Fulton County 4-H'ers earned $138,403.24 from 180 lots in the annual 4-H livestock auction last Friday in Rochester. The evening concluded the sale of 13 grand and reserve champion animals in the Spotlight Sale, raising $28,575.
In the beef auction, Levi Fagner of Kewanna earned $6,250, or $4.69 per pound, from the sale of his 1,332-pound grand champion steer. Buyers included family and friends. The reserve steer, a 1,330-pounder shown by Maria Hunt of Rochester, brought $4,500, or $3.38 per pound to a support group.
In the swine sale, Isabel Scales of Rochester sold the 274-pound grand champion barrow for $5,000, $18.25 per pound, to a group of friends and supporters. The reserve barrow, a 248-pounder shown by Zaine Young of Rochester, fetched $2,625, or $10.58 per pound, to Friends of Zaine Young.
Sidney Miller of Rochester led the way in the sheep sale, earning $3,050, or $12.06 per pound, for the reserve champion pair. The lambs weighed a combined 253 pounds and sold to a support group. Gavin Young of Rochester was next with the reserve grand champion single lamb and champion county born and bred lamb. The 142-pounder sold for $1,700, or $11.97 per pound, to friends and supporters.
In the dairy sale, Caleb Easterday of Rochester sold a basket of dairy products from his reserve champion dairy cow for $700 to a support group. Emily Vigar exhibited the grand champion Holstein but did not sell any milk.
In the goat sale, Summer Garver of Kewanna received $750 for a basket of products from her grand champion milking doe. Buyers included the Fulton County Democrats and Virgil and Phyllis Biddinger.
Lydia Fagner of Kewanna sold the reserve champion market goat for $950 to Two Guys Mechanical and Matt Rausch Ind.
With a price of $1,100, Rae Lyn Gibbs of Rochester sold the grand champion single rabbit. The buyer was Gracie and Kady's Buyers Group. Evan Cohagan of Rochester received the same price, courtesy of family and friends, for his grand champion rabbit meat pen.
In poultry, David Rose of Rochester sold the grand champion broiler for $500 to Shepherd's Chevrolet, Buick and Cadillac. Katie Schouten, also of Rochester, sold eggs from the grand champion layer for $400 to Brooch Boutique and Rochester Greenhouse.
Three miscellaneous lots sold to buyers netted a combined $3,335. Leading the way was 4-H queen Amanda Heltzel, who sold a kiss for $2,100 to a support group. Another royalty transaction involved a plate of cookies offered by Little Miss Fulton County Miley Heinzman. The cookies sold for $735 and went to friends and family.
The Fulton County Extension Homemakers also got in the act. They sold a basket of cookies for $500 to Stephenia Barkman.
By species, the sale featured 30 beef steers that brought $58,575, 80 swine that sold for $46,125 and 20 sheep that fetched $12,727.04. Other sale categories and totals include: 16 goats, $7,466.20; 19 poultry, $4,600; 8 rabbits, $3,900; 3 miscellaneous lots, $3,335; and 4 dairy lots, $1,675.