Beef Business January 2024 by Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association

Beef Business ‘

Saskatchewan’s largest circulated industry magazine Saskatchewan`s Premiere Cattlecattle Industry Publication Saskatchewan's Premier Cattle Industry Publication January 2024

NUTRITION EDITION

A Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association Publication Publication Mail Agreement #40011906 RETURN ADDRESS Box 4752, Evraz Place, Regina, SK S4P 3Y4

Working for Producers

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JANUARY 2024

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Contents A Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association (SSGA) Publication

INDUSTRY NEWS 6

Saskatchewan’s Farm Population

2024 Western Canada Feedlot Management School

Canadian Cost of Production Analysis for 2022

COP28: Where Ag Was on the Table for the First Time

Status of the Bovine TB Investigation

FAO Report Clears Path to Food Security, Climate Solutions for Animal Agriculture

MARKETS AND TRADE 24

Weekly Market Charts

Retail Meat Price Survey

FEATURES

General Manager: Chad MacPherson Box 4752, Evraz Place, Regina, SK S4P 3Y4 Tel: 306-757-8523 Fax: 306-569-8799 Email: gm@skstockgrowers.com Website: www.skstockgrowers.com Managing Editor: Kori Maki-Adair Tel: 403-680-5239 Email: kmaa@shaw.ca Agri-business Advertising Sales: Diane Sawatzky Tel: 306-716-4271 Email: sales@skstockgrowers.com Livestock Advertising Sales: Stephanie Kot Tel: 306-861-4348 Email: livestocksales@skstockgrowers.com Subscriptions Box 4752, Evraz Place, Regina, SK S4P 3Y4 Tel: 306-757-8523 Fax: 306-569-8799 Email: office@skstockgrowers.com Subscription Rate: One year $26.50 (GST included) Published five times per year

Total Mixed Ration for Cattle During Winter

Potato, Pot-ah-to: Can We Feed Cull Potatoes to Reduce Food Waste and Produce High Quality Beef

Design and Layout: Jackson Designs | Candace Schwartz Tel: 306-772-0376 Email: candace@jacksondesigns.ca Prairie Conservation Action Plan (PCAP) Manager: Carolyn Gaudet Box 4752, Evraz Place, Regina, SK S4P 3Y4 Tel: 306-352-0472 Fax: 306-569-8799 Email: pcap@sasktel.net

Expert Expects Some Moisture in 2024, but Not Enough

Federal Ag Minister Opens 2024 with Interview

Saskatchewan Minister Leads Ag with Optimism for 2024

SCIENCE AND PRODUCTION 44

Active Missing Livestock Files

Missing Animals

ASSOCIATION NEWS, REPORTS AND EVENTS 54

SSGA President's Report

SSGA Semi-Annual Meeting Announcement

SSGA Receives the Chris Sutter Award at World-Class Livestock Event

SSGA reserves the right to refuse advertising and edit manuscripts. Contents of Beef Business may be reproduced with written permission obtained from SSGA's General Manager, and with proper credit given to Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association. Articles submitted may not be the opinion of SSGA. SSGA assumes no responsibility for any actions or decisions taken by any reader from this publication based on any and all information provided. Publications Mail Agreement #40011906 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses (covers only) to: Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association Box 4752, Evraz Place, Regina, SK S4P 3Y4

STEWARDSHIP 58

Enemy or Ecosystem Engineers?

Transboundary Grassland Partnership Workshop Held in Swift Current

BUSINESS 62

Calendar

Advertiser Index

Business Directory

fb.com/skstockgrowers

@SK_StockGrowers

Cover photo courtesy of: Marvin Hofer, Swift Current, SK

Contributors

you know that SSGA is Saskatchewan's ? Did oldest agricultural association?

• • • • • • •

Chad MacPherson Kori Maki-Adair Frank Mitloehner Jason Pollock Leanne Thompson Natasha Wilkie Garth Woods

cycle This M a

Ple as

Shirley Bartz Terry Bedard Beef Cattle Research Council Garner Deobald Jeff Gaye Lynne Girardin Mindy Hockley

zin ga

• • • • • • •

This magazine is printed on paper that is comprised of 50% recycled paper and 25% post-consumer waste. It is acid-free, elemental chlorine-free and is FSC certified

JANUARY 2024

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INDUSTRY NEWS SASKATCHEWAN’S FARM POPULATION Terry Bedard

What’s the current state of Saskatchewan’s farm population? Some answers have arrived courtesy of Statistics Canada through the AgriculturePopulation Linkage, which combines data from the Census of Agriculture with the Census of Population. This provides a socioeconomic profile of Canada’s farm population, which is composed of farm operators and the individuals in their households. An overall snapshot of Canada’s farm population shows several important things: •

Farm households are becoming more diverse and smaller.

•

Greater percentages of farm households are living in urban areas.

•

Immigrants contribute to the ethnocultural diversity of the farm population.

•

The percentage of the Indigenous farm population is increasing, with Métis being the largest group.

•

The farm population has a higher percentage of men and older people than the total population.

•

Median farm household income is higher than the total population.

Let’s see how Saskatchewan shapes up in the data. Compared with the 2016 census, there was a higher percentage of female farm operators in Saskatchewan in 2021— 27 per cent versus 25 per cent. There was also a higher percentage of farm operators 55 years and older—61 per cent—compared with 56 per cent in 2016. Farm operators, and the Saskatchewan farm population in general, are receiving higher levels of education. In the 2016 census, 81 per cent of farmers reported they had at least a high school education. That percentage increased to 85 per cent in the 2021 census.

The top two educational categories for male farm operators were apprenticeship or trades (11 per cent) and bachelor’s degree or higher (nine per cent). For female farm operators, the top two educational categories were college (eight per cent) and bachelor’s degree or higher (six per cent). It’s perhaps no surprise that English is the most common mother tongue spoken by Saskatchewan farmers. However, there are Saskatchewan farmers whose mother tongue is French, Afrikaans, German, Polish and Ukrainian as well as Czech, Danish, Finnish, Hungarian, Italian, Mandarin, Portuguese, Punjabi, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Spanish and Flemish.

had 1.5 per cent of their farm operators in that category, and oilseed and grain farms had one per cent. Two-person families were more common in the farm population (60 per cent) than they were in the total population (52 per cent). Four-person families were more common in the total population (18 per cent versus 15 per cent). More than half of Saskatchewan farms were operated under a sole proprietorship arrangement in 2021, and one quarter operated under a family corporation. More than 90 per cent of incorporated Saskatchewan farms were family corporations.

While Canada is the top-ranked birthplace for most of our farmers and farm population, Saskatchewan farmers were also born in Australia, Belgium, China, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Poland, South Africa, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom and United States.

Looking specifically at beef cattle ranching and farming, we find the following:

While farming might sound like a rural activity, an increasing number of farm households live in cities. Nine per cent of Saskatchewan’s farm population lives in cities, compared with 44 per cent of the total population.

• Forty per cent of beef farm operators

Farming is not the only source of income for these households. Many farm families have other jobs or businesses, showing how versatile and adaptable they are. This is evidenced by wages, salaries and commissions forming just over 40 per cent of household income for the farm population. Net farm self‑employment income accounted for 16 per cent of farm household income as did investment income. Not very many farms saw operating income greater than $250,000 in 2020. Other-crop farms (other than grain, oilseed, vegetable, fruit and horticulture)

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• Birth countries of beef farm

operators were Canada, Australia, Germany, Netherlands, South Africa, Switzerland, United Kingdom and United States. have a high school diploma or equivalency certificate; 17 per cent have a college or other non-university certificate or diploma; 16 per cent have no certificate, diploma or degree; and 13 per cent have a trade certificate.

• Almost a third of Saskatchewan

beef producers had under $25,000 of operating income in 2020, 31 per cent had operating income of $25,000 to $49,999, and 18 per cent had operating income of $50,000 to $74,999.

• Less than half of one per cent of beef

farm operators had operating income of $250,000 and over.

• Over a third of beef farmers had

household income of $100,000 to $249,999, while 19 per cent had household income in each of the

JANUARY 2024

INDUSTRY NEWS

$25,000 to $49,999, and $50,000 to $74,999 categories.

• In more than 40 per cent of the beef farm families, the farm operator earned 75 per cent of the family income. The farm operator earned less than a quarter of the family income in only 13 per cent of the families. B

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INDUSTRY NEWS 2024 WESTERN CANADA FEEDLOT MANAGEMENT SCHOOL Leanne Thompson

It’s time to expand your cattle feeding knowledge base. Saskatchewan Cattle Feeders Association, Government of Saskatchewan and University of Saskatchewan will be jointly hosting the 26th Western Canada Feedlot Management School at Saskatoon Inn & Conference Centre February 12-14, 2024. This year’s agenda features experienced cattle feeders and trusted experts on markets, building nutrition programs, animal health, economics and the overall business of cattle feeding. In addition, there will be virtual tours of Shipwheel Cattle Feeders and Pallister Farms Livestock, as well as hands-on demonstrations. This year’s theme, Challenging the Paradigms, will get attendees thinking right from the opening keynote address on what the future of cattle feeding facilities might look like and throughout the agenda as we look at the role of technology and management of our cattle feeding systems.

Some highlights of this three-day event include using corn in feedlot rations, a 2024 market update and business risk management panel, using and teaching animal handling and pen checking techniques, the link between flooring type and foot problems, and best management practices to ensure high-quality silage.

A block of rooms is reserved at the Saskatoon Inn until January 12, 2024. Please note: all attendees must register in advance. You may also contact the office for information by phone 306-969-2666 or email at office@saskcattle.com. B

For more information, including the complete agenda or to register online, please visit Saskatchewan Cattle Feeders Association’s website at www.saskcattle.com.

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INDUSTRY NEWS CANADIAN COST OF PRODUCTION ANALYSIS FOR 2022 Kori Maki-Adair

With the goal of developing baseline cost of production statistics that support producers to minimize inputs and maximize profit margins, Canfax Research Services has been administering the Canadian Cow-calf Cost of Production Network (COP Network) since 2020. Funded by Beef Cattle Research Council and delivered in partnership with Canfax’s provincial partners, the Canadian COP Network enables producers to compare their production systems with benchmark production system data gathered from producer focus groups that represent different ecoregions across Canada, and around the world, through a global network. To generate meaningful benchmark data, Canfax has assembled each focus group with three to six producers that have similar production systems (i.e., cow-calf or beef-dairy with variation in geographic location, herd size, mature cow weight, etc.). Since 2021, Canfax has prepared an annual summary of the data collected from the focus groups as well as scenarios that consider what beef operations could be like in the future by applying the *five per cent rule—to support beef producers to assess where valuable, incremental and continuous improvements can be made to achieve optimal productivity, price and cost-efficiency levels (e.g., by utilizing new and existing technology, production practices and management techniques). The Canadian COP Network data provides three types of benchmarking for cow-calf producers:

* FIVE PER CENT RULE If you apply the five per cent rule to input costs, productivity and price, it could make a tremendous impact on the bottom line. EXAMPLE: If a cow-calf operation sells a 525-pound calf at $2 per pound, the operation would have $1,050 in revenue from the sale. If the annual maintenance cost for the animal is $1,000, the margin would be $50 per head. HOW IT CAN AFFECT PROFIT:

1. If this operation cut input costs by five per cent, they could have another $50 per head margin.

2. If they add five per cent more weaning weight (i.e., another

25 pounds sold at $2 per pound), this operation could have another $52.50 per head margin. 3. If they increase the sale price by five per cent (i.e., up $0.10 per pound), they could have another $52.50 per head margin. If this operation does all three, margins could increase by more than $157.50 per head. Rather than a $50 per head margin, they could have a $207.50 per head margin. Beef Cattle Research Council www.beefresearch.ca/blog/fivepercentrule

Canfax released the summary for 2022 in October 2023, and here are some of the key learnings gathered from the benchmark farms involved in their research.

Total Average Revenue per Cow

1. Self comparison - To assess incremental improvements over time; 2. Provincial comparison - To consider the competitive environment by location; and 3. Peer group comparison - To match production style and eco-region to a peer group with similar traits (i.e., in/outside provincial boundaries).

Total Average Cost per Cow

on benchmark farms in 2022 A steep increase in cattle prices in the second half of 2022 resulted in a 19-per-cent increase in total average revenue in 2022 compared to 2021. NOTE: The timing of cattle sales throughout the year can influence revenue. PROFITABILITY Though feed costs were lower in 2022 than 2021, due to improved moisture conditions and yield, overall input costs were three per cent higher in 2022 compared to 2021. 10 | ©BEEF BUSINESS | www.skstockgrowers.com

Profitability changed for the better in 2022, likely due to the widespread drought conditions which resulted in record-high feed costs in 2021.

JANUARY 2024

INDUSTRY NEWS % of farms able to cover short-term costs (cash)

• Herd sizes: The benchmark farms’ herd sizes ranged from

35 to 950 head of beef cows. Of those farms, 36 per cent had fewer than 100 cows, 29 per cent had 100 to 200 cows, 20 per cent had 200 to 300 cows, and 15 per cent had more than 300 cows.

• Animal performance: The COP Network compared animal

The percentage of farms able to cover short-term costs (cash) was up 10 per cent in 2022 compared to 2021.

% of farms able to cover mid-term costs (cash and depreciation)

performance metrics with the data included in the Farm Management Survey and the Western Canadian Cow-calf Survey, where applicable, to support producers to interpret the results of the COP Network. Find more information on animal performance at www.canfax.ca/resources/cost-ofproduction/cop-analysis.

• Mature cow weight: The benchmark farms’ mature cow

weight ranged from 1,200 to 1,700 pounds with an average weight of 1,367 pounds. In Western Canada, the average weight was 1,360 pounds, while the average weight was 1,390 pounds in Eastern Canada.

• Weaning weight: The 205-day adjusted weaning weights on

benchmark farms averaged 559 pounds. The lowest weaning weights were 444 pounds in Manitoba, and the highest weaning weights were 708 pounds in Saskatchewan.

• Calf mortality (from 24 hours old to weaning):

The percentage of farms able to cover mid-term costs (cash and depreciation) was up 25 per cent in 2022 compared to 2021.

% of farms able to cover long-term costs (cash, depreciation and opportunity)

The benchmark farms’ calf death loss ranged from 0.75 per cent to 9.2 per cent—the latter being related to large carnivore predation in one geographic location. NOTE: Calf mortality percentages are skewed, appearing higher, when calculating loss for smaller herds (e.g., the loss of five animals in a herd of 20 is a 25 per cent loss; while the loss of five animals in a herd of 100 is a five per cent loss).

• Weaning rate: The benchmark farms’ average weaning rate

was at 89 calves per 100 cows. The lowest weaning rate was at 80 calves per 100 cows in Ontario, and the highest was at 96 calves per 100 cows in the Maritimes and Alberta.

• Replacement rate: The benchmark farms’ average

replacement rate ranged from five per cent in Alberta to 21 per cent in Ontario, with an average rate of 12 per cent across all farms. NOTE: Higher replacement rates tend to indicate operations that maintain younger herds, culling mature cows after fewer reproductive years.

The percentage of farms able to cover long-term costs (cash, depreciation and opportunity) was up 22 per cent in 2022 compared to 2021. Analysis and Recommendations for 2022 Data by Category

• Geographic locations: The benchmark farms were

distributed in a variety of ecoregions across Canada; however, 58 per cent of the cow-calf benchmark farms were located in the Canadian Prairies, where 84 per cent of the beef cow herds were located in the survey data.

JANUARY 2024

• Cow-calf profitability: The average total production cost

per cow on benchmark farms ranged from $843 per cow for Saskatchewan to $2,937 per cow for the Maritimes, with a national average of $1,638 per cow. The Maritimes had the highest total costs at $1,996 per cow while Manitoba had the lowest at $812 per cow. The average cash costs in 2022 ranged from $469 per cow for Saskatchewan to $1,573 per cow for Quebec, with a national average of $972 per cow. This 10 per cent increase in cash costs, over 2021 values, is attributed to inflation in 2022 continued on page 12

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INDUSTRY NEWS 2022 Analysis cont. from pg. 11 (i.e., related to fertilizer and fuel costs).

