Wrong Business Folks!

[MikeC]

I just got through talking with Tommy Barnes the auctioneer and he told me that he had to pass up an ALPACA sale in Florida yesterday to due the Camp Cooley Brangus sale here at Letohatchee he auctioneered for.


There were approx 100 in the sale and the total sale was over $1 MILLION.

Needless to say that Tommy will be auctioneering at the next ALPACA sale.

 

[ga. prime]

I could use this to extreme advantage if it weren't for the fact that all my potential customers lost everything on Ostriches.

 

[J. T.]

Yeah, but don't you think the Alpaca will go the way of the ostrich? I imagine breeders are selling to breeders and there's no real market for them. Could be wrong, but I went to a Young Farmers meeting (when I was a young farmer) that was held on an ostrich farm. We were informed that in 5 years ostriches would be as common as beef cattle on Alabama farms. This was in the early 90's and the last ostrich I saw was in the Birmingham Zoo and this individual wasn't in the ostrich business at the end of the five year period.

 

[curtis]

A guy down the road from me had about 30 at one time, business got so bad he turned them loose in the river bottoms. I quess they,re still down there makin big turkey tracks.

 

[KMacGinley]

The alpacas appear to me to be another pyramid scheme.

 

[Gate Opener]

This is an example about horses but might apply to other auctions. Saw on a publication where a mare sold for an outrageous amout. I commented to someone about it and they said that the mare was never really sold. Said that the owners had people working for them bid that mare way up so that people would think those bloodlines and that ranch were really something and you should buy from them. Person said you could go to that ranch and that mare would be there. Said that goes on all the time.

 

[Beef11]

I would be careful of any market that has a low turnover or low consumption. Fleece is the driving force behind it, like we need 4000 dollar sweaters the more alpacas we have the more fleece and no real demand for anything alpaca. Watch them go the way of the ostrich, emu, llama and Amway.

 

[Brandonm2]

I would be careful of any market that has a low turnover or low consumption. Fleece is the driving force behind it, like we need 4000 dollar sweaters the more alpacas we have the more fleece and no real demand for anything alpaca. Watch them go the way of the ostrich, emu, llama and Amway.

Exactly, ostrich, emu, llama, and even bison never really broke into the retail meat case. The last "new" meat I can recall achieving widespread market acceptance was tilapia and the fish farmers were practically giving them away for a lot of years and I don't think anybody ever really ever got rich off growing the things.

 

[blk mule]

I have seen the same thing go on at several cattle production
sales. Couple head sale at some SKY HIGH price, go back some time later and the same cattle still on the farm under same name prior to SALE.

Dishonest people everywhere.


blk mule

 

[C HOLLAND]

I have seen the same thing go on at several cattle production
sales. Couple head sale at some SKY HIGH price, go back some time later and the same cattle still on the farm under same name prior to SALE.

Dishonest people everywhere.


blk mule

I think the owner of the animal for sale should not be able to bid and must no sale the animal if it doesnt bring what he wants. I know it goes on and probally will not change.

JMO

 

[Alice]

I have seen the same thing go on at several cattle production
sales. Couple head sale at some SKY HIGH price, go back some time later and the same cattle still on the farm under same name prior to SALE.

Dishonest people everywhere.


blk mule

I think the owner of the animal for sale should not be able to bid and must no sale the animal if it doesnt bring what he wants. I know it goes on and probally will not change.

JMO

There is a "group" that sits up in the seats close to the top of the sale barn that'll run up prices for each other. They've been busted on it a couple of times. When they get too greedy and get stuck with the bid, they'll say, "I didn't bid...mistake!" Auctioneer got so mad once that he told one of them that he wouldn't take another one of his bids the rest of the day.

I've gotten to a point that I sit either straight across from them or behind them so I can see if I'm getting run up. Problem is it's a little harder to see what you're bidding on, like if there's a snotty nose or heavy breathing...and, it gets so blasted hot up there that I get cranky and wind up leaving. :roll:

Alice

 

[Joy in Texas]

I agree, Alice I think that stuff goes on everywhere. It's sad but they've done for so long. Here all brahmas are bought by the owner. then he has a yearly replacement sale.Which that has been going on for years. A couple of newbies tries to bid on them and they learn quick. Wait until the old guy goes to the bathroom or something. Cause as long as he is setting there ,you can't afford them. But they also drive up the prices of your black cattle. There's a hand full that are stuck with them and then the mubbling starts.I myself like jackin' with them. For one I'm a female and don't know anything. But I do know when to quit bidding.

