The Lot 2 bull in the 2024 Ellingson Sale from the now deceased Pathfinder dam EA Emeblynette 6049 & Ellingson Prolific. Profile is the full brother to the $295,000 Lot 1 bull. +93 Weaning Weight, +158 Yearling Weight, and top 1% Claw, Angle & Carcass Weight
With SITZ Barricade 630F semen virtually unavailable, we added this outcross from the legendary donor, SITZ Henrietta Pride Y2. Kade offers impeccable claw and leg structure, with high fertility. Exciting times are ahead for this young sire.
Thank you to Nordal for allowing the opportunity to partner on an outstanding sire.
SATURDAY, NOV. 16,
40th Annual Production Sale
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2024 - 1:00 PM
• The bulls are sired by SCHIEFELBEIN GOAT 271 (Schiefelbein Angus $232,000 top seller in 2022), SAV SCALE HOUSE 0845, (SAV $275,000 top seller in 2021), SITZ RESILIENT 10208, and ELLINGSON THREE RIVERS 8062.
• Their dams are sired by SITZ STELLAR 726D, U-2 COALITION 206C, SAV AMERICA 8018, and DEER VALLEY GROWTH FUND.
• The grand dams are sired by SITZ UPWARD 307R, SAV RESOURCE 1441, SAV 004 DENSITY 4336, and MUSGRAVE BIG SKY.
• The great grand dams are sired by HF TIGER 5T, N BAR EMULATION EXT, SAV NET WORTH 4200, and SAV HARVESTOR 0338. At the ranch 1.5 miles South of Etzikom, AB on Hwy 885
POWER OF
SCHIEFELBEIN GOAT 271 FEATURING:
70 Bulls
50 Commercial bred females
FREE DELIVERY within 350 miles on all cattle
• Bulls guaranteed unconditionally for 3 full breeding seasons
• All yearling bulls have passed a semen test
• We would be pleased to winter bulls at cost
Our catalogue and a 1 minute video on each animal will be available in November at... www.stromsmoeherefordandangus.com The catalogue includes:
• Feet scores on the mother of every bull (foot claw set and foot angle)
• Udder scores on the mother of every bull taken before the newborn calf has had a chance to suck (teat size and udder suspension)
• Docility scores on the dam of every bull taken within hours of birth
Nyle & Vicki 403-666-3957
Cell: 403-878-3957
Vicki’s cell: 403-502-6372 nstromsmoe@yahoo.ca Clint Ph/Fax: 403-666-2186 Cell: 403-647-6088 Skyler & Rachel Jett, Knox 403-928-3168 Box 505, Etzikom, AB T0K 0W0 www.stromsmoeherefordandangus.com Come early to view the sale cattle and their
View the catalogue online at: www.bjcattlecompany.com www.mckenzieherefords.com
He Sells
SCOTTS MERLIN
RED SSF SCOTTS MERLIN 66L
Sold for $13,500 to Count Ridge Red Angus RED
Sold for $31,000 - Thank-you U2 Quality Seedstock
2024 RED ANGUS SALE HIGHLIGHTS
RED ROUNDUP 2024
RED TER-RON GENEVA 54J
7AR100 BIEBER JUMPSTART
MARKET UPDATE
The past two weeks have featured increases in total federally inspected cattle harvest with 608,000 and 611,000 head counts. Last week’s increase was logically a bit larger due to this week’s holidayshortened production schedule. Packers continue to operate well below capacity, lessening the importance of holiday throughput, relative to the volume of weekly production.
As August drew to a close, the fed cattle market continued to show price weakness from the pressure of three factors: heavy carcass weights, relatively weak cutout values, and the dramatic devaluation of Live Cattle futures. As a consequence, fed cattle traded more than a $1/cwt. lower on a live basis last week with latest prices just a couple of dollars per hundredweight higher than a year ago.
Weekly Slaughter
Fed Steer Price
Steer Carcass Wt.
CAB Cutout
Choice Cutout
Select Cutout
CH/SE Spread
CAB/CH Spread
Live Cattle (LC) futures have charted a course toward recovery from the tumultuous August action that saw the current, front-month October contract drop from $186/cwt. on August 1 to the low of $174/ cwt. on August 22. The recovery through mid-week positioned the October LC contract $4.99/cwt. higher than the August low at a current $179/cwt.
Carcass cutout values in Urner Barry’s weekly average data were lower last week as spot market demand just ahead of the Labor Day holiday did not spark any uptick. As well, in several recent years, August cutout values have been characterized by large retailers increasing middle meat purchases for long-term “deep chill” storage (winter holiday supply needs.) If spot market price is any indicator, this does not seem to have been the trend in the past month. In most recent data, ribeye and tenderloin prices have been pressured to lower wholesale values, down 14% and 17% respectively, lower than a year ago.
DON’T
FADE THE TREND
In 2024, wholesale carcass cutout values have signaled an unfulfilled gap for lean beef in the supply chain. The Choice-Select price spread has long been held as the industry’s barometer for the differential in consumer demand for high-quality, well-marbled beef and the leaner counterpart consisting of only slight degrees of marbling. However, using the current Choice carcass premium to Select as a guage for consumer demand is misleading.
In the first 35 weeks of the year, the Choice-Select spread has averaged $11.68/cwt., a 37% decline from a year ago. A decline of this magnitude suggests consideration of a significant shift in demand. This change is even more notable given that the Choice carcass premium has essentially quadrupled in the past 15 years with a $5/cwt. average in 2009 and a $23/cwt. average in 2023, according
to USDA. All of this while the “Choice and higher” quality grades simultaneously grew from 62% of fed cattle product to 82%.
In the same 15-year period, the Choice-Select spread has marked an annual decrease in just three years. Similar to this year’s supply scenario, 2015 was marked by a significant reduction in domestic cull cow harvest as the industry began the rebuilding phase. The other dip in the Choice-Select spread was in 2020, a year forever remembered due to the COVID-19 impacts to the supply chain and wildy erratic price trends.
The supply and price spread data combine to illustrate that this year’s muted Choice-Select spread is an indication of 90% lean trim supply suffering from the decline in cull cow harvest, down 16% year-to-date and 20% for the period in 2022. This has resulted in the 90% lean trim price rocketing to record-highs, currently 20% higher than a year ago. This void in grinding trim has partially been filled with Select end meats from the fed steer and heifer supply. Consequently, the Select carcass cutout price has temporarily been propped up in relation to Choice carcasses. This condition is likely to persist until cull cow volume increases, likely many months in the future.