• Economies of scale: In the benchmark farms, larger herd

sizes resulted in lower production costs per cow; however, some operators with smaller herds achieved production costs that were as cost-effective as operators with larger herds, due to production efficiencies.

• Winter feeding systems: Can be one of the highest

production costs in cow-calf operations, which is why many producers create winter feed ration budgets by calculating feed requirements and costs for homegrown and/or purchased feed. NOTE: When calculating feedstuffs, producers should consider ingredients, moisture content, freshness, stage of animal maturity, weather, harvest conditions, storage, etc., and consult with a nutritionist.

• Winter feeding days: Ranged from 60 days in a year-round

grazing operation on the Alberta-Saskatchewan border, to 250 days on a farm in Alberta. Of all benchmark farms, 45 per cent used extended grazing practices and/or supplemented full winter feeding with a partial ration on pasture.

• Feed costs: Were impacted by drought recovery and inflation in 2022. To calculate total feed costs, producers should add up feed, machinery, fuel, lubricants, water and land costs.

The average cost of purchased feed plus fertilizer, seed and pesticide to produce homegrown feed was $302 per cow in 2022, which represents a decrease of 14 per cent from 2021, attributed to reduced purchased-feed prices (i.e., resulting from improved moisture conditions and yield in 2022). If machinery, fuel and land costs are included in the calculation, the average feed cost in 2022 would increase to $590 per cow.

• Feed type: Primary forage of the winter diet (i.e., annuals,

hay and silage) was also used to categorize benchmark farms, which most commonly chose hay for winter feed.

• Inflation rates: Cow-calf operations were challenged by

high inflation rates in 2022, which should be considered when reviewing COP Network resources. To support producers respond to inflation, the COP Network recommends producers 1) lock-in interest rates early to obtain the lowest rate over the term of a loan; 2) purchase inputs when they are in lower demand to avoid price increases when demand is higher; and 3) invest in large purchases when inflation subsides.

• Operation finances: The benchmark farms in the 2022

dataset include start-up, medium and mature operations. Twenty-nine per cent of those farms generated on-farm and off-farm income, and 40 per cent of those farms relied on off-farm income to offset on-farm expenses. Seventy-one percent of benchmark farms generated on-farm income only. The highest on-farm incomes were attributed to larger herd sizes and diversified on-farm generated revenue (e.g., cash crops).

• Enterprise revenue: Cow-calf operations tend to consider

diversification of income as a risk management tool. For the COP Network, benchmark farms (with diversified on-farm enterprises) calculate the costs of each enterprise using the generic allocation method (i.e., dividing overhead costs based on percent revenues from each enterprise). However, since many of the same overhead expenses are incurred across multiple on-farm enterprises in varying amounts, it is difficult to calculate the overhead costs for each enterprise accurately.

While feed costs decreased in 2022 by six per cent in Western Canada, inflation increased feed prices in Eastern Canada by 14 per cent compared to 2021.

Of all benchmark farms:

The average daily feed cost (i.e., feed cost divided by feeding days) was $3.17 per head per day in 2022, which is a reduction of $0.06 per head per day compared to 2021.

o 44 per cent received more than 50 per cent of their

o Almost 12 per cent received 100 per cent of their income from a cow-calf enterprise;

income from a cow-calf enterprise;

o 39 per cent received 25 to 50 per cent of their income from a cow-calf enterprise; and

The lowest daily winter feed cost was $1.70 per head per day in Alberta (i.e., 189 days on hay and grain, with only 1.4 per cent being purchased feed).

o Five per cent received less than 25 per cent of their

The highest daily feed cost was $8.49 per head per day in Saskatchewan with a short winter-feeding period (i.e., at a year-round grazing operation that used 100-per-cent purchased hay impacted by high inflation rates).

Of all benchmark farms, 61 per cent operated a preconditioning, yearling, grasser, backgrounding, finishing enterprise; 46 per cent operated a cash crop enterprise; and 47 per cent received other on-farm income (e.g., contract work, lease, etc.). continued on page 14

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income from a cow-calf enterprise.

JANUARY 2024

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INDUSTRY NEWS 2022 Analysis cont. from pg. 12 It is important to remember, the Canadian COP Network’s dataset resources have been developed with the intention of supplying producers with the opportunity to access otherwise inaccessible industry information. Supplied by producers across Canada, and organized into business-critical categories in a clear and easy to understand format, the COP Network data helps beef producers find the information that interests and impacts them most—quickly, easily and without cost or obligation. While using data and comparison methodology can be an invaluable way for a business to consider what their operation could be like, it can also lead to overlooking one’s own accomplishments and business practice excellence.

REFERENCE Canfax •

Canadian Cow-Calf Cost of Production Network www.canfax.ca/resources/cost-of-production.html

•

COP Network Farms Summaries Overview www.canfax.ca/resources/cost-of-production/cop-results. html

•

COP Analysis - Summary of 2022 Results www.canfax.ca/uploads/COP-Analysis/08_COP_National_ Summary_2022.pdf

Every producer, herd and operation is unique. It is important to focus on one’s own journey, goals and progress—and to remember: agriculture has more uncontrollable risk factors and unknowns that any other industry in the world. Our best is good enough. B

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Animal Health and Welfare: Programs and Services The Government of Saskatchewan has several programs and services to support animal care and keep livestock healthy, including: • • • • •

Water Quality Screening; Feed Testing and Livestock Rations; Extension and Learning Opportunities for Livestock Producers; Animal Health and Biosecurity Program; and, Farm and Ranch Water Infrastructure Program.

For more information, reach out to the Agriculture Knowledge Centre at 1-866-457-2377.

INDUSTRY NEWS COP28: WHERE AG WAS ON THE TABLE FOR THE FIRST TIME Kori Maki-Adair

An agreement to transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems was made at the 28th United Nations (UN) Climate Change conference, also known as Conference of the Parties (COP28), in Expo City, Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), scheduled from November 30 to December 12, 2023. This may seem like a nothingburger because the world’s populations have already agreed to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050; however, it is actually the first time a COP agreement has included the need to transition away from coal, oil and gas in history. Hosted by a different UN member state each year since its inception in 1992 (except in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic), the COP brings together climate change leaders, experts and influencers from the UN’s almost 200 member state countries to share their stories, negotiate and debate climate warming policy and solutions—i.e., how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, limit temperature increases, fund vulnerable countries affected by climate disasters (e.g., extreme heat waves, rising ocean temperatures, widespread flooding and wildfires, prolonged droughts, etc.), and strengthen every country’s resilience to the impacts related to climate warming. The world’s need for its populations to respond to the climate crisis is ever-increasing. According to COP28’s media coverage, most UN member states indicated their government felt underfinanced and underprepared to manage the mounting effects. In terms of the event’s coordination, the world’s media coverage seemed to focus on scandal and conspiracy in the headlines, which undermined the important work that was underway at the summit. What aspects of the event were impugned?

Though it is one of Earth’s top-10 oil producers, the UAE has been a United Nations member state since 1971, which makes it a fair choice for hosting the event. Like hosting any other global event (e.g., Olympic and Paralympic Games, expositions, sporting championships, political forums and assemblies), hosting a COP requires significant resources, which the UAE has, but not all UN member states do. Earning a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering, a doctorate in business and economics, and a Master of Business Administration; attending 10 previous COPs, including the Paris Agreement in 2015; and representing UAE at the event as Special Envoy for Climate Change, and Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology should make the appointment of Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber as COP28 president a reasonable selection.1 However, media coverage heavily criticized Dr. Al Jaber spearheading the event, calling it a conflict of interest, because he is also the chief executive of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), which is expected to increase oil production in 2024.2 Since the COP host is responsible for appointing the event’s president, whom else would the UAE have chosen that would understand the gravitas of the event agenda as well as Dr. Al Jaber? Public record shows Dr. Al Jaber has an honourable reputation. The media also challenged the UAE’s intentions for hosting the event. Though the UN expects summit hosts to act without bias or self-interest, three days before COP28 on November 27, BBC News reported briefing documents with talking points for the UAE’s COP28 team were leaked revealing the UAE’s plans to discuss fossil fuel deals with 15 nations during the event. In response to the media report, the UAE team did not deny their intentions for using COP28 to discuss

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A good deal of press leading up to COP28 reported the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations report) planned to call for reductions in consumption of animal-source foods in developed regions as a way to limit emissions from our livestock sector. That doesn't make sense, and for what it's worth, this report doesn't say that at all . . . There is no single solution that can reduce emissions enough to dramatically lessen the climate impact of animal agriculture. Although many animal rights activists would love to see a reduction in the consumption of animal sourced foods, it’s not a practical solution . . . Scientists around the world are studying ways to have cows produce less methane so that we can curtail global warming without cutting back on our food supply.4 Frank Mitloehner, Ph.D. Professor and air quality specialist Department of Animal Science University of California, Davis Speaker at COP28 business, stating “private meetings are private,” and that its work is focused on “meaningful climate action.”3 Why the media named the UAE in their coverage, but did not name the other 15 nations involved, is unclear. And since the UN expects hosts to act without bias or self-interest, it is quite likely they also have the same expectations of attendees. Regardless, the UAE’s decision to hold the event in Dubai, on the coast of the Persian Gulf where the sea level and JANUARY 2024

INDUSTRY NEWS temperature continue to rise, makes plain its vulnerability to climate warming—and how important it is for the region to stave off its effects. What’s more, thousands of lobbyists from the world’s largest coal, oil and gas companies swarmed the venue, which made it irresistible for many media outlets to headline the fossil fuel industry as COP28’s controller of conversations. Nevertheless, COP28’s agenda was accomplished. However, it overran one day so that negotiators could soften the agreement’s language from “phasing-out fossil fuels” to “transitioning away from fossil fuels” without being legally binding or assigning a timeline for action. The agreement also included tripling renewable energy capacity globally by 2030; accelerating efforts to reduce coal use; advancing the technology of carbon capture and storage; and supporting developing countries to prepare for an eventual phase-out of fossil fuels.

Where agriculture fit into these discussions

whose livelihoods are threatened by climate warming, in ways that could increase, adapt and diversify their incomes;

• Strengthen integrated water

management at all levels to ensure sustainability;

• Conserve, protect and restore land and natural ecosystems through enhanced soil health and biodiversity;

• Shift away from greenhouse gasemitting production practices;

• Reduce food loss and waste; and • Promote fish, shellfish, aquatic plants

and algae cultivated in freshwater and marine ecosystems.

To achieve these goals, by 2025, the UN member states committed to strengthening efforts through policy agendas and actions to:

• Pursue domestic engagement to

integrate agriculture and food systems into national adaptation plans, contributions, actions and strategies (before COP30);

• Revisit or adjust policies and public support to promote activities that

increase incomes, reduce GHGs, bolster resilience, productivity, livelihoods, nutrition, water efficiency and ecosystem health while reducing food loss and waste, and ecosystem loss and degradation;

• Continue to scale-up and enhance

access to all forms of finance to adapt and transform agriculture and food systems to respond to climate change;

• Accelerate and scale science and

evidence-based innovations that increase sustainable agriculture practices, promote ecosystem resilience and improve the livelihoods for rural communities and food producers; and

• Strengthen the rules-based, non-

discriminatory, open, fair, inclusive, equitable and transparent trading system with the World Trade Organization at its core.

How these commitments affect Canada’s livestock producers Since Canada made no legally-binding commitments at COP28, there are no penalties for non-compliance. These commitments rely on an honour system. continued on page 18

As a first-time entry into the event’s agenda, COP28 dedicated one full day of its 13-day schedule to talk about it. According to the COP28 website, the UN’s member countries—including Canada— publicly declared their intent to fulfill the following commitments by 2025:

• Scale-up adaptation and resilience

activities to reduce vulnerability of food producers through financial and technical support for solutions, capacity building, infrastructure, and innovations that promote sustainable food security, production and nutrition while conserving, protecting and restoring nature;

• Promote food security and nutrition

to support the needs of vulnerable people (i.e., women, children, youth, Indigenous Peoples, family farmers, persons with disabilities, etc.), through social protection systems, procurement programs, research and innovation;

• Support ag workers and food systems, JANUARY 2024

www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 17

INDUSTRY NEWS COP28 cont. from pg. 17 Therefore, Canada’s ag industry and government will continue to work together to craft and adjust new and existing plans and programs to meet the needs of Canadian ag producers, the world’s food supply and our climate. Having the right resources in place makes a difference. Some of this work is already underway through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, and of course, much has yet to be done. After two weeks of challenging negotiations, COP28’s agreement is considered to be light in language though impactful in its messaging to investors and policy makers: The world is committed to transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems. Moving forward, we can expect environmentalists to push even harder for investment in evidence-based innovations related to renewable energy sources and infrastructure; an increase in the Loss and Damage Fund coffers while obliging countries with the greatest greenhouse gas emissions to compensate countries most affected by climate warming, adequately; and ensuring that island nations are present at, and ensured a weightier influence in, all climate-related conversations and agreements.

Host country of COP28, UAE, to ramp up oil production, BBC Learns https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/scienceenvironment-67513901

Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia Sultan Al Jaber https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sultan_Al_ Jaber

3. BBC News, November 27, 2023. Retrieved December 18, 2023. UAE planned to use COP 28 climate talks to make oil deals https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/scienceenvironment-67508331

United Nations Foundation Getting Climate-Ready: COP28 and the Global Goal on Adaptation https://unfoundation.org/blog/post/ getting-climate-ready-cop-28-and-theglobal-goal-on-adaptation/?gclid=CjwKC AiAvoqsBhB9EiwA9XTWGQlJBJkPRw5RsY 9R-f_5JI32SW8LSc74iOlbs5cVvxL0U2q2E It17BoC9LYQAvD_BwE

4. Clarity and Leadership for Environmental Awareness and Research at UC Davis FAO report clears path to food security, climate solutions for animal agriculture https://clear.ucdavis.edu/blog/faoreport-clears-path-food-security-climatesolutions-animal-agriculture COP28.com COP28 UAE Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems, and Climate Action https://www.cop28.com/en/food-andagriculture

United Nations Climate Change How COPs are organized - Questions and answers https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/ conferences/the-big-picture/whatare-united-nations-climate-changeconferences/how-cops-are-organizedquestions-and-answers

Since COP28 set sustainable agriculture policy and planning targets for member states to meet by 2025, it is almost certain COP29 will include sustainable agriculture in its agenda at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, November 11-24, 2024. Of course, what Canada and fellow UN member states do between COP events is more important than the events themselves. B REFERENCE 1. Dr. Sultan Al Jaber. Retrieved December 18, 2023. https://drsultanaljaber.com/bio.html

"The bottom line is that high-tension banding is faster, easier, and less traumatic for the animal than surgical castration. " Matt Sween, UC Davis Animal Science Dept.

785-332-3344

2. BBC News. December 2, 2023. Retrieved December 18, 2023. 18 | ©BEEF BUSINESS | www.skstockgrowers.com

JANUARY 2024

We value the conﬁdence that producers, feedlots, and packers have placed in our program, and look forward to contributing more proﬁtability and efficiency to the industry in the coming years.

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www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 19

INDUSTRY NEWS STATUS OF THE BOVINE TB INVESTIGATION Kori Maki-Adair

Background On February 23, 2023, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) notified Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) that a heifer exported from Saskatchewan in September 2022 had tested positive for bovine tuberculosis (TB), and was in a United States feedlot until its slaughter. CFIA utilized animal movement records to determine: • The heifer’s herd of origin, which they quarantined until testing could be completed.

• The heifer had not been on any other farm premises in Canada

• The heifer spent five months in

a Canadian feedlot before being exported.

• All of the Canadian feedlot contact

animals were destined for slaughter.

In May 2023, CFIA tested all animals over the age of six months, and removed the reactor animals for slaughter and postmortem examination, which confirmed two cases on June 19.

Investigation Status as of December 24, 2023 Infected Herd • One infected herd has been humanely depopulated and all testing is complete.

• There were 32 confirmed cases of bovine TB.

• The bovine TB strain found in the

infected herd is consistent with the strain the USDA found in the infected heifer at the US feedlot; and it is not a close match to any strain previously reported in livestock or wildlife in North America.

