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HIGHWAY 21 GROUP BULLS
We focus on identifying value in beef production and the reliable data on our bulls allows you to select the bull which will
maximize your profit in your herd – dollars in your pocket.
To enable beef to remain a desired protein and affordable to the consumer, we gain
efficiencies in production while reducing our environmental footprint.
We use individually focused scientific tests, beef grading quality measurements
and genetic scoring to identify the most profitable traits, in all aspects of beef production.
Testimonials
At Highway 21's first Efficiency Verified Genetics sale in 2022, we purchased a pair of composite bulls with the goal of increasing our profitability, efficiency and feed conversion not only in the feedlot but also in the cow herd. The first calf crop sired by these bulls were placed in the feedlot on a retained ownership program and harvested in the spring of 2024 and the results were very encouraging. All our calves were DNA sire verified and with the use of Herdtrax the following numbers were easily calculated. When comparing all calves sired by our various bull providers including Composite, Angus and Simmental that we used on our farm, the pair of Composite bulls from Highway 21 produced the following:
Thus, on average resulting in a more profitable carcass in the heifers of $173, and the steers of $233. We believe this validates the key objectives that Highway 21 set out when they decided to start marketing their genetics. With these genetics Highway 21 is working to develop, the proven performance, and the complete data packaged provided to help us make decisions, we have and will continue to look to Highway 21 for bulls. - Trevor Hagel, Jerene Farms Ltd.
We purchased a Simmental hybrid bull at the 2023 H21 sale and were extremely impressed with the bull ranking and feed efficiency testing Highway 21 does. Lyle took us on a tour of the bull pens a month prior to sale day and walked us through the many different ways they measure feed efficiency, carcass data, calving ease, and many other important aspects we look for when selecting a herd bull. The Herdtrax system alone was unbelievably valuable as it allowed us to easily pick a bull with traits that we want to improve. The ease of sorting through the desirable traits we were after made it painless and easy to pin down a firm list of bulls that we were interested in bidding on come sale day. We bought the bull we wanted and under our budget. The data they collected on these bulls was impressive not to mention the great one on one service we received was genuinely nice.
Progeny UpdateIn the fall of 2024, I was pleasantly surprised when we weaned the calves out of this bull. We could see the difference very easily out of this sire all season as well as when we weaned his sire group. We couldn’t believe how much heavier these calves were. The steer calves weighed roughly 35 lbs more than any other sire group, and the heifers were about 25 lbs more. We retained about 30% of our heifers for replacements and about 1/2 of them are from this bull. Hwy 21 has really done their homework on sound, productive cattle, and it definitely shows. They have kept in touch very well to see how the bull has progressed since date of delivery. I’m very happy how this bull has performed. We will definitely be back to purchase more at future sales. - Troy Hagel
As I perused Hwy 21's inaugural bull catalogue in 2022, some of the composite bulls piqued my interest. I didn't intend on purchasing one, and I was unable to take the time to go to the sale. However, as I was watching them sell on DLMS, I threw out a bid on one I thought would work in my program and ended up taking it home. The bull was not recommended for heifers but from his moderate 85 lb birth weight I felt I could reasonably expect good results. That year I tried him on 12 small half Simmental, half Angus heifers. I try to keep my cow herd so that my mature cows are in that 1200 to 1400 lb range, so some of these heifers were only 650lbs when they were bred, and around 900 to 1000 lbs when they were calving. They all calved without any assistance, and the calves grew well. Of the 12, I kept 5 heifer calves for replacements, and they will be calving for the first time this spring. In 2023 I put him with a group of 40 heifers, and 35 were pregnant in the first 50 days. They all calved unassisted with nice looking calves that performed well. Last year I did the same thing. I also purchased a yearling Charolais bull in 2022 and another one in 2024. During the winter, I always feed all my bulls in a group separate from the cow herd, and I noticed my bulls purchased from Highway 21 maintained their body condition better than some of my other bulls. (I actually sorted a couple of bulls from other breeders out and fed them extra grain separately, so that they could keep their condition). This confirmed to me that Highway 21 bulls have been selected for better feed efficiency. - Hank Janzen, Rhubarb Enterprises Inc., Holden, AB
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The Importance of Feed Efficiency Selection in Beef Cattle in Canada |
Feed efficiency in beef cattle is a critical factor for optimizing production and sustainability in Canada's cattle industry. As the sector faces increasing economic and environmental pressures, selecting for feed efficiency—defined as the ability of cattle to convert feed into body weight gain efficiently—has become essential for maximizing profitability and reducing environmental impact.
