Model Jersey cow to sell at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair Jersey Sale of Stars

The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair is always filled to overflowing with excitement!! One of the prime areas bursting with excitement is the varied array of Jersey events held at the Royal. In a sea of Jersey highlights at the 2007 RAWF will be sale of one of the early numbers of Jersey Canada’s new true type model Canadian Jersey cow. The model was released in the latter half of 2007 and has won international acclaim for its excellence. The form of the cow speaks to the goals that Jersey Canada has for future cows in the breed. The cow was created by Roos Smith of Woodstock, Ontario working in close cooperation with the Jersey Canada Board of Directors and committees especially the Jersey Canada Genetic Improvement Committee.

The model will be sold during the Component Breeds Sale of Stars at the RAWF at 5:00 p.m. on the evening of Thursday, November 8th. The Semex Alliance is managing the 2007 Sale of Stars. Proceeds from the sale of this model will be devoted to expanding and growing the Jersey breed within Canada.

What an exciting opportunity to add a stunning representation of where the Jersey breed in Canada is going to your collection of fine objects or to start one for a youngster! Remember 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 8th at the RAWF in Toronto, Ontario.

Newly re-designed website for Ferme Lencrest!

We have just completed a complete re-design of the Ferme Lencrest website. To visit, go to www.jerseycanada.com/lencrest. Here you will find all the latest news from one of Canada's top herds, with an updated embryo list and progeny listings on all of their top brood cows!

If you would be interested in creating a website with Jersey Canada, just contact Ryan!

Going Global-the story keeps getting better...and better!

Well, we thought there was only so much a ten day period could offer up with regard to international Jersey movement impacting Jersey Canada! We now know there is a deepening sea of good things to report!

Late last week we were told by one of our keen Canadian Jersey owners and marketers that they had received some great Jersey news from Australia! The Canadians had sent a shipment of embryos from a selection of their top cow families to an associates in Australia. Results? 17 pregnancies on the way! This represented a VERY high percentage pregnancy rate on embryos in the shipment!

Then, just yesterday, Sunday, an e-mail came through from Australia from another party who reported that they had 19 embryo transfer calves on the ground from embryos representing six matings "made in Canada". They were so excited by these calves and to have them in their herd!

There is no question that potential to expand markets for Jersey genetics around the globe is virtually unlimited! VIRTUALLY UNLIMITED!

Going Global-more and more and more

We thought when we had posted the latest blog on August 26th that it would be challenging to say much more about Jersey Canada and international Jersey activity and new countries for a while! Well, we were in for a surprise!

Along came a day with a date of August 29th! On that day we had contact about potential interest from Russia in live Jerseys; an inquiry from India about Jerseys; another phone call from an American gent who does business with Barbados and a request from the US for information on embryos! Plus we were working on a congratulatory certificate for the 30th anniversary of the National Jersey Association in Costa Rica and planning the upcoming visit of a delegation from China who want to work with Canadian dairy genetics and Canadian systems and services! And that's just a slice of what was happening that day! Exciting? Oh yes! Energizing? Oh yes! Motivating? Truly!

We are fully convinced that the Jersey breed on a global basis is coming into its very finest hours ever and there is a key role for everyone to play in ensuring that those hours are profitable and sustained!
As I love to say - Onward!!!!

Going global!!!

Hello at last everyone! This has been a summer of adventures that has FLOWN by! The end of August is almost here! Ryan noted in an earlier post that I had been in British Columbia in late July! I am very keen to write about that and about 50 to 75 other things that have happened of late but need to create more hours in the day! I've decided to re-name my multiple "to do" lists to "to enjoy" and "get to do" lists!

For today I would like to focus on an explosion of international Jersey-related happenings and action that has washed over Jersey Canada in recent times. As many of our readers will be aware Jersey Canada has placed a very strong emphasis on expanding the domestic Canadian market for Jerseys and Jersey genetics in the latest five years. This emphasis has been perfectly placed as opportunities are rich in quality and bountiful in abundance!

On other hand the international status of the Jersey breed is being elevated on a daily, if not hourly basis. I recounted some of the great news flowing out of the World Jersey Cattle Bureau meetings in Brazil in June and July in my "Jersey Rising" Make It Happen article in the August-September Jersey Breeder (now available for free viewing on our website by the way!!). Regional reports at the Bureau meetings described a breed "on fire" around the globe and enjoying new growth and expansion like we have never seen before!

We have a series of "And then....." experiences from the latest week that show how Jersey Canada has become a very active part of a global Jersey surge!

So.....

And then.....we heard from Semex Alliance Sales and Development dude Sam Mitra that Semex has successfully placed orders of Jersey semen in both Turkey and Taiwan-hardly traditional Jersey countries.

And then.....Jackie Jardine from the Canadian Livestock Genetics Association (GLGA) informed us that Dr. Brian Hill was on his way to the Ukraine with Canadian Jersey embryos and that he was going to take some photos for us of Canadian-bred Jersey calves resulting from an earlier sale of embryos!

And then...we heard from Dr. Hill still in the Ukraine but busy on his Blackberry telling us that he had seen the calves, there are more on the way in November, he implanted another batch late last week and interest is brewing in seeking some more Canadian embryos!

And then...Dann Brady of the Semex Alliance contacted us to ask about an older cow who had attracted the attention of an international buyer looking for embryos!

And then....Bev Spriel of Fulcrum Management Services who does a lot of work for CLGA was in the office in Guelph to purchase two of our new true type model cows (have you purchased yours yet?) One was going to be presented by Quebec Exporter Pierre Trudeau to a provincial agriculture Minister from a Mexican state during Expo-Quebec's expanding International activities program!

And then...I attended a meeting of the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair's International Advisory Committee in Toronto on August 23rd. Wow! What a positive and energizing meeting! The committee is really getting geared up to propel the RAWF into very big work on expanding International business during this world-class show!

And then..we were consulting with Canadian embassy staff Marcio Francesquine and Ana Paula Mendes de Oliveira about a trip by Gary and Maureen Bowers to the Castro show in Parana state in Brazil and an upcoming one by Callum McKinven from Quebec to the Expointer show in the south of Brazil.

And then...we heard from our wonderful contact Kit Shum about an impending visit by a Chinese delegation who are very interested in Canadian Jersey genetics.

And then....we looked at how much contact I alone had had with international Jersey people over the most recent four days with these results:

United States 15 different parties; South Africa 5 people; Brazil 4; Australia 4; Brazil 4; Jersey 4; New Zealand 1; Costa Rica 1 (who was in Colombia at the time); Uruguay 1; England 1; International Atomic Energy Agency doing some research on dairy cattle populations. And this in just four days! WOW!

So, yes, the Jersey breed and Jersey Canada are going global in a very big way! We'll continue our strong levels of activity in the domestic market here in Canada but we'll continue to go nuts on the international scene too!

How inspiring! How much fun! How much potential for future progress and profit!

Jersey is indeed rising and we're indeed moving fast! RGG

Unique Valleystream has updated their website!

The Unique Valleystream website has been refreshed with new information after the August proof round, as well as with new photos of some of their top performers!

Check out their site at www.jerseycanada.com/unique

If you would be interested in having Jersey Canada create a website for your herd, contact me (Ryan) at ryan@jerseycanada.com.

Jersey Canada Launches Online Access to the Canadian Jersey Breeder Magazine!

The Canadian Jersey Breeder magazine has served the needs of Jersey Canada and Jersey owners around the globe for well over 61 years since December 1945. On August 14, 2007 a new era in the life and work of this popular magazine is born!

Starting today, Jersey Canada is pleased to announce that the Canadian Jersey Breeder magazine is now available on the Jersey Canada website at www.jerseycanada.com!

The August/September issue of the Breeder is now online! We are offering access to everyone for the first issue to introduce the new online subscription option.

To access the online (PDF) version of the magazine, point your browser to:

http://www.jerseycanada.com/services/jersey-breeder-login.php

or click on the cover of the magazine on the Jersey Canada home page (left hand side).

Once there, use the ID of 6009999 and the password of JERSEY to proceed to the download page!

Starting with the October/November issue of the Breeder, online access will be by subscription. All members of Jersey Canada are entitled to free online access - just notify Ryan (ryan@jerseycanada.com) that you wish to be signed up. For regular subscribers to the Breeder, adding online access is only $8 per year. If you wish to get only an online subscription and forego the hard copy of the magazine, the cost is only $20 per year, a most economical option for both domestic and international Jersey enthusiasts! A subscription form is located on the login page noted above.

Issues of the magazine will be posted online soon after completion, and before they are sent in the mail - so you will be able to see the magazine before it arrives in your mailbox, no matter where you live! For international subscribers, this will be well ahead of your regular mailbox arrival!
Anyone can access the magazine through the English log-in page available now. A French log-in page should be available by Wednesday, August 15, 2007.

For any questions, please contact Ryan Barrett, Publications Editor at (519) 821-9150 or
ryan@jerseycanada.com

Sorry for the silence - but the office is busy!

My apologies that the blog has been so silent in recent weeks - but everything has been humming right along here at Jersey Canada!

- We just had some of the leaders of the breed in town yesterday for a Strategic Planning conference.
- The next edition of the Marketing Brochure is going to print today - and will be in your mailbox in September!
- The August/September issue of the Breeder will go to print next week - brimming with stories from Quebec and lots of summer show results.
- Russell just got back from a week in British Columbia - I'm sure he will have a blog posting soon about that!

Interested in contributing to the blog? Let us know! We're always looking for guess commentary!

Also - "The Jersey Store" is now online - check out our new line of Jersey promotional items!

New Crazy Cow website

Our friends the Malcolms in Australia have a brand new look to their CrazyCow website at www.crazycow.com.au. Check it out! Voting is still open for the 2007 Jersey Photographic Contest. CrazyCow always features considerable Jersey content from Australia, New Zealand, and around the world!!

Requiem for a Jersey friend on Jersey

This past May 16th marked another birthday for me. This year the day was also marked by an e-mail from Derrick Frigot on Jersey informing me of the passing that morning of John Le Ruez a famed Jersey breeder on the Island, home of the Jersey breed. The news was not totally unexpected as a week or so earlier Derrick had informed that John was facing some very serious health challenges.

John had led a long and effective life. He was within a week or so of celebrating his 87th birthday.
I first met John and his gracious wife Beryl in October 1986 on my momentous ( for me!) first trip to Jersey. (Since that visit I have always contended that everyone who is passionate, or let's not pussyfoot around, deeply in love with the Jersey breed, should make a big effort to visit the legendary and astounding tiny Island in the English Channel, where the Jersey cow's story started, at least once.)

Max Spann from New Jersey was on the Island at the same time being moved around by his good friend John (Jack) Rondel, another stalwart Jersey breeder and leader on the Island. John and Beryl kindly had us to lunch and I can recall much convivial conversation-undoubtedly about Jersey cows and Jersey breeding around the lunch table. I felt an instant connection with these lovely people. Thereafter, on my three, to date, subsequent visits to Jersey a visit to their farm and home at St. Peter was at, or near the top of, my "must do" list.

On my "walls of fame" at home I have two pictures from a 1992 trip to Jersey that were taken by that contstant photgrapher of global Jerseys and Jersey events Mr. Frigot. The photos show John and I and one of his cows. In one photo John is removing the blanket from a broken-coloured young cow-one of the very best in his not-large herd. In the next photo the nice yong cow has been "unveiled". That visit, like a subsequent one in 1994 was in that transitional period of late September/early October. The Le Ruezs farmed in the traditional way at the time-cows horned and pegged out on pasture with a tether tied around their horns and blankets on to guard against the increasing cold. I liked the Le Ruez's cows almost as much as I liked John and Beryl! The cows were good dairy cows with the will to milk. One that I recall, Itaskas Fillpail Merrydew had been champion producer over the Island I think twice.

Over the years a few pieces of correspondence floated back and forth between John and Beryl's home in the agricultural Parish of St. Peter on Jersey and where I was in Canada. A few years ago news reached us that the majority of their herd was being dispersed. As it turns out their good neighbours John and Sara LeFeuvre and son John-James, just a literal stone's throw away on Jersey bought some of the last few animals for their very good quality herd.

One sunny and glorious April day in the spring of 2006 I was back in Jersey after an absence of about eleven and a half years. Derrick very graciously took me to John and Beryl's home in mid-afternoon. Beryl answered the door for our unannunced visit and was still very much this gracious and graceful lady full of soft smiles and pleased to see us as Derrick has had a wonderful long term relationship with them. John, then almost 86 and not in the best of health, was stationed in the living room. Before long our talk turned to Jersey cows and bloodlines. John and Beryl explained that in their herd the Itaska Filpail cows had been his line, Beryl had been involved with the Vedas and their daugher Kate (one of four children) worked with the Louise line. (Subsequent study revealed that a version of the Louise family has been owned by the Le Ruez family for a very, very long time. John and his well known Jersey breeding brothers the late Francis, like John regarded as a master breeder, and Laurence, now 89, and their numerous siblings had been grandchildren of two renowned Jersey breed movers and shakers on the Island, Francis Le Brocq an effective marketer of Jerseys and their grand father Le Ruez who started his Jersey breeding endeavours with a cow named Sainte Louise. More about the Louises anon.)

All too soon Derrick and I had to move on. Without being too morose I did wonder numerous times afterward if I would ever see John again on this earth. There was hope that in May 2008 when the Jersey world once again descends on Jersey for a super World Jersey Cattle Bureau Conference that a visit could be made. As it turns out another visit to see and talk with John was not to be.

His funeral was held on May 24th. It fell to his neigbour John Le Feuvre to eulogize and pay tribute to his long time fellow Jersey breeder and mentor and friend and close neighbour. By all accounts he did a masterful job with love, respect and appropriate touches of humour! One of the interesting points John LeF made was that in early 1961 the US Jersey Journal devoted a special section to Itaskas Fillpail Dream, a stand out cow in the Le Ruez herd and a cow that had a gigantic influnce on the breed overseas too!

But our story does not end there as the Island Spring Show was held two days later on Saturday, May 26th. Kate LeRuez still owned one milking age female, a younger cow named Maygan Louise. This cow is housed with, and cared for with great attention, by the LeFeuvres.

Late that morning, our time, e-mails started flowing in from various sources on Jersey sharing some truly wondrous news! Maygan Louise had been named the Surpreme Champion of the show! Reports stated the firm opinion that she was the best Champion at Island shows in perhaps a decade or more and some veteran observers were comparing her to the acclaimed show cow of the 1950s Seers Bouquet! It was inspiring and touching to see the love and respect for the Le Ruez family and their cattle breeding efforts that overflowed in these messages and the excitement and rejoicing that also populated them!!!

The next day David Hambrook graciously faxed over a pedigree on Maygan Louise and her ancestors. Subsequent analysis revealed that of her 64 closest relatives in the five nearest generations a full 33 of them would have come from the hands of John or Francis or their brother Laurence at Fairfield, or in recent generations on the female line, Kate. The afore-mentioned Seers Bouquet also features among the ancestors of the new Champion.

In a month when the Jersey breed saw the passing of two international giants of the breed Mr. Jim Thwaites of the Glanton Jersey stud in New Zealand, breeder of Glanton Red Dante, and John Le Ruez on Jersey we can remain thankful for their profound influence on the cow and her fortunes. How rich are the blessings life can offer when we have the chance to meet and know people like these! How much better the experience is when we are aware that we are in the presence of human greatness when we encounter peope like John and Jim! While they would never think that way it is still true!

Perspective

Recently we've engaged in a couple of conversations about the value of genetic evaluation tools like our Canadian Lifetime Profit Index. It seems that some people equate animals who rank high on this listing - be they male or female - as being high production cattle only! It is interesting to speculate where this concept comes from and why it is so ingrained in some mindsets. In truth, animals are evaluated for their estimated transmitting abilities for fat and protein production and type or durability traits and health and fertility or fitness traits as components of the LPI. While we'll be doing some "technology transfer" on this topic in the pages of the Canadian Jersey Breeder in coming issues a few points are worth noting now.

Overall emphasis in the breed-specific formula for Jersey are 57% production, 33% durability and 10% health and fertility. In greater detail, the weightings within the production component for Jersey are (out of a total of ten) 5.1 protein yield, 0.9 protein percent, 3.4 fat yield and 0.6 fat percent. Our emphasis on yields is lower than the other breeds and our emphasis on percents is notably higher. Durability considers ratings for herd life, mammary system, feet and legs and dairy strength with the three type traits receiving descending emphasis in the order they are listed.

Within the health and fertility section, somatic cell score, udder depth, milking speed and daughter fertility are all considered. Again, Jersey varies from most other breeds by placing more emphasis on somatic cell score, udder depth and milking speed than daughter fertility. Part of the decision was based on the fact that Jerseys excel when compared to other breeds for daughter fertility.

The exact emphasis within the Jersey breed was developed by our Genetic Improvement Committee and recommended, as stated above, to the Board of Directors of Jersey Canada who approved it for implementation by Canadian Dairy Network, Canadian supplier of genetic evaluations.

