HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2006-02-09, Page 14PAGE 14. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2006.
Agriculture
Do you know where the "flight zone" is?
(NC)-Understanding the flight zone and point of balance for handling live-
stock can reduce stress to livestock and help prevent injuries to handlers.
The "flight zone" is the animal's personal space and can be determined by
slowly walking up to the animal. When a person enters the flight zone, the ani-
mal will move away in the opposite direction. Deeply invading the flight zone
will cause the animal to become afraid and possibly agitated. The size of the
flight zone will diminish as the animal receives frequent, gentle handling.
An animal's "point of balance" is in the chest area. To make an animal move
forward, the handler should stand behind the point of balance; and, likewise
to cause the animal to back up,-the handler should stand in front of the point
of balance.
The Canadian Federation of Agriculture along with Farm Credit Canada, the
Canadian Coalition for Agricultural Safety and Rural Health, and Agriculture
and Agri-Food Canada want to encourage farmers to practise Livestock han-
dling safety: Put your best foot forward.
Farm Safety Means Farm Safely.
For more information visit www.cfa-fca.ca
- News Canada
'eal zoNE nouNasRY
Met, 0,
90. 6.4ARCZ.
Drtler...G. To enoseceneper
69Nia, Movi,../47
Brussels Livestock report
Fed steers, heifers sell $2 lower
Total receipts for Brussels
Livestock for the week ending Feb. 3
were 2,674 head of cattle, 378 lambs
and goats.
On Tuesday the fed steers arid
heifers sold $2 lower with second-cut
cattle selling under pressure. Choice
steers and heifers sold $100 to $103
with sales to $106.50. Second-cut
steers and heifers sold $94 to $98.
The cows sold $1 lower. On Thursday
the veal sold on a strong active trade
with prices steady to last week. The _
lambs sold on an active trade with
prices steady to last week. On Friday
calves sold on a strong market, and
the yearlings sold steady to last week.
There were 665 steers on offer. K
& B Beef, Wroxeter, consigned one
blonde, Belgium steer selling to
Dominion Meat Packers for $106.50
weighing 1,310 lbs. Their total con-
signment of four steers averaged
1,386 lbs. selling for $103.70.
W.B. Pletch Co. Ltd., Rockwood,
consigned forty-one steers with the
average weight of 1,297 lbs. for
$103.88. Their top twelve black
steers sold for $105.75 averaging
1,254 lbs. Forty steers consigned by
Elliott Farms Livestock Co. Ltd.,
averaging 1,459 lbs. sold for the aver-
age price of $100.61. The top blonde
steer sold for $104.25 weighing
1,365 lbs.
Osiah Weber, Mount Forest, con-
signed nineteen steers averaging
1,367 lbs. for an average of $101.77.
His top limousin steer sold for $104
weighing 1,260 lbs. Twenty-five
steers consigned by Jim Howatt,
Londesborough, averaged 1,562 lbs.
sold with an average of $101.51. His.
top black steer sold for $104 weigh-
ing 1,645 lbs. Roy Schmidt,
Woodstock, consigned six rwf steers
that sold for $103.75 averaging 1,558
lbs. His total consignment of fourteen
averaged 1,625 lbs. with the average
price of $97.38.
Ronjac Farms, Grand Valley, con-
signed thirty-nine steers averaging
1,529 lbs. with an average of $93.15.
The; r top ten red* steers sold for
$103.25 averaging 1,434 lbs. Amos
B. Frey, Wallenstein, consigned six
limousin steers that sold to Dominion
Meat Packers for $103.10 averaging
1,521 lbs. His total consignment of
twelve steers sold averaging 1,533
lbs. with an average of $101.11.
Cunningham Farms, consigned thir-
ty-three steers averaging 1,560 lbs.
with an average price of $100.51.
Their top eight steers averaged 1,547
lbs. selling for $102.75.
There were 402 heifers on offer.
Seventy-two heifers consigned by
K.B.D. Farms sold with an average of
1,388 lbs. for $100.85. Their top
charolais heifer sold to Dominion
Meat Packers for $104.25 weighing
1,325 lbs-. Al Renning, Exeter, con-
signed twenty-seven heifers selling
for the average price of $102.23 aver-
aging 1,355 lbs. His top gold heifer
sold for $104.25 weighing 1,320
lbs.
