CCYA Essays

from May 2011 Charolais Banner

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An Unforgettable C.C.Y.A. Conference – Shelby Evans, Kenaston, SK

Junior – $125 When the bell rings on the last day of school, the first thought to cross my mind is “Only a few more weeks until C.C.Y.A.” Each year C.C.Y.A. is my favorite event of the summer and I have loved every conference. I have been attending since 2004 and I have had a great time at every conference, but my all-time favorite show and conference was in Olds, Alberta, in 2008. I was ten years old and had a blast!

One of my favorite memories of the Olds Conference was the Mixer. Every year I love the mixer, but this year it was the best! There were so many events and everyone had a chance to participate. My favorite events were the messy but fun ones One of them had us applying whipped cream, shaving cream and chocolate syrup onto other people’s faces. A more challenging event involved people putting fizzy candies into their mouths and then taking a sip of Sprite. You then had to hold that in your mouth as long as possible.

The mixer was awesome, but even better was the rodeo! It included some of the most terrifying and thrilling moments of my life! The rodeo was so much fun, but for eight seconds I was scared to death. I will never forget that night when a big black bull rolled out of a stock trailer and I met my worst enemy: the horned, black mechanical bull. I dreaded the moment someone would ask me to ride the bucking beast. After a lot of encouragement from my ‘friends’, I got onto my enemy. The next eight seconds were a blur as I held on for my life as the bull rocked back and forth. To my surprise, it was actually a lot of fun! After this, we roped some longhorn steer. I had never roped before, so it was quite a challenge. My partner and I had no luck in roping any of the steers until we spotted a slow and sick one and walked up to him and slipped the rope right over his head. That’s smart cowboy work!

The C.C.Y.A. Conference in Olds was an amazing week packed with tons of fun. I loved every second of it and it will always be unforgettable to me. I can’t wait for the next C.C.Y.A. to start because I know it will once again be a blast!

CCYA Conference and Show – Tyson Black, Foresters Fall, ON

CCYA Essay Winners

Junior – $75

I belong to CCYA which means Canadian Charolais Youth Association. This is a group of young people under the age of 21 who like Charolais cattle. Do you know what Charolais cattle look like? They are the cows in the field that are all white from head to tail. My family raises Charolais cattle in Foresters Falls.

Last July I went to CCYA camp in Peterborough, Ontario. We packed the truck full of feed and clothes and loaded the trailer with 8 cows. My sister Courtney, mom, dad and I all got into the truck to start our long drive. We were off for a week of fun.

When we got to Petergborough we unloaded everything. The camp was at the fairgrounds. We were put into groups with 6 other kids from across Canada. Ben was from Alberta, Alberta was from Toronto, Haylen was from Manitoba. What a mix of people! In total I think there were 100 kids at the camp.

First we had a mixer to meet all the other kids. We were split into new groups and did relay races that got everyone wet and dirty. It was so much fun. At the end we had to make someone look like a cow with shaving cream, chocolate syrup and toilet paper.

I woke up at 5:30 in the morning to go feed and wash the cows. My sister Courtney dislocated her knee on the very first morning while feeding grain. She spent the rest of the morning in the hospital while we finished up chores. We split into groups and had to judge bull calves and yearling heifers.

There were four animals in each class and we had to place them in order from best to worst. We gave reasons why we placed them in the chosen order. I even had to say my reasons to the judge. After we went to dance class with Amy. She tried to teach us to two step, but it didn’t work.

The next morning I paired up with my new best friend Wyatt. We had to make something to sell to the judge in the marketing competition. We made a drawing of a farm with all the buildings, tractors and a pond with fish. We walked up to the judge and told him all about the farm and the benefits of owning it. We placed second in our age group. The judge liked our excitement so much that he mentioned it at supper to everyone at camp.

Each night for supper we got on a bus and went to different farms to eat and do other activities. At one farm we judged cows and at the other farm we judged steers. I’m not really good at judging yet.

On Friday morning we showed our cows in showmanship class. Since we were the youngest we had to wait all morning to go into the showring. I took in 6U and she behaved like a puppy dog. Everyone was amaged by how well she behaved. I came in first. The judge left right after the show and came up to Beachburg Fair. She saw my grandma and grandpa and told them she had judged this little kid that thought he knew it all. Sometimes a little confidence goes a long way.

