Building the SBL Herd: Semen Contracts

Meanwhile, SBL set out to acquire a superior crossbred and fullblood herd in the most economical method they could devise. They lit on the idea of semen contracts. In other words, if cattlemen were reluctant to try this new breed, SBL would rent their cows, as it were, and drop the proof in front of their eyes.

From the Beef Today Yearbook ‘ 77, we read:

To get semen out in the country, and to get people using Simmental, semen was put into herds in return for the pick of the heifer calves. Later, more herds were contracted and calves bought back at premium prices. The SBL herd grew from the select picking of these calves. As time went on, however, it was more difficult to get the heifer calves back from the herds, because the herd owners were reluctant to part with them. That was the first and best indication the breed was becoming established. / [SBL Director Fenton Webster recalled] “That was a tremendous job. I remember gathering up over 800 calves in Montana one fall — gathering, weighing and tattooing the whole works.” / … The herd SBL assembled was impressive—the pick of the calves contracted from good commercial herds in the U.S. and Canada. In many cases, it was seeing those females as they developed, that sold breeders on the idea. / “Ed Noad [a prominent breeder] came over one afternoon and saw the herd. He said then — if he had that herd in his pasture — he’d figure he had the best herd in the country.” (BTY’77:85)

As reported in “Eleven years later Parisien is still making history” by Edgar Bain, Travers’ brother Frank Smith said:

“… As early as 1968-69 we started to build up a herd referred to as an upgrade herd. We had a large number of cattle as a genetic base.” / Simmental Breeders Ltd acquired 2,000 head of half blood heifers by purchasing semen contracts. Land was leased and up to 12,000 acres were in use. / “We planned to build up a purebred herd through an upgrade herd,” the S.B.L. director points out, “By upgrading from a broad genetic base we felt we would be able to supply the commercial industry’s needs.” (CLJ:Tue.,July 11, 1978)

Problems

Yet in all the greatness of this fantastic Simmental venture, problems also arose that required Travers’ attention: problems of import restrictions; of trying to manage his ranch while away so much; of coping with the varying expectations of investors in the new company, SBL. Much time was spent in negotiating to buy out those who were not prepared or were unable to continue on; yet it seemed that as soon as they were bought out, differences arose with other shareholders. Almost from the beginning, Travers’ dream was plagued by differences of opinion about his “Simmental vision” and the “mission” of SBL.

Travelin’ Travers

With the first crossbred progeny results in for this “new” breed, Travers and SBL began promoting Simmental anywhere they could get an audience. As noted, the reception seemed better in the United States, for many in Cardston and area seemed skeptical—especially the ones that Travers had envisioned would and could profit most from this venture. He had seen so many of them struggle year after year like himself—like their fathers before—and never seemed to get ahead. And so, in the face of their skepticism and sometimes ridicule, Travers turned his attention to those who were more open, hoping for the time when the local people—the “doubting Thomases”—would see the results and be converted for their own good.

Don Jensen said:

“Everywhere Travers went in Canada, he was met with amusement and people laughed at him, but his perseverance carried him on. He was so dedicated and sincere, you couldn’t help but believe in him. / “He spoke anywhere and everywhere he could get an audience with only the meager material he had on hand. At this time, it was pictures he had taken in Europe and the photos of Parisien as a calf and after quarantine. / “There was scanty information and it was just through his dedication and enthusiasm that he got people to use some semen. The Grass Range Hutterite Colony were the first to breed Simmental outside Travers himself and his brother Frank and this came after Travers showed a bunch of slides on the fridge door and gave them a talk. / … “Travers spoke at the Lions Club in Cardston and one of the first questions asked of him was if he really believed all the things he was saying. Well, I tell you, that was the wrong thing to say to Travers because when he got finished, there wasn’t a dry eye in the place. That’s how dedicated he was.”¹

Travers showed slides in public meetings, in hotel rooms, in private homes, on screens, walls and fridge doors. He had a drive and enthusiasm that he had never had before about anything. He was driven by a profound belief in the quality of his product and its potential to improve the lives of thousands of farm and ranch families.

From the article, ‘At SBL They “Breed ‘em all Simmental”’ in Cattlemen, August 1971, we read:

In 1968, as an ambassador of Simmental, Smith visited 20 states in the U.S. where he found an encouraging degree of enthusiasm, and many parts of Canada where the level of enthusiasm was different—in the process he picked up the nickname “Traveling.” (p. 13)

Travers’ pleasure in promoting Simmental was his rest and relaxation. Don Jensen said:

If anybody would listen he’d stay there [promoting] 24 hours a day.

