Skcattlemensapril 2014 by The Western Producer

Saskatchewan Cattlemenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Connection The voice of saskatchewanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cattle producers

Monitor hay fields for alfalfa weevil

Gary Jones: A man on a mission Western Livestock Insurance Program Up and running APRIL/MAY 2014

Connection is published in Saskatoon in partnership with Western Producer Publications. Mail Agreement No. 40069240

Vol. 4 No.2

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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

Connection is published in Saskatoon in partnership with Western Producer Publications. Mail Agreement No. 40069240

The SCA has partnered with The Western Producer to publish Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Connection magazine. With over 42,000 readers each edition, Connection is a Saskatchewan beef industry magazine featuring the latest research activities and production and management strategies. It is also a forum to keep abreast of the many issues that impact the beef industry. Visit us at www.saskbeef.com or call 306-665-2333.

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April/May 2014 Vol. 4 Issue 2 Published for the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association www.saskbeef.com

Grass tetany Animals at highest risk for grass tetany are lactating cows and ewes initially introduced to grazing lush spring pasture.

contents

Publisher: Editor: Art Director: Layout Designer: Advertising Director: Production Supervisor: Marketing Manager:

Shaun Jessome Bonnie Warnyca Michelle Houlden Shelley Wichmann Kelly Berg Robert Magnell Jack Phipps

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Alfalfa weevil Producers should begin monitoring fields in June for this invasive pest.

SASKATCHEWAN CATTLEMEN’S

CONNECTION THE VOICE OF SASKATCHEWAN’S CATTLE PRODUCERS

VOL. 4 NO.2

Monitor hay fields for alfalfa weevil

Gary Jones A man on a mission Western Livestock Insurance Program up and running

APRIL/MAY 2014

Connection is published in Saskatoon in partnership with Western Producer Publications. Mail Agreement No. 40069240

On the cover: Gary Jones knows livestock. | photo By Devan C. Tasa

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Insuring success The Western Livestock Insurance Program protects against price drops.

Chair report New SCA Directors Gary Jones: A man on a mission Market right for cows Grass tetany SCA resolutions CYL mentorship program Feeding kochia CCA annual meeting highlights Ag Literacy CEO report

Send inquiries to: Connection Subscriptions, Box 2500, Saskatoon, SK. S7K 2C4. Connection magazine is published in partnership with Western Producer Publications. Contents copyright 2014. All rights reserved. No part of Connection magazine may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior written consent from Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association. The views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher, editor or staff. Connection and Western Producer Publications do not take responsibility for any unsolicited materials. Advertising in Connection does not indicate an endorsement by the SCA. We strive for accuracy in presenting articles and charts. However, we are not responsible for errors or liability in the event of losses resulting from readers’ use of our magazine and website. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association, 310820 51st St. East, Saskatoon, SK., S7K 0X8.

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CHAIR REPORT

Board Members: District 1

Ryan Beierbach • Whitewood, SK p: 306.532.4809 or 306-735-1341 e: highplainsranchsupply@yourlink.ca

District 2

Ken Demyen • Qu’Appelle, SK p: 306.699.2481 or 306.699.7833 e: qar.appaloosa@sasktel.net

District 3A

Laurie Disney • Wood Mountain 306-476-7522 or 306-476-2729 odiznee@yahoo.ca

District 3B

Larry Grant • Val Marie, SK p: 306.298.4901 or 306.741.9867 e: drylake@sasktel.net

District 4

Rick Toney • Gull Lake, SK p: 306.672.3703 or 306.671.7900 • e: rtoney@sasktel.net

District 5

Levi Hull • Willowbrook, SK p: 306.641.6271 • e: levihull507@msn.com

District 6

Garret Hill • Duval, SK. 306-725-7451 or 306-725-4909 lbranch.ghill@gmail.com

District 7

Paula Larson • D’Arcy, SK p: 306.379.4523 or 306.221.0509 e: larsonranchphoto@sasktel.net

District 8

Michael Spratt • Melfort, SK p: 306.752.6336 • e: mspratt@sasktel.net

District 9A

Ryan Sommerfeld • Medstead, SK p: 306.342.2136 or 306.342.7259 e: ryan.sommerfeld@xplornet.ca

District 9B

Dean Moore • Paradise Hill, SK p: 306.344.5370 • c: 306.344.7981 e: dsmoore@bellevista.ca

SCFA

Brad Welter • Viscount, SK p: 306.365.4281 • e: welter@pound-maker.ca

SSGA

Lloyd Thompson • Estevan, SK p: 701.340.5133 • e: tfourranches@xplornet.com Harold Martens • Swift Current, SK. 306-741-3961 or 306-757-8523 mranchltd@shaw.ca

Past Chair

Mark Elford • Wood Mountain, SK p: 306.476.2635 or 306.478.7200 e: elfordranch@sasktel.net Craig Douglas, CEO p: 306.665.2333 • c: 306.380.4668 • ceo@saskbeef.com Bill Strautman, Communications Specialist p: 306.665.2333 • c: 306.380.4608 communications@saskbeef.com Barb Larson, Policy Analyst p: 306.665.2333 • c: 306.380.4636 policy@saskbeef.com Patty Englund, Project Manager p: 306.665.2333 • c: 306.281.4077 project@saskbeef.com Sandra Harp, Executive Administrator p: 306.665.2333 • f: 306.665.2336 | officeadmin@saskbeef.com

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New programs benefit cattle producers There have been at least two announcements that are important to our industry in the last few weeks. First was the Western Livestock Price Insurance Program (WLPIP), which involves B.C., Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. It is available through Saskatchewan Crop Insurance with 100 percent producer-funded premiums. Government will take care of the administration. It’s being administered much the same as the program Alberta has had in recent years. WLPIP is a risk management tool for the livestock industry that producers have been asking for. It also assures financial institutions that the value you put on your herd has a real, identifiable base. That may be as important as the insurance itself. You should probably look into price insurance even if you think it’s not for you. In recent meetings I’ve heard government officials suggest that producers should either participate in AgriStability or Livestock Price Insurance, because if there was some unforeseen disaster and you had not protected yourself with either program, you might not qualify for disaster assistance. The other announcement was Canada’s federal government signing a free trade agreement with Korea. When it is finalized we will have an increased value for our carcasses, as the Koreans use parts of the carcass that are not widely used in North America. While both these announcements are positive for our industry I do not expect them to turn it around quickly. In interviews with media they ask me if I think this is going to change the industry in Canada, and will these changes cause me to increase my herd? Many producers my age have herds as large as they can handle with the manpower available. Family businesses might increase their numbers because of opportunity and the fact there are more than one or two people working with the cattle. If young producers do not have the cushion of family it’s a big endeavour. Many of these young agriculture producers have had the freedom to jump on a plane for ten days to someplace hot, or go skiing, golfing or whatever they choose. A young producer without family support may not be able to have that freedom, and it makes them look very hard at our industry. Most grain farms do not have the facilities anymore for livestock, so getting back into cattle would also involve rebuilding, as well as purchase

of livestock. It will take more than one or two years of good prices to support that type of investment. Hopefully we will see those years. Those of us still in livestock production have certainly made the investment. The idea that a company can have a few thousand head of cattle taken care of by staff has been tossed around. I doubt that would succeed because a paid employee does not have the drive to save those animals like the producers that have kept this industry alive for a century. After attending the Annual General Meetings for both Manitoba and Ontario, plus the Annual General Meeting for CCA in Ottawa, I have a better understanding of their issues. In Ontario land is very expensive and it is very difficult to expand your operation. Other provinces have many government regulations that apply to their operations. Much of what they are speaking of is not a problem here in Saskatchewan. We have good water, available land, grain and hay close to our operations. If a producer decides he doesn’t want to calve out a herd there is good access to background animals, grassers and feeders to use his feed grain or grass. We should always have a look at operations in other provinces to value what we have here. I still hear producers say they do not belong to Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association. It comes as a surprise that they do not know that selling live-

stock and paying check-off instantly makes them registered producers, with voting privileges and a say in what we do. We try to represent all producers, but have to represent the majority. We are asked to represent many groups and different issues, but again we have to focus on the majority of producers and their concerns to best use your money and our time spent. Many of us put in many hours of our own time on projects and issues that affect our industry. Please reach out to the director in your district with your concerns and let us see if we can change things for the better for the industry. Attend our meetings in the fall. It’s your check-off dollars and your business. As I write this, many of my neighbours and ourselves are either a couple of weeks into calving or just starting. Weather plays a great role in our success. A calf that is dried off and has had a suck can take some pretty bad weather, with a little shelter from the weather and the wind. Here’s to a successful spring, rain when we need it and good prices come fall. We’ve all come through tough times and we deserve the prices we are seeing now. Happy calving.

Paula Larson SCA Chair

Correction In the last issue, a photo of the Shorthorn Grand Champion Female ran with the wrong caption. Here is the 2013 Agribition MaineAnjou Grand Champion Bull and the Agribition Shorthorn Grand Champion Female.

