famers journal letter to the editor

tm4335

cattle agent

whelan1

tm4335 wrote: »

cattle agent

was very surprised that was printed, but it seems to be going downhill this last while, lots of spelling mistakes too

adne

tm4335 wrote: »

cattle agent

Do tell

Sam Kade

I gave up buying that rag years ago so unless you print the letter on here I won't have a clue what it's about

pakalasa

It went along the lines of a farmer warning about so called 'cattle agents'.
The farmer's son went about tracking the previous owner of a heifer that turned out to be in calf. Price was mentioned with previous owner and it turned out that the sales docket was €30 higher than the price on the day. So agent, it seems was in with someone in a certain mart that was printing false sales dockets. The farmer had being paying this agent over the odds for a long time. On every animal from this mart, teh agent was getting his normal fee plus the €30. Legal proceedings have being lodged.

On a similar note, how common is it for a mart to get the price wrong on a sales docket. I don't sell a lot of cattle but it has happened me twice in a certain big mart in Clare. I questioned it both times and I was right both times. I notice they never seem to put a higher price, always a lower one. They checked the tape both times. It was out by €100, the last time.

epfff

pakalasa wrote: »

It went along the lines of a farmer warning about so called 'cattle agents'.
The farmer's son went about tracking the previous owner of a heifer that turned out to be in calf. Price was mentioned with previous owner and it turned out that the sales docket was €30 higher than the price on the day. So agent, it seems was in with someone in a certain mart that was printing false sales dockets. The farmer had being paying this agent over the odds for a long time. On every animal from this mart, teh agent was getting his normal fee plus the €30. Legal proceedings have being lodged.

On a similar note, how common is it for a mart to get the price wrong on a sales docket. I don't sell a lot of cattle but it has happened me twice in a certain big mart in Clare. I questioned it both times and I was right both times. I notice they never seem to put a higher price, always a lower one. They checked the tape both times. It was out by €100, the last time.

I had same problem in a sheep mart in Galway where they were 5 Euro a head short took my word for it and paid me Balance

bob charles

pakalasa wrote: »

It went along the lines of a farmer warning about so called 'cattle agents'.
The farmer's son went about tracking the previous owner of a heifer that turned out to be in calf. Price was mentioned with previous owner and it turned out that the sales docket was €30 higher than the price on the day. So agent, it seems was in with someone in a certain mart that was printing false sales dockets. The farmer had being paying this agent over the odds for a long time. On every animal from this mart, teh agent was getting his normal fee plus the €30. Legal proceedings have being lodged.

On a similar note, how common is it for a mart to get the price wrong on a sales docket. I don't sell a lot of cattle but it has happened me twice in a certain big mart in Clare. I questioned it both times and I was right both times. I notice they never seem to put a higher price, always a lower one. They checked the tape both times. It was out by €100, the last time.

did anyone else think the story was a bit spurious? I wouldnt worry me one jot aslong as the cattle were standing at the right price in my yard. the agent must have being buying them very cheap if this farmer who buys 'allot of cattle' didnt cop that they were all coming in €40 too dear, not much of a cattle man was he in my eyes if he can see that over allot of cattle. I find it strange that such letters are printed

re the wrong price, happens a nice bit, aswell with declarations, they listen back to the tape and confirm yes or no. Some auctioneers would be going so hard you wouldnt know which or wether. Often taught I bought an animal only to find I hadnt when I go to the office in the evening and vice versa

Figerty

The author of that letter was/is taking a serious risk going published. He is depending on the integrity of the paper not to release his name. I don't think the Journal would have published it without checking out the facts.

To be honest I have told recently that there is an agent who needs to have his palms greased to have him bid on your animals. I only have it 3rd hand so I can't stand over it. It won't affect me as I don't breed the particular breed he buys in Clare.

bob charles

Figerty wrote: »

To be honest I have told recently that there is an agent who needs to have his palms greased to have him bid on your animals. I only have it 3rd hand so I can't stand over it. It won't affect me as I don't breed the particular breed he buys in Clare.

I find that very hard to believe, as if this was the case he would be going home without animals each day. there are plenty of finishers/agent around the marts ring that would cut each others throat's to buy cattle or else not see the other buying cheap cattle.

just do it

Figerty wrote: »

The author of that letter was/is taking a serious risk going published. He is depending on the integrity of the paper not to release his name. I don't think the Journal would have published it without checking out the facts.

To be honest I have told recently that there is an agent who needs to have his palms greased to have him bid on your animals. I only have it 3rd hand so I can't stand over it. It won't affect me as I don't breed the particular breed he buys in Clare.

Heard the same thing. Whilst he'll buy what he's looking for, it seemingly helps if he's been incentivised as he seems to be the main buyer at the particular mart he's operating at.

(There's enough info there for you Bob to have a good guess....)

Figerty

bob charles wrote: »

I find that very hard to believe, as if this was the case he would be going home without animals each day. there are plenty of finishers/agent around the marts ring that would cut each others throat's to buy cattle or else not see the other buying cheap cattle.

Big fish, small pond.. If you want him to 'bid up' your animals then I am told it's best to meet him before the sale begins; if he doesn't then you get to sell your animals cheaply; farmers last year couldn't bring animals home. He is buying a particular breed, and most sales have migrated to that mart for that breed as a result.

I was at a different mart and a single animal came through at the mart of this breed and I in my innocence wondered why there were so few there. Then I was told the full story. Again I am hearing it third hand, but the two different people that told me know their stuff.

feargale

Sam Kade wrote: »

I gave up buying that rag years ago so unless you print the letter on here I won't have a clue what it's about

What do you read instead?

just do it

tm4335 wrote: »

cattle agent

So tm4335, what have you to say about it?

bob charles

just do it wrote: »

Heard the same thing. Whilst he'll buy what he's looking for, it seemingly helps if he's been incentivised as he seems to be the main buyer at the particular mart he's operating at.