In speaking with Ted Pritchett, Don Jensen recalled how:

Travers would be on that cement for 14 hours a day sometimes until his ankles would swell up so bad he could hardly walk. But he always invited folks back to the room to show them slides and the room was crowded with people almost every night. I’ve never seen anything like it — I don’t know where the man got all his energy, because I never saw him down. Not once in all the years I travelled with him, did I ever hear him wonder if all the work was worth it. He never deviated from his goal and he never lost his dedication.²

In the Simmental Shield, July 15, 1987, Miles McCarry of Curtiss Breeding Service wrote:

All we had to do was “sell” Simmental to people who had never heard of the breed and AI to cattlemen who didn’t want to hear about it. After that, Travers said, Parisien semen would sell itself! … / Travers took a bunch of good slides while he was in France. Later, he got some great shots of Parisien calves. He literally hit the road with them—and with almost missionary zeal. / He traveled wherever grass grew. He spoke at meetings set up by Curtiss distributors. Between meetings, he “talked” his slides in bunkhouses and kitchens. / Travers, to coin a phrase, was the kind of guy you would buy a used car from. His honest enthusiasm sold the Simmental idea—sold it well enough to get a lot of cattlemen “messing” with AI, too. / Net result: Parisien calves started popping up all over the place. People who saw them wanted some just like them. Simmental sizzle! We started to gain momentum! (pp. 1A, 6A)

But even with the frenetic pace of these early days, Travers took time in (January-?)1968 and January 1969 for further education at The Stockmen’s School, sponsored by the Agriservices Foundation and conducted in cooperation with Arizona State University at Tempe. He was always open to new ideas and improved methods.

portion of a news item from the Fort Collins Coloradoan, October 1968

-----------/
1. Simmental Country:Aug1987:37
2. Simmental Country:Aug1987:44

Progeny Pictures

1st half-blood Simmental in North America.
Born March 17, 1968 on K. N. Stewart Ranch near Cardston, AB.

From Parisien and average commercial Hereford cow owned by B.Y. Williams.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

All pictures are from one of a set of identical photo albums
that SBL used in its promotional meetings beginning 1968

Parisien Progeny

from SBL promotional photo album

Excitement was mounting and by the spring of 1968 (about 1 month before the second group of imports arrived from Grosse-Île for on-farm quarantine), SBL had Parisien calves on the ground¹ and facts to back Travers’ enthusiasm. Parisien’s progeny testing began immediately and the results were all that Travers and SBL had hoped for and expected.

With progeny facts and hundreds of pictures, SBL stepped up its promotional campaign. SBL shareholder Fenton Webster recalled that Ottawa was one of their first stops. They were allotted 20 minutes to meet with the Canadian Minister of Agriculture, Bud Olsen, but their meeting lasted over an hour. They also met with the Veterinary Director General, Dr. Ken Wells, and Fenton wrote: “I’ve never seen such enthusiasm.” But somehow the reception in Canada remained cool. Their first big break came at a Performance Registry International meeting in Sheridan, Wyoming where the interest was keen.²

Travers wrote:

… The success of our venture was due, I am sure, to the need that the ranchers had for this [Simmental] information and their readiness at this time to accept the good news. ... From there on our story criss-crosses the United States and Canada … ³

from Cardston Alberta's local newspaper, Cardston Unlimited, March 20, 1968

-------------------/
1. The first crossbred, half-simmental calf was born on March 17, 1968 on the K.N. Stewart Ranch near Cardston Alberta to a cow owned by B.Y. Williams. Its birth weight was 70 lbs.
2. Beef Today Yearbook, '77:82
3. "The Importation: Selecting the first Canadian Simmentals" by Travers Smith, Simmental Shield, October 1970, pp. 8-10.

The CDA Imports

(From Chp. 3 ~ titled "Building the Business," in a book begun several years ago by SMSmith to document the early history of SBL and Simmental in North America.)

During that fall of 1967 as the Swiss and French cattle imports were being placed in the Brest quarantine, it came to the attention of SBL that there was another significant importation of French Simmental (Pie Rouge)—the buyers being the Canadian government—importing 8 heifers and 4 bulls. The stated purpose was for research only, but to SBL it felt like direct competition from a "deep-pocket" of taxed-funded dollars.

SBL had been enthusiastically open with the CDA, sharing all the information they had, knowing vigorous competition would come soon enough from other private ventures—which was expected and even welcomed from the point-of-view of building the breed. But SBL had not expected the Canadian government to get into the business at ground level. It shook the faith of some that a little back-county group of struggling ranchers had the resources or chutzpah to get themselves on the map, literally and financially.

Jack G. Stothard, Director of the Lacombe Research Station in Alberta, had done the buying in France in July 1967 for the CDA. Their Simmental (Pie Rouge) bull imports from France for 1967/68 were: Pacific, born 12 Dec. 1966; Petunia, born 21 Dec. 1966; Quadrille, born 3 Jan. 1967; Quartier, born 6 Jan. 1967.

But SBL knew they still had a few trumps to keep themselves alive. With their 1966/67 import, Parisien, nearing his final quarantine, and with the breeding progam they had already initiated, SBL would have the first Simmental-sired cross-bred calves in North America dropping before the second batch of Simmental and Pie Rouge imports had finished their quarantines.

But of course everything rested on Parisien and his calves. If the calving was hard; if the calves didn't show gainability; if they lacked eye-appeal; if …, if …, if …, there wouldn't be a whole lot to promote.

In Fenton Webster's words in later years:

We never really had any doubts, but it was a relief to get a good set of calves and that gave us real confidence.¹

----------------/
1. Beef Today Yearbook, 1977, p. 80

2.07: Spreading the Simmental Word (& Semen)

(From Chp. 2 ~ 1967, titled "The Dream Lives," in a book begun several years ago by SMSmith to document the early history of SBL and Simmental in North America.)

With Parisien, the only Simmental (Pie Rouge) bull in North America, beginning his final stage of quarantine in Alberta (April to July 1967) the SBL men became intent on getting the word out; and with A.I. being the only way to get Simmental spreading rapidly throughout North America, semen collection began almost immediately. Don Jensen, a local A.I. technician, did the collection until shortly after the on-farm quarantine ended when Parisien was moved to Prairie Breeders (PB) near Calgary—the first company contracted to handle semen collection and distribution.¹

Inspection Certificate releasing Parisien from Canadian on-farm quarantine

Travers wrote:

Our first objective in bringing Simmental to this country was to improve our own herds, but after the first bull had arrived we saw the great potential of spreading the breed further through artificial insemination. After some discussion, our group decided to use the personal contact method to tell the story. We had received many pictures on slides from Switzerland of their cattle. We made a slide presentation with a lecture to go along with it and then made our contacts with the A.I. units’ field representatives to set up meeting in different areas. As we progressed with this program, the press and agricultural periodicals gave us good coverage and so the story was spread also by this means.²

It soon became evident that the United States was going to be SBL’s best market so SBL went looking for additional organizations to handle the distribution of Parisien's semen. By October 1967, Curtiss Breeding Service in Cary, Illinois was contracted to handle the U.S. distribution of the frozen semen collected by PB.

Of this beginning promotion, Travers wrote:

The Curtiss representatives met me first at Sioux City, Neb. and our first meeting was at O'Neill. The second showing was given the following morning in a ranch house on a refrigerator door. The rancher was immediately sold and ordered enough semen to cover his whole herd. / Excitement continued to follow us as we told our story from place to place through Nebraska and South Dakota and the on to Billings, Mont., where we attended the annual meeting of the Montana Beef Performance Association. We were well received there by 30 or 40 members of that association in a quickly called meeting in a room at the hotel.³



early interest expressed in a letter to
betterbeefbusiness, January 1968


SBL's first sheaf of promotional information was an 11 page, legal-size, Swiss-generated compilation of facts, figures, and sales pitch for the Simmental breed called, "The Simmental Story." There were no glossy pictures, just that lengthy, type-written summary. Swiss Cattle Federation brochures were also used for a time.

And of course, as soon as it was possible, the SBL men began breeding their own cattle to Parisien. They knew the proof would be in the progeny.

Subsequent Semen distributors: By the time the second group of imports had arrived (Spring 1968), B.C. Artificial Insemination Centre at Milner, BC (BCAI) and Western Breeders Service Ltd. at Balzac, Alberta (WBS) had also been contracted. In early 1970, Parisien was moved from PB to WBS at Balzac.

Over the next few years, several other breeder services would also become distributors for SBL including: ABS of DeForest, WI; Carnation Breeding Service of Carnation, WA; Cache Valley Breeding Association of Logan, UT; and KABSU of Manhattan, KS.

And during the many long months when Parisien began the promotional tour-circuit, mostly in the U.S., his handler (and SBL's first employee), the A.I. technician, Don Jensen, made the many arrangements to keep collection and distribution flowing steady.

--------------/
1. In 1969, the price per vial for Parisien was listed at $10.00.
2. Simmental Shield, October 1970, p. 9
3. From pp. 9-10 of BTS notes as published in Simmental Shield, October 1970, pp. 8-10

Pictures ~ 1967 Imported Bulls

Imports were selected in 1967 and were released from Canadian on-farm quarantine in the spring, 1968. These are early photos probably taken shortly thereafter of the bulls: Sultan (SBL 2X), Capitaine (SBL 4Y), and Firn (SBL 5Y). These photos were part of a set of photo albums prepared by SBL for information purposes. Each album contained about 30 pictures which were generally numbered and accompanied by relevant information. There were several identical albums and were an influential part of SBL's early promotional and information strategies.



Travers Smith is in all the photos



Imports Selected ~ 1967

(From Chp. 2 ~ 1967, titled "The Dream Lives," in a book begun several years ago by SMSmith to document the early history of SBL and Simmental in North America.)

The SBL selection of seven Simmental that entered the 1967 quarantine process (released from quarantine in 1968) were:

Bulls:	Date of Calving
Sultan MM2156 (SBL 2X; ASA 4; CSA 3)	Dec. 13, 1966
Capitaine MM1236 (SBL 4Y; ASA 7; CSA 7)	Feb. 5, 1967
Firn MM7298 (SBL 5Y; ASA 8; CSA 8)	March 12, 1967

Heifers:	Date of Calving
Uganda (SBL 3X; CSA 2)	n/a
Lotte (SBL 1Y; CSA 4)	n/a
Bella (SBL 2Y; CSA 5)	n/a
Anita (SBL 3Y; CSA 6)	n/a

The SBL Brown Swiss import was called Aron with a Swiss registration of 4696 Egg.

The only other Swiss Simmental import of 1967/68 was a bull calf named Bismark (calved Feb 20, 1967), owned by L K Ranches Ltd., of Bassano AB. He was farm-quarantined in Ontario and subsequently left there for stud, but soon proved to be an exceptional bull as well.

Import Permits ~ 1967

Below are copies of permit info sent to Travers which opened Switzerland to Canadian importers. The 8 SBL shareholder permits brought in 3 Simmental bulls, 4 Simmental heifers, and 1 Brown Swiss bull for the 1967/68 cycle:

2.06: Swiss Permits ~ at last !!

(From Chp. 2 ~ 1967, titled "The Dream Lives," in a book begun several years ago by SMSmith to document the early history of SBL and Simmental in North America.)

Finally, under date of 19 July 1967, eight permits for the importation of cattle from France/Switzerland were issued to the SBL shareholders, one each to:

Travers Smith; B.Y. Williams; Hans Ulrich
Frank R. Smith; Harold Watson; H. J. Blackmore
O.T. Bingham; S.B. Williams

The telegrams sent July 20 announcing the long-awaited news, prompted a flood of relief. All the hard work, the stress, the aggravations had come to a joyful conclusion. Their selected Swiss calves were still unvaccinated—ready and waiting to enter the first stage of testing and quarantine.

The SBL Importers had not seen any of their selected cattle personally, but they had studied their pedigrees and with the help of Mr. Aegerter, Mrs. Hofer, and Hans Ulrich's father (Hans Ulrich, Sr.) "who did a good job of selection" they ended up with seven more Simmental, 4 heifers and 3 bulls in the works, plus one Brown Swiss, for their eight permits.

Their planning ahead had rewarded them with seven of the eight Simmental cattle imported out of Switzerland that year of 1967/68. The comprehensive vaccination program of the Swiss, plus the delayed timeline left other importers with no place to go but France. The SBL shareholders good fortune in managing to keep their Swiss options open was almost beyond their belief considering the numerous hurdles they had encountered.