As part of its sponsorship package, the SCA provides banners to Agribition cattle show winners. Paula Larson, SCA director from District 7 and a cattle producer from D’Arcy, presents an SCA banner for the Maine-Anjou Grand Champion Bull.

Larson presents an SCA banner for the Shorthorn Grand Champion Female.

APRIL / MAY 2014 |

NE W D I R E C TO R S

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Profile: Laurie Disney SCA Director, District 3a

Profile: Garret Hill SCA Director, District 6

Disney lives with husband Mark at Killdeer, Sask., at the junctions of highways 2 and 18. They’ve raised four children on the ranch. “I have owned cattle since birth, as my mother instilled in all her children the value of ranching and caring for the land. My husband and I have had cattle all our married life,” says Disney. “We presently run about 130 cows in a cow/calf operation. We have also had feeder cattle for fifteen years and done some custom feeding. Both our parents, children of homesteaders, have been in the cattle business for their livelihood in the Glentworth and Killdeer areas.” Disney grew up in a family involved with the politics of ranching and the livestock industry, spending many days at Agribition with her parents as a youth. She was involved with 4-H as a youth and so were her children. “Now the peanut can has been pasted to me so it’s my turn to speak. I accepted the nomination to the SCA because I am interested in the cattle business and I want to see a positive influence and a profitable business so that the next generation will step up and choose agriculture,” says Disney. “Whether it be ranching or mixed farms, the lifestyle on the range is second to none and an excellent place to make a living and to raise a family.”

Garret Hill ranches with his brother Greg near Duval, Sask. They run a commercial cattle herd based on Angus genetics and calve out just over 700 cows starting in May. He’s been involved in the ranch his whole life. His parents - Peter and Ina Hill - ran a mixed grain and cattle operation. “When I got involved in the operation we started seeding the marginal land to grass and increasing the cattle numbers. A few years later, when Greg got involved, we made a move to straight cattle. Last year our oldest brother Peter came back to the ranch to get involved more and he’s been a pile of help!” says Hill. “It has been a struggle over the last ten years, something most everyone in the cattle industry understands, but with help from our family members and friends we have been able to expand. I would like to thank them for all their help.” Cattle are calved on seeded pastures and rotated through seeded pastures May to August, then fall grazed on native pasture until the end of October or the beginning of November.

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Calves are weaned and some years have been sold off the cow and some years fed to the end of March. The cows are grazed on standing corn during winter and fed hay the month of April. The Hills have been doing this for several years. “Dad always said, ‘You can’t shorten the winter by turning the bulls out early!’ Seems to work for us,” he says. Hill is married to Lindsay and they have one son Ethan who is 15, plus son Gavin, 21, from a previous marriage. “They are the people who make life what it’s all about.” “In January of this year I received a phone call and was asked if I would be interested in becoming a director for the SCA. After discussing it with the family I accepted and was welcomed into the position in January’s annual meeting in Saskatoon,” says Hill. “The reason I accepted the position is to hopefully help the industry and its future. Profitability and education of the public are key children in this country should know where their food comes from. There’s only three things we need - Food, Water and Shelter not video games, iPads and social media on your phone.”

Profile: Harold Martens, SSGA Rep Harold Martens was born in Herbert Sask. and raised on the family ranch 20 miles north east of Swift Current. After completing highschool, he and his brother began ranching with their father and have continued that until today. In 1973 they set up Martens Ranch Ltd and took on their brother-in-law as a 3rd partner. Today they each have one of their children and their families involved in the day-to-day work. Martens Ranch currently runs a herd of 900 female red Angus cows and sell the back grounded calves to livestock feeders for harvesting into the consumer meat market. They use horses for working the cattle and raise and

train a 40 head herd of Quarter horses. Martens is the Reeve of the Rural Municipality of Excelsior and has been on council for 14 years. He served in the Provincial Legislature for 13 years as an MLA for the constituency of Morse and as an Associate Minister responsible for the Department of Agriculture for 3 years. The local municipality has been involved with two watersheds, where Martens served as Chair in the Swift Current Creek Watershed Stewards and on the Board of the South Saskatchewan River Watershed Stewards. Martens is currently the president of the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association and chair of the Livestock Ser-

vices of Saskatchewan Corp. (LSS) administering brand inspection for the province of Saskatchewan. “The cattle industry and country living has given a lot of benefits to our family over the years in areas of raising our family, sharing the work load with a brother and sister and their families. So to influence change and support to this industry I think I can mentor and challenge leadership growth for the future,” says Martens. “Sylvia and I live in Swift Current. We have 3 sons, 3 great daughter-in-laws and 7 grandchildren. We are involved in the community with our work and are active in our church community, as well.”

The 2014 SCA Board of Directors

APRIL / MAY 2014 |

F E AT U R E

GARY JONES

a man on a mission

By Bonnie Warnyca

A Gary Jones will be inducted into the Saskatchewan Agricultural Hall of Fame in August, 2014. The induction ceremony will be held at Saskatoon’s Western Development Museum. | photo By Devan C. Tasa

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t six feet, six inches tall with

a distinctive booming voice and a no-nonsense approach to life, Gary Jones of Crane Valley has always been a man on a mission. His mission: to somehow make a living in short grass country, with sheep, then with horses and finally with cattle. Jones grew up near Picture Butte, Alta., in an area now known as feedlot alley. His granddad and his father, Horace, arrived from Ontario in 1908 to set up a homestead for the family. With the introduction of irrigation to the area in the early 1920s, the sugar beet acres grew quickly and sugar beet factories, one in Raymond and one in Picture Butte, were built. Growing sugar beets set the stage for Horace to open one of the first feedlots in western Canada. Feeder cattle, many of Saskatchewan origin, were trailed three and a half miles from the railroad in Picture Butte to the home farm, then trailed back to the railroad when finished. In those days, if you grew sugar beets, you were entitled to a share of wet sugar beet pulp. The pulp was used in a ration to background and finish the cattle. Cattle feeders often tried to finish the cattle before their quota of beet pulp dried up each spring. The family prospered until the discovery of foot and mouth disease in 1952, and Jones says the feedlot never really recovered. “When I was 12, I started breaking horses for a neighbour by the name of Jack Murray, the patriarch of what became the Murray Ranch and Feedlot,” Jones said. “He paid me $10 to break a horse that hadn’t been halter broke and $5 to break one that was halter broke. By the time I was 14, I fig-

ured out that I could buy a horse for $25 or $30, break it and double my money. “As a school kid I picked beans, cucumbers and other vegetables and was paid by the pound.” By grade 12, Jones’s job at home was to drive the old 1946 Maple Leaf truck to pick up eight tons of sugar beef pulp and helped shovel it off before school. The family fed, over 500 head of cattle and it took four or five men to do the work. There were no augers. The men shovelled grain into a grinder to make chop. The chop was then shovelled on top of the pulp, counting the shovels to control the ration. Then the mix was shovelled into feed bunks. After grade 12, Jones attended Agriculture College at Olds and took the ‘two in one’ agriculture course, graduating in 1957. He bought a quarter from his dad along the river bank north of Lethbridge which he still owns today, and used it as collateral to purchase a place at Scandia in 1960. “I made extra money working weekends as a sheep camp tender taking supplies to the sheep herder’s camps. The old Scotsmen who ran the sheep lived in covered wagons all winter long with a few herding dogs. They were talented stockmen, and I learned a lot from them. I owned a small band of sheep and there were a couple of sheep community pastures in the area,” said Jones. “You could run five sheep to one cow on the same land and the cash turnover was much quicker. That’s still true today.” “The difference with sheep is there are only two kinds — healthy ones and dead ones.” When Jones was 19 years old, he met his future wife Penny Moneo, who was enrolled in nursing in Lethbridge. Penny’s family ranched near Wood Mountain, Sask.

The difference with sheep is there are only two kinds – healthy ones and dead ones. — Gary Jones

FILE PHOTO

It wasn’t long before Jones had built up his holdings to include 1,000 ewes, a dozen cows and a several horses. He had become better known for his horse trading. “I shipped saddle horses into eastern Canada and the U.S. and tobacco horses to Ontario. The Ontario farmers needed older, quiet horses to pull the small tobacco cultivators through the soil. The horses were slaughtered in the fall because of the cost of keeping them through the winter. Fresh horses were bought in the spring. I also supplied horses to dude ranches,” said Jones. “The PMU business was thriving and we bred mares and sent them to Quebec and Ontario for a few years. At times, I had up to 300 horses on grass at one time.” Horse meat was popular and even used to feed pigs. A horse slaughter plant in Swift Current, called Alsask Processors, shipped horse meat to overseas countries including France, Denmark and the Netherlands.