Johnston Farms, Bluevale, con-
signed twelve limousin heifers which
sold for $104 with an average or
1,386 lbs. Their total consignment of
fifty-three heifers sold averaging
1,398 lbs. for $103.25. Nine heifers
consigned by Merkley Farms,
Wroxeter, sold with an average of
$104.39 averaging 1,245 lbs. Their
top two limousin heifers sold for
$105.75 averaging 1,263 lbs.
Amsey M. Martin, Mount Forest,
consigned twenty-eight heifers that
sold with an average price of $102.20
averaging 1,329 lbs. His top twelve
limousin heifers sold to _Holly Park
Meat Packers for $103.75 averaging
1,294 lbs. Mervin Bearinger,
Clifford, consigned fourteen heifers
averaging 1,295 lbs. for an average of
$101.48. His top blonde heifer sold to
Dominion Meat Packers for $103
weighing 1,260 lbs. One limousin
heifer consigned by John Wiersma,
Blyth, sold for $103 weighing 1,140
lbs. Hank Huigenbos, Wingham, con-
signed six limousin heifers that sold
to Dominion .Meat Packers for $103
averaging 1,177 lbs. Elam M. Martin,
Clifford, consigned five heifers that
sold with an average of $99.64 aver-
aging 1,236 lbs. This top rwf sold to
Dominion Meat Packers for $102.50
weighing 1,305 lbs.
Maynard Martin, Drayton, con-
signed twelve heifers that sold aver-
aging 1,349 lbs. for an average of
$99.17. His top five charolais heifers
sold for $102.50 averaging 1,330
lbs.
There were 237 cows on offer. D1
and D2 cows sold $30 to $37 with
sales to $48; D3, $26 to $30; D4, $15
to $20. Wanda Snobelen, Ripley, con-
signed one charolais cow that sold for
$48 weighing 1,470 lbs. Casey and
Cathy Hendriks, Lucknow, consigned
one charolais cow weighing 1,445
lbs. that sold for $37. Eusi-Farms
Ltd., Forest, consigned one black
cow that sold for $36 weighing 1,510
lbs.
There were 11 bulls on offer selling
from $34 to $40.07 with sales to
$48.50. Dave Grant, Formosa, con-
signed one simmental bull weighing
1,640 lbs. selling for $48.50. Don
Wilhelm, Stratford, consigned one
limousin bull that sold for $48.50
weighing 1,805 lbs.
There were 193 head of veal on
offer. Beef sold $120 to $130 with
sales to $140; good holstein, $118 to
$122 with sales to $123.50; medium
holstein, $105 to $115; heavy hol-
stein, $90 to '$105. Henry Martin,
Teeswater, consigned one gold veal
steer weighing 690 lbs. selling for
$140. G. T. Livestock, Walkerton,
consigned one black veal steer selling
for $130 weighing 725 lbs. One grey
veal steer consigned by Mike Durnin,
Auburn, sold for $128.50 weighing
725 lbs.
Lambs under 50 lbs. sold $190 to
$255; 50 - 64 lbs., $225 to $235; 65 -
79 lbs., $165 to $225; 80 - 94 lbs.,
$164 to $184; 95 - 109 lbs., $156 to
$168; 110 lbs. and over, $139.
Sheep sold $60 to $125.
Goats sold $40 to $130.
Top quality stocker steers under
400 lbs. sold $116 to $152.50; 400 -
499 lbs., $120 to $151.50; 500 - 599
lbs., $115.50 to $148; 600 - 699 lbs.,
$115.25 to $137.50; 700 - 799 lbs.,
$105 to $135.50; 800 - 899 lbs., $102
to $123; 900 - 999 lbs., $104.50 to
$118; 1,000 lbs. and over, $107.75 to
$111.75.
Top quality stocker heifers, 300 -
399 lbs., sold $118 to $121; 400 - 499
lbs., $117.50 to $130; 500 - 599 lbs.,
$116 to $123.75; 600 - 6991bs., $104
to $124; 700 - 7991bs., $101 to $115;
800 - 899 lbs., $102 to $113; 900 lbs.
and over, $98 to $110.75.
OFA Commentary
The waiting too much for farmers
By Ron Bonnett, President,
Ontario Federation of Agriculture
Last fall, Ontario farmers thought
they were close to an announcement
of government funding to help them
cover losses on last year's produc-
tion. The federal government made a
unilateral announcement that
ignored the advice of both the
Ontario Government and Ontario
farm organizations, and then the fed-
eral government was defeated.
