February 2023 Charolais Connection

The Charolais Connection

124 Shannon Road

Regina, Saskatchewan S4S 5B1

Ph 306-584-7937 • Fax 306-546-3942

Home Page: http://www.charolaisbanner.com Email: charolaisbanner@gmail.com

ISSN 0824-1767

Manager/Publisher Helge By Managing Editor Candace By charolaisbanner@gmail.com 306-536-3374

@ByCandace

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Tania Wolk, Third Wolf Studio

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FIELDMEN

Helge By Fax 306-546-3942 T 306-584-7937 C 306-536-4261 charolaisbanner@gmail.com @CharolaisBanner Robbie Chomik 780-336-6424 charolaisbanner3@gmail.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS: $9.45 per year $25.20 – 3 years (Prices include 5% GST)

The Charolais Connection is mailed to over 8,000 cattlemen nationwide. Those cattlemen include all purebred Charolais breeders, buyers of purebred Charolais bulls from the past six years and all subscribers to the Charolais Banner.

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Charolais Banner, 124 Shannon Road, Regina, Saskatchewan S4S 5B1, Canada. Published by the Charolais Banner, Regina, SK (3 times per year - February, March and Fall)

I have driven across most of the Prairie Provinces in the past few weeks and the moisture conditions across the south are sure a lot better than they have been for a number of years. After the last few years of drought in some areas, let’s hope the moisture continues and we can get back to good growing conditions. There is still a large area that needs an early spring to make the feed stacks last to grass time or there will still be some shortages. It sounds like across Eastern Canada moisture is plentiful, so although sometimes a pain in the winter with mud, it sure is nice for growth in the summer.

There were many cows from the drought areas that went to market this fall and like the USA, the cow numbers in Canada are down. For those of you that are hanging in there, you will be rewarded with a strong cattle market for the next few years for sure. Congratulations to all of you that are still here.

The calf market this fall was very good for the quality Charcross calves with performance and the market for the next few years looked extremely bullish with the cow numbers in North America down.

Some of the stats coming out of the USA show that choice boxed beef prices are the highest they have ever been for the start of January, but fed cattle prices are still not as high as they were in January of 2015. Again, because of the drought down south, both fed cattle and feeder cattle numbers will be down substantially in the next few years, in the 4-5% range. This will put pressure on the packers to buy fat cattle and the feedlots to pay up for the feeder cattle that are available.

This will also mean higher prices for all consumers of beef, including the food service industry and grocers, but the record beef demand in the last couple of years should be able to absorb these higher prices. Some analysts are predicting that in the next couple of years we could see cattle prices higher than any time in the past.

Meanwhile in Canada, preliminary estimates put the Canadian Retail Beef Index for 2022 at 125 points, +3.8% from 2021. Domestic demand is the highest since 1988.

We have some pioneer purebred producers, but the commercial producer profile in this issue is about one who has

From the Field

Helge By

been using Charolais for over 50 years. I hope you enjoy the read.

In this issue, you will also see many advertisements for some of the spring bull sales. Again, I encourage you to replace any bulls that aren’t doing a great job for you with the best bulls you can afford. Half of the genetics of your calf crop is from the bulls, so don’t scrimp on what can add so much value for you. You take pride in your cow herd, so continue to improve the quality that you are taking to town with good bulls. I will restate a great quote from a producer we did a profile on a few years back, “only a rich man can afford a poor bull.”

Now I am off to do some more picturing and touring bull pens for the spring sales. As we get into the bull sales, if Robbie Chomik or I can be of any assistance, please don’t hesitate to give us a call.

We are always happy to help in any way we can.

And again, all our Charolais Banner and Charolais Connection magazines for the past number of years are online for free at charolaisbanner.com. If you want to go back to read past articles in previous issues, this is where you will find them. On our website, you will also find a complete listing of all the Charolais sales across Canada and most of the Charolais bull sale catalogues and videos. We try to keep the sale news very current on our homepage, so check it out.

Until next time, Helge

J’ai traversé la plupart des provinces des prairies au cours des dernières semaines et les conditions d’humidité dans le sud sont certainement bien meilleures qu’elles ne l’ont été depuis plusieurs années. Après les dernières années de sécheresse dans certaines régions, espérons que l’humidité continue et que nous puissions retrouver de bonnes conditions de croissance. Il y a encore une grande surface qui a besoin d’un printemps précoce pour que les hangars de foin et de grain durent jusqu’au temps de l’herbe, sinon il y aura encore des pénuries. Il semble que l’humidité soit abondante dans l’est du Canada, donc même si parfois en hiver la boue nous dérange, c’est certainement agréable pour la croissance en été.

De nombreuses vaches provenant des zones de sécheresse ont été mises sur le marché cet automne et, comme aux États-Unis, le nombre de vaches au Canada est en baisse. Pour ceux d’entre vous qui s’y accrochent, vous serez certainement récompensés par un marché de bétail solide pour les prochaines années. Félicitations à vous tous qui êtes encore là.

Le marché des veaux d’automne a été très bon pour les veaux Charcross (veaux croisés avec dominance Charolais) de qualité avec performance et le marché des prochaines années a semblé extrêmement haussier avec le nombre de vaches en baisse en Amérique du Nord.

Certaines des statistiques provenant des États-Unis montrent que les prix du bœuf en boîte de choix sont les plus élevés qu’ils n’aient jamais été pour le début de janvier, mais les prix des bovins gras ne sont toujours pas aussi élevés qu’ils l’étaient en janvier 2015. Encore une fois, en raison de la sécheresse dans le sud, le nombre de bovins gras et de bovins d’engraissement diminuera considérablement au cours des prochaines années, une approximation de 4 à 5 %. Cela incitera les abattoirs à acheter des bovins plus

Dans nos champs

Helge By

gras et les parcs d’engraissement à payer pour les bovins d’engraissement disponibles.

Cela signifiera également des prix plus élevés pour tous les consommateurs de bœuf, y compris l’industrie de la restauration et les épiciers, mais la demande record de bœuf au cours des deux dernières années devrait être en mesure d’absorber ces prix plus élevés. Certains analystes prédisent qu’au cours des deux prochaines années, les prix des bovins pourraient être plus élevés qu’à n’importe quel moment dans le passé.

Pendant ce temps, au Canada, des estimations préliminaires placent l’indice canadien du bœuf au détail pour 2022 à 125 points, une hausse de 3,8 % par rapport à 2021. La demande intérieure est la plus élevée depuis 1988.

Nous avons quelques producteurs pionniers de pure race mais le profil du producteur commercial dans ce numéro concerne celui qui utilise le Charolais depuis plus de 50 ans. J’espère que vous apprécierez la lecture.

Dans ce numéro, vous verrez également de nombreuses publicités pour certaines ventes de taureaux du printemps. Encore une fois, je vous encourage à remplacer tous les taureaux qui ne font pas un excellent travail pour vous par les meilleurs taureaux que vous pouvez vous permettre. La moitié de la génétique de votre lignée de veaux provient des taureaux, alors ne soyez pas séraphin sur ce qui peut vous apporter tant de valeur. Vous êtes fier de votre troupeau de vaches, alors continuez à améliorer la qualité que vous apportez en ville avec de bons taureaux. Je vais reprendre une excellente citation d’un producteur sur lequel nous avons fait un profil il y a quelques années: “Seul un homme riche peut se permettre un taureau pauvre”.

Maintenant, je pars faire un peu plus d’images et de tournées de ferme pour les ventes du printemps. Alors que nous entrons dans les ventes de taureaux, si Robbie Chomik ou moi pouvons vous aider, n’hésitez pas à nous appeler.

Nous sommes toujours heureux d’aider de toutes les manières possibles.

Et encore une fois, tous nos magazines Charolais Banner et Charolais Connection des dernières années sont disponibles en ligne gratuitement sur charolaisbanner.com. Si vous souhaitez revenir pour lire les articles passés dans les numéros précédents, c’est ici que vous les trouverez. Sur notre site web, vous trouverez également une liste complète de toutes les ventes de Charolais à travers le Canada et la plupart des catalogues et vidéos de ventes de taureaux Charolais. Nous essayons de garder les nouvelles de la vente très à jour sur notre page d’accueil, alors jetez-y un coup d’œil.

À la prochaine fois, Helge

Indice Canadien de la demande de boeuf au détail

CANADIAN CHAROLAIS ASSOCIATION

2320, 41st Avenue NE, Calgary, AB T2E 6W8 403.250.9242 F 403.291.9324 www.charolais.com @canCharolais www.facebook.com/cdncharolais

PROVINCIAL REPRESENTATIVES:

ALBERTA

President: STEPHEN CHOLAK, Lamont Secretary: Deb Cholak, Lamont

SASKATCHEWAN

President: JORDAN MOORE, Redvers

Secretary: Saskatchewan Livestock Asso., Regina MANITOBA

President: MICHAEL HUNTER, Roblin Secretary: Rae Trimble, Portage la Prairie

ONTARIO

President: JOSH TAYLOR, Dunsford Secretary: Doris Aitken, Mount Forest

QUEBEC

President: MARK FROST, Kingsey Falls Secretary: Chantal Raymond, Sainte-Eulalie

MARITIMES

President: BRETT FRANCIS, Crapaud, PEI Secretary: Nancy Milton, Nine Mile Creek, PEI

STAFF:

General Manager: CRAIG SCOTT Registry: LOIS CHIVILO

Registry/Member Services: CASSIDY MATTHEWS French Membership: Bernard Dore 514-910-4935 • bernarddore@videotron.ca

EXECUTIVE:

PRESIDENT: KASEY PHILLIPS Box 420, Waskatenau, AB T0A 3P0 780.358.2360 C 780.656.6400 kphillips@mcsnet.ca

1st VICE-PRESIDENT: SHAWN AIREY Box 639, Rivers, MB R0K 1X0 204.328.7704 C 204.724.8823 htacharolais@hotmail.com

2nd VICE-PRES: RYAN NESBITT 17100 Cedardale Rd, Nestleton, ON L0B 1L0 905.242.2046 ryan@cedardalefarms.ca

PAST PRESIDENT: MIKE ELDER Box 216, Coronach, SK S0H 0Z0 306.267.5655 C 306.267.7730 mjelder@sasktel.net

DIRECTORS:

DARWIN ROSSO 78 325 4th Ave SW, Moose Jaw, SK S6H 5V2 306.693.2384 rosso.c@sasktel.net

JOSH TAYLOR

1717 County Rd 36, Dunsford, ON K0M 1L0 705.793.2576 C 705.760.5054 joshua.r.taylor@hotmail.com

ARMAND ROY

98 Rang St-Andre, St-Bernard Lacolle, QC J0J 1V0 450.246.9799 C 514.895.0829 royalch@hotmail.com

JEFF CAVERS Box 237, La Riviere, MB R0G 1A0 204.242.3467 C 204-242-4448 c2charolais@inethome.ca

LORNE LAKUSTA Box 37, Andrew, AB T0B 0C0 780.365.2079 C 780.719.0264 spruceviewcharolais@gmail.com

ROD McLEOD 293113 Twnshp Rd 263, Rocky View County, AB T4A 0N5 403.540.7986 rodmcl@telus.net

FROM THE CANADIAN CHAROLAIS ASSOCIATION

How to Use Charolais EPD

Sean Magrath

The Canadian Charolais Association, on behalf of its members, invest in research into and conducting of genetic evaluations. These evaluations use the most up to date science available to calculate genetic differences between animals. A good recent example is the investment into incorporating genomic information into EPD.

This important investment is expressed and multiplied exponentially in commercial cow herds as Charolais genetics are multiplied out into the beef industry. Modern genetic evaluation is a powerful tool to help evaluate cattle and target specific breeding goals. While many commercial customers may rely on their seedstock supplier to advise them, it is also useful to have some understanding of how the evaluation works and how to use it.

