The Canadian Shorthorn Report
Box 87
Elm Creek MB R0G 0N0
Email: shorthornreport@gmail.com
Adrianne Vandersluis 204-750-2574
Publication Mail Agreement #44028015
Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to:
The Canadian Shorthorn Report Box 87 Elm Creek MB R0G 0N0
Advertising Rates
Single Issue Rate 4 Issue Rate
Full page $800 $750
2/3 page $600 $570
1/2 page $475 $450
1/3 page $400 $380
1/4 page $325 $305
1/6 page $275 $260
Business card $65 $45
All ads are full colour
Photos should be no smallerthan 300 dpi (2480x3507 pixels) to avoid blurryresults.
Yearly Subscription Rates:
Canadian -$24
US - $30 US Foreign- $55
GST applicable on all fees -BN806961447
ISSUE: FALL ISSUE 2024 DEADLINE SEPTEMBER 15
PUBLICATION DATE OCTOBER 1
The Canadian Shorthorn Report is looking for pictures to use in the magazine. Individual or group pictures of bulls, cows, or calves in all seasons, If you have any that you would like to share, please send them to: shorthornreport@gmail.com
It’s been a year since I’ve taken on the challenge of promoting the Shorthorn breed through this magazine. I wanted to give a nod of appreciation to one of the founders of the magazine, and I’m excited to be able to share the history of Horseshoe Creek Farms. The summer is passing by very quickly and soon we will be busy with weaning calves, and getting some of them ready for the fall sales and shows. It’s always a great time to catch up and visit with fellow breeders, get insight on their breeding programs and to share ideas. All the best to the CJSA National show attendants. Wishing you safe travels, and a fabulous time together!
Adrianne
Order your tags @
Canadian Shorthorn Association President’s Message
With the recent rains across western Canada, this has brought some renewed growth in agriculture sector. Many areas have received more moisture than they’ve seen in many years. Lush green pastures and hay fields that haven’t been seen for years. Feed should be plentiful and cattle prices are at an all time high. Growth is great!
Here too with the CSA, we are at the midpoint of the year and we are seeing our membership and registration numbers on par or slightly up over previous years. Growth!
The Junior Association is busy getting ready for what is shaping up to be an awesome ‘Sun, Shades & Shorthorns’ event in Saskatoon that will be one to remember! The Junior program is growing, and the knowledge and experience they gain with this program is how we help make future leaders in the industry.
I don’t want to overshadow the CSA AGM being held the same weekend as the National Junior Show. There will be some fun events to attend on the Friday, with the meeting Saturday afternoon. I invite everyone to come out and see what is going on in the Association. Please keep in mind the 2025 World Shorthorn Congress coming to Canada. It only comes around every 20 years, so you’ll want to attend this one!
There are many upcoming events that include Shorthorns, be sure to attend a few.
Richard Moellenbeck CSA President
Richard Moellenbeck
President & SK Director 306-287-3420 bellmfarms@outlook.ca
Martin Mason Vice President & Ontario Director 519-771-7066 martin.mason@redrosefarm.com
Casey Bishop Alberta Director 780-603-8432 cbishopcattle@gmail.com
Dean Spady
BC Director 604-855-2814 spadylivestock@gmail.com
Grayson Ross Manitoba Director 204-851-2293 mosssideshorthorns@gmail.com
Marvin Peters Maritimes Director 902-315-2939 mipet@yahoo.com
Dennis Cox Quebec Director 819-837-2086 triplejcox2018@gmail.com
Shayla Chappell Secretary/Treasurer 306-757-2212 office@canadianshorthorn.com
World Shorthorn Conference Canada 2025
In the last issue of the Canadian Shorthorn Report, I provided readers with some history and background information about the World Shorthorn Conference.
Seventeen World Conferences has been held since the initial one in 1974, as follows:
1974 - South Africa: 1977 – Australia: 1980 – Canada: 1984 –USA: 1986 – Argentina: 1989 – Great Britain; Ireland 1992: – New Zealand: 1995 –South Africa: 1998 – Australia: 2000 –Canada: 2004 – USA :2007 – Argentina: 2010 – Great Britain: 2013 – New Zealand: 2016 – Uruguay: 2019 – Australia: 2022 –Great Britain: 2025 – Canada (planned).
While each tour participant comes home with their own unique, observation/impressions of these Conferences, we here in Canada are fortunate to have a firsthand record of his observations etc. provided by long time CSA member, Mr. Joe Banbury, Banbury Farms of Brighton, Ontario. Joe has attended 8 of the past 9 World Shorthorn Conferences and has kindly provided the writer with a summary of his firsthand observations of six of the conferences he has attended. Joes’ observations have been edited for clarity only. Canada 2004.
The Conference tour started in Halifax and ended in Vancouver. My son David and I were on the East half which ended in Ontario. The organizers, Ross Procter and Ian McCrea were determined to show off the whole country, so it became a bit of an endurance test. Conference in Prince Edward Island, then a long bus ride to Quebec Eastern townships, where we attended Shadybrooke Farms production sale, where a bull sold for $100,000.
USA 2004.
Connecting with our ground transportation was a bit of fun. Instead of the usual signs Lee and Joy Kirby’s daughter held up a picture of their roan herd sire. Everyone got the message and quite a few strangers wanted to know what was happening. Kirby’s neighbor treated us to dinner on his extensive lawn where the main attraction was a full-sized Blonde Aquitaine bull, preserved by a taxidermist and installed in a a breezeway to the house. Meetings in Louisville Ky, and North American International Livestock Exposition brought us back to reality.
There were some impressive Beef herds in Kentucky, Ohio, Illinois and Indiana. Unfortunately, we couldn’t stay for the West part of the tour.
Argentina 2007.
On arriving in the city of Buenos Aires from the airport, one could not help being impressed by the well-kept and generous parkland that separated the two lanes of traffic. Clearly someone was thinking ‘big’ when they laid out the city!
One Argentinian breeder was pleased to show off 3 clones of his champion cow. Strange to realize that the 4 were genetically identical, 3 calves were grown in a laboratory from a tiny piece of the cow’s ear!
Another breeder had 7000 cows, all shorthorn, but only 3500 were recorded. Three years earlier he had 14000 cows, but a McCann French Fry plant got him growing potatoes and cutting back on cattle.
In Argentina, one man and a horse, with no machinery can finish. 1000 steers on grass alone. We asked for costs and after discussion they said they could produce ‘white table
cloth’ beef for US 21 to 21 ½ cents a pound.
The Argentinian Conference Tour had a perfectly bilingual lady on the bus and simultaneous Spanish to English translation for the Conference.
UK 2010.
James Playfair-Hannay, Toft Farms, Kelso showed us some good pasture on impressive hills. Major Gibb, Glen Isla Shorthorns, Perthshire introduced us to a new breed of cattle, the Luing (3/8 Highland 5/8 Shorthorn) which shows promise on rough pasture. Both breeders are frequent winners at the shows in the UK.
The Royal Highland Show was well worth the trip all by itself, but to be there, standing beside Sandy Scarfe (a Shorthorn Breeder from the Orkney islands) with whom we chummed with on the US tour, when his Senior Bull came in second in his class was a thrill.
Great Britian has so much history in so little geography that interesting things seemed to be everywhere.
At the end of the tour, we were granted an audience at St James’s Palace with HRH Princess Anne, Royal patroness of the Shorthorn Breed in the UK. Security was extreme, but hardly to be noticed.
New Zealand 2013.
We arrived in Christchurch, New Zealand not long after an earthquake had levelled much of the business section. Enterprising landowners had cleared and leveled a significant area on which they had parked a shipping container market that was an instant tourist attraction.
The surprises kept coming, in the form of mighty mountain ranges, sweeping lowland plains, rugged bush, active geothermal regions, spectacular lakes, rivers and coastlines. One day we visited a farm shop in an arid region where the jet boat was invented, the next day we rode one on a very turbulent river.
New Zealanders are very aware of agriculture, and we were told that China will buy every agricultural product available, but New Zealand farms wont be dependent on the only one market, so they send lamb to the UK and North America at a loss just to keep their New Zealand brand in our markets. Uruguay 2016.
3 million people, over half of whom live in the capital Montevideo and nearly 12.5 million cattle, nearly all beef Hereford, Aberdeen Angus and Shorthorn, but hard to find any continentals. Huge ranches, one that we visited had 7km driveway to buildings, 10km more to the north end of the property and more land to the south of the road.2000 cows, 500 pure Shorthorn, 500 pure Hereford, 1000 crossbreds, 2400 sheep and 100 acres of rice! Staff of about 10 employees, the most recently hired 15 years ago. They are encouraged to own livestock and run them with the main ranch herd. Plenty of US and Canadian genetics.
Uruguay has no natural forest, so many stone buildings and drystone walls. Fences along most main highways however are woven wire strung on granite posts the size of railway ties. Eucalyptus trees from Australia have been planted and timber mills harvest 16-to-18-inch diameter stems, 50 feet long in 20 years.
Many Argentinians come north to Uruguay’s south coast for summer vacations.
In conclusion, Joe states that “I have been on 8 of the last 9 World Shorthorn Conference toursAll were informative and enjoyable”. In closing, I would like to remind all of our Shorthorn Report readers planning is well under way for the 18th World Shorthorn Conference to be held in Canada, July 3rd to 20th 2025.
The main Conference opening and tour will begin in Calgary and move across the prairies, visiting Shorthorn Breeders farms, and various other stops to Winnipeg on July 12th. Then on to visit several Ontario Shorthorn Breeders before ending in Toronto, July 20th, 2025. The Conference Organizing Committee, as established by the CSA Board has been organizing the Conference Tour route, farm and other tour visits etc.
