Schwantz and Harnacke take 1st place in carcass judging

[August 12, 2013]  ATLANTA -- On Wednesday of last week, the junior carcass judging took place at the Atlanta Locker in Atlanta. This is the last of the annual Logan County Fair activities each year.

Animals were delivered to the Atlanta Locker, where they were slaughtered and judged by two University of Illinois meat scientists, Ben Bohrer and Hunter Galloway.

In the beef competition there were 11 entries, with Paul Schwantz coming out at the top with an entry having a carcass weight of 785 pounds and a rib-eye area of 15.1, the largest of all the competitors. The carcass also carried a yield grade of 1.5, with 1.0 the ideal score.

Garrett Schreiner placed second in the judging and Luke McLaughlin placed third. Other entries in the competition were Austin Goodman, Brodee McCormick, Riley Allspach, Austin Goodman, Randy Grohmann (two entries), Molly Schempp and Emma Ritterbush.

In the pork carcass judging, there were 20 entries, with Brooke Harnacke taking first place. Harnacke's hog dressed out with a hot carcass weight of 170 pounds, a lean rating of 57.96 and a loin-eye area of 9.1.

Kaitlyn Steffens took second in the judging, and Leah Anderson placed third.

Other pork entries were from Austin Hayes, Meg Meeker, Emma Ritterbush (two entries), Lucas Aylesworth, Kyle Klockenga, Greysen Van Wye, Genna Van Wye, Robert Meeker, Cameron Harnacke, Anna Hayes, Austin Goodman (two entries), Cole Klockenga, Merrit Steffens and Paul Schwantz (two entries).

David Opperman, junior livestock superintendent, announced the carcass judging results Friday. While discussing the results, he noted that this part of the livestock judging is very important to the junior show, but it is not funded by any of the state programs. In order for Logan County to continue the carcass judging each year, they have to have the support of local donors.

On behalf of all those who participated, Opperman wanted to add a special thanks to those sponsors: Atlanta Locker, Big R Stores, Central Illinois Ag, Cross Brothers Implement, Graue Inc., Herrin Fertilizer, Performance Vinyl Graphix, Rick and Deb Freed and family, Rohlfs Implement, Schwantz Farms, and Tabor Feed Mill & Farm Supply.

[LDN]