In simplest terms, the evaluation makes comparisons of performance between animals that are managed together. In this way, we can eliminate environmental effects and get to the genetic differences between animals. We can then use the pedigree information to tie the cattle together like a giant spiderweb and improve the accuracy of comparisons. Finally, we can look directly at the animal’s DNA and add this valuable information into the puzzle to determine with even greater accuracy what genetics an animal contains relative to other cattle in the population.

Remember when we buy a bull, we are not actually interested in the bull’s performance, what we are interested in is how the calves are going to work out. We are also interested in how the bull we are buying compares

to the other choices we have. These differences are expressed as EPD or Expected Progeny Differences.

EPD are expressed in the units that a trait is measured in and show more or less relationships. For example, weaning weight (WW) is expressed in pounds of calf at weaning. If we are looking at two sires with WW EPD of 40 and 80, we would expect when they are mated to the same set of cows that “on average” the calves from the sire with the EPD of 80 would be 40 pounds heavier than the calves from the bull with an EPD of 40. In one commercial cow herd, the calves may weigh 600 and 560, and in another herd they may be 800 and 760, but on average the difference between the weaning weight of the calves will be 40 pounds.

It is important to remember that we don’t always need, or even want an animal that is above average for every trait. We don’t generally require super calving ease for use on mature cows, or high levels of milk if we are selling everything as a feeder calf. Additionally, if we do not have the environment to support extremely high levels of performance, we may not see the added benefits of higher EPD as our production system might not let our cattle fully express their genetic potential. For example, if a feeder calf has the potential to gain 6 pounds per day, but they are fed on a ration that only supports 1.5 pounds, no matter how great their genetics, they are unlikely to be able to express them. We will still see differences expressed between offspring of sires with different EPD.

TRAIT TRAIT DESCRIPTION UNITS

BW Birth Weight Describes genetic differences for progeny birth weight.

A larger number indicates heavier calves at birth.

WW Weaning Weight Genetic difference for progeny weaning weight.

Lbs

A larger number indicates heavier calves at weaning. Lbs

YW Yearling Weight Genetic difference for progeny yearling weight. A larger number indicates heavier calves at one year of age. Lbs

M Milk Genetic difference for daughters’ progeny weaning weight due to their milk production (grandprogeny). A larger number indicates heavier calves from daughters at weaning.

Lbs

TM Total Maternal Genetic difference for daughters’ progeny weaning weight due to their genes for milk and growth (grandprogeny). A larger number indicates heavier calves at weaning. Lbs

CE Calving Ease Genetic difference for unassisted calving of progeny. A larger number indicates easier calving (less assistance).

CWT Carcass Weight Genetic difference for progeny carcass weight in pounds.

Unassisted

A larger number indicates heavier carcasses. Lbs

REA Rib-Eye Area Genetic difference for progeny Rib-Eye area in square inches. A larger number indicates bigger rib-eye muscle. Sq. In.

FAT Fat Thickness Genetic difference for progeny backfat thickness at 12/13 rib. A larger value indicates fatter carcasses. mm

LY Lean Yield Genetic difference for progeny lean meat yield.

A larger number indicates more lean meat in the carcass and more yield grade 1 carcasses. %

MARB Marbling Genetic difference for progeny marbling score (quality grade) in marbling score units.

A larger number indicates more marbling. MSU

The average EPD for Yearling and 2 year old bulls

One other tool that CCA offers through their website is percentile rank. This is a rapid way to see where the EPD fit relative to other cattle in the breed. An example of the Percentile Rank Graph is shown in Figure 1. In this example we can rapidly see that the animal in question is high growth, low milk, with moderate birth weight.

Finally, if you are interested in using EPD in your sire selection, please visit www.charolais.com, as there are many good resources, or talk to your bull supplier about your needs. One of the services they can usually offer is to help you sort through genetics that are available to find cattle that best suit your needs. Have a great bull buying season.

FROM THE CANADIAN CHAROLAIS ASSOCIATION, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16

CANADIAN CHAROLAIS ASSOCIATION

2320, 41st Avenue NE, Calgary, AB T2E 6W8 403.250.9242 F 403.291.9324 www.charolais.com @canCharolais www.facebook.com/cdncharolais

PROVINCIAUX

ALBERTA

REPR

ÉSENTANTS:

President: STEPHEN CHOLAK, Lamont Secretary: Deb Cholak, Lamont

SASKATCHEWAN

President: JORDAN MOORE, Redvers Secretary: Saskatchewan Livestock Asso., Regina

MANITOBA

President: MICHAEL HUNTER, Roblin Secretary: Rae Trimble, Portage la Prairie

ONTARIO

President: JOSH TAYLOR, Dunsford Secretary: Doris Aitken, Mount Forest

QUEBEC

President: MARK FROST, Kingsey Falls Secretary: Chantal Raymond, Sainte-Eulalie

MARITIMES

President: BRETT FRANCIS, Crapaud, PEI Secretary: Nancy Milton, Nine Mile Creek, PEI

PERSONNEL:

General Manager: CRAIG SCOTT Registry: LOIS CHIVILO

Registry/Member Services: CASSIDY MATTHEWS

French Membership: Bernard Dore 514-910-4935 • bernarddore@videotron.ca

EXÉCUTIF:

PRÉSIDENT: KASEY PHILLIPS Box 420, Waskatenau, AB T0A 3P0 780.358.2360 C 780.656.6400 kphillips@mcsnet.ca

1st VICE-PRÉSIDENT: SHAWN AIREY Box 639, Rivers, MB R0K 1X0 204.328.7704 C 204.724.8823 htacharolais@hotmail.com

2nd VICE-PRÉSIDENT: RYAN NESBITT 17100 Cedardale Rd, Nestleton, ON L0B 1L0 905.242.2046 ryan@cedardalefarms.ca

ANCIEN PRÉSIDENT: MIKE ELDER Box 216, Coronach, SK S0H 0Z0 306.267.5655 C 306.267.7730 mjelder@sasktel.net

ADMINISTRATION:

DARWIN ROSSO

78 325 4th Ave SW, Moose Jaw, SK S6H 5V2 306.693.2384 rosso.c@sasktel.net

JOSH TAYLOR

1717 County Rd 36, Dunsford, ON K0M 1L0 705.793.2576 C 705.760.5054 joshua.r.taylor@hotmail.com

ARMAND ROY

98 Rang St-Andre, St-Bernard Lacolle, QC J0J 1V0 450.246.9799 C 514.895.0829 royalch@hotmail.com

JEFF CAVERS Box 237, La Riviere, MB R0G 1A0 204.242.3467 C 204-242-4448 c2charolais@inethome.ca

LORNE LAKUSTA Box 37, Andrew, AB T0B 0C0 780.365.2079 C 780.719.0264 spruceviewcharolais@gmail.com

ROD McLEOD 293113 Twnshp Rd 263, Rocky View County, AB T4A 0N5 403.540.7986 rodmcl@telus.net

DE LA CHAROLAIS ASSOCIATION CANADIENNE

Comment utiliser les ÉPD Charolais

Magrath

L’Association Charolais du Canada, au nom de ses membres, investit dans la recherche et la réalisation d’évaluations génétiques. Ces évaluations utilisent la science la plus à jour disponible pour calculer les différences génétiques entre les animaux. Un bon exemple récent est l’investissement dans l’intégration de l’information génomique dans les ÉPD.

Cet investissement important est exprimé et multiplié de façon exponentielle dans les troupeaux de vaches commerciales, car la génétique charolaise est ainsi multipliée dans l’industrie bovine. L’évaluation génétique moderne est un outil puissant pour aider à évaluer les bovins et à cibler des objectifs d’élevage précis. Bien que de nombreux clients commerciaux puissent compter sur leur fournisseur de semences pour les conseiller, il est également utile de comprendre comment l’évaluation fonctionne et comment l’utiliser.

En termes plus simples, l’évaluation établit des comparaisons des performances entre les animaux qui sont gérés ensemble. De cette façon, nous pouvons éliminer les effets environnementaux et tenir compte des différences génétiques entre les animaux. Nous pouvons ensuite utiliser l’information généalogique pour relier les bovins entre eux comme une toile d’araignée géante et améliorer la précision des comparaisons. Enfin, nous pouvons examiner directement l’ADN de l’animal et ajouter cette information précieuse dans le puzzle pour déterminer avec encore plus de précision ce que la génétique d’un animal contient par rapport aux autres bovins de la population.

Rappelez-vous quand nous achetons un taureau, nous ne sommes pas réellement intéressés par la performance du taureau, ce qui nous intéresse est la façon dont les veaux vont performer. Nous nous intéressons également à la façon dont le taureau que nous achetons se compare aux autres choix que nous avons. Ces différences sont exprimées en ÉPD ou en Écarts prévus chez les descendants.

Les ÉPD sont exprimés en unités dans lesquelles le caractère est mesuré et démontre les relations entre les animaux. Par exemple, le poids au sevrage (PS) est exprimé en livres de veau au sevrage. Si nous considérons deux taureaux ayant des ÉPD de 40 et 80 du PS, lorsqu’ils sont accouplés à des vaches semblables, nous nous attendons à ce que « en moyenne » les veaux du taureau ayant un ÉPD de 80 seraient 40 livres plus lourds au sevrage que les veaux du taureau ayant un ÉPD de 40. Dans un troupeau de vaches commerciales, les veaux peuvent peser 600 lb et 560 lb, et dans un autre troupeau, ils peuvent être 800 lb et 760 lb, mais en moyenne la différence entre le poids au sevrage des veaux sera de 40 livres.

Les caractères publiés par sevrage Il est important de se rappeler que nous n’avons pas toujours besoin, ou même voulons un animal qui est au-dessus de la moyenne pour chaque caractère. Nous n’avons généralement pas besoin d’une facilité de vêlage sur les vaches adultes, ou de niveaux élevés de lait si nous vendons tout comme veau d’embouche. De plus, si nous n’avons pas l’environnement nécessaire pour soutenir des niveaux de performance extrêmement élevés, nous ne verrons peut-être pas les avantages

Sean

CARACTÈRE CARACTÈRE DESCRIPTION

PN Poids de naissance Différences génétiques pour le poids à la naissance chez les descendants. Un plus grand nombre indique des veaux plus lourds à la naissance.

PS Poids au sevrage Différence génétique pour le poids au sevrage de la progéniture. Un plus grand nombre indique des veaux plus lourds au sevrage.

P1A Poids à 1 an Différence génétique pour le poids de la descendance à un an. Un plus grand nombre indique des veaux plus lourds à un an.

Lait Lait Différence génétique du poids au sevrage en raison de la production de lait (progéniture des filles). Un plus grand nombre indique des veaux plus lourds au sevrage chez les veaux des filles.

UNITÉS

MT Maternel total Différence génétique pour le poids au sevrage de la progéniture en raison de ses gènes pour le lait et la croissance (progéniture des filles). Un plus grand nombre indique des veaux plus lourds au sevrage. Lb

FV Facilité de vêlage Différence génétique pour le vêlage non assisté chez la descendance. Un plus grand nombre indique un vêlage plus facile (moins d’assistance). Sans

CAR Poids de carcasse Différence génétique pour le poids des carcasses en livres chez les descendants. Un plus grand nombre indique des carcasses plus lourdes. Lb

SOL Surface d’oeilde-longe Différence génétique pour la surface de l’oeil-de-longe en pouces carrés de la progéniture. Un plus grand nombre indique un muscle d’oeil-de-longe plus gros.