By contrast, the CAB carcass cutout, relative to Choice, remains robust in 2024 at a year-to-date average of $15.82/cwt., just 3% below last year for the same period. This, with the brand’s certification rate for Angus-type carcasses more than 39% since January 1, on pace for a record year.
Although current supply metrics continue to boost the value of Select carcasses, it does not mean that consumers are showing preference toward Select whole muscle cuts. Feed costs and other input resources in the fed cattle sector continue to find the highest return as carcass quality grades and CAB carcass certification percentages increase. We need more cows in the supply chain, not Select grade steers and heifers. Any directional shift away from the long-term trend toward marbling-rich quality grades and brands that deliver on an exceptional eating experience would be misguided.
Gary Harron was born January 7, 1937 in Elsinore, Ontario. His parents owned and operated Harrons General Store and gas station and had multiple farms. As a young boy Gary had no interest in working at the store, delivering groceries or pumping gas. It was the farms that he loved.
After high school Gary attended agricultural college in Guelph (now Guelph University) and graduated in 1956. He became a Councillor in Amabel Township in 1969 and served on the council for 14 years, 12 of those as reeve. In 1978 he became Warden of Bruce County.
Gary and his father started their Angus herd in 1954 with the purchase of the Angus heifer Pride Morvette of Kincardine, a direct
He was a true gentleman and a true Angus ambassador, and he always liked his prime rib. “ “
import from Scotland. Gary owned and bred Angus his entire life and still owned six purebred Angus females when he passed away in January 2023. He loved attending cattle shows as an exhibitor and spectator and could be counted on to announce the Angus Show at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto.
Over the last 30 years, Gary volunteered to manage the Cameron McTaggart Angus Scholarship. The scholarship is named after a past secretary of the Ontario Angus Association. The goal is to provide funds for Angus youth who are embarking on their first year of post secondary education. He developed the application form and the criteria for eligibility.
Gary was a wealth of knowledge on pedigree history for many young breeders just starting in the breed. He would partner with new young breeders to help them get started and would always offer to drop off new breeders’ purchases free of charge to help them out.
The group that started the Bluewater calf sale at Keady Livestock Market included Gary. The plan was to have the sale the week before the Bluewater purebred sale so breeders would have money from their calves to spend at the sale. The sale continues today and commands some of the highest calf prices in Canada during the fall calf run.
Gary served as president of the Bluewater Angus Club, Ontario Angus Association and Canadian Angus Association boards. Gary was Canadian Angus Association president in 1996. Gary and his daughter Tammi are the only father and daughter to serve as presidents of the Canadian Angus Association.
Doug Milne-Smith served with Gary on the Canadian Angus Association Board of Directors. “When Gary went to board meetings, he was strictly business,” he recalls. “Gary made sure that the wording on rules and regulations was proper and correct. He was pretty straight and narrow and loyal. When he talked, everybody listened. He would wait for everyone to speak and then he would decipher what was good and bad and then say, ‘This is what I think.’”
Former CAA General Manager and CEO
Doug Fee shares that many CAA members may not have been aware how frugal Gary was. “Gary was first elected to the board when
the finances didn’t allow the Association to pay the expenses of directors, so directors paid their own way to attend board meetings and paid for their own accommodations. After we brought our registry in house and managed to turn the finances of the Association around quite a bit and we actually had some money, Gary still insisted on sharing a room because he didn’t want to waste the Association’s money.”
While Gary was president, the CAA head office moved to Calgary, the registry was brought in house and CAA assumed responsibility for our own genetic evaluation of the Angus cattle in Canada. Doug Milne-Smith remembers that Gary was a very big believer in the performance aspect of cattle breeding and that he was one of the people who was instrumental in developing the Canadian Angus Performance Program.
Gary was a director when the Canadian Angus Foundation was getting started, and he was honoured to serve on the Canadian Angus Foundation Board for many years after retiring from the CAA board. Gary was chair from 2010–2012. He worked hard to preserve Angus artifacts and history, and helped ensure summer students were hired to catalogue everything and procured a contract with the Glenbow Museum to safely store important historical artifacts. While Gary was chair, the Baldy fundraiser took place at the 2011 CAA AGM. This was the first significant fundraiser and helped to lay the foundation for the first Building the Legacy sale in 2012. Ten years after Gary retired from the Foundation board, his daughter Tammi became chair, and the pair made history once again by becoming the only father and daughter to serve as chair of the Canadian Angus Foundation.
Doug Fee says that Gary was a great promoter of the breed and did a great job of it. “I think Gary loved his cattle, but he
loved the beef more.” Doug Milne-Smith shares that sentiment. “All he did was eat, breathe and sleep Canadian Angus,” he says, “He was a true gentleman and a true Angus ambassador, and he always liked his prime rib.”
“During his presidential year when we travelled a lot together, he made it his personal responsibility to convert every steak house in Canada to using Angus beef,” recalls Doug Fee. He shares a particularly memorable steak house experience: “I remember being alone with him one night in the Maritimes during a trip out there. When I was really hoping for a fresh lobster supper, Gary insisted that we ask the hotel where we could find a good restaurant that served beef. They gave us the name of a steak house and when we got there, we found out that they actually featured Certified Angus Beef. Before Gary even ordered the meal, he insisted that the waitress bring the manager to us. When the manager came, Gary shook his hand and thanked him very much for having the good sense to feature Angus beef because it was the best available. Then Gary spent the rest of the meal haranguing the poor waitress as to all of the benefits of Angus beef and what she should be telling her customers about why they should appreciate it so much.”
Doug Fee says that Gary’s contribution to the Angus breed in Canada was his ability to promote the breed everywhere and to everyone. “He always wore an Angus shirt and hat, so he was recognizable as an Angus breeder. Even waitresses at every restaurant that served Gary were educated about the quality and benefits of Angus beef.”
“Gary was a hall of fame guy in my eyes,” says Doug Milne-Smith. “He was a small man in stature but a great ambassador for the Canadian Angus Association. He was full of life. He’s somebody that will never be forgotten in the industry.”
Canadian Angus Association Board of Directors Presents Lifetime Achievement Award to Betty Lou Scott
At the 2024 Convention banquet, new president Ronnie Ford made a surprise award presentation to a long-time volunteer in the Canadian Angus community. He introduced Betty Lou Scott as a former schoolteacher and retired farmer who has a heart of gold, loves to chat, has a larger-than-life personality and a tiny stature, and she proudly wears her Black Angus earrings at every opportunity.
