“Just a reminder, CCIA, we are the responsible administrator,” general manager Ashley Scott said during the recent Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference.

“CFIA, they are the regulator and the enforcer.”

A “responsible administrator” is defined as “someone responsible for delivering a traceability program defined by federal regulations.”

These “federal regulations” are set by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, responsible for safeguarding food safety. It also sets the objectives of the National Livestock Identification and Traceability program.

“The Livestock Identification Traceability program provides accurate and up-to-date livestock identity, movement and location information to mitigate the impact of disease outbreaks and food safety concerns and natural disasters,” Scott said.

The traceability regulatory changes introduced in Canada Gazette I were working toward Canada Gazette II, and include the proposed changes that the cattle industry was against.

The changes, which face opposition by some in the cattle industry, include:

• Identification and registration of premises where livestock are kept or collected.
• Identification of livestock.
• Domestic movement reporting of livestock.

The changes align with the Cattle Implementation Plan developed by the Canadian beef industry in 2016.

The biggest adjustments for producers include:

• Obtain or keep current a premises identification number (PID) from a provincial government.
• Include a PID when purchasing CCIA-approved tags.
• Report information related to identification of cattle and their movement.
• Report move-ins within seven days.

“The proposed regulations do contain a permission that if a producer does not have a PID (premises identification) … that they can report all the necessary PID associated information, such as the legal land description, contact info, etc., when movements of herd (occur) or tags are purchased,” Scott said.

In Saskatchewan, PIDs have been required by the provincial government since 2017, and origin and destination PIDs must be included on livestock manifests as of 2025.

The CCIA and the Saskatchewan Cattle Association developed a cheat sheet for understanding the incoming regulations that was shared during the SCA’s recent annual general meeting.

According to that document, reporting requirements vary for producers, transporters, feedlots and auction marts, but most of the onus is on producers.

They must report move-ins to their sites, community pastures, vet clinics, cattle shows and exhibitions, although the requirements of each move-in varies slightly.

For yard move-ins, producers would be required to report the PID of the departure and arrival sites, the date and time of cattle departure and arrival, individual tag numbers of arriving cattle and the license plate number, including province, territory or state of the truck that delivered the animals.

It’s the same for community pastures, except instead of individual tag numbers, producers must report the number of head being moved. Reports of both departure and return are required.

A few more steps are required for veterinary clinics and cattle shows, including the date and time when the cattle left the departure site and when they returned and time of arrival to the clinic or show, and when they leave.

Auction marts are required to report the move-in, but the transporter or producer is required to provide information such as departure PID, date and timethe cattle departed and license plate information.

Auction marts will not need to report individual tag numbers, but feedlots will.

Scott didn’t answer any specific questions from the floor and advised producers to ask the SCA to forward their questions to the CFIA or contact the agency directly via email.

Preparation

To prepare for incoming regulations, Scott recommends producers be proactive to help ease the transition to compliance. They can do this by:

• Obtaining a PID through the provincial government.
• Updating contact information for their PID.
• Familiarizing themselves with the Canadian Livestock Tracking System (CLTS) for online reporting and how it can be integrated with a private herd management program if one is already in use.
• Attending information sessions about the regulations hosted by tahe CCIA or producer organizations.
• Beginning to record movement events in the CLTS.

“In the CLTS Resource Centre, you will find those step-by-step guides and instructions that will make using the CLTS easier,” Scott said.

She said the CLTS is the easiest way to report movements to the CCIA by using the web portal or mobile app, uploading an Excel file or using the web services, which is the best option for software providers and high-volume reporters.

The CLTS also works offline, allowing producers to enter their information and save it to upload when they have access to wifi or cellular data.

A less preferred option, though still accepted, is sending tracking information via mail.

“It wouldn’t be our preference if everybody submitted a paper record,” Scott said.

“We still take them, and when we receive them, we will reach out to that client and we’ll confirm the information. We do enter it in the system on their behalf.”