During a visit to Penny’s family near Wood Mountain, Jones toured some of the southwestern Saskatchewan area ranches looking for horses to buy. That’s when he met Sid Wilson, who had a ranch in the hills. While the two rode through the pastures looking at horses, Jones commented that someday he would like to own such a place. “It was 1961, one of the driest years on record, yet there was good grass in this country. But with six sections of lease land and a half section of deeded land, my 240-acre place in Alberta hardly measured up to think about buying Mr. Wilson’s place,” says Jones. “But I did buy some horses.” Over the next year, the men continued to trade horses. Then one winter day Jones woke up to a strange car parked at his ranch in Scandia. Mr. Wilson had hired a man to drive him the 400-plus miles to the Jones ranch to make sure the couple was legitimate. Over coffee,

the men shook on a deal for the Crane Valley ranch. Even after the deal was done legally, they had to wait for approval from the Government of Saskatchewan to transfer the land to a foreigner. Gary and Penny moved onto the Crane Valley ranch in 1962 with their flock of sheep. The sheep were something new in the area and the coyotes pretty much left them alone for the first year. But eventually they developed a taste for mutton and lamb and it became too difficult to fend off the predators in the rolling hills. That’s when the cattle numbers began to grow. Next issue – To this day, Jones has never felt allegiance to one breed of cow or another and the ranch’s cattle colors have changed many times over the years. From Hereford cows to buckskin calves to a smartie box-coloured, Jones and his sons continue the search for the most profitable momma cow.

APRIL / MAY 2014 |

INSE C TS TOP RIGHT: These “skeletonized” leaves are characteristic of the weevil larvae feeding pattern. They’re mostly interested in the juicy parts between the leaf veins. LOWER RIGHT: Severe weevil feeding damage in foreground. Grass patches in background. | photos supplied by Lorne Klein

Alfalfa weevil well established in Saskatchewan By Shirley Byers

ntil the last decade,

apart from some activity along the U.S. border, alfalfa weevils were pretty much unknown in Saskatchewan. Provincial surveys began in 2010. Then, in 2012, something totally unexpected happened. Lorne Klein, regional forage specialist, Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, remembers it well. “It was the middle of June. I was planning to start the weevil survey in a couple of weeks. And I got this phone call . . . it was already out of control in some guys’ fields. They were two to three weeks early and in very high numbers.” Today, much of the province is affected. Klein speculates that the insects seem to have adapted to our winters. Native to Europe, alfalfa weevils were first reported in North America

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in the state of Utah in 1904. It is believed they hitched a ride in hay that was used to pack furniture.

Life cycle

The adult beetle overwinters in alfalfa stubble, emerging in spring to mate and lay its eggs in the stems of alfalfa plants. The eggs hatch into larvae in one to three weeks. The larvae eat a lot, pupate and drop to the ground. The adult beetle emerges from the pupae by late summer.

Monitoring

Klein advises producers to begin monitoring fields in the first week of June to be on the safe side. Alfalfa weevils are more likely to be in alfalfa hay fields than in pastured alfalfa. Monitoring can be done with a pail but Klein recommends a sweep net. They cost about $60 and are worth it. “If you just pick a stem to examine it for weevils, larvae might drop off or be

difficult to find,” he says. Sweep it in 180 degree arcs. Sample different parts of the field. A Sask Ag video on monitoring can be found at: www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca Click on “Web videos” and then on Monitoring alfalfa weevil. “If you find less than five larvae per single sweep, then there’s not much concern,” says Klein. “If you’ve got 25 in a single sweep, now you need to start thinking: What’s the date on the calendar today? Which stage are these worms at? If you’re just one week or possibly two weeks away from normal haying season, and you have 25 worms in there but they’re all little ones; if you don’t see much feeding on the top third of the plant where they normally feed, then don’t be worried about those 25 worms.” “But if you’re getting into 50 or higher per sweep you could be in a field where you need to pay close attention because things could happen in a big

If you didn’t have a trained eye and were casually observing as you walked through the field you might think things were okay.

ABOVE: A sweep net is the best way to monitor weevil population and to see what size and appetite the larvae are at. “The larvae go through four “instar” stages. The first instar is one mm long, so very small. The fourth instar is seven to ten mm long. The third and fourth instars do the bulk of the feeding damage. From hatching to end of fourth instar is three to four weeks, so things happen very quickly,” says Lorne Klein.

hurry, in less than a week.” Klein knows from experience how quickly weevil populations can escalate their feeding activity and how valuable the sweep net can be. Last summer, he scouted a field on a Monday night. At first glance, it didn’t look too bad. “If you didn’t have a trained eye and were casually observing as you walked through the field you might think things were okay,” he says. “Then I got out the sweep net and there were 140 worms per sweep and they were just getting to that stage (in growth), where they would begin eating a lot. I phoned the producer, and told him he had four days to make a decision to cut it or spray it before he would see a huge amount of feeding activity.” A return visit on Thursday showed that he was right. Fortunately, the farmer had a sprayer booked. “What I’m trying to convey is that the sweep net gave me so much confi-

— Lorne Klein, Forage Specialist, Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture

dence,” says Klein. “I was able to very quickly in numerous locations, get a very accurate representation of what was out there.”

Dealing with alfalfa weevil

Alfalfa weevils are very picky diners, avoiding even the veins of the leaves. In good drying conditions, two days after the crop is down, they’ll be dying off. “Cutting is the number one tool in most years, most fields, most of the time given normal hatching time and normal peak feeding period,” says Klein. If cutting isn’t an option, a number of insecticides are registered that will control the alfalfa weevil larvae. See the Crop Protection Guide at: http://www. agriculture.gov.sk.ca/guide_to_crop_ protection for recommended insecticides, rates and restrictions. Provincial surveys have shown the presence of a tiny wasp that preys on the alfalfa weevil and in wet years a fungal

disease has a negative effect on them. But wasp populations and fungal levels aren’t sufficient to make a significant impact at this time, he says. ”In a decade, in two decades from now are we going to be saying the wasp came to our rescue? I hope so,” says Klein. Anecdotal evidence suggests that grazing can make a difference. Farmer A and Farmer B were neighbours. Each had a hay field. Farmer A grazed his field in the fall. Farmer B did not. The next year Farmer A’s hay field had dramatically fewer weevils than Farmer B’s field. Finally, studies at Lethbridge show that fall burning helped reduce weevil populations in three out of eight years and spring burning was successful two out of eight years. “Given the relatively low success rate, and the liability of fire if it escapes, we find it hard to recommend,” says Klein.

APRIL / MAY 2014 |

INS U R A N C E P R O G R A M

Western Livestock Price Insurance Program By Rae Groeneveld Communications Consultant, SCIC

Saskatchewan producers have

access to a new risk management tool to help withstand volatility in the market. Western Livestock Price Insurance Program (WLPIP) will enable livestock producers to protect themselves against unexpected price declines, by allowing them to purchase insurance coverage while still being able to take advantage of favourable market conditions, if livestock prices should rise.

What is livestock price insurance?

Livestock price insurance is a simple risk management tool that allows producers to purchase price protection on cattle and hogs, in the form of an insurance policy. It provides producers with protection against an unexpected drop in prices over a defined period of time. The programs are market-driven and take into account price risk, currency risk and basis risk. Coverage is based on a number of market driven factors and reflect a forecasted price (including currency and basis) over the length of the policy. Settlement of the insurance is based directly on Western Canadian cattle/hog markets, not on an individual producer’s actual sales. Settlement indices are calculated weekly for the cattle products and monthly for the hog product. The settlement prices are designed to reflect current Western Canadian prices.

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How SettlemENT PRICES are calculated: A producer plans to sell 75 calves in November weighing 600 lbs. Insured weight = (# of head x expected sale weight) / 100 = (75 calves x 600 pounds) / 100 = 450 cwt The premium table offers insurance coverage for November at $158/cwt, or $1.58/lb. This coverage will cost $2.11/cwt. Premium Cost = 450 cwt x $2.11 = $949.50 The producer now has a ‘floor’ price of $1.58 per pound and knows that if the market average price goes below this a claim can be submitted and the price insurance will provide a benefit. The producer elects to use the price insurance coverage in the last week of the policy’s length because the cash market is $147/cwt, as indicated by the settlement index. This is below the insured price selected in the spring. This results in an indemnity for the producer. Indemnity Owed = 450 cwt x ($158- $147) = $4,950.00 *Please note these are just examples.

Program information

There are four insurance products available for producers to select from: calf, feeder, fed and hogs. • The calf product is offered in the spring and covers the price risk a cow-calf producer faces selling calves in the fall market. The settlement index is based on the average price of a 600 pound steer. • The feeder product covers the price risk a cattle feeder faces when marketing. The settlement index is based on the average price of an 850 pound steer. • The fed product is offered yearround for cattle being finished in Western Canada. The settlement index is based on the weekly Alberta fed cattle price, using Canfax data.

• The hog product offers hog producers protection against a decline in prices over a defined period of time. Hog producers choose from a range of policy lengths and price coverage.

Price insurance basics

Producers will purchase insurance based on the expected sale weight. They will match the policy length to the time period they expect to sell in and choose their coverage and pay the premium. Producers will now have a protected floor price. If the cash market is below the selected coverage during the last four weeks of a policy, the producer can make a claim. There is no requirement to sell livestock at the time of expiration.

FILE PHOTO

Program delivery

WLPIP is a collaborative effort between producer/industry groups, the federal government and the provincial governments in Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia and Manitoba. This April, producers will be able to start using the price insurance program and they will be able to access it through the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation. Crop Insurance will provide Saskatchewan producers with information and more details on how the program works, how to sign up, how to purchase insurance policies and any general assistance needed with using the WLPIP. Saskatchewan producers will contact Crop Insurance for program delivery. Alberta’s Agriculture Financial Services Corporation is providing partnering western provinces with administrative program assistance. This includes: premium calculations, forward prices for determining coverage, market data for claim settlement and technological support for the operating system.

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APRIL / MAY 2014 |

T H E G R EINE R FA M I LY - PA R T II

THE MARKET

is right for cows

By Bonnie Warnyca

he last issue of the

Connection featured the Greiner family of the Lazy T Ranch, south of Indian Head. For many years, the core of the ranch operation has been grassing yearlings. They annually run roughly 4,000 yearling heifers. About four years ago, the family added a cow herd. They purchased a 700-head local Angus herd and quickly culled the open and older females, plus any cows with poor udders or weaker feet and leg structures. They now run 500 Angus females. “We felt that the timing was right in the market for getting into cows,” says Scott Greiner. “The calf prices were expected to rise and cows looked like they would once again be profitable. We plan to look at various options for marketing these calves, such as selling into a value chain.” Calving has been moved to begin May 15 — a little late in some commercial cattle circles. It works for their setup — better weather and all yearlings are out on grass prior to calving. They didn’t pull one calf in 2013, but the biggest problem these ranchers have with late spring calving is coyotes. The calves are weaned in early November using the quiet wean method of inserting nose flaps into the calves. Once the calves are weighed, vaccinated, implanted (for the second time), and the nose flaps inserted, they are returned to their mothers for another seven to 10 days. The calves eat hay alongside their mothers and soon learn that the feed truck means food. Once weaned, the calves are hauled close to the yard for trough feeding. After weaning, the cows head straight

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for the corn field. In 2013, Greiner planted 120 acres of corn putting 300 pounds of fertilizer in with the Roundup Ready corn seed. He does a burn off at planting and sprays once again in-crop for weeds. This year, Greiner plans to seed 320 acres to corn and hopes to run the cows on corn until early spring. It takes one acre of corn per cow for 170 days grazing. The goal is to eventually seed enough corn to feed the cow herd until they are turned out on grass. He estimates that feed costs per cow per day on corn are between 90 cents and $1. “I believe it’s the cheapest and best way to keep these cows in condition. The cattle are always moving, always eating and the corn provides shelter. I also feed a free choice loose salt and mineral supplement,” says Greiner.

This winter, the cows left the corn the middle of January. They were then fed 33 pounds of silage, oat pellets and a haystraw combination per cow per day with a feed wagon. This ration works out to $1.07 to $1.08 per cow per day, yardage in. The cows walk a full quarter for fresh well water and are bedded in the bush. “We contract all our feed. By purchasing and having the pellets delivered during off season, we’re able to get a much lower price. We had 20 semi-loads of pellets for the cows delivered last July and bagged them to keep them in good condition for winter feeding,” says Greiner. The Greiners also preg check later in the year. This year it was early February. They were pleased with the results, with less than four percent cull cows. It was a also a good time in the

FAR LEFT: Calves are weaned in late November using nose flaps. The calves are left with their moms for seven to ten days before separation. LEFT: There are about 100 ranch-built salt and mineral feeders and oilers around the ranch. They are made from 2 and 7/8 inch drill stem pipe. Each stand will hold 75 pounds of loose salt and mineral. | Photos by Bonnie Warnyca

market to sell the culls. These ranchers don’t retain their replacements, and instead purchase 50 to 100 second calvers annually trying to maintain and increase cow numbers. Greiner culls hard and relies on Dr. Curtis Read of the Warman Vet Services to add to his culls. “Like most producers, I have my favourite cows,” admits Greiner. “I want an unbiased and professional set of eyes to make the final cuts.” The family runs straight Angus cows, and Greiner is not afraid to spend more for the Angus bulls he wants. “I want 80 pound birthweights with performance weaning weights. In early November, the weaned heifers averaged 515 lb. while the steers averaged 561 lb.” “I bought 11 bulls last year at Blairs. Ag

Cattle Company and the bulls averaged $7,000. You get what you pay for when buying a sire. When we got into the cowcalf operation, I wanted to take it to another level. I want the best cows and walking bulls I can afford to produce top end calves,” said Greiner. “The majority of the bulls are twoyear-olds because I want proven performance. I did buy a yearling last year because he showed a lot of potential.” The family runs one bull for 25 to 30 cows tops. Last year they ran 18 bulls with the cow herd. The bulls are wintered on the same ration as the cows until April when they are put on a straight hay ration taking them to grass.

Niche marketing

Greiner hopes his management will

transcend into a premium either in the commodity market or in a niche market. He has met with Qu’Appelle Beef at Wolseley to discuss options for grass-fed and hormone-free beef. At the moment, the yearlings and the home-raised calves are implanted for finishing but that could change. “I can quickly change my management to meet a hormone and antibiotic free market. Between the yearlings and our own calves, I could have as many as 4,500 calves that I could finish for that market,” said Greiner. “But, if implanting the yearling grassers will net me another 40 lb. per head, there is no reason to change until there’s a higher dollar market. “The cows will stay as long as there is a good dollar for calves. When the profitability is gone – so are the cows.”

We contract all our feed. By purchasing and having the pellets delivered during off season, we’re able to get a much lower price. We had 20 semi-loads of pellets for the cows delivered last July and bagged them to keep them in good condition for winter feeding. — Scott Greiner

APRIL / MAY 2014 |

A NI M A L H E A LT H

Watch for

GRASS TETANY By Shirley Byers

rass tetany is a potentially fatal condition in cattle which causes nervousness, agitation, uncoordinated gait, staggers, trembling and death. Characterized by low blood magnesium, grass tetany may be triggered by: • a diet low in magnesium; • a diet with nutrient imbalances that interfere with magnesium metabolism; and • high levels of milk production. “Affected animals are usually cattle or sheep in late gestation or peak lactation,” says Murray Feist, ruminant nutrition specialist with the Saskatchewan Agriculture. “Tetany occurs when magnesium circulating the blood or body stores is depleted below the requirements.” Risk factors for grass tetany Cattle with low body stores of magnesium or low dietary intake of magnesium are at risk. Animals consuming forages high in potassium and nitrogen are also threatened because those elements decrease the availability of calcium and magnesium. A lactating beef cow requires two to three times more magnesium than a non-lactating beef cow. If that extra magnesium needed during lactation is not available, grass tetany may result. “Magnesium is usually stored in bone along with phosphorus,” says Feist. “Freeing up magnesium from bone

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Animals at highest risk for grass tetany are lactating cows and ewes initially introduced to grazing lush spring pasture. | FILE PHOTO

stores does not occur as quickly as a drop in blood magnesium so daily supplementation must be provided.” Lush spring pastures may be deficient in magnesium, and the ratio of potassium to magnesium needs to be balanced. If forage potassium becomes elevated, the ratio of the minerals can change absorption and digestion of calcium and magnesium. That potentially leads to grass tetany and milk fever. “In pasture or annual crops seeded for green feed that are heavily fertilized, drought and even acidic soils can contribute to a mineral imbalance and disrupt magnesium intake, absorption and metabolism,” says Feist. Animals at highest risk for grass tetany are lactating cows and ewes initially introduced to grazing lush spring pasture. Late lactation tetany may also occur should feed or pasture be magnesium deficient.

“Older cows and later parity cows are more prone to both milk fever and grass tetany as they do not mobilize calcium or magnesium very well. Also, later parity cows give more milk and thus have higher requirements,” says Feist.

Preventing tetany Analyze feeds for potassium, calcium and magnesium. Calculate the tetany ratio. The tetany ratio is calculated by dividing potassium by calcium and magnesium added together. To prevent grass tetany, a K:(C+Mg) ratio of 2.2 to 1 or less is desirable. Ratios greater than 2.2 often require supplementation of calcium, magnesium or both. Potassium levels over 2 or 3 percent in forage dry matter may be a result of drought effects on crops or fertilizer application. High levels of potassium may result in a tetany ratio greater than 2.2. If high potassium, low magnesium or

Beef producers in Saskatchewan may qualify for funding provided through Growing Forward 2, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative

low calcium has been identified, additional feeding of calcium and magnesium is required. Rations requiring supplemental calcium and magnesium could include the feeding of 1 to 3 ounces of limestone and 1 to 3 ounces of magnesium oxide.

Treatment of grass tetany Get a vet as quick as you can. Treatment will begin with an intravenous injection of calcium and magnesium. Downer cattle may respond to treatment within three to five hours depending on the severity of deficiency. “Drenching with additional magnesium chloride or magnesium sulfate may be effective – immediate action and consultation with a veterinarian is crucial during the initial phases of tetany. Secondly, ration changes that address the tetany ratio imbalances should follow,” says Feist. “Often tetany has the same differential diagnosis as milk fever. Blood and feed tests are required in order to differentiate between the two.”

