At the National Western Stock Show in Denver

The 2012 Red Angus Show at the National Western Stock Show in Denver must be one of the largestwith just a few shy of 300 head. The quality and presentation is tremendous! It is very exciting to watch our Canadians be so competitive and to see how profoundly our genetics are impacting our American friends.

It has been an amazing day for Canadian Red Angus breeders. Here's how it broke down, from start to incredible finish:

The Spring Heifer Calf Champion is Red Six Mile Marta 300Y and Reserve Champion is Red Wildman Chieftess 115Y. Congratulations to the Gibson family from Fir Mountain in their champion and Brett, Tracy and Paige on breeding the Reserve for Wildcat Creek.

Red Six Mile Countess 105Y is the Junior Calf Champion--way to go Gibson family.

Northline Angus has the Reserve Intermediate Champion Female with Red Northline Cream Soda. Congratulations to the Schneider family of Ardrossen, AB.

Six Mile Red Angus has the American National Red Angus Champion Female--Red Six Mile Countess 105Y is the Denver NWSS Grand Champion! Congratulations to the Gibson family from Fir Mountain, SK.

Also, the Reserve National Champion Red Angus Female was sired by Red Lazy MC Cowboy Cut 26U, a bull born to the Morasch family of Bassano who was co-owned by the Longshores of Bar-E-L at Stettler, AB. The runner-up in that division is sired by Red Ter-Ron RealDeal 01W, the 2011 Canadian Angus Association Show Bull of the Year.

In the Junior Bull Calf Division, the Champion is Red Six Mile Smokin Gun 133Y and the Reserve is Red Lazy MC Trooper 21Y. Both of these bulls factored into the CAA Gold Show champions as, respectively, the calf on the Gold Show Champion Female of the Year for Six Mile and a Top Five finish for Lazy MC.

Red Northline Chuck Norris is the Champion Intermediate Bull for the Schneiders and Doug and Cheryl Domolewski and girls from Taber, AB, and Red Northline Jesse James is the Reserve Senior Bull for Howard and Wendy Schneider and family.

Congratulations to Brylor Ranch and Wraz Red Angus on Red Brylor Makn Waves 39X being named the Reserve Junior Champion Bull along with their American partners.

For the first time in their history, Six Mile Red Angus from Fir Mountain, SK is the Premier Breeder and Premier Exhibitor of the American National Red Angus Show! What an amazing... and deserved... accomplishment for Clayton, Corinne, Callie, Cade and Coy Gibson.

The first bull division champion is Red Lazy MC Eye Spy 64Y. Way to go, Clint, Angela, Laurie and Layne of Lazy MC Red Angus at Bassano, AB.

Holy Smokes! Both Grand and Reserve Champion Bulls are Canadian! Red Lazy MC Eye Spy 64Y from Clint, Angela, Laurie and Layne Morasch of Bassano, AB is the American National Champion Red Angus Bull and the calf on our Gold and National Champion Red Angus Female, Red Six Mile Smokin Gun 133Y, is the Reserve! Congratulations to the Gibson family, especially Coy who claims Smokin Gun as his own.

Additionally, Laurie Del Morasch was named the Champion Junior Herdsman earlier today. Way to be Laurie!

Our Canadian Red Angus breeders have done us so very proud! What an amazing day in Denver!


Posted by Rob Smith
Feedback: cdnangus@cdnangus.ca

2011 Gold Show Results

The Canadian Angus Association Gold Show program was once again a success in 2011. We are pleased to announce the winners:

• Black Show Bull of the Year is DMM Creed 75W
  
• Black Show Female of the Year is DMM Miss Essence 37T
• Red Show Bull of the Year is Red Ter-Ron RealDeal 01W
• Red Show Female of the Year is Red Six Mile Gloria 746W

(Click on the links to view each animal's pedigree in our online herdbook.)

The top Red Angus females are:

1. Red Six Mile Gloria 746W
2. Red Ter-Ron Alice 31Y
3. Red Ter-Ron Rebecca 21W
4. Red McRae's Reba Lee 53W
5. Red Lazy MC CC Sparkle 3X

The top Black Angus females are:

1. DMM Miss Essence 37T
2. Six Mile Real Beauty 803U
3. Young Dale Peg 77P
4. Belvin Lady Blossom 14'09
5. Belvin Echo 211'10

The top Red Angus bulls are:

1. Red Ter-Ron RealDeal 01W
2. Red Rock of Spittalburn 101Y
3. Red DMM Glesbar Barndance 35X
4. Red Lazy MC Trooper 21Y
5. Red Ter-Ron Excalibre 40Y

The top Black Angus bulls are:

1. DMM Creed 75W
2. HF Hemi 176W
3. Just Enuff New Edition Edgar
4. Justamere 1036 Iron Will 732W
5. Harvest R Major 1 Y

We also introduced a new feature of the Gold Show program this year, the All Star Team.