She said the CCIA has updated the CLTS in an effort to ease reporting and ensure compliance. Certain fields were added, such as arrival date and time, as well as a movement reporting module, both of which are optional right now but will be mandatory when the CFIA regulations take effect.

“The movement record is an alternative reporting option, primarily when the departure site chooses to initiate the process,” Scott said.

“The preexisting movement event in the CLTS is a recommended method and allows the destination site to report movements.”

Producers at the conference voiced concerns that producers don’t know enough about the CLTS and aren’t using it.

Scott assured the audience that the system and its uses would be better explained in the coming year.

She said the focus last year was on educating dealers, while in 2026 the CCIA will concentrate on producers and auction marts.

This will include explanatory videos and training sessions if producers and industry groups are interested in helping organize them.

However, changes to the regulations are still to come, and no one is quite sure what to expect.

“Based on everything being paused right now, we could see further changes,” Scott said.

“The information shared is just what was readily available from CFIA after industry consultation.”

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On the 25th John and Gregory went out to the Landis pasture to move some snow around so we could bring the cows home. The next day we took a couple of horses and pushed the cows from the south pasture to the native pasture to the north. We haven’t had a chance yet to build any kind of loading area for the south pasture, so we trailed them over to the native corrals.

The cows were quite happy to follow the trail Gregory had made for them with the tractor and blade, but they didn’t feel the need to go home. Though the snow was quite deep, they were still able to get to the tall slough grass and they had plenty of brush to get out of the wind. It took a bit of convincing to get them to go into the corral to be hauled home.

On Dec. 3 we hauled four cows into Provost for the bred sale and two other open cows for the regular Friday sale. Because of the mail strike we were going to have to go to Provost to get our cheque anyway, so we decided to take the kids in to see the regular sale on Friday. They have never been to a live auction, so it was a great opportunity for a quick family trip and the boys had a lot of fun.

On the 15th we went Christmas tree hunting. We called the neighbours and asked them if we would be able to harvest one of the short trees that was growing in the ditch beside their place. They gave us the go-ahead, so we brought home a cute three-foot tree. The boys had a lot of fun decorating it with pictures of the saints.

The following weekend our good friend Aaron came out for a visit. He is Ian’s godfather and he enjoys spoiling him and the others. He brought out some hockey things, a dresser and a toboggan. We took the toboggan out and had a lot of fun with it on the dugout pile out in the pasture. While I was making supper, Uncle Aaron found himself the centre of attention as he read several books to the kids.

We had a nice Christmas, with brunch after mass at John and Barb’s, then supper at their place with Gregory’s siblings and their families. We opened presents in between meals and the boys had a good day for playing outside.

On the 28th we loaded up the boys and Anna and went to Unity to do some visiting. We visited with a neighbour who used to live in Handel, then we went to visit Grandpa Fred, Gregory’s grandfather. Then we made it over to the long-term care facility and visited with Uncle Eddie and his family. He was quite tired after having so much family visit him over the previous three days, so the visit was short and sweet. We missed getting to visit with Aunt Eva as she was also quite tired after all the visiting and was going out to supper with their son.

Next, we wandered down the hall to visit Uncle Eddie’s sister, Aunt Theresa. She lit up when we brought the kids into her room. She was confused about who we were, but she was overjoyed to have company. She and James hit it off really well.

Uncle Eddie and Aunt Theresa are John’s uncle and aunt. Gregory has very fond memories of them growing up. We don’t get up to Unity very often, so we just had to stop in and go see them.

The next evening, John and Barb had John’s sister Marie and her husband over for supper. They invited us as well and so we enjoyed another evening of visiting family. Uncle Paul and Anna made friends pretty quickly and Auntie Marie had her hands full playing cards with the boys.

We hope the Christmas season brought blessings upon you as well, and may God bless you with health and happiness in the New Year.

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There are certainly times when you are racing from one urgent task to another. While it feels like the rest of the working world has three to five business days to respond to a request, that tactic doesn’t apply when cattle escape onto a busy road, the stock water dries up or a sick animal needs attention.

