LLOYDMINSTER – Despite lower than normal sale prices and show entries at the Lloydminster Ivomec Stockade Round Up, producers remained upbeat about their cattle herds’ future.
Producers blamed bovine spongiform encephalopathy, drought and the economy for keeping many participants from the Oct. 30-Nov. 1 event.
There were 281 cattle shown here last year, compared to this year’s 231. Sale averages were down to $1,035 from $1,201 per head last year. Horse sale prices hovered around $3,270 compared with $3,501 in 2002.
Joan Sinfield, Lloydminster exhibition marketing manager, is generally pleased with those numbers, saying the show reflected the high quality of cattle and horses being produced in the area.
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“Buyers will pay for quality even with the past year and a still uncertain future,” she said.
“People are picking and choosing their shows. Wherever they have the buyers is where they’re going.”
Sinfield said producers travel to many different shows each year, noting this one featured new breed entries in Tarantaise and Gelbveih cattle.
In addition to individual breed sales, it featured a bull jackpot show, supreme female and bull champion show, commercial cattle show and sale and prospect show and sale. The Jean and Dennis Wobeser family of Lloydminster was honoured with this year’s cattlemen of the year award.
Michael Sidoryk, exhibition general manager, said producers still need a place like Lloydminster’s Round Up to market and compare their animals with others. Many are travelling less, mindful of the expense.
“It’s costly to go down the road,” said Sidoryk.
Owen Noble of Lloydminster, barn boss and committee member, praised the people that did attend.
“Mad cow has everyone depressed and down in the dumps about cattle,” he said.
Sidoryk said the mood has become more positive with each passing week, citing a marketplace “holding its own” and a border opening expected soon.
There remains much uncertainty about what to do with older bulls and cows, he said, suggesting one answer may lie in looking to new markets like Russia.
Gelbveih breeder Vern Davidson, who had reason to smile after picking up three awards for his herd, is optimistic the border will open fully.
It would be too difficult for American packing houses to keep various ages of cattle separated, he said.
Davidson said the cattle business typically goes through cycles. Montana is doing well now, but things will soon turn around to favour Canadian producers, he said.
“In the cattle industry, everyone has to have a turn.”
Davidson said the Lloydminster event allowed him to meet potential buyers and show them his animals. Agribition is another good show, where entry numbers are expected to be strong this month.
“In any business, the more positive people you hang around with, the better you’ll do,” he said.
Ervin Harland, of Little Willow Creek Ranch at Frenchman Butte, Sask., also sees reason for optimism, noting this year’s Fall Fair in Edam was just six head shy of a registration record.
He and his wife, Pat, participate in about two cattle shows a year, this day showing bulls from their commercial herd.
He admitted that dealing with old bulls is a problem, noting they only pay out a quarter of what they’re worth.
“We can’t keep feeding them grain when they’re worth nothing,” he said. “It’s all good hamburger and I don’t think anybody’s giving away hamburger.”
He can get about $200 for a cull cow at the stockyards that he once got $800 for, and $300 for a bull that once sold for $1,000.
