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.

The Boys of Fall

The Boys of Fall can mean a lot of different things.  It can be the great song by Kenny Chesney http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlXDo5WhQXI&feature=player_detailpage, your own local hero's such as the Breton Cougars, or in our case the boys that we just brought home from pasture.

This past Friday night, I went out to watch the local high school football team. 

Breton was one of the first small high schools in Alberta to form a six man football team.  In the last few years the league has grown across the province.  Friday night Breton played the Sedgewick Rams. 


It wasn't a close game but it was fun to see the son of our good friends Darryl and Debbie Snider out on the field.  Cooper is much younger than the other players.  he's only in Junior high but has the size and ability to be playing with the big boys. 

Also want to give a shout out to Darryl.  He is the fieldman for the Simmental Country.  He travels thousands of miles a year across North America attending sales and shows.  He is the staff person representing us breeders that you see the most.  He does a great job for us and it is often during these times that his boys are playing sports or participating in school activities and he is spending time on the road with us instead of seeing them.  Thanks Darryl, we do appreciate all of the time in the spring and fall that you spend with us instead of your family.

Our boys of the fall came home from the pasture on Saturday.  They have been weaned since September but were able to stay with their mommas since we use weaning guards, it allows them to stay on the grass for a while longer.

There are a couple of really special boys that we will be taking to Farmfair and Agribition.  If you are at the shows stop by the stall and have a look at them.

The Same...Only Different

October 20, 1984, Rob and I said our "I Do's"  Today the weather is over cast and a few showers are expected, 27 years ago we were recovering from the first major snow storm of the year and trying to figure out where we would take our wedding pictures, since we didn't book a studio.

A few things have changed throughout the last 27 years.  When we were starting out on our farm - High Country Cattle Services it was located at Bentley, Alberta.  Our herd consisted of 90% Horned Hereford cattle and 10% Simmentals - the traditional spotted and yellow variety.  Rob worked sales, clipping and fitting (we fitted all the sale cattle in those days) and showed for Goose Lake Cattle Company at Calgary and Kilmorlie Herefords at Bowden.  We received $.75/lb for our calves that fall and the steers averaged around 670 lbs in November .  The interest rate on our farm was 23.8%.  This was a deal for young farmers.

Today High Country Cattle Services is located further north at Breton, Alberta.  Our herd is 99% Simmental - the red and black variety and 1% Angus - recipient cows.  Rob still works shows and sales but now it is for ourselves. 
We concentrate more on growing and working hair on our cattle with minimal fitting.  The property that Goose Lake Cattle Company was on is now a gravel pit, Kilmorie Farms is now home to Simmental breeders Saugeen Farms.  Our calves this fall brought $1.40/lb and the steers and heifers together averaged 705lbs the middle of September.  Today you can get an interest rate for 3.8%

In 1984 gas was $.93 compared to $1.11 today, a new 1/2 ton truck was $9,000 where today you will spend double that.  Labatte's brewery came out with the twist off cap.  We took hundreds of pictures for sale ads that had to be developed before you knew if you got the right picture.  You anxiously awaited for the Hereford Digest and the Simmental Country to arrive to see what was the latest news in the purebred industry.  Today you almost know minute to minute by following Facebook, Blogs and websites. (We haven't started to tweet yet!)  Sales can be followed online and purchases made.

We are planning another wedding - no not ours, but our daughter Crystal's and Jon's.

 And their herd will consist (in the beginning) of 99% Hereford cattle and 1% Simmental.  Stacy and Crystal are the 4th generation in both of our families to raise purebred cattle.

So much has changed over the last 27 years, technology and running our farm more as a business with family values.  But somethings have stayed the same too......our love for each other
and being a part of the Agriculture Industry!

Good Bye Summer

On this first official day of fall I thought I would look back to what we did during the summer.  2011 was the summer were we didn't plan anything.  Some how though it all went by very quickly. 

June started off with taking a quick trip to Iowa to visit Crystal and to meet Jon's family.

Randy & Rob fishing on Sunday morning.

We also took a few animals to the Drayton Valley Livestock Show.  It's a good thing this show happens early on as this is the only way that we get those first few calves halter broke.


July the weather did not cooperate and our swath grazing was very delayed being planted and then got washed away with 4 inches of rain, two days after planting.  Sure not the success if was last year, so the cows have already been turned into it.

  We did fit in a couple of days to the Ponoka Stampede and the Calgary Stampede for the rodeos, chuckwagon races and the CS Steer Show.

In August we were honored to attend the wedding of Stefon and Becca Beechinor.  The wedding was held in their hip roof barn that is on their farm and over 100 years old. 

Becca & Stefon

 



                      Then we headed to BC to judge the Vanderhoof 4H Show and the Open show that hosted the Angus Gold Show.  Some really good cattle and met some great people. (even some from Kansas!)

