Held both virtually through Frontier Live Sale and in-person at the Blaine County Fairgrounds on Saturday, August 15, the Blaine County 4-H Livestock Sale is in the books. According to on-site auctioneer Kevin Elias, sixty-five market animals were sold for a total price of $106,262.90.

That number included 15 market beef, which sold for an average of $2.59 a pound; 41 market hogs, selling for an average of $4.17 a pound; and nine market lambs, going for an average of $3.66 a pound.

"The sale went well. A lot of buyers were present in-person, along with 15 on the internet with Frontier Live Sale, a Bozeman-based business. I thought this later fair worked well for the kids. This was by far the best set of steers we have had in a long time. All of the animals were nicely finished," Elias said. "We also sold some chickens at the beginning of the sale; that was a first for me!"

The average steer weight was 1,408 pounds, compared to 1,280 posted for the last couple of years. The average swine weight was 281 pounds, and the average weight for the lambs was 140 pounds.

On the topic of finished animals, Blaine County Ag/4-H Extension Agent Juli Snedigar concurred with Elias, stating, "The market animals were all finished and registered solid weights for where they should be to sell."

When compared to the ten-year average, Snedigar reported that this year's 4-H sale posted above average numbers. The average price per pound of hogs ($4.00/pound a year ago) and lambs ($3.37/pound in 2019) was up slightly from last year, while the average price per pound of beef ($2.91/pound last year) saw a slight decrease. Snedigar attributed the increases to an August fair date, giving the animals more growing time.

Elias wished to extend "a huge thank you" to all of the supporters at the youth livestock sale. "We greatly appreciate your contributions to the success of our Blaine County youth," he said. "We would also like to thank everyone who helps put on our fair; we couldn't do it without you!"