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LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Record crowds of cattle buyers paid top dollar for top-quality seedstock at the 2005 Kentucky Beef Expo March 4-6 at the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center.
Sales of 472 head of cattle grossed $808,615 for an average of $1,713. That was $218 over last year’s $1,495 average, which included two bulls that sold for more than $10,000.
“Kentucky breeders were very successful in showing cattle that commanded strong prices,” Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer said. “They have worked hard to improve their herd genetics, and I commend them for their efforts.”
This year’s top money-earner was a Limousin heifer, consigned by Deer Valley Farm of Fayetteville, Tenn., that sold for $8,500 to John Freed of Farley, Ill.
The top Kentucky-bred money-earner was a Charolais heifer consigned by Jacob Miller of Bardstown that sold half interest for $7,200 to Spring Ridge Cattle Company of Winchester, Ky.
A Simmental heifer consigned by Ronnie Creek and Joe Chowning of Auburn, Ky., sold for $6,400 to Jim Zyolanck of Wymore, Neb. An Angus heifer consigned by Smithland Angus of Russell Springs, Ky., sold for $5,500 to Ryan Haefner of Milledgeville, Ill.
More than 60 percent of this year’s offerings were open heifers, with three sales averaging more than $2,400. Thirty-five Limousin lots averaged $2,664, 38 Simmental lots averaged $2,519, and 45 Angus lots averaged $2,448.
The Junior Heifer Show attracted 281 entries from 12 states. Kirbe Schnoor of Chowchilla, Calif., won the $1,000 top prize for exhibiting the grand champion, a Chiangus. The Kentucky Grand Champion, an Angus exhibited by Lauren Moss of Lancaster, Ky., was awarded $500.
The Junior Steer Show boasted 220 entries from nine states. The $1,000 grand champion honor went to a crossbred exhibited by Tyler Gentry of Paragon, Ind. Cody Emmons of Flemingsburg, Ky., also exhibited a crossbred to win the $500 Kentucky Grand Championship.
The judging contest, conducted by the University of Kentucky Block and Bridle Club and sponsored by Brown Forman, had 208 participants from four states.
The Beef Expo was co-sponsored by the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, along with Farm Credit Services, Farm Bureau, Nutrena, Merial, and the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association.
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