St. Joe Livestock Auction Raises $554,582
Published: Friday, September 27, 2024
A brother and sister from Mendon had a strong showing last week at the St. Joseph County (Mich.) Grange Fair.
Carlie and Conner Doehring exhibited the grand champions in the swine and beef shows. During last Thursday's livestock auction in Centreville, Carlie sold her 277-pound grand champion barrow for $8 per pound ($2,216) to Crystal Flash, Kalmbach Feeds, Horse Industry Podcast and Keystone Cooperative.
Conner's turn came up in the beef auction when he sold his 1,365-pound grand champion beef steer for $4.25 per pound ($5,801.25) to Crystal Flash, Advanced Farm Supply, Midlink Logistics, Kalmbach Feed, St. Joseph County Drain Commissioner Jeff Wenzel, Cool Cattle Co., Bontrager Feed, MM Cupp Trust, Nutrien Ag and Jason Scramlin/Farm Bureau Insurance.
This year's auction featured 833 lots that generated $554,581.97 in total receipts. By comparison, last year's livestock sale featured 592 lots and raised $555,792.06.
In a display of generosity, buyers paid $55 per pound ($14,795) for the reserve champion heavy mediumweight barrow exhibited by Nich Overweg of Vicksburg. Overweg's father, Chad, was a farmer who died Sept. 1 after a year-and-a-half-long battle with cancer. The buyers were: Michigan Buyers Group, Hardings Market Food & Pharmacy, Crystal Flash, Burnips Equipment Co. and Boland Tire Co.
In other highlights, Mason Trattles of Burr Oak auctioned off his 252-pound grand champion gilt for $10 per pound ($2,520) to Sturgis Bank & Trust, Advanced Farm Supply, River Country Eye Care, GreenStone Farm Credit Service, Trattles Livestock, Chris Wright/Washington National, Bontrager Feed, Wana Feed Service, and Davis & Davis Insurance & Real Estate.
Mason's brother, Colin, was next with the reserve champion gilt. The 292-pounder brought $7.50 per pound ($2,190) from River Country Eye Care, GreenStone Farm Credit Service, Trattles Livestock, Chris Wright/Washington National, Bontrager Feed, Wana Feed Service, and Davis & Davis Insurance & Real Estate.
Rachel Eggleston of Marcellus exhibited the reserve champion barrow, which weighed 256 pounds. It sold for $3.25 per pound ($832) to Walnut Hill Farms.
The 232-pound grand champion swine carcass shown by Rebeka Klein of Mendon fetched $4.75 per pound ($1,102) courtesy of Lester and Helen Quimby. Sidney Torrey Long of Burr Oak sold the 276-pound reserve champion carcass for $3 per pound ($828) to Swarthout Excavating.
In the beef sale, Regan Noga of Leonidas sold the reserve champion steer for $5.25 per pound ($6,930) to Presley Precision Skilled Trade Services, Iron Circle Services LLC and Shouldice Brothers. The steer weighed 1,320 pounds.
Eleena Kelley of Sturgis received $2 per pound ($3,400) from Swarthout Excavating for her 1,700-pound grand champion beef carcass. The same buyer purchased the reserve champion carcass shown by HallieAnn Holtz of Mendon. The 1,080-pound carcass sold for $3 per pound ($3,240).
Brothers Case and Montana Frisbie finished one and two in dairy steers, with Case showing the grand champion and Montana having the reserve champion. Case's 1,595-pounder fetched $2.60 per pound ($4,147) from Fisher Excavating, Nutrien Ag, Findley Feeds, Advanced Farm Supply and Schrader Real Estate & Auction. Montana's 1,495-pounder brought $2 per pound ($2,990) from Nutrien Ag and Schrader Real Estate & Auction.
For the price of $7 per pound, Rees Beadle of Marcellus parted with his grand champion dairy feeder steer. The buyers were Cripps Farms, Tim and Laura Schug, Keystone Co-op, Dave High, Klein Farms & Seed Sales and Walther Farms. Braxton Long of Mendon sold the reserve champion dairy feeder calf for $2.35 per pound ($1,562.75) to Rick and Mary Gould.
