Beef Business September 2011

Beef Business Beef Business ‘

Saskatchewan’s largest circulated industry magazine Saskatchewan`s Premiere Cattlecattle Industry Publication September 2010cattle industry magazine Saskatchewan’s largest circulated ‘

September 2011 May 2010

In This Issue: Grant Zalinko Assesses Grasser Profitability Stats Canada Reports Cow Herd Decline SSGA Launches BVD Control Project

A Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association Publication Publication Mail Agreement #40011906

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Contents

Beef Business

Cover photo courtesy of Candais Bakke, Lisieux, SK

A Proud Saskatchewan Tradition Since 1913

A Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association (SSGA) Publication General Manager: Chad MacPherson Administrative Assistant: Wilma Switzer 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

Industry News 6

Canadian Cow Herd Declines for Fifth Consecutive Year

7

US Cattle Numbers Down

7

Dyer Warning of Food Supply Crisis

8

CFIA to Pull Out of Provincial Plants

9

Flood Assistance

10

Meadow Lake Satellite Office - Seventh to Open

11

Canada Beef Inc. Officials in Place

Editor: Jim Warren Tel: 306-569-9389 email: jwarrenconsulting@gmail.com Advertising Sales - Tracy Cornea Tel: 306-693-9329 Fax: 306-692-4961 email: tracy.cornea@gmail.com Subscriptions - Wilma Switzer Box 4752, Evraz Place, Regina, SK S4P 3Y4 Tel: 306-757-8523 Fax: 306-569-8799 email: ssga.admin@sasktel.net

Markets and Trade 13

Saskatchewan Live Cattle Trade

13

AB-SK Price Differences

14

Regina Retail Meat Price Survey

16

Reduced Supplies Sustain Higher Prices

17

Vietnam Lifts Cattle Ban

19

2011 Grass Cattle Review

Subscription Rate: 1 yr $26.50 (GST included) Published 6 times per year Design and Layout - Jackson Designs Candace Schwartz Tel: 306-772-0376 email: cjacksondesigns@gmail.com

Feature

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

Science and Production 21

Collecting on a Custom Grazing or Custom Feeding Agreement

22

Where’s the Beef? Active Missing Livestock Files

23

SSGA Launches BVD Control Project

Association News and Reports 26

A Report from the SSGA President

27

A Report from the SSGA General Manager

Stewardship 28

SK PCAP - Helping Out a Southern Friend: Beneficial Management Practices for Sage-grouse

29

Weedon Ranch Receives TESA Award

30

Calendar of Events

31

Advertiser Index

?

Did you know that the SSGA is Saskatchewan's oldest agricultural association? cycle This M a

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SSGA reserves the right to refuse advertising and to edit manuscripts. Contents of Beef Business may be reproduced with written premission obtained from the SSGA Editor or 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

Contributors Chad MacPherson Harold Martens Leanne Thompson

Jim Warren Cam Wilk Grant Zalinko

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

SEPTEMBER 2011

www.skstockgrowers.com | ŠBEEF BUSINESS | 5

Industry News Canadian Cow Herd Declines for Fifth Consecutive Year Statistics Canada’s July 1, 2011 Canadian cattle population estimates indicate that the decline in beef cow numbers we’ve experienced over the past few years continued through the July 2010 to July 2011 period at a rate of 1.1%. Stats Can’s report indicated that the smaller size of national herd is making itself felt at the packing plants and in export numbers.

Domestic slaughter for the first six months of 2011 stood at 1.6 million head. That’s down 14% from the Canadian slaughter total for the same period in 2010. Similarly, exports to the US for the January –July period this year totalled 374,400 head.

That’s down a whopping 39% from last year’s total for the first half of the year.

The big cowherd shrink began after 2006, which was the last full year of severe BSErelated restrictions on Canadian beef in the US. Canada’s beef cowherd totalled 5.247 million head in 2006. As of 2011 the total number of breeding females in the country is down to 4.2 million animals – a five-year decline of 1.05 million cows – or nearly 20%.

In Saskatchewan, beef cow numbers had peaked at 1.56 million head in January 2006 supported by reduced culling due to BSE slaughter restrictions. The cowherd has shrunk steadily since then to a total of 1.267 million head in the summer of 2011

– a five-year reduction of 293,000 animals or 18.8%.

A similar story unfolded in Alberta where the size of the cowherd had seen reductions due to drought in 2001 and 2002, prior to the discovery of BSE. Nonetheless, the post-BSE peak for cow numbers in Alberta also occurred in 2006 at 2.052 million head. As of July 2011 the Alberta cowherd has contracted to 1.659 million animals. That is a reduction of 393,000 animals or 19%.

One of the surprises contained in the data is the similar percentage size decline for Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Some observers had speculated that the Alberta figures could be worse given two consecutive years of drought (2008 and 2009) in southeast Alberta and the resulting herd reduction and dispersal sales.

Industry leaders like Travis Toews, point to indicators like higher heifer retention and prices to make the case that cow numbers have begun to stabilize and that some producers will now be looking at expansion. But, as Toews told delegates to the SSGA’s Annual Convention last June, we won’t see an overnight increase in cow numbers. That said, Canada’s cowherd

is currently lower than it has been since 1995. Clearly, any significant increase in supply is still three or more years away, which means the effect of low supplies on prices should continue to operate in the producer’s favour into the foreseeable future.

Toews’ assumption regarding heifer retention is born out in Stats Can’s January 2011 inventory report which identified a 2.9% increase in heifer retention from the 2010 calf crop. The breeding heifer total sits at 532,000 head – up from 531,600 the previous year. B

Saskatchewan Beef Cow Inventory 2005 – 2012 (Data from Stats Can. Cattle on Farms Report July 2011) Year 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

No. of head (000s) as of July 1,545 1,508 1,480 1,420 1,335 1,277 1267

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SEPTEMBER 2011

Industry News Dyer Warning of Food Supply Crisis Global affairs journalist Gwynne Dyer is predicting buoyant times ahead for global food prices. In his August 7 column, Dyer recalls that back in 2008 the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) described the food price bubble of that year as an aberration.

The OECD predicted that barring an unforeseeable catastrophe food prices would decline to previous levels.

Dyer labels the OECD’s 2008 analysis as wishful thinking and points to the current rise in global food prices to make his point. According to Dyer between April 2010 and April 2011 average world grain prices increased by 71%. This situation,

US Cattle Numbers Down The US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) July 2011 cattle inventory report indicated that the US cattle herd has shrunk by 1% since July 2010. Today the national cattle herd stands at 100 million head, or around one animal for every three Americans.

Breeding beef female numbers also declined by 1% from this time a year ago, and the number of heifers retained for breeding declined by 5%. Currently, there are 31.4 million beef cows and 4.2 million beef replacement heifers in the US. Dairy cow numbers increased by 1% since July of 2010 and replacement female retention in US dairy herds is up by 4% over last year.

The USDA report notes that feedlot inventories in the US are up by 4% over the total for July 2010. It is assumed that the higher number of cattle on feed is, in part, related to drought conditions in the southern plains states. B

SEPTEMBER 2011

Dyer argues, is particularly hard on people in poorer countries who spend half their income on food as opposed to North Americans who barely shell out 10% of their earnings for groceries.

Dyer asserts that the problem is the result of our running up against the limits of agricultural production, particularly irrigation agriculture which accounts for 40% of global food supplies. Groundwater irrigation is under stress in some regions, and when dryland crops are devastated by droughts, floods and frosts -- food supplies run tight and prices soar.

Those of us who were involved in agriculture in the mid-1970s will recall similar pronouncements about an impending food crisis based on fears of exploding populations and the physical limitations standing in the way of higher food production. Indeed, the world’s population had nearly doubled between 1945 and 1975. It was becoming harder to imagine how we could feed so many people. By 1975 wheat had hit $5.00 a bushel and was heading higher.

As the optimistic bubble grew so did Saskatchewan land prices. (followed by interest rates) By the early 1980s the bubble had burst, land and money had become more expensive, but nobody wanted to pay much for wheat. All of a sudden there appeared to be lots of wheat available globally along with plenty of rice and corn. Countries like India had gone from being the world’s perennial famine victims to self-sufficiency in grain production.

Dyer and others will tell you that the food crisis imagined in the 1970s was averted by the Green Revolution, a phenomena that saw improved crop varieties, pest control and fertilizer boost production far beyond what OECD economists had imagined. Another important contributor to higher global production was a massive increase in the amount of land put under irrigation. According to the OECD, the

world’s irrigated acreage has tripled since 1950. Almost two thirds of that new irrigation relies on fossil groundwater.

This all prompts the question – is the current spike in food prices the wave of the future, or can we expect new technologies and agricultural modernization in places like the former Soviet Union and parts of Africa to ignite a second Green Revolution?

For beef producers a better question might be – if grain prices continue to climb will it price fed cattle out of some markets?

As to the first question, Dyer maintains that higher prices are inevitable -spurred on by factors like grain ethanol production, the drying up of aquifers that supply irrigation and the bad weather that will inevitably accompany climate change.

With respect to the second question, Dyer has written elsewhere that the wealthy will likely continue to be in a position to consume whatever foods appeal to them.

And by all accounts one of the fastest growing sectors of the populations in the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China) countries is a relatively prosperous middle class. In a 2009 article Dyer argued predictions that test tube beef would someday replace the real thing were overly fanciful and that if such a product ever became palatable and widely available, there would still be enough people around with enough money to sustain a viable global beef industry.

No doubt higher grain prices going forward will put some strain on feeders and consumers. That said, if we can indeed expect to be living in a food-scarce world, one would think that animals that consume grass on marginal land for most of their lives will continue to be an important part of the global food basket. B

www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 7

Industry News CFIA to Pull Out of Provincial Plants The Canada Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) intends to pull its inspectors out of provincially licensed packing plants in Saskatchewan, BC and Manitoba

by January of 2014. In an August 8th announcement the CFIA reported that the agency would save up to $4 million annually by restricting its slaughter inspection to federally certified plants in those provinces.

