- Steve Dorran - the man behind the gavel
by Bonnie Warnyca June 2010
After living in Airdrie for the past 30 years, Steve Dorran recently packed up all his belongings and headed south. It's a move that makes perfect sense for a man that has, for three decades, kept one boot in both countries. As the preferred auctioneer for more than 120 purebred cattle sales a year almost evenly split between Canada and the U.S.,... more
- Erin Shaw
by Bonnie Warnyca June 2010
While most people would rather have a root canal than get up in front of an audience to speak, 19 year old Erin Shaw is just the opposite. Since the age of 10, when she gave her first 4-H speech, Shaw has been keen to be at the lectern.
Shaw was the recipient of the 2010 4-H premier's Award during the 53rd annual 4-H selections program... more
- ComputerAid builds leading edge software for the cattle industry
by Bonnie Warnyca May 2010
Since 1986, ComputerAid Professional Services Ltd., a software developer in Okotoks, Alberta, has worked alongside the western Canadian feedlot industry to build software solutions to extract the highest possible profit from each individual animal that enters the feed yard. As the technology has evolved, users have been able to both reduce... more
- TraceBack software spurs more retained ownership
by Bonnie Warnyca May 2010
"Three years ago our clients kept only 350 beef animals through to harvest. This year more than 12,000 are part of a retained ownership program." Dr. Troy Drake
Cow/Calf Health and Management Services
After Dr. Troy Drake graduated from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) in 1989, he worked for a large Calgary... more
- Bethany Yewsuk
by Bonnie Warnyca May 2010
At 22 years of age, having graduated from the University of Saskatchewan with a Diploma in Agriculture, majoring in Agronomy, Bethany Yewsuk is grateful for those 4-H calves. "I first used the money from my 4-H calves to increase my Red Angus cow numbers over the years," says this articulate and self-assured young woman. "When I needed my first... more
- Rod MacLean: Agriculture at the crossroads
by Lee Gunderson April 2010
In Rod's world, the cattle world, talk is cheap: actions speak much louder. In his own way, Rod is dealing with profound changes that have come to our industry during the past 10 years. Drought, BSE, closed foreign markets, rural school closings, and increased production costs have impacted the lives of rural Albertans and Canadians. So much so,... more
- Rosie Templeton
by Bonnie Warnyca April 2010
Growing up on a purebred Hereford ranch and farm southeast of Coaldale, Alberta provided a strong backdrop for Rosie Templeton, a vibrant and confident 17-year-old advocate for the agricultural industry.
Templeton spoke at the Tiffin Conference in Lethbridge in March. Her passion for the industry was unmistakable and her ideas of where she sees... more
- Blairs take the road less traveled
by Bonnie Warnyca March 2010
"When everyone else is traveling the highway - take the grid." That was the advice that Sidney Alexander Blair passed on to his grandsons Kevin and Darren Blair. And that's the philosophy that continues to drive the business model for Blair's Crop & Livestock Solutions and Blairs.Ag Cattle Co.
When cousins Kevin and Darren returned home... more
- Myranda Stewart
by Bonnie Warnyca March 2010
Myranda Stewart was an extremely shy little girl growing up on the family farm near Strathmore, Alberta. Even though she was surrounded by a 300 head cow herd of purebred and commercial Simmental, she didn't bother with them much except to help a little during branding or tagging.
"I also used to help bottle feed some bought feeder... more
- A walk down memory lane with Shirley Bilton
by Bonnie Warnyca March 2010
In the late 1890s, Shirley Bilton's paternal grandfather was the sheriff of Lyn County, Ontario. But grandpa Bilton hung up his badge to answer the call of the west in 1891. After riding the train as far as Calgary, he rented a horse and rode till he found a beautiful wooded area with a fast running spring, one which the local Indians told him ran... more
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