66 Days Away

It seems like if you are a seed stock producer the hunt for your next herd sire, never ends.  In fact the day after you buy your next herd sire you had better be looking for the next one.  Oh there are lots of bulls for sale and between now and the end of April thousands of them will change hands and find a new home, but herd sires are few and far between.

Everyone has there own check list of requirements and no two buyers will have the same list.  He has to be the right size, color, polled or homozygous polled, birth weight, performance, pedigree, soundness, testicle measurements and the list goes on and on.

We would like to introduce a new exciting young bull that will claim a spot in our breeding program for 2012. This youngster is bred for calving ease with some performance in the package as well.

RJY First Time 18Y.
Here's the list of credentials that he brings with him:

• Homozygous Black
• Homozygous Polled
• Low Birth weight - 80 lbs
• In the top 5% for Birthweight and 20% for calving ease.
• Sired by - HTP SVF In Dew Time
• Backed by strong cows families like - First Date, Dream Date, Ebony's Joy 123 - L, Ebony's Antoinette, Honeydew and CNS Sheeza Dream K107W.

RJY First Time 18Y has recently sold to BS Ranch.  He will walk in their pastures, but we believe so much in this young calving ease bull that we have retained 1/2 semen interest in him.  We are currently getting ready to send him to stud. He has recently been added to the Bouchard Livestock "Genetics That Make A Difference" 2012 catalog.  If you would like the opportunity to share in this new young sire, contact Bouchard Livestock or us at High Country Cattle.  Breeding season is only 66 days away

We're Having a Girl......

In the spring of 2010 we looked at using some new technology, Sexed Semen.  The thought was to use the semen on a few of our heifers that were out of genetic lines that produce superior females, in order to increase the number of females born. 
This would enable us to market some females out of our top cows while at the same time keeping some as replacements. We researched the Simmental bulls that had "heifer" sexed semen available in Canada. 

We found out that there were very few to choose from.  Although we were excited to hear that HTP In Dew Time was available. 

HTP In Dew Time 

Here is how the semen companies describe In Dew Time,
"In Dew Times cow family is strong and proven for many generations. His dam HTP SVF Honey Dew was a many time champion being named Reserve Grand at the 2003 National Western. In Dew Time’s full sister and litter mate HTP SVF Dew Drop claimed calf champion honors at the National show at the American Royal and the North American. Also, a full sister to Honey Dew, Makin Honey claimed champion honors at the 2004 North American Junior and open shows. In Dew Time has breed leading EPDs 8 CE being in the top 20% on calving ease, 1.2 BW in the top 35%, 47.8 weaning in the top 4%, 84 yearling in the top 2%, a positive 2,1 on maternal milk, 16 on CW in the top 1% and ribeye 0.35 in the top 3.5%. R94 is homozygous polled and Genmark tested homozygous black. a young herdsire that combines many of the positive aspects of the Simmental industry. (American Simmental Association EPD's)"

So we ordered the semen, breed 4 heifers and 3 conceived to the A.I breeding.  One of those was RJY First Date 1W. (Black Joker x SS Ebony's Dreamdate S27).

Fast forward to January 29, 2011.  First Date was in the calving barn.  We were very excited to see the Homozygous Black heifer calf that would be arriving soon.  We were checking on her regularly and walked into the barn as she gave the final push.  It is natural to walk over and lift the hind leg to see the sex of the calf is.  Rob was teasing me, as she was having a heifer.....or not.  She had just given birth to a 80 lb BULL calf!  I guess the semen companies are right when they say the semen is 90% female / 10% male. 

RJY First Date 1W

RJY First Time 18Y

Although initially we were a bit disappointed with not getting a heifer out of her, (the other 3 had heifers) we certainly are not disappointed now.  Here is her bull calf - RJY First Time 18Y  that will be at her side when we show them at the National Show at Farmfair and also at Canadian Western Agribition. I think she was meant to have a bull in 2011.  Stop by the stall at the shows and check him out.

All I want for Christmas

Some of you may remember that about this time last year Rob came home and said "I know what I want for Christmas."  Now this is not an unusual statement for most people, but Rob never asks for gifts.  What he really wanted was Lot 3 at the NAILE Simmental Sale in Louisville, KY.  I think my reply was - you and a lot of other people.

Fast forward and with a partnership formed with our daughter Stacy - CAJS Elegant Force W24 (Lot 3) found her new home at High Country Cattle Services. 

CAJS Elegant Forc

Elle - as a 2 yr old - Summer 2011

 "Elle" as we have fondly named her has exceeded our expectations.  She has turned  into a beautiful young cow and produced one of the best heifer calves to date at HCC. 

