Loading...
The Rural Voice, 1998-06, Page 60on programs implemented last year or are adding extra sales. The newest aspect on the circuit of Ontario calf sales will be a "breeder calf sale" being offered by Carson's Auction Service, Listowel. All calves will have Ontario Beef Improvement (BIO) data available on their sires, plus any additional performance data available on the calf crop or cowherd. Calves will also meet a mandatory vaccination, castration and dehorning Advice program. Carson's "breeder sale" will kick off the fall calf sale circuit on October 19 with a second one scheduled in November. Keady Livestock Market Ltd., which brought the concept of pre- sorted sales to Ontario last fall, is upgrading its program. They have modified their entry requirements based on feedback from buyers and have added an unique feature to their tagging program. All calves will be ATTENTION FARMERS We specialize in Agricultural Buildings. We build all types and a sizes of Agricultural Buildings to suit your needs. C ext t BUILDERS LTD. If you are thinking about building -- CALL US Clifford 519-327-8849 Mildmay 519-367-2922 5t THE RURAL VOICE tagged with a BIO bar-coded eartag with the Keady emblem on the back. This bar-coded tag has the ability to provide feedback on performance from birth to slaughter provided the calf is slaughtered at one of six Ontario packers currently able to scan the tags. Obtaining the performance information will be a "pay as you play" scenario. BIO charges two dollars per tag for the processing and compiling of carcass performance reports which includes marbling, yield, carcass weight, and days since tagged on individual animals. Keady staff will give cow/calf producers already enrolled in BIO's herd performance program an opportunity to record individual bar-coded numbers while their calves are being tagged at the sales barn. Vaccination requirements now include "One shot", a product designed to reduce the incidence of pneumonia. The Haemopholis Somnus(HS) component has also been added for ITEME protection. Another problem encountered last year was bully -looking calves, because they had been pinched late. "Of course, these calves had to be downgraded in our sorts", says co- owner Gary Kuhl. "This year all calves must be castrated at least two months prior to sale." Dehorning is also required under the new rules. Keady will be offering four pre- sort sales this fall. Three will be designated to specific breeds and Kuhl says, "the fourth will be the cadillac sale. besides meeting all the presort requirements, calves will be weaned one month, and bunk - adjusted on a grain ration containing at least one third corn." Tri -County Sales Barn, Hanover has run two calf sales for the last 20 years. They have added a third sale in early Nov mber to address the issue of longi sales. A catalogue listing sellers' names, the number of head, sex, and vaccination program is now produced for all their sales. The Huron and Perth County Cattlemen put together their first special sales at Brussels Livestock last fall. They will be offering three sales this fall featuring both calves and yearlings. Doug Howatt, a committee member, says "we have i