Betty Lou was raised on a farm in Upper Mount Thom, Nova Scotia. She moved away for university, became a schoolteacher and married her husband Bill Scott. In 1975, the Scotts moved to the Mount Thom farm after Betty Lou’s parents passed away. Bill and Betty Lou established the Windcrest Black Angus herd and Betty Lou became one of the strongest promoters and supporters of the Angus breed.
For nearly 50 years, Betty Lou has volunteered in our Canadian Angus fraternity and has attended countless events. She has not missed an annual general meeting in
over 35 years. She is one of very few members who can say that they participated in all of the World Angus Secretariat events that Canada hosted: the 1999 Secretariat meeting and both the 1985 and 2009 Forums.
After 35 years of service, Betty Lou recently retired from her position as the Maritime Angus Association SecretaryTreasurer. She also held most executive positions for the Nova Scotia Angus Association including serving as president and for 39 years as secretary-treasurer. As well, she volunteered as a director for the Canadian Angus Foundation for 25 years.
For nearly 50 years, Betty Lou has volunteered in our Canadian Angus fraternity and has attended countless events. She has not missed an annual general meeting in over 35 years.
She has always been ready and willing to help organize the Maritime Angus Field Day and other regional events. Everyone knew that you could count on Betty Lou to be standing in a booth with Angus pins, pens and Maritime directories set up, ready to greet the public and chat with the exhibitors.
Betty Lou is also a tireless promoter of junior Angus activities. She has encouraged young people to participate in judging competitions and shows— lending or sourcing cattle when necessary—and to apply for scholarship opportunities. Betty Lou also has a reputation for taking new members under her wing, ensuring that they are introduced to others and that they feel welcome and important.
Besides her Canadian Angus volunteer commitments, Betty Lou has a longstanding commitment to 4-H, serving as a leader for 48
years. On top of that, she is a director with two different county exhibitions, is Chairman of the Board of the Maritime Fall Fair in Halifax where she was also the Beef Show Coordinator for 15 years, she serves on the board of stewards of her local church and for over 40 years she has served as the secretary-treasurer for the Mount Thom Heritage Cemetery.
Betty Lou has received many awards for her efforts, including 2007 Maritime Angus Honourary President, 2012 Farm Credit Canada Rosemary Davis Award, the 2017 inaugural winner of the Outstanding Woman in Atlantic Agriculture award, the Municipality of Pictou County’s Volunteer of the Year in 2020, and received the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal in 2023. We are proud to recognize her incredible volunteer commitment and achievements with this special award on behalf of the Canadian Angus Association.
NEW TEAT & UDDER RESEARCH
EPDs & report released by the American Angus Association & Angus Genetics Inc.
New research EPDs add to the selection tools available to Angus producers prioritizing maternal traits.
By Jessica Martman
AUGUST 23, 2024 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information, contact HOLLY MARTIN Director of Communications || 816-383-5143 hmartin@angus.org
The American Angus Association® and Angus Genetics Inc. (AGI®) released two new research expected progeny differences (rEPDs) on Aug. 22. The rEPDs characterize teat size and udder suspension traits and are based on phenotypic data collected by Association members, pedigrees and genotypes in a single-step genetic evaluation model.
Good udder structure plays an important role in beef production; contributing to calf survival, calf growth and cow longevity. Teat size (TEAT) and udder suspension (UDDR) rEPDs expand the suite of selection tools available to Angus breeders to improve maternal function and the productivity of their herds.
“We know these are two traits of interest to the membership and are excited to be releasing the research EPDs after a multi-year research project that would not be possible without member data,” said Esther Tarpoff, director of performance programs for the Association. “Members have quickly embraced collecting these phenotypes, as evidenced by the number of records for each trait used to build the research EPDs.”
More than 148,000 phenotypic records for each trait were collected from 87,000 cows to contribute to the dataset for the rEPDs, with more to be added each calving season. The records are collected by members within 24 hours of a calving event. Females are given an individual score for both teat size and udder suspension using scales from 1 to 9. Detailed scoring guides can be found on angus.org.
“Over the past several years, we have been focused on validating the Angus breed’s impact as the matriarch of the US beef industry, as it has been historically known as,” said Kelli Retallick-Riley, president of AGI. “From an AGI perspective, it means objectively characterizing maternal traits of economic importance, so the users of Angus genetics have the selection tools needed to make genetic change.”
Submitted scores range from 1 to 9, representing the entire scoring scale. Analysis of the nearly 300,000 records showed overall good udder structure among reported Angus cows. The average score was 6.6 for both traits indicating intermediate to small teats and intermediate to tight udders. Additional results of the TEAT and UDDR research are available on angus.org in the full report.
“We know the pace of genetic change is moving faster than ever with the frequent changeover of sires in many seedstock operations,” Retallick-Riley said. “In some cases, young bulls are being replaced before most of their daughters are in their second year of production. Because of that, maternal traits like udder conformation become even more important to ensure we are promoting sound breeding decisions.”
The release of TEAT and UDDR follows that of the Functional Longevity (FL) rEPD, which measures the ability of a cow to produce a calf year after year. The three rEPDs are currently available to members that have been a part of early phenotypic data collection for the respective traits, allowing rEPDs to come to fruition. A list of AI sires for each of the rEPDs is available to members on the corresponding research pages on angus.org.
The three rEPDS are anticipated to be released as weekly production EPDs during the annual evaluation updates in late spring of 2025. Research on how these three new traits should be incorporated into Maternal Weaned Calf Value Index ($M) is currently ongoing with potential updates to the index likely to be made during the spring update.
New Teat and Udder research EPDs will add to the selection tools available to Angus producers prioritizing maternal traits.
The 2024 Gold Show season is underway!
Developed in 1989 by the Canadian Angus Association, the Gold Show program encourages breeders to move between regions to show cattle. Individual animals must show in a minimum of three Gold Shows in at least two different regions in a given year to qualify for awards. Awards are presented based on the number of points accumulated over the course of the show season.
If you are interested in participating, please review the rules prior to registering: Canadian Angus Gold Show Requirements
Each region may designate two shows per year as Gold Shows (except the Maritimes who can designate three shows) in which breeders can accumulate points for individual animals that are exhibited. The official list is maintained by the Canadian Angus Association. The Canadian Angus Association maintains the official list of recognized shows.
