2024 Western Canada Feedlot Management School

Andrea Stroeve-Sawa

Owner / Manager

Andrea Stroeve-Sawa is the fourth generation of the Holtman family to manage family owned Shipwheel Cattle Feeders Ltd. Currently, this operation includes a yearling grazing program, 5500 head feedlot, some cropland, some bees, some pasture raised chickens, the operation produces various forms of compost and is home to the Green Mercantile a small on farm store featuring local goods and products produced at Shipwheel.

Since birth Andrea has been immersed in using the principles of Holistic Management in operating this family farm/ranch. As Owner/Operator, she now faces the unique challenge of staying true to her operation's holistic goals in the present complex changing agricultural industry.

Andrea is passionate about: Finding the intersection between cattle, people & environmental sustainability; increasing the storage of carbon in her soil; using proper stockmanship to heal depressed immune systems and maintain healthy animals; inspiring bravery and collaboration in the Ag industry and beyond; and leaving a legacy of construction, regeneration, and building up rather than degrading, destroying or doing nothing.

Andrea Stroeve-Sawa
Livestock Centered Stockmanship
Owner/ Manager
403-223-4333 office
403-330-9044 cell
www.shipwheelcattlefeeders.ca

Anne Wasko

Owner/Market Analyst, Cattle Trends Inc

Anne Wasko has been a market analyst for over 35 years focusing on the Canadian cattle and beef industry.  She is the Market Analyst for Gateway Livestock based in Taber, Alberta.  Anne operates Cattle Trends Inc, a consulting company for cattle market intelligence.  She is a regular contributor to RealAgriculture.com and RealAg Radio on Sirius.  Prior to Gateway Livestock, Anne was the Senior Market Analyst with Canfax for 21 years.  Anne is the past Chair of the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef. Anne was a Board member on the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, a member of the Canadian Beef Advisors, sat on the Saskatchewan ADF Advisory committee and the Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency Board.

Anne’s volunteer work includes various mentorship programs, both formal and informal, for several individuals and loves keeping up-to-date with them.  She also volunteered for 20 years at the Calgary Stampede.

Anne and her husband, Barry, operate Bar 4 Bar Land & Cattle Inc in Eastend, SK, a commercial cow-calf operation.  It is a popular place, especially in the summer, for their 10 grandchildren to enjoy.  Anne enjoys golfing and travel.

Dr. Breeanna Kelln

Adjunct Professor, University of Saskatchewan

Dr. Breeanna Kelln is a farmer and Adjunct Professor in the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Saskatchewan. Previously, she held the position of Assistant Professor and Beef Industry Research Chair in Forages at the University of Saskatchewan. She continues to oversee a small research program and mentor graduate students. Dr. Kelln has also gained experience in various industry roles including agronomy, livestock, consulting and extension. She takes pleasure in engaging with producers and contributing to applied research programs that are pertinent to the industry.

She was brought up on a mixed farm near Duval, SK and still runs a mixed farm with her husband and son, producing commodity grains, beef cattle and commercial laying hens.

Charles Munro

Owner

Charles Munro was raised on a dairy farm in Ontario and from a young age, he knew he wanted to pursue a career as a cowboy. In 1979, at the age of 18, he ventured out west for the summer and immediately fell in love with the lifestyle. After returning east to manage the family farm, start his own family, and work with horses, he eventually made the permanent move back to Alberta in 1994.

Around 2000, Charles began working for feedlots and later established his Contract Cowboy Business in 2005 based on a well-thought-out business plan. His company has served both small and large feedlots in Alberta and Saskatchewan, employing anywhere from 1 to 10 individuals at any given time. Additionally, they engage in buying, training, and selling horses as an extension of their feedlot operations.

Chris Pallister

Owner/Operator

Chris Pallister is a sixth-generation farmer who operates a feedlot and cropping operation in Grey County, near Dundalk, Ontario. The Pallister family has owned the farm since 1873, and Chris works with his partner Claire, four children, father Dale, mother Lynda and sister Lisa to raise and finish beef cattle, as well as manage a cropping operation.