RJY / SLY Southern Elegance

Her BMR Explorer daughter will be a part of our show string this fall.  "Elle" has entered into our embryo program and due to the success we had flusing her this year, we have decided to consign 6 embryos (that are exportable worldwide) to the NAILE sale on November 14.  Lots 9A & 9B are embryos by CAJS Elegant Force W24 (Steel Force daughter) and your choice or HC Power Drive 88H or PVF-BF-BF26 Black Joker. 



HC Powerdrive

Black Joker

The genetics that the Elle embryos present are quite unique.  To date, there is no SVF Steel Force semen available in Canada, her  3/4 brother  - Mr. HOC Broker is the current Reserve Champion Bull at Denver,and there is an extremely limited amount of both Powerdrive and Black Joker semen available.  Maybe it's time to do a little Christmas shopping for yourself.

Summer - What a Rush

  Well this summer has blew by and I cannot believe fall is around the corner.  Crystal and Jon have got things well on the way for their wedding April 7/12 and we had a great time there in June. Met the family and everything went great. We are looking forward to having Jon and his family a part of ours.

Crystal & Jon

Independence, Iowa

JJB Cattle Company

The summer has been wet. Not tonnes of rain just rain every day it seems. That has made for lots of grass though and the cattle have come along very well. Crops are not so good in our area and it makes me happy to not have a bunch of grain in this year. Even the swath grazing does not look good ! The fellow we get hay from has made progress the last 10 days and we are hauling hay home now. Half done and will get the rest soon.

 The cattle have done well. We really are excited with the bull and heifer calves that are on the ground and the young cows have made a big impression on the visitors this summer. We are working towards an exciting fall with shows and some pretty impressive sale lots even if I do say so myself. Stay tuned.

CAJS Elegant Force W24

SS Ebony's Dreamdate S27

Treasure Hunt

A few years back we thought that we would try to find a Simmental heifer in the US and flush her to HC Power Drive 88H as there was no qualified semen available to come to Canada.  We contacted a fellow that had some Power Drive semen for sale, (better get the semen before you buy the heifer).  After visiting with him for a while he said" Why don't you just buy the semen and flush one of your donors to him?"  We explained the situation with the semen not being qualified for Canada.  He suggested we contact his semen distributor.  After several phone calls we discovered a reasonable amount of semen that was available to come to Canada.  Jackpot!  Within a few weeks we had secured the remaining amount of semen that was Canadian qualified.  Fast forward a few years and we now have several outstanding HC Power Drive daughters in our herd. 



HC Power Drive 88H





We're looking forward to flushing our new donor's  CAJS Elegant Force W24 to him in the near future.  There was Power Drive semen sold in the Denver 2011 sale that brought $800/straw.

In the spring of 2010 I suggested to Rob that we buy a few straws of PVF-BF Black JokerS36.  

Again an older Black Simmental bull but one that is leaving some tremendous daughters, and 2 of our best bull  calves this year are Joker sons.



RJY First Date 1W - Black Joker Daughter



We checked our inventory and had 4 straws in the tank.  We thought that was enough for our smaller herd.  And there was lots of semen available so we didn't make the purchase.  Again fast forward to the spring of 2011.  We were browsing through he AI catalogs deciding on which sires to use this year.  We added Black Joker to the list.  When we phoned in our order we were surprised to hear that Joker was sold out and we were about the 10th person to call looking for some.  Now what?  Again we started our search on the web and began making some calls.  The treasure hunt had started again.  I'm not sure who has been looking out for us, but again we were able to find 30 straws of Black Joker........qualified for Canada.............the last in existence.  Jackpot! 

Through lots of phone calls and some very cooperative staff at the semen distribution centre our semen arrived 18 hours prior to breeding 3 of our donors, SS Ebony's Dreamdate SS27, CAJS Elegant Force W24, and CDY Signature Black 2N. Nothing like cutting it close. We now have 33 Black Joker Embryo's, a few were implated fresh, a few will be the start of Crystal's US Simmental herd, and the rest we'll just have to see what happens with them. It's nice to know you can get lucky once in a while.

Road Trip - Learning Day.

Sorry for the long time between blog but things have been really busy around here for the last few weeks.  Since the last posting we have:

• Finished calving
• Sold all the bulls
• Bought a bull ( which can be a long process)
• Bought a new tractor (old one died)
• Replaced our furnace ( A very cold Friday night until the service man arrived)
• Have almost 1/2 the herd bred on the first cycle
• Set up 4 cows for transplant (April 14)
• And delivered all but one bull.

These were just the things that we squeezed into our days along with our full time jobs and all of the wonderful winter weather we have had this year.

Yesterday was delivery day for 3 of the bulls in central Alberta.  Since I wasn't able to attend our bull sale day in Red Deer I decided to  leave all of my laundry and house cleaning for a day and tag along with Rob.  Our frist stop was at Moose Farms.  We were greeted by Jerry and his daughter Emily (8).  While the guys got to discussing calving and markets, Emily gave me a tour of the farm. 

