International Travel Reports

World Simmental Fleckvieh Congress • Krakow and Arlamow, Poland

To attend the World Simmental Fleckvieh Federation (WSFF) Congress and represent the American Simmental Association as a voting member of this Federation and where I serve as the Vice President. The WSFF is a worldwide organization that has 25 member countries and is used to keep countries that register Simmental cattle informed of activities, events and genetic progress that is being done in each country. 

Contacts

2016 WSFF Minutes

2016 MSFF Agenda

Report

Mexico

For the second year, the Conference of the Americas was a smashing success. The conference was held April 28 — May 8, 2016, with the majority of the events held at the headquarter hotel, Marriott of Villahermosa, as well at the local exposition that was being held at the same time. The Conference of the Americas, true to its name, had representatives in attendance from breeders from as far north as Canada, to the southernmost tip of South America. The progressive breeders representing the US Fleckvieh, Simbrah, and Simmental genetics at the 2016 Conference of the Americas in Villahermosa Mexico were: Sally Buxkemper, Beth Mercer, Kenneth and Rhonda Airheart, Billy and Malika Hallak, Keith and Shelley Strack, Bill, Jane and Diane Travis, Dr. Brad Stroud, Dr. Wade Shafer, Fred Schuetze and Steven Bechtold, a prevet student from Tarleton State University.

The official educational program on Monday, May 2, was filled with information and updates from well-known speaker regarding the livestock industry worldwide.

Click on the link " Mexico" to read the report

Pictured:  Wade Shafer, EVP of the American Simmental Association and Governor Andrés Granier Melo 

Canada- Canadian Simmental Association Lloydminster, Alberta, SK

Purpose:

For the purpose of enhancing the genetic evaluation of beef cattle in North America, ASA has developed a multi-organizational collaboration with 12 breed associations from the US and Canada. The collaboration operates under that name International Genetic Solutions (IGS).  The CSA is a partner/customer in this collaboration. The purpose of the trip was to speak on IGS and its newly developed genetic evaluation system (Biometric Open Language Tools; BOLT) at CSA's Innovation 2016 seminar, which kicked off the CSA annual membership meeting. I also participated in their annual meeting, junior show and banquet.

Click on the link "Canada" to read the report.

Australia - Fred Schuetze

September 22-October 2, 2016

The purpose of the trip was to judge the Simmental cattle at the Royal Melbourne Show in Melbourne Australia. While I was there to also visit with members of the Australian Simmental Association both at the show and on farm tours around the Melbourne area to ensure the continued use of American Simmental and Simbrah genetics in Australia. ASA is also working with Simmental breeders in Australia to assist with genetic evaluation through ASA’s International Genetic Solutions.

Conference of the Americas • Guadalajara Mexico

October 10-16, 2016

Australia - Chip Kemp and Luke Bowman

The purpose of the trip for American Simmental Association representatives, Luke Bowman and Chip Kemp of International Genetic Solutions (IGS), was to travel to Australia, one of the world’s largest beef markets, to better inform breeders, industry influencers and thought leaders on the benefits of a faster, more highly accurate genetic evaluation system to better understand out genetic differences and increase trade among the countries. We met with several independent breeders, official breed associations/societies (Australia Shorthorn and Limousin Societies to be exact), representatives of the Meat and Livestock Australia.