The ngus
A
Edge
Official Publication of the Saskatchewan Angus Association
Summer 2018
Publications Mail Agreement #40019886
Sharing Our Story Your Saskatchewan Angus Association hosted its most recent Breeder Session on April 27th, in Regina. An educational afternoon including a delicious beef dinner and Angus fellowship was highlighted by three impactful speakers, presenting on a common theme of ‘sharing our story’. Gurneesh Bhandal, Sustainability Manager at Cargill Protein, kicked off the session speaking on the Canadian Beef Sustainability Acceleration Pilot; a one year initiative focused on beef traceability and transparency to our consumers. The process follows beef from cow/ calf operations, to select feeders/packers, to retail. She explained how the project has been fueled by the interest to source beef from “certified sustainable resources”, and in turn, to be able to market it as such. What does that mean for us as cow/calf producers? Retail giants in Canada want to sell more beef. I think that’s a very good thing. The pilot is off to a great start but there is one main challenge; producer involvement. Demand for our Canadian beef in this sustainable chain far outweighs supply. If “shaping the future of our industry” is not an important enough reason to get involved as a beef producer, there is money on the table, too. To reap the maximum financial benefit of this pilot, cattle from your (audited) operation who travel through the chain of certified sustainable feeders and packers to McDonalds, Cara Foods, and Loblaws (the financial
by Kristine Sauter
contributors of the pilot) outlets will earn you money back on each animal. A get rich quick plan? No. But, a way to thank you as a producer for filling supply needs. Gurneesh is an extremely well educated individual and our participants were tremendously lucky to have the opportunity to interact with her in Regina! For more information, check out cbsapilot.ca. Our second speaker of the evening was a familiar face to some. Les Johnston, a fourth generation cattle producer from Fillmore, SK spends most of his time on the Verified Beef Production program. With an extensive resume in the field, he’s still a relatable, easy to connect with, cattleman. What is VBP? In a nutshell: industry sanctioned practices for responsible livestock production. Why are these standards important? We produce food. Les works with cattle producers to become VBP certified, which is a starting point to be involved in the CBSA pilot above. The process can begin with attending one of his workshops, developing SOP’s of the program to fit your operation, followed by an audit on farm. One very interesting point he mentioned during his presentation was a note of biosecurity on the Continued on Page 6
Unmatched Potential... is how we see the future of Mindbender high selling bull at our annual sale March 21st. Outstanding phenotype, unmatched genetic profile and proven, rock solid lineage makes Mindbender a popular choice in our breeding decisions for 2018. His first calves are already showing the value in genetic testing as they are demonstrating all the traits that he was predicted to transmit and still have that same look and presence that he possesses. We would like to thank and congratulate Spring Creek Simmentals for their vision in purchasing 1/2 of Mindbender at $38,000 and look forward to working with the McCarthy’s in this venture.
We would like to express sincere gratitude to all our customers:
Hutton Ranch Barry Olney * Westside Land & Cattle * Meredian Ag Lane Valley Farms * Elmer Litzenberger Allan Jurick Spring Creek Simmentals * Lost River Farming * Brad Knutson Cam Taylor * Scissors Creek Cattle Co. * Herman Bieber Brent Frey
Les & Mark Beutler * Allan Hutton Gerald Schepp * S & S Cattle Co * Perry Sawchuk * AJ Hutton Farm Ltd. Larry and Trevor Campbell * Mark Revet * Everett Smart * John Lemon * Bar-H Mindbender 141D - sired by S Summit 956 Jeffery Isaac BW 2.6 WW 70 YW 125 MILK 34 SC 1.31 CE 6 MCE 6 3K Holdings Ltd * *repeat customers
Box 927, Langenburg, SK S0A 2A0 Robin, Michelle and John Hogberg 306-743-2840 cell 306-743-7490 www.barh.ca
HF Tibbie 93U
Donor and dam of Mindbender 141D
Visitors Welcome! Page 2
Angus Edge - Summer 2018
Angus Edge - Summer 2018
Page 3
Saskatchewan Angus Association - 2018 Board of Directors President
Directors
Sheldon Kyle Redvers, SK 306-452-7545 sheldon@kenrayranch.com
Geoff Anderson Bethune, SK 306-731-7921 geoffanderson1@hotmail.com
Kodie Doetzel Junior Director Lipton, SK 306-336-2245 kdknuhorizon@gmail.com
1st Vice-President
Sarah Buchanan Caron, SK 306-681-5340 sbuchanan@gold-bar.com
David Johnson Canadian Director Peebles, SK 306-224-4341 daj@sasktel.net
Trent Liebreich Radville, SK 306-869-7207 tjlmerit@sasktel.net
2nd Vice-President
Kristine Sauter Wawota, SK 306-739-2240 bridgewayfarms@hotmail.ca
Sarah Davidson-Coward Swift Current, SK 306-741-0081 sarahdavidson@sasktel.net
Tracey Willms Canadian Director Dundurn, SK 306-492-2161 traceywillms@gmail.com
Executive Director
Glen Gabel Regina, SK 306-536-1927 glengabel@sasktel.net
Gord Roger Balgonie, SK 306-771-2305 valleylodge@sasktel.net
Robin Hogberg Langenburg, SK 306-743-2840 rthogberg@sasktel.net
Past President
Chad Hollinger Neudorf, SK 396-331-0302 hollingerlandandcattle@gmail.com
Michael Wheeler Saskatoon, SK 306-382-9324 wheelers_stock_farm@hotmail.com
Dale Easton Canadian Director Wawota, SK 306-739-2805 eastondale.angus@sasktel.net
Honourary President Barry Young Carievale, SK
Michelle Potapinski Hodgeville, SK 306-677-7540 windy.willows@sasktel.net
ANGUS EDGE The
Published by: Saskatchewan Angus Association Box 3771, Regina, SK S4P 3N8 Phone: 306-757-6133 Fax: 306-525-5852 office@saskatchewanangus.com
www.saskatchewanangus.com
Summer 2018 Distributed to approximately 750 Angus Breeders’ and 2000+ Commercial Producers in Saskatchewan. 3 Issues per year Fall deadline - October 1 Spring deadline - January 15 Summer deadline - May 15 Page 4
Belinda Wagner, General Manager Ruth Watch, Office Assistant 2nd Floor, Canada Centre Building, Evraz Place, Regina, SK Phone 306-757-6133 Fax 306-525-5852 Office Hours - 8:30 am - 4:30 pm
Publications Mail Agreement #40019886 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Saskatchewan Angus Association Box 3771, Regina, SK S4P 3N8 Angus Edge - Summer 2018
Angus Edge - Summer 2018
Page 5
Sharing Our Story
Continued from the cover
farm. How do you as a producer manage biosecurity risks with herd tours, auction mart visits, and traffic through your corrals? Something to be mindful of, for sure. Another interesting highlight was his point that the Dairy, Pork, and Poultry sectors have mandatory quality assurance programs while VBP remains voluntary, at least for now. For more information, head to saskvbp.ca.
