Quebec Beef Industry Tour

The CCA semi-annual meeting in Levis, Quebec began with an optional beef industry tour organized by Les Producteurs de bovins du Québec (PBQ). We were pleased to have 80 participants join us for a day of learning and exploration.

Tour attendees at Jules Côté Farm

The day began with a visit to St-Lambert-de-Lauzon Experimental Farm where Research and Development Institute for the Agri-Environment (IRDA) operates a 42-hectare experimental farm on which they carry out research on soil health and water protection. The research teams are able to measure the presence of fertilizers, pesticides, and other pollutants in surface and groundwater using monitoring systems.

Some of the equipment used to monitor greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs)

The farm was set up with stations that gave participants a glimpse into the tools used to measure greenhouse gases and the process through which emissions are gathered and tested. Research into crop rotation and a study of mineral fertilizer and cattle manure was also presented. Participants had lots of time to ask questions which invoked some good discussions.

Next the tour went to Jules Côté Farm, a family farm established in 1979 that raises steers. The farm, which began as a pig farm and expanded into beef, has a 3,300-head feedlot capacity and cultivates 2,600 acres, of which 1,600 acres are corn, 700 acres are soy beans, 200 acres are rye and the remainder is hay.

There are five brothers and their families involved in the operation. Always striving to improve soil quality, the farm grades its manure and has a precision spreader for nitrogen application.

Images of the barn with large cooling fans and open sides

There was lots of discussion about feed quality, diet, nutrient management and feed rations that resulted in an exchange of ideas and opportunities to learn from fellow producers.

Jules Côté Farm is a VBP+/CRSB certified farm and the tour visit was an opportunity to present their certification sign.

The group visited Ti-Paul Orchard, a brewery, cider house, and distillery for lunch. The orchard consists of more than 2,000 fruit trees producing 20 varieties of apples, pears and plums, in addition to fields of raspberries and blueberries. The old renovated barn now houses a brewery, a cider house, a distillery, a shop and a bistro in which tour participants enjoyed braised beef poutine and cheeseburgers.

The final stop on the tour was at Ferme Louber, a VBP+/CRSB certified farm that has raised purebred Charolais and Angus cattle alongside commercial cattle for more than 35 years.

They raise 350 cow-calf units. Every March, they hold a bull sale in their sale ring that can accommodate 200 people.

Throughout the day, there were many discussions about the differences in cattle production across the country. Tour attendees had the opportunity to ask numerous questions which lead to many conversations in the yard, on the buses, at lunch, and in the lobby and on the elevators about shared challenges and opportunities.