Sampling of communications ~ January-August 1967

▪ Jan 30: Fenton Webster writes to MP David Thompson in Ottawa for assistance in Swiss importation
▪ Jan. 31: Travers receives telegram from CSwissCBF about cattle selections
▪ Feb. 1: FW telephones MP and records notes of conversation
▪ Feb. 6: Letter from CDA-Vets re Swiss. situation
▪ Feb. 9: Letter from CSwissCBF
▪ Feb. 14: Letter from CDA acknowledging request for permit for importing cattle from Switzerland
▪ Feb 27: Letter from CDA re final costs of 1966 importation of Parisien
▪ Mar. 1: Letter from CSwissCBF updating situation on tentative imports
▪ Mar. 2: Letter from Swiss Federal Vets to CDA
▪ Mar. 3: Letter from CDA concerning release date from Grosse-Ile for 1966/67 import, Parisien
▪ Mar. 6: Letter to Travers from J.J. Greene, Canada Minister of Agriculture advising of intended visit of Senior Veterinary official’s visit to Switzerland and France in early May.
▪ Mar. 7: CDA Letter to Swiss Federal Vets concerning importation matters
▪ Mar. 8: Letter from CDA acknowledging receipt of Travers’ permit request for “three head of Simmental cattle from Switzerland in 1967 ....”
▪ Mar. 10: Letter to CDA re concerns about delayed release of 1966/67 imports
▪ Mar. 14: Letter from CDA replying to Mar. 10 letter
▪ Mar. 18: Swiss Federal Vets letter to CDA
▪ Mar. 21; CDA letter to Travers re on-farm quarantine protocol
▪ Mar. 23: CDA letter to Travers re his March 16 query about possible Ag. Research interest in Simmental
▪ Mar. 29: 2nd page of CSwissCBF letter to Travers re progress update
▪ Apr. 28: CDA-Vets letter to CswissCBF advising of delayed visit and acknowledging complications that it creates for Switzerland and importers
▪ May 2: Letter to Travers from CDA advising that a final decision had not been made, but accompanied by a 7-page “1967 Conditions for the Importation of Cattle from France, Switzerland approved by the Veterinary Director General, Health of Animals Branch, Canada Department of Agriculture
▪ May 11: Letter to CDA from CSwissCBF about May 15 visit and attempts to delay vaccination of selected cattle
▪ May 16: CDA reply to above
▪ May 16: Letter from CDA to Alberta Vet re insemination protocol of quarantined animals
▪ Jun 22: Letter from CDA to Travers re the “group” import requests
▪ Jul. 19: Permit letters for importation to Travers, B.Y. Williams, Hans Ulrich, Frank R. Smith, Harold Watson, H.J. Blackmore, O.T. Bingham, S.B. Williams; and copy of actual permit issued to “Mr. Travers Smith”
▪ Jul. 20: Telegram to Travers advising of import permit
▪ Aug. 25: Letter from S.E.P.A. re Parisien registration papers

A Flurry of Letters

The pace of investigation, inspection, negotiating, and decision-making seemed agonizingly slow as the clock ticked toward vaccination and quarantine deadlines in Switzerland for the cattle selected for the Canadian importers. Letters, telephone calls, questions, and replies were flowing in all directions. Not all can be reproduced here, but a sample listing (January through August 1967) follows the reproduction of 3 representative letters:

Parisien Pics ~ 1967

Parisien would become SBL 1X; ASA #1; and CSA #1, and would become the first Simmental Golden Certified Meat Sire in the world. (As noted at p. 2 of the SBL Beef Sires brochure of 1971.)


from The A.I.Digest ~ Dec. 1967



2.05: First Impressions

(From research/ writings by SMSmith, 2000 AD)

It is interesting to note that many cattlemen were not initially impressed with Parisien. A few of these first impressions were recorded in the Simmental Country, August 1987 (reprinted from September 1980 issue) as follows:

Don Jensen laughs as he recalls, “I don’t remember the first time I saw Parisien, but I remember what I thought. The first thing that struck me was his color. On first glance, he looked like a Guernsey, but on looking at him close, you could see there was more to him. He really did look like a big slab sided ol’ calf though.” // … “Yes, I guess I was skeptical just like everybody else, until I saw those first calves. The year after the bull came in, I saw the calves and I couldn’t believe what I saw, so I went and got another fellow to see if he saw the same thing. Those calves were six inches taller, six inches longer and 100 pounds heavier than anything else and the proof was standing right there in front of you. That’s when I became a believer!” (pp. 37 & 44)

