beef business march 2011

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Working for ProducersWorking for ProducersA Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association Publication

Beef BusinessSaskatchewan’s largest circulated cattle industry magazine

May 2010

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Beef BusinessSaskatchewan’s largest circulated cattle industry magazine

September 2010

‘

A Wake-up Call for Industry and Government page 182010 Year-End Inventory Issues page 21Bye Bye BSE page 10Cash for Farm and Ranch Consulting page 16

Saskatchewan`s Premiere Beef Publication

March 2011

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5www.skstockgrowers.com | ©BEEF BUSINESS | MARCH 2011

Contents

Industry News6 Canadian Cattle Inventories Down for 2010 and Possibly Beyond

9 Global Inventory Issues - Is Shrinking International Supply Canada’s Trump Card?

10 Bye Bye BSE?

13 Whole Foods New Grading System Deserves a Failing Grade

15 Exports to Costa Rica Resume

15 Fear and Violence Impacting Ranchers in the US Southwest

16 Cash for Consulting

18 Canada’s Agri-Food Destination - A Wake up Call for the Agri-Food Sector

Markets and Trade21 Canadian Cattle Inventory Jan 2010 - Jan 2011

21 Canadian Beef and Veal Exports 2009 - 2010

21 2010 Meat Export Destinations as a Percentage

21 Live Cattle Exports 2009 - 2010

21 Domestic Slaughter 2009 - 2010

22 Retail Meat Price Survey

24 Saskatchewan Live Cattle Trade

24 Saskatchewan Fat Cattle Trade

24 Saskatchewan Non-Fed Prices

Science and Production32 Calving Season Health Issues

36 Where’s the Beef? Active Missing Livestock Files

39 Horns - A Cornucopia of Costs

40 Easing Transportation Requirements for Livestock Producers

Association News and Reports44 SSGA Hosts Youth Roundtable

49 A Report from the SSGA President

51 A Report from the SSGA General Manager

Stewardship52 SK PCAP - Managed Grazing and Burrowing Owls Go Hand in Hand

54 Calendar of Events

55 Advertiser Index

Cover photo courtesy of Wanda Knoss Rockglen, SK

A Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association(SSGA) Publication

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SSGA reserves the right to refuse advertising and to edit manuscripts. Contents of Beef Business may be reproduced with written premission obtained from the SSGA Editor or Manager and proper credit given to the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association. Articles submitted may not be the opinion of the Association. SSGA assumes no responsibility for any actions or decisions taken by any reader from this publication based on any and all information provided.

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Beef Business

Dr. Reynold BergenCalvin KnossChad MacPherson

A Proud SaskatchewanTradition Since 1913

Did you know that the SSGA is Saskatchewan's oldest agricultural association??

Contributors

Leanne ThompsonJim WarrenCam Wilk

This magazine is printed on paper that is comprised of

50% recycled paper and 25% post-consumer waste.It is acid-free, elemental chlorine-free and is FSC certified

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6 | ©BEEF BUSINESS | www.skstockgrowers.com MARCH 2011

Industry News

Canadian cattle numbers are lower than they have been since 1995 according to Statistics Canada estimates released February 17. Stats Can pegs the national tally at 12.9 million head which represents a 3.4% reduction from January 2010 numbers and a 5.3% reduction looking back to January 2009. (The Stats Can number is of course an aggregate figure that includes all ages and sexes of both beef and dairy cattle.)

Manitoba experienced the largest year to year decline in aggregate inventory at 4.9% followed by a 4.6% drop in Alberta and a 4% drop in Atlantic Canada. In Saskatchewan, cattle numbers declined by 2.5%.

Digging deeper into the data, the numbers reflect a 2.7% decrease in beef cow numbers over the past 12 months and a slight increase (0.6%) in dairy cow numbers. Longtime industry analyst C. A. Gracey, underlined these facts in a paper he released January 14, Gracey stated, “We should not miss the point that cow culling is only 2.5% below 2009 [culling levels] and the national herd in which that culling occurred is smaller than it was in 2009.”

“Then when we consider heifer slaughter, we see that heifer slaughter continued to outpace the rate of slaughter [for steers bulls and females combined] in 2009,” adds Gracey. “…This confirms that the breeding herd continued to decline in 2010 and at a more rapid pace than in 2009.”

Gracey maintains that given current trends the national beef cow herd will decline to 4.3 million head by January 1, 2011. This would represent a decline of 5.4% from the 2009 national beef cow total of approximately 5.6 million head.

As a footnote, we should mention that Stats Can reported hog numbers increased in 2010, ending a steep decline that began back in 2006. Atlantic Canada experienced the highest increase at 4.1% followed in second and third place by Manitoba at 4.0% and Saskatchewan with 1.3%. Hog numbers continued to drop in Alberta, showing a 1.0% decline.

Canadian Cattle Inventories Down for 2010and Possibly Beyond

Canadian Cattle Inventory Jan. 1, 2010 - Jan. 1 2011(includes beef and dairy all ages)

Figures are in 000’s (thousands)Jan-10 Jan-11 % change

East 3,331.00 3,250.00 -2.4Man. 1,220.00 1,160.00 -4.9Sask. 2,645.00 2,580.00 -2.5Alta. 5,190.00 4,950.00 -4.6B.C. 519.00 520.00 0.2Totals 12,905.00 12,460.00 -3.4

0.001,000.002,000.003,000.004,000.005,000.006,000.00

East Man. Sask. Alta. B.C.

Jan-10

Jan-11

Figures are derived from Statistics Canada (02-17-2011) “Livestock Estimates” and C.A. Gracey (01-14-2011) “Year end Cattle Market Comment.”

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continued on pg. 10

Industry News

Globally, annual meat production has increased by approximately 50 million metric tonnes over the past decade. According to a January 28 article by Brian Perillat at CanFax, growth in poultry and pork production account for all of the increase. Global beef production has actually been decreasing, having peaked in 2006 at 53.6 million tonnes and dropping by 3% to 52 million tonnes in 2010.

Not to worry, pork and poultry haven’t surpassed beef in growth because people like cow meat any less. A closer analysis reveals that stalled beef production has more to do with changing social and economic conditions in major beef producing and exporting economies than it does with consumer demand for beef.

The Argentine caseFor example, Beef Business has been reporting on the various domestic financial crises that have prompted Argentina’s on-and-off-again retreat from global export markets over the past several years. The Argentine government’s efforts to discourage exports in favour of sustaining domestic consumption has seen domestic prices collapse followed by significant herd reduction and industry-exiting by producers. The Argentinian cattle herd shrank by a significant 14% between 2006 and 2010. This makes it less likely that Argentina will resume its former status as a major export player any time soon. The world’s consumers haven’t necessarily turned off Argentine bully beef – there is just less of it to be had these days. And that should be good news for Canadian cattlemen looking for export growth and improved prices going forward.

The boys from BrazilThe decade from 1990 – 2000 saw Brazil strengthen its position as a globally significant beef exporting country. Exports grew form 250,000 tonnes in 1990 to 600,000 tonnes by year 2000. Early into the new millennium Brazil was ranked as

Global Inventory Issues Is Shrinking International Supply Canada’s Trump Card?

the world’s third largest beef producer, processing around 18 million tonnes annually. Gone are the days when most Brazilian beef was raised on swamp grass and scrub land and animals weren’t considered finished until they were three-years old. In the 1990s only 16% of the beef herd went to slaughter annually. Today, approximately 25% of the herd goes to market each year – a percentage that is starting to approach North American levels of productivity. Analysts attribute the improvement to better genetics, improved pasture management, and modern finishing practices.

Over the same period Brazilian packing companies like JBS and Marfrig became dominant players in the global meat processing industry. As of 2009, JBS had become the world’s largest packing company following its purchase of Seara Meats from Cargill. It looked as though one way or another, consumers everywhere would soon be buying a lot of their beef from Brazilians.

Not surprisingly, Canadian beef export analysts have been concerned about the long-term impact of growing Brazilian exports on Canadian beef’s competitive position.

Apparently, we can now rest easier. As of 2010 the growth in Brazilian beef exports has stalled. And JBS and Marfrig have ruled out any further expansion for the foreseeable future. Apparently a series of factors have conspired to stunt the growth of the South American giant’s international beef business. One of them is the increased value of Brazil’s currency (the “real”, R$) relative to the US$. Brazil’s R$ has gained about 40% against the greenback over the past decade. With a higher value real, Brazilian beef is simply getting more expensive relative to competing products (like ours). Secondly, the Brazilian economy fared pretty well during the global recession. In fact Brazil’s economy has been in steady growth mode for the past 12 years. A vibrant

economy saw the country’s middle class grow by a whopping 30 million people over the past decade. Growth in consumer incomes was accompanied by higher meat consumption.

That cliché about people wanting to eat more meat as their incomes grow could have been modeled on the Brazilian experience. Domestic per capita meat consumption has shot up from 75 kg annually in 2000 to 94 kg a year in 2010. Beef accounts for approximately 35 kg (63%) of today’s per capita carnivorism. A bane of beef producers world-wide, is that the cheaper meats – poultry and pork, often get the early benefits of expanding meat consumption. This certainly appears to be the case when we look at global consumption over the past ten years. Globally, beef production has declined slightly while pork and chicken production have experienced exponential growth. This trend is apparently not as extreme for Brazil where beef still holds majority status. That said, poultry and pork consumption is indeed expanding faster then beef consumption in Brazil. Nonetheless, the fact is a lot more beef is being consumed in Brazil today than was being eaten ten years ago. This means there is less beef available for export; especially given that Brazil’s R$ is getting more expensive and by extension so is its beef, and one assumes this will make it harder to sell offshore.

The growing popularity of “alternative” meats is clearly not beating down the price of Brazilian beef. According to an article by Patrick Knight in Meat International’s February newsletter, “Beef prices rose by 40% in Brazil last year, but domestic demand was hardly affected, while less fresh beef was exported for the third year running.”

The Brazilian government is getting antsy about the potential for inflation and the new President, Dilma Rousseff, has announced her intention to see the value of the R$ lowered. According


Industry News

to Patrick Knight, even if the value of the R$ declines “Domestic demand for meat is not expected to fall this year, as unemployment remains very low, and wages are rising.”

The downside and upside of global disastersWith Australia’s climate suffering from multiple personality disorder, Russia drying up, and Pakistanis treading water, the safe bet is that cereal, grain and oilseed prices aren’t going to be coming down anytime soon. And, as CanFax’s Brian Perillat notes, meat producers around the world are facing higher feed costs. The big question is the impact all this will have on producer margins. Feed costs will be higher, but at the same time the amount of beef available in the international marketplace is going to be smaller.

Perillat maintains that today’s higher prices are the result of supply factors that have not been accompanied by significant improvements in demand. But clearly, this isn’t the case everywhere, e.g. the retail beef price increases experienced in Brazil. With the recession supposedly over, along with the fact some countries apparently didn’t actually experience an economic downturn, it remains an open question as to whether the global consumer is prepared to pay enough for beef to allow producers here on the prairies to make a buck despite higher feed costs.

Cycles and ecological limitsSaskatchewan producers appreciate that one of the explanations for why global pork and poultry production has taken off over the past ten years while beef production has stalled, is the inescapable fact of natural animal lifecycles.

Confronted with growing demand, it takes less time to boost poultry and pork production than it does to expand a beef breeding herd.

That said, there are economic factors that have discouraged beef production in some countries. Here on the prairies we have noticed that about the time calf prices became profitable there were a lot fewer producers left standing to enjoy them. Who can blame people for exiting the industry after eight years of poor prices? And who would have thought prices would improve in the midst of a major recession and exponentially rising grain prices? These appear to be questions producers are asking in countries besides ours.

Given what’s happened to producers’ bank accounts and the herd reductions that have followed, it will no doubt be some time before cattle numbers in places like Argentina and Canada bounce back to pre-recession and pre-BSE levels.

