Maine Genetics lost forever.

[LN]

According to the NOAA web page el nino was 97-98 and in those years we had 29" and 31" of rain. Pretty good for us.

[Jeff_Schroeder]

Joe Boy, did you get him on the phone?  I've been trying since last night to see is he'd sell 10 or so on the place before loading.

[LN]

Official NOAA webpage on El Nino, including a list of recent ones:

http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/tao/elnino/el-nino-story.html

Look at the graphs on precipitation predictions:
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions//multi_season/13_seasonal_outlooks/color/churchill.php

I know these predictions aren't worth anything, but still maybe a little hope for an end in sight.........

ocean temp patterns are already changing out here.  there will probably be marlin again in SF bay.  the government is already selling water as fast as they can.  what's funny is that they noticed a decent amount of savings in broken meters, broken lines and found out they have more water for real use as opposed to losses in the system.

i remember the last el nino well.  i cleared out a storm drain in the pouring rain so i could go to work.  i hadn't noticed it was clogged and full of debris.  trees fell over like no tomorrow as the ground was completely saturated.  we have a high clay percentage out here, and for some reason, people don't like to keep waterways clear enough.  obviously small environments need the shade from trees for small critters to survive, but no clearing, either by enough animals to eat down the willows, as used to happen, has been replaced by no intervention, not even noxious weed abatement as the permitting structure is too annoying.  i was on an resource conservation district, so i know first hand essentially bribing land owners to submit proposals and they still wouldn't do it due to subsequent use restrictions.   a couple did, but not enough.

anyway, rain is coming.

That's what we keep saying, we're always one day closer. I just wish that day would hurry up and get here.

[Jeff_Schroeder]

LN, I know where you are (I'm Ryan's brother, I doubt anybody on this board lived closer to you) and no, the Summer of 1997 wasn't good for you guys.  The drought broke that Fall but the Summer put a bunch of people under.

You were still in junior high at the time if I recall correctly so you might not have had to deal with it much but there's a reason all the old guys around there remember that year.

[Juli N a/k/a common sense]

When Charlied called me the other morning to tell me what he had to do I felt completely helpless.  I basically had 48 hours to try and make some phone calls to see if I could help him out.  We all have our differences on this board but we are all each other's "peeps" and if you need to get something done...you can always count on your peeps.     I never would have imagined that you would respond this way.  I am sure it will make a huge difference to him!  Thank you so much!!!

[HWX]

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?

[Jeff_Schroeder]

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?

[Jeff_Schroeder]

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!

[Jeff_Schroeder]

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.