Crash go the feeders?

[grassfarmer]

This was the hot topic on Feb 15th. Look at them now - risen from the 60s c/lb to in the 80c/lb region in two weeks? Has anybody got any ideas why? Everyone was sure two weeks ago they would drop further given the big supply held on farm with spring calving imminent and a shortage of feed looming. The feedlots were in melt down and could only last six weeks. There has been no political light at the end of the tunnel, no talk of the border opening, and no compensation hinted at or paid out so why have they improved?
Does someone know something that we don't?

[pandiana]

I heard that Nilsson Bros is buying again. Why I don't know.

[oldfarmer]

I heard that prices strengthened
about a dollar an hour at a central
Alberta sale yesterday.
Bob Speller now indicates the border
will be open to live cattle before the
end of March. But how many times
have we heard that!

Canada farm minister rules out
mass cow cull
February 26, 2004
Reuters
OTTAWA - Canadian Agricultural
Minister Bob Speller was cited as
saying on Thursday he ruled out a
mass cow cull to deal with a record
high number of cattle on farms after
last year's single case of mad cow
disease, adding, "No, not at this
time," when asked whether he was
considering a mass cull of Canadian
cattle 30 months of age or older.
Canada's cattle herd soared to a
record 14.7 million head by Jan. 1 in
the wake of last year's single case of
brain-wasting bovine spongiform
encephalopathy (BSE).
The backlog means a buildup of
livestock that is driving many farmers
into deficit as well as a pent-up
supply bulge for which Canadian
slaughterhouses lack sufficient
capacity to process and export
markets may not be able to absorb.
Speller said he expects the U.S.
Department of Agriculture to lift its
BSE ban on Canadian cattle imports
by late March.

[bulltipper]

This week at Calgary Stock Yards, cull cows and bulls sold to 30 cents, could be perhaps because of a rumour flying around to be ready for a surprise announcement in the next week to 10 days.

[kato]

We've heard rumbles here as well. The government has made new feeder loans available and some guys are on the market again.

Here's my fearless prediction...it will open quietly so as not to cause a big fuss in the States and it will open on a Friday after markets close so as not to disrupt the futures in the middle of a day.

As for which Friday this will happen...if I knew that I'd be a millionaire.

[Horse]

I feel the cull cows are going to be a problem for a long time to come the politicions dont want to be associated with a waste of meat so they are hoping it will just go away as compared to a cull program if the farmers do it them selves then their hands are clean.We have a backlog now I dont see any other way out unless they get rid of the welfare cows .

[bulltipper]

Horse, there's no doubt in my mind cull cattle are going to be a problem for some time to come. If and when the border opens to live cattle exports, it most likely be to cattle under 30 mths in order to make the fewest waves with the american electorate. Hopefully what will come out of this disaster in the future is that every slaughter bovine will leave this country in a box or as a finished product.

[k-way]

Sorry, but I don't see anybody hurrying out to build any new packing plants in Canada anytime in the near future. Do you?

[bulltipper]

Kway.. notice I said "in the future" but it sure as hell won't be the very near future. What was normal 12 mths ago will never be the norm again......ever!
The way I see it, cattlemen have two options in the long term, shrink the industry until the Canadians eat all that the cattlemen grow (ie The dairy industry) or slaughter every hd @ home before you export the product.

You Choose.

[Horse]

K-way I have heard of a slaugher plant for cows proposed in calgary and possibly mayerthorpe but if things change a little bit I suspect that will disapear. I dont see any way it could work unless there is legislation to protect small facilities.