The organizing committee members are; Denis Cox, Chair, Martin Mason, Grayson Ross, Carl Lehmann, Casey Bishop and Grant Smith. If you have any questions or suggestions about the 2025 Canada World Shorthorn Conference, please contact an organizing Committee member.
Grant Smith, 18th World Shorthorn Conference President.
Craig Elachie Shorthorns. Tappen. British Columbia.
2024 NATIONAL JUNIOR SHORTHORN SHOW
This spring, the CJSA held our Stars Leadership Conference in conjunction with the Junior Limousin Association in Guelph, Ontario. We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all our sponsors for their generous support. Without your contributions, events like this would not be possible. We also want to recognize and thank our dedicated volunteers, whose efforts are essential to the success of our junior events.
We were delighted to welcome 20 Canadian Junior Shorthorn Association members to our conference who were an amazing group of enthusiastic and respectful young upcoming agricultural enthusiasts. The conference was a twoday event where we were able to tour many state-of-the-art facilities and had the opportunity to speak with industry professionals.
We began the weekend on Friday with tours of the dairy and beef research barns owned by the University of Guelph. Our hosts discussed current research projects and provided insights into their day–to–day operations. We were fortunate to visit their precision feed facility, where we learned about the critical role of nutrition in animal health and productivity. Additionally, they explained the importance of the crop research facility which included the significance of crop-livestock integration for the success of both dairy and beef research initiatives.
Following these tours, we headed to the main University of Guelph campus for a tour of the student facilities and lecture halls, guided by current students. This provided a unique opportunity for the group to engage with the students to learn more about their programs and their experiences attending the University.
After a quick lunch, the group then headed to the on-campus abattoir. The head butcher led us through the facility and answered many questions that the group had.
Our final stop of the day was a farm succession planning information session led by Tall Oaks Capitol and FCC. Both speakers provided advice on preparing for upcoming financial transitions and navigating the complex conversations that come with the process of succession planning as our young group prepares to begin those transitions on their own farms.
To end off the day the group headed to an escape room where we worked in teams to solve clues and race to escape the rooms. This activity was enjoyed by all participants and was a great way to prepare for day two.
Junior Shorthorn Association Report
On day two, our group had the privilege of being hosted by Semex. Our visit began with a tour of the collection area, where we were able to observe some of the impressive bulls that Semex is currently working with. This provided a fascinating glimpse into the practical aspects of their operation.
Following the tour we kicked off the day with presentations from experts in various fields related to breeding and herd management. Brad Gilchrist began the session by discussing the importance of understanding EPDs. He explained how EPDs are used to predict the genetic potential of livestock, helping farmers and breeders to make decisions that will lead to improvement in their herd’s quality and performance.
Next, Samantha Kennedy shared her experience and insights on the marketing she does for Semex. She spoke to the group about her career journey and provided key strategies that have contributed to her success at Semex. Her presentation highlighted the importance of effective communication, branding, and customer engagement in building a strong reputation for the Semex brand.
Dr. Rex Crawford then took the stage to talk about the critical aspects of
vaccinating cow herds and maintaining overall herd health. He emphasized the significance of preventative measures to avoid any herd disease outbreaks. Dr. Crawford’s talk provided valuable knowledge on best practices for disease prevention and health management, which provided our young group with a new perspective to take back to their herds.
Lastly, Jaclyn Horenberg addressed the opportunities available for youth within the beef industry. She encouraged young individuals to get involved with various industry groups and highlighted the benefits of networking. Jaclyn emphasized that active participation in these groups can open doors to career advancements, educational opportunities, and valuable connections. She shared her own experiences and success stories, illustrating how networking and involvement can significantly impact a career in the ag industry.
This year’s Stars Conference was a resounding success and we look forward to more conferences in the future and working with these bright upcoming juniors.
Lucy McNiven, CJSA President
Static
Muridale Twang 9K ET
Muridale Colonel 7K ET
Muridale Cowboy Logic 23K ET
Horseshoe Creek Farms
By Grant Alexander
Ihave been fortunate to have spent my entire life, around Shorthorn cattle and the people who raise them. One of the very earliest memories I have, as a young preschool kid, was of spending time playing in the attic of our house, and opening the lid of an old trunk that had been left by my grandfather from when he lived here. Inside were several large ribbons, a few pictures and some show catalogs from the shows where he exhibited his Shorthorns. I was completely fascinated by this stuff, and I think I decided then, that I wanted to raise Shorthorn cattle.
Our farm was settled in 1903 by my grandparents, James and Alicia Alexander. James was born in Scotland and immigrated to Hallick, Minnesota with his parents in 1886. Alicia was born at Emerson, MB and married James in March 1903. On their wedding night, they boarded a train heading west to find a farm to settle on. Someone had told them that there was some good farmland available at Weyburn, SK so they headed west to check it out. They selected the farm I presently live on as it had a creek running through it, and the other farm properties they looked at didn’t. Part of our farm was broken with a Shorthorn steer and a horse hooked to a plow. Grade Shorthorn cattle arrived shortly after they homesteaded the farm, but the purebred Shorthorns did not arrive until 1917 when the government of Scotland shipped a boat load of Shorthorns to Canada and then sent them on to Brandon, MB by rail, where they hosted what was called the Scottish Flood Relief Sale. They did this to assist Scottish farmers who had experienced devastating flooding that year (climate change I guess!).
James Alexander wanted to help his fellow Scottish farmers, so he boarded a train to attend this sale. He purchased a bull and a few females to start his purebred herd. He started exhibiting his Shorthorns at local fairs shortly after this
and soon was selling bulls in the Regina Bull Sale. Back in those days, a trip to Regina Bull Sale meant leading the bulls, behind a wagon for 8 miles then loading them into a box car on the train. In 1930, he won both the Grand and Reserve Grand bulls at the Regina Bull Sale against close to 130 other Shorthorn bulls. The Grand Champion bull sold for $870 and the Reserve Champion sold for $1525. These were very big prices in those days, and by using an inflation calculator to compare prices from different eras, the Grand Champion bull sold for $15,180 and the Reserve Grand bull sold for $26,670 in today’s dollars.
Gerald Alexander was the youngest son of James and Alicia, and he purchased the farm from his parents in 1947, when they retired. The farm continued to be a mixed farming operation with grain, cattle, pigs and horses. Of course, the cattle were Shorthorns. When I was old enough to join our local 4-H club, dad picked out a Shorthorn steer for me to show. I showed him at the Weyburn 4-H Regional show and he was selected as the Reserve Grand Champion steer from over 100 other steers. My steer weighed 840 lbs and he sold for $.32/pound. (approximately $3.17/ pound in today’s dollars) I can still remember feeling terrible that my steer had sold for so much more than my friends steers had that day. The sale average was $.14/pound. Today our farm operation is operated by my wife Chris and myself. Dad is now 99 years young and stepped away from the day-to-day work but continues to be an advisor. Dad lives in town now and just a few months ago, decided he should send his car out to the farm for the winter. He said he wanted me to bring it back to him in April, but I somehow forgot to do this!
Dad (Gerald) started to expand the cowherd numbers through the 1960’s and also selected a couple of herd sires from Louada Manor Farms, Peterborough, ON. The first was Louada Clachan who was a son of Bapton Constructor. Clachan was considered to be far to big framed at that time, so dad was able to buy him at a very reasonable price. When mature he weighed 2300 lbs on a poor day, and was a most impressive bull. Quite frankly, if I had semen on Clachan today, I would use it in a heartbeat. The second bull from Louada was Louada Bravado, a son of Louada Rothes King. Two sons of Kinnaber Leader 3rd (George the Giant) followed as well as a syndicate interest in Four Point Major. We were fortunate to have Four Point Major, walk our pastures and he was a most impressive herd bull. Ten Shorthorn breeders from Saskatchewan, joined forces to purchase him from the Rothbury dispersal. Major was 10 years old when he was sold and set a Canadian record for a mature Shorthorn bull at $10,000. It was about this time that I headed off to college and I returned home every summer to help on the farm. When I graduated in 1972, I returned to the farm fulltime. It was our plan to expand our land base and grain farming however, there was very little land coming up for sale near us. Any land that was offered for sale was usually sold by sealed bids, and we seemed to come in second in most of the tender sales. It was about this same time, a neighbour drove into our yard and told us that he and his wife had decided to retire and they offered
Grant, Chris & Gerald Alexander
me the opportunity to purchase their 10 quarters of land for $8000 per quarter ($80,000 for it all) and I was excited as this would give us the additional land we were looking for. The reason I mention this is that this is still vividly clear in my mind, when our FCC credit advisor turned down my loan application. He told me I had too much education to farm, and he was doing me a favor by rejecting my loan application. Today that 10 quarters of land would be worth $3.5-$4 million! I do wish I could find this FCC advisor now, and have a little chat with him!
