The Young Guns

Summer has gone by so quickly.  We hardly had any spring and so it seemed like we crammed in as much as we could in 8 weeks.  One of our main activities for the farm this summer was to be guest consigners to the Pasture Treasures Sale hosted by the Skeel's Family of Anchor D Simmentals at Rimbey. 

The sale is held in the middle of August at their farm.  The day includes viewing of the cattle, barbecue, sale and barn dance to end the evening.
We consigned 5 cows with heifer calves at side.  These were cows that had been very productive for us and still had a future.  By selling them we can now keep a few more of our replacements heifers.  Rob always says "you can't keep them all."
The sale was a great success with our 5 lots averaging $8320 or $4360 per head.  The most exciting part of the sale for us was that 6 of the 10 head were sold to junior members.  For one buyer it was his first Purebred Simmental.

Sarah Van Sickle purchased this cow calf pair. Sarah is the Vice-President of the national YCS board.
                                    

Caleb Richardson added two cows to his herd.  He attended the Alberta and National YCS shows this summer. Caleb is also a director on the AYCSA board.

 

Kale Chessor bought the first LRX Blaze55Z daughter to sell to use as his next 4H project.

                                                                                                             Will Bradford purchased his first purebred Simmental. 

 We are very excited for all of these young cattle enthusiasts.  It is fun to see them buying cattle and adding to their herds.  Thank you for making selections from our herd.  We would also like to thank BS Ranch - Shawna & Bob Harakal, Mader Ranches and Earl & Shirley Hagstrom for supporting our program.

Class Act

We often get asked and sometimes wonder ourselves, why we are involved in Purebred cattle and the Livestock Industry as a whole.  If you worked out what the pay is per hour you would find out quickly that you might make more working in a fast food restaurant.

Tonight though I couldn't`t help but feel pride for the actions of my fellow Simmental breeders.  The story starts in July when we hosted the Charity Auction for the Garth Sweet Simmental Foundation to raise funds for our youth program.  Mark Shologan of DLMS donated a signed Saskatchewan Roughriders jersey from his brother Keith Shologan.  It was purchased by Bouchard Livestock International and Lewis Farms.  They decided since the Grey Cup was going to be played this year in Regina that they would re-sell the jersey at the Simmental sale at Canadian Western Agribition tonight. They did exactly that. 

They didn't know at the time exactly where the proceeds would go when they resold it.  In the weeks that followed a very close Simmental friend would need the assistance of STARS Air Ambulance for a family member.  The decision to resell the jersey and give 100% of the proceeds to STARS made perfect sense.

Tonight 50 Simmental breeders gathered $10,000 for the jersey.  The funds were given to STARS Saskatchewan and the young Simmental breeder whos life was saved this fall by. STARS

Our breed is founded not only on great genetics but great people.  Congratulations to everyone involved.  We are proud to be a part of this great breed. This is why we do what we do.  Because of people like this.  It's the Agriculture way.

Sweet Satin

We will be on the road to the National Simmental show held during the 40th Anniversary of Farmfair International in less than 48 hours.

 We are excited for the display that we have prepared - 4 bull calves representing the bulls that will sell at the Simmental Bull Summit on February 24, 2014 and 5 heifer calves, including 2 that will sell at Checkers on December 14, 2013 in Red Deer, and a very pretty little lady - RJY Sweet Satin 30A that sells in the Headliner sale on November 8, 2013 at Farmfair. - Lot 16.

Sweet Satin is out of our oldest cow in the herd. Combined with her sire McIntosh Sweet Talker she has a great future a head of her. 

We invite you to stop by the stall for a visit and a look at the cattle. Safe travels to everyone out on the show road this fall.

Family Traditions.

Exhibiting cattle has been a part of our lives for over 40 years.  Rob first began showing in the Junior Hereford Shows and myself in the YCS - Junior Simmental shows as well as showing for my dad in the early years of the Simmental breed to promote these "exotic" cattle.

Then came the years of junior and 4H shows for our girls along with them helping also at the fall shows, Farm Fair and Agribition.