Gras Épaisseur de gras Différence génétique pour l’épaisseur du gras dorsal de la descendance à la 12/13 côte. Une valeur plus élevée indique des carcasses plus grasses.

Rend Rendement viande maigre Différence génétique pour le rendement en viande maigre de la descendance. Un plus grand nombre indique plus de viande maigre dans la carcasse et plus de carcasses de catégorie 1.

Pers Persillage Différence génétique de la descendance pour le score de persillage (catégorie de qualité). Un plus grand nombre indique plus de persillage.

supplémentaires d’un ÉPD plus élevé, car notre système de production pourrait ne pas permettre à nos bovins d’exprimer pleinement leur potentiel génétique. Par exemple, si un veau d’embouche a le potentiel de gagner 6 livres par jour, mais qu’il est nourri avec une ration qui ne supporte que 1,5 livre, peu importe le niveau de sa génétique, il est peu probable qu’il puisse les exprimer. Nous verrons encore des différences exprimées entre les descendants de taureaux avec des ÉPD différents.

Un autre outil que l’ACC offre par l’entremise de son site Web est le rang centile. Il s’agit d’une façon rapide de voir où se situe l’ÉPD par rapport aux autres bovins de la race. La figure 1 présente un exemple de graphique du rang centile. Dans cet exemple, nous pouvons rapidement voir que l’animal en question est à croissance élevée, plus faible pour le lait, avec un poids à la naissance modéré.

Enfin, si vous souhaitez utiliser les ÉPD dans votre sélection de taureaux, veuillez visiter www.charolais.com car il y a beaucoup de ressources intéressantes disponibles ou bien parler à votre fournisseur de taureaux

de vos besoins. L’un des services qu’ils peuvent habituellement offrir est de vous aider à choisir la génétique disponible pour trouver les bovins qui conviennent le mieux à vos besoins. Bonne saison d’achat de taureaux.

FROM THE CANADIAN CHAROLAIS ASSOCIATION, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25

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50 Years of Charolais Premiums

Candace By

M&M Ranch is a family operation in its 120th year and the fourth generation of Patons are now involved. In all the 120 plus years, they were never without a broke team on the farm. For many years, their ads contained the slogan “There’s a place in every farm for a team.” The M&M stands for Melvin and Morris Paton, two brothers that worked together. Now Mel and Donalee and their two sons and families run the operation. Mel and Donalee have been married 58 years.

Curt and Cathy have three boys and they each have a sister. Curt likes to jest and laugh when he tells us they have four children. Tyson is their oldest son and he team ropes and works as a journeyman welder at the mine in Estevan. Connor is also a journeyman welder, but he is involved in the operation fulltime. Kaden works for Precision Ag for Cargill doing crop inputs. Carly is in post-secondary education in Kelowna studying to become a dental assistant.

Curt looks after all the livestock and the paperwork that goes with them. Curt’s wife Cathy continues to teach in Carnduff, where she has taught for 28 years. Clint is the Fire Chief and a Councillor. He does the cropping and accounting part of the operation.

Photos supplied by M&M Ranch

works

Barrett farms and works in the oilfield. McKenzie, Barrett’s wife is a lab tech and x-ray technician in the local hospital. Clint and Sonja have a daycare for dogs and have been turning people away. Covid saw everyone get a dog and now that everyone is back to work, there aren’t enough places to take them during the day. Clint has three stepchildren, Griffin, Gracee and Graydon and they have been actively doing chores around their school schedules.

Ernie Hansen came to Canada in 1951 from Germany and became one of the Paton family. He worked with them and lived with them until he retired and moved to town. He just couldn’t give it up. When they were combining, he was there to drive a truck. Whenever something was happening, he wanted to be a

part of it. He came for coffee every Sunday until he passed a week before his 91st birthday. Mel commented that Ernie never worked for us, he worked with us. He was one of the family.

Donalee plays an active role in the operation with meals, snacks and a table to plan the daily activities. She also participates in some community activities. Last summer she competed in the 55+ games as a bowler. Her team was in the 75+ category and qualified for nationals in Prince Albert. In Kelowna, they won the gold medal. Curt teases her that they were lucky to pass the drug test, as there must be a lot of toxicology in the 75+ category. There is a lot of humour in the house and it is enjoyed by all.

The M&M operation has three facets, but this article focuses predominantly on the Horse operation and the Cow/Calf operation.

Clint’s daughter, Kristie, is on the West Coast. Taylor

for Nutrien and

Clint and Sonja and family, with Donalee and Mel

Curt and Cathy and family

M&M Ranch Horse Operation

M & M Ranch started in the PMU business in 1966 when it started. Mel Paton was at the first meeting. There used to be seventeen people with contracts in their area, but they and Boyes Quarter Horses are the only ones left. “In 2002, there was a health scare that it caused cancer, but it was kind of a flawed study, but it is what ruined the business,” Curt Paton explains. “It is a smaller market. The dosage went down to a fraction of what it was and the company had a bunch of inventory. Then Pfizer bought the company and is just trying to use up inventory, of which they keep extending the shelf life. They need some fresh stuff to mix with what they have, but it has led to more cancelled contracts.

M & M used to collect for twentyfour weeks, now they only collect for five weeks.

They have 81 mares online, but they were once at 164 mares. They fixed the barn to meet the new health standards and had 124 mares on

line five years ago, then their contract got diminished. Inspections and regulation changes happen all the time. There is a lot more paperwork now. There were people who built facilities based on their contract and when they lost the contract and they also lost their operation because of it.

“Back in 1999, when I got my contact, the sky was the limit. I either went to university or made $100,000. When you are 19, the choice is easy, looking back I might have changed a few things,” Curt says. “It isn’t like a dairy contract where you have something to sell. The people that tried to sell their farms, found the barns were more of a liability than an asset.”

There are four PMUs in Saskatchewan and fourteen in Manitoba. Production outside Saskatchewan and Manitoba was discontinued all at once. The selection process seemed very random.

“Dad always said if you have to feed a horse, you better feed a good one. We have a breeding program and a market for colts. You must show that you are trying to market and raise better stock, the bar is always being raised,” adds Curt.

A mare they sold

“We went to a purebred herd of Belgians and have one of the largest herds in North America,” shares Mel.

“If you are going to raise horses, you really can’t afford to do it without a PMU contract. There is a large market in the United States. We sell a lot for showing and to the Amish, but everybody is 23 hours from us. We advertise some but I spend a lot of time on the phone. We consign to some select sales and that helps keep our operation visible and our horses in demand. This year we broke a filly, showed her in a futurity and then sold her in Topeka, Ohio. She won $5,000 in prize money, which covered her training. In the horse business that is called a win. It is like the cattle business, if you want to win, you have to hire a good fitter and show them properly. This horse went to two different trainers. She brought $30,000, which is good for the horse business. It is getting more like the cattle business with more embryos and semen trading hands,” affirms Curt. “We also still sell teams of horses to people who prefer to

utilize them to do their chores.”

They have to be microchipped, paired up, broke, pictured, verified, and money sent before they go. We use a trucker that deals specifically with horses to help ensure they arrive in good condition. We used to show, but there are just no shows left. We always used to show at Agribition. We took horses to a sale in Pennsylvania fifteen years ago and they are still calling to see if we will come back.

The mare we sold for $30,000 was purchased for a man’s daughter. She wanted to show her and there are lots of cart classes there. He bought a horse for his daughter, and I used the money to buy a car for our daughter so she could go to college. There is a difference in the demographic of the business down there.”

“Over the years, it has been good for us, there were years where it saved us,” Mel adds.

Paton’s Sundays Mya was marketed in Ohio

Mel Paton

Breaking younger horses

“We sell our breeding and working stock to Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, North Dakota, Ontario, Alberta and BC.

“We try to keep 500 females; we have three sections and a quarter at Roche Percy that is native prairie. Everybody tells you there is no money in cattle, but you can’t farm that land, so you have to have cattle. I have always had cattle,” explains Mel.

“It is all one big pasture, but it has PFRA fence on three sides, as we border the Old Coal Fields PFRA pasture, which is really nice” adds Curt.

“The river runs right through it so there is always water. The only bad part is that it is 50 miles from home. Now there are 11 oil wells on it providing surface rights. With the good comes the bad. Now we have foxtail, weeds, traffic, roads, people. Before we just had a pasture, which was better,” continues Mel.

They start calving at the first of April and they calve on the range close to home. They try to have the majority of them calved by the end of April before the mares start foaling in May. The bulls are turned out in mid-June and are left out until fall. They run eight bulls and check on them weekly. It is time consuming because of the distance, but they also use a drone to check on things.

It saves a lot of time. They also use the drone to push the cows out of areas that are tough to get to because of the river. Cross-fencing is in the plan for the future to keep the cows rotating through the area. There are some areas they would overgraze and some they would leave if you don’t move them when necessary.

The cowherd base is Charolais. Mel started out

M&M Ranch Cow/Calf Operation

If there is one bull that is not with the herd, you can find him with the drone and go right to him to check on him.

with Shorthorn cows but he got a Charolais-Brahma bull to use on them one year. He laughs that he would never use a bull like that today, but they were successful. They marketed the calves in North Dakota.

He followed that bull with ten Sam sons from Coheens in 1959. Mel took an A.I. course so he could breed the Sam heifers Charolais. He always used French semen. His cowherd was built from this foundation and they worked for him. They weren’t without problems in those early days, but the calves were so improved, they had to continue with Charolais.

“There are good cattle in every breed, but it is what you make it. We had a market for those kinds of cattle and we kept it up.

The buyers have orders for them because of the feeders’ success with them. In the fall of 2021, our 760 lb steers brought $.16 over market price,” says Mel.

“We used to calve in February, but when the mares were online, it was just too much. If you can’t look after it, don’t do it. We could probably calve earlier now as the mares are offline by

February.”

“At one time, black was the only way to go, but we never followed any trends. We ended up with 35 black influenced calves one year when a bull got out of a neighbouring pasture. We kept some of the heifers, but it didn’t work out that well. We just never had enough to make a package and we lost a lot of hair. If we used a Red Angus bull, we would still get buckskin calves and they could make a package. There is enough performance in our Charolais cows that they can make up the difference for the easy-calving Red Angus in the calves.” They did use Salers bulls on their heifers until it became hard to find good bulls. The progeny made good cows with longevity and big frames.

They had a bunch of purebred Charolais cows and felt they needed to bring the frame down a bit and inject some colour. They bought a couple of Simmental bulls to breed the majority of the purebreds. This year

The phone starts ringing in October asking us when we are bringing our calves to town.

they bred the second calvers to the Simmental bulls. They will be keeping some good tan replacements so they can breed them Charolais again.

“We don’t usually buy replacements, but when BSE hit, I had two neighbours with 40 and 60 cows that offered them to me. I said sure. They were good cows and were all bred Charolais. We just sold one of those cows this year. Also in 2003, the auction mart called as a guy brought in twenty cows and they had no buyer. I bought them too and averaged $400,” says Mel.

“That’s another reason we have Charolais. There is salvage value in a 1600 pound cow versus a 1000 pound cow,” says Curt.

“We have been buying lots of bulls from a Charolais breeder we found because we were driving by and saw his sign. We drove in and started talking and we liked his product. Then Helge By goes there and has a sale and the price jumps $1500. Did we ever curse you (Helge) that day.” Curt and Mel laugh. “It’s good for the breeder, but we were pretty frustrated. There are good cattle in any breed but you have to promote them.

You have to look after them.”

They like to have a bit of French in the bulls and they definitely pay attention to disposition. Their cows don’t see people much for a large part of the year and having quiet dispositions definitely makes a difference.

