- The Western Producer

Transcription

Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s
Connection
The voice of saskatchewan’s cattle producers
Vol. 5 No. 2
LIVESTOCK
GUARDIAN DOGS
Castration
goes under the
microscope
APRIL/MAY 2015
Connection is published in Saskatoon in partnership with
Western Producer Publications. Mail Agreement No. 40069240
Perrin Ranch
A rancher’s
legacy
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know
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ucers Ne
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Beef Producers
April/May 2015 Vol. 5 Issue 2
Published for the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s
Association
need to know
www.saskbeef.com
What Beef Producers Need to Know
Responsible
antimicrobial
use to avoid
d to Know
Neeresistance
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Many people are talking about antimicrobial resistance these days,
What
including consumers
and governments. What do cattle producers
need
now
d to kcosts,
eeproduction
to know? Responsible use can not only n
save
it reduces
the chance of important antimicrobial drugs becoming less effective in
animal and human medicine.
WHAT
TIPS: Using antimicrobials responsibly
ers
c
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d
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r
P
f
e
e
hat• B
WPreconditioning
Know
Follow all veterinary and/or label
to instructions
• Have an accurate diagnosis before using antimicrobials
eed
(dosage, treatment
Calculator
- Ntime, withdrawal time, etc.)
• Monitorsoon!
cattle health on an ongoing basis to
coming
provide prompt and appropriate treatment or care
Beef Producers
What
contents
Beef Producers
need to know
Beef Producers
• Ask your veterinarian whether a tetracycline-based antibiotic should be used first
(e.g. Oxytetracycline, Liquamycin, Biomycin) before moving to an antibiotic of
Need to Know
LOCKHART photo
High Importance (e.g. Micotil, Draxxin, Zuprevo, Zactran) or Very High Importance
(e.g. Baytril, A180, Excenel, Excede) in human medicine
WHAT
s
r
e
c
u
d
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r
P
f
Bee EED TO KNOW
N
TIPS: Preventing cattle illness to reduce the need for antimicrobial use
a/AMR
BeefResearch.c
u
rmation yo
has the info
w about
need to kno
sistance
avoiding re
ponsible
through res
ial use
antimicrob
le.
in beef catt
goryherd
cateyour
• Implement a practical
vaccinationlprogram
Use - by for
WHAT
Beef Producers
Antimicrobia
%
NEED TO KNOW
• Reduce stress on animals to keep their immune systems strong.
Consider practices such as:
CASTRATION
GOES UNDER
20
THE MICROSCOPE
This Turkish Kangal is outfitted with a
spike collar which helps prevent
serious injury in the event of a dustup
with a livestock predator.
In the first part of a four-part research
project researchers deducted that the
optimum time for castration is within a
week after birth.
HUMANS
Low stress cattle handling
•
Low stress weaning techniques such as fence-line
cl. pets)
Antimicrobial Use - by category
• Preconditioning calves
% of total
CONNECTION
5News in brief
LIVESTOCK
GUARDIAN DOGS
12 Bad news - good news about
VOL. 5 NO. 2
Antimicrobial Use -CASTRATION
by category
soil carbon
GOES UNDER THE
MICROSCOPE
ALL
(in
ANIMALS
LE
LOT CATT
EDeconomics
TryFEour
of preconditioning
HIGH
calculator
at
MEDIUM
LOW beefresearch.ca/AMR
% of total
16 Dairy industry ramps up
animal welfare scrutiny
< 1%
HIGH +
VERY HIGH
COMBINED
HUMANS
APRIL/MAY 2015
ALL ANIMALS (incl. pets)
VERY
HIGH
The Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC) plays an important role in identifying and funding research of priority to the Canadian
beef cattle industry to advance its competitiveness and sustainability. The BCRC manages the research allocation of the
national check-off and funds leading edge research through Canada’s Beef Cattle Industry Science Cluster.
ALL ANIMALS (incl. pets)
4 Chair report
SASKATCHEWAN CATTLEMEN’S
Connection is published in Saskatoon in partnership with
Western Producer Publications. Mail Agreement No. 40069240
On the
FEEDLOT CATTLE
LOW
HUMANS
THE VOICE OF SASKATCHEWAN’S CATTLE PRODUCERS
•
file photo
GUARDIAN
14 LIVESTOCK
DOGS
• Use biosecurity practices to reduceofspread
of infection among animals
total
or two-stage
SHANNON SCHELLENBERG photo
In 2004 Ted and Olive Perrin were recipients of the SSGA TESA (The Environmental
Stewardship Award) provincially and won nationally for their conservation efforts on the
Perrin Ranch.
What
Need to Know
Watch this video
to see why responsible
use is important at
beefresearch.ca/AMR
6 PERRIN RANCH - A RANCHER’S LEGACY
MEDIUM
PERRIN RANCH
A RANCHER’S
LEGACY
< 1%
HIGH +
VERY HIGH
COMBINED
cover: Perrin
Ranch - A rancher’s
VERY
legacy
HIGH | SHANNON
HIGH
SCHELLENBERG photo
@saskcattlemens
18 Lacomb study plans to tweak
swath grazing
22 What’s up with my food?
24 Foreign investors hit paydirt
26Regenerative agriculture
28 Checkoffs: An investment in
research
Publisher:
Editor:
Art Director:
Layout Designer:
Advertising Director:
Creative Director:
Marketing Manager:
SCA Representatives:
Shaun Jessome
Bonnie Warnyca
Michelle Houlden
Shelley Wichmann
Kelly Berg
Robert Magnell
Jack Phipps
Patty Englund
Bill Strautman
Editorial: P: 306-695-3976
C: 306-539-9381
Editorial fax: 306-665-3587
[email protected]
Advertising:
1-800-667-7776
Advertising fax:
306-653-8750
[email protected]
National sales: Lisa Graham / Denise Bott
Suite 201 - 300 Willow Road
Guelph, Ontario N1H 7C6
Tel: 519-836-4072 Fax: 519-836-2499
Subscriptions:
1-800-667-6929
Subscription fax:
306-244-9445
[email protected]
Send inquiries to: Connection Subscriptions,
Box 2500, Saskatoon, SK. S7K 2C4.
Connection magazine is published in partnership with Western Producer Publications.
Contents copyright 2014. All rights reserved.
No part of Connection magazine may be reproduced in any form or by any means without
prior written consent from Saskatchewan
Cattlemen’s Association.
The views expressed by contributors are not
necessarily those of the publisher, editor or
staff. Connection and Western Producer Publications do not take responsibility for any unsolicited materials. Advertising in Connection
does not indicate an endorsement by the SCA.
We strive for accuracy in presenting articles
and charts. However, we are not responsible for
errors or liability in the event of losses resulting
from readers’ use of our magazine and website.
Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to:
Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association, 310820 51st St. East, Saskatoon, SK., S7K 0X8.
™
32 SCA Resolutions - actions
38 CEO report
Printed with inks containing
canola oil
Publications Mail Agreement No. 40069240
Registration No. 10676
CHAIR REPORT
Board Members:
District 1
SCA plans office move to Regina
As we all know, our industry operates in an ever-changing
environment,
from
weather patterns, crop production, feed grain disparities, animal health problems
and consumer demands to
dramatic market swings, particularly in cattle futures and
currency markets.
Because of some of these issues, and the fast-paced
world of agriculture, the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association is taking some major steps to be more active
and to become more agile in
dealing with the business of
cattle production and beef
marketing, not just within
our province but on the national and international
stage as well.
The board of directors has
decided to move the SCA
headquarters from Saskatoon to Regina. This decision
was not taken lightly as it has
several major short-term
ramifications,
including
staff changes, office lease
agreements and no doubt
short-term business disruptions.
However, we believe that
this is the right move to accomplish the mandate given
to the SCA, which is “to effectively provide one single,
unified voice for the province’s beef industry”.
This is the first step to-
4
5
| connection
wards our goal of improving
government relations and
getting closer to the concerns of the Saskatchewan
cattle producer. Of course, in
order to do this job effectively, we need the cooperation
of all segments, including
the Saskatchewan Stock
Growers Association, the
Saskatchewan Cattle Feeders Association and the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture.
The SCA staff and board of
directors will be reaching
out to these organizations
for direction on how to best
represent the entire industry.
I believe we now have an
outstanding board that is
knowledgeable, diligent and
cohesive. Over the past several weeks, the board has had
to make a number of difficult
decisions and has been very
unified throughout this process.
We are hopeful that some
of the current staff will make
the move with us, however at
the very least, we are seeking
the services of a chief executive officer to lead in carrying
out the SCA mission. Our
target date for this transition
is no later than June 30.
Of course, as this process
unfolds, we continue to work
on industry business on a
daily basis. Our current staff,
Ryan Beierbach • Whitewood, SK
p: 306.532.4809 or 306.735.1341
e: [email protected]
led by Patty Englund, is
working hard to promote our
industry and are out at the
many spring trade shows,
such as the Saskatoon Home
Show, the Regina Spring
Home Show and Gardenscape in Saskatoon, talking
face-to-face with our beef
customers.
In the bigger picture, there
is a controversy brewing surrounding the use and claw
back of the national checkoff. Some provinces are clawing back national dollars earmarked under agreement to
the Canadian National Beef
Strategy operated by Canada
Beef. I will be attending a
meeting in Winnipeg in
April in an attempt to solve
this issue.
Also in the works are updated cattle dealer regulations, the progress of the
Beef Cattle Research Teaching Unit as well as numerous
other projects.
I also want to encourage
any cattle or beef industry
group to apply for qualifying
support through the Saskatchewan Beef Industry
Development Fund.
In closing, I want to thank
the board and the SCA staff
for the cooperation and work
ethic displayed over the last
few weeks of intense deliberations.
BILL JAMESON | SCA Chair
District 2
Philip Lynn • Marquis, SK
p: 306.788.4421 or 306.361.9299
District 3A
Laurie Disney • Wood Mountain, SK
p: 306.476.7522 or 306.476.2729
District 3B
Larry Grant • Val Marie, SK
p: 306.298.4901 or 306.741.9867 e: [email protected]
District 4
Rick Toney • Gull Lake, SK
p: 306.672.3703 or 306.671.7900 • e: [email protected]
District 5
Levi Hull • Willowbrook, SK
p: 306.641.6271 • e: [email protected]
District 6
Garret Hill • Duval, SK
p: 306.725.7451 or 306.725.4909
District 7 & Past Chair
Paula Larson • D’Arcy, SK
p: 306.379.4523 or 306.221.0509
DAVID WEIMAN photo
In the Feb/March issue of the Connection, we inadvertently
missed the attribution of the wolf photo which appeared in the
predation story. The photo was taken by David Weiman.
