VOL. 15 NO. 38
At the first of two Lancaster County
Holstein Breeders Association barn meet
ings were, from left: Arthur (Art) Weng
er, Manheim RD2, on whose farm the
meeting was held, Wenger’s 18-year-old
Holstein Owners Hear Explanation
Of Cow Classification Program
Many aiea farmers, including
some wives and children, at
tended tne first of two barn
meetings sponsored by the Lan
caster Ceanty Holstein Breed
ers Association.
The first meeting was held
at the Arthur Wenger farm,
Manheim RD2
The meeting involved the
classification of Wenger’s Hol
stein herd under the direction
of John Gross of the Holstem-
Friesian Association of Ameri
ca.
Besides classifying the ani
mals, fitess, picked out three of
Wenger's animals to go over
point By point to explain how
the classification was reached.
Those whe attended had an op
portunity to try their own skill
on two «£ the animals before
Gross explained his own lating;
several fanners came up with a
rating very close to Gross’. '
A similar meeting is slated
for. 7:30 p m Tuesday on the
Loren Zimmerman Fann, East
Earl RDi, with William Kent
as classifier The Zimmerman
farm is one mile west of Good
ville along Route 23.
Farm Calendar
Saturday, August 15
Hereford Field Day cancelled.
1-7 pm. Lancaster County
Swine Producers Field Day,
Farm and Home Center.
Tuesday, August 18
7:3© p m Lancaster County
Holstein Breeders Associa
tion tarn meeting, Loren
Zimmerman Farm, East
Earl EDI.
8 pm Farm and Home
{Continued on Page 10)
son Nelson, who has “taken quite an in
terest" in the family dairy enterprise,
and Clair M. Hershey, Nottingham RDI,
Association meeting chairman.
The results of the classifica
tion of Wenger’s 40-cow milking
herd showed one animal rated
excellent and five very good
Gross said the national average
is only slightly more than one
per cent rated excellent, and
about 12 per cent very good,
indicating Wenger’s herd had
some top-notch animals
For the Wengers, this is the
eighth classification which is
made every 16 months
Wenger began his herd in
1951. With 104 acres, over half
Members of the first place Lancaster
County 4-H team in the senior livestock
judging contest at State 4-H Days at Penn
State this week, from left, are; Clark
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, August 15,1970
of it in corn, he giows-all his
own feed except the piotem, he
said
During his explanation, Gross
said the final score 01 classifi
cation for the animal is based
on 30 per cent each for general
appearance and mammary, and
20 per cent each for dairy
character and body
He went over the animals
point by point to explain the
factors that make up these
broad categories.
(Continued on Page 9)
Crampiness Is Cited
As Breeding Problem
Ciampmess in dan> cows is a
pioblem in Southeastern Penn
sj-ivama, according to Bill Kent
classifiei tor the Holstein Fue
sian Association of Ameuca
Speaking at the bain meeting
ot Arthur Wengei, Manheim
RD2, this week. Kent said that
ciampmess can be detected in
significant numbeis of cows and
even larger numbers aie earners
01 may be subject to the ti ait
He said crampiness is lecessive
and is passed on in bleeding
He defined it as a pinching
of the neive in the thoial aiea
of the lump which causes muscle
spasms
Kent said consideiable ic
seaich into ciampmess m beef
cattle has been conducted at the
Lmveisity ot Flonda
Kent piesentlj is doing some
icseaich of his own He said pie
liminaij indications aie that all
the Holstein ciampmess tiaits
may tiace back to one bull used
in the 1930’5, but he’s doing ex
tensne reseaich into the blood
lines ot animals with crampiness
befoie announcing his conclu
sion
If the blood line that’s caity
ing the recessive ci ampin ess can
be identified, it would be possible
to bleed the tiait out of the dan>
mdustij, he indicated
Meanwhile, ciampmess is so
prevalent that he can expect to
detect 26 to 40 cases out of each
1,000 to 1,500 animals classified
dining a thiee week period, he
said
Often, several ciampy animals
aie found in one herd wheie the
recessive trait has become well
established over many genera
tions of breeding Many animals
in these herds which aien’t
actually ciampy may be cameis
Stauffer, Ephrata RDI; Gary Dean. Stras
burg RDI; Burnell Buchan, Manheim
RD3, and Edi Donough, Manheim RD4.
See story oa Page 8.
S 2 00 Per Year
oi subject to ciampmess as they
age 01 if they’ie injuied. he said.
Foi the faimer, crampmess
means nutated and pained cows
which don’t pioduce as well and
often don’t pioduce as long Smoe
the long lasting cows aie gen
eially consideied the farmer’s
biggest money niukeis, c ram pi
nes s can seriously detract from
the pi ofitabilitv of the herd, he
explained
Michael Burton
Penn Manoi Ag Teacher
Michael Burton Is New
Penn Manor Teacher
Michael Bui ton, a June grad
uate of Penn State University ut
ag education, has assumed duties
as vo-ag teachei at Penn Manor
High School
A native of Biadlord Comity,
Burton will have responsibility
loi the Penn Manor Young
Farmers and junior ag. He wiM
teach the ninth and eleventk
giades
Myiin Voted President
Of Young Farmers
Glen Myhn was elected presi
dent of the Penn Manor Young
Faimeis at the organization's
picnic lecently at the Safe Har
boi picnic giounds
Myhn succeeds J Larry Hess,
who automatically becomes vice
piesident foi the new year
Othei new officeis are Lloyd
Stehman, secietaiy, Early New
comei, tieasmei, and Melvin
She.tzei chaplain
The Young Fannei s also voted
on a piogiam plan foi the com
ing yeai, including both educa
tional couises and activities.
Michael Bui ton, new agriculture
teacher, noted Friday, however,
that voting was close in many
instances and fmthei discussion
will ha\e to be held on the pro
gi am
Weathei fm the picnic was
excellent and the large family
group which attended enjoyed a
few innings of softball and other
activities before the delicious
grilled chicken dinner and Young
Farmei s meeting