PENNSYLVANIA FURNACE, Pa. — Pennsylvania’s Livestock Evaluation Center hosted a $52,625 auction of 97 elite rams, ewes, bucks, and does from across the northeast with its 41stannual Performance Tested Ram Lamb and 17th Meat Goat Buck Sale.
The males were the top cut selected after 77-day ram and 70-day buck performance tests that evaluated growth, average daily gain, muscling, and fat deposition. Performance tested rams averaged $558, while performance tested bucks averaged $684.
The top-selling ram, a Suffolk from MacCauley Suffolks of Atglen, Chester Co., brought $1,300, selling to Joseph Zook of Rebersburg, Centre Co. The top-selling buck was consigned by Barbara Levering, Flemington, N.J., and sold for $2,000 to George Arthur of Elkton, Md.
All rams and bucks passed a breeding soundness exam and sold with growth and feed efficiency data as well as loin measurements and fat thicknesses obtained through ultrasound scans. Producers can use this data to make important breeding and sales decisions that will bring more value to consumers and increase farm profitability.
The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture operates the center, a regional hub for improving livestock. For more information on this and other livestock tests and sale opportunities at the center, call 814-238-2527, email ghubbard@pa.gov, or visitwww.livestockevaluationcenter.
–Shannon Powers, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture