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Heading the organization
The executive of the Huron County Beef Producers are, in
back, from left; Les Falconer, Ontario Cattlemen's
Association representative; past-president Alan Powe and
1st vice-president Ron Stevenson. In front,
secretary/treasurer Jacquie Bishop and president Kittle
MacGregor. Second vice-president Paul Coultes was
absent.
BRUSSELS LIVESTOCK
Division of Gamble & Rogers Ltd.
UPCOMING SALES
TUESDAYS 9:00 a.m. Fed Cattle,
Bulls & Cows
THURSDAYS 8:0Q a.m. Drop Calves, Pigs,
Veal, Lambs,
Goats & Sheep
FRIDAYS 10:00 a.m. Stockers
BRUSSELS 887-6461
PAGE 10. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2001.
Agriculture
Brussels Livestock report
Fed steer, heifer prices rise $2 to $3
Total receipts at Brussels
Livestock for the week ending Jan.
19 were 2,438 head of cattle and 457
lambs and goats.
On Tuesday, fed steers and heifers
sold $2 to $3 higher. Cows sold on a
fully steady market. On Thursday;
veal sold $2 lower from last week.
Lambs sold on a fully steady market.
On Friday, all classes and weights of
stockers sold steady to stronger.
There were 384 steers on offer
selling from $105 to $112 with sales
to $126. Three limousin steers
consigned by Perry Sereda,
Centralia, averaging 1,480 lbs. sold
for $126 to Norwich Packers .with
his overall offering of forty steers
averaging 1,600 lbs. selling for an
average of $118.30. Four steers
consigned by Vernon W. Martin,
Wallenstein, averaging 1,465 lbs.
sold for an average of $120.15 with
sales to $122.75. Twenty-eight steers
consigned by Larry Ryan, Crediton,
averaging 1,416 lbs. sold for an
average of $116.38,, with five
limousin steers averaging 1,350 lbs.
sold to Norwich Packers for $121.
Fifty-one steers consigned by
Bender Beef Farms, Hensall,
averaging 1,392 lbs. sold for an
average of $114.78 with sales to
$116.50. One steer consigned by
Beef on-line
John Gillespie of Ayr, the guest
speaker for the Huron County
Beef Producers' annual
meeting in Brussels last week,
talked about selling his product
over the internet.
By Janice Becker
Citizen staff
In the expanding world of intemet
usage, one southwestern Ontario
beef producer has found a niche
market for his product.
John Gillespie of Ayr is known as
the Beefman, an entrepreneur who
has learned to sell top quality steaks
on-line.
Speaking to the Huron County
Beef Producers' Association
recently, Gillespie told how he began
the undertaking about a year and a
half ago through a federal
government grant.
With computer-savvy young
people in the house, Gillespie soon
had a website set-up advertising his
rib eye, filet and striploin steaks.
He admits there was a tremendous
amount of research done before
going on-line and stressed the need
Ross Balfour, Dublin, weighing
1,345 lbs. sold for $114.75. Forty-
four steers consigned by Kada
Farms, Bluevale, averaging 1,305
lbs. sold for an average of $114.36
with sales to $117.
Thirteen steers consigned by
Bruce Bros., Belgrave, averaging
1,555 lbs. sold for an average of
$112.55 with sales to $118. Seven
steers consigned by Martin Metske,
Lucknow, averaging 1,298 lbs. sold
for an average of $112.47 with sales
to $115.50. Three steers consigned
by Dr. Keith Dunston, Mildmay,
averaging 1,525 lbs. sold for an
average of $98.08 with sales to
$116.50.
There were 284 heifers on offer
selli,ig from $105 to $112 with sales
to $122.75. A limousin heifer
weighing 1,325 lbs. consigned by
Hugh Love, Atwood, sold to Holly
Park Meat Packers for $122.50 with
his overall offering of ten heifers
averaging 1,337 lbs. selling for an
average of $117.20. A limousin
heifer consigned by Dan Hoggart,
Londesboro, weighing 1,290 lbs.
sold to Dominion Meat Packers for
$120 with offering of two heifers
averaging 1,270 lbs. selling for an
average of $117.05.
Six heifers consigned by Merkley
for innovative people when setting
up the computer.
When he first began to consider an
on-line business, he looked at the
products he could sell to customers
rather than going through a
secondary source.
With the steaks going straight
from distributor to customer,
Gillespie can get full retail value for
his product without the steps in
between.
Being on-line also helped the
Beefman reach the whole world.
June/July and Christmas are a big
time for steaks as gifts, he said. This
holiday season he has one request
from Thailand. Smiling, he said he
does not ship to Thailand. The Thai
couple had been visiting friends in
Mississauga earlier in the year and
believed the gift of great Canadian
steaks would be perfect. "It was a
$700 order," he added.
(Gillespie notes he does not ship
across borders because of
export/import regulations.)