Stay and her heifer.

 Now as the fall of 2013 approaches we are only attending one fall show, the National Simmental Show will be held at Farm Fair International in Edmonton, AB  during the 40th Anniversary of Farmfair.  We may be only going to one show but this will be one of the biggest strings we have exhibited in the past few years.  9 calendar year calves are getting ready.  5 bulls that will represent the group of bulls that will sell on February 24, 2014 in the Simmental Bull Summit and 4 heifers.  One that is selling at the Headliner Sale at Farmfair


RJY Sweet Satin 30A - sells November 8, 2013

and 2 that will sell on December 14 in Red Deer at Checkers.  The fourth one is owned by Double R Farms - Stacy (Young) Romanyk and her husband Dan.  

 We see the exhibitions as a place to display our program, connect with past and future customers, and educate those that do not have a direct connection to the farm about where their food comes from.

Entries for Farmfair close on October 1st .  Why not join us at this great show.  It will be an exciting time. Hope to see you there.

A new partnership with an old friend

Several years ago the decision was made for a number of reasons for the Canadian Simmental Association to go back to having their EPD's with information from only our herd book.  We had been incorporated with the American Simmental Association  having North American EPD's previous to that.

Due to some conversations by both board of directors and staff and we are please that as of this fall the EPD's that all breeders are able to use as one of their selections tools will again be North American EPD's incorporating data from both the Canadian and American Simmental Associations herd books.

This will make comparisons of EPD numbers much easier for everyone.  Whether you are looking to purchase an animal in one country or the other their numbers will still be the same when you import them.  When selecting A.I. sires you will also have an idea what the resulting progeny's EPD's will be.  We see this as a positive move for our breed.  The cattle listed on our  website www.highcountrycattle have been updated with the CSA Fall 2013 EPD numbers.  If you would like more information on this check out the CSA's web page.

Fall 2013 CSA Genetic Evaluation

 

Breed Average

 

CE   BW    WW    YW    MCE    Milk     MWW    SC    CWT    REA    Fat      Marb

5.5    4.1      66.4     93.7    9.0       26.3       59.4         0.17  31.3      0.55     -0.073   -0.06

 

Current Population – all calves born in the last 2 ½ years (2011‐2013)

Active Sire – any sire with a calf reported in the last 2 ½ years (2011‐2013)
Active Dam – any dam with a calf reported in the last 2 ½ years (2011‐2013)

New Venture

Over the years we have marketed our gentics through a number of ways.  Consignment sales like Checkers, Red & Black, Agribiton, Farm Fair, Private Treaty  for the Females, embryos and semen at the North American in Louisville and most recently at the New Years Resolution sale.  On the bull side of things we marketed them directly off the farm for a number of years  and then joined the consignment sale of The Red Deer Bull Sale for the last few.  For 2013 we are really excited to be a part of the Simmental Bull Summit on February 25, 2013 at Bentley, AB

Our good friends and fellow Simmental breeders John and Stefon Beechinor have built a beautiful and big sale facility at their farm just  south of Bentley.  They have been feeding our bulls along with theirs and those of Eagle Ridge Simmentals since weaning.  Sale day will be stress free (at least for the bulls) as they only have to move from one side of the farm to the sale barn on the other.

We will have 10 bulls in the sale.  Here is a sampling

  Most from our walking bulls McIntosh Sweet Meat 32X,

3D Mr Red Sure Fire 449X

and IPU Revolution 172U. 














Along with  ET calves from LFE Rochfort 3013T and Black Joker.  68 lots are catalogued and we invite you to join us for an Alberta Beef lunch at 11:00 with the sale starting at 1:00.

If you would like to check out the sale offering before sale day, the catalog link is on our website at High Country Cattle as well as  a video of some of the bulls.  If you are unable to join us that day but something catches your eye give us a call, we always love to talk cows or just have a visit with our fellow cattlemen and cattle women.