across our province over the last couple of years. As a board, we aim to support the membership and add value. While we receive extremely positive feedback from those who do join us for our workshops, it remains a struggle to fill our venues, regardless of the season, or location. We would love to hear from you. Are there speakers you would like to hear from? Topics you’re looking to learn more about? Would you
like to spearhead a session in your area? Or, how about a webinar? In closing, a huge shout out must be sent to Belinda and the committee for selecting top quality presenters for our April session. My takeaway: the next time you have an opportunity to tell your story; go ahead a share it. Consumers are listening.
Spending his days encouraging people to speak positively about Canadian agriculture, Isaac LeClair was a captivatingly dynamic completion to a fantastic evening. He`s an expert in the field of online storytelling and provided tips for anyone looking to utilize online space to share their story. Isaac advised to Be Human (connect with your audience), Be a Story Teller (don`t just talk about yourself) and Be Memorable (capitalize on your strengths). He advised to provide value to your audience, whether that be educational or entertaining. Fun fact: Did you know that 22,700,000 Canadians have a social media account? I’m betting that some of those folks eat beef, and are curious where it comes from. Coined as ‘Breeder Sessions’ for a very good reason, your Saskatchewan Angus Association has dedicated time, energy and funding to hosting informative and entertaining workshops Page 6
Angus Edge - Summer 2018
Angus Edge - Summer 2018
Page 7
President’s Report ... When was the last time that you experienced a great customer s e r v i c e experience? What did that business do to set themselves apart? All too often we get too busy wrapped up with our to do list to focus on the things that will set us apart and leave a lasting impression with our clients. It is said that customers don’t remember what you did, but rather how you made them feel. The peak of bull sale season has wrapped up and delivery season is nearing an end. Does this mean that you won’t be in contact with your valued customers until next year? I certainly hope not. All through the year there are reasons to keep in contact with your clients. Commonly, cattle producers look to their peers as a reliable source of information. What do you know about the upcoming changes to how and where beef producers will be able to access livestock pharmaceuticals? How does a new Angus breeder go about registering
their first calf? What do you know about the Verified Beef Production Plus program? These are all great touch points that you can use to build a deeper relationship with your customers. I can guarantee that you will be rewarded for the extra effort. It is extremely important to listen to what your customers are saying. For example, if they are asking for heifer bulls with extreme calving ease and low birthweights, I can guarantee that is what they will find. We cannot let pride stand in the way of our success. I will be the first to admit it, I don’t love raising heifer bulls. They typically don’t have the same performance, rate of growth and overall wow factor as their larger birth weighted pen mates. That said we still raise and sell a substantial portion of heifer bulls because that is what we are being asked for by our customers. I have recently come across more and more Angus/Longhorn cross bulls being used in heifer pastures. The reason being that beef producers are wanting extreme calving ease. You can try to explain the benefits of a calf with more pounds come fall time til you are blue in the face, these folks will find what they want! Sometimes it is easier to check our pride, change our vision and listen.
by Sheldon Kyle
Our Annual Summer Tour is being hosted by a group of breeders in the Southeastern corner of the province based out of Weyburn on August 8th & 9th. These summer tours are a wonderful way to meet some new breeders, tour herds that you may not normally see and enjoy some Angus hospitality. I encourage you to set aside a couple of days from your busy schedule and join us, the work will still be there when you get home. The Saskatchewan Angus Association has also been working on making some changes to our annual sponsored sale to better serve our membership this fall. The way our members do business has changed over the years and we as an association needed to adapt to meet their needs as well. We are excited about the change and hope that more of our membership will find benefit because of it. I encourage you to continually reach out to your customers, learn more about industry changes that are taking place and get involved with our Saskatchewan Angus events and activities. The benefits will certainly outweigh the time and effort spent in doing so.
Saskatchewan Angus Association
COMMERCIAL PRODUCER OF THE YEAR Nominations are now open for the Commercial Producer of the Year and a winner will be selected by the Board at their fall meeting prior to Canadian Western Agribition (CWA). The recipient will be notified of the award and invited to the Angus Show at CWA. Please provide the name, address and a brief history on the individual(s) with your nomination. Also provide your name and contact information. For more information, call the office at 306-757-6133. Send your nomination by mail, fax or email to: Saskatchewan Angus Association Box 3771, Regina, SK S4P 3N8 Fax 306-525-5852 Email: office@sasktchewanangus.com Page 8
Deadline for Nominations... August 15, 2018 Angus Edge - Summer 2018
Angus Edge - Summer 2018
Page 9
From the Director’s Chair
by David Johnson
and seeking advice but at the end of the day we have to act on it in the marketplace. With taking a position there comes risk but with believing in ourselves, dedication, determination and a positive attitude we can learn from our mistakes and react to minimize loss. Not everything we try will be successful but we only truly fail when we fail to try.
