LOUISVILLE, Ky. — For cattle breeders in Southern or Midwest states, this time of year brings familiar faces together throughout the country at late winter beef events from Tennessee to Ohio and from Iowa to Michigan.

The annual Kentucky Beef Expo, March 2-4 at the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center in Louisville, is among those spring selling events that cattle producers look forward to each year.

The constant hum of fans and brisk pace of exhibitors preparing the livestock amid the cry of auctioneers during the event’s 12 breed sales keep the tempo of the event high throughout the weekend.

Ed and Susie Decker of Portland, Ind. are Shorthorn breeders who brought a bull and a heifer to exhibit and sell.

“We’ve been here 2-3 times to the Kentucky Beef Expo before and had good luck most of the time,” said Ed.

Susie added, “We like it here overall, its low key and only four hours from home with a nice facility.”

The Decker’s run about 25 Shorthorn cows and farm 130 acres - mostly in hay.

“Illinois and Kentucky are really different markets. Down here they like the reds better, said Jordan Ruppert about the red-colored Limosin compared to Limosin cattle that are black. “They can be more commercial minded than Illinois.”

Ruppert, of Legacy Farms Limosin in Witt, Ill., and his extended family run 60 purebred cows and a few Angus cows for their Limflex program. The Rupperts brought a bull and heifer to show and sell. While they attend the Illinois Beef Expo each February in Springfield, they have also been exhibiting and selling in Kentucky for three years.

“This is a good sale because it really gets people in the seats here. We get to meet different buyers all in one setting than we do just off the farm,” he added.

Approximately 20 vendors of livestock products make up the trade show on the Expo’s main aisle. Products like animal health and nutrition as well as show supplies and associations are represented.

Homeland Equipment of Danville, Ky. sells livestock-handling equipment. While they attend a number of spring and winter tradeshows, this was their first Kentucky Beef Expo.

“We come here for a chance to network and sell because we offer show specials and discounts,” said Eric Ellsworth, a sales rep for the company. Ellsworth said the event was a success for him as producers were able to see his products in action and try them out, which led to sales.

“There’s a diverse crowd here of people in the industry from show people to those raising cattle that are here to buy,” he said.

Breeders brought Angus, Beefalo, Charolais, Chiangus, Limosin, Hereford, Red Angus, Red Poll, Salers, Shorthorns, Simmental, and Pen Heifers to be evaluated by show judges and ultimately by buyers in the stands.

The Expo featured others events in addition to sales including a Junior heifer, steer, and market heifer jackpot show, a trade show and youth judging contests.