Rodney James: ... I must confess that I was not very impressed at the time with Parisien. As mentioned earlier, the Charolais breeders were importing extremely thick, muscular cattle and Parisien really didn’t fit that pattern. Believe me, there wasn’t a lot of interest in Simmental at the time. It is my understanding that a one half interest in Parisien could’ve been purchased for less than $5,000.00. (p. 24)

Wes Alm: ... After asking [a] neighbour what he thought of the new bull Parisien, I quote, he answered: “What the hell — we’ve had Black and White Holsteins for as long as I can remember. This one is red and white but he’s still a … Holstein.” (p. 50)

Doug Blair: In 1967 Travers and his Group Simmental Breeders Limited brought the bull Parisien to Canada and housed him at Prairie Breeders which was just starting at that time. I went to see Parisien in the summer of 1967 and concluded that he looked like a Guernsey bull as he was thin, narrow and not very “beef like” in my opinion. Travers and his Group however campaigned hard on the merits of the Simmental breed to introduce milk production as well as growth rate to North America. I recall that they were more successful in the USA than in Canada at the time. ... ( p. 106)

Counting Costs

(From Chp. 2 ~ 1967, titled "The Dream Lives," in a book begun several years ago by SMSmith to document the early history of SBL and Simmental in North America.)

When at last Parisien arrived at the Smith ranch in Mt. View, Alberta on Friday, April 7, 1967 to commence his final farm-quarantine period, his total direct costs could be calculated at:

Item:	Cnd Dollars
Farm Price (France)	$ 3,620.00
CDA fee	600.00
Brest quarantine fee	25.00
CCA Administration/animal	40.00
Insurance	438.00
Shipping Brest to Grosse-Ile	300.00
CDA Quarantine charge-G.Ile	450.00
Shipping Grosse-Ile to QB	50.00
Shipping QB to AB	65.00
TOTAL	5,588.00

Other costs relating to phone bills, travel expenses, bank charges,  SBL incorporation ($170.00), and partial loan repayment ($1,000.00)  left the 8 shareholder/investors with $534.00 remaining of their $8,000.00 budget (being shareholder deposits of $500.00 each and loan guarantees of another $500.00 each). They could use more investors, more loans, and a whole lot of success. They were already in motion with a flurry of letters and calls and promo-prep as Parisien began his last-stage Alberta quarantine.

Before long (on July 20, 1967), they were greeting the end of the on-farm quarantine with great elation and expectation.

2.04: Parisien Comes West

(From Chp. 2 ~ 1967, titled "The Dream Lives," in a book begun several years ago by SMSmith to document the early history of SBL and Simmental in North America.)

At last, with a river boat equipped to maneuver safely through ice-laden waters, the imports were taken to the mainland where most were then shipped by CNR to their destinations. Parisien arrived in Calgary and was trucked to Mountain, View, arriving Friday, April 7, 1967, to the great excitement of Travers and his colleagues. Their plans were to breed him to perhaps as many as 250 females and to draw semen during the quarantine period.

At 14 months of age and weighing 1,200 pounds, he was an attraction of considerable interest and amusement by some who called him “the red and white Holstein.”

The year was 1967, the second year of the European imports and the bull was indeed about as far out of place as a bull could be. Long, lean, tall and not heavily muscled, he was in complete contrast to every beef breed here at the time. Even the new Charolais French imports, while taller and bigger than the British breeds, were thick, and heavily muscled. The domestic Purebred Charolais were tall, long and lean, but their breeders were crossing them with the new French imports to get them thicker, more muscled and heavier boned. / Parisien, it seemed, was the thorn among the roses. In later years, he became just that—only he became a thorn in the side of the established British breeds.¹

--------/
1. From Beef Today Yearbook ’77:76

Letters ~ CDA, March 1967

2.03: Prolonged Quarantine ~ Grosse-Ile

(From Chp. 2 ~ 1967, titled "The Dream Lives," in a book begun several years ago by SMSmith to document the early history of SBL and Simmental in North America.)

By early January 1967, the Grosse-Ile quarantine and tests seemed to be progressing smoothly with an expected release from Grosse-Ile quarantine by early March. The subsequent 90-day on-farm quarantine would then be over about the end of May, still leaving sometime within the A.I. season to make semen and servicing available for the 1967 year. But again ice and other conditions prevailed so the transit date was set back to March 27 which proved a shocking announcement to the SBL shareholders who were counting on some return in the 1967 year to help keep their venture afloat.

