Baymule’s Journal

[Baymule]

@Bruce and @Finnie Lots of good horses go to slaughter through no fault of their own. Many things can trigger a sell off, we are about to have one when hay prices skyrocket. First round bales of the season are already $100. Fertilizer for the fields and diesel to run the tractors are high and climbing. Many states that raise grains and hay are in drought.

Inflation is going higher. When families cannot afford to feed themselves, they will dump horses at auction barns. If it means feeding the horse or putting gas in the tank to go to work, guess who the loser will be?

As it is, there are too many horses. Most are cross breeds or just plain mutts. People breed horses that have no business doing so. In the large field next to this house are skinny horses. There is a yearling still sucking it’s mother. It’s not weaned. Not halter broke. Someday it will be fodder for the kill buyers. There is a skinny mare with a new foal. A paint stallion is in a pen in the back. The mares are nothing special so I don’t know WTH is wrong with those people. There is grass now and the horses are looking better, but still not in good shape. And get this-HE is a FFA teacher!

There are many people like this.

Sometimes people just want to sell an older horse and get a younger one. Nobody bids on the old horse, so a kill buyer gets it for a couple hundred bucks. It gets a one way ticket to Mexico where no animal cruelty laws protect them. We should bring horse slaughter back to this country, treat them better and give them a more humane death.

Bottom line is unwanted horses. Every time I go to auction, there are always horses that go cheap to kill buyers. Many shouldn’t be there, but nobody wants them.

 

[Finnie]

@Bruce and @Finnie Lots of good horses go to slaughter through no fault of their own. Many things can trigger a sell off, we are about to have one when hay prices skyrocket. First round bales of the season are already $100. Fertilizer for the fields and diesel to run the tractors are high and climbing. Many states that raise grains and hay are in drought.

Inflation is going higher. When families cannot afford to feed themselves, they will dump horses at auction barns. If it means feeding the horse or putting gas in the tank to go to work, guess who the loser will be?

As it is, there are too many horses. Most are cross breeds or just plain mutts. People breed horses that have no business doing so. In the large field next to this house are skinny horses. There is a yearling still sucking it’s mother. It’s not weaned. Not halter broke. Someday it will be fodder for the kill buyers. There is a skinny mare with a new foal. A paint stallion is in a pen in the back. The mares are nothing special so I don’t know WTH is wrong with those people. There is grass now and the horses are looking better, but still not in good shape. And get this-HE is a FFA teacher!

There are many people like this.

Sometimes people just want to sell an older horse and get a younger one. Nobody bids on the old horse, so a kill buyer gets it for a couple hundred bucks. It gets a one way ticket to Mexico where no animal cruelty laws protect them. We should bring horse slaughter back to this country, treat them better and give them a more humane death.

Bottom line is unwanted horses. Every time I go to auction, there are always horses that go cheap to kill buyers. Many shouldn’t be there, but nobody wants them.

Such a shame. I guess I thought people with good horses that they didn’t want would sell them privately for good money. Instead it sounds like there is just a surplus of supply and not enough demand, so even good horses don’t get bought.

I think it’s great that you can/have saved horses from kill pens. Pearl was a great example. You are a great horse mama, Bay.

 

[Devonviolet]

@Baymule ... I see where this is going! . At least you'll have grass!

I saw a nice 16 y/o mare a couple hrs from me....tempting! Especially with gas prices.

Baymule called me today, and we talked about these two beauties. She asked me if she should get them. I said, “By all means . . . GO FOR IT!!!“ I don’t think she will ever regret it.

 

[Devonviolet]

And get this-HE is a FFA teacher!

That’s just disgusting!!!!

 

[Ridgetop]

Did research on scrapies it is genetic. So a market wether can't pass it. Try to explain that to the USDA . I guess they want to find out the herd and parents of the wether.

Not true. Scrapies is NOT genetic. Wethers can pass it on. A higher susceptibility to contract scrapies can be inheritable (genetic) - the disease itself is not genetic and can be contracted by sheep that are not usually susceptible.

From Oklahoma State University Extensino February 2017

"Susceptible sheep are typically infected as young lambs through contact or ingestion of infected placenta or birth fluids from infected ewes (which may not necessarily be mother-to-offspring transmission), but susceptible adult sheep also can become infected through this route. The disease also can be transmitted by lambs ingesting colostrum or milk from infected ewes. Scrapie is not passed from the ewe to the lamb in the uterus, but it can be transmitted via blood transfusion of scrapie-infected blood to another susceptible sheep. It is possible that transmission could occur through infected urine, feces, saliva or nasal secretions. Although rams are susceptible to the disease, they are not known to transmit the infection to other animals through the act of breeding. However, ram genetics will contribute to the scrapie susceptibility of their offspring. The incubation period (time from infection to developing signs of the disease) is generally two years to five years, and scrapie always results in death of the animal. Although the disease is much more prevalent in black-faced sheep (Suffolks, Hampshires and crosses of these), all breeds are susceptible."