Buyers also contributed to the traditional gallon of milk sale. Donations totaled $10,150. The top contributors were Sturgis Bank & Trust and Boland Tire Co.
This year, in an effort to contain the bird flu virus from spreading, 4-H'ers were allowed to show only non-lactating dairy cattle. Branson Hernandez exhibited the supreme champion heifer, a Milking Shorthorn.
In sheep, Kennedy Newland of Three Rivers sold her 143-pound grand champion wether for $5 per pound ($715) to Prime Time Club Lambs of Three Rivers. The reserve champion wether, weighing 152 pounds, belonging to Keegan New of Three Rivers brought $7.75 per pound ($1,178) from American Axle.
Eggleston sold the 134-pound grand champion ewe for $15.50 per pound ($2,077) to Walnut Hill Farms, Dairy Doo/David Yunker, Morgan Composting, and David and Chris Yunker. Standing in the reserve champion position was Leah Newland's 136-pound ewe. Prime Time Club Lambs had the high bid of $6 per pound ($816).
New also had the grand champion carcass, which weighed 135 pounds. He sold it for $4 per pound ($540) to Mick and Jan Swihart. Lydia Wells of Burr Oak sold the reserve champion sheep carcass for $9 per pound ($1,062) to Jackson Stock Farm. The carcass weighed 118 pounds.
In the small animal sale, Livie Nofzier of Shipshewana sold her grand champion market chickens for $575 to Lima Elevator, Farmers State Bank, Black Gold Farms, Squirt Irrigation, Sturgis Bank & Trust, Soil Analytics and Double M Ag. Braylin Hernandez of Burr Oak received $275 for her reserve champion chickens, courtesy of Red Barn Greenhouse.
Mendon's Kaden Bacon sold the grand champion market turkey for $750 to Ayres Oak Insurance and the St. Joseph County (Mich.) Conservation Club. Isaiah Byler of Sturgis sold the reserve champion turkey for $300 to Andy Todd/T&T Farm and Iron Circle Services.
Exhibiting the grand champion eggs, Adalyn Pasch received $110 from the law firm of Bird, Scheske, Reed and Beemer.
In rabbits, Katelyn Trattles of Colon showed the grand champion meat pen. She earned $1,900 from Red Barn Greenhouse, Barrington Electric, Kalmbach Feed, South Milford Grain, Becky and Paige Courtright, Trattles Farms, Advanced Farm Supply, Edgar Miller Farms, Ebels General Store, Sturgis Bank & Trust, and the law firm of Bird, Scheske, Reed & Beemer.
Bryce Hekter of Constantine sold the reserve champion meat pen for $1,500 to Bogen Concrete, Southern Michigan Bank & Trust, Omni Community Credit Union, Legacy Land Farms, In Loving Memory of Fay and Phillip Bohm, Meemic Insurance Co., Dale Stuby Farms and Chupp Insurance Agency.
In goats, Paityn Modert of Sturgis sold the grand champion meat goat for $550 to Sturgis Bank & Trust. Trig Hutchison of Sturgis auctioned off the reserve champion meat goat for $350 to his parents, Evan and Courtney Hutchison.
The grand champion dairy market goat was exhibited by Carsyn Maystead of Sturgis. He received $400 from Mark and Katelyn Batten, Double M Ag LLC, and Tom and Gail Miller. Rachel Byler of Sturgis sold the reserve champion dairy market goat for $275 to Terry Miller.
Lauren Lindsey of Three Rivers sold the grand champion goat carcass for $300 to Roberts Installation & Repair. Tyler Robbins of Constantine sold the reserve champion carcass for $300 to John Schragg of State Farm Insurance.
Auction subtotals, by species, were: 121 hogs, $122,881.38; 24 beef steers, $84,668.58; 45 starter calves, 64,944.50; 8 dairy steers, $23,241.32; 136 rabbit pens, $57,799.01; 120 chicken pens, $54,024.94; 67 goats, $28,725; 56 sheep, $26,601.83; 27 turkeys, $13,200; 1 gallon of milk, $10,150; 1 dozen eggs, $110; and 227 add-ons, $68,235.41.
Return to Top of Page