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Home My WebLink AboutClinton News-Record, 1978-06-15, Page 24PAGE 4A—CLINTON NEWS -RECORD, THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 1978 Tractors needed for match BY HENRY HESS What is a plowman without his tractor? And where does one find a tractor several hundred or thousand kilometers from home on the eve of a big competition? This is a problem that will face a number of competitors, some coming from as far away as Europe, at the International Plowing Match just outside Wingham this fall, and Neil McGavin of Walton is the man in charge of solving it. Mr. McGavin, whose father, Gordon, was a past president and director of the Ontario Plowmen's Association, heads up the tractor committee for IPM '78. Foremost among his committee's respon- sibilities is the job of finding equipment for use by plowmen who travel long distances to the match. It's not as big a job as it used to be, Mr. McGavin noted last week, but it does have its unique problems. Match plowing has become quite an art — and a very competitive one — with the result that most competitors try to bring their own equip- ment to the match. Specially designed plows are used, with long moldboards to give neater furrows, and a plowman familiar with his equipment can just about make the plow talk. On the one hand this reduces the demands on the tractor committee: Mr. McGavin estimates he'll have to come up with 20 tractors while a few years ago it would have been 50. On the other hand, however, it makes things a little more demanding since not just any tractor will do. A plowman who' can't bring his own equipment will want something as nearly identical to his own as possible so he's not plowing at a disad- vantage with unfamiliar equipment. When a competitor sends in his registration to the OPA in Toronto he will state whether or not he needs a tractor and specify his first three preferences. The list then comes to Mr. McGavin and the tractor com- mittee goes to work. They make every effort to give a person his first preference but if that's impossible he will have to settle for one of the other two. The tractors are all borrowed from local farmers so it helps that Mr. McGavin and several of his committee members are farm equipment dealers: they have a pretty good idea who has what kind of tractor. The committee in- cludes Art Bolton of Dublin, Mac Inglis of Clifford, Don McDonald, Jack Knight and Ken Innes of Brussels, Jerry Priestner of Lucknow, John Radford of Lon- desboro and Morris Hallahan of Blyth. When the committee locates a tractor it can use it gives it a thorough going-over to make sure it's in good shape and arranges pickup and delivery for it. While at the match the tractors will be kept in a guarded impound area just across the highway from the tented city. The committee's responsibility for providing equipment is pretty much limited to tractors, Mr. McGavin said. The plowmen will either contrive to bring their own plows to the match or will arrange for a plow through their dealer network, which is a good thing since the cost of match plows runs around $1,000. There is also a limit to how "fine" a person can get in specifying equipment preferences. Some Europeans who come over for the match want nine inch wide tires on their tractors since that's what they're used to, but the narrow tires just aren't available here, he noted. In addition to finding, transporting and storing the tractors, the tractor comrhittee will set up a small repair shop with facilities for welding or sharpening plow points. It is also responsible for having some big tractors standing by to pull exhibitors' trucks on and off the site if it is wet and for looking after the fuel for the plowmen and the Junior Farmers' wagon train. The committee has a budget for fuel but the plowmen and other committees are expected to pay for fuel they use. Last year the fuel budget went out the window very quickly as over 900 gallons were used just to pull things onto the muddy site, Mr. McGavin noted. Hopefully that won't happen this year. The committee will get into high gear around the beginning of September after all the entries have been received and processed. -The number of plowmen varies from year to year according to the location but Mr. McGavin said he is ex- pecting 75 to 100 plowmen a day during the five day match. He and his committee will make sure every one of them has a tractor. The heavy horse show at the Clinton Spring Fair was well attended again, with some of the best horses in Ontario on display. Tom Penhale of Bayfield had the best dressed team at the show. (News -Record photo) news farm news Retailers raise chicken prices Ontario retailers have increased their markups on chicken over the last five months, from an average of 34 per cent to an average of 44 per cent, Bill Benson, Second Vice - President of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) told a Kiwanis meeting held in Galt recently. "That means, con- sumers are paying seven cents more than they would be, if the retailers maintained their January percentage markup", Mr. Benson said. "What happens is that when the price of other Bodmin's boars, tops The top four boars completing test at the Ontario Test Station, New Hamburg, came from the herd of Bodmin Farms Ltd., RR5 Brussels. ' These four sound boars had Test Station indices of 142, 138, 133 and 132 respectively. The top boar has a low backfat of 12.8 mm (.50 in.) Average Daily Gain of 1.03 kgs. (2.27 lbs.) per day on test' and an efficient feed conversion of 2.21. The other three boars have similar good test figures. Three other Yorkshire boars from Murray Bancroft, Newton; Arita Mordue, Lynden; another from Bodmin Farms Ltd., Brussels; along with a Duroc boar from Again this year, the sheep show at the Clinton Spring Fair was billed as the biggest such show in Ontario, with a large number of entries. Here judge Dan Emke looks over a full class. (News -Record photo) f!3IdeaSFORD1ID j On June 18 Fine Leather Goods BY BUXTON AND TILLEY YourGift Store for_ GGAGE MOULDED ;OR NEW SOFT SIDE • SAMSONITE • DIONI tE • NATIONAL MEN'S & BOY'S F OTWEAR Fine Shoes by DACKS McHALE RITCHIE HUSH PUPPIES Mocassins Sandals Joggers Runners HEADQUARTERS FOR THE WORKING MAN In Clothing and Footwear at: A1kEN' Serving You Since 1923, 482-9352 Bruce Kiell, Berkeley, made the top eight, all with indices of 130 to 125. The June group had 82 boars complete test of which 31 indexed above average and passed the scrutinity of a culling - committee for soundness. These will be offered for sale at the Swine Test Station, New Hamburg on June 23 at7:30p.m. As all the boars are managed and "fed under similar conditions at the Test Station, buyers are assured of potential genetic superiority, as only the best make the sale. The possibility of measuring Feed Con- version and Average Daily Gain at the Test Station, gives more in- formation about an in- dividual boar during selection. meats increase, con- sumers traditionally turn to chicken because they think they're getting a bargain. And naturally, the retailers are taking advantage of the situation." Mr. Benson explained, in addition to the in- creased markup, the price of chicken in- creased; in the last five months, 27 per cent at the retail level, 20 per cent at the processing level and FOA 8.9 per cent at the farm - gate. Mr. Benson, who was basing his comments on the Farmer Price Index (FPI) also released recently, explained, "Chicken producer prices are fairly stable because the marketing board holds prices at the cost of production basis. But this doesn't help the con- sumer because both processor and retailer, are increasing prices". Mr. Benson added, that wholesale profits were poor last year and all studies indicated the processors' increase would be covering losses incurred in the past. during the 20 -minute speech, Mr. Benson also said the OFA had been able to find only four instances of 'real' specials on chicken (chicken sold at close to or below published wholesale price). Want food chains investigated , BY RHEA HAMILTON A Royal Commission into the practises of large food chains is to be encouraged by the Huron Federation of Agriculture. Gordon Hill presented a resolution to the Federation meeting recently requesting that the Ontario Federation of Agriculture press for a Royal Commission to. investigate into the buying ethics and discount practises of food chains. "The legislative' committee in- vestigating the situation now, doesn't have the authority to demand wit- nesses to answer to the charges and give information" pointed out member, Gordon Hill. A royal commission would have the authority to subpoena records and witnesses. The larger supermarket chains have a practise of discounting a percentage from the suppliers cheque before payment. Costs have been allotted to the advertising portion for that product or for shelf space devoted to that product. In some cases, as much as 20 percent has been deducted. Mr. Hill cited the case of Sun Parlour Co-op in Leamington where they have conformed to A & P demands and received criticisms for it. "In Toronto there have been two murders of producers," said Mr. Hill "and there have been rumours of in- volvement of the Mafia in this. No charges are to be lid over the discounting practises, which have been going on since 1972. The Huron Federation of Agriculture supported the resolution after a general discussion where members agreed that such practices were not fair to producers all over. 110th ANNUAL 1978 HENSALL Spring Tuesday, June 20th Heavy Horses, Light Horses &Ponies Horse Judging to Commence Promptly at 5:oo o'clock BABY SHOW in the AUDITORIUM at 7:15 p.m. \11 EtiTR1 FEE I'NI%E� for •11,1. 1'l)NTEtiT %NTS Old McDonolds Form Display PARADE nt h p m wCr,rnmar,.n1 Floors nnr1 Bond MAPLE CITY SHOWS —FEATURING - G1 Prize Feeder Calves TO BE JUDGED and AUCTIONED Auction Sale of Calves 9:30 P M PONY PULL r, Parade 6:00 --- Official Opening 7:30 p.m. • Bob McKinley M P for Huron Middlesex Admission: Adults $1.50 - Students $1.50 - Children under 12 Free CKNX Mobile Unit in Attendance • Cut hay crop early "The hay crop is probably the. most im- portant feed produced on a dairy farm," says Jack Rodenburg, Dairy Cattle Specialist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food. "When harvested at the right stage of growth, it can provide a major portion of the energy and protein required by dairy cattle, but the majority of farmers harvest their hay too late to receive maximum feed value from it." Mr. Rodenburg points out that the hay crop declines rapidly in digestibility and in protein and energy content as it matures. At current prices this decline represents a loss in feed value of one dollar per ton of hay per day for each day cutting is delayed after the first of June. Because cows prefer more digestible hay, early cutting also results in higher feed intake and milk production. "In research studies, cows fed alfalfa hay cut in the bud stage produced 7-1/2 pounds more milk per day than those fed the same hay cut at 3/4 bloom," he says. Mr. Rodenburg suggests that diarymen start harvesting their hay crop when alfalfa is in the late bud stage CHANGE IN NAME INDEPENDENT SHIPPER TO United Co -Operatives of Ontario Livestock Department Toronto Ship your livestock with FRANK VOOGEL Dashwood Monday is shipping day from Varna Stockyard previously Roy Scotchmer '1.15 per hundred for cattle. '1.50 per hundred for veal and sheep. Call Dashwood 238-2707 or Bayfield 565-2636 By 7:30 a.m. Monday for prompt service No charges on pick-up Established 1876 McKILLOP MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY HEAD OFFICE: 10 MAIN ST., SEAFORTH, ONT Mrs,. Margaret Sharp. Sec. Treas.. Ph. 527.0400. FULL COVERAGE Farm and Urban Properties Fire, Windstorm, l.iabilit',, Theft Various Floater CoNerages Homeowner's,Tenant's Package, Composite Dwelling Directors and Adjusters Ken Carnochan, R.R.#4, Seaforth Lavern Godkin, R.R.#1. 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No withdrawal period for meat or milk. `� SNUR•GAIN animal health service HUMMEL'S FEED MILL 3S Mary St. Clinton 482-9792 OPEN: Mon. - Friday 8:00-6:00 p.m. Saturday - 8:00-12 noon $, 44441141146116444:14:416.— 4at .41414.4 4