The Okfuskee County Cattleman’s Association (OCCA) would like to invite everyone to attend and participate in their February 29, 2024, Carcass Contest and Beef Auction at 6 p.m. at the Okfuskee County Fairgrounds. No membership is required to attend, and a 10-ounce New York Strip steak dinner is provided for all in attendance.
Associate Farm Editor, Reagan Calk, had the chance to talk with the President of the Okfuskee County Cattlemen’s Association, Buck Rich, about the contest and auction.
Nine students from area schools are competing for the coveted belt buckle, cash prizes, and awards as well as 100% of the proceeds from auctioning their beef to the donors in the audience. The Okfuskee County Cattleman’s Association is happy to provide this contest for their community for young cattlemen to learn, practice, and evaluate different feeding and finishing techniques. Young men and women weigh their cattle in September and keep a log of their costs to raise the beef for butcher. The meat is evaluated and presented at the Carcass Contest on February 29 and those in attendance have the opportunity to make a donation to the child for their half of a beef.
“The contest is all county-bred steers shown by 4-H and FFA kids from Okfuskee County,” Rich said. “They have to start out with a calf either raised by themselves or from an Okfuskee County Cattlemen’s Association member in our county. They have to take their steers and weigh in at the free fair in September, and that gives them a starting weight.”
After weighing in their steers, contestants keep a record book to record what they feed, what medicines are administered, and more. Students will weigh out their steers at the county show in February and show in the carcass contest steer division.
Students are judged on daily rate of gain, their record books, grade on the rail, and their carcass contest steer division rank in the county show. After a Grand Champion and Reserve Champion are awarded, Rich said all steers in the contest will sell in the beef auction in ranking order.
During the night of the event, guests will enjoy a steak dinner courtesy of the OCCA, presentations about each beef from the students, get to meet the producers, and bid on beef for their own freezer. Eighteen halves of beef will be up for auction. RingMaster House of Meats LLC in Bristow will be processing the animals. Local experts will be grading the meat for the contest. Buyers will be responsible for the processing costs and pickup from the processor of their auction winnings.
“The buyers just need to show, support the kids, and hopefully get some good beef at the end,” Rich said. “If not, they will at least get to meet them, and talk it over with the kids and get a free steak dinner.”
Rich said the contest helps participants gain real-life experience in the cattle business.
“We are trying to make this as real-life as possible,” Rich said. “We are trying to make it to where these kids can make mistakes and still come out at least even or make some money.”
Because the contestants are only feeding one steer, they are not able to save money by purchasing feed in bulk. Rich said hopefully the auction allows the contestants to earn a premium to they may experience success with their projects.
“They know at the end of the day what they have put in, and to me that is the important part, is seeing what money has gone out,” Rich said.
See additional information about the event below:
