|
By Jim Mulvey
More than 770 delegates from across the world (including many from Ireland and the UK) attended the recent 2009 World Angus Forum held from 13th to 16th July at the famous show jumping centre at Spruce Meadows, on the outskirts of Calgary in the province of Alberta, Canada. The event, held every four years, is the “Olympics of the Aberdeen-Angus breed” and this year was hosted by the Canadian Angus Association.
Sheila Eggleston, Ron McHattie with WAF Eric 353
Thousands of farmers and ranchers from North America and around the world also attended the show of exhibits and watched the judging of both red and black pedigree Angus cattle. The shows were transmitted on live TV across North America.
Following the official opening by the Premier of the Alberta Ed Stelmach, a number of guest speakers spoke on the emerging technologies in animal breeding, health and genetics in Angus cattle.
A unique event, in which embryos (more than 90 from leading herds worldwide) were sent to Canada in 2007, was one of the highlights of the exhibition. The concept was for a display of genetics from widely varying environments and market demands all raised on the one ranch in Canada (Remington Ranch). Remington provided the recipient dams for the embryos.
Some 22 calves representing nine countries were presented at the forum. All were born in late May 2008. There was considerable variation in the phenotype and performance of the calves. Scientific papers were presented for future publication.
Among the World Forum embryo calves on display were one from Ireland (Ballinwing herd) and three from Scotland (Netherton herd).
These calves all have a unique tattoo and name prefix of WAF. They will be sold at the Remington Annual Spring Bull Sale on 2nd March, 2010.
The International embryo display was one of the primary reasons for many to attend and the cattle from Scotland and Ireland received the most favourable comments.
The Irish calf was collected as an embryo on farm at Ballinwing Angus Herd, Co Leitrim, by Genexcel Ireland Ltd from Ballinwing Kitty 2nd, a 1994 born cow. The sire of this calf, Jeremy Eric of Bridgefoot, was a previous Perth Bull Sale champion. Ballinwing Kitty 2nd has progeny in Ireland and around the world including Australia, Portugal and Italy.
WAF Eric 353 U , the Irish entry in the WAF international embryo programme .
The genetic dam of the three Scottish embryos, Netherton Flora B162, is currently Irish owned by the Luddenmore herd in County Limerick. The sire of these embryos was Jerusalem Faraday C071.
More than 1000 red and black Angus cattle went through the judging rings over two days (highlights of some of the judging can be found on the Aberdeen-Angus cattle Society’s website). There was also a sale of live cattle and genetics. A top price of $32,500 (20,800 euros approx) was paid by James Arnott of the Cool herd in Scotland for a 2009 born heifer calf – the pick of the crop from the Belvin herd. The sale average was $6000 dollars (3800 Euros approx) on 60 lots.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pic attached shows in foreground Irish bull calf WAF Eric 353 U ,( born May 24 2008, dam Ballinwing Kitty 2nd ) at the WAF Internastional Display in Spruce Meadows, Calgary, Canada
More info see www.worldangusforum.com
|