Feed constitutes a significant portion of the operational costs in beef production. In Canada, where feed costs can account for up to 60% of total production expenses (Canadian Cattlemen's Association, 2022), improving feed efficiency can substantially enhance profitability. Cattle that exhibit higher feed efficiency require less feed to achieve the same weight gain as less efficient animals. This efficiency reduces feed costs per unit of beef produced, directly improving the bottom line for producers (Harris et al., 2019). Additionally, more efficient cattle are less reliant on expensive feed supplements, further lowering production costs.
Feed efficiency also plays a vital role in reducing the environmental footprint of beef production. The beef industry is under increasing scrutiny regarding its environmental impact, particularly in terms of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Cattle that are more efficient in converting feed to weight gain generally produce less methane per unit of beef (Hristov et al., 2019). Methane, a potent greenhouse gas, is a byproduct of enteric fermentation during digestion. By selecting for feed efficiency, producers can contribute to lowering methane emissions, aligning with Canada's climate goals and improving the industry's sustainability profile.
Genetic selection for feed efficiency involves identifying and breeding cattle with superior feed conversion ratios. Advanced technologies, such as genomic selection, have made it possible to more accurately select for this trait. Research shows that breeding for feed efficiency can lead to improvements in average daily gain and feed conversion ratios without compromising other important traits such as meat quality or reproductive performance (Moran et al., 2020). Additionally, feed-efficient cattle often exhibit better overall health and longevity, further enhancing their value.
Implementing feed efficiency selection requires careful management. Producers must use precise measurement tools and data collection methods to identify and monitor feed efficiency in their herds. Technologies like individual feed intake measurement systems and genetic testing can provide valuable insights into which animals are the most feed-efficient (Harris et al., 2019). Integrating these technologies into herd management practices enables producers to make informed decisions and achieve optimal results.
In summary, feed efficiency selection is of paramount importance for beef cattle production in Canada. It offers significant economic advantages by reducing feed costs, contributes to environmental sustainability by lowering greenhouse gas emissions, and enhances overall herd performance through genetic improvement. As the beef industry continues to evolve, prioritizing feed efficiency will be crucial for maintaining competitiveness and addressing environmental concerns. By embracing advancements in genetic selection and management practices, Canadian beef producers can achieve these benefits and ensure a more sustainable and profitable future for the industry.
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Residual Feed Intake (RFI) References |
Residual feed intake (RFI) is a measure of feed efficiency that is calculated as the difference between an animal’s actual feed intake and its expected feed intake. RFI is independent of body weight and size. Differences in the trait cannot be detected by physically looking at an animal, it requires accurate and simultaneous measurement of an animal’s feed intake and body weight. Animals with low RFI values are more efficient than those with high RFI values.1
Assuming a herd of cattle have a normal distribution for RFI, selection for RFI could improve efficiency by 20 percent. There is no other single technology that holds this much promise to reduce feed costs.1
Since the heritability of the trait is about 40%, substantial progress can be made in RFI. 2
Our herd average feed to gain ratio is nearly two pounds below the industry average and after stacking several generations of feed efficient genetics we are now producing cattle with less than a 3:1 feed to gain ratio. 3
| Feed Savings at Various Barley Prices when selecting for RFI/DMC | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Based on a 650 lb steer | ||||
| Per Head | Barley Cost | |||
| Feedlot Dry Matter Conversion | % Improvement | $413/MT ($9/bu) | $253/MT ($5.50/bu) | $183/MT ($4/bu) |
| 6.8 | Baseline | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| 5.95 | 12.5% | $153.00 | $99.00 | $74.00 |
| 5.1 | 25% | $306.00 | $198.00 | $148.00 |
| Per Sire | Barley Cost | |||
| Calves Sired | % Improvement | $413/MT ($9/bu) | $253/MT ($5.50/bu) | $183/MT ($4/bu) |
| 76 | Baseline | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| 76 | 12.5% | $11,628.00 | $7,524.00 | $5,624.00 |
| 76 | 25% | $23,256.00 | $15,048.00 | $11,248.00 |
| Based on 4 years of use of a bull @ 95% calf crop and 20 calves sired naturally per year | ||||
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Bull Sale Terms |
These bulls are for sale at our 1st Annual live auction on Monday March 21, 2022 at the Ranch, Hanna, Alberta. We are happy to have T Bar C helping to make this event a success as well as memorable.
We are offering yearling and 2 year old bulls. Quite simply, we cut off the age for the yearling bulls to be born prior to March 31 st. Bulls offered that were born after March 31 will be 2 year old bulls. These bulls will only be represented for sale once. There will not be any unsold bulls rolled over to the following year.
We guarantee our bulls have:
We will replace the bull with one of equal or superior quality at no additional cost. If an inferior bull is being used as a replacement compared to the original bull purchased, we will adjust the value and
issue you a payment for the spread. If no replacement bull is desired in the same season from ourselves, we will take back the bull, or take the salvage value
if shipped and issue you a full credit for a bull purchased in the future. The bull that is being replaced becomes the property of Hwy21 to salvage/sell.Hwy21 reserves the right to charge 1.5% interest per month or 18% per annum on any bills 90 days in arrears from invoice date, if prior arrangements haven’t been made by the purchaser.
All registered bulls sold will be transferred to the purchaser.
Hwy 21 reserves a 1% interest in all bulls sold for the purpose of drawing semen if they desire at a time convenient to the purchaser. Any interest higher than 1% will be communicated on an individual bull basis prior to sale and the terms set out with the interest. In these cases, this may be enacted for the purpose of Hwy21 sharing the walking rights of a specific bull or for the purpose of sharing in any semen rights.
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Calf Marketing |
At Highway 21 Feeders, we are always looking for exceptional cattle to buy and feed. We know the bulls you have bought, the traits they excel in and as well their dam and sire better than anyone. This makes the calves they sire of utmost interest to us, and a product that we would love to pay a premium for. However, we are not always buying all weight classes and sexes, therefore our buy back contains 3 promises. These may be used however you wish, or not at all. It is up to you!
1. We will buy your calves direct when the transaction is right for both of us.
There will be no commission charged or marketing fees. There will only be an industry standard shrink applied. If desired by the
seller, freight can be arranged. We will use the superior traits of the bulls purchased and pay premiums where we can on his progeny.
2. Since we are also on the feedlot side of the industry, we know what traits
(feed efficiency, daily gain, grading, etc.) are sought after and what their value is when buying feeder
animals. When we are unable to buy your calves for whatever reason, we will bridge the gap between our bull customers and other
feeder buyers, and “talk the talk” to represent your progeny to the best of our abilities. Your cattle will no longer
be represented to buyers with only the customary “these calves are sired by top bulls from....”.
We will do this free of charge. You always reserve the right to market them yourselves if we do not achieve a price you're happy
with.
3. If we are buying the weight class and sex of calves you're selling, but
you wish to sell at your local market, we will have a representative bid on your calves on sale day.
It is important to properly promote any vaccination, preconditioning and health and nutrition program you employ in your herd. We can help walk you through what is important to represent the cattle to the fullest.
With all the marketing options, we require a minimum of 2 weeks of notice prior to when you want to market your calves. If we are unable to come view the calves in the weeks prior to sale, we may require photos to be supplied for marketing.
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Open/Cull Cow Marketing |
To compliment full 360 service, if you have close to a liner load or more of open or cull cows, we can assist you in marketing them direct to slaughter. Again, this service is free of charge to our bull customers.
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Data for Your Herd |
If we have purchased your calves, we will supply the feeding data and slaughter data back to you when the cattle ship. At a minimum this will come in a summary report. If we can obtain individual grading and performance records for each animal, this will be supplied, or exported if you wish, into a herd management program. If we assist you to market your offspring elsewhere, every effort will be made to negotiate the supply of the data back to the producer.
