PENNSYLVANIA FURNACE, Pa. — The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture today announced that the 47th Annual Pennsylvania Performance Tested Bull Sale scheduled for Friday, March 27, 2020 at the Livestock Evaluation Center will be held online only through Cowbuyer.com in effort to minimize risks of spreading COVID-19. The Pennsylvania Cattleman’s Association Trade Show and PA Simmental Spring into Excellence Sale, also scheduled for March 27, have been cancelled. The PA Angus Finest Female Sale will be held online on a later date yet to be determined.
“Thanks to quick planning, beef producers still have the opportunity to buy some of the best genetics in the Northeast,” Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said. “Although circumstances are different this year, producers can join the sale online to see the exceptional bulls sold at this auction.”
Bulls selected for the sale have completed a 112-day test evaluating average daily gain, weight per day of age, feed efficiency, loin muscle size and fat deposition. All bulls have passed a breeding soundness exam to be considered for the sale.
Eighty-seven bulls were selected for the sale representing six beef breeds: Angus, Hereford, Red Angus, Simmental, SimAngus and Wagyu. All bulls are consigned by producers from Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Connecticut.
The high indexing Angus bull in the sale is consigned by Alexis Cash of York, York County. It gained 5.29 lbs. per day on test. The leading Simmental bull in sale, consigned by Palmer Cattle Co. of Linesville, Crawford County, gained 5.65 lbs. per day on test.
Bulls in sale include: 54 Angus, 12 Simmentals, 9 Herefords, 6 Red Angus, one Black Hereford, one Wagyu/Angus Crossbred and four SimAngus. Final weights and testing details have been compiled in a sale catalog, available online at cowbuyer.com or by requesting a print copy from the Livestock Center at 717-554-5322.
Prospective buyers who wish to preview animals in person can make an appointment by calling 717-554-5322. At this point, private appointments can still be arranged. This policy is subject to changes in Pennsylvania protocol for COVID-19 mitigation.
Since 1973, the Pennsylvania Performance Bull Testing Program has helped the state’s beef industry measure inherited traits through sire evaluation. The center uses advancing technology to offer more information on bulls and enhance their marketability to potential buyers with each year. Careful guidance and foresight have developed the center into a regional hub for improving the beef industry.
The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s Livestock Evaluation Center measures genetic traits for beef, swine, sheep, and meat goats for two purposes: to benefit producers through evaluating economically important traits and to benefit consumers by providing wholesome, high-quality products at an affordable price.
For more information about Pennsylvania’s performance testing programs and sales or events, contact Greg Hubbard at 717-554-5322 or ghubbard@pa.gov, or visit agriculture.pa.gov/livestock-
–Shannon Powers, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture