Beef Expo Sales Top $1 Million Again

Average Up Slightly in 32nd Run of Winter Beef Event

The Kentucky Farm Bureau Beef Expo recorded sales of just over $1 million, crossing seven figures for the seventh consecutive year in its 32nd edition March 2-4 at the Kentucky Exposition Center.

“The Beef Expo has become a staple of the beef cattle calendar in the United States, and the results of the last several years bear that out,” Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles said. “We are Kentucky Proud to be the leading beef cattle state east of the Mississippi River. Congratulations to all the consignors, exhibitors, and juniors on a great event.”

Gross sales for 447.25 lots from 207 consignors totaled $1,061,125, down 7.6 percent from the 2017 total of $1,147,805 for 493.5 lots. The average of $2,373 per lot was slightly higher than last year’s figure. Cattle from 13 states converged on Louisville for the Beef Expo.

The sale topper was the grand champion bull in the Limousin sale, sold by Fawley Farms of Ohio for $8,750. The top Kentucky animal was a Simmental heifer consigned by Metzger Cattle Co. of Rockfield, which brought a high bid of $7,700. An Angus heifer consigned by Kalli Flanders of Buffalo, Kentucky, was gaveled at $7,500.

The 53 Angus lots fetched a total of $181,350, an average of $3,422 per lot, to lead all breeds in both categories.

The junior show saw 381 cattle enter the show ring, of which 202 were from Kentucky. The judging contest attracted 161 participants.

The Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA), Kentucky Farm Bureau, and Farm Credit Mid-America were the major sponsors of the Beef Expo.