NEWS IN BRIEF
AAFC - Advance Payment Program
under review
The Advance Payments Program (APP)
and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
(AAFC) provides producers with cash advances on eligible commodities. These
advances offer improved cash flow, therefore increasing the flexibility producers
have in marketing their products. Producers can access up to $400,000 in advances. The first $100,000 is interest-free
and the remaining $300,000 is interestbearing. The amount of the advance reflects up to 50 percent of the expected
market value of the agricultural product
and must be repaid upon the sale of the
commodity or at the end of the production period, whichever comes first.
While about 25,000 farmers across Canada participate in the APP, there are a significant number of producers that have
District 8
Michael Spratt • Melfort, SK
District 9A
Arnold Balicki • Shellbrook, SK
p: 306.468.2935 or 306.468.7240
District 9B
not obtained an interest-free loan.
The APP is being evaluated by AAFC
and one of the goals is to find out why
more Canadian farmers do not participate.
If you have not received an APP interestfree loan, AAFC is interested in knowing
why you have not or what changes to the
program would encourage you to participate. Your feedback is important to ensure that this program benefits as many
producers as possible.
You can use this link to participate in
this very important AAFC survey: http://
fluidsurveys.com/s/APP-Producers/
Or, contact Don Ference, President, Ference Weicker & Company at ference@
shaw.ca or by calling 604-688-2424 (extension 304).
Information provided by Agriculture
and Agri-Food Canada.
Dean Moore • Paradise Hill, SK
p: 306.344.5370 • c: 306.344.7981
SCFA
Brad Welter • Viscount, SK
Bill Jamison • Moose Jaw, SK
p: 306.692.4211 or 306.631.0005
SSGA
Lloyd Thompson • Estevan, SK
Harold Martens • Swift Current, SK
p: 306.741.3961 or 306.757.8523
Patty Englund, Interim CEO
p: 306.665.2333 • c: 306.380.4668 • [email protected]
Bill Strautman, Communications Specialist
p: 306.665.2333 • c: 306.380.4608
Bev Magill, Project Manager
p: 306.665.2333 • c: 306.281.4077
Raquel Schultz, Executive Administrator
p: 306.665.2333 • f: 306.665.2336
cov er story
T
THE PERRIN RANCH
A RANCHER’S
LEGACY
By Bonnie Warnyca/PHOTOS BY SHANNON SCHELLENBERG
On the pages of scattered
memories, well-known cattle
producer Pete Perrin talks
about the man that first
settled the land where Perrin
Ranching was born.
he man was Robert Cruikshank, a Scottish lad,
who apprenticed as a
banker and as a 20-yearold made his way to Winnipeg. But the banking industry would
have to do without him as the call to head
farther west was just too loud to ignore.
He quickly found a position with the
Canadian Land and Ranch Company back then ‘The 76 Outfit’ - located near
Gull Lake. In 1898 he recorded his first
land acquisition, registering two cattle
brands.
Over time, Cruikshank built up his
cow numbers and amassed about 50,000
acres of lease and purchased land. One
of his holdings is now the Beechy Community Pasture.
No one really knows how this man,
once a banker, became known as a good
hand and one of the early “Cattle Kings”.
Cruikshank first raised Shorthorn cattle, but in later years changed to Herefords. Along with his partner John D.
Simpson of Moose Jaw, they once owned
the notorious Turkey Track ranch, which
at one time ran 24,000 head of cattle.
Cruickshank was one of the first six
ranchers to organize the Saskatchewan
Stock Growers Association in 1913 and
served as the first SSGA vice-president.
“In order to address the problem of cattle mange, Cruikshank established two
dipping vats on the ranch - one at the
winter quarters and one on the summer
range. The vats were made for the swim
method, with sulphur and lime used for
the dip. Usually a steam engine was used
to heat the dip.”
“Government range inspectors patrolled the ranches and sometimes even
if they only found one or two cattle with
mange, they ordered the whole herd
dipped.” (Taken from Pete Perrin’s memories documented by Ted Perrin)
FAST FORWARD past the names of
Robert Cruikshank Jr., who took over after his dad passed. Past the Smith and
the Knight ranches and the Funks to
Lawrence Ohmacht and John Minor,
who both had holdings which would
eventually be bought out by Pete Perrin.
Pete and his brother Jesse ran the Matador Community Pasture, which bordered both the Ohmacht and Minor
ranches. Ohmacht owned land to the
north of the Matador and a homestead
along the Saskatchewan River.
The rancher/bachelor was a regular
visitor to the Perrin household. When he
retired in 1943, he offered Pete the opportunity to buy him out. Pete did just that
and in 1951 added the Minor holdings. At
that point, Perrin Ranching encompassed about a township of rangeland
(23,040 acres)
continued on page 8 ››
In order to address the problem of cattle
mange, Cruikshank established two
dipping vats on the ranch - one at the
winter quarters and one on the summer
range. The vats were made for the swim
method, with sulphur and lime used for
the dip. Usually a steam engine was
used to heat the dip.
PETE PERRIN
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APRIL / MAY 2015 |
7
‹‹ continued from page 7
Jesse’s two sons Ted and Dennis Perrin
eventually hired on with Uncle Pete and
became shareholders.
After taking an Artificial Insemination (AI) course, Ted introduced Charolais genetics into the herd of Hereford
cattle. A bold move in those days, but
soon the tan calves were sought after in
western Canadian sale rings. Later he
used AI to introduce Red Angus genetics for a maternal cross.
In 1978, the arrival of a young man by
the name of Reg Schellenberg would set
the stage for yet another change in ranch
history.
Schellenberg hired on to the Perrin
Ranch after working for several years in
the forage division of the Swift Current
Research Station. Two years after his arrival, he married Ted’s second eldest
daughter Shannon. From that union, we
pick up the story of Perrin Ranching Ltd.
and its happenings over the next 35 years.
“When I hired on, heifers were still only being bred at two years of age and calving at three. It was a common practice in
the 60s and 70s. That’s probably the biggest jump in ranch history - when we
went from calving three-year-olds to
calving two-year-olds and selling the
steers off the cow,” recalls Reg Schellenberg.
Prior to the calving change, the cows
calved in May on the range. Because the
cattle were retained longer, there were
about 1,200 head of all ages - from cows
to yearling heifers to two-year-old steers.
Another big change for the ranch occurred in the 1960s when the province
built the Gardiner Dam and expropriated 3,000 acres of the ranch. It was a huge
loss because it encompassed the winter
pasture with a lot of natural shelter along
the river bottom. The area was also a
great source of hay. The home place was
forced to move a half mile north.
By 1983, Reg and Shannon were able to
purchase their first shares in the ranch.
From 1983 to 1990 the family corporation
included Ted and Olive, Shannon and
Reg, plus Shannon’s sister and brotherin-law. In 1990, the ranch was divided
into two corporations. Reg and Shannon
retained the Perrin Ranching name with
a slight twist, calling it Perrin Ranching
1990.
Since that time, the cattle have undergone another change - from a Red Angus
base herd to a Black Angus herd.
“Up until this time we used Red Angus
bulls on our heifers and Charolais bulls
for the terminal cross. A lot of our cows
were tan with a strong influence of Red
Angus. For about five years, we bred everything red and then introduced the
Black Angus genetics. I bought the first
Black Angus bull in 1995,” recalls Reg.
“Changing cattle colors is almost like
changing politics, but we were happy
with the results.”
“The cows, which still had a shot of
Charolais, raised some excellent black
steer calves. We wanted the Black Angus
influence because we saw an opportunity to sell into the Certified Angus Beef
Program. I credit Neil Jahnke for having
the insight to help establish Black Angus
in this corner of the province.”
But the herd - which had reached upwards of 400 - slowly declined post-BSE.
“Because the cattle were worth less over
that period of time, we had to sell more
to provide more income. The herd numbers shrunk to around the 300 mark. But
since 2008, we have retained more heifers to prepare for a market turnaround,”
says Coy Schellenberg, Reg and Shannon’s son.
“We will calve out 450 cows this spring
beginning the first week of April. We
have a 60-day breeding season, which
When I hired on, heifers were still only being bred at two years
of age and calving at three. It was a common practice in the 60s
and 70s. That’s probably the biggest jump in ranch history when we went from calving three-year-olds to calving twoyear-olds and selling the steers off the cow.
REG SCHELLENBERG
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was shortened last year to 55 days.”
In the past five years, the family has
slowly introduced Black Simmental genetics, carefully selecting bulls with exceptional EPDs for birthweight and milk.
They look for moderate-framed Simmental bulls with depth of rib and thickness.
“Between 400 and 500 cows allows us
to operate as a family unit and still gives
us the opportunity to stockpile grass a
year ahead. Our rangeland consists of 80
to 90 percent native grass and it takes
about 30 acres to support a cow-calf pair,”
says Coy.
“We also background most of our heifer calves, selling some in the spring and
retaining our replacement heifers to
breed.”
He says that while some experts believe
that tame grass has no place alongside
native grass, the spring production of
meadow brome and crested wheat grass
is perfect for April calving. It allows the
native grass more time to develop and
has become a huge tool in their native
rangeland management.
The Schellenbergs used square bales
and a chore team for winter feeding up
until 2002. They’ve since gone to round
bales and a bale processor which grinds
both green feed and the older carryover
hay. The good quality alfalfa/grass hay
simply gets rolled out. A normal bale
count is 1,400 to 1,500 and they add straw
bales for extra roughage.
A couple of years ago, the Schellenbergs
tried swath grazing but the swaths ended up under a foot of snow with a twoinch ice cap.
“The home place provides the wintering ground and the rangeland in the river valley is rested from spring until late
Perrin Ranching 1990 is a family run
ranch. The rangeland consists of 80 to
90 percent native grass. It takes about
30 acres to run a cow-calf pair.
fall. Once calving is done and calves are
branded, the cattle are moved to the
north camp and don’t return until November. This provides excellent winter
grazing when the cows arrive home from
summer range,” says Coy.
Reg says they used to trail the pairs 24
miles to the summer range (north camp)
but in hindsight, the trip was tough on
the young calves. They now truck the
cattle and instead of taking two days for
the trek, the pairs are unloaded in about
two hours.
The cow herd is split into two calving
fields, which makes it easier for checking, gathering and branding. In the event
of bad weather, it’s also easier to cancel
trucks bound for the summer pasture.
Since 2002, the family has marketed
their calves at a Certified Angus sale at
Maple Creek. Fellow Black Angus producer Bob Switzer introduced the family
to the Dalke Brothers of Morden, Manitoba and they have bought the Perrin
Ranching calves every year since.
Both father and son believe they must
take a turn in cowboy politics and have
taken their place alongside every land
owner in the ranch’s history as Saskatchewan Stock Growers members.
“Carl Block used to say that decisions
get made by the people that show up.
With so many proposed changes impacting our industry, we need to be at the
table before someone else dictates regulations for us,” stresses Reg.
“I’ve learned a lot about how things get
done on the provincial, federal and international stage. I’m one of four Saskatchewan reps on the Canadian Cattlemen’s
Association. I chair the Canadian Cattlemen’s Animal Care committee and was
involved with rewriting the new Beef
Code of Practice. I’m also on the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency as a
CCA director and a life member of the
SSGA.”
“It’s not always easy to get away, but I
believe there’s more to the business of
ranching than raising good cows. My
wife Shannon is very supportive and
even with her off farm job, is a big part of
running the ranch. This is a family run
operation and everyone does their part.”
Coy and his wife Laura-Lie have two
young children, making them the fifth
generation on this ranch. Coy graduated
university with a degree in animal scicontinued on page 10 ››
APRIL / MAY 2015 |
9
VERIFIED BEEF PRODUCTION
IN SASKATCHEWAN
ence and a minor in rangeland management. He always knew he would settle
on the ranch. Coy is also able to run a
part-time off-farm job from home.
“The bulk of the work happens from
November to March during the workshop season and in the evenings when I
get home. When producers are busy –
I’m at home doing the same things,” says
Coy, provincial coordinator for the Sask.
Verified Beef Program (VBP).
So far the VBP has trained more than
18,000 Canadian cow-calf producers.
There has been an 83 percent uptake of
the program by the Canadian feedlot industry and only about 35 percent acceptance from the cow-calf sector.
“The program was released by the
CCA in 2004 and it has been slower than
expected to catch on in the industry. But
it needed time to prove its worth in the
marketplace. With some higher profile
companies such as McDonald’s trying
to meet consumer demands, I’m getting
more calls from producers wanting to
be verified,” says Coy.
“Most operations are doing a good job
of record keeping and adhering to proper withdrawal times, but just need to
document their actions a little more. It’s
a minimal cost to join the VBP which
includes the on-farm audit. The operation is then certified for eight years and
must provide a declaration or example
records annually.”
Reg gives credit to the generations of
ranchers before him that so carefully
and passionately preserved the land entrusted to them. He says the expertise
that has been passed down on how to
manage native prairie has served them
well.
Ted and Olive Perrin were recognized
for their care of the land by receiving the
SSGA TESA (Environmental Stewardship Award) for Saskatchewan and nationally.
In the words of Uncle Pete, “If you take
care of the rangeland – it will take care
of you and the next generations.”
In the words of Pete Perrin, “If you
take care of the rangeland - it will
care for the next generations”.
Beef Producers in Saskatchewan may qualify for funding provided
through Growing Forward 2, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative
Cash Flow Solutions For Your Farm
Now More Convenient Than Ever!
45
GRAIN & LIVESTOCK COMMODITIES
ONE APPLICATION, ONE LOw fEE
100,000
$
INTEREST FREE
400,000
$
MAXIMUM ADVANCE
FOOD SAFETY
50% up to $750/producer
BIOSECURITY
50% up to $1,000/producer
Eligible equipment includes:
Eligible items include services
provided by a Vet to undertake:
*squeeze with neck extender
*individual livestock weigh scale
*record keeping software
NEW WEBSITE FOR SASKVBP.CA!
We did an overhaul of our website, it’s more modern and user friendly...
Go Check it Out!
To be Eligible, Producers Must Have:
$2,500 in Cattle Sales, Completed VBP Training,
Room Left in $750 Cap
Whether you’re just getting started or have been farming
for years, the flexibility of a cash advance can benefit
your farm’s financial plans. And now it’s easier than ever,
with all your advance needs in one place at CCGA.
To be Eligible, Producers Must:
Attend a Workshop and Receive the Vet Advice
In-Person and On-Farm
Applications accepted beginning March 1, 2015.
Apply over the phone at 1-866-745-2256, online
at CCGA.ca, or by mail, fax, or email.
The cash advance program administered by CCGA is made available to Canadian farmers through Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Advance Payments Program.
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*Biosecurity Assessment
*Biosecurity Protocol Development
To learn more about VBP in Saskatchewan,
visit saskvbp.ca or contact Coy Schellenberg, Provincial Coordinator,
at 306-859-9110 or [email protected]
APRIL / MAY 2015 |
11
car b o n r e c o v e r y
Bad news – good news about soil carbon
By Blain Hjertaas
Blain Hjertaas is a
rancher and holistic
management
educator from
Redvers, Sask. |
Martin HJERTAAS Photo
Not the average topic of
conversation for most people,
but carbon is critical to all of
our survival. 2015 is the International Year of Soil as declared by the United Nations.
In fact, 99.7 percent of what
we eat each day comes directly from the soil. Over the eons
of time mankind has abused
soil to the point that in some
cases civilizations have collapsed. Occasionally, agricultural practices have destroyed
the soil, forcing the people to
move on. Unfortunately, as
our populations have expanded, there is now nowhere else to go.
The production of food
can cause a soil loss of
up to four tons of soil
per person per year
on an annual basis.
That can equate
to a huge
amount of soil
loss annually
from our agricultural
areas.
Clearly this
is not
sustainable. Add to this the
loss from urbanization and
population increase and
there is potential for disastrous consequences. Throw
in climate change and it
doesn’t bode well.
I don’t believe it’s a bad news
story. We know how to fix
this. It’s simple and a win-win
for all. It all has to do with carbon.
We have put our carbon in
the atmosphere instead of in
the soil. We have lost a great
deal of organic matter, carbon and humus over the last
130 years of farming in western Canada. The 1930s took
their toll, the summerfallow
era took more and each time
tillage is performed more carbon is oxidized and goes into
the atmosphere.
Add to this the carbon released from fossil fuel burning and we have an increase
from a historical level of 300
ppm to 400 ppm of carbon dioxide in a 50 year period. This
is a huge increase in a very
short period of time and we
are just beginning to understand the ramifications. At
this point in our history there
is no indication of slowing our
rapid increase.
It would seem prudent to me
that we should take carbon
back out of the atmosphere
and put it into the soil where
it can do some good. The process is simple. Photosynthesis does it free for us every day
if we have green leaves working for us.
The plant takes oxygen and
carbon dioxide from the air
and makes simple sugar or
glucose. This is transported
to the roots where 20-30 percent exudes from the roots
into the rhizosphere to feed
the fungi and bacteria.
This is a symbiotic relationship between plants and
bugs. They get sugar from the
plant and in return they can
make unavailable nutrients
available to the plant. They
build structure in the soil and
as death occurs the plant and
animal remains are converted into more complex forms
of carbon or humus.
The more humus we have
the more soil microbes there
are, the more water holding
capacity the soil has, the more
nutrient dense the food that
is produced will become and
the higher the overall yield
will be. This keeps getting
better and the energy source
is solar energy converted by
green leaves. Sounds like
a pretty good thing.
Several years ago a
group of farmers
decided to explore whether soil car-
Several years ago a group of farmers decided to explore whether
soil carbon levels could be regenerated and begin to build.
bon levels could be regenerated and begin to build. The
soil carbon coalition was
formed to monitor soil carbon levels across North
America’s farmland.
Plots were established and
initial samples were analyzed
in 2011. In the fall of 2014 these
same sites were again visited
and analyzed for carbon. The
results are very impressive
with all farms showing positive increases in three years.
In tonnage, the seven farms
| connection
proves conclusively that cows
are carbon negative as this
wouldn’t have happened if
cattle had not been improving the soil on these farms.
Cattle ensure the litter on
the ground is pushed tight so
that decomposition can occur. The act of grazing stimulates the growth of grass making more solar capture possible. We need biology working
on our farms to make this
happen. Livestock enhance
biology.
This is a great news story.
All of these farms have had increases in grass production,
had a decrease in inputs, are
holding more water in the soil
and producing more nutrient
dense food. Clearly farmers
are more profitable, consumers have better food and society has more water holding
capacity mitigating floods
and
mitigating
climate
change. To view results check
out the web site at www.soilcarboncoalition.org
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12
13
tested in southeast Saskatchewan had 4,627 hectares between them and sequestered
the equivalent of 131,370
tonnes of carbon dioxide. The
average Canadian has a carbon footprint of 18.9 tonnes.
Therefore each hectare negated the effect of 1.5 persons
or these seven farms had a zero carbon footprint for 6,973
people.
All of these farms practice
high stock density grazing
with long recovery periods. It
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APRIL / MAY 2015 |
13
prE D ATION
LEFT: Turkish Kangals are ferocious protectors of livestock yet
gentle with the Lockhart children. Jessica Lockhart shares a
moment with one of her favorite pals.
BELOW: The Lockharts believe that livestock guardian
dogs are just one part of an overall predation strategy which
includes dead stock removal, daily checking of livestock and
engaging the services of a predation specialist. | lockhart photos
Livestock guardian dogs
integral part of this northern ranch
By Shirley Byers
Cody and Liesl Lockhart
raise cattle and sheep in the
heart of predator country.
They’ve got bears, they’ve got
cougars, they’ve got coyotes
and they’ve got wolves. But
since they figured out how to
manage the problem with
livestock guardian dogs, they
also have zero predator kills.
Candll Lamb and Cattle
Co., the Lockharts’ ranch in
the Debden area of northcentral Saskatchewan, is surrounded by the deep dark
woods that predators love to
hang out in.
There’s the Prince Albert
National Park to the east, a
huge forestry management
zone to the north and the Big
River First Nation to the west.
“We’re kind of in a terrible
location,” Cody says with a
grin. “Maybe that’s why the
land was a bit less money.”
The Lockharts moved to
their 3,000 acre ranch in
2009. They run 500 to 600
cows and 1,200 ewes, all birthing on pasture. They bale
graze, swath graze and corn
graze. Their animals are never in corrals.
They lost about a dozen
calves the first spring. That
fall they started losing one
80-90 lb. wether (a castrated
male sheep) every single
morning.
“We were under the threat
of losing one percent of our
flock every morning. Yet,
getting rid of the predators
wasn’t the answer. If we eradicated a local population of
wolves or coyotes, a new pack
or breeding pair would move
in to take their place. That’s
when we started looking into
guard dogs,” says Cody.
Hero, a male Great Pyrenees, was their first livestock
guard dog. Originating in
the Great Pyrenees Mountains of southern France and
northern Spain, these white
dogs are not herders. Their
We were under the threat of losing one per cent of our
flock every morning.
