Beef Business March 2017 by Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association

Beef Business â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;

Saskatchewanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest circulated industry magazine Saskatchewan`s Premier Cattle Industry Publication Saskatchewan`s Premiere Cattlecattle Industry March 2017

A Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association Publication Publication Mail Agreement #40011906

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Contents Cover photo courtesy of Jackson Designs at Peno Valley Charolais, Waldeck, SK

A Proud Saskatchewan Tradition Since 1913

A Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association (SSGA) Publication

Industry News 6

BSE Class Action May Finally Go to Court

SSGA Signs Joint Letter Opposing Carbon Tax

Saskatchewan Makes Premises ID Mandatory

CFIA Reports on TB Outbreak

CCIA Releases Tag Retention Study Results

SSGA Launches Member Discount Program

Health Canada Gives Ground Beef Irradiation the Green Light

BSE Testing is Still Important

General Manager: Chad MacPherson Box 4752, Evraz Place, Regina, SK S4P 3Y4 Tel: 306-757-8523 Fax: 306-569-8799 email: ssga@sasktel.net OR ssga.admin@sasktel.net Website: www.skstockgrowers.com Subscriptions Box 4752, Evraz Place, Regina, SK S4P 3Y4 Tel: 306-757-8523 Fax: 306-569-8799 email: ssga.admin@sasktel.net

Markets and Trade 15

Retail Meat Price Survey

Weekly Charts

Subscription Rate: 1 yr $26.50 (GST included) Published 5 times per year

Features

Advertising Sales - Tracy Cornea Tel: 306-693-9329 Fax: 306-692-4961 email: tracy.cornea@gmail.com

International Trade Update

Getting the Most Out of Your Corn Silage Crop

The Value of Vaccination

Beef Up Your Risk Management Strategies: How Effective Risk Management Strategies Can Protect Your Finances

Transportation of Livestock

Where's the Beef? Missing Livestock Files

Design and Layout - Jackson Designs Candace Schwartz Tel: 306-772-0376 email: cjacksondesigns@gmail.com

Science and Production

Prairie Conservation Action Plan (PCAP) Manager: Kayla Balderson Burak Box 4752, Evraz Place, Regina, SK S4P 3Y4 Tel: 306-352-0472 Fax: 306-569-8799 email: pcap@sasktel.net

Stewardship 45

The Evolution of Conservation Approaches

SARM Invasive Plant Management Program

The Manitou Cattle Breeders Co-Op Pasture Has Pushed Leafy Spurge to the Top of Its Priority List

Association News, Reports and Events 52

Animal Protection Services of Saskatchewan Report

Saskatchewan Shorthorn Association Report

Saskatchewan Angus Association Report

Saskatchewan Bison Association Report

Saskatchewan Limousin Association Report

Saskatchewan Charolais Association Report

Saskatchewan Simmental Association Report

SSGA Semi-Annual Meeting Resolutions

SSGA Welcomes New Director - Joe Gilchrist

A Report from the SSGA President

Calendar of Events

Advertisers Index

Business Directory Re

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Ple as

facebook.com/skstockgrowers MARCH 2017

SSGA reserves the right to refuse advertising and to edit manuscripts. Contents of Beef Business may be reproduced with written permission obtained from the SSGA Manager and proper credit given to the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association. Articles submitted may not be the opinion of the Association. 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, Regina, SK S4P 3Y4

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Beef Business

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

Contributors Carolyn McCormack Harvey Anderson Tara Mulhern Davidson Kaley Pugh Marvin Slingerland Fonda Froats Carey Weinbender Jeff Gaye Michael Wheeler Shane Jahnke Cam Wilk Breeanna Kelln Wendy Wilkins Les Kroeger Betty Wyatt Kathy Larson Jeff Yorga Chad MacPherson

www.skstockgrowers.com | ÂŠBEEF BUSINESS | 5

Industry News BSE Class Action May Finally Go to Court A 2005 class action lawsuit against the federal government over the 2003 bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) outbreak may finally be heard in court. The suit seeks approximately $8 billion in damages. The claim alleges that “Agriculture Canada failed to consider safety issues when compiling a list of animal feed ingredients from 1988-1990 and lost track of 80 cattle imported from the UK and Ireland, allowing them to be ground up into cattle feed. Instead of acting to prevent the spread of BSE when they discovered the missing cattle in 1994, the government simply ignored the problem.”

The claim alleges the government was aware that BSE from the missing cattle was in the food chain, and that farmers stood to lose billions of dollars as a result. The government argues that it took appropriate steps based on the knowledge available at the time. The suit was filed in Quebec, Ontario, Saskatchewan and Alberta. It has had to be certified as a class action and has been held up by motions from both sides since it was originally filed. The trial may begin in an Ontario court later this year, although both sides have indicated they would welcome an out-of-court settlement.

Ridley Inc, a feed maker, was one of the defendants named in the original suit. The company settled in 2008 for $6 million, which has been used to fund the ongoing action against the government. All Canadian producers who owned cattle on May 20, 2003 are parties to the class action and may be eligible to a portion of a settlement or a favourable court decision. A team of lawyers from five firms across Canada is managing the suit. B

SSGA Signs Joint Letter Opposing Carbon Tax The Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association has signed a joint letter opposing the imposition of a federal carbon tax. The letter is an initiative of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM), and has been officially endorsed by a dozen organizations representing agriculture, industry and commerce in the province. It is addressed to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Catherine McKenna. The signers agree on the importance of fighting climate change, but see the carbon tax as an unfair and ineffective means of achieving reductions in CO2 emissions. “As such, the organizations, undersigned to this letter, all agree that a national carbon tax will have a net cost rather than a net benefit to the Saskatchewan economy regardless of the measures the Province of Saskatchewan puts in place to alleviate its impacts,” the letter reads.

“We believe that a carbon tax will increase costs for producers, firms and businesses resulting in carbon leakage, lost competitiveness and income. Therefore, we are unified in our opposition to a federally imposed tax on carbon emissions.” SSGA President Shane Jahnke said the organization had no problem signing onto the letter. “This reflects our concerns exactly, and it’s pretty clear that there are other sectors in addition to beef that will suffer, unfairly, from a carbon tax,” he said. “No other industry is more vulnerable to climate change than agriculture, so we have to take it seriously,” he said. “That’s why we rolled up our sleeves years ago to create better, more sustainable practices. And we’re always improving.”

Association; the Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association; Sask Pork; the Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce; Western Canadian Wheat Growers; Western Equipment Dealers Association; Canadian Taxpayers Federation; Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan; Sask Milk, and the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce. “We believe that it is very significant that organizations and associations are jointly opposed to the federal carbon tax,” said SARM President Ray Orb. “Our letter is indicative of the opposition across Saskatchewan.” B The letter can be viewed at http://sarm.ca/ about-sarm/news/item/?n=137

“We need climate policies that will work, but are fair to those sectors that keep Saskatchewan’s economy healthy. The carbon tax falls short on both counts.” The other signing organizations are the Saskatchewan Farm Stewardship

| ©BEEF BUSINESS | www.skstockgrowers.com

MARCH 2017

www.skstockgrowers.com | Â©BEEF BUSINESS | 7

Industry News Saskatchewan Makes Premises ID Mandatory Saskatchewan has made Premises Identification (PID) mandatory. The provincial government will require producers to have a PID number to participate in its livestock programs. The requirement will be fully implemented over the next few months. Participation in the PID program had been voluntary since 2014, but only about 3,000 livestock producers were registered in the provincial database. Agriculture Minister Lyle Stewart says full participation is important. “As one of the three pillars of traceability [along with animal/product identification and animal/product tracking], premises

identification is an important part of ensuring the health and safety of our province’s livestock,” he said. “With a full PID database, we’ll be in a better position to prevent or respond to an animal disease outbreak or natural disaster.”

Registrants’ information is kept private, and is used only in the case of an animal health concern, a public health emergency, or an emergency such as a natural disaster that affects animals and people.

PID makes it possible to link livestock and poultry to geographic locations for planning and responding to animal health issues, including emergencies.

Producers will normally select their main headquarters as the premises. If they control more than one premises, such as a summer pasture, they should also register the additional premises. B

Producers or business owners who own, lease or rent property where livestock and poultry are grown, kept, assembled or disposed of are expected to register. This includes farms, hobby farms, veterinary clinics that house farm animals, livestock markets, feedlots, abattoirs and others.

Producers can register online at http:// premisesid.saskatchewan.ca.

CFIA Reports on TB Outbreak The latest summary of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) investigation into a bovine tuberculosis outbreak in Alberta shows six infected animals from a single herd, 11,000 cattle from 54 premises still under quarantine in Alberta and Saskatchewan, and 19 premises released from quarantine. Ten thousand animals have been destroyed, and 7,000 released from quarantine. The report was issued in early February. The ongoing investigation, according to CFIA information, will focus on farms linked to the one infected operation. So far there are no signs the infection has spread beyond that herd. The strong precautions and extensive investigation to date are in keeping with practices intended to limit the spread of disease, the CFIA says. “The Agency follows accepted animal disease investigation practices. It is only

because of the information that was obtained during the initial phase of the investigation that it is now possible to limit tracing activities to only one farming operation. The CFIA is committed to a thorough, scientifically-based investigation and response, in order to maintain the confidence of Canada’s trading partners,” a CFIA statement says.

waiting period of 45 days with warmer temperatures. Once the CFIA has verified the C&D is complete, these producers will be allowed to restock. On-farm testing of the restocked animals is required six and 18 months after they are introduced to the premises. Parts of the community pastures where the infected animals had spent time will also require C&D.

The bovine TB organism found in the infected cows is not the same as any strains detected in Canadian domestic animals or wildlife or humans to date, and all six cows have the same strain of TB. This strain is closely related to a strain first found in cattle in central Mexico in 1997. The investigation will attempt to determine how the TB organism came to infect the Alberta herd, while monitoring animals that have co-mingled with the infected herd.

An article in The Western Producer quotes a CFIA spokesperson as saying compensation to ranchers could run as high as $36 million. Cattle owners are eligible to be compensated up to $4,500 for commercial cows, based on fair market value, and up to $10,000 per registered animal. B

The premises where those animals resided must undergo CFIA-approved cleaning and disinfection (C&D), which includes a

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The report can be viewed at: http://www. inspection.gc.ca/animals/terrestrialanimals/diseases/reportable/tuberculosis/ investigation-alberta-and-saskatchewan/ eng/1477438380160/1477438380659

MARCH 2017

Industry News CCIA Releases Tag Retention Study Results The Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (CCIA) announced the results of its fouryear study into ear tag retention in cattle. The study was intended to determine the long-term viability of radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags.

Paul Laronde, CCIA Tag and Technology Manager, said “[the] study showed tag retention to be high in animals from birth to yearling stage. However, it also showed tag retention to be unsatisfactory for the lifetime of a mature cow.”

The cattle industry has concerns about the effectiveness and viability of tags currently approved for use in Canada. Loss of tags, or of information from tags, can have an effect on traceability data and may hamper appropriate response to an emergency.

The study report says that increases in tag losses from the third to the fourth year suggests lifetime tag retention may be unrealistic.

In the study, 2,000 calves, 1,000 yearlings and 700 cows were tagged with approved CCIA RFID beef cattle ear tags. Retention rates were 96 per cent for calves and 99 per cent for yearlings. For cows, however, the rate was only 82 per cent in the final year of the study.

Laronde said there will be further research into tag material and its role in tag loss. All of the tags that survived the term of the study were readable. Tags were applied consistently, by trained personnel. In spite of this, retention rates ranged from 48 per cent to 100 per cent among farms and animals still in the study during the last year of observation.

According to the report, “The variation in results suggests not all causes of tag loss are random. This project recorded tag loss without identifying the reasons for it. This project determined further study would be useful to clarify the role of climate, geography, management and tag brand in tag performance.” The project was funded by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in 2011 and 2012. In 2013, the CCIA received funding through the Assurance Stream of the AgriMarketing program under Growing Forward 2, a federal/provincial/territorial agreement, to complete the final two years of the study. B The report is available at: https:// www.canadaid.com/documents/Tag_ Retention_Project_Final_Report_2016EN.pdf

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www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 9

| Â©BEEF BUSINESS | www.skstockgrowers.com

MARCH 2017

Industry News SEC-HAYM17-M_BeefBiz_SEC-HAYM17-M_BeefBiz.qxd 2017-02-02 2:20 PM Page 1

Ad Number: SEC-HAYM17-M Publication: Beef Business Size: Half Page Island (5” x 7”)

SSGA Launches Member Discount Program

The SSGA is forging new partnerships to provide discounts and other benefits to its members.

Produced by: SeCan Product/Campaign Name: SeCan CDC Haymaker Date Produced: February 2017

Already three partners have come on board. D3H Hotels, which owns most Days Inn and Home Inn & Suites hotels in Saskatchewan, offers a discount to SSGA members. Tru Test Group will give members a $50 rebate on the purchase of a Tru Test scale, and will also contribute $50 to the SSGA. And with the purchase of every OLS mineral tub by an SSGA member, OLS will donate a dollar to the SSGA. “Producers in this province have always benefited from our advocacy, education and outreach,” said SSGA President Shane Jahnke. “Now we’re working on building this service component. We like the idea of saving our members a few bucks, and strengthening the organization at the same time.” B

The SSGA is looking for more partners. For more information contact the office at (306) 757-8523 or ssga@sasktel.net.

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MARCH 2017

www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 11

Industry News Health Canada Gives Ground Beef Irradiation the Green Light Health Canada has approved the use of irradiation to enhance the food safety of fresh and frozen ground beef.

or can spoil food. It is effective against common pathogens such as E.coli O157, salmonella and camphylobacter.

The agency has approved the E-Beam method, which uses normal electricity to direct low levels of energy known as ionizing radiation. The setup is comparable to an old fashioned tube television set. The E-Beam technique does not use radioactivity.

Sixty countries use irradiation as part of their food safety protocols, and the United States has permitted irradiation for ground beef for the past ten years. The process is endorsed by the World Health Organization. It is not, however, a substitute for existing safe food handling practices. In Canada, the irradiation will be done after the food is in its final packaging – after it has already undergone all of the normal inspections.

Irradiation is already approved for use on several food products in Canada, including potatoes, onions, wheat, flour, spices and seasoning preparations. Irradiation reduces or eliminates bacteria and other organisms that can cause illness

Not all ground beef sold in Canada will be irradiated, and Health Canada regulations require irradiated product to be clearly labelled and to display its “Radura” symbol. Initially the cost of the process may be 10 to 20 cents per pound, although that should decrease as larger volumes of beef are treated. The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association and other industry groups have long advocated the use of irradiation to improve food safety, and to reduce spoilage and increase the shelf life of ground beef. B

There is no change in the nutritional value, taste, texture or appearance of ground beef that has been irradiated.

| ©BEEF BUSINESS | www.skstockgrowers.com

MARCH 2017

Industry News BSE Testing is Still Important

by Dr. Wendy Wilkins, Disease Surveillance Veterinarian Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture Do you participate in the Canadian BSE surveillance program? If you could take the animal’s head to your veterinarian for sampling, would this make it easier? Yes, you can take a bovine head to your veterinary clinic for sampling. Doing so could eliminate trying to arrange a time for them to come to your farm and then taking time out of your already busy day to be there when they arrive. There are certain conditions that must be met, but overall this should make it more convenient and less time consuming to get that sample submitted. You will receive a $75 payment from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) for every eligible sample submitted. If the veterinarian is already on farm and the animal has died or has been euthanized, the vet can remove the head and take it back to the clinic for sample collection. In all other situations, producers can bring the head to the clinic themselves provided they already have an established relationship with the veterinarian and the animal meets the criteria for testing. These are “4-D” animals (down, dying, diseased or dead) that are over 30 months of age, or are showing neurological symptoms. IMPORTANT: If the animal has died suddenly for unknown reasons, contact your veterinarian before removing the head. Anthrax is present in the environment throughout the province, and heads should not be removed unless there is no possibility that the animal died of anthrax. Because the head contains tissues that are considered SRM (specified risk materials), a permit is required to transport a bovine head to the clinic (and back home again, if the clinic does not have disposal services). Most clinics have an SRM permit number that producers can use to transport SRM to their clinics. Contact your clinic to

MARCH 2017

confirm and obtain the permit number and transport procedures. Alternatively, “emergency” (immediate need) permits can be obtained from the CFIA by calling 1-866-788-8155. Use your Smartphone or a digital camera to take a picture of the intact carcass before removing the head from the body. Include a photo that clearly shows the animals’ ID tag, and make sure that the ID tag is intact and included with the head when delivered to the clinic. These pictures should be kept and will be required in the event of a positive test. And of course, make sure that you call your vet ahead of time to give them a “heads up” that you are coming!

surveillance program trade with other countries may be compromised which could put the Canadian cattle industry in jeopardy. It is hoped that allowing producers to take heads to the veterinary clinic for sampling will encourage more producers to participate in BSE surveillance. B For more information on the national BSE surveillance program, go to www. inspection.gc.ca and search for “BSE”.