The fall run is a good reminder of the contrast between the long wait and the mad dash intrinsic to cow-calf production. It’s a time of gathering, sorting, shipping, evaluating and selecting. There is a familiar rhythm of activities like weaning and preg-checking that yield easy-to-count metrics producers use to inform decisions or (more honestly) take pride in. Are the weaning weights up or down? Did the cows breed early? Are we happy with how the calves looked out of that new herd bull?

For insightful observers, the season can also underline subtleties that pull at the heartstrings of the gruffest, toughest cattle producer. Maybe it’s a set of twins that thrived despite the odds, or a favourite, reliable cow that raised one last calf before it’s time for her to go down the road.

There are things about raising a live animal commodity that are inherently different from other agricultural sectors. Planting, harvesting and marketing a cash crop within six months requires a different approach than the mindset necessary for operating within the messy, complex continuum of breeding, grazing, weaning and calving.

The fall is often an incredibly important time for beef businesses. For many commercial cattle producers, this period is where a big portion of annual income is generated. Managing cash flow and budgeting on a single big paycheck for the year is challenging, even when prices are good. Producers who have retained calves to feed or breed have a minimum of 12 to 24 months of expenses tied up in a live critter that has yet to leave the farm. There are a lot of moving parts between conception to market that impact profit.

While most producers are strategic about paying their bills, there isn’t a Magic 8 Ball with answers on how to parse out those funds so they last until the following year or beyond. Will the winter be tough or the summer dry? Should we invest in water? Land? Buy more cattle? Pay down debt? Should more calves be sold when prices are good? Or should females be kept to increase the breeding herd? It’s impossible to anticipate all the chances, choices, and outcomes.

Yes, raising cattle can be fast-paced and full of life-or-death moments, and that’s likely part of what makes this business appealing for some. But an equally important aspect of raising cattle is about pacing oneself to make it to the finish line, or more practically, the next payday.

For cattle producers, the fall is the end of a chapter, a new beginning, and a continuing saga, all at once. Be patient yet quick, sprint but also walk, and acknowledge the risks you take on for a business that somehow costs and pays you more than you can define.

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In Kansas and Texas, live sales, f.o.b. feedlot, were reported at US$182/cwt, down US$3/cwt from 21 days earlier. U.S. fed cattle supplies remain burdensome as packers curtail the slaughter pace to enhance wholesale prices.

Wholesale choice beef prices during April 2024 averaged US$296/cwt, down from the March 2024 value of US$311 and marginally lower than the April 2023 level of US$300/cwt.

Packing margins have come under pressure; however, beef demand is expected to improve moving forward.

Seasonally, wholesale beef prices tend to trend higher during May and June before peaking in July. This should enhance the slaughter pace and help alleviate the burdensome fed cattle supply situation. The feeder market has divorced from the fed cattle complex and has been percolating higher.

At the time of writing this article in late April, larger-frame tan steers weighing 845 pounds were quoted at $340/cwt in central Alberta while Angus weaned calves at 500 lbs. were valued at $480. Calves under 600 lbs. are incorporating a risk premium due to the uncertainty in beef production in the final quarter of 2024 and first quarter of 2025.

The U.S. February and March slaughter came in lower than anticipated. As of April 1, we estimated market-ready fed cattle supplies were up 350,000 head over April 1, 2023. U.S. steer and heifer carcass weights have been running 25 lbs. above year-ago levels. Cattle that should have been processed in the first quarter have been pushed into the second quarter. U.S. second-quarter beef production (see Table 1) is now expected to finish at 6.75 billion lbs., up 40 million from the second quarter of 2023.

In Western Canada, the buildup of market-ready cattle is slowly being alleviated. While the year-to-date slaughter is running behind last year, fed cattle exports are above year-ago levels.

We’re anticipating that the Alberta slaughter pace increases during the late spring and summer. Carcass weights are declining, and we believe the western Canadian fed cattle supply-and-demand balance was at equilibrium as of April 15.

