Some people find problems. Some find solutions.
When news of the outbreak of the bird flu virus in 13 US states, WDE officials had to elevate biosecurity measures for Madison. The US competitors could roll with it. Canada faced some tougher conversations surrounding the two testing perimeters over the 21-day period before and after the competition – including quarantine measures that demand no “nose-to-nose” contact and stringent milking practices.
Some Canadian teams are missing or smaller, although heifers class numbers today peaked at around 50-head.
Quebec competitors Ferme Blondin makes its living from marketing cattle, and WDE is a big deal on their calendar. The team usually bring around 20-head to Madison, and its Marketing Manager Dann Brady doesn’t mind admitting there was plenty of head-scratching before they decided to saddle up for this year’s WDE.
Outside of the 23-hour trucking trip (including two stops for chores), they knew they couldn’t test on-ground, that the pre-show test lasts seven days (expiring tomorrow), that the show finished on a Friday, and there were no laboratories open over the weekend be able to turn the results around to get the cows out of the grounds by noon Saturday. And, Blondin tried.
Blondin spoke to their partners and the owners of their tie-ins, and it was agreed that all the cows on the Blondin trailer would either be marketed at WDE, or they would sit out the quarantine period at a fairground – half an hour from Madison – and once the quarantine period is completed they will be returned to the partners’ farms. None of them will go home to Blondin.
One cow has already sold – Desperle Lambda Kim VG87-2YRS – a summer junior two-year-old. She was owned by Ferme Ralston, and she will be shown under Butlerview come show day.
Blondin milk 300 cows (including 50-head on behalf of Ferme Desdion who had a barn collapse under snow).
Blondin has a young team – all aged four years or under – for the Holstein and the Red & White Holstein show.
“The reality is we did change how many we brought. We usually might bring 20 and within that number, they may be one or two that aren’t quite ‘ready’, but if they handle the truck ride well they come to it,” Dann said. “I can remember us selling a milking yearling one year and we literally made the final decision to bring her as we loaded the cows on the truck. We sold her to Milksource that year, and she ended up winning her class.
“A lot of people already know that we sell lots of cows every year. It’s part of our business. Because we had a sale last year where we sold some of our top cows, we do have a younger team this year, but they are all doing everything right.
He confirmed there has been solid interest so far this week.
“We want to protect the safety and health of our animals just like everyone else,” Dann said. “The industry has taken all the precautions possible before any animals are taken back into regular populations, and the good part is that every milking animal on the show grounds has been tested to be here.
“Our cows have all settled in exceptionally well. It’s been probably one of our best trips for the cows. The stress level on the team is at a manageable level at the moment.
“We are very happy we came. We have a new booth. We do a lot of business in the USA and Canada, we get a lot of international visitors come and visit us, and we wanted to be here to support the show and to be a part of it.”
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