LP and Pennstac
Mathematics and Electronics Come
Linear programming (applying arithmetic to farm man
agement) and Pennstac, the electronic computer built by
engineers at the Pennsylvania State University, are helping
State farmers answer problems in planning and livestock
feeding.
Use of these new methods chinery, buildings, and live
in farm management has stock.
been put to work by farmers
John Gehman and Dave Mc-
Clure in Montgomery Coun
ty. Plans for the two farms
were by farm and
home planning students wor
king with the Agricultural
Extension Service in Mont
gomery County, reports R.
James Becker, Extension
Farm Management Specialist.
This farm and home plan
ning group applied tested
management methods review
ed their operat ons, and pre
sented assistance requests to
County Agent Marion Dep
pen.
Deppen immediately won
dered whether linear pro
gramming and Pennstac
would be useful to Gehman
and McClure both dairy
farmers.
Here’s where linear pro
gramming was put into ac
tion;
With cooperation of the
farm families, information
was gathered on farm and
family resources, their ex
periences, and alternative
enterprises.
Then Pennstac entered the
picture. The above informa
tion was properly set up in
mathematical form and ‘fed’
to Pennstac. Plans were de
veloped from the Pennstac
solutions, and discussed with
the families.
The usefulness of the plans
and planning tools was
quickly released. The famil
ies were able to apply whole
plans, and elements of the
plans
Both families have moved
rapidly toward extensive
barn renovat ons, dairy herd
increases, and adjustments to
auxiliary operations.
As County Agent Deppen
points out, the new 'tools of
linear programming and
Pennstac have meant plan
ned progress for them.
By systematic selection, a
combination of enterpr ses is
selected for maximum net
income from land, labor, ma-
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In this way, returns from
expansion are contraction of
the dairy enterprise may be
compared with, let us say,
poultry, beef cattle, or sheep.
To review some basic in
formation, the McClures
wanted to expand their herd,
but they wanted to do it ef
ficiently.
Some of the land they op
erated was rented and this
influenced their actions
Profits from - their broiler
enterprise varied.
The children, however
were now old enough to be
more helpful with the broil-
ers,
Dr. Clarkson
Local Vet Named To State Post
Harrisburg Dr. Paul V. ment, Secretary Henning
Clarkson, Lancaster, has said, “Dr. Clarkson is well
been appointed by State Sec- qualified for this position
retary of Agriculture Wi!- through his long experience
liom L. Henning-as chief of in animal disease eradication
the brucellosis division of work.
the Bureau of Animal Indus- His experience with tuber-
try. culosis eradication w-rk and
Dr. Clarkson has been recently with aT phas
chief district'Veterinarian for es of livestock inspection
the Bureau of Animal Indus- work, has won him confi
try in Lancaster and Leban- dence and respect from far
on Counties since 1953. He mers and practicing veterin
also was in charge of live- arians.”
slock inspections at Union Born in Smithville, Lan-
Stockyards in Lancaster. caster County, Dr. Clarkson
In his new post, he will be was graduated from the Uni
in charge of the brucellosis versity of Pennsy vania in
control program in Pennsyl- 1922 with a degree in veter
vania. This includes recerti- inary medicine,
fication oC counties each third- A former president of the
year as brucePosis - free, ad- Conestoga Veterinary Club,
ministering the programs of Dr Clarkson also holds a
milk ring test units and su- membership in the American
pervising the calfhood vacci- Veterinary Medical A-socia
nation program. tion and the Penna. Veterin-
In announcing the appoint- ary Medical Association.
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Conestoga Elizabethtown
Farm Service Farmers Supply Inc.
Park Ave., QuarryviUe Elizabethtown
Phone ST 6-2597 Phone EM 7-134
Allen H. Mats Haverstick Bros.
Denver Columbia Pike, Lancaster
Phone AN 7-6502 Phono EX 2-57 '
All these items were con
sidered in the planning.
Gehman raised two major
questions, both arising from
his own experiences.
First, he wanted to know
how profits from buying
grain and roughage would
compare with raising all
grain and roughage for the
herd.
Second, h e wondered
what change, if any, he
should make in his turkey
project. His questions, also,
were covered in the plan
ning.
So this is the way the ma
thematical system, linear
programming, has been ad
apted to farm management.
Pennstac efficiently and
quickly handles the large,
complex problems requiring
great numbers of calcula
tions Pennstac has many of
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the characteristics of the
more famous Univac.
Meanwhile, researchers at
Penn State are putting lin
ear programming and Penn
stac to work on problems of
formulation. Studies by R. F.
Hutton, R. H. Me Alexander,
and others are helping feed
mill operators prepare high
quality dairy and poultry
feeds with necessary nutri
ents at the least cost
Since only the largest mil
lers have machines like
Pennstac, Dr. Hutton and as
sociates have worked out
calculating devices and meth
ods suited to the usual of
fice equipment. This will ex
tend the usefulness of linear
programming to small mil
lers as well as to farmers.
Dr. Clarkson worked as a
stockyards veterinarian, fie’d
supervisor in area bovine tu
berculosis testing and prin
cipal veterinarian in charge
of tuberculosis for
the Bureau of Animal Indus
try from 1922 to 1936.
He then worked for a
Philadelphia dairy for a
year before starting 15 years
of work as meat and milk
inspector for the Lancaster
Board of Hea'th.
Dr, Clarkson succeeds Dr.
Clarence M. Stevens who has
returned to private practice.
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