Brian Perillat observes that if a country wants to increase beef production, it needs to have more space available than it takes to run chickens and pigs. This is especially the case when high grain and oil seed prices make cultivating land more attractive than grazing it. A country like China has grazing capacity issues that we don’t have in Canada. China’s east is too full of rice paddies, small farms and people to graze more cattle and large regions of its less populated outback are undergoing significant desertification.

At the end of the day, our ability to run more cows than we do now may be the trump card that will allow Canadian beef producers to capture any price benefits that arise from shrinking global beef supplies and increasing meat consumption.

Help the SSGA fight for your industry! Become a member today

Bye Bye BSE?

An article appearing in the IMS Newsletter for February 2011 suggests that the eradication of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) could be just around the corner. According to Dr. David Lister, action taken by the UK government to ban the inclusion of meat and bone meal in animal feed has undoubtedly halted the spread of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE).

In making his case, Lister points to evidence like the drastic decline in diagnosed cases in cattle from 37,289 in Britain alone in 1992 to just 17 cases world-wide in 2010 (of which seven occurred in Britain). Another encouraging piece of evidence is the fact that the human form of the disease, v (variant) CJD (Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease), never did take off among people the way BSE did in cattle. According to Lister, the total number of confirmed deaths from v CJD is estimated at around 170, most of which occurred in Britain.

Recent research suggests that lower than expected incidences of the human form of the disease could have a genetic component. Researchers have speculated that a particular variation of a gene pair that controls prions in the human nervous system could be co-responsible for the disease manifesting itself in people. Apparently, the suspected gene variant (MV) was identified in every patient who came down with v CJD in Britain but occurs in just 37% of the general population.

That said, medical science has not definitively allayed the fears of those who predicted a more apocalyptic outcome that would see up to one in 4,000 Britons afflicted with v CJD. Some argue that the disease simply shows up sooner in people with the MV gene variant than it does with other versions of the gene pair. Some people are like that – they feel compelled

Global Inventory Issuescont. from pg. 9

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continued on pg. 13


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America’s giant “green” grocer, Whole Foods, is in the process of implementing a new beef grading system that will focus on the quality of life a steak enjoyed when it was still attached to a steer as opposed to the actual quality of the product.

Casting aside the longstanding USDA system that has accustomed consumers to the grades “prime”, “choice” and “select,” Whole Foods envisions a six-step colour-coded system that purports to measure how humanely animals are raised. No surprise, “code green” is as good as it gets. For a cut of meat to earn a green designation the originating animal has to have lived year round on ground covered by at least 75% vegetation. The lowest grade, “yellow,” applies to product which meets baseline criteria that include bans on antibiotics and “crowding.” One assumes that the various grades will be reflected in Whole Foods’ price tags.

In an article that appeared in the International Meat Secretariat’s February Newsletter, Steve Bjerklie maintains that the new system is unlikely to catch on elsewhere in the supermarket industry. Bjerklie argues that the USDA system serves as the framework for trade and commerce in the beef industry. It ensures buyers and sellers that prices are based on reasonably objective standards.

Curiously, Bjerklie doesn’t consider the possibility of a compromise labeling process, whereby Whole Foods’ colour code would be accompanied by a standard USDA label. One would assume that this is something that the USDA will expect Whole Foods to do. Let’s hope so.

While Bjerklie, who is a poultry industry specialist, notes that the USDA system gives higher grades to beef purported to be “tender, juicy and flavourful,” he doesn’t seem to appreciate the importance of that information. It’s the sort of information that would discourage

to embrace worst case scenarios. For the sensation seeking media and those odd people who take comfort in predicting the end of the world – or even people who don’t think beef should be eaten, the global pandemic could still be just around the corner. They typically base their glass half empty scenarios on the tendency for the disease to lay in symptom-free incubation for several years before victims show serious symptoms. In other words the mass outbreak has already occurred, we just haven’t noticed yet.

But room for optimism is emerging on that front too. An article appearing in the February 2011 edition of the prestigious British medical journal, The Lancet, announced successful trials of a new blood test for detecting v CJD. Soon, when doctors suspect a patient has the deadly ailment they may not need to perform brain biopsies to confirm diagnoses. With less invasive diagnostic tools becoming available, one can hope that we’ll soon be able to convince most chronic hypochondriacs that they don’t have “mad cow disease” – because the disease has in effect been eliminated from human and cattle populations.

Eradicating a disease from the planet is not an entirely new phenomena, the only place smallpox is said to exist anymore is in a freezer at the Centre for Disease Control in Atlanta. It is now reasonable to expect to see Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy eradicated from the beef herd and the headlines about the same time as some of us (including your editor) have finally learned how to spell it.

Whole Foods New Grading System Deserves a Failing Grade

processors from passing off retired laying hens as fryers in his industry.

By way of illustration, in its early days the modern North American bison industry suffered from a lack of graded labeling. It may be hard to believe, but there were producers right here in Saskatchewan who killed ancient herd bulls and attempted to peddle them in the form of choice and fancy cuts instead of as burger. Customers who attempted to chew their way through T-bones that came from a 15 year-old bull were unlikely to make a second purchase – ever.

Reacting to the negative reputation their product was earning, bison producer organizations lobbied governments to provide them with grading standards that mirrored the beef system. The beef industry’s grading system is a promise to the consumer that a piece of beef labeled Canada Grade A or USDA Prime is a quality product. It will be tender, tasty and safe. It won’t bite back or need to be boiled all day to make it edible.

Therein lays the truly insidious downside of Whole Foods’ new system. A customer buying “green” labeled meat may take comfort in knowing that the animals gamboled about in bucolic pastures, were tucked in at night, and never heard a discouraging word. But that doesn’t necessarily mean the product will be a pleasure to eat. A seven year-old steer raised on a sagebrush flat in Nevada may have enjoyed pleasant scenery and mild winters while growing up, but that doesn’t necessarily translate into an enjoyable mealtime experience for the consumer.

If Whole Foods’ system winds up encouraging consumers to purchase poor quality meat, the rest of the beef industry will have to deal with the collateral damage. Unhappy customers are less likely to be repeat customers. Not only

Industry NewsBye Bye BSE?

cont. from pg. 10

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continued on pg. 15


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does Whole Foods green beef label have the potential to turn its own customers off their beef, it threatens the reputation of beef in general.

The new grading system will no doubt irritate some conventional beef producers. After all, existing industry practices and regulatory frameworks do not permit animal mistreatment or unsafe practices. Furthermore, it’s more than a bit smug to assume that animal welfare is the exclusive concern of producers who are certified by Whole Foods and its grading agency (the Global Animal Partnership).

Industry News

Costa Rica has joined the growing list of countries that have reopened their borders to Canadian beef since the appearance of BSE in 2003. While some borders, such as China’s, remain only partially reopened, accepting only UTM beef, the doors are now wide open in Costa Rica. On February 7, the Central American country agreed to allow the entry of all classes of Canadian beef exports. The announcement strengthens the trade relations between Canada and Costa Rica that were established under a bilateral Free Trade Agreement signed in 2002.

Currently Canada’s bilateral trade in agricultural products with Costa Rica totals $224 million annually.

The effects of the drug war being waged in Mexico’s northern states is taking a toll on the peace and security of US ranching families who operate in the border region. The Agribusiness Freedom Foundation’s Steve Dittmer has been tracking the situation over the past few months. Dittmer’s December 31, 2010 blog posting discussed the fallout from the March 27, 2010 murder of Arizona rancher Rob Krentz by suspected drug smugglers. Some of what Dittmer has recently had to say about the Krentz murder and the larger crisis along the border is provided below.

Rob Krentz was the ultimate good neighbor. The Krentz family ranch is over 100 years old and until about ten years ago – life on the US-Mexico border was fine. Those of us who grew up and lived on the border were used to the flow of Mexicans entering our country illegally. But ten years ago, the influx of illegal aliens changed from men wanting to come and work to feed their families back home, to men, women and children crossing to live in the US to receive the generosity of this great nation in the form of welfare, health care, housing and schooling. To facilitate the flow of humans and drugs, the drug cartels entered the “human smuggling” business. It is one of these drug cartel smugglers who is alleged to have shot Krentz and his dog on his ranch when he was out checking water.

… The violence spilling over into this country is accelerating. Over 31,000 have died violent deaths in Mexico in the past five years. Our country is being invaded on a daily basis. Yes our entire country – because those illegal aliens don’t stop in Arizona – I-10 (Interstate 10) and I-8 take them to I-17, to I-40, to I-25 and all across the country. Look around your own community.

Exports to Costa Rica Resume

Fear and Violence Impacting Ranchers in the US Southwest

… The invasion continues-- every day. Phoenix is second only to Mexico City in the number of kidnappings. The majority of homicide warrants in Arizona are for illegal aliens. And a significant portion of the prisoners in our jails are illegal aliens – all this at a major cost to the taxpayer.

Some ranchers have moved their wives and small children off the ranch. Or the kids are no longer allowed to ride their ATVs or their horses on their own ranches. At one school just north of the border along the Santa Cruz River, their school realized the river gets lots of illegal traffic. So they put up a fence complete with barbed wire to protect the school children. Another is now checking the citizenship of students before they board their school buses, as children that still live in Mexico walk daily across the border to attend our schools.

Some people have had to abandon their properties. Home doesn’t feel so good when you are hiding under the kitchen sink to dial the Border Patrol because the illegal aliens in your front yard are carrying AK-47s. Ranches south of I-10 have lost most of their value today.

To read more from Steve Dittmer go to www.agribusinessfreedom.org

Whole Foods New Gradingcont. from pg. 13

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SSGA By-Law Amendment

During the 2011 SSGA AGMJune 5-7 in Swift Current the SSGA By-laws are scheduledto be reviewed and updated. For more information contact

the SSGA Office at306.757.8523.


If you are a rancher and under the age of forty, the federal and provincial Ministries of Agriculture have got a deal for you. On January 27 federal and provincial agriculture officials announced changes to an existing program that provides funds to farmers and ranchers hiring the services of farm management and financial consultants. The new twist involves a 90% reimbursement of the cost of consultant services up to a maximum total bill of $10,000 for producers under the age of forty. It will operate under the handle Young Farmer Business Development Initiative (YFBDI). The existing program remains in effect for producers over forty and will continue to provide a rebate of 75% with a lower spending limit of $4,000. The older program is called the Farm Business Development Initiative (FBDI).

Ministry officials also announced $50,000 in new funding for Saskatchewan Young-Ag Entrepreneurs (SYA) to assist them in the development of a website that will

Cash for Consulting

provide resources for young farmers and ranchers.

In announcing the new programs Saskatchewan’s Ag Minister Bob Bjornerud said, “ Young farmers and ranchers in this province are the future of our agriculture industry and it is important we provide programs and services to meet their needs. This funding will help our producers of tomorrow build the skills necessary to grow their businesses.”

What sorts of services are eligible for reimbursement?

The official line on eligible services is as follows:

Assistance may be available to eligible applicants for farm-related training and/or consulting services that contribute to the development of the farm business in any of the following nine farm business management areas:

Business StrategyMarketing StrategyProduction EconomicsHuman ResourcesFinancial ManagementEnvironmental StrategySuccession PlanningBusiness StructureRisk Assessment

According to Bob Tosh, an experienced farm business consultant with Meyers Norris Penny, it’s tough to see a downside to a program structured like this one. “Virtually any young farmer out there could make good use of outside expert services; especially when 90% of the cost is covered by government.”

Another attraction of the YFBDI program according to Tosh is its non-bureaucratic administrative structure which makes the application and reimbursement process fairly straight forward.

Industry News

Photo Credit: Sandra Knoss

Annual General MeetingMilestone HallMilestone, SK

March 15th, 2011

All Welcome7:00pm

Dr. Andy Acton,Deep South Animal Clinic

BVD Awareness

Barry Boghean,Red Coat Feedlot Manager

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Zone2

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Saskatoon 306-373-8700Prince Albert 306-763-8551

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In an interview with Beef Business on February 11, Tosh said it has been his experience that Saskatchewan producers are pretty well-versed in the production side of their businesses, but many can benefit from advice with the business side of their operations.