In recent years the Genetic Improvement Committee have done pedigree studies of the high ranking LPI cows in Canada. The discovery was that most of the high-ranking cows come from deep pedigrees with numerous generations of high scoring cows or higher scoring cows for the herd of origin. There is usually good/above average production evident for generations and sometimes quite excellent performance for health traits.

While slavish devotion to the exact rankings of cows or bulls on these lists could end up being overly restrictive and cause narrowing of genetic bases they do serve as a terrific genetic direction tool. Canadians love balanced cows and balanced genetics. We want productive cows with strong type who are healthy and last a long time. It would be both prudent and wise to consider what the LPI lists tell us and to shrewdly consider what the true capabilities of high ranking cattle, male or female, really are. Take a look at the top few LPI bulls and think about what characteristics their proofs have.

Food for thought!

New Jersey Canada Milk Marketing Page!

Be sure to check out the new Jersey Canada Milk Marketing Page, available at www.jerseycanada.com/milk/. It will serve as a portal for all dairy producers to access up-to-date milk marketing information from across Canada. Also, the site features the Milk Blog, a place for milk producers and Jersey breeders to discuss and debate issues in milk pricing, market development, and the greater dairy industry.

Log on today and check it out!!

Website Update - Unique Valleystream Genetics

Unique Valleystream Genetics / Unique Stock Farms has just updated and refreshed their website, designed and hosted by Jersey Canada. Included is updated information on some of their top cow families, as well as recent results from the spring shows!

You can access it at www.jerseycanada.com/unique

Earl Vander Meulen Memorial Award

This award is established by his friends to remember the late Earl Vander Meulen. It will be presented annually to the person that best exemplifies the qualities and values that Earl held dear. The presentation of this award to one individual will take place during the Jersey Show at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair.

This award commemorates Earl’s strong character, and recognizes his legacy of caring for family, establishing life long friendships, a strong faith and love of the farm. The recipient will be of high integrity, display a positive attitude and progressive leadership skills, involvement in the dairy industry and other community organizations.

Written nominations, must be received by Jersey Canada by September 1st, 2007. Applications are available from the Jersey Canada office at 9-350 Speedvale Avenue West, Guelph, Ontario N1H 7M7. Applications are open to anyone involved in the dairy industry - you need not work with Jersey cattle directly. The applications will be forwarded to the selection committee to determine the winner.

Everyday is a feast

Thus goes a quote I picked up from Pierre Marx of Semex SA on a recent marketing trip to the thoroughly glorious country of South Africa. On a radiant spring day in May like today here in Ontario, Canada-sun, clear skies and not much wind-it is so easy to believe that everyday is indeed a feast! Pierre's quote ties in perfectly with a quote from a rather Good Book that says: "But he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast!!"

Days like today prove a statement from our Universal Queen Mother of the Jersey Breed Ann(i)e Perchard at La Ferme on Jersey, the home of the breed. The phrase I learned from our beloved Annie is that "May is the Queen of the year!" Those who live in the northern hemisphere will be able to relate to the sentiment behind that quote!

So, what does this have to do with the Jersey breed or am I just exercising my OTT (over the top) extreme passion for writing and rambling? :-)

Actually in the Jersey breed in Canada these days every day is indeed a true and rich feast! Things are happening now that are either exceedingly rare or unique in the 106 year history of Jersey Canada! Recently we processed four new memberships in a 24 hour period! That is uncommon to say the least! Based on our historically high 2006 memberships that is a .4 of 1% increase in membership in 24 hours!

We are awaiting the unveiling of our new true type model and have just had some powerhouse, blockbuster committee meetings these past two weeks! These committees are aggressively developing input for our Strategic Planning Committee who will create a proposed plan for the board over the next five months. It is exciting to be part of the energy that overflows at these meetings! So much positive, crackling energy abounds! So much hope and desire for more and better things for the breed are expressed!!

The long and short of it is that Jersey Canada intends to be around for a good long time as we work with the Jersey breed to usher in a good, good future! Every day truly is a feast of new ideas, possibilities, opportunities, information that can be used for action and hope! Let us be open to all this and then run with it! Enjoy the scrumptious and delectable feast that awaits you every morning and all day long!!!

High on life and spring! RGG

Welcome!!

Welcome to the brand new Jersey Canada Blog! It has been created to provide a space for opinion pieces on the Jersey breed in Canada, and to also provide a means for discussion of Jersey events and news! If you would be interested in contributing something to the blog, contact me (Ryan) to get you set up! And check back often - we look to have regular updates to the blog!!