Sale of Pedigree Dexter Cattle

[marcus]

Hi,
I went to the Exeter sale, although there were a lot of people in the sale ring, not many were buyers. A lot of them were there just to gauge the market. Unfortunately several good heifers went to the meat men. There were some nice 18 month old heifers from between £190 and £230, they were stolen!.
Breeders should be harder, and if there is more money in them to slaughter, this is what they should do. Take them home there is always another day. If you let people buy them for peanuts once they will expect to do it again.
Marcus.

[Rob R]

I suspect a lot of people were between a rock & a hard place with forage and straw this winter, and not in a position to slaughter themselves, so had to take what they could get.

[clacko]

May be it is time the society implemented at an inspected sale a minimum upset price for all approved stock, a lot of sheep society's do this and it does put a bottom in the market, and stop poorer animals being entered

[ann]

sadly I think your TB status does not help you all down there, i really need a new good red bull but My vet says no to anything from a testing area of less than 4 yrs, now I know the old chestnut about you all being tested more regularly than us in a 4 yr area, but my next door neighbours do not get tested the same year as me and if any of them did have some postive reactors they would soon be round at my farm as we are all very close.

I just can not understand why we are still using a 40 yr old test. Its about time the goverment got its finger out and started vaccinating all the cattle. Then we would all be on an even playing field.

[Jac]

sadly I think your TB status does not help you all down there, i really need a new good red bull but My vet says no to anything from a testing area of less than 4 yrs, now I know the old chestnut about you all being tested more regularly than us in a 4 yr area, but my next door neighbours do not get tested the same year as me and if any of them did have some postive reactors they would soon be round at my farm as we are all very close.

I just can not understand why we are still using a 40 yr old test. Its about time the goverment got its finger out and started vaccinating all the cattle. Then we would all be on an even playing field.

Unfortunately, it does not stop people in four year areas buying up cattle from other areas and then selling them on as a 'four year area' so really, unless you inspect their movement book you have no idea what you are buying.

[ann]

Unfortunately, it does not stop people in four year areas buying up cattle from other areas and then selling them on as a 'four year area' so really, unless you inspect their movement book you have no idea what you are buying.

Jac

I guess we are all going to have to ask to check passport info before we buy if we don't know someone enough to trust them. I haven't brought anything in for over 8 yrs and then only a bull for new blood lines, but its sad that one has to be so wary.

[Broomcroft]

We've been in a 1 years zone for years and can't see any difference in prices, Dexters or any other cattle. My vet says that TB is the least of your worries when buying in livestock because the test is, if anything, over-sensitive. If you want to worry, best apply it Johnes, BVD etc, etc. In a one year area everything is tested and done regularly. We were a four year area, and then suddenly went to one year literally overnight! But there's no difference here on the farm and not much more TB about generally either. The only difference is that you are guaranteed every animal has been tested, even calves, whereas before, they may not have been!

[SteveM]

Up here in east yorkshire there are two parish areas that are one year, guessing its because someone in them regularly buys from a 1 year area. As you say for the rest of us on four year visits its only breeding females and the bull that get tested.

[Jac]

Unfortunately, it does not stop people in four year areas buying up cattle from other areas and then selling them on as a 'four year area' so really, unless you inspect their movement book you have no idea what you are buying.

Jac

I guess we are all going to have to ask to check passport info before we buy if we don't know someone enough to trust them. I haven't brought anything in for over 8 yrs and then only a bull for new blood lines, but its sad that one has to be so wary.

It may not necessarily be the one that has moved onto the holding that is offered for sale - in theory, they could have moved dozens on and off before the herd is tested.

[Jac]

We've been in a 1 years zone for years and can't see any difference in prices, Dexters or any other cattle. My vet says that TB is the least of your worries when buying in livestock because the test is, if anything, over-sensitive. If you want to worry, best apply it Johnes, BVD etc, etc. In a one year area everything is tested and done regularly. We were a four year area, and then suddenly went to one year literally overnight! But there's no difference here on the farm and not much more TB about generally either. The only difference is that you are guaranteed every animal has been tested, even calves, whereas before, they may not have been!

Least of your worries because at least you get compensation for TB which you don't for BVD, Johne's etc.

[Rob R]

On the other hand you don't have movement restrictions or the cost of pre-movement testing, which I understand is the main problem (cost) of not being clear of TB and not covered by compensation.

[Broomcroft]

It is a nuisance and cost for the seller, but not for the buyer unless the breeder charges extra I suppose!

[Rob R]

Unless the buyer brings TB back to their area, as happened in the next parish - we were on 24 month testing because of that a few years ago, so it cost us too.

[ann]

I' m on a 4yr testing but have just sold some heifers to Wales and they requested them to be tested, at their cost. all tested clear to day and all PD in calf so that was good, sadly one of mine was not in calf which is a bum as its a blood line I would like to keep, the vet thought she had a small cyst on her ovaries so we have given her a jab and one more try. with a different bull, fingers crossed.

[Broomcroft]

sadly one of mine was not in calf which is a bum as its a blood line I would like to keep, the vet thought she had a small cyst on her ovaries so we have given her a jab and one more try. with a different bull, fingers crossed.

We had one of those Ann and she was injected by the vet, then got into calf and has done ever since. So hope your's turns out the same.