“In my experience, each production unit has its own particular needs,” said Tosh, “But speaking generally, there are many young producers who could benefit from assistance with things like succession planning, advice on business structuring and business strategy.”

“We have also found that there is considerable interest among producers for work in the human resources area, finding and managing employees as well as HR issues arising from within an extended farming family”, reported Tosh.

Tosh did have a word of warning for producers looking to take advantage of the YFBDI program. “It is important for producers to ensure that the people they hire to provide them with consulting services are qualified to be giving advice.

“You should choose your advisors wisely,” cautions Tosh, “You need to ask what their qualifications are, have they got a professional credential?”

According to Tosh most organizations that require their members to meet professional standards can put producers in touch with consultants via their websites. These sorts of organizations include the Canadian Association of Farm Advisors, the Canadian Farm Business Managers Association, professional Institutes of Agrologists as well as professional accounting organizations. Another good bit of advice is to request and check the references for anyone offering you consulting services.

Producers interested in the YFBDI or the FBDI can refer to the Sask. Ministry

Industry News

continued on pg. 18


AgriculturalTraining- AgExpert Analyst - Intro & Advanced- AgExpert Field Manager- AgriInvest & AgriStability- Grain Marketing - Basics & Advanced- Commercial Pesticide Applicator- Economical Feeding of Beef Cattle- Keep Them Healthy (Beef Production)- Keys to Successful Calving Management- Payroll for Ag Producers 101- QuickBooks & Simply Accounting- Set-up and Basic Mgmt for Your Farm Business- Succession Planning- Introduction to Small Engines; Electrical; Air Conditioning; Ag Hydraulics- First Aid on the Farm & First Aid/CPR- WHMIS & Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG)

www.ctrc.sk.ca 1-800-667-2623Offices in Humboldt, Davidson, Southey, Watrous, Wynyard

Your proudsupplier ofagriculture classes forsouth centralSaskatchewan!

of Agriculture website at http://www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca/Default.aspx?DN=c95c2445-d2b6-4f5e-9225-23c594741c64 (for YFBDI information)

http://www.agriculture.gov.ca/Default.aspx?DN=0128a602-7623-4d53-a835-85dedb1065dc(for FBDI information)

or contact the Ag Knowledge Centre in Moose Jaw at1-866-457-2377

Industry News

In what amounts to a combination reality check and vision for the future, the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute (CAPI) has produced a road map report designed to carry the industry forward to 2025 and beyond. The report entitled, Canada’s Agri-Food Destination, was released by CAPI on February 7.

Anyone hoping for a sugarcoated assessment that focuses on all the great things we’ve been doing in agriculture is bound to be disappointed by the document. It begins with a no-holds-barred situational analysis that lays out current conditions in the agri-food sector, warts and all. CAPI suggests that

Canada’s Agri-Food Destination - A Wake-up Call for the Agri-Food Sector

its realistic assessment of the industry’s current condition will serve as a wake-up call for the industry and governments.

The wake-up callIn releasing the report , CAPI stated that its main message is that…

“Canada is not realizing the full potential of a major strategic asset – the country’s agri-food sector. The consequences of falling profitability, lost opportunity and declining relevance are impairing Canada’s ability to capitalize on the tremendous opportunities that lie ahead… chronic unprofitability, rising food imports and the risk of being surpassed by other exporting nations flag serious underlying deficits in the system.”

Along with the usual suspects in the lineup when the ag sector’s challenges are assessed, the report keys in on issues that have not been top of mind in recent years. These include the trend toward increased food imports and our growing lack of food self-sufficiency. The report states that food imports into Canada have increased by 50% since 2000, with imported food now accounting for 68% of what we consume.

We’ve also lost ground in the area of added-value food exports. “Canada used to be the 3rd largest exporter of manufactured foods – it is now 7th. An overall trade surplus is [only] maintained by robust commodity exports, but Canada has been surpassed by China and Argentina in the ranking of total global exports.”

The report sees lost opportunities and synergies because we’ve failed to integrate food, diet and health issues under a unified umbrella. It argues that “the next Canada Health Accord and the agri-food sector’s Growing Forward agreements need to be linked.”

Cash for Consultingcont. from pg. 17

B


Industry News

Canada’s Agri-Food Destination - A Wake-up Call for the Agri-Food Sector

Foreshadowing challenges tied to fossil fuel consumption in coming decades, the report recommends the development of alternative and renewable energy sources to fuel agricultural production in the future. That challenge will arise in conjunction with global population growth and a 70% increase in food demand by 2050.

In its environmental assessment, the report adopts what amounts to one of the most extreme climate change projections imagined, predicting a 50% chance for the desertification of the southern prairies. It recommends adaptation and investments in science and technology to build resilience in anticipation of a dry future.

The report is critical of the fact research and development activity and funding support have steadily declined since the 1970s. We are currently ranked 19th in the world for innovation capacity. The report argues that Canada’s regulatory framework is unresponsive and discourages innovation, suggesting that new voluntary approaches to regulation that include private sector input need to be encouraged.

The road mapTo overcome its structural weaknesses, the report maintains that Canada’s agri-food sector requires a shift in strategic thinking. For example, the old approach that focused on expansion of production and investment along single value chains needs to be abandoned in favour of thinking about broader agri-food systems.

The report states, “Future success hinges on taking a systems approach that better understands the connections among many diverse players.”

The players include primary producers working to produce food ingredients within productive ecological systems.

Getting primary production from gate to plate of course requires a value chain, but there’s more to it than that. Governments, scientists, educators and sectors like transportation, health and environmental interests are also part of the system.

Recognizing that ideas without action don’t get us very far, the report includes a “promise to deliver.” It envisions the establishment of a directed discourse for enabling change across five issue area dimensions. CAPI states that the document and its road map to future success constitute a platform for dialogue. It plans to collect feedback from a broad spectrum of industry stakeholders across the country over the coming months. That input will be assessed and an updated document will be produced by CAPI in May of 2011, “so that its work can be relevant to the unfolding policy

discussions on the next agricultural policy framework, and beyond.”

ConclusionsIn making its call to action, Canada’s Agri-Food Destination acknowledges how important it will be for all the players involved to get behind the mission.

“Industry needs to champion change. Industry must act within their respective systems to make it happen. Government needs to take a long-term view and must set policies that support food systems. Achieving that destination requires taking concerted steps.”

To obtain a copy of Canada’s Agri-Food Destination visit the CAPI website:http://www.capi-ipca.ca/destinations/CAPI-Agri-Food_Destination_FULL.pdf B

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On the Farm

Female Sale


Burnett Angus & TarentaiseBull & Female Sale

Saturday, April 2, 2011 at 1:00pmHeartland Livestock • Swift Current, SK

For catalogues and further information contact:Bryce Burnett 306-773-7065 or 1-800-929 COWS (2097)

Wyatt Burnett 306-750-7822email: [email protected] www.bryceburnett.com

50 • Yearling Bullspurebred Black Angus,purebred Tarentaise &

composite bulls30 • Open Replacement

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Markets and Trade

Canadian Cattle Inventory Jan. 1, 2010 - Jan. 1 2011(includes beef and dairy all ages)Figures are in 000s (thousands)

Jan-10 Jan-11 % change

East 3,331.00 3,250.00 -2.4

MB 1,220.00 1,160.00 -4.9

SK 2,645.00 2,580.00 -2.5

AB 5,190.00 4,950.00 -4.6

BC 519.00 520.00 0.2

Totals 12,905.00 12,460.00 -3.4

Canadian Beef and Veal Exports 2009 - 2010(Figures in metric tonnes)

2009 2010 % change

US 269,794 289,557 7.3

Mexico 36,798 38,245 3.9

Other 71,908 83,119 15.5

Totals 378,500 410,921 8.6

* includes an estimate for all exports in Dec. 2010

2010 Meat Export Destinations as a Percentage

US 70

Mexico 9

Other 20

Live Cattle Exports 2009 - 2010(Figures represent the number of animals)

2009 2010 % change

Live Slaughter Exports

Steers and heifers 519,635 604,426 16

Cows and Bulls 228,241 223,112 -2.2

Feeder Exports 273,880 191,267 -30.2

Total live exports 1,021,756 1,018,805 0.3

Domestic Slaughter 2009 - 2010

2009 2010 % change

Steers 1,520,831 1,545,105 1.6

Heifers 999,361 1,062,659 6.3

Cows 602,855 573,247 -4.9

Bulls 15,992 29,295 83.2

Totals 3,139,039 3,210,306

2009 heifer to steer ratio 01:01.5 2010 heifer to steer ratio 01:01.47

0.00

1,000.00

2,000.00

3,000.00

4,000.00

5,000.00

6,000.00

East MB SK AB BC

Jan-10

Jan-11

050,000

100,000150,000200,000250,000300,000350,000

US Mexico Other

2009

2010

US

Mexico

Other


Markets and Trade

Regina Retail Meat Price SurveyDec. 20, 2010 & Feb. 22, 2011 ($/lb.)

Cuts Sobeys Safeway Extra Foods Walmart

Dec Feb Dec Feb Dec Feb Dec Feb

Ground-regular $2.92 * * $2.26 $2.58 $3.40 $2.72

Ground –lean $3.22 $3.22 $3.32 $3.22 $3.03 $2.94 $2.95 $2.95

Roast-cross rib * $4.86 * * * $4.20 $4.22 $4.27

Roast-rib $6.99 $9.20 * $8.59 $4.85 * * $7.97

Roast-round $4.54 $4.26 $5.28 * $4.23 * * $3.67

Steak-tenderloin $15.87 $15.87 $22.48 * $12.88 $15.55 $13.97 $13.97

Steak-ribeye $11.11 $11.33 $15.09 $13.89 * * $10.17 $10.17

Streak-sirloin $4.99 $6.72 $5.89 $6.09 $6.11 $5.84 $8.46 $8.46

Steak-T-bone $9.75 $9.75 $11.19 * $9.07 $9.07 * *

Steak-round $4.54 $4.77 $4.89 $4.89 $4.30 $4.53 * $4.29* Indicates the product was not in the display case on the day of the survey.

