Kim Jo Bliss
The first Saturday of October traditionally has been known as the “calf sale” for many years.
This is the Saturday that many cow-calf producers take their calves to market.
On the farm, it is known as “weaning time,” which essentially is when we take the suckling calves away from their mommas.
It usually is a noisy few days on the farm while they get use to not having each other. But the cows need a well-deserved rest to get ready for their next calf that they already are carrying.
This also is the one—and sometimes only—payday that a farmer receives for their hard work and long hours. Some years it can be very satisfying while others will bring a tear to your eye in disappointment.
The Stratton sales barn began in 1960 when a group of producers got together and built a cattle yard. It allowed people of the district to market their cattle right here at home!
In those days, the cattle left by rail. But since then, the loading ramps have been removed and you will see cattle liners lined up for a mile following a sale.
“Rainy River Raised” cattle have been known in both east and west as good, hardy cattle. Although many things have changed over the years, something that hasn’t is the fact we are a fair and honest place to sell cattle.
Cattle are weighed and bids are placed through live auction. Today, we have buyers come from southern Ontario as well as Manitoba, and of course we are very fortunate to have local buyers, too.
We often are a few cents per pound higher than the market in the west and on par with southern Ontario prices when you consider the freight to truck them there.
Some producers would prefer to be price-setters not price-takers, so we don’t market all the cattle that currently are leaving the district.
We sold 1,081 head at this year’s sale (held Oct. 1), with the total value being $1,187,222.95.
Roughly $120,000 of this amount was cattle that was bought and will stay right here in our district, and there is a good chance we will see some of them marketed back through our barn next year.
The rest of the cattle were divided up between the east and west–and most sales it is divided up fairly evenly between the two.
The calves will go into feed lots, where they will be fed until butcher weight and condition.
Of the $1,187,222.95, most of the money is spent right here in our own district. And quite truthfully, most of it already is spent on fuel, fertilizer, and machinery.
Although the dollar amount looks large, it is a pretty expensive business to be involved in. But the quality of life often makes up for this.
Our next cattle sale is slated for Saturday, Oct. 29.
We are very proud of our community-owned and maintained sales barn. And we are more than happy to have people come and see what it is all about.
We welcome you to join us!
