HUDSON, N.Y. — The 2017 4-H Livestock Sale was held on Labor Day at the Columbia County Fair, marking its 26th anniversary. This event was started by Phil and Annie Trowbridge in 1991 as a means to further the learning experience of 4-H youth participating in the market animal projects. 4-H members with market animal projects are not only afforded the opportunity to exhibit at the fair but also participate in the annual livestock sale after they meet a list of requirements upheld by the Columbia and Greene Counties’ 4-H Livestock Committee.
Having raised a high-quality market animal, 4-H members are tasked with marketing their project animals to individuals, families and companies to ensure the sale will have as much bidder interest as possible; the idea being, the more demand for your product, the more you can sell the animal for, ensuring the best return on your efforts and investment. Project animals are sold live as well as processed.
Jordan Radley, member of the Columbia Country Feeders 4-H Club with her Reserve Grand Champion 4-H Steer. (Courtesy Photo)Many of our animals are donated back to the local food pantries each year. This year, Madsen Overhead Doors donated one lamb to the Chatham Silent Food Pantry and one pig to Ghent Food Pantry. This selfless gesture resulted in over 250 pounds of donated meat to the people in need in our community. Caitlin Dearnley, a long-time member of 4-H and the 2017 Columbia County Dairy Princess, was quoted saying, “This is what it is all about. For me, the Columbia County 4-H Livestock Program teaches me responsibility and how to properly care for animals. I spent my summer working with my lamb to get ready for the fair. To have my lamb be donated to our local food pantry to help people in need was a really proud moment for me. I plan on using the funds I earned from the sale for college and towards expanding my livestock projects for next year.”
Eleven lots of market hogs were sold with a high bid of $8.60/lb and a low bid of $3.00/lb on resold animals. Animals are sometimes donated back to the sale at the end and all of the proceeds are donated to the Trowbridge Livestock Scholarship Fund and/or a charity of the donor’s choice. This year our charitable donations were St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital as well as a hurricane relief fund for 4-H members in the state of Texas. The average hog sold for $4.88 /lb, which is $0.74/lb higher than market value for pork at this time. Total sales on market hogs was $15,458.35, with $1,711.00 allotted to charitable donations.
Four lots of market beef were sold with a high bid of $3.60/lb and a low bid of $2.80/lb, averaging $3.10/lb. Total sales for market beef was $17,209. With the average market value of beef being $6.14/lb, purchasing animals at the sale was a great decision this year even though our animals are sold at live weight.
Fourteen lots of market lambs were sold with a high bid of $10.50/lb and a low bid of $2.50/lb on resold animals. Averaging $5.35/lb, the total sales for market lambs was $10,454.55, with the average retail price being $7.60 in stores and $12.00 in local markets. Four lots of market rabbits were sold averaging $130.00/ea. Total sales for market rabbits was $530.00.
This year’s total sales for the 4-H Livestock Sale totaled $43,641.90
The 4-H Livestock Committee would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of the folks who volunteered their time and services, as well as those who offered sponsorships for awards and banners and who took the time out of their holiday to join us as bidders and buyers. Without all of you, this event would not be possible. In addition, we would like to thank all of our 4-H youth who put their heart into everything they do to help educate our community about local food sources.
For more information on this program, please contact Margaret Smith, 4-H Agriculture and STEM educator for Columbia and Greene Counties at 518-828-3346 x201 or mms426@cornell.edu.
Cornell Cooperative Extension is an employer and educator recognized for valuing AA/EEO, Protected Veterans, and Individuals with Disabilities and provides equal program and employment opportunities. The programs provided by this organization are partially funded by monies received from the Counties of Columbia and Greene.
4-H is New York’s only youth development program directly connected to the technological advances and the latest research at Cornell University. 4-H participants learn leadership, citizenship and life skills through hands-on projects in three primary program areas: science and technology; healthy living; and citizenship. To find out more about 4-H and youth programs in Columbia and Greene Counties, contact us at 518-828-3346 or Columbiagreene@cornell.edu or visit our website,www.ccecolumbiagreene.org . You can also “Like” us on Facebook…Cornell Cooperative Extension of Columbia and Greene Counties.
—Margaret M. Smith, 4-H Educator
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Columbia and Greene Counties
For more articles out of New York, click here.