Over the years participation in Canada’s BSE surveillance program has gradually waned. Sample submissions have decreased from a high of almost 58,000 samples submitted for testing in 2005 to an all-time low of 26,285 in 2015. There was a modest increase in submissions in 2016, with 27,346 samples submitted. However, this is still below Canada’s annual target of testing at least 30,000 animals per year. Each province is assigned a number of tests based on the cattle population in the province. Saskatchewan producers are required to test approximately 7500 animals each year. Provincial participation has also decreased substantially over the years, with just 1572 samples submitted in 2016. Cattle producers play a key role in this surveillance program since they monitor the health of their herds and can spot any animals that should be tested. While submission of cattle for BSE testing is voluntary, producers have a responsibility to protect their industry by participating in Canada’s BSE testing program. Without this participation, the program cannot succeed and without a robust BSE

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| Â©BEEF BUSINESS | www.skstockgrowers.com

MARCH 2017

Publication: Beef Business Ad#: SEC-MAV17-M Half Horizontal: 7.625” x 4.875”

Product/Campaign Name: CDC Maverick Date Produced: February 2017

Markets and Trade RETAIL MEAT PRICE SURVEY as of February 17, 2017 ($/lb)

CUTS

CO-OP

SAFEWAY

SAVE-ON-FOODS

SOBEYS

4.29

EXTRA FOODS 5.30

4.39

6.99

3.99

Ground beef/regular

4.98

5.64

3.99

Roast/cross rib

7.38

6.97

7.99

6.99

Roast/rib

15.90

9.99

Roast/outside round

7.48

6.34

6.99

Steak/rib eye

15.83

15.89

19.99

16.39

Steak/round

6.49

7.97

6.99

Steak/sirloin

6.99

7.23

9.99

11.99

12.99

Steak/T-bone

10.99

16.49

16.29

24.49

19.99

Ground beef/lean

Steak/tenderloin

*these items were not in the display case on this date SEC-MAV17-M_Beef_Biz_SEC-MAV17-M_Beef_Biz.qxd 2017-02-02 4:19 PM Page 1

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MARCH 2017

www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 15 SEC-MAV17-M

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 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

16 2017

160

180.00

170.00

130.00

160 150 140 130 120 110 100 90 80 70 60 Source: CanFax

2014

160.00 2015

150.00 2016

140.00

2017

2014

2015

2016

2017

Source: CanFax Source: CanFax

| Â©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

210 2016

Source: CanFax

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

2015

Price per hundred weight

2014

210.00

120.00

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

260

200.00 0.98

190.00

0.93

CDN $ - US terms

310

Price per tonne

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 360

150

Price per tonne

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

Markets and Trade SK Weekly Average Price 500-600 lbs Steers SK Weekly Average Price Heifers 500-600 lbs

280

230 2014

180

2014

2015

130 2017

AB Fed Steer Prices

0.88

0.83

0.78

Alberta Weekly D1 & D2 Cows 270

190

Source: CanFax

Weekly Canadian Dollar

2016

2017

0.73 5 yr avg

0.68 Source: Bank of Canada

Lethbridge Barley Price

250270

230

210

250 2014

230 190

2015

170210

2016

2017

Source: CanFax

170

150 For more information visit www.canfax.ca

MARCH 2017

“We were tired of seeding acres that were unproductive and costing us money.” – Dale Rhinas RM of oRkney faRMeR

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| Â©BEEF BUSINESS | www.skstockgrowers.com

MARCH 2017

“A year ago, we signed up online for the tag web store. Once we got the account set up, the site was easy to navigate. Once we ordered the tags, we had them delivered to our place within three business days. The order was accurate and the payment was easy. The nice part was that our tags were already entered into the system, which saved a step.” M�� B��m�� C��-c�l� O��ra�i�� Th��l�� , Ont��i�

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Feature International Trade Update John Masswohl, Director of Government and International Relations with the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA), is possibly the foremost authority on international trade issues concerning Canadian beef. He spoke with Beef Business about the state of several trade initiatives. For some, like the pending Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) with Europe, he says there are still some hurdles to be cleared. For others, notably the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), he says all may not be as it seems. The agreement, believed to have been killed by US President Donald Trump, may have some life yet – in one form or another. And while the US and the UK are signalling a protectionist mood, Masswohl says there is reason to believe Canadian beef may be

in a good position to make advances there and elsewhere. Here’s what Masswohl had to say about some global trade issues: CETA: BEEF DELAYS LOOM Since CETA passed the European Parliament with a convincing vote, and was sent to the Senate by Canada’s House of Commons, the agreement could well be implemented this spring – maybe as early as April 1 Elimination of tariffs in the agreement will be especially advantageous for Canadian beef. Unlike the trade agreements with Korea and Japan for example, where Canada is playing catch-up with the US and Australia on tariff reductions, Canada is not competing with other countries for access to Europe under CETA.

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But there are specific beef access issues to be resolved before Canadians can start shipping. Disinfectant agents commonly used in Canadian packing plants, including citric acid and peroxyacetic acid, have yet to be approved by Europe. “I think we’ll get there,” Masswohl said. “We know the process for getting citric and peroxyacetic acid approved.” But, he says, it’s not a fast process. The safety and effectiveness of the products has been established through industry-based research. To be approved, Canada will have to produce independent research backing it up. This must be submitted to the European Commission, which Masswohl expects will happen some time next year. continued on page 22

MARCH 2017

South View Ranch 17th Annual Bull Sale

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Feature Trade Update cont. from pg. 20 But even if the European Food Safety Authority approves the submission, Masswohl says adoption of its recommendations by the Plant Animal Feed (PAF) Committee is not a sure thing. It is possible that the PAF Committee, with representation from all of the European Union’s member states, might not put the science to a vote, thereby stalling implementation of the beef portion of the agreement. Masswohl said the Canadian industry has some work to do with its meat industry counterparts in Europe. “I have noticed that as they have started to have opportunities to trade and send product in our direction, they’ve become more cooperative about helping us approve these things and navigate through the political dimensions,” he said. “This is the process; we’re going to go through it, we’re going to work with our counterparts over there, and we’re going to do what we do in the United States. We’re successful in the US because we build relationships and get comfortable with each other." “Hopefully in the end our optimism will be rewarded, and these things will be approved, and then we will truly be able to take advantage of the potential of this agreement, which is in the neighbourhood of $600 million per year in Canadian beef exports to Europe.” BREXIT: OPPORTUNITY OR THREAT? As it stands, the UK is a member of the EU and a party to CETA. But the UK is expected to trigger the two-year withdrawal process this spring, meaning that by the spring of 2019 it will no longer be part of the EU and no longer a part of CETA. Masswohl believes Canada will have an advantage with post-EU Britain by virtue of having already hammered out the CETA agreement.

“I was talking to some British folks,” he said. “They seem fairly optimistic that Canada would be high on the list, because Canada would be one of the few countries with which they currently have an agreement through CETA."

“They understand that they need it. They rely on the animals coming in, they rely on our markets for their beef going out. They know if there’s border problems for products coming in there’s probably going to be retaliation.”

“Their perspective at this point is that the quickest agreement the UK could reach would be with Canada.”

While allies like the NCBA are “actively advocating and messaging to keep the trade relationship strong,” the Administration has yet to fill key Department of Agriculture positions, including Secretary. There are 14 positions in the Department that require Senate confirmation, and 13 of these haven’t been named yet. It could take until the summer to have these positions filled.

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION Despite protectionist rumblings from the new US Administration, Masswohl says Canadian agriculture, and beef in particular, can be guardedly optimistic. Although the spectre of mandatory Country Of Origin Labelling, or COOL, raised its ugly head shortly after the November election, that threat has passed – for now. “I’m not afraid of what’s going to happen, because I’m never comfortable,” Masswohl said. “We always expect that there’s somebody in the US trying to bring COOL or some other thing back. R-CALF has talked about ‘COOL in 100,’ trying to reinstate COOL in the first 100 days of the new Administration.” Efforts are also underway in South Dakota and Wyoming to introduce COOL-like provisions at the retail level. But protectionist forces within the Administration are focused on steel and manufacturing, he said. American jobs in feedlots and packing plants depend on a steady supply of cattle and hogs, and he says “I think we’re on solid ground with the ag people.” “I was at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) meeting in Nashville a couple of weeks ago,” he said. “I’ve never seen so many American cattle producers so motivated and so actively talking about the benefits of Canada/US trade and US/ Mexico trade.

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NAFTA “We can be encouraged” on the NAFTA front, Masswohl says. Neither the Administration, the White House, the National Economic Council nor the Secretary of Commerce have said anything about NAFTA that specifically targets agriculture. But, Masswohl warns, that leaves a blank space. “People who would say things we don’t like are going to try to populate that space,” he said. “Also, people we have relationships with, who understand the benefits of trade, will be active in trying to populate that space. It will be a battle.” “We’re confident in our message, we’re confident in the logic of what we say, but we have to be active and we have to be vigilant to make sure those messages are getting heard and understood.” TPP: NOT DEAD? On January 23, US President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order withdrawing the US from the TransPacific Partnership (TPP). Many observers declared the initiative dead. continued on page 24

MARCH 2017

Feature Trade Update cont. from pg. 22 Masswohl isn’t so sure. He says the CCA hasn’t given up on TPP, and there are indications the process is still very much alive. “It may be called something else. It may have the existing members in it, it may have a different grouping of members, it may have fewer, it may have more,” he said. “It may not be overly substantively different. But we’re not giving up on it.” The Canadian government is still consulting with Canadians. Masswohl said the government has a good position on trade in general, but hasn’t yet said if they’d support TPP, try to tweak it, or walk away altogether. Meanwhile Chile has invited all of the TPP signatories, including the US, to meet later this month. They have also invited China, Korea, and other South American countries. Canada’s trade minister has said he will attend. Typically, Masswohl says, governments don’t attend such meetings to explore possibilities – they generally have a prescribed objective in mind. A possible outcome is an agreement that TPP is worth saving, and to try to negotiate the changes that would make it acceptable to the US and other partners. The entry of more countries into the framework stands to make the agreement more attractive. While the US remains standoffish at least for now, Korea and other countries have indicated they want in. “It’s too good an agreement, and there’s been too much work put into it to just write it off and have it disappear,” Masswohl said. POSSIBLE TRADE AGREEMENT WITH CHINA There are exciting signals that Canada is exploring a trade agreement with China, Masswohl says.

The sheer size of China’s population represents enormous opportunities, and the country’s growing wealth is creating a larger appetite for high-quality beef.

“If every person in China ate one more hamburger per month, that incremental amount is more beef than we produce in Canada. It doesn’t take a huge change to drive a lot of opportunities.” While China, with approximately 1.6 billion people, produces five times the amount of beef grown in Canada, their per capita production is much lower than ours. This drives the Chinese demand for imported beef. That demand has “a mind-boggling potential to grow,” Masswohl said. “If every person in China ate one more hamburger per month, that incremental amount is more beef than we produce in Canada. It doesn’t take a huge change to drive a lot of opportunities.” Currently, there are tariffs and technical barriers standing in the way of more Canadian exports to China. We have expanded our exports to include bone-in as well as boneless product, but it all must be from cattle less than 30 months old. And we are currently allowed to sell only frozen product. China does not recognize Canada’s maximum residue limit for ractopamine, enforcing a zero-tolerance policy on some growth-promoting technologies commonly used in Canada. But “that could work well with the CETA agreement,” Masswohl said, “because that’s also a requirement for Europe.”

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“If we get cattle that are eligible for Europe, and maybe 100 kilos of the highest-value products from those animals goes to Europe, then you’ve got the whole rest of the carcass available for China. So some of these agreements can work together.” CATCHING UP IN KOREA Canada is in the third year of its Free Trade Agreement with Korea, and the phase-out of tariffs for Canadian beef imports into that country is in its “third cut,” Masswohl said. But the US is in its sixth cut, and Australia is in its fourth. It will take seven more years for Canada to reach parity with those countries. If Korea participates in a revitalized TPP, that could give Canada its opportunity to negotiate an acceleration of the phaseout. JAPAN According to Masswohl, Japan is an example of why Canada can’t give up on the TPP. Canada and Japan began exploring a bilateral trade agreement in 2012, but that has been on the back burner since Japan entered the TPP talks in 2015. Canada would still be eager to strike a two-way deal, but Japan does not want to throw in the towel on TPP and is likely to continue its efforts there. Australia already has a free trade agreement with Japan, and following Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s recent visit to Washington, it appears Japan and the US are looking for new opportunities to cooperate. The US/Japan joint statement contained an “interesting line,” Masswohl said. “They said the United States and Japan will continue discussions on a bilateral framework. It doesn’t say a free trade continued on page 26

MARCH 2017

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Feature Trade Update cont. from pg. 24 agreement,” he said. “’Framework’ can mean a lot of things. It could mean cooperation, it could mean investment or it could mean a free trade agreement.” But the interesting part of the statement continues. It says that Japan will “[continue] to advance regional progress on the basis of existing initiatives” – in other words, TPP. If you hear that Japan says TPP is dead, Masswohl cautions, “they’re not saying that.”

This means going beyond beef, and continuing to participate with other agriculture commodity groups in the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance. It also means cultivating relationships through the seven-member International Beef Alliance. Consumers worldwide are interested in where and how their beef is produced – meat industry practices have the potential to become trade barriers. This is why Canada is active in the Canadian

and Global Roundtables on Sustainable Beef, the Paris-based International Meat Secretariat and other organizations.“We’re big on alliances, and sharing the load,” Masswohl said. “We’re looking at the whole landscape, including the growing challenges in the future. And we’ve got our fingers in a lot of pies.” “There’s plenty to do in the long run.”B

THE WORLD WANTS MORE CANADIAN BEEF Worldwide demand is there, Masswohl says, if Canada can commit to a stable, assured supply. “I think that demand is growing, particularly in Asia and particularly in China,” he said. When people get more disposable income, they like to eat better and they want the nutritional value of beef.” China buys a lot of water buffalo meat from India, but their tastes are shifting toward better beef. So yes, Masswohl says, the world wants our product, but at what price? Japan imposes a 38.5 per cent tariff. Korea applies a higher tariff to Canada than it does to Australia and the US. China’s tariffs are in the 20 to 25 per cent range; these all eat into the margin. If Canada can get rid of these tariffs and some of the technical barriers, we can expand into new markets and get a higher return for each animal.

Vaccinate against anthrax

“And it’s going to be good for consumers in those countries, who will be able to spend more of their disposable income on a product they enjoy,” Masswohl said.

Contact your local veterinarian for more information on anthrax vaccines for your herd.

It’s important for the Canadian beef industry to coordinate with its allies in Canada and in other countries, he said.

