rfid tags

[cowman]

Has anyone saw any calves hitting the market with these rfid tags in them? If so how heavy are they discounting them?
Perhaps it is too early? If these calves are discounted $200 they could be very cheap? If non tagged 450 lbs. heifer calves are selling around that $1 mark then I guess you should be able to buy tagged heifers in that $250 range?
A small heifer like that, fed cheap to come out lean in the spring, could definitely be a money maker? Feed her to hit grass at about 550 put on 200 lbs. on grass and have her ready for the Aug/Sept market in that 750 range. Now if that border has opened you are going to do really well! But if it doesn't you still should make some decent money anyway? If she only makes 80 cents you still will get $600? So you stand to make $350 gross...worst case scenario?

[remin]

Cowman,
Please help me out. Why would cattle with rfd tags be discounted? I don't get it. I'm trying to imagine why and don't like the reasons I can come up with?

[grassfarmer]

Cowman, I see VJV sold two pens on the satellite on Friday that were tagged. A pen of lim x bulls @ 436lbs made $1.13 and their sisters @ 424lbs made $1.05. No discounts there - but really there is no reason why they should be discounted . As long as guys haven't tagged calves that are too heavy there shouldn't be a problem. I tagged a few stragglers that were under 475lbs and plan to sell them in December. I'm still amazed that this is spoken about as a good plan at the ABP meetings - clearly there is nothing being tagged but 4 weight calves and replacement heifers. It's obviously not going to delay the marketing of fats next Fall.

[Willowcreek]

grassfarmer- As an American, I may not completely understand this tagging program- but I have been unable to see where it will do anything to lessen the number of cattle or keep any more cattle off the market.. Every year most have lightweigts and replacements they hold anyway- there are always some cattle and lot farther behind.. Maybe some of you smarter than me can explain it to me... The only good thing I see is that it puts a few more dollars into the ranchers pocket---- But then I also visualize a challenge coming up by the US cattle groups challenging it as a trade violation for subsidized beef production......

[cowman]

Willowcreek: I have to agree that it is sort of a joke. In fact most people I talk to think it is just another typical gong show and aren't really even considering participating!
Now not me or grassfarmer! We are Scotchmen and cheap as hell and are right there with our hands out for everything we can get!....and grassfarmer...don't even go there...I'm just pulling your chain! LOL

[cowman]

This was a dummest ever subsedie put toward cow-calf people they never lost
money yet.
I am on the market regurly and noticed little diccount i don,t understand
why not. because we in the feedlot
can not sell before oct-2005 simple!
take advandce of it and put a 200 dollar above high calfprice in you bank
is there to mutch pride??????

[cowman]

Uh jerry: The cow/calf sector never lost money yet?...What planet have you been living on?
My own sorry story...I own 800 acres worth more than $2.4 million. I currently have around 110 bred cows. My income from those 110 calves will be in that $66,000 range(optomistic). The net after feed ,taxes, operating expenses etc. will be in the negative numbers!
So tell me...how in the hell am I not losing money? I am one of the very few who doesn't owe the bank anything and I am losing money! Once again I have to ask you: What planet are you living on? Are you retarded or something?

[grassfarmer]

COWMAN, GET IT RIGHT WE ARE "THRIFTY" NOT CHEAP;O) There is a difference.

Willowcreek the theory was that the scheme would entice producers to hold back calves that would normally be sold fat next July-September for later slaughter when more kill spaces might be created. Obviously the $200 is not enough to achieve that so instead we are milking the scheme to our best advantage. Regarding a trade sanction because we are being subsidised - I respectfully invite the US to stick that one where the sun doesn't shine! US trade, Government and Corporate policy is what has reduced Canadian farmers to unsustainable income levels - you can't complain when we get paid a very small amount of our losses back in the way of compensation.

[kato]

You guys are so lucky to live in Alberta regarding this one. Manitoba still doesn't even have tags. I do know that the price of those smaller calves that would be good to go to grass next summer are quite a bit higher than they were a while ago. That's mainly because they are being bought with the intention of putting tags in them.

Now, the fat cattle set aside...that's a joke in this part of the country. Apparently in the last bid 53 out of 54 successful bidders were from Alberta. That little clause you guys have about the price protection is going to cause a whole lot of pain for us here in Manitoba. I can see it coming. We have no protection on price in the program here, so in 90 days, when the extra fats all hit the market at once, and the price drops, as we all know it will, you will be insulated from it, and we will get a great big kick in the pants. I wonder if that would be part of the reason no one here wants in on it?

[grassfarmer]

At least the Manitoba Government is helping build slaughter plants - that is real progress. These schemes in Alberta are merely fiddling while Rome burns - they do nothing to address the longterm problems.

[kato]

I have been giving the slaughter set aside some thought. What is the purpose of it? It has delayed the market for now, but what happens later?From what I can see, it will make for some fairly overweight steers hitting the market at the same time.

Could someone please explain how this is to help us? The only advantage I can see is that some feedlots have had their feed costs covered so they can speculate on the border opening.

[grassfarmer]

As I understood it it was supposed to pull cattle off the market during a time of huge over supply and hold them until our numbers are shorter (due to seasonal fluctuations)I doubt whether the people running the program have a better handle on the number of cattle in the pipeline and how many of these are already packer owned than the packers do. Without this information I can't see it working - as you say the obvious result will be more weight of beef coming to market a few months down the line. It comes back, as far as I'm concerned, to the unwillingness of Government at either Federal or Provincial levels to tackle these transnational corporations. I still believe strongly that this is by far the biggest cause of our current financial crisis.We are distracted by the debate over Japan vs US negotiations, possible causes of BSE while these corporations are allowed to steal several hundred dollars off every fat animal sold. Removing these dollars from feedlots and ultimately cow calf producers is why we are struggling.

[Willowcreek]

grassfarmer-We are distracted by the debate over Japan vs US negotiations, possible causes of BSE while these corporations are allowed to steal several hundred dollars off every fat animal sold. Removing these dollars from feedlots and ultimately cow calf producers is why we are struggling.

grassfarmer- I agree a 100%- Until we can get some government control over the multinational corporation packers in BOTH countries the ranchers of BOTH countries will be at their mercy--- And it will continue the arguing between the ranchers of BOTH countries- All the cattle organizations in BOTH countries should be looking at putting some laws in to keep these rip-offs and manipulations of the market from happening..... Just remember when these packers are tired of using and abusing us they have new feeding and slaughter operations going up in Australia, Brazil, Argentina, etc. etc..... Canadians of all people should know that they have no allegiance or concious toward anyone.