Paying attention to details has helped the Kotowich family of north-eastern Alberta develop a productive and profitable crossbred Simmental/Hereford cow herd that consistently produces steers that perform well in the feedyard and female calves highly sought after as replacement heifers.
Careful genetic selection in their breeding program, along with good herd management over the past 40 years has helped Kotowich Evergreen Farms near St. Paul, AB earn a reputation as producers of quality cattle. It has also earned them recognition as the Alberta Simmental Association Commercial Breeders of the Year in 2024.
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“We are extremely proud of our farming operation and humbled to be recognized as commercial breeders of the year,” says Paul Kotowich who along with his brother Dennis and their families operate the third generation farm started by their grandma and father who immigrated from Poland back in the 1940s.
“It’s been a lot of hard work, but it has been worth it,” says Paul. “We take great pride in our operation and are always working to improve the quality of our cattle. Farming is all we do. We are dedicated to agriculture and proud to be part of such a great industry.”
Like most Western Canadian farms in the first half of the 20th century, Kotowich Evergreen Farms had humble beginnings as a mixed farming operation with a few milk cows producing milk for cream, a small beef herd, pigs and chickens as well as some grain land.
Their father Frank worked with his mother to get the farm started and growing slowly. Frank later married Eva and together they raised a family of six children.
Dennis and Paul are the only two who stayed with the family farm. The rest of the siblings have moved on to their own lives and careers. All are still interested in what’s happening on the farm and help when they can such as with cattle drives and during the harvest season.
During the 1970s and ‘80s the farm began to focus more on building the beef herd as well as grain production, eventually dropping the other elements of the mixed farm. Paul started working on the farm full time in 1983 after completing high school. Unfortunately their dad died in 1993 at the age of 57, which led Dennis to join Paul after completing high school that same year.
Their mother Eva still lives on the farm and maintains an active interest in the farm operation. Paul and his wife Sharon have three children, Jonathon, Kristina and Rebecca. Dennis and his wife Gisele also have three children, Megan, Brooke and Tyson.
With Sharon involved in her profession as a school teacher and most of their children following their own careers, day-to-day farm operations are handled by Paul, Dennis and his wife Gisele. They are also grateful to have Tyson at young age take a vast interest in helping with the farm workload while attending high school. Brooke also enjoys helping during the busy times on the farm.
Paul and Dennis are grateful to have Mike Kaprowski as a full-time hired hand who plays a large role in the calving and grain operation.
Paul, Dennis and their families have also been involved in the 4-H program over the last couple of decades. Dennis believes their success in the 4-H program attributes to the success on their farm. The program provides an opportunity to learn life skills such as communication and teamwork as well as what it means to see hard work and effort create success. “At the end of the day you must be humble but proud of your accomplishments,” he says.
President Patrick Milner Fenwick, NS P: (902) 694-3122 patrickmilnercattle@hotmail.com
Secretary: Ella Lentz Mount Uniacke, NS P: (902) 790-6823 ellalentz97@gmail.com
CSA STAFF
General Manager
Bruce Holmquist C: (639) 314-4613 bholmquist@simmental.com
Office Manager
Barb Judd P: (403) 250-7979 bjudd@simmental.com
Programs Coordinator
Sue Giles P: (403) 793-0409 sgiles@simmental.com
Processing Department & Member Services
Perry Welygan pwelygan@simmental.com
Laurie Macdonald lmacdonald@simmental.com
Receptionist & Member Services
Devra Leavitt dleavitt@simmental.com
Administrative Assistant Laura Shuttleworth lshuttleworth@simmental.com
YCSA Coordinator
Jennifer Scott 902-968-1285 ycsacoordinator@simmental.com
Simmental Country Field Representative
Dwayne Martin 780-940-3510 dmartin@simmental.com
A Division of:
Phone: 403-250-7979 www.simmentalcountry.com
Programs Coordinator
Sue Giles 403-793-0409 sgiles@simmental.com
Layouts & Proofs - Requests for special layouts should be in the Commercial Country office by the first of the second month preceding publication. Although every effort will be made to provide proofs on all ads, proofs are guaranteed only if all ad material arrives in the Country office prior to deadline.
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Users of any information contained in Commercial Country are encouraged to validate that information by independent means.
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Please Return Undeliverable Copies To: Canadian Simmental Association #13 , 4101 - 19th Street N.E. Calgary, Alberta T2E 7C4 Phone: 403-250-7979 Fax: 403-250-5121 Published September 2022 For: Canadian Simmental Association #13 , 4101
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Today, the Kotowich Evergreen Farms herd consists of approximately 750 Simmental/ Hereford cross cows which also includes about 100 head of Black Simmental/Angus cross females as well.
“The main cowherd is a cross of the traditional Simmental cattle, mostly red with a white face and red goggles around the eyes,” says Paul. “And they are crossed with Hereford cattle.” With both breeds they prefer horned genetics.
“There are certainly good polled cattle out there as well,” he says. “But over the years we’ve found that the horned genetics in both breeds have better muscle, as well as bit more hair coat, perhaps more vigour, as well. They have good growth, good feed efficiency and we believe the horned genetics just have more consistent quality characteristics that suit cattle production in northern Alberta. And at this stage, my brother and I are still young enough that we can dehorn a few cattle.”
The good hair cover and a deep red coat color are important features the Kotowichs select for. “We don’t want too much white and the deeper the red color the better,” says Paul. “Sometimes it is almost black, but we like that deep red color.”
Along with the cowherd, they also crop about 5,000 acres. Annual cash crops include soft white wheat and canola, while feed barley and oats are produced for cattle feed. They also have about 1000 acres of hayland and grow about 450 of corn for silage, and 250 acres of soft white wheat for cereal silage. Straw from the grain crops is used for bedding.
As the start of calving nears in late January, the herd is moved into the yard near the calving facilities, and then are brought inside the barn when ready to calve.
“Very seldom is there any calving difficulty, but winters here can be severe so we like to bring them inside,” says Paul. “All of our cows know what a 10 x 12 foot calving pen looks like. Once they calve, the calves spend a day or two with their mothers inside the barn so we can make sure they are nursing and get a good start then they are moved outside.”
They collect about 50 cow-calf pairs in one pen before being moved to a larger holding area that can handle 100 to 150 head. The cow-calf pairs are split into four different groups as they leave the calving barn. There is a feeding area for mature cows with calves, another for bred heifers/first calf heifers with calves, a third area for Black cow-calf pairs and a fourth area for the second and third calvers.
Each of the holding areas has feed bunks where the mothers are fed corn silage and hay. The calves have access to well-bedded shelters that are about 80 feet long and 32 feet deep. Inside the shelters the calves have access to creep feeders holding rolled oats and good quality hay. “Even as young calves they pick away at this feed,” says Paul. “It may help a bit with growth, but more than anything it get’s them use to finding feed in feeder, so after weaning when they head into backgrounding they know what a feed bunk is. Also having that creep feed available keeps them from eating dirt and chewing on a lot of things they probably shouldn’t chew on. “ The cows cannot access the shelters but have a well-bedded packs just outside.
With calving completed and good new grass growth, the cow-calf pairs are moved out to pasture around June 1. The cows and calves go out onto deeded and rented pastureland within about a 15-mile radius of the main farmyard. Most of the pasture is tame grass, although there are some areas of bush land and rolling native grassland not suited for annual cropping but well suited for beef production. The herd is split in to 15 to 18 groups on pasture ranging in size from 20 to 100 cow-calf pairs per group.
About the third week of October, calves are weaned in a pasture area about three miles from home yard. The herd is brought into pens for sorting with calves hauled home for backgrounding. Paul says cows and calves settle down pretty quickly after weaning as the distance prevents the groups from hearing each other’s bawling. The cows remain on stockpiled grass until mid November and then are transferred over to a couple of quarters of oats/barley cut for swath grazing.
Depending on the year, hopefully it is early December before winter-feeding of the cows begins on land about a quarter mile from the home yard. The ration includes cereal silage placed in feed bunks with hay rolled out as well. Then by about midJanuary the herd is brought close into the main yard just ahead of start of calving. The cows are switched to corn silage and free choice hay.
Meanwhile the weaned calves are split into heifer and steer feeding areas. The steers are placed on a ration of corn silage and barley, while the heifers are fed silage and only a bit of grain.
“We push the steers a little harder because we want them to be gaining at a pretty good rate as they are marketed usually in January,” says Paul.
