28


COUNTRY LIFE IN BC • OCTOBER 2017


Show them we care Consumer perceptions matter


by DAVID SCHMIDT CHILLIWACK – What is a


happy cow? We don’t know, says Don Höglund of Dairy Stockmanship of Virginia. The veterinarian, animal trainer, producer of Disney-Paris’ Buffalo Bill Wild West Show and co-author of Efficient Livestock Handling, spoke to producers during a seminar on dairy handling as part of the Farm Credit Canada Knowledge Series earlier this year.


Me oui! BURNS LAKE – When working student Pacôme Renard


came to BC this summer from a dairy farm just north of Paris, France, he probably didn’t figure on leading the junior champion bull in at the Mark of Excellence Hereford show at Burns Lake. But when you’re bunking down for three months with Don and Leslie Richardson of Tlell, showing prize- winning cattle comes with the territory. Renard did a “great job,” according to Don, who a week later sold Tlell 10Y Drawl ET 8D in the Richardson’s annual online auction for


$4,500.00. He will go to Helen McLarry of Ootsa Lake. Coppertone Farms of Abbotsford also paid $4,500.00 for the top selling yearling heifer, Tlell 200Z Desire 12D, in the online offering. Known for their progressive breeding program, Richdardson Ranch sold a flush of Tlell 8N Ragamuffin 22R to Coppertone for $2,700.00 and Victor Oulton of Nova Scotia paid $2,000.00 for his choice of four embryos. Four bred heifers averaged $3,425.00. The sale grossed $37,700.00. RICHARDSON RANCH PHOTO


Canada’s Verified Beef


Production Plus Program Simple. Practical. Trusted.


Developed for producers, by producers.


Ph: 1-866-398-2848 ext 2 Email: VBP@cattlemen.bc.ca www.cattlemen.bc.ca/vbp.htm


Let us help you show the good things you already do for on-farm food safety,


biosecurity, environmental stewardship, and animal care.


PROGRAM 


The Canadian Angus Rancher Endorsed & Canadian Angus Tag Program


d


The Canadian Angus Rancher Endorsed program guarantees that the beef used in products bearing this label come from beef catlle with 50% or more Canadian Angus genetics.


RANCHER ENDORSED CALF SALES VJV, Dawson Creek


October 20


BC Livestock, Kamloops October 24 BC Livestock, Williams Lake October 25 BC Livestock, Williams Lake October 26 BC Livestock, Vanderhoof October 27 BC Livestock, OK Falls October 30 BC Livestock, Kamloops October 31


 www.bcangus.ca HEIFER RAFFLE Tickets ($10 ea) can


be purchased from any BC Angus director. Draw to take place at the BC ELITE ANGUS SALE, Prince George, October 14. 2017. Heifer donated by Mountain Ash Angus.


Tom DeWaal President 250.960.0022 z Carley Henniger Secretary 587.830.4175 SLAUGHTER. FEEDER & MISC LIVESTOCK CK WEDNESDAYS 1PM START - DAIRY & SLAUGHTER


FEEDER SALE Monday, October 16th


Visit our website for marketing info & sale updates. www.mcclarystockyards.ca


34559 McClary Avenue, Abbotsford 604.864.2381 | 604.855.7895


McClary’s Your Complete Livestock Marketing Outlet.


LIVESTOCK SALES MONDAYS 11AM START


Happiness is an emotion and emotions can only be expressed through language – something no animals have, Höglund told the small group of attendees. He says people should not equate animal behavior with emotion, insisting “emotion is unknowable in animals. I don’t know what they are feeling; they can’t tell us.” Instead people should look at an animal’s wellbeing, describing that as anything measurable. “Wellbeing is not a subset


of welfare. Welfare is grading while wellbeing is measurement,” he said. While ensuring their


wellbeing is critical, he said farmers must refuse to “humanize” their animals, noting “if animals are human, you can’t own them, sell them or eat them.”


That is a philosophy the animal rights movement is successfully weaving into


society’s mores. “The SeaWorld (whale) and


Ringling/Barnum & Bailey (elephant/circus) shows are ending because consumer perceptions changed, not because laws changed,” he pointed out. But laws are also changing.


In 2016, Quebec passed a law making animals “sentient beings” instead of property. Similar laws have also been passed in France and New Zealand.


Höglund said farmers must go on the offensive, convincing people they care for their animals. “Start expressing that


you’re treating your animals better than HSUS (Humane Society of the US) and PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) ever could.”


When handling animals, Höglund told them to look at the issues from the animals’ perspective, saying “cows don’t understand why you’re milking them but they understand what happens when they’re milked.” He said the key to “efficient” handling is to not surprise or startle cows, saying that boosts their adrenaline and reduces their milk production. “You have to retrain your staff to slow down when moving cattle,” he said. “Time is the most


important commodity,” Höglund reminded his audience.


McCLARY BC’s best cow market for over 58 years!y STOCKYARDS LTD.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48