Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

Fair livestock entries down

Junior Livestock entries at the Curry County Fair are down this year, according to Curry County Extension Agent Stan Jones.

A little more than 400 large animals — a number that used to account for the number of swine entries alone — are entered this year, according to Jones, about a fourth of the normal turnout.

“If you look at the barn, there’s a lot of room (in there),” he said.

Numbers fluctuate from year to year as students age out of the programs, but he said this year is significantly lower.

Jones said livestock organizers attribute the low number to high feed costs and an economic downturn.

“It’s definitely having an impact. It just costs a lot more to the families (to feed livestock when) they’re just trying to have food on the table and gas to get work,” he said.

Large animal livestock entries at this year’s Curry County Fair:

• Pigs — 119

• Dairy heifers — 38

• Lambs — 186

• Steer —