The bulls are fed, what is next, Papa?

It is time for us here at Dora Lee to take a look back as the year 2017 is coming to an end. Calving went well, we were sold out of herd sire prospects by March, our cows went to pasture mid May, things appeared to be going well.

However as haying season arrived we received 6 1/2 inches of rain over night. Our river fences were all washed out, we moved our herd onto higher ground and as it most often happens, 2 of our sons, Dennis & Ben were home and we spent most of a week just repairing and building new fences.

We are typical Canadians, it is too wet or too dry, too hot or cold. Canadians just love to talk about the weather. There would be a lot fewer conversations if for some reason we weren’t able to complain about our weather.

As in the past, it has been a very rewarding year. We sold bred heifers on both sides of the US/ Canadian border. We were able to purchase a polled heifer calf  with out cross genetics from Alberta.

We wish to take time to say Thank you, to the cattlemen who again helped make 2017 very special for us.

Lynn & Brian Vail – Ontario

Duane & Ellen Andrews – PA USA

Richard Bell  – Ontario

Rory Bell Scotland – UK

Liliana Valdez Briseno – Mexico

Betty and I have good health, a wonderful family and a way of life we really enjoy. We are really looking forward to traveling to Glencoe and spending Christmas with David, Ben and Sarah and our 6 grandchildren.

Seasons greeting to all.

We attempt to learn from our past, searching 364 days for the next female that will perhaps again raise the bar here at Dora Lee. Now for some future thoughts from this old cowboy.

We believe the future here is to continue developing  polled, Fleckvieh cattle and believe our herd in the near future will all be polled. We now have several homozygous, Fleckvieh females and the rest are polled. We dream about being able to continue to access those out cross Flechvieh genetics that will make their mark here in North America.

We are going to continue our work with genomics we started 8 years ago, with our focus mostly on feed efficiency, but also paying attention to all the other traits available to us. Are we there yet? No not yet. But that will not stop us for one minute as we continue are search to improve our Fleckvieh breed at every twist and turn. They says dreams do come true and it’s something I believe –

Fleckvieh genetics at their best.

Thanks for  listening.

Ross and Betty

Here it is mid September, a time of year this old cowboy looks forward to and really enjoys.

Our hay crop was somewhat of a challenge with plenty of rain, however on the positive side plenty of  grass in our pastures this year.

Our herd sire prospects are weaned and in our bull development facility. The balance  of our male calves are vaccinated and are leaving shortly for our long time feed lot customer, Marvin Brubaker.

A friend of mine [Pat Lynch] told me this several  years ago, there is no such a thing as two years turning out to be the same. Pat was right.

I really enjoy sitting out on our varanda these days, the leaves on our trees are starting to turn into several colours, watching the cows make their daily appearance for mineral etc.

We purchased Countney 22X in the fall of 2010 from Langer Simmentals while attending the Equation sale in Alberta. Courtney has had 6 impressive calves and her 2017 model is in our bull development facility. In my opinion Courtney is in the top 5 in our herd.

Betty and I have good health and family, we are enjoying life to the fullest. How could anyone in their right mind ask for more?

Thank you  for listening.

The fences have been up dated, just 2 calves to de- horn this year. Our Fleckviehs are patiently waiting at the gate, letting us know that it is time. Here it is May 20th already. Our winter is in the rear view mirror.

Platinum and Kawliga are back in our bull facility- breeding for this year in complete.

A fellow cattleman told me several years a go ” When your cattle go to grass for the summer, it’s like removing 40 lbs from your back”. Clair was correct.

Perhaps it is time for this old cow boy to put his feet up and spend some time sitting on our veranda. Or, be out on our Gator in the early morning watching the sun come up as our Fleckvieh cows do their thing. These girls are extremely proud of their 2017 models.

Is it time to start looking for that perfect Fleckvieh ? We haven’t found one yet. However that hasn’t stopped us from looking. Perhaps it may not hurt to dream once in a while .

Betty and I very much enjoy life here at Dora Lee. It is a way of life. We look forward to the changing of the seasons. We have had the joys of raising a family. We have health and family, what more would any one in the right mind ask for.

Yes it is time, many thanks for listening.

For 364 days per year we strive to increase our knowledge about our great Fleckvieh breed . (Every day except Christmas.) As the sale catalogues arrive in the mail almost daily, EPD’S are checked, the big one for this old cowboy is (MCE), maternal calving ease.

When we do get out to a sale of Fleckvieh cattle, udders are checked, feet and legs, & disposition. Do the females look like females? Do the males look like males? And of course, general over all appearance. Have we bred or laid our eyes on a perfect Fleckvieh bull or female? no, not yet. Breeding quality Fleckvieh is a challenge Betty and I really enjoy.

Breeding Fleckvieh cattle, is a way of life we chose here at Dora Lee. It is a spirit of adventure that shapes who we are.

I really enjoy our life style here, working with our Fleckvieh cattle on a daily basis. Whether they are in the yard or out on pasture, we believe it is therapeutic, extremely relaxing and something this Old Cowboy enjoys very much.

Life is good is here. Betty and I have health and family. What more could anyone in their right mind possibly ask for?

