WLCF Junior Livestock Sale records high yields with over $107,000 raised

The annual Wheat Land Communities’ Fair Junior Livestock Sale ran smoothly, as coordinators and exhibitors worked together for another successful event. The auction grossed $107,219, according to Livestock Sale Treasurer Lori Williams.

The Saturday afternoon auction on Sept. 5 featured over 40 exhibitors with a total of 69 animals being sold at the auction. The amount of total livestock sold was significantly lower than last year, but the sale did record one of the highest yields in history.

“While hog numbers were down, we did recognize a near $300 per head increase over last year across all species, and most likely the highest yielding per head sale value in our history,” Williams said.

The average prices per pound at the auction, by species were: beef at $2.45, swine at $4.08, sheep at $4.89 and goats at $3.65.

“Support funds are still coming in, but currently over $13,000 has been received,” Williams explained. “Connell Oil was the top buyer at the 2015 Junior Livestock Sale. We appreciate the continued support of all our local businesses and individuals who help make our sale a success.”

The extreme success of the sale is attributed to the hard work of local volunteers and exhibitors to contact potential buyers before the auction, and the outstanding support from community members and businesses.

Prior to the start of the fair every year, Livestock Committee Superintendent Dan Galbreath, with assistance from Randy Kulm and Bob Schoessler, contact individuals about purchasing an animal through the auction.

The auction is divided into departments by species, with beef being sold first, followed by sheep, goats and swine. This year, no rabbits or poultry were sold at the auction.

The swine sale auction is generally the largest, with 42 total hogs being sold in the Saturday sale. Exhibitors are allowed to sell both of their market animals in the auction, with the highest placing and quality animals being sold first.

In the beef department, the grand champion FFA steer exhibited by Tara Tellefson sold for $3.25 per pound to Connell Oil. Taylor Kulm sold the 4-H grand champion steer for $5 per pound to Jensen Produce.

Kulm swept the champion ribbons, also receiving the reserve champion 4-H steer. Kulm sold the steer for $5 a pound to Air Ag. TyAnn Tellefson sold her reserve champion FFA steer for $2.25 per pound to Senator Mark Schoesler, Representative Joe Schmick and Representative Mary Dye.

FFA exhibitor Nathan Naught swept the champion ribbons in the sheep department. Naught sold his champion lamb for $6 a pound to Columbia Bank, and sold his reserve champion lamb to Booker Auction for $5.50 per pound.

In the 4-H sheep division, Caden Liberty sold his grand champion lamb for $6.50 per pound to Wheatland Waste Systems. Merlee Liberty exhibited the reserve champion lamb, which was purchased by N3 Forage for $5 a pound.

Thomas Rosen exhibited the FFA grand champion goat, which sold for $5 per pound to Tri-Cities Produce.

In the 4-H division, Bailey Dennis sold her grand champion goat to Paha Farms for $3.75 a pound.

N3 Forage purchased the reserve champion 4-H goat exhibited by Emma Dennis for $3.50 per pound.

In the swine department, the grand champion FFA hog exhibited by Bryce Esser sold for $5.50 a pound to buyers McCary Meats. Blake Esser sold the grand champion 4-H market hog for $4.50 a pound to Snider Trucking.

Michael Shields raised the reserve champion FFA hog and sold the pig for $3 a pound to Columbia Bank. 4-H reserve champion market hog owner Brooke Koch sold her hog to Tri-Cities Produce for $4 per pound.

The success of the 2015 livestock auction has the livestock committee optimistic for the upcoming year and together the group is thankful for the community’s support of local youth. The money exhibitor’s raise during the auction typically is put towards fees accumulated since purchasing the animal; such as feed, hay and tack costs.

The livestock committee is comprised of a group of volunteers with extensive experience with livestock and many who are still involved with various fields of agriculture. Livestock committee members are Dan Galbreath, Lori Williams, Randy and Debbie Kulm, Andy Williams, Brad Gering, Lisa Tellefson and Janet Manke.

The livestock committee is in charge of collecting entries for the fair, setting up the livestock show arenas and pens for the fair, and coordinating the livestock auction. The group is also responsible for finding judges for each individual livestock department during the fair. The majority of work for the committee comes at the conclusion of the auction with recording buyer information, sending invoices and coordinating check payments for the exhibitors.

At the conclusion of the auction, the Livestock Sale committee provided each exhibitor with a certificate of appreciation and window cling. The exhibitors were required to approach their buyers, thank them for their support and present them with the mementos of appreciation.

All buyers were encouraged to display the certificates within their business or home, and use the window clings on office windows or cars to show they are WLCF Junior Livestock Sale supporters.

The annual livestock auction is run by Booker Auction, who volunteers to donate their time to coordinate the event.