Saskatchewan currently has 11 provincially certified livestock slaughter facilities and two federally certified plants.

The federal plants are both located in Moose Jaw, and the only one of those operating, since XL Foods went on hiatus, is the pork facility. While provincial and federal plants account for most of the meat processed in the province, there are dozens of mom and pop meat processing facilities in Saskatchewan that operate under the supervision of regional health authorities. CFIA inspectors work in federal and provincial plants but not in plants supervised by the health authorities that use provincial health inspectors.

There is a fair amount of uncertainty over what the announcement means for provincial packers and consumers.

Beef Business interviewed one provincial plant operator, Mike Guest of Western Prime Meat Processors at Weyburn, who wondered how the CFIA would reap the projected savings given that the agency is currently paid for providing inspection services at provincial plants.

According to Guest the provincially licensed processors and the province pay a fee for CFIA inspection on a cost-shared basis -- with the province picking up approximately 80% of the bill.

Catherine Airth, CFIA’s associate vice president for operations, told the Western Producer that it costs the CFIA $6 million to provide inspectors to the provincial plants, while it receives just $2 million in fees.

8

This has left some observers to suggest that if the CFIA’s central bureaucracy is sucking up $3 for every $1 paid to the inspectors who actually do the work, perhaps it’s time to reexamine the role and structure of the agency.

would only purchase meat from federally certified facilities. This has frustrated provincially licensed packers who argued that the same agency (the CFIA) inspected slaughter at both provincial and federal plants.

Officials from the province’s Ministry of Agriculture are still in the process of assessing what the implications of the CFIA’s decision will be. Clearly, food safety is a paramount concern. Barring a reversal of the federal position, this means at some point the province is going to have to come up with an alternative to CFIA inspection. While the cost-shared formula has not been cited as a problem by the province, coming up with a way to recruit and train qualified inspectors is something that needs to be thought through.

But that’s not the whole story. At the larger federal plants CFIA-trained inspectors and veterinarians oversee the kill while additional CFIA inspectors supervise added value meat processing, e.g. sausage and deli meat processing.

Inspection at federal plants can involve checking product samples for pathogen contamination – things like E. coli, listeria and salmonella. At provincial plants the CFIA inspector oversees the kill but has less to do with the processing side of the operation. Veterinarians are brought into provincial plants only when the CFIA inspector suspects something might be wrong with an animal on the kill floor as opposed to having more regular veterinary supervision.

The same problem hasn’t come up in Alberta because that province already employs its own provincial inspectors in its provincially licensed plants. Mike Guest wonders if that doesn’t suggest a solution to the problem in Saskatchewan.

Attempting to decipher the criteria used to categorize a plant as either federal, provincial or health inspected takes one into a murky world of bureaucratic confusion, red tape and inter-jurisdictional rivalry. The difference between federal and provincial licensing eligibility often involves issues related to physical plant design. For example, federal certification has been denied to recently constructed provincially licensed plants that have gravel as opposed to paved parking lots.

Or a plant might not meet the CFIA’s requirement that there be separate washrooms and change areas for kill floor inspectors and food processing inspectors working in the same facility.

Until recently, provincial certification was considered adequate by some city-based food retailers. However, in 2009 Federated Co-ops, the last major retailer to purchase provincially certified meat, decided it

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Mike Guest counters that smaller processing runs at provincial plants mean that the onsite CFIA inspector gets to spend a lot more time observing the work done with each animal processed than is the case in federal plants. Guest says this makes up for the fact that meat processed at provincial plants might be subject to less sampling for pathogens.

Until a year or so ago the health authorities in the province’s major cities insisted that meat retailers and food service businesses only purchase meat from plants with either federal or provincial status. This frustrated federal processors who argued that they were required to meet higher standards than their provincially licensed competitors.

As the rules stand today there is only one city that will not allow the sale of meat from health inspected plants. This has frustrated provincially licensed processors who argue that the health inspected plants don’t meet the standards required for provincial certification.

SEPTEMBER 2011

Industry News

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The provincial Ministry of Agriculture has taken steps over the past couple of years to see how provincially inspected facilities might be elevated to federal status. A provincially funded pilot study has been set up to see what the barriers are and what might be required to overcome them. According to Mike Guest the problem boils down to money.

“I know what I need to do to go federal,” says Guest, “what we’re lacking is the millions required to make the physical plant improvements that federal certification requires.”

Guest says that the changes proposed by the CFIA are the least of his worries just now. “We are still dealing with the onerous SRM [specified risk material] disposal rules imposed on the industry by the CFIA and the loss of retail and food service market share to federal and health inspected competitors.” B

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Flood Assistance The August 4 announcement of federal funding to assist flooded cattle producers in southeast Saskatchewan was welcomed

by SSGA President, Harold Martens.

Martens told reporters, “This announcement came early enough to help producers make plans before winter.”

“That’s an improvement over last year when a similar program wasn’t announced until November,” said Martens.

“Producers can assess whether they are going to sell their cows or background them because they won’t be waiting to see if assistance is coming and how it might benefit their operations,” suggested Martens.

Industry analyst Kevin Hursh has written that while assistance paid to producers and income losses due to flooding will be taken into account when the numbers are crunched for AgriStability, producers

SEPTEMBER 2011

benefit because this sort of program will deliver support months before an AgriStability cheque is in the mail.

Cattle producers impacted by this year’s flooding are eligible for federal cash to help them purchase feed, rent pasture and for transporting feed and animals.

Federal Ag Minister Gerry Ritz made the funding announcement during a visit to flood affected areas of southeastern Saskatchewan.

The announcement also included up to $250,000 in funding for individual feedlot operators to repair damage to pens, ground base caps and lagoons. The government estimates there are up to 40 drought damaged feedlots in the flood region. Ritz also noted that producers who sold cattle due to flooding may also be eligible for the tax deferral program originally designed to assist producers affected by drought.

According to Harold Martens, “The assistance is targeted at three critical forms of impact; it provides cash for cowcalf producers short on feed; it recognizes the impacts of flooding on feedlots and it addresses the problem of flooded pastures.”

Questions about the adequacy of the funding support have arisen among feedlot operators who maintain that the $250,000 cap will fall short of the actual damage done to infrastructure on some operations.

The bulk of the funding support being provided to flood affected producers across the prairies has been budgeted at $448 million, of which $250 million has been targeted for Saskatchewan.

It is being made available as a federalprovincial cost-shared AgriRecovery program. continued on pg. 10

www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 9

Industry News Meadow Lake Satellite Office – Seventh to Open On August 25 the provincial Ministry of Agriculture opened a satellite office in Meadow Lake. This is the seventh such office to be opened under Minister Bob Bjornerud’s watch.

In 2004 Lorne Calvert’s NDP government closed many of the province’s rural service centres ending one-on-one hands-on consultation between producers and locally-based Ag Reps in most regions of the province. The longstanding practice of providing local access to agronomic and management advice was largely abandoned in favour of a 1-800 chat line based in Moose Jaw. No one has been discounting the dedication of the Ministry staff on the end of the phone line in Moose Jaw or their level of expertise, but having an Ag Rep in the field in a producer’s home region offers significant advantages. Obviously, having an Ag specialist in town, who might be able to step out of the office and take a look at problems producers might be having with their crops or assess pasture and forage conditions, trumps trying to explain your problems over the phone to somebody a hundred or more miles from where you ranch or farm.

The NDP’s decision to close the offices was dressed up as a progressive step that recognized the growth in use of new electronic communications technologies and the availability of expertise from companies selling farm inputs like herbicide and fertilizer. This was somewhat strange given that they must have known the government’s phone company had not yet managed to get high speed internet into many rural areas. Furthermore, while agri-business companies have incredible in-house technical expertise and undoubtedly strive to provide ethical service – asking a chemical salesman if your crop needs more fertilizer is like asking a barber if you need a haircut. A second, objective and expert opinion is always nice to have.

Based on the former government’s imaginative logic some wags speculated that to achieve even greater progress they would wind up outsourcing the 1-800 agricultural knowledge service to India.

The seven satellite offices have been set up as two-year pilot projects. Some will be operating on a part-time basis on particular days of the week. Satellite offices are now located in Meadow Lake, Lloydminster, Moosomin, Estevan, Assiniboia, Shaunavon and Wadena.

The satellite offices have been added on to an existing agricultural extension framework that provides services at 10 regional offices located in Moose Jaw, Tisdale, Watrous, Yorkton, Swift Current, Kindersley, North Battleford, Prince Albert, Weyburn and Outlook. B

Flood Assistance cont. from pg. 9 The provincial government is providing additional assistance of $12 per ton for producers to purchase feed and $12 per acre for reseeding drowned out and eroded pastures. For grain producers the province is providing a $30 per acre payment in addition to Crop Insurance payments for unseeded acres. B Producers looking for program details can contact their nearest regional government office or call 1-877-874-5365.

10

| ©BEEF BUSINESS | www.skstockgrowers.com

SEPTEMBER 2011

Industry News Canada Beef Inc. Officials in Place Saskatchewan feedlot and ethanol industry executive, Brad Wildeman, has been appointed Chair of Canada Beef Inc., the newly formed organization that is taking the lead on domestic and international marketing and research for the Canadian cattle industry. Wildeman is also past President of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA).

Canada Beef Inc. was created through a merger of the Canadian Beef Export Federation (CBEF), the Canadian Beef Cattle Research, Market Development and Promotion Agency (the national check-off agency), and the Beef Information Centre (BIC).

Canada Beef Inc.’s 16-member inaugural board met in Calgary on July 26-27 to elect its table officers. On August 29 the

board announced the appoint Roger Meijer as the organization’s President.

