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Over the years, I had always resented the arbitrary deduction of the insurance charge on every animal killed in the factory. Some years ago, I had negotiated my way out of the charge and so, in reality, I carried my own insurance.
However, when I changed meat factories and especially when I began producing bulls, I accepted the insurance deduction as part of the terms of doing business and did not attempt to re-instate my exemption. At the end of last week, I was glad I didn’t.
Mediocre bull
I sent over a few bulls as usual. One of them had always been mediocre despite having been treated the same as all his colleagues with vaccinations, anthelmintics, etc.
When he was killed, the bull’s mediocrity was confirmed.
Not only was he one of the lightest I had this year, but he graded an R and the factory information sheet on lung and liver health showed he had a major difficulty, with both organs heavily diseased. Not only that but a veterinary note accompanied the factory account saying that there was an odour from the carcase and that he was unfit for human consumption and so, no payment would issue.
Not surprisingly, I rang the factory immediately to be told that my involuntary insurance payment of €3/head would cover the problem and that I would be paid in full. So the system works.
Tillage
On the tillage side, this is a crucial time of year. The oilseed rape is well up but with more gaps than I would like. The worst field was killed off and resown with winter barley, most of which is now well up and treated with the IPU replacement herbicide.
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