The Canadian Angus Association staff had the opportunity to get out of the office and get some mud--and manure--on our shoes.
We visited Alta Genetics to see how semen is collected and Davis-Rairdan to see how cows are flushed to retrieve embryos. At both locations, we were taken through the entire process from the time an animal arrives through the semen or embryo being shipped. It was helpful for our staff and for the staff of Alta Genetics and Davis-Rairdan to understand each others' processes and procedures.
We then went to visit Wendy and Doug Newton of Heart Bar Cattle in Crossfield. Wendy and Doug graciously donated three of their cows as recipients for the embryos that the Canadian Angus Association staff won at the 2009 World Angus Forum embryo auction. Two of the embryos took, and we staff are the proud owners of two black Angus calves. Doug and Wendy are caring for the calves on our behalf and are donating their time and resources to do so. We will be selling the calves and donating the money raised to the Canadian Angus Foundation. More details about this project will be unveiled this summer; please watch our blog and website for details.
The staff would like to offer our sincere thanks to Alta Genetics and Davis-Rairdan for taking time from their busy schedules to teach us about what they do. We would like to thank Doug and Wendy Newton of Heart Bar Cattle for donating recipient cows for our embryos and for caring for our young calves. Finally, we would like to thank our members for allowing us to close the office for a day so we could have an opportunity to learn more about the business.
Posted by Tina Zakowsky
Feedback: tina1@cdnangus.ca