CODY LOCKHART | CANDLL LAMB & CATTLE CO.
14
15
| connection
working style is to stay close
to the livestock and ward off
predators with their deep,
strong bark.
The Lockharts were happy
with Hero’s work, but as their
livestock numbers increased,
he needed help. So they added two Anatolian Shepherds.
Weighing in at a muscular
100-150 lbs., these dogs are
more athletic and more aggressive than Great Pyrenees,
and they patrol a large perimeter. Unlike the Great Pyrenees, if a predator is sighted,
they’ll leave the pasture to
give chase and they will kill a
persistent predator.
As their livestock numbers
increased, predation pressure also increased. When
four or five of their dogs were
killed by predators, they added another even larger breed
of dog, the Turkish Kangal,
and outfitted all of their guard
dogs with spike collars. Those
two moves saved countless
trips to the vet as well as the
lives of dogs and livestock.
Matching dogs to jobs
It’s necessary to have different breeds on the job because
each breed has its own spe-
ciality, Liesl says.
“If we had a pack of Kangles,
they would run together leaving no one to guard the animals. If we had all white dogs
(Great Pyrenees or Maremmas) the predators would
never be killed. They’d just be
out there and finding new
ways to grab livestock.”
They recommend a minimum of two dogs per cow
herd/flock. While there are
some acreage settings that
only warrant one guardian
dog, whenever there is predation pressure there needs to
be at least two and preferably
more to match the predators.
Predators will figure out how
to work around one dog.
Care and training
The goal with livestock
guard dogs is to foster their
natural instinct to bond to
another animal. As soon as
possible they should be introduced to the livestock they
will be guarding. The Lockharts do this by keeping pups
in a yard with bottle babies or
in a kennel in the pasture.
At around six months of age,
when they feel they’re ready,
the pups are released unsu-
pervised for an hour per day,
gradually increasing their exposure to the herd and to the
other dogs.
“The pack setting for raising a livestock guard dog is
great,” says Liesl. “They teach
the pups much faster than I
could so that dog knows how
to behave around other dogs.
It knows how to behave
around livestock and it
knows how to behave around
people.”
But during the pup’s adolescence, trouble can happen.
Pups may rough up other animals. It’s a very common
stage for dogs, and dog owners should not get alarmed or
think a dog is ruined if it
draws blood.
Handlers should verbally
reprimand the dog. Or they
may outfit a rowdy teen with
a dangle stick – a stick attached to a dog’s collar with a
long chain so it can’t run
without knocking its knees
with the stick or knocking itself on the head with the
chain.
A triangle yoke collar is also
effective. Sometimes that’s all
it takes to curb an energetic
young dog.
The Lockharts spray paint
their dogs with numbers to
keep them safe from hunters
and neighbours who aren’t familiar with them.
Premium quality kibble
costs about $5,000 per year
for 11 dogs. The guard dogs eat
about the same amount as a
border collie. They also skin
dead cows and feed that raw
beef to the dogs, plus their
butcher supplies free meat
scraps. As part of socializing
the puppies, they train them
to tolerate the giving and
withdrawal of food. The dogs
are also leash trained for vet
trips and handling.
Old-school rules for training guard dogs, such as don’t
hand feed, make eye contact,
touch, pet or praise them
need to be re-examined.
The Lockharts maintain
that human contact from
birth onwards socializes the
dogs, makes them easier to
handle for vet visits and more
predictable around strangers.
Cody and Liesl Lockhart say
livestock guardian dogs have
made their lives easier and
saved the lives of countless
sheep and cattle.
APRIL / MAY 2015 |
15
a n i mal w e l far e
Dairy industry ramps up animal
welfare scrutiny
BY BONNIE WARNYCA
ABOVE: Dr. Jennifer Walker,
DVM, is the director of dairy
stewardship for Dean Foods
in Dallas, Texas. She says the
company is investing millions
of dollars to help dairy
farmers demonstrate strong
animal welfare practices to
their customers. | dean foods
photo
16
17
| connection
Members of the livestock industry
have traditionally been intertwined, but
that sense has been heightened in recent
years especially in the arena of public
opinion.
It seems whenever a negative incident
happens to one species, it becomes a pox
on all our houses.
So, it was no surprise that the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association
(SSGA) and the Saskatchewan Institute
of Agrologists invited Dr. Jennifer
Walker, DVM to speak at their 2014
Agribition luncheon. Walker works as
the director of dairy stewardship for
Dean Foods in Dallas, Texas.
“Animal welfare is a concern shared by
all involved in animal production. We
felt it was valuable to look south of the
border to see how the dairy industry is
developing their sustainability programs,” says SSGA general manager
Chad MacPherson.
“We are all dealing with similar challenges when it comes to consumer demands and animal activists. We can
learn from each other and Dr. Walker
provided a lot of food for thought.”
Walker was hired in 2010 by Dean
Foods of California to develop a minimum standard model for its fluid milk
suppliers. Initially, the company used a
middleman to buy milk from co-operatives but more and more they were buying directly from dairy producers.
Today, they purchase milk from about
900 farms and indirectly their supply
represents about 12,000 farms from
New York to California. The suppliers
can include milk from a 50-head Amish
cow herd to a much larger and more
modern dairy operation.
With added scrutiny from such animal advocacy groups as PETA and Mercy for Animals, Dean Foods officials realized they had to develop a supplier
program that could measure animal
welfare.
The challenge has been to create a pro-
gram that fits everyone. Dean’s philosophy is that every farm will have the opportunity to succeed under the new
model unless they choose not to.
“We know where the milk comes from,
so we have no issue with traceability but
we need to develop a standard. Then if
a video or a complaint is launched
against one of our suppliers, we can take
a course of action. We want to build a
system which all dairy producers can
easily buy into,” says Walker.
“We don’t expect producers to be perfect right out of the gate. But Dean
Foods will work with them to bring
their operation up to the new standards
and consumer expectations.”
“If an animal welfare issue does arise,
we want to assure the public that we are
working with that producer to improve
things.”
Walker used the example of being able
to document such things as excess
lameness in a herd. If there are a higher
number of lame cows, then it is something that must be improved.
“Generally most people understand
that we look after our animals in the best
possible ways. Our biggest risk is when
people think that we are indifferent to
the animal’s suffering,” she says.
There are guidelines already in place
under the U.S. farm bill but Dean Foods
wants a program they alone can audit.
“When we look at animal welfare, we
try to find indicators that aren’t specific
but give us a window of what might go
wrong on a farm. Lameness is one, or it
might be nutrition problem or heat
stress, any number of things. Body condition is certainly important,” says
Walker.
“Dean Foods didn’t hire me to be the
nation’s veterinarian. They hired me to
develop an outline for producers to follow. The animal rights groups tend to focus on things that are visually disturbing
in the short term such as tail docking or
dehorning.”
In the U.S., most dairy cattle are horned
and since the gene pool is small, the com-
ABOVE: In Canada, the dairy industry
has an on-farm food program called
Canadian Quality Milk. The industry is in
the process of expanding its reach.
| saskmilk photo
pany isn’t looking to mandate polled genetics. Walker admits that rapid change
in genetics is dangerous. But, she says,
producers can reduce pain associated
with dehorning by doing the procedure
on one-day-old to two-day-old calves instead of waiting until they are 10 to 12
weeks of age. They can also use Lidocaine or other anti-inflammatory drugs
to reduce or eliminate any pain associated with dehorning.
Walker says she is often asked if producers will be paid more for following
these new protocols. The blunt answer is
no.
“Dean Foods is already investing millions of dollars to help dairy farmers
demonstrate to their customers that
they do a good job. At the end of the day,
everything we do to improve animal welfare improves the bottom line,” says
Walker.
In Canada, the dairy industry has an
on-farm food safety program, Canadian
Quality Milk (CQM), but is working on
adding four new components, which include traceability, bio-security, animal
welfare and the environment.
Keith Flaman, general manager for
SaskMilk, says the new program is called
pro-Action.
“This will all eventually be combined
with the CQM program to further assure
our customers that these important issues are dealt with. When we look at animal welfare we believe there is a separation between animal abuse and animal
welfare. There is no place for abuse in any
operation.”
“In Saskatchewan, we have 165 dairy
producers and 22,000 head in the milking herd and that number is rising. The
average dairy herd in Saskatchewan is
the largest in Canada.”
“With so many consumers unaware of
how farm animals are nurtured, they
don’t understand what the norm is. They
often relate animal welfare to their pets
and we need to educate them about what
healthful dairy operations look like.
Dairy animals aren’t pets, but they are
looked after very well.”
After an animal abuse video came to
light from a dairy operation in Chilliwack, B.C., in June of 2014, the dairy industry has been working harder to de-
velop an action plan to deal with farms
that aren’t properly caring for their animals.
“In Saskatchewan, we can quickly take
action against a dairy farm that is mistreating their animals – but not all provinces have the same regulations,” says
Flaman.
“All provinces are involved in the development of an animal care program,
based on the already developed national
standard for managing dairy cows. The
Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Dairy Cattle will be rolled out
over the next three years. The new directives will include certain mandatory
practices, as well as suggested practices.
For many farmers, there won’t be significant changes. But there will be for some.”
“All dairy farm employees are to be
trained in issues regarding abuse. There
will be validators and audits to ensure
the practices are followed and there will
be consequences.”
Flaman says that while no Canadian
milk retailer has requested specific protocols, the industry is moving ahead
with enriched management regulations.
“We are constantly working on being
more transparent about why and how we
do things,” he says.
APRIL / MAY 2015 |
17
s wat h g ra z i n g
Lacombe study plans to
tweak swath grazing
By Shirley Byers
Vern Baron, Forage
Physiologist - Agronomist
at the Lacombe Research
Station, is heading a study
to try to make swath grazing
even better. | photo BY ANN DE
ST REMY
Vern Baron, a forage physiologistagronomist at the Agriculture Canada
Lacombe Research Centre, believes
swath grazing was invented by a producer who, when facing a winter feed
shortage, turned his or her cattle on a
swathed cereal field. It just made sense.
It makes even more sense today. Research suggests that swath grazing
(with judicious use of electric fencing)
can reduce total daily feeding costs per
cow by 40 to 60 percent. This is based
on a 46 to 66 percent reduction in yardage costs and a 19 to 50 percent reduction in feed costs.
Daily feed costs range from 27 to 50
cents per cow per day. Yardage or nonfeed costs tend to be more or less constant, but reducing equipment, labour
and fuel in feeding can reduce the cost
to as low as 19 cents per cow per day for
swath grazing.
The feed cost is a function of the cost
of production per acre, yield and the
rate at which the cows clean up the
swath. Yardage costs can always be reduced. How much feed costs are reduced depends on good agronomic and
grazing management.
