The last four days have been a complete whirlwind for our
Canadian teams. On Sunday and Monday we spent our days taking part in the WAF
Conference. There were some great speakers and panel discussions covering
everything from genomic practices, to nutrition, traceability, rotational
grazing and more. Additionally there were many vendors set up for members to
talk to and learn about new advancements in technology that will further
breeders in our industry.
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| Team Aspire |
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Team Aspire |
Tuesday morning we hopped on a bus and drove to our new
location for the much anticipated Agri Olympics. Our first stop was at Borders
farm where we learned about the UK grading system and looked at some fat
cattle. Teams were tasked with assigning live weights in kilos and an estimated
grade to four of the fat steers there. Later this week we will get to see those
steers hung up after they are butchered and we will be able to compare what we
expected the carcass to look like with what it actually does. Next we drove to
Borders agricultural facility where the rest of the team events took place.
Teams had to operate various tractors and JCB equipment, navigate through an
obstacle course on a quad, catch a group of heifers, build a traditional stone
wall out of various rocks, identify the flags of the Forum as well as try to
figure out what certain equipment and artifacts from a vet museum were. After a
fun afternoon of great competitions, all the teams got together and played a
game of soccer to work off some energy.
Right before dinner we also had the opportunity to act as
a handler in a dog agility course. Our border collies were extremely well
trained and they made us all look like pros. At dinner we enjoyed a "Taste
of Borders" with traditional style food and Highland dancers for
entertainment. Two members of each team also had to learn part of a highland
dance and perform for the delegates. It was quite entertaining to watch as none
of us really knew what we were doing.
After a long day we were all very happy to jump on the
bus and head home!
Wednesday was a day full of farm tours. We started off
early in the morning at Graham's dairy and walked through their production
site. It was quite impressive to see how all of the milk and butter was sorted
and packaged by their machinery. On our way out we got to sample some of their
fantastic ice cream which served as a breakfast for most.
Next we stopped at Cherrybank herd to look at their
cattle. This operation manages their cattle from birth to finishing so we got
to take a look at some Angus cows and calves, feeder steers and finished
steers. We were able to escape the wind for lunch and enjoyed a huge meal
consisting of salads, steaks, burgers and lamb kabobs. Lastly we traveled to
Fordel to take a look at some purebred Angus cattle. We were able to engage in
a debate about the "ideal" Angus cow and what type of selective
breeding practices we should be employing. We saw an excellent herd of cattle
and drove up and along the Scottish countryside. On the way back from the
pastures we drove through a small town which was quite entertaining as we were
all seated in hay feeders being pulled by tractors.
Although it was a busy day
all the Canadian teams had a fantastic time and are really looking forward to
the rest of the activities!
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| WAF Team Canada |
