O.T. - Back To My Roots
For the next couple of days I will be hanging out with my brother at the Calgary Bull Sale. This is the longest running bull sale in North America and my brother, a serious cattleman, is in a buying mood. Buyers come from all over the world for the chance to buy into western Canada's best beef bloodlines. Quietly and stealthily live cattle prices are going through the roof, hitting all time highs almost daily.
I love hangin' with these guys. Among all the buttoned-down corporate cattlemen there is always some old grizzled, shit-on-his-boots farmer with a gleam in his eye as his prize bull enters the sale ring.
These higher live cattle prices will translate into more expensive steaks and burgers for the summer BBQ season. Will any of you guys cut back on spending for your SC habit to support your beef-eating habit?
I love hangin' with these guys. Among all the buttoned-down corporate cattlemen there is always some old grizzled, shit-on-his-boots farmer with a gleam in his eye as his prize bull enters the sale ring.
These higher live cattle prices will translate into more expensive steaks and burgers for the summer BBQ season. Will any of you guys cut back on spending for your SC habit to support your beef-eating habit?
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Most folks use the US traditional pronunciation
CAL -gury
Emphasis on Cal and gury rhymes with jury
But some folks (hockey players?) say Cal-GARY
emphasis on Gary, like the man's name
Neither pronunciation is correct.
Universal pronunciation of the city's name by its inhabitants makes it a two syllable word with accent on the first syllable:
CAL-gree
Omaha!
I like beef, but steak is not a favorite.
My brother wants to introduce a new bloodline into his herd of purebred Hereford cows and this particular bull should be perfect (if he performs well). If the bull's progeny are good animals my brother and I could be making some serious coin selling straws of the semen in a few years. After three years of calves' sales, I will be entitled to 25% of the calves' sales prices. If the bull's semen turns out to be marketable my brother and I will split that profit 50-50. Brother does all the work.
This is an interesting business. Holstein bulls can be real moneymakers if their progeny are superior milkers. A straw of semen from such a bull can easily sell for $300. Consider that each ejaculation from a bull can produce enough semen for 1000 straws. Also consider that prime bulls can ejaculate many times each day. Further consider that these straws of semen are frozen and can be used long after the death of the bull providing the semen.
Sadly for bulls such as these, the poor boys never get to experience the tight sweetness of a sexy heifer. All the semen is collected in artificial vaginas.
Just out of curiosity, why not? Would the bull having experienced the real thing "refuse to donate" in the artificial bag?