HARRISBURG, Pa. — The exceptional quality of Pennsylvania’s sheep and meat goat industries was on display Aug. 7, at the Livestock Evaluation Center‘s 32nd Annual Performance Tested Ram Lamb and Meat Goat Buck Sale.
The sale featured 150 animals that were selected after 77-day ram and 70-day buck performance tests, which evaluated growth, average daily gain, muscling and fat deposition.
Forty-two rams averaged $365 in the sale, while 36 consignment ewes averaged $262. Also offered in the sale were 32 bucks that averaged $430, and 40 does that averaged $278.
Top sellers
The top-selling buck was a consignment from John Price of Princeton, W.Va. The buck went to Donald Longenecker of East Earl, Pa., for $1,000.
The second highest selling buck was consigned by Curtis Charles of Lancaster, Pa. and sold for $900 to Anthony Weksh of Keyser, W.Va. The top-selling ram, a Suffolk consignment from Kelly Vorac of Jefferson, Md., was sold to Deborah Boyd of Ephrata, Pa., for $700.
The Texel breed was the highest selling, with four Texel consignments from Fred and Tammy Hemmerly/Silvara Valley Farm of Laceyville, Pa., averaging $488 in the sale.
All rams and bucks were sold with growth data, feed efficiency, loin measurements and fat thickness, which can be used to help producers make important breeding and sales decisions.
Included in the sale were invitational ewes and does from producers with animals on test. All animals sold in the sale were considered flock or herd improvers.
Averages
Breed averages in the sale are as follows: Ram lambs — eight senior Dorsets averaged $322 per head, six junior Dorsets averaged $333 per head, 12 Suffolks averaged $404 per head, four Hampshires averaged $338 per head, four Texels averaged $488 per head, three Dorpers averaged $408 per head, two White Dorpers averaged $313 per head, one Shropshire averaged $250 per head, one Cheviot averaged $250 per head and one Merino averaged $250 per head.
Meat goat bucks — 17 full-blood senior Boers averaged $509 per head, 13 full-blood junior Boers averaged $350 per head and two purebred/percentage Boers averaged $275 per head.
Prior to the sale, the Pennsylvania Sheep and Wool Growers Association conducted a field day with youth and adult educational programs. The Livestock Evaluation Center conducts performance testing programs for swine, cattle, sheep and meat goats.
