Strong prices for breeders | Alberta rancher shows grand champion Angus, then buys reserve grand Angus
MEDICINE HAT, Alta. — BJ Scheirlinck bought his first registered Angus cow in 1995 when he was 16 years old.
These days, he and his wife, Jody, are marketing purebred Angus cattle around the world from their Del Bonita ranch in southern Alberta.
At this year’s Medicine Hat Bull Sale, BJ Cattle Co. showed the grand champion Angus and sold it for $5,500 to Caven Ranch of Medicine Hat. Scheirlinck then bought the reserve grand Angus from Kody Traxel of Seven Persons, Alta. The selling price was $6,250.
“It was a good calf that we could use in our program,” he said during the sale.
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It was a good day for the family because the other exhibitors voted theirs the best Angus string in the show barn.
“It’s a compliment,” he said.
The family has become trade oriented, selling semen and embryos to the United Kingdom, Denmark and the United States.
Visitors come to the ranch every year for the scenery, the history and the cattle. Jody Scheirlinck is the daughter of James Newton, whose 100-year-old Hereford ranch adjoins their property.
Newton won the reserve Hereford, which sold for $6,750 to Braun Herefords of Simmie, Sask.
The 54th Medicine Hat bull sale was a good showcase for southeastern Alberta cattle breeders. Prices reflected this spring’s cattle sales with strong averages and plenty of bidders.
The high selling bull of the day came from Lilybrook Herefords of Claresholm, Alta. It sold for $14,000 to Merle Wyatt of Arrowwood, Alta.
“Every bull sale I’ve been to has been really strong this year,” said Glenn Brost, president of the Southeastern Alberta Purebred Beef Breeders Association.
The family has been attending the event since 1963 and won numerous championships.
His family showed the grand champion Hereford bull and sold it to Brad Dallas of Bowden, Alta. He bought this 2010 bull for $8,100.
The sale used to be restricted to entrants from southeastern Alberta, but in recent years it has opened up to breeders from all over the province.
Brost said the stock gets better every year, making it a good event at which to be seen.
“A lot of the faults are gone,” he said.
The March 14 sale featured 106 Angus and Hereford bulls. The sale total was $516,700 and averaged $4,875, up $500 from last year. The 73 Hereford bulls averaged $5,135 and the 33 Angus bulls averaged $4,552.
