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N

Northern Rancher

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 10, 2005
Messages
12,247
Location
saskatchewan
One thing about the cow market getting a bit better .40-mid .50's-they are coming to town in droves now. We had probably 500 at the yards yestyerday-what gets me is they are from soup to nuts-a friend sold a simmy X cow weighed 2045 and there were little british cows in there at 900. I can't believe is how unsound some cattle still are-there were some feet and udders that came through that sure didn't happen overnight-it would be interesting if they had a soundness e'p'd kind of a % of what each bulls daughters got culled for feet, udders and temperament. On the home front we sorted off three more EXT derivatives to can starting to see light at the end of the tunnel at getting rid of that curse. One of my friends sent one to town yesterday and she cleaned the alley for a few minutes.
 
So are you useing 4X13 in any breeding program's? I've got 1 yearling heifer pretty fancy type and quiet as long as you don't crowd her. She get's hot real easy.
 
If a customer requests an EXT bull I'll supply them with product but I sure won't recommend that bloodline to anybody. So far nobody has requested any 4X13-small nuts and high heads don't really fly up here. I'm sure he's sired some good cattle but that attitude is just too much of a wild card deal with EXT cattle.
 
Northern Rancher said:
The plant at Brooks quit killing cows too-that sure isn't good news at all.
Click to expand...

Even with all the news, cows sold good here today. Cows in good condition here brought .48-.54. We were pretty worried before the sale, it is a looong ways from here to High River!!
 
Somehow it just isn't in me to feel sorry for those SOB's. They will stay out until the market "adjusts" to the profit taking level they've gotten used to and then start buying again.
 
randiliana said:
Northern Rancher said:
The plant at Brooks quit killing cows too-that sure isn't good news at all.
Click to expand...

Even with all the news, cows sold good here today. Cows in good condition here brought .48-.54. We were pretty worried before the sale, it is a looong ways from here to High River!!
Click to expand...

It may be a long way to High River but I doubt Cargill will be killing cows there any time soon - never have, never will. I don't know how big news Brooks quitting killing cows is either - they can still do it at their old crappy Calgary plant. Isn't this just a seasonal reality? cow cull drops just as young cattle marketings rise?
 
Grassfarmer said:
randiliana said:
Northern Rancher said:
The plant at Brooks quit killing cows too-that sure isn't good news at all.
Click to expand...

Even with all the news, cows sold good here today. Cows in good condition here brought .48-.54. We were pretty worried before the sale, it is a looong ways from here to High River!!
Click to expand...

It may be a long way to High River but I doubt Cargill will be killing cows there any time soon - never have, never will. I don't know how big news Brooks quitting killing cows is either - they can still do it at their old crappy Calgary plant. Isn't this just a seasonal reality? cow cull drops just as young cattle marketings rise?
Click to expand...

Whoops, I meant Calgary, just got my conversations mixed up :oops:
 
randiliana said:
Grassfarmer said:
randiliana said:
Even with all the news, cows sold good here today. Cows in good condition here brought .48-.54. We were pretty worried before the sale, it is a looong ways from here to High River!!
Click to expand...

It may be a long way to High River but I doubt Cargill will be killing cows there any time soon - never have, never will. I don't know how big news Brooks quitting killing cows is either - they can still do it at their old crappy Calgary plant. Isn't this just a seasonal reality? cow cull drops just as young cattle marketings rise?
Click to expand...

Whoops, I meant Calgary, just got my conversations mixed up :oops:
Click to expand...

GF, they have been killing cows at least one day a week all winter in High River. Several of my friends and neighbors work there. Lots of full term cows calve at the plant. Next door neighbor brings them home and bottle babies them.
 
One thing I like about brand inspecting, is I fill out the Transportation Permits(A-Forms), so I know where they're all going. Anything I A-Form for an XL buyer goes to Calgary, and I've A-Formed plenty this winter that have gone to Cargill. Not nearly as many cows as XL, like per said, it's once a week.

As for full term cows, I've seen them calve right before being loaded, calve after getting off the truck, and drivers pulling dead calves out of the bottom of their trailers. That is the one thing I don't like about this job. You end up witness to all that makes groups like PETA scream and shout.
 
We have a friend that hauled cattle, too, and he would echo just
what Pure was just talking about. And the way the truckers handle
the cattle just about made him ill. Some of the cattle should not have even been at the sale barn, which of course, is not the truckers fault.
But we still have this part of our industry that needs to get on board about how they treat livestock.

Curt Pate has been spending his time going all over the country teaching 'low-stress' handling procedures to producers and at Livestock Auctions to help employees understand how to work cattle quietly.

I'm proud to call Curt 'friend', and I think I will mention to him about the trucker handling part of the industry. He's probably already on it!!! :)

For anyone interested here is a link to his work (as an example) at a Houston Livestock Auction.
http://www.cattlelearningcenter.org/pdfs/NC_Oct_08-manLessStressIsGoo.pdf
 
FH, I don't have details, but there are now Beef QUality Assurance (BQA) type programs for both sale barns and truckers. Long overdue!!! Now, if we could just get the producers who ship 'trouble' either out of the business or trained to clean up their acts.........

mrj
 
PureCountry said:
One thing I like about brand inspecting, is I fill out the Transportation Permits(A-Forms), so I know where they're all going. Anything I A-Form for an XL buyer goes to Calgary, and I've A-Formed plenty this winter that have gone to Cargill. Not nearly as many cows as XL, like per said, it's once a week.

As for full term cows, I've seen them calve right before being loaded, calve after getting off the truck, and drivers pulling dead calves out of the bottom of their trailers. That is the one thing I don't like about this job. You end up witness to all that makes groups like PETA scream and shout.
Click to expand...

Had a neighbour, emigrated from Switzerland 10 years ago, sent two Simmi cows to the sales barn on Saturday. Both heavy cancer. Both had one eye completely gone. One had it so bad the socket was just oozing fluid (She passed...but not before she stunk up the sales barn). The other sold for 20 cents, even though you could tell the cancer was into her upper jaw.

I was about ready to call the cops on that European cheap #$!@. Shouldn't be allowed to own cattle if you can't take care of them. Both cows were in obvious pain. :mad:
 
To me these ones should never sell. It starts with the owner obviously, not bringing them to town. Then the owner of the auction barns should have their staff trained to not allow animals like that to be unloaded, or if they are, and then they notice this crap, put it back on the trailer and tell them to take it home. After that, the next line of defense should be the inspectors like myself to get after the auction staff, and tell them to refuse any and all animals like that. Then it's up to me to report them and follow it through. If nothing is said or done, people keep doing it.
 
Aaron, I'm not making excuses for what the guy you saw did but I can tell you cancer eye is not a problem that occurs much in Europe. I suspect the lack of bright sunlight over there reduces the incidence. It was new to me when I moved here and the first case I had got away from me before I knew what I was dealing with. When I shipped her I got a call from the SPCA :oops: which explained what I should have done. Lesson learned.
 
Grassfarmer said:
Aaron, I'm not making excuses for what the guy you saw did but I can tell you cancer eye is not a problem that occurs much in Europe. I suspect the lack of bright sunlight over there reduces the incidence. It was new to me when I moved here and the first case I had got away from me before I knew what I was dealing with. When I shipped her I got a call from the SPCA :oops: which explained what I should have done. Lesson learned.
Click to expand...

I can understand GF. Problem is, this isn't the first junk he had sent. Has a tendency to starve his cattle as well. :(
 

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