The Citizen, 2004-12-09, Page 14Triple the fun
When their very pregnant Holstein heifer went into labour two weeks early, Barb and Chris
Cowan of Blyth expected two little bundles of joy, but instead were surprised to find that she
had given birth to triplet calves. Two bulls and one heifer made their unexpected arrival on
Dec. 1 and are the first set of triplets to be born on the Cowan farm. Weighing in at 60 lbs (28
kg) Tyler, Tina and Tarzan are getting ever-so adventurous as they play together in the barn
with the Cowans' grandson, Ryan. (Elyse DeBruyn photo) •
BRUSSELS LIVESTOCK
Division of Gamble & Rogers Ltd.
UPCOMING SALES
TUESDAYS 9:00 a.m. Fed Cattle,
Bulls & Cows
THURSDAYS 8:00 a.m. Drop Calves, Veal,
Pigs, Lambs, Goats
& Sheep
FRIDAYS 10:00 a.m. Stockers
Visit our webpage at: www.brusseislivestock.ca
email us at: Info@brusselsIlvestock.ca
Call us 519-887-6461
PAGE 14. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2004.
Agriculture
Brussels Livestock report
Cows sell on strong active trade at sale
Total receipts for Brussels
Livestock for the week ending Dec. 3
were 3,175 head of cattle. 761 lambs
and goats.
On Tuesday the fed steers and
heifers sold $2 to $3 higher. Choice
steers and heifers sold $78 to $83
with sales to $95; second-cut steers
and heifers sold $73 to $77. The cows
sold on a strong active trade. On
Thursday the veal traded actively at
steady prices. The lambs sold on a
strong active trade at prices $5 to $10
higher. On Friday the calves sold on a
strong active trade while the yearlings
traded at prices $2 to $3 higher.
There were 449 steers on offer.
Amos B. Frey, Wallenstein, con-
signed eight limousin steers averag-
ing 1,446 lbs. which sold to $92.50.
His overall offering of eighteen steers
averaged 1,445 lbs. selling Tor an
average price of $90.12. Twenty-five
steers consigned by Cunningham
Farms, Lucan, averaged 1,423 lbs.
selling for an average price of $80.59
with their top two limousin steers
averaging 1,490 lbs. which sold for
$89.75. Sidney M. Martin, Linwood,
consigned sixteen charolais steers
averaging 1,429 lbs. which sold for an
average price of $83.55 with sales to
$84.50.
One limousin steer consigned by J
& B Laidlaw, Atwood, weighed 1.115
lbs. which sold for $85.75. Jessie M.
Bauman, Newton, consigned two lirn-
ousin steers averaging 1,375 lbs.
whit..11 sold for $84.75. His overall
offering of seven steers averaged
1,363 lbs. which sold for $82.92.
Twenty-five steers consigned by Jim
Howatt. Londesborough, averaged
1,438 lbs. selling for an average price
of $82.23 with his top three black
steers averagir ',362 lbs. selling for
$88.25.
Dave Bender. Palmerston, con-
signed four red steers averaging 1,330
lbs. which sold for an average price of
$81.27 with sales to $85. Five steers
consigned by Kada Farms, Bluevale,
averaged 1,278 lbs. which sold for an
average price of $81.18 with their top
red steers weighing 1,420 lbs. selling
for $86.25. Phares Kraemer, Paisley,
consigned six red steers averaging
1,459 lbs. which sold for an average
price of $81 with sales up to $83.25.
Twenty-eight steers consigned by
Albert W. Frey, Palmerston, averaged
1,566 lbs. which sold for an average
price of $77.75 with his top red wf
steer weighing 1;515 lbs. selling for
$83.50.
There were 283 heifers on offer.
Emerson L. Martin, Linwood, con-
signed one black wf heifer weighing
1,475 lbs. which sold to Dominion
Meat. Packers for $95. His overall
offering of, sixteen heifers averaged
1,291 lbs. selling for an average price
of $89.21. Fourteen heifers consigned
by John Martin, Lucknow, averaged
1,330 lbs. which sold for an average
price of $82.72 with his top limousin
heifer weighing 1,320 lbs. selling for
$94.50. Ron Dougall, Exeter, con-
signed four charolais and limousin
heifers averaging 1,364 lbs. which
sold for $91.75. His overall offering
of forty-two heifers averaged 1,374
lbs. selling for an average price of
$87.97.
Eight heifers consigned by
Lewington Farms, Brussels, averaged
1,322 lbs. which sold for an average
price of $82.81 with their top limou-
sin heifer weighing 1,255 lbs. selling
for $89.25. Andy VanderVeen, Blyth,
consigned one blonde heifer weighing
1,230 lbs. which sold to Dominion
Meat Packers for $90. His overall
offering of ten heifers averaged 1,190
lbs. selling for an average price of
$82.58. One limousin heifer con-
signed by Nicole Laidlaw. Atwood,
weighed 1,000 lbs. which- sold for
$82.25.
Gilbert Janssen, Hanover, con-
signed one gold heifer weighing
1,210 lbs. which sold for $88.25. His
overall offering of seven heifers aver-
aged 1,233 lbs. selling for an average
price of $80.69. Twenty-five heifers
consigned by Ducharme Farms,
Zurich, averaged 1,375 lbs. which
sold for an average price of $77.05
with their top limousin heifer weigh-
ing 1,460 lbs. selling for $83.50.
Brian Percy, Holyrood, consigned
one limousin heifer weighing 1,325
lbs. which sold for $81.25. His over-
all offering of eight heifers averaged
1,294 lbs. selling for an average price
of $77.11. Four heifers consigned by
Paul Buttar, Londesborough, aver-
aged 1,310 lbs. selling for an average
price of $76.76 with his top charolais
heifer weighing 1,435 lbs. selling for
$80.75.
