Report on 2011 Canadian Angus Rancher Endorsed Sales

The Canadian Angus Rancher Endorsed Fall Sales are now over. The last sale was held yesterday, although we do have two spring sales coming up in 2012.

Canadian Angus Association commercial field staff put on a lot of miles this fall; we only missed attending 3 locations.

Our field staff report that sales have been good right across Canada. The demand has been strong for Angus cattle in every weight division, both heifers and steers. Prices have also been strong. When good quality cattle were identified with Angus tags, they sold at the top of the sale. Demand for Angus tagged cattle was strong across the country throughout the fall run. Demand for Angus tagged cattle has increased over last year and commercial field staff received lots of questions from customers and feedlot staff about the tag program.

There is also lots of demand for red and black bred Angus cattle. People have even been willing to pay a little more for solid coloured cattle this fall.

This year was the first year for our Feedlot of the Year Awards. Wherever I went in Western Canada, people had heard about the awards and commented about them. I also talked to a lot of people about our Auction Market of the Year Award. Once again, I'd like to congratulate Ferme d'Anjou et Fils, winner of our Eastern Canada Feedlot of the Year Award; High Ridge Feeders and Shannondale Farm, winner of our Western Canada Feedlot of the Year Award; and to Assiniboia Livestock Auction, winner of our Auction Market of the Year Award.

Angus breeders should be very happy. This is the best fall I've ever seen in the beef cattle industry. Several of the old timers I've talked to have had the same thing. The best part is that there's enough of a shortage of cattle that prices should remain strong into next year.



Posted by Brian Good
Feedback: cdnangus@cdnangus.ca

Saturday at Agribition

Saturday at Agribition brings excitement for everyone. The commercial sale is underway and going well. There are a lot of fantastic Angus influenced animals on offer here in the Stockman’s arena. Later today the Supreme Champion will be named, that show get underway at 4:00 p.m. this afternoon. Good luck to all participants and we will see if an Angus animal takes the prize this year. Our breed is very well represented. There have been many comments this week about the quality of all the Angus cattle in the barns this year.

Angus tags have been selling like hotcakes over the past couple of days but there is still time to pick up some from me or place your order. The weather is beautiful, the crowds are great and there is lots to see on the last day of the show.

Posted by Cheryl Hazenberg
Feedback: chazenberg@cdnangus.ca

Agribition Report November 25

The Angus show yesterday was a great success. Congratulations to all the exhibitors. Congratulations to TNF Red Angus of Riviere Qui Barre, AB, exhibitor of the Grand Champion Female Red TNF Young Kassie 3Y and to Ter-Ron Farms of Forestburg, AB, exhibitor of the Grand Champion Bull Red Ter-Ron Real Deal 01W. Congratulations also to Soo Line Cattle Co. of Midale, SK, exhibitor of the Grand Champion Female Soo Line Annie K 1008 and to BAR-E-L Angus of Stettler, AB, exhibitor of the Grand Champion Bull Southland Two Fitty 250T.

A great crowd came out to view the show and was not disappointed. There is still lots to see at Agribition through the weekend. The Commercial Show is underway now and the sale will run tomorrow morning. The Power & Perfection Angus Sale is tonight at 7:00 p.m. and there is the Canadian Angus Association sponsored commercial appreciation dinner tonight at 5:00 p.m. The fog has rolled in but the weather is still wonderful.

I can be found in the Blairs.Ag booth in the Stockman’s Arena. I will be here tomorrow as well. There are still some Angus tags available but they are going quickly and you can place an order and have them shipped home.


Posted by Cheryl Hazenberg
Feedback: chazenberg@cdnangus.ca

Agribition Report

Our second full day at Agribiton has kicked off with both the red and black shows underway. There is a great turnout of cattle, exhibitors and spectators. Good luck to everyone participating.

Yesterday saw the Masterpiece sale being a success with a great turnout and lots of interest in the cattle on offer. We attended the International Reception last night and met with visitors from all over the world. Sixty different countries have representatives at Agribition this year.

We are lucky to have great weather this year with temperatures staying around the freezing mark. More updates to come as we move to the commercial show tomorrow. Look for me at the Blairs.Ag booth in the commercial barn Friday and Saturday.

Posted by Cheryl Hazenberg
Feedback: chazenberg@cdnangus.ca

Alberta Age Verification Incentive Program Milestone

This morning we hit a milestone. The Angus Association has given away over $300,000 worth of free tags under the Government of Alberta’s Age Verification Incentive Program. That equates to producers receiving 102,908 free Angus tags. This phase of the program began in July 2010 and will continue until December 31, 2012.

Any Alberta producers who paid full price for their tags or who have not yet returned their signed 2011 AVIP application form to the office, need to do so as soon as possible. Those forms must be processed by us before the end of the year to qualify for this year’s incentive. Please fax them to (403) 571-3599 or email them to chazenberg@cdnangus.ca if you have any questions about this program please feel free to contact me anytime.

We offer free third-party age verification services to Angus tag customers. We can only accept information that is sent by fax, mail or e-mail. Be sure to include the tags used and first day of calving season or individual birthdates (including year) cross referenced to tag numbers. We require a few days to complete the work before your calves are sold. Please forward the information as early as possible. Birth certificates will be returned by mail unless otherwise instructed.

