Announcements

• Welcome to the new Canadian Angus Association newsletter. Let us know what you think of the new format.

• 2010 membership renewal packages and herd inventories are in the mail. If you don't receive yours by the end of January, please contact us.

• The Canadian Angus Association has launched a blog. Check in regularly to find out the latest news by visiting us at http://cdnangus.blogspot.com

Kudos

• We worked with AdFarm, a local agricultural advertising and marketing firm on Canadian Angus Rancher Endorsed. This work was recently recognized with an award from the National Agri-Marketing Association.

• The Canadian Angus Association's online registration and weight entry system is managed by Agricultural Business Research Institute (ABRI), based in Australia. Recently, one of our members registered an animal online, and ABRI could tell that the member's computer was infected with a keylogger virus or trojan. They informed us and we were able to inform the member.

• Congratulations to the Canadian Angus breeders who exhibited at the National Western Stock Show in Denver. Red Northline Trueblood 341T was named Grand Champion Bull at the Red Angus Show; Red Lazy MC Cowboy Cut 26U was named Reserve Grand Champion Bull; and Justamere 406S Panamajack 336U was named Reserve Champion Bull. Click here to read our press release on these fantastic achievements.

• Congratulations also go out to the exhibitors at the Medicine Hat Stampede Pen Show in December. Purebred breeders and commercial producers using Angus genetics did excellent. Click here for the show results.

• Doug Munton of Benchmark Angus recently received a Gold Star Award to recognize his organized, tidy paperwork. Gold Star Awards are given to members who submit perfect paperwork by our appreciative staff.

Congratulations to Olympic Torch Bearers in the Angus Community

• John Lettieri of Hero Burger, a licensed participant in Canadian Angus Rancher Endorsed, carried the Olympic torch on December 22 on Highway #3 in Delhi, Ontario. John said "As I approach closer to this memorable moment, all that comes to mind is that our Real HERO here is the great country I live. I raised the torch that day to Canada!"

• Bonnie Glasman of M & J Farms in Russell, Manitoba, braved Manitoba's sub-zero temperatures to carry the torch on January 8.

• Congratulations John and Bonnie on this tremendous honour!

Why Aren't Weights and Adjusted Weights Published Online?

Members often ask me why we do not publish animal weights and adjusted weights online. It would be very misleading to publish raw and adjusted weights online unless we also published the environment that every calf was raised in. For example, you cannot accurately or fairly compare two calves' birth weights without also knowing the circumstances that influenced those birth weights. What if one calf was born in January in Northern Alberta to a 5-year-old dam that was on special high calorie feed and the other calf was born in July in Texas to a first-time heifer that was out to pasture on very dry land? What we can do is eliminate these environmental factors when calculating EPDs. So, comparing the birth weight EPD of these two calves would give you a much more accurate assessment of the two calves’ genetic potential. This is why the Canadian Angus Association does not publish raw and adjusted weights on our website; rather we cooperate in two National Cattle Evaluations each year and publish EPDs on Angus animals that are enrolled in our performance program.

Contact Kajal at 1-888-571-3580 if you have any questions about the performance program and genetic evaluations.

Canadian Angus Rancher Endorsed

• Canadian Angus Rancher Endorsed beef can be purchased in most regions of Canada. To find a retail location or restaurant near you, visit www.rancherendorsed.com and click on "Where to Buy".

Provincial Annual Meetings

• As a member of the Canadian Angus Association, you are also a member of your provincial Angus association. Annual meetings have recently been held in the Maritimes, Manitoba and Alberta. The meetings for Saskatchewan and Ontario are being held on Saturday, January 23. We encourage all members to make the most of their membership by attending their provincial annual meeting and making their voice heard.

Did You Know?

• Members of the Canadian Angus Association can purchase mailing labels to spread word about their upcoming sales. The cost is 3 cents/label. Contact Joanelle for information and to order.

Attention HerdMaster Users

Here are a few issues you need to be aware of for January:

• New program update (version 3.00.096) is available at sos.saltbush.une.edu.au. This new version includes updated black EPDs. If you have not already done so, you must re-register on this website to obtain a new password.

• NCE file is available on the CAA website for importing into your HerdMaster. This is the file that will update EPDs for your entire herd. Please do the program update before you import this file.

• Inventory file is available on the CAA website for importing into your HerdMaster. The inventory file consists of the dams on the Canadian Angus Performance Program for which you must report calving activity for 2010.

If I can be of any assistance please don’t hesitate to send an email or call 403-668-5251.

With the revision of the CAA website and the revamping of the newsletter I would like to know if we should continue putting this article in the newsletter. Do you look for the article and do you have any recommendation of how we could make it better? I appreciate your feedback.

Good luck calving and keep up with your records.
Wendy Newton

Canadian Angus Association

142, 6715 – 8 Street NE  Calgary Alberta  T2E 7H7

(403) 571-3580  ■  1-888-571-3580  ■  Fax: (403) 571-3599

www.cdnangus.ca

If you are a member of the Canadian Angus Association, you will receive this member update, which includes information on important deadlines, news and events. If you would prefer not to receive this newsletter, you may unsubscribe by replying to this email with "Unsubscribe" in the subject heading.