From the parlor pit 1-04

[jrsiajdranch]

I typed in the date this morning and it reminded me of some data I was looking at from NZ> They post thier dates differently than us or should I say that the US does it differently than the rest of the world?  Anywho I kept trying to find current prices of cattle over there but every time I looked at the date it would say something like 4/12/10 and I would read that as april 12 of 10 but oh no.  That meant dec. 4 of 10.  I really didn't find what I was looking for as it was really hard deciphering dates.  Whats that got to do with todays post?  Nothing!

We talk alot about cheese as that is usually the price setter of our milk price but fluid sales are the highest priced product.  To improve Sales we have had a check off to promote our dairy products.  Beef has one pork has one as do the grain commodities.  I never really see the benefit in them.  Todays research turned up an interesting graph which proves the succes of the dairy promotion checkoff.....or not. 

Per Capita U.S. Fluid Milk Consumption (Annual) > Per Capita Total Beverage Milk ConsumptionUnits : lbs.

Area : US Show Full Data | Recent Only | Download data for Excel

Year Value 1986 228.6 1987 225.3 1988 224.7 1989 224.6 1990 221.5 1991 219.6 1992 216.3 1993 210.8 1994 209.3 1995 206.3 1996 205.4 1997 201.9 1998 198.5 1999 197.6 2000 193.8 2001 189.9 2002 188.8 2003 186.0 2004 183.1 2005 181.5

Note: Values shown are averages up to current month or full 12-month total.

© Brian Gould, Agricultural and Applied Economics, UW Madison   

I don't think we are getting our monies worth.

Currently the markets are very tame when compared to the pre holiday trading. This will be an intersting year for sure.  Looking ahead I see the volatility will last and the costs will continue to run higher.  The one cost which has been fairly stable has been interest.  I think this year that changes. If that does the highly leveraged among us will be very vulnerable. Won't that be exciting.

Be safe JR

[Canuck_2]

Your comment about date format reminded me that NZ does it the "correct" way, at least the correct way according to the teachers that tried to teach me many years ago.

The statement by one teacher that still sticks in my mind is "if you HAVE to use numbers for dates (remember this was BC, Before Computers) then do it systematically and that is day, month, year.

Now, at least officially, in Canada it is accepted to use DD/MM/YY, MM,DD,YY and YY,MM,DD the internationally accepted format.

Needless to say no one knows what date is on a document unless the format used is also printed.

BTW I set my book keeping program to date cheques 04-Jan-11 then there is no doubt.

As I have pointed out before those attacks back in 2001 mean different things to others when you call them the 911 attacks. That would be the 9th day of Nov. according to my schooling.

And to keep with a marketing theme. Because you have not caught up to the rest of the world with your measures yet, pricing your grains in 56 and 60 lb units makes it necessary for everyone to convert all the time. Even you have to convert since I imagine you mix your rations in tons and load your trucks in tons rather than 56 and 60 lb units so at least for costing you are forced to convert. Not to mention your exports are shipped in tonnes.

[jrsiajdranch]

I agree Canuck with your assesment of our measurment system.  When I look at NZ and I see a cow selling which weighs 650 kg. I always have to think hard about that so Ican get the weights right.  That would make that cow over 1400 lbs.  and then the whole ton or tonne thingy it is amazing we can trade anything sometimes.  BTW whats a barrle of oil wigh?  Or is it purely a volumetric measure?   More wanderings for the brain on a cold morning.  which it's 2 degrees this morning (thats farenhiet) I better stop. JR