U.S. feedlot placements during the first quarter of 2024 totaled 5.428 million head, down 218,000 head from the first quarter of 2023. The bulk of the year-over-year decline has been in the weight categories under 900 lbs. This is bullish for feeder cattle under 700 lbs. that will come on the finished market after August 2024. Notice U.S. fourth-quarter beef production is expected to finish near 6.55 billion lbs., down 262 million from the fourth quarter of 2023.

Beef demand makes seasonal highs during July and then tapers off in August. The September through December timeframe will be a unique period. U.S. second-quarter gross domestic product (GDP; see Table 2) is expected to finish near three per cent but then decrease to two per cent in the third quarter. U.S. consumer spending is expected to remain at higher levels through August but then decline in September through December. As a rule of thumb, if U.S. GDP drops under two per cent, the cattle market will trade lower. Keep this in the back of your mind.

The feeder cattle market is expected to be extremely volatile over the next six months. First, the industry is bracing for heifer retention this summer and fall which will lower the feeder cattle supply.

Secondly, this feed grain complex is expected to strengthen due to lower U.S. corn acres. The El Niño phenomenon — while now weakening, with odds favouring La Niña conditions starting later this summer — tends to result in drier conditions in the western Corn Belt.

Finally, if fed cattle prices come under pressure in the final quarter of 2024 due to softer demand, this will spill over into the feeder complex. As it looks now, we’re expecting the feeder market to make seasonal highs in August and early September, then trend lower for the remainder of the year. The feeder cattle highs in late summer could be tempered if drier conditions cause lower corn yields.

Conclusions

The fed and feeder cattle markets are expected to peak in August. Prices will remain firm into September and then start to trend lower. Feeding margins are expected to move into negative territory in the final quarter of 2024 due to stronger feed grain prices and lower beef demand.

Cow-calf producers should try to market their calves earlier in late summer rather than wait until fall. Feedlot operators need to be aware of downside potential in the fed market from September through December. The economy has potential to weaken which will result in a sharp downward slide in fed and feeder cattle prices.

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Feedlot margins are hovering in the range of $30-$60/head, which appears to have renewed buying interest from the finishing operator. Secondly, the feeder market continues to factor in barley prices sub-$300/tonne in southern Alberta during the fall. This has been the main driver of feeders under 700 lbs. Feedlot operators have been liquidating larger volumes of fed cattle over the past month and there is significant open demand. One month from now, feeder volumes will become scarce; the premium quality cattle will have moved through the pipeline. Therefore, waiting is not an option. The winter storm in Manitoba and eastern Saskatchewan caused the cancellation of sales or limited volumes at some auction barns.

In central Alberta, larger-frame Simmental cross steers with very light butter on silage diet with full health records and age verification averaging 860 lbs. dropped the gavel at $266. In the same region, Charolais-based steers carrying medium to lower flesh on light barley diet with full health and age data crossed the scale at 805 lbs. and notched the chart at $284.

In southern Alberta, medium to larger Angus cross heifers on corn silage diet with full health and age data averaging 860 lbs. sold for $252. In the Lethbridge area, a larger group of 800-lb. low-flesh Angus steers startled the crowd by selling for $298.

North of Calgary, Charolais-based steers with lower butter weighing 720 lbs. traded at $315 and similar-quality heifers averaging 705 lbs. sold for $284. South of Edmonton, tan weaned larger-frame steers weighing 620 lbs. charted course at $336; in central Saskatchewan, a handful of silver-coloured steers weighing 670 lbs. sold for $318. Near Lethbridge, Angus-based heifers weighing 600 lbs. dropped the gavel at $302.

In central Saskatchewan, a smaller group of tan steers weighing 540 lbs. stopped bids at $351 and red white-face heifers weighing 525 lbs. sold for $303. In central Alberta, mixed steers weighing 515 lbs. were valued at $360 and mixed steers averaging 430 lbs. were quoted at $377.

