Maine Genetics lost forever.

[OpenRange]

If anyone can truck a couple of those cows up to Illinois or near here let me know. (815) 482-8631

 

[Show Heifer]

Anyone have a sale report? I know what a devasting feeling it would be to sell my cattle, so I can only imagine the feeling of hopelessness and pain.
Hope another door opens for them.

 

[knabe]

so, like, what's available?

 

[nck21]

What time is the sale?

 

[JSchroeder]

It's a long story but there's no reason to sugar coat it, they're almost all headed to the packer.

After trying unsuccessfully to get in touch with them numerous times to buy cattle on the place I went to the auction barn last night.  There was no way to tell what was what. I got the auction barn to group some of the better fleshing cows.  I sat there today for two hours, they Maines were in the back of barn, I came back after a 5-10 minute lunch, they had run through 10 seconds prior.  I tried buying them from the packer but he said it would be too much hassle so that was that.  I would have paid 2-3 times what they brought if I could have bought them on the place, perhaps more of I knew the story on a few of them.

A good portion of them were broke mouthed.  They split all but two pairs (couldn't get the cows to pair up with the calves) and ran one-month old calves alone.  The few I had them group together were opens but would have been worth the risk.

They brought 40-45 cents a pound and as far as I know, all of them went to L&H (the local cow packer).

 

[knabe]

A good portion of them were broke mouthed.  

what is the definition of that?

 

[JSchroeder]

Old cows that have lost their teeth.  They're denoted at that auction barn with a line down their forehead.  I've heard it called smooth mouthed as well but that's typically when they've lost all of them.

They were understandably in lower than ideal condition due to the conditions any way and that would make it virtually impossible to get them back in shape.

 

[chiangus]

That is a shame, sorry to hear.

 

[Show Heifer]

I do not understand that at all. If they were my cows and I was in that position, I would have made the sale at least 2-3 weeks away, advertized, then had information at the barn for people to see. I would have been there ring side to represent each one of them.
Seems like it was a "dump and go"??? For a life long cattle program seems like a ill prepared sale.  I do not understand the rush and lack of organization.

JSchroeder, I have found packer buyers will say that, but if you offer them enough money, they will "allow" the salebarn help to sort whatever you want. Heck, its nothing off their back to make a quick $100 or so!

 

[JSchroeder]

That wasn't going to be an option and after a certain amount of chasing, there comes a time to realize it just isn't in the plans and move on.  Unless the top end had been picked over prior to last night (I checked every pen there and still have no clue how they counted 60 head) it would have been hard to get a positive return from additional promotion.

 

[common sense]

That is a case of "it is what it is".  You would have to walk a mile...well, maybe just a block...in the Phillip's shoes to even begin to understand the situation.  It's probably best not to be too judgmental. Their hard times have not been simply from the drought.Hopefully they won't look at this as an ending but as a new beginning.  Thanks everyone for doing all that you did.  The support is appreciated I am sure.

 

[DL]

A sad but weird situation - but by retaining the 2 year olds they hopefully have kept the genetics they worked so hard to develop in the gene pool and the Maine genetics will not be lost forever - not all cattle decisions revolve around the feed or weather or market - I wish them the best,

 

[Show Heifer]

I think you misinterupted my statements julie. I meant no ill toward the cattleman. I just wandered why it seemed so "ill planned". Maybe there are circumstances that were not made public on this forum, and that is ok. Given the information, it just seemed a bit  odd.  I was just thinking a purebred cattle herd selling suddenly at a salebarn wasn't  the best way to market their cattle. As I stated earlier, I hope another door opens for them and with the 2 year olds, it probably will.

 

[knabe]

many successful breeders have done this.  i remember a few years ago, not in response to a drought, but labor input and other considerations, a prominent angus herd did the same and a prominent angus/maine breeder purchased them and a flood of new genetics were distributed.  no distribution took place this time, but hopefully what's left will refocus efforts.

it's amazing that with the aforementioned dispersal, even one individual had some interesting segregation, a few generations after linebreeding.

perhaps this is an opportunity to linebreed.

 

[jbzdad]

Julie, I sent you a Email before I read the rest of this post this morning, offer still stands , sorry I didn't get here sooner, Doc

 

[DL]

I guess I am confused by this whole post - this information is posted Monday night - by Wed all the cattle have been sold at a sale barn and most people who were interested or offered to help didn't get a call back. In theory - since we all strive to improve our genetics every year - the retained 2 year olds should be the best genetics, so I don't see how tje breed is losing genetics. I agree with SH - if these were so valuable - clearly from the response on this board - given a week they would have all been sold - so I remain confused by the tone of the original post and the manner in which it was handled - I am sorry they had to sell their cows, for whatever reason, but I am still confused by the original post, the lack of response, and the short time frame....

 

[Joe Boy]

The salebarn operator was disappointed that he did not get the cattle he thought he was getting. He thought he was getting 60 cows and 30 calves.  He thought the calves would be marked and paired up pretty easy.  He said they were mostly older cows, 30, and 30 calves.  He sold nearly 5,000 sheep and goats Tuesday evening prior to trying to pair up the cattle.  The truck did not arrive until after 1:00 p.m. 

A former county agent checked them out for me at the sale barn and told me it was a waste of my time to come.  Had I had plenty of fore warning I would still have gone and tried to pick out some calves that might work in my herd.  BUT I would have wanted to know the genetics.  There is not doubt in my mind that they have developed some of the great bloodlines in the breed.  A 10 year old cow with care could still give 3 or 4 great calves.  I have done it, time and again.

I am not judging anyone, but I would have done it like SH suggested.  Don't tell me I wouldn't, because I already have done it that way once.  I did it to reduce my bank loans and the bank worked with me and I sat at the auction table and answered all questions and told which ones could be registered, etc.  I wrote up all the information on each cows production.  It was one of the hardest days of my life.  I did not get out of debt but got it to a point I could manage it.  We had had one crop failure after another and then got our herd quarantined due to a purchase of a bangy heifer.  Times were hard but we made it.

 

[JSchroeder]

Honestly, I'm in the same boat as the barn owner and extension agent.  There were two cows I would have liked to take a chance on.  However, when two cows are in that much better condition than the rest of the group, dry, and open, it's hard not to question whether they're breeders.

 

[DL]

So I guess we are all in the same boat? The HMS Confusion - Not very many cows, old cows without teeth, no pairs, condition (or lack of) perhaps out of proportion to drought, sale barn not getting what he thought he was getting -  clearly not very many good cows, sold less than 2 days after the original post and apparently interested people did not get at return call - what was the point of the original post.....??? nada zero zip?

 

[chambero]

I probably shouldnt speculate, but I'm guessing owner changed mind on what they were selling at the last second?  Probably told Ms. Nelson one thing but could't bear to part with the younger ones at the last second. 
My father in law is just as bad.  I get everything lined up and identified for culling based on age, bad bags, etc and at the last minute we the only thing we cull are open, toothless grannies.