Agmates

Darol Dickinson of the Dickerson Cattle Co. Inc (DCCI) Barnesville, Ohio USA writes:
(Click here to see a map of where DCCI Barnesville Ohio is in the USA. Right Click on the marker to zoom in)

Thanks for printing our little photo story on the tired little Texas Longhorn calves. We run up to 1600 head of registered cattle here in the Appalachian foot hills of the Ohio River Valley. Click here to check our ranch web site.

In the last few years we have sent Texas Longhorn semen and embryos to your country (Australia).

Magnum in the photo above, owned by Larry Smith II. This is believed to be the widest horn with the largest base of any steer of any breed. His 120″ tip-to-tip is exactly 10 feet. Magnum is half Watusi. He is one reason DCCI is excited abut Longhorn/Watusi crosses. If you are serious about horn, this is serious horn.

To learn more about the Longhorn Watusi cattle (The Cattle African Kings fought over for 7000 years) at the Dickinson Cattle Co Inc ranch in Ohio Click here

Below is Miss American Pie one of our favourite cows.

Below is some of our Watusi cows and calves. The Watusi herd was first founded in 1979. DCCI was the first private Ranch to breed Watusi, collect semen, and perform embryo transfers.

This Watusi cow pictured below produced the largest weaning weight of over 350 cows in 1997. Her extra horn twist makes her a stand-out in the Watusi herd.

Below is a picture of the Summer Ranch tours that show DCCI cattle to thousands of people. Daily the Watusi are viewed by new fans.

Say G’day to Darol Dickinson in Ohio or ask him a question or leave your comment?

Do that below or click on the blue word Comments and the text box will appear.

Northern Territory grazier Rashida Khan writes:

I am sick of hearing from self styled environmentalists, animal rights campaigners and other highly emotive anti-farm people, who whine in the spotlight and yet offer no viable solutions or alternatives to the issue they are raising.

I feel the need to comment on the Anti Live Export movement. Live Export represents the sole market for many northern graziers like my family. If this is stopped, then what do the animal lobbyists suggest graziers do with our cattle?

That’s me in the photo below on my horse mustering at our place near Batchelor in the Northern Territory. 

Most of our beef goes to Indonesia; the animals are held in feedlots and then slaughtered according to consumer demand. Refrigeration is not wide spread in much of Indonesia and Live Export means people can still have access to high quality protein in their diet.

We can’t afford to import or grow grain for feedloting and our slaughter houses have all closed one after the other, leaving northern graziers with limited marketing options.

Photo of our Brahman and Brahman cross steers ready to go to the live Export trade. 

Darwin is closer to Indonesia than it is to Alice Springs, Townsville or Adelaide. When exported our cattle are traveling for the minimum amount of time, they gain weight on the boat (a sign of unstressed healthy animals) and they are handled carefully when they arrive. Unfortunately, you don’t see any film crews watching the cattle walk calmly off a boat, or photos of healthy cattle chewing their cuds mid voyage.

Photo of our Brahman cross breeders with calves at foot in the paddock. 

Here’s something to ponder. If live export stops; then cattle will have to be sent interstate.

-To minimize stress they will have to stay loaded till they reach their destination which means traveling unnecessary long distances without feed or water.

-How will we fill the current labour shortage to slaughter and process these cattle?

-Who will build facilities to accept cold stores in Indonesia? Remembering that currently 80% of beef is bought in the wet market

-What will happen to the Indonesian feedlot industry when they have feedlots but no cattle? They will buy elsewhere of course. Our biggest competitor, Brazil, will step up to the plate with cheaper beef and to address the new market they will log some more of the Amazon Jungle. This means Aussies out of jobs and monkeys out of trees.

When the lobbyists have answers and plausible alternatives to Live Export then they should state their case. I suspect that if they succeed in stopping Live Export, the lobbyists will be like the dog that finally caught the motor car!

Have Your Say! Should the federal government cave into pressure from animal rights groups and ban all Live Exports of Cattle and sheep from Australia? Leave your thoughts or questions for Rashida. Click on the Blue word Comments below and type your comment.

New South Wales cattle Producer John Carter writes:

“I have just returned from a brief visit to the USA where I attended and was a key note speaker at R-CALF USA’s 3 day annual conference held in Omaha Nebraska. I participated and spoke as a representative of the Australian Beef Association (ABA). This is the 1st of a 3 article series on matters of interest to Australian farmers.”

Leading US Cattle Futures Trader Predicts “Boom Times”.

Over three days of the conference I heard some great presentations, but possibly none of more interest to Australian cattle producers than that of respected Cattle Futures trader Charles McVean (pictured below) of McVean Trading Company Memphis Tennessee.

The McVean trading company is a leading US agricultural commodities broker with 75 staff and offices in Tennessee, Alabama, Texas and Iowa.

Mr McVean said “Barring a full collapse of the US economy he sees the shortest cattle supply and the highest real cattle prices since 1973 starting in July this year.”

McVean sees this happening as the US herd is (contrary to the United States Department of Agriculture forecasts) still falling fast due to the droughts and debt.

He doesn’t see a US herd rebuild in sight due to land going to other uses on a huge scale (mainly due to the US Ethanol rebates).

Mr McVean said “We are looking at the most positive outlook for beef prices for 35 years!”

For those of you who don’t know R-CALF USA (Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America) is an independent organization that represents cattle producers across 47 states of the USA. The Australian Beef Association is it’s “sister” organization in Australia.