Dr. Diego Moya

Assistant Professor, Western College of Veterinary Medicine

Diego Moya is an Assistant Professor in the Large Animal Clinical Sciences Department at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, which is part of the University of Saskatchewan. His research primarily centers on studying cattle behavior to improve the detection and prevention of health and welfare problems. He aims to create customized treatment plans and proactive management strategies that can minimize painful procedures, as well as decrease the occurrence and severity of respiratory and digestive ailments.

Dr. Greg Penner

Professor, University of Saskatchewan

Dr. Greg Penner is a Professor in the Department of Animal and Poultry Science and holds a Centennial Enhancement Chair in Ruminant Nutritional Physiology at the University of Saskatchewan. He was hired in 2009 after obtaining his bachelor’s degree (2004) and M.Sc. degree (2006) at the University of Saskatchewan, and his PhD from the University of Alberta (2009). Dr. Penner has published over 170 papers in peer-reviewed journals and is a highly sought out speaker providing over 170 invited presentations since appointment. Greg also serves as co-Editor in Chief for the Canadian Journal of Animal Science. 

Dr. Penner’s research focuses on forage utilization, beef and dairy cattle nutrition, and regulation of gastrointestinal function in ruminants. Individual projects range from a focus on fundamental aspects of physiology to those with applied outcomes that can help promote efficient and sustainable beef and dairy production. Through his research program, Dr. Penner has trained 26 undergraduate students, 21 M.Sc. students, 8 Ph.D. students, 4 post-doctoral fellows, and has 1 technician. In addition, Dr. Penner has hosted 5 students from other universities while they conduct a portion of their research under his supervision.

In recognition of his research program, Dr. Penner has been awarded with the Canadian Society of Animal Science Young Scientist Award (2013), the Early Career Research Award from the American Society of Animal Science (2017), the College of Agriculture and Bioresources Dean's New Researcher Award of Excellence (2017), The University of Saskatchewan New Research Award (2019), the Lallemand Research Excellence Award in Dairy Science (2019), and the award for Technical Innovation in Enhancing Safe, Affordable Food from the Canadian Society of Animal Science (2022).

Greg is actively involved in teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels within the Animal Science program in the College of Agriculture and Bioresources. As part of his outreach, Dr. Penner participates as an organizing committee member for the Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference, Western Canadian Dairy Seminar, and the Saskatchewan Pasture Tour. He sits as a board member on Saskatchewan Verified Beef Plus.

Jodie Griffin

Program Coordinator, Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation

Jodie Griffin is the Program Coordinator for the Livestock Price Insurance Program with the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation for the past 10 years. Prior to this, she has been in the cattle industry for the past 30 years predominantly in cattle finance and marketing. Jodie resides with her husband on a ranch near Delisle. They run a cow/calf and yearling operation and in her spare time, participates in the sport of rodeo as a barrel racer.

Kevin Antworth

Saskatchewan Cattle Feeders Association President

Kevin Antworth was raised on a diverse farm in New Brunswick and took charge of a beef herd at the age of twelve. In 1998, he formed a partnership with his brother to expand potato production and established their initial feed yard in 1994. In 2011, he relocated to Saskatchewan where he has overseen commercial feedlots.

Director on following Boards:

• New Brunswick cattle Producers
• New Brunswick Agriculture Advisory Table
• Canadian Cattlemen’s Association
• National Check Off
• Canadian Beef Grading Agency

Kevin Woods

Managing Partner, Westwood Land & Cattle Ltd.

Kevin Woods, a managing partner of Westwood Land & Cattle Ltd. in Moosomin, SK, is part of a family legacy that began with his grandfather and was later carried on by his parents Ken & Judy. Joining the farm in 1990, Kevin has been involved in the growth and development of the operation.

The feedlot, established in 1998 and expanded in 2006, now boasts a capacity for 10,000 head of cattle. In addition to this, there is a 500-cow calf and an 11,000-acre crop operation.

Throughout their journey, Kevin has been supported by not only his dedicated parents but also his wife Penny and their four children—Ty, Jace, Rhett, and Chloe. Together they have continuted to enhancing every facet of the company since its inception.