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APRIL / MAY 2014 |

R ESO L U TION SESSION

2014 Resolutions

Lynn Grant chaired the resolutions session at the SCA annual general meeting on January 23, 2014. Seven resolutions from the 2013 Fall District meetings listed in the 2013 Annual Report, plus seven resolutions from the floor, were debated and voted on. Resolution AGM2014 #1 {District 1 - #1} Moved: John Donaldson Seconded: Darren Ippolito Whereas Manitoba puts on 4 – 1 day schools to educate producers about predator control with topics that include snaring, trapping and calling; Be it resolved that the SCA lobby the Saskatchewan government to have the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture put on schools in each district of the province and educate interested producers about predator control. MOTION - AGM14 - 5: Lynn Grant/Ryan Beierbach “To move Resolution 2014 #1.” Motion carried

Resolution AGM2014 #2 {District 3B - #1} Moved: Larry Grant Seconded: Brent Cammer Whereas the profitability of Saskatchewan Cattlemen rest upon being on a level rate structure for grazing in neighboring provinces; and Whereas Saskatchewan lease rates are 5.99/animal unit month for crown lease rates and Alberta and Manitoba rates are 40% of what Saskatchewan rates are; and Whereas to make the Saskatchewan Cattle industry a strong and viable industry for this and future generations;

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Be it resolved that the SCA lobby the Saskatchewan Government to lower the lease rates for all crown land in line with what Alberta and Manitoba producers are paying for their crown lands. Chair suggested resolution #5 be scrapped as it is similar to this resolution. MOTION - AGM14 - 6: Lynn Grant/Rick Toney “To move Resolution 2014 #2.” Motion defeated

Resolution AGM2014 #3

Resolution AGM2014 #4 {District 3B – #3} Moved: Larry Grant Seconded: Reg Schellenberg Whereas the fall calf run takes place from October 15-November 15. Whereas beef producers are extremely busy at this time of the year; Be it resolved that the SCA hold the district meetings later in the fall (after Agribition), preferably November 30 – December 10 for 2014, for a one year trial period and reviewed in 2015.

{District 3B - #2} Moved: Larry Grant Seconded: Kelly Williamson

MOTION - AGM14 - 8: Lynn Grant/Reg Schellenberg “To move Resolution 2013 #4.”

Whereas the cougar traffic seems to have increased and; Whereas the Conservation officers are hesitant to commit to identifying these kills; and Whereas the Conservation officers are blaming other predators; Be it resolved that the SCA ask the Ministry of Environment to more closely monitor the movement and predator kills; and Be it further resolved that they allow hunting of these predators.

MOTION – AGM14 – 9: Reg Schellenberg/Levi Hull “To amend Resolution 2014 #4 to read - ‘Be it resolved that the SCA hold the district meetings on an alternative date chosen by the board’.” Motion carried

MOTION - AGM14 - 7: Lynn Grant/Brent Griffin “To move Resolution 2014 #3.” Motion carried

Whereas the fall calf run takes place from October 15-November 15. Whereas beef producers are extremely busy at this time of the year; Be it resolved that the SCA hold the district meetings on an alternative date chosen by the board.

Motion AGM14 – 8: Lynn Grant/Reg Schellenberg “To move Resolution 2013 #4, as amended.” Motion carried

Resolution AGM2014 #5 {District 4– #1} Moved: Rick Toney Seconded: Lorne Zetner Whereas we feel the inequality in grazing fees and taxes puts Saskatchewan producers at a disadvantage to our Alberta counterparts; Be it resolved that SCA open discussion with the Saskatchewan Government over the inequality in the grazing fees and taxes charged on any provincial lands; and Be it further resolved that the province be asked to do a comparison study on other provinces and informs Saskatchewan producers. Scratched by the chair due to its similarity to Resolution #2.

Resolution AGM2014 #6 {District 4 – #2} Moved: Rick Toney Seconded: Warren McNary Whereas the Provincial Government will in the near future have for sale lease land protected by the Wildlife Habitat Protection Act (WHPA); and Whereas it will sell with an environmental easement; and Whereas all PFRA native pasture will be for sale but will sell with an environmental easement; Be it resolved that the SCA work towards having a proper reduction in the selling price to make up for the environmental easement; and Be it further resolved that the SCA seek the help of our MLA Wayne Elhard.

MOTION - AGM14 - 10: Lynn Grant/Rick Toney “To move Resolution 2014 #6.” MOTION – AGM14 – 11: Lynn Grant/Rick Toney “To amend Resolution 2014 #6 to read – ‘Whereas conservation easements are a permanent encumbrance being placed on ecologically sensitive crown lease land as a condition of sale; and Whereas conservation easements permanently decrease the sale value of land; Be it resolved that SCA lobby the Government of Saskatchewan to recognize the decreased value in the sale price of applicable land.’ And remove ‘Be it further resolved that the SCA seek the help of our MLA Wayne Elhard.” Motion carried Whereas the Provincial Government will in the near future have for sale lease land protected by the Wildlife Habitat Protection Act (WHPA); and Whereas it will sell with an environmental easement; and Whereas all PFRA native pasture will be for sale but will sell with an environmental easement; and Whereas conservation easements are a permanent encumbrance being placed on ecologically sensitive crown lease land as a condition of sale; and Whereas conservation easements permanently decrease the sale value of land; Be it resolved that SCA lobby the Government of Saskatchewan to recognize the decreased value in the sale price of applicable land.’

Motion - AGM14 – 10: Lynn Grant/Rick Toney “To move Resolution 2014 #6, as amended.” Motion carried

Resolution AGM2014 #7 {District 9A – #1} Moved: Arnold Balicki Seconded: Ryan Sommerfeld Whereas the average cattle producer is nearing retirement and the next few decades represent a crucial transition of ownership in the cattle herd; and Whereas a solid succession plan is needed in order for young producers to acquire cattle herds and keep production levels from their continuous decline, in effect allowing us to secure markets that Industry and Government have opened and expanded; Be it resolved that SCA make it a top priority to lobby provincial and federal government to implement a Young Farmer’s Retention Program, with a graduated tax refund on their personal income tax, for the next three decades. MOTION - AGM14 - 12: Lynn Grant/Ryan Sommerfeld “To move Resolution 2014 #7.” MOTION – AGM14 – 13: Ryan Sommerfeld/ Ryan Beierbach “To amend Resolution 2014 #7 by dropping ‘with a graduated tax refund on their personal income tax for the next three decades’ from the motion.” Motion carried

continued on page 20

APRIL / MAY 2014 |

R ESO L U TION SESSION

>> continued from page 19 Whereas the average cattle producer is nearing retirement and the next few decades represent a crucial transition of ownership in the cattle herd; and Whereas a solid succession plan is needed in order for young producers to acquire cattle herds and keep production levels from their continuous decline, in effect allowing us to secure markets that Industry and Government have opened and expanded; Be it resolved that SCA make it a top priority to lobby provincial and federal government to implement a Young Farmer’s Retention Program. MOTION - AGM14 - 12: amended to read: “To move Resolution 2014 #7, as amended.” Motion carried

Resolution AGM2014 #8 {Resolution from the floor} Moved: Michael Spratt Seconded: Ryan Sommerfeld Whereas the Saskatchewan beef industry recognizes the value of forage research; Be it resolved that the SCA supports the ongoing continuation of the Saskatchewan Forage Network, to coordinate research priorities, so as to enhance a collaborative approach to research for all forage and livestock industry stakeholders. MOTION - AGM14 - 14: Lynn Grant/Ryan Sommerfeld “To move Resolution 2014 #8.” Motion carried

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Resolution AGM2014 #9 {Resolution from the floor} Moved: Larry Grant Seconded: Paula Larson Whereas there may be possible competition for National Check off dollars from another organization; Be it resolved that the SCA only support an industry strategic plan led by the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association and Canada Beef Inc. MOTION - AGM14 - 15: Lynn Grant/Larry Grant “To move Resolution 2014 #9.” MOTION – AGM14 – 16: Bill Jameson/Brad Wildeman “To amend Resolution 2014 #9 to read ‘Whereas there may be possible competition for National Check off dollars from another organization (Straw man).” Motion carried Whereas there may be possible competition for National Check off dollars from another organization (Strawman); Be it resolved that the SCA only support an industry strategic plan led by the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association and Canada Beef Inc. MOTION - AGM14 - 15: Lynn Grant/Larry Grant “To move Resolution 2014 #9, as amended” Motion carried

Resolution AGM2014 #10 {Resolution from the floor} Whereas the Saskatchewan Cattle Feeders Association is not in favour of a mandatory or mandatory refundable assurance fund in Saskatchewan; and

Whereas the Saskatchewan Cattle Feeders Association would be supportive of a voluntary assurance fund for producers in Saskatchewan; Be it resolved that the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association lobby the provincial government to consider a voluntary assurance fund. MOTION - AGM14 - 17: Lynn Grant/Bill Jameson “To move Resolution 2014 #10.” MOTION – AGM14 – 18: Jameson/ McGillvray “To table Resolution #10 until Resolution #15 is dealt with.” Motion carried Chair made the decision to scrap Resolution #10 as Resolution #15 passed.

