Canadian Angus Association Staff
Doug Fee
Chief Executive Officer
extension 223
Michael Latimer
Assistant General Manager
extension 230
Linda Anne Seville
Office Manager
extension 222
Joanelle Fuellbrandt
Receptionist
extension 0
Kajal Devani
Breed Development
extension 227
Cheryl Hazenberg
CACP Co-ordinator
extension 238
Sharmayne Byrgesen
Chief Registrar
extension 224
Shirley Anderson
Assistant Registrar
extension 216
Kailey Walker
Assistant Registrar
extension 225
Wendy Newton
Educational Support
(403) 668-5251
Tina Zakowsky
Member Communications
extension 229
Brian Good
Commercial Fieldman
(403) 391-4037
John Duivenvoorden
Eastern Fieldman (Ontario)
(705) 431-0319
Wayne Gallup
Eastern Fieldman
(Quebec & Maritimes)
(819) 826-3026
Announcements
-
Early bird registration for the 2010 annual general meeting in Halifax starts now! Visit our website for details and registration information.
-
The deadline for the 2010 Robert C. McHaffie Junior Ambassador competition is April 30. For information on the award, please visit the Canadian Angus Foundation website.
-
The Canadian Beef Breeds Council has released an article on risk mitigation and the resources they offer. Risk vs. Reward: ‘The Basics’
-
Don't forget to check out our blog, updated at least every Friday: http://cdnangus.blogspot.com
Kudos
To Heritage Angus, a Canadian Angus Rancher Endorsed licensed participant. Heritage Angus Beef Burgers was among the finalists in the Best New Frozen or Chilled Food Award category at Gulfood 2010 in Dubai. This event featured more than 1 million square feet of exhibitors from around the world and attracted 750 industry representatives.
Increase in Calf Registration Fees Coming
Effective January 1, 2011, some of the calf registration fees will increase as per the recent Board meeting. The good news is that after January 1, 2011, if animals are registered when they are under 4 months old, they will still cost only $15. It is a real incentive to get the paperwork in order while things are still fresh in your mind and records are still at your fingertips!
For the calendar year 2010, the fees remain the same. There is an incentive for electronic submission of Spring 2010 born calves. Registrations received electronically by July 15 for spring 2010 born calves will be priced at $15 per calf regardless of the age. To be set up as an electronic user if you haven’t already done so, please complete CAAFORM21–Electronic Registration Agreement.
Remember your Angus Tags
Remember to purchase your CACP tags and tell your bull customers about the program. Our Canadian Angus Rancher Endorsed participants are actively seeking tagged cattle year round. Click here to order tags online. For additional copies of the order form or promotional materials for your sale, contact the office.
2010 Bull Sales
Brian Good has been out and about, representing Angus producers at a number of bull sales. He reports that bull sales are strong. Good bulls are bringing as much or more than they ever have, although marginal bulls have not been selling. In other good news, the feeder market has moved up and fats have leveled off. Brian is also encouraging all purebred producers to transfer papers into the names of their bull buyers. Your commercial customers need the papers to get Angus tags and qualify their cattle for Angus beef programs certified by Canadian Angus Rancher Endorsed.
Help a Family Trace Their Angus Roots
Allan Kindness is looking for information about his father, Andrew William Kindness. Andrew was an Aberdeen Angus Herdsman and at Perth Bull Sales (in Scotland). In 1930 he was asked to escort cattle from Glasgow to Donhead Farms near Toronto. He was at Donhead Farms until 1935 when he returned to Scotland. If you have any information about Andrew William Kindness while he was in Canada, please contact Allan directly.
DNA Testing
When you are calving this spring, if parentage is questionable or you haven’t waited the required 14 days between exposures, remember to request a DNA kit. The parentage should be established before the calf is assigned a registration number. To request a DNA kit we need to know:
Dam identification
Possible sire(s) identification
Calf tattoo
Calf sex
Calf birthdate
Calf birthweight (optional)
Once this information is provided to us, we will assign a ?temporary registration number to the calf and send out a DNA kit. Once the DNA is reported and a sire is established, the registration of the calf can then be completed.
The fee to change a pedigree of a registered animal as a result of a DNA test is $50.
Tips from Breed Development
-
All 2009 calves should now have weaning weights submitted. Weaning weights are required to be able to calculate adjusted yearling weights and EPDs. Please contact Kajal at 1-888-571-3580 to receive your missing data worksheets if you have not submitted all your weights or if you have any questions about CAPP.
Roy A. Wallace Beef Improvement Federation Memorial Scholarship
The Roy A. Wallace BIF Memorial Fund was established to honor the life and career of Roy A. Wallace. Mr. Wallace worked for Select Sires for 40 years, serving as vice-president of beef programs and devoted his life to beef-cattle improvement. Two scholarships will be offered in the amount of $1250 each. One will be awarded to a student currently enrolled as an undergraduate and one will be awarded to a student currently enrolled in a Master of Science or Doctoral program. The application form is at www.beefimprovement.org.
Sponsor a Steak for a Returning Soldier
-
Alert Agri is seeking financial support in sponsoring “a steak for a returning soldier and their loved one” to show appreciation for the dedication and sacrifice these men and women have made. Click here for more information.
European Angus Forum 2010
-
The Danish Aberdeen-Angus Association is hosting the European Angus Forum 2010 September 1–5. Visit their website for more information.
Did You Know?
-
That all the forms that you require to do your daily business are available on our website and in your handbook?
Attention HerdMaster Users
Breeding is just around the corner. Are you using your HerdMaster to its full advantage when it come the breeding records? Here are some things to consider:
-
Semen and embryo inventory — setup your semen and embryo inventories and then as you breed the inventory will be updated automatically.
-
Animal Groups — you can assign animal groups to your dams — ie AI Group, Sire 1 Group, Sire 2 Group etc. You can then create a filter based on the group name and that makes your mating entries much easier.
-
Mating Prediction (click on Reports/EPD/Estimated EDP) for each sire to dams in your herd. If you have a new sire or considering a new sire you can give me a call and we can create an animal import so that you will have the EPD data to make the estimation.
-
Matings — you can enter your AI, hand, natural breeding or embryo implant dates for each dam. This brings all the records together in one place so that when the calves hit the ground in 2011 you won’t be searching through breeding charts, books, notes, etc.
Tip sheets are available for each of these tools. They are in the Purebred Application Manual. If you don’t have a copy you can download it from the HerdMaster Canada website (click on support and the manuals are available for download).
Give me a call if you require any assistance. Til next month,
Wendy Newton
1-403-668-5251