Meijer is a former director of corporate affairs for Cargill Ltd. According to Brad Wildeman, Canada Beef Inc. was created in response to the cattle industry’s desire to have a single independent national agency to conduct the industry’s marketing promotion and research activities.

the domestic and international markets – and a goal of positioning Canadian beef as the first choice in high quality around the world,” stated Wildeman, “with Canada Beef Inc., I believe it’s a goal that’s within reach.” B

In the agency’s news release announcing his appointment, Wildeman stated, “Our job now is to pursue prosperity for the Canadian cattle and beef industry.”

“We have a strong and capable organization, a renewed focus on increasing sales of Canadian beef in both

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SEPTEMBER 2011

Markets and Trade Saskatchewan Live Cattle Trade June 17 - Aug. 26, 2011

Heifers $/100 wt.

Steers $/100 wt.

300-400 Jun. 17

400-500

500-600

600-700

700-800

800-900

142.25

140.5

133

119.5

110.5

300-400

Jun. 24 Jun. 30

142.25

July.8

154.5

154.5

600-700

700-800

800+

125.5

118.5

112

108

Jun. 24

130.75

125.5

117

112.75

132.25

139

131.75

121.67

110

Jun. 30

129.5

119.5

111

105

134.25

126.5

114.75

July. 8

125.5

122.75

117.33

114.75

135

127.15

July. 15

125.17

122.17

120.75

108.67

148.25

Aug. 19 Aug. 26

500-600

132.25

136.5

July. 15 July. 22

400-500

Jun. 17

900+

144.63

139.38

131.08

124.75

118.43

July. 22

136.63

126.67

124.13

117.75

Aug. 19

139.3

130.63

125.38

120

Aug. 26

AB/SK Fat Cattle Trade

137.13

135.5

133.9

130.25

125.6

117.67

109.33

124.38

119.25

114.17

127

122.33

118.25

AB Non-Fed Slaughter Prices

June 17 - Aug. 26, 2011

June 17 - Aug. 26, 2011

$/100 wt averaged (AB values reported where SK figures unavailable)

$/100 wt averaged

17-Jun

24-Jun

30-Jun

8-Jul

15-Jul

19-Aug

26-Aug

Cows

17-Jun

24-Jun

30-Jun

8-Jul

15-Jul

22-Jul

19-Aug

Steers-live

98

101.5

101.1

100.25

103.5

105.62

104

D1-Dd2

73.68

73.58

74.22

71.89

70.94

71.15

71.25

71

Steers Rail

166.13

168

168.75

170.75

173.75

178.25

177.75

D3

63

63.5

66.94

66.36

64

64.38

63.83

64.59

Heifers-Live

98

101.62

101

100.95

103.25

194.75

101

Rail

140.5

140.5

140.5

171.25

138

138

138

138

Heifers-Rail

165

171

168.75

171.25

173.75

178.75

177.75

Bulls Live

86

85.88

86.06

86.32

83.32

83.3

83

83

AB - SK Price Difference for 500 - 600 lb. Steer Calves

Percentage Change in Slaughter Cattle Prices April 15 - June 10 and from June 10 - Aug. 31 (note that the cow calculations are on unweighted averages) Apr. 15 - June 10

June 10 - Aug. 26

D1-D2 cows live

-8.30%

-3.60%

D3 cows live

-2.10%

2.46%

Cows rail

-0.66%

-1.78%

Steers live

-15.60%

5.80%

Steers rail

-12%

7%

26-Aug

15-Apr

21-Apr

29-Apr

6-May

13-May

27-May

10-Jun

30-Jun

AB

149.82

149.5

148.57

150.2

151.21

149.9

145.73

150.75

153

SK

150.6

147.63

147.38

147

149.67

151.75

139.5

139

144.63

AB-SK Price Difference on 500 - 600 Lb. steers 154 152

$/cwt

150 148

AB

146

SK

144 142 140

15/04/2011 21/04/2011 29/04/2011 06/05/2011 13/05/2011 27/05/2011 10/06/2011 30/06/2011 26/08/2011

138

SEPTEMBER 2011

www.skstockgrowers.com | ŠBEEF BUSINESS | 13

26-Aug

Markets and Trade SK Steer Prices

Dec. 09 - Aug. 2011 94.12

88.9

Feb.-10

118.93

117.79

113.12

101.65

97.41

93.46

Mar.-10

123.5

123.33

117.41

120.93

99.29

93.27

Apr.-10

121.26

122.36

118.51

109.89

101.92

92.07

May.-10

122.82

122.96

118.42

113.78

104.04

97.35

Jun.-10

123.5

126.5

120.11

114.4

97.97

97.97

July.-10

126.5

119.28

112.5

105.69

98.46

Aug.-10

125.03

121.25

113.04

110.22

104.79

145.73

141.74

127.94

117.25

109.92

106.89

Sep.-10 Oct.-10

142.85

133.99

125.46

117.25

114.71

106.89

Nov.-10

156.19

148.23

130.84

119.26

113.19

107.57

Dec.-10

151.03

146.94

131.6

122.1

116.05

113

Jan.-11

147.5

154.42

130.33

122

113.5

106

Feb.-11

162.1

162.92

146.17

130.63

123.07

117.38

Mar.-11

165

160.14

153.79

138.83

127.61

119.19 118.5

Apr.-11

157.5

150.83

150.6

139.5

128

May.-11

157.5

152.75

149.67

137.63

127.25

115.1

Jun.11

142.58

144.5

139.5

129.75

117.5

113.75

July.-11

154.5

148.25

139.38

131.08

124.75

Aug.-11

154.5

144.63

139.3

130.63

125.38

Steer Prices Dec.09 - August 2011 170 160 150 140 130 120 110 100 90 80

300-400 400-500 500-600 600-700 700-800 800-900

Regina Retail Meat Price Survey

Retail and Carcass Prices Dec. 09 - Aug. 11

Ground-regular Ground –lean Roast-cross rib Roast-rib Roast-round Steak-tenderloin Steak-ribeye Streak-sirloin Steak-T-bone Steak-round

Extra Foods June Aug $2.67 $2.33 $2.94 $3.58 $2.68 $5.12 $9.07 * $4.93 $4.93 $15.55 $15.55 * * $6.48 * $10.38 $9.97 $5.84 $5.84

Safeway June Aug $3.14 $3.44 $3.34 $4.67 * * * * * * $19.48 * $14.49 $12.99 $6.99 * $11.19 * $5.39 *

Sobeys June Aug $2.75 $3.14 $3.14 $2.99 $4.76 $5.35 * * $4.56 $5.12 * * $8.94 $10.41 $6.14 * $10.39 * $5.74 *

WalMart June Aug $2.99 $3.33 $3.63 $3.56 $4.87 $4.77 * * * * * $13.97 $11.67 $11.67 $8.46 $8.46 * $9.87 $5.47 $5.35

$/lb.

June 20 – August 28, 2011 ($/lb.)

Cuts

Aug.-11

91.12

95.28

Jun.11

94.92

106.82

Apr.-11

116.67

110.13

Feb.-11

110.13

118.11

Dec.-10

115.48

Jan.-10

Oct.-10

88.81

Dec.-09

Aug.-10

800-900

Apr.-10

700-800

Jun.-10

600-700

Feb.-10

500-600

Dec.-09

400-500

$/cwt

300-400

14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

Lean grnd.

Rib Roast Rib steak Sirloin stk Carcass

Dec.09

Apr.10

Aug.10

Dec.10

Apr.11

Aug. 11

* Indicates the product was not in the display case on the day of the survey.

14

| ©BEEF BUSINESS | www.skstockgrowers.com

SEPTEMBER 2011

Canada’s On-Farm Food Safety Program for Beef Cattle Producers

Cattle producers in Saskatchewan can qualify for funding provided through Growing Forward, a federal provincial initiative. To be eligible they must: Attend a VBP workshop Have $2500 worth of cattle sales in the previous tax year

Funding is available for 50% of approved equipment cost up to $750 per producer. Eligible equipment includes: head gates and chutes with neck extenders livestock weigh scales record keeping software Please contact our office for a complete list of approved manufacturers prior to purchase.

In an industry with evolving regulations and consumer expectations, VBP is a trusted, recognized process to verify on-farm food safety practices.

...driving consumer confidence To learn more information about VBP in Saskatchewan, call 1-888-675-6177 or visit www.saskvbp.ca

Markets and Trade Reduced Supplies Sustaining Higher Prices Back in the fall of 2009 there were a number of purportedly sane and reasonably intelligent people attempting to predict the potential for future profitability in the cow-calf sector who were pretty short on optimism. There was a host of market signals that did not auger well for cattle prices.

For starters, the Loonie had been soaring relative to the US greenback which saw us lose what had only recently been a 25 % trade advantage. The US had announced the implementation of COOL and access to our major export market was once again threatened. High feed grain prices, spurred on by the demand for corn in ethanol production and drought in Australia, were eroding feeder margins. It looked as though producers in countries like Uruguay and Brazil were finally figuring out how to finish cattle under three-years of age and were poised to become major competitors. The global recession; and in particular its impact on US consumers, threatened demand (especially for primal cuts). And, former trading partners like Japan and South Korea were still dragging their feet when it came to relaxing BSE-related trade barriers.

“Well, we are where we are… don’t panic. My dad always told me it’s darkest before the dawn. Keep your head even if everyone around you is losing theirs. We really are at the dawn of a new, leaner, more profitable cattle industry. Cow numbers are a ways down – worldwide, calf prices are stable and survivable. We have seen a tidal wave of change in the last few years to lower production costs, later calving, extended grazing, swath grazing, bale grazing, you name it… we’ll all make more money next time around.”