Our Shorthorn cow herd eventually reached 350 breeding age females and we started having annual production sales to sell our breeding stock. We also decided to build a 1500 head feedlot as it didn’t look like much land was going to show up for sale in our area for some time. Dad and I both enjoyed the cattle end of our operation more than the grain side, but it did mean we had to work very hard to run the operation. This was 1978, and it was also in this same year that we were introduced to the Irish Shorthorns, when Don Murphy returned from a trip to England and Ireland. Don phoned when he got back to Regina and he told me that he had stumbled upon a herd of Shorthorns in Ireland when he was travelling to find his grandfather’s former farm. The herd he happened to find was the soon to be famous Deerpark herd. Don had also called Craig Andrew and we decided we should meet up at a hotel in Regina and look at the dozens of slides he had taken at Deerpark and also the large Highfield herd. That night we decided to form a partnership and purchase some of these Irish Shorthorns. They were different than any Shorthorns we had ever seen. At this time in Canada, the popularity of the breed was spiraling downwards, and it was getting harder and harder to sell our bulls. We saw three main areas where the Irish cattle could add improvement to our cattle here. They appeared to have tremendous testicles that hung straight. It was hard to even find many Shorthorn bulls here that did not have a twist to their scrotum and testicles that were large and hung straight. The Irish females had most impressive udders and there were still many Shorthorn cows here that had large teat size and poor udder attachment. The third thing we saw was that the Irish cattle had very impressive width between their hooks and pins and we were seeing more and more Shorthorns here that had too much sloping of their rumps. We were most fortunate that the British pound currency was presently at a record low value and were also fortunate
in that the Americans had not yet started to import these Irish Shorthorns. This allowed us to purchase a bull and two females from the Highfield herd. The bull was named Highfield Irish Mist.
Three years later, Craig Andrew phoned me from Ireland and told me he had just seen the best Shorthorn bull he had ever seen. My first thought was if he is so good, why had he not been included on one of the several plane loads of Irish Shorthorns that had been sent to the US as several breeders there had started to purchase them. Craig told me that he had asked this same question and found out that Duke of Dublin had been raised by an Irish priest who only owned one cow. He had led her 7 miles to Deerpark to get her bred and then led her home again. No one knew that Duke existed until he was found by a group of Americans when he was a coming two year old. A man from Texas had purchased him but shortly after he had paid for him, the US closed the border for any imports from Ireland. When I got off the phone with Craig, the first thing I did was phone CFIA and see if Canada was still allowing cattle purchases from Ireland. I was told that Canadians could. Next, I tried to find out who this man in Texas was, as I had never heard of him. After a few phone calls I got a phone number and I dialed it. The man who answered the phone was JW Holmes from Tolar, Texas. He told me that he owned the bull in Ireland but he wasn’t sure what was going to happen as he could not import him into the US. I asked him if he would sell the bull, as we could still import him into Canada? He said he would sell him however he wanted $25,000 for full possession and ½ of the semen sales. I was devastated by his price as I knew this was more than we could afford at the time. At the same time, we owned a set of 4 Irish cows, with calves at side, that were in the US that we could not import into Canada. I asked JW Holmes if he would be interested in trading 4 Irish Shorthorn cows for the bull. He agreed to this immediately. When Craig Andrew phoned me the next day, I told him that we now owned the bull named Gortboy Improver. We changed his name as soon as we could to IDS Duke of Dublin. Duke became our highest semen selling sire in our history with over 3000 straws selling in the US alone. At the same time, I had resolved the problem we had with a set of Irish cows that we could not import into Canada.
When I think of all the bulls that walked on our pastures
Aerial view of the farm
Grand & Reserve Grand Champion bulls 1930
over the past 50 years, I think that I could never write about them all in this article. We always used the best bulls we could afford at the time, and we were constantly looking for new genetics, as we were having annual production sales, and we knew we couldn’t just sell the same genetics forever. I will just list a number of the sires who walked our pastures, and I will just add a few comments about a some of them. Our herd sires not including the ones I have mentioned earlier: Sandy Creek Ivor, Waukaru Cinnabar, Ready Go, Shadybrook Perfection 10S, Weston Secretariat, HC FL Touchdown 123T ET, HC Timeline 17T ET, Star P Matrix 4N, HC Mist’s Return 13R ET, Saskvalley Pioneer 126P, Wolf Willow Major Leroy 1M, Hillside Leader, Rainbow Focus, CCS Marc Drive ET, CCS World Connection ET, HC Bluebook 22B ET, HC Cruiser 59C, HC Hollywood 6H and Saskvalley Blue Jeans 136B. Almost every year, we also used some of our homebred bulls that would be sold as two year olds and we had many excellent calves from them as well. We also AI bred many cows every year, using sires in the breed that we thought would improve our herd.
When BSE was found in Canada in 2003, we found ourselves in a unique situation, in that the markets for our cattle were stopped for an extensive period of time. By this time, we had converted our operation to producing only cattle and we found ourselves in a situation where we could not sell any live cattle. The US border closed to imports of Canadian cattle and remained closed for a few years. At that time, US buyers were responsible for approximately 60% of our income from breeding stock. I remember discussing our situation with dad several months after BSE was announced. I said that I didn’t know how long we could survive with our major market for our breeding stock being closed to us. Dad asked me if we could still send semen to the US, to which I said that we could. I explained to him that we could still sell semen and embryos to the US. He responded by saying that maybe I should pick out some of our better cows and collect some embryos from them. He also said that I better hone up my marketing skills as embryos and semen sitting in tanks were not going to pay any bills. I knew he was right so I selected 6 cows to send to an ET center in Alberta to be flushed. At the same time, I advertised embryos and semen for sale in the breed journals in Canada, USA, and Australia and the UK. I used the best pictures I could get from our donor cows and it wasn’t long before I started getting inquiries from outside of Canada. I remember getting a phone call from an Australian breeder who inquired about semen from one of our herd bulls. After a lengthy conversation, he said he would like to “sample” this bull in his herd. I assumed that he was thinking of buying 10-20 straws of semen but I almost fell over when he said he would like to buy 500 straws, providing I could get it shipped to Australia in time for his breeding season. I told him I would try to get the semen there and would let him know. My first phone call was to Alta Genetics to see if they knew of any shipments to Australia that we could add our semen to. I was told that they had a shipment heading to Australia, as soon as they found some more semen or embryos to fill the tank. The semen gods were looking after me that day! I phoned the Australian breeder back and
finalized our deal and he wired the money for the semen. A few years after this, the same breeder phoned me again and said he would purchase any semen we had left from this sire that was stored in Australia. I had about 200 straws stored at an Aussie stud and he agreed to buy it as well.
Embryo sales started to pick up over the next few months, with the UK and Australia becoming our best markets. The US followed close behind. Embryo sales in Canada remained slow for a few years, but eventually picked up to where sales of embryos to our fellow breeders in Canada became an important part of our business. In the past 20 years, we have sold over 2400 embryos to producers in 15 countries. Several new herds of Shorthorns have been started from someone purchasing a package of embryos from us. One of my most memorable embryos sales occurred as I was taking my show cattle to Agribition in November. My cell phone rang and I saw it was an international caller, so I answered it, (traffic was fairly decent that day!) As I drove down the highway, I made a deal with a breeder from Scotland for over 100 embryos. He asked me how he could get me paid and I told him that I would send him an invoice when I got home from the show. Three days later, I was at my stall at Agribition when this breeder walked up and presented me with a cheque for the embryos he had purchased. To say I was shocked would be an understatement. This breeder told me that it was bothering him, that he had agreed to purchase these embryos and was not able to pay me, so he just bought a plane ticket and came to where I was! I never had this happen before… or since!
Having to deal with the adversities that BSE brought to us, it was almost a blessing in disguise. We had to greatly improve our marketing skills to commercial producers mainly in Canada. While having lunch in Weyburn with Gerry and Betty Wyatt, Gerry asked me if I thought a Shorthorn bull sale would work as successfully as the Angus sale he had developed on their farm. I told Gerry that there was one way to find out, and that was to try it. We immediately went to work, so we would be ready to start all the bulls on test in a few short months. The bulls were weighed when they arrived, and after a short warm up period, they were weighed again and the official test was started. We weighed the bulls every 28 days through the test period and a sale was held where the top 50% of the bulls were sold in a sale in April. The bulls were indexed on ADG and WPDA and they were ranked using a formula combining these figures.
Highfield Irish Mist at age 12
We also culled our bulls hard on structure, especially on feet and legs. We found out that there was a demand for Shorthorn bulls and we were able to develop a market for a good share of our bulls. As knowledge of our sale developed over the next few years, we started to sell bulls to a wider area and eventually we had bulls going to all parts of Canada and the US. There were several commercial producers who purchased their first Shorthorn bull from the Sun Country sale, who are still using Shorthorn bulls today. For many years, I said that breeders of other breeds could pay their bills by selling their bulls, but Shorthorn breeders had to pay their bills by selling their females. Establishing the Sun Country sale allowed us to turn that magical corner and make our payments by selling our bulls. I used to hope for as many heifer calves as possible during our calving season each year, but I eventually began hoping for a high percentage of bull calves each year. Our breeding program became focused on producing bulls that would be accepted by commercial producers, and we soon realized that we were also producing both bulls and females that were accepted by all sectors of the beef industry.
I have not said much about the females in our herd, but I will say that over the years we sold several hundred females in our production sales. Over the years, we held over 30 production sales, either by ourselves or with a partner. Since 1972, we have sold live cattle to 9 provinces and 28 US states. Our females were run on a commercial basis, as we purchased any grain that was fed. We culled hard on fertility, fleshing ability, and structure. We believed in cow families, and our best cow families usually brought in our best calves. Several years ago, while attending the Shadybrook sale in Quebec, I was visiting with Martyn Moore from England and we agreed to partner on several females that we felt were donor quality. I agreed to keep these cows when they were not being flushed and I was responsible for taking them to the ET center and bringing them back home when the flushing was done. We split the embryos equally and I also agreed that Martyn would have exclusive rights to sell embryos from these donors in the UK. I was allowed to sell embryos anywhere else in the world. This partnership worked well for both of us, and it allowed us to purchase some excellent females from some of the best herds in Canada and the US. With my health starting to complicate my ability to work normally, we agreed to end the partnership and sell the remaining cattle we owned together. I would say an added bonus to our partnership, was that we developed a very good friendship.
