Journey to Colombia

In July, a group representing the Canadian Angus Association and Canadian Beef Breeds Council (CBBC) travelled to Colombia in an effort to influence an increase in trade relations between our nations. On August 15 the Free Trade Agreement between Canada and Colombia will take effect, and through this we expect to see an increase in the amount of Canadian Angus genetics and Canadian Angus beef exported to Colombia. I had the honour of representing the Canadian Angus Association along with President David Bolduc. Mauricio Arcila (Technical Services Coordinator) and Doug Fee (Executive Committee Director) represented CBBC on this mission.

While in Bogota we attended Agroexpo. This is a farm and ranch show that featured exhibits from various equipment dealers, equine events and livestock shows. It was held in a facility similar to that of the major Canadian exhibitions. It is held every two years and is the largest agricultural fair in northern South America and the Caribbean.

In 2011 the Angus-Brangus Association of Colombia is celebrating their 15^th anniversary. We were invited to attend a reception to celebrate this milestone. At many different times over the five days at Agroexpo we were able to meet and have excellent discussions with their President Gustavo Lobo Gurerro and Executive Director Juan Santiago. They identified a strong desire to work with the Canadian Angus Association and we reciprocated that sentiment.

The Angus show was divided over two days with males and females showing on different days. The Red and Black animals showed together but separate from the Brangus. The style of showing was similar to that of North America with a few subtle differences, mostly in the showmanship area. Not dissimilar from our Canadian shows, the quality of cattle varied. The top animals would be competitive in our shows and the lower end animals were relatively poor. It was difficult to tell if this was a function of genetics or management.

This was a very successful mission for the Canadian Angus Association but there is still a significant amount of work to be done before we will know the exact potential of the market.

Read more about our Journey to Colombia in the next edition of Angus World.

Posted by Michael Latimer
Feedback: michael1@cdnangus.ca

Showdown 2011

We (new CEO Rob Smith and Commercial Fieldman Brian Good) had the pleasure of attending Showdown in Weyburn, Saskatchewan. Showdown 2011 was a smashing success. It was an excellent display of quality livestock and, more importantly, an incredible display of extraordinary skill from over 100 youth representatives from coast to coast.

We are both impressed with the incredible creativity of the youths in their graphic design and marketing. The extent to which these youths are able to "ride for the brand" is right up there with the best. Even the experts in marketing Angus genetics are blown away by our youths efforts to promote Angus cattle and beef.

We saw some great Canadian genetics--including the Canadian Class Champion Sealin Creek Rosebud Lass 123X exhibited by Allison Speller. This year there were about 160 head cattle from all four western provinces and Ontario. It was as good a display of livestock as we've had at any type of Angus show, not just Showdown, for some time.

And while the cattle display was impressive, the main focus is not just the cattle; Showdown is about so much more. You don't have to show cattle to attend Showdown. For example, Alec Drury didn't show any cattle but he participated in and won three other events.

It was also great to see an active contingent of peewee participants, 12 youths under the age of 9. Emma Thomason was one of the crowd favourites. Nolan Chalmers told us that he "Learned everything he knows from his grandpa, John Duivenvoorden, but wanted to come to Showdown to learn another perspective." Very impressive insight, especially coming from such a young cattleman!

Everybody really enjoyed the cook-off competition. Rob tried to eat all the steaks presented to him. If you've ever attended Showdown and seen the cook-off competition, you know that there is a lot of beef! The audience had fun watching and was awed by the new CEO's ability to eat steak. Although some participants insisted they didn't know how to cook, the creativity shown was amazing. One team created a steak marinade with Dr. Pepper. While the steaks were on the grill, they sprinkled cinnamon on them. It was unusual but very tasty!

We can't say enough good things about Showdown and our youth participants. If our future is in good hands, then our future is now. The dedication, enthusiasm and wisdom of these youths is out there now. It doesn't have to wait for the future.


Posted by Rob Smith & Brian Good
Feedback: cdnangus@cdnangus.ca

Ontario Angus Field Day

I had the opportunity to attend and speak at the Ontario Angus Field day held on Sunday, July 17. Hosted graciously at the beautiful Cairnlee Acres by Victor and Yvonne Richardson, the field day was blessed with sunshine, warm weather and about 40 participating breeders.

Sandy Reid from RK Animal Supply demonstrated how he recommends tattooing our animals. Sandy owns and tattoos about 100 head of his own every season and had some good pointers from lessons learnt, including the suggestion to keep a sheaf of paper nearby and test your tattoo on it first. This will save you from tattooing all your calves with your herd letters in the wrong order, or with last year’s letter by mistake. I shared with our members that our new breeder handbook, which is available on our website, has very comprehensive step-by-step instructions for tattooing, plus our rules and regulations in regards to tattooing. We are also working on a video that will be available on YouTube and our website later this summer. Several members expressed that legible tattoos are a concern at sales and shows and breeder education is certainly appreciated.