I made a magazine advertisement for Blackbern Farm with coloured paper and pictures. I got first.

We had a banquet on Saturday

night where they gave out the prizes. I took in a big haul, 2 blankets, a suitcase and a clock. I had a great time. There was a dance after but I was too tired to party. We went back to the hotel and had crazy people set off fireworks outside our window.

While we were at camp I turned 8. They bought a cake and had a birthday party.

The last day we went back to the barn and got our cattle and stuff. We went home tired but happy.

The Best C.C.Y.A. Conference Ever –Calina Evans, Kenaston, SK

Junior – $50 CCYA conferences are always a good time. Even though I just turned ten, I have many years of memories already. The best ones are from when I was still too young to even register. I was a tag-along and it was great!

In the July of 2004, C.C.Y.A. was held in Cold Lake, Alberta. I was only four and did not know what to expect. We drove through rain and storms and arrived in the dark. It was the first big road trip for mom and us girls. I wondered why we came.

The first morning at the barns everyone was talking to me, and treating me like they already knew me. I met two new girls who looked around my age, so we hung out together. Soon I learned their names: Lee-Ann Demers and Mackenzie Schnulle. We stuck together the whole week and still talk, laugh and hang out when we see each other. Lee-Ann introduced me to Erin Murphy, who was much older than us, and we had lots of fun. She entertained us the whole conference and took a million pictures of us. We even got to act like models for her. She made crafts with us and gave us snacks.

One night at the conference, we went to the beach to swim. It was exciting, but I know why they call it ‘Cold Lake’. Lee-Ann and I played in the sand and saw two boys run into poison ivy and came out screaming ‘itchy, itchy, itchy!’ It was hilarious.

Before I left Cold Lake, Erin Murphy gave me a photo album with all of the pictures of the things we did. Once we got home, I got a huge package in the mail. It was a box of sea shells form Erin, and I still have it.

These memories will always be a special part of my C.C.Y.A. experiences. Now I’m older and compete in all of the events. I have a great time at every conference, but you just can’t beat that first year. Showing cows and doing chores are alright, but friends and fun are what really make CCYA the best part of every summer.

Beef Production in Canada and Australia – Shae-Lynn Evans, Kenaston, SK

Intermediate – $200

Australia and Canada are two very well known countries in beef production. Both countries are spoken highly of when it comes to exporting and marketing beef. Many of our practices are similar, but there are a few surprising differences that most people don’t know.

To most people, Canada, especially the prairies, is known for agriculture and cattle production. Across Canada there are 4.65 million beef cows that produce 3.6 billion pounds of beef per year. In Australia there are 13.5 million beef cows which produce 4.2 billion pounds of beef per year. Canada exports forty-nine percent of its total beef and cattle produced. It is the sixth largest beef exporter in the world, producing 2.1 percent of the world’s beef supply. Australia exports sixty-seven percent of its total beef production and is the second largest beef producer in the world. Australia provides 3.5 percent of the world’s beef supply. Australia has a larger beef herd than Canada and exports a larger percentage of the beef they produce.

On average, Canadians eat approximately 47.2 pounds of beef per person per year, whereas Australians eat 71.5 pounds of beef per person per year. That is really supporting the beef industry! The herds in Canada range a lot in size, with the average being sixty-one head. Herds are based on Bos Taurus breeds (Charolais, Angus, Simmental, Hereford, etc.). Australia’s cattle herds are typically smaller. There are many people who just have cattle as pets, and only have ten cows, though there are large ranches in Queensland. Australian herds are made up of Bos indicus-cross cattle in the more arid regions. This helps to lengthen the life expectancy of the cattle in hot dry areas. Northern regions consist of more traditional Bos Taurus beef breeds.

Much like Canada, Australia is very dependent on the American dollar and economy. When the American dollar is low, trade and exports suffer in other countries, but when the American dollar is higher, our exports, including beef, benefit. Throughout times of BSE, Canada’s market suffered immensely. However, Australia, which has a very negligible risk of BSE benefited from the disease. When America limited trade with Canadians, they turned to Australia. Australia also captured much of the Japanese beef imports.

