Cows!

[cowman]

One of my neighbors sold two old dairy cows. How it worked was XL buys them ships them to Moosejaw and you get a set rail type price on the slaughter weight.
One cow brought $75! The other cow got condemned so my neighbor had to pay the freight to Moosejaw plus a "disposal" fee...cost $120! He got a bill for $45!
He told his boys, no more cows are shipped, just shoot them and let the coyotes eat them!
I suspect this is what will generally happen this fall with a lot of cows? We'll have our cull and it won't cost our useless government a dime?

[frustrated1]

Our coyotes have been eating well already. Had a few arthritic old cows that disappeared. We knew this would happen. Neighbour shipped two reasonable old cows to market and when it was all said and done he owed the market 80cents. Not sure if he'd figured in the fuel to market even.

Wanna buy a cow?

[kato]

Do you live in Manitoba? If you do, you can get compensated for wildlife kills. It's run through crop insurance.

[blackjack]

cowman...glad to see that someone is making a some dough off an Ag product... looks like us young farmers will have to figure out something other than cattle or grain to make a living off the land...keep us up to date on your ventures I find it interesting...

[cropduster]

Hair on you Cowman!!!Now if this continues you must realize that you will have to form a co-op and include the rest of us ! ! Errr,isn`t that the `Canadian` way???????

[cakadu]

Glad to hear you've had an "aha" moment cowman and can see that the value isn't in the chokecherries themselves...but rather the value is in what you do with them ie the further processing. Growing what you can sell is much easier than selling what you grow.

[boone]

Cowman: Have you heard of anyone selling Wolfe or Coyote pups, looks like we may need a pack!

[cakadu]

Glad to hear you've had an "aha" moment cowman and can see that the value isn't in the chokecherries themselves...but rather the value is in what you do with them ie the further processing. Growing what you can sell is much easier than selling what you grow.

[cowman]

Well she cleared $875 yesterday! Which was pretty good considering the generator went down and I had to rush in another one.
I was frankly pretty sceptical when she ran the idea of a food concession by me...little did I realize the money in food. The hoops you have to jump through to get a health permit are truly amazing. A seperate building from your house with washroom, three sinks, freezer, countertops and sterilizing materials up to snuff as well as water tests etc.etc.
I had a detached two car garage that had water and heat so it worked out with some modifications(the plan is to eventually get it licensed as a commercial kitchen). She also has managed to move a fair bit of vegetables around to her friends and family. Has about an acre in a garden and occasionally I'll help her do a little weeding!
Now here is a girl who worked for me quite a few years ago when she was still in school. Life caught her up and she ended up with a bum who gave her a baby and a lot of grief. She struggled along on welfare and crappy jobs.
So today she is a single mom with a 5 year old, but wants to get ahead and is willing to work to do it! She has a ton of gumption she just needed someone to give her a chance!

[cowman]

The trouble with coyotes is they are kind of finicky eaters in the summer and not to keen on tackling an old bloated up cow! Oh well I guess the flies and maggots got to eat too! Just don't shoot her to near the yard!
Now in the winter coyotes can do a very effective job of cleaning up the carcass...although they have this bad habit of carting off the bones and leaving them in the most inconvenient places! Nothing like putting a pelvis through the haybine or combine?

[cowman]

Oh and by the way Linda: I'm still a lttle sceptical about the chokecherries...and the rasberrys(1000 canes).. but she thinks we can rock and roll on syrup! I've got to admit the stuff she makes is dynamite! But will it sell?
Well, we'll see? Don't have to worry about it for a couple of years?
She does supply all the lettuce, onions, (very soon tomatoes) etc. for the concession stand from the garden so
that is an added bonus!(I'm thinking why not supply the beef patties?)
I'm actually feeling really excited about this whole deal! It's nice to know that maybe there is some sort of future in agriculture...even if it is very radical to the day when we just raised beef and grain!

[cakadu]

This is so good in so many ways. First and foremost, everyone and I mean everyone, makes a mistake or two along the way. Most of us are determined to learn from our mistakes and better ourselves, which includes taking a hand up from others from time to time.

It is a step in the right direction and certainly is something different from what has been done and thought of in the past, but I think that many are now beginning to recognize that we need to do things differently today and into the future.

Listen to what your customers are telling you and do what you need to in order to provide what they are asking for.

It's great that this young lady is willing to work and I'm sure it gives her a sense of accomplishment to see sales going so well and to have you pleased also.

If we can get you to believe, cowman, just think of the possibilities that are in front of us. Best of luck in your venture!

[whiteface]

My concern is with the "regular meals" the coyotes have been receiving they are flourishing more than ever and aquiring an even stronger desire for beef. There's an additional den on my place this year with 5 pups instead of 3 or 4 and I'm concerned that when we stop feeding them if they will starve or worse become a problem. I wonder if any one else has really considered the impact of BSE right down to the eco-system. Central Alberta processers wants 5 cents a pound to pick anything up, right on the spot before she's loaded, of course cows will start "disappearing" on larger pieces of land! I'm also concerned that some people might not consider the impact of cattle disposal on water (ground or otherwise) in their quest to simply not have to feed some of these older cows. Just maybe somthing to think about.

[cswilson]

Maybe on the parliament grounds would be a good spot-lots of parasites and scavengers there to pick the bones clean.It would be a good day in hellI'd pay somebody 50 bucks topick up a cow. Coyotes gotta eat too.

[kato]

Mange is back in our local coyote population. It's going to be a nasty winter.