One lucky registered Hereford will have six zeroes after its name in the breed registry book later this year.
The Canadian Hereford Association will auction registry numbers 3,000,000 and 3,000,001 after the grand champion female class at the Canadian Western Agribition national Hereford show in Regina Nov. 28.
The plan has already generated much interest among Hereford breeders, according to CHA communications director Brad Dubeau.
“There is lots of interest right across Canada,” he said.
“I know that there’s lots of discussion. I think breeders will come on side to participate.”
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Proceeds from the auction will go to the recently established Hereford Research Fund, with the goal of accumulating a nest egg for breed research.
The CHA is Canada’s largest beef cattle registry, and the idea of auctioning off the milestone numbers was the brainchild of CHA staff.
A plaque commemorating the two millionth animal in the registry hangs in the CHA office in the name of the late Keith Gilmore, who was editor of the Canadian Hereford Digest for 30 years.
Number 2,000,001 is held in honour of Fred Clark, former director of the Canadian Livestock Records Corp.
“That was partly where the idea came up,” said Dubeau.
Staff decided the next milestones deserved equally special treatment, and the idea for an auction was hatched.
Once number three million is sold, the runner-up bidder will be offered 3,000,001 at the last bid, or the bidding will be reopened.
Online bidding will also be available, courtesy of Cattle in Motion, which is a sponsor of the event along with T Bar C Cattle Co. and Agribition.
Dubeau said the bids and funds raised are anyone’s guess.
“We’re basically going to see what we can raise, but we’re hoping it will reach into a few thousand dollars.”
Herefords born in 2014 are eligible, and if the winning bidder has already registered all animals, one of them can be re-numbered.
The registration will be noted with a plaque for the owner and another hung in the CHA office.
“It’s a neat thing to be celebrating,” said Dubeau, who added that the CHA will celebrate its 125th anniversary next year.
Bar Pipe Hereford Ranch of Oko-toks, Alta., holds registration number 2,999,999.