Good-quality cow-calf pairs are now trading in the range of $3,500-$3,800. The function of the feeder market is to encourage expansion and feeder cattle futures continue to percolate higher. Feeders are being committed for fall delivery and we’re now at the stage where sellers are backing away from the market. Backgrounders and cow-calf producers are in the mindset to wait a couple of weeks before committing to additional sales.

— Jerry Klassen is president and founder of Resilient Capital, specializing in proprietary commodity futures trading and market analysis. Jerry consults with feedlots on risk management and writes a weekly cattle market commentary. He can be reached at 204-504-8339 or via his website at ResilCapital.com.

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Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau on Tuesday released the initial list of designated regions in Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan where livestock tax deferral has been authorized for 2022.

Those include most of southern Alberta up to around Stettler and Olds; nearby rural municipalities in western Saskatchewan; most of agricultural Manitoba; and some parts of west-central Saskatchewan southwest of Saskatoon (full list and map below).

Regions eligible so far were identified based on weather, climate and production data in consultation with industry and affected provinces, the federal agriculture department said Tuesday. Criteria include forage shortfalls of 50 per cent or more, whether caused by drought or excess moisture.

In areas designated for the deferral in a given tax year, eligible producers who had to cull breeding herds by at least 15 per cent may defer part of the income from those sales until their next non-designated tax year.

If the herd was cut by at least 15 per cent — but by less than 30 per cent — then 30 per cent of income from net sales can be deferred.

Where a producer reduced a breeding herd by 30 per cent or more, 90 per cent of income from net sales can be deferred.

Thus, in the 2023 tax year — or in the next tax year in which the designation is lifted off a specific municipality — the deferred taxable income from those sales can be at least partially offset by the cost of reacquiring breeding animals.

The ag department said Tuesday it would keep monitoring conditions across Canada to see if more designations are needed.

Some farm and ranch organizations had already been calling for deferral designations for the 2022 tax year to be made as soon as possible.

“Many areas of western Saskatchewan are still dealing with unprecedented drought, which is leading to herds of cattle being sold,” Scott Owens, a farmer in the western RM of Eldon and vice-president with the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS), said in such a statement in early June.

“If they haven’t already, many producers are running out of feed, and the pastures have not recovered from a lack of moisture last year and during the winter.”

By mid-November 2021, drought designations for the deferral for the 2021 tax year had reached all of Saskatchewan and northwestern Ontario, all of agricultural Alberta and Manitoba, and much of agricultural British Columbia. — Glacier FarmMedia Network

Initial list of designations, 2022

Alberta: Calgary, Taber; counties of Cardston, Cypress, Foothills, Forty Mile, Kneehill, Lethbridge, Newell, Paintearth, Pincher Creek, Rocky View, Starland, Stettler, Vulcan, Warner and Wheatland; the municipal district of Willow Creek; and “special areas” 2, 3 and 4.

Saskatchewan RMs: Antelope Park, Biggar, Buffalo, Chesterfield, Deer Forks, Enterprise, Eye Hill, Fertile Valley, Frontier, Grandview, Grass Lake, Happyland, Harris, Heart’s Hill, Kindersley, Maple Creek, Mariposa, Marriott, Milden, Milton, Monet, Montrose, Mountain View, Newcombe, Oakdale, Perdue, Pleasant Valley, Prairiedale, Progress, Reford, Reno, Rosemount, Round Valley, Snipe Lak, St. Andrews, Tramping Lake, Vanscoy and Winslow.

