Frontenac Cattlemen show off their superior breeding

Jonathan Davies | Apr 27, 2017

The Frontenac Cattlemen Association welcomed their Stormont counterparts Saturday April 22 for a presentation by two local Cattle breeders, Dave Perry of Perry Maine-Anjou Farm, near Yarker, and DJ Cooke of Otter Creek Farm, which hosted the event. Lunch was provided by Kim Perry at Food Less Traveled in Verona.

Of note were Perry's Maine-Anjou stock, as well as some Speckle Park,a breed out of Saskatchewan and one of few breeds developed in Canada,along with Cooke's Wagyu cattle, a Japanese breed that remains a rarity in North America.

The Maine-Anjou, according to Perry, are a breed prized for its fastgrowth and docile disposition.  The disposition, he explains, helps it grow at a steadier rate than a more skittish breed, which may beslower to take on weight.

With roughly 130 head on his farm, Perry sells most of his meat through the aforementioned family store in Verona, which has been in operation for a decade now. Cattle from the farm are also shown
frequently at fairs in the region.

Perry notes that with changes in consumer preference, he has shifted his practices in recent years to a strictly grass and hay diet, and has been marketing the beef as Grass Finished. While grass-fed cows tends to lack the levels of fat content of a corn or barley diet, the response from customers to the leaner beef has been positive. The farm also raises a small number of grain-finished cattle for those who prefer a sweeter, fattier meat.

Otter Creek is a more recent addition to the region (established in stages over the past few years, starting with the first of the cattle in 2013). Cooke, who owns the operation, grew up on a farm where Limousin cattle were raised. He took an interest in Wagyu - which has its origins in the region of Kobe, Japan - and spent a month there learning from local farmers. All of the genetics of his herd trace back to Kobe. He began by breeding Wagyu embryos into Angus Heifers and is currently into the third generation of naturally bred Wagyu.

Cooke also works with farms across Canada, supplying operations as far away as B.C. with cattle, while marketing his product centrally from Otter Creek. The aim is to develop a national brand for, what he calls, this "flavourful, tender, well-marbled meat. Otter Creek's cattle have won awards at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, and are made available to 4H clubs, allowing local youth the opportunity to show them.They are also brought to shows outside of the region; Cooke notes that his cattle will be at exhibitions this summer in Nebraska and then in Denver later in the year.

Perry, who is also the association's president, points out that events of this nature, where cattle farmers host groups from out of the region, are a way for people in the business to share knowledge, get exposure to breeds and talk about practices. The Frontenac Cattlemen have hosted similar events in the past and many members, says Perry, take the opportunity to participate in an annual provincial cow-calf tour coordinated by the Beef Farmers of Ontario.