PDCA - One Blog: October 2006

Happy Halloween!

Perth Royal Show

Australia

'The commercial cattle competitions and sale at the Perth Royal Show boasted a bigger yarding this year.

The increase was in contrast with other show livestock sections which recorded a downturn in numbers due to the dry season.

Entries for the led and prime steer and heifer competitions were up by about 25 head on last year, to 197 entries, for the Sunday judging.

A few traditional buyers were absent for the following auction on Monday, but those present stepped up to lend strong buying support.

As usual, the selling spectacle drew plenty of interest from show goers, with prices reaching a top of $2800 for a Dexter/Limousin-cross steer.

Mark Rawlings, trading as Homegrown Dexter Beef, bought the 385 kg steer, which had been sashed champion lightweight steer.

Mr Rawlings breeds and lot feeds pure-bred and cross-Dexter cattle at his Southern Brook property.

They are processed in Northam, then sent to Meckering for boning and distribution to customers.

He said Dexters produced a high yielding carcass and top quality beef.

The steer was entered by Mick and Trish Cabassi, of Oldbury, who run Dexter and Limousin studs.'

Farm Shop in UK to Sell Rare Meats

Farming UK -A new Northumberland farm shop and coffee shop selling rare Dexter beef, Berkshire pork and Shropshire lamb will open its doors to the public for the first time on Saturday, October 21.

Dress warm!

If you're headed to Ashland, Ohio this weekend the temperature may be a little bit cool so be sure to bring a jacket. Unfortunately, work issues have come up that will prevent my driving there tomorrow. I'll be in contact by phone but I'm going to miss out on all the fun stuff.

Speaking of phones, someone called and asked me if we've had any trouble sending samples across the border for chondrodysplasia testing. The PDCA has had no problem sending samples across the border. The only problem I'm aware of is that there's sometimes a delay in test results returned but that's understandable due to the nature of the testing. If the other association is having problems I suspect it's like the same problems that they had back in 2004. Caveat emptor. The next chondro batch will be sent out for testing December 15th.

I may not be blogging as frequently because of work and also in my free time I'm working on a few Dexter articles for some publications. Hopefully I'll be able to bring some clarification and truth about the Dexter world to the general public in time for the Spring issues.

On another sad note, I heard some disturbing news this evening about a long time Dexter breeder here in Missouri that has cancer of the pancreas. A few months ago a blogger acquaintance of mine, Karbonkountymoos, lost her husband from this same illness and Karen has set up this site that you may wish to visit -

November is National Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month