The Citizen, 2012-05-24, Page 11THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 24, 2012. PAGE 11.
Total receipts for Brussels
Livestock for the week ending May
18 were 1,855 cattle, 523 lambs and
goats. On Tuesday fed steers and
heifers sold $1 to $2 higher. Choice
steers and heifers sold $114 to $120
with sales to $133. Second cut sold
$110 to $114. Cows sold $2 to $3
higher. On Thursday veal sold on a
strong active trade with beef calves
selling fully steady, while holstein
veal sold $8 to $10 higher. Lambs
sold steady and sheep and goats sold
on a good active trade at steady
prices. On Friday calves sold on a
strong active trade and yearlings
sold $2 to $4 higher.
There were 202 fed steers on offer.
Chris Smith of Brussels, consigned
45 steers averaging 1,608 lbs. selling
for an average of $115.16 with one
limousin steer weighing 1,440 lbs.
selling for $132.50. Jason B. Martin
of Chesley, consigned 14 steers
averaging 1,535 lbs. selling for an
average of $119.79 with one
simmental steer weighing 1,325 lbs.
selling for $129. John Wiersma of
Blyth, consigned two steers
averaging 1,488 lbs. selling for an
average of $122.01 with one
limousin steer weighing 1,550 lbs.
selling for $128.
Jim and John Bennett of Goderich,
consigned three steers averaging
1,525 lbs. selling for an average of
$118.31 with two limousin steers
averaging 1,483 lbs. selling to
Norwich Packers for $120.25. Ron
Debus of Brunner, consigned one
limousin steer weighing 1,315 lbs.
selling for $118.50. Willard Siegner
of Mildmay, consigned four steers
averaging 1,483 lbs. selling for an
average of $115.63 with one
limousin steer weighing 1,500 lbs.
selling to Horizon Meat Packers for
$117.25. Murray Shiell of Wingham,
consigned 47 steers averaging 1,513
lbs. selling for an average of $115.94
with 20 charolais steers averaging
1,526 lbs. selling for $116.85.
Abner S. Metzger of Wallenstein,
consigned nine steers averaging
1,626 lbs. selling for an average of
$112.21 with one black steer
weighing 1,475 lbs. selling for
$116.25. Dave Eadie of Holyrood,
consigned 38 steers averaging 1,513
lbs. selling for an average of $115.40
with 15 black steers averaging 1,438
lbs. selling for $115.75. Chuck
Durrer of Mildmay, consigned one
blue steer weighing 1,505 lbs.
selling for $115.
There were 151 fed heifers on
offer. Aaron F. Martin of Newton,
consigned four heifers averaging
1,411 lbs. selling for an average of
$120.55 with one blonde heifer
weighing 1,415 lbs. selling for $133.
Merle Weber of Paisley, consigned
24 heifers averaging 1,338 lbs.
selling for an average of $117.83
with one blue heifer weighing 1,470
lbs. selling to Horizon Meat Packers
for $127.50. Hank W. Huigenbos of
Wingham, consigned one blonde
heifer weighing 1,225 lbs. selling for
$122.25. Clare Shantz of Chesley,
consigned 16 heifers averaging
1,358 lbs. selling for an average of
$115.48 with one simmental heifer
weighing 1,245 lbs. selling to
Norwich Packers for $122. Larry
Bowman of Gowanstown, consigned
eight heifers averaging 1,183 lbs.
selling for an average of $112.11
with two blonde heifers averaging
1,195 lbs. selling to Norwich
Packers for $117.75. Glen Bieman
of Ayton, consigned three heifers
averaging 1,340 lbs. selling for an
average of $115.05 with one black
heifer weighing 1,215 lbs. selling to
St. Helen’s Meat Packers for
$115.50. David Bowles of Brussels,
consigned three heifers averaging
1,292 lbs. selling for an average of
$114.60 with two red heifers
averaging 1,313 lbs. selling to
Norwich Packers for $115. Tom
Hern of Woodham, consigned six
heifers averaging 1,277 lbs. selling
for an average of $111.8 with four
limousin heifers averaging 1,338 lbs.
selling for $114.75. William W.
Martens of Wingham, consigned
eight heifers averaging 1,255 lbs.
selling for an average of $109.68
with two rwf heifers averaging 1,230
lbs. selling to Norwich Packers for
$114.50.
There were 192 cows on offer.
Export types sold $73.50 to $90.50
with sales to $91; beef cows, $82.50
to $98.50 with sales to $100.50; D1
and D2, $57 to $64; D3, $52 to $57;
D4, $37 to $47. Dale Gammie of
Lucknow, consigned five cows
averaging 1,482 lbs. selling for an
average or $95.24 with one charolais
cow weighing 1,525 lbs. selling
for $100.50. Edgar Daer of
Ayton, consigned three cows
averaging 1,372 lbs. selling for an
average of $96.33 with one black
cow weighing 1,255 lbs. selling for
$97. Mark Pfeffer of Clifford,
consigned one charolais cow
weighing 1,465 lbs. selling for
$93.50.
There were seven bulls selling
$92.50 to $96.50 with sales to
$101.50. Arnold Brownlee of
Englehart, consigned one limousin
bull weighing 2,200 lbs. selling for
$101.50. JMC Farms of Blyth,
consigned one limousin bull
weighing 1,785 lbs. selling for
$96.50.