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Chart Glossary |  |
| ADG | (Test ADG) Gain per day while the animals were on Feed Efficiency test. |
| ADG $ | ADG$ (post wean ADG performance) |
| ADJ 205 | Weaning weight expressed in lbs adjusted to 205 days to compare all bulls at equal age. |
| ADJ 365 | Yearling weight expressed in lbs adjusted to 365 days to compare all bulls at equal age. |
| AOD | Age of Dam in years at time of calving. |
| BF | Backfat is the thickness of fat covering the loin muscle in inches. This is the main trait that affects percent Lean Meat Yield or Y1-Y5 yield grades at processing. The greater the measurement, the poorer or higher (Y5) the yield grade. |
| BW | Expressed in pounds. Smaller EPD means lighter BW. |
| BW | Weight in pounds day of birth. |
| CE | The CE EPD expresses differences in calving difficulty between calves born to first calf heifers. When comparing two sires, the larger value indicates fewer potential calving difficulties. |
| CONV $ | CONV.$ (feed efficiency - RFI and FCR) |
| CW | Expressed in lbs. Higher numbers will have a greater carcass weight at slaughter. |
| DAM INDEX | Herdtrax All Purpose Index (HAPI) The HAPI index or Happy index is meant to compare cows (in herd) based on their ability to be strong maternally and terminally. HerdTrax selection index explanation. |
| DOCILITY | We apply a docility score to our animals to help you understand each animal's personality and how it reacts to handling. |
| FAT | Expected difference of fat measurement. Lower numbers predict less unwanted fat. |
| FCR | (Feed Conversion Ratio) Represented in pounds of dry feed consumed to gain one pound of live weight. Lower numbers are superior. |
| %LMY | Percent Lean Meat Yield represents what percent of the carcass is lean muscle versus bone, fat, etc. |
| FCR INDEX | Represents the feed conversion ratio in terms of percentage better than (100+) or worse than the average of the test group. |
| MARB | We have saved you the time of looking up how each animal ranks for each trait within the breed. Numbers less than 50 are in the top half of the breed for the trait and are highlighted, greater than 50 are in the bottom half. |
| MARB | Marbling is the percent of Intermuscular fat within the muscle. AAA, AA, A. The ranking uses actual score instead of Canadian Beef Grading class. |
| MARB $ | MARB$ (quality grade) |
| MILK | Represented in pounds weaned relative to daughters expected milk and mothering ability. |
| MTL | Combines 1/2 of the WW EPD and all the Milk EPD and is expressed as pounds of calf weaned at 205 days. Higher numbers predict greater weaning weights from female progeny. |
| MUS $ | MUS$ (muscling score, % LMY) |
| Pedigree | All sires, dams, grandsires and granddams are supplied to the best of our abilities. If you wish to look further into the pedigree, please see the Herdtrax links on the website or the CCA registry. |
| POST WEAN ADG | Actual gain per day from weaning to yearling. |
| Rank % | We have saved you the time of looking up how each animal ranks for each trait within the breed. Numbers less than 50 are in the top half of the breed for the trait, greater than 50 are in the bottom half. |
| REA | Expected difference of REA in square inches. Higher numbers predict larger REA. |
| REA | (Rib Eye Area) The size of the loin muscle in square inches. An increase in REA will raise the percent Lean Meat Yield. |
| REA IN^/100BLS | Represents square inches of Rib Eye per 100 lbs live weight. |
| RFI | Residual Feed Intake (RFI) is calculated as the difference between an animal's actual feed intake and their expected feed intake. For more in depth information, see the FAST FACTON-FARM GENETIC SELECTION FOR FEED EFFICIENCY. Lower/Negative numbers are superior. |
| TSI | Terminal Sire Index, New to Canadian Charolais EPD's this year. A tool used to rank terminal sires based on profit potential of their offspring using factors of growth, feed efficiency and carcass characteristics. Expressed in $'s per head per offspring. |
| TSI % | |
| WEAN $ | WEAN$ (ADG) |
| WEAN ADG | Gain per day from Birth to actual weaning weight. |
| WEAN RATIO | Represents the percentage that the adjusted 205 weight is of the group. |
| WPDA | Actual gain per day of age based on actual yearling weight. The Charolais match that of the association and BW is included as weight gain. Herdtrax is used for the Composites and subtracts BW from the yearling weight in calculating the weight gain. |