Birth weights are not a high priority for them. They aren’t afraid of a 110 pound birth weight. “Birth weights don’t mean anything, it’s how they are built,” exclaims Mel. Curt adds, “if you have a 1,600 pound cow, she should be able to have a decent sized calf.”

They select for bone, hair and at least 100 lb birthweight, as they want performance. Horns are not a selection criterion. They know you can buy a 110 lb birthweight horned bull for at least a $1,000 less than a 98 lb birthweight polled bull, and that will buy a lot of dehorning paste. They used to weigh all their calves, but they don’t anymore.

They grain 3000 acres of oats, barley, wheat, peas, corn and some canola for cash.

They do a quarter of corn and a quarter of barley for silage. The corn yields about double what the barley does in their area.

Mel watching M&M steers sell

M&M steers at the market

“If you feed properly, a 1600 pound cow doesn’t cost you anymore to feed than a smaller cow,” says Mel.

“I have raised cows for 75 years. With cows, you always have something to sell and there were more years where the cows were more profitable than the grain. There were lots of years when we didn’t have enough quota to sell the grain and pay the bills,” says Mel. “My Dad died when I was 13 and that’s when I started.”

“This generation doesn’t understand that as there is no quota system anymore. Grain is easy and nobody wants to do the work or spend the time that livestock takes,” adds Curt.

They cold wean everything and the steers go right to town. They normally feed the heifers until April, but with the shortage of feed last year they sold most of them too. They only kept 70 and cut them down to 50. By feeding them through the winter, it gives them a better opportunity to choose successful replacements. In April, they are sold as grassers through the market. They have always marketed at Alameda and their buyers know it. Most of their calves go to Ontario. The heifers sell at 850900 pounds and they feel they get as much as steers at that time of year.

They vaccinate the cows and Curt tags, dehorns and treats the calves nasally at birth. They use an 8-way and an IBR. The calves also get scourguard. The replacements get vaccinated in the fall. Since they started a vaccination program, they have far less sickness. All the steers are knife-cut before they go to grass. It is something the buyers appreciate. “If you have the time to buy all the calves that come into the mart with belly-nuts, take them home and clean them up. There is money to be made. Doing the work

that nobody wants to do,” says Curt.

Not all calves are branded, only the females that stay in the herd.

Their calves are too big and everything gets run through the chute. They have their own pot, so they can pasture sort them in pairs and make two trips in a day.

“We decided to handfeed our heifers last fall. I carried a lot of five-gallon pails to them twice a day and they got really quiet.

I did too by night,” laughs Curt. “We used to joke that we hated it when the pails changed from metal to plastic because we couldn’t kick dents in them so Dad wouldn’t give the horses so much feed.”

We used to feed 300 cows with square bales. I don’t know how we had the time to get everything done. We hauled them out with a team. I say we work half days in the winter from six to six. We work 3/4 days in the summer when we work from six to twelve,” Curt laughs.

Mel adds, “you have to work on a schedule or you don’t get anything done.”

They keep their bulls until they are six or seven. We like to keep young bulls coming along to mix with the old bulls. The hills they pasture on are hard on the older, heavier bulls. All the bulls are wintered on 60 acres together. They don’t have trouble with fighting unless there is a Red Angus one in the pen.

In 2018, the Saskatchewan Charolais Association awarded M&M Ranch with the Commercial Breeder of the Year Award. It’s an award they deserved and were honoured to receive.

SVY MAYFIELD 30H, sired by CCC WC Resource 417P, topped the 37 Champion bulls from across North America to win the Supreme show at Canadian Western Agribition in Regina, Saskatchewan. He qualified being Grand Champion at Edmonton FarmFair and Grand Champion at Canadian Western Agribition Charolais shows. He is owned by Cay’s Cattle, Kinistino; Serhienko Cattle Co., Maymont; Thomas Ranch, Harrold, SD & Hansen Farms, Turton, SD.

Katie Cox had the Grand Champion steer at the Renfew (ON) Fair. Her steer, WALT weighed 1,405 lb and sold for $9.25/lb to BEI Construction.

LONGVIEW FAITH 1K, sired by BRCHE White Bear 8505 Pld ET, exhibited by Longview Cattle Co., Grenfell, Sask., was selected Reserve Overall Champion of the All Breeds Little Lady Classic at Brandon (MB) Ag-Ex.

Tyson Black had the Reserve Grand Champion steer at the Renfrew (ON) Fair with JOHNNY, weighing 1,410 lb and selling for $5.00/lb to Mackenzie Motors.

Flat Valley Cattle Co., Hilda, Alberta, had the Champion Pen of Bulls Over All Breeds at the Medicine Hat Pen Show, which had 24 entries. Two bulls were sired by PCC Kentucky Rain 836F and one was sired by SOS Rage 128C. This is the second consecutive year the Ehrets won this show.

ELDER’S DESIGN 117J, sired by TR CAG Carbon Copy 7630ET, exhibited by Cassidi Elder, Coronach, Sask., was the Junior Beef Extreme Reserve Champion Female Over All Breeds at the 2022 Canadian Western Agribition Show.

The Immortals Show, judged by Tanya Belaham, Marlin LeBlanc and Blaine Brody, was held October 22 in Stettler, AB. Champion Charolais Bull and Supreme Champion Bull was SVY VERIFIED 202K (SVY Trust 6H), exhibited by Serhienko Cattle Co., Maymont, SK.

MISS PRAIRIE COVE 44H (CCC WC Resource 417 P, calf - BRCHE White Bear 8505 Pld ET) exhibited by Longview Cattle Co., Grenfell, Sask., was named the Supreme Champion Female at the Manitoba Ag-Ex Show.

BAKER FARMS JUSTIFIED 15J, a son of CCC WC Resource 417 P, exhibited by Baker Farms, Madoc, Ontario, won Supreme Ch ampion Bull at the Lindsay (ON) Charolais Show.

Health and Welfare of Your Bulls

Roy Lewis DVM

A lot has been written on vaccines, deworming, and fly control over the year for the bull. Of course, we want to have all that in place come breeding season and have the bulls semen tested to remove infertile ones. Most producers in this country do this very well in my opinion. Some even go the extra mile and footrot vaccinate and really attend to foot care when trimming is necessary.

There are also some preventative things we can do when it comes to injuries from breeding, or by other bulls, or during processing, or transport. There is nothing that frustrates me more as when big bulls get injured unnecessarily. This happens a lot when bulls are introduced or reintroduced to one another. Also when bulls are transported together in trailers. Our bull pens must be big enough and allow areas for the bulls to get away from one another. Every time we move bulls, whether it is out of the pen for foot trimming or semen testing, or simply move pens because we are cleaning, fighting can start. If we are ever diligent about the reintroductions or mixing bulls, we may be able to keep injuries to an absolute minimum.

When we have to disrupt the whole pen, we need to take advantage of the time and introduce new bulls to the pen, so they can blend into the group. Lots of space in the bull pen and distractions for them are helpful. I have seen big rocks in some bull pens, brushes or oilers. Ideally, a field in the off season where they can get lots of exercise. A practise tip that has been recently tried is when introducing bulls together is to spray an amount of vinegar on their backs (usually a couple ounces) put on with

a spray bottle or applicator gun. This is something I heard from a group of producers and the principle is making all the bulls smell the same. This can also work when purebred producers are delivering bulls and need to put bulls from different pens in the same compartment of the trailer when necessary.

The right choice is always trying to separate bulls when transporting and with multi compartment trailers that is often possible. If being introduced to each other, they must have room to get away, or if introduced into breeding pastures, it is nice if they have run together in the off season. Bulls introduced into breeding groups for the first time will spend a few days sparing and potentially cows are not getting bred.

I prefer to run different ages of bulls together as the propensity to fight is averted because of the big size difference.

Sparring and fighting injuries can quickly take a bull out with damage to the feet and legs broken ribs etc. Some bulls that become poor doing are the result of scaring peritonitis and/or non healable foot or leg injuries involving bones, tendons, joint capsules, etc. We need as sound a moving bulls as we can and we have a finite breeding season to get the job done.

With injured bulls, if and when they do happen, act on them quickly. Pulling them is best to let them convalesce and receive treatment, sometimes no more than NSAIDs on prescription from your veterinarian. This is why sound feet and legs are a necessity when starting the breeding season. If any foot care is necessary, get it attended well in advance. Get the breeding ratio right for your operation. Too little bull power and missed breeding opportunities result and yet too many bulls and fighting can be a problem.

I always end by saying on bull

health, purchase bulls from reputable purebred breeders (virgin bulls) to eliminate any risk of venereal transmitted diseases and make sure they have a satisfactory semen evaluation (all purebred breeders should be semen evaluating before or after the sale depending on timing and age of the bull).

A great number insure their bulls for the first season but let’s do all we can to be diligent at avoiding that injury from sparing and fighting.

I want you to keep in mind early recognition and treatment of problems can many times yield a favourable outcome. The bull may need to be replaced for a time but the long term outcome can be good. Conditions like lumpy jaw, wooden tongue and abscesses can all be treated with great success. Also very many cut penises or sheaths with minor medical intervention and time will heal. Many lamenesses may be things like sole abscesses, cracks, and single corns in older bulls. This is where preventative hoof care can prevent these ailments. If true footrot does happen treat as quickly as possible. It is the fever that develops and not the treatment with the antibiotic that will affect the sperm quality.

Also, do recognize when something serious has happened and if irreparable shipping as quickly as possible. Many a broken legged bull has been treated with antibiotics rendering salvage slaughter out of the question. Have a great breeding season everyone and let’s keep bull health at the top of our minds this year. They are a very valuable asset to the herd and worth looking after before, during, and after the breeding season. For preventative vaccinations, they are treated very much like the cow herd, but with the absence of scour vaccines ,and often the addition of footrot vaccines, which has been mentioned.

Canadian Cattle Association President’s Report

Nathan Phinney

Last year ended on a very difficult note. The Canadian cattle community lost a tremendous leader, mentor, and friend, with the sudden passing of Reg Schellenberg, President of the Canadian Cattle Association (CCA).

Reg’s leadership and passion for our industry will be missed around the board table and at industry meetings and events. He cared about issues and worked hard for the betterment of our industry. His goal was to leave a vibrant industry for the generations to come. His legacy and contributions will be felt for many years.

I chatted daily with Reg about CCA priorities and life on our home operations. I learned a lot from Reg and his gentle demeanor and strong character are qualities that I looked up to. I never imagined that this is how I would become CCA President. But I share the same passion as Reg for our cattle industry and it is an honour for me to lead an organization with such a strong and rich history. It’s important to me and our entire board that we move forward on the important work that CCA undertakes on behalf of cattle producers across Canada. We will be a strong voice on the issues that matter the most. Our board members and staff are committed to making positive things happen for our industry.

As we move into 2023, there are bright spots for our industry. We are experiencing high calf prices and we have a strong trade position with exports of Canadian beef at record levels for the sixth year in a row. The challenge now is having enough beef to meet the demand. Simply put: the world needs more Canadian beef.

Last November saw the announcement of the Indo-Pacific Strategy, which is good news for the

Canadian beef industry. It prioritizes trade and agriculture, and includes key recommendations shared by CCA. The investment in Minister-led trade missions will help facilitate long-term trade and investment opportunities, while the opening of an agricultural office in the region will help prevent and resolve nontariff barriers proactively and quickly.

The Indo-Pacific region holds the greatest potential for market growth and diversification for our industry, with a growing middle class, GDP, and food consumption. About 20 per cent of Canada’s beef exports are destined for the Indo-Pacific market, with the top five markets being Japan, Mainland China, South Korea, Vietnam, and Hong Kong. Diversifying our trade supports the future of our producers. CCA continues to collaborate with the Government in seeking new market opportunities for Canadian beef in the Indo-Pacific region.

