While delays have pushed back the startup date for the new feedlot in the Ceylon area, Border Line Feeders are continuing to make progress and predict they will be taking in cattle next July or August, producers were told at the Livestock Farm Update held in Weyburn on Monday.

Chairman Keith Kaufmann provided an update on the project to the producers group gathered at McKenna Hall, one of a number of presenters at the day-long session. Other presenters included the main speaker, Dick Diven of Arizona, who provided suggestions on how to lower the cost of production for cattle; Western Prime Meat Processors; Dan House of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, with an update on BSE surveillance; and Gary Hoium, who provided an update on antibiotics available to producers.

Kaufmann said a guarantee finally came through in October with which the group can now go to area banks to negotiate financing. Meanwhile, to cover unforeseen extra costs that have arisen, he said the 310 shareholders have been asked to provide another $2,000 each.

Most of the earthwork is completed for the central section of the feedlot, which would house about 7,000 head; the target is to have capacity for 20,000 head.

Approval for their water source is in place, with a well producing good-quality water at 125 gallons a minute. A double-wide trailer has been purchased for use as a bunkhouse, as well as an office trailer, and a 100-foot truck scale has been purchased from the Hutterite colony at Lajord.

Border Line will also be going with geo-thermal heating system, including for the floor of the barns, and said the cost will be close to the same or less than to heat by natural gas.

Some silaging was done this year, added Kaufmann, with 1,165 tonnes of silage coming off the feedlot's own land, and another 2,150 tonnes from neighbouring. He noted the silage came from barley that yielded seven tonnes to the acre, from land that usually produces about five tonnes per acre.

The group has interviewed a feedlot manager, and Kaufmann said they hope to have him in place soon so he can line up the personnel and supplies he will need. Meanwhile, the project manager has said the fencing and buildings for the feedlot itself would take 90 days to put up. Given the time line of when they might be able to start this in the spring, Kaufmann said Border Line may be in a position to start accepting cattle by July or August.