Cattle Sale nearly a million dollar impact on local economy

By Ken Johnston
Editor

Despite a few snowflakes falling, the Rainy River Cattlemen’s Association ushered in a new season with its annual Spring Cattle Sale in Stratton last Saturday.
Expecting around 850 head, organizers were very happy when the actual numbers came in at 1,060. RRCA member Kim Jo Bliss said, “Our sale went well. We had 1,060 head. Cull cow prices were strong and good yearling and fall calves fetched some great prices!”
At the Spring Sale all cattle are welcome. There were bulls, calves, cull cows, heifers, steers, sheep and one goat sold Saturday!
Bliss said the vast majority were yearlings. Yearlings are cattle that were born about a year earlier and is “backgrounded (fed and cared for them)” by the farmer. “We had 189 Fall calves and 600+ yearlings,” she added.
Fall calves were born last Fall and weaned off their moms and brought to the sale.
The sale also saw 41 Protocol Cattle. “That means they have been vaccinated with a live vaccine and aged verified. They are very healthy cattle that are ready to go directly to feed,” said Bliss.
Prices at the sale fetched a high of $1.78 per pound which were paid for Tan Steers and Tan Heifers. Some Red Steers, Black Steers and Charolais Steers were also above $1.70/lb.
Bliss herself sold five cull cows. A cull cow is a cow that is no longer able (i.e. health problems or old age). She said, “I was happy with my prices.”
Total sales at the barn on Saturday were $984,832.35 with more than half of the animals going to western Canadian buyers. Bliss said some did go east and some stayed local.
The next sale for RRCA is August 25th. It will be an Early Spring Calf and Yearling Sale.