170 Dead Cows

[farmers_son]

CTV.ca News Staff

An Alberta farmer has lost up to 170 cattle after they wandered onto a patch of ice and broke through into the frigid water below.


Other members of the small community of Viking -- about an hour southeast of Edmonton -- are now rallying behind the farmer. The town plans to raise money by holding an auction this Friday.


"It's something that financially, mentally, everything could put a person out of business without some big support," Terry Carter of the Viking Auction House told CTV Edmonton.


The animals drowned last week, but their bodies still remain in the water. Bodies of about 60 cows and calves can be seen on the surface, only partially submerged.


A crew is expected to start removing the cattle by the end of the week. Their remains will either be buried or sent to a rendering company.


It will be a further financial blow for a farmer already suffering a massive loss.


"You're looking at $135,000 of non-income before you start the clean-up," said Karl Vidal, who works at the Regulatory Services division of Alberta's Environment and Food Safety Sector.

[cowman]

What a nightmare. Can certainly feel for the guy.
We used to have a spring fed pond that never would freeze properly and fished a few cows out of it over the years before we finally fenced it off...although we never lost any...just lucky I guess.

[coppertop]

This was very unfortunate, and I certainly sympathize with the farmer and his family, as this will be a major set back financially, but one has to wonder why the dugout wasn't fenced off. Fencing dugouts is good practice, as is the use of solar or windmill pumps in the summer, and they cost one heck of a lot less than the loss of 170 head of cattle, not to mention the costs involved in removing carcasses and having them hauled away. Regulatory services has advised that they will assist where they can but they have already provided the unfortunate farmer with information regarding his responsibility to remove the dead cattle wihin a certain period of time.

[cowman]

Oh that is nice? Kick the guy when he is down?
Come on the guy just lost his livelyhood...why not send him a letter to get his act together?LOL!
As near as I know, dumb landowner that I am, he can let them rot there forever...if that is his desire?
Am I wrong here? If I decide to build a dugout...and whatever dies in it...am I obligated to do one damned thing? Does the government police me for everything I do? I would suggest, that if that is the case....we have gone a wee bit too far on this ..."government knows what is best for me"...and I'd better damned well conform!!!?
The big picture? This guy just got slammed? No matter who might be "designated at fault?"...In fact how about blaming the weather or an act of God? Come on...you aren't that callous?

[coppertop]

cowman, the officer from regulatory services was speaking on the news yesterday, indicating that the owner of the cattle had been informed as to the process of removing and disposing carcasses. The current legislation requires that unless a carcass is being left for scavengers ( I believe there is a certain weight limit) the carcasses must be either burned or buried within 48 hours. This is on your own land, in your dugout or in your barn for that matter. Why do you think that large confined feeding operations must have dead disposal plan as part of their application under the AOPA legislation.

I feel very sorry for the fellow who lost his cattle, and hopefully he is cut some slack in dealing with the removal of carcasses. I didn't write the legislation so please don't call me callous, which I hope you weren't.

I have seen farmers hauling dead calves out of dugouts in the spring when calf prices were at an all time high, the loss of the price of one good stout calf in the fall could have paid to fence the entire dugout. Government funding was in place for years to assist with dugout development, fencing, alternative watering systems etc., but many people have chosen to continue to water in dugouts with no fences and take their chances. With thawing weather and ice around a dugout getting mushy, it was a recipe for disaster. Glad the communty is rallying behind the fellow and his family.

[ivbinconned]

I CAN relate.
We lost 15 heifers back in 91 in the NS river one bitterly cold febuary day. Snowmobilers made a great track to follow!!
It was One third our herd. They were heifers we had just purchessed that fall. Had to pay for them but they were gone. It was tough!

I heard once about a program in Montana called the "One Good Cow Program" that people could voluntarly contribute one good cow to someone who had experianced such a disaster.
All it would take is 170 cattlemen to donate one good cow or 340 cattlemen to contribute half a cow and this man would be undoubtably grateful for the rest of his life.

[kato]

Something like that happened not far from us a couple of years ago. It was late fall, and the ice was frozen, but not thick. The cows wandered on to a slough that was in the middle of the pasture. The water wasn't very deep, and if they'd walked in there during warm weather they would never have drowned. The cold was the killer. The ice collapsed, the cows couldn't get up, and they were crowded onto each other. It was the stuff that nightmares are made of.

To top it off, they were being custom pastured for someone else. I think they had been set to haul them out, and they were only a couple of days too late to prevent the tragedy. Instead they were in there with backhoes.

Who knows, maybe this ice was fenced? Cows don't always respect fences. Whatever, you have to feel for the poor guy. No matter what the cause, it's a heck of thing to happen to anyone.

[coppertop]

It certainly is tragic, he has a young family, and the financial loss is going to be a real setback. The Edmonton Journal has information on where people can donate goods, money or cattle. The Viking Auction Market is holding a bred cow sale and is adding a benefit auction to that sale. One fellow has offered to provide his backhoe and operator for a reduced rate to help remove the cattle, apparently that is commencing tomorrow.

Pretty tough to take, but at least the family is together, regardless of the financial loss,but if there is anything positive, it wasn't an accident that cost a family member their life or health. I am going to call the Viking Auction Market in the morning and see if there has been a fund set up at any particular bank, will post that on this site once I find out.

[ddniak]

Please let us know Coppertop were we could donate. I dont have much but I feel we all need to support this family.

[ddniak]

Please let us know Coppertop were we could donate. I dont have much but I feel we all need to support this family.

[cowman]

Coppertop: I concur...please post the info.
Sometimes life hands you a really crappy deal. There was a small writeup about this wreck in the Advocate yesterday and it sure makes you feel sorry for this guy. Says he can't even bare to go look at the mess anymore. They had a picture of one froze cow half out of the water.

[topper]

Don't most producers carry insurance on their herds for drowning, lightning, etc. I'm sure most in my area do. I had a bull walk out on the ice and fall through a few years back and I got paid for him. Of coarse insurance never seems to cover the price of a replacement but it sure would be a lifesaver in this case.

[cowman]

topper: I don't think many do? Not sure what the cost would be? I think most people just figure occasionally things happen and you just eat it? Of course no one would expect a total wreck like this?
A long time ago I insured a couple of high priced purebred hfrs. I bought and the premium was 4%! Only insured them for one year.

[dfarms11]

the ins isnt that much I think I pay about a buck or 2 per animal per year, thats pretty cheap ins if you ask me!

[coppertop]

According to the farmer, MOST of the cows weren't insured.
Donations of cattle or items for the silent auction or cash may be made by calling the Viking Auction Market at:
780-336-2209.
A silent auction is planned prior to the bred cow sale on Friday. According to the information I obtained, there has been no specific fund set up at a bank but that may occur shortly. At one Christmas event in Edmonton last evening an announcement was made that a group of people would be in the lobby during the intermission collecting for the Erickson family, and people were lined up to put money into the collection buckets.