Life Line Herds (i.e., herds traced from an

infected animal in the infected herd) • There is one life line herd, which CFIA lab tested and received negative culture results (i.e., for all the reactors), before releasing the animals from quarantine.

Bovine TB is a reportable disease. Any suspect cases must be reported to Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

Contact herds (i.e., herds that shared a fence line or may have co-mingled with the infected herd) • There is one contact herd, which CFIA is currently live animal testing (i.e., laboratory testing of reactors is underway).

It is most commonly spread through: • Contact with infected animals’ respiratory secretions and aerosols, feces, milk, urine, vaginal secretions, or semen; and • Ingestion of contaminated food and water.

Trace-in Herds (i.e., herds that provided animals to the infected herd) • CFIA has completed live animal testing and released one trace-in herd from quarantine.

Progressive signs of disease: • Weakness, • Loss of appetite, • Weight-loss, • Fluctuating fever, • Intermittent cough, and/or • Lesions in the lymph nodes of the head and thorax, lung, spleen and liver.

• CFIA will complete live animal

testing one other trace-in herd.

Trace-out Herds (i.e., herds that received animals from the infected herd) • CFIA has released two confirmed trace-out herds from quarantine, based on negative results from lab testing to date.

• CFIA has completed live animal

testing on two confirmed trace-out herds and post mortem testing of reactors is underway.

• CFIA is continuing tracing work. CFIA will assess disease risk status of other animals at the same premises and conduct live testing, as needed. If required, tissues collected from animals at the non/terminal feedlots will be sent for laboratory testing.

While all investigations and response situations are different, the steps involved in a bovine TB investigation or response normally include: • quarantine • investigation • destruction and disposal • cleaning and disinfection • compensation • confidentiality This activity remains important to ensure prompt detection and eradication of the disease—to prevent its establishment and spread. - Canadian Food Inspection Agency

If a trace-out animal is found at a

It will be isolated

It will be destroyed by slaughter

It will undergo a post-mortem inspection

Livestock Premises where animals are headed to slaughter

Yes

Livestock Premises where it may be in contact with breeding stock

Yes

Yes, if mature enough; or will be humanely destroyed

Yes

20 | ©BEEF BUSINESS | www.skstockgrowers.com

JANUARY 2024

INDUSTRY NEWS The goal of CFIA’s program is the early detection and complete eradication of bovine TB from livestock in Canada. B REFERENCE Canadian Food Inspection Agency • Industry Notice - Detection of bovine tuberculosis in Saskatchewan https://inspection.canada.ca/animalhealth/terrestrial-animals/diseases/ reportable/bovine-tuberculosis/

saskatchewan-2023/detection/ eng/1687969580006/1687969846737 • Status of the bovine tuberculosis investigation status as of December 24, 2023 https://inspection.canada.ca/animalhealth/terrestrial-animals/diseases/ reportable/bovine-tuberculosis/ saskatchewan-2023/status/ eng/1689254193235/1689254193704

of the investigation for bovine tuberculosis https://inspection.canada.ca/animalhealth/terrestrial-animals/diseases/ reportable/bovine-tuberculosis/ farm-under-investigation/ eng/1449456995596/1449456996360

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www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 21

INDUSTRY NEWS FAO REPORT CLEARS PATH TO FOOD SECURITY, CLIMATE SOLUTIONS FOR ANIMAL AGRICULTURE New United Nations FAO Focuses on Mitigation Strategies to Reduce Greenhouse Gases From Livestock That doesn’t make sense, and for what it’s worth, this report doesn’t say that at all— though other reports may. More about all of that in a minute.

Frank Mitloehner, Ph.D. Professor and air quality specialist Department of Animal Science University of California, Davis Speaker at COP28

Political leaders, industry workers, activists and academics gathered in Dubai in United Arab Emirates recently for the United Nations’ annual climate change conference—COP28—an event where big climate ideas were championed, and smaller ones were reinforced. This year’s summit put a bright light on our food system, exploring at length how we can improve the climate footprint of the meals that end up on plates around the world. I had the pleasure of speaking at COP28, and I was on the ground as the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) released its latest report: Pathways towards lower emissions—A global assessment of the greenhouse gas emissions and mitigation options from livestock agrifood systems. A good deal of press leading up to COP28 reported the FAO planned to call for reductions in consumption of animalsource foods in developed regions as a way to limit emissions from our livestock sector.

By way of background, the global population is climbing rapidly, especially in Africa and other developing regions. Consequently, the demand for food is growing along with it. In fact, the report states we can expect about a 20 per cent increase in the demand for animal-source foods by 2050, pushing emissions from livestock production from its present level of six gigatons (GT) of CO2eq to 9.1 GT CO2eq, if we make no changes in the way in which we produce food. Given that we are focused on reducing methane emissions from today’s level, we certainly aren’t looking to pile on 50 per cent more methane from animal agriculture. We don’t want to see emissions continue to creep, which they surely will do if we stay with business as usual, particularly when we’re seeing growth in regions where animals are less efficient than they are in United States and other developed nations. The good news is, we have the power and the knowledge to change the trajectory. We can produce nutritious calories with fewer inputs and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. U.S. farmers have been doing it for decades. For example, American growers produce 18 per cent of the world’s beef with six per cent of the global herd, the carbon footprint of a glass of milk is today twothirds smaller than it was 70 years ago, and animal herds are at an historic low in United States without a corresponding decrease in output. It’s a similar story for American swine and poultry. We have improved the outputs while holding inputs steady.

22 | ©BEEF BUSINESS | www.skstockgrowers.com

But there is more that must be done. We must take a bite out of emissions from livestock. The FAO reports that it makes up 12 to 16 per cent of global emissions, depending on how you calculate the data. This is less than what we’ve seen in years past—and that’s commendable—but we need to do more. But how? Kudos to the FAO and the authors of the report, whom emphasize there is no magic potion to attack the issue of methane emissions. We need a toolkit of solutions to effectively reduce emissions from animal agriculture. Furthermore, we’re going to need tools that work in different regions, on varying scales and with diverse production systems. After all, this is a global issue. Perhaps, it bears repeating that as important as it is to put the brakes on methane emissions, of arguably equal weight is our need to feed an unprecedented number of people. Balancing the scales is not easy. There is no single solution that can reduce emissions enough to dramatically lessen the climate impact of animal agriculture. Although, many animal rights activists would love to see a reduction in the consumption of animal sourced foods, it’s not a practical solution. Let’s be very clear: Fewer animals may lead to fewer emissions. But it’s not that easy to remove the “may” in my previous sentence. If we reduce herds in developed regions, we’d be losing some of the most efficient animals in the world—the ones that produce more food with less environmental impact. Neither does it make sense to cut back on animal agriculture in developing regions, where population is growing faster, and where nutrition and livelihoods are at stake. JANUARY 2024

INDUSTRY NEWS Reducing greenhouse gas emissions must be the goal. We have tools to do that, with more coming online all the time.

Americas 20

Europe 10

Africa

Oceania 1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

2010

There are massive opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from livestock globally, and that’s the goal we must keep in mind—not changing diets and/or reducing herds, but reduce emissions. That’s the mindset that will allow us to build our tool kit. The report ends with a subtle call to

JANUARY 2024

2040

10 000

CH4 2 871

9 000

2050

9 061

-362

-453

N2O

CO2

-1 797

8 000 7 000 6 000

-1 359

6 190

-453 -453

4 000

-906 -600

3 000

-152

-150

Energy use

Manure management

-453

2 000

1 922

1 000

Projected 2050 emissions

Circular bioeconomies

Carbon sequestration

Improved animal health

Breeding

Productivity increases

Reducing food loss and waste

Dietary changes

Projected 2050 emissions, no migration

Additional emissions (BAU)

Base year emission

Total emission [Mt of CO2eq]

Thanaway Tiensen, director of the FAO’s animal production and health division, states it beautifully in a video message: “Sustainable livestock systems can contribute to climate action in several ways. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving resource efficiency, enhancing carbon sequestration and minimizing environmental impacts . . . Sustainability is imperative [but] it is equally essential to recognize the role of livestock in meeting our dietary needs.”

2030

Historical and projected demand for animal products. Source: Based on FAOSTAT food balance sheets and the projected demand from FAO. 2018b. The future of food and agriculture: Alternative pathways to 2050. Rome. https://www.fao.org/global-perspectivesstudies/resources/detail/ en/c/1157074/. Pathways towards lower emissions – A global assessment of the greenhouse gas emissions and mitigation options from livestock agrifood systems.

5 000

In the history of the world, have we ever been faced with two more critical goals?

2020

Feed and nutrition improvements

And it doesn’t stop there. We are working on rumen manipulations with feed additives, carbon sequestration, manure management and better nutrition. This work is exciting, promising and ongoing. Scientists around the world are studying ways to have cows produce less methane so that we can curtail global warming without cutting back on our food supply.

Rumen manipulation

Increasing productivity and focusing on animal welfare are two good and proven tools in our box. Both can help us to improve livestock’s global emissions. That means helping animals produce more with fewer inputs and ensuring a better quality of life for them. Improving productivity alone could reduce emissions by 30 per cent, while improved animal welfare can reduce emissions by doubledigit percentages in certain regions.

Animal Protein Demand (Mt)

The FAO report is clear in its statement that reducing emissions on farms is our biggest opportunity to lessen the climate footprint of animal agriculture.

Asia 40

Base year and projected emissions from livestock systems shown as a waterfall chart with a range of mitigation measures applied to 2050 with their technical potential. From: Pathways towards lower emissions – A global assessment of the greenhouse gas emissions and mitigation options from livestock agrifood systems.

action. “In conclusion, collaborative efforts from all industry stakeholders are critical to successfully mitigate the anticipated increase in sectoral GHG emissions. Based on the presently available data, this path appears both viable and effective.”

We need the public and private sectors to step up to support climate solutions in livestock. We have one pathway that can help us do that. Let’s be sure to use it. B

Those who know me understand I am not so subtle, so I’ll say it my way.

www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 23

MARKETS AND TRADE For more information visit www.canfax.ca

SK Weekly Average Price Heifers 500-600 lbs 2023

315.00

2022

265.00

2021

215.00

400.00 Price per hundred weight

2021 250.00

Wk 1 Wk 4 Wk 7 Wk 10 Wk 13 Wk 16 Wk 19 Wk 22 Wk 25 Wk 28 Wk 31 Wk 34 Wk 37 Wk 40 Wk 43 Wk 46 Wk 49 Wk 52

235.00 2023

215.00

2022

195.00 175.00

2021

155.00

Price per hundred weight

2022 300.00

Source: CanFax

AB Fed Steer Prices

255.00

160 150 140 130 120 110 100 90 80 70 60

Source: CanFax

2023 2022 2021

Weekly Canadian Dollar Weekly Canadian Dollar

0.81

Source: CanFax

Alberta Weekly D1 and D2 Cows

Wk 1 Wk 4 Wk 7 Wk 10 Wk 13 Wk 16 Wk 19 Wk 22 Wk 25 Wk 28 Wk 31 Wk 34 Wk 37 Wk 40 Wk 43 Wk 46 Wk 49 Wk 52

135.00

Source: CanFax Source: CanFax

Lethbridge Barley Price 490.00

0.80

2023

0.77

5 yr avg 20182022

0.76 0.75 0.74

Price per tonne

2022

0.78

2023 2022

440.00

0.79

CDN $ - US terms

350.00

200.00

165.00

2021 390.00

2020

340.00 290.00 240.00

0.73 Wk 52

Wk 49

Wk 46

Wk 43

Wk 40

Wk 37

Wk 34

Wk 31

Wk 28

Wk 25

Wk 22

Wk 19

Wk 16

Wk 13

Wk 10

Wk 7

Wk 4

190.00 Wk 1

0.72

2023

Source: Bank of Canada

24 | ©BEEF BUSINESS | www.skstockgrowers.com

Wk 1 Wk 4 Wk 7 Wk 10 Wk 13 Wk 16 Wk 19 Wk 22 Wk 25 Wk 28 Wk 31 Wk 34 Wk 37 Wk 40 Wk 43 Wk 46 Wk 49 Wk 52

Price per hundred weight

365.00

SK Weekly Average Price Steers 500-600 lbs

Source: CanFax

JANUARY 2024

MARKETS AND TRADE RETAIL MEAT PRICE SURVEY as of December 28, 2023 ($/lb) SUPERSTORE

SOBEYS

CO-OP

SAVE ON FOODS

5.99

4.93

4.95

Cross rib roast

11.40

8.93

Rib roast

14.94

8.93

8.73 9.92

Ground beef - lean

Outside round roast

11.99

Inside round roast

12.99

11.90

Ribeye steak

25.00

24.89

$ 25.31

Round steak

10.99

11.90

$ 10.91

Sirloin steak

5.88

5.83

T-bone steak

20.00

25.81

$ 14.49

Tenderloin

35.00

23.83

$ 24.82

8.93

6.94

12.39 *

28.78

13.87

* * $

37.74

*These items were unavailable at the time of data collection

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www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 25

FEATURE

Nutrition

TOTAL MIXED RATION FOR CATTLE DURING WINTER Lynne Girardin

Now that the cattle’s rations have been determined, we must be sure they are eating it. There are multiple ways to deliver the feed, but one of the best ways to achieve this objective is through a Total Mixed Ration (TMR), using a mixer wagon.

Lynne Girardin, MSc, PAg Consulting Ruminant Nutritionist BeefSmart Consulting Inc.

What is the ideal method to feed cattle? It’s January and though we are still waiting for snow and low temperatures to come, it is time to start feeding cattle for the next months with preserved forages, grains and supplements until spring. Now, two questions must be answered for every group of animals in the yard: What should I feed? How should I feed it? At this time of the year, most producers have completed their winter feed inventories. This likely includes feedstuffs such as straw, hay, baleage, silage, grains, byproducts, and mineral/vitamin sources. Each feed in the inventory should be accompanied by a feed test, which must be done annually for each crop or harvest. Forages and grains grown this year will vary in their nutritional value compared to previous and future years, regardless of species, variety, management practices or field. Feed tests, along with consideration of the specific operation’s cattle (breed, age, physiological status, body weight and performance), allow nutritionists to build rations that will achieve the goals of the operation and meet the requirements of the animals.

and therefore, reduces demand on the watering source. There are a few things to consider when mixing a TMR to ensure a successful ration:

•

Mixing order - To achieve a good mix, ingredients with low density and long particle length (such as hay) should be added first (in some cases they should be processed before); followed by other forages (such as silage); high density ingredients of small particle size (grains and mineral premixes); and finally liquid ingredients. If ingredients are not added in the correct order, the mix may not be uniform.

•

Batch size - Overloading or underloading the mixer can result in a bad mix. Depending on the mixer capacity, it is important to know the minimum and maximum volume that the mixer wagon can handle. It is important to think about volume, not weight. Depending on the ingredients used, two different TMRs of the same volume can have greatly different weights.

•

Mixing time - Depending on the original chop length of the forages, a mixing time of three to five minutes after filling is complete, is ideal. If the batch is not mixed for long enough, uniformity is not accomplished; after five minutes, the TMR ingredients can begin to separate again. Additionally, too long of a mix time can cause particle length to become too small, causing ruminal upset.

•

Particle size - If the particle size is too short, rumination will not be obtained, causing some rumen disorders. If the particle size is too long, the animal will sort the TMR, leaving bulky or unpalatable ingredients in the bunk.

•

Feed bunks - Improper feed bunks can lead to wasted feed. Additionally, inadequate headspace per animal at the feed bunk will result in ununiform animal performance in that pen. continued on page 28

The TMR is a great tool because it results in a homogeneous diet, mixing every single ingredient in the right amount to assure that every bite of the mix would be the same in every spot in the feed bunk. This prevents animals from sorting out ingredients they enjoy, and leaving behind ingredients they need. In this way, a TMR helps reduce the chances of ruminal acidosis. Because we have control over the ingredients and quantity added in every load, it is easier to ensure each animal receives the correct amount of minerals, vitamins and additives. With this control, it is also easier to predict cattle performance. Another advantage of feeding a TMR is that ingredients that are low quality or non-palatable, can be utilized and diluted into the mix so that cattle cannot taste or sort them out. The TMR has a few advantages compared to other conventional feeding strategies. For example, in low moisture diets (i.e., diets with high inclusion of straw or hay), water can be added to the mix:

•

To increase dry matter intake of each animal - Since drier diets have lower intakes, adding water helps ensure intakes reach desired levels.

