Allegan Livestock Auction Climbs to New Heights
Published: Friday, September 23, 2022
Allegan County youth livestock exhibitors hauled in a record total from the annual youth livestock auction last week at the Allegan County Fair.
The grand total from last Wednesday's auction, with 363 lots, amounted to $743,901.05. That far exceeds last year's total of $658,079.10 with 390 lots.
Despite fewer animals offered at the sale, buyers made up for that by paying higher prices.
Beef exhibitors saw some of the biggest paychecks. Baleigh Schricker of Hamilton sold her 1,291-pound grand champion beef steer for $8 a pound ($10,878) to Milbocker and Sons Inc. Standing second in the beef sale was Londyn Rolen and his 1,422-pound reserve champion steer. The Allegan youth received $6 a pound ($8,782) from Brenner Excavating of Hopkins.
Kimberly DeWeerd of Otsego led the way in the beef carcass sale, selling her 1,185-pound grand champion for $6 a pound ($7,160) to Thornapple Veterinary Services. Madison Washburn of Hopkins was next with the reserve champion carcass. She received $7 a pound ($8,330) from Nutrien Ag Solutions for the 1,190-pounder.
Thirty-eight beef steers brought $260,863.25. The average price was $5.28 a pound.
In swine, Brayden Jipping of Hamilton sold the 315-pound grand champion gilt for $16 a pound ($5,040) to Doug Wildt of Wildt Family Farms and Beck's Hybrids. Joelle Boeskool of Hamilton sold her 258-pound reserve champion gilt for $8 a pound ($2,559) to Schutter Brothers Builders of Hamilton.
Kilee Kleinheksel of Holland auctioned her grand champion barrow for $13 a pound ($3,515) to three buyers: GreenMark Equipment, Farm Bureau Insurance/Mark Hop Agency, and Grand River Ag LLC/Beck Seeds. Her barrow weighed 255 pounds.
Boeskool returned to the ring to sell the 295-pound reserve champion barrow. Trestle Stop Restaurant of Hamilton had the high bid at $6.50 a pound ($2,417.50).
In the swine carcass show, Gunner Strickfaden of Hamilton and Nathan Buist of Otsego earned grand and reserve champion honors, respectively. Strickfaden sold his 275-pound grand champion for $6 a pound ($2,000) to Generation III Excavating of Hamilton. Buist also received $6 a pound ($2,010) for his 310-pound reserve champion carcass from Sebright Products of Hopkins.
With 205 hogs selling, swine exhibitors earned $335,179.75, for an average of $6.02 a pound.
McKenna Modreske of Wayland sold two winners in the sheep show. Her 150-pound grand champion wether brought $12.50 a pound ($1,975.00) from A&B Farms of Holland. Modreske also showed the 131-pound reserve champion wether, which fetched $10 a pound ($1,860) from Zeeland Farm Services.
The grand champion ewe was exhibited by Dylan Huff of Otsego. The 139-pounder sold for $12.50 a pound ($1,876.50) to Diamond S Farms and Umbarger Feeds. Reserve champion exhibitor Colby Tucker of Hopkins earned $12.50 a pound ($1,912.50) for his 129-pounder from Farmers Co-op Elevator Co. of Hudsonville.
Tucker also showed the grand champion lamb carcass, weighing 128 pounds. The high bid was $11 a pound ($1,408) from Zeeland Farm Services. Tally Laarman of Allegan sold the reserve champion lamb carcass for $10 a pound ($1,310) to VanderKolk Cattle Co.
The lamb auction saw 38 sheep sell for $34,402, with an average of $6.97 a pound.
Only two dairy steers were sold in the auction, with receipts totaling $11,194. Logan Welch of Wayland auctioned his 1,510-pound grand champion for $4.50 a pound ($6,895) to Putters Trucking LLC of Hopkins. Ian Gaulke of Allegan was next with the 1,433-pound reserve champion dairy steer. He received $3 a pound ($4,299) from Hopkins Elevator.