The prominent role of reduced supplies in sustaining primary producer returns in Canada was the focus of Brenna Grant’s commentary in the July 22, 2011 Canfax report. According to Grant “As protein supplies tighten in North America cattle and hog prices moved higher.”

Grant points out that Canadian beef supplies peaked in 2007 at around 1 million tonnes. Since then supplies have declined by 6.4% to 938,700 tonnes in

2010. There is simply less beef per capita available in both Canada and the US due to declining production. In Canada the reduction in domestic supplies from 2007 to 2010 has amounted to 2.1 kg per person.

In fact it would appear that a 6.4% reduction in supply packs a lot of weight when it comes to influencing live cattle and beef prices. For example we have seen prices for 400-500 lb calves increase by as much 28% from the fall of 2009 and midyear 2011.

Grant predicts that continued tightening of supply in Canada and the US will push live cattle prices higher going forward.

She notes that retail beef prices hit new highs in the US in May of this year. In the US store prices in May 2011 were 9% higher than in May of 2010, and are currently sitting at $10.41/kg CDN. At $13.60 per kg., Canadian retail prices as of May 2011 were 6% higher than they were in May of 2010. B

Who could have figured that reduced cattle inventories would counter balance any or even all of those negative pressures and sustain the general price improvement we have seen since 2010?

Most everyone missed that outcome by a mile – including your editor.

One of the exceptions was Mac Creech.

In a commentary included in the January 2010 M.C. Quantock sales catalogue, Creech pretty much nailed it. He claimed there was plenty of room for optimism based on the fact global cattle numbers had fallen so low. Despite things like volatile grain prices, a global recession and a Canadian dollar that was on the rise – Mac was right, at the end of the day, supply issues trumped many of those other signals.

Here is part of what Mac had to say heading into 2010; 16

| ©BEEF BUSINESS | www.skstockgrowers.com

SEPTEMBER 2011

Markets and Trade Vietnam Lifts Live Cattle Ban

Can We Count on a Reverse Domino Effect?

Vietnam became the first Asian nation to lift its post-BSE ban on live Canadian cattle in August. The possibility that other Asian nations could reopen their borders to Canadian breeding stock in the wake of Vietnam’s decision is an attractive prospect for Canada’s purebred cattle producers.

Back in the 1960s the US rational for military involvement in Vietnam was based on a theory known as the domino effect. If Vietnam fell to the Communists, other Southeast Asian nations would soon suffer a similar fate. Similar to a line of dominos, after the first one fell over the rest would automatically follow.

Is hoping for a reverse domino effect an exercise in wishful thinking? If Canadian cattle exporters get their foot in the door in one Asian country, will the elimination of trade barriers in other nations follow?

If one looks at the progress that federal trade negotiators have made since 2003 when borders around the world were slammed shut on Canadian beef and live cattle, there might be something to the domino theory. One by one, countries around the world have reopened their borders to Canadian beef products.

Some, like Vietnam, allow all forms of Canadian beef imports. Others, like Japan, have gone only part way and continue to restrict imports from animals over 20 months of age. China has agreed to begin opening its huge market to Canadian beef in a staged process. And South Korea indicated in June that it would come to the table and get a beef deal done with Canada as opposed to taking its chances at the WTO. There has been a lot heavy lifting done by a lot of players over the past seven years to get Canadian beef back into virtually every country that had banned it in 2003.

John Williamson General Manager Ph: 306.478.2229 Fax: 306.478.2443

Now that tremendous progress has been made in getting our beef marketed globally – the next step should be to do the same for live cattle. Based on Ritz’s tireless globetrotting sales campaign for beef, he should have enough frequent flyer points to take on the live cattle export file.

Assuming that the domino effect has been in operation, it’s probably drawing a bit of a long bow. That said, it is quite plausible to assume that there is a bit of a bandwagon effect in operation. As more dominos fall, it probably becomes easier to convince the holdouts that Canadian beef is world class in quality and safe for consumers. A similar case can be made for Canadian breeding stock. B

PO Box 248 Mankota, SK S0H 2W0

2011 Sale Dates

2011 Selling Fees

October 7th Special Yearling Sale October 14th All Class Featuring Calves & Yearlings October 21st Certified Angus Calf (Canadian Angus Rancher Endorsed) October 28th Hereford, Red Angus & Charolais Calf Sale November 4th Angus Calf Sale November 11th All Breeds Calf Sale November 18th All Class Sale December 2nd 22nd Annual Select Bred Heifer, Open Replacements & Long Yearling Bull Sale December 9th Herd Dispersals December 16th All Class Sale with Bred cows & heifers

In the tradition of bringing buyers and sellers together You can watch all of our sales on real time internet - DVAuction.com - we will still take your bids on the phone.

We will still fax the sale catalogue and all sale information.

Any questions please call or email mankotastockmens@sasktel.net SEPTEMBER 2011

Credit can be shared by the Canadian Beef Export Federation (now merged with Canada Beef Inc.), officials from the federal ministries of trade and agriculture, and Ag Minister Gerry Ritz.

Calves Yearlings Cows Bulls < 1,000 lbs Bulls > 1,000 lbs Internet Fees

$13.00 $14.00 $14.00 $14.00 $23.00 $2.00

There is NO extra feed charge.

Regular sales start at Noon Yearlings and calves are sold with a pencil shrink and put on feed immediately after weighing.

www.mankotastockmens.com

www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 17

Premises identification benefits producers

by supporting:

• Response to natural disaster emergencies like tornadoes, floods, fires, etc.; • Tracing of animals to manage an animal disease outbreak; • Disease control measures for animal health issues when more than one livestock species is affected; • Rapid notification of producers in affected areas of disease threats or control measures; • Quick coordination of sites for carcass disposal in the event of an animal disease outbreak; • Dispatch of emergency resources to appropriate targeted locations to contain and assist with disease outbreaks; and • The return to business and limiting losses after animal disease outbreak.

It’s quick and easy to get a Premises Identification number, you can: • Contact CCIA with your legal land description (LLD) toll-free at 1-877-909-BEEF (2333), • Email your LLD to info@canadaid.ca, or • Generate it yourself in three clicks after logging your CLTS account: Select My Account, Premises, then Register Premises and fill in the required fields.

Contact Canadian Cattle Identification Agency’s highly-specialized team for a full range of complimentary training and support services: NORTH CENTRAL Brian Anderson, Team Lead Cell: 306-717-2151 banderson@canadaid.ca

SOUTH CENTRAL Dee Valstar Cell: 306-621-0508 dvalstar@canadaid.ca

SOUTHWEST Nick Anderson Cell: 306-741-4409 nanderson@canadaid.ca

SOUTHEAST Kevin Smith Cell: 306-209-4307 ksmith@canadaid.ca

Feature 2011 Grass Cattle Review

By Grant Zalinko, PAg

animal to meet its maintenance requirement through winter. In addition, because weight gains are restricted, the cost of yardage is very high on a per pound basis for these cattle.

Saskatchewan’s annual yearling cattle run is well underway as summer begins to transition to fall. In parts of the province, grass growth got off to a strong start as soil moisture conditions were adequate and spring rains contributed to excellent pasture conditions. Cattle producers looked to the feeder market to maximize the economic return from their pastures and it may be useful to take a look in the rear-view mirror and analyze the economics of grassing cattle in 2011.

Typically, there are three opportunities for producers to purchase feeder cattle ahead of the grazing season.

•

Lightweight feeder cattle can be purchased during the fall calf run and backgrounded through the winter on foragebased diets. These diets are typically formulated to target daily weight gains of less than two pounds (lbs.) until pastures are ready for grazing. Feed cost per day is very dependant on forage costs as a limited amount of grain is fed to these calves.

Feed cost per pound of gain can be quite high as the majority of the daily feed is used by the

SEPTEMBER 2011

•

Secondly, feeder cattle marketed in the first quarter of the New Year are good candidates for grass cattle programs. Similar to the first scenario, these cattle are fed forage-based diets that restrict daily weight gain until there is sufficient grass growth to support grazing.

•

Finally, “green grass fever” hits and feeder cattle are purchased as producers look to the cattle to harvest the new growth of grass.

With these three scenarios in mind, I set up a simplified economic comparison using the average market prices for feeder steers purchased in Saskatchewan on October 15, 2010, or February 15, 2011 or May 15, 2011 and subsequently sold off-grass in late August 2011. The assumptions for this analysis were that the steers weighed 650 lb. going to grass, gained 1.75 lb. per day on grass and were sold on August 26, 2011. I have charged $0.80 per day per head against the grass which equates to $0.45 per lb. of gain on grass. The cost of grass will vary depending on your specific situation but this represents a reasonable value for the purpose of this comparison. The results of this analysis are summarized in Table 1. continued on pg. 21

Table 1. 2011 Grass Cattle Economic Comparison 450 lb. Steer (Oct. 15, 2010)

550 lb. Steer (Feb. 15, 2011)

650 lb. Steer (May 15, 2011)

850 lb. Steer (August 26, 2011)

Market Price ($ per cwt)1

139.54

149.35

137.71

125.38

Cost per Head ($)2

627.93

821.43

895.12

-

Interest on Animal Cost ($)3

27.35

22.17

12.75

Winter feed cost ($)4

265.00 (212 days)

111.25 (89 days)

-

-

Allowance for death loss ($)5

12.56

8.21

4.48

-

Herd health ($)

18.00

12.00

8.00

Grass cost (103 days @ $0.80 per day)

82.40

82.40

82.40

-

Total costs

1,033.24

1,057.46

1,002.75

-

Revenue per head6

1,065.73

1,065.73

1,065.73

1,065.73

32.49

8.27

62.98

Profit (loss) 1

Canfax monthly average price. 850 lb. steer price is Canfax weekly price for August 26.

