B2—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, December 13,1980 Test breeding , fine-tuned feeding BY DICK ANGLESTEIN MAN HEIM Butterfat production has shown a steady increase for the herd of Nelson and Alma Wenger, R 6 Manheim, since they started farming on their own seven years ago Their herd average has climbed nearly 200 lbs in that time to a high of 771 lbs during the past year And that was enough to bring them the high herd butterfat honors at the Lancaster County DHIA Banquet this week That average also is believed to be an all-time record for the county. Looking back, Wenger points to three mam factors which came together during the past year to hike the butterfat production to the 771-lb average, which was a 90-lb. jump from just the year before. First, he has continued a specific p ogram of breeding for test, which was actually started under his father Arthur Second, he's been able tc fine tune his feeding management to the poml where he’s getting gooc production results with a minimum of problems And finally, the Wengen admit they had their share ol good fortune with the herd There were no major dif ficulties, other than some breeding trouble during the peak of the summer’s hot and humid weather. The foundation for the butterfat honors moved out of the Wenger herd during this past year just at the tune the achievement was being attained She was a 13- year-old cow, Valley Run Smokey Rocket, which had come from his father’s herd One of her calves was a bull, Valley Run Silver Tiger, who was sired by Silver Tip, a Curtiss bull Rocket was a 4 8 percent test cow and Silver Tip had a plus test. Half of the present Wenger herd can be traced directly to Tiger, who was a minus bull in so far as milk was concerned, but has been proven to be an admirable sire for test. “His offspring are slow maturing and usually don’t Standing next to their farm sign along Earhart Road, west of Manheim, are Nelson and Alma Wenger, who have built top butterfat herd in just seven years of farming. bring butterfat honors u »v f * ,i V ~ I K * Nelson H. Wenger, R 6 Manheim, scatters some hay to his award-winning high butterfat herd of Holsteins. have high milk production as first-calf heifers,” Wenger explained “But generally by the third lactation, they become some real good producers.” Concerning test, Wenger cites 18 of the offspring who are all over 4.0 percent and five with at least 5 0 percent The Wengers had four cows over 1000 lbs. of fat in 305 days during the past year. Della, freshened at 7 years, 4 months, had 27,807 lbs of milk and 1138 lbs of fat at 4.1 percent test. Vanessa, freshened at 5 years, 2 months, had 26,426 lbs and 1085 lbs. of fat at 4 Itest Winner, freshened at 5 years, 9 months, had 20,172 $ < > * t * lbs. of milk and 1019 lbs. ot fat at 5.1 Cotton, freshened at 0 years, had 22,326 lbs of milk and 1118 lbs. of fat at 5.0 test. And another member of the Wenger herd recently recorded an additional significant production achievement Cinnamon, freshened at 4 years, just finished test in October with 30,373 lbs of milk and 1021 lbs of tat at 3 4 percent "She’s our first cow to top 30,000 lbs. of milk in 305 days,” Wenger said "During her top month, she was giving 137 lbs. a-day and was still producmg'»y29 lbs daily the following month.” The Wenger herd averages about 45 milkers and 40 young stock They raise all their own replacements and market quite a few heifers and bulls for breeding. Recently, a heifer went to Arkansas, three to Illinois and another sold at the state calf sale. A number of the bulls are destined for overseas, where greater emphasis is placed on the butterfat differential. One of Della’s bulls is in Holland and the next is scheduled tor Carnation And a Cotton bull is con tracted for Holland. The Wengers have a limited supply of Tiger semen left, which they’ll continue to use. But they also include other sires in their breeding program, such as Creek and Ace from Sire Power and Cinnamon irom Select Sires In addition to breeding, Wenger places emphasis on feeding management, especially the fine tuning of his in., 1 , moisture shelled corn ratio. • About luo and a halt years ago we started feeding the high moisture shelled corn,” Wenger said. The moisture levt' is critical and, at first, ! believe we were feeding it too wet. m Now, we ve been keeping the moisture lower in the teed and eliminating a lot ot acid conditions in the rumen We try tor a happy medium - moist enough to get propel fermentation but dry enough to avoid the pioblems. I he teeding progiaiu also includes hay luge, corn silage and a limited amount ot hay Koasteu soybeans with nnneials and i itaimns added ai c ted as lop di essing to the high ns. c coi n (Turn to Page B 4) \ See your nearest HOLLAND Dealer for Dependable Equipment and Dependable Service; Alexandria. PA Clapper Farm Equipment Paul A Dotterer Star Route 814-669 4465 Annville. PA BHM Farm Equipment, Inc Edwards Farm Equipment RD 1 717-867-2211 Bernville. PA Stanley A Klopp, Inc Bernville, PA 215-488-1510 Carlisle, PA Paul Shovers, Inc 35 East Willow Street 717-243 2686 Catawissa. PA Abraczmskas Farm Equipment, Inc RD 1 717-356 2323 Chambersburg. PA Clugston Implement, Inc 7 H2O 717 263-4103 Pleasant Gai Davidsburg, PA George N Gross, Inc RD2, Dover, PA 717-292 1673 Elizabethtown. PA Messick Farm Equipment, Inc Rt 283 - Rheem’s Exit Gettysburg. PA Ymgling Implements RD 9 717 359-4848 Greencastle. 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