Kurtis Reid of the Cliffs Farm understands the value of consistency within a herd and how he can make progress with genomics, expected progeny differences (EPDs) and proper production management.
The Cliffs Farm is run by Kurtis and his father, David Reid, carrying on their family history of raising Hereford cattle. The family registered their first Hereford in 1889 and calls north of Saskatoon home. Today the cattle herd also includes “show-type” cattle, with Maine Anjou as the foundation breed. Reid is the fifth generation and along with his wife Selene are proud to say their children, Carlyle and Ivadel, are the sixth. Carlyle and Ivadel have Herefords registered in their names and attended their first Canadian Hereford Junior Bonanza Show, without cattle, this past summer.
Reid has known since he was a teenager he wanted a herd of cows and his passion for them has grown stronger ever since. When Reid isn’t on the farm, he’s a feed representative for Masterfeeds. He also produces a podcast called Lifestock that engages people across the cattle industry to share their stories and talk about cattle topics in Canada. Reid was also recently presented the NextGen Breeder Award from the Canadian Hereford Association.
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In October 2024, the Cliffs Farm hosted its annual “Ladies of the Prairies” sale online, offering Hereford, maintainer and crossbred open and bred females. They offered private treaty steer sales on-farm and for 2025 will once again host their “Take the Lead” steer sale in the summer.
Genetic information
Reid understands the value of using genomics, EPDs and other technologies within the cattle industry. Forecasting performance helps seed stock producers make breeding decisions. Genomics data creates a genetic map of an individual using DNA markers, helping predict performance and improve profit. DNA markers are linked to traits such as fertility, milk, udder and more.
DNA is also a verification tool for parentage to maintain accurate and consistent pedigree records within the breed association. DNA is generally extracted from a tail hair sample. The EPDs for each breed association have different benchmarks, but never start at zero. Traits, such as birth weight or weaning weight, will read similarly across breeds, but it is important to understand how each association’s EPD data is interpreted.
While a purebred breeder bases profitability on an individual animal and commercial breeders do it on a herd basis, measuring desired traits is still important to both. There is a gap in the consistency of data collection between the purebred and commercial sectors. Data collection for EPDs and genomics falls to purebred breeders, limiting how that information is used to enhance performance across the whole industry.
Commercial producers collect data relevant to their own program production needs. For example, they may record birth weights and measure fertility of their cows based on conception rates. Purebred breeders rely on their commercial counterparts for feedback, and their influence on the Canadian beef herd is tested and shown through commercial breeders who purchase their cattle.
Genomics is still a developing technology. While attending agricultural events as a feed rep, Reid has observed that beef cattle technology is not as advanced as crop technology in performance efficiency and data collection.
Some commercial producers use artificial insemination and follow pedigrees. Reid also knows of commercial operations that notch calf ears to track sires. He thinks that if commercial producers with several bulls implemented genomics, they may narrow the data collection gap.
Before genetic testing, there was limited knowledge of genetic defects. Today, genetic testing has increased awareness of these defects, allowing seed stock producers to remove cattle and even certain bloodlines that contain defects. Breed associations are acknowledging animals negative for genetic defects, and most are noted on pedigrees. Reid points out that some very good Hereford lines have been eliminated after discovering genetic defects, and the Canadian Maine Anjou Association restricts registration of any cattle that test positive for genetic defects.
Along with individual breeder recognition, breed associations across Canada offer programs to highlight females that have produced to their highest genetic potential. For example, the Canadian Hereford Association has a maternal productivity index which combines factors such as calving ease, maternal calving ease, milk and more. The “Dams of Distinction” measures a cow’s production consistency within a breeder’s herd, based on weaning index and calving intervals. Both programs require breeders to submit data to give their females a chance to be recognized.
Selecting cattle
When selecting a female or bull from a sale catalogue, Reid will examine the picture, pedigree, footnotes and then the EPDs. He looks for a correlation between those areas. Phenotype and pedigree give a visual of the animal’s past and present potential which should provide consistency with what the EPDs dictate.
Phenotype evaluation is the way cattle have been selected for generations and sometimes can be passed over too quickly for the numbers, says Reid. He appreciates the older cattlemen who offered knowledge to him on selection ability, as it gave him more confidence in his own selection process.
Reid never puts his expectations for cattle onto another breeder. Whether it’s a commercial breeder looking for a bull or a purebred breeder buying a female, there is a space for everyone’s choice of cattle in the market today. He is confident in what his cattle can offer and that it’s supported by the data he has collected, and knowing the quality of cattle displayed on the pedigrees. Reid says they don’t have a large cowherd, around 40 head, so keeping quality over quantity is his goal.
“Bulls are profitable, and cows build a legacy.”
Marketing is a huge investment for any purebred operation, whether the customer is a purebred or commercial producer. EPDs and genomics offer predictability and, along with online auctions and catalogues, allow buyers to select cattle regardless of where they reside. The ease of movement of genetics globally through live animals, embryos and semen is also valuable.
Reid is excited about technological advancements in the industry, whether it’s feed performance or artificial intelligence. The potential for gathering real-time information on things, such as feed conversion and heat cycles, is amazing. Combining management practices, genomics and EPDs bring a better understanding of how an animal’s genetic makeup and environment affect performance. Management practices such as nutrition, feedstuff and type of cattle (mature versus young or breed) all have a genetic or scientific element that can be measured. Reid sees in his career as a feed rep how all the moving parts are important and never function independently. That’s affected how he manages his operation. For example, he and his family proactively test their water every three years and feed test yearly so they can adjust supplements.
While the Cliffs Farm mostly raises Herefords, Reid’s time in the U.S. showing and judging cattle as a youth and earning an animal science degree in Texas inspired him to move into “show-type” cattle. Reid says when he first presented the idea, it wasn’t welcomed with open arms. But the show cattle are held to performance standards that match the Herefords, with no exceptions.
Whatever the breed, Reid believes consistency, passion and progress are needed to raise quality cattle. When combined with technology and collaboration with other producers, the cattle industry’s future starts to look exciting.
– Courtney Lomheim is a writer with a diverse background in the cattle industry. She lives in central Alberta with her husband and their border collies, on a commercial cow-calf operation, where she also enjoys gardening, karate, photography and training horses.