However, the CDA's letter of March 14, 1967 outlined some options such as semen collection and storage during farm quarantine for use after quarantine, and the adding of females to the quarantine unit for natural breeding or insemination during the quarantine period. These options would alleviate some of the losses expected by delays in the final quarantine release date.

Letters ~ CDA Jan. 1967

2.02: Opening of Switzerland ?!!

(From Chp. 2 ~ 1967, titled "The Dream Lives," in a book begun several years ago by SMSmith to document the early history of SBL and Simmental in North America.)

A portion of the dynamics leading to the opening of Switzerland for Canadian importation is documented in the letters reproduced herein.

It was a tense time for the SBL shareholders. On the one hand they were forging ahead with their cattle selection in Switzerland, while on the other, they could not get a commitment from the Canadian government as to whether permits would be issued for even France, because of reported foot-and-mouth problems cropping up throughout Europe. The problems were compounded by a Swiss decision to vaccinate all calves over 6 weeks of age as a control measure, commencing on February 15. If exemptions weren't granted for the proposed Canadian exports, it would leave the Swiss cattle selectors for SBL with a limited choice of calves born January or later as only they would escape the vaccination program.

In addition, the Swiss were approaching France for transit permission to allow selected unvaccinated Swiss cattle intended for Canada to be transported through France to the Brest Quarantine facility as Switzerland, being landlocked, did not have any port facility available. The French were not responding with the haste required to ease everyone's minds. The politics of it all had to be considered as well. If the foot-and-mouth outbreak in the south of France closed France to exports for the 1967 year, it was highly doubtful France would consent to the transit of Swiss animals to their Brest Quarantine facility. It was also highly doubtful that Canada would close France and yet use its Quarantine facility for Swiss cattle in the unlikely event that a closed France allowed the transit of Swiss cattle.

Under date of March 6, 1967 the CDA advised the anxious importers that senior Canadian veterinary officials would be visiting France and Switzerland in early May to assess the disease situation and to determine if any imports would be allowed at all.

Nonetheless, the CDA was receiving numerous applications for import permits, one being an application by Travers Smith to import three head of Simmental cattle from Switzerland which was acknowledged by the CDA under date of March 8, 1967. But with other applications from SBL shareholders also pending, SBL and the Swiss were anticipating that SBL would be importing 4 bulls and 6 heifers if SBL shareholders could get the desired number of permits.

At last, under date of 18 March 1967, the Swiss Veterinary authorities advised the Canadian Veterinary Department that France's transit permission had been obtained. But that did not take care of the foot-and-mouth problems nor the looming date of May 15 when all unvaccinated Swiss calves that had escaped the prior vaccination order would be subject to vaccination. Such vaccination would entirely compromise the SBL cattle selection. In addition, it would make it virtually impossible for any other interested importer to import from Switzerland in 1967 as they would have no access to unvaccinated calves of sufficient age to enter the testing and quarantine timeline.

Then another hair-pulling missive arrived—the senior Canadian Veterinary official would not be able to make his health-inspection trip to France and Switzerland until May 15. The Commission of Swiss Cattle Breeders' Federation had no recourse but to seek a delay of vaccination for the SBL selected animals. It was just one hurdle after another.

But the CDA letter to Travers under date of May 2, 1967, with its 7-page "1967 Conditions for the Importation of Cattle from France and Switzerland" proved a bright note. Switzerland was almost open!! Everything now rested on whether disease conditions would be favorable for both countries. If France failed, there would be no imports from either place. If France passed the Canadian health inspection, then hopefully Switzerland would too—and all would be in order.

SBL Shareholders

This photo, probably taken in the early 1970s, shows the long-term shareholders of SBL.

 Back row, L to R: Travers Smith, Harold Watson, Frank Smith, Fenton Webster // Front row: Hans Ulrich, Dale Lynch
Photographer is unknown at this time.

2.01: SBL Expands

(From Chp. 2 ~ 1967, titled "The Dream Lives," in a book begun several years ago by SMSmith to document the early history of SBL and Simmental in North America.)

As Parisien wend his way through the testing and quarantine process, the work of planning for his arrival and promotion heated up. In January 1967, SBL invited 2 new Alberta members into the venture: Fenton Webster of Mountain View and Hans Ulrich of Clareshom; each paying $1,000.00, plus receiving shares for promoting the breed.¹

Fenton Webster was a Mountain View rancher; Hans Ulrich, a native of Switzerland, who had moved to Canada in 1958. Ulrich had superintended the outstanding Hereford breeding program at Claresholm Alberta for a Dr. Ammon. Steers from the bulls of this herd out-performed all tested breeds at the Bassano, AB Performance Testing Program conducted by the Alberta Beef Cattle Performance Association in 1965-66.

