The Citizen, 2019-06-13, Page 15THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2019. PAGE 15.
By Evy Verschaeve
The third meeting of the South
Huron 4-H Sheep Club was held on
Sunday, June 2 at the Hallahan
residence. Members began to arrive
and expelled some of their energy by
helping the meeting hosts feed milk
to the calves. By 6:35 p.m. all the
members had arrived and the
meeting came to an official start,
with Grace Hallahan leading the
club in the 4-H pledge.
The roll call for this meeting was
“what questions do you have about
the club?” Though there were few
questions throughout the club, it
provided a great learning
experience, and members learned
that one of our leaders, Florence
Pullen, was a part of the club when it
started as the Huron County Sheep
Club.
After the club office portion of the
meeting was completed, the special
guest of the night, Gert Jongert, was
introduced. Gert runs his large
animal mobile medical practice out
of his office in Seaforth. This
meeting, he was here to perform an
autopsy on a sheep that had died of
pneumonia and was donated to the
club as a learning experience for
members. It is important to know the
workings of sheep from the inside,
in order to take the best possible care
of them.
Gert started the investigation by
asking a few questions, including
“what is a dissection?” and “why are
dissections done?” He then led the
external evaluation, where members
discussed the body condition of the
lamb and talked briefly of the
symptoms that might be shown by a
sick animal. The external evaluation
is done to give prerequisite
knowledge to the vet when
diagnosing a problem. To show how
legs and joint work, Gert cut at the
shoulder and knee joint of the lamb,
and explained that it was of good
joint health at the time of its passing.
A healthy joint is shiny with a
smooth exterior.
Next, the autopsy part of the
evaluation began, with Gert opening
up the abdominal cavity of the
sheep. Members looked on with lots
of interest and a bit of disgust as he
explained how the four stomachs of
a ruminant animal work. He pointed
out the rumen and the abomasum.
The abomasum was contracted, so
Gert had members help him fill it
with some water to show the way
that the stomach can expand when
full of milk.
Next, he pointed out the
duodenum and a kidney, and
explained the purpose of each. Gert
cut open a kidney to show members
how it works in detoxifying. The 4-
H motto of learn to do by doing was
working in full effect, as members
donned plastic gloves and poked at
whatever looked of particular
interest to them. With a scalpel, Gert
then opened up the rumen to show
the inner stomach lining. With the
abdominal cavity being looked
through entirely, it was time to open
the chest. Gert skillfully removed
the partially frozen heart, lungs,
esophagus and trachea from the
lamb and members inspected it
thoroughly. It was noted how the
lungs were unnatural in colour, and
members pointed out the
discolouration. The lamb had indeed
died due to a bacterial pneumonia in
the lungs, and had lost around half of
its lung function.
Members took this opportunity to
talk about the causes of infection
and preventative measures that can
be taken to prevent further infection
in a flock such as providing housing
with adequate airflow and a clean
living environment.
President Grace Hallahan then
thanked Gert for helping the meeting
and the lamb was cleaned up.
However, the meeting was not over
yet. Next, the club donned their
biosecurity boots and entered the
Hallahans’ barn, where shoes and
buns were set up for more judging
practice. The club split into two and
individually judged the shoes on
support, grip and material, and the
buns on colouration, shape and
uniformity. Members will need to
know how to judge these and many
other things at the upcoming judging
competition on June 8.
Once everyone had said their
reasons for placing, the meeting was
ended with the 4-H motto, and the
members ate snacks provided by the
Datema family.
Total receipts for Brussels
Livestock for the week ending June
7 were 2,036 cattle and 560 lambs
and goats.
On Tuesday fed steers and heifers
sold at easier prices. Choice steers
and heifers sold $148 to $153 with
sales to $155. Second cut steers and
heifers sold $143 to $148. Cows sold
steady. On Thursday veal sold on a
good active trade at steady prices.
Lambs, sheep and goats sold steady.
On Friday calves sold actively on a
steady market. Yearlings sold on a
strong active trade at prices $2 to $3
higher.
