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PAGE 18. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2002.
Agriculture
Brussels Livestock report
3,189 head on offer, fed steers, heifers up $5
Total receipts for Brussels
Livestock for the week ending Nov.
29 were 3,189 head of cattle, 506
lambs and goats. On Tuesday, the
fed steers and heifers sold at prices
$5 higher. The cows traded at prices
$2 to $3 higher. On Thursday the
veal traded at prices $2 to $5
higher while the lambs sold under
pressure. On Friday all weights and
classes of stockers sold on a steady
market.
There were 624 steers on offer
selling from $102 to $110 with sales
to $116.50. Schmidt Brook Farms,
Woodstock, consigned two limousin
steers averaging 1,398 lbs. which
sold to Norwich packers for
$116.50. Their overall offering of
eleven steers averaged 1,426 lbs. for
an average price of $110.27. One
limousin steer consigned by B & T
Farms, Ailsa Craig, weighed 1,480
lbs. selling for $116.50. Their
overall offering of fourteen limousin
steers averaged 1,511 lbs. selling for
an average of $108.86. Merkley
Farms, Wroxeter, consigned seven
limousin steers averaging 1,304 lbs.
selling for an average of $111.69
with sales up to $114.25.
Allan Lewis, Ailsa Craig,
consigned fifty-five steers averaging
1,389 lbs. selling for an average of
$110.04 with his top red steer
weighing 1,410 lbs. selling for
$114.75. Nine steers consigned by
Phares Kraemer. Paisley, averaged
1,523 lbs. selling for an average of
$109.51 with his top four limousin
steers averaging 1,520 lbs. selling to
Dominion Meats for $112.50.
Mahlon Weber, Paisley, consigned
one rwf steer weighing 1,380 lbs.
which sold to Norwich Packers for
$115.25. His overall offering of
eight steers averaged 1,448 lbs.
selling for an average of $108.47.
Ten steers consigned by Manassah
Martin, Paisley, averaged 1,460 lbs.
selling for an average of $107.71
with his top two limousin steers
averaging 1,425 lbs. selling to
Norval Meat Packers for $112.
Ronjac Farms, Grand Valley,
consigned one gold steer weighing
1 ,440 lbs. which sold to Aylmer
Meat Packers for $113.50. Their
overall offering of twelve steers
averaged 1,442 lbs. selling for an
average price of $107.36.
Eighteen steers consigned by
Andrew Mitchell, Listowel,
averaged 1,555 lbs. which sold for
an average of $106.57 with his top
black ste,Fr weighing 1,460 lbs.
selling for $112.50. Kada Farms,
Bluevale, consigned one limousin
steer weighing 1,480 lbs. which sold
for $114.50. Their overall offering
of twenty-three steers averaged
1,623 lbs. selling for an average of
$105.58.
There were 168 heifers on offer
selling from $102 to $110 with sales
to $114.50. Darren Johnston,
Bluevale, consigned one hereford
heifer weighing 1,275 lbs. which
sold to Norval Meat Packers for
$114.50. His overall offering of
eleven heifers averaged 1,215 lbs.
selling for an average of $106.35.
One limousin heifer consigned by
Clarence Martin, Holyrood, weighed
1,305 lbs. which sold for $114.25.
His overall offering of seven heifers
averaged 1,254 lbs. for an average of
$108.56. Darrell Weber, Belgrave,
consigned one black heifer weighing
1,260 lbs. which sold for $109.75.
Twenty-eight black heifers
consigned by Johnston Farms,
Bluevale, averaged 1,261 lbs. selling
for an average of $108.45 with sales
up to $109.75.
Grofield Farms, Walton,
consigned one black heifer weighing
1,275 lbs. which sold for $109.25.
Their overall offering of four heifers
averaged 1,270 lbs. selling for an
average of $108.09. Prospect Feed
Lots, Wyoming, consigned one
limousin heifer weighing 1,225 lbs.
which sold for $110. Their overall
offering of ten heifers averaged
1,236 lbs. selling for an average of
$107.73. Three charolais heifers
consigned by Dave Seifried, Ayton,
averaged 1,402 lbs. selling for an
average of $107.59 with sales up to
$108.75.
Two black heifers consigned by
Leroy Gould, Exeter, averaged 1,278
lbs. selling for $110.75. His overall
offering of twelve heifers averaged
1,320 lbs. for an average price of
$107.55. Stan Francis, Kirkton,
consigned one limousin heifer
weighing 1,375 lbs. which sold for
$112. His overall offering of eight
heifers averaged 1,446 lbs. selling
for an average of $106.03.
Ducharme Farms, Zurich, consigned
one limousin heifer weighing 1,255
lbs. which si Id for $109.75. Their
overall offering of sixteen heifers
averaged 1,345 lbs. selling for an
average of $135.09.
There were 290 cows on offer. D1
and D2 cows sold $55 to $62 with
sales to $79.5J; D3, $50 to $55; D4,
$40 to $5C One holstein cow
consigned b3 Tom Ryan, Dublin,
weighed 2,005 lbs. selling to
Packerland Packing Co. for $72.50,
Harold Leudke, Elmwood,
consigned one limousin cow
weighing 1,760 lbs. which sold to
Packerland Packing Co. for $72.50.
There were 22 bulls on offer
selling from $52 to $72.50 with sales
to $80. Bri: n and Bill Dallner,
Atwood, cot signed one limousin
bull weighing 2,045 lbs. which sold
for $80. One simmental bull
consigned by Gord Henderson,
Brucefield, weighed 1,825 lbs.
selling for $72.50.
