(EMAILWIRE.COM, March 16, 2011 ) Ontario, Canada - Craigmore Farm, founded by Wayne Kreklewich, is a North American Black Angus seedstock producer located in Schomberg, Ontario. We are members of the American and Canadian Associations and have been active with Scottish cattle breeds since 1982.
The Craigmore Farm – Wayne Kreklewich U.S. based Donor Cow Program is centered at Cross Country Genetics North in Kansas. Genetics from our donor cows are sold through a network of alliances and partnerships throughout the 50 states and Canada.
Wayne Kreklewich is privileged to have owned some of the elite donor cows in the Angus breed, including the now deceased $410,000 Basin Lucy 178E; the now deceased $500,000 valued GAR Precision 810; the $430,000 living legend GAR Prime Time 2409; the $130,000 valued feed efficiency queen Quaker Hill Blackcap 1H8 and HRF Abigale P35 9377 5175, the current #1 parent cow in the Angus Breed for Weaning Weight EPD, Yearling Weight EPD and “$Feedlot” EPD.
Expected Progeny Differences (EPDÂ’s) The Great Equalizer
Wayne Kreklewich has built the Craigmore Farm program around a blending of strong phenotype, maternal characteristics and EPD’s. We appreciate that genetic selections for positive cattle traits is a balancing act – producers must meet the demands of the marketplace, BUT they also need to deal with the realities of their home farm environment. After 30 plus years of EPD cattle data analysis on more than 1 million animals, we know that there are certain growth traits that correlate with each other. For Example, higher growth cattle tend to have higher birth weights, more calving difficulty and a larger mature size. Intense selection for marbling tends to increase back fat and reduce percent retail product! However, as cattle that defy these correlations are identified using EPD’s, it becomes possible to select for those specific traits and effect positive change in a much shorter period of time.
WayneÂ’s philosophy is simple! Producers are paid by the pound, so the goal is to produce pounds! Now, because of EPDÂ’s, it is possible to select against high birth weights and large mature size and instead focus on low birth weights, rapid, efficient growth and increased marbling! Plus now, selection pressure for carcass merit can be applied without jeopardizing fertility ability in females.
Today’s reality is that selection for positive traits is sound financial management practice. And with the strides made in embryo transfer and artificial insemination, the playing field has become a lot more even. Genetic engineering using AI and embryo transfer allows any breeder with modest means to develop real world cattle that can make a significant impact on the breed – AND on their bottom line. Whether your focus is on Marbling, Ribeye, Maternal Performance, Phenotype or pounds on the ground, heifer offspring from one of our outlier donor cows, mated to one of the breed’s top bulls could be the cornerstone production cow you are looking for. To receive a brochure on Craigmore Farm’s donor cow lineup, please call Wayne Kreklewich at 416-676-8324.