Although the beef industries in Australia and Canada are similar in some ways, the differences they have result from their different climates, market conditions, economic factors, consumer preferences, and the world trade policies that affect them. Ultimately, every country’s beef producers are driven by the economics of the cattle industry and will strive to produce what is in demand by their consumers.

Canadian Beef Production vs Brazilian – Courtney Black, Foresters Fall, ON

Intermediate – $100

Brazil and Canada are both major producers of beef cattle. There are similarities between the two countries, but there are also

many differences.

One of the bigger differences is the number of cattle in each country.

Brazil feeds around 165 million head of cattle, where as Canada feeds only around 4.8 million head. Brazil’s number of beef cattle is so high because Brazil has seen an increase in their productivity, due to the improvement in animal genetics through the use of cross breeding programs in the Center West Region. Brazil has increased its national herd size 24% since 1994.

Brazil’s exports have also expanded over 450% in volume and 385% in value. This change happened because of the availability of natural resources and the favourable exchange rate.

Another difference between the productivity of the two countries is how the cattle are raised. In Brazil the cattle are almost all raised on grass pasture because of the weather. The cattle are raised on three types of beef operations; grass-fed small enterprises which are less than 500 head/year, medium specialized operations which are over 1000 head/year, and grainfed/grass-fed large commercialized beef operations. When the grass pastures are too dry, depending on the season, farmers switch to corn or soybean meal to replace grass. Only 4% of cattle that are killed per year get fattened in feedlots. Most cattle are sold directly to slaughter houses from the farm.

The cattle in Brazil after being raised almost their whole lives on grass pasture are slaughtered at the age of 4, whereas compared to Canada the slaughter age is just 2 years.

In Canada, the cattle are raised differently as the seasons change. The cattle are normally bred in June and July so that they will be born in March or April. The farmers breed their cattle like that so that the calves aren’t kept out in the cold winters.

Also, in Canada there is a process called “Backgrounding”. This is where they take the smaller calves and feed them high forage feeds, to increase their weight to approximately 350 kg. At least one half of calves produced in Canada, are backgrounded before they start on a high energy feedlot finishing program. After weaning, the smaller calves that were being backgrounded are fed forages and grain through the winter in order to gain weight at 680 grams to 1 kg per day. In the spring the smaller of the calves are sent to feedlots to gain weight at a rate of 1.2-1.4 kg per day. The larger calves are moved into feedlots and are fed high energy and high grain feed rations. The feedlots in Canada range in size from a few hundred head capacity to very modern operations feeding over 40,000 at one time.

Another difference between the two countries is the cost of production. The costs in Brazil are estimated to be 50% lower than in Canada. The costs are so much lower because of the differences in weather conditions. Brazil doesn’t need as many facilities (barns) because of the hot weather all the time. They also don’t need to switch the feeding system when the seasons change. Brazil can continue growing crops all year round.

These examples show how Brazil and Canada have some similarities, but a lot of differences in their beef production. However, Brazil still looks up to Canada for ideas toimprove their industry like Artificial Insemination and cross-breeding. The genetics of the Canadian Charolais are highly desirable.

The Future Is Technological – Megan Rosso, Moose Jaw, SK

Senior – $300 An improved farming method in today’s agriculture industry is the input of Canadian Cattle Identification Agency Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags and new CCIA technology. The new regulations and technology will improve animal disease traceability, age verification and the Canadian Livestock Tracking System (CLTS).

“Radio-frequency identification is the use of an object applied to or incorporated into a product, animal or person for the purpose of identification and tracking using radio waves” (dictionary.com). RFID consists of interrogators which are readers and tags, also called labels. The tags are a small round button with a 14-digit number and barcode that you place in the ears of cattle. The reader scans the barcode and shows you the number by just a push of a button and placing the reader in front of the cattle’s ear. RFID has become a crucial part in animal identification management.

Darcy Eddleston claims that, “ de- listing the bar-coded tag will advance traceability initiatives.” This was an important step to enhancing our ID nationally and traceability system. With the new RFID technology it’ll be easier for animal tracking, which is not only important for human welfare but also for the sustainability of the Canadian Livestock industry. Agriculture Canada claims that this new technology is crucial for the advancement of the tracking system and maintaining the speed of business that the producers require to continue to be competitive in the marketplace.