First stop the chicken house where we found her brothers hens and the one she caught in the local Chicken Scramble, next we were of to see Granny her first cow who had calved that morning.  Then there was the pen of cows that had either lost a calf or dad just doesn't like anymore.  You certainly can learn a lot about a farm by talking with the kids.  Emily had to go to school the day of the sale, but seemed to approve of Grandpa's choice, SLY Overdrive 5X



Similar truck to the one at the Hogg Farm

Next we headed south east to the Hogg Farm.  They have been in the Agriculture business for 107 years.  At the gate we were meet with a 1936 truck with Hogg Bros. painted on the side.

Here we met Presley (7).  Presley was playing outside with her stuffed sheep

and was having a hard time keeping him clean.  By the time we had a good visit in the sunshine on the front porch Presley had used a roll or two of toilet paper to clean him up.  When we went to unload RJY Austin 9X, she came along as she is the gate keeper and responsible for watching it when the big guys need to go into the pasture.

Further south we travelled again to the Hannah Farm.  This is another well established farm family.  Dad was ready to cut back and lighten the work load, but son Wade is enthusiastic about the cattle business and has added 100 cows to the operation.  Thus the need for a few new bulls this spring. SLY PowerPlus 2X should be a good addition to their program.

We ended our day with a great Canada AAA steak dinner on the way home.  We seen some new country, had great visits with each of our purchasers and learned a bit about the people that purchased our bulls.  It was a great day building new relationships with both the younger and older  members of each family.  Thank you for supporting our program and having confidence in our cattle.

Christmas Comes Early to High Country

A few weeks ago, Rob came into the house and announced that he knew what he wanted for Christmas.  Now this may not sound unusual, but Rob never asks for Christmas or birthday gifts, so I was quite intrigued to hear what had caught his attention.  It was in a catalog ........ not the Sears catalog, or any of the others that arrive in the mail during November, but the North American Select Simmental Sale catalog. 

It was Lot 3 that had his attention.  He almost said like a little boy "I won't ask for anything else for Christmas, if I can just have her."

Well sale day rolled around and the family discussion began, do we try to own her or not.  I thought she would be way out of our budget, but said to give it a whirl.  So we called up Crystal, who was in Louisville with her job at the American Angus Association and asked her to go have a look.  Along with a phone call to Darryl Snider from Simmental Country.  We logged on to edjecast to watch the sale and hoped for the best.

Christmas has come early as we are now the proud owners of CAJS Elegant Force.  She was consigned by the Happy 6 Simmentals, the Schneider family of Georgetown, Kentucky.  This is what they had to say about their sale consignment.

This is one we hate to part with. She is a beautiful package. You can’t make one much smoother than this. She is big-butted, strong topped, jet-fronted, and stout. You have to admire her fore rib and smooth shoulder. “Elle” comes from a legendary cow family, being a maternal sister to last year’s $33,000 high seller KenCo Miley Cottontail, she is a granddaughter of the great H25(dam of JM Steel My Heart and many others). Throw Steel Force in the mix and you can’t go wrong! Elle has gathered many ribbons and banners in her extensive show career, turning heads all across the country. Homo black with a perfect blaze and a baby doll disposition. To top it all off, she’s expecting a heifer calf by Explorer in January. We are reserving a flush within the next 2 years, with a minimum of 6 embryos, to be done at the buyers convenience and at our expense.

Crystal had the opportunity to visit with Joe, Paige, Cramer and Ally Jo.   They are a very nice family and were very excited to have their heifer come to Canada.  They are already planning a trip north to visit her. Cramer and Ally Jo love to show cattle.  To read more about them go to http://www.happy6simmentals.com/aboutus.html

So I have one Christmas gift bought.  Now to figure out what to get the rest of the family.



High Country is Stepping Out this Fall

The September long weekend is almost over.  The mornings sure feel like fall.  With the trip that we have been planning to the World Simmental Congress later this month, we have had to get a head on a few of our fall projects.  Steers have been sold, calves registered, hay in the feed yard, and the show and sale entries are being completed.  Usually we are still taking pictures and writing footnotes on the deadline day.  Here are a few that we will have out at the shows and sales this fall. 

RJY Lady May 16W

MasterLink x Red Label daughter bred to Revolution
Sells at the National in Brandon, MB  - November 6

RJY Joy's First Date 1W
Blk Joker x RJY Joy's Dreamdate 27S

IPU Revolution 172U
LBR Crocket son
Showing at Olds and Agribiton

RJY Signature Move 14X
Wheatland 680S x CDY Signature 2N
Sells at Agribition, Regina, SK - November 25

We plan on attending the following events:

• Olds Fall Show - October 1-3 (thanks to Stacy for taking a couple down there for us).
• The National Show & Sale in Brandon, MB - November 4-6
• Farmfair International , Edmonton - November 10 - 11 (to be determined)
• Canadian Western Agribition - Regina, SK, November 24 & 25
• 16th Annual Checkers Sale - Red Deer - December 16

Hope to see you at the fall events.