Scott Bothwell from Beef Improvement Ontario demonstrated ultrasound scanning on a heifer. As I mentioned in my presentation, because we do not receive kill floor carcass information, we use ultrasound scan data exclusively to calculate carcass EPDs. We encourage breeders who select based on carcass traits to ultrasound scan their animals. Scott demonstrated the correct way to scan an animal and the challenges a technician faces to capture accurate images.

I presented an explanation of what EPDs are, how they are calculated and how they are best used. Members that attended asked some very good questions and it is evident to me, as one breeder said, that the way in which people think about the performance program is changing. Breeders are recognizing the value and the necessity of the program.

I would like to thank Ontario Angus for the opportunity to meet so many breeders and talk to them about EPDs. It gives me an idea of the information members are looking for and also about what new developments would excite our members.

Posted by Kajal Devani
Feedback: kajal1@cdnangus.ca

Red and Black Baldy Fundraiser Check Presentation

For the past several months the Canadian Angus Foundation has carried out the Red and Black Baldy Fundraiser. The challenge was issued to President Kirk Wildman, Rob Smith and me, to raise money with the highest fundraiser having their head shaved during the banquet at the 2011 Canadian Angus Annual Meeting in Clear Lake, Manitoba.

In the end, all three of us had our heads shaved. The campaign raised a total of $27,280 with half of the proceeds going toward the Canadian Angus Foundation and half going toward the Kids with Cancer Society. On Monday, July 4, Kirk, his son Thomas and I presented a check to the Kids with Cancer Society Executive Director, Val Figliuzzi for $13,640. The Kids with Cancer Society is a tremendous organization that works toward a very important and worthwhile cause.

I am very proud of the level of support we received from the members of the Canadian Angus Association. We were supported by 145 different individuals, farms, families, and other agricultural groups. Many of these donors represent more than one person which makes this even more significant. It is now the most successful fundraising campaign in the history of the Foundation. When we initiated the campaign, I was skeptical as to the amount of money that we would be able to raise. I couldn’t believe that anyone would pay a wooden nickel to see Kirk, Rob, or me shave our heads in the middle of summer. It didn’t take long for me to realize that it had nothing to do with any of our hair. It had to do with the cause we were supporting in that everyone either knows someone or has been affected by cancer themselves and are very passionate toward the cause. The members of the Canadian Angus Association, whether they contributed to this campaign or not, should be extremely proud of this accomplishment. It truly shows the generosity and passion of everyone in the agriculture industry.

Posted by Michael Latimer
Feedback: michael1@cdnangus.ca

Happy retirement Doug Fee

Over the last 17 years, Doug Fee has taken the Canadian Angus Association from the 4th-largest beef cattle breed with a staff of 3 and 29,931 registrations to Canada’s leading beef breed with a staff of 13 and 55,452 registrations. When Doug joined the Association, registrations were completed by Canadian Livestock Records Corporation, there was no Junior program, and the Association offered a limited number of programs.

One of Doug's first tasks as General Manager was to bring the Canadian Angus Association registry in house. The first registrations were processed in January 1996. One year later, we were recognized as having Canada’s largest purebred beef cattle registry.

Doug oversaw the Canadian Angus Association office’s move to Calgary, and the grand opening was held in conjunction with the Association’s 90^th anniversary.

The Canadian Junior Angus Association was formed, and the Juniors held their first event, Showdown, in 2000. Sixty competitors from six provinces brought 100 head of cattle to compete in the 3-day event.

In 1999, we became the first beef breed to offer a tag that met the requirements of the national cattle identification program while also identifying Angus cattle electronically and visually. In the first year of the Canadian Angus Certification Program, about 20,000 tags were sold. That number has steadily increased and in 2010, over 240,000 Angus tags were sold. The Canadian Angus Association made the move to RFID technology in 2005, ahead of the rest of the industry. The program also became truly national in 2009 with the introduction of an Angus ATQ tag for producers using Angus genetics in the province of Quebec.

As CEO, Doug has attended meetings of the World Angus Secretariat in Denmark, South Africa, Ireland and Canada. Canada was the host country in 1985 and 2009.

Doug was part of a 2004 Canadian delegation that celebrated the 125^th anniversary of the founding meeting of the Aberdeen Angus Cattle Society in Scotland. A plaque was unveiled in the Perth hotel where the founding meeting was held, and the gravestone of Hugh Watson of Keillor, recognized as the founder of the breed, was rededicated.

