Enthusiasm is back and ‘everybody is proud to be a livestock producer today,’ says rancher
Andrew and Emma Cross are among the bluebloods of the Calgary Bull Sale.
They are the fifth generation of Crosses to attend the sale, which their great-great-grandfather, A.E. Cross, helped found 115 years ago. This year, the teenagers helped prepare a string of four for the event, which they have attended for as long as they can remember.
“We really enjoy working with the animals and in this business,” 14-year-old Emma said during the event held March 4-5.
Their father, Jay Cross is the owner of the Bar Pipe Ranch at Okotoks, Alta., where Hereford cattle have grazed for decades.
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The children want to continue operating the ranch, which will in-clude the long-running tradition of raising purebred Herefords.
“It has always been in our family and we want to continue,” said 16-year-old Andrew. “We have always grown up with Herefords, so it is a natural thing to do.”
The family sale ran for 50 years and ended during the early years of BSE when cattle markets collapsed. Bulls are now consigned at Calgary and the Medicine Hat bull sale as well as private treaty off the ranch.
Doug Finseth, Bar Pipe ranch manager and chair of the Alberta Cattle Breeders Association, which organizes the sale each year, said traditions evolve.
Consignments were down this year with Herefords being the only breed on offer.
“It is a sign of the times of what is happening in the livestock industry,” said Finseth.
Shrinking cow numbers and fewer family farms have changed the beef business, but those who remain are reaping the rewards.
“The resilience of the breeders who have stuck with it is a testament to seed stock producers,” he said.
“That just shows the enthusiasm that is backing the livestock industry. Everybody is proud to be a livestock producer today.”
The bull sale average was up significantly from last year: an average of $8,685 on 90 lots compared to $5,193 last year.
Cattle were sold to buyers across Western Canada as well as Nebraska, Kansas and Montana.
The grand champion bull was the entry of Mick and Deb Trefiak, owners of MJR Herefords at Edgerton, Alta. It sold for $23,000 to Triple A Herefords of Moose Jaw, Sask. The new owner, Murray Andrews, was also the judge of the 2015 Calgary bull show.
The reserve champion came from JoNomn Hereford Ranch at Clyde, Alta. Entered by Norm and Joanne Parrent, the yearling sold to MJT Herefords for $11,000.
This ranch also bought the high selling bull for $26,000. It was entered by Nels and Teri Nixdorff of YV Ranch of Airdrie, Alta.
A commercial replacement heifer sale was also held with record prices for 10 pens of five on offer.
“The buyers were fighting over the heifers to rebuild their cow herds again,” said Finseth.
The heifers averaged $2,240 each, up from $1,357 last year.
The show was run as a people’s choice, where the crowd judged each pen.
The grand champion went to Wes Garrett of Landis, Sask. The pen of five straight-bred Hereford heifers sold for $2,200 each to Clark Nixdorff of MN Herefords at Airdrie, Alta.
The top selling pen of the evening came from Bushfield Farms of Airdrie. The pen of Hereford-Angus cross females fetched $2,650, selling to Meridian Cattle Co. of Cayley, Alta.
The ranch horse sale averaged $9,063 on eight lots, up from $7,475 last year.
Contact barbara.duckworth@producer.com
