VOLUME 25 ISSUE 1
JANUARY 2025
what’s inside
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KOTOWICH EVERGREEN FARMS RECOGNIZED AS TOP COMMERCIAL BREEDERS FROM THE GATEPOST THE BEEF BUSINESS THAT LIES
BREED IMPROVEMENT PROFIT DRIVERS AND DATA
VET’S ADVICE
“FERAPPEASE” MAY BE A FIT IN YOUR OPERATION
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KOTOWICH EVERGREEN FARMS RECOGNIZED AS TOP COMMERCIAL BREEDERS Paying attention to details has helped the Kotowich family of north-eastern Alberta develop a productive and profitable crossbred Simmental/Hereford cow herd that consistently produces steers that perform well in the feedyard and female calves highly sought after as replacement heifers. Careful genetic selection in their breeding program, along with good herd management over the past 40 years has helped Kotowich Evergreen Farms near St. Paul, AB earn a reputation as producers of quality cattle. It has also earned them recognition as the Alberta Simmental Association Commercial Breeders of the Year in 2024. “We are extremely proud of our farming operation and humbled to be recognized as commercial breeders of the year,” says Paul Kotowich who along with his brother Dennis and their families operate the third generation farm started by their grandma and father who immigrated from Poland back in the 1940s. “It’s been a lot of hard work, but it has been worth it,” says Paul. “We take great pride in our operation and are always working to improve the quality of our cattle. Farming is all we do. We are dedicated to agriculture and proud to be part of such a great industry.” Like most Western Canadian farms in the first half of the 20th century, Kotowich Evergreen Farms had humble beginnings as a mixed farming operation with a few milk cows producing milk for cream, a small beef herd, pigs and chickens as well as some grain land.
DU POSTE DE PORTE LA PRODUCTION BOVINE EST EN PLEIN ESSOR.
Their father Frank worked with his mother to get the farm started and growing slowly. Frank later married Eva and together they raised a family of six children.
AMELIORATION DE LA RACE DONNÉES ET FACTEURS DE PROFIT
Dennis and Paul are the only two who stayed with the family farm. The rest of the siblings have moved on to their own lives and careers. All are still interested in what’s happening on the farm and help when they can such as with cattle drives and during the harvest season.
WHAT’S HAPPENING
During the 1970s and ‘80s the farm began to focus more on building the beef herd as well as grain production, eventually dropping the other elements of the mixed farm. Paul started working on the farm full time in 1983 after completing high school. Unfortunately their dad died in 1993 at the age of 57, which led Dennis to join Paul after completing high school that same year. Their mother Eva still lives on the farm and maintains an active interest in the farm operation. Paul and his wife Sharon have three children, Jonathon, Kristina and Rebecca. Dennis and his wife Gisele also have three children, Megan, Brooke and Tyson. With Sharon involved in her profession as a school teacher and most of their children following their own careers, day-to-day farm operations are handled by Paul, Dennis and his wife Gisele. They are also grateful to have Tyson at young age take a vast interest in helping with the farm workload while attending high school. Brooke also enjoys helping during the busy times on the farm. Paul and Dennis are grateful to have Mike Kaprowski as a full-time hired hand who plays a large role in the calving and grain operation.
Publication Mail Agreement # 40012794 Return Undeliverable: Canadian Simmental Association #13-4101 19th St. NE, Calgary, Alberta Canada, T2E 7C4
Paul, Dennis and their families have also been involved in the 4-H program over the last couple of decades. Dennis believes their success in the 4-H program attributes to the success on their farm. The program provides an opportunity to learn life skills such as communication and teamwork as well as what it means to see hard work and effort create success. “At the end of the day you must be humble but proud of your accomplishments,” he says.
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