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| Holsteins, Limousins in auction ring Four cattle sales at this year's OVFS Four - count 'em - four cattle auctions have now been set for the 2001 edition of the Ottawa Valley Farm Show (OVFS) to be held March 13-16 at Lansdowne Park. Joining the traditional Simmental and Hereford sales March 14 and 16 will be a Limousin sale March 15 and Holstein sale following Friday's Hereford event. The four sales were confirmed Jan. 4 when the OVFS livestock committee met in Richmond under chairman Walter Foster. The committee also finalized several other traditional events including the tie-up competition, best show exhibit in the Sprung Structure and cattle weight-guessing contest. Ed Findlay, president of the Ottawa Valley Seed Growers Association which sponsors the show, said the four sales will be a great feature for participants and visitors alike. "When the Simmental and Hereford sales are on in the Sprung, the place is packed to the rafters. I'm sure the two new sales will add to that excitement." OVFS exhibitor Eastern Breeders Inc. will sponsor the Holstein sale, which plans to auction off 40 dairy calves to be shown throughout the three-day event. All animals will be Semex sired, show age and all good pedigreed, said EBI's Barry Mooney, adding the AI co-operative has dubbed the sale "Eastern Reflections 2001". "Last year at the show, we put on a display of five young calves sired by Comestar Lee, Duncan Progress, STBVQ Rubens, Shoremar James and Comestar Outside," Mooney recalled. "That was such a success that we decided to expand this year." Mooney said heifers have been trucked to EBI, Kemptville, where they're being housed, raised and monitored closely by veterinarian and feed specialists. EBI will cover all costs to owners and display farm names along with show calves leading up to the sale. Working the display will be six 4-H EBI Showcase graduates which, Mooney said, should be a valuable and memorable experience for them: "For those breeders with calves on display, this should prove to be a fantastic opportunity to promote herd, county, prefix and 4-H". Along with 300 exhibitors offering everything from heavy equipment to farm-related services, also back at the OVFS this year will be the annual Seed Growers awards banquet March 14, the Pedigreed Seed Show in the Aberdeen Pavilion over the three days, and Friday's popular seed sale with proceeds directed to CHEO. Now in its 10th year, the sale has collected close to $30,000 for CHEO, said OVSGA secretary-treasurer Mary Joynt. Posted: Thursday, February 01, 2001 |