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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1999-10-06, Page 2020 Exeter Tim..,narone. Wednesday, October 6, 1999 Farm news„ Good yields, community spirit reasons to celebrate agriculture By Kate Monk TIMES-ADVOCATh STAFF HURON COUNTY -- Following a year of low commodity prices and dry weather, Pat Down, presi- dent of the Huron County' Federation of Agriculture, still sees a silver -lining. "Even with dry weather, we have had good yields so far,' Down told the T- A. She is also thankful community spirit is still alive and well, especially evident during last month's International Plowing Match near Dashwood. Low commodity prices are a concern for the farming industry and Ontario's • economy. Agriculture is second only to the automotive indus- try in economic value. Pork prices are in a down cycle and have not recovered from last year's collapse. "People are more cau- tious this fall," Down said. "No one saw it coming last fall." Perth County produces more hogs than any other county in Ontario, with Huron .County -placing second. Fortunately for the local,._ economy, Huron County farmers grow . a wide array of products. This diversity stabilizes the impact of poor prices in one commodity, Down said. Grain and oilseed grdw- ers will collect from GRIP and Down said Ontario producers are glad there's a long-term pro- gram such as GRIP for downturns in commodity prices. The western provinces removed money from GRIP and used it to lower insurance prices. On a positive note, Down said crop yields in Huron have been excel- lent, thanks to ample heat and timely rains. Down said people have suggested no -till farming practices and treating the land well have enabled farmers to maintain good yields despite low amounts of rainfall. Looking ahead to the coming year, Down said manure management will continue to. be an impor- tant issue. She empha- sized the farming industry must show it can handle Mike Demeyre of Hyland Seeds/Garst Seeds takes corn yield and moisture level readings from teat plots north of Exeter Friday. manure safely. "We have to prove it," she said. Down would like to see the community issue of large livestock barnssep- arated from the. manure handling issue. If municipalities make strict - nutrient manage-. ment .rules, only the wealthy can abide by them which helps the large-scale producers rather than small -size operators the bylaws are intended to•: protect, she said. Genetically modified organisms (GMO) are also an issue: Down said, mains> eam fanners have. confidence in GMO crops, as a method of reducing pesticide use. Consumers are resisting the use of GMOs because it's. an unknown risk, she said.' The provincial govern- ment has designated this week as Ontario Agriculture Week, formal- ly acknowledging the hard work and commit- ment of those who ensure there is an abundant sup- ply of food and other agri- cultural products. Agriculture injects $25 billion annually to the provincial economy and employs more than 640,000 people. Denfield Livestock weekly sales report DENFIELD - The mar- ket at Denfield on Sept. 28, traded on a strong demand on the fancy end of the good fed cat- tle with buyers selective on the rest of the fed cattle. Cows sold steady. Veal higher. Stockers strong. Pigs, sows and boars steady. Mike Pickering, Dashwood sold a group of 6 steers avg. wt. 1407 lbs. at 1.07 purchased by Richard Heleniak for Norwich Packers the home of Norpac Meat Products. Pickering's whole offering of 20 steers averaged 1454 lbs. at an avg. price of 97.37. Wayne Scott, Parkhill sold 7 steers avg. wt. 1188 lbs. avg. price 94.73 sales to 100.25 purchased by Norpac. McCormick Farms, Inwood sold 6 steers avg. wt. 1287 lbs. avg. price 93.05. Mike and Jim Annett, Petrolia sold 4 heifers avg. wt. 1196 lbs. avg. price 92.00. Allan Carroll, West Lorne sold 8 steers avg. Ninth annual show and saleheld at Brussels Livestock Total receipts at Brussels Livestock for the week ending Oct. 1 were 4113 head of cattle and 263 lambs and goats. On Monday, at. the Show & Sale, fed steers and heifers sold on a steady market. On Tuesday fed steers sold $1 lower with heifers selling $1-$2 lower. Cows and bulls sold steady. On Thursday veal sold $2-$3 lower with heavy lambs selling under pres- sure and light lambs steady. All classes of stockers sold steady. On Monday, Sept. 27 at the ninth annual Show and Sale there were 301 steers and 96 heifers on offer. The following is a partial listing of the results. Grand Champion and champion carlot: Sydenview Stock Farms, Port Lambton. Ten limo heifers averaging 1181 lbs. sold for 105.00 pur- chased by Norwich