Normally they don’t weigh calves at weaning, except for those selected for 4-H projects. He estimates steers are weaning in the 770 to 850 pound range, while heifers are probably average closer to 750 pounds. Most years the steers will be in the 1080 to 1100 pound range when they are delivered to finishing feedlots.
Working with Jim Pulyk, fieldman with Northern Livestock Sales at Lloydminster, steers are usually sold through the electronic DLMS system in early January with delivery in late January. “Jim has been a tremendous advisor over the years,” says Paul. “This year we did things a bit differently just because there was some market uncertainty out there. We sold the steers in early December still for delivery in late January and we were pleased with the results.”
The heifers are fed their backgrounding ration until mid-March. The farm will select heifers to be kept as their own herd replacements, while the rest will be marketed through an open heifer replacement sale in Lloydminster. Heifers from Kotowich Evergreen Farms will be sold along with heifers produced by several other farms.
“We always have the heifers palpated by a veterinarian on the farm before the sale just to ensure we are marketing good sound females,” says Paul. “We want to make sure that all the parts are where they are supposed to be and also make sure that nothing got bred by mistake. We want to make sure when these heifers leave our farm we can offer as much assurance as possible that they have optimum reproduction potential.
“We have a reputation for producing good quality replacement heifers with many repeat customers,” he says. “Our steers usually bring a good price, but over the past eight years I’d say that most years our heifers have out sold our steers.”
The Kotowichs’ follow a comprehensive herd health program, for both cows and calves, including vaccinations to reduce the risk of a wide range of respiratory diseases and scours. “We have a strong relationship with our local veterinarian Tim Goodbrand at Vermilion Veterinary Clinic,” says Paul. “And over the years we’ve also relied on the expertise and knowledge of Roy Lewis, who is now semiretired but is still an excellent resource in herd health matters. It is important to have a good working relationship with people you can trust.”
Although the farm has tried several beef breeds over the years, Simmental cattle have the best fit for the Kotowich Evergreen Farms environment. “Simmental breeders have done just an excellent job in producing an animal that works well in a commercial farming operation particularly in northern Alberta,” says Paul. “Our cattle are what we consider to be moderate size averaging about 1,500 pound cows, good mothering ability, excellent milk production, good temperament, a high growth rate and excellent performance.
“They have the coloring that appeals to us as well. We are fortunate the breed has so many great breeders. We started out 30 years ago with Ken Lewis at Lewis Farms at Spruce Grove and we still deal with them, but there are also so many other great breeders across Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario we have dealt with over the years who produce excellent cattle. The breed works so well in a cross with the Hereford breed, one compliments the other. “Our thinking over the years is that if you put the right bull with the right cow your operation is going to be moving forward and that’s what we continue to work on.”
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From The Gatepost
By Bruce Homlquist General Manager, Canadian Simmental Association
THE BEEF BUSINESS THAT LIES
Welcome to 2025 and the beginning of another new year! For those of us with a few grey hairs it seems quite incredible that it is already twenty-five years since the Y2K dilemma that the world feared would bring chaos to our lives and stop clocks around the world. It is said that ninety-five percent of the things people worry about never happen and thankfully that was the case then.
The reset button has been set and we are into a new year full of both promise and expectations. While last year was a very good one for many producers, the weather across Canada was once again quite variable with a real mix from coast to coast. It will be interesting to listen to the long-range weather forecasts that we will hear at the upcoming beef industry conferences. December 2024 gave us some considerable amounts of snow that should provide some run-off to replenish some of the surface water in pastures. That will be very welcome as many pastures depend on that water source. Warmer weather through the next couple of months would also be welcomed as many producers take on the challenges of winter calving.
Calving is always an exciting time of the year as the waiting game is over to see if the previous year’s mating decisions worked out. Yes, there is a long way to go in the development of that calf, but each trip to the barn is one of discovery as the new calves arrive. For most of our commercial customers who aren’t calving yet, it is a time of maintaining the herd and assessing all the bull sale catalogues that will be flooding into their homes now that the Canada Post strike is over.
There is no doubt that there is a feeling of optimism in the beef cattle sector and that was clearly displayed in November and December with excellent prices paid for quality commercial bred heifers. In some sales with large numbers, average prices of $5,600 were received with prices for top lots exceeding $6000. There were still heifers in the $4000 - $4500 range.
The 2024 fall calf run was very strong and in fact many producers received prices that they have never seen before. Although some slight seasonal and traditional pressure was put on prices late in the calf run, it was less than usual and prices for heavier weight calves were often better than originally expected. While the sales provided some producers with the opportunity to expand their numbers, that was again tempered by their own feed supply and feed pricing. One of the big questions is if expansion of the beef cow herd will happen in the short term through heifer retention or not. For some folks 2024 was their payday and the last calf-crop they will market. The slow expansion of the North American cowherd will help calf prices to stay relatively strong and here is hoping that 2025 is an even better year.
2024 was very similar to 2023 with heavy weight Simmental influenced calves bringing a premium to their lighter weight counterparts and Simmental cross calves were in higher demand regardless of their gender. As usual, heifers were at a discount, but the reputation of the Simmental maternal strength is well known and the discounts on Simm-Cross heifers was less. While price per pound premiums for Simmental influence were seen as compared to calves of other breeds, the bigger gain was usually seen in pay-weight, especially when compared to straight bred British calves.
Breed identity, or the crossbred stamp continues to be an obvious advantage as a “money stripe” or a blaze face on a calf of any color earns a premium because it indicates Simmental influence. A blue Simmental RFID tag back button is also an advantage as it helps buyers identify Simmental genetics in those calves. It is a great idea to use the blue CSA endorsed back buttons in your marketing efforts and is another benefit that the CSA provides to producers using registered Simmental bulls. Smart and timely marketing has always added value to a producer’s calves, and it has never been more important than right now. Reputation cattle bring premiums at all levels.
The 2025 bull sales are fast approaching, and people will need to upgrade their bull inventory once again. The demand for quality Simmental bulls will again be strong and there has never been a larger selection of top-quality Simmental bulls for sale. Traditional, black, red, polled, horned, power bulls or bulls to breed heifers will be available throughout all regions of Canada. Most breeders will have information available to assist with your selection decisions but if it isn’t Canadian Simmental Association provided and endorsed, then ask yourself why. The CSA works diligently at providing credible and useful information to our members. Also make sure the animal is registered with the CSA. Registration applied for, or pending doesn’t cut it! You need the information provided to you to be as accurate as possible through our programming and not simply a result of a “may contain program” that just wants to sell you a bull.
There has never been a better supply of top-quality Simmental bulls available for sale that can benefit your bottom line, and Simmental breeders are ready to welcome you to their farm or ranch to check out what they have available either through 2025 bull sales or by private treaty!
Good luck with your bull buying decisions and with your 2025 calving season.
Breed Improvement
By Sean McGrath
Breed Improvement Coordinator for the Canadian Simmental Association
PROFIT DRIVERS AND DATA
We often focus on production and performance when we are breeding and selecting beef cattle. Maintaining and balancing performance is actually a very important role of a manager, but sometimes we overlook some hanging fruit in our efforts to maximize production.
Simmental breeders have collected a lot of performance data over the years, and it drives a very accurate and powerful genetic evaluation for traits like Calving Ease, Weaning Weight, Post-Weaning Growth, and even Milk, and yet in many respects, these traits may not be as big a driver of profitability for our customers as we would hope.
While every operation has very specific economics, hopefully the following example will outline the power of the maternal side of the equation and help encourage you to submit complete cowherd data and information on breeding/conception and calving/weaning success from your cowherd.
For our example and relatively easy math, our cowherd consists of 100 breeding cows. We will assume a base pregnancy rate of 95% and a 98% survival to weaning. I appreciate that many of you will feel that is low, but it is well above industry averages.
We will use a 60-day breeding season on the cowherd. 70% of the cows calve in the first cycle, 20% in the second cycle and the last 10% calve in the third cycle. I used a 95-pound average birthweight and 625-pound weaning weight at 205 days across all calves (heifers and bulls).
So, if we breed 100 cows, 95 will be bred at preg check time and we will wean on average just over 93 calves. The total pounds produced is 58188, or 582 pounds weaned per cow exposed. A 1% improvement in weaning weight with no change in fertility moves this needle to 588 pounds. Gaining this increase may require supplementation of some sort, such as creep feeding, but the environment may support the gains.