There were 116 head of veal on
offer. Beef sold $112 to $160 with
sales to $174.50; good holsteins, $95
to $105 with sales to $112; medium
holsteins, $85 to $95; heavy
holsteins, $90 to $100. Lamar Frey
of Listowel, consigned 14 veal
averaging 771 lbs. selling for an
average of $150.19 with one bwf
steer weighing 795 lbs. selling for
$174.50 Robin Wormington of
Bluevale, consigned six veal
averaging 797 lbs. selling for an
average of $115.37 with two
limousin steers averaging 773 lbs.
selling for $146. Trevor Leis of
Harriston, consigned one blue steer
weighing 895 lbs. selling for
$140.
Lambs under 50 lbs. sold $230 to
$285; 50 - 64 lbs., $240 to $260; 65
- 79 lbs., $226 to $245; 80 - 94 lbs.,
$221 to $239; 95 - 109 lbs., $232 to
$244; 110 lbs. and over, $220 to
$237.
Sheep sold $70 to $90 with sales
to $105.
Goats: kids sold $75 to $125 to
$155 per head; nannies, $50 to $110
per head; billies, $145 to $305 to
$329 per head.
Top quality stocker steers under
400 lbs. sold $111 to $200; 400 -
499 lbs., $159 to $208; 500 - 599
lbs., $155 to $190; 600 - 699 lbs.,
$143 to $176; 700 - 799 lbs., $128 to
$155.50; 800 - 899 lbs., $122 to
$149.75; 900 - 999 lbs., $123.75 to
$136; 1,000 lbs. and over, $121.50
to $129.
Top quality stocker heifers, 300 -
399 lbs. sold $137 to $191; 400 -
499 lbs., $135 to $186; 500 - 599
lbs., $148 to $167; 600 - 699 lbs.,
$129 to $170; 700 - 799 lbs., $119 to
$149.25; 800 - 899 lbs., $123 to
$134; 900 lbs. and over, $121 to
$131.25.
It’s that time of year when farmers
start to plan for their harvests in the
fall. For the horticulture sector
though, this spring is not a happy
one. The heat spell in March
followed by the sub-zero
temperatures in April killed many of
the gorgeous blossoms that decorate
orchards this time of year.
Lewis Cardiff of Mait-Side
Orchards in Brussels lost a
significant portion of his crop, if not
all of it. “It’s not good,” he says. He
says one could travel 400 miles in
any direction and find damage. “It’s
not just local.”
While there are no definite figures
available yet, he and others estimate
that 80 to 90 per cent of the region’s
apple crop is gone.
When asked how long he has been
in the business, his answer is “too
long.” He said something similar
happened in June 1973 but it was not
as bad. The last time it was this bad
was in the 1940s.
The cause is very clear, Cardiff
says, “[this] early spring done us in.”
“Nothing you can do about it,” he
says, “weather is so unpredictable.
Who knows what kind of summer
we'll get.”
“Nobody knows exactly what is
happening,” Cardiff explains. He
thinks the industry will have a better
idea of the extent of the damage in
another month's time. There are
some blossoms he says, but that does
not mean there will be apples.
Other horticultural crops were also
affected including pears, plums and
cherry. Cardiff also worried about
the strawberries and peaches.
In his own orchard, after pruning
his pear trees, Cardiff said they
might have “two or three pears, if
you're lucky.”
According to Cardiff, an apple
shortage this fall is highly likely.
Nova Scotia and British Columbia
are still expected to have full crops
but will probably not be able to fill
the shortage. Cardiff expects that
most apples found in stores this fall
will be imported.
With a shortage of apples
predicted, consumers will likely also
face increased prices for the apples
available. Fall staples like Pick-
Your-Own events will be affected
and those hoping to purchase their
apples locally will probably only
find a very limited amount.
Cardiff recently returned from a
vacation to the sunny south but says
even there, the horticulture sector is
struggling. He talks about meeting
an orchard owner near the Georgian
line that also experienced frost
damage to the blossoms.
Quebec, northern Ohio, Michigan
and New York are also reporting
extensive losses. In Ontario, orchard
owners have the option of crop
insurance. Cardiff is among those
that did not purchase crop insurance.
He says he prefers to save the
premiums for situations like this.
There is talk about government
assistance to those without
insurance.
While Cardiff will not “have a true
picture... until the first of July,” he
would like to keep his apple cider
business going. For this year he is
out of his cider, there is only one jug
left and he says, “I'm keeping that
for myself.”
“It’s devastating,” says Cardiff
about the whole situation. He is just
hoping that all the other crops can
have a good growing season.
Goat Club meets
By Tony Gerretsen
The first meeting of the Huron
County 4-H Goat Club was held at
Joan Van Sligtenhorst’s house on
May 1. Members started answering
questions about their goats with
M&M colours (they would have to
eat them and answer a question
about their goats according to what
colours they picked).
Afterwards, members did some
judging on what was the best pail of
water for the goats to drink from as
well as which hay bundle is better to
feed the goats. Then members went
over what a goat should look like
while being judged as well as some
pointers on how to walk the the
goats in the ring.
Members ended the meeting with
voting for executive, as well as some
tasty cake and juice.
Orchards face significant crop loss
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UPCOMING SALES
AgricultureBrussels Livestock report
Fed steers, heifers sell higher at sale
By Ursina Studhalter
The Citizen
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