainder of this year, work continues to be put into creating and expanding online resources to help Ontarians connect with those who produce their food. In May, BFO Director Jordan Miller and his cousin Cam Runnalls took over the FFCO Facebook page to give a 30-minute live tour of their cow-calf farm on Manitoulin Island. The project, done in partnership with AgScape, reached 8,480 people with 1,471 engagements. Throughout the tour, guests from across Ontario and beyond asked questions about the cattle’s diets, how consumers can support local farmers, housing, fencing systems, the farm’s dog (who also appeared in the video) and much more. Miller and Runnalls were able to answer all questions in real time.

In June, FFCO again partnered with AgScape and were joined by OFA’s Six by Sixteen program to host a series of online Local Food Week activities. Six Facebook Live farm tours and two live cooking demonstrations by Toronto food influencer Andrea Buckett were held throughout the week, generating a reach of 136,000 and 5,800 engagements. At a time when we are unable to bring people to farms, the online activities are proving to be a great secondary option. In September, FFCO and BFO will begin filming a new virtual reality (VR) project on two Ontario beef farms. The VR tour project, to be released in November on www.FarmFood360.ca, will join 15 other tours of Canadian farms and food processing facilities already on the site. Since the beginning of COVID-19, the number of users have increased by 1,870% to this website compared to the same period in 2019. As we continue to move through 2020, FFCO’s virtual communications tools will offer unique and engaging ways to reach Ontario consumers at a time when large public events aren’t an option. OB

ON TA R IO BEEF • AU GU ST 2020

New Research to Better Understand M. bovis Disease Development in Cattle By Karli Longthorne

ighty per cent of co-mingled calves in Ontario beef feedlots are expected to be infected by Mycoplasma bovis pneumonia (M. bovis), one of the major causes of chronic respiratory disease. New research underway at the University of Guelph is aimed at developing an effective solution to this widespread issue. M. bovis is a bacterial infection that can cause pneumonia, arthritis and chronic respiratory disease, which has been estimated to cost the Canadian beef industry $75 million per year, and lead to reduced weight gain and early death. Available vaccines are mostly ineffective, perhaps because there is a lack of knowledge about how the disease develops. That’s where University of Guelph Professor Jeff Caswell, Department of Pathobiology, and a team of researchers are making headway. They are the first to discover the main cell type comprising the lesions of infected cattle – and they’re the first to create conditions where M. bovis damages bovine cells in the lab. Caswell says these new discoveries will help inform more targeted future prevention and treatment efforts on a not very well understood disease. “Ontario beef cattle producers have struggled to effectively protect their cattle from M. bovis because calves often fail to respond to the current antibiotic treatments,” he says. “We believe that our discoveries will lead to improved methods to control and treat this pervasive disease.” Caswell’s previous research suggested that M. bovis only manifests if an animal has inflammation in its lungs from prior infection. M. bovis changes the lung tissue by creating small hard lesions of dead tissue, which provides an environment for the bacterium to thrive and grow even in the face of antibiotic treatment. Caswell and his research team are conducting lab studies to identify the types of cells that make up lesions in M. bovis-infected lung tissue. They have found conditions in which M. bovis kills these cells.

“Antibiotics can’t get into the dead tissue, which could be why we see the pneumonia relapse after antibiotics are withdrawn,” he says. “Now that we know the type of cell which comprises this tissue, we are closer to figuring out how to tackle this disease.” He says that to prevent the harmful outcomes of M. bovis, researchers need to focus on the calf’s response. They have conducted studies at the Ontario Beef Research Centre at the Elora Research Station, where they compared two groups of calves – those who received an inflammatory stimulus prior to being infected with M. bovis, and those who didn’t. The researchers found that calves given the inflammatory stimulus before being infected had more disease. Caswell believes that’s because calves who develop the disease have prior inflammation in their lungs, which creates a better environment for bacteria to thrive and grow. “If we can figure out how to dampen the calf’s inflammatory response or prevent what is causing the initial inflammation, this might prevent the development of disease,” says Caswell. These findings and ongoing research might lead to improved diagnostic testing for disease-causing strains of M. bovis. “I think the problem we’ve had with this disease is that we haven’t fundamentally understood how it develops,” says Caswell. “It feels like we are closer to figuring out the circumstances in which M. bovis causes damage to calf tissue.” Collaborators for this research includes Monica Baquero and Ksenia Vulikh, in the Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, and Saskatoon researcher Jose Perez-Casal. This research was funded by the Beef Science Cluster Grant for the Beef Cattle Research Council, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, through the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance. OB

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O N T A R I O B E E F • AUGUS T 2 0 2 0

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL CJSA VIRTUAL SHOW PARTICIPANTS! Please see the OSA website for more information on these upcoming events: Hill Haven Online Sale: October 8-10 Girls of Glenrothes Sale: October 18 OSA Fall Classic Sale: November 21 Follow us on Facebook and check our website for current news at

www.ontarioshorthorns.com

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ON TA R IO BEEF â&#x20AC;¢ AU GU ST 2020

Ontario Beef Farmers Support Local Communities During Crisis W

hen Ontario food banks put out the call for help during the COVID-19 pandemic, farmers from across the province stepped up to help. While news channels were full of crisis updates and illness reports, good news stories emerged about community food bank donations of items like eggs, ground beef and vegetables. Many of these donations came directly from local farmers or farm organizations who wanted to help their neighbours. Here are a few highlights from across the province.

Elgin The Elgin Beef Farmers supported the West Elgin Daffodil Auxiliary and their local community of Dutton during the COVID-19 pandemic. The group donated $500 towards the purchase of 300 lb. of ground beef and coordinated a socially-distanced pickup and delivery of the beef. The Elgin Beef Farmers were proud to be part of the community outreach program, showing support from local farmers.

ground beef donation from charity camps to the community pantry this year. Since its inception, the spirit of the community pantry has spread. Dave says a neighbour now collects empties and donates the money to buy food items, and whenever the pantry was running low a call for donations over social media was met with overwhelming response. The couple even offered a portion of their large vegetable garden to anyone who wanted to try growing their own food. Two sisters now manage the entire garden, growing produce for the community pantry and anyone else who needs it. “This all stemmed from the pandemic situation, when it was a tough time and people were in need. Everyone appreciates the pantry – those who use it and those who are able to make a difference by donating,” says Dave, explaining that, while pantry visitors have slowed in recent weeks, the pantry will remain open with community support.

Continued on page 22.

Linn McCann, West Elgin Daffodil Auxiliary and Alan Carroll, past president of the Elgin Beef Farmers in Dutton.

Frontenac Ground beef donations were an essential food item at the Yarker Road Community Pantry in Frontenac County. More than 1,000 lb. of beef was donated by the Beef Farmers of Frontenac, members themselves and local cattle breeders. This unique self-serve approach to providing the local community with access to food started with an industrial-sized fridge strategically positioned at an entrance way to the Perry Farm, the home of Dave and Kim Perry in Harrowsmith. On March 31, the couple set up and stocked the fridge, including donations of ground beef, pies from Kim’s store, Food Less Travelled, vegetables and other pantry staples. Access to food, grocery stores and for some, the ability to purchase food on limited means as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, was the driving force for setting up the community pantry. Over the weeks, the pantry was named the Yarker Road Community Pantry and, thanks to the local community, donations of food and money poured in. “The pantry works on a free access system where people can come and help themselves or drop off donations. It has become so popular we added a small building for dry goods,” says Dave Perry, who is also the president of the Beef Farmers of Frontenac, and notes that the group reallocated their annual 20

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BEEF FARMERS OF ONTARIO While many local associations supported their regional food banks and community programs, BFO provided an annual donation of $20,000 to the Feed Ontario program to purchase fresh ground beef. An additional $10,000 was also donated to support Feed Ontario’s COVID-19 Emergency Food Box program that created pre-packed emergency food boxes with a week’s worth of food in one centralized location for food banks across Ontario. BFO is pleased to report $3,875 in cash donations was also raised after BFO challenged producers and consumers to rally together to support the Feed Ontario Food Box program. As a result, 403,000 emergency food boxes were packaged and shipped to every corner of the province to help alleviate the impact of COVID-19 for families in need. Despite some of the most challenging times, good news stories continue to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic. Thank you to everyone who continues to support their food banks, community programs, friends and neighbours.

IT’S TIME TO ADD

CHAROLAIS TO YOUR HERD

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this summer and fall and see the excellent Charolais Females FOR SALE privately too.

Check out www.ontariocharolais.com OR contact our secretary Doris Aitken at 519–323–2538

ON TA R IO BEEF • AU GU ST 2020

Continued from page 20. – Ontario

Beef Farmers Support Local Communities During Crisis

Lambton Despite social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic, two groups came together for the first time to support rural food banks in Lambton County. To ‘beef’ up their donation, the Lambton Cattlemen’s Association invited the Lambton Grain Farmers to match their donation of $1,000 to purchase and process a cow for ground beef. Members of both groups supported the initiative that saw donations of 100 lb. of ground beef delivered to six different rural food banks across the county. “For more than five years our group has been donating ground beef to local food banks twice each year,” says Tom Wilson, delegate for the Lambton Cattlemen’s Association and former BFO board member. “This year we knew we needed to make a donation when it was needed the most – during the pandemic – and we were pleased to partner with the local grain farmers organization to make the donation more impactful.” With more ground beef to donate, the groups also extended their reach to another rural food bank. Wilson says that in the past, the Lambton Cattlemen’s Association donated to food banks in the communities of Forest, Alvinston, Oil Springs, Watford and Petrolia. “This year we added Corunna and everyone was so grateful,” he says. “It’s important to support our food banks because most of us don’t realize how tough some people have it right now.”