Anthrax is present in the environment across much of Saskatchewan. Beef cattle and bison are the animals most likely to contract the disease, but vaccination provides good protection against it.

saskatchewan.ca/livestock

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MARCH 2017

www.skstockgrowers.com | Â©BEEF BUSINESS | 27

Feature Getting the Most Out of Your Corn Silage Crop by Breeanna Kelln, PhD candidate Department of Animal & Poultry Science, University of Saskatchewan

Corn has been grown in western Canada for over 30 years as silage for beef cattle. However, genetic advancements in the past few years have allowed for not only better yield but increased quality of the corn silage due to early maturing hybrid options. Because of this, producers are starting to include corn more frequently in their seeding rotation because it gives them a high energy feed, with high tonnage. This in turn produces more pounds of beef per acre, more energy per acre and allows for more efficient use of land base. But what are some of the key practices producers can follow to ensure their high priced corn crop gives them the returns they need? Let’s discuss a few management tips: The main drivers for corn silage quality are; seed selection; environment and proper planting; harvest maturity and whole plant moisture. As well as kernel processing, silo filling management, and feed out management. Seed selection Seed selection is important to ensure you have the proper genetics to fit your needs. The main point producers should consider is the corn heat units (CHU) of the seed they are planting. They need to

ensure they are planting a corn hybrid that matches their area. This will ensure it matures at the right time for silage. A late maturing hybrid will be big and tall, with lots of leaf material, but it will be too wet to ensile properly and won’t fill grain kernels as desired for good quality silage. Remember good ear production should make up 50-60% of the crop tonnage! Environment and proper planting This is one of the most critical points for success. Many times when producers are unhappy with their crop, the problems unfortunately started at planting. Corn is a very non-competitive crop and making sure that it has the best start will guarantee success at harvest time. Target a seeding rate of 28,000-34,000 seeds/ acre. If yield expectations are lower, aim for the lower end of the range for seeding rate. Ensure seed placement is uniform, with a seed depth of 1.5 inches or greater depending on soil moisture. Seed depth and firm seed-soil contact are important. Ideal soil temperature should be 10°C at planting; fertility and placement are also critical. Corn is a very efficient user of nitrogen (N), so target 1-1.25 lb of N for every bushel of grain corn produced (or 8 lbs for every ton of silage produced). A 120 bu crop (15 ton silage crop) should

need 120 lb of N. Corn is very sensitive to seed placed fertilizer so ideal placement is 2” over and 2” down from the seed due to the salt toxicity of N and potassium (K). Depending on soil type, 5-8 lbs/ac of N + K2O can be safely placed with corn seed. A 120bu/ac grain crop (or a 15 ton silage crop) requires roughly 120 N, 55 P, 120 K, 22 S (lbs) of nutrients. A corn crop will remove the following nutrients per ton of wet (65%) silage: 8lbs N, 3.5 lbs P, 8 lbs K, 20 lbs S. Harvest maturity, whole plant moisture and kernel processing Remember that grain is 50% of the total yield, and of course also adds to the quality of the silage. For your silage to be high yielding it must have good ear production and be harvested at the proper time. Silage timing will occur roughly 45 days from tassel. The length of vegetative period (or time from planting to tassel) has a greater impact on plant maturity than the time from tassel to grain fill. Because of the consistency of tassel to grain fill timing between hybrids, no matter their corn heat unit rating, differences in maturity are at pre-tassel and kernel drydown post-black layer. continued on page 30

F O R A G E

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MARCH 2017

Feature Corn Silage cont. from pg. 28 Therefore at roughly 45 days post-tassel the kernels will be about 1/2 milk line. The milk line will progress from the outside of the kernel toward the center core, and 1/2 milk line should equate to between 6268% whole plant moisture (WPM). It is very important to take a representative sample of the field to determine WPM. Corn silage requires a kernel processor to ensure that the kernels are properly cracked prior to ensiling. This will ensure proper utilization of starch and other nutrients in the kernel. Chop length of the silage is also critical for success. Particle size should be between 1/4-3/4 inch. If silage has drier WPM the chop length should be shortened to increase compaction density in the pile. If the WPM is a bit wetter, chop length can be lengthened. As silage is being chopped, the chop length and kernel processing should be monitored.

loss. First is to make certain the pile is packed properly to remove all air from the pile. This ensures that the pile reaches anaerobic state required for ensiling. Matching the truck hauling power with the packing power will ensure that the pile is packed to the proper density. A good rule of thumb is: X tons per hour coming into the pile * 800 = how many lbs of packing tractor you need. If you don’t have that number you will need to slow your hauling down. Make sure not to overpack the top 6 inches, as this will create a spoilage layer. Goal density for corn silage should be 14-16 lbs/ft3 DM. This is also why whole plant moisture is critical, as once the crop dips below

62% moisture it will become very hard to pack to the proper density. After the pile is compacted a proper cover with plastic and weight is required. No plastic should be allowed to flap as this is air that is entering the pile. One example, the use of tires, would be to place tires on top of the plastic with tire to tire contact. Different types of silos/storage units will have different risks. For example, silage bags reduce the amount of DM loss, since they create an anaerobic environment right away. However, they may not be practical for a producer needing to put up a lot of silage. Each producer will have to determine which silo/storage unit works for their operation.

Silo fill management Proper bunker/pile management is one of the final stages to ensure success of your corn silage crop. Ensuring that the pile is filled quickly will help reduce losses from the pile. Before we talk about the key procedures to eliminating losses, we should first talk about the types of losses. Of course there are losses that can easily be seen, such as spoilage and leakage, but there is also loss associated with dry matter (DM) loss. A pile that is not managed properly will still have air in it, which will lead to spoilage or dry matter loss. DM loss is different than “shrink”. DM loss is the loss of DM from the pile – this is weight that leaves the pile that cannot be seen. If the pile does not ensile properly, or it is left in an aerobic condition (left uncovered, not packed to remove air) the dry matter gasses off as carbon. When this happens, many producers will not see loss such as spoilage or leakage, but they will feed out less tons from the pile than they put in. DM loss can be as high as 50%. Now that we have briefly discussed the types of loss, let’s talk about how to limit

Source: https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/news/newsreleases/2010/aug30-2010/september-means-corn-silage-harvest/

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MARCH 2017

Feed-out management The final stage of managing your corn silage pile is proper feed out management and maintaining the integrity of the pile face. Remember that if air is allowed into the pile it will create loss. As you open up the pile you risk allowing air into the pile face, so producers should try to limit the amount of face exposure. This can be done by building the pile small enough that the producer can take 6 inches across the whole face in 1 day, rather than 12 inches across half the face. This will ensure that no part of the face is left to air exposure any longer than required. Also defacing from the top down, rather than from the bottom up will help limit the number of fissure cracks that enter the pile. Another important point is to limit the amount of plastic that is removed. Only remove the actual amount required allowing the rest of the pile to remain covered. The goals for proper silage are to reach a low pH, with controlled fermentation temperatures and a proper spectrum of fermentation acids to maintain stability. Well ensiled silage should also conserve water soluble carbohydrates and minimize protein degradation. If producers follow the steps above they will protect their investment, and ensure a high quality and quantity feed source for their herd.

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What will it cost? Input costs for silage corn can differ depending on commodity prices, however they may range from $200 - $250 per acre. Although this is significantly higher than input costs for other forms of silage, the high tonnage produced offsets the input costs, and can decrease overall feed costs. There is also the opportunity for fewer acres required to produce the same number of tons. Typically producers value their silage at $40-55/ ton in the pit. Remember that a balanced ration, complete with proper protein and minerals will ensure herd health and feeding success. B

MARCH 2017

Western Canada sales rep Randall Herperger (306)621-7031 www.skstockgrowers.com | ÂŠBEEF BUSINESS | 31

Dear Cattle Producer: We want you to join a century of tradition and innovation in our province’s beef industry. For 104 years the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association (SSGA) has been an influential leader in Saskatchewan’s cattle industry. We believe in competitive markets and an economically and environmentally sustainable cattle sector. We make an impact on agricultural policy in Saskatchewan. For four generations we have been successful advocates for our members – producers like you, who are committed to a robust, thriving beef industry in Saskatchewan. That’s why we welcome your participation in the SSGA and ask you to complete the attached membership application. While the SSGA is proud of our ranching traditions, we also stand at the forefront of innovation and industry development. We make things happen by engaging with our members, industry partners and government. We combine grassroots democracy with leading-edge professional development through Zone Meetings and our Annual General Meeting. And we publish Beef Business magazine, which keeps you up to date on policy, economic and trade issues as well as our activities in support of sustainable range management. Recent SSGA initiatives include: • Saying NO to a Carbon Tax that unfairly penalizes agriculture • Helping producers protect their livestock from wild predators, including cougars • Speaking up for landowner and leaseholder rights • Supporting improvements to Business Risk Management programs including the retention of the Western Livestock Price Insurance Program and improvements to forage insurance and AgriStability • Investing in youth and young leaders through scholarships and mentorship programming to develop future industry leaders • Investing $2.8 million in conservation programs with landowners to restore native grasslands and conserve species at risk habitat, and • Providing valuable Member discounts on key products and servicesI Progress in the cattle sector depends on a healthy organization with dedicated member support. By joining the SSGA, you back our efforts on your behalf. By becoming active at the zone and provincial levels you will help direct those efforts. Please show your support by completing the attached membership application. Contact our office if you need more information.

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Feature The Value of Vaccination

by Kathy Larson, Beef Economist/WBDC Over the years, Western Beef’s economists have had the opportunity to meet with hundreds of cow-calf producers across Saskatchewan to calculate their cost of production. There is a lot of variation in costs between operations – at least $100 per cow difference between top producers and the study average. If two producers each weaned 550 lb calves, the low-cost producer with a $700/cow cost of production would need $0.18 per pound less for their calves than the producer with an $800/cow cost of production. There are a number of factors that can lower costs for a producer – herd size, asset base, winter feeding method - but there are costs that are not worth cutting. In efforts to be low-cost and still optimize production, profitable producers know not to cut corners on three things: pasture, bulls and herd health. Spending less on these can lead to reduced productivity and thereby reduce profitability. Of specific interest for this article is herd health costs and the costs associated with vaccination. Results from the 2014/15 Western Canadian Cow-Calf Survey (WCCCS) show that over 91% of producers vaccinate their cattle, but the specifics on what vaccinations were given and when the vaccinating took place was not asked (full results on the survey are available at: http://wbdc.sk.ca/wcccs.htm). The WCCCS did ask if producers vaccinated females pre-breeding with 70% indicating they did. When questions on vaccination were asked in a similar survey conducted in Alberta in 1998, over 80% of producers said they vaccinated for Blackleg, but less than 50% were vaccinating for respiratory disease (BVD, IBR, BRSV, PI3). Western Beef follows a herd health program for its cowherd that was developed in consultation with its herd vet. A valid vet-client-patient-relationship (VCPR) is required for a veterinarian to prescribe or dispense medication.

Western Beef is an April calving herd with weaning typically occurring in late October each year. In 2016, the breeding stock were treated for parasites with pouron Ivermectin in late fall. The bred females were vaccinated for scours in March, prior to calving start. In May, the herdsires were vaccinated for footrot. In June, all cattle (cows, calves, bulls, replacements) were vaccinated for Blackleg, pneumonia (H. Somnus), respiratory diseases and Anthrax. The calves received booster vaccinations for Blackleg, H. Somnus and respiratory disease in late September prior

to weaning. The cost of Western Beef’s annual vaccination program is about $25 per cow-calf pair. Table 1 below contains per dose costs of typical vaccinations for a cow-calf herd. The prices have been sourced from a local vet clinic that Western Beef conducts business with. If you were going to follow the table below for your herd, the cost would work out to approximately $25.00 per pair or continued on page 36

Figure 1. Western Beef’s 2016 Vaccination Program

Table 1. Recommended Timing of Typical Vaccinations and 2016 Pricing Disease

SPRING

FALL Cows

Bulls

$/dose*

Cows

Bulls

Calves

Blackleg Blackleg with H. Somnus † Respiratory (IBR/BVD/PI3/BRSV) Anthrax Parasites Scours Footrot

$0.77

ü ü ü

$1.43 $3.63 $1.93 $0.82‡ $3.60 $5.85

*Pricing from actual vet clinics; if more than one vaccine option, average price presented † There is the option to use clostridial vaccine that also contains H. Somnus vaccine. ‡Based on pour-on product at rate of 1 mL per 10 kg and 1350 lb cow; Average of 5 & 20 L pricing

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MARCH 2017

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Feature Value of Vaccination cont. from pg. 34 approximately $3750 for a 150 cow herd. Cow-calf producers are encouraged to talk with their local vet, to build a vet-clientpatient relationship and the development of a vaccination program suitable for their herd and location. The fight against BVD and other respiratory diseases starts with the cow-calf producer. Vaccinating at the cow-calf producer level has downstream benefits; reduced respiratory disease amongst feedlot calves. However, there are also benefits to a cow-calf producer from vaccinating against respiratory disease. It has been estimated that having a persistently-infected (PI) animal in a producer’s herd can lead to a 5 to 15 percent reduction in conception rates (Heuer et al., 20081; Wittum et al., Prev Vet Med 49:83-94, 2001). To put this in perspective, a producer with 150 cows who vaccinates all breeding females, bulls and calves each spring for BVD will spend $1230 to do so ($4/dose x (157 breeding stock + 150 calves) = $1230 or $8.20 per cow). If the producer opted not to vaccinate for respiratory disease and a PI animal was introduced to the herd, it is estimated that conception rates will drop 5 percent. On 150 cows, that would mean 8 fewer calves to sell for a total of $7260 (8 calves x 550 lb x $1.65/lb) in lost weaned calf sales or $45 per cow (see Table 2). Herd health, which includes a vaccination program developed through consultation in a vet-client-patient relationship, is an important part of being a profitable producer. In the example above, the cost of vaccinating for respiratory disease ($8.20/cow) is minimal considering the financial losses that can result from a PI animal ($45/cow). There are costs that should not be cut or minimized; herd health is one of them.

Table 2. Cost of Vaccination Compared to 5% Reduced Conception from PI Calf

Vaccinate Cows, Bulls & Calves in Spring for BVD

Don’t Vaccinate for BVD & Have a PI Calf

$4/dose

5% ê conception

157 breeding stock + 150 calves = ~$1230 to vaccinate or $8.20/cow

8 fewer calves x 550 lb x $1.65/lb* $7260 in lost calf revenues or ~$45/cow

*Avg price of 550 lb steers & heifers in SK for Oct-Nov 2016 as reported by Canfax Herd health, which includes a vaccination

thumb when it comes to handling, storage and administration of vaccines. For more on vaccination and its efficacy, watch the recorded Beef Cattle Research Council webinar from January 18, 2017 featuring WCVM’s Dr. Nathan Erickson and Kathy Larson. YouTube link to recorded webinar: https://youtu.be/7OpMMsQCtcQ B

1. Effect of reproductive pathogens on pregnancy rates in beef herds. Proceedings of the 38th Seminar of the Society of Sheep and Beef Cattle Veterinarians NZVA, May 2008, pp. 141-147

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In order for a vaccination program to be effective, there are a number of rules of

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124 Registered Sales in 2016!

PH: 306-569-3380

WITH OVER 35 YEARS IN THE BUSINESS

Visit our website at www.lanerealty.com to view current listings and virtual tours

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MARCH 2017

Peak Dot Ranch Ltd. Spring Bull Sale

Wednesday, April 5, 2017

At the Ranch, Wood Mountain, Saskatchewan

200 BULLS

Heifers for Sale...Peak Dot Ranch has registered Angus heifers for sale by private treaty. This is a seldom offered chance to acquire some of the top females from our program. This is a perfect set of heifers for anyone wanting to start a new Angus herd, or strengthen an existing one. Contact Peak Dot Ranch for more information on this opportunity.

