Each year, students in the animal science technology (AST) program put their hard work on display at the annual Round Up Sale, showcasing both the livestock they’ve raised and the skills they’ve learned along the way.

The Round Up is an annual sale held on the Student Managed Farm – Powered by New Holland (SMF). It brings together the purebred beef, commercial beef, extensive grazing and equine SMF teams who are charged with organizing, advertising and hosting the event, as well as preparing animals for sale.

“Having the opportunity to host the Round Up Sale has helped me expand my knowledge of different ways to market calves and has helped with reaching new buyers and building new industry connections,” says Dylan Frey, an AST student and member of the purebred beef SMF unit. “It was a fantastic learning experience as the students oversee the entire sale process and I will be using what I learned during The Round Up Sale back home at our own family's sale.”

The sale featured bulls and heifers from the extensive grazing, purebred and commercial beef SMF teams, as well as ranch and performance horses from the equine SMF team. Students were involved in every step—breeding, raising, preparing and marketing the animals—providing hands-on learning experiences that go far beyond the classroom.

For Shayna Benson, a commercial beef student from Winnipegosis, Man., the experience was both educational and personal.

“Hosting the Round Up Sale taught me about a whole different side of cattle operations,” says Benson. “I learned not only how to plan and run the sale, but also what needs to go into getting an animal ready for the sale, like the nutrition, picturing and videoing, and doing breakevens to figure out if it is economically worthwhile to sell heifers this way. I am a person who has a hard time talking to new people, and the Round Up Sale made me a lot more comfortable phoning and talking to people I never met.”

This year’s event generated a total gross income of $222,900, with each team’s livestock raising the following:

• Purebred beef: $136,000
• Commercial beef: $50,900
• Equine: $21,000
• Extensive grazing: $15,000

“I chose to come to Lakeland because my family strongly believes it’s the best ag school in Canada,” says Samantha Bracken, an equine science student from Calgary, Alta. “The Round Up sale gave us the opportunity to really exercise the hands-on learning aspect Lakeland offers us. From making industry connections, to raising the animals, this sale really became our baby throughout the year. We got to have a say in every single aspect of the sale even down to how the chairs were placed in the arena. No where else offers and opportunity like this and it has done nothing but positively impact my education and passion for the industry.”