Manitoba: municipalities of Alonsa, Argyle, Armstrong, Bifrost-Riverton, Boissevain-Morton, Brenda-Waskada, Brokenhead, Cartier, Cartwright-Roblin, Clanwilliam-Erickson, Coldwell, Dauphin, De Salaberry, Deloraine-Winchester, Dufferin, Elton, Emerson-Franklin, Fisher, Gimli, Glenboro-South Cypress, Glenella-Lansdowne, Grahamdale, Grassland, Grey, Hanover, Harrison Park, Headingley, Killarney-Turtle Mountain, Lakeshore, Lorne, Louise, Macdonald, McCreary, Minto-Odanah, Montcalm, Morris, Norfolk-Treherne, North Cypress-Langford, North Norfolk, Oakland-Wawanesa, Oakview, Pembina, Portage la Prairie, Prairie Lakes, Rhineland, Ritchot, Riverdale, Rockwood, Roland, Rosedale, Rosser, Souris-Glenwood, Springfield, St. Andrews, St. Clements, St. François Xavier, St. Laurent, Stanley, Ste. Rose, Tache, Thompson, Victoria, West Interlake, West St. Paul, WestLake-Gladstone, Whitehead, Woodlands and Yellowhead; city of Winnipeg; Division No. 17, Unorganized; and Division No. 18, Unorganized (east part and west part).

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There is a severe backlog of market-ready supplies in Alberta. After two weeks of lacklustre trade for fed cattle, all three packers were showing interest steady bids for nearby and deferred delivery. Favourable basis levels for fed cattle in the deferred positions appears to be supporting the cash feeder market. As soon as feedlots stop moving fed cattle out, they stop buying replacements and vice-versa. Packer buying activity tends to trickle down throughout the whole supply chain. Last week, packers were more aggressive and feeder market responded immediately.

The spring sales campaign is starting off on a firm tone. Alberta pen conditions are favourable. Steers averaging 800-850 pounds were quoted in the range of $195-$200 landed in a southern Alberta feedlot and 850- to 900-pounders were valued $184-188 delivered feedyard. In central Alberta, mixed medium-frame steers with light flesh averaging 825 lbs. on small grain ration with full health records dropped the gavel at $195. In the same region, a small beautiful package of Angus-blended heifers with full health background averaging 850 lbs. were valued at $166 in the ring.

Northwest of Winnipeg, Charolais-based steers with very little butter averaging 760 lbs. were quoted at $206 in the ring; Simmental-blended heifers weighing 725 lbs. were reported at $187. In central Saskatchewan, red mixed steers averaging 730 lbs. were valued at $209 in the ring while similar-quality and -weight heifers were reported at $178.

Calves appeared to hold a small premium outside the major feeding regions of southern Alberta. Major feedlots appeared to focus on mid-weight to heavier replacements and pastures south of Highway 1 are on the dryer side. North of Calgary, 630-lb. mixed steers dropped the gavel at $232 and run-of-the-mill red heifers weighing 605 lbs. sold for $195. South of Edmonton, a larger group of tan steers averaging 450 lbs. soared at the sky-high level of $265. In central Saskatchewan, red mixed steers weighing 525 lbs. were valued at $239. In Manitoba, Charolais steers weighing 525 lbs. dropped the gavel at $244 and Angus-based heifers weighing 540 lbs. were quoted at $209.

Placements in Canada and the U.S. have been larger than anticipated over the past few months. We now find feeder cattle supplies outside feedlots down from year-ago levels and the tighter supply situation is resulting in higher prices. Feeder cattle prices tend to experience a seasonal rally from May 1 through July 15. Feedlot operators are jumping ahead and securing ownership ahead of this surge in the price structure.

— Jerry Klassen is president and founder of Resilient Capital, specializing in proprietary commodity futures trading and market analysis. Jerry consults with feedlots on risk management and writes a weekly cattle market commentary. He can be reached at 204-504-8339 or via his website at ResilCapital.com.

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“Our primary objective obviously is to insure there is stable beef production and trade that can continue under the situation with the COVID-19 pandemic,” Dennis Laycraft said during an online town hall Friday.

“We will continue to work closely with the government of Canada and various departments there and our counterparts in the U.S. to maintain the integrity of food and trade between our two countries. Preparation is key for all of this as we manage our way through this.”

So far, things are working very well.

“I’m pleased to say that they are finding beef demand is particularly strong right now, as there is demand for meat, particularly in the retail sector,” he said.” A number of processors are processing six days a week to keep up to that demand.