Improved agronomic and grazing
management practices have increased
the yields of crops seeded for swath
grazing. Increased yields mean decreased overwintering feed costs. But
swath-grazed cattle tend to gain less
weight than those on second-cut grass,
so tweaking the nutritive value of the
swathed-grazed crop is a priority. As
well, weathering or loss of quality in the
swath can still be an issue.
Baron is heading a study — Innovative
Swath Grazing/Increasing Forage Capacity “to further improve pasture carrying capacity and reduce overwintering costs.” He plans to evaluate new annual forage varieties and develop
management strategies for improved
forage quality that can be maintained
throughout the swath-grazing season.
Typically barley is seeded later (mid to
late June), in order to hit that soft dough
stage in mid-September. But yields suffer. Researchers have seen differences
in barley varieties. Some maintain their
yields better than others with late
planting. An example would be Gadsby,
a two-row feed barley.
As well, some new unnamed triticale
varieties might be better choices for
swath grazing than others. Plant breeders with Alberta Agriculture and Rural
Development have produced advanced
lines of barley and triticale with better
fibre digestibility. These new lines will
be tested for resistance to weathering
loss and compared to popular forage
types under winter grazing conditions.
This research includes a comprehensive weathering trial and two winter
grazing trials to evaluate the suitability
of this new material for overwintering
beef cows.
The weathering trial will look at annual forages: corn, oats, barley, winter
triticale and fall rye, all planted in the
spring. Beginning in September, forage
quality will be monitored over the winter months.
Weathering is a factor, but it’s hard to quantify. Rain on swaths that subsequently
freezes it to the ground is about the worst weathering that a swath can sustain.
VERN BARON | FORAGE PHYSIOLOGIST-AGRONOMIST
18
19
| connection
SWATH CALCULATOR
file photo
It can be difficult for producers to find
information on how different varieties
might work. Recommended Varieties lists
quote yields for silage or hay. At Lacombe,
work is underway on a calculator that
would help producers project what a carrying capacity for swath grazing would be
given a certain yield and quality.
For each variety, an average yield and
quality would be provided so producers
could see what an expected cost and carrying capacity would be.
“We can’t guarantee ‘X’ amount of savings on a particular farm but based on a
system of evaluation we can tell you, this
is what you might be looking at for your
savings or your cost,” says Baron.
file photo
“One of the things we’re seeing is that
the quality, be it barley, triticale, corn
or whatever, is quite variable. But probably what we’ll find is that those varieties and species which have high quality
in the fall usually end up with high
quality in the spring,” says Baron.
“We’re not seeing the absolute slam
dunk drop in quality that people talk
about. Weathering is a factor, but it’s
hard to quantify. Rain on swaths that
subsequently freezes it to the ground is
about the worst weathering that a
swath can sustain.’’
“The problem is more complex than
one variety or one species being better
in this respect than another. It may
come down to how you manage that
crop so that you can swath it as late as
possible and swath it in the biggest possible swath.”
While timing and size of swaths are
important, Baron thinks that barley
loses quality faster than triticale or
corn.
No one is sure why but it could be because the kernels in barley are more exposed than in the other typical swath
grazing species. He also thinks barley
is more predisposed to leaf diseases,
which may lead to spoilage in winter
and may also reduce quality in the fall.
It appears that anything that reduces
grain content in a swath is a negative,
he says.
“Maybe it needs grain in it. How you
manage the cereal swath for grain content could be important. We are studying the grain or starch content in the
kernel filling period and how that works
out with swath grazing compared to
forage used for silage in a backgrounding operation. There are no definitive
answers yet,” he says.
Results from this study, funded by the
national checkoff and Canada’s beef
science cluster, will begin to emerge in
about two years.
APRIL / MAY 2015 |
19
ca s t rat i o n
Castration goes under the microscope
Dr. Karen SchwartzkopfGenswein with AAFC
Lethbridge and Dr. Ed Pajor
of the U of C are trying to
pinpoint the most welfare
friendly age and method of
beef cattle castration. | AAFC
photo
Preliminary data indicates the most welfare-friendly age and method for castration is in that
first week of age and banding. | FILE photo
By Bonnie Warnyca
One might assume that
castration methods have already been thoroughly examined over the years, but
previous studies did not look
at the effects of castration at
young ages (zero to four
months of age).
Consumer concerns about
mitigating pain in beef animals, the updating of the
Beef Cattle Code of Practice
and the push from major retailers has activated the cattle industry to take a closer
look at this long-accepted
procedure.
Out of the three possible
20 || connection
21
connection
methods of beef calf castration including knife, burdizzo and banding, the knife
and banding methods seem
the most popular with producers.
Dr. Karen SchwartzkopfGenswein with Agriculture
and Agri-Food Canada
(AAFC) in Lethbridge and
Dr. Ed Pajor at the University
of Calgary, are currently
leading a four-year study
looking for the most welfarefriendly age and method of
castration. In 2014, they castrated 108 bull calves using
both the banded and knife
methods. The calves ranged
from newborns or zero-aged
Genswein.
“We also followed the behaviour patterns in all the
calves up until the time the
banded calves dropped their
testicles.”
From this first part of a
four-part research project,
the researchers deducted
that the optimum time for
castration is within a week
after birth. But, looking at
the Canadian cattle industry, it’s difficult to determine
at what age most producers
castrate their calves and the
jury is still out on the optimal
method of castration.
“The banding method does
produce discomfort for several hours after banding and
again at three to four weeks
when the testicles are starting to slough off. When this
happens, there is an open
wound that is vulnerable to
bacteria and infection. It is
also about the time that animals can go off feed and lose
weight,” explains Schwartzkopf-Genswein.
“Although we have not fully
analyzed all the data, the in-
dicators of acute pain measured in this study suggest
that the most welfare-friendly age and method is band
castration during that first
week of age.”
Second part of the study
The second part of the castration study at AAFC Lethbridge will involve 2015 born
calves and the researchers
plan to apply one shot of analgesic before castration by
both banding and knife at zero age to try to determine the
effect on pain mitigation.
Overall, researchers stress
that the key to success with
any method of castration is
to have it performed properly
by an experienced person.
Year three of this study
There is often a combination of stressors along with
castration of older animals
such as castration along
with branding and/or weaning. The third-year research
will compare the effects of
single castration procedures
versus calves that have gone
through multiple procedures.
“By comparing animals
that have been castrated to
animals that have been castrated as well as branded or
weaned, we hope to determine the added effect on the
health of the animals. We
will compare how long the
inflammation and swelling
from castration varies between the two groups. In
this way, we can better piece
together the best pain-free
experience for castrating
beef calves,” says Schwartzkopf-Genswein.
Year four – will look at
wound healing and wound
healing strategies.
Funding for this study was
provided under the Beef
Cluster jointly funded by
BCRC and AAFC.
Editor’s note: Currently,
there are few approved pain
treatment options for castration procedures. In a recent
study led by Dr. Michael
Jelinski, in collaboration
with the Alberta Livestock
and Meat Agency (ALMA),
AAFC, Alberta Veterinary
Laboratories and Morison
Farms Feedlot, researchers
looked at using oral meloxicam as a cost-effective solution for reducing pain in
weaned beef calves following
band castration.
In this study, the research
team developed the oral formulation of meloxicam to
test its effectiveness. In a report released by ALMA, it appears that the oral meloxicam therapy did not appear
to provide band castration
pain relief on its own, but
could give complementary
therapy to local anaesthesia
to extend the period of pain
relief.
The study also demonstrated pain relief when oral
meloxicam was administered at the time of castration and when given at three
weeks post-castration, when
the scrotum is sloughing.
The data collected in this
trial will contribute towards
future work focusing on animal welfare.
calves (up to one week old), to
two month-old bull calves
and four month-old bull
calves.
“We did all the measurements we know of to gauge degree of pain and length of pain
associated with each procedure. We looked at the animals’
physiology and behaviour and
their cortisol readings, which
is a measurement of stress. We
recorded other behaviours
such as struggling, tail flicks,
and vocalization. We documented if the animals laid
down or stood after the procedure. We even video-taped the
length of their steps while
walking,” says Schwartzkopf-
APRIL / MAY 2015 |
21
c o n s u m e r d e ma n d s
What’s up with my food?
The changing world of food production and consumer expectations
By Kelly Sidoryk
Never before have agriculture producers felt such
specific demands from the
consumer – gluten-free, hormone-free, free-range, natural etc. Price is a massive
driver, but there is a broad
array of other considerations coming into play.
The complexity of it all
is akin to a giant puzzle
with no completed picture to guide the players and no certainty
that all the puzzle
pieces are even on the
table or whether there
may be more than one puzzle.
Add to that a diverse group
unaware of each other trying
to work together to complete
the puzzle.
David McInnes, president
and chief executive officer of
the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute in Ottawa, recently discussed this topic at the
Lloydminster Agri-Visions.
He told producers there are
opportunities but they need to
work together since navigating through the trends and
trying to define those that are
lasting, is not easy.
He says the marketplace is
evolving and consumers are
different. The mindset of
how we supply and
produce food is
changing.
“The market is
shifting
from a
supply
push to a
demand
pull. Producers
can’t just
hope for a
market.
Consumers
want to
know where
their food
comes
from, how
it is produced
and if it
is good
for them.
Their expectations
can be divided
into the areas of
provenance, ethics, sustainability and health,” he notes.
In a report from the Canadian Pork Council on European
consumer buying criteria,
both the best traceability and
strong animal welfare and environmental guarantees were
ahead of the lowest price.
The issue of sustainability is
becoming a top priority for
food companies, as is locally
produced and animal care.
McDonalds’ corporate social
responsibility report states
that by 2020, 100 percent of
coffee, palm oil and fish is to be
sustainable production certified and they plan to begin
purchasing verified sustainable beef in 2016.
There are many hurdles to
overcome. One is the definition of sustainable, which McDonalds is seeking input from
producers to develop. Never
mind that currently there is
no verification body for sustainable beef production.
However, organizations like
the Global Round Table for
Sustainable Beef Production
are moving towards the issue
with the mandate of social responsibility, being environmentally sound and economically viable.
McInnes said McDonalds is
not the only company including this in their operational
strategy - Walmart, Loblaws,
Safeway are all moving in the
same direction.
The recent A & W campaign
has caused controversy but is
conveying a message. Since
the onset of this campaign,
McInnes noted that the A & W
stock has risen in value.
Another significant oppor-
tunity is coming from emerging markets, particularly in
countries such as China, with
a large population and very
little trust in their own food
production.