What if we, instead of focusing on weaning weight, targeted a 1% improvement in conception rate? First, we would calve out nearly 96 cows and wean on average 94.03 calves. We would likely also see a slight shift in cows calving in the first cycle, versus the second, etc. I modeled this as a 1% improvement in each of the first and second-cycle calving cows. If we look through the example, calves are gaining nearly 2.59 pounds per day on average.
This simple fertility-related change when you work through the math results in an increase in average weaning weight of just under 1 pound. When we add the extra calves resulting from increased conception rates, we arrive at a total weaning weight of 58863 or 589 pounds weaned per cow exposed.
The result of a 1% improvement in fertility is around 1% more weaning weight, not much different than simply focusing on weaning weight. The difference lies in the fact that the fertility improvement is compounding. Early calving cows have more time to recover postpartum and are much more likely to conceive overall and specifically in the first cycle. The economic difference is more significant.
Higher fertility rates mean lower replacement rates and thus more saleable animals off-farm. They also mean that longevity increases and thus cow depreciation declines. For most operations, depreciation is one of the top 2 expenses.
The reality is that as we push performance, we must provide an environment for the calf and cow to realize those gains. The same is ultimately true for fertility-related traits. There is an optimum fertility rate in most cowherds, and it is somewhere below 100%. Work by Melton et al. 1995 showed the relationship between reproduction and production in terms of importance to profitability for traditionally structured cow/ calf operations is 5:1. In other words, fertility or getting cows bred repeatedly on time is 5 times more important than growth to operational profitability.
We can capture both sides of the reproduction: production gains in commercial herds using well-designed crossbreeding and terminal mating programs, but on the feedstock side we need to acknowledge the importance of fertility in our selection decisions and data collection, particularly in a breed with the maternal power of Simmental.
There are a lot of good tools to help your customers determine optimal reproduction levels in their cowherds. Beef Cattle Research Council has some good calculators on their website https://www.beefresearch.ca/.
As breeders, you can actively participate by reporting exposures on heifers (even ones that were open or are not enrolled), disposal codes on cows/calves, complete reporting of your calf crop, and providing other data on cows such as mature weights and body condition. Simmental is a very important piece of the nation’s cowherd and improvements in the breed are directly transferred through Simmental genetics entering commercial cowherds.
Measuring maternal characteristics is one of the best value-added activities you can do for yourself and your customers.
SimmAngus are the cornerstone of the Canadian beef industry.
The reputation of the Simmental breed is built off the International Genetic Solutions (IGS) genetic evaluation model which incorporates both Simmental and Angus data.
The Canadian Simmental Association is the ONLY place to register your half-blood Simmental/Angus calves and receive that information, and as a bonus they can be upgraded over the generations to purebred Simmental status.
Contact the CSA office for details.
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE COWS
It’s all about the cows and it always has been. Since day one, we’ve been dedicated to building a program around superior cow families with a focus on beautiful uddered, good footed, high volume cows that have the ability to produce soggy bulls with extra thickness that will sire more pounds in your calf crop.
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Vet’s Advice CSA
By Roy Lewis, DVM
“Ferappease”
may be a fit in Your Purebred or Commercial Operation
There is a new product on the market, which could have multiple uses on your cattle herd. I’ll go over the description of this product and I know a bunch have heard it and tried it so your opinion weighs in on this article.
It is based on a bovine appeasing substance which when poured on in two places in cattle has a calming type response decreasing stress and the negative things it causes. The product is supposed to have effects for up to 14 days, which means in many situations on the farm it may last over two stressful events.
It works as a sort of pheromone effect being breathed in for the amount applied above the muzzle and gets absorbed into the glandular area from behind the poll. It is really a combination of fatty acids, which can be synthetically derived so production is not too limited and supply hopefully will be readily available.
It is not a prescription product and because it is like a nutriceutical, it has passed whatever licensing is needed in Canada.
It comes in either a 300 ml or 1000 ml bottle and with the total dose for animals just over 400 pounds and up being 10 ml a bottle will do 30 or 100 heads for the 1000 ml. As a still practicing practitioner, I see this product as a real benefit in many ways that I will list. The good news here is this sort of calming effect you should visibly see with your cattle so you all can be the judge on how it’s working.
Ask your herd veterinarian what they think or their experiences are and if they don’t know they can find out. With it not being prescription it is distributed in Canada by Kane Veterinary Supplies so is then readily available at all veterinary clinics but also participating feed mills farm stores UFA Peavey Marts and similar venues across Canada. There have been a bunch of trials primarily in the US out of Texas A & M University but also a large trial in Brazil in a large feedlot.
If one thinks about what this product does then any improvement in stress reduction should lead to positive things for the cattle and also positive things for the people handling them transporting them.
Talk to fellow producers who have used it and assess their experiences with it. Developed I believe initially to reduce stress at weaning so it could be incorporated right at vaccination time just before or right at weaning. On severely stressed and high-risk cattle, smaller calves in Texas, more cattle only required one treatment, and mortality went down by over 80%. This outcome is phenomenal but again extremely high-risk calves in my opinion but even a 20-30 percent reduction in mortality would have been impressive.
In cattle production, any painful procedure such as branding, castration, dehorning, long transport, weaning as mentioned, and mixing of cattle either as purebred bulls or heifers to get ready for breeding ferappease may have a place.
In the feedlot, health parameters were improved and weight gain was better and stayed that way.
Around calving, I see its usage on any assisted cow to settle her down and allow for more milk letdown. Plus the frappes should carry on making the bonding experience better. We all know how good maternal mothers can get possessive. Still, if this settles them just a bit over 14 days it will improve the interaction with people working on them.
I am hoping in the future there will be a little more research focusing on the ways we raise cattle in Canada. So will it decrease antimicrobial usage and where purebred breeders get bull pens ready a time to apply this be just before semen checking and would that improve results or make it a lot easier to test them? For any bulls to retest the ferappease would still be on board are examples where I see trying it.
Time will tell but further studies have been completed in other countries looking at an improvement in slaughter weight and yield and a decrease in dark cutters. The cost of this is roughly 3.5 to 4 dollars a head so not cost prohibitive. I would suggest having some chute side to see how it works on the more nervous or aggressive mothers at calving. Perhaps we will need fewer antimicrobials in the feedlot or after long transport. All of these are good news subjects and time will tell how many of these the product will live up to or where additional uses will be found.
Proceed cautiously try it on a few and see the results for yourself. I prefer the smaller applicator and it comes out in a line. Applicators need to be purchased but they are pretty robust and should last for years. I am hoping this improves many outcomes on the farm and there are fewer antimicrobials used and more beef essentially produced with less grading losses such as dark cutters. Most times when products have enough positive research with statistical significance they don’t disappoint.
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Purchased by BOOMER CREEK LIVESTOCK, WALLENSTEIN, ON
Du Poste De Porte
Par Bruce Homlquist
Directeur général - Association Simmental du Canada
LA PRODUCTION BOVINE EST EN PLEIN ESSOR.
Bienvenue en 2025 et au début d’une nouvelle année! Pour ceux d’entre nous ayant des cheveux plus gris, il semble assez incroyable que cela fait déjà vingt-cinq ans depuis qu’on a passé à l’an 2000, alors que le monde craignait voir le chaos arrivé dans nos vies et les horloges arrêtées dans le monde entier. On dit que 95% des choses dont les gens ont peur ne se produisent jamais et heureusement ce fut le cas à l’époque.
On a activé le bouton de réinitialisation et nous entrons dans une nouvelle année pleine de promesses et d’attentes. Bien que l’année dernière ait été une très bonne année pour de nombreux producteurs, la météo au Canada a encore une fois été très variable d’un océan à l’autre. Il sera intéressant d’écouter les prévisions météorologiques à long terme qui nous seront présentées lors des prochaines conférences de l’industrie du boeuf. En décembre 2024, nous avons reçu des quantités considérables de neige qui devraient fournir un ruissellement bénéfique pour reconstituer une partie de l’eau de surface dans les pâturages. Cette humidité sera très bien reçue, car de nombreux pâturages dépendent de cette source d’eau. Une température plus chaude lors des prochains mois serait également bienvenue, car de nombreux producteurs devront composer avec les défis des vêlages en hiver.
