Extension Communications
3614 Administrative Services Building
Ames, Iowa 50011-3614
(515) 294-9915
9/1/00
Contacts:
Denise Schwab, 4-H Youth Development, (515) 294-3187,
dschwab@iastate.edu
Tracy Petersen, Extension Communication Systems, (515)
294-5672
Dennis DeWitt, Extension Livestock Specialist, (712)
336-3488
Iowa State Fair Beef of Merit Champions Selected
The overall Iowa State Fair Beef of Merit live show champions also were selected as overall Carcass Show champions this year.
This year's High Cutability Grid Market overall champion belongs to Kyle Lauridsen, Audubon. Lauridsen's champion red steer had an 820-pound carcass that measured .20 backfat and 15.8 square inches of ribeye area with 1.36 yield grade. The steer earned a high Select quality grade.
The High Quality Grid Market overall champion was a home-raised steer exhibited by Jolyn Diers, Ottumwa. Diers' live and overall champion had an 807-pound carcass with .50 inch backfat, 16 square inches ribeye area, 2.1 yield grade and an average Choice quality grade. The steer came "within pennies" of winning both divisions, which has never been accomplished, according Iowa State Fair Beef of Merit coordinator Dennis DeWitt, Spencer.
The 55 steers entered in the contest were evaluated in either Window A: High Cutability Grid Market or Window B: High Quality Grid Market. The steers needed to meet specific grid specifications in each window to receive premiums. "That's just like the real world of marketing beef on grids today," De Witt said.
The 55 steers averaged a 67 percent low choice or higher, 2.49 yield grade and 72.5 percent retail product. Sixty-two percent of the steers qualified in the High Cutability Grid Market Window and 20 percent of the steers qualified in the High Quality Grid Market Window.
The 4-H Beef of Merit exhibitors competed for more than $4,000 in premiums provided by the Sale of Champions Winner's Circle Club; Vermeer Manufacturing, Pella; Al and Jeanne Conover, Baxter; and the Iowa State Fair.
The Beef of Merit live show was judged by Mark Venner, Arcadia.
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