Resolution AGM2014 #11 {Resolution from the floor} Whereas the Saskatchewan Cattle Feeders Association feels that the current licensing and bonding requirements for livestock buyers are insufficient; Be it resolved that the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association ask the provincial government to review the current licensing/bonding requirements for livestock buyers in Saskatchewan. MOTION - AGM14 - 19: Lynn Grant/Phillip Lynn “To move Resolution 2014 #11.” Motion carried

Whereas the problem of cattle theft may become a larger issue in the future; Be it resolved that the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association develop an action plan to establish a liaison between Livestock Services Saskatchewan (LSS) and law enforcement.

Whereas irradiation is a safe and effective way to help ensure food safety and could be as important to meat as pasteurization is to milk; and Whereas irradiation is already used on a number of food products sold in Canada; Be it resolved that the SCA support efforts to gain Health Canada approval of irradiation as a food safety intervention for trim and ground beef.

MOTION - AGM14 - 20: Lynn Grant/Will Lowe “To move Resolution 2014 #12.” Motion carried

MOTION - AGM14 - 22: Lynn Grant/Bill Jameson “To move Resolution 2014 #14.” Motion carried

Resolution AGM2014 #13

Resolution AGM2014 #15

{Resolution from the floor}

Whereas some non-reversionary lands are critical to the continued viability of transitioning federal community pastures; Be it resolved that the SCA lobby the government of Canada for an exemption from the treasury board policy regarding the disposal of surplus assets directly pertaining to non-reversionary land.

Whereas bonds do not provide adequate protection from non-payment to Saskatchewan livestock producers; and Whereas the SCA was directed to work with industry stakeholders and the Ministry of Agriculture to fully explore the concept of a Saskatchewan Cattle producers Assurance Fund (SCPAF); Be resolved that it the SCA request the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture implement an assurance fund for livestock producers.

{Resolution from the floor}

MOTION - AGM14 – 21: Lynn Grant/Mark Elford “To move Resolution 2014 #13.” Motion carried

Resolution AGM2014 #14 {Resolution from the floor} Whereas recent food safety recalls have hurt the public perception of beef; and Whereas consumers need to be confident of safe food supply; and

MOTION - AGM14 - 23: Lynn Grant/Doug Gillespie “To move Resolution 2014 #15.” MOTION – AGM14 - 24: Ryan Thompson/Bill Jameson “To amend this resolution to read – ‘Be it resolved that SCA request the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture implement a voluntary assurance fund for livestock producers.” Motion carried

RESOLUTIONS

Resolution AGM2014 #12

APRIL / MAY 2014 |

C ATT L E M EN ’ S Y O U N G L E A D E R S

Mentor provides education focus Cattlemen’s Young Leader a strong advocate for agriculture By Bonnie Warnyca When Carla Schmitt left the

family farm at Arborfield to attend the University of Saskatchewan five years ago, she thought there were only a few professions open to her in agriculture. She felt the opportunities were to become a veterinarian or vet technician, work in crop agronomy, or sell livestock pharmaceuticals. But since obtaining a degree in Agriculture, majoring in environmental science, a whole new world of opportunities has opened up. “Little did I realize that besides my degree, I had already begun to develop a whole new set of skills growing up on a mixed farming operation with Simmental and Angus cattle,” says Schmitt. “Our family was very involved in 4-H and in the junior beef breed associations. I did well in judging and won the national 4-H judging competition at the 2008 Canadian Western Agribition. Included in the win was a trip to the Royal Highland Show in Scotland.” The many trips to cattle shows and volunteering within the two organizations armed Schmitt with a strong industry network and a passion for agriculture advocacy. “My summer jobs were in agronomy. Once out of university, I landed a job with Spring Creek Land & Cattle Consulting which offers research and project management services. I work from home in Saskatoon. My first major project was one of the leads for the Beef Innovation Symposium last summer for the Canadian Simmental Association,” says Schmitt. While work and regular trips to work on the farm keep Schmitt busy, at 24 years of age, she has very quickly become a young driving force in Canadian Western Agribition. In 2012, she was voted in as an Agribition director and was quickly appointed as the education lead for the 4-H and youth committee, Agri Ed committee, the dairy educational displays and the First Nations Pavilion. “The confidence that the board of directors placed on me was an honour and it has been a big learning curve,” she admits. “But between Spring Creek and my involvement with Agribition, I’m now doing 110 percent of what I think I was meant to do.”

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The opportunities just kept on coming

Schmitt was accepted into the CYL program in 2013, and paired with mentor Johanne Ross, Executive Director of Agriculture in the ClassroomManitoba Inc. (AITC-M). “Johanne also works from home, so it’s been easy to catch up with each other by phone. She spent two days with me at Agribition and was very helpful in sharing some of the ideas and contacts she has collected over the years,” says Schmitt. “While the Agribition Agri Ed program focuses on grade one to grade eight students, CWA is exploring the idea of an agriculture-related career program geared for high school students.” “Coincidently, AITC-M just released a video featuring the many careers available in agriculture such as: research, marketing, economist, event management, sales, and science and technology.” The career video, which will be incorporated into the Made in Manitoba Breakfast program (MIMB), is called Your Life – Your Agriculture. The video, like the breakfast program, is sponsored by Monsanto Canada. “It is expected that employment opportunities in agriculture will increase 15 percent in all regions across Canada over the next five years,” says Ross. “By sharing this video through all of AITC-M’s delivery programs and online through social media, we hope to tweak the interest of older students to consider a career in agriculture.” “The MIMB program, just one of AITC-M’s varied offerings for students of all ages, travels across Manitoba feeding breakfast to students and connecting them to where that food comes from. They are served breakfast by local agricultural producers from a variety of sectors. “Before breakfast, the students take part in an educational presentation to explore the agriculture industry to connect them to the food they are about to eat. Since 2011, we have taken this program to over

100 rural schools and 15,000 students.” Besides spending time together during the CWA in 2013, Schmitt traveled to Winnipeg in February, 2014, to spent a whirlwind three days with her mentor. She spent one day working the beef booth at a divisional Agriculture Industry and Career day, and two days in prearranged meetings with Manitobans working in the Ag education field. “While being in two neighbouring provinces has posed a bit of a challenge, in other ways it provided an opportunity for Carla to widen her scope of contacts,” says Ross. “As for me, having to take a step back and look at the AITC-M program in order to share with Carla, has given me a renewed pride in how far we’ve come with our agriculture educational programming. It’s also been empowering

to get to know a young woman like Carla who is as passionate about agriculture as I am.” When Schmitt entered the CYL program she was asked to outline her goals for the mentorship in a road map format. That way, she could mark her progress. Her goals for the CYL program were to: broaden her knowledge of Ag awareness and education and its link to the beef industry, learn more about environmental stewardship, understand more about how policy development works for foreign trade within the beef industry and learn how to connect with more local and provincial beef groups. Through the CYL program, Carla has learned much more about the diverse opportunities available in agriculture. She hopes to inspire others to check them out.

TOP: Schmitt speaks to students at an Agriculture Education program on Canadian Beef production. | Photo by Sherri Grant Below: Schmitt is one of the judges at Farm Fair International. | Photo Provided by Carla Schmitt

APRIL / MAY 2014 |

Feeding kochia? Proceed with caution

FILE PHOTO

By Shirley Byers It arrived here from Eurasia as an ornamental garden plant around 1900. Your greatgreat-grandparents may have planted it proudly in their flower patch and referred to it as summer cypress, burning bush or fireweed. You probably know it as kochia, and you may not like it much. Kochia (Kochia scoparia) has escaped the flower gardens and become an invasive weed. For those not familiar with it, be on the lookout for a pyramid shaped plant growing up to two metres in height. The stem and branches are somewhat hairy. The entire plant turns reddish purple in the fall. Or, maybe you do like it. Maybe you have even fed it to your cattle. Also known as “poor man’s alfalfa,” especially south of the border, kochia has good forage value, often containing 11 to 22 percent crude protein, depending on soil nitrogen content and stage of maturity at time of ingestion. As a comparison, alfalfa hay in the late bud, early bloom stage can contain 16 to 20 percent crude protein. “It’s often present in a hay stand or people may be trying to clean up a cropped area by baling the kochia,” says Murray Feist, ruminant nutritionist at the Agriculture Knowledge Centre, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.