Gaulke also cashed in when he sold his grand champion dairy starter calf. Drozd Seeds of Allegan paid $5.50 a pound ($1,986.50) for the 343-pounder. Buist sold the 412-pound reserve champion dairy starter for $3.50 a pound ($1,592) to Crystal Flash of Grand Rapids.
Sixteen dairy starter calves sold for an average of $3.51 a pound, totaling $28,324.25,
In the gallon of milk sale, dairy cattle exhibitors collected donations for the dairy program. The total amount raised was $27,650, with Mark Waanders of Waanders Concrete being the leading supporter. Other supporters are listed at the end of the story.
In the goat sale, Avery Veen of Hamilton sold her grand champion non-dairy goat for $882 to Brenner Excavating. Bryce Ostrom of Dorr received $1,064 from Burnips Equipment Co. for his reserve champion non-dairy goat.
Selling the grand champion dairy wether, Joy Hiemstra of Shelbyville earned $1,395 from Pickle Street Veterinary Service. Ty Mulka of Wayland was next with the reserve champion dairy wether. He received $841.50 from Crystal Flash.
Trenton Flokstra of Hamilton sold the grand champion goat carcass for $900 to Henry Klein of Hamilton. The same buyer also purchased the reserve champion goat carcass shown by Curtis Flokstra, also of Hamilton. The price was $1,170.
The goat auction featured 31 lots, with sales totaling $29,741.
In poultry, the grand champion roaster was exhibited by Landon Chrusciel of Dorr. Cathy Verhage of Wayland had the high bid of $757.60. Jack Estelle of Allegan sold the reserve champion roaster for $196.80 to Jeff and Renae Morrie of Allegan.
Kylynne Merica of Plainwell earned $386.40 from Dumont Lake Family Campground for the grand champion broiler. Ryan Shelton of Hamilton sold the reserve champion broiler for $602.80 to Pickle Street Veterinary Service.
Seven poultry lots raised $2,826.80 in sales.
Elle Fraaza of Plainwell sold the grand champion turkey pen for $1,129.60 to Erin Higgenbottom of Gobles. Taylor Visser of Plainwell earned $893 from the sale of the reserve champion turkeys, courtesy of Miller Creek Farm Registered Herefords.
With five pens selling, turkeys generated $4,057 in receipts.
The grand champion rabbit meat pen was exhibited by Tally Laarman of Allegan. She sold the pen for $740 to Dumont Lake Family Campground. Sofia Berens of Wayland received $784.50 from Welchkin Acres for her reserve champion meat pen.
Two gift baskets representing the champion and reserve champion roaster carcasses were auctioned off, with the proceeds going to the rabbit barn. The first basket sold for $750 to Hassevoort Cattle Co. of Hamilton, and the second basket brought $550 from Philip Maass of Wayland.
Twenty rabbit lots sold for $9,663.20.
Milk buyers—Waanders Concrete, Zeeland Farm Services, A&B Farms, Pickle Street Veterinary Service, Brenner Excavating, Milbocker & Sons Inc., Welchkin Acres, GreenMark Equipment, Putters Trucking LLC, Burnips Equipment Co., Endeavor, Hopkins Elevator, Agri Equipment Service, Ridderman & Sons Oil Co., Cornerstone Ag, Heasley Seeds, GreenStone Farm Credit Services, Cripps Fontaine Excavating, Petro Farms, Bunker Hill Chill & Grill, Northern Equipment & Leasing, High Wind Farm, Linda Burton Collier, Farm Bureau Insurance/Heffner Agency, Hassevoort Cattle Co., Farm Bureau Insurance/Mark Hop Agency, Jeff and Renae Morrie, Tractor Supply Co., Rolling Acres Dairy Farm, Chestnut Farms, Farmers Co-op Elevator, Drozd Seeds, Midway Implements, The Deer Barn, Crystal Flash, VanderKolk Auction & Appraisal, Pete Euwema, Heritage Farms Trucking, Naus Racing, Burnell Farms, Brown Hay & Grain, Pomp's Tire, Zeinstra Farms, Dykstra Farm LLC, Jake's Ag Supply, Craig and Kerry Tucker, DeClutter Bug and High Point Court Development.
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