Joe Dickenson, chair of the Lambton Cattlemen’s Association and Brad Podolinsky, chair of the Lambton Grain Farmers deliver ground beef to rural food banks in Lambton County.

Lennox & Addington Every December, the Lennox & Addington Cattlemen’s Association donate locally produced ground beef to the Salvation Army Food Bank. Funds to purchase the beef are raised throughout the year at their semi-annual dances. The fundraising dances are popular with the community, drawing volunteers and attendees from the local agriculture community and beyond. This year, the group changed their plans. After discussing the pandemic situation and concern about food access for families in their community, members of the Lennox & Addington Cattlemen’s Association voted unanimously to make their annual donation in early May. “Despite cancelling our dance this year, we knew we needed to support our community at a time they needed it the most,” says Brian Windover, secretary-treasurer for the organization. 22

O N T A R I O B E E F • AUGUS T 2 0 2 0

The group purchased 500 lb. of ground beef from Brian Quinns Meats Ltd. in Yarker. The processor topped up the food bank donation by adding 10 large turkeys. “The food bank was grateful and we kept Lennox & Addington Cattlemen’s Association them scrambling to president, Terry Burns delivers 500 lb. of ground beef to the Salvation Army Food Bank in Napanee. find enough freezer space,” says Windover. The spirit of community support came full circle for the Lennox & Addington Cattlemen’s Association – soon after they made their donation, a large cash donation was also made to the food bank. The director of the food bank connected with the group to support local beef farmers and the processor by using the donation to purchase more locally produced ground beef.

Peterborough Every year, the Peterborough County Cattlemen’s Association donates to the Kawartha Food Share program. The donation is raised from a fundraiser held at their annual summer barbecue, and despite the 4-H members and barbecue attendees enjoy the cancellation of this annual Peterborough County Cattlemen’s Association year’s event, the summer barbecue that raises funds for the Kawartha group made a $1,000 Food Share program. The event was not held in 2020 due to COVID-19. donation earlier this spring during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s donation brings the total donation to $5,370 for the program since 2017. “Our 2020 donation came from savings, but the urgency during COVID-19 inspired us to continue to support the Kawartha Food Share program. We believe this is an extremely efficient organization that deserves our support,” says Pat Leahy, secretary-treasurer for the Peterborough County Cattlemen’s Association. For every dollar the group donates, the Kawartha Food Share program is able to purchase $6 worth of food. “The program’s mandate is to ensure that members of Peterborough have access to a reliable emergency food source and create public awareness about the impact of hunger.” The Peterborough County Cattlemen’s Association annual barbecue is a popular community event, drawing as many as 800 people each year. The group offers a barbecue beef dinner, live music, door prizes and a 4-H calf show. The charity fundraising silent and live auction has been a highlight of the event since 2012 when director Mike Telford first organized the fundraiser. OB

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Want more info? E-mail us at info@canadabeef.ca

canadabeef.ca/mycanadianbeef

1/4 cup EACH olive oil and orange juice 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tsp minced chipotle in adobo sauce 3/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper 2 small zucchini, halved lengthwise 2 cobs of sweet corn 2 orange bell peppers, halved and seeded 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved 1 cup cooked black beans

Burger: • • • •

• •

1 lb (500 g) lean ground beef 1 small onion, grated 1/3 cup green olives, pitted and chopped 3 tbsp raisins or currants, soaked in hot water for 10 minutes, drained and chopped 2 tsp chili powder 3/4 tsp EACH ground cumin, coriander, cinnamon and salt

To Make the Bowl: • • • •

3 cups warm cooked whole grain rice 1/4 cup torn cilantro 3 tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds Yogurt Sauce (recipe follows)

Instructions 1. Preheat grill to medium heat; grease grates well. To make dressing, whisk oil with orange juice, garlic, chipotle, salt and pepper. Toss 3 tbsp of the dressing with the zucchini, corn and peppers. Grill vegetables, turning occasionally, for 10 to 12 minutes or until tender and slightly charred. Transfer to cutting board; let cool. 2. Cut corn off the cobs into a large bowl. Chop zucchini into bite-sized pieces and slice peppers into thin strips; add to corn, along with tomatoes, beans and an additional 3 tbsp of dressing. Set aside. In a large bowl, gently mix beef with onion, olives, raisins, 3. chili powder, cumin, coriander, cinnamon and salt. Divide mixture into 6 equal portions; form into 3/4-inch (2 cm) thick patties. Make a thumbprint depression in centre of each patty (to prevent rounding while grilling). 4. Preheat grill to medium heat; grease grates well. Grill for 5 to 7 minutes per side, testing doneness with a digital rapid-read thermometer inserted sideways into centre of each patty to ensure patties are cooked to 160°F (71°C). Divide warm rice, Grilled Vegetable Salad and burgers evenly among 5. 6 shallow bowls. Top with cilantro and pumpkin seeds. Serve with Yogurt Sauce (recipe follows). Yogurt Sauce: Stir remaining dressing into 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt. Stir in 1 tsp minced chipotle in adobo sauce.

You know what you love, and you know why you love it. It’s the simple satisfaction and nourishment that REAL BEEF delivers.

For more recipes and more reasons to love beef visit thinkbeef.ca/real

ON TA R IO BEEF • AU GU ST 2020

FOCUS ON HERD HEALTH Pain Control: When and How to Use It By Dr Christie Ryan, DVM, Central Ontario Veterinary Services

shown to shorten healing times, reduce lung lesions, and improve ith the relentless heat of summer persisting, it is hard to average daily gains. Pain control should also be used for cattle and imagine that autumn and fall calf processing are just around calves with injuries and difficulties the corner. To prepare for the busy days calving (both cow and calf). As a new of processing, it’s important to plan mother myself, I am a major supporter your use of pain control medications. of the use of pain control for As of 2018, the Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Beef Cattle calving difficulties. requires the use of pain control, in When it comes to choosing which consultation with a veterinarian, when NSAID will work best for your farm, castrating bulls older than six months there are a few things to consider. The of age. The Code also requires use of route of administration is variable for pain control for dehorning calves. each product, and that can change how As a veterinarian, I recommend the convenient each product is in your setuse of pain control using non-steroidal up. Meat withdrawals and costs are also anti-inflammatory (NSAID) medications variable between products. Typically, on all cattle experiencing a painful more expensive products have shorter procedure like castration and dehorning, withdrawal times, or have a longer regardless of the age of the animal or duration of action. In my experience the method used. There are countless you really “get what you pay for” with scientific studies to support how NSAID medications. The following painful these procedures are on calves, chart provides information about especially if multiple procedures are NSAIDs currently available for treating performed at one time. For castration, beef cattle. All of these products are it has been found that the older the prescription medications. Your herd calf is, the more pain they experience. veterinarian will help you decide on the Calves experience varying levels of pain most appropriate medications for pain depending on the method of castration control on your farm. OB – clamp castration (Burdizzo method) is the least painful, followed by Duration Meat Cost for banding/ring and knife/surgical. Medication Label Claim Dose of Action Withdrawal 300 kg calf Giving calves pain control • Treatment of fever, pain and prior to these procedures 1.5 mL per Ketoprofen inflammation associated with a <1 day 24 hours $21 dramatically reduces their pain at 100 kg IV or IM variety of conditions a physiological and behavioural • Control of fever associated with level. The positive benefits of Flunixin BRD, endotoxemia and mastitis 2 mL per 45 kg reducing pain and inflammation meglumine 1 day 6 days $12 • Control of inflammation associated IV slowly include increased feed intake injectable with endotoxemia soon after the procedure, Flunixin • Reduction of fever associated with increased lying time, and 1 mL per 15 kg meglumine BRD and pain associated with 1 day 13 days $12.50 decreased stress hormones even along the back transdermal foot rot months after castration. • To improve appetite and weight Pain control is a necessary gain in calves with diarrhea tool at processing time, and • For pain relief following disbudding something I recommend (removal of horn bud in young 2.5 mL per producers always have onMeloxicam calves) >2 days 100 kg IV or 20 days $21 farm. Cattle can experience • Treatment of pain and injectable under the skin pain, inflammation and fevers inflammation associated with with many infections, including mastitis Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD), • For reduction of pain associated with abdominal surgery diarrhea and mastitis. The use of an NSAID medication, plus • Alleviation of pain and Meloxicam 10 mL per antibiotics or fluid therapy to inflammation associated with >2 days 35 days $11.50 oral 150 kg orally treat these infections, has been castration 24

O N T A R I O B E E F • AUGUS T 2 0 2 0

CANADIAN BEEF CHECK-OFF AGENCY UPDATE By Melinda German, General Manager, Canadian Beef Check-Off Agency

t has been just over four years since our provincial cattle association partners drove the change that created the Canadian Beef Check-Off Agency (Agency) as we know it today. Since then, we have grown into our roles as staff and board, and have carved out a more defined place in the industry. Over the past four years, we have shifted our focus from managing both the check-off dollars and marketing, to zeroing in on the administration of the check-off. The Agency and everyone from board and staff have undergone a huge culture change, and this past year it occurred to me how big of a feat this has been. This work has helped us to focus on what is important for producers – delivering a measurable return for their investments. The producer representatives at our board table are incredible advocates for the industry across Canada, which can be complicated at times with such a diverse nation when it comes to cattle production. But in the end, it is their commitment to the National Beef Strategy, along with all of the other industry stakeholders on our board, that keeps the Agency doing what’s right for our industry as a whole. The Agency’s own administration and programing are focused on areas like regulatory compliance and stakeholder communication. These areas help ensure check-off dollars are collected in a fair way, and invested in ways that deliver the most value possible for Canada’s beef and veal producers. Activities like our audit and inspection program, which helped us reach a new audience of producers and dealers, and our communication strategies, help the Agency maximize the dollars invested into research, market development and promotion. We have found new ways to reduce slippage of check-off and import levy dollars, and continue to support our provincial partners in doing the same.