Over the years we have exhibited our cattle at many shows in Canada and the US. When I was still in school, I sent all of summers dragging our show herd to several local shows throughout Saskatchewan. Back then, the prize money we got from these shows went a longways towards keeping food on our table. Once I was out of college, dad told me that I should pick out some cattle and take them to the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto. I made the trip to the Royal for 8 years in a row during the late 70s and early 80s. Many lifelong friendships were developed, which I will cherish for life. Dad always felt that we had to present our cattle to the public as not too many people would just drive into our yard looking for something to buy. I believe he was right about
this, and even though shows have become very expensive to attend, we have continued to exhibit our cattle at some major shows each year. We believe most people buy cattle from people they know, or at least know about!
Over the years, we have shown our cattle in many parts of Canada and the US. Dad encouraged me to travel to Shorthorn events throughout North America as much as I could and for many years, I attended many events while dad held things together at home. He used to say that “Grant and I take turns going to Shorthorn events. Grant goes to ten, then I go to one”. He was joking but I will say that he was probably close to being accurate! To help reduce my travel costs, I started being a sales consultant at sales throughout Canada and the US. I only charged my travel and lodging costs as I had no plans to make a career out of this.
I will also say that I have always enjoyed good cattle regardless of the breed they represented, and we raised decent numbers of purebred cow herds from several different breeds. The last herd, other than our Shorthorns, was our purebred Charolais herd which numbered over 100 breeding age females when we dispersed them. When
One of the many sons of HC Timeline 17T ET that sold in the Sun Country sale. Marksman sold to Hugh Moore and Sons, Jerseyville, IL
HC North of 49 55G a leading sire at Wernacres in Illinois that sold in the Sun Country sale
HC Marksman 25Z
dad decided it was time for him to start to slow down, we decided to disperse our purebred Charolais cows as I did not feel I could do justice to doing everything I should do with two breeds of cattle. We sold our Charolais cows by private treaty on the farm, and the last 20 head sold the day before BSE was announced in Canada. For a few months I almost felt guilty about this sale and wondered if I should phone the buyer and offer to give him his money back. I will also say that the biggest thing all the other breeds did for me, was make me appreciate our Shorthorns even more. Both dad and myself believed in supporting our community and the livestock industry in any way we could. I will always remember dad, on days where he had a meeting to attend in the evening, he would get up a couple hours earlier in the morning, so he could still get a full day’s work done. Both dad and I spent many years as directors of the SK Shorthorn and Canadian Shorthorn Associations and we both served as President of these organizations. In 1983, we were honoured to be named “Builders of the Breed” by the American Shorthorn Association. Both dad and myself have been named Legends of the Breed by the Canadian Shorthorn Association. My grandfather, James, dad (Gerald), and myself have all been awarded Honour Scrolls by the SK Livestock Association for our support and development of the livestock industry in this province. I believe we were the first family from three generations to be awarded this honour. I also was an executive member of the SK Livestock Association for many years and also was a director and executive member of Canadian Western Agribition for 10 years. I also established and produced the Canadian Shorthorn Report, along with Belinda Wagner from the SLA, for over 22 years. When I think back to all my affiliations with livestock groups, I have to smile when I think of all the wonderful people I have been able to meet and call lifelong friends.
This article has become quite long so I will omit to write about some of the hard times we have endured over the years. These include far more years of drought than any
person should have to endure in their lifetime, the loss of our entire herd by depopulation by order of CFIA in 1979 (623 head destroyed and I could write a book on this gong show alone), the loss of my mother in 1994. There have been many bad days but we always picked up and carried on. For several years after dad said he had retired and moved into Weyburn, he continued to drive to the farm every day to help with the work load. While eating lunch one day, I told him, that he was really going to make things hard for me, if he continued driving out to the farm every day. When he asked what I meant, I said ‘what is it going to look like if I retire before he did”. After that he didn’t come to the farm every day, even though I knew that he wanted to do so. Today, at 99 years of age, he continues to ask me in every conversation as to what I was doing on the farm. Two years ago, he phoned me one day and asked me if I had all the cattle to pasture yet? I replied that I had one small group of cows and calves left to process and haul to a pasture. Dad replied that he would come out and help me. He said that he was sure he could still push the calves up the chute and hold them while I gave them their shots and made sure their ear tags were right.
Looking back, it doesn’t seem possible that over 50 years have passed since I joined dad on the farm fulltime. The years have vanished in the blink of an eye. What is the old saying about “you will never work a day in your life if you enjoy doing what you do!” I think this is a pretty accurate reflection on my life. As I remember all the years, I can think of many things I should have done differently, but the one thing I would never have changed was raising Shorthorn cattle. In many ways, I feel blessed that I have been able to do the only thing I ever wanted to do, this is, to raise Shorthorn breeding stock. The time has come for me to step back from this business. Some health issues have left me crippled up but I feel very good about the future with so many young people getting into this business of raising Shorthorn cattle. In closing, I would tell anyone considering getting into the Shorthorn business, I will assure you that if you look after them, they will certainly will look after you!
Summertime Sales
We would like to thank everyone who responded to our ad in the last issue of the Shorthorn Report and purchased semen and/or embryos from us. The response was incredible! Summertime, is not a normal time for selling much semen or embryos, but we still have a large inventory of both and we are offering this inventory at excellent sale prices and we have far more than we can show you in this ad. Contact us for more information on what is available. Here is just a small sampling of what sires we have available:
HC North of 49 55G – this amazing son of HC Cruiser 59C is senior sire at Wernacres Farm in Illinois. He has sired numerous show and sale toppers and his calves are truly right for the times Special price for July and August/24 - $35/ straw
HC Bluebook 22B ET – a powerful bull who produced some of our best calves, including HC Hollywood 6H who sold for $24,000 to Major John Gibbs famous Glenisla herd in Scotland. He now walks the pastures at Long Lake Shorthorns here in SK after his semen was shipped to Scotland. Bluebook semen is priced at $30/straw for July and August 2024. If you buy 20 or more straws the price will be $25/straw.
Wolf Willow Major Leroy 1M – a herd sire here for several years. The easiest fleshing bull we ever owned and he stamped all his calves with his exceptional thickness and quiet dispositions. Semen is priced at $25/ straw for July and August 2024.
HC Leader’s Legacy 9U ET – an own son of TPS Coronet Leader 21st. Calving ease supreme with a moderate frame and structural soundness. Semen is priced at $25/ straw for July and August 2024. He is a great choice for using on heifers.
There are many more sires available. Contact us for more details. We also have over 130 grade 1 embryos available. We have special prices for July and August, 2024 on embryos from HC Leading Lassie 5G, who was one of our all time favorite donors, and sired by Crooked Post Curfew 8F, MillBrook Fireball 23F and ARG Hector 1777ET. Buy some now and save. We will be offering a complete set of Canadian Shorthorn herd books, from 1888 to they ended in 1954, in the Canadian Shorthorn Junior Sale with all the proceeds going to the Juniors. Also being offered are several boxes of sale catalogs from the 1960s to the present.
Horseshoe Creek Farms Ltd
Grant & Chris Alexander
Gerald Alexander
Box 580 Weyburn, SK S4H 2K7 horseshoecreek@sasktel.net Grant- 306-861-5504
Where Purebred Meets Practical
Studer’s
Gilman’s Four Rivers
EPD Revisited – Myth vs. Fact
One of the main areas that I have worked on in my consulting business is genetic selection and the development and use of genetic evaluation technologies. In the over 20 years I have been working in the field, it is interesting to me that many of the same myths and challenges continue to appear, all while we are at a period of unprecedented technological change and advancement in the field of evaluation. While we can’t tackle every myth, we can tackle some basics and maybe knock two or three mistruths from the proverbial selection tree.
What is an EPD?
This is the first question and sort of myth that often comes to the forefront. An EPD is nothing more than a prediction of an animal’s genetic merit relative to other cattle in the population. It is calculated using all the available information we have on that animal once we have done some quality control on the data. If we can objectively measure differences in a trait between animals, then we can calculate what portion of that difference is due to genetics. The genetic portion of the difference is what can then be passed on to offspring. EPD are usually expressed in the units we use to measure the trait. There are a variety of EPD that are published but a simple example to explain how EPD work would be to look at birthweight and weaning weight EPD. If we had two bulls with EPD for BW and WW as follows:
Table 1. Sample Birth weight and Weaning Weight EPD and Accuracy Values for Bull A and Bull B.
Bull A 0 0.35 35 0.33
Bull B 5 0.45 55 0.44
Difference 5 20
If we used these bulls across a similar group of cows, we would expect calves from Bull A to be 5 pounds lighter at birth than those from Bull B. We would expect calves from Bull B to be 20 pounds heavier on average at weaning than those from Bull A. At my house that might mean calves would be 65 and 70 pounds at birth respectively, and your house they may be 90 and 95 pounds, but they will be on average 5 pounds different between the two sires. Additionally, some calves from Bull A might be heavier than some calves from Bull B, but on average they will be lighter. At weaning, again we would expect an average difference of 20 pounds between calves from these bulls. Maybe 480 and 500 at my place and 780 and 800 at yours.
Myth #1 – EPD are wrecking good cattle
Probably the major challenge that I deal with is that EPD are somehow ruining cattle. In reality, it takes people to do that, and we were creating trends long before EPD were on the scene. Remember the belt buckle cattle of the 1950s? This change and the swing back to the monsters of the 90’s was well underway before EPD came on the beef cattle scene in Canada.
EPD describe genetic differences between cattle based on the information that is available on those cattle and often breeders tend to select for bigger and bigger numbers. EPD could just as easily be used to select for cattle that are smaller or cattle that are in the middle of the population.