The Black Angus All Stars are:

• Heifer Calf Champion: Harvest R Blackbird 3Y
• Junior Champion Female: Belvin Echo 211'10
• Senior Champion Female: DMM Miss Essence 37T
• Bull Calf Champion: Harvest R Major 1 Y
• Junior Champion Bull: Just Enuff New Edition Edgar
• Senior Champion Bull: DMM Creed 75W

The Red Angus All Stars are:

• Heifer Calf Champion: Red Ter-Ron Alice 31Y
• Junior Champion Female: Red Lazy MC CC Sparkle 3X
• Senior Champion Female: Red Six Mile Gloria 746W
• Bull Calf Champion: Red Rock of Spittalburn 101Y
• Junior Champion Bull: Red DMM Glesbar Barndance 35X
• Senior Champion Bull: Red Ter-Ron RealDeal 01W

Congratulations to everyone who helped make the 2011 Gold Show program a success! Photos of the winners can be viewed on our website at www.cdnangus.ca/members/goldshow.htm

Information on the 2012 Gold Show program will be posted soon.

Posted by Tina Zakowsky
Feedback: tina1@cdnangus.ca

Share your opinions!

Every member of the Canadian Angus Association was recently mailed their 2012 membership renewal and a member survey. The survey was developed through the direction of your elected Board of Directors. To those who have already taken the time to fill in the survey, THANK YOU. If you have not submitted your survey yet, the deadline is December 15.

Each member household was mailed a copy of the survey. The survey can also be filled in online. Please note that you will need to submit your membership number when completing the survey online, but your responses will remain anonymous.

This is the first comprehensive survey of Canadian Angus Association members for several years and does require that you spend some time answering the questions. As an incentive, the Board will draw one membership number from all the completed surveys received and that member will win their choice of an iPad or Blackberry Playbook.

Please take the time to share your opinions with the Board and help shape the future direction of the Canadian Angus Association.


Posted by Tina Zakowsky
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

Farmfair 2011

This year's edition of Farmfair International was quite an event. Along with CEO Rob Smith and President David Bolduc, I attended the reception for Alberta's new Agriculture Minister, Evan Berger. This was one of the first public appearances by Minister Berger since his appointment. The event also featured a number of representatives from agricultural organizations and government officials.

The Angus show featured one of the largest crowds in recent Farmfair history. The Angus breeders exhibited a high quality group of cattle from top to bottom. It was mentioned by more than one bystander that although the number of entries was lower than in the "old days of the Winter Classic", the quality of cattle was better. The Red Angus section was judged by Riley and Jill Mader while the Black section was judged by Jim Henderson.

There was a somewhat unprecedented but will deserved result in the Alberta Supreme Show. Both supreme Champions were exhibited by Miller Wilson Angus of Bashaw. The winning bull was DMM Creed 75W, co-owned by Miller Wilson Angus and Harold Reich. The winning female was DMM Miss Essence 37T, owned by Jaelayne Wilson. This is quite an accomplishment given the fact that this was the first Supreme show featuring winners from other major shows across Alberta. I will be interested to see which one(s) of the Miller Wilson clan will be driving the two new Dodge trucks!


Posted by Michael Latimer
Feedback: cdnangus@cdnangus.ca

The National Show and Royal Winter Fair

On November 4th I boarded a plane which would lead to a whirlwind adventure with Rob Smith and David Bolduc. First stop was Winnipeg to meet up with my Alberta counterparts and rent a car to travel to the National Show in Brandon. I was proud to Show off Brandon’s Keystone Center to Rob and David. Barns, show rings, restaurants, convention halls, the Wheat Kings, and our hotel all under one roof. I remember David saying I wish we could pick this up and take it to Calgary.

We attended the Manitoba Beef Producers supper that night had a delicious Certified Angus beef supper. The next morning I awoke early to help tie cattle in and got to tour the barns and visit with breeders. I helped out at the show by handing out banners to the champions. Congratulations to 6 mile for winning Grand Champion Female in the Red and Black Angus show. We had to leave early and I did not see who won Grand Champion Bull.There were some tense moments as we were driving back to Winnipeg to make our flight when a detour took us right through the middle of Portage Le Prairie.

We arrived in Toronto to our Beautiful Hotel in the shadow of the CN tower. This was my first time being outside of the Toronto airport and I was excited to see the city. The next morning I got on to the wrong shuttle bus to go to the Toronto Royal but ended up getting there in good time all the same. The show was spectacular, with competitors from Indiana to the Maritimes, Quebec and Ontario. The 4-H junior show was going on all afternoon in the next ring which was very entertaining. That evening I met George Earley from Ontario who toured me around the Hall of Fame before I met up with David and Rob in the Angus Barn.