Packers. Champion Pen of Five: Kada Farms, Bluevale. Five Blue Belgium steers averaging 1492 lbs. sold for 100.25 purchased by Dominion Meats. Reserve carlot: Doug and Ruth Osgood, Lambeth. Twelve limo steers averaging 1356 lbs. sold for 99.75 purchased by Norwich Packers. Reserve pen of five: David Gratrix, Waubashene. Five limo steers averaging 1369 lbs. sold for 103.00 purchased by Norwich Packers. Charolais: Cunningham Farms, .Lucan. Ten char steers averaging 1472 lbs. sold for 92.25 purchased by Ryding Regency. Limousine heifers: John Polo Ltd., Guelph. Five limo heifers averaging 1061 lbs. sold for 100.00 purchased by Dominion Meats. Angus: Murray Shiells, Wingham. Five Black . Angus steers averaging 1381 lbs. sold for 95.75 purchased by Norwich Packers. Angus heifers: Johnston Farms, Bluevale, Fourteen Black Angus heifers averaging 1225 lbs. sold for 92.60 pur- chased by Thames Sales Yard Ltd. Blonde d'Aquitaine: John Polo Ltd. Guelph. Five blonde heifers aver- aging 1193 lbs. sold for 100.00 purchased by Norwich Packers. Hereford: Johnston Farms, Bluevale. Five hereford steers averaging 1358 lbs. sold for 90.60 purchased by Moyer Packing Company. Simmental: Bill Robinson, Auburn. Twelve simmental heifers averaging 1312 lbs. sold for 88.00 purchased by MGI Packers. Simmental heifers: Bill Robinson, Auburn. Five simmental heifers averag- ing 1214 lbs. sold for 91.00 purchased by" Holly Park Meat Packers. Cross bred heifers: Sydenview Stock Farms, Port Lambton: Five limo cross heifers averaging 1191 lbs. sold for 95:00 purchased by Norwich Packers. Dairy: Andrew Mitchell, Listowel. Ten holstein steers averaging 1627 lbs. sold for 83.00 purchased by Packerland Packing Company Inc. There were 187 cows on offer selling: D1 'and D2 cows - 54.00 to 59.00 with sales to 77.00; D3 cows - 50.00 to 54.00; D4 cows - 45.00 to 50.00. Three hol. cows con- signed by Herb Middleton, Owen Sound averaging 1305 lbs. sold for an aver- age of 59.87 with sales to 77.00. • Three hol.. cows con- signed by Randy McLeod, Caledon East averaging 1230 lbs.. sold for an aver- age of 56.38 with sales to 73.00. There were 15 bulls on offer selling from 58.00 to 64.50 to the high of 88.50. One black bull con- signed by Wayne Shapton, Exeter weighing 1625 lbs. sold for 82.00. One Char bull consigned by Wayne Beirnes, Listowel weighing 1940 lbs. sold for 78.00. There were 164 veal on offer selling: beef - 90.00 to 125.00, sales to 135.00; hol - 90.00 to 110.00; plain hol - 75.00 to 90.00. Two veal consigned by Richard Horst, Listowel averaging 643 lbs. sold for 131.54 with sales to 135.00. One red veal consigned by Pat O'Neil, Goderich weighing 415 lbs. sold for 128.00. One blue veal consigned by John Richardson, Harriston weighing 655 lbs. sold for 125.00. Lambs: 50-65 lbs. 97.50 to 167.50; 65-80 lbs. 127.50 to 160.00; 80-95 lbs. 87.00 to 120.00; 95- 110 lbs. 86.00 to 104.00.; Sheep: 48.0610 59.00.; Rainfall and heat unit accumulation to Sept. 30 At the Centralia Research Station Heat units Heat units 3316 Days ahead of normal Heat units to date in 1998 3341 30 year normal 2943 Rainfall in mm Sept. to date 79.6 Sept. normal 86 Source: OMAF'A Goats: $19.00-$200.00 per head. Stockers: Steers - Under 400 lbs. 131.00 to 164.00; 400-499 lbs. 133.00 to 155.00; 500-599 lbs. 126.50 to 142.50; 600- 699 lbs. 117.00 to 130.50; 700-799 lbs. 99.50 to 122.00; 800-899 lbs. 100.00 to 116.50; 900 and over lbs. 92.85 to 111.50. Heifers - 300-399 lbs. 124.00 to 152.00; 400- 499 lbs. 126.00 to 143.50; 500-599 lbs. 117.00 to 134.00; 600-699 lbs. 106.00 to 124.00; 700- 799. lbs. 99.50 to 114.00; 800-899 lbs. 103.00 to 112.75; 900 and over lbs.. 88.00 to 100.00. Plain Tockers: 47.00 to 66.00. wt. 1369 lbs. avg. price 91.57 with sales to 98.25 purchased by Norwich Packers. Harold Carroll, Wardsville sold 11 steers avg. wt. 1440 lbs. avg. price 90.28. Choice steers 95.00- 100.00 sales to 114.00. Good steers 90.00- 95.00; Heayy plainer steers 85.00:90.00 Choice exotic cross heifers 93.0Q-98.00 Gobbd heifers. 88.00- 92.00; Common and medium 78.00-84.00 Good cows 55.00- 60.00 sales to 62.00; Canners and cutters 45.00-52.00 Shells 30.00-40.00 Direct to packer cows over 600 lbs. 1.08; Direct to packer bulls 1.18 Good Holstein veal 90.00-1.00; Plain veal 80.00-85.00;Good Holstein bull calves 130.00-250.00 Yearling steers 95.00- 115.00; Yearling heifers 95.00-110.00 Heavy sows 40.00- 42.00; Light sows 34.00-40.00 Boars 12.00-15.00 FARM do MUNICIPAL DRAINAGE Specializing in: • Farm & Municipal Drainage • Clay & Plastic Tile Installations • Backhoe & Dozer Service • Septic System Installations For Quality. 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