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Markets and Trade

Saskatchewan Live Cattle Trade Dec. 24, 2010 - Feb. 11, 2011Steers $/100 wt averaged

Dec. 24 Jan. 07 Jan. 28 Feb. 4 Feb. 11

300-400 147.5 151.7 151.7 162.1

400-500 150.25 154.42 154.42 159.38

500-600 130.33 146.13 146.13 148.17

600-700 122 130.63 130.63 133.78

700-800 112 113.5 123.07 123.07 126.33

800-900 106 106 114.67 114.67 117.38

900+ 100.5 101 109.5 109.5 111.25

Heifers $/100 wt averaged


300-400 120 139.63 139.63 142.06

400-500 124 119.67 137.1 137.1 139.31

500-600 117 113.33 128.14 128.14 132.28

600-700 110 108 119.71 119.71 123.72

700-800 101 103.63 112.72 112.72 115

800+ 100 99.63 105.17 105.17 108.43

Saskatchewan Fat Cattle Trade Dec. 24 - Feb 4, 2011$/100 wt averaged

Dec. 24 Jan. 07 Jan. 28* Feb. 4* Feb. 11*

Steers-Live 103.5 103.7 107.48

Steers Rail 160.8 162 174 174 180.75

Heifers-Live 103.57 100.25 106.5

Heifers-Rail 160.8 162.35 174 178 180.37

* May include SK prices derived from AB values

Saskatchewan Non-Fed Prices Dec. 24 - Feb. 4, 2011

Cows Dec. 24 Jan. 07 Jan. 28 Feb. 4 Feb. 11

D1-D2 57.87 57.75 63.88 63.92 66.79

D3 50.75 50.83 55.8 55.83 55

Rail 115.5 119.5 126.5 131 133

Bulls Live 64.5 63.5 70 74 73.69

May include prices derived from AB values

050

100150200

300-400

400-500

500-600

600-700

700-800

800-900

900+

Dec. 24

Jan. 07

Jan. 28

Feb. 4

Feb. 11

0

50

100

150

300-400400-500500-600600-700700-800 800+

Dec. 24

Jan. 07

Jan. 28

Feb. 4

Feb. 11

050

100150200

Dec. 24 Jan. 07 Jan. 28* Feb. 4* Feb. 11*

Steers-Live

Steers Rail

Heifers-Live

Heifers-Rail

Heifers-Rail

020406080

100120140


D1-D2

D3

Rail

Bulls Live

Bulls Live


Canadian Charolais - Hicken Ranch - Regular:Layout 1 2/11/2011 3:27 PM Page 1


Duckworth CI 11_Layout 1 07/02/11 9:39 AM Page 1


Winter 2011

Reporting to producers on beef marketingThis issue:

BIC promoting beef online

Great Expectations

Partners Programs create long term benefits

Stonefire Grill to promote Canadian beef

Contact:

#310, 6715 - 8 Street NE Calgary, AB T2E 7H7Tel: (403) 275-5890Fax: (403) 275-9288

2000 Argentia Road,Plaza 4, Suite 101,Mississauga, ON L5N 1W1Tel: (905) 821-4900Fax: (905) 821-4915

www.beefinfo.org

BIC Committee:ChairJudy Nelson, Lundbreck, AB

Vice-Chair Brent Griffin, Elbow, SK

Past ChairJohn Gillespie, Ayr, ON

CommitteeLynn Willis, Princeton, BCJohn Bland, Strathmore, ABMark Francis, Taber, ABPat Rutledge, Monitor, ABCathy Sharp, Lacombe, ABRose Wymenga, Leslieville, ABHeather S. Beierbach, Maple Creek, SKTrevor Atchison, Pipestone, MBMatt Bowman, Thornloe, ONTim Fugard, Petrolia, ONJennifer MacDonald, St. Mary’s, NB

www.bic.cattle.ca www.canadianbeef.info www.beefinfo.org

The new Canadian Beef Community – promoting beef online

Working with the Beef Information Centre (BIC), Stonefire Grill offers a Canadian tri tip on its menu, and has added the Canadian beef brand mark to their marketing materials.

“This is a great development for us,” says Judy Nelson, BIC Chair and a cow-calf producer at Lundbreck, Alta. “While Canadian beef is served at many restaurants in the United States, Stonefire Grill is the first to put the Canadian beef brand logo on their materials.”

BIC first developed a relationship with Stonefire Grill at a National Restaurant Association tradeshow, and worked with them to identify their Canadian beef specifications and supply needs.

BIC was also hands-on with the seven-restaurant chain, spending time on-site demonstrating the ‘Canadian

Beef Advantage’ to their chefs and executives.

Tri tip is an undervalued cut in Canada compared to regional markets in the United States. Similar to the demand for Brisket, the Tri Tip is a cut that is sought after, especially in the southern United States, by consumers as well as industry partners including further processors who supply both Foodservice and Retail operators. According the December 24, 2010 Canfax report, tri tips are selling for $0.36 per pound more in the U.S. than in Canada.

“Developing high demand markets like California for this cut, through initiatives

such as this, is a clear example of how BIC works strategically to enhance value for Canadian beef producers,” notes Nelson.

At Stonefire Grill, Kaduri Shemtov says that “Canadian beef is a perfect fit for us. The quality of beef is fantastic and guests continue to love our tri tip.”At the restaurant, guests have an option to eat in, take-out their meal, or take-out dinner for the whole family or a larger party. Seasoned beef tri tip is one of a number of options available – created from family recipes with a focus on taste, value and convenience.

“The team at the BIC was very supportive,” says Shemtov. “We continue to work with them on this program as well as other items. We are very pleased with the relationship and the product. Canadian beef is a great choice.”

BIC launched its new social media “Community” on the beefinfo.org website in December.

This webpage features links to the Canadian Beef Facebook fan page, the @CanadianBeef Twitter feed and new online features including the Canadian Beef Flickr group (for sharing photos of great beef meals), the YouTube channel to see the latest culinary videos and the launch of the ‘Canadian Beef Blog’.

The Beef Blog is designed to engage consumers directly. It is a two-way communications tool for Canadian beef that allows consumers to add comments, post questions and be part of the conversation. The blog and its individual posts within the beef community will serve three distinct goals:

1) To entertain readers and encourage repeat visits;

2) To increase awareness of evidence-based culinary/nutrition/food safety information;

3) To effectively respond to readers’ interests based on active online outreach and comments to previous posts.

Reporters and opinion columnists have been known to use blogs they recognize as reliable when gathering information and opinions on various issues, and this resource was developed with that in mind as well. Each new beef blog post will be shared with Facebook and Twitter audiences (cross-promotion and linking). Each post will provide links to other content on beefinfo.org or within the beef community such as recipes, culinary videos, contests, booklets and more.

“While in the past we measured what and/or how information was shared, now we measure

whether people react, comment, rate or “like” what we’re doing. Our goal is to engage our audience, not just talk to them,” says Heather Travis, Director, Public Relations, BIC. The Facebook fan page is a great example of this; a large number of the over 4 000 Canadian Beef Facebook fans are actively participating in the dialogue there, which shows their interest in and engagement with this social media tool.

These new ways in which to engage the Canadian beef consumer will all be used continuously and will be integrated into the upcoming public relations campaign in February promoting source grinds. The campaign is timed to coincide with Valentine’s Day, and will provide romantic beef meals with kid-friendly spin-offs using gourmet ground beef (source grinds).

Go to www.beefinfo.org and click on the Community link to see all the details about the new blog and find the links to all the latest social media tools.

Stonefire Grill first U.S. restaurant to promote Canadian beef brand markStonefire Grill, a fast-casual dining chain in southern California, is now the first restaurant chainin the United States to actively promote Canadian beef.

4

Stonefire Grill, a fast-casual dining chain in southern California, is now the first restaurant chain in the United States to actively promote Canadian beef.

Canadian beef is a perfect fit for us. The quality of beef is fantastic and guests continue to love our tri tip.

BIC’s efforts to maximize demand for Canadian beef and optimize the value of Canadian beef products is funded in part by cattle producers through the National Beef Check-Off, and through beef industry market development funds provided by the Government of Canada and the Government of Alberta.

,

3

Reporting to producers on beef marketing

2

www.bic.cattle.ca www.beefinfo.org

Great Expectations to build Canadian beef demand BIC Partners Programs create long-term benefitsBIC launches approximately 60 Partners Programs every year, all with long-term benefits for the beef industry. Many of these programs are the result of years of relationship building and collaboration.

The BIC Partners Program is a cost sharing program designed to leverage industry investment to maximize the value of Canadian beef.

Once a relationship is developed, it creates the opportunity to build on these programs to create new marketing programs for Canadian beef. Here are just two of the outstanding and long-term partnerships the Partners Programhas achieved.

At RetailOver the past several years, BIC has developed a long-standing partnership with Costco Canada. As the largest retailer of AAA Canadian beef in the

country, Costco is an important client for the Canadian beef industry. Costco launched the Canadian beef brand mark on their packaging and in-store point of sale material in spring 2009 and hasn’t looked back.

“Costco is committed to the Canadian beef industry, and carries 100 per cent Canadian beef,” says the Lundbreck, Alta. cow-calf producer and BIC chair, Judy Nelson. “They label every package of Canadian beef at their meat case with the Canadian beef brand mark, and the brand mark also appears on their signage and promotional materials. This all works toward growing demand and increasing awareness with consumers that Canadian beef is the highest quality beef in the world.”

BIC also worked with Costco to launch a premium beef program featuring Canadian prime beef, currently available at a number of strategically chosen Costco warehouses.

In the fall of 2009, BIC and Costco Canada worked in consultation to develop an

enhanced ‘Slice and Save’ brochure that provides the Costco shopper with detailed meat cutting directions. Prominently featuring the Canadian beef brand mark, key consumer messaging around the goodness of Canadian beef, the attributes of AAA graded beef, Health Check information and directions to BIC’s website for great beef recipes, this merchandising program reinforces the quality and goodness of Canadian beef while highlighting Costco’s 100 per cent Canadian beef program.

At ProcessingThe Meat Factory (TMF) Foods has worked with BIC’s Partners Program since 2005. This partnership has provided TMF the opportunity to successfully develop, produce, launch and market a variety of retail and foodservice Canadian beef products over the past five years. TMF brand products can be found in the meat case at Sobeys, No Frills, Foodland, Wal-Mart Supercentre, IGA and include Beef Tips, Mexican Beef, Pulled Beef, Beef

Short Ribs, Prime Rib, Beef Brisket, Shaved Beef au Jus and Beef Pot Roast, all made from 100 per cent Canadian beef.

“Working with TMF has been a great success story for the Canadian beef industry,” says Nelson. “The market for value-added convenience items at retail and foodservice is growing exponentially and it is critical that beef be part of the product mix. TMF has really embraced the Canadian beef opportunity with their line of ready-to-serve ‘Quick and Easy’ products.”

The success of these products and the BIC Partners Program is clear in the continued production of all products that received support. Additionally, the beef sector of TMF Foods has increased by an average of 60 per cent year-over-year since 2005. “Our customers love Canadian beef and the success of our beef product line proves that,” says Andrew Thomson, president of TMF. “We continue to develop more value-added and convenience items for our growing market and beef will continue to play an important role.”

This November, more than one million Canadiansreceived the Beef Information Centre’s (BIC) newestMake It Beef (MIB) booklet: Great Expectations. Inserted in Reader’s Digest, the booklet is aimed at Canada’s principle grocery shoppers – mothers aged 25-49 – ultimately building demand for Canadian beef by increasing beef meal occasions in-home. It was expected to reach more grocery shoppers than any other consumer magazine in the country.

In addition, during the month of November, 278 Sobeys stores across Canada partnered with BIC to increase distribution of the piece in-store to reach consumers at point-of-purchase. In-store elements include signs and ad pads in the frozen food section, plus MIB booklets at meat counters in Ontario and Atlantic stores.

Other partners include General Mills Green Giant Valley Selections brand, Cargill’s Sterling Silver brand and Health Check. To expand the impact of the program, General Mills paid to print on-pack labels (recipe and coupon) to be affixed to Sterling Silver strip loin roasts. General Mills also invested in signage and coupon redemption.

BIC’s multi-pronged program will reach consumers at home through the booklet mailing, the MIB e-newsletter, social media and public relations tools as well as website links to and from participating partner sites. At the point-of-purchase, the program reaches consumers at the meat case and the grocery aisle.

Heather Cameron, promotion marketing with General Mills Canada, saw potential in pairing with a universal product like

Canadian beef. “There is a natural fit between our two brands and the extensive reach of the recipe booklet was ideal to build trial and awareness of our new products,” says Cameron.

Choosing the strip loin roast for this program aligns with BIC’s strategy on optimizing value for Canadian beef. “Heavy strip loins are a challenge for the industry,” says Judy Nelson, BIC chair and a cow-calf producer at Lundbreck, Alta. “They are large to sell as steaks, but make an ideal alternative to the traditional prime rib roast.”

While Canadian-sourced prime rib will often sell out over the holidays, the Sterling Silver strip loin roasts, also Canadian-sourced, are available and make a great alternative. The promotion, based on the Sterling Silver brand, ensures that Canadian supply is the focus of the initiative. Other priority products featured in the booklet include source grinds, bottom sirloin, tri-tip and bottom sirloin tip.

