BEARSPAW, Alta. – The last Alta Genetics dairy sale of the century was special for Everett and Marylee Simanton.
As joint owners of the yearling Holstein, Crestomere Formation Lily, the Ponoka dairy farmers watched with excitement as their heifer fetched $61,500. She was purchased by
Cormdale Exports for shipment to Germany.
In the last eight years the Rocky Mountain High Sale has drawn international buyers. This year buyers came from the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, Switzerland, Estonia and Japan as well as Canada.
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In the search for the ultimate Holstein cow, this sale is an opportunity to buy high performing animals like Lily.
“These are the very elite of the Holstein breed,” said company president Doug Blair.
These Holsteins are among the top one percent in the world. All the top selling lots were from Alta Genetics sired sires or dams.
The sale total was $877,700 and averaged $6,407 on 137 lots of cows, heifers, calves and embryos.
For dairy farmers like the Simantons, this elite consignment sale is only part of their business. Ultimately, the performance of their 42 milk cows is the most important part of their farm.
The Simantons sell about 10 breeding animals a year from their farm named Crestomere Holsteins.
To keep current with the industry, they show cattle at Agribition, the Toronto Royal Winter Fair and visit the Wisconsin World Dairy Expo. It was at the world expo where the dam of Crestomere Formation Lily was named supreme champion over all dairy breeds.
Named Acme Star Lily, she was also the mother of Lot 2 in the sale, an unborn female embryo due to be born in January 2000. The embryo sold for $24,000 to Edgemont Holsteins in Alberta.
For the first time a contingent of Japanese buyers came to the sale. They spent $130,800 on 13 lots.
American buyers bought 25 head worth $117,500.
The Calgary-based Alta Genetics markets semen, embyros and other genetic products throughout North America and 50 international markets.
Consolidated revenues for the end of 1998 were $52.9 million and gross profits increased by nearly nine percent to $34.7 million. Dairy and beef semen sales comprised 93 percent of sales, up five percent from the previous year.