• •

To help process forages.

•

To reduce dust in the diet - Dust irritates the respiratory tract and can carry bacteria and fungi to the lungs, ending in respiratory diseases. Dust also predisposes cattle to pink eye, even during the winter, by causing irritation on the eye and carrying Morazella bovis. To reduce demand on water bowls Adding water in the ration not only increases the dry matter intake, but also increases dietary water intake,

26 | ©BEEF BUSINESS | www.skstockgrowers.com

JANUARY 2024

Velon & Leah Herback 306-567-7033 velonherback@gmail.com W AT C H F O R V I D E O S MID FEBRUARY ON DLMS

Hunter Herback 306-561-8118 hhunterherback@gmail.com

FEATURE

Nutrition

Winter Rations cont. from pg. 26 Consistency is the most important factor when making a TMR that will increase or optimize performance and animal health.

Using a TMR implies the cattle will depend on the delivery of the mix every day; so, maintaining a feeding routine and having the machinery in good condition are essential for this system to be successful.

Monitoring feed intake and animal performance to detect any changes and adjust for it is the key to success. B

COWBYTES IS BACK Natasha Wilkie

This is a great time to take stock of your feedstuffs and get a handle on whether they will meet your cow herd’s nutritional needs throughout the winter, both in quality and quantity. The first step in this process is testing the feed. A lot of hard work goes into growing and harvesting the feed, so ensuring it meets your herd’s nutritional requirements is important. The only way to truly know the quality of the various feeds on your farm is to send samples to a lab for analysis. Livestock and feed extension specialists with the Ministry of Agriculture have put together a resource specific to the ins and outs of feed testing.1 As the feed is tested for quality, it is also a prime time to verify your inventories, including bales weights of each feed. If inventories are short or there is no extra available for severe winter weather, it may be best to start sourcing additional feed now. The ministry has a list of processed feed companies to aid in your search.2 The next step is to enter the feed test data and feed inventories into CowBytes, the ration balancing software. CowBytes is an excellent resource that enables beef producers to formulate their own feed rations. The software comes preloaded with average values for common feeds, but we strongly recommend you enter the values from your feed tests. The nutritional quality of feed can vary

immensely year to year and from one area to another. The more accurate the input, the more accurate the output of the ration. No one wants to be worrying about sourcing and transporting additional feed in the middle of winter. Using CowBytes with your information and cowherd specifics can help ensure your cow herd requirements will be met. This also allows you to manage your feed inventory and prevent over- or under-feeding, costing you money or affecting animal health and production. Costing out your rations is also an option in this software, allowing you to play around with different feeds and supplements, aiming for a least cost ration. You can always consult with a nutritionist or your local livestock and feed extension specialist to go over the prepared ration together. CowBytes does offer generalized tidbits of nutritional data for certain feeds; however, these folks can have great insight on localized feed quality in any given year. How do you get started? CowBytes is now available for purchase through the Beef Cattle Research Council.3 The software costs $60 and will be delivered on a USB flash drive via regular mail. Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Agriculture specialists have put together a set of tutorials on how to use the software, which can be found on our YouTube channel.4

28 | ©BEEF BUSINESS | www.skstockgrowers.com

To learn more about feed testing or using CowBytes, please contact your local livestock and feed extension specialist by calling the Agriculture Knowledge Centre at 1-866-457-2377. B FURTHER INFORMATION Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture 1. Feed Sampling and Analysis for Beef Cattle https://publications.saskatchewan. ca/api/v1/products/121825/ formats/141209/download

2. Processed Feeds - Company Listing

https://www.saskatchewan.ca/ business/agriculture-naturalresources-and-industry/agribusinessfarmers-and-ranchers/livestock/cattlepoultry-and-other-livestock/cattle/ processed-feeds---company-listing

3. CowBytes Tutorial - Feeding Info video (youtube.com) https://www.youtube.com/playlist?app =desktop&list=PLU6lNl6H8OCDepDKk lJHFx9cFcKY6xd0M Beef Cattle Research Council 4. CowBytes Ration-Balancing Software https://www.beefresearch.ca/ cowbytes/

JANUARY 2024

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FEATURE

Nutrition

POTATO, POT-AH-TO: CAN WE FEED CULL POTATOES TO REDUCE FOOD WASTE AND PRODUCE HIGH QUALITY BEEF Beef Cattle Research Council | BeefResearch.ca

Project Title: Economic and Environmental Impacts Associated With Removal of ProductivityEnhancing Technologies in the Canadian Beef Cattle Industry

not subject to restriction by Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), and can serve as a model to show the potential environmental benefits of upcycling food waste to ruminants.

Researchers: Tim McAllister, Ph.D. (Agriculture Agri-Food Canada Lethbridge); Kim Ominski, Ph.D. (University of Manitoba); Karen Beauchemin Ph.D., Roland Kroebel Ph.D. and Shannan Little (Agriculture Agri-Food Canada Lethbridge); Getahun Legesse Gizaw Ph.D., (Manitoba Agriculture) Emma McGeough Ph.D., Karin Wittenberg Ph.D., Jared Carlberg Ph.D. (UManitoba); John McKinnon Ph.D. (University of Saskatchewan); Robin White Ph.D. (Virginia Tech); Mark Klassen (Canadian Cattlemen’s Association)

Potatoes are widely grown in Canada producing and average of 5.3 Modern Monetary Theory (MMT), annually. Waste from potato production is mainly in the form of cull potatoes. That means perfectly good potatoes thrown out due to limited storage space, imperfections not desired by consumers among other things, though they are still considered a high energy source for ruminants.

Completed March, 2023 Background Upcycling food waste as animal feed is one of the main strategies crop and livestock producers use to reduce waste and use it to produce nutrient dense beef. Using food waste as livestock feed also has the potential to lower the negative environmental and health impacts that are common in other food waste mitigation strategies like composting and anaerobic digestion. However, recycling food waste as feed is not without its challenges. From a Canadian perspective, challenges are mainly related to access. The wide geographic range of cattle and crop production sites can rack up high transportation costs, there are regulations that limit the potential use as feed, and overall economic feasibility can all be limiting factors. However, potatoes are

Potatoes contain 77 per cent total digestible nutrients (TDN), 10 per cent crude protein (CP), 11 per cent neutral detergent fibre (NDF), seven per cent acid detergent fibre (ADF), making them desirable for finishing cattle rations as partial substitute for grains.

Objectives • Determine if using cull potatoes (food waste) as a partial substitution for grains in beef cattle finishing diets to improve environmental impacts, cost of production and livestock performance • Evaluate potatoes as a potential model to estimate the environmental, economic and productivity impacts of utilizing other food waste as livestock feed in Canada What They Did This team complied a literature review to inform on food loss, food waste and by-products in Canada, to understand the current state of the system and the current/potential role cattle can play in upcycling these products. This included potato waste availability, price, inclusion level, etc., in Western and Eastern Canada.

This team looked at the In Canada, potato Counting in "kg CO2e" outputs to analyze and waste has been is a standard way to compare production used to improve combine emissions of factors, environmental the performance parameters and economics different greenhouse of feedlot cattle which included the future performance gases into a single climate monetary cost of GHG for years, but footprint number. emissions as outlined by the little research Manitoba provincial policy. has explored CarbonCloud.com the potential Estimations were made for positive effects on the environment and calf-fed, yearling-fed or yearling grassproducer’s bottom-line. Therefore, the fed heifers or steers supplied with potato objective of this study was to examine the waste at zero per cent (standard diet), effect of partially substituting grains with 15 per cent or 30 per cent dietary cull potatoes in standard feedlot diets dry matter. on feed conversion ratio, land use, net greenhouse gas (GHG) emission and the In brief, GHG emissions were assessed cost of production. using the methods and algorithms of the Holos model (i.e., software that estimates This proposed study will utilize data GHGs and changes in soil carbon) and gathered under Canadian feeding other coefficients, especially, for the management, prices, and marketing conditions for feedlot finishing production purchased feed. systems, and will be used as a model for other sources of food waste.

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Nutrition FEATURE What They Learned Across cattle categories in the west, total GHG emission intensity was reduced by 2.1-4.8 per cent with 2.36, 2.31 and 2.24 kg CO₂e/kg live weight, for the standard diet, 15 per cent and 30 per cent potato inclusion, respectively. Similarly, reduction in the east was 2.2-4.6 per cent with 1.65, 1.61, 1.57 kg CO₂e/kg live weight, for the standard diet, 15 per cent and 30 per cent potato inclusion, respectively. Although potato waste inclusion reduced net farm emissions due to decreases in direct, indirect and energy emissions (mainly from cropping), it also resulted in higher methane emissions as a result of lower dietary total digestible nutrients. Using potato waste also reduced land required for feed production by 16 per

cent and 31 per cent (Western Canada) and 14 per cent and 28 per cent (Eastern Canada) at 15 per cent and 30 per cent inclusion, respectively. Results suggest that feeding potato waste could reduce GHG emissions through significant reductions in land area required to produce grain in standard feedlot diets. Furthermore, utilization of potato waste in cattle diets re-directs waste away from landfills, mitigating emissions and eliminating disposal cost, while producing high quality animal protein. What It Means Repurposing the “waste” of other agricultural industries as feed for beef cattle is a huge opportunity to reduce the inputs that are required to produce local food in Canada.

Potatoes that would not make it to the human food market have been used as a means to supplement crop grains like barley and corn to produce high quality beef while reducing the land, GHG emissions, land use and costs of both systems, effectively. What this truly means is we can use cattle as a means to upcycle food that people cannot or will not eat, providing more food on Canadians’ plates and reducing negative environmental impacts from food crops, grain crops and animal production. B Proudly funded by: Agriculture and Agri-food Canada, Beef Cattle Research Council and Canadian Beef Cattle Checkoff

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FEATURE EXPERT EXPECTS SOME MOISTURE IN 2024, BUT NOT ENOUGH Jeff Gaye

Agricultural meteorologist Drew Lerner sees a potential for some improvement to the current drought cycle in 2024, but he warns the long dry spell isn’t over yet. The Southern prairies are feeling the effects of a multi-year drought. And so far, most of Saskatchewan has experienced a mild, dry winter. Lerner is founder, president and senior agricultural meteorologist at Kansasbased World Weather Inc. He says the El Niño weather phenomenon is the main reason for the tame winter, but when that system breaks up there is a potential for some precipitation. “At least through January, maybe even the first part of February, we will still have a warmer than normal bias and belownormal precipitation. And that will be the rule for the bulk of Saskatchewan and a fair amount of Alberta,” Lerner said. He expects the weakening and eventual breakup of El Niño will start to accelerate around then, creating the possibility for rogue storms to develop and bring some moisture to the province into March and April.

“Now don’t read more into that,” Lerner “In the late summer and autumn, we saw cautions. “I’m not suggesting abovea definite decline in moisture that was normal precipitation. I’m just saying that not necessarily because of El Niño, but where we are right now is very dry and because there was some expansion of the very warm, and if El Niño drought pattern. But once were to stay strong and we got into October and The official prevail through the November, the drier bias 2024 forecast is winter, then we wouldn’t is now much more being really see much change controlled by El Niño,” for alternating in this pattern. We he said. periods of rain would just continue to be dry and warm all the While temperatures are and dry weather. way to the end. milder across the province this winter, Lerner said “But if we do see accelerated weakening in the Northeast hasn’t been especially dry. El Niño, there will be at least a little better The region from Prince Albert to Yorkton potential for getting a storm or two across and Hudson Bay will see near-normal the region. So, there’s a glimmer of hope precipitation up until February, “but there,” he said. the temperatures will still be warmer than normal.” “But it won’t be enough to replenish the moisture supply.” Long-range forecasting involves watching a variety of influencing factors, any of The dry conditions have been expanding which can change abruptly. And every northward, and Lerner attributes this to now and then, a major event will disrupt El Niño—at least in part. But northern weather patterns and send forecasters regions have a better subsoil moisture back to the drawing board. profile, so operations there are better able Lerner says with all of the data available, to recover with even a relatively small and for all the training, knowledge, and amount of precipitation. experience a meteorologist might have, it can still take a bit of luck to get the forecast right.

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“We can look at all kinds of weather patterns that are in the atmosphere, and at any single moment there’s multiple influences. The art of long-range forecasting is being able to pick the right anomaly,” he said. “Because there are several weather patterns occurring at the same time, you’ve got to be able to find the one that’s going to be more dominating than the others.” One dominant force over the past year has been the aftermath of the Hunga Tonga volcanic eruption. The undersea volcano, near the South Pacific island nation of Tonga, erupted

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FEATURE forcefully in December 2021 and January 2022—the biggest volcanic eruption in modern history. The power of the blast and the intense heat sent massive amounts of water vapour into the stratosphere. Lerner said that as a result, the stratosphere is holding 10 per cent more water than usual, exaggerating the atmosphere’s existing greenhouse effect and preventing normal cooling. “That’s the reason why the entire planet has experienced this huge spike upward in anomalous temperatures in 2023,” Lerner said. Research scientists, he said, have determined the effects of the eruption could last for up to five years. “They also said that one of those five years would have a much larger impact on weather than the other four years, and it looks like 2023 was the year for the most anomalous impact,” Lerner said.

JANUARY 2024

“The problem they have with the long-range outlook is that some of the lingering effects from the volcano are likely to still be with us in 2024.” The official 2024 forecast is for alternating periods of rain and dry weather.

Lerner isn’t convinced any of this will fix the long-term moisture deficit, “but I do think that we will have an opportunity,” he said. “But that window will close when we get into June and July, and especially August.”B

“But I am going to lean towards a drier summer, and I think we’re going to have a problem getting good moisture to occur in the spring unless El Niño does break down really quickly,” Lerner said. “When we get into April and May, there should be an opportunity for some better rainfall to occur,” he added. “I think those will be the two most important months of the growing season because I think we’ll still have notable moisture deficits in many of these areas in the Southwest, and the Palliser Triangle in particular. It’ll be imperative that we get timely good rain, and I think the potential is there for at least some.”

Drew Lerner Founder, President and Senior Agricultural Meteorologist World Weather Inc.