We could of had a Superbowl Commercial

Ok so the superbowl was a couple of days ago.  A marketing opportunity that companies strive to have success at.  It is the one time that you are almost 100% guarenteed that the viewer is going to actually watch your message.  I had two favorties - Dodge's - God Created A Farmer and Budweisers - Brotherhood.  I commented on God Created a Farmer, but  would like to share a story about Brotherhood, or should I say Sisterhood.

Back in the spring of 1994 we were managing McDougal Cattle Station, at Breton.  When we first went there they only had a Red Angus herd but wanted to develop another breed.  We assisted them with the development of a Simmental herd.  The girls were young Crystal 9 and Stacy 7.  That spring they spent a lot of time with us doing chores and working cattle.  Stacy formed a unique bond with a red baldy heifer, right from the time she was born.  She helped name her MCC Red Dream 12D.  Dream could be out in the middle of a big pasture and if Stacy called out to her she would come over.  Without being halter broke, she would let Stacy scratch her.  Only Stacy.  That fall we entered into a production sale with Garth & Judy Sweet of 4S Simmentals.  Dream was selected for the sale.

On the morning of the sale, the girls and I were just about to drive out of the yard, when Stacy asked me to stop the car.  She quickly hopped out and went into the house.  She came back carrying a big object.  When she was back in the car I asked what she had forgotten, she showed me her piggy bank.  I told her that she really didn't need to take that to the sale and she informed me that she did.  She was going to buy Dream.  I knew this wasn't going to end well.

Stacy stayed by Dreams side all day.  She combed her and talked to her.  She hardly moved from her when she had to go to the sale ring.  We didn't buy Dream, she went to live at Lazy S Simmentals at Mayerthorpe about an hour away.  Stacy cried herself to sleep that night.

2 years later, Rob decided to go to the Lazy S Simmentals bull sale that they hold on their farm.  The girls went with him.  They arrived a bit early and spoke with Doreen.  They inquired how Dream was doing.  Doreen mentioned that she had just calved a couple of days prior and was in a pen near by if they wanted to see her.  Stacy was headed out the door.  She ran over to the pen (with about 50 cow calf pairs in it), climbed up on the fence and called out to Dream.  On the far side of the pen a cows head lifted from the feeder, turned towards the girl calling her name and came running over to the fence.  She stood there letting Stacy scratch her.  Dream still remembered her.

I wish we had this on video.  The bonds that we form with our livestock are very special.  I don't know a farmer or rancher that would ever do harm to them.  They usually go above and beyond for their care and comfort.  Budweiser made a wonderful commercial.  One that we can relate to in more ways than one.  I sure hope this colt gets to be on the Budweiser hitch that visits the Calgary Stampede.  Would love to meet him.

The "A" List

It kinda snuck up on us but the other day Rob and I realized that we have been breeding Simmental cattle  together for 30 years.  I grew up on a Simmental farm, my parents and Aunt and Uncle operated Highwood Land & Cattle.  They began crossing their Hereford commercial cows to Simmental in the late 60's.  As things would go it was taking way to long to advance the herd to purebred status.  They were presented with the opportunity to buy 100 purebred cows from one of the founding herds in North America, SBL at Cardston, AB. The home of Parisian the first Simmental bull imported to Canada.

 Many of those cows carried the tattoo year letter "A" and were born in 1969.

Fast forward 22 years and Rob and I are now developing our own herd of Simmentals.  The first Simmental that was given to our daughter Stacy, was a red & white heifer named RJY Miss Stacy 16A.  She produced our first black Simmental and the first heifer that Stacy showed at her first junior Simmental show - RJY Black Lace 1C.



 

RJY Black Lace 1C - first daughter of 16A

RJY Cajun - was at the side of 16A
when named Champion Female at Drayton Valley Show

 The 16A cow family planted a seed, one that would take a young girl that loved her Stacy Cow and is now developing her own herd of Simmentals. 

RJY Black Lace 1C - the first black Simmental
to show at a Junior Show in Alberta

Fast forward to 2013 and we are now on our 3rd cycle of  "A" calves.  When we began looking at the calving list, we realized that if things went according to plan, Stacy could have 16A again..... and she did.  This time SLY 16A is a red blaze faced heifer calf.

