Press Release
Badger Sheep Production Sale Results
Contact: David L. Thomas,
Successful Badger Production Sale
The 8th Annual Badger Production Sale, a sale of purebred ewe lambs and rams from the Arlington Agricultural Research Station of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, was held on Sunday, September 27, 2015 at Arlington, Wisconsin. The sale provides an opportunity for undergraduate students in the Department of Animal Sciences to assist in organization and management of a production sale of breeding livestock.
The 67 head averaged $436, just $1 per head short of the record 2014 sale average of $437 on 58 head. The Polypay, Hampshire, and Targhee flocks are enrolled in the National Sheep Improvement Program, and sheep in the sale sold in order of their Estimated Breeding Values and Indexes for economically important traits.
Buyers from the states of Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, South Dakota, and Wisconsin registered for the sale. The high selling sheep of the sale was a Hampshire ewe lamb with the highest Carcass-Plus index of any Hampshire in the sale; selling for $800 to Don Drewry of Farmington, Minnesota. The high selling Polypay ewe lamb went to Big Prairie Polypays, Mark Meuer family, Ashton, Illinois for $750. Seven Polypay ewe lambs with USA Maternal Indexes ranking them in the top 10% of the breed commanded an average sale price of $586. A Targhee yearling ram topped that breed, bringing $550 and selling to Stephanie Pfister, Chana, Illinois. Four Targhee ewe lambs all brought $500 each; two selling to Jon Beastrom, Pierre, South Dakota and two selling to Lindow Farms, Chili, Wisconsin. The high selling Rambouillet ewe lamb sold for $400 to David Hammer, Cuba City, Wisconsin.
Volume buyers at the sale were Randy Hampton, Glen Haven, Wisconsin with 9 head; Steve Spessard, Worthington, Minnesota with 8 head; Mark & Brenda Van Roekel, Orange City, Iowa with 8 head; Doug Wilson, Shawano, Wisconsin with 7 head; and Zach Meinders, Buffalo Center, Iowa with 6 head.
The number of animals sold and sale averages by group were as follows:
18 Hampshire ewe lambs - $385
3 Hampshire ram lambs - $550
32 Polypay ewe lambs - $449
2 Polypay ram lambs - $475
5 Rambouillet ewe lambs - $365
5 Targhee ewe lambs - $495
2 Targhee yearling rams - $525
67 head averaged $436; $29,200 gross sales
The flock at the Arlington Agricultural Research Station is managed by Todd Taylor () and supervised by Dr. David L. Thomas () and is maintained to serve the research, teaching, and extension missions of the Department of Animal Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Caption for picture with students in sale ring:
Animal Sciences students who assisted with the 8th Annual Badger Production Sale. L to R: Rebecca Krueger, Ellen Schneider, Paula Campbell, Beth Miller, Emily Petzel, Colleen Hjortness, and Clint Dallas.