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FEATURE FEDERAL AG MINISTER OPENS 2024 WITH INTERVIEW higher input costs, labour shortages and a global pandemic. As I return to the role, my goal is to make sure our producers, ranchers, and processors have the tools they need to manage risk, grow their production, and become more profitable. BB: What are your priorities for the Canadian livestock industry in 2024? The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

To welcome 2024 with answers to some key questions that livestock operators may need to make informed business decisions this year, Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association reached out to his colleagues in the federal government to arrange an interview with the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food (AAFC). Without further ado, we are pleased to present the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay’s responses. PART ONE: PRIORITIES Beef Business (BB): Congratulations on your reappointment as Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Do you have any unfinished business that you would like to address from your first appointment to this role? Honourable Minister Lawrence MacAulay (HMLM): Sitting around the Cabinet table is a great honour. Being a farmer myself, I was thrilled to be appointed Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food back in 2015, and I feel very lucky to have the opportunity to serve again. So much has changed here in Canada and around the world since I left the portfolio back in 2019. We’ve seen advancements in technology and a greater focus on sustainability, but also the challenges farmers are facing due to climate change,

HMLM: Our agricultural sector is a major economic driver and contributes more than $143 billion to our GDP. But it’s also a key part of many rural communities across our country, and an industry Canadians can be proud of. As we look to the year ahead, I want to continue supporting our farmers, grow our international markets, and help producers adopt more innovative, sustainable practices that will keep the sector on the cutting edge. BB: From your perspective, what are the biggest opportunities and challenges facing the Canadian livestock industry going into 2024? HMLM: Farming is a demanding job with unique challenges. Since I’ve been back in the file, I’ve met with many farmers and ranchers. I’ve heard their concerns about the higher costs, and the impact that recent extreme weather events, like floods, wildfires and drought, have had on their operations. We’ve been working to support their recovery and provide them with some protection against income and production losses through our suite of Business Risk Management (BRM) programs. But we also know that we need to help them build resilience and make their operations more sustainable. That’s why we’re investing in initiatives like the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP),

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a $3.5 billion program that supports innovation, sustainability, and trade across Canada’s agriculture sector, and our network of 14 Living Labs from coast to coast, which bring farmers and scientists together to develop new solutions and build climate resilience. We’re also preparing to launch our Sustainable Agriculture Strategy. The Strategy will focus on five priority areas: climate change mitigation, climate adaptation and resilience, biodiversity, water quality and quantity and soil health, and help us set a shared direction for collective action to improve the sector’s long-term sustainability and competitiveness. I think that some of the greatest opportunities for our agriculture sector lie in trade. There is a very clear global demand for what we produce here and our agricultural sector is reliant on our exports. From 2018 to 2022, our meat sector exports have grown by $2.7 billion, with high growth in beef and pork. That’s a real testament to the quality of our products and the need to keep our trade ties strong. Early next year, we’ll be opening Canada’s first-ever Indo-Pacific Agriculture and Agri-Food Office in Manila. This office will cement our presence in the region, a key market for our products, and help us expand our trade opportunities and strengthen our connections with regional partners. PART TWO: RISK MANAGEMENT BB: Earlier this fall, the CanadaSaskatchewan Feed Program (CSFP) was announced to assist producers severely impacted by drought. Typically, AgriRecovery programs are cost shared 60:40 between the federal and provincial governments. Is AAFC reconsidering your decision to not fully fund the program? HMLM: The year 2023 was challenging for producers across Western Canada. JANUARY 2024

FEATURE AgriRecovery programs, including the Canada-Saskatchewan Feed Program, are designed to provide assistance to producers facing disaster situations, and typically, these initiatives are cost-shared on a 60:40 basis between the federal government and participating provinces or territories. In August, Saskatchewan announced $70 million to help offset the extraordinary costs of feeding livestock to maintain the breeding herd in Saskatchewan. At that time, we hadn’t completed all the steps in the process under the AgriRecovery Framework. Once we completed the assessment, the federal government committed $77 million for recovery efforts in the province. This funding was in addition to other programs, like AgriStability, AgriInsurance, and AgriInvest, which provide protection against income and production losses. Our government also announced designated regions for Livestock Tax Deferral due to the extreme weather conditions, and Farm Credit Canada introduced the FCC Replacement Heifer Program to assist cattle producers. BB: Is AAFC working on developing any new Business Risk Management programs to protect producers against market volatility and extreme weather? HMLM: We know that farmers and ranchers are among the first to feel the impacts of climate change, and we’re always looking at ways that our Business Risk Management programs can be improved to support producers better, meet their changing needs, and provide them with the necessary tools to protect their livelihoods. BB: Industry has been asking for costshared Livestock Price Insurance (LPI) premiums. What is the status of the request and does AAFC support this request? HMLM: The request for cost-shared Livestock Price Insurance premiums is progressing. We’re working closely with the provinces, JANUARY 2024

similar to the renewal of Business Risk Management programs under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, to enhance the program, ensure its sustainability, and increase participation.

While our policies are closely aligned, there are still some differences and we’re working closely with the Americans to address them.

We’re also working to establish a Livestock Price Insurance program for producers in Atlantic Canada, which would assist cattle producers in managing risks related to markets and weather. BB: What concerns does the government have about cost sharing LPI premiums? HMLM: Livestock Price Insurance is an important initiative, especially as a commodity-specific regional program, and we want this tool to remain accessible and affordable for livestock producers across Western Canada. PART FOUR: THE PROCESSING SECTOR BB: What is the status of harmonizing our Specified Risk Material (SRM) policy with the United States? HMLM: This is an ongoing process and we want to make sure our policies are aligned with international standards, including those in United States, to keep our trade ties strong and make sure we have the highest standards of food safety.

The removal of SRM from both the human food and animal feed chains is a vital measure for public health protection, and we’re always reviewing our policies and procedures to prevent crosscontamination and the spread of BSE. This work is essential to the safety of both Canadian and American consumers. BB: The Government of Canada is in the process of banning live horse exports for slaughter. Do you have any concerns that this may result in increased horse welfare issues or increased pressure to close the remaining domestic horse processing plants? HMLM: The ban on the live export of horses of slaughter is one of my mandate commitments as Minister of Agriculture, and Tim Louis, the Member of Parliament for Kitchener−Conestoga, has taken the initiative to table a Private Members’ Bill to fulfill that promise. Bill C-355 is currently working through the Parliamentary process, and should it pass, we’ll work with all industry stakeholders, continued on page 36

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FEATURE MacAulay Interview cont. from pg. 35 animal welfare advocates, and provincial partners to support the responsible management of horses throughout their lifetimes. PART FIVE: TRADE BB: Many of Canada’s commitments —like fertilizer reduction, carbon taxes and clean fuel standards—will make it much more costly for ranchers and all agricultural producers. Those ranchers and producers are price takers and cannot pass the costs down to customers. How can we continue to ensure that policies support our industry in terms of their ability to compete in global markets? HMLM: We want the sector to remain competitive on the global stage, but we also need to address climate change. Some of the biggest costs farmers have faced in recent years have been related to their recovery from drought, wildfires or even hurricanes—including in my own province of Prince Edward Island. We’re trying to strike a balance between environmental stewardship and making sure our farmers and ranchers are earning a fair profit, and that’s why we’re investing in research and innovation to develop more efficient and sustainable farming practices that reduce input costs and enhance productivity. We’re also working to provide financial incentives and support programs that help offset the costs associated with transitioning to greener technologies. Our recent consultations on the development of the Sustainable Agriculture Strategy allowed us to hear directly from a variety of stakeholders, including farmers, cooperatives, processors, ranchers, researchers, academics and associations, and by tapping into their knowledge and leveraging best practices, the Sustainable Agriculture Strategy can help us chart a path forward to make the sector more resilient and support farmers’ livelihoods in the years to come.

PART SIX: ENVIRONMENT BB: What are AAFC’s key takeaways from the COP28 in Dubai? HMLM: COP28 recognized the vitallyimportant role that agriculture plays in mitigating climate change, and the fact that farmers want to be part of the solution. I’m proud that during the conference, our delegation, which included a number of stakeholders from the sector, was able to highlight the many ways we’re leading when it comes to climatesmart agricultural practices, including a discussion on the Living Labs system that was hosted by the Canada Pavilion. Canada and nearly 200 other countries also reached an historic agreement at COP28, and reducing methane emissions is highlighted as a key priority area. To support our efforts here at home, we announced the Enteric Methane Emissions from Beef Cattle draft protocol. The goal of this initiative is to reward our Canadian ranchers for using feed additives that help cut down on the methane from their cattle. This is an exciting new opportunity to build on the successes of our cattle industry, and give them a financial incentive to adopt new techniques. We have seen so much industry leadership on this file, with the Canadian Beef Advisors setting a goal of reducing emission intensity from primary beef production by 33 per cent by 2030, and Dairy Farmers of Canada aiming to reach net-zero by 2050, and we recently launched the Methane Reduction Challenge, which will award up to $12 million to innovators advancing lowcost and scalable practices, processes and technologies designed to reduce methane emissions produced by cattle. BB: Going into COP28, there was a lot of focus on reducing meat consumption. What was Canada’s message to critics of livestock production? HMLM: Our farmers and ranchers are stewards of the most sustainable cattle

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in the world. We will always look for innovative ways to reduce emissions in the agricultural sector, including investments in clean technologies and natural climate solutions, while recognizing the efforts by the sector to produce the high-quality products countries around the world are looking for. BB: How do you expect reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to impact Canadian agriculture? What can we do as an industry to adapt and comply with the proposed regulations? Do you have any concerns about Canadian producers remaining competitive with other jurisdictions that don’t have GHG emission regulations? HMLM: Our approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions is both proactive and supportive of our farmers and food producers. The fight against climate change is a top priority for our government, and we are actively working to help producers innovate and adopt more environmentallysustainable practices. Measures include the Agriculture Clean Technology (ACT) Program, which helps farmers purchase and install new technology or upgrade their equipment to reduce greenhouse gas, fertilizer and methane emissions, and the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a fiveyear, $3.5 billion investment by federal, provincial, and territorial governments that supports innovation, sustainability, and trade across Canada’s agriculture sector. It also includes programs focused on increasing our competitiveness, like the AgriMarketing Program. Now more than ever, consumers care about where their food comes from and the way it gets produced. Our high environmental standards support the competitiveness of Canadian producers. By leading in sustainable practices, we can meet our environmental targets, and position Canada as a global leader in environmentally-responsible food production. BB: Is AAFC working on expediting the approval process for 3-NOP in Canada continued on page 38 JANUARY 2024

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FEATURE MacAulay Interview cont. from pg. 36 to help the livestock industry mitigate methane emissions? HMLM: We will always work to improve our agricultural practices, and 3-NOP is one innovative solution that can help the livestock industry mitigate methane emissions. In November, Canadian Food Inspection Agency launched public consultations on a new single-ingredient feed description for 3-NOP. They are currently reviewing all of the comments received, and if no concerns are raised, they will finalize the approval of 3-NOP and issue the approval. It’s important to follow this process and make sure that the ingredients are safe and effective. BB: Is AAFC developing any new programs to encourage ranchers to retain grasslands?

HMLM: Ranchers recognize the importance of grasslands in maintaining biodiversity, sequestering carbon, and supporting the agricultural economy, and they lead the way in environmental stewardship and building a sustainable agriculture sector. We’re advancing programs like the On-Farm Climate Action Fund, which provides support to farmers and ranchers in adopting beneficial management practices that maintain and improve the carbon sequestration potential of grasslands. Through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, we also introduced the Resilient Agricultural Landscape Program, a $250-million cost-shared program with the provinces and territories to help producers conserve and enhance the resiliency of their land.

CONCLUSION BB: Is there anything you would like to highlight to our readers to conclude this interview? HMLM: So many communities across Canada have a proud history in agriculture, and the sector employs more than 2.3 million people, representing about one in nine jobs. We’re the world’s fifth largest exporter of agri-food, and our exports amounted to $92.8 billion last year. The demand for our high-quality products continues to grow, and my goal as Canada’s Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food is to build on our strong history and global reputation, so that our producers and processors continue to succeed for generations to come. B

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FEATURE SASKATCHEWAN MINISTER LEADS AG WITH OPTIMISM FOR 2024 will continue to work with industry in these areas in addition to planning and preparing for potential future challenges that could come our way.

Honourable David Marit Saskatchewan Minister of Agriculture

In December, Honourable David Marit, Saskatchewan Minister of Agriculture, answered questions we posed on behalf of Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association members regarding the government’s policies, positions and vision for the livestock sector in 2024. PART ONE: PROVINCIAL PRIORITIES Beef Business (BB): What are the Ministry of Agriculture’s priorities for the Saskatchewan livestock industry in 2024? The Honourable Minister David Marit (HMDM): The province’s growth plan for 2030 continues to be a priority and the livestock industry is an important part of it. The goals for the livestock sector are for cash receipts to reach $3 billion, and in 2022 the province reached over $2.9 billion, a 10 per cent increase from the five-year average. Another goal is to double meat processing and animal feed value-added revenue to more than $1 billion, noting in 2021, meat processing was $702 million while animal feed was $405 million for a total of $1.1 billion. Ultimately, we want to not only meet our agricultural targets but maintain and exceed them in sustainable manner for future generations. The livestock industry is facing challenges, such as drought and disease, that will extend into the new year. The ministry JANUARY 2024

The ministry will continue to support producers and industry through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership programming, released on April 1, 2023, as we head into its second year. Our goal is for our producers and agri-businesses to maximize these programs which will contribute to their success and advance the sector. BB: From your perspective, what are the biggest opportunities and challenges facing Saskatchewan’s livestock industry going into 2024? HMDM: Maintaining the breeding stock in the cow-calf sector is one of the main challenges going into 2024. I believe there are opportunities to grow the sector, and the ministry is committed to looking for those opportunities and helping address barriers to growth. We will continue to work with industry and direct producers towards programming that can support their needs. There is an opportunity to continue to build trust in the sector and increase market attractiveness. We grow healthy, safe, environmentally-sustainable food here in Saskatchewan and we have an opportunity to promote that. Saskatchewan will continue to promote growth and investment using the “Strong. Sustainable. Saskatchewan” initiative to help tell the story. Meanwhile, producers and stakeholders are encouraged to continue sharing their positive story. BB: Does the government have any plans to help address the competitive imbalance between the livestock and grain industry? HMDM: The livestock sector is a significant contributor to our provincial economy and it’s important that we are there for producers when they need us. Since 2021,

the government has invested more than $500 million in support for the livestock sector, and in recent years we’ve increased our support by: • Enhancing the Farm and Ranch Water Infrastructure Program; • Making improvements to the Forage Rainfall Insurance Program (FRIP); • Removing the Reference Margin Limit provision in AgriStability; • Freezing Crown land lease rates for 2023; • Doubling the low-yield appraisal of grain crops that could then be used for livestock feed; and

• Adding a freight adjustment to

Wildlife Damage Compensation hay prices and increasing access to fencing packages to protect stacked forage supplies.

We recognize there are concerns with how the Business Risk Management (BRM) programs are working for livestock producers and continue to work closely with producer groups and the federal government to find ways to make these programs more effective in times of need. There were additional efforts under our BRM programming this past year, including working with the federal government to increase the 2023 AgriStability interim benefit payment percentage from 50 to 75 per cent. This is also the first year the AgriStability compensation rate increased from 70 to 80 per cent, which will be positive for anyone enrolled in that program. In September, the federal and provincial governments announced over 90 per cent of insured Forage Rainfall Insurance Program acres received a payout for 2023. The total 2023 FRIP indemnity paid was $60 million. Enrollment in this program remains quite low compared to other crop insurance plans, so I encourage all ranchers to consider what this program can do on their farm. continued on page 40

www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 39

FEATURE Marit Interview cont. from pg. 39 In April 2023, we were pleased to announce a new five-year, cost-shared funding agreement among the four Western provinces and the federal government for the Livestock Price Insurance (LPI) program; this is a valuable risk-management option for livestock producers. Furthermore, when cattle producers needed it most, we worked with the federal government in implementing AgriRecovery Programs in 2021 and 2023. This resulted in per head payouts to the hardest hit producers in the province to assist in their operations and maintain the provinces breeding herd. Lastly, I can add that producers are forecasted to receive $115 million in the form of matching government contributions through the AgriInvest Program in 2023; collectively, Saskatchewan producers have over $1 billion in their individual AgriInvest accounts. PART TWO: DROUGHT BB: Earlier this fall, the CanadaSaskatchewan Feed Program was announced to assist producers severely impacted by drought. How has the program been received to date and how many producers have participated? HMDM: Some producers indicated they felt it was unfortunate that boundaries were set by Canada as part of their funding commitment, and that recognizing opportunity costs, like the repurposing of crops, would have been welcome additions as an eligible expense; however, given that AgriRecovery programs happen quickly and are negotiation-based, we have a program design that targets impacted areas and producers as best it can. We are making provincial-only funding available for anyone in the province that was impacted by drought conditions and has extraordinary expenses. We encourage everyone that was impacted by the drought in 2023, to apply for the

program regardless of their location. Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation (SCIC) has applications available, and recently made some minor changes to the application form and instruction guide in response to feedback from producers requesting a more user-friendly way to apply. The application needs to indicate the number of breeding animals on hand, as of August 21, 2023, intended to be kept until January 31, 2024. The 2023 Canada-Saskatchewan Feed Program is to help offset extraordinary costs related to purchasing feed, transporting feed or transporting breeding stock to feed sources. Please note the application deadline is March 1, 2024. If a producer wants to ask questions or discuss their unique operation or expenses, SCIC has a dedicated toll-free line at 1-844-723-1211. BB: One of the goals of the CanadaSaskatchewan Feed Program is to help maintain the breeding herd. How does the government measure success for this goal and does the government have a specific herd size they are wanting to maintain? HMDM: Our government is committed to ensuring livestock producers have the support they need, as they continue to provide the high-quality food Saskatchewan families rely on.

now have a cost-shared program to support the livestock sector. I want to emphasize that the livestock sector is a significant contributor to our provincial economy, and it’s important that we are there for producers through these challenges. BB: How did participation and payouts in the 2023 Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation forage insurance program compare to past years? Is the government looking at any possible changes to forage insurance for 2024? HMDM: Currently, approximately 20 per cent of provincial hay and grazing acres are insured within the Crop Insurance forage programs, with the most popular option being the Forage Rainfall Insurance Program. Over the past five years, it was responsive and saw an increase in participation.