There were 411 cows on offer. DI
and D2 cows sold $20 to $25 with
sales to $35.50; D3, $15 to $20; D4,
$10 to $15; shell cows, $5 to $8.
Frank Bullock, Ayton, consigned five
simmental cows averaging 1,585 lbs.
which sold for an average price of
$25.02 with sales to $35.50. One gold
cow consigned by Steve Howard,
Lucknow, weighed 1,340 lbs. which
sold for $30. Wanda Snobelen,
Ripley, consigned three charolais
cows averaging 1,575 lbs. which sold
By Bonnie Gropp
Citizen editor
For the first time in a long time,
production advice was given some
attention by the beef industry at the
recent symposium in Brussels. Dec.
2.
In introducing Kendall Swanson,
an assistant professor in ruminant
nutrition at the University of Guelph,
Dennis Martin of OMAF noted how
much of the industry's focus had
been on the BSE crisis over the past
year and a half. "It seems it's been
awhile since we've been able to think
about production."
Even Swanson's topic, however,
related somewhat to the stresses fac-
ing producers, as he discussed ways
to find savings in a feeding program.
His current research program in
animal and poultry science is for feed
efficiency and nutrient utilization,
for an average price of $28.16 with
sales to $29.
There were 26 bulls on offer selling
$15 to $27.50 with sales to $36.50.
One limousin bull consigned by Eric
Thacker, Kincardine, weighed 2,060
lbs. which sold for $34. Craig Gillis,
Brussels, consigned one red bull
weighing 1,855 lbs. which sold to
Dominion Meat Packers for $27.50.
There were 128 head of veal on
offer. Beef sold $90 to $115 with sales
to $123.50; good holstein, $95 to
$110 with sales to $115; medium hol-
stein, $60 to $80. John Martin,
Lucknow, consigned two limousin
veal steers averaging 670 lbs. which
sold to Newmarket Meat Packers for
$123.50. His overall offering of four
limousin veal calves averaged 649
lbs. selling for an average price of
$120.72. One red wf .veal steer con-
signed by Eric Nonkes, Auburn,
weighed 730 lbs. which sold for
$115.50. Mark and Paul Pennington,
Mildmay consigned one charolais
forage utilization and alternative
feeding strategies, meat quality and
vet science and food safety.
Swanson outlined his initial
research objectives as having a pri-
mary emphasis on improving effi-
ciency of protein and starch digestion
and utilization.
There were three goals 'to his
research, he said. The first was to
improve efficiency of feed utiliation
in growing and feedlot cattle and in
covls during the overwintering peri-
od:"And in turn, to reduce the envi-
ronmental impact -of cattle feeding
operations through nutrition and ani-
mal breeding."
Swanson also hoped to better
define nutrient metabolism of gut
tissues, which are "very high-nutrient
demanding" and to determine if gene
expression can be altered through
dietary manipulation and if altered
expression influences production
efficiency.
Using a pie chart Swanson showed
that "feed is a big component of the
prOduction cost in both feedlot and
cow/calf operation.
He noted "poor options" for
decreasing these costs as the com-
plete elimination of supplement or
the elimination of a particular com-
ponent of a supplement.
Low protein, low or unbalanced
minerals or vitamins or no
ionophore, he said, could all decrease
veal steer weighing 690 lbs. which
sold for $122.50.
Lambs under 50 lbs. sold $140 to
$185; 50 - 64 lbs., $137 to $220; 65 -
79 lbs., $127 to $203; 80 - 94 lbs.,
$123 to $167; 95 - 109 lbs., $124 to
$132; 110 lbs. and over, $96 to $127.
Sheep sold $36 to $51.
Goats sold $25 to $150.
Top quality stocker steers under
400 lbs., sold $107 to $121;_400 - 499
lbs., $99 to $129; 500 - 599 lbs., $95
to $120.50; 600 - 699 lbs., $92.50 to
$110; 700 - 799 lbs., $82.50 to
$107.50; 800 - 899 lbs., $87 to
$98.25; 900 - 999 lbs., $87.50 to
$9935; 1,000 lbs. and over, $79.25 to
$93.50.
Top quality stocker heifers under
300 lbs., sold $105 to $113; 300 - 399
lbs., $83 to $117; 400 - 499 lbs.,
$92.50 to $113.50; 500 - 599 lbs., $84
to $105.50; 600 - 699 lbs., $76.75 to
$106.50; 700 - 799 lbs., $72.50 to
$99.25; 800 - 899 lbs., $78 to $94.50;
900 lbs. and over, $73.75 to $94.
efficiency and cause health-related
problems. "I think it's difficult to cut
or eliminate completely."
Better options, he suggested would
be to change the supplement through
a feeding period such as phase feed-
ing, to change the components of a
supplement, to use a grain source or
to limit feeding.
Swanson showed the results of
several studies regarding these
options. With phase feeding protein,
there was a small increase in average
daily gain and a reduction of excre-
tion by 22 per cent. "If you are think-
ing of environmental sustainability
that might be the approach."
Regarding urea versus natural pro-
tein, the animals were fed different
sources of a supplemental protein.
Those fed a soybean supplement per-
formed better than others.
Another option, said Swanson is
whole soybean substitution. There
was no difference of performance in
animals fed with zero to 24 per cent
soybeans. "This is a possible alterna-
tive," suggest Swanson..
The beans are raw and fed whole,
he added.
Regardless of what decision a pro-
ducer makes, Swanson recommends
to first "consider and think through
your options. Many of these result in
increased management. You have to
consider whether it iiy possible for
you or worth it."
Searching for savings in feed