The Canadian Angus Tag Program is Your Tag Program – Show Your Angus Pride

We’re most likely preaching to the choir when we say the Angus breed is where it’s at. Angus dominates the marketplace and is the choice for consumers ranging from those making a quick stop at McDonald’s to steak connoisseurs at the finest restaurants in the country. Take a moment to enjoy that success because you helped achieve this top of mind recognition with the public. People might not know what marbling means but they know to ask for Angus at their local butcher shop. Angus is at the top and the view from here is amazing.

According to Canfax, a division of the Canadian Cattlemen's Association that analyzes cattle markets, Angus have 64% influence in the Canadian commercial cattle herd; two-thirds of Canadian crossbred cattle have Angus genetics. Angus cattle are also found in all Canadian provinces.

But do you know what is most difficult about being at the top? It’s staying at the top.

The Canadian Angus Tag Program is the largest branded tag program in the world with 300,000 radio-frequency identification tags sold annually. Although it’s already the largest in the world, we are focusing on growing our Canadian Angus Tag Program over the next five years. Our program requires minimum 50% Angus genetics so we are working with industry to make the Angus tag the qualifier for branded Angus beef programs in Canada.

We have major beef suppliers approaching the Association wanting to use our Angus tagged cattle in their programs. We just don’t have enough Angus tagged cattle to meet their demand.

This is where you can help. There are various ways you as members can support your tag program, including:

·         Make sure you’re using Canadian Angus Tags on your cattle

·         Have tags at your bull sales:

o   Give away a bag of tags with each bull sold

o   Give gift certificates for tags with each bull sold

·         Promote the tags in your bull sale catalogue

·         When you follow up with the people who buy your bulls, ask if they have bought their tags yet. Offer to help them with their order.

·         Contact your Business Development Team to suggest events they can attend and promote tags

·         Talk to your neighbours: do you know Angus breeders who are not using tags? Explain why you love the tags and why they should use them as well. Ask the Business Development Team to get in touch with them to further explain the benefits of the tag program.

·         And if you have other ideas to promote the Canadian Angus Tag Program, we’re always open to suggestions!

The Number One Tag for the Number One Breed

Did you know that you can buy CCIA-approved RFID tags for your Angus-influenced cattle from the Canadian Angus Association?

The Canadian Angus Tag Program, based on the nationally required RFID tag, is the world’s largest branded tag program.  The tags visually and electronically identify cattle with a minimum of 50% Angus genetics.  Canadian Angus RFID tags are Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (CCIA) compliant.  Management tags are also available in large, maxi, and supermaxi sizes.  Producers with Angus cattle with at least one registered parent are eligible for the program – regardless of whether or not they are Canadian Angus Association members.

As an Angus tag user you are eligible for free age verification services through the Canadian Angus Association. You are also eligible for a free membership to the Commercial Angus Identification and Performance Program (CAIPP) which records pedigree and performance information on your commercial Angus-tagged animals. CAIPP uses this information (and DNA parentage testing) to provide you with valuable marketing and genetic selection tools.

Benefits of using Canadian Angus RFID tags:

Benefits:

·       Free age verification — CAA will age verify your Angus-tagged animals for you upon request

·       Differentiation – Canadian Angus tags visually and electronically differentiate Angus and Angus-cross cattle by guaranteeing that the animal bearing the tag has a minimum of 50% Angus genetics

·       Pricing – tags are priced at $78 for a bag of 25, and $310 for a box of 100 (plus applicable shipping and taxes)

·       Identification – Angus tag numbers can be cross-referenced to registration papers and are an alternative form of animal identification

·       Purchasing ease – Angus tags are CCIA compliant, meet all national identification requirements and are delivered via Canada Post directly to you

·       Eligibility –Canadian Angus tags qualify animals for numerous branded Angus beef programs in Canada

·       Pride – Show your Angus pride! Angus is the biggest beef breed in North America with 64% of all calves processed annually containing Angus genetics

·       Commercial Programming – as an Angus tag user you are eligible for a free membership to the Commercial Angus Identification and Performance Program (CAIPP) through which you can record pedigree and performance information on your commercial Angus-tagged animals to provide you with valuable marketing and genetic selection tools.

Ordering Angus tags has never been so easy:

·         Call 1-888-571-3580

·         Visit www.cdnangus.ca

·         Tags can be pre-ordered for future delivery

·         Regional association secretaries have tags available

·         The Business Development Team has tags accessible across Canada

o   Canadian Angus Association Business Development Team:

§  Brian Good: 403-391-4037 or bgood@cdnangus.ca

§  Bob Toner: 306-716-5272 or btoner@cdnangus.ca

§  Nathan Marin: 306-869-7130 or nmarin@cdnangus.ca

We look forward to working with you and helping support your Angus breeding goals.