The Agency’s programs, while important, are only a fraction of the dollars invested into the industry by producers. The bulk of the funds are invested into research, marketing, and public and stakeholder engagement programs that deliver measurable value. The Melinda German, General service providers behind these areas, the Manager, Canadian Beef Beef Cattle Research Council, Canada Beef, Check-Off Agency and the Public and Stakeholder Engagement Program have an exceptional amount of talent and industry knowledge that help them find the best ways to deliver value to our industry. These service providers do all the heavy lifting and producers can be proud of the dedication these leaders have to deliver programs on their behalf. We have developed and implemented a new three-year strategy, and we’re excited to start a new chapter with our defined identity. We hear quite often that our organization exudes passion – that the people who lead us are so dedicated to doing right by those that they represent. This is something to be proud of and to shape ourselves around. We want to continue doing right by Canadian beef and veal producers, and delivering them every cent of value for their investment that we can –through our own Agency programs, and programs and strategies implemented by our national service providers. The Agency’s goals can be achieved if we continue to work together with our provincial and national partners, and stay connected with the 60,000 Canadian beef and veal producers from coast to coast. I know we are committed to this, and to the open and transparent management of our organization and of check-off dollars. I am looking forward to working through our new strategy, and to working closely with all of our great industry partners. OB

CHECK-OFF DEDUCTION REMITTANCE FORM Every cattle seller (including sales by private treaty) is required under Regulation 54 of the Beef Cattle Marketing Act (BCMA) to pay a $4.50 per head Ontario license fee and a $1.00 per head national levy, for a total of a $5.50 per head check-off. Breeding stock, cull dairy cows, and beef calves are included. Exemptions exist only for cattle sold for the production of milk and veal. Fees are payable by the 15th of the month following deduction. Please note: Licenced Livestock Dealers who sell cattle within seven business days of having purchased them may apply for a rebate with proper documentation. Firm or Individual Producer Reporting

Forward cheque payable to the Beef Farmers of Ontario with this report. Please retain one copy for your files.

HST Registration No: Period Covered by this Report: a) Number of Head Sold:

Finished:

I declare that this information represents a true and accurate statement of check-off deductions required to be made under Regulation 54 of the BCMA and the Canadian Beef Cattle Research Market Development and Promotion Agency.

Stocker:

Breeding Stock Females:

Culls:

Breeding Stock Bulls:

Calves:

b) Total BFO Check-off ($5.50xa)

Date:

c) HST on BFO Check-off (bx13%)

Signature:

d) Total Amount Owing (b+c)

Print Name: Address:

Mail to: Beef Farmers of Ontario 130 Malcolm Road Guelph, Ontario N1K 1B1

HST# R107797128

ON TA R IO BEEF • AU GU ST 2020

AGSIGHTS UPDATE Should I Stay or Should I Go

By Jasper Munro, AgSights Manager of Research and Innovation jmunro@agsisghts.com • www.agsights.com

or many of us, August means the calf crop is off and running, breeding season is wrapping up and the cows are pregnant… hopefully. A dry July impacted forage yields across the province and may already be pulling on stored feed inventories. Meanwhile, the impact of COVID-19 continues, with expected uncertainty in fall stocker and cull cow markets. Weather and the economy – both are factors that are all too familiar when it comes to selection decisions. So, how do we determine who stays and who goes? A common topic that is often overlooked and undervalued. Countless resources on making these ‘selection decisions’ are available. Resources cover the three main factors in a selection decision: available resources (feed, bedding, bunk space), the market (stocker price, retail market) and the breeding objective – the traits (birth weight, weaning weight) and their importance for the target market. Most operations have a good handle on their available winter feed stores, building capacity, bedding, etc. Next is determining our market. Are we selling weaned calves, short-yearlings or selling direct to market? Finally, we need to determine important traits for our market and identify superior animals. This is where the challenge begins. Across the industry there are countless traits and tools that can be used for selecting animals. A robust and efficient approach is estimated progeny differences (EPDs) – a method estimating the genetic merit of an animal using its own, pedigree and progeny records. To make a refined selection decision, the relative importance of each EPD must be considered. Multiple EPDs must be considered, often complicating our understanding and limiting EPD use. In more recent years, breed associations have rolled out selection indexes. An approach that combines multiple EPDs, and their importance (weighting) in the predefined breeding objective, into one value. For some, selection indexes simplify animal selection but limit our ability to set and implement our breeding objective. The need for a simple but dynamic approach to animal selection is clear.

O N T A R I O B E E F • AUGUS T 2 0 2 0

Since 1993, AgSights has offered across-breed EPDs, coined acrossbreed comparisons (ABCs), and selection indexes ($BIO) through services, tools and reports that have seen diminished use. Client feedback and industry input was clear, we needed to re-evaluate our approach to animal selection. Earlier this year we began designing and building a simple, customizable animal selection tool called AgSights Amplify. AgSights Amplify will be accessible by all (including non-AgSights members) through our website (www.agsights.com), enabling all beef farmers to simplify and optimize their selection decisions. There are just two steps: select your basic animal requirements (sex, breed, location) and then select the traits (ABCs) and their importance to your breeding objective. Once the Amplify tool considers correlated traits and indirect selection, the information is used to create your custom selection index. Amplify will search the AgSights database and display birth, pedigree, performance and ABC information on the top animals that meet your breeding objective – animals with the highest custom selection index. Users of Go360|bioTrack or AgSights Bull and Heifer Evaluations will be able to easily select replacement heifers and bull test candidates, identify potential herd sires and compare mature cows. Any breeder, farmer or rancher will have access to Amplify to enter their criteria and identify potential heifers or bulls for sale that meet their needs. The design and development of AgSights Amplify is underway and we are anticipating its release in time for bull and heifer evaluations this fall. The success and usefulness of the program will depend on your input. As a member cooperative, our products and services are only successful if they create value for our members. Feedback following initial release will ensure that Amplify continues to improve, helping operations simplify selection decisions and amplify their herd’s genetic improvement.

Photo courtesy of Staden Farms

Photo courtesy of Canadian Sheep Federation

GET TO KNOW US BETTER Photo courtesy of Connie Seutter

CCIA is the responsible administrator for cattle, bison, sheep and pending regulation, cervids and goats in Canada (with some exceptions in Quebec).

canadaid.ca

CCIA

CANADIAN CATTLE IDENTIFICATION AGENCY

KNOW | CLTS DATABASE clts.canadaid.ca Login to your CLTS account via your home computer or MOBO app; input your premises ID number and update your account information.

Prepare for proposed regulatory amendments now, to save time later. Get to know the Canadian Livestock Tracking System (CLTS), learn how by using the CLTS Resource Centre. Take a look at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s TRACE newsletters for information on the proposed amendments at https://www.canadaid.ca/traceability/newsletters/

LEARN | CLTS RESOURCE CENTRE support.canadaid.ca An online information and learning source on how to use the Canadian Livestock Tracking System (CLTS).

USE | TRACEABILITY TECHNOLOGY support.canadaid.ca/clts-mobo/ Download the CLTS MOBO phone app from your favorite app store and put the CLTS database in your hand.

To learn more about how we are working towards traceability together, visit:

canadaid.ca

info@canadaid.ca | 1-877-909-2333

ON TA R IO BEEF • AU GU ST 2020

CANADA BEEF UPDATE

New Website Launched for Industry Professionals By Michele McAdoo, Executive Director, Brand & Communications, Canada Beef

The website provides a “one-stop-shop” to facilitate industry engagement with Canadian beef. Planned content includes regularly updated trade headlines, market intelligence and statistical information, a library of instructional videos from the Canadian Beef Centre of Excellence, and merchandising resources from the Canada Beef channel marketing team. The website also includes a section on processing with a directory of federally-inspected Canadian beef and veal primary processors. There is a comprehensive COVID-19 section with information and resources specific to the meat industry. Here’s a look at some of the content.

Retail Tools Canada Beef has developed resources at cdnbeefperforms.ca to help retailers promote Canadian beef to consumers right at the meat counter.

anada Beef has launched a new website - cdnbeefperforms.ca with information and resources specifically for meat professionals in the retail, foodservice and processing sectors.

Ground Beef and Ground Veal Resources Plant-based protein companies are creating new product lines and investing in marketing outreach targeting the high traffic ground meat section. To address this, Canada Beef continues to develop solutions to increase category growth and profitability. The “Ground Beef and Veal Inspiration Guide” highlights value-added solutions for the ground meat category that can be produced at retail full-service, self-serve or HMR (home meal replacement) as well as foodservice operations.

THE GLEN ISLAY KIND THANK YOU to all our bull customers, many repeat buyers, and some new breeders that have never used Angus bulls before. It is not too early to reserve your bulls for next year. Watch for our top-notch female consignments to The Blue Water Sale Oct. 17 at Cargill Ontario.

No One Ever Regretted Buying Quality.

DON & JEANNETTE CURRIE R R # 1, Nottawa, Ontario L0M 1P0 Phone/Fax: 705-445-1526 Cell: 705-715-2234 • Email: doncurrie@glenislay.com 28

O N T A R I O B E E F • AUGUS T 2 0 2 0

Consumer marketing support also includes on-pack labels with simple and easy-to-follow cooking instructions on ground beef and veal labels. These clear-view labels are transparent and designed to let the ground meat colour shine through. Canada Beef will also provide scale file resources and funding support to update existing scale label details to include cooking information for ground beef and veal.