On behalf of Canada’s Angus breeders, Doug presented a gift heifer to Her Majesty the Queen Mother on the occasion of her 100^th birthday in 2000. He also represented Canadian Angus breeders and the World Angus Secretariat two years later at the Queen Mother’s funeral.

Doug successfully managed the Canadian Angus Association throughout the darkest days in the Canadian beef industry, when the discovery of a single animal with BSE in May 2003 brought the industry to a near halt. Despite the crisis created by BSE, the Canadian Angus Association registered a record 53,412 animals in 2003. That record was broken in 2005 when 56,159 animals were registered, and was broken again in 2006 when 60,744 animals were registered.

In 2006, Angus registrations in Canada increased to over 50% of the Canadian purebred cattle population for the first time. Other significant firsts in 2006 include the first all-age-verified, all-tagged, all-Angus sale in Mankota, Saskatchewan, and the Junior Association’s first Guiding Outstanding Angus Leaders (GOAL) conference.

Doug, you will be missed by the staff and members of the Canadian Angus Association. Under your leadership, we have grown and progressed as a breed. We all thank you for your years of dedication and wish you enjoyment and fulfillment in your retirement.

Posted by the Canadian Angus Association staff
Feedback: cdnangus@cdnangus.ca

Canadian Angus Association's 2010 Auction Market of the Year Award Presented to Assiniboia Livestock Auction

Assiniboia Livestock Auction has been chosen as the Canadian Angus Association’s 2010 Auction Market of the Year in recognition of their work promoting Angus and Angus cross cattle. The award was presented at the Livestock Markets Association of Canada annual convention on June 10.

Assiniboia Livestock Auction is operated by Roy and Ryan Rutledge, a father and son team. They've been in operation at this location for 25 years and hold a number of special Angus feeder sales for both black and red Angus cattle in the fall. They sell between 3,000 and 5,000 cattle on a pre-sort system each fall. They also sell across Canada through Direct Livestock Marketing Association online sales. They advertise these Angus sales on the radio, in local newspapers and industry publications. They are very proactive in promoting the Canadian Angus Rancher Endorsed tag program and fully support it.

Assiniboia is well known throughout the Canadian feedlot industry for selling top quality Angus and Angus influence cattle. Although the bulk of their sales are in the fall, they promote Angus year-round to our members, both purebred and commercial. Assiniboia trades more Angus cattle in a year than any other auction in Canada. They also have their own ranches, running over 2,000 Angus and Angus influence cattle.

We are very pleased to present the 2010 Canadian Angus Association Auction Market of the Year Award to Assiniboia Livestock Auction for an outstanding performance.

Posted by Brian Good
Feedback: cdnangus@cdnangus.ca

Canadian Angus Association's First Feedlot of the Year Award

At the recent Canadian Angus Association annual general meeting, CEO Doug Fee presented the Association's first Feedlot of the Year Award to Ed and Glori Dalke of High Ridge Feeders and Harry and Brenda Dalke of Shannondale Farm. The Dalke Brothers, as they are known in the industry, were chosen in recognition of their work feeding and promoting Angus and Angus cross cattle.

Both locations feed about 3,500 head of cattle, some of which are custom fed. They purchase black Angus calves tagged with Angus tags in the fall from different locations in Western Canada, namely Brandon, Virden, Mankota, Medicine Hat and Maple Creek.

Their location in Morden means that they can grow cereal grains and corn for their feedlots. They also are able to market the cattle east, west and south for various branded Angus beef programs.

We are very proud and excited to present this award to Ed and Glori and Harry and Brenda for their dedication to Canada's Angus breeders.

Posted by Brian Good
Feedback: cdnangus@cdnangus.ca

We're still shipping Angus tags

We want to reassure you that accommodations are being made to deliver Angus tags while the Canada Post labour dispute continues. Tags are being shipped from Kane Veterinary Supplies via Purolator or bus at no additional charge to the customer. Or if you prefer, tags can be picked up at the Canadian Angus Association office in north east Calgary or at Kane in west Edmonton. Other arrangements can also be made; call us and we will accommodate you the best we can.

Order your tags online or phone 1-888-571-3580/(403) 571-3580 ext 238. Faxed order forms are also accepted at (403) 571-3599. Please remember to include a street address for Purolator deliveries.

Age Verification information can also be faxed or emailed to the office and birth certificates can be returned the same way. This information cannot be taken over the phone, however, we are happy to accommodate written requests all year long. Avoid the fall rush and have your animals age verified any time.

Posted by Cheryl Hazenberg
Feedback: chazenberg@cdnangus.ca