Cull Bull Incentive Program

This year weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re offering the best cull bull incentive program you will find anywhere. With the cull bull market down a bit from previous years we are going to help you get the most out of those old broken, down worn out bulls. Why take a chance on bunch of open cows this fall when you can replace them with fresh strong new bulls. All you have to do is email us prior to the bull sale or bring a copy of your bill of sale from the auction market after selling your cull bulls and you will receive a $500 credit on each new replacement bull you buy. (eg: If you cull 5 bulls you will receive a $500 deduction for each of the 5 replacement bulls you buy.) Credits must be used on a per bull basis and you cannot use more than 1 credit toward a new bull.

Over 75% of these bulls selling are calving ease bulls with superior performance that will work well on heifers. Peak Dot No Doubt 60D

Peak Dot No Doubt 101D

Hoover No Doubt X SAV Iron Mountain 8066 BW: +3.0 WW: +67 YW: +114 M: +26 BW: 84 205 WT: 1025

Hoover No Doubt X SAV Radiance 0801 BW: +3.3 WW: +79 YW: +131 M: +34 BW: 84 205 WT: 1007 Peak Dot No Doubt 235D

Peak Dot No Doubt 81D

Hoover No Doubt X Duff Encore 702 BW: +2.1 WW: +72 YW: +120 M: +25 BW: 84 205 WT: 910 Peak Dot Easy Decision 5D

Hoover No Doubt X Basin Prime Cut 354K BW: +2.7 WW: +66 YW: +106 M: +23 BW: 87 205 WT: 850 Peak Dot Easy Decision 34D

Bushs Easy Decision 98 X Vision Unanimous 1418 BW: +1.4 WW: +85 YW: +139 M: +27 BW: 70 205 WT: 902 Peak Dot Element 102D

Bushs Easy Decision 98 X SAV Iron Mountain 8066 BW: +3.2 WW: +82 YW: +128 M: +22 BW: 82 205 WT: 922 Peak Dot Element 73D

4M Element 405 X Stevenson Bruno 6371 BW: +2.5 WW: +76 YW: +123 M: +35 BW: 84 205 WT: 1025

4M Element 405 X Peak Dot Pioneer 9X BW: +2.6 WW: +81 YW: +129 M: +33 BW: 84 205 WT: 965

Peak Dot No Doubt 51D

Hoover No Doubt X Vision Unanimous 1418 BW: +4.4 WW: +72 YW: +122 M: +24 BW: 86 205 WT: 863 Peak Dot No Doubt 69D

Hoover No Doubt X SAR New Trend 4100 BW: +3.2 WW: +70 YW: +114 M: +29 BW: 87 205 WT: 936 Peak Dot Easy Decision 30D

Bushs Easy Decision 98 X SAV 004 Predominant 4438 BW: +4.3 WW: +86 YW: +138 M: +30 BW: 85 205 WT: 1019 Peak Dot Element 86D

4M Element 405 X SAV Iron Mountain 8066 BW: +2.6 WW: +76 YW: +126 M: +32 BW: 80 205 WT: 949

View Sale Book and Sale Cattle Photo Gallery at www.peakdotranch.com or phone Carson Moneo 306-266-4414 Clay Moneo 306-266-4411 Email:peakdot@gmail.com

Connecting Sustainability and Beef Production in Canada

Verified Beef Production in

SASKATCHEWAN DRIVING CONSUMER CONFIDENCE

A PRACTICAL APPROACH TO VERIFYING SUSTAINABILITY

PROOF OF RESPONSIBLE MANAGEMENT

Canadian Beef is Sustainable, Safe and Wholesome. Let’s become VERIFIED and show consumers why! Beef Producers in Saskatchewan may qualify for funding provided through Growing Forward 2, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative. There is a NEW funding category under the Beef Biosecurity program for SEGREGATION PENS (see details below under Biosecurity Funding or contact the office for more info).

NEW HE TO T

AM PROGR

Photo credit: Sam Wirzba samwirzba.com

Food Safety Funding

Biosecurity Funding

Food Safety VBP Registered Funding

50% UP TO $750/PRODUCER

50% UP TO $1,000/PRODUCER

50% UP TO $2,000/PRODUCER

Eligible equipment includes:

Eligible items include:

Eligible equipment remains the same

Vet Consultation Visits (Biosecurity

as food safety funding*. To be eligible,

assessment & protocol development)

producers must have their cattle

Segregation Pens (isolation/quarantine pens for incoming or sick cattle) NEW

operation VBP Registered (on-farm audit).

•

Extra restraint on squeezes*

•

Cattle Scales, Feed Scales (load bars)

•

Recordkeeping software

*Note: neck extender, head holder, shoulder holder

*Note: $750 cap per extra restraint mechanism

ENHANCING CONSUMER CONFIDENCE IN THE WHOLESOMENESS OF BEEF To learn more about Visit saskvbp.ca or contact Coy Schellenberg, Provincial VBP+ in Saskatchewan: Coordinator, at 306.859.9110 or office@saskvbp.ca

Biosecurity and VBP+

2017 WINTER WORKSHOPS

FREE LUNCH AT ALL WORKSHOPS

All winter workshops begin with a FREE lunch at noon provided by Boehringer Ingelheim: TOWN

DATE

FACILITY & TIME

ATTENTION PRODUCERS:

WYNYARD

MAR 1, 2017 (WED)

WYNYARD LEGION HALL – 12 PM

•

RAYMORE

MAR 2, 2017 (THU)

UNITED CHURCH BASEMENT – 12 PM

MELVILLE

MAR 7, 2017 (TUE)

HORIZON CREDIT UNION CENTRE –

In order to be eligible for any funding, producers need to complete the VBP training.

•

For Biosecurity Funding, producers must attend a Workshop.

12PM

BALGONIE

MAR 8, 2017 (WED)

BALGONIE 50+ CLUB – 12 PM

REDVERS

MAR 9, 2017 (THU)

GOLDEN AGE CENTRE – 12 PM

ROSTHERN

MAR 14, 2017 (TUE)

RM OFFICE – 12 PM

Watch our website for further details, and please RSVP for Workshops in advance

•

For Food Safety Funding, producers must attend a Workshop or take the Online Course.

•

All Workshops and Online Courses are offered at no cost!

•

Please RSVP for the Workshop you plan on attending! 306-859-9110

WORKSHOPS SPONSORED BY To learn more about VBP+ in Saskatchewan:

Visit saskvbp.ca or contact Coy Schellenberg, Provincial Coordinator, at 306.859.9110 or office@saskvbp.ca

Feature Beef Up Your Risk Management Strategies: How Effective Risk Management Strategies Can Protect Your Finances by Marvin Slingerland, CPA, CA

As a producer in the middle of calving season you have a lot on your mind, and like many producers you may not be giving a lot of thought to risk management about the price you receive in the fall for your calves. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re busy, of course, taking extra steps to ensure your cows are in good body condition prior to calving. You confirm that calving facilities are clean and dry, you protect newborn calves from extreme weather and you implement a vaccination program to protect your calves from diseases. In later spring and summer, your concerns move to adequate grass and grazing rotation and good water sources. With the recent dry summer behind us, you may be forced to lower animal units on your pasture or you may have to put up more hay this year than in prior years. All these examples are key risk management steps that you have incorporated in your daily routine to make sure you can maintain or increase your weaning average and sell more and heavier calves in the fall - but what risk management strategies do you have in place around the price you receive in the fall for your calves? While the main concern at calving season is a healthy calf crop, it is also a good time to be proactive and come up with risk management strategies to protect the financial side of your business and secure your future. In 2015, we saw a wide variation in prices during the fall run. Depending on what week you sold your calves, could have had a huge impact on the price you received. Prices on 600-700 lb steers in September averaged around $2.93 per lb in Alberta

and by December the average was $2.23 per lb. The month of November saw a lot of volatility in prices and if your calves were marketed on the wrong day or week, it would have made a large difference in the cheque you received from the auction market or your cattle buyer. Jump a year to 2016 and a lot of producers were unsure of where prices were going to settle out and we saw a continued pressure downward on the feeder price to the end of the fall run with prices dropping down to $1.76 average for feeders in October. With so many factors affecting prices, it is important to take a step back and assess the risks you are exposed to financially, and then determine if there is any way to mitigate these risks. As cow-calf producers most of you know that often you are price takers, and depending on your operation you may be forced to sell your calves once grass runs out or if you do not have any facilities to feed them longer. Calf prices are affected by many factors such as the beef futures price, the Canadian dollar, basis, and barley price. There are ways you can hedge each of these factors individually if you have the time and knowledge. You can also take a look at using a simple risk management tool such as the Western Livestock Price Insurance Program (WLPIP). WLPIP is available to cow calf producers in March and April to hedge a price for your calves for a period in the fall. For example, last March for a premium of $7.45/cwt, you could have locked in a floor (minimum) price of $214/cwt. Average market price for 600 lb steers in October was around $176/cwt. With WLPIP, a 600 lb steer delivered last October would have netted the producer an extra $180 per head after the cost of insurance is factored in.

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WLPIP has many different levels of coverage depending on the settlement price level you choose for the fall. You can choose a low premium for a low settlement price, or pay a higher premium for the maximum settlement coverage available. What is important as a producer, is to ask yourself what coverage level do you need in the worst case scenario to cover your costs to break even? Would WLPIP help me from selling bred cows, or bred heifers in the fall to generate additional cash flow if prices drop significantly in the fall and you are short of cash to pay bills? The fall calf market conditions impacts a lot of future decisions for your operation in relation to cash flow, heifer retention, and expansion plans. As advisors, we recommend that you take a closer look at your operation to determine what your break even costs are so you can take a balanced approach at what type of coverage you need. If you are a young producer expanding your herd, take a look at your business plan and see if using a risk management tool such as WLPIP would allow you to mitigate a few risks, and allow you to execute your business plan and grow your operation faster. B Contact Marvin Slingerland, CPA, CA a business advisor with MNPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Livestock Services marvin.slingerland@mnp.ca or 1.800.661.8097 for more information on how you can effectively determine your break even costs on your operation.

MARCH 2017

Science and Production Transportation of Livestock by Cam Wilk, PAg, Livestock Services of Saskatchewan

As the 2016 fall run got underway there were several instances where livestock producers transported livestock out of the province without requesting the required inspection and receiving the necessary authority to transport their livestock.

Producer may, with a properly completed Saskatchewan Manifest, transport livestock into inspected markets in Alberta and Manitoba. On arrival the livestock will be inspected and the appropriate fees applied.

By regulation, LSS requires 24 hours notice when requesting an inspection.

I must remind you that Livestock Services of Saskatchewan (LSS) retains one important function previously administered by the Ministry of Agriculture. LSS retains all the regulatory authorities within The Animal Products Act and The Animal Identification Act along with the supporting regulations.

It is important to note that livestock to be transported out of province must be inspected. A Livestock Permit must be issued before the animals leave the province.

More details about the transportation of livestock can be obtained by contacting your nearest livestock inspector. B

A Livestock Manifest is mandatory. The Livestock Inspection and Transportation Regulations continue to require that, before transporting livestock, the owner or his or her agent shall complete and have in their possession a Livestock Manifest. The Manifest must include:

• the owner’s address and phone number;

• the number of animals and their destination;

• the animals’ descriptions and brands; •

and the signature of the owner or the owners’ agent.

A properly completed Manifest identifies the owner of the livestock, helps to prevent livestock theft and ensures accuracy for processing producer payments, or finance payment information, if required. Good documentation contributes to efficiencies in the movement of livestock through the marketing systems and to the prompt payment of livestock.

Transporting livestock without a completed Manifest or Permit may result in you receiving a summary offense ticket.

The term “livestock” includes cattle (commercial & purebred), horses, sheep, goats, swine, bison and any hybrid of these species. The terms “transport” or “transportation” means the movement of livestock by foot or by vehicle. Livestock Permits are issued by the inspector, or an authorized person, following the payment of the appropriate inspection fees of $2.75/head. The Permit provides the transporter with the authority to move the livestock. The information contained on the Permit is similar to the information required on the Manifest. I would also like to remind you that Saskatchewan producers purchasing livestock from our auction markets can move those animals to their Saskatchewan home base on a Manifest, as long as the invoice is attached. Producers are exempt from completing and using a Livestock Manifest if they are transporting livestock to or from a veterinary clinic or between properties they own or control in Saskatchewan that are not more than 50 kilometres apart.

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MARCH 2017

Science and Production Active Missing Livestock Files March 2017

Area Missing From

Number of Head

Animal Description

Cando

RWF cow

Cando

2 cows 4 calves

Cando

Brand Description

cows

5 black cows 2 calves 1 black bull

Brand Location

RCMP Subdivision

LSS Regional Office

Date Reported

North Battleford

North Battleford 306.446.7404

Jan. 3

North Battleford

North Battleford 306.446.7404

Jan. 3

North Battleford

North Battleford 306.446.7404

Jan. 3

North Battleford

North Battleford 306.446.7404

Jan. 3

Alberta brand RH

LR Alberta brand

Information provided by Livestock Services of Saskatchewan

Help shape the future of the SSGA by taking our survey at http://skstockgrowers.com/survey/ or call 306.757.8523 to receive a paper copy. 44

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MARCH 2017

Stewardship The Evolution of Conservation Approaches The ever-changing dynamics of conservation planning, administration and action is becoming more diverse and yet potentially more effective. The creation of the South of the Divide Conservation Action Plan Inc. (SODCAP Inc.) and its partnership with the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association (SSGA) is providing local action for the globally recognized demand for grassland habitat conservation. Since the late 1800s, Canadians have recognized the need for balancing our influences on the natural environment. From the Act for the Regulation of Fishing and Protection of Fisheries in 1868, and the Species at Risk Act in 2000, to the adoption of The Paris Agreement on climate change in 2015 and the Great Bear Rainforest Agreement in 2016, legislation directing conservation has been enacted. With each piece of legislation, conservation related science

MARCH 2017

and corresponding land use planning has been evolving with the increasing understanding that locally driven action, is taking root across North America.

While the SSGA and SODCAP are leading by example in Canada, it is imperative that the adaptive, results-based thinking used to develop the programs, also produces results that are accountable to all partners. In the United States, the Sage Grouse Initiative and the Lesser Prairie-Chicken Initiative were developed in 2010 to create voluntary cooperation, deliver incentives, and support communities where at risk wildlife exists. These initiatives are science driven, locally led and partnership based,

all of which hinges on the trust and credibility of those involved. The goal is win-win conservation. A shared vision among the partners enables the work to occur on public and private lands. Both of these models have tremendous grassroots support from cooperating ranchers, conservation organizations and government, resulting in a less fragmented approach to conserving and increasing wildlife habitat and contributing real value to the landowners. The same dynamics are at play in Saskatchewan with the Species At Risk Partnerships on Agricultural Lands (SARPAL) programming funded by the Government of Canada, administered through the SSGA and delivered by SODCAP Inc. Not only does this model result in quantifiable habitat as described by the best science available, it allows the continued on page 46

www.skstockgrowers.com | ÂŠBEEF BUSINESS | 45

Stewardship Evolution of Conservation cont. from pg. 45 solutions to be created and economically viable at the local level. Compensation for the solutions is negotiated with the individual. The SARPAL projects are designed to facilitate real habitat results within agricultural operations and are based on globally recognized wildlife habitat science, economic evaluations and ranch-based solutions. This programming is leading edge in Canada, and provides real compensation for management to support quantifiable species at risk habitat. Management for species at risk habitat is becoming an opportunity. Assistant professor in the Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Adena R. Rissman, examined the evolution of conservation tools and noted the opportunity to develop more effective tools to be used in concert with conservation easements. While conservation easements were effective in some situations, there was opportunity for adaptation. Key to the discussion was the noted direction toward privately negotiated environmental policy and the need for adaptive solutions not limited to conservation easements. Conservation tools tailored to specific ranch situations and opportunities are developing with increasing landowner engagement.