Feed with caution

The important thing to remember about kochia is that it contains oxalates, which are also found in redroot pigweed and in rhubarb leaves. Oxalates bind to calcium in the bloodstream, forming calcium oxalate. This leads to hypocal-

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cemia — low calcium levels. Accumulation of calcium oxalate crystals in the kidneys can cause kidney failure. And, an unidentified toxin present in kochia can cause liver failure in cattle, sheep and horses. Post-mortems of affected cattle will show swollen kidneys, hemorrhages and edema of the rumen wall, along with calcium oxalate crystals in the kidneys and rumen. “Kochia infestation varies from year to year,” says Feist. “Often there may be one or two each year, but each year is different. This year I haven’t taken any calls about feeding kochia.” Short term symptoms of oxalate poisoning include laboured breathing, depression, weakness, coma and death, with some animals showing convulsions and tetany — involuntary contraction of muscles - within two to four hours of eating a feed containing high levels of oxalates. If an animal is showing obvious symptoms, it generally means serum calcium levels have been reduced by up to 20 percent below normal. Death usually occurs in animals registering more than a 20 percent re-

duction in serum calcium. The symptoms of long-term oxalate poisoning, primarily weakness and depression, are similar to those of short-term poisoning, but are exhibited over a longer period of time before coma and death occur. A blood analysis for serum calcium may help in diagnosing oxalate poisoning. When feeding kochia, it’s crucial to introduce it gradually and to not exceed maximum feeding levels. To limit the risk of potential animal health problems when feeding baled kochia, inclusion rate can be limited to 30 per cent of the diet. As an extra precaution, always feed additional calcium supplements to negate any effect of kochia on calcium utilization. Prepared minerals containing calcium and phosphorus can be used, or if a mixed diet is fed, additional limestone can be added as a source of calcium. Though it originated in arid to semiarid areas of central Eurasia, is drought and disease tolerant and very happy with an alkaline soil, kochia is increasing its range into cooler and moister areas of the Prairies.

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APRIL / MAY 2014 |

C C A A NN U A L M EETIN G R E C A P

CCA 2014

Annual general meeting highlights Reports by Barb Larson, Lynn Grant and Reg Schellenbrg At the 2014 Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Ottawa, the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) Board of Directors announced that Dave Solverson and Dan Darling were acclaimed as president and vice president, respectively. The CCA also newly elected members to the executive committee: Pat Hayes (SK), Reg Schellenberg (SK), Matt Bowman (ON) and Doug Sawyer (AB). Appointed to the committee are Martin Rossmann (BC), Howard Bekkering (AB), Lynn Grant (SK), Ramona Blyth (MB), Bob Gordanier (ON), and Ivan Johnson (Atlantic). Code of Practice The Animal Care Committee discussed the renewed Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Beef Cattle, how it was rolled out and how it’s being promoted. They also reviewed the Canadian Livestock Transport certificate program. A number of motions were debated and passed or defeated. The CCA defeated two motions to continue finan-

Members of the Saskatchewan delegation to the CCA AGM, including CCA reps and the SCA Chair, with federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. | photo Courtesy of Canadian Cattlemen’s Association

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cial support and membership in the Canadian Forage + Grassland Association (CFGA). The CCA executive extended the term and operations of the Young Cattlemen’s Council, subject to review in two years. Information on other motions is available from the CCA or SCA. Saskatchewan representation at the CCA board will be reduced from five board members to four. This is determined by a formula based on provincial contribution levels, cattle numbers and other factors. Saskatchewan moved from four to five a few years ago, and is now moving back to four representatives.

Beef Advocacy Program Launched Beef Advocacy Canada, a program to create a unified voice for the beef cattle industry, was launched at the AGM. Beef farmers and ranchers stand to benefit from the program as it’s designed to help them feel comfortable talking to the media about a wide range of topics related to the beef cattle industry. The program works similar to a school course and includes chapters that focus on various aspects of the beef industry from farm-gate to plate. Beef advocacy graduates will be given

media training and become part of an elite ‘Beef Ambassador Club’, able to answer consumer and media questions. The program is a joint effort between Canadian Beef Inc., the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association and the Alberta Livestock and Meat Association. Information on becoming a ‘Beef Advocate’ is available at Beefadvocacy.ca

Beef Industry Innovation & Sustainability Award The CCA introduced a new award that recognizes innovation that supports the beef industry competitiveness and sustainability. The Beef Industry Innovation & Sustainability Award (BIISA) was presented to McDonald’s Canada. Rob Dick, Senior Director of Supply Chain Management, and Sherry MacLauchlan, Director of Government Relations, accepted the BIISA on behalf of McDonald’s Canada President John Betts. The BIISA will be awarded to any value chain partner in the beef cattle industry who successfully implements innovation that clearly demonstrates a contribution to industry competitiveness and sustainability.

E D U C ATION

Ag literacy program brings producers into the classroom By Bill Strautman Glenn Cline loves working with kids. When he heard that Saskatchewan’s Agriculture In The Classroom was looking for farmers and ranchers to visit local schools and read books about agriculture to school kids during Canadian Ag Literacy Week, he jumped at the chance to participate. “It’s something I feel we need to do as cattle producers. Nobody knows anything about what we’re doing any more and people are taking their food sources for granted. Plus I’ve worked with the school through the museum in Dundurn and the teachers and students in grades one to six are so interested in what you have to tell them,” says Cline, who got into cattle in the 60s and currently runs a 150 head cow/calf operation just outside Dundurn. “If I have the opportunity, I’d certainly do it again. I think it’s important that the people giving the presentations are up to speed on the industry and you’re speaking from experience. We got some excellent questions from the students during the talk.” Cindy Krueger, the grade 5/6 teacher at Dundurn school, highly recommends the program. She says information provided by Ag In The Classroom is clear, age appropriate and targets outcomes across the curriculum – science, social and health. “It’s so relevant, and it’s wonderful to have a local person come in. It adds to the authenticity of the presentation,”

Glenn Cline, a local cow/calf producer, reads to the Grade 5/6 class at the Dundurn Elementary School during Canadian Ag Literacy Week in March. |

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by Bill Strautman

says Krueger. “We just finished a global citizenship unit. This lent some cross-curricular hands-on aspect to that. We’d talked about issues of sustainability and stewardship. Then to have Glenn come in and talk about that from the grass roots, it really did complement some of the work we’d already done – the interaction between people and the environment.” “I enjoy having guests in. With a little lead up, the students are really engaged. They appreciate hearing from producers who have the life experiences and have been there doing the work.” Krueger says Agriculture In The Classroom sent out some resources so she could prepare the students before Glenn arrived. That allowed for some pre-teaching and that helped the students be more engaged. Karen Enns, a project manager with Ag In The Classroom – Saskatchewan, says Canadian Agriculture Literacy Week is an initiative of the Agriculture in the Classrooms across Canada and is funded by Farm Credit Canada. “Agriculture comes alive in Canadian classrooms as thousands of students across the country participate in hands-

on activities that include reading books about farming, watching agriculture videos, and meeting with farmers and agricultural representatives,” says Enns. “Through direct contact with industry people and producers, our representatives have the opportunity to share positive messages about agriculture and encourage students to consider the many exciting career opportunities that the agriculture industry has to offer.” About 3,100 students from 89 schools – 50 rural and 39 urban - and more than 140 classrooms across Saskatchewan participated this year. The Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association provided 150 copies of Sherri Grant’s book, “Where Beef Comes From”, in both English and French versions, that were given to classrooms across the province. “Producers who visited the classrooms all brought some type of handson opportunities for the students to experience. 95 percent of teachers surveyed felt that agriculture education is important. “In partnership with the agriculture industry, we can make a difference in agriculture awareness amongst students in our province,” says Enns.

APRIL / MAY 2014 |

C EO R E P O R T

Social licence for cattle producers

Have you ever wondered

what ‘social licence’ means? And what it has to do with raising cattle? Social licence for beef producers is based on the beliefs, perceptions and opinions of the general public. The old model of attacking industry critics and relying solely on science in the argument will not likely protect farmers’ freedom to operate in the future. In farming, as in many other aspects of our lives, an individualist freedom paradigm is no longer an acceptable guide to society. Interdependence between potential users of scarce resources, and the politics of the environment, is changing the nature of ownership and the freedom to produce food. Increasingly, individual freedom is tempered by the requirements of interdependence, requiring that producers adjust their ac-

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tions to ensure that the needs of the many are satisfied ahead of, or at least in conjunction with, the desires of the individual. At times, the instinctive response to change is to oppose it and to ‘defend property rights’. This traditionalist response pits legalistic arguments against contemporary views of the political boundaries of ownership. It also pits the interests of farmers against the interests of the broader community. In so doing, it translates some issues into a power-based argument, rather than seeking to find where the middle ground and fair compromise might lie. An alternative compromise to the discussion between private rights to use the land for commercial purposes and public interests in conservation is to find ways to bring these two interests together. In this context, the idea of a farmer’s social licence becomes as important as ‘legal right’ in determining the legitimate boundaries between freedom to farm and obligations to conserve. Farmers who are able to demonstrate to society that their farming practices maximize the benefit from their use and minimize the harms are in a far better position

to gain the maximum freedom to benefit from their private property and the public lands used for beef production. To secure a social licence to produce, farmers need to gain the trust and support of others that live and work in the area, and in particular, those who make decisions beyond the area where cattle are produced. Ecologically sustainable beef production requires consideration of the wider economic, social and environmental implications in an integrated way, and a longterm rather than short-term view when making decisions and taking action. And the interest of producers is one of long-term economic viability, the costs of producing beef. The idea of a social licence tends to shape thinking along the lines that it is the community that directs farming activity towards sustainability and social justice. However, this is deceptive, because farmers themselves are generally concerned with the same issues. For them, the balance between public good and private interest is more complex than it is for those whose lifestyles and families will not be materially impacted by where this line is drawn.