“300 million people in China buy online. A recent internet campaign resulted in over
one million litres of milk being sold online in a single
day,” says McInnes.
The ethnic market is another area of substantial
growth for the Canadian
food industry as the demographics of our population
changes.
By 2050, 70 percent of the
world’s population will live in
cities compared to 49 percent
today. Also, there’s a shift
globally with more people
moving into the affluent category from striving.
There’s still the challenge of
trying to define passing and
emerging trends. McInnes
points to gluten-free as an example - where only one percent of the population has a
medical condition requiring
them to eat gluten-free but
it’s estimated up to 30 percent
of consumers are purchasing
those products.
As consumers are asking
where their food comes from,
McInnes suggests producers
should be asking where their
product is going and how is it
processed and marketed. “This opens up the possibility for producers to move out
of the commodity market and
to a value-added product. But
it also requires a different way
of operating,” he says.
“Producers, processors and
retailers all need to work to-
gether to engage consumers
on emerging food issues.
This ‘systems view’ also involves linking consumer
health, sustainability and
economic factors.”
“Traditionally we have relied on specific producer
groups to fight the battle but
that’s not going to work in the
future. There’s a need to differentiate our product and we
can add value by appropriately meeting changing consumer expectations. The Canadian brand has trust at its
foundation but it does require the industry being
aligned with a strategy.”
It’s important that producers try to ensure that the correct message is getting out,
and
communication
is
strengthened.
McInnes says regulation,
such as improved labelling, is
only part of the answer in
how we communicate with
consumers. Some regulation
is required but again it should
not be up to one entity to
manage. The marketplace requires more players to become involved.
It’s also important to remember that science evolves,
giving us new information
about ingredients and health.
For example, cholesterol was
deemed to be bad years ago.
Now, with new evidence and
information, it’s not the
health culprit it once was.
The answers are not perfectly clear, but at the core is
communication on both
sides of the fence. Sharing
knowledge and information
will aid in building the puzzle.
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Montana State University. He has a distinguished career with a variety of
organizations and is a freelance writer on agricultural policy.
Grant Zalinko, PAg
Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture
Grant works as the Manager of Livestock
Development in Regina. He oversees a group
of provincial livestock specialists who work
with Saskatchewan’s livestock associations and
industry stakeholders to guide policy, program
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“Provincial livestock specialists are professional
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production. The PAg designation lets producers know that the advice they
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22
| connection
APRIL / MAY 2015 |
23
s armla
o dcap n d i n v e s t m e n t
f
Foreign investors hit paydirt
Saskatchewan farmland is a profitable venture for investment funds,
pension plans and megafarms
Saskatchewan land
ownership case
studies
»»
By Sean Pratt
There has been a marked
change in Saskatchewan
farmland ownership over the
past two decades, according
to a new study.
Investment funds, pension
plans and megafarms own an
increasing amount of Saskatchewan dirt.
The study looked at land
ownership in three rural municipalities where there has
been significant turnover:
Excel, southwest of Regina;
Lajord, southeast of Regina;
and Harris, southwest of Saskatoon.
“We found that in a relatively short period of time
there has been a significant
change in land tenure,” says
Annette Desmarais, Canada
research chair in human
rights, social justice and food
sovereignty at the University
of Manitoba and coauthor of
the study, which will soon be
published in the online journal Canadian Food Studies.
The researchers found that
8.5 percent of farmland in
the RM of Excel was owned
by outside investors, 9.4 percent in Lajord and 13.1 percent in Harris for an average
of 10.3 percent.
Most of the investment in
the RM of Harris is by what
the study refers to as farmer/
investor hybrids. They are
not investment companies
but they are also not the typ-
RM of Excel had less than one
percent foreign ownership in
1994. By 2014, that number
had risen to 8.5 percent or
22,474 acres.
»»RM of Lajord had about 1.5
19,301 acres.
»»RM of Harris had less than one
160 acres.
Source: Information Services Corporation
Ownership dataset
Land ownership has come under increased scrutiny as producers say they can’t compete with
corporate investors. | file photo
ical family farm.
The hybrids include Cor
Van Raay and Van Raay Land
Inc., who made his money in
the Alberta feedlot industry.
He owns 8,596 acres in the
three RMs and 33,730 acres
in the province.
Nil-Ray Farms Ltd. has also
bought a sizeable amount of
land. The company is owned
by Brian and Lee Nilsson,
who used to own one of Canada’s largest beef packing
plants. Nil-Ray owns 8,923
acres in the three RMs and
14,802 acres in the province.
Desmarais said barely any
land was owned by people
other than Saskatchewan
farmers 20 years ago.
Everything changed in
2002 when the province relaxed its farmland ownership laws to allow investment by all Canadian citizens and certain classes of
Canadian-owned corporations.
Desmarais is alarmed by
how quickly 10 percent of the
land in the three RMs has
been snapped up by investors and megafarms.
“There is certainly a significant amount of land that is
changing hands and now being owned by outside investors,” she says.
That isn’t sitting well with
farmers like Deb Smith from
Kindersley, Sask., who is
frustrated that her son has
been forced to compete for
land with well-financed land
investors from Alberta.
“I don’t want our land being
owned by non-Saskatchewan residents or corporations,” she says.
“If you want to own land in
this province, you and your
family must reside here, your
children must go to school in
this province and your entire
family must be involved in
activities in your Saskatchewan community. Otherwise,
you don’t own land here. End
of story.”
Desmarais said that was a
common refrain from the
farmers she spoke to in the
three RMs in the study.
“The one thing people talked about a lot was just how
quickly the price of land has
risen as a result of all this interest by people who have a
lot of money,” she says.
“The biggest concern that
people seemed to voice is this
is really an effective way to
make sure that young people
don’t have a chance to farm.”
The study did not explore
what happened to land prices
in the three RMs, which will
be part of a future provincewide study about farmland
ownership.
However, the authors did
offer their thoughts on the
subject.
“Larger farms and fewer
farm families mean that
many rural communities are
unable to sustain the services and institutions that require a critical mass of users
to continue to operate,” they
say in the study.
“The steady erosion of
schools, hospitals, churches
and post offices as well as the
closing of businesses, banks
and grain elevators creates a
downward spiral, making it
more difficult to continue to
live in these communities.”
Reprinted with permission of
The Western Producer
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The one thing people talked about a lot was just how quickly the price of land
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24
25
| connection
12720 - 126 Avenue, Edmonton, Ab. | 780.484.2224
APRIL / MAY 2015 |
25
soil
Regenerative agriculture – improving soil health
According to Dr. Christine Jones, science has shown us that on a given piece of property, over
95 percent of terrestrial diversity is within the soil itself (less than five percent is above the
ground. | file photo
By Trevor Lennox,
Regional Forage Specialist,
Saskatchewan Agriculture
“Regenerative
agriculture” is a new term
that is developing on some
farms where producers are
looking to improve the soil
health on their operation.
One component of soil
health that has perhaps been
neglected in the past is our
understanding of how plants
and soil microbes contribute
to healthy soil.
Australian soil scientist
Dr. Christine Jones challenges the conventional
model of agriculture, which
has told us that “plants take
from the soil.” According to
her, nothing could be further from the truth. She
states: “Observe what happens in bare soil. It dies, then
it blows or washes away. If
you could see what happens
around the roots of actively
growing plants you would
want to have as many green
plants in your soil for as
much of the year as possible.
It is not ‘natural’ for the soil
to be bare over summer.”
Science has shown us that
on a given piece of property,
over 95 percent of terrestrial
diversity is within the soil itself (less than five percent is
above the ground). Jones
says that in order for this soil
life to flourish, the soil ecosystem requires fuel in the
form of carbon (from green
plants) and “habitat” in the
form of high root biomass.
She further suggests that
the soil surface requires
year-round protection from
erosion and temperature extremes (both highs and
lows). According to Jones, it
is “life” that gives soil its
structure, enabling the infiltration and retention of
moisture, restoring water
balance across the landscape and reversing the processes of desertification,
and it is “life” that provides
natural fertility, sequestering carbon, nitrogen and
sulfur from the atmosphere
and increasing the availability of phosphorus and trace
elements in the root zone.
According to Jones, the fundamental question in regenerative agriculture is: “How
do we get life back into the
soil?”
There is increasing recognition of the fundamental importance of soil microbial
communities to plant productivity. According to Jones,
many biological functions are
compromised by commonly
used agricultural practices.
She outlines four basic principles of regenerative agriculture, proven to restore soil
health and increase soil carbon and nitrogen. The first
principle is the maintenance
of year-round living cover,
via perennial pastures on
grazed land and/or multi-
species cover crop on farmed
land. Almost every living
thing in and on the soil depends on green plants (or
what was once a green plant)
for its existence. The more
green plants, the more life.
It’s well accepted that
groundcover buffers soil
temperatures and reduces
erosion, but it is perhaps less
recognized that actively
growing green groundcover
also fuels the liquid carbon
pathway, which in turn supports, among other things,
mycorrhizal fungi, associative nitrogen-fixing bacteria
and phosphorus solubilising
bacteria - all of which are essential to both crop nutrition and the formation of
stable humified carbon.
The second principle is to
provide support for the microbial bridge, to enhance
economical way to improve
soils. As well as the benefits
arising from the addition of
manure and urine to soils,
high-intensity short-duration grazing increases root
exudation and stimulates
the number and activity of
associative nitrogen-fixing
bacteria in the root zone,
which fire up in response to
defoliation and provide the
extra nitrogen required by
the plant for the production
of new growth.
For more information on
this topic, you can contact
Trevor Lennox, Regional
Forage Specialist in Swift
Current at 306-778-8294 or
[email protected], or
you can view a collection of
papers by Christine Jones on
the Amazing Carbon website.
the flow of carbon from
plants to soil. This requires
reducing inputs of high
analysis nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers that inhibit the complex biochemical
signaling between plant
roots and microbes.
The third principle is to
promote plant and microbial
diversity. The greater the diversity of plants the more
checks and balances for
pests and diseases and the
broader the range of microhabitats for the soil organisms involved in nutrient acquisition, nutrient cycling
and soil building.
The fourth principle is that
land responds positively to
the presence of animals provided management is appropriate. Rotational grazing of
livestock on perennial pastures is the fastest and most
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Apr 30 - May 1
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Agricultural Land Use and Value Drivers
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Food Trade and Consumer’s Issues
Energy Policy
Importance of Research in Agriculture
Environmental Valuation
Reg istration Costs
• Early full registration: $230 (by April 20, 2015)
• Full registration: $260 (after April 20, 2015)
• Student Registration: $90
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Speakers
• Todd Hirsch - ATB Financial's Chief Economist
• Dr. Tom Johnson - Professor, University of Missouri
• Dr. Oparinde Adewale - Harvest Plus, Research Fellow,
Washington D.C.
