The Canadian Aberdeen Angus Association, operating as the Canadian Angus Association (CAA), is a not-for-profit association incorporated under the Animal Pedigree Act and represents members from across Canada for the purposes of registering and recording the pedigrees of purebred Angus cattle and promoting the breed across Canada. The Canadian Angus Association is Canada’s leading beef breed, with the most members, the most purebred beef cattle registrations and the most influence in the commercial cattle herd.
The principal purpose of pedigree associations incorporated under the Animal Pedigree Act is the registration and identification of animals and the keeping of animal pedigrees. The Act specifically defines the power of Associations and the accountability of each with respect to governance and bylaws. The Act outlines mandatory bylaws that provide guidance for the organizational structure and governance principles.
The Canadian Angus Association has two associated organizations: Canadian Junior Angus (CJA) and Canadian Angus Foundation Inc. (CAF). Canadian Junior Angus is run as an internal organization within the Canadian Angus Association. Its mandate is to assure and promote the specific interests of members who are 21 years old and younger.
Canadian Angus Foundation is an independently incorporated not-for-profit corporation. It is overseen by a separate board from the Canadian Angus Association. Its mission is to preserve and expand the Angus breed for future generations through education, youth development, scientific and market research and historical preservation and restoration.
Mission
To maintain breed registry, breed purity and provide services that enhance the growth and position of the Angus breed.
Vision
We exist to preserve and expand the Angus breed for Canadian cattle producers and beef consumers, providing the best opportunities for profitability today and for future generations.
Guiding Principals
The Canadian Angus Association is a member-driven Association that provides an accurate, current breed registry and the best tools available to verify parentage. The Association is governed by a Board of Directors elected from its members with representation across the country. The Board acts on behalf of the membership to provide strategic oversight and ensure that the organization achieves its goals. The board’s connection to the operational aspects of the organization is through the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The CEO is responsible for maintaining operational sustainability and is accountable to the Board.
The Canadian Angus Association’s governance approach is summarized as the Board being responsible for setting the strategic direction and principles of the Association and it is the CEO’s responsibility to manage operations. The Canadian Angus Association has governance, association, and operating policies to provide guidance and support to the Board and the CEO to facilitate a collaborative approach to further the objectives of the Association. The Policies provide accountability to each other and the membership.
The Angus Year
Every Angus operation is different, but a typical year for an Angus breeder may go something like this:
- Annual membership fees are due on January 1. AngusNOW users are automatically renewed on January 1.
- Spring calving members receive personalized Spring Herd Inventory and Application for Registration forms
- Calving begins, record calf birth weights, calving ease, and dam teat and udder scores within 24 hours of calving
- Order Angus RFID indicators and management tags for calves
- Order TSUs or request hair cards and collect DNA samples
- Annual Angus Life magazine arrives in mailboxes
- Weaning and weighing of fall-born calves
- Submit yearling weights, scrotal circumference, docility, foot scores, and ultrasound data for spring-born calves
- Bull congresses and trade shows
- Submit pedigree extract requests for sale catalogues to the Canadian Angus Association
- Bull sales
- Canadian Junior Angus GOAL (Guiding Outstanding Angus Leaders) Conference
- Tattooing of calves
- Annual National Convention (June)
- Annual report is released
- Fall calving and tattooing
- Completed Herd Inventory and Application for Registration forms are encouraged before the calves have reached seven months of age for spring calving herds on the Canadian Angus Performance Program
- Members receive personalized Fall Herd Inventory and Application for Registration forms
- Gold Shows and Canadian Junior Angus Showdown
- Set up Angus GS testing to ensure results are available for sale catalogues
The Aberdeen Angus Breed has a tradition in Canada going back over 130 years. Today all Angus registration papers are processed through the Canadian Angus Association office in Calgary, Alberta. All animals registered in the Canadian Angus Association Herdbook are 100 percent purebred.
Sustainability Initiatives
The Canadian Angus Association is proud to be one of the founding members of the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB) and a partner with Verified Beef Production Plus (VBP+). By providing breeders with the resources to develop into industry-leading operations, these partnerships allow us all to ensure that today’s practices are tomorrow’s success.
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The Canadian Angus Association National Convention is held annually.
You’re invited to join us!
The future of Canadian Angus is all about preserving and expanding the Angus breed. Help in supporting the future and brand it your own today!
The future is in good hands. With programs that help our youth grow and learn about Angus, more innovations are just around the corner