The Benefits of Maintaining a Positive Attitude Whether we look at a glass as being half full or half empty doesn’t change the level in the glass but it does change the way we react. Whether we think we can or can’t - either way we are probably right. In every aspect of our operations we can do diligence with our proposed plans, using past history, future forecasts
Page 10
Those of us involved in agriculture are fortunate to have a job that is like a hobby. We do what we enjoy doing, from growing crops, to planning our cattle breeding program and then witnessing new life as calves are born. We then analyze the results with the hope of improving the next crop.
and what they built for the time. We need to continue to push forward and be progressive in the way we farm. In any business you won’t succeed if you don’t adapt to change and this is very much the case when it comes to agriculture. Examining your current operation and looking at what is working for you and what is not is key. At whatever level you choose to participate at, remember to enjoy life. Hope everyone has a great summer.
When we think of how our ancestors risked all to come to this country and establish multi generational farms, we can take a lot of inspiration from them
Angus Edge - Summer 2018
Angus Edge - Summer 2018
Page 11
Bob’s Ramblings Editor’s Note: At our April meeting the board thought we should have an article on the importance of proper tattooing and we remembered this ‘oldie but goodie’ from Bob Toner, CAA BDT member (who was a SAA director at the time) so decided to re-print it again. “I don’t get it! I’ve been dragging this calf around all fall and now these ‘_ _ _ holes’ say I can’t show unless I come up with his papers and re-tattoo him!” Where does this happen, you may ask. Well, believe it or not it is something your Saskatchewan Angus volunteers run into every year at Agribition. This is always a bit of a head scratcher, especially considering Agribition is the last show of the year. Why does this happen? Who is responsible? Having been involved with shows in different regions, I do have some insight into what takes place. Some shows only do random tattoo checks, so mistakes can easily slip through the cracks. Papers are sometimes checked by the Exhibition offices and they might not be aware of the rules regarding Canadian Angus Gold Shows. Here in Saskatchewan, we are lucky enough to have a large Show & Sale Committee that is willing, sometimes with some prompting, to take an active part in the processing of the cattle at Agribition. Every animal is weighed, tattoo checked, and paper checked. Every attempt is made to catch and correct any mistakes. Now for who is responsible. It is you, the breeders and exhibitors who are responsible for having your paper work in order and having clear readable tattoos. Everything you need to know can be found in the Canadian Angus Association Breeder Handbook or online at the Canadian Angus Association website. However, if you’ve read this far I’ll keep going and outline the steps you should Page 12
Re-printed from Summer 2011 take in order to save confusion and confrontation down the road. It all starts at breeding season. Before you kick your bulls out make sure you have had them DNA’d. Simply contact the Canadian Angus Association office and supply them with the tattoo and registration number of the animal you want tested. They will send you a form to be filled out and you then forward the form and sample to Delta Genomics in Edmonton. The Canadian Angus Association will forward your request to the lab and once the testing is done the results are sent back to the Canadian Angus Association and then forwarded to you. If there are any problems you are contacted and the steps needed to solve the issue will be discussed. Your account will be billed through the Canadian Angus Association. Keep accurate breeding records. We’ve all had times when something goes through the washing machine that we wish hadn’t! If it’s your pocket notebook with all your breeding records this turns into a royal pain in the you know what. Always keep a barn sheet stuck on the wall by your AI tank and enter every service, including pasture services you might see. When you’re done AI’ing transfer the information to your computer, notebook or both and save the sheet. You never know when something will come up that you have to go back and double check. When you register your calves, take your time and make sure you get the right information. Whether doing it electronically or filling the forms by hand, the information is only as good as what you provide. Once you get your papers back, go through them and double check that they are correct. Mistakes can happen at both ends and its better to catch them early rather than late. If you find something wrong, correct it with the Canadian Angus Association.
Tattooing is time consuming, but a very important means of identification for purebred animals. Personally, I used to do it at turn-out time in the spring along with the spring vaccinations. Make sure your equipment is in good shape. Your pliers should be tight at the hinge. If there is sideways movement in your handles it’s time for new ones. Check your letters and numbers for missing pins. If you’re missing a pin, buy a new number or letter. Trying to shove a pin in out of an old set doesn’t cut it. Make sure you have enough digits to do the tattoo in one procedure. Example - if tattooing 111Y, don’t put in 11Y and then go back and try to put another 1 in front. Also have two sets of pliers, one for your herd letters and one for the animal number. Make sure the ear is clean. After securing the animals head, use rubbing alcohol either on a rag or in a spray bottle and be sure to get all the dirt and wax cleaned out of the ear. Use a piece of cardboard to check your tattoo before putting it in the ear. Now some people put the tattoo paste in the ear before applying the tattoo. I preferred tattooing a dry ear. That way I could easily see that the tattoo was correct and clear. Make sure you get the tattoo as close to the head as you can, have your herd letters above the top rib and the numbers between the ribs in the middle of the ear. DON’T GET IN THE HAIR! Apply the tattoo quickly and firmly and release quickly to avoid tearing the punctures. Apply a generous amount of paste to the punctures. I would use my hands to rub the paste in. Bend the ear back to open the punctures and use your thumb to work the paste into the holes. Some say use a soft tooth brush, but Shonda caught me using hers one day so after that I just used my thumbs. When you make your selections of show and sale cattle pull out their papers or Continued on page 17 Angus Edge - Summer 2018
The newest additions to the
Freyburn herdsire battery‌ See them and much more on the Southeast Saskatchewan Angus Tour this summer, August 8th and 9th.