“The Canadian food supply already had strong measures in place to ensure the safety of our food supply and health of our workers. They have implemented even stronger and more robust measures, given the COVID-19 context.”

The CCA is also working with federal officials and other farm groups on how business risk management programs can best support producers.

“The current government announcement has included increased credit for producers through Farm Credit Canada,” said Laycraft. (Details of how it will work are expected to be released Monday.)

“We’re also recommending that the government recognizes that Canada’s entire food supply is designated critical infrastructure under the emergency management framework.”

Government is also working out the details on how to get temporary foreign workers into the country despite border closures, said Janice Tranberg, president and CEO of the National Cattle Feeders Association.

“Under the proposal, we’re asking specifically that the prohibition of foreign travellers to Canada be amended to include an exemption for agri-food workers, who would otherwise qualify under the conditions of the temporary foreign worker program,” she said. “These workers would be subject to rigorous public health protocols.”

The CCA is also working with auction markets and the Canadian Beef Breeds Council to produce information for those hosting and attending bull and cattle sales. That and other pandemic-related info can be found on the association website.

— Alexis Kienlen reports for Alberta Farmer from Edmonton.

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The Livestock Marketing Association of Canada has a conference call set for this evening to discuss COVID-19 safety measures for staff, customers and buyers, said Chance Martin, an LMAC director and president of the Alberta Auction Markets Association.

“It’s obviously very important to keep commerce going and to keep cash flow moving in the cattle industry, using all these guidelines provided by the government,” said Martin, an owner/fieldman and auctioneer for Thorsby Stockyards.

“We’re going to do our best to do that as much as possible.”

There are reports that prices at auction sales are down significantly, and that’s a concern, he said.

“We’re looking out for our customers and will try and talk to the government officials about putting up some cash flow in these trying times too.”

Regular sales are going forward, but the numbers of attendees are not necessarily that high, he said.

“Regular cattle sales, it’s not such a huge issue,” he said. “Sometimes bred heifer sales bring in more farmer-type buyers, and then it can be an issue.

“But as far as a stocker/feeder sale, it’s just more the professional buyers. Big crowds aren’t a huge deal. We will be using safe practices.”

Martin added his company has had a staff meeting to address safety protocols for reducing the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

— Alexis Kienlen reports for Alberta Farmer from Edmonton.

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They have made the long lists of items necessary to prepare for a successful production sale and they are checking them twice: writing newsletters and personal letters to previous customers containing all of the latest high-calibre genetics included in this year’s offering; generating promotional material for advertisements in livestock magazines, newspapers, and flyers; scheduling groomers, ring men, auctioneers, brand inspectors, helpers to work the cattle through the sale barn, helpers to work the sale records, and helpers to prepare and serve the food and beverages that make all good sales memorable.

But, if you are one of these seed stock producers, don’t let the mountain of clerical preparation cause you to overlook the preparation to the physical facility that will allow you to orchestrate a safe, professional, appealing, and successful production sale.

As with any product or service that we, the buyer, are interested in today, we associate quality of a product or service with the appearance and performance of the presentation of the product or service. The last thing you want as a producer is to lose the rhythm of the sale while you take a break to repair some part of the facility in the back end or sale ring before you can continue the sale. Besides the potential dollars lost while you get everyone back to buying your animals, a breakdown can also pose a safety risk to the help and possibly the buyers and spectators.

A few years back I attended a bull sale near Columbus, Montana and midway through the sale a bull broke out of the ring, climbed into the stands, and ended up going through the lunch room before exiting the building through an open door and leaving the premises. Fortunately no one was seriously injured and the ring was repaired within a few minutes, but many of us buying bulls that afternoon bought good bulls for less than they were worth while the auctioneers attempted to get everyone back into the frame of mind to bid on bulls.

Proper facilities matter

Jim Skinner, owner of Skinner Angus Ranch, is a recently retired second-generation Angus seedstock producer. His family has raised and sold purebred Angus cattle near Salmon, Idaho for more than half a century.