Tom and his Kansas helpers brought out
a great string. 

Supreme Champion Female

The trip continued with us doing some golfing in Williams Lake prior to judging the Williams Lake 4H Show.  Again an awesome group of kids and cattle to work with over the two days.  We were able to meet the leaders of the only First Nations 4H Club in Canada.  These ladies are doing a wonderful job with these kids.  We also visited the BC Cowboy Hall of Fame.  It was interesting to see all of the old brands in the area. 

Then at the show that night some of the cattle were carrying those brands.  Lots of Agriculture history and good cattlemen in that part of the county. 

The Before picture

We also fit in a few of those jobs on the to do list.  Painting all of our steel fences was on my list.  The weather cooperated in August and September so I was able to get most of them done.  Rob has started to work on the show and sale cattle.  It was a good summer to get caught up on a few things and to enjoy being at home.  Visitors are welcome at High County any time of the year.

Fall Run

Things have been really busy here at High Country.  There are the usual every day tasks of running a farm and working off farm as well.  Then there are the seasonal tasks that come into play. 

We were also busy this past weekend with Jon and Crystal home for their engagement party.  It was a great time to get friends and family together to meet Jon and celebrate with them.  We did take some time on Sunday to show him around our place, teach Stacy's friend Dan more about agriculture and to determine which calves we would sell this week.

We have marketed our steer and cull heifer calves a few different ways.   Sometimes we go to the pre-sort sales, or the Simmental influenced feeder calf sales.  But this year we sold privately.  Last Friday we were quoted a price for both the steers and heifers in a weight range.  We loaded them straight from pasture, delivered them an hour away and took a 3% shrink directly off of the truck.

Our steer calves netted us $958 and our heifers $826.  The steers were in the 700 lb range and the heifers 600 lb range.  This is what calves were selling for at the local auction mart the same day.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011
929 head
CALF MARKET VERY STRONG

Steers Heifers 900 + $111.00 - $124.00 800 - 900 $122.00 - $134.25 700 - 800 $131.00 - $145.00 600 - 700 $135.00 - $146.50 500 - 600 $145.00 - $155.50 400 - 500 $155.00 - $162.50 300 - 400 $172.00 - $178.00 900 + $110.00 - $117.50 800 - 900 $115.00 - $123.60 700 - 800 $118.50 - $128.00 600 - 700 $120.00 - $129.75 500 - 600 $127.00 - $135.00 400 - 500 $140.00 - $147.00 300 - 400 $160.00 - $166.00

D1 Cows Bulls Bred Cows $60.00 - $72.00 $70.00 - $84.00 $0.00 - $0.00

We also shipped a few open cows that day.  Unfortunately Crystal had to say good bye to one of her old girls - Lil Signature 2N.  She hurt her hip on the ice last winter but still managed to wean off a 750lb bull calf in early August.  2N topped the market that day at $.72 / lb.  bringing in a check for over $1300.00

We have also been working on show cattle, deciding on consignments for the fall sales, updating pictures of the donors and preparing for winter.  Watch in the next couple of weeks for some exciting announcements on what we will be consigning to the NAILE sale and also to Checkers.  Until then enjoy these wonderful fall days we are having.

The Value of Junior Beef Programs

There is always the discussion with Senior agriculture boards on the value of a junior beef program.  How do you measure the value that you are getting for the dollars invested?  We're  not sure that we have the answer to this but we do know the value that it has played in our family.

Rob started his junior beef experiences with the Junior Hereford Association.  He often will recall his trips to the National Hereford Bonanza.  In the 70's and 80's the CJHA was one of the most envied associations.  They lead the pack for the others.

In 1980 the Canadian Simmental Association formed the YCS - Young Canadian Simmental Association.  I had the opportunity to be on the founding board. 

When our daughters became old enough (ages 5 & 7) they couldn't wait to join the AYCS.  Throughout the years this organization gave them the opportunity to fall in love with Simmental cattle and travel across Canada to the National shows.  They also had the opportunity to attend 2 National shows in the US.

Again what value does this bring to the beef industry?  In our opinion it develops the leaders of tomorrow.  For the past few years all of the directors of the Alberta Simmental Association have been past active members of the junior association. 

One year we roughly kept track of the amount of money that juniors bid or spent on cattle at the fall sales that we attended.  Although we weren't  at all the sales, we figured that over $100,000 was generated by junior members interested in Simmental cattle.  Many of them  have gone on to become successful purebred breeders and users of Simmental genetics in there commercial herds.

This past summer our daughter Crystal had the opportunity to speak at the first American Junior Simmental Association Summit. The Summit was held not only for a leadership building opportunity but also as a networking opportunity. 

So whether we are building leaders in our industry, generating revenue for our genetics or just giving youth some great lifetime experiences and memories, we believe that the return is unlimited for the investment made.  We hope that you will take the opportunity to support these associations in the near future.