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.