Projects underway include:

• • • • •

Results-based Agreements Grass Banking Term Conservation Easements Habitat Management Agreements Habitat Restoration

Rather than a niche program, the SARPAL programming is enabling planning and implementation of activities on a landscape scale and across land ownership boundaries with specific, quantifiable habitat results. While the SSGA and SODCAP are leading by example in Canada, it is imperative that the adaptive, results-based thinking used to develop the programs, also produces results that are accountable to all partners. So far, the strength of the partnerships is yielding large-scale results. B Based on the scientifically accepted habitat targets, monitoring protocols and producer engagement, the SODCAP

delivery model is helping to chart the future of environmental policy. For more information contact: Tom Harrison Executive Director SODCAP Inc. (306)-530-1385 ed@sodcap.com www.sodcap.com Sage Grouse Initiative www.sagegrouseinitiative.com Lesser Prairie-Chicken Initiative www.lpcintiative.org Rissman, A.R. (2011). Evaluating Conservation Effectiveness and Adaptation in Dynamic Landscapes. Law and Contemporary Problems. 74: 145-173. Retrieved from: http://labs. russell.wisc. edu/rissman/files/2011/12/ Rissman-2011- Evaluating-conservationeffectivenessadaptation-DukeLCP.pdf

To be effective, the opportunities have to outweigh other land use choices such as annual cropping, or increased rangeland utilization. The SARPAL programming is about finding a balance for agricultural production and wildlife habitat that is driven by specific targets rather than broad agricultural generalities. To achieve these specific results, a variety of conservation tools are being employed. According to Rissman (2011), this approach is driven by specific habitat focus and is supported by conservation science that has identified the need for adaptive solutions for conservation to be effective. The SODCAP Inc. delivery model is a great example of adaptive conservation tools for privately managed lands.

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MARCH 2017

www.skstockgrowers.com | Â©BEEF BUSINESS | 47

Stewardship SARM Invasive Plant Management Program by Harvey Anderson

Why are Rural Municipal Councils not taking advantage of the SARM Plant Control Program? Is it a lack of funds; are Rural Municipalities too rich? Is it that there are no invasive weeds out there, or is it the belief that weed control should not be an RM Council responsibility? Roads, yes; health issues, yes; fire control, yes; but weed control, no? Weeds can impact the livelihood of ratepayers and limit the productivity of their property, so it should be an RM Council concern. In 2015, only about 60% of the 296 RMs even appointed a weed inspector, and only 25% of RMs applied for the available funding. Only 30-35% of the total funding was paid to RMs in each of the last three years of this program. The total funds which have been available to RMs is $800,000 per year, for the last 3 years. In 2015, only about $ 350,000 was rebated to RMs. That means one-half million dollars ($500,000) was put back into government coffers to be spent on other things. I have spent the last 40 years working on agricultural related programs in Saskatchewan, and over this period have traveled the backroads through all 296 RMs, and have seen the weed issues out there. I do not remember a single RM that does not have some kind of weed problem, within its boundaries. Why arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t these weeds being managed? Many of these invasive weeds spread along RM managed roadways and onto private land, and no one is concerned. Is it that councils do not have budgets for weed management? The SARM Plant Control Program was initiated to help with funding for weed control. SARM manages a funding program to assist RMs through a rebate program which covers the cost of herbicides used to control many invasive weeds. The weeds covered under this program was limited by the number of weeds species it covered, for the first couple of years, but the species list was expanded in 2015 to cover many more weed species.

The program now covers: Leafy Spurge, Russian Knapweed, Common Tansy, Yellow Toadflax, Absinthe Wormwood, Field Bindweed, Common Burdock, Bladder Campion, Oxeye Daisy, Black Henbane, Hoary Cress. and Wild Parsnip. All of the Prohibited Weeds, as listed in the Weed Control Act are also covered, as well as other costs such as further scouting for more locations of a Prohibited Weed upon discovery. Few of the listed Prohibited Weeds are presently in Saskatchewan, but there are localized populations of Salt Cedar and Field Scabious in a few locations in the province. I am also concerned about the Prohibited Weeds located just outside the Saskatchewan boundaries; Red Bartsia in southwestern Manitoba and Yellow Toadflax in North Dakota and Montana. I expect these weeds to be transported to Saskatchewan over the next few years and it would be a great plan to eradicate the first few plants, which would likely save RMs thousands of dollars, before these species reappear in the province. The approved herbicides that are covered under funding rebates must have registrations, as listed on the product labels, that claim they control these particular weeds. This may mean that different herbicides may be required for different weeds. No single herbicide will have all of these weeds on their labels, and a claim of suppression is not sufficient to be funded. A plan to spray all weeds with glyphosate (Roundup) will not be funded under this program, as this product does not provide real control of the target weeds, and also has detrimental effects, such as removing competitive grasses. One concern, over the last few years, has been that the required paperwork takes too much time to complete. Considering that a Licensed Pesticide Applicator must keep accurate records of spraying activities by law, the only extra effort required is for this information

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to be organized in a useable form. The applications have been streamlined over the last few years and in 2015 there was a computerized interactive spreadsheet application form which could be used by computer savvy administrators who make the final application for the funding. The details of this Funding Program are available on the SARM website and the 2016 application form and any 2016 updates should be available long before spraying season, but there will not likely be any major changes to this program. An RM becomes eligible for funding by appointing a weed inspector, creating a written Weed Management Plan, and by spraying approved herbicides to control one of the designated weeds. The herbicides must be applied by a Licensed Pesticide Applicator on public lands, such as roadsides, but private land can by sprayed by the landowners.The best plan for finding a Weed Inspector and Licensed Pesticide Applicator is for the RM to find a reliable person and have them trained. Saskatchewan Polytechnic offers courses for Pesticide Applicators and the Ministry of Agriculture holds Weed Inspector Training Clinics each April. My role as Weed Advisor for the SARM Invasive Plant Management Program makes me available at no cost to RMs to assist them in creating Weed Management Plans, assistance to RMs which may want to form Cooperative Weed Management Areas with neighboring RMs, urban municipalities, or First Nations. I am also available to assist in reviewing funding applications and for general Invasive Weed advice. B Please contact me at harvey.anderson@ gov.sk.ca or by phone at 306-933-7695.

MARCH 2017

www.skstockgrowers.com | Â©BEEF BUSINESS | 49

Stewardship The Manitou Cattle Breeders Co-op Pasture has Pushed Leafy Spurge to the Top of Its Priority List by Tara Mulhern Davidson

Farming and ranching are jobs that, more often than not, involve hard work, long hours, and little recognition. For one Saskatchewan grazing cooperative however, their diligent work and efforts in managing their native prairie grasslands were rewarded at the recent Native Prairie Restoration and Reclamation Workshop in February in Regina, SK. The Manitou Cattle Breeders Co-op Pasture (MCBCP) were winners of the inaugural Saskatchewan Prairie Conservation Action Plan (SK PCAP) Native Prairie Stewardship Award. The award provides recognition to a community leader or group who is having a positive impact on native prairie, wildlife, species at risk, or working to raise awareness to improve overall health of range and riparian resources. The MCBCP is one of thirteen grazing cooperatives operating on Crown Lease land located within the Manitou Sand Hills near Neilburg, Senlac and Unity in west central Saskatchewan. The MCBCP operates on more than 25,000 acres, providing grazing for approximately 720 pairs for 15-20 members. The Manitou Sand Hills are known to be sensitive and complex, comprised mostly of Dune Sand ecosites on native rangeland that is flanked by both fresh and saline water lakes. The area has been recognized by the United Nations as the Artland Sandlhills, important for its unique and diverse natural resources. The Manitou Sand Hills have also been deemed an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International, providing valuable migratory bird habitat for many shorebirds including piping plovers, rednecked phalaropes, sanderlings, and stilt sandpiper. The area is home to many rare plant species as well, including sand nutgrass, Richardson needlegrass, sand dune wheatgrass, marsh felwort, and smooth monkeyflower, to name just a few. While the Sand Hills are home to many beautiful and diverse species, 50

Brian Nattress (centre) receiving the SK PCAP Native Prairie Stewardship Award on behalf of the Manitou Cattle Breeders Co-op Pasture. John Hauer (left) and David Shortt (right) with the SK Ministry of Agriculture nominated the group. Photo courtesy of Tara Mulhern Davidson.

unfortunately they are also home to one very undesirable plant – leafy spurge, a noxious and invasive weed. Leafy spurge reportedly entered the area in the 1970s with industrial development and now infests approximately 15,000 to 20,000 acres in the overall area, and approximately 7,000 acres within the MCBCP. Spreading by both seeds and an extensive network of deep roots, leafy spurge quickly invades into prairie, taking over native grasses, forbs and shrubs, reducing biodiversity, and eventually decreasing grazing capacity. On Crown Lease land, lessees including grazing cooperatives, are responsible for controlling noxious species, which can be an expensive and time-consuming challenge for individual producers, let alone a group of 15-20 shareholders. The MCBCP has met this problem head on. Initially, the group received herbicide to control leafy spurge and applied it on their own time using a hand sprayer for years until their supply of herbicide eventually ran out. This didn’t deter the MCBCP and they committed to using their own time and resources to diligently control leafy spurge. “We do feel responsible for trying to manage our resources well,” said Brian

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Nattress, a rancher and member of the MCBCP. “When we ran out of herbicide and found out that we couldn’t get money for more spray, it was decided among the co-op members that we would pay out of our own pockets to supply the spray,” Nattress added. “We are committed as a group to doing what we can to preserve what we have.” The group marks and maps their leafy spurge patches with a GPS unit to monitor patch location and size. “If no one does anything with spurge, it really does take over quickly. We’ve seen what happens when the spurge is left uncontrolled and unchecked,” Nattress said. There are approximately 75 patches, including three that are really large. “We’ve divided up the workload so each member has between five and ten patches to manage and maintain,” Nattress explained. The Manitou Cattle Breeders Co-op Pasture operates within an area that is very active in oil, gas and seismic exploration. The cooperative has chosen to take any funds from industrial development and dedicate the money to continuing their leafy spurge control program. Recently, the MCBCP was able to MARCH 2017

Stewardship hire a helicopter to spray larger patches of spurge. For Nattress and the other cooperative members who have been battling leafy spurge for decades, the Prairie Stewardship Award is meaningful. “It’s kind of nice to have the recognition,” Nattress admitted, but added that bringing attention to invasive weed control is even more important. “For years we’ve been trying to bring attention to the area about leafy spurge. We’ve been working with local RMs and the local weed inspector, industry, and government to keep building momentum,” Nattress said. “We’re definitely moving forward,” he concluded. B

Leafy spurge, a noxious and invasive weed, has milky sap, bright lime-green flower-like bracts, and spreads quickly from seeds and a network of deep, strong roots. Photo courtesy of Tara Mulhern Davidson.

er to h t e g o t g s joinin m a r g o r Favor P r l u a o u Y d i n Indiv Scale I e h T p i T

20th Annual

Saturday April 1, 2017 1:00 p.m. CST Johnstone Auction Mart Moose Jaw, SK

Performance Tested

Triple ‘A’ Bull Sale

4 Miles West of Moose Jaw on Trans Canada Highway

Consigners Bell Angus - Ken Bell 306-591-4710 Cottonwood Angus - Brett Gaube 306-537-4710 Glen Gabel Angus - Glen Gabel 306-536-1927 Hi-Low Angus - Dan Howell 306-581-7606 Nu-Horizon Angus - Kieran & Deb Doetzel 306-336-2245 Triple H Angus - Perry & Dawn Hart & Family 306-723-4832 Valley Lodge Cattle Co. - Gordon C. Roger 306-771-2305 Willow View Angus - Ken & Sandy Harle 306-359-6100 Wilmo Angus - John & Marg Willmott 306-345-2046

Sale Managed by Chris Poley: 306.220.5006 Shane Michelson: 403.363.9973 Ted Serhienko: 306.221.2711 Ben Wright: 519.374.3335

View the catalogue online at www.buyagro.com • Sale is broadcasted on www.dlms.ca

MARCH 2017

20th Annual www.skstockgrowers.com Triple ‘A’| ©BEEF BullBUSINESS Sale |

Association News, Reports, and Events Animal Protection Services of Saskatchewan Report by Kaley Pugh Executive Director

Animal Protection Services of Saskatchewan (APSS) currently has four Animal Protection Officers (APOs) responding to concerns of livestock and companion animal neglect and abuse around the province. We have a contract with the Ministry of Agriculture for enforcement of the Animal Protection Act, 1999, and we do not do any fundraising activities. We opened a total of 544 new cases in 2015-2016, which was well below the average of 674 for the previous four years. Dogs were involved in 324 of the complaints (60% of the total); with 138 (25%) horse complaints; 63 (12%) cattle complaints; 56 (10%) cat complaints; 20 (4%) sheep/goat complaints, and the remaining categories of “other”, fowl, camelids, hogs, cervids and bison all having just a few complaints each. We classify our cases as either “Founded”, “Unfounded” or “Inconclusive”. Founded cases are those where there is legitimate concern for the welfare of the animals, and follow up by an officer is required. Unfounded cases are those where there is no concern for the well-being of the animals, and nothing further is required

by our APOs. Unfounded complaints are usually from well-meaning complainants, but they are also sometimes malicious complaints such as divorcing spouses or feuding neighbors. In 2015-2016, 40% of the cattle complaints were classified as “Founded”. Typical reasons for complaints about cattle include lack of feed or water, poor body condition, inadequate shelter, and occasionally down or deceased animals that are visible from the road. Unfounded complaints are often the result of extensive grazing systems where concerned passersby do not see hay or other feed provided for the cattle, or where the cattle are using snow as a water source. We work hard to resolve founded complaints by making requirements for improvements and conducting follow up inspections, and we use our authority to seize animals as a last resort when owners fail to relieve animals of their distress. We seized animals in 20 cases in 2015-2016, but none of those seizures involved cattle; in total, 46 horses, 19 dogs, 12 cats, 4 chickens, and 1 turtle were seized.

So far this year, we’ve had a similar number of complaints as last year, with a spike in complaints since the cold weather hit in mid-December. As of the end of January 2017, we’ve opened 467 new cases, with 254 of those (55%) involving dogs; 94 (20.13%) involving cattle; and 92 (19.7%) involving horses. We have had several complaints this year regarding cattle with severe cancer eye, as well as a few of down cows that haven’t received appropriate treatment. If you have animals that are injured or sick, be sure to treat them promptly, or have them euthanized without delay if they aren’t likely to recover. If you have any concerns about livestock welfare, or any other animals in distress, contact our office at 1-844-382-0002 or email info@animalprotectionservices.ca. We do accept anonymous complaints, and a complainant’s identity is never disclosed. We know that the majority of Saskatchewan’s livestock producers do a great job caring for their animals, but we do also need your help identifying situations where there may be problems developing. I’m always happy to answer questions – call me at 306-382-2418 if there’s anything you’d like to talk about. B

2017 Crown Grazing Rental Rate Grazing Rates 2009 - 2017 Chart Title $11.19 $10.87

$12

$6 $4

$3.93

$5.00

$6.09

$5.99

$7.17

$6.42

November

Weighting

$82.50

$76.87

12.00%

$9.56

$158.53

$162.48

17.00%

$27.29

Feeder steers 500-600 lbs

$174.46

$184.18

35.00%

$62.76

Feeder heifers > 800 lbs

$140.63

$147.28

21.00%

$30.23

Feeder heifers 500-600 lbs

$149.12

$157.34

15.00%

$22.99

Feeder steers 800-900 lbs

$10 $8

October Slaughter D1 & D2 cows

$152.83

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

Series1 Annual AUM Price

* Prices were held at 2008 rates due to low commodity prices in the cattle industry

| ©BEEF BUSINESS | www.skstockgrowers.com

Rent

Lbs of beef produced

$46.00

Weighted value

$1.37

Constant stocking factor Share

0.80 0.1275

Per AUM

$7.17

MARCH 2017

REWRITING THE BOOK ON

BRD TREATMENT Zelnate™ DNA Immunostimulant is a new chapter in BRD management.