Ron Smith of Denfield, consigned
nine heifers that averaged 1,403 lbs.
and sold for an average price of
$147.29. One black heifer weighed
1,430 lbs. and sold for $153.50. Paul
Murray of Ripley, consigned five
head that averaged 1,480 lbs. and
sold for an average price of $144.32.
Two black heifers averaged 1,415
lbs. and sold for an average price of
$148.
Jessie Vanloo of Bluevale,
consigned three charolais steers that
averaged 1,603 lbs. and sold for an
average price of $149. Francis Riley
of Walkerton, consigned nine steers
that averaged 1,770 lbs. and sold for
an average price of $137.51. One
gold steer weighed 1,740 lbs. and
sold for $149.
There were 275 cows on offer.
Beef sold $88 to $98 with sales to
$103; D1 and D2, $75 to $80 with
sales to $88; D3, $68 to $73; D4,
$55 to $65. Don Cochrane of Ether,
consigned one bwf cow that weighed
1,600 lbs and sold for $103.
There were 12 bulls selling $83.50
to $111. Hayden Teeple of Paisley,
consigned one red bull that weighed
2,050 lbs. and sold for $104.50.
There were 165 head of veal on
offer. Beef sold $126 to $150 with
sales to $165; good holsteins, $100
to $110 with sales to $112; Sl heavy
holsteins, $95 to $100; heavy
holsteins, $85 to $98.
John Bennewies of Bornholm,
consigned three holstein calves that
averaged 715 lbs. and sold for an
average price of $100.58. One
holstein steer weighed 670 lbs. and
sold for $110. Joseph H. Martin of
Holyrood, consigned three holstein
calves that averaged 685 lbs. and
sold for an average price of $102.74.
One holstein steer weighed 655 lbs.
and sold for $109.
Lambs under 50 lbs. sold $313 to
$340; 50 - 64 lbs., $277 to $308; 65
- 79 lbs., $278 to $293; 80 - 94 lbs.,
$264 to $270; 95 - 109 lbs., $270.50
to $280; 110 lbs. and over, $264 to
$265.
Sheep sold $85 to $130.
Goats: billies sold $150 to $300;
nannies, $50 to $140; kids: dairy,
$250 to $390; meat, $300 to $450.
Curtis Klaver, Mitchell, consigned
seven goats. Two goats averaged 55
lbs. and sold for an average price of
$422. Darrin Durand consigned nine
goats. Three averaged 58 lbs. and
sold for an average price of $427.
Top quality stocker steers under
400 lbs. sold $224 to $235; 400 -
499 lbs., $215 to $247; 500 - 599
lbs., $213 to $230; 600 - 699 lbs.,
$199 to $229; 700 - 799 lbs., $190 to
$212.50; 800 - 899 lbs., $196 to
$203.50; 900 - 999 lbs., $163 to
$190; 1,000 lbs. and over, $157 to
$167.50.
Top quality stocker heifers, 400 -
499 lbs. sold $167 to $211; 500 -
599 lbs., $185 to $197; 600 - 699
lbs., $167 to $192; 700 - 799 lbs.,
$163 to $176; 800 - 899 lbs., $162 to
$171.75; 900 lbs. and over, $145 to
$163.50.
Stewart Farms of Douglas,
consigned 59 steers and 41 heifers.
Nine limousin steers averaged 827
lbs. and sold for an average price of
$203.25. Eleven gold heifers
averaged 830 lbs. and sold for an
average price of $171.75.
A new home
Howick Mutual Insurance officially welcomed members of the public to their magnificent new
building just east of Wingham in Morris-Turnberry on May 31, with CEO Kevin Inglis stating the
new building would be a home to the business for years to come. Inglis is seen here
surrounded by members of the company’s board of directors. The open house included tours,
a special ribbon-cutting ceremony and a beef-on-a-bun lunch. (Shawn Loughlin photo)
Sheep Club witnesses autopsy
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