1st in the middle-weight class and Champion led steer for the third show in a row, Rascal did us proud again at the Goomeri show 2017.
"I AM LIMO - Certified Limousin Beef" Ear Tags Now Available!
(courtesy of ALBS)
ALBS have organised with Allflex to make available Australia wide the “I AM LIMO - Certified Limousin Beef” Ear Tags.
Three Allflex Tag sizes are available (please see attached PDF) – 1. Large (to be used as a standalone visual tag for Saleyard cattle etc) – 2. Maxi and 3. Super Maxi (these can be customised for individual herd use).
ALBS members just need to nominate the “I AM LIMO - Certified Limousin Beef” special marking at their preferred Allflex retail store with their preferred tag size and the retail store will then place the order with Allflex (please print off attached and take into the store with you). If ALBS member’s also require other options with their “I AM LIMO” tag such as DNA, Tissue Sampling Unit or NLIS tags they can let their retail store know as well and they will add it to their order.
To keep a consistent look in the market place, the tags are only available in the Orange colour. The cost will be the normal custom printed tag price from your retail store.
There is no minimum order requirement and the lead time is 5 working days from order receival to order despatch – delivery time will vary depending on location and the nominated freight method (Australia Post, TNT Express etc).
Using the “I AM LIMO - Certified Limousin Beef” Ear Tag will be seen as a huge advantage in further identifying and promoting Limousin cattle in the market place.
Having ALBS members and their commercial clients use the “I AM LIMO - Certified Limousin Beef” Ear Tags in sale cattle will greatly assist in promoting the breed and also assist Buyers and Agents that are looking for Limousin and Limousin infused cattle.
ALBS encourage all members to support & drive the program and get as many of the ear tags in Limousin / Limousin infused cattle as possible. Maybe purchase the Ear Tags and supply them to your Bull clients so they can tag their calves before sale?
This is an important step in a National “Commercial Identification Program” that ALBS is implementing across Saleyards and Supply Chains to achieve improved recognition of Limousin cattle.
The “I AM LIMO - Certified Limousin Beef” Ear Tag will greatly assist in the integrity of the supply of cattle to the Branded Beef Programs that are unfolding as well.
If any members have troubles with ordering the Tags please have your retail store contact – Allflex Australia Pty Ltd.
ALBS will also organise “I AM LIMO - Certified Limousin Beef” Ear Tags with Z Tags ASAP and ALBS will keep members updated on availability.
Potential champion RNA 2016 Medium weight sired by Greg and Denys Geysing's bull Gaucho who is throwing magnificent progeny.
GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSED RETRACTION OF THE QUEENSLAND TICK LINE
When we purchased our property at Tingoora 26 years ago, we were in a tick-infected region of Queensland. Shortly thereafter we decided, along with numerous graziers in the area to eradicate ticks completely and become tick free. In order to achieve this, Queensland Government insisted we receive 90% support for the project from producers who would be affected. Copious amounts of money was spent printing letters of petition to the government to bless our efforts and we finally received their stamp of approval to proceed. Countless thousands of hard-earned dollars have subsequently been poured into eradication programs, and our locality was finally declared free of ticks approximately twenty years ago.
Hesitant as we are to say this, it seems government was working tirelessly against the success of this venture right from its inception. A light truck could barely carry the information we have that appears to lend credibility to this conjecture. Now government has come up with a drastically retrograde step, proposing to move many who tirelessly fought to be tick-free, and in whose number we are included, backwards into tick infestation. A government on-line survey in the guise of public consultation is rife with 'loaded' questions and has the capacity to lead participants into deciding in the government's favour. If government gets its way, it will wipe from the board the astronomical amount of finance and time we producers have spent securing our markets and animals' welfare. It will once more immerse us in the plethora of rules and regulations attached to being in a 'tick infected' area and will result in making the additional markets we have toiled so hard to access unviable. All the advantages of our tick free status will potentially be ripped from our grasp without compensation or reimbursement for our loss and count as nothing our progressive outlook on animal welfare.
Let's look for a moment at animal welfare. Tick infestation is costing the beef industry $161 million a year. Most producers care for their animals and are willing to outlay the cost of keeping this parasite from invading their herds but there are others who either don't care, hold second jobs off-farm or are simply ignorant of the terrible effects ticks can have. The photos attached to this tirade are those of cattle we purchased from a sale yard some years ago. So laden with ticks nothing we did could save the one in the sling and it took months before the survivors remotely resembled even forward stores. Besides that, ticks cause Bovine Babesiosis (Redwater, Tick Fever) in cattle but of course that can be managed' by costly treatments. Hooray for the chemical companies who will be the big winners if this government's efforts to plunge clean producers back into 'dirty' country becomes reality.
