Kalamazoo 4-Hers Rake in $253K
Published: Friday, August 16, 2024
Kalamazoo County 4-H is growing. Since the 2023 4-H auction, swine, poultry and rabbits have increase the number of club members by at least 20 youths each. In total, 272 animals sold for $253,928.75 last Friday at the Kalamazoo County 4-H auction in Kalamazoo. Last year, the auction yielded $232,866.25 from 189 lots.
Subtotals by species include: 15 beef steers, $64,224; five feeder calves, $7,885; 34 lambs, $31,609.75; one lot of milk, $1,750; two goats, $525; 62 poultry animals, $14,586; a dozen eggs, $530; and 61 rabbits, $11,180.
The small animals started off the day at 10 a.m. and the beef club finished off the auction in the afternoon.
In beef, Joe Peck of Scotts went home $4,839 richer with the sale of his grand champion dairy steer, weighing in at 1,613 pounds. It sold to Carleton Equipment and Steve Wurtzel for $3 a pound. Maycee Peck, also of Scotts, earned $2.50 cents per pound for the 1,526-pound reserve champion, which sold to Post Foods for $3,815.
The grand champion beef steer was shown by Lucas Wilson of Delton. The top showman earned 3.60 a pound ($4,978.40) with the sale of the 1,369-pounder to A-Plus Well Service/Daniel Siebenaler. Natallie Hoagg of Richland received $4 a pound ($5,704) for her 1,426-pound reserve champion beef steer. Carleton Equipment/Steve Wurtzel paid the high bid.
Andrew Dinzik of Vicksburg and Joe Peck sold the grand and reserve champion beef carcasses, respectively. CT Electric Services Inc./Chris and Ann Balkema purchased Dinzik's 1,706-pound project for $2.45 a pound ($4,179.70). Carleton Equipment/Steve Wurtzel won the bid for Peck's 1,420-pound reserve champion with $1.50 a pound ($2,130).
Tyler Peck of Scotts took home $2.30 a pound ($1,453.60) after selling the grand champion dairy feeder to Morrison Landscape Services/Mike and Jamie Morrison.
A gallon of milk was sold by the dairy club. Myers Farms LLC/Richard and Dawn Myers paid $1,000 for the milk. Add-ons pushed the price up to $1,750 for the dairy club members.
The top selling swine champion was the grand champion carcass, which sold to Victory Farms/Kenneth Sattler, Ride or Dye Hair Salon, John and Ann Zanetti, TJ and Taylor Gibson, Mike and Janet Gibson, Wes and Emily Kilian, and Squirrel Hollow Golf Course for $11 a pound ($2,541). The project weighed 231 pounds and was presented by Ryne Sattler of East Leroy. Nyle Sattler, also of East Leroy, sold the reserve champion for $3.25 a pound ($915.75) to Motor Shop/Doug Herring. The carcass weighed in at 251 pounds.
Hoagg returned in the swine auction to sell her 256-pound grand champion gilt for $5 a pound ($1,305) to Carleton Equipment/Steve Wurtzel. She was also named top showman. Dane Sattler of East Leroy went home with $1,553.50 in his pocket ($6.50 a pound) after the sale of his 239-pound reserve champion gilt to King's Equipment/Steve Wurtzel. Sattler also showed the reserve champion barrow, weighing 241 pounds, and sold it to Bartholomew Heating and Cooling/JJ Piper for $6.50 a pound ($2,066.50). The 257-pound grand champion barrow earned $4.25 a pound ($1,167.25) for exhibitor Henrick Acker of Climax. Greg Feltner was the buyer.
Acker turned around and sold his grand champion ewe for $25 a pound ($3,225) during the lamb sale. Tim and Paige Vandegiessen paid the high bid for the 129-pounder. Acker also showed the reserve champion wether, which sold for $5 a pound ($655). The 131-pounder sold to Swihart Farms/Mick and Jan Swihart.
The reserve champion ewe was shown by Alyse VanDyke of Kalamazoo. The 130-pounder was snagged by Quality Cylinder Service LLC/Kerri Bilyk for $8.25 a pound ($1,122.50). VanDyke also took home the title for intermediate showman.