The release of the next federal budget is around the corner and with the Winter Session of Parliament set to resume on January 30, 2023, CCA will keep up advocacy efforts on our key budget recommendations which will help ensure growth and innovation in our sector.

These recommendations include: Foot and Mouth Vaccine Bank

For the livestock sector, the threat of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) is serious and would have devastating consequences on the Canadian beef industry and our economy. FMD is a highly contagious viral infection of cloven-hoofed animals including cattle, pigs, and sheep. Canada remains FMD-free, but as an industry we cannot be complacent.

An investment by the Government of Canada in a Canadian FMD vaccine bank is a critical component in preventing catastrophic losses to

the sector and the broader Canadian economy should FMD occur in our country. The projected annual cost to maintain the vaccine bank is $3.2-4 million including potency and licensing testing. The potential impact of an FMD outbreak in Canada is estimated at $50 to $60 billion. Together, with our provincial counterparts across the country, we continue to call on the federal government to invest in this critical infrastructure.

Economic Resilience

With cattle farmers and ranchers facing market driven risks and uncertainty due to extreme weather, tools are needed to help mitigate these risks. We have recommended two actions with significant potential to help foster economic resilience in our sector: providing funding to Livestock Price Insurance (LPI) and making amendments to Livestock Tax Deferral (LTD) provision under the Income Tax Act.

LPI allows cattle producers to reduce market downside for their cattle; helping manage uncertainty and risk. This is especially important for our young cattle producers who don’t have equity built up to access loans. With lending institutions recognizing this program, it puts young people in a better position to borrow the money they need to maintain and grow their operations. The program can also be enhanced through Government partnership on the cost sharing of premiums. This would result in higher enrollment levels and would establish program equity with other commodities and our American counterparts. Lastly, we are still pushing to have this program be available to more producers across Canada.

We have also seen our fair share of extreme weather in the last number ..continued

Elevating the Importance of Genetics in Beef Production

Sandy Russell, CEO

2022 was an extremely busy and exciting year for the Canadian Beef Breeds Council as we worked to focus on our key priorities for the organization and ultimately drive value for our members by advancing the importance of genetics within the Canadian beef industry. We were thrilled to see a large number of our members, industry partners and stakeholders gather for our Annual General Meeting, on November 28 at Canadian Western Agribition in Regina, where we were able to reflect on the progress that had been made and look forward to the opportunities that lie ahead.

At our 2021 Annual General Meeting we outlined four key priority areas for CBBC. Those priorities were:

1. strengthening the financial standing of CBBC long term;

2. advancing membership value and growth;

3. elevating industry engagement;

4. driving the Canadian Beef Improvement Network (CBIN).

We have worked hard to deliver tangible results in relation to these key priority areas and were pleased to report our achievements in relation to these priorities and acknowledged the work that still lies ahead. Along with the traditional reports, we were able to showcase the progress made on the CBIN initiative and have Dr. Steve Miller, Director of AGBU from Australia provide a thoughtprovoking presentation reminding us the value of genetics in beef cattle production to a large room of CBBC members and industry stakeholders.

During the AGM the CBBC members also confirmed their support for the current focus of our leadership on the aforementioned priorities and the work being done to

achieve results for the membership by re- electing the Board of Directors for 2023. As a result, we are pleased to report that our 2023 CBBC Board of Directors are as follows:

David Sibbald - Chair

Marlin Leblanc – Co-Vice Chair

Shawn Wilson – Co-Vice Chair

Kevin Blair

Ken Friesen

Amanda Matthews

Graham McLean

Rod McLeod

Hal Nixdorff

Scott Severtson

Dennis Serhienko

Brett Wildman

Throughout the past year these directors have provided invaluable direction and considerable time to achieving the vision of CBBC and its initiatives. I look forward to continuing to work with this diverse group of leaders in the industry to achieve further outcomes for our members and continue to elevate the recognition of the role that genetic advancement plays in the overall success of the Canadian beef industry.

Throughout the past year, the CBIN initiative has been the focus of much of our work and continues to advance rapidly. As we have outlined on several occasions, the following four-step development plan for CBIN remains our overarching goal:

1. Build the Data Foundation: Build an operational system that will standardize data collection amongst participating Breed Associations;

2. Facilitate Data Linkages: Develop a cross-sector genetic data hub that will facilitate linkages of genetic data to traditional production metric;.

3. Translate Data: Create the analytical resources to assist in the translation of genetic data into informed decisions that allow increased value capture from

conception to consumption;

4. Drive Adoption: Advance the understanding of the value of genetic data incorporation and resource utilization across the entire beef production system.

With this broad vision in mind, we will be able to provide genetic information and analytical tools that will help capture the full value of genetics across the entire beef production chain.

Those in attendance at our AGM were able to see first-hand the new registry portal that is being developed. The new system was met with very positive feedback, much excitement for what has been accomplished through the collaborative effort and hard work of many and anticipation for the opportunities that the system will provide for our members. With the first stage of development advancing, we are shifting our focus to facilitating the data linkages that will truly capture value across the entire industry. The leadership from within our CBIN Advisory Panel, along with our CBBC Board of Directors continues to drive for success through focused advancements in CBIN. While we know the task ahead is large and there will be bumps in the road along the way, collectively we continue to make strides forward in achieving that broad vision.

Often it feels as though there isn’t much we can control in the beef industry but with the right information and resources there are things within our control that will generate increased value within our individual businesses and at the broader industry level. Genetic selection decisions are one of those things. The importance of genetics in the beef business has often been minimized or even forgotten altogether at times but

of years. Having the ability to access the LTD provision gives producers in designated regions who sell part of their breeding herd due to extreme weather the ability to defer a portion of those proceeds to the following year. To increase the impact of the

provision, CCA recommends that producers be given the ability to selfelect rather than rely on a geographic determination to access this provision. This would help producers making difficult decisions during urgent times of need.

Lastly, we are requesting an amendment to the definition of “breeding animals,” cited in the Act, so it includes all classes of cattle and not just the breeding herd.

All the best for a healthy and successful year!

ELEVATING THE IMPORTANCE OF GENETICS IN BEEF PRODUCTION, CONTINUED FROM

CBBC has worked hard recently to shift the conversation and raise the awareness of the value that genetics offers to our industry. While changes and advancements seldom occur overnight, we hope you have started to see some of the fruits of our labour with genetics being discussed around

more tables and being part of the solutions for success in the Canadian beef industry.

The seedstock sector has a large role to play in driving value in beef production and through the collaborative effort of CBIN we are collectively building the resources to

allow the Canadian beef industry to fully capture the value of genetics. The work ahead is substantial but so too are the opportunities. CBBC members, stakeholders and members believe the reward is worth the investment.

Dry Conditions Can Be a Factor in Hoof Health and Lameness

Hoof cracks are fairly common in beef cattle, sometimes due to genetics (some cattle have stronger hoof horn than others) and/or environmental factors. Wet conditions can make hooves soft and vulnerable to injury, and dry conditions can make the hoof wall more brittle and susceptible to cracking.

Dr. Michael Jelinski, a partner with Veterinary Agri-Health Services Ltd., in Airdrie, Alberta, says dry conditions can contribute to lameness in beef cattle. “Here in western Canada, we see a lot of what we refer to as sand cracks. Over the years there has been some good research regarding the causes, and a few theories that haven’t held up. The work that Dr. Chris Clark did (University of Saskatchewan) showed that the biggest risk factor is dryness of the hoof,” says Jelinski.

Clark says we don’t always know why cracks occur. “This question was the basis of my Masters project. We didn’t come up with complete answers, but we did discover that hydration—the water content—of hoof horn varies considerably throughout the year on the western Canadian prairies. In summer, the moisture content of the hoof is fairly close to what I believe would be optimal. Even in dry years, the hoof tends to pick up some moisture. But as cattle go

through winter here, the hoof dries out,” he explains.

In a cold, dry climate, the feet are not exposed to any free water. There may be a lot of snow, but at cold temperatures the snow is dry, not wet, and that moisture is not available. There’s no moisture in contact with the foot. “Humidity is very low here in winter. We took hoof samples of cattle in February, when it’s typically minus 30 degrees. There is snow, but it’s very dry,” he says.

“As the hoof wall dries out, it becomes brittle. From studies done on horse hooves, we know that as the hoof dries out, it becomes less pliable.” Biomechanical studies on the feet of cattle with sand cracks (as well as moisture measurements) showed that the drier the foot, the higher the risk for cracks. The hoof wall becomes brittle, and more susceptible to cracking.

Jelinski says there has been talk about the role of nutrition or genetics, and these can be factors, but not the main factors. A well-balanced diet is always important to provide appropriate vitamins and trace minerals, but unless there’s significant deficiency (or in the case of Selenium too much) this is unlikely to be the underlying cause.

“Here in western Canada where we have cold, dry winters, feet have a tendency to dry out enough to be vulnerable to cracks, and if dry conditions continue (as they have

Heather Smith Thomas

this spring) there may be even higher incidence of cracks if the drought persists,” he says.

“Sand cracks are very prevalent in cattle here, but only a small percentage of them actually become lame. We may see more lameness during a drought but probably only because we are seeing a higher incidence of sand cracks,” says Jelinski.

Cattle may also have to walk farther to water on a dry year, but as a general rule, that won’t be a factor because cattle have very durable feet, he explains. They are well designed to handle a lot of travel. Hooves self-trim but usually don’t wear excessively.

Dryness of the foot is the biggest factor, affecting the quality and integrity of the hoof wall and whether it develops cracks. The only thing that might be a factor in greater distances travelled is whether terrain is rocky or cattle have to travel along a gravel road, which might lead to tender feet and stone bruising and possible lameness issues.

Most cracks appear on the outside front claw, just because it is under a little more strain and stress. There is more weight carried on the inside claw but there is often more stress on the outside claw when the animal is moving and turning.

Cracks are common, but usually don’t go deep enough to cause lameness. “Some of the survey data showed that up to 25% of a herd may be affected with sand cracks but only a

Sand Crack thickening from inside to bridge, photo by Dr. Jelinski

Sand crack, photo by Dr. Shearer

Sand Crack, photo by Dr. Jelinski

Vertical wall crack, photo by Dr. Shearer

small number actually become lame. When they do, it’s usually because of an abscess rather than from the crack itself,” Jelinski explains. The crack became deep enough to get into the inner sensitive tissue of the foot, allowing bacteria access to those tissues, and subsequent infection.

One of the things Clark looked at was whether longer toes might make the claws more vulnerable to cracking, due to the added strain from the long toe. “We found that the bigger feet were more prone to cracking, rather than the length of the toe, as the main factor. The volume of the foot was most important,” he says.

Many of the older beef cows on the prairies in western Canada are affected, but the vast majority of cracks don’t cause signs of lameness or ill health. “My colleagues and I at the university looked at the feet of cattle that have gone to slaughter. The sand cracks almost never penetrate the entire thickness of the hoof wall. They are just in the outer layer. The way the hoof matrix is built, it has what is

called a crack diversion mechanism. As the crack penetrates deeper, it is diverted away from going in a straight line.” Pressure is dissipated outward and spread out rather than creating a deep split.

“The animal’s body responds to the crack by thickening the hoof wall in that area, to protect itself. Often the worst-looking cracks don’t cause lameness. If you cut into a dead hoof and look at it, you might discover that the hoof wall in that area may be up to 2 to 3 times thicker than normal. Sometimes, if the wall gets very thick in that area, you may also see a little remodeling of the bone, to accommodate the increased thickening of the hoof wall. Some of these cracks persist for years,” says Clark.