La période des vêlages est toujours un moment excitant de l’année, l’attente est terminée pour voir si les décisions de reproduction prises l’année précédente ont bien fonctionné. Évidemment, le développement de ce veau nouveau-né est encore à venir, mais chaque visite à l’étable est une découverte au fur et à mesure que les nouveaux veaux viennent au monde. Pour un grand nombre de nos clients producteurs commerciaux qui ne sont pas encore en période de vêlage, c’est le temps de s’occuper du troupeau et d’évaluer tous les catalogues de vente de taureaux qui inonderont vos boîtes de courrier maintenant que la grève chez Postes Canada est terminée. Il ne fait aucun doute qu’il y a un vent d’optimisme dans le secteur de la production bovine, comme on l’a clairement constaté en novembre et décembre avec les excellents prix payés pour des taures commerciales gestantes de qualité. Lors de certaines ventes avec un volume important offert, des prix moyens de 5600 $ ont été obtenus, et les prix maximaux dépassaient les 6000 $. On retrouvait également plusieurs taures vendues autour de 4000 $ - 4500 $.
Les prix du circuit des encans de veaux d’embouche de l’automne 2024 ont été très bons et, en fait, de nombreux producteurs ont reçu des prix qu’ils n’avaient jamais vus auparavant. Bien que les prix aient subi une certaine pression saisonnière et traditionnelle vers la fin de l’automne, la baisse était moins forte qu’auparavant et les prix des veaux plus lourds étaient souvent meilleurs que prévu. Bien que les ventes aient permis à certains producteurs d’accroître leur inventaire de femelles, le tout a été ralenti en raison de la disponibilité et des prix élevés des aliments. La question principale demeure à savoir si le troupeau bovin va s’accroître à court terme par une rétention d’un plus grand nombre de génisses. Pour certaines personnes, l’année 2024 était leur jour de paie et la dernière fois qu’ils vendaient des veaux. La faible expansion du cheptel de vaches en Amérique du Nord aidera les prix des veaux à rester relativement élevés et nous espérons que l’année 2025 sera encore meilleure.
L’année 2024 était très semblable à 2023, les veaux plus lourds issus d’un croisement avec la race Simmental ont obtenu une prime par rapport aux veaux plus légers et, peu importe leur sexe, les veaux croisés Simmental étaient plus en demande. Comme d’habitude, les génisses se vendaient à prix réduit, mais grâce à la bonne réputation maternelle de la race Simmental, les baisses de prix étaient moindres pour les génisses croisées Simmental. Alors que les veaux d’influence Simmental obtenaient des primes comparativement aux prix des veaux d’autres races, le gain le plus important était généralement observé par rapport au poids total vendu, surtout lorsqu’on le comparait aux veaux provenant de croisements de races britanniques.
L’identité de la race, ou les signes distinctifs présents tels qu’une bande blanche ou bien une marbrure dans la face chez un veau peu importe sa couleur continue d’être un avantage évident parce qu’il indique clairement l’influence Simmental. Un bouton d’étiquette d’oreille RFID Simmental de couleur bleue est également un avantage car il aide les acheteurs à identifier la génétique Simmental chez ces veaux. C’est une excellente idée d’utiliser les étiquettes bleues approuvées par l’ACIB (Attestra au Québec) dans vos efforts de marketing et c’est un autre avantage que l’ASC offre aux producteurs utilisant des taureaux Simmental enregistrés. Une promotion intelligente et bien ciblée a toujours ajouté de la valeur aux veaux d’un producteur, et cela n’a jamais été aussi important que maintenant. Les bovins de bonne réputation rapportent des primes à tous les niveaux.
Les ventes de taureaux de 2025 approchent à grands pas, et les producteurs devront encore renouveler leurs inventaires de taureaux. La demande pour les taureaux Simmental de qualité sera à nouveau forte et il n’y a jamais eu une aussi grande sélection de taureaux Simmental de qualité supérieure à vendre. Des taureaux avec une couleur traditionnelle, noire, rouge, avec ou sans cornes, des taureaux performants ou recommandés chez les génisses seront disponibles dans toutes les régions du Canada. La plupart des éleveurs vous fourniront l’information disponible pour vous aider à prendre vos décisions de sélection, mais si ça ne provient pas ou bien n’est pas approuvé par l’Association Simmental du Canada, demandez-vous pourquoi. L’ASC travaille avec diligence pour rendre disponible des informations crédibles et utiles à tous ses membres. Assurez-vous également que l’animal est bel et bien enregistré auprès de l’ASC. Ce n’est pas suffisant d’avoir un enregistrement demandé ou en attente. Vous avez besoin que les renseignements qui vous sont fournis soient aussi exacts que possible en vertu de nos programmes et non pas simplement le résultat d’un « programme peut contenir » qui veut juste vous vendre un taureau.
Il n’y a jamais eu autant d’offre de taureaux de Simmental de qualité supérieure disponibles sur le marché et qui peuvent améliorer vos résultats. Les éleveurs Simmental sont prêts à vous accueillir dans leur ferme ou leur ranch pour vous montrer leurs taureaux disponibles en 2025, soit lors d’une vente ou privément !
Bonne chance en 2025 avec vos décisions d’achat de taureaux et avec votre saison de vêlage !
Morlock Farms ^ Dave Neufeld ^ Ken Neufeld ^ Dean Ockerman
Glen & Cathy Ockerman ^
Keith Paradis
Peace View Colony ^ Willy Penner
Landen Poyser ^ Red Blaze Cattle Co.
Red Gold Simmentals
Red Iron Simmentals ^ Ridgevalley Colony ^ Rosefield Simmentals ^ Sage Simmentals ^
Sandy Ridge Cattle Co. ^ Sawley Ranches Ltd.
Scottford Colony ^ Short Grass Farms ^ Sinister Simmentals
Skywest Simmentals
Steve Smigelski ^ Sturgeon River Stock Farms
Sweet Creek Ranch ^ TJ Farms ^
Travis & LynnTrask ^ Tri K Cattle
Warkentin Land & Cattle Inc. ^ Jim Wieler
George Wiebe ^ Wild Rose Ranch
Willcooke Simmentals ^ Willow Creek Simmentals
Sandy Ridge & Sweet Creek of La Crete & Debolt AB
Sold to Blushrose Land & Cattle of Unity SK for $28,000 Sold to Sinister Simmentals of Spiritwood SK
bulls
JPCC DIMENSIONAL 142L
S: Wheatland Dimensional 1147J
Sold to D&N Livestock, Peebles, SK for $40,000
JPCC MAGNITUDE 153L
S: Wheatland Dimensional 1147J
Sold to Charlie Fafard, Rocanville, SK for $15,250
JPCC RESILIENT 062L
S: SITZ Resilient 10208
Sold to Harprey Farms, Proton Station, ON for $14,750
JPCC AMERICA 03L
S: S A V America 8018
Sold to Lane Valley Farm, Birtle, MB for $14,000
Amelioration De la race
Par Sean McGrath
Coordonnateur des programmes d’amélioration de la race, Association Simmental du Canada
DONNÉES ET FACTEURS DE PROFIT
Nous mettons souvent l’emphase sur la production et les performances lorsque nous sélectionnons et élevons des bovins de boucherie. Le maintien et l’équilibre des performances est en fait un rôle très important pour tout gestionnaire, mais parfois nous négligeons certains fruits à portée de main dans nos efforts pour maximiser la production.
Au fil des ans, les éleveurs Simmental ont recueilli beaucoup de données sur la performance et ils font calculer des évaluations génétiques très précises et complètes pour des caractères tels que la facilité de vêlage, le poids de sevrage, la croissance post-sevrage et même le potentiel laitier. Pourtant, à bien des égards, ces caractéristiques ne sont peut-être pas aussi importantes que nous l’espérons pour la rentabilité de nos clients. Bien que chaque programme possède une composante économique très spécifique, nous espérons que l’exemple suivant soulignera le pouvoir du côté maternel de l’équation et qu’il vous aidera à soumettre des données complètes sur votre cheptel de vaches, c’est-à-dire des informations sur la reproduction / la conception et le vêlage/le sevrage des animaux de votre troupeau.