‘Secrets’ about birth weight and weaning weight

Calving ease equals sleep and money at this time of the year. There are extensive studies that quantify the negative impact of calving difficulties (on the calf, the cow, and the producer). So, we select for genetics that we think will ensure peaceful slumber and easy calving. 

Traditionally, producers have done this by choosing to use low birth weight bulls, thinking that low birth weight mean high calving ease. The two traits are associated but they are not the same. The estimated genetic correlation between birth weight and calving ease is -0.65. So, low birth weight contributes to calving ease, but it is not the complete answer. After a certain threshold, low birth weight is also correlated with calf mortality and morbidity. 

The other trait that birth weight is correlated with is weaning weight. The estimated genetic correlation between birth weight and weaning weight is 0.29. This means selection for lower birth weight results in lower weaning weight. The same is true for yearling weight. Animals with the genetic potential for low birth weight will also have the genetic potential for low performance at every other stage in its life. Its genetic potential for growth is correlated from birth to weaning to yearling and through to mature weight. 

Canadian Angus members often tell me that the only performance information bull buyers ask for is birth weights. Let’s start talking about the traits that they really want, what really makes them money – calving ease and weaning weight. If you need some ‘talking points’, an explanation of traits or EPDs, or anything else for your bull sale catalogue, please don’t hesitate to contact your Angus Association. We have created several ¼ page inserts for your sale catalogues. These are a great way to share information with your bull customers.

The key to profitability for cattle producers is a live calf that grows well. We wish you the best through this calving season and bull sale season.  

2018 is the Year of the Canadian Angus RFID Tag

Optimism is high among our members and, more importantly, among our commercial cattlemen.

Since Canadian Angus represents 64% of Canada’s national commercial cow herd and more than 50% of purebred registrations in a given year, what we do as Angus genetic seedstock suppliers affects every single element of our nation’s cattle and beef industry. Never before has any one breed held more market share and been more dominant than we are right now. We have an awesome, incredible, humbling responsibility but my greatest confidence comes from the fact we know that our membership is absolutely up for it!

Welcome to ‘The Year of the Tag’!

We have long had the world’s largest branded tag program but, in 2018, we hope to grow it by 50%! So please note, through this year, you will see a lot about our Canadian Angus tag program and what you can do to help it grow.

Why should it grow?

For a number of reasons…

1. The only way to get Red Angus cattle into ANY Angus-branded beef program in Canada is for them to be tagged with our Canadian Angus tag. 
2. There are a number of branded beef programs in Canada that are unable to find enough verified Angus cattle to satisfy their program demands. The only way to verify? With our Canadian Angus tag!
3.  We are moving closer and closer to where major Angus-branded programs will need and want to verify that what they are selling as Angus is, indeed, Angus! And the only way to do that is by procuring cattle that are tagged “Canadian Angus”.

If you think you can’t access our tags easily enough, please try placing your order online: delivery usually takes place the next business day or, at the most, within three business days. We may never be available at retail locations (although we are working on this) but we are quite easy to obtain. And if you can find tags less expensive than what we sell ours for, please contact us because we are priced at the lowest level we can find.

As an Angus tag user you are eligible for free age verification services through the Canadian Angus Association. You are also eligible for a free membership to the Commercial Angus Identification and Performance Program (CAIPP) which records pedigree and performance information on your commercial Angus-tagged animals. CAIPP uses this information (and DNA parentage testing) to provide you with valuable marketing and genetic selection tools.

We know many of you want a premium for using our Angus tag; we can never guarantee this. However, we have to ask you… why do you want or need a premium? Our RFID tag is priced as reasonably as anyone’s. And you HAVE to put an RFID tag in your calves. So why not show Angus pride, create optimal opportunity for both yourself and those who purchase, feed and sell your genetics, and tag ’em Angus?

Onward and upward are two words that guide your Canadian Angus team in everything that we do. And we think, as you work through calving or prepare for your cows to calve, you mostly think this way, as well. And we want to thank you for that optimism, that commitment and dedication. That pride.

Here to 2018 being your greatest year as Angus producers yet. And if your Canadian Angus Association can do anything to assist you, either as a purebred or commercial producers, please never hesitate to let us know. After all, we work for you. And we celebrate and commit to this each and every day.

Canadian Angus Association

Phone: 403-571-3580

Email: cdnangus@cdnangus.ca

www.cdnangus.ca