Serious incident in Welshpool market

Cowabunga · Jan 17, 2020

This was one bat-sh!t-crazy continental suckler barren. Have you seen crazy continental breed cows climbing walls? Nobody in their right mind would get anywhere in the vicinity without a 12ft high heavy duty barrier in between.
Which is where this accident comes into it. The cow tried to jump the barrier and the big top extention of the barrier was lifted out of its posts and landed on top of people outside the ring. I can't verify this, but it is what I've heard. If so, the question that needs to be asked is why the the usual safety locking pins were not installed. Or if they were, why they failed.
This is a modern mart and should be built with facilities that take account of the occasional crazed animal.

Also why do farmers send wild cattle through a mart ring when they could have sent it direct to slaughter. In my experience farmers/owners know fairly well whether an animal has a reasonable temperament or not. They really shouldn't be subject to that kind of stress. Yes, I know that the occasional one will go crazy for no obvious reason but far too many bat-sh!t-crazy animals that can't be handled safely do end up at some marts.

Spartacus · Jan 17, 2020

Purli R said:
Unlike some of the other yard staff, before & after the ring, if they"re farmers sons,you"d think they"d know better.No wonder some cattle are wild.

I know, I've seen them in action!

icanshootwell · Jan 18, 2020

Cowabunga said:
This was one bat-sh!t-crazy continental suckler barren. Have you seen crazy continental breed cows climbing walls? Nobody in their right mind would get anywhere in the vicinity without a 12ft high heavy duty barrier in between.
Which is where this accident comes into it. The cow tried to jump the barrier and the big top extention of the barrier was lifted out of its posts and landed on top of people outside the ring. I can't verify this, but it is what I've heard. If so, the question that needs to be asked is why the the usual safety locking pins were not installed. Or if they were, why they failed.
This is a modern mart and should be built with facilities that take account of the occasional crazed animal.

Also why do farmers send wild cattle through a mart ring when they could have sent it direct to slaughter. In my experience farmers/owners know fairly well whether an animal has a reasonable temperament or not. They really shouldn't be subject to that kind of stress. Yes, I know that the occasional one will go crazy for no obvious reason but far too many bat-sh!t-crazy animals that can't be handled safely do end up at some marts.

Could not agree more, farmers know when they got a crazy one at home, I had a young bull here that was crazy, it would kill you, you could not get in the shed to bed them down, had to do it with loader. When we loaded it to go to abattoir we had 4 to go, made sure the crazy went 1st and the other 3 pushed him from behind. I remember the relief when we had it loaded. I was quite wound up buy it at the time. Had i sent him to Ross market it would of been very irresponsible.

fieldfarmer · Jan 18, 2020

Jerry said:
Noticeable today the auctioneer mentioned H&S rules in cattle ring at Exeter.

Not heard that before in any great detail

Ian , started to do it about 6mths ago and would read it of a sheet, but done it so many times now he knows it word for word.

Katarina · Jan 18, 2020

Cowabunga said:
This was one bat-sh!t-crazy continental suckler barren. Have you seen crazy continental breed cows climbing walls? Nobody in their right mind would get anywhere in the vicinity without a 12ft high heavy duty barrier in between.
Which is where this accident comes into it. The cow tried to jump the barrier and the big top extention of the barrier was lifted out of its posts and landed on top of people outside the ring. I can't verify this, but it is what I've heard. If so, the question that needs to be asked is why the the usual safety locking pins were not installed. Or if they were, why they failed.
This is a modern mart and should be built with facilities that take account of the occasional crazed animal.

Also why do farmers send wild cattle through a mart ring when they could have sent it direct to slaughter. In my experience farmers/owners know fairly well whether an animal has a reasonable temperament or not. They really shouldn't be subject to that kind of stress. Yes, I know that the occasional one will go crazy for no obvious reason but far too many bat-sh!t-crazy animals that can't be handled safely do end up at some marts.

A friend of ours was there and this heifer wasnt one bat sh!t crazy continental suckler barren. She reacted in the ring and jumped up onto the ring barriers.
Its easy to ask questions and point fingers after accidents.
In truth , no one knows how cattle will react when they are taken to market.
Our cattle never usually travel in a livestock trailer until we take them sell .

neilo · Jan 18, 2020

Katarina said:
A friend of ours was there and this heifer wasnt one bat sh!t crazy continental suckler barren. She reacted in the ring and jumped up onto the ring barriers.

She’s been described everywhere as a ‘continental’ breed, without mention of which one. Was she of a breed who’s breeders claim they haven’t got a docility problem any more?

primmiemoo · Jan 18, 2020

Hfd Cattle said:
Been like that in Hereford for donkeys years . I think getting in the ring with your cattle is very much a northern thing .

Not really. I go in with my stock, as do the majority of vendors in the markets west of Sedgemoor.
Isn't it an assurance to the buyer that the cattle have been farmed and not ranched?

Andrew · Jan 18, 2020

primmiemoo said:
Not really. I go in with my stock, as do the majority of vendors in the markets west of Sedgemoor.
Isn't it an assurance to the buyer that the cattle have been farmed and not ranched?

Fairly sure I remember being told by a few buyers they often go a bid or two higher for a nuts animal. Apparently the adrenaline makes the meat better. Not sure if I believe it though.

puppet · Jan 18, 2020

Wallets mart here you stand up beside the podium. I don't think there is any need for someone to push cattle round the ring as sometimes a quiet beast gets nervous and jumpy. Just let them run in and find their way.
Sounds similar to an incident in Dumfries around 20 years ago- beast jumped up and the heavy barriers were not secured after being lowered for a sheep sale. They fell onto people and one is still limping now.