• Shows must be open to all members of the Canadian Angus Association. There is no cost to show organizers for inclusion in the program.
• Regions will notify the Canadian Angus Association of which shows have been designated along with show location and show dates by March 1st each year.
• Animals competing must have a Canadian Angus Association registration number at the time of judging. Unregistered, pending or “applied for” animals will not be awarded points or count toward grant funding.
• Animals born in or after 2012 must have a CCIA or ATQ Canadian Angus tag in order to qualify for points.
• Any animal with colour products applied to it in a Canadian Angus Association sponsored show will be disqualified from the show and the show deemed ineligible for financial support from the Canadian Angus Association.
• The class structure may be determined by the show organizing committee however it is encouraged that the Canadian Angus Association Gold Show Class Structure provided be used whenever possible.
• Individual animal points vary depending on the number of entries in the show. Points are awarded to the top six animals in each class or split, divisional champions and reserve, grand champions and reserve.
• There are no limits on the number of animals that can be exhibited by an individual member.
Animals competing must have a legible tattoo that complies with Canadian Angus Association requirements at the time of check-in or they will not be eligible to be shown. All cattle identified as not tattooed or with an incorrect tattoo will be reported to Canadian Angus Association.
Requirements are subject to change. Changes will be communicated by the Canadian Angus Association to the regional associations.
The rules of individual shows differ, and it is the responsibility of each breeder to know and follow the rules of the show. Failure to comply with the show rules may result in an animal’s disqualification.
Visit www.cdnangus.ca/buyers-sellers/gold-shows for the complete list of show dates and locations.
CERTIFIED ANGUS BEEF
CERTIFIED ANGUS BEEF TAKES THE FIELD
Bringing the best beef to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival.
For Immediate Release By
Certified Angus Beef (CAB) showcased the best Angus beef at the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival in Canton, Ohio. The first weekend of August saw CAB’s involvement in two-key activations: the Enshrinees’ Gold Jacket Dinner and the Class of 2024 Unscripted & Tailgate.
A highlight of the week’s festivities was the presence of Virginia Angus rancher, past American Angus Association® president and CAB board member, Chuck Grove.
“The Angus farmers and ranchers across this country are responsible for providing the genetics that make Certified Angus Beef a reality,” he said during the event. “They’re at it 24/7, very much like any NFL player, committed to providing the best seedstock possible so we can provide worldwide consumers the best beef.”
Grove’s son, Jake Grove, is a retired NFL center who played for the Oakland Raiders and Miami Dolphins, making the Hall of Fame festivities particularly meaningful.
Certified Angus Beef ® filet served with a rich mushroom fondue, creamy potato gratin and seasonal buttered haricot vert served at the Enshrinees’ Gold Jacket Dinner.
“I’m here representing the 20,000 Angus breeders and producers, family-owned farmers and ranchers, from all over the United States,” Grove said during the Enshrinees’ Gold Jacket Dinner. “We provide a lot of energy, effort and dedication to produce this product for you.”
Courtney Weekley, Communications Specialist
“To make it to the Hall of Fame, they’re the crème de la crème,” he added. “We’re committed to providing you the best beef in the world, and that starts with the best Angus cattle.”
At the Enshrinees’ Gold Jacket Dinner, Certified Angus Beef ® filet mignon was served to more than 3,000 attendees that included some of the most respected names in football. The beef, sourced by Ohio distributor Blue Ribbon Meats, was a standout, earning praise from attendees and further elevating the brand’s reputation.
“The more we can get the label, logo and information out to the consumer and let them try our product, there’s no question,” Grove said. “We’re really in the food business and we’re supplying the cattle that make this product possible.”
The second major event, the Class of 2024 Unscripted & Tailgate, co-hosted by CAB and retail partner Giant Eagle, continued to highlight the best Angus beef with dishes like Certified Angus Beef ® shaved steak, kabobs, strip roast and frankfurters served to 1,500 football fans.
“I know firsthand the dedication it takes to not only compete in the NFL, but to truly stand out and be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame,” Grove shared on the main stage for the Gold Jacket Dinner. “Your commitment to the game is not unlike the commitment it takes to raise the best beef you’ll enjoy tonight.”
A Look at Current Canadian Angus Association Research Initiatives
Submitted by the Canadian Angus Association
Over the last year, the Canadian Angus Association Board of Directors has had significant discussions around our core priorities and what we need to provide to our members in terms of services and programs. We also did a member survey about a year ago asking for feedback on the priorities and one of the things that was identified was to be a leader in the area of research and technology. Our goal is to develop new tools and technology that improve the competitive advantage of Canadian Angus genetics both within Canada and across the globe.
Since the beginning of this year, the Association has been fortunate to receive funding for a couple of significant research projects.
Development of Genetic and Genomic Selection Tools and Technology for the Commercial Angus and Hereford Producer
Thanks to a major investment by Results Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR) and the project partners, Canadian Angus and Canadian Hereford Associations are undertaking a four-year project to develop accurate genomic predictions for replacement heifer selection in the commercial sector. The genomic test will provide producers with parentage verification on calves, and with breeding values on potential replacement heifers for traits like growth, fertility, and carcass quality.
RDAR's investment in this project is valued at over $978,000 cost-shared by the federal and provincial governments through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP). Thanks to this support, producers who participate in the first two years of development will receive all services at no cost. To participate in the development of this genomic replacement heifer selection tool, producers, whether
purebred or commercial, will need to record their calf crop, DNA sample all calves and bulls used, and retain ownership such that calf performance from the feedlot and processor can also be accessed. In return, producers will receive parent verification (to the fullest extent possible) and genomic predictions for economically relevant traits. Participating producers will also have free access to the Canadian Angus calving book app, AngusWORKS or Hereford X (onfarm management software system formerly known as Herdtrax). A team of trained support staff will be available to help with data recording, DNA sampling, and making selection decisions based on the genomic predictions provided.
The project team is excited to extend to the commercial sector of our industry the value of the performance information and genomic information that the seedstock sector invests in. We believe this Heifer Select Program
will support our commercial customers significantly by providing them with the same information on replacement heifers as they are able to access on registered breeding bulls.
When we reached out to commercial producers about this project, their response was overwhelming. We reached our enrollment goal within weeks and have already collected more than 5,000 DNA samples and genotypes. We will never turn away a member or producer who wants to participate. It might be a delayed participation in that they might need to participate next year. If you are interested in participating in the project please contact Dr. Kajal Latimer, Canadian Angus Association Director of Science and Technology, at klatimer@cdnangus.ca or 403-537-5604, or Libby Laycraft, Canadian Hereford Association at libby@hereford.ca or 403-275-2662.