To reinforce the goodness of beef as lean and nutritious, Great Expectations has positive health messaging throughout. In partnership with the Health Check program, the booklet includes the Health Check logo and feature recipe, evaluated by Heart and Stroke Foundation registered dietitians, along with the message that all trimmed beef with the words ‘loin’ or ‘round’ in the name make the list for Health Check qualified beef.

Ultimately the goal of this promotion is to build demand for Canadian beef by increasing beef meal occasions in the home. Estimates of beef sales attributed to a MIB promotion are 475,000 pounds of beef (based on survey results). With the additional couponing at the meat case, it is possible that MIB will exceed expectations.

www.canadianbeef.info

32Costco in-store signage

Costco is committed to the Canadian beef industry, and carries 100 per cent Canadian beef


Winter 2011

Reporting to producers on beef marketingThis issue:

BIC promoting beef online

Great Expectations

Partners Programs create long term benefits

Stonefire Grill to promote Canadian beef

Contact:

#310, 6715 - 8 Street NE Calgary, AB T2E 7H7Tel: (403) 275-5890Fax: (403) 275-9288

2000 Argentia Road,Plaza 4, Suite 101,Mississauga, ON L5N 1W1Tel: (905) 821-4900Fax: (905) 821-4915

www.beefinfo.org

BIC Committee:ChairJudy Nelson, Lundbreck, AB

Vice-Chair Brent Griffin, Elbow, SK

Past ChairJohn Gillespie, Ayr, ON

CommitteeLynn Willis, Princeton, BCJohn Bland, Strathmore, ABMark Francis, Taber, ABPat Rutledge, Monitor, ABCathy Sharp, Lacombe, ABRose Wymenga, Leslieville, ABHeather S. Beierbach, Maple Creek, SKTrevor Atchison, Pipestone, MBMatt Bowman, Thornloe, ONTim Fugard, Petrolia, ONJennifer MacDonald, St. Mary’s, NB

www.bic.cattle.ca www.canadianbeef.info www.beefinfo.org

The new Canadian Beef Community – promoting beef online

Working with the Beef Information Centre (BIC), Stonefire Grill offers a Canadian tri tip on its menu, and has added the Canadian beef brand mark to their marketing materials.

“This is a great development for us,” says Judy Nelson, BIC Chair and a cow-calf producer at Lundbreck, Alta. “While Canadian beef is served at many restaurants in the United States, Stonefire Grill is the first to put the Canadian beef brand logo on their materials.”

BIC first developed a relationship with Stonefire Grill at a National Restaurant Association tradeshow, and worked with them to identify their Canadian beef specifications and supply needs.

BIC was also hands-on with the seven-restaurant chain, spending time on-site demonstrating the ‘Canadian

Beef Advantage’ to their chefs and executives.

Tri tip is an undervalued cut in Canada compared to regional markets in the United States. Similar to the demand for Brisket, the Tri Tip is a cut that is sought after, especially in the southern United States, by consumers as well as industry partners including further processors who supply both Foodservice and Retail operators. According the December 24, 2010 Canfax report, tri tips are selling for $0.36 per pound more in the U.S. than in Canada.

“Developing high demand markets like California for this cut, through initiatives

such as this, is a clear example of how BIC works strategically to enhance value for Canadian beef producers,” notes Nelson.

At Stonefire Grill, Kaduri Shemtov says that “Canadian beef is a perfect fit for us. The quality of beef is fantastic and guests continue to love our tri tip.”At the restaurant, guests have an option to eat in, take-out their meal, or take-out dinner for the whole family or a larger party. Seasoned beef tri tip is one of a number of options available – created from family recipes with a focus on taste, value and convenience.

“The team at the BIC was very supportive,” says Shemtov. “We continue to work with them on this program as well as other items. We are very pleased with the relationship and the product. Canadian beef is a great choice.”

BIC launched its new social media “Community” on the beefinfo.org website in December.

This webpage features links to the Canadian Beef Facebook fan page, the @CanadianBeef Twitter feed and new online features including the Canadian Beef Flickr group (for sharing photos of great beef meals), the YouTube channel to see the latest culinary videos and the launch of the ‘Canadian Beef Blog’.

The Beef Blog is designed to engage consumers directly. It is a two-way communications tool for Canadian beef that allows consumers to add comments, post questions and be part of the conversation. The blog and its individual posts within the beef community will serve three distinct goals:

1) To entertain readers and encourage repeat visits;

2) To increase awareness of evidence-based culinary/nutrition/food safety information;

3) To effectively respond to readers’ interests based on active online outreach and comments to previous posts.

Reporters and opinion columnists have been known to use blogs they recognize as reliable when gathering information and opinions on various issues, and this resource was developed with that in mind as well. Each new beef blog post will be shared with Facebook and Twitter audiences (cross-promotion and linking). Each post will provide links to other content on beefinfo.org or within the beef community such as recipes, culinary videos, contests, booklets and more.

“While in the past we measured what and/or how information was shared, now we measure

whether people react, comment, rate or “like” what we’re doing. Our goal is to engage our audience, not just talk to them,” says Heather Travis, Director, Public Relations, BIC. The Facebook fan page is a great example of this; a large number of the over 4 000 Canadian Beef Facebook fans are actively participating in the dialogue there, which shows their interest in and engagement with this social media tool.

These new ways in which to engage the Canadian beef consumer will all be used continuously and will be integrated into the upcoming public relations campaign in February promoting source grinds. The campaign is timed to coincide with Valentine’s Day, and will provide romantic beef meals with kid-friendly spin-offs using gourmet ground beef (source grinds).

Go to www.beefinfo.org and click on the Community link to see all the details about the new blog and find the links to all the latest social media tools.

Stonefire Grill first U.S. restaurant to promote Canadian beef brand markStonefire Grill, a fast-casual dining chain in southern California, is now the first restaurant chainin the United States to actively promote Canadian beef.

4

Stonefire Grill, a fast-casual dining chain in southern California, is now the first restaurant chain in the United States to actively promote Canadian beef.

Canadian beef is a perfect fit for us. The quality of beef is fantastic and guests continue to love our tri tip.

BIC’s efforts to maximize demand for Canadian beef and optimize the value of Canadian beef products is funded in part by cattle producers through the National Beef Check-Off, and through beef industry market development funds provided by the Government of Canada and the Government of Alberta.

,

Newborn calves must consume enough immunoglobulin-laced colostrum in the first few hours so they can fight off disease. ScourGuard 4KClabel directions strategically match colostral antibody development and its concentration in colostrum in dams. Which means that strategicvaccination with ScourGuard 4KC helps to maximize colostrum quality and protect against major causes of scours.

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Science and Production

Even before they hit the ground, newborn calves encounter a whole range of bacteria and viruses that can cause scours and other diseases. This is why calves need to nurse as soon as possible after birth; the mothers’ colostrum is full of maternal antibodies that help defend the calf from disease. Attempts to protect newborn calves by vaccinating at birth are usually not successful. To investigate this further, the BCRC funded a research project titled “Recombinant Bovine C3d as an Adjuvant to Facilitate Early Calfhood Vaccination” conducted by Dr. Douglas Hodgins at the Ontario Veterinary College.

Background: Calves are born before their immune systems are fully developed. A newborn calf relies on maternal antibodies from the dam’s colostrum for

Needles for NewbornsNew Research on Enhancing Immunity in Calves

by Dr. Reynold Bergendisease protection (passive immunity) until the calf’s immune system (active immunity) becomes fully functional. The transition between passive and active immunity occurs at approximately 6 weeks of age. If calves could be vaccinated effectively in the first weeks of life, antibodies produced by the calf active immune system would take over to protect the calf as protection from the maternal antibodies in the colostrum decreases.

So far, early calfhood vaccination has not been very effective for two reasons. First, the calf’s immune system is immature. Second, the active immune cells that the calf does produce are inhibited by maternal antibodies. A better understanding of the neonatal immune

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system may help develop vaccines that are more effective in newborn calves.

B lymphocytes (B cells) are white blood cells that play an important front-line role in the active immune response. B cells detect and respond to foreign cells like disease organisms. This project studied two receptors on the surface of B cells. These receptors are called CD21 and CD32, and they can have opposite effects on the calf’s active immune response. The CD21 receptor binds a protein called C3d, which is also produced by the active immune system. If the C3d is bound to an antigen from a foreign cell, the B cell is alerted that a foreign cell has been detected, and the immune response is massively amplified to attack

continued on pg. 35


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those foreign cells. C3d is found in high concentrations in adult cattle, but in low levels in newborn calves. As a result, adding C3d to vaccines for young calves may help activate B cells and enhance antibody responses. However, the CD32 receptor binds maternal antibodies. If the maternal antibody is bound to an antigen, the active immune response through the CD21 receptor is inhibited. The expression of CD21 (which activates the active immune response) and CD32 (which inhibits the active immune response) by B cells from neonatal calves needed to be evaluated before vaccine trials were pursued further.

Objectives: To characterize the activating and inhibitory receptors on B lymphocytes and conduct experiments to better understand how complement component C3d might be used to develop effective calfhood vaccines. This builds on earlier research funded by the BCRC.

What they did: The researchers examined B cells from calves up to 6 months of age. Two alternative forms of the CD32 receptor were detected which had never been found in cattle before. A highly sensitive technique was developed to distinguish expression of the various forms of CD32 in the B cells of newborn calves. Pilot experiments were carried out to assess the reactivity and effectiveness of C3d as a vaccine component.

What they learned: Even at birth, 90% or more of blood B cells expressed both CD21 (activating) and CD32 (inhibitory) receptors. However, the number of B cells in blood was less than 20% of that in adults, and the intensity of CD21 and CD32 receptor expression was lower in calves than in adults. The CD32 receptors reached adult levels in only three weeks, while the CD21 receptors reached adult levels at 6 weeks of age. The greater inhibitory action of CD32 receptors versus the activating action of CD21 receptors at 3 weeks of age is likely part of the challenge in developing an effective vaccinate for newborn calves. To make

things even more complicated, the two distinct forms of the CD32 receptor discovered in this study also appear to inhibit active immune responses by two different mechanisms in newborn calves.

Vaccines with different formulations of C3d and containing a model antigen were developed and administered to 14-day and 6-month-old calves to assess local reactions at the injection sites and their abilities to increase antibody responses. No symptoms of toxicity were observed. However, adding C3d did not strengthen the immune response, either. More work is underway to develop alternative strategies to improve C3d formulation and improve the effectiveness of the experimental vaccine.

What it means: This research was conducted to learn more about the complex changes the immune system

undergoes during the transition between passive and active immunity in young calves. This research has not yet developed an improved vaccine. However, this new knowledge about the immune system’s activating and inhibitory signals will help in future efforts to develop more effective vaccines for use in newborn calves.

The Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC), a division of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, sponsors research and technology development and adoption in support of the vision of the Canadian beef industry to have high quality Canadian beef products recognized as the most outstanding by Canadian and world customers.

Reynold Bergen, PhD Science Director Beef Cattle Research Council Canadian Cattlemen’s Association

Protect your investment.

For more information

about branding and livestock inspection,

contact:

Your brand is your animals’ return address.

