EDMONTON – Brenda and Brian Chicoine of Storthoaks, Sask., have big cattle, but they prefer their little ones.
This year, for the first time, they got to show off their Lowline cattle in the breed’s own show at Farmfair International. Six Lowline breeders from British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan brought 43 animals to Farmfair’s first ever Lowline breed show.
“I think it’s a very important step,” Brenda said.
“This is awesome to have our own show and see how far we’ve come and what we’re doing as breeders.”
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The Chicoines had displayed their Lowlines at Canadian Western Agribition in Regina for eight years, but made the trip to Edmonton this year with 12 cattle to ensure a successful show.
“We think it’s a wonderful breed and has great potential. They’re very economical to raise.”
She said having their own show also lets other cattle producers realize the potential of the breed, which is half to one third the size of mainstream breeds.
“They’re designed to convert their feed better,” Brian said. “You get more beef for less dollars.”
The economical breed has started to turn heads at a time when cattle producers are watching every penny, he added.
For four years Barbara Gotaas of Edmonton has shown her Lowline cattle in the multi breed show at Farmfair, which is a collection of minor breeds unable to host their own shows. This year she brought 17 animals to Farmfair to ensure a successful Lowline show.
She said having their own show is a significant milestone for the Australian breed, which was introduced to Canada in 1996 through an embryo transplant program.
Organizers had worked on the show for a year, she added.
The breed association is now considering hosting more shows at Agribition or possibly British Columbia.
“There are breeders from Manitoba that would like to come to Regina. It would be different breeders,” Brian Chicoine said.