SLY 16A - Born January 14, 2013

I`m not sure if Rob and I will be calving cows 22 years from now, but maybe we can go and visit Stacy and Dan and see the 4th go round on the A list.

New Babies

We are now into our 3rd week of calving and other than being a bit sleep deprived things have gone really well. We are about 55% done with several that could pop any day.  Calving is our favorite time of the year.  The decisions that you made not only last spring but for many years previous to that all come together at once.  There is nothing more special that to see a new momma cow that loves her baby, and then a few hours later see that new calf explore the world.

 We have lots of snow this year and have had some sunny days recently.  The calves are enjoying laying out in the sunshine and running through the snow.  We already each have our favorites and will continue to see how they develop over the next few months.

 

We have had a few of our city friends visit in the last few weeks hoping that they will see a calf being born.  It's fun to see their expressions.  We hope that if you are currently in calving season that it is going well and you are enjoying your new arrivals as much as we are.

Roll of the Dice

Rob and I would not consider ourselves gamblers. We've been to Las Vegas once for our 25 Anniversary, I play the Lotto some and I think we have been to a casino only a couple of other times. I guess you can say that we work hard for our money and don't like to take a lot of chances.

The Spring of 2012 was one time that we decided to step out of the box. We had been talking for a really long time of how to incorporate some new blood lines into our Red Simmental Genetics. We have been breeding these cattle for 30 years and the genetic pool in the Simmental cattle that are solid red or red factor seemed to be getting fairly small. So we began to start looking at the Fullblood Simmental cattle that were still solid red or with very little white. That is when we found this guy:

JHSN The Fleck 59Y


The Fleck is a total out cross to the red side of Simmental Genetics.  We bred about a dozen heifers and cows to him.  The calves are now arriving and we couldn't be happier.  They have come solid colored and more importantly they are easy calving and look good at this point.  We did have a bit of anxiety waiting to see what he would produce.  I guess sometime you have to step outside of the box and take that chance. 

Watch for these calves in the upcoming months and the opportunity to have these out cross genetics.
P.S. Did we mention that he is homozygous polled as well.

The Opportunities Begin

I am beginning to feel like I am having the time of my life if the old age saying "Time flys when your having fun".  It seems like just days ago that we were preparing for the 2011 show and sale season and now we are just a couple of weeks away from heading out on the road of 2012.

 Farm and ranch people seem to define their lives by events, the drought of 2006, the cold spring of 2010, the record breaking bull sale year of 2012.  That or the year that they attended an event.  Farmfair 2009 or  the 20th Agribition that we attended.

With each new season that approaches we are all filled with optimism and high expectations.  There have been so many decisions that have gone into getting you to where your farming operation is, hoping to take you to the next level.  Your hopes may be a greater acceptance in the market place, a championship banner, making the highlights of a sale report, going home with a list of potential buyers for your bull sale, connecting with past customers and hearing their successes with the breeding stock that they purchased from you.  The list is ling.

One of the first events for us on the circuit this fall is Farmfair International., in Edmonton, AB. This show has a long history but through thick and thin it has treated us well and been a great place to market our cattle.  With the addition of the Ranch Rodeo, another sector of potential customers are stopping by to view our program. 

Our string is a bit smaller this year, but has some unique individuals in it. 

• The first daughter of McIntosh Sweet Talker will sell at the Headliner sale on November 9th in Edmonton.

McIntosh Sweet Talker 32X

• We will be exhibiting a Fullblood Simmental for the first time in 21 years.

Stop by the stall to see what Fullbloods in 2012 look like.

• We will be caring for cattle of Lyle Peterson's of Bar L7 from Calgary.

Stop by the stall for a visit and if you are looking for a really nice black baldy Simmental heifer for a youth project. RJY Sweet Dreams 44Z may be worth a look.  Hope to see you in Edmonton in a couple of weeks.