Rusty Hawryluk, Regina, (306) 787-4682

Dave Augustine, Swift Current, (306) 778-8312 Bill McConwell, Moose Jaw, (306) 694-3709Ron Sabin, North Battleford, (306) 446-7404

Les Tipton, Saskatoon, (306) 933-7660 Robert Solomon, Yorkton, (306) 786-5712 Garth Woods, Moosomin, (306) 435-4582

Barry DeJaeger, Winnipeg, (204) 694-0830

Barry Belak, North Battleford, (306) 446-7571Jeff Eide, Saskatoon, (306) 933-6781

Brand Registrar

District Livestock Supervisors

Livestock Investigators

Calving Season Healthcont. from pg. 32

B



Where,s the Beef?Active missing livestock files February 2011

AreaMissing from

Number of head

Animal description

Brand Description

Brand Location

RCMP subdivision

Livestock Branch contact

Date Reported

Southey

5120 cows 31 calves Blk/Bwf

LH

Southey786-2400

Yorkton786-5712

Dec 08/110

11 Blk/Bwf cows LR Dec 08/10

Vawn 18 Mixed calves

RR

RS

Turtleford845-4520

N-Battleford 446-7404 Oct 29/10

Gainsborough 4 1 bull 1 cow 2 calves LH Carnduff

482-4400Moosomin 435-4582 Nov 29/10

Tisdale 22 6 cow 16 calves LH Tisdale

878-3810Yorkton 786-5712 Jan 17/11

Moosomin 4 2 cows 2 calves LH Moosomin

435-3361Moosomin435-4582 Nov 8/10

Maple Creek 291 bull4 heifers24 calves

LR Maple Creek662-5550

Swift Current778-8312 Nov 11/10

Shellbrook 4 2 cows2 calves LS Prince Albert

765-5550

Sktn & N-Battleford933-7660446-7404

Jan 11/11

Parkbeg 4 2 cows2 calves RR Moose Jaw Moose Jaw

694-3709 Nov 1/10

Information provided by the Livestock Branch of the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture


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The number of horned cattle turning up at packing plants in Canada is down, but a recent article by Dr. Reynold Bergen of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association suggests horned cattle continue to have a significant cost impact on Canada’s beef industry.

Packer costsBergen estimates that, on average, each horned animal run through a packing plant causes $5.31 in carcass damage. According to Bergen, the largest share of the damage, $5.09 worth, is due to horns bruising of meat during transport or in packer yards. Several cents more are the result of dehorning at the packing plant, which is required to pull the hide over the head. If the exposed sinus cavity is contaminated in the process, the entire head is condemned.

Bergen estimates that 16% of the cattle entering kill plants in Canada are horned. Based on last year’s domestic slaughter of 3.2 million head, that translates into over $500,000 in damages. One can safely assume that the loss is passed on to producers via a general reduction in fed cattle prices.

Feeder costsBut the expenses don’t begin and end at the packing plant. According to Dr. Bergen’s January 2011 article, horned animals also rack up an estimated average of $4.69 each at the feedlot.

“Horned cattle are more likely to injure people, themselves and other cattle, and need more space at the bunk and in the truck,” explains Bergen, “Dehorning takes time, is stressful, may result in infection, and can reduce growth rate and feed efficiency.”

Again one would assume that feedlot operators, who are already absorbing the packer’s horn costs, will be pushing the expense down the chain to backgrounders and cow-calf operators in the way of

Horns – a Cornucopia of Costs

discounts for horns. Taking packer and feeder costs together, each horned animal is costing around $9.78, which inevitably shows up in a price discount.

Bergen states, “These discounts vary with the competition for calves (tight calf supply = smaller discount), but average 2 cents per pound ($10 on a 500 pound calf ) if a large proportion of calves in a group are horned.

Bergen doesn’t provide figures for the number of horned animals going onto feed annually. However, looking at the money collected here in Saskatchewan by the Horned Cattle Trust Fund, the number for this province could be as high as 50,000 head. If that proportion is applied across the country, over 100,000 cattle entering Canadian feedlots are horned. The total could well be higher since Saskatchewan is one of only two provinces with a horn deduction, which could well be resulting in a lower proportion of horned animals compared to other provinces.

When we add in the discounts that are likely applied to Canadian feeders and slaughter animals by US buyers of approximately $156,000, it is pretty safe to assume that horns cost our producers well over $1 million annually.

Things are looking upDr. Bergen notes that the number of horned cattle showing up at Canadian packing plants has dropped significantly over the past several years. In the mid 90s, 32% of slaughter cattle were horned, but by the start of the new millennium the total was down to 16%. We are ahead of the US in this regard. In 1991, 31% of US slaughter cattle were horned but the number only declined to 21% by 2005.

Bergen attributes the decline in horned slaughter cattle numbers to the efforts of the beef industry through things like the Quality Starts Here program and its

best-practice guidelines which encourage the dehorning of calves. He also notes the influence of provincial horn deduction programs which were implemented across the prairies in the 1930s. These programs continue in BC which applies a $10 per animal deduction and Saskatchewan where the $2 penalty hasn’t been raised in over 75 years.

Get them while they’re youngBergen states, “Producers are strongly advised to dehorn calves as early as possible for two reasons. Firstly, the procedure is less invasive in newborn calves, so growth performance is not impacted as much. Secondly, common sense and science both say that removing an established horn from an older animal is much more painful than removing the unattached horn bud from calves.”

Australian data noted by Bergen suggests the labour cost of dehorning calves is approximately 25 cents. “Even if it’s ten times that amount, $2.50 per head is considerably cheaper than the discounts imposed through market signals and horn taxes,” concludes Bergen.

To see the original Bergen article go to:http://www.cattle.ca/media/file/original/883_BCRC_Report_Sheath_Your_Horns.pdf

B



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The Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture has implemented a change to reduce the regulatory burden on Saskatchewan livestock producers and ranchers.

Effective Dec. 1, 2010, Saskatchewan producers purchasing livestock from our auction markets can now move those animals to their home base in this province on a manifest, as long as the dealer invoice is attached. This change removes the previous requirement that producers were to obtain a livestock permit following inspection and sale.

Easing Transportation Requirementsfor Livestock Producers

by Cam Wilk, PAg,Provincial Manager, Field Services - Saskatchewan Agriculture

Amendments to The Livestock Inspection and Transportation Regulations allowed for the change. The amendments removed the requirement that livestock producers were to obtain a livestock permit, following the inspection of livestock, before moving animals between points in Saskatchewan after any sale.

A livestock manifest is still required. The Livestock Inspection and Transportation Regulations continue to require that, before transporting

livestock, the owner or his or her agent shall complete and have in their possession a livestock manifest.

The manifest must include: • the owner’s address and phone

number; • the number of animals and their

destination;• the animals’ descriptions and

brands; and• the signature of the owner or the

owners’ agent.

continued on pg. 43



A properly completed manifest identifies the owner of the livestock, helps to prevent livestock theft and ensures accuracy for processing producer payments, or finance payment information, if required. Good documentation contributes to efficiencies in the movement of livestock through the marketing systems and to the prompt payment for livestock.

Properly completed Saskatchewan manifests may be used to transport livestock to inspected markets in Alberta and Manitoba. It is important to note that livestock to be transported out of province must be

inspected. A livestock permit must be issued before the animals leave the province.

The term “livestock” includes cattle, horses, sheep, goats, swine, bison and any hybrid of these species. The terms “transport” or “transportation” means the movement of livestock by foot or by vehicle.

Livestock permits are issued by the inspector, or an authorized person, following the payment of the appropriate inspection fees of $1.65/head. The permit provides the transporter with the authority to move the livestock. The information

contained on the permit is similar to the information required on the manifest.

Producers are exempt from completing and using a livestock manifest if they are transporting livestock to or from a veterinary clinic or between properties they own or control in Saskatchewan that are not more than 50 kilometres apart.

More details about the transportation of livestock can be obtained by contacting your local livestock inspector.

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Easing Trans. Req.cont. from pg. 40

B


It’s no secret that our rancher population is getting a bit long in the tooth and that younger people have been reluctant about entering the beef business. Efforts to reverse that trend have been the focus of activity for the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association’s (SSGA) Youth Committee.

One recent SSGA Youth Committee initiative that has met with rave reviews was the youth roundtable it organized in conjunction with the Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference held in Saskatoon this past January. The roundtable event gave approximately 25 third and fourth year university students from across the prairies the opportunity to hear what the beef business has to offer from prominent industry players like Travis Toews, Calvin Knoss and Brad Wildeman.

SSGA Hosts Youth Roundtable

Don Oberg (780) 678-6926

Association News and Reports

Youth Roundtable: left to rightTroy Gowan, Roberta Templeton, Matthew Malyk, Calvin Knoss,

Christopher Nugent, John McKinnon, Brad Wildeman

continued on pg. 47


Saturday, April 9, 2011 • At the Ranch - Fir Mountain, SK • 1:00 p.m

Sons Sell Sons Sell Red and Black Bulls Sell

Sons Sell First Sons Sell First Sons Sell



According to SSGA Youth Chair, Karla Hicks, the event featured an industry overview by SSGA President, Calvin Knoss, followed by a mixer that gave youth participants the opportunity to chat one on one with industry leaders. In a report to Beef Business, roundtable participant, Professor John McKinnon, Beef Industry Chair at the University of Saskatchewan, underlined the value of getting industry leaders and students together in the same room.

“Calvin Knoss, Travis Toews and Brad Wildeman not only excel in their own business ventures but their commitment to the beef industry makes them great role models for these young people to follow,” said McKinnon, “The opportunity for these students to meet them and interact was great.”

McKinnon added, “Students need to see that there is a future in agriculture both at the production level and in associated industry and extension agencies that serve the grain and livestock sectors. They need to realize that their career paths in agriculture will only be limited by their imagination and work ethic. The right combination of education, training and initiative can lead them anywhere they want to go.”

While there is no questioning the fact that the beef industry has experienced several years of depressed prices, Professor McKinnon suggested that the industry has turned the corner. “The future for this industry and the people in it is as bright as I’ve seen it in a long time.”

Youth Chair, Karla Hicks, credited the success of the event to the work of co-organizers from the SSGA including Shane Jahnke, and Helen Finucane. Already, plans are in the works to stage similar events over the course of the coming year.

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SSGA Hosts Youthcont. from pg. 44

B


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What’s a VolunSteer?An SSGA member who contributes to our new fundraising campaign by donating the proceeds of the sale of an animal. Why become a VolunSteer?To help the SSGA increase our financial resources to better serve our members as an advocate to protect, promote and educate on behalf of our industry. Participating in the SSGA’s VolunSteer program is a hassle-free way to invest in the future of the beef industry - the SSGA is inexpensive insurance for your business. What’s in it for you?Help the SSGA increase our financial resources to better serve our members as an advocate for your industry. • Receive a tax receipt for your donation. • Free one-year SSGA membership ($105 value).* • VolunSteers will also be recognized in Beef Business magazine and at the SSGA Annual Meeting.*

*Contribution must be at least $500 value to receive these benefits.

Security knowing that the SSGA is watching out for your business.S

G Guiding the livestock industry in the past, present and future.

A Advocating for an economically viable and independent cattle industry.

Supporting primary producers for nearly 100 years.S

WantedSaskatchewan Stock Growers Association Box 4752, Regina, SK S4P 3Y4 P: 306.757.8523 F: 306.569.8799 E: [email protected]

Help the SSGA fight for your industry!For more information call: (306) 757 - 8523

VolunStEERS


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Association News and Reports

A Report From Chad MacPhersonGeneral Manager, Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association

The SSGA Semi-Annual meeting was held on January 20th, 2011 in Saskatoon during the Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference. There were approximately fifty SSGA members in attendance and the following resolutions were carried.

Resolution # 1

BE IT RESOLVED that the SSGA lobby the Provincial government for the discontinuation of any wild boar farms.

Resolution #2

BE IT RESOLVED that the SSGA lobby for increased provincial funding for the eradication of feral wild boar.

Resolution #4:

WHEREAS the livestock industry is worth millions of dollars to the Saskatchewan economy annually; and

WHEREAS a potential disease outbreak could severely impact the livestock industry.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the SSGA lobby the Provincial government to develop a provincial livestock biosecurity program in partnership with the SSGA & the WCVM to educate producers on biosecurity best management practices.

Resolution #5:

WHEREAS premises identification is a fundamental component in the management of animal disease outbreaks; and

WHEREAS the Alberta government has offered their premises ID system to Saskatchewan.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the SSGA lobby the Saskatchewan government to move forward with implementation of premises ID in Saskatchewan.

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Stewardship

As land managers, we are often focused on managing our grazing resource for the livestock utilizing the area. What we don’t sometimes realize, is that proper grazing management can have positive effects on a wide range of species that depend on native grasslands for habitat. One such species is the Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia).