There were 120 head of veal on
offer. Holstein sold $100 to $115
with sales to $119.50; Plain
Holstein, $65 to $80. Don Eadie,
.Wingham, consigned one RWF veal
steer weighing 680 lbs. which sold
to Norval Meat Packers for $137.
One charolais veal steer consigned
by Larry Pfeifer, Monkton, weighed
650 lbs. selling to Holly Park Meat
Packers for $133. Eric Nonkes,
Auburn, consigned one holstein veal
steer weighing 725 lbs. which was
purchased by Newmarket Meats for
$119.50. His overall offering of
seven veal calves averaged 703 lbs.
for an average of $108.84.
Lambs, under 50 lbs. sold $91 to
$165; 50 - 64 lbs., $125 to $217; 65
- 79 lbs., $136 to $170; 80 - 94 lbs.,
$115 to $127; 95 - 109 lbs., $115 to
$119; 110 lbs. and over, $111 to
$112.
Goats sold $25 to $120.
Sheep sold $36 to $56.
Stocker steers, under 400 lbs. sold
$110 to $153; 400 - 499 lbs., $110 to
$152.50; 500 - 599 lbs., $111 to
$135.50; 600 - 699 lbs., $110 to
$135.50; 700 - 799 lbs., $106 to
$136.50; 800 - 899 lbs., $112 to
$126.50; 900 - 999 lbs., $114 to
$123.50; 1,000 lbs. and over, $82 to
$120.
Heifers under 300 lbs., sold to
$131; 300 - 399 lbs., $100 to $132;
400 - 499 lbs., $113 to $128; 500 -
599 lbs., $100 to $128.50; 600 , 699
lbs., $98 to $124; 700 - 799 lbs.,
$105 to $125.50; 800 - 899 lbs.,
$102 to $121; 900 lbs. and over,
$93.50 to $117.50.
Producers must know herd to find efficiencies
By Janice Becker
Citizen staff
Are you really making money on
your cattle or are there areas of
inefficiency which could move the
business from red to black?
Those were just two of the
questions put to beef producers at
the beef symposium in Brussels,
Nov. 28.
While many farmers may just look
at the selling price for their calves,
Joanne Handley and Nancy Noecker
of OMAF asked whether they had
calculated all the costs associated
with raising those animals to market
age.
"You must look at other aspects
than price," said Handley. "The
value per head incudes weight,
quality and vaccinations. You have
-1c) look at the size of the caw that fed
the calf and what it took to feect•the
cow to get the calf to market weight.
If you don't know what that cost is,
how can you know if there was a
profit?"
Handley outlined a cost of
production (COP) formula which
incorporated the annual cost of the
cow herd compared to the total
pounds of calves produced.
From there, the farmer must
determine the unit cost of production
for the cost per pound.
"How can we make changes if we'
don't know the costs?" she asked,
By comparing two sample herds,
Handley showed how the herd with
heavier weights and a higher market
price was not necessarily the one
with greater profits.
In determining the whole herd
differences, Handley looked at
average weaning weights, weaning
weight per cow exposed as there
were some deaths or twins and the
calving interval as well as external
revenue generated by the herd such
as bull sales.
The feed costs varied greatly
between the two examples when
Handley looked at the purchasing of
feed, forages and grains.
For variable costs, she included
items such as animal health and
breeding costs, hired labour,
transportation, hydro and operating
interat on loans.
Fixed costs included taxes,
insurance, rent and interest or
depreciation costs.
The COP was then calculated by
adding feed costs with variable and
fixed expenses which were
subtracted from the revenues.
Once the loss or profit was
determined, Handley asked farmers
to look at which components were
stopping profits from being realized,
The first-place to look would be
feed waste, she said. The animals
Continued from page 17
than the European strain but it's
unknown if it is different than the
western Canadian or U.S. strain.
"We don't know enough about
mycoplasma bovis to know how
many bugs we have. There may be
subtle differences we don't know."
A way for feedlot owners to
protect themselves from PI calves
might be to get more information
about their mothers, Tremblay said.
"I'd be asking how the cows from
which the calves came were
vaccinated (for BVD)," he said. The
last time someone did a count only
only consume two to two a half per
cent of their body weight so one-
measure would be to protect the hay.
Once efficiencies have been found
in one herd, Noecker said it was
important to then compare those
numbers with provincial averages.
OMAF is currently trying to
establish a data base so that
producers can benchmark their herd
against others, allowing them to find
strengths, weaknesses and area for
improvement.
By keeping and using records,
Noecker said farmers would be able
to compare their own herd
production over time, then against
benchmark numbers and with the
beef cycle to find what works for an
individual.
A database would also give
producers and opportunity to learn
from each other.
"As you add herd management
and intensity herd knowledge, there
about 30 per cent of the cow herd
wa vaccinated, he said. "If people
don't start asking for vaccination
we're not going to get it."
Dennis Martin, OMAF feedlot
specialist later emphasized that the
way to get the best "bang for the
buck" is to vaccinate all cows with a
live-virus BVD shot before they get
pregnant, thereby protecting the calf.
Help protect the
environment
Reduce, reuse
and recycle
is a decrease in unit cost for
products," said Noecker. "It takes
-time and management to increase
dollars. Beef cows can make
money."
OMAF, Ontario Cattlemen's
Association and Beef Improvement
Organization is looking for 50
beef producers with at least 50
head to collect records for at least
three years for inclusion in the
database. (All identifying
information will be kept
confidential.)
Ont. virus different
from European strain