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

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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.