The next morning we got up early and boarded our planes back to the frozen prairies that had been engulfed in winter since we left. In two hours I will be boarding a plane for Edmonton and Farmfair international. Hope to see you there.


Posted by Austen Anderson, Robert C. McHaffie Junior Ambassador
Feedback: cdnangus@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

2011 World Angus Secretariat in Argentina

Every two years Angus Associations from around the world gather to share ideas and build relationships and form a united Angus front on a global scale. This year the World Angus Secretariat, now a conglomerate of 20 different Angus Associations, met in Argentina. Official delegates from Canada included Canadian Angus Association President David Bolduc, Past President Kirk Wildman, CEO Rob Smith, Junior Ambassador Austen Anderson, and Breed Development Specialist Kajal Devani. The official delegates attend the World Angus Secretariat Technical meeting where all the Associations share their technical challenges, and together the secretariat makes recommendations for adopting technology. At this year’s technical meeting we discussed SNP-based parentage verification, using genomic information in genetic evaluations and the benefits of data sharing between the Associations.

Also from Canada were 30 participants, the largest group of participants present in Argentina. The next numerous group of participants was from the Czech Republic who had 17 participants from their country. I really enjoyed the opportunity to get to know the 30 participants from Canada. You get to know people quite well if you have the chance to travel at length with them.

All Canadian participants would agree that this trip to Argentina was an incredible opportunity to witness Argentinean hospitality, to meet Angus enthusiasts from all over the world, to network and promote Canadian Angus genetics, and to establish strong working relationships. The trip gave me the opportunity to compare notes with breed development staff from 20 other Angus Associations. I recognize that most of them face the same challenges that we do, and I learned some new ways to approach different challenges.

While we were in Argentina, our Junior Ambassador, Austen Anderson, was an exemplary representative for Canadian Angus and Canadian juniors. He is creating a collection of all the photographs that were taken in Argentina so that they can be shared with all our members. So, keep an eye out for these!

Our hosts introduced us to Argentinean beef, wine, culture, Tango, heritage and people. The Canadian participants came back with a better understanding of how things are done all over the world, and in Argentina especially. Argentina is very heavily influenced by Europe, especially by the Spanish and Italians. Their Creole horses are beautiful, and they relish their gaucho traditions. 98% of Argentineans eat beef every day of the week, and their beef preparation methods were very tasty! Argentina is a very diverse country with arid mountain regions as well as more tropical southern regions. They struggle with infrastructure for roads and trade barriers that we can empathize with. And yet, they have huge operations with up to several thousand purebred Angus in their operations. Argentinean Angus breeders utilize a lot of American and Canadian genetics, and enjoy good relationships with many Canadian Angus breeders.

We look forward to the next Secretariat meeting which will be held with the 2013 World Angus Forum in New Zealand. The New Zealand Angus Association has designed a very fun Forum challenge for youth participants. You can read more about this by clicking on the following link: http://www.worldangus.com/.


Posted by Kajal Devani
Feedback: kajal1@cdnangus.ca

Fall Sales Look Good So Far

Our 13th Canadian Angus Rancher Endorsed Fall Feeder Sale of the 2011 run takes place today in Olds. So far, things are good and there is lots of optimism as the market has picked up this week. People are very happy at the auction marts and producers are feeling good. Many are finding that they are receiving more money than they did at the same time last year for comparable quality calves.

Supply and demand are a big factor, and this year that is driving prices up. The Canadian dollar has gone down a bit and that doesn't hurt either. Cattle prices have gone up while other commodities have gone down.

Guys are a bit slow in bringing their cattle to town, but that is typical for this time of year. The numbers will pick up after the Thanksgiving holiday and we'll see high numbers of cattle going through the auction rings through the end of October.

Have a great Thanksgiving, and watch for our commercial field reps at Canadian Angus Rancher Endorsed Feeder sales near you. We will also have a booth and representation at both Red Roundup on October 21-22 and at Agribition November 23-26. A limited number of Canadian Angus Rancher Endorsed Tags will be available for pick-up at each location.

Posted by Brian Good
Feedback: cdnangus@cdnangus.ca

Canadian Angus Foundation Update

The Canadian Angus Foundation has had one of its best years ever. We successfully raised $26,280 in the Baldy Fundraiser, half of which was donated to the ‘Kids with Cancer Society’. We also had a great turnout for the Junior Ambassador competition that featured some of the best youth that our Angus fraternity has to offer. Ultimately Austen Anderson of Swan River, Manitoba was selected as our ambassador for the upcoming year. Austen will travel to the World Angus Secretariat in Argentina as well as several shows and sales across Canada.