How-to-Cook Label Program for Retailers

beef. Topics include consumer-oriented “slice and save” videos for top sirloin, eye of round and rib eye, plus foodservice “menu maximizing” collections for tenderloin, chuck roll and flat iron. Check out the full library of videos at cdnbeefperforms.ca/videos.

Canada Beef produced two new on-pack label tools featuring the well-tested “3-step Standard Beef Cooking Instructions.” With many consumers new to the kitchen, they may lack the skills to properly prepare beef and these labels will give them the confidence to buy and cook Canadian beef. The two options now available include clear-view labels and scale-label cooking instructions. For more information, visit cdnbeefperforms.ca. The nine beef cuts featured include steaks (grilling, simmering, marinating, new: yakiniku grill), roasts (pot roast, oven roast), kabob cubes, stew beef/short ribs, and stir-fry strips.

COVID-19 Materials Industry and consumer materials are available at cdnbeefperforms.ca/covid19updates. These include videos and fact sheets about food safety and safeguarding the Canadian meat supply along with links to important government and industry online resources.

COVID-19 Industry Training Materials As part of the ongoing efforts to protect the health and well-being of everyone in our industry, a COVID-19 essentials training resource has been developed, providing information on four topics: 1. Understanding COVID-19 2. Staying safe at home

Marinating Sachets

3. Staying safe at work

Canada Beef is working with partners to provide solutions at the meat counter. Canada Beef and Food Supplies launched the Value Cut Grilling Steak Program on June 15. Benefiting both retailers and consumers, this program targets end-cuts that need tenderizing. Retailers promote these less popular, tougher cuts of beef (like flanks and blades) by offering consumers a free sachet of 20-minute beef marinade with purchase.

4. Self-care and symptom assessment The training materials are currently available in PDF form in English, French, Spanish, Tagalog, Simplified Chinese, Portuguese and Tigrinya (shortly). These materials can be accessed by visiting cdnbeefperforms.ca/covid-19-training. For more information about Canada Beef activities, please sign-up for Canada Beef Performs – a monthly e-newsletter designed to keep beef producers and stakeholders informed about the work Canada Beef is doing at home and around the world. Visit canadabeef.ca/producer to sign up.

18TH ANNUAL

ONTARIO AUTUMN

SIMMENTAL CLASSIC SALE

Saturday, September 12, 2020 – 1:00pm At Maple Hill Auctions, Hanover, Ontario

(located on Bruce Rd. # 4 between Hanover & Walkerton)

On offer will be approximately 60 lots of Fullbloods, Fullflecks, Red & Black Simmental cattle from these progressive breeders.

Independent Retail Operator Program Many independent grocery retailers are looking for point-ofpurchase material that clearly communicates their commitment to providing 100% Canadian Beef to their customers. Canada Beef now offers a kit with generic promotional materials for the meat counter. The kit includes meat counter dividers, cling vinyl signage, stickers and consumer materials.

Norwood Family Farm, Vailview Farms, Dobbie Simmentals, Norfolk Cattle Co., Brooksland Farms, MacCrostie Livestock, Waydamar Farms, Locust Hill Farms, Weppler Cattle Co., Ottercreek Farm, Marywood Simmentals, Sunrise Simmentals, Robson Acres, Kern Simmentals, Gilchrist Farms, Jimmy Joe Henderson, Scott Jensen, Car-Laur Simmentals

Training Videos for Industry and Consumers

For more information contact

The Canadian Beef Centre of Excellence (CBCE) is embracing the current need for digital training resources and increased distance learning opportunities. Quick, engaging and entertaining, the videos meet the needs of four distinct Canadian beef-user audiences from aspiring home chefs and butchers to seasoned veterans in culinary and meat cutting industries. Both consumer and trade audiences can learn specific skills and techniques from the videos to increase use and enjoyment of Canadian

Car-Laur Simmentals

Carl & Laurie Wright 519-369-3658 Carl cell 519-369-7489 • Ben cell 519-374-3335 Email: carlaurcattle@gmail.com Or contact any of the above breeders.

View catalog online at www.buyagro.com

ON TA R IO BEEF • AU GU ST 2020

2020 FALL STOCKER SALES Schedules are subject to change given the conditions of the industry. Please call the sale contact or check the BFO website www.ontariobeef.com – Market Info – Stocker Sales – Ontario Fall Sales or Northern Sales – to confirm details. Date

Time

Location

# Head

Kind

Aylmer Stockyards Inc. Barn - 519-765-2672 Jim Doan - 519-777-9389, Mike VanNoord - 519-808-0904 aylmerstockyards@amtelecom.net • www.aylmerstockyards.ca Regular sales every Wednesday at 12:00 noon. Fall stocker sales will be held the last Wednesday of each month. For updates, visit www.aylmerstockyards.ca.

Date

Time

Location

# Head

Kind

Denfield Livestock Sales Ltd. (continued)

Stan Rees - 519-666-1140 Cell: 519-871-5968

Dec 5 11:00 am Denfield

Fall Stocker Sale - No Cows Please

Embrun Livestock Steve Spratt - 613-821-2634 or 613-822-1351 ottawalivestock@bellnet.ca Regular sales every Monday - Embrun Livestock Exchange at 12:30 pm. Dates for special Stocker Sales and Bred Cow sales for the fall will be posted at www.ottawalivestockexchange.ca or by calling the Auction Market at 613-821-2634 or visiting the BFO website listed above. Kawartha Lakes Community Sale Barn Inc. Sale Barn - 705-439-4444 Bruce Woodrow - 705-879-0507 or Kevin Barker - 705-878-2947. Peterborough Sales - Wayne Telford - 705-292-9531 Fax - 705-439-3145 www.klcauction.ca • klc@xplornet.com Regular stocker sales & bred cow sales call. Regular sales every Saturday. Sept 30

10:00 am

Woodville

KLC Stocker Sale

Oct 7

10:00 am

Woodville

KLC Stocker Sale

Oct 14

10:00 am

Woodville

KLC Stocker Sale

Oct 21

10:00 am

Woodville

KLC Stocker Sale

Oct 28

10:00 am

Woodville

KLC Stocker Sale

Brussels Livestock Sales Barn - 519-887-6461, Mark Ferraro - 519-492-0181 Matt Ferraro - 519-313-0583, Kevin McArter - 519-357-0594 info@brusselslivestock.ca www.brusselslivestock.ca

Nov 4 10:00 am Woodville 1,000

Peterborough Cattlemen/ Victoria Beef Farmers 100% Vaccinated

Regular stocker sales every Friday at 10:00 am.

Nov 11

KLC Stocker Sale

Oct 23 10:00 am Brussels

Hereford Influence Sale & Regular Sale

Nov 6 10:00 am Brussels Nov 25

7:00 pm

Dec 16

7:00 pm

10:00 am

Woodville

Angus Influence Sale & Regular Sale

Nov 18 10:00 am Woodville 750

Peterborough Cattlemen/ Victoria Beef Farmers 90% vaccinated

Nov 25

7:00 pm

Woodville

Bred Cow Sale

Brussels

Bred Cow Sale

Dec 2

10:00 am

Woodville

KLC Stocker Sale

Brussels

Bred Cow Sale

Dec 9

10:00 am

Woodville

KLC Stocker Sale

Jan 13 ‘21 10:00 am

Woodville

KLC Stocker Sale

Cargill Auction Market Inc Sales Barn - 519-366-2214 Alan Anstett - 519-881-6640, Brian Kirkland - 519-797-1668 cargillauction@gmail.com Calvin Anstett - 519-881-6623 Regular sales every Wednesday at 7:00 pm - Stockers and Feeders. Sept 4 7:00 pm Cargill

Char. & Exotic Cross Yearlings - Steers & Heifers

Sept 25 7:00 pm Cargill

Char. & Exotic Cross Yearlings - Steers & Heifers

Oct 2 7:00 pm Cargill

Char. & Exotic Cross Yearlings - Steers & Heifers

Oct 30

7:00 pm

Cargill

Local Calf Sale

Nov 6

7:00 pm

Cargill

Local Calf and Yearling Sale

Carson’s Farms & Auction Services David Carson - 519-291-2049 www.davidcarson.on.ca Oct 26 1:00 pm Listowel

Fall Stocker Sale - All preconditioned, bunk-adjusted, age verified, various breeds. Live video day of sale at www.davidcarson.on.ca. See website early October for list of consigned stockers.

Community Livestock Exchange (Hoard’s Station) Dave DeNure - 705-653-3660 Sponsored by Quinte Cattlemen’s Association Brad DeNure - 705-653-8763 www.hoardsstationsalebarn.com Quinte Sales Contact - Denton Meiklejohn- 613-395-2008 dentlynnefarms@yahoo.ca Regular sales every Tuesday. Farm fresh cattle only!