Federation
Temptation
Freyburn Angus Farms www.freyburnangus.com
Angus Edge - Summer 2018
freyburnangusfarms@gmail.com
Jason & Melissa Frey 306.485.7230 Lucas & Kayla Frey 306.485.8285 Oxbow, SK Page 13
Southeast Saskatchewan Summer Angus Tour Registration Form
Name _________________________________________________________________________ Address _______________________________________________________________________ Phone _______________________________________ Email _________________________________________________________ We will ride the bus Wednesday yes / no; Thursday yes / no (circle one) The Registration Fee is $50.00, 16 and under $10 Please make cheques payable to Saskatchewan Angus Association and mail to: Sheldon Kyle Box 218, Redvers, SK S0C 2H0
Pen Display Form
Please have pen entries submitted by July 23, 2018 with the following information:
Name/Farm Name ____________________________________________________________ Address _____________________________________________________________________ Phone ________________________________________ Email _________________________________________________________ Number of Pens (x $100 per pen) ________ Pens are 20 x 10 Indicate Pen Composition: Cow _____ Cow/Calf _____ Heifer Calf _____ Bull Calf _____ Bred Heifer _____ Bull Mature _____ Bull Yearling _____ Circle where you would like to display: Wednesday:
Kenray
Freyburn
Thursday:
Merit
Southview
DKF
Brooking
Committee contacts: Sheldon Kyle - 306-452-7545 sheldon@kenrayranch.com or Trent Liebreich - 306-869-7207 tjlmerit@sasktel.net Please enclose cheque made out to: Saskatchewan Angus Association Mail to: Box 218, Redvers, SK S0C 2H0 Page 14
Angus Edge - Summer 2018
Southeast Saskatchewan Angus Tour
Please Join Us!! Wednesday, August 8 and Thursday, August 9, 2018
Day 1 - East Day 8:00 - 9:00
Registration Ramada Hotel, Weyburn, SK
9:00 am
Depart for tours of Kenray Ranch, Young Dale Angus and Freyburn Angus Farms
Day 2 - West Day 8:00 am
Depart for tours of Merit Cattle Co., South View Ranch,
DKF Red & Black Angus and Brooking Angus Ranch
** Weyburn Host Hotels:
Ramada – 306-842-4994
Canalta – 306-842-8000
**Please pre-register if at all possible - form on facing page. Registration Fee $50. For more information please contact: Sheldon Kyle - 306-452-7545 sheldon@kenrayranch.com Trent Liebreich - 306-869-7207 tjlmerit@sasktel.net or Belinda Wagner - 306-757-6133 office@saskatchewanangus.com
Angus Edge - Summer 2018
Page 15
Out and about in Saskatchewan... As I sit down to write this it looks like the winter that would never end is finally behind us. The weather and feed situations that our producers endured surely did test their resolve, however, as in the past, they survived and will forge ahead. Bull Sale season is also now behind us and for the most part it was once again pretty strong. Some sales had a few more “no sales” than in the past however, this could be attributed to the uncertainty of what pasture situations might be like this summer, mainly in southern areas. The wet, heavy snow in mid March thru early April did provide some optimism about at least, a good start to the summer season. Alex Shuttleworth with the Canadian Angus Association has compiled some numbers on sale results for the 2018 spring sale season as well as results from 2017 for comparison. The 2018 results represent 80% of the sales held and reported to Angus Central so they should be pretty representative of overall results. 2018 - 213 Sales Reported - 43 Unreported 6579 Yearling Bulls averaging $5184 1728 2 year-old bulls averaging $5276 156 Purebred bred heifers averaging $4151 713 Purebred Open heifers averaging $3029 4715 Commercial heifers averaging $1570 113 Cow/Calf pairs averaging $3063
by Bob Toner CAA Director Business of Development for SK/MB of competition out there for market share, not only within our breed but other breeds as well. Do your utmost to provide a superior product that will help you be competitive. In my mind, it’s always better to sell a few good ones rather than a bunch of inferior ones. One thing I did see a lot of this year were some pretty good bulls being discounted or not sold, simply because they had a little more birth weight. My concern with this is that if this continues, we might start to lose market share when it comes to marketing cattle that yield. We must, somehow, as an Association and producers, try to educate our commercial producers on birth weight and calving ease. If we could somehow get these producers to randomly weigh some calves at birth I’m sure it would be a real eye opener for many of them. How we achieve this, I don’t know. The 39th LMAC Convention/21st Canadian Livestock Auctioneer Championship was held in Moosomin, SK, May 10-13. Whitewood Livestock Sales, Gene and Rhett Parks, was the host venue for the Auctioneer Championship and had the auction mart looking great. 34 Auctioneers from Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta competed for the title. Along with the Canadian Bob Toner & Brian Good presenting the Reserve Champion Buckle to Kyle Soderberg, sponsored by the Canadian Angus Association.
2017 - 199 Sales Reported 6636 Yearling Bulls averaging $5805 594 2 year-old bulls averaging $5861 103 Purebred bred heifers averaging $3110 614 Purebred Open heifers averaging $3234 1799 Commercial heifers averaging $1692 36 Cow/Calf pairs averaging $3115 Although averages were down slightly I think it was still a pretty strong sale season. The results I found most interesting and encouraging are the purebred bred heifers with 53 more females, averaging over $1000 more per head than last year. Now that the main bull run is over let’s not forget to keep in touch with your customers. A call, text or visit could make the difference between keeping or losing valuable customers. Also this could be step one in finding out and dealing with any problems that might arise. Now is also the time to begin preparing for next year’s sales. CULL HARD!! There’s a lot Page 16
