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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1988-08-10, Page 1BLUE RIBBON AWARD 1988 PUBLISHED IN LUCKNOW ONTARIO Wednesda ugus 11, t 1988 40t PER COPY Local farmer loses birds to the killer. heat By Rob Bundy The recent heat wave we have ex- perienced in the area has done more than just send folks running for shade. It has taken its toll by killing chickens. Mike O'Neill of the 4th Concession of Kinloss claims he lost 3,000 chickens due to the "killer heat" last week. Representing a full 15 percent of his entire flock, the chickens succumbed to extreme temperatures in the barn early Wednesday morning despite O'Neill's best efforts to save them. "It started at midnight Tuesday," O'Neill told the Sentinel, "and by Wednes- day morning we were throwing dead chickens out the door by the handfull." When the heat finally broke and offered at least some relief, the dead chickens formed five piles, three feet high and 25 'feet long. Since the dead birds began to decompose quickly in the heat, a backhoe had to be used to bury them. •'It was critical that we got rid of the • dead ones as quickly as possible," says O'Neill. "There is always the risk of disease getting back to the others." The last time the O'Neills lost such a substantial number of birds was nine years ago in 1979 when their first crop was crippled with the death of some 1,500 birds. "It's part of the risk involved with farm- ing, I guess. You make a decision to take a risk when you start farming," says Mike. "Sometimes, all you can do is pray." When one considers the fact that the birds would bring a price of about $2.10 per at maturity, the loss experienced by area chicken farmers this summer is indeed substantial. The killer heat of last week was so much a matter of timing. The birds, aged bet- ween four and five weeks, had become feathered and therefore have problems cooling down. In an effort to combat the extreme heat inside the barn, O'Neill says he opened all the catching doors, turned the exhaust fans around to blow air into the barn and "stirred" the birds every few hours. - Prices will firm Taking into account that the loss ex- perienced at the O'Neill farm is not an isolated incident, the effects of this unusually hot summer will be seen for some time. Mike expects a firming of the wholesale prices' of chickens and adds that "everyone will lose eventually - the pro- ducer, the processor, everyone." What Mike expects will happen over the • next few weeks is a rush by some farmers to make-up their losses. This will mean ordering eggs, which usually takes about a week, another four weeks for delivery and a further six weeks until the birds are ready for market. "By then the summer demand will have backed off," Mike explains, "and there will be lots of chickens on the market. The prices will reflect this. Come Thanksgiv- ing, there'll be chickens coming out our ears. It's often better just to absorb the loss." He adds that the decision to replace the lost chickens is a personal one based on farm payments. If farmers have the space available, they will probably be ordering a new shipment of eggs immediately. In the case of the O'Neills, Mike says he wun't be' looking to replace the birds he lost last week. Area chickens have suffered due to the extreme heat of late. Some farmers have lost considerable numbers of the birds and the market will soon reflect the disaster. Fines .increased under Weed Control Act To improve control of noxious weeds, fines under the Weed Control Act are in- creasing to between $500 to $1000 for a first offence, Agriculture and Food Minister Jack Riddell announced. Any subsequent offence will now cost $1000 to $2000. The act was recently amended by the legislature to increase fines and allow other changes. The act is• intended to reduce the infestation of agricultural and urban properties with weeds from neighboring properties and help eliminate health hazards from weeds such as ragweed and poison ivy, said Riddell. It will also help reduce plant diseases by controlling alternate hosts:. for example, cereal rust caused by common barberry, and European buckthorn. Prior to amendments to the act, a first offence fine was $50 maximum and a Council sets mill rates At their most recent regular monthly meeting, the Lucknow Village Council set the mill rates for 1988 and there's good news for the general village ratepayers. General village mill rates will increase by an almost nonexistent .2 percent from 18.866 last year for residental rates to 18.909 this year. General village ratepayers in the commericial category will notice a slight increase to 22.246 mills as comapred to 22.195 in 1987. The highest increase in the mill rates paid in the area was noticed in the secon- dary separate school taxes. Jumping from 10.352 last year to 13.655 this year, both residential and commerical ratepayers will see a 31.9 percent increase. Secondary public school rates will go from 10.165 to 11.292 for an increase of just over 11 percent. With an increase of slightly under 12 per- cent, county mill rates will increase from 5.333 to 5.967 for residential ratepayers. Overall, public school supporters will notice a 5.9 percent increase from 49.808 mills last year to 52.768 mills in 1988. Secondary school supporters will bear a 7,1 percent increase to 52.648 mills from last year's 49.169 mills. The only decrease in the mill rate found in the lastest figures appears in the elementary separate school category. Residential ratepayers will find a decrease of 3.4 percent from 1987's 14.618, to this year's 14.117 mills. Commercial rates Commercial ratepayers who are public school supporters were subject to a mill rate of 58.597 last year. The 1988 figure has been set at 63.080. For separate school supporters paying commericial rates, this year's mill rate was set at 61.940 as compared to 1987's 57.846. Village Council doesn't consider these rates extraordinary but rather in keeping with the times. subsequent offence carried a fine of bet- ween $50 to $100. Besides the increased levels of fines, the act has been changed in other ways as well. All municipalities may by bylaw designate local weeds as noxious with the approval of the Minister of Agriculture and Food. Under the legislation local municipalities will report the names ut local inspectors to the chief inspect ,i ''n is appointed, along with district in. , tors, by the minister. If an inspector is refused entry to a pro- perty, he or she may apply to a justice of the peace for a warrant under the act. "We expect that this approach will pre- vent misunderstandings with property owners and will eliminate the chance of physical injury to either party," said Riddell. A landowner who has received an order and wishes to appeal it to the chief inspec- tor, will have to do so in writing within seven days, he said. "These changes to the act were re- quested by more than 20 councils and regions and have been reviewed and sup- ported by county and regional weed in- spectors," said Riddell. Ashfield opens tenders At the regular August meeting of the Ashfield Township Council held last week, tenders were accepted for work on the new 7th Concession bridge. Mr. Ken Dunn, an engineer representing B.M. Ross and Associates of Goderich, and Mr. Hugh McGugan from the Ministry of Transport in Stratford were present for the opening of the tenders. The contract was awarded to Owen King Limited of Walker- ton for the price of $337,055. This decision is subject to Ministry of Transport and On- tario Municipal Board approval. In other business handled by council last week, By-law 18 was passed. By-law 18 allows council to execute a quit claim releasing all interests that the Corporation of ti Township of Ashfield has in the lands under the Subdivision Agreement with Amberly Beach. Riverbank repair Council also gave their consent to Mr. James Kalbfleisch of Port Albert to do some repair work to the riverbank fronting his property. This decision is subject to the approval of the Maitland Valley Conserva- tion Authority and the Ministry of Natural Resources By-law 16, being a by-law to provide for the Wylds Drainage Works, was given a third and final reading and passed by council. Nicholson Construction of Sebr- ingville was awarded the contratc for the drainage work at a price of $14,220. This decision is provisional that any appeals that may be, launched can be resolved.