Zelnate is the first licensed DNA immunostimulant that aids in the treatment of BRD associated with Mannheimia haemolytica. By jumpstarting the innate immune system — which has been shown to provide a rapid, potent and broad protective response to infectious agents — Zelnate helps reduce lung lesions and mortality in cattle. Administer Zelnate at the time of, or within 24 hours after, a perceived stressful event. For more information, contact your Bayer representative, call 1-888-663-5326, email vetservicescanada@bayer.com or visit animalhealth.bayer.ca. This product is based on technology developed by Juvaris BioTherapeutics and is patent protected. Animal health applications are being exclusively developed by Bayer Animal Health and are protected by Bayer patent applications. ©2016, Bayer HealthCare LLC, used with permission, and Bayer Inc. TM see www.bayer.ca/tm-mc

Association News, Reports, and Events Saskatchewan Shorthorn Association Report by Betty Wyatt, Secretary/Treasurer

Welcome to an old fashioned Saskatchewan winter. In my area (southeast corner) we have had above average snowfall, below average temperatures combined with a February thaw in January. Blizzards created many snow days, but we are blessed to not have to endure ice storms as our Maritime friends do! June 25, 2016 was the SSA AGM held at Matlock Farms, Lloydminster in conjunction with their celebration of 75 years in the Shorthorn industry. Jim and Creta Haydock live in an area of great beauty and calm in the rolling hills northeast of Lloyd. Congratulations on the longevity and support of the Shorthorn breed! Additionally, Jim and Creta were recipients of the SSA Honour of the Breed award. We’d like to welcome Hayleigh Nault of Barr 33 Ranch to the SSA Board of Directors. Bar West 4-H Beef Club had a two time Grand Champion female, Uphill Princess 9A/calf at side. She is owned and shown by member Royce Mollenbeck of Englefeld. Royce received his award during the SSA banquet in November. Can she do it again?? The Canadian Shorthorn Association recognized Horseshoe Creek Farm, Grant and Chris Alexander, with the Legend of the Breed award. The presentation was made at the SSA November banquet in Regina. Congratulations to these most deserving ambassadors of the Shorthorn breed. The CEO, Directors and Staff of CWA pulled off an almost unimaginable feat in light of the upheaval on the fairgrounds during construction and renovation, providing all exhibitors with warm, functional facilities. Not one person could complain of the untimely showers from

the leaking roofs of years gone by. The inconveniences were few and tolerable. I for one cannot wait for next year to see how the new buildings will operate! Hats off to the dedicated members who made sure “the show will go on”! Lane and Colleen Easton and family of Kennedy were selected to receive the 2016 SSA Commercial Breeder of the Year award. They were presented with an embroidered jacket and a farm sign at the banquet. The Eastons run about 160 cows crossing his predominantly Black Angus with Shorthorn sires and retaining most of the crossed heifers. They have produced countless Shorthorn X show stock, many rising to championship status. The Eastons are very deserving recipients of this award. The lassie for this year’s CWA show was Danica Kiefer from the Bar West 4-H club. She performed an awesome job with assistance from Raylene Moellenbeck and we are grateful for their participation.

In Memoriam of former and current SK Shorthorn Assoc. members. Gerald (Gerry) Wyatt, born December 30, 1951, passed away suddenly October 31, 2016. He leaves his wife Betty, and 6 children, Bradly and Chad Wyatt, Amanda Klatt, Corey, Trevor and Ryan Branvold, their spouses and 17 grandchildren. Isabel (Robertson) Barnsley, born December 30, 1928, passed after a brief illness. She was predeceased by husband Bert and is survived by her children Catherine, Nancy, Janet, their spouses and four grandchildren. Earl McCorriston, born June 4, 1942, passed away suddenly January 2, 2017, leaving wife Betty, children Neil, Kevin, Heather and Karen their spouses and 5 grandchildren. Our deepest sympathy to all. B

Congratulations to all recipients! The SSA announced that the SK Junior Association will host the Canadian Junior Shorthorn Show, time and date yet to be determined. Watch the website www. saskshorthorns.com and the spring newsletter for details. The SSA will also be hosting another exciting National Shorthorn Show at CWA 2017. We encourage breeders to come out and showcase your program in the all new facility, it will be great! Our major fundraiser, the auction of a donated Shorthorn heifer, was another great success. Thank you to Muridale Shorthorns of Swift Current for their generous donation of Muridale Esther 42D. The luck of the draw went to Schwab Cattle Co. A sincere thank you to all participants who made this endeavour successful.

| ©BEEF BUSINESS | www.skstockgrowers.com

MARCH 2017

R egistered (est. 1963) & C ommercial (est. 1948) B lack A ngus C attle • APHA & AQHA H orses

Prairie Pride Distance 41C

to Freyburn Angus Farms, Oxbow SK.

r hoice u o Y C BULL Friday

1:00 pm (CST)

•

A pril

& H EIFER S ALE

•

2017

Cowtown Livestock • Maple Creek SK

65 Yearling Black Angus Bulls 10 Yearling Black Angus Open Heifers South Shadow 134X Riteway 228C

Photos, EPDs/Data, Videos, Online viewing details and Sale Catalog will be available on the ranch website

www.DelormeRanch.ca

to Box Elder Colony, Maple Creek SK.

Many Thanks to Our 2016 Cattle & Horse Customers Bulls

South Shadow Ruby 81C

to Early Sunset Ranch, Edam SK.

Watch for our new sale date next year ~ March 2018

AAFC *(x6) A Haggart *(x2) B Bock * C & N Schock *(x2) Cypress Cattle Co * D Hanson *(x2) D & C Judge D Drever * D & E Nagel * F & C Ruest * T & M Frey

C Parsonage *(x3) J Whitney * Watson Cattle Co*(x2) Boggy Springs Ranch * L Berreth * Rose Creek Ranch * J & N Hassett * Rocky Top Ranch * W Bowyer * R Gordon * M Wilson *(x2) T & T Cronkhite

Heifers

Crowe Bros * Early Sunset Angus (x2) S & S Frey Outlaw Coulee Angus *(x2) B Dumontel Wiwa View Farms Ltd * M Forsyth McGillivray Cattle Co Windy Willows Angus

Commercial Open Heifers T Graham (x65) Private Treaty

Offering Prospects sired by Smooth Sir Son of NCHA Hall of Famer

Smooth As A Cat x Smart Lil Ricochet

We Welcome Your Calls & Requests for H erd Tours, Information or to be added to our mailing list

Pebbleridge Stock Farm RDCD Enterprises Ltd. * Freyburn Angus Farms W & K Knaap (x2) Box Elder Ranch (x2) Wiwa View Farms Ltd * 76 Grazing Coop * (x2) Sandhills Cattle Co Ltd *(x2) Cypress Farming Co. Ltd *(x2) Merryflat Grazing Co-op *(x3) 9 Bar Ranch Company (x2) Prairie Harvest Farms Inc *(x2)

Bred Heifers

Private Treaty

T & C Leismeister * (x10) G Shapley (x19)

Steers

JGL* Porter & Maclean*

Horses

Private Treaty

L & C Tannas *(x2) P & L Vanderwoerd * N Holmes K Smith B Elliott J Meyers *

* repeat customers

Private Treaty at the Ranch: Bred Heifers Open Replacement Heifers APHA/AQHA Horses

Don and Connie Delorme Box 28, Robsart, SK S0N 2G0

dcdelorme@sasktel.net HOME: 306.299.4494 CELL: 306.299.7778

South Shadow, Boundary, Kay Dee, Jay En Dee & Prairie Pride

MARCH 2017

www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 55

Association News, Reports, and Events Saskatchewan Angus Association Report by Michael Wheeler, President

I am pleased to bring you news on behalf of the Saskatchewan Angus Association. A lot has happened over the past few months. Our Gold and Junior Show at Stockade Roundup in Lloydminster was once again a great success with excellent numbers exhibited and great quality. Fall female sales were very good including the Masterpiece and Power and Perfection sales at Agribition. The quality of cattle exhibited at Agribition was exceptional. One or more of the Grand or Reserve Champions in the First Lady Classic, First Lady Futurity, President’s Classic, Commercial Replacement Heifers, Commercial Bred Heifers, Junior Beef Extreme and RBC Supreme were all Angus. The traffic through the barns was good throughout the week and interest in the Stockman’s Exchange and commercial cattle was strong. We just wrapped up our Annual General Meeting in Regina, as part of the Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference. Elections were held for the Board of Directors and I would like welcome new directors Michelle Potapinski and Sarah Davidson-Coward. I would also like to congratulate Parkwood Angus on being selected as Purebred Breeder of the Year. One of our main goals is to create opportunities for member and producer education and engagement. Our Board held our spring meeting in April 2016 and for the first time we hosted a Breeder Information Session the evening before. We also hosted a session in September at

You may be aware that Showdown 2017, the National Junior Angus Show is being held in Lloydminster July 20-22. My hope is that this will be the biggest and best Showdown yet. I challenge all breeders to attend and show their support for our future breeders. If you are planning on taking your kids, awesome! To those people I challenge you to look at your kids friends, neighbours, 4-H club, even kids from other breeds, and bring them along with you. Pack the trailer full and come for a good time.

White Bear Casino, another in November in Lloydminster during Stockade Roundup and the final one in December was in Moose Jaw. These sessions featured speakers and presentations on topics ranging from genetics to markets to customer service. Those in attendance appreciated the laid back atmosphere that was conducive to lots of open discussion. The speakers were engaging and everyone left with useful information they could apply at home. We are planning another session in Saskatoon on April 20, 2017 that will be similar to the session we held last spring in Regina. Check our website, Facebook or through our e-blasts for more details. Contact us if you would be interested in hosting a session in your area as we are interested in offering more of them.

The summer months will bring our annual summer tour which has become a major event for the association. There is interest in northwest Saskatchewan to host the tour in August, so keep your calendar open. The 2017 Gold and Junior show will be held again in Lloydminster with the Stockade Roundup.

We are very pleased to be facilitating our second Mentorship Program this year, with the assistance of Growing Forward. We have five young cattle producers paired with experienced breeders and/ or industry leaders and they are working on developing their skills in production, marketing, advocacy and industry politics.

HOG HITH

FARM & RANCH EQUIPMENT Ltd

E OU TST

1974

RA ANDING B

♦

2017

Best of luck with calving and spring bull sales. Hopefully Mother Nature cooperates and we can all enjoy the prospect of all the new matings and breeding decisions that are arriving. See you down the road! B

Hi-Hog Farm & Ranch Equipment Ltd. www.hi-hog.com 1-800-661-7002 The Outstanding Brand

Better by design Creep Feeder Panel Item #1490

18” Wide Calf Alley Spreader with Lift-up Gate Item #59

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| ©BEEF BUSINESS | www.skstockgrowers.com

MARCH 2017

“Who’s Your Daddy?”

14th Annua l Bull Sa le Thursday, April 6, 2017 - 1:00 p.m.

Saskatoon Livestock Sales, Saskatoon, SK 306-382-8088

We know that our bulls have to be better just to get your attention! That’s why we cull hard and only sell 50 bulls a year. These are the top cut from over 400 purebred Shorthorn cows. Thick, rugged, BEEF BULLS that are bred to handle the harsh conditions of Western Canada. Also offering a select group of open replacement heifers.

Sons of the se three bulls sell

Selling 5 Sons out of the #1 BW bull in North America, including a couple of curve benders

Saskvalley Imperial, Saskvalley Yellowstone and Saskvalley Youngblood

Muridale Hero 31Z

2015 Agribition Champion Sons & Daughters sell Bell M Foreman 30A Catalogs will be available on our websites. Sale Bull videos at www.youtube.com/whosyourdaddybull

For more information or a catalog, contact:

S askvalley Stock Farm Carl Lehmann 306.232.3511 cmlehmann@sasktel.net saskvalleyshorthorns.com

Special Representatives: Dr. Bert Moore 701.541.5035 Larry Toner 306.834.7652 Rolly Bateman 306.320.7466 MARCH 2017

Bell M Farms

Richard Moellenbeck 306.287.7904 bellmfarms@outlook.ca bellmfarms.com Internet Bidding Available Through www.dlms.ca

Muridale S horthorns

Scot Muri 306.741.6833 sjmuri@sasktel.net www.muridale.com

luke@lukebowmanconsulting.com www.lukebowmanconsulting.com

Association News, Reports, and Events Saskatchewan Bison Association Report by Les Kroeger, President

In 2016 Saskatchewan bison producers benefited from strong consumer demand domestically and globally. These prices supported by a weak Canadian dollar pushed prices of market ready bison to their highest in history. Although the US marketplace has seen strong stable prices, the Canadian marketplace has seen the price for harvest ready animals increase almost 25% between January 2015 and January 2016 and a further 14% by December 31, 2016 as is indicated in the graph below. Bison marketers indicate that, at current US prices, not all demand can be met, creating opportunities for industry investment. Bison is a heritage product with its consumption measured in ounces per capita in North America. Continued strong demand and the expected finalization of the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement with the European Union and the removal of the 20% tariff on bison products should

provide a strong foundation for industry growth.

to create conditions that will ensure longterm profitability.

Current prices and the expected strong demand for bison have created a wave of optimism in the industry. This optimism has translated into higher prices for calves and yearlings as well as mature bulls and cows being harvested. Producers have held back heifers with the expectation of taking advantage of a strong breeding market. It is also reported by suppliers that there are increased sales of bison handling equipment as producers continue to add to and renew the industry infrastructure.

To assist those interested in investing in the industry and to assist financial institutions in evaluating bison business plans, the Saskatchewan Bison Association has collected data to establish financial and production performance benchmarks for cow-calf, backgrounding and finishing operations. This information is continually updated.

The data suggests that the industry is building a foundation for growth. Being a small industry, building this foundation has negative short-term consequences. Reduction in total animals harvested from about 75,000 in 2015 to 70,000 in 2016, in light of a strong demand, results in some customers being left out of the market. With more bison being retained for herd growth, if current economic conditions exist, it will be three years before there is a substantial increase in supply. Nevertheless the industry must continue

The Saskatchewan bison industry has a number of members who raise both cattle and bison. Should there be other cattle producers who are interested in diversifying their livestock base, please give me a call. We regularly have field days and other events to promote the industry. B If you have any questions about the bison industry please go to www.canadianbison. ca or call 306-585-6304.

Annual Average Prices of Grade â&#x20AC;&#x153;Aâ&#x20AC;? Slaughter Bulls

$7.00 $6.00 $5.00 $4.00 $3.00 $2.00 $1.00 $0.00

1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015

Source: Terry Kremeniuk, CBA, 2017

| ÂŠBEEF BUSINESS | www.skstockgrowers.com

MARCH 2017

Association News, Reports, and Events Saskatchewan Limousin Association Report by Jeff Yorga

• Thank you to Terry Bedard, Colette Carpenter and Dana Carpenter, along with our SLA directors, for volunteering their help during the Limousin Show!

In Saskatchewan, the Limousin breed had another banner year in 2016. Bull sales were strong, herds grew, but most importantly commercial producers continued to see the benefits of using Limousin bulls in their crossbreeding rotation. Some of these benefits are calving ease and calf vigor at birth, large weaning weights, cattle that convert in the feedlot and then marble and yield on the hook. If you haven’t tried a Limo recently, the time is now!

