Well, I'm not going to try to change peoples views on things different people have different views on things, some people don't like kids playing on the floor unless it has been sterilized, myself I like kids playing in the dirt, it helps build their immunity. Some people like to clear everything out when something like this happens I myself actually knowingly bought registered cows that had tested as carriers for AM and NH at commercial prices when this first came about. They were cows that I would never have been able to afford otherwise. I bred them and tested all progeny and did very well getting clean heifers from them which has formed the nucleus of my herd today. My herd very rapidly was all free as carriers of any of these known genetic defects. I actually profited from the situation.
As to the loss for the commercial cattleman it has been very minimal, nothing like the massive losses that Travlr would have you believe. My friend had a registered herd of around registered 300 cows and a commercial herd of over 500 cows, probably around 2000 when you include his sons. He was a very heavy user of Precision, 036 and Future Direction genetics, all calves in the stud herd were weighed at birth, he used his home bred bulls in his commercial herd as well as the stud herd for clean up. Over several years there was not any calf losses out of the ordinary, yes an occaisional mal formed calf but no more than you would expect, a freak of nature, certainly nothing to raise alarm bells. His calving %ages were always in the upper 90's very similar to what they are today.
People like to demonise Angus, I guess it is the tall poppy syndrome, even within the breed the smaller breeders become critical of those at the top of the game, personally I see them as very astute cattleman and are always very approachable. Jeanne and her Simmental cronies see this as a wonderfull marketing opportunity, Travlr still can't get over his dislike of the Angus organisation for their CAAB programme.
Ken