Using Camera and A.I. Technology to Address Sustainability Traits in Canadian Beef and Dairy
This four-year research project is in partnership with Holstein Canada and funded by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP) and the Canadian Angus Foundation.
The collaboration between the Holstein and Angus breeds may seem unconventional, but
both groups have similar objectives and want to deliver similar innovation to our respective memberships. We both see the need for efficient and sustainable future focused data collection, and that's a big goal of this project.
Our objective is to develop camera and AI (artificial intelligence) technology to evaluate a variety of traits in Canadian beef and dairy
cattle. This initiative is driven by the need to continue to evolve efficient data collection processes, taking the burden of measuring and recording traits off producers.
There are three main areas of focus in this project with associated outcomes:
• Developing camera and AI technology to help measure and record subjective traits
Along with traditional classification by trained Holstein Canada classifiers, we will develop technology that can help producers collect standardized and accurate information on subjective traits like teat score, udder score, foot angle score, claw set score, body condition score and docility. This technology can be used to collect many more traits and measurements.
• Developing camera and AI technology to help measure and record carcass quality traits
Included in the project objectives is collecting both ultrasound scan data and abattoir data on carcass quality traits. Members who do not currently use ultrasound scanning or receive carcass quality information back from the abattoir can contribute to this project objective. Both ultrasound scan and abattoir carcass quality information on Angus and Angus crossed animals will contribute significantly to more accurate GEPDs for these traits.
• Developing camera and AI technology to help measure and record health traits Expanding on our previous work to characterize high immune response in Canadian Angus animals, this project will allow us to collect additional phenotypes for traits that impact animal health and welfare.
This research project is an opportunity for the CAA to collect very, very good clean data that we can use, and hopefully we can continue to build accuracy, more reliability, more predictability, not only for the traits that our members are very used to, but also some of the traits that we're going to have to develop because of challenges we're going to be facing
in the industry. We have some responsibility to have some predictability tools around that. Canadian Angus members who would like a trained scorer to measure and record subjective traits for mature cows this fall (+/- 45 days of calf weaning weight), or on yearling animals next winter, can contact Dr. Kajal Latimer, Canadian Angus Association Director of Science and Technology, at klatimer@cdnangus.ca or 403-537-5604 to schedule a classifier or ultrasound scan technician. Members who receive carcass quality information from the abattoir can record this information in our new on farm management software, AngusWORKS, or can submit it to the office by email.
If you are interested in learning more about research, the second episode of the Angus Life podcast is all about why the Association participates in research and a closer look at these projects. Go to www.cdnangus.ca/angus-life-the-podcast or your favourite podcast platform to listen.
(Florfenicol 400 mg/mL and Meloxicam 5 mg/mL Injection)
AVAILABLE NOW 100, 250, 500 mL
For Immediate Release
CERTIFIED ANGUS BEEF
FEEDING QUALITY FORUM
High-Quality Beef Production Takes Focus
Certified Angus Beef conference brings producers, allied industry together.
THE GENETIC EFFECT
By Miranda Reiman, Angus Media
The world has changed, cattle have changed and those managing them must keep up. The 19th annual Certified Angus Beef (CAB) Feeding Quality Forum in Dodge City, Kan., gave 260 attendees tools and information to do just that.
For 17 years the United States’ top trading partner was China, taking in $37 billion of U.S. agriculture goods every year. That’s not the case today, and it has rippling effects, said Dan Basse, Ag Resource Co.
Farm revenue is down $69 billion, or 37%, since 2022.
Yet, the beef sector remains a bright spot. Cow-calf margins are estimated at more than $500 per head, and retail meat prices are at record highs. Since 2017, only 14 months have shown month-to-month declines.
“Talk about demand, what a change, but a testament to everything that Certified Angus Beef in the industry is doing to get the consumer to pay higher prices over time,” Basse said.
Those who pay attention to all the details could reap additional rewards, said Paul Dykstra, CAB director for supply management and analysis.
“We are truly offering our customers to consumer a much better-quality product today than we ever have before, and it’s responsible, I think, for that retail price increase trend,” he said.
Today, 22% of all fed cattle qualify for the Certified Angus Beef ® brand, but there’s still room for improvement. A full 10% of all Angus-type cattle entering packing plants today miss the brand’s standards by just 30 degrees of marbling.
Shifting the grade makeup would add $46.94 per head to all cattle sold on a carcass basis versus the industry average, Dykstra said. Taking it a step further, improving the average marbling by 70 points would move the average to 20% USDA Prime and the premiums for the entire group to $65.74 per head.
Cattlemen often ask, “But if I select for that much marbling, what will it do to my cow herd?”
For Randall Spare, veterinarian with the Ashland (Kan.) Veterinary Center, it’s not an either/or choice.
“We can have it all, people,” said Spare, who said he enjoys consulting with clients on matters beyond treatment protocols to enhance profitability.
“I would encourage you to think about the whole picture when we look at marbling,” he continued. Spare shared results from herds using genomic technology to help cut the bottom 20% and move the results of the whole population.
Conveying that investment in genetics to the next segment has historically been a challenge, but the feeder panel discussed ways they use that information today. Tom Fanning, Pratt Feeders; Grant Morgan, Pokey Feeders; and Troy Marshall, American Angus Association director of commercial industry relations, covered tools from genomic testing to the AngusLinkSM Genetic Merit ScorecardSM that give feeders more information about the cattle coming into their yards.
“If they’ve got great genetics, then what we can do is we can leave them there or we can mess it up, and that last part gets really expensive,” Fanning said.
Marshall said the scorecard allows for that data flow without having to study pedigrees, making it more readily available to make decisions on.
“I think having the information to incorporate genetics into our management and marketing protocols is really the key to profitability,” he said.
Sessions emphasized the increased role genetics play in making decisions past the cow-calf sector.
MAKING USE OF DATA, TECHNOLOGY
Yet, the key components of the profitability equation are different than they were decades ago.
Consulting nutritionist Pete Anderson, Midwest PMS, told the audience to rethink the way they calculate when to sell cattle. Regardless of whether the cattle are sold live or on a carcass basis, that carcass cost of gain (COG) is an important number.
