Kids cash in on livestock auction

By Saturday afternoon, Colusa County livestock buyers had contributed to college funds, dreams of automobile ownership, summer vacations, iPhones and an assortment of other gadgets.

For the hundreds of youth in 4-H and Future Farmers of America, the animal auction at the Colusa County Fair brought an end to months of hard work.

Showing an animal at the fair paid off in money for most of the kids. Others say they walked away with a sense of accomplishment. Cody Murphy of Arbuckle said he gained both.

Cody, 11, showed well with “Mr. Brock” a young, pet Bantam rooster, who took home the title of “best male.” He also earned about $45 a pound for a cage of reserve champion market chickens.

“I showed rabbits last year,” said Cody, a member of Arbuckle 4-H. “But rabbits aren’t playful. They just sit there. I like chickens better. They’re fun. They hop around and peck.”

Cody said his newfound love for chickens started when he found a chick in his backyard last year and decided to keep it.

“It wouldn’t stop chirping, so we got it some friends,” he said.

Cody now owns about 40 chickens, including market chickens and layers. He raised more than two dozen so he could select the best poultry for the fair.

Livestock at the fair also included pigs, cattle, sheep and goats. Prices at Saturday’s auction ran fairly high for fair animals because bidders wanted to help out local youth.

Maureen La Grande of Maxwell sold a pen of champion market rabbits for $90 a pound. Pigs ran as high as $10 and $15 a pound. Cattle sold for about $3.50 a pound.

Colt Ornbaun said the buyer of his steer was getting a bargain because he would only have to pay up to 1,300 pounds for his 1,525-pound black Angus – the largest steer at the fair.

“I’ve had the heaviest steer for two years in a row,” Colt said. “It’s just a coincidence. I don’t really do anything different. Mine just eat a lot.”

But the livestock auction isn’t always about the money, according to Madison Gonzales-Salazar of Colusa.

“It’s about winning,” she said.

Madison looked far and wide this spring for the perfect pig to take to the fair. Her father took her  as far as Chico and Dixon before she settled on a 70 pound piglet she found at Cy Hawkins’ place in Williams. The 11-year-old hoped with the proper feeding and care, “Abby” would show well in the ring.

Abby did. 

The 263-pound gilt was named “supreme champion,” earning the Colusa 4-H member a ribbon, trophy and belt buckle. The pig sold for $5.75 a pound at auction, about a buck more a pound than the average pig sold at Saturday’s big event.

Although Colusa County youth say most of their hard-earned money goes toward college, some say they can’t help but spend some.

“I bought an iPod last year,” Madison said. “I haven’t decided what to get this year.”

Jacob Amsler, 9, showed both laying chickens and market chickens at the fair. He said he’s going to save his money and make even more selling eggs to friends, neighbors and parishioners at the Arbuckle Methodist Church.

Contact Susan Meeker at 458-2121 or smeeker@tcnpress.com.