Annual Baby Beef Auction nets $47,880 at local fair

 PRESQUE ISLE, Maine – Sometimes father really does know best. Just ask 12-year-old Amanda Hotham.
Her Dad, Nathan, enrolled her in the Aroostook Valley Baby Beef 4-H Club – despite her initial reservations – and Aug. 1 her Angus-cross steer, Uncle Buck, earned the title of Grand Champion at the 4-H Baby Beef Show held during the Northern Maine Fair.     “I didn’t really want to be in 4-H, but my Dad signed me up,” she said. “The more I got into it though, I thought it was really cool how you can raise a baby beef and it goes to auction … you raise it to be beef. I’ve learned a lot.
“I’m having a lot of fun,” said Hotham, “and I was very shocked when my steer won the Grand Champion title. This is my first year in 4-H, so I didn’t expect to do that well.”
Hotham, who will be in eighth grade at Fort Fairfield Middle-High School this fall, said she got her steer Dec. 19, and learned how to take care of him.
“I have to thank Shannon Svoboda because she helped me a lot,” said Hotham, noting that it’s hard not getting attached to a steer after raising him for nearly eight months. “He started getting a personality three weeks before fair. I think he knew he was going to go.”
Hotham’s 1,250-pound steer fetched $2.60 a pound at the auction. Seed Pro, Inc. and Arthur Shur were the top bidders. She said she was going to put her money in the bank and use it for college.
Joshua Buck, 16, of Mapleton and his 1,160-pound, Angus-cross steer, Festus, was named Reserve Champion at the 4-H Baby Beef Show. Festus went for $2.05 a pound. Buck Seed Farms was the high bidder.
“It’s not overly difficult to raise a steer,” said Buck. “You just have to tend to them, feed them, and clean out their stall. I feed him in the morning and at night, but you try not to get attached. It’s important to think of this as a business.”
Buck said the best thing about being in the 4-H Club is “getting to come to the fair.”
“It’s fun staying here all week,” he said. “I think I’ve gone home once this week.”
The Presque Isle High School junior said he will use some of his auction proceeds to buy a new steer and the rest will be put away for college.
Bruce and Lauri Buck have been leading the Aroostook Valley 4-H Baby Beef Club for eight years.
“We’ve been leaders since 1999,” said Bruce. “Me, my sister and brothers were all in 4-H when we were kids. Lauri and I like being leaders and it’s an awesome experience for the kids, and we want to keep it going for our kids.”
Eighteen youngsters can participate in the 4-H club at one time.
“We have 17 kids this year,” said Buck. “One of the members lost their animal, and it was too late to replace it.
“We have a waiting list of kids,” he said. “At times there have been 30 names on the list. As one retires out, we’ll bring a new one on.”
When kids are 8 years old, they can put their name on the list and become a member at age 10 if there’s an opening.
“They can stay in it through their senior year in school,” he said. “We have kids from Houlton to Caribou who are members. The kids pick their steer in the fall. Throughout the year we try to have training for them and we have Extension people come in and tell them what to look for in purchasing a steer.
“During Christmas vacation, we do our first barn check,” said Buck. “We’ll look at the animal, tag it, and that night we have a meeting. We also meet during February and April break, and have our beginning meeting in November when we elect officers. We have clinics during the summer and the kids bring their steers to the Fair, and we start working with them.”
A few weeks prior to the Fair, the 4-H Club hosts a buyers’ meeting.
“We get a list of potential buyers and all the kids write a letter and go introduce themselves to the buyers and try to convince them to come buy their steer,” said Buck. “The kids learn a lot through the public relations aspect of it. 4-H, in general, teaches the kids a lot about responsibility.
“A lot of the kids do this all by themselves,” he said. “They do all the chores and take it pretty seriously.”
Buck said the calves cost anywhere from $500 to $600.
“Feed is also very expensive,” he said. “It’s $9 or $10 for a 50-pound bag, and when it gets close to the fair, some of these bigger steer eat almost a bag a day, so it adds up fast.”
This year’s auction raised a total of $47,880 with $2.25 being the average price per pound.
“We’re very happy with the prices we got this year,” said Buck. “We had a few new bidders which is nice to see.
“Some of the businesses buy a steer, have it slaughtered and give the meat to the employees; some employees get together and say, ‘Who wants a box of beef?’ and they all contribute to the bid; and some individuals buy a steer with the intent of filling their freezer,” he said.
Results of the 2007 Aroostook Valley 4-H Baby Beef Show and Auction are as follows:
• Joshua Allen, son of George and Nancy Allen of Chapman, and his 1,245-pound, Angus-cross steer, The Bandit, ranked seventh in the heavyweight division. Allen placed fifth in showmanship and fifth in fitting in the senior class. The Bandit went to Advantage Payroll at $2.10 a pound.