The outside surface of the hoof wall is durable and there won’t be any lameness from a crack unless it goes deeper. “If you look at the inside of a hoof with a sand crack, the wall will be thickening from the inside, creating a bridge to stabilize the crack,” says

Jelinski. “The body tries to mend it, and it’s only if it gets deep enough to abscess that the foot would need treatment,” he explains.

Treatment

Treatment for lameness in this situation means resolving the abscess and getting rid of the infection. “This involves opening up the crack using a very small grinder so the abscess can be drained and flushed,” Jelinski says.

Treatment is not as simple as an injection of antibiotics (as for a case of foot rot).

“If it is truly an abscess, it will require drainage before it can heal,” he says. You might want help from your veterinarian or a professional hoof trimmer who deals with hoof health issues. They could pinpoint exactly where the abscess is, open it up, and flush it.

“There’s not much a producer can do to alleviate dry conditions for feet. The vitamin biotin (which is often used in horses to promote healthy hooves) has shown to be of some help but is not practical in a beef herd on extensive pastures; hoof cracks are just something we tend to live with in western Canada,” says Jelinski.

Some animals are more at risk than others. “Larger, heavier animals (bulls, large cows) have more pressure and strain on the outside claws. Hoof cracks are less common in younger, lighter animals,” he says.

Clark says that in commercial beef production hoof cracks usually aren’t much of an issue. It’s not economically feasible to deal with them unless they cause lameness, but they might be a cause of concern in a purebred herd when the rancher is selling registered bulls and heifers.

“If someone comes to look at their animals, they don’t want cracked feet. Even in those cases, however, other than telling them they could try supplementing the cattle with biotin, I’m not sure what else to suggest—to minimize cracks. They seem to be a prairie issue and are not reported as often in other parts of the world. It’s primarily an issue in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba,” says Clark.

Photo by H. Smith Thomas

Photo by H. Smith Thomas

Inflation And Costs

For those who are unaware of what it is, inflation is the increased price for goods and services.

Although price increases are seen as bad a certain amount of inflation is good for the economy.

Prices and wages go up all of the time the problem is when inflation reaches a certain point it becomes excessive meaning consumers cannot afford the item and no longer buy it or they forego other items to purchase an item that has gone up in price.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI)

The Consumer Price Index, or CPI, is a major economic indicator and it is widely referenced when it comes to inflation and the ability of consumers to purchase the goods and services they need to survive.

The CPI is often described as a weighted basket of goods the average consumer needs to purchase.

The CPI is weighted because the same rise in the price of certain items do not effect consumers as much as a price increase for other goods and services.

For example, a 20 percent price increase in the price of milk has less of an impact on the CPI than does a similar 20 percent increase in the price of fuel.

Although milk may be good for you, the amount of milk an individual consumes and its importance is less than buying fuel. Fuel such as gasoline is used more by consumers than milk so gasoline is weighted higher.

If you take a look at the CPI (in the chart below), food is weighted at just over 15 percent. While housing is the largest component of the CPI at the 30 percent mark. While clothing is between three and five percent over the three year period.

So the big three most people see as the essentials to life - food, shelter and clothing - are given a weight of 50 percent in the CPI.

As discussed earlier, transportation or fuel, has the same weight in the CPI as food.

What makes up the CPI or the basket of goods and the weight each item is given is determined by economists working for the federal government.

Canada to show what the inflation rate is.

Recent Developments

Recently the CPI or the inflation it measures has been impacted in two areas - fuel and food.

In the most recent CPI released by Statistics Canada, the CPI in June 2022 compared to June 2021 saw an increase of 8.1 percent. If you removed the price of gasoline from the CPI, the year over year increase is 6.5 percent which is higher than the 6.3 percent increase in May 2022 versus May 2021.

During June, the CPI saw a decrease in the price of homes which had the effect of moderating the weighted CPI.

The weight of each item in the basket which makes up the CPI is derived from consumer habits in the Household Final Consumption Expenditure (HFCE). The HFCE data is combined with data obtained from third parties to see an overall consumer preference for variety of goods and then weights them before putting them into the CPI.

Overtime the increase in prices in the CPI basket is used by Statistics

But despite this the CPI rose more than what economists and the Bank of Canada would like to see - a two percent target increase since 1995.

To lower inflation you can do one of two things.

Flood the market with more goods than consumers can buy (in practicality an impossibility) and allow supply to do it. Or you can reduce demand. You reduce demand by taking the means to buy goodsmoney - out of the system.

To reduce the money supply, the

Robert Thomas

reprinted with permission from Moose Jaw Independent

“Any evidence we’ve seen is to the contrary. It’s pretty clear who is doing well, and that is the packers.”

Bank Of Canada sets its key lending rate - the rate it charges banks to borrow money - which results in the banks increasing their lending rates. As consumers are charged more to borrow, they reassess purchases and on big ticket items - such as homes - the demand goes down and prices drop.

If you look at the CPI data, while there was an increase in the CPI of 8.1 percent from June 2022 to June 2021, at the same time wages rose only 5.2 percent based upon the latest Labour Force Survey.

Consumers are on average seeing their buying power eroded.

How Does This Effect Consumers Buying Beef??

If you take a look at the price of food year over year the major increase has been in butter, edible oils and meat (most notably beef).

In Saskatchewan, (see chart on right) meat prices went up 11.3 percent from April 2021 to April 2022, while retail beef prices went up 17

percent in the same time period.

From March to April 2022, the retail price of beef increased 6 percent in the one month period.

While over the same April 2021 to April 2022 year to year increase for live cattle increased by nine percent (see chart on right).

Seemingly the cattle prices are going up to match the demand and store prices.

The problem for rancher/farmers and feedlot owners are the fixed inputs - feed and labour - they need to produce a pound of beef.

The latest market information provided by the Saskatchewan Department of Agriculture show the United States Department of Agriculture prices for cattle as stable year over year.

..continued on page 78

Year over year food price increases April 2022 versus April 2021 and March 2022 versus April 2022 - source Statistics Canada

But the cost of Lethbridge barley - used to feed cattle in feedlots - has risen over 30 percent year over year.

The problem is, if there are profits at the retail level, who is earning them?

In a July 7th Toronto Star article, Michelle Wasylyshen, spokesperson for the Retail Council of Canada, which represents major grocery chains including Loblaw, Sobeys and Metro, said retailers were not making windfall profits.

“Any evidence we’ve seen is to the contrary. It’s pretty clear who is doing well, and that is the packers,” Wasylyshen told the Toronto Star.

MJ Independent was unable to contact JBS Canada for comment on this series of stories.

MJ Independent was however able to get ahold of Cargill who referred us to the Canadian Meat Council who represents meat packers and processors, large and small.

After speaking to the media representative at the Canadian Meat Council, where we sought comment to hear their side of the story for a more rounded series of stories, their media rep said they were unable to answer the questions but someone who was away on holiday may be able to.

After one week we received no further answer from the Canadian Meat Council.

The call to examine cattle and beef pricing in Canada has been made more than once in the past. Out of those calls came a major report in 1976 while the beef and cattle industry was in a price and marketing crisis on the cusp of change in the industry.

Released on April 13, 1976, the Report Of The Commission Of Inquiry Into The Marketing Of Beef And Veal was an extensive report looking at the marketing of beef from the producer right up to the dinner plate.

The Commission held Canadawide public hearings over three months in 1975 gathering input from all three players – ranchers/ farmers, processors and retailers –on the industry and how producers were often better off financially just disposing of their livestock.

The Commission had been triggered by farmers who went in front of the television cameras.

With dairy producers destroying calves in front of the television cameras – due to low prices – causing outrage and massive public pressure from consumers against the beef processing industry.

“The public felt that the prices paid for beef and veal were high in relation to low producer returns and did not properly reflect price variations at the producer level,” the Commission stated as to their reason for holding the Public Inquiry.

What the Commission found, through both public hearings as well as studies, was that “serious price inequities exist at both the producer and consumer levels.”

Chaired by Maxwell W Mackenzie with Hu Harries and Lydia PatrieCullen the Commission made three recommendations:

• we reject the principle of

The 1975 Federal Commission

regulated domestic production for beef and veal but emphasize the need for substantial changes in the marketing system to protect the position of the livestock producer against inequities; .

• retailers should be required to label the grade of beef on the packaged beef cuts sold at their retail counter and clearly state that grade of beef in any form of advertising they use;

• t he central processing of beef cuts should take place at the point of slaughter, and early action should be taken by government to reverse the current trend to growth in central processing by retailers.

The Inquiry made several other recommendations to improve the beef marketing system and amongst them was to allow direct selling from producers to the processing facility and eliminate many of livestock auction markets.

The Commission’s report stated that the move to centralized processing at the slaughter facilities would add to the wholesomeness of the product but also added the caveat about what it could lead to due to producers selling directly to packers and not through the auction mart system.

“…the degree of market power and concentration in the beef industry by those controlling the processing, and whether an acceleration of the development would lead to a more invisible price setting mechanism for beef than the more open method used in the past,” the report warned could develop.

The report highlighted the price discrepancy of what producers received based upon their actual costs.

“In few other industries in Canada can the price of a product fluctuate drastically from day to day or region

to region, significantly cutting into revenue with no change in costs,” the Commissioners wrote.

The report mentions how there were in 1974 a total of 57 packing plants responsible for 88 percent of the federal plant kill. In 2020, three (3) plants were responsible for 85 percent of the beef processed in Canada.

“In 1974, beef producers and feedlot operators chose to sell their slaughter animals direct to Packers (55% of their sales) either on a liveweight or a railgrade basis’, through terminal markets (30%) or through country auctions ( 15%). Producers of calves and feeder cattle normally use the auction system to market their animals.”

The Commission also found direct ties between the Canadian price for cattle and beef highly reliant on prices paid in the United States.

“Because of the size of Canada’s market, its openness to world markets, and its proximity to the U.S.A., the major constraint on our live cattle and carcass price setting mechanisms is U.S.A. prices plus transport and any tariff that is applied.”

The Commission found the little discussed byproduct market played a major role in what producers were offered.

“A rule of thumb in the packing industry is that the value of the byproducts will cover the processing

Robert Thomas

reprinted with permission from Moose Jaw Independent

“Any marketing system that does not protect its primary supply sources is a marketing system that eventually will be destroyed.”

costs of the carcass so that the live value and the carcass value should be (on a carcass equivalent basis) approximately equal and follow one another. When by-product values exceed processing costs, credits can be allocated to increase buying prices for live cattle or lower carcass selling prices. The reverse is also true,”

The public input tour took the Commission across Canada.

During these submissions the Commission heard Canada’s cattle market was actually a North American market.

“The industry in Canada is operating in a North American and not a Canadian market…There is a duty...There are transportation factors ...but with the exception of those factors we are essentially operating on a North American market…” Canada Packers said in their submission.

Canada Packers pointed out how stabilization of beef producers’ incomes would impact the North American market.

“Stablization is bound to seriously disrupt any trade outside of Canada in beef. If you start to stabilize income in the beef industry, you are going to have to devise a system for regulating output because at the moment it is price that regulates output…”

There were calls from processors to move away from the system of the day where retailers bought sides of beef and then did their own meat cutting.

The now defunct, Saskatoon-based Intercontinental Packers was a leader in calls for packers to move from supplying sides but providing the final cut retail product. By reducing costs the savings could be passed on to consumers, they told the Commission.

“Boxed beef holds a great deal of

promise as a way of reducing costs between packer and consumer… We strongly urge this Commission to recommend acceleration of a change to this more modern and efficient method of beef marketing,” Intercontinental Packers said in their submission.

Canada Safeway, who operated a beef cutting plant under its Lucerne brand, echoed Intercontinental Packers call to consolidate meat cutting from the grocer to large plants as being more economical.

