When you are raised on a family farm, the bond that you have with your cattle is often understandable, but what is more deep rooted is a love for the farming life.
And that is one of the many reasons that drove Jason Muhlbach to venture into a life crafted around cattle, that is purebred cattle, that was of interest to him.
"My love for the farm never left, on days off or after work, I would still be out helping my dad on his farm," recalled Muhlbach. "Once married, we lived in Stettler for a few years until we could find a place in the country to call our own, and it was then that I bought a few commercial cows and with the help of great friends, I continue to be involved in the farm life."
Muhlbach thinks he has been quite fortunate to buy his first group of purebred Gelbvieh cows and that was when he dug deeper into the breed.
"My dad, along with a bunch of neighbours, had been using Gelbvieh bulls for many years and I really liked what the breed had to offer, so I sold my commercial cows and bought 10 purebred pairs," said Muhlbach. "Finally, after searching for a farm of our own for many years, the right place was available and we bought it."
This resulted with the family farm "Jace Cattle" expanding into a bigger purebred cattle operation, which involved not only Muhlbach, but his wife Tamarra and her two sons, Ryan and Eric.
Muhlbach explained his love for purebred side of things is because of the challenge.
"I like the challenge of trying to create something special and I enjoy the aspect of searching out new genetics and trying to improve my herd through the use of AI (artificial insemination) and embryo transfer," said Muhlbach. "I also enjoy searching for the perfect bull that will create the perfect cross with my cows, a search that will probably never end."
The interaction with potential bull buyers and building relationships with people in the cattle industry is also a part of the matrix, Muhlbach said.
"I have taken up showing cattle and going to a cattle show is like a holiday to me, because at the shows the interaction between other purebred breeders is a very good way to source new genetics and finding out what other breeders are doing that makes them successful," explained Muhlbach. "It is a nice place to put your hard work on display and showcase them to new potential customers and see how they compare to other animals in your breed and other breeds as well."
But raising purebred cattle is not always a win, and not always fun, according to Muhlbach.
"The paperwork and recordkeeping need to be meticulous when you're a purebred breeder and I'm not a fan of that," said Muhlbach.
"When I sell an animal people are spending their hard earned money on, I'm worried that they will not always perform to the best of their abilities, or they will not suit the program, which can be quite stressful and that is why I like to go and tour their program first to see if the animal will suit their needs."
With the cattle prices really strong in the last few years, it is nice to see all of the people who have put a lot of blood sweat and tears into their farming operations finally get rewarded, Muhlbach said.
"But the cattle market still has the ability to fluctuate drastically without notice, because there are so many factors that have to be taken into account that are out of anyone's control that it still makes it a challenge," added Muhlbach. "With the economic downturn now people will be more likely to keep closer tabs on the money going out."
Muhlbach is always looking to raise the bar for purebred, and it's a search that he says will continue forever.