Machine Solves Problems For
Pennsylvania Dairy Farmer
Tn 19>G8> John Gehman, a ment Specialist, The Pennsyl
pennsylvania dairyman, pro- vania State University,
lijbly became the first man in His Montgomery County
the world to seek, through the Agent, Marion Deppen, recog-
Agiicultural Extension Service, nized the possibilities in solv
of the 'electronic brain’ ing Gehman’s problems which,
f o r solving a farm manage- he reasoned, were basically
nient problem, according to logistics Or, to put it simply:
p j. Becker, Farm Manage- would it be more profitable
Farm management specialist R. J. Becker (center)
holds punched paper tape on which computer has com
municated solutions to farm problem of dairyman John
Gehman (right, with wife). Gehman said, “Your ma
chine was right.”
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for German to spend more
time milking and managing
cows by reducing the time he
spent growing feed crops?
Results of computer solu
tions over the following years
have borne" out in practice
What Deppen guessed was pos
sible. Gehman h»s doubled his
herd to 120 cows, installed a
new milking system and uses
a difterent method of cropp
ing. He said, “Your machine
was right.”
Deppen warned Gehman that
the experiment might not work.
Gehman’s response was that
whatever answer the machine
gave he would still make up
his own mind.
Another possible world first:
In December 1963, Paul Bal
liet, a Northampton county
fanner, reported a farm pro
blem to a computer my mail
His problem arrived at the
University on a questionnane
torm in his own handwriting
He and Sam Lewis, his coun
ty agent, had filled it out
together
“We are experimenting to
find the quickest possible
means ol answering a farm,
problem",’’ Becker says.
Using a questionnaire is
something new. The farmer,
with the help of his county
agent, would fill it our and
mail it to the University. The
computer then provides the
answer which is usually a ser
ies of alternative solutions.
This information would go
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Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 21, 1964
back to the farmer by way of
the county agent who then
would discuss the alternatives
with him.
As this program develops,
county agents will receive
training and become equipped
to function m this special area
of computer applications. The
most important responsibility
of the county agent, Becker
emphasizes, is to recognize and
secure the vital information.
The new questionnaire will
help the county agent collect
the necessary data.
Dairy held data trom over
6,000 participating iaimeis
goes through electronic com
puters at the University which
report the dairy practices of
the farmers and the ,esults
achieved This information is
used as part of an educational
program to guide dairymen in
the improvement of herd man
agement on the dairy farms
of Pennsyhanna. Similar re
cordkeeping and analysis sys
tems aie in view for poultry,
swune and othei farm enter
prises
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-y:
Local Man
Joins National
Breeding Firm
Ray R, Harbold of Eliza
bethtown, Pa. has been as
signed to the Lower Dauphin
County and Upper Lancaster
County area as herd techni
cian lor Curtiss Breeding Ser
vice
He will work with Clifford
G-ibble under Pere L. Wickes,
of Lebanon, Pa. local distri
butor tor the nation-wide arti
ficial breeding firm, in making
the services of 165 sires of 14
dairy, beef and dual-purpose
breeds available to cattle rais
ers
Harbold qualified for the
post through successful com
pletion of an intensive two
week training course at the
Curtiss headquarters farm in
Cai y , Illinois
Veteians are responsible for
the repayment of their G. I,
loans Should the veteran de
fault on his payments and the
Veterans Administration have
to pa> a claim to the lender,
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