Pour notre exemple et nos calculs relativement simples, disons que notre troupeau se compose de cent vaches reproductrices. Nous utiliserons un taux de gestation de base de 95 % et un taux de survie jusqu’au sevrage de 98 %. Je sais que beaucoup d’entre vous penseront que c’est plutôt bas, mais ce sont des taux bien au-dessus des moyennes de l’industrie. Nous utiliserons une saison de reproduction de soixante jours pour les vaches du troupeau. 70 % des vaches vêlent durant le premier cycle, 20 % au deuxième et les 10 % restants au troisième. J’ai utilisé un poids de naissance moyen de 95 livres et un poids de sevrage moyen de 625 livres à 205 jours pour tous les veaux (génisses et taureaux).
Donc, si on fait saillir 100 vaches, 95 seront confirmées gestantes au moment des diagnostics de gestation et nous aurons en moyenne un peu plus de 93 veaux sevrés. Le total des livres de veaux produites est de 58 188 livres, soit 582 livres sevrées par vache exposée. Une amélioration de 1 % du poids au sevrage sans changement de la fertilité amène cette valeur à 588 livres. Pour obtenir cette augmentation, il faudra peut-être compléter la ration d’une certaine façon, par exemple en fournissant une alimentation à la dérobée, mais l’environnement pourrait appuyer ces gains.
Et si, au lieu de nous concentrer sur le poids au sevrage, nous visons plutôt une amélioration de 1% du taux de conception. Premièrement, nous aurons un vêlage chez environ 96 vaches et nous devrions sevrer en moyenne 94,03 veaux. Nous verrions probablement aussi un léger changement dans les vaches qui vêlent au cours du premier cycle, par rapport au deuxième cycle, etc. J’ai modélisé le tout en considérant une amélioration de 1 % pour chacune des vaches du premier et du deuxième cycle. Avec cet exemple, les veaux ont un gain de poids moyen d’environ 2,59 livres par jour. Ce simple changement lié à la fertilité lorsque vous faites le calcul entraîne une augmentation du poids moyen au sevrage d’un peu moins de 1 livre.
Lorsque nous ajoutons le poids supplémentaire de veaux résultant de l’augmentation du taux de conception, nous obtenons un poids total au sevrage de 58 863 livres ou 589 livres par vache exposée.
Le résultat d’une amélioration de 1 % de la fertilité favorise un gain de 1 % du poids au sevrage, ce qui n’est pas très différent du simple fait de se concentrer sur l’amélioration du poids au sevrage. La différence réside dans des effets combinés de l’amélioration de la fertilité. Les vaches qui vêlent tôt dans la période ont plus de temps pour récupérer après leur vêlage et sont beaucoup plus susceptibles de concevoir davantage et plus spécifiquement dans le premier cycle. La différence économique est plus significative Des taux de fertilité plus élevés signifient un taux de remplacement plus faible et donc plus d’animaux à vendre sur le marché. Ils signifient également que la longévité augmente et donc que la dépréciation des vaches diminue. Pour la plupart des fermes, l’amortissement est l’une des deux principales dépenses.
En réalité, à mesure que nous améliorons les performances, nous devons offrir un environnement dans lequel le veau et la vache peuvent réaliser ces gains. La même chose est vraie pour les caractères liés à la fertilité. Il existe un taux de fertilité optimal chez la plupart des troupeaux bovins, et il est quelque part en dessous de 100%. Des travaux de Melton et al en 1995 ont démontré que la relation entre la reproduction et la production en termes d’importance pour la rentabilité des fermes traditionnelles de vaches / veaux est de 5:1. En d’autres termes, la fertilité ou la saillie constamment plus tôt est 5 fois plus important que la croissance pour la rentabilité de l’entreprise.
Nous pouvons profiter des deux aspects des gains sur la reproduction : la production dans les troupeaux commerciaux en utilisant des programmes de croisement bien conçus et d’accouplement terminal. Mais, du côté des élevages pur-sang, nous devons reconnaître l’importance de la fertilité dans nos décisions de sélection et de collecte de données, surtout pour une race avec la puissance maternelle telle que la Simmental.
Il existe de nombreux outils pour aider vos clients à déterminer les niveaux optimaux de reproduction de leurs troupeaux. Le “Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC)” offre de bons calculateurs sur son site internet https://www.beefresearch.ca/.
En tant qu’éleveurs, vous pouvez participer activement en déclarant les données de saillie sur les génisses (même celles qui étaient ouvertes ou ne sont pas enrôlées), les codes d’élimination des vaches / veaux, la déclaration complète de votre récolte de veaux et en fournissant d’autres données sur les vaches telles que le poids adulte et la condition de chair. La race Simmental est une composante très importante du cheptel bovin canadien de vaches de boucherie et les améliorations apportées à la race sont directement transférées par l’intermédiaire de la génétique Simmental commercialisée au niveau des troupeaux commerciaux. Mesurer les caractéristiques maternelles est l’une des activités à valeur ajoutée que vous pouvez faire pour vous-même et votre client.
MONDAY , MARCH 3RD , 2025
DAWSON CREEK EXHIBITION CATTLE BARN, BC
BRISKET SUPPER & SOCIAL
Following Sale
Viewing Available All Day Sunday,March 2,2025
Versatile Bulls bred and raised in the North & developed to perform in any herd!
• All bulls born, bred & developed right here at MRL
• Large sire groups 1/2 and 3/4 brothers Penfulls of uniform bulls in every category
• Sight Unseen Buyer’s Program (Can’t make it sale day, give us a call. Almost 25% of our bulls sell SUS. Many repeat customers year after year.)
• Semen evaluated and guaranteed
• Free Delivery in Western Canada. Cost sharing to the East
• Our trailer is most likely going right past your gate.)
• Sound rugged Bulls developed on a high roughage ration (Born, bred and fed to work and stay working)
• Extra age bulls ready to cover some ground. Offering 60 May/ June coming Two Year Olds and January/February born yearlings.
• Genetically engineered to excel for the commercial cattleman.
• Calving ease, performance and packed full of maternal traits.
OUR 50+ YEAR LEGACY
For over 50 years we have been committed to and focused on providing herd bulls that will excel for commercial cowboys. The strength of our offering has always been our cowherd! 50 years in the making, 800 head strong in a competitive environment with 2 breed lines and 2 calving intervals. We have multiplied our most productive cow families based on old fashioned production merit under ranch conditions. Our breeding program is not influenced by the show ring or by the flavour of the month, but rather genetics that work for every-day cattlemen that depend on the things that pay the bills! Live, vigorous calves at birth, pounds at weaning, feed conversion and all-around maternal merit. Herdbulls designed by ranchers for ranchers. We are truly honoured to have many of the most progressive cattle outfits across North America source their herd bulls here at MRL year after year. Give us a call, text or email for a full color catalogue or plan a tour through our bull pens. Come see for yourself what keeps the commercial cowboys coming back year after year.
AT THE RANCH
CARIEVALE, SK (HEATED SALES ARENA)
FOR CATALOGUES, VIDEOS OR
Lee: (306) 483-8067
Dave: (306) 483-8660
Jim: (306) 483-7986
Sale Barn: (306) 928-2011
F: (306)
mrl@sasktel.net
WEDNESDAY,
1 PM MST | SATURDAY , MARCH 8TH , 2025 | INNISFAIL AUCTION MART | INNISFAIL , AB
Black Simmental
Charolais
Fullblood Simmental
Horned Hereford
Polled Hereford
Red Angus
Red Simmental
APPLECROSS CATTLE
CHESTERMERE STOCK FARM
DALLAS FARMS
DOUBLE Q SIMMENTALS
EAGLE VALLEY FARMS
E&L RANCHING OH KAY FARMS
J-BAR SIMMENTALS
KEATO MEADOW SIMMENTALS
RED TOP LIVESTOCK
Paget
Coupland
HOW TO TATTOO AN ANIMAL
Tattoo letters are a unique combination of three (3) or four (4) letters allotted to a person by the National Breed Association for that person’s exclusive use in identifying, tattooing, and registering animals with their association.
All animals must be identified with an ear tattoo in order to be eligible for registration in the Canadian Simmental Association books as follows:
• All calves born in Canada must be identified by an ear tattoo before the animal is six (6) Months of age
• All imported animals must be identified by an ear tattoo using the Canadian owners tattoo letters or such other letters as may be required by the association.
• An ear tattoo is a unique combination of tattoo letters, followed by a number of up to 4 digits to identify the animal, followed by a year letter. The first number in a letter cannot be a zero (0).
• No two (2) animals, regardless of sex, may have the same ear tattoo within a 22-year cycle of the year letters.
• The letters I, O, Q, and V are not used.
HINTS ON A SUCCESSFUL TATTOOING
• As proper identification of animals is the basis for the purebred industry, this is the most important factor a breeder should consider. Animals can be turned away from shows, sales, and for export purposes because of improper, indistinct, or just plain erroneous tattoos. Placing a tattoo on an animal should be a simple matter, but it seems it causes many breeders problems mainly because not enough care is taken at the time the tattoo is applied. Read these tips over, inspect your cattle tattoos when you have a moment, evaluate your present technique, and see if you can improve on your own tattooing method.
• Tools of the trade: tattoo pliers, small brush (a toothbrush works well for rubbing paste into the tattoo letters, rag for cleaning ears, alcohol as solvent to wet rag to remove wax, tube of paste ink. Don’t store the tattoo letters in a pile at the bottom of a container, the points will become bent or dull. Clean, sharp, straight needles make for good tattoos
• Applying the tattoo: select a spot between the ribs, well into the ear and well away from the hairy edges of the ear. Press firmly and release, pressing the ear away from the pliers if necessary to avoid tearing the skin. Note that if the punctures made are indistinct or ripped, leave it to heal for a week and try again. Avoid hitting a rib, as this causes excess bleeding and will result in one side of the puncture being too shallow and the other side too deep, making a poor tattoo. N.B. Extremely important to thoroughly clean the dirt and wax from the ear.
• Apply the ink to the ear. There are many types of ink, but paste is recommended. Colors vary, but green works best.
• Don’t put the paste directly on the tattoo needles, work the paste into the punctures with the brush. If any blood appears, apply more paste, and rub it in until the bleeding stops. If the tattoo is a good one, the excess ink may be removed immediately, but usually it is left on to help minimize bleeding.
• Don’t place tattoos in the hairy edges. Remember when doing calves, place the tattoo well into the ear. As the calf grows, the hairy edge works into the ear.
• A good tattoo, well into the ear, away from the hairy outer edges and plainly visible is the desired result. Place the breeder letters in the top, running between the first and second ribs.
• The use of a flashlight speeds up the reading of tattoos, but well placed, distinct tattoos should require no aid to read them. Don’t confuse 6s and 9s. Once you’ve placed the tattoos in the pliers, check on a piece of cardboard before placing in the ear.
Canadian Beef Breeds Council has had an eventful fall and we’re excited to share those updates
Early November we held our Annual General Meeting (AGM) in conjunction with the 50th celebration of Farmfair International. It was a great opportunity to connect with the membership and hear some of the opportunities for alignment within the seedstock industry from these members. Before the business portion of the AGM we were fortunate to have Mark Lowerison, Partner in The Herdbook Group and the Project Lead on the Canadian Beef Improvement Network (CBIN), present to the membership and our stakeholders. Mark provided an update on the program and fielded a discussion with the group.
A new year brings new Directors to the CBBC Board. CBBC is excited to welcome Cory Ducherer, Brad Gilchrist, Ken Lewis and Garth Rancier as the latest additions. Current and/or re-elected directors are Kevin Blair, Eddie Marsman, Andy Schuepbach, Scott Severtson and Shawn Wilson. Shawn (SW Cattle Co.) has been elected as the 2024/25 Chair and Scott (Severtson Land & Cattle) as Vice-Chair. Shawn is looking forward to working with this new group of Directors to continue to advance the goals of our organization.
We’d like to sincerely thank retiring Chair David Sibbald and retiring Directors Ken Friesen, Marlin Leblanc, Rod McLeod, Dennis Serhienko and Brett Wildman for their service. Committing to a collective vision to bring our membershwip more value is no small task and we were fortunate to have these individuals’ efforts and expertise guide CBBC.
We’re also extremely excited to have Macy Liebreich join the CBBC team as Program Administrator where we believe her diverse experience in the industry will be an asset for our members. She comes to us with a commerce degree from UBC,
roots from the family ranch Merit Cattle Co, and recent experience from the international import/ export division at Alta Genetics.
Canadian Western Agribition (CWA) is always a fall feature as it brings the opportunities to appreciate the genetics showcased and connect with international visitors. CWA also brought forth news of a substantial investment for promoting Canadian genetics internationally. CBBC is pleased to receive up to $871,200 over 3 years (2023-26) from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the AgriMarketing program. The financial support provided through the AgriMarketing Program will assist with global trade initiatives such as participation in major cattle shows, targeted promotional campaigns, incoming and outgoing missions, virtual activities, technical training and bilateral and multilateral meetings.
As a fresh year approaches, CBBC renews our commitment to serving as a unified front and collective voice for the seedstock sector. Our position to champion issues affecting the industry from our membership’s perspective is critical to the wholistic success of the Canadian beef industry. We are honoured to continue to do this work and to collaborate with partners to leverage resources to build upon opportunities for assuring a sustainable future for Canadian beef cattle breeders and producers alike.
Respectfully submitted by,
Sandy Russell, CEO
Slider
WalkThisWay
Katmandu 30K
Champs Mamba 43K
EGC Hitch (RWFDrillerson)
Gambler(AmberJackson)
NUG Heritage 24J (Yumason)
EGCJager (Playmakerson)
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26,
THURSDAY, APRIL 17,
Ag Pavilion-Lacombe Research Station-Lacombe, Alberta
CSA New Members
Welcome to all members who registered in 2024
3T Livestock - Everlea Toronchuk
ONoway AB Canada
Aaron White Millet AB Canada
AC Bar Simmentals Westerose AB Canada
Addison Katona Caroline AB Canada
Anna White ............................................ Millet ........................... AB ...................... Canada
Aubrey Fraser Red Deer County AB Canada
Bailey Stone Westerose AB Canada
Bar JD Simmentals Ponoka AB Canada
Bella Fehlauer Calmar AB Canada
Bernhard Dyck Fort Vermillion AB Canada
Boston Fetting ................................... Stony Plain....................... AB ...................... Canada
Braden Scott Olds AB Canada
Brady Butcher Bentley AB Canada
Brooklynn Boulter Parkland County AB Canada
Caleb Stone Simmentals Westerose AB Canada
Calum Cameron Didsbury AB Canada
Calynn Gardner ..................................... Olds ............................ AB ...................... Canada
Carter Cameron Didsbury AB Canada
Carter Kamlah Didsbury AB Canada
Charli-Brynn Katona Caroline AB Canada
Cyanna Stone Simmentals Westerose AB Canada
Dalton Dorran Didsbury AB Canada
Dannika Andersen ............................. Ardrossan ....................... AB ...................... Canada
Dawson Cleveland Carseland AB Canada
Declan Jones Breton AB Canada
Diamond D Cattle Co. Edmonton AB Canada
Diamond Lazy A Cattle Co. Elk Point AB Canada
Emma Gardner Olds AB Canada
Fraser & Heather Daley Claresholm AB Canada
Grace Clingman Blackie AB Canada
Harvie Crest Cattle Co. - Gentry Olds AB Canada
Harvie Crest Cattle Co. - Tel Olds AB Canada
Hayden Kamlah Didsbury AB Canada
Hiller Gardner Olds AB Canada
Kasey Adams Forestburg AB Canada
Kenna Vermette Rimbey AB Canada
Kismet Farms Ellscot AB Canada
KRK Cattle Co. Caroline AB Canada
Lexie Peacock Wainwright AB Canada
Lilly Howell ........................................... Penhold ......................... AB ...................... Canada
Logan Jamieson Rocky View County AB Canada
London Matthews Olds AB Canada
Lyla Harvie Olds AB Canada
Maverick Land & Cattle Co. Olds AB Canada
Meaghan Heppner Hussar AB Canada
Milaya Stone Simmentals .................. Westerose ....................... AB ...................... Canada
Morgan Wilson Rimbey AB Canada
MSP Ranching Ltd. Dewberry AB Canada
Myah Eluik Olds AB Canada
Nakoby Stone Simmentals Westerose AB Canada
Nixon Smith Beaverlodge AB Canada
Norm Boulianne ................................... St Paul .......................... AB ...................... Canada
Paisley Robertson Medicine Hat AB Canada
Payton Verbonac Carstairs AB Canada
Porter Stone Westerose AB Canada
Rafter FO Ranch Spirit River AB Canada
Real World Genetics - Keston Red Deer County AB Canada
Reed Howell ......................................... Penhold ......................... AB ...................... Canada
Reese Stone Westerose AB Canada
Riley Bohrson Olds AB Canada
Riley Kamlah Didsbury AB Canada
Riverside Simmentals Red Deer County AB Canada
Rylan Lewis Spruce Grove AB Canada
Savanna Elliot ..................................... Didsbury ........................ AB ...................... Canada
Sheena Jones Eckville AB Canada
Sienna Bohrson Olds AB Canada
Trin Simmentals Lomond AB Canada
Triple M Cattle Co. Airdrie AB Canada
Vanden Miller Okotoks AB Canada
W2 Land & Cattle - Cash Vermilion AB Canada
W2 Land & Cattle - Jaycee ................. Vermilion ........................ AB ...................... Canada
W2 Land & Cattle - Marley Vermilion AB Canada
W2 Land & Cattle - Merit Vermilion AB Canada
Walton Cattle Company Ltd Drumheller AB Canada
Z Bar Farms Daysland AB Canada
Rafter D4 Cattle Co Sherwood Park AB Canada
Ashtree Livestock ................................... Millet............................ AB ...................... Canada
Birch Hill Simmental Caroline AB Canada
Bronson Rowe Worsley AB Canada
Chester Ranches Ft. Macleod AB Canada
Gregoire Farms Westlock AB Canada
Hannah Inge Lloydminster AB Canada
Hillman Farms ..................................... Bonnyville ........................ AB ...................... Canada
Jack Buba Spruce Grove AB Canada
Klemp Simmentals Mayerthorpe AB Canada
Luke Brundige Bonnyville AB Canada
NRCS Red Deer County AB Canada
Peppermint Swirl Livestock Streamstown AB Canada
Quaid R. Walton................................. Drumheller ....................... AB ...................... Canada
Raleigh Little ......................................... Hazlet .......................... SK....................... Canada
RFR - Gerald Unrau Nipawin SK Canada
Rhett L’Henaff Melfort SK Canada
Rocco Perrot Alameda SK Canada
Ryan King Raymore SK Canada
Scott & Trina Watson Wolseley SK Canada
Scott Farms Ltd. ................................. Glen Ewen ....................... SK....................... Canada
Shayle Botterill Maryfield SK Canada
Sierra Degelman Lashburn SK Canada
Silverdale Cattle Co. Melfort SK Canada
Taylor Wolter Radville SK Canada
Tennesee Wolter Radville SK Canada
AM Sunrise Charolais Farm Battleford SK Canada
APH Cattle Alida SK Canada
Cameo Livestock Co. Shellbrook SK Canada
Chase Bruynooghe Outlook SK Canada
Crimson Cattle Company Ltd. Burstal SK Canada
D-C Cattle Company Melville SK Canada
Diamond C Land & Cattle Wapella SK Canada
J Bar D Farms Speers SK Canada
Lane Steen Dundurn SK Canada
L-Dee Stock Farm Glenside SK Canada
Alana Wade Stubbo NSW Australia
Erin Goodwin
Alpha QLD Australia
Knox Farms Crookwell New South Wales Australia
Andrew Pastryk Niles MI United States
Diego Bottussi Cividale Del Friuli Udine Italy
Mattia Canins Badia Bolzano Italy
Simone Listuzzi Pavia di Udine Italy
Thank you to all existing members for your continued support of the CSA & Simmental breed
2025 CSA 100K DNA Program
Beginning January 1, 2025, the CSA is offering a rebate to cover part of our member’s costs to do genomically enhanced parentage panels on heifers and bulls born in 2025 that are 100K DNA tested.
DNA must be submitted to the lab by December 31, 2025. All 2025 born calves with a 100K test result confirming accurate parentage verification at March 1, 2026 will be credited $10 per animal to active CSA member accounts.
Thank you to everyone who supported our Facebook Auction. We appreciate everyone that donated, bid and purchased items!
• YCSA Leadership Conference
Tentatively the First Week of May 2025
• YCSA National Classic
July 24 – 27, 2025
Weyburn, SK For More Information Contact:
SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
Carmen White
Friends of Canadian Simmental Foundation Scholarship
“My name is Carmen White, and I am currently in my senior year at the University of Guelph, finishing off my degree in Food and Agricultural Resource Economics with a minor in marketing. I am excited to pursue a career in the agriculture industry following graduation. I grew up on a cow calf operation in Claresholm, Alberta, where my passion for cattle was fostered. I was extensively involved in the 4-H program and exhibited Simmental cattle. This year I am serving as secretary on the Alberta Simmental Board, where I will help plan meaningful events for the juniors. I’d like to congratulate the other recipients and thank FCSF for their support of further education for youth in agriculture. “
Elle Groeneveld
Friends of Canadian Simmental Foundation Scholarship
My name is Elle Groeneveld and I grew up on a ranch near Balzac, Alberta. I have been raising, showing, and selling purebred and commercial Simmental cattle since I was 10 years old. I have also been a part of the Balzac Beef Club for the past 10 years and was on the Alberta YCSA board as secretary. Currently, I am a first year science student at the University of British Columbia at the Vancouver campus. I am very thankful for my cattle background as it has taught me work ethic, perseverance and what it takes to be successful. I use these skills everyday in school and life, and I am excited to see where UBC science takes me.
Trinity Martin
Friends of Canadian Simmental Foundation Scholarship
I grew up just outside of Stettler on my family’s farm, where we run a small herd of Simmental and Simmental-influenced cattle. I’ve always enjoyed attending both the fall and summer shows and am currently working on building my own purebred Simmental herd at age 21. Now living just outside of Rimbey, I spend most of my time outside of school showing cattle or attending breed events with my boyfriend. I’m currently in my second year of the Bachelor of Education program at Red Deer Polytechnic, and although I miss being on the farm, the experience has been incredibly rewarding. I am excited to complete this journey and continue to give back to the simmental community. I’m honored to have been awarded this scholarship. Thank you to the FCSF for your confidence and support.
Lily Braind
Friends of Canadian Simmental Foundation Scholarship
My name is Lily Briand and I am in my 4th year of Child Studies at the University of Guelph! I grew up on a beef, sheep, and crop farm in Bailieboro, Ontario. I was extremely fortunate to not only be able to show Simmental cattle growing up, but also to be a part of the Ontario Youth Simmental Association! I even had the chance to be the East Central Ontario Simmental Association Ambassador! I am extremely passionate about promoting the Simmental breed and I am very appreciative towards the Friends of Canadian Simmental Foundation for supporting this generous award. This scholarship allows me more time to focus on my organization, Lily’s Lovely Friends, where I work closely with a group of individuals with developmental disabilities, and to focus my time on my 4th year practicum at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. Furthermore, my work with children allows me to educate the younger generation about the importance of agriculture in contemporary society. This year I am the Kids Carnival Director at the University of Guelph’s College Royal and I am excited to create an enriching agricultural learning experience for young children. Again, I would like to reiterate how appreciative I am towards the Friends of Canadian Simmental Foundation for funding this award!
Megan Sprouse
Trevor Vance Memorial First Year Scholarship
My name is Megan Prouse, and I am in my first year of Civil Engineering at Carleton University. I’m from Janetville Ontario where my family owns and operates Broadview Acres. Our farm consists of Simmental and Simmental Cross cattle and a flock of Rideau ewes. My passion for agriculture has led me to become involved in many roles such as the Ontario Director/Secretary of the YCSA, Vice President of the OYCSA, and a youth leader for my local 4-H beef club. The agriculture industry has gifted me with many opportunities, and I can not wait to give back to it through my career and volunteer work.
The Friends of Canadian Simmental Foundation Scholarship & Trevor Vance Memorial First Year Scholarship are open to all youth involved in the beef cattle industry who are:
1. Attending a post-secondary institution in the application year
2. Pursuing post-secondary education and recognized scholastic achievement.
Applicants must be Canadian citizens. You may only apply for scholarships not previously awarded from the Foundation and a maximum of 2 FCSF scholarships/bursaries in your lifetime. Previous applicants not chosen as recipients may re-apply.
DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 30, 2025
www.simmentalfoundation/scholarships.html
Friends of Canadian Simmental Foundation 403-250-7979 fcsf@simmental.com #13, 4101-19th St. N.E. Calgary, AB, T2E 7C4
2025 bull sales
March 3 12th Annual Spring Select Simmental Bull Sale
Fallen Timber Farms & Polar Farms - Dawson Creek, BC
March 10 12th Annual North Country Ranchland Bull Sale
Crystal Springs Ranch & Rosefield Simmentals - Dawson Creek, BC
March 12 KT Ranches 6th Annual Bull Sale - Cherryville, BC
March 22 Country Roots 3rd Annual Bull & Female Sale
LA Ranch & Bar M Simmentals - Vanderhoof, BC
April 5 Best Bet 18th Annual Bull Sale
Mitchell Cattle Co. - Williams Lake, BC
April 12 Vanderhoof All Breeds Bull Sale Vanderhoof, BC
April 17 Williams Lake Bull Sale
Williams Lake, BC
Pictured Above: Brydee Brady Champion Female at 2024 PNE Fair
Pictured Right: Kelty Brady Reserve Champion Female at Country Fest 2024
FEBRUARY SALES
FEB 7 Anchor D Simmentals Genetic Edge Bull Sale Rimbey, AB
FEB 12 B Bar C/Starwest 6th Annual Bull & Female Sale Calmar, AB
FEB 14 Mader Ranches 36th Annual Bull Sale Carstairs, AB
FEB 14 Triangle Stock Farms 14th Annual Bull & Female Sale Parkland County, AB
FEB 15 JNR Farms Bull & Heifer Sale Willingdon, AB
FEB 15 Triple Threat 7th Annual Bull & Female Sale Falun, AB
FEB 16 The Gentlemen’s Bull Sale DLMS Farmgate
FEB 17 Ultra/Czech-Mate 8th Annual Bull Sale Carstairs, AB
FEB 18 Virginia Ranch/Skywest Simmentals Bull & Female Sale Innisfail, AB
FEB 18 W2 Land & Cattle Bull Sale Vermilion, AB
FEB 18 The Event 5th Annual Bull & Female Sale Carstairs, AB
FEB 21 Maxwell/Rancier 30th Anniversary Bull Sale Viking, AB
FEB 22 Tri K Simmental Bull & Heifer Sale with Albrecht Farms Beaverlodge, AB
FEB 22 Lewis Farms 40th Anniversary Bull Sale Spruce Grove, AB
FEB 23 Bull Fest ‘25 Simmental Bull Sale Camrose, AB
FEB 24 The Kuzio Farms & Ty-D Livestock Bull Sale Vermilion, AB
FEB 24 KSL Simmentals 7th Annual Bull Sale Beaverlodge, AB
FEB 24 Beechinor Bros Simmental Bull Sale Bentley, AB
FEB 25 Westway Farms 22nd Annual Bull Sale Didsbury, AB
FEB 26 Spring Lake Simmentals Bull Sale Daysland, AB
FEB 26 Rusylvia Cattle Co 5th Annual Bull Sale Derwent, AB
FEB 28 Lone Stone Farms Simmental & Red Angus Bull Sale Westlock, AB
2024 SSA COMMERCIAL BREEDER
EAST POINT CATTLE CORP
East Point Cattle Corp was established in 2009 when Shane and Erin Sawley made the move to Melville, SK from Vulcan, AB.
Now, 14 years later, East Point Cattle Corp consists of Shane and Erin and their 3 kids Tori, Tegan and Blake as well as their valued longtime employees. The ranch is located 12 miles NW of Melville, SK and is a 1000 head cow-calf operation. They run a May/June calving season. Heavy steers are usually marketed in the fall online with the remainder being backgrounded until the New Year. They also keep 200 replacement heifers every year100 of which are sold as bred heifers the following winter.
Shane started using Simmental genetics in his herd early on, putting some size and length into his primarily Angus herd. He appreciated the Simmental influence in the replacement heifers, both sold and retained, for their fantastic udders, good feet and eye appeal.
Thank you to Saskatchewan Simmental Association for this award.
2024 SSA Commercial Breeder of the Year SSA President Blaine Barnett presenting the farm sign to
www.sasksimmental.com
Shane, Blake, Erin, Tori & Tegan Sawley (l-r)
Grand Champion Pen of Open Replacement Heifers Wadella Ranch, Kipling, SK
Reserve Grand Champion Pen of Open Replacement Heifers Wall Simmental, Edam, SK
Grand Champion Pen of Bred Replacement Heifers Hebert Livestock Ventures, Wawota, SK
Reserve
Grand Champion Pen of Bred Replacement Heifers Blairswest Land & Cattle, Drake, SK
2024 KEYSTONE SIMMENTAL ASSOCIATION COMMERCIAL BREEDER OF THE YEAR Glen Abbey Farm Ian & Carol Marshall, Glenboro, MB
MSA ONLINE FUNDRAISING AUCTION HELD ON FARMGATETIMEDAUCTIONS.COM
Join our Manitoba Breeders for their 2025 Bull Sales
February
18th STEPPLER FARMS ANNUAL BULL SALE, Miami, MB
19th M&J / GLASMAN FARMS SIMMENTAL & ANGUS 2 YEAR BULL SALE, Russell, MB
3rd CANADIAN CENTRAL SIMMENTAL & ANGUS BULL & FEMALE SALE, Neepawa, MB 4th BONCHUK FARMS ANNUAL BULL SALE, Virden, MB 4th MAPLE LAKE STOCK FARMS KICK OFF TO SPRING BULL SALE, Hartney, MB 5th MAR MAC FARMS & GUESTS SIMMENTAL & ANGUS BULL SALE, Brandon, MB 8th 83 SOUTH SIMMENTAL BULL SALE, FarmGateAuctions.ca 8th RANCHER’S SELECT 6TH ANNUAL SIMMENTAL BULL SALE, Neepawa, MB 10th MCINTOSH RANCH ONLINE SIMMENTAL BULL SALE, FarmGateAuctions.ca 10th OAKVIEW/PERKIN/TRIPLE R SIMMENTAL BULL SALE, Darlingford, MB 11th PRAIRIE PARTNERS BULL & FEMALE SALE, Killarney, MB 12th VAN DE VELDE CATTLE & DELIGHT SIMMENTALS ONLINE BULL SALE, FarmGateAuctions.ca 13th NORTHERN LIGHT SIMMENTALS BULL SALE, Rossburn, MB 14th RAINBOW RIVER SIMMENTALS 10TH ANNUAL BULL & FEMALE SALE, FarmGateAuctions.ca 14th HIGH BLUFF STOCK FARMS CHAROLAIS & SIMMENTAL BULL SALE, Inglis, MB 15th MCRUER SIMMENTALS 2ND ANNUAL BULL & HEIFER SALE, Killarney, MB 16th TRANSCON’S PREMIUM BEEF SIMMENTAL BULL SALE, Neepawa, MB 21st SUNVILLE SIMMENTALS 9TH ANNUAL BULL SALE, McCreary MB April
5th LUNDAR BULL SALE, Lundar, MB
UPCOMING BULL SALES / VENTES DE TAUREAUX À VENIR
Rod & Stars Simmental Bull Sale - February 8th / 8 Février - DLMS FarmGate Auction
STATION GENETIQUE DE LA BEAUCE - February 15th / 15 février - Saint-Martin, QC
Select Bull Sale - February 22th / 22 février - Shawinigan, QC
Ferme Gagnon Inc. 25th Annual Bull Sale - March 2ND / 2 mars - Cheneville, QC
Synergie 14th Annual Bull Sale - March 8th / 8 mars - Sainte-Sophie de Lérvard, QC
Every purchase of a purebred Simmental bull from a QSA member, will give you a chance to win 1 of 2 $100 Credits to be used on a future purchase of a bull or female in QC
Chaque achat d’un taureau Simmental pure race auprès d’un membre QSA, vous donnera la chance de gagner 1 des 2 crédits de 100$ à utiliser sur un prochain achat d’un taureau ou d’une femelle au Québec.
CONTACT US / CONTACTEZ-NOUS
PRÉSIDENT - PAT SULLIVAN 819-334-2409 VICE PRÉSIDENT - STACY YONG 780-718-0622
Simmental Country is the official publication of the Canadian Simmental Association. We endeavor to bring you up-to-date information and articles that are of interest to both the purebred and commercial cattlemen.
To purchase your subscription, please forward payment to #13 - 4101 - 19th St. NE Calgary, Alberta Canada T2E 7C4 Fax/Email your Visa/MC number, expiry date and CVV. Cheques payable to the Canadian Simmental Association. Canada 2ND Class Mailing