"Another form of scrapie, termed ‘atypical scrapie’ or the ‘Nor98 variant’ of scrapie is very uncommon, but has been reported in the U.S., as well as other countries. It may occur sporadically and is believed by some researchers to be a random conversion of the normal form of the prion protein to the abnormal form. Genetic susceptibility to this form of scrapie is almost the exact opposite of the genetic susceptibility to ‘classical’ scrapie (described above). Animals that would be resistant to the classic form would be susceptible to atypical scrapie."

And Yes, the reason for scrapies tags is to be able to trace any cases of scrapies to the flock where the infected animal originated.

While the individual Scrapies tags are distributed through the USDA in each state, it is a federal program. When moving your flock to another state you do not have to retag your sheep with new scrapies tags, however, you will need to reregister for a scrapie ID number with the new state since each state will issue their own scrapies ID number for your flocks/farm. According to the Texas USDA people I can use up my current California scrapies tags but will have to register for a new number at the new premises in Texas once we are physically there.

Being able to trace infected animals to a particular location or flock assists the USDA keep track of serious zoonotic diseases in this country. Tracking infectious disease sites and "hot spots" has assisted USDA prevent the importation of animals carrying mad cow, brucellosis, and other diseases that still infect livestock in other countries.

If your children are going to show in your local fair, I suggest you obtain a copy of your state and local rules for showing of livestock in your Fair. The state rules can be obtained through the state and the local ones should be available through your local Fair. It is a god idea to get a current rule bop each year and read through the youth section so you will be ware of the requirements and not be surprised.

Many fairs now are requiring DNA testing of livestock by taking hair samples at the fairgrounds, usually on a specific date about a month in advance of the Fair. Make sure that you are aware of this and the dates such testing will be required since otherwise your animal may not be eligible to be shown or auctioned. Your project leader should have those dates for you, but if your children are the only ones participating in the particular livestock species, you will need to have that information yourself.

If your Amish lamb sellers do not take their animals to public sales, they might not bother tagging them with a scrapies tag. If the other children in the project are purchasing their lambs from other club lamb sellers those lambs probably already have scrapie tags.

Some public auctions do still put their own scrapies ear tag auction numbers on them since with those ear tags the animal can be traced to the stockyard and the stockyard will have a record of the seller in their books.

 

[Baymule]

The black horse is sold. I have politely asked questions about the white horse and gotten no answers, not even a response. A hard question like, Does he neck rein? It may not be important to the seller, but it is important to me. I also requested a video, which she does post videos of the horses being ridden, and no response. I’m getting disgusted. I’m a buyer, can pay cash, but she refuses to respond to a few questions. Many people have shown interest in this horse, asking the same questions I am, no response. For someone trying to “save” horses from slaughter, she sure isn’t trying very hard. It’s 3 1/2 hours away. I’m sure not going to drag a trailer up there if I don’t even know if the horse will neck rein. I’ll try to get some questions answered again, but if I get no response, she can keep it. It really makes me mad.

 

[Baymule]

I used my pissed off energy to trim out windows and caulk them. The caulking will dry clear, then I’ll touch up the paint.

 

[Ridgetop]

Such a shame. I guess I thought people with good horses that they didn’t want would sell them privately for good money. Instead it sounds like there is just a surplus of supply and not enough demand, so even good horses don’t get bought.

Sadly, when you can't afford to buy feed for your horses, often other folks can't afford it either. And that means they can't afford to buy the horse which is just as well if they can't afford the hay.

Even if you have plenty of pasture, and you are hard pressed to pay bills, etc. it means you won't have money for the vet or farrier either. If you can't afford vet bills or trimming on feet, don't get the horse just because yu have a green field that you think will feed it. Instead go to the auction and buy a lamb or goat depending on what is growing in the field and let it eat everything down, then put the animal in the your freezer. Good use of grazing forage, and you will eat too.

 

[Simpleterrier]

Thanks for the info @Ridgetop. I have had goats and bread goats for along time and haven't noticed or been asked for scrapies tags. I bought my first ones from a registered herd about 8 yrs ago and have sold and bought every year after. I showed goats at the fair about 20 yrs ago and we didn't have to have them to show them.

We wanted to sign up for 4h and we went through a gauntlet of things just to find a club we even got yelled at. Finally found a club willing to take us that had more then 6 members and where my son's age 10 and not 16 yr old horse girls. Then was told we have to make weight not be born after date to show dairy market wether. And must have scrapies tags. Asked everyone how to get tags no one knew. 2 days of calling breeders and finally was told to USDA.

So 4h is a blast

 

[Alaskan]

Thanks for the info @Ridgetop. I have had goats and bread goats for along time and haven't noticed or been asked for scrapies tags. I bought my first ones from a registered herd about 8 yrs ago and have sold and bought every year after. I showed goats at the fair about 20 yrs ago and we didn't have to have them to show them.

We wanted to sign up for 4h and we went through a gauntlet of things just to find a club we even got yelled at. Finally found a club willing to take us that had more then 6 members and where my son's age 10 and not 16 yr old horse girls. Then was told we have to make weight not be born after date to show dairy market wether. And must have scrapies tags. Asked everyone how to get tags no one knew. 2 days of calling breeders and finally was told to USDA.

So 4h is a blast

Sounds like a nightmare.

Why were you yelled at???