(Toward the end of 1968 Dale Lynch of Cary, Illinois joined the group, the only U.S. resident/citizen amongst the SBL shareholders. At the time, he was a livestock management consultant and employee of Curtiss Breeding Service of Cary, Illinois.)

Douglas G. Blair of Western Breeders Service Ltd., Balzac, AB, wrote the following:

Travers also had interesting business philosophies and I recall him telling me that he had some difficulties with his original shareholders when he wanted to bring Hans Ulrich and Dale Lynch into the ownership of the company soon after it started. He told me that some of his shareholders thought that they were watering down the stock but he thought that with the addition of these two men that they would be irrigating the stock.²

Also in 1968, Travers' six children, incorporating as S-6 Ranch Limited, purchased the shares of J.H. Blackmore whose health precluded him from continuing in the company. By 1970, four original shareholders, S.B. Williams, B.Y. Williams, O.T. Bingham, and Guy Bowlby, had sold their shares back to the remaining ones.

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1. As reported in a quote by Fenton Webster at p. 11 in the article "SBL: Foundation Simmental Breeders in North America," Simmental Scene, July 1978, pp. 10-14 & 66-67.
2, "Where Were You in '67?" Simmental Scene, August1987:106

CSwissCBF Offer ~ Dec. 1966

That groundbreaking year of 1966 ended with Parisien in Canadian quarantine on Canadian soil; with the SBL men planning and working optimistically for the future; and with the Commission of Swiss Cattle Breeders Federation and Swiss Federal Veterinary Office cooperating in every way.

Parisien's "Maiden" Voyage

Rodney James, in his "Simmentals Legacy" account reported that

"On October 29, 1966 the Cimbria [a Clausen Steamship cattle vessel from Copenhagen, Denmark] left Brest [France] with the second importation consisting of 177 Charolais heifers, 37 Charolais bulls, PLUS PARISIEN - Number One."¹

A report in the Canadian Journal of Comparative Medicine and Veterinary Science² gives differing numbers for the 1966/67 French Charolais importation (40 bulls & 175 heifers), but regardless, Parisien's maiden voyage was as a single, red-and-white spotted-wonder amidst two hundred plus, solid-white "exotics."

More research is needed to confirm this, but a POSSIBLE picture of the Cimbria may be the one found at http://www.shipspotting.com/modules/myalbum/photo-23660-Cimbriahref=%22 ; or perhaps at http://www.shipspotting.com/modules/myalbum/photo-23660-Cimbria

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1. Quote found at p. 107, Simmental in Canada: 1967-2005 Celebrating 38 Years of Progress by Gerry Kaumeyer; Rodney James article consists of pp. 105-109.
2. Canadian Journal of Comparative Medicine and Veterinary Science, Volume 31(5); May 1967 (Notice), http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1494673/pdf/vetsci00006-0002.pdf

Parisien ~ progress reports

(This importation number of 229 is reduced in later reports. It seems the final import count for 1966/67 was 215 or 216.)

1.15: Parisien ~ payment

(From Chp. 1 ~ 1966, titled "Foundation Work," in a book begun several years ago by SMSmith to document the early history of SBL and Simmental in North America.)

Under date of 28 September 1966, Travers was advised by S.E.P.A. that his first choice, Parisien, had passed all on-farm tests and had been moved to the Brest Quarantine station on September 25. The amount paid to S.E.P.A. on Oct. 21, 1966 by Travers and his associates was 16,500 fr. with a Canadian currency equivalent of $3,630.00. The reasons for the adjustment from the invoice amount of 17.500 fr. were set out in Travers letter to S.E.P.A. of Oct. 18, 1966 and related to costs associated with the 2nd replacement bull calf that did not enter the testing program.

By October 1966, the 244 Charolais and the one Simmental (Pie Rouge) had successfully completed their Brest tests and under the watchful eye of the Charolais Association were readied for shipment by cattle boat for an eight day passage to Grosse-Ile, Quebec to begin the third stage of processing.

(There appears to be a typo in the S.E.P.A letter: the adjustment of 100 Frs. was probably meant to read 1000 Frs.)