Feb 10 ‘21 10:00 am Woodville 900

Peterborough Cattlemen/ Victoria Beef Farmers, Stockers 90% vaccinated

Mar 16 ‘21 10:00 am

Woodville

KLC Stocker Sale

Apr 14 ‘21 10:00 am

Woodville

KLC Stocker Sale

May 5 ‘21 10:00 am Woodville 1,000

Peterborough Cattlemen/ Victoria Beef Farmers, Stockers 90% vaccinated

May 12 ‘21 10:00 am

Woodville

KLC Stocker Sale

May 19 ‘21 10:00 am

Woodville

KLC Stocker Sale

May 26 ‘21 7:00 pm

Woodville

Keady Livestock Market Ltd. Garry Kuhl - 519-934-1626 www.keadylivestock.com

Bred Cow Sale Sales Barn - 519-934-2339 Scott Kuhl - 519-477-2339 Tom McNabb - 519-794-3072

Regular stocker sales every Tuesday at 9:00 am. All cattle on overnight stand and fully catalogued. Check website for details. Note Tuesday, October 27 is not a regular cattle sale. Sept 25 9:00 am Tara

Grass Yearling Steers & Heifers selling ONS

Oct 2 9:00 am Tara

Grass Yearling Steers & Heifers selling ONS

Oct 9 9:00 am Tara

Grass Yearling Steers & Heifers selling ONS

Oct 16 9:00 am Tara

Grass Yearling Steers & Heifers selling ONS

Oct 24 9:00 am Tara

Bruce Peninsula Charolais Calf Club Vaccinated & presorted calves

Sept 18 11:00 am Campbellford

95% Vaccinated, catalogued - Farm Fresh

Oct 23 11:00 am Campbellford 700

100% Vaccinated, catalogued - Farm Fresh

Nov 27 11:00 am Campbellford 700

100% Vaccinated, catalogued - Farm Fresh

Oct 27 9:00 am Tara

Georgian Bay Charolais Calf Club, mainly Charolais, vaccinated & presorted calves

Jan 15 ‘21 11:00 am Campbellford 800

100% Vaccinated, catalogued - Farm Fresh

Oct 29 9:00 am Tara

Bluewater Black Calf Sale - vaccinated & presorted calves

Mar 12 ‘21 11:00 am Campbellford 600

95% Vaccinated, catalogued - Farm Fresh

May 7 ‘21 11:00 am Campbellford 900

100% Vaccinated, catalogued - Farm Fresh

Oct 31 9:00 am Tara

Central Ontario Calf Producers - all breeds, vaccinated & selling in owner lots

Denfield Livestock Sales Ltd.

Stan Rees - 519-666-1140 Cell - 519-871-5968

Nov 6 9:00 am Tara

Special Calf Sale, selling in owner lots - vaccinated & non-vaccinated, all fully catalogued

Nov 13 9:00 am Tara

Special grass and yard yearling steers & heifers - selling in owner lots, fully cataloged

Regular sales every Tuesday at 12:00 noon. Fall Bred Cow & Pair Sale – visit denfieldlivestock.com for updates. Sept 26 11:00 am Denfield

Fall Stocker Sale - No Cows Please

Oct 10 11:00 am Denfield

Fall Stocker Sale - No Cows Please

Nov 20 9:00 am Tara

Special Calf Sale, selling in owner lots - vaccinated & non-vaccinated, fully catalogued

Oct 24 11:00 am Denfield

Fall Stocker Sale - No Cows Please

Nov 27 5:00 pm Tara

Special Bred Heifer & Cow Sale - see website

Nov 7 11:00 am Denfield

Local Calf Sale - Must be vaccinated by Oct 15

Dec 15

Last Regular Sale of 2020!

Nov 21 11:00 am Denfield

Fall Stocker Sale - No Cows Please

O N T A R I O B E E F • AUGUS T 2 0 2 0

9:00 am

Tara

Date

Time

Maple Hill Auctions

Location

# Head

Date

Kind

Sales Manager Andy McCulloch - 519-379-1370

Sales bi-weekly on Mondays at 7:00 pm starting September 14, through the fall. Sept 5

1:00 pm

Hanover

Ontario Autumn Angus Classic

Sept 12 1:00 pm Hanover

Ontario Autumn Simmental Classic

Oct 16

7:00 pm

Hanover

“Upin the Ante” Charolais Sale

Nov 7

1:00 pm

Hanover

Bred Heifer Sale

Nov 14 1:00 pm Hanover

Vancise/Walnut Drive Female Sale

Nov 21

Ontario Shorthorn Sale

1:00 pm

Hanover

Live Sales - Special vaccinated stocker sale every Wednesday at 1:00 pm. Regular stocker sale every Thursday at 11:00 am. Bred cow sales following regular stocker sales on Thursdays. Western Sales - Daily internet presort sales and direct from ranch sales - Moose Jaw, Swift Current, Provost, Lloydminster, Vermillion, Yorkton, Maple Creek, Meadow Lake, Prince Albert and Mankota. Call Dave Ropp or OLEX for details. Special Angus Stocker Sale in conjunction with the regular sale

Nov 18 1:00 pm Waterloo

Special Angus Stocker Sale in conjunction with the regular sale

Oct 6

Special Fall Yearling Sale

11:00 am

Cookstown

Kind Cell - 807-271-2005 katjames2@gmail.com

Aug 29 8:30 am Stratton

Majority yearlings & some early calves, cows & bulls to start the sale. Protocol cattle sell at 1:00 pm, many are age verified.

Sept 26 8:30 am Stratton

Mainly calves & some yearlings, cows & bulls to start the sale. Protocol cattle sell at 1:00 pm, many are age verified.

Oct 17 8:30 am Stratton

Mainly calves & some yearlings, cows & bulls to start the sale. Protocol cattle sell at 1:00 pm, many are age verified.

Nov 7 8:30 am Stratton

Mainly calves & some yearlings, cows & bulls to start the sale. Protocol cattle sell at 1:00 pm, many are age verified. Bred cow sale will be included if interest is presented.

Stocker sales every Tuesday with the regular sale. Bred cow sales will be announced prior to sale date. Temiskaming Livestock Sales

Bill Stewart cell - 705-544-3508 Sale barn - 705-647-5415

Regular sales every Monday. Oct 16

Regular weekly stocker and feeder sales every Thursday at 11:00 am. All regular sales will start with the vaccinated cattle first. Follow us on Facebook (Ontario Stockyards) for the weekly updates and market information. Bred Cow Sales will be announced at a later date. Visit www.ontariostockyards.on.ca for updates. Special Fall Yearling Sale in conjunction with the regular sale

# Head

Renfrew-Pontiac Livestock Ltd. Matt Dick cell - 613-633-1598 Cobden contact Ben Dick - barn - 613-646-7335 cell - 705-498-8056

Ontario Stockyards Inc. Office - 705-458-4000 Ab Carroll - 705-344-6654 Brian Pascoe - 705-878-6918 osi.abcarroll@gmail.com www.ontariostockyards.on.ca

Sept 17 11:00 am Cookstown

Location

Sales will be available via DLMS Network - please sign up and request to bid early and prior to the sale starting. Please use Chrome or Safari as your browser and make sure your computer is updated.

Ontario Livestock Exchange David Ropp - 519-749-5072 Larry Witzel - 519-741-6333 Allen Colwell - 519-501-0147 Office - 519-884-2082 or 1-800-265-8818 dropp@olex.on.ca www.olex.on.ca

Oct 14 1:00 pm Waterloo

Time

Rainy River Cattlemen’s Sales - Stratton Sales Barn James Gibson home - 807-487-2731 Sale Barn week of sale - 807-483-5354

12:00 pm

New Liskeard

700

Calves and Yearlings

Vankleek Hill Livestock Exchange

613-678-3008

Stocker sales will be included in the last Wednesday sale of each month beginning in August.

Oct 8 11:00 am Cookstown

In conjunction with regular Thursday sale – CDN Angus Program/CDN Hereford Assoc. Sale

Oct 15 11:00 am Cookstown

Leeds/Grenville Calf Sale In conjunction with regular Thursday sale

Oct 20 11:00 am Cookstown

Ontario Stockyards Special Fall Yearling Sale

Nov 3 11:00 am Cookstown

Ontario Stockyards Special All Vaccinated Sale

Nov 17 11:00 am Cookstown

Ontario Stockyards Special All Vaccinated Sale

Dec 3 11:00 am Cookstown

Special Fall Yearling Sale in conjunction with the regular sale

Dec 10 11:00 am Cookstown

Ontario Stockyards All Vaccinated Sale in conjunction with the regular sale

Aug 26

2:00 pm

Vankleek Hill

Stocker Sale

Sept 30

2:00 pm

Vankleek Hill

Stocker Sale

Oct 28

2:00 pm

Vankleek Hill

Stocker Sale

Nov 25

2:00 pm

Vankleek Hill

Stocker Sale

Northern Cattle Sales Network The Northern Cattle Sales Network is now on Facebook www.facebook.com/ NorthernCattleSalesNetwork. View cattle on offer at upcoming sales or post pictures or descriptions of your own cattle that will be on sale at upcoming Northern auction sales, free. Click on the Facebook link above to get started. If you have any questions or need assistance uploading pictures, please email Gordon Mitchell at mitchg@vianet.on.ca or call Gordon at 705-571-1033. Community Livestock Exchange (Hoard’s Station) Sponsored by Quinte Cattlemen’s Association Quinte Sales contact Denton Meiklejohn - 613-395-2008 dentlynnefarms@yahoo.ca Farm fresh cattle only!

Ottawa Livestock Exchange Steve Spratt - 613-821-2634 or 613-822-1351 ottawalivestock@bellnet.ca Regular sales every Thursday at 11:00 am with stockers starting at approximately 2:00 pm. Dates for special stocker sales and bred cow sales for the fall will be available at www.ottawalivestockexchange.ca or by calling the Auction Market at 613-821-2634, or checking out the BFO website listed above.