2018 Canadian Angus Association Auction Mart of the Year presentation to TEAM’s Bryan Danard.
Angus Edge - Summer 2018
Championship the Manitoba/Saskatchewan Competition was also held. It was a great event and something everyone should take time to attend when it’s in your area. Following is a list of the results. Manitoba/Saskatchewan Competition: Rookie of the Year - Brady Olson Assiniboia Livestock Exchange, Assiniboia, SK Champion Auctioneer - Ken McDonald Weyburn Livestock Exchange, Weyburn, SK LMAC Canadian Championship: Rookie of the Year - Brady Olson Assiniboia Livestock Exchange, Assiniboia, SK Most Improved - Tyler Cronkhite Cowtown Livestock Exchange, Maple Creek, SK Congeniality Award - Rhett Parks Whitewood Livestock Sales, Whitewood, SK LMAC Canadian Champion - Ab Carrol Ontario Stockyards Inc., Cookstown, ON
Bob’s Ramblings bring them up on-line and once again check them to be sure they are correct. At some point in getting these animals ready for their big day they will be in a chute, some a lot more then others, but regardless, take a few seconds to take a rag, clean their ear and check out your handy work at tattooing. Sometimes you might get an unpleasant surprise! Some might not have taken because of excessive bleeding, some may have tattoo warts, some may be incorrect (but that would be someone else’s fault), or some might have been missed all together. Regardless of what you find, find it at home NOT at a show or sale. Notify the Canadian Angus Association, tell them the issue and retattoo in the other ear. A correction will be put on your registration paper by the Canadian Angus Association. When you have cattle in a sale bring your registrations with you. Make sure you fill them out properly with the date, AI services and exposures, Angus Edge - Summer 2018
LMAC Reserve Canadian Champion, sponsored by the Canadian Angus Association - Kyle Soderberg Northern Livestock Sales, Lloydminster, SK 1st runner up - Ryan Konynenbelt, S.A.L.E. Fort Macleod, AB 2nd runner up - Tyler Slawinski Gladstone Auction Mart, Gladstone, MB 3rd runner up - Frederick Bodnarus Northern Livestock Sales, Prince Albert, SK LMAC Hall of Fame Inductee - Gene Parks Whitewood Livestock Sales/Pipestone Auction Mart The Canadian Angus Association also awarded the Auction Mart of the Year Award. This year the award went to TEAM Auction Inc., Jason and Bryan Danard. Congratulations and thank you to all the organizers, sponsors, judges, competitors and winners on putting on a great event. That’s all for now. See ya down the road.
Continued from page 12 name of bull AI’d or exposed to and sign. If you are doing your own sale or selling privately this still applies. Do the transfers as quickly as possible being sure to fill out the purchaser’s information correctly as well. The cost of your transfer doubles after 60 days. If you buy or sell an animal in the fall, it is a good idea to put a rush order on the transfers to save confusion when you arrive at the show. The Canadian Angus Association office is very willing to help with situations like this as long as they know what’s going on. If there are still any commercial producers reading this, here is some advice for you. When you purchase a registered bull make sure that the papers get transferred to you. This will ensure that you can access our Angus Green Tags from the Canadian Angus Association. The only paperwork you have to do is writing down your bull’s registration number and send it or give it to the Canadian Angus Association
when ordering your tags. What could be easier than that? Remember, buy registered bulls and demand they’re transferred to you. Well I think you’ve probably had enough of what I have to say for now. Hopefully this will be a bit of a reminder for what you should put on your to-do list. Hope everyone has a great summer and I look forward to seeing you this summer and fall. By the way, we’re not a bunch of ‘_ _ _ holes’, just a bunch of volunteers trying to do what’s right.
Page 17
Can’t get enough It’s a story that keeps surprising the beef community. In 2018’s first quarter, cattlemen again set records for the percentage of carcasses grading AA-Choice and Prime, and qualifying for the Certified Angus Beef ® (CAB®) brand. They kept breaking those records. “It’s a little bit unbelievable,” says Mark McCully, the brand’s vice president of production. Quality grades hit a high of 81.5% Choice and Prime in February, Mark McCully besting records just established in January and last fall. Then, every single week in February set a new high for CAB brand acceptance, the share of blackhided cattle that made it into the brand after being presented to USDA and Canadian graders for evaluation. “The first question when we look at this kind of quality is, ‘Have we reached some point of market saturation?’” McCully says. “The reality is, that would be showing up in some really narrow Choice-Select [AA/A] spreads, and that’s just not what we saw through April. We’re seeing the demand continues to grow and that spread continues to stay strong.” The first 16 weeks of 2018 averaged 34.9% CAB, compared to 30.3% for 2017. That’s an added 13,188 head branded each week. “The idea that we’ve matured or hit some sort of a quality ceiling, I understand why people say it, but I don’t believe
Page 18
By Miranda Reiman, Director, Producer Communications Certified Angus Beef LLC the economic signals support that,” he says. The CAB boxed beef premium averaged $8.76 per hundredweight (cwt.) for the first quarter, compared to $9.19/cwt. for those months in 2017. That’s down slightly, but the math tells the more complete story, McCully says. The certified head count increased by 20.4% (from 1.3 million to 1.6 million, or 300,000 head), but the spread only declined 4.7%, or $0.43. “There’s a customer base out there today, people now accessing high-quality products that maybe just never thought they could before,” McCully says. When you look at a greater slice of time, the story gets even richer. Rewind to the first 16 weeks of 2010: 1 million head certified with a 24.1% CAB acceptance rate and a CAB-AA/Choice spread of $6.20/cwt. Comparing 2018 to 2010, acceptance rate increased by more than 10 percentage points, certified head count rose by 55.5%. Even with that added supply, the CAB-Choice spread increased by 41.3%. McCully says cattlemen have responded to the signals, which included a record $75 million in grid premiums paid for CAB qualifiers last year. “The long-term trend has been driven by a focus on the carcass genetics,” he says. “It’s been an organized effort of managing that calf from the ranch to the packing plant.” The widespread drought that affected many herds starting in 2011 and 2012 accelerated the genetic improvement. “We’re still seeing the effects from cattle made through that expansion phase,” McCully says. “The way that happened was by keeping back better, younger cattle—rebuilding with heifers, and oftentimes breeding them to Angus bulls.”
Angus Edge - Summer 2018
Mother Nature will get less credit as time goes on. “We’re probably at the end of that big cattle turnover that happened through the drought,” he says. “So it will still be a factor, but to a lesser degree moving forward.” USDA’s updated maturity standards also played a minor role in this winter’s quality grade hike. A December change allowed cattle to qualify for the most youthful “A” maturity category based on either dentition or skeletal evaluation. Many branded beef programs, including CAB, revised their specifications to match. “The science showed it was eating-experience neutral,” McCully says, noting it brought in more brand-eligible
Angus Edge - Summer 2018
carcasses than they initially estimated. “A few cattle that were getting downgraded before are now able to achieve premiums.” Beef buyers have taken the recent quality upswing and asked for more. “They’re accessing more of the product, whether that’s Prime or CAB—or CAB Prime—and they like it, and their customers like it, so they’re bidding that product up,” McCully says. “There was a time in my career where I would have said 30% [CAB acceptance] is probably where we’ll start maxing out. I don’t believe that’s the case anymore.” The numbers show, “We’ve got opportunities to grow,” he says.