“Very simply, profitability increases until the incremental cost of gain exceeds the sale price,” he said. “Yield grade premiums are nice, but they don’t drive your grid results. It’s all about quality.”
Justin Gleghorn, Cactus Feeders and A.J. Tarpoff, Kansas State University, talked technology—everything from growth to management types.
“We look for opportunities to utilize new technologies and put them into production as quickly as we can,” Gleghorn said. The Texas-based cattle-feeding company does extensive research with its own internal team on anything it’s about to implement.
“We can go out there and find opportunities to increase margin or capitalize on efficiencies. That gives us what we believe is buying power out there in the feeder market,” he said.
PACKER PERSPECTIVE
Being competitive in marketplace is top of mind for Chad Barker, National Beef Packing Company, as the packer looks to buy as many CAB and Prime-producing cattle as possible.
To solidify its commitment to quality, National recently announced a $5-per-head premium for all cattle that come into its plants with an AngusLink Genetic Merit Scorecard Beef Score of 100 or greater.
“I spend just as much time forecasting grade with our production scheduler as I do about anything, because he’s putting availability out to all of our sales guys and they’re trying to sell that product,” Barker said. Having more predictability in how those cattle will grade empowers those marketing it down the line.
Packers are also using more data in the evaluation side of the business, too.
A trio of experts—Abram Babcock, Adams Land & Cattle; Glen Dolezal, Cargill Protein; Derek Vote, grading consultant—spoke on the evolutions in objective grading systems. They noted that all major packing plants in the U.S. are now using camera-based grading, with oversight by the USDA.
“It’s extremely important that we get accurate, consistent data back from that because we use that information to purchase
external cattle,” Babcock said. “What we see with the camera is a very consistent outcome, as far as that it removes some of the subjectivity.”
Dale Woerner, Texas Tech University, explained the current yield grade (YG) equation and its limitations. Based on old data, today’s standard for predicting red meat yield misses the mark.
“Ribeye area alone only explains 3% of the total variation in true red meat yield coming from these carcasses,” Woerner said. “We have to begin to transition our mindset.”
He shared options currently in development to get 3-D imaging on carcasses. New technology that does a better job accurately assessing red meat yield is important as breeders think about making genetic change, he said.
The beef industry has a history of letting research help steer its course.
Bob Smith, Veterinary Research Consulting Services LLC, closed the program with improvements that the National Beef Quality Audit (NBQA) and Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) programs have stewarded through the decades.
“I view the Beef Quality Assurance program as not something that’s a single event,” Smith said. Injection-site lesions are almost a thing of the past and the quality grade has skyrocketed to meet consumer demand. “It is an evolution, not necessarily a revolution, and it is a continual improvement through the years.”
To view presentations or for more information, visit www. FeedingQualityForum.com.
The 2024 Feeding Quality Forum was sponsored by Alltech, AngusLink, NCBA Cattlemen’s Education Series sponsored by National Corn Growers Association, Diamond V, Drovers, FeedLot, High Plains Journal, National Beef, Rabo AgriFinance, Select Sires, and Selko.
Networking during breaks is another takeaway from the event. Attendees made connections between cow-calf, cattle feeding, allied industry, academia and media segments of the beef industry.
American Angus Association 3201 Frederick Avenue Saint Joseph, MO 64506 816-383-5100
By Roy Lewis, DVM
SHORTAGE OF VETERINARIANS
ESPECIALLY IN RURAL
There is huge talk about the shortage of veterinarians especially large animal but also small animal emergency etc., out there in society. Recent announcement that the Calgary Veterinary School will expand from the current 50 students as of four years ago to 100 students that will start in fall of 2025. I would suggest as producers either purebred or commercial raising cattle or other production animals what are some current strategies you need to seek out to help your situation? This will vary depending on your geographic location and type of services you may need.
The purebred breeders often do require herd health services such as semen evaluation of herd and sale bulls, reproductive services, to embryo and semen collection specialists. The emergency work in my eyes has been greatly reduced because of you the producers as calving ease leads to less dystocias, caesarians, and prolapses. Also then the complications of hard calvings are greatly reduced as well. The bottom-line is there are still a few necessary emergencies and one needs access to a veterinary service that provides emergency services. There is also the regulatory work for cattle being exported or bulls going into AI studs. As this work becomes more beauocratic fewer veterinarians are doing this service.
The biggest apparent shortage appears at calving season as emergencies when veterinarians are busy doing herd work in many cases. Have as good a relationship with your local veterinary clinic and all veterinarians involved is a start. You all should know by now that the majority of veterinarians graduating these days are female (80%-90%). They are still more than capable and for production animal work, producers I think have gotten very used to accepting and even praising the female veterinarins; work.
AREAS
How do we as veterinarians rectify this shortage? For me the emergency work, individual medicine work, regulatory work if the clinic has haul in facilities that is a great advantage to you and them from an economic and time commitment for the veterinarian. They most often have time to fit you in and that is where the veterinary technicians are utilized to their full potential in large animals. From history taking, triage, treatment, processing lab work and collection. Really making the diagnosis and performing say an actual surgery are still in the hands of the veterinarian. The larger clinics will have veterinarians out on herd work as well as someone in the clinic on most days.
If you have the need for these veterinary emergencies find a clinic that performs the service and be prepared to bring them in that keeps the veterinarian efficient and can serve a big area for emergencies. I am more familiar in Alberta but slowly over time regional clinics that are bigger having more veterinarians employed and thus more back up lab facilities etc. are becoming the norm. They also employ a fair number of veterinary technicians which are having their scope of practice expanded so they can do more things such as BSE testing under supervision and in some cases pregnancy checking if they have the formal training. I personally would like to see their scope expanded even more depending on the talent of the technician and the mentorship they have been given. I know it is tough in some areas that over time have had clinics shut down. Usually herd health work if organized is booked in and veterinarians are starting to do a certain area on a certain day having producers collaborate and then using where possible tele-medicine. Telemedicine will definitely help in the future where the use of videos pictures of clinical cases or autopsies can have
your veterinarian help you remotely. There are some semi-retired veterinarians taking on the tel-medicine role and with their vast experience they can help you out in many cases. Producers may pay a fee for this of course but depending on the producer’s capabilities timeliness and having medications on hand may lead to a favorable outcome at a much-reduced cost. This again requires the VCPR (veterinary client patient relationship) and can be worked into a herd agreement. Some partially retired vets can be coaxed back into practice even if just to do the tele-medicine.