(There's enough info there for you Bob to have a good guess....)

Im at a loss:rolleyes: what nationality is he:P?

just do it

bob charles wrote: »

Im at a loss:rolleyes: what nationality is he:P?

TM4335? I don't know:D

pakalasa

Figerty wrote: »

To be honest I have told recently that there is an agent who needs to have his palms greased to have him bid on your animals. I only have it 3rd hand so I can't stand over it. It won't affect me as I don't breed the particular breed he buys in Clare.

I've heard the same, and the Mart is not too far from me. I've heard that he will follow the seller out afterwards, looking for a few bob. I watched him one day and he went straight to the seller box after after the seller wouldnt sell. Both seem to know each other too (familiar faces around the ring).
Heard also that he has to have money up front in this mart, before he can buy. Not a bad idea considerinbg he can't buy in other marts.

bob charles

pakalasa wrote: »

I've heard the same, and the Mart is not too far from me. I've heard that he will follow the seller out afterwards, looking for a few bob. I watched him one day and he went straight to the seller box after after the seller wouldnt sell. Both seem to know each other too (familiar faces around the ring).
Heard also that he has to have money up front in this mart, before he can buy. Not a bad idea considerinbg he can't buy in other marts.

Hes a great addition to that mart so, such crap should be stamped out by the mart manager as its doing a disservice to good buyers and sellers which most are.

Dampintheattic

Ah, fook this talking in riddles.
What, who, where, when, why?

whelan1

you will have to buy it now, it said he was from meath

Figerty

Dampintheattic wrote: »

Ah, fook this talking in riddles.
What, who, where, when, why?

Laws of libel and all that...

Dampintheattic

Figerty wrote: »

Laws of libel and all that...

Chorus:
Whatever you say, say nothing
When you talk about you know what
For if you know who could hear you
You know what you'd get
For they'd take you off to you know where
For you wouldn't know how long
So for you know who's sake
Don't let anyone hear you singing this song

And you all know what I'm speaking of
When I mention you know what
And I think it's very dangerous to even mention that
For the other ones are always near
Although you may not see
And if anyone asks who told you that
Please don't mention me

And you all know who I'm speaking of
When I mention you know who
And if you know who could hear me
You know what he'd do
So if you don't see me around
You'll know why I'm away
And if anyone asks you where I've gone
Here's what you must say

Well that's enough about so and so
Not to mention such and such
I think I'll end my song now
Sure I've already said too much
For the less you say, the less you hear
And the less you'll go astray
And the less you think, the less you do
And the more you'll hear them say

milkprofit

Quote, To be honest I have told recently that there is an agent who needs to have his palms greased to have him bid on your animals.
Have seen this happen years ago thought auctioneer would put a stop to it- done nothing mart closed

bob charles

any messing from the buyers and sellers is the auctioneers and mart managers job to sort and quickly otherwise the mart will go down the tube in a very short period of time.

Conmaicne Mara

Nothing would surprise me in terms of "easements" at marts.

nashmach

Anybody else think that the mart has questions to answer why the dockets were being bumped up?

You'd be foolish to thing that polling doesn't go on in any mart.....

Conmaicne Mara

To be fair, auctions aren't. Fair, that is. You'll have buyers dividing out lots/pens before sales so as not to bid against each other. You'll have farmers having friends bump up the price on other buyers. And then these backhanders. It's a minefield.

delaval

Conmaicne Mara wrote: »

To be fair, auctions aren't. Fair, that is. You'll have buyers dividing out lots/pens before sales so as not to bid against each other. You'll have farmers having friends bump up the price on other buyers. And then these backhanders. It's a minefield.

Sell on the land.

nashmach

delaval wrote: »

Sell on the land.

Only if going over a scales at some point.

Conmaicne Mara

delaval wrote: »

Sell on the land.

Have done in the past. I don't particularly distrust auctions, as I can take or leave the price. It's the lads who feel compelled to be price takers just because they brought the animals to the mart and for no other reason I feel sorry for. Go in with the eyes wide open and be ready to bring home again.

Conmaicne Mara

nashmach wrote: »

Only if going over a scales at some point.

Got one this year, they're a great job.

leg wax

delaval wrote: »

Sell on the land.

only 1 reason lads buy off the land and that is its cheaper,sellers lose out with beef cattle ,dairy is different.

milkprofit

nashmach wrote: »

Anybody else think that the mart has questions to answer why the dockets were being bumped up?

You'd be foolish to thing that polling doesn't go on in any mart.....

Forgery
You have a duty to report it to guards to avoid other people getting caught

bob charles

leg wax wrote: »

only 1 reason lads buy off the land and that is its cheaper,sellers lose out with beef cattle ,dairy is different.

As I have said before I find the opposite and our farm to farm cattle are always dearer than mart cattle. even if they are bought to be weighted they will weigh very full. You can pick and choose in the mart what you want whereas on the land you often have to take an animal that you dont want

Figerty

bob charles wrote: »

As I have said before I find the opposite and our farm to farm cattle are always dearer than mart cattle. even if they are bought to be weighted they will weigh very full. You can pick and choose in the mart what you want whereas on the land you often have to take an animal that you dont want

buyer beware as they say. At least it's honest although I have had a few chancers calling to look at weanlings and try it on. It would be my own fault if I had sold to them.