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The winners of the 29th Annual Educational, Performance and Carcass Contest were announced at a banquet on July 27 in Valentine. There were 31 contestants who entered cattle. Twenty-eight heifers and 104 steers completed the contest. The cattle are ranked in four categories: Gain, which is determined by Average Daily Carcass Gain; Carcass, which uses an Adjusted Yield Grade; Profitability and finally Overall, which is a combination of the rankings in the three previous categories. The cattle were fed at Cottonwood Feeders, Stuart, Ne.
 Steve & Carol Moreland, Spearhead Ranch, Merriman, Ne., dominated the heifer division. Entry #73 won the Gain and Profitability categories and placed second in Carcass category before earning the Grand Champion Buckle. This heifer had an ADCG of 2.5434 lbs/day and graded average Choice with a 14.20 inch ribeye and .61 inches of fat. The Morelands also entered 3 of the top 5 placing heifers and placed 3rd in Best 3 Head overall.
Rob & Brenda Brawner, Bullis Creek Ranch, Wood Lake, Ne., took home the Reserve Champion Heifer buckle. Their Limousin-Red Angus cross calf placed 4th in Gain, 5th in Profitability and 9th in Carcass.
Brian Evans, Ashby, Ne., won the heifer Carcass category. His Angus heifer had 708 lb. carcass weight, a 12.8 inch ribeye, 0.58 inches of backfat and graded average choice. The calf’s final adjusted yield grade was 2.5380.
Marcy Cattle Company, Hay Springs, Ne., won the Grand Champion Steer buckle. Their Angus entry, #130, was 4th in Gain, 6th in Profitability and 13th in Carcass. The steer had an ADCG of 2.6221 lbs/day and graded low choice with a 14.5 inch ribeye.
 Taking Reserve Champion Steer honors were Wayne & Terri Licking of Thedford, Ne. Their steer placed 3rd in ADCG, 4th in Profitability and 29th in Carcass. Lickings entry had an ADCG of 2.6639 lb/day and earned $143.49 in profitability.
Gary Swanson of Valentine won the Gain category in the steer division. His Angus steer had an ADCG of 2.7483 lb/day. Robert & Shane Keller, Valentine, won the Carcass category with an Angus steer that had an adjusted yield grade of –0.2462. This calf had a carcass weight 819 lbs., graded average choice, had a 14.6 inch ribeye and 0.28 inches of backfat. Marcy Cattle Company won the Profitability category with an Angus steer that earned $181.29.
Marcy Cattle Company also entered the overall Best Three Head in the contest. They also topped the Gain and Profitability categories of the Best Three Head competition. On average their three head gained 2.6470 lbs/day and earned an average of $140.61. Larry and Craig O’Kief, Wood Lake, Ne., won the Carcass category in the Best Three Head. Their entries had an average adjusted yield grade of 0.6688.
Thank you to all of the contestants who entered cattle, the crew at the feedyard, Y-Tex and Lancaster Livestock Supply of Cody for providing the tags. Thanks also to committee members: Rob Brawner of Wood Lake; Neil Jorgenson of Callaway; Linda Smedra of Miller; Duane Kime of Nenzel; Ken Colburn of Valentine; Tim Evans of Whitman; John Wheeler of Wood Lake and Kay Fred of Rose.
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