• Dr. Jill Hobbs - Professor, University of Saskatchewan
• Dr. Brian Beres - Research Scientist, Agriculture and AgriFood Canada
Other Information
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• Conference fees can be paid by cheque or cash at
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CONNECTION
26
27
| connection
CONNECTION
APRIL / MAY 2015 |
27
investments
CHECKOFFS: AN INVESTMENT IN RESEARCH
Producer checkoffs and private investments are critical to maintaining strong research
expertise, facilities, projects and technology transfer in Saskatchewan.
Andrea Brocklebank, Executive Director,
Beef Cattle Research Council
What does this mean to Saskatchewan
beef producers?
“Telling the future by looking at the
past….is like driving a car by looking in
the rear-view mirror” – Herb Bordy… but
history helps illuminate the present.
Shortly after confederation, agriculture
became a nation-building tool to settle
the West and prevent U.S. expansion. Agriculture provided freight for Canada’s
railroads, fed the urban population, and
supplied processors and exporters. Canada’s Experimental Farms Stations Act of
1886 supported productivity-boosting
research resulting in even more freight,
food, and economic spinoffs.
Since then, Canada’s farm population
has declined as technology reduced the
need for farm labour. In 1931, according to
the agricultural census, 31.7 percent of
Canada’s population lived on farms. By
2005, 2.2 percent lived on farms.
Many Canadian universities have a narrow focus on animal welfare, genomics,
or environmental research. A broad farmto-fork approach is necessary to conduct
applied research of direct benefit to beef
producers. The University of Saskatchewan has Canada’s most comprehensive
applied forage, cattle and beef research
program. The expertise, infrastructure,
and research within and between the Departments of Soil, Plant, and Animal Sciences, the Western College of Veterinary
Medicine (WCVM), Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Organization (VIDO), the
Crop Development Centre, the Western
Beef Development Centre (WBDC), and
others allow for research that provides
meaningful outcomes that directly benefit Saskatchewan’s and Canada’s beef industry.
What does this mean for applied cattle,
forage and beef research?
Industry investment and leadership are
critical to the success of strong research
programs.
As Canada’s population grows, governments are challenged to support healthcare, education and other programs demanded by Canadians. Very few Canadian voters are beef producers, and the beef
sector is a relatively small part of the economy (less than 2% of the GDP). Consequently, public funding for applied agricultural research has declined over the
last several decades.
Although both federal and provincial
governments continue to be important
and significant contributors to Canadian
beef and forage research, lack of industry
support has been used to justify cutting
or redirecting public research and extension programs. This is especially apparent as researchers retire. A lack of industry support and investment means that
retired researchers have not been replaced and research programs have been
cut. Government research funding is increasingly triggered and guided by industry investments. The ratio varies, but often government contributes $3 for every
$1 industry invests.
28
| connection
For example, the Saskatchewan Beef Industry Chair position held by Dr. John
McKinnon was supported in part by industry. Dr. McKinnon works closely with
cow-calf producers, feedlot operators,
veterinarians and the feed industry on
numerous aspects of beef cattle management. The relevance of Dr. McKinnon’s
research and extension efforts to Canada’s beef industry can be directly attributed to his keen interest in working closely with industry. Yet without industry
funding this position may not have existed.
Dr. McKinnon has played an important
role in developing the proposed new Beef
Cattle Research and Teaching Unit
(BCRTU). The half-century old university feedlot is in need of replacement. Its
location in the centre of Saskatoon is unsuitable, its design no longer reflects industry standards, and it no longer meets
animal care standards. The proposed
BCRTU will overcome these challenges
and allow the university to conduct
Uptime. All the time.
Andrea Brocklebank, executive director,
Beef Cattle Research Council. | LORI LOREE
PHOTO
meaningful research into the future. The
Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association’s
commitment of one million check-off
dollars to the BCRTU provided a clear signal to government that the BCRTU is an
industry priority and meaningful progress is being made to ensure the construction of this important facility proceeds.
The Termuende family ranch bequeathed to the University of Saskatchewan is another significant private investment. This initial partnership evolved
into the applied beef cattle research and
extension program at the WBDC. It has
led to significant investments in infrastructure and ongoing support of research expertise and programs by the
Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture,
Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, and
other funding agencies.
The WBDC is evolving to strengthen its
ties with the beef and forage research programming at the University of Saskatchewan. The intent is to relocate the WBDC
researchers, program and herd to the
Goodale research farm managed by the
WCVM. Locating the WBDC near the
BCRTU and closer to the Saskatoon campus will provide greater access and opporcontinued on page 30 ››
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Technotill Flexibility
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Bob Kidd likes the fact that he has an economical seeding system that will work with all crops, in all conditions,
whether he’s establishing forages, seeding cereals into
stubble, or converting old pastures to canola.
Kidd and his family run a mixed farming operation, including a 320 head commercial Angus/Simmental cow-calf
operation, 2,500 acres of crop, and about 1,500 acres of
pasture and hayland.
“We use a custom
blend for forages
so there is only one
batch of seed. “We
need to make sure
that seed batch
is seeded at the
proper rate to cover
the field.”
Kidd’s custom
forage blend usually includes two or three varieties of alfalfa
or other legume such as birdsfoot trefoil. And then there is
a blend of five grass types. He likes to use varieties suited
to different growing conditions to optimize production under
varying conditions.
Technotill works equally well to convert played out
pastures and hayfields to annual crops. Kidd will direct seed
annual crops into sod in either fall or spring.
“We are extremely pleased at how well our seeding
system equipped with Technotill has worked,” says Kidd.
“What sold us on it was the flexibility of the system and
we haven’t been disappointed. I don’t know if it is the best
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Learn more about how Bob Kidd uses Technotill.
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30
| connection
tunities for researchers and
students. This integration will
come at a cost, and industry
will need to consider what role
it plays as this transition proceeds.
A number of critical beef and
forage researchers are set to
retire in the next five to 10
years, which is a significant
concern. The BCRC and other
industry groups have invested
checkoff dollars to train new
researchers in these areas.
Training new researchers to
replace anticipated retirees
helps ensure that research positions are maintained and research programs are transitioned so that research momentum is not lost. Even still,
like the Beef Chair positions in
Animal Sciences and the
WCVM, industry may need to
provide seed funding to leverage government funds to ensure new researchers are hired
into permanent positions.
Check-off funds can only be
spread so far, so this is an opportunity for private industry
partners to make a very meaningful investment with a lasting impact.
What is the beef industry’s
role in funding research?
Producer
organizations
support research through
provincial and national
check-off investments. Each
provincial cattle organization decides how to allocate
their national check-off dollar between research and
marketing initiatives. Saskatchewan producers allocate 30 cents of every dollar of
the national checkoff to research
programming
through the BCRC, with the
remainder being allocated to
marketing of beef (68 cents)
and administration (2 cents).
Producer checkoffs helps
provide consistent levels of
funding to support critical research programs and lever-
age government research
funding.
Unfortunately
checkoff revenues are under
significant pressure. When
annual inflation is considered, the purchasing power of
the national checkoff has fallen from $1.00 in 1999 to 80
cents in 2013. Cattle inventories and sales have also declined to levels last seen in the
early 1990s, leading to still
fewer national check-off
funds available for research.
This is greatly limiting industry’s ability to fund high priority research and support
badly-needed initiatives like
new beef industry chairs.
The National Beef Strategy
(beefstrategy.com/) outlines
what industry could achieve if
the national checkoff was increased from $1.00 to $2.50/
head. If implemented, Saskatchewan would have a $2
provincial checkoff and a
$2.50 national checkoff. To put
this into perspective relative
to current prices, with the proposed increase, Saskatchewan producers would be investing a total of 0.43 percent
of a weaned calf’s value, or 0.27
percent of a fed animal’s value
into policy, research, and marketing initiatives. This is less
than a half of what other agricultural commodities invest.
Producer checkoff funds
help support ongoing research programs, while private contributions (e.g. Termuende Research Ranch) and
endowments (e.g. beef industry chairs and the Beef Cattle
Research and Teaching Unit)
allow larger investments in research facilities and expertise.
Investments provide an opportunity for all producers
who value the contributions
that Saskatchewan’s applied
cattle, forage and beef research programs have made to
their industry to help ensure it
continues while leaving a lasting legacy.
NLET!
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T UNG
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resolutions
2015 Resolutions update
Following is an update on what’s happening with regards to the resolutions passed at the
2015 SCA annual general meeting, including what committees are working on specific
resolutions. Contact information for committee chairs has been provided. If you have any
background information or additional details to provide on the specific topic, feel free to
contact the committee chair.
By Bill Strautman
2015 SCA AGM – Resolution 1
Whereas BSE submission numbers are below
target levels; and
Whereas we are trying to reach negligible
status; and
Whereas more 4D animals are being marketed which puts the industry at risk of public
scrutiny about humane transport; and
Whereas $75 is a minute sum as compared
to the salvage value of animals moved through
the system; therefore
Be it resolved that SCA investigate the feasibility of putting a $4 levy to be placed on marketed animals to create a fund that compensates producers 80% of the market value for
animals submitted for BSE testing, and report
back at the next AGM.
Motion carried
Action – referred to the Animal Health
Committee to investigate and come back with
recommendations. Animal Health Committee
chair – Dean Moore, cell 306-344-7981, email
[email protected]
Be it resolved that the list of people receiving
refunds of the provincial check-off be made
available to the membership at large; perhaps
through the magazine or online.
Motion was removed by the chair as it is not
feasible according to the Agri-Food Act.
Note – in a letter from the Agri-Food Council of
Saskatchewan clarifying the issue, the following comments were provided:
“It is important to recognize the legal framework that is in place to ensure private data
is protected and properly managed. Under
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33
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current privacy rules, personal data that is collected may only be used for the specific reasons it was collected. For example, producer
information that is collected for registration
and administration of levy dollars should not
be disclosed or used for any other purpose.”
and
“Please remember that any improper use of
private information may have legal implications for your agency.”
Whereas the fall calf run is an extremely busy
time for Saskatchewan cattle producers; and
Whereas the SCA district meetings are held
during the busiest week of the season; and
Whereas cattle producers have a difficult time
attending and supporting these district meetings; therefore
Be it resolved that SCA district meetings be
scheduled for the first week of December and
the date of the SCA annual general meeting be
left in January with the SBIC.