Please join us in Prince Albert, SK for the Saskatchewan Limousin Association Annual General Meeting along with the Limousin show Held in conjunction with the Prince Albert Exhibition Summer Fair Beef Cattle Show

• August 2-5, 2017 • Jackpot Shows for Yearling Heifers, • •

Bull Calves, Heifer Calves, Prospect Steer Calves and Finished Steers All Breed Junior Show Supreme Champions qualify for the Royal Bank Beef Supreme Challenge at CWA!

http://www.paexhibition.com/ Join us in Prince Albert for a great summer show and the AGM! B

Canadian Western Agribition Wrap Up

• SLA Commerical Producer of the Year •

• •

Award was presented to Gordie and Lorelee Zyznomirski and family! Bohrson Marketing Services managed the Solid Gold Limousin Sale once again with a tremendous line-up of live and frozen genetics that averaged $7,396 Congratulations to first time exhibitors Hewson Land & Cattle on receiving the Herdsman Award! We could not put on this event without our tremendous banner/pizza party sponsors: Bohrson Marketing Services, Saskatoon Livestock Sales, Hale Stock Farms, Emtech Genetics, Masterfeeds, Greenwood Limousin, Jones Cattle Co., Martens Livestock, Pinnacle View Limousin, B Bar Cattle, Edwards Limousin, Eden Meadows Farm, RCN Livestock, Karwandy Limousin, Ken-Doc Limousin, Hi-Way Limousin, Cochrane Stock Farm, Lazy A Limousin, Boss Lake Genetics, J. Yorga Farms, Red Coat Cattle Station, Circle T Limousin, Carpenter Cattle Co. Praire Gold Sale Group, Payne Livestock.

MARCH 2017

Association News, Reports, and Events Saskatchewan Charolais Association Report by Carey Weinbender, President

Greetings Fellow Cattlemen, This past year was very busy for the Saskatchewan Charolais Association. The 53rd Annual General Meeting was held on July 24th, 2016 at Saskatoon Livestock Sales. The Board was excited to release the new Breeder Directory which provides a convenient way for cattlemen to locate the progressive Charolais Breeders wit in our province. Look for copies at auction barns throughout Saskatchewan or it can be viewed on our website. AGM guest speaker Mel Reekie, General Manager of the Canadian Charolais Association, gave the members a national update as well as an overview of her trip to Australia where she attended the Australian National Show and Youth Stampede. Retiring directors Greg Gilliland and Glen Mangels were recognized for their years of dedication to the Board. The Board welcomed new members Raymond Pashke of Love, SK. and Mike Neilson of Willowbrook, SK. for three year terms. In conjunction with our AGM the association hosted the “Summer Showcase” Pen Show and Calcutta. There were 25 head entered in the show which was judged by Bryan Willms and Clark Ward. Following the silent auction approximately 55 people enjoyed a wonderful steak supper which gave everyone an opportunity to socialize. The Charolais sale at the Canadian Western Agribition was held November 24, 2016. The Association sold tickets for sale credits and the three lucky recipients were drawn prior to the sale. The Canadian Charolais Youth Association also held their annual semen auction in conjunction with the sale. A large crowd was in attendance for the sale which saw

a lot of active bidding. The consignors presented a great set of cattle resulting in 19 lots averaging $8571.00 which was auctioned by Chris Poley of T Bar C Cattle Company. Following the sale, the Association hosted a supper for all exhibitors and guests to round out the day. On November 25, 2016, 119 entries competed in the Charolais show judged by Dave and Krista Erixon of Erixon Simmentals, Clavet, SK. At the end of the day, Serhienko Cattle Company of Maymont, SK. was awarded Grand Champion Female, with Reserve Champion Female going to Rollin’ Acres Charolais of Mulmar, ON. Grand Champion Bull was awarded to Prairie Cove Charolais of Bowden, AB and Cedarlea Farms of Hodgeville, SK., with Reserve Champion Bull presented to Johnson Charolais of Barrhead, AB. During our show intermission the Association was honoured to present the following awards: Breeder of the Year- Cedarlea Farms,Hodgeville, SK Commercial Breeder of the Year- Calvin and Sandra Knoss, Rockglen, SK Honour Scroll Recipients Murray and Nicole Blake, McCord, SK John and Rosemarie Perrot, Naicam, SK Ron and Donna Elder, Coronach, SK Herdsman Award - Kody Meier Regional 4-H Champions - Will Banford, Justin Cay, Danielle Meier In the works for 2017, our Ad and Promo committee has our largest portfolio. They are currently working on a new ad campaign to further enhance the presence of the Charolais breed in the province. Watch for our ads this spring in the local auction marts. Also, our Association currently has a website and an active Facebook page.

The 4-H Youth Committee is again working with the Saskatchewan 4-H Council to recognize our 4-H youth. Gifts will be distributed to all members who exhibit a Charolais sired animal at their Achievement Days. Presentations will be made at CWA to our 2017 Regional 4-H Charolais Champions. The Association proudly sponsors the Yorkton Spring Steer & Heifer Show, and the Prairieland Beef Expo as well as our Canadian Charolais Youth Associations annual conference which will be held this year in Barrie, ON. Our AGM Committee is in the final stages of planning the 2017 Canadian Charolais Association AGM on June 9-10 in Saskatoon. Herd tours are on the agenda for June 9 with AGM/Banquet to follow on June 10. Our Saskatchewan Charolais Association AGM/Pen Show will be held Sunday, July 30 in Moose Jaw. Check our website and Facebook page for further information on these events. Our Association currently has an active Fieldman, Bob Jackson from Sylvania, SK. He has been present at many auction barns during the fall sale run and he attends industry events promoting our breed and its benefits in today’s marketplace. Bob and his wife Janet were recipients of a Saskatchewan Livestock Association Honour Scrolls which was presented at the SBIC awards banquet in Regina on January 25. In closing, the Saskatchewan Charolais Association would like to take this opportunity to thank our sponsors and volunteers for their support throughout the year. B

MARCH 2017

n io it d a r T y il m a F n r u b y e r F Bull & Female Sale

April 21st @ 1:00 PM At the Farm - Oxbow, SK

He Sells

Freyburn Firin Up 48D Sire: Freyburn Firin Up 66B

He Sells

Freyburn Genesis 24D Sire: Merit Genesis 1077

On offer...

50 Black Angus yearling bulls 20 Purebred open yearling heifers

High Seller in 2016

Freyburn Genesis 50C Sire: Merit Genesis 1077

Freyburn Angus Farms

Jason & Melissa Frey Lucas & Kayla Frey 306.485.7230 306.485.8285 www.freyburnangus.com freyburnangusfarms@gmail.com Angus Edge - Spring 2017

Page 65

Association News, Reports, and Events Saskatchewan Simmental Association Report by Carolyn McCormack Secretary/Treasurer

s„™‘„š†‹ˆž„” sŒ““ˆ”š„’@a™™•†Œ„šŒ•” The Saskatchewan Simmental Association had a successful year in 2016! The SSA works hard to promote the Simmental breed and support its members and this is evidenced by another busy year. We are striving to promote the breed at purebred and commercial levels, as well as through support and encouragement of our youth – the future of the breed and the cattle industry. Spring bull sales, once again, remained strong and proved that the demand for Simmental genetics is getting stronger. The SSA “Win a $2000 sale credit Bull Promotion” has proven to be very successful. Any bulls purchased from SSA members and the registration papers transferred, automatically enters the buyer’s name into a draw for a $2000 sale credit. The more bulls you purchase, the more chances you have to win! This credit is drawn at our annual meeting in July and the lucky winner has one year to use the credit to purchase a bull or female at public auction or private treaty. Congratulations to the 2016 winner, Laird Edwards of Craik, SK.

The SSA awards scholarships to juniors moving on to post-secondary education. This year’s recipients were: Paige Holmquist, Toby Noble, Kale Scherger and Darla Fedyk. To qualify to receive a scholarship, applicants or their parents must be members of the Saskatchewan Simmental Association and the application deadline is Oct. 1. The Saskatchewan Simmental Association Board of Directors continues to work hard to promote and encourage the breeding of Simmental cattle. Their hard work and

dedication in the past and in the future will ensure that the Simmental breed continues to thrive in Saskatchewan. Our current Board members are President Ryan Lundberg, Vice President Tyler Libke, Directors - Blair McIntosh, Donna Asher, Lyle Forden, Sarah Delorme, Kirsten Fornwald, Kyle Ashworth and Jada Tyler. For a list of upcoming spring bull sales or classifieds go to our website www. sasksimmental.com or follow us on Facebook. B

2016 Purebreed Breeder of the Year - the Erixon family, Erixon Simmentals of Clavet, SK. Photo courtesy of the SK Simmental Assoc.

The 2016 Purebred and Commercial Breeders of the Year were awarded during the Simmental Show at Canadian Western Agribition. The 2016 Purebred Breeder of the Year Award went to Erixon Simmentals of Clavet, SK. RBD Ranch, the McKim families of Milestone, SK were awarded the 2016 Commercial Breeder of the Year Award. Both families received 3’x6’ farm signs in recognition of their achievements. The SSA continues to strongly support 4-H and youth programs in Saskatchewan. All members exhibiting a Simmental or Simmental influenced animal received a pair of SSA gloves. The SSA also gave out hoodies to Grand and Reserve Champions at all regional 4-H shows and spring steer & heifer shows to qualifying winners. 64

2016 Commercial Breeder of the Year - the McKim families, RBD Ranch of Milestone, SK. Photo courtesy of the SK Simmental Assoc.

MARCH 2017

Association News, Reports, and Events SSGA Semi-Annual Meeting Resolutions

Resolution #1 WHEREAS the Internet is an essential tool for cattle producers for buying, selling, marketing, age verifying, recording, registering cattle, and more; and WHEREAS access to High Speed Internet in rural locations across Saskatchewan is substandard and inconsistent. BE IT RESOLVED that the SSGA lobby the Government of Saskatchewan to develop a long-term, effective solution to provide reliable High Speed Internet service to rural areas. Carried Resolution #2 WHEREAS it is becoming increasingly more difficult for young families who wish to acquire ranching properties in Saskatchewan; and

BE IT RESOLVED that the SSGA encourage the Government of Saskatchewan to investigate and pursue the use of binding, legal, transparent Joint Ventures as a tool in the transfer of land and livestock assets from seller to buyer. Carried Resolution #3 WHEREAS Canadian grasslands and agricultural lands are a significant carbon sink; and WHEREAS the Government of Canada is planning to implement a national carbon tax. BE IT RESOLVED that the SSGA lobby the Government of Canada to recognize the carbon sequestration capability of grasslands and agricultural lands and fairly compensate landowners for these benefits and farming practices. Carried

WHEREAS the economic atmosphere has undergone some major changes in the last four to five decades making it onerous for young aspiring ranch families to acquire capital; and

Resolution #4 WHEREAS the implementation of a national carbon tax will increase production costs and put the Canadian beef industry at a competitive disadvantage to other beef exporting nations.

WHEREAS a joint venture is a financial vehicle which could somewhat level the playing field. Joint ventures are an agreement by which two or more parties share the risk of transition or rollover of property and assets. Both the Buyer and Seller assume some degree of risk going forward with such an agreement.

BE IT RESOLVED that the SSGA lobby the Government of Canada to reverse its decision to implement a price on carbon by 2018 until adequate research and consultation have been completed. Carried

| ÂŠBEEF BUSINESS | www.skstockgrowers.com

Resolution #5 WHEREAS soil organic carbon is a precursor of soil productivity in both annual cropland and grasslands. BE IT RESOLVED that the SSGA lobby both the federal and provincial governments to conduct research into methods of increasing soil organic carbon. Carried Resolution #6 WHEREAS each and every agricultural production unit has its own unique set of circumstances and constraints and every agricultural decision maker needs to be free to make decisions based on his/her unique circumstances without outside coercion. BE IT RESOLVED that the SSGA, as a representative of cattle producers, engages the federal and provincial governments to keep cross compliance to a minimum to reduce the risk of unduly influencing producers management decisions. Carried Resolution #7 WHEREAS invasive weeds are difficult to control and cause added expense and labour to farms and ranches. BE IT RESOLVED that the SSGA lobby the Government of Saskatchewan to provide adequate funding to all transitioned former PFRA pastures to implement weed management plans to limit the further spread of invasive weeds. Carried

MARCH 2017

Resolution #8 WHEREAS AgriStability coverage levels and margins were reduced under Growing Forward 2; and WHEREAS producer participation has been decreasing due to reduced coverage levels. BE IT RESOLVED that the SSGA lobby the governments of Saskatchewan and Canada to restore AgriStability coverage levels and margins to previous levels for the Next Agricultural Policy Framework. Carried

SSGA 104th AGM & Convention Change, Challenge, Opportunity June 11-13, 2017 Moose Jaw, SK at Mosaic Place Save the date

MARCH 2017

www.skstockgrowers.com | ÂŠBEEF BUSINESS | 67

Association News, Reports, and Events SSGA Welcomes New Director Joe Gilchrist Joe joined the SSGA Board as a Director at Large in June 2016 at the SSGA AGM. Joe and his wife Brenda have three children Jody, Tyler (wife Kristy) and Adam. The Gilchrist ranch is located at Maple Creek and was originally settled in 1914 by Joe’s grandfather and uncle. Joe’s parents took over ownership in 1955, followed later by Joe. Today the ranch consists of cow calf, backgrounding and grass yearling operations with Joe’s sons also working on the ranch.

Joe thinks that the SSGA, as an organization, helps producers improve themselves and their operations. He sees the biggest future challenges for the livestock industry as improving markets and keeping consumers eating beef. Joe said that the SSGA can work toward supporting the livestock industry into the future by keeping ahead of misinformation. B

low birth wts. hair performance ranch raised guaranteed semen tested powerful mothers

Saturday, March 25 ,

2017 - Johnstone Auction Mart, Moose Jaw, SK

• 35 Black Angus Yearling Bulls • 40 Two Year Old & Yearling Horned Hereford Bulls • 100 Commerical Open Replacement Heifers

MURRAY, BRIDGET & LUKE ANDREWS - 306-631-9271 OR 306-694-5821 RUSSELL & FAYE ANDREWS - 306-693-2687 Moose Jaw, SK

ANDERSON CATTLE GEOFF ANDERSON - 306-731-7921 Bethune, SK

MARCH 2017

Association News, Reports, and Events A Report From Shane Jahnke President, Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association

One thing that keeps ranching in Saskatchewan interesting is trying to deal with the weather extremes; such as when it recently went from minus 40 with the windchill to plus 5 on Valentine’s Day. I hope that everyone is having an enjoyable winter despite the crazy weather. The SSGA had an excellent Semi-Annual meeting held in Regina during the Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference. The meeting started with Minister Stewart bringing greetings and announcing the 2017 Agriculture Development Fund (ADF) livestock and forage research funding. Attendance, by the membership, was great and included direction on the resolutions that were brought forward. The SSGA continues to stand strong behind our Premier on opposing the national carbon tax, through our continuing lobbying efforts. At the SemiAnnual meeting, members passed a resolution stating their opposition to a carbon tax, and that such a tax would put Canadian beef at a disadvantage in ultra-competitive international markets. Alternatively another resolution was passed calling on governments to recognize and fairly compensate landowners for the carbon sinks agricultural lands provide. In January, the SSGA joined a group totaling 12 organizations to express

MARCH 2017

their opposition to a federal carbon tax. Together, we submitted a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and federal Minister of Environment & Climate Change Catherine McKenna. The letter outlines why a federal carbon tax would be harmful to Saskatchewan’s economic sectors including agriculture, business, and construction. In addition to economic concerns, all organizations agreed that a federal carbon tax is not the most effective policy tool for reducing greenhouse gas emissions or mitigating climate change. Adaptation and innovation are superior methods for reducing emissions and dealing with climate change. At the Semi-Annual meeting, the SSGA announced exciting new partnerships with D3H hotels, OLS Tubs and the TruTest Group, which will offer benefits to members. These partnerships will hopefully be just the beginning of this new type of benefit that the SSGA can offer its members in addition to the work the organization does for the industry. As producers throughout the province continue to adapt to new technology in order to carry out their business there is a definite need for better highspeed Internet coverage in many rural areas of our province. The SSGA has committed to lobbying the Government of Saskatchewan to develop a long-term, effective solution to provide reliable high-speed Internet service to rural areas throughout Saskatchewan.