Sept 18 11:00 am Campbellford

95% Vaccinated, catalogued - Farm Fresh

Oct 23 11:00 am Campbellford 700

100% Vaccinated, catalogued - Farm Fresh

Nov 27 11:00 am Campbellford 700

100% Vaccinated, catalogued - Farm Fresh

Jan 15 ‘21 11:00 am Campbellford 800

100% Vaccinated, catalogued - Farm Fresh

Mar 12 ‘21 11:00 am Campbellford 600

95% Vaccinated, catalogued - Farm Fresh

May 7 ‘21 11:00 am Campbellford 900

100% Vaccinated, catalogued - Farm Fresh

Kawartha Lakes Community Sale Barn Inc. Wayne Telford - 705-292-9531 Peterborough-Victoria County Cattlemen’s Association Sale Week - 705-439-4444 Nov 4

10:00 am

Woodville

1,000

100% Vaccinated

Nov 18

10:00 am

Woodville

750

90% Vaccinated

Feb 10 ‘21 10:00 am

Woodville

900

90% Vaccinated

May 5 ‘21 10:00 am

Woodville

1,000

100% Vaccinated

Thessalon Sale Dennis Kirby cell - 705-842-2249 (sponsored by Algoma Co-operative Livestock Sales) Sept 15

10:00 am

Thessalon

900

Yearlings, 90% vaccinated

Oct 17

10:00 am

Thessalon

300

Calves

May 1 ‘21 10:00 am

Thessalon

300

Stockers

Wiarton Sale Terry Moser, President - 519-375-7957 (sponsored by Grey-Bruce Livestock Co-operative) Oct 29

10:00 am

Wiarton

500

Calf Sale, 90% vaccinated

May 6 ‘21 10:00 am

Wiarton

500

Stockers

ON TA R IO BEEF • AU GU ST 2020

MARKET INFORMATION UPDATE By Jamie Gamble, BFO Market Information Coordinator markets@ontariobeef.com • www.ontariobeef.com

he first half of 2020 is certainly one for the books. In 2018 and 2019, fed cattle prices traded in vary narrow ranges and generally followed the seasonal patterns. On the other hand, 2020 has done everything but. Prices started the year following seasonal trends with prices close to the last couple of years, but when COVID-19 started to rear its ugly head, the cattle markets were under pressure. In February, prices started their decline from $254.75 down to $235 dressed by the end of March, then traded sideways from $238-$240 for six weeks with a couple of weeks with no trade and little packer interest. Then suddenly, beef became the new toilet paper and people started stockpiling and depleting grocery store inventories as packing plants in the U.S. and Western Canada were shut down due to COVID-19. Boxed beef prices skyrocketed with the rail price following suit. Rail prices the week of May 15 shot up to $261.25 on average, to $274.25 on average the week ending June 4 with a high of $280 cwt. Packers collected a good number of cattle at those prices and producers were noted as pulling cattle ahead wherever possible. Following that surge, the demand dropped off and no trade or packer interest was reported for two weeks. Boxed beef prices started a sharp decline. When purchasing resumed, prices had decreased to $245 on average for one day, then down to $230 for two days and $220 for a week. At time of reporting the market is sitting anywhere from $239-$245 dressed. Seasonally prices should decline moving into the fall, but that all depends on COVID-19 and its effect on the markets and processing facilities. Ontario federal and provincial processing volumes of steers, heifers and cull cows as of June 30 is 309,130 head, down 12.4% from the same time in 2019 and only 8% below June 30, 2018. With Ontario down one federal packer from last year – that processed approximately 10% of the cattle – this year is only slightly below 2019 but actually ahead of 2018. Given the restrictions due to COVID-19, packers have been working very hard to keep the numbers flowing. The cull cow market has also been volatile with prices up and down, bottoming out (so far this year) the week of April 9. Prices recovered quickly with strong demand for trim, topping the market at $83.79 cwt the week ending July 2. The volume of cull cows sold through auction markets this year totals 65,723 head as of June 30, 2020 – the highest volume sold since 2013. Exports to the U.S. are up considerably from last

year, 2018 and the five-year average which has been price supportive. Ontario processing volumes of cows is down from last year, 2018 and the five-year average. Stocker volumes sold through Ontario auction markets, as of June 30, 2020, total 113,605 head, down 3.3% from 2019 at the same time, but 6.8% more than June 30, 2018. So far in 2020, stocker prices have been following the direction of the fed cattle market with prices increasing sharply and declining rapidly. At time of reporting in mid-July, heavier cattle above 700 lb. continue to trade strong while lighter weights are losing momentum. With many areas experiencing drought-like conditions we could see the fall run starting earlier this year as cattle are pulled off grass ahead of schedule. Railgrade prices are collected by Beef Farmers of Ontario when producers phone in their price on the day of sale. The more producers who participate, the more frequent a railgrade price is available. All sales are completely confidential and only the price is shared, no other information. If you would like to participate please call the office at 519-824-0334 or toll free 1-866-370-2333 and ask for markets to report your price on the day the sale is made. Any and all participation is greatly appreciated. We have many options to help producers keep track of current pricing, all free of charge. If you are computer savvy, the BFO website has multiple pages you can access for current market information. To access, visit ontariobeef.com, go to market reports and select from various options. Individual auction market results are posted the next day under auction market reports. A noon report is posted daily with updates from sales in progress that day. Daily and weekly reports are also posted by 4:30 pm with information on the sales of the day, other markets and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange closing figures. The daily report is available on our website, or via email or fax. The weekly report is available on our website, via email, fax and by regular mail every Friday afternoon. If you are interested in receiving any of the reports free of charge, please call the office to make arrangements. The complete fall listing of all Ontario Auction Markets is available in

SHORTHORN CATTLE FOR SALE Cattle ranging in age from 2 years to 9 years Generations of AI breeding, with a wide variety of top AI sires Cattle have been worked with often and are quiet to be around Calving from May, 2020 to August, 2020 Contact Charles McAlear • 17145 County Rd. • St. Andrews West, Ont. (Cornwall area)

613-938-6588 • csmcalear@hotmail.com

O N T A R I O B E E F • AUGUS T 2 0 2 0

The information provided on this report is based on weighted averages for actual data collected. Input costs are a guideline only and will vary from producer to producer. BFO does not take any responsibility and accepts no legal liability arising from or connected to damages or losses experienced by producers when using this information. This is to be used at your own risk.

this edition of Ontario Beef, and on our web site under market information. The Northern Sales Network line up is included and is now on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NorthernCattleSalesNetwork. The special stocker sales affiliated with the Northern Network encourage sellers to post pictures and descriptions of their cattle that will be on offer at a specific Northern Network sale free of charge. Interested buyers can view the uploaded pictures prior to any upcoming sales, as long as you have uploaded them to be viewed. If you have any questions or need assistance uploading pictures to the page, please email Gordon Mitchell at mitchg@vianet.on.ca or call Gordon at 705-571-1033. OB

Continued on page 34.

ON TA R IO BEEF â&#x20AC;˘ AU GU ST 2020

Continued from page 33. – Market

Info

O N T A R I O B E E F • AUGUS T 2 0 2 0

BEEF EXPORTS - CANADA

United States

Jan. 1 - May 31 % Change

Total 111,519 tonnes

Mexico

-12%

Japan

Jan. 1 - May 31

Total

17,371 tonnes

Jan. 1 - May 31

% Change

4,403 tonnes

-23%

China Jan. 1 - May 31

-6%

3,685 tonnes

-62%

BEEF PRODUCTION - CANADA

Jan. 1 - July 11, 2020 Last Year Same Time

% Change

Fed

518,238 tonnes

542,644 tonnes

-4%

Non-fed

77,836 tonnes

98,122 tonnes

-21%

BEEF IMPORTS - CANADA

Jan. 1 - July 11, 2020

Last Year Same Time % Change

61,452 tonnes

56,507 tonnes

Non-NAFTA

+9%

25,334 tonnes

23,516 tonnes

+8%

EU-28 (beef/veal total) 8,737 tonnes

3,013 tonnes

+190%

87,154 tonnes

15%

Total

101,477 tonnes

LIVE CATTLE - CANADA IMPORTS

EXPORTS

Jan. 1 - May 31

Jan. 1 - July 4, 2020

% Change

Slaughter steers & heifers 272,247

+9%

Purebred

1,453

Non-Purebred

87,595 Feeder steers & heifers

Cows & bulls

71,799

-51%

20,159

-7%

LIVE CATTLE EXPORTS - ONTARIO

Week ending July 4, ‘20 Week ending June 27, ‘20 Year to Date

Total to US.