We knew that would cause a delay
in approval of any investment from
Ottawa. The provincial government
showed leadership and presented a
proposal specifically asking for a
joint federal / provincial announce-
ment. Ontario has not changed its
position.
Ontario agriculture's Unified
Voice met recently with Minister
Dombrowsky and attempted to con-
vince her that just because Ottawa's
share is being delayed while the new
government develops its plans is not
a good reason Ontario farm families
should be forced to suffer longer
through the current financial crisis.
FARM SAFETY FACT
Did you know?
((NC) - Cows cause 33 per
cent of animal-related injuries
and 16 per cent of animal-
related fatalities on Canadian
farms. The calving season of
January to June is the primary
times of incident occurrence.
Canadian Agricultural Injury
Surveillance Program.
- News Canada
There was agreement to move for-
ward with the Unified Voice propos-
als before the federal election call.
There is no need for delay now.
We have asked the Ontario gov-
ernment to show continued leader-
ship and flow money to Ontario pro-
ducers. These payments could be
considered a down payment on the
province's share of new federal /
provincial program.
We're meeting soon with Premier
Dalton McGuinty at his second
annual Agricultural Summit. The
urgency for delivery of money to
Ontario's cash-strapped producers
will surely come up during -that
meeting. While the summit is
intended primarily for long-term
planning for agriculture, the need for
immediate cash grows more desper-
ate every day.
The Ontario Federation of
Agriculture is preparing to submit its
pre-budget recommendations to the
provincial government. Increased
funding for the Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
forms a major part of that submis-
sion. Premier McGuinty has said he
wants agriculture to be a lead min-
istry in his government. A lead min-
istry needs more than 0.7 per cent of
the total provincial expenditure to
assume its rightful place.
Agriculture has always been . a
partnership between the private and
public sectors - farmers and govern-
ments. It always will be! Ontario
farmers have contributed immensely
to this partnership. We provide safe,
wholesome, affordable food, and our
productivity increases constantly,
exceeding all other sectors.
It is time now for the public part-
ner - the government - to step up to
the plate and fulfill its responsibility.
All of rural Ontario needs to talk
to rural members of provincial and
federal governments. The message is
simply that agriculture must get the
support it needs to survive or the
economyrof rural Ontario faces col-
lapse. This may sound like a familiar
message, but until our governments,
at both levels; adopt programs that
wilt get agriculture through periods
of income, the reality will not
change.
Ontario farm organizations have
developed the types of risk manage-
ment and income support programs
essential to move beyond the annual
crisis situation. These programs
have been presented to our govern-
ments, but there has been a failure to
implement.
Candidates in the recent election
agreed that existing programs under
the Agricultural Policy Framework
were -inadequate. Farmers and their
organizations have been telling gov-
ernments that programs like CATS
have been a failure and will continue
to fail the producers who need pro-
tection from high foreign subsidies.
Yet, we are forced to continue wait-
ing.
Ontario farm families deserve bet-
ter. They are efficient producers who
are caught up in a global marketing
dilemma. Workable solutions have
been developed, so why must farm-
ers continue to wait?
OFA Presidential Tour
in Huron/Perth
February 9 & 10
OFA President Ron Bonnett and
OFA Vice-President Paul Mistele
will be at the
Dublin Community Centre
at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 9.
The Presidents will be at the
Hensali Community Centre
from 9 a.m. - 11 a.m.
on Friday, February 10
and at the
Blyth Community Centre
(upstairs) from 1:30 - 3:30 p.m.
on February 10.
Come out and bring your ques-
tions and your neighbours!
BRUSSELS LIVESTOCK
Division of Gamble & Rogers Ltd.
UPCOMI$O SALES
TUESDAYS
9:00 a.m.
Fed Cattle, Bulls & Cows
THURSDAYS
8:00 a.m. Drop Calves
10:00 a.m.Veal
11:30 a.m.Pigs, Lambs, Goats & Sheep
FRIDAYS
10:00 a.m. Stockers
Visit our webpage at www.bros-
selallvaatock,ca
14m11000010111111111441~4011011111Paorsi
Infoeba ussaisilvostock.on