Grand champion steer raised by first-timer
CONNOQUENESSING TWP — The first steer Maggie Schwalm ever raised turned out to be a winner.
Schwalm’s tan, big-bellied steer, which she said is 18 months old, was celebrated as the grand champion steer at the Butler Farm Show’s Junior Livestock auction Thursday, Aug. 7.
The steer weighed in at 1,365 pounds Thursday night and was ultimately sold for $5.50 a pound.
“A lot, a lot of work went into raising him. I’ve had him since last September. It’s taken a lot to get him to this point,” Schwalm said.
This was Schwalm’s first year raising a steer for the junior livestock auction. Schwalm, a Butler County 4-H member, said in the past, she’s also done sheep and goats.
Aside from her general love of animals and being around them, she said she’s long enjoyed raising and selling them in the auction.
“I’ve always enjoyed it, I really enjoyed raising the goats,” Schwalm said. “This is my last year in 4-H, so I wanted to do a steer and go out with a bang.”
The junior livestock auction, held in the main livestock barn, included lambs, rabbits, beef, poultry, hogs and goats.
Several components make up the judging of steers considered for the grand champion, Schwalm said, such as muscle, a good frame and balance, as well as general presentation and handling.
Schwalm’s steer was among over 20 others weighing over 1,000 pounds.
Other notable steers included the reserve champion 1,540 pound home bred raised by Mason Henry, which sold for $4 a pound at 1,540 pounds and Luke Frazier’s weight division 7-9 reserve champion, weighing in at 1,425 pounds, and sold for $3.90 a pound.
Nine-year-old Briar Kennedy had two steers, one the reserve champion county bred and one the weight division 1-3 champion, both at over 1,200 pounds. Kennedy sold last year’s grand champion steer at 1,350 pounds for $8 a pound.
