Lancaster farming. (Lancaster, Pa., etc.) 1955-current, June 04, 1977, Image 16

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    16—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, June 4, 1977
Solanco
[Continued from Page 1[
Dairy Judging Contest that
year. In 1976 at the All-
American Show in
Harrisburg, high individuals
for two breeds were from
Solanco and the Solanco
team placed sixth in the
invitational contest. The
team had placed fourth
during FFA Week to qualify
for the invitational. This
Spring, pladngs at the Penn
State Exposition included
first place all-over team,
first and third placed teams
for reasons, second placed
boy and second, third, and
fourth placed individuals for
reasons.
Solanco’s Dairy Judging
Team advisor, Dr. William
Fredd states the dub is
successful because ~ its
members are persistent.
They see and judge a lot of
cows and work hard at
improving their use of dairy
type terminology. According
to Fredd, young people with
real determination to be
students of dairy type can
become successful- judges.
A student who is especially
interested in dairy animals,
Dave Bitier, had reach an
article in Hoards Dairyman
about a dairy club and
suggested Steve Lciser, one
of his teachers, that Solanco
start a dub of its own. After
Hitler!s suggestion, the first
Solanco Dairy Club formed
during the 1970-71 school
year with Leiser as its
advisor.
Fredd, dub advisor for the
past five years, says the
teaching program for the
dub has evolved to give the
members plenty of exposure
to judging dairy animals
locally as well as In several
states in the north-eastern
section of the United States.
“Each year the dub gets
down to work after the Farm.
Show,” says Fredd. From
mid'January through mid*
March, the dub goes out to
local herds for evening
judging sessions. This year
they judged at nine herds
during that two months’ time
span.
The first two judging
sessions are held at farms
SUPPLIES STILL
AVAILABLE
SUMMER PLANTING
All maturities available
SUPPLIES & GRADES ARE LIMITED
For The Name Of
Your Nearest Dealer,
Contact
within a few miles of the
school so that after the
judging is' completed, the
dub members can return to
the school where
experienced members are
paired with new ones to help
the beginners write out
reasons, stressing correct
terminology and good logical
explanations. Fredd points
out that written reasons are
soon de-emphasized after the
basic format has been
grasped fay the new
members. A judge should
picture the animal in his
mind and give reasons from
that picture rather than
memorize a list of written
reasons, according to Fredd.
He advises taking brief
notes, organizing properly
and using correct terms but
not memorizing.
After a practice session or
two, file individual scores
are recorded and posted in
the ag room at the high
school.
“There is a great deal of
interest generated by this.
The members are
competitive and want to
improve their standing,” he
explains. “The dub is open
to anyone who is keenly
interested in dairy judging;
members do not have to
belong to FFA, but when we
select for the FFA Week, of
course, only FFA members
are eligible.”
- After the eight to 10
training sessions are over,
usually in late March, the
dub members who have
attended 80 per cent of the
meetings are eligible to
paitidpate in the Spring
dairy dub tour. During the
tour which is three or four
days long, the dub packs
sleeping bags and food
supplies into vans and trucks
and travels to farms with
outstanding herds
representing all breeds. The
purpose of the tour is to see
and visit a number of
outstanding dairy farms, see
outstanding dairy cattle, and
to become proficient dairy
judges, capable of giving a
good set of reasons.
In four days this Spring,
the sixteen club members
judged at nine different
farms in eastern
Pennsylvania and New
FOR
CALL NOW
The 1977 dairy judging teams from. Solanco High
School who attended the Penn State Dairy
Exposition are; (first place team seated (eft to
right) Mary Bitter, Bruce Kreider, Tom Kirk, and
York. When distance
between farms permitted,
the club judged a different
herd each morning,
afternoon and evening. If a
student remains in the dub
for three years he will se
herds from Virginia, New
Jersey, Maryland, New York
as well as Pennsylvania.
Scores are recorded from
the Spring trip sessions and
after the tour, the dub
membership is cut to twelve.
Three more workouts are
held locally and the dub is
reduced to eight members
who make up the two teams
which go to the Penn State
Exposition. Based on results
at the Expo, the team is then
chosen for FFA Week
competition.
“It’s not that our boys or I
should say members (about
one-third are girls) are so
much smarter than other
teams. It’s just that we work
harder and see a lot more
animals than do many other
dubs,” Fredd explained. “It
takes a lot of time to study
and practice. We wouldn’t be
Sorghum in Stock
Grain
HAROLD J. DIETRICH
ROl Box 98
RICHLAND. PA. 17087
(717) 933-4940
Forage
Sudan
able to have so much
experience if it weren’t for
load and regional dairymen
who allow ns to come to their
farms to practice judging.”
It also takes parents who are
willing to allow their
children to devote so much
time to this.
“There is a direct
carryover to the people in
John Deere 200 Series
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Choose the 10 hp 210
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A.B.C. GROFF, INC.
New Holland 717-354-4131
Sandy Schmuck. Standing is the second team from
Solanco. which placed third in reasons. They are
(left to right) Una Bucher. Tim Hanks, Jeff OeLong,
and Mike Rhoads.
our community,” this
advisor explained. Some
members go on to develop
good herds o! their own,
others continue higher
education in fids held out of
interest generated by the
dub and an members get a
preview or overview of the
dairy industry in the eastern
United States, he. added.
Lets you change
ground speeds on the
move without shitting
or clutching Allows
attachments to run at
peak elliciency
regardless of tractor
ground speed
ADAMSTOWN EQUIPMENT INC.
Mohnton, RD2, PA 19540 {near Adamstown)
Phone 121514*44391
Solanco Dairy Club’s
success depends on
determined students, willing
parents, cooperative host
dairymen, locally and
regionally, and a well
organized program offering
plenty of practice and
stressing learning and
constant improvement.
E ’dosing tne eng ne
cuts noise levels
lets you work in a
more relaxed manner
An enclosed engine
also shields moving
parts for additional
safety
LANDIS BROS. INC.
Lancaster, PA 717-333-3906