4-H members offer their livestock to top bidders at show, sale
By Bonnie Edwards
Published in News on April 17, 2009 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/GREG SOUSA
Gage Grady, left, and Jensen Barwick compete in the Novice Market Hog Division during the 61st annual Wayne County Junior Livestock Show and Sale on Thursday morning at the Wayne County Fairgrounds.
The best part about the Wayne County Junior Livestock Show for 18-year-old Rex Price is the sale. After all, he said, that's the point in raising livestock.
Thursday night's sale concluded the two-day, 61st annual event sponsored by the Wayne County Livestock Association.
Price, 18, who won the senior showmanship title, was one of 42 youths who showed their hogs Thursday morning. A show veteran, Price said he started showing livestock when he was 8 years old. He said he started with steers, but discovered that he became too attached to the animals when it came time to sell them and showing hogs is more fun, he added.
He said the hogs at the show are not the same as the animals you would find at a corporate-based hog farm.
"You go to a grower who raises show pigs ... not what you'd find in a hog house," he said. "Then you pick one to raise and feed it an 18 percent protein diet of corn, soybean meal and minerals."
No hormones, antibiotics or table scraps are allowed.
"These pigs are delicate. You give them the good stuff," Price said.
Showmanship competition is based on how well the boy or girl handles the animal and how well the animal responds to them. Market competition is based on how well-developed the animal is, how it will be judged come slaughter time.
On Wednesday, goats and calves were shown. On Thursday night, all the animals were auctioned off.
Market price is at least $1.20 per pound for a show goat, 90 cents per pound for a show calf and about 39 cents per pound for a show hog.
Price said around 40 cents a pound is a much better price than a hog raised in a hog house would bring. And today by lunch time, he said, the show hogs will be on their way to the dinner table via places like Nahunta Pork Center or the Mount Olive Livestock Market.
To raise a prize-winning hog, Price said, you have to spend a lot of time practicing with the animal, guiding it around a pen and teaching it to respond appropriately.
Other showmanship competition winners on Thursday morning were Novice Division champion Garrett Grady, who raised a hog that topped out in the 280 pound Class 5 category -- the largest in the show -- and Junior Division champion Jacob Sauls, whose 240-pound hog also took the overall grand champion title.
The reserve champion was raised by John David Howard.
And each weight category had the following winners:
*The 235-pound Class 1 winner was raised by Madisen Barwick.
*The 255-pound Class 2 winner was raised by Hunter Barwick.
*The 275-pound Class 3 winner was raised by Jacob Sauls.
*The 280-pound Class 4 winner was raised by Caleb Heath.
*The 280-pound Class 5 winner was raised by John David Howard.
There were also two sponsored awards.
Angus Acres and James B. Sasser Construction Co, presented the Extra Effort Award -- a plaque and $100 -- to feeder calf exhibitor Braxton Hood, meat goat exhibitor Dalton Ginn and market hog exhibitor Chelsea Sawkiw.
And the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce presented the Outstanding Achievement Award to feeder calf exhibitor Mary Dunn, meat goat exhibitor Holly Stevens and market hog exhibitor Madisen Barwick.
KS Bank presented a $500 scholarship to Caroline Tart, who showed a hog and a goat.
All of the competitors voted on a new award, the Sportsmanship Award, which went to Marisa Linton, who showed a hog and a goat.