New money rumour

[johnboy555]

don't u read the comics?

[kato]

I know there is one big difference between the average cow calf producer, and the average owner of a big feedlot.

The average owner of a big feedlot very likely won't lose his home and get kicked out on the street if he goes broke. Heck...he probably won't even lose his boat and motor home.

Cynical? Moi?

[johnboy555]

cow calf dudes need a real job

[johnboy555]

The boys at Cargil and Tyson would love to read this thread.

[kato]

I expect they do.

[rusty1]

rsomer -You said "No matter how I put the numbers together the feedlot sector was fully protected from the impact of BSE while I see that the cow calf producer was not."
That's pure BS.
I'll say it one more time - either you live with you're head in the sand or you have blinkers on. I dare you to go to Picture Butte and say that over the loud speaker at the hockey rink, on in the coffee shops - I guarantee you'll only say it once, cause they would carry you out on a streacher. You wouldn't know what hit you. I listened last night to a retired feedlot opporator tell us how they have lost all their retirement savings just to keep their staff. And they aren't the only ones - check it out for you're self or shut up. The people in that town are living in total fear for their future.

[johnboy555]

rusty.......you tell that jar head

[frustrated1]

What are you johnboy?? And how do you define a "real job"? And no, I don't have time to read comics to know what a jar head is. We crop a couple thousand acres. Custom seed, spray, hay and combine. Have 150 bred cows which makes us one of your "cow calf dudes". I'd like to know where it is I can get a "real job" that allows me time to read the comics? Maybe I can come work for you? Or is a "real job" one that puts me on the recieving end of the govt paycheck? Maybe you could let all of us know what you do for your "real job" so we can figure where you're coming from?

[cowman]

rsomer brings up some good points and what he was pointing out is the cow/calf sector has received zero dollars while the feedlot sector has recieved close to 1 billion dollars in support. That is not debatable...that is a fact! Now I suspect a whole lot of that 1 billion dollars found it's way into Cargill/IBPs pockets and I do know the local feeders around Red Deer are hurting...but these are not the mega-lots, just 1000-6000 head.
I don't know if people like Pascal and Cor van Ray are hurting. Pascal says the bank has cut him off from buying. Is this true? You guys who live down there should know?
What is happening in feedlot alley? Are the pens sitting empty? Are people being laid off? Are suppliers being paid?

[rusty1]

thanks cowman - a real question. Cor VanRae just closed 2 lots and moved all the cattle into the remainder. The hours for the staff in a lot of yards have been cut way back. As you know employers don't like to layoff their staff. Many staff have been asked to cut their salery and hours. I talked to one forman ( agood man) on Friday who had picked up his last cheque and was moving out of the feedlot industry for more hours and money. Many lots are only 1/2 full and need custome cattle because they have lost so much equity. I was in a meeting with a lot of feeders a coule of days ago and they many commented on how much they have lost and how worried they are, but they did not wine, and felt they were continue and - either go down or survive.
And as I have said before the packers got most of the 1B$ rsomer talks about. I know there are still some cattle in pens from May 20th. The set aside program didn't work. It cost them. They had to put finished feeders on a holding (starter ration) which is very high silage, and the most costly ration in the list, and when you back down the feeders from 3 lbs. per day and clean up you're silage pile with no gain it's a double wamie. To top that off, a lot of cattle had to be kept to long and wound up weighing in the 1600 to 1800 lb. range and they then recieved a $350 deduction for "over weights". No they haven't won any battle down here. You can tell rsomer that is things were as good as he think the feeders would be buying cattle.

[cowman]

Thankyou rusty. We all need to hear just what is happening at the local level. You told the story very well.

[rusty1]

I think that in some respects - the reason feedlot alley is so hard hit is that they do one thing and one thing only - finish cattle. No side lines like farming or cow calf, or custom backgrounding to grass. But you see alot of fear in their eyes.