2

no allowance for buyer commission or trucking

3

assumes a 5% interest rate on purchase price from date of purchase to marketing

assumes a winter feed and yardage cost of $1.25 per day assumes a 2% death loss for fall purchased calves; a 1% death loss for feeders purchased in February and a 0.5% death loss for feeders purchased in May 6 no allowance for sales commission, mandatory deductions, or trucking 4 5

www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 19

20

| ©BEEF BUSINESS | www.skstockgrowers.com

SEPTEMBER 2011

Science and Production Collecting on a Custom Grazing or Custom Feeding Agreement

by Cam Wilk, P. Ag, Provincial Manager, Field Services Unit, Saskatchewan Agriculture There are several steps in arriving at an agreement for custom grazing or feeding of your livestock. Please remember that the person to whom you surrender your cattle will automatically have the responsibility to provide care for those animals. Most importantly, by virtue of providing that care, that caregiver automatically has a lien on your animals for the costs grazing, feed, care, attendance, accommodation, treatment or services furnished for that animal.

That lien will have precedence over other creditors if restitution needs to be sought for costs related to feed and care.

If you are the person providing care there is a process that must be followed to have that lien take effect should the custom agreement be disputed. One remedy available to persons providing the care is to sell them by public auction at a licensed livestock dealer’s regular scheduled sale.

To sell an animal by public auction, the person providing the care must deliver a

notice of sale to the owner at least seven days before the sale, by personal delivery or by registered mail to the owner’s last known address.

In addition that person must also post a copy of the notice of sale for at least seven consecutive days before the sale: at the premises where the sale is to be held; in the office of the rural municipality where the animal is detained and in one other conspicuous place within the municipality in which the animal is detained.

It is also very important to provide a copy of the notice of sale to a Ministry of Agriculture livestock inspector at the public auction before the animal is sold.

Any animal to be sold at a public auction in this process must be listed in the sale catalogue if one is published for that sale.

The notice of sale mentioned above must state: the name of the owner of the animal, if known; the amount for which a

lien is claimed; a description of the animal; the name of the animal keeper; the name of the licensed dealer; the location where the animal will be offered for sale; and the date of the sale.

If the person who provides the care is not able to deliver a notice of sale to the owner because the owner’s whereabouts are unknown, he or she must make reasonable inquiries to locate the owner.

Following the sale the market operator must provide a written statement showing the disposition of the proceeds from the sale of the animal to the owner; or if the owner’s whereabouts are unknown after reasonable inquiry, to the administrator or of the rural municipality in which the animal was sold. B For more information: • Contact the Agriculture Knowledge Centre at 1-866-457-2377 or your nearest District Livestock Inspection office.

2011 Review cont. from pg. 19 In all scenarios, returns from grassing cattle in 2011 were profitable in this model. In the case of the first scenario, the lower cost of the feeder steer offset the additional cost of winter feed and care which resulted in a profit of $32.49 per head. It should be noted that owning these cattle for ten months increased the interest cost per head compared to the other scenarios.

In the second scenario, a smaller ($8.27 per head) profit was realized. Higher feeder cattle prices increased the cost of purchasing grass cattle in the first quarter of 2011. In addition, producers would have still incurred feeding/yardage costs

SEPTEMBER 2011

for these cattle until turn-out on May 15.

In the third scenario, the cost savings associated with not owning and feeding the cattle ahead of the grass generated the largest ($62.98 per head) economic return.

In conclusion, grassing cattle in 2011 should have generated a positive economic return to pastures for producers. It is important to remember that feed and grass costs can vary considerably between individual farms and ranches and this can result in significant changes to profitability.

Producers who were able to purchase

feeders below these monthly average prices and sell at higher than the market price used in this example would have generated additional profits to their grassing enterprise.

I would be very interested in hearing from you regarding your experience during the 2011 grass cattle season. Please feel free to contact me at (306) 787-6607 or e-mail grant.zalinko@gov.sk.ca if you want to discuss your specific situation.

Grant Zalinko, PAg is the Provincial Cattle Analyst for the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture’s Livestock Branch

www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 21

Science and Production Whereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The Beef?

Active missing livestock files July /August 2011 Livestock Branch contact

Date Reported

Maple Creek 662-5454

July 6/11

Area Missing from

Number of head

Animal Description

Maple Creek

1

Red white Face heifer

Maple Creek

1

Black brockle face calf

Swift Current

3

Red brockle face heifers

LH

Swift Current 778-5550

Swift Current 778-8312

June 27/11

North Battleford

1

Off brown cow

LSH

North Battleford 446-1720

North Battleford 446-7404

June 16/11

North Battleford

1

Off brown cow

RH

North Battleford 446-1720

North Battleford 446-7404

June 17/11

North Battleford

1

Off brown calf

RH

North Battleford 446-1720

North Battleford 446-7404

June 17/11

Saskatoon

1

Steer unspecified colour

LH

Biggar 948-6600

Saskatoon office 933-7660

August 11/11

Saskatoon

1

Heifer unspecified colour

LH

Biggar 948-6600

Saskatoon office 933-7660

August 11/11

North Battleford

1

Red steer

RR

Shellbrook 747-2606

North Battleford 446-7404

August 9/11

Brand Description

Brand Location RR

RCMP subdivision

Maple Creek

July 6/11

RR

Information provided by the Livestock Branch of the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture

22

| ŠBEEF BUSINESS | www.skstockgrowers.com

SEPTEMBER 2011

Science and Production SSGA Launches BVD Control Project It’s no secret that Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD) contributes to poor performance, death loss and abortion in beef cattle herds. Unfortunately the economic impact of BVD infection in Canada’s beef herd is not fully understood. That said, research coming out of the US indicates that BVD in that country accounts for per cow losses of $10 to $14, amounting to combined annual losses of approximately $2 billion. Assuming a similar incidence rate in Canada, BVD infection could be costing our producers nearly $300 million annually.

Shane Jahnke, 2nd Vice President of the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association (SSGA), recently told Beef Business, “We know for a fact that BVD is negatively impacting producers here in Saskatchewan. Research done at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine

(WCVM) in Saskatoon indicates that persistently infected animals are present in more than 10 per cent of cow-calf herds tested in western Canada.”

“The work done by the vet college, demonstrates that in herds where BVD is present, producers experience significantly lower weaning weights, and more overall health problems,” noted Jahnke.

Jahnke described how the effect BVD has on herd fertility can vary from a nagging problem to a catastrophe with the potential to devastate a herd in one year. The WCVM’s large-scale studies also show beef herds vaccinated pre-breeding for BVD have improved reproductive performance, indicating that BVD infection is a significant reproductive problem that can be controlled.

Protect your investment.

Your brand is your animals’ return address.

For more information about branding and livestock inspection, contact: Brand Registrar Rusty Hawryluk, Regina, (306) 787-4682 District Livestock Supervisors Dave Augustine, Swift Current, (306) 778-8312 Bill McConwell, Moose Jaw, (306) 694-3709 Ron Sabin, North Battleford, (306) 446-7404 Les Tipton, Saskatoon, (306) 933-7660 Robert Solomon, Yorkton, (306) 786-5712 Garth Woods, Moosomin, (306) 435-4582 Barry DeJaeger, Winnipeg, (204) 694-0830 Livestock Investigators Barry Belak, North Battleford, (306) 446-7571 Jeff Eide, Saskatoon, (306) 933-6781

“A variety of control measures are available for managing BVD,” said Jahnke, “the SSGA believes it is important to identify the sorts of things that work well within our production parameters here in Saskatchewan and get that information out to cow-calf producers.”

“To that end,” reported Jahnke, “the SSGA is launching a project this October that will demonstrate the advantages of implementing BVD control measures in Saskatchewan beef herds,” In cooperation with Ministry of Agriculture beef specialists and practicing veterinarians, the project will identify several herds known to

have BVD infected animals. Participating veterinary clinics will screen herds for eligibility by testing aborted, sick and dead calves during the fall and winter of 2011-2012. The screening will identify calves persistently infected with BVD – an indicator that BVD is likely circulating in the herd.

BVD control measures will be implemented for each of the participating herds. The 2012 calf crop will be screened to identify persistently infected calves and those calves will be removed from the herds. BVD vaccination programs, appropriate to each production unit’s management situation, will then be implemented. Bio-security regimens will be developed for each participating production unit to prevent the reintroduction of BVD into the herd.

To confirm the effectiveness of the BVD control measures, live calves and aborted fetuses from the 2013 calf crop will be tested to assess the incidence of persistently infected BVD animals. Those findings will be evaluated by measuring the costs and benefits of implementing BVD control measures in each herd.

Participating producers will be surveyed to assess the perceived practicality and benefit of applied control measures.

The results of that analysis will be made available to cow-calf producers through a video documentary presented at industry gatherings, reports posted on industry web sites and distributed to cattle industry media and publications.

The project will be designed and conducted by Jenifer Heyden and Naomi Paley, Ministry of Agriculture livestock specialists, with assistance and input from Chad MacPherson and Shane Jahnke from the SSGA; Dr. Wendy Wilkins, Ministry of Agriculture disease surveillance veterinarian; and Dr. Andy Acton, the SSGA’s veterinary advisor and a veterinary practice owner. continued on pg. 24

SEPTEMBER 2011

www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 23

Science and Production SSGA BVD Study cont. from pg. 23 Funding support for the two-year project is being provided by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture’s Agriculture Demonstration of Practices and Technologies Program. B

Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD) Assuming we’re not talking about underwear, there is much more to BVD than its name would indicate. According to Dr. Andy Acton, Veterinary Advisory to the Saskatchewan Stock Growers, “Yes, BVD is a viral infection that commonly causes diarrhea in cattle, but that only hints at the damage it can do a beef animal’s health and a producer’s bottom line.”

“BVD can appear in the form of aborted calves, diarrhea, pneumonia, hemorrhaging, and overall poor performance,” says Dr. Acton.

