Mercer County livestock sale brings out bidders

MERCER, Pa. – Aug. 11 was a great night to be a rabbit exhibitor in Mercer County.
Jedediah Seltzer started the record breaking when he sold his 3.1-pound grand champion fryer rabbit for $115 per pound to Tomeo Farms. The bid crushed the $54 record price Seltzer set with his champion rabbit last year.
Not to be outdone, Ashley Saunders sold her 13.4-pound grand champion pen of rabbits to Pizza Joe’s for $75 per pound. This bid also demolished the previous record, which was set in 2003 when Pizza Joe’s bought Saunders champion pen for $46 per pound.
This is the eighth year in a row Pizza Joe’s has purchased the grand champion pen of rabbits and the fifth year since 1999 that Saunders has claimed champion pen honors.
The Mercer County 4-H Roundup livestock sale totaled $96,641.05 this year and exhibitors took 160 entries through the show ring.
Hogs. In the market hog competition, Larissa Lewis sold her 248-pound grand champion to French Creek Cafe and Lackey Farms for $6 per pound. That price was up $1 from what those companies paid for last year’s champion hog.
Marsh Farms and Marsh Busing bought Edward Bardella Jr.’s 278-pound reserve champion hog for $4 per pound. The bid was 20 cents less than what Marsh Farms and Marsh Busing paid for the 2005 reserve champion hog.
The 83 hogs sold averaged $1.96 per pound with champions.
Reva Douglas claimed the grand champion carcass hog banner for the third year in a row, earning a bid of $4 per pound for her 175-pound entry. The winning carcass hog was purchased by Dean Gerber. The price was up $1.50 from last year.
Daelyn Gilson’s reserve champion carcass hog went to Hadley Road Giant Eagle for $3.50 per pound. The price was up 90 cents from the 2005 bid.
Six carcass hogs averaged $2.73 per pound with champions.
Lambs. The $6-per-pound bid for Kara Kingsley’s 134-pound grand champion lamb matched last year’s price. C. Sherman Allen Auctioneer and Associates bought Kingsley’s winning entry.
Cody McKean held onto the reserve champion lamb title for the second year in a row. McCullough Fencing and Super Structures purchased the 134-pound lamb for $5 per pound, a bid that was down $1.50 from 2005.
The 40 lambs crossing the auction block brought an average of $2.83 per pound with champions.
Pizza Joe’s bought the grand champion carcass lamb, a purchase the business has made every year since 2000. The company paid $12 per pound for Felicia Calvin’s 68-pound winning entry. The bid was up $5.25 from last year.
Alisha Henry’s 71-pound reserve champion carcass lamb sold to Jerry Taylor Ford for $5 per pound. This year marked the first time since 2003 that the county had a reserve champion carcass lamb.
Nine carcass lambs averaged $4.88 per pound with champions.
Steers. Hoss’s Steak and Sea House bought the grand champion steer for the fourth year in a row. This year, the business purchased the 1,315-pound animal from Kyle Preston for $2.20 per pound. The bid was down 80 cents from last year.
Reva Douglas claimed the reserve champion steer title, marking her third year in a row in one of the steer show’s top spots. She showed the grand champion steers in 2004 and 2005.
Fairview Swiss Cheese bought Douglas’ 1,125-pound entry for $1.60 per pound. The bid was up 25 cents from 2005.
The 13 steers averaged $1.25 per pound with champions.
Grand champion carcass steer honors went to Cody Kasbee. His 870-pound entry brought a bid of $2 per pound from Kasbee Farms. The price was 25 cents higher than last year.
Chauntel Kasbee exhibited the reserve champion carcass steer. Harry Kasbee purchased Chauntel’s 882-pound entry for $2 per pound, a bid that increased 25 cents from 2005.
Three carcass steers averaged $1.85 per pound with champions.
Goats. In the market goat contest, Jonathan Griffin came out on top. His 105-pound grand champion went to New Wilmington Livestock Auction for $4.50 per pound. The bid was up $1.50 from last year.
Kaley Scott’s 111-pound reserve champion goat sold to C. Sherman Allen Auctioneer and Associates for $4 per pound. The price increased $1 from 2005.
Six market goats brought an average of $3.05 per pound.
Cheese. The county’s cheese auction was held Aug. 9. A pitcher of milk from the Sabrina Dixon’s high-producing cow sold to Hiland Farms for $300. Twenty-five cheese baskets were also auctioned off at an average of $330.96 per basket.
Auctioneers who donated their time at the sale include C. Sherman Allen, Don and Lloyd Braham, Simon Miller, Duke Whiting, Charles Mowry and Beth Hillmar.
(Reporter Janelle Skrinjar welcomes feedback by phone at 800-837-3419, ext. 22, or by e-mail at jskrinjar@farmanddairy.com.)