The 2018 Ohio State Fair Commercial Cattle Show participants exhibited 25 pens of three for a total of 75 head of commercial steers and heifers on July 29, 2018 during the fair. Judging the event were Joseph Higgins, Wisconsin and Jacob Mikel, Iowa. The show was managed by United Producers, Inc., and the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association, Ohio State Fair and United Producers, Inc. served as sponsors.
In the junior division live evaluation, Austin Wiseman of Malta, Ohio, exhibited the Champion Lot of 3 Steers and Champion Lot of 3 Heifers which earned the titles of Grand Champion Overall Lot of 3 and Reserve Champion Overall Lot of 3, respectively. Wiseman’s lot of 3 steers had an average weight of 1,319 pounds and his lot of 3 heifers had an average weight of 1,208 pounds. Allison and Ryan Bowsher, Laurelville, Ohio, exhibited the Reserve Champion Lot of 3 Heifers averaging 1,219 pounds. Garrick and Cayden Prosser, Springfield, Ohio, exhibited the Reserve Champion Lot of 3 Steers with an average weight of 1,322 pounds.
In the open division live evaluation, the Grand Champion Overall and Champion Lot of 3 Steers was awarded to Glen Feichtner of New Washington, Ohio with an average weight of 1,366 pounds. Wiseman also exhibited the Reserve Champion Overall and Champion Lot of 3 Heifers with an average weight of 1,208 pounds. Wiseman also hung the banner for the Reserve Champion Lot of 3 Steers weighing in with an average of 1,319 pounds. The Reserve Champion Lot of 3 Heifers went to Phelps/O’Connor Farms Limousin, weighing in at an average weight of 1,217 pounds.
Winners of the live show received nearly $5,000 in premiums from the Ohio State Fair. Tyson harvested the cattle and supplied the carcass data for the 2018 Ohio State Fair Commercial Cattle Carcass Contest. Hot carcass weights ranged from 669 pounds to 958 pounds. Yield grades ranged from 1 to 5. Over 95 percent of the contest entries fell into the Choice or higher category, with 43 percent grading Prime – well above the USDA average. This year’s show had zero dark cutting carcasses.
In the Junior Division, the Grand Champion Carcass honor was awarded to Wiseman with pen 13 and Reserve Champion Carcass honors went to Allison and Ryan Bowsher with pen 15. In the Open Division, Grand Champion Carcass honors went to Fred Voge, West Alexandria, Ohio, with pen 23 winning the carcass contest. Voge also earned the title of Reserve Champion Carcass with Pen 26. All six carcasses from both the Grand and Reserve Champion lots graded Prime and were yield grades 2 or 3.
The awards banquet for the carcass competition was held in conjunction with the OCA Young Cattlemen’s Conference on August 9, where $3,000 was awarded to the carcass winners.
Photos are available for download here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Q_G64mTyVyuKAoXRcBxgwiXE81U2Qq-J