Thanks for listening

It is time to look in the rear view mirror and reflect on our year here at Dora Lee. There where  times this past summer we were wondering, would it ever rain?  Well, we are typical Canadians, it is either too hot or too cold, too dry or too wet. As in the past, at Dora Lee it has turned out to be a very good year.

Our crops have been harvested and stored for winter feeding. Cows and heifers and our herd sire prospects are in their winter facilities and calving season will start early January. Perhaps it is time for this old cowboy to put his feet up and enjoy the season.

It is also very important for us to thank our many customers for their going support. Visits here, your many e-mails and phone calls certainly mean a lot to us. We greatly appreciate your support – thank you to:

Lee McBride – Port Hope ON

Mike O’Bomsawin – Chelmsford ON

Laura Frank -Manitowaning ON

Carl MacDonald – Merigiomish NS

Claudia Giermindl – Knightville NB

Gordon & Lynne MacDonald  – Midland ON

Brian & Lynn Vail – Clarksburg ON

Rory Bell – Roxburgh Mill UK

Duane Andrews – Gillett PA

Dennis & Jeanne Small – Markerville AB

With the Christmas season upon us, it is time for family and friends. It is time to say ‘ thank you ‘ for our many blessings. Our son David, Sarah and our son Ben along with our 5 grand children Michael, Katherine, Joseph, Nathan, and Monica will be here to spend Christmas with their Mom and Dad.

May the joy of the Christmas season fill your home with happiness.

Well, where does one start?  We realized many years ago just what an impressive job King Arthur was doing on his sons and daughter here at Dora Lee. King Arthur was imported into Canada from Scotland  back in about 1970. I believe that King Arthur was the best beef bull ever to set foot here on Canadian soil.

Our first order of business was to breed one of our homozygous polled cows to the legendary King Arthur. We did get the polled bull calf we wanted, and in my humble opinion Kaw-Liga has turned out to be an impressive up and coming herd sire.

We do have several of his offspring on the ground and we believe them to be special youngsters, which will again help us to “raise the bar” here at Dora Lee.

Being a huge  fan of  the late and great Hank Williams, the name Kaw-liga came from one of Hank’s many number one hits back about 1950 . We just thought Hank Williams being a pioneer in the western music field, that perhaps in many ways Kaw- Liga will also be a pioneer.

Is this old Cowboy excited? O yah.  Please do stay tuned, we are expecting great things from our Kaw-Liga bull.

“Fullblood Fleckvieh polled genetics at their finest.”

Thank you for listening

Here it is November, some early morning thoughts from this old cowboy. It has been a year to remember so far, dry summer etc. However, things have a way of working out here at Dora Lee.

Our hay crop has been baled and placed in storage, Pastures have held the own this summer, and our rotational grazing program has continued to work well here.

Calves were weaned late August, herd sire prospects are in our bull facility, with one youngster already at his new home (Claudia Giermindl) in New Brunswick. Steer calves are in their new home of long time customer, feed lot operator Marvin Burkhart.  The price was down from last year, however $1.80 per lb we felt was a fair price for 800 lb steer calves.

Our cow herd is still out there on our pastures and just starting to graze our paddocks one last time before winter arrives.

Really, Betty and I have very little to complain about. We do have health and family – a way of life we both very much enjoy. Yes, our weather has turned cooler here Dora Lee, winter is on it’s way.

“Thank you for listening”

Here it is, late September, fall is in the air. Our 364 day search continues for elite, polled, outcross Flechvieh genetics. We had the privilege of attending the Ontario Autumn Simmental Classic where our pick of the sale was Vail View Cassie FF4C . We were successful and have added Cassie to our herd.

Cassie’s sire is Dora Lee Huck, a Canadian Siegfried Son, a bull born and developed here before going to Vail View as their herd sire. Huck has an impressive feed efficiency (RFI) score placing him in the top ten percent ” WOW ”.

Come mid October, Betty and I will be traveling west to Alberta to spend quality time with our daughter-in-law Jeanne and son Dennis at Apple Cross as we  continue our 364 day search for elite out cross polled heifers. Our plan is to tour some herds and attend a sale. Then do everything in our power to bring a quality polled Flechvieh female here to Dora Lee.

We plan on attempting to again “raise the bar” here at Dora Lee. Are we there yet? Nope, not yet.

“Our love of our Fleckvieh breed, is unwavering.”

Thank you for listening.

Once again it has been a great year for bull sales as our development pen is empty and waiting for this year’s prospects. Many thanks to the new owners of our 2015 calves – we appreciate your support of our breeding program.

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DLD Platinum Plus FF3B was selected by Darcy Claw of Bel-Char Farm, Godfrey, ON

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DLD Platinum Lad FF34B went to Glarro Farm in New Brunswick. He was the choice of Andre and Geraline Van Agten.

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Dora Lee’s Wyatt FF51C was chosen by Lee McBride, Port Hope, ON

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Dora Lee’s Evan FF31B sold to Mike O’Bomsawin, Chelmsford, ON

Dora Lee’s Bubba FF42C was the choice of Laura Frank of Hilly Grove Farm, Manitowaning, ON

Our current crop of bull calves is looking good. Most of them are sired by Wow Effect, FGAF 016A and we are excited to see how these herd sire prospects develop. We will keep you informed.