Sometimes I think that we offer too much service. Certainly some consignors expect more service than is reasonable. Here is a problem that we and other markets keep running into. They forgot to write on their manifest the mileage/ kilometers the cattle were hauled.
Most of the real cattlemen have it figured out and do it right. My thanks to them for paying attention and doing things right. For the few that can’t get it right, and want to blame everyone else for their ineptness, please read the following several times. Or in some cases have someone read it to you.
This graduated shrink according to mileage increments has been in place for about ten years now at most markets that do presorted sales. We put out two of these flyers per year.
So that would be about twenty flyers in which I have stressed how important it is to write this information on your manifest in your own handwriting. I have mentioned it on countless radio ads. I hear ads on different stations from other markets stressing the same thing. If you do not read this flyer, or listen to the ads, that is not my problem. I have done every thing that I can do. Why do we spend so much time and money trying to get this point across to you?
We do it so that there won’t be any mistake about how far they were hauled when we start weighing these cattle. If nothing is written on the manifest indicating distance we try to use the address as a guideline but the producer could live twenty-five miles farther down the road. Still lots of people forget to write it down in their own handwriting. Most of those that do forget don’t raise too much stink about it because they know that it was their own negligence that caused the problem.
However, some people get quite pushy about the problem and start blaming their trucker, or us, or whomever else they can think of. Really, I suppose that they should blame their mother because she wasn’t there to do everything for them. Tie their shoes, button their coat, wipe their… well you get the picture.
The livestock manifest is a legal document. It is similar to a bill of lading or a packing slip. The trucker should not be filling it out. Your mother should not be filling it out. If you own the cattle you should fill it out and sign it. It is your responsibility to see that it is done right. Do not blame the trucker. Do not blame the market manager if you messed up and forgot some of the information .It is not up to us to baby sit your every move and second guess your mistakes In other words, “If you snooze, you lose”, we are not responsible.
This is one last attempt to remind people that your mileage/ kilometers must be written on your manifest in your own handwriting. If it is not we will take no responsibility for deducting a 3% when it should have been a 2% or 1%. You can yell at us all you want, we will not change it.
You only have one piece of paper to fill out properly. Why not take the time to do it? We have a lot more to fill out correctly at every sale. If yours is done right ours will be too.
Several people got quite pushy about it here during the fall run. I am not your elevator agent or equipment dealer. You won’t intimidate me. Those people won’t be back. However, I can almost guarantee that their distance will be written on their manifest next time, wherever they go. But I cannot be sure. Will Rogers used to say ” Never over estimate the intelligence of the public.”