| WW | Expressed in pounds. Larger WW EPD's indicate progeny will have higher 205 weaning weights. |
| YRLG RATIO | Represents the percentage that the adjusted 365 weight is of the group. |
| YW | Expressed in pounds. Larger YW EPD's indicate progeny will have higher 365 yearling weights. |
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Shading/$ Index Guide |
Throughout our catalogue, you will see a color scoring guide for:
| Elite | 1. WEAN$ (ADG) |
| Platinum | 2. ADG$ (post wean ADG performance) |
| Gold | 3. CONV.$ (feed efficiency – RFI and FCR) |
| Silver | 4. MARB$ (quality grade) |
| 5. MUS$ (muscling score, % LMY) |
This serves as two purposes. First off, it is a quick visual representation of the corresponding data and where the animal ranks within the bell curve of each group. Second, if you are only concerned about pounds weaned, traits 1 and 2 would be your focus. For traits 2, 3, 4 and 5, it represents the premium value we can offer on calf buy back, or value you may experience if you retain ownership. GOLD and SILVER categories represent cattle that we would consider average. PLATINUM represents cattle that we would pay premiums ABOVE average calf price to acquire. ELITE is the best of the best and would obtain the GREATEST premiums.
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Breed Makeup |
This chart represents the percentage of each breed present as measured through DNA.
Hybrid Index
Represents the percent heterosis of the animal. Increased heterosis improves pregnancy rates, feed efficiency and performance.
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Ultrasound |
We have engaged Windy Ridge Ultrasound for the past 10 years. Ultra sounding helps us obtain a snapshot of what our progeny is carrying under the hide, as well as an indication of how the genetics of the animal is converting energy to protein and fat. Knowing where we stand helps us ensure we are producing a product that the end user (processors and consumers) is interested in purchasing. Due to the age of the animals, and the fact that they are not on a finishing diet, we are not necessarily critical that they are all currently grading AAA or higher, or that the have a certain lean meat yield, backfat or Rib Eye Area. We use it as a representation of comparison within the group to help identify progeny that may be superior for each trait.
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Calving Ease (CE) Scoring |
We have made every effort to have a very CONSERVATIVE approach to Calving Ease ranking on our Composite Bulls. We want you to sleep well at night knowing we are doing our part to make sure you will not have problems. Aside from naturally culling for calving ease issues over the past 10 years in our herd, we have outlined our criteria for how we have scored these bulls for CE. For the Purebred Charolais, we have posted the breed assoc EPD's for reference.
3
Use on large frame first calf heifers with confidenc.
2 Use on 2nd calvers or medium framed cows with confidenc.
1 Use on mature cows (3rd calvers and up).
CE Score 3
93 BW and lower on:
CE Score 2
Same criteria except using a 103 lb BW and lower and frequency of assisted births to be less than 5%.
CE Score 1
Same criteria except using greater than 103lb BW and frequency of assisted births less than 5%.
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Docility Scoring |
The safety of our customers, staff and family is Number 1. Without all of them, none of our success would be possible. Handling livestock should not have to be dangerous. We handle these animals daily in a low stress environment and do our best to prepare them for all types of environments. Each animal does have its own personality and reacts differently to handling. We have adopted what many other breeders already do, and what we feel should be a standard in the industry, by applying a docility score to our animals. We understand this may deter you from an animal you would have otherwise purchased, but your safety of knowing what you are buying is of utmost importance.
Our ranking system is as such:
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We are passionate about helping customers select the right herd-ready bulls for their operation! Give us a call or stop in. |
Lyle Miller cell: 403-888-3973office: 403-546-2278 ext 6 email
Brad Quinton cell: 403-422-0614 email
Vytelle VY210508-On-Farm-Genetic-Selection pdf