Some clinics are acquiring foreign trained veterinarians to complete the team and they often like working in a rural location. Please keep in mind they have passed the necessary exams etc to make them qualified to practice in Canada or they can work under supervision until all the requirements are met.
Keep in mind for herd work that your facilities may play a big role. You want the veterinarian to be happy working in your facility. Quicker processing, semen testing, pregnancy checking may mean a lower price but also more time for you in the day. I can’t say more how a good handling tub system leading to a hydraulic chute and palpation cage makes things go smoother and quicker. You also do not loose patience and both yourself and the veterinarian are not exhausted at the end of the day. Try and group schedule in an area and clinics should do the same to clump calls together again increasing efficiency. I realize not every one can afford a hydraulic system and my rule of thumb used to be 200 head as the cutoff to purchase a hydraulic chute but with timed AI and more passes through the chute each year maybe this number should be lower. Used hydraulic chutes are becoming available.
If you are a specific geographic area that is short of veterinarians this may take time but perhaps a community clinic or have a scholarship to defray tuition for a specific vet student to apply for and come back into a specific area could work. Bigger clinics have
in some cases got satellite clinics that may work and feed into the main clinic. In the veterinary schools the acceptance formula is trying to reach out to more well rounded students. The issue of course is less population in rural means there are less say farm kids that apply. There is also still a huge shortage of veterinarians for small animal practice as well.
It may pay to ask your herd veterinarian what you are supposed to do in an emergency. In Alberta at least the veterinary by-laws say you need to provide emergency service or have arrangements for veterinary services available. I am seeing areas such as specific areas in BC doing a shared call between several clinics. Your area is bigger but the sharing of on call keeps veterinarians from burning out and leaving the profession earlier. Those veterinary services could very well be hauling into an emergency clinic.
You will find many clinics in an area working together for the better good of a client. That is sharing emergencies or expertise and as an example your embryo transplant vet helping with a repro problem or perhaps semen testing your bulls in some cases. I know the pharmacy supplies sometimes direct producers to certain clinics but make sure the clinical expertise herd services and arrangements for emergency services those clinics provide are acceptable to you. To me also having the personality that complements yours is evident. I always had way better results for clients that trusted and had faith in me and the service for them was always better I felt.
There is also an answering service out there that employs veterinary technicians to help decide which emergencies need to be dealt with now and which can be triaged till a later date. Progress is being made and everyone can do his or her part. Lots of optimism but the big expansion in the veterinary school in Calgary plus foreign trained vets and telemedicine will be the three greatest improvements in the near future in my eyes that will help service you the producers.
saskatchewan SASKATCHEWAN
The 17th Annual Manitoba Youth Beef Round-Up was held August 2- 4, 2024, at Stride Exhibition Place in Neepawa, Manitoba.
A RECORD BREAKING YEAR
Over 100 youth and 115 head of cattle gathered for an educational and fun weekend. This event draws youth aged 6 – 25 from Ontario, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Committee members consist of: CoChairs Lois McRae, Jake Rawluk & Laura Horner; Emma Harms, Ken & Kerri Hinsburg; Rilla Hunter, Megan Kemp, Samantha Korosil, Lana Krauss, Mary-Jane Orr, Albert & Michelle Rimke, Dalyse Robertson, Alice Rooke, Blair McRae, Kara Thompson, and Bobbi Jo Foster. The success of this event is attributed to not only the teamwork of the committee members but also the hands-on assistance of parent volunteers, jumping in whenever and wherever necessary. Our judges for the weekend were Justin Harcourt, Quill Lake, SK and Mason Beck, Lang, SK.
Friday events kicked off with the ever-popular Ag Challenge. Members are grouped into teams of all ages and sent on a scavenger hunt for various items. Educational workshops included learning how to wash and care for the animal’s hair and grooming, herd health with Dr. Liz Ostendorf (Neepawa Vet Clinic), making a herd health plan, record keeping, and verifying the beef program, health and medicine, mock interviews, branding yourself, filling out applications, and essential HR guides. Juniors finished off the hot day with the popular slip-and-slide. Saturday began bright and early with judging workshops facilitated by Justin and Mason.
Senior members were then required to judge heifers, steers, sheep, hay, and a scenario class, filling out a judging card for each and providing oral reasons for the cattle, sheep, and scenario classes. Intermediates provided oral reasons for the heifer & sheep class and written reasons for the others. Juniors provided written reasons for all and oral reasons for the heifer class.
Pee-wee members and new juniors were involved in a unique Cattle Camp where they learned how to judge in a more appropriate setting, as well as making & tying rope halters. After lunch, Cattle Camp members worked on grooming and showmanship while everyone else participated in team grooming, team judging, and sales talks.
The evening concluded with group members competing in the cookoff, where each group was provided with a steak and was required to prepare a meal for two discerning judges’ evaluation. Our judges were treated to feasts worthy of kings & queens! Steak Judges were Cam and Tracy Wood, Albert Rimke, Phil Reimer (Bullseye), Devin Boitson (Boehringer), and Wade Beck.
Sunday is show day. It begins with showmanship, followed by the conformation show, a parade of 4-H Champions, and the Supreme Show. The weekend concludes with awards and supper. A large crowd attended the weekend events.
Special thanks to all our sponsors and volunteers who make this event possible. These skills prepare our livestock youth with lifelong skills and friendships in the beef industry.
CONFORMATION SHOW RESULTS:
ANGUS
Class 1 Angus Heifer Calf
1. Joran Frey
2. Lainie Muir
3. Brycen Frecon
4. Nadia Dekeyser
5. Carson Baker
Champion Angus Heifer Calf: Joran Frey with Freyburn Blackbird 36M
Grand Champion Commercial Female: Katelyn Rutten cow-calf pair
Reserve Grand Champion Commercial Female: Emily Murray
bred heifer
Class 23 Commercial Bull Calf
1. Katelyn Rutten
Champion Commercial Bull Calf: Katelyn Rutten
OVERALL SUPREME CHAMPION FEMALE
Nine champion 4-H heifers and all the breed grand champions from the show competed for the Overall Supreme Champion Female. Joran Frey of Oxbow, Saskatchewan, was awarded this honour with a beautiful Round-Up Belt Buckle for his Black Angus Female, Freyburn Blackbird 48J and her heifer calf.