A few new opportunities for our Juniors include the chance for one CJAA member to have $500 of their travel paid to the GOAL conference in Regina this February. This is awarded through the Canadian Angus Memorial Fund and is open to members of the CJAA. To enter submit a paragraph stating ‘How you will benefit from attending GOAL’ to mlatimer@cdnangus.ca; be sure to include your contact information.

The inaugural Dick Turner Award will be presented at the 2012 Canadian Angus Association annual general meeting in Lethbridge. The criteria for the award will be announced early in 2012 so keep reading the Junior Connections newsletter and Angus World for more information.

The Canadian Angus Foundation functions to preserve and expand the Angus breed for future generations through education, youth development, scientific and market research, and historical restoration. More information about the Canadian Angus Foundation is available at http://www.canangusfoundation.ca/ or by email to mlatimer@cdnangus.ca.


Posted by Michael Latimer
Feedback: mlatimer@cdnangus.ca

Performance Program Deadline Extended to November 1

We understand that weaning and weighing calves before October 11 is difficult for many breeders. The Canadian Angus Association has worked very hard with the Associations that we cooperate with in genetic evaluations on your behalf to increase efficiencies. We are very pleased to inform you that we are able to extend the deadline for performance data to be included in the next National Cattle Evaluation to Tuesday, November 1, 2011. Our staff will do their best to still have the new EPDs available in early 2012 for sale catalogue and bull buying decisions.

The Canadian Angus Association staff value our members and the feedback that you provide. We will continue to work hard for you to provide you with tools and services that are useful and practical for your Angus operation.

Please contact the Registry Department (registry@cdnangus.ca) as soon as possible if you do not yet have the 205 day worksheet for your Spring 2011 born calves. If you received a Missing Data – Herd Inventory listing for Spring 2011, please complete it and return to us as soon as possible so we can generate the 205 day worksheet.

It is preferable that you mail the worksheet or submit your weights electronically or by HerdMaster to ensure accuracy.

Refer to the Breeder Handbook for assistance with completing the 205 day worksheet.

If you have any questions about weaning weights, online submission, the Canadian Performance Program or EPDs, please contact me.

Posted by Kajal Devani
Feedback: kajal1@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

Greek Burger Recipe for the Labour Day Weekend

What are your plans for this last long weekend of summer? We've talked to members who will be fishing, camping, soaking up the sun, playing in ball tournaments and barbecuing. Lots of Angus breeders will be trying to squeeze in a little bit of R&R between haying and silaging. A few will be showing cattle this weekend.

For many of us, a summer long weekend is a great excuse to gather friends for a back yard barbecue featuring Angus beef. If such a gathering is on your agenda for the weekend, consider trying these Greek burgers. The recipe comes to us from Chef Dez at Lepp Farm Market (a Canadian Angus Rancher Endorsed licensed participant) in Abbotsford, BC.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 large egg
• 7 garlic cloves, crushed
• 3 tbsp finely chopped fresh oregano
• 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Preparation:

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl and divide equally into four portions. Shape each portion into a hamburger patty.
2. Grill on a preheated barbecue, medium flame, until cooked through. (Burger temperature will be 160 degrees Fahrenheit when fully cooked.)
3. Serve with tzatziki sauce, lettuce and tomato on a hamburger bun. For a gluten-free or lower calorie option, wrap hamburger patty in a large lettuce leaf instead of using a bun.

The recipe is easily doubled, tripled, etc. if you are expecting a crowd.

Whatever you do this long weekend, enjoy the sunshine and drive safely. Our office will be closed on Monday to recognize Labour Day, but we'll reopen at 7:30 a.m. MDT on Tuesday.

Posted by Tina Zakowsky

Feedback: tina1@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

International Livestock Congress 2011

The International Livestock Congress (ILC) was held Wednesday in Calgary as part of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association Semi-Annual Meeting and Convention. It was an opportunity to interact with other industry partners as well as participate in a program which focused on trade opportunities, global trends and economic analysis in the beef industry.

A few key points were repeatedly emphasized throughout the day and paint a promising picture for the beef industry.

• Canada produces a very high quality beef product which will always be in demand by consumers and foreign markets.

• The Canadian dollar will remain strong.

• As the Canada-EU trade negotiations progress, there are many issues which as an industry need to be addressed.

• Consumers do want to purchase Canadian beef and they do look to the packaging to identify the origin of the beef prior to purchase.

The Canadian Angus Association was well represented at ILC with President David Bolduc, Brian, Michael, Kajal, Ciara, and Cheryl in attendance. Staff members have also been a part of the other aspects of the CCA’s Semi-Annual Meeting this week. By participating in events such as this it allows the Canadian Angus Association to strengthen its position as an industry leader and to be ready to seize the opportunities and face the challenges which encompass the Canadian beef industry.

Please contact anyone who was in attendance for more information on the conference or to find out how you can participate next year.


Posted by Cheryl Hazenberg
Feedback: chazenberg@cdnangus.ca

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