D2-Lancaster Fanning Saturday, September 6,1986
Centre Co. Grange Fair Stages 'Best Ever' Sale
BY MARY MAXWELL
Centre Co. Correipondent
CENTRE HALL - Enthusiastic
bidders and high quality animals
resulted in record prices at the
recent Centre County Junior
Livestock Sale.
The exhibitors certainly did their
homework,” said County Agent,
Ed Horning. “We had many
returning buyers who regularly
support 4-H and FFA efforts and
then many new buyers at this
year’s sale.”
Hi '"’s Steak id Seafood bought
Kristen Hazlett sold her grand champion hog to John Fritz
of Sunset Ice Cream for $5.10 a pound.
Feeding Different Types Of Cattle
The decisions on types of cattle
to feed are influenced by prices of
feeder cattle, feeds used and the
expected prices of the finished
cattle. Since all of these are con*
tinually changing, it is necessary
to place each in proper perspective
to determine the specific types of
cattle most likely to be profitable.
Today there are many types of
cattle available to feed. The
practical cattle feeder is looking
for those that can be purchased
consistently in volume and are
judged most likely to make a profit
under his particular management.
Furthermore, these animals must
satisfy the customer to the extent
that the feeder has a continuous
demand for his product and over a
long-range period can plan to
supply it. The versatility and
capability of the feedlot operator
determine in large measure the
flexibility in types of cattle that
can be fed and marketed
profitably.
During the 1960’s the trend,
which had gone to small early
maturing cattle in the 1940’s and
1950’5, began to swing toward the
heavier, longer, and taller cattle
which had been in existence prior
to 1930. Perhaps the major dif
ference between the larger cattle
fed today and those fed 50 years
ago is tiie emphasis on rate of
growth to reach heavier weights.
Instead of feeding steers for two,
three, or perhaps four years, as
the grand champion steer for $6.05
per pound. Greg Dreibelbis, State
College, exhibited the 1,295-pound
market steer which sold for a total
price of $7,835. Robb Kimble,
Bellefonte, sold the reserve grand
champion, an 1,170-pound steer to
Internal Medicine Associates,
State College, for $1.15 a pound.
The 39 steers, including the
champions, averaged $l.Ol per
pound for a sale total of $46,302.
Competitive bidding resulted in
Sunset Ice Cream’s high of $10.25
id for thr 'nd champk
was done years ago, comparable
market weights can now be at
tained by 12 to 18 months of age.
During the past 10 years there
has been increased interest in
relating the live animal to desired
carcass characteristics. The
demand in a large segment of the
market has been for leaner beef
and- away from smaller, fatter
cattle. This factor, coupled with
performance testing on the part of
the breeders, has set a pattern for
a fast-gaining, highly efficient
steer with an abundance of red
meat and brought about the
evolution of a longer-bodied,
leaner steer with longer legs.
The feedlot industry must have
volume; therefore, the cow-calf
operators must produce cattle in
numbers profitable for them but,
in turn, also profitable for the
cattle feeders. Rate and efficiency
of gain are important to both calf
producers and feeders.
Steers have been the sex class of
choice among cattle feeders. There
are more available to purchase,
since many heifers are kept for
replacements in the cow herds;
they are quieter in the feedlot;
they are not as likely to fight as
bulls; their growth rate is better
than that of heifers, and they sell
for a higher price per pound for
comparable grades than do either
heifers or bulls.
Several studies, as the example
indicates, have shown that steers
market lamb. Scott Kuzemchak of
Pleasant Gap received $1,168 for
his 114-pound light heavyweight
entry. Joyce Harpster, Boalsburg,
exhibited the reserve grand
champion. Bierly’s Meat Market
bought her 114-pound market lamb
for $2 per pound.
The 54 market lambs, including
the champions, averaged $1.29 per
pound for a sale total of $6,996.
The grand champion market
hog, shown by Kristen Hazlett,
State College, sold to Sunset Ice
Cream for $5.10 per pound. The
total price for the 246-pound
animal was $1,255. Kelly Strouse,
Spring Mills, exhibited the reserve
grand champion. Kissinger,
Leonard and Brower Realtors
bought the hog for $3.85 a pound.
The 105 market hogs sold for a
total of $22,664. Hie average price
for all hogs sold was $1 per pound.
Auctioneer Ron Gilligan, Penns
Valley Livestock Co., donated his
services for the sale held at the
Centre County Grange
Fairgrounds.
