This fattier- eon <* BY SALLY BAIR Staff Correspondent MANHEIM - A sue- '1 idividual bulk tanks in an enlarged milking house. Both had their own tanks before going into business together and they chose to keep their milk separate, with the agreement of their cooperative. cessful father and son dairying operation is not so unusual, but D. Lamar team has unique arrangement Wumer and his father Harold, Manheun K 3, .have an arrangement that could' ULj 4 just be the first of its kind in Lancaster County Lamar and his lather each have their own herd of cows and share facilities. They share a barn, milking equipment and work, but each has his own feeding system, bulk tank, milk check and bills to pay. It may sound unusual, but for the Witmers, the arrangement is one that suits their needs at this point and one which is working out well since its initiation in August Lamar figures the arrangement may mean less record keeping than a partnership or other financial arrangements, because they each get their own milk check and Lamar buys his own feed He pays his father rent per stall tor use of the facilities Lamar, 24, had been milking cows in his own herd independently tor about three years Alter graduating from Lancaster Mennomte High School in 1974 he worked as herdsman tor Shelly Shellenberger tor Lancaster Farming, Saturday, December 6,1980—A13 two years and then worked as a breeding technician for V/2 years While breeding cows he began his own herd and milked the cows at a neighbor’s bam for two years. When the bam was no longer available he sold that herd, but quickly began a second herd He rented another neighbor’s barn for about one year but then he and his father decided to work together. Lamar says, ’T wanted more of a permanent situation and a place where I knew I could stay a while. My parents invited me to come here and I appreciated it ‘We are both very happy. Neither of us wanted to go t Quality udders are a distinction of the Witmers' two herds. This well-attached udder belongs to one of Harold’s cows, Lynette. She is an 83 point aged cow who milks 100 pounds daily and has a 19,000 pound record on two times a day milking. pennfield Dairy Miherol Program While most minerals are only needed in a small level in a dairy feed, they are nevertheless very important in maintaining good milk production and optimal herd health. Particular attention needs to be paid to the mineral nutrition of dairy cows because the forages that they consume vary widely in mineral content. For this reason, the Pennfield Mineral Program is composed of three different formulas which are designed to com plement the forage feeding programs on the farm. These minerals can be fed free choice, used in complete rations or top dressed on the bunk. Fat Booster Pack is helpful in milk fat depression problems commonly found in the summer and also for cows on low fiber roughages. SAVE ON ALL OF PENNFIELD'S LIVESTOCK MINERALS OCTOBER 20 THRU DECEMBER 12 50* OFF EACH 50 LB. BAG Ppennfieldfeeds 711 Rohrerstown Road Lancaster PA 17604 Local calls Lancaster 299 2561 • Red Lion 24A-4511 In 717 and 215 areas dial toll tree 800 -732-0467 into partnership because I have brothers to consider. This is less complicated and we are both operating in dependently.” Lamar has two brothers at home, Jeff, 20, who drives a milk truck and Rodney, 14. Lamar is milking 26 cows with the Royal Dream prefix and his father has 34 milking wnh the Lan-Lebco prefix. Lamar’s herd average is 18,025 pounds milk, 3.6 percent and 645 fat. Harold’s average is 15,839 pounds milk, 3.7 percent and 581 fat. When it was decided to share facilities and work, the Witmers built an addition onto the barn to house Lamar’s herd and they (Turn to Page Al 4)
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