DCS beef meeting 6th Feb

Penny · Post by **Penny** » Sun Feb 07, 2010 10:24 pm

I was sorry not to make it. The cows had kindly agreed not to calve, and I had arranged cover for the shop ( as like Dom, Saturday is the busiest day for selling the beef), then all the electricity failed for the whole farm! As there are fridges and freezers full of beef, that is not good. Turned out that the live wire connection to the farm had completely burnt out and snapped. Is anyone else having a spell of bad luck or is it just me?!!

So what price was being offered? We must remember that we have a really top quality product which is sort after. I appreciate that some people need an outlet for their stock, and that finishers are not keen to take in one or two from a variety of places over a large distance, but if Kobe can make such a name for itself and command such high prices, we must unite and be bold in what we ask for, because the demand is there. Don't forget the many hours/days/weeks/YEARS that is spent rearing the perfect beast. Often double the age of a supermarket animal, it should be rewarded.

LewisMoore · Post by **LewisMoore** » Mon Feb 08, 2010 12:11 am

i would just like to say how much i enjoyed the meeting. i have certainly learnt a lot more about dexter beef. i would also like to 'thank' Caroline Ryder for getting me to the front of our picture obviusly i didn't do a good enough job of hiding!

Denise · Post by **Denise** » Wed Feb 10, 2010 11:45 am

HI Mark, sorry I was at the Gift Fair at NEC that day - and wont be finished here until tomorrow.
Would love copies of handouts to take back to OZ with me, or are they available on the internet?

Will be in Marston green for another couple of days, then hoping to come and visit some Dexter folk to talk Dexters!

Regards

davidw · Post by **davidw** » Wed Feb 10, 2010 5:39 pm

I have scanned Martin and Caroline's handouts so can email them to anyone who needs them. I can do the same for the Crossgar brochure. If you send your email to davidw@intldevelopment.net I will get them to you

Post by **Mark Bowles** » Wed Feb 10, 2010 7:33 pm

Thanks David, thats a good idea.
Copies should also be available from Sue in the office for anyone who wants them.

Denise · Post by **Denise** » Thu Feb 11, 2010 12:16 pm

Thanks David n Mark, will do soon as I settle down a bit. Appreciate.

Regards

Martyn & Caroline Ryder · Thu Feb 11, 2010 8:23 pm

Hello everyone

A big thank you to all who made the effort to be at the beef meeting on Saturday last. We are glad that you went away feeling a little more informed and enthused about our wonderful Dexter Beef.

We are now in the process of compiling a CD with lots of useful @bits and pieces' that can be downloaded and printed as tools for selling Dexter Beef. Hopefully to be available April/May time.

On the subject of prices - you are mor than welcome to look at the price list on our website for an idea, but really it may be a case of trial and error at first to test your own market. Please don't undercharge though!

The chaps from Crossgar made a great case for buying stock. The price will vary with the national beef deadweight price, but I am under the impression that it was over the going rate. Their attempts at buying in the UK are in their infancy so alittle negotiating work needs to be done here. But it is another great outlet for the beef.

Thanks too for all feedback it's really useful - but the Network will only succeed if we work at it together, after all we all have the breed at heart. So all Dexter Beef producers - whether you sell one a week or one a year - register to be part of the National Dexter Beef Network NOW and lets get this thing off the ground.

We are not really discussion board regulars, but we will keep dipping into this topic.

Thanks again

Martyn and Caroline Ryder
Pike End Farm
www.pikeendfarm.net

groubearfarm · Post by **groubearfarm** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 9:01 pm

I have put a report of the beef meeting on the society website with an application form for you to register your interest and return to the office. It is on the 'society news' page.

It is a great step forward for the society and our breed. Thank you for all those who participated.

Fiona

domsmith · Post by **domsmith** » Sun Feb 14, 2010 4:58 pm

Just had a look at the dcs report of the beef marketing day.

i just note that crossgar were willing to offer 10p/kg premium on grading prices.

it has been said that crossgar were willing to offer £3p/kg which is very different from the 10p premium. how many dexter producers would off them R4L stock to get the £3.
i suspect if you werent careful you could get a suprise a -o4h might get £2.4 or less. mine personally get o4l or o3l.
still crossgar are offering a commercial rate that puts a value on our stock not just as a small holders cow.

dom

Colin · Post by **Colin** » Mon Feb 15, 2010 11:19 am

I think this is a great initiative and I am very interested in it. I'm a small scale beef producer (currently 2 or 3 animals a year) and so far I'm able to sell all my dexter beef locally. Is it still worth me joining the Dexter Beef Network, even if I am most unlikely to want to use Crossgar ?

Regards,

Colin

solburydexters · Post by **solburydexters** » Tue Mar 30, 2010 2:35 pm

Having spoken to Martyn I understand forms from interested parties are very slow being returned to the DCS.There were a lot of favourable comments from the meeting and follow on comments from people unable to get there.It can only be assumed that a long period of dry weather had everyone 'dextering' sorry' beavering' away outside.It would be great if with the return of cold wet weather there could be a sudden flush of form returns into the DCS office whilst we are inside dreaming of Spring.Please give it consideration and hopefully we can move a good positve scheme forward.Alan Carrington DCS Council member

CarolineL · Post by **CarolineL** » Wed Mar 31, 2010 4:49 pm

Alan,
We were at the meeting and I'm pretty sure we filled in a registration form for the beef scheme at the meeting - or am I imagining it and we were told to take the forms home, fill them in, and return them? Or was the only form the one currently on the DCS website? Didn't want to duplicate work so if anyone could shed any light on whether any forms were collected at the meeting it would be greatly appreciated. If not I'll get on and return the form!

Colin,
From what I gathered at the meeting, registering for the Beef scheme was for everyone involved in beef production at any scale - so that we have an overall picture of what/how much/where - even if you have only a couple per year (like us) and sell it all while it's still in the field (like us!), you may get more stock in the future (this is our plan) and also you may want steers from other local producers who may not be interested in doing beef, if you register with the scheme then people with stock can find you. (Please correct me anyone with a better memory than me!)

Many thanks
Caroline

solburydexters · Post by **solburydexters** » Wed Mar 31, 2010 9:22 pm

Colin
yes please fill in form as it will all add to building up the picture
Caroline
maybe worth filling in another form

Colin · Post by **Colin** » Thu Apr 01, 2010 9:08 am

Yes I think it is an excellent initiative. I returned my forms in Feb.

Regards,

Colin

natmadaboutdexters · Post by **natmadaboutdexters** » Thu Apr 01, 2010 8:07 pm

I filled in my form today. Initially I didn't return it as we will probably only have two or three per year so thought we were too small. Now realise that this doesn't matter as it is filling orders etc not a numbers game.

Natasha