Results of the Junior Livestock
competition follow:
Junior Market Sttart
Champion Lightweight Kenny Strouse
Reserve Champion Lightweight Greg Oreibelbis
Champion Middleweight Robb Kimble
Re Champion Middleweight Emily Peters
Champion Light Heavyweight Lon Cash
Reserve Champion Light Heavyweight Jodi
Decker
Champion Heavyweight Greg Dnebelbis
Reserve Champion Heavyweight Robb Kimble
Grand Champion Market Steer - Greg Dnebelbis
Reserve Grand Champion Market Steer • Robb
Kimble
Market Lambs
Champion Lightweight Joe Kuzemchak
Reserve Champion Lightweight Nathan Knepp
Champion Mediumweight Amy Clair
Reserve Champion Mediumweight Craig Fleck
Champion Light Heavyweight Scott Kuzemchak
Reserve Champion Light Heavyweight Joyce
Harpster
Champion Heavyweight Scott Kuzemchak
Reserve Champion Heavyweight Craig Fleck
Grand Champion Market Lamb • Scott Kuzemchak
Reserve Grand Champion Market Lamb Joyce
Harpster
Market Swine
Champion Lightweight April Young
Reserve Champion Lightweight Matthew German
Champion Middleweight Danny McAllister
Reserve Champion Middleweight Sherri Strouse
Champion Light Heavyweight Scott Hazlett
Reserve Champion Light Heavyweight Amy
Homan
Champion Heavyweight Kristen Hazlett
Reserve Champion Heavyweight Kelly Strouse
Grand Champion Market Hoc * Kristen Hazlett
Reserve Grand Champion Market Hog * Kelly
Strouse
outgain heifers in the feedlot.
Steers are usually fed to heavier
weights with less fat than are
heifers, and do not reach maturity
as early as heifers. Therefore,
cattle feeders take advantage of
their extended growth period
before excessive external fat is
deposited. Studies also indicate
that steers have heavier cold
carcass weights, larger rib-eye
areas, greater carcass weights per
day of age, and less fat thickness
over the twelfth rib.
After a sufficient number of
heifers are kept as replacements
and additions to the herd, the
surplus heifers are available for
feeding and slaughter. The feeder
of heifers must be aware of the
biological differences among bulls,
steers, and heifers if he is to
manage the heifers properly.
Heifers are lighter than steers at
weaning and usually lighter as
they enter the feedlot. They gain
slower, but mature earlier than
steers. In addition, they are pur
chased and sold for less per unit of
weight than steers.
Cow-calf operators have not
permitted feedlot operators the
choice of feeding bull calves in
volume, because feeder steers
have commanded a higher price
than bull calves of similar weights.
If bull calves and steer calves
brought the same price per unit of
weight, the cow-calf operator could
hardly afford to castrate the male
calves because of their weight
advantage. The advantages of
bulls over steers in rate and ef
ficiency of gain in the feedlot argue
in favor of bull feeding. However,
in the past, bull meat has not had
general acceptance; thus the
feeder expecting to receive a
discount on bull carcasses could
not afford to feed them.
Greg Oreibelbis (at halter) received $7,835 for his Centre
County grand champion steer when Hoss's Steak and
Seafood offered $6.05 a pound.
Scott Kuzemchak had grand champion lamb. Buyer was
Sunset Ice Cream, represented by Terry Fritz. Price was
$10.25 a pound.
Comparison of Steers and Heifers on
Postweaning Dally Gains
Sex
Steers, adg., lb.
Heifers, adg., lb.
Difference
References:
Experiment 1. Williams et al. 1965. J. Anim. Sci. 24:283
Experiment 2. Bradley et al. 1966. J. Anim. Sci. 25:783
Experiment 3. Wilson et al. 1967. J. Anim. Sci. 26:1465
Experiment 4. Thrift et al. 1970. J. Anim. Sci. 30:182
Comparison of Steers and Heifers
Trait Steers Heifers
Cold-carcass weight, lb. 568 515
Rib-eye area, sq. in. 11.8 11.2
Fat thickness at 12th rib, in. 0.53 0.59
Estimated boneless, trimmed retail cuts, % 50.3 49.7
'Adapted from Thrift et al. 1970. J. Anim. Sci. 30:182
Nominations Due For NY Bull Test
ITHACA, NY - Nominations for
the 1986-87 New York Bull Test are
now being accepted on a first
come, first-serve basis with a
maximum of 100 bulls being ac
cepted for “The Class of ’87.”
Nominations will close Oct. 6.
The Bull Test, which will begin in
November, will again be con
ducted at Cornell University’s
Livestock Teaching and Researh
Center at Harford.
Bulls eligible for the 140 day
uniform performance test
program must have been born
between Feb. 15 and April 30 of this
1.85 2.22 2.18 1.80
1.63 1.89 2.02 1.63
0.22 0.33 0.16 0.17
on Carcass Traits*
year; must weight 500 pounds or
more and have a minimum frame
score of four for British breeds and
five for continental breeds; must
be registered or qualified for
registration or recording in a beef
registry association; and must be
weaned at least 30 days prior to the
delivery at the test station. In
addition, certain vaccination and
health requirements must be met.
Nomination forms and in
formation are available from Bull
Test Director William Greene, 130
Morrison Hall, Cornell University,
Ithaca, NY 14853.
Experiments
Sex