“I believe a production sale needs to be as safe and comfortable for the buyers and livestock as possible,” says Skinner. “Safety needs to be your first concern. You have created an environment where you have combined cattle that have never been exposed to so much pressure from their surroundings and all the extra people in a confined space. So you need to make every effort to keep the people and the cattle safe from preventable accidents.”

Skinner says it is important to go over the pens, gates, alleyways, chutes, and other areas that will be used before and on sale day, checking for damage and weakness.

“You’d be surprised how easy it is to forget to make sure the alleys and chute are in good order before the groomers or the soundness-test guys arrive,” he says. “Something as simple as a malfunction in the chute or alley can really throw a kink in your program and cost you time and money.”

Regardless of what pens, alleys, and gates are constructed of, cattle are hard on facilities. Walk through the facility and make sure they are secure. Check hinges, latches, pulleys, and pull ropes on slide gates. Don’t overlook the doors or gates leading into and out of the sale barn and the ring.

“Walk through the system the way the cattle will go on sale day — into the ring and back outside,” says Skinner. ”Make sure there is no mud or manure piled against a gate or door that could be frozen on sale day.”

Look over the sale ring containment structure, permanent or temporary panels, and make sure that there is no chance that a cow or bull can break through into the audience.

Take time to check the physical structure of the sale barn for damage. Make sure the walls and roofing are secure. Missing siding or roofing can make sale day very uncomfortable on a rainy/windy day. If your sale barn has a heating system, check to make sure it is operational.

“I liked to touch up the paint on the sale barn from time to time to prevent damage from weather, and this gave us a chance to look the building over pretty good,” says Skinner. “Plus I feel a nicely painted sale barn adds a professional touch to the operation.”

Many production sales take place during variable spring weather. Reasonable effort should be taken to ensure pens are bedded with dry material and walkways in viewing areas are cleared of snow and mud. Gravel and wood shavings work to provide a dry surface for the buyers and spectators while viewing cattle in the pens.

“Most years it was wet and muddy at the time of my sale in March,” says Skinner. “Wood shavings spread through the pens and walkways keeps the mud down. It’s safer for everybody, and people are much more comfortable when they are not trooping through ankle deep mud. Also, it is important to spread wood chips or shavings in the sale ring to give the cattle a little bit better traction Also keep a fresh supply on hand to freshen the ring after the cattle run the chips or shavings off a little. It’s hard on the cattle when they come in and fall down, and no one wants to see that.”

Focus on buyer comfort

Skinner says in sale day preparation, second only to safety, comes the comfort of the buyer. He believes it is important to keep a clean set of pens, alleyways, and sale barn free of unnecessary objects that detract from the event and can create safety hazards. Walkways in the sale barn should be open with good footing. Seats should be dry, free of dirt and dust. Serving tables should be in an accessible area with enough room for buyers and spectators to move about freely.

“My sale barn served as a machine shop during the off season,” says Skinner. “So it took a bit of effort to clean out everything that was in the way of the sale. And, with the bay doors open a lot while we were moving machinery in and out, a fair amount of dirt and dust blew in onto the seats in the stands. We wiped them down ahead of the sale. Most folks don’t want to sit in all that dirt.”

Another purebred Angus seedstock producer, Steve Herbst, owner and manager of Nelson Angus Ranch, located near Salmon, Idaho, says he puts effort into producing good cattle, so they should be presented and marketed accordingly.

“As seedstock producers, many of us spend a great deal of time breeding these animals to perform for the buyer, and take pride in that effort,” says Herbst. “It is important that we make every effort to display this in every aspect of our operation… right down to the quality and presentation of sale day.”

So in final preparations for your production sale, don’t forget the importance of reviewing all of the physical facilities, including the sale barn, associated with the sale. Don’t be afraid to let a little of the pride in all the hours of hard work that goes into breeding good cattle shine through. If you have taken the time to make your sale safe and comfortable, we, the buyers, are much more likely to recognize your hard work breeding a quality bull or cow that will provide that special trait we are looking for to improve our own herd.

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