On the Canadian prairies, Burrowing Owls can be found in central and southern Alberta and Saskatchewan in native prairie and seeded grassland where there is sparse vegetation and bare ground for burrow locations. These small owls do not dig their own burrows but rather, they rely on abandoned burrows made by other animals including prairie dogs, Richardson Ground Squirrels (gophers), badgers and occasionally fox dens. Burrowing Owls forage in a variety of habitats, but generally prefer vegetated areas that consist of mid-range vegetation (30-60cm) which support prey including voles, mice, snakes, salamanders, grasshoppers and other small animals and insects.

Grazing principles that emphasize a diversity of native grassland conditions can help create preferred habitat for Burrowing Owls. This includes using proper stocking rates, allowing for rest, observing optimal grazing periods and monitoring the grazing system for success. It has been suggested that cessation of grazing negatively impacts Burrowing Owl populations due to the fact that shorter grass areas (>30 cm) are preferred for nesting locations. Grazing can be an especially important tool in grassland areas where tree encroachment is a problem as tree cover is not preferred habitat for Burrowing Owls. Shredded horse or cow manure is also used to line the nest burrows of this small owl, so grazed areas with access to manure is a benefit for this species.

Managed Grazing and Burrowing Owls Go Hand-In-HandSubmitted by Leanne Thompson for SK PCAP

Conscientious land managers are aware of the negative impacts that overgrazing has on forage productivity and subsequently on livestock productivity. Likewise, heavily grazed pasture has a negative effect on the abundance of prey for Burrowing Owls; thus, heavy grazing in their foraging areas can be detrimental. Rotational grazing systems can have a positive effect on Burrowing Owl populations by providing both grazed areas for burrows (enabling them to watch for predators) and adjacent ungrazed areas for foraging.

In 1995, the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) declared the Burrowing Owl “endangered,” meaning that it may soon no longer exist in the wild in Canada. The Burrowing Owl has been designated “at risk” in all

four western Canadian provinces and is protected under provincial wildlife acts from capture, harassment, trade, killing, or nest disturbance.

However, do not let the endangered status of this species scare you from reporting these birds on your land! By reporting a sighting, you are helping to monitor the owl’s population and distribution, and managed grazing is a benefit to the habitat of this bird. If Burrowing Owls are nesting on your land, you may be eligible for shared cost pasture enhancement programs aimed at improving habitat for Burrowing Owls. Habitat enhancement funding may include re-seeding cultivated land to pasture, fencing, shrub planting, and alternate water development. A number of governmental and non-

Male Burrowing Owl (Photo by Janet Ng)



Stewardshipgovernmental programs in Canada’s four western provinces are conserving and studying habitat for this bird, and raising awareness about the needs of the Burrowing Owl. Through two environmental non-government programs alone — Operation Burrowing Owl (OBO) in Saskatchewan, which began in 1987, and Operation Grassland Community (OGC) in Alberta, which started in 1989—more than 700 landowners combined have conserved roughly 70,000 hectares of Burrowing Owl nesting habitat. Both programs are voluntary stewardship initiatives focused on habitat conservation and awareness of Burrowing Owls and information is strictly confidential and is not shared without the permission of the landowner.

If you are one of the few landowners with Burrowing Owls nesting on your land, or if you have prairie habitat that formerly supported owls, you can play

an important role in the survival of this prairie species. For more information on managing Burrowing Owl habitat on your land, please feel free to contact:

- In Saskatchewan: Operation Burrowing Owl – 1-800-667-HOOT (4668) (SK only) or [email protected]

- In Alberta: Operation Grassland Community – (780) 437-2342 or [email protected]

The SK PCAP gratefully acknowledges funding/in-kind support from Agriculture and Agri-Food

Canada (AAFC) through Agri-Environment Services Branch (AESB) and Semiarid Prairie

Agricultural Research Centre (SPARC), the Carl Block Memorial Stewardship Education

Fund (CBMSEF), Cattle Marketing Deductions Fund (CMDF), Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC),

EnCana Corporation, Environment Canada (EC) through the Canadian Wildlife Service

(CWS), Government of Canada’s Habitat Stewardship Program for Species at Risk

(HSP), Horned Cattle Purchases Fund (HCPF),

South Shadow anguS, aPha/aQha horSeS(306) 299-4494 ~ [email protected]

Don and Connie Delorme ~ Robsart, SK

Boundary anguS & SimmentalDarby and Sarah Delorme

(306) 299-2006 ~ [email protected] & Mackayla Delorme ~ Jay En Dee Angus

www.BoundaryRanch.ca

Kay dee anguS Benny and Kalee Hofer ~ (306) 299-2051Nevaeh & Aeverie Hofer ~ Prairie Pride Angus

Also offering100 Home-raised Commercial Replacement Heifers

Give us a call or look us up . . . at the ranch or on the web ~ www.DelormeAngus.ca

ChoiceYour

Bull Sale

1:00 pm (CST)Cowtown Livestock, Maple Creek, SK

Friday April 15 2011

63 Years ofBlack Angus

55 Yearlings5 x 2 Yr Olds/Bear Creek

Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), Nature Saskatchewan (NS), Parks Canada - Grasslands National Park of Canada (PC-GNP), Penn West

Energy Trust, Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM), Saskatchewan Burrowing Owl Interpretive Centre (SBOIC),

Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture (SMA), Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment (SME), Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment – Fish

and Wildlife Development Fund (FWDF), Saskatchewan Ministry of Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sport – Royal Saskatchewan

Museum (RSM), Friends of the Museum (RSM), Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association

(SSGA), Saskatchewan Watershed Authority (SWA), SaskEnergy, SaskPower, TransCanada

Corporation, University of Regina (UofR), University of Saskatchewan – College of Agriculture and Bioresources (UofS) and

Western Development Museum - Saskatoon (WDM).

B



Calendar of Events


March

March 12 SSGA Zone 1 Annual Meeting Carlyle, SK

March 15 SSGA Zone 2 Annual Meeting Milestone, SK

March 17 Johnson Livestock Angus 5th Annual Bull & Female Sale Peebles, SK

March 22 Duckworth Ranch Commercial Replacement Open Heifer Sale Courval, SK

March 24 Soo Line Cattle Co. 9th Annual On Track Angus Bull Sale Midale, SK

March 28 Rancher’s Choice Black Angus Bull Sale Medicine Hat, AB

March 28 49th Parallel 13th Annual Black Angus Bull Sale Mankota, SK

April

April 2 Burnett Angus & Tarentaise Bull & Female Sale Swift Current, SK

April 2 Crescent Creek Angus 13th Annual Bull & Female Sale Goodeve, SK

April 4 Triple A 14th Annual Bull and Heifer Sale Moose Jaw, SK

April 5 Pursuit of Excellence Bull Sale Sedley, SK

April 6 Peak Dot Ranch Ltd. Spring Bull and Female Sale Wood Mountain, SK

April 8 Johnston/Fertile Valley Bull Sale Saskatoon, SK

April 9 Six Mile Ranch 36th Annual Bull Sale Fir Mountain, SK

April 12 Breed Creek Angus Top Cut 21st Annual Bull Sale Mankota, SK

April 13 Black Harvest Annual Bull Sale Kisbey, SK

April 14 South View Ranch 11th Annual Red & Black Angus Bull Sale Ceylon, SK

April 14 T Bar K Ranch Bull Sale Wawota, SK

April 15 South Shadow Angus Your Choice Bull Sale Maple Creek, SK

April 16 Short Grass Angus Bull & Female Sale Aneroid, SK

April 18 Moose Creek Red Angus Spring Bull Sale Kisbey, SK

May

May 10 Advertising deadline for May magazine

June

June 5-7 SSGA 98th Convention and Annual General Meeting Swift Current, SK


Advertiser Index

49th Parallel Black Angus Bull Sale 32

Abe’s Signs 56

Academy of Learning 17

Allen Leigh Security & Communications

57

Arm River Red Angus 56

Beef Improvement Opportunities/Fort Supply

34

Beef Information Centre 27-30

Bill Laidlaw Chartered Accountant Professional Corp.

56

Black Harvest Annual Bull Sale 42

Blairs Ag. 2

Boehringer Ingelheim 3

Burnett Angus & Tarentaise Bull & Female Sale

20

Breed Creek Top Cut Bull Sale 43

Canadian Cattle Identification Agency

59

Carlton Trail Regional College 18

Cargill Animal Nutrition 58

Cattle Care Vet Consultants 58

Chartop Charolais 56

Cowtown Livestock Exchange, Inc. 45

Crescent Creek Angus 19

Duckworth Ranch 26

Dutch Bunning 22

The Edge Marketing Group 51

Elanco Animal Health 56

Frostfree Nose Pumps 58

Advertiser IndexGelbviehWorld.com 57

Gibson Livestock 57

Grayson & Co. 57

Jackson Designs 58

John Brown Farms 58

Johnson Livestock 23

Johnston Angus/Fertile Valley 14

Johnstone Auction 58

Kelln Solar 57

Kyle Welding & Machine Shop Ltd. 56

Lane Realty Corp. 40, 58

Linthicum Herefords 57

MCD Welding 56

McTavish Charolais 6

Man-SK Gelbvieh 58

Masterfeeds 57

MicroAge 17

Millet King Seeds 57

Moose Creek Red Angus 12

Nature Saskatchewan 47

Nerbas Bros. Angus 56

New Vision Agro 58

Norac Weighing & Control Systems 47

Northstar Seed Ltd. 57

Parkside Farm and Ranch 40

Paysen Livestock 45

Peak Dot Ranch 50

Pfizer Animal Health 7, 31, 60

Prairie Habitats 57

Quality Starts Here/Verified Beef 4

Rancher’s Choice 11

Ralgro 33

Rosetown Flighting Supply 56

Saskatchewan Angus Assoc. 48, 57

Saskatchewan Charolais Assoc. 25

Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture

34

Saskatoon Processing Company 57

Sask/Man Galloway Assoc. 57

Short Grass Angus 37

Silencer Chutes 58

Sittler Composting 58

Six Mile Ranch Ltd. 46

Solar West 57

Soo Line Cattle Company 38

South Shadow Angus 53

South View Ranch 41

Southern Trail Trailer Sales 56

Southland Realty 58

Superior Livestock Auction 57

Sundog Solar 56

T Bar K Ranch 8

Terra Grain Fuels 56

Triple A 14th Annual Bull and Heifer Sale

44

Western Litho 58

Weyburn Inland Terminal 56

Young’s Equipment 58


THE EXECUTIVECalvin Knoss President/Director at LargeRockglen, SK Phone: 476-2512

Harold MartensVice President/Director at LargeSwift Current, SK Phone: 773-6782

Doug Gillespie2nd Vice President/Director at LargeNeville, SK Phone: 627-3619 Ed BothnerPast President/Director at LargeBeechy, SK Phone: 859-4602

Ross MacDonaldFinance Chair/Director at Large Lake Alma, SK Phone: 447-4600

DIRECTORS AT LARGEHeather S Beierbach, Maple Creek 299-4512Ryan Beierbach, Whitewood 532-4809Helen Finucane, Regina 584-2773 Shane Jahnke, Gouldtown 784-2899Paul Jefferson, Humboldt ext 272 682-3139Roy Rutledge, Assiniboia 642-5358

ZONE CHAIR DIRECTORSZone 1 - Lloyd Thompson, Carnduff 482-3743Zone 3 - Kelcy Elford, McCord 478-2682Zone 4 - Brooks Whitney, Maple Creek 662-4420Zone 5 - Bill Huber, Lipton 336-2684Zone 6 - Brent Griffin, Elbow 854-2050Zone 7 - Bob Mahon, Fiske 377-2124Zone 12 - Eileen Davidson, Ponteix 625-3755

AFFILIATE DIRECTORSCraig Boake - Shorthorn Affiliate, Melville 876-4711Garner Deobald - Charolais Affiliate, Hodgeville 677-2589Tom Grieve - Cattle Breeders Affiliate, Fillmore 722-3504Karla Hicks - Angus Affiliate, Mortlach 355-2265Connie Housek - SK/Man Galloway, Beechy 859-2268Tara Fritz - Simmental Affiliate 297-3147

APPOINTED DIRECTORSDr. Andy Acton 459-2422

SASKATCHEWAN CCA DIRECTORSLynn Grant, Val Marie 298-2268Bob Ivey, Ituna 795-2856Pat Hayes, Val Marie 298-2284Jack Hextall, Grenfell 697-3079

Listings of email and fax numbers can be found on the SSGA website at www.skstockgrowers.com

SSGA BOARD OF DIRECTORS


nks.