2,030

1,830

73,333

Steers, Heifers, Cows 1,788

1,506

66,154

324

7,179

Bulls

242

ON TA R IO BEEF • AU GU ST 2020

CALENDAR

Ontario Beef Industry Events September 4 - Special Yearling Limousin Sale, Cargill Auction Market, Cargill September 6 - Five Star Futurity Quarter Horse Online Sale, Kola, MB September 12 - Ontario Autumn Simmental Classic Sale, Maple Hill Auctions, Hanover September 18 - Genetic Design XVI Hereford Sale, River Valley Polled Herefords, Newburgh September 19 - Source for Success XIX Hereford Sale, Elm-Lodge Polled Herefords and Friends, Indian River September 20 - Autumn Alliance 2020 Hereford Sale, Medonte Highlands Polled Herefords, Orillia September 26 - Platinum Picks Volume 1 Charolais Sale, Hoards Station Sales Barn, Campbellford September 26 - Special Stocker Sales, Denfield Livestock Exchange, Denfield (continues every 2nd week to December 5) October 2 - Special Yearling Limousin Sale, Cargill Auction Market, Cargill

October 3 - Eastondale Angus Summer Celebration Online Sale, Wawota, SK October 4 - Quality Control Simmental Sale, Indian River Cattle Co., Indian River October 8 - Hereford and Hereford-Influence Stocker Sale, Cookstown October 8-10 - Hill Haven Shorthorns Online Sale October 10 - GF “In it to Win It” 9th Annual Production Sale, Lucknow October 16 - Uppin’ the Ante Charolais Sale, Maple Hill Auctions, Hanover October 16 - Lone Pine/Airriess Acres & Guests Sale, Vibank, SK October 17 - Blue Water Angus Sale, Cargill October 17 - Fall Feature Charolais Female Sale, Hoards Station Sales Barn, Campbellford October 18 - Girls of Glenrothes Shorthorn online Sale, Beaverton

October 23 - Hereford and Hereford-Influence Stocker Sale, Brussels October 24 - Cream of the Crop Blonde d’Aquitaine Sale, Hoards Station Sales Barn, Campbellford October 25 - Colours of Autumn Limousin Sale, Ontario Stockyards, Cookstown October 26 - Special Stocker Sale featuring Hereford and Limousin calves, Carson Farms and Auctions, Listowel October 30 - Limousin Calf Sale, Cargill Auction Market, Cargill November 5 - Limousin Influenced Calf Sale, Ontario Livestock Exchange, St. Jacobs November 6 - Limousin Calf Sale, Cargill Auction Market, Cargill November 21 - Ontario Shorthorn Association Fall Classic Sale December 4 - SimPower Bred Female Sale, Olds, AB December 5 - Peak Dot Ranch Fall Bull & Female Sale, Wood Mountain, SK

December 5 - Select Angus Online Angus Sale, Purple Springs, AB December 9 - Western Select 9th Annual Limousin Sale, Lloydminster, SK December 11 - Touch of Class, Saskatoon, SK December 11 - 66 Ranch Ltd. 7th Annual Fall Bull Sale, Brooks, AB December 12 - Pride of the Prairies, Saskatoon, SK December 12 - Hills Galore Online Production Sale, Hazlet, SK December 13 - Glennie Bros. Long Yearling and Bred Heifer Sale, Carnduff, SK December 14 - Border Butte Angus Vol. 19 Bull Sale, Medicine Hat, AB December 15 - Genetic Selections Angus Sale, Herbert, SK December 21 - Blairs. Ag Opportunity Knocks, Saskatoon, SK December 31 - New Year’s Resolution Frozen Genetics Sale, Olds, AB

BEEF BUSINESS LEADERS BLUE MOUNTAINS FARM

BAR 5 STOCK FARMS Ron Sr. & Carla Nolan (905) 330-5299

Seeking Ontario Beef! Fats & stockers for premium beef programs throughout Ontario!

Brad Curran

bradc@artisanfarms.ca

519 357 7600

CALL BRAD TODAY!

NOLAN ANGUS FARMS

ArtisanFarms.ca | Info@ArtisanFarms.ca

WHITTON-BROOK FARMS

Ron Jr. & Mike Nolan (416) 993-3218 / (519) 803-0555 WWW.BAR5.COM OFFICE: (519) 986-1330

P 905.670.3450 |

Greg Nolan (416) 616-8834

Mitch & Brooke Whitton (647) 297-1517 WWW.ARTISANFARMS.CA

OFFICE: (905) 670-3450

636077 EUPHRASIA-HOLLAND TOWNLINE RR #3 MARKDALE, ON, N0C 1H0

Bar 5 Stock Farms

M i ller La n d & Li vesto c k

Charolais Bulls, Hay, Straw, Feedlot George & Dianne, Dwayne, Ashley and Cowal Miller RR 1, Jarvis, ON N0A 1J0

Ph (519) 587-2755

Cell (519) 429-5902

Ron Sr. & Carla Nolan Mobile: (905) 330-5299 Office: (519) 986-1330

Advertise in

BEEF BUSINESS LEADERS Very reasonable rates! Deadline for October 2020 issue is September 15. Call 519-763-8833 for information

O N T A R I O B E E F • M AY 2 0 2 0

www.bar5.com

636077 Euphrasia-Holland Townline RR #3 Markdale, ON, N0C 1H0

R.R #5 HOARDS STATION Campbellford, Ontario SALE BARN Dave DeNure 705-653-3660 • Auction Sale Since 1949 • Sale Every Tuesday 12 p.m. • Three Rings – Beef, Dairy, Pigs • Quinte Cattlemen’s Stocker Sales • Spring and Fall Member of O.L.A.M.A

Advertise in

BEEF BUSINESS LEADERS Very reasonable rates! Deadline for October 2020 issue is September 15. Call 519-763-8833 for information

Changes to OBCFPP Licenced Dealers List Now Licenced

BEEF FARMERS OF ONTARIO PRIVACY STATEMENT

The entire OBCFPP list can be found on the OMAFRA website at http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/ food/inspection/fpu/fpu_lists.htm

Country Dealer The Beef Boutique Ltd. Etobicoke, Ont.

No Longer Licenced Country Dealer Gingrich Veal Transport, 1267388 Ontario Incorporated Harriston, Ont. Renfrew Agricultural Society Renfrew, Ont. James Cooper Cardinal Ont.

Or For more information: Toll Free: 1-888-466-2372 ext. 64230 Local: (519) 826-4230 E-mail: foodinspection@ontario.ca OB

The Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO) is committed to protecting the privacy and security of producers’ personal information in compliance with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). Subscribers to Ontario Beef magazine, the official publication of the Beef Farmers of Ontario, do so on a voluntary basis. By subscribing, subscribers are consenting to have their contact information used for the purposes of receiving the magazine and developing an BFO mailing list. This mailing list will be used for the distribution of the BFO magazine. The BFO will not sell, trade or otherwise share its Ontario Beef mailing list under any circumstances. A service may be provided whereby items are submitted to the BFO and mailed internally with the magazine but all materials must be approved by and acceptable to the BFO. In rare instances where external, non-commercial organizations, like the provincial or federal government, wish to use the Ontario Beef mailing list to distribute information, the government must provide their mailing materials in a finished format to BFO and/or its mailing house. BFO will then coordinate the mailing, at the requesting organization’s cost, thus maintaining confidentiality of the list. In cases where the BFO may commission a mailing, the company providing the service is required to sign a mandatory confidentiality agreement. Subscribers to the Ontario Beef mailing list who wish to have their names removed, should call 519-824-0334 or email bethany@ontariobeef.com. Please allow 15 business days to allow us to update our records accordingly. BFO’s complete privacy statement, covering areas of information including the electronic update system, Website, membership list and market information can be viewed on its Website at http://www.ontariobeef.com/privacy.asp

Garry & Sheila Smart

Advertise in

BEEF BUSINESS LEADERS Very reasonable rates! Deadline for October 2020 issue is September 15. Call 519-763-8833 for information

“Industry Accepted since 1978”

137606 Grey Rd. 12, RR # 2, Meaford, Ontario N4L 1W6 Phone: 519-538-4877 Cell: 519-372-7459 smartlimo@bmts.com www.smartlimousin.com

Breeding Stock Available at All Times.

Sunny Meadows Charolais

Selling progressive quality genetics since 1975 ~ polled with French influence. Tel: 705-887-5142 Fax: 705-887-2341

Andy Millar

109 Bulmer’s Rd. R.R.#2 Fenelon Falls ON K0M 1N0

SUNRISE ANGUS (since 1995)

We source Canadian genetics to produce quality breeding stock. Joel & Irene Thomas 477285 3rd Line Melancthon ON L9V 1T5 Phone: 519 925 5661• Cell: 519 940 1258 Email: sunriseangus@xplornet.ca

Advertise in

BEEF BUSINESS LEADERS Very reasonable rates! Deadline for October 2020 issue is September 15. Call 519-763-8833 for information

Commercial Angus Purebred Red Angus Purebred Black Angus Purebred Hereford

The Seed Family- Greg: 705-648-4274 seesonranch@outlook.com 845040 Morrow Rd, New Liskeard Ontario, P0J 1P0

Silver Springs Farms James & Joan McKinlay R.R. 1, Ravenna, Ontario N0H 2E0 Tel: 519-599-6236 jmckinlay@bmts.com

Breeders of Quality Cattle Simmental • Red Angus • F1 Crosses

P: 519-760-0892 E: uspecs@roievents.ca FB: UNDERHILL SPECS

Performance live/frozen genetics available!

Wright’s R.R#1, #402144 Hanover, ON N4N 3B8 Tel: 519-369-3658

Carl Wright Cell: 519-369-7489 Ben Wright Cell: 519-374-3335 Laurie Wright Ofc: 519-369-3658

ON TAR IO BEEF • MAY 20 20

Young Leaders Represent Ontario By Bethany Story, BFO Communications Coordinator

he Cattlemen’s Young Leaders (CYL) Development Program provides industry-specific training and mentorship to assist individuals, and the beef industry, in building leadership capacity across the country. This program provides opportunities to learn from industry leaders through mentorship opportunities and taking part in various events. Young industry enthusiasts between the ages of 18 and 35 years have a chance to participate in discussions at provincial, national and international levels that define the direction and future of the Canadian cattle and beef industry. This year, Ontario has three semi-finalists taking part in the Cattlemen’s Young Leaders Forum being held virtually this year in August due to COVID-19. These three young producers are a part of a group of 24 semi-finalists chosen from an impressive group of 50 written applications from across Canada. Each semi-finalist is an involved member of the Ontario beef industry and will represent our province well with outstanding leadership skills and enthusiasm. BFO is proud of our semi-finalists who represent Ontario’s passionate young leaders in the beef industry. We wish them all the best in upcoming endeavours and look forward to see what the future holds for them.

