E. LANSING – High quality cattle and rapid bidding, an extensive trade show and several youth livestock competitions all contributed to making the 26th Annual Michigan Beef Expo the most successful on record. As Michigan’s largest cattle industry event, the Michigan Beef Expo includes seedstock shows and sales for the Angus, Hereford, Limousin, Chianina, Maine-Anjou, Shorthorn and Simmental breeds. An indoor trade show featured a wide variety of cattle industry products, services and supplies while youth competed in various cattle industry contests, livestock judging competitions and exhibited cattle at the Block & Bridle Junior Steer and Heifer show.
Consignors exhibited 105 head of cattle and 24 embryo and semen lots from Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Ontario and Pennsylvania. The Supreme Champion Bull was Lot #320, a Hereford consigned by the Gale Laudeman Family of Breeman, Ind. He was purchased by the Causie Ranch of Leslie, Mich. for $3,500. The Supreme Champion Female was Lot #419, a Simmental cow consigned by DeLong Cattle Co. of Cass City, Mich. and sold to Behrenway Farm of Clarksville, Mich. for $6,400. Both Supreme Champions received $500 courtesy of Rupp Seeds.
The high selling female was an Angus cow/calf pair that sold as Lot #132(w/132A) for $8,000 and was consigned by Bordner Farms of Sturgis, MI. The cow (132) was purchased by Black Anchor Stock Farm of North Branch, MI and the calf (132A) was purchased by Sierrah Bogs of Trinity, Texas. The high selling bull was also an Angus, Lot #113, consigned by Brian Filhart of Clare, Mich. He was sold to Don and Pat McKiernan of Richmond, Mich. for $5,700. Cattle and embryo consignments at the Michigan Beef Expo grossed $366,475. The females averaged $3,300 on 69 lots and 36 bulls averaged $3,403. Twenty-four embryo and semen packages averaged $678.
Breed Champions
Angus – Fitzner Farms of Bellevue, MI had the champion Angus female and the champion Angus bull was awarded to Brian Filhart of Clare, MI.
Chianina – The champion Chi female was consigned by DeLong Cattle Co. of Cass City, MI and the champion Chi bull was from 3G Ranch of Kendalville, IN.
Hereford – B.E.P. Farms of Niles, MI consigned the champion Hereford female and the Gale Laudeman Family from Bremen, IN had the champion Hereford bull.
Limousin – The champion Limousin bull was exhibited by 3G Ranch of Kendalville, IN.
Maine-Anjou – Cole Menck of Lawton, MI exhibited the champion Maine-Anjou female.
Shorthorn – RK Cattle Co. of Moorefield, ONT exhibited the champion Shorthorn female and Dutch Acres Farm of Kendalville, IN had the champion Shorthorn bull.
Simmental – DeLong Cattle Co. of Cass City, MI consigned the champion Simmental female and VKR Cattle Co. of Door, MI had the champion Simmental bull.
The Michigan Beef Expo is hosted annually by the Michigan Cattlemen’s Association and affiliated breed associations at the MSU Pavilion in East Lansing. The Expo unites various breeds and provides an opportunity to share in a statewide promotional event that showcases Michigan’s beef industry through shows and sales, displays of seedstock cattle, and youth competitions. The next Michigan Beef Expo is scheduled for April 1-3, 2016. Additional details are available at www.MICattlemen.org