Lucas Wilson of Delton showed the grand champion wether, which weighed 123 pounds. WXC Cattle Company/Troy Wilson, Scramlin Agency/Jason Scramlin and Excel Propane shared the $15 per pound bid ($1,845).
The grand champion carcass was exhibited by senior showman Lucas Piper of Climax. Walther Farms/Donald Cochran paid $3 a pound ($457) for the 144-pound project. The reserve champion did not sell. Top showman and junior showman Eloise Wager, also of Climax, exhibited the grand champion fleece. Matt and Alisha Gibson purchased the fleece for $450. Jaxon Ramijn of Hopkins sold the reserve champion fleece to Meeuwse Farms/Dave and Barb Meeuwse for $400.
In goats, Aubrey Motycka of Decatur raked in $250 with the sale of her grand champion meat goat. Jerrid Hisler Agency-Farm Bureau Insurance and add-ons brought the total up to $275. Motycka then sold the reserve champion goat for an additional $250, paid for by Pickle Street Veterinary Service/Henry Reinart.
Jackson Gilfillan of Richland started the poultry auction with the sale of his grand champion roaster for $100 to Home Energy Solutions. Olivia Gilfillan, also of Richland, showed the reserve champion roaster. It was sold to Bob Meyer for $85.
The broiler sale began with grand champion exhibitor Annalize Jubenville of Kalamazoo. Her bird earned her $450 from Martin Spring and Drive/Steve and Sue Weber. The reserve champion broiler was sold by Levi Snider of Climax to Home Energy Solutions for $175, with add-ons bringing the total to $241.66.
Lucas Norton of Galesburg and Alvin Lunt of Mattawan showed the grand and rserve champion ducks, respectively. Norton received $200 for his lot from Kalsee Credit Union/Bob and Char Moore. Lunt sold his bird to Maury and Nancy Kaercher for $150.
In turkeys, the grand and reserve champion tom and hen turkeys sold. Johnathan Shook of Fulton earned $475 after add-ons for his grand champion tom. Perkins J Electrick LLC/John Perkins paid the top bid. The reserve champion tom was sold by Madelyn Gilfillan of Plainwell to Jerrid Hisler Agency/Farm Bureau Insurance for $225. She then received $50 in add-ons. Richland youth Adeline Gilfillan showed the champion hen, which sold for $525 to Cornerstone Ag Management/Nathan Meeuwse. Sheriff Richard Fuller paid $425 for Julia Shook's reserve champion hen.
Isaac Gilfillan of Richland showed the grand champion Cornish hen and sold it for $250 to Bimbo's Pizza/Ron and Matt Smilnich. Jubenville entered the auction ring once more with the reserve champion Cornish hen, which brought in a $200 bid from Nally's Greenhouse/Nathan Klooster.
The poultry auction ended with the sale of a dozen eggs, sold by champion exhibitor Sebastian Walk and the poultry club. D&E Custom Trucking/Daniel Dalman paid the high bid of $500, and add-ons brought the total up by $30. The sale supports all poultry project members.
Rabbits finished off the day for the small animal auction. Grand champion exhibitor Olivia Gilfillan showed the top stewer and received $275 from Al and Deanna Pattison with its sale. The reserve champion did not sell. Claudia Snider of Climax sold her grand champion raster to Maury and Nancy Kaercher for $100, and reserve champion exhibitor Alyssa Morrison of Scotts went home $500 richer with the sale of her roaster to Ann Nieuwenhuis. Add-ons pushed that total to $700.
Miles Ward of Mattawan showed the grand champion pen of three and earned $280 from M-40 Bar and Grill. Ward also was awarded the reserve champion best in show ribbon. Izzabella Deckard of Kalamazoo took home $150 after selling her reserve champion pen of three to D&E Custom trucking/Daniel Dalman.
The grand and reserve champion fryer rabbits were shown by Rylee Tiller of Climax. Tiller also won the title for best in show. The grand champion fryer sold for $190 to Winding Creek Grain Farms, and Aaron and Meagan Srackangast paid the high bid of $165 for the reserve champion.
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