Dairy shows | Producers can be banned for disobeying Holstein Canada’s regulations
RED DEER — Some dairy shows are coming under scrutiny to ensure cattle are treated ethically and that no one cheats to win.
Holstein Canada has a show code of ethics that explains what is and is not allowed at a show. Monitoring of shows started in Quebec more than 10 years ago.
This year, Pascal Lemire and his team of show associates attended 13 events from British Columbia to New Brunswick to make sure everyone followed the rules as well as educate cattle owners and fitters.
“Before 2000, it was so incredible what some people can do to the cow so the cow would win,” he said at the Westerner Dairy Showcase, which was held in Red Deer Oct. 23-25.
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This was the first time the show monitoring program was invited to the event, which is the largest in Western Canada.
“We try to find the bad guys,” he said. “I would like to be everywhere to stop the bad actions.”
Lemire wants to make sure that there are consequences for people who are caught breaking the rules, ranging from probation to being banned from shows.
The next step is to make sure all shows are aware of the sanctions so violators do not appear somewhere else and repeat the mistakes.
“It is so important to keep our reputation of Holstein Canada and the reputation of dairy producers, too,” he said.
His group works only with the Holstein breed.
“Not all of the breeds are on the same page as us on the code of ethics,” Lemire said.
The show associates wear bright green jackets and tour the barns 24 hours a day to make sure nothing underhanded is happening. They are also there to help and can provide advice on what is and isn’t allowed.
“It is important to educate the younger people,” he said.
“I am not sure we can change the older people’s minds.”
Many people know that a code of ethics exists but have not actually read it. They often have questions about allowable medications or grooming for shows.
Each exhibitor is asked to sign an agreement to respect the code. It is the owners, rather than the fitters, who must sign and be responsible for what happens.
“Be careful so you know what your guys in the barn are doing,” Lemire said.
Infractions include filling the animal’s rumen with liquid (tubing), inserting foreign materials under the skin, roping udders and using objects to change the definition of the suspensory centre ligament.
Animals are inspected before they enter the ring.
“When the animal passes this gate, it is because it is OK. If you have an infraction, you don’t go in the ring,” he said. “It is not easy after the show to find a case. It is never easy to work after the show.”
Holstein Canada has also spoken to judges at their national conference about their roles. They send the wrong message if they see something wrong and do nothing.
“Some judges are not comfortable playing that role,” Lemire said.
The Holstein Canada show ring audit program has three steps:
- In the first year, a Holstein Canada team monitors the show.
- The team trains and invites local show committee members to shadow the monitoring process.
- The local show team is responsible for policing its own event.
About 160 Holsteins were exhibited at this year’s Westerner show.
The grand champion was a three-year-old from Norm and Marj Atkins, owners of Continental Holsteins in Leduc, Alta. This young female also had the best udder of the show.
The reserve was the entry of Lampada Holsteins from Carlyle, Sask., with a mature cow born in 2007.
Honourable mention went to Westcoast Holsteins of Chilliwack, B.C.
For more information on the code, visit http://bit.ly/1wBOxHr.