Selection Time

Summer is a great time to look at cattle in their natural environment.  Especially this year when there is grass in the pastures.  With the smaller number of purebreds that we run, we rely on marketing our females through consignment sales.  We have sold in a variety of sales over the years.  Because we are usually exhibiting at some of the fall shows, we also like to consign to the sale as well.  It cuts down on the costs and we are away from home anyways for the show so it works well.  Some of the sales teams have also worked with the show committees or breed associations and agreed to a maximum sales commission, so you kinda know your sales costs before you leave home. 

Tyler from Bouchard Livestock International was out this week and went through the herd. It is still early in their selection process but we are anticipating having cattle consigned at the following sales this fall: 

• 
  
   The National Sale - Brandon, MB
• 
  
  Canadian Western, Agribition - Regina, SK
• 
  
  Checkers - Red Deer, AB

There many be more sales added.  So keep checking our website www.highcountrycattle.com in the weeks to come for complete information on our consignments and to which sales.  Oh and you are always welcome to stop by the farm.  Everything is always for sale......for a price.  Well then again you might not be able to buy Ruffles, Stacy says she is a fixture of the farm until the day she dies!

WFL Ruffles 669K - age 10

Your Success is Our Success

Last week we told you about us selling some embryo's to Australian Simmental breeders Peter and Charmaine Cook from Barana Simmentals in NSW. 

They hosted their 10th Annual Production Sale on July 1, 2010.  Included in their offering were 10 Black Simmental Bulls, 7 of them were embryo progeny from 2 of our top donor cows JDN Blk Signature 19L and SS Ebony's Dreamdate 27S.  These 7 bulls averaged $6071, topping at $9000. 5 were between $6000 - $6500 and one at $3000.  They sold into Queensland, and throughout NSW.  This is the sale report from their web page:

"Barana Simmentals 10th Anniversary Sale achieved a satisfying result with 51 of the 52 Simmental bulls offered selling to a top of $9,000 with an average of $4,985. The 10 Simmental heifers sold to $2,250 with an average of $1,625 and 12 commercial Simmental heifers sold to $1,400 with an average of $1,316. The 10 black Simmentals sold to average $6,350.  Pre & post sale enquiry was positive with buyers looking to secure Simmental bulls due to the contribution they make to their commercial operation. The sale outcome and comments on the day indicate strong interest in Barana Simmentals with the first offering of the Barana black Simmentals achieving an excellent result.
We were very pleased with the outcome and our sincere thanks go to our clients for their continued & solid support. We also appreciate the extremely positive feedback we received on the cattle presented at our 10th Anniversary Sale."

Congratulations Peter and Charmaine for your very successful sale.  We look forward to meeting you and seeing the sisters to these bulls when we visit in October.

                                                   

  RJY First Date 1W - full sister to 2 of the bulls that sold.

                                                   

Thank you to our good mate John Brogan, Orange NSW for helping to connect the two of us.

What's in a Name

JDN Signature Black 19L - the original Signature

It seems like an on going discussion at our house on what to name cattle.  I often joke and tell the girls that I think we have put more time and effort into naming cows than we did choosing their names when they were born. 

 Stacy and Crystal

I can remember driving back from Calgary on Christmas Eve 2007.  It was a beautiful night, full moon, snow filled fields, no traffic and we started to have a discussion on what we would be naming the new calves for 2008.  The tattoo letter was "U".  Many names where thrown around and then both Rob and Stacy said at the same time.......Too Hot 4U.  Stacy won with one of her cows calving in the rotation and being the 4th calf and a heifer.  Rob makes naming calves easy, he beleives in following cow families,

RJY Natalie 9W - from the MDR Natalie Cow family

but the girls think you can only have so many cows named Signature.  So we are off to our first show this weekend and the 4 calves that we are taking need names and a few others that don't get to go this time.  Here's what we came up with, CDY Signature Move 7X, CDY Frontrunner 14X, RJY Signature's Doll 3X, SLY  Overdrive, RJY Sierra's Dream, RJY Simply the Best, Dream Ticket and one yet to be named.  What are some of the best cow names you have ever heard?

Class of 2010

We have reached the half way point of calving and everything has gone really good so far.  We are very excited about some of the matings that we have and thought we would share a few pictures with you.  Calving time is always the most exciting time of the year.  The great weather this year has also helped.

Cool Venture x Respect 10F - (Dam's Sire)

Power Drive x Lil Signature 2N

 E.T. calf

Joker x Lil Signature 2N

Natural calf 

Sire: MRL Talladega 15S

 680S x Lil Signature 2N - ET

Most of our IPU Revolution calves are are due starting this weekend.  We will keep you posted on how they look.