Page 19
Message from your Canadian Angus CEO... Good day, Saskatchewan Angus folks. It is currently raining through much of Saskatchewan, and I’m sure everyone who is getting it is very, very grateful. Reading various tweets about this rain (if you don’t follow folks like Darren Ippolito @oldipp, Mitch Stuart @4FAngusBoy, Michael Wheeler @wheelersstock, new Canadian Angus Director Sheldon Kyle @KenrayRanch, outgoing Director Tracey Willms @ wilbarcattle and, of course, the ‘granddaddy’ of them all, @ CattleNut himself, Past President Kevin Blair, you really should. These folks are as insightful as they are clever and humourous…) among other aspects of agriculture and cattle production in one of our two major Angus provinces makes me grateful for the connectivity we have through various communication tools. I believe much of Canada needs moisture, and hopefully it comes soon. When you are reading this, our National Convention will be a memory. There are, however, some folks from Saskatchewan who I want to acknowledge because of the important role they played in making Convention and all its associated components the success I am sure that they were. First off, your Canadian Angus Directors: incumbents Dale Easton, Dave Johnson and Tracey Willms. While Dale has one more year on his first 3-year-term, and is (potentially) subject to re-election at your SAA AGM next January in Regina, Tracey and Dave opted to retire after their first term. It takes a lot of time, dedication, commitment and energy to be a Canadian Director. You are constantly seeking out member input, their thoughts and feelings, albeit positive, constructive or even… umm… ‘alternate’. You are listening at all hours of the day, every day. Our now Past President Brett Wildman shares that, in his four years as a Director, he has been called on every day of the year by Canadian Angus members save for Christmas Day, and I suspect Tracey, Dave and Dale can attest to this. They are expected to ‘check their personal programs at the door’ and think about the whole of our membership, our sector and our industry through the lens of the future, both short and long term. Theirs is a large and challenging responsibility and I want to thank Dale, Tracey and Dave for doing it so well. I hope Dale is around for at least another four years. And, with the now-retired Dave and Tracey, I want to thank them for their efforts, thank you for voting them to the Board in the first place, and tell you all how much your Association will miss them. Dave has been a calm ‘voice of reason’ since he started on the board. With his diverse agriculture perspective and Page 20
By Rob Smith
multigenerational family farm, Dave has represented his fellow members by ensuring discussion focuses on every aspect of our membership regardless of size, geography, age or years in the business. Dave’s contributions are always respected by his fellow Directors because he doesn’t speak to be heard, he speaks because he has something substantive to add to the discourse. We will miss his wisdom and thoughtful consideration. Tracey has been a catalyst for change in many aspects of Canadian Angus, ever-focused on what works better for her fellow members; what is fastest, easiest and creates the most value. She believes in our youth but as a component of our ‘bigger picture’ and always with a vision of our future. She is the source of a quote I use a lot: “Never mistake ‘being heard’ and ‘getting your way’. There is a big difference and we must recognize that.” Avoiding whimsy, she ‘stays the course’ in discussions and debate but always is open-minded to the development of ideas as brainstorming results in consensus. We know that Tracey and Dave will continue to lead Angus in Canada through their volunteerism and support and, of course, through their extraordinary seedstock operations. I came across Johnson Livestock genetics on my recent trip to China and they are working very well in this growing market. And the Wilbar prefix is becoming one of our nation’s most notable and reliable, including increasing foreign recognition. Thank you very much, Dave and Tracey. We will miss you, both inside and outside the President’s Boardroom. But I also want to welcome Sheldon Kyle and Mike Howe as new Canadian Angus board members! These are two exciting additions to your board and I know you and the whole of Canada will be well-served by their leadership. By now the Canadian Angus Foundation “Building the Legacy 7” fundraiser auction is a memory and I suspect it will be very successful. I say this NOT because of its past success. I say this because, as I hope you thought when you perused the sale catalogue, “WOW… what an offering!” Have our members EVER ‘stepped up’!!! I believe the genetics on offer this year were our best ever: our most and best embryo packages and semen at least as good as the best we’ve ever had, if not the best. And this comes because YOU, as our members, want to be part of it, want to donate, and want to support your Foundation. Honestly, this benevolence makes me quite emotionally charged because I know what Angus Edge - Summer 2018
a generous commitment it is. And, because of that, I want to specifically mention these Saskatchewan folks listed here who showed their altruism through great donations at #BtL7 in 2018: Belinda Wagner – the ‘Rob Holowaychuk’ Collection Blairs.Ag Cattle Co. “Legacy Best Friend” – the Blair family Cockburn Red Angus – the Cockburn family Crescent Creek Angus (‘Pick-Of-The-Herd’ Heifer Calf) – the Olynyk family Dusty Rose Cattle Company – the James family Glen Gabel Angus – the Gabel family Greenwood Angus – the Payne family J Bar Dee Farms – the Spence family Justamere Farms Ltd. – the Fox family Merit Cattle Co. – the Liebreich family Nordal Angus – the Garner family Rock Point Angus – the Ylioja family Six Mile Ranch Ltd. – the Gibson family T Bar C Cattle Co. – Chris Poley & team Triple L Angus – the Tetzlaff family Wilbar Cattle Co. – the Willms family
View Ranch (2014), Johnson Livestock (2016), WRAZ Red Angus (2017), Eastondale Angus (2017) and Merit Cattle Co. (2017) in making the ‘ultimate’ donation: Pick-Of-TheHeifer-Calf-Crop. Actually, if you want to discuss generosity and benevolence, since the Brown family of LLB Angus suggested and offered the first ‘Pick’ in 2013, we have had 21 made, of which eight are from Saskatchewan. Alberta has only had six so Saskatchewan tops the country!
The donation from Crescent Creek Angus imprints their names alongside amazing Saskatchewan producers like Wilbar Cattle Co. (2014), Young Dale Angus (2014), South
Thanks very much, Saskatchewan. Please have a great summer.