Dr. Kip Lukasiewicz

Dr Kip L. Lukasiewicz received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 1999 from Kansas State University. Dr. Kip was awarded the “2012 Academy of Veterinary Consultant of the Year.”  He completed the “EVP Beef Health Management Series” from the University of Illinois and Kansas State University in 2018.

He is an equal partner in Production Animal Consultation, LLC, which is the largest beef consulting group in the USA. Dr. Kip’s primary focus is on feedlot consulting, animal handling, and facility design. Dr Kip has trained under the late Bud Williams and has worked and trained extensively with Dr Tom Noffsinger utilizing Bud’s thoughts on “Low Stress Cattle Handling” and caregiving. Dr Kip and PAC partners work and train with over 33% of the US fed cattle industry.

Dr Kip resides in Farwell, NE with his wife (Shelly) and they have two children. He is an active member of the Academy of Veterinary Consultants, Nebraska Veterinary Medical Association and American Association of Bovine Practitioners.  

Production Animal Consultation, LLC
1260 Rose Road
Farwell, NE 68838 USA
01 (402) 760-3939
www.pacdvms.com

Dr. Murray Jelinski

Dr. Jelinski received his DVM from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in 1985. Upon graduation he established a mixed animal practice in Moosomin, Saskatchewan, which he owned and operated for seven years. In 1992 he returned to the WCVM to complete a MSc. degree in epidemiology.

In 1995, he began a career in the Canadian veterinary pharmaceutical industry, starting as Manager of Regulatory Affairs and Product Development for Hoechst Roussel Vet (Regina, Sk) and ending as General Manager for MetaMorphix Canada Inc., an early stage biotechnology company.

In 2005, Murray joined the WCVM as the “Alberta Chair in Beef Cattle Health and Production Medicine.” Dr. Jelinski has a broad range of research interests including: the changing demographics of veterinary practitioners and livestock producers in western Canada; pneumonia and arthritis in feedlot cattle caused by the bacterium Mycoplasma bovis; Toe Tip Necrosis Syndrome in feedlot cattle; Digital Dermatitis (“Hairy Heel”) in feedlot cattle; and internal parasites of pastured yearling cattle.

Pat Hayes

Owner

Patrick Hayes, along with his wife Trudy and their son Drew, operate a grass-fed cattle business near Val Marie, SK. They maintain their own cow herd and reinvest all their calves back into the operation. Additionally, they finish approximately 1,000 head of cattle annually.

Patrick holds an Ag-Associate & Livestock Tech Degree from Dawson Community College in Montana and has been actively involved in cattle politics for many years.

His contributions include roles within the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association (SSGA), Canadian Cattle Association (CCA), and the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (CCIA). Currently, he is a member of the Saskatchewan Cattle Feeders Association (SCFA).

Dr. Roy Lewis

Dr. Roy Lewis graduated from WCVM (Western College of Veterinary Medicine) in 1981 and was a partner at the Westlock Veterinary Clinic until Dec 2012. He has been a large animal practitioner for 40 years mainly in beef cattle (both commercial cattle and purebred herds) & bison. He did have his own bison herd of 70 cows until 2014.

His interests are preventative medicine, fertility both bulls and cows as well as animal welfare. He has written numerous producer articles in magazines such as the Western Producer, Alberta Farmer Express, Grain News, Smoke Signals and several cattle breed magazines.

Roy joined Merck Animal Health 2012 as a technical services veterinarian part time until June 2020. Recently he has done some work for BCRC (Beef Cattle Research Council) helping produce veterinary health educational materials for producers.

He has two kids daughter Cali (A veterinarian graduated 2015 from UCVM) and son Colton a medical resident doctor (Graduated 2019 U of A). Roy spends some time examining and lecturing the veterinary students at the University of Calgary. Roy is also part of a family owned purebred Simmental & Angus cattle (1000 cows), grain and 500 acres of potatoes mixed farming operation near Spruce Grove Alberta - Lewis Farms.