Saskalta Farms is a Canadian breeder of Angus and Chianina cattle. They were breeding Chianina cattle in the 1970s. Saskalta Farms is the breeder of Blackbird Ole Saskalta 3, who is owned by Ken Caryl Cattle Company and is the grand-dam of Ken Caryl Mr Angus 8017. She is also an Angus cow registered with the American Chianina Association, possibly indicating that someone had plans to breed her to a Chianina bull. The American Chianina Association records show that Blackbird Ole Saskalta 3 had one progeny reported to ACA, that calf is Blackbird of Ken Caryl 2744 (Mr Angus' dam). If 2744 is a percentage Chianina, it would explain why she was reported to ACA and why her dam is registered with ACA. It would also explain why Ken Caryl Mr Angus 8017 has a Chianina phenotype, and how he was able to introduce Developmental Duplication into a breed that had no prior history of DD.
Looking at 4S Ponderosa, his sire is Pine Drive Big Sky. Big Sky was a very popular bull, with 22,404 progeny wean weights recorded. Big Sky's dam, Benlock Blackcap 108K, is another cow with dual registry, registered both with the American Angus Association and with the American Chianina Association. ACA records indicate that Benlock Blackcap 108K had 5 progeny, the first calf being Pine Drive Big Sky. Universal Semen Sales has a picture of Pine Drive Big Sky on their website, he is another example of an extremely long, extremely tall (phenotypically Chianina) Angus bull. Pine Drive Big Sky can be found in the pedigree of many very popular Angus bulls.
These two bulls, as well as other bulls like them, had a significant and lasting influence on American cattle. Their Continental influence added growth and lean muscle to more than one over fat British breed of cattle in North America.
