14—Lancaster Farmlni Angus association holds field day By Dieter Krirg HOSENSACK "Agriculture is the one in dustry that can save tiie other industries in the country and show them how to become more efficient and productive," remarked Mick Colvin, regional represen tative of the Pennsylvania Angus Association. He made the statement while ad dressing an estimated 150 Angus breeders gathered near this tiny Lehigh County hamlet for the 1975 Penn sylvania Angus Association field day. Speaking briefly about agriculture in general, and the beef business in par ticular, the Angus association official praised youth* and youth programs involved with the Angus breed and encouraged them to continue. He repeated some advice he had heard at an earlier meeting: “Grab a hold of the best Angus calf you can find, and it’ll drag you right through some of the roughest times of life." 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Saturda; “The future of the Angus breed is great," Colvin told his listeners, most of them sitting in folding chairs beneath a tent erected for the occasion, and munching on the last tidbits of a steak sandwich provided for them by their hosts the John Fretz family of Pocket Valley Farm. "We’re in the greatest shape we’ve ever been in," he Informed the crowd, adding that he wasn’t just referring to Angus breeders, but to agriculture as a whole. He cited the renewed in terest and respect for the soil and the people that work with it as a reason for the improved outlook. “More young people are going into agriculture,” he stated, “and ag programs have won respect they didn’t have just a few years ago.” “The most important crop we produce," Colvin told his mixed audience of young and old, "are the boys and girls working in agriculture and related industries." A.B.C. Groff, Inc. New Holland 717 354 4191 Pikeville Equipment Inc. Oyster Dale Road Oley RDM2 PA 215 987 6277 Neuhous'es, Inc. Glen Rock Pa 717 235 1306 I. G.'s Ag Sales Silverdale Pa 18962 215 257-5136 Making kids and their involvement in agriculture the theme of his speech, Colvin likened parents’ opportunities to work with their children to financial dealings. “The opportunities you had yesterday,” he told the attentive parents, “are like cancelled checks they’re gone and used up. Your opportunities for today are like ready cash you can spend and builds upon. Tomorrow’s opportunities are promisory notes.” The second speaker for the afternoon activities was Dr. Daniel Burnside, veterinarian for Pocket Valley Farm, where the field day was held. Presenting an informal talk on mastitis in beef cattle, he opionized: “With our economy, the last thing I like to see breeders do is for them to get bigger physically.” Pausing momentarily, and letting his words of advice come slowly and deliberately _ for maximum effect, he con tinued: “When you double herd size, you don’t double problems—they increase by the square.” His experiments with mastitis in beef cattle, although still incomplete, is showing some interesting results, and in his words: “I think we will be pleased when we get all the weights.” The project involved measuring the rate of gain in calves nursing on cows which were treated for mastitis, and those which had not been freed of pathogenic organisms causing mastitis. After 30 days, the calves on treated cows had gained 6.3 per cent more weight than those on untreated dams. After 60 days the difference had increased to 12.5 per cent more gain. Burnside estimated that 100 pounds more milk produced by the cow would equal about 20 pounds more calf. “A lot more work could be done to this to evaluate the economics of it and mode of treatment,” he noted. The treated cows had received their medication after weaning, and it stayed in the udder throughout the dry period, Burnside in formed the group. He noted that he and his associates have found emergency calls to be a John Holloway and Sarah Fretz took first and second place, respectively, in a heifer show at the August Field Day last Saturday. “losing fact for us and our clients,” and that the three basic health problems he finds on farms involve reproduction, nutrition, and mastitis. A third segment of the afternoon activities con cerned the auctioning off of advertising space within a new breeder’s directory proposed the evening before at the annual meeting. It was agreed that a new directory was needed to replace the one which had been in use for three or four years, but that it would not materialize if advertising funds weren’t sufficient In the junior division of the The senior division of the judging contest held before contest found Raymond Tait lunch, the top six individuals of Mercer County in first were, in order, with home place, followed by 2. Bill counties appearing > in Holloway from Chester parentheses behind their names: 1. Terry Lynn Dixon, (York); 2. Melissa Fretz, (Lehigh); 3. Sarah Fretz, (Lehigh); 4. Barbara Strickler, (Chester); 5. Debbie Coleman, (Chester); and 6. Elizabeth Dixon, (York). By teams, the results are as follows: 1. Chester— John Holloway, Debbie Coleman, Barbara Strickler; 2. Lehigh Gail Snyder and Melissa and Sarah Fretz; 3. Berks Steve Bashore and Dennis and Darlene Dietrich; 4. York' Elizabeth, Terry Lynn, and Dixon. County; 3. Evtlyn Rlahel; 4. Ed Rlahil;'anti 5. Dan Shlve, all from Yortt County. In the heifer show, Rachel Holloway and Jim Holcomb placed their animals first and second, respectively, in Class I. In Clan 11, John Holloway’s animal placed over one shown by Sarah Fretz. Third and fourth places went to Pat Salazze and Fred Wjotowicz, respectively. Tom Baum of Lancaster County captured first place in Class in of the heifer show, followed by Lehigh County's Pat Salazze and Ann Holcomb from Berks. The champion heifer was shown by John Holloway; reserve champion honors went to Sarah Fretz. The judge was Erskine Cash, head of purebred livestock at Penn State. In elections held at the annual meeting. Edward Rishel, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, York, was chosen as president, replacing Bob Miller, who served in that capacity for the past three years. John Fretz and his wife, Jean Fretz, who own Pocket Valley Farm and hosted the field day ac tivities, were elected as vice president and secretary treasurer, respectively* The activities for the day concluded with breeders strolling through the pastures, framed by the rolling hills and fields of southern Lehigh County. Next year’s field day will be at the Raymond Tail farm in Mercer County. find the letters this picture nursreu. BENCH
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