Motion carried
Action – referred to the Traceability Working
Group to investigate and come back with
recommendations. Traceability Working Group
chair – Rick Toney, cell 306-671-7900, email
[email protected]
Whereas much pasture, hay land and crop
land has experienced excessive flooding
because of drainage; therefore
Be it resolved that SCA lobby the provincial
government to come up with a strategic plan
regarding land drainage in consultation with
producer associations so that unnecessary
flooding of hay, pasture and crop land does
not occur.
Motion carried
Action – referred to the Environment
recommendations. Environment Committee
chair – Harold Martens, cell 306-741-3961,
email [email protected]
Motion carried
Action – referred to the Communications
Committee to investigate and come back
with recommendations. Communications
Committee chair – Levi Hull, cell 306-6416271, email [email protected]
Whereas animal movement tracking is more
difficult and takes longer without premises ID;
and
Whereas Alberta has mandatory premises ID;
therefore
Be it resolved that the SCA encourage the
provincial government to make premises ID
mandatory.
Producers discuss resolutions at the SCA annual general meeting in Regina, January 22, 2015. | SCA photo
Motion carried
Motion carried
Whereas trespassing on agricultural lands for
hunting has been an issue for cattle producers; and
Action – referred to the Animal Health
recommendations. Animal Health Committee
chair – Dean Moore, cell 306-344-7981, email
[email protected]
Action – a letter was written to Federal
Agriculture Minister Ritz and cc’d to Trade
Minister Fast and Finance Minister Oliver.
Whereas within the trespassing laws in
Saskatchewan there is an exclusion for hunting; therefore
Be it resolved that the SCA investigate the provincial trespass laws, and then lobby the provincial government to eliminate the “exclusion for
hunting” from the current trespassing laws.
Motion carried
Whereas cattle have increased in value; and
Whereas cattle theft has increased because of
the value of the cattle; therefore
Be it resolved that the SCA should work
with the RCMP and the Ministry of Justice to
establish cattle theft reporting protocols and
expectations of actions and follow-ups when
cattle thefts have been reported.
Motion carried
Action – staff will write a letter to the Justice
Minister and copy the RCMP supervisor of
Saskatchewan.
Whereas the SCIC payment for predation on
an under 300 pound calf is $400; and
Whereas the current cost of raising a cow
without income from her calf is more than
$600 based on WBDC research; therefore
Be it resolved that the minimum payment for
an under 300 pound calf lost to predation start
at $650.
Whereas the United States has imposed
country of origin labelling requirements that
adversely affect Canadian livestock and that
have been deemed unacceptable by World
Trade Organization Panels; and
Whereas if the US does not comply with the
Panel rulings, Canada may be granted the right
under the WTO to introduce retaliatory tariffs
on unrelated products, when appeals are over;
and
Whereas Canada’s livestock industry has suffered immense damage from the US measures
and any retaliatory tariff is designed to put
pressure on the US to change its practices and
not provide a direct benefit to the adversely
affected livestock sector; therefore
Be it resolved that if Canada introduces
tariffs, that funding equivalent to the amount
raised by the tariffs be made incrementally
available to the livestock sector for research
and market development initiatives.
Whereas there are currently limited incentives
to become a VBP audited producer; and
Whereas there are significant funding inequities between Saskatchewan and other VBP
programs in western Canada; therefore
Be it resolved that the SCA lobby the government of Saskatchewan to create a second
level of food safety funding for VBP audited
producers.
Motion carried
Action – a letter of support was written and
provided to VBP that will be used when VBP
approaches the provincial government with
their request.
Whereas the SCA has passed a motion to support the concept of the National Beef Strategic
Plan; therefore
continued on page 34 ››
APRIL / MAY 2015 |
33
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Be it resolved that the SCA participate in the
discussion regarding the costs of funding the
National Beef Strategic Plan.
Motion carried
Action – the Executive Committee is participating in the discussion.
Whereas the Livestock and Forage Steering
committee (LFSC) that was struck by the
Saskatchewan Minister of Agriculture has
recommended a collaborative and innovative
approach to forage and livestock research,
technology transfer and teaching; and
Whereas wolf harvest is necessary; and
Whereas the University of Saskatchewan is
currently selling or generating revenue from
agricultural assets; therefore
Whereas wolves belong in our parks and
provincial forest, not on agricultural land;
therefore
Be it resolved that the SCA ask that any
current or future revenue generated from
these assets be directed back to agricultural
research.
Be it resolved that wolf hunting be allowed on
agricultural land in Saskatchewan starting in
the fall of 2015 for licensed big game hunters.
Motion carried
Motion carried
Canadian Beef Producer Recognition Day
August 22 at 5 pm • Calgary Stampeders at Saskatchewan Roughriders
Action – referred to the Research Committee
to investigate and come back with recommendations. Research Committee chair – Michael
Spratt, cell 306-3921-7175, email mspratt@
sasktel.net
Whereas this would entail concentrating research activities at the University of
Saskatchewan Goodale Farm and the proposed
Clavet Beef Cattle Research and Teaching Unit;
therefore
Whereas the Horned Cattle Trust fund is no
longer effective; therefore
Be it resolved that the SCA endorse and
support the new structure and format of the
Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence.
Motion defeated
Be it resolved that the SCA support discontinuing this fund.
Action – none required as resolution was
defeated.
Motion carried
Action – a letter of support has been written
and provided to endorse the concept.
Whereas wolf numbers are increasing in eastern Saskatchewan and moving into livestock
producing areas; and
Whereas forages supply 80 percent of cattle
diets in Canada; and
Whereas the Canadian Forage and Grassland
Association (CFGA) is crucial to supporting
growth in forage research and development;
therefore
Be it resolved that the SCA lobby CCA to continue their funding of the CFGA.
Motion carried
Action – staff contacted Saskatchewan CCA
representatives to bring this resolution forward
at the CCA annual general meeting in March
2015.
SCA Board of Directors - 2015
Back row (L-R): Dean Moore, Brad
Welter, Philip Lynn
Middle row (L-R): Arnold Balicki,
Laurie Disney, Michael Spratt, Garret
Hill, Lloyd Thompson, Harold Martens
Front row (L-R): Paula Larson, Rick
Toney, Bill Jameson, Ryan Beierbach,
Levi Hull, Larry Grant
Canada Beef, the Canadian Football League^ and the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association are working
together to promote Canadian beef producers and Canadian football. One Saskatchewan beef-producing
family will be recognized on the sidelines during the game and a 30 second video highlighting beef
farmers and ranchers will play on the stadium video screen. Beef producers attending the game will be
asked to stand and be recognized by the fans at the game.
Saskatchewan beef producers are encouraged to visit the SCA booth at the Pre-Game Fan Fest, to meet with
Riders fans and tell them about how you raise cattle on your operations. The partnership also allows the beef
industry to talk to consumers about nutrition and athletics, plus provides opportunities to talk about using beef
as a great tailgate protein choice.
Contest rules:
Tell us why your family should be the one picked to represent Saskatchewan cattle producers at a CFL® game.
Send your entry - no more than 300 words – to the SCA at [email protected]. One lucky family will be
drawn at random to receive up to five tickets to the game. The family will also be recognized on the sidelines
during the game.
ENTRY DEADLINE IS JUNE 30, 2015
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® Registered trademark of the Canadian Football League | ^ Trademark of the Canadian Football League | + Registered trademark of the respective
Canadian Football League teams, used under license. | ~ Trademark of the respective Canadian Football League teams, used under license.
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37
ATTENTION CATTLE PRODUCERS
C EO R E P O R T
Research funding - top priority for SCA
In the past year I have visited many of the facilities in
Saskatchewan that specialize
in beef, feed or forage research. Saskatchewan is a
centre of excellence in these
and other areas of agriculture
research. We all benefit from
this research, directly and indirectly.
As a development commission, the SCA is tasked with
providing for the effective development and promotion of
the industry by investing the
beef check-off collected. One
of SCA’s main areas of investment is research. According
to John Cranfield, a professor
at the University of Guelph from 2005 to 2008, every
check-off dollar invested in
marketing and research activities earned nine dollars
for Canadian cattle producers.
Saskatchewan contributes
30 percent of it’s national
check-off to the Beef Cattle
Research Council (BCRC).
BCRC is committed to funding leading-edge research to
position the Canadian beef
cattle industry as a global
leader in beef quality, animal
health, food safety and environmental stewardship. BCRC
has defined two core research
objectives - to enhance industry sustainability/reduce production costs and to improve
beef demand/quality.
Declining investment in
beef and forage research for a
number of years has led to the
current long-term viability
situation. One of the concerns is that we are losing our
researchers. Many are retiring and not being replaced.
38
| connection
Another concern is the closing of several Agriculture and
Agri-food Research sites
across the country.
Currently, 45 percent of all
agriculture research and development in Canada is done
by Ag Canada. As the federal
government agriculture research budget is cut, fewer researchers are being asked to
maintain the current levels of
research. This is not sustainable. A transition plan is
needed to ensure beef and
forage researchers are in
place to mentor their successors. Without that, applied
research and tech transfer expertise will be lost to the detriment of the industry.
Research, in many instances, is long term. Funding
needs to be long term as well.
When testing the performance of forage varieties, trials take at least four years to
produce any significant results. According to Dr. Bruce
Coulman, a forage researcher
at the University of Saskatchewan, in the last four years
there have been few new varieties submitted for testing.
“In the past, when we had
new trials being seeded every
year, most new varieties
would have many sites and
years of testing in the prairies. So it provided producers
with performance data reasonably close to the climatic
conditions of their farms,”
says Coulman.
“If producers find this type
of performance data important in their decisions to buy
new varieties, then they
should refuse to buy varieties
that have no third party per-
formance data, or have data
from other areas of Canada, or
from other countries. If they
do not consider local testing
data important in their purchasing decisions, then the regional testing systems will
die.”
It’s not all gloom and doom.
Exciting things are happening. At the 2015 Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference (SBIC) in January, the establishment of a Livestock
and Forage Centre of Excellence was announced. The
opportunity for growth and
expansion of research via this
facility will hopefully address
SCA’s concern of retaining/
replacing researchers in this
province.
Research funding is available
through SCA’s Saskatchewan
Beef Industry Development
Fund (SBIDF). The Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association
(SCA) has identified key research priorities it believes are
critical to the future success of
the Saskatchewan livestock
industry. These include genomics, animal health, nutrition and management, environmental stewardship and
forage/by-products.
Further information on the
SCA’s Saskatchewan Beef,
Feed and Forage Industry Research Strategy and the SBIDF
can be found on our website.
Saskatchewan and SCA have
significant roles to play in research. So do you, the producer.
I encourage your input and
feedback.
PATTY ENGLUND | INTERIM CEO SCA
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- The Western Producer

Transcription

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