It was a perfect summer day as 255 lots of 4-H animals walked through the ring with their owners during the Kalamazoo County Fair auction. There were 53 fewer lots sold than in 2016 when 308 animal pens walked through the sale ring. Total revenues also reflected the decline in entries. Total sale revenue for 2017 was $258,203 compared to $292,496 the previous year.
Leading the sale as the top dollar getter was the grand champion dairy steer owned by Jason Myers of Scotts. His 1,661-pound steer brought $4.25 per pound for a total of $7,459.25. The steer was purchased by a buyer group consisting of Harvey Commodities, Patterson and Sons Trucking, CD and JW Builders, Coville Excavating, Hunts Concrete, Beadle Lake Vet Clinic, John Hayward of Beck's Hybrids, Mike Gibson family and Perkins Tire.
Anya Butler of Lawrence led the grand champion beef steer through the ring for a price of $2.35 per pound. Her 1,320-pound animal returned $3,102 and was purchased by Professional Apparel Company of Kalamazoo. Alyssa Gibson of Scotts exhibited the champion beef carcass, which was purchased by Balkema Excavating of Kalamazoo. The 1,010-pound live weight brought $3.50 per pound, a total of $3,535.
Jeffery Hoag's reserve champion steer was purchased by a support group of Jill Carlson, Mike Dyer, Cornerstone Nutrition, Smutt's Farm, Hoag Hoof Trimming, Jim and Ann VanderMey, Sundberg Family, and Burhan's and Associates for $3.50 per pound. The 1,406-pound animal brought a total of $4,921. Brock Borden's reserve champion dairy steer brought $1.35 per pound and was purchased by Post Foods of Battle Creek.
The 43 steer lots averaged $1.98 per pound and brought in the highest revenue of any species, accounting for almost half of the sale's revenues at $120,000.35.
Lambs led the way in average price per pound at $6.16 with 41 head sold, in addition to champion fleece and carcass. Total revenue on the sheep sale bill was $29,278.05.
Natalie Bounds of Fulton owned the champion wether, selling it for $9 per pound, or $1,296, to B and T Partnership, Steinbarger Spray Service, Battle Creek Farm Bureau, Hardings Market of Schoolcraft and Andy Achor. She also owned the reserve champion ewe which sold for $5.75 per pound to Mick Swihart, The Groundskeeper and Ryan and Jackie Bounds.
Anya Butler's champion ewe sold to Mick Swihart and Brown Hay and Grain. Butler, of Lawrence, receive $5.50 per pound for her 144-pound lamb. Butler also exhibited the reserve champion 141-pound wether which was purchased by Crystal Flash for $3 per pound.
Swine led the sale with the most number of lots sold at 79. The average hog price was $3.18 per pound and $65,169 was generated for swine exhibitors.
Natalie Hoag, Vicksburg, exhibited the grand champion barrow. The winning hog weighed 283 pounds and was purchased by Steensma Lawn and Power for $4.50 per pound, a total of $1,273.
Tanner Gibson of Scotts drove the grand champion gilt.
His buyer support group paid $16 per pound for his 249-pound gilt, a total of $3,984. The group consisted of Dan Simmons of State Farm Insurance, Harold Hemel, Professional Muffler and Brake, Morgan and Macomber, Mike and Vicky Schug, Brueck Farm, Pease Packing, Corey and Andrea Gray, Lyster Exteriors Inc., Mitch Kline, Climax Crescent, Southern Michigan Auto Body, VandeGeissen Trucking LLC, Juday Ranch, Holcomb Farms, Kirk Gibson, Swihart Farms, Rick Frecker, Jerry Bailey, Wakeshma Transport LLC, Prodigy Electric, Myers Farm LLC, Ron Blair, Harmon's Maple Ridge Farm, Tim Goode family, Jerimiah Jacobs and Mike Gibson family.
Brianna Stockwell exhibited the reserve champion barrow which was purchased by Jaworski Farms for $2 per pound. Her 275-pound hog brought $550. Grace Gibson's 285-pound gilt earned reserve champion gilt and was purchased by Wakeshma Transport for $4 per pound.
Grand champion swine carcass was exhibited by Sara Gray and reserve champion carcass by Denis Harmon. Gray's support group helped her earn $5 per pound and $1,200 total while Harmon's carcass brought $3 per pound, purchased by Sult Farms. Gray's support group included the families of Mannes, Audette and Eshuis, Mike Gibson, Jared Hisler, Devon Title, Trent Piper, Richard Myers Ron Koger, Sandy and Gary Gray.
Grace Gibson of Scotts, exhibited the winning dairy feeder steer. The 614-pound animal was purchased by Pease Packing for $3.50 per pound, a total of $2,149. Abigail VanDyke exhibited the reserve champion, selling it to Greenstone Farm Credit of Schoolcraft for $2.50 per pound. Her 580- pound calf grossed $1,450.
Twenty-three feeder steers were sold averaging $2.25 per pound.
Thirty-eight poultry lots garnered a total of $10,895 averaging $286.71 per lot. Wednesday Townsend exhibited the champion roaster chicken pen and champion Cornish pen. Buckham Farms paid $250 for her Cornish pen while Jack T. DeHaan Heating and Cooling purchased her roaster pen for $375. Joshua Bolhuis received $300 for his reserve champion roaster pen purchased by Buckham Agency Farm Bureau Insurance. Linnea O'Neil received $350 for her champion broiler pen purchased by Tractor Supply Company of Kalamazoo. She also exhibited the reserve champion Cornish pen which was purchased by the Buckham Agency for $200. Jack T. DeHaan Heating and Cooling also purchased the reserve champion broiler pen for $400 owned by Charlize Gibbs.
John Bolhuis delivered his 37.6-pound champion tom turkey to buyers Phyllis Auble and Burhans and Associates for $475.
Celah Dunn sold her reserve champion tom turkey for $375 to Sturgis Bank and Trust. The bird weighed 40.5 pounds
Landon Birchmeier brought the grand champion hen turkey, selling the 26.2-pound bird to East Main Animal Hospital for $475. Reserve champion hen honors went to Jerimiah Rose. His 27.6-pound bird was purchased by the Buckham Agency for $475.
Yeo and Yeo purchased Christopher Gray's grand champion 18-pound heritage breed turkey for $400.
Twenty-nine rabbit lots sold for a total of $2,415 and averaged $83.28 per lot. A grand champion lot was not sold. Melissa Gray brought the reserve champion lot to sale and received $300 from Voyce's East LeRoy Elevator for her efforts.
There were no goats sold in the auction.