Thought I'd forward this on FYI only for those that may be interested. Warning: there are some strong personal statements made here, but the need is apparently urgent.
Since ridecamp has a wide reaching range I thought I'd risk putting this on because it may help some. Hope it is okay to do this.
kathie
----- Original Message -----
From: Irv Mazur
Sent: Tuesday, October 21, 2003 8:03 AM
To: Undisclosed-Recipient:;
Subject: Fw: Fw: Premarin
Subject: North American PMU mares needing homes . . .
Wow. -----Original Message----- From: Kris .
This information needs to get out to as many horsepeople as possible . . . pass it on to those who might be interested in helping or 'adopting' some of these mares & foals. I'm sure many of you've heard about it already...I don't take the drugs created by the PMU farms, but I support the horses who are going to need homes asap. If you aren't familiar with what's been going on, please go to : http://www.brandonsun.com/index.php?id=3269 and read the article first, then this one below :) It'll make more sense that way!
kris > >An emergency meeting was held on Friday at 1 PM. ALL PMU ranchers >who hold contracts with Ayerst organics had to attend. None of the >ranchers had any idea what the meeting was about or what would >happen. None were forwarned. They were told at the meeting that in >24 hours at least 1/3 of the ranchers would be cut out of the >industry...completely. All of the remaining ranches had to reduce >their herds up to 35%. > >Every rancher in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and North Dakota is >involved in this...and all were called either Friday evening or >Saturday morning. > >None of Foal Quest's (FQ)ranchers were cut. They all credit FQ with that >fact as >the marketing of foals came into play when the decisions were made. >Despite this fact, one of our rancher's has decided to voluntarily >give up his contract...he simply can not afford to keep his barn >going if he has to get rid of 30 of his mares. He only had a 75 mare >barn as it is. He wont' even be able to keep the barn heated if there >are only 40 to 45 mares inside all winter. This is the Alf ranch. >Yes, he will have to get rid of at least 30 mares...as well as all of >his weanlings that he kept as replacements, and his 2 and 3 year old >fillies. > >The HF ranch and Coaston Ranch also both have to cut at least 30 or >40 mares each. The BR ranch also thinks they will have to do the >same. > >These are the only ranchers I have spoken to personally since they >got the word. > >As for who's fault this is...it is indeed Ayerst's fault for doing >this now. ALL of these mares are pregnant !!!! The ranchers have >already spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on hay, grain and >bedding for the winter. They have already paid for vaccinations, >deworming, vet exams, preg checks, farriers. Many ranchers already >had their mares in the barn and were starting collection for testing. > >Ayerst's timing could not have been worse and could not have hurt >these ranchers...as well as their horses, any more if they had tried. > >Just in the past 48 hours...I have been contacted about more than 900 >pregnant mares that will be going to slaughter if we can't help >them. I expect to be contacted by one hell of a lot more ranchers in >the next few weeks. > >The Appy ranch that we bought from for three years...gone. He has >almost 300 mares. Many registered stock. His neighbor...gone...150 >mares. Another rancher west of us...gone...over 250 mares. A rancher >out east...300 mares. Plus...30 to 40 mares from each of the >remaining ranches in Alberta...there are more than 50 ranches here. > >This does not include the 450 ranches in the other provinces and ND. > >88 ranches in Manitoba....gone. Probably at least 40 in Sask. > >For those of you who may be happy that the industry has been >reduced...think again. This will devastate the horse market. It will >also devastate rural Canada....a community that is barely hanging on >by a thread already because of the continued ban on beef exports. > >Horses will now be worth...nothing. No one can absorb all of these >mares at once...not even the feedlots and slaughter houses. Ranchers >have already been turned away. Any guesses as to what will happen to >all of these mares now??? Mares that are all carrying foals????? > >I sure as hell hope that those who have been fighting to get this >industry shut down are standing by with their bank books wide open. > >We have told any ranchers that contact us that we will do everything >we can to help them. We have asked however....to give us time to get >all of these babies home first. > >We will soon be right back up to our eyeballs in not only >weanlings...but 2 years olds, 3 year olds, pregnant mares and >stallions. > >This post does not even start to cover the emotional impact this has >had on these ranch families. They are devastated...emotionally and >financially. > >We have started a new list so that those interested can get involved >in saving as many of these displaced horses as we can. The ranchers >have offered to keep the mares at home until homes can be found and >bloodwork can be done. Some of these horses will be broke to ride, >some will be very gentle, some will be young, some will be old, some >will barely be halter broken. Since there are too many for us to even >start to think about helping...we will be concentrating on the young, >healthy and tame ones. ( and you know us well enough to know that we >will also end up with some of the very old ) > >We will keep you all posted as we get more news and will let you know >when we start to get photos and info on the mares....just please let >us get these babies out of here first !!! > >And please...everyone say a prayer for all of the families that have >gone through hell on what was supposed to be a weekend of thanks and >happiness. > >PS - We will NOT be working with the ranches that were involved with >Natural Biologics...only those involved with Ayerst and NAERIC ) > >Jan Turnbull > >President >FoalQuest Ltd. >http://www.pmufoalquest.com =^..^=