better. If you do not have Internet access and would like to participate, please call the office to be provided with a paper copy of the survey. I would like to remind everyone to consider using the Western Livestock Price Insurance Program (WLPIP) this spring as I believe it is a very valuable risk management tool for producers. For more information on WLPIP visit your local SK Crop Insurance office or go to www.wlpip. ca As we approach the season of SSGA zone meetings I encourage producers to attend and learn about what is happening with the SSGA on the local front. I will be attending as many zone meetings as I can and look forward to meeting and discussing our industry with many producers. The date and locations have been set for the SSGA 104th AGM and Convention. Please mark June 11-13th on your calendars and plan to join us at Mosaic Place in Moose Jaw SK. More details to come! I hope that everyone has had or will have a successful calving season depending on the timing of this important season on your operation. Also, please do not hesitate to pick up the phone and give me call if you have any questions or concerns that involve the organization or our industry. I might live at the bottom of a coulee but I do have one heck of an effective cell booster. B

On a related note, I would ask that producers with Internet access please complete our recently launched online producer survey by going to www. skstockgrowers.com/survey. The link will also be promoted in the SSGA weekly bulletins and on Twitter and Facebook. It will take only a few minutes to provide us with your extremely valuable input which we will use to help serve our industry

Calendar of Events March 13 March 13 March 16 March 18 March 18 March 21 March 24 March 24 March 24 March 25 March 25 March 25 March 27 March 31 April 1 April 1 April 1 April 2 April 3 April 3 April 3 April 4 April 5 April 6 April 6 April 7 April 8 April 8-9 April 10 April 13 April 13 April 14 April 15 April 15 April 21

MARCH Palmer Charolais with Nielson Land & Cattle Co. 6th Annual Charolais Red & Black Angus Bull Sale SSGA Zone 7 Annual Meeting Bowerman Bros., Wishbone Cattle Co., Nesset Lake Angus and Island Hill Angus Annual Black Angus Bull & Female Sale Canada’s Red, White & Black Bull Sale SSGA Zone 1 Annual Meeting City View Simmentals & Ivanhoe Angus 7th Annual Bull Sale Gillespie Hereford Ranch Bull Sale SSGA Zones 3 & 12 Annual Meeting Top Cut 25th Annual Black Angus Bull Sale Borderland Cattle Company Bull Sale Early Sunset “Only the Good Ones Sell” Production Sale Stockmen Select Bull Sale & Commercial Open Replacement Heifers Cockburn Red Angus and Merit Cattle Co. Bull Sale SSGA Zone 2 Annual Meeting APRIL Burnett 33rd Annual Black Angus Bull Sale Crescent Creek Angus 19th Annual Bull and Female Sale Triple ‘A’ 20th Annual Performance Tested Bull Sale Summit 3 Speckle Park Sale Benchmark Angus 21st Annual Bull Sale Eastondale 10th Annual “On the Farm” Angus Bull and Female Sale Wilgenbusch Charolais 14th Annual North of the 49th Bull Sale Git ‘R Done Bull Sale Peak Dot Ranch Ltd. Spring Bull Sale T Bar K Ranch 9th Annual Bull Sale “Who’s Your Daddy?” 14th Annual Bull Sale Northern Progress 27th Annual Bull Sale Six Mile Ranch 42nd Annual Bull Sale SK Beef Expo 4th Annual Beef Event Moose Creek 23rd Annual Red Angus Bull Sale Sliding Hills Charolais11th Annual Bull Sale Southview Ranch Red & Black Angus Bull Sale Delorme Ranch “Your Choice” Bull & Heifer Sale Cornerstone “More Bang for Your Buck” Bull Sale Sandy Bar 39th Annual Short Grass Bull & Female Sale Freyburn Family Tradition Bull & Female Sale

Bladworth, SK Kyle, SK Meadow Lake, SK Moose Jaw, SK Wawota, SK Moose Jaw, SK Wymark, SK Assiniboia, SK Maple Creek, SK Rockglen, SK Edam, SK Moose Jaw, SK Moose Jaw, SK Weyburn, SK Swift Current, SK Goodeve, SK Moose Jaw, SK Ardrossan, AB Warner, AB Wawota, SK Halbrite, SK Hodgeville, SK Wood Mountain, SK Wawota, SK Saskatoon, SK Saskatoon, SK Fir Mountain, SK Saskatoon, SK Kisbey, SK Canora, SK Ceylon, SK Maple Creek, SK Whitewood, SK Aneroid, SK Oxbow, SK

SSGA BOARD OF DIRECTORS THE EXECUTIVE

Shane Jahnke President/Director at Large Gouldtown, SK

DIRECTORS AT LARGE Phone: 784-2899

Bill Huber 1st Vice President/Director at Large Lipton, SK Phone: 336-2684 Kelcy Elford 2nd Vice President/Director at Large Caronport, SK

Phone: 690-5309

Jeff Yorga Finance Chair Flintoft, SK Phone: 531-5717 Doug Gillespie Past President Neville, SK Phone: 627-3619

Jerry Chanig, Mankota Keith Day, Lacadena Gerald Duckworth, Courval Glen Elford, Milestone Calvin Gavelin, McCord Joe Gilchrist, Maple Creek Paula Larson, D'Arcy Norm Nordgulen, Assiniboia Donnie Peacock, Maple Creek Barry Olney, Estevan Roy Rutledge, Assiniboia

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

Henry McCarthy, Wawota Stephanie Deg, Weyburn Rod Gamble, Pambrun Robin Wiggins, Maple Creek Bill Huber, Lipton Brent Griffin, Elbow Kimberly Simpson, Kyle Kelly Williamson, Pambrun

478-2658 375-2934 394-4211 436-4688 478-2558 662-3986 379-4523 642-4961 662-8288 421-1495 642-5358

AFFILIATE DIRECTORS

Garner Deobald - Charolais Affiliate, Hodgeville 677-2589 Jack Ford - SaskMilk Affiliate, Wishart 328-4700 Tara Fritz - SImmental Affiliate, Shaunavon 297-3147 Lance Leachman - Hereford Affiliate, Maidstone 903-7299 Russell Murri - Shorthorn Affiliate, Swift Current 773-6583 Kurtis Reid - Hereford Affiliate, Hepburn 280-6858 Laird Senft - Angus Affiliate, Fort Qu’Appelle 332-4823 Lee Sexton - Goat Breeders Affiliate, Hanley 544-2660 Jeff Yorga - Limousin Affiliate, Flintoft 531-5717

APPOINTED DIRECTORS

Dr. Andy Acton- Veterinary Advisor, Ogema 739-2205 891-9894 582-2077 666-2103 336-2684 854-2050 375-5534 582-6102

459-2422

SASKATCHEWAN CCA DIRECTORS

Pat Hayes, Val Marie Lynn Grant, Val Marie Reg Schellenberg, Beechy Duane Thompson, Kelliher

298-2284 298-2268 859-4905 675-4562

Listings of email and fax numbers can be found on the SSGA website at www.skstockgrowers.com

MARCH 2017

Advertisers Index Allen Leigh Security & Communications

Moose Creek Red Angus

Six Mile Ranch

Apollo Machine & Products

Morley's Ag Sales

Sliding Hills Charolais

Arm River Red Angus

Solar West

Barr & Olney

N.M. McMahon Chartered Professional Accountants

South View Ranch

Bayer

Nerbas Bros. Angus

Benchmark Angus

New Life Mills

Spring Creek

Stockman Select Bull Sale

Borderland Cattle Co.

New Vision Agro

Bowerman Bros

Norheim Ranching

Summit 3 Speckle Park

Superior Livestock Auction

Burnett Black Angus

Northern Progress

Canadian Cattle Identification Agency

Northstar Seed

Sweet Pro

18-19

T Bar K Ranch

Cornerstone

Paysen Livestock Equipment

Cowtown Livestock Exchange, Inc.

Peak Dot Ranch Ltd.

Target Cattle Concepts

49,74

Terra Grain Fuels

Crescent Creek Angus

Saskatchewan Angus Assoc.

D&R Prairie Supplies

Saskatchewan Beef Expo

Top Cut Black Angus

Triple A Performance

Delorme Ranch

Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture

38-39

Ducks Unlimited Canada

Saskatchewan Verified Beef Production Inc.

Who's Your Daddy

11,15

Wilgenbusch Charolais

Early Sunset Ranch

SeCan

Eastondale Angus

Short Grass Bull & Female Sale

Western Litho

Edward Jones

Simply Ag Solutions

Federated Co-operatives Ltd.

FeedMax Corporation

Freyburn Angus Farms

Frostfree Nosepumps Ltd.

GBT Angus

Gem Silage

Gibson Livestock

Git 'R Done Bull Sale

Golden Thread Livestock Images

Grayson & Co.

Hi-Hog Farm & Ranch Equipment

Impact Trailer Sales

Jackson Designs

John Brown Farms

Johnstone Auction Mart

Kelln Solar

Kramer Trailer Sales

Kyle Welding & Machine Shop

LLB Angus

Lane Realty Corp.

Linthicum Ranch

Liphatech Inc.

Luck Now Products

31,73

Man-SK Gelbvieh

Manitou Maine-Anjou

Masterfeeds

Merit Cattle Co.

MARCH 2017

SSGA Zone Meetings SSGA Zone 4 Annual Meeting March 3, 2017 Maple Creek, SK SSGA Zone 7 Annual Meeting March 13, 2017 Kyle, SK SSGA Zone 1 Annual Meeting March 18, 2017 Wawota, SK SSGA Zones 3 & 12 Annual Meeting March 24, 2017 Assiniboia, SK SSGA Zone 2 Annual Meeting March 31, 2017 Weyburn, SK www.skstockgrowers.com | Â©BEEF BUSINESS | 71

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Security & Communications Ltd.

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Phone: 306-955-5477 / 1-866-298-7222 www.simplyag.ca

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

Integrity Commitment Results

Proudly providing legal services since 1883

(306) 693-6176

e-mail us at: admin@graysonandcompany.com 350 Langdon Crescent Moose Jaw, SK S6H 0X4

NEW VISION AGRO

BEEF & BISON FEED AVAILABLE IN: - COMPLETE FEED PELLETS - SUPPLEMENTS - MASH FEEDS CALL TOLL FREE 1-866-FEEDMAX (333-3629)

www.feedmax.com 72

Box 479 Hague, SK S0K 1X0 PH: (306) 225-2226 FX: (306) 225-2063

email: newvisionagro@sasktel.net www.newvisionagro.com

Dealer & Distributor For: - Jay-Lor Vertical Feed Mixers - Masterfeeds - Cargill Rite Now Minerals - Baler twine, netwrap, silage bunker, covers, plastic wrap, Grain Bags

Check with us before you buy!

Call (306) 345-2280 or visit www.terragrainfuels.com for more information.

MARCH 2017

Pump Kit

Solar West 500

There is a Dealer near You!

Calmar, Alberta

We’ve got you covered STOCK WATER TROUGHS

Kyle, SK

306-375-2271

Made of 12 gauge galvanized with angle iron reinforcement and cross braces. Has 2” drain outlet (and overflow outlet at top if required). Available in standard 400, 500, 1000, or 1250 Imp.gal., or custom built to your needs. Movable water trough on wheels also available.

FOR ALL OF YOUR BEEF NUTRITION SOLUTIONS CALL:

Humboldt / 1-800-747-9186 Regina / 1-877-929-8696 Saskatoon / 1-888-681-4111 Swift Current / 1-877-773-3001

403-342-7522 888-552-5505 gemsilage@telus.net

kylewelding@sasktel.net | www.kylewelding.com

Up North Silage Covers • Up North Silage Bags • Up North Silage Shield • Up North Grain Bags • Gem Bale Wrap • Gem Silage Baggers • Gem Bacteria Blend • Gandy Inoculant Applicators • Net Wrap • Twine • Bale End Caps • Silage Tape • Zipper Tools • Poly Fastener • Secure Covers™

Bay #9, 108-105 Burnt Lake Trail • (Burnt Lake Business Centre) • Red Deer, Alberta T4S 0K6

Cowtown Livestock Exchange Inc. Maple Creek, SK

Regular Sales every Tuesday @ 11:00 a.m. Locally Owned & Operated Call for info on Presort & Other Sales Phone 306-662-2648 Toll Free: 1-800-239-5933

www.lucknowproducts.com

www.cowtownlivestock.com

Forage Seed Mixes TMR MIXER FEEDERS

Corn Seed RYAN GIBSON BUS: 306-692-9668 CELL: 306-631-0070 FAX: 306-692-3252 TOLL-FREE: 1-800-667-7176

Neil McLeod 306-831-9401

VERTICAL & HORIZONTAL

Snowblowers Also Available Contact

Randall Herperger For More Information 306-621-7031 www.edwardjones.com

Proud to provide all your livestock needs.

Brandon: (204) 727-0571 Calgary: (403) 531-6656

We are a Canadian distributor for Pneu-Dart

Edmonton: (780) 472-6767 Melfort: (306) 752-2894

Pneu-darT

Moosomin: (306) 435-3331

INC.

Saskatoon: (306) 477-6464 ®Registered trademark of TMC Distributing Ltd., Saskatoon S7K 3M9

Graham McKenzie

306.861.7074 MARCH 2017

Dale Watson

306.861.4618

Know your goals so you can choose your investments. Tyler Knibbs

Financial Advisor .

461 King Street Unit 3 Estevan, SK S4A 1K6 306-634-4870 www.edwardjones.com

IT’S HERE Member – Canadian Investor Protection Fund

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

Canadian Livestock Auction Ltd. Direct Ranch & Farm Purchases of: • Feeder Cattle • Slaughter Cattle • Breeding Stock

Representative for:

Weekly Online Sales

Layton Bezan Head Office: Box 1726, Regina, SK Canada S4P 3C6

Bus: (306) 775-0412 Cell: (306) 537-8898 Toll Free: 1-800-521-7355

LIKE us on Facebook! For Upcoming Gelbvieh Sales and Breeders in your area contact:

Jackson Designs Photography

Ian Thackeray President (306) 861-7687 tgfis@sasktel.net

www.jacksondesigns.ca | 306.772.0376

www.gelbvieh.ca

Commercial Graphics | Catalogue Design

sbuchanan@gold-bar.com 306.681.5340 SARAH BUCHANAN

Congratulations to the 2017 Honour Scrolls Recipients

Ted and Olive Perrin

Bob and Janet Jackson

Bob and Marjorie Blacklock

MARCH 2017

B R E E D E RS NEW LISTING

Your AD could be here! (306) 567- 4702

Box 688, Davidson, SK S0G

Linthicum Ranch Open replacement and Bred Heifers for sale, Hereford Black & Baldy Heifers for sale. Also, commercial Hereford Bulls Murray & Jan Frank (306) 266-4377 (306) 266-4417

Contact Tracy Cornea at 306-693-9329

Glentworth, SK Helen Finucane office: 306-775-1443 cell: 306-537-2648 phone: 306-584-2773 Carlyle, SK

LLB Angus Annual March Bull & Female Sale Private Treaty Sales LEE & LAURA BROWN Box 217, Erskine, Alberta T0C 1G0 Phone: 403-742-4226 email: llbangus@xplornet.com

www.llbangus.com

Your AD could be here! Contact Tracy Cornea 306-693-9329 Annual Online 2 Year Old Bull Sale 3rd Friday in March Trevor, Cheryl, Brett & Carter Branvold Box 205 Wawota, Saskatchewan S0G 5A0 Ph: 306 739 2924 | Cell: 306 577 9141 gbtangus@sasktel.net | www.gbtangus.com

MARCH 2017

RANCHING

NORHEIM

Your Livestock Equipment Specialists

Norheim Ranching is now a dealer for Bunning Manure Spreaders. The quality and durability of the Bunning spreader will ensure your satisfaction with its performance for many years. Contact us today to try one out!

Meet your operation’s new

WORKHORSE The Segue line is built by Supreme with the same expectations for quality and performance. You get all the features you need to maximize your operation’s feeding performance at a price point that is attractive to small or mid sized operations.

Lee - Saskatoon 1.306.227.4503

Mike - Asquith 1.306.220.2265

Kelly - Eatonia 1.403.990.2098

Sheldon - Redvers Chuck - Gull Lake 1.306.452.7545 1.306.671.7454