BVD is one of those insidious diseases whereby infected animals don’t always get noticeably sick and die. Infected animals can survive in the herd, passing

VALUE ADDED!

the infection on to other animals. Making matters worse -- BVD can be readily passed from animal to animal.

Dr. Acton, reports, “A major route of BVD transmission is through the nasal secretions and saliva of infected animals contaminating water bowls, and to a lesser extent through contaminated fecal matter. It is generally passed on within the herd and not something that gets transmitted in the wind from miles away” Bred cows that become infected with BVD during the 50 to 100 day period of gestation are likely to abort. If infection occurs after the 120 day point of gestation it can result in a live calf that is persistently infected with the virus. Persistently infected calves are generally stunted and susceptible to other diseases. If they live to reproductive age (and many don’t), they

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Why Wholesale your cattle at home, when you can sell them retail at A.L.A

We offer: Order buying service • Cattle financing - call for rates Internet Auction (DLMS) - call us for details Some people will still insist on wholesaling them at home Don’t just accept one bid, call us too! Often, we can out bid others

Assiniboia Livestock Auction • Assiniboia, SK

306.642.5358 24

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SEPTEMBER 2011

Science and Production generally have fertility problems. Again, persistently infected calves act as carriers of the virus, infecting other animals in the herd.

Infection in the third trimester can still cause abortion but can also result in a calf that develops immunity and gets over the disease.

In non-pregnant animals the symptoms are generally mild, often appearing in the form of a respiratory infection accompanied by mild diarrhea, nasal discharge, cough, conjunctivitis, lethargy, depression, and reduced milk production. That said, acute outbreaks of BVD infection can sometimes result in significant death loss.

In addition, when BVD is circulating within a herd it can reduce the overall

performance of the herd. Animals that have not actually acquired the disease will perform less well because the immune response it triggers can reduce weight gain.

Dr. Acton says, “There is a particularly serious variant of BVD (Mucosal Disease) that occurs in persistently infected calves and yearlings. This form of infection produces ulcers and blisters on the nose and mouth and generally results in death within days or weeks of the appearance of symptoms.”

There is also a frequently fatal hemorrhagic form of the disease, known as Type II BVD. “Thankfully, that form of BVD is fairly rare in Western Canada,” says Dr. Acton.

Both modified-live and killed vaccines are available to protect against BVD. Veterinary consultation is critical for a successful control program given the characteristics and application of the various vaccines. The vaccines are generally employed to minimize the impact of secondary respiratory infections and reduce the incidence of persistently infected calves.

Earlier this past decade, researchers were becoming alarmed over outbreaks of more virulent strains of the hemorrhagic form of the BVD virus that were observed in the 1980s and 1990s. This has spurred research into the mechanisms involved in the evolution of the virus and interest in enhanced monitoring and control programs. B

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SEPTEMBER 2011

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www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 25

Association News and Reports A Report From Harold Martens President, Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association 2) The Stock Growers will be visiting with the federal Minister of Ag regarding the incidental loss of migratory birds in ordinary farming and ranching activities.

3) We are working with SARM on a cattle focus for the new Growing Forward to be implemented in 2013. The Stock Growers are looking for improvements to AgriRecovery that would give producers a better idea of what the criteria are for triggering payments.

Harold Martens, President, SSGA

The summer went by as it usually does with the regular cattle things happening, branding calves, vaccinating, moving the cattle to the pastures, treating for the occasional foot rot and checking the bulls to see if everything is okay. And lots of producers are still making bales, hauling, stacking, combining, getting the grain in dry and there are always repairs.

The feed grain prices seem to be holding at spring levels and the feeder and fat market are fairly stable. The cattle futures did not respond the same way the equity markets did after the USA had trouble getting their finances sorted out and I was pleased to see that. The calf market looks like it will be strong and that will make it easier to cover some of the losses from previous years.

The following list briefly describes some of the issues that we are working on with provincial and federal governments: 1) Traceability for the livestock sector continues to be an active file. It was raised with the federal Ag Minister at a conference in Saskatoon at the beginning of September. The Stock Growers have adopted the position that the ID for your premises for traceability purposes should be the legal land description of your operation’s primary location. This is the same reference for premises ID that the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency uses.

26

4) The Stock Growers are very concerned about the losses that happen when cattle are not vaccinated for IBR and BVD so we are working on a study that will better inform producers on how to manage those disease issues.

5) As Stock Growers President I have been asked to sit on a steering committee to review all of the research being funded

in Saskatchewan relating to beef forages and feed and to provide recommendations for future research. Your input can help me see that your ideas become part of that process.

6) It has been brought to our attention that the Highway Traffic Board is asking anyone with 4 axles, including stock trailers, to comply with a written daily inspection report and to have it in their trucks all the time, so we have been in contact with the Minister of Highway’s office to see how this will be implemented.

The Board of Directors for the Stock Growers is taking significant responsibility for addressing the issues I have mentioned.

We rely on your participation and input to ensure that policy and regulatory matters impacting producers are brought to the attention of policy makers. B

Regular Sales

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday www.saskatoonlivestocksales.com Main Office (306) 382-8088

Selling all classes of cattle Feeder Cattle * Slaughter Cattle * Cows * Bulls

Mike Fleury - Manager - (306) 222-9526 Harvey Welter - Sales Rep - (306) 227-8684 Alvin Busby - Sales Rep - (306) 221-0905 Bob Blacklock - Sales Rep - (306) 221-8943 Special Sales - Bred Cow & Heifer Sales - Purebred Bull & Female Sales

| ©BEEF BUSINESS | www.skstockgrowers.com

Be sure to select Saskatoon Livestock Sales for all your cattle marketing needs!

SEPTEMBER 2011

Association News and Reports A Report From Chad MacPherson General Manager, Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association as it has ever been. The SSGA is an independent membership organization that works tirelessly on behalf of its members and the cattle industry to protect, promote, educate and serve the cattle industry in Saskatchewan. The majority of the SSGAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s operating expenses are financed through membership dues and fundraising initiatives. For only $.27 per day joining the SSGA will be the cheapest insurance you have ever purchased! For more information call your local director or the SSGA office at (306) 757-8523.

It has been a long time coming but 2011 has officially seen optimism and profitability return to the cattle industry.

Most areas of the province have had an excellent growing season that has produced abundant forage crops for haying and grazing. On top of that cattle prices are the highest we have seen postBSE and the future looks very bright due to tight supplies and continued herd liquidation in the southern USA due to drought.

Yearling sales have been very strong to date with most selling $.15-20 per pound higher than last year. Calf prices are also projecting to be very strong with all weight classes selling $.15-30 per pound higher than last year. Based on the chart below with the following assumptions of the Canadian dollar $1.015 and basis of $6/cwt combined with the current cost of gain being $.92/lb and Live Cattle Futures at approximately $124.00. CanFax is projecting that 550 lb steers will be trading for approximately $1.52/lb which works out to $836 per calf.

What Is the SSGA and Why Should I Join?

The Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association (SSGA) has been serving the Saskatchewan cattle industry since 1913 and having strong grassroots representation is just as relevant today

SEPTEMBER 2011

TESA 2012 The Environmental Stewardship Award (TESA) is a partnership between the SSGA, Ducks Unlimited Canada and RBC Royal Bank that recognizes producers who have taken innovative approaches to improve the environmental and economic sustainability of cattle production. The

winner of the award goes on to compete, annually, at the national level against TESA winners from other provinces.

This year, we are asking for your help as well as conservation and environmental groups from across the province in selecting our annual winner. We would ask that you take the time to determine whether there are beef farmers in your area who meet the criteria of the competition.

Any Saskatchewan cattle producer can be nominated for this award by another producer, interested individual(s) or conservation groups. The deadline for nominations is Friday September 30, 2011.

The application can be found on the SSGA website.

Until next time I wish everyone a successful harvest and fall calf sale season

Potential 550 lb fall steer prices Assumes - Canadian $1.01

$ 1.66 98 102 106 Live 110 Cattle 114 Futures 118 122 126 130

$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $

0.7 1.22 1.31 1.41 1.51 1.61 1.70 1.80 1.90 1.99

Basis @ $6/cwt

0.75 $ 1.14 $ 1.24 $ 1.34 $ 1.44 $ 1.53 $ 1.63 $ 1.73 $ 1.82 $ 1.92

$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $

Cost of Gain 0.8 0.85 1.07 $ 1.00 1.17 $ 1.10 1.27 $ 1.19 1.36 $ 1.29 1.46 $ 1.39 1.56 $ 1.48 1.65 $ 1.58 1.75 $ 1.68 1.85 $ 1.78

$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $

0.9 0.93 1.02 1.12 1.22 1.31 1.41 1.51 1.61 1.70

0.95 $ 0.85 $ 0.95 $ 1.05 $ 1.14 $ 1.24 $ 1.34 $ 1.44 $ 1.53 $ 1.63

$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $

1 0.78 0.88 0.97 1.07 1.17 1.27 1.36 1.46 1.56

Chart courtesy of Canfax. Please visit http://www.canfax.ca/ to subscribe

www.skstockgrowers.com | ŠBEEF BUSINESS | 27

B

Stewardship Helping Out a Southern Friend: Beneficial Management Practices for Sage-grouse Submitted by Leanne Thompson for SK PCAP

The Greater Sage-grouse is a large upland bird that lives in warm, dry grasslands where sagebrush, particularly silver sagebrush (Artemisia cana), is present.

This shrub provides food and shelter for the birds year-round. While this species was once found in most areas of the dry mixed-grass eco-region (associated with the brown soil zone), the Sage-grouse is currently confined to a very small area in southwestern Saskatchewan and southeastern Alberta where it is relatively isolated from the main populations of Sage-grouse in Montana, Wyoming and Colorado. This species is currently endangered in Canada as the population has declined due to a number of factors including habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation, increased predation, and diseases such as the West Nile virus.

