XL Foods Announces Temporary Layoffs

[kato]

You know what I like about all our ranting and arguing here?

This story is on the news EVERY time I turn the TV on, or listen to the radio. And not once have I heard anyone ask a cattle producer what their opinion was. No interviews, no quotes, no fancy photo ops that we could walk out on.

This is the only place I've found so far, where we've been able to vent and discuss. All media people should be reading Agri-ville, if they want to know the real story. I know a couple of media members who are reading... and I thank them.

Oh ya, and I do know I'm just like that slacker Randy, posting in the middle of the day. LOL However my reason is a run-in with a steel panel gate and a bull that took place last week. I refer you to page 31 of this month's Cattlemen for an illustration of what happened, courtesy of Elmo and Flo. Too gimpy to work much outside yet, but if I sit my arm just right, my typing fingers work OK.

It's a dangerous world we live in, and we're not getting danger pay.

[rkaiser]

Yer an amazing creature Kato.... HUGZ

My siter broke her foot all to shit when some steel panels fell on her last year. Hope your healing is quick.

[gcreekrch]

Randy, you've most likely already searched this avenue but why don't your prospective customers invest?

[grassfarmer]

I would leave the tag issue alone Randy. The only
result of stirring that pot is producers will finish up
having to belly clip every animal heading to a plant.
Believe me you don't want to go down that route. Talk
about an impediment to free trade and commerce,
not to mention the risk. At least one person was
killed in the UK doing that not to mention the
numerous broken arms and hands. Oh, and it will
lead to discounting of hairier type cattle at feeder
level as well.

[wmoebis]

Any pictures Joe Public and Ritz sees of beef on the news they are all clipped. spit and polished, out on nice lush green grass or laying on mountains of fresh straw bedding.

Can't see where it would be much of a problem to give them a little bath before they go to town.

Sorry guys but that is what will come out of this. Look at the deer poop in grain a few years ago. Even tho it could be cleaned out it was zero tolerance for delivery to elevators.

[ASRG]

I don't think you could wash off those old clinkers on a feedlot steer even with a pressure washer!
Maybe we should run that idea past Rick Pascal? Rick, do you have your scrub brush handy?
The day I have to start clipping cow's bellies is the day I quit.

[kato]

How about being paid a bonus for clean cattle? We'd go for that. Ours leave the yard without any tag on them now.

Once again, it's called bedding. Combine that with sufficient space and cattle tend to be clean. Pile them end to end in a pen with no straw, and don't be surprised at what you get.

[BFW]

i agree we should strive to keep cattle clean but dirty cattle are not the source of ecoli infections. Cattle with heavy tag slow down the line because more care needs to be taken processing the and theire will be more carcass trim due to more surface contamination. Howver tag is a seasonal problem usually confined to early winter and spring and I am pretty certain the cattle at the plant at the time in question would be carrying no tag so I think you are barking up the wrong tree here.