Angus Edge - Summer 2018
Additionally, we want to thank our amazing auctioneers Chris Poley (T Bar C Cattle Co.) and Ryan Dorran (Dorran Marketing Inc.); our consultants who helped immeasurably, Scott Bohrson (Bohrson Marketing Services), Shane Castle (Castlerock Marketing) and Mark Holowaychuk (OBI); and ringman Mark Stock. Thanks to all of these gentlemen for their volunteer help with our primary annual fundraiser. We are so honoured and fortunate to have your help. And if you purchased any of the donations, thanks to you as well! Greatness is always the result of a collaboration, and our annual “Building the Legacy” project is the greatest collaboration we have, each and every year.
Page 21
Saskatchewan Junior Angus Association Board of Directors Tyra Fox - President Lloydminster, SK - 306-825-9624 tyrafox20@gmail.com Macy Liebreich – Vice-President Radville, SK - 306-869-6740 macy.liebreich@gmail.com Hillary Sauder – Secretary Hodgeville, SK - 306-677-7542 windy.willows@sasktel.net Kodie Doetzel - Junior Director Lipton, SK - 306-336-2245 kdknuhorizon@gmail.com Directors at Large Baxter Blair McLean, SK - 306-699-7211 baxteraiden@hotmail.com Morgan Davey Saskatoon, SK - 306-250-6891 rvlm.angus@gmail.com Reegan Frey Oxbox, SK - 306-485-6788 reegs0909@gmail.com Alexis Frick Neudorf, SK - 306-730-9913 northernviewangus@imagewireless.ca
Saskatchewan Junior Angus Report... It has been an interesting spring yet again, not making up its mind whether it wants to be cold or stay warm and hopefully we all get the rain we are needing. Good luck to everyone on seeding and getting their crops in, hope all goes well. Taking a look back on the junior year so far, we had the GOAL conference in Winnipeg, Manitoba. There was a great turn out of juniors in attendance and many new participants. We also had some American juniors in attendance from the NJAA and the JRAAA. It’s always great to have them join us. Showdown 2018 is right around the corner, this year to be held in Barrie, Ontario the weekend of July 19-21. Entries were due June 1st, but there is a late entry deadline of June 20th as well - you just get to pay a little more! Forms can be found on the Canadian Junior Angus website at www.cdnangus.ca. Showdown is a great event for juniors to go to. There are not only conformation classes, but also photography, literature, sales talk, print marketing, public speaking, team
by Tyra Fox
grooming, judging, art, graphic design, and farm sign competitions as well as a cook off. It is a great time for juniors to meet up with old friends and make new friendships. After the summer event Showdown, the Saskatchewan juniors will look forward to our annual junior show. The junior show has taken place in Lloydminster, SK the past few years in conjunction with Lloydminster Stockade Round Up and will be there again October 31-November 3. It’s been a great turn out the last few years. Stay tuned for more on the annual junior show, such as specific dates and entry details. The information will be available on the Saskatchewan Angus and Lloydminster Exhibition websites later this summer. That’s all for the Saskatchewan juniors for now, please don’t hesitate to contact me if you ever have any questions about upcoming events. I look forward to seeing all fellow juniors down the road!
Rayel Kaczmar Grenfell, SK - 306-451-0075 rayelkaczmar14@gmail.com Brianna Kimmel Lloydminster, SK - 780-214-3643 brianna@twistedsisterscattle.ca Carson Liebreich Radville, SK - 306-815-7226 tjlmerit@sasktel.net Wade Olynyk Goodeve, SK - 306-876-4420 olynyk44@gmail.com Ty Schwan Swift Current, SK - 306-774-4494 jschwan69@yahoo.ca Box 3771, Regina, SK S4P 3N8 Phone 306-757-6133 Fax 306-525-5852
office@saskatchewanangus.com www.saskatchewanangus.com
Page 22
The Saskatchewan Juniors that enjoyed the 2018 GOAL Conference! Angus Edge - Summer 2018
**Late deadline** June 20, 2018
Angus Edge - Summer 2018
Page 23
Did you know? Changes are coming to the rules around how you can buy most of the livestock antibiotics used to treat sick or injured animals. As of December 1, 2018, the list of prescription drugs is being expanded to include all Medically Important Antimicrobials (MIAs) for veterinary use.
Compiled by Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association along the lines of “never”, “not well”, or “no”, then you are much less likely to have a VCPR than if you answer “often”, “well or very well”, or “yes”. The take home message here is that if you have livestock, you will need to have a VCPR to access prescription medication, including antibiotics. If you don’t have a VCPR, or are unsure if you currently do, talk to your veterinarian so that you both understand what is required in your specific situation.
