PSU Conducts 22nd Bull Test
UNIVERSITY PARK (Centre
Co.) A full-capacity group of
75 bulls has been penned at the
Pennsylvania Meat Animal Evalu
ation Center (MAEC) for its 22nd
annual bull-testing program.
This group consists of some of
the finest bulls available from pro
gressive, performance minded
eastern U. S. beef cattle breeders.
The bulls, which had to meet min
imum requirements for participa
tion in the testing program, include
22 Angus, two Red Angus, 32
Polled Herefords, IS Simmentals,
a pair of Charolais, one Limousin,
and one Beefmaster.
The bulls were be given a 21-
day adjustment before being
weighed Nov. 8 to begin a 112-
day test. Once on test, the bulls
are weighed every 28 days, indi
vidual feed consumption obtained,
and feed efficiencies calculated.
Reports are made available to the
public periodically.
At the end of the test, total
THANKS & CONGRATULATIONS
to Mark & Kim Weber
On Their New 36' x 100' Open Front,
Bedded Pack,
Heifer Barn
This
All New Facility
Features:
• 8 Heifer Pens
• Roof System With
Anti-Bird Perching
Feature
• Curtain ventilation
Come see us for any NEW projects and have Triple H Construction
design and construct your new facility.
717-738-2142
1 - (8001-874-7531
triple H Construction
average daily gain for the group
will be calculated, as well as
adjusted yearling weights. The
bulls will be given a comprehen
sive breeding soundness exam and
scanned ultrasonically to deter
mine fat thickness and loin-eye
area.
Up-to-date Expected Progeny
Differences (EPDs) must be made
available by the owners. Final
indexes which compare individual
bulls to their breed-group aver
ages are calculated for all bulls.
After the bulls have passed
minimum criteria for structural
correctness and breed character,
approximately the top 73 percent
of them will be selected for sale in
Pennsylvania’s 22nd Annual Per
formance-tested Bull Sale, sched
uled for March 31.
In other news the MAEC is
also receiving pens of pigs for the
winter swine progeny test. Each
pen consists of four to six pigs by
OfMohnton PA
is.
• -*mm m —--'*-
430 Sprlngsvllle Road, Ephrata, pa 17522
Builders of Dairy, Horse, Storage, Residential & Commercial Buildings
one sire and preferably several lit
ters. The purpose of the progeny
test is to evaluate the sire of the
tested pigs.
Progeny pigs are delivered to
the MAEC weighing between 40
and 65 pounds and given a one
week adjustment. They are then
weighed every 14 days until aver
age weight reaches 230 pounds.
As each pen concludes its test,
the pigs are slaughtered and a
variety of carcass information col
lected. The gain information, feed
efficiencies, and carcass informa
tion add up to a comprehensive
evaluation of the offsprings’ sire.
For more information about
Pennsylvania’s performance test
ing programs or to request sale
catalogs, contact Glenn Eberly,
Meat Animal Evaluation Center,
651 Fox Hollow Road, State Col
lege, PA 16803, or telephone 814-
238-2527 (or 814-865-5857 to
leave a message or send a FAX).
• Manure Push-Off
System
Paul B. Zimmerman
Headlocks & Cates
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, November 26, 1994-A3l
/[focus
Dixit L. lurrh, Mt tibcrxkip Dcvdopmit,
f k Cull I>MHMNtI.TKKT fur MmuMlmi.
I > l l ini)l»lU Unlrj lltrt lnprvlrnwM AmucUUm
DHIA Strvkc CtMcr, Orchard Road, Ualvtnhy fvfc, PA MM2
How Does Your Herd Compare?
STATE COLLEGE (Centre Co.) These data are calculated using
information pulled from Pennsylvania DHIA’s mainframe computer
each week. It is a one-week summary representing approximately one
fourth of the herds on test, as they are tested monthly.
These data are valuable from a business management standpoint and
can be used for comparing your operations to the averages from about
one-fourth of the herds across the state.
DHIA Averages for all herds processed between 1 1/05/94 and 11/12/94
Number of Herds Processed
Number of Cows Processed
Number of Cows Per Herd
Milk Per Cow (Lbs)
%-Fat
Fat Per Cow (Lbs)
%-Protein
Protein Per Cow (Lbs)
Average Days in Milk Per Cow
•Value for CWT Milk(s)
•Value for CWT Grain(s)
•Value for CWT Hay(s)
•Value for CWT Silage(s)
•Value for Pasture Per Day(s)
•Value for Milk Per Cow Per
Year(s)
•Feed Consumed Per Cow Per
Ycar(Lbs)
A: Grain
B; Hay
C: Silage
D: Day Pasture
•Feed Cost Per Cow Per Year(s)
A: Grain
B: Hay
C: Silage
D; Pasture
♦Total Feed Cost Per Cow Per
Year(s)
♦lncome Over Feed Costs Per
Year(s)
♦Grain to Milk Ratio
♦Feed Cost Per CWT Milk(s)
Avg Level For 872 SCC Herds
*Membcr-ccn«ratc4 flgurti
Average Farm Feed
Costs For Handy
Reference
To help fanners across the state
to have handy reference of com
modity input costs in their feeding
operations for DHIA record sheets
or to develop livestock feed cost
data, here’s last week’s average
costs of various ingredients as
compiled from regional reports
across the state of Pennsylvania.
Remember these are averages so
you will need to adjust your figures
up or down according tq your loca
tion and the quality of your crop.
Com, No. 2y - 2.18 bu. 3.89 cwL
Wheat, No. 2 - 3.38 bu. 5.64
CwL
Barley, No. 3-1.72 bu. 3.67
CWt
Oats, No. 2 -1.45 bu. 4.52 cwt
Soybeans, No. 1 - 5.02 bu. 8.38
cwt
Ear Com 65.29 ton 3.27 cwt
Alfalfa Hay - 107.50 ton 5.38
cwt
Mixed Hay - 102.50 ton 5.12
.cwt.
Timothy Hay - 106.25 ton 5.31
cwt. ,
963
59,459
61.7
18,550
3.70
688
3.21
595
319
13.24
8.33
4.21
1.55
• .26
2,457
7,030
2,170
15,364
69
586
91
239
18
935
1,521
1:2.6
5.04
346,372