As Brocket posted last week, I am no fan of the big banks either. But this is just wrong. Even worse, this pr*ck has the nerve to imply that the management company left in charge was somehow responsible.
150 cattle dead at feedlot
Wrong diet blamed for horror
By SHANE HOLLADAY, SUN MEDIA
IN A GRUESOME scene that sickened even the most experienced cattle producers, more than 150 beef cattle were found dead on a central Alberta feedlot seized last week by the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. The owner of the Ponoka-area feedlot where more than 150 cattle were found dead Saturday says they were in top health when he handed the operation over to receivers last week.
But the receiver says the management company it hired followed Rick Bonnett's own feed program, and still the animals died.
Owing $38.7 million to secured creditors, Bonnett Farms was forced into court-ordered receivership at 6 p.m. Wednesday.
"Wednesday night the cattle were just fine and dandy, and we don't want to point fingers at anybody -- but hey, something's not right," said Bonnett.
Greg Stevens, a senior vice-president of Deloitte and Touche, said the Bonnetts were offered the chance to operate the feedlot while it was being liquidated.
"They refused. And I said, 'For the sake of the health of the animals?' They scoffed at it and walked out," he said.
"As they were walking out, we asked them to verify the feed sheets from the previous couple of days. And they verified yes, what's on the feed sheets is correct."
Stevens said a veterinarian concluded the cattle died of "overload" - their bodies were fed too rich a mixture of barley, causing their stomachs to become bloated.
"We fed them the same rations as indicated in the feed sheets, and subsequently up to 150 animals have died.
"(The feeding program) appears to be incorrect."
150 cattle dead at feedlot
Wrong diet blamed for horror
By SHANE HOLLADAY, SUN MEDIA
IN A GRUESOME scene that sickened even the most experienced cattle producers, more than 150 beef cattle were found dead on a central Alberta feedlot seized last week by the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. The owner of the Ponoka-area feedlot where more than 150 cattle were found dead Saturday says they were in top health when he handed the operation over to receivers last week.
But the receiver says the management company it hired followed Rick Bonnett's own feed program, and still the animals died.
Owing $38.7 million to secured creditors, Bonnett Farms was forced into court-ordered receivership at 6 p.m. Wednesday.
"Wednesday night the cattle were just fine and dandy, and we don't want to point fingers at anybody -- but hey, something's not right," said Bonnett.
Greg Stevens, a senior vice-president of Deloitte and Touche, said the Bonnetts were offered the chance to operate the feedlot while it was being liquidated.
"They refused. And I said, 'For the sake of the health of the animals?' They scoffed at it and walked out," he said.
"As they were walking out, we asked them to verify the feed sheets from the previous couple of days. And they verified yes, what's on the feed sheets is correct."
Stevens said a veterinarian concluded the cattle died of "overload" - their bodies were fed too rich a mixture of barley, causing their stomachs to become bloated.
"We fed them the same rations as indicated in the feed sheets, and subsequently up to 150 animals have died.
"(The feeding program) appears to be incorrect."
