With poultry banned, the Kosciusko County 4-H Livestock Auction Friday was down 81 lots and $20,000 from last year, but still finished strong at a sale total of $412,236.42. Total income was $421,609.42 this year, with an extra $5,288 from the Buyers Support Group and $4,085 through the Kurt Miller Memorial Fund. Total lots sold this year was 477, with some categories seeing an increase but over 100 lots cut due to a ban on poultry resulting in a net loss. Last year’s auction saw a record $437,674.80 in bids and a record number of total lots sold at 558. Animal health officials in Indiana ruled that poultry cannot be shown at county fairs this summer to prevent the spread of avian influenza. That’s 105 lots that could not be put at auction, according to Kelly Heckaman, Purdue Extension educator. “The poultry kids did not auction their birds. They received a premium for their poultry projects by completing requirements set forth by the poultry committee,” she said. Listed are categories, number of lots and total sold this year: Beef – 34 – $113,321.50 Dairy – 31 – $20,075 Dairy Calf Feeder – 35 – $59,366 Dairy Steer – 4 – $9,100 Goats – 64 – $31,861.90 Pork Loins – 10 – $4,550 Poultry – 116 – $31,977.50 Rabbit – 33 – $10,100 Ribeyes – 10 – $4,750 Sheep – 21 – $16,210 Swine – 116 – $113,647.52 King Kiss – $1,200 Queen Kiss – $1,365 The 4-H Queen Kiss with Elizabeth Zorn sold for $1,365 to a large group of family and friends. Proceeds will go towards the Sheep Barn. The 4-H King Kiss with Jared Templin, Milford, went for $950 to Sugar Lips. Proceeds will go towards the Beef Barn. The Grand Champion Beef Steer and Reserve Grand Champion Barrow, both exhibited by Hannah Tucker, Milford, sold as one unit at $10,500. The 1,310 pound steer and 262 pound barrow were purchased by friends and family. Grand Champion Barrow, 287 pounds, was exhibited by Jared Templin, Milford, and bought for $6,500 by family and friends. The Reserve Grand Champion Beef Steer, exhibited by Ashley Beer, Milford, sold for $6,000. The 1,235 pound steer was purchased by friends and family. The Grand Champion Dairy Steer, exhibited by Karis Tucker, Mentone, went for $2,000. The 1,545 pound steer was bought by Bishop Farms, Deatsman Grain Farms, Clunette Elevator, North Central Co-op Warsaw, Silver Lake Ag Center and Dennis Polk Equipment. Tucker also exhibited the Reserve Grand Champion Dairy Steer, but could only sell one dairy steer at auction. Grand Champion Dairy Calf Feeder Steer, exhibited Makenna Sausaman, Milford, sold for $9,500. The 620 pound steer was purchased by family and friends. The Reserve Grand Champion Dairy Calf Feeder Steer was exhibited by Jared Beer, Milford. The 512 steer did not sell but is exhibiting at the Indiana State Fair. The Grand Champion Rabbit Meat Pen was exhibited by Evan Schmidt, Warsaw, and sold for $1,500 to family and friends. The Reserve Grand Champion Rabbit Meat Pen exhibited by Elizabeth Schmidt sold for $1,200 to family and friends. The 87 pound Grand Champion Specialty Market Goat, exhibited by Dane Jenkins, Milford, was bought for $2,925 by friends. Grand Champion Dairy Market Goat, 88 pounds, was exhibited by Sarah Tucker, Mentone, and bought for $1,000 by Silver Lake Ag Center, North Central Co-op and Farmers State Bank. Grand Champion Senior Doe – Goat Milk, exhibited by Kaleb Dausman, Leesburg, sold for $1,450 to Louis Dreyfus Commodities. Grand Champion Market Lamb, 135 pounds, exhibited by Jordyn Leininger, Pierceton, sold for $2,875 to family and friends. Leininger also exhibited the Reserve Grand Champion Market Lamb but could only sell one lamb at auction. Grand Champion Brown Swiss, exhibited by Abbi Curtis, Leesburg, was sold for $5,000 to friends and family.