I tried to separate cattle in the mart weigh bridge once - quiet at home but they got spooked by all the banging, charged past me into the ring and that is all I remember for the next 10 minutes until I came round outside with a busted shoulder and blood coming out of one ear. Night in hospital and started lambing with an arm in a sling, so happy never to be in the ring again.

primmiemoo · Jan 18, 2020

Andrew said:
Fairly sure I remember being told by a few buyers they often go a bid or two higher for a nuts animal. Apparently the adrenaline makes the meat better. Not sure if I believe it though.

That's interesting. Everything I've read says that it's better meat when there isn't much adrenaline around. Mind you, I don't sell many finished through the ring, so don't hear from buyers.

lloyd · Jan 18, 2020

puppet said:
Wallets mart here you stand up beside the podium. I don't think there is any need for someone to push cattle round the ring as sometimes a quiet beast gets nervous and jumpy. Just let them run in and find their way.
Sounds similar to an incident in Dumfries around 20 years ago- beast jumped up and the heavy barriers were not secured after being lowered for a sheep sale. They fell onto people and one is still limping now.

I tried to separate cattle in the mart weigh bridge once - quiet at home but they got spooked by all the banging, charged past me into the ring and that is all I remember for the next 10 minutes until I came round outside with a busted shoulder and blood coming out of one ear. Night in hospital and started lambing with an arm in a sling, so happy never to be in the ring again.

I was liking your story not what happened to you

It is amazing how high some cattle will jump.
Even the so called quieter breeds .

Northeastfarmer · Jan 18, 2020

Hfd Cattle said:
. I think getting in the ring with your cattle is very much a northern thing .

And long may it continue

milkloss · Jan 18, 2020

I've had cull cows go to auction that I've had to warn the staff about and when in the ring the animal has behaved impeccably. Also had quiet animals go a bit nuts, have a go at the stockman in the ring before they can get the door open and let her go.

i have seen the reaction from many buyers sitting immediately round the ring and is usually a very casual slow flap of the hand. This is fine but if the animal takes umbrage to this they are in no state of readiness to move and act defensively. Not a position I would put myself in if I could help it.

that being said, failure or poor installation of the barriers isn't acceptable and sellers or potential buyers were put at risk.

Henarar · Jan 18, 2020

Goodness, I hope nobody is seriously hurt
I agree with the view its not on to send wild or nasty cattle to market, the only cow I have sent on for attitude problems I took direct to the slaughter house myself and made sure I told them to watch out for her, I may well of lost a few quid but that's better than someone hurt
Also agree that a animal that's quiet at home can get upset in market,
The comment about those that throw rubbish in the ring is also a good one, not only could it scare the cattle but also it looks fecking bad and makes me wonder if the ones that do it are on a certain thread on TFF complaining about folk who throw litter about the countryside.
I go up in the box when our cattle are sold and leave the market staff to do their job but don't have a problem with those that want to go in the ring its up to them

Andrew · Jan 18, 2020

primmiemoo said:
That's interesting. Everything I've read says that it's better meat when there isn't much adrenaline around. Mind you, I don't sell many finished through the ring, so don't hear from buyers.

It could well be the opposite, was a long while ago. We sell everything dead now, have done for the last 10 or so years!
Seem to remember some animals are better calm, and others worked up, but not sure which.

Northeastfarmer · Jan 18, 2020

primmiemoo said:
That's interesting. Everything I've read says that it's better meat when there isn't much adrenaline around. Mind you, I don't sell many finished through the ring, so don't hear from buyers.

Wild cattle kill out better but the only thing it will do to the meat is make it tough

puppet · Jan 18, 2020

lloyd said:
I was liking your story not what happened to you
It is amazing how high some cattle will jump.
Even the so called quieter breeds .

No offence. I was banned from the market for a year...

....by my wife.
My neighbour who works the weighbridge said he had never seen anyone look as blue as me as I lay in the sawdust. Interestingly none of the 100 farming spectators offered the kiss of life. Mind you if I had come round with some of them above me

som farmer · Jan 18, 2020

Markets are dangerous places, animals are unpredictable, think the phrase 'familarlity breeds contempt' is very apt, we always stand in the 'box' when we sell, and I have 'walked' the cattle round the ring, on a few, on farm sales, for relations. From an animals point of view, by the time they have had ear no's checked, lot no put on, moved around, sorted out into pens, then had loads of people, look at them, make them turn round etc, then put into a small round pen, surrounded by farmers and the noise. I think it says a lot for the docility of our stock, the vast amount go through with no trouble. But, we all know, s/mkts, rspca, and others, would love to see the closure of mkt's, so auctioneers, for our advantage, should implement strong h&s policies at live animal sales. Shaftsbury mkt, before its closure, had a walkway, over some of the pens, and I can assure you, you can see an animals shape, from above, better than from the side !!! so that could be a help, in some mkts, But the more incidents, the louder the calls to close mkt's.

le bon paysan · Jan 18, 2020

primmiemoo said:
That's interesting. Everything I've read says that it's better meat when there isn't much adrenaline around. Mind you, I don't sell many finished through the ring, so don't hear from buyers.

They can be dark cutters, not set right.
Last thing you want is a stressed beast.

Andrew · Jan 18, 2020

le bon paysan said:
They can be dark cutters, not set right.
Last thing you want is a stressed beast.

I stand corrected.

Serious incident in Welshpool market

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