February 2024 Simmental E-News

REGISTRY

THE HERD LETTER FOR 2024 IS "M"

Annual membership and administration fees were billed on January 2, 2024. If you have not paid your annual fees, please do so prior to March 31 when all unpaid memberships will be placed in a non-member status in accordance with CSA bylaws. CSA accepts credit cards, cheques, cash and e-transfers. Send your e-transfer to Canadian Simmental Association, at bjudd@simmental.com. Include your CSA account number and security answer in e-transfer.

CSA Membership Update

The Canadian Simmental Association has now received Government approval of our 2022 and 2023 bylaw changes. This includes approval for changes to our upgrade table, that were voted on and approved by the CSA membership, and now provides equality in the upgrading process between male and female Simmental animals. Please refer to www.simmental.com for the new CSA bylaws and current upgrade table. The CSA will also be adding a CSA director from British Columbia via a vote by the CSA membership.

The approved by-law changes, including the revised upgrade table, take effect on animals born on or after January 1, 2024. This will not change the fraction of animals born prior to then. It is also important to note that there still are differences between the Canadian and American upgrade tables due to the U.S. process of rounding up some fractions. An American 7/8 is not necessarily a 7/8 in Canada. It is important to recognize that difference.

Please contact the CSA office cansim@simmental.com or CSA General Manager Bruce Holmquist at bholmquist@simmental.com or any CSA director with any questions you may have.

Random Parentage Verification of Simmental Animals

In accordance with the CSA Bylaws and Office Policies, parentage verification of animals is required on a random basis. Random requests are to be completed within six months of the date of the letter sent to the member. If you are unable to submit the SNP sample on the random animal(s) before the 6-month period, please contact the CSA office so we may determine an alternate animal for parentage verification testing.

DNA REQUIREMENTS AND INSTRUCTIONS

It is your responsibility to ensure your animals have the appropriate tests on file with the CSA office:

Natural Services Sires require a 100K (minimum) tested by GOF (Genotype on File).
AI Sires are required to be 100K (minimum) Parentage tested (confirmed to both sire and dam).
Dam must have SNP DNA on file prior to submitting SNP test on AI sire. If not, order a basic SNP test for dam and send samples together so lab can complete PV test on bull.
Donor Dams require a 100K (minimum) tested by GOF (Genotype on File).
Embryo Transplants require a basic SNP200 panel in order to register the animal.
Basic SNP tests – animals which were tested by basic SNP200 will need to be tested again (with new sample) by 100K or greater SNP test in order to qualify as an AI sire, herd sire, or donor cow.

It is your responsibility to ensure the bulls you purchase have DNA on file:

If your purchased bull becomes an AI Sire, make sure that his dam has DNA on file in advance, or that there is stored hair for full parentage verification. Without parentage verification to both Sire and Dam your bull will not qualify as an AI sire.
Please be aware that the office will test all samples to the fullest extent possible. This means if the animal’s sire and dam have DNA on file, the sample will be tested to the fullest parentage extent (PV – parentage verified).

Hair Card FYI

Once you have access to the Lab Application from your online system or from the office you will attach the Application with your hair card, mail, or courier your Lab Application and sample directly to the lab to prevent any delays.
Your hair sample will need to be placed in a hair card which the CSA has in stock they cost $0.55/card orders must be minimum 5 cards. For a supply of hair cards on hand, please contact the office to place your order.

Samples sent to the lab that are not attached within a hair card, but are loose in an envelope or zip lock bag will be charged $4.00 per sample. Please read instructions printed on hair card when sending in samples.

If you require additional assistance, we would be pleased to assist you either by email Cansim@simmental.com or call us at 403-250-7979!

Click here to read the CSA DNA Requirements

BREED IMPROVEMENT

ULTRASOUND

Ultrasound is a valuable tool to gain insight into the carcass merit of your herd. Ultrasound testing must be conducted by a UGC certified technician using approved equipment and images that are read by an accredited lab can be included in the genetic evaluation. The CSA has programs that can assist with the cost of ultrasound and DNA testing. Now is a great time invest in your herd through ultrasound.

2024 World Simmental Fleckvieh Congress

Thank you to our sponsors:

Platinum Level Sponsor

Zoetis

Gold Level Sponsor

American Simmental Association & International Genetic Solutions

Bohrson Marketing

Glacier FarmMedia

Silver Level Sponsor

Clearwater Simmentals

Olds College of Agriculture & Technology

Bronze Level Sponsor

Anchor D Simmentals Ltd.

Livestock Identification Services

Mader Ranches

Trouw Nutrition

Friend

Semex

Erixon Simmentals Inc.

Sponsorship Opportunities are available, please contact the office or Stacy Price for more information.

sprice@simmental.com

FRIENDS OF CANADIAN SIMMENTAL FOUNDATION (FCSF)

2024 Foundation Fundraising Auction, Olds, Alberta

If you are considering donating to this year auction to be held in Alberta this summer, please reach out to the office here or a member of the board.

For Immediate Release - CBBC Elects Leadership for 2024

CANADIAN BEEF BREEDS COUNCIL ELECTS LEADERSHIP FOR 2024

CALGARY, AB – The Canadian Beef Breeds Council (CBBC) recently held their 29^th Annual General Meeting in Regina, Saskatchewan during Canadian Western Agribition with over fifty members and industry stakeholders in attendance. During the meeting the CBBC membership elected new Directors Eddie Marsman, current President of the Canadian Gelbvieh Association and Andy Schuepbach, a current Director of the Canadian Hereford Association to the Board and re-elected for another term Kevin Blair, Marlin Leblanc, Rod McLeod, Scott Severtson and Shawn Wilson. They join currently serving Directors Ken Friesen, Dennis Serhienko, David Sibbald and Brett Wildman to comprise the 2023/24 CBBC Board of Directors.

At their recent Board of Directors meeting, the Directors re-elected David Sibbald as Chair of the CBBC Board. David owns and operates Triple S Red Angus with his family west of Calgary and is in his fourth and final year serving as Chair. Joining David on the Executive is Shawn Wilson as 1^st Vice Chair and Marlin Leblanc as 2^nd Vice Chair. The Directors also elected Ken Friesen as Finance Chair with Kevin Blair and Shawn Wilson joining Ken on the Finance Committee.

CBBC wants to acknowledge and sincerely thank retiring Directors Amanda (Matthews) Fileccia, Hal Nixdorff and Graham McLean for their contributions to the CBBC Board. “There is significant time and energy that Directors volunteer to CBBC in their time serving on the Board,” explains Sandy Russell, CBBC Chief Executive Officer, “and we greatly appreciate all the contributions that Amanda, Hal and Graham have provided to CBBC.”

“On behalf of the CBBC membership, I want to personally thank Amanda, Hal and Graham for their guidance, input and support that they provided to our organization while serving as Directors in recent years,” acknowledges Chair, David Sibbald. “CBBC continues to play an important role in the Canadian beef industry and I look forward to working with this new group of Directors and our CEO to continue to advance the goals of our organization.”

The Canadian Beef Breeds Council works on behalf of its members to support the Canadian seedstock sector, promote Canadian beef cattle genetics both domestically and internationally, and represent the seedstock producers by advocating effective policy, meaningful market access and enhanced competitiveness.