The Canadian Cattle Identification Agency has come up with a new, faster leading version of the Canadian Livestock Tracking System (CLTS) called the CLTS Lite. The Canadian Livestock Tracking System is a trace back system designed for the containment and the suppression of animal disease. This new and improved program allows users to go through the system quicker because it doesn’t have the extras that slow down access for rural and dial up users. This program works with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to ensure food safety.

Age verification is when a breeder attached the animal birthdates or their calving start date to the identification number, found on the RFID tag. The importance of this is for marketing purposes. This allows for import or export of beef and cattle easily because of the restrictions on age for this type of market. “The Canadian animal identification system strengthens consumer and market confidence and is a leading innovation of the beef industry” (Ministry of Agriculture & Lands). Age verification supports access to domestic and export markets and builds capacity to seize emerging market opportunities. Produces use this system in their

cow/calf production to register their calves for market. It is certified for beef projects to meet any age related requirements as well.

Radio-frequency identification tags and new Canadian Cattle Identification Agency technology will improve age verification, animal disease traceability and monitoring, and the Canadian Livestock Tracking System. New technology and regulations put forth strengthen the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency. The Canadian Cattle Identification Agency and the Canadian Livestock Tracking System will continue to grow and improve for the cattle producers of future generations.

The Green Future of the Family Farm – Autumn Jackson, Inglis, MB

Senior – $200 Theodore Schultz (1945) identified the agriculture problem with both “the low earnings of most farm people and the great instability of income from farming.” As a young agriculture enthusiast I often wonder: Does a farm problem still exist today, and what does the future hold for young western agriculture enthusiasts?

The family farm has been the backbone of western Canada for many years. The family farm has survived financial and environmental stresses that many other businesses would not be able to withstand. But in a world where large corporations are taking over, why are family farms able to survive? Two of the key reasons family farms are still the main producers in agriculture are 1) their incentive to work is high (farm families gain from improving or working harder) and 2) transaction costs are minimized (farming has many stages of production so the jobs are always changing).

I believe the future will not see the disintegration of the family farm, although changes are on the horizon. The current market is demanding that farms increase in size to be competitive. Economies of scale reduce long run average costs, and therefore bigger farms have larger influence in selling and buying, benefit more from economic booms, and are able to survive economic lows.

When a farm increases in size, it is able to achieve an absolute advantage, meaning that it is able to perform an activity with the fewest labour hours (due to the larger equipment and newer technology). The more technologically advanced a farm is, is very likely to be directly related with the farm profits.

A healthy environment is not something that people in the past expected to pay for. A healthy environment can be categorized as a public good. Public goods are often under-produced in the open market. Today, and in the future, we will see a change as people are becoming more and more willing to pay a premium for products produced with the environment in mind.

In the past few years, grocery shoppers’ carts have been filled with organic products and locally produced food, both believed to be products for the environmentallyconscious consumer. However, as more scientific knowledge is being gained about these products, they are proving to not be as environmentallyfriendly as consumers first perceived them to be; in some cases, they are even less environmental than the conventional method of farming. This is leaving an ever-expanding empty niche market waiting to be developed.

In the future, one could expect more participation in programs such as moral suasion; this would involve formal and informal educational programs that encourage farmers to change their management practices. Farmers will hopefully become more eager to learn environmentallyfriendly production methods because the market is demanding environmentally-friendly products. Conservation farming will be the future for the western agriculture industry.

Conservation farming includes ideas such as minimal soil disturbance, permanent soil cover and crop rotations. Conservation farming is more management intense, but aims to reduce the need for fertilizers and fuel (a large farm input), maintain current production, and remain economically viable.

To quote an old Indian Proverb, “We do not inherit the earth, we borrow it from our children.” Farming is a way of life and a heritage that goes back many generations. Farm families recognize the importance of conserving the land for generations to come, but also recognize the present need to put a meal on their home table, as well as the tables of families around the world. Agriculture needs to be socially, economically, and environmentally feasible, and the green family farms seem to be the way of the future for us, the young western agriculture enthusiasts.