Valanjou Charolais

Based near Clyde, Alberta, Valanjou Charolais is a premier, multi-generational operation managed by Phillipe Lusson along with his family. Established in 1967 by Henri and Odette Lusson, the ranch is a foundational pillar of the breed in Canada, having imported the influential French sire Gascon in 1970 to establish a herd renowned for its Full French and French-influenced genetics. Their breeding philosophy prioritizes producing "real-world" performance cattle that excel in fertility, maternal excellence, and heavy weaning weights, ensuring commercial profitability through consistent growth and superior carcass quality. By maintaining a rigorous selection process and developing bulls on balanced, high-roughage rations, the Lussons provide rugged, athletic seedstock that has been exported internationally and continues to influence herds across North America. Their decades of dedication were honored with the Alberta Charolais Association's "Purebred Breeder of the Year" award in 2016 and the 50-Year Breeder Award in 2022.