We have horsepower numbers on tractors, but most people do not have a 600-horsepower loader tractor. EPD are no different than a horsepower or fuel efficiency rating and often somewhere in the middle is the ideal for functionality. The best tip is that if you have cattle that have worked well, look up the sire on the relevant association website and buy more cattle with EPD like that.
Myth #2 – You can’t compare my operation to my neighbour
This myth is a bit more complex than just leaning over the fence to see how your neighbour farms, and it is common knowledge that we can all run our neighbour’s place better than our own. Because of the way that EPD are calculated, comparing performance of cattle managed in the same groups people are often confused that their cattle are being directly compared to others. This is 1000% NOT the case! In fact, cattle performance is only ever directly compared to animals in the same contemporary group and then only after we have made several adjustments for age, breed composition, sex, and prior management. Once cattle that have been managed together have their genetic component teased out, we can compare the relative genetic merit across herds. In other words, we remove management effects, by only making direct comparisons of cattle that have the same management. So the truth is that we can’t compare your operation to your neighbour, and in fact we don’t compare you to your neighbour, or your bull supplier to other bull suppliers.
Myth #3 - EPD aren’t accurate
I often run into bull sellers who tell their customers that the EPD aren’t accurate and that you should not trust the numbers. Just use the “actual” birthweight is a common way of phrasing this argument. Firstly, when we are buying a herdsire, it is important (and sometimes difficult) to remember that we are not purchasing the performance of the herdsire. We are in fact purchasing the DNA that he will pass on to his offspring. In other words, we are buying the future performance of his offspring.
Part of what may fuel this myth is that EPD do come with an associated accuracy value, but this does not reflect “how accurate they are”. In terms of predicting future performance of offspring a low accuracy EPD is much better than an actual performance measure for the trait on the bull we are looking at. To give an example, let’s look back at Bull A. His WW EPD of 35 has an Accuracy value of 0.33. This is a reflection of how much information we have available to include in calculating his EPD. Bull B with an accuracy of 0.44 has more information available for the calculation of his WW EPD than Bull A does.
Rather than just his own weaning weight and/or index, Bull A will likely have his pedigree information, his birth weight information and weaning weight information within his contemporary group (is he heavier or lighter than average) and will have information from his relatives in other herds contributing to his EPD. This is much more powerful than just having his actual or adjusted weaning weight, when we try to predict the DNA that he carries to pass on to his offspring.
A lot of the new technologies that have come on the scene directly examine the animal’s DNA and include that information in the EPD prediction as well. If we look at Bull B we can see he has higher accuracy values than Bull A. This
could be due to directly measuring his DNA through a DNA test and including that information in the calculation as well. We are trying to determine what DNA the sire has that he can pass on, not how well he was managed himself.
Myth #4 – EPD don’t work
There is a lot of research out there that shows that EPD can aid in selection, and that selecting for a trait using an EPD instead of an adjusted phenotype is up to 9 times more effective. This power is further enhanced with the addition of genomics. To give a more understandable example, if we were concerned about birthweight and selected bulls based on their reported birthweight (eg: 75 pounds) versus selecting bulls for our herd using birthweight EPD, we will change birthweight 9 times faster using the EPD. This means that they do work, but we need to be aware of what we are trying to build. It is like using an air nailer vs. a regular hammer. Both can drive nails, but we better have a plan when we upgrade to the air nailer.
Some of the confusion that I have seen in the popular press of late about the effectiveness of EPD seems to stem from the fact that a lot of breeds have EPD that can’t be directly compared with other breeds or that EPD are not calculated on crossbred populations. In some cases this is true, however the use of crossbred data in calculation of EPDs is growing and in fact several of the major Canadian breeds participate in a multibreed evaluation that includes millions of records from crossbred and purebred cattle and many of the EPD can be directly compared. Additionally, certain breeds excel at certain aspects of beef production. Using the EPD from the breed you have chosen will still result in changes (hopefully improvements) to your cowherd. You are trying to select DNA from within the breed of your choice to reach the specific goals of your cowherd. For the commercial industry, ideally this will be in a planned crossbreeding system.
The Future
Because EPD are continually getting better at describing the DNA of potential seedstock, it is more important than ever to have some clear goals of what you want to accomplish in your cowherd. Do I need more performance? Lower maintenance cows? More yield? Increased marbling? Tighter udders? Am I happy where I am at?
craftsman who is building the cowherd.
A Canadian Shorthorn Context
Canadian Shorthorn breeders can participate in a genetic evaluation that incorporates state of the art technology. The IGS evaluation calculates EPD on roughly 21 million head of beef cattle every week. To participate, breeders simply need to report complete performance data on their livestock to the Canadian Shorthorn database. EPD can help improve selection decisions, but also provide an expanded marketplace for Shorthorn genetics as a lot of the commercial industry are using these selection tools in their purchasing decisions.
Table 2 shows some of the breed average EPD for young animals in the Canadian Shorthorn population.
Table 2. Average EPD for Current Calves in the Canadian Shorthorn Population (Spring 2024)
Trait
Avg Units
Calving Ease 9 % Unassisted
Birth Weight 1.7 Pounds
Weaning Weight 46 Pounds
Yearling Weight 65 Pounds
Maternal Calving Ease 5 % Unassisted
Milk 22 Pounds (Daughters Calves)
Stayability 16 Probability of Remaining in Herd
Carcass Weight -4 Pounds
Rib – Eye Area 0.27 Square Inches
Fat -0.08 Inches/ *mm
Marbling -0.10 Marbling Score Units
Sean McGrath is a rancher and consultant from Vermillion, AB. He can be reached at sean@ranchingsystems.com. For additional information visit www.ranchingsystems.com
EPD are a tool that is available for use in genetic selection of beef cattle, but the application of the tool is up to the
Feathers & Farmland
As the Grassland Conservation Manager for Birds Canada, my work focuses working together with producers on the challenges and the opportunities to halt and reverse bird and biodiversity loss in our agricultural landscape. This issue we’re going to learn more about the Grasshopper Sparrow, which makes its home on I’m excited homes on cattle farms and ranches across much of southern Canada. Grasshopper Sparrow
Description: Grasshopper Sparrows are smaller than a lot of sparrows, only 10cm (4 in) tall. They have a large flat head with a bill that seems a little too big for them. Face, flanks, and breast are all plain buff-brown with no streaking on the breast or flanks. Look for a yellow-orange patch right in front of the eye. Grasshopper Sparrows tend to be quite secretive, making it tough to see them, and the best way to know if they are on your farm is to listen for their distinctive song: a couple of introductory notes followed by an insectlike trill. They will perch when they are singing, which can make this a good time to spot them if you know what to listen for.
Habitat and Distribution:
in pastures and hayfields with a variety of grass heights in the grasslands of interior British Columbia and the southern portions of the Prairies, Ontario and Quebec.
Interesting Facts and Conservation: As their name suggests, Grasshopper Sparrows eat mostly grasshoppers while here in Canada during their breeding season. Like a parent cutting up their child’s steak, Grasshopper Sparrows will remove the legs of grasshoppers before feeding them to their young.
Due largely to habitat loss, Grasshopper Sparrows have lost over 50% of their populations in Canada in the last 50 years. Working grasslands can provide high quality habitat for these birds. Seeding down areas of marginal cropland is particularly helpful action for Grasshopper Sparrows. Limiting the use of insecticides to only when grasshoppers or other pests are above economic thresholds or eliminating insecticide applications during the breeding and
nesting seasons (May 28th- July 15th) helps to reduce the movement of insecticide throughout the food chain and ensures there are insects for birds like Grasshopper Sparrows.
Scan the QR code for more information about Grasshopper Sparrows, including what they sound like!
Birds Canada’s mission is to drive action to increase the understanding, appreciation, and conservation of birds in Canada. For more information about us and our work please visit birdscanada.org or birdscanada.org/grasslands If you have any questions or would like more information about the Grasshopper Sparrows, other birds, or about our work, please feel free to reach out to me.
Ian Cook
Grassland Conservation Manager
icook@birdscanada.org
Country Connection
Alberta
The spring and early summer have brought some much needed moisture and great growing conditions to most of Alberta, while most seeding and field work is complete now comes the time for many to start their forage harvest season for the year. We wish everyone a happy and safe haying and silage season.
The cattle markets have never been more optimistic and many producers have cashed in on the opportunity to market cattle at premium prices, this also gives a great opportunity to improve seedstock herds through the most beneficial tool there is, culling. While the cowherd has shrunk that means that there will be a need for high quality replacement females in the near future and the decisions made today could be the opportunities gained in the future if the producers of genetics make every effort to have their product fit the environment and market that the commercial producer needs.
In Alberta we saw a strong spring bull sale season and it is always great to have a reason to look through producers’ offerings and connect with others at these events. Congratulations to everyone who made a great effort to market shorthorn bulls this spring.
The Alberta Shorthorn Association Annual General Meeting and Heritage On Ice Frozen Genetics Fundraiser will be held in Lacombe on July 6, 2024 in conjunction with the Alberta Junior Shorthorn Show/ Jackpot Show. It will be an awesome family event and will showcase some of the brightest young breeders and enthusiasts throughout the weekend’s events.
Respectfully submitted, Casey Bishop
Manitoba
Hello from Manitoba!
The cattle are all off to the summer pastures and the haying season is starting. Mother nature has supplied us with some much needed rain throughout the past couple months which has left the fields and pastures looking terrific. The cattle have enjoyed the cooler temperatures and this year’s calves are off to a great start.