He is hoping to market Father's
Day this year. "Steaks can replace
traditional gifts like liquor, flowers
or candy for any season."
Steaks are very popular as
corporate gifts as well.
Though Gillespie's steaks are not
Farms, Wroxeter, averaging 1,168
lbs. sold for an average of $115-.65
with sales to $115.75. A limousin
heifer consigned by Tim Metzke,
Lucknow, weighing 1,275 lbs. sold
for $115.50. Fourteen heifers
consigned by Mux Lea Farms,
Woodstock, averaging 1,335 lbs.
sold for an average of $114.78 with
sales to $117. Nineteen heifers
consigned by Johnston Farms,
Bluevale, averaging 1,283 lbs. sold
for an average of $114.26 with sales
to $119.
Twelve heifers consigned by Tom
Ellerington, Centralia, averaging
1,207 lbs. sold for an average of
$114.15 with sales to $116.25. Nine
heifers consigned by James Weber,
Mount Forest, averaging 1,286 lbs.
sold for an average of $112.78 with
sales to $115.50. Eleven heifers
consigned by Darren Johnston,
Bluevale, averaging 1,315 lbs. sold
for an average of $111.32 with sales
to $116.50. Eight heifers consigned
by Karl Terpstra, Mitchell, averaging
1,294 lbs. sold for an average of
$108.09 with sales to $114.
There were 325 cows on offer. DI
and D2 cows sold $60 to $65 with
sales to $85.50; D3, $55 to $60; D4,
$45 to $55. Two holstein cows
consigned by Moyerdale Farms
inexpensive, he said the prices are
comparable to top cuts of beef from
the best butcher shops in Toronto.
He also promotes his product as
recalling "what steaks used to taste
like".
With the cross breeding of animals
for specific traits, some of the
flavour has been lost. Gillespie said
the industry is now trying to put the
flavour back in and people are
returning to beef.
Though a beef producer himself,
Gillespie does not use just his own
product for customers, but acquires
top-of-the-line steaks through a local
meat packer. The same company
does all the packaging of the product
to ensure all health standards .Pre
met.
He insists on corn-fed, AAA beef
then ages the packaged product 21 to
28 days. Each steak is individually
vacuum packed to seal in the flavour.
The orders are then shipped via
courier in dry ice, which lasts three
to four days, long enough to go coast
to coast, he said.
Gillespie encouraged the beef
producers to promote themselves
on-line as it opens a world-wide
market.
Gillespie steaks can be found on-
line at www.thebeefman.com.
Limited, Mildmay, averaging 1,650
lbs. sold for an average of $75.19
with sales to $85.50. Three holstein
cows consigned by Wim Arts,
ThAiesford, averaging 1,647 lbs.
sold for an average of $70.53 with
sales to $84. Four charolais cows
consigned by Ron Kries, St. Paul's,
averaging 1,833 lbs. sold for an
average of $71.22 with sales to $79.
There were 12 bulls on offer
selling from $57.50 to $70 with sales
to $87.50. A Limousin bull consigned
by Ron Speers, Shelburne, weighing
1,840 lbs. sold for $77. A blonde bull
consigned by Mike Henry,
Brampton, weighing 1,880 lbs. sold
for $73.50.
There were 173 head of veal on
offer. Beef sold- $100 to $149;
Holstein, $80 to $99',50; Plain
Holstein, $70 to $80. Two veal
consigned by Richard Horst,
Listowel, averaging 653 lbs. sold for
an average of $144.52 with sales to
$149. One veal consigned by
Kristina Verburg, Londesboro,
weighing 705 lbs. sold for $144.
Five veal consigned by Eric Nonkes,
Auburn, averaging 684 lbs. sold for
an average of $94.44 with sales to
$123.
Lambs, 50 - 64 lbs. sold $170 to
$210; 65 - 79 lbs., $162 to $182.50;
80 - 94 lbs., $143 to $160; 95 - 109
lbs., $122 to $135; 110 lbs. and over,
$118 to $120.
Goats sold $25 to $145.
Sheep sold $29 to $87.
Steers, under 400 lbs. sold $123 to
$159; 400 - 499 lbs., $120 to
$168.50; 500 - 599 lbs., $131 to
$163.50; 600 - 699 lbs., $127 to
$149.50; 700 - 799 lbs., $125 to
$139.25; 800 - 899 lbs., $120.50 to
$138.10; 900 - 999 lbs., $113.50 to
$141; 1,000 lbs. and over, $101.75 to
$132.50.
Heifers, 300 - 399 lbs., sold $115
to $140; 400 - 499 lbs., $119 to
$152; 500 - 599 lbs., $122.50 to
$149.50; 600 - 699 lbs., $115.75 to
$140; 700 - 799 lbs., $107 to
$135.75; 800 - 899 lbs., $112.50 to
$136; 900 lbs. and over, $102 to
$133.
Beef producer sells on internet