Aberdeen Angus Society

[FARMER22]

CEO resignation and the communications manager in the same week what is going wrong in the society politics or personally clashes?

 

[JP1]

I don't know but I had occasion to call a month or so ago. The lady who answered the 'phone couldn't have been more frosty and wasn't particularly helpful

Not like the old regime in my book

 

[Bipper]

Sounds like a fiery agm recently contributed to this.

Never easy for new staff replacing long term predecessors

 

[geroff]

A lot of the agro surely is to do with how the society is more like a 'secret society', nobody knows whats going on and no one is actually coming out and saying yes there is a bit of turmoil and this is what we are hoping will sort.
Many Angus members have become fed up with how things are suddenly implemented with out really a thought for the members , i.e. such as the sudden move to ear tagging for the DNA samples, which have caused a head ache for some who are then told its the person doing the tagging, never if it could be the actual DNA capsule that hasn't closed . Another issue is that they have introduced the test for double muscling, another cost to the members who are already forking out for DNA, registration ,and maybe royalties, so in all think there really needs to be real thoughts going into how the members feel.. But then maybe Im just the only one who is moaning ..

 

[matthew]

A lot of the agro surely is to do with how the society is more like a 'secret society', nobody knows whats going on and no one is actually coming out and saying yes there is a bit of turmoil and this is what we are hoping will sort.
Many Angus members have become fed up with how things are suddenly implemented with out really a thought for the members , i.e. such as the sudden move to ear tagging for the DNA samples, which have caused a head ache for some who are then told its the person doing the tagging, never if it could be the actual DNA capsule that hasn't closed . Another issue is that they have introduced the test for double muscling, another cost to the members who are already forking out for DNA, registration ,and maybe royalties, so in all think there really needs to be real thoughts going into how the members feel.. But then maybe Im just the only one who is moaning ..

No. You aren't the only one. Friend of mine got so fed up with the website and contradictory messages she's sold out of AA cattle. Too much hassle.
Especially when several of us, selling bulls into commercial herds on the back of some really good work by Ron McHattie, were told that we didn't need to DNA them at all.
When 'Angus ' calves go through the ring looking like Holsteins or red lims, the bubble will have well and truly burst.

I suggested a few years ago, that a drip feed of registration costs was not good. One payment of say £50 to register, DNA, myostatin and anything else they dream up would be better.

 

[valtraman]

I'm not impressed by the society at moment, one DNA sample is sent came back invalid sample so had to buy another sample tag, did it and sent it off now they say never got it do it again. I said this calve now has normal plastic tags in each ear plus a DNA sample so has 4 tags in total , I said I'm not tagging it again, I was told I should cut the tag out I said no way am I starting to cut tags out of cattle. They said could do a hair sample but that kit would be £30 which I'm supposed to pay for, I said no way I should pay , decided bugger it not registering any more pure calves and to hell with the society!!!

 

[geroff]

Yes, but if you tell the Angus society, you are told you are ther only person with a grumble!... As voltraman has said, the society expects you to keep forking out re the ear tags when before it was always done by tail hairs, The society then tells you that doing it by tail hairs it was to dirty! Complete rubbish , explained that it was more easier for the member, then was told that by hair samples some breeders were cheating and sending in the wrong bull samples!!... Well if this was the case, why wasnt the member/members thrown out of the society !! It beggars belief that the honest members are penalised for their honesty and the rotten ones are still there ...No wonder there is unrest in the blinkered way they are fleecing good members ...

 

[valtraman]

Also last year I registered a calve to a home bred stock bull we had.the bull hadn't been DNA samples as he was a few year old and wasn't required then. When the calve was born they wouldn't register it said would need DNA of the bull but by that time we put the bull away cast so they wouldn't do it !!! Buggers.not out of spite but I bought 2 shorthorns yesterday

 

[will86]

Register them with the european angus society and then transfer them to the uk angus society they can refuse you and no need for the DNA nonsense

 

[geroff]

So you can register your herd with the European Angus Society and then reg all your calves etc with out DNA and Myostatin testing? how would this work within the Angus Society? doesn't make sense if the members of the Angus society are made to do these when you are saying they allow it from the European Angus Society? ... Can you explain how this happens please?

 

[matthew]

I'm not impressed by the society at moment, one DNA sample is sent came back invalid sample so had to buy another sample tag, did it and sent it off now they say never got it do it again. I said this calve now has normal plastic tags in each ear plus a DNA sample so has 4 tags in total , I said I'm not tagging it again, I was told I should cut the tag out I said no way am I starting to cut tags out of cattle. They said could do a hair sample but that kit would be £30 which I'm supposed to pay for, I said no way I should pay , decided bugger it not registering any more pure calves and to hell with the society!!!

I think there is a lot of confusion re tail hair DNA and tag DNA.
Of course you can do either, but it's each DNA test that costs £25 pls VAT. And many have posted off the ear tag samples thinking that's it. It isn't.
If you register a pure bred bull for breeding pedigree calves, but not commercial, then it's still £25 plus VAT to DNA test plus another £25 plus VAT for the myostatin gene. And that's on top of £25 plus VAT to register the calf and more cash for any royalties due.

 

[will86]

So you can register your herd with the European Angus Society and then reg all your calves etc with out DNA and Myostatin testing? how would this work within the Angus Society? doesn't make sense if the members of the Angus society are made to do these when you are saying they allow it from the European Angus Society? ... Can you explain how this happens please?

Once we have the certificate from the Euro Angus society, we simply phone the uk Angus guys and transfer them over, they've never asked about myostatin and DNA.
We found all this out by luck once, we purchased a bull who was with the Euro society, and had to change it, found it incredibly easy!

 

[JP1]

Once we have the certificate from the Euro Angus society, we simply phone the uk Angus guys and transfer them over, they've never asked about myostatin and DNA.
We found all this out by luck once, we purchased a bull who was with the Euro society, and had to change it, found it incredibly easy!

Now it's public, I bet that loop hole gets cut off at the pass quite soon

 

[will86]

Sounds like they have enough problems as it is!

 

[geroff]

Well all I can say is we should all join the European society, the Angus Society has been to greedy and draconian, its web site is also so antiquated regarding registerations, they have enough money to up date this to user friendly, but again are to tight to spend money on a decent easy registration site. It could incorporate CTS with passports etc, but still want a old fashioned site that is difficult to manuver .. .. The members are basically ignored when ideas are suggested ..

 

[dunkie]

Bring back the days of Mrs Walker.

 

[Happy]

With all that going on sounds like the CEO had probably had enough.
Former employer QMS were recently advertising for a new CEO..............................