There was yet another great selection of shorthorn bulls and heifers available at the 60th Anniversary of the Manitoba Bull Development Center. The strong cattle market led to a great sale with bulls selling across the country to purebred and commercial herds alike. Congrats to Mosside Shorthorns on consigning the high selling bull.
Our provincial summer show was held in Lundar, MB this year where a fantastic group of shorthorns from across the province were exhibited. Thank you to Lundar for hosting and our judge Richard Mollenbeck for doing an excellent job.
We were proud to once again offer the John. A Nevin Scholarship. This year we had two recipients, Skylar Winters and Teegan Hyndman. Both have strong ties to the shorthorn breed and have a lot to offer to the future of the agriculture industry. Congrats to you both!
Within the coming months it is time to start planning for another Manitoba Ag EX. This year it is being held from October 23-26, 2024. It is the largest all-breeds cattle show in Manitoba and we look forward to seeing you there!
May the rest of the year bring an abundance of feed and big healthy calves. Look forward to seeing you along the show trail this fall!
Terrance Vodon Manitoba Shorthorn Association Vice President
Ontario
This year has already been busy and rewarding for Ontario Shorthorn members and there is much more to come:
• 3 all-breed purebred junior shows this spring in Ontario were well represented by shorthorn juniors; 30 at Youth Forum, Lindsay; 12 at Spring 4ward, Ancaster; 15 at Valley Sweepstakes, Carp.
• New Ontario Shorthorn Directory in print arrived for all members in March; an on-line version is in planning mode
•The OSA AGM was held April 13 in Peterborough; over 100 attended and the following are some highlights:
• New OSA Constitution was introduced; on-line voting was approved beginning in 2025
•Awards Presented:
1. “Aspiring Shorthorn Breeder” award for a young (under 35) shorthorn breeder with their own pre-fix, on WHR and involved in the OSA/OJSA; this year’s award winner was Brad Height, Height Land & Livestock Co.
2. Foundation Awards recognize breeders with over 75 enrolled females; this year’s awards went to Byrne Boys Operation, Crawfdown Farms, Hill Haven Farm
3. 2023 Points Show winners for breeder/exhibitor of champion bull, female and Breeder’s Herd with most points from 6 eligible shows: Congratulations to Don Jack, Coldstream Farm who won all three!
•OSA Board Elections were held: Welcome Jessica Currie Stevens, our newest addition to the Board.
Now for a rundown of exciting events lined up for the second half of 2024 in Ontario:
• OSA Picnic and Field Day – Saturday, July 13th hosted by Tibs Shorthorns and OSA in Erin.
• Annual Ontario Junior Shorthorn Show – August 17th, Erin Fairgrounds
o Showmanship and Confirmation –supported and organized by OSA
• “All-Star Series” (formerly the Points Show); 6 eligible shows begin in September and end with the RAWF show in November; Champion bull, female and Breeder’s Herd are awarded based on total points; this Fall event is in memory of George and Audrey Brown of Glenrothes Farm.
•
•
“Emerson Clarke Memorial Junior Shorthorn Show” held at the Royal, October 31st – founded and supported by Don Jack, Coldstream Farm; in 2023, 62 juniors showed, the largest purebred junior show at the Royal.
“Royal Agricultural Winter Fair” – Shorthorn Show – November 2nd
• Ontario Fall Classic Shorthorn Sale – November 16, in Walkerton (on-line bidding available)
Anyone visiting Ontario this Fall is welcome to attend our events and meet old shorthorn friends and make some new ones. Happy Summer!!
Saskatchewan
Greetings from the Saskatchewan Shorthorn Association!
Summer is among us which is incredibly hard to believe! We are enjoying more moisture than the last few years (which was next to none!), cattle are on grass, and many are out in the fields/haying.
4-H/Junior Shows:
In addition to all of the usual spring & summer activity, the summer 4-H & Junior shows are underway. It’s really exciting to see the future of our industry at work! A reminder to all that the Saskatchewan Association provides prizes to Saskatchewan Juniors who have won club or regional awards with a Shorthorn or Shorthorn influenced animal –check out our website: https://saskshorthorns.com/4-H.html for more information.
Along with our usual awards, we have implemented a new policy for show sponsorships – this can also be found on our website. It is our hope that with this policy, our sponsorships will be targeted more to Shorthorn juniors and enthusiasts,
rather than general show sponsorship.
A reminder as well that our promotional gifts for 4-H club members showing Shorthorn/Shorthorn influenced animals are no longer being mailed out due to increased shipping costs. Please pick up your club’s gifts at Canadian Western Agribition, or contact a Director to make arrangements for pickup.
Upcoming Events:
We are excited to be hosting the CSA AGM, in conjunction with the CJSA Show. This will be held August 1-4 in Saskatoon. Please stay tuned to our Facebook page for updates! If you are interested in sponsoring these events, please reach out to us at saskshorthornassociation@ outlook.com or visit our Facebook page for more information.
CWA:
It seems like last year’s CWA just ended, and here we are again preparing for 2024! Some details are still being ironed out, but we do have a few items secured:
• Judge: our 2024 judge is Tyson Hertz of Glentworth, Saskatchewan.
• Hotel: our host hotel is once again, The Atlas Hotel. We have made a request to CWA to extend our shuttle hours, in hopes that this will make things easier for our exhibitors.
• Sale: R&R Sales Management will be conducting our sale once again this year. Please contact Richard Moellenbeck for more information.
• Plan to attend our annual banquet! This is held the Thursday evening at the Atlas Hotel.
Betty Wyatt will not be returning as our barn boss this fall – we want to thank her once again for all her work & dedication. She is such an asset to the Association and to the CWA Exhibitors!
More CWA details to follow – once again, be sure to stay tuned to our Facebook page!
At this time, we would also like to introduce our directory! We will be adding an interactive, virtual map to our website. This is open to Saskatchewan breeders – please visit our Facebook page for more information on how to participate.
Have a great rest of your summer everyone, see you soon in Saskatoon – and this fall!
Anna Rintoul
Secretary – Sask Shorthorn Association
Hearth & Home
60th Anniversary of Douglas Test Station, Douglas MB, March
Gordon Bros (Bob, Joyce, Wayne and Eleanor Gordon) of Souris Manitoba, performance tested 3 Shorthorn bulls sired by TPS Cornet Leader 21st in the first test. One of the bulls tied for Top gainer and was the Top Selling Bull of All Breeds in the first Douglas Test Station Sale selling to Searle Farms for $1600. The picture of this bull is hanging in Douglas Test Station office.
Tristan Mills , Prospect Hill Shorthorns graduated from Camrose Composite High School ( Alberta). He will be attending The University of Saskatchewan in the fall, studying agriculture business.
The Vandersluis familly would like to congratulate Brydon of Vanridge Cattle Co Inc on your high school graduation. Wishing all the best in your future adventures
We are happy to congratulate Morgan Lehmann on completing a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, majoring in Animal Science and minoring in Applied Microbiology from the University of Saskatchewan.
24, 2024
Congratulations to Harleigh Carlson of Up the Creek Cattle Co. Ltd. who graduated with a diploma in Animal Science Technology with a focus on Livestock from Lakeland College in Vermilion, AB. Along with graduating June 7, she was also invited to join the President’s Circle, where students are nominated by staff for being a positive contributor to campus life as a resident assistant and the general manager of the Extensive Grazing unit. Harleigh is currently working for Ag in the Classroom-Manitoba with the Nutrien Seed Survivor program, teaching elementary students about agriculture and food production.
Brooklyn Hedley graduated from Lakeland College in Vermilion, AB with her Animal Science Technology Diploma, majoring in Beef Science. She also was also one of the college’s President’s Circle recipients. This is an award presented to outstanding graduating students in recognition of their contributions to student life and achievement, as well as their future role as young alumni leaders. Brooklyn plans to head back to Lakeland this fall to attain her Bachelor of Agriculture Technology Degree.
Congratulations on your convocation, Rachel Sutherland, Morgan Lehmann and Royce Moellenbeck from the College of Agriculture and Bioresources from the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Sk.
Keith Robert Poole, beloved husband of Eleaner, peacefully passed away on Sunday, May 12, 2024 at the age of 81 years with family at his side.
Keith was born and raised on the 3rd generation family farm in Kemnay, Manitoba. Keith and Eleaner were fortunate to work side by side on the farm for many years. Together, they participated in raising and showing both Shorthorn and Hereford cattle. After retiring from the farm, they began heading south during the winter months, where they travelled and happily enjoyed the fruits of their labour.
Keith loved many sports – such as curling, baseball, golf, shuffleboard, and card games.Throughout the years, many cherished friendships were made.
Keith is survived by his loving wife Eleaner; sister Arlene (Bob) Ross and their son Jeff (Maureen) and their children Grayson and Sela; niece Karey (Mike) Loftus and their children Mylea and Brady.
Keith is also survived by sisters-in-law Leona Bradshaw, Mable (Harold) Shade along with numerous nieces and nephews on Eleaner’s side of the family.
Keith was predeased by his mother and father Harold and Velma, sister Joyce Slater, sister-in-law Marlene Friesen, brothers-in-law Blair Slater, Del Bradshaw, Ray Bradshaw, and niece Kim Adams. A private family interment will take place at Rosewood Memorial Gardens.
The family would like to extend their sincere appreciation to the wonderful care workers at the Wawanesa Personal Care Home.
For those who so desire, memorial tributes in memory of Keith may be made to the Wawanesa Personal Care Home at 20-506 George Street Wawanesa, MB R0K 2G0
Bill and Isabel Acheson, along with Tom Walls, visited Saskvalley Stock Farm June 20-22 to make our “Pick of the Herd” purchased in the CWA sale last November.