• Ethan Braley, son of Glendon and Anne Braley of Mapleton, and his 1,170-pound, Angus-cross steer, Big Papi, ranked eighth in the lightweight division. Braley placed sixth in both showmanship and fitting in the junior class. Big Papi went to Farm Credit for $2 a pound.
• Jacob Buck, son of Bruce and Lauri Buck of Mapleton, and his 1,160-pound, Angus-cross steer, Ol’ Tilley, ranked second in the lightweight division. Buck placed fourth in both showmanship and fitting in the junior class. Ol’ Tilley went to MFX for $2.35 a pound.
• Joshua Buck, son of Bruce and Lauri Buck of Mapleton, and his 1,160-pound, Angus-cross steer, Festus, ranked first in the lightweight division. Buck placed fourth in both showmanship and fitting in the senior class. Festus went to Buck Seed Farms at $2.05 a pound.
• Ian Crane, son of Mark Crane of Hodgdon and Patty Hersey of Houlton, and his 1,230-pound, Angus-cross steer, Bubba, ranked third in the heavyweight division. Crane placed first in both showmanship and fitting in the junior class. Bubba went to Aroostook Milling, Aroostook Veterinary Service, and Ivey’s Motor Lodge for $2.50 a pound.
• Nathanael Donovan, son of Harry and Candace Donovan of Blaine, and his 1,235-pound, Angus steer, Tux, ranked fourth in the heavyweight division. Donovan placed second in both showmanship and fitting in the senior class. Tux went to S.W. Collins at $2.25 a pound.
• Joel Guerrette, son of Ryan and Sheri Guerrette of Caribou, and his 1,275-pound, Angus-cross steer, Well Done, ranked eighth in the heavyweight division. Guerrette placed fifth in both showmanship and fitting in the junior class. Well Done went to MPG, Hartland Agro-Mart and Grand Falls Agro-Mart at $3 a pound.
• Garrett Hemphill, son of Greg and Kim Hemphill of Presque Isle, and his 995-pound, Hereford-cross steer, Butch, ranked fourth in the lightweight division. Hemphill placed fourth in showmanship and third in fitting in the novice division. Butch went to Remax Central and Lajoie Growers at $2.40 a pound.
• Amanda Hotham, daughter of Nathan and Beth Hotham of Fort Fairfield, and her 1,250-pound, Angus-cross steer, Uncle Buck, ranked first in the heavyweight division. Hotham placed second in both showmanship and fitting in the novice division. Uncle Buck went to Seed Pro, Inc. and Arthur Shur at $2.60 a pound.
• Keith Langley, son of Lee and Linda Langley of Fort Fairfield, and his 1,065-pound, Angus-cross steer, Dew, ranked sixth in the lightweight division. Langley placed first in both showmanship and fitting in the novice division. Dew went to McCain Foods at $2.15 a pound.
• Logan McLaughlin, son of Ward and Stephanie McLaughlin of Mars Hill, and his 1,340-pound, Angus-cross steer, Winchester, ranked sixth in the heavyweight division. McLaughlin placed second in both showmanship and fitting in the junior class. Winchester went to W.C. Doyen at $2.15 a pound.
• Mitchell McLaughlin, son of George and Tammie McLaughlin of Fort Fairfield, and his 1,150-pound, Angus-cross steer, Ace, ranked third in the lightweight division. McLaughlin placed third in both showmanship and fitting for seniors. Ace went to North Country Animal Hospital at $2.20 a pound.
• Joshua Nickerson, son of Brent and Susan Nickerson of Castle Hill, and his 1,025-pound, Angus-cross steer, Harry, ranked seventh in the lightweight division. Nickerson placed third in showmanship and fourth in fitting for novices. Harry went to Northeast Packaging at $2.30 a pound.
• Lucas Richards, son of Frank and Gaye Richards of Mapleton, and his 1,390-pound, Angus-cross steer, Bullvine, ranked fifth in the heavyweight division. Richards placed third in both showmanship and fitting in the junior class. Bullvine went to the Central Aroostook Young Farmers at $2.20 a pound.
• Meagan Smith, daughter of Steve and Andrea Smith of Mapleton, and her 1,205-pound, Charolais steer, Elvis, ranked ninth in the heavyweight division. Smith placed sixth in both showmanship and fitting in the senior class. Elvis went to BKB Construction at $1.80 a pound.
• Shannon Svoboda, daughter of Jeff and Kathy Svoboda of Caribou, and her 1,325-pound, Angus-cross steer, Starbuck, ranked second in the heavyweight division. Svoboda placed first in both showmanship and fitting for seniors. Starbuck went to Haines Manufacturing for $2.10 a pound.
• Dale Winslow, son of Bert Winslow and Tina Belanger of Presque Isle, and his 985-pound, Angus-cross steer, Hashbrown, ranked fifth in the lightweight division. Winslow placed fifth in both showmanship and fitting in the novice class. Hashbrown went to Maine Public Service at $2.10.
For more information on the Aroostook Valley 4-H Baby Beef Club, contact Buck at 764-4552.