Division of Eli Lillly Canada Inc.

Roger MeyersSales Representative

Southern Saskatchewan

Box 153, Minton, SKCell: 306-221-1558

www.elanco.ca

Over 60 years of service!Box 310, Kyle, SK S0L1T0

306-375-2271

www.kylewelding.com

Livestock Water Troughs - From 400 to 1250 gal.

Galvanized Water TanksFrom 100 to 4100 gal.

(306) 567-4702 Box 688, Davidson, SK S0G

Chartop CharolaisGlen and Lyn Sauder

Box 569, Gull Lake, SK S0N 1A0Ph: (306) 672-3979 Fax: (306) 672-4347Purebred CHAROLAIS & RED ANGUS Bulls for Sale

Commercial Herd * Visitors always welcome

Super Edge™ flighting for grain augers, combines, &seed cleaning plants.

Left and right hand available in all sizes. Helicoid & SectionalComplete Auger Repairs

ROSETOWN FLIGHTING SUPPLY Rosetown, SKPhone 1-866-882-2243 • Fax 1-306-882-2217

www.flightingsupply.com [email protected] PREPAID FREIGHT RATES - BC $25 AB/MB $19 SK $18 (per order)

NO FREIGHT CHARGES: One size 75 feet & overMultiple sizes - 100 feet & over

OVERNIGHT DELIVERY TO MAJOR CENTRES

Solar Water Heating - Water Pumps - RV Systems - Cottage/ResidentialPhotovoltaic Panels - Portable Water Systems

JASON WILLIAMS

Dealer email: [email protected]

Ph: 306.370.1256

P.O. Box 420, Hanley, SK S0G 2E0

604 Government Road S.Weyburn, SK S4H 2B4

Ph: 306.842.5344Fax: [email protected]

BILL LAIDLAW CA.CFP.Chartered Accountant

BILL LAIDLAWCHARTERED ACCOUNTANT PROF. CORP.BL

Business Directory

MCD Welding Box 502, Nokomis, SK S0G 3R0

306-528-2275

Roller Mills Roller Mills - 30 bu to 1000 bu per hr.Custom Built EquipmentCattle Panels, Headgates, Hay Feeders, Gates, Weigh Scales and Sheep & Goat Equip.

NEW LISTINGAARON BOHN

Pro-Pellet Division

Weyburn Inland Terminal Ltd.Box 698, Weyburn

Saskatchewan, Canada S4H 2K8Sask. Toll Free 1-800-552-8808

Tel: (306) 842-7436Fax: (306) 842-0303Cell: (306) 861-1757

email: [email protected]

Call (306) 345-2280 or visitwww.terragrainfuels.com for more information.

Black Angus Bulls

Shellmouth, MB CANADA 204-564-2540

All Sales by Private Treaty

www.nerbasbroangus.com


Innovative Solar Systems for all Applications

AGRICULTURAL - COMMERCIAL - RESIDENTIAL

- Livestock Watering Systems - Water Pumping Solutions - Hybrid Wind / Solar Systems - Pond & Dugout Aeration

- Grid Tie Systems- Off Grid Systems- Solar LED Lights- Solar Hot Water

Call Today for your Free System Consultation !

www.kellnsolar.com1-888-731-8882

WIRELESS COW CAMMakes your calving easier safer and more

PROFITABLE!Pricing from $450.00 - $2,275.00

Save 100's of trips to the barn!Saves 3-5 calves per year!

Stop disturbing them while they calve!Gives you better quality of life!

www.CowCam.caBrandon, MB PH: 1-866-289-8164

since 1996

Prairie HabitatsRURAL & URBAN LAND ENHANCEMENT

• Shallow Water Line & Underground Cable Installation • Tree Moving• Tree Planting • Zero Drift Spaying • Grass & Legume Seeding

• Soil Testing & Fertilizer Blending • Solar/Electric Pumps• Reclamation • Fencing • Consulting

Clint B. Sanborn1526 Hochelage St. W.Moose Jaw, SK S6H 7P9

Tel: 306-693-7803Cell: 306-631-0529

e-mail: [email protected]

C A N A D AOF

INC.

PresidentReynald R. J. Gauthier

204-379-2987


www.milletkingseeds.com

Seed it June 10th...

Swath it 60 days laterBox 16 St. Claude, Manitoba R0G 1Z0

Swath Grazing

Great Cattle Feed Dry or Silage Feed

Forage Seed

Corn Seed

Lawn Seed

Neil McLeod

306-831-9401

Northstar Seed Ltd

Forage Seed

Corn Seed

Lawn Seed

Neil McLeod

306-831-9401

Forage Seed

Corn Seed

Lawn Seed

Neil McLeod

306-831-9401

“Come Grow With Us”Northstar Seed Ltd

350 Langdon Cres. Moose Jaw306-693-6176

www.graysonandcompany.comBranch Office in:

Central Butte - (306) 796-2025

GRAYSON & COMPANYBARRISTERS AND SOLICITORS

Founded 1883

GeneralPractice

Bruce KingDivisional Manager

3018 Miners Ave.Saskatoon, SK S7K 4Z8

Phone (306) 934-4887Toll-free 1-800-803-9714

Linthicum HerefordsBulls and Heifers

for Sale

Glentworth, SK

Frank(306) 266-4417

Murray & Jan(306) 266-4377

Pick up your copy of the 2011 product catalogue at your local dealer today

Programs for the Canadian Cattleman!

Purebred, Commercial, Backgrounding & Feedlot

For more information please contactJanie Jensen – Beef Sales Manager

at 306-535-0969

®

a Tradition of Quality in Animal Nutrition

Jerry GlabTony ChandriukKrystal NordickJack Wagman

306-891-8914306-540-8774306-231-3233306-536-1004

Performance Feed, Pellet, and Mineral Programs, Supplements

Your AD could be here!Contact Tracy Cornea at

306-693-9329

Canadian Livestock Auction. Ltd.

Cowtown Livestock Exchange Inc. Maple Creek, SK

Regular Sales every Tuesday @ 11:00 a.m. Locally Owned & Operated

Call for info on Presort & Other SalesPhone 306-662-2648 Toll Free: 1-800-239-5933

CT

www.cowtownlivestock.com


VCATTLE CARE VET CONSULTANTS LTD.

1A 1081 Central Ave N Swift Current SK S9H 4Z2

888-773-5773 www.cattlecarevet.com

Johnson Concrete Cattle Waterers

“The Best Name in Cattle Waterers”

Waterers and parts in stock

Compost Turners, Spreaders, Screeners, Baggers

®

Brent Hansen Environmental204-726-3335, www.globalrepair.ca

Cargill Animal Nutrition

Your source for customized animal nutrition products and solutions in Western Canada.

Call us today:

Phone: 1-800-552-8012 Fax: 403-320-6740

P.O. Box 1656 North Battleford, SK

S9A 3W2

NEW VISION AGROBox 479

Hague, SK S0K 1X0


Dealer & Distributor For:- Jay-Lor Vertical Feed Mixers- Feed-Rite- Cargill Nutrena Feeds- Baler twine, netwrap, silage bunker,

covers, plastic wrap, inoculant

PH: (306) 225-2226 FX: (306) 225-2063

www.newvisionagro.com

Helen Finucaneoffice: 306-775-1443 cell: 306-537-2648

phone: 306-584-2773

Carlyle, SK

All types of commercial and purebred livestock auctions and farm sales. Wash rack facilities for livestock

Wayne or Scott JohnstoneBox 818, Moose Jaw, SK

306-693-4715 (Bus)306-693-0541 (Res)

Fax 306-691-6650 www.johnstoneauction.ca

“Saskatchewan’s Farm & Ranch Specialists”

For all of your buying or selling needs...Contact one of our Farm & Ranch Specialists today!

To view our properties visit our website at:www.lanerealtycorp.com

Ph: 306-569-3380 Fax: 306-569-3414

Jackson DesignsGraphic Design Studio

Call us today for all your Catalogue

and Ad Design needs!

Candace Schwartz 306.772.0376

[email protected]

Len Rempel 306-741-6358 / [email protected]

1706 Springs Drive,Swift Currentwww.royallepageswiftcurrent.ca

Independently Owned & Operated

SOUTHLAND

Rod Wendorff

The Industry Standard in Cattle Chutes

403-330-3000www.silencerchutes.ca

SILENCER CHUTES CANADA

The Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (CCIA) has partnered with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture to employ four Producer Support Representatives (PSRs) who are stationed across the province of Saskatchewan. They travel throughout their respective regions to increase awareness of CCIA and help implement voluntary traceability initiatives such as premises identification, use of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag readers, livestock movement, and value-added programs such as age verification. In addition, PSRs facilitate workshops and assist producers with uploading information into the Canadian Livestock Tracking System (CLTS).

Meet our people in the field

BriAn AnderSonBrian is based out of the Saskatoon office and covers the livestock auctions in the north central region. Brian spent many years in agriculture and farm management in Manitoba before joining the CCIA team.

producer Support representative, team lead, SaskatoonPhone: 306-717-2151 | Fax: 306-974-1668Email: [email protected] markets in region: Heartland Livestock Services (Lloydminster and Prince Albert), Meadow Lake Stockyards Ltd., Saskatoon Livestock Sales Ltd., Spiritwood Stockyards Ltd. and Edwards Livestock Centre.

dee VAlStArAlong with her husband and two daughters, Dee owns and operates a commercial cow/calf operation in Springside. She is a registered veterinary technologist with 15 years experience in mixed and large animal practice.

producer Support representative, YorktonPhone: 306-621-0508 | Fax: 1-877-427-4173Email: [email protected] markets in region: Heartland Livestock Services Yorkton, Kelvington Stockyards, Parkland Livestock Market (Kelliher and Leross), and Whitewood Livestock Sales.

niCK AnderSonNick holds a diploma in Animal Science and originally comes from the grain handling industry. Along with his wife and three young children, he helps his father run a cow/calf operation and grain farm near Abbey.

producer Support representative, Swift CurrentPhone: 306-741-4409 | Fax: 1-877-381-0721Email: [email protected] markets in region: Auction markets in region: Assiniboia Livestock Auction, Mankota Stockmen’s Weigh Co. Ltd., Cowtown Livestock Exchange Inc., Heartland Livestock Services (Swift Current), and Shaunavon Livestock Sales Ltd.

KeVin SMithKevin currently operates a mixed farming business which includes pulse/cereal crops and forage, as well as a commercial cow/calf operation outside of Regina. He joined CCIA with more than 30 years of customer service experience and will be covering livestock auctions in the southeastern region of Saskatchewan.

producer Support representative, reginaPhone: 306-209-4307 | Fax: 306-781-3313Email: [email protected] markets in region: Heartland Livestock Services (Regina and Moose Jaw), Johnstone Auction Mart Ltd., Weyburn Livestock Exchange, Candiac Auction Mart, and Alameda Auction Mart.

The CCIA Saskatchewan office is located at Room 111, 3830 Thatcher Avenue, Saskatoon, SK S7R 1A5Phone: 306-974-2083 | Fax: 306-974-1668

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BOVI_044_Sask Beef Bus_violator_Layout 2 08/02/11 1:13 PM Page 1

beef business march 2011

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