The hospitality of the Lehmann family was marvellous. Carl and Michelle hosted us for two overnights. Carl gave us a tour of the pasture of purebred cows with calves on Thursday evening. Barry was our tour guide all day Friday which included the younger females with calves, the yearling females, the herd bulls, and the yearling bulls; each group in separate pastures. We were also shown the facility they have established to do their own RFI testing. We enjoyed a noon lunch Friday in Rosthern with their father Wes Lehmann joining the group at the Asian restaurant near his seniors’ residence. We were very impressed with the Saskvalley performance records kept over the years. Their knowledge of cow families and bulls used was very impressive indeed!
By the end of the day, Bill had picked out this attractive roan cow, Saskvalley Anne 400J. She is a young cow, who just had her second calf. With a long productive life ahead of her and proof she can produce performance like her ancestors have done. The Anne family has also done well in Barry’s residual feed intake (RFI) tests. 400J is sired by the Saskvalley Glam 68G bull which I had hoped to have in the bloodlines of my choice. A very impressive beef sire that leaves good udders and reasonable birth weights.
Although we didn’t know it at the time of choosing, we were told that 400J was in the 4-H pen as a calf. 400J was in heat the day of our selection, showing her fertility. Now that we have a heat date on her, we plan to A.I. her to Sutherland Bundaberg.
On top of this choice, we were able to obtain ownership of Eionmor Springtime 63A, the main bloodline I wanted to obtain with my bid on the Pick of the Herd. Although 63A is 11 years old, she has produced calves every year that were at the top of the pack. She is a perfect picture of health, soundness and bloom, a beautiful red cow that is really my kind of cow. We are in high hopes she will be able to give us a couple of calves and maybe even a flush or two. All in all, I must say, this project was very challenging for me and at times even somewhat stressful. Now that things are completed, I will say I felt the help of godly wisdom, and I believe we have done the very best that will serve us and the Shorthorn breed well.
I’m satisfied. We will see what the future brings. One of the other cow families that we looked at and that we were impressed with was the Jenny cow line. We can’t win ‘em all, but if you are looking, this would be promising.
Bill and Isabel
HERBOURNE SHORTHORNS
pick of the herd SASKVALLEY
SHORTHORNS
We brought home this cow, Saskvalley Anne 400J. She ranked 1/47 for weaning weight performance. Her �irst calf indexed well above average for BW and WW and her current calf looks promising. Both were very light birth-weight heifers.
Bill and Isabel Acheson Box 123, Somerset, MB R0G 2L0 Phone 204-744-2525 cell 204-245-0480 isabel.acheson@gmail.com
Royal Manitoba Winter Fair 2024
Shorthorn Heifer Class
Champion Shorthorn Heifer- BISS
Godiva 5L, Elijah Ginter
Reserve Champion Shorthorn
Heifer- Birdtail Florence 83L, Svienna Bjarnarson
3.Millbrook Miss Blossom CP 26LGerrin Vandersluis
4.DCS Lyra 3L- Austin Scott
5.DCS Lia 1L- Wyatt Thompson
There were also 3 Shorthorn Plus heifers in the Junior show who placed well in their respective splits in the commercial class:
Brock Sigurdson- Carla Brynn Scott- DCS Lavender 5L
Delaney Vandersluis- Vanridge R Dell
Rosie Lilac 2L
royal lady jackpot
With over 80 heifers entered in the All Breeds Jackpot, the panel of judges picked BISS Godiva 5L (Justin Carvey) as the Jackpot Champion and Carla (Brock Sigurdson) as Reserve Champion.
Manitoba Shorthorn Summer Show- June 15
Judge:Richard Moellenbeck bull Calf
1.KCC 1M- Kroner Cattle Co
2.Herbourn MTE 3M- Herbourne Shorthorns yearling bull
1.Hatfield Flex 12L- Hatfield Shorthorns & New View Cattle Company
Grand Champion Bull
Hatfield Flex 12L- Hatfield Shorthorns & New View Cattle Company
Reserve Grand Champion
KCC 1M- Kroner Cattle Co
yearling heifer
1.Pic A Spot Lady Anne 20L- Rock Ridge Ranch
2.Hatfield Van Heroine 42L- Vanridge Cattle Co Inc
3.G Tee Kate 3L- G Tee Ranch
4.Herbourne MTE Ruby’s Lily 3LHerbourne Shorthorns
5.Bell M Athena 76L- Kilpatrick Shorthorns
6.Edensville Cathy Joyfull 25L- C&S Livestock
7. Kati Mott
mature cow/calf
1.Creekside Julia Ann 11D/KCC 1MKroner Cattle Co
2.Herbourne HVC Gala Ruby 1G/ Herbourne MTE 3M- Herbourne Shorthorns
Grand Champion Female
Creekside Julia Ann 11D/KCC 1MKroner Cattle Co
Reserve Grand Champion
Pic A Spot Lady Anne 20L- Rock Ridge Ranch
Shorthorn Plus Calf
1.SJV Myrtle Jean 8M- Rock Ridge Ranch
Shorthorn Plus Yearling
1.Vanridge R Dell Rosie Lilac 2L- Rollin’ Dell Ranch
Champion Shorthorn Plus Vanridge R Dell Rosie Lilac 2L- Rollin’ Dell Ranch
Reserve Champion
SJV Myrtle Jean 8M- Rock Ridge Ranch
MB Junior Show judges: Taylor Shultz, Harleigh Carlson
Yearling Shorthron Plus
1.Vanridge R Dell Rosie Lilac 2L- Rollin’ Dell Ranch
2.MV Luna Lovegood 5L- Steina Vigfusson
Purebred Yearling
1.G Tee Kate 3L- G Tee Ranch
2.Pic A Spot Lady Anne 20L- Rock Ridge Ranch
3.Logan Mott
4.Prospect Hill Perfection- Castleton Scott
Grand Champion Female Vanridge R Dell Rosie Lilac 2L- Rollin’ Dell Ranch
Reserve Grand Champion
G Tee Kate 3L- G Tee Ranch
Junior Showmanship
1. Delaney Vandersluis
2.Steina Vigfusson
3.Castleton Scott
Senior Showmanship
1.Gerrin Vandersluis
2.Keira Duguid
3.Sophie Koshel
4.Otto Veldhuis
5.Cooper Lafreniere
6.Logan Mott
BISS Godiva 5L- Justin Carvey
Carla- Brock Sigurdson
Hatfield Flex12L
KCC 1M
Creekside Julia Ann 11D/ KCC 1M
Pic A Spot Lady Anne 20L
Vanridge R Dell Rosie Lilac 2L
G Tee Kate 3L
Youth Forum 2024- Lindsay Ontario
Youth Forum welcomes exhibitors up to 21 years old residing across Ontario and often a few coming from Quebec who compete over 2 days. The show offers showmanship classes from PeeWee up to Senior and conformation classes for many purebred breeds as well as percentage animals and market cattle. Additionally, the show added an exciting Jackpot Show in 2023, which offers a cash incentive for our youth to be invested in preparing their projects to the highest level of competition. Youth Forum is one of the first opportunities of the year for these kids to come out and show off, not only their animals but, also their skill development. The show was held April 26-28th 2024 at Lindsay Exhibition Grounds.
The 2024 show saw 21 purebred shorthorns enter the ring in 3 heats. The shorthorns were deep across all 3 heats.
Advancing from Heat 1 were:
WAT Rose Mary’s Goose 324L ET, exhibited by Carly Watson and Locustview Dotty LA 12L, exhibited by Colton Munro
Advancing from Heat 2 were:
LWCC Bobby’s Fire Girl 227L ET, exhibited by Carly Watson and Cornerview Lilly Bell 42L, exhibited by Chelsea Pilgram
Heat 3 saw the following advance:
Windyview Luna Belle 3L, exhibited by Cody Staples and Windyview Lady Gaga Ready 12L, exhibited by Colin Ormiston
The Champion Shorthorn was WAT Rose Mary’s Goose 324L ET, exhibited by Carly Watson and she received a banner sponsored by Fendale Livestock and the Reserve Champion Shorthorn was LWCC Bobby’s Fire Girl 227L ET, exhibited by Carly Watson and she received a banner sponsored by the Ontario Shorthorn Association.
Additionally, a shorthorn plus took home the champion banner for the All Other Breeds division with Iron Wood Lita 0322L, shown by Ben Gilpin.
Youth Forum 2024 was judged by Kelsey Evans from Campbellsburg, Kentucky
jackpot show
The Jackpot Show had 30 entries. The lone shorthorn entry, LWCC Bobby’s Fire Girl 227L ET, exhibited by Carly Watson finished fourth in the Jackpot Show. The Jackpot show was judged by a panel of 5 judges: Paul Stafford, Nancy Brown Andison, Doug Milne-Smith, Eric Rincker and Tom Coulter.
Valley Junior Beef Sweepstakes Carp Ontarion
The Valley Junior Beef Sweepstakes took place at the Carp Fair Grounds in Carp, Ontario, on May 18th and 19th, 2024. This all-breed show saw over 180 juniors participate, highlighting the dedication and passion of young beef exhibitors. The event was judged by the esteemed Jeff Jackson from Walnut Springs, Texas.
In the Shorthorn category, Carly Watson triumphed with LWCC Bobby’s Girl 227L, securing the Champion Shorthorn title. Shelby Stanley’s OCG Cherrybomb 118L earned the Reserve Champion Shorthorn position.