• Total 2023 program participation is 3.35 million acres with over $117 million in insured coverage.

• Total 2023 indemnities are $60.4

million dollars or 51.4 per cent of insured coverage.

• The 2023 program saw 1,776

customers participation with an average of 1,885 insured acres.

• Payments ranged from $14 to over $655,000 per customer with an average of $12,469.

• Over 90 percent of insured acres enrolled received a payment.

As a requirement of the AgriRecovery funding framework, the 2023 Feed Program will be doing surveying of participants to get a sense of how the program helped with their recovery.

• The average premium cost per

We saw quite a decline in cattle numbers due to the 2021 drought, and most certainly did not want to see a further decline this year. This is why it was important for us to announce the provincial funding back in August, so ranchers knew they would receive assistance before they had to make decisions about fall marketing. Ultimately, we were thankful the federal government came to the negotiation table, and we

• In 2023, the excess heat adjustment

40 | ©BEEF BUSINESS | www.skstockgrowers.com

producer was $3.35 per acre, average coverage was $35 per acre and the average payment for those customers in a claim was $19.44 per acre. accounted for $5.8 million of the total FRIP indemnity paid.

The program also offers multi-peril insurance for feed crops such as tame hay and greenfeed. In 2023, over 400,000 acres were insured, providing approximately $55 million in coverage, and as of December 19, 2023, claim payments to 2023 multi-peril forage policies were

JANUARY 2024

FEATURE Statistics as of December 20, 2023: Federal and Provincial

Province Only

Total Applicants

539

Applicants Paid to Date

235

Amount Paid to Date

$ 4,474,649

Total Estimated Payments

$ 8,585,530

$ 111,749

# of Animals Declared

107,204

6,421

*Count of Customers

26,207

Sum of All Animals Declared

Beef Cattle

554

103,012

Horses

453

Sheep

7,060

Goats

634

Bison

2,383

Deer

Elk

TOTAL

693

113,625

*NOTE: Customers may have more than one species

approximately $6.3 million. SCIC works closely with industry groups, such as Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association, to improve programs, continually. Many enhancements have been implemented as a result of this continued collaboration. SCIC is currently in the midst of finalizing the 2024 Crop Insurance Program. Given there have been two recent feed supply related AgriRecovery programs for forage and livestock producers, it’s important to consider the effectiveness of programming and encourage Saskatchewan producers to utilize the full suite of available BRM programs. BB: Is the government taking any steps to address basis risk in the Forage Rainfall Insurance Program? HMDM: SCIC is continually reviewing and evolving the weather network utilized for the weather-based programs. There’s considerable effort to evaluate

JANUARY 2024

several remote sensing options, and Saskatchewan is leading research work at the National Forage Task Team level and strongly supports improvements in this area. PART THREE: RISK MANAGEMENT BB: Industry has been asking for cost-shared Livestock Price Insurance premiums. What is the status of the request and does the Government of Saskatchewan support the request? HMDM: Saskatchewan has been a strong proponent of Livestock Price Insurance and views it as a fundamental program to support our livestock sector. SCIC has successfully worked with the Maritime provinces to support them in developing an Eastern LPI and will continue to work to have LPI be considered national in scope—a distinction our federal partners require for it to become standard BRM programming. At that point, the premium cost sharing could be reevaluated. BB: What concerns does the government

have about cost sharing LPI premiums? HMDM: We are interested to explore what cost-sharing of the LPI premiums look like, as a potential option to support our livestock sector, better. The first step is to look at the LPI as a national program and gain support across the country. We understand there are trade risks associated with cost-sharing LPI premiums; however, some of our industry now indicate it is an acceptable risk. It is something we need to explore further. BB: The ongoing bovine TB investigation has highlighted some gaps in our existing risk management programs. Is the province looking at developing programming to cover feed expenses, and cleaning and disinfection expenses, as a result of animal health investigations? HMDM: I understand such investigations are stressful, and we appreciate the patience of individual producers working with Canadian Food Inspection Agency. continued on page 42

www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 41

FEATURE Marit Interview cont. from pg. 41 I’m thankful to all the local veterinarians who assisted in the investigation.

other investors and entrepreneurs are occurring on an ongoing basis with respect to additional livestock processing opportunities.

Extraordinary costs as a result of animal health investigations are generally managed through our existing suite of BRM programs.

BB: What are potential investors saying they are looking for in a livestock processing business investment?

PART SIX: ENVIRONMENT

HMDM: Entrepreneurs and investors look for welcoming and attractive business environments. Our government strives to ensure Saskatchewan is an attractive place to invest and do business, and this will continue to be our focus, thanks to programs such as the Saskatchewan Value-added Agriculture Incentive. Ministry of Agriculture specialists also work closely with the livestock industry to help position it for continued growth and success.

Our government continuously reviews the options available to help those affected by this situation and we encourage all producers to make full use of our BRM programs. PART FOUR: THE PROCESSING SECTOR BB: Has the province had any fruitful discussions with investors about livestock processing opportunities in Saskatchewan?

The ministry has ensured the Saskatchewan Lean Improvements in Manufacturing (SLIM) program is available for processing facilities to assist in the capital de-risking of productivity or expansion projects.

HMDM: Interest in the meat processing sector continues, with the most recent example being the November opening of the North 49 Foods Ltd. pork processing facility in Moose Jaw. Earlier in the year, Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation acquired a processing plant in Duck Lake, providing another example of how new investors are interested in Saskatchewan’s meat sector.

PART FIVE: CROWN LANDS BB: Is the government planning to extend the crown-grazing lease freeze and stocking rate reduction for another year? What are grazing rates projected to be for 2024?

The Ministry of Trade and Export Development actively pursues and enables investment attraction on a broad scale by emphasizing key opportunities across Saskatchewan’s economic sectors, including value-added agriculture and meat processing.

HMDM: Cultivated and grazing rental rates on agricultural Crown land are determined annually, early in the calendar year. We are aware of the pressures facing the industry and these challenges will factor into the decision-making process; however, no decisions have been made at this time.

There are also several existing abattoirs and meat processors that have announced or are planning expansions and upgrades to their facilities to meet growing demand. Conversations with

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BB: Representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture recently attended COP28 in Dubai as part of the Saskatchewan delegation. What were the takeaways from attending the conference? HMDM: Sustainable agricultural production was a major focus of our presence at this event, led by Premier Scott Moe. Our livestock sector is vital to fulfilling the world’s need for high-quality, nutritious protein products. While I did not attend COP28 this year, my takeaway is that we need to be on that world stage talking about how sustainability and agricultural production go together— and Saskatchewan is leading the way. BB: Going into COP28, there was a lot of focus on reducing meat consumption. What was the Government of Saskatchewan’s message to critics of livestock production? HMDM: We know the Saskatchewan sustainability story goes beyond cropping to include the livestock sector, and we need to be vocal about this. Livestock producers produce high-quality food while helping maximize marginal land not suited for crop production. This province has 20 million acres of native grasslands and tame forages for livestock production, which play a vital role in maintaining biodiversity, water quality, protecting habitat and species at risk, and sequestering carbon. Evidence shows that more-intensive grazing further increases carbon storage, and Saskatchewan is again leading the charge here with rotationalgrazing practices. It’s estimated that

Customer Premium

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2019

1,227

2.188.422

59,083,250

9,432,903

3,773,161

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2020

1,225

2,335,983

62,238,383

10,004,249

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1,747

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JANUARY 2024

FEATURE Saskatchewan’s native prairie—roughly 11.5 million acres—is storing between 22 and 86 tonnes of carbon per acre. We’re telling the story at home and on missions around the world that livestock production helps to feed the world, and in Saskatchewan it’s part of our remarkable sustainability story. PART SEVEN: IRRIGATION BB: When will the KPMG Lake Diefenbaker Irrigation Projects’ feasibility study be released? And once the study is finalized, what will the next steps be for the project? HMDM: The Lake Diefenbaker Irrigation Projects are one of the most unique opportunities in Canada for food security and production, and economic growth. Irrigation enables producers to grow diverse, high-value crops, which increases on-farm profitability and enables valueadded processing, business attraction and employment. The current focus is on the Westside Rehabilitation and Expansion Projects, which could expand irrigation in the province by up to 340,000 acres.

The reports for the Westside Projects preliminary engineering and financial analysis are currently being finalized, after which, there are several key decisions that will help to further determine the overall scope of the engineering needed to move forward. More environmental and field work will be completed with the next phases of planning. This work helps to inform the current level of engineering and further determine potential routing options.

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CONCLUSION BB: Is there anything you would like highlight to our readers to conclude this interview? HMDM: I’d like to thank Saskatchewan’s ranchers for persevering through a challenging growing season and I join them in hoping for more moisture in 2024. Remember, your work is important, but your physical and mental health is even more so; the Farm Stress Line (1-800-667-4442 toll-free, or at www.farmstressline.ca) is a confidential service available 24–7. BB: Thank you, Mr. Minister. B

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www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 43

SCIENCE AND PRODUCTION ACTIVE MISSING LIVESTOCK FILES

as of November 30, 2023

If you have any information related to these or any missing livestock file, please contact Livestock Services of Saskatchewan or RCMP Livestock Investigator Cpl. Owen Third at 306-537-9448. Area Missing From

# of Head

Animal Type

RM 70

Cow

RM 70

Cow

Cowessess First Nation

Cows

No brand

Calves

No brand

Cows Calves

Calves

Cows

Calf

RM 131

Cow

RM 377

Cow

RM 130

Calves

RM 244

Cow

RM 370

Calves

Cows

Cow

Pair

Pairs

RM 377

RM 376

RM 274

Bull

Calf

Moose Jaw 306-694-3709

October 16

right hip

Moose Jaw 306-694-3709

October 16

Yorkton 306-786-5712

October 17

North Battleford 306-446-7404

October 17

North Battleford 306-446-7404

October 17

North Battleford 306-446-7404

October 17

right hip

Moose Jaw 306-694-3709

October 18

left hip

North Battleford 306-446-7404

October 20

Moose Jaw 306-694-3709

October 23

Yorkton 306-786-5712

October 24

Saskatoon 306 933 7660

October 24

Yorkton 306-786-5712

October 26

North Battleford 306-446-7404

October27

Saskatoon 306-933-7660

October 28

right shoulder right hip

right rib right hip

No brand

RM 316 1

right hip

O H A right rib

RM 411 1

Date Reported

right hip

RM 378 7

Livestock Services of Saskatchewan Contact

Brand Description and Position

Cow

44 | ©BEEF BUSINESS | www.skstockgrowers.com

right hip left rib left hip left rib left rib left hip left hip

JANUARY 2024

SCIENCE AND PRODUCTION Area Missing From

# of Head

Animal Type

Steer

Heifer

RM 279

Pairs

RM 471

Cows

RM 184

Heifers

Bull

6 pairs

Bulls

Pair

Calves

Pairs

RM 100

Calves

RM 40

Calves

Pair

Calves

Calf

RM 43

RM 496

Red Pheasant First Nation

RM 246 3

Calves

Calf

RM 49

Bull

RM 366

Pair

RM 309

Calves

Brand Description and Position

right hip

Livestock Services of Saskatchewan Contact

Moose Jaw 306-694-3709

left rib

Date Reported October 30 October27

Yorkton 306-786-5712

October 31

North Battleford 306-446-7404

October 31

Yorkton 306-786-5712

October 31

North Battleford 306-446-7404

November 2

North Battleford 306-446-7404

November 2

right hip

Moose Jaw 306-694-3709

November 2

left hip

Moose Jaw 306-694-3709

November 3

Yorkton 306-786-5712

November 3

Swift Current 306-778-8312

November 6

Yorkton 306-786-5712

November 6

Saskatoon 306-933-7660

November 7

left hip

left hip or

left hip

left hip No brand

left rib No brand right hip left rib right shoulder left rib left hip

right hip left hip right rib left rib right hip right hip No brand

right rib No brand

continued on page 46 JANUARY 2024

www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 45

SCIENCE AND PRODUCTION Marit Interview cont. from pg. 45 Area Missing From

# of Head

Animal Type

Cows Calves

RM 122

Steers

RM 222

Calves

RM 466

Heifer

3 pairs

RM 467

Mosquito First Nation

Bull

Calves

Cows

Calves

RM 281

Cows

RM 241

Cow

RM 9

Steers

Cows

Calves

17 pairs

November 10

left hip

Yorkton 306-786-5712

November 12

right hip

Moose Jaw 306-694-3709

November 14

right rib

North Battleford 306-446-7404

November 14

North Battleford 306-446-7404

November 14

North Battleford 306-446-7404

November 15

North Battleford 306-446-7404

November 15

right hip

Saskatoon 306-933-7660

November 20

right rib

Yorkton 306-786-5712

November 20

right hip

Moose Jaw 306-694-3709

November 21

Yorkton 306-786-5712

November 21

Moose Jaw 306-694-3709

November 27

left hip left hip

right hip left shoulder

RM 333

RM 163

Yorkton 306-786-5712

left hip

RM 435 1

Date Reported

left hip

RM 245 10

Livestock Services of Saskatchewan Contact

Brand Description and Position

46 | ©BEEF BUSINESS | www.skstockgrowers.com

left hip

right hip right hip left hip

JANUARY 2024

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SCIENCE AND PRODUCTION MISSING ANIMALS Jason Pollock

Christmas and the timing of you reading these words is shortly into the new year. Do I wish everyone a belated Merry Christmas and send my hopes for them to have a blessed time with loved ones over the Christmas season or do I focus on the moment they read the magazine and pass along my best for the upcoming year? With no clear answer, I try to find the middle ground and do both.

Chief Executive Officer Jason Pollock Livestock Services of Saskatchewan Of all the issues I write for Beef Business, this is the one I find the most difficult. The timing of the writing is just before

With that bit of internal wrestling out in the open, I wish you a very Merry Christmas and trust you will find time to reflect on the past year and all that has been provided through the bounty of the land, the work of your hands, and the blessings of the Lord as we pause to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Wishes for 2024 can wait until the end of the article. Problem solved.

In the last publication I discussed the importance of clearing brands and keeping your purchase records to assist in this process when marketing your animals. As I write this, I am also answering emails and attempting to multi-task which is, admittedly, a challenge. One of the email strings I am following today is a conversation between one of the district managers and an inspector that inspected a cow at a consignment sale with a secondary brand which had been reported missing three years ago. With some follow up by the inspector, it was determined the animal, which was pulled from the sale and held in question until the matter could be resolved, was indeed the missing animal, and currently, arrangements are being made to return her to her rightful owner. continued on page 50

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SCIENCE AND PRODUCTION Missing Animals cont. from pg. 49 It is this type of regular activity and occurrence across the province that underscores the importance of what our team does throughout the year.

large and changes regularly from issue to issue. This is not unusual for this time of year, and there are several reasons for it that I would like to highlight.

Over the past five years, Livestock Services of Saskatchewan (LSS) has inspected on average more than 1.6 million head of animals. With roughly 60 inspectors across the province, this works out to more than 26,000 animals per inspector. That is a lot of hides to look at annually, by any measure.

We, at LSS, have been preaching the same sermon for a long time to report missing livestock to LSS as soon as you determine they are missing. This allows our internal and external distribution of missing livestock reports to our inspection team, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, their Everbridge public notification system, and other jurisdictions to occur as quickly as possible.

I would be remiss without acknowledging and commending our inspection team for the excellent work they do. I am privileged to work with such a fine group of professionals, and they continue to add value and security to our industry in so many ways.

