Small-Herd Stud Farming Is BIG Business In Canada

Small commercial beef producers and stud breeders make up a large and valuable part of Canada’s cattle value chain. While in Alberta, Gerhard Uys, who recently visited Farmfair International, a Canadian agricultural show, visited three farming families that run small, profitable commercial herds.

- Gerhard Uys

Father-and-daughter team Greg and Kelsey Knot, of the farm 4K Land and Cattle Co. in Ardrossan, Alberta, Canada, run a small Red and Black Angus herd of about 40 cows. Seven of these are stud animals, and the remainder are commercial. Although the operation is small, it contributes to the genetic base of commercial breeders in Canada, and is a reflection of a large and productive part of the the country’s cattle industry.

While Canada has many commercial farmers who farm 800 or more head of cattle, almost half of the 15 million beef cattle in the country are in herds that average 70 breeding cows. Most of these herds are run by farmers who have full-time, off-farm jobs. Kelsey, for example, is an agricultural specialist at an accounting firm, and takes care of her stud animals in her free time.

A similar pattern is evident on two other farms in the district. A short drive away, Barrie Przekop and his daughter, Dacie, run about 100 red and black Simmentaler stud cows on their farm, Lake Bottom Cattle Co. They also have a small number of commercial cattle. Barrie has a full-time job on the oil fields, but works there only every alternate week, giving him time to look after his cattle. Dacie manages the cattle full time.

On the Kay-R Charolais Ranch in Waskatenau, Kasey and Arlana Phillips, their son, Kord, and Kasey’s father, Clinton, run a slightly larger herd of 150 head of Charolais, of which 120 are stud animals. This farm is different to the other two in that the family has planted 2 600ha to malting barley, wheat for ethanol production, and canola, and they farm full time.

All three families show their stud animals.

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