Our new world demands new approaches. It’s about having a measure of control in your future, rather than having it dictated — Gene Gregory, president of United Egg Producers. to you. The need to create a living is an important element in how farmers view their social obligation. Their belief that they are already responsible environmental stewards shapes their response to proposed further restrictions on their licence to manage the land and produce food in ways they think are legitimate. Many farmers will acknowledge there should be a balance between environment and production. One aspect of environmental sustainability is intergenerational equity. Beef producers will refer to pastures and water conceptually in terms of grass and water for future generations and long-term caring or stewardship of the land. For effective management of grasslands as a public resource, it‘s important to understand that cooperation is the way to achieve mutual benefits for

all. Relevant considerations include: appropriate caring for the land; a stewardship approach; preventing environmental degradation; and achieving a balance in the landscape. All are ways to describe environmental values. “Our new world demands new approaches,” says Gene Gregory, president of United Egg Producers. “It’s about having a measure of control in your future, rather than having it dictated to you.” Having some measure of control over the pace of change is essential for the cattle industry to manage expectations. Science can solve most problems. But often the debate is an emotional one. While public perception may be the major factor driving change, the beef production industry can help navigate by staying out in front of the consum-

“When I ride out to treat calves on pasture, I need a product that works fast and I know will last...because I’m only doing this once.”

er mindset and strengthening that relationship. People increasingly want to have a closer connection to their food. They want to know where it’s coming from and they want to feel good about what they are eating. Research shows increasing consumer awareness and scrutiny of welfare practices often have significant impact on meat demand. One of the emerging areas being considered now is the labelling of animal welfare attributes on retail products. Individual beef producers and industry representatives have an opportunity every day to answer the concerns of consumers and build the level of consumer trust in beef products. It’s up to us to help make it happen.

Craig Douglas, CEO

Summer pneumonia is a challenge anytime you have calves on grass. Treat them with a product that gets to work right away1 and gives long lasting2 action in a single dose. Treat them with the product that is safe3 to handle, and comes in a plastic bottle that you can toss in your saddlebag.

Treat them with ZACTRAN®. Ask your veterinarian why ZACTRAN is ideal for cattle in your ranch. 1. Giguère S, Huang R, Malinski TJ, Dorr PM, Tessman RK & Somerville BA. Disposition of gamithromycin in plasma, pulmonary epithelial lining fluid, bronchoalveolar cells, and lung tissue in cattle. Am. J. Vet. Res. 72(3): 326-330 (2011). 2. Based on product label. 3. See ZACTRAN MSDS. ZACTRAN ® is a registered trademark of Merial Limited. © 2014 Merial Canada Inc. All rights reserved. ZACT-13-7557-JAD-E

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APRIL / MAY 2014 |

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TE C H NO L O G Y

New cattle market app from Canfax By Bonnie Warnyca Whether you’re a cow/calf

producer or a cattle feeder, the new Canfax cattle market app, called CFXPro, is designed to help make more sense of the current and changing market signals. Brian Perillat, Canfax manager and senior analyst, says in the past, there has been some uncertainty about how to apply U.S. cattle market price information at the production level. “The CFXPro is a unique and specific app targeted at providing cattle pricing and break-even calculations specifically for the Canadian cattle market. We’ve built in a variety of assumptions around basis levels, fluctuating costs of production and changes in the market to help producers calculate some price projections,” says Perillat. “There are several inputs that can be changed such as animal performance, yardage costs, death loss, vet cost, and other key variables to make it relevant to individual operations.” This app has similarities to the Canfax Trends report (a monthly feedlot profit/loss report), except prices are now directly linked into the live futures market for Live Cattle and the Canadian dollar. Canfax benchmarks for historical basis levels and feedlot cost of production are combined with the live market information to calculate profits and losses for producers looking to buy or sell calves or feeders for backgrounding or finishing. CFXPro also has a price projection portion of the app for all types of calves and feeders with a similar calculation method used to provide potential prices based on current market conditions. Not only does the app provide cur-

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rent potential prices, but it can be used to project prices over eight months into the future. If you want to get a sense of what the market might be for 600 pound steers or heifers in November, this scenario can simply be inputted into the price projection portion of the app. “This is app is unique to the Canadian beef industry marketplace,” continues Perillat. “For producers who may not follow the markets closely, the app is a tool to decipher how broader market changes could affect their calf prices, or profit levels on feeder cattle.” “The app has several options to customize the calculation based on each of the user’s specific costs.” Brad Welter, cattle manager at Pound-Maker Agventures Ltd. at Lanigan, was one of the first to download the new app. He says that while you can find all the same information in various other locations, this new app makes quick work of helping to maneuver through the information in order to calculate a market strategy. The app is populated with default

Canfax numbers, and can operate with as little as three input variables. If you do use Canfax default numbers, it is still critical to update the cost of barley for when the calves will be in a feedlot. That is the most critical variable impacting calf prices and/or profit margins. There are several default scenarios that you can run through until you get comfortable with how to use it. “This app is easy to navigate on my iPhone and it’s fairly accurate on projecting prices for this September,” says Welter. “I think that this app could be a welcome tool to help cow/calf producers put down their costs of production and find the break even numbers for their calves. That way, they can look at various options for marketing their calves at different times of the year in order to improve their net returns.” The app was developed by Canfax with funding from three main foundation partners – the Alberta Livestock and Meat Association (ALMA), the Saskatchewan Beef Industry Development Fund (SBIDF), and the Feeder Associations of Alberta. Zoetis stepped in as a major sponsor to allow Canfax to offer the new app free to both Canfax members and non-members. It can be downloaded onto an iPhone or an older model BlackBerry. There will soon be an educational and instructional video posted on the Canfax website to help users get the maximum benefit from the new app. *It is important to note that although the app provides specific price projections, it is only meant to be a guide for market prices. The Canfax app can be found at www. canfax.ca

S A L ES & E V ENTS

April 12

Blue Collar Bull Sale – Black Angus yearling bulls and heifers - Heartland Livestock Sales in Yorkton, SK

June 8-10

Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association Annual General Meeting – Moose Jaw, SK

April 17

Back Yard Horse Seminar - presented by Farm Animal Council of Saskatchewan - Lloydminster, SK

June 9

Alberta Beef Producers Semi-Annual General Meeting – Delta Edmonton South Hotel - Edmonton, AB

April 24

Back Yard Horse Seminar - presented by Farm Animal Council of Saskatchewan - Executive Royal Hotel Regina, SK

June 18-20 Farm Progress Show – Regina, SK

May 1

Back Yard Horse Seminar - presented by Farm Animal Council of Saskatchewan - Porcupine Plain, SK

May 8

Back Yard Horse Seminar - presented by Farm Animal Council of Saskatchewan - Equine Performance Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK

May 22-24

Livestock Markets Association of Canada Annual Convention and Canadian Livestock Auctioneer SASKATCHEWAN CATTLEMEN’S Championship - Doubletree by Hilton Hotel and Conference Centre - Regina, SK

June 19-20

University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Beef Cattle Conference – Deerfoot Inn and Casino, Calgary, AB

June 24

Western Beef Development Centre Field Day – Termunde Farm, Lanigan, SK

July 9

International Livestock Conference – Calgary, AB

July 20-24

Pacific NorthWest Economic Region Annual Summit – Whistler, BC

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August 2

Saskatchewan Agriculture Hall of Fame induction ceremony at Saskatoon’s Western Development Museum.

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May 22-24

B.C. Beef Producers Annual General Meeting – Creston, BC

August 12-15 Canadian Cattlemen’s Association Semi-Annual Meeting – Charlottetown, PEI

June 4

Canadian Angus Association Meeting and Conference – Moose Jaw, SK

Sept. 17-19

Canada Beef Annual Forum – Toronto, ON

Nov. 24-29

Agribition – Regina, SK

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Events Calendar

Send in a notification of your events to the Connection. Events can be listed for the categories of Shows & Events, Upcoming Sales, Education or Field Days. There is no charge for listing your event. Listing submissions should include all contact information (contact name, name of event, location, phone, fax and email). Only the Event Name, Date and Location will be published.

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Connection Events Calendar c/o Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Assoc. officeadmin@saskbeef.com 310 820-51st Street Saskatoon, SK S7K 0X8 Fax: 306.665.2336

If you would like to place an Advertisement to give more information about your event activities, times, contact information, etc., please contact: Kelly Berg kelly.berg@producer.com 306.665.3500 1.800.667.7776

APRIL / MAY 2014 |

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