A good number of missing animals are no longer near their last known location when identified as missing, so asking around the neighbourhood and on coffee row may have limited value. Reporting it to LSS gets a broad group of people aware and looking for those animals, rapidly.

Along with my ramblings, LSS also submits a missing animal report to this magazine, and you will note that it seems

You will note the missing livestock report may seem to be concentrated to certain areas within the province. This is true,

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and it is tied to the fact those areas have many grazing acres, challenging terrain, vegetation, predation and livestock owners from across Western Canada. The realities of our industry force us to take certain calculated risks and one of these is sending our animals for grazing somewhere we are not. Inspection and timely reporting of missing livestock is a hedge against this risk. These regions also tend to have a larger predator issue, and predator-prone areas continue to increase in size. Many regions contain past Lands Branch and Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration grazing acres as well with a lot of absentee owner clients. Often the pasture managers report all losses to LSS as an extra service to their patrons. They provide valuable context to their challenges and seasonal conditions such as pneumonia, wolves, etc. This information is normally very accurate and very helpful when assessing missing livestock files. As an aside, wolves are decidedly not helpful at leaving anything identifiable at the scene of the crime to help the manager or Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation. In addition to the challenges of predators, heavily bushed up areas are also prime locations for certain cows to evade detection for significant amounts of time. Bush and bog provide ample opportunity to get a cow onto the list of missing animals until she decides she is ready to be found. All these reasons, and others, place animals on the list we publish here. When entering brands into our database system, any that are linked to a missing report pops up a notification to the inspector there is an issue with that brand—not the animal necessarily, but that brand. This is an important item to note because our staff have real-time and continued access to missing animals in the database that go back to the initial missing report (like the case I mentioned earlier that went back three years).

JANUARY 2024

SCIENCE AND PRODUCTION Our inspectors have amazing memories for details and events they are directly involved with, but the system-wide alert allows the rest of the inspection team, not directly involved, to access the details that may assist in returning missing animals to their rightful owners, even years later.

they ask for additional information, they are just making sure the missing animal file that popped up on their screen isn’t the one you just unloaded at the sale. Providing clearance information along with the manifest allows them to deal with the missing animal pop-up without contacting you.

If your animals have secondary brands, one of them might carry a brand that was reported missing at some point. This doesn’t mean your animal is the one that is missing, but that the brand was reported missing at some point.

It is important to point out that many of the livestock reported missing to LSS are eventually recovered.

This emphasizes the importance of reporting missing livestock to LSS as well as keeping your purchase records to provide necessary clearances when selling those animals, especially cull cows. It also underscores the value of placing a brand on your animals as proof of ownership.

Not all predators walk on four legs; and unfortunately, not all folks are as honest as we would hope. In the day-to-day operations of LSS, the systems and procedures in place help to protect the industry from these characters. We work closely with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and regularly follow up on files where there is suspicion or evidence of foul play and criminal activity.

The inspector is not singling you out if

It is my hope that providing you with a

little more context regarding what goes on during the clearance process helps you understand the missing livestock posting in this magazine. I am also hopeful it helps everyone remember that your local inspector is carrying out two activities with each inspection. They are providing a regulatory service that complies with provincial legislation that applies to everyone, and they are providing a service to industry to facilitate secure commerce. It is important to note they are bound first and foremost to their regulatory responsibilities, and the market is providing the commercial trade venue. Both LSS and the market are providing different services at the same place and the same time, and both are busy with many other consignors—just like you and me. When I arrive with my paperwork of past continued on page 52

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SCIENCE AND PRODUCTION Missing Animals cont. from pg. 51 purchases in order (thanks to my wife), I am doing my part in the process. It is up to me as the owner of the animals to provide the paperwork necessary to deliver my animals—especially those with secondary brands—to the market for sale. If I do my part, the inspectors can do their part without needing to come back to me for clarification on ownership issues or missing livestock reports tied to that brand. If an inspector happens to inquire further about secondary brands on my animals, they may be following up on a notification they received on missing animals carrying that brand. It isn’t personal, it’s just business. In a recent meeting I attended, I was privileged to hear praise for our inspection team from industry leaders. The discussion was with other jurisdictions that do not have inspection currently, and these industry leaders were extolling not only

the benefits of our inspection process, but also the critical role our people play in the success of the overall marketing system here in the province. As mentioned above, our inspection team has a regulatory responsibility to look at every manifest and animal to ensure proper identification and ownership. They also assist in swinging gates, penning cattle, providing valuable information to the market, and generally any other activity that helps make the entire marketing process run as smoothly as possible. To top that, I also had the pleasure of sitting in that meeting and listening to another person talk about their positive experience with LSS.

to the industry. To hear that person’s comments, in support of and praising our inspectors and processes, was an honour and a testament to the good work our inspectors do, and the fact that it is noticed and appreciated. On that cheery note, I wish everyone of you the very best in 2024. I look forward to the future of this industry despite some of the very real and frustrating challenges we face. I have great confidence that together we will continue to provide an excellent product to kitchen tables and restaurants around the world. Thank you for the part you play in this. B

As I reflect on the year, that may be one of the distinct highlights for me. LSS works together day in and day out to provide what we think adds value

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ASSOCIATION NEWS AND REPORTS A REPORT FROM GARNER DEOBALD PRESIDENT, SASKATCHEWAN STOCK GROWERS ASSOCIATION AgriRecovery, the 2023 CanadaSaskatchewan Feed Program (CSFP) is welcome, and we are pleased Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation (SCIC)—the administrators of the program—made some necessary adjustments to facilitate and allow producers in the hardest-hit areas to qualify for assistance.

President Garner Deobald Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association

As 2023 draws to a close and I reflect on this past year, I think of how many peaks and valleys it plotted out for all of us in the cattle industry. Two of the major happenings were the incredible upturn in the markets, and the on-going drought that seems to be neverending for some parts of the province. The run-up in the market was most welcome for all producers, and was much needed to stay on track with inflation and the exponential rise in operating costs. I am optimistic the markets have gotten to another level, and for the foreseeable future they should remain firm—let’s hope. The drought continues, causing significant problems for many, affecting the bottom line and viability of their operations. I’ve had more calls from ranchers and farmers over the drought and the business risk management (BRM) programs that are in place to assist when we are in need, compared to any other issue. It’s been a struggle, especially for anyone dealing with the dry conditions for multiple years. Participation in the BRM programs has been beneficial in some cases, supporting operations that are in need. Commitment to the BRM programs is voluntary, as it needs to be, but for a number of reasons involvement is lacking.

Long-term AgriRecovery is not the answer, and it makes it crystal clear there needs to be a better set of BRM programs for livestock producers. I’m not expecting any kind of a handout— and any program(s) need to have the option to buy in or not. Insurance programs that are cost shared, like grain/crop insurance for livestock producers, need to be created. Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association (SSGA) has been asking and advocating for all livestock producers for better BRM programs for many years and will continue to push the governing bodies for improvements. Another concern I have is the accelerated regulatory creep that is changing, and will continue to change, our business. Trucking e-logs; increased traceability requirements; methane regulations; environmental, social and governance (ESG) expectations; and the list goes on and on. The speed at which new regulations have been written and implemented over the past decade is profound. Many of these rules and regulations are being written by individuals or groups that have an ideology not based in reality. Their ideas and ideals motivate them to meet ESG standards, which are detrimental to animal agriculture and society as a whole because they cause increased costs and lower our standard of living. In the big picture, our voice is small, but we have to speak up and stand up

for ourselves or our industry will decline at an ever increasing pace. Each time a new regulation is implemented, there is a cost attached to it; again, driving up the cost of production and impeding common-sense practices. Generally, we are passive and cooperate with what is proposed by the “officials” and tend not to pushback. We accept what we’re given. Instead, we must take a stronger position and work harder at defending our role in producing food. Being prepared for future federal governance changes is important. Jeff Yorga, SSGA First Vice-President, came up with a worthy task that all of us should take seriously. If and when there is a change of government in Ottawa, Jeff challenges us to ask ourselves: What should the new administration’s to-do list look like? What needs to be done the first day? The first month? The first year? The first term? I would appreciate your feedback. Please email me the five most-important changes you would like to see happen. My email address is at the bottom of this report. Please accept this as your invitation to attend the SSGA Semi-Annual General Meeting in Regina during the Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference on January 24th at 10 a.m. I hope to see you there to discuss the issues affecting all of us and deal with the business of the Association. Wishing everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous year ahead. Kindest regards,

Garner Garner Deobald

gdeobald@gmail.com JANUARY 2024

SSGA Meeting Notice

Semi-Annual General Meeting during the Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference Delta Hotel Regina, 1919 Saskatchewan Drive, Regina, SK January 24, 2024 | 10AM CST

Please submit meeting resolutions via email at gm@skstockgrowers.com

Visit www.skstockgrowers.com for more details as they become available

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Wednesday, February 21, 2024

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ASSOCIATION NEWS AND REPORTS SSGA RECEIVES THE CHRIS SUTTER AWARD AT WORLD-CLASS LIVESTOCK EVENT Every few years, Canadian Western Agribition (CWA) recognizes individuals and organizations that demonstrate exemplary contribution to the development of the premier event—renowned for being the largest livestock show in Canada, the best beef show on the continent and an international hub of agriculture excellence that hosts thousands of international guests each November.

On behalf of Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association’s Board of Directors, members and staff, thank you Canadian Western Agribition for this award.

Introduced in 2002 as the Canadian Western Agribition Builder Award by the Canadian Western Agribition Board of Directors, CWA renamed the award in 2003 to credit Chris Sutter, the event’s first president and one of its founding fathers.

This is a testament to the effort and hard work that SSGA dedicated to making CWA the premier livestock show and exhibition in Canada.

On November 24, CWA Director Karl Sauter bestowed the Chris Sutter Award to Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association (SSGA) at Evraz Place in the Commercial Barn where SSGA President Garner Deobald and First Vice-President Jeff Yorga accepted it on behalf of the organization which has represented the cattle industry on legislative front since 1913. B

It’s been a pleasure for SSGA to be a contributor to this prestigious event for more than 50 years. Garner Deobald, SSGA President

PAST RECIPIENTS 2002 Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada 2003 Chris Sutter 2004 Bill Farley 2005 Bill Small 2007 Barry Andrew 2010 Province of Saskatchewan, City of Regina 2011 John Willmott 2015 Neil Jahnke

Canadian Western Agribition Director Karl Sauter presents the Chris Sutter Award to Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association President Garner Deobald (left) and First Vice-President Jeff Yorga (right) on November 24, 2023

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STEWARDSHIP ENEMY OR ECOSYSTEM ENGINEERS? Why It’s Good to Have Badgers on Your Land Shirley Bartz

I recently attended a webinar on American badgers by Nikki Heim, a wildlife ecologist working with the Southern Alberta Land Trust Society (SALTS), where she highlighted the role badgers play in our prairie grasslands and the complex relationship that we have with this fossorial predator. American badgers occur in Canada, United States, and the mountains of Northern Mexico. Badgers belong to the mustelid (weasel) family, along with mink, skunks, river otters, black-footed ferrets, fishers and wolverines. They reproduce and overwinter in burrows, and are efficient diggers that specialize in hunting other burrowing mammals. Badgers rely on large populations of ground squirrels, and will reduce a population of gophers by 50 per cent before moving on to another squirrel community in their territory.

Photo courtesy of: Flickr Creative Commons/J. Maughn

131 cattle ranchers were surveyed with questions about damage to livestock Badgers can dig quickly in pursuit of and machinery. Of the respondents with ground squirrels, and will eat two to badgers on their land, 66 per cent felt three Richardson ground squirrels per either positive or neutral about badger day. Badgers are active through winter presence, 21 per cent found them a and will dig through frozen soil to hunt nuisance, and 13 per cent were unsure. hibernating ground squirrels. If you have In the same study, reports of damage to lots of gophers, it’s likely that you will machinery from mammal burrows were also have a badger hunting them. more frequent than injury to livestock, with only one out of 131 respondents The mouth of a badger’s burrow has a attributing injury distinctive elliptical specifically to a shape that is Badgers are a species badger hole 20 to 30 centimetres (Weir et al. 2016). wide and 15 to 25 at risk for a number centimetres high, Preliminary findings with claw marks that of reasons. of another ongoing may be seen along land owner survey the sides and top, conducted by SALTS in 2023, indicate three to five centimetres apart (Badgers that most people saw badgers hunting in BC 2023). However, when a badger is on native grasslands and 51 per cent hunting for a meal, their excavations can sometimes leave much larger holes, which of respondents were more interested in watching badgers than trying to are often seen as hazards to livestock shoot them. Although the number of and machinery. respondents in this survey is still low (n=7), data keeps trickling in, and shows the In a 2016 study in British Columbia, 58 | ©BEEF BUSINESS | www.skstockgrowers.com

appreciation of badger activity is growing. In Canada, there are three subspecies of badgers. The subspecies in British Columbia and Ontario are both listed as endangered, while the subspecies in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba is a species of special concern. Badgers are a species at risk for a number of reasons. They are prone to collisions with vehicles while crossing roads, which intersect much of their habitat. In addition to road hazards, their habitat availability has been reduced by conversion of grasslands to crops, making the habitat unsuitable for badgers and their main prey source, ground squirrels. Targeted hunting (i.e., pest eradication, trapping), and non-target poisoning from rodenticide, also contribute to badger mortality. Because badgers are considered a species at risk, there is a growing body of scientific studies focused on badger ecology and the role they play in grassland habitats. These studies have found that badgers JANUARY 2024

STEWARDSHIP are more than just voracious predators of ground squirrels; they also hold the distinction of being “ecosystem engineers.” This means their burrowing activity shapes the grassland landscape in a way that provides resources used by many other species living there. In Wyoming, a group of graduate students collected video footage of animals at 23 badger burrows to document the abundance and diversity of species using the burrows. Across one summer season, they observed 31 species other than badgers at burrow entrances, including 12 mammals, 18 birds, and one reptile.

to share what is left of this important ecosystem with the creatures that have been living on it for thousands of years. Next time you see a badger on your land, think of its function on the landscape and the work it is doing to control ground squirrel populations. B REFERENCE Andersen, M. L., Bennett, D. E., Holbrook, J. D. 2021. Burrow webs: Clawing the surface of interactions with burrows excavated by American badgers. Ecology and Evolution, 11, 11559–11568.

Their findings support the conclusion that “Burrowing animals are often ecosystem engineers that provide access to subterranean habitat for non-fossorial species, which is analogous to woodpeckers providing nesting and resting habitat within trees for many other species” (Anderson et al. 2021).

Badgers in British Columbia. 2023. jeffersonii Badger Recovery Team “composed of representatives from federal and provincial governments, ranching and farming industries, research scientists, First Nations, and conservation organizations”. [Accessed December 12, 2023] https:// https://badgers.bc.ca/

Research on badgers has shined a light on some very interesting behaviour. Researchers and wildlife photographers have observed badgers and coyotes forming hunting associations (Minta et al. 1992, Thornton et al. 2018).

Heim, N., Hewit, R. 2023. Alberta Badger Landowner Survey. Unpublished preliminary results, shared with permission of authors and the Southern Alberta Land Trust Society (SALTS).

