CALGARY – By next fall Canadian cattle will be grazing on Polish pastures.
A deal signed between Canada and Poland will start this December with the shipment of live bred females and frozen embryos. As well as beef animals, Canada will send technology needed to improve the overall genetics of Polish herds.
The deal involves the government, the Polish company Spold-zielcza Agrofirma Witkowo, Canadiana Genetics and Can-Polish Agro Ltd., an Edmonton company working closely with Poland to upgrade its agriculture.
Gerry Wetsch, one of the shareholders in Can-Polish Agro, said serious negotiations have been under way for a year as Poland imports high grade Canadian genetics to improve its dairy and beef herds.
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Cam Byer, of Canadiana Genetics at Carstairs, Alta., said the company has a three-phase deal where it will sell live cattle, embryos and technology. A joint venture will include building a facility in Poland to handle flushing of embryos and transfers.
Several breeds sent
The Poles are unfamiliar with many purebred cattle breeds, so they will receive a cross section of beef animals.
“We’ll mainly be doing embryo business with them. The initial set of cattle is to use them as a showcase,” said Byer. This will give farmers a chance to see various types of cattle and how they perform.
“The majority of people have no understanding of what the different breeds are and the reasons for breeding different breeds,” he said.
Most Polish beef comes from Holstein-bred cows. Consequently, meat quality is variable. Time will be spent teaching butchering techniques, since beef cuts are not differentiated.
Another aspect will include some changes in animal husbandry. The Poles tend to keep their cattle in barns at all times. Since the climate is similar to Alberta’s, the farmers in Poland are being encouraged to turn their animals outside to graze. This should improve the animals’ overall health and performance.
Since there is also a fresh milk shortage, Canadians will be involved in selling some dairy embryo exports, said Byer.
Buffalo, elk and ostrich genetics have also interested the Poles, added Wetsch.