SUPREME
2024 FEMALE OWNED BY JORAN FREY, OXBOW, SK
Todays Angus Advantag e 45
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CERTIFIED ANGUS BEEF - CATTLEMAN CONNECTION -
MORE THAN A MEAT SCIENTIST
Glen Dolezal’s efforts to improve meat science applications earn 2024 Industry Achievement Award.
By Lindsay Graber Runft, Certified Angus Beef, director of producer communications
On the surface, he’s a meat scientist. Others know him as a meats judging coach. Some call him “the father of instrument grading.” To those who’ve worked most closely with him, Dr. Glen Dolezal is much more. The hard-nosed, fierce competitor and brilliant researcher, with a knack for explaining science in layman’s terms, is a trusted counsellor and prankster.
He deflects credit to others while letting his own success speak for itself.
And it has. With notable contributions to academia and trade, Dolezal left his mark on the meat science world – its people, the science and implications for all sectors of the beef industry. He was presented the 2024 Certified Angus Beef (CAB) Industry Achievement Award at Feeding Quality Forum August 20 in Dodge City, Kansas.
Glen Dolezal was recognized for the 2024 Industry Achievement Award during Feeding Quality Forum on August 20.
Stepping Stones
Born into a family with its own packing plant in Hallettsville, Texas, Glen Dolezal was brought up in the trade. That gave him a personal familiarity with protein processing, the kill floor as an early memory.
One stepping stone in a lifelong path.
His family’s farm, ranch and packing interests helped open doors to educational opportunities. In high school FFA, Dolezal judged everything from dairy cattle to poultry, livestock and meat.
But it was the latter that really captured his imagination.
Dolezal looked to Texas A&M University for collegiate judging.
Dean of Agriculture, Dr. Richard Potts, advised Dolezal to match his judging interest with an education in science – and to work with legendary meat scientist Gary Smith. Another stepping stone.
Dolezal began undergraduate studies while on the meats team under coach Daryl Tatum, who would go on to an iconic career in the field. Following meats, Dolezal joined the livestock judging team, then graduated and asked, “What’s next?”
Still at A&M, he worked with Smith and department head Zerle Leon Carpenter on a master’s degree, while coaching the meats team.
On the academic path, he continued to Colorado State University to work with past judging coach Tatum and begin work on a doctorate. Not long into that program, Oklahoma State University (OSU) called in need of a faculty member to teach meat science and coach the judging team. An agreement was forged and after completing his doctorate, Dolezal was Stillwater-bound.
That was the stepping stone to a sixteen-year career there.
Doc
Dolezal considers the boxed beef calculator his chief accomplishment at OSU. From cutting tests on a great many cuts with known percent yield and yield grade, his team backcalculated a price. The result? A calculated carcass value different than values seen in the cash market or any other form of trade.
At Cargill Meat Solutions, Dolezal’s team still relies on the formula daily, proving the enduring value of that research and the scientist’s foresight in creating a much-needed tool.
Outside of packing, Dolezal collaborated with Nebraska Angus rancher Bill Rishel on additional real-world use for the boxed beef calculator.
The rancher wanted to evaluate his own sire evaluation program, but he needed Dolezal’s help. Using Rishel’s progeny information that included carcass merit, Dolezal ran ribeye area, yield grade, back-fat thickness, marbling and quality through the boxed beef calculator. The results were favorable, pointing to sires with the potential to sire calves that would yield more dollars in a value-based marketing system.
The scientist has certainly earned his stripes in the beef community, especially its ranchers. With the drive to study what matters on the ranch—and the skillset to explain results, Dolezal became a fixture at producer events. Often speaking on trends and current research, he keeps putting those educator skills to good use.
And though he’s years past his actual professor days, colleagues still call him “Doc.”
Quality on Top
Quality has always been at the top of Dolezal’s career interests. Research on tenderness and palatability led to a “snip and shock” process to improve the eating experience. As a result, Cargill became the first major processor to earn USDA tenderness certification, on the heels of its groundbreaking offer of “guaranteed tender” beef for retailers. Cargill launched brands with Kroger and HarrisTeeter in 2002, followed by a guaranteed and certified tender program with 13 divisions at Safeway.
Alongside Cargill, Dolezal patented new processes and worked with USDA to change quality grades, upgrading a high-quality “hard bone” carcass to the greater value it deserved.
“Glen Dolezal is an icon in the industry,” Rishel says. “And one of the main reasons is that Glen is always about proving something to be really valuable,” not just for packers but as a meat scientist to all.
In the late 1980s to early ’90s, Dolezal pioneered instrument grading at OSU, testing it in labs and figuring out how to make it work at line speeds. Once at Cargill, he pressed for instrument grading because of variation in calls between graders. He led Cargill’s move as one of the first companies to make the switch.
“I think it’s created better brands, a more consistent product within those brands, and I think Doc’s done an excellent job of pushing the industry to move toward these cameras,” says Bill Thoni, beef industry consultant and Cargill’s former vice president of cattle procurement.
Camera grading has become an industry standard, he adds, largely thanks to Dolezal’s foresight and efforts to create a more consistent system.
It doesn’t stop there. Dolezal leads as a voice for animal welfare and sustainability, advocating for Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) and BQA Transportation. It all ladders up to quality beef production.
“We’re more focused on carcass quality than ever before, and it’s a good thing,” Dolezal says.
According to Brad Morgan, vice president of research and development at iQ Foods, quality means something a bit different to Dolezal. Morgan nods to weight and efficiency as anyone in packing would but says Dolezal expects more. It’s not just pounds, but “quality pounds.”
“He wants something that, from a carcass-weight standpoint, can be merchandised at retail or foodservice,” Morgan says.
That’s his leadership style: setting the example, doing more than just punching the clock, ultimately influencing change.
Legacy Forward
Dolezal’s professional pedigree shows he’s been surrounded by industry greats, stepping stones laid by family, teachers, coaches, advisors and colleagues.
It’s come full circle.
“Doc” places a lot of weight on developing the next generation of meat scientists, drawing passion from what’s mattered to him. His pride is in those he’s mentored, educated or coached. Seeing their successes, jumpstarted by an extracurricular like competitive judging, is a bright spot in Dolezal’s own long list.
The positive difference in students’ lives is part of Dolezal’s legacy, alongside his own lasting contributions to meat science, packing and the greater beef industry.
“You contributed and you contributed in multiple ways,” he says. “It could be human resources; it doesn’t have to be science. It’s just to make a difference in someone’s life.”
Legacy doesn’t live in any award. It lives where you made a lasting difference.
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