A3o—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, June 5,1982 Israeli into world MOSHAY OROT, Israel - The whimsical cartoon of a loving cat and mouse with the slogan "Make Love Not War” on farmer Zvi Marks’ cowshed is a little misleading. True, Marks’ love has been a prune ingredient in building a superb dairy herd, but the cattle themselves don’t know much about love, since these animals, and in fact all of Israel’s record-breaking dairy cattle, have been conceived by a highly sophisticated system of artificial insemination. Although controlled artificial breeding is old hat in the dairy trade, the computerized genetic planning in use here has helped Israel achieve the highest milk production in the world. Latest figures show that Israel’s cows were producing an average of approximately 7,000 (14,500 pounds), liters per year per cow in 1980. As Israeli super-cows are becoming even more super, other countries, particularly those in the Third World, are beginning to line up to buy semen and cattle. The cattle are being exported to African and Mediterranean countries; some are turning up in Arab countries. An agreement to sell to Egypt, Israel’s new peace partner, is in the works. COWS, COMPUTERS AND DEDICATION How has Israel achieved such remarkable levels of milk production, in a dairy industry which was started only 50 years ago? Zvi Marks, a dairy fanner who is a member of the Israel Dairy Board and just finished serving three years as Secretary of the Israel Cattle Breeders’ Association, attributes the success to supenor Black and Wtute U.S. stock, computerized breeding and feeding, and most importantly, the energetic spirit of Jewish pioneers who settled here after statehood in 1948. Bespectacled Marks, together with partner Dam Frank, manages a herd of 250 cattle, 100 of them .milk cows, on Moshav Orot, a communal-type settlement about a half hour’s drive south from Tel Aviv. Eager to talk about dairying m Israel, Marks kicks the manure off his boots and settles down on the veranda of the pleasant house he built for himself and his family. He explains that Jewish pioneers started dairying in this part of the world around 1915 with the local Arab cow called “Damascus.” “She was a pretty mean, scrawny and small diurnal, but she was -resistant to local diseases,” Marks recounts. “In the 20’s and 30’s Israel brought in bulls from Holland. After World War 11, European stock was no longer available, so it was then, when we were forced to buy American animals, that we found out they were far, far superior.” "Genetically speaking," says Marks, "we are still not better than the U.S.A. The American dairy fanner is unique and we still have lots to learn from him. Also, our average production is high because we don’t have to include poorer farmers m our averages. In Israel, we only have productive dairy fanners. But in Wisconsin, there are plenty of farmers turning out 10,000 liters.” STRICT MANAGEMENT, NEW DIETS Marks points to the sophisticated use of the computer in Israeli dairying, which enables fanners to carry-out efficient-'‘milk reeor--- develop COWS leaders ding.” Keeping precise figures on milk production, besides being an obvious management tool, is important when selecting animals to make the next, even better generation. Computerized feeding techniques also figure big, ac cording to Marks. In Israel, where water, therefore grass and gram, are hard to come by, Israeli cattle have learned to love a computer prepared menu of tomato pulp, orange peels, silage and residues from beer and cheese production. Statistics show that the industrial leftovers are agreeing with the cows, and milk quality, Marks notes, doesn’t seem to suffer. This system, says dairyman Marks, who has been in the business since 1964, is ideal because many farmers, like himself and Dam Frank, can band together in groups of 50 to 100 and share the expenses and services of the feed center near their farms where mixtures are prepared by scientific calculations for the specific needs of their cattle. VITAL HEALTH PLAN Another important element in the rapid growth of Israel’s dairy industry is a unique “sick fund" for dairy cattle, which is owned and operated by the farmers themselves. Yearly insurance coverage, which costs the equivalent of 100 liters of milk per cow, entitles fanners to outstanding medical care by top veterinarians. (Turn to Page A3l) r Used John Deere 6600 D L.L. Combine w/13’ Platform & 6 Row, 30” Cornhead Used John Deere 4400 D Combine wyi3’ Platform & Four Row Wide Cornhead $26,000.00 Used John Deere 6600 D Sidehiil Combine 1 w/643 Six Row 30" porn Head Used John Deere 45 Combine w/2 Row Corn Head & 12’ Platform $4,700 00 Used Hesston 9’ Self- Propelled Haybine. Used New Holland 489 Haybine LIKE NEW | STORE HOURS I Mon thruFn X X 730AMto 5 PM - I L FINANCING SAM to? 2 Noon | *' iV * ■ • «■ * - ~ Hesston 9' Self Propelled Haybine *lB5O OTHER NEW & USED EQUIPMENT SPECIALS . ,J e ’ computers. jres big ear. _ __rry. lencefrom building Zvi Marks productive dairy herd in Ohio State University and began dairying in Israel. A former Cleveland, Ohio resident. 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