“There is increased efficiency resulting from centralized prefabrication…Centralized cutting is a clear economy over the system where the whole side moves out and into the store where it is cut up, it is more economical,” Canada Safeway said in their submission.

The National Farmer’s Union (NFU) asked the Commission to look at a system based upon a quota system similar to eggs and milk to help ensure producers were paid a guaranteed higher price.

Despite the NFUs calls for a quota system the argument for a free enterprise system with processing conducted at the slaughter facility won out.

Government intervention in the industry was outright rejected by the Brooks, Alberta, based Lakeside Packers (now part of JBS Foods through acquisitions) claiming the government was the problem.

“The number one problem in the beef industry as a whole is government involvement…We must work in a North American or world beef market…We have the potential to produce more than our own requirements and at competitive prices…Government should not be

involved in our industry in any way that will distort the signals from the market place…” Lakeside Packers said in their submission.

In the end the Commission agreed with consolidation of cutting beef to the slaughter facility away from retailers as a cost reduction strategy.

“The Commission is convinced savings could be realized at the retail level if beef were fully processed before it reaches individual retail food stores. The investment in equipment required to break and trim carcasses at each retail outlet is considerably higher, generally speaking, than that at a central location where the utilization rate of labour and equipment can be much better,” the Commission wrote in their final report.

Retailers continuing to cut meat was seen as detriment to the entire cattle to beef system.

“In the Commission’s view, if the processing continues to be done at the retail level, it will inhibit important gains that can be made in the marketing system for the future.”

Why packers comply with retailers

The Commission saw the manner which retailers purchased beef from processors in 1975 – carcass – as a major drawback to the Canadian beef processing system.

“But the major reason why most beef is shipped in carcass form by packers is that retailers are reluctant to relinquish any element of control over the quality of the product they sell. They want to continue their preferences for certain classifications and sex of carcasses, which appear to the Commission to be based on prejudice rather than valid evidence. The packers comply with this because they are able to pass the burden of

any discrimination by retailers back to the producer”

The stage was set in the future where retail meat markets would disappear and large retailers would no longer cut up their own beef.

The butcher shop moved to the slaughterhouse.

Rail grade buying versus average

A major recommendation made by the Commission was that cattle should be bought Rail Grade and not an Average Estimate system.

Rail Grade means sellers (usually feedlots today) are paid by how the animal breaks down after slaughter. An Average Estimate is where processors buy cattle based on their weight with a formula taking into account an averaging of imperfections in animals they buy.

“The Commission is satisfied

that the purchase by packers of live animals on a railgrade basis will provide more equity to the individual producer by eliminating the estimation of the carcass outturn of the live animal. If all purchases of slaughter animals by packers were on a railgrade basis, a much more comprehensive market could be developed to the particular benefit of the small producer and the independent packer,” the Commission wrote.

Dissent in the report

Despite the Commission recommending consolidation and a centralization in the industry there was one dissenting Commissioner. “Any marketing system that does not protect its primary supply sources is a marketing system that eventually will be destroyed. Many have suffered

grievously because the price that is paid for their produce, while gyrating wildly, has consistently been lower than the cost of production. I see no reason to load, on the shoulders of a few who are least able to bear it, the cost of a food policy which provides the Canadian consumer with the best beef that is available anywhere in the world. The Canadian consumer doesn’t want the small unprotected man to be ground into the dirt in the interests of some phoney economic and political philosophy which is a little to the right of Adam Smith,” the dissenting opinion read.

Despite the dissent the stage was set for consolidation and the mergers leading to less than a handful of a few large processors dominating the industry.

Calendar of Events

January 28

M.C. Quantock Bull Sale, 12 noon, Lloydminster (SK) Exhibition Grounds February 1

Howe Coulee Charolais Private Treaty Bull Sale, at the farm, Moose Jaw, SK February 1

Wirstuk Farming & Ranching Private Treaty Bull Sale, at the farm, Cut Knife, SK February 4

Hill 70 Quantock Bull Sale, 12 noon, at the ranch, Lloydminster, AB February 10

Anchor D Ranch Bull Sale, at the ranch, Rimbey, AB February 11

Springside Farms Annual Bull Sale, Stettler Agri-Plex, Stettler, AB February 11

MJT Cattle Co Ltd. 29th Annual Bull Sale, 2 pm, at the Ranch Edgerton, AB February 11

Soderglen Select Bull Sale, 12 pm Airdrie, AB February 15

Steppler Farms 12th Annual Bull Sale, at the farm, Miami, MB February 18

Ross Lake Charolais Open House & Private Treaty Bull Sale, at the farm, Stettler, AB February 18

Prouse Ranch Charolais Bull Sale, 7 pm, at the farm, Invermay, SK (live online sale)

February 18

St. Martin Test Sale, St. Martin Test Station, QC February 18

P & H Ranching Co. Bull Sale, Innisfail (AB) Auction Mart February 18

Denbie Ranch with guests Myhre Land & Cattle & Bar J Charolais, 2 pm, Ste. Rose (MB) Auction Mart February 21

Rawes Ranches Performance Tested Charolais 40th Bull Sale, at the ranch, Strome, AB February 22

Saddleridge Charolais with Kaiser Cattle Co. Bull Sale, 1 pm, Bow Slope Shipping, Brooks, AB

February 22

McLeod Livestock & Triple M Farms Bull Sale, 1 pm, Cow Palace, Olds, AB February 22

Beck Farms Annual Bull Sale, at the farm, Milestone, SK February 23

Prairie Cove Charolais Bull & Select Female Sale, 1 pm, at the ranch, Bashaw, AB February 24

HEJ Charolais 18th Annual Bull Sale, 1 pm, at the farm, Innisfail, AB February 25

Kay-R Land & Cattle Bull Sale, at the farm, Waskatenau, AB February 25

RRTS Charolais Bull Sale, 1 pm, BC Livestock Co-op, Kamloops, BC February 25

Triple C Charolais Bull Sale, 1 pm, Ashern (MB) Auction Mart February 25

Quebec Select Bull Sale, Danville, QC February 26

Pro-Char Charolais 11th Annual Bull Sale, 1:30 pm, at the farm, Glenevis, AB February 27

BOB Charolais Bull Sale, 2 pm, Stettler (AB) Agriculture Society February 28

Acadia Colony Charolais Bull Sale, 1 pm, Dry Land Trading Corp, Veteran, AB March 3

Future Farms & Charworth Charolais Select Charolais Bull Sale, 1 pm, Innisfail (AB) Auction Mart March 3

Twin Anchor Charolais Bull Sale, 1 pm, Dry Land Trading Corp, Veteran, AB March 3

Nish Charolais 17th Annual Bull Sale, 6 pm, Perlich Bros. Auction Mart, Lethbridge, AB March 3

Southland Cattle Bull Sale, 1 pm, Heartland Livestock, Swift Current, SK March 3

DanG Charolais Bull Sale, at the farm, Colborne, ON

March 4

Turnbull Charolais & Guests Charolais Bull Sale, 1 pm, at the farm, Pincher Creek, AB March 4

Ferme Louber Annual Bull Sale, 1 pm, at the farm, Ste-Marie de Beauce, QC March 5

Legacy Charolais 6th Annual Bull Sale, 1 pm, at the farm, Botha, AB March 7

Johnson Ranching Bull Sale, 1 pm, Provost (AB) Livestock Exchange March 8

Pine Bluff Charolais & Fern Simmental Bull Sale, Farm Gate Online Auction, Love, SK March 9

McKeary Charolais & Fleming Livestock Corp. Tradition Bull Sale, 1:30 pm., Compeer (AB) Community Hall March 9

Nelson Family Ranches Charolais & Angus Bull Sale, 1 pm, Balog Auction, Lethbridge, AB March 10

CK Sparrow Farms Annual Bull Sale, 2 pm, at the farm, Vanscoy, SK March 10

Meridian Agriculture Co Ltd. Charolais Bull Sale, 1 pm, Acadia Valley, AB March 10

Northern Classic Charolais Bull Sale, 1 pm, Grand Prairie, AB March 11

Horseshoe E Charolais 25th Annual Bull Sale, 2 pm, at the farm, Kenaston, SK March 11

Blackbern/WhiteWater 12th Annual Charolais Bull Sale, 1:30 pm, Renfrew Pontiac Livestock Facility, Cobden, ON March 11

Phillips Charolais Farm Open House and Private Treaty Bull Sale, at the farm, Estevan, SK March 11

Oakstone Land & Cattle Farm Gate Timed Online Bull Sale, at the farm, Bawlf, AB March 11

Transcon’s Red Deer County Bull Sale, Innisfail (AB) Auction Mart

March 13

Palmer Charolais 11th Annual Bull Sale, 2 pm, at the farm, Bladworth, SK March 14

Desertland Cattle Charolais Bull Sale, 5 pm, at the ranch, Sedalia, AB March 14

Harvie Ranching Bull Sale, 1 pm, at the ranch, Olds, AB March 14

DM Livestock Bull Sale Farm Gate Timed Auction, Carrot River, SK March 15

Cedarlea Farms Bull Sale, 1 pm, at the farm, Hodgeville, SK March 16

Footprint Farms Bull Sale, 3:30 pm, at the ranch, Esther, AB March 16

Northern Impact Bull Sale, 1 pm, North Central Livestock, Clyde, AB March 16

Creek’s Edge Land & Cattle Farm Gate Timed Online Bull Sale, Yellow Creek, SK March 17

High Bluff Stock Farm Charolais & Simmental Bull Sale, 2 pm, at the farm, Inglis, MB March 17

Reese Cattle Co. 14th Annual Bull Sale, 1 p.m, at the farm, Didsbury, AB March 17

Scott Stock Farm 10th Annual Bull Sale, 1 pm, at the farm, Crossfield, AB March 18

Rollin’ Acres/Whiskey Hollow & Guests 12th Annual Bull Sale, 2 pm, Maple Hill Auctions, Hanover, ON March 18

Thickness Sells 10th Annual Bull Sale, 2 pm, Atlantic Stockyards, Truro, NS March 18

AM Sunrise Farm 6th Annual Bull Sale, 1 pm, Northern Livestock sales, Lloydminster, SK March 18

Lazy S Charolais Bull Sale, 1 pm, VJV Auction Mart, Dawson Creek, BC March 18

Limestone Charolais Bull Sale, Clinton (BC) Rodeo Grounds March 18

Pleasant Dawn Charolais 21st Annual Bull Sale, 2 pm, at the farm, Oak Lake, MB

March 18

Select Genetics 17th Annual Bull Sale, 1 pm, Forsyth Ranch, Herbert, SK March 18

Sliding Hills Charolais 17th Annual Bull Sale, 1:30 pm, at the farm, Canora, SK March 20

Flat Valley Cattle Co. & K Lazy T Cattle Co. & Guests Simple as Black & White Bull Sale, 1 pm, Medicine Hat (AB ) Feeding Company March 20

Highway 21 Group Bull Sale, at the ranch, Hanna, AB March 20

TRI-N Charolais Farms 8th Annual Bull Sale, 2 pm, at the farm, Lenore, MB March 21

Poplar Bluff Stock Farm 6th Annual Bull Sale, 1 pm, Dryland Trading Corp., Veteran, AB March 21

Diamond W Charolais, Red & Black Angus 21st Annual Bull Sale, 1 pm, JTM Livestock, Minitonas, MB March 22

HTA Charolais Bull Sale, 1:30 pm, at the farm, Rivers, MB March 23

Elder Charolais 13th Annual Bull Sale, 1 pm, at the farm, Coronach, SK March 24

McTavish Farms & Guests 12th Annual Bull Sale, 1 pm, at the farm, Moosomin, SK March 24