Cattle in tick infested areas are forced to submit to more time in yards and the trauma of being compelled through plunge dips in order to 'control' ticks. Ticks are becoming increasingly resistant to current acaracides, which will mean days and perhaps even weeks spent standing in yards eating poor-quality hay until the ticks finally succumb from desperation and drop off. Of course, the producer must wear the cost of their incarceration and the feed consumed. He will also have to bear the brunt of any weight loss that may be incurred, potentially restricting him from marketing his cattle when he needs to. Cattle do not thrive in yards unless they are lot-fed
There is a growing world-wide trend towards chemical-free produce. Australia prides itself on being very strict on chemical residue in their export beef. Producers must adhere to the withholding periods on the containers of chemicals they use and from which corporate conglomerates are reaping billions of dollars. But what if some producers don't follow the instructions? Not every container of beef is tested for chemical residue so what guarantees are in place to ensure chemicals aren’t leaked into our national and international beef supplies? Certainly a rucus ensues when a container of beef tests positive to chemical residue - the sound of the stable door slamming shut after the horse has bolted. Restrictions are slapped into place with lightning speed, money is lost and the only winner we can see is a miserable little insect the size of a finger nail that appears to be resistant even to Government legislation. Surely common sense can see the advantages of ridding ourselves of this parasite once and for all?
"What about the huge cattle stations?" people will say. "They could never eradicate their ticks surely?" Well, they managed to eradicate Brucellosis and Tuberculosis with the BTEC program, a much more difficult and costly enterprise than killing a few ticks. The United States of America have more deer and other wildlife than we can blame for carrying ticks and yet they were able to eradicate this pest 100 years ago because they decided they would. It's all in the will to do.
In the non-commercial companion-animal world, there are owners who conscientiously care deeply for their pets and there are those who don't. We often hear of extreme cases of cruelty perpetrated on pets and it seems Governments have bent over backwards to protect them from enduring inhumane treatment - rightfully so. However, to achieve this protection they have relegated Stock inspectors to do the job once solely the jurisdiction of RSPCA; Stock inspectors who used to be employed only in the cattle industry and of whom there are no longer sufficient numbers to ensure the Bio Security Act tick legislation is enforced. Just as pet owners can be inhumane and do appalling things to their pets, so can some producers inexcusably neglect their livestock. Why should protective laws be tightened for one group of animals but relaxed for others?
Anyone concerned for the welfare of all animals, chemical usage on the produce they consume and specifically for the additional stress and trauma cattle will be forced to tolerate will surely see sense in Governments becoming proactive towards eradication, not just 'control' of this insidious pest. Perhaps they will tell Queensland Government that this is a diabolically backward step for a state that prides itself on being progressive and 'moving foreward'. We hope so.
Val Wicks
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The Queensland Limousin Youth camp 2015, held at the Pittsworth Showgrounds 25-27th September, went off with a bang and the largest number of young people registered so far. Generous owners contributed over 100 head of cattle and accolades go to the organisers and volunteers for making the week-end such a success. Go to Photos for a few more pics.
The Ekka is over for another year. Of the five steers we took down, two of which belonged to Hillsborough Limousins, our little red fellow pictured to the right scored a 5th ribbon on the hook and came 7th in the carcase competition. He sold for $6 per/kg, a total of approximately $1400. The champion steer sold for $61 per kg, (approximate total $24,000)
It's amazing to think that at the beginning of November last year, we could almost conduct a full stock-take of our herd from the comfort of our veranda with the help of binoculars. Not so much as a blade of grass for them to hide behind but the scene has changed dramatically. Thankfully, most of our cows will lift their heads if we call out and the ears make terrific little flags!
The current worst dry spell in our living memory has given us reason to pause and figure out what sort of future we want to reach as our advancing years mount up. Yesterday we made a life-changing decision, one we sincerely hope we won't regret. After 30 years in the stud breeding industry, we have decided to retire from the game and to focus on selling commercial bulls; perhaps show a few steers from time to time if opportunity and desire coincide.
We will retain Membership with the society, either Commercial or Associate and will always take an avid interest in the progress of the breed we have loved so greatly since 1984. This year has been instrumental in our decision as we were forced to sell breeders and still the rain hasn't come. However, 9 inches for the year really is only part of the equation. It's time for the young ones to step up to the plate now and we feel assured the Limousin breed will be in great hands. We will enjoy watching from the sidelines!
This website will continue on indefinitely. We don't know what it's future is to be; perhaps a blog for any travel we may do in the future, a place to opine about anything and everything. I've been working on a page outlining Graeme's method of breaking in his show stock, which enables him to lead five or six animals at one time without fuss. This has been known to cause amazement to many who struggle to control one animal! The page will be visible on his approval.
PS. Over five inches of rain since 17th November has renewed our immense appreciation of one of God's great works of regeneration. The cracked, parched and partially bald earth we willingly turned our backs on to go to the U.S has almost magically regenerated into lush green pasture, dotted with our very contented few remaining cattle. To think they barely had the energy to get out of their own road previously or leave the yards where they knew they might get a feed is difficult to believe now. Our hope is that everyone has had a share and that this Christmas will be a truly happy one.
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