Easter Beef Show and sale 2016 sees entry increase

38 animals competed in the 2016 annual Easter Beef Show and Sale Friday in Charlottetown, a 65-year tradition that showcases the best of Island-bred beef cattle.

• Record low entries for Easter Beef Show and Sale
• Easter beef show enthusiasm grows despite fewer animals

The event gives producers a chance at prestigious titles. As well, they usually receive premium prices for their most pampered animals. 

People get to sample some Easter beef and the industry might get a little bump out of it.— Don Godfrey, Easter Beef Show president

"It's promotion. It puts the beef industry out in the media," said Don Godfrey, president of the Easter Beef Show, who is also a beef producer.

Last year's event saw a record low number of just 29 entries, so organizers were happy participation was up. A decade ago, the show routinely had more than 100 entries.

"The industry as a whole took a pretty bad beating during the BSE time," said Godfrey, referring to the bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease, outbreak in the 1990s. Many of P.E.I.'s beef producers went out of business in its wake. 

"We lost a lot of producers in them bad years, but the producers we have now, we've got a lot of younger guys that are at it and we hope that we can continue doing this for 65 more years," he laughed. 

This year's grand champion was bought by Keir's Overhead Doors and Island Coastal for $5.75 per pound, down from last year's record price of $8 per pound.

"The stores, they promote it and have it labelled and people get to sample some Easter beef and the industry might get a little bump out of it," Godfrey said. 

The event also helps raise money for the Easter Seals campaign. 

Beef farming on P.E.I. generates approximately $40 million annually.