Grace Kuhl – Grey County I’m a 5th generation beef farmer from Keady, Ontario. I recently graduated from the University of Guelph – Ridgetown College with an Associate Diploma in Agriculture. During my time there, I focused my studies on livestock production. In June of 2018, I developed a new skill as I graduated from the World Wide College of Auctioneering in Mason City, Iowa. My passion for beef production began at a young age, being constantly exposed to my family’s livestock market operation. Along with the livestock market, we also run 120 commercial Red Simmental-influenced cows, and a backgrounding operation. Through participation in 4-H, I have had the opportunity to grow my own purebred Simmental herd. I currently sit as vicepresident of the Ontario Young Canadian Simmental Association and as a director with the Grey County Beef Farmers Association. As I continue to grow my career within the beef industry, I jump at any opportunity to expand my network and meet fellow producers, whether it be attending breed events, BFO-run programs or applying for the Cattlemen’s Young Leaders Program. I am extremely honoured to be chosen as a semi-finalist in the Cattlemen’s Young Leaders Program and am excited to network with my fellow semi-finalists virtually in August. I hope CYL will give me the tools to continue to effectively promote the beef industry to our consumers and to help the Ontario beef industry continue to strengthen and grow as a viable industry for generations to come.

O N T A R I O B E E F • AUGUS T 2 0 2 0

Christopher Macfarlane – Peterborough County I had the privilege of growing up on a multigeneration, mixed family farm in Peterborough County. Beef cattle have always been an important part of the operation, and a part that I took an active interest in from a young age. My journey in agriculture has seen me attend the University of Guelph, graduating with a Bachelor of Commerce in Agriculture Business and have an off-farm career working in crop inputs, feed sales and now grain merchandising. In addition to working with my family, my wife Katie and I have started a purebred Speckle Park herd, as well as a sheep flock on our own operation. I am currently the president of the Peterborough County Cattlemen’s Association. I am excited to have been selected as one of this year’s Cattlemen’s Young Leaders semi-finalists. Talking with several past participants has demonstrated to me how valuable this program can be for those involved, and for the industry as a whole.

Charlene Yungblut – Niagara Region I grew up on a small, commercial cowcalf operation in Thorold, Ontario, where I developed a passion for agriculture. This led me to pursue a Diploma in Agriculture from Ridgetown College. I now work full-time as an agriculture consultant, specializing in grapes and tender fruit in the Niagara Region. I continue to be involved with my family’s cattle operation and have developed a group of my own cow-calf pairs, which I plan to continue to grow over the course of the next few years. I am an active director of the Beef Farmers of Niagara, where I currently hold the secretary and treasurer positions. I am honoured to be chosen as a semi-finalist. The Cattlemen’s Young Leaders round table selections offer a great opportunity to meet others who are passionate about the future of the Canadian beef industry. I am very excited to expand my knowledge of the beef industry and to network with other young producers, as well as industry leaders from across the country. This year also marks the 10-year anniversary of the Cattlemen’s Young Leader Program which has seen more than 120 graduates since the program was founded, and many of them are from Ontario. A special video to celebrate this milestone is being presented on Tuesday, August 11 during this year’s Virtual Canadian Beef Industry Conference. This program will be highlighting the last decade of the CYL Program and creating leaders in the Canadian beef industry. To continue this history of success, we encourage young Ontario beef farmers to take advantage of this opportunity and apply for the program. For more information, visit www.cattlemensyoungleaders.com. OB

FROM ALL ANGLES

LIMOUSIN

EXCEL

TO Add Limousin to your Feedlot or Herd, please join us at these Fall Sales: CARGILL AUCTION MARKET September 4 and October 2 Special Yearling Sales October 30 and November 6 Limousin Calf Sales Contact: 519-881-6623

ONTARIO LIVESTOCK EXCHANGE November 5 Limousin Influenced Calf Sale Contact: 519-884-2082

CARSON FARMS & AUCTIONS October 26 Commercial Calf Sale featuring groups of Limousin Calves Contact: 519-291-2049

October 25 – Colours of Autumn Limousin Sale Ontario Stockyards, Cookstown

Contact any of these Breeders to arrange for a private viewing of Cattle For Sale 3 RIDGE FARMS Jon Bell 217294 Conc. 3 Owen Sound, ON N4K 5N5 519-378-4006 roundbale14@hotmail.com ALBERTVIEW LIMOUSIN FARMS Jim and Karen Roffey and Family Walter Stothers 5735 Doane Rd., Mount Albert, Ont. L0G 1M0 Contact Jim Roffey: 905-473-2713 BEE ZEE ACRES Mary Anne & Bill Zwambag RR #4, Glencoe, ON N0L 1M0 519-287-3219 CLARK CATTLE CO. David Clark 2280 McCullough Rd. Port Hope, ON L1A 3V7 905-786-2304 clarkcattle1@hotmail.ca

DARLING FARMS 4172 County Rd 25 Castleton, ON K0K 1M0 905-375-4019 dmdarling13@gmail.com GIBSON FARMS Dave and Emily Gibson 2148 Concession 4, RR1, Ripley Ontario N0G2R0 Dave-519-357-6174 Emily 519-440-9907 HAYSTACK ACRES John & Michelle McLean 3114 Walker Road, RR#2 Harrow, ON N0R 1G0 519-738-0453 haystacklimousin@yahoo.ca HILLSIDE FARMS Ray and Stacie Stanton 4250 King Road, King City, ON, L7B 1K4 416-505-0707 rays@londonproperty.ca

KOYLE FARMS LIMOUSIN Dwight & Catherine Koyle 33429 6th Line, RR#3 Iona Station, ON N0L 1P0 519-764-2697 • cdkoyle@gtn.net AFTER HOURS LIMOUSINS Rob & Erin Weppler 117078 Grey Rd. 3 , Tara, ON 519-375-6108 Rob@gbtel.ca LAKESIDE FARM Wayne and Nancy Lawrence 263657 Southgate Rd. 26 RR#4 Durham, ON N0G 1R0 519-369-2806 PINCH HILL LIMOUSIN Paul, Brandon & Chad Homer Stittsville, Ontario 519-339-9659 or 613-987-0822 pinchhill@gmail.com

Ontario Limousin Association

Mike Geddes, President • Phone: 519-502-8864

POSTHAVEN LIMOUSIN John and Ena Post #7396 Sideroad #20, RR #2, Alma, Ontario N0B 1A0 519-846-9320 ejpost@posthavenlimousin.com RAIL LINE FARMS Paul and Brad MacIntyre 221 Bruce County Rd. 1 RR #3, Lucknow, ON N0G 2H0 519-528-2423 pcmacintyre@hurontel.on.ca NEW LIFE LIMOUSIN 261269 Conc. 18 Hanover, ON N4N 3B8 519-270-5415 New.life.limousin@gmail.com SMART LIMOUSIN Garry and Sheila Smart 137606 Grey Road 12 RR#2, Meaford, ON N4L 1W6 519-538-4877 www.smartlimousin.com WINDY GABLES LIMOUSIN Bryce & Nathan Allen RR #4, Warkworth, ON K0K 3K0 705-924-2583

Check out our Website for LimoNews: www.ontariolimousin.com

Charolais sale

Friday, October 16, 2020 • 7:00 PM Maple Hill Auction, Hanover, ON

50 select Purebred Charolais female lots • Heifer Calf Show Prospects • Bred Yearlings • Flush & Recipients • 3 in 1 Cow/Calf Pairs Junior inCentive Program Cash incentive program for a project animal purchased from the Uppin’ the Ante Female Sale • $500 to the Grand Champion at the CCYA National Junior Show • $500 to the Supreme Champion at the Canadian Junior Beef Show (Royal Winter Fair) • $250 to the Reserve Grand Champion at the CCTA National Junior Show • $250 to the overall Grand Champion at the Junior Exhibitors Regional 4-H Show • $100 for the completion of the 4-H project

sChedule Thursday, October 15 – Viewing of the cattle all day followed by a social in the evening FRidAY, OCTOBER 16 – Viewing of the cattle all day, supper and refreshments begin at 5:00 p.m. and run until the sale starts at 7:00 p.m. Consignors Bridor Charolais ................................................ 519-323-2538 Cornerview Charolais ....................................... 613-646-9741 Medonte Charolais ........................................... 705-835-3310 Rollin’ Acres Charolais...................................... 705-627-0672 Saunders Charolais ........................................... 519-986-4165 Whiskey Hollow Cattle Co. .............................. 705-931-5436 Dudgeon-Snobelen Land & Cattle .................. 519-385-1023

sale staff Chester Tupling, Sale Chair, Blockman ............ 705-627-0672 Helge By, Ring Service ...................................... 306-536-4261 Carl Wright, Auctioneer................................... 519-369-7489 Andy McCulloch, Sales Barn Manager ............ 519-379-1370 aCCommodations Travelers Inn, Hanover ..................................... 519-364-1911 Best Western, Walkerton ................................. 855-436-3030

guest Consignors Double B Charolais ........................................... 705-718-9005 EMB Charolais................................................... 705-345-2970 Moyer Cattle Co. .............................................. 519-993-5010

Contact the breeders or sale staff for a catalogue or view it online at www.charolaisbanner.com

Ontario Beef - August 2020

Articles inside

Young Leaders Represent Ontario

AgSights Update

Ontario Beef Farmers Support Local Communities During Crisis

Market Information

New Research to Better Understand M. bovis Disease Development in Cattle

Connecting with Consumers

Wellness on the Farm

OMAFRA Update

The Beef Beat

Calculating Success

Between You, Me and the Fence Post