This partnership includes non-aggressive interactions and collaborative hunting between the two predators, with the badger digging at one end of a squirrel tunnel while a coyote snaps up escapees running out the “back door.” The benefit of co-hunting is returned to the badger, when the coyote’s presence sends the rest of the squirrels running back into the jaws of the badger. Despite the reputation of being exceptionally aggressive, badgers are more likely to run away from a threat than to stand and face it. This desire to avoid interactions with humans, the habitat they provide for other wildlife, and their ability to reduce a population of ground squirrels drastically, makes a badger a fairly good neighbour. As our native prairies become fewer and farther between, we are realizing the need

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Minta, S. C., Minta, K.A., Lott, Dale F. 1992. Hunting Associations between Badgers (Taxidea taxus) and Coyotes (Canis latrans). Journal of Mammalogy, Volume 73 (4). 814–820, https://doi.org/10.2307/1382201

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Thornton, D., Scully, A., King, T., Fisher, S., Fitkin, S., Rohrer, J.. 2018. Hunting associations of American badgers (Taxidea taxus) and coyotes (Canis latrans) revealed by camera trapping. Canadian Journal of Zoology. Volume 96 (7). 649-786. https:// doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2017-0234 Weir, R. D., Davis, H., Gayton, D. V., Lofroth, E. C. 2016. Fact or Fantasy? Damage to Livestock and Agricultural Machinery by American Badgers and Other Burrowing Mammals in British Columbia, Canada, In: Badgers: systematics, biology, conservation and research techniques, Chapter 11. G. Proulx and E. Do Linh San, editors, Alpha Wildlife Publications, Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada. 299–310. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.7962

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STEWARDSHIP TRANSBOUNDARY GRASSLAND PARTNERSHIP WORKSHOP HELD IN SWIFT CURRENT Mindy Hockley

Native grasslands help to shape our province, industries and a way of life for many people in the grassland regions, and recently, the seventh annual Transboundary Grassland Partnership Workshop was held in Swift Current to celebrate that. The focus for the event was Culture, Carbon and Conservation, and it spurred hot-button conversations while evoking new and meaningful discussions encompassing the topic of grassland conservation. With more than 100 attendees this year, it is a forum that allows a broader scope of people to meet and discuss both challenges and successes of keeping native grasslands intact. It also strongly emphasizes the environment doesn’t play by our man-made borders and boundaries, so we should approach conservation from a more extensive point of view and treat the landscape as a whole. The workshop had a packed room and a packed schedule with jurisdictional updates to showcase the work of conservation groups working in the Northern Great Plains, touching on both the challenges and successes they’ve encountered in the past year. Two different producer panels had representatives that haled from Alberta, Saskatchewan and Montana, bringing different cultures together. Culture around grasslands brings together various backgrounds and the workshop had representation from both the Piikani and Nekaneet First Nations along with ranchers, landowners, non-governmental organizations and government officials. The Transboundary Grassland Partnership Workshop allows a safe space for ideas to flow about different management styles and conservation ideologies, all while sharing plenty of stories. By bringing together such a diverse crowd, it celebrates the work and steps that everyone is taking to help conserve

native grasslands. In the first produce panel discussion, when posed with a question asking what steps conservation groups and organizations should take to increase program uptake, Kyle Forbes, a rancher from Medicine Hat, Alberta, made a comment noting that, “It’s tough for these groups to overcome the distrust or preconceived notions about these programs from past experiences being more prescriptive and not viewed as a collaborative effort.” The idea of having a community-focused approach to these programs was echoed numerous times—explaining that it can benefit conservation groups, landowners and their local area. Ranching and rural communities rely on the landscape to be intact for the community to both grow socially and economically. This avenue of thought can bring landowners and communities together for a greater understanding and purpose.

A keynote, delivered by Dr. Roy Golsteyn, spoke on a more scientific, chemistrybased view of the goods and services that native plants give us—varying from biodiversity in the landscape to pharmaceutical usages—and expanding the way we look at the diverse native plants that flourish on Canadian grasslands and how much more we have yet to learn about them. The impact of a workshop like this one will hopefully bring increased knowledge, communications and program delivery for grassland conservation not only in small pockets of the grasslands but throughout Alberta, Saskatchewan and Montana. The workshop rotates locations every year and will be held in Montana next year, with a specific location yet to be determined. B

Ian Cook from Birds Canada along with John Wilmshurst from the Canadian Wildlife Federation spoke on the use of their Bird-Friendliness Index and the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Foundation Multi-taxa Project to understand our grasslands better—discussing their findings in the last couple years of research and implementation. Other topics touched on the diverse role these landscapes play on ecosystems such as grassland restoration and the latest research on soil organic carbon in grasslands by Dr. Cameron Carlyle from University of Alberta.

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CALENDAR JANUARY January 12-13

Saskatchewan Sheep Development Board Annual General Meeting

Regina, SK

January 22-24

Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference

Regina, SK

January 25

Brost Land & Cattle Annual Production Sale

Irvine, AB

January 27

M.C. Quantock Canada Bull Sale

Lloydminster, SK

FEBRUARY February 3

Hill 70 Quantock Ranch Ltd. Barn Burnin' Bull Sale

Lloydminster, AB

February 5

Ayrey Hereford Farms Calf & Heifer Sale at Premier Hereford & Angus Bull Sale

Lloydminster, SK

February 7

Misty Valley Farms Annual Production Sale

Maidstone, SK

February 7-8

10th Native Prairie Restoration/Reclamation Workshop

Saskatoon, SK

February 8

Bench Angus Bull & Heifer Production Sale

Shaunavon, SK

February 12-14

Western Canada Feedlot Management School

Saskatoon, SK

February 14

Steppler Farms Annual Simmental, Angus, Charolais Bull Sale

Miami, MB

February 15

Moose Creek Red Angus Two Year Old Bull Sale

Kisbey, SK

February 15

Y Coulee Land & Cattle Company Red Angus Bull Sale

Paradise Hill, SK

February 20

Rawes Ranches Annual Charolais Bull Sale

Strome, AB

February 21

M & J Farms Simmental, Angus & Simm-Angus Bull Sale

Russell, MB

February 22

Chapman Cattle Company Red and Black Angus Bull Sale

Stettler, AB

February 22

Nordal Limousin & Angus Annual Bull Sale

Saskatoon, SK

February 27

Double Bar D Farms Annual Best of Both Worlds Bull Sale

Grenfell, SK

February 28

D & N Livestock Annual Bull Sale

Peebles, SK

Ashworth Farm & Ranch Annual Bull Sale

Oungre, SK

MARCH March 4 March 5

Maple Lake Stock Farms Kick Off to Spring Bull Sale

Hartney, MB

March 9

Edie Creek Annual Angus Bull Sale

Ashern, SK

March 9

Freyburn Farms Annual Bull & Female Sale

Oxbox, SK

March 11

Palmer Charolais Annual Bull Sale

Bladworth, SK

March 18-20

North American Meat Institute Annual Meat Conference

Nashville, TN

March 19-20

Ayrey Hereford Farms Bull Sale at Medicine Hat Bull Sale

Medicine Hat, AB

March 26

Double C Red Angus Yearling Bull & Heifer Sale

Foam Lake, SK

SSGA BOARD OF DIRECTORS THE EXECUTIVE

DIRECTORS AT LARGE

Garner Deobald President Hodgeville, SK

Phone: 306- 677-7777

Jeff Yorga 1st Vice President Flintoft, SK

Phone: 306-531-5717

Kelly Williamson 2nd Vice President Pambrun, SK

Phone: 306-582-7774

Chay Anderson Finance Chair Fir Mountain, SK

Phone: 306-640-7087

Kelcy Elford Past President Caron, SK

Phone: 306-690-5305

Find email contact for the Executive Directors at skstockgrowers.com

Chay Anderson, Fir Mountain, SK Keith Day, Lacadena, SK Gerry Delorme, Assiniboia, SK Calvin Gavelin, McCord, SK Adrienne Hanson, Langbank, SK Lance Hockley, Yellowgrass, SK Joe Gilchrist, Maple Creek, SK Kelly Lightfoot, Assiniboia, SK Miles McNeil, Alameda, SK Lee Sexton, Hanley, SK Chris Williamson, Mankota, SK Kelly Williamson, Pambrun, SK

ZONE CHAIR DIRECTORS Zone 1 Zone 2 Zone 3 Zone 4 Zone 5 Zone 6 Zone 7Zone 12 -

Henry McCarthy, Wawota, SK Karen McKim, Milestone, SK Larry Flaig, Assiniboia, SK Brad Howe, Empress, AB Aaron Huber, Lipton, SK Dave McKenzie, Delisle, SK Darcy Moen, Kyle, SK Rod Gamble, Pambrun, SK

306-640-7087 306-375-2934 306-640-7493 306-478-7748 306-421-8538 306-891-8189 306-662-3986 306-642-8977 306-489-2073 306-544-2660 306-478-7036 306-582-7774

306-739-2205 306-436-4616 306-266-2070 306-661-0409 306-331-0097 306-493-8127 306-962-3944 306-582-2077

AFFILIATE DIRECTORS

Garner Deobald - SK Charolais Affiliate Gord Ell - SaskMilk Affiliate Kyron Manske - SK Simmental Affiliate Marlene Monvoisin - SK Angus Affiliate Rob O'Connor - SK Hereford Affiliate Ray Rintoul - SK Shorthorn Affiliate Gord Schroeder - SK Sheep Affiliate Ian Thackeray - Man-Sask Gelbvieh Affiliate Jeff Yorga - SK Limousin Affiliate

APPOINTED DIRECTOR

Dr. Andy Acton - Veterinary Advisor, Ogema, SK

SASKATCHEWAN CCA DIRECTORS Ryan Beierbach, Whitewood, SK Lynn Grant, Val Marie, SK Philip Lynn, Marquis, SK Duane Thompson, Kelliher, SK

306-677-2589 306-535-1922 306-267-7530 306-648-8200 306-550-4890 306-917-7805 306-933-5582 306-861-7687 306-531-5717

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Edward Jones - Tyler Knibbs, Financial Advisor Freyburn Farms Bull & Female Sale Frostfree Nosepumps Gem Silage Products Great Plains Realty Head for the Hills Shorthorns Hi-Hog Farm & Ranch Equipment Hill 70 Quantock Ranch Ltd. Bull Sale Insole by the Roll John Brown Farms Johnstone Auction Mart Kramer Trailer Sales Linthicum Ranch Ltd. M&J Farms Simmental, Angus & SimmAngus Bull Sale Manitou Maine-Anjou Man Sask Gelbvieh Association Maple Lake Stock Farm Kick Off to Spring Bull Sale MC Quantock Bull Sale Masterfeeds Milligan Biofuels Misty Valley Farms Production Sale Moose Creek Red Angus 2 Year Old Bull Sale N.M. McMahon CPA New Generation Supplements New-Life Mills Nick's Service Ltd.

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SHAWN PRYHITKA A Farmer Helping Farmers

MANAGE RISK We’ll help you get the best return for your livestock.

Realtor Ag Specialist 269 Hamilton Rd, Yorkton, SK S3N 4C6

306.621.9798

spryhitka@remax-yorkton.ca

Phone 403-775-7534 www.cowsincontrol.com

Animal Nutrition

VETERINARY DIAGNOSTIC SERVICES

1.800.661.9929

We have your hauling needs covered. Check out our website to see what we have in stock or call 1-306-445-5000 and we can discuss your trailer needs. Custom orders available!

• Necropsy • Histopathology • Surgical Pathology • Dermatopathology • Immunohistochemistry • Clinical Pathology • Endocrinology • Bacteriology/Mycology • PCR • Genomics • Parasitology • Serology • Virology • Immunology • Toxicology

WWW.CARGILL.COM

Financing & Leasing

Manufacturers of Livestock Feeds

ORDER DESK

PROVIDING A FULL RANGE OF

(306) 966-7316 | www.pdsinc.ca Accredited by American Association of Veterinarian Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD); Standards Council of Canada, and CFIA for specific tests.

PD S

PRAIRIE DIAGNOSTIC SERVICES INC

BeefSmart

10029 Marquis Ave., North Battleford, SK

Linthicum Ranch Ltd.

C O N S U LT I N G I N C .

• Forage & Feed Analysis • Ration Formulation • Mineral & Supplement Formulation

• Forage and Pasture Systems • Herd Trace Mineral Status Assessments

Open replacement and bred heifers for sale. Black/black baldy heifers.

GOOSENECK, BUMPER PULLS

aVaiLaBLe

15’, 20', 25' LENGTHS

kramertrailersales.com

Animal Nutrition Programs designed to achieve optimum health, results & profits – delivered with service beyond the competition.

“Masterfeeds is the only brand we trust. It just works.” MASTERFEEDS CUSTOMER

Increasing efficiencies and improving profitability of cow-calf, backgrounding, feedlot, bison and sheep producers through nutrition consulting in the prairies. Connect with us today.

Murray & Jan Linthicum (306) 266-4377

Balanced by BeefSmart

Glentworth, SK

Unit 108 4002 Arthur Rose Ave, Saskatoon

LIVESTOCK , CAR HAULERS AND FLAT DECKS

SASKATCHEWAN:

Humboldt / 1-306-682-2668 Regina / 1-306-721-2727 Saskatoon Premix / 1-306-384-2144 Swift Current / 1-306-773-3001

beefsmart.ca • 306-229-0675 • info@beefsmart.ca

Dollars and Sense

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Contact: Man Sask Gelbvieh President Ian Thackeray @ 306-861-7687

JANUARY 2024

$80 CAN GET YOUR AD

HERE

(306) 757-8523

COWCAM

Wireless & IP Systems Makes your calving €easier, safer & more profitable! • Smartphone compatible • Save more calves • Stop disturbing them and check more frequently Allen Leigh

Security & Communications Ltd.

Cam

545 Assiniboine Ave, Brandon, MB I TF: 1.866.289.8164 T: 204.728.8878 I info@allenleigh.ca

www.precisioncam.ca Trusted Quality,

Trusted Support,

Trusted Service!

Machine & Products Ltd.

• ROLLER MILLS ~ Electric or PTO models ~ 10 sizes available ~ Increase the nutrition value of your feed! ~ Manufactured in Saskatoon • SILAGE COVERS & GRAIN BAGS We regroove roller mill rolls - most brands

2502 Millar Ave, Saskatoon 306-242-9884 or 877-255-0187 apm@sasktel.net www.apollomachineandproducts.com

Helen Finucane phone: 306-584-2773 cell: 306-537-2648 Carlyle, SK

Annual February Sale Two year old bulls & bred heifers Rob & Joanne Bannerman, Livelong, SK Home: 306 845 2764 Cell: 306 845 7790 bannerman1964@icloud.com

We have new books:

Farm & Ranch Real Estate. It’s what we do. 3287 Quance Street, Regina, SK OFFICE 306.352.1866 CELL 306.530.8035 sheppardrealty.ca

Manitou

Smile and Mean it: the Bud & Eunice Williams Story

Maine-Anjou Bulls

Stockdogs: Partners and Friends

garysandygraham@gmail.com Marsden, SK | 306.830.0883

(since 1970)

We raise the real Maine-Anjou cattle!

Cowtown Livestock Exchange Inc. Maple Creek, SK

Regular Sales every Tuesday @ 10:00 a.m. Locally Owned & Operated Call for info on Presort & Other Sales Phone 306-662-2648 Toll Free: 1-800-239-5933

www.cowtownlivestock.com

Call Us You’ll be Glad You Did! Visit www.stockmanship.com or call 417-719-4910 for more information.

manitoumaineanjou.ca

$80 CAN GET YOUR AD

HERE

All types of commercial and purebred livestock auctions and farm sales. Wash rack facilities for livestock

www.johnstoneauction.ca

Wayne or Scott Johnstone Box 818, Moose Jaw, SK 306-693-4715 (Bus) Fax 306-691-6650

JOHN SMORODEN

(250) 417-5412 info@quicklookback.com 1075 - 26th Ave. South Cranbrook, B.C. V1C 6Y7 www.quicklookback.com

CAMERA SYSTEMS FOR FARM & RANCH

SASKATCHEWAN

ASSOCIATION

306-537-1518

office @saskatchewanangus.com cdnangus.ca/saskatchewan-angus-association

JANUARY 2024

“A Ducks Unlimited Canada conservation easement hits all cylinders for our beliefs in conservation and for how our operation runs, including soil health and grazing. It was also a huge financial boost for our operation!” – CHRIS AND JENNA HUBICK, STRASBOURG AREA RANCHERS AND DUC PROGRAM PARTNERS

DUC Conservation Easements (CEs) pay approximately 30% of current land values, and have no restrictions on haying or grazing*. Contact us to find out how our CEs and other farm-gate programs increase your bottom line and put money back in your pocket: Call 1-866-252-3825 or email du_regina@ducks.ca

Proud to be your conservation partner

ag.ducks.ca *Some conditions apply. Contact DUC for details.

SASKATOON MOOSE JAW LLOYDMINSTER

TMR Vertical Feed Mixers

Hay & Forage Equipment

Aluminum Trailers

Manure Spreaders

Cattle Handling

norheimranching.com

306-955-1350