Another reason for its decline is its extreme sensitivity to disturbance. Any type of human presence can disturb Sagegrouse and studies have shown that roads utilized during the breeding or nesting season are known to cause abandonment of leks (mating grounds) and nests, as well as resulting in direct mortality of Sagegrouse through collisions with vehicles.

Even one vehicle per day has been shown to disrupt Sage-grouse breeding grounds and results in a lower number of nests.

Producers can be key to the conservation of this endangered bird because they manage important habitat and therefore are in a position to help with stewardship activities in Sage-grouse habitat. These activities are commonly referred to as Beneficial Management Practices (BMPs).

As the preferred habitat for Sagegrouse are areas of natural sagebrush with adjacent native prairie, BMPs for this species revolve mainly around the management of these areas through encouragement of robust sagebrush

28

communities and healthy native grassland. More specific goals of managing habitat for Sage-grouse include providing as much forb (herbaceous flowering plant) content as possible.

At least 10% cover of forbs is desirable but often difficult to attain in Canada, retaining and enhancing sagebrush cover (at least 15% cover with sagebrush heights ranging from 40 to 80 cm is desirable), providing high litter content, and managing for patchy vegetation structure (i.e. a full range of grass and shrub heights from tall to very short).

Idling pastures has been shown to increase vegetation density and height and would imply improved cover for sage grouse. However, due to the associated decrease in forb cover that comes from no grazing, idling pastures is not a desirable practice and some level of grazing is beneficial.

Barbed-wire fences, particularly newly located fences in Sage-grouse habitat, can be a cause of mortality as this species tends to fly close to the ground, increasing the risk of collisions with fences. New fences also increase human activity during fence maintenance and provide perches for avian predators of Sage-grouse.

• • • • •

• •

• •

Conserve remaining natural prairie; Avoid removal or reduction of woody shrubs (i.e. Silver Sagebrush); Avoid early spring livestock use of Silver Sagebrush habitat; Graze lightly and periodically in the early spring or late dormant season; Avoid concentrated grazing or supplemental feeding in sagebrush communities in the winter; Limit sheep utilization of sagebrush areas, especially during nesting and brood rearing; Avoid water developments that affect the natural flow of water to low-lying moist areas and affect growth of riparian vegetation; Install escape ramps in existing steep-sided water troughs and dugouts; Avoid installing fences within sagebrush and native prairie habitat where fences did not previously exist;

Sage-grouse tend to avoid areas of trees or tall shrubs. This avoidance of tall woody vegetation is likely related to the association of predators with woody vegetation. In addition, planting of shelterbelts and non-native shrubs such as caragana is known to attract exotic game birds like pheasants which may displace Sage-grouse, increase disease risk, and even lay eggs in Sage- grouse nests.

Based on the habitat requirements and behavior of Sage-grouse, the following is a list of BMPs that landowners may consider to help this endangered bird in its Canadian range:

| ©BEEF BUSINESS | www.skstockgrowers.com

Male Greater Sage-grouse photo provided by G. Seib

SEPTEMBER 2011

Stewardship • • •

•

• •

When rebuilding existing fences, make the top 2 wires smooth rather than barbed; Do not plant trees or shrubs on native grasslands; In areas of native or tame grasslands, remove man-made structures that serve as roosts for avian predators; Reduce traffic on roads within 3.5 km of a Sage-grouse lek during breeding and nesting (early mid February to the end of June); Reduce speed on roads to 10km/ hr of a sage grouse lek (early mid February to the end of May); Encourage resource developers to minimize construction of new roads and trails within 6 km of a Sage-grouse lek for paved or gravel roads and 3 km for dirt roads;

•

Avoid human activity and all terrain vehicle use in Sage-grouse habitat during breeding and nesting period (mid February to the end of June) and avoid activity closer than 3.5 km to a lek. B

For more information on the Greater Sage-grouse, please visit Environment Canada’s Species at Risk website at www. sararegistry.gc.ca or on SK PCAP’s website at http://www.pcap-sk.org/?s=5.pcap_ ssga_articles.

For a list of SK PCAP 2011-2012 supporters, please visit the website at www,pcap-sk.org.

Sage Brush (artemisia cana) photo provided by Nature Sask

Weedon Ranch Receives National TESA Brian and Glenys Weedon, operators of the Weedon Ranch located northeast of Swift Current, SK, have received the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association’s (CCA) Environmental Stewardship Award (TESA) for 2011. TESA recognizes the contribution of cattle producers to sustainable management practices and stewardship initiatives that ensure a sustainable future for Canada’s beef cattle industry.

In accepting the award Brian Weedon said it was a great honour to be recognized by his peers for doing something positive.

Glenys Weedon said the award recognizes what has been Brian’s vision for the past 30 years.

“Brian has taken a very good sandhills ranch and made it a great ranch,” she said.

In the July 2011 edition of Beef Business we ran a feature story describing the innovative stewardship practices adopted by the Weedons. That story also announced that the Weedons had received the Saskatchewan TESA at the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Annual Convention held at Swift Current in June. B

In making the August 10 award announcement, Lynn Grant, Chair of the CCA’s Environment Committee said the Weedons were selected because they exemplify the ability to work successfully within a unique sandhills ecosystem.

“The Weedons have adapted their management practices to work within a challenging ecosystem to benefit not only their operation but the surrounding habitat, ensuring other species dependent on a functioning grassland ecosystem continue to thrive.”

Brian and Glenys Weedon receiving Saskatchewan TESA

SEPTEMBER 2011

www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 29

Calendar of Events September September 22-24

North Dakota Stockmen’s Association Convention

Bismarck, ND

September 23-25

SSPCA AGM

Saskatoon, SK October

October 10

Advertising deadline for November magazine

October 28-29

Edam Fall Fair

Edam, SK November

November 2-5

Stockade Roundup

Lloydminster, SK

November 3-5

Yorkton Grain Millers Harvest Showdown

Yorkton, SK

November 9-12

Saskatoon Fall Fair

Saskatoon, SK

November 21-26

Canadian Western Agribition

Regina, SK

November 25

Commercial Cattle Mixer

Regina, SK

December December 7-8

South Dakota Cattlemen’s AGM

Pierre, SD

December 7-8

FACS AGM

Saskatoon, SK

December 10

Advertising deadline for December magazine

21st Annual Edam Fall Fair October 28th & 29th, 2011 Show Schedule

Friday Oct 28th 6:00 p.m.

People’s Choice Cow / Calf Pair Saturday Oct 29th 9:30 a.m.

Rancher’s Choice Steer Prospect Steer Rancher’s Choice Open Replacement Heifer Prospect Heifer Pen of Three Open Heifers Pen of Five Open Heifers Pen of Three Bred Heifers Pen of Five Bred Heifers Pen of Three Purebred Bulls Sale to Follow Show By :

30

| ©BEEF BUSINESS | www.skstockgrowers.com

For Entries Contact : David Latendresse (306) 397-2704 Edam Fall Fair P.O. Box 410 • Edam, SK • S0M 0V0

SEPTEMBER 2011

Advertiser Index Abe’s Signs

36

Allen Leigh Security & Communications

33

Arm River Red Angus

32

Assiniboia Livestock

24

Beef Improvement Opportunities/Fort Supply

3

Best Western Plus Inn & Suites

34

Bill Laidlaw Chartered Accountant Professional Corp.

32

Boehringer

3

Canadian Association of Farm Advisors

6

Canadian Cattle Identification Agency

18

Cargill Animal Nutrition

34

Cattle Care Vet Consultants

34

Chartop Charolais

32

Cowtown Livestock Exchange, Inc.

32

Dutch Bunning

25

Edam Fall Fair

30

Elanco Animal Health

32

Feed Rite

33

Frostfree Nose Pumps

34

MCD Welding

32

Saskatchewan Angus Assoc.

33, 35

GelbviehWorld.com

33

Man-SK Gelbvieh

34

Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture

23

Gibson Livestock

33

Masterfeeds

33

Saskatoon Livestock

26

Grayson & Co.

33

Millet King Seeds

33

Saskatoon Processing Company

33

Highline Manufacturing

2

Nature Saskatchewan

33

Sask/Man Galloway Assoc.

33

Holiday Inn Express & Suites

32

Nerbas Bros. Angus

32

Silencer Chutes

34

Integrated Traceability Systems

11

New Vision Agro

34

Sittler Composting

34

Jackson Designs

34

Norac Weighing & Control Systems

10

Six Mile

12

John Brown Farms

34

Northstar Seed Ltd.

33

Southern Trail Trailer Sales

32

Johnstone Auction

34

Parkside Farm and Ranch

16

Sundog Solar

32

Kelln Solar

33

Paysen Livestock

4

Superior Livestock Auction

33

Kyle Welding & Machine Shop Ltd.

32

Pfizer Animal Health

36

Terra Grain Fuels

32

Lane Realty Corp.

9, 32

Prairie Habitats

33

Western Litho

34

Linthicum Herefords

33

Quality Starts Here/Verified Beef

15

Weyburn Inland Terminal

32

Mankota Stockmen’s Weigh Co.