Posted by Cheryl Hazenberger
Feedback: chazenberg@cdnangus.ca

2011 Canadian Angus Rancher Endorsed Sale at Mankota

What an event! Everyone in the Angus business should have the opportunity to attend an outstanding sale like this one. There were 3,500 head on offer, all of them were Angus-tagged and age-verified black Angus steers and heifers. There is no sale like this anywhere else in the world.

The sale attracted buyers from all over Canada, including Harry and Ed Dalke who recently won our Western Canada Feedlot of the Year Award. They were so impressed with the cattle on offer that between them, they bought about one-third of the cattle.

Prices were as high as any we've seen across Canada this fall. The quality and uniformity of the cattle are so good that they barely have to be sorted. The sorts were into groups of over 200 for tri-axle loading.

If you missed this sale, there are still lots of Canadian Angus Rancher Endorsed sales left. Look at our Events Calendar or Fall Sale Listing to find a sale near you. Make sure you watch for our field reps and say hello.

I look forward to seeing you at a sale soon.

Posted by Brian Good
Feedback: cdnangus@cdnangus.ca

The Canadian Angus Rancher Endorsed Feeder Calf Listing Has Launched

Last week we told you about an exciting new initiative, the Canadian Angus Rancher Endorsed Feeder Calf Listing. Canadian Angus Rancher Endorsed Tag customers can list upcoming lots of animals on offer by private sale, through an auction market or internet auction, and we will post the list on our website and send it to anyone interested in purchasing Angus influenced calves. The service is free for those using Canadian Angus Rancher Endorsed Tags.

The listing can be viewed on our website at www.cdnangus.ca/commercial/Angus_for_sale.htm. It is also sent by e-mail. Please help us spread the word about this new service. To subscribe to the e-mail, send an e-mail to chazenberg@cdnangus.ca.

To have your calves included, complete the Canadian Angus Rancher Endorsed Feeder Calf Listing Information form and return it to the Association office. Please include as much information as possible, however, not including some information will not exclude you from participating.

Posted by Cheryl Hazenberg
Feedback: chazenberg@cdnangus.ca

New Service: Canadian Angus Feeder Calf Listing

The Canadian Angus Association has created a new free service that will be available on September 16 to help you market your Canadian Angus Rancher Endorsed tagged feeder calves. The Feeder Calf Listing will list upcoming lots of animals on offer by private sale, through an auction market or internet auction and will be distributed to anyone interested in purchasing Angus influenced calves. List with us and let buyers know when and where your Angus-tagged calves will be sold!

An email will be distributed each Friday listing new groups of available cattle. A complete list will be maintained on the Canadian Angus Association website. To have your calves included, complete the Canadian Angus Rancher Endorsed Feeder Calf Listing Information form and return it to the Association office. Please include as much information as possible, however; not including some information will not exclude you from participating. Listings will be posted online within 1 business day and included in the next weekly email. This free service starts on September 16, but you can send us the information now to be included in the first distribution.

I encourage you to sell your calves through a Canadian Angus Rancher Endorsed Feeder Sale and calves selling at sales can still use this listing. This year there are 169 sales across the country at 67 different auction markets and a complete list of the 2011 sales dates is also available online. Contact your local auction market or any one of the Canadian Angus Association field staff for further information.

Posted by Cheryl Hazenberg
Feedback: chazenberg@cdnangus.ca

Canadian Angus Association Presents Eastern Canada Feedlot of the Year Award to Ferme d’Anjou et Fils

Left to right: Jerome Richard, Canadian Angus Association Director for Quebec; Wayne Gallup, Canadian Angus Association Fieldman; Jean Francois D'Anjou, Ferme d'Anjou et Fils; Guy D'Anjou, Ferme d’Anjou et Fils; John Donaldson, 2009 President Canadian Angus Association

Ferme d’Anjou et Fils of Quebec received the Canadian Angus Association’s Eastern Canada Feedlot of the Year award in recognition of their work feeding and promoting Angus and Angus cross cattle. Commercial Fieldman Brian Good presented the award at the Quebec Feedlot Society’s field day.

Ferme d’Anjou et Fils is located in Saint-Agapit, Quebec and is managed by Guy D’Anjou and his son Jean-François. The feedlot annually finishes between 4,000 and 5,000 head of mostly Canadian Angus Rancher Endorsed tagged Angus and Angus-influence cattle for shipment to Ontario and American markets. Guy believes it is critical that the cattle he purchases are identified with an Angus tag that certifies the animal has at least 50% Angus genetics.

Ferme d’Anjou et Fils is a comprehensive enterprise. In addition to the feedlot, Guy operates a cattle transport company in cooperation with one of his sons, and operates Angus Zone restaurant and Les Viandes Chez Nous butcher shop with his family. Angus Zone and Les Viandes Chez Nous both offer Canadian Angus Rancher Endorsed beef supplied by the Ferme d’Anjou et Fils feedlot.

The Canadian Angus Association introduced the Feedlot the Year award this year to recognize feedlots that promote Angus to their customers and that feed Canadian Angus Rancher Endorsed tagged cattle. The award for Western Canada was presented to High Ridge Feeders and Shannondale Farm of Manitoba at our annual general meeting in June.


Posted by Tina Zakowsky
Feedback: tina1@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