Heat 1 Results:
Carly Watson with WAT Rose Mary’s Goose 324L
Abby Anderson with Little Rebel Lightning 4L
Heat 2 Results:
Carly Watson with LWCC Bobby’s Fire Girl 227L
Shelby Stanley with OCG Cherrybomb 118L
The Valley Junior Beef Sweepstakes once again proved to be a premier event for young beef enthusiasts, showcasing exceptional talent and outstanding cattle.
4-h hall of fame 2024
Future 4-H members
Heifer: baby Muffin
Bexley McIntosh Steer: Bluey
North Interlake 4-H Beef Club
Grand Champion Steer
LWCC Bobby’s Fire Girl 227L ET, Carly Watson
Josephine & Rose Thompson, 5th generation Poplar Park Shorthorns
4-h hall of fame 2024
CoNGRaTUlaTIoNS To The 4-h memBeRS Who ShoWeD ShoRThoRN & ShoRThoRN INflUeNCe CaTTle aS TheIR 4-h PRoJeCTS
Rhea Gunderson
Steer: Lingley’s Kruz 7L
Holden 4-H Beef Club
Grand Champion Steer
Photo credit Gracie Lang
Brynn Scott
Heifer: DCS Lavender 5L District 41 Regional 4-H Show
Phoenix MacRae
Heifer: Mabel Younger Battle River 4-H Club
Emma Lehmann
Steer: Bert (Shothorn x Angus) Rosthern 4-H Beef Club Achievment Grand Champion Steer
Rhea Gunderson
Heifer: Silverline Daisy Duke 101L Holden 4-H Beef Club
Photo credit Gracie Lang
Spencer Hill
Heifer: Head For The Hills Daisy Sophi District 41 Regional 4-H Show Show All Other Breeds Champion Heifer
Logan Mott
Heifer: Gunnview Betsy-Lew 24L. North Interlake 4-H Beef Club
Sigga Vigfusson
Cow/calf: Katana & Machete North Interlake 4-H Beef Club
Zane Gunderson
Heifer: Waskwei 6 Gun Lover 20L
Holden 4-H Beef Club
Photo credit Gracie Lang
Phoenix MacRae
Steer: Butter Younger Battle River 4-H Club
Emma Lehmann
Heifer: Saskvalley Glenda 24L Rosthern 4-H Beef Club Achievment Grand Champion Heifer
Steina Vigfusson
Cow/calf: Kanga & Mushu North Interlake 4-H Beef Club
St Martin Bull Sale
February 17
Record prices set at St Martin Bull Sale. Two Shorthorn bulls were on offer. JASF Curfew Legacy 1L offered by JASF Shorthorns, set a record price for Shorthorn bulls at this sale, selling for $5800 to a commercial breeder in eastern Quebec. The second bull JASF Perfect Time 3L also offered by JASF Shorthorns broke the previous record selling for $6200 to a second commercial breeder in eastern Québec. Total of 67 bulls of six breeds sold, the Shorthorns had the second highest breed average price.
6th Western Prime Shorthorn Bull and Female Sale
April 6
The Western Prime Sale was held on April 6, 2024 at North Central Livestock Exchange at Clyde, AB. All consignors brought great cattle to the sale.
2 year old bull average $5,750.00
Yearling bull average $5,300.00
Commercial Shorthorn influence open heifers average $2,600.00
High selling 2 year old bull:
Lot 1 Sharom Kilowatt 25K for $5,750.00 to Wolff Land and Cattle at Dapp, AB.
High selling yearling bulls:
Lot 18 Crooked Post Lancaster 12L for $11,000.00 to Rocky Mountain House Farms at Rocky Mountain House, AB.
Lot 5 Sharom Lebron 62L for $7,500.00 to Schryver Farms at Westlock, AB.
The Western Prime Sale Group would like to thank all buyers and the staff at NCL. We look forward to next year.
21st AnnuAl Who’s Your DADDY shorthorn Bull & FemAle sAle
April 4, 2024
Saskatoon SK, Auctioneer Michael Fluery
29 Two-Year Old Bulls
11 Yearling Bulls
6 Open Heifers
$184,750 avg. $6,379
$78,750 avg. $7,159
$25,750 avg. $4,292
20 straws of Semen avg. $200/straw
Gross
Sale Highlights
$293,250
Lot 14 & 15- Bell M Limerick 33L & Bell M Poet 66L$11,000 x 2. These first sons of Bell M Zirconium came into the ring together and were a type that many bull buyers were looking for. When the hammer fell, Tony & Kourtney Dixon of Craik SK, swept the ring by selecting both bulls.
Lot 25 – Muridale Historian 86K - $10,500. This long bodied red bull who was brought to town by the Muri’s was purchased by Janell Shorthorns of Stettler AB.
Lot 41 – Saskvalley Knight 139K - $10,000. The Lehmann’s brought to the sale this very exciting white son of Flagstaff. Impressive both phenotypically and genomically, Knight was
purchased by Double Star Farms of Lacombe AB.
Lot 4 – Bell M Metcalfe 9L - $10,000. This red yearling son of Bell M Guinness who is a deep bodied, calving ease specialist was purchased by Long Lake Shorthorns of Simpson SK.
Lot 1 – Bell M Westminster 23L - $9,000. This thick, wide made yearling bull sired by the Australian bull Spry’s Heritage and out of Royce’s Princess Charlotte 35C cow was purchased by Saskvalley Shorthorns of Rosthern SK.
Lot 19 – Muridale Homemade 34K ET - $9,000. Here is an roan embryo calf who is a direct son of Buster 14K with the dam being Prairie 47T. A mating that has produced big time herdsires in the past and now Homemade will be added to that list from being purchased by Century Lane Farm of Stoughton SK.
Lot 33 – Saskvalley Testament 13K - $9,000. This moderate framed, well put together low birth weight bull was a crowd favourite and when the dust settled Sunlite Stock Farm of Virden MB.
Lot 58 – Bell M Mysterious Missie 144L - $5,500. The top selling heifer was a roan Zirconium daughter out of a very productive cow family for the Moellenbeck’s. She will make her new home at First Class Shorthorns and Chad Trowbridge of Fort McCleod AB.
On Target Shorthorn Sale, Radville, SK held online
March 2-4, 2024
12 yearling bulls averaged $6354
-$9250 - Reese Ophus, MT
-$7250 -Jim Martin, SK
-$7000 - Peter Lund Farms, SK
-$7000-Reese Ophus, MT
10 Semen lots sold for $200/unit
Anwender Cattle Company and Mosside Shorthorns
Steve & Adruanne Vandersluis (204)436-3122
armacshorthorn@gmail.com www.naturalraisedpork.ca
GREEN GROVE SHORTHORNS
Philip Burgess & family pattyburgess1974@hotmail.com 902•790•2985
Dr. Christine Ewert Hill & Dr. Clarke Hill (306) 452-3803 (H) (306) 452-7867 (C) christine.ewert@gmail.com Gordon & Sally Crawford 519-870-2396 gordcrawford@sympatico.ca Reed, Jane, Shelby & Josie Crawford 519-857-7333 riverpointcc@hotmail.com
Aug 1-3- CJSA National Show, Saskatoon SK
Aug 1-3- CSA AGM, Saskatoon SK
Sept 14- Open House Northern Roses Online Sale, Kinsella Ag Grounds, Kinsella, AB
Sept 16- Northern Roses
Online Sale
Sept 21- Shadybrook’s 50th
Anniversary Sale
Oct 4-6-Olds Fall Classic
Oct 12- Full Spectrum Open House
Oct 14-15 -Full Spectrum Online Sale
Oct 14- Hill Haven Selection Sale
Oct 23-26- Manitoba AgEx
Nov 6-9- Farmfair -Edmonton
Nov 25-30- Agribition, Regina
July 3-20 2025- World Shorthorn Congress Canada
Sept 26- Gentle By Nature Shorthorn Sale
Canadian Shor thorn Breeders historically played a major role in producing quality Shor thorns. Increasing numbers of breeders are taking a new look at using Heritage Shor thorn genetics to produce better Shor thorns today.
Heritage Shor thorn genetics will strengthen any Modern Shor thorn breeding program with positive genetic traits -- renewing the vigor & versatility of your Shor thorns.
Visit www.HeritageShor thorn.org to:
--Explore the benefits of Heritage Shor thorns and expand your Marketing Oppor tunities.
--Find Canadian breeders who have Heritage bloodlines.
--Join the Heritage Shor thorn Society to promote the Heritage genetics in your herd and to help preserve Heritage Shor thorn bloodlines.
Canadian Heritage Shorthor n: "Pleasant Dawn Seal 2" X-M398754 from the herd of Lloyd Hatch of Manitoba
Thanks again to all the bidders & buyers at the Who’s Your Daddy Sale this year. The high seller was Saskvalley Knight 139K to Double Star Farm, Graham Sharpe Lacombe, AB.
seller
SASKVALLEY S STOCK FARM S
We are located less than an hour from Saskatoon. If you are coming to Saskatchewan for the AGM/ CJSA show and would like to have a tour of the cows just let us know.
Saskvalley Knight 139K- higher
GILMAN'S GREENS FORK 50K ET
ASA *x4335875 / CSA X-(CAN)M486841
• ‘Green’s Fork’ has become a sire of significant importance.
• His first calves at Shadybrook are all we expected and more.
• Style, balance and show ring appeal.
• TOP 4% WW; TOP 4% YW; TOP 4% MK; TOP 2% TM
• TOP 10% REA; TOP 4% MB; TOP5% $BMI
JSF TIMES SQUARE 120G
ASA x4297739 / CSA X(CAN)M483760
• A proven sire of legendary caving ease, birth weight and total maternal vallue.
• Featuring his young daughters in production. • TOP 3% CED;
BELL M GUINNESS 17G
ASA
•