17

Rosetown Flighting Supply

32

Young’s Equipment

34

SSGA BOARD OF DIRECTORS THE EXECUTIVE

DIRECTORS AT LARGE

Harold Martens President/Director at Large Swift Current, SK

Phone: 773-6782

Doug Gillespie 1st Vice President/Director at Large Neville, SK

Phone: 627-3619

Shane Jahnke 2nd Vice President/Director at Large Gouldtown, SK

Calvin Knoss Past President/Director at Large Rockglen, SK

Heather S Beierbach, Maple Creek Ryan Beierbach, Whitewood Gerry Duckworth, Courval Helen Finucane, Regina Paul Jefferson, Humboldt ext 272 Roy Rutledge, Assiniboia Robin Wiggins, Fox Valley

ZONE CHAIR DIRECTORS Phone: 784-2899

Phone: 476-2512

Zone 1 - Zone 2 Zone 3 Zone 4 - Zone 5 - Zone 6 - Zone 7 - Zone 12 -

Lloyd Thompson, Carnduff Blade Young, Tyvan Kelcy Elford, McCord Brooks Whitney, Maple Creek Bill Huber, Lipton Brent Griffin, Elbow Keith Day, Lacadena Larry Flaig, Assiniboia

299-4512 532-4809 394-4211 584-2773 682-3139 642-5358 666-2103

AFFILIATE DIRECTORS

Garner Deobald - Charolais Affiliate, Hodgeville 677-2589 Tom Grieve - Cattle Breeders Affiliate, Fillmore 722-3504 Tara Fritz - SImmental Affiliate, Shaunavon 297-3147 Karla Hicks - Angus Affiliate, Mortlach 355-2265 Connie Housek - SK/Man Galloway, Beechy 859-2268 Arron Huber - Shorthorn Affiliate, Lipton 336-2706

APPOINTED DIRECTORS

482-3743 245-3310 478-2682 662-4420 336-2684 854-2050 375-2934 266-2070

Dr. Andy Acton- Veterinary Advisor, Ogema

459-2422

SASKATCHEWAN CCA DIRECTORS Lynn Grant, Val Marie Pat Hayes, Val Marie Jack Hextall, Grenfell Reg Schellenberg, Beechy

298-2268 298-2284 697-3079 859-4905

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

SEPTEMBER 2011

www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 31

P.O. Box 420, Hanley, SK S0G 2E0

“Saskatchewan’s Farm & Ranch Specialists”

MCD Welding Box 502, Nokomis, SK S0G 3R0

Solar Water Heating - Water Pumps - RV Systems - Cottage/Residential Photovoltaic Panels - Portable Water Systems

JASON WILLIAMS

Ph: 306.370.1256

Dealer

email: karyjay@sasktel.net

For all of your buying or selling needs...

Contact one of our Farm & Ranch Specialists today!

To view our properties visit our website at: www.lanerealtycorp.com

Ph: 306-569-3380

Fax: 306-569-3414

306-528-2275

Roller Mills Roller Mills - 30 bu to 1000 bu per hr.

Custom Built Equipment Cattle Panels, Headgates, Hay Feeders, Gates, Weigh Scales and Sheep & Goat Equip.

AARON BOHN Pro-Pellet Division

Black Angus Bulls Weyburn Inland Terminal Ltd.

www.nerbasbroangus.com

Box 698, Weyburn Saskatchewan, Canada S4H 2K8 Sask. Toll Free 1-800-552-8808

All Sales by Private Treaty

Box 310, Kyle, SK S0L1T0

306-375-2271

Tel: (306) 842-7436 Fax: (306) 842-0303 Cell: (306) 861-1757 email: a.bohn@wit.ca www.wit.ca

Shellmouth, MB CANADA 204-564-2540

www.kylewelding.com

Over 60 years of service!

Galvanized Water Tanks From 100 to 4100 gal.

Livestock Water Troughs - From 400 to 1250 gal.

Super Edge™ flighting for grain augers, combines, & seed cleaning plants.

Left and right hand available in all sizes. Helicoid & Sectional

Complete Auger Repairs ROSETOWN FLIGHTING SUPPLY Rosetown, SK

Phone 1-866-882-2243 • Fax 1-306-882-2217 www.flightingsupply.com rfsdealerinfo@sasktel.net EXCELLENT PREPAID FREIGHT RATES - BC $25 AB/MB $19 SK $18 (per order) NO FREIGHT CHARGES: One size 75 feet & over Multiple sizes - 100 feet & over

OVERNIGHT DELIVERY TO MAJOR CENTRES

Chartop Charolais Glen and Lyn Sauder Box 569, Gull Lake, SK S0N 1A0 Ph: (306) 672-3979 Fax: (306) 672-4347

BL

nks .

BILL LAIDLAW CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT PROF. CORP.

BILL LAIDLAW CA.CFP.

Chartered Accountant

Purebred CHAROLAIS & RED ANGUS Bulls for Sale Commercial Herd * Visitors always welcome

Division of Eli Lillly Canada Inc.

604 Government Road S. Weyburn, SK S4H 2B4 Ph: 306.842.5344 Fax: 306.842.5345 Bill@BillLaidlaw.ca

CT

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.cowtownlivestock.com

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Swift Current Reservations: 306-773-8288 Swift Current’s Newest Hotel

Roger Meyers Sales Representative Southern Saskatchewan Box 153, Minton, SK Cell: 306-221-1558

www.elanco.ca 32

(306) 567- 4702

| ©BEEF BUSINESS | www.skstockgrowers.com

Box 688, Davidson, SK S0G

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

SEPTEMBER 2011

    

  

 

Prairie Habitats

RURAL & URBAN LAND ENHANCEMENT

• Shallow Water Line & Underground Cable Installation • Tree Moving • Tree Planting • Zero Drift Spaying • Grass & Legume Seeding • Soil Testing & Fertilizer Blending • Solar/Electric Pumps • Reclamation • Fencing • Consulting 1526 Hochelage St. W. Clint B. Sanborn Moose Jaw, SK S6H 7P9 e-mail: prairiehabitats@sasktel.net

Tel: 306-693-7803 Cell: 306-631-0529

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

Deadstock Removal

 

3018 Miners Ave. Saskatoon, SK S7K 4Z8 Phone (306) 934-4887 Toll-free 1-800-803-9714



®

a Tradition of Quality in Animal Nutrition

Programs for the Canadian Cattleman!

Purebred, Commercial, Backgrounding & Feedlot For more information please contact

Janie Jensen – Beef Sales Manager at 306-535-0969 Jerry Glab 306-891-8914 Tony Chandriuk 306-540-8774 306-231-3233 Krystal Nordick Jack Wagman 306-536-1004 Performance Feed, Pellet, and Mineral Programs, Supplements

GRAYSON & COMPANY

BARRISTERS AND SOLICITORS 350 Langdon Cres. Moose Jaw Founded 1883

306-693-6176

www.graysonandcompany.com

General Practice

Branch Office in: Central Butte - (306) 796-2025

Linthicum Herefords Bulls and Heifers for Sale

Frank (306) 266-4417

Murray & Jan (306) 266-4377

Glentworth, SK

President Reynald R. J. Gauthier

AGRICULTURAL - COMMERCIAL - RESIDENTIAL

Innovative Solar Systems for all Applications OF

C A N A D A

INC.

Swath Grazing Great Cattle Feed

Dry or Silage Feed

Seed it June 10th...

Swath it 60 days later Box 16

St. Claude, Manitoba

R0G 1Z0

- Livestock Watering Systems - Water Pumping Solutions - Hybrid Wind / Solar Systems - Pond & Dugout Aeration

- Grid Tie Systems - Off Grid Systems - Solar LED Lights - Solar Hot Water

Canadian Livestock Auction. Ltd.

www.kellnsolar.com 1-888-731-8882 Call Today for your Free System Consultation !

email: reynald@milletking.com

www.milletkingseeds.com

204-379-2987 Quality You Can TrustSeed Ltd Northstar Humboldt

Forage Seed Saskatoon Current CornSwift Seed Lawn Seed

WIRELESS COW CAM

Makes your calving easier safer and more PROFITABLE! Pricing from $450.00 - $2,275.00

800-947-9186 888-681-4111 877-881-1455

Neil McLeod 306-831-9401 SEPTEMBER 2011

Save 100's of trips to the barn!

Saves 3-5 calves per year!

Stop disturbing them while they calve!

Gives you better quality of life! since 1996

www.CowCam.ca Brandon, MB PH: 1-866-289-8164

Northstar Seed Ltd “Come Grow With Us”

Forage Seed Corn Seed Lawn Seed Neil McLeod

306-831-9401

www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 33

Jackson Designs creative studio 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) 306-693-0541 (Res) Fax 306-691-6650

Candace Schwartz 306.772.0376 candace@jacksondesigns.ca www.jacksondesigns.ca

Helen Finucane

105 George Street West Swift Current, SK S9H 0K4 888-773-8818 (306) 773-4660

catalogues, ad design, event photography, magazine design & layout, posters and more!

V

Graphic Design & Photography

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

Best Western Plus Inn & Suites

Your AD could be here!

Contact Tracy Cornea at 306-693-9329

CATTLE CARE VET CONSULTANTS LTD. 1A 1081 Central Ave N Swift Current SK S9H 4Z2 888-773-5773

www.cattlecarevet.com

Johnson Concrete Cattle Waterers “The Best Name in Cattle Waterers” Waterers and parts in stock

NEW VISION AGRO Box 479 Hague, SK S0K 1X0

Cargill Animal Nutrition

PH: (306) 225-2226 FX: (306) 225-2063

P.O. Box 1656 North Battleford, SK S9A 3W2

Dealer & Distributor For:

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

- Jay-Lor Vertical Feed Mixers - Feed-Rite - Cargill Nutrena Feeds - Baler twine, netwrap, silage bunker, covers, plastic wrap, inoculant

Your source for customized animal nutrition products and solutions in Western Canada.

Call us today: Phone: 1-800-552-8012 Fax: 403-320-6740

SILENCER CHUTES CANADA

® Compost Turners, Spreaders, Screeners, Baggers

The Industry Standard in Cattle Chutes

Rod Wendorff 403-330-3000

www.silencerchutes.ca 34

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Brent Hansen Environmental 204-726-3335, www.globalrepair.ca

SEPTEMBER 2011

SEPTEMBER 2011

www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | 35

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