Thistle Ridge Ranch Bull Sale, 1 pm, Perlich Bros Auctoin Mart, Lethbridge, AB March 25

K-Cow Ranch Bull Sale, 1 pm, at the ranch, Elk Point, AB March 25

Lazy S Cattle Co. Bull Sale, 6 pm, VJV Auction, Rimbey, AB March 25

McAvoy Charolais Bull Sale, at the farm, Arlee, SK March 25

Candiac Choice Bull Sale, 1 pm, Candiac (SK) Auction Mart March 25

Cornerview Charolais Bull Sale, 1:30 pm, at the farm, Cobden, ON March 25

Tee M Jay Charolais Bull Sale, 1 pm, Ashern (MB) Auction Mart

March 25

K-Cow Ranch Bull Sale, 1 pm, at the ranch, Elk Point, AB March 26

Best of the Breeds Bull Sale, 1:30 pm, Heartland Livestock Services, Yorkton, SK March 28

Prairie Distinction 9th Annual Charolais Bull Sale, 1 pm, Beautiful Plains Ag Complex, Neepawa, MB March 28

White Lake Colony Bull Sale, 1 pm, Balog Auction, Lethbridge, AB March 29

C2 Charolais Annual Bull Sale, 1 pm, at the farm, La Riviere, MB March 30

Charmark Ranches Bull Sale, 1 pm, Bow Slope Shipping, Brooks, AB March 31

Power Up Your Pasture Bull Sale, 1:30 pm, Stavely, AB April 1

Vermilion Charolais Group 37th Annual Bull Sale, 1 pm, Lakeview Charolais, Marwayne, AB April 1

Saunders Charolais 18th Annual Bull Sale, 2 pm, Keady (ON) Livestock Market April 1

Transcon’s 27th Annual Advantage Bull Sale, 1 pm, Saskatoon (SK) Livestock Sales April 1

Gilliland Bros. Charolais 11th Annual Bull Sale, 1:30 pm, at the farm, Carievale, SK April 1

Maritime Beef Test Station 50th Annual Bull Sale, Nappan, NS April 2

Stephen Charolais & Guests 6th Annual Muscle Up Bull Sale, 1 pm, Whitewood (SK) Livestock Sales April 3

North of the 49th 19th Annual Bull Sale, 1 pm, Wilgenbusch Charolais, Halbrite, SK April 3

Spirit of the North Bull Sale, 1 pm, Spiritwood (SK) Auction Mart April 5

Whitecap/Rosso Charolais & Howe Red Angus Bull Sale, 1 pm, Whitecap Charolais, Moose Jaw, SK

April 6

Hunter Charolais 12th Annual Bull Sale, 1:30 pm, at the farm, Roblin, MB

April 6

Daines Cattle 28th Annual Bull & Female Sale, 1 pm, Innisfail (AB) Auction Mart

April 7

Flat Top Cattle Co. Bull Sale, at Taylor’s Red Angus, Cabri, SK April 8

Eastern Select Bull & Female Sale, 1 pm, Hoard’s Station Sale Barn, Campbellford, ON April 8

Brimner Cattle Co. Bull Sale, 1:30 pm, at the farm, Manor, SK April 8

Vanderhoof Bull Sale, Vanderhoof, BC

April 11

Top Cut Bull Sale, 2 pm, Stockman’s Weigh Co., Mankota, SK

April 12

White Meadow Charolais Bull Sale, Farm Gate Timed Online, Pipestone, MB

April 13

Acadia Ranching Charolais & Angus Bull Sale, 2 pm, Bow Slope Shipping, Brooks, AB April 15

Cedardale Charolais 19th Annual Bull Sale, 1 pm, Nestleton, ON April 15

Lindskov Ranches Bull Sale, at the ranch, Isabel, SD July 26-29

Canadian Charolais Youth Association Conference & Show Keystone Centre, Brandon, MB

MC QUANTOCK “CANADA’S BULLS” BULL SALE LLOYDMINSTER, SK • JANUARY 28, 2023

SPRINGSIDE FARMS ANNUAL BULL SALE ERSKINE, AB • FEBRUARY 11, 2023

STEPPLER FARMS ANNUAL BULL SALE MIAMI, MB • FEBRUARY 15, 2023

FEBRUARY FREEZE ALL BREEDS FROZEN GENETICS SALE ONLINE SALE • FEBRUARY 18, 2023

PRAIRIE COVE CHAROLAIS ANNUAL BULL & FEMALE SALE BASHAW, AB • FEBRUARY 23, 2023

HEJ CHAROLAIS BULL SALE INNISFAIL, AB • FEBRUARY 24, 2023

KAY-R LAND & CATTLE BULL SALE WASKATENAU, AB • FEBRUARY 25, 2023

SOUTHLAND CHAROLAIS & ANGUS BULL SALE SWIFT CURRENT, SK • MARCH 3, 2023

SPRINGSIDE CATTLE CO. SPRING STORM FROZEN GENETICS SALE DLMS.CA • MARCH 5, 2023

MERIDIAN AG BULL SALE ACADIA VALLEY, AB • MARCH 10, 2023

OAKSTONE LAND & CATTLE CHAROLAIS BULL SALE DLMS FARMGATE • MARCH 11, 2023

HIGHWAY 21 GROUP CHAROLAIS & SIMM/ANGUS BULL SALE HANNA, AB • MARCH 21, 2022

MCAVOY CHAROLAIS BULL SALE ARLEE, SK • MARCH 25, 2023

BEST OF THE BREEDS BULL SALE YORKTON, SK • MARCH 27, 2022

C2 CHAROLAIS ANNUAL BULL SALE KILLARNEY, MB • MARCH 30, 2022

SPIRIT OF THE NORTH BULL SALE SPIRITWOOD, SK • APRIL 4, 2022

Advertisers’ Index

A&L Robbins Ranching Ltd. 43

Alta Genetics Inc. 84

AM Sunrise Charolais Farm 89

Anderson Bred Heifers 22,23

Annuroc Charolais 88

B Bar D Charolais 88

Baker Farms 88

Balamore Farm Ltd. 88

Bar H Charolais 89

Beck Farms 20,21,89

Beef Cattle Research Council 82,83

Be-Rich Farms 85

Blackbern Farm 56,88

Bob Charolais 85

Bohrson Marketing Services 63

Borderland Cattle Co. 89

Bow Valley Genetics Ltd. 84

Brayshar Charolais 85

Bricney Stock Farm 89

Brimner Charolais 89

Buffalo Lake Charolais 85

By Livestock 6,11,29,30,31,53,69,IBC

Campbells Charolais 89

Carey Auction Services 84

Castle Rock Marketing 47

Cedardale Charolais 88

Cedarlea Farms 28,29,89

Charburg Charolais 58

Charla Moore Farms 89

Char-Lew Ranch 43,85

Char-Maine Ranching 85

Charmark Ranches 11,85

Charolais Journal 84

Char-Top Charolais 89

Charworth Charolais 85

Chomiak Charolais 85

Circle Cee Charolais 85

Circle G Simmentals & Angus 19

Cline Cattle Co. 67,87

Cockburn Farms 88

Cougar Hill Ranch 87

Coyote Flats Charolais 85

Creek’s Edge Land & Cattle 61,89

CSS Charolais 75

C2 Charolais 65,87

D & L Plewis Charolais 75,89

Davis-Rairdan 84

Desertland Cattle Co. 49

Diamond W Charolais 89

DM Livestock 70

Double P Stock Farm 87

Dowell Charolais 86

Dubuc Charolais senc 89

Dudgeon-Snobelen 88

Eaton Charolais 90

Edge Livestock Inc. 84

Elder Charolais Farm 30,31,90

Fergus Family Charolais 88

Fern Creek Simmentals 53

Fischer Charolais 86

Flat Valley Cattle Co. 69,86

Fleury, Michael 84

Flewelling, Craig 84

Footprint Farms 86

Future Farms 86

Gallelli Charolais 86

Gilliland Bros. Charolais 90

Good Anchor Charolais 86

H.S. Knill Company Ltd. 85

Happy Haven Charolais 87

HardRock Land & Cattle Ltd. 87

Harvie Ranching 86

HEJ Charolais 25,86

Hicks Charolais 88

High Bluff Stock Farm 5,87

Highway 21 Group 9,86

Horseshoe E Charolais 59,90

Howe Coulee Charolais 51,90

HTA Charolais 3,87

Hunter Charolais 87,IBC

Hurlburt, Ryan 85

JMB Charolais 87

Johnson Charolais 73,86

Johnson Ranching 57,86

Johnstone Auction 85

June Rose Charolais 90

K Lazy T Cattle Co. 69

Kaiser Cattle Co. 27,86

Kay-R Land & Cattle Ltd. 32,86

KCH Charolais 87

Kemble Rock Farms 88

KG Land & Cattle 12,13

Kirlene Cattle 88

La Ferme Patry de Weedon 89

Langstaff Charolais 88

Leemar Charolais 86

Legacy Charolais 50,86

LEJ Charolais 88

Lindskov’s LT Ranch 90

Louber Farm 45

M&L Cattle Company 89

Maple Leaf Charolais 86

Martens Charolais 88

McAvoy Charolais 90

McKeary Charolais 86

McLeod Livestock 22,23,85

McTavish Farms 90

Medonte Farms 89

Meridian Agriculture Co. Ltd. 52

Miller Land & Livestock 89

Mutrie Farms 90

Myhre Land and Cattle 8,88

Nahachewsky Charolais 90

Nish Charolais 42

Norheim Ranching 85

OBI Livestock 69

P & H Ranching Co. 19,86

Palmer Charolais 7,90

Parsons Cattle Co. 86

Peno Valley Charolais 90

Phillips Farms 52,90

Pine Bluff Charolais 53

Pleasant Dawn Charolais 6,88

Poplar Bluff Stock Farm 64,86

Potter Charolais 89

Prairie Cove Charolais 86

Prairie Gold Charolais 90

Pro-Char Charolais 37,86

Prouse Ranch 39

R&G McDonald Livestock 88

Raffan, Don 85

Rawes Ranches 17,86

Reeleder, Andrew 85

Reese Cattle Company 77

Rollin’ Acres Charolais 89

Ross Lake Charolais 39,86

Rosso Charolais 90

Royale Charolais 89

Saddleridge Charolais 27,86

SanDan Charolais 87

Saunders Charolais 89

Scott Stock Farm 49,87

Serhienko Cattle Co. 90

Sharodon Farms 89

Skeels, Danny 85

Sliding Hills Charolais 63,90

Southland Cattle 47,90

Southside Charolais 87

Southview Farms 58,89

CK Sparrow Farms Ltd. IFC

Springside Farms 12,13,87

Spruce View Charolais 87

Stach Farms Charolais 87

Stephen Charolais 90

Steppler Farms Ltd. 14,15,88

Stock, Mark 85

Sugarloaf Charolais 62,87

Sunshine Oak Charolais 88

T Bar C Cattle Co. 9,12,13,25,47,52,85,93

Temple Farms 90

Thistle Ridge Ranch 87

Transcon Livestock 62,85

TRI-N Charolais 88

Triple C Charolais 35,88

Triple M Farms 22,23

Turnbull Charolais 43,87

Twin Anchor Charolais 87

Valley’s End Charolais 41,90

Wendt & Murray Farms Ltd. 87

Western Litho Printers 85

White Cap Charolais 90

White Lake Colony 71,87

White Meadow Charolais Ltd. 88

WhiteWater Livestock 56

Wiese Ag 12,13

Wilgenbusch Charolais 90,OBC

Wilkie Ranch 87

Wood River Charolais 90

Wrangler Charolais 87

Wright Livestock 42,43,61