This means to buy any of the drugs on the list you will need to talk to a veterinarian and have them prescribe the drugs. The changes to the system are intended to preserve the effectiveness and minimize the development and spread of antimicrobial resistance. This is because the drugs being included on the list are Common Questions: Animal owners need to know important to fight bacterial infections in Q: How do I avoid costs and that veterinarians are bound, humans as well as animals. inconvenience? by law, to follow regulations set A: Work with a veterinarian to see forth by Health Canada/CFIA, To be proactive, you will need to ensure you how your current preventative health and their provincial regulatory have a proper working relationship with program can be strengthened to reduce body; and that examination and your veterinarian and make sure you have the likelihood of sickness and disease. diagnoses required for a proper a Vet-Client-Patient Relationship or VCPR. Reviewing your nutrition and feeding VCPR are necessary to create a program and feed test results with a safe and effective plan for any A VCPR is not a new concept for most nutritionist is also important; optimal antimicrobial use in animals. producers and the name itself provides a nutrition is key to keeping animals high-level explanation. A valid VCPR is the healthy enough to resist disease, and to relationship that exists between yourself, your veterinarian ensure optimal vaccine performance. AND your animals. If you are unsure if you have a wellestablished relationship it is important to talk to your Veterinarians see a lot of different beef operations, which veterinarian to better understand what is required to establish gives them the opportunity to professionally observe and and maintain a VCPR. evaluate a wide variety of management and health programs, see what works (and doesn’t), and make appropriate Simply dropping by the clinic now and then to pick up recommendations. For example, veterinarians have the vaccines or bringing an animal in to the clinic occasionally expertise to appropriately customize your vaccination and for emergency services, does not mean that you have a valid parasite control programs so that they more effectively VCPR. prevent the disease risks and challenges your herd faces. In the end, you may find that veterinary costs turn out to be an On the flip side, a VCPR does not necessarily mean that investment that improves your bottom line. the veterinarian must see every animal or visit your farm Q: Will a veterinarian need to directly examine every sick frequently. The vet also does not have to administer the animal on farm before writing a prescription? drugs to your animals. Much of the VCPR depends on your A: Not necessarily, provided you have a valid VCPR. situation and working with your vet so they are comfortable Q: Will a veterinarian need to administer the antibiotic? to make an accurate diagnosis. Some vets know their client’s A: No, provided you have a valid VCPR. Once the antibiotic operation inside and out through herd health programs, has been purchased, producers can continue to administer vaccination protocols and other testing. This knowledge will the antibiotic to their animals themselves. help meet the requirements for a VCPR even though the vet Q: Will I need a new prescription every time I need to use has not actually been to the farm for some time. antibiotics? A: Not necessarily. Work with your veterinarian to create Every producer should ask themselves this question first: do a plan, develop a herd health protocol, establish your risk I have a valid VCPR with a vet? Then, before automatically management practices and have prescriptions on file that can saying yes, ask yourself a few more questions: When was the be filled if necessary. last time a vet was out to my farm? How well does the vet Q: What if a veterinarian does not service my area? know me and my livestock operation? Are they familiar with A: You can establish a VCPR with a vet that is not local, my animals? Do I consult with my vet regularly on animal provided they are licensed to practice in your province (e.g. health issues? If the answer to any of these questions are consulting veterinarians). Page 24
Angus Edge - Summer 2018
Business Directory GRANT ROLSTON Box 1562 Vulcan, AB T0L 2B0 Phone: 403-593-2217 grantspix@gmail.com www.grantspix.com
PHOTOGRAPHY
Canadian ANGUS Association
1-888-571-3580
292140 Wagon Wheel Blvd. Rocky View County, AB T4A 0E2 www.cdnangus.ca cdnangus@cdnangus.ca
For all your printing needs
(306) 525-8796
Your Business Card Could Be Here! Call 306-757-6133 or email office@saskatchewanangus.com for details
Terry, Stacey, Brittany, Tyler & Megan Hunt RMB RR #1, Rose Valley, SK S0E 1M0 Terry’s Cell: 306-322-7439 Email: terryandstacey@xplornet.ca www.tandsfarms.ca
Index of Advertisers... Abound Livestock....................................10 Bar-H Land & Cattle..................................2 Canadian Beef Industry Conference......26 Freyburn Angus Farms...........................13 Howe Family Farm.................................BC Ivanhoe Angus........................................27
Kenray Ranch...........................................9 Lloydminster Stockade Round-Up..........11 Masterpiece Sale......................................3 Merit Cattle Co..........................................7 Sandy Bar Ranch Ltd. . ............................5 Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association...6
Coming Events... Jun 15...............CJA Scholarship Application Deadline Jun 20...............Deadline for Late Entries – Showdown 2018 Jul 19-21...........Showdown 2018, Barrie, ON Aug 8-10...........Saskatchewan Angus SUMMER TOUR, South East SK Aug 14-16.........Canadian Beef Industry Conference, London, ON Aug 15..............Deadline for Saskatchewan Angus Commercial Producer of the Year .........................nominations Oct 1.................Deadline for The Angus Edge, Fall Edition Oct 1.................Deadline for Entries, Canadian Western Agribition Oct 1.................Deadline for Entries, Saskatchewan Angus Gold & Junior Show Oct 3.................Saskatchewan Angus Breeder Information Session, Moosomin, SK Oct 31-Nov 3....Stockade Round-Up and Saskatchewan Angus Gold & Junior Show, .........................Lloydminster, SK Nov 15..............SJAA Scholarship Application Deadline Nov 19-24.........Canadian Western Agribition, Regina, SK Nov 22..............Agribition Angus Shows, Regina, SK Nov 23..............Power and Perfection Sale, Regina, SK Dec 19..............Masterpiece Angus Sale, Saskatoon, SK
Mark Your Calendar for our next Breeder Session in Moosomin on Wednesday, October 3rd. We’d love to see you there! Stay tuned for more details. Host or attend a Breeder Information Session in your area! Saskatchewan Angus will entertain proposals from the membership for hosting sessions in various areas of the province over the next year. If you are interested in more information contact the office at 306-757-6133 or email office@saskatchewanangus.com
Angus Edge - Summer 2018
Page 25
Page 26
Angus Edge - Summer 2018
THANK YOU from
I VA N H O E A N G U S to everyone who supported our 2018 Bull & Female Sale...
Fourth Spoke Ranch Johnny Eberts Rafter C Ranch Ltd. Kenneth Loos Roy & Pam Kirby Jacob Carrobourg Richard & Kathy Rieder
Laurier Grazing Inc. Allan Fahlman Castlerock Marketing Sandy Bar Ranch Ltd. Ross, Cacey & Edie Toner Will & Brinn Rieder
A special Thank You to the Saskatchewan Angus Association for awarding our family the 2017 Heritage Award.
IVANHOE ANGUS
Ron & Marilyn Mountenay Box 23, Belle Plaine, SK S0G 0G0 Phone: (306) 345-2560 Ron’s Cell: (306) 630-5871 ivanhoeangus@icloud.com
Angus Edge - Summer 2018
Page 27
E 1 1 2 e g a r i M Howe
Thank you to Eye Hill Stock Farm, purchaser of
Howe Mirage 211E
He will also see heavy service here this spring. Also thank you to BMB Red Angus for purchasing their third bull from us in our 28th Annual Bull Sale.
We really do appreciate all of our buyers and bidders!
Howe Family, #183 - 4th Ave. S.W., Moose Jaw, SK S6H 5V2 (306) 691-5011 C: (306) 631-8779 dlmhowe@sasktel.net www.howefarm.ca