 

[Beef11]

Exactly, ostrich, emu, llama, and even bison never really broke into the retail meat case. The last "new" meat I can recall achieving widespread market acceptance was tilapia and the fish farmers were practically giving them away for a lot of years and I don't think anybody ever really ever got rich off growing the things.

I missed the tilapia deal but i'm not in a region where there is alot of it. There is some but it is pretty isolated. The Buffalo deal seems to be alot of hype but atleast they eat the things on occasion. I looked at buying some wagyu females but the guy wanted 5-10k each i want to eat the dang things and i can't afford to eat any till i atleast break even.

 

[dun]

Seems like the aniamls just get bigger. In the 50s it was Nutria and Guinea Pigs.

dun

 

[Caustic Burno]

I just got through talking with Tommy Barnes the auctioneer and he told me that he had to pass up an ALPACA sale in Florida yesterday to due the Camp Cooley Brangus sale here at Letohatchee he auctioneered for.


There were approx 100 in the sale and the total sale was over $1 MILLION.

Needless to say that Tommy will be auctioneering at the next ALPACA sale.

Mike man has to draw the line somewhere and raising camels is it. Man has got to have some pride it is kinda like sleeping with Hillary. It might be good but you don't want your friends and neighbors to know.

 

[Crowderfarms]

I just got through talking with Tommy Barnes the auctioneer and he told me that he had to pass up an ALPACA sale in Florida yesterday to due the Camp Cooley Brangus sale here at Letohatchee he auctioneered for.


There were approx 100 in the sale and the total sale was over $1 MILLION.

Needless to say that Tommy will be auctioneering at the next ALPACA sale.

Mike man has to draw the line somewhere and raising camels is it. Man has got to have some pride it is kinda like sleeping with Hillary. It might be good but you don't want your friends and neighbors to know.

Hey Caustic,
Do you pet your Alpacas? Do you have any that make the CAB grade? Was that you on that info-mercial bout' 3 A.M.? Saturday?

 

[kjones]

I hear Alpacas get docked at the sale barn if they aren't black.

 

[Brandonm2]

I missed the tilapia deal but i'm not in a region where there is alot of it. There is some but it is pretty isolated. The Buffalo deal seems to be alot of hype but atleast they eat the things on occasion. I looked at buying some wagyu females but the guy wanted 5-10k each i want to eat the dang things and i can't afford to eat any till i atleast break even.

I am not a big fish expert; but tilapia is a conventional looking fish that they usually raise with the catfish. They help keep the pond water cleaner or some such. Maybe we eat more fish down here; but Red Lobster, Captain Ds, Ruby Tuesdays, Wal-Mart, Food Giant, Foodworld, etc ALL keep tilapia in stock. I had never heard of it until going to Auburn and buying some from the University fish farm. I can't speak for your region but here I can go to the story ANY day of the year and buy tilapia out of the meat case or the frozen fish case. It is more available than lamb and a lot more available than goat. Sadly a lot of it in the stores now comes from China and Vietnam instead of from the Mississippi and Alabama fish farmers who pioneered this market.

 

[Brandonm2]

I hear Alpacas get docked at the sale barn if they aren't black.

They have to be black AND polled too get the premium dollars!

 

[MikeC]

Tilapia eat and look just like a big "Bream". They are wonderful.

Big problem is they can't take cold weather/water at all. There's just not quite long enough of a warm weather season to grow them in ponds here.

A neighbor of mine grew them in heated tanks for a couple of years but gave it up when propane got so expensive.

"Tilapia growth rates are influenced by a variety of factors; water temperature, sex, supplemental feeding, and stocking density noticeably affect their growth rate. Tilapia are susceptible to cold water temperatures, and will not over-winter in most temperate climates. Most hybrid tilapia will stop eating at water temperatures below 16°C (61°F), and will begin to die at around 13°C (55°F). Water temperatures between 25-32°C (77-90°F) are preferred for raising hybrid tilapia in intensive culture."